blog

The Sun is the main driving force in your birth chart. While your Soul is trying to express itself in your current lifetime, the Sun is the instrument it uses to achieve this.

This blog focuses on the importance of getting in touch with the Sun inside your heart. The image above shows someone peeling back a grey overlay to reveal a sunny landscape under the fog. Let’s have a think about how we can all get to work on this spiritual revelation!

As I quote in the video, the 2nd-century astrologer Vettius Valens describes the Sun as the instrument of perception of the Soul . What can that mean for us, on our spiritual journey?

A Soul symphony

Valens is telling us that the Sun’s placement in our natal horoscope describes the main theme that our Soul has chosen for this lifetime. Many ancient philosophers, especially Pythagoras, envisioned the cosmos as a vast musical concert, and we can think of our life as a microcosmic symphony in which many instruments will play their particular parts. But we would say that the Sun carries the main theme, or melody.

In astrology we identify the Sun as having twelve options – these are the twelve signs of the zodiac. Having chosen its main theme, the Sun can step into the world of time and settle into one of twelve ‘houses’, or ‘places’ – I prefer to call these ‘mansions’. The twelve mansions are topics of human activity where our Soul can act out its chosen story. Another way of thinking about this would be to describe the Sun as taking on a costume, then choosing an arena to perform in, just as an actor puts on a costume and then walks out onto a stage where the scene has been set up.

An example might work like this: a Soul has chosen its Sun to wear the costume of Taurus and has arrived in the fourth mansion of home and family. Now, this Soul can develop all those practical down-to-earth potentials offered by the Taurean theme and act them out in the arena of home and family. That seems to me like a very comfortable mansion for a Taurean Sun to occupy – mostly. Taurean energy is generally stable and predictable – good for family and home matters – although we should be aware of the saying, ‘Like a bull in a china shop’. Think how that might apply if you have a bull in your family!

 A more challenging combination might be the Sun putting on the costume of Aries and stepping into the fourth mansion. The energetic, fiery, extravert quality of Aries the Ram ( the ‘battering-ram’) may find it hard work to be confined in a home and family scenario.

The Sun energy available to us in this present incarnation presents us with creative – we could say magical – potential. We have the creative power of the Universe within our own microcosmic domain. Our Soul has chosen its ‘MO’, its modus operandi, or style of operating (zodiac sign) and its locus operandi ­– place of operation. I’ve given you just two examples from the 144 variations – that is twelve zodiac signs multiplied by twelve houses, places or mansions.

We want to take full advantage of these creative potentials. How we can step into a sense our own agency?

We have chosen a name and a place

An Egyptian creation legend describes how the everlasting God of the Universe, Neb-er-tcher, filled all of space. Because this god desired to create the world, he took the form of creator-god Khepera, who raises himself in Nu – a celestial ocean which is inert and helpless. Heaven and Earth have not been created, but Khepera brings dynamic activity into this ocean. He wants somewhere to stand himself in what is really only empty space. He also has no name.

Khepera is a form of the Sun-god Re, specifically the god of the rising Sun. He was self-produced – his name comes from the Egyptian word, kheprer, meaning ‘to become’. This story describes our creative power , our capacity to become as our Soul chooses. Khepera is often portrayed as a scarab beetle, or with a scarab on his head.

The legend says that Khepera gave being to himself by uttering his own name. Because he was still a portion of the great god Neb-er-tcher, when he spoke the word Khepera, he came into being as Khepera. (Note – here you can see the significance of your own name for this lifetime, so if the name your parents gave you seems unsuitable for your heart’s intention, change it).

When Khepera needed a place in which to stand, he announced the name of the place and it also came into being. This magical spell was addressed to his heart, or his will. Khepera willed this standing-place to appear and it arrived at his command. One version of the legend speaks of a ‘heart-soul’ assisting Khepera in his first creative acts – he thought from his heart what he wished to create and then, simply by uttering its name, caused his thought to take concrete form. This process of thinking out the existence of things is expressed in Egyptian by words that mean laying the foundation in the heart.

We can gain creative insights about our Sun potential from this legend. Just as Khepara derives his creative potential from Neb-er-tcher, our Soul is able to make full use of the divine energy of the Sun – which, as the meaning of Archangel Michael’s name reminds us, is ‘like unto God’ – but only according to what has already been chosen. Don’t forget, however, that our Soul had the agency in the first place, to choose the place and time of incarnation. Like Khepera, we have created a heart-soul spell. We have already laid the foundation of this lifetime in our heart. Our Soul’s desire will be to shine according to this primordial – original – intention. If other inclinations tempt us away from our Sun potential, then events will conspire to nudge us back towards the light. Some of these events may prove to be seriously uncomfortable. You have been warned!

Creating your great artwork

The Renaissance artist Michelangelo is reputed to have said that he only released his sculptures from the stone – his great statue of David was already waiting within the huge piece of marble. Michelangelo’s task was to reveal the latent beauty for all to see. We can see how Michelangelo was a creator-god – the marble was unformed, waiting for the artist to summon its potential. We might also consider that Michelangelo had a hidden heart desire to create David, then the best piece of marble arrived as required for the task. There is a symbiotic relationship between the artist and the materials at hand. When we look at his majestic artwork, somehow we know that it always existed as a unique, original form, just waiting for someone to give it shape.

In the same way, your Soul has a primordial desire to express itself and your natal chart Sun, by sign and mansion, describes the potential in your piece of marble – your essential, creative desire to shine in the world of time and space.

The lessons:

• Your Soul has chosen this life possibility, even if you don’t recall the inter-life moment when that choice was made. If there is predestination, then you have played a key role in mapping out your future. You have chosen your name, your place, and your time.
• In order to identify your already chosen options, check out your natal horoscope – especially look for the sign of the zodiac where the Sun was placed when you were born. If you have the time and place of your birth, look for the rising sign and identify which ‘house’ or ‘mansion’ the Sun has chosen. Please note: there are different options for dividing the circle of the chart into twelve mansions. That’s a complicated topic, but if you ask an internet site to give you a chart (such as astrodienst.com) it will usually offer different options for the house divisions. I recommend you try two different options. The Placidus system has been a favourite with modern astrologers for generations. The Whole House system has recently attracted attention among astrologers who have discovered ancient texts. Look for the placement of the Sun in both variations. This placement might turn out to be the same, but quite likely will be different. For example, using Placidus, the Sun in my chart is placed in the fourth; using Whole House, in the fifth. What you can do for yourself, even with only a little astrological knowledge, is to consider which mansion seems to most accurately describe how you imagine yourself functioning best.

• Now you have arrived, you can take up the potentials you chose and make full use of them. Your sense of confidence and authority will grow, just as the Sun rises each morning. When you wake up each day you can say:

This is who I am, this what I do in the world. I am here to shine.

• Your Soul will use the fiery and intelligent light of your Sun sign as an instrument of perception. Like Khepera, you will rise and be able to use human senses and intelligence to establish your shining presence in this world.
• A regular meditation practice provides an open opportunity for your inner sunshine to express itself easily. The Shefa Method (FREE until 18 June 2021) gives you tools to use as remedies to heal and release any blocks that might inhibit your Sun radiating to its full capacity. This is how you peel away the fog and see a glorious landscape opening up before you. Your inner ‘bright angel’ is ‘like unto god’ ­and revealing this Sun to the world will transform your life.

---

Until 18 June 2021, The Shefa Method Self-Study version is completely 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. If you take up the FREE Shefa Method offer, you also receive a 50% Discount Voucher valid against Accessing Angelic Realms if you purchase before 18 June 2021 (you can start the course itself whenever you wish).

---

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.

What’s the difference between a spiritual awakening and being ‘woke’? Either way, it’s your duty in this lifetime not to sleep through all your possibilities!

I recall the phrase Wake up! Rise and shine! from my childhood. My mother frequently called this, encouraging me to get out of bed when I would rather stay under the blankets. No duvets in those bygone days! So now I’m older (just a bit), I’m using Wake Up! Rise and Shine as the title for my new book (look out for an announcement later this Summer, when it will be available for all subscribers as a free ebook). But let me tell you why I think Wake Up! Rise and Shine should be a modern mantra for everyone on a spiritual path.

Are you awake?

Nowadays, we read media articles in which some celebrities are described as ‘woke’. This description means they are well informed and aware of political, cultural and social issues. The history of the phrase is embedded in Afro-American history – the great Hudie Ledbetter (aka Leadbelly) used it in a 1938 song about racial prejudice. In 1940, an official in United Mine Workers said: “Let me tell you, buddy. Waking up is a damn sight harder than going to sleep, but we’ll stay woke up longer.” More recently, the phrase became popular and entered general conversation after soul singer Eryka Badhu used ‘I stayed woke’ as a refrain in her 2008 song, Master Teacher.

 The Merriam-Webster dictionary today defines ‘woke’ as ‘questioning the dominant paradigm, striving for something better.’ This is an intellectual and ideological position – we understand and engage with present-day problems surrounding racial prejudice, gender inequality, climate change and other socio-political issues.

I would definitely like more people to wake up in this sense! And, yes, it is harder than going to sleep. We would all like to stay under the blankets of our habitual ways of thinking and perceiving. After all, what can we as individuals do about the overarching (and often negative) issues that seem to have a life of their own? In recent times, many people have conscientiously joined forces, intending to demonstrate that groups of individuals can make a difference.

BUT… I want to draw your attention to another kind of waking up. It is not contrary to the visions of ‘woke’ community organisations. In fact, if you REALLY wake up, then all efforts to realign social and cultural norms towards more beautiful and harmonious human interactions will be empowered. But the power comes not from any ideology, or from ‘political correctness’, but from the Divine Source within Creation, which is within all humanity.

Spiritual slumbers

Another special memory I have from being very small was of my mother singing a lullaby – Golden Slumbers Kiss Your Eyes. The singing of lullabies is an ancient practice and I’m sure mothers in all cultures still practice it, even if they wouldn’t stand up in public to sing.

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato tells a story of the Soul’s journey, in which he describes how our Soul, on its way into a new incarnation, crosses the River Lethe – a river that encourages all who drink from it to forget its previous life. In this process, our Soul may also forget its purpose for this incarnation.

But, when we arrive in our new home, our parents will probably be very keen to encourage us to sleep! After all, they need their own opportunities for shut-eye. They need to maintain energy for dealing with the tiny newcomer who is disrupting their lifestyle.

A regular sleep pattern is necessary for good health. We humans tend to behave like many other Earth-bound mammals: we like to be active during daylight and sleep during the night, but the advent of artificial lighting has allowed us to extend our ‘day time’ well after night has fallen. We must be alert to the very important fact that our physical and mental wellbeing should be an adjunct to, not a replacement for, our spiritual health. We must be careful not to stay spiritually comatose! Meditation and inner exploration will allow our inner guides to offer the wisdom we need to stay on track for our Soul’s purpose in this lifetime. Daily meditation allows us to reconnect with the Divine sunshine we carry within. Sometimes we need to go on a very deep journey to uncover that hidden gold but, as I Ching frequently reminds us: “perseverance furthers”.

Spiritual awakening

The second line in the lullaby my mother sang to me goes: Smiles await you when you rise. When we rise from spiritual slumbers we step into a joyous, smiling, delightful new perception. We understand that all the prejudice, inequality and planetary devastation is down to human disconnection from the Divine. When we re-establish our inner ‘kingdom’, we can rule our personal lives with grace, vitality and strength. Every time one person steps into this awakening, another notch in planetary and social health is registered, we are engaged in what kabbalists call tikkun olam – the healing of the world. We can make use of the alphabetical characters provided in The Shefa Method, in order to participate in this process.

As you can see, this character is shaped like a crucible, a container in which changes can evolve in a protective environment. Think of your meditation sessions as an opportunity to sit in the stillness and silence of the Divine, a golden sunshine that will permeate your mind and body. Every time you dip into this arena you will shed your outer habits of anxiety and fear. You will stop being overwhelmed by the daily news. You will know, directly, that the Divine qualities of Love, Wisdom and Power can be expressed through us – will allow us to solve the most difficult and pressing problems humanity is facing.

This ‘knowledge’, what the ancients called gnosis, is an awakening. When you open your eyes, you can face life with a smile. You will gradually come to understand the real purpose of your present incarnation, the contribution you can make personally to the whole world waking up.

A way back home

The original words of my mother’s lullaby date back several centuries, to a drama by Thomas Dekker, written in 1603. In 1918, Dekker’s poem was set to a melody by British composer, Peter Warlock (according to his Wikipedia entry he took that name because he was interested in ‘occult practices’). Pete Seeger included it on his album, Lullabies from Far and Wide in 1972.

The Beatles sang a version of Golden Slumbers with additional lyrics by Paul McCartney (John Denver and Neil Diamond also covered this version):

Once there was a way
To get back homeward
Once there was a way
To get back home
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby.

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles await you when you rise
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby.

Paul McCartney added a melancholic aura to the song, with his new lines suggesting there is no way home: Once there was a way… But now, he implies, we had best not cry about the loss, we should take time out and go to sleep. We should remember, though, that Paul’s version was written in 1969, the year after the Beatles renounced their association with the Maharishi, who had taught them ‘the way to get back homeward’ – Transcendental Meditation.

Let me assure you, there is a way home. Then you will wake up and you will greet the world with smiles. As the Beatles sang in All You Need Is Love, when they were still meditating: “It’s easy!”

---

During May 2021, The Shefa Method Self-Study version is completely 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).

---

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.