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Archive for the ‘Spiritual Growth’ Category

Freedom and Freewill

Posted in Astrology, Current Events, Spiritual Growth, Transits, tagged , , , , , on April 12, 2020| Leave a Comment »

There have been a lot of fairly strident posts on social media recently about the need for personal freedom, not being told what to do, being restricted etc. This was probably to be expected that these issues would surface as the situation continues. (see the end of the blog).

I am writing this at the end of week three in the UK lockdown.

We have government who is being vague, lying and deceitful. We have those working for the government directly as in spin-doctors, most of the UK media and interestingly, by agitated posts on social media, who are who are churning up fears, insecurities and paranoia.

‘Rules are for people who cannot trust themselves’ (HH Namkhai Norbu)
Rules are for people who cannot trust themselves to do ‘the right thing’.
Rules are for people who cannot be trusted to do ‘the right thing’.

‘Bondage is all in the mind.’ (Swami Muktananda)
Therefore freedom is all in the mind.

1. People believe they are being stripped of their rights and being controlled.
At the moment, yes, inasmuch as there are restrictions on travel and meeting in groups.
The flip side of this, given that we have a virulent contagion in the population, would be if we each took responsibility for ourselves and had compassion for the wellbeing of others, we would not be doing that anyway.

So maybe we aren’t being stripped of our rights, we are being asked to be fully responsible for our actions.

The appearance of being ‘controlled’ is because there are those in society who have to be given rules to behave responsibly. It is apparent, at the moment, that even with rules, that is not happening.

2. Liberty (Are the present restrictions setting a precedent for loss of liberty?)

This raises lots of questions? What do people think of as freedom?

For example….Is it being able to do what you want, when you want?
That sounds fine ……as long as self-responsibility comes with it.

In the present restrictions, consider the desire…. ‘I want to go and see my friend who lives 150 miles away!
…..with the knowledge that you might be taking the virus with you, or picking it up along the way.
…..with the knowledge that your friend’s health and those they are close to may therefore depend in you.
….. with the knowledge that if you have a car accident along the way, that you might get taken to A&E, using up valuable NHS time and resources.
….. with the knowledge that even though you might have had CV19, people have been shown to get re-infected.
….that you might bring the virus or another strain of the virus back with you…….. and then infect others.
So, one could argue that if you are prepared to take responsibility for all that and other unseen consequences, then why should you not go? Most people, thinking this through thoroughly, might opt for a WhatsApp call or a SKYPE session as safer and cheaper.

3. Freedom. (Are the present restrictions setting a precedent for loss of freedom?)

Those who think they have freedom tend to be those who have choices……..
-choice in where the live and being able to move somewhere else
– choice in where they sleep
– choice in what or when they eat
– choice to spend money or not
– choice in feeling safe and secure
-choice to do something or not

If you feel you don’t have freedom, you need to realise that you still have choices… and that you may have made choices in the past that might have restricted the freedoms you now value so much.

A vast percentage of the population of the planet have few, if any, choices. They therefore could be construed as having no freedom.

So when people shout …… “they are taking our freedoms away”.……what freedoms are those, exactly? Are they freedoms or are they options, choices?

So if someone is laying down the rules and asking you to follow………determine why and make sure that you are not kicking against what a responsible person should be doing anyway………………… make sure you are not kicking against something that is actually a privilege or choice afforded to a few.

4. Manipulation

If someone is laying down the rules to manipulate……then think it through.

If manipulation is involved, it means ‘a game is afoot’…. the infamous Drama Triangle/Karpman Triangle has been activated. (Psychological pattern interweaving, blame, victimhood and rescuing)

So, if you buy into the ‘we are the victims’, ‘they are the villains’……. then you have fallen for the ruse…..you are playing the game, you have been fooled into joining it.

The only way is ‘not to play’.

This doesn’t mean you don’t agree/disagree, but it means you don’t get involved.

By getting involved you automatically give your power away.

The more you play, the more power you give to the oppressor/manipulator/villain. It is a deadly game, but when you play it is endless, it is self-perpetuating.

You avoid playing by observing, not getting stoked up or angry, but by seeing it for what it is.

ogyenmenlasmall

The Astrology:

This was always going to be an interesting time…..astrologically lots of planetary cycles have been creating patterns, coinciding with a Pluto/ Saturn conjunction, aided by Jupiter – all in Capricorn. From Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn the scene was being set.

Pluto cycle is 247 years with a 42-year sub-pattern – 247 year ago was the USA war of Independence
Neptune cycle is 164-5 years with a 42-year sub-pattern – 165 years ago was the Crimean War
Uranus cycle is 84 years with a 42-year sub-pattern – 84 years ago saw the build up to WW2, far right parties and activities dominant
Chiron cycle is 49-50years – 50 years ago saw the UK join the EU, 100 years ago saw the Spanish Flu epidemic
Saturn cycle is 28 years – Balkan wars
Jupiter cycle is 11-12 years – 12 years ago saw the banking crisis 108 years ago saw the start of WW1

Saturn brings restrictions, limitations but deep teachings about freedom.
Pluto simply upends anything that does not have a basis in truth.
In Capricorn – the negative is manipulation, coercion, over-regulation – the positive is understanding of responsibility, duty, compassion.

As Saturn slowly moves into Aquarius, we need to learn the lessons of Capricorn:

In the end we can only change that which is in our power to change.
We cannot ‘fix’ that which is not ours to fix.
Care for ourselves, each other, our families and expand that into the area where we live, if possible.
Taking responsibility for our own actions…is an act of love., not just for ourselves, but for others too.

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Celtic Wisdom in 2019

Posted in Current Events, Dark Goddess, Earth Healing, Spiritual Growth, Women, tagged , , , , , on July 28, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Over the past three years we have been studying some of the myths and stories of the Celtic Lands.

The first work we did was on the Mabinogi……….the well-known collection of stories from Wales. The Mabinogi are a series of teaching tales aimed at aristocratic young men. The tales guide them through life lessons on how to deal with women, honour and above all, relationship with Nature, the Otherworld, its inhabitants and lore. A subject of many a blog from me has been aspects of Sovereignty, and the Mabinogi is packed with challenges where the young nobleman learns how to deal with living on the sacred Land.

We followed that course with one on Taliesin, the master magician, and more recently a course called Celtic Source, looking at the myth and stories of the Celtic Lands and from whence they arose.

Interestingly, as part of a discussion on the Celtic Source course …… we touched on something that has always fascinated me. From a detached viewpoint it was noticed in the modern-day spiritual scene there seemed to be two camps. One camp looks to refining personal energy as a means to move forward in spiritual growth. Seeking that which is beyond as a means of redemption, echoing many religions.

The other camp finding that gaining greater contact with the planet and nature aids spiritual growth. The latter, having a self-labelled, broadly pagan approach, the former looking to attention on the subtle energies of the body and to the subtle layers of being beyond the body.

So, where did the ‘it has to be better somewhere else’ come from? It brought memories of reading ‘Be Here, Now’ by Ram Dass in the 1970s and not totally ‘getting it’ then, but totally on it now.

The ‘better somewhere else’ simply looks outside or beyond what is in the Now.

The counterpoint indicates we have all we need ‘Now’, but we just don’t realise it. There is no ‘somewhere else’ better. Pining for ‘elsewhere’ just gets you further from ‘being here, now’.

Looking back to the roots of myths and stories of the Celtic lands, they were told to those who were not the workers but the next layers up. The workers knew how to have a good relationship with the Land, the cycles of Nature and the input of the liminal energies around them. They could not function in their daily lives without this innate knowledge.

The more gentrified had lost that link and the stories were for them. True, storytellers would have regaled both worker and overlords with the stories, but the land workers knew what the storyteller was on about. The workers did not have to be reminded, but probably smugly listened to the antics of the young warriors in the stories, messing up and being punished for it.

Where did these land workers get their innate knowledge from? One thought emerged that in the very distant past, the liminal energies of the Land taught them, much like it is believed that plants taught people (actually plants still do teach) how to use them for healing. The Land energies still do teach too, if you are open to listen.

However, as is apparent from these old myths and stories, if the Land is ignored and contact with it is lost, trouble follows fast. The past shows what needs to be heeded. Ignore it and the suffering will be repeated.

In 2019 our leaders who have no idea what ‘living in the real world’ is like. They know nothing of being poor, homeless, having to work 24/7 and still not having enough to keep food on the plate and a roof over the head. So not much different from the noble young men in the Mabinogi and other tales……..

Our leaders are ungrounded with their heads full of ideas that are not practical and in fact damaging to the wider populace.

Without being grounded, respectful of the Land and Nature…. those who lead are going to always fuck it up………. and here we are today…. Those with little or no connection with the Land and Nature are in charge and are destroying the planet.

Without being grounded, people will not be in touch with who they really are.

Without being grounded, people will not be able to learn from the Land and Nature. They might think they are, but will be unable to put what they have learned into practice.

Without being grounded, people will experience high levels of stress on every level (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) and be less able to adapt to changes in environment.

We have no bards or poets today whose job it was to train the young noblemen and to cunningly persuade their Lords to ‘do the right thing’. The media (modern equivalent of bards and poets?) have sold out to the leadership and use their influence to coerce the minions about the achievements of their leaders. A complete 180 degrees turnaround on the ancient role.

The latest batch of leaders have even consigned the wisdom of and respect for the womenfolk to pointless gossip or to tasks as handmaids.

The phrase “we want our sovereignty back” rings hollow, when real sovereignty is about having a good relationship and working hand-in-hand with the Land and Nature.

Real sovereignty is recognising what women have to offer, having a good relationship and working hand-in-hand with women.

When the ‘peasants’ revolt against the craziness of today they risk being labelled as terrorists.

These ‘terrorists’ are simply being ‘here, now’, mindful of Nature ……………

They want to be financially wealthy and secure, and are destroying Nature (e.g fracking) for short term financial gain.

They pay lip-service to caring for the environment and put pressure and responsibility onto the ‘peasants’ do their bit. In reality, those in leadership could demand scrubbers on cement factory chimneys, which would cut down carbon emissions hugely in one simple move.

Which begs the question of why are the leaders doing what they are doing?

I also sense that those in charge are afraid….they are scared…… scared of the things they are consigning swathes of the population to……. lack of money, loss of status…… they are scared of things they cannot control………they are scared of the power of Nature.

The planet with a quick shiver could kill us all, ants that we are, on her surface.

River2Mind you, we are doing a pretty good job of destroying ourselves……

 

 

 

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Adventures with Preseli Bluestone

Posted in Preseli Bluestone, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, Visualisation, tagged , , , on May 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Someone on a Facebook group page asked today for ‘stories’ about working with Preseli Bluestone………. so here goes…….

My first experience “travelling” with Preseli was in 2004. We had been asked to investigate its healing properties by Liz and Colin. we were getting ready to ‘try it out’ on some students, so I thought I had better first, see for myself.

“Late in evening I laid down and instinctively put a small piece of Preseli on my upper forehead, at the little Soma chakra.
I just relaxed. Nothing happened for a while and then I found myself on a hillside, at night looking downhill towards a small village. I was dressed in a long, grey cloak and held a small coronet in my right hand.
As I looked down on the village, I thought ‘why am I here?’. There was great reluctance to put the coronet on, though I knew it belonged to me. I asked what healing was needed. I was drawn to absorb my ‘today self’ with the me I was aware of from the vision. I also had a good look around me, especially at the landscape.”

Nevern

The next year, we went to visit the Mynydd Preseli. We stayed in Felindre, just on the edge of the hills themselves. We dutifully climbed up towards Carn Menyn and collected water from a stream running off the hills to make essences. We also did other ‘touristy stuff’ – we climbed up to Foel Drygarn, visited Pentre Ifan and the Little Folk in the woods nearby. We ate lunch in Newport (Trefdraeth ), near the beach and visited the bleeding yews of St Nevern’s Church. We also went onto the headland beyond Nevern…….. Ah…..the land of my vision with Preseli bluestone…….. I knew this place and it knew me!

 

Another experience with travelling with Preseli happened several years later when an old back injury returned. This was probably brought on by a mixture of loss of hormones that keep tendons and muscles flexible (menopause) and lifting lots of cut wood for the fire. My back muscles went into spasm and again, a vertebrae went out of alignment. (This had also happened when I was seventeen following a session on a trampoline.)

The trouble is, 50 or so years on, the body is less forgiving. It took a couple of weeks of various sorts of painkillers, one month of four-times weekly osteopathy then a further two months of twice-weekly osteopathy to get me back on my feet.
Being so immobile and in pain gives you a lot of time to think. One thought was, ‘I wonder if this is an old injury?’ So I decided to use Preseli to find out.
Getting comfortable and then placing a small piece of Preseli on the Soma chakra, I started my journey.

Working with Preseli in this way is pretty consistent. Nothing happens for a while and then suddenly, like a quick film or tv replay, the memory comes.

“There I was, an old man, a former warrior, left in a village to protect the women and children whilst the men went off to fight. The enemy came. They rushed in and I picked up my shield to protect two small children to my right. The enemy sliced me through, shoulder to groin on my left. Needless to say, I started to die, but the children were safe. Then I realised the child nearest to me was a close relative. The emotions were overwhelming. Then I remembered that feeling. Nine years ago, I stayed at my daughter’s over the time she gave birth to her second son. Whilst driving home I started to cry. I had left him again. There was a deep bond there, but not one, this lifetime, of parent, but nevertheless I recognised it as very old. Whilst some consciousness was still in my vision if the old man, I talked to him and told him all was well. The child is well and living again within the family. It all got very peaceful and I found myself quickly back in the Now.

I am still very protective of those I consider I have been given care of, whether it is people, animals, the Land. I know I have paid the price for that in the past and that continues to this day. It is part of who or what I am. Part of who or what I am, is still the reluctance to ‘wear the coronet’. I still prefer to work behind the scenes, creating stability, good lines of communication, though I can be ‘at the front’ if needed………… So I guess the gestalt from Nevern is still working its way through.

PresliFlatsBig

The book ‘Preseli Bluestone’ Healing Stone of the Ancestors’ by Simon & Sue Lilly is available.

Published by Tree Seer ISBN 978 1905454082, £9.95 + P&P

Click Here

 

 

 

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Yet another dragon……….

Posted in Dragons, Earth Healing, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, Women, tagged , , , , on December 13, 2017| Leave a Comment »

It has been a long while since I blogged as a lot has gone on, with deep shifts of energy and identification of patterns that have taken a while to surface and understand.

I have never been an ‘Earth Mother’ type as I am blessed with an independent, rebellious streak. Nevertheless, from time to time I have taken younger women under my wing to support them through times of transition and transformation, with eventual success.

This was until a year ago.

There came a time, at the point of transformation, the person chose to stay as they were. After they had put so much effort into working on themselves this came as a shock to me and caused me a lot of soul-searching, re-assessment and self-examination.

Had I failed?

Eventually the realisation came that it had been my job to create the opportunity for them to change and whether they did or not was nothing to do with me. I had done my job and kept my side of any karmic bargain.

It was compounded by other issues dear to my heart. The liminal beings of the Land were involved as were the energy flows within the Land.

I was guided by the energies of the Land, to help them make some delicate adjustments to how energy flowed in several places. This I did with a few trusted friends, but I was still emotionally troubled. I always support people in their freedom to make their own choices, but never had I come across someone wanting to stop growing.

Then I realised I had that same choice when I was in my early 30s. Stay where I was, conform, be safe or choose to break out of the apparently cosy place that my life had become. To me that was no choice, being the rebel so I chose to break free. The cost was considerable at the time, but I would do the same again. However, I can really appreciate that this would not be for everyone.

Events last year forced me to step back and let go…and then let go some more.

This I did and got stuck back into my work with the Land. I got to know this area where I now live, quite intimately, in a geographical sense, over a period of three months. Gradually this brought a deeper connection within myself too.

In meditation one evening, a new dragon companion presented itself. it seemed I had passed some sort of test……. but a skeleton dragon! WTF!!!
I had to let go of any preconceived thoughts about how it flies and just chuckle at the absurdity of the whole thing. Terry Pratchett would have had a field-day.

skeldrag

It was also made clear to me as a local cauldron-holder, that I needed to hold energies at every level…….for the Land, its liminal occupants, but also for the human occupants.

I had done a few things to try to help gather the disparate human energies of the valley in the last three years. Recently, an opportunity presented itself to do some very practical, mundane work for the local community. I threw ‘my hat into the ring’ without any idea if I was the type of person with skills that was being looked for. I told myself I was too old, for a start. Well, upshot was I found myself ‘walking my talk’, and doing a ‘real job’ for the first time in thirty years.

Of course, it is the ultimate “bringing spiritual practice into the material world” – so what more could I ask?

ogyenmenlasmall.jpg

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Kundalini – what it is and what it is not

Posted in Kundalini, Shakti, Uncategorized, Yoga, tagged , , , , on August 16, 2017| Leave a Comment »

There is a lot of information on the web and a lot of chatter on social media about kundalini and related subjects. It is also becoming a selling, peddling and marketing description for workshops, crystals, energy healing tools and spiritual exercises. Many people also are very keen to ‘awaken’ their Kundalini, as it is understood to be a sign of spiritual progress and development.
Responding to a request, myself and a few friends have put together this short information sheet to help clarify what it is and what it is not.

What is Kundalini?
‘Kundalini’ was a word first used in the 7th Century and it was used to describe the creative force of the universe. In its original usage, it was closely linked to written Sanskrit and the power of language and sound.
Nowadays the name has become synonymous with the energy that most people describe as lying dormant or in a quiet state near the base of the spine. The word itself means ‘coiled up’. In traditional texts there are two energy flows that are important – a downward flow, often referred to as ‘Shakti’ or upper Kundalini and a lower one or red Kundalini that flows upwards.
It may help if we look at the subtle channels in the body according to Vedic tradition.
Many people are familiar with the chakras. The main chakras are only part of a much larger complex of subtle energies that go to make up the human being. There are many other chakras throughout the body, all of which are expressions of different kinds of consciousness and energy.


Intersecting each chakra are channels of energy or ‘nadis’ that interact with the rest of the body. (These nadis do have a relationship with some aspects of the autonomic nervous system and also with the meridian channels, but they are of a much finer subtle substance.) There are said to be, in total, seventy two thousand nadis. Three are of prime importance: the ida, the pingala and the sushumna. These three main channels run parallel to the physical axis of the spinal column. The sushumna is the central channel. Ida, the left channel, carries a lunar energy that is nourishing and purifying. Pingala, the channel on the right side of the sushumna, carries the solar energy, that is activating. They can be represented in two different ways, the first has all three channels running parallel to each other, the second shows the solar and lunar channels weaving between the chakras until all three meet at the brow chakra.

The lower Kundalini energy remains dormant until activated. This would normally happen after the person experiences a descent of upper Kundalini or Shakti from the crown chakra down to the root chakra.

What is Shakti energy?
‘Shakti’ is the name given to a type of cosmic energy that is given or transmitted to an individual via another person or energy archetype. Traditionally this is accompanied by the ‘laying on of hands’. This process is not tied to any particular belief system or religion. It can be referred to as the ‘Descent of Grace’ or ‘Descent of the Dove’ (in Christian traditions) or ‘Shaktipat’ (in Vedic Traditions). This descending energy compresses and activates the lower kundalini, sustaining and supporting its progress. The ‘Shakti’ energy and lower Kundalini energy need to unite to move up the central channel.

The upper Kundalini can also be stimulated through traditional spiritual practices.

Without activation of ‘Shakti’?
Sometimes the lower Kundalini energy gets activated without the descent of the Shakti energy. This can happen through specific meditation or visualisation, use of drugs (recreational or pharmaceutical), acute stress, types of physical activity or extreme situations.
There are two problems with this:
1. There is no connection to a teacher or archetypal energy that would support and guide the process.
2. Without the Shakti energy to help to clear the energy blocks on its way down, when the lower kundalini starts to rise up the central channel it hits energy blocks.

These energy blocks or samskara are the subtle scars we carry from previous actions, memories and habits.

When Kundalini becomes active without Shakti, its upward movement brings problems that need to be resolved. This can be a difficult process as the ‘scars’ or blocks are moved or try to be moved. Many people in this situation find their mental and emotional well-being becomes very delicate. If life experience has included particular stress, abuse or negative habits, these will become pronounced. This creates vulnerability and can create psychotic breaks. It leaves a person open to those who would manipulate, both physical people and subtle entities. Over stimulation of the lower Kundalini adds more energy into the process and can aggravate the situation. Even well-meaning friends sending absent healing can make things worse.
Pro-active steps need to be taken to integrate energy, to ground. Therefore, doing daily, physical chores can help to deal with the situation. Sometimes a complete withdrawal from spiritual practices of any sort may be the only way to cope with the effects of premature Kundalini activation until the energies have settled down.

Traditional spiritual paths prepare the person for Kundalini activity by basically dealing with samskaras. This takes time, maybe even lifetimes. These days, few people are attracted to this slow, but safe process of clearing the central energy channel.
There are three areas or ‘knots’ where the progress of kundalini is naturally checked -the solar plexus, heart and brow chakras. With the descent of shakti, these are loosened. When no Shakti activity has occurred when the lower Kundalini energy gets to these chakras there are major issues to be dealt with before the energy moves on. Each chakra’s correspondences will reflect the energies to be resolved.

Clients and Students
People working as therapists need to be aware of spontaneous, temporary stimulation or ‘flashes’ of Kundalini activity in their clients. Similarly tutors of energy work need to be aware of the same thing in their students.
If this happens, grounding is vital. Get them to eat something sweet can bring the energy back to a manageable state.
This temporary stimulation is not the same as a permanent awakening.
Anybody might experience a temporary stimulation but this is not something to be encouraged, sought after or set as a goal. It can only be of use as a result of the body naturally clearing the central channel.

Worldwide
All spiritual traditions have their own words to describe this process. We have used the Sanskrit here as most people use that terminology.
Different traditions have different ‘flavours’ of shakti, so a spiritual seeker may experience several types of energy descent to ease or manage the progress of Kundalini rising.
“There are no secret teachings or activities that will awaken you faster. All the steps to take are already outlined in all the major spiritual teachings. – Gopi Krishna”.

Sue Lilly, Simon Lilly, Swami Prakashananda Saraswati 2017

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Full Moon musings

Posted in Astrology, Blue Moon, Current Events, Dragons, Earth Healing, Full Moon, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on May 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

During a ritual many, many moons ago I was invited by the Gentle Folk to hold a cauldron. This cauldron held the area that they lived in, keeping it the animals and the humans living there safe.

That imagery has followed me since then, occasionally coming to mind when working with the energies of the Land.

The last few weeks saw a return visit to Carn Menyn, one of the outcrops on the Mynydd Preseli and a reinforcement of my connections with that magical place. In my dreams following that visit I watched the dragons dancing in the night skies above Wales.

carnmenyn

I was also made aware of the energy line connection between the stone at Callanish (Callanais) on the Isle of Lewis and the area of Wales that I now live in. This energy line runs parallel to the ‘Spine of Albion’ mentioned in the book of that name by Gary Biltcliffe and Caroline Hoare.

This line cuts through:

West of Lyme Regis
Taunton
Barry
West of Brecon
Anglesey
Isle of Man
West of Stranraer
Arran
Mull
Skye
Callanais (Lewis)

……. all places I have visited.

I have yet to discover more information about this energy line.

Uklines

Whilst being shown this line I was also reminded about the cauldron. The space that holds energy. The space that keeps energy safe.  The space in which new things can be gestated and born. The space where opposites blend to create union.

Looking at maps, the place I now live is due north of where we used to live in Devon. In Devon we were near the Michael line and on the big lunation triangle of Stonehenge. That was indeed a powerful have to hold a cauldron, but what of here?

If I think of the Vedic and Tibetan imagery of the spine and the energies alongside the spine, then the line I now live on could be one of those?

Then the penny drops………. If that was the case, then there would be another line to the east of and equidistant from the Spine of Albion.

Wow, I have lived on that line too…………………………..

Experience of disparate/opposite energies to balance………………………

As I reach out in meditation I perceive that the cauldron here is bigger, possibly as there are less people living in this part of Britain, certainly this is one of the least populated areas of Wales. The energies of the Unseen are stronger here and there are more of them. The Land is old, but still geologically active.

I am reminded of visits to the stones at Callanais, how the complex patterns are still not completely understood. Research has only scratched the surface of what our ancestors created there, let alone to really understand why they created the many stone circles. As an astrologer I was fascinated and had thought of each circle being linked to a visible planet, so the whole area being one huge astrological and astronomical calendar. Without living there and watching the passage of the planets from the site, that cannot be proved. It is thought that the circles were constructed at a time when crops could easily be grown that far north. Climate change? Is climate change cyclical too? The climate change we are seeing now, has it happened before? Was that when Callanais was created?

callanais

What opposites need to be in the cauldron now? What needs to be brought to balance now?

At a time when British Society has become very polarised, politics have gone crazy and grounded, humanitarian logic seems to have disappeared from our so-called leaders……….. what is being created in the greater scheme of things? Who or what is holding that cauldron?

 

Mmmm…………………………

 

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Science, Homoeopathy & Essences

Posted in Current Events, Flower Essences, Homeopathy, Spiritual Growth, Water, tagged , , , on November 27, 2015| 1 Comment »

The following is an excerpt from Sue Lilly’s Book “The Essence Practitioner”, (Published by Singing Dragon 2014  ISBN: 978-1-84819-250-8)

The Wonder of Water

To begin to understand the way essences are made and are thought to work it is worth looking more closely at the carrier of most essences – water.

Water covers around 71% of the surface of the Earth, 98% of that 71% is in the oceans. We are 70% water. We also have other special relationships with water – Too much – we die; Too little – we die.

Water is a prerequisite for life to even have evolved on this planet. Enzymes and other compounds that are necessary for life do not work without water.

Water is the second most common molecule in the universe, the first being hydrogen (H2).

Although water has been widely studied, it properties continue to intrigue scientists and hints of its abilities are not completely understood by many.

Most people know the chemical formula for water:

H2O

This means that for every oxygen atom, there are two hydrogen ones.

T1

To try to understand why water is so special the Periodic Table of Elements (see above) needs to be examined. It holds a lot of information about the different elements that make up our environment and how they relate to one another. This table as we see it today was built up over 150 years. Though most people attribute it to Mendeleev in 1869, it is still being adjusted today in the 21st century to accommodate new discoveries.
The table shows, at the top left is the lightest element, hydrogen (H). Following the table downwards shows the number of electrons, protons and neutrons in the atom increasing. This is reflected by the atomic number and the fact that the atoms themselves get heavier as the elements change name and quality.

The table also shows what Mendeleev did and that was to arrange the elements with similar properties together. This also enabled scientists to see where there were gaps for unknown elements, like the later named, germanium. For example, in the second column we have several elements that are related to one another and that are known from mineralogy – berylium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium. The further down the listing, the heavier the atom is, so if a piece of gypsum/selenite (calcium sulphate) is compared with a similar sized piece of celestite, the celestite would be noticeably heavier. Celestite is strontium sulphate SrSO4, and strontium is a much heavier atom than calcium.

T2

C – Carbon, N – Nitrogen, O-Oxygen, F – Fluorine
P – Phosphorus, S – Sulphur, Cl – Chlorine

Their proximity in the Table would suggest that these elements form similar compounds that behave in a similar way. When they combine with hydrogen this is indeed the case, apart from when oxygen and hydrogen mix.

Carbon + Hydrogen = Methane – a gas at room temperature
Nitrogen + Hydrogen = Ammonia – a gas at room temperature
Fluorine + Hydrogen = Hydrogen Fluoride – a gas at room temperature
Phosphorus+ Hydrogen = Phosphine – a gas at room temperature
Sulphur+ Hydrogen = Hydrogen Sulphide – a gas at room temperature
Chlorine + Hydrogen = Hydrogen Chloride – a gas at room temperature

All these gases are dangerous to health and poisonous in large quantities.
It should follow that the combination of oxygen with hydrogen would be a gas at room temperature and would also be poisonous – but it is neither. It breaks the rules.

Water is weird!

Water Molecules
One of the reasons for the weird behaviour of water is thought to be how the molecules of water interact with each other.

The water molecule is sometimes called the ‘Mickey Mouse’ molecule, mainly because it can be represented like this:T3

T4However there is an imbalance or inequality of how the oxygen atom and hydrogen atoms share their electrons. In effect the atoms become tiny magnets and they start to attract other molecules. This phenomenon is called ‘hydrogen bonding’.
These bonds are strong enough in water to give water its unusual properties. DNA and enzymes both depend on the hydrogen bonding of water. Surface tension is also evidence of hydrogen bonding.

T5

If there was no hydrogen bonding – there would be no life
If there was slightly weaker bonding – life would exist at lower temperatures
If there was slightly stronger bonding – life would exist at higher temperatures
If the bonding was much stronger – there would be no life

Hydrogen bonding in water means that at 4 degrees C water is at its maximum density. Above that temperature its volume expands and below that its volume also expands. Water becomes crystalline (ice) at 0 degrees C. Other compounds become denser as they get colder.

At atomic levels small clusters of water group together. This can happen in several ways and many ‘types’ of water have been identified. Ordinarily the clusters form and reform, some identical to others, some with similar part-patterns. This was only confirmed in 1998, but the idea of molecules replicating a pattern has been summed up by the phrase ‘the memory of water’, used by Jacques Benveniste (1935-2004). This brilliant man stirred up a lot of controversy over his experiments with water, which cost him his research post and some say he never recovered from the stress of those events.

His work was reported widely. Several laboratories set about reproducing his experiments and all succeeded except one, yet it was this one that was brought to everyone’s notice through the media. He was subsequently labelled as a quack and fraudster.

The memory of water is very short unless other materials or substances are present. So if water has a memory that needs to be preserved some ethanol could be added. This is what Dr Edward Bach did with the Bach Flower Remedies in 1928-1936. Other preservatives are vinegar, citricidal, honey, salt and glycerol. Using spring water as a starting point helps too, as it contains minute amounts of minerals that encourage the creation of the bonding mechanism. Even using glass equipment helps because some of the ions from the glass move into the water.

T6

Succussion, or rapid shaking of a liquid, encourages the patterns in the water to replicate, as in homoeopathic dilutions, but there is no explanation as to why a human being is then able to react and use this pattern as a healing tool.

In mineralogy, individual gems and crystals can be identified by the way the crystal lattice deflects laser light, and the angle between the atoms are so precise that correct identification can be made because the angle is always the same for that molecule.

The atomic bonding angle in water, however, is not constant. It varies from 104.27 degrees to 109.28 degrees, the norm being accepted as 104.35 degrees – this suggests that there could be lots of different ‘waters’, a belief held by many water energy experts.

Dr Bernard Grad (1920-2010) of McGill University discovered in the 1960s that if water was subjected to a small magnetic field or to light the atomic bonding in the water gets altered and there is also a reduction in surface tension. He went on to show that a person can emit enough of a magnetic field to alter the atomic bonds of water. Indeed when someone focused positive intent into the water and that water subsequently was used to water plants it resulted in strong growth of the plants. The effect of water focused on by someone who was upset or disturbed was shown to produce little or no additional growth in plants.

More recent research, first published in English in 2005 by Professor Bernd Kröplin from the University of Stuttgart has looked at the mechanisms by which water collects, stores and disseminates information. He showed that even the temporary influence of weak energy fields can cause changes in water structure. He showed that the effect on the water was influenced by the experimenter, so the phenomenon cannot be reproduced independent of an observer. In effect any work on water structure cannot ever be objective. The observer is inescapably part of the experiment and whatever their mood is added to the effect on the water. This last sentence is very important as it may well explain some of the failures by other researchers to reproduce Jacques Benveniste’s experiments in 1988.

Kröplin and his team took the work further. They looked at what happens when a single drop of water dries on a glass slide and is then observed through a dark-field lens. (The use of ‘dark field’ excludes the un-scattered beams of light from the image. This leaves the image on a black background). It was observed that distilled water left no trace. Different homeopathic potencies produced different, distinct patterns, distinctly different from water. Minnie Hein, a member of the research team was familiar with essences. She calls them ‘informed’ water as they have not been serially diluted and succussed. Water drops from the same essence dried by her and a colleague appeared slightly different from each other, though the basic characteristics remained the same. This also suggested that the experimenter was influencing the structure of the drops in some way. Even the same experimenter on different days using the same essence resulted in dried drops that varied slightly.

Minnie Hein, one of the experimenters, came to the conclusion that the dried drop was a joint picture of experimenter and ‘informed’ water. Over time this experiment was repeated again and again with different people, showing slightly varied drops. Experiments continued using human saliva. Two samples were collected by several experimenters. One was collected before people anchored their personal energies to the planet (being grounded) and calmed themselves (being centred), and the second taken after they had done so. Not only were the drops more coherent after each person was grounded and centred, but the drops taken by the each experimenters also had their own characteristics.

The team also looked at the dried drops of saliva when subjected to electromagnetic fields, like those produced by mobile phones. The subjected drops showed structures that were more rigid and less diverse.

Research has also been conducted by several people into how water flowing in certain ways affects the surface tension – in effect making it ‘wetter’. The most well know of these researchers was Vicktor Schauberger. (1855-1958). He discovered that if flowing water was made to pass through a vortex that spins the water anticlockwise towards the apex, it affected the surface tension of the water. By drinking water that has been ‘spun’ the body seems to heal quicker and become stronger.

Several studies have been carried out on the physical propertied of homeopathic potentised water. Wursumser (1948), Gay and Boiron (1953), Stephenson (1955) investigated the way light is absorbed by various potencies of chemicals like sodium chloride. They showed that anomalies in the light absorption of the various potencies could be measured and plotted to reflect the dilutions. Ansaloni and Vecchi in 1989 did similar work with water that had been potentised by healers.

Water responds to sound and can produce surface wave patterns when subjected to music (Hans Jenny (1904-1972) and Alexander Lauterwasser (1951-). The more popular work by Masaru Emoto (1943 -) has shown that ice crystals reflect the coherence of the music that the liquid was subjected to before it was frozen.

In conclusion it can be clearly seen that there has been a significant body of research into the phenomenon we call water and to how it holds energy patterns. Serial dilution and succussion has been shown to change how water reacts. The popular media and its pundits are always keen to trash homeopathy and the ‘fanciful’ idea that water has memory on the premise that there is no scientific evidence, even when there is plenty of replicable work done by brave researchers who are prepared to see for themselves, refusing to be confined to what they have been taught, or by the expectations and results of their peers.

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Solstice & New Moon December 2014

Posted in Astrology, Earth Healing, Solstice, Spiritual Growth, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

The solstice this December heralds the new moon at 0 degrees Capricorn on the 22nd at 0136 GMT/UT.
New Moon Dec2014
Most planets in this chart are below the horizon confirming the ongoing, unseen shifts in the collective unconscious. Anchored by no less than five planets in Capricorn (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Pluto and Venus) maybe this marks the true beginning of people starting to speak out against institutions that seek to control and inhibit. There is still shyness and reticence there but Pluto continues to lurk near the Sun-placements of many countries (1st January constitutions at 11 degrees Capricorn) suggesting its work continues to up-end and transform those who refuse, deny or are slow to transform.

Saturn at the anaretic degree(29) in Scorpio hints at continuing worry and dithering which new foundations should be put in place and which truths should be quashed or smothered from the view of the majority.

Mars in Aquarius hold out for freedom and truth for all but also reflects the need to fight to get it.

Neptune and Chiron in Pisces continue their dance of ‘smoke and mirrors’ and the need to see past what our attention is deliberately being drawn away from.
Jupiter – the only planet above the horizon, is in Leo, so shows that leadership is there but it might show how things should not be done rather that give a blazingly good example for all to follow.

Finally the Ascendant in Libra, Descendant in Aries conjunct Uranus, the esoteric ruler of Libra. Here comes the revolution! Libra cannot help but upset the status quo to help a new balance to emerge. Uranus in Aries will provide the energy and drive without the fear of what needs to be destroyed to protect the inner sense of cosmic order that Libra represents! You have been warned……….

“’We stand between the candle and the star, between the darkness and the light.’ You say the words, but your hearts are empty, your ears closed to the truth. You stand for nothing but your own petty interests. ‘Problems of others are not our concern.’ I do not blame you for standing silent in your shame. You, who knew what was coming, but refused to take up the burden of this war. If the warrior caste will not fight, then the rest of us will!” Delenn, Babylon 5

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New Moon/Solar Eclipse, October 2014

Posted in Astrology, Dark Goddess, Dragons, Spiritual Growth, tagged , , , , , , on October 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

It has been a while since I left a blog here, but I often say to my clients and students…’life happens’!

So it did for Simon and I. Earlier this year everything turned on its head in the space of a few days. It was the start of an emotional rollercoaster that began with the full Moon on Valentine’s Day and followed the New and Full Moons thereafter until the New Moon on the 26th July when we completed the purchase of our first house. By the Full Moon on the 10th August we had fully moved in – us, the cats and the trees!

We now find ourselves living in the Land of the Red Dragon – Wales – exactly 2 degrees of latitude due north of where we lived in Devon and 170 miles away, by road.

The translation into English of our new address is – ‘The sacred house of Saint David, on the ridge by the wood near the Church of St Cadmarch’. We look out to the Hills of the Wild Horses to the south and the Welsh Mountains to the north. Beautiful!

Mostly settled in my new home, I am now turning my attention once more to the unseen energies of the Land.

Looking at the energies of the forthcoming New Moon and eclipse it is interesting to note that Mars hugs its biennial spot on the galactic centre (27-28 degrees Sagittarius). Hopefully this will bring wider understanding and a practical approach to the difficulties in the world at this time. This is an opportunity when a new balance could be found if people, both individually and collectively could act less selfishly.
There is still plenty to be uncovered/discovered and the truths that emerge eat away at the constructed beliefs that all are fed and many still do not question. The knack is to habitually look beyond what is obvious, to try to understand the processes that are in play.

This eclipse, at zero degrees Scorpio, is also conjunct Venus. A karmically laden eclipse if there ever was one! Venus in Scorpio needs a lot of effort to transform it from continuous lack of self-worth, deep resentment and jealousy into an insightful, powerful healing energy. Yet, at a quintile ( 72 degrees) from Pluto in Capricorn the spiritual drive is there to complete the change.

Samhain/Halloween may be less than two weeks away, but the transformation drive of the so-called ‘dark’ aspects of the Goddess are being reflected in this eclipse cycle. In her many guises she challenges us to change, to let go of what holds us back, to reassess where we are going and what we are doing. Time spent reflecting on these challenges in the next few days will be time well used!

(The solar eclipse will be visible in the north of the USA and the north Pacific)welsh dragon

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Reflections on the Full Moon June 13th 2014 0413 GMT

Posted in Astrology, Earth Healing, Spiritual Growth, Transits, tagged on June 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

There have been two underlying astrological patterns for the past year that have dominated collective ways of thinking and behaving.

The first to operate was a grand water trine (planets is each of the 3 water signs of the zodiac within the same 6-8 degrees of each sign). This pattern started in July 2013 with Jupiter at 1 degree Cancer, Saturn at 4 degrees Scorpio and Neptune at 5 degrees Pisces. Grand Trines indicate fast or easy-moving energy between the planets and signs involved. Although trines are usually seen as benevolent aspects, this is not always a ‘good’ thing. Energy that flows very easily has little to check or balance it.

GrandTrine

This Grand Trine is also in water signs, adding to the easy flow and proving difficult to manage or control. Thus it has been in issues such as the child abuse scandals that have surface in the UK. The speed of unfoldment has made the situations difficult to manage and gain true perspective. The depth of the issue that had remained hidden for decades is reflected in Saturn’s placement in Scorpio and the inevitable need for justice to be seen to be done, if not actually done. Neptune in Pisces adds to the ‘smoke and mirrors’ effect where famous people managed to bypass systems that would have normally brought behaviour to the fore. Jupiter in Cancer indicating the expansion of awareness of caring and responsibility that had been taken for granted in the past. Throughout the world this Grand Trine has brought damaging and out-dated environmental, ecological and cultural behaviours and beliefs into the spotlight.
This Grand Trine finally dissolves just before the New Moon on the 27th June 2014.

Joining this Grand Water Trine in mid-December 2013 was a Grand Cardinal Cross. This pattern was created by four planets in signs with the same mode of function – in this case the cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Uranus was in Aries, Jupiter in Cancer, Mars in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn.

GrandCross

This pattern dissolved at the end of May 2014. Grand Crosses reflect inner tensions that trigger activities brought about to relieve or release the stress. This is especially so with the cardinal signs as they are initiators of activity or projects. Shared by the Grand water Trine, Jupiter in Cancer kick-started a new 12-year of growth, the last one of this type having started in 2001.

Uranus is Aries was always going to be a fascinating coupling to watch from an astrological viewpoint – the magician/disrupter meets the impatient, speed and danger-junkie! Wow …has this not disappointed! We have had events turning on a knife-edge, lives being torn-down and recreated and unexpected events shocking large numbers of people. In its esoteric function Uranus disrupts when the accepted balance or harmony is actually out-dated or a false conception. We can rest assured that the eventual outcome of its sometimes uncomfortable journey through Aries will leave us with more clarity and security.

Mars in Libra highlights Libra in its most warrior-like facet. Fighting for justice and truth but also picking the aggressive pathway as the quickest way to some sort of peace. This is not comfortable nor is it pleasant. Events in the world have been reflected in this placement – Ukraine and Iraq.

Pluto in Capricorn will be with us for some time yet, having heralded the financial downturn and banking crises when it entered Capricorn in 2008. It does not leave Capricorn until 2023/4. This placement represents the underlying energies. This is a fundamental need to change accepted structures, outdated consensuses – anything that creates a false base for behaviour, thinking and action.

This Grand Cardinal Cross had been operating on every level – personal through to collective. So as we come to the end of this orchestration of solar system patterns we need to take stock of where we are. Have we changed? Have we resisted change? Have we let go of out-dated and worn out feelings and ideas?

The Full Moon on the 13th June 2014 is our last chance to shed light on corners of our lives that have remained in the shadows. The New Moon on the 27th June 0810 GMT is the new start and that cannot be done with too much rubbish from the past in tow.

If you have been fearful of the changes on offer, maybe it is time to take a step into the unknown, into the void………………………………

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