UCM Spring 2011 Edition 7

UCM

Spring 2011

Edition 7

Content President’s Message A Dance With the Divine Feminine Elemental Nature of the Divine Masculine Embracing The Goddess Ritual New Certificates Transitions Ritual of Releasing Grief Spring, An Astrological Viewpoint Say What! Did my Zodiac Sign Change?

Book Review About the Cover Artwork Future Issues and Deadlines

Cover Art By Minister Steve Waites

How has your year been so far? If yours is like mine a lot is going on. Yes I did begin the year with a trip, but I am not referring so much to busy activities, but as to personal lessons. I find myself in an interesting position, reminding all of you to ground, clear, and protect yourself and then discovering in the blink of an eye that I had not done that for myself. Well, maybe it took me a while longer to realize what I had not done but the actual lesson only took the blink of an eye.

I am involved with another group that is not affiliated with UCM, nor is it considered a spiritual group. There is a person who has wanted to be part of this group’s board but was not successful in being elected last year, and tried again this year. You could say this person’s approach was not received in a loving manner by several people involved. In fact, it was not even considered a possibility that this person would be elected. However sometimes things do not work out as expected. Much to the surprise of several people, this person was elected this year.

I do not like confrontation; it makes me unsettled and I, of course pick up all the negative energy that is around and my response was to mediate to make it better, which I did not accomplish. Words came out of my mouth I could not believe I was saying. I could hardly wait to get out of the room and this situation I found myself in. I certainly did not feel well about the way I responded.

I was really hard on myself for what I said. I began to think maybe this was spirit’s way of telling me it was time to leave this group. I felt if I stayed I might make myself sick with the confrontational energy I envisioned would be coming, along with the demise of this group which made me sad and fearful.

I am sure you all recognize that once we get the downward spiral going in our head, everything becomes doom and gloom and not a place we want to be in. It has taken me a bit of time to unravel all the wonderful lessons spirit has given to me with this experience and I share them with you now as my form of a personal spiritual ceremony.

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I had gone into this meeting unprotected, not grounded, and certainly not clear. I got lazy and was not paying attention, thus got hit, so to say, by a two-by-four. It is easy to do our meditation and clearing in the morning when we get up but as the day progresses we can get distracted, and in a hurry. I know better but that does not mean I always remembered to renew the clearing and protection throughout the day.

I also truly believe there are no accidents in events or situations. For me this was a wake up call to remember to protect myself. In the future there could be similar situations for me. We all need to be centered in our bodies to be able to function clearly. Yes, I do ground, clear and protect myself in the morning when I get up, but I had gotten lazy about asking for protection from spirit throughout the day. I was taking for granted that my Angels and Guides would take care of me as they have in the past; however, they, as we know, need to be asked to help. Yes they are always with us, but we need to remember to ask for their help, not just assume they will.

I have since done a meditation with my Angels and Guides to release my feeling of guilt and to bring a feeling of joy back into my body. I have done a clearing in my home; burning sage and chanting which also cleared my aura and improved my thought process.

Now instead of guilt, doom and gloom, my outlook has improved and I am able to thank this person (through meditation) and the others involved for the valuable lesson I have received, and am now able to share this experience and ceremony with you.

I cannot walk away from this situation as much as I would like to.

I believe we all are here to bring Light into the darkness. This particular group and its situation is in darkness. My walking away, which I could do, would mean not doing what I came on this plane currently to do.

You may think this situation is not an earthquake, hurricane, war, or any natural disaster, but it is all of them combined. Light and Love needs to be brought to this situation and since it involves me, it is part of what I came to do currently.

With Light and Love, Sandy

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Excerpt from a chapter submission in the upcoming book “Tapping Into God” edited

by Debbie Belmesseri.

My journey with Goddess Spirituality places me in roles of ceremonialist, priestess and guide for other women to learn of the Goddess, to awaken to their Goddess within and recognize Her presence everywhere. We gather at the Full Moons, the Eight High Holy Days of the Wheel of the Year, and for Rites of Passage. Sacred ceremonies and rituals are powerful venues to allow for the integration of our inner knowing and our body-mind wisdom, to break free from the patterns of thinking that no longer serve us, and to embrace all that we are: Divine Feminine Beings in physical form.

Living allows the Sacred to be expressed in all that we do. Each experience offers opportunities to observe; are we in alignment with our unique Divine expression or are we living in the illusion of separateness from Source? This is the dance; be mindful, observe, and if needed choose realignment to the oneness of all-the Divine.

Ceremony is a sacred space to learn thinking and connect more deeply to Moving through the ceremonies’ and opens a passage into an innate deepest intentions. This creates the own way to be in sacred movement to

this dance, to reframe our obstacle our inner knowing and soul’s desires. elements, thinking shifts into knowing acting out-a declaration of one’s opportunity for participants in their align into Oneness with the Divine.

My ceremonial work calls upon me to for both co-ed and women, to make a self, the Divine Spark within and their there is a spacious allowing for each individual process. For that moment, response and each person’s sacred

create and hold a blessed container deeper connection with their higherdivine purpose. In Sacred ceremony, participant’s unique expression and gone is the duality of a right or wrong process is their own.

Sacred ceremonies traditionally contain several rituals. Rituals are physical expressions of our deep desires and intentions, an opportunity for sacred dialog with our Divine aspect and soul’s essence.

Participating in ceremony allows an awakening to what has been forgotten: that we are spiritual beings in physical bodies and are naturally wired to be in sacred relationship with all aspects of the Divine, both seen and unseen. In Sacred ceremony waves of Divine energy assists each participant to center and refill their spiritual chalice with vibrant healing and empowering energy.

Sacred ceremonies traditionally contain several rituals. Rituals are physical expressions of our deep desires and intentions, an opportunity for sacred dialog with our Divine aspect and soul’s essence. Participating in ceremony allows an awakening to what has been forgotten: that we are spiritual beings in physical bodies and are naturally wired to be in sacred relationship with all aspects of the Divine, both seen and unseen. In Sacred ceremony waves of Divine energy assists each participant to center and refill their spiritual chalice with vibrant healing and empowering energy.

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A typical Sacred Goddess Ceremony would begin with sequences of rituals to create sacred space. Then the participants would bring in their unique vibrations through chanting and speaking what each carry on their hearts. Next would be the sharing/teaching related to the ceremony’s intention. Then the rituals for releasing, transformation, healing, and empowering would be performed. Once completing the ceremony’s intention, the circle lovingly releases all unseen forces that came to assist the sacred work and support the safety of the container.

Below is brief description of common components and order of a Sacred Goddess Ceremony: Welcoming is the time for the women to settle in and cover any logistics.

Smudging and Centering The aura of each woman is bathed with either the smoke of burning herbs, the gentle spray of scented water, the vibration of bells or drums, or fanned with a leaf or flower. This ritual is a clearing and centering for everyone to be present in the moment.

The Prayer of Protection includes drawing down the Divine Golden light to surround the circle and create a vortex of protective energy to support Sacred work.

Invocation of Directions entails calling forth the supportive attributes and energies of the four directions and The Divine of the five points of the pentagram (East, South, West, North and Center/Spirit) into the circle. Performed to welcome, honor and acknowledge the valuable wisdom and powers of nature and the Divine unseen energies.

Introduction Ritual is to express an acknowledgment of one’s spirit aspect. Each woman states her name and lights a candle to bring their bright spirits into the circle.

Speak a version of the Charge of Goddess especially at the Eight Sabbats and Full Moon gatherings to remember what the Goddess/Divine Feminine asks of us, no more - no less.

Declare Intention for the gathering with a statement of focus and purpose.

A “Check-in” makes space for each woman to speak what is on her mind and heart. Consider this a dialog with Spirit/Goddess while the circle lovingly witnesses the conversation before them. The sharing can include concerns, worries, celebrations, etc., and then comes to completion with an affirmation or declaration.

Share Teachings of Her Stories this can be a poem, story telling, or a sharing of her mysteries aligned with the ceremony’s intention. This creates space to ponder, reflect and awaken the Goddess within. *Releasing Rituals allows for letting go of what no longer serves; shedding the old to make way for the new. Most releasing rituals would include using the power of an element while speaking what is ready to be released. Fire – flame for transmuting, Water - wash away, Air - call in winds of change, Earth – bury in the soil to transform. *Gratitude prayer is the acknowledgment of Spirit’s assistance to support looking deep within to discover inner truth.

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*Empowering Ritual invokes Divine Inspiration to fill up the space created from the release. This can be a meditation, constructing a symbol of one’s intention, fashioning a spell or declaration of an affirmation, etc. *Raising the Cone of Energy moves the energies of the ceremony around, then up and out of the circle; while releasing all concerns in a final prayer to the cosmos and Divine Source.

Opening the Circle releases all the unseen forces that joined the circle to assist in the Sacred Work. All are named and acknowledged for their presence and released with heartfelt gratitude. * Add prayers, chants, poems, and movement (spiral dance) as appropriate to keep energy moving.

Rev. April Lussier is Metaphysical Eco-feminist Wisewoman and UCM minister since 1996.

Rev. April’s esoteric spiritual practice also includes meditation, chanting/drumming, labyrinth journeys, walking meditations. In addition to her Sacred Ceremonial work Rev. April offers Spiritual Counseling, Hawaiian Sacred Touch, and VortexHealing®.

Ever-learning. Ever-unfolding.

Sacred Magic RevApril.com SacredMagic@intuitwebsites.com ® "VortexHealing" is a registered service mark of Ric Weinman. All rights reserved. Used here with permission.

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This article is about finding balance. It is about finding the delicate, and ever shifting, balance that unceasingly exists between the fundamental creative abilities inherent in the primal God and primal Goddess aspects.

Creative energies, aptly signified by the yin-yang symbol of duality in equilibrium, often regarded as the driving force that enables growth and continued evolution, are a kaleidoscopic mix of masculine and feminine energies, forever evolving within a dynamic dance of creative activity. For, as we honor and integrate the unique gifts offered by the divine masculine and feminine which encompass, yet transcends the traditional roles associated with men and women, female and male, we are assisting in creating an atmosphere of unity, equality and harmony within ourselves and our world.

Recently, after millennia of repressive patriarchy, there has been a welcome re-emergence of women's spirituality, an honoring of the divine feminine within creation. It was during the dark and tortuous Middle Ages that religious intolerance and persecution reached its zenith. Backed by the full authority of the church fathers, who, fearing wild nature as unruly, a realm whose laws clashed with ordered society, not only demonized Pan, the Greek fertility god, but denounced the wild, earthy, sensual half of the spiritual journey, as evil and wicked, tainted and inherently dangerous, a sure bet for a one way ticket to hell!

Myths and comparative mythologies, much exemplified by the masterful literary works of Joseph Campbell, in particular the seminal classic, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, help us to better grasp the obscure relevance of esoteric symbolism associated with humanities' rich cultural heritage, Jungian archetypes and shared collective consciousness. Moreover, prior to the Christian era, the gods were often envisaged as anthropomorphic beings that embodied a raw, ancient and primordial force, which from a shamanic perspective, were essentially vital to the well being of the tribe or village.

Therefore it becomes entirely plausible, that meaningful rituals closely linked to the rhythms of nature, would have been an integral element of both, hunter-gatherer and agrarian farming communities. In this article I purpose to focus on one specific area, namely, some of the roles associated with the elemental nature of the divine masculine.

Minister Steve Waites became a UCM Minster on Sept 10th 1997 and graduated with his Bachelor of Theology Degree during the UCM conference in 2004.

Steve graduated this year with his Master of Theology with UCM. Minister Waites is in the UCM Doctor of Divinity Program

In Celtic mythology, vegetative deities such as The Green Man, by enacting the timeless themes of death and resurrection, the ebb and flow of life, and the turning of the seasons, were seen as the primary source of fertility, both within the land and within the people who worked that land. Frequently found as decorative architectural ornaments and carvings in medieval European churches, the Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves, with branches or vines which may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of

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Cernunnos, typically regarded as a native northern European deity, was viewed as the guardian of knowledge, the consort to the Great Mother, and revered as the defender of all wild animals and forests.

Traditionally, the stag was honored as being one of the three oldest animals, the others being the blackbird and trout, which corresponded to the elements of Air and Water, respectively. Notably, among the Celts, the stag, not only symbolized the element Earth, but more importantly represented the most essential qualities of masculinity, such as courage, alertness and potency.

The Greek fertility god Pan, often depicted as a man with the horns, legs and tail of a goat, and with thick beard, snub nose and pointed ears, was the guardian of all wild creatures. As the Lord of the Wild, his unseen presence often aroused feelings of panic in travelers passing through remote, lonely places, for he was also the god of the mountain wildernesses and hunting. Pan, with his homeland in rustic Arcadia, was recognized as the god of fields, groves, and forests, credited with inventing the panpipes, as well as being the lover of nymphs, female woodland spirits who embodied the elemental forces of nature.

Arguably the Goat Foot God is shown at his most poignant, in Kenneth Grahame's enchanting children's classic, The Wind in the Willows. In the chapter entitled The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, we find Mole and Rat, out before dawn, searching along the river bank, for the baby Otter. Suddenly, as Rat recognizes that they have arrived at the place of his song dream, a holy place, Mole feels a great awe fall upon him, an awe that turns his muscles to water. With difficulty he turns to look at his friend and sees him at his side cowed, stricken, and trembling violently before the kindly demigod. He asks Rat in a whisper, if he is afraid. Rat, murmurs, his eyes shining with unutterable love, “Afraid! Of him? O, never, never! And yet and yet O, Mole, I am afraid!”

There appears to be some level of agreement on the last point, as one enthusiastic commentator observes and cautions:“The Forest Lord is the untamed one, fierce, loyal, gentle, honorable and terrible, all rolled up into a kind of divine madness bordering on the exquisite nectar of life itself. In its' raw form, the forces of nature send an exhilarating and sometimes overwhelming rush of power that sings in the blood, allowing admittance to the underworld gateway of unimaginable realms.”

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Turning now to the Americas, we find a correspondence to the divine masculine motif in Kokopelli, who was often invoked in rituals relating to marriage, child birth and agriculture. Images of this humped backed flute player with a basket strapped to his back, often portrayed as part fertility god, part pied piper and part trickster, in equal measure, can be found in petroglyphs (rock carvings), pictographs (rock paintings), kiva murals, ceramics and baskets at numerous sites stretching across the desert and mountainous areas of the southwestern United States.

Who were the Anasazi or Ancient Pueblo people? No one is really sure. By all indications they just seemed to vanish at some point in history, leaving archaeologists few clues to their intriguing lifestyle, beyond being portrayed primarily as scattered farming communities, growing corn, beans and squash in the Four Corners region of the Colorado Plateau.

Today Kokopelli is honored as one of the Hopi kachinas, but by some accounts he was an important deity in the ceremonial life of the Anasazi in the Pueblo Period, from approximately 700 AD, onwards.

The old gods, which to our modern way of thinking may be casually dismissed as the primitive and unruly anachronisms worshiped by our superstitious ancestors, are, in reality the essential embodiment of the primal forces of nature. Thus it would be true to say that they are not only an indispensable part of our heritage, they are the spirit within our genes, our repository of ancestral knowledge, and our portal to the very heart and soul of planet Earth.

By all accounts there is a profound yearning in our culture for the experience of community, collaboration and partnership, and to this end the spirits of nature want to work with us. They want us to take an active and conscious role in the healthy functioning of our planet. From this comes true healing, both personal and planetary. Ultimately, in our world of duality, we, the gods, goddesses and humanity are meant to be intimate partners, co-creators and equals in manifesting Heaven on Earth.

For those who would like to pursue these topics further, the following books are recommended: The Elements of Natural Magic ISBN-13: 978-1862040762

Marian Green

Elemental Nature of the Divine Masculine: continued

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This is a ceremony I wrote for a woman who has been healing the feminine aspects of herself. She was mentally, emotionally, and sexually abused as a child and had many issues with being a woman. After many years of healing work, she was ready to embrace the Goddess within. This was a weekend process and personal angels and Goddesses were chosen to assist in that process. I suggest you use this as a guideline and choose the angels and Goddesses that best fit your needs and energy. This is an example of ways we can use ritual and ceremony in a powerful and meaningful way.

For my client, lets call her “Jane”; this was a rite of passage.

Angel to assist Jane with ceremony and throughout the weekend Ariel: Ruler of the elements of Earth and Air, Nature, Pluto, and the Amethyst Purple Ray. Ariel is the elemental angel ruling the healing powers of earth and air and aids Raphael with curing bodily illness. Invoking Ariel can harness the soft, gentle healing energy of air (angelic light) and earth (Reiki). As the angel connected with Pluto, Ariel joins, through the medium of earth, the visible world of the air to the invisible underworld. This connection is multidimensional and can enhance your psychic development (3rd eye).

Goddess 1 Medusa:

African Snake Goddess – rage, outrage, frozen anger, disconnection from physical feelings and memories.

Meeting Medusa means cold anger is around you. It may mean that you meet a person who carries that cold spiteful anger, or it may mean that you yourself carry it. You may have cut a person out of your life or cut off a part of your memory, or a part of your true self. Sometimes it is necessary to cut off from others to defend ourselves. However, cutting off from yourself is something different, because in denying any part of yourself, you deny yourself power. Drawing Medusa may be an indication to work physically with your feelings, to dance out your anger or your outrage, to unfreeze it and release it from your head.

Releasing the Old Fire Ceremony World history and our own personal history have embedded subconscious messages; wisdom is punishable by death and to be fully empowered is to be life-threateningly vulnerable. By holding onto these personal and archetypal fears, we perpetuate and continue what men have started as these fears continue to lurk in the shadows of our subconscious, keeping us bound.

Resistance only magnifies pain, so I have kissed the darkness, embracing the fertility of night, blessing my pain and exploring the insights that it offers. When, through crisis, loss, or chaos, we rotate away from the light of our being, much like the earth rotates away from the sun at night, it's best to kiss the darkness as we fall under its shadow, open to our pain, and meet it in the depths of our wise hearts. Doing so ensures the dawn of a new day.

Feminine energy is deeply aware of and in tune with cycles. Crisis is best handled by the Sacred Feminine within us.

She, in her wisdom, knows that crisis is followed by rebirth. Trauma and transformation walk hand in hand. In joy, we are blessed, and through sorrow we are given the opportunity to become a blessing.

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Write old wounds and anything you are ready to release on paper.

Allow the Goddess Medusa to assist. She is an example of how paralyzing anger, rage and fear can be. Use her energy and strength to help you cut away that which is no longer needed, no longer in your highest and best good.

Burn the paper, releasing the energy of the words written on it.

Allow the violet flame of transformation to transmute it into healing energy for our Mother Earth to use at her will. Watch the smoke as it releases your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual bindings.

Feel the freedom and lightness, the gift of letting go. When the fire is out and the smoke has dissipated, take some deep breaths and fill yourself with the love and healing energy of the Goddess.

Goddess 2 Hygeia: Greek Goddess of Health with African Roots – Preventive health care; maintaining wellness; the need for vigilance in matters of health; physical pleasures.

Hygeia invites you to focus on your own health needs. Hygeia’s main message is “prevention is better than cure”. She also invites you to explore the link between mental and emotional states and physical afflictions. Celebrate being an incarnated spirit. Enjoy your body, cherish it, and care for it tenderly. Snakes, which have symbolized healing in many cultures because of their ability to shed their skin and emerge reborn in a new form, are Hygeia’s symbols.

Beware of those who seek to cramp your style and depress your spirit. Hygeia may awaken your interest in sex, and passionate encounters may be in the cards.

Cleansing (float flowers in a pool, stream, or lake) Allowing the healing waters of Mother Earth to cleanse and purify, walk through the water. Feel the water as it caresses your body, stripping away the old, unwanted energies and karma, to be reborn.

Use the Goddess Hygeia’s symbol of the snake to help you shed your old skin and be reborn anew.

Consecrating and Loving the Body as a Sacred Temple The body is a sacred temple. Consecrate the body by decorating it with henna body art or body paints. While applying the body art; ask the Goddess Hygeia to guild your hand and bless the body. You may want to say or sing loving thoughts.

The person whose body is being decorated is to open fully themselves up to and receive the Goddess and the loving energy.

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Goddess 3 Lilith: From the Jewish Talmud – Sex; freedom from domination; independence of mind and body; closeness to nature; moving on; the dark part of the moon’s cycle.

Although technically not a goddess, Lilith is an important female archetypal figure. She was Adam’s first wife, but refused to accept the inferior place in missionary-position sex with him and flew off to the Red Sea to liberate herself and engage in a very active sex life.

Choosing Lilith means contact with your sexuality and sensuality, even at the cost of complete upheaval of your life. Love affairs or unexpected meetings happen that completely take you by surprise. A longing to live a simpler life may make you take the initiative to leave complicated situations and move on. You may find that you are breaking your own rules in order to follow your heart. You may wish to reconnect with nature.

You determine for yourself your own path through life. Lilith also warns you to be alert to danger while traveling and to take any measures necessary to insure your safety.

Embracing the Goddess Within Ceremony Create a safe space with an Alter and set a Sacred Circle.

In addition to the normal Alter items there must also be a candle for each person and an offering of food (fruit, bread, etc.) in bite sized pieces.

Passing the Fire All participants enter the circle. Jane, wearing a ceremonial robe, enters the circle last and stands at the center with her left hand pointing to the earth and right hand and arm raised to the sky. Jane states: “I, Jane, am ready to embrace the Goddess within”.

Each person takes a candle from the Alter and stands in a circle. The first person lights her candle and says “my fire is lit”. She turns to her left and lights the next person’s candle and says “and I in turn light yours”… around the circle it goes until they reach Jane at the end.

They all join to light Jane’s candle as one – to ignite the fire within Jane.

Jane states: “My fire has been lit and I burn fiercely within”.

Initiation (meditation) Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a few slow, deep, relaxing breaths. With each exhalation, release any tension, concerns, or preoccupations letting them dissolve and disappear. Bring your total attention to this moment.

Imagine that you are walking on a path that is taking you into the countryside. It is a beautiful morning and you are walking at an easy yet purposeful pace, enjoying the sun and the breeze that is blowing across the fields.

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You come to a long, high wall that seems to surround some secret place. Directly in front of you there is a gate.

On the gate there is a notice that says “This is the Sanctuary of the Goddess.” You walk inside and your eyes are dazzled and delighted by vivid colors of beautiful flowers that dance before you in the breeze. This place is a paradise. Your nostrils are filled with delightful fragrances. You hear sweet birdsong in the branches above your head. Nearby, a gentle stream is flowing. Gratefully, you sit on its soft, mossy bank, feeling the yielding turf beneath your body. You pluck a luscious fruit from a nearby tree and take a bite. Its nectar like juices send your taste buds into rapture. Your skin glows with the golden light from the morning sun. You feel utterly content and at home.

After a while you get up and begin to walk through your sanctuary, feeling the springy earth beneath your feet, watching butterflies dance and weave through the shrubbery, listening to songbirds singing joyfully. You feel light, relaxed, and happy. You could stay here forever. It is so pleasurable and you feel so at ease, both with your surroundings and inside yourself.

You stroll onward and eventually come to a small lawn where you see two elegant, comfortable chairs facing each other. You sit down in one chair, close your eyes, and wait. You know that someone is coming to meet you.

Now you sense the presence of a radiant being, approaching from a distance. Your heart beats stronger with excited anticipation, and you feel a big “yes!” inside as this being comes closer. You can hear the rustle of robes as someone crosses the lawn, and the moment of silence as this person stops and settles gently into the chair that is facing you. Suddenly you realize: This is my Higher Self, who is going to initiate me into my own hidden powers.

This is the one I have been looking for. This is the mirror of my own magical self. This is the Goddess within.

Slowly you open your eyes and gaze at the being that faces you. Perhaps, in the beginning, you see no more than a shining light, a luminous glow – golden, silver or rainbow colored – but then, as your eyes become accustomed to the radiance, you begin to see the shape and form of this being. Take your time, allowing the image of your Higher Self, the Goddess within slowly to appear Let the details emerge gradually and naturally. This is your friend, your ally, the one who is going to help you learn the art of sensuality and sexual magic.

When the image has become fully clear, your Higher Self speaks to you. “I am here to help you through your initiation as the Goddess. Are you ready to meet your challenge of the four elements?”

You nod your head. Slowly, you both stand up and your Higher Self takes you by the hand, leading you through the garden to an open space between some trees. It is here that you will be tested, confronting the challenges of the four elements.

Fire – Your Higher Self makes a sudden gesture and immediately flames appear all around, growing to form a huge wall of fire in front of you. The heat feels so fierce that it almost burns your face. Your Higher Self declares: “Step into the fire and surrender to your inner fire, your passion. This is your initiation into courage.”

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You walk slowly toward the flames, facing the very real possibility that you are going to be burned alive. Then, impulsively, you leap into the flames and, as you do so, you feel an inner fire burst forth within you. Now there is only fire, within and without, purifying you, strengthening you, healing you. This fiery moment seems timeless, eternal, as if you have always been like this, a pure flame of being… Then, abruptly, you find that you have passed through the fire and your Higher Self is there to welcome you.

Air – Your Higher Self makes another gesture and you find yourself standing on a high mountain, on a tiny ledge above a deep abyss. Your Higher Self declares: “Jump through air and discover your inner spaciousness. This is your initiation into freedom.” You take a leap of faith, jumping into the unknown, springing from the ledge and falling headlong through the air. As you do so, you feel a great rush of wind through your body, as if your body is swiftly dissolving into air. You are falling, you are flying, and you are disappearing. You have never felt so expanded. This moment of dissolving into air seems to stretch into eternity… You are gently slowing down, as if held by the strings of a parachute, and you land safely on the earth. Your Higher Self is awaiting you.

Water – Again your Higher Self makes a gesture, and you see that the place on which you stand is surrounded by a wide, vast, fathomless ocean. Your Higher Self declares: “Dive into the ocean and discover formlessness. Flow and dissolve into the ocean of life. This is your initiation into love.” A huge wave rises up in front of you. You dive into it and are carried away into swirling, endlessly flowing waters that know no shores, no boundaries. As you relax, you feel your body begins to flow and dance with the underwater currents, as if you are becoming liquid, waters, formless. Never before have you felt so open, so willing to move and change, so in love with the endless flow of life. This moment, too, becomes timeless, eternal… Then you feel the soft touch of the earth beneath your feet, and immediately the waters recede. You are left standing at the mouth of a deep, dark cave. Your Higher Self is waiting for you.

Earth – Your Higher Self gestures towards the tunnel ahead and declares: “Sink into the earth. Let your body guide you to the very roots of life. This is your initiation into strength.” You walk into the moist, womb like tunnel, moving into total darkness, unable to see, guided only by your intuition. You can feel the tunnel getting narrower.

You can feel rich, dark earth closing in around you. As you do so, you feel your body getting heavy, dense, and earthlike. You and the earth are becoming one. You have returned to the earth, to the very soil of life itself. You rest in the eternal, primordial, womb like silence of the earth…

Suddenly as if waking from a dream, you feel a hand touch lightly on your forehead. You open your eyes to find that you are back in your sanctuary, sitting opposite your Higher Self, who smiles and says: “I salute your singlepointed desire to know yourself as the Goddess. Now, I give you this gift. This will be your talisman, your goodluck charm. It symbolized the invisible, universal intelligence that lies hidden in all things. Hold it whenever you need me, and I will be with you.” You Higher Self gives you the talisman, which you hold gratefully in your hands, feeling its potency, power, and light. Perhaps it is a certain kind of stone, crystal, charm, or piece of jewelry. Look at it closely. See what it is. Gently bring the talisman to your heart and allow it to sink into your chest, becoming part of you. Thank your Higher Self. Look silently into your Higher Self’s eyes for a moment.

Then both of you stand up and come together in a deep embrace. As you melt into this embrace, feel that you and your Higher Self, the Goddess within, are becoming one. Allow this mysterious union to happen. Now you know your Higher Self, the Goddess within, is no one else but you. Now you are fully empowered to go into the world as the Goddess, capable of gaining access the deepest, most creative powers of transformation to create success and harmony in your life.

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Slowly leave the garden, the sanctuary, and come back into your own world, this world, this room, taking a deep breath, stretching your body like a cat, opening your eyes when you are ready.

When you are ready, slowly, and with a sense of dignity and ceremony, stand in the center of your circle. The magical robe you wear is a token of your initiation into magic. With your left hand pointing to the earth and your right hand and arm raised to the sky declare three times: “I, Jane, am the Goddess!

Blessing (Eat slowly and deliberately savoring each moment with gratitude.)

Each person takes a piece of food from the Alter. Jane stands in front of the starting person. The starting person, holding the food in her hand, looks Jane in the eyes and gives her a blessing with the intention of the blessing being infused into the food. Feed the food to Jane, grounding the blessing into her body.

Jane, holding a piece of food in her hand looks that person in the eyes and says “may all your blessings for me also be returned to you” and feeds that person, and so on all the way around the circle.

Jane then offers a blessing/food to the Mother.

Jane: “I reclaim the power to honor my sexuality as the deepest source of my creative energy. I take back the right to use this sexual energy and to become a fully orgasmic human being, knowing this is my door to magic and the key to transforming my entire life. I use the light of the Goddess to create a brighter, more joyous reality right now.”

Anointing (start music) Anoint Jane’s body with Sacred Oil, use feathers to caress her body, touch and kiss her skin, use the element of Air to blow love to her, awakening more fully her sensuality as a woman and the Goddess within.

Dancing Goddess Using sensual music or tribal music, dance with the Goddess within. Calling the Goddess Lilith, bring her in through your base chakra, all the way to the crown chakra. Embrace your freedom, your power, your strength, your sensuality, your sexuality, your beauty, your fearlessness, etc. As the Goddess Lilith, connect to the feeling of being without boundaries or limitations, and the exhilarating sense of intimate possibilities, a sense of joyful oneness with the divine, a feeling of creative power…..

Share or write in your Journal if you so desire

Open the circle Goddesses were chosen from the “Goddess Card Pack, Discovering your Goddess Within” by Juni Parkhusrst.

The book “The Art of Sexual Magic” by Margo Anand was used to write a portion of the ceremony.

A helpful book for creating a safe and sacred circle is “Moon Spells” by Diane Ahlquist

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The following have completed the UCM requirements for their certifications: Healer Marilyn Maceri Licentiate Minister Lore Coufal Licentiate Minister Shelia Everett Licentiate Minister DiAnna Fortner Licentiate Minister Ronnie Grigsby Licentiate Minister Julie Hawkins Licentiate Minister Chris Kahl Licentiate Minister Elinor King Licentiate Minister Ross Ladouceur Licentiate Minister Cheryl Lewis Licentiate Minister Barbara Light-McKay Licentiate Minister Ellen Pearce Licentiate Minister Michael (Zeke) Zehner

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What is Spring?

Shall we say it is the time when life springs back into action???

As we become freed from the lethargy of winter, restlessness begins to itch. Can you feel the quickening of life energy, the awakening of the fertile energy of both body and mind?

If not, it is time to get out of the office, the house, your head, and go outside! Too many of us are losing touch with the Earth and her beautiful life cycles. Go dance on the beach barefoot, meditate by a tree in bud, or play in your garden.

Get thee back to nature, and your soul will drink in the nectar of new life and you will feel more connected, balanced and happier.

Even though one can feel the life through out the entire day each year when daytime either March 20�� or 21��.

energy of this wonderful blooming of season of spring, there is a zero point, a and night are in equal parts: usually

It is the balancing point where The term used for this magical equinox.

the rule of winter gives way to growth. transformational point is the vernal

The Vernal Equinox denotes the beginning of Aries. It is of the Cardinal mode and the element of fire.

Aries people are impulsive, open to change and new beginnings, instinctive, the soldier. Where angels fear to tread you will find an Aries with a bump on his head!

Click on the link below to get more information about the Equinox. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox If we compare this Earth/Sun cycle to the Moon phases, this would be equivalent to the waxing/first quarter Moon phase.

Both springtime and the first quarter moons are times of action!

So Springtime and Aries are both the embodiment of action! It is a time for decision making, of forging ahead and leaving old patterns behind.

It is a great time to do a ritual to break the bindings of the past and to empower self change.

Springtime is also a time that ushers in a reconnecting of all life. I think it is vital that we humans remember what our ancestor knew. If humans learn how to reenter the energy grid called the web of the living Gaia, balance will return at a faster pace, plants are our oldest ancestors.

So instead of giving you a ritual to do for self change, I would like to introduce you to Aura Energetics and how to talk to plants.

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Here is a meditation you may like to try.

Energetically talking to Plants:

by Elizabeth Barton Find a bush, plant or tree is in the process of blooming; a place where you can have quiet time.

Part one: ∙ Sit beside the plant ∙ Call in your Angels and Guides of the light for protection and guidance ∙ Optional: Cast a circle. (not necessary but recommended, the outcome tends to be better since the Elementals are invoked) ∙ See the Divine light of love emanate from the center of the God/dess’s sacred heart.

See a Divine cord of light and love. ∙ Let that cord flow down through all your ethereal chakras, down through the top of your head and your bodies 7 main chakras and out through your feet. ∙ See the cord go into the Earth and anchor in her center ∙ From the center of the Earth, form a cord of Earth energy. Bring that cord up through your feet, your 7 chakras, and out the top of your head, through your ethereal chakras, to the God/dess’s heart and have that cord anchor in the Sacred heart. ∙ See the two Energies that are now in you intertwine like two strands of DNA, ∙ See them spinning and expanding as they push through every cell of your body, clearing and cleansing. As your cells are cleaned a Divine light fills them bringing them into balance and health. ∙ The cords push all the energy that is not in your highest interest out of your body and auric layer into a violet flame where it is neutralized. ∙ After that is done, see a protective membrane cover the outside your auric layers so only energy of the highest light/good can enter.

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Part Two : ∙ Close your eyes and with your eyes closed look up at your third eye ∙ See the Divine light enter your body, spirit and soul with each breath you take. ∙ Slow deep breaths, in through the nose out through the mouth; around 12 or 13. ∙ Push your awareness to the edge of your aura ∙ Ask your guides to ask the plant if it would alright for you to talk to her on an energetic level ∙ If the answer is yes, continue ∙ Gently let the edge of your aura touch the plants aura. ∙ What does it feel like? ∙ Do you see colors? ∙ Do you see images? ∙ Ask the plant questions. See how you pick up the response. Some people hear a voice, or receive images, or like me I get a printed answer like a stock market ticker tape to start with, then I get images and color/song vibrations ∙ Ask the plant if human can use her fallen leaves for medicine. Some plants are in love and tell you what part to use and for what ailments.

Other plants are not as receptive to humans. ∙ Or if it feels safe, and with your guides okay, let the plant do an exploration into you ∙ Plants are not used to humans thinking of them as beings so please be gentle and keep the first session to ten minutes. The more frequently you do this the more information you will get. ∙ Plants are like people, they gossip. All the plants in the yard will be watching and learning. Your garden will never be the same!

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Part three ∙ Find out what the plant likes in the way of food and what time of day is best to feed her. ∙ After you AND the plant are in a safe place to end the energetic conversation do so. Before you end the connection, thank the plant for permitting your energy to mix with hers. ∙ Bring in the Divine light on both of you. ∙ Ask your Angels to protect, clear, balance, and ground both you and the plant, gently release your auras ∙ Breath yourself back ∙ Wiggle your body to your toes ∙ Open your eyes and look at the plant. There will be a shift in your perception. The world will never look the same after you do this exercise. ∙ Go get some food for the plant and give it to her during the time she told she likes to be feed.

Optimum time to do this is at dawn and twilight on the solstices, equinoxes and cross quarters.

If you would like an Astrology Consultation or are interested in my workshops, retreats or Metaphysical healers course, please call or email me.

I have three spots left for my May 6-8 retreat. info@elizabethabarton.com www.elizabethabarton.com (650) 572-8850 Peace to all!

Elizabeth A. Barton Professional Astrologer and Energy Worker.

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Say What! Did My Zodiac Sign Just Change?

By Kala Ambrose A recent article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune went viral after reporting that because of the earth wobbling on its axis and the moon's gravitational pull, all signs of the zodiac are off by roughly a month. According to the article, the ancient Babylonians originally had 13 constellations and later changed them to 12, throwing out Ophiuchus, who is known as the Snake Holder.

The article quoted Minneapolis astronomer and board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, Parke Kunkle as saying: "There is no physical connection between constellations and personality traits, said Kunkle, who teaches astronomy at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. "Sure, we can connect harvest to the stars" he said. "But personality? No�.

There was no report on whether Kunkle has ever studied astrology or conducted any research in this field.

Call in Chicken Little, the sky is falling! Or is it?

Astrology has three main branches which are Chinese astrology, Indian-Vedic astrology and Western astrology.

The Mayans and Aztecs both also have a form of astrology, though it is not as widely used as the other three.

History records its first form with the ancient Babylonians and it was considered part of astronomy by the Babylonians. Astrology has been used to counsel Kings and Queens and other rulers for thousands of years in Egypt, Greece, India, China, and Europe including with Queen Elizabeth 1 and her famous astrologist John Dee. Astrology has also been prominent in the U.S. with world leaders, including former President Ronald Reagan who consulted with Joan Quigley while he was in the White House. Not just for political leaders, CEO's and prominent entrepreneurs have sought the counsel of astrologers, including business mogul J.P. Morgan, who is quoted as saying, ' Anyone can be a millionaire, but to become a billionaire, you need an astrologer'.

Let's get down to the heart of the matter and find out how this confusion actually occurred with the current misconception about the zodiac and astrology. Why with all this mis-communication, you would think there is a Mercury Retrograde.

I spoke with Marguerite Manning, an author and professional astrologer.

Marguerite's book, Cosmic Karma: Understanding Your Contract with the Universe, teaches how to study your birth chart in the same way ancient astronomers believed it should be studied - as an universal birth map of your soul's chosen energies for this lifetime.

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Did My Zod ia

c Sign Just

Change?

Kala: Marguerite, thanks for speaking with me here about this recent report on the astrological signs changing dates and shifting into 13 zodiac signs. What gives here?

Can thousands of years of astrology and astrologists around the world be wrong?

Marguerite: Absolutely not Kala, and trust me when I tell you this report is not breaking news to astrologers. In fact, every few years some kind of report comes out to let the world know that the stars “don’t line up anymore” and while I cannot speak for all my fellow stargazers, here’s my take on it: As every astrologer will tell you, due to the Precession Of the Equinox, (which is the name for the gradual backward motion of the outer visible Universe caused by the earth’s “wobble” on its axis) the Sun’s position in the zodiac doesn’t match up to the constellations anymore the way it used to 3,000 years ago when Draconis was our pole star. This means that these days on the first day of Spring, March 21st, the Sun is NOT actually at 00 degrees Aries as it used to be on that date but is actually 24 degrees farther back on the ecliptic about 5 degrees Pisces. Now sidereal astrologers are the astrologers who measure planets against the stars as they are located on the ecliptic today. Tropical astrologers, like me, measure planetary positions against where the stars use to be on ecliptic, using the seasons instead of the stars as their guidelines. Now believe it or not, even though Tropical astrology is the most common form of astrology, both types of astrologers swear by their systems. However, after years of experimenting with both, the Tropical system is the one I “swear by” and that is because from my perspective, as a karmic astrologer, there is a reason the planets do NOT line up with the stars anymore, a reason that the very principles of my book, Cosmic Karma, were based on.

The same reason that helped me derive the breakthrough astrological formula for finding the soul’s past in the birth chart: You see I believe we wobble on our axis because the constellations in the outer visible Universe are no longer supposed to reflect the here and now. And while 3000 years ago that is exactly what they did, I believe that because each one of our souls, like the Universe itself, is evolving, those fixed stars in the constellations now have a different purpose in the natal sky. They are NOT reflecting who we are here to BECOME today (as they use to). They are actually up there reflecting who our soul actually IS as a result of all our previous yesterdays. In other words, those stars are now illuminating the very specific and evolved individuals we are here to physically BE in this lifetime.

Therefore, and from that perspective, our sun sign doesn’t reflect the energies of what we are here in this life to learn, it reflects what we have already “aced” in our last lives and now have at our disposal to use here in this one ...good, bad or fattening. So based on that important principle, (and here it is)....I‘m convinced the constellations do not line up to our calendar anymore because the energies they reflect do not represent today, they represent the past, “Our soul’s calendar”. Furthermore, based on that principle, the sign placement of every natal planet does the same and represents our soul’s past with that planet‘s energy. For example, our Mars sign (our physical past), our Pluto sign (our past experiences with power), etc. On the other astrological hand, however, the house placement of each natal planet (it’s mathematical relationship to the earth at the time of birth) does represent today because it represents the specific areas of life where our soul promised to use those energies (skills, experience and influence) in this lifetime. In short, today’s human agenda. Again, we always have free choice so whether we choose to use the positive or the negative energies of our Sun sign, Mars sign or Pluto sign, etc., is totally and completely up to us -and of course, the energies we were born under. So the good news is we are all exactly who we thought we were before we heard the latest headlines. Unfortunately, for some of us, that may also be the not-so-good news.

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hange?

C t s u J n ig S c Did My Zodia Kala: Who is Ophiuchus, the snake holder and was he ever "in" and why is he "out"? Many people are now discussing the calendar which revolves around 13 moons and why do not we have a 13th zodiac sign?

Marguerite: Again, Kala, Ophiuchus, like the Precession of the Equinox, is not “breaking news” to any astrologer I know. In fact Ophiuchus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the second-century astronomer Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. Located around the celestial equator, its name is Greek for 'serpent-bearer', and it is commonly represented as a man grasping the snake that is represented by the constellation it borders, Serpens.

For the astrological record, and despite the “breaking headlines” today, this constellation was NEVER considered to be part of the zodiac belt because when the zodiac was first invented by the Babylonians 3000 years ago, the Sun did not pass through this sign at all and only moved through the twelve constellations which we still refer to as the zodiac. However, due to the Precession of the Equinox and the slight backward shift of the stars, the Sun does now pass through Ophiuchus for about 17 days each December (from November 30th through December 17th). Astrologers were always aware of this occurrence yet based on a 1930 constellation boundaries report, only a few 20th century sidereal astrologers considered the sun to actually be in the “sign of Ophiuchus” when it did. Tropical astrologers, on the other hand (as well as most sidereal astrologers), have never recognized Ophiuchus as a legitimate zodiac sign.

Kala: Five years ago, a similar report had sprung up and people were in a panic over the news. Back then in 2006 on the Explore Your Spirit Show, I covered these same questions with a panel of astrologers on my show to explain the confusion. Why does this same conflict continue to arise and why do you think so many people are so quick to jump on the bandwagon and believe one small report versus thousands of years of astrology?

Marguerite: You know Kala, from the beginning of time there have always been people who were unwilling to recognize astrology as a legitimate science and I am afraid there, always will be. I think much of that has to do with the darker status it acquired when the church separated it from the science of astronomy and denounced it as an “occult practice”. Since then it has never really regained the status of “science” or even “metaphysical science” it deserves. The Babylonians are generally credited with the birth of astrology (1645 B.C.). Their astrological charts enabled them to predict the recurrence of seasons and certain celestial events. So, as we mentioned earlier, in the beginning and for more than 2000 years, astrology and astronomy were the same science. Babylonian astrology was introduced to the Greeks early in the 4th century B.C. and, through the studies of Plato, Aristotle and other respected men of science, astrology came to be highly regarded as a science. Not much later, it was embraced by the Romans (whose names for the zodiacal signs are the ones still used today) followed by the Arabs and later spread throughout the entire world. By the time of Francis Bacon and the scientific revolution, astrology and astronomy began to diverge and while astronomy remained a central science, astrology was increasingly positioned as an occult practice or superstition by the religious powers that be who then forced this belief on natural scientists. This decline accelerated through the 18th and 19th centuries and it’s only lately, in the last 30 years, that astrology is starting to be recognized as a scientific practice again. Therefore, one of my proudest moments was discovering that my publisher, Worldwide, had categorized my book to be sold in the “Self Help/Spiritual” section of each book store rather than the “Occult” section.

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Did My Zodiac Sign Just Change? continued Kala: Astrology in the past was under the field of astronomy. Now astronomers discount the field. In the 21st century, there is great hope that Science and Spirituality will begin to work together to find answers for the many mysteries of the universe. This report struck me as a pie in the face to astrologers. Is there a future where scientists will work with professional astrologers?

Marguerite: I really hope so, Kala because until we do, I believe science in general and astronomy in particular is missing a big chunk of the Universal puzzle. A chunk that was not missing years ago because, as you mentioned, unlike our astronomers today, the ancient astronomers practiced astronomy and astrology as one comprehensive science because, while they knew our existence on this planet was designed to be depressingly physical, after years spent doing the medieval math, they were equally convinced that the universe we inhabited was more than just one-dimensional. Most people would think: “in their primitive world, how could they know?“ As far as I am concerned, in their line of work, how could they not? As professional astronomers they not only studied the heavens to discover how celestial objects moved and the universe worked as a whole; as equally professional astrologers (a job that was in many ways more difficult and in every way more mathematical) they analyzed those findings to determine how those movements affected all of us down below, “All of us” meaning our minds, bodies, and souls. In fact, therefore (and despite the political correctness and religious pressures of their time-and there were many) these seasoned sky watchers were among the first to adopt the principle that ours was a multi-leveled universe made up of nothing but well-ordered energy. Talk about impressive! To their way of thinking, mental energy vibrated on the intellectual level; body energy vibrated on the physical level; and the eternal part of anything, or the “soul,” vibrated on yet another level. A level, incidentally, that today’s “hard” scientists still refuse to acknowledge as being a scientific one---the spiritual level. And while we all know that just about every scientist today embraces the concept that all energy is connected, these very best minds of yesterday were the first, and often the only, officially to acknowledge all the levels in our particular time space continuum, that were necessary actually to connect it. They had no choice. To them, an universe could only be “divine” if it was available to all energy on all levels. If ours was a divine universe (which they decided it was based on the way they determined it functioned) then it had to be available to the mind, body and soul of everything that vibrated to it and, therefore, existed in it. A category, by the way that included us, all of us. Therefore, it had to be an universe in which mental, physical and spiritual energy flowed continuously, harmoniously and circularly---a universe where the physical science of astronomy included the spiritual reality of astrology. It was that simple because to them it was just science. But here’s the amazing part, according to the Universal Laws of Divine Order, that concept still is.

But, while this kind of thinking puts them clearly ahead of their own time, it’s not what (in my opinion) puts them ahead of ours. This does: in their professional opinion, in this particular universe, all that well-ordered energy was divine, and (wait for it) one of the levels it operated on was spiritual. I am convinced that is how they were able to glean so much information about our solar system and this Universe that to this day, still stands up. And when you think of the limited tools and technology they had at their disposal, that is nothing short of incredible. Besides, if spirit is the highest intellectual dimension, as many believe it is, would not the wonderful world of science in general and the field of astronomy in particular be better off if this overlooked dimension were invited to the cosmic party? Would not it be a more interesting party? At the very least, would not it be a more stimulating one?

I think so.

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Did My Zodiac Sign Just Change?

Kala: Thank you Marguerite. Dear readers, I now turn the question to you and ask, "Is this a sign of the times?" What does it say about the fate of humanity when one astronomer's opinion of astrology has the power to go viral and upset so many people? This perhaps is the most concerning point of all. Share your thoughts on this matter.

Want to hear more from Marguerite? She was my guest on the Explore Your Spirit show. Listen to my interview with her from the Show Archives.

*****************************************************************

More about Kala Ambrose: Kala Ambrose is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thoughtprovoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics.

Kala's book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala Ambrose is a highly interactive teacher on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire. She lectures on the Ancient Wisdom Teachings of Egypt and the Mystery Schools, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, In Service To Humanity 1908 - Present

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A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book

By Ceislwr Serith I was recently sent an advertisement which included information about A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book that has just been published. I am always looking for rituals and prayers to use and to share. I ordered the book, and it came in the mail just the other day. To be honest I have not finished reading this book however I am enjoying its energy and it fits well in my hand. This is probably not what you expect to find written in a book review, but, the subject also fits so well into the theme of this issue of our magazine, Rituals From Around the Globe, I wanted to let all of you know about the wonderful ritual prayer book.

There are more than 700 prayers for petitions or inspiring invocations for a number of "blessed" and everyday life events. There is a section on the requisites of ritual and how to use ceremony and prayer to create change in your life and in the world. Included are the high holidays of the pagan Wheel of the Year such as Beltane and Samhain to healings, death, and calls for mercy and justice. There are tools to honor both the sacred and mundane in our daily lives.

I am discovering even more information in the back of the book with the Appendix which includes an Index of Offerings, a Glossary of Deities, and General References.

I am enjoying this book, and also plan to read his previous books as I am finding the information enlightening.

Ceisiwr Serith is the author of The Pagan Family, Deep Ancestors, and the bestselling A Book of Pagan Prayer.

A pagan for over thirty years, he has presented workshops at numerous pagan festivals and delivered papers at Celtic conferences at UCLA, Berkeley, and Harvard. He is the Grove Organizer for Nemous Ognios, a protogrove of the druidic organization Ar nDrafocht Fein. His website is www.cerisiwrserith.com .

Book Review by Reverend Sandy Clark

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Sage is Wonderful to Use: Many Light Workers and people involved in spiritual practices use white sage as a form of clearing or cleansing a space from which to work from. I use white sage myself almost everyday! For those of you not familiar with white sage, it is a dried herb that is either used in loose leaf form or bundled with string. To clear negative energies, the dried sage is lit, burned, and then blown out, to create a steady stream of smoke. The smoke produced is said to clean out negativity and drive away the bad spirits. The smoke is waved through the air in circular waves with a bowl or shell to catch any burning embers that may fall. It has been passed along from Native American traditions and is used today quite frequently.

Dried white sage may get expensive to purchase, but it lasts a long time and is very effective in neutralizing any negative spots in your aura or around the environment.

A little sage goes a very long way. But how does it really work? I have clients ask me, how does the smoke from a dried leaf really drive away evil spirits or negative energies? The answer is: “I don’t really know�, but I akin it to aromatherapy. Good smells like roses, lavender and lemon drive away stinky smells. So could it be that the smell of white sage smoke can help drive away the stinky energies too? Also many intrinsic chemical properties in items on a physical level will have the same affect on the energetic levels. Kind of like lemons are naturally refreshing, the use the essence of lemons will also freshen the air. Drinking lemon water, juice or adding lemons to any diet, cleanses the blood too. The use of lemons works on the physical level: the body and in the air. I also have used real lemon essence oil in sprays to clear energies, and I have found it to work also great.

Sage intrinsically on a chemical level acts as an anti-inflammatory and as a deodorizing agent. When burned, it emits negative ions in the air which neutralizes negative vibrations that we feel physically and emotionally. Apart from how it works, just use it, to experience for yourself; if it works or not will be up to you to decide. Sage has a very strong pungent smell, so sometimes I will spray the outer leaves with my favorite essential oils and allow it to dry before burning. Caution: depending on where the sage was grown, if burned the smell may have some resemblance to it, smelling like someone is smoking pot, so be careful to keep your surrounding areas aerated properly.

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When Should You Use Sage?

1. Use Sage when your energies feel depleted.

2. When unwelcome visitors have overstayed their “welcome” {physical and spiritual guests} 3. During Spring Cleaning 4. Burn Sage around the perimeter of your home or apartment surroundings after you have recently

moved-in

5. When purchasing objects from a thrift store or auction, burn sage around the object to get rid of old emotions whether it be good or bad emotions. {Foreign energies are best neutralized}.

6. Burn sage around the interior of your home anytime you feel the need to cleanse 7. If you are a person that has a lot of stress from work and must cope with lot of people throughout the day. I definitely recommend burning the sage smoke around your aura at least once every other day or so. Just wave the smoking sage around your body once or twice. Don’t make it a big deal; let the sage do the work for you.

I love to sage; I have found it very useful. A friend of mine, Scott had terrible itching all over his body every night. It was so bad; it would wake him up in the middle of the night. There were really no medical explanations for it from his doctors and they wanted to prescribe expensive medications to see if it would work. But they didn’t know what would work.

He had no allergies. After speaking with his spiritual guidance, they suggested that he sage his aura, to get rid of other peoples’ thoughts and emotions that had contaminated his energy field. He didn’t believe sage to be truly helpful, but had nothing to lose, so he started burning the sage and cleaning his aura twice a day. He smudged with sage once in the morning and once in the evening before going to bed. After about a month of this, the itchiness eventually faded away.

I mean who really knows what was going’ on there! I mean I don’t understand it myself and neither did he, but it worked and he didn’t have to suffer an useless medical bill from the doctors prescribing useless medicines. It has been well over 5 months since the itchiness started and it has not returned. He smudges his aura with sage regularly about once a week as a part of his own maintenance Of course I cannot offer medical advice, but I wanted to share an experience a friend of mine had that was very practical and real! Maybe you too will find Sage to be useful in your life.

Blessings!

Shamalah-Allah

Shamalah-Allah was born in San Francisco from hard working, middle-class parents and was raised in a Catholic traditional household. She went on to study counseling and sociology at UCLA, but felt a bigger calling. It was during her college years that Shamalah-Allah realized her psychic and intuitive gifts.

Shamalah-Allah works as a professional Clairvoyant-Medium and Healer. She receives and delivers messages from Angels, Ancestor Spirits, Spirit Guides, Nature Spirits, Deceased Relatives and more… This is effective with issues involving romance, internal spiritual growth and family relations. Other talents include dream interpretation, forecasting, past-life readings, energy healings, karma and animal communication. Currently Shamalah-Allah is enrolled as a ministerial student at the UCM Spiritualist Church located in San Jose, Ca. Contact Info: Phone# (650) 719-0097 Cell# (415) 261-0786 E-mail: shamalah@shamalah.com Webpage: www.shamalah.com In Service To Humanity 1908 - Present

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Ritual of Releasing and Grieving.

By Sonya Lach I wrote the story below so I will never forget the amazing events that transpired this week. I share this with you, as I believe you will appreciate it.

Monday, Feb. 21 was the last day my dad was fully conscious and could acknowledge people with nods of his head. He first went into hospice the previous Monday, Feb. 14. I sat on the bed with him first thing in the morning and told him his father had come to me a couple weeks ago and asked for permission to take him. (I had never met my father’s father – he died of a massive heart attack when my father was a teenager.) I told my dad I didn’t realize he had been so close to dying at that point. I said to my grandfather, “No. He’s still going through radiation treatments and dialysis. He’s not ready to go yet.” My grandfather gave me a look, like I was being silly and disappeared.

I told my dad he now had my permission and he was free to go. I reminded him that his sister and nephew were flying in that night and it would be great if he could hang on to see them, but if he needed to go before that, it was okay. I told him not to be afraid, that he would see my mother and other family and friends, and that he would still be with me – he just wouldn’t have a body. He cried and wiped some tears from his eyes, but he was unable to speak.

Later that night, while a friend was visiting with us, I sat on the bed with my dad again and squeezed his hand. I thought he might be sleeping or unconscious, so I asked him if he could hear me. I think it must have taken all his strength, but he managed to lift my hand up to his lips and kiss my hand. I know he was thanking me for taking care of him all this time. I will never forget that tender moment as long as I live.

Aunt Cheryl and Michael’s plane was delayed a hour due to snow and ice. They arrived around midnight, and I decided to bring them straight to the hospice instead of going back to the house. I knew my dad was fading fast, and I wanted to be sure they had the opportunity to talk to him while he still had some awareness and could interact with them, however minimally.

As soon as we walked in the room and called out hello to my dad, he raised his arms as if he wanted to hug his sister and nephew. He mumbled something inaudible which we figured meant “hello, nice to see you, thanks for coming.” I’m glad we stopped in, because the following day my dad had very little awareness.

We sat with my dad all day Tuesday. It was very difficult to sit and watch him slowly fade away. I believe he could hear us talking and understand what we were saying, but he gave no obvious signs. We left the hospice at 9:30 P.M. figuring we would return in the morning. The nurse said she would call me if she saw any changes in his condition.

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Ritual of Releasing and Grieving: continued

Over the next hour, I kept hearing in my mind, “They’re going to call you; they’re going to call you.” Sure enough, around 11:00 PM, the nurse called me and said his breaths were about 15 seconds apart and she didn’t think he’d make it through the night. I awakened Aunt Cheryl and Michael, and we drove back down to the hospice. It was a little before midnight when we arrived.

Earlier in the day, the Spirit had told me his kidneys were shutting down. The CNA emptied the catheter bag, and it remained empty the rest of the evening. There was still no urine in the bag at midnight. I knew his kidneys had completely shut down. I tuned in to him, and the Spirit told me his liver had also shut down. I could tell by watching his labored breathing that all that was functioning was the autonomic systems of the body – he was in a coma.

I knew he would pass away in the 1 o’clock hour. A little after midnight, I felt a spiritual presence enter the room. I received a vision of covered wagons making their way across the Old West to settle in the new frontier. My father’s guide, who apparently was someone he knew from that era in America’s history, had come to help him cross over.

The energy in heavy, and at one shadow come down darken the room for few moments later I and he immediately ground as if he had shooting him into dad’s consciousness

the room felt very point I saw a gray over my eyes and just a brief instant. A saw my dad’s face pushed up off the rockets under his feet the air. I knew my had left his body.

At one point, I saw my mother’s face come flying at me like a flash. Her bodiless face hovered in front of me for a moment. She said, “Thank you for taking such good care of him,” and disappeared.

I sat in the lounge chair next to my dad, while my aunt lay on the pullout mattress/chair in the corner.

We both dozed off, and we both awoke at the exact same instant when we realized my dad had just taken his last labored breath. It was 1:20 A.M. The heaviness I had felt in the room earlier was gone. I immediately pushed the nurse call button. She entered promptly and confirmed that he had passed away by checking for a pulse.

My aunt and I were so glad my dad’s suffering was finally over. I’m relieved that he’s free of his pain. He has a new life ahead of him, and so do I.

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I am Metatron, an angel of the higher energies. If you are reading this, you are a Light Worker of this most exciting era on Earth. It is now that you are reminded of the duty you signed on for, so to speak.

There is much fear being bandied about during this era. Increase your confidence in the light and a fun and exciting peace will grow around the world.

Norma Hughes To her own surprise, Norma began channeling in 1985.

She has spent a lifetime as a stage actress and is a long time member of the Center for Creative Living UCM #801.

She enjoys doing readings and healings. Her channeled works have been published in Tam Mossman’s Metaphysical Journal (editor of the Seth books), Spirit Speaks magazine and The Sedona Journal.

As a practical Light Worker some of you may be a trifle rusty but even a small amount of practice, will get you up to speed. Each time you fill yourself with light (we suggest you do so on a daily basis) and each time you send light and/or channel light to another person, another grouping, or another area of Earth, you increase your ability to hold and send light.

When you channel light to others it is not necessary for you to determine what the outcome shall be. The reality is that all is light and as you increase this amazing ability within yourself, the intention of loving and affection creates the peace and goodness you seek. The answers do not necessarily follow your logic but rather the magnificence of the All. If you so wish, all of you are perfectly capable of speaking with Metatron or with your individual Guides and Angels. We send you light in order to brighten your lives.

We send you love.

Metatron.

Metatron Since before early Egypt, Archangel Metatron has been entitled the “Angel of God’s Presence”.

Some attributes in the name of the incarnate man Enoch to this energy. The Archangel Metatron (throughout history there have been numerous spellings) has also been named as the sacred keeper of the Akashic Records and the perpetrator of math and sacred geometry. I once questioned the fact that some people channe,l that Angels incarnate and yet others channel that they do not….and which is it? My guides said Angels are so blessed that they can encompass all explanations……so there you are. For further information an excellent reference is “Metatron”

by Rose Vanden Eynden (it fell on my foot in a bookstore).

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About the Cover Fractal Art by Minister Steve Waites Minister Steve Waites has been studding fractal geometry for years; in fact his thesis for his Master of Theology Degree at UCM was aptly “The Study of Fractals�.

What a wonderful blessing when he offered us the use of his artistic fractal designs for this issue of the UCM Magazine. You may enjoy the myriad designs throughout this issue. Now in Steve’s words information on fractals.

First let me explain what a fractal is. In simple terms a fractal is an object that can be said to have an element of self similarity; which is something that seems to occur in the natural world on a regular basis. Think veins in a leaf and the structure of a river system, for instance. To go one stage further we could infer that mathematics is now able to give us a tiny glimpse or window into the world of the divine, for it is said that the god/goddess/all-that-is exists in some small degree in all creation.

The most famous fractal so far discovered in the late 1970's was the Mandelbrot, named after Benoit Mandelbrot while he was experimenting with a new form of computer science at IBM In describing the Mandelbrot set. Arthur C Clark comments that the image of this fractal can be magnified until it has a size larger than that of the known universe and has been cataloged as the first truly authentic infinite object to be discovered in recorded history!

Further, in an apparent paradox, this complex object can be rendered by use of extremely simple math functions, consisting of just addition and multiplication, done millions and millions of times, which of course is task that computers do very well!

The other amazing observation found in fractal studies

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Coming Events: Summer 2011 Theme.

We are welcoming articles about Spiritual Protection and Tools to Uplift You After a Trauma. Those of you who would like to contribute a particular ritual, experience or idea sacred to your particular spiritual practice, please send in your article of 800-1000 words with your bio and a picture or pictures, sent separately to staff@u-c-m.org.

Cover Art We encourage budding artists to send in pictures that they would like to see highlighted on our cover or inside the magazine. Please submit your photographs or art in a digital format and a brief bio and picture to staff@u-c-m.org.

Future Issue Deadlines for Articles and Ads. Issue Summer 2011 Fall 2011 Winter 2012 Spring 2012 Summer 2012

Deadline Publication 06/01/11 07/01/11 09/01/11 10/01/11 12/01/11 01/01/12 03/01/12 04/01/12 06/01/12 07/01/12

Add Copy ¼ page add$ 25.00 ½ page add$ 50.00 ¾ page add$ 75.00 Full page adds $100.00 Contact staff@u-c-m.org or rev.angeladebry@u-c-m.org.

Our UCM Online www.twitter.com www.facebook.com http://ucmblog.wordpress.com www.bayareametaphysics.com www.selfgrowth.com www.u-c-m.org

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UCM 2011 Annual Meeting & Conference May 14th and May 15th Sponsored by CCL

Theme of the Event “PEACE – THE NEW NORMAL” PROGRAM Saturday May 14�� 9:30- 10:30 Registration for conference - Coffee and breakfast snacks Lectures start: Calling the Four Corners 10:00 – 10:45 Peace….Through Spirituality/Religion 11:00 - 11.45 Peace….Through Social Justice/Government 12:00 12:45 Peace….Through Abundance 1:00 1:45 Peace….Through Music and Art Lunch Break SILENT AUCTION OPENS 3:00 5:30 6:30 7:30 8:00

Annual Meeting Shopping, healings, readings, silent auction, etc.

Dinner Silent Auction closes Karaoke

Sunday May 15�� 10:00 CCL Church service with trustees, etc.

12:00 Brunch 1:00 Drum Circle – Drumming for Peace throughout the 2:00 Close of Conference

World!

Conference is open to the Public sponsored by and held at the Center for Creative Living 1460 Koll Circle #C San Jose, California 95131 For additional information or to register please contact Staff@u-c-m.org or safedoti@aol.com Watch for pricing information speakers on our UCM blog.

Go to www.u-c-m.org and click on Read Our Blog Tab! In Service To Humanity 1908 - Present

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Universal Church of the Master believes that each person must find and travel his or her own path to the Light, and that no single set of fixed rules is applicable to everyone in their spiritual quest.

We offer several paths to a personal ministry including an accredited Graduate and Undergraduate Theology Degree Program.

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