myth
Gauchito Gil – The Cowboy Saint
There are many saints not officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, or by any other religion for that matter. One of the most popular among them is Antonion Gil, better known as the Gauchito Gil (Little Gaucho Gil). His popularity rose exponentially in the last few decades and he is considered miraculous by many people who venerate him. He might not be properly canonized, but he is informally considered to be a saint in Argentina. His cult is so widespread that everyone in the country at least knows of his existence.
When traveling from one town to another in the Argentine provinces, it is very common to see a tree with many red ribbons blowing in the wind, and underneath it a small wooden case that holds an image of Gauchito Gil. In some places there are even a small temple, or even a church dedicated to this saintly figure. None of them are recognized officially by the Catholic Church, but the service of a priest is not uncommon.
Gauchito Gil’s life came to a tragic end 142 years ago, on January 8, 1878, near Mercedes, Corrientes, in Argentina. His executioners were a group of policemen who had to transfer him to the courts of Goya, but who decided instead to execute him on the way there.
Gil was accused of being a deserter and a matrero (someone who lives in isolation to be out of reach from the law). But the laborers and peasants in the area knew him instead as a warrior for justice, who protected the weak, relieved the sick and avenged the humiliated. His enemies considered him a fearsome expropriator, as well as a healer capable of making people fall in love with him, or paralyzing them with his powerful eyes.
The Key Is In Your Hands
I received a lovely necklace as a gift recently, with a beautiful center stone and a small ‘skeleton key’ at the bottom. A skeleton key is a type of master key in which the serrated edge has been removed so that it can open numerous locks .I’ve seen these keys before, and remembered vaguely the symbolism, but I decided to refresh my knowledge by researching further the significance of this symbol.
Katie Pifer writes that keys have had a variety of spiritual symbolisms attached to it “for as long as man has had locks. They are connected with gateways and portals, doorways to the unknown, knowledge, mysteries, powers, initiations, new ways, forbidden things and answers to curious questions.”
Keys symbolize our ability to gain access to those things of either a material or spiritual nature that are of the greatest importance to us. The key is an object symbolic not only of opening doors to new paths that align with our desires, but also closing and locking doors to those things that we wish to leave behind.
Skeleton keys are considered to be a more powerful symbol, since they can open many different locks. Thus, they have been perceived to be the powerful ‘keys to the Kingdom,’ or the key to that someone special’s heart, and so on.
Skeleton Keys are traditionally also worn as powerful amulets. It is thought to be good luck to touch a key when you are entering a challenging or dangerous situation, because keys are believed to keep you safe. They are also symbolic of transformation, freedom and liberation.
The Legacy Of The Modern Crone
The time of the crone is the third stage in the life of a woman, may she feels she has come full circle. The Crone is traditionally an archetypal figure for a ‘wise old woman.’ In ancient times the ‘crone’ was considered, in a matriarchal community, to typically be a mature woman past the age of menopause.
In society today, many women look at the time in life past menopause as a blessing. It is now considered a time to get on with life and achieve the things that may have been put on the backburner. It is a time when one hits that age where experience counts as true knowledge.
In my own opinion most of the women I know personally, who lived as young adults through the 1960’s and 1970’s, are not very much concerned with their physical age, as long as they have their health and feel good about themselves. They are not concerned about what society may call the age one is deemed ‘a crone.’
The term ‘crone’ is believed to originate from Rhea Kronia. Rhea is the ancient Greek goddess of female fertility, motherhood, and generation, also known as ‘Mother Time.’, She is also associated with black creatures, such as the crow, which is sacred and related to death.
There was a time when the crone was recognized as a treasured valued member of the community. Her advice was sought by those younger and less experienced. The good old golden rule was her belief of ‘the way life should be lived.’
Chiron Retrograde Can Heal The Empath
There is much talk lately regarding astrological retrogrades and the seven planets involved, including Mercury, Mars, Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter. The fact that some of this energy will be around until next year, led me to reading up on the potential negative effects, but also the metaphysical power of the retrogrades.
As an empath, I am particularly drawn to Chiron, a planet about which I was woefully uniformed in the past. If you are an empath (even if you are usually not paying close attention) it is worthwhile looking in into the role of this planet in your everyday life.
Apparently Chiron was named after a centaur Chiron from Greek mythology. Chiron is known as the wounded healer in astrology or metaphysics. He was the god of healing… but was unable to heal himself. He is epitomized by the concept of ‘healer heal thyself.’
Do You Also Remember Atlantis?
Are you an Atlantean? Since I was quite young, I have been able to remember some of my past lives. I was raised by atheist parents, so I didn’t call them past lives, since I had never heard that phrase before. I called them ‘the other times.’
In one such other time, I was an Atlantean. I have met many Atlanteans on my path in this life. Are you one of them? I remember being always dressed in white, like everyone else there (just like I do now as Kundalini Yoga instructor). White is cleansing and represents purity. More importantly, white deflects negative energy. Black absorbs it.
I have noticed, as technology began to evolve more in recent years, especially since 2000, that I became more nervous, because I remember how technology destroyed Atlantis. Technology is meant to be a good thing, but how it used is a potential danger.
The African River Man
During the time of my ukuthwasa (period of initiation to become a traditional healer or sangoma) some decades ago in Southern Africa, my mentor and some other village elders would join our group of ithwasa (sangoma trainees) by the campfire and discuss other spirits. That is, others in addition to those of our ancestors.
We heard many tales of other spirits who control the rivers, oceans and lakes, as well as those who live in the sky and control the rain. There were also stories told of sacred places where spirits inhabited mountains, trees and rocks. I loved hearing those stories from various individuals whom have had unique experiences and felt they had seen and communicated with those various spirits. Continue reading
The Paranormal Power Of Cats
Cats are often depicted in ancient Egyptian art and artifacts. The Egyptians actually worshiped cats as gods, and believed that they took on a spiritual importance. They were considered to be a sacred animals with magical powers.
Ancient Egypt was said to be one of the most advanced civilizations in human history, capable of architecture, that by today’s standards would be difficult, if not impossible to construct. But, did they also possess otherworldly knowledge that has been forgotten?
Some myths and folklore also claim that cats can walk in and out of the spirit world with great ease and at will. It was also believed that when a house cat would disappear, with no plausible explanation, that it had found a portal to the other worlds and is exploring them and will return just a mysteriously as it had disappeared. Continue reading