spinning straw, confronting the shadow

This is an article by

Dr. Patricia Nan Anderson

She writes a lovely monthly newsletter called "The Nudge" which encourages one to take risks in the creative arena, mainly put forth your knowledge into a book. You can reach her at 206.905.9343 or email her at ineedanudge@gmail.com.

talking about the tale of Rumplestiltskin...
Psychoanalyze this tale a bit and you'll see that Rumplestiltskin is part of the personality of the miller's daughter. In the Freudian vocabulary, he is her Id. For you Jungians, he is the Shadow. But whatever you call it, Rumplestiltskin represents a creative force that the girl has within her from the start. She just doesn't realize it.

And that's where we all are. We all have the power to spin straw - to transform our mundane abilities and talents - into gold - into our hearts' desire. We might need some level of desperation to see this, maybe not a threat of death, but something that shakes us out of the status quo. And even then, like the miller's daughter, we're more likely to weep and wail than to take action. We need a nudge, but we also need to be daring.

Daring to use our hidden powers - that side of us that is reckless, creative, even dangerous - that is what delivers amazing results.

It's also what terrifies us.

The miller's daughter got what she wanted - three rooms of gold, a powerful husband and a baby - and decided she no longer needed her creative muse. She sent Rumplestiltskin packing (to the netherworld, according to most versions of the tale; Freud and Jung would concur). In the traditional world of the fairy tale, anyone with an active Id is in trouble. Better to settle down.

But many of us settle down long before we fulfill our dreams. We banish our inner Rumplestiltskin way too early. We play it safe. We are terrified, actually, of how wonderful we could be if we let ourselves be our true selves. Our Id is dangerous, that's a fact. But it can be activated and controlled.

This week, think a bit about Rumplestiltskin. See if your unconscious comes up with some terrific new idea that you've never had before, simply because you've invited your Id to play a part in your life. This is precisely what happened to me this week.

And the question, remember, is not really "straw or gold?" It's really "death or gold?" Which will you choose?

BE

Embrace where you are right now, and while you're at it, embrace the idea that you could be here - right where you are - for the rest of your life. If you find yourself unable to embrace that idea, then you just may be right where you are for the rest of your life.

We cannot know where we may be tomorrow. Oh, we think we can, but we can't, really. We construct nice, tidy scenarios for our lives. We may even build in a few wonderful options, like winning the lottery. We shy away from the options that frighten us. Fact is that what frightens us, owns us. Fact is that our nice, tidy scenarios limit us. Fact is that only by embracing the mystery of it all, only by embracing the fact that we know nothing - we know NOTHING! - can we be without the pain and annoyance of wanting what we do not have.

BE.

I found this again in my inbox... it had been saved for a good reason. sometimes words hit you over the head and these did just that... again...embrace the idea that you could be here - right where you are - for the rest of your life. If you find yourself unable to embrace that idea, then you just may be right where you are for the rest of your life.

this is from the Sacred Earth Seven Element Tarot... a beautiful daily reminder of life.

West Seattle Herald

Look there's me :D

Look into 2009

"There's hope out there" West Seattle psychics look at the year ahead

by Steve Shay

Friday, January 02, 2009

In years past, those suffering from a lonely-heart or physical illness may have consulted a psychic for a peak into their future for a hopeful sign. The psychic, in turn, consulted a large crystal ball, a numerology chart, a deck of tarot cards, and personal intuition in hopes of finding that sign. But it's 2009, and everything has changed, even in the mysterious world of the occult.

According to three area professionals claiming psychic ability or fine-tuned intuition who offer "readings," the universal question, "Will I ever find Mr. Right?" percolating behind storefront curtains, in coffee shop booths, and at corporate summer picnics, has yielded to, "When will I get a job?"

Fortune Teller Sheila Lyon owns Market Magic in Pike Place Market and has done over one hundred bachelorette parties in West Seattle and entertained at area corporate events.

She struggled to lift a heavy crystal ball, 200 millimeters in diameter, or about 7 inches, at Market Magic. "These lead crystal balls are made in Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Italy," she said. Her shop is wallpapered with large, colorful vintage posters of Houdini, bearded mystics, and other, other-worldly performers. She sells large crystal balls for about $700, ventriloquist dolls and the apparatus to safely saw your assistant in half. "You never know what you're going to see in a crystal ball," she said. "I definitely feel something coming from this crystal ball. This is really weird but I'm seeing libraries, shelves and shelves of books, and cooking, people getting together to cook more often. The poor economy is humbling. People are going to get together."

In Lyon's shop, four customers pulled four "Native American Medicine Cards" from a 56-card deck, one for each season in 2009. All have colorful drawings of a full moon. On some are feathers to represent air, coral to represent water, and horns or animal teeth to represent land. The first three cards chosen were the Raven, Weasel, and Porcupine. Lyon said the Raven means tough times in winter and we'll need a bit of magic to get through it. The Weasel means we will need a sense of humor to make it through spring. The Porcupine card means, "Back off. I am on a mission...Hard work ahead."

A customer chose the "Blank" card for fall, and Lyon's eyes lit up. "This is like the 'wild card,'" she exclaimed. "This means that by the end of fall dreams will come true. That's a great sign to end 2009."

"We all need a tune up in 2009," said Amy Goetz, who lives and works in West Seattle. She practices "transformative body work," and is a degreed in massage therapy and reflexology. She also reads tarot cards and practices shamanism. "We're all carrying around a story. When things get bleak we forget we are the authors of our own story. My job is to jump start it, look at patterns, talk about things we can change to get you on a new path, and take action.

"We need to get off our collective asses," she said. "Stop sitting in front of the TV and start taking action. It doesn't have to be huge, but if you want anything to change you need to act. We also need to listen to the committees in our head. In 2009, people have to stop getting into self-depreciating patterns, and create a positive, hopeful story. We must then proceed from the inability to move, past guilt, and into discovery. Find teachers to help take small actions as 2009 progresses. Stand up and walk forward. This is a healing process.

"I've noticed a lot of people in West Seattle seeking out new direction, 'Do I start a new job? Do I start living my dream, or hold onto security in fear of losing my job?' Some people cling to, 'I don't know what's going to happen,' while others say, 'Maybe this recession is an opportunity to change.'"

"My shamanic work is based on indigenous spirituality, connecting to nature, yourself, the healing of your soul," she said. "Any traumatic event you have had caused a flaking off of your soul. Trauma causes fright, and as a result, a part of you fractures off like little pieces of glass. Shamanic work goes into the in- between world, a meditative state, to bring back the pieces. "

"I use intuitional insight as well as a numerology format," said Lance Campbell of West Seattle. He is a friend and colleague of Lyon, and they work corporate parties together. "I just enlighten (clients) in a helpful way so that their decisions are their own." The Australian-born 50 year-old with the rectangular mustache and beard wears a "yukata," an Asian robe to add a look of Eastern ambiance, and acknowledged a large component of his profession is performance. He puts on "interactive ESP" shows and said he plays with human psychology.

"After my ESP show an onslaught of folks from the audience want their numerology explained. I won't invade their private thoughts. I won't embarrass them. Corporate clients can relax on that.

"For 2009, how we do Chinese numerology is the 2 plus the 9 equals 11. You then add the two ones which equal two. The number two represents continuation without real change, while people will experience more of a community feel, due possibly to economic times. We will become close knit and help each other, either outwardly or it could be behind the scenes. I fill my mental vision around West Seattle and see that in 2009 people will realize they need to take care of trees more. People who are cutting trees down should stop and say, 'If we're not careful we're going to look like Kansas.'

" I see more people coming in (to West Seattle.) This may spur us on to actually do better mass transit into the city.

"We're at a point of change. It is not like a wall, but a hill we are standing before. There is hope out there, tempered with a little bit of fear, definitely."

To contact any of these purveyors of psychic services visit these links:

www.divaofdivination.com (Sheila Lyon)

www.barefootphoenix.com (Amy Goetz)

www.anespexperience.com (Lance Campbell)

think about this today

"The challenge is to be yourself
in a world
that is trying to make you like
everyone else."

e.e. cummings

I have been dreaming. Weird sometimes violent dreams, all of them disturbing. To find meaning in the chaotic visions I have been reading and discovering that once again I am purging stories that keep me small.

Today I was wandering through Eckhart Tolle's New Earth and felt compelled to write about the Death card.

I believe we have very compelling stories about the lives we are all living and I believe those stories keep us safe and sane. But sometimes those stories are keeping us from our potential and they need to be re-written or die.


The death card symbolizes an ending. Transformation is occurring or is about to ride into town and shake things up. Death is usually never about a literal physical death but about a small Ego death.

The problem with Ego death is that it can often be worse than a literal death. After all you won't be around to have to clean up the messes involved in a actual death, you get to depart and therefore any risks you take or promises you break or vial words- well that won't catch up to you until the next incarnation. An Ego death can be messy, brutal and more frightening then jumping out of an airplane.

The joy of Ego death is that you are growing beyond the confines and limiting aspects of the story you have written yourself into. And from personal experience of at least 10 minor and major Ego deaths, most of them are quiet easy transitions once you decide to take the leap.

So when Death come knocking in a reading, you can bet I am eagerly scanning the cards around it for helpful suggestions, things to watch out for, and ways to make the ending and subsequent beginning more easy.

From New Earth:
"All it means is that sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on."
and
"Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because it is the experience you are having at the moment."

And if nothing else can convince you to embrace the joys of death remember that the French call an orgasm "La petite mort" the little death. Here's to an abundance of little deaths!