#spiritual ceremonies

[shamanflavio]

Intimate House Concerts: Music and Healing Together

As a shaman, I have observed an increase in being hired for living room events—not just for music, but for healing ceremonies, blessings, and guided spiritual experiences. These gatherings offer a unique opportunity to create intimate, transformative

Living room concerts, also known as house concerts, have surged in popularity, blending music, community, and personal connection. As a shaman, I have also observed an increase in being hired for living room events—not just for music, but for healing ceremonies, blessings, and guided spiritual experiences. These gatherings offer a unique opportunity to create intimate, transformative environments…

[srisrisriddd]

Worship - See Video for Japan Tea ceremony

Gurus disciples devotees What are you doing? Worshipping teapot! Instead of drinking tea!!! - Dr Devang H Dattani

Good Morning

See Video For Japanese tea ceremony

Quote / Poem / Poetry / Quotes Of 

Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri

Doctor Devang H Dattani

Infinite SriSriSri DDD

Posted By TheBlissCity DDD Team

See The Media Photo Video For

Quoteoftheday

God Morning

#guru , #worship , #bliss , #TheBlissCity , #philosophy , #mindfulness , #DrDevangHDattani , #nature , #awareness , #InfiniteSriSriSriDDD , #quotes , #life , #art , #zen , #awakening , #quote , #spirituality , #photography , #Video , #meditation , #psychology , #poem , #poetry , #motivation , #inspiration , #quoteoftheday , #love , #words , #thoughts , #joy , #pun , #enlightenment , #health , #mental health , #consciousness , #good , #god , #life , #thoughts , #nirvana , #tantra , #yoga , #disciples , #devotees , #teapot , #gurus , #drinking , #tea , #doing , #photooftheday , #kettle , #teapot , #video , #tea , #japanese, #tea ceremony , #tea cup , #aesthetics

[imaginal-ai]

"Hierophant" (0005)

(More of The Hierophant Series)

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[sankofaspirit]

[maeviuslynn]

It was such a delight to preview and blurb Lon Milo DuQuette's new book: " The Tarot Architect: How to Become the Master Builder of Your Spiritual Temple."

I just simply would not be where I am today with Lon Milo DuQuette. I think a lot of people can say the same thing. When I was asked to blurb his book his book I was so surprised and over the moon.

This book is a gem and preorders for it are open!

[sictransitgloriamvndi]

[yoga-onion]

Friday the 13th, the perfect day for a tea party

Fridays the 13th is not a bad omen. It is the perfect day for especially the psychics to have a tea party. Have a fun laughter with some friends. Remember, it’s tea not alcoholic drink. 

13日の金曜日はお茶会にうってつけの日

皆さま、13日の金曜日は縁起の悪い日ではありません。特にサイキックの人たちにとっては、お茶話会を開くのにはベストな日なのです。お友達を招いて、笑いやお喋りで、楽しく盛り上がりましょう！お酒は禁物です、お茶です。

[bonefall]

BB Brief: The 9 Lives System

Quickie thing to answer asks with. How does the 9 Lives system work in BB?

BASICS, PULSARS

At its simplest, when the previous leader dies, the deputy makes a pilgrimage to the Moonplace (Stone or Pool) and receives 9 entire lives from Starclan. Yes, NINE. The 10th, the one you started with, remains in the afterlife.

This is called your "Pulsar," a concept somewhat like a "soul." The difference is that only cats in the Clan Afterlife System get Pulsars, where all cats have souls. A leader's 9 deaths will slowly fill in that very faint pulsar, until their final death combines them with it.

Most Clan cats simply die and their soul immediately becomes a full, solid pulsar upon reaching the Afterlife. But this is about Leaders.

Until the MODERN ERA (BB!TBC, the "current day" in BB) the previous leader HAD to be dead before the deputy could receive a life.

Pinestar and Brokenstar were not dead, ergo, Sunstar and Nightstar could not receive their lives.

No lives until the previous leader is dead and their pulsar is filled. ALIVE? NO LIVES!

The Clan cats are currently, as we speak, inventing a ritual to strip an ousted leader of their lives without killing them. "Alive? No Lives!" was a rigid rule for most of Clan history, but will soon have an exception if the ritual is performed.

Lives can be for any reason the Patron sees fit, but most of them are wishes or advice on how they hope the new leader rules.

LIVES COME FROM CATS YOU HAVE A CONNECTION TO. You will never receive a life from a spirit you do not recognize, or are unfamiliar with. (Elder Bones doesn't do pointless fanservicey cameos in this house)

Only 9 and no more. No, you cannot "replenish" lives or get extras.

LIFE DENIAL AND THE DARK FOREST

You do not get a 9-life guaruntee. It's uncommon, but if you don't have enough cats who want to see you rule for a long time, you won't get all 9. Because of this, leaders are encouraged to keep the details of their ceremony secret.

StarClan may also choose to "delay" lives. Blackstar was only given one life freely, the rest he earned over many years of repeated pilgrimages and trials as penance for his role in TigerClan.

It was unprecedented for Tigerstar to be outright and utterly rejected by StarClan when he went to receive his own. Instead, he went to the Dark Forest to recieve lives, both from demons and rebellious angels. And a surprise.

You can receive a mix of Dark Forest and StarClan lives, but StarClan will almost certainly damn you for taking forbidden lives.

There are extreme situations where there may not be enough ancestors to give the full set-- Spiderstar of SkyClan only received 3 due to a terrible rat problem.

Cats outside of the Clan cat afterlife cannot bestow lives, as they only have a normal soul, not a pulsar.

A leader's pulsar can be sent to the Dark Forest while they're still alive. This results in nightmares and dreams of the Place of no Stars.

MIRACLES

StarClan's power is directly tied to its collective emotion. It's known best for its devastating fury with lightning-strike smites and covering the moon with clouds, but they can also perform acts of great love or sorrow.

One example of that was the resurrection of tigerHeartstar, after seeing her father announce to the heavens that his daughter is his deputy before plunging into the Moonpool with her body. As his lives drowned away, sinking further and further, StarClan was so inspired that it restarted the dead deputy's heart, using Rowanstar's last life to do so.

The flip side to this is that it is very possible for a life donor to give you a curse instead of a gift... though, it's almost unheard of, and most certainly only something that comes from the Dark Forest...

[occultboyscout]

i fucking love science man

i really do

i love occultism too

and people really be trying to take all the wonder out of it

out of both

let people marvel man

let people be overwhelmed by beauty and mystery

fuck let people indulge in apophenia

as a treat

put science back in philosophy and philosophy back in magic and magic back in science

livedeliciouslyblackphilipmeme.jpeg

[twilekchiss]

"My job - the sole reason for my existence - is to defend the Chiss Ascendancy and protect my people. I will do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal, and I will allow nothing and no one to stand in my way. Do you understand?"

- Thrawn to Qilori, Lesser Evil, Chapter 10

I think Thrawn takes the Odo Ceremony very seriously.

No, really. Like, of course he does. Of course he feels the weight of the knowledge of Starflash. Its implications, its history. Patriarch Thomoro and her sons.

But I think the Odo Ceremony is what really cements the above quote into his soul. I think he feels that if Patriarch Thomoro could sacrifice her four sons to protect the Chiss Ascendancy, and was given the Odo appellation for it, Thrawn himself could do no less.

He would sacrifice anything. His career. His friends. Family. His morals.

His soul.

Everything he has, he would give for the Ascendancy's safety. And he does. He gives his service to the Empire. He sells his soul to the Devil for the power to protect his people. He stands by and looks away as the Empire commits atrocities on scales he has never seen before because it gives him what he needs.

And he does it because he's the only one who can. He can take on those burdens, that weight of memories and regrets, because he's strong enough to bear it. Because he will do what is necessary, stain his own hands with unwashable blood, to keep his people safe.

[saganssorcery]

It's the final day of Navaratri, a 10 day, or 9 night, Hindu festival celebrating the 9 forms of the Goddess Durga. ✨Jai Durga Maa✨

Today though I figured I would post each of these forms here in one big post that celebrates each of her forms and victories over the past 10 days. I hope you enjoy.

Keep in mind there are many different traditions and versions of these myths, and I am not a Hindu, so your own research is always advised.

✨Shailputri✨

✨Om Devi Shailaputryai Namah✨

The first day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Shailaputri, considered the absolute form of mother nature.

The colour of the day is yellow and she connects us to the root chakra, the foundation of Shakti.

She teaches patience, strength and grounding, keeping us firm in our beliefs. Meditating on her here represents the beginning stage of the journey to awakening, the first chakra activated when working with Kundalini. It is also said that the worship of Shailaputri on this day will ward off ill effects of the moon.

Her story goes as follows: Sati, also known as the daughter of the mountain, against her father's wishes becomes the wife of Lord Shiva. Not agreeing with Satis choice of partner, her father arranges a great party in which he invites all the gods, goddesses and holy men, everyone except Shiva and Sati. Upset and angry at this insult Sati crashes the party then throws herself into a fire, killing herself, later incarning as Parvati.

✨Brahmacharini✨

✨Om Braam Breem Broom Brahmcharinyai Namah✨

The second day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Brahmacharini.

The colour of the day is green and she connects us to the Sacral Chakra.

She teaches perseverance, devotion, peace of mind, love and harmony. Meditating on her this day is said to bring the devotee victory in all their endeavors and the ability to persevere and stay balanced mentally in order to tackle any obstacles or duties that one faces.

Her story goes as follows: After Sati's death, Shiva goes into deep meditation that lasts for many many years, abstaining from all desires. Shiva, so deep in meditation, doesn't realise that Sati has reincarnated as Parvati. Parvati, wanting to marry Shiva once again in this life, is told that the only way she can marry him is if she undergoes a severe penance. Parvati then spends thousands of years in meditation, eventually eating, drinking and breathing nothing in devotion to Lord Shiva, in the hopes that he notices her and recognises her once more.

✨Chandraghanta✨

✨Om Hreem Kleem Shreem Chandraghantayai Namah✨

The third day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Chandraghanta.

The colour of the day is grey and she connects us to the Solar Plexus.

She teaches justice, discipline, strength and power. Worship of her on this day is said to remove all evil spirits and obstacles, dispel sorrow and negativity and bring peace, grace and serenity to her devotees. She will also bless her devotees with a warrior spirit imbued with courage and might, so, like Chandraghanta, we are always confident and ready to fight for our own and others well-being.

Her story goes as follows: When Shiva is finally brought out of meditation and notices Parvati, he is happy with her devotion to him and agrees to marry her again. On the day of the wedding Shiva appears in his terrifying form, shocking and scaring the wedding guests. In response, and to ease the minds of the wedding guests, Parvati also changes herself into her terrifying form, Chandraghanta, and the two are wed.

✨Kushmanda✨

✨Om Hreem Kushmandayai Jagatprasootyai Namah✨

The fourth day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Kushmanda, considered the creator of the universe.

The colour of the day is orange and she connects us to the Heart Chakra.

She teaches purification, clarity and creative energy. Worship of her on this day is said to remove planetary flaws and imbalances, purifies the darkness from bad actions or karmas, removes evil or negative energy, brings in good energy and a positive aura, sheds light on our path, promotes business which brings about success and opportunities, boosts creativity and concentration, builds harmonious relationships with others, and promotes good physical, mental and spiritual health.

Her story goes as follows: When the universe didn't yet exist and all was darkness, Kushmanda created the universe with her smile, filling the universe with light. She is believed to reside in the centre of the sun and embodies the source of all life. She created all the other gods, who go on to create other universes, beings and life forms.

✨Skandamata✨

✨Om Hreem Saha Skandmatryai Namah✨

The fifth day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Skandamata, the mother of Skanda (also commonly known as Kartikeya), the commander-in-chief of the gods.

The colour of the day is white and she connects us to the Throat Chakra.

When we connect to Skandamata by proxy we also connect to Skanda, receiving both of their blessings.

Skandamata teaches us to nurture and protect children, have purity of intent and find ways to grow our knowledge. Worship of her on this day is said to promote fertility, prosperity, courage and wisdom. She blesses her devotees with a clear mind and a feeling of tranquility, she can pacify the heart and bring a life filled with contentment, prosperity and achievement for those with pure and selfless intentions, bringing many rewards. She will protect her devotees with a mothers love, giving them strength and power. It's also said that she can lead her devotees down the path of salvation, liberating them from the cycles of birth and death.

Her story goes as follows: When Shiva detached himself from all worldly affairs and went into deep meditation after the death of Sati, the demon Tarakasura was given a boon which only allowed the son of Shiva to kill him, and as such was free to wreak havoc. Parvati, after her severe penance was able to marry Shiva, and together they created an incredibly hot and fiery seed. Agni, the god of fire, was tasked with delivering the seed but the seed was far to hot. So Durga takes the form of water and carries the seed to a lake where Skanda is born. Skanda then goes on to become the commander-in-chief of the gods and fulfils his destiny, killing the demon Tarakasura.

✨Katyayani✨

✨Om Hreem Shreem Katyayanyai Namah✨

The sixth day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Katyayani.

The colour of the day is red and she connects us to the Third Eye.

She teaches strength, protection and solutions to issues of love and marriage. Worship of Katyayani on this day is said to bring protection, remove evil spirits, triumph over obstacles, promote success and fame, bring love to those seeking, lead the way to a happy marriage, resolve problems in marriages and protect families. It is also said she will remove the negative powers of aspects in her devotees natal charts, as well as protect from malific planetary transits, remove sins and struggles that one faces, facilitating all round happiness and fulfilment.

Her story goes as follows: The trinity of the gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, among other gods, were so angry that the demon Mahishasura was wreaking havoc that their anger combined created Katyayani. They each gave her weapons and powers and tasked Katyayani to kill the demon. On her way to do this, Mahishasura was so captivated by her beauty he asked her to marry him, but Katyayani told him that she can only be won in a fight. Mahishasura, determined to win Katyayani's hand in marriage, changed into his bull form ready to fight, Katyayani on the other hand, jumped from her mount with such force she knocked him to the ground, killing him.

✨Kaalratri✨

✨Om Aim Hreem Shreem Kaalratryai Namah✨

The seventh day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Kaalratri, also known as Kali.

The colour of the day is royal blue and she connects us to the Crown Chakra.

Kaalratri is commonly known as the fiercest form of Durga, her mere image invokes fear in all those who do evil, she displays no mercy for the wicked. She teaches how to be bold, powerful and destroy ignorance and replace it with knowledge. Worship of her on this day is said to remove black magick and malevolent spirits of all kinds, they flee in terror when she is present. She removes fears, negativity and obstacles giving us the power to be bold, courageous and successful. She destroys ignorance and blesses her devotees with knowledge, wealth, power and good health. It is also said she will remove negative aspects in her devotees natal charts that relate to career, troubles with success or aspects that indicate health issues.

Her story goes as follows: The demon Raktabeej had a doon where every drop of blood would spawn yet another version of him, infuriating Parvati. As a result of her anger, Parvati changed into her Kaalratri form, turning her as dark as the night. Filled with rage she slaughters each of the forms of Raktabeej, collecting his blood in a bowl, and drinking it to stop him from multiplying. She did this until only the real Raktabeej was left, whereupon she chopped off his head and drank his blood until he was no more.

✨Mahagauri✨

✨Om Hreem Shreem Glaum Gam Gauri Geem Namah✨

The eighth day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Mahagauri.

The colour of the day is pink and she connects us to the Soul Star chakra, located just above the Crown Chakra.

Mahagauri teaches compassion, morality, and emotional stability. Worship of her on this day is said to remove impurities, dispel confusion, bring peace, facilitate compassion, lead the way to enlightenment, expand spiritual growth and fulfill desires. She blesses her devotees with a peaceful life, home and family, bringing a good partner to those who are seeking and bless marriages. She will also remove obstacles, negativity and the sins of her devotees, lead to self realisation and promote virtue and emotional stability.

Her story goes as follows: Parvati, after her battles as Kaalratri, was stuck looking as dark as the night, to regain her original form she was told to bathe in the river Ganges. Doing as recommended, she re-emerges from the river more beautiful than ever, as the glowing form of Mahagauri.

✨Siddhidatri✨

✨Om Hreem Shri Siddhidatri Durgaaye Namaha✨

The ninth day of Navaratri celebrates Durga as Siddhidatri, the supreme goddess.

The colour of the day is purple and she connects us to the Universal Chakra, located above the Soul Star Chakra above the Crown.

She teaches divine knowledge, spiritual attainment and bestows all manner of siddhis (powers) to her devotees. Worship of her on this day is said to help one focus on higher attainment in all pursuits, whether those pursuits are physical or spiritual. She grants boons to mortals and spirits alike fulfilling the desires of her devotees. She promotes a mediative mindset, brings peace and helps one with devotional practices that take perseverance. She will even remove obstacles and fears, facilitate balance and perfection in all things, and bring success.

Her story goes as follows: When the universe was void and there was nothing at all to behold, a celestial light spread amongst the universe filling every part of the void. This light started to take shape into the form of Mahashakti. She brought into existence the trinity of gods; Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Trinity of gods were then assigned their roles and obligations by the goddess. They then sat in meditation for a very long time performing many atonements, pleased with this the goddess appeared to them in her most divine form, Siddhidatri. She granted each of the Trinity all manner of siddhis, also gifting the trinity with their three wives, who all represent divine aspects of herself; Brahma with Saraswati, Vishnu with Lakshmi, and Shiva with Parvati, who are to help them with their tasks. She then goes on to create other deities, demons, universes, galaxies, worlds and life, and grants all manner of siddhis to anyone who dedicates their devotion to her.

✨Durga✨

✨Om Dum Durgayei Namaha✨

The tenth day of Navaratri celebrates all of Durga's victories over the past nine nights. Jai Durga Maa!

It is a tradition in some parts to commemorate the weapons and tools that brought Durga victory and triumph over all she faced, and too, pay homage to our own weapons, magickal or otherwise, and tools of trade that bring us victory in our own lives.

©️Sagans Sorcery 🔥🖋️

---

I have been posting each of her forms for each day during the festival on my Facebook page: facebook.com/SaganOakes

When I don't post on here I'm always posting there if you want to check it out 💙☄️

Thank you so much for reading ✨🙏✨ Much love.

While this article and the very last image I have used is written and created by myself @saganssorcery, the rest of the images I have found on the web. If you are the original creator(s) and wish for me to remove an image please send me a DM and I will remove it as soon as I see the message. Thank you 💙☄️

[science-lings]

I love that Phoenix is so father figure coded in the main trilogy with Pearl. Like the official art where she's napping on his thigh or being held up by him to put up Christmas tree ornaments, and the whole vibe of him bringing her along to crime scenes, and in the stage play where she gets scared and freezes in place so he just picks her up like a stack of firewood. Even from the second game when he's only like 25 he's been irrefutably dad-shaped. It should've been the least surprising thing to happen when AJ first came out that Phoenix had become a dad. That's been an important part of his personality, he probably was born to be a girldad more than an attorney.

anyway it's also really funny to think about him lowkey adopting the half-sister of the woman who tried to kill him and her twin sister who tricked him into thinking that she was his girlfriend.

[imaginal-ai]

"Hierophant" (0006)

(More of The Hierophant Series)

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[sororalice]

On The Blessedness Of Severity

A homily for the New Moon on December 30, 2024.

Dearly Beloved,

Blessed New Moon, my dear siblings! And such a perfect, Saturnine New Moon it is to end the year, with both the Sun and the Moon in Capricorn. We are at the end of one Moon cycle and the beginning of another, just as we are at the end of one year and the beginning of another, and unfortunately many of us are only looking forward to harder times. The world we are looking at as the new year begins seems to always be becoming harsher and more difficult. A shadow is falling over the newly reborn Sun and, as usual, the most vulnerable among us will be hit the hardest. I feel a weight upon my heart every time I look out upon our world.

Because of this weight upon my heart, I am moved to speak this month of a topic with which many among among us are very uncomfortable. I am moved to speak of the cutting edge of the blade, the setting of boundaries, and the ending of relationships.

I am moved to speak of severity.

As I mentioned, tonight the Sun and Moon are both in the sign of Capricorn. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet that is classically associated with limitation and restriction. Within Saturn and its associated deity Kronus, we see a myriad of overlapping and nested magickal and spiritual formulae, but they all come down to one thing: sometimes you have to cut. Kronus is usually depicted with a sickle, scythe, or harpē (a type of curved, sickle-like sword), and in His most well-known myth, Kronus deposes His father Ouranos—primordial god of the heavens—by castrating Him with his sickle, and through this act Kronus inaugurates the age of His rule as king of the gods…the Golden Age.

In his “Theogony”, Hesiod tells us that the father of Kronus, Ouranos, was evil. Literally evil.

“And he used to hide them (his three sons, the Hekatoncheires) all away in a secret place of Earth so soon as each was born, and would not suffer them to come up into the light: and Heaven (Ouranos) rejoiced in his evil doing.” -Hesiod, “Theogony”, (730-700 BCE), Translated by Evelyn-White, H. G. Loeb, parentheticals added by me for clarity

So Hesiod tells us that Ouranos rejoiced in locking His sons, each of which had a hundred arms and fifty heads, away in the Underworld. He hid them in the darkest, deepest place that exists and never let them out. Ever. He “would not suffer them to come up into the light”. He imprisoned His own children in the dark forever because they were born different. And He rejoiced in it.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Kronus was the youngest of the Titans, according to Hesiod, and He was the one who listened to the plan of Gaia (Earth), His mother. Gaia created the element of flint within Herself and shaped that flint into a sickle. She took that sickle and gave it to Her son Kronus and bade Him to punish His father. And so Kronus laid in wait, ambushed His father, and castrated Him, becoming king of the gods.

As is, this just seems like a typical tale of the young overtaking and replacing the old. If the myth stopped here there wouldn’t be much to learn on a spiritual level. It would just be a tale of a power struggle among the powerful…one such drama among millions. But this story surprises us. After the requisite bloodshed and changing of the guard among the deities, something truly miraculous happens.

From this act of rebellion, this act of punishment for the wrongs committed by Ouranos, a myriad of new divinities are brought into being: the Erinyes (Furies), the whole race of giants, the Meliae (tree nymphs), and my goddess and matron, the divine and blessed Aphrodite, who is described by Hesiod as being both “awful and lovely”.

And the reign of Kronus, arising out of this terrible violence against His king and kin, turns out to be the fabled Golden Age of the Earth, where humans did not labor, when there was no rich or poor, and all lived in comfort and plenty.

All of this from the blood of a divine tyrant mixed with the soil of the Earth, blessed Gaia. All of these new divinities, new powers in the world, were born from a single act of rebellion by a son who saw the wrongs committed by His father and then said “No more.”

And so Kronus became known among humans as the god of endings, of limitations, of discipline, and of severity. But because His severity led to a Golden Age Kronus was also a patron of the harvest, as the name of the Ancient Greek harvest festival “Kronia” attests.

So what can we learn from this myth? What meaning can we find in this story of fathers, sons, and the rage of a mother whose children were being abused? The formula of Saturn is hidden in this story, ready to be discovered by the wise. What is it?

The sickle is the key. We must ask ourselves this: “Why a sickle, specifically? Why not a sword or knife, far more common weapons?”

The answer is that the sickle ends up being both the weapon of rebellion against an abusive ruler and the tool of a farmer bringing in the harvest. Sickles have been used in many peasant revolts by the same farmers that had been using them to harvest grain a week before. The sickle is simultaneously that which cuts off, that which brings things the life of the plant to an end, and that which brings growth and bounty to the world by turning that death into new life. The sickle is a symbol of the principle of severity, of discipline, of the need to make the hard choice and do something painful in order to bring about a better future, but it is also a symbol of new beginnings and new life.

Sometimes in our lives we will need the sickle of Kronus. The 20 year heavy drinker who must painfully throw away the bottle to save his own life, his marriage, and his relationship with his children. The frightened wife who must end her marriage before the violence turns upon the children. The trans woman who, after living a hollow, painful life for decades, must let her old, false self die as her new, true self is born. All of these are examples of the sickle of Cronus. All of these are examples of what can be gained through the right kind of severity in the right place.

But there is a thorn on the rose, a worm in the apple…of we wield it improperly, it is all too easy for the sickle to turn onto us. Kronus came to love violence and power too much for the Golden Age to continue. He ate His children, out of fear they would depose Him as He deposed His father, and finally Rhea—again a goddess who had to act to end the abuse and tyranny of Her partner—gave birth to Zeus in secret and sent Him off to be raised by others. The details differ based on the teller of the myth, but the results are always the same: Zeus comes to maturity and deposes Kronus and the other Titans. The Olympians come to power and Mount Olympus becomes their base of operations. But there is a price.

There is always a price.

When Kronus deposed Ouranos, He brought about a Golden Age…but He didn’t end the atrocities of His royal father. He didn’t free His powerful siblings, the hundred-armed Hecatoncheires. He didn’t free the giants (literally an entire race of people). He kept the wild and raw forces of nature locked in Tartarus and went about His business. This was the sickle again, the severity of Kronus saying “No”, as is His formula. But that choice comes to haunt Him as His own son comes to make war upon Him with His monstrous aunts and uncles at His side. The wild forces of nature are joined to the power and wisdom of Zeus and the combination defeats the forces of limitation and severity. Suddenly progress is possible, but it is still through the formula of Saturn, for it is through the ending of the god of endings. The sickle has again given birth to new life through the power of death, and as Kronus is imprisoned in Tartarus with His own prisoners, the irony lays thick on Mt. Olympus like smoke.

But the price is the end of the Golden Age. Humanity comes to live as it does now, toiling for food and shelter and making war upon each other for territory and power. The Olympians have to hold the hostile Titans and giants—the old deities and the raw forces of nature—at bay, as Gaia gives birth to monsters like Typhon to take revenge for the fate of the Titans. The cycle of severity, of people being forced to make the hard choices and live with the hard consequences, continues. Saturn always returns, every 30 years or so, for all of us. The sickle always comes to end the past cycle and simultaneously give birth to the new. This is the cycle of existence. This is the way things work.

So I ask this, dear siblings, where in your life do you need to wield the sickle? What way of being, what belief or habit or practice, has come to its natural end? What relationship or occupation has become abusive or toxic? What cycle has come to its end? What tyrant needs to deposed by the power of Saturn?

It is said by some that Dionysus will succeed Zeus as Zeus succeeded Kronus and Kronus succeeded Ouranos. That the mysteries of the the death and rebirth of Dionysus, His divine intoxication, His revels and wanderings in many lands, are a new formula that will define the world for a time as the rule of the Olympians has defined our age. Perhaps this is true. Perhaps when He comes with His divine madness, we will no longer need the sickle of Saturn.

But this time is not yet. In our world we need the sickle of Saturn, we need severity, we need to be ready to make hard choices and stick to them. Again and again in my writings, I repeat that I believe in a naturalized theology. I believe that nature is our surest indicator of the nature and will of the Divine and this gospel, the gospel of nature, is what I teach and preach to anyone who will listen. So it is fair to ask me where we see the sickle of Saturn, this cycle of severity, of endings and death leading to new life, in nature. My reply is simply this:

Ask the dinosaurs. They died and it made room for us, for our world. Our civilization is literally built on the energy we get out of burning the remains of the corpses of ancient dinosaurs, plants, and even some early mammals. Ask the trees that we cut down to build and heat our homes, the plants that we cultivate and then kill to feed our children, and the animals that end up on our plates. Everywhere we look, we see the sickle of Saturn at work. Our world is built upon it. Life feeds on death as death feeds on life, in a neverending spiral emanating from, and eventually returning to, the Divine.

So look to your lives, in this most Saturnian moment. Look to the world around you. Where are the tyrants that need to be deposed? Where are the ages that need to come to an end? Where do you need the power of the sickle?

Where do you need the power of severity?

Blessed New Moon, dear siblings.

In love,

Soror Alice

Art: Paul Rubens, “Saturn”, (1636)

[yearningforunity]

Pocomania ceremony. Kingston, Jamaica. 1957

Photo: Herbert List

[knoxvillerose-blog]

How to get started with Kabbalah/Qabalah

As someone who has been student of Kabbalah/Qabalah for most of my life, I thought I would offer some basic suggestions to get your journey started. First, it's a very difficult discipline, no matter where you start, because the teachings are so expansive, all the way from the ancient Merkava Mysticism at the time of the Prophets to the Rosicrucian retelling of this ancient tradition from a more Christian perspective, to a more universal approach now being shared by a variety of religious adherents using the Tree of Life.

If you are Jewish to begin with, then obviously starting with the more traditional works could work very well if you are active in your religion and it's teachings, but for those of us with the Western mindset, the best way to introduce yourself is from a more hermetic perspective.

More specifically, start with the symbol, the Tree of Life.

For the hermeticist, one of the foundational works is 'The Mystical Qabalah' by Dion Fortune, which is jam packed with information, both practical & mystical, but it may be a bit too much for some, because of the amount of information and because of her rather dry writing style. One of the easiest and most accessible works on the Tree of Life I have seen was originally a Barnes & Noble release by WIll Parfitt. Not sure how easy it is to find but it's great for beginners.

If you can't afford a book than start with each of the spheres of the Tree of Life - study each one for about a week with simple searches online. What do various teachers say about Malkuth? Chesed?

If you are an aspiring Ceremonial Magician, 'Modern Magick' by Kraig is still one I recommend, because it's so straightfoward and accessible. It blends the teachings of the Qabalah with the CM tradition ala Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and other organizations like it.

As for the foundational origins of the Tree of Life, if you're a true geek than you must pick up a copy of the 'Sefer Yetzirah' as edited by Aryeh Kaplan. Of all the ancient Hebrew texts on the topic of Kabbalah, this one is one of the most mystical and understandable. It has references to astrology as well, and the oldest extant copies of the texts almost always have magical notes associated. It was designed to create a golem, but as one will see, if you read it, it goes far deeper into the mystical universe than a simple magical operation.

The Tree of Life especially is like a filing cabinet (Dion Fortune analogy) for spiritual concepts and each sphere represents a divine 'arena' of experience. As you learn the basic correspondences of each sphere, and start studying the Tree of Life more broadly, you begin developing deeper spiritual connections between each divine aspect of the Tree. There is Astrology & Tarot associations as well as elemental associations, so if you're a student from either one of those disciplines, that can be very helpful in getting started.

I am going to start offering classes again on this topic and others related to the Kabbalah/Qabalah soon! Below are just a few more images and books that were helpful in my initial training.