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in this issue:
- Events and Classes in August have been postponed
Planets and Possibilities: A Look At The Astrology Of August 2020
by Sally Shotwell
As the month begins, we may find ourselves confused by the mixed messages the cosmos is sending our way. The Sun (our consciousness) is in fiery, exuberant Leo, symbolized by the Noble Lion, encouraging us to embrace our original ideas and unique creativity. The thing is, we don’t have a green light to do this just yet since Mercury, (our thought processes) is in cardinal, emotional Cancer, trying to hold his own against the influence of Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, in cardinal Capricorn, who, when challenged, attempts to instigate obsessive/ compulsive thoughts. We’re served well by avoiding iffy communications, especially since on August 2, the Sun is confronted by unpredictable Uranus, in security oriented Taurus, fueling a wildcard type of energy which can morph into another difficult clash. August 3, Mercury (Cancer) and Saturn, Lord of Karma (Capricorn) clash, tipping us off again to be thoughtful in all our interactions. When difficult aspects are triggered involving cardinal signs, (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), tensions become extreme and right now JupiterRx, SaturnRx, and PlutoRx, are hanging out together in the sign of the Sea Goat and making their presence felt. (Warrior Mars is himself, happily in fiery Aries, raring to forge ahead). Unpleasant as all this intensity is, the changes we’re dealing with offer us an opportunity to grow and evolve. The August 3rd Full Moon (culmination) in humanitarian Aquarius, opposite Sun in individualistic Leo, helps us understand this.
The Sabian Symbol states “On a vast staircase stand people of different types, graduated upward: The necessity of recognizing differences of types and levels of development wherever human beings live together… This obviously refers to the ascending process of evolution of life forms and consciousness… every human being is ‘potentially’ divine as an individual person…” When we grow in awareness as individuals ( Leo) we’re able to serve our community (Aquarius) with integrity and compassion. When planets are retrograde, their areas of influence are internalized and we’re reminded to slow down and ponder what’s going on in our lives. During this Full Moon, four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto) are pressuring us to do so. Are we arranging for silence and stillness in our schedule?
August 4 Mars and Jupiter cross paths and their combined energy encourages us to be active, within reason, preparing us to welcome Mercury into fiery Leo. Personal communications should become more lively and a sense of drama may enhance our encounters. The sign of the Noble Lion exemplifies generosity, an aspect of its heart-centeredness. Let’s take advantage of this influence to seek out enjoyable activities with fun companions! The 7th, loving Venus enters watery Cancer and we zero in on family (no matter how extended) and how to nurture those in need. Let’s just make sure they want our help. The 10th, Mercury and brilliant Uranus stimulate each other, indicating unusual developments, helping us perk up.
August 13 pioneer Mars (Aries) and relentless PlutoRx (Capricorn) are in power-struggle mode and extreme behavior is on each of their minds. We seriously MUST avoid charged situations and deal with ourselves gently. Are we consciously avoiding being agitated when ever possible? The 15th, Uranus joins the retrograde crowd and we’re being guided to sort out and re-evaluate the impact of the shifts taking place around, and within us. The Sun and Mars rendezvous the 16th and generate a reassuring dynamic which fosters self-confidence. This is fanned by Mercury and Mars connecting the 17th, combining quick-wittedness with the will to take action. The Sun is also pairing up with Mercury, inspiring us to, perhaps venture beyond our comfort zone.
August 18 the New Moon (new beginnings) in magnificent Leo is emboldening, opening our hearts and allowing us to expand our connection with others and the Infinite. The Symbol states “The luminescence of dawn in the Eastern Sky: The exalting challenge of new opportunities at the threshold of a new cycle. While the rainbow marks the end of the crisis, early dawn indicates the real beginning of the new period of activity… Alpha (dawn) and Omega (the concluding peak experience) are opposites, yet the same. The Keyword here is ILLUMINATION.” Our hope is to meet a crisis with “a pure heart and a clear mind” and our supporting each other along the way.
August 19 Mercury zips into earthy, practical Virgo, assisting us in our working with everyday reality from a logical perspective. He helps us to bring the order to our environment which we so desperately welcome. The Sun joins him the 22nd and our thoughts turn to serving others and healthcare (how appropriate in these strange times!). Virgo is the sign of self-sufficiency, which is great, but, we don’t want to lose touch with others or veer into perfectionism. The 24th, Mars (Aries) and SaturnRx (Capricorn) confront each other in vise grip which lasts until October 3. The issue of forward action vs. restrictive boundaries promises to affect us all. Let’s keep Rescue Remedy handy.
August 25 we breathe a sigh of relief as Mercury and Uranus connect and our social life gets a boost. However, we shouldn’t get too carried away since Venus (Cancer) and Jupiter (Capricorn) don’t see eye-to-eye and telegraph restraint. The 27th, sentimental Venus and otherworldly Neptune in watery, mystical Pisces, share moments of creativity and daydreaming. We’re able to tune in to heart-energy and listen to our inner voice. Should we write down our insights for future use? The 29th, we receive practical input when Mercury and JupiterRx use their combined understanding to direct us to projects which are productive, delivering positive results.
August 30 receptive Venus (Cancer) and ruthless Pluto (Capricorn) are at odds and distrust can arise, leading to relationship difficulties. Mercury and NeptuneRx are also muddying the waters with misunderstandings arising from erroneous information (what else is new?). Our inner resources won’t desert us and let’s find succor in communing with others!
Blessings!
Sally Shotwell is a life-long student of esoteric spirituality whose focus on studies in Astrology have spanned decades. She has entertained and informed our readers with her articles for a few years now.
The Fundamental Vortex
by Bruce Johnson
A vortex could be described as a whirlpool-shaped spiral of either energy or force rotating around a central axis. All the countless vortices that exist on the seven major planes of life are in every case dual in nature. The pointed end of any vortex is always the positive, electric, yang pole of the vortex. The open end of all vortices is consistently the negative, magnetic, and yin pole. Vortices can in another way, be seen to have three primary aspects. The point at the center of the vortex is the location of active positive energy. The spokes that radiate from the central point of any vortex are forces that are of negative polarity in relation to the energy at the center of the vortex. The interplay of energy and force creates the outer circumference of any vortex. The spheroid created by a vortex is the basis of all manifested forms of life.
The Law of Vortical Motion was well known by the Initiates of the ancient mystery schools. Pythagoras taught about the gyratory motion of atoms and planetary spheres in 500 B.C. Vortices were known by the sages to be the basic building block of the universe with vortexes manifesting in all kingdoms of nature, macrocosmically and microcosmically. These vortices were variously known as wheels, fiery wheels, whorls, winged wheels, energy vortices, wheels of force, and lotus flowers. Hindus often referred to human chakras with spokes as fiery lotus flowers with flaming petals, which is how these vortexes looked to clairvoyant vision.
Two basic types of vortices are rooted in geometric forms. The regular spiral vortex or free vortex is founded on the hexagon, while the Golden Section vortex is derived from the golden rectangle. Duality is a consistent theme with vortices. There are expanding vortexes, contracting vortices, vortices of involution and evolution, vortexes of spirit and matter, ascending vortices, descending vortexes, as well as centrifugal and centripetal vortices. The principle of “as above, so below”, can be seen in reflected vortices with points in a vertical line opposite each other. This is the basis of the six-pointed star. All duality in nature is based on the dual nature of the vortex.
The vortex in nature is the basic pattern on which greater forms are built, and would be the perfect example of a fractal. Spiritual vortexes are the beginning point of every manifest form in the universe. All forms in the universe start with a vortex/ atom and proceed through six stages, culminating in a solid sphere or spheroidal shape. Vortices and spheroids are strongly interrelated with each other. The vortex is the inner root and seed cause of the fruit, or outer form spheroid. The vortex begins that which ends with the physical sphere or spheroid. This principle holds true for universes, galaxies, solar systems, planets, humans, and atoms. Occultism recognizes atoms as spheroidal triple- natured energy/ force vortices.
The occultist sees some vortices as sources of force emanation in the six-stage manifestation process. This procedure is referred to allegorically in the Bible as the six days of creation. Emanation and vortices are seen in The Wheel of Fortune Tarot card, like they were shown to Bible prophets. Ezekiel saw a fiery whirlwind, and wheels within wheels. Elijah and Enoch were both taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
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.
Serving Others
by Bob Romero
In a previous article, I talked about serving others as a way to raise your vibration. This topic has recently come up in my class, in my pastor’s homilies, and in my thoughts in the early hours of the morning. So, it appears that Spirit has communicated to me that I should write about serving others. In the previous article, I wrote that we do good for others, not for good karma or for manifestation, but because it is the right thing to do. In my class, we discussed how that if we expect praise for these good deeds, it will take away from the act of joyfully performing the act. And it’s best to detach from it because otherwise the karma will bind you with your recipient, even though it is good karma.
My dad often helped others that went way above and beyond what anyone else would do for them, and yet he never expected any praise or pat on the back, because he knew it was the right thing to do, and then he would let it go. He’s been gone almost 33 years, and I still hear stories about what he did for people. I never heard about them from him, and I never heard him brag about how he helped people. He did it for the pure joy of helping those who needed it. He was also a good judge of character, and so he didn’t fall prey to scam artists.
Serving others doesn’t just mean doing good deeds. It can also mean speaking up for others when we see racism, sexism or other forms of oppression. Obvious discrimination is much easier to see, but it’s sometimes more difficult to see these offenses if they’re subtle, and if you’re in the privileged group, rather than in the oppressed group. Systemic discrimination has always been prevalent in our country, even to the point where for some of those being oppressed, they just accept it. With the movements that are happening today, we are being made more and more aware of the inequities that have existed throughout our history. It is our obligation to do the right thing and speak out on their behalf. Those who don’t want change, will label these efforts as “Political Correctness”, but I call it “Respect for All People”. We’re now at a point in time when all of mankind can truly take a bold step forward towards enlightenment in our service and in our treatment to others.
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.
A Foolish Journey…? You Decide!
by Mario C. Veo
© 2017 Mario C. Veo – Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter December 2017
The young man stood at the beginning of the trail, his backpack firmly on his shoulders, and took one small sip of water … contemplating the journey ahead. “It’s a n easy one” they said … “Just a few miles … you’ll be there before sundown … just don’t wander off, and you’ll be fine”
But he curbed his distracting thoughts, squared his shoulders … and took the first of many steps … His eyes firmly on the horizon, his breath strong and even, the journey began … This was not just a frivolous escapade, but one that would determine his future … well, at least as he thought his future should be …
You see, she was waiting for him at the end of the trail … a final gesture, a hope for reconciliation, a ‘test’ of his resolve …to find out if they should have a Life together … Did they quarrel ? well, not any more than other couples…and, he thought with secret satisfaction, the make-up sex afterwards was great … so, all should have been forgiven … should it not ?! After all, he didn’t cheat on her, drank very moderately, and only on social occasions, did not go off ‘with the boys’, in fact they often planned outing together … but noooo, she felt that it wasn’t enough, that he worked too hard, and staid way too late most nights …
Well, you tell me how he was going to pay for all the gifts, and jewels, the fancy cars, the mortgage, and the holidays abroad … never mind that he did it all for her … couldn’t she see that he was a good – no scratch that – a great provider …?! that anything she wanted, anything at all, he would move heaven and earth to get it for her… That all these sacrifices had to be done now, while he was still young, and strong, and could work hard … and that if he didn’t do it… well, no-one else was going to do it for him…!
So, why was she so contrary, why was she complaining so much… WHAT DID HE DO WRONG…?!!!
And with each step his mind rose in turmoil, clouding not only his reason, but also his vision… No longer was he seeing the beauty of the trail, no longer did he appreciate the fresh wind, the pretty flowers, or the birds on the wing…
Closed within himself, he stomps with each step, glowering at each pebble that twists his foot, or the branch that dares encroach upon his path, or the warm sun upon his back… No joy in this journey … what started off as a path of self-examination, and a desire to strengthen the bond that might still exist, now has simply turned into the oldest ‘blame-game’ of all “I’m not wrong, because you are not right !!”…
“After all”, he rationalizes, “both of us can’t be blameless, and I know that I did nothing wrong … so the fault must lie with her” … even if he cannot think what this might be… And as he plods along, the sun begins to set, the temperature cools off… and he realizes that he isn’t anywhere near the end of the trail… in fact, he seems to have gotten himself turned around for there, I front of him, is the very starting point, the beginning of his journey… “Oh, what’s the point of it all” he mutters to himself as he steps off “It wouldn’t have worked out – she just isn’t grateful enough … just doesn’t appreciate me !”
… and so, secure in his own unsullied pride, he once again moves towards the glittering lights of his Life …while at the end of the trail she waits … and even as the last rays of the setting sun give way to night, she hopes that he’ll realize that all she ever wanted was him – not his gifts, money, or jewels… just him…
Now you, the reader, must decide – was the journey fruitful… did it accomplish anything… and what did it reveal…? … but before you pass so quick a judgment consider that this is your perception, and so reveals more about you, than the poor protagonists of this sorry tale…
There is no ‘right’ and there is no ‘wrong’… there is simply ‘Perception’… and thus we create our Reality…
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
