New Moon and Money

Another New Moon is coming up, friends! I've spoken before of Astrologer Jan Spillar (www.janspillar.com)and her great book, "NEW MOON ASTROLOGY". I find it to be a wonderfully effective way to create positive affirmations in conjunction with Lunar cycles, (a little moon magic, if you will).

This New Moon is in Taurus which involves focus around money and issues of comfort.
Things you may have wanted to happen in your life for a long time can begin easily manifesting through using the boost of the powerful and steadfast Taurus New Moon.

Write your wishes on paper, ten wishes maximum. Be very clear and exact. Write your wishes, read them aloud and then simply put them away.

In MAY, your most potent times for wishing are: Thursday, May 13: 9:05 pm - 12 midnight, Friday, May 14: 12:00 am - 8:27 am & 9:18 am - 12 midnight, and Saturday, May 15: all day and night.

These times are in Eastern Daylight Savings Time and need to be converted to your local time zone. Keep in mind that if you are not observing Daylight Savings Time, subtract one hour, and then convert to your time zone. The Moon Box on the Homepage of this site will tell you how many hours difference your location is from the Eastern Time Zone in the US.
This New Moon stimulates the ability to more successfully navigate your life by boosting your steadfast determination. It empowers you to become more aware of the power of attaining your aims through thoroughness and step-by-step processes. It stimulates in you the gift of being able to appreciate the value and beauty of what you already have. The energy of Taurus also creates an opening for enjoying the comforts of life.
I can't tell you how effective this technique is!

I hope you will check back soon. I am working on an e-course on Tarot that I think you will enjoy.

Forming now: Classes in Tarot,Angels, Labyrinth and more!
Go to www.CrisMcCulloughMA.com

May 4, 2010
Hello friends,

One of the best ways to learn Tarot is to choose one card a day at random at the beginning of your day. Over your morning coffee, Jot down your first impressions of the card, then go about your day. When you come home in the evening, mindfully review your day and see how the messages of the cards reflects your experiences. This simple exercise may be used with runes, I Ching, Medicine Cards or any other divination tool.

Having just achieved my Reiki Master Certification, I decided to draw a card for the next 21 days after completing my Master clearing and meditation each morning. It is turning out to be an excellent example of how the above exercise can work in your life, so I thought I would share it with you.

Yesterday, after my meditations, I chose from The Hawaiian Oracle deck. The Card was “Kala/Surgeon Fish”. The Challenge is “Wrath”, Way Through is “Repentance” and the Gift is “Forgiveness”. The message in part: “Only you control your feelings. Don’t let anger stop you from forgiving and forgetting. Choose Joy.”
I admit I was puzzled. I wasn’t angry at anyone, nor, in looking at the day ahead, could I possibly imagine being angry or being in a position to ask for or bestow forgiveness. But, knowing the cards as I do, I decided to simply allow whatever needed to unfold to do just that without attachment and to be open to learning whatever needed to come my way.

Later that evening I made my way to Cox Cable Studios to be a guest on “Psychic/Holistic Spotlight”. There I met the other guest, a lovely woman, Mary Grace, author of “The Wounded Chalice”. Mary Grace is an advocate who encourages women to take back their power. She champions women’s precious role as mother, She tells her own story of love and loss, pain and sorrow and her journey into awareness and at present she channels messages from Mother Mary. Is it surprising that these messages deal with the concept of “Forgiveness”. It suddenly became clear to me that I was hearing repeated the information which had been imparted by “Kala” that morning. Her was an inspiring woman who, despite life’s challenges, chose JOY and made it her life work to bring that message to many women who need to hear it. And that is the way it works; sometimes the messages are not FOR you but for you to pay attention to as they unfold around you. Meeting Mary Grace and hearing her story was a privilege.

This morning’s card from the Hawaiian Oracle Deck is “Honu Kahiki”/ Green Turtle:
The Challenge: Perserverance
The way Through: Parenthood
The Gift: The Desired Land
The Message:”You are parenting a new project or soul. You are at home in different spheres, from the sea of emotion to the land of stability.” The link between the head and the heart still needs to be connected and then you will come home to your blessed land.
In meditating on this message, I can directly apply it to the work I am doing on my new book, The Holistic Tarot”. But I will also keep my heart open to whatever delights and lessons the day will bring and joyfully see what happens.
Happy Spring!
Cris

SPECIAL! TO CELEBRATE MY REIKI MASTER CERTIFICATION I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU A COMPLIMENTARY REIKI TREATMENT DURING THE MONTH OF MAY! A REIKI SESSION IS A GREAT GIFT FOR MOTHER’S DAY.
FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SESSION CONTACT ME AT crismcholistic@gmail.com

You can now find me on Facebook. Go to Cris McCullough,MA.com.
Upcoming workshops include: Angels Bits and Bytes on May 28, Labyrinth training for Healers at Lotus Rising in Fall River, MA on June 4,5,6, and Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk at The Healing Co-Op Middletown, For more information on these and other offerings please go to my website.
www.CrisMcCullough,MA.com
www.TheHolisticTarot.com
www.TheLabyrinthLadies.com
www.thewoundedchalice.com

Hi folks, This is a great New Moon for New Beginnings..perfect for Spring!
Wish and enjoy!

NEW MOON REMINDER... Wednesday, April 14, 7:30 am - EST (8:30 am, EDST = Eastern Daylight Savings Time), is the New Moon Power Day in April! This month offers us an ESPECIALLY potent New Moon because the New Moon is in ARIES. it is the most potent Moon of the year for making wishes involving new beginnings! If you have a copy of the book: New Moon Astrology, be sure to consult page 13 for more information.

Don’t miss this opportunity to make wishes for experiences you’d like to have. Because this New Moon is in the sign of Aries, it’s a powerful time for wishes involving courage, starting new enterprises, and making a new beginning in any area that is important to you: a relationship, a business, a job, a new behavior. Things you may have wanted to happen in your life for a long time can begin easily manifesting through using the boost of this powerful New Moon.

For success, your wishes must be handwritten on paper and ten wishes maximum are allowed on each power day. The most potent time is the first 8 hours AFTER the exact time of the New Moon; within the first 48 hours will still work. The potency continues to exist for another twelve hours, but is weaker.

For clear success, it’s best to avoid wishing during those hours when the Moon is Void of Course. Therefore in April, your most potent times for wishing are: Wednesday, April 14: 8:30 am – 3:22 pm & 6:55 pm – 12 midnight, Thursday, April 15: clear for wishing all day and night, and Friday, April 16: all day and night.

These times are in Eastern Daylight Savings Time and need to be converted to your local time zone. Keep in mind that if you are not observing Daylight Savings Time, subtract one hour, and then convert to your time zone. The Moon Box on the Homepage of this site will tell you how many hours difference your location is from the Eastern Time Zone in the US.

Among other things, this New Moon stimulates the ability to more successfully navigate your life by boosting your energy and boldness. It empowers you to become more aware of yourself and those things that truly are in alignment with your own identity. It stimulates in you the boldness to follow your impulses and discover yourself.

The energy of ARIES also creates an opening for demonstrating your independence and thereby increasing your vitality. This New Moon offers us the support to become more honest and authentic in our dealings with others. It gives us the confidence to begin a desired new pathway of self-expression that before we may have lacked the courage to initiate.

Your wishes can be about anything that is important to you to bring into your life. The New Moon in Aries is the most powerful New Moon of the year for making new beginnings in your life. Be sure to use this opportunity to your advantage.

APRIL FOOLS!

April 1, 2010

"If a man would persist in his folly,he would become wise." William Blake

We are being Fooled and being surrounded by Fools!

Mother Nature sure seems to have a sense of humor these days....first it's snow in all 49 states then the ddeluge in the North East! Most of Rhode Island is underwater and it's not even hurricane season yet! Do you think She may be trying to tell us something!?

Then we have the absolutely ludicrous discord in Washington, with political babies whining and throwing tantrums because they don't get their way, spouting hatred that hasn't been seen in this country since the Civil Rights Movement! What is so hard about sharing abundance? Obviously they don't really believe in the precepts about sanctity of Life and family values that they spout over the "hate waves"...ooo, I meant to say "air ways".

There is something VERY, VERY wrong here!Or, perhaps, Very, Very Right!
So it seems appropriate that we should give some consideration to "The Fool" as it appears in the Tarot.

The FOOL is the wanderer and, with no fixed number, he is free to utilize his energetic and curious nature by going where he will and challenging the established order. He is the consummate Trickster, he moves freely between worlds, gathering information and sowing chaos in his wake. Author Sallie Nichols in her book, "Jung and the Tarot: An Archetypal Journey", notes that, " the Fool's spontaneous approach to life combines wisdom, madness and folly. When he mixes these ingredients in the right proportion the result is miraculous, but when the mixture curdles, everything can end up in a sticky mess." (The word "fool" is derived from the Latin "follis" meaning bellows or windbag. This is certainly a good description of Washington right now!)

The Trickster aspect of The Fool is totally amoral, undisciplined and chaotic. The Fool takes risks and trusts in the Divine to uphold them as they walk off the cliff, totally oblivious as to what lies below. They are totally ready to turn the world on its head to get attention. The other side to this coin is the Total Faith and Trust in the Sublime Order of All under the Divine.

The Fool can also represent the duality of the "Trickster/Hero". As with the traditional tricksters, Loki, of Norse myth, or the Native American Coyote, the norm may be challenged, torn apart and transformed. Where there is destruction, there is also the opportunity for catharsis and a new beginning. So while we may find our complacent norm being shaken deeply at this time, we may, at the end of the struggle, find some form of salvation.... (whether its a new health care coverage for all, or finally Peace in the Middle East)

In regards to the politics of our day, working with the Fool asks us to to remember the Chinese adage which notes that the Chinese character for the word "crisis" holds within it the word "Opportunity".

The FOOL is noted by the "Zero". It is a cipher of great power, for it represents the Cosmic Egg from which all creation arose and continues to arise. The Zero, like the Fool, is indestructible but ever changing. It represents the eternal planets, the great dome of the sky and the great round of Nature itself. The chaos of the weather patterns now arising show us that we must live in concert with natural forces somehow and release the idea that man made constructs invincible.This seems to be something we have forgotten as we advanced to armor ourselves with technology. Perhaps Mother Nature is fooling with us in order to bring back some semblance of balance and accord between man and his world.

Remember, The Fool is on a journey. He possesses all the tools he will ever need in his sack. Though he may blindly go where no man has gone before, leaving upheaval in his wake, he has a great lesson to teach us, the lesson of Faith. There is always tomorrow. We always have the opportunity to wake up and do it differently.

Namaste
Cris
www.TheHolisticTarot.com
www.TheLabyrinthladies.com

HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX

March 19, 2010

Spring in new England has a habit of delightfully creeping up on you. After returning from Hawaii to four solid weeks of grey rain, I was quite un-motivated and, quite frankly, in a depressed state...it's difficult going from two solid weeks of technicolor to the grey damp of New England. But I was out today, happy to see the crocus covered in honey-bees and bumbles, can true Spring be far behind!

As I mentioned previously, I picked up Rima Morell's THE HAWAIIAN ORACLE: ANIMAL SPIRIT GUIDES FROM THE LAND OF LIGHT on my travels. Monday I drew a card from this deck, TURTLE , which said; "You are parenting a new project or soul and following your rainbow towards the land of light. You are at home in different spheres, from the sea of emotion to the land of stability. But there is still a link that needs to be made more active--the one between your head and your heart. nevertheless you are indeed within reach of your desired land." The Challenge: Perseverence.

I began a new Tarot Apprenticeship class on Monday, certainly one of the things I love to do, and had a few job interviews which I was very excited about, since I have decided I will work where my heart is or just get deeper into my own metaphysical work...there's that connection between heart and stability. As TURTLE is one of my personal totems, it seemed a particularly strong indicator that I am proceeding down the right road at this stage in my journey.

This morning, to herald in Spring Equinox, the card drawn was EEL.
The Hawaiian CHANT: "E ula, e ula, i ko kahu, la ka ho'okapuhi noa"
"Inspire us, inspire and swell on your altar, Give us the lithe
freedom of an eel."
The CHALLENGE: RED HOT PASSION The GIFT: INTEGRATION
"Puhi (Eel) is about awakened passion. The chant above is from a passionate hula where the only accompaniment was from a chain of dog's teeth that hung beneath the dancer's knees. Dance with your desire. Make the teeth beat in rhythm. The "lithe freedom" of the eel is there for us all. Call on the gods and goddesses to help. Feel the eel. Link your head with your heart. Marry sex with love. Eel is a sign that a great deal is about to happen to you. Make it good!"

What better message from the Universal Source for the great shift on the Wheel!
Spring Equinox is the moment when Day and Night are equal. On the Great Wheel of the seasons it signals a time of new growth. It is not accidental that both the Christian Jewish celebrations of easter and Passover, as well as celebrations of new life from other cultures, cluster around this time. The birth lambs and chicks and the growth of vegetation which could sustain a hungry populace (like fiddlehead ferns and dandelion both filled with Vitamin C)gave our ancestors encouragement to move from the cold ,dark winter of lack into a hope for renewed life.

I often point out to my Tarot and Wiccan students alike, the similarities among our ancient beliefs.Tese similarities had to do with survival from one season to the next and honoring the continuance of life. Our modern culture strives furiously to point out and cling to our differences, an action which only leads to conflict. Yet, the way of true Peace is INTEGRATION and the realization that, like our ancestors, we are all human beings bound to the Great Wheel. No matter where we are, what our culture or what our beliefs, we are intrinsically bound to a primal rhythm that could one day unite us all.

So celebrate, in JOY, this blessed Equinox. Go out, where ever you are and seek out those first signs of Spring. Breathe in the power of creation and get inspired to move your life forward with re-newed energy.

Namaste
Cris

www.TheHolisticTarot.com
www.TarotNewport.com
www.Thelabyrinthladies.com

NEW: INTRODUCTION TO TAROT PROGRAM UNDERWAY IN NEWPORT, RI
5 SESSIONS: $350

WOMEN IN RECOVERY LABYRINTH WALK APRIL 18 PORTHSMOUTH, RI
DONATIONS
TAROT FOR KIDS CHANNING MEMORIAL UNITARIAN CHURCH APRIL 25 NEWPORT,RI
Go to www.The Holistic Tarot.com and www.TheLabyrinthladies.com for more information
on how to register for these events.

NEW MOON REMINDER

March 14, 2010

A New Moon is coming up and I highly recommend you try this wonderful meditation out for yourself, especially if you ar4e having difficulties with overcoming food or other addictive behaviors. I have been recommending this work to my clients for many years and find it really helps you find your focus and affirm your goals. This work is very powerful! I hope you will take the time to try it out for yourselves.

Speaking of addictions:A NEW PROGRAM BY THE LABYRINTH LADIES!
WOMEN WALKING THE RECOVERY PATH ON THE LABYRINTH
Judith Medeiros will be leading an evening for women in recovery at St. Barnabas Church in Portsmouth, RI on Sunday April 18 from 6-8 (Call 431-0999)
Please share with any woman you know who may need support in recovery.For more information on The Labyrinth please go to www.TheLabyrinthladies.com

I will be returning to my Blue Hawaii insights soon! Check back!

Subject: NEW MOON REMINDER... Monday, March 15, 4:02 pm - EST

From Jan Spiller's website. -AT www.JanSpiller.com

NEW MOON REMINDER... Monday, March 15, 4:02 pm - EST

NEW MOON REMINDER... Monday, March 15, 4:02 pm - EST (5:02 pm, EDST = Eastern Daylight Savings Time), is the New Moon Power Day in March! Don’t miss this opportunity to make wishes for experiences you’d like to have.

Because this New Moon is in the sign of PISCES, it’s a powerful time for new beginnings in feeling more loving and taking steps to release any self-destructive habits of addiction. Progress you may have wanted to happen in your life for a long time can begin easily manifesting through using the boost of this powerfully trusting New Moon. PISCES opens in us an awareness of using the strength of connecting with a Higher Power to help wishes in coming true.

For success, your wishes must be handwritten on paper and ten wishes maximum are allowed on each power day. The most potent time is the first 8 hours AFTER the exact time of the New Moon; within the first 48 hours will still work. The potency continues to exist for another twelve hours, but is weaker.

For clear success, it’s best to avoid wishing during those hours when the Moon is Void of Course. Therefore in March, your most potent times for wishing are: Monday, March 15: 5:02 pm – 8:00 pm, Tuesday, March 16: 2:32 am – 12 midnight, Wednesday, March 17: all day and night.

These times are in Eastern Daylight Savings Time and need to be converted to your local time zone. Keep in mind that if you are not observing Daylight Savings Time, subtract one hour, and then convert to your time zone. The Moon Box on the Homepage of this site will tell you how many hours difference your location is from the Eastern Time Zone in the US.

Among other things, this New Moon stimulates the ability to more successfully navigate your life by understanding and forgiving the foibles of others and yourself, seeing that we are all doing the best we can, given our understanding and history.

Because the New Moon of March is in the sign of PISCES, it is the most potent New Moon of the year for wishing to surrender any self-destructive addictions: excessive drinking, drugs, smoking, counter productive dietary choices. This time period is also highly charged and uniquely empowered to help release any self-sabotaging behaviors: procrastination, judging others or ourselves, the habit of criticizing or over-analyzing.

The energy of PISCES stimulates an opening for creating greater success in spiritual pursuits, such as meditation and stress reducing exercises. This New Moon stimulates the capacity to view our lives with more love. When we forgive and cease to judge others, we save time and energy. Then the way opens for us to more easily create the personal successes we desire.

Back from Blue Hawaii

March 5, 2010

I'm back! Unfortunately I had no internet connection during my glorious two weeks in Hawaii and was unable to post. And it has been hard to recover from two weeks in technicolor to the endless gray of the New England Winter, as one can well imagine.
But I did keep notes.

My intent in posting this blog is to help those interested in divination and metaphysics learn to expand their awareness about the power of synchronicity as I post real life examples of working with a variety of divination tools.

I began my journey with my tried and true Aquarian Deck. Each morning before setting out for my daily adventures, I would simply ask "What can I expect of my day?", and draw a set of cards. I would then note my interpretation and, each evening, review and compare the my experiences with my "predictions". This is one of the most effective ways of learning the Tarot and one that I pass on to all my students. So, after a good night's sleep to recover from a 12 hour flight and multiple time changes, we begin.

Day 1
Okay, so most of you are very jealous. I really am sorry that you are all buried in two feet of snow and I’m not. Hawaii is a most beautiful and enchanting land. It is winter here as well, which means that some days it’s a balmy 76-81 and on other days quite chill, a damp 68 or so. But it is typical island weather with magnificent cloud formations moving across an azure sky.
I have decided to use a traditional deck to keep track of the energies throughout my stay. My first morning dawns bright and warm, and despite being woken by the pounding of construction outside the bedroom window (which was, I soon found out, to be the ever present wakeup call each morning of my stay), it felt like it would be a good day. My daughter’s roommate also has a visitor, her friend from college, Travis,so it's just like being in a dorm. (I told you guys it was going to be a bargain trip). Travis is the nice young man “living” in the living room of the two room apartment for this time. Space is at a premium on the islands and, actually, this apartment, with its tiny galley kitchen off the main room and a separate bedroom and bath is considered quite spacious. But we all get along and he has an interest in science, metaphysics and beyond. It will be interesting to see what transpires.

I decided to use a consistent spread for the time I am here;
First card drawn would be “The Harbinger”;
Then a set of three cards as a progression.
The Last card: “The Lesson”
One of the exercises I teach in my classes as a way of learning the meanings of the cards is to draw cards or a card for the day. Write down your interpretation of their meaning and then , at the end of your day, review your experiences and compare the two. In the process, some insights may be corroborated or you may discover some new layer of meaning. This exercise is not so much about being right in your predictions 100% of the time but about allowing the cards to speak to you and reflecting on your daily experiences with more mindfulness.

Tuesday, Feb. 9

Weather: in a word-Perfect
3 of Cups Reversed (The Harbinger)
7 of swords: Knight of Swords: Queen of Swords
8 of Wands Reversed (The Lesson)
Interpretation: 3 of cups reversed means a split between friends. As it turns out, both Rhiannon and Elisa have both school and rehearsal today so the people in our group are going their separate ways;
7 of Swords: Divesting of responsibilities
Knight of Swords: a helpful dark hair and eyed, young man (Travis?)
Queen of Swords: Older dark woman (traditionally my significator)
Well, divesting responsibilities is definitely about what this trip is about and the court cards seem to describe Travis and myself well enough.
8 of Wands Reversed: Everything landed/no anxiety
Travis offers to be my “guide” today and help me navigate the bus system. We decide to trek down to Waikiki and check out the beaches. So, leaving my responsibilities behind (no worries), I become the willing pupil. It is a beautiful, though tiring, walk from the bus stop at Aloha Moana Mall to the first hotel at Waikiki, The Hilton Hawaiian Village, but is it ever worth the trip! It’s everything the postcards say it is…azure waters, aqua sky, swaying palms.. the whole guacamole! I cruise from beach to poolside cabana to sipping my first Mai Tai….Everything is Beautiful! No anxieties, no worries, no responsibilities…Bliss! At the end of the day, I would have to say that the cards were spot on!

Another post tomorrow.
Blessings, Cris
www.TheHolistictarot.com
www.TheLabyrinthladies.com

A Divination to mark St. Brighid's Day

February 1, 2010


As we endure this last blast of bitter cold, we can look to the return of the sun, which traditionally is marked by the celebration of Imbolc, also known as St. Brigid’s Day, Candlemas, or for those of us in America, Ground Hog’s Day. No matter how it is called, I feel a great comfort in marking this day in the Celtic tradition, with the lighting of a sacred fire and reflection, a pause before moving on into spring.

The celebration of Brighid’s Day marked the lessening of winter’s grip. In Celtic Europe it was the time of birthing of the lambs and all new beginnings were celebrated. Very much a family festival, young men and women honored the goddess "Brigid, the goddess of midwifery and fosterage. At this time it is also considered advantageous to cast auguries concerning one’s destiny and direction during the coming year.

According to Richard Heinberg’s “Celebrate the Solstice,”...as a celebration of the return of the Light, Imbolc marks a time in the yearly process of transformation from inner, contemplative focus to outer manifestation."


In honor of Brigid, who was also patroness of poets, bards, and the arts, I have decided to use the Celtic Tree Oracle by Liz and Colin Murray as the system of divination at this auspicious time. So get ready and consider your wish for a new beginning in some aspect of your life. But first, a little about the Celts, Brighid and the Ogham.

Brighid was venerated throughout the Celtic world, and though the name has been said to translate into “fiery arrow,” it has been found to originate from the Sanskrit word “brahti,”,meaning “High One.” Brighid was the daughter of the mythological Dagda, a woman of wisdom and the protector of poets. Brighid had many faces: the female physician, the female smith, and the goddess of augury. As the Celts became Christianized, Brighid continued to be venerated as midwife and foster mother of Christ and Mary’s perpetual friend and supporter. The tradition during this turning of the year of “frith” or far-seeing was said to have originated with the merging of Brighid’s ancient talent of divining with the Christian story of the Christ being “lost” by Mary in the Temple. According to Colin and Liz Murray, Brighid was said “to have been born at sunrise in a house that blazed into flames that reached to the heavens, her breath giving life to the dead. In her multiple form of virgin, matron, and hag, she spans the turning of the seasons, just as at this time the winter of old age and death starts to give way to youth and birth.”


Like indigenous peoples the world over, the Celts lived in tribal groups where which believed in the inter-relationship of all things within nature. The wise elders of the tribe were called Druids, men and women who trained for nine years at special colleges where they developed many techniques of divination. Though Greek, and later Latin were the languages of their science and religion, the Druids also had a secret language based on the Irish alphabet which had been in use since 600 BC. The Ogham or Beth-Luis-Nuin alphabet is made up of twenty five letters each with a name that is associated with plants, trees, and elements in nature. The making of each “letter” involved “hatch” marks that were easily camouflaged on a walking staff, stone, or even the side of a tree. Since the ancients lived in such amazing reciprocity with the land, they also applied this alphabet to the cycles of time, naming their thirteen months after the symbolic attributes of trees in their world. This Ogham was a symbolic language and not used for speech or writing. Each “letter” held within it a a myriad of ideas and thoughts centered around the Celtic cosmology and philosophy of the Celtic life amongst nature.

So take a moment to consider your own new beginning as we move around the Wheel of the Year towards the next great turning, the Spring Equinox on March 21. Take a moment to light your own sacred fire, even if it is just a candle, to dispel the dark and take the light into your very soul to warm and inspire you. Call on Brighid for guidance and make a wish.

The Celtic Tree Oracle by Liz and Colin Murray has this interpretation of HAWTHORN: “Represents cleansing and chastity, bringing protection from inner magical realms. In other words, it represents a period of restraint, waiting or keeping oneself to oneself. Concentrate on mental rather than physical activity as a prelude to the spiritual fertilization, growth, and harvesting that will follow, providing that such preparation has been properly made.” The Murray's go on to say,“Do not rush forward too quickly without an adequate waiting period. A period of enforced chastity must be observed for the time being before doors open on new opportunities for you.”

Blessings to all on this St. Brighid’s Day
Cris
www.TheHolisticTarot.com
www.TarotNewport.com

Sources for this blog;
"The Celtic Tree Oracle A System of Divination" by Liz and Colin Murray
"Encyclopedia Celtic Wisdom; A Celtic Shaman's Sourcebook by Caitlin and John Matthews
"Celebrate the Solstice; Honoring the Earth's Seasonal Rhythms through Festival and Ceremony" by Richard Heinberg

Understanding the Mystery of 2012

January 21, 2010



There is a lot of buzz at present concerning the “Mystery of 2012” lately in light of the horrendous catastrophe in Haiti. The violence of the Earth Changes which shook that poor country added to the other climatic extremes experienced this winter and during last year’s growing season here in the Americas and elsewhere have given those ancient prophecies a little more weight. Yesterday, one of my clients seriously posed the query as to what my take on this mystery may be. Was it anything to worry about? Was 2012 actually about the end of the world?
For those of you who are not familiar with the mystery around 2012, I will begin with a summary. The ancient Mayan people created a planetary calendar which has accurately predicted numerous solar events beginning in their time and proceeding into the 21st century. This amazing Venus-Sun calendar abruptly stops on
December 22, 2012. Over the years, modern scientists have confirmed the amazing predictions of solar and lunar eclipses and other astronomical information encoded in the calendar. This amazing accuracy has only fueled the anxiety which has arisen over its abrupt ending during the Winter Solstice of 2012 and subsequently moves many to believe in the interpretation that this ending means the end of the world itself!
Our modern times, filled with war, economic upheaval and generalized uncertainty, feed into the general paranoia about an end world prophecy. When ancient ways, like the belief in chakra energy and meridians, are corroborated by science and believed in by the populace at large (look at our embrace of Yoga , Reiki and other alternatives once thought to be “New Age” and now used by the mainstream), then it is only logical that the prophecies surrounding 2012 will begin to be taken seriously the closer we get to that date..
The Prophecies of many cultures agree that we are nearing the close of this world. We are in a transition from the Piscean Age and now at the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. Some call it the end of the great Kali Yuga, the yoke or Circuit of Kali, the destroyer/transformer. Other belief systems call in the end of the nine hells. No matter what name it is given, it would seem to be true that we are poised at a time of transition towards a new cycle of existence.
Since 2000 we have seen an acceleration in the disruption of our planet; increased terrorism, climate shifts, tsunamis and earthquakes on the increase, a shift in the fortunes of man. At the same time we have been experiencing a rise in the interest in Spirituality, health and stewardship for the planet. Appearances of the Blessed Virgin at Medjagore, Yugoslavia have been experienced directly by pilgrims. Humanity is being given a choice to stretch out its hand to help its fellow beings or destroy them in wars and terror. It is our choice. Both forces seem to be evolving simultaneously, fighting for dominance, a virtual Yin/Yang attempting somehow to come into balance. Which will win? Are we experiencing an actual end of the world or only an end to the world as we know it or have come to know it?
Mother Earth has been through these cycles of cosmic change before, many,many times. Homo Sapien Sapien simply is more aware and more vested in its cultural identities during this particular round and we have the opportunity to consciously create and embrace Harmony…or not.
To gain some insight into this question I went to “The 2013 Oracle: Ancient keys to the 2012 Awakening”. If you have been to my Labyrinth Ladies site, you will remember that I used these cards on my trip to Sedona to help guide initiates through some amazing teachings on synchronicity with amazing results.
Three cards were chosen to answer the question; “What is the message of 2012 for our times?”
THE TEMPLE/SANCTUM: “We search within the four sided Temple of Self. Four is the magic number of completion. The Sanctum represents the complete understanding of our spiritual purpose and a realization of our highest self. This is our search and our destiny.” “The energy and power of the Temple is not a myth but a living reality. The spiritual master is bringing you secret knowledge that has been lost to the ages, which can be put to work immediately.” “An event happening far away is just as important to you as what is in front of you.”
THE BLACK SUN/INITIATION: There are two sides to The Black Sun. Awake and Dreaming. The number One represents the Mystic Center and essence of All. “According to prophecy, Hummingbird will soon fly through the Black Sun and emerge as the Condor and represents the transformation of microcosm and macrocosm. The number ONE is the number of the seeker of Truth. Once once is initiated, the inner world is never the same. Spiritual initiation begins our search to find absolute reality and eternal bliss. A realized person is a mystic warrior who has conquered the enemy of ignorance.”
“Initiation begins when you open your heart to creation and let the Great One work through you.” ‘The Black Sun challenges you to find the spiritual way.”
THE SACRED PRECINCT/DIVINE CENTER: “This card addresses the need for a beautiful, protected and devotional space-a nurturing place fro meditation and reflection. In it is the universe where Spiritual Earth and Spiritual Sky are joined. It teaches us that the small is related to the totality of life and all our relatives. Ultimately, a sacred part of the totality of life resides within us.”Healing is at the core of the Sacred precinct”. “You are being asked to remember that circle of self, your own personal life, and your meaning in it. You are being asked to remember the undying love of the Great Mysterious Power that also resides in your circle. Remember that your larger self contains the whole universe.” “Put forward good energy to your environment and it will come back to you magnified. Your inner work will reflect back into your present environment.”
My interpretation of this information in regards to the question would be as follows: At this time, just as the Earth moves through its own awakening, each of us individually has an opportunity to become fully awake to our own Divinity. We have the opportunity to do this by caring for our Mother Earth and each other. As the saying goes, “No matter where you go, there you are”. What happens to one of us, happens to all of us no matter where in the world we are. We are presently being given the gift to walk the world AWAKE and in doing so HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AVERT DISASTER!
The balance has not bee struck as yet. The battle could go either way. What will your part in the Cosmic Struggle be?
As the year progresses I am sure we will be re-visiting this topic. Please share your comments about 2012 and your feelings about being part of this pivitol period in the history of human kind.
Blessings
Cris McCullough
www.TheHolisticTarot.com

Neew Moon, New Opportunities for YOU!

January 15, 2010

Sorry to have been away for so long; just celebrating my birthday and having a beautiful time! At this time of year, I usually receive some sort of Tarot deck for either Christmas or my birthday and this year was no different. I was given one of my most lovely gifts, the new Archangel Michael Deck by Doreen Virtue! I have been christening this deck by using it with friends and clients and I have found its insights to be quite remarkable! I will be referring to this deck during our time together.

So, I have been asked, “How does this Tarot stuff work? How can randomly drawn cardboard cards--with sayings written on them by someone I don’t know--actually answer my important life questions?” After studying and working with Tarot and numerous other New Age, Metaphysical, and Holistic tools over the past 35 years I have a very definite theory about that. My theory draws upon ancient beliefs now proven by science, namely the reality of energy fields which are vitally interconnected. (Think “AVATAR.”) Combine that thought with deep listening and the psychology of our mind’s ability to make connections that make sense to us. Jung would have called it the ability to find pattern in seemingly causal random events.

When I speak of Tarot as being "Holistic,” I imply that it is a system of pattern, color, image, and message that is delivered and absorbed visually, aurally, and physically. We hear the message, see the message, and feel the message and thus it gets embedded in our psyche. It remains with us long after the cards have been put away and you, the client, have walked away from the table. With the help of these images, sounds, and feelings, you can later reflect upon the new insights gained to come up with your own solution to your issue. A session involves the co-creation of meaning through the combined efforts of the medium AND the client.

A Medium (me) is just that…an interpreter, a go between, a conduit of energy, opening to her or his own experience of insight during the activity of “reading”.
For me, those insights are “heard” and I simply relate them to the querent (you). The answers I deliver may not seem related to the pretty pictures on the deck at all. The deck simply is a tool or gateway to a connection on a deeper energetic level. In fact, the pattern created by the cards in the reading of the deck serves to focus the awareness of the client.

The question arises, “Is there really meaning behind the blind random choice of a number of cards drawn to answer a question?” Meaning is a highly personal matter.
The client is necessarily a co-creator of her or his process. Clients are responsible for extrapolating meaning from the experience and applying it to make positive change in their lives.

I will continue to discuss these issues and also offer some exercises that you can do in order to hone your own awareness. As this blog continues we will also explore dreams, the I Ching, the power of Angels, the applications of Shamanic thought and the coming implications of 2012.


TRY THIS EXERCISE:
By now, the energy we felt as we made our New Year’s resolutions may be starting to fade. Here is an easy exercise for you to try to re-affirm your desires and laser focus your resolve.

On January 15, we will be entering a New Moon Power Day. According to Astrologer Jan Spillar (www.JanSpillar.com), during this transit atmospheric energies work with us to remove blocks and help us move forward with our desires. Take time to meditate on what you wish to see accomplished in your New Year.
Then, between 2:12 a.m. and 4:01 a.m. or after 12:17 p.m. on the 15th or all day on the 16th, take time to write ten wishes. Give this some thought. You may find that it is harder than you think to formulate clearly ten desires, needs, or goals that you want to achieve in your life. However, as you affirm your desires with mindfulness you will discover that you set the stage for your psyche to work in concert with your world. The process will help you steer your will so that these desires can take shape.

SOME TIPS: Before you begin, get centered, say a prayer or just take the time to breathe deeply and consider what you want. Write clearly and with detail. Remember the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for, it may come true." In other words, you will need to take responsibility for what manifests. Once complete, just fold up the paper and put it away. It may take some time for your desires to manifest and you can refer periodically to your list to see what has come to pass.

To conclude this installment, I will draw an Archangel Michael card to set the “tone” for this New Moon opportunity.
From The Archangel Michael: “THIS SITUATION IS ALREADY RESOLVED”
The prayer: (and you might say this prayer before writing your wishes)
“I give any worries, cares, and concerns to you in exchange for true peace in all ways. Thank you for resolving this (name your wishes or details of the situation that needs attention) in a divinely perfect way.”

Many Blessings,
Cris McCullough
www.TheHolisticTarot.com
www.TheLabyrinthLadies.com


Some site recommendations for affirmations and positive thinking:
Learn How to Jump Into Any Reality You Desire...
www.QuantumJumping.com
Manifest Anything
Discover How I Manifest Anything And Live the Life of My Dreams..
www.TheWinningSage.com
Barbara Brennan
The Barbara Brennan School of Healing, Florida
www.barbarabrennan.com
Abundance Affirmations
We've Done All The Work For You Abundance Affirmations That Work
www.SilvaLifeSystem.com
Your Inner Energy Healer
Uncover Your Hidden Energy Healer Powerful Healing Techniques for All
www.TheAmericanMonk.com
Law Of Attraction Works
But You Need The Correct Mindset. Learn The Easy Way To Get It
www.RealMindPowers.info

A New Year for America

January 1, 2010

As I have said before, every inception (birthday,enterprise,wedding, whatever) has a "Birth" vibration which gives us a clue as to where the Universe is steering us as to our potential, growth and accomplishment of potential.
We are all pretty much in agreement that the "Birthday" of America is July 4, 1776 (Please, history buffs, we know that that is not entirely, historically correct, but it is what we are all in concurrence about). That makes the country's Birth Energy a #25/7, CHOICE. Obviously, we could have a whole discussion on the Choices this country has had to make in becoming what we are today, but we will stick to the present time, present moment.

Our country's New Year vibration for 2010 is a #5. The #5 in the Tarot is represented by the Hierophant. Though the meaning of this image as shifted in emphasis over the years, I feel one thing remains true...The Hierophant represents the "marriage" of Spirit and Matter and seeks from us a commitment to becoming more Spiritual Beings. That being the case, we could see this year as America having to make Choices to live up to its Higher Potential, to really embrace the ideals which it had set for itself at its inception: Qualities of equality, justice for all, taking the higher road if you will. President Obama's Birth Energy is seen in the numbers 20/2, Judgement and Spirit. His Life lesson is to bring into balance his cognitive (you could say, his lawyer side) with his Spiritual Ideals (intuitive) side of his nature. This seems to be the tight rope he has been trying to walk over the past year. President Obama's Personal Year Vibration is also a #5. This can bode well, as when two vibrations are in alignment more can be accomplished along the lines of Universal Harmony and potential. Unfortunately, last year our Country's Vibration had been a #4, The Emperor; indicating that the country was desperately trying to hold on to old structures, working on issues of safety and security (financial as well as personal), concerned with boundaries and holding on to the status quo.

Ah, but here is the Challenge. Drawing a card for the New Year for our Country, I was moved to choose one from "The Wisdom of Avalon Oracle Cards" by Colette Baron-Reid.
The card is "THE WASP": Anger,Retaliation,Jealousy
"Be mindful how you address the world. If you are not careful you may sting or be stung. The Wasp reminds you that pain is a CHOICE, so don't waste your stinger on a petty quarrel. Jealousy and envy are the children of Fear and Lack-send Love, Light and Compassion, and stay clear of the sting. Mind your own business today, and save it for a life and death situation. Chances are that whatever comes up today is smaller than you perceive it to be in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, when you feel the sting of the wasp, be smart and swat it away! Defend yourself! The wasp sends an omen of warning to protect yourself as well."

It would seem that as this country has its opportunity to reach and represent its highest Spiritual Ideals in the world , it also has the Choice as to the HOW of Balancing that impulse with the realities of the world around us. Interesting. So is President Obama reading this blog yet?

Happy New Year to us All!

Cris mcCullough
Tarot with Cris
www.TheHolisticTarot.com
www.TheLabyrinthLadies.com

The decks mentioned in this blog may be purchased at Amazon.com, Borders, Barnes and Noble, or any of your local shops that feature these items