From the Wetware: "Descent 101"

Before I jump into the topic du jour, I wanted to share a smidge from my experiences last weekend...
Remember how I mentioned that the weekend of the full moon would by the time of Planting the Vision that we've been carefully cultivating (consciously or no) this past year? Turns out I did some excellent "seed-planting" during a kirtan, of all things, on ze coast. For those who don't know, a kirtan is an event where people gather and do some devotional chanting in Sanskrit, to one or more Hindu deities. Hey, takes all flavors to spice up ze soup, right?
I should've known something was brewing when I began to spin just before the actual chanting began, but the shift into an altered state and doing the energy-weaving during the chants took me by surprise. There were four, maybe five chants total during the first half of the kirtan - so I planted four or five "seeds," manipulating the energetic currents at chest level, then grounding each "seed" into the Earth. My inner scientist was most fascinated by the whole process.
The second half of the kirtan was spent returning the majority of my awareness back into this reality. See, not only did I have to drive home, but I needed to be the lead in a mini-caravan, and I needed to be completely re-centered! I managed to get home just fine; making a return trip to the coast the next day, though, proved to be a rather interesting experience! And why do I keep thinking this Work that I do won't affect me directly? (LOL)

Now to our topic: everything you need to know about the upcoming Descent.
First off - this is NOT something bad or scary or undesirable. Let's toss that idea out the window right now. When Descent energies are present, it simply means that if you've been acting in an extroverted fashion, you will be encouraged to shift your personal vibration into more of an introverted and introspective frequency. If you're already introverted by nature, these feelings may become more intense. For the next six weeks, give or take, this is going to be a significant time of soul-searching, navel-gazing, and consideration of Why You're Here and What You're Meant to Do...for many of you, but not for all of you.

Depending on where you are in your personal journeys of spirit, this may also or instead be a time of significant cleansing, clearing, and purification. Old fears and ignored Shadows will rise into your awareness, to be dealt with NOW, please!
Northern Hemisphere residents will (probably) find that Winter's stillness makes this a more subtle and "quieter" process; Southern Hemisphere residents will (probably) find this process more dynamic and "messy" because of Summer's active energies.
Yea, even though the Descent concept is associated with the colder, quieter months of Winter, it looks like this event is going to be global, judging by the activities seen unfolding on the TV, along with the messages being downloaded from the Star-Nations. A keyword through the near future is going to be Intensity. Put simply, if you're at the stage for it, shit will hit the fan. Get your hip-waders and breathing masks ready.

If you've already done the Work, this is going to be your opportunity to Hold Space for other folks as they do their Underworld journeys. This may be as simple as visualizing serenity and "aha!" moments for the world and/or for your community, or as involved as actually having one of your BFF's stay with you for a while until s/he gets back on his/her feet.
There will be an opportunity in November to do a massive space-holding and seed fertilization if you're in a place to do so; I will post more info about that shortly (likely after Samhain).
As mentioned previously, we should feel the Descent energies lighten up starting around Yule, and definitely by Christmas. All indications so far are that the New Year will be kicked off with a BANG - and a good one at that! :-)

As further assistance for what the Descent entails, let me expand a bit on the archetypes I introduced earlier. (drawings courtesy of Getty Images)Inanna is the Sumerian "Queen of Heaven." She descended into the Underworld to visit Her sister Erishkigal (although some say She went to search for Her lover, Tammuz). On Her journey, She was forced to relinquish a part of Her material garb at each gate, so that She arrived at the final gate (literally) stripped of everything that marked Her as a queen; while in the Underworld, she experienced the Death Mysteries.

Persephone is the Greek Queen of the Underworld. The traditional mythology has Her abducted and forcibly married to Hades, the Lord of the Underworld. However, Her story is being rewritten in certain circles - She descends to the Underworld by choice, to see if She can alleviate the suffering of the souls trapped there. She chooses to eat the pomegranate seeds so She can return each Winter to Her dark realm, to help the souls on their journey to rebirth.

If you'd like some more info about either Goddess, go Google 'em. This way I encourage you to do a bit of your own learning. ;-)

The other keyword through this time of Descent is going to be Compassion, for yourself and for those who are going through more intense portions of the journey. Know when to engage the Shadows, when to nurture yourself, and when to hold space for others. Listen to your intuition. Follow your heart through the dark times, and you will find yourself in the light of the dawning New Year once more. This, I know; this, I promise. Catch y'all on the flip side... :-)

Getting rather "political" with purple thoughts...

{Disclaimer: now and again I'm going to comment on what's going on in the greater world. This is a "political post" and I'm expressing my opinion. This is my opinion only; agree or not as you choose. Be advised as well that while disagreement is perfectly expected and acceptable, venemous responses will be deleted. Now, onto the post.}

Rocking the purple from head to toe. (@home, 10/10)

Today has many different names, but the theme behind these names is the same: bullying, especially homophobic bullying, is Not Acceptable anymore in this day and age. Many are wearing purple today to support those who don't fit into the hetero mold; I would be one of the purple people.
Now I'm going to take this issue and raise the controversy level several notches... ;-)

A lot of attention has been focused on those who have been bullied, and rightly so. But what about those who are doing the bullying? This side of the equation also needs to be looked at, folks!
A bully acts out from fear, pure and simple - the fear that is roiling about in the bully's soul like a stormy sea. Where does this fear come from?
In many cases, the bully's home life is chaotic...perhaps from divorce, or from parents who are addicted to various substances, or from an abusive family member. In this case, the bully is so stuck in fear that s/he projects this fear onto others as a coping mechanism. "If I'm miserable, I'm going to make everyone around me miserable too, so I won't be alone anymore," goes this thought. In this instance, bullying is actually a cry for help; the bully is looking for safety and security.
In many other cases, though, the bully is carrying the fear of his/her parents and parroting their beliefs. Prejudice, Judgment, Hate, Malice...these are some of the sentiments that can be handed down from parent to child as easily as a lamp, a bag of marbles, or anything else that can be called an "heirloom." Here, the bully needs to be shown that the beliefs they've been given aren't the be-all and end-all in the world; this happens through education.
Now, I'm not saying bullies shouldn't be punished for their actions; if they break rules and/or laws, they need to face the consequences and be held accountable. However, perhaps we can show a little less Judgment and a little more Compassion in our dealings with bullies, as we already do with the victim/s of bullying.

Now for the meat in the enchilada...
These episodes of homophobic bullying dovetail with the controversy over "Don't ask, don't tell" in the military, the issue of gay marriage, and half a dozen other things I could come up with if I took a moment and skimmed the news. The point is - the old paradigm of "boy + girl" is being blown up and revised to its simplest denominator: Love Between Two Souls. The reason that this is twisting a lot of knickers around the world is very simple...it all boils down to sex.
It's time to quit pussyfooting around the issue and name the paradigm that's driven what we call "civilization" for several thousand years: If you control the sexual activity, you control the tribe. This is why humanity shifted from matrilineal inheritance (what you got depended on who your mother was) to patrilineal inheritance (what you get depends on who your father is). This is the reason that birth control and women's reproductive freedom is opposed by certain significant groups. This is why the sacred aspects of sexuality are ignored at best, and censored at worst. This is the source of so many of the "double-standards" that govern men's vs. women's behavior, appearance, and so forth.
This is also why there's homophobia in the first place...you see, "queer" sexuality is actually the mark of one who has been "touched by the gods" in many indigenous tribes. The "queer" individuals in the tribe were often the shamans of the tribe - and competition for those who were/are looking to control the masses! Any behavior that is regarded "outside the norm" is thus regarded as a threat to the dominant power structure; those in power will use every means at their disposal, including violence and the threat of violence, to stay in control.

It's time to call the bluff of the old paradigms that are dying right now. It's time to look beyond the fear-mongers and stand strong in Authenticity. It's time to meet Fear with Love - for Love cannot be stopped or destroyed. It's time to tell the power-over dominators what they can do with their illusions.
It's time to wake up and unplug...NOW.

...going on eleven ;-)

Eleven years ago on this day, I self-dedicated and began to walk the path of Wicca.
I would have done it on my actual birthday, but we were in the midst of trying to sell the house we were living in at the time, and the scheduling didn't work out. So the day after my birthday became my "rebirth-day." Although I wouldn't have said so at the time, now I consider this to be the day I was reborn, the day I stopped merely sampling alternative, non-muggle thinking and chose to embrace "the road less traveled" fully and completely. Shortly after this ceremony - three months, to be exact - my Wiccan mentor would appear in my life and I would be off and running!

I often wonder, had I known beforehand that everything in my life would be turned upside down, vigorously shaken, and run through the spin cycle before I would be set back upon my feet again...would I have made the same choice? I would like to think so, but I'm not entirely sure, truth be told! Do I regret anything about this journey? Absolutely NOT - not even the very intensely uncomfortable and highly charged moments! Am I the same person I was when I started? That one is a bit more challenging to answer...

I have changed in so many ways in the last eleven years. Very little surprises me these days. I am much more accepting of life As It Is, and as it is presented to me. I have looked every Shadow-aspect of myself in the eye; those that did not change their form have been evicted from my being. And the pace of Change has accelerated - just what has shifted in the last year or so alone makes my head spin!
Yet the woman who can watch a hammerhead shark for hours on end is still here. The woman who loves cats above almost all other animals is still here. The woman who enjoys chocolate is still here. The woman who smiles at rainbows, resolves to walk more often by the sea, and gets annoyed with sleepwalking idiots every now and again...she's still here. I am that woman; perhaps I've just gotten rid of everything that I am NOT so that I have more room to hold everything that I AM.
Part of this "ridding" process has been physical. I recently found a working scale and weighed myself; the numbers confirmed the dramatic releasing that my clothes have been showing me all along. In a bit less than two years, I have shed 43 pounds, give or take. I actually cried when I saw the weight I am now at...for I hadn't been in this neighborhood of weight since middle school, when I descended into the Deepest Pit of Hell that can be manifested on this earth. In a sense, the numbers showed me that I had come all the way back from that place - that ALL the suffering before my (initial) Awakening, and ALL of the Work that I'd done after my (initial) Awakening, had been SO worth it. The journey has not been in vain, after all.

Now, on this natal weekend, I find myself walking between the worlds, in a sense. Karen Bishop, and several other folks who are dialed into the various Star-Nations, have advised that there is a "new" reality arising from the "old" reality, and that this "new" reality is very vast and very empty, for it is waiting for others to arrive and for consensual co-creation to begin. They further advise that there is a distinct difference between the two states of existence, and what worked in the "old" reality won't necessarily work in the "new" reality.
As of the Fall Equinox, I have realized that I am inhabiting this "new" reality. I've had a few experiences recently where I've visited the "old" reality, shall we say, and I can feel the difference in my bones! This "new" reality truly does feel vast and relatively empty...and I am looking forward to see what all manifests!
I just have to practice being patient, and perhaps get a wee bit of assistance in finding my ambition, especially as the weather cools in these Pre-Winter weeks. ;-)

thirty-nine "authenticities"

In no particular order, here are thirty-nine things that make me feel totally Authentic - one for each year I have been walking upon Mother Earth's bosom in this go-round...

~Dark chocolate anything ;-)

~Losing myself in Creation, particularly collaging or writing

"Self-portrait." Revised 2001

~The scent of roses in full bloom

~Hammerhead sharks

~A cat sleeping upon my belly. These days, the cat looks like this:

Princess Joey. 15 and still spry! :-)

~The scent of vanilla

~Rainbows streaking across the sky

The original "eye candy." (Northern CA, 1/09)

~Adventures near and far, big and small

~Walking in Nature

Deer Springs Trail @ Questhaven (2/10)

~Everything Japanese

Someday the English translation won't be necessary! (Vista, 7/10)

~Eating food that enlightens me from the inside out :-)

~Long baths by candlelight

~Staying in touch with distant friends through the magic of the Internet :-)

~Gathering together with my Family of Choice

~Appreciating art created by othersSculpture by Niki de San Phalle. (Balboa Park, 7/09)

~Being the High Priestess in ServiceThe Brun'gavoda.

~Communing/Working with the Stone People

A "Mystery Stone" that insisted I take it home. (8/10)

~Photographing the Beauty all around me, as if seeing it for the first time

"Independent Spirit" (Encinitas, 5/10)

~Blowing bubbles, indoors or out

~Having inordinate amounts of fun with bubble wrap

~Letting my "Inside Child" out to play :-)"You WEEL respect my authori-tay!"

(Northern CA, 10/10. This photo by Teddybear-N)

~Laughing hysterically in rounds of "Mad Libs"

~Watching sunsets

Bidding the "old year" adieu. (Carlsbad, 8/10)

~Howling at the Moon

One just past full. (Escondido, 9/09)

~The scent of lavender

~Blackberry Sorbet, my new fave.

~Trader Joe's: they make being a "conscious foodie" so much FUN! (no, they're not paying me to give a shout out for them. I'm doing this because I think they're the Bomb Diggety!)

~Having fun with words in the English (and other) languages

~Reading books that inspire me. This author has written some gems.

~Cooking dinners for myself

~Sipping fine tea

~Experimenting with new taste combos. (The latest: brown rice pasta w/kale salad and a touch of balsamic dressing. YUM!) :-q

~Moving my body through yoga, whether just a tiny snippet or a full routine

~Visiting the ocean

The Ultimate Relaxation Destination (Encinitas, 9/09)

~Making "number-one good juju bundles," for various purposes

"Yemaya's bundle" for the Oil fiasco in the Gulf. (Encinitas, 7/10)

~Warm sunny days

~Wearing all-cotton clothes. If the cotton is organic, that's a bonus :-)

~Being open to receiving Nature's gifts for meFeathers, shells, a stone...freely given, gratefully accepted (Encinitas, 9/09)

~Cherishing the deep friendships present in my life, especially this one (aka, "saving the best for last.") ;-)

So many things to encourage my light to shine - and the whole becomes FAR greater than the sum of its parts. I carry the Infinite Divine within me, this day and all my days...

From the Wetware: Planting & the Descent

Is it just me or is anyone else suddenly feeling that the mojo of the Universe has been kicked up a notch? Not just me? Cool.

The new moon yesterday seems to have opened the door for a very power*full pulse of energy to sweep through this World of Form and shake up quite a few things! This arrives just after I had a most excellent retreat experience with my Home Tribe! It's totally interesting, feeling the actual pulses as they come and go...every cell in my body suddenly begins to tingle at once! All I can do at this point is surrender - and sleep. And sleep. And sleep some more. Winter isn't even here yet and I feel like I've begun to hibernate!

I've been advised by my Spiritual Posse that this shift will reach its culmination on Sunday, when the 10/10/10 gate opens up. This gate is something of an interim point: we are completing the anchoring of the energies that begun with 9/9/09 last year, and starting to receive the energies in earnest leading up to 11/11/11, the start of what I've been told will be the "Diamond Year" and also (unless my posse is very misinformed) the beginning of our trip over the Galactic Core. In other words - this party is only getting started; y'all ain't seen nothing yet! ;-)

At this point, the numerologists will speak up..."Darling, the Triple-10 gate actually opened in 2008; why are people making such a big deal out of it now?" Let me explain: Yes, the date two years ago added up "perfectly" to 10/10/10. The frequencies associated with that gate began to manifest in the World of Form, aka this material plane we're frolicking in/upon. These frequencies complete their manifestation with the "mundane" 10/10/10, which occurs in two days. Their full effect will then be felt in the World of Form. Got it? If so, good. If not, sit with it for a bit, and if it still doesn't make any sense, holler back.

The time between the Triple-10 gate and the full moon is a time of preparation for a pair of events. Come the full moon, we finally get the opportunity to take this Vision we've been cultivating - personal and collective - and plant it. At the full moon, we are all being invited to take the Vision and ground it into the World of Form, digging deep into the soil of Mother Earth and dropping in the seeds. What this looks like for you may differ from what this looks like for me, but it's all good. The point is: Anchor the Energy at the Full Moon, either by yourself or with your group. (The full moon this month will be around the 23rd; any time between 10/22 and 10/24 will be good for ceremony. If you don't have a clue as to how to do this, I'll bet there will be something in your immediate surroundings that will invite you to participate.)

This Planting of the Vision is going to be very important, because there is going to be a third cosmic event this year, beginning right around Samhain/Halloween and going just past Christmas. When I read about this at the start of the year, one word passed through my mind: Descent.
Think of the stories of Persephone and Inanna. These are two Goddesses who undertook journeys to the Underworld; their absence from the surface world is the original explanation for the season of Winter (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least). Both Goddesses descended to the Underworld. Both obtained great Wisdom during their sojourns on "the Other Side." Both returned to the World Above to share this Wisdom and bring forth renewal of Life and Light.

What that means for us: It looks (to me) like humanity is in for a Collective Descent. Shadows are going to be brought forth into awareness en masse, to be identified as illusion and purged from the Collective Consciousness. Things are going to appear to get worse before they get better; keep this in the back of your mind and realize that much of the Grand Illusion is going to appear before your eyes. Remember that the "doom and gloom" reports are only a part of this Illusion and that they will dissolve in the light of day, by the Winter Solstice at the very latest!
In fact, the time between the Winter Solstice and Christmas will bring in a major influx of Light Energies that will serve to dispel any and all lingering "Shadow-Muck" that doesn't dissolve during this final cosmic surge.
Come the new year, whether you start it from Yule or on January 1, you'll begin to see the first shoots of the Vision begin to break through the surface, in fact. :-)