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Sagittarius 2000 edition |
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About Sagittarius
The Sun enters Sagittarius on November 21 this year and leaves for Capricorn on December 21. The Centaur, a creature half-human and half-horse, represents Sagittarius in the Zodiac. Centaurs were believed to be great wizards, healers and philosophers. This is because their knowledge spans both the human and the animal realm. They are the only sign having this breadth of knowledge. The constellation was historically linked to Diana and to Epona, a Celtic mare-goddess who was the bringer of prophetic dreams as well as nightmares. Sagittarius is a fire sign and therefore has yang or masculine energy. |
Inga's Celebration Calendar November 21st - The Sun enters Sagittarius The time of Sagittarius is when we look ahead to the Spring by storing away the harvest and preparing the fields for winter. The leaves turn their Fall colors and we begin to settle into indoor activities. It is no mistake that Thanksgiving takes place during this zodiacal sign. We look around us to see what resources we have to get us through winter and determine what we can give to those who are not so well prepared. November 23rd is Thanksgiving Day Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians. The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn (actually all grains) was Demeter who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each autumn. On the first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and furnish them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted. On the third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were made - gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's gratitude would grant them a good harvest. The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which the word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres. Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving feast. The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon. The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune. According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many starved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders. The women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to every family. In each cake was a secret message which contained the time for the attack. When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory. The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season. The festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After the parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also part of the celebration. When the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit which they believed lived in the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the farmers cut down the corn where it lived. The United States: In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter. The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians. The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770s) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress. In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday. Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the day began in 1879. Text from Holidays on the Net at www.holidays.net. For another year-round version of Thanksgiving, visit The Center for World Thanksgiving at Thanks-Giving Square at www.thanksgiving.org/. November 25th is a New Moon The Moon and Sun are conjunct in the sky. The moon is dark and gradually increases to a crescent. This is the time to begin a ritual involving a new project, to ask for new vision. This is a perfect time to wrap up those Christmas cards and start that new book or class! December 1st is the IEM Get Together! See below for details. December 11th is a Full Moon The Moon and Sun are opposite each other in the sky. The Moon reflects all of the Sun's light. This is the time to perform rituals for protection, clarity of vision and consecration. This is a great time to plan your diet and fitness routine for the winter. December 21st - The Sun enters Capricorn on Yule, the Winter Solstice. Visit Bill Egan's Christmas Corner at http://members.theglobe.com/Nikola1/. |
Stone of the Sign - Picture Jasper
Picture Jasper is the Stone for this month. Picture Jasper is an earthy colored stone that is found smoothly polished but never faceted. It is popular in Southwestern style jewelry because of its resemblance to the desert. It is said to help with matters of cleansing, stability and grounding. Brown stones are connected to earth energy and carry strong memories of the past. This can make Picture jasper useful for regression and meditation. Picture Jasper perfectly resonates with Sagittarius and should be worn for all those events relating to the sign. Sagittarius events include: the acquisition of an educational degree, expanding your consciousness through meditation, learning others viewpoints, studying other cultures, travelling to distant places, participating in competitive sports, official ceremonies, outdoor ritual and all legal proceedings. Click here to learn more about purchasing Inga's Earth Magic jewelry. |
Book Review - The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure by James Redfield
Are you wondering if there is more to life that just the day to day survival grind? Are you looking for a direction for your life but you're unsure where to start? Then I have just the book for you! The Celestine Prophecy is the first book of a series that uses an adventure story format to chronicle mankind's spiritual quest. By using elements of conspiracy, danger, conflict and the thrill of a good quest, the author keeps you deeply engaged and you'll probably blast through this book in the matter of a few days as I did. Thank God for espresso as I stumbled into work each day after having stayed up most of the night reading! Mr. Redfield takes us on a marvelous adventure to Peru to search for a long lost manuscript from the Middle Ages that contains nine insights into mankind's quest for spiritual growth. Along the way, he'll introduce you to the concept of synchronicity, those seemingly coincidental moments in our lives that actually aren't. As illustrated in the story, these events can be recognized and capitalized on thus greatly enriching our lives. Once we become receptive to this type of divine guidance, we realize that every day is a spiritual journey and we start looking for, if not expecting, those little miracles to appear at every turn. The author ties our own spiritual awakening into the growing critical mass that is occuring worldwide and explores the implications of it. All in all, I found this to be a very inspirational book. If you have already started your own spiritual journey, you'll find this to be very affirming. As a gift to someone who is just starting on that journey, this book might turn out to be a magical road map for them! -- Scott Bruce Duncan */:-) Click here to learn more about purchasing this book from Amazon.com |
Frequently Asked Questions Inga says several of you asked some good questions at our last party but she's since forgotten them. Must have been that bottle of Beaujolais! So, hey, no more verbal questions! Please write them down people and e-mail them in! Thanks!*/:-) |
Letters from our readers We think of this newsletter as a community forum. You, our friends and clients, are welcome to participate. We celebrate diversity and we'll print whatever you send in whether it be Wiccan, Christian, Pagan, New Age, etc. as long as it reflects Love. You may choose a one-time holiday to write about or have a regular column. I'll give you space and a byline! Send in your own book reviews, ideas for rituals, ideas about stones, send us your journal excerpts, experiences, and ask us questions. We love answering questions! From Amy in Georgia: An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartar sauce with her. From S. Barrystar in Chicago: Little Timmy was in the garden filling in a hole when his neighbor peered over the fence. Interested in what the cheeky-faced youngster was up to, he politely asked, "What are you up to there, Tim?" "My goldfish died," replied Timmy tearfully, "and I've just buried him." The neighbor was concerned. "That's an awfully big hole for a goldfish, isn't it?" Little Timmy patted down the last heap of earth then replied, "That's because he's inside your cat." |
The Monthly IEM Get Together We've always wondered what would happen if we got the friends we've made through Inga's Earth Magic (IEM) into a room together. Why? Because every one of us has a unique gift to offer to the world. And if we get enough of us in one place at the same time, something magical is bound to occur.
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 The Duncan Domain In 1993, I found myself at a fork in the road called my life. When it came to my career, I had not been following my heart but my head. While I had achieved certain accomplishments, I had not found lasting joy or satisfaction in my work. My self-image was battered enough that I was unable to listen to or trust my heart, my intuition in these matters. So I stuck with logic in trying to develop a better course of action. Never mind that logic alone had been consistently failing me! I stubbornly persisted, thinking that I just had to try harder. (I think that's what AA states as the definition of insanity!) After beating my head against the wall for a few months and getting nothing out of it except a headache, I took a week off and went backpacking near Mt. Rainier with Inga and her mom, Stephanie. I decided to really treat these 5 days of hiking as a vision quest, a way to clear my mind and achieve a state of clarity. We departed and day after day, as I had nothing to do but walk through all that elemental beauty, my mind indeed became peaceful. I was no longer worried about work or anything else for that matter. Somehow, I knew it would all work out and I savored that rare state of mind. On the fifth and final day, we descended into a valley. At the end of it was our car, some six or seven miles distant. Midway down the valley, the hiking trail disintegrated into a web of game trails and I soon realized that we were pretty well lost. I knew in which direction the car was but getting there safely though rough country before nightfall was the trick. Elk don't drive cars and their trails were not going to lead us to the trailhead parking lot! I mentally tried to logic my way through this dilemma while appearing calm and in control to Inga and Stephanie. Once again, I found logic alone to be failing me but this time instead of stubbornly persisting, I declared to Father/Mother/God that I couldn't do this alone. With that simple act of letting go, I immediately heard a calm, strong voice in my head say, "Head downhill." There was no trail but I announced to Inga and Stephanie that we were heading downhill and as I changed direction, the voice spoke again. "Not there. Over here." At that moment, a shaft of sunlight pierced the dark forest canopy and illuminated a spot in the woods some 150-ft. away. I walked over to that spot and behind a shrub I found the hiking trail. It led straight downhill to the river below. I stood there in shock and wonder while Inga and Stephanie walked merrily past me onto the trail commenting on what a great scout I was! Dumbfounded, I slowly fell in behind them as I pondered this amazing demonstration of Divine guidance. Once home, I quieted my mind and tried it again. I declared to Father/Mother/God that I was lost on this career thing. I stated that I was ready to go wherever it needed me to be to do its work, not mine. Instantly, the idea came to me to go to the Library and look in the newspaper so I acted on it. I walked over there, grabbed the Seattle paper, opened it to the job ads and looked under the computer section. The very first listing was for an insurance company out in the countryside. As my logical mind threw up lots of objections, I saw in my heart a door to be opened if I chose to. I felt that opening and walking through that door would take real courage and commitment on my part and that scared me. There were many other possibilities in the job listings and I sent a resume to every one of them but they didn't have any energy behind them like the first one did. So I used my commitment to work for Father/Mother/God to overcome my fear and the job fell right into place. Be careful what you wish for, right? Every day at the new job challenged me as to why I was alive and what I was here to do. Every day presented me with a choice to look within and follow Truth wherever it may lead or to get the hell out of there. I have to admit that I was sorely tempted on many occasions to bolt but I found strength in my commitment to Father/Mother/God so I kept walking the path. I have now walked that path for seven years and along the way, I've found miracles, healing, friendship, compassion, knowledge and most of all, Divine Love. My solar returns became trail guides on this extraordinary hike. I discovered and unleashed the power within my natal chart and I reunited with dear, old friends from past lifetimes. It was a strenuous journey to be sure but the rewards have far outweighed the effort I expended. I now find myself at another fork in the career trail. Last month, in Scorpio 2000, I described my feelings of restlessness about my career and how I turned to a transit report to get a better understanding of the energies I was experiencing. You may recall that Saturn is playing a huge role in my life right now. As a result, I asked Inga to guide me in meeting with Saturn in the astral realm to see how Saturn and I could co-create a transformation event in my career. The following is the transcript of that guided meditation session: November 25, 2000 Inga guides me in astral travel after a yoga session. She directs me to the Lunar Library. I arrive and one of our kitties, Daniel, is waiting for me. I play with him for awhile and then Inga asks me if I see the paintings on a particular wall. I do but as I move closer the paintings become extremely blurred. She directs me to look out through the archway onto the Universe instead and asks if any star stands out. No, but I see Saturn and that comes as no surprise! I am in my centaur form and White Elk, my spiritual teacher, climbs onto my back as I jump through the arch into space. We plummet through space to Saturn and arrive after a second or two. All is black. I can see and sense nothing. Inga asks White Elk to help me see. "Saint" Michael, Inga's spiritual teacher, appears before me and adjusts my 3rd eye chakra. Between the two of them, I am able to see a church mission after awhile off in the distance. We move toward it and enter through the front door. The walls and ceiling are richly painted with angels and scenes from the Bible. It's all very Catholic! There are lit candles everywhere and I can smell incense. I become aware of a presence before me. It is a man in a peach colored robe and as he comes into focus, he looks just like the European version of Jesus! I'm wondering why someone like Jesus is coming to talk to me. I just wanted to talk to Saturn! He knows that I recognize him and he smiles. Thinking that he's appeared as a European for my benefit, I ask Him if he would appear in his Middle Eastern form. He smiles and becomes a man with olive skin and dark curly hair. He smiles again and becomes pure light before reverting back to his European form. He says that we first met when I read the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible as a teen. This is how I thought of him back then based on the artwork I was seeing at the time. Inga asks what He is here to tell me. Jesus says he is here to talk to me about Truth, Love and dedication. He says my time at the insurance company job is over. I have done well. My courage, leadership and love have shown many people their own personal transformative paths and in the process, I've been healed of many wounds and transformed myself. Now those people have to clarify their intentions and decide whether or not to follow their paths. I cannot do it for them and if I stay, they may lean on me rather than make the journey themselves. I will leave behind a legacy of Truth and conviction that will inspire others to follow their paths of enlightenment. Inga asks where Jesus wants me to work at next. He says I am to be a shepherd for the people at the new job that has synchronistically appeared before me. They are ready to be shown the path of Light, Truth and Love. They are ready to be connected to each other and the Universe. Be gentle and loving in the interview. They need to see the shepherd in me, not the warrior. Inga asks why he has brought me to this church. He replies to have me experience the beneficial structure of ritual. He smiles and says that the Catholics were really big on it; the candles, the incense, the moon phases, etc. Jesus tells me I have no need to worry any more. I now belong to him. He's been waiting for me ever since I discovered him as a teen. My lessons for this lifetime were completed as I faced death due to my heart ailment. When I chose to stay here out of dedication to Inga and to serve mankind together, I became one of his servants just as Inga belongs to Michael when she chose to stay and serve mankind during her near death experience. Jesus says he is the one that answered when I asked for guidance in the woods up by Mt. Rainier. He was the Light that literally appeared to show me the way. He is the one who sent me to the insurance company when I stopped following my own agenda and I asked that Father/Mother/God send me where it needed me. I am stunned and humbled by this disclosure. My body is vibrating from head to toe as I lie on the floor. I begin to cry from the overwhelming sense of acceptance and Love I am feeling. Jesus comes over and takes my head in his hands and presses his forehead to mine. Simultaneously, one of my kitties in the physical realm licks my forehead and we both smile at the sight and the sensation of it. As the session comes to an end, Jesus tells me to ask Him for whatever I need and to be brave in doing His work! The path is narrow, steep and lonely at times but I am now one of His shepherds and in His care. I return to normal consciousness and Inga greets me. -- Scott Bruce Duncan */:-) |
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