NEW MOON MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2009

NEW MOON MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2009
© The Arthurian School

Before printing this, please consider the environment!

Note: This magazine is intended for the awakening and sharing of information, so please feel free to pass it on, or if you want to be removed from the circulation list, just send an email reply to info@arthurianschool.com with the word “unsubscribe” in the heading.

Hi everyone!

Those of you who have noticed the beautiful spectacle this month of the planet Venus growing ever brighter and brighter in our western night sky, will have also have been aware of the increasingly strong influence it is having on us here on planet Earth.

Venus is the planet of love and beauty and is growing stronger and stronger to remind us of that potential for love and beauty that also lies within us. As we have been seeing in the world the inevitable truth of our creations of the past - and our own dark side with the potential for cruelty and inhumanity with structures of war, oppression and financial greed, so we are also being made aware of our equally strong ability and potential to create freedom, justice and peace.

And so this moon month we are being increasingly reminded of the positive potential we have to create. And this month the increased influence of Venus is helping us to make it more of a reality.

Linked to this is the new moon that started in the sign of Aquarius, the sign of the new era of thousands of years that we are entering at the moment- an era where there will be equality, brother and sisterhood, and a universal perspective instead of only the perspective of our own personal world.

We are still benefiting from the positive impact of the recent a sun eclipse and soon will be celebrating the completion of this positive process of change on the 9th February when the full moon will be in Leo, also the sign of the Sun.

And so this lunar month is full of significant events- one of the most significant perhaps being the upcoming alignment that is happening on Valentines Day, the 14th of February.

On the 14th February there is what the astrologers call a planetary alignment that brings with it the possibility for a quantum leap breakthrough in some situations that have up to now seemed impossible to change.

A planetary alignment happens when a number of planets are in positions with one another to from a unique relationship and this has a strong influence on the Earth and also on us as a consciousness.

In a rare astrological concentration that brings together a number of planets on the 14th of February- perfectly timed by the Universe to fall on the day that traditionally celebrates love and is dedicated to St Valentine, the patron saint of love! - the Moon will be in the sign of Libra in the seventh house that is governed by Venus- thereby even further intensifying the positive influence that Venus is having at the moment.

And during this event, the planets Jupiter and Mars will be aligned in the sign of Aquarius in the twelfth house of spiritual transformation.

Some of you may remember the words of a song about the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, in the late seventies that went:

When the Moon is in the seventh house
and Jupiter aligns with Mars.
Then love will rule the planets
and peace will steer the stars

On the 14th of February this song will almost prove prophetic because this exact alignment will be happening in our sky!

It is a celestial event that will truly celebrate the dawning of the Age of Aquarius for the planet and each one of us.

The alignment happens at 7.25 GMT on 14th February and continues for 18 minutes. Many people around the world will be joining in to add their own intention for love and peace as part of a global wave of change and if you are interested, you can read more about this initiative on the website of Jude Currivan www.judecurrivan.com (thanks to Alexis and Jill Dennis who both sent information to me).

And so with the unique opportunities of positive change that are being given to us in this moon month, what are you choosing to create?

We are truly standing at the DOOR OF CREATION.

Something that has been fascinating me and that I would like to share with you in connection with our ability to create, is a new perspective that has been emerging about the Moon:

What is the true nature of our relationship with the Moon? Why is it so important for us to be connected to her?

Not only is the Moon the closest planet to the Earth, but some of you in the UK may have watched the recent Channel 4 series Catastrophe showing the Earth’s early history of natural disasters. In that series a theory was given that the Moon had been created from part of our Earth! According to this theory, chunks of our Earth broke off in a collision with another planet named Theia and as these chunks of the Earth and Theia continued to orbit together after the collision, they eventually rolled together to form the Moon.

So the possibility exists that the Moon is even on a physical level intimately connected to us – in fact, it is part of our very nature!

It is part of the Earth as much as we are part of the Earth when we incarnate into our physical bodies. As we are created from dust, so the Moon also finds her origin from the Earth.

No wonder we are so much affected by the Moon! AND the importance of the Moon is growing as we move forward into the future, because it governs our emotional nature and plays a crucial part in the role of any future creation.

As the teachings say, we can only create or attract something if we are able to emotionally feel it with intensity. And so the Moon is intimately involved in every process of creation because it is the Moon that governs our emotions. This is so beautifully illustrated with seeds. It is the Moon that awakens these seeds deep within the Earth, because the Sun cannot yet reach them. If the Moon had not been there to start the process, it would not be possible for the Sun to complete the process. The Moon is a source of reflected light that sets energy in motion.

We therefore need to become more conscious of the Moon’s part in the way we create in our lives forward. What has been largely an unconscious process, now has to become conscious and we are able to harness the power of the Moon to co-create and manifest things that at one time seemed absolutely impossible.

Knowledge is power!

And now it is time that we start to co- create from an energy of love.

In this magazine you will find some more information about workshops offered in March in South Africa on the Sacred Andean tradition. The teachings of this tradition have at their very core the essence of love. As Carol George (an initiate of this tradition and one of the facilitators of the workshops and also born in the sign of Libra that is governed by Venus - the planet of love!) describes the tradition:

“According to the Ancient Wisdom Keepers of the Andes, this Sacred Tradition dates back more than 14,000 years. These oral teachings were passed on by the Inkas, to their direct descendents, the Q'ero indians who live in the Andes of Peru today. Because they lived at great heights, the Spanish were unable to influence their teachings, because of their inaccessibility.

These teachings remained undiluted and the elders say that the time is now, for this information to be made available to the West.

This simple and beautiful way of being, is best described, as opening your heart to the perfection, beauty and power of the natural elements and living with gratitude and honour in all that you are. This system of "ayni" or reciprocation is evident in nature all the time. It is not the western concept of energy exchange but rather the natural flow and balance that exists in all things. At its core, it is the act of giving and the honour that exists within this act, as the sole motivator for the giver. A gives to B motivated purely by the love of giving. This law teaches that what is given, is an energy and cannot be kept, so B is obliged to give to another who may have need, at any time. This law is practised by nature, for example, a tree provides fruit for the insects, birds and us. It then receives sunshine and water in order to continue this natural harmony and flow.

The key principle of this tradition is - LOVE -( Munay) - and the ceremony and ritual that is done to show this is the very gentle and powerful - DESPACHO. This is done for communities or individuals by the shaman as a gift or giveaway for all we are grateful for. The contents of the despacho will contain our prayers and dreams and will either be buried or burned as an offering to 'Ille Ticsi Wiracocha' - the Divine Creator.

This is a journey to the soul of nature and with the assistance of the spirit world we explore the energetic exchange of working co-creatively with living energy. We are re - harmonising ourselves and Mother Earth by doing this.

I initiated into this beautiful tradition in 2003 in Peru and South Africa and have been facilitating FULL MOON DESPACHO'S, blessings and earth work. It brings me great joy to assist in bringing us back to simply - love.” Carol George

You may be privileged to attend a workshop on this tradition, you may be able to journey to Peru, or you may simply pick up a book on the magic of the Andes, or watch a program on television about it- it doesn’t matter- you have the ability to be part of it through your vision and your intention to create from the perspective of working co-creatively with love.

Use this opportunity to become one of the new creators in our world- working purely from the heart and listening to that inner voice of the soul that wants us to find all that we desire in harmony with our star heritage and the whisperings of our Earth.

Take some action, make it happen for you this month, reach for the deepest dreams from the soul, because with Venus smiling on you, there is nothing that cannot be set in motion and become true! Invest in your own future, forget about the world, the so-called bad news, live your own dream- you are a co-creator, you have an imagination-

Learn to live through the imagination.

I leave you with a lovely little poem written for IMBOLC, one of the four great Celtic festivals that was celebrated on the 4th February when the awakening of the land and the growing power of the Sun is celebrated in the Northern hemisphere.
Representing a festival of fertility and growing light, IIMBOLC brings tidings of rebirth: look at what you want to achieve during the year and seek the child of the new year.
The lady knits a blanket of white.She travels across the land.
The kiss she gives is one of love,and longing;her hopes and dreams all buried underground
but living, waiting. Incubating.
Oh! How she misses her lover,yet here she is dancing, for joy,for the son who’s yet to come.
Scarves celebrate her gypsy homecoming,fires fire flecks of hot orange, like sand.
(from THE SPICY CAULDRON)



With blessings of Love
Elizabeth
THE ARTHURIAN SCHOOL
PRINGLE BAY
www.arthurianschool.com
info@arthurianschool.com
telephone: (0027) 28 273 8277 international 028 273 8277 local
mobile: (0027) 783716343 international 0783716343 local


“Revitalise and Enlighten your Life with the Moon”



THE MOON CYCLE OF FEBRUARY

called the Ash Moon, the White Waking Moon, the Snow Moon, the Staying Home and Storing Moon in the Celtic tradition

The new moon started on the 27th January in the sign of Aquarius and the full moon will be on the 9th February in the sign of Leo.

The day of the new moon was also the Memorial Day of the Holocaust that claimed the lives of so many Jews. Imbolc is celebrated at the beginning of February, some use the 1st as the day of celebration, although according to others the exact date is according to when the sun is at 15 degrees Aquarius (this year falling on the 4th February).

Imbolc is often celebrated by lighting candles and dancing, holding hands round a standing stone, or some other sacred site.

What the planets are doing

There is a good view of Mercury in the morning sky in the southern hemisphere for about 2 weeks before 13 February and about a month after. On 28 and 29 January Mercury and Mars were side by side above the dawn, with Mars being slightly brighter of the two. On the morning of the 18th February it is again Mars and but this time Jupiter that are side by side with Jupiter being the brighter of the two and to the north of the red planet Mars. Mercury will be above the pair and as the moon month comes to an end on the 23rd of February, Mercury moves back in towards the dawn to encounter Mars and Jupiter. On the morning of 23rd February there is a lovely spectacle of the waning crescent moon among the Jupiter-Mars-Mercury cluster that will then be low down in the east just before sunrise.

Saturn is growing ever brighter in the southern parts of the constellation of Leo and on 9th February there is a penumbral eclipse of the moon, visible only as a dimming of the Moon’s northern edge. At approximately 14h00-15h20 UT, the partial shadow will be dark enough to be noticeable and the moon eclipse will be best seen from (and have the strongest influence over) Asia, the Pacific and western parts of North America.


MOON CEREMONIES FOR FEBRUARY

Creation boards

Many of you who have read the Secret and other similar books may be familiar with the concept of a vision/creation board. It works with the concept that you will attract what you focus on and the creation/vision board helps you to focus particularly on what you want.

First it is important for you to create a void of what you want: choose something that you wish for in your physical reality, but also make sure that it goes deeper than surface- focus on something that is purely for you as an individual, but also in some way will help you to make a positive contribution to the world. For example, I do a creation board for every trip I do to Peru and although my personal reasons such as experiencing adventure is strong, I also always focus on the fact that I want to create it for something bigger than my own personal desires: to spread the love of Peru and share an opportunity I was fortunate to have and that has changed my life in ways that I cannot even begin to describe.

So work on what you want to set in motion this month with the Moon – sow the seed and ask the Moon to help you with germinating this seed in this moon month of February, knowing that the energies of this time of February with its powerful alignments and positive influence of the planet Venus will support any dream for your life that is connected with bringing more love into your own life and the world.

Once you have set the intention, it is now time to give it energy, attention and focus. And that is where the creation/vision board comes in: here are some suggestions and ideas I have used. You can also do some research yourself- there is a huge amount of information on the Internet:
The basics
The mechanics of creating a vision board couldn’t be easier: get a piece of poster board, glue, magazines and scissors and cut and paste to your heart’s content. If you are really motivated, go to the scrap booking section of your local art store and get some fancy stickers, coloured paper or other creative materials.
Some suggestions to “super-charge” your vision board:
- Create the “anti-vision board,” either literally by creating a board with images that is the opposite to what you want and make your stomach turn, or just by thinking about all the things that you don’t want in your life. When you know what you don’t want, it helps to strengthen and clarify even further what you do want.

- If you only use the magazines lying around your house, you may miss images that represent a future you haven’t yet imagined. Instead, go to a bookstore that has a really great magazine selection and play a Hot-Warm-Cold game:
1. Get as calm as you can by relaxing, breathing deeply and imaging an extremely positive experience in your life.
2. Stand in front of the magazine rack and squint your eyes so you can’t read the words but you can see the outlines of the images.
3. Grab any magazines that jump out at you, regardless if they make sense to your rational mind.
4. Go sit somewhere comfortable and leaf through the images. Leave out those magazines that truly don’t resonate with your body.
5. Feel, don’t think your way through the exercise.Our rational minds imagine our futures in neat, organized steps. So it is very tempting to search for images by thinking things like: “What is the logical next step in my career?’ or what is most affordable?”
6. Observe your process of making the vision board; it can clue you into the way you operate in life. So if you take too much time looking for the “ideal images,” you may find that perfectionism gets in your way. If you never make time to complete the exercise, you may find that you spend so much time taking care of everyone else’s needs that you neglect your own.
While doing these things, watch out for these 5 DON’Ts:
Don’t be seduced by the marketing.If you flip through one magazine for too long, you will get pulled into the advertising trance of the images and words. Tune into how the images are making you feel: anxious, jealous, joyful, trapped? Pick out the images that make your body feel great - like the way favourite food tastes when you are hungry.
Don’t stick with what’s possible.If you have a big pile of images that don’t seem to go together, don’t worry about it! Just accept that all of them mean something to your soul and true self.
Don’t look at the images in a conventional way.Turn the magazines upside down and look at the images as designs instead of literal pictures. Notice how your body reacts. Many people will lean towards images that feel right, and lean away from those that feel wrong. Others notice a very “open” feeling in their head or chest towards attractive images and muscle tension when viewing repelling ones. As you gaze at these images. your mind may try to identify their literal form.
Don’t fall for clichésOnly include images if you are magnetically attracted to them. Don’t put anything on your board that doesn’t feel extremely inspiring and appealing.
Don’t settle for second best. If you get a strong feeling about something but can only find a picture that makes you feel half excited, leave the space blank!
Once the board is created, how to get the most of it:
Don’t cling to it. Put it where you can see it, and think “this is a picture that makes me happy.”
Don’t get frustrated that you don’t have it yet. As much as you can, detach from outcomes. FOCUS AND WRITE DOWN EVERY- EVEN IF IT IS SMALL- SINCHRONICITY THAT MAY BE HAPPENING IN CONNECTION WITH WHAT YOU WANT. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO COME CLOSER AND CLOSER TO WHAT YOU WANT. YOU THEN PUT POSITIVE ENERGY INTO THE PROCESS AND ALSO START TO REMOVE THE DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE ON A SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL AS TO WHETHER YOU WILL REALLY BE ABLE TO CREATE YOUR VISION OR DREAM.
Even take a picture of it so you can look at it outside of its physical location. You could store it on your cell phone or mobile and look at it while you are waiting in line at the green grocer! Or you can save it as a screensaver on your computer at work. This is not so you can become obsessed by the images, but rather to have a pleasant glimpse into the beautiful and positive futures that awaits you and you have created already.
Working with the Earth
For those of you who don’t like working with creation boards and prefer to simply be connected to the Earth, use a suggestion of my friend Sharon Abbott in the UK:
Make a beautiful wish by writing it down on a special piece of paper.
Now give thanks that it has already been granted.
Then bury it at the full moon with a tiny crystal (one that you have cleansed and chosen specifically for this purpose) for the elemental devas and faeries of the land.
Try to bury it with the roots of a tree, you will know where- just follow your intuition.
Say a prayer with your wish and give thanks for your life and the beauty of this Earth.
Walk away and don’t look back - forget all about it and know it will come to pass.
Bury it deep - not a foot or anything, you don’t need a shovel - four five inches will be fine.
Imagine the moonlight bathing your wish every night for the rest of the moon month to help awaken the energies.
Be open to receive your creation.

MOON PERSON OF THE MONTH
I would like to introduce you to my very special neighbour in Pringle Bay, Dr Thelma Van Der Merwe. Thelma has had a distinguished career in nursing and has taught many nursing students. She also spent several years working in the Middle East. But what I love about her is her zest for life and her optimism, loyalty and strength as a person. Her husband died from a heart attack leaving her with two young children, but it has never allowed her to give up, or not take on the incredible challenge of becoming a self fulfilled and realised person.

Here is a poem that Thelma used in one of her nursing presentations. I feel that it describes the inspiration she and the nursing profession bring to us as a world:

Live A Life That Matters

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won’t matter whether you are beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter are not how many people you knew, but how many feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.
What will matter are not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter, a circumstances, but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters

Author Unknown


UPCOMING SACRED EARTH RETREATS PERU

For those of you who are drawn to experience the wonderful teachings and love of the magical land of Peru, I will going with a group in April (1- 15 April). Let me know and I will send you more information about the trip. (The all-inclusive cost of the trip (including international and internal airfares) is around R25 000/ £1800).

And for those who are particularly interested in the sacred medicine of Peru called Ayahuaska, there will also be an opportunity to take part in a sacred ceremony with a Shaman after the retreat:

Peruvian Ayahuaska Sacred Ceremonies

“I sat on my mat and waited for the unknown, consciously relaxing my senses and releasing my physical tension. Soon the jungle noises rang in my ears like wind chimes, tinkling bells. In my mind’s eye, flecks of colour and shapes danced to this strange music I was hearing. My hands began to tingle and my head to spin. I took a deep breath and reminded myself to surrender and trust. Immediately an inner dialogue started that lasted for the duration of my amazing journey.

The voices I heard were my own levels of consciousness as well as wisdom guides, messengers, and loudest of all, God Herself. All were communicating with me, simultaneously. I was disoriented in my body and all my senses, yet capable of discerning and understanding all the messages at once. Nothing was normal. Many voices were talking me through what was happening, so I wouldn’t be afraid. I didn’t like being physically out of control, but the voices were so reassuring that I moved beyond fear like falling from a shooting star, and fell right into the loving arms of God. I heard her voice so clearly and felt her presence so close as to be connected, with nothing separating us. Then I felt nauseous…..

The effects of the Ayahuasca were becoming milder. My senses were feeling more familiar. I knew that normalcy would return soon. The voices were quieting down. But I was also losing that crystal clear connection with God. She was still with me but the veil between us was becoming more opaque.
All the inner knowing I possessed in my place of origin was slipping away from me.

In its place was a profound love. Love so deep and wide, I simply floated in it. I felt so grateful. I felt grateful for love and life itself. I felt grateful for the insights I had been given, the visions I’d seen and for the indelible connections I’d made. I felt grateful for moving beyond fear and trusting in the amazing possibilities that lie on the other side of it.

‘Know that if you choose this, everything else in your life will change.’

And it did.”

Extract from Diane Dunn in her book ‘CUSCO The Gateway to Inner Wisdom’ © 2006

The SHAMANS of South America and Peru

South America and more particularly Peru is a place for shamanistic experiences. There the tradition has never really disappeared and so it is a place of great and many opportunities to work with the other worlds and dimensions.

By consciously choosing to go into the experience of Ayahuaska with an intention of sacredness and healing, it is an incredibly empowering and positive experience that will help you to let go of fear, and bring the most positive change into your life.

INCA WORKSHOPS IN SOUTH AFRICA
A workshop in the Ancient Andean Tradition:
JOHANNESBURG 13-16 MARCH 2009
CAPE TOWN 27-30 MARCH 2009

Kurag Akulleq (Masters) in the Andean Tradition will visit South Africa to share this ancient tradition and show us a way of being and living that takes us back to our true selves.

1st Level and 2nd Level initiations will be done by two very experienced and revered Shamans of Peru.

Please contact Carol George for more information: mob 083 353 5317 or graydon@kingsley.co.za

Diana Cooper’s Retreat in Peru (June 2009)

For more information see www.worldviewz.net


THE ARTHURIAN SCHOOL
PRINGLE BAY
www.arthurianschool.com
info@arthurianschool.com
telephone: (0027) 28 273 8277 international 028 273 8277 local
mobile: (0027) 783716343 international 0783716343 local

This magazine’ss intention is to be for the highest good of all, and to harm no one.

“Revitalise and Enlighten your Life with the Moon”
______________________________________________________________________