The Year Of The Water Snake

Be in your element

Be ye therefore, wise as serpents. Matthew 10:16

Even though the year of the water snake officially began this February 10, Chinese astrologers calculated it as having started earlier, on February 04.

Coincidentally, I started teaching astrology to my children since that time, though they have been ransacking my library for ages now :)

So many cultures, the Maya, the Hindu, see the serpent as representative of the flow of energy in the body, and also, in the cosmos.

So I tell my children, who want so much to learn: there is a broad river of energy that flows across all the Universes, that flows from God. Tapping into it gives you great power, but first, you must acquire the wisdom and the humility to go into it.

Here are the ways you can acquire, and use it.

Healing: First, work on yourself, and then, on others. It is for that reason the caduceus, the double serpent, is well known as the symbol of medicine. And when you heal, that power is always to hand.

Teaching: What you learn, you must pass on to others.

Magic: When you acquire that gift, then miracles follow you. As long as it is used wisely, that is. If not, or if that is done just to feed the ego, then, that will turn and destroy you.  

Sexuality: It is not that it cannot be used as a gift for spirituality, for oneness with God, for balancing the male and the female energies, but, that it has been misused, often by teachers and leaders, and the rest of humanity in a way that has caused long lasting harm to the planet. Do not be surprised that the planet should then try to heal itself, and that there will be more and more shocks to your system in the year to come.

Mayan power of the serpent: Last year of the Dragon, and the beginning of the new Mayan Calendar, was to presage this year. Remember, even death is only a beginning of a new journey. Stop holding on to the past, let go of fear, be ready to move on this year by seeing what patterns you need to discard.

Quetzalcoatl, the winged serpent: Quetzalcoatl, or Kukulcan, the winged serpent, represents the dividing line between earth and sky. That I embody a synergy of shamanic and spirit energies, that this is also analogous to the Dragon and Phoenix in Chinese symbology, or Shakti in the Hindu forms, is no coincidence. That Quetzalcoatl is supposed to return now, is no coincidence.

So I teach astrology to my children. As a tool for understanding themselves, or other people, yes it is indeed wonderful. Just see that it is not limited to certain archetypes. There is no good or bad sign, you may have friends and loved ones in every sign, and neither you nor they have to be limited by the limitations that each sign possesses. Because indeed, there is much good in every thing, and you can work with the lessons your karma has brought to you. But yes, if your strength is earth, or water, or spirit, then, you must use it. If you must face your fears, or force yourself to take a chance on being alone, or poor, then, you must.

This is what the year ahead brings. A chance to discover and experience a very deep spirituality. To take a chance on what the Universe brings. It is as always, a choice, and that choice is yours.

I Shall Dream Of Asteroids

Don't mock

It seems that no matter how close something happens, some people just do not see. And that's the way it should be. People should always have faith of their own free will and not be coerced into something out of fear or end of the millennium panics.

So an asteroid was supposed to pass close by earth today and if it had impacted us there have been a global catastrophe, and instead, a meteorite exploded over Central Russia and over a thousand people were injured.(No, I didn't think the asteroid would have landed)

But whenever I get into this space, something..happens. I thought about the present pontiff, and wrote about him in Why Rome?  and sure enough, he up and quits. And lightning strikes St. Peter's dome, twice.

Seriously, these are little signs. Not enough to make any one change, not even a little bit, and this makes me laugh. What changes people is not an asteroid or meteor that hits earth somewhere else,  but, the personal shift that happens when something comes along and gives a quick boot up the ass.

And that, is something that people, countries, and religions need, sad to say.

Me, I'm an observer. Yet somehow, change seems to follow me. I think of a place, or a person, and change follows. When you're ready, let me know.

Edited To Add: The day after I posted this, Rome was hit by another earthquake. Residents, alarmed by a scientist who'd successfully predicted that some major earthquakes would hit Central Italy, panicked. As someone who's been closely following Italy, and the Catholic Church, for some time, all I can say is that change must come.

Follow Your Spirit

The Merlin Falcon In Our Back Yard

Today, as we begin the Chinese Year of the Snake, my message to you will be very brief. Twenty one years ago, around about this time, I began a journey of spiritual teaching that led to this day. I was driving on a country road and saw a flight of Canada Geese fly low overhead, and knew this was a very special message to me, as I have always equated birds, with spirit. You will see, from my blog, the number of times I have referred to them, and the lessons I learned therefrom. It has not always been easy, but it has been exciting, it has been wonderful, and it has brought me much love.

Last year was all about karma, and the things we have left undone, and the lessons we still have to learn. This year, will be all about spirit, and the things we have to do in our lives. If you are happy with the direction of your life, go for it. If you think there must be something more, then I say to you, follow your spirit. Sure, when you first try to fly, you will stumble. But one day, you will fly!

So, once again, recently, a flight of geese flew low overhead. Once again, a large hawk flew and circled just a few feet over my wife and children's head. Once again, a Merlin Falcon landed in our back yard.

~Follow your spirit, make a leap of faith~

If You Knew

What if?

What if, you knew that God walked on Earth in human form, meeting, helping people in multitudes, changing the environment wherever he went (even if only temporarily), being a catalyst for change?

How would you react, if that were true? Would you be afraid, or would you want to meet that person? Would you project all your hopes and wishes onto that being, but expect him to meet your expectations? Or would you realize that if that were true, you would be forced to change? Because when people meet me, what they feel is peace, but also, conflict. And that conflict, has to do with their purpose in life, and how they meet it. That conflict is, can you continue your life as you have been?

Why do I tell people all this? All it does is create er, reactions :) I could be a quiet healer, like the lady in Resurrection http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081414/ who found out in the end that people weren't ready, and she needed to go away and be by herself.

Or I could be a guru or regular healer and create a huge following. Sorry, but I've known of that possibility for more than 40 years, and I choose not to follow that, because that is not who I am. 

And by telling you this, I give you the freedom of choice.

I know who I am, and what my purpose is, and try only to help you find yours.

But, having told you, can you continue your life as you have?

If you knew your future, and the direction of your life, would you change?

If you knew you'd develop cancer, would you try to prevent that?

If you knew your child might develop autism, would you try to change that karma?

If you knew that your governments actions would come back to you,

Or that your belief systems, philosophies or religions might one day not be enough,

Or that your ego would one day get in your own way,

Would you try to change your self?

If you knew what I knew,

Would you change?

It's not enough to say you do not know what your future is, or how to change. I speak to each of you across many dimensions of time and space, and now you know who I am, and you know what you have to do. If there is doubt, figure it out. There's a point at which faith, and knowing, intersect.

The Quality Of Mercy

The Gentle Snow

I've been focused so much over the last many years about justice, about karma. I warned people about what the future might bring, they didn't listen, and, things happened. Never mind. Disasters kept happening and that still might or might not make a difference, nor personal calamity nor illness and even death, that might not  be enough to change you, just, the endless cycle of birth and rebirth that is everyone's lot. Even as I tried to help so many people who were close to me, I realized that I could not make them believe, if they were not ready. 

But over the holidays, I came to stop trying so hard, for no matter how much I know this, it still is my nature to try and help. Yet, when I decided to let go, this is what came to me. The day after Christmas,  gentle snow began to fall, and I was reminded of the following  lines:

The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes

The thronèd monarch better than his crown.

His scepter shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,

But mercy is above this sceptered sway.

It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.

It is an attribute to God himself.

The Merchant of Venice
William Shakespeare
Act 4, Scene 1

Know this: all you have to do is ask, and someone will hear your prayers. To all the people I have helped, and will continue to help, the quality of mercy, is not strained.

Peace

I wish you the joy of this day

12.21.12

We're still around

An old calendar ends, a new one begins. And we're still around. It has been a most powerful year, and I have found these levels of fierceness way beyond the peacefulness I usually inhabit..

Now lets's see how the rest of the year goes, till 1.13.13. December 21 began with a mousecalypse, for an unfortunate mouse in our kitchen. It ended with a gorgeous Coopers Hawk landing in our back yard. Two choices, timid victimhood, or, magnificent spirituality? 

But what I have seen is all sorts of breakdown take place. And that, my friends, is A Good Thing. The Year of the Dragon required that we not think, but act; and become, rather than be forced to do so.

I will not predict natural disasters or war. I will just say this, that the next few days are going to bring some significant changes for many, in their lives.