Author: Paula Cas

I write fiction, non-fiction, verbiage for all our websites, and have been publishing my fan fiction on my various sites for many years. https://paulacas.com I am a Spiritual Medium and use Tarot cards as one my primary tools in doing readings. For 30 plus years have been doing readings in settings from my living room to truck stops. I tell you what Spirit wants you know for your betterment, not what you think you need to know. I’ve worked on computers since before there was such a creature as Windows. A Mountain Maryland native, but have spent years spent living in Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona. My husband, Oro Cas, and I spent 10 years driving tractor-trailer across the 48 contiguous states. Oro Cas and I produced and hosted Internet Radio shows on BlogTalk Radio, video productions on KDCL Media and Oro Expeditions YouTube Channels.

Hundreds of Bison Sent to Slaughter Over Tribes’ Objections | Straight from the Horse’s Heart

Tribal Chairman Floyd Azure said state and federal officials “slapped the Fort Peck tribes in the face” by not using the facility.

yellowstone-bison-roundupBILLINGS, Mont. –  Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday started shipping hundreds of wild bison to slaughter for disease control, as a quarantine facility on a Montana Indian reservation that could help spare many of the animals sat empty due to a political dispute.

Fifteen female bison initially slated for quarantine on the Fort Peck Reservation were instead loaded onto trailers near the town of a Gardiner, Montana and sent to slaughter. Hundreds more will be shipped in coming days and weeks, park officials said.

More than 400 bison, also known as buffalo, have been captured this winter attempting to migrate out of the snow-covered park to lower elevations in Montana in search of food. More animals are expected to be captured and shipped to slaughter through March.

Fort Peck’s Assiniboine and Sioux tribes built their quarantine facility to house up to 300 animals in hopes of using it to establish new herds across the U.S with Yellowstone’s genetically pure bison.

Tribal Chairman Floyd Azure said state and federal officials “slapped the Fort Peck tribes in the face” by not using the facility.

“They knew we were building a quarantine facility. A lot of money and time and effort were involved in this and all of a sudden they throw a monkey wrench in it,” Azure said.

Montana livestock officials and federal animal health agents oppose transferring bison to the quarantine site because the animals have not been certified to be free of brucellosis, a disease that can cause animals to abort their young. Ranchers in the state fear bison could transmit the disease to cattle and would pose competition for grazing space on public lands.

No transmissions of the disease from wild bison to cattle have been documented.

The park and state severely limit bison migrations into Montana under a 2000 agreement intended to guard against such transmissions.

The agreement set a population goal of 3,000 bison inside the park.

There were an estimated 5,500 animals at last count. To reduce that number, park officials want to kill up to 1,300 bison this winter through a combination of slaughter and public hunting.

A Democratic lawmaker from Missoula introduced a bill Wednesday to the Montana Legislature to change a law that calls for the state veterinarian to certify bison as brucellosis free before the animals can be transferred to tribes. Rep. Willis Curdy, whose family runs a cattle operation in western Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, said he understands the ranching industry’s worries about brucellosis but thinks the tribes’ wishes deserve fair consideration.

“The state of Montana is continually getting very bad press for its policy in terms of the slaughters,” Curdy said. “We need to make a move in a positive direction, not only for the tribes but also for the bison.”

Hunters in Montana have shot more than 300 bison so far this winter. Meat from slaughtered animals is distributed to American Indian tribes. Many tribes historically relied on bison for food, clothing and other needs until the species was driven to near-extinction during the settlement of the U.S. West in the late 1800s.

Gov. Steve Bullock temporarily halted the park’s slaughter plans last month after Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk said 40 animals once slated for the quarantine would be killed to make room in corrals used to hold migrating bison.

Bullock lifted the ban after the park, state and U.S. Department of Agriculture reached a deal that would spare 25 bull bison for future shipment to Fort Peck, once they undergo a lengthy quarantine at a U.S. Department of Agriculture facility just north of the park in Corwin Springs, Montana. That’s now down to 24 animals after one of the bulls was shot Tuesday when he broke his leg inside the park’s corrals.

To make room for the animals, federal officials will send to slaughter 20 Yellowstone bison that took part in a government research program at Corwin Springs, said Lyndsay Cole, a spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Bullock spokeswoman Ronja Abel said state officials continue to work toward a long-term solution to the issue. She declined to say if that could include future use of Fort Peck’s quarantine.

Yellowstone spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said the park still wants to transfer bison to the tribes’ quarantine and plans future negotiations to make that happen.

“The ultimate goal is to reduce the amount of slaughter as a first step toward conservation,” Warthin said.

Source: Hundreds of Bison Sent to Slaughter Over Tribes’ Objections | Straight from the Horse’s Heart

Ten Alternative Cold and Flu Remedies to Try – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

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Homeopathic medicine has great potential when used in conjunction with conventional medicine. Here are ten simple remedies you can try to help stop colds and flu symptoms in their tracks.

lemon-essential-oil1. Lemon

Even though lemons taste acidic, their juice helps to alkalinize the body. Lemons are loaded with vitamin C, which is known to support the body’s immune system. Lemon, as well as lime, is reported to decrease the strength of the cold and flu virus in the body and reduce phlegm.

How to use: Drink the juice of a lemon, or a few drops of lemon essential oil, squeezed into a cup of water or tea every few hours to build resistance or speed up healing.

garlic-for-cold2. Garlic

Garlic is great in treating sore throats and infections. Garlic contains the immune-boosting compound allicin, also known to relieve cold and flu symptoms.

How to use: Crush five cloves and mix with half a cup of honey.  Let it sit for a couple of hours and the mixture will become runny and thin. Take a teaspoonful at a time, as needed. If you’re worried about a severe odor or taste, crush a couple of cloves of garlic and “steep” them in hot water. Drink it like a mug of tea.

cinnamon-stick-powder-1309093. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is known as a natural antibiotic, is a powerful antioxidant.

How to use: A teaspoon of raw honey and a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon can knock out a cold within a day or two.

turmeric4. Turmeric

Turmeric contains an anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin, which has a strong cold and flu-fighting properties. Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and turmeric tea has been used for extensively worldwide for colds, congestion, headache, and sore throats.

How to use: Stir a teaspoon into a glass of water or use it in your cooking. In addition, the combination of honey with turmeric powder is an excellent remedy for a cough.

cayenne-pepper-metabolism_15. Cayenne pepper

Peppers are a heart-healthy food with the potential to protect against cancer, as well as common cold and flu viruses. Cayenne pepper is a natural remedy for a sore throat that can often precede a cold or flu.

How to use: A mixture of hot red chili powder and orange juice is an effective remedy for sore throats and congestion. Or take a teaspoon of pepper in a glass of water immediately when you feel a cold or a sore throat coming on. Its strong stimulatory effect can be enough to knock a cold out in the early stages.

oregano-herb6. Oregano

Oregano is one of the best herbs for a cold. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory that contains phenolic acids, flavonoids, and color compounds that increase resistance and boosts immunity. Oregano is known for its antibacterial, antivirus, anti-fungus, anti-tumor, anti-inflammation, and anti-parasitic properties.

How to use: Oil of oregano is even more potent, and traditional healers since ancient times have used oregano extract to treat respiratory issues such as coughs, colds, flu, sore throats, and bronchitis. Add three to 10 drops of oil to a glass of water twice a day and continue until symptoms subside.

ginger-essence7. Ginger

Ginger is a stimulant that will also warm you if you’re feeling chilled with your cold. It’s best used fresh rather than as a powder.

How to use: Peel and grate a small piece of ginger root and place in a cup of boiling water. Allowed it to steep for five minutes, sweeten with honey if desired, and sip whenever needed to soothe a scratchy throat or a cough.

peppermint-oil8. Peppermint

Peppermint can clear blocked noses and sinuses. It can also help the body fight off illnesses.

How to use: Enjoy it as a stimulating tea or add some peppermint teabags of it to your bath. A few drops of peppermint essential oil in a glass of water, or diffused, can also work wonders.

apple cider vinegar9. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can fight off infection, ease digestion, reduce inflammation, kill fungus, regulate pH balance, and wash toxins from the body. It’s also known to restore alkaline acid balance.

How to use: Add a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar to a tablespoon of honey and a cup of hot water to create an elixir to help ward off cold and flu symptoms.

honey-lemon-tea-a-800-dm10. Honey

A daily dose of honey can help you to feel energetic and stay healthy. It also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, so, if you do develop a sore or scratchy throat, honey will soothe and help heal. Research shows that children who take a spoonful of honey before bed, cough less and sleep better than those who take over-the-counter products for coughs and colds.

How to use: Adding a little lemon to the honey will increase its anti-microbial effect. Honey and lemon can also be combined with hot water to make a soothing tea.

Source: Ten Alternative Cold and Flu Remedies to Try – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Cupid – secretsoftheserpent

cupid-and-psyche-1793

Cupid is the Rome equivalent to Eros and their names basically mean ‘desire’. Desire is the reason we humans have time. It is also said the Cupid is the god of erotic love, attraction and affection, hence we say he is the god of love. It is because of misinterpreting the myths and legends that we think the ancients were obsessed with sex. The myths are way more beautiful when they are translated correctly.

Most people know cupid as a chubby little baby with a bow and arrow. In the ancient myths he is a slender, young, handsome man. The chubby baby is a Renaissance period invention. Cupid is usually a minor character in stories except for the tale of Cupid and Psyche. This is the myth I will be explaining to you. The myth of Cupid and Psyche is the origin of Beauty and the Beast. Before we start I have to tell you the true symbolism for Cupid is lunar worship and the bow and arrow symbolize masculine and feminine. When he shoots his arrows it symbolizes creation. He is also a winged god and winged gods symbolize non-physical abstract dynamics such as intellect, spiritual, imagination and psychic.

The story of Cupid and Psyche is a beautiful story of consciousness with astrological and nature symbolism ingrained. Psyche has unearthly beauty and Venus becomes jealous of her. This has astrological symbolism because on a clear moonless night Venus is the brightest star that everyone notices, but on a moon lit night the moon out shines Venus. The planet Venus is jealous because the beauty of the Moon takes the mortals attention away from her.

The name Psyche is where we get psychology. Unless you took psychology or you like myths, you probably never heard of her. In ancient Greek psyche means ‘soul’. Now why would we get a term for the mind that means ‘soul’. To understand what is going on here, you have to be a student of Hermetic. In the Principal of Mentalism it says “The All is Mind; The Universe is Mental”. To go deeper on you still, you are not a soul in your body, you are a body in your soul. Psyche being a female is showing you that this universal energy is feminine. It is why nature is always portrayed as a female.

Venus sends her son, Cupid, to use one of his arrows on Psyche. This would make Psyche fall in love with a human monster. In this story Cupid is the masculine energy with Psyche being the feminine energy. Cupid is so astonished by Psyche’s beauty that he accidentally shoots himself. From that moment, Cupid was irrevocably in love with Psyche. Psyche and her parents now realize that her beauty has angered the gods. The go to the Temple of Apollo and find out that no mortal man can have her hand in marriage, but her future husband, that is a monster, awaits her on top of a mountain. Mountains symbolize the mountain you have to climb to reach enlightenment.

Psyche goes to the highest cliff and is swept away by he west wind, Zephyr. Wind always represents your thoughts or mastering your thoughts. She is brought to a beautiful valley that has a palace so magnificent that only the gods could have built it. Going from a high cliff to a valley is showing that this universal energy peaks and wanes. The palace is representing individuality. The palace is surrounded by luscious trees and a  crystalline fountain. Here we have the water that represents her emotions. The trees represent the Tree of Life(see Tree of Life post) and the higher you go the more grounded you have to be. Psyche accepts that this is her new home, but does not know that Cupid is the stranger that lives here.

Cupid makes Psyche promise that she will not look at his face and he visits her every night to make love to her in the darkness. Despite all the love and tenderness Psyche is still bothered by the oracles claims that her husband is a monster. This is showing that the feminine and masculine is still not balanced. They are still separate so there is no enlightenment. Psyches’s sisters visit her and are jealous of her beautiful home. They insist that her husband is a monster and talk her into finding out.

Psyche decides to break her husband’s only request of allowing his face to remain secret and look upon him at night. She lights a candle to gaze at his face and all his majestic beauty. A single drop of oil falls from the candle and wakes Cupid. Cupid flees their home in distress because he had been betrayed. The flame of the candle represents intellect. So here we have 3 of the 4 elements on our way to enlightenment.

Psyche is distraught and she goes in search of her husband. She travels many days until she meets the goddess Ceres. Ceres is now the second goddess in the story and 2 goddess symbolize seen and unseen wisdom. Ceres tells Psyche to surrender herself to Venus and whatever ill will the goddess throws at her. Obeying Ceres’ advice, Psyche is giving what seems like 3 impossible tasks. First is to separate the grains of Venus’ temple into piles. Second she has to steal a  wool fleece from a herd of sheep. Third she has to travel into the underworld and request some beauty from Queen Proserpina, so she can give it to Venus. In doing the last task Psyche has to keep the box in which the beauty is placed tightly closed, for fear of terrible repercussions.

Psyche starts the trials and without her knowing Cupid assists her. The first trial is alchemical symbolism. In alchemy the grains of Venus’ temple were the seven heavenly spheres in the sky. They are as follows:

Sun – Wheat
Moon – Rice
Mars – Oats
Mercury – Millet
Jupiter – Rye
Venus – Barley
Saturn – Corn

Her having to steal a fleece from sheep tells me this myth was written in the time of Aries. Finally she is given divine advice on how to surpass the dangers of Hades. Those who have read my previous work know that Hades symbolizes your body. You being in Hades or the underworld is you being here on earth in the fleshy body(See Magic). So now we have the 4 element for enlightenment.

Psyche is so upset about all the trials that she opens the forbidden box and is immediately put into a Stygian sleep. This is a sleep so strong she is considered the living dead. This is the sleep of the river Styx or Hades, in other words the sleeping masses. She had become one of the masses. By that time Cupid has had enough and he wants to be with his wife. This is the Masculine yearning for the Sacred Feminine. Cupid flies down to rescue her and lifts her in her sleeping form into the heavens. He pleads with Jupiter to talk some sense into his mother, Venus. Venus lifts the curse from Psyche and she is transformed into an immortal. Once she becomes immortal her and Cupid are wed.

This is the story of your enlightenment. The marriage of the Sacred Feminine with the Masculine.

 

Source: Cupid – secretsoftheserpent

Ground & Center | Witchery Wednesday

Ground & Center

groundandcenter_edit

Whether you’re practicing magic or yoga, in many spiritually aware circles you will hear the term “ground and center” thrown about a lot.  Or maybe you’ve heard the phrases “live in the moment” or “be present in the now”?  This practice is essential to a successful casting, and can also help us deal with stressful moments in the more mundane parts of our lives. But rarely do we talk about what that actually means, and how to get there.  While the concept is simple, sometimes we struggle with how to accomplish it.  Especially if the traditional methods don’t work for you.  By understanding the goal of “ground and center” it’s easier to go off the beaten path when searching for a way to get there.  Remember, there is no “wrong” way to do this, there is only what works for you personally and what doesn’t.  Centering is all about connecting within yourself; finding that space of calmness within the chaos (as we wrote about here in our article The Importance of Keeping Balance).  Grounding is about connecting with the life flow outside of yourself.  By reaching for those connections, both internal and external, and strengthening them, we can reach a state of mind that makes casting easier.

Here are some of our favorite methods for grounding and centering.

Meditation:  This is probably the most widely practiced method.  It’s what everyone is familiar with, and as we’ve talked about before, Everything Is Meditation.  Even the rest of the methods we talk about for grounding and centering are essentially forms of meditation.

Visualization:  For many of us, especially those of us who are creative, visualization is a key part of any casting, and we can use it to ground and center as well.  Everyone generally finds their own image that resonates with them, but I am partial to the Tree.  If you’ve never tried visualization before, this is a good way to start as it’s an easy image to hold.  Relax your body and your breath, and imagine you are a tree.  With your first breath in, imagine you are drawing strength up from the Earth through your roots.  With your next breath out, “push” your roots down, deeper into the Earth.  Next breath in, reach towards the sky, drawing in sunlight through your leaves.  Breath out, and release any tension you’re holding out through your leaves.  Repeat this as needed until you feel calm and centered.

Chants:  Sometimes a spoken element can help us focus our minds on the task at hand.  Simple chants are often used in tandem with meditation for that reason.  It can be a soft sound that has no real meaning, like the traditional “ohm” you may have heard, or something more akin to a positive affirmation, like repeating “I am grounded.  I am centered.”  Or if you want to be a bit more poetic try “Earth below, sky above, I am still, and I am one.”

Physical connection with Nature:  Do you enjoy hiking, nature walks, kayaking or just being outdoors?  This method might be for you.  While most people find it easiest to ground and center while being still and calm, this isn’t always the right approach for everyone.  Sometimes activity can also be a kind of calmness.  However, we can’t always take the time to go on a 10 mile hike before a casting, so some quicker ways to achieve this would be standing barefoot in the grass, dipping your hands or feet in running water, or hugging a tree. (Yup, we went there!  But it works!)

Rituals:  Let me guess; you just pictured someone in a hooded robe, surrounded by candles and chalk pentagrams?  (Thanks, Hollywood!)  Often we already have small rituals in our every day lives and don’t realize it.  For example, do you find vacuuming soothing?  Maybe organizing your junk drawer brings you a sense of peace and order?  Or maybe you drink your first cup of coffee on your porch every morning, listening to the sound of the neighborhood waking up and enjoying the silence before you have to wake your monsters  … er… wonderful children for school?  All of these things could be considered rituals.

Worry Stones:  Worry stones, or similar devices such as stress balls or sensory toys, can serve to help you ground and center.  We’re partial to using actual stones ourselves, but again, choose what works best for you.

Repetitive Tasks:  We personally believe that this is one reason that knitting, and many other crafts, have such positive effects on mental health.  Remember, everything is magic! (Or at least, it has the potential to be magic.)  Knitting, crocheting, coloring, embroidery, macrame… all of these can be used to ground and center.

Do you have a favorite method not mentioned here?  Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

Source: Ground & Center | Witchery Wednesday

Bill Gates: the new Pavlov « Jon Rappoport’s Blog

“Under the surface of this global civilization, a great and secret war is taking place. The two opponents hold different conceptions of Reality. On one side, those who claim that humans operate purely on the basis of stimulus-response, like machines; on the other side, those who believe there is a gigantic thing called freedom. Phase One of the war is already over. The stimulus-response people have won. In Phase Two, people are waking up to the far-reaching and devastating consequences of the Pavlovian program.” (The Underground, Jon Rappoport)

“From the moment the first leader of the first clan in human history took charge, he busied himself with this question: ‘What can I say and do that will make my people react the way I want them to.’ He was the first Pavlov. He was the first psychologist, the first propagandist, the first mind-control boss. His was the first little empire. Since then, only the means and methods have changed.” (The Underground, Jon Rappoport)

A thought-form is a picture-plus concept in the mind that tends to guide behavior.

A dominant thought-form in Earth civilization today is: universal rule through gigantic, highly organized structures; e.g., mega-corporations that owe no allegiance to any nation.

Imagine a few thousand such corporations with interlocking boards and directorates; colluding with super-regional governments and their honeycombed bureaucracies; combined with regional armies, intelligence agencies and technological elites; hooked to a global surveillance operation; in control of media; cooperating with the largest organized religions on Earth.

Imagine all this as essentially one organization—and you see the thought-form in its wide-screen version.

Top-down as top-down has never been before.

Functions and compartments defined and specialized at every level, and coordinated in order to carry out policy decisions.

As to why such a thought-form should come to dominate human affairs, the simplest explanation is: because it works.

But beneath that answer, for those who can see, there is much, much more.

Individuals come to think that “effective” and “instrumental” and “efficient” are more important than any other issues.

Keep building, keep expanding, keep consolidating gains—and above all else, keep organizing.

Such notions and thought-forms replace life itself.

The Machine has come to the fore. All questions are now about how the individual sees himself fitting into the structure and function of The Machine.

Are human beings becoming social constructs?

Populations are undergoing a quiet revolution. We can cite some of the reasons: television; education; job training and employment requirements; the Surveillance State; government organizations who follow a “zero tolerance” policy; inundation with advertising.

Yes, it’s all geared to produce people who are artificial constructs.

And this is just the beginning. There are a number of companies (see, for example, affectiva.com) who are dedicated to measuring “audience response” to ads and other public messages. I’m talking about electronic measuring. The use of bracelets, for instance, that record students’ emotional responses to teachers in classrooms, in real time. (Bill Gates shoveled grant money into several of these studies.)

Then there is facial recognition geared to the task of revealing how people are reacting when they sit at their computers and view websites.

Push-pull, ring the bell, watch the dog drool for his food. Stimulus-response.

It’s not much of a stretch to envision, up the road a few years, whole populations more than willing to volunteer for this kind of mass experimentation. But further than that, we could see society itself embrace, culturally, the ongoing measurement of stimuli and responses.

“Yes, I want to live like this. I want to be inside the system. I want to be analyzed. I want to be evaluated. I want to accept the results. I want to be part of the new culture. Put bracelets on me. Measure my eye movements, my throat twitches that indicate what I’m thinking, and my brain waves. Going to a movie should include the experience of wearing electrodes that record my second-to-second reactions to what’s happening on the screen. I like that. I look forward to it…”

In such a culture, “Surveillance State” would take on a whole new dimension.

“Sir, I want to report a malfunction in my television set. I notice the monitoring equipment that tracks my responses to programs has gone on the blink. I want it reattached as soon as possible. Can you fix it remotely, or do you need to send a repair person out to the house? I’ll be here all day…”

People will take pride in their ongoing role as social constructs, just as they now take pride in owning a quality brand of car.

The thought process behind this, in so far as any thought at all takes place, goes something like: “If I’m really a bundle of responses to stimuli and nothing more, then I want to be inside a system that champions that fact and records it…I don’t want to be left out in the cold.”

Here is a sample school situation of the near future: for six months, Mr. Jones, the teacher, has been videotaped, moment by moment, as he instructs his class in English. All the students have been wearing electronic bracelets, and their real time emotional responses (interest, boredom, aversion) have also been recorded. A team of specialists has analyzed the six months of video, matching it up, second by second, to the students’ responses. The teacher is called in for a conference.

“Mr. Jones, we now know what you’re doing that works and what you’re doing that doesn’t work. We know exactly what students are positively reacting to, and what bores them. Therefore, we’re going to put you into a re-ed seminar, where you’ll learn precisely how to teach your classes from now on, to maximize your effectiveness. We’ll show you how to move your hands, what tone of voice to use, how to stand, when to make eye contact, and so on…”

Mr. Jones is now a quacking duck. He will be trained how to quack “for the greater good.” He is now a machine toy. Whatever is left of his passion, his intelligence, his free will, his spontaneous insights, his drive to make students actually understand what they’re learning…all subordinated for the sake of supposed efficiency.

Think this is an extreme fantasy? See the Chicago Tribune, June 12, 2012, “Biosensors to monitor students’ attentiveness”:

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has poured more than $4 billion into efforts to transform public education in the U.S., is pushing to develop an ‘engagement pedometer.’ Biometric devices wrapped around the wrists of students would identify which classroom moments excite and interest them — and which fall flat.”

“The foundation has given $1.4 million in grants to several university researchers to begin testing the devices in middle-school classrooms this fall.”

“The biometric bracelets, produced by a Massachusetts startup company, Affectiva Inc, send a small current across the skin and then measure subtle changes in electrical charges as the sympathetic nervous system responds to stimuli. The wireless devices have been used in pilot tests to gauge consumers’ emotional response to advertising.”

“Gates officials hope the devices, known as Q Sensors, can become a common classroom tool, enabling teachers to see, in real time, which kids are tuned in and which are zoned out.”

“Existing measures of student engagement, such as videotaping classes for expert review or simply asking kids what they liked in a lesson, ‘only get us so far,’ said Debbie Robinson, a spokeswoman for the Gates Foundation. To truly improve teaching and learning, she said, ‘we need universal, valid, reliable and practical instruments’ such as the biosensors.”

“The Gates Foundation has spent two years videotaping 20,000 classroom lessons and breaking them down, minute by minute, to analyze how each teacher presents material and how those techniques affect student test scores.”

“Clemson received about $500,000 in Gates funding. Another $620,000 will support an MIT scientist, John Gabrieli, who aims to develop a scale to measure degrees of student engagement by comparing biosensor data to functional MRI brain scans [!] (using college students as subjects).”

When you boil it down, the world-view represented here has nothing to do with “caring about students.”

It has everything to do with the Pavlovian view of humans as biological machines.

What input yields what response? How can people be shaped into predictable constructs?

As far as Gates is concerned, the underlying theme, as always, is: control.

In this new world, the process of thinking and comparing and independently judging, and the freedom to make individual choices…well, for whatever that was worth, we can’t encourage it for a whole society. It’s too unpredictable. We don’t have time for that sort of thing. No, we have to achieve reduction. We have to seek out lowest common denominators.”

This is what universal surveillance is all about. The observation of those denominators and the variances from them—the outlying and therefore dangerous departures from the norm.

“Well, we’ve tracked Mr. Jones’ classroom for a year now, and we’ve collated all the measurements of reactions from the students. It was a wonderful study. But we did notice one thing. All the students showed similar patterns of reactions over time…except two students. We couldn’t fit them into the algorithms. They seemed to be responding oppositely. It was almost as if they were intentionally defecting from the group. This signals some kind of disorder. We need a name for it. Is it Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or is it new? We recommend attaching electrodes to those two students’ skulls, so we can get a better readout of their brain activity in real time.”

You see, everything must be analyzed on the basis of stimulus response. Those two students are suffering from a brain problem. They must be. Because if they aren’t, if they have the ability to choose and decide how to respond, then they have free will, and that can’t be measured. Much deeper, that also suggests an X-factor in humans, wherein the flow of chemicals and atoms and quarks and mesons and photons don’t tell the whole story. The rest of the story would imply the existence of something that is…non-material…above and beyond push-pull cause and effect.

The gatekeepers of this world are obsessed with ruling that out. They guard Reality itself, which is to say, their conception of Reality. They are willing to spend untold amounts of money to make that Pavlovian conception universally accepted and universally loved.

Because they own that conception. They are the self-appointed title holders. They are the kings of that domain.

I feel obligated to inform them that their domain is much, much smaller than they think it is. And in the fullness of time, which is very long, the domain is going to fall and crack and collapse and disintegrate. And all their horses and all their men won’t be able to put it back together again.

Perhaps populations will have to endure a hundred years of stimulus-response society, to understand what it means. But eventually, a man like Bill Gates will be forgotten. He’ll be a small footnote on a dusty page in a crumbling book in a dark room on a remote island of one unworkable computer.

A morbid venal fool who chased, for a brief moment, fool’s gold.

There is an irreducible thing. It’s called freedom. It is native to every individual.

Sometimes it rears its head in the middle of the night, and the dreamer awakes.

And he asks himself: what is my freedom for?

And then he begins a voyage that no device can record, measure, or analyze.

If he pursues it long enough, it takes him out of the labyrinth.

Pavlov wrote: “Mankind will possess incalculable advantages and extraordinary control over human behavior when the scientific investigator will be able to subject his fellow men to the same external analysis he would employ for any natural object, and when the human mind will contemplate itself not from within but from without.”

Basically, Pavlov was promoting the idea that whatever an individual perceives and feels about his own experience is a confused mess and an obstruction.

Rather, the individual should ignore all that tripe, and instead, allow himself to be a “natural object,” see himself as a clean and simple response mechanism, as planned inputs cause him to behave in various ways. Then, he’ll be contemplating himself “not from within, but from without.”

In other words, then he will have no life.

Bill Gates and other elite planners are working toward this end.

(To read about Jon’s mega-collection, Exit From The Matrix, click here.)

When Ray Kurzweil talks about hooking brains up to super-computers, he is envisioning a process of downloading that goes beyond choice. Somehow, automatically, the brain and the individual (he apparently believes they are the same thing) will receive inputs that translate into knowledge and even talent. This is another fatuous version of Pavlov.

In Brave New World, Huxley wrote: “Hot tunnels alternated with cool tunnels. Coolness was wedded to discomfort in the form of hard X-rays. By the time they were decanted the embryos had a horror of cold. They were predestined to emigrate to the tropics, to be miner[s] and acetate silk spinners and steel workers. Later on their minds would be made to endorse the judgment of their bodies. ‘We condition them to thrive on heat’, concluded Mr. Foster. ‘Our colleagues upstairs will teach them to love it’.”

Stimulus-response.

If researchers developed this technology, who could doubt that elite planners would push it forward? It would be the culmination of their dream.

The freedom of the individual, his innate capacity to make wide-ranging choices, is the monkey wrench in the program. It is anti-stimulus-response.

This is why you would have to search far and wide to find, in one school, anywhere, on any level, a course that examines and promotes individual freedom.

It is anathema to the plan.

It is the silver bullet for the vampire.

Freedom comes from Within the individual, not from Without.

On the level of political control, freedom emerged and broke through during centuries of struggle.

Now, and in the future, every individual carries that torch.

So it is incumbent on the individual to understand the scope and meaning and power of his own freedom, and to decide for himself what his freedom is FOR.

What will he choose to launch from that great pasture?

Jon Rappoport

Source: Bill Gates: the new Pavlov « Jon Rappoport’s Blog

 

Amethyst ~ February Stone – Good Witches Homestead

Amethyst ~ February Stone

amethyst-meaning

Meaning and Uses of Amethyst

Purple Amethyst has been highly esteemed throughout the ages for its stunning beauty and legendary powers to stimulate, and soothe, the mind and emotions. It is a semi-precious stone in today’s classifications, but to the ancients, it was a “Gem of Fire,” a Precious Stone worth, at times in history, as much as a Diamond. It has always been associated with February, the month the Romans dedicated to Neptune, their water-god, and is the traditional birthstone for that month. It is the stone of St. Valentine and faithful love and signifies ecclesiastical dignity as the Bishop’s Stone. It carries the energy of fire and passion, creativity and spirituality, yet bears the logic of temperance and sobriety.

Whether its crystals are left natural, polished as tumbled stones, or faceted into magnificent jewels, Amethyst is a gem whose beauty transcends its commonality. It is a variety of Quartz found in many locations around the world, and forms as transparent, terminated crystals of all sizes in geodes, clusters and as long single terminations. It is also found in vitreous masses and polished into wonderful specimens and personal talismans. The presence of manganese in clear Quartz produces Amethyst, while additional amounts of iron vary the purple coloration. Amethyst ranges in hue from pale red-violet to deep violet and may be transparent or opaque. It is sometimes layered with white Quartz as Chevron Amethyst, found in combination with Cacoxenite, mixed with Citrine as Ametrine, or in rare cases, “rutilated” with Goethite.

The name Amethyst derives from the Greek word ametusthos, meaning “not intoxicated,” and comes from an ancient legend. The wine god Bacchus, angry over an insult and determined to avenge himself decreed the first person he should meet would be devoured by his tigers. The unfortunate mortal happened to be a beautiful maiden named Amethyst on her way to worship at the shrine of Diana. As the ferocious beasts sprang, she sought the protection of the goddess and was saved by being turned into a clear, white crystal. Bacchus, regretting his cruelty, poured the juice of his grapes over the stone as an offering, giving the gem its lovely purple hue.

Throughout history, the special virtue of Amethyst has been that of preventing drunkenness and overindulgence. Ancient Greeks and Romans routinely studded their goblets with Amethyst believing wine drunk from an Amethyst cup was powerless to intoxicate, and a stone worn on the body, especially at the navel, had a sobering effect, not only for inebriation but in over-zealousness in passion. Catholic bishops also wore Amethyst in a ring to protect from mystical intoxication. Kissing the ring kept others from similar mystical intoxication and kept them grounded in spiritual thought.

Amethyst was also reputed to control evil thoughts, increase intelligence and render men shrewd in business matters. For travelers, it was worn as a protection from treachery and surprise attacks, kept soldiers from harm and gave them victory over their enemies. It lent assistance to hunters in the capture of wild beasts and fowl and was considered to be a powerful psychic stone of protection against witchcraft and black magic. Like other royal stones, it protected its wearer from disease and contagion.

In the spiritual world, Amethyst provided a connection to the Divine. To the Hebrews, it was Ahlamah, the ninth stone in the breastplate of the High Priest, engraved with the tribe of Dan, as well as the twelfth foundation stone for the New Jerusalem. To the Egyptians, it was Hemag, listed in the Book of the Dead to be carved into heart-shaped amulets for burial. In Eastern cultures, it was listed in descriptions of sacred “gem-cities,” “trees of life,” and used in temple offerings for worship, and to align planetary and astrological influences. It was popular in rosaries and prayer beads, credited with creating an atmosphere of pious calm, imbuing a sense of mental peace and quietude.

In today’s world, Amethyst is still a remarkable stone of spirituality and contentment, known for its metaphysical abilities to still the mind and inspire an enhanced meditative state. Its inherent high frequency purifies the aura of any negative energy or attachments, and creates a protective shield of Light around the body, allowing one to remain clear and centered while opening to spiritual direction. Amethyst stimulates the Third Eye, Crown, and Etheric Chakras enhancing cognitive perception as well as accelerating the development of intuitive and psychic ability. It initiates wisdom and greater understanding and is a stone of comfort for those grieving the loss of a loved one.

Amethyst’s ability to expand the higher mind also enhances one’s creativity and passion. It strengthens the imagination and intuition and refines the thinking processes. It helps in the assimilation of new ideas, putting thought into action, and brings projects to fruition. It is a talisman of focus and success.

In nature, Amethyst at times forms in combination with other minerals. In addition to the properties of Amethyst outlined in this article, the following varieties possess additional qualities.

Brandberg Amethyst is a unique and extraordinary blend of Amethyst, Clear and Smoky Quartz together in one exceedingly high-vibrational crystal. It is found only in Namibia, Africa, and is imbued with remarkable phantoms, enhydros, and other rare formations and inclusions. It attunes to pure consciousness and is a potent talisman of healing and perfection with the capacity to restore one back to their etheric blueprint in order to realign with the Divine Source.

Chevron Amethyst displays v-shaped chevrons of deep purple and white Quartz that “seep” into beautiful layers. It is one of the finest Third-Eye stones for stimulating vision within the self as well as the physical world, filtering the life force from the cosmos via the Crown in its white layers and opening up spiritual and psychic channels through the purple. It has a strong, focused energy for dissipating and repelling negativity, and is the perfect crystal for learning any form of spiritual healing. Hold one in each hand for powerful but safe out-of-body travel, shamanic journeying or pathworking, and between the hands while praying or reciting mantras.

Cacoxenite in Amethyst mingles dark brown to yellow tufts of Cacoxenite, a phosphate mineral and major component in the Super Seven crystal, with the host crystal Amethyst. This combination brings a high level of creativity and new ideas to humanity by fostering thoughts that have never been thought of before. It is a calming stone, good in times of upheaval, and raises spiritual awareness of the creator essence in the beauty of nature and the kindness of people. Carry on the night of the crescent and full moon to transfer healing energy to the Earth and create an ethereal connection between all of the universe.

Ametrine is a combination of Amethyst and Citrine within the same crystal, a harmonious blend of the two energies. It brings spirituality into harmony with the intellect and inspires a profound flow of creativity, new ideas and insights. It is a remarkable healing stone, removing pain and tension while bringing energy and a sense of well-being to the mind and body. It brings the greater focus in meditation, protection in astral travel and is a gateway crystal for opening angelic or spirit guide contact. Leave in natural light from noon on the day of a full moon and through the night to catch lunar rays then carry on the person to bring luck in money ventures.

“Rutilated” Amethyst is a rare form of Amethyst which appears to contain Rutile, but actually, contains brownish crystals of Goethite, an iron hydroxide mineral also found in the Super Seven crystal. Goethite is a stone for finding the link between the deep self and Earth, and together with Amethyst clears the Earth and Base Chakras, aligning the whole chakra system to the higher mind. It purifies the emotional body and is particularly helpful in grief work. It facilitates clairaudience, communion with angels, and connections with other worlds. To program as a wishing stone or with intentions, messages, and prayers, simply hold the stone with the intent in mind.

Amethyst is an exceptional crystal for wearing on the body, for use in healing rituals, and for enhancing one’s environment. It has been known to fade in direct sunlight and care should be taken. It is also good to clear its energies from time to time by holding the stone under running water for a short period while affirming that the stone be cleared. Keep unpolished Amethyst near other crystals to recharge them.

Amethyst Uses and Purposes

Amethyst is a wonderful talisman for use in the creative arts, especially in darker shades. It assists endeavors where new, original results need to be created using tools and methods of the past. It is often used as the Artist’s Stone, the Composer’s Stone, the Inventor’s, Poet’s and Painter’s Stones. Keep an Amethyst crystal or cluster in the area to focus and amplify the creative elements of the Universal Life Force.

Called the “All-healer,” Amethyst is one of the most effective crystals for healing people, plants, and animals. Natural unpolished Amethysts or geodes are particularly helpful placed where plants will not grow or animals refuse to sit. It also counteracts negative earth energies beneath buildings or anywhere that feels hostile.

Amethyst protects against psychic attack, paranormal harm or ill-wishing, and returns the energy back to the universe after being transformed into positive, loving energy. To increase this power and attract good luck, draw an image of the sun and the crescent moon over an Amethyst in lavender incense smoke.

Referred to as “nature’s tranquilizer,” Amethyst calms and soothes, assisting the transmission of neural signals through the brain. It relieves obsessive compulsive disorder and hyperactivity in children and animals. Place under the pillow or mattress, or rub the center of the forehead counter-clockwise to cure insomnia and stimulate pleasant dreams. It is especially effective for children’s recurring nightmares and fears of the dark and may help alleviate homesickness.

Amethyst is an excellent stone for diplomats, negotiators, and business people. It calms angry temperaments and gives a distinct advantage in situations where debating is required. Wear or hold Amethyst to bring in spiritual insights coupled with intellectual reasoning. As a luck and prosperity crystal, Amethyst is good for reducing the tendency to overspend, gambling addictions or unwise investments.

Amethyst is connected to the Temperance card in the tarot, representing balance. It is a stone dedicated to curbing overindulgence and bad habits and is an excellent aid to quitting smoking, drinking, and drug use, as well as unhealthy physical passion. It also provides the strength needed to obtain freedom from addictive personalities, one’s own or another’s. Placing an Amethyst on the navel is believed to protect a person from intoxication, and in conjunction with other treatments such as counseling, helps cure addictions. A naval piercing makes it possible to always keep an Amethyst in this spot.

Amethyst is the stone of St. Valentine and of faithful lovers because St. Valentine was thought to have worn an Amethyst ring engraved with the image of Cupid. It is also referred to as the “couple’s stone” and gives meaning to relationships that over time, transcends the carnal union and gives way to deeper connection and a more soulful communion. Wear as an engagement or eternity ring for fidelity, or as a locket to call back lost love.

amethyst-healing-properties-1050x700Amethyst Healing Therapies

Amethyst has healing powers to help with physical ailments, emotional issues, and in Energy Healing and Chakra balancing. Amethyst crystal therapies are primarily associated with physical ailments of the nervous system, the curing of nightmares and insomnia, and balancing the crown chakra. The therapeutic uses of Amethyst have a long and well-documented history.

Amethyst Physical Healing Energy

Amethyst boosts the production of hormones and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and endocrine glands to optimum performance. It supports oxygenation in the blood, and aids in treatments of the digestive tract, heart, stomach, and skin. Amethyst also strengthens the immune system and reduces bruising, pain and swellings. It has been used with excellent results as an elixir in the treatment of arthritis.

Amethyst is thought to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus and other hearing disorders and is highly beneficial in treating insomnia, especially when caused by an overactive mind. It is calming and soothing to the neural impulses in the brain. Its energy ameliorates the pain of headaches and migraines and reduces stress and nervous tension. It may be used to treat psychic disturbances and to stabilize brain imbalances, but should not be used in cases of paranoia or schizophrenia.

Amethyst Emotional Healing Energy

Amethyst is especially supportive of the emotional body, bringing those who are overworked, overstressed or overwhelmed back to center. It eases the mental anxieties that lead to physical tension and headaches and is a great crystal to calm those who tend to be hot-headed and easily angered.

Amethyst helps in identifying the root causes behind one’s negative behaviors, habits and emotional patterns that create imbalance and disease. It also helps one understand the reality of cause and effect in behavior and assists in better decision making. Amethyst is a marvelous aid in overcoming addictions by counteracting the effects of drugs and alcohol on brain function while imparting its own peaceful sustaining energy. 

Because Amethyst initiates wisdom and greater understanding, it is a comforting crystal for those grieving the loss of a loved one. Its presence communicates that there is no death, only transitioning and changing of forms. It encourages the release of sorrow and rejoicing in a loved one’s spirit being freed from the confinement of the physical body. Called “the soul stone,” Amethyst assists in understanding and connecting to the eternal existence of the soul and initiates one’s own deep soul experiences. It is an ideal crystal to hold or meditate upon during the death experience, of another or oneself, allowing the release of the temporal physical body with more ease, assuredness, and peace. It is a perfect stone to gift to those with terminal illnesses or to use in preparation for a conscious death experience.

amethyst-1Amethyst Chakra Healing and Balancing Energy

Amethyst carries a high, sweet energy, particularly stimulating to the Third Eye, Crown, and Etheric Chakras.

The Brow Chakra, also called the Third Eye, is the center of our perception and command. It directs our sight and everyday awareness of the world. Our consciousness is located here, and we relate to ourselves through this chakra. When the Brow Chakra is in balance our thoughts and internal communications within ourselves are healthy and vibrant. We are open to new ideas, dreams, and visions, and can control the flow of energy within all the chakras. The dark blue/purple crystals of indigo are used to treat imbalances of the Brow Chakra. It is a quiet color, one of mystery and wisdom and judgment.

The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head and is our gateway to the expanded universe beyond our bodies. It controls how we think, and how we respond to the world around us. It is the fountainhead of our beliefs and the source of our spirituality. It connects us to the higher planes of existence and is the source of universal energy and truth. When the Crown is in balance, our energies are in balance. We know our place in the universe and see things as they are. We are unruffled by setbacks, knowing they are an essential part of life. Imbalances of the Crown Chakra are treated with Light Violet crystals. Their violet rays have the universal life force of magic, dreams, inspiration, and destiny.

The higher vibrational White and Lavender/White crystals are associated with the Higher Crown, Soul Star, and Stellar Gateway Chakras. They are attuned to higher, more spiritually enlightened things, and embody true humility. They provide a soul connection and the highest self-illumination, as well as a cosmic doorway to other worlds. They represent personal identification with the Infinite, and oneness with God, peace, and wisdom. 

Amethyst Spiritual Energy

Amethyst carries a high spiritual vibration of humility and devotion to the Divine. It is highly conducive to stilling one’s thoughts in prayer and meditation and surrendering to that which is greater than the self. Amethyst also stimulates the higher mind to receive one’s spiritual power as a creation of the Divine being and to open to the insights, wisdom, and guidance that is offered.

Amethyst is a stone of spiritual protection and purification, cleansing one’s energy field of negative influences and attachments, and creating a resonant shield of spiritual Light around the body. It acts as a barrier against lower energies, psychic attack, geopathic stress and unhealthy environments. It is a valuable protection for those doing psychic or intuitive work and enhances personal environments with a healing and protective circle of Light.

Amethyst Color Energy

Amethyst embodies the red-violet ray that connects both time and color, of beginnings and endings, as the old year wanes and the new is about to arrive. It tempers the fiery red ray with the intuition of the violet ray, bringing passion and imagination, emotion and logic. It stimulates creativity and is particularly helpful in artistic endeavors. Light Amethyst helps us peer into our souls and see ourselves as others see us. It is the ray of self-esteem and self-knowledge. Dark Amethyst gives us the deep vision needed to see the future. It gives us powerful insight and enhances our perception of the potential effects of our decisions.

Meditation with Amethyst

Amethyst is one of the best crystals for meditation. The amethyst color stimulates the highest vibration of the Third Eye and placing an Amethyst stone directly over this area ushers in a serene meditative state that stills conscious thought and guides the mind toward deeper understanding. Amethyst energy encourages the mind to be humble and surrender to that which is greater than itself in order to gain some understanding of how the powers of the universe can direct and guide one’s life.

To relax the system and increase awareness, hold single Amethyst crystals or small clusters in the left hand (termination towards the arm) during meditation to draw Amethyst energy into the body. Large clusters of Amethyst are ideal for meditation altars or as concentration objects to train the mind to be centered and calm while awareness is focused on the objective world. 

Amethyst may be used to occupy the North-East point on a crystal medicine wheel, used for healing and balancing one’s life. The north-east is the place of choices and meditating in this direction facilitates the decision-making process, bringing in spiritual guidance, common sense, and realistic goals. It encourages new ideas and relates cause with effect. It also balances out highs and lows for emotional and spiritual centering.

Amethyst Divination

The Divinatory meaning of Amethyst: I do not need to reward myself any excesses of any kind to feel good. 

Dreaming of Amethyst signifies freedom from harm. 

Amethyst and the Angelic Realm

The beautiful purple Light of Amethyst is particularly conducive to communion with angels. [Ahsian, 29] It ranges in color from pale red-violet (amethyst color) to deep violet. If your birthday falls in any of the following periods, an Amethyst of the color listed can be a valuable conduit to your Guardian Angel. The table also provides the name of the Guardian Angel of those born in the time period.

Date Crystal Color Name of Guardian Angel
January 16 – Jan 20 Dark Amethyst Mitzrael
February 15 – February 19 Amethyst Manake
February 25 – February 29 Amethyst Habuhian
April 26 – April 30 Amethyst Cahatel
July 17 – July 22 Dark Amethyst Hahaiah
Sept 18 – Sept 23 Violet Menadel
Oct 29 – Nov 2 Lt Amethyst Ielahiah
Nov 23 – Nov 27 Amethyst Vahuel

 

There are other Angels that are partial to Amethyst. The table below gives you the information about them.

Purpose Crystal Color Name of Angel
Guardian of the Twenty-Sixth Mansion of the Moon Amethyst Tagriel
Master of the 3rd Tarot Card “The Empress” Dark Amethyst Hagiel
Guardian of the Thirteenth Mansion of the Moon Dark Amethyst Jazeriel
Master of the 6th Tarot Card “The Lovers” Light Amethyst Ambriel
Guardian of the Twenty-Seventh Mansion of the Moon Light Amethyst Atheniel
Guardian of the Twenty-Fifth Mansion of the Moon Light Amethyst Aziel
Angel of Saturday and Ruler of Saturn. Cassiel is the Master of the 21st Tarot Card “The World”. Cassiel is also the Angel of Temperance, the Angel of Solitude, and the Angel of Tears Light Amethyst Cassiel
Master of the 20th Tarot Card “Judgment” Light Amethyst Nuriel
Master of the 21st Tarot Card “The World” Light Amethyst Phorlach
Guardian of the Twenty-Eighth Mansion of the Moon Violet Amnixiel
Healing Emotions Violet Jeremiel
Dealing with Adversity Violet Mastema
Michael is the Beauty Angel, Tree of Life. He is the Ruler of Sunday and the Sun. Michael is also the Master of the 19th Tarot Card “The Sun” and the 20th Tarot Card “Judgement”. He also helps you Heal Fear and Nervousness as well as being the aster of the East wind and the Angel of Sound Sleep, Repentance, and Truth Violet Michael
Guardian of the Seventh Mansion of the Moon Violet Scheliel
Master of the 8th Tarot Card “Strength” Violet Sheratiel
Master of the 13th Tarot Card “Death” Light Violet Barachiel
Master of the 12th Tarot Card “The Hanged Man” Light Violet Taliahad

 

Amethyst Goddess Crystals

Amethyst honors Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the Hunt, and Childbirth. She represents the love of the mountains and the forests where she chooses to spend her life. Her comfort is sought by women in labor.

Amethyst also honors Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Moon, and Protector of Animals.

Birthstones

There are several ways to find an appropriate birthstone. The traditional one is listed first. These are from the popular lists that most people are familiar with. The second way is to find your natural birthstone by the color wheel of life. You can click on the Natural Birthstone graphic below to learn more. Finally, many people use the traditional stones of the Zodiac.

In this section, you will find information on all three approaches.

 Amethyst Traditional Birthstone

Amethyst is the traditional birthstone of those born in the month of February.

 

Amethyst Natural Birthstone

Amethyst is one of the natural birthstones of those born as the old year wanes and the new is about to arrive at the winter solstice (November 21 – December 20). Amethyst crystals bring you creativity, perception, self-knowledge, and insight.

Amethyst – Zodiac Stone of Pisces

Amethyst is the zodiac stone for those born under the sign of Pisces as winter makes way for spring, from February 19 to March 20. Pisces’ symbol is two fish swimming in the opposite directions of each other and illustrates the problem of dealing with conflicting emotions and goals. Pisceans love making friends and being around them, and often put their friends’ interests and needs before their own. They are very empathetic and enjoy giving gifts. They are quite resilient in life and are successful in the businesses of art, music, marketing and drama.

Amethyst Talismans and Amulets

In the ancient world, Amethyst was an amulet of protection worn around the neck of Egyptian dignitaries when they traveled outside their major cities. They believed it safeguarded them from personal treachery and ambush.

A talisman of ecclesiastical dignity and spiritual protection, Amethyst is the Bishop’s Stone, still worn on the second finger of the right hand of a Catholic bishop.

Amethyst is a talisman of focus and success, used in meditation, to enhance creativity and refine thinking skills.

Amethyst is a Seeker Transformer crystal. Seekers contain a crystal energy structure that aligns the natural energy of the crystal to the natural power of the human mind in finding the way to new horizons and new capabilities. They’re pointers, directors, and compasses; the fresh start crystals. These are talismans of the scientist, the adventurer, the hunter, wanderer, and explorer. They’re also crystals of the student and the researcher.

Transformer crystals enhance efforts to change our situations, prospects, health, outlook or relationships. By transforming ourselves we transform our lives. We learn to dance, speak a new language, grow stronger, or become a better spouse or child. Seeker crystals with the earth power of the Transformer are excellent talismans to aid our efforts to grow, develop new capabilities and change our lives.

Amethyst Feng Shui

Amethyst utilizes Fire Energy. Fire energy is the energy of enthusiasm, warmth, brightness, illumination and activity. It is Yang in nature. It is the energy of heat, action, emotion and passion – of ideas, of concepts, and sex. It is traditionally associated with the south area of a home or room, and with the fame and reputation area of your dwelling. Use its energy to give your life the boost it needs to enhance your standing in the community and within your family

Amethyst in Ancient Lore and Legend

According to Ovid, the Roman poet, Amethyst was a nymph pursued by Bacchus. Desperate to escape him, she called on the goddess Diana who rescued her by transforming her into a shiny stone of “pure, cold crystal.” Furious, Bacchus threw his glass filled with wine on the stone giving it its purple color. There are various stories and sources for this legend, sometimes with Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, sometimes with Dionysus, the Greek god of intoxication. All credit wine as the reason for the crystal’s hue.

The use of Amethyst can be traced as far back as 25,000 B.C. to the Neolithic people in Europe. It’s spiritual and legendary energies made it popular for beads and amulets in many cultures, and later as a stone of royalty, it was utilized in crowns, scepters, and jewelry. Ancient Egyptians used Amethyst as a healing stone to ease fears and guilt, and as a strong protector while traveling. Greeks and Romans used it constantly to protect themselves from excesses of overindulgence with food and drink, and its powerful healing effect upon the mind made it valuable for placement under the pillow at bedtime to cure insomnia and induce pleasant dreams. For headaches, it was warmed and placed on the forehead or temples to reduce throbbing.

Amethyst was considered a powerful psychic stone of protection against witchcraft and black magic and was said to lose its color and turn pale when placed near an angry attacker.

The Peruvians held a belief that if the names of the sun and the moon were engraved on an Amethyst and hung around one’s neck with a baboon’s hair or a swallow’s feather, it would act as a spell against witchcraft. The ancient philosopher Pliny the Elder claimed an Amethyst engraved with figures of the sun and the moon immunized people against poisons.

A bear engraved on an Amethyst had the virtue of putting demons to flight and defended and preserved the wearer from drunkenness.

In folklore, Amethyst was thought to deter animal fleas.

It was once believed a person could summon any love by speaking his or her name in an Amethyst, even if the person was committed to another.

Amethyst, listed as the twelfth foundation stone of the New Jerusalem, was considered by some to be inscribed with the name of the apostle Matthew and was emblematic of his conversion and sobriety. Andreas, bishop of Caesarea, in the tenth century believed the Amethyst, with its fiery aspect, signified Matthias, who in the gift of tongues was so filled with celestial fire and zeal to please God who had chosen him, that he was found worthy to take the place of Judas. 

The Rosicrucian society, who combined pagan with Christian types and figures, saw Amethyst and its color as a symbol of the divine male sacrifice since the stone and color were typical of love, truth, passion, suffering and hope. The love of Christ led him to make the ultimate sacrifice and suffer the agony of the cross, and the crucifixion was followed by the resurrection; thus came the hope of mankind to enjoy eternal happiness in heaven.

Amethyst, the stone of February, should also be worn on Thursdays, “Thor’s Day.” It is considered a Gem of Spring, and though historically given as a gift on the seventeenth wedding anniversary, it is now listed as the official anniversary gemstone for the sixth anniversary.

Source: Amethyst ~ February Stone – Good Witches Homestead

~ The government’s real war on natural health ~

by Jon Rappoport

February 6, 2017

In 1994, after a lifelong aversion to politics, I ran for a seat in the US Congress out of the 29th District in Los Angeles. My platform was Health Freedom.

At the time, the FDA was raiding offices of natural practitioners, and threatening to cut off citizens’ access to a full range of nutritional supplements.

I watched a trial, if you can call it that, in downtown Los Angeles, in which the federal government was prosecuting a young man for selling, and making health claims about, a substance that occurs naturally in the body.

The defendant told the Judge he was prepared to present extensive evidence that the substance was safe and effective. The Judge refused, saying the only issue was: did the defendant violate an FDA rule? If so, he was guilty. At that point, the trial was over, and indeed, the Judge soon pronounced a verdict and the young man was led away to serve a prison sentence in a federal lockup.

At that moment, I began to construct my case against the State, and consider what Health Freedom was all about.

Let’s start here. The FDA, the CDC, and several other federal agencies have blood on their hands. This blood doesn’t wash away. On July 26, 2000, Dr. Barbara Starfield, a revered public health expert at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, published a review in the Journal of the American Medical Association: “Is US Health Really the Best in the World?”

Starfield concluded that that US medical system kills 225,000 Americans a year. That would extrapolate to 2.25 MILLION deaths per decade. I subsequently interviewed Starfield (2009), and she told me the US government has never made a significant effort to end this ongoing holocaust.

So, when the government talks about FDA rules governing safety and efficacy of treatments, they should be referring to their own crimes, since, for example, FDA-approved medicines are responsible for roughly half the 2.25 million deaths per decade.

On the other hand, natural health treatments kill virtually no one.

And here is where the situation becomes basic. The decision by a responsible adult, to manage his own health, by his own measure, and to seek out any other person to help him in that regard, is not the business of the State.

The State can license anyone it chooses to, as a health practitioner. Who cares? But there is no exclusive monopoly on healing. There is no monopoly on recovery from illness. There is no monopoly on the quality of a life.

The legal aspect of this is clear: contracts vs. licenses. The State has no Constitutional right to turn its licensing procedures into monopolies. On the other hand, two consenting adults can designate each other “patient” and “healer,” accepting full responsibility, with no future liability attached, for the outcome of their treatment-arrangement (contract).

The State has no Constitutional right to stick its nose into this business.

The State needs to clean up its own act, which is a euphemistic way of saying the State needs to stop killing 2.25 million Americans per decade. Obviously, the government front of “we can’t let people try to heal themselves apart from licensed practitioners, we must protect the people” is a piece of phony propaganda.

It’s a piece of Nanny-Mommy-Daddy State bullshit. This country wasn’t founded on the premise of the government protecting everyone everywhere all the time.

The State has no right to presume it knows, in advance, what will happen when two responsible citizens decide to engage in their own healing contract.

There’s more. If one state in the Union decided to allow this form of responsible contract in the field of healing, people from all over the country would move there—seeking freedom. As a result, the economy of that State would bloom. Other States, seeing this, would follow suit. There would be a genuine Health Freedom revolution…

And the government of the country could focus on an effort to stop killing people through medical interventions.

As for the people of America, their job is to stop giving in to a reflex- reaction of fear when they contemplate health freedom. “Oh, we can’t just let people decide, on their terms, which health treatments to choose. That could lead to terrible consequences.”

The terrible consequences are right in front of your face. They’re already here. They stem from the federal government’s attempt to run a monopoly on healing, which turns out to be a killing field.

That’s the result of rules and regulations set by the experts.

People either have freedom to choose or they don’t. They have a right to be right or wrong in those choices, or they don’t.

There is no State Mommy or Daddy decreed by some higher power.

Source: The government’s real war on natural health « Jon Rappoport’s Blog

300 Former Wild Horses in South Dakota Need Homes as Deadline Looms | Straight from the Horse’s Heart

Source: ISPMB/Emergency Adoption Mission

“The ‘Hallelujah Horses’ Need Your Help!”

Volunteers are scrambling to find homes for hundreds of wild horses in South Dakota that were spared a possible trip to the slaughterhouse but are now suffering through a harsh winter.

The horses, some of them blind, were once kept at a troubled South Dakota sanctuary. Now a small group of volunteers from across the country is working 10 hours a day to feed and care for animals, using rented plows to carve paths through 15-foot snowdrifts. In a nearby hotel room, other volunteers are sorting through adoption applications and networking through social media, desperately trying to find homes for the horses before they are forced to leave the property next month.

“We are working to get the whole herd out of the 15-foot snow. Some are blind and are walking out right over the fences. It’s really hard to work with so many horses with so many problems,” said Elaine Nash, director of horse rescue organization Fleet of Angels, who is spearheading the operation. “Every time we get over one hurdle there’s another one waiting for us.”

Some 500 horses have already been placed in sanctuaries and ranches across the country, from Arizona and Oregon to California and Minnesota. But the effort near Lantry, in northern South Dakota, isn’t done.

The remaining 300 wild horses could be more difficult to sell or have adopted, Nash said. Nearly 200 are stallions that need gelding before anyone will want them. Dozens are old and have health problems. Others are blind from what Nash suspects was toxic farm runoff in their drinking pond.

But Nash was grateful for the response so far to the neglected herd. Many of the less desirable horses have already found homes, and Nash is hopeful that most will be out of South Dakota by their deadline.

When Nash first spread the word in October, This Old Horse rescue in Hastings, Minnesota, agreed to take two older mares.

They wound up taking seven stallions, all blind, instead.

“I don’t know how it happened,” joked Nancy Turner, board president of This Old Horse. “Elaine is really good at convincing people.”

Turner said it’s not easy. The horses are wild, after all, and need special handling and transportation. Most have never been inside a barn or trailer.

“But part of it for me is that these aren’t poor needy horses,” Turner said. “They are magnificent. I thought that we could celebrate them rather than see them as poor things that should probably be put down.”

More than 800 horses were impounded in October at the nonprofit International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros after a state veterinarian found they were being neglected and a former ranch employee said they were being starved to death. All but 20 were eventually surrendered by their owner.

By mid-December, a third of the horses had been adopted or sold while the other 550 or so were being held as collateral by county officials seeking reimbursement for the cost of caring for the horses. When it didn’t come, the counties started planning to auction off the rest to recoup the cost, making animal rights groups fear many of the horses would be brought to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico.

Fleet of Angels and other animal rights groups raised the $78,000 still owed to the counties and stopped the auction. They then assumed the costs and responsibility of caring for the horses

The group is now gathering, microchipping, collecting blood samples and trimming the feet of the remaining horses and gelding the stallions. Meanwhile, they still need financial support to feed and care for a herd burning through $1,000 in hay each day.

Nash said horses won’t be euthanized unless they have broken bones or serious conditions — even horses that might be difficult to adopt.

“We know that someone will come forward and give them good homes. People care about these horses and about making this mission a success,” she said.

Note: “200 stallions” was the total number of the stallions out of the total 810.  Also, about 95% of the horses look great after receiving $150,000 worth of hay since mid-October.

Source: 300 Former Wild Horses in South Dakota Need Homes as Deadline Looms | Straight from the Horse’s Heart

Lunar Eclipse February 2017 ~ Space Dust – Darkstar Astrology

Lunar Eclipse on February 10 2017 at 22º Leo  Aspects: Trine Uranus/Eris & Sextile Jupiter. Fixed star: Pherkad in the right foot of the Little Bear

Moon Leo 3 does not sugar-coat for the sake of popularity. In a sign that seems so ego-driven, the maternal energy of the bear is actually more about helping others than themselves. It depends on how evolved the soul is, with other harsh aspects there can be a ruthless drive and tyrannical tendencies. At this time we might have to face traits caused by a difficult childhood, one where we had to fight to be ourselves. Of course this eclipse can work to toughen the soul up too, and by the end of the 3 months more belligerent.

Despite all, even if decisions taken at this time rub people up the wrong way, they are still admired for being courageous choices. As the head of a nation, company or family, this eclipse enables trail blazers who will do whatever it takes to protect those little cubs in their care.

At the mundane level this is the great patriot willing to die for their country. (Country = descendants.) Loyalty is the number one demand at this time, so woe betide traitors. Those who stoop to revenge at this time will suffer greatly, but they won’t care who else they bring down with them. So keep a wide berth from the great sinking bear!!

Three fixed stars found around the eclipse degree: The first is Tania Australis  (21º 41′) a red star in the paw of the great mother bear. These stars in Ursa major have a Mars quality according to Ptolemy. “It is said to give a quiet, prudent, suspicious, mistrustful, self-controlled, patient nature, but an uneasy spirit and great anger and revengefulness when roused.” Ras Elased Borealis (21º 26′) is in the lion’s head. The Ebertins say it can give rise to mental illness and depression depending on how it is configured. Since this is an eclipse, there is always a ‘wild card’ element to this energy. We have already seen so many celebrities meltdowns in the media, just expect more from those with 22º Leo in their charts!

Noonan says the Lion’s head stars “are said to indicate those with an appreciation for language and a power of expression, but also those who may be heartless and cruel.” So this star adds a mocking, satirical quality then. The brightest of the stars and closed to the eclipse degree is Pherkad (21º 36′) is found in the Little Bear Ursa Minor. The constellation gives “indifference and improvidence of spirit, and to lead to many troubles.” We can also bear in mind that even though these stars have very rough edges, the ancient navigators looked upon them as guardians and guides since they are close to the poles. Rough diamonds then!

Lunar Eclipse February 2017 ~ Aspects

The Sun is opposite the Moon in a lunar eclipse. This opposition is part of a mystic rectangle aspect pattern which links the eclipse with Jupiter opposite Uranus at 21º/23º Aries/Libra. Lets look at the aspects that make up this rectangle.


Moon trine Uranus brings an abundance of radical and innovative energy to the public. Self-assured rebellion occurs from those who don’t give a fig about conforming to the status quo. The trine brings to fruition personal freedom, revolution and electric genius. At this eclipse the more outlandish people behave, the more popular they become.

Sun sextile Uranus creates brilliant, visionary situations and the courage to break through conventions. This rebelliousness comes from having gone through a period of conformity and orthodoxy. The stability of the past, at least provided a stable anchor from which this Uranian ship can explore. So conversely, it is the very fact that we have had such a safe, stable background in the past that we feel secure enough to take great leaps into the Uranian unknown.

Moon sextile Jupiter. The imagination is expansive and pioneering, inspired by overseas or inner travel. The eclipse energy will still support the roots though, no matter how far afield we might voyage. Those touched by this moon should attract benefactors. Sometimes this comes as a reward from generously nurturing and supporting other artists in the past.

Sun trine Jupiter has strong beliefs, so this aspect of the eclipse probes people to do their duty and support those who they deem worthy enough or not as the case may be. There is a strong sense of justice and a look at how fair some laws are. Reforms in the law could be made at this time. Sun trine Jupiter gives the foresight to spot talent and potential in apprentices. Agents are on the look out for fresh blood at this time.

Jupiter opposite Uranus creates exciting new utopias and visions for the future that can inspire others to follow the path to illumination. Uranus is the great enlightener, so it can be a Kundalini awakening also since with Jupiter spirituality and sex merge. Jupiter and Uranus also both share thunderbolts in common!

Lunar Eclipse Mystical Rectangle

https://pathsiwalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/fm-feb.gifWe had a mystical rectangle pattern back at the Gemini Full Moon December 2016 where I likened it to opening a Christmas present. I called it ‘Unveiling’ and pondered wether the packaging was more glamorous than the actual contents. The theme this time is similar with Jupiter opposite Uranus being activated again.

Back then Saturn was opposite the Moon. “The internal pressure caused by the oppositions could lead to a breakdown. If the internal tension is not diffused, substance is lost. Sometimes the bottled-up pressure leads to mental confusion, there is a conversion, a transformation from Saul to Paul. That leads to a wholesale abandonment of what was important before, thus enabling a spiritual rebirth.” [1]

Before Christmas there was a lot of tension waiting to be released. People were sitting on the Gemini fence, flip-flopping from left to right, not knowing if Trump would make it to inauguration. The end of the year does have a certain doomladen “End Times’ vibe. This rectangle is different. It actually has Saturn crowning it and looks like the apex of a roof. This eclipse can be more hopeful.

Lunar Eclipse February 2017 ~ Summary

In order for real change to take place in society, there has to be a concerted effort to organize and get one’s message across in a non-violent fashion. The Lunar eclipse activation of one of the most positive aspects of the year is something to be excited about! It looks like truth and integrity will shine through. Uranus is the new technology which we can use as a way to awaken ourselves and others. The cyber world is a double edged sword and we must always remember to unplug ourselves so that we get good dose of earthing energy too. With this eclipse we see the good side of technology and how we can use it to unchain ourselves from slavery.

Knowledge is power, but unfortunately state-sponsored education works to dumb down the younger generations. These days they are also crippled by debt as soon as they enter their adult lives. In effect, today’s youngsters are enslaved as soon as they leave college whereas their ‘uneducated’ grandparents left school, went to work and could afford to start a family straight away. They matured very early learning through having responsibilities in life. Jupiter is about higher-learning so at this eclipse we look at what ways we can educate ourselves so that we can make better life choices and be truly free and sovereign human beings.

Another point about slavery is that it is also about being a sex slave. Young people are being groomed into sex slavery through internet porn. As mentioned, Jupiter opposite Uranus can symbolize the Kundalini. The internet can be a great awakener, but there are so many rabbit holes you can fall into. It is only a very small percentage of people who follow the priestess snake of wisdom, while others get vectored into the prostitute snake of the lower chakras! However just a small percent is all it takes to move the masses, as long as a critical mass is reached. Looking back at the mystic rectangle, Saturn makes a minor grand trine with the Sun and Jupiter. This this may be where the trickle-down effect starts from. Saturn is actually pretty close to Galactic Center too at 26º Sagittarius, so maybe there is just something in the star dust!

1. Aspect Pattern Astrology. Bruno & Louise Huber. P 163

Source: Lunar Eclipse February 2017 ~ Space Dust – Darkstar Astrology

Jupiter Retrograde  February 2017 – Unexpected Luck

Jupiter Retrograde 2017 begins on 6 February 2017 at 23° Libra, and stations direct on 9 June 2017 at 13° Libra. I will talk about each phase of Jupiter retrograde 2017 including when Jupiter enters and leaves the retrograde zone. Before that however, you will find a brief description of what it means to have Jupiter retrograde in the natal chart followed by the general meaning of Jupiter retrograde in transit.

Overall, Jupiter retrograde 2017 is very promising for achieving growth and happiness in a particular area of life that is important to you now. Unexpected good fortune is at hand with work, travel, education or a new relationship. Whatever your hopes for the future may be, this years Jupiter retrograde is an opportunity to make great leaps towards living out your dreams.

If your goals are unrealistic, deceitful or greedy then the Jupiter direct phase from June to September 2017 may result in disappointment and loss. Even if you are traveling on the right path at this stage, you will be reminded how important it is to be happy and content with what you have. Jupiter retrograde 2017 requires introspection and an awareness that inner, spiritual growth is necessary for your hopes and dreams to materialize.

Jupiter Retrograde Meaning

Jupiter retrograde in the natal chart means that there was a problem in achieving goodness of the soul a previous life. This certainly does not indicate a bad soul, but that there will be some lessons or extra effort required this life in order to achieve goodness of the soul, to be genuinely happy and content.

Jupiter retrograde by position and aspect shows the areas of life, or the personality traits and behaviors, which specifically require extra development. The optimum Jupiter nature is broad-minded, happy, comfortable and content. A healthy Jupiter is continually growing and expanding in philosophical and spiritual outlook. The aim is to be charitable, generous, friendly and welcoming to all people, regardless of social status, religion, cultural or ethnic background.

Jupiter retrograde in the chart could show as greed, selfishness, gluttony, extravagance, wastefulness or self-righteousness. Addiction, intolerance, bigotry, ignorance or showing off may be holding you back. Whatever is stunting your personal and spiritual growth is what Jupiter retrograde focuses on. This could well have been an ongoing problem hindering success over many incarnations. Events or relationships will keep reinforcing the problem area this life, especially during Jupiter retrograde phases.

Jupiter retrograde in transit is a regular cycle occurring every 13 months and lasting for about 4 months. Transiting Jupiter retrograde represents a time of philosophical or spiritual introspection and reflection. During the previous months since Jupiter entered the retrograde zone, you will have been dealing with particular issues involving growth and development, happiness and success.

Jupiter retrograde means that whatever area of growth you have been developing is so important, that extra time is needed to take stock and make sure everything in order before you continue. You may be tested to make sure you are ready to receive the good fortune, new romance, or increased wealth you seek.

On the other hand, it could be that a negative Jupiter behavior such as greed or addiction has been getting out of control. In this case, the Jupiter retrograde months will offer a chance to recognize and admit the problem. Things may get so out of control that an intervention or some drastic event must occur in order to shake you out of your complacency or ignorance.

By the time Jupiter stations direct, you should have come to terms with the relevant issues and be prepared for the next phase. In the third and final Jupiter retrograde phase, from the direct station until Jupiter leaves the retrograde zone, positive growth and development lets you bound ahead toward ultimate success and happiness.

Jupiter Retrograde 2017

6 February 2017 Jupiter stations retrograde at 23°08′ Libra

The Jupiter retrograde 2017 chart below clearly shows a right-angled triangle formed by Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. Overall, this is a positive configuration with the two harmonious blue aspects turning the challenges of the red opposition into opportunities for success.

Fixed star Spica 24°04′ Libra greatly increases your chance of success during the Jupiter retrograde phase. Here we have the most fortunate planet on the most fortunate of all fixed stars. This alpha star of the Virgin gives wealth, success, happiness and love. Spica conjunct Jupiter in particular assists in spiritual development and psychic awareness. It offers protection, advancement and the possibility of wealth to even the poorest of people.

Jupiter opposite Uranus greatly increases your need for personal freedom and excitement. You will feel a strong urge to react, or rebel against anything that is stopping you from having fun and doing what you want. A sudden event may release your built up tension and lead to a major change in circumstances. You can find adventure and personal growth through travel, education and new relationships while still maintaining certain core responsibilities in your life.

You can find creative and ingenious ways to relieve the boredom without causing total chaos and disruption. Though technically a challenging transit, the relief from stress and tension can be very satisfying. A change in beliefs or social interaction may be all it takes to act as a circuit breaker. At the deeper level you are seeking a burst of higher awareness, to transcend your daily routine and bring on a spiritual growth spurt.

Jupiter sextile Saturn slows the speed of any change and reduces the shock value. You can rely on sound judgement skills to only chose those opportunities that are right for you. These opportunities may be in your career, through investment or business deals, or in your personal life as major material possessions or relationship choices. Patience, perseverance and a strong work ethic ensure your gains will be enduring and substantial.

Saturn trine Uranus also makes any growth spurts more lasting. It makes the changes in your life run more smoothly. Change will not be as upsetting or erratic as Jupiter opposite Uranus alone would bring. You will remain calm and patient, planning every step methodically. You can find new days of doing old things without rocking the boat. You could take the lead in your career to initiate needed changes and gain respect and recognition from your boss.

Source: Jupiter Retrograde 2017 Unexpected Luck – Astrology King