Sticky Buds 2021

The online version of our seasonal Tree of Life Cycles newsletter for Sticky Buds 2021.

Ostara | Easter | Pesach | Spring Equinox

(Click here to read about the names we chose for the annual cycle of traditional festivals throughout the year, and why we chose them).

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“The equinoxes are midpoints between the solstices… they are times of becoming and transition where change properly gets into gear. At Spring Equinox, the restraining influences of winter give way, and plants, animals and people go forward to pursuing their goals, mutating and growing each as best they can, staking out their space and making the best of circumstances while there is opportunity.” (Palden Jenkins – see book review below).

New Beginnings…

I’ve been watching the TV series, A Discovery of Witches, and noticed that every episode opens with one of the characters reporting how his father always said, “In every end is a new beginning.” This is, of course, a well-worn trope, but it is worth repeating over and over, because we so often get caught up with the grief of what we might be losing when an old cycle ends. Perhaps instead we should be celebrating by saying, “Thank the Gods that’s over and done with – now we can move forward with a new vision!”

In the news recently, here in the UK, I heard that one local council – Nottingham – has decided to completely demolish a shopping mall in the city centre. The mall seems to have become redundant over the last few years and this old way of shopping has given way to home deliveries. The need – and the desire – to purchase what we need online has increased exponentially during the pandemic restrictions. What was really exciting though was to learn that the council intends to raze the whole complex and they have no plans to replace it with other buildings. Not even housing. They plan to create a natural, open, wild space! Hooray! Mother Nature can find her place again!

This reminds me of my card deck. For those who are not familiar with my Angels Script book and cards set, let me introduce you to the first of the twenty-three characters, originally found in the ancient Writing of the Angels. Every character in the deck is named after a letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The first Hebrew letter is Aleph – equivalent to the letter ‘A’. In The Angels Script this character is called The Beginning:

The keywords for this character are:

ENERGY | PURPOSE | POSSIBILITY | GOAL-SETTING | OPPORTUNITY

From these keywords you will realise what a suitable character this is, for Sticky Buds, as it is the Spring Equinox when Mother Nature starts exploding with growth. You can also easily see that this character will be a great companion for the Archangel Hanael (see below).

I see this character being like a packet of seeds, waiting to be planted, waiting for the opportunity to grow. The channelled message for Aleph opens like this:

The Beginning is rich with possibilities. All the powers that shape the future are aligned and waiting. They are seeds just fertilized, silent yet persistent, looking for opportunities.

To find out more about The Angels Script and how it was created, click here and you will be able to see images of all the Archangels, as well as some examples showing how my original paintings led to the printed cards.

Welcome to Sticky Buds

GROWTH | DRIVE | POSSIBILITIES | INTENTION

The leaves on the tree begin to unfold from their tight buds of life energy. Now your own green spirit is beginning to liven up, urging you to open your heart and mind to new possibilities of self-expression. You can feel the inner drive towards growth expanding as you feel the Spring sunshine warming your limbs and filtering into your bloodstream. There is a sense of urgency to do your Spring cleaning, clearing the old to make way for the new. You will want to prune away old twigs and dead branches.

This new energy is exciting, a driving force that impels you on this next phase of your personal journey. Allow the flow of Spring power to heal and refresh you. Nature is giving you her annual opportunity to explore what is truly important to you. Be decisive. Make choices and set your intentions. What is in your life? What can go?

Now remember that what is in your life will need nurturing. The gardener prunes plants in the Spring, gathers and burns the waste then lays compost to feed the burgeoning new leaves. Identify how you can feed your new growth and make an agenda for maintaining a new relationship with your inner garden.

Sticky Buds exercise

• Find a very large piece of paper – A1 would be excellent. You will need brown and green pens or pencils for this exercise.
• Draw the brown trunk of a tree, showing roots below and branches above.
• Sketch small green bud shapes among the branches on your tree.
• Now sit quietly and consider what hopes you have for the coming year. If those buds could flourish, what blossoms and fruits will you see later? Write words that identify your goals on or around the buds. For example: complete my patchwork project; my wedding celebration; or finish my first novel.
• Sit quietly and ask yourself what your roots need in order to nourish your growing buds?
• After a while, write a few significant words around the roots acknowledging what will help you flourish this year. For example: quiet time; money; helpers (say what kind); fabrics; a new laptop.
• Once you have written your needs on the tree, you could make a separate list on a small piece of paper and pin it on your notice board, or keep it with your sacred table. Roll up your tree picture and save it for future use as the Sun progresses through the year.

Archangel Hanael – The Warrior

Keywords –Blood, energy, direction, purpose, assertiveness, vitality
Heavenly Body – Mars
Colour – Red
Festival – Sticky Buds

O God of battles, steel my soldiers’ hearts
Possess them not with fear. Take from them now
The sense of rec’ning, ere th’opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

About Hanael
Hanael’s name (also spelled Haniel and Aniel) means ‘he who sees God’, or ‘the glory of God’, and he watches over the sefira named ‘Victory’.

Traditionally, Hanael has been associated with the planet Venus and the goddess Ishtar. However, this strikes me as incongruous, since Hanael’s sefira is Victory, and appears on the active, masculine side of the Tree of Life. I believe he is better linked with Mars, and this was the impression I received when I meditated on this name and met a whirling red vortex of energy, accompanied by a throbbing sound like a heartbeat.

In ancient mythology, Mars is not only a warrior. He is the god of agriculture, providing vitality, the spirit of life that encourages the growth of living things. His month is March when the Spring Equinox occurs, and new plants stir after the Winter. In the same way, Archangel Hanael encourages new growth and persistence. Think of a small plant pushing up through a concrete pavement – that’s Hanael energy.   

The name Hanael does not occur in many stories, but according to the scholarly angel researcher Gustav Davidson (see his classic work, A Dictionary of Angels, New York, pub. Collier-Macmillan, 1967), he might also be identified as Kemuel (sometimes spelled ‘Chamuel’) meaning ‘he who seeks God’. Kemuel and Hanael both seem to be warrior angels. Henry Cornelius Agrippa (a major medieval writer on the occult) associates Kemuel with the strength of Samson, the biblical strongman who was able to kill a young lion with his bare hands.

Calling on Hanael
We can associate Hanael with Springtime, when new life begins. But all the archetypes represented by the Archangels are ever present. We can access these energetic qualities at any time.  So, when would you want to call on this energetic, high-vitality Archangel?

Hanael provides us with the spiritual passion and assertive drive to activate our choices. Whenever things are getting you down or you feel low in spirits, Hanael’s vitality will bring a new perspective and help you recharge your batteries. Before meeting him, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you angry? Does your anger appear as openly aggressive, or do you harbour inner resentments and grudges?
• Are you a victim? What prevents you from using your energy to get what you want in life?
• Can you be assertive without harming yourself or others?

Hanael will help you direct your energy towards the best possible goals, and will support you when you commit to fulfilling your destiny.

Other ways of bringing Hanael into your life:

• Consider how you can use your own warrior energy to improve your life. Practice asserting your needs with good grace. Is there something you have wanted to say to someone, but have been too anxious to speak up? It’s time to be honest and say clearly what needs to be said.
• Is it time to state your needs at work? Ask for a raise. Tidy the dusty shelf that no one else seems to notice. Buy a new plant for it and suggest people share responsibility for making the office a good place to work in.
• Do you feel strongly about an injustice, but haven’t so far acted on it? Find a ‘battle’ to fight – perhaps the local school is campaigning against a proposed mobile phone mast that will overshadow the playground. Stand up for your rights, and help others do the same.
• Watch a DVD about a hero or heroine who persists against the odds. This doesn’t have to be a war film – you could choose a story about a long trek across the ice or through the jungle, or a space journey – Apollo 13 is a good movie, famous for the catchphrase ‘Failure is not an option’.
• Physical vitality is a hallmark of Hanael energy, so get walking, running or dancing. Try hitting a punch ball!  Or play a game of tennis. Take a lesson in martial arts, fencing, or archery.
• Wear something red for a week.
• Choose some new goals for your life and set yourself a target for a ‘specific measurable result’ (SRM) to achieve within a certain timeframe. Whenever you feel inadequate to the task, ask Hanael for a boost.

Whenever you are feeling weak, or depressed, remember Hanael and do something that will liven up your fighting spark. Don’t allow yourself to feel downtrodden. Don’t think your opinion or needs don’t matter. Stand up for yourself! Be clear about who you are, then do what you have to do in order to live your life to the full. Hanael’s dynamic energy is available to all of us. Make conscious choices about how you will use your share of this power. Victory is not about beating other people, but about remaining in command of your self.

Your journey to meet Archangel Hanael
For a few days before going on this journey, start collecting items that remind you of Hanael’s energy – red or deep pink fabrics, a red candle, a red gemstone. Consider how ‘warrior’ energy can be used for positive ends. Perhaps you could find a picture of someone who persistently stood up for their beliefs – a good female example is Emmeline Pankhurst, who was defiant in her pursuit of votes for women. Another woman, a teenage heroine of mine, is Gladys Aylward. During World War II, she guided a troupe of small Chinese children across the mountains to save them from the invading Japanese.

You might also listen to a recording of a rousing speech – perhaps Martin Luther King’s famous ‘I have a dream’, or Winston Churchill’s ‘fight them on the beaches’ speech.  Or perhaps Henry V’s rousing Battle of Agincourt speech from Shakespeare’s play: ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends…’ declaimed so powerfully here by Laurence Olivier.

Here’s my guided journey to make contact with Hanael. To get the best out of it, please also take a little time preparing, as suggested in this guide.

After coming out of your visualisation, speak the following Invocation to Hanael:

SoulSchool News

The most exciting news is that Accessing Angelic Realms will be in the SoulSchool Shop from the end of March. You can opt for Self-Study or ask for Supervision, although there are a limited number of supervised places, so make sure to enrol as soon as possible if you do want Supervision. If you opt for Supervision, you receive a Certificate on satisfactory completion, which qualifies you as a recognised SoulSchool Angels Script Consultant.

After many weeks of editing and typesetting, creating new videos and other content, this is the second of our three Gateway Grades. The date for the third and final Gateway Grade, Creating Abundance, will be announced in the SoulSchool Blossoms newsletter.

Accessing Angelic Realms is a deep-dive opportunity to get the real juice out of The Angels Script deck of cards with its channelled messages – if you don’t already own The Angels Script, you get a pack with the course. There are just four Modules in this course, but each is intended as a four-week project, so the Modules are delivered every four weeks. Every one of the thirty-six cards has its own video, and a recorded guided journey, plus there are some additional audios. Also, for each card there are commentaries and suggested exercises. The accompanying videos are designed to support you with practice readings. Students who successfully complete the supervised version of the course are well rewarded with a Certificate, which qualifies you as an Angel Script Consultant, approved by SoulSchool.

For the next few weeks – until Blossoms! – we are offering good discounts for Accessing Angelic Realms. For people still working with Grounding Your Life Purpose content, you can sign up for Accessing Angelic Realms as soon as you want, then put it on hold if you don’t have room in your schedule to get started on the new course immediately.

SELF-STUDY – Usual price £180 SPECIAL OFFER £120 (save £60). Can pay in four monthly instalments of £30.SUPERVISED – Usual price £720 SPECIAL OFFER £600 (save £240). Can pay in four monthly instalments of £150.

Recommendations

Film

Cold Brook – Directed by William Fichtner (2018). Co-written by Cain DeVore and William Fichtner. Stars Kim Coates, William Fichtner and Brad William Henke. Available to stream or buy on Amazon Prime. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER.

This gentle but thought-provoking film is largely the brainchild of William Fichtner, who co-wrote it, co-stars in it, and directed it!

The two main characters are university campus maintenance men who have an encounter with the supernatural in the college museum. Although they’re initially spooked, they soon find themselves drawn into a historical tale of injustice which consumes their attention and they discover they are unable to let go of it. Unfortunately, while the two men are close friends (as are their wives) they don’t feel able to share their experiences with anyone. They’re led down an increasingly bizarre rabbit hole as they try to complete a vital mission.

This is nothing like the usual ghostly movie you may be expecting. There are no shocks and everything is perfectly believable. What’s more, the style is quirky, almost European in its delivery, and the main protagonists are very likeable. In particular, look out for the over-zealous security officer Chip, played by the mountainous Brad William Henke. His childlike naiveté, coupled with the biceps of a bear, give this film a memorable flavour. – Will Shaman.

Book

Power Points in Time by Palden Jenkins – Penwith Press (2014). Get it from the publishers here (we are not affiliates). This is a completely revised edition of Living in Time: Learning to Experience Astrology in Your Life (Gateway Books, 1987).

Penwith Press is based in Cornwall and specialises in books on topics such as earth mysteries and leylines.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Let me quote from Palden, where he explains the importance of understanding the wisdom offered to us in astrology:
 
Astrology is not just a neat way of explaining things, giving things contexts and understanding. It does serve these purposes, but the true purpose goes back to what the ancients were doing with their knowledge: they were using astrology as a way of identifying how to work with energy alchemically, magically. In order, first, to facilitate the flow of the universe, and second, to fit their own lives into this flow such that their own fortunes might be in some way furthered. This is no less than shamanic energy-work, work which involves a total dedication of our beingness – and this work is of such vital importance today. There is no way we are going to save the world from destruction by carrying on in our own little ways as we have been. We need a fundamental change. We need all manner of tools to aid us, and a living, breathing astrology is one such tool.  – Palden Jenkins, 1987.

I knew Palden when I lived in Glastonbury in the 1980s. He was the first astrologer I consulted and I still have his beautiful, hand-drawn horoscope, which is a treasure of mine. He is not well known as an astrological guru on the astrology circuit here in the UK, mainly because he has focussed for many years on community and humanitarian projects. (You can visit his website www.palden.co.uk and also read about his work in Palestine). However, you will soon discover, through this book, his immense grasp of astrological technicalities, while at the same time the content is accessible for anyone new to the subject. It also acts as a staple reference book, covering all the basic knowledge, from a modern astrologer’s perspective. Palden is not a Hellenistic astrologer. When I knew him, he was very keen to share the work of Dane Rudhyar, and I assume Rudhyar’s work has influenced his far-reaching astro-philosophy.  Palden is a historian with a remarkable capacity for seeing and demonstrating cycles of time. His major Historical Ephemeris offers astro-historical tables for a period of 2500 years and is freely available on his website here. This was researched in the late 1980s and first published in 1993, preceding Richard Tarnas’ better-known magnum opus, Cosmos and Psyche, by well over a decade. As Palden’s ephemeris is not cited in Tarnas’ bibliography, I can only think he was not aware of Palden’s earlier research. This doesn’t surprise me – as I say, Palden has been a hidden treasure, secluded in small local comunities for many years in Somerset and now in Cornwall.

It’s a fat book – well over 350 pages – and comes in at just under £20 when you order direct from the publisher, including shipping. It’s very readable, as well as giving you a huge amount of technical knowledge. This is the kind of book you will get deeply engrossed with, simply because Palden’s style is so engaging, although you won’t read it in one sitting. Parts of it are really useful for reference. You will put it on your bookshelf and go back to it time and again, to look up the sections that call to you when you are investigating your own chart, or the charts of friends, family or clients. He covers the ancient festivals and the lunations, encouraging you to find ways to participate in these natural cycles so your astrological wisdom becomes experiential. The obvious topics are all covered: signs, the planets, angles and power points in time. But this is not so much a book about how to read your natal chart. It’s more about how to become sensitive to our environment in terms of subtle energy… to work with the tides of energy… to work with time, not despite it. Palden insists that astrology does not replace your path, but adds to it. As he points out, it’s a powerful adjunct to psychology, horticulture, economics, history and medicine.

In order to help you get the great value of this book, let me quote from Palden’s introduction:

This book is about developing a sense of timing and coming to understand the deeper aspect of time. This involves cultivating a receptivity to what’s in the wind, what’s going on within us and what appears to be the underlying meaning of situations in our lives and in the world around us. Never fixed, our experiences and perceptions cause us to view life from so many different angles ­– this is one of the evolutionary purposes of life on Earth.

Time is what stops everything happening all at once. Time is a gift, since we encounter such a wide variety of learning experiences over the course of our lives, and it’s also a challenge, because we don’t usually get what we want when we want it. But things do come to us when we are truly ready. That’s life on planet Earth – the world doesn’t obey orders.

Through his work, Palden is inviting us to investigate the cycles of time. He wants us to look deeply into these cycles, what they do, how long they last, how they interrelate and how they work in our own lives and in the world around us.

This has been a very long review, but I wanted to bring attention to this exceptionally useful and insightful book. It will be very valuable for anyone called to get a deep feeling for the changing tides of time, especially during this remarkable historical period. Contrary to recent comments, this time is not ‘unprecedented’. Major upheavals for human societies have happened many times over the millennia, as Palden demonstrates in his Historical Ephemeris.  

I also strongly recommend you follow his blog, Notes From The Far Beyond.

Web

I was recently interviewed by Cat Rose Neligan of The Creative Introvert for her podcast series. The interview will be posted on her website mid-April and I’ll send out a message when its available for you to watch.

In the meantime, check out Cat’s lovely website at www.thecreativeintrovert.com and have a good look through the pages, where there is lots of interesting content.

I’ve been watching her most recent interview with an astrologer from the Netherlands, Martien Hermes – yes, that really IS his family name! Their discussion is about the Lot of the Daimon (or Spirit), which is a mathematically calculated place in your birth chart which can help you identify your calling. As Cat says, this topic is quite technical, but there is plenty in the conversation of interest, even if you are not into the technical astrology stuff. Daimon is the Greek name for your guiding or guardian spirit, or angel.

Cat’s speciality is helping ‘creative introverts’ find their calling. She trained with one of the best teachers around at this time – Acyuta-bhava Das of nightlightastrology.com. Acyuta puts out regular free content, which is definitely worth following.

Quite recently, Cat was running a six-week course about how to get in touch with your Daimon. This course has just completed, but I’m pretty sure she will be offering it again, so make sure you are on her mailing list – she sends out regular astrological content.

And finally…

Will and I are now putting the finishing touches to Accessing Angelic Realms, so look out for a notification when it’s ready to launch!

Many blessings,