On the Cusp of a New Golden Age

6 - Lovers

From the new Chrysalis Tarot companion book:*

Our two lovers are none other than King Arthur and Brigid, the Celtic Goddess of Hearth and Home and the Keeper of the Sacred Flame. But this celebration is far more than an ordinary wedding in the woods. It represents the archetype of the Sacred Wedding also known as the hieros gamos, an alchemical “union of opposites” not well appreciated today.

In the sacred wedding of Arthur and Brigid, sun and moon are symbolically joined together, opposites are reconciled and made whole (male and female, anima and animus); the two become as one and confer divine grace upon one another. The sacred marriage of Osiris and Isis is another example of the unifying mythology of hieros gamos (sacred marriage).

Wedding announcements went out to all the creatures of the forest. It was an invitation to a “New Golden Age,” symbolized by King Arthur and Brigid’s marriage.

We feature this card today to honor and commemorate a remarkable feast of synchronicity. The new Chrysalis companion book is to be published on February 1, which just so happens to be Imbolc or Brigid’s Day. It’s indeed a fitting feast of synchronicity, so to speak, that the book’s publication falls on one of the four major Celtic feasts to celebrate the seasons of the year, and on Imbolc in particular.

Imbolc marks the start of the Celtic spring, a time of new beginnings when the Crone of Winter Past loosens her icy grip on the soil so young life can sprout. It’s the time of the first milking of thecross ewes (note the white ewe in The Lovers art) and of making Brigid Crosses  from rushes and then proudly hanging them on farmhouse doors until replaced by the new batch next spring. The Pagan crosses invoked Brigid’s maternal and eternal protection as the Celts’ beloved goddess of hearth and home.

As keeper of the perpetual Sacred Flame, Brigid, along with her 18 priestesses, symbolize the 19 moons that comprise a metonic cycle, a bygone method of reckoning time. Her sacred flame still burns brightly today in Kildare just as it has done for thousands of years. The flame reflects the march of time; nature’s continuing cycle of life, death and rebirth.

When I lived in Cornwall, UK, I often came across holy wells dedicated to Brigid that dotted the lush countryside along with the stone circles and other ancient megalithic monuments that contribute to the legends of the Mystical Isles. The Merry Maidens stone circle was a brisk walk from where I lived near the former art colony in Lamorna. One such Celtic standing stone, or menhir as they’re known locally, is featured on Chrysalis’ Ace of Stones, and Stonehenge itself graces our Eight of Stones.

Since Brigid played a hugely significant role in the creation of Chrysalis as a nurturing mother who sweetly whispered gentle inspirations, Holly and I are honored and touched that our new book will be published on her special day.

Fitting synchronicity, a Chrysalis hallmark!

 

* Our new book is now available from Amazon and metaphysical booksellers everywhere.

companion book cover front

 

 

 

18 Human Qualities Most Needed to Advance the Global Awakening

Cosmic-Earth-Storm-1

Dylan Charles, Editor

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts.”ShakespeareReality is anything but fixed, it is created again and again, re-defined from moment to moment as a product of the behavior and choices of all sentient beings. For certain, we are more powerful than we yet know, and each one of us is indeed an actor on the same stage, all of us with the ability to impact and contribute to the story.

Our connection through media amplifies extreme qualities of the human experience, offering a rather warped vision of reality, making our whole situation difficult to see clearly through the fog of sensationalism, distraction and propaganda.

Although truth and justice are severely repressed in our world, an evolutionary shift is rising just below the surface of the mainstream, already effectively challenging the power structures and control paradigms that are driving all of us towards extinction.

The most important players in the world right now are not in the limelight, they are not celebrities, nor are they freaks, oddities or authority creatures. They are the activated human beings out there, setting extraordinary examples by living courageous lives, helping to expand our awareness of what is possible, contributing to a proper vision for the future.

They’re the ones making adjustments to the trim-tabs on the rudders of humanity, so that the future holds promise for a meaningful sea change.

In opposition to the controlling forces of fear, scarcity and decay, we have the opportunity to demonstrate the powers of love, abundance and creativity. For this to come to pass, we are challenged to bring forth, amplify and elevate those human qualities which are most needed right now to push the global awakening forward and bring it into its full power.

Observing the world from my little outpost, I see the potential for people with the following exceptional qualities to play extraordinary roles in this awakening, however, this perspective is mine alone, and the list could just as easily be infinite. If something mentionable is noticed to have been left amiss, please comment and share your input.

1. People who furiously pursue self-mastery, but are able to dodge the traps of the ego and the fantasies of new age salvation.

2. People who meditate, but do not worship.

3. People who practice de-escalation, who understand the high art of withdrawal, and who are willing to compromise in order to win.

4. People who realize that in order to be free you must give freedom to others.

5. People who are capable of staring into the abyss of darkness without falling in, and without losing sight of the light.

6. People who have opinions, but revise them as often as needed to avoid getting fooled by them.7. People who are more afraid of conformity than of standing alone.

8. People who value experience over suggestion.

9. People who love themselves first, and protect themselves first.

10. People who respect the universal principle that nature is here for our use, but not for our abuse.

11. Self-healers and self-teachers who survive by practicing independence.

12. People who understand the import and impact of history, but who are willing to abandon it or escape from it.

13. People who appreciate and rabidly exercise the power of saying ‘no.’

14. People who recognize that material truth is multi-layered and rarely revealed in its entirety at once.

15. People who know that spiritual truth is revealed in cosmic flashes of total clarity, but whom happily return to their work here on earth when the ride is over.

16. People who maintain harmony and balance by practicing gratitude, acceptance, appreciation and most importantly, service.

17. People who are experienced and skilled in transmuting their own anger into love.

18. People who can laugh at anything. For if it cannot be laughed at, it is not the Tao.

READ: 9 Key Components of the Shift Towards Higher Consciousness

Final Thoughts

We have a tremendous opportunity at our fingertips. Rather than accidentally submitting to the Orwellian reality being scripted for us by the engineers of a society and culture in collapse, we have the choice to actively participate in re-writing our future for our own benefit.

This humble list is a reminder that it’s time to figure out where you stand in the struggle, to get there, and to stand firm.

Read more articles from Dylan Charles.

About the Author

Dylan Charles is a student and teacher of Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, a practitioner of Yoga and Taoist arts, and an activist and idealist passionately engaged in the struggle for a more sustainable and just world for future generations. He is the editor of WakingTimes.com, the proprietor of OffgridOutpost.com, a grateful father and a man who seeks to enlighten others with the power of inspiring information and action. He may be contacted at wakingtimes@gmail.com.