While religious organizations are filled with many leaders who
are pure of heart and uplifting in spirit, there are also leaders
whose agendas are more self-serving. People often give away
personal power to large institutions, religion included, and this
attracts unscrupulous leaders who wish to pursue their quest
for power over people.
In the pursuit of power through religion, the primary weapon of conquest is fear. When fear has driven love from the hearts of their followers, then hatred can be installed in its place. Once a person hates other groups of people, then they become trapped within an emotional prison from which there is no escape as long as they accept the original messages of fear. It then becomes essential that the creed being presented is a rigid set of rules and behavior, as flexibility could open a gateway to freedom.
As people are drawn to religion by the deepest of all human drives, which is to consciously reconnect with God, their greatest fear is to be cut off from such a reconnection. That fear is exploited by self-serving leaders using threats of eternal hell and damnation for people who reject the attempts at control to which they are being subjected.
Another ploy to drive the love out of people's hearts has been to tell them that they are miserable sinners. This allows self-hatred to creep in and makes it even more possible to instill hatred of other groups of people. These other groups include not only people of other religions, but often other sects within their own religion.
Fundamentalist groups are famous for insisting that theirs is the one and only correct flavor of the truth and that all other variations on the same theme are wrong. They go on to claim that members of the other groups are destined for a hell which is based on Dante's imaginary Inferno.
The lowest of the spirit realms do exist, as do the heavens, or higher spirit realms, but they are nothing like the fantasy versions. Unlike the physical world, the spirit realms are segmented by frequency of consciousness. There are twelve realms, or layers of existence, within the spirit world. People reside in the realm that best harmonizes with their normal frequency of consciousness and spend their time among others of like mind and spirit.
There is no judgment by others when you pass from the physical world into the spirit world. There is, however, a self-review of your life where you assess what you learned in your physical life, see what needs to be healed or integrated, and start to think about what you would like to focus on in your next incarnation.
The objective of life in the spirit realms is to integrate the lessons of the physical life experience - to heal the conflicts, release the negative emotions and become at peace within. The spirit then becomes ready to move on beyond the spirit realms and into the soul realms, where in-depth planning for their next physical incarnation eventually takes place.
There is a reason why every snowflake is unique and every person is unique. Infinite Being created infinite diversity in order that an infinite variety of experience may be gained. This is why there are as many paths to spiritual oneness as there are humans upon the face of the Earth.
Trying to force people to live and act the same, according to someone else's set of rules, is an attempt to interfere with the Creator's principle of infinite variety. As I pointed out in my book "The Shift," any attempt to coerce people into conformity with the standards of another person, or another group of people, is actually a violation against the will of
the Creator.
Humanity will reach unity and a lasting world peace when, paradoxically, people accept the diversity of humanity. There will never be a one-size-fits-all, world religion which demands the conformity of everyone, simply because one size of anything never did fit all people. What there will be is a worldwide acceptance of human diversity and the fact that there is a limitless variety of spiritual paths back to God or Infinite Being, the one source of all life.
The freedom to pursue your own unique path back to original oneness is a fundamental right endowed upon you by the Creator of all life. As a living being, you have the inalienable right to be who you are, and not what someone else wants you to be.
As we move away from the Old Reality and further into New Reality consciousness, it is appropriate to celebrate our uniqueness and the individual paths that we have chosen to tread. Life is a cycle of experience and its ultimate purpose is to learn how to reconnect with the spiritual joy which radiates from within our inner beings.
A good time to pay homage to you
ancestors is just before Samhain.
For this spell, gather at your altar or
sacred space some black cloth, a
black candle, a bowl of water, a
feather, a citrine, amethyst or lapis
lazuli crystal, and photos and
mementos from your loved ones
who have passed beyond.
Place the black cloth on your altar
or on the floor.
Position the feather in the east,
the candle in the south,
the bowl of water in the west,
and the crystal in the north.
Arrange the photos and other objects
in the middle as you chant or whisper:
"May my loved ones touch me again--
in the kiss of a breeze,
in the light of candle flame,
in the laughter of the rain,
in the ground beneath my feet.
Spirits of air, fire, water, earth,
bring my loved ones close again."
You may want to hold a photo or
object and take time to feel the
spirit of your loved one.
Invitation to Your
Ancestors by Sedwin
The Root Chakra
Element: Earth Concept: Root Gland: Adrenals Sense: Smell Color: Red Metal: Lead
The Root, matter, survival, grounding, stillness. Called the Muladhara,by the Hindu, the Root
chakra is the beginning of all things. It can be visualized as red in color. Red has the longest
wavelength and the slowest vibration in the visible spectrum. Thus, our most condensed state of matter. In the physical body, the first chakra is associatedwith the adrenal gland, and located at the perenium, midway between the anus and the genitals. The Root is the well from which all life springs. It is the motivation for survival. The survival mechanismstimulates our first awakening of consciousness, bringing our attention into the moment. By being our source of grounding, by connecting us to the physical world, matter centers us. Gives us to stillness within, so we can focus on the experience of our lives in form.
The Sacral Chakra
Element: Water Concept: Creativity Gland: Ovaries,Testicles Sense: Taste
Color: Orange Metal: Tin Gemstones: Coral Sanskrit: Svadhisthana
Tarot: Cups Kabalah: Yesod
Change, Polarities, Movement, Sexuality, Socialization. Consciousness thrives on change.
Without change our minds become dull and unaware. Without change there is no growth, no movement. The consciousness of the Sacral chakra is based on the dualism of the universe. Polarities, by their mutual attraction, create movement. We exercise the dynamics of this mutual attraction with sexuality. Sexuality is a profound rhythm pulsing through all biological life. Sexuality is the sacred ritual whereby we celebrate our difference. Socialization is the grand interaction whereby we seek to define ourselves through an everchanging enviroment.
The Solar Plexus
Element: Fire Concept: Will Gland: Pancreas Sense: Sight Color: Yellow
Metal: Iron Gemstones: Amber, Topaz Sanskrit: Manipura Tarot: Wands
Kabalah: Hod, Netzach
The Solar Plexus, source of our Fire, Power, Will, and transformation. Fire transforms matter into heat and light, the third chakra transforms the enertia of earth and water into action, transformation. In the physical body, the third chakra resides in the space between the navel and the solar plexus. Fire, in physical terms, could be called combustion, in the body it is metabolism, psychologically it relates to personal power and the expression of will. Personnal power is the force that empowers, strengthens, and helps us develop an expression of self. Will is the combination of mind and action, a focused synthesis of temperance and desire, the means whereby we create our world. Transformation.
The Heart Chakra
Element: Air Concept: Love Gland: Thymus Sense: Touch Color: Green
Love, Air, Breath, Balance, Relationship, Unity. We have reached the central point of the chakra system. This is where we unite the spiritual forces from above and the physical forces from below, into the harmonious expression of Love. Air is the expression of movement, breath, breathing in the sacred prana. Balance is the nature of natural things. The planets balance in our solar system. The plants and animals balance on the earth. Humankind is the variable of experience. We balance consciousness. "Love is the attraction exercised on each unit of consciouness by the center of the universe in its course of takingshape." (Teilhard de Chardin) Thus, we eventually arrive at the focus of unity, within and without.
The Throat Chakra
Element: Sound Concept: Communication Gland: Thyroid Sense: Hearing
Color: Bright Blue Metal: Mercury Gemstones: Turquoise Sanskrit: Visuddha
Kabalah: Geburah, Chesed
Vibration, Communication, Creativity, Media. Communication is the means whereby consciousness spreads itself from one form to another. For thehuman being, communication is multi-dimensionable . This is acheived through the medium of vibration. Voice. All matter vibrates, just at varying speeds. The human has a sound that represents it in the cosmo's, but human can also make sound. Language gives form to thought. Media becomes the backdrop of the imagination.
Light, Color, Visualization, Imagination, Clairvoyance. The Gateway to the allseeing world of knowing. All things exist as energy moving at varying speeds to produce varying densities. The third eye is the sense whereby we percieve the universe as energy. Light. We learn the power of visualization by understanding the connection of our desires to the world that manifests around us. Seeing ourselves in our more involved states. We finally gain the reference to strive more
ernestly towards the clarity of self, only visiable to those who let go of the physical world. Clairvoyance.
The Crown Chakra
Element: Thought Concept: Understanding Gland: Pituitary Sense: Being
Thought, Knowing, Understanding, Transcendance, Enlightenment. Thought, expanding consciousness into Understanding, into knowing, into transcendance and enlightenment. The crown is the completion of the animal form. The last stage in bringing the physical consciousness
up to touch spiritual consciousness. The resurrection of man. Knowing is the point we reach where our world is no longer encapsulated in the shell of physical existence. Our being is able to touch the universe without and within. Lifting us up beyond the world of cause and effect. Beyond searching for a reason to exist. Transcendance.
These cookies can be made on Hallow's Eve. They can be shaped like people and the herb rosemary is added to the dough as a symbol of remembrance. Some of the cookies are eaten while telling stories or attributes of special ancestors, reminding us that we still have access to their strengths--or perhaps a predisposition to their weaknesses. The rest of the cookies are left outside by a bonfire as an offering. This can be a solemn ritul, but it need not be.
Ingredients for the cookies:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter or margarine (softened)
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 1/2 T. chopped rosemary
Heat oven 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract, and rosemary until creamy. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture. Beat until dough forms and refrigerate for three hours. Divide dough into halves. Roll out one portion to 3/16 of an inch on a floured surface. Cut out with gingerbread women or men cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat rolling and cutting with second portion. Bake for 5-7 minutes.
Remembrance Cookies
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance."-- Shakespeare's Hamlet to Ophelia
Description
Rosemary is an attractive evergreen shrub with pine needle-like leaves. It's trusses of blue flowers last through spring and summer in a warm, humid environment. It will grow to a height of between 3 and 5 feet.
Cultivation
Propagate from cuttings of the twisted wood of non-flowering branches in early summer, or layer established branches. Rosemary can also be grown from seed. Choose a sheltered position and well-drained soil, and allow the plant lots of sun. The thick shrub tolerates clipping so that the size can be kept in check. In hot weather it will appreciate a good hosing down. In a warm climate it can remain in the same location for up to 30 years, but in climates where freezing temperatures are expected it is best grown in pots so that it can be brought indoors in winter.
History and Tradition
The botanical name Rosmarinus is derived form the old Latin for 'dew of the sea', a reference to its pale blue dew-like flowers and the fact that it is often grown near the sea. It is a symbol or remembrance and friendship, and is often carried by wedding couples as a sign of love and fidelity.
Tradition says that rosemary will grow for thirty-three years, until it reaches the height of Christ when he was crucified, then it will die. Sprigs of rosemary were placed under pillows at night to ward off evil spirits and bad dreams. The wood was used to make lutes and other musical instruments.
We continue to use rosemary in many of the same ways that our ancestors did: in potpourris to freshen the air, and in cosmetics, disinfectants and shampoos.
'[Rosemary] comforteth the cold, weak and feeble brain in a
most wonderful manner.' --Gerard
'Make thee a box of the wood of rosemary and smell to it and it
shall preserve thy youth.' --Banckes' Herbal
Rosemary for Remembrance
Scientists at the University of Cincinnati say that the scent of rosemary is an effective memory stimulant. This might make a nice potted plant for your desk at work, or where the kids do their homework!
Harvesting
The leaves can be harvested any time. Harvest no more than you can use fresh, as they loose most of their flavor when dried.
Rosemary Remembrance Wreaths
Form heavy gage wire into the shape of a heart by twisting it into a circle about 8 inches in diameter, then pinching at the base and the top to form a heart. Bind slender sprays of rosemary to the heart-shaped frame with florists' wire. Decorate the rosemary heart with dried flowers and herbs, as shown. Rosebuds, also a symbol or remembrance, add a nice touch.
Medicinal Uses/Cancer Prevention Properties/Growing and Using Rosemary
Renowned herbalist Bertha Repert offers expert advice on growing rosemary indoors and out. She also provides simple instructions and recipes for using rosemary in cooking, craft projects, herbal remedies, beauty products, decorative accents, and holiday and wedding ornaments.
Several studies done in the last several years show that oil from the leaves of the very plant sold as a spice for flavoring can help prevent the development of cancerous tumors in laboratory animals. One study, led by Chi-Tang Ho, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Food Science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, showed that applying rosemary oil to the skin of experimental animals reduced their risk of cancer to half that found in animals that did not receive the application of oil. In other studies by the same research team, animals whose diets contained some rosemary oil had about half the incidence of colon cancer or lung cancer compared with animals not eating rosemary. And researchers at the University of Illinois in Urbana found that rosemary cut by half the incidence of breast cancer in animals at high risk for developing the disease. Future studies will demonstrate whether these properties extend to humans as well.
Though these experiments have used rosemary oil to test the effectiveness in preventing cancer, the oil should not be taken internally. Even small doses can cause stomach, kidney and intestinal problems, and large amounts may be poisonous. Use a tea instead. Pregnant women should not use the herb medicinally, although it's okay to use it as a seasoning.
Other Medicinal Properties
Rosemary helps to relax muscles, including the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and uterus. Because of this property it can be used to soothe digestive upsets and relieve menstrual cramps. When used in large amounts it can have the opposite effect, causing irritation of the intestines and cramps. A tea made form the leaves is also taken as a tonic for calming nerves and used as an antiseptic.
Rosemary makes a pleasant-tasting tea. Use one teaspoon of crushed dried leaves in a cup of boiling water and steep for ten minutes.
Cosmetic Uses
Use an infusion as a rinse to lighten blond hair, and to condition and tone all hair. Try mixing an infusion half and half with shampoo to strengthen hair.
An infusion can also be used as an invigorating toner and astringent. Rosemary added to a bath strengthens and refreshes, especially when used following an illness.
Culinary Uses
Rosemary and lamb go well together. Make slits in lamb for roasting and tuck in sprigs of the herb. Place larger sprigs over chops for grilling and use chopped leaves sparingly in soups and stews. Use rosemary in bouquets garnis and sparingly with fish and in rice dishes.
Other Uses
Use the dried leaves as potpourri and in sachets to scent clothes and linen and deter moths.
Rosmary is grown as a companion plant for cabbage, beans carrots and sage. It helps to deter cabbage moths, bean beetles and carrot flies.
Ishtar represents the fullness of womanhood and dares us to dream. Her
Power is strongest at the full moon, when the essence of womanhood
Heightens in response to the moon energy that is all-encompassing.
SUGGESTED AFFIRMATIONS:
~ I am joyful ~ My big hips are sexy! ~ I am healthy and happy ~ I am alive with sexuality ~ I adore my womanly shape ~ I feel absolutely supercharged ~ I have abundant energy and vitality
~ My vital energy resurfaces with laughter
Related gemstones: Carnelian, coral, agate, brown jaspar (orange stones)
Ishtar's energy represents love, fertility, passion and sexuality. Babylonians have honoured Ishtar as a goddess who inspires lovers everywhere to stop for a moment and connect with the fertile energy She brings. The city of Mari worshiped Ishtar as a birth goddess symbolised by the Urn of Life held tight to her belly. Even the Christians have borrowed aspects of the womanly Ishtar and incorporated the divine love of a mother for her dying son into their Virgin Mary.
She is descended from the goddess of romance, Venus, and her energy encompasses all that is 'woman' - nurturing mother, inspired companion, playful bed partner, wise advisor, insightful leader, creative diva, wild woman. She is revered especially on days of the full moon, when it is right to engage in joyful acts of lovemaking to celebrate being 'woman'.
HER MODERN ENERGY
Are you feeling that someone is making you feel like a workhorse instead of the wondrous being you really are? They are taking advantage of your conditioned mindset that others' needs come before your own. It is time to tune into your own needs and paying them some attention in order to rejuvenate your core style and grace.
DO THIS
On the night of a full moon, bring Ishtar's loving warmth to your heart and home. Wear clothes or jewellery that contain Ishtar's symbolism - stars, the moon, the lion or the dove.
Play a drum with your hands, holding it between your legs. Listen to your heartbeat and send it through your shoulders, arms and hands to the drum, and feel the infinite power of connection to the earth as the vibrations travel back through your body to your core. Energy flows, love grows.
Dance like no one is watching
Sing like no one is listening
Love like you've never been hurt
And live like heaven on earth.
Love and delight,
Anita :: Creatrix
Goddess.com. au
Libra the Scales ~ September 23 - October 22
www.novareinna.com/constellation/index.html
Libra is the Seventh sign of the Zodiac. It is sometimes referred
to as the Balance. The Sun enters Libra around the time of year
when day and night are of equal length. Thus, this is when the
Earth and the Sun are in balance...a time such balance is also
illustrated by the fact that when the Sun reaches this point, Spring
and Summer have passed and the harvesters are weighing and
balancing the fruits of their labors. Now, the beginning of Autumn
heralds the Harvest Season.
The origin of the word Libra derives from the Latin meaning "balances" or "scales." Often, a statue of the Goddess of Justice holding the scales or balances is erected over the domes of modern court houses. In ancient times, this constellation was associated with the judgment of the living and the dead. Libra is the only inanimate Sign of the Zodiac, the other eleven representing either human or animal forms. Those born under this Sign are natural arbitrators and diplomats, constantly seeking balance and harmony. In short, they are sociable, cheerful and charming souls. Perhaps the greatest fault of this Sign is indecision. Libra individuals find it difficult to make up their minds and strongly dislike taking sides. Although they have an aversion to those who are rude, they themselves can frequently be disconcertingly brash and blunt. Nonetheless, some astrologers consider Libra to be the most desirable of all Zodiac types because it represents the zenith of the year. Libra is representative of balance...the weighing of values and justice. When those ruled by this Zodiac Sign manage to bring balance into their lives and curtail the inherent tendency to waver from one side to the other, then they will find the contentment that is so necessary to their well-being.
The symbol...or glyph...of Libra is generally considered to
be a representation of the Beam of the Balance. However,
in ancient times, it was thought to depict the top of the
Euphratean Altar. Of course, the standard image is that
of the scales, indicative of balance, equilibrium and
justice...a sign of cosmic reciprocity and cooperation
rather than competion. It is also said to be the Spirit in
its material expression, ready to ascend back to its
original pristine state...the junction point of the world
and that which is beyone. In some cultures, this glyph is said to symbolize the setting Sun as it descends over the horizon and a more lowly description that has been given to this symbol is that of a humpback bridge.
Also known as the Sign of the Judge or Ambassador, Libra is Positive in polarity (as are Aries, Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius and Aquarius). The general characteristics of Positive Signs broadly match those for the extrovert personality and such individuals are naturally more impulsive, buoyant, communicative and sociable than are the Zodiac Signs of Negative polarity (Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces). However, Positive Signs rarely display the same levels of sensitivity or the same depth of understanding of emotional subtleties as do their Negative counterparts. Positive Signs tend to crave excitement and thus, are inclined to direct their energies outward into the world around them. Aries is the most flagrantly extrovert of the Positive Signs (with Sagittarius a close second).
All Zodiac Signs governed by the Elements of Fire and Air are considered to be Masculine in nature. Thus, Libra (ruled by air) is considered Masculine (as are Aries, Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius and Aquarius). Masculine signs are traditionally conceived as being more active and less receptive than their Feminine counterparts which are ruled by the Elements of Earth and Water (the Zodiac Signs of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces). Masculine Signs focus primarily on spirituality and activity...both in the physical sense and mental sense. Masculine Signs are said to be diurnal or day-oriented. Therefore the term "masculine" should be viewed in the same light as the Yang (or bright) Polarity of the Tao.
Libra is the natural ruler of the Seventh House of the Zodiac, commonly referred to as the "House of Marriage, Partnerships and Open Enemies" and known in Vedic Astrology as the "Setting Place." It is here that the "I" is said to convert to the "we." In this House may be found an individual's closest friends and sweethearts, as well as open enemies. It represents the gateway to relationships that serve a higher purpose, but not necessarily daily needs. It is here that lessons are learned related to the love of enemies and the finding of true friends. This House also deals with joint ventures and is associated with legal matters, negotiations, contracts and all open confrontations...pleasant and adversarial. The Seventh House dictates how a person will act in public and the type of public such an individual is likely to attract. Also sometimes known as the "House of Association," it influences acts of accomplishment and the quality of cooperation. The focus of the Seventh House also includes the darker side of relationships, such as divorce and lawsuits. Basically, this House provides the field of experience in which an individual is challenged to develop committed partnerships with others and is governed by the Planet Venus (also Planetary Ruler of the Second House).
The opposite sign to Libra is Aries. From Aries, Libra can learn to take the initiative and sometimes stand up for beliefs without manipulation. Thus, can Libra natives navigate the way to find their own identity.
Negative Traits: flirtatious, self-indulgent, indecisive, lazy, changeable, guillable, resentful, frivolous and easily influenced by others
Likes: gentleness, sharing, conviviality and the "finer" things of life
Dislikes: injustice, violence, brutishness, disharmony, quarrels and bad manners
Anti-Halloween Attacks are Downright Ghastly
Ellis Henican ~ October 17, 2007
Who needs to wait for another hyped-up "War on Christmas?"
It's only mid-October. And we're already in the thick of a breathless national "Assault on Halloween."
Consider yourself warned, you precious little trick-or-treaters, you toilet-paper- tossing miscreants: Two weeks before the greatest kids' holiday of the year, a bunch of nay-saying grownups are hell-bent on spoiling the fun.
Apparently, every major holiday has to be a major controversy now!
I'm not here to defend the genuine idiots. Some junior hoodlums will take anything too far. Like those paintball morons who are threatening to fire off frozen pellets this year. "Why not live ammo?" one of these dopes will be suggesting next.
They want that kind of reck- lessness? Lock 'em up, I say.
But none of this is any excuse for this latest eruption of anti-Halloween zeal. Interest groups left and right - Christian, Muslim and Wiccan - are finding new reasons to be outraged about Halloween.
Fundamentalist Christians warn the celebration promotes devil worship. Prudes and feminists say the costumes have gotten too risqué. Civil-rights groups complain that too many Halloween ghosts resemble lynching victims. Even the witches feel aggrieved - and you probably thought Halloween was the witches' big night!
In New Jersey this week, Cheryl and David Maines faced angry protests and death threats until they took down a holiday display that had adorned their house in Madison without complaint for the past seven years. The decorations included a ghost on a rope, which someone apparently saw as a metaphor for lynching.
In Chicopee, Mass., Kelly Lynch, who says she is a witch, is demanding that her East Street neighbor take down his Halloween display. It included a hanging witch. If he doesn't, Lynch demanded, he should be arrested for a hate crime.
These anti-Halloween eruptions are now breaking out everywhere. In Glynn County, Ga., there will be no cutouts of witches or skeletons on classroom doors. Can't be promoting paganism, the principal said after religious groups complained.
In Brooklyn, the Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences sent out a note to parents last week, spelling out a new rule: No more costume-wearing on Halloween. Not after junior Walter Petryk's frightening get-up last year: a fuhrer mustache and Nazi uniform.
If it's not one thing, it's another on Halloween - from any interest group with its own fax machine.
Environmentalists are upset about synthetic costumes. The anti-commercial advocates say the costumes promote profit-driven brands like Spider-Man or SpongeBobSquarePant s. Even the nurses are mad. Too many "naughty-nurse" get-ups make these professionals seem like
"sponge-bath sex zombies."
And you knew it had to happen: The anti-Halloween zealots are now getting intellectual support from spoil-the-fun scholars such as Charles Haynes of the Freedom Forum.
"For many school administrators, " Haynes warns just in time for Oct. 31, "Halloween is no longer any fun. They're caught in the crossfire between parents who support and parents who oppose Halloween observances in the classroom."
It's crucial, Haynes contends, that schools allow parents to "opt out" of all Halloween festivities, although he warns that may not be easy "if Halloween pervades the classroom for days." Kids, after all, do like candy and fun.
There's only one response to anti-Halloween thinking of that sort. It fits in perfectly with the upcoming holiday.
What do you say? Shouldn't someone harmlessly toilet paper this pseudo-scholar' s house?
Or maybe he'd like a bob or two in the apple-dunking tub! It might not clear his cobwebbed head out! But I'll bet it would open his eyes!
Scorpio is the Eighth Sign of the Zodiac. It is associated
with beginnings and endings...and those born under this
Sign are unafraid of either, possessing a deep, driving
desire and unstoppable determination to learn about
others. The Sun enters Scorpio as Autumn advances.
It is a time of impending hiberation, but even as the land
is chilled, the seeds within the earth promise eventual
reawakening. This is the Season of Scorpio...perhaps the
most complex of all Zodiac Signs. Is is significant that this
Sign has not one symbol, but several: the Scorpion, the
Eagle and the Phoenix, each contributing distinctive
qualities to the Sign's nature. Aggression and instinct are
provided courtesy of the Scorpion aspect, illustrated by
way of destructive behavior, a viciously competitive personality with a tendency to be violent and cruel. The Eagle aspect provides a shrewd insight possessed by most Scorpio natives...they have the ability to see what others miss. They discern hidden motives, ferreting out secret flaws and vulnerabilities. Indeed, due to the thirst for power and and mastery, those governed by this Zodiac Sign are not above exploiting the weaknesses of others to their own advantage. It has been said that counted among the most important tasks of those ruled by Scorpio is the necessity to rid themselves of the tendency to be judgmental, learning to temper their insight with compassion. Individuals who can manage this difficult assignment manifest the virtues of the Phoenix...the redemptive third aspect of this Sign. Much like the Phoenix, those governed by Scorpio are survivors. In an emotional sense, they may perish in the ashes of their own destructive nature, but they can also transcend and transform. According to some sources, the Dove is also symbolic of this Sign, lending those it rules the virtue of compassion, as is the Snake or Serpent. Natives of Scorpio do possess a capacity for high spritual development, but it is generally believed that their path toward such enlightenment will be the most difficult of the entire Zodiac. In short, those governed by this Sign must become alchemists...transmuting dark instinct and selfish impulse into purified desire. They must also strive to discipline themselves, working toward curbing and chanelling their considerable power for constructive purposes.
The symbol...or glyph...of Scorpio is generally considered
to be a representation of the legs and tail of the Scorpion,
signifying the power of this Sign to suddenly and fatally...
often with a hint of wilful cruelty or vindictiveness...sting
whatever and whomever may have hurt its feelings or
denied its strong-willed desires. This glyph has also been
interpreted as a modification of that associated with Virgo,
but into a symbol of male sexuality and selfish instincts.
However, on a psychic level, Scorpio does indicate
penetrating insightfulness. Displaying an upward arrow
extension, the symbol of Scorpio represents energy in the form of an upward movement of the soul in its journey homeward. This is also an energy that is not easily constrained and carries an impulse to invade in an unswerving and focused manner.
Also known as the Sign of the Mystic or the Investigator, Scorpio is Negative in polarity (as are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn and Pisces). The general characteristics of Negative Signs lean toward introversion and prefer to draw upon personal resources rather than look for external stimuli. Such individuals are naturally more receptive, sensitive and nurturing than are the Zodiac Signs of Positive polarity (Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius). However, Negative Signs are also likely to be much more cautious, retiring and standoffish than their Positive counterparts with a tendency to keep personal feelings under tight control. Taurus is the most introverted of the Negative Signs (with Virgo a close second).
All Zodiac Signs governed by the Elements of Earth and Water are considered to be Feminine in nature. Thus, Scorpio (ruled by water) is considered Feminine (as are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn and Pisces). Feminine Signs are traditionally conceived as being more receptive and less active than their Masculine counterparts which are ruled by the Elements of Fire and Air (the Zodiac Signs of Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius). Feminine Signs focus primarily on the emotional and material world with particular attention to sensitivity and depth of feeling. Feminine Signs are said to be noctural or night-oriented. Therefore, the term "feminine" should be viewed in the same light as the Yin (or dark) Polarity of the Tao.
Scorpio is the natural ruler of the Eighth House of the Zodiac, commonly referred to as the "House of Death and Inheritance" and known in Vedic Astrology as the "Idle Place" and "Place of Death." It delves into relationships, interactions and how certain aspects of such interactions can take on a more communal nature. Associated with the dismantling of the physical body, it is related to the passing of those persons an individual holds near and dear. It also rules the areas in life over which a human being has no control or can provide no explanation, as well as being linked to the finances and resources of others. In addition, it has jurisdiction over taxes, inheritances and investment banking. This House is also said to govern those things or forces that are invisible...prayer, for example, or the world of magic...shamanism, regeneration and the afterlife. In the ancient world, this House was deemed sacred. In modern times, it is this House that is said to rule all that is considered to be taboo in society. It is within this House that a person's sexual urges are revealed, along with deep-seated primitive and base instincts. Here also resides instense emotional connections, fears and obsessions. In addition, the Eighth House has jurisdiction over crime, research and investigation. It is governed by the Planet Pluto.
The opposite sign to Scorpio is Taurus. From Taurus, Scorpio can learn to appreciate the variety of other people's talents and value them as they truly deserve. Thus, can Scorpio natives become more gentle with themselves.
Positive Traits: determined, persistent, resourceful, powerful, intuitive, passionate, emotional, exciting and magnetic
Likes: truthfulness, hidden causes, being involved, being persuasive and work that is meaningful
Dislikes: being given only surface data, being taken advantage of, shallow relationships, accepting and giving flattery
Scorpio the Scorpion~ October 23 - November 21
How to Construct a Scrying Mirror
A Scrying Mirror can be constructed for less than five dollars.
The first step is to buy a picture frame. An oval frame is ideal
but any other shape is acceptable. Try to find a frame that has
some aesthetic appeal for you. Frames may be found in many
of the “dollar stores” that seem to be popping up everywhere.
The frame must have a glass insert and not a plastic one.
First; disassemble the frame. Clean one side of the glass
with your “Scribing Mirror Cleaning Solution” (i.e. Windex).
Paint this side with a thick black paint. Oil based enamel seems
to work best. I prefer the gloss black but matte black will work
well also. Apply several coats of paint until light will not pass
through the glass.
At this stage you may paint designs or symbols around the edge of the frame if you are artistically inclined. If not there are a variety of frames with designs already on them. The choice is yours.
Next, assemble the frame with the painted side of the glass to the inside. The thicker the plate of glass, the “deeper” the mirror will appear.
A method is needed to hold the frame at a shallow angle to the vertical. Some frames have a leg on the back that will do nicely. Trimming the bottom of the leg will adjust the angle. An alternate method is to use one of the display stands that are used for collector plates. Varying the size of the stand will increase or decrease the angle of the frame. These are available at craft stores or those stores where “America shops”.
An alternate method of constructing a scrying mirror is to use a clear crystal plate. Paint the backside as described for the picture frame. With this method I recommend covering the painted portion with felt or some other heavy material. This will help protect the paint from being scratched or scuffed off.
You are now ready to begin scribing. Good luck and clear visions!
