Hi gang, I am toying with retitling self-publishing to personal publishing, as it more correctly reflects what is happening in the world today. Not to worry, I am not about to don an ascot and consider myself part of the literati simply because I recognize that the trend of taking control of one's future publishing fate in the midst of a culture war. I simply believe this will help reset the way we think of books that are not pit out by one of the "major" (or "top 6") publishing houses.
Publishing feudalism is dying. The monarchies have cannibalized themselves over and again, buying, selling, being bought, and falling victim to the ultra-conservative "profit über alles" mentality that strips all meaningful creative progress (and soul) from the marketplace over time. Short-term gain has replaced the dedication to presenting and preserving quality thought and fine literary expression. The response to this is natural.
The world breathes. Tides ebb and flow. Seasons rotate in an unending cycle. More dualistically, pendulums swing (back and froth, back and forth). The rise of the "self-publisher" is the rise of successful self-publishing that dates decades back to successful mail order. "How to Pick Up Girls" would never have made it in bookstores in the 19080's but found a huge market in mail order, with full page ads running in national magazines that appealed to guys. That one book has sold over 2 million copies (some to most copies at $20 a piece), making a nice pile of change for the self-published author. Let me reiterate. That is $40 million the author created off of just one book--on picking up girls. That is his money! It did not go to retailers and publishers and agents. he opened up the cash drawer and backed the dump truck in and piled money until the drawer was overflowing.
The story of the successful self-publisher is an American icon. The story is told again and again in endless names, some authors selling out to traditional publishers, and others remaining quietly famous and insanely wealthy from their efforts. Multi-millionaires you would not recognize because they are not on TV.
But self-publishing success has naturally led to a self-publishing support industry. Just as the vanity press industry's greed killed the goose that laid those wonderful eggs, the opening grew for low-cost assistance to self-publishers. "Need a book printed? We can do it cheap!" Or, "How about distribution?' The services available to today's "self-publishers," which now refer to small publishing start-ups, authors with one or two titles, authors who use the services of assistance publishing companies such as CreateSpace.com and BookSurge.com, lulu.com, and more intensive operations like OutSkirts Press, is a booming market. It has been said that during gold rush, the smartest way to wealth is to sell picks and shovels.
Well, someone is listening to that wisdom. If 80% of Americans want to write a book (statistically quoted time and again), then the market for book publishing assistance will end up overwhelming the efforts of "traditional publishing" to stem the tide. Brick and mortar bookstores become less and less integral to the distribution of books, and "self-publishers" become personal publishers, issuing one book or more, and of ever-increasing quality. This may be the best time in history to be an editor.
To survive the rising tide of personal publishing, brick and mortar booksellers MUST remain a viable entity by becoming havens for reading and discussion. They must replace the coffeehouse as the cultural melting pot. Less individual copies of more titles is the order of the day, and books must be able to be replaced in-stock faster than ever. Not having a title on a shelf spells the death of profit, but languishing titles means that marketing is not being done properly. Titles and authors must be presented to the reading public and in such a way as to help people find authors who they will enjoy, based on their highly individual needs and desires.
Nothing can stop the rise of the personal publisher. But even with millions of new books entering the market over the next few decades, few will ever be read by more than a dozen people. That removes the threat to both the intelligent publisher and the savvy bookstore owner. Titles that are important to the public will always have a demand. Titles being promoted by the author will reach similar sales. But titles written and abandoned can be left online to be ordered "on demand only" to preserve shelf space and sanity.
The current publishing industry is in disarray. The solution is to retain the hard-won wisdom of centuries of professional publishing and bring in new (internet and caffeine-fueled) blood to manage the operations under the guidance of wise leadership. As to the individual authors, we must provide the very best books we can conjure forth, and present them to our core readership. The rest is simply a matter of details. Death to "self-publishing," for "no man is an island unto himself." Long live personal publishing, and the global support-staff that comes with it.
I remain humbly, your typing monkey.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Astro post for March (can't sleep)
Hey kids,
We are in the blender, that just cannot be denied. The whole Uranus in Pisces era is like someone shaking the jello on a global scale, which has been molded into a pretty, and fairly stable art piece (pick your favorite jello mold). Uranus is weak in Pisces, as Pisces is all squishy and comfy, like a nice fluffy pillow, the same pillow that calls to me even now, like a siren. Shake the pillow. Who cares, right?
If you want to break something, shake something that is brittle or fragile, not a pillow, or a plate of molded jello. So that is what is happening. The economy stinks, but see how we (collectively--NOT individually) are all surviving. Sure, there are cracks in the jello, but the whole of it stays together, as long as no one keeps shaking it (thank you Bernie Madhoff, or whatever your real name is).
What is holding this mess together right now is Saturn in Virgo. Think "big boss from accounting" comes in and reviews everyone's job performance and starts dishing out employee efficiency reports.
(ugh!)
Don't underestimate the power of Satan (oops! I mean Saturn, but really, what’s the difference? Sorry pops :-) in diminutive Virgo. This is the tyrant with a calculator. Instead of rampaging with an axe, cutting deadwood here and there, now we have a scalpel, a surgeon eviscerating cancerous tissue, cutting hair (and unwanted moles), emptying bedpans. NOTHING is safe. This force is unbiased and unfeeling. It is like the Terminator: It does not bargain. It does not feel pity--and it never, ever stops. It will find you.
So here is the classic "clash of the titans." Something about "interesting times" comes to mind. Well, welcome to the big leagues everyone. These are times when heroes and millionaires (heroes or not) are made, and opportunities are to be had, for better or worse. If you watch, you will find ways to change your life practically overnight. Here is how and why:
So the accountant boss is here to correct the massive SNAFU sh--- pile that is Uranus in Jello. This is not preordained; it just feels that way. Call it "luck," but in reality is you live long enough you will see monkeys fly (you will see everything). This clash is the backdrop to our picnic. Whatever we plan, this is the baseline algorithm, or weather pattern that is raining down on us, and I hope you brought an umbrella, because the sh-- is flying.
This will not change any time soon, and it will reach a head in late March and early April. For those who like details, it is not usually the compression (warning astro term ahead: "applying conjunction of two planets”) that causes the damage, it is the rending, or tearing apart the forced bond that was temporarily created. Smash two divergent energies together and hold them there while they struggle to find commonality (this is nature's way), and then slowly peel them apart, unleashing this new, discordant, raw energy, and you have an unpleasant effect on the status quo. Here’s a visual: slowly peel back the rind from a lemon and watch that acidic lemon juice fly outward, in search of eyes to sting and cuts to seep into. Here, the lemon juice is akin to that new discordant energy released when two planets smush together (astrologically) and then are torn apart.
So it will be a nice, slow taffy pull of energies released. During that time we will see all sorts of minor effects buzzing in and out, like flies after the yummy sugar, and that is what will make all of this fun. Faster moving planets will add their effects to this overarching time of pain—er, “change.” Ergo:
The sun is a fixed object (from our perspective). It is also "fixed" energy in astrology. It goes nowhere. It does nothing. It never changes. It burns, and it burns hot, and it doesn't take sh-- from insignificant little pisants like us. The sun is so big and so uncaring and so powerful than as a force we cannot ever stand up to it. The only thing that protects us from the sun is the rotation of the earth ("small doses") and the atmosphere that diffuses its direct-force energies. So the sun does not like to be shaken like a bowl of fiery jello. It does not like it in a box. It does not like it with a fox. It does not like it Sam I am.
But herr Sonne is "in" Pisces (by our standards of observation) at this time, and from our point of view, it is "conjunct" or right next to Uranus. We look up in the sky and see, well we see the sun because it is too big and too bright to see Uranus hiding behind it like a puppet-master. But unseen or not, that devil of change ("agent of chaos" is much more poetic) is there, shaking the jello (er, the sun in Pisces). Think of it like the sun is held next to a giant vibrating thing. The sun is vibrating now—which is does NOT like to do, so we see “unpleasant” results.
The sun (astrologically) represents things that are big and firm and solid and controlling. hmmm... like the global economy, and the government (although Saturn has his hands all over THAT one as well). Think sun=Mayor. Like Mayor Mc Cheese, or that funny mayor in the Nightmare Before Christmas. Now shake him all up like a snow globe.
The sun and Uranus are "twins" at the moment, and for the next week. As the sun moves away from Uranus, it sill be shaken less and less, but right now it is buzzing like a hive of bees—and the world is shaking. We are shaking the tree right now. Fruits (Opportunities) and dead leaves (waste) will fall this year. This is a time of massive benefit and massive pain, depending on what YOU do when your branch gets shaken. You may have to let go and fly. If your life is thrown upside down, consider meeting the change head on and deciding where YOU want to go rather than fighting change with every resource you have, until you have none left.
But back to this sun/Uranus buddy-cop movie thing. Separation anxiety will be brutal, because they are squared off (on the opposite side of the boxing ring from) Uranus in jello, who just happens to be visited by the moon in Pisces. Now THAT is a coincidence, or just really bad timing.
ruh roh!
Okay, so here we have (a long winded rant) Moon/Saturn versus Sun/Uranus. This is like one of those crazy (but so fun to watch!) Lucha Libre matches. This is the main event! Let’s get rrrrrrrready to rrrrrrrrrumble!! Sometimes in professional wrestling you have two "tag team" members who, every fan knows, hate each other. It’s part of the drama that sells (a
Well, get your favorite lawn chair (to relax and enjoy the view in, not to smash over someone’s head) and a nice cold beer, because we are all about to have ring-side seats for the first big fight of the century, and you can see it from your back yard. The show is playing out all around us. Did you think the biggest (
Everything will hold together, like jello; the waves of force are absorbed, spread out omnidirectionally, and everyone gets rattled, and we may all end up speaking Chinese soon (if one subscribes to the theory that we have sold our country to them by borrowing every last dime we could), but that is simply a matter of form. The structure will remain intact, even if our entire system changes.
This is a time of revolution, of "change" (it's not just a slogan, this has been building long before any one election), and a time of great opportunity, IF you can let go of traditional beliefs and ride the cosmic wave. This summer will be a bit bumpy (not to mention how much fun we will have in Spring!) but we can all come out better if we focus on our individual goals and passions, and free ourselves from the limitations that we have been calling "security" all of this time. "Security" is about to get the smack down. I hope you have a set of bolt cutters handy before the hammer falls.
How will this affect you? Well, that all depends on your situation, in your corner of the pond. Waves ripple and spread, so you can't really hide from them (unless you have a nice, large rock to get behind and let that absorb the impact), but change is not always bad. The trick is to grab your board and watch for the wave. Know where you want to go before the wave comes along and pushes you out of your comfort zone. Then hold on tight (survival mode) and steer your course toward your goal, using the momentum of the force of change to do the heavy lifting for you.
If all of this sounds cryptic, just ignore it. Call me crazy, and let's hope that I am. Let's all wake up tomorrow (in 6 months) and sigh that "nothing really happened." But just in case, why not have a plan for what YOU would do if everything around you changed. Just for fun, you know?
Change is coming. Change that is bigger than the internet. What we are not seeing right now is that this is the time when the foundations of society are altered in ways the public will not fully realize for twenty years. Most people will be too busy watching American idol to realize their destiny is being erased and rewritten during this week, this month, and this summer, in that order of importance. You (and I) can hit the reset button on our lives right now, and decide where we want to be, in ways that most generations never get to see. Or you (and I) can ignore it, try to hide from the storm, and pretend that we are in control of our lives when really we are just trying to hide from discomfort. Ben Franklin said something about trading security for liberty once, and that quote has been making the rounds quite a bit last year. It was the cool thing to have on one’s lips. Now, well, we will all have to decide for ourselves what trades we are willing to make. See you in 6 months. Let’s see where we are then. I hope you use this time to grow your life—not just survive it.
(disclaimer) I am too lazy to get the astro blog set up right now, and the new Tarot book is in final editing, so I am just going to post this here, because the weather bothers me, and I need to reflect on what is happening to all of us because of it. I will get back to actual Tarot blogging soon.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy? Valentine's Day... Well, that depends on your perspective
I am not going to work today. Yeah, boo-hoo, why does it even matter? Stick with me for just a moment and I promise that it will--to you.
I want to go to work today. I need to go to work today. The rain has cost me too much in lost days already, but have you looked outside (above the clouds, deep into space in fact)? In "everyone can understand terms," we have a parade of planets in Aquarius this month. Well, so what, right? Every year Valentine's Day happens on the 14th, deep-in-the-heart-a Aquarius. But this year the Sun, and Mercury, and Mars, and Jupiter (and, and, and, as if that is not enough) are all piled up in one tiny part of the sky (we saw this for the Northridge earthquake in 1994--which I predicted specifically and exactly in Los Angeles, TYVM--but I said it would happen on the 11th, and it happened on the 17th, so I was WRONG on that, and that is sinful enough in itself--but no one else was even thinking L.A. Quake at the time).
The point of this rant is that we have a massive pile-up of Aquarius energy and then, on the other side of the argument fence we have Venus in Aries (oh boy, she's angry today), and the moon in Scorpio--all--day--long. I hope you celebrated your mooshy lovey stuff last night, because today, tonight, and even a bit of tomorrow is ripe for arguments, stalking, violence, obsessive behavior (hey! wait! This is Valentine's Day--right? Happy chocolate day?)
Well, go ahead and shoot the messenger (hmm... bad advice today--someone might just do that!) but this is just not a lovey, clingy Valentines Day. That was yesterday, and the day before (12th-13th depending on where you are in the world--these numbers don't work for anyone stationed on the moon right now) when the moon was happily in Libra, sharing energy with all of that Aquarius stuff (both air signs).
Today we have a combative Venus in a highly explosive Aries. This is "why men love bitches" day, which quite often turns into "why men actually HATE bitches day." Venus in Aries is great for rough sex, angry sex, competitive sex, sex games, athletic sex, but not "first time" or "first date" sex, romantic sex, clingy emotional sex, and forget Tantra unless you are both ready to rumble.
Okay, so let's add more layers. Now Venus RULES Valentine's Day. No surprise there, but love is an affair of the heart, and Venus' sister/mother, the moon, is all about that. Well, she is in a huff too. You see, Mars (or Ares the god who cheated with Venus/Aphrodite who was married to Vulcan/Hephaestus at the time--and you thought this only happened in soap operas) rules Aries (the sign, not the god Ares) and Mars ALSO rules Scorpio (remember, Pluto has been rightfully demoted, as Pluto the god rules the underworld or NON-visible dark matter, but that is a different tale for now).
Mars (masculine rage) rules Aries (where Venus is right now) and Scorpio (feminine aggressiveness/deception/mystery/seduction--where the moon is). Venus IN Aries rules domestic violence (I know, I know, "Great, thanks for the depressing news on Valentine's day a***hole!") and Moon IN Scorpio rules obsession.
So, we have an obsessive, violent, distrustful moon and a combative Venus set against the happy, freedom-loving party that is "everything else" (pretty much) in Aquarius day. The moon is the only one to change quickly. In a few days she will have moved on, but Venus will stay in Aries, most planets will be in Aquarius for a few days/weeks/months (depending on the planet), and so the effects of today will wither slowly.
SO---Here's how to make the best of it. This really is a happy day, but only if you can address it from an Aquarian (Love, Aquarian Style) way. Please avoid getting too wrapped up in plans or people. If things don't work out the way you planned today, do your best to blow it off and watch TV or see a movie, or just get through and have a good time. People are walking around more stressed out than last-minute Christmas Eve shoppers today. Of course the economy adds to this stress/anger, and neo-con Republicans hate Obama and are stressed out over the fact that their dogma failed the country, and someone else is outraged at some public figure right now. Yes, there was stress before today, but today heightens "pre-existing stress conditions." The stars are the symptom AND assistants to the cause. But each of us has to deal with the hand we have been dealt today and work through it. This can be a fun day if you can avoid the people who are mired in their anger.
It is a bad hair day for a lot of people, and the expectations that are placed on Valentine's Day being a romantic or bonding holiday make the fact that today is really more "threesome day, or break up day, or even let's get crazy with the video day" make this an especially volatile time. Scorpio is "fixed" energy. Aquarius is "fixed" energy. "Fixed" energy is like a giant rock. It is the immovable object in the "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?" question. Obsession is persistent ("fixed" unrelenting, unshakable, clingy, as in obsession clings to us when it has us in its grip--it sticks to us like tar).
And don't forget that Aquarius energy, all free-love, independence, "live free or die" energy is powerfully adamant and defiant. It can be as combative as it is friendly. It is "the law" (as in the police, public justice, etc.) and it is there to make people friendly to each other.
This dire warning has many sides though. Simply stated, if we (er... you) can avoid arguments and drive carefully, take extra time for everything and realize that some things might break today, and not allow pride or expectations of a perfect Valentine's Day to color our judgment, we can avoid a LOT of trouble. We can fix anything the moment the moon moves into "Aries and Aquarius friendly" Sagittarius two days from now. When the moon is in Sag and Venus is in Aries, and everything else is still in Aquarius, all of the anger and stress of today will seem downright silly. Compromise and new ideas will be everywhere. Anything that was cracked or chipped (but not shattered) today will be patched up with some miracle-glue(tm) and voila! Instant make-up sex! (emotionally, and maybe physically for some of you).
Anything that WAS (or will be) broken today and tonight will be seen as a huge mistake, except for the few break-outs, and breakaways that need an especially virulent day like today to motivate action. This is a topic I did not address here, but it is true that quite often we get so comfortable in our unpleasant situations, or fearful of leaving bad situations that we need a day like today to kick us squarely OUT of a bad environment.
So after all of that, take it easy today. Cliche or not--do it. Avoid stress like you would someone with the flu. Stress is highly contagious today. Distance works! Have fun in public, have fun in (#)somes, but NOT NOT NOT if you are dating someone who loves you--or you are asking for trouble. If you are in a deeply emotional relationship, make today a casual "friendly date" day and don't allow ANY arguments to flare up, lest they grow out of control. Whatever you do, do NOT fight for dominance today unless you want to hurt someone (which could end up being yourself) and if you absolutely need to escape a bad situation, this is the day to start breaking things.
The planetary (Earth's) energy today is all about freedom and free thought. But it is also stubborn and will brook no opposition, so beware of fanaticism that disguises itself as "the word of God." be safe, have fun, and read the news on Sunday.
I want to go to work today. I need to go to work today. The rain has cost me too much in lost days already, but have you looked outside (above the clouds, deep into space in fact)? In "everyone can understand terms," we have a parade of planets in Aquarius this month. Well, so what, right? Every year Valentine's Day happens on the 14th, deep-in-the-heart-a Aquarius. But this year the Sun, and Mercury, and Mars, and Jupiter (and, and, and, as if that is not enough) are all piled up in one tiny part of the sky (we saw this for the Northridge earthquake in 1994--which I predicted specifically and exactly in Los Angeles, TYVM--but I said it would happen on the 11th, and it happened on the 17th, so I was WRONG on that, and that is sinful enough in itself--but no one else was even thinking L.A. Quake at the time).
The point of this rant is that we have a massive pile-up of Aquarius energy and then, on the other side of the argument fence we have Venus in Aries (oh boy, she's angry today), and the moon in Scorpio--all--day--long. I hope you celebrated your mooshy lovey stuff last night, because today, tonight, and even a bit of tomorrow is ripe for arguments, stalking, violence, obsessive behavior (hey! wait! This is Valentine's Day--right? Happy chocolate day?)
Well, go ahead and shoot the messenger (hmm... bad advice today--someone might just do that!) but this is just not a lovey, clingy Valentines Day. That was yesterday, and the day before (12th-13th depending on where you are in the world--these numbers don't work for anyone stationed on the moon right now) when the moon was happily in Libra, sharing energy with all of that Aquarius stuff (both air signs).
Today we have a combative Venus in a highly explosive Aries. This is "why men love bitches" day, which quite often turns into "why men actually HATE bitches day." Venus in Aries is great for rough sex, angry sex, competitive sex, sex games, athletic sex, but not "first time" or "first date" sex, romantic sex, clingy emotional sex, and forget Tantra unless you are both ready to rumble.
Okay, so let's add more layers. Now Venus RULES Valentine's Day. No surprise there, but love is an affair of the heart, and Venus' sister/mother, the moon, is all about that. Well, she is in a huff too. You see, Mars (or Ares the god who cheated with Venus/Aphrodite who was married to Vulcan/Hephaestus at the time--and you thought this only happened in soap operas) rules Aries (the sign, not the god Ares) and Mars ALSO rules Scorpio (remember, Pluto has been rightfully demoted, as Pluto the god rules the underworld or NON-visible dark matter, but that is a different tale for now).
Mars (masculine rage) rules Aries (where Venus is right now) and Scorpio (feminine aggressiveness/deception/mystery/seduction--where the moon is). Venus IN Aries rules domestic violence (I know, I know, "Great, thanks for the depressing news on Valentine's day a***hole!") and Moon IN Scorpio rules obsession.
So, we have an obsessive, violent, distrustful moon and a combative Venus set against the happy, freedom-loving party that is "everything else" (pretty much) in Aquarius day. The moon is the only one to change quickly. In a few days she will have moved on, but Venus will stay in Aries, most planets will be in Aquarius for a few days/weeks/months (depending on the planet), and so the effects of today will wither slowly.
SO---Here's how to make the best of it. This really is a happy day, but only if you can address it from an Aquarian (Love, Aquarian Style) way. Please avoid getting too wrapped up in plans or people. If things don't work out the way you planned today, do your best to blow it off and watch TV or see a movie, or just get through and have a good time. People are walking around more stressed out than last-minute Christmas Eve shoppers today. Of course the economy adds to this stress/anger, and neo-con Republicans hate Obama and are stressed out over the fact that their dogma failed the country, and someone else is outraged at some public figure right now. Yes, there was stress before today, but today heightens "pre-existing stress conditions." The stars are the symptom AND assistants to the cause. But each of us has to deal with the hand we have been dealt today and work through it. This can be a fun day if you can avoid the people who are mired in their anger.
It is a bad hair day for a lot of people, and the expectations that are placed on Valentine's Day being a romantic or bonding holiday make the fact that today is really more "threesome day, or break up day, or even let's get crazy with the video day" make this an especially volatile time. Scorpio is "fixed" energy. Aquarius is "fixed" energy. "Fixed" energy is like a giant rock. It is the immovable object in the "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?" question. Obsession is persistent ("fixed" unrelenting, unshakable, clingy, as in obsession clings to us when it has us in its grip--it sticks to us like tar).
And don't forget that Aquarius energy, all free-love, independence, "live free or die" energy is powerfully adamant and defiant. It can be as combative as it is friendly. It is "the law" (as in the police, public justice, etc.) and it is there to make people friendly to each other.
This dire warning has many sides though. Simply stated, if we (er... you) can avoid arguments and drive carefully, take extra time for everything and realize that some things might break today, and not allow pride or expectations of a perfect Valentine's Day to color our judgment, we can avoid a LOT of trouble. We can fix anything the moment the moon moves into "Aries and Aquarius friendly" Sagittarius two days from now. When the moon is in Sag and Venus is in Aries, and everything else is still in Aquarius, all of the anger and stress of today will seem downright silly. Compromise and new ideas will be everywhere. Anything that was cracked or chipped (but not shattered) today will be patched up with some miracle-glue(tm) and voila! Instant make-up sex! (emotionally, and maybe physically for some of you).
Anything that WAS (or will be) broken today and tonight will be seen as a huge mistake, except for the few break-outs, and breakaways that need an especially virulent day like today to motivate action. This is a topic I did not address here, but it is true that quite often we get so comfortable in our unpleasant situations, or fearful of leaving bad situations that we need a day like today to kick us squarely OUT of a bad environment.
So after all of that, take it easy today. Cliche or not--do it. Avoid stress like you would someone with the flu. Stress is highly contagious today. Distance works! Have fun in public, have fun in (#)somes, but NOT NOT NOT if you are dating someone who loves you--or you are asking for trouble. If you are in a deeply emotional relationship, make today a casual "friendly date" day and don't allow ANY arguments to flare up, lest they grow out of control. Whatever you do, do NOT fight for dominance today unless you want to hurt someone (which could end up being yourself) and if you absolutely need to escape a bad situation, this is the day to start breaking things.
The planetary (Earth's) energy today is all about freedom and free thought. But it is also stubborn and will brook no opposition, so beware of fanaticism that disguises itself as "the word of God." be safe, have fun, and read the news on Sunday.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
2009 Imbolg
Hiya,
Okay, so because I haven't gotten around to setting up the blog at AdvancedAstrologySecrets.com yet, and Imbolg is happening RIGHT NOW, I figured I really should get this in for anyone wanting info at the last minute. I will try to be more prompt with future sabbats and esbats.
Yule 2008/9 was a great beginning for anyone who laid plans then. If you missed your chance, the new moon that ends Imbolc/Imbolg 2009 is a "second chance" to reboot the year. You still have 7/8th (of the year) left, so there is a lot of interesting fun still to come, and time to enjoy it.
Imbolc this year stated with the moon in Taurus trining first Merc and then Mars (both in Crappycorn). This played hell on the intellect, but drove the kundalini to record highs, given the rest of the circumstances. The sun is mid-Winter, so we are at the first marking point of progress away from all-ahead STOP. The dead-zone is officially passed (Samhain-Imbolc/g) during this time and the essence of Spring is preparing itself for its time on stage. Make no mistake, the sun is still hobbling along, but this is a time of recovery from injury, a time of growing within the womb, and the first sprouts through the snow. This is a season of early-adopters and the last thrall of the pioneers.
What this means to you:
Technology. It's a grreat time to familiarize yourself with it, bond with it, and incorporate it into your magical/psychological existence. Don't strain, simply look to see if you can do this at this time. It is a time of thawing out things that have been in deep storage, a time of renewals and healing, for in 8 short weeks it will be solar sunrise--and that will be time to spring into action. That makes this a time of preparation. Early risers will have the (magical) jump on the world come spring. That means planning and practice at this time. These are general advisories, as one specific idea may not pertain to YOUR current karmic path. These are clues, breadcrumbs, and you need to make the connections in YOUR life at this time.
More on the ritual though. The time of sensuality is passing even now, and translating into the time for dissemination of information (hence the bl0g--duh) and next will come time for meditation, revelation, new ideas, new ways of doing things. Note the time of the post on this blog. For those of you who are already listening (to yourselves* and your guides, not to me) you will have ideas already assaulting you--new ways of doing things, things that seem small in and of themselves, but have huge impact on your life overall, especially over the next few months, should be rattling around in your brain right now. If not, relax, focus (gently) on your passions, and seek (desire, ask for, expect, search out [PME]) answers that BRIDGE (Moon is early Gemini) from where you are to where you want to be.
Revelation is forthcoming. Meditation on the 4th is crucial. Spend time learning, doing, and meditating. Moon crosses Jupiter on its way to the sun, meaning ideas MUST become action in order to cement "lasting" progress. This is a wish-making time. (yaay)
Meditate, dream, visualize, then translate received ideas into small or large actions, but they must be physical and they must be congruent with your goals and passions. Once this is done, the Moon will leave Imbolg behind and dance with Neptune, who will carry these energies you have cemented into the ether. The more clear you are now, the more powerful your magic will be. The more clear your desire and action based on that, the stronger the habit formed, the more potent your wish, the more solid your destiny.
It's actually really easy at this time, but I wanted to show you some of the processes involved. Read this again if you got confused, and then take action. Next year's Imbolc/g will be different, so we will see what happens then. But right now "change" IS in the air. Circumstance the world over reflects that--not guides it. This was not so much predestined as it was opportunity meeting preparation (good formula for producing luck).
When you do your ritual/celebration/meditation, or prayers, remember these influences and causes so that you can enhance your results and get WHAT YOU WANT, not mixed, or diluted results. I will be back with more, hopefully at blog.advancedastrologysecrets.com (not set up at this writing), in time for the equinox. In the meantime, I will add Tarot information here.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Note: ("For those of you who are already listening to yourselves*") Okay, this is from the mystery school, but also you can get the answers from Aphrodite's Book of Secrets [ABoS] or the Advanced Tarot Secrets workbook. Simply put: The path of the fey is not as ham-handed as the more Western magical practices. Obviously far too much to lay out in a simple blog post footnote, but here goes anyway: Faerie magic involves self-education and awareness enhancement (e.g. steps along the path of enlightenment) but simultaneously at least a basic understanding of and communion with Nature ("Her"), and a fervent love for "Her." It is not so much of an instructional path of equations and formulas as it is an existence. It is part and parcel to Buddahood, but an angle of it, or a ray (as in a ray of sunlight--again, just too much to detail herein). The point is to train to grow, train to experience, and train to evolve. Magical learning cannot be purely intellectual or formulaic. Alchemical changes cannot be simply produced from measured means (normally found in Western magical practices).
Learning to hear or listen to yourself involves whispers from inside and reflects your own voice (an understanding of Huna, or even Hinduism, in a pinch, would really help grasp this quickly) and that OF you, but is beyond you, or physical, but not THIS physical you. In any case, the good news is that it is natural, not something someone can hand you a book on, or recite words over you and conjure up magically. You can get there and no one can make you it, nor can they prevent you from being it (except through that old devil distraction, which is a demon most foul!) You can learn it and you can learn much of it by reading or working with a qualified teacher, but the journey is really yours to experience, preferably with friends. Blah, blah, blah.
Okay, enough of this. This is sounding preachy and cryptic. Visit the forums at advancedtarotsecrets.com if you want to really get into this discussion. Otherwise, make your wish and see actual, tangible results. All we offer is proof. We have nothing to sell here.
Okay, so because I haven't gotten around to setting up the blog at AdvancedAstrologySecrets.com yet, and Imbolg is happening RIGHT NOW, I figured I really should get this in for anyone wanting info at the last minute. I will try to be more prompt with future sabbats and esbats.
Yule 2008/9 was a great beginning for anyone who laid plans then. If you missed your chance, the new moon that ends Imbolc/Imbolg 2009 is a "second chance" to reboot the year. You still have 7/8th (of the year) left, so there is a lot of interesting fun still to come, and time to enjoy it.
Imbolc this year stated with the moon in Taurus trining first Merc and then Mars (both in Crappycorn). This played hell on the intellect, but drove the kundalini to record highs, given the rest of the circumstances. The sun is mid-Winter, so we are at the first marking point of progress away from all-ahead STOP. The dead-zone is officially passed (Samhain-Imbolc/g) during this time and the essence of Spring is preparing itself for its time on stage. Make no mistake, the sun is still hobbling along, but this is a time of recovery from injury, a time of growing within the womb, and the first sprouts through the snow. This is a season of early-adopters and the last thrall of the pioneers.
What this means to you:
Technology. It's a grreat time to familiarize yourself with it, bond with it, and incorporate it into your magical/psychological existence. Don't strain, simply look to see if you can do this at this time. It is a time of thawing out things that have been in deep storage, a time of renewals and healing, for in 8 short weeks it will be solar sunrise--and that will be time to spring into action. That makes this a time of preparation. Early risers will have the (magical) jump on the world come spring. That means planning and practice at this time. These are general advisories, as one specific idea may not pertain to YOUR current karmic path. These are clues, breadcrumbs, and you need to make the connections in YOUR life at this time.
More on the ritual though. The time of sensuality is passing even now, and translating into the time for dissemination of information (hence the bl0g--duh) and next will come time for meditation, revelation, new ideas, new ways of doing things. Note the time of the post on this blog. For those of you who are already listening (to yourselves* and your guides, not to me) you will have ideas already assaulting you--new ways of doing things, things that seem small in and of themselves, but have huge impact on your life overall, especially over the next few months, should be rattling around in your brain right now. If not, relax, focus (gently) on your passions, and seek (desire, ask for, expect, search out [PME]) answers that BRIDGE (Moon is early Gemini) from where you are to where you want to be.
Revelation is forthcoming. Meditation on the 4th is crucial. Spend time learning, doing, and meditating. Moon crosses Jupiter on its way to the sun, meaning ideas MUST become action in order to cement "lasting" progress. This is a wish-making time. (yaay)
Meditate, dream, visualize, then translate received ideas into small or large actions, but they must be physical and they must be congruent with your goals and passions. Once this is done, the Moon will leave Imbolg behind and dance with Neptune, who will carry these energies you have cemented into the ether. The more clear you are now, the more powerful your magic will be. The more clear your desire and action based on that, the stronger the habit formed, the more potent your wish, the more solid your destiny.
It's actually really easy at this time, but I wanted to show you some of the processes involved. Read this again if you got confused, and then take action. Next year's Imbolc/g will be different, so we will see what happens then. But right now "change" IS in the air. Circumstance the world over reflects that--not guides it. This was not so much predestined as it was opportunity meeting preparation (good formula for producing luck).
When you do your ritual/celebration/meditation, or prayers, remember these influences and causes so that you can enhance your results and get WHAT YOU WANT, not mixed, or diluted results. I will be back with more, hopefully at blog.advancedastrologysecrets.com (not set up at this writing), in time for the equinox. In the meantime, I will add Tarot information here.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Note: ("For those of you who are already listening to yourselves*") Okay, this is from the mystery school, but also you can get the answers from Aphrodite's Book of Secrets [ABoS] or the Advanced Tarot Secrets workbook. Simply put: The path of the fey is not as ham-handed as the more Western magical practices. Obviously far too much to lay out in a simple blog post footnote, but here goes anyway: Faerie magic involves self-education and awareness enhancement (e.g. steps along the path of enlightenment) but simultaneously at least a basic understanding of and communion with Nature ("Her"), and a fervent love for "Her." It is not so much of an instructional path of equations and formulas as it is an existence. It is part and parcel to Buddahood, but an angle of it, or a ray (as in a ray of sunlight--again, just too much to detail herein). The point is to train to grow, train to experience, and train to evolve. Magical learning cannot be purely intellectual or formulaic. Alchemical changes cannot be simply produced from measured means (normally found in Western magical practices).
Learning to hear or listen to yourself involves whispers from inside and reflects your own voice (an understanding of Huna, or even Hinduism, in a pinch, would really help grasp this quickly) and that OF you, but is beyond you, or physical, but not THIS physical you. In any case, the good news is that it is natural, not something someone can hand you a book on, or recite words over you and conjure up magically. You can get there and no one can make you it, nor can they prevent you from being it (except through that old devil distraction, which is a demon most foul!) You can learn it and you can learn much of it by reading or working with a qualified teacher, but the journey is really yours to experience, preferably with friends. Blah, blah, blah.
Okay, enough of this. This is sounding preachy and cryptic. Visit the forums at advancedtarotsecrets.com if you want to really get into this discussion. Otherwise, make your wish and see actual, tangible results. All we offer is proof. We have nothing to sell here.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The magic side of life . . .
OMG I love it!
I am watching the old Bewitched TV show on Netflix and Endora is schooling Derwood on magic, after he boasts how his wife (whom he presumes to have domination over) "doesn't need any of that other nonsense." She replies in a perfect deadpan (and I could not have phrased it better myself):
"What is normal to you, young man, is to us asinine."
Isn't it funny how people who have never studied, witnessed, or experienced the wonders of what we will call "magic" (for the sake of the general populace, to whom any unexplained phenomena is either miraculous or magic) assume that it is some kind of hocus-pocus, or involves the most foul substances and practices.
Magic, especially that involving the Tarot is generally a very clean affair. In fact, we spend more time cleaning the gunk of daily life away in preparation to do magic so that we are clear to "communicate with the divine" than we do actually in ritual, which is sad, because magic really is inherent to life. It is life. It is the spark of life. Magic is not messy. Life is messy. People can be (when they are at their worst) dishonest, rude, judgmental, and malicious, and none of this has anything to do with magic. "Magic" requires you to be clear of thought, focused in your purpose, aligned with nature (or "God" if you need a term that is acceptable to your understanding of the world around you), and you need to expend actual energy, to get results. It is no wonder that faeries (people and the ethereal--enroll in the mystery school if you need clarification) are in tune with magic and laugh gleefully at the thought of limiting your magic to a church, temple, or circle. Spellcasters are such funny people to creatures of magic, but no less welcome in the fun. But this is not a lesson on magic. That would take far too much room to explain to the general populace than a simple blog post. Sorry for the rant. It is just funny that Endora so eloquently stated what should be obvious to the (for serious lack of a better term) "muggles."
Ugh! Derision and prejudice take us all. God, save me from your followers!
:-)
Blessed bees in your garden!
I am watching the old Bewitched TV show on Netflix and Endora is schooling Derwood on magic, after he boasts how his wife (whom he presumes to have domination over) "doesn't need any of that other nonsense." She replies in a perfect deadpan (and I could not have phrased it better myself):
"What is normal to you, young man, is to us asinine."
Isn't it funny how people who have never studied, witnessed, or experienced the wonders of what we will call "magic" (for the sake of the general populace, to whom any unexplained phenomena is either miraculous or magic) assume that it is some kind of hocus-pocus, or involves the most foul substances and practices.
Magic, especially that involving the Tarot is generally a very clean affair. In fact, we spend more time cleaning the gunk of daily life away in preparation to do magic so that we are clear to "communicate with the divine" than we do actually in ritual, which is sad, because magic really is inherent to life. It is life. It is the spark of life. Magic is not messy. Life is messy. People can be (when they are at their worst) dishonest, rude, judgmental, and malicious, and none of this has anything to do with magic. "Magic" requires you to be clear of thought, focused in your purpose, aligned with nature (or "God" if you need a term that is acceptable to your understanding of the world around you), and you need to expend actual energy, to get results. It is no wonder that faeries (people and the ethereal--enroll in the mystery school if you need clarification) are in tune with magic and laugh gleefully at the thought of limiting your magic to a church, temple, or circle. Spellcasters are such funny people to creatures of magic, but no less welcome in the fun. But this is not a lesson on magic. That would take far too much room to explain to the general populace than a simple blog post. Sorry for the rant. It is just funny that Endora so eloquently stated what should be obvious to the (for serious lack of a better term) "muggles."
Ugh! Derision and prejudice take us all. God, save me from your followers!
:-)
Blessed bees in your garden!
How to Learn the Tarot -- (The easy way)
Learning the Tarot should be fun, not a mind-numbing chore of memorization the meanings and inferences of 78 cards. The first thing you need to know about the Tarot is that tens years of practice and study will lead you to the point where the Tarot surprised you with new information just as surely as it does when you begin learning it. In other words, you don't have to worry about learning it all at once, mastering every nuance and "hidden meaning." You do have to start somewhere though, and try not to cram your head so full of detached facts, figures, and philosophies that you end up confused, overwhelmed, or bored.
The Tarot did not Spring forth fully formed, like Aphrodite did from Jupiter's (loosely a.k.a. Zeus) thigh. It evolved over centuries as more and more uses were developed for it. First, it was an interesting game. Later, it became a fun fortune telling device. Still later, modern mystery schools built lesson plans around it, to teach ancient knowledge. Today, a growing number of psychologists use its unique beautiful visual symbolism to help patients. So your journey of learning the Tarot does not need to encompass every minute detail of its existence. You do need to decide (at least for the present) what the Tarot means to you, and what you want to do with it (for now).
Some of you will gravitate immediately to an esoteric study of the images, seeking to learn the writings of scholars long dead, while others will look for magical uses of the Tarot, and still others will have fun meeting people at parties by giving fun and lively readings. There is no one right way to approach the Tarot. You have to look at these scraps of paper with pictures on them as what they mean to you, and you have to allow yourself to enjoy the experience of learning more about them--in the areas that interest you. Nothing else matters.
So, with that out of the way, we will be covering various ways of interacting with the Tarot here, interspersed with various possible meanings for the cards themselves. I say various possible meanings, as the Tarot is highly subjective, and there will always be arguments and debates over what each card means and how much emphasis to place on numerology versus Kabbalistic influence, astrology, color assignment, and a host of other subtle influences on meaning. The one, true, correct meaning is the one that works for you right now. Is if works, it is correct. If it does not, then you need a new meaning.
Okay, enough preaching, next time I promise we will be 100% into the lessons.
.
The Tarot did not Spring forth fully formed, like Aphrodite did from Jupiter's (loosely a.k.a. Zeus) thigh. It evolved over centuries as more and more uses were developed for it. First, it was an interesting game. Later, it became a fun fortune telling device. Still later, modern mystery schools built lesson plans around it, to teach ancient knowledge. Today, a growing number of psychologists use its unique beautiful visual symbolism to help patients. So your journey of learning the Tarot does not need to encompass every minute detail of its existence. You do need to decide (at least for the present) what the Tarot means to you, and what you want to do with it (for now).
Some of you will gravitate immediately to an esoteric study of the images, seeking to learn the writings of scholars long dead, while others will look for magical uses of the Tarot, and still others will have fun meeting people at parties by giving fun and lively readings. There is no one right way to approach the Tarot. You have to look at these scraps of paper with pictures on them as what they mean to you, and you have to allow yourself to enjoy the experience of learning more about them--in the areas that interest you. Nothing else matters.
So, with that out of the way, we will be covering various ways of interacting with the Tarot here, interspersed with various possible meanings for the cards themselves. I say various possible meanings, as the Tarot is highly subjective, and there will always be arguments and debates over what each card means and how much emphasis to place on numerology versus Kabbalistic influence, astrology, color assignment, and a host of other subtle influences on meaning. The one, true, correct meaning is the one that works for you right now. Is if works, it is correct. If it does not, then you need a new meaning.
Okay, enough preaching, next time I promise we will be 100% into the lessons.
.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Free copies of the new Tarot book available for review
Hey kids,
If you know NOTHING (or very little) about the Tarot, but you want to learn the Tarot (absolutely f-r-e-e), you should probably read this particular post.
I thought I'd kick off the new blog with the simple announcement that The Easiest Way to Learn the Tarot--EVER!! is being published on the equinox, and therefore I have made a handful of copies available for last-minute student reviews. So far the most respected Tarot experts in the world love it, but the real test is whether students like this book, and whether they can easily learn the Tarot by using it, with-or-without a teacher.
So I decided to open the entire book to scrutiny from anyone who wants to use it, learn from it, and give me their opinion of it by no later than March 7th, 2009. Simply put, if you would like to get your hands on a FREE COPY of this book, you had better email me ASAP, before available copies are gone, and definitely before Valentine's day. I am looking for brave souls who will share their thoughts and feelings about this book--and in turn YOUR NAME and YOUR COMMENTS will be put on the front page, where the world can see what you have to say about this historical and unique method of teaching the Tarot. Will you be compensated? Well, you will get a free book, but you won't be paid, as that would defeat the purpose of getting your feedback. I am not looking for someone I can pay to say nice things about me. I am looking for someone who really WANTS to learn the Tarot, who will enjoy this book and use it (and then hopefully say nice things about me!)
I am not looking for Tarot teachers or Tarot authors at the moment, but if you are either and want to say hello, please, by all means do so. I already have rave reviews from experts. The less you know about the Tarot, the more I want you to learn the Tarot. It will change your life (for the better) and it is fun, easy to learn, and will not bore you, even after years of deeper study.
So, after all that--if you have a 4-20 hours a week to read and practice ("a little bit each day") and you really want to MASTER the Tarot without having to slog through yet another boring book on the Tarot here's what you need to do:
1: Head over to AdvancedTarotSecrets.com and look at the sneak-preview of the book. If you like what you see and you want a free copy of this book (before Valentine's day) you need to:
2: Email me, private message me, join and post in the ATS forum (it's on the website and it is free as well), or post a comment here with a link where I can reach you. But do not hesitate, or your book will not be free.
Okay, next time I will start posting actual Tarot insights and lessons. This free book offer is strictly a one-time deal, as it is costing me money to buy and mail out copies from my publisher, out of my own pocket. All comments are welcome. Thanks for reading.
Dusty White
If you know NOTHING (or very little) about the Tarot, but you want to learn the Tarot (absolutely f-r-e-e), you should probably read this particular post.
I thought I'd kick off the new blog with the simple announcement that The Easiest Way to Learn the Tarot--EVER!! is being published on the equinox, and therefore I have made a handful of copies available for last-minute student reviews. So far the most respected Tarot experts in the world love it, but the real test is whether students like this book, and whether they can easily learn the Tarot by using it, with-or-without a teacher.
So I decided to open the entire book to scrutiny from anyone who wants to use it, learn from it, and give me their opinion of it by no later than March 7th, 2009. Simply put, if you would like to get your hands on a FREE COPY of this book, you had better email me ASAP, before available copies are gone, and definitely before Valentine's day. I am looking for brave souls who will share their thoughts and feelings about this book--and in turn YOUR NAME and YOUR COMMENTS will be put on the front page, where the world can see what you have to say about this historical and unique method of teaching the Tarot. Will you be compensated? Well, you will get a free book, but you won't be paid, as that would defeat the purpose of getting your feedback. I am not looking for someone I can pay to say nice things about me. I am looking for someone who really WANTS to learn the Tarot, who will enjoy this book and use it (and then hopefully say nice things about me!)
I am not looking for Tarot teachers or Tarot authors at the moment, but if you are either and want to say hello, please, by all means do so. I already have rave reviews from experts. The less you know about the Tarot, the more I want you to learn the Tarot. It will change your life (for the better) and it is fun, easy to learn, and will not bore you, even after years of deeper study.
So, after all that--if you have a 4-20 hours a week to read and practice ("a little bit each day") and you really want to MASTER the Tarot without having to slog through yet another boring book on the Tarot here's what you need to do:
1: Head over to AdvancedTarotSecrets.com and look at the sneak-preview of the book. If you like what you see and you want a free copy of this book (before Valentine's day) you need to:
2: Email me, private message me, join and post in the ATS forum (it's on the website and it is free as well), or post a comment here with a link where I can reach you. But do not hesitate, or your book will not be free.
Okay, next time I will start posting actual Tarot insights and lessons. This free book offer is strictly a one-time deal, as it is costing me money to buy and mail out copies from my publisher, out of my own pocket. All comments are welcome. Thanks for reading.
Dusty White
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