As you may have guessed, I am fascinated by word roots.

Venus somehow connects to viral, virus, venal, value system, and venom. Venenuum was a love potion, are we being asked to love ourselves? If we don’t, does it become a poison? To venerate and revere encourages desire. The Sanskrit word Vanate is also connected to love and desire.

The first woman created by Zeus was Pandora, which means “all gifts”, as revenge on Prometheus who stole fire for humans. She opened the forbidden jar and spilled all manner of ills. Luckily “Hope” came last to mutate the disaster. This carries some of the “Sleeping Beauty” morality.

The word pandemic originates from Pandemos, pan means all, and demos means people. This is the dual nature of Venus/Aphrodite shared by Urania.

Venus/Aphrodite is retrograde and it is a 40 days and nights phenomena. It started May 13 and ends June 24.

With the retrograde happening in Gemini, this dual nature is enforced. The Taurus side of Venus mainly concerns the body and not the mind, soul, or spirit. The Urania side of Venus is born of man alone, the genitals of Uranus. And is more concerned with philosophy and religion, albeit a powerful sexuality.

Inficere is the word root of infection, meaning to dye or change color. It encompasses facere, which is the verb to do. If you liken action to the body and its performance, you have Pandemos. What we are missing is the Urania, or heavenly side of this Venusian transit. The ability to see truth; is in distress.

The other pandemic we still have is HIV/Aids. This too relates to Venus/Aphrodite as her son Eros/Cupid became the sometime symbol of homosexuality. The perception of a strict definition of one kind of sexual interest was not an ancient idea. Eros also wed Psyche, her name means soul, and had a child. She may have been the archetype for Cinderella. Her sisters in a competitive way pushed her to look upon her lovers face. 
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In both pandemics the blood and bodily fluids are the conduit of the contagion. Are we meant to be contemplating the sacredness of fluids?

How often is the snake symbolized in the creation/mortality myth?

The horn snake may have given birth to the dragon and perhaps the devil.

What was Eves fascination? Could the snake represent feminine wisdom? Or eroticism?

All over the world, prehistoric art has the undulating form of the serpent.

The Aztecs, the Egyptians, China, Japan, Russia and Europe, have stories of reptiles that mesmerize. Native Americans honor them.

The caduceus has entwining snakes to perceive the duality of medicine, which in turn reminds us of death and rebirth. Our species has longed for immortality. A poison’s cure is in consuming a version of it.

In the state of Ohio is the Serpent Mound. It is 411 meters long. It has an egg or the moon in its head. Is it honoring the Goddess. Ophir is Greek word for serpent.

The Hindu Kundalini energy is a spiral up the spine in the form of a futuristic atom or DNA.

Persephone/not Pluto, as Ariadne was the ruler of the underworld before the masculine demanded a God/King.

Like Hel in Norse mythology she ruled the dead which her father Odin ordered, but not the warrior dead who went to Valhalla.

Cleopatra was the embodied Isis. Her death through the asp’s poison guaranteed immortality.

In Crete’s Minoan culture a figure of Astarte was found on Knossos. She carries two snakes.

Inanna the Sumerian Goddess in present day Iraq, was a warrior who governs fertility. She is depicted with wings, to be able to soar into the imagination and unconscious. Perhaps the Arcadian Ishtar is another image to ponder.

The connections of these various interpretations of Aphrodite or Venus could possibly stir our imagination to alleviate fear. What is a pandemic? Pan was the Greek god of nature and animals. His dark side gave birth to panic. He was a lover of Aphrodite.

The accredited creator of the vaccine was a Dr Edward Jenner in Berkeley England. He noticed a liquid from the pus of a cow’s nipple dispersed smallpox. His cowbox helped the pandemic. Vaccine means “from the cow.”

There are two components we are fighting in an epidemic, one of which is fear and the other is ignorance.

Featured Photographs--
The Serpent Mound in Locus Grove, Ohio
Double Helix: Biology at Colegio Montessori
The Goddess Ariadne Snake Labyrinth
Ishtar on an Akkadian Seal
The Temple of Vaccinia at Dr. Jenner's House

As we revisit the parameters and boundaries of our homes, objects tell a story. The photo albums that need preserving and re-gluing, so the dim memories may be relived. The poems and thoughts in diaries that remind us of our feelings. The physical needs that require rethinking. The right balance that doesn’t overexert but gives us oxygen in every cell. The meals that seem to give sustenance a whole new light. The elimination process that promotes the cycle of the compost heap.

Most stories from the news to fairy tales are repetitive. The facts are similar and hopefully our ability to integrate will give new meaning.

No matter where you stand in this global awareness there is compromise and hopefully humor.

Existence is what we have in common. But surrounded by spirit we also can allow our imagination to perceive what the mind can’t.

Rapunzel was confined by her inability to see how she was bound by her hair. Her beauty kept her isolated.

The King's daughter in “The frog prince” was unwilling to fulfill her part of the bargain, her word was kept and the frog became the Prince. We must be vigilant with honor to have what we desire.
The Sleeping Beauty needed to live in her unconscious dream state as her father did not honor the wicked fairy. The evil gift had been death. But somehow unconscious seems worse. If we are not aware of our surroundings we disintegrate. Dis-integrate. Fall apart.

During this time of enforced re-examination, we must try and expose and lessen fear, not enhance it.

Sangreal is the royal blood that binds us all

How do you feel about being over informed? The stars are facilitating the information highway. How do we cope with so many different points of view? Is it better to blame technology than humans? Our moral compasses seem compromised. We must believe in our abilities to change and adapt. Most of all, hope is called for. Belief can lead to self-righteousness. So, allow space for hope.

The child in the Emperor’s new clothes did state the obvious. “But the Emperor has nothing on”. We must put the collective fear in limbo.

Like sugar, sitting, and smoking, we are barraged with skepticism and negativity, see these foibles as lessons to learn and not condemn yourself or others. Certain habits and people are in our lives as lessons. When we confront them, they can move on, or mutate into another foible. Human frailties need acceptance to have our inspiration blossom.

The weather is a dangerous subject. Politics also. The lack of trust with authority has led to force and manipulation. The rules and laws have been taken over to such an extent that Solomon’s baby with the two women is the theme. We can choose to keep danger in balance.

In the words of Michael Jackson “people are the same, wherever you go.” The Netflix series with Morgan Freeman on God, discusses all the aspects of the devil, aka “fallen angel”, as anger. Remember to not let anger turn inward and become depression.

Hinduism has the Goddess Kali. As a protector who fights evil, her image is frightening. But her sword severs the head of ignorance and ego. Her rage is a passion that impresses.

Kali is always invited to the party unlike Sleeping Beauty’s dark fairy. The King did not want the anger at his daughter’s blessings event. Luckily the last fairy lessened the curse.

We must temper this with humor and less fear. We already know how easily we can offend. The heart needs to be heard.

Air is about ideas. Aquarius is the water bearer, water being emotions. Aquarian talents are communicating or language. So, we can speak about our emotions. And We never run out of ideas or feelings. We try and temper the emotions with what is considered logic but it is probably only observation. If we can only observe where the feeling came from we can enlighten our purpose.

February brings Imbolc also known as “in the belly”, Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day. We also celebrate presidents. The first stirrings of spring. The belly showing the first signs of new birth. Also known as Brighid or Bride day. Groundhog Day which may connect to the animals soul that needs work if it can see its shadow.

Mardi Gras celebrates the polarity of excess and abstinence. Carnival means to remove meat, abstinence. To eat meat and fat and enjoy the preliminaries of making babies, become prevalent. It is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Valentine’s Day incorporates Cupid and Venus to make sure life renews. Lupercalia was its precursor to the Christian followers of St Valentine, who was known for marrying those in need. The concept of love is more modern. According to Plato, a conflicting idea. His belief in brotherly love gave birth to Platonic, non-sexual love.

February, the word, comes from purging and purifying in Latin. The word fever may also be related in the cleansing of the body and soul. Lupercalia refers also to the she-wolf who fed the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.

Presidents’ Day or Washington’s Birthday was created in the 1880s. Washington was born with Venus exalted in Pisces. His capacity to love with compassion was displayed in his love of animals. His intelligence with Mercury in Aquarius and Uranus in Sagittarius was outstanding. He embodied the pursuit of happiness. Conflict was something he accepted and engaged in with energy. His Mars was in Scorpio in 7 house of open enemies.

Enjoy this month of marching forth to new beginnings.

•••
As above
So below
•••

The original Mystery school is the ceremony at Eleusis. We can only guess of the rituals it entailed. There was fear and shock included to gain entrance to the enlightenment of the divine.

We must probe the limits of our psyches to reach the understandings we seek.

Persephone’s innocence was taken from her in a violent way. Pluto desired her and made her Queen. Through the shock she gained the power of individuation.

As we try to be gentle with ourselves, we are in a time of restructuring. Science deals with catastrophic theory. Environmental issues and human society gone haywire are the bylaws of the endless media regurgitation. We cannot turn the clock back to a time of few choices. We can and do boil down the essence in the kettle to oversimplification of our likes and dislikes.

Catastrophe can also bring revelations, mystical insight and wisdom. In times of crisis the odds are pretty good we reach out to find and give solace. In this process we can sense or feel connections that empower love. Colin Wilson wrote “our human senses show only a small part of the world at present”, he suggests the reality function must be awake. Our imagination and memory supplement the present moment with other times and places. The mind needs to add a dimension of reality to the 5 senses. In youth we have eager expectations, the first time we saw the ocean waves provided a need to dive in but also a fear of being swallowed. As we age the excitement of novelty wears off. What we need to do is to draw optimism as a repetitive exercise.

Anxiety pushes us to embrace the worst. Entitlement does the rest.

The letter of the law intimidates. Law is in constant flux both in human society and religion. If religion’s goal is to be at one with the highest mystical power, what is the goal of law? We need barriers to confine the irrational behaviors of some. Is a wall so different?

The whole purpose of life is discovering our ability to love. In this process we must have knowledge and discipline. The power of love is to serve.

Fancy words for simple solutions. The garden is a good spot to contemplate, as is the dance hall. Making clothes for dolls or cleaning the garage are perfect tasks.

Change is a bit of fun and a bit of fear. When we have purpose and power we can create breakthrough. Not always as we see it, but if we try, we can feel it.

Overcoming the age issue. It is very true that the surety of knowledge becomes deceptive. When we are younger, it is easier to be adamant. With age we vacillate. The enormous amount of information that we are exposed to, does overwhelm the unique perception of consciousness.

 The very words we rely on “truth and lies” have elastic borders to the vagaries of a particular point of view. Most differences come from our very real fears of being less than others. Whether it is based on color of skin, or sexual preference, or nationality or aging, we all have antennas that want to simplify the reality. The popular culture requires that we identify with those that have become famous. History gave this power to those who ruled. So then it becomes, why did the mythological characters of every age change their components of hero worship?

What do Zeus and Hera and OJ and Othello have in common? Is Andy Warhol’s art as important as his statement of “we all want our 15 minutes of fame”?

When we make an argument we rely on the popular fashion of a point in time. In Venice in the Renaissance one-fifth of the population were courtesans. Admitting or admiring such a thing today would require a lawsuit. The worlds oldest profession is rarely considered a desirable occupation. But, have we all not felt our power diminished in some way that resembles the sexual dominance of another? “Bastard” has usually carried a larger discrimination than that of a different race. We all try and resolve our inner conflicts by projecting the chaos of them on to a singular perhaps limited point of view.

Religion has also had moments of acceptance that varies through the ages. The differences between the Vikings and the Romans became about the style of faith imposed by Constantine. The Spain of the Visigoths accepted the Muslims. The Inquisition changed all that.

And today Art is the new religion.

Remember the cartoon of the angel whispering on the guys right shoulder and the devil whispering on the left? Our brains seem to be endlessly struggling with the fight of duality.

Which is why, praying, meditating or repetition of any kind are there for us to connect the distress of polarity.

The soul may be weighed as the Egyptians believed but it definitely becomes singular.

Our brains take over and our emotions are left out to dry. If we can remember, name, and just observe our feelings we may find solace in the simple peaks and valleys of our psyche.

All religions say this.

Like territorial boundaries, politics are the human condition that need to be in control. For me to be right, you must be wrong. To stay out of the fray and realize this is the thorn.

In the northern hemisphere we are moving towards the shortest day, December 21. The lack of light is equated with the murkiness of falsehood. Maybe this is why the holidays can be so restricting. The material frenzy is fun, in that there is busyness in the discovery of finding presents. To make another happy is a wonderful reflection. The down side is the cloud bursting with hot air, when the surprises are over.

The Dutch brought Sinter Claes over to America. His true origins are unknown as all good Shamans can shapeshift. He brought fire as the ultimate gift to us all. He rode the reindeers Thru time and had wee folk to help sort thru the gifts of the naughty and nice.

Celebrate the light returning.

As Venus is in Scorpio there is a saying of Baudelaire, “là où il y a la beauté, on trouve la mort.” Where we have beauty, we have death, the circle of rebirth. The eighth house of Scorpio in astrology represents sex, death and power.

The poet Keats suggested the “negative compatibility concept”, “a willingness to embrace uncertainty and make peace with ambiguity.”

A beautiful and scary entity is the octopus. As it has 8 appendages, it is reminding us of the symbol for infinity. It lives in the ocean depths and can inspire understanding of the unconscious mind. It has 3 hearts and 9 brains. It’s blood is copper infused to produce the color blue. Is there a correlation to Royal Blood?

The design of this creature is a spiral whirlpool. It’s immediate talents are flexibility and unpredictability. It’s intelligence is renowned.

We can feel the pull of many different directions, when we feel the octopus essence in our gut. The complexity of focus and intellect and instinct, brings out our warrior spiritual psyche. The octopus is in constant motion. An artist of camouflage, the mystery is of an esoteric nature. Ejecting thick black ink to escape predators is a marvelous tool.

Being able to disengage a limb in danger and regenerate the same limb, is another miraculous evolution of this creature. If we give something up, we can create acceptance.

The life span is short and breeding is the cause. The male dies from starvation and suffocation immediately. The female gives birth and expires soon afterwards.

The fear factor in the study of wisdom is allowing the introduction of our darkness and foibles. Many early traditions considered the octopus good luck because of the perception of a strong intuition. It knowingly embraces light and night.

It can multi-task and contain control. The flexibility allows for unpredictability. The feelings of being pulled in too many directions is uncomfortable.

The Kraken and the Hydra are the monsters that demand a fighting spirit. They love their heads and limbs and, when dismembered they grow back, rather like the addiction that replaces itself, when you give something up. We have an enormous adversity to pain and growth. The octopus reminds us.

In the Bond movie Octopussy, Maud Adams is the head of a group of Amazonian like ladies who use the power of disorientation and manipulation to aid 007 against an Indian villain.

Lady Gaga chose this character to embody as the sexual is demonstrated with undulating movement. The numerous suction cups are equally erotic. The octopus has no spine.
Like the water it lives in, it can seek its own level with mutability.

Perhaps we need to equate sexy with spiritual?

•••
As above
So below
•••

In visiting a Hindu temple, to be admitted you must ring a bell. It keeps evil away and provides a pleasant sound to the gods. It also creates an enduring sound which brings the two sides of the brain together. The echo for 7 seconds reaches all the chakras of healing. Which leads to eliminating negative thoughts. The Hindu god of architecture, VishwaKarma also rules the 64 mechanical arts and Designs weapons.

Hestia is the Greek goddess of the home and architecture. She invites and receives all who come to her door. Her temperament is passive and non-confrontational. She was the oldest child of Cronos and Rhea and the first to be eaten by her father and the last to be delivered by her brother. Hearth is Latin for “focus”, and another translation of Hestia. Like a moth to a flame, fire is what keeps us centered. Her Roman counterpart was Vesta and she was the one who protected the home.

Venus, the goddess of love is also the lady of money. The passion of money is your self worth.

The word decorate means to embellish, beautify, honor. Do you think the cold white, and ice box looking buildings and apartments and homes of today, are any of these things?
What we live with, is where, with whom, when and what we brought into our home as an object of remembrance. Each individual has a memory that no one else can imagine. Does clutter matter? Dirt or decay does.

Design means to create a look that may or may not have a function. Today’s world seems to worship at this alter. By design we can illuminate or discriminate.

Is our mind cluttered with stuff we are ignoring? For some, like the minimalistic creators of design, the opinion is, empty spaces equate empty mind. Which is fashionable in a Zen sort of way. Tibetan Buddhism celebrates color and minute details. Many ascribe to the rule, clean up, before the maid comes. The main reason for this is, memory. How can you find something you did not put away? Often, what will spark the memory is a memento that reminds us of a certain special person, place or event.

Now the bones or structure of our safe haven are another matter and certainly nurturing and repairing are extremely important. The issue always becomes the trade-off of, the enormous effort to get the best deal. There is a price to pay to allow others to spend your money.

Do you think you are special? Are you a snob? Relationships form, from the need to explore imperfections. If we are all equal, how can we all be special?

Can we be addicted to information? To know something someone else doesn’t? Interpretation
is 90% of the equation. A fact can describe someone as dishonest, but does one immediately assume the truth as golden?