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April 10 through April 16, 2023

Things should hum along smoothly this week, with the only astrological shift being Venus' entry into Gemini on Monday. We'll find ourselves expressing ourselves more openly and lovingly under this influence, sharing unconditional love and support with all those around us. The Capricorn Moon will cast a productive air around us on Tuesday through Thursday, so midweek is the time to focus on getting things done. Friday and Saturday's Aquarius Moon inspires us to think different as we head into the weekend, so this is a great time to try something new, venture out to meet new friends, or take up a global cause that is dear to our hearts. We can all lay back on Sunday and relax, as the watery Pisces Moon will promote going internal and nurturing our spiritual sides. It could also make it a bit hard to get anything done, so hope you took care of the essentials midweek!

Mysticism of the Unseen, by Daniel Moler

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

What does it mean to be a mystic?

Almost every human being seeks communion with some sort of creative power in the universe, whether it is called God or Goddess, Jehovah, Allah, Great Spirit, or Brahma. Science is no different, pursuing the origin of life through the intricacies of quantum mechanics or Big Bang theory. We all have a draw toward uncovering the mystery of existence, what is often called the Great Originating Mystery.

Is this connection to the unseen reserved for only priests or priestesses, monks or nuns? Are they the select few who get to experience the source of all creation?

What if it was the destiny of every human to be able to interact with the unseen force in the universe that seems to propel all life? Further, what is the goal of such a spiritual experience and how can it be approached?

Although there is no definitive answer to these questions, our ancestors have provided direction through various modalities of mystical participation with the world around us. Known as the Mystery Traditions, these modalities have been shrouded in secrecy and symbolism for millennia. It has only been the last century or so that the disparate spiritual practices of these traditions from around the world have come to light and surfaced in the global arena. I can now observe, study, and even take part in mystical practices from a Thearavada Buddhist in Cambodia. Likewise, a Shipibo medicine woman from the Amazon can touch base with my own spiritual paradigm and worldview. Thanks to modern technology and academia, most every human being has the potential to tap into spiritual practices that had been hidden for centuries.

Now, I'm a project manager at heart. In the daytime, I am coordinating dozens of teams to implement and deliver millions of dollars' worth of product to customers who expect high quality. If I stick to a textbook-style methodology of project management, those teams will fail. In order to stay relevant and provide value, sometimes you have to throw away conventional models, pull up your sleeves, and just find out what works in reality. It seems we are now in a place in our global spiritual culture where we can now do something similar. Likewise, in these Mystery Traditions, if we can uncover the best of what works from these systems, and perfect them, then we will provide a solid framework for the coming generations who seek answers to the mysteries of life.

The first objective, then, is to empower people to become mystics in their own right, rather than making the direct connection to the spiritual realm exclusive.

This is why I have always been drawn to shamanism. Shamanism is not a religion, but moreso represents a set of spiritual practices that is alive in most all religious traditions. A shaman normally serves the community by directly engaging with Spirit (God) through various interactions with the natural world. A good example of this is found all over Christian history, including the Old Testament with Moses and Elijah, as well as post-New Testament via the early Christian Gnostics. Also, Siddhartha Gautama's direct revelation of enlightenment under the tree, which spawned Buddhist philosophy. And so on. In essence, shamanism is the root of all spiritual traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. Hence, every religion's origin is truly shamanic, because every religion started as a means of facilitating a direct relationship with God.

My own personal work and training in shamanism has encouraged a direct relationship with the unseen world. Instead of being beholden to some other person for my spiritual experience, I am now enabled to take full responsibility for my own direct mystical revelations. Shamanism does this primarily through its technique of engaging non-ordinary states of consciousness. Within that state of awareness that is not conventional, my mind can move into a space where it can then begin to receive visionary imagery and/or information that contribute to my spiritual purpose.

In my book, Shamanic Qabalah: A Mystical Path to Uniting the Tree of Life & the Great Work, I offer an approach to the Mysteries through the precise symbolism found in Jewish and Hermetic Qabalah (also seen as "Kabbalah") applied with the down-to-Earth techniques of indigenous shamanism. Why I have chosen to mix Qabalah with shamanism is a question which gets asked quite a bit, but my answer is always the same: because they are the same thing, just Qabalah has a refined system that can be more readily understood in a modern context than, say, indigenous symbols and ideas.

At its heart, Qabalah is a system of Judaic mysticism and is the very basis of understanding the Old Testament. "Qabalah" is a Hebrew word that literally means, "to receive," so it is a set of concepts and ideas meant to cleanse the soul to receive the experience of Spirit. Qabalah has evolved from being entirely Jewish-centric, and over time was utilized by many religious traditions across the planet: Christianity, Islam, neo-paganism, etc. Many scholars believe Jesus himself would have been trained in Qabalah, being raised Jewish and even impressing the priests at the Temple, and many of his teachings incorporate Qabalistic concepts if one is trained to spot them. Elements of Qabalah have even been found through the spiritual practices of cultures throughout the world.

In my own training in curanderismo (Peruvian shamanism) I found many references and correlations to Qabalah. So many, in fact, that they could no longer be ignored. Both shamanism and Qabalah are systems that aim to lift the veil of illusion that pervades our senses, to tap into the unseen forces in the universe around us. With the ecstatic and naturalistic techniques offered by shamanism and the precise symbolism of Qabalah, I began opening pathways into my own consciousness that have now made me confident of my own spiritual path...I am a mystic. I have the ability and privilege to connect with the unseen spiritual powers of the universe and gain the guidance I require to continue my own evolution toward liberty and happiness.

"Initiation, the Great Work," I state in the second chapter of my book, "engages with symbols in an unconscious way—via ritual—to reach the subconscious recesses of the mind."

The Great Work is the ability to reach into the subconscious mind and, through connection with the unseen, find one's true purpose as an individual in this life. Qabalah has a rich history of symbolism that cannot be ignored to any practitioner of the mystic arts, whether it be the high ceremonial practices of occult magick or earth-based spiritualities such as Wicca. The problem has been to take these high-brow concepts and make them accessible to those who may not want to go through the rigorous tomes of the Western Mysteries. Therefore, Shamanic Qabalah attempts to integrate academic occultism with the naturalistic execution of indigenous shamanism.

As with any process, if it becomes too difficult, take a step back and go back to basics. Utilize what works for your own individual practice yet be open to new ideas. The Mystery Traditions are chock full of wisdom, but none of it matters if we can't apply it to our everyday lives. The whole goal of having a relationship with the unseen universe is to have a better relationship with the universe that is seen.

Otherwise, what is the point?

In Shamanic Qabalah, I lay the groundwork for a shamanic practice based upon Hermetic Qabalistic symbolism. The backbone for this system is the Tree of Life, a composite symbol that acts as a schema of consciousness, as well as the inner and outer universe. Some say it is a map to God. Within the Tree of Life resides roadways and destinations (referred to as paths and spheres) that designate the stages of spiritual evolution and growth. Shamanic Qabalah teaches one to engage with the Tree of Life, through a shamanic elemental methodology. Whereas the Tree of Life normally appears as an inaccessible and often high-brow concept for some, I hope to make its concepts approachable and useful to anyone willing to give it a shot.

A mystic takes charge of their own spiritual legacy. A mystic needs no authority. It is my hope and wish that Shamanic Qabalah is a guide and reference to propel individuals to that level of confidence. Mysticism is our birthright and hopefully we can all entrust one another lift each other up to provide the best tools and practices at our disposal. We are in this together. The Great Work is all about discovering and living out our individual spiritual destiny, all while supporting others on their own path.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2018. All rights reserved.

I recently saw a TV show on twins and they were saying that twins are so much alike because they share the same genetics, not because they share a psychic connection. As a twin, I have always felt intuitively connected to my sister even though we have very different tastes, ideals and traits. I just wondered what you think about the psychic and astrological aspects of twins, and if you could shed some light on why my sister and I are actually so different even though we were born within minutes of each other. Our birth date is June 24, 1974. Thanks!
Ella

Susyn:

Whether you are coming from a genetic or astrological viewpoint, the study of twins is really fascinating. In addition to biology, twins share the same womb for nine months and almost always share the same birthday. Some twins are very similar in nature while others form very different personalities, but they all tend to share a psychic connection that most scientists can't explain. Metaphysically, these two souls chose to come into the world together, so they are bound by heart and spirit in addition to physical similarities.

One study I read involved twins who were separated at birth. Even though they did not grow up together, their lives tended to mirror each other's. The research showed that their preferences, life experiences, career choices, homes, and even the names of and number of children or pets they had were remarkably similar.

Twins develop their own personalities as they grow. Even though they share the same birthday, twins can appear to be very different from one another. One may be an extrovert while the other tends to be shy; one may excel at studies while the other tends to be less serious and more creative.

Each sign of the zodiac has different attributes. Twins, being two halves of a whole, may each display different personalities. For example, Aries is associated with assertiveness, ambition and determination. It also embodies the traits of loyalty, hard work and frugality. So while one Aries twin might be an entrepreneur and always challenging herself with higher goals, the other may carry a reputation for being a dependable and reliable long-term employee.

In the case of you and your sister, you have even more choices. Born under the sign of Cancer but during the month associated with Gemini, you are influenced by both signs. Many people born during the last 10 to 12 days of a month will actually operate as a blended sign by integrating the traits of both. Cancers are typically defined as sensitive, emotional, creative and introverted. They love to cook and garden. Geminis are intellectual. They can have difficulty making up their minds and tend to be extroverts. They love communication and variety. You and your sister may each share different traits of both these signs.

The wonderful thing about twins is that they are psychically connected in every way, but are still free to grow and develop into individuals with unique tastes. Even though they share the same Sun sign and planetary positions at the time of birth, they are not astrologically limited, for each one has a unique soul and destiny.

*****

Oceania:

You don't say whether you and sister are identical or fraternal twins, so I'll address both cases. Identical twins occur when one fertilized egg divides into two embryos. They're also known as monozygotic twins, meaning from one egg. Fraternal twins occur when a woman's ovaries release two eggs during the same cycle and both are fertilized. They're also known as dizygotic twins, meaning from two eggs.

Fraternal twins can have different fathers if the timing is right, but even when they share a father, they can differ greatly in appearance and personality. Genetically, fraternal twins are no more similar than any two siblings; they just happen to be the same age. One fraternal twin might be cautious and compliant, while the other is bold and adventurous. Their unique approaches to life cause people to respond to them differently, so their life experiences begin to diverge.

Twins of any variety often describe feeling an intuitive connection with one another, which probably stems from sharing close quarters during their first nine months of life and being constant companions thereafter for many years. Twins share the perspective of being born into the same family, community and society at the same moment in history. Their shared memories are unique to the two of them, which creates a strong bond.

The fact that you and your sister are so different suggests you are fraternal twins, but since identical twins are always of the same sex, you may be of that variety. In that case, your differences can be explained in part by molecules known as epigenetic markers, which attach to genes and switch their expression on or off. Science is still learning what factors affect the development of these markers; so far they know they can be triggered by diet, illness or exposure to pollutants like cigarette smoke.

Although this chemical process can make twins less identical over time, adoption research still shows that even when identical twins are raised apart, they end up more similar than do unrelated children who were adopted and raised under the same roof.

Psychological factors can contribute to the development of differences in identical twins. I once worked with a family with identical twin girls and observed that their feisty, independent personalities seemed to spark a determination to be different from each other. They had fun experimenting with different looks, hobbies and educational pursuits. If they had not been so similar to begin with, they may not have felt driven to be so creatively different!

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.