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Rahu-Saturn Conjunction & Kal Sarpa: The Challenges & Gifts

Posted by on Aug 9, 2013 in Ancestors, Blog, Featured, Vedic | 2 comments

Rahu-Saturn Conjunction & Kal Sarpa: The Challenges & Gifts

I am aware that many of our friends & family are quietly suffering the challenges that are upon us right now.  A Kal Sarpa has ruled over the heavens for a few weeks. Astrologically, when all the planets are sandwiched between Rahu and Ketu, it is termed Kala Sarpa. Rahu and Ketu are the North and South Nodes of the Moon, invisible planets, called Shadow Planets. They are the repositories and drivers of our personal and collective shadow karma, history and impulses. The recent close conjunction between Rahu and Saturn in the constellation Swati, sign of Libra, has upped the ante on the pressure trough. I want to share some reflections from the Serpent, and the challenges and gifts he poses. When I first started getting visits from Rahu some years back, I was impressed because I didn’t know too much about him.  I only knew that Rahu and Ketu, the North and South Nodes of the moon, are Shadow planets. Together they represent and process the collective shadow self. Yet unlike the visible planets, they are invisible, escaping detection even by satellite! There was one memorable instant was when Rahu chose to “introduce” himself to me. He exposed the fleshy part of his long snake stomach, and revealed millions of DNA codons of all species that have lived within our galaxy, from the Big Bang forward.  He showed me that he is responsible for “scaling and cleaning the codons” until all beings reach their fullest potential and become precious gems. In the current Rahu-Ketu axis (Rahu in Libra, Ketu in Aries), we are experiencing Rahu’s formidable pairing up with Saturn, until July 13, 2014.  Saturn is the deliverer of karma.  With Saturn sitting in the House of Libra where he is exalted, the theme of justice and balancing the scales of karma is even more accentuated, and coming down with a loud thud.  In this case, even the word “scaling” takes on extra weight and meaning. Throughout all of last week I was sweating, even through the Grand Sextiles configuration, feeling the tension of uneasy aspects and transits of planets noticeably weakened because they are locked within the clutches of the Nodes. Common symptoms are aches and pains of nerves, sinews, and joints, and scrambling of the mental, emotional and psychic sheaths. Old addictions can flare up, because they reflect unfinished issues. I see my friends, members of my family, also my FB buddies going through this, and it’s been an uphill struggle for many folks. “Molting”-Hexagram #49, I Ching-Radical Paradigm Shift Today, however, I am gladdened, because Mr. Rahula appeared and gave a more positive prognosis of the situation. “Look at the scales and eyes on my body, especially in the belly. See how laser-sharp and refined they are. What do I do with them? I grind and scale the DNA codons of every being within every species and sub-species. You are familiar with the #49 hexagram “molting” from the I Ching, which literally means “molting the skin of a serpent or animal.” 革. This hexagram often augurs “revolution” or “drastic paradigm shift,” or “Change of government/regime.”  Certainly that’s happening all over the world. For humanity, the skin of the serpent (old paradigm) is being sloughed off. This is what the molting is about.  Be patient. You have to endure the scaling and buffing. I will polish and buff each being—if their souls desire it—into an impeccable, precious gems. A diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire…so do not think that you are enduring this molting in vain.” For the next 3 days, a small group of us are holding...

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Gold Mother of Shining Lake (瑤池金母) (part 1)

Posted by on May 9, 2013 in Blog, Featured, Taoism, Women Empowerment | 0 comments

Gold Mother of Shining Lake (瑤池金母) (part 1)

Encounter at the Mineral Spa “Gold Mother has yet another title.  Wu Ji Li Tian (無極理天). She is the Divine Logos beyond all form. Roughly, her name can mean “The Realm of Infinite Possibility beyond all polarity.” A mild winter’s day in Beitou. I slide easily into the flowing waters of the Beitou mineral spa, and its silky warmth entices me into a dreamy, trance-like state. My head is still spinning from the encounter just now at the private temple of Yaochi Jinmu (瑤池金母), or the Golden Mother of the Shining Lake. Her other name is Xiwangmu, Queen Mother from the West. If you have read the famous Chinese Taoist novel, or seen an animated version of Monkey, you might have an idea of Xiwangmu. She is the Queen Mother of Paradise who throws a birthday party and invites all the gods and celestials to attend. On her birthday feast, she gives away peaches of immortality to her guests, a much coveted treat even among the gods! However Monkey stole into the orchard and ate up all the peaches! We were in Xin Beitou (New Beitou), the area around Xin Beitou MRT Station and Qinshui Park, north of Taipei city. Developed as a hot spring resort during the Japanese era (1895-1945), it enjoyed the notoriety of being a red-light district. But in the past 20 years, the government has upgraded the entire area so that the tree-lined, lush hill city of Xin Beitou, from MTR station all the way up to the mountain top, is now lined with high quality spas, deluxe hotels, and good restaurants. . Behind the mineral spa area lays Yangmingshan National Park famous for its seasonal splendors.  Plum flowers in winter, azaleas and cherry blossoms every spring, picturesque hiking trails, and stately homes of government bureaucrats and famous men of letters. Mineral waters stream from numerous geothermal vents that populate the region and are famous for their health benefits. Since Japanese colonization, the hot springs have improved to include aroma therapy, massage, acupuncture, and excellent food which contribute towards the fulfilling spa experience.  It was the 4th day after Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. The Year of the Dragon had just settled in, and I was nudged to travel to Beitou, after my last visit which was ten years ago. I said to my girlfriend, “Let’s go soak in the mineral springs and truly r-e-l-a-x!” The flight from Hong Kong to Taipei is just a little over an hour. Little did we know that we were in for a little adventure of our own. On this particular day, we had made reservations at a designer spa, situated right at the mouth of the largest geothermal vent of the Beitou Valley. Due to the smell of sulfur and the constant rising of steam, Beitou Valley has the appearance of a witch’s cauldron. Aboriginal inhabitants of the area named it paktaaw, meaning ‘witch’. We were entering the witch’s brew. Surprise Audition in a Taoist Shrine Spring Hotel is where we stayed was further up the hill. In the afternoon, my girlfriend and I strolled down the hill from our hotel towards the designer spa. It was a 20 minute walk. As we turned the corner and was just about to arrive at our destination, we stumbled upon a beautiful mansion by the roadside. The outdoor patio was drenched in the golden-ocher rays of the afternoon sun. Statues of Buddhist and Taoist gods–including Bodhidharma–carved out of marble and granite, were spread out all over the patio, and nestled amidst pine and cypress trees. I should note here that in Taiwan, Buddhism,...

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Soul Genetics: Why should you honor your ancestors?

Posted by on May 6, 2013 in Ancestors, Blog, Featured, Vedic | 83 comments

Soul Genetics:  Why should you honor your ancestors?

Does this predicament sound familiar to you? You are plagued by a certain illness that won’t go away; you are always moody, depressed or fatigued;  you are overwhelmed  by a nasty situation either involving work, finances,  or relationships… and no matter what you do and how hard you try, the problem won’t away. And when all conventional remedies fail to produce relief or improvement, you start to wonder: what on earth is the reason, and why?? Have you ever considered that the problem may have something to do with your departed ancestors? ULTIMATELY, WHO IS CONTROLLING YOUR SOUL? Here I want to bring up the term Soul Genetics, introduced by Dr. Pillai, an internationally famous Tamil scholar-mystic and philanthropist, founder of Astroved and Pillai Center. Soul Genetics refer to soul properties inherited from your ancestors. Just as you would inherit biological genes that build your body, you also inherit soul genes from your ancestral lines. You may inherit positive or negative traits from your forebears, which pave the way for either a happy, healthy and successful life, or a visit to hell! Most people experience a mixed bag. They inherit some positive soul traits, but also some tough karma thrown in through the generations. On top of our personal karma, there is also ancestral or tribal karma–the composite of karmic momentum accrued by your forefathers and mothers. Although people may not be aware of this, their physical ailments, mental distress, also the obstacles they encounter in their career, family and relationships, etc., are often directly related to bum ancestral karma. What is the remedy for this? The easiest way to shift your circumstance is by feeding your ancestors. SIMPLE HANDS-ON RITUAL Many cultures in the Far East & Southeast Asia have rituals honoring ancestors. India, Japan, China, Tibet, Thailand, Bali, to name a few. Today I am introducing a hands-on ritual that I find to be the most simple, practical, and effective. It stems from the Tamil Siddha tradition of South India and the gist of it consists of offering white rice flour mixed with black sesame seeds and water, and offering it to your ancestors. That’s all. It’s that simple. You can start right away. Just put white rice flour, black sesame seed, and darbha grass (optional) and mix it in a zip lock bag or glass bottle. I don’t even use darbha grass since we don’t have it in our area. I put the mixture in a little bottle, and every morning place a smidgeon on my right palm, and say a prayer to my ancestors. I call upon generations (at least six) from my father and mother’s side. I also say “Arut Perum Jyoti” over the mixture, invoking the Light to doubly bless the offering. The optimal hours are 6 a.m.-6 p.m. between sunrise and sunset, because that’s when ancestors are closest to the earth plane, and they can easily avail themselves of your offering. Make sure you say a prayer of thanks to ancestors of 6 generations of your father side, and 6 generations of your mother side. You can call in your ancestral lineages from even a broader gene pool. The secret is to intend your offering with great respect and appreciation.  Put up any request you have, or, if you need their help and support in solving any specific issue, state it clearly. Then rinse your hand off. Some people store a small bottle of tarpanam mix by their shower rack, and do it first thing in the morning as they step into their shower. The entire process takes just a couple minutes. I...

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