Archives for May 2021

These days, it seems everyone has a hotline to ‘the truth’, while at the same time it seems to be ever more difficult to determine which truth we should believe. But is truth something we should have to believe in anyway? Shouldn’t truth be so clear as to be undeniable and not a matter of belief at all?

What is truth?

All the religions and spiritual traditions around the world claim to have insights concerning the truth. In some cases, a charismatic teacher has come into the community and turned old ideas upside down: it is the firm conviction in the righteousness of this new truth that fuels the charisma. This kind of person is a prophetic personality. He – and it usually a male figure – becomes a magnet for followers and a so-called ‘cult’ develops. After a few years of persecution, the cult may gain traction, be accepted by the state that happens to be in charge at the time and becomes an official religion. The original teacher’s inspiration is invariably distorted along the route. Many generations later, scholars may reveal the questionable concepts embedded in the religion. For example, cultural developments may mean people no longer accept the religion’s attitudes towards women or homosexuals. Or perhaps a lack of financial or sexual integrity of the religion’s leaders may be exposed. Despite this, many of the faithful still continue following, ignoring the flaws in the so-called ‘truths’ they have accepted. But this is not to say that the inspired teacher was not telling ‘the truth’ in the first place.

Finding the truth within

The greatest teachers are those who insist each one of us should search inwardly for truth. They acknowledge that ‘truth’ for one person may involve moral codes and strictures that are not appropriate for others. They would also say that some ‘truths’ become outmoded and need to be reappraised. For the most part, I do believe they would agree we should not expect to find the truth in musty old manuscripts or ancient scriptures.

The founder of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) was an intensely mystical seeker called George Fox (1624–1691). From a young age he travelled around, asking questions of church ministers, hoping to hear some profound words of wisdom. He was constantly disappointed. Eventually, when sitting quietly one day – ‘contemplating’ is the word he would have used – he heard an inner voice telling him to listen to the wisdom of God within his own heart:

I heard a voice which said, “There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition.”

While George Fox was certainly charismatic, he had no desire to found a sect. He shared his understanding and proclaimed it outdoors, saying that church buildings and rituals were unnecessary and that both men and women could declare wisdom that arrived for them personally, during what he called ‘silent worship’.

His followers originally described themselves as ‘Children of the Light’, or ‘Friends of the Truth’. Then they became the Society of Friends. Fox’s inspiration was to encourage people to listen to their own heart’s wisdom and share it, but not impose it on others.

This spiritual movement was not named after its founder – an indication of Fox’s integrity – but, by the time of his death, around 60,000 people (over 1%) in England and Wales were practicing Quakers, particularly women. Because they were banned from university, politics and other social organisations – they were even persecuted under law for a period during the 1800s – some became wealthy entrepreneurs. People such as John Cadbury and Joseph Rowntree were philanthropists, and several British banks were also founded by Quaker families. Despite their immense influence in an expanding and prosperous Britain, George Fox’s gravestone is simple and plain, in keeping with Quaker ideals.

Nowadays, the Quaker movement maintains a simple approach to spiritual activities, focussing for the most part on their well-established habit of sitting in silence. Today, we would call this practice meditation! Several important charitable enterprises have been founded after insights gained in a Sunday morning Quaker gathering – Amnesty International and Oxfam are good examples, though there are many others. For myself, I have had some very profound experiences while sitting in silent worship with Quakers.

What do you find when you search within?

Personally, I don’t call myself a ‘Christian’ although I am very happy, given the opportunity, to sit with Quakers, who (for the most part) would use the ‘Christian’ identifier. However, what I recognise in Fox’s experience is a universal spiritual illumination. Because Fox grew up in a Christian society, he could only use a label that he was familiar with to describe his insights. When he heard a guiding voice within, I’m quite certain he would have heard words that fitted his previous understanding. For him, Jesus was the only teacher who was likely to bring wisdom to the listening heart. Had he been from an Indian background, the voice would undoubtedly have presented itself as Lord Krishna.

This was a ‘true’ experience – Fox was meeting the ‘truth’ within him, and it gave itself a name. Some people use the expression ‘Christ consciousness’ to describe a state of being where we feel at one with the simplicity of truth within, although this experience is by no means unique to Christians. This simplicity is often accompanied by an awareness of expanded light throughout the mind and body. You enter an arena in which you feel held and protected, innocent and wise at the same time – you become a ‘child of the light’.

What’s in a name?

When you encounter the light within – the ‘truth’ – then your own history, or the history of your ancestors, will have an influence on the name you might use to describe this experience. A born-again Christian will probably call the light ‘the Holy Spirit’. Anyone brought up in an Abrahamic religion – Jewish, Christian or Muslim ­– might want to describe the light as an ‘angel’. Often, the light will present you with an angelic name. It might even describe itself as ‘God’. Eileen Caddy, one of the founders of the Findhorn Community in Scotland, heard a voice while meditating in Glastonbury in the late 1950s. The voice said, Be still and know that I am God. I’m sure Eileen knew these words are found in the biblical Psalms, (46:10), but this does not mean her experience was not true. She heard the words directly. Her familiarity with the Psalms would have allowed the ‘truth’ to speak to her in this particular way. Eileen would have been comfortable and not at all surprised to receive a spiritual message delivered using biblical words.

Your truth

Of course, we all know that some people hear voices telling them to do bad things, as well good! The hearing of voices can be a sign of a malfunctioning ego, rather than a mystical insight. So what’s the difference? According to many accounts I have read, someone who needs treatment for a mental disorder is usually anxious, hyperactive and extremely agitated. Profound spiritual insights are invariably accompanied by an aura of calm – although someone who has just had a powerful vision will often seem over-enthusiastic and can be somewhat pushy, wanting to share the ‘good news’! After all, the word ‘enthusiasm’ literally means to be filled with God.

When you take up regular meditation, you will gain powerful insights. You won’t necessarily hear voices, but you may very well find ‘ideas’ arising quickly, like messages in your mind, as though coming from ‘somewhere else’. You will see the ‘truth’ concerning your personal life. You may also observe that other people seem to be out of integrity with their own ‘truth’ but, for the most part, it’s not your job to point this out! What you can do, however, is encourage others to meditate and listen to the truth that is waiting inside them to be recognised.

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During May 2021, The Shefa Method Self-Study version is complete FREE. The Supervised version is greatly reduced. Click here to apply.

You can learn how to work with the great Archangels of the Tree of Life by enrolling on my new course, Accessing Angelic Realms, either as Self-Study or with personal supervision from me. During May, if you take up the FREE Shefa Method offer, you also receive a 50% Discount Voucher valid against Accessing Angelic Realms if you purchase during May 2021 (you can start the course itself whenever you wish).

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In this blog, I take a look at the ‘Joy of Venus’ – relaxed pleasure in the overflowing abundance the Universe supplies. Let’s luxuriate in our inner Sunshine for a while!

In astrology, the fifth ‘house’ – called by the ancients the fifth ‘place’ – was described as the place of ‘Good Fortune’ and the ‘Joy of Venus’. It’s interesting to note that Venus in the sky makes a five-fold pattern as she dances through her cycle. The apple is associated with Venus and, if you cut an apple at right angles to the core, you will see the same five-fold pattern.

Keywords for the fifth house include children, pleasure and sex. I have noticed that most astrologers don’t usually include ‘money’… that topic is normally associated with the second and eighth houses: the second house signifies your personal resources; the eighth is the house of other people’s stuff, possibly your partner’s money, bank loans, or business associates investments. But I say let’s add ‘money’ to the fifth house list, because money is often a route to pleasure. Also, I associate Venus, who is joyful in the fifth, with Archangel Raphael (if you remember from my Archangel series, Raphael brings healing by solving several family problems, including money issues).

The Botticelli painting of Venus rising from the waves in a seashell (used as my video thumbnail above) depicts a sweet, young woman who is quite naked – and very relaxed.

In my favourite tarot pack (The Alchemical Tarot by Robert M. Place and Rosemary Guilley) the Empress is a naked lady wearing a crown, leaning against a tree, a naked child nearby, and another tree laden with apples in the background.

In the same deck, the Queen of Coins (Pentacles) is a similarly naked lady, carrying a large coin and holding a cornucopia of fruit. She seems to own the fairy-tale castle in the background. Venus appears to be very joyful in both these settings.

All these images show us that we humans have an archetypal desire for pleasure, to be relaxed and joyful. There is a feeling of innocence, as if these exquisite creatures were still living in the Garden of Eden. What gets in our way? Anxiety? Guilt? These are old stories that keep telling us we don’t have the right to relax – we need to be on our guard, we need to protect ourselves from hidden enemies. These ladies should get dressed, laced up and protected, in case a predatory male is on the loose!

In the Four of Coins from the same deck, a man is hiding his coins from the world. The coins represent his wealth – not just real cash, but talents. Remember Jesus’ parable of the talents? In those days, a talent was a coin, while nowadays we use the same word for a natural gift. Perhaps a creative gift, like a musical or artistic talent. Maybe a scientific or mathematical ability.

Robert’s image for the Four of Coins echoes the famous injunction to avoid hiding our light under a bushel. In recent years, a saying has been circulating that tells us we are not really afraid of the darkness, but of our own spiritual light. (Marianne Williamson).

The Sun is the greatest source of light for humanity – the ‘Greater Luminary’ in astrology. In archetypal angelology, the Sun’s intelligence is Michael, whose name means ‘like unto God’. Our natural gifts and talents represent our wealth potential. By ‘wealth’ we don’t necessarily mean becoming a millionaire, billionaire or trillionaire. We mean having the comfort, ease and confidence that everything we desire will flourish and grow according to our intentions. We can be totally relaxed as our life’s purpose unfolds. No anxieties concerning resources. We will feel comforted and comfortable, because the Sun will shine through us and lighten our days.

In this tarot image, the Sun illuminates a couple, rising together, quite naked, under a magnificent crown. Here we see that spiritual radiance will always manage to incorporate the yin and the yang. If you check out the Tree of Life, you will find the sefira associated with the Sun (and with Michael), holds the balance at the central pivot point on the pillar of equilibrium, between the yin and yang pillars. Michael is often depicted carrying a pairs of scales. (Watch my set of Angel videos and read the short blog series if you would like to find out more about the Archangels of the Tree of Life, and Michael’s key role).

But we might consider what goes on for us when we cannot see sunshine in our lives?

            This figure represents spiritual wisdom – not necessarily conventional religion, although in old tarot packs he was called The Pope. His chair is a representation of the two pillars – the Moon for yin, the Sun for yang. The Hierophant does not identify with either of these luminaries. He sits between them, allowing both light and darkness in his life. We are being shown a magical book, covered with mystical diagrams. This represents the inner knowledge that doesn’t depend on the light of the external Sun. Don’t forget, the Sun is the light source for all the other celestial bodies in the solar system, including the Moon.

In a tarot pack, the Hermit represents the seeker after inner truth. He walks in darkness, but he carries a lamp signifying the light of wisdom. In The Angels Script, there is a character – Zade – also called the Hermit.

This character carries a rectangular box – it might be a book of wisdom, it could also be a gift, or a treasure of some kind.

In the sequence of Shefa Method characters, you will find Vau – Inner Wisdom, A single line of light topped by a single orb. This character represents the state of innocent, centred, confidence that can carry you through life. Abundance and joy will naturally follow! Remember the proverb:

Happy is the person who finds wisdom…

for the merchandise of it is better than silver and the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies, and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. (Proverbs 3:13-17)

Go to your inner treasure house every day and claim your birthright. Explore how to use Shefa characters to enhance your personal agency in the world. Then you will find joy, creating a life that you love, bringing abundance to people in your personal life, spreading delight wherever you go.

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During May 2021, The Shefa Method Self-Study version is complete FREE. The Supervised version is greatly reduced. Click here to enrol.

You can learn how to work with the great Archangels of the Tree of Life by enrolling on my new course, Accessing Angelic Realms, either as Self-Study or with personal supervision from me. During May, if you take up the FREE Shefa Method offer, you also receive a 50% Discount Voucher valid against Accessing Angelic Realms if you purchase during May 2021.

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If you’re not already on my mailing list, subscribe and I will notify you of my vlogs and blogs, and send you my eight-times-a-year Tree of Life Cycles newsletter.