Month: July 2020

Animal Communication

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“The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things;

“Of shoes and ships and sealing wax; of cabbages and kings;

“And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings.”

Lewis Carroll’s Walrus hosts this blog because we neglected to work him into our final Chrysalis cast of characters and don’t want him to feel completely left out.

We did, however, work animals, fish and fowl into two-thirds of the deck (52 of the 78 cards to be exact). And that’s a good thing because human consciousness and emotion operate within the same frequency range as those of the animal kingdom, of which Walrus is King. The added animal vibrations (pure energy) intuited using Chrysalis serve to enrich readings by providing additional consciousness raising attributes and symbolism. More on that directly.

Before we begin talking to animals, though, let’s clear one thing up. “Cabbages” in “The Walrus and the Carpenter” poem from Alice in Wonderland is not a reference to veggies. No, cabbage is the left over cloth put in a basket under a tailor’s worktable (French cabbaser – to put in a basket). These discarded leftovers could make a nice quilt or something else later on.

South African native Anna Breytenbach is one of the better known animal communicators in the world. Her videos are hits on YouTube – this particular one about a black leopard named Spirit is my favorite.

According to Anna, we all have a natural ability to communicate one-on-one with other species, particularly the furry friends who share our households and play a mutually important part of daily life.

This inter-species ability to communicate applies also to your own archetypal spirit animal(s), be they ravens, owls, tigers, bees or even a walrus. Spirit animals, such as those seen on all 16 Chrysalis Troupe cards, share attributes with their familiars who are featured on each card. Owl is The Watcher’s familiar or spirit animal, for example. Any animal species that resonates with you is likely to be one of your spirit animals with whom you can take shamanic flights into unseen worlds. Your spirit animal may also be trying to tell you something.

“It’s a simple matter of quieting the mind and intending to connect,” says Anna. “The animals pick that up right away, very easily. Then I send either a mental image, or a thought/sentence (not vocalized), or an emotion… whatever comes naturally. There’s no effort required on the sending side of things. Transference happens at a quantum level, in the universal language of pure energy.”

That “pure energy,” often referred to as Qi, (also Chi, Prana, Ki and others), is an oriental concept that’s been in practical use for at least 4,000 years. It’s mind-directed life force energy that flows throughout your body, keeps you healthy and helps to balance your emotions. Qi originates in the aether and returns to the aether somewhat like a feed back loop.

Animal communication, as well as communication with other archetypes in the Akashic Field (aether), are dynamic functions of Qi. The more adept you become at aligning and manipulating your personal Qi, the greater your ease of access to telepathic communications both within this world with live animals (and humans) and in worlds beyond with spirit animals.

By the way, Walrus as a spirit animal symbolizes calmness and mesmerizing kindness – both are attributes and hallmarks of well balanced Qi.

For further study you might look into qigong, which is life force (qi) + work or cultivation (gong). Here’s a decent article, particularly the section that deals with “internal qigong.”

© Toney Brooks, OS, 2020

Spiritual Healing

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Since Chrysalis Tarot was published in 2014, our deck has been lauded by many tarotists for two highly valued hallmarks: spiritual growth and healing. Both contribute significantly to increased self-awareness, an antecedent of higher consciousness and enlightenment (Awakening).

Our previous blog was titled, “Safeguard Your Inner Peace.” However, in order to safeguard inner peace you must first master one or more methods to attain inner peace and then master how to recover it when it wanders off; inner peace isn’t constant, it ebbs and flows and sometimes gets lost. That’s what this blog is about – maturing your center, your home of inner peace, and learning how to quickly regain your center whenever you become perturbed.

Perturbations, even mild occurrences, clearly indicate your spiritual center is off-kilter and that you’ve become emotionally and intellectually out of sorts. You can’t think straight when perturbed, so it’s certainly not a propitious time to make important decisions or behave impulsively. So what is the root cause of spiritual perturbation?

Why, evil spirits, of course!

Well, not really. That’s an archaic expression from yesteryear used to explain what we today call negative energy – both the negative energy we absorb and the negative energy we release. Emotions, both positive and negative, emit energetic vibrations that have specific frequencies. Love is the highest frequency.

If you find yourself in close proximity to a negatively disposed individual, you will immediately sense it and recoil. We’re all familiar with the more common types of low frequency emotion: anger, hate, humiliation, conflict, jealousy, envy, spite, self-loathing, etc.

Low frequency negative emotions should be felt and released, not bottled up and stashed away, as our Chrysalis centaur has done. When you retain negative energy, it can do serious harm to body, soul and spirit alike.

Another “evil spirit” is the spirit of unforgiveness. Author Joyce Meyer calls unforgiveness “spiritual filthiness.” Forgiving someone – even yourself – is an act of will: You resolve, sometimes reluctantly, to put an end to the “blame game” and unshackle yourself. The absence of forgiveness is like a a malignancy on the heart of inner peace.

To summon forth the fortitude necessary to forgive requires “grace,” another almost archaic term. The wellspring of grace is often misconceived, as is the pneumatic concept of grace itself.

Grace is the free favor of God and means “unmerited mercy.”

Accordingly, should you require divine grace to forgive someone or yourself, or, say, to stop smoking, stop overeating, stop lying, the list goes on, all you need to do is ask the Divine, however you choose to conceptualize or personify Divine Assistance.

Divine Assistance refers to our cosmic support system. We have unfettered access to it by virtue of our co-creative nature and human responsibilities. Not to toot our own horn, but Chrysalis can help you become aware of your own divinity and co-creative nature.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

In Greek mythology, the Three Graces were daughters of Zeus known collectively as Charites. They were renowned for their beauty, charm and creativity. The Charites are easy to spot in Botticelli’s artwork below. As here in this painting, they are often depicted attending Venus, the goddess of love, who occupies the center of this garden. That’s Mercury, the messenger of the gods, on the far left. He’s looking up and gesturing to something. I thought that rather odd, so I researched it.

La Primavera by Botticelli

Primavera is a complex and controversial painting. I chose it because of its beauty and symbolism, one way the Divine communicates with us and dispenses grace. Yes, contemplating symbolism in art, nature or literature brings grace and inner peace.

Primavera hung in the Uffizi Museum in Florence in close proximity up and to the left of another canvas titled Pallas and the Centaur, also by Botticelli. Pallas is Pallas Athena, the patroness of Athens. This close proximity explains why Mercury is looking up and gesturing in the general direction of Pallas and the Centaur, who is half man and half beast and clearly NOT in a state of grace. Fear not! Athena will shape-shift him back into the fullness of his human nature in no time.

Half-human, half-animal creatures are called therianthropes. They are metaphors for what Carl Jung might term “arrested individuation,” i.e. they ceased to grow spiritually, perhaps because of unpacked baggage, a dearth of sense of self or utter despair resulting from soul loss.

Interpretation: The centaur wandered from his customary hunting grounds in the forest into off-limits territory. He has lost his inner peace and is in desperate need of Grace. Athena, unamused by all beastly (ungodly) behavior, grabs his hair and yanks, it as if to say, “So just ask for it.” This tête-à-tête attracts Mercury’s attention while everyone else in the Primavera tableau continues to merrily allegorize.

Pallas and the Centaur

When I began composing this blog, I had no intention of writing about Pallas Athene, neither the Greek goddess nor the asteroid discovered in 1802 that bears her name. I didn’t even know about the asteroid. Here’s a snippet by astrologist Rebecca Farrar, who recently wrote about Pallas Athene, the asteroid:

As an unmarried virgin goddess, Athena channeled her life force into her mental capacity and what astrologer Demetra George calls “creative intelligence.” Athena’s symbols of wisdom and war, such as the owl and spear, speak to her complex meaning to the Greeks. Athena demonstrates the ability to think for oneself, as well as the internal balance of active and receptive energies when head and heart combine.

Asteroid Pallas Athene by Olivia Healy

Pallas Athene, pray for us.

© Toney Brooks, OS, 2020

My new site and blog, The Apostles of the Last Days, can be found here.

Safeguard Your Inner Peace

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As I sit to write this blog, I decided to feature 3 Chrysalis cards that, in my opinion, are among our deck’s more peaceful characters. Since the emotion of love is the highest human frequency, let’s assume I’ll choose 3 cards that convey love, particularly selfless love. Let’s select a major, a minor and a Troupe card. (Done🔽)

Well, that turned out rather blue and watery.

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” —Saint Francis de Sales

This is for certain, as I write this blog our “whole world seems upset.” Indeed, our last three Chrysalis blogs were on the subject of Spiritual Warfare, which permeates planet Earth in these days. The most effective breastplate we have to defend against spiritual warfare being waged upon our very souls is the ability to safeguard our inner peace and tranquility.

One of Holly’s favorite cards, if not her absolute favorite, is The Moon, which also appears on The Dreamer card (above). Early in the process of creating Chrysalis Tarot, Holly wrote this to me, “Don’t even think about changing the Moon card.” As a Cancer male, I’ve always been rather fond of the moon myself.

Once In A Blue Moon by Alex Hardie

We all can intuit the moon is an inspiration of loving energy that engenders inner peace. However, the moon actually reflects energy rather than generate it; she softens the robust masculine energy of the Sun and feminizes it with motherly compassion.

In astrology a Blue Moon, such as the one shown in the lovely image above by Alex Hardie, amplifies the energy of whatever astrological sign it’s in. The next Blue Moon occurs on Halloween or Samhain this year (2020). Ancestral energy and communication will be off the (astrological) chart, so to speak. Everyone will be hyper-sensitive to the Unseen world this Halloween – a good thing.

A brief word or two now on each of the 3 cards chosen to aid us in achieving and maintaining inner peace.

  1. The Moon. ‘Know that you are not alone.’ The Great Mother, however one desires to personify her, watches over you and protects you constantly. In times of agony and turmoil, no one is more important to you than your mother, whether she’s still in this world or not. St. Padre Pio once said that when in Heaven he would be able to help his spiritual children so much more than when he was still living. On a personal note, I once visited his monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. Let’s invoke St. Pio via his image and seek his heavenly blessing. (Click on the image for more info about Padre Pio.)
St. Padre Pio by Roberto Bizama

2. Quan Yin, the Five of Mirrors. In Buddhism, Quan Yin is known as a Bodhisattva, someone who has achieved nirvana but chooses instead to remain in the world to help her spiritual children. She is a Mother Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. And she walks among you.

3. The Dreamer. I like the passage I wrote in the Chrysalis LWB. “The Dreamer drifts effortlessly over land and sea upon carpets of romantic magic. He inspires you to sail the seas of your own imagination. Thoughts and dreams represent energy The Dreamer channels into real-life experiences.”

Keep in mind that inner peace comes from within. Introverts, like myself, probably have an easier time calming their souls and regaining their center than do extroverts. Some souls need to visit their quiet space more often than others during stressful times.

“We don’t realize that somewhere within us all there does exist a supreme self who is eternally at peace.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

That quote almost requires us to conclude the blog with a fourth Chrysalis card – the one that was inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s book and movie.

The Visionary Ketut is a shaman or Balian, as they’re called in Bali. In Chrysalis he represents our healing ministry. Chrysalis primarily is a deck for healing and spiritual formation. A Balian is a traditional healer who regards disease, both of body and soul, as the result of disharmony.

The bird on his shoulder, an Australian kookaburra, is there because it laughs a lot. Laughter is a great healer. Just click on the card to hear a kookaburra.

 

On another topic…

I recently inaugurated a new website and blog to monitor the spiritual war that seeks daily to destroy our inner peace by fostering division and strife throughout the world. While Chrysalis Tarot is spiritual, this new blog is religious in nature; the State, the Family and the Church are all under siege.

Spiritual people are well equipped to defend against the weaponry of spiritual warfare, as are devout religious people who may or may not be spiritual. Frankly, I think it’s good to be both.

Not long ago I started and then shut down a website called “Apostles of the Last Days.” The term “Last Days” is Christian-speak for the coming paradigm shift we have mentioned again and again throughout Chrysalis literature. The Shift, as it’s called, is why Kali was made a major Chrysalis archetype. Holly’s Kali art (below left) well portrays this Hindu avatar whose name means, “The fullness of time.”

Center: The Woman clothed in the Sun with the Moon at her feet from Rev. 12 is depicted as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Right: Samhara Kali by Raja Ravi Varma.

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth…  (Rev. 12)

© Toney Brooks, OS, 2020