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"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

What do you ask a shaman?

Can shamanism help with mental illness? What about my depression? Am I cheating myself out of healing by taking my pharmaceuticals? Can you heal my father's dementia? Does shamanic healing work long distance? How do I "pay the rent" with powerful psychoactive plants and stay in good relationship with the spirit world? Why does gratitude matter? Tune in this week for answers to these and many other listener questions. Shaman and host, Christina Pratt, explains, "Many of the questions we receive are thoughtful and complex. They come in after the shows, via email. This show is dedicated to circling back around to answer many of them." We will clarify what a shaman means when they say that experiential learning "writes on your bones" and why that matters. We will explore the difference between "entering the Void" and moving in the Taoistic nature of things. Finally, we will look at how shamans understand that while we are not our body, the fact that we are here in a body is essential to living our soul's purpose and doing what we have come into this life to do.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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Why Shamanism Now? on Co-Creator Network
Questions? Comments? Call: 1-512-772-1938

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Horoscope for November 29 - December 5

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

Aries (March 21st - April 20th)
Relationships, both personal and professional, are your primary concern this week, Aries. The personal variety appears to be easier and more enjoyable than the professional, but there can be a mutually rewarding business partnership that can be negotiated during the middle of your busy week. Negotiations will be another main topic. You seek and share information and utilize the power of the mind and persuasive speech to further your goals. Some may say you have a hidden agenda and they would be correct. Where you stand in life now – especially career-wise – feels like a rest stop, not a final destination. You may not even be consciously aware of the goal, but you feel deep down inside that something new, bigger, and better is possible. The power of future potential drives you now and you use your people and leadership skills to sway groups. The new moon on Sunday prompts a serious conversation with a lover or partner. It is important to you that long-range dreams are in harmony and you want the assurance of a commitment now. You want a partner to understand that the time you take to advance your own knowledge and career benefits not just you, but the relationship, as well.

Taurus (April 21st - May 20th)
Your job description may become unclear this week, Taurus. The planets indicate that you may currently be a jack of all trades in your work environment. Experimental, creative, or temporary assignments spring up like mushrooms now. Powerful passionate thoughts and words are flowing. The “I love you – do you love me?” conversations or the zeal you express over a subject close to your heart make those around you roll their eyes, but they have to admit that you’re a happier, more relaxed and flexible Bull when the love light is in your eyes. An on-the-job romance is possible now or joining forces with your mate to begin a business is another possibility now. Material gains can flow from a business partnership, marriage, or investments with the arrival of new moon energy on Sunday. If you are single and decide to choose just one person from among several potential partners, you may break a few hopeful hearts. Not everyone attracted to you now wants to hear, “Let’s be friends.”

Astrological Trends for November 29 - December 5

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

The focus on the holiday season increases on Monday, November 29th, as the sun progresses in the merry fire sign of Sagittarius. A semi-sextile between the moon in detail-oriented Virgo and Saturn in Libra turns your attention to holiday planning. Mercury, the planet of communication, conjunct Mars, the planet of action, in Sagittarius forms helpful sextiles to both Venus in Libra and Neptune conjunct Chiron in Aquarius. This energy promotes the feeling of goodwill to mankind and you may find yourself wanting to do more for others than for yourself now. The Mercury/Mars conjunction in Sagittarius exchanges difficult energy through a square aspect to Jupiter and Uranus conjunct in Pisces. This aspect is in effect until next week and because it acts like an impediment to growth, change, and the ability to put plans fully into action, it can feel similar to a Mercury retrograde period. On the mundane level, you can expect gasoline prices to increase. Late this afternoon, around rush hour, the moon in Virgo squares both Mercury/Mars in Sagittarius and opposes Jupiter/Uranus in Pisces. With Mercury and Mars already squaring Jupiter/Uranus, we now have an awkward T-square in mutable signs, creating mental stress that can affect transportation and communication. Please be considerate and cautious during your evening commute and patient in your exchanges with others while the planetary energy is serving up a helping of discontent, irritability, and frustration. In the evening, the moon quincunx Neptune conjunct Chiron in Aquarius lifts hopes and moods. It feels good to be home. Connecting with friends online, playing games, or watching a movie is a relaxing end to a busy day.

Mr. Deity on Good, Evil, and David Caruso

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

This was just the kind of chuckle I needed this morning. Mr. Deity figures out how to let himself off the hook for all the evil in the world.

Happy Thanksgiving

New James Arthur Ray Offer: Health, Wealth, and Vitality!

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Hat tip to the Salty Droid for the most recent addition to the James Arthur Ray audacity files. A while ago I posted on Ray's inability (unwillingness?) to reimburse people for seminars he never gave... due to the whole baking people to death in a sweat lodge fall-out.

Am I the only one who sees some irony in someone offering to "mentor" people in "Harmonic Wealth®" because he can't afford to pay them back the money he owes them?

As the Droid points out, nowhere in the email is it explicitly stated that accepting the offered program voids your right to sue for, or in any other sense expect, recompense for the canceled events. For that information you have to look at the disclaimers page which is about as clear as most legalese. The Droid, being an attorney, has helpfully zeroed in on the relevant passage to make that clearer. Unfortunately, I doubt the majority of Ray's students read the Salty Droid.

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"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Shamanic Healing for Animals

Have you ever wondered if shamanic healing might help your animal or pet? Join us this week as host and shaman, Christina Pratt speaks with Carla Meeske, the shaman who pioneered Shamanic Method for Animal Communication. Shamanic healing with animals is the same in many ways as it is with humans. Animals lose soul parts and take on invasive energies, for example, just like humans do. At the same time, animals are different. They have animal tribes with members in the physical world and the invisible world, deeply interwoven soul stories with their humans, and they don't carry ancestral illnesses as humans do. Shamanic healing for animals gives the humans a way to know what a pet feels and needs to bring an animal relief. Often this healing involves giving the human rich advice from the animal. Shamanic skills also give humans a way to attend compassionately and completely to the dying and death of a beloved pet. Join us as we explore the rich and extraordinary gifts that come to us from our animals and their shamanic healing.

This week's guest:
Carla Meeske

Carla Meeske (formerly Carla Person) has been offering shamanism and animal communication for clients across the globe since 1998. A published author and acclaimed instructor, she teaches Shamanism through www.animalspiritnetwork.com. Carla teaches through distance education and live workshops. Her courses are geared toward healing animals, but the path involves deep personal transformation.

Carla pioneered the Shamanic Method for Animal Communication. She has been a professional shamanist for over 10 years, beginning her Shamanic studies in the mid 1980s and graduating from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies 3 Year Advanced Training in 2000.
Carla's publications include, The Calico Shaman: True Tales of Animal Communication, Speak to My Heart, and articles for Shamanism and Sacred Hoop Magazine. Her work has been described in Teaching Your Horse to Overcome Fears. Carla has presented her work at the Society for Shamanic Practitioners Conference in 2006 and the International Alliance for Animal Therapy and Healing Conference 2004.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 11:00 AM Pacific

Log on to Listen
Why Shamanism Now? on Co-Creator Network
Questions? Comments? Call: 1-512-772-1938

All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

Horoscope for November 22-28

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

Aries (March 21st - April 20th)
The moon is supporting you in the flow of holiday happenings this week, Aries. Running errands, shopping, preparing your home, spending time with the family, relaxing over the weekend with entertaining or creative pursuits all happen in a logical, sequential way, making it easy for you to go on automatic pilot while you sit with your koan. Do you know what a koan is? It is a story, statement, or question the meaning of which cannot be understood by rational thinking, but may be found through intuition. A koan is often given to a meditation student. You have a koan in your life now. A brief glimmer of understanding breaks through midweek, but the true solution or enlightenment will take approximately two more weeks of deep inner searching. You may think you are ready to move ahead with something, but until you know it is already a done deal, nothing will take hold properly. Love feels more Universal and less personal now.

Taurus (April 21st - May 20th)
Avoid impulsive moves with money, investments, or property at the start of the week, Taurus. There is a short-lived, but potentially destructive, aspect pattern that leaves your money vulnerable and your judgment faulty on Tuesday. You can easily charm customers and increase sales now and you enjoy working cooperatively with groups of people. If you are in a retail business that looks forward to Black Friday every year, you can anticipate good numbers. The planets are influencing people to shop enthusiastically the day after Thanksgiving. Your own Turkey Day looks full of good food and happy family moments that become fond memories. Avoid getting on a soap box over a personal passion or cause and avoid engaging in debates with anyone over their viewpoints and you should sail through the week with more pleasure than discomfort. Take in a movie or a quick getaway this weekend.

Gemini (May 21st - June 21st)
Me, me, me is what the moon wants you to look at as your week begins. How do you feel about your relationships, your work, and you – and are you experiencing life as you would like it to be? Mix a serious attitude with pie-in-the-sky wishes and you can bring at least one of your dreams into reality. Some Twins eager to increase income may be working on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Your partner shouldn’t mind – he or she may be working, too. If you are off from work, it looks like you will be out early with the other shoppers in the wee hours on Friday to get the best deals at the stores. The family feeling that Thanksgiving brings catches up with you later in the week when you may get together with relatives and friends for some potentially emotional reunions. Gratitude is an ever-present awareness this week.

Astrological Trends for November 22-28

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

It’s off to a fresh week with a spring in your step on Monday, November 22nd, as the sun enters the feisty fire sign of Sagittarius. The moon in the youthfully curious air sign of Gemini feels light and bubbly – a nice change from the earthy weight of the full moon in Taurus, which is behind you now. To make matters even happier and more delicious, Venus has gone direct in Libra and Jupiter has gone direct in Pisces. Venus and Jupiter are known as the Lesser and Greater Benefics, meaning they bring good things. If you have been doing everything correctly, but haven’t been able to manifest something or achieve your intended results, these two kind and generous planets will assist you now. A pleasant trine aspect between the moon in Gemini and Saturn in Libra helps you make favorable decisions, solidify plans, and have productive conversations with people. Later this evening, the moon opposing Mercury and Mars conjunct in Sagittarius can curb excessive enthusiasm or put you in the mood for some debate. This is the kind of aspect that can tempt you to stage a practical joke or play devil’s advocate just to needle someone. The overall energy of today favors joking and playfulness, but take care not to cross the line between humor and hurt.

Iconoclasts, Stigmata Martyrs, and William Henry

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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I have previously expressed my amusement that so many of the greatest proponents of the ten commandments consistently violate the second. The most devout Christians I've known through the years have surrounded themselves with religious imagery. They bow and pray before crosses. They also wear them. Catholics, in particular, are heavily invested in statues of saints and the Blessed Virgin, some of which are believed to have healing properties and even exude divine unction. (Yes. In many cases it turns out to be a coating of air-born cooking oils most likely caused by frying a lot of zeppoles but we don't need to go there.)

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My Commandments.

The bottom line: Most Christians -- and Catholics in particular -- are idolators. The prohibition in the second commandment was probably a reaction against Egyptian practices and useful for stamping out pagan practices as Christianity expanded. And as I've pointed out previously, the iconoclast movements have long since been abandoned by Jews and Christians, making the second commandment a sort of vestigial relic.

Holiday Shopping with Astrology

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

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The biggest holiday shopping day of the year, Black Friday, is just around the corner. You know the retailers will be offering fantastic bargains, but do you know what to get for the people on your gift list? Astrology can help you find the perfect gift. The recommendations below are based on sun sign personality traits. The sun is vibrant and masculine in nature, expressing sun sign character traits strongly for most people. The moon is subtle and feminine in nature and moon sign personality often expresses more strongly in a woman than her sun sign. If you want to make a woman happy, choose a gift for her based on her moon sign rather than her sun sign, unless her personality strongly expresses her sun sign traits. There are many free chart services online, including the one on my website, which make it easy for you to quickly and accurately find sun and moon signs for anyone with a birth date.

Aries loves the first of anything, whether it is a new video game, the first issue of a coin or stamp, or a signed first edition print or book. A scrapbook all about them; a portrait of them, their pet, or their home; or a gift certificate for something they’ve never done before, like a rock climbing lesson, makes them feel special. Monogrammed items and diamonds speak to them of luxury and wealth. In fashion, they are drawn to black and white together and accents of fire-engine red. Aries rules the head and they often are drawn to hats, scarves, headbands, and hair accessories that draw attention to the head or face. A gift certificate to their favorite styling salon is appreciated.

Taurus is an easy sign to please because they revel in all the senses. If it looks good, tastes good, sounds good, or feels good, Taurus says it is good! They have a keen aesthetic sense and know quality when they see it. Ask them what they want; they’ll be glad to tell you. Both sexes tend to enjoy wearing gold jewelry and colorful stones. Music or tickets to a live performance are a hit, as is a gift certificate to a fine restaurant or their favorite gourmet market. Some Bulls are collectors or love antiques – check to see what is already on display in their home. The weight and texture of wood and stone appeals to their earthiness and gives you a springboard for more gift ideas.