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from The Divine Feminine: Watch for the Daily Messages from the Universe
The Mystic Message for the week is about signs from the Universe. Whether these are things that show up in our lives as confirmation, or they are serendipitous events that “just happen” (I haven’t used the word “coincidence” since I read the Celestine Prophecy a lot of years ago), or answers to questions we might have, the Universe is out there to respond to us. We live in a reflexive Universe full of wonder, power, and, yes, answers for us. All we have to do is ask, and then listen/watch for the Universe’s response; another way of saying this: “We are the Universe, and the Universe is us.” (sort of like that old Pogo cartoon where Pogo the Possum says: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” (published on Earth Day 1971)
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Do you have a reflexive relationship with the Universe? The Divine Feminine are suggesting we need to “watch for the daily messages from the Universe. And I’d go even farther and suggest we need to “ask” for daily messages. This is a great way to hone our intuitive skills. Ask and then listen. There are many ways to listen: inside, to what your heart or gut or another part of your body might be saying; in nature, to animals showing up or trees waving, or a stream running, or the ocean roaring; just being as you go about your day, someone calls, a package shows up, you get an appointment you were hoping for.
You can also be very direct, as I’m doing on Tuesdays and Thursdays on this blog by using oracle cards or other forms of divination. Go to yesterday’s post to see how meaningful and accurate oracle cards can be. Or get out a pendulum and ask it (and your body) to give you answers; muscle testing is a form of divination not unlike using a pendulum; and there are more esoteric forms of divination, including one of my favorites: the I Ching. One of the keys with any of these tools is to formulate your question or intention carefully. The Universe can get pretty specific, so try to be as direct and specific in your request as possible.
There are also forms of active meditation that can provide answers to questions you may have for the Universe. One of my practices is journaling in the form recommended by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way. I write three long-hand pages in a notebook every morning (at least I try to). For me this becomes a meditation and I often just write what comes to me, without really thinking about it; I simply relax and let the pen write the words. There are many answers to be found in these scribblings. An approach Rosemary suggests is to write down a question with your dominant hand then answer the question with your non-dominant hand. This is a way to activate the intuitive part of the brain. (I would do this but my handwriting with my left hand is so bad I couldn’t read the answer!)
And there are very direct and active ways to seek answers such as Shamanic Journeying, holotropic breath work, yoga asanas, trance dancing, hypnosis, drug induced trance states, etc. All of these approaches I would call reflexive in nature; they are ways to seek answers from our Higher Self, the Cosmos, the greater Collective Conscious of which we are a part.
What kind of relationship do you have with the Universe? I hope it is a trusting one in which you feel supported and your questions are answered. “Watch for the daily messages.”
Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards: Sekhmet and Coyote Woman
It is a cool and cloudy day in Colorado. We are expecting rain, maybe even some snow between today and tomorrow. And the wind is blowing. With trees blooming there is all kinds of stuff in the air. Both Rosemary and I are feeling the effects of blowing dust and pollen, low pressure and clouds. Oh, and the moon is waning rapidly so we are dealing with a very old and tired moon. She becomes new again on Thursday at 7:04 pm MDT.
All of this “weather” tends to lower my energy; it’s almost like a combination of “hay fever”, Springs fever, Moon weakness – it’s just an overall low feeling. If you are feeling anything like this consider the moon’s influence in your life. Begin to watch your own bio-rhythms as the moon travels through her phases every 28 days. The moon’s phases are just some of the many signs to point us toward guidance for conscious living. I’ll talk more about this tomorrow as I comment on this week’s Mystic Message.
So, as I drew cards this morning in this low-energy state, I asked as an intention for strength. And, the Goddess Guidance Oracle Card I drew was Sekhmet: Be Strong! And, according to Dr. Doreen Virtue, Sekhmet says: “You are stronger than you think you are, and your strength assures a happy outcome.” And even more specifically she says: “See yourself as strong and victorious. Don’t complain about anything. Don’t blame anyone or any condition. You’re the embodiment of strength, not victimhood.” Yes, I get that. And here I am trying to blame the weather, the moon, tree pollen, any other condition that I can think of rather than telling myself to “suck it up and get on with it.” Yes, I asked for strength and got the message to find the strength within myself. Oh, and if the words are not enough, the card pictures Sekhmet seated on a lion thone. I am a Leo; of course I can find the inner strength!
Sekhmet is the Egyptian Goddess of the Sun. “Her name means strong and mighty.” You may have seen her depicted as a woman with a lion’s head. She is fierce and protective.
The Grandmothers Card I drew this morning is Coyote Woman, Wise Woman. She says she became a Wise Woman through Coyote. “Coyote kept laughing at me and showed me how foolish my ideas about myself sometimes were. Finally I gave up and learned to laugh at my own foolishness and it has been such fun to grow with humor.” I can find strength in humor too. As I look at my sense of low-energy and my excuses for feeling weak I need to chuckle at myself; yes, I can find lots of ways to blame the Universe for my weaknesses. But I also know I have many sources of strength. Rather than sink into blame and fatigue I can call on my powers for strenghtening my resolve and I can look back, or look inward, and laugh at my hesitations and my foolish reactions to everything that is natural and occuring around me in its own time.
And I can laugh at the cards I draw today! There is so much humor in the guidance the Universe provides.
Coyote is a wonderful teacher. Call on her when you need a good laugh! And Sekhmet is the strong Sun Goddess. Call on her for a boost of lion energy.
Review of “The Hidden Spirituality of Men” Part 2
I’m in the middle of reading and reviewing Matthew Fox’s book on Men and Spirituality; the subtitle is Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine. In this second installment I’ll look at the two metaphors, or archetypes, Fox covers in Chapters 3 and 4: “Icarus and Daedalus” and “Hunter-Gatherers.”
I enjoyed Chapter 3 because Fox gets into the stories describing the archetypes which makes the reading much more enjoyable. In addition to the Icarus/Daedalus duo Fox includes the stories of Phaëthon and La Traviata to illustrate his points. The main topic of this chapter is Father/Son relationships and how communications between generations, especially Father/Son communications can go so horribly wrong. The range of mis-communications here is from not heeding a father’s warnings, to the absentee and then over-indulgent father, to the father who interferes with a son’s love-relationship. These issues are good representations of Father/Son issues. Yet, while the stories are good reminders of “how not to behave” I felt a bit abandoned with the problems at the end of the chapter without a lot of support for “how to be in right relationship” (as in my case) with sons. His only advice at the very end of the chapter is: “[Both] need to remain open and receptive to each other, unafraid to fly and unafraid to learn.” Hmmm…a pretty simplistic and shallow recipe for improved Father/Son relationships.
And why is this important? Much of the Mythopoetic Men’s Movement rests on a core teaching that the world is screwed up by men because they have not had good fathering. Robert Bly’s major thesis revolves around the Father/Son relationship and how we must address and heal that relationship for any real progress to be made either sociologically or spiritually. Now I will reserve final judgment on this chapter until I’ve finished Fox’s last two metaphors, Earth Father and Grandfather Sky. The danger of reviewing as I read is I don’t yet have a full comprehension of Fox’s analysis.
Chapter 4 is an interesting, if rather long and sometimes a bit of a stretch, exploration of the Hunter-Gatherer archetype. Fox meanders through an homage to hunter-gatherers as intelligent, living in a paradise rich in fruit and game, with little time devoted to the pursuit of food and much time left over for arts, ritual, celebration of spirit and life. Oh, and he does reference the potential for violence in this idyllic wilderness living. And ultimately he comes close to that trap I mentioned on Monday of calling on the warrior archetype as the “Hunters for Justice: Spiritual Warriors.” The stretch I refer to is when he begins to apply the Hunter-Gatherer metaphor to modern life. And the limb he goes out on the furthest is when he attempts to apply the metaphor to our cars! He asks: “Is there a nostalgic connection between cars and our ancient hunter-gatherer souls?” Well, for me the answer is, “no” my car is just a means for getting me from place to place; and my feet would work OK if I didn’t have the distances to deal with!
I think the point Mr. Fox is trying to make is the Hunter-Gatherer archetype is still a motivator at our core. Some men love to hunt, fish, compete in sports, maintain physical fitness, drive fast cars, provide well for their family, and still have time for ritual, spiritual exploration and fulfillment, and creative pursuits. And yes, some men still have an urge to violence, especially when provoked. It is good to explore this archetype within us, whether we have buried it beneath a veneer of “civilization” or whether we wear it on the surface of our macho, fit physiques. How does the archetype motivate us and how do we control it? Most importantly how can we get in touch with the soul of this archetype who cares for nature and learns to find harmony in all things natural without destroying that which sustains us and loves us?
And speaking of the “Spiritual Warrior” archetype…that’s his next chapter. I hope he avoids the trap I’m concerned about. I’ll let you know on Monday how successful he is!
Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards: Sulis and White Lamb Woman
I love these oracle card days; I get so much information from the cards which are always telling me what I need to hear. I hope they are useful for you as well. My intention when I draw them is to seek and offer sound advice for the days going forward.
Today I thought about Thursday being the “new Friday” as the weekend approaches; and both cards I drew are about renewal! And as we are still in a Mercury retrograde period, until May 11 it is a great time to rest and relax. My good friend and astrologer, Chris Largent, has this to say about this time: “If we all hang in there until Tuesday at about 6:30 pm (actually 6:27 pm EDT), the Mercury retrograde will be over. So, let’s try not to react too much (and stay away from people who trigger us), AND let’s also get plenty of rest and play (in the ancient world, cultures often just took these times off – what an idea, eh?). And please keep in mind that this is a good time for reflection and contemplation. So, if we slow things down as often as we can – if only for a few minutes – and treat ourselves to something relaxing, this could be a rewarding time (astrologers have to say things like that in times that are a pain in the neck).”
Sulis, a “Celtic Sun Goddess who oversees bodies of water associated with healing”, says: “Spend time near bodies of water, such as a lake, river, or the ocean, to recharge your batteries.” Water is both a purifying agent and the element that holds our emotions. Dr. Doreen Virtue writes: “Water can wash away sadness, pain, and the ill effects of suffering. Engage in purification rituals involving water more often, and you’ll experience an uplifting in your spirit and outlook.”
Grandmother White Lamb Woman is of the Lodge of Dirctions North. She says: “I was born from White Fire with wisdom, grace and abundance. I offer clarity so your spirit may be restored and renewed.” She is a beauty with smooth, unblemished features and dressed in a lovely robe of white angora wool and a headdress of white and black striped feathers. To gaze on her countenance is to feel the relaxation and peace of restoration.
As the weekend approaches consider taking time to relax and rejuvenate. If you are near water take time, even a few moments, to meditate and let go of any disturbing emotions – let the water wash them away. Or soak in a tub and purify both body and spirit as Sulis and White Lamb Woman sooth away any stress or pain. And while Mercury is retrograde do this as often and as much as you can!
Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards: Pele and Winter Birch
It’s Tuesday in beautiful Colorado; the sun is high and bright, the temperature is predicted to approach 80, and the wind is blowing to keep things cool. I’ve set aside the day to get out in the garden and tend to the newly greening and growing life of “new Summer” now that we have celebrated Beltane!
But first I drew two cards for the day to get in touch with the Goddess energies influencing our times. I am so glad to be getting back to this regular practice and to share it in this way. As Rosemary mentioned in her comment on my first post of Goddess Card work last Friday, using divination cards is a wonderful way to get in touch with the intuitive, Higher Self. And while I am drawing these cards and interpreting their meaning within my own context, do know that my intention is to gain and offer guidance for all of us, not just for me.
That said, today’s Goddess Card from the Doreen Virtue deck is Pele, Divine Passion. Pele is the Hawaiian Goddess of volcanoes. Dr. Virtue says: “She shows us that fire can purify, release us from the old to make way for the new, and ignite our passions.” And Pele’s admonition is: “Be honest with yourself: What is your heart’s true desire?” This is wonderful advice for these times of change. We are out of time; we can no longer procrastinate and wander aimlessly through our lives. Find your purpose, find your passion (they are completely interrelated) and live them! This begins with being passionate about yourself. You are important; you have a unique purpose in this lifetime. Call on Pele to burn up the old, wandering self and ignite your inner fires; get in touch with your Higher Self and love that person entrusted with this purpose.
Today’s Grandmother Card is Winter Birch of Woman’s Lodge. She offers her strength to support us in our purpose and passion: “No matter how great the burden or how difficult the task, my flexibility enables me to shoulder the load and bounce back. This has been of value for some of the others who had difficulty letting go of rules and judgments.” Yes, strength to let go of other people’s rules and judgments! With the coming changes the old rules don’t apply; other peoples judgments do not pertain; remain flexible and strong knowing the burdens given to us are never too much, can not break us as we move into our purpose and passion.
Note on the Grandmother Cards: the actual title is Grandmothers by Megan Garcia, published by Books Beyond Borders, copyright 1995; the ISBN: 1-883862-06-X. I offer all this information because the deck is out of print but is available if you search for it; I got mine in new condition from Powell Books several years ago. I’ve included here a scan of the image of Winter Birch of Woman’s Lodge so you get a sense of their style and beauty. I will scan others from time to time if their images seem important to the reading.
Review of “The Hidden Spirituality of Men” Part 1
I am in the middle of reading Matthew Fox’s book which is subtitled: “Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine.” I plan to review the book in six parts; since there are 12 chapters I’ll review two per post, for the 10 metaphors (archetypes really) and the two concluding chapters which explore the sacred union of masculine and feminine, and other sacred unions.
This is an interesting time for me to be reading Fox’s book on the heels of reading and reviewing Joseph Gelfer’s book on masculine spiritualities over the past couple of weeks. You may recall that Dr. Gelfer isn’t particularly fond of archetypes, especially when they reinforce patriarchy. As I’m reading Fox I am very much aware of this sensitivity and constantly on the lookout for such traps.
The first two archetypes of the book are “Father Sky” and “The Green Man.” These could be very dangerous patriarchy traps. Dr. Gelfer even refers to the Green Man as a version of the “Wild Man” of the Mythopoetic Men’s Movement who can, in fact, be dangerous! But Fox, to a large extent, tip-toes around the trap and doesn’t seem to be calling all men to rise up and take back their “rightful place” in the home and family as so much of the Christian Men’s Movement seems to do.
The “Father Sky” chapter traces the history of our wonder at that awesome arch overhead, brilliantly blue to storm-threatening back in the day, deepest black and often littered with stars at night. He reports on pre-modern, modern and post-modern views and rejoices that Father Sky is “alive again” in our era. I like this flow from awe and worship to the despair of John Calvin and Bertrand Russell and back now to a post-modern respect through recent scientific explorations and discoveries. He uses The View from the Center of the Universe by Joel Primach and Nancy Abrams as a reference to highlight the importance of humans. For me this was overly anthropocentric drawing specific attention to the importance of humans not only in our own solar system but through the entire cosmos. But they do express some interesting thoughts on what they call the “Goldilocks Principle” believing there are many things about humans that are “just right.”
I especially liked the section on “The Dance of Father Sky and Mother Earth.” This brings in a nice balance to the equation of life and the inter-dependencies we rely on for both breath and sustenance. Fox concludes with a reminder from Thomas Berry: “We will recover our sense of wonder and our sense of the sacred only if we appreciate the universe beyond ourselves as a revelatory experience of that numinous presence whence all things come into being. Indeed the universe is the primary sacred reality. We become sacred by our participation in this more sublime dimension of the world about us.” This is a nice counter balance to the wonder at the human expressed by Primach and Abrams.
I very much appreciated Fox’s chapter two, second archetype, on “The Green Man.” I have done some of my own study on the Green Man and enjoyed the reminders Fox offers. One of my fondest images, in fact I have it on my business cards, is of a Green Man face in a stained glass window in St. Peter Ad Vincula Church in Pennal, Wales. According to my good friend, Geraint ap Iorwerth, Rector of the Church, this is the only Green Man in a stained glass church window in all of Great Britain. Fox reports the Green Man archetype is on the rise again. With all the interest in paganism, ecology, the greening of the world, I believe the Green Man would be an excellent symbol for our return to Nature. He says: ‘Embracing the Green Man creates a new male empowerment, a new warriorhood on behalf of Mother Earth and her creatures. Is this not what is happening today as we talk of “green buildings” and “green politics,” of “green business” and Greenpeace, of “green belts around cities” and “green economics”?’ While I like this call to the greening of our world again, I am highly aware of this reference to the warrior archetype. Are we dancing perilously close to the patriarchy trap?
Men and The Goddess 