- Weekly Astrological Forecast for August 19 through August 25, 2024Continue reading →
August 19 through August 25, 2024
Two major astrological events rule the heavens this week, beginning with an Aquarius full Moon on Monday, followed by the Sun's entry into Virgo on Thursday. We should expect the unexpected under Monday's full Moon, as Aquarius is famous for shaking things up, as well as revealing information that hasn't been available in the past. We'll simply have to be on high alert and prepared to change thought or direction at a moment's notice. With the Moon dancing through Pisces Tuesday and Wednesday, it will be easier to see where recent changes are actually working in our favor, affirming that the Universe is always protecting us from moving in the wrong direction, even when we resist the blocks. Once the Sun moves into Virgo on Thursday, we'll be entering a four-week period of grounding, discipline, and centering ourselves. That's not a bad thing after a season of ethereal movements. Setting new schedules and goals is a theme, and our focus will turn to bringing more order to our worlds. The weekend unfolds under a Taurus Moon, making Saturday and Sunday a great time to relax and regroup after a busy week.
- The Gifts Behind Names: Chaldean Numerology Unwraps the MysteryContinue reading →
The Gifts Behind Names: Chaldean Numerology Unwraps the Mystery, by Heather Alicia Lagan
(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)
Chaldean numerology has traveled a rather bumpy road since its birth in ancient Mesopotamia thousands of years ago. In later years, for a variety of reasons, people needed a simpler system to work with—and thus, Chaldean suffered an NDE (metaphorically speaking, of course). While most thought the subject dead, a group of low-key scholars kept it on life support for another few thousand years, during which time it was carefully studied and passed down to further caretakers. Only recently has it begun its long-awaited rebirth into the land of the living...and the interest in this mystical oracle keeps growing, undoubtedly because it has proven itself to be the most accurate, inspiring, enlightening, challenging and rewarding alpha-numerology system in existence.
Chaldean numerology surpasses others in that its birth was based on sound and symbol connections—not only does it consider the numeric vibrations in a name, it affords equal attention to the meanings of the characters each name is composed of. Nevertheless, it was still the most difficult of all systems to wrap a brain around—so could this complex system be simplified to the point that everyone could use it and understand how to invite the most satisfaction, success and spiritual enlightenment into their lives?
Good question, right? One I pondered long and hard...and then put the system to work over a period of twenty years. Along the way, I kept notes—reams of them—and then simplified it so that exactly that could happen: everyone could understand it. Here is just a sample of what Chaldean numerology can reveal once you know the language, so to speak. What follows is a respectful look at one name and is intended only as an introductory to the mysterious world of Chaldean alpha-numerology.
I know you all recognize the name Llewellyn. This company name has remained the same for over 110 years, and its letter and number contents speak to its outside image, interior activities, character, strengths, and the pattern created by the energetic cycle it passes though every 34 years (which is the total number of all letters in this name unit: i.e L=3, E=5, etc.) and its overall essence, which is the enigmatic but brilliant brain-ruled number 7 (which we will have a quick look at later).
The most prominent letters in this name are the (very rare) opening double L (ruled by 3) factors and the identical (extremely rare) double L energies repeated later. The L is helpful: it is the Helping Hand...its original meaning connected to ancient cattle prods whose goal was to promote progress by offering gentle tail-lifts to striking cattle. While the first L serves as the Cornerstone (the first letter of any given word), the second L intensifies these attributes and can thereby also create conflict, because we all know that too much of a good thing can wind up being...well, too much of a good thing. As mentioned, this pattern is repeated later in the name unit which then presents two separate and subtle Master 33 energies (33 equals the Healer of the Masses—quite appropriate when considering the goal of this Company as reflected in their Vision Statement: To be the world's leading supplier of works for personal growth and the transformation of body, mind, and spirit).
These L vibrations are ruled by the 3, which represents constant activity of both the brain and the body (interior functioning of the Company), with the ultimate goal being the amalgamation of the body, mind, and spirit into a product. The aforementioned conflict may arise when the Company is inundated with manuscripts, ideas, and other projects; while Llewellyn would truly love to be able to publish them all, this is simply not a viable option. That is where the additional theme of the Master 33 comes in: sacrifice. Here, it would be around which topics and authors are short-listed and which are regretfully laid aside. The repetition later in the name indicates that this is a recurring or cyclical event...and it can definitely cause conflict when a few editors knock heads over any particular book.
The second most prominent letter is the E, which appears twice, but in different placements. The first one exaggerates the double L characters, and since the E is the most enthusiastic, enduring, evolving, and sometimes excessive energy, it indicates periods of time when the incoming projects can be overwhelming, while the second placement takes Llewellyn into the second set of double L energies. Both symbols speaks to freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of choice, and freedom of thought—in a word, independence, which is exactly what Llewellyn is—one of the largest and oldest independent publishing houses in modern history.
Further, the E talks about constant change...which each season of publication would definitely bring. There is much more to the E than can be shared here, but suffice it to say that this is the most powerful, progressive, and potent letter—it is sheer energy—and heavy doses can be a bit like receiving a needle of adrenaline straight to the heart of the matter. It gets things moving: the mind engages, the body activates, and the spirit soars...both E values in Llewellyn supply continual, electrically-charged sustenance to the core of this Company.
The 5 this letter is ruled by is very similar in meaning: it is freedom, communication, changes, independence, travel...and as such, might create absolute chaos within the Company but for the saving grace of its center placement in the traditional number scale of 1-10. Imagine sitting in the centerpoint of a teeter-totter while it is in motion; this is the nature of the 5: it keeps and maintains balance even through the highs and lows—or the most trying and challenging of times. (Including the N, there are three 5 values in this name, which is highly fortuitous in terms of balance.) Also worthy of note is that this is the only number to which fame is attached...and these same 3 indicators speak to the fame this Company has achieved while also providing the springboard for successful authors who have been published through this house.
The center of this name revolves around the W, which is symbolic of the highs and lows of a roller coaster in that the high points of the letter itself are separated by the low valleys in between. This letter is reaching up, striving for spiritual guidance and is not one to give up; it is a warm and welcoming vibration that is backed by the emotional and loving 6. This combination presents a wide and wondrous way of looking at things and is among the most loyal of energies. When one looks at the word WE as found in Llewellyn, the suggestion of an all-encompassing group speaks volumes; this incorporates the Company and the writers and the readers, everyone who is intrinsic in achieving the common goal: to share information, healing tools, helpful advice, old and new knowledge, and anything else that can assist in the development of mankind. There is, after all, a very deep and unplumbed WELL of knowledge. This last word can also be used when connected to the spiritual state of all: We (are) Well. Or that is our aim. To be connected and to be spiritually healthy.
Every thirty-four years or so, Llewellyn will hit the fork in the road: the Y. This is a choice imposed or a choice made that has the potential to completely alter the direction of the Company, and while this Y often carries an overall message that impacts the name energy on a constant basis, it also can highlight one year periods when pronounced shifts take place. For example, during the late 1960s, an unexpected resurgence of interest in the metaphysical forever changed the path of the Company. In 1969, the year of the Y, new directions were taken, new clients discovered, and new life injected into the Company. Llewellyn's path changed, dramatically and forever.
This letter is ruled by number 1: the beginner, the starter, the initiator, and the pioneer, which supports the consequences of choosing either road: it will be a new beginning. A different angle of this Y cycle (which lasts 1 year) came soon after the original purchase of the Company (1901), when Llewellyn George published the first year-long Moon Sign Book, which has been published every year since 1905. The Y indicates the option of taking the road well-traveled versus the road barely visible, and it is obvious that Llewellyn chose to take the road less traveled and in doing so, paved the way for others to follow.
The final letter energy is the N, which is, as mentioned, also ruled by 5. Long ago, this symbol was connected to the fish, which represented nourishment for the body and the soul—which is pretty darn close to the ideal description of this Company and the service it provides. Another aspect of this final positioning is also ideal; the N is seen as an energy filter: that which comes through this filter is mellowed and transformed into softer vibes. It throws a normal and neutral blanket over the entire picture.
So this brief run-through of the highly-respected energy that is Llewellyn should give you an idea of how this process works, although it is much more involved when assigned to Name and Lifepath analysis for a person.
And I would be remiss if I did not elaborate on the 7 this name is ruled by (this is the total sum, after reduction, of the entire name). But first, a quick observation: the four L energies are upside down versions of the 7. The W also holds two slightly quirky 7 energies within its structure, as does the N. Interesting?
The 7 is the number of the brain, and its lesson is to incorporate both sides of the brain into one powerful unit. One type of the 7 lives in the lab of the Scientist and represents logic, facts and figures, scientific data, controlled progression, practicality, and non-emotive exteriors, while the other lives in the land of the Metaphysician: anything esoteric, mystical, paranormal, thought-provoking, artistic, and spiritual appeals to them and can even become their life’s work. Consider the two sides below.
- The name Llewellyn houses a group of thinking energies that are focused in the logic and practicality of good choices versus bad ones. Thinking ahead, planning, calculating, considering, and then reaching decisions and instigating production. All involve the logical and most effective use of data accessed through the scientific side of the brain; no emotion, just the facts please. This is a realistic place to be.
- The name Llewellyn also houses a group of thinking energies that produce metaphysical and spiritual products that are all about hope and faith. Learning to accept, heal, renew, and to love the self and others. All involve the metaphysical and the purest of spiritual or occult categories for those seeking answers that lie beyond science, and the intuition plays a key role. This is magickal place to be.
Llewellyn is both: it is the ideal blend of the Scientist with the Metaphysician, which is the goal of the 7. That said, this is a rarity: a sparkling gem in the land of spiritual knowledge and education. It is truly unusual to find a balanced 7, and how perfectly appropriate it is for this Company and its activities.
And it is the publisher of my first book (Chaldean Numerology for Beginners: How Your Name and Birthday Reveals Your True Nature and Life Path), to boot. I am very fortunate and blessed. As are we all.
Namaste.
Heather LaganArticle originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2011. All rights reserved.
- Double Vision: Can Divination Tools Be Evil? Why Do So Many Think They are?Continue reading →
I am wondering if you could help me figure some things out. I have been reading tarot cards, palms and crystal balls for many years. I started when I was in sixth grade and I am now in college. I have become quite skilled at it, but over the years, I have many times heard people say that these things are evil. Are there ways that divination can be evil, and others ways it can be good? If it's not evil, why do so many people think it is? Thanks!
Jess (birthday: January 19)
Dreamchaser:
Jessica, of course there are ways that divination tools can be used for evil. ANYTHING can be used for good or evil. I can use a knife to cut meat to feed my family, or I can use a knife to kill someone, in which case the knife is not "bad," my actions are. It is like that with anything.
Tarot was originally created as a way to pass along knowledge of the Old Ways; it was sort of a pictorial history. The Catholic Church considered that to be very dangerous, as it was trying to impose its own belief system on the population. The Church realized the power of the Old Ways, and since it wanted supreme power, it proclaimed tarot "evil" along with lots of other Pagan symbols and tools.
A good example is the God of the Hunt. A man would put antlers on his head and creep closer to the herd so that the animals could be hunted more easily for food. This eventually led to a Pagan God named the God of the Hunt, who was depicted as having horns on his head and hooves. Can you guess what the Christian Church turned THAT image into? Yes - the Devil.
Also, Christianity was not spreading fast enough, so during the Crusades, the term Pagan was mistranslated from the original meaning of "country dweller" to "unbeliever" by the Church. Anyone who was an "unbeliever" is to this day considered evil and hell bound by the Christian church. As a result, the term Pagan and anything associated it with it now carries negative connotations for most people. I do not want to digress into a lesson on the origins of Paganism, however - that is for another day.
If your intentions while using a divination tool are positive and you mean to harm none, then your tools can NEVER be evil. Bless them when you first receive them and be sure to cleanse them properly. Whenever I am burning sage, I always let the sage smoke encircle my tarot decks. I feel that it helps. You can do whatever you want to keep your tools "clean." The only other thing I do is put them away in a box when I am not using them. I have mentioned before that I just buy inexpensive kids' plastic pencils boxes. They are the perfect size and stack up easily.
I wish you knowledge of all that is GOOD.
*****
Astrea:
Many unenlightened/ ignorant people believe in devils and demons because of their superstitious upbringings. People have been burned as heretics for as long as the Christian Church has been in business, and before Christians, Pagans slaughtered one another over differences in belief. All of this happened because what people can't see and don't know about they fear, which leads to beliefs that certain people and objects are "EVIL."
Nowadays a good bit of the Church's objection to psychic readers is actually financial. The Church doesn't want people giving money to readers and psychics and witches, because they feel that should be money the CHURCH could use better, so they label those things evil.
I'm not saying that ALL Christians think divination tools are evil. The most open-minded people I know are often the real Christians - those who don't judge other people for what they think, see or use. There are plenty of faux Christians who will say that divination tools and related items don't come from God, and that God is the ONLY ONE who can plan or predict the future. Personally, I believe that we're divinely given the gift of FREE WILL to make choices and experience the consequences of those choices, and that nothing IS unless we do the work to MAKE IT SO. It's a little simple-minded to pin all our troubles on demonic forces!
Tools are tools, whether they're used for plumbing or for divining. If the plumber using the tools doesn't know what he is doing, then chances are the plumbing won't be fixed, and things could actually get worse. If a psychic READER doesn't know what SHE is doing, things can go wrong there, too. You've been reading as long as I have, so chances are the EXPERIENCES you've had doing it have taught you to believe in what is RIGHT for you.
People who don't understand what you're doing may be afraid of it, and so it becomes very easy for them to label it all as "EVIL" or "SATANIC" or "WRONG." What you do is wrong if YOU feel that it's wrong, and no one else should judge you for anything that you believe, say or use. As long as you feel "right" with the Divine Force in your life, everyone else can go jump in a lake!
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.