Llewellyn Publications's Blog, page 97

I’ve mentioned this before, but for new readers, I think this resource is worth restating.

There are in-depth reviews of most Llewellyn and Lo Scarabeo decks on the Llewellyn website. Donald Michael Kraig and I both write them. We attempt to be as honest and thorough as possible. Sometimes we both review the same deck, so you have two points of view.

You can find them by going to the product page for any deck. In the center, there is a green box that says “more information.” In that box, there is a link for “publisher’s reviews.” Click that link and find the reviews.

For example, we both reviewed the Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn.

Take some time and see what you think.

 

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Richard Southall, author of Haunted Route 66.

I was impressed with the recent blog about the different types of paranormal investigators. I feel that it is important to determine why a person would enter this field. That being said, it’s also important to differentiate between the different types of hauntings that can be encountered. Over the years, I’ve discovered that most hauntings can really be divided into three categories—ghosts, spirits, and entities.

GhostsGhost hauntings are actually “recordings” or “impressions” of an event that has taken place in the past. Unlike spirits, there is no sentience or intelligence behind a ghostly haunting, impression, or recording.

There are two main reasons for a haunting by a ghost. First, if a person did a repetitious activity over a long period of time, they can leave an impression. This is why some apparitions are of people who are doing mundane activities, such as a soldier seen walking in the same area time and again.

Second, there could have been a sudden traumatic event that took place that involved a fatality, such as a murder or a fatal accident. Think of Gettysburg, where the sound of gunfire and screams can sometime be heard. Often, these sounds can lead to some interesting EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), but there is no actual communication taking place.

 

SpiritsUnlike a ghost recording that has no sentience associated with it, the spirit has some presence of an individual that has remained after he or she has died. Whereas a ghost cannot be interacted with, in some cases there can be some form of communication between a spirit and a living individual.

There are really a few reasons why a spirit may be haunting a place. The first reason is that the person may not realize that he or she is dead; usually, this takes place when a death is sudden or unexpected (the movies The Sixth Sense and The Others are good illustrations of this). Sometimes, there is an attempt for the spirit to communicate with a person investigating a haunting.

A place can also be haunted by a spirit because there very strong emotional connection between an individual and a particular location. When a person dies, they do not move on because they are so dedicated to a place they loved&3151;think of settlers, or soldiers who have in many cases dedicated their entire life protecting a location.

The third type of spirit hauntings involves an individual who had unfinished business or an unfulfilled promise when he or she died. If a person died before he or she accomplished something they considered important, this can lead to the spirit to become “stuck” until that promise or unfinished business is fulfilled.

 

EntitiesA third type of haunting that can sometimes be encountered during an investigation is what I would refer to as entities. Unlike ghosts and spirits, which were human at one point, entities are paranormal in nature and have never been alive in the sense that we know; they are what we would refer to as angels or demons. This is perhaps the rarest kind of haunting, but they have been known to exist.

Our thanks to Richard for his guest post! For more from Richard Southall, read his article “5 Reasons Route 66 Is Haunted.”

Pisces, The Fish

February 19 to March 20

Modality: Mutable

Element: Water

Ruler: Neptune

Keywords: Creative, romantic, sensitive, self-indulgent, lazy, intuitive, dreamy, artistic, sympathetic

As a Pisces you are flexible and adapting to just about any situation (though this can be both a positive and a negative). Sensitive and compassionate, you take pains to ensure the welfare of others, though sometimes to the detriment to your own welfare. You have great creativity, which can manifest itself in any number of ways, from art to ideas. You inspire others. You are idealistic and trusting, looking for the best in everyone; just be careful not to be taken advantage of.

The home life of a Pisces is often chaotic, filled with unexpected visitors and friends when you wanted peace and quiet, but this is due to the fact that your home is a center of communication. As a parent you may be a tad over-protective, and may need to learn how to step back and let children have their own experiences, however imperfect. Pisces individuals dislike being alone and seek out lasting romantic relationships, though for this reason you may hang on to a relationship longer than necessary. You could do well with a Virgo (your opposite sign) or with one of the other earth signs, Taurus and Capricorn. Fellow water signs Cancer and Scorpio could also make good matches, but life with a Gemini or a Sagittarius could upset the stability you crave. Instead of a large circle of acquaintances, you prefer an intimate circle of close friends, who will stand by you throughout the years.

When it comes to careers, Pisceans aren’t likely to be happy sitting behind a desk, unless you have the opportunity learn and travel. You may need to come to terms with the fact that there is no “perfect” career, and that constantly searching out new opportunities is not the answer. You can have a positive impact on may people in your day to day work, bringing out the best in yourself and your coworkers. As a manager, you may be too trusting, however. You have excellent earning potential, but also a tendency to splurge. Lean to conserve and budget, as these skills will serve you well. You could benefit from an inheritance or other major gift from friends or relatives.

Your creative outlets and artistic pursuits keep you centered, and a hobby could always turn into a career.

For the year ahead:

Affirmation: My goal is financial security

Jupiter began the year in Gemini, your fourth house, where it will be until June 25. During this time you may notice a full social calendar and can anticipate many memorable get-togethers with friends. Once Jupiter enters Cancer at the end of June, the focus will shift to your family and your home.
Uranus continues its seven-transit of Aries, your second house, where it will be until 2018. This means that there will be a lot of attention paid to your personal finances and your spending habits. Uranus, planet of the unexpected, could trigger both expenses and windfalls when you least expect them.
Saturn spends most of 2013 in Scorpio, your ninth house. This brings attention to travel, learning, and possible career changes and advancement. This is a good time to take a class or learn about a new culture.
Neptune, your planetary ruler, began its long transit of Pisces (through 2025) at the beginning of February. This will be a period of regenerating your faith and self-esteem, though you do need to be careful so that you are not taken advantage of.
Pluto spends the entire year in Capricorn, where it will transit until 2024. This emphasis on your eleventh house will make your friends a prominent part of your life during these years. This planetary influence is also positive for creating change.

I keep many of my tarot decks in bags. Some I’ve made, some I buy. Lo Scarabeo makes some nice ones. Here are some of my favorites.

Of course I love the Steampunk High Priestess bag.

And the Witches Moon Bag.

The High Priestess from the Book of Shadows Tarot.

The Smiling Moon Bag is charming.

And I love the Yin Yang Bag.

I really like the color and design on this one.

I might like the color and design of the Magic Star bag even more.

Saturn begins its retrograde motion in Scorpio on Monday, February 18, continuing “backwards” until July 7. Just like any other retrograde planet (including that trickster Mercury—which will also turn retrograde on February 23, stationing direct on March 17), periods of retrograde are periods of “re:” renewing, reflecting, restarting, etc. Instead of being viewed negatively, these retrograde periods are a positive time to slow down (especially as Saturn begins to turn retrograde, and then for the next few days after) and possibly make some necessary changes.

Saturn, ruler of Capricorn and the tenth house, symbolizes goals, responsibilities, and limits, so now is the time to reflect on any sources of frustration in your life caused by these things (or a lack of). Now is not the time to start new projects but rather to finish up any Saturn-related business left unattended. Saturn in Scorpio provides us a time to set goals related to ambition and determination; perhaps these goals themselves are what need to be re-evaluated (again with the “re”).

In her book Cosmic Karma, author and astrologer Marguerite Manning offers the following explanation of Saturn in our charts:

What does Saturn mean in our individual natal chart? Exactly what it reflected in the medieval sky: limitations, hard work, and obstacles. It also represents what can be accomplished by overcoming them: success.

Pay attention to what house in your chart Saturn stations retrograde in, as that is where you will be most impacted (depending on the house, the focus of your re-assessments could be money, relationships, career, etc.). Use this time to gain insight and grow, making plans for the changes you will make when Saturn goes direct on July 7.

The deeply inspiring Shapeshifter Tarot is now available in a “deck only” format. If you’ve worn yours out and need to replace, now you can. Or if you’ve been waiting for a less expensive option than a full kit, here you go! CLICK

Today is Valentine’s Day. It’s a wonderful day now dedicated to love and romance. Some people, though, are still alone. And some are thinking about performing a love spell.

I made a four-part series of posts on the subject, so before you bring out your candles and spellbooks, take a look:

The Secrets of Real Love Spells: Part One

The Secrets of Real Love Spells: Part Two

The Secrets of Real Love Spells: Part Three

The Secrets of Real Love Spells: Part Four

On to San Jose, California, for PantheaCon!

That’s it for me this week. I’m off to San Jose where I’ll be giving workshops at PantheaCon. Llewellyn will have a booth there and I’ll frequently be at the booth, as well as being on panels and giving two workshops. I hope to see you there. Come by and say hello.

One of the big things about PantheaCon is the enormous number of workshops and speakers that are offered. You’ll have a chance to meet, listen to, and learn from many Llewellyn authors including: Amber K andAzrael Arynn K, Carl Neal, Chic and Tabatha Cicero, Christopher Penczak, Kenny Klein,Lon Milo DuQuette, Lupa, Mary K Greer, Melanie Marquis, River Higginbotham, Ruth Barrett, Stephanie Woodfield, Mambo Chita Tann, Tess Whitehurst, Thea Sabin, Ed Fitch, and Rachel Pollack.

This is the biggest metaphysical/occult/Pagan/New Age/esoteric indoor convention in the U.S. It’s going to be the talk of the Pagan blogosphere for weeks or months to come. I hope you can make it.

Many years ago I read the book Meta-talk: How to uncover hidden meanings in what people say by Gerard I. Nierenberg and Henry Calero.

The basic concept is sort of like interpreting body language for the use of words.

With body language, the position and motions of the body can amplify or refute the words you say. When you understand body language, you can better understand people’s actual meanings, sometimes when they don’t understand it themselves.

With meta-talk, one of the concepts is that the choice to use certain words can amplify or refute the content of what you say or write.

One of my favorite examples of this is the use of the word, “but.”

“But” is a conjunction that superficially merely links two clauses: “I love you but I have to go.”

As was revealed in that book (and later in NLP), however, “but” does not simply link two clauses, it negates the first clause completely.

People will often use “but” when they don’t want to admit to themselves or another person that they have certain beliefs or behaviors, when, in fact, they actually do.

“I don’t like to gossip, but…” and then they’ll share all the juicy gossip they know. They want you to believe they’re not a gossip. They may want to convince themselves they’re not a gossip. And yet, they want to do everything they say they’re not.

I had always been interested in psychological concepts as were presented in that book. It especially struck home with me on a personal level. About 15 years after I first read the book and about 20 miles from where my family and I lived, there were some demonstrations in a primarily African-American community which became violent. I still remember the words of my older brother. “I’m not a racist, but all the Blacks in that area don’t take care of their yards. They have no civic pride and no pride in themselves.”

I was incredulous. “All of them?” I asked? “Surely there are some people who take care of their homes.”*

“No,” he responded. “None of them.”

Knowing that he never drove in that area, I asked, “Have you really seen every house in that neighborhood?”

“Yes,” he lied. “I’ve seen them all.”

As it turned out, and as I learned later on, my brother did have some very racist tendencies. Interestingly, it was important to him to believe that he was not a racist, and it was also important to him for us to believe he was not a racist. He used his “‘but” as an attempt to convince us—and perhaps more importantly, himself—that he wasn’t racist.

Know Yourself—Know Your But

As I’ve written before, and as many of you know, the words gnothi seuton, Greek for “Know Thyself,” were supposedly written at the front of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. This concept of knowing oneself has remained important in occultism for thousands of years.

Shakespeare has Polonius, a character in Hamlet, say essentially the same thing:

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Aleister Crowley had the same idea with his concept of discovering what your True Will is and then doing exactly that. This would not allow for self-deception.

In Tantra, there are five blockages to spiritual development known as the kleshas. One of them is Asmita. This is often translated as “ego,” but is more accurately described as a false ego. To discover the extent of your false ego, make a list of character and behavior traits and rate yourself on them between one (none) and ten (high). Examples might be introverted, happy, friendly, helpful, and so on. Then ask some friends and family members to rate you for the same personality traits and behaviors. Problems to spiritual advancement can be seen wherever your ratings are widely different from theirs. If you say you’re outgoing and gregarious, while they say you’re standoffish and quiet, you clearly have a false sense of who you are. The goal for the Tantric is to free himself or herself from the klesha of asmita and overcome problems associated with the false ego.

Watch Your But

As a magician, a person who uses his or her words in the performance of rituals and spells, it’s important to be honest with yourself and honest with others. If you are trying to do an evocation of spirits but lie about yourself all the time, why should the spirits listen to you?

I am not proposing that you should change in any particular way. However, I am suggesting that you should examine yourself, your motivations, your beliefs, and your actions. I believe we should each be clear on the reality of who we are and what we believe. Once you understand that reality, you’re free to choose whether you want to change or stay as you are.

And one good way to do this is to simply become aware of your buts.

 

 

 

*Many years later I would learn that trying to get a person out of their mindset that was very generalized and unrealistic (examples: “all people say…” and “everyone hates me”) by trying to get a person to focus on specific situations was discovered by Virginia Satir, the “mother of family counseling,” and used in NLP with the name, the “Meta-Model.”

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought you might find a relationship spread useful. This is from The Guide to the Mystic Faerie Tarot.

Love Me, Love Me Not Daisy Spread

You’ve heard of plucking off daisy petals to determine if he “loves you” or “loves you not.” That tradition inspired this spread but examines the question a little differently. It focuses more on how you feel about the relationship. You’ll be able to see your current relationship more clearly and find ways to improve it.

1. What you need to know about how you see this relationship.

2. The strongest aspect or foundation of this relationship.

3. What you hope for in this relationship.

4. What happened in the past that is affecting this relationship.

5. What you expect from this relationship.

6. Your favorite thing about this relationship.

7. What you can do to make your favorite thing even better.

8. Your least favorite thing about this relationship.

9. What you can do to improve your least favorite thing.

While summertime is the busy season for outdoor Pagan festivals and gatherings, it’s indoor Pagan conventions that dominate the calendar in February and March. Here is a quick run-down on upcoming events PantheaCon, Convocation, and Paganicon, and which Llewellyn authors you’ll be able to see there.

PANTHEACON: February 15-18, 2013

The grande dame of indoor Pagan conventions, PantheaCon is held over President’s Day weekend every year and attracts more than 2,000 guests annually. This year Llewellyn will have a table just outside the vendor room for author signings and giveaways, so come by and visit us! I will also be chairing two panels; one on community (Friday afternoon) and one on publishing (Sunday morning). But the main attraction is the overwhelming amount of programming, rituals, and concerts. Llewellyn authors attending include: Amber K and Azrael Arynn K, Carl Neal, Chic and Tabatha Cicero, Christopher Penczak, Donald Michael Kraig, Kenny Klein, Lon Milo DuQuette, Lupa, Mary K Greer, Melanie Marquis, River Higginbotham, Ruth Barrett, Stephanie Woodfield, Mambo Chita Tann, Tess Whitehurst, Thea Sabin, Ed Fitch, and Rachel Pollack. And since I’m in a whirlwind of packing and prepping right now, I might actually be missing some!

CONVOCATION: February 21-24, 2013

Convocation is an excellent event held just outside of Detroit, Michigan every year. Now in its 19th year, the con is smaller than PantheaCon but still large enough to support over 100 classes and rituals, a full vendor room and art room, and “the largest indoor Drum Circle in the Midwest.” Llewellyn authors Ellen Dugan, Christopher Penczak, and Raven Kaldera are guests of honor this year; and Llewellyn authors Andrieh Vitimus and Michelle Belanger are also presenting.

PAGANICON: March 15-17, 2013

Paganicon is still a baby con; this will be its third year. Held in Minneapolis, it is still a relatively quiet and intimate convention, although there is nothing quiet about the ball held on Saturday night! With a focus on “local talent” Paganicon has only had one or two guests of honor from out of town each year so far: first was John Michael Greer, last year was Christopher Penczak and musician S.J. Tucker, and this year the guests are Brandy Williams (Llewellyn author) and Orion Foxwood (non-Llewellyn author). This year Paganicon will be introducing a curated art show for the first time. Full disclosure: Llewellyn is a major sponsor of this con, and I am on its board of directors. (Yay, me!)

So if you prefer hot showers to shared facilities, a soft hotel bed to a sleeping bag in a tent, and carpeting and chairs to bug bites and sunburn — or you’re suffering from cabin fever after a long, cooped-up winter — a hotel convention might be right for you! It’s a great way to connect with the community and continue your magical, thealogical, or philosophical education.