Feedback is essential. Let us know what works and what doesn’t. chris@chrisflisher.com
“An eye for an eye, leaves
both sides blind.” ~ Ghandhi
GRAPEVINE - “Just about to loose my mind, honey, honey….” News
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW - Astrology
SPIRIT IN ART - Mandalas
GRAPEVINE –
->Chris appears on Sallie Felton’s, Fresh Start radio show on Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 3:00 PM. Follow this link. Chris Flisher on Sallie Felton's "A Fresh Start" radio show
->Chris Flisher addresses the Healing Group at Aquarius Sanctuary on the topic of astrology. An ancient science/art contemporized for the universally atuned. Personal readings are available by emailing Chris at chris@chrisflisher.com. Visit http://www.chrisflisher.com/astrology.html
for Fees and Services.
->Weird hexagon cloud – An odd heaxagon cloud was photographed at the North Pole of Saturn by the spacecraft Cassini earlier this month. This symmetrical, geometric form indicates the presence of a vibration or frequency emission of some sort. It reminds me of a mandala. Click for story from NASA: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070327_saturn_hex.html
->Project Light – Chris continues to work with a group of students in Lowell through The Revolving Museum, creating an 8-foot mandala that focuses on group creativity, cooperation, and peace. This mandala will be ready for viewing on June 9th at the Lowell Carnival of Creativity.
->Chris is working with Lowell poet Walter Bacigalupo in an artist’s collaboration for the "Kerouac" Artists and Writers Project. The project started from the fact that Lowell native son, Jack Kerouac drew and painted--a lot--and said that visual art was equal in value to writing/poetry. The idea is to combine words and art in keeping with Kerouac’s hip vision of the dharma beat. Chris’s mandala “Om My God” will be the visual counterpart to Walter’s poetry. The works will be on display at the ALL Arts Gallery in Lowell for the month of June. chris@chrisflisher.com
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW: It is no coincidence that recent events in the news are a direct reflection of the change the planet is undergoing. Whether it’s a horrific mass-murder; political scandal; stock market swings; or odd weather patterns, they are all related; all expected. Dramatic events always serve to startle our senses, but also serve as a catalyst for change. Without the negative we have a hard time completely embracing the positive. Complacency and apathy are the rule unless we are shocked out of our comfort. As the great wheel turns expect some creaking as the cycle makes its arc.
Of particular note, of course, is the recurrence of significant tragedies in and around the end of April. Looking back through history one can see dramatic patterns with the movement of the Sun through the late degrees of Aries and into the early stages of Taurus. The list of events is truly staggering. The latest slaughter at Virginia Tech is simply one of many events that have occurred in and around this time of the year. The Oklahoma bombings, Waco, Texas, Columbine, Lincoln’s assassination (4/14/1865), the sinking of the Titanic (4/14/1912), even Adolf Hitler’s birthday was late in April (4/20/1889). Trust me, the list goes on and it is enough to make you ponder why.
Astrology holds many keys to these mysteries. The answers are found in transits. A “transit” is the term used to describe the position of the planets in relation to each other on a daily basis. Just as the earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun, so do the other planets. As they move, they form aspects, or “degree relationships” with other planets. The relationships take the form of exchanged energy, very similar to two magnets dancing around their polarities. It is in these relationships that we look to find the energy and the answers. As one planet emits its particular energy, a passing planet will either attract or repel an energy of its own. Within that exchange lies the spark of events.
There are four major aspects worth noting. There are many other aspects a professional astrologer will reference, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll stick with these four. The position of the planet indicates the degree or magnitude of influence. These placements represent a relationship of energy exchange. There are favorable (or easy) and difficult (or challenging) transits. Neither type is better or worse…they just are! What appears to be a challenge is often the source of a lesson to be learned.
- 0 degrees – conjunction (favorable aspect). This emphasizes the positive characteristics of each planet in a harmonious union of energy.
- 180 degrees – opposition (challenging aspect). This emphasizes the negative characteristics in a battle of power over the reigning energy.
- 120 degrees – trine (favorable aspect). This represents a mutually shared source of energy. i.e. fire + fire, earth+ earth etc.
- 90 degrees – square (challenging aspect). This represents a mutually conflicted source of energy. i.e. fire + water, earth + air etc.
- Sun – ego
- Moon – emotion
- Mercury – communication
- Venus – love
- Mars – drive
- Jupiter – expansion
- Saturn – responsibility
- Uranus – rebellion
- Neptune – dreams
- Pluto – transformation
There are two considerations when looking for aspects:
1. Mundane aspects - the term “mundane” simply means world-wide events, affecting all people, generations or groups.
2. Personal aspects – how transiting planets affect the individual. These can only be determined by a qualified astrologer.
More to come next month….. Personal readings are always available by emailing Chris at chris@chrisflisher.com. Visit www.chrisflisher.com/astrology for Fees and Services.
SPIRIT IN ART: The word "mandala" is drawn from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit. It means "circle" when loosely translated, but a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents wholeness; the connectedness of all things, and is a model for the organizational structure of life itself--a universal model that reminds us of our relation to the infinite; a world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds.
The circular or cyclical form is clearly evident in all that nature enfolds. From the shape of the planet, to the cyclical patterns of seasons and time itself, the circle is a universal symbol of beginning and end. The strains of our basic DNA are entwined within. The mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, and all planets as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community; and throughout patterns in nature and the universe.
This month’s mandala is titled “Hope Floats.” This mandala offers hope in the form of the soft lotus with the Chinese character for hope as an overlay.
“Hope springs eternal.” It's a pretty powerful saying. What does hope imply? It implies the highest degree of optimism; never ending; never defeated. Faith. Optimism is often overlooked as flighty, Pollyannish, goody-good¬ness. Beneath it all, though is the cynical realism that tugs at the heart-strings of bitter reality. We can be optimistic and hopeful and still realistic, can’t we? Good question.
Hope is intention. Intention of striving for something good in all the travesty that might face us. Life is difficult. Plain and simple. Often we are faced with insur¬mountable turmoil and tragedy, yet we must go on. What drives us forward? Hope. Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope for an end to suffering. Hope for a cure. Hope for peace. If we place all of our intention in the right manner, we might just move a mountain or two.
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Spiritual Adventurist
