Full Moon in Libra (Sun in Aries)
March 29, 2010 @ 10:25pm EDT
The Aries-Libra axis is about balancing self and other. Aries is ME and Libra is ME AND YOU. In Aries, we fight for our cause with the ferocity of the mother bear. In Libra we wrestle with the great balancing act between OUR needs and the needs of our partner. Libra is not so much about Aries action, as it is about diplomacy and evenhandedness. Aries is the warrior and Libra is the peacemaker.
Libra shows us every duality that exists on this planet: self/other, masculine/feminine, war/peace, dark/light, good/evil, and on and on and on. You know the drill. Our job is to find the midpoint - that alchemical sweet spot between the two extremes - and stop the darn pendulum from swinging so wide and low.
The answers don't seem easy or even accessible to us these days. One thing is certain, however: as mentioned above, compassion (going into the heart NOT the mind and its need to be right) is a big part of the answer. Another part is the ability to pull back and see the big picture, and to observe what is going on without getting sucked into one side or the other. But, above all, conscious awareness of our Oneness - our inter-connectedness - is essential in order to end the suffering created by unconscious duality.
Think about this on a personal level. If you are a liberal, how do you feel when the conservatives start hatin' on Obama? If you are a conservative, how do you feel when Obama passes legislation that goes against everything you hold dear with every fiber of your being? Do you instantly react with flaring anger and a desire to retaliate? I am playing with the idea of remaining NEUTRAL as much as possible. Think Switzerland.
Libra & The Weighing of the Heart
Compassion is the Philosopher's Stone
Can we create a container from the rubble of our polarized mis-creations? Can we build a sturdy structure that will hold both extremes as well as room to balance the scales?
Have you ever heard of the Scales of Maat, a goddess of the Egyptian pantheon? According to this archetypal myth, the solution to our polarity problem is as fragile as a feather and rests within the open, light heart. The scales are balanced through a high spiritual ritual where "the consciousness of your heart is weighed against a feather." (P.S. Maat's feather was an ostrich plume.)
"The Ancient Egyptians believed that when you died, you travelled to the Hall of the Dead. There Anubis (the Egyptian version of Pluto) weighed your heart against the feather of Ma'at. Ma'at, the goddess of justice sits on top of the scales to make sure that the weighing is carried out properly. Anubis steadies the scales to make the weighing fair. If your heart was lighter than the feather, you lived forever. We still talk of "a heart as light as a feather" to mean care-free, and "heavy-hearted" to mean sad. Thoth, god of wisom and writing, stands by to record what happens." http://tinyurl.com/cb33nl
That sweet spot of resolution between the extremes is as soft as a feather - the sensitive and wise heart that doesn't condemn either side, but instead feels compassion for suffering humanity in both corners of the ring:
"Genuine compassion is based on the recognition that others have the right to happiness just like yourself, and therefore even your enemy is a human being with the same wish for happiness as you, and the same right to happiness as you. A sense of concern developed on this basis is what we call compassion; it extends to everyone, irrespective of whether the person's attitude toward you is hostile or friendly." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Ok, so it seems easier said than done. Under this full moon we might begin to see some options that perhaps we hadn't seen before.
Oh and btw: the whole ostrich feather thing indicates that the midpoint/solution also involves taking our collective head out of the sand. *ahem*
Libra is the expert at finding a compromise. Libra is the compassionate peacemaking judge. Think of Solomon and the mothers arguing over the baby. Solomon knew that the answer was in the heart. Libras - lead the way.
P.S. while doing the Libra dance, let's not forget that self is a part of the package. I.e. self-compassion is just as vital as compassion for others.
How Might an Astronology Consult Help You?
Some thoughts from those who have had one
You might be asking: How might an Astronology Consult help me? An Astronology Consult contains at its core the use of Shamanic Astrology. Shamanic Astrology is a powerful system based in ancient wisdom through which we use the blueprint of the moment of birth to gaze into the Soul's Intent for this lifetime.
If you are feeling disoriented lately with all the upheavals going on, an Astronology Consult can offer guidance and can even be an initiation of sorts into a more conscious living of Your True Life. What are you REALLY here to do? What will give your life meaning, purpose and joy? Can you do what you love and actually be prosperous? An Astronology Consult can inform this process and can also help to accelerate your leading edge of evolution.
Here are some thoughts from those who have had an Astronology Consult:
I don't have words to describe the clarity, depth, wisdom, healing, inspiration, fun, freedom, and joy I am experiencing from the space you provided. Your energy comes through and it's not only a session of words, but one of profound energetic healing. I could feel the cells of my body celebrating. - L.F.
Fabulous! So helpful and right-on. Just what i needed to move forward. (The info about) the Yod was very informative; and you helped me to see how my Venus-Mars conjunction works in a better way than ever before. Will listen again and again to set my plans moving forward. - M.B.S.
Carol - MANY thanks for the wonderful (session) yesterday! I feel as though it was the beginning of the most important time of my life on this planet - the memories jiggled loose will continue to blaze. - T.S.
I really do believe that what you do is catalyzing the much needed boost to help all of us really go for it and live as divine souls. I can only imagine what this world would be like if each of us had the opportunity to live our evolutionary edge! (Doing healing work with (the clients I referred to you) has really allowed me to go for it with them ... almost like you unplugged some junk so they can easier embrace this thing we call evolution! Many of the people I spoke with experienced the same clearing, cleansing feeling as I did. A couple of people in particular told me that they broke through some stuff with you and then were able to go (very) deep on the table.- L.F.
(The consult) was very inspirational to me! You are very good at the interpretation of the alignments. - K.F.
Your work is totally ACTIVATING! I was buzzing for hours after I got off the phone with you and it felt to me that some vital pieces came back like a soul retrieval. I am so grateful that it is almost hard to express in written language. Thank you again for all that you are and all that you offer! This planet is a much better place for it! - L.F.
It's the best kick-ass reading I've ever had. - V.L.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Easy Path to God Realization,
Easy Path to God-Realisation
By Swami Sivananda
The ancient Dharma whose proud progenitors we ever
call ourselves to be has lost its past glory and
sanctity on account of our contact with alien cultures
these thousand and odd years. Changing our customs at
every age, our manners at every stage of life, we have
forgotten completely the steps of a well-regulated
life which the Law-givers of yore chiselled for our
spiritual advancement. The four Ashrams or stages in
every man's career have thus fallen into misuse and in
these days one looks upon them with disrespect if not
in scorn.
The revered author's object in the succeeding pages of
the present work is to give every stage of life its
true values and take the reader by hand from one
labyrinth to another through its numerous intricate
winding passages till he reaches the final stage and
enjoys within himself the summum bonum of such a
precious existence. The life to be lived at every
stage, its objects and results on the evolving soul
are clearly explained and thus the "Easy Path" has
been again made free from pitfalls and snares that
sprang through misuse of countless years and made
smooth for all the true seekers to tread the same in
their onward march to "God-realisation".
For more information, please visit:
http://www.dlshq.org/books/es310.htm
-----------------------------------------------------
A DEVOTEE'S OFFERING: Among those who had come to the
Ashram in 1948 for the Diamond Jubilee, was one
Liliane Shamash of California. One fine morning, with
a stroke of the pen, she donated Rs. 40,000 to the
Master.
He joyously flourished the cheque before her and said,
"You have saved all my manuscripts. I will have all of
them printed at once."
And immediately he arranged to despatch the precious
manuscripts to printing presses in Allahabad,
Bangalore and Madras.
-----------------------------------------------------
"There are many who want wealth in return for their
services. Some do not want wealth, but they cannot
resist name and fame. Others do not want any of these,
but they want approbation. Still others want nothing,
but they boast of their deeds. Hanuman was above all
these. That is why he is recognised as an ideal Karma
Yogi and an unsurpassed adept in Bhakti. His life is
full of object lessons. Everyone should try his best
to follow the noble example of Hanuman." - Swami
Sivananda
-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
http://www.dlshq.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi
By Swami Sivananda
The ancient Dharma whose proud progenitors we ever
call ourselves to be has lost its past glory and
sanctity on account of our contact with alien cultures
these thousand and odd years. Changing our customs at
every age, our manners at every stage of life, we have
forgotten completely the steps of a well-regulated
life which the Law-givers of yore chiselled for our
spiritual advancement. The four Ashrams or stages in
every man's career have thus fallen into misuse and in
these days one looks upon them with disrespect if not
in scorn.
The revered author's object in the succeeding pages of
the present work is to give every stage of life its
true values and take the reader by hand from one
labyrinth to another through its numerous intricate
winding passages till he reaches the final stage and
enjoys within himself the summum bonum of such a
precious existence. The life to be lived at every
stage, its objects and results on the evolving soul
are clearly explained and thus the "Easy Path" has
been again made free from pitfalls and snares that
sprang through misuse of countless years and made
smooth for all the true seekers to tread the same in
their onward march to "God-realisation".
For more information, please visit:
http://www.dlshq.org/books/es310.htm
-----------------------------------------------------
A DEVOTEE'S OFFERING: Among those who had come to the
Ashram in 1948 for the Diamond Jubilee, was one
Liliane Shamash of California. One fine morning, with
a stroke of the pen, she donated Rs. 40,000 to the
Master.
He joyously flourished the cheque before her and said,
"You have saved all my manuscripts. I will have all of
them printed at once."
And immediately he arranged to despatch the precious
manuscripts to printing presses in Allahabad,
Bangalore and Madras.
-----------------------------------------------------
"There are many who want wealth in return for their
services. Some do not want wealth, but they cannot
resist name and fame. Others do not want any of these,
but they want approbation. Still others want nothing,
but they boast of their deeds. Hanuman was above all
these. That is why he is recognised as an ideal Karma
Yogi and an unsurpassed adept in Bhakti. His life is
full of object lessons. Everyone should try his best
to follow the noble example of Hanuman." - Swami
Sivananda
-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
http://www.dlshq.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi
Mind Control,is Self Control,By Swamiji
True Spiritual Living
by Swami Krishnananda
Chapter 21: Mind Control is Self ControlWe were discussing the modifications of the mind, known as the vrttis, and these it is that yoga endeavors to control and master. The modifications of the mind are not objects either of perception or of cognition. They cannot be observed by any means whatsoever, as we observe objects of the world, because the mind is not an object and, therefore, its modifications are also not objects which can be seen, sensed or known in the ordinary way. This is the reason why self-control is difficult.
Control or restraint, as we understand it, is the exercise of a power upon something which is external to us. We never know what it is to influence our own selves or control our own selves; such a thing is unthinkable. How can we control our own selves? We are not different from ourselves. It will be tautology to speak of oneself controlling oneself, because the act of control requires a distinction between the controller and the controlled. Otherwise, what is control? And what does the yoga actually mean by saying that there should be self-control, or control of the modifications of the mind? Here is the difficulty of the practice of yoga. It is terrible, when we think of it. The whole process of yoga is nothing but a series of self-control from the lower stage to the higher, and inasmuch as there are various connotations of self, there are various meanings of self, stages of its manifestation, and consequently, because there are various stages of the process of the control of the self or the mind, there is a need to understand the whole technique in an appropriate manner.
People speak of control of mind, control of the vrittis etc., as if they are going to control servants or subordinates, etc. All this is not such a simple affair as it appears to be. The control of the mind is not like controlling one’s servant, or like a boss exerting pressure upon his subordinates – not so at all. It is a great feat of acrobatics, as it were, if we can call it by that name – a circus feat not possible for the ordinary person, because what yoga means by saying that the modifications of the mind have to be controlled is that an unusual technique has to be adopted in this effort. It is unusual because the modifications, or vrittis, of the mind are not capable of observation. Why can they not be observed? It is because the observer has identified himself with the modifications themselves. One who has to control the mind has become one with the mind. We are psychic personalities, as they say, which means to say that the mind has assumed the form of our personality. And we are the mind, and no distinction there is between us and the mind, though we generally say: “I am thinking”, “this is my idea”, “my thought”, “my feeling”, etc., as if thought, feeling etc. are outside us. They are only ways of expression. Our feeling is us only. The feeling is not outside us, external to us, and different from us. Therefore, we cannot do anything with it, because we cannot do anything with our own selves.
Then, what happens? The control of the mind is an act of concentration of mind. It is not an ordinary act in the sense of a work that we perform in the outside world. Yoga is not a work. For want of precise linguistic expression, we have to use terms like ‘effort’, ‘endeavor’, ‘activity’, etc., even in regard to the practice of yoga. But these are only limitations of language. We cannot convey the exact meaning by speaking in words, because words have a limitation. What is the limitation of language? Language is expressed in sentences, and the sentence is made up of the subjective aspect and the objective aspect. There is a predicate of a sentence, which implies an object with which the subject is connected, or the subject gets modified in its meaning by an adjectival influence exerted by the object. The subject and the object in a language, in an expression, in a sentence, get connected together by what is called the copula. “This is a desk,” is a sentence. ‘Desk’ is the predicate, ‘is’ is the copula, ‘this’ is the subject, and so on with every sentence. We use this type of expression, this sort of language, in defining even transempirical realities, transcendental truths which cannot be bifurcated into the subject and the object and, therefore, all our definitions of Reality fall short of the Ideal. Likewise, the psychological depth of the efforts known as the practice of yoga is beyond the comprehension of ordinary expression in language.
The vrittis, or the modifications of the mind, have to be controlled, says the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The stages of yoga beyond asana and pranayama are very difficult ones. Though asana itself is a difficult thing, and prayanama is also difficult, what follows is more difficult – because the bodily posture known as the asana, whatever the difficulty of it be, is somehow or other involved in the world of objects. The body is an object of sense, and so we can deal with the body in the same way as we deal with objects in the world. It may not give us lot of trouble. We may understand the various methods of physical posture, because understanding an object is not as difficult as understanding the subject. So is pranayama; it is internal to the body, no doubt – more difficult to practice than asana, mudra, bandha etc. – nevertheless, it is something which is palpable in a physical manner, and so we may succeed to a large extent even in the practice of pranayama. But after that, what happens? After we ground ourselves sufficiently in asana and pranayama, what happens to us? That is very difficult, because the further stages are wholly psychological – they are not physical in any sense at all – and because the stages beyond asana and pranayama are purely psychological, it implies that what we have to deal with in these higher stages is the mind itself. And as pointed out already, since the mind has got identified with our own personality and vice versa, we cannot deal with the mind as we deal with the body or even with the pranas. We cannot do anything with the mind, though something can be done with the body by way of postures and with the pranas.
Nothing can be done with the mind, because there is no such thing as ‘doing’ where what is involved is the mind itself. The consciousness, which is our essential nature, animates the modifications of the mind in such a manner that we cannot know which is the modification of the mind, and which is us. By way of analogy, they give the instance of a heated iron ball or an iron rod. When a ball of iron is heated until it becomes red-hot, we cannot see the iron; we can see only the fire. When we touch a heated iron ball, it may burn us, and we will say, “Oh! This iron ball has burnt me.” What has burnt us is the fire, not the iron ball. But we mix up one with the other. The fire has impregnated every particle of iron in that ball, assumed the form of the iron ball or, conversely, we may say the iron ball has assumed the form of fire. We do not know which is the fire and which is the iron ball – even though the iron ball cannot be the fire, and the fire cannot be the iron ball. Consciousness cannot be the modifications of the mind, and the modifications of the mind cannot be consciousness, because consciousness has no modifications; It is indivisible eternity. Then, what is it that is modified? What do we mean by vrittis, or processes of the mind?
There is a transient process taking place within us, in our personality. That process gets identified with consciousness. That is what we mean by saying that vrittis are animated by consciousness. And inasmuch as our essential nature is consciousness, ‘we’ are consciousness, ‘we’ are identified with the vrittis, ‘we’ become the vrttis, ‘we’ are the vrttis. So what we think is ‘me’ thinking, not somebody thinking. We can imagine the difficulty of the whole circumstance – where we stand. The policeman himself has become the thief. How will he detect the thief? He himself is the culprit, and he is also the policeman. The judge himself has become the client, a very difficult situation indeed. We cannot understand what to do now.
All this is to give an idea of the difficulty of yoga. It is terrific, repelling, most offensive for the ego-ridden individuality. If it had been so simple, the world would be overflowing with yogis; but that is not possible. Humanly, sometimes it looks impossible. We have to become superhuman in order to become real students of yoga. An ordinary human being cannot become a student of yoga, because we cannot even understand it. It will not enter our heads. All this because what we have to deal with is ourselves; that is the problem. And we cannot deal with ourselves in any manner, because there is no process involved in this dealing, and all our actions are processes; but yoga is not a process, merely because of the fact that what is to be dealt with is ourselves.
So, the achievement in yoga becomes a sort of awakening rather than an activity. When we wake up from sleep or from dream, we are performing an action. Though we are not engaging ourselves in any kind of work, we are not doing anything at all when we wake up from sleep, yet there is such a tremendous difference in our achievement. We enter a new world altogether when we wake up from dream or sleep. The achievement called ‘waking up from sleep’ is not the result of an action. This is why Acharya Sankara tirelessly hammers upon the idea that liberation is not an action, and it cannot be achieved by any kind of action. The reason behind this extraordinary proclamation of his is that what is to be achieved is so intimately connected with us that any activity of our personality cannot touch it; and moksha is nothing but an awakening into a wider reality which is already planted in us and is not external to us.
All activity is an externalised movement of consciousness towards an object outside. But here the object is ourself, and therefore there cannot be such a movement of our consciousness. Here, again, is the reason why ordinary activity is of no use. Not the greatest of virtuous deeds can make us fit to visualise the cosmic form, says the Bhagavadgita towards the end of the eleventh chapter. Whatever be the virtue that we do in this world, that would be unsuited and inadequate for this purpose. Na veda-yajnadhyayanair na danair na cha kriyabhir na tapobhir ugraih, evam rupah sakya aham nrloke (11.48): Even the most terrific form of ordinary austerity, even the breaking of our head through the greatest of philanthropic deeds and services in the world – all these put together cannot be adequate for the purpose. This is because all these wonderful deeds in the world that we are speaking of are things ‘of’ the world, but we are not ‘of’ the world; we are something different from the world. Why are we different from the world? Because the world is a name that we give to the externalisation of consciousness, but we cannot be so externalised inasmuch as we are indivisible. Indivisibility means universality. All these are words for the novitiate, meaning nothing ultimately, but they convey such a tremendous significance that even a mere thought bestowed upon their true meaning is enough to shake us up from our very roots.
So, the yoga system tells us that the control of the modifications of the mind is to be effected with great caution. Why do they say all this is so difficult – it is like a razor’s edge, sword’s path, path of the fish, path of birds in the air, and so on? These are only analogies to give an idea of the difficulty of understanding the whole procedure, and putting this understanding into practice. Thus, we come to the conclusion that yoga is a process of awakening, rather than an activity in an empirical sense. It is not a work that we perform. And what is this awakening? How is this brought about? The answer is: by control of the mind.
But, we have been talking about the very same thing as being almost an impossibility before us. Now yoga answers this entire question. Most of the higher truths are explained only by analogy, comparison, image, and not by logic or scientific analysis. Sometimes stories give a better understanding of a thing than a logical, precise, analytical deduction of it. The Yoga Vasishtha is a scripture which has concluded that analogical stories are better means of conveying the nature of Reality than logical arguments, because logical arguments are infected with the defect of logic itself. The defect of logic is that it initially requires a dissection of the subject and the predicate, and then it endeavors to join the predicate with the subject by a synthesis. We break the leg of a man so that we may join the leg together by medical means. Such is the thing that we generally do, even in the best of logical deductions. But the nature of Truth is such that it is incapable of being approached in this manner. It requires a purification of the self, which is the means of self-awakening; and this purificatory process is analogous to a gradual rise of the soul from one stage of self-identification to another stage of self-identification.
The whole of life is nothing but an awareness of selfhood. If we properly and deeply think over the matter, we will realise that there is no such thing as an object in this world; there is only a self. Even that which we call an object is a part of our self in the sense that we associate that object with ourselves and make it a part of ourselves, and the moment it becomes a part of ourselves even in a social sense, it becomes a social self and it is not an object anymore. The family is a self, though it is constituted of external members. It is because it is a self that we are so much attached to the members thereof. It may not be the real Self, because it is involved in space, time and causality; but in spite of the fact that it is not a true Self because it is not indivisible, it is a self. Otherwise, why are we related to it? Why are we thinking about it? Why are we concerned with it? Why are we attached to it? We have a national self, and because of the existence of such a self, we identify ourselves with a nationality. We identify ourselves with a creed or a cult or even a language group, and we identify ourselves with the human species. We are very much concerned with humanity, much more than we are concerned with anything else in the world. Is it not so? This is also a kind of selfhood. Whatever we are doing is for man only, and we are not concerned with anything else – as if the world is exhausted only by man, and God has created only man, with nothing else but man, though it is not true. Why are we so worried about mankind and not about animals – lions, tigers, snakes, scorpions – as if they are not existing? Well, this is a peculiar isolation of ourselves by identification with another kind of self altogether, namely, the species.
There is no such thing as a self getting connected with an object, ultimately speaking, because the moment the self gets connected with an object, it ceases to be an object. It becomes a part of the Self itself. This is why it is said that what we love is the Self only. There is no such thing as love of an object, because the moment we love the object, the object ceases to be the object; it becomes the Self. It is the Self that we are loving even in the so-called object. The great sage Yajnavalkya has proclaimed that no love is possible where the Self is absent. Atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati (Brihad. 2.4.5): It is for the sake of the Self that we are loving things. It is not merely ‘for’ the sake of the Self that we are loving things – we are loving only the Self, and nothing else. And when we extend our selfhood, what we are doing is not the action of the love of an object outside, but only another form of the Self. We love the bodily self if we are utterly selfish – only this body. Otherwise, if we are more altruistic and civilised, we become a family self, a social self, a political self, an international self, a human self. We may become even a world self. But, it is after all the Self. There is nothing but that.
The whole point is that there is nothing but the Self anywhere, in one form or the other. Whether it is a counterfeit self or a real Self, that is a different question, but it is a self. Counterfeit currency notes may look like genuine currency notes. Though they are counterfeit notes, they are passed for genuine notes; otherwise, they have no value. Likewise, even if we create an artificial self, it is to be valued as the Self; otherwise, it has no sense.
Thus, yoga takes us to the root of the whole matter, and wishes to disillusion us of all our prejudices and old notions of things, so that we may know what it is to control the mind, what is meant by all this. To control the mind and to control the self are the same thing. Mind control is self-control. Chitta nirodha is atma vinigrahah; they are identical. Inasmuch as it is difficult to understand what the Self is, what the mind is, what its modifications are, yoga practice becomes difficult; and, therefore, with tenacity of purpose and incisive understanding, we have to take to the various prescriptions given by the Yoga Sastra in a methodical manner.
So, the achievement in yoga becomes a sort of awakening rather than an activity. When we wake up from sleep or from dream, we are performing an action. Though we are not engaging ourselves in any kind of work, we are not doing anything at all when we wake up from sleep, yet there is such a tremendous difference in our achievement. We enter a new world altogether when we wake up from dream or sleep. The achievement called ‘waking up from sleep’ is not the result of an action. This is why Acharya Sankara tirelessly hammers upon the idea that liberation is not an action, and it cannot be achieved by any kind of action. The reason behind this extraordinary proclamation of his is that what is to be achieved is so intimately connected with us that any activity of our personality cannot touch it; and moksha is nothing but an awakening into a wider reality which is already planted in us and is not external to us.
All activity is an externalised movement of consciousness towards an object outside. But here the object is ourself, and therefore there cannot be such a movement of our consciousness. Here, again, is the reason why ordinary activity is of no use. Not the greatest of virtuous deeds can make us fit to visualise the cosmic form, says the Bhagavadgita towards the end of the eleventh chapter. Whatever be the virtue that we do in this world, that would be unsuited and inadequate for this purpose. Na veda-yajnadhyayanair na danair na cha kriyabhir na tapobhir ugraih, evam rupah sakya aham nrloke (11.48): Even the most terrific form of ordinary austerity, even the breaking of our head through the greatest of philanthropic deeds and services in the world – all these put together cannot be adequate for the purpose. This is because all these wonderful deeds in the world that we are speaking of are things ‘of’ the world, but we are not ‘of’ the world; we are something different from the world. Why are we different from the world? Because the world is a name that we give to the externalisation of consciousness, but we cannot be so externalised inasmuch as we are indivisible. Indivisibility means universality. All these are words for the novitiate, meaning nothing ultimately, but they convey such a tremendous significance that even a mere thought bestowed upon their true meaning is enough to shake us up from our very roots.
So, the yoga system tells us that the control of the modifications of the mind is to be effected with great caution. Why do they say all this is so difficult – it is like a razor’s edge, sword’s path, path of the fish, path of birds in the air, and so on? These are only analogies to give an idea of the difficulty of understanding the whole procedure, and putting this understanding into practice. Thus, we come to the conclusion that yoga is a process of awakening, rather than an activity in an empirical sense. It is not a work that we perform. And what is this awakening? How is this brought about? The answer is: by control of the mind.
But, we have been talking about the very same thing as being almost an impossibility before us. Now yoga answers this entire question. Most of the higher truths are explained only by analogy, comparison, image, and not by logic or scientific analysis. Sometimes stories give a better understanding of a thing than a logical, precise, analytical deduction of it. The Yoga Vasishtha is a scripture which has concluded that analogical stories are better means of conveying the nature of Reality than logical arguments, because logical arguments are infected with the defect of logic itself. The defect of logic is that it initially requires a dissection of the subject and the predicate, and then it endeavors to join the predicate with the subject by a synthesis. We break the leg of a man so that we may join the leg together by medical means. Such is the thing that we generally do, even in the best of logical deductions. But the nature of Truth is such that it is incapable of being approached in this manner. It requires a purification of the self, which is the means of self-awakening; and this purificatory process is analogous to a gradual rise of the soul from one stage of self-identification to another stage of self-identification.
The whole of life is nothing but an awareness of selfhood. If we properly and deeply think over the matter, we will realise that there is no such thing as an object in this world; there is only a self. Even that which we call an object is a part of our self in the sense that we associate that object with ourselves and make it a part of ourselves, and the moment it becomes a part of ourselves even in a social sense, it becomes a social self and it is not an object anymore. The family is a self, though it is constituted of external members. It is because it is a self that we are so much attached to the members thereof. It may not be the real Self, because it is involved in space, time and causality; but in spite of the fact that it is not a true Self because it is not indivisible, it is a self. Otherwise, why are we related to it? Why are we thinking about it? Why are we concerned with it? Why are we attached to it? We have a national self, and because of the existence of such a self, we identify ourselves with a nationality. We identify ourselves with a creed or a cult or even a language group, and we identify ourselves with the human species. We are very much concerned with humanity, much more than we are concerned with anything else in the world. Is it not so? This is also a kind of selfhood. Whatever we are doing is for man only, and we are not concerned with anything else – as if the world is exhausted only by man, and God has created only man, with nothing else but man, though it is not true. Why are we so worried about mankind and not about animals – lions, tigers, snakes, scorpions – as if they are not existing? Well, this is a peculiar isolation of ourselves by identification with another kind of self altogether, namely, the species.
There is no such thing as a self getting connected with an object, ultimately speaking, because the moment the self gets connected with an object, it ceases to be an object. It becomes a part of the Self itself. This is why it is said that what we love is the Self only. There is no such thing as love of an object, because the moment we love the object, the object ceases to be the object; it becomes the Self. It is the Self that we are loving even in the so-called object. The great sage Yajnavalkya has proclaimed that no love is possible where the Self is absent. Atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati (Brihad. 2.4.5): It is for the sake of the Self that we are loving things. It is not merely ‘for’ the sake of the Self that we are loving things – we are loving only the Self, and nothing else. And when we extend our selfhood, what we are doing is not the action of the love of an object outside, but only another form of the Self. We love the bodily self if we are utterly selfish – only this body. Otherwise, if we are more altruistic and civilised, we become a family self, a social self, a political self, an international self, a human self. We may become even a world self. But, it is after all the Self. There is nothing but that.
The whole point is that there is nothing but the Self anywhere, in one form or the other. Whether it is a counterfeit self or a real Self, that is a different question, but it is a self. Counterfeit currency notes may look like genuine currency notes. Though they are counterfeit notes, they are passed for genuine notes; otherwise, they have no value. Likewise, even if we create an artificial self, it is to be valued as the Self; otherwise, it has no sense.
Thus, yoga takes us to the root of the whole matter, and wishes to disillusion us of all our prejudices and old notions of things, so that we may know what it is to control the mind, what is meant by all this. To control the mind and to control the self are the same thing. Mind control is self-control. Chitta nirodha is atma vinigrahah; they are identical. Inasmuch as it is difficult to understand what the Self is, what the mind is, what its modifications are, yoga practice becomes difficult; and, therefore, with tenacity of purpose and incisive understanding, we have to take to the various prescriptions given by the Yoga Sastra in a methodical manner.
by Swami Krishnananda
Chapter 21: Mind Control is Self ControlWe were discussing the modifications of the mind, known as the vrttis, and these it is that yoga endeavors to control and master. The modifications of the mind are not objects either of perception or of cognition. They cannot be observed by any means whatsoever, as we observe objects of the world, because the mind is not an object and, therefore, its modifications are also not objects which can be seen, sensed or known in the ordinary way. This is the reason why self-control is difficult.
Control or restraint, as we understand it, is the exercise of a power upon something which is external to us. We never know what it is to influence our own selves or control our own selves; such a thing is unthinkable. How can we control our own selves? We are not different from ourselves. It will be tautology to speak of oneself controlling oneself, because the act of control requires a distinction between the controller and the controlled. Otherwise, what is control? And what does the yoga actually mean by saying that there should be self-control, or control of the modifications of the mind? Here is the difficulty of the practice of yoga. It is terrible, when we think of it. The whole process of yoga is nothing but a series of self-control from the lower stage to the higher, and inasmuch as there are various connotations of self, there are various meanings of self, stages of its manifestation, and consequently, because there are various stages of the process of the control of the self or the mind, there is a need to understand the whole technique in an appropriate manner.
People speak of control of mind, control of the vrittis etc., as if they are going to control servants or subordinates, etc. All this is not such a simple affair as it appears to be. The control of the mind is not like controlling one’s servant, or like a boss exerting pressure upon his subordinates – not so at all. It is a great feat of acrobatics, as it were, if we can call it by that name – a circus feat not possible for the ordinary person, because what yoga means by saying that the modifications of the mind have to be controlled is that an unusual technique has to be adopted in this effort. It is unusual because the modifications, or vrittis, of the mind are not capable of observation. Why can they not be observed? It is because the observer has identified himself with the modifications themselves. One who has to control the mind has become one with the mind. We are psychic personalities, as they say, which means to say that the mind has assumed the form of our personality. And we are the mind, and no distinction there is between us and the mind, though we generally say: “I am thinking”, “this is my idea”, “my thought”, “my feeling”, etc., as if thought, feeling etc. are outside us. They are only ways of expression. Our feeling is us only. The feeling is not outside us, external to us, and different from us. Therefore, we cannot do anything with it, because we cannot do anything with our own selves.
Then, what happens? The control of the mind is an act of concentration of mind. It is not an ordinary act in the sense of a work that we perform in the outside world. Yoga is not a work. For want of precise linguistic expression, we have to use terms like ‘effort’, ‘endeavor’, ‘activity’, etc., even in regard to the practice of yoga. But these are only limitations of language. We cannot convey the exact meaning by speaking in words, because words have a limitation. What is the limitation of language? Language is expressed in sentences, and the sentence is made up of the subjective aspect and the objective aspect. There is a predicate of a sentence, which implies an object with which the subject is connected, or the subject gets modified in its meaning by an adjectival influence exerted by the object. The subject and the object in a language, in an expression, in a sentence, get connected together by what is called the copula. “This is a desk,” is a sentence. ‘Desk’ is the predicate, ‘is’ is the copula, ‘this’ is the subject, and so on with every sentence. We use this type of expression, this sort of language, in defining even transempirical realities, transcendental truths which cannot be bifurcated into the subject and the object and, therefore, all our definitions of Reality fall short of the Ideal. Likewise, the psychological depth of the efforts known as the practice of yoga is beyond the comprehension of ordinary expression in language.
The vrittis, or the modifications of the mind, have to be controlled, says the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The stages of yoga beyond asana and pranayama are very difficult ones. Though asana itself is a difficult thing, and prayanama is also difficult, what follows is more difficult – because the bodily posture known as the asana, whatever the difficulty of it be, is somehow or other involved in the world of objects. The body is an object of sense, and so we can deal with the body in the same way as we deal with objects in the world. It may not give us lot of trouble. We may understand the various methods of physical posture, because understanding an object is not as difficult as understanding the subject. So is pranayama; it is internal to the body, no doubt – more difficult to practice than asana, mudra, bandha etc. – nevertheless, it is something which is palpable in a physical manner, and so we may succeed to a large extent even in the practice of pranayama. But after that, what happens? After we ground ourselves sufficiently in asana and pranayama, what happens to us? That is very difficult, because the further stages are wholly psychological – they are not physical in any sense at all – and because the stages beyond asana and pranayama are purely psychological, it implies that what we have to deal with in these higher stages is the mind itself. And as pointed out already, since the mind has got identified with our own personality and vice versa, we cannot deal with the mind as we deal with the body or even with the pranas. We cannot do anything with the mind, though something can be done with the body by way of postures and with the pranas.
Nothing can be done with the mind, because there is no such thing as ‘doing’ where what is involved is the mind itself. The consciousness, which is our essential nature, animates the modifications of the mind in such a manner that we cannot know which is the modification of the mind, and which is us. By way of analogy, they give the instance of a heated iron ball or an iron rod. When a ball of iron is heated until it becomes red-hot, we cannot see the iron; we can see only the fire. When we touch a heated iron ball, it may burn us, and we will say, “Oh! This iron ball has burnt me.” What has burnt us is the fire, not the iron ball. But we mix up one with the other. The fire has impregnated every particle of iron in that ball, assumed the form of the iron ball or, conversely, we may say the iron ball has assumed the form of fire. We do not know which is the fire and which is the iron ball – even though the iron ball cannot be the fire, and the fire cannot be the iron ball. Consciousness cannot be the modifications of the mind, and the modifications of the mind cannot be consciousness, because consciousness has no modifications; It is indivisible eternity. Then, what is it that is modified? What do we mean by vrittis, or processes of the mind?
There is a transient process taking place within us, in our personality. That process gets identified with consciousness. That is what we mean by saying that vrittis are animated by consciousness. And inasmuch as our essential nature is consciousness, ‘we’ are consciousness, ‘we’ are identified with the vrittis, ‘we’ become the vrttis, ‘we’ are the vrttis. So what we think is ‘me’ thinking, not somebody thinking. We can imagine the difficulty of the whole circumstance – where we stand. The policeman himself has become the thief. How will he detect the thief? He himself is the culprit, and he is also the policeman. The judge himself has become the client, a very difficult situation indeed. We cannot understand what to do now.
All this is to give an idea of the difficulty of yoga. It is terrific, repelling, most offensive for the ego-ridden individuality. If it had been so simple, the world would be overflowing with yogis; but that is not possible. Humanly, sometimes it looks impossible. We have to become superhuman in order to become real students of yoga. An ordinary human being cannot become a student of yoga, because we cannot even understand it. It will not enter our heads. All this because what we have to deal with is ourselves; that is the problem. And we cannot deal with ourselves in any manner, because there is no process involved in this dealing, and all our actions are processes; but yoga is not a process, merely because of the fact that what is to be dealt with is ourselves.
So, the achievement in yoga becomes a sort of awakening rather than an activity. When we wake up from sleep or from dream, we are performing an action. Though we are not engaging ourselves in any kind of work, we are not doing anything at all when we wake up from sleep, yet there is such a tremendous difference in our achievement. We enter a new world altogether when we wake up from dream or sleep. The achievement called ‘waking up from sleep’ is not the result of an action. This is why Acharya Sankara tirelessly hammers upon the idea that liberation is not an action, and it cannot be achieved by any kind of action. The reason behind this extraordinary proclamation of his is that what is to be achieved is so intimately connected with us that any activity of our personality cannot touch it; and moksha is nothing but an awakening into a wider reality which is already planted in us and is not external to us.
All activity is an externalised movement of consciousness towards an object outside. But here the object is ourself, and therefore there cannot be such a movement of our consciousness. Here, again, is the reason why ordinary activity is of no use. Not the greatest of virtuous deeds can make us fit to visualise the cosmic form, says the Bhagavadgita towards the end of the eleventh chapter. Whatever be the virtue that we do in this world, that would be unsuited and inadequate for this purpose. Na veda-yajnadhyayanair na danair na cha kriyabhir na tapobhir ugraih, evam rupah sakya aham nrloke (11.48): Even the most terrific form of ordinary austerity, even the breaking of our head through the greatest of philanthropic deeds and services in the world – all these put together cannot be adequate for the purpose. This is because all these wonderful deeds in the world that we are speaking of are things ‘of’ the world, but we are not ‘of’ the world; we are something different from the world. Why are we different from the world? Because the world is a name that we give to the externalisation of consciousness, but we cannot be so externalised inasmuch as we are indivisible. Indivisibility means universality. All these are words for the novitiate, meaning nothing ultimately, but they convey such a tremendous significance that even a mere thought bestowed upon their true meaning is enough to shake us up from our very roots.
So, the yoga system tells us that the control of the modifications of the mind is to be effected with great caution. Why do they say all this is so difficult – it is like a razor’s edge, sword’s path, path of the fish, path of birds in the air, and so on? These are only analogies to give an idea of the difficulty of understanding the whole procedure, and putting this understanding into practice. Thus, we come to the conclusion that yoga is a process of awakening, rather than an activity in an empirical sense. It is not a work that we perform. And what is this awakening? How is this brought about? The answer is: by control of the mind.
But, we have been talking about the very same thing as being almost an impossibility before us. Now yoga answers this entire question. Most of the higher truths are explained only by analogy, comparison, image, and not by logic or scientific analysis. Sometimes stories give a better understanding of a thing than a logical, precise, analytical deduction of it. The Yoga Vasishtha is a scripture which has concluded that analogical stories are better means of conveying the nature of Reality than logical arguments, because logical arguments are infected with the defect of logic itself. The defect of logic is that it initially requires a dissection of the subject and the predicate, and then it endeavors to join the predicate with the subject by a synthesis. We break the leg of a man so that we may join the leg together by medical means. Such is the thing that we generally do, even in the best of logical deductions. But the nature of Truth is such that it is incapable of being approached in this manner. It requires a purification of the self, which is the means of self-awakening; and this purificatory process is analogous to a gradual rise of the soul from one stage of self-identification to another stage of self-identification.
The whole of life is nothing but an awareness of selfhood. If we properly and deeply think over the matter, we will realise that there is no such thing as an object in this world; there is only a self. Even that which we call an object is a part of our self in the sense that we associate that object with ourselves and make it a part of ourselves, and the moment it becomes a part of ourselves even in a social sense, it becomes a social self and it is not an object anymore. The family is a self, though it is constituted of external members. It is because it is a self that we are so much attached to the members thereof. It may not be the real Self, because it is involved in space, time and causality; but in spite of the fact that it is not a true Self because it is not indivisible, it is a self. Otherwise, why are we related to it? Why are we thinking about it? Why are we concerned with it? Why are we attached to it? We have a national self, and because of the existence of such a self, we identify ourselves with a nationality. We identify ourselves with a creed or a cult or even a language group, and we identify ourselves with the human species. We are very much concerned with humanity, much more than we are concerned with anything else in the world. Is it not so? This is also a kind of selfhood. Whatever we are doing is for man only, and we are not concerned with anything else – as if the world is exhausted only by man, and God has created only man, with nothing else but man, though it is not true. Why are we so worried about mankind and not about animals – lions, tigers, snakes, scorpions – as if they are not existing? Well, this is a peculiar isolation of ourselves by identification with another kind of self altogether, namely, the species.
There is no such thing as a self getting connected with an object, ultimately speaking, because the moment the self gets connected with an object, it ceases to be an object. It becomes a part of the Self itself. This is why it is said that what we love is the Self only. There is no such thing as love of an object, because the moment we love the object, the object ceases to be the object; it becomes the Self. It is the Self that we are loving even in the so-called object. The great sage Yajnavalkya has proclaimed that no love is possible where the Self is absent. Atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati (Brihad. 2.4.5): It is for the sake of the Self that we are loving things. It is not merely ‘for’ the sake of the Self that we are loving things – we are loving only the Self, and nothing else. And when we extend our selfhood, what we are doing is not the action of the love of an object outside, but only another form of the Self. We love the bodily self if we are utterly selfish – only this body. Otherwise, if we are more altruistic and civilised, we become a family self, a social self, a political self, an international self, a human self. We may become even a world self. But, it is after all the Self. There is nothing but that.
The whole point is that there is nothing but the Self anywhere, in one form or the other. Whether it is a counterfeit self or a real Self, that is a different question, but it is a self. Counterfeit currency notes may look like genuine currency notes. Though they are counterfeit notes, they are passed for genuine notes; otherwise, they have no value. Likewise, even if we create an artificial self, it is to be valued as the Self; otherwise, it has no sense.
Thus, yoga takes us to the root of the whole matter, and wishes to disillusion us of all our prejudices and old notions of things, so that we may know what it is to control the mind, what is meant by all this. To control the mind and to control the self are the same thing. Mind control is self-control. Chitta nirodha is atma vinigrahah; they are identical. Inasmuch as it is difficult to understand what the Self is, what the mind is, what its modifications are, yoga practice becomes difficult; and, therefore, with tenacity of purpose and incisive understanding, we have to take to the various prescriptions given by the Yoga Sastra in a methodical manner.
So, the achievement in yoga becomes a sort of awakening rather than an activity. When we wake up from sleep or from dream, we are performing an action. Though we are not engaging ourselves in any kind of work, we are not doing anything at all when we wake up from sleep, yet there is such a tremendous difference in our achievement. We enter a new world altogether when we wake up from dream or sleep. The achievement called ‘waking up from sleep’ is not the result of an action. This is why Acharya Sankara tirelessly hammers upon the idea that liberation is not an action, and it cannot be achieved by any kind of action. The reason behind this extraordinary proclamation of his is that what is to be achieved is so intimately connected with us that any activity of our personality cannot touch it; and moksha is nothing but an awakening into a wider reality which is already planted in us and is not external to us.
All activity is an externalised movement of consciousness towards an object outside. But here the object is ourself, and therefore there cannot be such a movement of our consciousness. Here, again, is the reason why ordinary activity is of no use. Not the greatest of virtuous deeds can make us fit to visualise the cosmic form, says the Bhagavadgita towards the end of the eleventh chapter. Whatever be the virtue that we do in this world, that would be unsuited and inadequate for this purpose. Na veda-yajnadhyayanair na danair na cha kriyabhir na tapobhir ugraih, evam rupah sakya aham nrloke (11.48): Even the most terrific form of ordinary austerity, even the breaking of our head through the greatest of philanthropic deeds and services in the world – all these put together cannot be adequate for the purpose. This is because all these wonderful deeds in the world that we are speaking of are things ‘of’ the world, but we are not ‘of’ the world; we are something different from the world. Why are we different from the world? Because the world is a name that we give to the externalisation of consciousness, but we cannot be so externalised inasmuch as we are indivisible. Indivisibility means universality. All these are words for the novitiate, meaning nothing ultimately, but they convey such a tremendous significance that even a mere thought bestowed upon their true meaning is enough to shake us up from our very roots.
So, the yoga system tells us that the control of the modifications of the mind is to be effected with great caution. Why do they say all this is so difficult – it is like a razor’s edge, sword’s path, path of the fish, path of birds in the air, and so on? These are only analogies to give an idea of the difficulty of understanding the whole procedure, and putting this understanding into practice. Thus, we come to the conclusion that yoga is a process of awakening, rather than an activity in an empirical sense. It is not a work that we perform. And what is this awakening? How is this brought about? The answer is: by control of the mind.
But, we have been talking about the very same thing as being almost an impossibility before us. Now yoga answers this entire question. Most of the higher truths are explained only by analogy, comparison, image, and not by logic or scientific analysis. Sometimes stories give a better understanding of a thing than a logical, precise, analytical deduction of it. The Yoga Vasishtha is a scripture which has concluded that analogical stories are better means of conveying the nature of Reality than logical arguments, because logical arguments are infected with the defect of logic itself. The defect of logic is that it initially requires a dissection of the subject and the predicate, and then it endeavors to join the predicate with the subject by a synthesis. We break the leg of a man so that we may join the leg together by medical means. Such is the thing that we generally do, even in the best of logical deductions. But the nature of Truth is such that it is incapable of being approached in this manner. It requires a purification of the self, which is the means of self-awakening; and this purificatory process is analogous to a gradual rise of the soul from one stage of self-identification to another stage of self-identification.
The whole of life is nothing but an awareness of selfhood. If we properly and deeply think over the matter, we will realise that there is no such thing as an object in this world; there is only a self. Even that which we call an object is a part of our self in the sense that we associate that object with ourselves and make it a part of ourselves, and the moment it becomes a part of ourselves even in a social sense, it becomes a social self and it is not an object anymore. The family is a self, though it is constituted of external members. It is because it is a self that we are so much attached to the members thereof. It may not be the real Self, because it is involved in space, time and causality; but in spite of the fact that it is not a true Self because it is not indivisible, it is a self. Otherwise, why are we related to it? Why are we thinking about it? Why are we concerned with it? Why are we attached to it? We have a national self, and because of the existence of such a self, we identify ourselves with a nationality. We identify ourselves with a creed or a cult or even a language group, and we identify ourselves with the human species. We are very much concerned with humanity, much more than we are concerned with anything else in the world. Is it not so? This is also a kind of selfhood. Whatever we are doing is for man only, and we are not concerned with anything else – as if the world is exhausted only by man, and God has created only man, with nothing else but man, though it is not true. Why are we so worried about mankind and not about animals – lions, tigers, snakes, scorpions – as if they are not existing? Well, this is a peculiar isolation of ourselves by identification with another kind of self altogether, namely, the species.
There is no such thing as a self getting connected with an object, ultimately speaking, because the moment the self gets connected with an object, it ceases to be an object. It becomes a part of the Self itself. This is why it is said that what we love is the Self only. There is no such thing as love of an object, because the moment we love the object, the object ceases to be the object; it becomes the Self. It is the Self that we are loving even in the so-called object. The great sage Yajnavalkya has proclaimed that no love is possible where the Self is absent. Atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati (Brihad. 2.4.5): It is for the sake of the Self that we are loving things. It is not merely ‘for’ the sake of the Self that we are loving things – we are loving only the Self, and nothing else. And when we extend our selfhood, what we are doing is not the action of the love of an object outside, but only another form of the Self. We love the bodily self if we are utterly selfish – only this body. Otherwise, if we are more altruistic and civilised, we become a family self, a social self, a political self, an international self, a human self. We may become even a world self. But, it is after all the Self. There is nothing but that.
The whole point is that there is nothing but the Self anywhere, in one form or the other. Whether it is a counterfeit self or a real Self, that is a different question, but it is a self. Counterfeit currency notes may look like genuine currency notes. Though they are counterfeit notes, they are passed for genuine notes; otherwise, they have no value. Likewise, even if we create an artificial self, it is to be valued as the Self; otherwise, it has no sense.
Thus, yoga takes us to the root of the whole matter, and wishes to disillusion us of all our prejudices and old notions of things, so that we may know what it is to control the mind, what is meant by all this. To control the mind and to control the self are the same thing. Mind control is self-control. Chitta nirodha is atma vinigrahah; they are identical. Inasmuch as it is difficult to understand what the Self is, what the mind is, what its modifications are, yoga practice becomes difficult; and, therefore, with tenacity of purpose and incisive understanding, we have to take to the various prescriptions given by the Yoga Sastra in a methodical manner.
Strength And Humility
Strength And Humility
By Sri Swami Chidananda
The worship of Lord Hanuman is an ideal that requires our attention and adoration not once in a year, but always. The worship of Hanuman verily constitutes worship of the Divine Reality in the form of strength and powers dedicated to duty and to the Divine Being. The worship of Hanuman implies the worship of strength adorned with humility—the worship of strength and powers simultaneously combined with devotion and dutifulness.
The great Hanuman’s life is nothing if it is not devotion and dedication, humility and the spirit of service. The worship of Hanuman indicates your acceptance of this ideal. The worship of Hanuman is a token of adoration to the principles of self-sacrifice and service, devotion and dedication, and absolute impersonal selflessness. The worship of Hanuman is the ideal for all beings who wish to transform their lives and themselves into beings of courage and strength, and at the same time be adorned by the spirit of service, total devotion and total dedication to the feet of one whom one considers oneself to be the disciple, follower and devoted servant of.
If you consider yourself as a devoted servant of God, devotee of God, follower of God, you have ever to keep before you the effulgent, radiant ideal of this unparalleled personality of the Ramayana. He had the strength that could lift mountains. He had the strength that could cross oceans. But despite this he remained what he really was: a dedicated, devoted, self-effacing servant of the Divine, depicted always at the feet of the Divine, head bowed down and hands folded.
This is Hanuman’s place, vow and personality in the ever-present presence of God. It is due to his dedication, devotion, humility and utter selflessness that he has become the favourite among the devotees of God. It is due to these sublime qualities of self-effacement that Hanuman has become perpetual, an ideal in Indian culture. He is the deity of millions in India. And through the Ramayana, Valmiki has sought to make him immortal, ever present in the vision of all human beings.
May the grace of the Supreme inspire you to emulate this ideal and to sincerely work towards the fulfilment of such an ideal in your own personal life. The hazard and the danger of a subtle spiritual ego, a sadhaka abhiman, will be made impossible if this ideal is present in your heart as a guide to your spiritual living, to your sadhana and to whatever selfless service you are engaged in. To beautify, elevate and transform all these three aspects of your spiritual life, the worship of Hanuman presents special significance, holds special meaning and constitutes a universal ideal.
May God and guru enable us to live such a life, having before us this ideal to be striven for as we offer the external worship this morning at the little shrine on the bank of the Ganga!"
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Last Updated: Monday, 29-Mar-2010 11:16:00 EDT
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By Sri Swami Chidananda
The worship of Lord Hanuman is an ideal that requires our attention and adoration not once in a year, but always. The worship of Hanuman verily constitutes worship of the Divine Reality in the form of strength and powers dedicated to duty and to the Divine Being. The worship of Hanuman implies the worship of strength adorned with humility—the worship of strength and powers simultaneously combined with devotion and dutifulness.
The great Hanuman’s life is nothing if it is not devotion and dedication, humility and the spirit of service. The worship of Hanuman indicates your acceptance of this ideal. The worship of Hanuman is a token of adoration to the principles of self-sacrifice and service, devotion and dedication, and absolute impersonal selflessness. The worship of Hanuman is the ideal for all beings who wish to transform their lives and themselves into beings of courage and strength, and at the same time be adorned by the spirit of service, total devotion and total dedication to the feet of one whom one considers oneself to be the disciple, follower and devoted servant of.
If you consider yourself as a devoted servant of God, devotee of God, follower of God, you have ever to keep before you the effulgent, radiant ideal of this unparalleled personality of the Ramayana. He had the strength that could lift mountains. He had the strength that could cross oceans. But despite this he remained what he really was: a dedicated, devoted, self-effacing servant of the Divine, depicted always at the feet of the Divine, head bowed down and hands folded.
This is Hanuman’s place, vow and personality in the ever-present presence of God. It is due to his dedication, devotion, humility and utter selflessness that he has become the favourite among the devotees of God. It is due to these sublime qualities of self-effacement that Hanuman has become perpetual, an ideal in Indian culture. He is the deity of millions in India. And through the Ramayana, Valmiki has sought to make him immortal, ever present in the vision of all human beings.
May the grace of the Supreme inspire you to emulate this ideal and to sincerely work towards the fulfilment of such an ideal in your own personal life. The hazard and the danger of a subtle spiritual ego, a sadhaka abhiman, will be made impossible if this ideal is present in your heart as a guide to your spiritual living, to your sadhana and to whatever selfless service you are engaged in. To beautify, elevate and transform all these three aspects of your spiritual life, the worship of Hanuman presents special significance, holds special meaning and constitutes a universal ideal.
May God and guru enable us to live such a life, having before us this ideal to be striven for as we offer the external worship this morning at the little shrine on the bank of the Ganga!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Updated: Monday, 29-Mar-2010 11:16:00 EDT
Mail Questions, Comments & Suggestions to : pannir@dlshq.org
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Daily Wisdom,
Color of the day: Violet
Incense of the day: Eucalyptus
One of the first flowers I plant each spring is pansies. Their cheery colors bring a touch of spring to flowerbeds, pots, and window boxes. These old-fashioned flowers have been used in love magic since the Victorian era, and can be easily used to enhance a love spell. To create some pansy love magic of your own, try this. First, write your name and your lover’s name on a small piece of paper; place the paper in the bottom of a six-inch flowerpot. Fill with potting soil. Plant your pot with pansies in the color associated with your wish. Here are some examples. For better communication, plant yellow or orange pansies. For understanding, use pink or maroon pansies. To promote peace and understanding, plant blue and violet pansies. Use white for faithfulness. Water your pansies regularly and watch your love grow.
by: James Kambos
Elder's Meditation of the Day March 28
"Sacred sites and areas are protection for all people � the four colors for man � and these sites are in all areas of the earth in the four directions."
--Traditional Circle of Elders, NORTHERN CHEYENNE
The Elders say that values come from the Mother Earth. Different places and areas around the Earth have different values. The Water people live in harmony and know the values that correspond to that particular part of the Earth. The Desert people know the values of the desert and respect and live in harmony with that part of the Earth. The Woodland people know the values of their part of the Earth and live in harmony. If you live in harmony with the Earth, you will live a life that is full of values. We should have great respect for the Mother Earth.
Grandfather, today, let me learn values from Mother Earth
Daily Buddhist Wisdom:
* Trivial thoughts, insignificant thoughts, When followed they distract the mind. Not understanding those thoughts The roaming mind runs back and forth. But by understanding those thoughts One ardent and mindful restrains the mind. An awakened one has overcome them completely So they do not arise to distract the mind.
- Udana
Daily Hindu Wisdom:
The bonds that good men share, like good bound books, Reveal new enjoyments at each new encounter. The object of friendship is not merrymaking But a stern rebuking when friends go astray. It is not constant meeting and companionship But mutual sensibilities that confer the alliance of friendship. Friendship is not seen on a friendly face, But felt deep within a friendly heart.
- Tirukkural, 79:783-86
Incense of the day: Eucalyptus
One of the first flowers I plant each spring is pansies. Their cheery colors bring a touch of spring to flowerbeds, pots, and window boxes. These old-fashioned flowers have been used in love magic since the Victorian era, and can be easily used to enhance a love spell. To create some pansy love magic of your own, try this. First, write your name and your lover’s name on a small piece of paper; place the paper in the bottom of a six-inch flowerpot. Fill with potting soil. Plant your pot with pansies in the color associated with your wish. Here are some examples. For better communication, plant yellow or orange pansies. For understanding, use pink or maroon pansies. To promote peace and understanding, plant blue and violet pansies. Use white for faithfulness. Water your pansies regularly and watch your love grow.
by: James Kambos
Elder's Meditation of the Day March 28
"Sacred sites and areas are protection for all people � the four colors for man � and these sites are in all areas of the earth in the four directions."
--Traditional Circle of Elders, NORTHERN CHEYENNE
The Elders say that values come from the Mother Earth. Different places and areas around the Earth have different values. The Water people live in harmony and know the values that correspond to that particular part of the Earth. The Desert people know the values of the desert and respect and live in harmony with that part of the Earth. The Woodland people know the values of their part of the Earth and live in harmony. If you live in harmony with the Earth, you will live a life that is full of values. We should have great respect for the Mother Earth.
Grandfather, today, let me learn values from Mother Earth
Daily Buddhist Wisdom:
* Trivial thoughts, insignificant thoughts, When followed they distract the mind. Not understanding those thoughts The roaming mind runs back and forth. But by understanding those thoughts One ardent and mindful restrains the mind. An awakened one has overcome them completely So they do not arise to distract the mind.
- Udana
Daily Hindu Wisdom:
The bonds that good men share, like good bound books, Reveal new enjoyments at each new encounter. The object of friendship is not merrymaking But a stern rebuking when friends go astray. It is not constant meeting and companionship But mutual sensibilities that confer the alliance of friendship. Friendship is not seen on a friendly face, But felt deep within a friendly heart.
- Tirukkural, 79:783-86
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Daily Wisdom from the Trinity,
Daily Thought for Wednesday, March 24, 2010
by Master Djwhal Khul
May I find within my heart this day, silent appreciation for all the mysteries of Earth I do not understand.
TUT,A Note from the Universe,
What if I told you, that you couldn't have anymore of anything... No more friends, no more money, no more anything, until you first got happy with what you have?
Easy to change,
The Universe
Daily Kabbalah Tune up from Yehuda Berg,
Wednesday, March 24
What is this urge to be someone we're not? When we try to make everyone happy, we make no one happy, including ourselves.
If someone doesn't accept us for who we are, then maybe we've got to ask ourselves why we need their approval. We never need to be anyone but who we are in order to gain someone's love.
Today, you be you. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
by Master Djwhal Khul
May I find within my heart this day, silent appreciation for all the mysteries of Earth I do not understand.
TUT,A Note from the Universe,
What if I told you, that you couldn't have anymore of anything... No more friends, no more money, no more anything, until you first got happy with what you have?
Easy to change,
The Universe
Daily Kabbalah Tune up from Yehuda Berg,
Wednesday, March 24
What is this urge to be someone we're not? When we try to make everyone happy, we make no one happy, including ourselves.
If someone doesn't accept us for who we are, then maybe we've got to ask ourselves why we need their approval. We never need to be anyone but who we are in order to gain someone's love.
Today, you be you. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Aries,
Aries is a time to be free of whatever is holding you back, both as an individual and in relationships with others. This makes the coming month an especially good time to take the essential teachings of Kabbalah to heart and to go beyond the boundaries of your own identity in order to share with other people.
The Zohar teaches that the most valuable lesson a teacher can give a student is the importance of helping those who are in difficulty and darkness. As my mother and teacher Karen Berg often says, “If you have a problem in your life and want a solution, go out of yourself and solve somebody else’s problem.”
A key lesson of this month is making a commitment to do more than you have done in the past. If you have helped one person last month, then now help ten. If you’ve helped ten, then now help a hundred.
This connects to a very important reason for thousands of students coming together around the world as large groups to connect to the holiday of Pesach. The connection we can make either individually or in small groups is much more limited than what we can accomplish when we’re all together in a large group.
Commenting on this phenomenon, Rav Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, said that there was only one reason why it was possible to reveal the great Light of The Zohar: He and the other sages were in complete unity, and it was that unity that allowed the revelation.
Kabbalists teach that the Final Redemption will come about when complete unity can be achieved in even a single place. When this unity happens, the Light we can ignite will be beyond what any of us has even imagined. We ourselves have the ability to bring about the Final Redemption—but only when we do everything we can to make that Redemption our unified purpose.
This is an amazing lesson. For us to awaken the Light and to manifest our true potential, we must make sure that our lives are aligned with the Light of the Creator, with the purpose of sharing. If we have certainty but our lives are not aligned in sharing, we will not be able to manifest the Light. Only if we meet both these requirements, certainty and pushing ourselves beyond what is comfortable will we be able to manifest the infinite freedom and fulfillment available to us.
Have a wonderful holiday month! Remember, stretch yourself farther than you normally go.
The Zohar teaches that the most valuable lesson a teacher can give a student is the importance of helping those who are in difficulty and darkness. As my mother and teacher Karen Berg often says, “If you have a problem in your life and want a solution, go out of yourself and solve somebody else’s problem.”
A key lesson of this month is making a commitment to do more than you have done in the past. If you have helped one person last month, then now help ten. If you’ve helped ten, then now help a hundred.
This connects to a very important reason for thousands of students coming together around the world as large groups to connect to the holiday of Pesach. The connection we can make either individually or in small groups is much more limited than what we can accomplish when we’re all together in a large group.
Commenting on this phenomenon, Rav Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, said that there was only one reason why it was possible to reveal the great Light of The Zohar: He and the other sages were in complete unity, and it was that unity that allowed the revelation.
Kabbalists teach that the Final Redemption will come about when complete unity can be achieved in even a single place. When this unity happens, the Light we can ignite will be beyond what any of us has even imagined. We ourselves have the ability to bring about the Final Redemption—but only when we do everything we can to make that Redemption our unified purpose.
This is an amazing lesson. For us to awaken the Light and to manifest our true potential, we must make sure that our lives are aligned with the Light of the Creator, with the purpose of sharing. If we have certainty but our lives are not aligned in sharing, we will not be able to manifest the Light. Only if we meet both these requirements, certainty and pushing ourselves beyond what is comfortable will we be able to manifest the infinite freedom and fulfillment available to us.
Have a wonderful holiday month! Remember, stretch yourself farther than you normally go.
Carol Annes Astro Insights,
March 20, 2010: The Magnetic Equinox Effect
Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. - Og Mandino
This Months Happenings by Carol,
Carol Ann Ciocco
www.threemoonocean.com
http://twitter.com/carolann3888
The Vernal (Spring) Equinox occured at 1:32 pm on Saturday March 20, 2010 (today). The Vernal Equinox is the true New Beginning of any year.
Let's explore what the Equinox means in terms of the eternal dance between earth and our central star, the Sun (known as Helios to those looking in on us from other constellations. You know, the little green men with telescopes).
The two Equinoxes we experience on earth in the span of a solar year create an opening of the magnetic field of Earth:
"The Equinoxes are the seasonal time of balance and harmony when the days and nights are equal in length. During the Equinoxes, the Earth's auric or magnetic field is affected by the Sun's alignment with the Earth's equator. Twice each year, at the Equinoxes, the Sun rises and sets exactly over the equator, tracking exactly due East and due West, no matter where you are on the Planet.
The Equinox Solar Effect produces a reduction in the magnetic field of the Earth, providing easier access to other dimensions, beginning around 24 hours before and ending around 24 hours after, the exact Equinox point. Doorways or thresholds into the mysteries are more easily accessed during Equinoxes, especially when we consciously engage this Timing. Equinoxes are a powerful time for doing ceremonial activations at sacred sites or anywhere you happen to be." - Cayelin Castell
Sacred sites such as Chaco Canyon in the American Southwest and the Mayan temple complex at Chichen Itza are examples of ancient sites that were built specifically to capture the light at the time of the Equinox. The ancients had clear knowing of the importance of this bi-annual PAUSE in the magnetic field of earth. A time to for we humans to pause ourselves. To listen for messages and/or send messages of our own through the opening.
This collapse of earthly laws/boundaries has a window of three days: the day before, the day of, and the day after the Equinox.
In this moment of wide-openness, free of everyday restrictions, plant the seeds of your intention. As the creator you are, open your eyes and breathe new things into existence. Magnetize to yourself what you need for your journey. What you plant now you will harvest in the fall.
~ ~ ~ ~
By the end of May we will be hurtling forward with a powerful in-rush of (perhaps TOO MUCH) active, forceful energy due to something called a Cardinal Cross - which will soon be clicking into place. P.S. some astrologers have dubbed it the Cardinal Crisis. Oh boy, that doesn't sound good.
We also will be jumping through the hoop of a Total Solar Eclipse in July. Eclipses are earth changing, both literally and figuratively. Have no fear, we will have an eclipse boot-camp in this newsletter in the months ahead, to get ourselves ready.
And so, if you have been complaining about slow-moving progress since January, after May 15 be prepared to complain about the opposite. You might hear a loud wooshing sound; and if you do, it will be the sound of the rest of the year flying past you at warp speed. We are about to enter a vortex of potential. We will leap through the hoops of change and have a chance to take on more light (en-light-enment) with each moment in time.
March 11, 2010: Mars Goes Direct!
Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. - Elvis Presley
Mars, the planet of action and initiative, went direct on March 11, 2010.
Mars moving in backward motion since December 26th created an opportunity for strategic planning for the next 2.5 years. It was a good time to plan all of the projects and goals and actions and energies you want to create/achieve/embody. Many of us (I hope) have been using this time well. The Mars Retro period can be frustrating, but it does have its rewards: we are given an opportunity to review our accomplishments and make a new direction - with a celestial wind at our back - if we so choose.
If you haven't done this strategic planning process yet, have no fear! You still have time: up through May 15th we are still gel-ing our intentions. You're right on time. Just ask yourself: what projects will fulfill my heart's desire? Where do I want to go? How do I want to be seen? Where do I want to be in 2.5 years (yes, that's in 2012, and no you can't cheat because you think the world is going to end - AS IF! :)
So your car has been buried under a 4-foot pile of snow. You had to take the bus for a while, a laborious process in the winter. In the month of January you may have gotten about 3 (or 2.5) things completely done. The rest was swept away by time, weather, back-pedaling and road-blocks.
Now, the snow has thawed. Get your car on the road. You may need to warm it up a bit, run it through the car-wash, get the oil-changed (all between now and May 15th); but in no time at all you will be tooling down the highway. Because of your forced hiatus you have devised a plan and you have your map in hand. You know where you want to go. Gas in the car and a fully operational engine - off you go!
March 15, 2010: New Moon in Pisces
April 14, 2010: New Moon in Aries
Three experiences are common to every human being: birth, death and Enlightenment. - @DrumsofDharma
The Pisces New Moon occured on March 15, 2010. So we are currently swimming in the non-goal-oriented sea of Pisces even in the midst of our burgeoning New Beginning. While the Sun is in Pisces, we are more impressionable to the stimuli around us. Pisces has an oceanic, nebulus, ameoba-like feel to it. Our boundaries can dissolve and we might have a tendency to merge with everything around us.
So, during this month, keep an eye on everything you are 'taking in' - everything from the talk (gossip?) between you and your friends, to negative news, to violent movies and dvd's. Remind yourself that you are more absorbent during this time (kind of like Bounty... er, I guess:) Allow only what supports you to seep into you. Don't float in poisoned waters.
And on the flip side, you can use this state of Oneness to exude and ooze love, compassion and care for all of Humanity. Keep in mind that we ALL are swimming in that ocean with you, and so you can pulse positive energy to us as our individual boundaries blur.
~ ~ ~ ~
The Aries New Moon will occur on April 14, 2010 at 8:29am EDT. Aries and Pisces couldn't BE more different. Where Pisces is the boundary-less NO-SELF, Aries is the quintessential self in it's most potent form. It is the great I AM energy of our journey around the 12 archetypes of the zodiac mandala.
And so we emerge from the sea of Pisces and burst onto land with a vengeance, on fire to explore what lies on shore. In the long journey of the soul, before we can let go and merge in with Oneness, we must have a self (a piece of the Divine incarnate in an earthly body). Once you have a fully conscious self, it then becomes a choice to surrender to the Bliss of God and the Oneness of Humanity. The Great Experment is: will we make that choice? This is the crux of evolution.
Aries is the energy that, like the Spring Equinox, represents a furious powerful new beginning. Imagine the force that the tiny burgeoning seed must exert during this time of year to break through the still frozen ground and become a bud. This is the energy we can use now to forge a new path.
~ ~ ~ ~
A great image for the transition from Pisces into Aries and which informs the energetic zeitgeist of these times, is the Sabian Symbol for Aries 1: A WOMAN JUST RISEN FROM THE SEA. A SEAL IS EMBRACING HER. Rudhyar describes this symbol as the "emergence of new forms and the potentiality of consciousness." The Feminine begins the journey, pure Creative potency rising up from the sea of collective consciousness.
"The seal is a mammal which once had experienced a biological, evolutionary but relatively unconscious emergence, yet which retraced its steps and 'returned to the womb' of the sea .... This process is surrounded by the memory, the ghosts of past failures during previous cycles. The impulse upward is held back by regressive fear or insecurity; the issue of the conflict depends on the relative strength of the future-ward and the past-ward forces." - Dane Rudhyar, "An Astrological Mandala"
What we are doing now, as a species, is returning to the Divine (on-earth or off- earth, depends on your school of thought) and we are doing it in a FULLY CONSCIOUS state. A fully conscious individual blissfully embracing all others in compassion. This is the penultimate conclusion of evolution. And it is a choice.
~ ~ ~ ~
It all boils down to our level of consciousness. Raising the consciousness to higher altitudes of thought and learning to emobdy more and more light (en-light-enment) is the key to Humanity's survival. Politicians, bankers, those pursuing war would not do so if their consciousness embraced the Oneness of Humanity. Why kill or swindle someone else if they, indeed, are YOU. As Wayne Dyer said (and entitled one of his books): Every problem has a spiritual solution.
Your job is simple: continue to raise your consciousness to higher and higher levels; continue to take on more and more Light and Love as you move forward on the journey bursting forth right now. Enlightenment is contagious. What you do will ripple out into the sea of Humanity and eventually all will absorb your Light.
You know how to take on higher levels of consciousness (through meditation) and more and more light (through compassion, love and service). Let's face it, you've been studying and pursuing enlightenment for, like, decades now. If you hadn't been doing that, you wouldn't be reading this newsletter. Carry on.
Consciousness does not need physical form. But physical form needs Consciousness. And Consciousness enjoys physical form, because physical form is the leading edge of thought. So, Consciousness expands through the physical form. It's not one or the other. - Abraham/Hicks
Carol Ann Ciocco
www.threemoonocean.com
http://twitter.com/carolann3888
Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. - Og Mandino
This Months Happenings by Carol,
Carol Ann Ciocco
www.threemoonocean.com
http://twitter.com/carolann3888
The Vernal (Spring) Equinox occured at 1:32 pm on Saturday March 20, 2010 (today). The Vernal Equinox is the true New Beginning of any year.
Let's explore what the Equinox means in terms of the eternal dance between earth and our central star, the Sun (known as Helios to those looking in on us from other constellations. You know, the little green men with telescopes).
The two Equinoxes we experience on earth in the span of a solar year create an opening of the magnetic field of Earth:
"The Equinoxes are the seasonal time of balance and harmony when the days and nights are equal in length. During the Equinoxes, the Earth's auric or magnetic field is affected by the Sun's alignment with the Earth's equator. Twice each year, at the Equinoxes, the Sun rises and sets exactly over the equator, tracking exactly due East and due West, no matter where you are on the Planet.
The Equinox Solar Effect produces a reduction in the magnetic field of the Earth, providing easier access to other dimensions, beginning around 24 hours before and ending around 24 hours after, the exact Equinox point. Doorways or thresholds into the mysteries are more easily accessed during Equinoxes, especially when we consciously engage this Timing. Equinoxes are a powerful time for doing ceremonial activations at sacred sites or anywhere you happen to be." - Cayelin Castell
Sacred sites such as Chaco Canyon in the American Southwest and the Mayan temple complex at Chichen Itza are examples of ancient sites that were built specifically to capture the light at the time of the Equinox. The ancients had clear knowing of the importance of this bi-annual PAUSE in the magnetic field of earth. A time to for we humans to pause ourselves. To listen for messages and/or send messages of our own through the opening.
This collapse of earthly laws/boundaries has a window of three days: the day before, the day of, and the day after the Equinox.
In this moment of wide-openness, free of everyday restrictions, plant the seeds of your intention. As the creator you are, open your eyes and breathe new things into existence. Magnetize to yourself what you need for your journey. What you plant now you will harvest in the fall.
~ ~ ~ ~
By the end of May we will be hurtling forward with a powerful in-rush of (perhaps TOO MUCH) active, forceful energy due to something called a Cardinal Cross - which will soon be clicking into place. P.S. some astrologers have dubbed it the Cardinal Crisis. Oh boy, that doesn't sound good.
We also will be jumping through the hoop of a Total Solar Eclipse in July. Eclipses are earth changing, both literally and figuratively. Have no fear, we will have an eclipse boot-camp in this newsletter in the months ahead, to get ourselves ready.
And so, if you have been complaining about slow-moving progress since January, after May 15 be prepared to complain about the opposite. You might hear a loud wooshing sound; and if you do, it will be the sound of the rest of the year flying past you at warp speed. We are about to enter a vortex of potential. We will leap through the hoops of change and have a chance to take on more light (en-light-enment) with each moment in time.
March 11, 2010: Mars Goes Direct!
Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. - Elvis Presley
Mars, the planet of action and initiative, went direct on March 11, 2010.
Mars moving in backward motion since December 26th created an opportunity for strategic planning for the next 2.5 years. It was a good time to plan all of the projects and goals and actions and energies you want to create/achieve/embody. Many of us (I hope) have been using this time well. The Mars Retro period can be frustrating, but it does have its rewards: we are given an opportunity to review our accomplishments and make a new direction - with a celestial wind at our back - if we so choose.
If you haven't done this strategic planning process yet, have no fear! You still have time: up through May 15th we are still gel-ing our intentions. You're right on time. Just ask yourself: what projects will fulfill my heart's desire? Where do I want to go? How do I want to be seen? Where do I want to be in 2.5 years (yes, that's in 2012, and no you can't cheat because you think the world is going to end - AS IF! :)
So your car has been buried under a 4-foot pile of snow. You had to take the bus for a while, a laborious process in the winter. In the month of January you may have gotten about 3 (or 2.5) things completely done. The rest was swept away by time, weather, back-pedaling and road-blocks.
Now, the snow has thawed. Get your car on the road. You may need to warm it up a bit, run it through the car-wash, get the oil-changed (all between now and May 15th); but in no time at all you will be tooling down the highway. Because of your forced hiatus you have devised a plan and you have your map in hand. You know where you want to go. Gas in the car and a fully operational engine - off you go!
March 15, 2010: New Moon in Pisces
April 14, 2010: New Moon in Aries
Three experiences are common to every human being: birth, death and Enlightenment. - @DrumsofDharma
The Pisces New Moon occured on March 15, 2010. So we are currently swimming in the non-goal-oriented sea of Pisces even in the midst of our burgeoning New Beginning. While the Sun is in Pisces, we are more impressionable to the stimuli around us. Pisces has an oceanic, nebulus, ameoba-like feel to it. Our boundaries can dissolve and we might have a tendency to merge with everything around us.
So, during this month, keep an eye on everything you are 'taking in' - everything from the talk (gossip?) between you and your friends, to negative news, to violent movies and dvd's. Remind yourself that you are more absorbent during this time (kind of like Bounty... er, I guess:) Allow only what supports you to seep into you. Don't float in poisoned waters.
And on the flip side, you can use this state of Oneness to exude and ooze love, compassion and care for all of Humanity. Keep in mind that we ALL are swimming in that ocean with you, and so you can pulse positive energy to us as our individual boundaries blur.
~ ~ ~ ~
The Aries New Moon will occur on April 14, 2010 at 8:29am EDT. Aries and Pisces couldn't BE more different. Where Pisces is the boundary-less NO-SELF, Aries is the quintessential self in it's most potent form. It is the great I AM energy of our journey around the 12 archetypes of the zodiac mandala.
And so we emerge from the sea of Pisces and burst onto land with a vengeance, on fire to explore what lies on shore. In the long journey of the soul, before we can let go and merge in with Oneness, we must have a self (a piece of the Divine incarnate in an earthly body). Once you have a fully conscious self, it then becomes a choice to surrender to the Bliss of God and the Oneness of Humanity. The Great Experment is: will we make that choice? This is the crux of evolution.
Aries is the energy that, like the Spring Equinox, represents a furious powerful new beginning. Imagine the force that the tiny burgeoning seed must exert during this time of year to break through the still frozen ground and become a bud. This is the energy we can use now to forge a new path.
~ ~ ~ ~
A great image for the transition from Pisces into Aries and which informs the energetic zeitgeist of these times, is the Sabian Symbol for Aries 1: A WOMAN JUST RISEN FROM THE SEA. A SEAL IS EMBRACING HER. Rudhyar describes this symbol as the "emergence of new forms and the potentiality of consciousness." The Feminine begins the journey, pure Creative potency rising up from the sea of collective consciousness.
"The seal is a mammal which once had experienced a biological, evolutionary but relatively unconscious emergence, yet which retraced its steps and 'returned to the womb' of the sea .... This process is surrounded by the memory, the ghosts of past failures during previous cycles. The impulse upward is held back by regressive fear or insecurity; the issue of the conflict depends on the relative strength of the future-ward and the past-ward forces." - Dane Rudhyar, "An Astrological Mandala"
What we are doing now, as a species, is returning to the Divine (on-earth or off- earth, depends on your school of thought) and we are doing it in a FULLY CONSCIOUS state. A fully conscious individual blissfully embracing all others in compassion. This is the penultimate conclusion of evolution. And it is a choice.
~ ~ ~ ~
It all boils down to our level of consciousness. Raising the consciousness to higher altitudes of thought and learning to emobdy more and more light (en-light-enment) is the key to Humanity's survival. Politicians, bankers, those pursuing war would not do so if their consciousness embraced the Oneness of Humanity. Why kill or swindle someone else if they, indeed, are YOU. As Wayne Dyer said (and entitled one of his books): Every problem has a spiritual solution.
Your job is simple: continue to raise your consciousness to higher and higher levels; continue to take on more and more Light and Love as you move forward on the journey bursting forth right now. Enlightenment is contagious. What you do will ripple out into the sea of Humanity and eventually all will absorb your Light.
You know how to take on higher levels of consciousness (through meditation) and more and more light (through compassion, love and service). Let's face it, you've been studying and pursuing enlightenment for, like, decades now. If you hadn't been doing that, you wouldn't be reading this newsletter. Carry on.
Consciousness does not need physical form. But physical form needs Consciousness. And Consciousness enjoys physical form, because physical form is the leading edge of thought. So, Consciousness expands through the physical form. It's not one or the other. - Abraham/Hicks
Carol Ann Ciocco
www.threemoonocean.com
http://twitter.com/carolann3888
Festival of Minerva
Festival of Minerva
March 23
Tuesday
Color of the day: Red
Incense of the day: Bayberry
On this day, ancient Romans celebrated the Festival of Minerva. To honor her, musicians and poets paraded to her shrines and performed their greatest works. Minerva rules wisdom, poetry, warcraft, medicine, and commerce. Born from the head of her father, this virgin goddess bows to neither god nor man. Even now, she appears in statues and seals of universities. Celebrate her festival by going to a civic event, practicing martial arts, performing poetry, or learning a self-sufficient skill. Decorate with images of owls, shields, and spears. Her colors are white and Tyrian purple. Invoke her with these words:
Minerva of the quick wit
And steel-strong spine,
I call on you!
The flash of your eyes
Is the sun on a sword’s blade
Teach me to cut to the heart
Of all things
And to listen for wisdom
In the silence of an owl’s flight
March 23
Tuesday
Color of the day: Red
Incense of the day: Bayberry
On this day, ancient Romans celebrated the Festival of Minerva. To honor her, musicians and poets paraded to her shrines and performed their greatest works. Minerva rules wisdom, poetry, warcraft, medicine, and commerce. Born from the head of her father, this virgin goddess bows to neither god nor man. Even now, she appears in statues and seals of universities. Celebrate her festival by going to a civic event, practicing martial arts, performing poetry, or learning a self-sufficient skill. Decorate with images of owls, shields, and spears. Her colors are white and Tyrian purple. Invoke her with these words:
Minerva of the quick wit
And steel-strong spine,
I call on you!
The flash of your eyes
Is the sun on a sword’s blade
Teach me to cut to the heart
Of all things
And to listen for wisdom
In the silence of an owl’s flight
Daily Elders Meditation
"We must relearn how to cry. A strong man cries; it is the weak man who holds back his tears."
--Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA
Indian men and other men should really meditate on this Elder's saying. So many men have been taught it is unmanly to cry, to show emotions or to feel. When people cry, the Elders say there are two types of tears – one type will taste salty; the other type will taste sweet. One is caused by pain, and the other is caused by the release from the pain, or joy tears. A strong man knows himself and knows his relationship with the Great Spirit. The release of tears is a spiritual act. Our bodies are designed to cry. We should honor our bodies and use them as the Creator intended.
--Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA
Indian men and other men should really meditate on this Elder's saying. So many men have been taught it is unmanly to cry, to show emotions or to feel. When people cry, the Elders say there are two types of tears – one type will taste salty; the other type will taste sweet. One is caused by pain, and the other is caused by the release from the pain, or joy tears. A strong man knows himself and knows his relationship with the Great Spirit. The release of tears is a spiritual act. Our bodies are designed to cry. We should honor our bodies and use them as the Creator intended.
The Different Levels of Power in this Infinite Omnivese!
The Following Chapter wil guide you to own your Power at all times in and on all levels in a Balncved Integrated and Synthisized Level.The First Level is COnscious Mind Masterym,incharge of Mind Sub SOncsious Mind Negative Ego Past events Not give power to other people outside situations or even God Masters or anything anywhere ever at any time!Next we need to give our sub conscious power diretions with affirmation visualization and Christed thoughts we enter the 2nd level of Power.Next we must call on the Super COnscious Mind and Oversoul the greater higher intelligence that gives direction guidance at all times.call on in this enormous power when ever you remember!Next then call on your own Individualized Mighty I am Presence and God Flame your Personal Mondad.This will take place after the 4th Intiation so after taking this iniation then be sure to make all your prayers to tis level.Next the 6th Level is calling on the Christ within,The God Without and the Spirit of Holiness.Next Level is of course to call on God the Godheads Power which is truely omnipotent Omnipresence and Omniscient!This enormous power can be requested at all times!Be sure to pray only with prayer preferences remianing happy if you get the prayer or not.Also key is to not pray from the negative ego but surrender to Gods Will,Also be sure never to focus negatively on what you want for the mind creates and attracts what it wants focuses on.Next key is to call on the Inner Plane Ascended Master of the 7 Rays.They will be an unending source of Power and Manifestionat in ways you can not even imagine!Next call on the Help of the Angels and Archangels.They are most wonderful beings and live literally to serve!There are angels on every ray and area of endevour and you should call on them constantly for they will amaze you with thier abilities skills love and willingness to serve you.Next level is the Council of Elhoim and Elhoim Creator Gods who are absolute Masters of Manifestation!The 3 Lines of Evolution in this Universe are the Ascended Masters Lineage,the Angelic Lineage and the Elhoim Lineage.These 3 exist and we will be all ascending on one of these Lineages.The next level is to call on the Christed Extraterrestials for our help and our support.The amazing thing about this is tht they have amazing technology on thier ships and home planets!Be sure to call on commander ashtar and the ashtar command as well as the Arcturians!They will amaze you with thier technology!The next key is to call on the Earth Mother Pan and the Nature Spirits.Pan the great Elhoim Master who is not a Devil as some religions have portaryed him but a loving powerful and amazingly skillfull master!Call on the Earth mother and nature spirits for all your harmonious needs!They can empower our mindds hearts and souls in so many ways!Gods Infinite Universe is truly so full and amzaing and we are just to call on align with and integrate all these levels of the greater self!We must then own all levels of our Power,remaining vigilent against the Ego,keep our motives pure there is nothing that can stop us!God has given as all and we have all these amazing levels of support!We must though help ourselves and do our part.Follow your guidance and attune to each level and you will be totally unstopable in your manifestation of your personal Business Ideal Financial Mastery.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Into all as it all!Never going to fall cause im Gods Wall!
Into it all as it all!Never going to fall cause Im Gods Wall!
As it all never more never less always blessed!
This Rent my life no more Pent my Art was spent,
On lesser woes of concerns Past but oh now its all so fast,
Fast to start fast to end the river rages as I float carelessly to the Great Sea,
The Infinite Ocean where we all meet and merge as One,
In the Ocean of Great Bliss,The Sea of Endless Love we all float together towards,
So here we go down the River together,Down the Path together,
Expanding In Love under Jupiters Bountiful Oppulence,
In the Sun its always Fun!In the One where always one.
So no sings just the Eternal wine on which we dine!
Blessed Best this is and will be what it is as we create it so.
On and On back and Back up Heal and Heal Deal and deal Meals and Meals.
Seal the Deal it's a Steal forever Real the Real day!
This is the Peace the Meace the Speace of Life.
Oh my Son go take a wife and stay out off strife its all so rife!
Finish go Finish get Minish,
Spin this is it on the Top of your Own Mountain,
Keep Climbing Keep Winding up the Great Mountain high,
Say Good bye to all the Pies stay so wise to see the prize!
No Demise for the Wise,but eternal Prize for the Wise,
The Eyes that see,The Hearts that be,The Minds that Concieve!
The He that's me that's every we,every you ever me always he!
Forever free always we always free!
Always all Days All Ways!All Days!Always!
Elders Meditation for the Day,
Elder's Meditation of the Day - March 22
"Everything's so simple, and we make everything so complicated. That's why we're confused."
--Vickie Downey, TEWA/Tesuque Pueblo
The Creator designed a very simple set of Laws for us to follow. If we follow these simple things, we'll be happy. If we don't follow these simple things, our lives become complicated. For example:
Respect Mother Earth
Love one another
Be truthful
Give to your brother and sisters
Be gentle with each other
Be happy
Following these simple Laws will have great rewards.
"Everything's so simple, and we make everything so complicated. That's why we're confused."
--Vickie Downey, TEWA/Tesuque Pueblo
The Creator designed a very simple set of Laws for us to follow. If we follow these simple things, we'll be happy. If we don't follow these simple things, our lives become complicated. For example:
Respect Mother Earth
Love one another
Be truthful
Give to your brother and sisters
Be gentle with each other
Be happy
Following these simple Laws will have great rewards.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Pre-Geisha
1100AD - 1750AD
Pre-Geisha
Whilst geisha are relatively modern in their emergence, dating back to the early 1700’s, “geisha-type” women have existed since the earliest history of Japan. Two notable predecessors to geisha were the Saburuko, who came onto the scene at the end of the seventh century, and the Shirabyoshi, who emerged during the late Heian – early Kamakura period (1185-1333AD).
Saburuko, (ones who serve), were the result of an increasing social displacement towards the end of the seventh century. Many women found themselves having to become wanderers, who, in order to survive, had to resort to trading their sexual favours. Whilst most of these women were from the lower class, there were among them women who were quite educated and talented. These particular Saburuko who were talented dancers and singers often found themselves invited to entertain at aristocratic gatherings.
Shirabyoshi (who adopted their name from the dance that they performed) appeared at a time when the social structure in Japan was starting to break down. The changing fortunes of many aristocratic families had resulted in the daughters of these families becoming Shirabyoshi in order to survive. These women, who were often highly educated, soon became valued for their dancing and poetic talent. They were supported by many upper class families – including the famous aristocratic families of the Fujiwara and Taira, and in some cases even gave birth to noble children.
The Shirabyoshi were recognizable from the white Shinto-style outfits that they would wear, the playing of the drum and fife, and their dancing abilities. They would also recite ballads that were based on Buddhist prayers introduced from China. The most famous of the Shirabyoshi, who would be remembered many centuries down the track, were Shizuka, the concubine of Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-1189) and Kamagiku, the favourite concubine of the retired ordained Emperor, Gotoba (1189-1239).
The Pleasure Quarters
In 1589, Hara Saburozaemon requested permission from his master, Hideyoshi, to open up a brothel. He was given consent and proceeded to build a walled-in quarter in the area of Nijo Yanagimachi in Kyoto, which appeared to be based on the design of the pleasure quarters of the Ming Dynasty in China. At the completion of building, Saburozaemon had had created the first walled-in pleasure quarter in Japan.
After a previous relocation of the quarters to Rokujo Misujimachi in 1602, the quarters were eventually relocated to the suburb of Suzakuno in 1640-1641 and started to become known as the “Shimabara of Kyoto” (so named because the quarters apparently resembled the Shimabara fortress in Kyushu). Shimabara of Kyoto was to become the second most famous of the pleasure quarters in Japan, and the original design of the quarters came to be used as a basis for the soon-to-be-built Yoshiwara.
In 1612, after a previously unsuccessful petition by Edo (current day Tokyo) brothel owners to create a regular “keisei-machi” (courtesan quarter), Shoji Jin’emon, a brothel proprietor, came up with an idea. Concerned by the fact that unrestricted proliferation would be bad for business, he felt that the idea of collecting all prostitutes and brothels within one special area would be beneficial all round. With this idea in mind, he approached the current Tokugawa government with his proposal.
In March 1617, Jin'emon was summoned and informed that his request had been granted. He was also informed that 2 square cho (approx 11.8 acres) of land would be devoted to the purpose of building the quarter. Jin’emon was then appointed “Keisei-machi Nanushi” (director of prostitute quarter) of what was to be known as Moto-Yoshiwara and was instructed by the bakufu to observe the following five rules:
No brothels will be permitted to operate outside the established licensed quarter and any request for the attendance of courtesans outside the quarters shall no longer be complied with, regardless of the origin of the request.
No guest shall be permitted to remain in a brothel for more than a period of twenty-four hours.
Courtesans are forbidden to wear luxurious cloths appliquéd or embroidered with gold and silver on them. They are to wear ordinary dyed cloths wherever they may be.
Buildings within the quarter are not to be built of imposing appearance, and the inhabitants of the pleasure quarters shall discharge the same duties (as firemen, etc.,) as ordinary residents in other parts of Edo city.
Proper inquiries shall be conducted into any visitor to a brothel, no matter whether he be a samurai, of the merchant class or commoner. In the case of any suspicious individuals of unknown origin, or strange behaviour, information shall be given to the Bugyo-sho (office of the City Governor).
The land that was provided for this was located at Fukiya-machi, and was a rather large, marshy and dismal area which had been overrun by weeds and rushes. Jin’emon at once started to clear out and fill in the land, organizing for the quarters to be built. Around the same time, the place was renamed to Yoshi-wara (field of rushes), although the character for “yoshi” was eventually changed to the more auspicious character of “good fortune”, hence changing the meaning of Yoshiwara to “Field of Good Luck”. Whilst the quarters were not completely finished until November of 1626, the doors of the only licensed pleasure quarters in Edo opened for business in November of 1618.
At first, the Yoshiwara looked to Shimabara of Kyoto for influence in customs, manners and cultural ways. In time, though, Yoshiwara developed it’s own customs and traditions, many being unique to Yoshiwara, and it soon became a thriving cultural centre for all manners of arts, along with producing its own lineage of popular and celebrated courtesans.
The lure of Yoshiwara, Shimabara, and the pleasure quarters to follow in later years was largely the romance, elegance and excitement that allowed men an escape from the highly-regimented society of those times.
No doubt, the courtesans of the early days had a lot to do with the creation of this atmosphere. It has been said that these earlier women were of much more superior quality to those who succeeded them in following years, and at times were mistaken for noble women. There is evidence that after the defeat of the Toyotomi Clan, many daughters and young wives of the high-ranking samurai found themselves displaced within society. In order to be able to make a living for themselves, they turned to prostitution. This would most certainly explain the high cultural level and elegance of the earlier courtesans, a level that, over the years, would slowly diminish and become something talked about with great fondness and reminiscences.
The high cultural atmosphere of these quarters was quite often layered with classical references to the long gone Heian era. Courtesans and artists alike made many references to Murasaki Shikibu's famous novel, "The Tale of Genji". It was this atmosphere and culture within the pleasure quarters that spawned the highly popular ukiyo-e, "pictures of the floating world", which showed us the various inhabitants of the “floating world”. It was, indeed, a place where men could live out their dreams and fantasies.
There were many different classes of courtesans within the pleasure quarters, but the main classes existing at Shimabara at the beginning were Tayuu and Hashi-joro. With the opening of Yoshiwara though, three more classes were added – “Koshi-Joro, Tsubone-joro and Kirimise-joro, and when Shin-Yoshiwara (New-Yoshiwara) opened, the previous classes, Hashi-joro and Tsubone-joro, were eliminated, but gave rise to the Sancha-joro and Umecha-joro.
Tayuu was the highest class that a courtesan could ever achieve. Following in second place, but still high class, was the Koshi-joro. Tsubone-joro was the next class down, but with the onset of the Umecha-joro class around the Genroku era, their popularity was lowered. The next class in line was the Kirimise-joro, who offered their services for a very modest sum, and bellow them was the Sancha-joro. The Sancha-joro class consisted of bath-house women who had been operating illegally. These women were eventually rounded up and placed within the walls quarters. The infamous Katsuyama, whom the Katsuyama-mage – or, more frequently referred to as “marumage”, hairstyle originated from -- arose from this very class of illegal prostitutes to become an extremely popular Tayuu. Last but not least was the lowest of all classes, the Hashi-joro.
The Tayuu of the early days were exceptional women, who outshone all their counterparts with both their beauty and their talent. Whilst a Tayuu was treated like royalty, however, she had many rules and standards of behaviour that she had to abide by. Any breach in these rules or standards could be seen as reason for her to be no longer fit to remain a Tayuu, and she would be demoted. Tayuu were offered the luxury of rejecting the advances of any suitors that they wished not to take, along with being appointed two young child attendants, Kamuro. These young Kamuro were often treated as younger sisters by the Tayuu, who would take pity on their plight, and would go to great pains to educate them in the customs and ways of the floating world.
Due to sumptuary laws being enforced in the early years of the pleasure quarters, and the abolishment of wearing silver- or gold embroided or appliquéd cloths, the early Tayuu looked far less elaborate than their successors, the Oiran, would look in later years. Their clothing was quite modest in comparison, although still just as costly, and as beautiful and stylish, if not more so.
The seventeen-hundreds (1700’s) though, saw the wealth and culture of the pleasure quarters raised to a new height, and in a sense, could be called the golden age for the “floating world”. With the merchant class increasing in wealth, the prosperity of the quarters was also increasing at a dramatic rate. Along with the continuing development and popularity of Ukiyo-e artists, writers and the kabuki, the high class courtesans started to become much more elaborate as the years went by, pushing the boundaries of the original rule of the quarters concerning ordinary dyed cloth.
Around the latter half of the seventeen-hundreds (1700’s) however, the sancha-joro started to become extremely popular. So popular, in fact, that they directly contributed to the declining demand of both the Tayuu and the Koshi-joro. 1761 was the last year that a Tayuu had been listed as practicing, and come the end of 1763, not only had the Tayuu disappeared, so had the Koshi-joro as well. The sancha-joro class almost took over the quarters, but at around the same time, a new class of high ranking courtesans came into play.
The new rank was called the Yobidashi, and was then further split into two groups. The first group was quite like the previous Tayuu, in both cost and behaviour, and the other half of the group closely resembled the former class of the Koshi. At approximately the same time, the sancha-joro were also split into two new groups: the Chusan and the Tsukemawashi. Two further main classes became known in the late seventeen-hundreds, the Sashikimochi, whom came directly below the Oiran (which is what the Yobidashi class became known as). The Zashikimochi soon also started to become known as Oiran. The second group was the Heyamochi. At the same time as this, the previously-known class of Tsubone-joro had now become one of the lowest classes of prostitutes. One result of these changes was the decline in the accomplishments and merits of many of the courtesans, and the standards, which were once held so high, started to slowly be lowered.
The many changes in the classes that happened in the second half of the eighteenth century (1700’s), along with the general decline of the skills of courtesans, provided the perfect conditions for a completely new and different type of entertainer class to arise from within the Floating World.
The Emergence of a new entertainer:- The Geisha
1750-1751 saw the beginnings of the new class emerge from Kyoto and Osaka—the so-called “geiko”. Geiko originally were men, derived from the previously known group of Taikomochi. These men had been around entertaining in various ways since the Kwambun era (1661-1672), but had been solely male until the first female geisha, Kikuya from Fukagawa, appeared.
The development of female geisha, besides the before mentioned Shirabyoshi, was also closely connected to the introduction of the shamisen (originally called jabisen) through the Eiroku era (1557-1570). The shamisen became widely popular throughout Japan due to it’s relative ease of playing, and it also was the perfect accompaniment to many of the popular songs of the day. Courtesans were soon to pick up the shamisen as one of their skills, but over time, they stopped playing and left the musical side of entertainment to the male geisha. One other significant development with female geisha was the odoriko.
Around the 1680’s, young teenage dancers, whose parents sent them to dance teachers for the purpose of having them trained so that they could hire them out, were becoming quite popular in the households of the Daimyo and upper-class samurai.
Originally, these girls were put out for hire without the offering of sexual acts, but over the years, with many parents starting to exploit their daughters, many of the odoriko had turned to prostitution.
In 1743, a group of Edo odoriko were arrested along with other illegal prostitutes and sent to work in the Yoshiwara. 1753 saw another group of around 104 odoriko from Fukagawa sent off to the pleasure quarters to work as well. These women, although still selling themselves in prostitution, started to call themselves “Geiko”.
1762 lists the first female geisha in Yoshiwara as being Kazen of the Ogiya brothel, although odoriko (calling themselves geisha) had been listed working as early as 1752. The saiken from 1769 however, was the first one to have an individual listing of the names of all geisha in service. By 1779, female geisha had become so popular and greatly in demand that they had even started to rival the courtesans and take on their clients.
As a result of this, a former brothel owner, Daikokuya Shoroku, came up with an idea. Concerned with both the fact that geisha were threatening the carefully regulated structure of Yoshiwara, and also with the fact that they were avoiding paying any taxes whatsoever to put towards the upkeep of the Yoshiwara, he conceived of the idea to register geisha, both male and female. With the unprotected approval of the Yoshiwara officials, he then created the first kenban, a system that still prevails today.
The newly formed Kenban set itself up at the great gates, and proceeded to bring the geisha under control with the issuing of new rules and regulations. With his concern that geisha were openly competing with the courtesans for their customers, strict sumptuary edicts were issued.
The new rules and regulations for geisha were as follows:-
~Geisha were no longer allowed to leave the pleasure quarters to entertain. The only days that this rule was lifted was for New Year’s Day and the great Bon festival in July. Whilst they could leave the quarters on these two days, they had to be back inside the gates by four o’clock in the afternoon.
~Geisha were strictly prohibited to wear extravagant clothing, and they were limited to wearing plain, non-figured cloth with their crest. Their collars were to be of white material. The hairstyles were to be of a uniform style, namely the “Shimada” style and they were only allowed to wear three ornaments in their hair. One comb, and two hair-pins, one longer than the other.
~To avoid familiarity with their guest, geisha had to be hired out in groups of three (this was reduced to two in later years) and she was not to sit next to the guest unless there was absolutely no other choice. If a geisha was suspected of being too intimate, an inquiry would be held by the kenban and the offending geisha could be suspended for a couple of days.
~The hours that they were allowed to work was strictly limited from noon till 10pm, although this was later increased till Midnight.
In conjunction with these rules, it was also encouraged to recruit rather ordinary and plain looking women to help curb competition between courtesan and geisha. Artistically skilled and talented women were also thought to be much more suitable for this role.
This system for regulating and controlling the geisha became so effective within Yoshiwara that other pleasure quarters around Japan were soon to adopt the same rules and regulations. These rules and regulations, rather than hindering the geisha, created the perfect conditions that paved the way for a new age in the popularity of geisha.
Pre-Geisha
Whilst geisha are relatively modern in their emergence, dating back to the early 1700’s, “geisha-type” women have existed since the earliest history of Japan. Two notable predecessors to geisha were the Saburuko, who came onto the scene at the end of the seventh century, and the Shirabyoshi, who emerged during the late Heian – early Kamakura period (1185-1333AD).
Saburuko, (ones who serve), were the result of an increasing social displacement towards the end of the seventh century. Many women found themselves having to become wanderers, who, in order to survive, had to resort to trading their sexual favours. Whilst most of these women were from the lower class, there were among them women who were quite educated and talented. These particular Saburuko who were talented dancers and singers often found themselves invited to entertain at aristocratic gatherings.
Shirabyoshi (who adopted their name from the dance that they performed) appeared at a time when the social structure in Japan was starting to break down. The changing fortunes of many aristocratic families had resulted in the daughters of these families becoming Shirabyoshi in order to survive. These women, who were often highly educated, soon became valued for their dancing and poetic talent. They were supported by many upper class families – including the famous aristocratic families of the Fujiwara and Taira, and in some cases even gave birth to noble children.
The Shirabyoshi were recognizable from the white Shinto-style outfits that they would wear, the playing of the drum and fife, and their dancing abilities. They would also recite ballads that were based on Buddhist prayers introduced from China. The most famous of the Shirabyoshi, who would be remembered many centuries down the track, were Shizuka, the concubine of Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-1189) and Kamagiku, the favourite concubine of the retired ordained Emperor, Gotoba (1189-1239).
The Pleasure Quarters
In 1589, Hara Saburozaemon requested permission from his master, Hideyoshi, to open up a brothel. He was given consent and proceeded to build a walled-in quarter in the area of Nijo Yanagimachi in Kyoto, which appeared to be based on the design of the pleasure quarters of the Ming Dynasty in China. At the completion of building, Saburozaemon had had created the first walled-in pleasure quarter in Japan.
After a previous relocation of the quarters to Rokujo Misujimachi in 1602, the quarters were eventually relocated to the suburb of Suzakuno in 1640-1641 and started to become known as the “Shimabara of Kyoto” (so named because the quarters apparently resembled the Shimabara fortress in Kyushu). Shimabara of Kyoto was to become the second most famous of the pleasure quarters in Japan, and the original design of the quarters came to be used as a basis for the soon-to-be-built Yoshiwara.
In 1612, after a previously unsuccessful petition by Edo (current day Tokyo) brothel owners to create a regular “keisei-machi” (courtesan quarter), Shoji Jin’emon, a brothel proprietor, came up with an idea. Concerned by the fact that unrestricted proliferation would be bad for business, he felt that the idea of collecting all prostitutes and brothels within one special area would be beneficial all round. With this idea in mind, he approached the current Tokugawa government with his proposal.
In March 1617, Jin'emon was summoned and informed that his request had been granted. He was also informed that 2 square cho (approx 11.8 acres) of land would be devoted to the purpose of building the quarter. Jin’emon was then appointed “Keisei-machi Nanushi” (director of prostitute quarter) of what was to be known as Moto-Yoshiwara and was instructed by the bakufu to observe the following five rules:
No brothels will be permitted to operate outside the established licensed quarter and any request for the attendance of courtesans outside the quarters shall no longer be complied with, regardless of the origin of the request.
No guest shall be permitted to remain in a brothel for more than a period of twenty-four hours.
Courtesans are forbidden to wear luxurious cloths appliquéd or embroidered with gold and silver on them. They are to wear ordinary dyed cloths wherever they may be.
Buildings within the quarter are not to be built of imposing appearance, and the inhabitants of the pleasure quarters shall discharge the same duties (as firemen, etc.,) as ordinary residents in other parts of Edo city.
Proper inquiries shall be conducted into any visitor to a brothel, no matter whether he be a samurai, of the merchant class or commoner. In the case of any suspicious individuals of unknown origin, or strange behaviour, information shall be given to the Bugyo-sho (office of the City Governor).
The land that was provided for this was located at Fukiya-machi, and was a rather large, marshy and dismal area which had been overrun by weeds and rushes. Jin’emon at once started to clear out and fill in the land, organizing for the quarters to be built. Around the same time, the place was renamed to Yoshi-wara (field of rushes), although the character for “yoshi” was eventually changed to the more auspicious character of “good fortune”, hence changing the meaning of Yoshiwara to “Field of Good Luck”. Whilst the quarters were not completely finished until November of 1626, the doors of the only licensed pleasure quarters in Edo opened for business in November of 1618.
At first, the Yoshiwara looked to Shimabara of Kyoto for influence in customs, manners and cultural ways. In time, though, Yoshiwara developed it’s own customs and traditions, many being unique to Yoshiwara, and it soon became a thriving cultural centre for all manners of arts, along with producing its own lineage of popular and celebrated courtesans.
The lure of Yoshiwara, Shimabara, and the pleasure quarters to follow in later years was largely the romance, elegance and excitement that allowed men an escape from the highly-regimented society of those times.
No doubt, the courtesans of the early days had a lot to do with the creation of this atmosphere. It has been said that these earlier women were of much more superior quality to those who succeeded them in following years, and at times were mistaken for noble women. There is evidence that after the defeat of the Toyotomi Clan, many daughters and young wives of the high-ranking samurai found themselves displaced within society. In order to be able to make a living for themselves, they turned to prostitution. This would most certainly explain the high cultural level and elegance of the earlier courtesans, a level that, over the years, would slowly diminish and become something talked about with great fondness and reminiscences.
The high cultural atmosphere of these quarters was quite often layered with classical references to the long gone Heian era. Courtesans and artists alike made many references to Murasaki Shikibu's famous novel, "The Tale of Genji". It was this atmosphere and culture within the pleasure quarters that spawned the highly popular ukiyo-e, "pictures of the floating world", which showed us the various inhabitants of the “floating world”. It was, indeed, a place where men could live out their dreams and fantasies.
There were many different classes of courtesans within the pleasure quarters, but the main classes existing at Shimabara at the beginning were Tayuu and Hashi-joro. With the opening of Yoshiwara though, three more classes were added – “Koshi-Joro, Tsubone-joro and Kirimise-joro, and when Shin-Yoshiwara (New-Yoshiwara) opened, the previous classes, Hashi-joro and Tsubone-joro, were eliminated, but gave rise to the Sancha-joro and Umecha-joro.
Tayuu was the highest class that a courtesan could ever achieve. Following in second place, but still high class, was the Koshi-joro. Tsubone-joro was the next class down, but with the onset of the Umecha-joro class around the Genroku era, their popularity was lowered. The next class in line was the Kirimise-joro, who offered their services for a very modest sum, and bellow them was the Sancha-joro. The Sancha-joro class consisted of bath-house women who had been operating illegally. These women were eventually rounded up and placed within the walls quarters. The infamous Katsuyama, whom the Katsuyama-mage – or, more frequently referred to as “marumage”, hairstyle originated from -- arose from this very class of illegal prostitutes to become an extremely popular Tayuu. Last but not least was the lowest of all classes, the Hashi-joro.
The Tayuu of the early days were exceptional women, who outshone all their counterparts with both their beauty and their talent. Whilst a Tayuu was treated like royalty, however, she had many rules and standards of behaviour that she had to abide by. Any breach in these rules or standards could be seen as reason for her to be no longer fit to remain a Tayuu, and she would be demoted. Tayuu were offered the luxury of rejecting the advances of any suitors that they wished not to take, along with being appointed two young child attendants, Kamuro. These young Kamuro were often treated as younger sisters by the Tayuu, who would take pity on their plight, and would go to great pains to educate them in the customs and ways of the floating world.
Due to sumptuary laws being enforced in the early years of the pleasure quarters, and the abolishment of wearing silver- or gold embroided or appliquéd cloths, the early Tayuu looked far less elaborate than their successors, the Oiran, would look in later years. Their clothing was quite modest in comparison, although still just as costly, and as beautiful and stylish, if not more so.
The seventeen-hundreds (1700’s) though, saw the wealth and culture of the pleasure quarters raised to a new height, and in a sense, could be called the golden age for the “floating world”. With the merchant class increasing in wealth, the prosperity of the quarters was also increasing at a dramatic rate. Along with the continuing development and popularity of Ukiyo-e artists, writers and the kabuki, the high class courtesans started to become much more elaborate as the years went by, pushing the boundaries of the original rule of the quarters concerning ordinary dyed cloth.
Around the latter half of the seventeen-hundreds (1700’s) however, the sancha-joro started to become extremely popular. So popular, in fact, that they directly contributed to the declining demand of both the Tayuu and the Koshi-joro. 1761 was the last year that a Tayuu had been listed as practicing, and come the end of 1763, not only had the Tayuu disappeared, so had the Koshi-joro as well. The sancha-joro class almost took over the quarters, but at around the same time, a new class of high ranking courtesans came into play.
The new rank was called the Yobidashi, and was then further split into two groups. The first group was quite like the previous Tayuu, in both cost and behaviour, and the other half of the group closely resembled the former class of the Koshi. At approximately the same time, the sancha-joro were also split into two new groups: the Chusan and the Tsukemawashi. Two further main classes became known in the late seventeen-hundreds, the Sashikimochi, whom came directly below the Oiran (which is what the Yobidashi class became known as). The Zashikimochi soon also started to become known as Oiran. The second group was the Heyamochi. At the same time as this, the previously-known class of Tsubone-joro had now become one of the lowest classes of prostitutes. One result of these changes was the decline in the accomplishments and merits of many of the courtesans, and the standards, which were once held so high, started to slowly be lowered.
The many changes in the classes that happened in the second half of the eighteenth century (1700’s), along with the general decline of the skills of courtesans, provided the perfect conditions for a completely new and different type of entertainer class to arise from within the Floating World.
The Emergence of a new entertainer:- The Geisha
1750-1751 saw the beginnings of the new class emerge from Kyoto and Osaka—the so-called “geiko”. Geiko originally were men, derived from the previously known group of Taikomochi. These men had been around entertaining in various ways since the Kwambun era (1661-1672), but had been solely male until the first female geisha, Kikuya from Fukagawa, appeared.
The development of female geisha, besides the before mentioned Shirabyoshi, was also closely connected to the introduction of the shamisen (originally called jabisen) through the Eiroku era (1557-1570). The shamisen became widely popular throughout Japan due to it’s relative ease of playing, and it also was the perfect accompaniment to many of the popular songs of the day. Courtesans were soon to pick up the shamisen as one of their skills, but over time, they stopped playing and left the musical side of entertainment to the male geisha. One other significant development with female geisha was the odoriko.
Around the 1680’s, young teenage dancers, whose parents sent them to dance teachers for the purpose of having them trained so that they could hire them out, were becoming quite popular in the households of the Daimyo and upper-class samurai.
Originally, these girls were put out for hire without the offering of sexual acts, but over the years, with many parents starting to exploit their daughters, many of the odoriko had turned to prostitution.
In 1743, a group of Edo odoriko were arrested along with other illegal prostitutes and sent to work in the Yoshiwara. 1753 saw another group of around 104 odoriko from Fukagawa sent off to the pleasure quarters to work as well. These women, although still selling themselves in prostitution, started to call themselves “Geiko”.
1762 lists the first female geisha in Yoshiwara as being Kazen of the Ogiya brothel, although odoriko (calling themselves geisha) had been listed working as early as 1752. The saiken from 1769 however, was the first one to have an individual listing of the names of all geisha in service. By 1779, female geisha had become so popular and greatly in demand that they had even started to rival the courtesans and take on their clients.
As a result of this, a former brothel owner, Daikokuya Shoroku, came up with an idea. Concerned with both the fact that geisha were threatening the carefully regulated structure of Yoshiwara, and also with the fact that they were avoiding paying any taxes whatsoever to put towards the upkeep of the Yoshiwara, he conceived of the idea to register geisha, both male and female. With the unprotected approval of the Yoshiwara officials, he then created the first kenban, a system that still prevails today.
The newly formed Kenban set itself up at the great gates, and proceeded to bring the geisha under control with the issuing of new rules and regulations. With his concern that geisha were openly competing with the courtesans for their customers, strict sumptuary edicts were issued.
The new rules and regulations for geisha were as follows:-
~Geisha were no longer allowed to leave the pleasure quarters to entertain. The only days that this rule was lifted was for New Year’s Day and the great Bon festival in July. Whilst they could leave the quarters on these two days, they had to be back inside the gates by four o’clock in the afternoon.
~Geisha were strictly prohibited to wear extravagant clothing, and they were limited to wearing plain, non-figured cloth with their crest. Their collars were to be of white material. The hairstyles were to be of a uniform style, namely the “Shimada” style and they were only allowed to wear three ornaments in their hair. One comb, and two hair-pins, one longer than the other.
~To avoid familiarity with their guest, geisha had to be hired out in groups of three (this was reduced to two in later years) and she was not to sit next to the guest unless there was absolutely no other choice. If a geisha was suspected of being too intimate, an inquiry would be held by the kenban and the offending geisha could be suspended for a couple of days.
~The hours that they were allowed to work was strictly limited from noon till 10pm, although this was later increased till Midnight.
In conjunction with these rules, it was also encouraged to recruit rather ordinary and plain looking women to help curb competition between courtesan and geisha. Artistically skilled and talented women were also thought to be much more suitable for this role.
This system for regulating and controlling the geisha became so effective within Yoshiwara that other pleasure quarters around Japan were soon to adopt the same rules and regulations. These rules and regulations, rather than hindering the geisha, created the perfect conditions that paved the way for a new age in the popularity of geisha.
A Commitment to Excellence
Traveling within the World
Linking your favorite traveling artists across the globe
A message to all members of Traveling within the World
A Commitment to Excellence
If we want Heathenism to thrive for future generations, we need a commitment to excellence. We also need to instill that commitment in the second and third and future generations. While those of use “over 40” can continue setting a good example for the young folks, we need to pass on our enthusiasm and our faith in them. Given the right impetus, they can excel and take us all into a new era of accomplishment.
Imagine the impact on us and on the communities in which we live, when we have a Heathen police chief, Heathen congressman, Heathen astronaut, Heathen surgeon and Heathen professor. Now imaging these people are more motivated and better prepared than others. Think of it: the Heathen police chief who reduces crime 25% , the Heathen congressman who passes landmark legislation, the Heathen astronaut who develops great innovations in space exploration, the Heathen surgeon who heads the surgical department for an entire system of hospitals, and the Heathen professor who is dean of a prestigious Ivy League university. Not only do the young people get their place, but they also transcend all expectations.
Think of the massive impact that such examples will have. They will influence both the Heathen community and the larger society in which they live. Consider the ramifications of having hundreds of such individuals actively working in society. All the outreach programs and public relations work in the world cannot match the appeal of hundreds of great achievers. People are drawn to success. When we show the world that Heathens are successful, we send a powerful message.
It can be done, but it will take time. Those of us over 40 have already made our place. The greater successes will come from the next two generations. Their success depends on our encouragement, guidance and the example we set. Now is the time that we need to think of Heathenism’s future in 25, 50, 100 and 200 years. We must instill in future generations the need to excel, and give them the means to do it.
Call it Heathenism, Thorism, Odinism, Asatru, Forn Sed, or whatever you want, but today we are a small movement composed of scattered individual sects. Being smaller, the key to our survival into the future is that we must be better, smarter, stronger and more determined. For us, good is not good enough. Through setting a standard of excellence, we assure Heathenism’s survival and its growth and future stability.
We are the smaller religion , so we have to be better
Visit Traveling within the World at: http://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Linking your favorite traveling artists across the globe
A message to all members of Traveling within the World
A Commitment to Excellence
If we want Heathenism to thrive for future generations, we need a commitment to excellence. We also need to instill that commitment in the second and third and future generations. While those of use “over 40” can continue setting a good example for the young folks, we need to pass on our enthusiasm and our faith in them. Given the right impetus, they can excel and take us all into a new era of accomplishment.
Imagine the impact on us and on the communities in which we live, when we have a Heathen police chief, Heathen congressman, Heathen astronaut, Heathen surgeon and Heathen professor. Now imaging these people are more motivated and better prepared than others. Think of it: the Heathen police chief who reduces crime 25% , the Heathen congressman who passes landmark legislation, the Heathen astronaut who develops great innovations in space exploration, the Heathen surgeon who heads the surgical department for an entire system of hospitals, and the Heathen professor who is dean of a prestigious Ivy League university. Not only do the young people get their place, but they also transcend all expectations.
Think of the massive impact that such examples will have. They will influence both the Heathen community and the larger society in which they live. Consider the ramifications of having hundreds of such individuals actively working in society. All the outreach programs and public relations work in the world cannot match the appeal of hundreds of great achievers. People are drawn to success. When we show the world that Heathens are successful, we send a powerful message.
It can be done, but it will take time. Those of us over 40 have already made our place. The greater successes will come from the next two generations. Their success depends on our encouragement, guidance and the example we set. Now is the time that we need to think of Heathenism’s future in 25, 50, 100 and 200 years. We must instill in future generations the need to excel, and give them the means to do it.
Call it Heathenism, Thorism, Odinism, Asatru, Forn Sed, or whatever you want, but today we are a small movement composed of scattered individual sects. Being smaller, the key to our survival into the future is that we must be better, smarter, stronger and more determined. For us, good is not good enough. Through setting a standard of excellence, we assure Heathenism’s survival and its growth and future stability.
We are the smaller religion , so we have to be better
Visit Traveling within the World at: http://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Platinum Net Sweep
Platinum Net Sweep
The Platinum Net to sweep over yourself and/or your group first, so that you can be cleared of your own misqualified energies. Then request that the same be done for the planet as a whole. Request this for the physical, etheric, astral and mental atmosphere of Earth. In this way each of the four lower bodies of Earth herself will receive one of the most potent cleansing, purifying, and healing tools being currently offered by the Cosmic Masters. Fully visualize a gigantic Platinum Net sweeping over the four bodies of the planet and cleansing these bodies of as much debris as possible. The more this is done, the healthier the planet will become
The Platinum Net to sweep over yourself and/or your group first, so that you can be cleared of your own misqualified energies. Then request that the same be done for the planet as a whole. Request this for the physical, etheric, astral and mental atmosphere of Earth. In this way each of the four lower bodies of Earth herself will receive one of the most potent cleansing, purifying, and healing tools being currently offered by the Cosmic Masters. Fully visualize a gigantic Platinum Net sweeping over the four bodies of the planet and cleansing these bodies of as much debris as possible. The more this is done, the healthier the planet will become
Guitar Tricks News - March 19th, 2010
Table of Contents
1. New Lessons, New Licks and New Music!
2. Free Video Lesson: Improv For Beginners
3. Taking Up A New Style 4. On The Channel: Prashant Aswani
5. Apocalyptica
6. Birth of the blues: 'Bukka' White
New Lessons, New Licks and New Music!
ello Guitar Players!
We love music! And our instructors do too! Most of them are very active as session players, recording artists, touring guitarists and the like. We'll keep you posted of any interesting news from our instructors right here in the newsletter.
You may have seen instructor Hanspeter Kruesi's tutorial on touch technique. Now you can hear this and other techniques in action on his new CD, Soloistic, coming out in a few weeks. You can preview his beautiful playing right now, just click here.
JD Jarrell's got a new tutorial on applying the pre-bend technique to a lick. He'll teach you some tasty licks in the country style. Click here to watch Prebending Techniques: Using This Trick In Licks. "Holy Cow" it's Batman! Gotham's theme song is now posted in our songs section:
Click here to add this song to your utility belt.
Jon Broderick
Webmaster
www.GuitarTricks.com
Bonus Free Video Lesson: Improvisation For Beginners
Free Guitar Lesson!
These questions gets asked a lot: "how do I start playing leads?!" "how do I know what notes to play over a chord progression?". At Guitar Tricks they don't go unanswered. This week our prolific instructor Christopher Schlegel begins to show you how to answer these questions and put them into practice. This is the knowledge needed to dive into the world of improvisation. The first lesson of this tutorial is our free lesson of the week.
Click here to check it out.
Taking Up A New Style
When you're just getting started, the more time you can spend jamming and working with the concepts and techniques you've learned, the better. Of course, there's not always someone available to jam with you 24/7.
That is, unless you've got access to the Jam Station at Guitar Tricks. We've got a constantly growing library of songs for you to play along with at any hour of the day or night. It's like having a personal backing band whenever you need one.
The Jam Station comes with full access membership. Click here and let the jam begin.
On The Channel: Prashant Aswani Interview at NAMM 2010
Live from NAMM! There are some amazing guitar players at the NAMM show every year and this year we caught up with one of them on the Guitar Tricks Channel. This week Neal interviews Prashant Aswani on his new ESP guitars, new album and his favorite gear. Prashant is a smokin' player and a really cool guy with a genuine passion for his craft. He's got a new tutorial coming to Guitar Tricks too. So stay tuned for some playing secrets from him. We'll let you know as soon as it comes out right here in the newsletter.
Apocalyptica
By Wildwoman1313
The cello, long a staple of classical music, is not an instrument typically associated with rock ‘n’ roll. Although numerous bands over the years have incorporated its warm, rich timbre in their music—from The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" and "Strawberry Fields Forever," to Pink Floyd's cello solo on the 1970s epic instrumental Atom Heart Mother, to Nirvana including it on their In Utero album—the cello is rarely part of a rock band's lineup.
Birth of the blues: 'Bukka' White
By Hunter60
"I play so rough - I stomp 'em - I don't peddle 'em"
White explaining how he played his National Steel guitar
Although he is often times now remembered more for being the older first cousin of blues legend B.B. King, Booker "Bukka" White was a powerful country blues guitar player and singer who helped make the resonator guitar a genuine staple of the country blues genre. His style was rough and unvarnished with a raw power that exemplified a stinging style of guitar playing that influenced and continues to influence music.
Sent By Your Request
Table of Contents
1. New Lessons, New Licks and New Music!
2. Free Video Lesson: Improv For Beginners
3. Taking Up A New Style 4. On The Channel: Prashant Aswani
5. Apocalyptica
6. Birth of the blues: 'Bukka' White
New Lessons, New Licks and New Music!
ello Guitar Players!
We love music! And our instructors do too! Most of them are very active as session players, recording artists, touring guitarists and the like. We'll keep you posted of any interesting news from our instructors right here in the newsletter.
You may have seen instructor Hanspeter Kruesi's tutorial on touch technique. Now you can hear this and other techniques in action on his new CD, Soloistic, coming out in a few weeks. You can preview his beautiful playing right now, just click here.
JD Jarrell's got a new tutorial on applying the pre-bend technique to a lick. He'll teach you some tasty licks in the country style. Click here to watch Prebending Techniques: Using This Trick In Licks. "Holy Cow" it's Batman! Gotham's theme song is now posted in our songs section:
Click here to add this song to your utility belt.
Jon Broderick
Webmaster
www.GuitarTricks.com
Bonus Free Video Lesson: Improvisation For Beginners
Free Guitar Lesson!
These questions gets asked a lot: "how do I start playing leads?!" "how do I know what notes to play over a chord progression?". At Guitar Tricks they don't go unanswered. This week our prolific instructor Christopher Schlegel begins to show you how to answer these questions and put them into practice. This is the knowledge needed to dive into the world of improvisation. The first lesson of this tutorial is our free lesson of the week.
Click here to check it out.
Taking Up A New Style
When you're just getting started, the more time you can spend jamming and working with the concepts and techniques you've learned, the better. Of course, there's not always someone available to jam with you 24/7.
That is, unless you've got access to the Jam Station at Guitar Tricks. We've got a constantly growing library of songs for you to play along with at any hour of the day or night. It's like having a personal backing band whenever you need one.
The Jam Station comes with full access membership. Click here and let the jam begin.
On The Channel: Prashant Aswani Interview at NAMM 2010
Live from NAMM! There are some amazing guitar players at the NAMM show every year and this year we caught up with one of them on the Guitar Tricks Channel. This week Neal interviews Prashant Aswani on his new ESP guitars, new album and his favorite gear. Prashant is a smokin' player and a really cool guy with a genuine passion for his craft. He's got a new tutorial coming to Guitar Tricks too. So stay tuned for some playing secrets from him. We'll let you know as soon as it comes out right here in the newsletter.
Apocalyptica
By Wildwoman1313
The cello, long a staple of classical music, is not an instrument typically associated with rock ‘n’ roll. Although numerous bands over the years have incorporated its warm, rich timbre in their music—from The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" and "Strawberry Fields Forever," to Pink Floyd's cello solo on the 1970s epic instrumental Atom Heart Mother, to Nirvana including it on their In Utero album—the cello is rarely part of a rock band's lineup.
Birth of the blues: 'Bukka' White
By Hunter60
"I play so rough - I stomp 'em - I don't peddle 'em"
White explaining how he played his National Steel guitar
Although he is often times now remembered more for being the older first cousin of blues legend B.B. King, Booker "Bukka" White was a powerful country blues guitar player and singer who helped make the resonator guitar a genuine staple of the country blues genre. His style was rough and unvarnished with a raw power that exemplified a stinging style of guitar playing that influenced and continues to influence music.
Sent By Your Request
Dear members of the network,
On Saturday, March 20th, its time for the second interplanetary meditation with energy transmission, between the ascended civilization "The Invincible Ones" and the people of Earth. The meditation takes place between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm Swedish time zone (convert to your local time zone at www.timeanddate.com). During the transmission they will send us energies that helps us preparing for the transition into the New Spiritual Age. They will also send us visions of the New Spiritual Age that we can use to visualize it as a world of love, peace and harmony. There is no problem in participating even if you didn't participate in the first energy transmission. If one hour is too much for you, it's fine to just participate a part of the hour.
Those of you who will see visions or have experiences during the meditation, please send them to motherearthnetwork@gmail.com and we will make a compilation (like we did last time). Below follows instructions on how to participate (Note: it's not the same instructions as for the monthly healingsessions to Mother Earth).
We hope to "see" you on Saturday!
Light, Strenght and Love
Manne & Maria, The Mother Earth Network
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit down to meditate. Visualize opening up your heart chakra and making yourself receptive to their healing energies. Visualize the New Spiritual Age as a world full of love, peace and harmony. Focus on being completely present in the moment during the whole session. Finish off by thanking them.
EXCERPT FROM THE CHANNELINGS
From channeling #1:
We would like to give you a gift. Our gift is of a very special kind. It is not of physical nature, you can't touch it, and you can't see it with your physical eyes in your threedimensional reality. We will make a collective healing session where all members of our civilisation simultaneously will send healing to humanity and your planet. It will be a gigantic energy transmission where we give you the energies that we have and that we think you will need as a part of your process towards this important leap you are about to take. We are inviting all of you that are reached by this message to participate by making yourselves more receptive to our energies, and to link your consciousness to ours for a moment. Additionally, we will send you inner images and visions to help you visualizing the new spiritual age that you are entering as an age of love, peace and harmony. We want to encourage you to take part in this visualization of a new world on Earth, since its a very powerful way to create a desired future.
-
The energy transmission and the meditative visualization will happen during one hour, Thursday the 7th of January between 8 pm and 9 pm [CET Time Zone, use www.timeanddate.com to convert to your zone]. You are welcome to participate the full hour or just a part of it, in other words, if you only want to participate for 15 minutes, that's fine. This will be the first official collective healing session between two different civilizations in the modern history of mankind. Please spread this message to as many as possible!
-
We are hoping to create a cooperation between our civilizations to develop a lasting friendship between us, and an exchange of experiences and wisdom, as a way of gently introducing you into the cosmic communion.
From channeling #2:
The energy transmission on January 7th this year was a very loving and joyful experience for our people. We are so incredibly grateful for the enormous interest and engagement that you humans showed by taking part in the energy transmission and by your reception of our messages and our energies. We felt a fantastic feeling of unity and love with you during the whole healing session, and we were so incredibly happy to see all these open hearts on Earth today. All the willpower, all the wishes that you carry - to create change in your life, and to create change on Earth. We would like to take part in the work to develop this process, to help you open up to the divine energies and the love, and to inspire you to see new possibilities and new paths to travel. We would like to support you and give you the strength that we feel humanity in many respects is missing today.
-
We would like to invite you to another energy transmission for Earth's people during the spring, and our hope is that as many of you as possible will be able to participate. The energy transmission will take place during the vernal equinox, March 20th, between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm (Swedish time zone CET - use www.timeanddate.com to translate to your time zone). We are inviting all the people of the Earth to take part in this energy transmission, and just like last time, to open up to what we have to give to you. The energies will help you activate the process to prepare you for the transition to the New Spiritual Age, and the entrance into the 5th dimension. The transmission is a continuation of the healing energy transmission that took place on January 7th. All of our civilization is waiting with excitement and joy to take part in this energy transmission, when all of us will send our healing energies simultaneously. We will send you inspiring images and messages this time too - to those of you who are open to receive them.
-
We will also give signs of our presence in other ways during the coming months. We will send humanity another message, in form and color. Exactly when it will happen will be dependent on how the energies are on Earth, but we plan to do the light and color exhibition some time during the coming months.
-
To read the full channelings, go to:
Channeling #1:
http://lightworkers.org/channeling/96538/channeled-message-ascended-civilization
Channeling #2
http://lightworkers.org/channeling/101292/channeling-2-dibarak-leader-ascended-civilization-invincible-ones-march-1st-2010
-
On Saturday, March 20th, its time for the second interplanetary meditation with energy transmission, between the ascended civilization "The Invincible Ones" and the people of Earth. The meditation takes place between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm Swedish time zone (convert to your local time zone at www.timeanddate.com). During the transmission they will send us energies that helps us preparing for the transition into the New Spiritual Age. They will also send us visions of the New Spiritual Age that we can use to visualize it as a world of love, peace and harmony. There is no problem in participating even if you didn't participate in the first energy transmission. If one hour is too much for you, it's fine to just participate a part of the hour.
Those of you who will see visions or have experiences during the meditation, please send them to motherearthnetwork@gmail.com and we will make a compilation (like we did last time). Below follows instructions on how to participate (Note: it's not the same instructions as for the monthly healingsessions to Mother Earth).
We hope to "see" you on Saturday!
Light, Strenght and Love
Manne & Maria, The Mother Earth Network
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit down to meditate. Visualize opening up your heart chakra and making yourself receptive to their healing energies. Visualize the New Spiritual Age as a world full of love, peace and harmony. Focus on being completely present in the moment during the whole session. Finish off by thanking them.
EXCERPT FROM THE CHANNELINGS
From channeling #1:
We would like to give you a gift. Our gift is of a very special kind. It is not of physical nature, you can't touch it, and you can't see it with your physical eyes in your threedimensional reality. We will make a collective healing session where all members of our civilisation simultaneously will send healing to humanity and your planet. It will be a gigantic energy transmission where we give you the energies that we have and that we think you will need as a part of your process towards this important leap you are about to take. We are inviting all of you that are reached by this message to participate by making yourselves more receptive to our energies, and to link your consciousness to ours for a moment. Additionally, we will send you inner images and visions to help you visualizing the new spiritual age that you are entering as an age of love, peace and harmony. We want to encourage you to take part in this visualization of a new world on Earth, since its a very powerful way to create a desired future.
-
The energy transmission and the meditative visualization will happen during one hour, Thursday the 7th of January between 8 pm and 9 pm [CET Time Zone, use www.timeanddate.com to convert to your zone]. You are welcome to participate the full hour or just a part of it, in other words, if you only want to participate for 15 minutes, that's fine. This will be the first official collective healing session between two different civilizations in the modern history of mankind. Please spread this message to as many as possible!
-
We are hoping to create a cooperation between our civilizations to develop a lasting friendship between us, and an exchange of experiences and wisdom, as a way of gently introducing you into the cosmic communion.
From channeling #2:
The energy transmission on January 7th this year was a very loving and joyful experience for our people. We are so incredibly grateful for the enormous interest and engagement that you humans showed by taking part in the energy transmission and by your reception of our messages and our energies. We felt a fantastic feeling of unity and love with you during the whole healing session, and we were so incredibly happy to see all these open hearts on Earth today. All the willpower, all the wishes that you carry - to create change in your life, and to create change on Earth. We would like to take part in the work to develop this process, to help you open up to the divine energies and the love, and to inspire you to see new possibilities and new paths to travel. We would like to support you and give you the strength that we feel humanity in many respects is missing today.
-
We would like to invite you to another energy transmission for Earth's people during the spring, and our hope is that as many of you as possible will be able to participate. The energy transmission will take place during the vernal equinox, March 20th, between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm (Swedish time zone CET - use www.timeanddate.com to translate to your time zone). We are inviting all the people of the Earth to take part in this energy transmission, and just like last time, to open up to what we have to give to you. The energies will help you activate the process to prepare you for the transition to the New Spiritual Age, and the entrance into the 5th dimension. The transmission is a continuation of the healing energy transmission that took place on January 7th. All of our civilization is waiting with excitement and joy to take part in this energy transmission, when all of us will send our healing energies simultaneously. We will send you inspiring images and messages this time too - to those of you who are open to receive them.
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We will also give signs of our presence in other ways during the coming months. We will send humanity another message, in form and color. Exactly when it will happen will be dependent on how the energies are on Earth, but we plan to do the light and color exhibition some time during the coming months.
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To read the full channelings, go to:
Channeling #1:
http://lightworkers.org/channeling/96538/channeled-message-ascended-civilization
Channeling #2
http://lightworkers.org/channeling/101292/channeling-2-dibarak-leader-ascended-civilization-invincible-ones-march-1st-2010
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Archangel Michael!
Beloved Archangel Michael
In the name of God I ask you
to allow your beautiful blue ray to descend on me
my beloved ones and all the humanity
to give me strength, faith and courage
to defeat all the obstacles of life
that stop me from evolving
In the name of God I ask you
to allow your beautiful blue ray to descend on me
my beloved ones and all the humanity
to give me strength, faith and courage
to defeat all the obstacles of life
that stop me from evolving
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Shadow Self,
Shadow Self
I want you for a moment to go back in time to sense and think of the time during your formative years. Who was around you? (Your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends of the family, your personal friends, schoolmates, etc.) From whom did you learn personal values? Many of us, as we were going through the various learning processes, realized that not all things we were learning were good things but did not know it at the time. In other words, they tried to create themselves in us. These are the types of things that we have hidden in our personal closet or were the beginnings of our shadow self.
We grew up in an environment where we were to be "seen and not heard." If we were doing something outside the realms of acceptance (according to our parents), our parents would simply reach for a paddle in order to persuade our thinking to the way they believed we should think. As children we learned to keep our thoughts to ourselves so much so that some of us lost the ability to think altogether.
Many of us, as children, were looked at as a possession. Some parents reasoned that, since they have the moral responsibility to feed and house us, and the legal power to make decisions for us, we must follow every rule and ordinance they chose to concoct. How many of you have heard, "My house, my rules?"
In some respect now, we, even as adults, are mirrors for our parents or anyone that has influenced us greatly in the past. We are the embodiment of certain aspects of our parents' personality and the people that we aspired to be. Their passion became our passion and curiosity, freshly directed towards desires and goals that may have been forgotten or laid aside in their pursuit of security and/or social standing.
Our personality became artificial. Many parents tried to install, and tended to suppress the clear reflection that their children bring concerning the parents' shadow self, and became our parent's own hidden issues. Instead of seeing that reflection in their children, resistant parents become busy about the task of breaking or distorting the mirror. On some level, children realize this and they either learn to resist the whole business or they accept the teaching, thereby losing their individual personalities, sometimes their souls.
"Beneath the social mask we wear every day, we have a hidden shadow side: and impulsive, wounded, sad or isolated part that we generally try to ignore. The Shadow can be a source of emotional richness and vitality, and acknowledging it can be a pathway to healing and an authentic life. We meet our dark side, accept it for what it is, and we learn to use its powerful energies in productive ways. The Shadow knows why good people sometimes do "bad" things. Romancing the Shadow and learning to read the messages it encodes in daily life can deepen your consciousness, imagination and soul." Carl Jung
"The Shadow describes the part of the psyche that an individual would rather not acknowledge. It contains the denied parts of the self. Since the self contains these aspects, they surface in one-way or another. Bringing Shadow material into consciousness drains its dark power, and can even recover valuable resources from it. The greatest power, however, comes from having accepted your shadow parts and integrated them as components of your Self." John Elder
"Everyone carries a Shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is, at all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well meant intentions. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." Carl Jung
The shadow self is neither good nor bad, but it has a density that we need to clear out. It is a way of liberating yourself from conscious or unconscious bias that we have been carrying for a long time. In a way it allows you to leap outside your fixated self to fully embrace your new entire self, this is who you truly are.
The Shadow is a psychological term introduced by the late Swiss psychiatrist, Dr. Carl G. Jung. It is everything in us that is unconscious, repressed, undeveloped and denied. These are dark rejected aspects of our being as well as light, so there is positive undeveloped potential in the Shadow that we don't know about because anything that is unconscious, we don't know about.
The Shadow is an archetype. And what an archetype simply means is that it is typical in consciousness for everyone. Everyone has a Shadow. This is not something that one or two people have. We all have a Shadow and a confrontation with the Shadow is essential for self-awareness. We cannot learn about ourselves if we do not learn about our Shadow so therefore we are going to attract it through the mirrors of other people.
Make the commitment to yourself to direct your vision inward, not just to your spirit, but also to the temple that carries it. The wisdom of the universe lies within your cells, and the keys to your own happiness within your body. Making energetic contact with your physical body will help you to unlock the secrets of the emotional and spiritual self.
Are these are some of your beliefs???
There is something wrong with me.
I cannot trust anyone.
I'm not loveable.
I don't deserve to have what I want.
Love does not last.
I am worthless.
I am never going to be successful.
I have no talents.
I am a bad decision maker.
I will always be alone.
Carl Jung defined the Shadow Self as "that which we think we are not." As we continue to work and clear up our personal issues, those things, which we think we are not, must be embraced as an aspect of the Greater Self, and integrated. You may think you are not like your neighbor who does this or that thing, or has this or that behavior but if any seemingly negative quality you judge, were not also a part of you, the issue(s) would not trigger your emotions.
We may believe that we are spiritual people who are not cruel or unjust, but that belief is a blockage that casts a shadow that can blind us to the cruelty within our own ego that is hidden. The shadow shows us what we judge ourselves not to be. We are what we judge others to be.
It has been said that sometimes people resist their shadow's reflection so much that it takes them over---sorta like pro-lifers who bomb abortion clinics. So invested in their accusations of murder that they feel justified in becoming murderers themselves. (Now, I know this is extreme, but I think you get the idea). Some of the most abusive passive-aggressive people I have met insist that they are gentle nonviolent beings simple because their aggression is hidden under an ego of "good intentions: but actually show themselves to everyone but the person themselves.
We all have a shadow, which is a force that is both creative, and at the same time destructive. We all have an inner demon that can be the violent eruption of repressed emotion that makes a crime of passion, or the companion to a passionate life that makes skydiving fun because it is scary.
Some people have referred to the shadow self as a reflection of the dark wall of Karma that separates you from knowing yourself as light. It is a reflection, a dark mirror of Karma. Keep in mind here that dark doesn't mean bad or evil... it just means hidden. We feel the best way to understand this is in Shamanic terms, by introducing you to your personal.................Portal Guardian to the Shadow Self.
The Portal Guardian is an energy assigned to you specifically that is made up of non-dual light, unconditional love manifested. It has no duality of its own, no emotions... it is pure light. In order to descend into human polarity space in which we live, it must have shadow and since it has no shades of gray within itself, it often first appears as a negative polarized image of darkest shadow. It truly has no darkness of its own, it's simply a reflection of your own fears, your own doubts, your own denials. It reflects your hidden side.
I want you for a moment to go back in time to sense and think of the time during your formative years. Who was around you? (Your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends of the family, your personal friends, schoolmates, etc.) From whom did you learn personal values? Many of us, as we were going through the various learning processes, realized that not all things we were learning were good things but did not know it at the time. In other words, they tried to create themselves in us. These are the types of things that we have hidden in our personal closet or were the beginnings of our shadow self.
We grew up in an environment where we were to be "seen and not heard." If we were doing something outside the realms of acceptance (according to our parents), our parents would simply reach for a paddle in order to persuade our thinking to the way they believed we should think. As children we learned to keep our thoughts to ourselves so much so that some of us lost the ability to think altogether.
Many of us, as children, were looked at as a possession. Some parents reasoned that, since they have the moral responsibility to feed and house us, and the legal power to make decisions for us, we must follow every rule and ordinance they chose to concoct. How many of you have heard, "My house, my rules?"
In some respect now, we, even as adults, are mirrors for our parents or anyone that has influenced us greatly in the past. We are the embodiment of certain aspects of our parents' personality and the people that we aspired to be. Their passion became our passion and curiosity, freshly directed towards desires and goals that may have been forgotten or laid aside in their pursuit of security and/or social standing.
Our personality became artificial. Many parents tried to install, and tended to suppress the clear reflection that their children bring concerning the parents' shadow self, and became our parent's own hidden issues. Instead of seeing that reflection in their children, resistant parents become busy about the task of breaking or distorting the mirror. On some level, children realize this and they either learn to resist the whole business or they accept the teaching, thereby losing their individual personalities, sometimes their souls.
"Beneath the social mask we wear every day, we have a hidden shadow side: and impulsive, wounded, sad or isolated part that we generally try to ignore. The Shadow can be a source of emotional richness and vitality, and acknowledging it can be a pathway to healing and an authentic life. We meet our dark side, accept it for what it is, and we learn to use its powerful energies in productive ways. The Shadow knows why good people sometimes do "bad" things. Romancing the Shadow and learning to read the messages it encodes in daily life can deepen your consciousness, imagination and soul." Carl Jung
"The Shadow describes the part of the psyche that an individual would rather not acknowledge. It contains the denied parts of the self. Since the self contains these aspects, they surface in one-way or another. Bringing Shadow material into consciousness drains its dark power, and can even recover valuable resources from it. The greatest power, however, comes from having accepted your shadow parts and integrated them as components of your Self." John Elder
"Everyone carries a Shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is, at all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well meant intentions. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." Carl Jung
The shadow self is neither good nor bad, but it has a density that we need to clear out. It is a way of liberating yourself from conscious or unconscious bias that we have been carrying for a long time. In a way it allows you to leap outside your fixated self to fully embrace your new entire self, this is who you truly are.
The Shadow is a psychological term introduced by the late Swiss psychiatrist, Dr. Carl G. Jung. It is everything in us that is unconscious, repressed, undeveloped and denied. These are dark rejected aspects of our being as well as light, so there is positive undeveloped potential in the Shadow that we don't know about because anything that is unconscious, we don't know about.
The Shadow is an archetype. And what an archetype simply means is that it is typical in consciousness for everyone. Everyone has a Shadow. This is not something that one or two people have. We all have a Shadow and a confrontation with the Shadow is essential for self-awareness. We cannot learn about ourselves if we do not learn about our Shadow so therefore we are going to attract it through the mirrors of other people.
Make the commitment to yourself to direct your vision inward, not just to your spirit, but also to the temple that carries it. The wisdom of the universe lies within your cells, and the keys to your own happiness within your body. Making energetic contact with your physical body will help you to unlock the secrets of the emotional and spiritual self.
Are these are some of your beliefs???
There is something wrong with me.
I cannot trust anyone.
I'm not loveable.
I don't deserve to have what I want.
Love does not last.
I am worthless.
I am never going to be successful.
I have no talents.
I am a bad decision maker.
I will always be alone.
Carl Jung defined the Shadow Self as "that which we think we are not." As we continue to work and clear up our personal issues, those things, which we think we are not, must be embraced as an aspect of the Greater Self, and integrated. You may think you are not like your neighbor who does this or that thing, or has this or that behavior but if any seemingly negative quality you judge, were not also a part of you, the issue(s) would not trigger your emotions.
We may believe that we are spiritual people who are not cruel or unjust, but that belief is a blockage that casts a shadow that can blind us to the cruelty within our own ego that is hidden. The shadow shows us what we judge ourselves not to be. We are what we judge others to be.
It has been said that sometimes people resist their shadow's reflection so much that it takes them over---sorta like pro-lifers who bomb abortion clinics. So invested in their accusations of murder that they feel justified in becoming murderers themselves. (Now, I know this is extreme, but I think you get the idea). Some of the most abusive passive-aggressive people I have met insist that they are gentle nonviolent beings simple because their aggression is hidden under an ego of "good intentions: but actually show themselves to everyone but the person themselves.
We all have a shadow, which is a force that is both creative, and at the same time destructive. We all have an inner demon that can be the violent eruption of repressed emotion that makes a crime of passion, or the companion to a passionate life that makes skydiving fun because it is scary.
Some people have referred to the shadow self as a reflection of the dark wall of Karma that separates you from knowing yourself as light. It is a reflection, a dark mirror of Karma. Keep in mind here that dark doesn't mean bad or evil... it just means hidden. We feel the best way to understand this is in Shamanic terms, by introducing you to your personal.................Portal Guardian to the Shadow Self.
The Portal Guardian is an energy assigned to you specifically that is made up of non-dual light, unconditional love manifested. It has no duality of its own, no emotions... it is pure light. In order to descend into human polarity space in which we live, it must have shadow and since it has no shades of gray within itself, it often first appears as a negative polarized image of darkest shadow. It truly has no darkness of its own, it's simply a reflection of your own fears, your own doubts, your own denials. It reflects your hidden side.
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