4 DISKS IN THOTH TAROT, THE KAABA AND THE NUMBER 4.

I came across an image of a 16th century depiction of the Kaaba, the holiest site to muslims. Mecca.

 I was very much struck by the resemblance to the 4 disks in Thoth Tarot.

This in turn made me wonder about the significance of 4. It is worth remembering at this point that the Kaaba is a cube. (4 corners.) We could even perhaps bring in the Emperor here as he sits on his cube or even the hanged man with his legs crossed assuming the shape of the number 4.

In numerology the number 4's character is; stabiliser, faithful friend a capacity for focussed will & self sacrifice also putting ideas into form and firm foundations. Order, system & routine make dreams a reality.

In Islam there are 4 worlds; Nasut......world of mankind, Malakut......Angels, Jabarut......power and Lahut the divine world.

In nature; Warmth, coldness, dryness and humidity. The divine 4; life, knowledge, will and speech.

image of Sumerian Emperor.

We should not forget the 4 phases of the moon,an important factor in Islam and at the age of 4 years,4 months and 4 days one can recite for the first time from the Koran.

The cube reminds us of 'being of the elements & 'being' in the visible, physical and structured world.

It has occurred to me that 4 in Tarot is a place of hiatus. Rendered motionless we are caught between active and non active dynamics. Not quite in limbo but a place of holding that which is prominent in our being. Do we keep those aspects of the 4's in each suit of the minor arcana as our personal structure or do we let them be a transitory stage of building and growth?

Lon Milo Duquette in his book, 'Undersatnding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot describes the 4 disks as Sol in Capricorn. To the ancients, the greatest display of celestial power occurred each year when the sun entered Capricorn. Crowley himself describes this 4 as ' The fortress that is upon the frontier of the abyss'.

Duquette reminds us that this card leaves us with many mysteries unsolved.

The divinatory of this Thoth card is success, rank, dominion and earthly power.

The Kaaba was thought to be at the centre of the world, with the Gate of Heaven directly above it. The Kaaba marked the location where the sacred world intersected with the profane; the embedded Black Stone was a further symbol of this as a meteorite that had fallen from the sky and linked heaven and earth

Man's search for meaning, his desire to understand the chaos he was born into and his destiny to celebrate the Deity is part of the order of his dominion. The images above are a favourable reminder of our spiritual heritage and the quest for order and structure that gives this heritage a greater sense of purpose.

APRIL'S TRANSFORMATIONAL TIMETABLE.

I don't profess to be an Astrologer, I prefer to leave that to friends and colleagues who can adeptly guide us through the ephemeris.
However, I am an Aries and news of the current planetary activity has got me sitting up and paying attention especially to the co-relation between Tarot and Astrology. We are certainly in the midst of interesting times.
Next tuesday the 15th sees the Lunar eclipse, the full moon brings illumination anyway but here we see the sacred marriage of the moon and sun.
April, beginning with this fabulous encounter on the 15th heralds a time of transformation and change.
I believe we should be conscious of our transformational dynamics. Be active in the changes that they bring.
This is not always easy as when we scrutinise transformation it can often initially be cold and brutal, emerging latent fears and other shadow aspects. When we find the courage to embrace transformation and be an active component in our own unique drama our perspective immediately alters, instead of the fear of change, we can embrace change.

I have included a diary of events that will take place in the planet alignments over the next few days. I have included Tarot references to the planets. I suggest that each day you lay down the relevant cards and put sinchronistically select other cards to illuminate the meaning to you. I should start with one card on top of the planet card and slowly add more until you feel that the story has been told. Journal your findings, this may be of interest to you later in the year.

TUESDAY. 15. Sun in Aries. opp moon, full in Libra.
Insights into your relationships, drive and personal identity. Release what must be left to the past. Breakthrough into new beginnings.
JUSTICE and EMPEROR.

Sunday 20. Jupiter in cancer, Uranus in Aries.
How can we balance our need to feel secure with our need to pioneer into the unknown?
CHARIOT, FOOL, EMPEROR.
Also, Jupiter in cancer, opp Pluto in Capricorn.
How is our safety and homelife affected by turmoil in the workplace and in business and corporations in general?
WHEEL OF FORTUNE. CHARIOT, DEVIL, DEATH.

Monday 21. Uranus in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn.
How do we express our individual genius in a soul centred way that benefits all levels of society?
FOOL, DEATH, DEVIL.

Tuesday 22 Mars in Libra. Jupiter in Cancer.
How can we preserve our individual strength in relationships and balance our personal needs with nurturing others wisely.
EMPEROR, JUSTICE, CHARIOT.

Wednesday 23. Mars in Libra. Pluto in Capricorn.
What must change or even end in our relationships and in large institutions so our individual soul destinies can be expressed in the best and most beautiful way?
EMPEROR. JUSTICE. DEATH. DEVIL.

Tuesday 29. Solar Eclipse. Sun and moon occupy Taurus.
Because the Sun will occupy Taurus,  look for new ways to enjoy nature, celebrate physical comfort and abundance, honour the Earth that sustains us so faithfully.
SUN. MOON. HIEROPHANT. WORLD.

Enjoy your journey with the planets and Tarot, be ready to receive the insights offered. Crucial and empowering information awaits you so that you can be aware, mindful and cognitive to your own sacred truths.

Key phrases:-
How are these influences operating in my life?
Am I prepared to ring any necessary changes?
Do I possess any other tools to help me with my transformation?
Am I getting healing/support ?
How does Tarot support me?
Have I got to know a particular card or symbol better as a result of my observances?

astrological information inspired by Anne Nordhaus-Bike.

Nigella Lawson, the fallen woman and the 10 swords....a Scapegoat for a lost empire.

The Pre-Raphaelite society would have loved the recent coverage of the vilification of Nigella Lawson. In fact everything about about the case smacked of retributive Victoriana. Every day we were blasted with Nigella's sad face emblazoned across the usual witch burning tabloids, my head became a tumble of the symbolism of the Pre Raphs, William Holman Hunt's Scapegoat leaped into view, adding clout to my tut-tutting as I passed the newsagents. It crossed my mind that there was something subliminal going on, we women were meant to glimpse (often) that angst ridden face, a stark reminder that we might be a Goddess in the kitchen, but err and the powers that be ( in Nigella's case a husband so rich that it is almost perverted AND who appears to be a Roman Emperor in disguise) and you can forget any success or good that you might have done in the world or for yourself. I feel for her, I really do, she has been made an example of.

The Scape Goat. William Holman Hunt.

This country has a history of patriarchy conditioning its women, scary stuff, especially when you consider that Ghandi said 'You can tell a nation by how it treats its Women and Animals'. It appears that even in the UK, buried deep in the psyche, there is no real difference between the two. Both live out a life of servitude to men. It is not all that long ago that there really was a law that a man could beat his wife with a stick as long as it was no bigger than his thumb.
In Victoria's rule, when the Empire was the jewel in the crown of great Britain, when the Industrial revolution was priming us up for what was to become a globalisation of our skills and assets, women represented the strength and beauty of this fair isle. John Ruskin in his lecture, 'Sesame and Lillies' opined romantically that woman full of grace, even the flowers nod as she walks by. Particularly if you come from the right side of town.

Naughty Nigella, she strayed from the path. She became the fallen woman. In Rosetti's painting of the same name we can see the miserable wretch clinging to the wall, forlorn and wasted. ( In Nigella's case, literally!!)
She is being saved from herself by whom, Saatchi? Victim support? A society that cherishes survivors? In the background we see the Lamb, albeit sacrificial but it strayed from the flock and is now saved never to stray again as it is now netted and suitably restrained.
What Saatchi and the tabloids didn't bank on is actually people are sometimes more lovable when they are at their more wretched and vulnerable. Ok, so everyone's moral compass may not agree with her hijinx(!?) but in this day and age it is rare to find someone who has not flirted with a stimulant of some kind, frankly,the whole world gets off on something!
Let's not forget that Nigella made exceedingly good cakes and put sex appeal back into the kitchen, there is a strange irony that she is iconic of what is historically a woman's domain and one wonders if she is paying for not being ugly and troutish nor barefoot and pregnant and tied to the kitchen sink, Saatchi made sure of that.....it doesn't escape me that he has a foothold in the world of advertising and here we are playing out an archetypal cultural drama where gender specifics are  the cheer leaders. Venus and Mars.
I feel this supposed evil matriarch will come good....in time. One truly hopes that she will bounce back and trounce her oppressors; not to eat cake but their words. She is not a self destructive narcissist but a winner. What we have learnt since the days of Victoria that we can overcome.

Saatchi, it seems wanted some kind of revenge.I have to confess that I have forgotten the whole point of why he took her to court in the first place but he was out to get her with as many swords as possible. For the rest of us it might be worth bearing in mind that there is some fictitious empire, perhaps it is like the spiritual Jerusalem and resides in another realm but what ever it is beware you don't bring shame on the good name of it's patriarchal representatives.

Nigella Lawson would do well to take the lesson form the influence of the 10 Swords. Everything passes, very soon she will be a different person and this whole sorry incident will no longer be of relevance. Yes, she has had sorrow and loss, yes this can shape our thinking. She may have chosen a difficult path for herself but she is promised a new dawn, an awakening of conscience to oneself and the realisation that she has a lot to offer the world and the world has a lot to offer her.

A relationship between Emperor & Hierophant, politics or survival?

As we know there is a progression in Tarot, one card speaks of another, each a segment of a sequence that offers insights into the growth and development of consciousness.

We find pairings, relationships between two cards, a dialogue between two archetypes that create a chemistry, crossing all limitations of time and show us how the historical can be interpreted into the contemporary. Human nature it seems is fundamentally the same in each epoch, the physical, manifest aspect is guided and honed by the spiritual.

The relationship between the Emperor and the Hierophant  is one of these relationships.

Emperor, master of the material world. He is stability and security. When we connect to the Emperor, we easily see his essence. Order, power and domination, the benevolent despot. He is the personnification of force.

When he arrives in a spread, I feel the need for structure and order, focus and discipline, all of which can be bring freedom. As someone who lacked structure for many years and lived as a fatalist, I have come to realise that to manifest anything worthwhile requires a focus and is fed by being disciplined. This is so liberating as the heart felt purpose gains wings to fly.

His are the laws of the universe in action. When we walk in accordance with these laws all is peaceful and harmonious but if we do not listen, if we disobey.....then we unleash the power of the law in order to find it's balance once more.

I sometimes see the Emperor as Ishkendar the great or Ghengis Khan or the rulers of the Arabic tribes, builders of cities, architects of empires; Yet often bloodthirsty and ruthless in attaining their goals. Weakness is not a word associated with the Emperor and with the energy of this card we can sweep away all that no longer serves us.

The Hierophant, the bridge, the ideal, the third party that connects the seeker to the God source. Without the elements of the Hierophant, the Emperor  would not survive in his place of glory.

Our Hierophant is a teacher and guide, he indicates to us the purpose of life. His divine inspiration is there to be communicated to those around him. Ever receptive to the upper realm, he conveys petitions between the realms.

When Hierophant turns up we are reminded of the need to be rooted in our community, to listen to the wise voice and to develop and own our spiritual power. We are encouraged to have faith and to embrace unity.

However, he has to be mindful of not falling into dogmatic thinking, he is better serving the ideal and expanding a vision.

It was vital that the conquerors had their spiritual advisors, without them there is a distinct possibility that the Human race would have often sailed close to extinction. That voice of spiritual reason brought us back from the brink. I think of Pope Gregory and how he told the Emperor stories in order to enlighten him and steer him from destructive chaos. History has many tales to tell of barbary and killing that established dynasties and territories, in many parts of the world this still goes on........

On a recent trip to Rudesheim, I visited the church of Hildegard Von Bingen. She was a remarkable woman who led a remarkable life.

I was fascinated to learn of the relationship between herself and Frederick 1 Barbarossa. (Above). Hearing the story reminded me of the relationship between the Emperor and Hierophant.

Barbarossa was a bloodthirsty ruler, tyrannical and fierce. He was a crusader and campaigned against Rome and her Popes.

However he did not count on the courage of Hildegard. She connected with him in order to maintain a healthy dialogue with him, speaking out in favour of her church. She was direct and often critical of Barbarossa, something that was unheard of. Many who opposed this Emperor were slain. But he listened to her, perhaps in awe of her unwavering strength plus she was very well connected to other powerful people of the day.

He made allowances for her and treated her fairly. He offered her church protection, very unusual for the supporters of the Pope.

I think we can learn something very important here. The physical world, the domain of the ego will remain in a position of limitation and possible self destruction in its pursuit of power and identity, it is vital that we discover that wellspring of spiritual power and intelligence, this will provide the balance that offers life to our endeavours. It will save us from spiritual death and give light and meaning to our purpose.
When we shine our light, we give permission for others to shine their light. We live.

Osiris, Hermit, his Lantern and Death.

Osiris, Hermit, his Lantern and Death.

One of the joys of having a well stocked book shelf is that one does not have to be bored. It is a delicious moment when you dive into a book and the world and all it's trappings melt away. Reading also provides the opportunity for me to indulge in a favourite pastime, free associating. I enjoy making links and references, bouncing one idea off another one, see how they fit. So it was, whiling away one typical rainy day in London, that I had a realisation that Tarot could be offering insights into the progression of Osiris.

Image from Charles V1 Tarot, Orion, Osiris as the Fool.

Imagine a very predatory world. War and wild beasts, humans needed to make some sense of the chaos that they had been born into. Osiris was a great hunter, Orion in Greek mythology and also known to the Nordic people as Herne. We find this hunter in the stars, with his Dog/Lion and his belt.

Isis was the wife of Osiris. There is a wonderful story of how Seth tried to kill Osiris, who was immortal. Seth put him in a chest and floated it down the Nile, to be saved by a Tamarisk tree. Isis, with her magic powers found Osiris, but Seth had other ideas; he hacked Osiris into 14 different pieces and flung them to different corners of the land. Long story short, Isis 're-membered' Osiris, she even gave him a gold penis which issued Horus.

We now see Osiris emerge as a fertility god. The myth of Osiris has many layers, essentially it is a story about consciousness. It engages us with the idea that all things must die, in order to be reborn. In the Book of the Dead he proclaims;'' I shall not decay, I shall not rot, I shall not putrefy, I shall not turn into worms. I shall have my being, I shall live.''

The story of Osiris ties up the idea of how the forces of sex and death wrap together to make human consciousness.

The Death card speaks of this, it is a card of cycles, fertility, rebirth and transition, through death in its myriad forms we are also 're-membered'. Sex is a part of the cycles of life. The ancients knew that when they reflected upon their own will, they were observing something that was there before they were. When they coupled with another human being in sex, many constellations were involved and how they expressed sex to each other would have an effect on the cosmos in the times to come. Will and desire go hand in hand, not always sexual but sacred and spiritual.

There is possibly one more link to Osiris and that is through the Hermit. The name of Osiris is connected to insemiantion, Ourien meaning Semen. The kabbalistic reference for the Hermit is Sperm. In the ancient world sperm was understood to be an expression of the cosmic will, the ordering principle of life. The Prima Materia out of which everything was made was contained in a single drop.
The most significant link, for me, is the lantern. It is the lantern that is central to the theme in the Hermit. In the RWS deck we see in the lamp a 6 pointed star, the chariot to God. The Merkaba.
Osiris' Lantern is referring to the Pineal gland or 3rd eye. This gland was seen as an organ of perception of the higher worlds,a window to the spiritual hierarchies.
All those years ago the 3rd eye was much more active than it is today. Perceptions of the spiritual world were as vivid as the material one. it was through this eye that man had access to the spirit realms. The inner world was also made real by the Pineal gland, which, oddly has a reference to the phallus, which became enclosed in the forehead after men developed the organ. ( Sex and sperm again!!) It is also indicated that the 3rd eye was closed down in order for mankind to have room to think.
' The beginning of death was thought.' Perhaps Hermit is advising that reflection is a better ally than analysis. Contemplation is more conducive to our condition  than neurosis.
Through meditation and looking within we can see the essence of our own soul, wrought from the experience of our cycles.
Look to the realms, see the spirit world that exists within our own. Be aware of your own spirit and light up your path with your own sense of wisdom and wonder.

A FOOL'S ERRAND.

I consider facilitating spiritual development in another to be a privilege. Sharing a journey with someone who is on a path of discovery (which never truly ends) is deeply rewarding and enriching.

I am passionate about Tarot, it has been an integral part of my life for many years now and it never ceases to amaze and delight me. Tarot may be many things but boring it aint!!

I hope to inspire and imbibe participants on my Tarot Studies courses with this same wonder and sense of magic and at the same time develop insights into their own life story. I am also keen to guide others into seeing Tarot from different perspectives so that one gains the overall impression of it's versatility and beauty.

One of the ways to achieve this is to encourage the Tarot neophyte to take part in a project which they then share with their group at the end of the 10 intermediate week course. The idea of this project is to galvanise the students relationship to their cards and to bring out their own unique style and approach to reading Tarot cards and ultimately deepen the awareness of their own life experiences.

So, we take the 22 Major Arcana cards and we weave each card into a theme. In the past we have had rock music and opera, animals, recipes, Shakespeare, yoga postures, politicians and story telling, the variables are enormous!

It always starts out the same, when I announce that the group is expected to do this project there is a lot of face pulling and groaning, lots of excuses as to why it can't be done but with a bit of cajoling it usually reaches completion.

I love that moment when someone shares their efforts with the group; not only does it make for a pleasant evening but I am always so touched by the erstwhile attempts which have resulted in fabulous creativity and thoughtfulness. On many occasions I have been blown away by a project, never more so than by that one who really didn't think that they would be good enough either at their project or as a reader. It is a beautiful moment when that person receives wonderful feedback from the others and their is this wonderful sense of achievement. Fabulous!!

Digging around in my archives I came across a poem that a student did for his project. I remember him as being an unlikely candidate for spiritual pathworking as his life did not appear to be a natural fit for such activity, however I learnt form him that you can NEVER judge a book by a cover. It was wonderful to re-discover his poem and also to remember the life lesson and to that end I share the piece that he wrote.

A FOOL'S ERRAND.  by Alan Mangan.

0. One fateful summer evening'

I attended psychic school

and began an epic journey

in the costume of a Fool.

1 I knew the time was right for me,

'twas not a tough decision

before too long, my innocence gone

I evolved into the Magician.

2. I soon moved on from casting spells,

no demons I invoke,

I stood between two pillars

as the mystic female pope.

3. From there I tempted every man,

 clad in a floral dress

with Cupid's sweet seduction,

child of Venus, the Empress.

4.  The time had come to  move along

and formulate the law,

to govern fearful subjects

as the mighty Emperor.

5. To bridge the gap 'tween God and man

my mantras I did chant

I walked the earth, life death, rebirth

the pious Hierophant.

6. My next engagement flattered me,

I'm back between the covers

with every hero's nightmare

a choice between two Lovers.

7.  To choose one's love and break one's heart

I might be dubbed Iscariot

I'm glad to swap the Lovers

for a victory in my Chariot.

8.  I wouldn't risk contempt of court

and fall foul of the law 

to mess around with Justice

leaves one sorry, sick and sore.

9.  Like every avid Trogledyte

who seeks his scholars permit.

I'll hide away for months on end 

'til I emerge the Hermit.

10. I wish trump X were 3 of cups

with music, wine and dance,

not much to say but come what may

a change of circumstance.

11. The card of strength, depicts a maid

befriend a fearsome Lion,

her courage and self-confidence

a mix of earth and Zion

12.The next transition in my tale

deludes with no disguise

a man suspended upside down

observes with different eyes.

13. The card of Death, to fearful men

shows coffin, crypt and tomb

while those less pessimistic

see a new life in the womb.

14. The card of Temperance teaches us

when excessiveness abounds

in steps our guardian angel

to show us middle ground.

15. When ravaged by the Devil

and in need of angst confession

just face your fears, amid the jeers

cut down on the obsession.

16. When life seems at it's bleakest

and you face your darkest hour

no hope in sight, be brave and fight

to break free from the Tower.

17.  With lightening bolts from trump XV1

when solace seems afar

come bathe in peaceful waters

filled with hope form God's bright star.

18.  With troubles almost over

and joy for everyone,

come feel the warmth and happiness

from rays of golden Sun.

19. The journey's nearly ended

We've come full circle, soon

Illusion and uncertainty

the hall marks of the Moon.

20. If you need to alter Karma,

your priorities re-arrange

the card of Judgement beckons you

to answer calls to change.

21.  I now conclude my sojourn,

I've travelled day and night

to dance above the globe of life,

a crowned hermaphrodite.

......The God's have truly smiled on me,

their banners' all unfurled

I started Fool,broke all the rules

and ended up the World.

C. A Mangan 2010.

The Star, Moroccan design and the 8 pointed star.

THE STAR, MOROCCAN DESIGN AND THE 8 POINTED STAR.

The star card has to be one of the loveliest in the Tarot deck. It holds much promise, dreams fulfilled, a bright future, refinement and beauty.

Imagine my delight and intrigue as I discovered possible links to Morocco, a personal soul place and the 8 pointed star including the teachings of  Ibn Al Arabi with our beautiful Tarot star.

Firstly, if the star is the trump 17 then 1+7=8. On many depictions in the star there is indeed a star with 8 points.

The 8 pointed star is the star of Venus and 8 years is the length of a full cycle of Venus. It is also called the star of Ishtar, a goddess of war, fertility, love and sex who was worshipped in Babylon around 2,000BCE.

We must also include Sumerian Innana, goddess of light, love, life and death.She was linked to the morning and evening star.

Both goddesses were deities of many dualities (we can see traces of this influences in the 2's of the Tarot minor arcana, especially 2 cups.)

The 8 pointed star was upheld as a symbol before the formation of Islam. Images of it were discovered in Ur as an 8 petalled rosette.

Babylonian star cult is the core and archetype of ancient astrology. The Greeks recognised Venus as evening and morning star 1,500 years after the Sumerians.

 Sumer is located where several civilisations converged and the symbol migrated into other cultures. Abraham, the father of monotheistic faiths was in Ur.

Islam inherited pagan symbols as did other religions to accomodate astrology (astrotheology). Astronomy plays an important part in Islam. Stars were seen as part of creation and ancient symbols supported the Islamic view of creation. Planetary aspects determined times and places for prayer.

Muslim scholars poured over Greek learning. Pythagoras played an influential part in all of this.

Islamic art grew from the study of geometry. The idea being to seek to understand creation, not to worship it but to honour the creator.

In Morocco you can still find representations of this geometry in the Khatim and the zillij image of the star.

This image is particularly resplendant in Fes. A Moroccan city that goes back a couple of thousand years and it's long history can still be observed in the Medina. These mosaics were often on fountains and public drinking water taps.

This four fold construct is the design for a more contemporary fountain, again in Fes.

8 is an important number to Sufi mystics who had an appeal in North Africa. One of the most famous being Ibn Al Arabi, a C12 sufi master and cosmologist. He said; '' All phenomena are nothing but manifestations of Being, which is one with God. ''

His diagram is form symbolised by the square. Expansion is symbolised by the square with triangles pointing outwards, contraction is symbolised by square with triangles pointing in. The two star shapes together are the cycle of creation; 'the breath of compassionate', one of the 99 names of God and the highest pronouncable. The diagram is effectively a cosmological model of polarities that manifest form....( those 2's again!!).

Moroccan ornamentation carries these patterns although the flag is now a 5 pointed star, the seal of Solomon, but in mediaeval times it would have had 8 points.

The Khatim, (star mosaics) stand for interconnectedness, faith and ultimate harmony in creation, also the highest virtues in Moroccan culture. Learning, faith, community and love of beauty......it just  about sums up the beautiful qualities of our Tarot trump 17, the Star card.

Manifesting with Tarot; A visit to Viterbo.

I am so excited about the planned trip to Viterbo, oct 9th to15th. MANIFESTING  WITH  TAROT, A PASSIONATE ITALIAN ADVENTURE!!

When we think of Italy we think passion....everything is done with such gusto! This trip hopes to reflect our personal passion, who we are, what makes us tick, what we hope to achieve in a world we hope to live in.

Viterbo is a natural fit for this, having a passionate past of its own. Viterbo is an ancient city.in the Lazio region of central Italy, approx 80km from Rome. The historic centre of this city still has the medieval walls intact, built during the 11 and 12 C. Viterbo is also home to the academy of fine arts and the university of Tuscia.

Viterbo is said to date back to 8C. It became part of the Papal states, althgough this was heavily contested in the following centuries. The Popes enjoyed Viterbo especially as they had difficulties exerting their power in Rome. In fact Viterbo was often at war with Rome, deploying its militias against the Emperors.

By the 13C the Gatti and De Vico families ruled alternately. tyrannical and cruel, they held court until 1431.

Then there is the Cathedral of S. Lorenzo, designed by Lombardi  architects and is built over a temple dedicated to Hercules. It has been re-built many times, the last time being after a bomb in 1944.
The Cathedral houses art work in particular Gerolamo da Cremona's Christ blessing.

Terme dei Papi, are the thermal springs, sulphur baths in the valley of the Arcione river. These hot springs,  (which we will be visiting) have reputedly healing properties and have been used since Etruscan times. The springs are even mentioned in Dante's inferno;

In silence we had reached a place where flowed
a slender watercourse out of the wood—a stream
whose redness makes me shudder still.
As from the Bulicame pours a brook whose
waters are then shared by prostitutes, so did this
stream run down across the sand.^[

Viterbo has also been cited as the place where Tarot emerged in Italy. In actual fact it was the Saracen cards that became popular here in 1379 as chronicled by Giovanni de Juzzo Corvelluzzo. There are 3 chronicles of Viterbo still surviving, but it is must be made clear that it wasn't Tarot that appeared at this particular time but playing cards brought by the Saracens, Arab muslims. They played a game called Nayb.
The history of playing cards and their link to Tarot is quite fascinating, but that is a whole new blog!!
Viterbo is also fortunate to have the very unusual Tarot gardens close by.

Other places of interest are the renaissance inspired Palazzo Farnesse with its internal circular court yard, home to some beautiful frescoes. the Palazzo dei Priori being another.
Museo Civico holds many Etruscan treasures, capturing Viterbo's ancient history.

Some of our activities will take place at the Hotel where we will be staying the Ora Domus.
Former convent of Saint Maria Della Quercia. It is situated on the Via Francigenia ,a major route, leading to Rome from Canterbury, a pilgrims path. Built between 1470 and 1525. The site was chosen for a convent after pestilence struck Viterbo, everyone came to pray to the Holy Virgin, painted on a roof tile (1417) and stuck to a tree, many miracles were said to have taken place and thus the terrain was considered sacred.
All of this makes for a magical experience and I hope to be able to connect with the place In a spiritual way.
I feel that this visit will be enriching on so many levels. The charm and history of the area offer so many opportunities to discover our spiritual heritage and personal passion.

SPIRITUALISM, CREATIONISM AND REFORM, SOCIAL HISTORY OR CONTEMPORARY CODE FOR COMMUNITY?

I was interested to read that the Natural History Museum had its 132nd anniversary last week. It is a truly remarkable building with its imposing Romanesque architecture. Construction began in 1871 & was completed in 1881. One can only marvel at the skill of the craftsmen & the sweat of the labourer who built this palatial edifice to life in its myriad forms, extinct or otherwise!
Apparently the museum is home to 70 million items in the fields of botany, entomology, mineralology & paleantology.
The museum has a well beaten track by schoolchildren over the years, a visit here is like the equivalent of entering Ali Baba's cave of treasures, the things one can learn here proffer a tantalising insight into the workings of life, the universe & other small matters! In fact what can be learnt here will be taken by the individual to the grave. A wonderful foundation for the growing mind & perhaps this is not just for kiddies,
there are many adults who would, no doubt, have well rounded lives if they could but realise that life is a continuum of evolving events that place us not at the centre of the universe but as interconnected to the thread of life itself.

The museum has been a constant backdrop in the scenery of South Kensington for the 15 years that I have been at the College of Psychic Studies. I expect it is a little different now, with its Darwin centre, gardens & sweeping external coloured lights....but not that much different.

I am fascinated by timelines & was intrigued by the fact that the museum & the College of Psychic Studies would have been birthed at about the same time. They are neighbours; the museum sitting on Cromwell rd which is literally a step away from Queensberry place, home to the college.

In 1884 the College started out in life as the London Spiritualist Alliance by William Stainton Moses, a cleric & spiritualist. It was a place of experimentation, debate & controversy, although various luminaries of the time would have frequented the building, not everyone approved of the side stepping away from the norms of christian worship.
Perhaps the most notable advocate of eternal life was Arthur Conan Doyle who was president in the 20's & did a lot for the bereaved by supporting the notion of the continuation of life after death.

Another champion of the cause was AR Wallace, also based at the college, a contemporary & peer to Charles Darwin. Wallace was not only an eminent botanist but was dedicated to socio economic reform.

Spiritualism sprang up from a thirst by the educated victorians who found traditional religious doctrine unacceptable but were not satisfied with the materialistic & mechanical view of the world that was emerging form C19 science.

There was a dissatisfaction with the church & its explanation of eternal life. At the same time Darwin (& Wallace) were proving the theory of evolution, natural selection & survival of the fittest.
In many ways that idiom transferred itself on to society & social Darwinism began. Creationism was becoming less credible & as a result the foundations of firmly held beliefs around direct action by God with the individual were being shaken.Victorians were opening up to one's status in life was not appointed by a wrathful deity, perched with pointed finger on a cloud William Blake style but from circumstance & choice.

Spiritualism was a natural vehicle for reform, mainly women. Notably, Victoria Woodhull & Achsa W Sprage (USA) & Emma Hardinge Britten (UK).
Their trance addresses were filled with putting the world to rights through sufferagacy & abolition.

It might be worth mentioning that Robert Owen 1771 - 1858 founder of the Co-operative society & socialist came to spiritualism late in his life & channelled the american president, George Washington.

It would appear that Spiritualism, although received with scepticism in many quarters, was a positive body of movement that earnestly worked to make sense of a changing world, it espoused equality& personal growth & accepted that there was more to life than met the eye.
It embraced the idea that relationships continue & love never dies., still a source of  both comfort & intrigue to this day.

Spiritualism as a movement still has a lot to offer to the modern  community. The 7 principles are still a bareable structure for life & the fact that someone can stand on a podium & connect others to ideas of divinity without wearing robes of office & awaken the sleeping to the energy of love, can only be a good thing & worth preserving & upholding.

So many have the skills to heal & can offer insights of the benevolent Great Spirit not for the sake of hinderance but for improvement, it seems only appropriate that the churches & centres make conscious efforts to bring these gifts into the wider community at large.

Many places do this already but there is still much scope, room for invention & imaginitive purpose.
Reform is not a thing of the past, evolution is in a constant state of flux. In these interesting times we inhabit, it is surely worthwhile to embrace the path of our forebears & bring these fine ideals into the modern age.

the 2 cups and love and war.

The 2 cups and love and war.

I have been intrigued by the 2 of cups for some time. I have learnt that when this intrigue happens there is something developing in my consciousness appertaining to the essence in the card.
The Universe is expressing a truth to me through my toolbox and I am ready to absorb the message.

In recent weeks this card has been popping up in readings for myself and for clients. I have also learnt that when cards repeat in such a way that there is something going on in the ephemeris that has an astrological connection to the card. Now I am no astrologer! However I am totally fascinated by the movement of the planets and the link to human activity. I have great respect for those that plot charts and can interpret the celestial goings on, so my interest is cranked up a notch when I realise that the appearance of the card is possibly influenced by planetary movements and am even more excited when it becomes apparent that Tarot is trying to teach of itself by imprinting the subtleties of this dynamic into my brain, indeed spirit!

Recently, I discovered that Mars and Venus were in conjunction with each other. Suddenly it began to make sense as to why our duo had been making themselves obvious.....
You see, it's not just the 2 cups that fascinates me but the imagery in the RWS deck that draws me in demanding of me to discover more. So I went on a journey, into the card, with this couple and we ended up in Babylon!

In the two's I see opposites, a need to balance out the tension or life force between these opposing factors that  will then create a healthy and sustaining regimen. In this card I can see how opposites attract.
I have found from experience that this 2 can herald the beginning of a new relationship or the start of a fresh new phase in an existing one.
There is harmony and healing, a sense of equality and leaving emotional woes behind. It denotes previous relationship misfortunes but this new chapter will bring emotional brevity and passion, fertility and creativity, on many levels.
The male and the female find their correct vibration, co-existing happily as they mirror each other, Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars, right?
Hence the excitement as with this thought in mind, it transpired that the same thing had been going on in the heavens......

But back to Babylon and the RWS 2 cups! The 2 serpents on the Labrys connect us to Hermes,(mercury)
these serpents were found by Hermes to be in mortal combat, Hermes seperated them with his wand, resulting in peace.
The winged lion is Ishtar, warrior Queen, her domain is fertility,war, love, sexuality and sex. Her dominion is over nature and its inherent oppositions, birth and death, peace and violence, animal and human.
Ishtar is also linked to Lilith, the difference being that Ishtar's wings are raised.
Those that followed Ishtar worshipped Baal, where sacred prostitution in the temple was all part of the rites.
There is something very earthy about Ishtar, blood sweat and tears. The Lion or Dragon is the familiar of Ishtar, giving the idea of sacred energy and protection.

This goddess also has the 8 pointed star, another attribution to Venus, as morning or evening star, we could possibly make a link to Lucifer here, as he was also known as the morning star and could explain why sometimes Ishtar has sinister connotations.

Then; I find myself considering the Star card and her relationship to the stars in the imagery, the portals of Istar perhaps, but that is a whole new blog......

So I can see from this overview of Ishtar, 2 cups and its symbolism that a whole drama is being played out in the skies and I am just an actor who shares the stage with Venus, Mars, Earth and Mercury, oh what a glorious dance....!

A desire for discussion about mythology and its ability to make sense of chaos emerges. The idea of the  human need to discover the world, indeed universe through archetypes becomes a source of intellectual intoxication resulting in spiritual food and a funny kind of memory awakens somewhere.

If knowledge be the source of inspiration as likened to a bottle of wine, then pour me a large one, anyone care to join me?

A country as a soul place, a reality we create.

I have come to believe that countries that we are compelled to set a footprint in are part of our inner design. We created an inner reality that is expressed in the physical by the places we go to & ultimately recognise as familiar.

I set out an intention that I wanted to travel with my work & little by little this beginning to manifest, my approach to which countries I go to is fluid. I go where I am sent, this may sound fatalistic, but I think that actually our 'un-conscious' mapped out this journey.

The stories that I read as a child had a profound influence on this process. The Arabian nights meet Hans Christian Anderson. Note:- Believe in the dreams of children, they will be our future.

I thought that North Africa & the Arabic countries would be my destination, indeed it was for a while. I learnt much. However it was to experience the history of the place, it's own psychic development, the creation of it's interior....Morocco, for example gave me the opportunity to explore great thinkers of the golden age which in turn put certain events & developments in consciousness on a timeline for me. I have subsequently been able to absorb this knowledge into my work & is a ceaseless source of interest, especially early kabbalists & the Sufi master Muyahiddin Ibn Arabi.

I also got the sense that Morocco was a father to me. A paternal guide that taught me valuable lessons in personal responsibility & Courage, honing my beliefs in life itself.....

So what of Finland? I have come to love this country, it's people & it's gorgeous scenery.

Mother Finland, a healing, nurturing place that gave me room to breathe & expand, that has supported my well stream of ideas & creativity, to fly out my big thoughts. I am forever thankful for that.

Our male/female aspects are not just two dimensional but resonate fully on so many levels, especially in how we connect to the heart of a country, have you ever had this experience ? What of the place, your spiritual, sacred place, where is that?

                                FINLAND, ON THE ROAD.

The road is moving, twisting & turning, pushing her way forward.

She will eventually come to the sea, there is no other place to go.

The eternal forest straddles the road.

She, dark & mysterious, tantalises you with her mystery.

At once both High Priestess & the Empress, drawing you in.

The road penetrates her.Deeper into her being.

He, seeking out the life force; invasive & bold, quick witted Magician.

His desire to exist re-shapes the landscape,

Cleaving out his identity until the symbiosis is complete & the road & the forest are one.

Wake Up Happy - A Path to Transformation   

Sunday 2nd September (10am – 5pm)     Venue: The College of Psychic Studies

Avril Price & Linda Cruse  (Special Event)

Have you ever wanted to change the world you live in, lead a more effective and authentic life, develop the confidence to listen to your inner voice, be more conscious of the community and culture you live in? Then this workshop is for you! Learn how to reconnect with your passion and purpose! If you have ever considered de-cluttering the ‘stuff’ in your life - all those things that distract you and pull you away from your personal potential - this event is for you. It will bring you back to your own authentic essence, thereby allowing you to explore who you truly are and ultimately become clearer as to your true nature and where you want to go on life’s journey. You will use many tools and techniques to bring about your own transformation. This dynamic, interactive day includes many practical exercises, meditations and visualisations to reconnect to your inner core and be part of the change of the bigger picture in the spirit of 2012. You will receive your own individual plan of action, tailored to your passion and purpose to deliver swift results.

Linda Cruse is a front line humanitarian aid worker whose experience of life & near death has given her a unique insight into the human psyche & prompted her to establish ' Be the change' academy, which uses the entrepreneurial skills & acumen of business leaders to assist in solving challenging real life problems in some of the poorest & most marginalised communities in the world.

Linda is the author of  MARMALADE & MACHINE GUNS. 16 countries, 12 years & 1 suitcase: one woman's quest to help disaster stricken communities back on their feet.

Avril Price has worked in the spiritual arts since 2001. She teaches personal & intuitive development at the CPS & abroad, including Finland, Turkey & Morocco. Avril also teaches Tarotstudies at the college, embracing the philosophy & practical application of Archetypal wisdom contained therein. Her years of experience as a tutor & consultant have given her an awareness of the human dynamic & the various processes that an individual undertakes through the journey that is life.

Avril's passion is understanding how life experiences underpin transformations: 'Through exploring our own life material, we become our own master.'

COLLEGE OF PSYCHIC STUDIES

16 Queensberry place

Sth Kensington 

SW6 2EB

investment. £65.

please call 0207 589 3292 to book a place.

College phone lines available from aug 15th.

It was Mahatma Ghandi that urged us to Be the change that we want to see in the world. It is one of those adages that will not wear down with time. 

Much has been said about the shift, collaboration, sharing & so on. I feel that we don't really know what that means.

I do believe that this year of 2012 is significant in so far as change is upon us & in many forms, although the snow ball has not stopped rolling, it is gathering momentum. It will be in later years that we will see the effects of this so called shift. So, We are still left with the question, what does that mean for us?

We are indeed interconnected, dependent on each other for so much & on so many levels. I have been in this field for many years. In the early days, spirituality was the denizon of the eccentric & the fanatic; nowadays everyone has some kind of thinking about what spirituality means to them & how we express that in our world is unique, no matter of our calling or occupation. I find this remarkable.

We are individuals amongst the web of interconnectedness & each of us have a part to play in the whole.

The time is right to consider what we could change about the world we inhabit. As we change our own world, we change the world at large. From the esoteric to the exoteric.

Not only that but as we improve on our game, we improve it for others........

There are no more armchair prayers to God, no more whispering in the dark making a plea bargain with the Great Spirit. This is the time for activism & it starts with ourselves.

Mohammed allegedly said that after him, there would be no more Prophets. Perhaps it is because we are our own Guru, our own master. Certainly the writing is on the wall.....we ALL have a bit of inside knowledge......the key to this could be the return to creative thinking.

Potential.....I have the sense that being our potential is fundamental to our existence, we live in hope that we have the skills, talents & resources to live an effective life. 

We must rediscover the passion for self discovery & grant ourselves the power to be authentic.

By shining our own light it gives permission for others to shine theirs. 

It is a kind of spiritual/social Darwinism. Survival of the fittest. The being left behind because we didn't pay attention to personal potential is not an option!

When we explore who we are, when we desire to become close to our true essence, we become close to all that is. We reaffirm our place on the path of destiny & that voice which is longing, longing to be heard, is reconnected to the beloved.

CHIRON , 2012 AND THE REBIRTH OF THE SOUL.

I love sinchronicity, random coincidences and those moments of serendipity that are at once both pleasant and mind blowing as we observe the sign posts of life that encourage us to keep going as we might just be on the right path.

It was such a moment that I discovered Chiron. His energy had been emerging in my life in numerous ways. The name Chiron had appeared in magazine articles, conversations, recommended book titles and an astrology chart that showed his true nature as he hovered through my houses at a time of a diagnosis for breast cancer; all of these sign posts happened within space of a few weeks.

Intrigued, I began to ponder as to the relevance of such an astrological & mythical character, the inspiration I received procured a profound light bulb moment.

I am not an astrologer, so when I was informed that Chiron and Neptune are in Pisces until 2018, I have to take the word of the authors of the ephemeris at face value.
However, I understood that what was happening to me and the relevance of the presence of Chiron in my chart could also be happening on a global level.

Chiron is called the wounded healer as he was injured by an arrow that carried poison, Hydra's blood. Chiron, being an immortal, couldn't die so he roamed eternity looking for relief. ( He eventually did a deal with Prometheus which ended the cycle of torment!!) Because of this search, Chiron learnt a lot about the healing arts, he became healer and teacher to Achilles, Jason, Asclepius and Peleus.
The presence of Chiron suggests that we are also searching for relief from our persistent wounds.

Much has been said about 2012 and the evolution of consciousness. It begs the question what does that mean and how is it happening? I think that the influence of Chiron at this present time suggests that it is both a zeitgeist and an inevitability that we are exploring all that is not well with us and the planet. The crises that we find ourselves in personally and globally are possible vehicles for transformation.

By being alive now, we have signed up to experience this shift at this most auspicious time in history. Auspicious because we are clearing up history. We are opting to face the challenges of this time as we are capable of seeing the imbalances that have been created.
Never before in history has everyone, no matter their walk in life, had so much access to spiritual information and also the encouragement to act upon that information. We are learning that everything is truly energy.

As we spiral further into 2012 we are becoming increasingly aware of the disfunctional and dystopic. In a sense this has to happen. That gaping wound in the psyche is yearning to be healed. All that drives us into our own disfunction, all that we harbour in the unconscious that is painful and sad will float to the surface. Our every action and reaction will be to serve this wound until we equip ourselves spiritually, mentally and physically, so that we can seal this wound once and for all; by so doing we have taken a giant step on an evolutionary path that will promote wisdom through experience.

Understanding the nature of our wounding is paramount to our healing process. We can trace our dis-ease back, even to our ancestry, be it personal or cultural. The cycles, decisions and actions that lay buried in the layers of experience whose voices implore us on a daily basis to bring salve to the soul by recognising the hurts within.
By understanding we can forgive, by forgiveness we can let go, by letting go, we move on.

Corporeal intelligence will play a part in our growth. We live in societies that encourage self loathing and angst makes us to want. The body's wisdom is dismissed as we were and are conditioned to perceive nature as outside of our self...
Dis-ease is on the increase. Evolution gone awry. We subliminally punish the body for imprisoning the spirit. We see the place of matter, we can even relate it to ourselves but it's relativity to spirit....spirit is something ethnic, something that does not belong to us.
Our personal drive, the desire to function effectively becomes distorted, we cannot be on the path towards the Great Spirit as our tortured mind and bodies get in the way....consequently we believe that any kind of recognition of the divine within is for the wholesome, healthy and undiusturbed, all of these factors do not really exist......truth is we are all disturbed, in some form or another.
Psychic instincts create psychic events; the unfolding of our internal landscape to become that which shapes the exoteric.

Seperation is the deepest of wounds. I think all of us on some level experience this seperation, especially from the divine, psychologically and spiritually. By repairing this rift we become closer to source and the true journey of transformation begins. The end result being our splintered self  re-unites with our divine self in a very real and tangible sense.

Chiron tells us that to cure the body (ours and the earth's) we need to heal the soul. We are all karmically linked together and also karmically linked to the planet. Whatever we do to ourselves we do to the great mother and visa versa.
I believe that our journey here is one of the transpersonal, we are moving towards the higher self, cleaving a path from the lower ego, the nafs amara to the realms of quds or spirit. We are here to heal.
Chiron on one level shows us our ability to gather pain, enhancing every scar but also illuminates the conditions in which we can heal and be healed.

One could say that journeying with Chiron is part of the individuation process. At the same time we become aware of  what is good for us and we take personal responsibility for it. Our vulnerabilities and frailties become our guides bearing witness to our rebirth.
Part of that journey is the sojourn from head to heart, the challenge being that we can recognise pain without becoming it's victim.

Chiron until 2018? We either meet true healers or we become true healers.

BREAST CANCER AND THE CASE FOR CHIRON, WOUNDED HEALER.

It is nearly a year now since I received my initial diagnosis of Breast Cancer in the right breast. As one might expect it is a date that is etched firmly on my mind. Happily, I am through the worst, treatments have finished, the tumour has gone and I continue to stay well and accept the challenge of keeping well with all my heart as I am only too aware that there are those whose journey has a different result.

June 15th 2011; this was no ordinary date. I found myself sitting in a bare and comfortless room awaiting results of a biopsy. There is something psychologically manipulative about the rooms and their ambience relating to the stage of treatment one has reached, as your treatment intensifies and you have got your head around each stage of treatment, the quality of services and atmosphere seems to improve. Thankfully.

So, there was I, telling myself that there was nothing to worry about, yet all the while I had that sneaking suspicion that in fact I should be concerned, really concerned. In actual fact, the diagnosis on some level was not a total surprise; I had a feeling for a while that things were not right. My body already bore the affectations of a life well lived and was beginning to scream at me that all was far from well. I paid regular visits to the doctor for various tests that I insisted on having, which amounted to little more than a wild goose chase. The most helpful information I received at the time was that I had a vitamin D deficiency, which has been linked to Breast Cancer in some people. It has also transpired after talking to Oncology medics that it is not unusual for patients to have an insight into their cancer before the evidence emerges as a concrete fact.

June 15th 2011 is also significant as it was the time of the double lunar eclipse. I am certainly not an astrologer but even I felt that this diagnosis was doubly significant for me on a personal level because of this auspicious lunar movement.

In many respects that is all history now. However, the journey with cancer has been immensely powerful. It threw me smack bang into the middle of my own universe and all that I had been, was and could become. The scales dropped from my eyes and an intense healing began, a healing which was rooted deep in my psyche. I realised that I had become seperated, adrift from myself, what and who I represented and the integral divine essence that flows through each of us. The link to heaven and earth the same had become severed, the journey back to the beloved began in earnest.

It is not my aim to recount at this moment of the various layers that shifted and how the cancer shook my world in a way that was a terrible beauty all at once. Breast Cancer is not new. The picture is Rembrandt's Bethsheba and shows quite clearly her breast which appears to have all the markings of a cancer.
It bothers me enormously that Breast cancer is on the increase and one could summise that we are reaching epidemic proportions. My family and I were discussing another soul, a friend, who had just received a diagnosis quite recently. We were staggered to discover that between us we knew of  12 people in our collective address book who have or had been stricken with this dis-ease. That is a huge figure for just one bunch of people.

Nor is it my aim at this stage to discuss the implications of this disease on women and society, although I do feel that we are experiencing the incineration of the divine feminine and that Witch burnings still continue in a veiled and psychologically surreptitious fashion; this subject will no doubt arise at a later date, as it must.

Let's return to astrology. An astrologer friend of mine pointed out that not only was the date a lunar eclipse but also Chiron the wounded healer had shown up in my chart at the same time, this fact has fascinated me and my research into Chiron has amazed and comforted me. The time for karmic change was nigh!

Interestingly, Chiron will be about until 2018, my sense of it is that a massive karmic shift is happening, women are carrying this shift, the epidemic proportions that we have reached could well be a result of the presence of Chiron in the ephemeris tying into the shift in consciousness that we have attributed to 2012. This means that we must really look hard at how we nurture and are being nurtured and all that which this statement entails. Food, sex, work, relationships and self love all come under close scrutiny as well as repressed creativity and past hurts from significant people and life situations, including our relationship to the Great Spirit. The time for talking about the Great Spirit is over, NOW is the time us to experience the Great Spirit. If all of this be the case, then we are once more reminded that we are totally interconnected with each other and the planet we live on.

Chiron as a planet was discovered in 1977, orbiting between Uranus and Saturn. Chiron also seems to embody the principles of it's neighbours! Interestingly, at the time of it's discovery there was an emergence of  alternative healing therapies. We were ready for the archetype of the inner healer to be absorbed into our consciousness.

In Greek mythology, Chiron was a Centaur. He was also a teacher, musician and holistic healer. He received a wound from a poisoned arrow, Hydra's blood and didn't die as a result of this wound, but could not fully recover and was destined to live in pain. Personal suffering and the awareness that can be derived from it becomes central to the theme of the myth and planet Chiron and the re-emergence of spirit in one's life. As the immortal son of Kronos, he teaches us to fulfil our potential, leading to holistic understanding.

Close to our 50th birthday we can expect the Chiron return effect. The transit crosses over his position in the natal chart, a time of karmic realisation surfaces from the deep and the only way to go is forward. I was 51 at the time of diagnosis. Not everyone is going to go through an illness  to experience Chiron return, what ever shape or form it does take is appropriate to the individual and their karmic patterning. Either way it is a time of liberation of the unlived spirit through the knowledge that life is painful and we must strive to transcend. It is not our own suffering that we carry, but that of another and they carry ours. This is the interconnectedness at work, we are for each other. As we liberate ourself, we immediately liberate others, including Earth into the higher self.

It is my view that the repressed drive and creativity and the subjugation of the divine self resulting in a form of seperation play a part in the formation of a dis-ease. Once that is recognised and all that this notion entails means we can begin to clean up our act. The power of the Cancer journey and it really is a journey, is that it provides a platform to reach into our deepest and most hidden parts and heal all those hurts and anxieties that we have carried for far too long. I began to know love, true love at it's deepest level, it wasn't easy to get to that point, this love gave me the strength to examine my life and to ask life for life itself. Painfully sifting through all my 'stuff ' I realised what love is. For me love is knowledge, that knowledge we all have, to know without knowing, the action of gnosis in our .life, the gnostic self that we fail to recognise in the humdrum activities that we call our life. Love taught me compassion.

There is a sura in the Koran which tells us that 'The Lord sends sickness as a servant to bring us back to the Lord'. Our autonomy and independence through interdependence on each other and the Great Spirit is paramount to our well being and wholesomeness.

By searching for our own healing, we can learn how to heal others. We are the source of wisdom and healing for each other. It is through the expression of this wisdom that we also express the divine at work in both the esoteric and exoteric world.

I feel that life is a whole series of journeys. Each one a miracle in it's own right, each journey offers up a pearl from the bottom of our ocean, this pearl is the gift of experience, a validation to our footprints in the sand.....each pearl we receive is a celebration of our magnificence of being, the treasure within.

As Solomon said to Belqis; 'It is not the riches that you flaunt but the riches within that make you beautiful' .

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