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in this issue:

  • Events and Classes in April have been postponed

CoVID-19 Update

During the first week of April(?and maybe the next week, as well?), our doors are locked but we are available from 11am to 6pm, Monday – Friday, to take phone, email, and website orders with credit/debit card payment for drive-in and pickup. We will not handle your cash so you don’t have to handle ours. Order by 3 pm and you can pickup the same day by 6. We are practicing physical distancing, so we will not meet you at your car and give you a big hug, but we will place your order on a table just outside the front door so you may then take it with you.

As always, please take the recommended precautions to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy. We are cleaning, sanitizing and consciously taking every step possible to keep our operations as germ-free as we can.

Shining Lotus Gift Cards are now available through the webstore if you are in need of an easy gift. The card usually comes with a generic greeting card and envelope so it makes the sending easy. We can send them through first class mail to your mailbox easily and quickly. Allow about two days for USPS delivery. Order them here.


Astrological Update for April 2020
by Roy Neal

Aries the Ram
March 21 – April 19

Sally is taking a small break from her Planets and Possibilities article for this month. She will be back in May with another exciting edition of her “A Look at the Astrology” series. We thank Roy Neal for allowing us to publish his writings and ask you to check with Roy when you need a new look at your chart. His contact information is at the bottom of this article. Enjoy.

We begin the month of April with the First Quarter Phase Moon in Cancer on April Fool’s Day. A desire for emotional security will be our primary focus. Venus enters Gemini on Friday, April 3rd, just before noon. Venus represents money and relationships so we will be relating and communicating with others based upon our need for financial stability.

A Full Moon in the sign of Libra on Tuesday, April 7th indicates an emotional desire for fairness and cooperation in our relationships with others. This may prove more than a little challenging due to the square from Mars in Aquarius to Uranus in Taurus on the same day. A desire for independence and autonomy may frustrate attempts to achieve consensus and mutual agreement.

Mercury enters Aries on the eve of Good Friday, April 10th; encouraging us to be proactive and spontaneous in communicating new ideas. A symbolic death of old patterns of security and the resurrection of new potentials and possibilities for emotional and financial freedom is likely to occur as we approach Easter Sunday on April 12th. A new strategy for success in our work and professional life will occur as we experience the Last Quarter Phase Moon in Capricorn on Tuesday, April 14th.

Taurus the Bull
April 19 – May 20

The Sun enters Taurus on Sunday morning, April 19th. The spotlight now will be on what we truly want and value. Stewardship of the Earth and financial security will be in high focus.

On Wednesday, April 22nd we celebrate Earth Day as the New Moon occurs in the earth sign Taurus just after noon. Growing a garden and or planting a tree is favored.

Pluto goes retrograde in the sign of Capricorn on Saturday afternoon, April 25th. This event occurs in the Virgo decan of Capricorn and could be an indication of an inner transformation process related to our work, health and service.

Mercury enters the sign of Taurus on Monday afternoon, April 27th. Our mental attention will now be on matters of financial security and stability. A First Quarter Phase Moon in Leo on Thursday, April 30th could provide us the creative stimulus for new ideas and experiences that can help us manifest tangible value.

Roy Neal is a professional astrologer with a private practice in the Denver/Boulder area. If you would like more information about how this month impacts you individually call Roy at 720.962.4633 and schedule a telephone update of your personal birth chart.


Resist Not Evil Is A False Doctrine
by Bruce Johnson

One of the most basic principles of the Ancient Wisdom is that there are two opposing forces expressing themselves on all levels of the physical universe. One is centrifugal and is linked to light, evolution and spirit. The other antagonistic force is centripetal, relating to darkness, involution and matter. Jesus, who was initiated in the highest mysteries of ancient Egypt, would be fully aware of this duality throughout nature. His life demonstrates a continual resistance to evil from birth to death.

Those close to Jesus in his early life also resisted evil. The wise men resisted evil when they refused to reveal the location of Jesus to Herod, knowing his vile intentions. Joseph, Mary, and the angel that warned them resisted evil by moving Jesus to Egypt so Herod couldn’t harm him. Leaving Egypt after Herod’s death, Joseph was warned in a dream not to return to Judea because of the danger with the son of Herod ruling. The angels and sages protecting Jesus, as well as his parents, all resisted the forces of evil.

The Book of Matthew is filled with numerous examples of Jesus rejecting evil in its various aspects. Chapter 4 describes the temptation of Jesus. If Jesus truly said not to resist evil, as is ascribed to him in Matthew 5:39, he should have cooperated with the tempting Satan and agreed to his suggestions instead of repulsing him away like he so vigorously did. Chapter 4 shows Jesus repelling discord by teaching truth and through healing all types of mental, spiritual, and physical diseases and sicknesses.

Matthew 5:39 contains the interpolated sentence where Jesus is made to say-“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” The consequences of individuals and groups rigorously practicing this teaching in the dead-letter literal form it’s given would be disastrous to humanity. Think about what type of world it would be like with everyone passive toward evil, and billions of humans participating in every type of wickedness with no one rebuking or resisting them. The life of Jesus shows him actively opposing the forces of evil, and not passive toward them in any way.

Throughout the Book of Matthew Jesus resists evil in many ways including defending the good, rebuking hypocritical Pharisees, healing lepers, paralytics, the blind and mute, driving out demons from the possessed, raising the dead, teaching wisdom through parables, and finally his greatest rebuke of all, overcoming the forces of death through manifesting spiritual immortality. The Books of Mark, Luke and John contain many examples of Jesus rejecting evil like he did in Matthew. Luke 14:26 holds a shocking interpolation attributed to Jesus that is completely evil in its literal interpretation. It reads-“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life- he cannot be my disciple.” This is clearly a false teaching in every way.

The Book of Matthew in today’s Bible was translated twice by St. Jerome with great difficulty from the original Gospel of Matthew. The first and genuine Gospel of Matthew was the possession of the Nazarenes, from whom Jerome received permission to translate it. Unlike Jerome’s version, it contained a hidden “secret doctrine” that Jesus knew of and taught his disciples.

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.


Music That Rejuvenates Us


by Bob Romero

I wrote an article about increasing your psychic senses with music, but music can also rejuvenate us and make us feel better. My musical library is full of songs that I’ve collected over the years that I really enjoy. It’s composed of different genres ranging from the Billboard Top 100 from each year in Pop and Rock for over 60 years, as well as in Country, and in New age. Now it’s easy to build a playlist of favorite songs.

When my mother was in a rehab and nursing facility, I noticed that the music that the staff played for different activities, was from an era that I resonated with, which was from the golden oldies from the 60’s, but the patients in their 80’s and 90’s really didn’t associate with that music. I put together a playlist from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and gave it to the staff to use. Some of the music was from the Big Band era, and some included the old crooners like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Vaughn Monroe. There was a 101-year-old woman who bobbed her head to the music, and I heard her say “Now that’s music”! I would play the playlist for my mom sometimes when we would visit, and one day I noticed a tear in her eye. When I asked her what was wrong, she replied that they brought back good memories. There was one in particular which was “My Blue Heaven” by Gene Austin that would put her in a really good mood. So, whenever I would find her in a feisty mood, I would either play that song or show her pictures of my granddaughter, and she would smile and be in a good mood the rest of the day. Now I play it to remember her.

We had a little Shih Tzu dog, Snooky, and when he would ride in the car, he would start to shake when my favorite Rock station was playing. When I changed the station to classical music, I noticed a significant change in his mood, and he was much calmer. Some of the best channels on cable TV are the ones that only play music. There is one channel, “Soundscapes” that plays New Age music that is very soothing and relaxing. When certain songs would come on, Snooky would come running into the room and bark so that I lift him up on the couch. That was because he was old, and he could no longer jump. He would then fall asleep and even roll over on his back. Whenever my wife and I hear one of those songs now, we say “Ah, that’s a Snooky song”.

We are blessed in our parish to have a very musically talented pastor who can compose, sing, and play the piano. He wrote his own rendition of “Litany of the Saints” and sings it with the congregation during the month of November. It was so beautiful that my wife asked me to record it when she was unable to go. I also added it to my collection. He was on Broadway before he became a priest, and his beautiful trained voice just lifts everyone up. On one Christmas, instead of giving a homily, he sat down at the piano and sang a song about the Christ Child as his Christmas gift to us. He had stayed up until 2 a.m. writing it the night before.

During my senior year in high school, our English teacher, in addition to studying literature, gave us a project to analyze and critique three movies. One of them was “The Graduate”. The soundtrack consisted of Simon and Garfunkel’s hit songs. We also had to analyze these songs as well. We all became very fond of “The Sounds of Silence”, so much so, that it became our class song. That project and that song helped us form a bond, and we appreciated the teacher who got us to critically think for ourselves, and question authority when there was a hypocrisy, or if it went against our fundamental values. Fifty years later, as part of our fiftieth high school reunion, we had a tour of the grand old Fox Theatre. It had been closed for a few years, but it was now being restored. It had two balconies in addition to the main seating area. The huge velvet curtains still raised and lowered. The theatre opened in 1908 for plays and Vaudeville acts until being converted to motion picture theatre in 1929. So, in the back of the stage were huge backdrops and a piano. One of the classmates went to the piano and played “The Sounds of Silence”, and we all joined in and sang along. That bond among us still exists, and we are all still friends.

Bob Romero has been a diligent student of esoteric spiritual subjects and metaphysics for many years, with a life-long quest for answers. He has submitted new and original articles that focus on life lessons and experiences he wishes to share with our readers and the world.


This Life We So Blindly Create
by Mario C. Veo

One of the most important teachings that was given to me is the concept that this Life is like a bead on a string – each affects the next, and next, and next… until we learn how to truly understand the impact we create with each thought, word, and action.

In our New Age teachings we often use words so commonly that we ignore how they create a cascade of consequences… and now fail to accept that we did this to ourselves… [what is worse is when such ignorance on our part now drags others down with us].

Let me explain – Common Life is filled with frustration, confrontation, and even unfairness… accept it! It’s what it is, and none of us can change it [much]… BUT… what we can do is decide how we are going to respond to this …

So, we can choose to be ‘Common Human’ and vent these corrosive energies – usually by dumping them on anyone else we feel is ‘inferior’ [or at least unable or unwilling to hold us accountable to our reactive Lower Natures]… or [if we’ve truly embraced this Path of Spiritual Consciousness correctly and we’re not just parading in its glamour] choose to step away from our Humanness, and realize that whatever we do is going to come back to us… and bite us far worse than we expected! [Remember – “whatever we give out comes back threefold” !… and no, you’re not exempt from this law]

Now, some of you may ask why such a strong reaction…

Photo by JJ Shev on Unsplash

Easy, as long as you are simply ‘Human’ and choose to remain ignorant of Higher Teaching, then so you shall be treated [basically, you’re still a child and not truly awake yet to Higher Consciousness]… but… once you claim to be walking the Path of Light and Enlightenment, then you are held accountable to a higher standard… and are expected to behave as such…

The Law is clear – Energy follows thought… whatever you think – and give life through your words and actions – creates a magnetic vortex around you which first attaches itself to your Aura, feeding off your Life Energy, getting stronger and stronger, until it re-programs you to its own image [we call this a self-fulfilling prophecy] and now spreads out to the rest of your life, attracting more of the same … until you become overwhelmed and, basically, are a self-destructive puppet [self-created]. Now this Core Essence spills over onto the next Life… and next… and next… until you get it right… [what ? did you not understand the meaning of Karma…?!?]

To make matters worse, you now contaminate all who love and care for you, for they have no shields, no filters to keep such negativity at bay… [and that’s more Karma for you to be held accountable]

So, what’s the solution…?

Knowing that there is a part of you that is not so evolved, then decide who is going to be in charge of your Life… and accept the consequences for your decisions… [for however many lives it takes]

Also remember that – To those that much is given, much is expected…

Now – there may well be many who are reading this and getting upset [no, this is not about you, but rather a reflection of the times we’re all experiencing at the moment]

Take a good look around you, at the crazy behavior, the chaos, the inane propaganda and abuse of power… We are being bombarded by fear, by corrupt authority, by unrestrained anger, by frustration and overwhelming unfairness – all of which can too easily make us reactive, ‘make us in their own image’…

Realize that this is the Test… this is our ‘trial by fire’… that clear selection process which will identify just how well we’ve learned and embraced the Sacred Teachings of this Path… [pointing a finger at others and claiming “you made me react this way” is truly a sign of unevolved consciousness]

Now consider if you’re going to be ‘common’… or be the Noble Self you could be…

And, no matter what, realize that whatever your choices [for you do indeed have the god-given right to choose whatever you decide], you do this to yourself… Submit… or succeed… it’s your Life you’re shaping…

Mario C. Veo is in private practice in Denver where he teaches Spiritual and Metaphysical classes, and guides Seekers on their personal Path of Transformation and Empowerment.

He can be reached at 303-525-7223 / email pathtospirit@gmail.com / website YourPathtoSpirit.com 



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