sacred space
Empath Unplugged At Bath Spa
The host at Burghope Manor country inn in Bradford-on-Avon, England, is a very wise man. He has seen many travelers come and go over the years, and obviously knows what is best for each of them.
When I told him I had downloaded an audio tour on my iPod, from the local tourism website, and was going to do a “Jane Austen walk” through the historic town of Bath, he gave me a skeptical look like only the British can and said, “You might want to stop by the Roman Baths first. It is a must-see, but go there early in the morning, before the tour groups arrive from London.”
Well, who am I to argue with such a determined a messenger of the Universe?
Arriving at the Roman Baths Museum, I was planning to have a quick 30 minute browse around and then go off in pursuit of the famous Ms Austen’s favorite haunts. Well, what is usually a 90 minute visit for most to the baths, if you use the museum’s audio guide, became for me a four hour metaphysical adventure. Continue reading
The Shaman’s Schmetterling In Gottsdorf
In my previous blog I shared the story of the sign I received from the ancient oracle during my visit to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Well, the magical presence of the butterfly totem did not end with my visit to Greece. In all of the other countries I was to visit on this particular European tour, I would encounter butterflies at every sacred site, and during special moments I shared with significant others.
The miracle continued when I arrived at a country inn in Gottsdorf, outside Berlin, Germany. This was to be the venue for a four day meditation seminar I was attending. The event was set to take place in a cozy Yoga studio attached to the small hotel.
The moment I entered this room, I noticed a small altar the seminar organizer had set up for the time we would be working in this space. The display was charming and colorful, but that was not what drew my attention. No, what struck me instantaneously was the large, vibrant butterfly hanging on the brick wall behind the altar.
Yes, indeed. I had received yet another mystical route marker along this personal odyssey into self-realization. This time the butterfly was not black and white, like the one who came to whisper in my ear at Delphi. Instead a brightly colored paper butterfly waved hello to me from above! It was like a psychedelic kaleidoscope reminiscent of the shapes one sometimes sees in sacred geometry art… or tie-died T-shirts from the 60s. Continue reading
A Sign From Apollo At The Delphic Oracle
Would you not do the same if you were going to visit the remains of the legendary sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, Greece? Well, I did! I humbly requested a simple sign or personal omen from the god of light, truth and prophecy, while I was planning my recent European tour*. I knew for several months before I undertook this odyssey that Apollo would not disappoint, but ultimately I received much more than I had anticipated.
The renowned oracle who communicated Apollo’s messages to the people, and the priests who interpreted them, no longer ply their trade at this once glorious place, but Apollo has certainly not abandoned his remarkable temple. He still answers the call of mortals here, despite the fact that most of us now live in a world devoid of the mystical and the miraculous. Yes, he certainly does. I have proof.
In The Powerful Presence Of The Maiden Goddess
Many centuries have come and gone since the Athenians ascended the Acropolis to seek the guidance and protection of Athena, the maiden goddess of wisdom, war and divine intelligence. Her status as the favorite daughter of Zeus, and powerful patron deity of the city of Athens, remains evident to this day.
Expecting to be mostly drawn to the Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus, when I visited the Acropolis of Athens in Greece*, I was instead keenly aware of the omnipresence of Athena’s legacy. My undergraduate education in literature and drama afforded me a reasonably good understanding of the role of the god Dionysus in ancient Greek culture. I knew about the festivals and plays, and as a student I often imagined visiting the remains of those historic open-air auditoriums. Continue reading
Journey Born Under A Divine Star
In the coming weeks I will be posting a series of articles from my travel blog, which I wrote during my recent trip to Europe. The blogs are a collection of spiritual adventures, pilgrimages to sacred places and accounts of my personal odyssey into self-realization. Let me be your guide to sacred sites like Stone Henge in the United Kingdom and the Oracle of Delphi at Temple of Apollo in Greece.
I was very excited that my journey began under one of the most rare and powerful aspects in astrology, namely the Grand Sextile, or Star of David. The ancients associated this unique alignment of six planets with the birth and anointing of a king. This rare alignment of the planets occurred on July 29th, 2013. Seven of the ten planets were involved to create six sextiles, three oppositions and two Grand Trines! Continue reading
Psychic Shani at PsychicAccess.com
As a youngster, Shani thought it normal to see people and pets who “emigrated” to the other side. It was, however, the profound vision of Angels, at age nine, which had the most marked effect upon her. Her search and development into the psychic realm has been ongoing, with her first intense initiation, almost thirty years ago, into the world of African mysticism that involved connecting with the ancestors as part of her training as a Sangoma. She entered into “Twasaship” (training to become a traditional healer) in a remote village on the Mozambique / Natal borders of Southern Africa, in order to qualify as a traditional healer and Sangoma. Continue reading
The Year Of The Snake
Happy New Year! Today heralds the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Snake. Each year in the Chinese Zodiac New Year’s day falls on a different date, and this year’s date is February 10, 2013.
The Snake Year comes sixth in the cycle of the zodiac and reoccurs every 12th year. This means that you are a Snake if you were born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1989 or 2001. Ancient Chinese wisdom states that if you have a snake in your house your family will never go hungry, because a snake is said to be sage, wise and a good protector of his or her family’s belongings and home.
The Chinese Zodiac is a lunar-based calendar and the Chinese New Year is sometimes referred to as The Lunar New Year. The cycle flows as follows: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. Continue reading