Monday, October 02, 2017

THE LAND OF RADIANT LIGHT


© 2017 - Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter October 2017

by Mario C. Veo

In the most ancient of times, long before even fabled Atlantis, this land was united, linked in Brotherhood and the wisdom of respect.  Man was free to walk this Earth, and the Earth embraced and nurtured him.  He had nothing, and needed nothing, for the bounty of the fields were always ready to be shared, and the soil would turn soft to present him with a bed, and even the mountains offered caves to shelter him from the rains.... it was an idyllic time, truly based on Oneness.

So Man walked, exploring this Land of Plenty, never once desiring more than his needs, never once hoarding against a dire future ... why should such a  darkness arise, when the Land was so gracious, and all freely given. This very thought was one that could cause confusion, and in this confusion could be the seed of fear, and even of resentment.

Many ages went by, and Man, content in his bliss, became more and more radiant ... his very cells shone forth with an inner light, his voice became song, his vision one of pure beauty ... until the day he met ‘the others’.

Even though they were not of his tribe, Man embraced them as brothers, and with true innocence guided them to the most bountiful fields, showed them where the purest streams ran, and where the safest caves were to be found ... and having completed his proper duty, left them to continue his travels [for still much was to be explored, and  even greater beauty to be found]

This he did for many a year, and great was his joy as more of Earth’s bounty revealed itself ... Life was filled with seeming endless delight ...Yet as decades went by he found less and less, and that only of lesser radiance ... and some even rejected him ... him Man of pure light was being shunned by the very Land he once called brother ...

Confused by his new found lack he now turned to this puzzle, and began a different search to try to find the cause, the reason for such unpleasant divide ... And so he walked, for many days and many miles, but instead of uncovering less he found only increasing strife ... and at times even outright disowning, for that which once was one, now stood against him  “You no longer belong here ... go away Betrayer ... You did this to us all ... No place, no place, no place left for you ...” ... and no matter how much he tried, and begged to have the Land listen to him, he was Outcast ... No other choice but to move on and continue his search ...

So many more years passed, and for him who once was Eternal Youth, now found himself puzzled as he grew older and older ... not yet feeble, mind you, just ... ageing [as if the Land which once sustained him, now refused but the most basic sustenance]

And now, today, he finds himself once again in the valley where he first met ‘the others’ ... and tears sprang to his elderly eyes, for before him no longer lay the beautiful valley, filled with pure streams and bountiful trees ... no, now there were only crude buildings, sterile walls guarded by hard men with weapons, and even animals who once roamed free were now incarcerated in dirty pens, simply kept for slaughter ...With tears streaming down his wrinkled face he moved forth, still yearning in his innocence to he talk sense to them, to show them Union, to teach them the Way of the Land ...

And so he was brought in to stand before their ‘King’ - a fat man gorging himself with flesh, already half drunk with rotting fermented juices and surrounded by toady sycophants: “Have you come back to admire my kingdom, old man ... or to steal the jewels you forgot behind ... This is MY land now ... I own it, body and soul ...  I am King -  not you anymore ... I am the one who claimed it, and now hold it with fist and claw   ...

With each sentence his words grew louder and louder, his whole being shaking with suppressed anger, his body bloated with infected power, his eyes bloody with near madness, spittle foaming at the mouth and his jowls all aflutter ...  ...  ...  And when Man saw this he knew he was too late, too late to change what had taken just a few lost years to corrupt and destroy ... He now understood that there was only one thing left to do ... to let them go, and fulfill the destiny which they had set in motion ...For the last time he stared at the corruption that had once been a Living Land, and as he turned around he softly said: “I leave now, and let you embrace the world you’ve created”.

And so the Man who once was Pure Light turned away, and walked out into the greater world, the one that still survived beyond these tainted walls ... and as he took his light with him, he became aware of thousands of Shadows emerging from every crack and cranny of the dying earth, all rushing to the hall of the foolish King...

Mario C. Veo
is a teacher of Spiritual Science and a Healing Arts Practitioner. He teaches classes and individuals on Personal Transformation and the Expansion of Consciousness. Mario is available for personal guidance and consultations on Tuesday afternoons at the Shining Lotus™ Bookstore.

Sunday, October 01, 2017

PLANETS & POSSIBILITIES: A LOOK AT THE ASTROLOGY OF OCTOBER 2018


© 2017 - Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter October 2017

by Sally Shotwell

As the month begins we find the Sun (our consciousness), Mercury (our thought processes) and gigantic Jupiter (our belief systems) in airy, congenial Libra. Its ruler is lovely Venus, its symbol is the Scales of Justice and it is associated with the art of diplomacy. This is dependent upon our ability to be dispassionate as we weigh the merits of the different sides of an issue in order to come to a constructive conclusion. To find balance and harmony can be a tricky business but, as we remind ourselves, being detached helps us make good decisions. October promises to give us plenty of opportunities to practice this strategy!

October 1, energetic Mars in precise, earthy Virgo connects with focused Pluto in earthy, productive Capricorn to motivate us to hone our skills to achieve our goals. On the 3rd Venus, also in Virgo, shares her constructive insights with Pluto,  helping him soften his  stark take on relationship issues. This element of flexibility helps us prepare for the October 5 Full Moon (culmination) in fiery, independent Aries. The Moon is, of course, opposite the Libra Sun who is committed to resolving the dilemma facing us all. How do we reconcile our need for independence with while satisfying our desire for togetherness?  Both Mercury and Pluto are also in the act, further confusing issues. This suggests that we pend on any action until we're better informed.
The Sabian Symbol states: "An unexploded bomb reveals an unsuccessful social protest! An immature evaluation of the possibility of transforming the status quo." Venus and Mars do rendezvous briefly and send us the message that, no matter what, we must have faith in the Power of Love.

October 8, somber Saturn in fiery, adventurous Sagittarius is being rude to Venus but Mercury and the Sun deliver harmonious interactions which lift our spirits. Pluto is acting up with Mercury and the Sun on the 9th and it's important for us to resist being dragged into this volatile clash of wills because we have a big event we want to be fresh for. It's the October 10 arrival of Jupiter, King of the Gods, into watery, transformative Scorpio! We are privy to an adventure in which we explore mysterious and profound aspects of ourselves. Pluto is Scorpio's ruler and, as we've experienced many a time, he is all about unearthing everything concealed. This includes stuff we need to get rid of but, also, tremendous treasure we can now only imagine.

October 15, captivating Venus comes home to Libra and draws our attention to the aesthetic beauty and charm which is available to us if we seek it out. This is a great antidote to a lot of the unsettling input which swirls around us. Are we taking time to schedule pleasurable activities with like minded companions?

Keeping this in mind helps us as Mercury opposes unpredictable Uranus in Aries October 15. This temperamental association has the potential to either guide us to brilliant new perspectives or unnerve us with unexpected revelations. Let's deep breathe, detach and go along for the ride.

October 17, mental Mercury enters Scorpio, further emphasizing our focus to get down to business in delving into taboo topics, including instincts we are uncomfortable with, death and sex. The 18th he joins forces with Jupiter who shares his largesse and nurturing us with compassion as we venture forth into this unknown territory. All this leads up to the October 19 New Moon (new beginnings) in Libra with authentic Uranus on hand to stir up the pot. The Symbol's message is "An airplane sails, high in the clear sky: A consciousness able to transcend the conflicts and pressures of personal life." In our quest, let's avail ourselves of the tremendous wisdom of those who came before us.  
October 22, Mars enters Libra and we may feel a push to become more involved with those we count on. Are we interested in enlarging our circle of friends?

The same day, the Sun enters watery, emotional Scorpio, the sign whose three symbols represent serious transformation (the Scorpion, the Eagle and the Phoenix, respectively). Our psyches are already processing a lot so we should be prepared when Mercury joins forces with intuitive Neptune in other worldly, watery Pisces. This combination encourages us to honor our imagination and daydreaming. Emotional intelligence is also at our disposal and let's find a way to nurture it through stillness.

October 27, Venus and Pluto are at cross purposes so let's have an escape plan should our interpersonal experiences go south, but clever Mercury appears and soothes the Dark Lord's ruffled feathers. October 29, the Moon (our unconscious) enters Pisces which makes for a slew of planets in watery, psychic signs. This should make for a very interesting Halloween and let's be ready for anything!

Happy Halloween and Blessings!

Sally Shotwell is a life-long student of esoteric spirituality whose focus on studies in Astrology have spanned decades. She has entertained and informed our readers with her articles for a few years now.