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I already blogged about the initiative of the Aquarian Salon end of March. It has much developed since. And now, it’s coming closer – The first meeting will be in two weeks from now, on Sunday, 21 May 2023 07 pm, CEST (UTC +2) / 12 pm, CDT (UTC -5). See your local time here.
If you have time, please join via Zoom – meeting-ID: 839 0016 8325 , passcode: gam. For tuning in, we will start with a live guitar piece by Frank, a musician from Berlin, followed by a short meditative alignment with the Prayer for Group Coherence.
Then, we will enter into the conversation, and speak about art, symbols, astrology and the Wisdom Teachings. It will be moderated by Risa, a good friend, psychologist and teacher for astrology and wisdom teachings. Since many years, she is running the “Night Light News“. We will have a look at some of my paintings and the symbolism used there. Everyone is invited to join the conversation.
We will meet 4 times / year during the signs of the Fixed Cross. More info (PDF); the content of the PDF is continuously adapted.
The team of Anima Channel has just published on YouTube a video talk with Chuck Smith, a good friend of mine living at Mount Shasta, California. Chuck is a retired psychologist and professor, who could combine his academic knowledge with spirituality during his career. We met first in India in 2004, and our paths have crossed several times since, for the last time last January in India. It’s always interesting to exchange with him.
Picture from the video interview (c) Anima
Chuck is living at the foot of Mount Shasta, a beautiful and spiritually highly important volcano in northern California.
On 8th of May, the “White Lotus Day”, we commemorate the life and work of Helena P. Blavatsky or, as she was lovingly called ” Madam HPB”. She was the great Bringer of Light for the Aquarian Age. Full of courage, she opposed old superstitions and she did not hesitate to stand up for spiritual truth: “Truth is Higher than Religion”. So she named the monthly magazine which she published, together with Mabel Collins, “Lucifer”, the light bringer.
A major purpose of HPB’s grand opus “Secret Doctrine” is devoted to the task of revealing the deep occult truth behind the mystery of the Light Bringers. In Sanskrit, they are called Agnishvattas, meaning “the Lords of the Flame” or Sons of Fire.
However, in Western theology, they are considered to be fallen, rebellic angels. For the Wisdom Teachings, they are the ones who formed the Hierarchy of Teachers. They gave humanity the light of Manas, the mind principle.
Madam Blavatsky was chosen by Hierarchy to spread this understanding to all seekers of Light. Master Kumar explained the essence of “Secret Doctrine” in his profound work on “The Seven Waves of Life“.
At a meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland, June 2004, the Master gave some recommendations about how to study Secret Doctrine in a group:
– “Start studying the Laws given in Secret Doctrine, the law of alternation, periodicity, time cycles…. – Then study the Races / Root Races – Then the Manus – Then the Globe Chains – Then from the 3rd volume (old sequence): ‘Anthropogenesis’, till the end of the book – Then Cosmogenesis
Thus we will have a sound foundation of the Secret Doctrine.”
In Berne, we once followed this recommendation in a small group and thus read the books in this manner.
At many occasion, Sri Kumar highlighted the importance of what HPB had done for spirituality. There are further books by him about works of HPB, on “The Golden Stairs“, on “The Theosophical Movement“, 3 volumes on “Lectures on Secret Doctrine” (1, 2, 3, giving deep insights into the wisdom teachings) and “Teachings of Madame HPB“.
At the “White Lotus Day” 2021, Sri Kumar said:
“The work of Madam Blavatsky is seen as a stupendous work carried out in the last part of the 19th century which has vibrated the planet. Thousands and thousands of groups have joined till date and it continues to be. All that she contributed to humanity is recognised more by the Brotherhood than the humanity. It will take a long time for humanity to understand the great work that came through Madame Blavatsky.
We fondly remember her. She is the first one in the recent cycles of time that has unveiled the wisdom which is universal. It is not sectarian. It is not based upon limited thoughts about God. In His memory we…we say, ‘His’ because even the Masters recognise her though in a female body, as a grand male that did a lot of work from the soul dimension.”
May we take up the inspiration given by HPB’s life and work to pay her homage by climbing up the Golden Stairs to the Temple of Divine Wisdom – and this, by practically integrating the wisdom into our lives.
Benjamin Schiller, a good friend of mine from Munich, has developed astroCloud, a powerful astrological tool. He is offering it now for free. See below his announcement. By the way, the Anima-Channel recently published a video interview with Benjamin on YouTube. I posted here a short presentation.
astroCloud is a free, multilingual astrology platform for calculating and printing horoscopes. Suitable for beginners, professionals and spiritual astrologers. Natal charts, transits, progressions and directions are supported as well as the Seven Rays or Esoteric Triangles, Nakshatras and Padas, Sabian Symbols. Tropical astrology is supported as well as sidereal astrology.
Methods recommended by Master EK, such as birth correction according to the Hermetic Law or Bigger Day progressions, are available. Horoscopes can be shared in groups.
Taurus is a symbol of strength and vitality. The individual on the path stands between the pull of the personality and the pull of the soul. The Taurus personality is focused on the desire to be ahead of others, driven by ambitious. The Taurus soul is deeply motivated by the desire to work selflessly for the Divine Plan. In touch with the soul, we can transform the personality and accomplish tremendous works of goodwill in the world.
Through the Sun in Taurus, energy streams down to the Earth, causing germination and growth of life. The Sun is therefore called the fertilising bull, representing the spirit or divine aspect of will. The Moon in Taurus is called the Cow and represents that which is impregnated, the matter. Through this impregnation, the earth provides us with nourishment.
The union of spirit and matter is the expression of the divine Word. Before the Word was uttered forth, it was with God. Before we speak, the Word is in us. The Sun in Taurus represents the Word in its inner meaning or concept. The Moon in Taurus represents the expressed language, impregnated. Language is feminine by nature and the content of language is masculine. Their union is wisdom as creation. This is symbolised by Mercury as the calf; he activates the expression of the subtle in the gross. The bull, the cow and the calf thus epitomize these three phases of the expression of the Word.
For the representation of these subtle realities, I edited three photos of journeys to India of a bull, a cow and a calf. In the background I subtly hinted at the spheres of Sun, Moon and expression in creation.
Last Friday was Good Friday, as it is commemorated in most of the Western Christian traditions, where Easter is celebrated the first Sunday after the full moon of Aries – this year, Thursday, 6 April). Master KPK (Sri Kumar) explained that the esoteric Passover took place directly before the Aries New Moon and it was calculated according to the lunar calendar. Therefore, Good Friday should be celebrated the Friday before New Moon as long as the festival still falls in Aries, otherwise, as this year, on the last Friday in Aries – this year, 14 April.
A moment of sunshine before rain – the Bernese Alps seen from my room – just before starting the journey to Einsiedeln
Like the last years, we did a “cleansing ritual” at the Paracelsus Centre of WTT in Einsiedeln on the “classic” Good Friday, being a festival here in Switzerland. And, also like the last years, we were two persons going.
Calves at the Paracelsus Centre
The Paracelsus Centre is in a house at the place where Paracelsus is said to be born, next to the old “Devil’s Bridge” across the Sihl river. At our arrival we saw the effects of the land slide on other side of the bridge which recently happened besides the bridge directly below the barn of the farmhouse. There were fortification works going on. There is no danger to the bridge and the house of the Paracelsus Centre; they are built on rock.
Cleaning the statues
Paracelsus Medal
The bookcase while taking inventory
We cleaned, washed, vacuumed and put everything back together again. Outside was also a cleaning ritual – it was raining when we went to Einsiedeln, a famous old pilgrimage centre.
Our Good Friday ritual also included lunch at the “Tulipan” opposite the monastery church, where many people, especially Kosovars, streamed out and into the restaurant as they do every year. Afterwards, we also visited the monastery church with the Black Madonna.
The monastery church seen from the Tulipan restaurant
The golden Madonna on the forecourt of the monastery church
Just as we finished reading, bright sunrays pierced through the dark clouds and lighted the room for some minutes – a magic moment. We concluded the stay with the evening prayer before driving home again.
Reflections on the copy of the Roerich painting “The Song of Shambala”
About the creation of the Salon and of our triangle of Ludger (Switzerland), Alexis & Risa (Oklahoma/USA).
Veil Nebula (NGC 6960), in the constellation Cygnus (Swan). Photo by Ken Crawford
I have known Risa D’Angeles from a long time ago. Our interest in the wisdom teachings brought us together and we became friends in the context of the World Teacher Trust. I once even met her; it was in 2019 during a meeting with Master Kumar at Mount Shasta, California. Risa is a writer and teacher, and she is the founder and director of the Esoteric & Astrological Studies & Research Institute & College / Night Light News.
Over 18 years, we mainly had contact through written exchanges in various projects, and during nearly 9 years she silently participated, without camera, in the bi-weekly online study groups on wisdom teachings. At the beginning of February 2023, we met for an exchange via Zoom. I had invited her with the idea to see how our collaboration could further develop. Her partner, Alexis, participated sitting in the background. During the start of our conversation, Risa asked if I was interested in an explanation of my astrology chart which I gratefully accepted.
Listening to Risa and Alexis explore my chart was like a dam breaking within and the start of a totally unexpected level of development. They both commented “in stereo” on various dimensions of my chart. They told me how they had been observing me over years giving profound answers to questions concerning the wisdom teachings. They said there are strong aspects in my chart relating to being a teacher. They proposed that I begin to share, offer and present the knowledge I had gathered over decades and that my “Images of Synthesis” paintings, full of profound symbolism, should be the means.
I hesitated and said that I don’t see myself talking and people just listening. That there are already many other things going on in my life and that, in case, I would prefer a more interactive form. They suggested that we can cooperate as a triangle. They intensely encouraged me to start teaching on a larger scale than I am doing up to now and they would strongly support me. I was touched by their inner presence; they both have a profound astrological and psychological background and experience in working with people. Our discussion went into many depths and the ideas were thrilling. But there were many questions and I needed time to digest the idea.
We began our discussions with weekly exchanges. When Risa proposed to start a salon, I replied that it reminded me of the salons in France about art and culture in the pre-revolutionary times and of the auto-mobile salon of Geneva – but that the term salon sounds a bit old-fashioned. She replied, “No – an Aquarian Salon“. I was thrilled. She said, about “Art, Astrology and Wisdom Teachings” and added “A conversation“.
That’s it. The fire was on. We agreed to open a public virtual salon four times a year on a Saturday during the signs of the fixed cross – Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, but to start at 0 degree Gemini, on Sunday, 21 May 2023. It will be presented by the “Circle of Good Will” and by “Night Light News“. Details will be shared later.
The idea was warmly welcomed by friends. Some friends are also willing to help, with music and other forms of art. The project started sprouting.
With the fire sign of Aries we enter a new solar year. The earth unfolds new energies and Mars, the regent of Aries, gives us vigour and enthusiasm. The average persons use it to fulfil their personal desires with fresh impetus. People on the spiritual path turn the power inwards; for them Mercury is the regent. They do their work of good will with determination, having thought deeply.
The Sun is exalted in Aries and it is there the ruler for the wise ones. The Sun represents the soul; so the wise ones use the new energies pouring into Aries to manifest the next step for the Divine Plan.
This year was the 14th CVV Sharing group living in Northern Germany from Saturday, 18 March – Tuesday 21 March. The energy of synthesis brought us together in this time-space of the Spring Equinox in the spirit of the One Master Energy.
The seminar hall
We were 18 persons meeting for 4 days at the Seminarhof Drawehn. We followed a rhythm of prayers / meditation times each 3 hours, exchanges and group activities for tuning in to the energies of the present moment – equinox time, Pluto entering Aquarius – and for a wakeful observing the energies at work and sharing our impressions.
The labyrinth in the garden
A cold but beautiful weather gave us a morning welcome during the fire ritual after meditation.
Later, everyone brought something from themselves, and the things, texts and symbols were arranged on a table as the group altar.
We had an inspiring and profound exchange about encounters with Sri Kumar and how he had impregnated our lives. There were meditative group works, visualisations and contemplations, like an exchange in small groups on the Master CVV Sharing prayer given by Sri Kumar.
And there was also time for free exchanges and for walks in nature. Frank from Berlin gave us a guitar concert on musical topics of springtime.
And Basia, an artist from Berlin, had prepared many origami peace doves. She also conducted some morning warm-up exercises with the group.
The evenings concluded with the “Mystic Mantrams” of Master CVV – on Monday evening around 10:24 pm we tuned in to the entrance of the Sun into Aries, spring equinox.
Contemplating the sunrise
All felt that such meetings need to be continued but it also was expressed that these gatherings are not automatic events but are prepared and carried through with the help of helpers. Next year, we will meet again at the same place from Monday 18th to Thursday 21st March 2024.
