PAN International 76
PAN Provisional Astroshamanic News
Ezine of the Sacred
Editorial Director:
Italian Edition: Anna Luna. Spanish Edition: Susana Sanz
May the year 2008 bestow abundant blessings and love to each of you and all your beloved ones! May all beings be happy and united!
Following the New Moon in Capricorn on 8 January and the start of the current lunation, the novel year is definitely grounded and in the process of providing its first devoted lessons. This PAN covers the cycle of Aquarius and the first weeks of February, the month of glee and purification, embracing the festivals of Imbolc, or Candlemas, the masquerade euphoria and outrageous spree of Carnival, followed by Ash Wednesday, which this year falls very early on 6 February, marking the beginning of the 40-day cleansing season of Lent.
Aquarius is a time of sudden changes and contrasts, encompassing strident peaks of rebelliousness, revolution and inventiveness, as well as sheer simplicity, nudity, stillness and silence. This Aquarian cycle, exemplified by the apparent disparity of Carnival and Lent, Uranus and Saturn (Aquarius’ ruling planets), is superlative for releasing whatever keeps us unconscious and separated, promoting alert awareness and questioning anything we take for granted regarding what we see or do.
For example, if we look at the objects or people in our room, and whatever or whoever seems known and familiar, do we truly see them, or are we just projecting past experiences and ideas on them? What do we know about them apart from what we learned in the past? Are they, then, truly familiar? Do we really see and know them? Acknowledging that this is not the case, far from being a put down, is the first giant stride on the way of healing and true forgiveness. Now we can choose to lay aside our judgments, be still with our mind, genuinely opening our eyes and ears, learning to listen to and see. And when we are willing to do so, this is the gateway to miracles.
Our human perception is based on a past rooted in separation, a sense of isolation, deprivation and lack, which is projected upon everything and everyone. This keeps us in a state of ongoing captivity, which rules as the only possible reality, until we decide to question it and work relentlessly, yet gladly, in order to regain our original freedom. The first step in this process is purification, forgiveness, letting go of all tarnished conjectures that clutter our mind, yet without rushing to replace them with other ideas and then fill our consciousness with further muddle. “Miracles are everyone’s right, but purification is necessary first.” (ACIM, T1.1:7)
The Aquarian challenge is to dwell in the stillness that comes after true forgiveness, the silent nakedness of the void, the glittery transparency of the soul, superbly depicted by the Star in the tarot cards. It is about stripping off, undressing and standing entirely nude, in the Tepidarium of the soul, accepting to deeply cleanse all parts of our being. Aquarius is the profound immobility that follows the fury of a devastating tempest in the night, when darkness is still all-pervading. Yet, although fright appears to reign supreme, an innocent silence emerges, furtively sliding the gateway of liberation and redemption. And, in this silence, all nightmares and terror vanish, giving way to the sole unreserved presence of the Beloved.
O Lord, in your radiant presence I do remove my outworn garments. I do expose my pristine nudity, releasing all guilt and shame. You are my sanctuary and fortress, in Whom I trust. You will cover me with your feathers, and under your wings I will find refuge. I will not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day.[i] And I will heed Your voice, as You say: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
Main astroshamanic workshops for this season include The Way of the North in Edinburgh from 12 to 13 January 2008, and Multidimensional Portal of the Senses at the Eremo dei Frati Bianchi in Cupramontana, near Jesi (Ancona, Italy), from 26 to 27 January 2008, the basic workshop of the One Year Course in Astroshamanic Healing Touch, in Italian and English, (see details in the calendar below).
Later in February, for those who wish a full and gentle immersion into astroshamanism, the Foundation Training in Astroshamanism is the best option I currently offer. The training consists of two workshops: A Journey into the Inner Universe 23-29 February 2008 The Voyage through the Zodiac 1-7 March 2008, which may also be attended separately. This training (see details in the space below) is the longest and most all-comprehensive astroshamanic event of the year, rating number one in my recommendations. Please click on the title of the two workshops for more details and feel free to contact me if you need more details.
Major blessings, Franco
Prayer for Aquarius: Lord, You have given me the chance to express myself as a truly distinctive human being, and for this I am grateful May I use my abilities and skills wisely, and may I help others find opportunities to apply their own special talents. (A.M. Jangl, The Astrological PrayerBook)
The Foundation Training in Astroshamanism
This is an all-comprehensive two-week training aimed at providing a basic experience and understanding of neo-shamanism, astroshamanism, and one’s soul’s path. Since the first edition of the training in 2003 around 100 participants have benefited from this course (see a selection of comments below). I particularly love this programme because it provides a direct ongoing and on-the-field experience of astroshamanism. Participants to the training are encouraged and supported in opening, discovering and supporting the relationship with their Spirit Guide and soul’s purpose, or in other words to open up to their true nature and self This also involves releasing blocks and retrieving hidden potentials, learning to use shamanic healing in their life and relationship with others. These two weeks take place during the climax of Lent, which in the ancient Christian and pre-Christian mysteries was the period of spiritual training preceding the high initiation on Easter’s Eve. This part of the year, aligned with Pisces and Neptune, is also the most ideal for voyaging into alternative realms and integrating the related visions through the grounding force of spring. The training is designed for newcomers as well as for those who wish to consolidate previous experiences with shamanism or related methods. Completion of the training provides a solid basis for more advanced work. It is also aimed to allow participants to continue their work autonomously with gained clarity and sense of purpose. The training consists of two workshops, which can also be attended independently.
23-29 February 2008, Basic Week (Workshop 1) A JOURNEY INTO THE INNER UNIVERSE:
This workshop focuses on the clarification of the life Intent and the connection with the Spirit Guide. Participants will be trained in working with basic astroshamanic techniques for expanding perception and reawakening their authentic purpose. The programme includes: astroshamanic voyages, trance dance, totemic postures, circle positioning, astrodrama, ceremonial sharing, planetary chants, the ritual of the Sacred Cone and various opportunities for integrating shamanic work with ordinary reality.
1-8 March 2008, Advanced Week (Workshop 2) THE VOYAGE THROUGH THE ZODIAC:
During this second week participants will experience the whole spectrum of astroshamanic archetypes, retrieving and transforming blocked energies, strengthening the relationship with their multi-dimensional self and Intent. This workshop is designed for people who intend to employ shamanism both for themselves and in their practice with others. The previous week (or another one-week workshop with Franco) is a prerequisite for attendance..
Bookings: The Findhorn Foundation, Bookings, The Park, Findhorn IV36 3TZ Tel. 01309-691653 - Bookings@findhorn.org or www.findhorn.org
Comments from participants to previous editions:
“A very well crafted programme, beautifully balanced, finely taught out and excellent value for money.”
“It has been wonderful and heart-opening. Doors for me have opened about being in relationship in a new way and also my views on spirit guides have deepened in a very valuable way, and my inner sense of why I am on this planet and what I am to do here has become clearer.”
“This workshop brought me back to my true passion and feeling of being fully alive.”
“I gained a much wider and brighter picture of who I am, which I know I will continue to connect with.”
“My awareness has grown immensely. I have found clarity regarding my true intention on earth and the tools to manifest it”
“F. is an excellent communicator and facilitator. He tailors the programme according to the nature of the participants, blending group dynamics with astroshamanic processes.”
“F. is a gifted man with wisdom and sense of humour. He is down-to-earth.”
“F. is a wise man who knows his work well, dedicated, inspiring, gentle, passionate, welcoming, available and open to questions.”
“I would like to affirm that this has been a mile-stone on my life’s journey. Thank you.”
“I worried at first that the course would conflict with my spiritual beliefs. In fact it not only complemented but enhanced my knowing.”
“I found most valuable to learn the techniques and hear the explanations first hand from a practitioner who was open, serious and light-hearted, knowledgeable, and very capable of creating and supporting the environment and energies we were working with.”
“The programme has been life changing. It’s really that simple. And for that I’d like to extend an enormous hug of gratitude to F. for pioneering this work, for living it and sharing it. And I hope that in less easy moments that hug will be there to remind you of the way that these tools, this work and you touch people. Thank you.”
“I am very happy to have done this programme – very much right timing. It has enabled me to make important connections. It has put me back in touch with my imagination. It has been healing. It has been brilliantly focalised. I thank F. and the Findhorn Foundation. I thank my guidance.”
The Ego’s Plan of Forgiveness by Franco Santoro
Said the self-righteous preacher, "What, in your judgment, is the greatest sin in the world?" "That of the person who sees other human beings as sinners," said the Master. (Anthony de Mello, One Minute Nonsense, p 139)
This issue of PAN further indulges on the way of forgiveness, which we explore here in the light of the current Aquarius seasonal cycle. Aquarius tends to move beyond the limitations of consensus reality, dismantling conditioning and letting go of outdated elements, unveiling revitalising perspectives and exposing our soul’s nudity. It represents the lightning and unexpected flash of truth which abruptly dissipates stagnating errors. In this respect, when dealing with forgiveness there are many aspects that call for purging and renewal. Taking the twisted aspects of forgiveness to pieces, reaching out and uncovering its genuine nature, is a healing way of conveying the Aquarius defiant spirit.
Forgiveness is often experienced as a laborious sacrifice of factual grievances, a major effort in disowning one’s emotions and a subtle deception of reality. Conventionally, it is the act of giving up my right to hurt or resent someone who has caused me damage, a compassionate response aimed at demonstrating my mercy towards those who have harmed me. With ordinary forgiveness there is abstention from any outer response of anger or resentment, although the grievance, and what or who caused it, is made unquestionably real. I forgive someone for what he has done to me. Here the grievance is the main focus and continue to shine as the centre of attention also when it is forgiven.
In our current world forgiveness, as I see it, is a popular theme and the incapacity to forgive is often regarded as a major hindrance not only by religious people but also by conventional therapies and moralities. There seems to be almost a tendency to demonise unforgiving behaviours, while forgiveness is highly idealised. This attitude may appear to promote a more loving and peaceful world, yet when the ego twists its meaning, forgiveness inevitably becomes a major curse covered up as a blessing. Here taking up the teaching breeze of A Course in Miracles and the iconoclastic healing urge of Aquarius, we aim at dissecting the mechanics of false forgiveness as the ego operates it.
According to A Course in Miracles the ego, which is our identity based on the perception of separation, sponsors its own plan of forgiveness whose purpose is to preserve the hallucination of a separated reality. “The ego's plan is to have you see error clearly first, and then overlook it. Yet how can you overlook what you have made real? By seeing it clearly, you have made it real and cannot overlook it.” (ACIM, T9.IV.4)
Ego’s forgiveness is first based on the assumption that sin is real, which is the foundation of separation, followed by a forlorn attempt to release it, which is inevitably bound to boost separation itself. Genuine forgiveness first acknowledges that sin is not real, and then it truly releases it, together with the perception of separation. Here sin, separation and all their grievances are seen as dreams from which we wake up, having no effect and consequence in our true reality. Forgiveness is not about responding to the logic of the dream. It involves releasing the dream altogether and unconditionally embracing the reality that exists beyond the dream, which is the full perception of unity and God, or Core Multidimensional Identity (CMI). If I have a dream in which I am attacked and wounded by a criminal, when I wake up from the dream I do not call an ambulance or the police. I acknowledge that I was just dreaming, letting go of the dream and then returning to the reality of my life. This is forgiveness.
When we focus on the dream and all its grievances, they become our reality. Whether they are big or small, acted out or denied, the purpose of grievances is always to support the ego. They constitute the structure of our split identity, which is set apart from other identities with which there is competition and a constant whirlpool of attack and defence. This is also the case when I practice ego’s forgiveness, which is the ultimate, subtlest and dodgy form of grievance. I may also believe that sin and separation are all dreams, do many practices to let them go and even act as if they do not exist, yet if my inner focus continues to be sin and separation, they will continue to be part of my reality. And this is false forgiveness.
False forgiveness employs four major strategies, which are superbly described in The Song of Prayer: Prayer, Forgiveness, Healing (An extension of the principles of A Course in Miracles). The first is based on condescension, a sense of arrogant spiritual superiority in which “a better person deigns to stoop to save a baser one from what he truly is. Forgiveness here rests on an attitude of gracious lordliness so far from love that arrogance could never be dislodged. Who can forgive and yet despise? And who can tell another he is steeped in sin, and yet perceive him as the Son of God? Who makes a slave to teach what freedom is? There is no union here, but only grief. This is not really mercy. This is death.” (Song of Prayer 2:II.2).
The other strategy involves a gloomy sympathy, a sense of being in the same boat or sharing a common sinful predicament, and is definitely less arrogant than the previous one, yet still fatal. Here “the one who would forgive the other does not claim to be the better. Now he says instead that here is one whose sinfulness he shares, since both have been unworthy and deserve the retribution of the wrath of God. This can appear to be a humble thought, and may indeed induce a rivalry in sinfulness and guilt. It is not love for God's creation and the holiness that is His gift forever. Can His Son condemn himself and still remember Him?” (Song of Prayer 2:II.3).
The third form is forgiveness based on sacrifice and immolation, in which someone seeks the role of martyr and passively bears the torment inflicted by another, which “may pass as meekness and as charity instead of cruelty. Is it not kind to be accepting of another's spite, and not respond except with silence and a gentle smile? Behold, how good are you who bear with patience and with saintliness the anger and the hurt another gives, and do not show the bitter pain you feel.” (Song of Prayer 2:II.4).
The last strategy is a bargaining forgiveness, an emotional blackmail in which someone forgives only if the other meets his demands, by confessing his sins, apologising, providing compensations, repenting, etc. "I will forgive you if you meet my needs, for in your slavery is my release. Say this to anyone and you are slave. And you will seek to rid yourself of guilt in further bargains which can give no hope, but only greater pain and misery. How fearful has forgiveness now become, and how distorted is the end it seeks. Have mercy on yourself who bargains thus. God gives and does not ask for recompense. There is no giving but to give like Him. All else is mockery. For who would try to strike a bargain with the Son of God, and thank his Father for his holiness?” (Song of Prayer 2:II.6).
The aim of the ego’s plan of forgiveness is to support the perception of separation so that no real healing can take place. It operates through bogus forgiveness practices whose real purpose is to strengthen our chains and underline separation. Their basic assumption is the idea that someone or something has caused us damage. This vision is regarded as truth and triumphs every time false forgiveness is practiced.
“This is the great deception of the world, and you the great deceiver of yourself. It always seems to be another who is evil, and in his sin you are the injured one. How could freedom be possible if this were so? You would be slave to everyone, for what he does entails your fate, your feelings, your despair or hope, your misery or joy. You have no freedom unless he gives it to you. And being evil, he can only give of what he is. You cannot see his sins and not your own. But you can free him and yourself as well.” (Song of Prayer 2:II.6).
Authentic forgiveness is the sheer opposite of ego’s forgiveness. It is based on the awareness that the perception of separation is false, as well as the idea of being harmed by someone. It forgives the other for what the other did not do, not for what he did. “Be willing to forgive the Son of God for what he did not do.” (ACIM, T17.III.1:5). It is the realisation that I did to myself what I believed was done to me.
“It is impossible to forgive another, for it is only your sins you see in him. You want to see them there, and not in you. That is why forgiveness of another is an illusion. Yet it is the only happy dream in all the world; the only one that does not lead to death. Only in someone else can you forgive yourself, for you have called him guilty of your sins, and in him must your innocence now be found. Who but the sinful need to be forgiven? And do not ever think you can see sin in anyone except yourself.” (Song of Prayer 2.I.4). Here “turning the other cheek” becomes the acknowledgment that nobody can truly hurt us, the demonstration that we cannot hold anything against our brothers, since this would mean holding it against ourselves.
Ego’s forgiveness is not meant to work because its aim is to preserve a false perception based on the reality of sin. On the other hand true forgiveness involves the awareness that sin is not real. “God's Will for me is perfect happiness. There is no sin; it has no consequence.” (ACIM, W-101.6:6-7).
How does it work then this true forgiveness? Since we are trapped within the ego’s reality based on separation, it is a forlorn enterprise to try and manage it on our own. Here all major paths of liberation insist on connecting with a source existing beyond the ego’s paradigm. The names given to describe this source are endless and have changed through history, yet its function has always been the same. In astroshamanism it is called Spirit Guide, or Core Multidimensional Identity, while in A Course in Miracles it is called Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is described as “God’s answer to the ego” with “the task of undoing what the ego has made” (ACIM, T79) or as the Christ Mind which is aware of the knowledge that lies beyond false perception. The Holy Spirit is considered as a sort of bridge between illusion and reality or fear and love. It is “the part of the mind that lies between the ego and the spirit, mediating between them always in favour of the spirit” (ACIM, T132), a transformative force operating within our consciousness so at to guide us toward the true ecstatic perception of life. Also traditional Christianity shares a similar perspective, identifying the Holy Spirit as a helper who guides people in the way of the truth or, as Jesus defines It in the Gospel of John, the “Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26).
Only through the direct invitation and presence of this helping force, no matter how we call That, true forgiveness can take place. On our own we can do nothing, yet in this most helpless situation we are capable of expressing our maximum freedom and power, which is the crucial capacity to call upon that Source, Who abides indeed within us. In this respect A Course in Miracles, in its final lesson, provides a concise guidance:
“This holy instant would I give to You.
Be You in charge. For I would follow You,
Certain that Your direction gives me peace.” (ACIM, W361).
And so does traditional Christianity, in the beginning of each official prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours:
“O God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.” (Psalm 70:1)
Reflections on the Way Home by Franco Santoro
This separated world can be described as the place where those who do not know who they are come in order to find out who they are. And they will come again and again until they are willing to release what they assume to be and accept who they truly are. Who we are is certain and clear, and the way of healing is merely about learning to accept it.
To be alive, without knowing who we are, is like being dead, since living involves being ourselves and aware of whom is indeed living. Ignorance and denial about who I am does not change the nature of my true identity, although it splits the mind into two parts: one who knows the truth and the other that denies or does not know it. And it is this split that all healing paths are meant to cure with the paradoxical awareness that a split mind cannot exist, although it is possible to believe that it does exist and as a result be in sheer pain or ignorance.
The Aquarius ray operates as the instigator of a healing revolution in our mind. It is the intrepid advocate of reawakening, the executor of stagnant and torpid dreams. It is called to infringe the robotic mechanics of the split mind and retrieve full access to the original mind, which is the mind of God.
The ego mind is an ongoing hallucination operating on many levels, yet all parts of the same bogus separated existence. Trapped in the paddock of this mirage our minds are fed with sin, guilt and fear, as they spiral through the unceasing repetition of the soap opera of life. Yet this dream is such a fake that only a glimpse of awareness is needed to uncover flaws all over the place. The ego is like a bragging block of ice showing off its solidity as long as the temperature is below zero, yet inevitably thawing and melting away in warmer weather. And the weather gets warmer when we decide to be still or simply reduce our speed, withdrawing from the frenzy of the ego’s mind and radically changing gear. The very act of being still, slowing down or employing a different course of action aimed at claiming our true nature, our connection with God and the release of the illusion of separation is, as I see it, the most powerful thing we can do as human beings. This act creates a gap in the separated mind, through which God (meant as Unity and Love) can operate. There are many acts that allow us to do so, such as focusing on breath, praying, chanting, drumming, being still, etc. Whatever we do to prove that we are not available to be the puppet of an insane separated mind is helpful. No matter how strong the grip of separation appears to be, these practices inevitably lead to the experiential awareness of a parallel reality based on peace, love, unity and other ecstatic features. They are the pioneering pillars of forgiveness, bringing confidence and reawakening trust, so that when we fall asleep again, we can preserve the awareness of being in a dream and the certainty that the hallucination will soon fade away. Thus in the dream we are not confused anymore, we do not move like scared beggars and our sole task is waking up again and searching for where we truly belong.
What counts is to persevere with healing acts, making the firm choice to connect with who we truly are. This ongoing choice allows us to resolutely tread on the path to the original home, the Realm of Unity, the Core Multidimensional Identity, or God. In this way grievances, pain and whatever I encounter in life turn into luminous signposts on the way home. As I meet them, I do rejoice, for I realise that they are not my goal, they are not who I am. They are merely part of an itinerary which is bound to lead me home. By acknowledging that I am a traveller on the way to Unity and Love, i.e. God, whatever I meet on the road becomes a zone of transit, a landscape destined to vanish on the horizon. Hence, as a traveller, I merely pass by and do not settle, although at times I may decide to stop over for a while when there is the chance to learn more on how to proceed with the voyage. And wherever I stop I leave a healing signpost, so as to pave the way for other pilgrims.
What I regard as one of the most important lessons in astroshamanic healing work is learning to regard pain and grievances, when they inevitably occur, as golden opportunities for miracles. The quantum leap, which creates a major crisis in the ego’s mind, is to bless what has always been cursed and to firmly invite the presence of God.
The God I refer to here is a God who does not even know what punishment and judgement are about. It is a God vibrating with unconditional love and joy. This God is often described in mystical, progressive, as well as traditional and orthodox texts. Take for example the first reading of the Catholic mass for today (9 January, i.e. the day I am writing this article), taken from 1 John
To be aware of the hallucination of separation, releasing it and disclosing the truth that lies beyond, is the basic purpose of astroshamanism, as well as many other healing tools, including all spiritual and truly religious paths. In astroshamanism this aim is acted out within the ego’s framework through the employment of a strategic structure composed of three Worlds, four Directions and Twelve Sectors, i.e. the twelve zodiac signs, the basic essential energy patterns strategically representing the fragmented parts of our original mind.
The Twelve Sectors portray the twelve basic traits of our soul as they can be expressed in the physical world. Each Sector has both a feminine and masculine side, together with three types of expression (high, middle and low). Exploring the Twelve Sectors is a most healing practice for they offer the entire range of available human possibilities and potentials, as well as grievances and illusions. Each Sector is a pathway to our authentic nature, a bridge from separation to unity. Astroshamanism offers a map and a compass aimed at journeying through the path of life and finding our itinerary to the original home. It also provides an experiential understanding of all the features in life, which can allow us to appreciate the world that surrounds us, promoting forgiveness and sacred relationships.
References to the zodiac signs are common in all spiritual and religious traditions. The Bible, for example, abounds with them, featuring even two most prominent mentions both in its last and first page. The holy Jerusalem is described right at the end of the Bible as having “twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel; on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb”. (Revelation 21:12-14). In the first page (Genesis 1:14) it reads "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" The stars and the heavenly bodies in the sky function here as divine signs from God and unveil the healing paths to our original Source available for anyone with the capacity to see and understand them. This is the reason why, despite the official condemnation of astrology, popes, bishops, kings and rulers have continued to consult astrologers, while the most prominent cathedrals are adorned with astrological symbols. Christ Himself seems to exhort awareness regarding these signs with reference to His coming and the release of the world based on separation. ”And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27)
Well, all the above was merely meant to get some Christian strategic acknowledgment and also because, as you are probably aware, I am passionate about biblical and spiritual quotes. Yes indeed, because all these quotes have the capacity to provide a playful solemnity, which trigger a sacred communion with God or the other way around, i.e. major resistances and grievances. It is those grievances that we are bound to face sooner or later if we truly want to be professionals on the healing path. And it is for this and other reasons that upcoming astroshamanic workshops, such as the Foundation Training and the One Year Course, will explore more extensively the healing dynamics of language and also offer further resourceful tools.
The Eternal Dalmatian Finds its Way Home by
I never liked the "Our Father" (Lord's Prayer). The "Hail Mary" always seemed much friendlier. But then, no one ever told me that Mary would be angry with me. No one suggested she would look at my soul and see it "stained" with lots of grey spots (venial sins) and black spots (mortal sins- murder, unmentionable sex-related acts and other things more easily achieved by a child, like...missing mass on Sunday!). When we died the length of time spent in purgatory would be in direct proportion to the number of grey spots on our souls, while a single black one would automatically mean "Hell, Fire and Eternal Dalmatian". She may well have said "Damnation", but I heard "Dalmatian", what with all those spots swirling about my head. Damnation and Dalmatian; twin dogs of hell. And my body breaks out in a multitude of psoriasis plaques and I see in people's eyes my own self-disgust and guilt and shame.
How dare you tell me my Father is angry with me! How dare you assume priority in this connection? Dash my love on rocks of "obedience". Place harnesses of guilt on my childhood joy and exuberance. Tell me I am not loved, not worthy of love? And make me Pretend. Pretend to be this thing called "Good", defined by you, mere imperfect mortal who wields such Power in my childhood universe. I am angry, furious that you should take this away, that you should declare yourself closer to him, that he is on your side! I believe you and imagine I am betrayed by you both!
The Nun screams at me as we rehearse procedure for taking our First Holy Communion. We are waiting our turn to have a flat knife placed on our tongues, in lieu of the Sacred Host; the actual Body of Christ.
But I kneel in front of "Our Lady's" altar who is never angry with me. I love the colour Blue. Blue of the sky, blue of Mary's veil. She smiles and soothes me. The side altars were for children, for praying to the Virgin and receiving help from the Saints. For the nativity scene with Jesus in his crib, who didn't seem angry either. Enclosed in a golden bubble of love and peace; warmth and bliss. And somehow red berries. Gathering red berries like some kind of sacred act shared between us children. Secret. Collecting them in our gathered skirts; standing patiently receiving them from those wearing trousers.We carried them to a designated spot and created one large pile and sat around it smiling at one other. An offering. And we knew we were loved... and "good", although the meaning of this condition held great confusion. But we knew what it felt like. And that it was only really possible to feel authentically good away from those who judged.
Last year I decided to take Holy Communion again. I re-entered that state of authentic purity, embracing in both "present" and "past" the ultimate love that shone through in moments of my childhood despite the surrounding madness and hypocrisy and fear. And I felt welcomed. This was facilitated by my connection with a quite remarkable and much loved priest in a nearby town. He came originally from my home town of
I decided that I would receive the sacrament. This was the result of a long process; a very considered decision. It felt like a coming of age and shedding of old fears and misconceptions. I was taking responsibility for my soul publicly, in the church of my childhood and reclaiming this ritual, this gift, this sacred medicine or access to spirit as my own, denying the nonsense of who or what is in a "state of grace". I was declaring myself to be in one and to always have been in one. I wasn't quite sure if "Father Eddie" would actually give me the host or not when I went up! I had also forgotten "what to do" and got quite confused. (Well, things have changed!) I got embarrassed and managed to collect a host from him but couldn't cope with the wine too, so decided one was enough and scuttled off embarrassed back to my pew, memories of "getting things wrong" as a child flying through my head. As he walked down the isle with the altar boys at the end of the mass, he passed me, stopped, looked like he was considering something, then turned back with a grin and bent down to whisper in my ear "I see you managed it then!!", nodding at my hands which were now empty of the fumbled host.
It all felt very healing. I felt the warmth in my heart and the light through my being that I had experienced as a child and I felt it with a large group of people that I shared a common cultural heritage with. And there was no need to understand anything. And there was no judgement save my own.
I will probably not be rejoining any churches. But I feel both freed and completed by the healing of my connection with the Catholic Church. For me this is one of the important conclusions of the Astroshamanic Training. It was an essential stage, part of "coming home" in this reality. And so I embrace and honour my first connections with spirit and release the rest. "Our Father who art in heaven...as it is above, so below...I release all grievances with your support... and lead us not into separation but towards unity. Amen."
The New Year Healing Retreat: The retreat took place at
I am in my cottage in
Then I look out of the window, and see that nothing has changed. It is still very beautiful. My mind becomes quiet, and I know that God understands. Everything will be alright. All is well – it is as it should be. ‘He’s got the whole world in His hands.’
As for the Retreat group – we are baptised together and will forever be connected through Time and Space. Love and blessings to you all – and have a wonderful Disney day!
Sheila
The Beauty of Play by David Mountjoy
Play, my beauties, play.
Play with falling raindrops,
With wind that breath-like blows,
Chase the sun with an innocent fun
As a child who simply knows.
In utter deep defencelessness,
Walk hand in hand with God.
Know in your heart, that you’re never apart
For in all of your footsteps he’s trod.
In The Garden he lives for your laughter,
The
In the deeps of the night, with the birth of the light
To the blessings of perfect
Love is the fruit of his flowering,
Freedom the salt of his tears.
To the father of life, both the son and the wife,
Release all your sorrows and fears.
The
Aquarius movies encompass all the basic themes of the sign, such as inventiveness, originality, freedom, revolution, catastrophes, independence, emancipation, communities, utopia, brother/sisterhood, friendship, innovation. It also includes films dealing with angels, aeronautics, space voyages, most science fiction and movies with strong elements of unpredictability, surprise, shocks, originality and outrageousness.
Among the abundant titles, most of the very popular, in the above respect, I wish to mention Man Facing Southeast a spellbinding Argentinean movie directed by Eliseo Subiela in 1986 and one of my favourite movies. The story shows some resemblances with K-PAX, although Subiela’s movie was released 15 years earlier and is also less known. It is the story of a most talented stranger claiming to come from another planet and suddenly emerging in a psychiatric hospital. Daily he stands facing the southeast sky sending and receiving messages to his original home. It is an outstanding Aquarian parable, which I recommend to watch in the original Spanish version with subtitles of your choice. The original title is Hombre Mirando al Sudeste
The list below is merely a basic selection aimed at providing an example. Each title in the following list is preceded by the name of the director. By clicking on the title you can get online details on the movie.
J.Kasdan, Orange County. R.Emmerich, The Patriot. J.Johnston, October Sky. L.Besson, Angel-A. L.Bunuel, Le phantom de la liberté; El Angel Exterminador. D.Borthwick, The Secret Adventure of Tom Thumb. F.Capra, Lost Horizon. J.Carpenter, They Live; Starman. J.Losey, Galileo. R.Clair, A nous la liberté. F.Darabon, The Shawshank Redemption. R.Emmerich, Stargate. M.Forman, Amadeus. C.Gillespie, Lars and the Real Girl. G.R.Hill, Slaughterhouse 5. P.Hyams, 2010. S.Kubrick, A Clockwork Orange; 2001: A Space Odyssey; Doctor Strangelove. J.Landis, The Blues Brothers; J.Losey, Accident. G.Lucas, Starwars. D.Lynch, The Elephant Man. L.Malle, Zazie dans le Métro. A.Parker, Birdy. S.Raffill, The Philadelphia Experiment. N.Roeg, The Man Who Fell to Earth. R.Scott, Blade Runner. C.Serreau, La Crise. I.Softley, K-PAX. S.Spielberg, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. E.Subiela, Man Facing Southeast; A.Tanner, Les années lumière. A.Warhol, The Chelsea Girls. Waschowski Bros. The Matrix; W.Wenders, Der Himmel über Berlin. S.Wincer, D.A.R.Y.L. W.Petersen, The Perfect Storm.
There follows a list of actors and directors with relevant traits in Aquarius. Their names are followed by the binary (Sun and Moon’s Sector position) or triad (Sun, Moon and Ascendant) reference. The 12 Sectors are associated with the 12 zodiac signs and houses given in their natural order: 1 Aries, 2 Taurus, 3 Gemini, 4 Cancer, 5 Leo, 6 Virgo, 7 Libra, 8 Scorpio, 9 Sagittarius. 10 Capricorn, 11 Aquarius, 12 Pisces. When the term stellium is indicated it means that three or more planets and astrological factors are in Aquarius. By clicking on the name of some of the actors you can get complete online details.
Matt Dillon (11.2.11;st), Kim Novak (11.7.11;st), Charlotte Rampling (11.12.11;st), Steve Reeves (11.2.11;st), Gene Hackman (11.11.11;st), Benny Hill (11.4.11), Alan Cumming (11.9.11), Michel Serrault (11.11.5;st), Jeanne Moreau (11.11.2,st), Francois Truffaut (11.11.10;st), Lana Turner (11.11.3;st), Leslie Nielsen (11.11.10;st), George Segal (11.11.10;st).
PAN needs help with transcription of Franco’s recent workshops in English, Italian and Spanish. If you would like to volunteer to transcribe some recordings, please contact pan@atroshamanism.org.
Astroshamanic Healing Sessions - How do they work and how to arrange them.
Sessions typically last 60 minutes and can be in-person or distant (over the phone). They are rather flexible and focus on the intent of the client. Distance sessions involve a preliminary telephone consultation, followed by an astroshamanic healing practice and a successive telephone consultation aimed at examining what emerged during the practice and identify healing tools. Each session is geared according to the specific issue and intent of the client. In a distant session I use various tools, such as circle release work, astrological reading, shamanic divination, soul retrieval, connection with spirit guide, space-time voyage, etc. The aim is to focus on prominent issues, both from an ordinary and multidimensional perspective, releasing grievances, while uncovering authentic talents and finding empowering guidance. If the client finds it helpful, it is also possible to have two additional sessions, or even to start a specific training programme. Fees for a distant session (60 minutes) are Euro 60 (£ 40). If you wish to arrange an astroshamanic distance session, please contact me to make an appointment at info@astroshamanism.org
Astroshamanism Book I: A Journey into the Inner Universe and Astroshamanism Book II: The Voyage Through the Zodiac feature the core teachings of astroshamanism. They are available, together with various drumming and trance dance CDs, from Franco and by mail order from the Phoenix Shop at store@findhorn.com or +44(0)1309-690954.
The Operative Training in Astroshamanism (OTA) is a certificate step-by-step course in core astroshamanism and experiential astrology which allows you to study at home as part of an ongoing interactive training. Participants will learn a wide range of techniques, directly exploring all aspects of their soul, individual and collective, as they are reflected in the astroshamanic cosmology of the 12 Sectors, the 4 Directions and the 3 Worlds. They will receive initiation into specific healing and ceremonial practices according to each zodiac sign, integrating their shamanic experiences with information drawn from astrology and other esoteric sources. A certificate is awarded at the end of the training. The OTA can ideally be integrated with the One Year Course in Astroshamanism and the Astroshamanic Practitioner Training. For further information contact: info@astroshamanism.org
Donations for PAN and Astroshamanic Healing activities: PAN is available free to anyone who has attended astroshamanic events/sessions or simply wishes to receive it. If you find PAN useful, inspiring, appealing or perhaps even revealing, any donation (small, medium or big) would be greatly appreciated (for further details contact info@astroshamanism.org). Donations will encourage us to continue on this path. Also articles and other forms of contribution are much appreciated.
PAN on-line: You can find an abridged edition of the latest issues of PAN on-line at http://panissue.blogspot.com/. The abridged Italian edition is at http://panitalico.blogspot.com/, while the full edition is available on request. The abridged Spanish edition is at http://panhispano.blogspot.com/ and the full edition is available on request.
Forthcoming Astroshamanic Events
For further details or information please see www.astroshamanism.org or contact Franco info@astroshamanism.org.
To book Findhorn Foundation workshops, please contact bookings@findhorn.org or Bookings, The Park,
Eremo dei Frati Bianchi, Cupramontana (Ancona, Italy) 26-27 January 2008
Multidimensional Portal of the Senses: One Yeat Course in Astroshamanic Healing Touch
(in Italian and English)
During this seminar participants are initiated into basic astroshamanic healing touch, with particular reference to the connection with the vertical axis and core multidimensional body. The programme includes a complete experiential introduction to the three stages of astroshamanic healing work and is aimed at defining and deepening the relationship with one’s Spirit Guide. The workshop is part of a One-Year Course on Astroshamanic Touch, consisting of five workshops. It is possible to take part in this workshop also if you are not attending the one-year course. The workshop will take place in the Eremo dei Frati Bianchi (see image), a splendid medieval monastery partly built on caves. (For a video on the Eremo dei Frati Bianchi, click here.) The international Astroshamanic Practitioner Training group programme will launch on
Paris (
The Findhorn Foundation Training in Astroshamanism
This is the most complete training workshop in astroshamanism. Participants to the training will experience practical tools for opening, discovering and supporting the relationship with their core spiritual identity and essential Intent, while also aligning with the superb energy field of the Findhorn Community and
Findhorn, 23-29 February 2008, A Journey into the Inner Universe
Findhorn, 1-7 March 2008, The Voyage through the Zodiac
Eremo dei Frati Bianchi, Cupramontana (
Vogelsberg (
Findhorn, 10-17 May 2008, The Blessed Way of Passion
Findhorn, 17-24 May 2008, The Spirit of Cluny Garden
Findhorn, 14-21 July 2008, The Original Quest: An Astroshamanic Journey into Space and Time
Findhorn, 2-9 August 2008, Astroshamanic Trance Dance and Drumming
Disclaimer: All information provided in PAN is presented solely for inspirational or recreational reading, and it is not meant to substitute the recipient’s direct experience and investigation. The information is also given to strategically exemplify the different features of astroshamanic cosmology and is not intended to reflect Franco’s opinion or astroshamanism in general. Franco does not necessarily endorse any of the ideas and views expressed in this literature, including his own.
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