Raising Parents

Another nudge from the subconscious finds me here in Blogland, again, hope you will share with me, these ideas which seek admittance via the computerised portals of the 21st Century.

Early August, now, and the time of the Feast of Lammas - or "Loaf Mass" - when it is possible and practicable to begin the wheat and barley harvest - then, to grind the corn and bake the very first Bread of the season - a time of celebration, of deep visceral satisfaction - food for the furtherance of Life and the assurance that the family, the community will continue to develop through the generations.
Yesterday, 2 August, we did indeed see the very first (combine ) Harvesters out in the fields here in the South Hams of Devon. 2 or 3 men in attendance. 70 years or so ago harvesting was very much a community effort, with scores of people lending a hand, out in the field til dusk, continuing into the season of Virgo - the Lady who holds the Sheaf of Wheat. The many Summer Music Festivals of the present still bring thousands out into the fields ! Slightly different context, yet the underlying desire and motivation to celebrate Life and partake of "Mass" experience is not dissimilar.

Leo Time - and the Mayan Calendar begins, each year, on 26 July. There are 13 months in the Mayan Calendar, with 25 July as the "day out of Time" - a day for dream, contemplation, thanksgiving, spiritual orientation. It seems that increasing numbers of people are becoming aware of this new/old calendar. Will it "catch on"? Other groups, setting out bravely in new directions, have jettisoned the familiar Julian/Gregorian system - the Bahais, for example; the French Revolutionaries in 1789 ; the Quakers, who substituted "First Day, Second Day", etc. for "Sunday, Monday.." etc.

If, as some expect, the Earth will someday tilt, change its orbit, re-orient itself, then all our present co-ordinates, seasonal markers, rhythms, balance of Day and Night would alter completely- and that WOULD be a bold New Beginning for we who walk, down here, in the Field of Earth.

Leo - represents the energy, the Archetype of Creativity, especially as expressed through Fatherhood, though the Sun, Leo's Ruling "Planet", is seen by some cultures, notably in Germany and Japan, as Feminine.

As is said "Raising Parents is not easy", as each generation has to run the gauntlet, of the many prejudices and pre-suppositions of the previous generation... Fathers, in particular, still emerging from the collective authoritarian "fog" of the Piscean Age, will benefit from the warm, focused, affectionate steady Light of the Sun and Leo, in its higher manifestation. Aquarius;- the Group, all of Humanity, we, the Friends together (as a collective "Maitreya", too ), rings out the Keynote of this age, yet, Leo, and the Sun, represent a necessary and vital complement and counterbalance to what can be the rather remote, though sincere, idealism of Aquarius.
It is interesting to view, say, Barack Obama, with his Aquarius Ascendant and South Lunar Node: but Leo Sun, North Node and Uranus - as an example of this polarity in action (regardless, for the moment, of the System through which he has "ascended" and which grants him his position of influence).

Mythologically speaking (if you'll pardon the expression) - Ouranos, the original "Sky Father", when not impressed by the attributes of his own offspring- the Children of Gaia, would "bury" them - not fully acknowledge or admit them into his Heart. Similarly, Saturn, son of Ouranus, would "eat" his children - and this also a way of saying that Time (Saturn) devours all manifested Life - eventually. I suspect these legends refer to the "Gods" who, very probably "created" Mankind, in various stages, with more than a little Genetic Manipulation/Experimentation. Children grow up, though, Children of the Gods, no exception, and produce children of their own, and the same patterns, the Parent-Child dynamic repeats itself perpetually -Until the advent of Light, Insight, and the Understanding which arrives through the perspective of, say Psychology ( thanks, Herr Jung, old buddy..), or Astrology - just take a look at the Synastry (Birthchart Comparism) -between yourself and other family members - it will explain all/a great deal.
He or She who is your Son or Daughter, Father or Mother, Friend or Lover in this Life has almost certainly filled that, or some other role, in relation to you, in some Previous existence. There may be "karma" between you, which can be greatly ameliorated by patience and forethought, as we emerge from the rusting(and crumbling) shackles of a long dark era for Humanity.
Peter Deunov, the Bulgarian Sage/Teacher said that our Solar System, has, for a long period, been traversing a "contaminated" area of the Universe - probably true in different ways and on diferent levels. Perhaps that burden is due to be lifted - the Heart of the Sun, I suspect, holds the key and knows the timing of our likely release. In fact you are already "released" but may not know it....and birds, released, fly Upward. It has been a long, but interesting, detour for us, the Prodigal Sons and Daughters of the Heavenly Father..(you'll know the story.).

"Keep Calm and Carry On" - for the moment !

With Many Good Wishes -OG. (aka David Matthews).

Julian Days

Recently, I came across the following 2 bits of information, on the same day :- 1. There is a famous footballer, somewhere ,who earns £180,000 per week. 2. There is a small boy, in India, I believe, who earns 7p. per hour for a 97 hour week, making trinkets for sale in British shops.
Fair? And what does it say about values and standards extant on Planet Earth?

To be certain, everything is "recorded in the ether", and, sooner or later everything is balanced and accounted for, yet one wonders - why are we so slow to get the point - that such gross disparities contribute very little toward a sane and happy, even sustainable, life experience, "down here". IT NEED NOT BE THIS WAY.

There is saying, attributed to Jesus, though probably "as old as the hills" - " It is easier for a Camel to pass through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven".- the Eye of the Needle, of course, being the small, low, gateway, easily defended against intruders, built into the wall of Near East cities, to pass through which, even a man of average height has to bow his head. If the above utterance represents an accurate picture of Terms and Conditions prevailing at Heaven's Turnstiles, then many will have much to think about...

While on the Jesus theme - " If your brother has no coat, and you have two, then give to him your spare one" (or similar.).
Or the advice given to the young rich man who wanted to join the band of Disciples :- " Give all you have to the Poor - and follow me"- advice which, at least initially, this young man was loath to follow.

Food for thought, yes? At the very least ,these are shock tactics designed to wake you from a complacent and customary groove.

All a bit serious - I am hoping to facilitate a Joke Channelling Workshop fairly soon. The following "came through" while travelling to give a talk at Kingsbridge :- A dyslexic Zoo Keeper in a stand-off with the Police sends a note "... I must warn you, I have a Gnu...".
Planned for Spike Milligan's birthday - 16 April 2011, please note.

"Nice Juan, Ferdinand !" - Spain! doing so well in football - European and World Champions. And Rafael Nadal winning Wimbledon.. I went off to consult Nicholas Campions' magnificent Book Of World Horoscopes to check on the Spanish "birthchart" - there are 2 in general use - "modern" Spain - for the coronation of King Juan Carlos on 22 Nov. 1975, and the other - for the creation of Spain by the marriage of Prince Ferdinand of Aragon to Princess Isabella of Castile on 19 January 1479. Using the technique of Secondary Progression on the latter Chart, we find that the Progressed Mars is now closely conjunct the natal Uranus/Neptune Conjunction in early Gemini. That well describes the burst of radical, sensational energy in the national psyche, expressed through their young Sportsmen by the progressed Mars, in Gemini, with the above mentioned Uranus/Neptune conjunction.( Mars represents young men, "warriors ", champions and "heroes" in a National Horoscope.)

As we move, collectively, through a Transition from one great Age to another (albeit that Earth-Life and our perception of it is partial, subject to distortion, seen "through a glass, darkly")- there is anticipation, uncertainty, vast potential, insecurity, yet one feels on the verge of liberation from the coils of the deadening materialism as we have endured "down here" for so long. I think the 5th Dimension beckons, what say you ? Is it to be:- Gradual Change, in Due Course, - or "The World Turned Upside Down ?".

We are of the Stars, made of Starry material, and yes, "anon" of my previous Blog - to the Stars we shall return. Meanwhile may we make best use of our Earthwalk, be patient with ourselves and one another, and sit, walk and move in the Light.

A quote from George Fox, - guiding Light , now as then, of the Quakers :- "When you "Sing" in the Spirit, you reach all others, in the Spirit."


Many Thanks - in Friendship - David Matthews (aka OG.)

Stars of Summer

Can this be real ? Blue skies and soft Summer Breeze, sea bathing at Torquay, sunsets of peach and pink ?? A reminder - and I hope you are benefiting from this more generous face of British Weather - that the best things in life are free and that our Earth life (our "Earthwalk") - was meant to be enjoyed and experienced in this way.

The Sun is "in" the Sign Gemini now (15 June 2010)- and we are heading toward the Summer Solstice - the "Longest Day" - on 21 June. The Sun is keeping company with the Stars of Orion- stars now subsumed in the radiance of that fiery Orb; - come the Winter Orion will be again a glorious sight in the Southern Sky. We CAN see, though, Arcturus, in Constellation Bootes, the Herdsman, bright Orange in colour, to the South, in the Night Sky - easy to spot.. The youngest and hottest stars appear Blue-White (Sirius, for example), while the reddish stars (Aldebaran, Betelgeux) are "old". Arcturus, in late middle age, hence the intermediate, orangey hue - is actually traversing our part of the Galaxy quite rapidly, -it is "passing through", albeit , from our perspective , a visit lasting many millions of years.

Arcturus, "Bear Guardian" or "Bear Ward" equates, of course, to Arthur, the mythical King and representative, along with Merlin, of the Soul of Britain. Do I hear him stirring?

Also visible - the" Summer Triangle" - of Vega, Altair and Deneb- high to the South as the Summer advances. Reddish Mars and pale, distant Saturn can be found, also, to the South. They are Conjunct on 31 July in 0 degrees Libra. By early August there is a quite splendid Cardinal T-Square gathering around us, with the Moon, on 6/ 7 August completing, briefly, a Cardinal Grand Cross.

NEPTUNE'S CUNNING PLAN:- investigation into the cycles of Neptune reveals the following :-

Neptune at Discovery by Johann Gottfried Galle at Berlin 23/4 September 1846 - was at 25 Degrees Aquarius, conjunct Saturn, also 25 Aquarius.
(Speculative, but very possible) Brutus the Trojan at Totnes, 1103 B.C. Neptune 25 Aquarius.
Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury (again, speculative but highly likely) by 40 A.D. - Neptune 25 Aquarius.
Death of Arthur (reputedly) 537 A.D. - Neptune 25 Aquarius.
King Canute and his encounter with the Sea ( he was demonstrating to his courtiers the limits of man's power in the face of the great impersonal Ocean, was he not?) A.D. 1026 - Neptune 25 Aquarius.
1190 A.D. Grave of Arthur and Guinevere ? found at Glastonbury, in an Oak cofffin at depth of 16 feet ( so the story goes) - Neptune 25 Aquarius.
Thomas More writes "Utopia" (reign of Henry the Eigth) - year 1515 - Neptune 25 Aquarius.
Neptune Discovery 1846 (as above) - also Brunel constructing the GWR - "God's Wonderful Railway" - this was exactly the time that the Exeter-Dawlish-Totnes stretch of line was under construction - Neptune 25 Aquarius. At same time the arrival of modern Spiritualism via the Fox sisters in New York State.

And now -2009/10 Neptune RETURNS to it's discovery Degree of 25 Aquarius, the third Return in this sequence in Late October/early November 2010. It is Stationary Direct(exceptionally powerful) in 25.55 Aquarius on 7 November.

One can understand that Neptune can represent sublime, "heavenly" inspiration and insight, designed to "loosen the chains of Matter" (Saturn!)..but also can manifest as (self) deception and mass delusion/illusion.
One would hope that the former case would apply, as true Vision, and an affirmation of the reality of the Communion of Souls, here and Elsewhere, would do us no harm at this most interesting stage of the Human experience...

A mention here - a Half-Day Seminar at 6 Plymouth Road, Totnes, on Thursday 22 July :-

" THE SATURN/URANUS OPPOSITIONS 2008-10" -a view of the interplay of these 2 Colossi in our world in general and- within our own Psyche ( bring your Birthchart, or ask me to print a copy for you. 1-4.15 p.m. £25.00


Many thanks for your kind attention. As Ever -OG (aka David Matthews).

Venus in a Blue Rinse

Hello, Friend; - the signs were there when Chelsea (the Blues) won the F.A. Championship. So now, we, (in the U.K.) have the Blue Party (Conservatives) , "in power"together with their new best friends the Gold/Yellow party, the Liberal Democrats. A combination of colours which engenders a greenish hue, I think. Different. Let's see how they progress.
A New Paradigm ? - possibly not, though some quite skillful Deckchair Re-arrangement.

Astrologically, our friends Cameron and Clegg have much in common. Both born in the year of the Fire Horse -1966-very early 1967. They BOTH have a close Opposition of Saturn and Uranus - perfect resonance with the current Opposition of these 2 Planets, though at their birth Saturn was in Pisces, and Uranus in Virgo. NOW , the 2 have "swapped" Signs, with Saturn back,briefly, in Virgo, opposing Uranus in Pisces. All very descriptive of the tensions and opportunities of the mid 1960's -now translated into the political arena by the emergence of a new generation - the 1960's born -into the Cabinet Room deliberations.
They BOTH have Jupiter in the 2nd Degree of Leo, in precisely the same degree as in the U.K. Chart - 1 Jan. 1801. So both can be Something Big in this land, as they touch a chord in the British psyche which, deep down, remembers a distant time when Kings and rulers did possess a divine, or "Golden" quality and expressed what we might describe as the Love/Wisdom; or 2nd Ray, aspect as represented by the Sun and Jupiter in combination. e.g. Sun conjunct Jupiter, or, Jupiter in Leo.

VENUS, during this Election period, has been in Gemini, describing the "courtship"that featured beween the Parties, the choices, or choosing;- the relative youthfulness of the main participants;
and, from a higher perspective, no matter how flawed the process, or how world-weary one might have become, Venus as Esoteric Ruler of Gemini acts here to blend, combine, interweave disparate energies, as Intermediary and Peacemaker.

If your head is reeling from this unsolicited barrage of Astro-Politics (which you didn't vote for !?) - then here is a verse of Folk-Song. -from "The Bonny Black Hare" (Trad.).:-

" On the fourtenth of May, at the Dawn of the Day,
with my gun on my shoulder to the woods I did stray,
Hoping to find, if the weather proved clear-
I might get a shot at the Bonny Black Hare..."

Euphemistic and not unconnected with the May-Time traditions (courtesy of Venus) of finding a partner and making some efforts towards procreation and continuation of the Species.- common to all species at this time of year- in this, the Northern Hemisphere.
There is a theory, that way back in time- Neolithic/Bronze Age ?, that many, perhaps a majority of children were conceived around Beltane -early May, as people expressed their natural, enforced by "Tribal",desire to unite as the Earth awoke under the influence of the strengthening Sun.
If that WAS the case, then many, perhaps a majority, would have been born around the time of Imbolc (Candlemas), in early February, nine months later. -A Society with a built-in Aquarian Majority ! The mind boggles - how were things -? Live and let Live? A lot of cool customers with an ingenious water supply and quite good Public Transport (Ox-carts, Canoes -or did they practise Levitation ?) Star-lore and Earth -Energies - they knew much that we are only just re-membering. John Michell and Alfred Watkins, Aquarians both -have opened our eyes to the works of our Ancestors. Stonehenge, Avebury, and a thousand other sites are now again "visible" to us all as we recognise the brawn, the brain, the body of the Ageless Landscape amongst which we are privileged to live and have our Being while in this physical sojourn.

It is possible, though, at some point, when the Universe "agrees", that Earth-life could take a very different direction - into the 4th/5th Dimension, up and away (vibrationally) from the strictly, physical, Time-bound, which is all too familiar. 2012 might be a step in that direction. Does the Phoenix await? The Crop Circles, I suspect, will continue to offer clues ..


"He who laughs at himself is never short of entertainment"


Many Thanks for your kind attention-

With All Good Wishes - OG (Aka David Matthews).

Dear Friend;

"What do we want?" - "Gradual Change !". "When do we want it?" - "In due course !"....
An old joke about the Civil Service - on strike. Our innate conservatism is indeed likely to be increasingly shaken by "events" - both in the Natural (that Volcano..) and Human Worlds :- that hot air vented by Political Parties - synchronous with the eruption of Eyjafjallajokul - ("Island-mountain-glacier").Remember though, that, whatever "happens" in this the "Field" where Humans live and walk, although you are "In" a Body (which no doubt you greatly value and maintain to the best of your ability and wish to enjoy and make use of for as long as possible !?) - the essential You is no more a "body" than a Driver IS a"Car", or a Bird IS a "Nest".

However, for many, our labours here are not yet completed, and we trust that our "contract" - agreed upon before you took the Plunge into this Earth Life ( Gosh ! -did I really Sign Up for THAT ?) allows Time for Everything (that you need to do while you are here...).The good news is that we are not alone, that we, the FRIENDS, together can accomplish the task. Keep plodding on!

The subsequent chaos -sparked by the volcano, and the grounding of virtually all aircraft, is well denoted by Mercury - slowing down and turning Retrograde, in Taurus, at precisely that time -14 to 20 April or thereabouts. A Study of the Natal Chart for Modern Iceland- the Republic- 17 June 1944, with 2 Degrees Libra rising, Neptune conjunct:- (a mysterious, sea-born land), squaring Saturn in Gemini, conjunct the massive Star, Betelgeux, in 28-29 Gemini( fluid and uncertain boundaries)- with a total of 6 bodies in the Sign Gemini, mostly in the region of ORION - the GIANT. Surely a tale of Nordic/Northern giants, trolls, fire spirits- and, over many years of investigation, I have seen that Betelgeux "crops up" in connection with massive, overwhelming manifestations in Nature, such as the above, or explosions, or with "giant" personalities, hard to handle in a normal "social" context.

The Stars, certainly those on or near the Ecliptic, freqently contribute their energy and "influence", as indeed one would expect - as we contemplate the Timeless maxim - "As Above, so Below".

Back on Earth- yesterday, 24 April 2010, I took the train to Camborne in Cornwall to partake in the Trevithick Day celebrations. Who? - Richard Trevithick, born 13 April 1771, Inventor of the High Pressure Steam Engine, Railway Pioneer, progenitor of much that we take for granted in the modern world. A day when the Cornish "let off steam".With 30 or so great Engines assembled in Trelowarren street. There are miles of stalls and Thousands of people. I have never seen a bigger crowd except for, perhaps , Late Night Shopping in Totnes in December. Which probably suggests that I really do need to get out more often.

A few Cornish Place names :- Camborne = Cam Bron - the bent or curved Hill. There IS a hill nearby called Carn Arthen- "Arthur's Hill" - and the great Hillfort at Carn Brea (the Rocky Hill) between Camborne and Redruth (the Red Ford, or, more imaginatively - "Druids Town")- would have made the perfect "Camelot", in the far West, for an Arthur/Commander/Protector with cavalry to deploy.
For "Round Table", though, see "Somerset Zodiac" - of which more later.

Taurus Time, now, appropriate to touch base in the landscape, the reassurance of Earth, the familiarity of place.Flesh, skin and bone, pulse and breath of the Motherland. The memory and comforting touch of turf and stone.West Cornwall for me- how about you?

The Full Moon of Taurus is at 13:18 BST on Weds. 28 April. The Full Moon of the Buddha, by tradition, of his Birth, Enlightenment, and Death. A time, it is said, to celebrate our connection with those who encourage and uphold us in our life here, and especially, in our move toward Enlightenment. You are, already, in fact, Enlightened- it's just that you normally don't notice.Be Still! (that helps...).

Meanwhile... the Oppositions of Saturn and Uranus continue - the next on Tuesday 28 April.Presenting, for us, the contrast between "Old" and " New", although Uranus actually represents Timeless values and points the way to Heaven, the Stars. First, the Lessons of Saturn. Then - the Freedom of Uranus.Uranus, also Ouranos -"Heaven", together with Gaia "Earth", of course, are the Primal Couple who gave birth to Saturn and the Titans - which again reminds us of Icelandic (or Cornish) Giants and their doings.

A Book I wish to recommend:- "THE SPIRIT LEVEL" ..Why Equality is Better for Everyone.A Principle far too simple and obvious to be readily digestible by our"growth-obsessed" Society. Or is it ? By Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett. Published by Penguin Books. Recommended to me by son Hugh in Glasgow.


What good weather !- blessed by the Sun (here in England -how about you?).

Many thanks for your kind attention !.Regular Astrological Events continue here, E-Mail me:-

dave@starlynx.plus.com

for details of these, or to enquire about Birth Charts, Astro-Cartography, Synastry Reports, and other interesting Astrological angles.

David Matthews (Aka OG.)

Mountains Green

Hello, Friend. Today is Good Friday - rather than the usual Good! Friday! Friday, of course named after the Nordic Goddess Freya or Frig - patroness of the arts of Love.
In the Christian Calendar to-day is an anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus, who was overshadowed by, and inspired by, the Cosmic Christ. ( Old English Crist - from Greek Christos, from Chriein - to anoint.)
For speaking so truly and directly he got into a lot of trouble.However,on the third day in the tomb, he Resurrected, the Shroud and bandages abandoned. A mystery, this;- he was seen by Mary Magdalene, who mistook him for the Gardener. As she reached out to him he said (Latin Version..) " Noli me tangere" , "don't touch me".. This incident, as recounted, so poignant and vivid, has a ring of authenticity about it. Perhaps it is so, that, later, he, with Mary and a few others escaped to the South of France, even, then to Britain, where he, Jesus, had set foot before ;- hence Blake's epic verse - "...And did those Feet, in Ancient Time, set upon England' s mountains green...?" Oh, probably! He would have felt at home amongst the Druids and the byways of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. As well as being amongst relatives - a Cornish Grandmother Anne or Ana - or is this an allusion to the ancient title of the Goddess??Conveying legitimacy and authenticity to his work and mission from the Feminine perspective.

On the south wall of the Lady Chapel at Glastonbury Abbey are engraved the words:-

JESUS
MARIA

As I, with 2 friends, on a visit to Glastonbury 2 years ago, stood below the Abbey walls, studying this inscription, I was , in my "default" mode of "Glastonbury Guide", chuntering on about this feature- saying .."perhaps it IS true that these two, Jesus and Mary were here, perhaps even buried here...!?" - there was, out of no-where, an almighty clap of Thunder,from, it seemed, above Chalice Hill nearby. Mmmm !


Now, 2000 years later, as this Age of Aquarius dawns ( and Dawn happens gradually!) it is us, surely,the "Friends", together, collectively, who manifest and make good the Divine impulse which opens the way for the next great phase in this, the journey of Mankind back to the Source, enriched, wiser, for our experiences "down below".
"Maitreya", as has been said before, has a PLURAL connotation, and refers to "Friends, Friendship". That's us, folks, we CAN do this thing,together.One rainbow contains 7 colours with infinite gradations between. There are12 Signs of the Zodiac Wheel, a total of 360 degrees, each of equal validity, all equidistant from the Centre, each has its turn, each "has its day", each its special genius and function. Not a bad example of Divine Democracy. ( next chapter in the handbook;- "HUMANITY - operating instructions:21st Century Upgrade.").

The Sun, the Solar Logos,the heartbeat of our System, holds us in orbit: this Earth, the Nursery of Souls. Uranus, representing, higher, intuitive Mind, with Magician's wand upraised, points us to the Starry Spectacle beyond.It will be interesting to see how the forthcoming Jupiter/Uranus Conjunction, right on the actual Aries Point, 0 degrees Aries, manifests in early June and beyond. New "postings" and fresh horizons, in different senses, for not a few, we think.

Just returned from first visit to my "new" grand-daughter, Astrid, in Glasgow. Re-connecting with that great, now not so grimy, gritty, City, with its rich warmth and humour flavoured with "Buckfast" (wine) and punctuated by vertiginous, windy Tower Blocks was a revelation - passion, poetry, Art, Music - and at the heart of it St. Mungo's Cathedral and the Museum of Religious Life and Art. The Infirmary nearby. In theory-one can be born, christened, married, die, be buried -all with one hundred or so square yards. There is a Stone Circle, with 2 "New Age" shops just down the road;- heart of Glasgow, pulse of Scotland.

I thank you for your kind attention- Happy Easter !

With Kind Regards - OG (aka David Matthews)