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in this issue:
- Events and Classes in May have been postponed
COVID-19 Update
Thank You. Thank you, those of you in the front lines for your selfless sacrifice to stand between us and this viral pandemic. The Colorado “Stay At Home” order was lifted on Sunday, April 26, but the Denver order would like most retail businesses to wait until May 8 to open the doors to shoppers.
Re-Opening Sat. May 9. As the plan stands now, we are set to open on Saturday, May 9. We will be asking shoppers and employees to wear personal protection masks while they are in the store, as well as only allowing up to 8 people in the store at any time. We will also try to mark the aisles as one-way as well to help with physical distancing. The physical distancing is one of the keys to keeping us safe and healthy.
Phone & Web Orders. Until then, 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 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.
Readings. Also, we are working on modifying our sacred space that is used for readings and consultations. Our readers are available to provide readings for you over the phone, Zoom, or Facetime. For now, you may contact them individually HERE or we can help you make an appointment for your reading (303-758-9113).
Wash Your Hands. 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.
Gift Cards. 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 Rays in the Plant World
by Bruce Johnson
The Chaldeans were the learned seers, astrologers and magicians of ancient Babylonia. Like esotericists today, they taught that all things in the four kingdoms of nature have their origin or basis in one or another of the seven primary color rays. The seven basic color rays are each sub-divided into seven sub-color rays. For example, the red ray would contain red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet sub-rays. The red sub-ray of the red ray would be the purest expression of the color red. The color spectrum is depicted in the subdivision of each of the seven basic colors. This seven-fold division can be seen in the mineral, plant, animal and human kingdoms.
Chaldean astrologers associated each of the seven primary color rays with one of the heavenly bodies. Here is a list of planets and associated color rays in the Chaldean order. Moon = violet, Mercury = yellow, Venus = indigo, Sun = orange, Mars = red, Jupiter = blue and Saturn = green. Astrology teaches that every mineral, plant, animal and human is born under the rays of one of the seven planets, and therefore, one of the seven color rays. The planet that has the strongest influence in a person’s horoscope is called the ruling planet of the chart.
The seven rays express themselves in a similar manner in the plant kingdom, with each plant having its ruling planet and primary color. Let’s look at some examples of planets and related plants.
Moon – violet colors, cabbage, cauliflower, chickweed, cucumber, gourd, iris, lettuce, melon, mushrooms, pumpkin, purslain, seaweed, turnips, water arrowhead, water lily, water violet, night- blooming plants and plants full of sap. Lunar trees include the palm and maple.
Mercury- yellow colors, azaleas, caraway seeds, calamint, carrots, dill, endive, fennel, horehound, lavender, licorice, lilac, lily of the valley, marjoram, myrtle, parsley and valerian. Filbert and hazel trees relate to Mercury.
Venus- indigo colors, fragrant plants, artichoke, beans, daffodils, ferns, foxglove, goldenrod, gooseberry, grapes, lily, peppermint, rose, vervain, vines, violet and wheat. Some Venus-attuned trees are the almond, apple, cherry, pear, pecan, and pomegranate trees.
Sun- orange colors, aromatic herbs, chamomile, cinnamon, corn, frankincense, juniper, marigold, mistletoe, musk, peony, poppy, rice, rosemary, saffron, St. John’s wort, and sunflowers. The bay, citrus and walnut are among the solar trees.
Mars- red colors, hot and spicy plants, aloes, briars, cactus, garlic, ginger, hawthorn, honeysuckle, hops, horseradish, leek, mustard, nettles, onion, peppers, plantain, radish, thistles, and tobacco. Martian trees include those with thorns.
Jupiter- blue colors, apricots, asparagus, balsam, cloves, currants, daisy, dandelion, liver-wort, mint, myrrh, nutmeg, rhubarb, sage, strawberry, and sugar cane. Trees linked to Jupiter are the ash, birch, chestnut, fig, mulberry, and oak.
Saturn- green colors, barley, hemlock, hemp, holly, horsetail, ivy, mandrake, moss, nightshade, pansies, parsnip, rushes, Shepard’s purse, rye and spinach. Trees with an affinity to Saturn are the cypress, elm, pine, willow and yew.
Keep in mind that due to color sub-rays, a plant or vegetable can be a different color than the primary color ray its part of. An excellent spiritual gift to develop would be the ability to discern the color ray of any mineral, plant, animal, or human through ray psychometry, or the ability to detect the presence of a particular color ray by touch.
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.
Inspirational Youth
by Bob Romero
May is the month at the end of the school year in which students receive awards for their successes in school and in athletics. I call the month of May, the “Banquet Month”, as many banquets are held to honor their successes. There are also graduations at various levels, and scholarships are given to individuals who have worked hard to continue on their path to a promising career. While the celebrations are on hold for this year, nothing can erase their accomplishments, and scholarships will still be awarded.
Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, I was given the special honor by my company, to represent them on the American Geological Institute’s (AGI) Minority Scholarship Committee. There were about a dozen or so members, and they were from various corporations, government agencies, and universities and colleges across the USA. The students that applied, were from the underrepresented minorities which were African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. Regardless of the reason why they were underrepresented, the American Geological Institute recognized that these groups needed to participate in fields like geology, meteorology, and environmental science in order to address the growing shortage of earth scientists. AGI raised money from corporations, government agencies, and academia for this purpose. A huge grant from the National Science Foundation later on, allowed us to give larger awards and to more students.
The committee usually met in Washington, D.C. once a year, to grade the applications, and to award the applicants according to their scores. The applicants were high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students. We were given criteria for the grading which was comprised of their Grade Point Average (GPA), letters of recommendations from their professors and teachers, extracurricular activities, community volunteer activities, and a personal or mission statement. It was very inspirational to read their mission statements and letters of recommendation as they moved forward to make a positive impact on society. Another part of the program was for each committee member to mentor several students who had earned a scholarship. Participating in this mentoring program really lifted my spirits. I thought that I would share some examples.
Russell was a Native American attending Colorado School of Mines and working on his PhD in Geological Engineering. When he was a freshman at the school, he struggled with his math and science courses, as the tribal schools where he attended, had not fully prepared him for the tough curriculum at Mines. He worked hard and raised his GPA to the point where it was a 4.0 in graduate school. He got a top award from us, and when I contacted him to see how he was doing, I said to him “Gee, Russell, you’re doing so well, maybe you should mentor me”! Russell responded, “On no, the biggest room in my house, is the room for improvement”. His humility truly inspired me.
Linda was a young Latina majoring in Geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She carried a 4.0 GPA throughout college, and one day after her final exam as a senior, she called me and was very excited that she had got the top score of her class on her final exam. She was also a little disturbed because one of the students told her that she didn’t have to worry, because she was a woman and a minority. I told her to go back and tell him that she didn’t have to worry because she got the highest score in the class. He was using her gender and ethnicity as a copout for his own shortcomings. As a woman and as a minority, she has had to overcome obstacles that he has had no idea what they were about. I told her “You got the top score, and nobody, and I mean nobody, can take that away from you”. After that, I sensed that she had erased all doubt in her abilities.
Andrew was from the San Luis valley and was a junior at Adams State College, which is my alma mater. I thought that there would be no problem for Andrew to get a scholarship, as he had a 3.4 GPA was doing well as a geology major at the school. Our minimum requirement was a 3.0. However, a couple of the committee members, who were recruiters for major oil companies, rejected him because his GPA wasn’t high enough for them, and because of the school that he was attending. When I mentioned that it was my alma mater, they didn’t care, as they were only concerned about students with very high GPA’s from big schools. I think that their intent was to hire them when they graduated, in order to fill their quota for their companies. Then for some reason, they both got up and went to the restroom. While they were gone, a colleague friend of mine from another oil company, brought up an African American woman whom they had also rejected. This student had a very promising future until she had to drop out of school, because she was pregnant. A couple of years later, she was back in school and working hard to fulfill her dream. My colleague stated that if we encouraged her with the minimum award, it would give her the encouragement to continue on. I stated that I agreed with her, and that we should do the same for Andrew. The rest of the committee agreed. When the gentlemen returned and asked what happened while they were gone, we told them that we had just gave away a thousand dollars.
When I contacted Andrew to see how he was doing, he was very soft-spoken and was very shy. I mentioned to him that if he could raise his GPA, I might be able to make a case for him to get more money. He did that, and he was awarded a better scholarship. When I contacted him again, I noticed a big change in him. He was much more confident and outgoing. I happened to talk to one of his professors, and the professor told me that Andrew had presented a paper on the migration of sands at the Great Sand Dunes National Park at a conference. After that, his confidence in himself just took off. He then applied for graduate school at the University of Alabama. The two individuals that had rejected Andrew in the beginning, now expressed doubt that he would be able to succeed with such a major shift in culture. But they had no choice but to agree to award him a fair scholarship. Not only did Andrew adjust to his new surroundings, he flourished. His GPA at Alabama was a 4.0 and he was awarded the top TA (Teachers Assistant) award in the department. He got the maximum award from us, and now those two members were all over themselves to hire Andrew when he graduated. He respectfully declined and took a job as a forest ranger at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. There, he was not only able to continue his work on the sand dunes, but he also worked with the youth in the San Luis Valley. I was so proud of him, not only for his accomplishments, but also for his character.
I was not able to stay on the committee when I left my company, as I no longer worked in an earth science field. However, when my dad passed away, my family started a scholarship in his name at Trinidad State Junior College where he worked. In the 1990’s, the TSJC Education Foundation got a matching National Education Association grant to supplement the scholarships that the college offers each year. For the last 20 to 25 years, the foundation has sent me a list of applications for me to grade and rank. I modified the grading scale that was used by AGI, to what I thought would be fair for the students, like having their GPA account for 40 per cent of the grade instead of 60 per cent, and a total perfect score would add up to exactly 100. When the foundation committee heard about the grading criteria that I was using, they adopted it as the standard criteria to be used for all of the scholarships.
So now I am able to continue reading about the goals and aspirations of bright young men and women in both academic and vocational fields. In the letters of recommendation, the teachers describe the positive impact that the students are having at school and in the community like helping other students and helping feed the homeless. I noticed that this year in particular, many young men and women are pursuing careers in nursing with the object of transferring to a four-year school after two years at TSJC. It’s truly uplifting to see how they are dedicating their careers to the service of their fellow human beings. These students are our future leaders, and this positive energy makes me feel good about the future of this world.
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.
Channeled from the “I AM” (04/24/2020)
by Norma Mitchell
“Mankind has always had the choice of how they wished to live in the illusion of separateness in the illusion this world called Earth.
“As you have lived your lives here to remind yourselves you are One, you have consistently fought with each other over beliefs and truths which you have developed for further separation.
“Man has needed to become aware at different times in your world that you are One in Love. The time you are experiencing with the pandemic is a time which you have created for change.
“Each time you create conditions in your world to experience pain in order to remember Love, you also create ways to leave pain behind so Love can prevail.
“You have been guided to look at the consequences of your thoughts leading to attitudes about yourself and others, as well as the consequences of taking actions which lead to other actions, and resulting realities.
“Man has a responsibility to look at the increase of pain in your world, resulting in increased fear, hatred, anger, and desire to hurt others.
“This is creating continuation of the current pandemic as well as increasing the energy for storms, climate changes, earthquakes, and limitations in your food and other resources.
“The energy of Love is far greater than the energy of pain, yet man finds it difficult to live Love for self, each other, your world and All That Is.
“You are able to change conditions in your world starting with thoughts of Love for you and others.
“You also have the ability to effect changes by doing what you know is healthier for your bodies, your lives, and each other.
“All this requires is to see yourselves as One and to let your Love for those you care for expand to the world and all its people.
“You have chosen to come here at a time your world was full of pain, suffering and misery.
“Choose now to be the Love you are to overcome the pain and restore life to this world by living as you know you really want to experience.
“You have never needed Love more than right now.
“Be open to having my Love within you to conquer your pain, your fear, your loneliness and your heartache.
“You are enough as the person you choose to be.
“I AM always within your heart and am always ready to assist you in making changes.”
Norma Mitchell is a spiritual counselor, medical intuitive, channel, business consultant, medium, teacher and hypno-therapist with 30 years experience. Norma Mitchell has been working with clients at the Shining Lotus™ since 2008.
She can be reached at 303-847-6942.
In Search Of Spirit
by Mario C. Veo
© 2017 Mario C. Veo – Reprinted with permission from Shining Lotus Metaphysical Bookstore newsletter September 2017
India – a spiritual pilgrimage ~~~~ We had traveled non-stop for eight hours on a road that had forgotten its identity, and was doing its best to once again merge with Mother Earth. Coconut tress sprung around rice paddies and dotted the countryside in a picture that held a primitive beauty in its hand … the hot, humid climate, no longer a sticky annoyance, was now an appropriate touch that completed our sense experience. The trail that had once been a road now ended at the edge of a forest which skirted a sacred mountain … and there it was – the ashram that was going to be our spiritual retreat for the next two weeks.
Carved out of the woods, it rose with exotic architecture, painted in turquoise, aqua, pastel pinks and white – a temple [unique in the whole of India] dedicated to the Great Mother and Her many forms – a dozen flower gardens scenting the morning, lotus ponds, parrots and the inevitable monkeys [and insects like I’ve never seen before] … a place to inspire fairy tales … But greater than all this was the breath of Nature, heavy in the air with Her pulsating life, gently drawing us in, Her lost city children, back in Her arms.
I would get up at 3.00 am simply to be with this holy land, to walk the grounds in quiet solitude, trying, once again, to remember a long forgotten truth. At 4.00 I would enter the meditation hall, pleasantly to find that one or two others had preceded me, and would spend the next hour in my private spiritual practices. We would start formal meditation at 5.00, greet the sunrise at 6.30 and take a short break. At 7.00 we would meet in Amma’s private garden to chant and find within ourselves the tone of our day.
Breakfast was a simple affair, followed by teachings on spiritual consciousness, and more meditation. Sometimes we would go into the forest to meditate, at other times the locals would put on a festive program of song and dance – beautiful little children in multi-colored saris and silks.
Lunch was sumptuous, dozens of dishes both eastern and western, inviting us to ‘gain spiritual weight’… and very difficult to resist. We would meet four hours later for more teachings, meditation and final chants before retiring to a light dinner and sleep, usually by 10.00 pm.
For two weeks I filled myself with something I never knew I lacked: Beauty. Everywhere I looked there was a natural beauty which came from within … a peacefulness which glowed and radiated with a vibrant vitality, removed from the artifices of modern compromises, a beauty of thought and form – a truth I had forgotten in my ‘modern’ setting.
I watched myself and my fellow westerners struggle with our little egos to find our new [true ?] identity… and fervently hoped that whatever insight I gained would stay with me as I returned to the other world.
Two weeks pass too soon, and here I am, looking at my environment, my life, my work, my relationships … with new eyes, trying to rekindle the Beauty, the Truth, that I know is there… what a great gift, what glorious experience … Thank you Great Mother – I will be back.
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
Planets and Possibilities: A Look At The Astrology Of May 2020
by Sally Shotwell
As the month begins, the Sun (our consciousness), Mercury (our thought processes), and innovative, unpredictable Uranus are keeping company in earthy, stable Taurus. This is the sign which connects us with Nature and our relationship to the physical world around us. It’s ruled by lovely Venus, who in her role of being the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Money, guides us to connecting to the pleasures offered by our senses. This configuration normally sets us up to relish the offerings verdant Spring holds in store, but, due to the global destabilization, we’re in uncharted territory. As we process the challenges we’re experiencing, let’s to look to her influence and figure out what we can do to nurture ourselves and find solace within our circumstances. Here’s where caring relationships are stabilizing, however we make the connection. Uranus, the Great Awakener, is also on hand to help as he reveals surprising, helpful insights into how we best can cope with change. His influence helps us get beyond Taurus’s recalcitrance, instilling laudable perseverance, as we experience four planets change signs and three turn retrograde, along with Pluto, facilitating our inward journey.
May 3 charming Venus, in airy, mental Gemini, encounters watery, psychic Neptune in transcendent Pisces, and we find ourselves tempted to let idealism lure us into a sticky relationship situation. Lets pend until the 4th when the Sun and Mercury are together, clarifying the values we need to apply as we move forward in our evolution. This sets the stage for the profound Full Moon (culmination) May 7 in intense, watery Scorpio, the sign of depth psychology. As we struggle to balance the opposing pressures between the Moon and the Sun in Taurus, representing concreteness and the physical plane, we experience a refining process which leads to greater self-acceptance. The Sabian Symbol states: “A path through the woods brilliant with multicolored splendor: The exalted feeling of a work well done and a truly consummated life.” With time, our efforts bear fruit.
May 9 Mercury and relentless PlutoRx in earthy, stalwart Capricorn, meet to assist us as we gain crucial information which may alter our course as Mother’s Day dawns on the 10th. Mercury and Jupiter, sharing earthy solidarity expand our optimism as the Sun has a happy visit with Neptune, who’s in his compassionate mode. Also May 10, Saturn, Father Time, turns retrograde in airy, electric Aquarius and we’re counseled to review the status of our responsibilities and how we’re dealing with them. His approach sound assists us in examining our priorities while encouraging exciting ideas.
May 11 Mercury has an unpleasant episode with assertive Mars, in Aquarius, but he quickly dashes into airy, Gemini where he’s totally at home. Communications lighten up and our interpersonal exchanges become more lively. On the 12th, our curiosity is piqued when he and mature SaturnRx stimulate each other and us. Later in the day, vital Mars enters otherworldly Pisces and we feel our focus shift from the intellectual to the intuitive and fantastical. Our motivation turns to empathy and and worthwhile causes, which is commendable, but we want to distance ourselves from tendencies to victimhood or escapism.
May 13 gracious Venus, in chatty Gemini, turns retrograde and we’re asked to review how we’re communicating with loved ones. Serving in her role as the Goddess of Money, she’s also advising us to review our financial affairs. The 14th, optimistic Jupiter, in serious Capricorn, also turns retrograde and its time for us to revisit our world view and how our beliefs equate with our situation. The Sun and PlutoRx conspire to help us let go of what ever is inhibiting our moving forward. The 17th, Jupiter and the Sun combine their light and share with us their warmth, boosting our coping skills. Let’s relish this positive sensation and share it with others.
May 20 the Sun enters Gemini, joining Mercury and VenusRx, fueling our search for diversity of thought while expanding our circle. This Mercurial sign’s symbol is the Twins, one mortal and one immortal, and we’re reminded that we, ourselves, live with duality. Through taking time to sit in stillness, spend time outside, or even take a bubble bath, we’re facilitating getting in touch with ourselves. May 22 Mercury and Venus Rx unite, combining heart and mind (feelings and thoughts) and encourage us to reach out to others – this is a recipe for soothing our frazzled psyches. Later in the day the Sun and SaturnRx rendezvous to help us strengthen our long-term goals by means of practical ideas and planning, but also, Mercury and Neptune are all about confusing themselves and us, so let’s just relax and prepare for the New Moon.
The potency of this May 22 New Moon (new beginnings) in Gemini is enhanced by the support of SaturnRx in intellectually detached Aquarius, the Symbol itself indicating authority. It states “The Garden of the Tuileries in Paris: The formalization of collective ideals through the application of reason and order newly discovered as aspects of nature.” These ‘aspects of nature’ refer to the tremendous expansion of knowledge and creativity associated with the Renaissance which occurred during a period of internal strife. By the time Louis IVX went on his building spree, a “formalism…and narrow intellectual crystallization of dualistic concepts” took over and the organic dynamism was replaced by an autocracy. (Louis required all his nobles to live at Court, estranged from their children, and under constant surveillance). The message is to be aware that highly creative eras may slip into formalism with the concept of human worth being lost is the shuffle. We realize the inter-connectedness between us is what makes our lives rich and motivates us to keep communication and caring open, not succumbing to social engineering.
May 25 is Memorial Day and energetic Mars and wild card Uranus are urging us to explore a fresh venture which leads to fun and a break from routine – we need this!
May 28 Mercury enters watery, sensitive Cancer and our communication style becomes more personal. Cancer is ruled by the Moon (our emotions) and its symbol is the Mother, in all her aspects. Our thoughts become centered around friends and family and we may find ourselves wanting to protect others. This is laudable but it’s best if we first determine that they’re open to it. As we become more comfortable with ourselves and our own situation, the greater our ability becomes in contributing to other wellbeing. This requires us to keep monitoring where we direct our attention in the midst turmoil and we’re already been doing it. We truly are in this together!!!
Blessing!
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.
