‘THINK on THESE THINGS’ for July 18

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Sensibility is said to be neither good nor evil in itself, but in its application. Sometimes we just “out-sensible” ourselves. In the course of years we come to see the pattern of the truly sensible. What have we at this moment that really means anything? Does it give us happiness? Did in once seem most impractical? Was it worth fighting for?

The intellectual strives for knowledge and in his absorption leaves the world but hardly leaves a vacancy. The materialistic must have everything at the price of peace, and their possessions decay but never their chaotic souls. And the insecure forfeit the most minute comforts to save for that rainy day. Happiness would have been greater and far more lasting if the fund had been smaller and used as an opportunity fund.

The fine line of sensibility can be most elusive, but it seems to be more clearly seen when we relax and quit shoving to get there. If the place we desire is meant for us, it will come when we learn the way isn’t always sharp and direct and by demand.

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Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet:

http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org

Elder’s Meditation of the Day July 18

“Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.”

–Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

The Creator gives us many laws to live by. These are different than the laws of man. The laws of the Creator are designed for us to live in harmony and balance with ourselves and each other. These laws are about having freedom and happiness. Our Elders teach us these laws. Laws about how to treat each other, laws about how to treat and respect our Mother Earth, laws about the environment.

Oh Great Spirit, teach me the laws of the unseen world. Today I pray You open my eyes so I can better see the Red Road.

July 18 – Daily Feast

Time is the supreme equalizer. It puts us on the same level with people that never considered us their equal. The person in most revered and feared position can suddenly have his breath taken away by sudden descent. Time seems almost mischievous in the way it turns things around. We never really know what people think or what they believe until they have had some time. Our only drawback is how we think about ourselves and the need to talk about it. When our mouths are talking, our minds stop to listen. We may not like what time has done – but we can rely on its fairness. It has seen our actions, heard us talk, and knows our hearts. We can only hope there is enough time that we learn and change.

~ Like the wildwood birds which our fathers used to hold their breath to hear, they sing in concert….alike in forest and field…..alike before wigwam or castle….alike. ~

POKAGON

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Daily Motivator for July 18 – Put it all to use

Put it all to use

Nothing is too difficult and nothing is too complicated. Nothing is out of reach, and nothing is too outrageous.

Life is what it is, and you have the immense good fortune of being here, right now, to live it. So instead of working to place judgments on it, go ahead and live it.

Sure, some tasks are highly complex, and others demand large amounts of effort and commitment. The good news is that those are precisely the kinds of things you’re so very good at.

It is indeed a blessing that life can be so demanding. After all, that’s what gives life so many great and fulfilling possibilities.

Step up and claim the most valuable of your own amazing possibilities. Feel those good things that resonate most with you, and joyfully bring them to life.

You have great power, purpose, and ability. Choose in this moment, and again and again, to put it all to meaningful and effective use.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

Daily OM for July 18 – Rippling and Tipping

Rippling and Tipping

Universal Awakening

by Madisyn Taylor

Like the ripple on a lake spreading out, humanity is awakening at an ever increasing speed.

A snowball at the top of a mountain has the potential to become huge, just by rolling down the mountain and gathering more snow. In a short time, this tiny snowball can become a force to be reckoned with. We humans are like this when it comes to exchanging energy and vision, and no matter how few people are involved at the beginning, there is the potential for massive change. As consciousness seekers, we are in the midst of this process, and it is amazing to see people we thought might never come around, waking up to their truth. Each time we see this, we can count ourselves blessed to be living at a time when the awareness of humanity seems to be at a tipping point, as more and more individuals open their minds and change their ways.

For some people, this revolves around an awareness of the environment, for others it is a spiritual awakening, and for many it is both. A great change in consciousness is sweeping through us all, as we recognize that things are not what they have seemed to be, that there is more to our lives than meets the eye. Many of us have the awareness and the energy at this time to break through old, outmoded ways of seeing things and to move into a new way of being in the world, and it is essential that we do so. The beauty of living at this time is that even small actions have a powerful ripple effect, and the reverberations of what we do have the power to reach and open many minds.

It is as if a scale is about to tip in favor of higher consciousness, and each one of us has the power to bring humanity closer to that point with the smallest of actions. Each time we move in the direction of our dreams and visions, we can visualize another small pebble dropping into the pond, or another gold weight on the scale, rippling and tipping our way to universal awakening.

Empowering the Square

Use smudge and proceed clockwise round the square from the top north-west corner (as you face north) until you end at the same place. If possible empower at sunset, and as close to the three days after the full moon as you can.

Make a swirl at each corner with the smudge and ask for blessings and protection from the benign lesser earth spirits who will, if you are fortunate, take up position there (especially if you have taller rocks on which for them to make a home).

Greet each of the loftier mid-point guardians, however you picture them, by raising your smudge to the sky and then downwards to the earth. Greet each of the guardians on the first occasion with a small rounded black stone offering (you can use jet or tourmaline if you want to use a crystal but not the fiery obsidian).

Unlike archangels, a land wight may not reveal his specific name so greet him as “sacred or noble land wight of the northern land” and so on round the four directions.

You can if you wish refer to the northern direction guardian as Tiwaz the Viking spirit warrior who represents the Pole Star, the east as Odin the Viking father god, the south as Thor the mighty thunder and blacksmith god and the west as Ingvi or Ingwaz, the ancient fertility god who, according to the old sagas or legends went anticlockwise, against the sun, that is westwards.

You can empower a temporary or large visualized square by standing in the center and pointing your smudge in the same order as you walked; north-west corner, north center, north-east corners, etc. and repeating the words as you turn the smudge clockwise and anticlockwise.

If you are making a protective square of light around yourself in a dangerous place, picture staves of light rising vertically at all eight points.

Magick squares don’t need to be uncast as their energies will flow back and forth from the soil.

Re-empower a permanent magick square monthly at sunset, on any day during the three days after the full moon.

Casting A Magickal Square

Casting A Magickal Square

The square is a very powerful symbol of protection. Even if your work within a circle you can still designate as outer square as an additional protective enclosure. If you can’t have a permanent altar outdoors, your magick square can designate the smaller space where you regularly set up your magickal tools.

It is also very protective of the home, even more so than a circle, and is an easier shape to cast in many gardens than the circle. I draw one around my caravan with small stone makers if the site is very quiet or if I have to leave the caravan unoccupied for a while.

It is effective also for keeping children or animals temporarily off lawns or flower beds you are trying to grow.

You can visualize a protective square of any size, from a small one around a precious artifact to one around a sacred site where you have organized a seasonal ritual.

They are very protective around natural circles such as groves where you would not draw a circle.

Indeed, you can create a temporary square if you are working in a public spot and don’t want your magick area invaded by dogs and curious coach parties. In modern times where working in isolated places may be less safe, you can visualize one around the beach or forest while you are working or around yourself (as well as your protective circle) on a deserted station platform or taxi tank.

Stand in the center of your designated square, which may also be the center of your projected magick circle.

Hold out your arm as far as you can with your palm upright and outwards and say:

“Enough and no more, I draw my square of protection. Preserve this space as sacred.”

Picture a line of light forming the top horizontal (west to east). Keep turning, making next the vertical north-south line along the right east side as you face north. Speak and visualize till you have all four lines in place and can see a shimmering outline to your square of light.

You can also walk your square from the furthest away top left-hand corner, moving clockwise and ending at the nearest, bottom left corner. Use your wand in front of you and put a small dark stone at each corner and one halfway along each line. You can align with a compass or estimate north in the middle of the top line furthest from you as you face north.

You can assign your midpoints, the main directions, to archangels or to the lofty Landvaetir, the tall brown guardians who in Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany and eastern part of the UK are cognized as protecting land and all who live on it. You can further protect the corners with the traditional taller dark stones if you are setting up a permanent magickal square.

Bless your square as you would a circle the first time you create it.

The Magick Square

Squares have a strong folk magick traditions; a magickal square would be marked in a field with hoes, takes or other agricultural implements. In times of persecution squares could be consecrated as a magickal space, but were much easier to disguise a magickal workings than circles. Some were undoubtedly use to mark as sacred as magickal workings than circles. Some were undoubtedly used to mark as sacred land where a former sacred Roman temple stood, just as a circle of stones or tree stumps beneath a church or cathedral might mark a former sacred Druidic grove.

In Scandinavia, the magickal square formed the outline for a grid of nine squares, three by three. These were made by the seior, the witch seers of the Norse world who channeled wisdom from the spirit world, specifically from Helheim where the crone goddess Hel cared for the deceased. The seior sat on raised thrones within the grids and traveled astrally to Helheim to talk to the ancestors and receive advice for the living. Only later did the goddess Hel become demonized and in recent years there has been a revival of seior craft.

The water witches of the West Midlands also used a magickal square, or mill as they called it, for magick. They were people who came from the Netherlands to live and work on the Midland canals in the 1800s. They practiced an ancient form of folk magick that did not die out till the mid-1900s and there are still a few practitioners remaining. Rituals were practices by these canal people on a square of land adjacent to the canal bank within a triple magickal square. Each square was joined by four lines and constructed from wood and was known as the Mil. Only women entered the sacred area under the leadership of a senior female water witch, through the chief male, known as the master, standing at the edge, summoned a spirit entity to assist in the ritual.

In modern Iceland, the Landvaetir or Land guardians often have particularly sacred square fields that cannot be built on, where offerings are left in order to bring protection to the homes and farms around.

Air Sealing Tips for Hot Humid Climates

by Chaya, selected from Networx

Since we’re now into summer, and it may well be a hot one this year, it’s a good time to look at home improvements that can help save energy and make your house more comfortable in those hot, sticky months coming up. Air conditioning installers in Miami and other hot, humid climates are going to get a lot of work this summer. How can you get the most from your investment in air conditioning?

The first thing that homeowners and contractors need to understand is that air sealing is really important. The most common insulation, fiberglass, doesn’t work very well when air leaks through it. It’s actually a pretty good filter for dirt (you may have noticed that it’s used for those cheap furnace filters), when you cut open an old insulated wall you usually see big streaks of dirt where air has been blowing through the insulation for years. Not only do air leaks keep the insulation from working, they let lots of humid air into the house, making your air conditioner work harder. Tightening up those leaks keeps the house more comfortable, keeps the humidity lower, and saves a lot of energy in the process.

So where do we need to air seal, you might ask? Pretty much everywhere, but let’s start at the bottom. For now, I’ll assume that you have a wood framed floor with a vented crawlspace below it, and probably fiberglass batt insulation installed between the floor joists. Carefully pull out the batts around any big holes like tub drains, pipes, big wires, and any other place where there are holes in the floor decking. Plug those holes with foam boards, spray foam, or anything else that won’t let air pass through. Don’t jam fiberglass insulation in the holes – it won’t air seal anything. Then carefully caulk all the small holes where wires and pipes pass through the floor.

Finally, make sure that all the insulation is pushed up tight against the subfloor and held in place with skinny metal bars called tiger teeth. If you’re really ambitious you could seal and insulate your crawlspace, but that’s a little too involved for this post.

Then you need to go inside and caulk all the cracks between the walls and the floor. If you’re replacing carpet or refinishing wood floors, put a good bead of caulk or spray foam between the baseboard and the subfloor. Next, start moving up the walls, filling in all the gaps in the drywall – around receptacles, pipes, wires, window and door trim, and anything else that makes a hole in the wall finish. You can buy foam gaskets to put behind electrical plates that will help seal them from more air leaks. If you have any knee walls – walls between interior space and attics, make sure that they are well insulated and have a solid air barrier on the attic side – something like drywall or foam board, carefully caulked at all joints and edges. If your house is missing this, all the heat from the attic will flow right through the insulation into the room, making it really uncomfortable.

Finally, we need to fix up the ceiling. This is where we usually get the most air leakage, particularly in the summer. Go up in your attic and start pulling the insulation away from the walls, pipes, wires, and any other openings in the ceiling. Seal those holes the same way you did the ones in the floor, making sure that you get all of them. You should also seal the crack between drywall and the wood wall at the top – that’s a big air leak in most houses. But the biggest ceiling leak is the attic stair or access hatch. You can build or buy a nice foam box to seal over the top of them, but you have to be careful about putting them back every time you go into the attic.

If you’re not interested in taking on this project yourself, think about hiring a weatherization contractor to inspect the house and make the repairs for you. If you’re lucky, your local utility may offer rebates for doing improvements like these – you can be more comfortable, save energy, and get a little money back in your pocket.

9 Ways to Cancer-Proof Your Next Barbecue

by Michelle Schoffro Cook

There is a link between barbecued foods and an increased risk of cancer. Basically, when foods like meat or oils are heated over high temperatures or come in contact with flames, certain compounds can form. These compounds are called: Heterocyclic Amines (HCA) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH). These compounds are known carcinogens. But, you don’t need to remember their names to lessen your risk of exposure to them. Here are some simple ways to lessen your cancer risk and still enjoy your next barbecue.

1. Choose foods that are low in fat like vegetables, lean cuts of meat, poultry or fish. Heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are primarily formed when fats are heated to high temperatures or fall into the flames and create smoke. By choosing lean cuts of meat and of course vegetables which are naturally low in fat, you reduce the chance of these compounds forming at all.

2. Trim excess fat from meat prior to cooking it.

3. Pay attention while you’re barbecuing. This helps to lessen the likelihood of flare-ups, intense smoking, and charring, thereby resulting in healthier meals.

4. Avoid charring food excessively and, of course, avoid eating burnt parts of food as much as possible.

Keep reading to discover the marinades that reduce cancer-causing compounds by up to 99 percent…

5. Marinate foods like meat in olive oil and lemon juice-based marinades. Research shows that these two items can reduce the formation of the cancer-causing compounds by up to 99 percent while cooking. Not to mention that they tenderize the meat, add great flavor, and help keep it moist during cooking.

6. Use fresh herbs for your next barbecue. Scientists at the Food Safety Consortium project at Kansas State University have discovered that herbs in a particular family used in marinades drastically reduce the formation of heterocyclic amines. These herbs include: basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage. Simply use one or more of these herbs, preferably fresh, in a marinade prior to and during cooking. Fortunately, they add tremendous flavor so most people won’t even know you’re making they’re barbecued food healthier.

7. One of the easiest ways to make barbecuing healthier is to add as many vegetables as possible. Making kebabs is a great way to do this. By alternating lean meat and vegetables, the veggies will not only add flavor, they’ll also help to keep the meat moist and add fiber and nutrients.

8. Avoid overcooking vegetables. Their natural antioxidants help destroy free radicals that may be caused from barbecuing. The longer they cook the more certain vitamins like vitamin C and B-complex vitamins break down. So don’t overcook them.

9. Keep your grill clean prior to every use. Not only is it more appetizing to eat food that’s been cooked on a clean grill, but you’ll be lessening the amount of char that you’ll be eating.

Adapted from the book Cancer-Proof by Michelle Schoffro Cook. Subscribe to my free e-newsletter World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow me on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook.

FDA Bans BPA in Baby Bottles

by Becky Striepe

Yesterday was a huge win for families who have been lobbying for years to get toxic BPA out of baby bottles and sippy cups.

The FDA announced yesterday that it’s going to ban BPA in children’s drinking cups or bottles. Surprisingly, the American Chemistry Council – an industry advocacy group – asked for the FDA ban, because consumer confidence in plastic children’s products was dropping. Most manufacturers of baby bottles and sippy cups were phasing out BPA before the ban came down today.

BPA is an endocrine disruptor and possibly linked to a wide range of health concerns from intestinal inflammation to breast cancer. What’s important to remember about the FDA ban is that it only affects baby bottles and children’s sippy cups, and you can find BPA in a wide range of other products like:

Some types of plastic food storage containers
Soda cans
Cans that hold food like beans and veggies
Receipts
Some canning jar lids

The FDA ban does not address any of the health issues associated with BPA. Instead, the ruling states that it is banning BPA in sippy cups and baby bottles “because these uses have been abandoned.”

While some are applauding the ban on BPA in baby bottles and children’s sippy cups, many consumer advocacy groups are saying that this ban does not go far enough. What do you think about the FDA ban on BPA?

Source: New York Times

The best party ever: ‘What motivates you?”

By: Tosha Silver

Now first off, I understand this might be one misleading header since it sounds like I’m motivated by parties. In fact, just the opposite. With most my planets below the horizon, unless I’m promised off-the-hook dance music, I usually shy away from big parties like crazy.

But yesterday my friend Dan sent this video of the legendary Bryan Ferry, still going gloriously strong after all these years. And it reminded me of something I’d forgotten about for a long time: the best party ever.

One of my closest friends, Cyn, loved to give theme events so she sent me an invite once saying,

“What motivates you? Bring art, food, music, a costume, or anything at all, that represents what makes you in tick. We’ll all decipher what you bring.”

“What mad genius,” I thought, especially since Cyn was known for having the most diverse pals around. Few of us had ever even met each other.

In the bathtub that evening I knew what two pieces of music I would bring.

The party was as amazing as expected, such raw comic truth-telling. I remember someone showed up with dollar bills pinned on every inch of her black velvet dress. ‘Yep, material girl.” she laughed. “Just show me the money…”

Cyn carried a single rose in a cut-glass bud vase for.. romance.

One guy brought a huge poster of a train going into a tunnel between a woman’s long pair of legs. With no sense of irony. Well, at least he was honest.

This blonde woman brought a copy of the New York Times best-seller list for her lust for fame. A short, bald guy brought a Sundance movie poster. Another girl some copies of Rilke.

One of my favorites I remember was a Sag who showed up with a fully packed parachute. For a freedom, adventure and a quick getaway.

And me? Well, I threw most people for a loop. I brought this song by Ferry but also George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord.” (Unfortunately the examiner site won’t let me post both but no doubt you know the other.) With almost every planet in my chart aspecting Pluto, it all made perfect contradictory and concise sense to me.

I guess it still does.

But the room was baffled.

Finally, at the end of the evening, a quiet woman with a disarmingly direct gaze walked up and simply said, “Totally get it. Transcendental Intensity. Straight out of my own psyche.”

I smiled and asked if she knew her own chart.

She was, of course…a triple Scorpio.

Perfect.

And so, I can’t help but ask…

What would YOU have brought to this party?

****

Mercury retro meets Uranus-Pluto square: karmic turning points galore!

By: Tosha Silver

Let the moment have its way with you.” Carla Torres

Pay tremendous attention to what arrives (and or leaves) your forcefield over the next two weeks.

We are in another one of those Big-Ass Karmic Turning Points that have been littering the landscape for months now. Mercury retrograde in Leo started yesterday (until Aug 7). A powerful New Moon at 26 Cancer arrives on Wednesday the 18th.

And then there’s that intensely pivotal Uranus/Mars/Pluto T-square aligning big-time all week.

Some sites say wear a crash helmet but that’s an awfully limited perspective. My general feeling is BE WARY of the sites that use any transit to scare the living bejeezus out of you. While yes, it’s true that the coming configuration might be volatile and even accident-prone due to the strength of the squares and the planets involved, you can very much ALLEVIATE that by being centered and in the Flow. Aligning with the Divine is the key to navigating every transit, learning to NOT inundate with fear and resistance.

And actually there’s a ‘higher’ interpretation for this particular T-square too. Changes can come very very quickly under this. Situations that have felt ‘stuck’ for aeons can dramatically unstick in ways that are a huge relief.

So be open, don’t bother greeting possible changes with fear, negativity and resistance. No need!

Intense blessings may in fact arrive in extremely unexpected ways. The nature of Uranus is SURPRISE; many people already experiencing this. In some cases, what you thought MIGHT happen has not (so far…) but something ELSE quite wonderful might be happening instead that you never expected. And that might be even more so after August 8 when Mercury goes direct. The ability to move with the changes in an alert and open fashion is invaluable.

In the end, what matters is the level of consciousness and vibration that is held under any given transit. Know how to move with the Shakti and protect yourself from negative thinking in every possible way. This potent T-square will absolutely magnify whatever you send into the universe, including anger and negativity. Help keep your vibration HIGH.

“My life is Supremely and Divinely guided. Every day it become easier to breathe, relax and move with the Flow. I can let the energy move through me and be a profound, useful vehicle for the good of all.

Allow me to release whatever needs to be released. And help me to gratefully receive whatever needs to arrive. I am always safe and in the right place at the right time in every possible way. All is unfolding exactly on schedule in Divine Order.

All is well.”

***

New Structure for Northern Virginia Witches and Pagans Meetup

Jeanet and David Ewing, organizers of the

Northern Virgina Pagan Network and recently ordained Circle Sanctuary ministers, sent out an announcement today that the Northern Virginia Witches and Pagans Meetup group is being restructured:

After much consideration, we have decided to restructure the NorthernVirginia Witches and Pagans Meetup group to the Potomac Circle Ministries group, effective August 1st, 2012. We believe that this new format will allow those with a serious interest in their spiritual development to meet for the purpose of Pagan fellowship with Sabbats and training in our tradition, the Wolf Moon Shamanic Craft Tradition.

In the restructured Meetup group, we will post dates/times for in-depth classes, starting with expanding on the Foundations of Witchcraft classes we have been leading at Sticks & Stones.

For more information on our ministry work and teaching, check us out on our Potomac Circle Ministries website.

Our last regularly scheduled Meetup will be next Sunday, July 22nd, at PJ Skidoos in Fairfax.

We will have a Meet n Greet and Introduction to our ministries and craft tradition on Sunday, August 26th at a location to be determined.

For more information, email: david@potomac-circle.org or jeanet@potomac-circle.org

CapitalWitches.com

Quiz of the Day for July 18 – What Your Sleep Position Says About You

What Your Sleep Position Says About You

by Melissa Breyer

Starfish? Soldier? Yearner? How do you sleep? I fall firmly into the Fetus category of sleeping positions–curled up on my side–which, according to researchers at the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, suggests that I am a tough cookie with a sensitive heart. (And yes, it’s true…underneath it all I am a big mush.)

Sleep scientists believe the position in which a person sleeps offers important clues about their personality. Director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, Professor Chris Idzikowski, analyzed six common sleeping positions and found that each is associated with particular personality traits.

The Fetus This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41 percent of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position. Those who curl up in the fetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.

The Log Lying on your side with both arms down by your side is the sleep position favored by 14 percent of the people in the study. I’d adopt this position if it guaranteed sleeping like a log, but perhaps not at the risk of being naive. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

The Yearner 13 percent of people sleep in the pose of the yearner–on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious and cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely to change it.

Soldier Are you one of the 8 percent who sleep lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides? Well hello, soldier. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don’t like a fuss, but set high standards for themselves and others. The soldier style is more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep.

The Freefaller If you sleep on your stomach with your hands around the pillow and your head turned to one side, you sleep in the freefall position. You are probably often gregarious and brash, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don’t like criticism or extreme situations. Seven percent of sleepers assume this posture, which happens to be good for digestion.

The Starfish About 5 percent choose to lay on their back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don’t like to be the center of attention. The starfish position is more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep

What do you think? Are these researchers on to something? Leave a comment below.

WOTC Cartoon of the Day – Diet Pills

Lighten Up – Helpful Hints For A Nearly Extinct Species

Helpful Hints For A Nearly Extinct Species

by Haragano

Let’s get down to basics. Being the leader of a group is more than just the hard work of raising dust devils in the back yard or zapping a friend’s TV antenna so they can get HBO. Leading a group offers a lot of perks. You get a lot of ego strokes, you get to divide up babies just like Solomon and you even get to keep the leftovers from the potlucks at moon feasts. After all you have put in a lot of long, hard hours and cashed in a lot of empties to win the coveted title of “High Poop-di Ha of the Infinite Invisibility”. And you want to keep it! The bottom line, the final word in keeping your position on top of the heap is spelled P-O-W-E-R. These hints are concerned with helping you keep it.

In the busy modern craft of today there are many ways that your power base can be eroded. The two most likely ways you can end up preaching to an empty circle are through the insidious inroads made by INFORMATION and DISCUSSION. These twin curses have upset more High Poop-di-Has than Carter has little liver pills.

On Information

Information is the worst threat. The more a follower is acquainted with history, anthropology, psychology, socio-dynamics…really, any area that requires an individual to exert himself mentally, you are in for questions you don’t really want to answer. The very best way to deal with this sticky situation is to avoid it. Recruit the immature and the fanatic. They don’t bring really tasty goodies to feasts, but they are good ego boosters. They are expendable and fiercely loyal for no particular reason.

If you find you are being pestered by an “intellect” (they should have never gotten through your screening) you have to quickly learn to manage information more effectively. Don’t worry. Managing information is easier than it seems. Newscasters do it every night. First, Adopt an attitude of “ask me anything”, then make sure you don’t have any answers and don’t know where to get them. Create a vacuum! Yes, nature abhors a vacuum but it is your strongest weapon in the war for ignorance. Second is the wild goose chase, a tried and true method of dealing with anyone who persists in asking questions. Send a troublesome individual on a few of these. Tire them out, and they will go away sooner or later. When they leave, the stage is set for you to shake your head solemnly and expound at length on how they were not ready to learn what you had to offer. This act is very impressive to newcomers.

Reassure your followers that they don’t have to keep up on current thoughts in and about the craft. After all, books and magazine subscriptions are expensive. Imply that they will learn all that they need from you by hinting at the “secrets of the craft” that yet await them. If they are adamant about reading, call their attention only to those items that reinforce your point of view (you need all the backup you can get). The Xian (as in Xmas) fundamentalists have developed this sort of information management into an art form. “Information Management is next to Godliness”. I’m sure Mr. Falwell has that embroidered on a pillow slip somewhere. You might want to write him for a needlepoint kit.

On to Discussion…

Discussion with other groups must be limited. If they don’t share your point of view, all contact with them should be eliminated. After all, your immature followers do mature and fanatics mellow out. The free exchange of differing ideas has a justifiably bad reputation for expanding an individuals craft viewpoint. And THAT is deadly to the sacred position of High Poop-di Ha.

There is an effective means of terminating troublesome contacts with other groups, while at the same time confirming your position as the center of attention. It is the practice of the “Fine Art of Self-Righteous Indignation”! The premier example of this was the medieval Church. When it met with a conflicting view, such as a scholar pointing out that the Church was rewriting history or physics, the Church would denounce him as a “minion of Satan”. Usually the scholar was hauled off and put to the Question. What’s the truth, more or less, compared to the self Righteous Indignation of God’s Chosen…right?

Remember, you have to slam the door tightly on any new ideas! This takes dramatic measures. You don’t want conflicting information coming in, and you certainly don’t want your s/h/e/e/p/ followers wandering off.

Pick a public occasion and invade a circle or burst into a study group. Most importantly, make sure your group is around you. After all, the coming performance is really for them. Rant, pound your breast, whatever you need to do, to get across the idea of YOU as the poor, persecuted victim. Make this crystal clear to your group and they will stick to you like you were dipped in crazy glue. If anyone in your group has ever had a course in group dynamics, send them on a wild goose chase that evening. They might tumble to what you are up to, and besides they are probably asking too many questions anyway.

When facing the m/i/n/i/o/n/s/o/f/S/a/t/a/n/ opposing group, be personally offensive if you can. Call them picky, heretical, egotistical, perverse, etc. Anything you can get away with (wailing in the background is a nice touch). To keep your group successfully insulated from differing ideas, you have to clearly label the opposition in the minds of your followers. People just LOVE tags! Now, this next point is important, so listen up! You must make it clear that you want no further contact with the opposing group. Try to affect a tone in your voice that conveys “this is a regrettable decision but it just has to be”, like the tone Billy Graham takes on when he talks about sinners. This gives you a twofold bonus. First, it gets the word to “them” in no uncertain terms and, second, it gets the word to your people that it would not be wise for anyone who wants to remain a part of your group to have any contact with “those” you have just judged unacceptable. This sort of frontal assault generally alienates both groups as well as every individual in them. There will be no information exchange, no open discussion and very little growth. But what do you care, you’re safe.

One warning though; If for any reason you think the other group will simply laugh at your overacting, don’t chance a face-to-face confrontation. Keep the performance within your own group. If you have been a good information manager that should be effective enough.

Although you are one of the last “High Poop-di-Ha’s of the Infinite Invisibility” in the craft, you belong to an ancient society that can be traced through most of the world’s major religions. You exemplify rigidity, closed-mindedness and religious manipulation. You have a lot to be self-righteous about! In order to prevent your kind from dying out completely, you have to remember to stringently restrict the information flow to your group and terminate all open discussions with outsiders holding differing views. If you take to heart these few pointers you won’t go the way of the Great Auk and the Passenger Pigeon.

Daily Horoscopes for Wednesday, July 18

We are ready to rebel against anything that constrains us today. Or, others may act out our need for freedom now if we try to deny it. Either way, an erratic Mars-Uranus opposition creates unstable tension. Although the emotionally sensitive Cancer Moon might increase our fear of change, we’re still likely to put ourselves in risky situations that raise our adrenaline levels prior to the Cancer New Moon tomorrow morning at 12:24 am EDT.

Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

This is a power-packed day with red-hot Mars negotiating between your desire for independence and your need to be loved. Remember, Mars is not known as a peacemaker, so his brand of diplomacy may incite conflict today. Things might reach a tipping point when you don’t know what’s going to happen next. Nevertheless, real progress toward finding lasting solutions can be made if you build the future upon mutual respect and positive intentions.

Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 – May 20)

Don’t lose sight of the value of your common sense since a total breakdown of routine at work can be circumvented if you maintain your composure. However, no one wants to face the difficult issues until all parties realize what’s at stake. Don’t be afraid to take an unpopular stand if necessary, for the current circumstances may require a disruption just to get everyone’s attention.

Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – Jun 20)

Usually you are the clever one who can miraculously pull a solution out of thin air, even if it is not a permanent one. But today, every tactic you try is met with surprising resistance or an unexpected response. The uncertainty is enough to make you lose confidence in your own ability to communicate. Don’t give up; your persistence could pay off once you hit on a strategy that settles down the energy.

Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – Jul 22)

Relying on your intuition now is a smart way to stay on your path. However, just because you know how to respond, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to do what you believe is right. In fact, you may feel as if your route to success is being blocked. Everything at work seems to be out of control, yet you aren’t comfortable expressing your feelings. Office politics are complicated, but restrained action and clear communication prevent things from falling apart.

Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

Something may not go according to your plans today, even if you’re fully prepared. You carefully studied your lines and you know how to play your part, but it’s as if someone changed the plot and your lines are no longer relevant. You may even feel as if the other players have been given new scripts and no one informed you. Don’t lose control of your feelings; showing your anger will only make things worse. This is a test to see if you can let go of your personal agenda and graciously adapt to the changing scenery.

Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

Your logical analysis is usually a source of reason, but today it just makes everything unbearable. You can see what’s wrong and, fortunately, you know how to fix it. But you’re not in control. The harder you work to stabilize the situation, the crazier it becomes. Be aware that the dynamics of a relationship may have to get shaky for a while before they are able to improve.

Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

This might not be the kind of pleasant day that you Libras dream about. It’s challenging to figure out exactly what is happening today, but it is apparent that loose ends defy being tied. Forget about putting everything back into balance now; you’ll only grow more aggravated if you try. Instead, concentrate on cooperating with others and you’ll make it through the day with flying colors.

Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

Although you might like the idea of a romantic involvement, your need for self-determination is very strong now. Ironically, you won’t let someone else steer your car, even if you asked him or her to drive it. It doesn’t matter what kind of logic you apply to your current dilemma today; you still may not be able to figure out the best course of action because you are conflicted over the situation. Go ahead and do what feels right in the moment, but don’t focus on the distant destination just yet.

Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

The cosmic tension affects nearly everyone today, yet you Archers seem to get away with pulling a few strings of your own. You can actually help someone work through a difficult situation while others just seem to make it worse. Thankfully, your actions have a powerful impact, but you’ll be even more effective now if you refrain from pushing your needs onto anyone else. Listening with an open mind is your secret strategy.

Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

It may not matter today how much you have prepared for a big event. You might be better off to throw your strategy to the winds and simply start all over again. Fortunately, this is not as difficult as it sounds, for the real lesson of the day is about releasing buried tensions and re-establishing any lost integrity. Toss your battle plan if you must, but don’t negotiate away your feelings of security. Your chances for success are greater when you honor your own position.

Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Although it seems as if you can’t rely on anyone today, everything that’s happening is actually a projection of your own experiences. You might be feeling as if you’re stretched to a breaking point and the only solution is to stir things up even more by acting unpredictably. Don’t resist the current changes; be the initiator instead of the victim.

Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

An unexpected encounter might prompt you to question a long-standing belief that has come between you and someone else. You are tempted to just throw your hands up in despair and walk away from a conflict, but it’s healthier to confront your fears, instead. Your world is transforming and you may have to alter your basic assumptions about yourself. Be courageous; stepping outside of your comfort zone and embracing change is the most direct path to re-establishing the stability you desire.

New Moon Report for July 18 – New Moon Cancer

New Moon Report for July 18

By Jeff Jawer

New Moon Cancer

Wednesday, July 18, 9:24 pm PDT, Thursday, July 19, 12:24 am EDT

The New Moon in sentimental Cancer is a return to our roots in search of nourishment and a sense of continuity. Family and personal history play an important role in reconnecting us with the past, but the purpose of this lunation is not to linger on memory lane. Instead, the purpose is to draw sustenance and meaning from personal history to fuel plans and projects in the here and now. Feelings can be raw in this sensitive water sign yet a formidable square to this Sun-Moon conjunction from pragmatic Saturn in Libra signals the need to balance emotions with clear thinking. Compromises may be necessary to earn the support of others and taking time to explain needs and aspirations helps to inspire emerging ambitions. Staying cool, though, might not be easy with assertive Mars opposite explosive Uranus and square potent Pluto now. Acting rashly and with resentment are negatives, but discovering new forms of expression and freedom from old habits and fears can be a plus.

The New Moon in Cancer is paradoxical because it initiates a cycle in a cardinal sign, yet the Crab is reluctant to make any bold moves. Therefore this is a time for cautious starts when carefully measured steps are meant to reduce risks while prudently pushing forward to create new sources of security

Daily Cosmic Calendar for July 18

Here we go again! Mars seems to be playing out the role of a cosmic force that will not be denied. On a day where there are five significant celestial events, Mars and Uranus team up to make a highly explosive mixture when they oppose one another from Libra to Aries (7:56PM PDT). Before this shock wave can strike, there are two challenging aspects followed by two beneficial ones. Ceres square Chiron (12:23AM PDT) occurs just a few hours prior to an off-kilter, 150-degree link occurs between Jupiter and Pluto (2:48AM PDT). Stay cool under fire while these two sky patterns attempt to hijack your sensible plans for success and hit them with a wrecking ball. However, coming to your rescue are a delightful, mind-expanding and super-optimistic Sun-Jupiter parallel (10:16AM PDT) followed closely by a love-producing Moon-Venus parallel (11:03AM PDT). Consider these two parallels as similar to unions in the zodiac, and all the upbeat and resourceful consequences that can ensue. In the meantime, the dark-of-the-moon vibes pushing you toward rest and relaxation are potent since the New Moon is on the verge of happening, but doesn’t manifest until 9:25PM PDT (activating 27 degrees of Cancer). Nonetheless, this potent New Moon – which normally would propel you forward immediately – can trip you up because it starts a void lunar uncertainty zone that lasts until 3:14AM PDT tomorrow morning. Thus, it is wise to continue to stay away from martial fireworks wherever they are occurring, be more reflective and introspective overnight, and wait until the Moon enters warmhearted Leo tomorrow at 3:14AM PDT before taking a giant leap forward.

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