The Genius Myth

The Great Conjunction opened a portal whereby the world is entering the true Age of Aquarius. You can read my Post on that here.

Author Michael Meade writes, “There is a poem at the heart of things and a mythic story in the heart of each of us.” But there’s a lot of hate, rage, fear, and divisiveness in the world right now. Remember that old adage that “the only constant is change”? It’s time to embrace that with open arms.

divisiveness
n. a tendency to cause disagreement or hostility between people

adage
n. a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth

So, in the spirit of Aquarius (Which symbolizes thinking outside the box, embracing chaos, freedom, humanitarianism, progressiveness, and social change.), I would like to share with you some thoughtful quotes from “The Genius Myth” by Michael J. Meade. These passages are a call for each of us to let go of our fear, hatred, rage, and the notion that “we are losing everything” or that “all is lost”.

Seek that story within you and start writing a poem for the whole world to see.

(Note: All emphases are mine.)

We may be closest to hearing the call when we feel most alone or in trouble, for genius hides behind the wound and one of the greatest wounds in life is to not know who we are intended to be or what we are supposed to serve in life.

Myths are oracular in the sense that each person can receive a message or an insight that relates to their life circumstances…let them speak to us, wherever and whenever we find ourselves seeking guidance, permission, or understanding.

We need the intermediaries that keep us close to the spirit of life, to the wonders of nature and to the subtleties of our own inner nature.

When we place our immediate conflicts in the territory of an archetypal story we can better see the nature of our problems…

In these dark and uncertain times, there can be great value in imagining a bit of star in each human soul.

Whether we know it or not, our lives are acts of imagination and the world is continually re-imagined through us.

Something ancient in us bends us toward the origins of the whole thing. We either drown in the splits and confusions of our lives, or we surrender to something greater than ourselves.

Hearing a story awakens the mythic story living in each of us.

When we are connected — to our own purpose, to the community around us, and to our spiritual wisdom — we are able to live and act with authentic effectiveness.

The point in this life is not simply to “become somebody,” but to become who we were each intended to be when we first entered this world.

To become oneself by contributing one’s native gifts and talents to this troubled world: that is the job to keep applying for and a work worth spending an entire life doing.

More quotes from “The Genius Myth” at GoodReads.

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The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Lord of Skulls

Sometimes shit hits you like a ton of bricks. Other times, it’s just one brick. Like today.

Today I pulled the Lord of Skulls (aka the King of Pentacles), Reversed:

But wait. Before I could even contemplate its message I got a strong feeling this card was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Sure enough, when I took a look at ALL the Lords in the Tarot of Vampyres they matched up perfectly. In order:

	Lord of Knives White Horse Has been interpreted as either the Holy Spirit or the Antichrist. One interpretation is that the Four Horsemen represent a prophecy of the subsequent history of the Roman Empire – which has been likened to the US as superpower – and the white color signifies triumph, prosperity, and health in the political body. The White Horse has also come to symbolize war in general and INFECTIOUS DISEASE (Pestilence).
	Lord of Scepters Red Horse In keeping with the interpretation of the Roman Empire, the Red Horse signifies war and bloodshed. Civil War. More importantly, Empire DIVISION.
	Lord of Skulls Black Horse Popularly understood to represent Famine. “…might also suggest a continuing abundance of luxuries for the wealthy while staples, such as bread, are scarce, though not totally depleted; such selective scarcity may result from injustice and the deliberate production of luxury crops for the wealthy…” It’s also been said to symbolize imperial OPPRESSION.
	Lord of Grails Pale Horse This final Horseman is named Death, also known as the Destruction of an Empire. “…the succession of civil wars and invasions caused much suffering, disorder and crime which brought the empire into a state of moral lethargy from which it never recovered. After the plague had abated, the empire suffered from general distress, and its condition was very much like that which followed after the Black Death of the Middle Ages. Talent and art had become extinct in proportion to the desolation of the world…”

Holy crap. Doesn’t this sum up what’s been happening and where we are now?

The positive is that the card I pulled is REVERSED. Turned on its head.

Hope Springs Eternal
– Alexander Pope

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Halloween 2020 ~ Part 1

The last “Coundown to Halloween” I published was back in 2018. That series was a collaborative effort between me and my beloved Diego and I dedicate this Countdown to him.

This year I figured it was time to do another, albeit in a different light:

I’ve been watching the 1996 series 100 Years of Horror which is hosted by the ever-debonair Christopher Lee and it has me waxing nostalgic – which is probably why I pulled these cards right before I started working on this Post.

(This Tarot Deck screams Halloween no matter what cards you draw.)

Major Arcana (Trump cards) represent life lessons, karmic influences, and archetypal energies that are affecting you right now; and set the scene in a spread – with the other cards relating back to that core Major Arcana meaning.

The Hermit is the Zodiac Trump of Virgo, is ruled by Mercury, and represents the archetypal wise man/woman. Keywords:  Self-discipline, “lone wolf”, individualism, silence. When this card appears the Universe is urging us to withdraw or retreat for a while. Only through solitude and introspection we will begin to hear our inner voice, with the ultimate goal being spiritual enlightenment – attaining a state of bliss. Symbolically in Jungian terms, The Hermit can represent the process of integrating our Shadow self to become a fully-assimilated individual.

lone wolf
n. a very independent or solitary person
enlightenment
the action or state of attaining or having attained spiritual knowledge or insight

Aligned with the Sun (ego) in Scorpio (rebirth/renewal) and ruled by the element of Water (emotions), the 6 of Grails (Cups) represents nostalgia, bliss, wish fulfillment, balance and harmony, creativity, and blessings. Repressed or forgotten memories may surface (!!!).

Additionally, the card cautions us not to live in the past, but rather use those memories to create the future; to see things in a new light and approach life with renewed enthusiasm and enjoyment.

‘Kayso, in keeping with the spirit of the cards let’s EMBRACE our Shadow selves as we take a little trip down memory lane…but before we begin let me fortify myself with some DARK red liquid.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
– Jimmy Johnson

For me, it all began during the 1960’s. Saturday afternoon monster movies (Accompanied by bowls of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup. These two would remain inextricably linked.) I had begun collecting Famous Monsters of Filmland magazines and had pictures of horror films plastered all over my bedroom (Which my Mom refused to enter at that point. Guess she was “squeamish”.), followed by Creepy and Eerie.

My Dad was not so squeamish and helped me assemble and paint Monster Model kits by Aurora. I had Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

I was around 10 at the time and although I loved playing dress-up, it was safe to say I was no ordinary little girl. Only the neighborhood boys were interested in “monsters” and horror films so I happily traded Monster bubble gum cards with them. One Christmas I remember getting paint-by-number kits featuring Universal monsters.

1964 ushered in two horror-themed sitcoms:  The Addams Family and The Munsters. Of the two, I preferred The Addams Family and Morticia became one of my Archetypes early on.

When I started Jr. High, I began phasing out of my monster-craze-faze. I stopped collecting magazines and bubble gum cards – and I could kick myself in the ass for giving them away because they are now highly valued. (At some point I had managed to get my hands on the first Famous Monsters which was printed in 1958.) I even had my picture included in the Fang Mail section of an issue. (You’d have thought I would’ve had the prescience to at least keep THAT one.) Gone too were the models which my Dad and I had so painstakingly put together.

However, my love for the horror genre remained intact and has stayed with me ever since.

Halloween 2020 ~ Part 2

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Apparently it’s the Moon in Sagittarius

I went to bed last night feeling out of sorts and woke up in the same vein but I couldn’t put my finger on what was causing this melancholia. So I grabbed my trusty Tarot deck and asked:  “What’s going on with me?” This is the card I pulled:

Normally I wouldn’t do a Post on this, but after checking what was going on today – astrologically-speaking – I couldn’t resist. You see the Moon has been in Sagittarius since yesterday and will continue to transit Sag all day today. “So what?”, you ask. Well, let me tell you so what. The card I pulled, the 9 of Scepters (Wands), is ruled by the Moon in Sagittarius. Holy crap. Synchronicities like this cannot be ignored…

Note: I usually check my horoscope on a daily basis but had forgotten do so yesterday, so I did not know that the Moon was in Sagittarius until AFTER the reading.

The 9 of Scepters (Wands) is ruled by the Moon in Sagittarius and is also known as the “Lord of Great Strength”. Indeed. The 9 of Wands in the Rider-Waite deck shows a wounded and battle-worn man clutching one wand while he looks at eight more behind him. Although exhausted, he is ready to face additional challenges (which may represent the 8 wands) with courage and inner strength. This combatant has a look of wary determination on his face.

Keywords:  Resilience, courage under fire, stamina, force of Will, adaptability, perseverance, inner strength, boundaries.
The Moon symbolizes dreams, illusions, and the subconscious. It invokes strong emotions. Being a mutable sign, Sagittarius is optimistic, philosophical, adventurous, and restless.

Just when you thought you had nothing left to give,
the 9 of Wands tells you to be strong and prepared.
Defence, in order to be effective, must be mobile.
– Aleister Crowley (Book of Thoth)

The strength inherent in the 9 of Wands is one of unshakable resolve and the ability to be flexible and adapt to any situation. Being in constant motion (restlessness) makes one formidable when defending against attacks – or obstacles. If it seems like the battle has been going on FOREVER, the message carried here is one of encouragement. No matter the setbacks, it’s imperative you keep pushing forward. If necessary, take things a step at a time but never surrender. Stand your ground.

The 9 of Wands may also speak of old wounds which are still “attacking” you. If so, treat them as you would any enemy:  Face them down, then destroy them.

And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
– John Greenleaf Whittier (Don’t Quit)

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Snakes, Swords, and Aspirational Clutter

At 3:30 this morning I awoke from a dream. In this dream I was lying on a couch in front of a fireplace within which burned a fire. There was a coiled rattlesnake on the floor beside the couch. It was not rattling its tail but was regarding me intently. Not wanting to get bitten and hoping the serpent would wander off, I lay very still. Suddenly it DID strike me. On the side of my head, but my thick hair acted like a helmet and deflected its fangs.

I’ve had snake dreams before but never a rattlesnake – and never with one striking out at me.

Reading-up on dream interpretations, I found that the dreamer should place high importance on any dream about snakes. As I was not bitten, I ruled out any explanations that focused on that. Most said that dreaming of a rattlesnake is a warning of something hostile or dangerous in the dreamer’s waking life. The danger may either be external or internal. In other words, the snake could represent wrestling with one’s inner demons or harboring irrational fears; or it could mean treachery at foot (I ruled the latter out as well.).

The more I analyzed it, the more I felt the creature striking at my head was a sign from the Universe telling me to “Wake up.”

Now I was wide awake and feeling a bit weird about the dream, so I got up and made myself a hot milk toddy. Then I decided to burn some incense to cleanse the air. Then I thought I might as well pull a Tarot card…as I was still feeling pretty funky.

While the Vampyress in the card is described as being “sorrowful”, I’ve always sensed a bit of REVENGE here. It’s there in the eyes and the tilt of her head. The phrase “cuts like a knife” comes to mind, with the knife representing the sharp intellect representative of the suit. DID she exact revenge? Has the Vampyress fed upon her pain for so long she’s allowed it to consume her?

Also referred to as “Lord of Sorrow”, the 3 of Knives (Swords) represents worries, heartache, and emotional pain. As Knives (Swords) rule the intellect and mental activity this unhappiness is being caused by stressful thinking and needless worrying. Denying or blocking emotions results in the inability to free oneself from the past. Release any emotional tension or negative energy by allowing yourself to experience it fully. Then let go of it.

Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.
For when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
– Friedrich Nietzsche

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Today also marks a New Moon in the analytical sign of Virgo. (Note: The Sun is also aligned with Virgo and will be staying there through September 22nd.)

At the same time we have Sun Trine Saturn (which shines a spotlight on authority figures) and Mercury Square Jupiter (focus on organization). Additionally, this New Moon is “”connecting with the North and South Nodes of the moon, which are known as the Nodes of Destiny. This means that the actions we take during this time will be key in shifting our future, giving this lunation even more relevance than any other regular new moon.” Reference link

New Moons are not only for setting intentions, they are usually a time of fresh starts and new beginnings; but with Mars still Retrograde (in Aries) this is not the time to start anything new. Virgo’s New Moon will urge us to Re-flect, Re-examine, Re-evaluate, Re-vise, and Re-organize. (This would be a good time to Re-visit any forgotten projects…)

Lastly, Virgo is connected to the Healer Archetype. Focus on your well-being and the well-being of those you love. Practice self-care. More than ever, this last point is vital to our mental and physical health.

Which brings me to “aspirational clutter”. Apartment Therapy has been posting daily decluttering tips and today’s was: Removing This One Type of Clutter from Your Life Is an Act of Self-Love.

According to the Post, “Aspirational clutter is anything you’re keeping for a future version of yourself. Clear it out if you need more mental or physical space for who you are right now.” Indeed.

I will go a step further and challenge each and every one of us to perform an Aspirational Declutter of our minds and spirits. Let’s get rid of everything that doesn’t serve us; that no longer benefits who we aspire to BE.

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