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BY Mary Michele

Musings and Meanderings: March 2023

3/15/2023

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Two fantasy paintings by American Illustrator James C. Christensen (1942-2017)
​Van Gogh painted his most inspired works in a mental hospital, it was also a church. Perhaps it was a place of comfort to see others in their non conforming behavior. Confinement and solitude can be the roots of consciousness. Focus on the ordinary to create the extraordinary. As a fire sign, born with Sun in Aries, his use of strong colors, particularly yellow, are only tempered by the planets in Pisces. The visceral brush strokes display a strong Taurean stellium of love of the sensuous. 

He was born during a similar sky as we are experiencing today. Our recent, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto aspects and Neptune in Pisces, were dominant. Neptune, in its own sign, close to when it was observed, for the first time.

We need to throw out what is no longer needed but reconfigure with thoughtfulness. Boundaries are a Neptunian concept. Liquids can only be contained until the boundary is breached.

Element of air, is also difficult to contain. It needs rhythms and constancy. The speed of our brains is accelerating with the massive amounts of information. Pluto, God of death and rebirth, is here to constrain the intellectual conundrums of intellectual overload.

One of my favorite bumper stickers is “Rebel without a Clue”. This sums up Aquarius, needing a cause, try and choose one that appeals to you. Groups are made up of individuals that bring different energies to the forefront.

Madness visits us all. We can be confused and then clarity strikes. The ping pong of this, is the beauty and silliness that inspires. 

Our perception of Uranus from its discovery is of an air nature. In 1781 it was in the sign of Gemini. It rules Aquarius. But the day of its birth, the Sun was in Pisces, so it has a murkiness in its purpose that we can only hope we will merge into our psyches with pathos.

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Musings and Meanderings: February 2023

2/13/2023

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Left: The Little Book of Love, or Petit Livre d’Amour, is an absolutely fascinating, and terribly romantic, illuminated manuscript. Also known as Enigmas of Love, it was a Valentine’s Day gift from Pierre Sala (1457-1529) to his sweetheart. 
Right: Engraving of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, according a vision of Marguerite-Marie Alacoque.

​The heart is a shape that has many meanings. Inverted it could be a pear or the anatomy of the female derrière. Life and morality are some of the earliest interpretations. It could also represent emotions, thought, and reason. Many of these ideas are mutations and without boundaries. A silphium seedpod may have been an early depiction. This plant, no longer in existence, was thought to prevent pregnancy but also was an aphrodisiac. Maat, the Goddess of justice weighed the heart against the feather to decide if the soul was worth saving.

Prehistoric cave paintings had images of the heart in the animals they depicted. In the tarot hearts/cups represent the element of water and emotions. But, conversely the spade/sword which represents air and the mind, also is an upside down heart. Of course the connection between lung and heart are supremely intertwined. 

As our emotions are not physically evident unless we react or get sick, it is the chemistry we receive from another that embraces our awareness of them and ourselves. Why are we attracted to certain folks? Many systems, like astrology try to analyze this. Initially it is through the eyes, but rapidly encompasses the other senses like, smell and hearing. Then love becomes a conglomeration of coincidences, history, shared habits, and compassion.

13th century poem “Roman de la Rose”, Depicts joy and despair. The beauty and smell of the rose is balanced by the thorns.

Uranus or Ouranos is the God of the Heavens and the Rain, he is the father of Venus, whose mother was the sea. Venus’ sire were the testicles of Uranus. Her earlier incarnation, Ishtar was above all, passionate. Be it sex, or war. This is in keeping with the universal myth, the King is dead, long live the King. Venus was often attracted to various suitors. Uranus now is in Taurus, which is one of Venus’ rulerships. The sensuousness of Taurus is comforting, but Uranus likes freedom. Venus also rules money and self-worth. As we are in the season of Aquarius it is the opposite of Leo the lion. And we celebrate the poignancy of Valentine’s Day, the expression of the intimacy of love.

Our intellect often wants one supreme leader. The ability to carry numerous persons of authority as guardians is a democratic concept. In Greece, a republican one. Perhaps we need to truly apply the God/Guardian in our hearts as the ultimate decider.

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Musings and Meanderings: January 2023

1/15/2023

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​You know romance is on the run. Screwball comedies, with magnificent sets and costumes from the 1930s and 40s are in short supply. Dialogue is limited. Carole Lombard and Clark Gable, Vivienne Leigh and Lawrence Olivier, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, were heroes of the magical, hopeful and silly. 

What keeps us going down the rabbit hole hoping to find solace? The Sleeping Beauty fell asleep because her father did not want the darkness of the 13th fairy to envelope her. As we know the unconsciousness came anyway. She did struggle to find her way back. Although the Prince’s warrior spirit and insistent focus helped, and he gave the gift of breath, through his kiss. 

Cinderella took her ashes and constructed a perfect slipper to fit her soul. The inner fairy godmother she believed in, dressed her in magnificence.

Dorothy also found that Ruby magic in the Emerald city. In astrology the ruby is assigned to Capricorn. The slippers provided structure, discipline and the desire to achieve. The emerald is assigned to Cancer. The home, the mother and the emotions that are elusive. The unconscious is Mum’s domaine, she provides the rhythm of breath. Do you think Frank Baum with his theosophist leanings, knew this?

Being hit over the head with the reality of inequality, ugliness and violence is only one way to inspire the goodness in humans.

At the beginning of WWII in 1939, two of the greatest movie magic movies were made. Gone with the Wind and the Wizard of Oz. They each told of the need to change a way of thinking but in a way of colorful and soulful illusion.

Keeping up with the interpretation of it all in the super speedy way of the airways today is highlighting anxiety. But most of us are not strong enough to reject the addiction. Have recently discovered the book, “The Art of Fear” by Kristen Ulmer. It describes the difficulty of accepting and acknowledging the primal emotion which gives birth to anger, grief and sadness. The mind seems to get in the way and cannot truly explain emotion. Particularly as we all want to stay in motion. Funny, the similarity of the two words, emotion and motion.

The layers of understanding do provide insight with the repetition of time and experience. The situations and descriptions remain the same but the depth of the rabbit hole provides greater clarity to The Who, what and where.

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Musings and Meanderings: December 2022

12/15/2022

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​Gen is a word root for birth and kin. Beget, procreate, generate, cause. These are all words that produce and contemplate genius. A genii gives you your heart’s desire, if you can figure out what it is. There is genius in all of us.

So, is there similarity between guru and genius? To engage and learn so you can remember requires an enticing entity that inspires. Desperation and need bring a dictatorial influencer.

Genuine, genes, Progeny, gender. In the beginning, we create and are reborn. Death is a part of the regular theory of life, we experience it through the continuous cycle of new ideas.

Each generation has its own language and brings ingenuity to the age in which it resides. There is generational information. The gist is often about specifics. We are a certain race, creed, sex. We all seem to need to explore.

Have you noticed the differences between age identifying information and how propaganda influences without the general (gen) population realizing the complete purpose?

To feel secure we want ownership and control. But, to have control, we must relinquish it, the organizations, that influence, usually provide a panacea of perception to pacify. 

The refrain in the brain, can alter moods. Chemistry is producing a rebirth with rapidity. Chaos and change are longed for and often not what was imagined. Feeling calm and accepting are glorious but usually fleeting. Only place a few memories in the mix. Regenerate!

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Musings and Meanderings: November 2022

11/15/2022

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The word impress is connected to depress. Although the flavor of impress has denigrated as providing too much attention and been replaced, as an overbearing ego. Raise, hearten, delight are more popular words, as antithesis to the darkness. Our brains seem to want to polarize. Wouldn’t it be loverly to be able to synthesize instead? To make a coherent whole.

Charm and magic enhance our purpose. These words are too delicate to define. The minute you dissect them, they disappear. Creating an imaginary cloak of glamour does indeed elevate the courage we need.

It is not easy to eliminate the dark. Meditation, yoga, travel, and chocolate covered strawberries encourage the transmutation of heavy-handed moods. At the end of the day, does it come down to chemistry and patience?

Teleportation, how close are we? Can the imagination take you to places and make it seem real? This is how we daydream. Sometimes I want to have Scottie, beam me up.

When the words are written to a melody, such as “Don’t worry, be happy”, does it help to stand up and dance and sing it out? We can’t force it anymore. Having others tell us to snap out of it, more often, surges our anger. It would seem going for the exercise of the musical notes are a big help.

And where is the overlap between anxiety and anger? Does anxiety disappear with rage? When we push too far is the energy of anger the cause?

Stretching in airports, or while waiting online, may seem eccentric but does it have to be confined to an ashram? For many, moving is more useful than sitting still.

Blaming anything or anyone may give us time to calm down but as it reverberates into a cycle of guilt, can we watch it and accept it? Being aware, conscious and understanding is the go to place to moderate the seesaw….

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Musings and Meanderings: October 2022

10/15/2022

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Gérard de Lairesse: Allegory of the Five Senses (1668)
Memories, are they sentimental nonsense or the review of our personal history for insight to our lives well lived?

The contradiction between things and ideas. Images in art and colors in the home creates how we see ourselves and the impression we give to others. We collect objects from a feeling that is primordial. 

How are memories stimulated? I’m guessing, mainly thru the senses. Sight is prominent. We use photos today for the practical, the leak in the basement for the plumber to come, to being able to remember a sweet moment, like a walk in the park.

It has been known how smell instigates hunger or nausea. The remembrance of that special person, we worshipped. A mothers breath is a beginning of feeling secure as is the breast with the nourishment of comfort.

To hear the tone of a fathers voice is an indication of protection, at times, a warning. Aging brings the cacophony of decimals to an awareness of agitation but also reminds us of the glory of the music we shared with the fun times of youth, when the golden oldies are played.

To taste a magnificent dollop of chocolate or the blend of garlic and onions is a way to enhance the delights of dining and a memory of a special experience.

When we touch a person or animal that is coming into our space, is to connect to the subtle electricity of feelings. Velvet and feathers remind us of pleasant sensations. Too close to the fire brings a respect for the hearth.

There is a new service the internet provides, a robot that will repeat alternative ways of ruminating on thoughts that are out of whack. Kind of like “is the glass half empty or half full?”

Have a look at the article here.

The ancient ideas of creating stories about the stars and the repetition of mantras, or prayers are meant for slowing the mischievous brain. To remind us of gentleness and the morality of our lives. Watching the horrors of the news provide an energy to fight the perceived wrongs. Or fury of a forced escalation of drama. Nursery rhymes have a chemistry that is a reminder of how we can believe in the brightness of the spirit.

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Musings and Meanderings: September 2022

9/15/2022

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Crisp mornings and slow moving planets. It may seem like the reins of our current moods are spinning and standing still. Having to examine all the issues of these past few months with clarity is very murky. Understanding is not always the purpose. Dreams, music, fluid movement, are the best solution. What can lead to panic can be trying to make sense of something.

What are your favorite stories? TV provides many mythological archetypes. Action fantasy heroes, murder mysteries, out of bounds tales of silly ghosts and ghoulish villains. Even the news can seem like make believe if the personal information is too overwhelming. Repetition is the pervading theme. Is it hypnotic to watch the same rhetoric? We gravitate to the themes we perpetuate in our heads. For the mathematically inclined the mindset is perhaps more tempered. Numbers have depth of interpretation although if you stick to the geometrical concept, it is fluid like music. Algebra, a Moorish discovery, helps distract the inner monologue, as the complications of its maneuvers are intricate.

The bottom line to not think, is to breath. Chemistry and rhythm do not always allow us the luxury. Do not for a moment feel guilty!

Venus and Mars are a bit out of sort. Our desires and ability to act are distracted. Using a tape measure and a drill do seem to be hugely helpful. The boundaries are contained. Water is in scarce supply in many areas and torrential rain in others. Tears are being withheld and fury is not.

Keep in mind the cycles are always mutating, we will see each other again with tangible progress. Encouragement is the way we can continuously circle the wagons. Remember Queen Elizabeth’s fortitude and impartial support.

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Musings and Meanderings: August 2022

8/15/2022

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· Bijan and his Circle Museum in Austerlitz, Massachusetts
· A citation by Rumi
​Why are there so many four letter words? Love, life, long, or hate, dark, rape. 4 marks the compass and the seasons and the cross of matter. The fourth house in astrology is ruled by Cancer, the sign of the Mother.

Being in the time of Leo, we create the energy of fire, (4 letters). Fire inspires, it challenges us to have greater clarity. We need to be seen. Whatever is your special talent, be prepared to examine and explain.

Verily we wrestle with majorities and minorities. Today is the day Mountbatten declared India independent. In 1947 it was decided to separate religions. The Hindus had the most amount of territory and the Muslims took Pakistan. The complications arriving from integration were thought insoluble.

The struggle today to include every style and fashion of the information we get from the internet makes us feel like a tea kettle boiling.

According to Shirley MacLaine, tigers, turtles and whales are making a comeback. The animal kingdom reminds us to play fair with a healthy dose of gaiety. 

The choice is always with us, but the soul, 4 letters, will attract those we need to blossom. When they move on, know they are still energy that can soothe and heal.

Free association is the psyche’s way of enhancing our perspective.

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Musings and Meanderings: July 2022

7/14/2022

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Ashurbanipal's Lion-Hunt Scene
Great Sphinx of Giza
Responsibility comes from respond. How many different ways can we do that? Is it somewhere between listening and taking action? Life experience often makes us want to isolate or fight. The frustration of being able to understand others sense of response. Communication is of such a different nature than ever before. We are becoming more aware of how we are all connected but the manifestation of this is not necessarily increasing understanding. When someone asks how you are, how do you respond? The tone of their voice and your reaction to it is often the catalyst. Are we required to be trustworthy? Trust is born of the feeling of comfort and similarity. Another similar word is truth. Is your truth, my truth? It is somehow hard to receive a compliment without a response of justification.

Am I accountable for the actions of others as well as my own? It does seem like an idealistic concept although sometimes our ego demands it. Does it mean having control over another? It is hard to know when to lead and when to follow.

The Latin “gratus” is defined as pleasing or thankful. Gratitude seems a bit overused these days. It is important to be thankful for our gifts and perspectives. Gratis can also imply “expected”, or it can demand a certain freedom. Sometimes words are the thing that define our life experience but they can also be open for interpretation. Is worthiness and allowing love in your life expected or hard to implement?

As the world turns and the movement of the stars, we are in a constant condition of change. The recent need to eliminate the past is also a consistent motif of human history. Hadrian’s wall and Napoleons or the Ottoman Marmalukes removal of the Sphinxes nose are examples of how we often eliminate what came before. Was Hadrian’s wall a responsibility? It is a variable truth as many feel removing the nose is effectively killing, by not allowing the breath to perform its duties. Or could it be that smell is connected to the third eye? Does the third eye open our hearts? Believe.

Enhance your day by watching
Animals and Humans Sharing a Deep Connection

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Musings and Meanderings: June 2022

6/16/2022

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Hypatia: The Last Of The Great Philosophers Of Alexandria
Queen Elizabeth I of England
Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius
(Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra)

​How does the feminine translate between generations? Hypatia, the lady from Alexandria was highly regarded till invading philosophies criticized her adept insight into metaphysics and science. Queen Elizabeth the First, was necessarily called a virgin as she never married. Control over her body had to be interpreted according to her time in history. Cleopatra was destroyed in her failure to contain Mark Anthony, in the war with Octavian. Jewish mythology condemned Lillith for her independence. She was made to watch her children die. 

Equality is an elusive concept. As is democracy. 

We all have Neptune is our charts, and he represents illusion, creativity, and perspective. The tendency is always, that our egos place our talents and addictions in the number one position. This is necessary as the truly great writer, actor, painter, orator, etc., all need the focus of their vision to expose outdated patterns. Remember though History does repeat.

Women and men need the chemistry of each other. Interest in sex is just one of many elements of the interchangeable. Granted the chemistry one party feels, is not always reciprocated. This happens in every aspect of our lives. The Boss, the government, the restaurant or food we enjoy, our neighbors, our parents, and our children may all have ideas that are unacceptable to our generational and social habits.

The American revolution was a 26 year affair. It went from 1765-1791. In retrospect we can contain the spread of the time frames. Much unrest from 1765, then in 1775 the battles of Lexington and Concord. The defining moment of July 4, 1776 had Pluto, the annihilator or equalizer, in the sign of Cancer, like our Sun sign. Food, supplies and shelter were all in short supply. We are approaching this reoccurrence in July of this year. How will history perceive this time of universal unrest and innovation? For every advance in the physical world of medicine there is a throwback to the ancients. We know that fruit, vegetables, grains and meat can reconfigure our internal mechanisms in ways that pharmaceuticals do not.

The internet has made the world a whole lot smaller. But clarity is much more murky.
​
Progress is a process. But history does repeat itself.

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