Scorpio is the one constellation in which, I think, the pattern of stars actually looks like its name. The distinctive hook of the Scorpion's sting is visible in Southern skies, while at Northern latitudes may be obscured. At the heart of the Scorpion is Antares, the brightest star in this part of the sky. Babylonian, Egyptian and even Central American Astrologers all associated Scorpio with the underworld and cthonic forces. The eagle, viper and scorpion have all been used to symbolize Scorpio. It is a feminine, fixed, water sign, classically ruled by Mars and more recently assigned to Pluto. 

Scorpio’s colors are maroon and crimson; its stones are garnet, obsidian, and lava rock.

The monthly installment of The Great Astrological Light Bulb Joke:

Q. How many Scorpios does it take to change a light bulb?

A. That information is strictly secret and shared only with the Enlightened Ones in the Star Chamber of the Ancient Hierarchical Order.

Note: I have no idea who originally wrote this. Erika sent it to me ages ago and I still think it’s as funny as it is insightful! -- Inga >^..^<

Or, here in Seattle, let the rain begin! This month marks the transition from colorful Autumn into the cold and dark of Winter's season. Traditionally, this is when some of the heaviest work of the Pastoral year begins. The harvest is stored away, the farm animals are measured against their feed and decisions are made about how many to keep and how many to slaughter and eat. This is why so much feasting goes now. Preserved meat and fruit only last so long.

October 27th - Daylight Savings Time ends

Click here for the best explanation I can find of Daylight Savings Time: Saving Time, Saving Energy - Daylight Saving Time, Its History and Why We Use It by Bob Aldrich, Former Information Officer, California Energy Commission

October 31st - Samhain, Shadowfest, The Day of the Dead, All Soul's Eve or Hallowe'en

The night when the ghosts walk, when you can contact Hecate at a crossroads and ask her about your future. Samhain is the New Year's Eve of the old Celtic calendar. Bonfires were lit to scare away the demons who would come to feed upon the ghosts (and any living beings who were abroad) Food and lanterns were placed at crossroads to make the departed spirits feel at home. One possible origin of the Hallowe'en costume is so you wouldn't be recognized and followed home by ghosts.

Try this link for an amazing exploration of the twisted urban legends promulgated as history by modern "Christian" Fundamentalists: www.neopagan.net/Halloween.HTML

This link is a "scientific" ghost story: www.britannica.com/bcom/original/article/0,5744,13849,00.html

November 1st - All Saint's Day, Dia De Los Muertas, and The First Friday of the month. This means it is Scott and Inga’s open house and get-together.

The time of Scorpio is when many different cultures in the Northern Hemisphere have some kind of remembrance of the dead. See more in the last Scorpio issue in the archives.

Get ready for Christmas: Think about Astrology or Hypnosis Gift Certificates for friends and family. Please give us a call or send an e-mail to learn more or to order.

November 4th - 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. In honor of Scorpio, ask where transition is needed in your life. This moon cycle is a traditional time to begin automatic writing, ouija board and card reading. The veils between the seen and unseen universes are believed to be more permeable during this moon cycle. Make sure you have your psychic protection ritual down-pat before trying anything new.

November 5th - General Election Day and Guy Fawkes Day

Check this link for voting and registration information: www.vote.wa.gov/

November 11th - Veteran's Day

“Wars are not acts of God. They are caused by man, by man-made institutions, by the way in which man has organized his society. What man has made, man can change." -- Frederick Moore Vinson (1890-1953) -Speech at Arlington National Cemetery (Memorial Day, 1945)

Excellent Veteran's Day links: www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1465/vetdaylinks.html

November 16th - Inga's Birthday!

Lordy, Lordy, Inga is forty!

Bloodstone has been associated with Scorpio since ancient times. Wear it to acclimate yourself to this season and time of year. Wear it to align your energies with the spiritual forces and realms. Program it to bring chthonic knowledge and transformational power into your life. 

Chthonic [thónnik] adjective meaning: of the underworld or relating to the underworld as described in Greek mythology [Late 19th century. Formed from Greek khthon "earth."] Encarta® World English Dictionary

Click here to learn more about purchasing Inga's Earth Magic Jewelry.

Since I am a student now and my writing time is encumbered by homework, I thought I would try a format change that I have been contemplating for some time. I had always tried to be more fact oriented than personal, (isn’t that so Scorpio?) But I finally noticed that no one asks me about my FAQs or books but everyone asks me for news. So I am going to take a spot in the newsletter for myself.

Happy Birthday to all the Scorpios! I was looking over my Solar Return for this year, which is the annual chart cast for the moment the Sun returns to the exact degree at which you were born. I use solar return charts for all my forecasting. My Sun is in my 12^th house this year so that makes this a hermit year. A time of working in the background as well as on deep or unconscious stuff. Here are some highlights from the Solar Fire software report:

“You have an emotional need for action and independence. Your emotions drive your actions. You are passionate about your goals. Under stress you will seek a challenge and time on your own. You feel a lack of boundaries between yourself and others, particularly in crowds. You also experience a deeply-felt connection with the masses. You are a great communicator. Who you are is indistinguishable from how you talk. You are a transformative leader, constantly challenging yourself and others to embrace change. Pluto placed here indicates a need to transform your sense of self. You must fight your natural defensiveness about this process in order to creatively use Pluto energy to enhance your concentration and depth of insight. You need autonomy and independence in your profession. Insecurity and reserve may keep you from expressing a powerful personality and a deep understanding. You are a quick and original thinker. You enjoy studying unusual subjects, which you approach in your own original way.”

It looks like an important year with a lot of intellectual energy. The sun is conjunct Mercury, which means my thinking processes will be nice and clear. I do need to work on keeping my priorities clear and handling stress! Here is one priority I worked out: My school schedule has “forced” me to give up my pretense of housekeeping. I asked Kindel to do it! See her letter below in “letters”

Scott had a business trip to Gila Bend in Arizona scheduled for mid-October. So I took the opportunity of going along. We drove the truck towing Scott’s ST1100 on a trailer behind us. He wanted to ride with his brother in Tucson and his brother in LA. We saw Scott’s parents for a day in Arivaca, AZ. Wait until you see the beautiful spinning wheel my mother-in-law gave me. We saw our nieces, as well as cats, a puppy, and a guinea pig.

If anyone is looking for a pet-sitter, I highly recommend Randy Wade of Pet Pals at 253-661-0849. Neither Scott nor I worried about the house or pets at all. Of course when I walked in the front door Malcolm looked disappointed to see me instead of Randy. It is great to be home anyway though. Hope to see you on the First Friday!

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 be it 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. We'll give you space and a byline! Please send in your own book reviews, ideas for rituals, ideas about stones, your journal excerpts, your experiences and most of all, ask us questions. We love answering questions!

From Kindel

Hi, my name is Kindel. Some of you know me from Inga’s First Friday Get-Togethers. I have always dreamed of being able to make a living selling the things I love to make – quilts, unique clothing, bath salts, etc. For the past few years, I've been telling myself to take the leap. Quit my job and just go for it. But I was simply too afraid of not succeeding. Even after several sessions with Inga, and much prodding from my guides, I just couldn't quite find the courage.

Then, last April, I injured my back in an accident at work and lost my job. I believed it was the universe’s way of telling me to start living my dream – except that now I had a back injury and was quite limited in what I could physically do. After several months of biweekly doctor visits, and little improvement, I went to see Inga. Do I need to say I found out lots of interesting things about myself?! One of these things was that my back was “holding on to” memories and that these memories were the source of most of the pain – the injury simply gave a focal point for the pain. We worked on releasing those memories and working through what they mean to me now. After that visit, I found that most of the pain was gone. WOW! Now I was free and able to start working toward my dream. What I needed was a job that would allow me the time and mental energy to create inventory to sell at fairs. Thus…

I have always believed that we as a people need to walk lightly on this earth. We need to put away the chemicals that cause so much harm to us and to every other living thing with which we share this earth. We need to find safer and more harmonious ways of doing what we need to do. So I have decided to start cleaning houses using “nice,” natural cleaners – no bleach, no ammonia, no harsh chemicals. I'm still a bit afraid, but I'm going to give it my best try!

If you are interested in having a clean and chemical free house give me a call at 206-371-8642.

Or stop by and visit me at the Freemont Sunday Market. Watch out world, here I come!!

From Astrolabe: the Creators of Solar Fire (the astrological charting software Inga uses):

Venus Begins a New Retrograde Period
************************************
After the Sun and Moon, Venus is the brightest object in the solar system. It is therefore not surprising that astrologers from Babylon all the way to the Aztec and Mayan cultures in America have considered Venus's dramatic cycle of waxing and waning, appearance and disappearance, morning star and evening star to be one of the primary celestial indicators of mundane events. It is also interesting to note that at least from medieval times Western astrologers have considered Venus to rule the Arabs and Islam.

On October 10 this year, Venus made a station at 15 Scorpio 37, beginning a 40-day retrograde period that occurs only once every 19 months. This time, its station point was just 37 minutes off what
Uranian astrologers call the Cardinal Axis (0 degrees of the Cardinal signs and 15 degrees of the Fixed signs). These degrees, which are the degrees of the two equinoxes, the two solstices, and the midpoints between them, are said to symbolize the world at large.

Venus goes retrograde every 1.6 years -- only five times in an eight-year period. The degrees at which it makes its stations form a five-pointed star in the zodiac. In the eighth year, after the fifth retrograde, the cycle begins again, about two degrees earlier in the zodiac, and the stations then trace a new five-pointed star, slightly displaced backwards from the previous one. The fact that this month's Venus retrograde station hits so close to the Cardinal or World Axis may make it particularly significant for world affairs.

**************
Echoes of 1994
**************
To see what themes the current Venus station may bring up, let's look at what happened when Venus stationed near the 15 Scorpio point (actually, 18 Scorpio 01) eight years ago in the fall of 1994. In October, 1994, the Taliban movement was created among the former Mujahideen with the support of Pakistan, and they won Kandahar as their first territory. In November, 1994, while Venus was still retrograde, the Republicans stunningly took control of both houses of Congress. Perhaps more notably, George W. Bush entered the political scene by defeating the incumbent Ann Richards to become governor of Texas.

A funny, and true story, from someone in Inga's Environmental Science class:

Mr. Ryan DeVries SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; 2088 Dagget T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Pierson, MI 49339 Montcalm County

Dear Mr. DeVries:

It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent Unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of Property. You have been certified as the legal landowner And/or contractor who did the following unauthorized Activity: 

Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated. 

The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2002. 

Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action. 

We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter.  Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions. 

Sincerely, David L. Price

District Representative, Land and Water Management Division 

******************************************************************

This is the actual response 

Dear Mr. Price, 

Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County 

Your certified letter dated 12/17/97 has been handed to me for my response. 

First of all, Mr. Ryan DeVries is not the legal landowner and/or Contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson, Michigan. I am the legal owner and a couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructing  and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my  Spring Pond. 

While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris." I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic. 

As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity. My first dam question to you is: (1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers or (2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request? If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, then through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 24.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated. 

I have several concerns. My first concern is - aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation-so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department’s dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event causing flooding is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. 

In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names. If you want the stream  "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers - but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter; they being unable to read English.

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams). So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2002?

The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then. 

In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality (health) problem in the area. It is the bears!

Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone.

If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! (The bears are not careful where they dump!)

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office.

Sincerely, Stephen L. Tvedte

Here is the background information about the dam letters: http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/dammed.htm

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.

• When: The 1st Friday of every month. Please join us for dinner. We start eating around 7:00 PM. Or join us for dessert later on!
• Where: Our place (click on LIBRARY in the navigation bar at the top of the screen and then MAP ROOM for directions)
• What to bring: Just your enthusiasm and love! There's a big pot of pasta on the stove, salad, bread and plenty of microbrews and red wine. If you have specific preferences, please bring whatever you'd like.
• How long: Until the good conversation ends! If you'd like, you can spend the night on one of the couches with the kitties or bring your sleeping bag and mat and camp out on the floor of Inga's office.
• RSVP: Just let us know in advance via e-mail or phone if you are coming and if you are bringing guests so we don't run out of food or beer!

As Inga mentioned above, I needed to make a business trip to Gila Bend, Arizona to visit my company's jobsite there. I decided that since I did not get to visit with my family last year due to all the uproar at work, we would drive down in our truck and tow one of my bikes so I could ride with my brother, Paul, in Tucson and my brother, Eric, in Los Angeles. In between those two rides, we would also visit my mom and dad in Arivaca, Arizona. 

Upon arriving in Tucson, I rolled my Honda ST1100 off the trailer and the next morning, Paul and I  first visited the Kitt Peak National Observatory which is located southeast of Tucson. (The photo is of Paul on his Harley Road King.) The observatory is perched at the top of a mountain within a Native American reservation, the Tohono O'odham Nation. The road to the top is a wonderful ride for both the twists and turns and the stunning desert and mountain scenery. 

We returned to Tucson to have lunch with Inga and to pick up another riding buddy, Jeff, a.k.a., "Pork Chop". (It seems that if you ride a Harley, you have to have a nickname. Paul's is "Pablo".) 

Later that day, we rode up the Catalina Highway to the top of Mt. Lemmon. This highway climbs 6,000 ft. above Tucson in just 25 miles. To see a route map of the Sky Island Scenic Byway, click here. This road is nothing short of spectacular. Just driving it is an absolute hoot due to all the ups and downs and twists and turns. At the bottom, you find yourself in the Upper Sonoran Desert, surrounded by cactus. At the top, the terrain is the equivalent of British Columbia. As you ascend, the vegetation changes and as I recall, you pass through 6 distinct climate zones. The photo below and to the right is from about 7,000 ft. in elevation. Off in the distance, are the lower desert zone mountains. Higher up, you drive through forests of fir and pine trees. In all, we rode about 200 miles that day and saw some of the finest terrain in Southern Arizona.

Next on the agenda was a trip to Arivaca, Arizona where my parents live. This tiny town is less than 10 miles from the Mexican border as the crow flies or as the illegal immigrant hikes. We had a nice Mexican lunch in town and to our surprise, found an espresso stand where they even roast their own beans and sell them over the Internet.. (This struck us a very funny as we had one hell of a time trying to find espresso in most of Utah to no avail.) The coffee was absolutely delightful, really top notch, and a welcome treat! They buy only coffee beans that have been grown using a sustainable method. Click here to visit their website. To learn more about Arivaca and to see shots of the migratory birds that pass through the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge just outside of town, click here. After living in Seattle and visiting huge metropolitan areas like Tucson and Phoenix, life in Arivaca is at the whole other end of the spectrum and after all the stress I've been under this past year at work, I could hear the call of a much simpler lifestyle. (That must be why Inga, the dedicated urbanite that she is, was looking at me funny!)

With our Arivaca coffees in hand, we said our goodbyes and headed up north to Gila Bend where we checked into the Best Western Space Age Lodge. As hard as I tried, I could not uncover any dirt about ETs or beamship sightings. The word at the motel was that the owners had some involvement in NASA. (Oh well! I guess I'm no Fox Mulder!) The room was very clean and Inga and I hiked the length of Gila Bend and back the first night, about 3 miles. The town used to be a famous stagecoach stop way back when and it essentially still is due to all the traffic passing through between LA and Phoenix and Tucson.

After two days in town, we packed up and headed west toward LA where my youngest brother, Eric, and family live. We stopped in La Quinta, California for the night so Inga could log on and take her Environment class test while I watched the movie "Spiderman" on cable. The next morning we drove into LA and arrived at Eric's house in Van Nuys, a neighborhood of LA. There we were reunited with my niece, Katherine, who we had met when she was only 6 months old and had not seen since. She is now 4 years old so it was a wonderful visit and a chance to get to know her.

Eric and I rode that day to the Rock Store, once a stagecoach stop many years ago, and now a famous motorcyclist destination in the hills above Malibu, California. No, we did not encounter Jay Leno or Arnold Schwartzenegger but we had a fun ride as we cruised along the Malibu ocean shore and through the surrounding hills. The next day, we put the motorcycle back on the trailer, packed up, exchanged lots of hugs and headed north back to Seattle. We had a wonderful adventure but there truly is no place like home! -- Scott Bruce Duncan */:-)

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