Evolve Or….

 

“Folks, it’s time to evolve. That’s why we’re troubled. You know why our institutions are failing us, the church, the state, everything’s failing? It’s because, um – they’re no longer relevant. We’re supposed to keep evolving. Evolution did not end with us growing opposable thumbs. You do know that, right?”
― Bill Hicks

 

We evolve as people and as cultures. The dance is ever continuing. We live in an age very different from our parents and our grandparents and our kids are growing up in an even different age. Yet so many of our societal institutions stay the same. Our public educational systems are still basically the ones set up to teach a generation of factory and office workers in the 1950’s. Oh they have newer technology yet the techniques are basically the same. Yet kids raised on the internet and modern gaming systems are very different than the ones that were not raised on them. The statistics for kids with learning difficulties (i.e. kids who just don’t learn the way that teachers are taught to teach them) are increasing and yet the educational system has not caught up. The same can be said for medical systems, welfare systems, religions, care for the disabled and almost any other system that you can name. Yet by and large modern society is so invested in these systems that they would rather fight over the money to fund them than come up with new ways of doing things that fit the way we live and learn.
Political budgets grow thinner and thinner. They have to find a way to fund the additional costs of keeping these moribund systems going and about the only budget that seems to increase is the salaries of the politicians. This has the result that every one of these systems fight for their slice of the budget and end up having to do more with less all in the name of keeping things going.
It’s all very good to point out the problems. There has been study after study saying what I am saying here and yet people fear change even when they know it may be the best thing possible for ourselves, our children and for society. Maybe if enough people realized the need to change and demanded it, our systems could evolve to match the pace of our culture. Until then, it seems we slide down the slope. Because ultimately there is only one alternative to evolution. One way or another new systems will come. Even if they are built on the ruins of our current ones. Wouldn’t it be better if we decided to consciously change things?
Blessings, G

 

Click on pictures to see full-sized:

 

Greeting the VisitorsGreeting the Visitors by G A Rosenberg

 

Interdimensional ImpressionsInter-dimensional Impressions by G A Rosenberg

 

Ask and you shall Wonder

 

“The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.”
― Anaïs Nin

 

Children are amazing. No matter how many questions you answer for them they still have another. Why? How? How does this work? Why do people do that? Why do people believe that?It’s great to explain things to kids to show them new ideas and watch them roll them around in their mind trying to see if they have a candy coated centre or if they make sense at all? Then something happens to them. Fear sets in that not knowing the answers will make them look foolish or thinking differently about things that other people accept will make them stand out. If these differences aren’t encouraged, then our wonderful inquisitive kids will try their best to blend in with the masses and lose that sense of wonder and mystery. Some of us may feel that we have lost it and don’t know how to get it back. A good way is to ask the questions we gave up asking long ago. Why do people act like that? How does that work? What is my reason for believing this? The more questions we ask, the more we wonder.
Blessings, G

 

Click on images to see full-sized:

 

Contained ChamberContained Chamber by G A Rosenberg

 

The Ape WatchesThe Ape Watches by G A Rosenberg

From the Inside

 

“The things we see are the same things that are within us. There is no reality except the one contained within us. That is why so many people live such an unreal life. They take the images outside them for reality and never allow the world within to assert itself.”
― Hermann Hesse

 

From the inside
things seem cold and damp
fear and anger rule the day
then I realize
it is my fear my madness
so I blanket the cold
and face the fear
anger gives me the energy
its fire burning through to truth
and then dissipating.
With loss of fear
and anger subsided
I see hope
I push against the chains
with joy
and let my true self out
From the inside comes peace
and the whispers of love
My outside world transformed.
— G A Rosenberg

 

Blessings, G

 

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In a Fish BowlIn a Fish Bowl by G A Rosenberg

 

Auric BattlegroundAuric Battleground by G A Rosenberg

Tarot Post – The Universe

 

XXI-The Universe (♄)

 

The Universe (f)

 

The quest is finished
At this level completion
Journeys never end

 

I have made it through the quest
and now have reached the end
My journey is now complete.
Friends have helped me through
and I have found my way
Never thought I’d accomplish this feat.

 

The party has begun
This celebration of me
Accomplished I join the dance
Those last steps seemed so hard
I had almost given up
Glad I decided to take the chance.

 

Tomorrow I may find
a new quest to begin
a new level of self-discovery
for the circle never closes
the dance never ends
more layers to the eternal mystery
–G A Rosenberg

 

With the Aeon card, we find our purpose. With the Universe that purpose is realized. We have unified ourselves with our shadow, have discovered our potential and have realized it. Now there is a new and fuller understanding of who we are and our place in the universe. The great journey has ended and there is celebration. The limitations that we have placed on ourselves have been surpassed. We have greater insight into ourselves and the great dance continues.
However the ending is the beginning of something, always. The dance never stops and there are always new goals to reach for and further self-discovery and realization to reach for. The Universe inevitably leads back to the Fool in full circle and the journey forever begins anew for what appears to be a circle is actually a spiral that never ends.

Astrological Correspondence – Saturn (♄) – The Saturnian energy is that of the teacher. It gives us the life lessons we need in whatever sphere of influence it resides at the moment. Saturn shows us our limits and challenges us to face them and move beyond them. Saturn is also the ruler of time which in itself is a self-imposed limitation for most of us. It represents the wisdom of old age and the onset of maturity which can be thought of as the understanding of what it was all for. It governs to some extent personal responsibility and how well we live our ideals and principles and how well we communicate them through our actions.

Astrologically the element of Earth(Earth)is also connected with The Universe trump. In astrology, the influence of Earth nurtures us and grounds us. It focuses on the practical and attainable while helping us to achieve more. The Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) are all involved with achievements of a practical nature and of our responsibility in the maintenance of it.

 

Runic Correspondence-Gebo(“Gift”)geboGebo means gift and ecstasy. It is gift in the idea of exchange of gifts, not in the sense of sacrifice as much as in the idea that by living our purpose and sharing what it is ours to give, we receive from the universal mother. It is a living exchange of beings each living to their highest purpose. Gebo is also a rune of harmony both internal and external. Other runes connected with the Universe trump are Hagalaz and Sowelho.

 

Path on the Tree of Life – Path 32-Tau-Tau means “signature” and it represents the final stamp on our being of who we are and who we are constantly in the state of becoming. It is the Path between the Sephiorth of Yesod(“Foundation”) and Malkuth (“Kingdom”) and represents the manifestation and materialization of everything that has gone before it. Tau also represents the cross of matter that is the training ground of our spirits. In the Sefer Yetzirah it is known as the Administrative Intelligence. It is also the path that links the physical to the astral plane and so deals with manifestations of archetypes and such matters as lucid dreaming.

 

When the Universe card turns up in a reading, it is usually an indication that a cycle has reached its successful completion. All the hard work and life lessons that have come are paying off and the querent is finding a sense of closure. It is a good time to celebrate the successes and start preparing for the journeys ahead. It can also indicate a time when the querent is in a good position to realize their place in the world and in the process they have just undergone. The Universe card may also mean that one’s emotions, mind, body and spirit are all working together in a harmonious way. The card basically indicates success in whatever area the reading pertains to. It may, depending on other cards and position indicate that one or two final blocks must be removed before the success can be realized. It can also indicate that a period of travelling the world lies ahead of the querent.

 

When the Universe is reversed, it may mean that the querent is standing in the way of their own success. Perhaps they are seeing or setting limitations on themselves that get in the way of their completing what they have set out to do. Perhaps they have come to the final steps of their journey and then stopped either because of fear or lack of self-confidence. There are times when a person’s life has become so defined by the journey that they are on that the final steps become all too difficult because it means that they will have to find a new way to define their lives. Reversed the potential shown in the Universe trump is still there it is just blocked in some way. The querent can follow the example of the dancer on the card and just dance their way through pretending that the limitations are not there.

 

Everybody Wants To Save The World

 

“Ask yourself who will save mankind and then go look in the mirror for the answer.”
— Randall Wolfe

 

In thirty years of making myself as open as possible to other people and their beliefs and stories, I have come across an interesting phenomenon. I have met many people who believe that they have a calling to save the world. Many see themselves as being the chosen one, the one who has been given the answer to life, the universe and everything if other people would just fall in line. Oh it manifests in different ways. Some believe that they are a manifestation of the Christ spirit, others that they are reincarnations of Aleister Crowley or the manifestation in physical form of one god force or another. With these friends I always try to keep an open mind. Maybe they are right after all. In this world of infinite possibilities talking to a universal avatar is not out of the question.
There are worse things than believing that you are meant to lead mankind out of his darkness. It involves ambition, altruism, hope and a willingness to look outside the self after all. As long as it does not involve drinking poisoned kool aid or killing people its all cool. Still many of them from my early cult experiences onwards have told me in some fashion that if I ignored their teachings or didn’t stick with them in some way that I would be damned or doomed or left in the lurch. Funny thing is that my life has been a pretty great one, filled with much love and some challenges and my spiritual growth and interests have been a constant. If I am doomed to reincarnate or be destroyed, I am pretty comfortable with the fact that both the life of my spirit and the growth of my spirit will continue as I feel those are constants.
Still anyone who has that much compassion and drive that they wish to make the world a better place for all has my support. If everyone was to believe deep down in their hear that it was up to them to make things better for all, the world would be in much better shape. Perhaps each of us is meant to do that according to our knowledge and perceptions. So I will take that challenge of Mr. Wolfe and I will look in the mirror and then of course the next question is how?
Blessings, G

 

Click on images to see full-sized:

 

Faceless in The Outer RealmFaceless in the Outer Realm by G A Rosenberg

 

Lying Awake Containing WorldsLying Awake Containing Worlds by G A Rosenberg

 

Art Gallery 2014 (Updated)

The Art Gallery- 2014 page has been created and updated with the pictures from August . Please browse through and if you have an interest in purchasing any prints please contact me at rambled@mac.com or my webshops at http://wakingspirals.deviantart.com and http://www.cafepress.com/wakingspirals

 

Click on images to go to the 2014 Art Gallery Page:

 

Screen Shot 2014-09-01 at 6.32.29 PM

 

In Praise of Confusion

 

“Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities — the political, the religious, the educational authorities — who attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rules, regulations, informing — forming in our minds — their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable open-mindedness, chaotic, confused vulnerability to inform yourself.”
— Timothy Leary

 

I like being confused. Not so much because I like what it does to my face as that I like what it does to my psyche. Every time I am sure I have the definitive answer to something, I am more than likely wrong or am settling because I am not looking deeply enough into the well of the question or the well of myself. When I am confused as I often am by the way to settle conflicts or even which way to proceed on a picture or a poem, I know that I must go deeper until I have found a solution which at least feels more right for the moment than any other. Even then the chances are that at a later point I will return to picture or writing and tweak it according to my best guess at the moment.
When I look at political situations with conflicting narratives, whether it be one of the messes in the middle east or the local teacher’s strikes I also want to be confused. It is when I have a clear vision of who is right that I shut myself off to the other narrative. All too often choosing a side does not nor will it ever resolve things. There is always greater truth and greater flow to be found. I would rather be confused and questioning than right and settling.
Blessings, G

 

Click on images to see full-sized:

 

Goat Mask PerspectiveGoat Mask Perspective by G A Rosenberg

 

Strange Playground labyrinthStrange Playground Labyrinth by G A Rosenberg