Pope Benedict on Sin, Sex Abuse, and the Fatima Prophecy

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Buy at AllPosters.com

The Pope is talking like someone who means it with his most forthright and startling statements to date. And he's finally putting responsibility where it belongs: Inside the Catholic Church. In a dramatic turn-about from his letter to the Irish Diocese and apparent rebuke of all the blame-throwing from top officials, Pope Benedict has finally called upon the Church to take full responsibility. This statement follows the resignation of numerous high profile Bishops so this may be the beginning of a serious house-cleaning.

In his most thorough admission of the church's guilt in the clerical sex abuse scandal, Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday the greatest persecution of the institution "is born from the sins within the church," and not from a campaign by outsiders.

The pontiff said the Catholic church has always been tormented by problems of its own making — a tendency that is being witnessed today "in a truly terrifying way."

"The church needs to profoundly relearn penitence, accept purification, learn forgiveness but also justice," he said.

"Forgiveness cannot substitute justice," he said.

Cafe

Buy at AllPosters.com

Around the Web, Around the World

"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Shamanism and Recovery from Addiction

Addiction touches every one of us, particularly in America. If you aren't an addict yourself you love someone who is. Addictions come in all shapes and sizes from the drama of substance abuse to neatly packaged, socially accepted addictions like coffee and sugar. We craft addictions to emotional states, creating the same scenarios in life again and again fueled by the emotion of choice, like anger, adrenaline, or falling in love, to name the more popular today. We can become addicted to any state of being and we do. And they all rob us of our capacity to choose. This limits our creativity and hobbles the experience of true joy. Shamanism with its unique perspective and relationship with the helping spirits allows us to see that our patterns are not us. Join us this week with host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as she explores the power in shamanic process to change the unchangeable. With the helping spirits supporting our Authentic Self, we are able to identify what we are truly after in the heart of the addiction, release the old patterns around that heart, and retrieve what is deeply meaningful to us. With shamanic skills we can free our selves to experience our true unique genius.

New Time & New Location
Why Shamanism Now? A Practical Path to Authenticity will have a new home and a new air time. Beginning April 13, 2010 the show will air live on Tuesdays at 11:00 AM Pacific time and be available for download the next day from the Co-Creator Network website. Recorded shows will continue to be available on iTunes. The new url will be http://www.co-creatornetwork.com/hosts/shamanism/host_bio.htm

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 11:00 AM Pacific

All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

What is Wrong with the World?

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

O Egypt, Egypt, of thy religion nothing will remain but an empty tale, which thine own children in time to come will not believe; nothing will be left but graven words, and only the stones will tell of thy piety. And in that day men will be weary of life, and they will cease to think the universe worthy of reverent wonder and of worship. And so religion, the greatest of all blessings, for there is nothing, nor has been, nor ever shall be, that can be deemed a greater boon, will be threatened with destruction; men will think it a burden, and will come to scorn it. They will no longer love this world around us, this incomparable work of God, this glorious structure which he has built, this sum of good made up of things of many diverse forms, this instrument whereby the will of God operates in that which be has made, ungrudgingly favouring man’s welfare, this combination and accumulation of all the manifold things that can call forth the veneration, praise, and love of the beholder.

Darkness will be preferred to light, and death will be thought more profitable than life; no one will raise his eyes to heaven ; the pious will be deemed insane, and the impious wise; the madman will be thought a brave man, and the wicked will be esteemed as good. As to the soul, and the belief that it is immortal by nature, or may hope to attain to immortality, as I have taught you, all this they will mock at, and will even persuade themselves that it is false. No word of reverence or piety, no utterance worthy of heaven and of the gods of heaven, will be heard or believed.

And so the gods will depart from mankind, a grievous thing!, and only evil angels will remain, who will mingle with men, and drive the poor wretches by main force into all manner of reckless crime, into wars, and robberies, and frauds, and all things hostile to the nature of the soul. Then will the earth no longer stand unshaken, and the sea will bear no ships; heaven will not support the stars in their orbits, nor will the stars pursue their constant course in heaven; all voices of the gods will of necessity be silenced and dumb; the fruits of the earth will rot; the soil will turn barren, and the very air will sicken in sullen stagnation. After this manner will old age come upon the world. Religion will be no more; all things will be disordered and awry; all good will disappear.

~ from The Prophecy of Hermes Trismegistus

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan for his link to this fascinating perspective on world religion. While Stephen Prothero thinks it a mistake to consider all religions as heading in the same basic direction, he defines a common root.

Astrological Trends for May 7 – 13, 2010

Here is your energy lookout for the week ahead. Like checking the weather to know how to dress, it makes good sense to check the planetary energy patterns to know how to plan your days. This forecast looks at the current transits of the planets in relation to society as a whole. Your own natal, or birth, chart is also impacted by the current transits, and your own experiences this week will also be affected by your own unique chart pattern. I am available for general readings by phone or text chat at LivePsyche or you can make arrangements for in-depth chart readings here.

On Friday, May 7th, the Moon moves into the spiritual water sign of Pisces and is blending its energy harmoniously with Neptune, Chiron, Pluto, and Mercury. The connection to the collective is strong today and healing energy can be directed to the planet’s current challenge of crude oil pouring out into the Gulf waters of the United States. Neptune rules both the ocean and oil, Chiron has healing energy, Pluto has the energy of transformation and intensity, and Mercury is the mind and ideas. Let’s all see the ocean waters clean and healthy in our minds, not just in the current area of crisis, but all over our planet. In your own personal life, you may have a dream or insight that brings healing and transformation to your life. The energy is excellent for seeking spiritual advice or healing today.

Hot, hot, hot! Saturday, May 8th, sizzles with potent sexual energy that can stimulate your lower chakras. The Pisces Moon engages the Sun, Mars, and Venus and you may find yourself aware of a heightened physical sensitivity that stimulates all your senses. Looking at the declinations, I see a powerful blending of the Sun, Mars, and Pluto that can best be described as rocket fuel. Whatever you do today physically or creatively, you can now do with more awareness, zeal, and total involvement. It is a day for you to be fully present and to reach for the best and the most in all that you do.

James Arthur Ray: The Check is Not in the Mail

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Will Open in a New Window

Fresh from the front page of his website, James Arthur Ray wants to thank people for their patience over the "postponed events." What he has graciously avoided mentioning is that many people aren't feeling so patient. In fact, they filed suit over a month ago.

A lawsuit filed late Friday in Maricopa County Superior Court contends James Arthur Ray and his Carlsbad, Calif.-based company, James Ray International, misled plaintiffs during sales pitches for the events and haven't responded to calls or letters requesting refunds.

. . .

The lawsuit accuses Ray of breach of contract, consumer fraud and unjust enrichment. It names three plaintiffs but estimates up to 1,000 people are similarly situated.

Susan Smyser of Las Vegas, paid nearly $8,000 for two events; Patricia Franklin of Mesa paid almost $3,350 for two events; and Kim Wilson of Los Angeles paid more than $12,500 for four events, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs contend Ray used prepaid fees to cover past events or fund his own wealth. They also say he lacked the assets or capital to conduct events or refund advanced fees without continued sales and collection of those fees.

The Incredible Creepiness in the Catholic Church

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

"I love the confession game. Tell me your sins."

~ V for Vendetta

After lengthy deliberation, the Vatican has announced that it will take over the scandal-ridden Legionaries of Christ, appointing a special envoy to run the global organization. The decision comes twelve years after decades of abuse were reported directly to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

In its statement Saturday, the Vatican said, "the conduct of P. Marcial Maciel Degollado has caused a series of consequences on the life and structure of the Legion, such to require a way of deep revision.

"The very serious and objectively immoral behaviour of P. Maciel, confirmed by incontrovertible accounts sometimes turned into true crimes. They show a life lacking scruples and authentic religious calling. Of this side of life, a great part of the Legionaries were in the dark -- especially given the system of relationship built by P. Maciel, who very skillfully knew how to create alibis, obtain loyalty, trust and silence from those around him and strengthened his own role as charismatic founder."

There is little doubt that the late Maciel was a sociopath and they can be very convincing liars. But it strains credulity to think that there was so little awareness of the comings and goings of a priest who maintained at least two households with mistresses and children, and about whom multiple allegations of sex abuse had been surfacing for years. A two-part profile of Maciel in the National Catholic Reporter covering his creation of the Legionaries, his gift for conning wealthy widows out of lavish contributions, his seduction of vulnerable women, and rape of children -- including his own -- can be found here and here. It's a fascinating read but it's not for the faint of heart.

Rest in Peace, Lynn Redgrave

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Buy at AllPosters.com

Tomorrow night they will dim the lights on Broadway to honor the passing of Lynn Redgrave.

I find myself deeply saddened and somewhat startled at my own sadness. I did not know Lynn Redgrave well, but I spent a good bit of time with her when I handled publicity on her book "This is Living." She was a lovely, gracious, and unpretentious woman. It was that genuine, down-to-earth quality that so distinguished her work as an actress.

I was only a child when I first saw "Georgy Girl" on television. The warmth, vulnerability, and accessibility Redgrave brought to the character of Georgy made the film an instant classic. But that was Lynn Redgrave; sincere, open, and unabashedly honest. She brought that incredible presence and integrity to every project she undertook.

Cafe

Buy at AllPosters.com

Around the Web, Around the World

"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Shamanism and PTSD Recovery

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the aftermath of a healthy, normal response to threatening, unpredictable, out of control situations. Within the complex inner world of someone suffering from PTSD lies multiple events of soul loss along with other psychoemotional and psychospiritual dynamics. Shamanism, with its expertise in soul retrieval and unraveling the wounds of the soul, is a critical part of the recovery process for PTSD. PTSD is debilitating, leaving people with nightmares and pervasive fear, deep scars and emotional numbness, and often uncontrollable flashbacks to the event. It can be caused by any overwhelming, violent event, whether large scale like war or personal scale like rape. PTSD can affect not only those who experience the traumatic event, but those who witness it, who offer care, who pick up the pieces after, and those who live with a loved one who is experiencing PTSD. We can all look around us and see that we have largely failed to bring healing to those with PTSD in spite of our medical system's best efforts. This week, shaman and host, Christina Pratt explores what PTSD is from a shamanic perspective and what we need to do as care providers and community to heal it. From this unique perspective we can bring not only healing to those with PTSD, but heart, meaning, and hope to this ever growing problem in America.

New Time & New Location
Why Shamanism Now? A Practical Path to Authenticity will have a new home and a new air time. Beginning April 13, 2010 the show will air live on Tuesdays at 11:00 AM Pacific time and be available for download the next day from the Co-Creator Network website. Recorded shows will continue to be available on iTunes. The new url will be http://www.co-creatornetwork.com/hosts/shamanism/host_bio.htm

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 11:00 AM Pacific

All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

Spinning Clerical Sex Abuse

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Buy at AllPosters.com

I heard the legendary Howard Rubenstein speak many years ago at a Publishers Publicity Association luncheon. Rubenstein pretty much invented PR. He's brilliant, charming, and a compelling speaker in his own right. At that luncheon he mentioned that he had handled some of the PR for the Catholic Church. His agreement with them was that he wouldn't flack anything to do with the abortion issue because he was staunchly pro-choice. It just made me like him all the more. Something tells me Rubenstein was not retained by the Vatican to handle its response to this recent eruption of the sex abuse scandal. His fingerprints are definitely not all over this one. From a PR perspective, this has been a disaster.

When I asked John L Allen, the American Catholic commentator on the Vatican, why its media strategy was failing, he responded:

"As soon as I see that they have a strategy, I will answer you! The fact is, they don't have one, and that is where they are going wrong."

Indeed, the absence of a coherent media strategy is evident, as a variety of Vatican personalities take it upon themselves to respond publicly to the accusations.

They often do it in a defensive or denial mode, shooting the messenger, or denouncing a conspiracy against the Pope and the Catholic Church because of its moral stances on life, the family and bioethics.

Eleven Thousand Turn Out for Beltane Fire Festival

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Ritual meets performance art in Edinburgh, Scotland where the ancient holiday of Beltane has been resurrected for modern pagans and entertainment seekers.

Organisers estimated that 11,000 people flocked to the hill for the pagan-inspired celebration last night, watching 350 performers in costumes and body paint dance and drum the hours away.

. . .

The spectacular climaxed with the final tableau, when the pounding drums accompanied the defeat and resurrection of the Green Man.

A bonfire was lit as the semi-naked red dancers built a human pyramid, and the entertainment closed with Japanese Taiko drummers from the Mugen Taiko Dojo centre in Lanarkshire.

It is said that at this time of year, like Samhain in the fall, the veil between the worlds is thin. All I know is that I had a night of extremely weird dreams and it's left me really shagged out.

Happy Beltane everybody!

Astrological Trends for April 30 – May 6, 2010

Here is your energy lookout for the week ahead. Like checking the weather to know how to dress, it makes good sense to check the planetary energy patterns to know how to plan your days. This forecast looks at the current transits of the planets in relation to society as a whole. Your own natal, or birth, chart is also impacted by the current transits, and your own experiences this week will also be affected by your own unique chart pattern. I am available for general readings by phone or text chat at LivePsyche or you can make arrangements for in-depth chart readings here.

On Friday the 30th, the last day of April, you may be chomping at the bit to punch that time card and run wild due to an adventurous Sagittarian Moon in cahoots with Mercury. The long-term Saturn/Uranus opposition swings in favor of Uranus and the urge for freedom takes over now. A Sun/Mars square can send you off looking for some action or some trouble, depending on how much stress you have allowed to accumulate over the waning full Moon energy of the last two days. A short-lived Moon/Venus opposition will be adding some spice to the longer-acting Venus/Pluto quincunx, creating energy both attractive and repulsive, affecting you in several possible ways. If you are meeting dates or possible partners for the first time, you may find yourself attracted to the “bad boy” or “bad girl” types. Your naughty factor is high right now, but remember that any attraction you feel tonight is strongly physical and unstable. If you are already in a relationship, you and your mate may fight for the sake of fighting so you can get to the “kiss and make up” part. If you are thinking of taking in a show tonight, make it an action adventure film – not a chick flick.

Saturday, May 1st, loses the emotional edge somewhat and the day can be spent in pleasurable pursuits. All outdoor activities and sports are favored now, especially competitive sports or group activities. The planetary aspects indicate that you will be keen to push yourself physically and you may want to break your own performance records. While Mercury is being supported by Pluto and Venus, you have the optimism to succeed in any endeavor, whether physical or mental. In all physical activities, the Sun in Taurus square to Mars in Leo advises that you should avoid overtaxing your muscles and circulatory system. It is possible for you to be so active that you forget to eat or drink! Today is also Beltane, an important day for those who honor and celebrate the “old” holidays. Whether you observe Beltane or not, tonight is an excellent time to gather with friends around a fire or have a backyard cookout.