SHINING LOTUS™ METAPHYSICAL BOOKSTORE NEWSLETTER
The Original Metaphysical Bookstore, since 1972
SEPTEMBER 2015
2178 South Colorado Blvd, Denver Colorado 80222
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in this issue
PLANETS AND POSSIBILITIES: A LOOK AT THE ASTROLOGY OF SEPTEMBER by Sally Shotwell
WHO ARE YOU, REALLY… AND , WHAT PLEASES YOU…!? by Mario C. Veo
CHRISTIANITY AND THE HELLS OF THE ANCIENTS by Bruce Johnson
GET YOUR LIFE BACK… IT’S TIME ALREADY… by Mario C. Veo
HALLOWQUEST TAROT AND SPIRITUALITY CLASS with Andarta
LET’S GET STONED with Meghan Taft
THE MAS SAJADY EXPERIENCE by Mathew Shaffer
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PLANETS AND POSSIBILITIES: A LOOK AT THE ASTROLOGY OF SEPTEMBER
by Sally Shotwell
Venus (love and money) and Mars (passion) are in fiery, dramatic Leo greeting us the first day of the month. This coupling indicates that issues relating to where we’re investing our energy is still on the table. This investigation extends to all areas of our existence from the banal to the transcendent and we’re fortunate that responsible Saturn in watery, thorough Scorpio (until 9/17) is cooperating in this expose. This may feel fraught with creepy possibilities (the hidden always does) but in the long run offers release from burdensome, meaningless material.
Before we become intimidated by all this self-searching, we may reassure ourselves that we’re being given big time help via the other astrological aspects at play. Looming above all others are the two eclipses (endings and beginnings) and the Autumnal Equinox which ushers into the new season the Sun (our consciousness) in harmony-oriented Libra. We also have other, less spectacular, action to offer us valuable support and let’s check out where we find it.
The month starts with the Sun and expansive Jupiter in sensible, earthy Virgo. Mercury (thought) rules this sign whose symbol is associated with a Harvest Goddess (Astraea), representing fertility and service to humanity. These planets accept their responsibility to guide us to employ detachment and an analytical approach to all our endeavors. The goal is to be conscious of the impact our actions and attitudes have on others.
How are we able to distant ourselves from unproductive drama which arises?
Do we make time to be alone to recharge our energies without any distractions?
September 12 is the Virgo New Moon Partial Solar Eclipse promising new beginnings which involve others. The Sabian Symbol is “A girl’s basketball team: physical training as a means to inculcate the feeling of participation in a collective culture”. As we note, a key word is participation and that’s where all our soul searching helps us. We need to be sure that what we engage in serves our best purpose. Mercury (mental activity) in discriminating Libra helps us discern what’s what because all month long it’s doing a little dance with transformational Pluto in earthy, somber Capricorn and this combination has an uncanny ability to reveal issues we need to deal with. This is particularly helpful September 16 when Jupiter is opposite dreamy Neptune in watery, illusion-prone Pisces. This planetary combination is known to be tricky and can lead to confusion in decision-making situations. Mercury turns backward the 18th (until 10/10) also reminding us to be alert and not rush into anything.
Saturn returns to fiery, confident Sagittarius September 17 lightening up the overall atmosphere to encourage a more philosophical approach to his teaching duties. This paves the way for the September 23 Sun in Libra Autumnal Equinox lending a harmonious ambiance to the transition to Fall which, in many cultures, warrants celebrations to mark the astrological year’s mid-cycle event. Mars joins Jupiter in Virgo September 25 ratcheting down the energy level and supporting altruistic ventures.
How do we plan to enjoy Nature while festivities are still available?
Are we entertaining the thought of volunteering our services for a worth cause?
This is all leading up to the September 27 Total Lunar Eclipse with the Moon (our emotions) in fiery, individualistic Aries opposing the Sun (our consciousness) in relationship-oriented Libra. Oppositions are challenging but make possible an integration of the best of both entities when we get beyond judgments and fear of the unknown. The Sabian states, “A triangle with wings; the capacity for self-transcendency”.
We are not sages from ancient times with direct esoteric experiences but isn’t it wonderful that they are guiding us in our own journey to self-knowledge. Our commitment is not in vain!
Blessings!
Sally Shotwell is a life-long student of esoteric spirituality with a super-natural curiosity and an undying thirst for knowledge. Her focus on studies in Astrology have spanned decades, and have included studying with Mario C. Veo, John Joseph, Mark Husson and C. A. Brooks.
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WHO ARE YOU REALLY… AND, WHAT PLEASES YOU…!?
by Mario C. Veo
We all think that we know Who we are, when in fact what we really ‘know’ is simply what ‘pleases’ us! Most of the time we live and act from an Emotional Center – we buy the ice cream we like, the cereal that we are more familiar with, drive the car that best ‘appeals’ to us, even get the job that closest meets our needs… and settle for friends and lovers that… well, let’s just say that ‘you get what you think you can get’… Now, some of you will say that there is nothing wrong with that… and you’ll be ‘right’… if… you believe that “close enough is good enough“.
No, this is not me – once again – trying to be funny (or simply contrary), I truly believe that most of us lower our expectations, that we accept ‘that which is easiest… or close enough’ rather than spend the time going deeper and deeper within, always searching for a better understanding of Who we really are, firmly believing that we deserve the very best… and that good enough simply doesn’t cut it!
So, you like vanilla… does this prevent you from exploring other flavors, or even considering that there could be some other exceptional flavor that will knock your socks off? How will you know if you don’t allow yourself to even consider the possibility…?
You see, Life is not static – it’s continually growing and evolving, blossoming in many unexpected and wonderful ways, discovering and offering new and greater insights… and so should we grow and discover more about ourselves. What might have been acceptable yesterday, may well turn out to be just a stepping stone to an amazing new beginning. How will you know, if you don’t go and look (after all, ‘safety’ sounds too much like ‘humdrum compliance’)?
So yes, I’m saying that, at best, we only know about our simple pleasures… and totally ignore that magnificent self that has been waiting for you to notice it… (just imagine how much fun you’ll have when you do!)
This month’s classes are dedicated to our Self Discovery – from examining our unconscious resistance to Changes… to our Karmas and struggles, and rediscovering our Loving Self… and even how to open up our Third Eye (just so you can get a better look at the glorious Creation that awaits).
…and just one last word – I do like vanilla… but chocolate is much, much more fun… (but then, I like fun!!)
Mario C. Veo is a teacher of Spiritual Science and a Healing Arts Practitioner. He teaches classes and individuals on Personal Transformation and the Expansion of Consciousness. Mario is available for personal guidance and consultations on Tuesday afternoons at the Shining Lotus™ Bookstore.
MARIO’S TUESDAY CLASSES
CHANGES, CHANGES EVERYWHERE… OH, WHY DO I RESIST SO…
September 1, 2015. 6:30 – 8 pm. $20.
WHY WE STRUGGLE… WHEN ALL WE WANT IS PEACE
September 8, 2015. 6:30 – 8 pm. $20.
KARMA, OH KARMA… WILL YOU EVERY GO AWAY!?
September 15, 2015. 6:30 – 8 pm. $20.
LOVE YOURSELF – JUST AS YOU ARE
September 22, 2015. 6:30 – 8 pm. $20.
HOW TO WALK WITH SPIRIT
September 29, 2015. 6:30 – 8 pm. $20.
Call 303-758-9113 to reserve your seat.
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CHRISTIANITY AND THE HELLS OF THE ANCIENTS
by Bruce Johnson
A crucial difference between the invented Christian hell and the hells of ancient religions is that the Christian hell is the only one where the soul suffers eternal damnation. The hells of ancient heathen faiths were understood to be an intermediate state and a temporary dwelling place for compatible souls after physical death. Here they experienced the purifying fires of karmic cleansing necessary before being able to with some few exceptions, eventually move heavenward, similar to those souls in the Catholic purgatory. Unlike the Christian hell of one fiery pit for all sinners, the Persian hell of retribution and purification had three levels appropriate to the level of evil done by the individual. At the midpoint of the Persian after-life between heaven and hell stood Hamistaken, the Persian parallel of, and the model, for the Catholic purgatory.
Ancient religions understood that any suffering a soul endured in a hell was the consequence of actions set into motion by the person themselves, and not punishment by an outside deity. The Law of Karma or Justice was known by the ancients to operate here in the physical world, as well as in the afterlife. The dark smoky and fiery hell of the Bible would correspond allegorically to the lower portion of the Hindu Kamaloka, and the lowest subplane of our Earth’s astral plane.
The Egyptian hell Amenthes was a realm of judgment and purification, but not everlasting torment, as souls could earn their release from Amenthes. Honderah or Onderah was the hell of the ancient Hindus that unlike the Christian hell, included no eternal suffering. Honderah was a temporary condition where escape was possible, even for the fallen Angels cast there by Siva. Honderah was a hot and dark chasm like the hells of the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and the Christians. The Greek Tartarus was the abyss of the underworld where the wicked suffered retributive justice. Tartarus was the darkest part of Hades, the land of shadows, and the realm of soul purification after physical death. The original text of the Second Epistle of Peter ch2 vs4 said of the sinning angels, God “cast them down into Tartarus”. The word Tartarus was later changed in the King James Version to read, God “cast them down into hell”. The Scandinavian Hellheim, or Niflheim, was a cold cheerless underworld region located in the higher latitudes of the polar region, but was not a place of perpetual punishment. Hel was Loki’s monstrous daughter and the guardian of the Niflheim realm of the dead. Hel was also the name of a citadel in Niflheim. The name of the Christian Hell is taken directly from the Norse Hel.
In the religious history of the Christian faith, it’s significant to note that the sentence in the Apostles Creed, ”He descended into hell and on the third day rose again from the dead”, was unknown to the original apostles. It was added as official church doctrine in 600 A.D. and has been a vital tenet of Christianity ever since.
Chapter 53 of the Book of Enoch translated by Richard Laurence clearly inspired the Biblical hell. Enoch describes a deep dark abyss burning with fire that smells like sulpher where sinners after judgment are cast. Fetters of iron chain the hosts of evil amidst columns of fire in the Enochian hell.
Bruce Johnson has over 30 years of study in the fields of Ancient Wisdom and occultism. He has taught classes on a wide range of topics, from Atlantis to mediums to Zoroaster. He is also a spiritualist minister, with a background in spiritual astrology. He lives in Colorado with his wife and their cat.
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GET YOUR LIFE BACK… IT’S TIME ALREADY…
by Mario C. Veo
Have you ever questioned Why you do what you do?… what drives you to respond or be this way…? Some would say that it’s your upbringing, your education, your social background or the way you got ‘trained’ or programmed. To some extent all this does have an influence, but a very small one… you see, there is a much, much greater influence… and it’s in you.
The truth is threefold –
Within you are a number of different Archetype Energies each competing to push you one way or another, to guide you to see the world in a specific manner, and respond to it accordingly… some people are driven by the Eternal Optimist, seeing opportunities everywhere, while others seek to comfort everyone, embracing their Mother Archetype… each behaving according to these drives, and happily embracing their function. Archetypes are central to our Consciousness, and interpret the World accordingly… they teach us the Role we are to play in Life, and give us meaning and satisfaction. In the best case these multiple Aspects within us are compatible, and cooperate with each other… unfortunately, the opposite is too often true… enter the Inner Child.
The Inner Child is that playful, innocent, bouncy part of you that is quick to smile and laugh, and wants everyone to be happy. Unfortunately it is also that part which can be too trusting, too vulnerable, and far too easily wounded by our harsh reality… it is this dichotomy which adds to conflicting Archetypes – if you are a Care-Taker Archetype, who takes care of your Inner Child… if born in a dysfunctional family, how can you laugh and play and have everyone be happy… now Life and the future don’t have a strong foundation from which to grow and prosper…
Enter the Wounded Self – that ‘coping mechanism’ which teaches us how to ‘shut-off’ a part of us, so the rest can get on with what’s left of Life… except that this Wounded Self doesn’t quite trust anyone or anything, and actually can be an active Saboteur, able to undermine even that which you most yearn for…
It’s quite a trip, right…!?
So here you sit, wondering just which part of you is running your Life… and what can you possibly do to create more Peace, more Harmony, more Rewards, how can you get back your Happy Self…?!? The good news is – you most definitely can!… all you need do is meet with your Archetypes, engage them in a cooperative Truce, nurture and reassure your Inner Child, and heal you Wounded Self… all in a day’s work!
No, I’m not being funny… it’s quite doable… but if you need help we’ve created a new Series of Workshops to give you more insight and instructions. We have a 3 month program which can either be taken together… or, if you are only interested in one section, you can just do that one.
We meet every Saturday, from 11 to 12:30 – starting in September we will investigate Archetypes, their Role and Function, and how they affect us… in October, we’ll take a closer look at the Inner Child – its strengths, purpose and weaknesses… in November, we’ll explore the Wounded Self and – finally – how to heal and balance it all.
So, what do you say… are you ready for the most transformative, empowering trip of your Life…?
Mario C. Veo is a teacher of Spiritual Science and a Healing Arts Practitioner. He teaches classes and individuals on Personal Transformation and the Expansion of Consciousness. Mario is available for personal guidance and consultations on Tuesday afternoons at the Shining Lotus™ Bookstore.
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THE HALLOWQUEST TAROT AND SPIRITUALITY CLASS
with Andarta
Mondays, Sept 14, 21, Oct 5, 19, Nov 2, 16, 30, Dec 14 and Jan 4.
7 – 9 pm. $200 for all 9 classes.
Fall of 2015 — Learn the tarot, the Arthurian Legends, as well as the Druidic cycle of the year, with Andarta! King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have been captivating people for centuries, and the mystical realm of Avalon holds many secrets for which many have searched.
Andarta holds a PhD in Medieval Literature, having taught the Arthurian Legends at the university level for 12 years, and she also is a Druid of Avalon and uses her psychic skills to help people and the land to heal. We will be working with The Complete Arthurian Legends set by Caitlin and John Matthews.
The cost for this class is $30 per class or $200 for all 9 classes if you pre-register by September 1, 2015. Register soon with Andarta either through her Facebook page (entitled Andarta) https://www.facebook.com/DenofAndarta?fref=ts or email her at andarta2@yahoo.com.
You can also call the store and register, 303-758-9113.
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LET’S GET STONED – A $5 MEETUP GROUP
with Meghan Taft
Wednesday, September 9, 2015. 7 – 9 pm. $5.
Alright, it’s time again to choose the next 3 stones for September’s meetup. The first stone is Ametrine, a beautiful gemmy purple and golden colored stone. The next stone is Rhodonite, a pretty pink stone sometimes mottled with black. And last but certainly not least is Lapis Lazuli, a deep, vibrant blue stone with gold flecks laced through it. So these are the next magical energies we will be going over, and I’m really excited to introduce them to you so come on out on Wednesday to Shining Lotus and Let’s Get Stoned!
LET’S GET STONED…or ‘The Art of Being Distracted by Shiny Things’, is a guide for working with gemstones to help you balance your life. Doing so helps you heal yourself, manifest positive changes, and develop your psychic abilities. There are many gemstones to work with, and many different things they can do for you! We will go over the basic of the basics about gemstiones and how you can woek with them. Also, if you have any stones that you can’t identify, bring them with you and I can help you to learn how to identify your stones! We are going to have a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing you there, so come on and Let’s Get Stoned!
Meghan Taft
Meghan Taft has been studying geology and working with gemstones for 14 years. She works with gemstones by setting up grids in houses and businesses and does gemstone readings.
Please contact Meghan Taft at 303-789-0646 and ask for ext 47 to sign up for the group, admission is $5, we will go over a different set of stones each month and you will be emailed the updated info for each group.
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THE MAS SAJADY EXPERIENCE
by Mathew Shaffer
It’s funny how the Universe works. When I met renowned transformational catalyst and healer Mas Sajady in November of last year, I had absolutely no idea who he was or what his abilities were. I honestly didn’t even know what an energy healer was or what “energy” there was outside of the realm of light bulbs and refrigerators. I could never have anticipated that one touch on the small of my back would awaken my mind and spirit to an entire new understanding of reality, and send me down a spiritual path where I would ascend quickly into a beautiful new life. I’m a living testament of what Mas is capable of, and I’m here to tell you about him.
So here I sit at my desk, a mere seven months after that first fateful meeting, with a challenging task. My project is to write an article introducing Mas and what he does to those of you who haven’t heard of him or experienced his work. How do you explain abilities that defy what most people think are possible, and that are just now being explored by cutting-edge quantum physics research? I guess the best place to start is with how he gained them in the first place.
Mas never intended to go down this path; while he was intuitive as a child, he suppressed his gifts to fit in with his classmates. Then he had a near death experience in his early twenties where he was crushed by a freight door at work and ascended to a higher plane, and he got his first taste of what lies beyond our world before returning to his body.
“The beauty, peace and love present during this experience can never compare to anything we have on Earth at this physical level,” says Mas.
This experience heightened his intuitive abilities, allowing him to sense future events and the internal issues of others. However the currents of life pulled him back towards normalcy and he pushed his enhanced perception aside to build a success computer programming business and raise a beautiful family. But his destiny was not to live a normal life.
He was on vacation in the Caribbean with his wife and kids when his second near death experience occurred. He was sucked into an underwater cave while tubing, and after becoming pinned deep beneath the surface he let go, and felt himself float through the layers of rock above and into the astral plane yet again. He then awoke on the beach, impossibly, after nearly ten minutes underwater. He had survived yet another near death experience, and this time had emerged with fantastic powers he could no longer deny.
Mas had been gifted with the ability to see peoples’ spirits at the vibrational level, and edit their frequencies to help them tap into the Pure Source energy that creates us all. Once people can connect with Source at a fundamental level free from energy distortions, they can achieve abundance in all areas of life – physical, emotional, spiritual and even financial. Mas simply empowers you to connect with your True Self so you can learn to manifest whatever you want in this reality.
So what does that mean? I feel it’s different for everyone, but I’ve personally seen several dramatic transformations over the past seven months – not the least of which was my own. The energy you are exposed to during a group Medi-healing (that is what Mas calls his group meditations) is truly unique and powerful, especially if Mas has the chance to work on you individually. It’s the sort of thing you almost have to experience to fully understand.
Mas will be coming to Boulder September 17-19 and Denver September 20th for meditation and healing events. For more information and to register, visit his website at www.mas-sajady.com/boulder.
Mathew Shaffer is a former trial attorney and entrepreneur from Florida who has dedicated his life to exploring spirituality and expanding the consciousness of others after becoming awakened through a chance meeting with transformational catalyst Mas Sajady (www.mas-sajady.com.) He currently loves his work writing and coordinating events for Mas, and welcomes any questions or other correspondence at mats@massajady.com.