Metaphysical Musings

  I am also not surprised by some of the major geological issues we’ve been dealing with – i.e. the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, not to mention the volcanic eruption in Iceland.  If Saturn represents terra firma, then Pluto represents deep, underground workings that can collapse the structure that Saturn provides.  Uranus provides just such an impetus, as whenever it locks horns with planets in an aspect we can always expect an unexpected shakeup.  The conflicting nature of the energies involved in this T-square can also blow the lid of calm, cool, collected, and controlled Saturn with a powerful eruption of raw, subconscious, Plutonian emotion that had been lurking beneath the surface the whole time.  How much more literal a manifestation can we get of this energy than a freak volcanic eruption taking place in an area well-known for its snow, ice, and cold?  I think we’ll continue to see more of these kinds of issues cropping up while this current T-square involving Pluto plays itself out.

On a more personal level, this cardinal T-square signifies awareness of a crisis point in life.  This isn’t meant to instill fear as it is certainly no harbinger of impending doom, rather a universal calling for change and action that we are ALL facing on a global level.  We can be facing issues with finances, our families, our jobs, our relationships, etc. or in several areas simultaneously depending upon what this configuration is touching in our own natal charts.  In my opinion, I attribute a sense of foreboding/imploding to one of two things.  First off, some of us are quite sensitive to this cosmic energy.  Being that this is a major planetary aspect it’s no wonder why some of us have this persistent feeling that something is “wrong” – even if we aren’t feeling its effects firsthand.  Secondly, this feeling can also occur when we have been directly impacted by this energy .  If things seem to be falling apart in one or multiple areas of our lives we may be subconsciously resisting the call to change and restructure how we live.  We may know on one level that things have to change – that something has to give – but at the same time hesitate to pull the trigger and do what needs to be done.  This internal struggle can cause this ominous feeling, as many of us aren’t comfortable with the idea of change.

My advice to many of my clients has been to take a step back and try and recognize where we need to make our own adjustments.  Chances are that we may have ignored the little signs along the way that may have said “wrong way”.  We may have continued to build something up upon a sinking foundation without recognizing that a swamp lay all around us.  The key is WE have to be the one to initiate the change, because things will most likely continue to deteriorate until we take some level of personal responsibility for how we got to where we are.  Then we must take ACTION – whether that means we change our behavior, our state of mind, or both. 

 This aspect gives us an invaluable opportunity to see the reality of what isn’t working in our lives and to grow from it.  Maybe we built a sense of safety and security at work, doing a job that “paid the bills” for years but didn’t allow us to express our need for individuality.  If this situation came to an end during the current T-square perhaps we can try to view it as an opportunity to put ourselves in alignment with what we do.  Sitting behind a computer in a dull, grey cubicle with an unfulfilling “mission” simply to eek out a living can be extremely detrimental for the soul, as it inherently KNOWS it has a different purpose in life even if the conscious mind isn’t yet aware of what that is.  We should attempt to look at a situation like this as an opportunity to try something different and new, allowing us the potential to come into alignment with who we really are.  Also , as big businesses are failing left and right due to Pluto in Capricorn, look to see that many people will be pursuing an entrepreneurial route.  If you have a fledgling idea and have always wanted to try it but were too afraid, now may be the time when you can let go of your fear and take that big leap.  Uranus in Aries likes us to step WAY outside our comfort zones, and although it may seem a little risky, this placement says “Take a chance on me”.   

As mentioned earlier, Pluto in Capricorn can also highlight financial difficulties.  Frequently this can coincide with a job loss, though there are many other reasons people are finding themselves find themselves “in over their heads”.  Regardless of the cause, now is a time when we must get back to basics in a financial sense.  We must look at what we truly NEED, not at what we WANT.  If we’re paying for a mortgage on house that is too big for our needs maybe we need to look at downsizing.  Do we need to have a $500/month car payment just so we can have the prestige of saying we have something “nice” and “new”?  Maybe we need to start looking around at some of the material objects we have accumulated and think about having a yard sell or look into selling them at a consignment shop if we need to come up with extra cash to pay off creditors.  Let’s try and use this as an opportunity to uncomplicate our lives and rediscover what really matters.  As long as we have food, clothing, shelter, and the love of our families isn’t that all any of us really need?

Perhaps instead the problem we face at this time is one of relationship.  With Saturn in Libra we can fairly expect that partnerships will be put through their paces.  This is a testing process demanding that there be fairness, equality, and seriousness about how we handle our commitments to others.  If the relationship has become seriously lopsided where one party gives continuously while the other takes it’s no wonder why problems would crop up.  Saturn in Libra also forces us to ask ourselves “How well is this relationship meeting my needs?” as Saturn is a planet of necessity.  If the answer we give is “Not well.” we must either work together to make it so or recognize the other party’s limitation in being unwilling/unable to meet our needs and move on.  In either case we must be prepared to make changes and take action ourselves and not rely on the other party to do it.

Please remember that each person’s experience of this T-square will be unique, however I felt it important to speak about the implications of this aspect on broader terms so that you can get an idea of the potential “flavors” this major planetary configuration can have.  Because the keynote of the cardinal signs is “activity” I am urging people not to be paralyzed by feelings of fear or doubt that may crop up during this time.  We need to remember that there is always a lesson to be learned during difficult times, and that we can take ACTION to change our attitudes and/or circumstances if we are dealt a hand that is not to our liking!    

As a Wiccan, I am forever saying that it seems the older we get the less likely we are to fire up the ol’ cauldron.  For every action there is a reaction and one must weigh the pros and cons, trying to see the issue from every conceivable angle, before seeking to tug the threads of the collective consciousness.  The process can be so challenging that many times it’s just easier to allow the Universe to have full control over a situation, as opposed to working ones’ way through the careful wording of a well thought-out manifestation ritual.   The problem with throwing your time and energy behind this type of energy work is that it may not allow for the wisdom of the Universe to permeate.  For example, you go on a job interview.  The job is perfect – moreover, you have wanted to work in this particular field for years.  You feel certain that you’ve aced the interview, but decide to do a little candle work along with a concentrated meditation to ensure the Universal Divine knows EXACTLY how badly you want this one.  And you are crushed when you receive your “thanks, but no thanks” letter two weeks later.  You remain crushed – until an ex-boss calls you a month later, offering an amazing (and better!) job within her new company!   Would you have been available for the second opportunity had the first manifested?  Probably not.  Moreover, it is disrespectful to the God & Goddess to command them to perform in a certain way.  We ask, respectfully – we do not demand or order.   Whether it’s a new job, relationship or home – often the “one that got away” is the one you were meant not to have – because bigger and better was just around the corner.

That said, it is silly to think we have to be passive in our approach to the things we need.  Good health, abundance, love – all come to us much more easily when we combine a good attitude, personal effort and directed energy toward what it is we require.  The biggest hurdle to manifestation is determining exactly what it is you want – that, and learning to separate our wants from our needs.   Remember that the Universe does not appreciate any form of gluttony.  And let’s face it:  “Lots of money” “A really big house” or “someone amazing to fall in love with me” are not exactly precise guidelines to work within! 

Allow me to illustrate with an example.  About six months after I opened Talisman (my little new-age shop in Monroe, CT) a young woman approached me with the request “Do you have any spells for dogs?”   I asked her to tell me exactly what she needed.   It seems she had recently moved from Vermont to Connecticut with her baby daughter and beloved Rottweiler.  She had rented an apartment that stipulated in the rental agreement that she could have one large dog.  However, the day she moved in, the landlord (who lived upstairs in the two-family house) took one look at the dog and said, “Oh you have a Rottweiler?  I didn’t realize that.  I can’t live with a Rottweiler – I’m sorry, he has to go”. 

So we began by going over what was obvious – practicality before magick, always.  The rental agreement was a legally binding contract and the landlord had agreed in writing to allow one large dog (we aren’t looking to break or bend the law).  The day after she moved in, she sensibly invited the landlord and his wife to brunch, during which time her dog actually lay calmly at the landlord’s feet and he even reached down to pet it from time to time.  Upon leaving, however, he turned and said to her, “That IS a nice dog – for a Rottweiler.  However, I just can’t live with one.  I’m sorry.”  Before coming to see me, she had called the landlord’s wife to plead her case one last time before bringing the dog back to Vermont to live with her parents.  The wife told her that her husband’s best friend had been mauled as a child by a Rottie and he was deathly afraid of them – and to please stop asking, as he would NEVER agree to allow the dog to stay.

This conversation took place on a Friday – and she had arranged to make the drive back to Vermont with the dog on Monday.  So we began with a yellow candle, which was charged then anointed with Road Opener oil.  I instructed her to take the candle home and build around it a shrine to her dog – including pictures, his collar and leash, toys, vet records – and to place the candle in its holder on top of the rental contract.  She spent one hour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night (same time each night) in an uninterrupted manifestation ritual.  I told her to SEE her dog playing in the back yard, lying in his bed, eating out of his food dish – SEE where his bowl and bed would be placed – SEE the landlord coming downstairs to give him a pat before leaving for work – SEE her infant daughter growing up with him.  This is very different from praying, believing or asking because this is the difference between KNOWING something will happen versus believing it will.  Doing all this at the same time each night, and allowing no outside interruptions (besides a waking baby!) requires discipline and illustrates serious intent for the issue at hand.

This story has a happy ending:  I had a visit on Tuesday morning – she came into Talisman to tell me that just as she was packing up her car to make the trip north, the landlord called and said he had a change of heart – her dog could stay!  This very same manifestation ritual worked in the same manner for another patron with issues of secondary infertility.  She had a six year old son, and had been trying for two years to have a second child with no luck.  Same technique with a different candle/oil/shrine – and she was pregnant the next month (she used a pink candle and was blessed with the daughter she had been hoping for!).  Ditto the mother of a grown child with serious medical issues whose husband was in the running for a job that would provide much-needed comprehensive medical benefits:  Not only did her son-in-law get the job, but the company agreed to begin medical coverage before the six week wait period was over. 

Thoughts do become things.  The power of positive thinking, combined with energy drawn from the Universal Divine, is an awesome force indeed.  And please – I had nothing to do with these outcomes besides providing instruction and the necessary materials.  I like working with candles because the very act of lighting one is a clear signal that energy work is about to begin.  The flame itself is both a focal point and additional source of energy.   Be clear that the work itself was done by the petitioner in tandem with Divine Will.  I believe that it is empowering to occasionally take part in owning one’s destiny by manifesting some changes in the road ahead rather than passively “Forrest Gumping” your way through life!       

Where this process fails miserably is when you attempt to force or bend the Will of another to your own.  Notice that the young woman with the dog didn’t get angry or nasty with the landlord; instead she worked within the parameters of the law (without threatening a lawsuit) and visualized a positive outcome – for both parties.  Seeing yourself in the desired job is not the same as trying to energetically get inside an employer’s head to ensure the only option (in their mind) is to hire you.  And yet, through all of this, one must never be so dead set on an outcome that you are unwilling to bend to the wisdom of the Universe.  We may channel the Divine Energy but we ourselves are not the God or Goddess – we must reckon with our own inability to see past our current circumstance to what lies ahead.  How many times in your life has something truly awful happened – and six months later, you were saying “it was the best thing that could ever have happened to me”?  I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t had an opportunity to say those very words.  This is The Tower card of the tarot deck at play – unexpected or catastrophic change which often portends a serendipitous event to follow.

And that, I suppose, is both the challenge AND opportunity in all this – to actively work toward a positive outcome while allowing a higher power to oversee the process.  I feel strongly that this is not a mandate for a passive life but rather the guidepost for a magickal one!

On April 21st I addressed a group of students and an auditing professor (their actual professor was stuck in Scotland due to ash from the Iceland volcano) at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT.  Below is the lecture, which I “filled in” from my original outline, in hopes it might be of some interest.  It turned out to be a wonderful experience – the Divinity School campus is simply beautiful – and the students asked many insightful questions throughout the lecture and afterward.  All in all, a most successful day!  

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Yale Divinity School Presentation

April 21, 2010

Wicca, Neopaganism and the Changing Face of Spirituality

Hello, I’m Laura Lenhard – a married mother of four children ages 5 through 16, business owner and practicing witch.  I want to thank Pat Kriss for making this all possible, and I’m basing my talk today here at the Yale Divinity School on my personal journey to Wicca and what I see as the changing face of spirituality.  I guess I’m uniquely suited to this because I do own a new-age shop in Monroe CT  called Talisman which opened 3 years ago, and I am blessed to know and be in communication with many high priests and priestesses as well as shamanic leaders, elders in the Native American faith path and mystics and spiritualists all over the country and world.  So when I say “changing face” I do mean its changing everywhere!  I am also a writer and have written articles in publications such as The Door Opener as well as blogging for Hearst Publications and I’ve also been on several local radio talk shows, so I do feel qualified to speak on this subject which is near and dear to my heart.    

I want to start by letting you know I have reviewed the curriculum for Witchcraft and Witch Hunting in Early Modern Europe and America and so I guess we can move forward now, without my having to discuss the “Wiccan revisionist” accounts of millions dying in a sort of witch holocaust during the burning times.  And I don’t know, do we need to talk a little bit about the difference between “folk magic” and the organized religion that is Wicca?  Folk magic being primarily habits and superstitions, which may very well have merit and worth, but which are passed down through families and which vary by geographic area – and these may be very common sense, such as in my Irish family the “never bring an old broom into a new house” tradition, which I found in a book as being part of “the craft” but one which I remember my grandmother telling me was a big no-no and she always reminded me to get new cleaning supplies, mop and broom every time I moved into a new apartment.   This took on a “folk magic” connotation but it probably began as a way to not bring insects and pests’ eggs from the old house into a brand-new one.   Okay – so we understand “Wicca” is a religion broken down into traditions such as Alexandrian, Gardnerian, Cabot, Dianic etc.  each having its own unique rituals, rules of conduct, leadership roles, etc.  right?  Right!

But one more thing quick – regarding persecution, I thought long and hard about this because I never actually felt persecuted or gosh even laughed at based on my spirituality so I wasn’t sure how I could talk about the experience.  But I was just last week talking with one of my readers who is a shamanic witch and also a paralegal, and I was telling her about one of Talisman’s patrons who wants to file for divorce but she’s worried her husband will use her religious beliefs against her in court.  And my reader said to me “This happens.  I’ve actually known times when women have had to take the stand and been ridiculed and held accountable and actually have lost their children because they identified as witches”.  And not down south, mind you – here in Connecticut.   So be aware, this does happen and it’s a very real reason why many are afraid to come out and say what they believe and why the numbers of Wiccans remains inaccurate in terms of reporting statistically.  And my best friend’s mother was negotiating in court with her soon to be ex-husband on the terms of their divorce when at a point when things weren’t going his way, he actually stood up, pointed his finger at her and said, “oh, yeah – well you’re a WITCH”.  She laughed it off, shrugged, made it look like a joke … but there you are. 

Okay, so back to me.  I was born in Connecticut but raised from ages 5 through 15 in Southern California.  Even the little Mexican Catholic church we attended had a wonderfully open and far ahead of its time new-age kind of “Vibe” to it.  My father served in Korea and came back with a love of the culture and Eastern religion so a little of that got mixed in, you know some reincarnation, plus my mother and grandmother were mystically minded – I had a great-aunt who read tea leaves in Pennsylvania and this was a point of pride in our family – it was common to sit at the breakfast table and talk about your dreams from last night – it was nice.  Many of my readers have shared their horror stories of parents who again ridiculed or made them go to church and pray on their knees until they “got it out of their system” so to speak.   So what I’m saying is it was probably much easier for me to segue way over to a new spirituality than for most. 

Now I found myself truly studying Wicca in my mid-twenties when I was researching herb gardens as a horticulturist and freelance garden writer, and came across the magical uses of herbs in addition to their health and culinary uses.  Most particularly I was reading a book about Caprilands, a former goat farm here in Connecticut owned by a woman (now deceased) who was wonderfully eccentric but openly talked about magic and witchcraft as she led tours through her famous gardens. 

As I began having children, I started to question internally what I believed and why.  From a very young age I loved theology – the reasons why people believe as they do and how they practice their faith.  I found myself looking for explanations for the reasons I celebrated in certain ways – for example, why bunnies and eggs at Easter? – and found most of the roots of the Christian faith (even through I called myself a new-age Catholic at that time) to be pagan in nature.  So with what I was reading and learning – and my own intuitive gifts burgeoning – once I really cracked open some very good books on Wiccan principles and beliefs I found, as so many have described to me at the shop, that it just felt very natural and there were a great deal of Wiccan “practices” I was already engaging in. 

Why the draw to Wicca and Neopaganism?  (Note difference primarily that pagans celebrate the holidays versus ritualistic worship.)  Also “Heathenism” gaining in popularity, a Norse tradition which has negative connotations due to its presence in the prison systems – a “familial based religion” it centers on family and extended family as the “tribe” but this can unfortunately be translated into racial bigotry – which has given a beautiful tradition a bad feeling for some.

Environmental concerns; disenchantment with traditional religions in the wake of scandal; financial mismanagement and what I think comes as part of the global shift in consciousness – hey, I told you I was new-agey!!! – as so many institutions are falling by the wayside (investment, insurance, banking, auto) and conspicuous consumption appears more and more to blame for the mess we’re in – the idea of an earth-based nature religion that is gentle on the earth and easy to understand really works right now.  And unlike fundamentalist religions (and remember, the only three recognized religions are Muslim, Judaism, and Christianity – the others all fall under the “Pagan” umbrella despite the fact that many predate Christianity by many thousands of years – Hinduism 12,000-15,000 years old, Buddhism 9,000-11,000 and Shamanism some 35,000 years old!) Wiccans and pagans are allowed to respectfully incorporate aspects of other faith paths into their own highly personalized spirituality.  And that includes those more traditional paths such as Gardnerian, etc.  I mean, if Mary the mother of Jesus looks like the face of the goddess to you, then by all means have her on your altar!  Humans have a need to put a recognizable face on diety but really, how DO you put a face on that which is faceless or give a name to that which is nameless – when it is, in fact, pure energy we are talking about here.  But people aren’t ready to just give up everything they’ve grown up believing in, that may be too much all at once, but they can explore aspects of different faiths.  Interestingly enough a trend has paralleled in terms of diet and religion.  Some time ago, it became popular to look at the food of your ancestors – where did your people come from, geographically what part of the world, and what did they eat?  This ties into “cell memory” (an aspect of reincarnation) and the idea that this food is more appropriately nourishing on several levels.  At the same time, the question of  ”what did your people believe?” has been asked as well, and people do In fact come into Talisman, see the 7-day candles, and their faces light up and they begin talking about their great-aunt Sophia who oiled and kept candles lit all the time.  And we find that’s usually Italian, and that’s a very Strega (Italian witchcraft) or maybe Rosecrucian thing to do.  And there’s a comfort in that, a real tie which combines family history and spirituality.

Now, I personally identify as a Hedgewitch, also called a “green” or “kitchen” witch (although many feminists do not appreciate that term! The idea that you’re stuck in the kitchen practicing your art!) and this is a solitary path very much growing in popularity which is focused on the natural and magical aspects of the healing arts.  (talk about hedges/wise women in Western Europe).  So that’s working with the herbs, stones, and oils as part of our craft – also Reiki and energetic healing are utilized as well.  However, I also study Hinduism and continuously read about and am fascinated by the indigenous religions of Africa and Australia.

So that’s me – and before I move on, are there any questions about MY personal faith path that I can answer to clarify anything I’ve discussed so far?

Moving on, then, let’s talk a little bit about what I see going on at Talisman, spiritually-speaking. 

Talisman celebrates Universal Spirituality – the idea that all faith paths devoted to good works and higher principles lead to The One.  I’m very happy to report that Talisman has had no ugly scenes to contend with, no protesting or anything of that nature.  In fact, just the opposite – we have been embraced by a town which has a famous local witch by the name of “Hanna Cranna” who was a historical person and you can learn more about her by googling Monroe CT Hannah Cranna.  I’ve visited her grave and had people in the store whose great-grandparents knew her, so that’s very exciting and lends itself nicely to a metaphysically themed store!  I believe that, well, first the only thing I am religious about is brushing my teeth – however, your spirituality can be likened to a piece of cloth you weave.  And you may choose the body of the cloth to be Judaic, say, but interwoven with threads from the Buddhist faith path – or Native American – I mean, who says a Jew can’t find their truth in a Lakotan sweat lodge??  Not me!  I want to be right there, sweating next to them!

So that’s the premise of Universal Spirituality.  Now we’re seeing an ever-growing number of people who recognize Christ as their spiritual leader.  However, they also recognize such metaphysical ideas like reincarnation, Reiki (which the Catholic Church has recently denounced) and other forms of energy work, the value of divination, past life recall and karmic aspects to this lifetime … and we call these people “Mystic Christians”.  That’s a term those of you who are going into some form of spiritual counseling might want to remember.  Also know that many deeply spiritual people are also highly intuitive and many were not appreciated or encouraged – In fact, very much the opposite – as children.  And perhaps this is another form of persecution, albeit maybe a mild one, but I can assure you that many of these people who are intuitively gifted struggled with alcohol particularly to “shut themselves down” and stop receiving the visions or hearing the voices etc etc.  Last year, a lovely lovely woman I work with who accesses the akashic records and does beautiful spirit guide drawings, she shared with me her own battle with alcoholism when she was much younger and just wanted to turn it all off because she was frightened.  So know and understand that the “path to enlightenment” for many has been fraught with personal demons which had to be conquered and may still rear their ugly head from time to time.  Anyone with a congregation to tend or in counseling ministry position will undoubtedly come across this issue eventually. 

I don’t think we can talk about modern-day witchcraft without giving a nod to “The Secret” and the Christianization of the desire to work manifestations AKA witchcraft.  The difference is that The Secret teaches if you really want something, you get it as long as you ask constantly via Vision Boards and other means of constantly putting your desire In the face of the divine.  In fact, if you DIDN’T get what you wanted you just didn’t ask hard enough or really want it enough.  Your fault.  Okay, now we witches see this differently.  We don’t whine and we don’t demand that the Divine deliver on our desires.  We ask – maybe as a part of intricate ritual, but still, because we believe in a Higher Power that always has our best interests in mind, we don’t demand, knowing the answer may be “no” for our own good.  (reference handout article from Door Opener).  Now this headset of “I want it – I deserve it – It’s mine to take” goes along with a fundamental issue that witches and neopagans and Native Americans and Buddhists and Hindus and Santerians and all us earth-based or nature-based faiths have with fundamentalist Christianity.  And that is contained in the Book of Genesis – and please, I am not looking to debate, but fundamental Christian belief in the DOMINION of man over the beasts and the land – it’s that word, DOMINION – flies in the face  of OUR belief that we have a stewardship or caretaking role during this life here on this planet.  This is a core contention, philosophically, between the earth based spiritualities and Christian fundamentalists.  And we are concerned because I have heard it said – actually heard these words come out of people’s mouths – that “it doesn’t matter if we pollute or use up all the resources or endangered species become extinct because their habitat it destoyed” and why??? Because the Rapture is going to occur, Jesus is coming back to destroy and recreate the world … so it doesn’t matter.   And this terrible lack of responsibility goes hand in hand with the lack of accountability we are seeing in all these different institutions – I want my piece of the pie I don’t care who I hurt, i.e. the Bernie Madoffs or now the newest scandal with Goldman Sachs.   And how do you argue with that logic? It’s a core belief of the Christian faith, as outlined in the Book of Revelations.   We start off in the first book that it’s yours to take and end with the last book telling us it doesn’t matter anyway.  And yet – and I’m going to get political for just a minute here – these are the Sarah Palins, its doubly scary because they have children and grandchildren so we know this is what they really believe WILL happen.  They have children who are going to inherit this mess – and they help create policy and legislation as our leaders.  It’s frightening.  And many of us see this, understand what is happening, and want no part of it.  No part of a religion embraced by crazy people.

And I want to end this by saying that I feel the fundamental draw, at least for me, to this evolving new-age spirituality that we call “Wicca” is that it places the accountability square on the shoulders of its practitioners.  There is no confessional for us, no public Wailing Wall or place to absolve ourselves of our sins.  We truly reap what we sow in every sense of those words.  We don’t believe in the devil, per se, because we see the potential for good and evil in ourselves and try our best to elevate our energy to a higher consciousness.  And also, Wiccans and pagans while not openly visible in many cases, we’re easy to find.  We’re everywhere!  We are members of Greenpeace, we are busy doing our river cleanups and community service at the local shelters (both human and animal) many of us are midwives and hospice workers and metaphysical healers – remember back to a time when getting acupuncture was viewed as “out there” and ridiculous by the medical community?  Now never mind that – currently, Reiki healing is being offered in hospitals! 

These are challenging times but they are exciting times as well.  True religious freedom means freedom for all religions and we are blessed to live in a Country – unlike Haiti, where the aftermath of a tragic earthquake has been outright attacks on practitioners of Voodoo, their own native religion which has its roots in the indigenous religions of Africa – but here in New Haven and Fairfield Counties many of us who have chosen an alternative faith path can proudly display our pentacles and talk openly about our beliefs.   And for that I am glad.

Now – questions anyone?

Blessings, Laura

Rat—A great year for rats, this is a traveling year, a year of romance possibilities and a year of productivity. Rats, however, are cautioned this year not to speculate. If you are going to bet make sure your bets are hedged. You need to take time this year to create stronger relationships with those around you. Single rats have a strong possibility of love and marriage this year. But since rats can be workaholics it is important to take some time for social activities to allow love into your life. While this is a productive year results may not be so easy to see and this may make the Rat feel dissatisfied but know that there will be advancement, leadership responsibilities and rewards coming. Be very willing to change because Tiger years are years of change and the more willing you are to change the more success you will have. Rats need more exercise this year and more social time. Also Rats benefit from having Ox friends this year, this can be people born in the year of the Ox or pictures of Oxen displayed in the home.

Ox—For Oxen, this is a year to be cautious and calm. This is a year of reassessment. Oxen can lose their tempers very easily this year and fly into fits of rage so it is important to practice relaxation techniques and get to the heart of why the anger is there at all. This is a good health year for Oxen though they may have some sleep trouble in the middle of the year but this will pass. Try playing some ambient sounds such as ocean waves to help you relax. And physically you could benefit from exercises that make you more flexible. It is a mixed year financially and Oxen should be cautious when signing contracts. However this is a good year for business and it will be easy to find what you need for expansion at a discount. This year be patient in love relationships and you will be rewarded with loyalty and support. Being just a little bit social will bring new connections and for the single Oxen, new love. Oxen will benefit from their friendships with Rats this year or they may want to have a picture of a mouse or a mouse pendant to wear.

Tiger (or Cat)—Tigers, this is your year but before you go off celebrating there are still some things to keep in mind. Take care of your lungs this year, do yoga style breathing exercises and avoid doing things that may compromise lung function. This year may bring a new job or new role at work. This will bring opportunities to learn new things which Tigers love to do. Relationship energy starts slowly but builds throughout the year ending on a very positive note. But married Tigers are warned not to start arguments at home or they may find their belongings on the doorstep. Take your time before making big purchases this year, do lots of research before buying a house or land. You are lucky with money this year but long term purchases that are rushed into may turn sour in future years. Tigers will receive news from family and friends that cause celebrations. Overall Tigers will enjoy this year and it will be a good time to plant seeds for your future. Other Tigers are your friends this year, wear your tiger symbols proudly.

Rabbit—Rabbits have a lucky year in 2010 and this is your romance year. It is time to get out and go to parties and social events. You never know who you are going to meet and where. Try to fill your social calendar and give people a chance to meet you. It’s a good year to have a change of scenery, so a trip or even a move would be beneficial. Rabbits need to be more vigilant about their finances this year or they may lose money out of carelessness. This could be from a poor investment or just a hole in your pocket so keep an eye on all aspects of your money. This is a good year for career except for a possible fight with a co-worker so try to keep your cool even if you are not happy with your workmates. Remember Rabbits are known for the diplomatic skills and you may have to use them more than once this year. This year may start out with challenges but it ends on a happy note. Strive for your goals and you will make a lot of headway. Dogs are your protection this year. So if you have a dog you are all set otherwise you may want to have pictures or statues of dogs in the home.

Dragon—This is a moderately lucky year for those born under the sign of Dragon. This is a traveling year and it would be very good to try a new destination for a holiday this year. This is a year for career advancement even if that involves a job change. The steps you took last year are going to pay off this year. Be persistent in your job hunt and you will be rewarded with a very good position. If you own your own business be persistent with the marketing and the new customers will find you. Aim high this year and don’t underestimate your abilities. This is a good year to stick to a budget and pay down debt. This is also the year to stick to a healthy eating plan. Romance has strong possibilities this year if you focus on finding someone who treats you well rather than thinking about what you need to change for them. You show changes at home, someone may be moving out or someone moving in. Rooster energy is good for you this year. You may want to add a rooster picture or statue to your kitchen for good luck.

Snake—This is the year of tiny irritations, usually slow and steady wins the race but not in a Tiger year and so this energy is rather irritating to the meditative and peaceful snake. Work is changing and even your workplace or work area needs some change and so look for new routines and schedules to be coming in 2010. It will also be hard to stay on a budget this year when some unexpected expenditures come up. It would be wise to conserve and reuse whenever possible and save up an emergency fund in case the hot water heater goes or a great business opportunities arises. A vacation is still possible this year and best if you choose a destination you have never been before. On the plus side, people will listen to your advice this year and that warms the heart of the wise old snake. If there is clutter in the house it should be gone through and organized so that what is useful can be determined and put in a place for easy access. This year you have lots of love opportunities, some wanted and some unexpected. You are popular but so popular that sometimes it will make you want to hide out at home. The Monkey is your protection this year and you may want to get a little stuffed monkey to place in the bedroom to attract some rest, relaxation and fun.

Horse - This will be a rocky year filled with high highs and low lows. Balance will be the chief goal this year. Why jump in with all four feet when you can move in with caution and make sure the ground is level and solid? It may seem like people are trying to hold you back and as a horse you may try to power on through but heed the signs. If friends are cautioning you to slow down they probably have a good reason. By the time we get to the second half of the year you will see some positive results of being cautions. If you want to pay down debt second jobs and extra work opportunities will be available for you to pick up some extra cash. Be careful of extravagant spending even if you have extra money coming in. Relationships are steady and the unattached Horse will find some possible love interests. Horses need to take care this year to avoid arguments as these could set up blocks in the relationship that could last all year. On the other hand, some opportunities that you thought were closed to you will open this year giving you another chance to consider them. The Ram protects you this year so having something made of lamb’s wool or a picture of a ram can help protect you this year.

Ram (or Goat or Sheep)—Rams will be happy that 2009 is over and happier still to find out that 2010 could be a great financial and career year. Projects that you have been working hard on are finally going to pay off. This is a great time to improve your computer and technology skills because they will become very handy in the months to come. But technology is not the only subject you would benefit from, any study from public speaking to learning a language to improving your online social networking skills will bring you big rewards. It looks like you may make some big purchases this year. Think carefully about each purchase and choose wisely but this is a good year to add things that make your life better. That being said this year it may be best to take classes on finance or seek professional financial advice to get yourself on track for your long term future. This year you will be more of a homebody, travel is not featured for you this year. But not to worry, you will find many creative projects to do at home. This is a romance year for you too. For single Rams love opportunities abound but there are also opportunities for married Rams too so use caution and think before you leap into a short term relationship that may disrupt a long term marriage. Horses bring you protection this year. Consider taking horseback riding lessons or adding a horseshoe over your garage door for luck (remember to have it pointing up like a “U”).

Monkey—Monkeys may travel a lot this year and have the potential to move or change jobs. This is a difficult year but Monkeys are smart and you know where the trouble comes from. Meet those challenges head on. If your job seems unstable then get to networking and shine up your resume, if finances are the weak area then get on a budget, if health is not to par then start an exercise program or research alternative care for your health issues, etc. You may find a lot of changes at work; new people to work with and new procedures, Monkeys are known for their great people skills so this should pose no problem for you. This year it’s important to be very careful with your finances. Shred personal information before putting it in the trash and monitor your credit card statements for mistakes or fraudulent charges and avoid borrowing money at high interest rates. And some regular exercise would help a lot this year to improve your mood and your energy level. The energy around you, especially financially improves a lot in the second half of the year. The Pig is your protection this year. Carry a pig or boar talisman or get a little stuffed pig to protect yourself from the Tiger stealing your energy.

Rooster—This is a lucky year in most aspects but health will be a focus and so it is important to take steps that you may have been putting off about diet, exercise, and managing stress. Aside from health, Roosters will have a lot of success in 2010. This year you will find bosses who respect you and clients/customers who like you. Promotions should be pretty easy to get if you want them. Or if you own your own business consider expanding this year. This year it will be helpful to get closer to your family through working on projects together and spending free time with one another. Your family can be a great support to you this year. Romance is also featured and single Roosters could find true love if they don’t block themselves with their own stubbornness. Ask yourself if you would rather be right or would you rather be happy. Married Roosters also have opportunities for love but these could end up to be a ‘fatal attraction’ right out of the movies so beware. Roosters are protected this year by the Dragon. Consider wearing a dragon pendant or having a dragon statue in the living room of the house.

Dog—This is a lucky year for dog with respect to love and money but health is showing weakness and needs your attention. It is time to put yourself first and give yourself a diet and exercise plan you can live with. If health is not looked after then it will feel like a difficult year. It is ok to change jobs or expand a business this year but there will be challenges. And it’s not a great year for large investments so be cautious about buying real estate. Dogs that will have the most success when they embrace their creative side and find ways to incorporate creativity into their career. There are opportunities for long distance travel for career and pleasure. You may find yourself a bit clumsy this year so avoid extreme sports because you may land on your head rather than your feet. Relationships come slowly but they do come. Allow love to come to you rather than pursuing it. This year common sense will be more useful that book learning. Instead of taking another class or reading another book think about all the things you already know and apply that information to your problem. The Rabbit is your protector this year. You can have a stuffed bunny or a picture of a rabbit in family room of the home. A rabbit’s foot is not recommended for good luck.

Pig (or Boar)—This is a more difficult year for Pigs especially in the area of legal agreements and contracts. Be very careful when you sign something, take the time to read and understand before committing yourself. The agreement may be for a house, a car, or a service another is providing you but in all cases read the fine print and protect yourself. And don’t lend money that you want to get back. The beginning and the end of the year will be better than the Summer. Summertime shows difficulties with finances due to recklessness. Think things through before doing them and watch others around you who have access to your private information. Do all things in moderation and you will be fine. Romance comes slowly but a faithful partner will be the reward. Be choosy and you will end up happy. Health is good in 2010 but don’t take that as a license to eat fast food everyday. Even though this is a harder year consider it part of the climb to the mountain top. In the future you will be at the top and have the great view but for this year the focus is on the climb. So look for opportunities and apply yourself. The benefits may not be visible this year but you will be showered with them later. The Tiger can protect you and give you energy to get through this year. You can wear a tiger pendant or have a picture of a tiger in your home office or near your front door.

Valentine’s Day, that special day set aside on February 14th, has its roots planted in ancient Pagan belief. This was a fertility celebration usually held around February 15 – “Lupercalis or Lupercalia” is what the ancient people of Rome called this festival.  Although the history of this holiday is obscure, Valentine’s Day, as we now know it, contains both Christian and Pagan traditions.  The ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia was celebrated annually in mid-February and honored Lupercus, who was the god of fertility; and Juno, the queen of Roman gods and goddesses.  Juno was also the patron of women and marriage. This special festival celebrated the coming of spring and the promise of fertility – not only for the people, but also their flocks and planted fields. It was a custom of the time that each young maiden of the village would put her name in a large urn. The young men would each draw a name from the urn and the couple was paired for the following year. Often, the paired couple ended the year wedded to each other.

As Christianity gained power, old Pagan holidays and festivals were renamed to honor early Christian martyrs. Pope Gelasius renamed this holiday in 496 AD and deemed it be celebrated on February 14 in honor of the Roman martyr, Saint Valentine of the 3rd century. However, exactly which St. Valentine the Pope meant to honor is deeply shadowed by mystery. There were three St. Valentine’s in early Christianity - a priest in Rome, a bishop in Terni, and another who had died in Africa.  It is an odd coincidence that all three were said to be martyred on February 14 (possibly done to hide the Pagan roots of the celebration?).  As with other holidays, most notably Christmas, the dates set aside each year for these special occasions coincided with the ancient Pagan rituals and therefore replaced them to become known as Christian holidays.  Most people are quite satisfied that the proper St. Valentine was the priest whom the Roman emperor Claudius II imprisoned, around 270, for holding marriage ceremonies in secret. Claudius had issued an edict forbidding marriage – as he believed that married men did not make good, loyal soldiers to fight in his army. A married man, so Claudius thought, was weak because of the attachment to his wife and family. Valentine was found out and put in prison, where he was later executed.  While Valentine was in prison he became a friend to Asterius, the jailer, who had a daughter that was blind. According to Catholic legend, Valentine, because of his strong faith, miraculously restored the sight of Asterius’ daughter. The Protestant faith believed differently. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailer, and signed a farewell message to her “From Your Valentine,” a phrase that lived ever after. Valentine was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion and belief in marriage. Valentine was executed on February 14 in 270 AD and thus became Patron Saint of the annual festival. Young Roman men began giving the women they admired notes of affection on February 14 and the protocol required that St. Valentine’s name be placed on these greetings.

By the 14th century, the holiday was expressly meant to be for love and romance.  English poet Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400) composed a poem to honor the engagement of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. As was his tradition, Chaucer associated this with a feast day – in this case, St. Valentine’s Day.  By the Middle Ages, Valentine’s Day was increasingly associated with romance and courtship, in spite of the Christian church’s efforts to sanctify the holiday. The traditions of the holiday eventually evolved to gift giving and the exchange of cards. The cards were made by loving hands with ribbons, laces, dried flowers and would have cupids, lovebirds and hearts on them. This tradition remains to this day.

While the Mayan, Hopi and Lakota prophecies have garnered an amazing amount of attention concerning “end days” and 2012, those of Mother Shipton are largely unknown by the general public.  While I do not wish to add to the craze currently sweeping the media in connection with 2012, I do feel that the historic aspect of her writings deserve some attention.  Please know that I am aware there is controversy over the legitimacy of her writing and even of her existence.  However . . .

Mother Shipton reputedly was born Ursula Sontheil in 1488 in Norfolk, England, and died in 1561.  She was a contemporary of Nostradamus, but, being a woman, was not allowed his level of education and lacked his medical and astrological training and the forbearance of royal friends at court to nurture and protect her.   She exhibited prophetic and psychic abilities from an early age.   At 24 married to Toby Shipton, she eventually became known as Mother Shipton. Many of her visions came true within her own lifetime and in subsequent centuries. The verses from Mother Shipton seem to have prophetic indications for our times, but, of course, are open to interpretation.  The lines known as “Mother Shipton’s Prophecy” were first published in England in 1485, before the discovery of America, and, of course, before any of the discoveries and inventions mentioned therein. Many of the events predicted have come to pass except that in the last two lines.

Carriages without horses shall go
And accidents fill the world with woe
Around the world thoughts shall fly
In the twinkling of an eye
Waters shall yet more wonders do
Now strange, yet shall be true
The world upside down shall be
And gold be found at root of tree
Through hills man shall ride
And no horse nor ass be at his side.
Under water man shall walk
Shall ride, shall sleep, shall talk
In the air men shall be seen
In white, in black, in green
Iron in the water shall float
As easy as a wooden boat.
Gold shall be found ‘mid stone
In a land that’s now unknown
Fire and water shall wonders do
England shall at last admit a Jew
And this world to an end shall come
In eighteen hundred and eighty-one
 

She correctly predicted the dissolution of the Catholic Church under Henry VIII, the fall of Cardinal Wolsey, the untimely death of Henry’s son Edward VI, the horrific reign of “Bloody” Mary I, and the ascent of Queen Elizabeth to the throne of England.  Again, many of her visions came true with specific clarity within her own lifetime and in subsequent centuries. 

Like Nostradamus, to capture the public imagination and most likely to also avoid persecution for the crime of witchcraft, she published her prophecies in rhyme and verse.  Still, she saved her penultimate work for her later years just before her death.  And so in 1559 she published an epic poem for which she would become best known down through the ages.  She died in Clifton, Yorkshire in 1591 – five years before Nostradamus.  These verses may have prophetic indications for our times, but of course are open to interpretation as noted below - Note:  These are NOT mine! -  in parenthesis ( ). 

And now a word, in uncouth rhyme of what shall be in future time:

• Then upside down the world shall be And gold found at the root of tree All England’s sons that plough the land Shall oft be seen with Book in hand The poor shall now great wisdom know Great houses stand in far flung vale All covered o’er with snow and hail.

• {The advent of the printing press and the mass distribution of books, a dearly expensive rarity in her day, seemingly to herald an age of knowledge and enlightenment even for the very poor. But this also leads to the mass migration into festering cites, leaving the great houses of the countryside bare and forlorn.}

• A carriage without horse will go, Disaster fill the world with woe. In London, Primrose Hill shall be In center hold a bishops sea.

• {Motorcars and trains and their accidents, and the formation of the Church of England by Henry VIII as its sole head.}

• Around the world men’s thoughts will fly, Quick as the twinkling of an eye. And water shall great wonders do, How strange, and yet it shall come true.

• {Telephone, radio, television and the internet. The building of massive dams and the harnessing of waterfalls, like Niagara, for hydroelectric power which then lights the world.}

• Through towering hills proud men shall ride, No horse or ass move by his side. Beneath the water, men shall walk, Shall ride, shall sleep, shall even talk.

• {Cities with canyons made of skyscrapers. Submarines, the aqua-lung and SCUBA gear allowing man to work and even live beneath the sea. Aquatic cities in our future, maybe.}

• And in the air men shall be seen, In white and black and even green. A great man, shall come and go For prophecy declares it so.

• {Modern aircraft. There have been many great men since Mother Shipton’s time. But she points to a great prophet that may be yet to come.}

• In water, iron then shall float As easy as a wooden boat. Gold shall be seen in stream and stone, In land that is yet unknown.

• {Ships made of iron and steel and probably a description of America and its wealth. Certainly an accurate description of California in the Gold Rush days.}

• And England shall admit a Jew, Do you think this strange? But it is true! The Jew that once was led in scorn, Shall of a Christian then be born.

• {Help in creation of Israel in 1948 by the British and the United Nations.}

• A house of glass shall come to pass, In England. But alas, alas!
  A war will follow with the work Where dwells the pagan and the Turk.

• {Describes the building of a gigantic glass atrium in London called The Crystal Palace for The Great Exhibition of 1851. It was a huge iron Goliath with a million feet of glass housing over 13,000 exhibits. It was destroyed by fire November 30, 1936. The rest could describe any number of British wars or adventures in the Mid and Far East after that, and the massive expansion of the British Empire under German Queen Victoria Hapsburg. The Afghan, Indian and Boer wars.}

• These states will lock in fiercest strife, And seek to take each other’s life. When north shall thus divide the south An eagle build in lion’s mouth Then tax and blood and cruel war Shall come to every humble door.

• {Probably describes a war between the Northern & Southern countries as above, describing joint US (Eagle) and British (Lion) forces. It could also allude to the American Civil War.}

• Three times shall lovely sunny France Be led to play a bloody dance. Before the people shall be free Three tyrant rulers shall she see.

• {The different French Republics. The French Revolution under Robespierre, however Napoleon had two successors, Napoleon II and III.}

• Three rulers in succession be Each springs from different dynasty. Then when the fiercest strife is done.

• England and France shall be as one.

• {World War II – England & France as allies}

• The British olive shall next then twine, In marriage with a German vine. Men walk beneath and over streams Fulfilled shall be their wondrous dreams.

• {Queen Victoria and Prince Albertwere German Hapsburgs, who later changed their name to Windsor, supplanting the rightful heirs of the House of Stewart. Post Second World War scenario}

• For in those wondrous far off days, The women shall adopt a craze To dress like men, and trousers wear And to cut off all their locks of hair. They’ll ride astride with brazen brow, As witches do on broomsticks now.

• {Craze in women to dress like men, wearing trousers and cutting their hair, adopting various hairstyles and riding horses, and bikes straddle instead of side-saddle (Nice description J )}

• And roaring monsters with men atop, Does seem to eat the verdant crop. And men shall fly as birds do now, And give away the horse and plow.

• {Crop harvesting machines & tractors, and the mass exodus from farms into cities}

• They’ll be a sign for all to see Be sure that it will certain be.

• Then love shall die and marriage cease And nations wane as babes decrease.

• {Failure of marriages and divorce. Decrease in population (in Europe) and wholesale abortion in America. Could be a future time when birth rates plummet due to radiation, earth changes or volcanic ash.}

• And wives shall fondle cats and dogs And men live much the same as hogs.
  {Sounds like a very female point of view here!}

Mother Shipton’s next prophecies continue on the outer wrappings of the scrolls.

• I know I go, I know I’m free, I know that this will come to be, Secreted this, for this will be Found by later dynasty.

• {Describes how her prophecies written on scrolls will be discovered at a later date after her death.}

• A dairy maid, a bonnie lass, Shall kick this tome as she does pass And five generations she shall breed Before one male child does learn to read.

• {For five generations these scrolls will be held by a family of a girl and then the fifth generation male child will learn to read and understand them.}

• This is then held year by year, Till an iron monster trembling fear, Eats parchment, words and quill and ink, And mankind is given time to think.

• {Nice description of a printing press, which “eats” papers, “words” and ink. With the burden of manual copying of books removed, this brings about a new age of learning and enlightenment when man can devote more time to thinking.}

• And only when this comes to be Will mankind read this prophecy. But one man sweets another’s bain So I shall not have burned in vain.

• {After the invention of the printing press her prophecies will be printed and man will read this.}

Mother Shipton’s next set of prophecies are found on a scroll in another jar.

• The signs will be there for all to read;
  When man shall do most heinous deed Man will ruin kinder lives;
  By taking them as to their wives.
  And murder foul and brutal deed:
  When man will only think of greed.
  And man shall walk as if asleep;
  He does not look – he may not peep And iron men the tail shall do;
  And iron cart and carriage too.

• {The greed of modern man}

• The king shall false promise make;
  And talk just for talking’s sake.
  And nations plan horrific war;
  The like as never seen before.
  And taxes rise and lively down;
  And nations wear perpetual frown.

• {False promises by politicians, wars between nations, increase in taxes and perpetual tension among nations.}

• Yet greater sign there be to see;
  As man nears latter century.
  Three sleeping mountains gather breath, And spew out mud, ice and death. An earthquake swallow town and town;
  In lands as yet to me unknown. And Christian one fights Christian two And nations sigh, yet nothing do. And yellow men great power gain;
  From a mighty bear with whom they’ve lain.

• {Volcanoes, earthquakes (in unknown land – America?) destroying town after town, fighting between nations. Speaks of a Chinese (yellow) – Russian (bear) alliance against the west. Most of China’s current weapons have come in deals with Russia.}

• These mighty tyrants will fail to do, They fail to split the world in two. But from their acts a danger bred;
  An ague, leaving many dead.

• {Failure of this Russian/Chinese alliance, indication of war leaving many dead. The word “Ague” means flu plague or epidemic of disease.}

• And physics find no remedy;
  For this is worse than leprosy.
  Oh many signs for all to see;
  The truth of this true prophecy.

• {No remedy in science for this coming plague.}

Mother Shipton’s last prophecy:

• In nineteen hundred and twenty-six Build houses light of straw and sticks. For then shall mighty wars be planned And fire and swords shall sweep the land.

• {Mis-timed prophecy for World War I or WWII? Of course she may still be correct, as this is the period of time in which the NEXT great war is being PLANNED. In this same approximate time-frame, Hitler and Rudolph Hess are in jail together writing MEIN KAMPF.}

• When pictures seem alive with movements free, When boats like fishes swim beneath the sea. When men like birds shall scour the sky. Then half the world, deep drenched in blood shall die.

• {Television - Submarines, aircraft and then death through War.}

The following are prophecies on our future:

• For those who live the century through In fear and trembling this shall do. Flee to the mountains and the dens To bog and forest and wild fens.

• {After the 20th century is over, people will live in fear and flee to mountains, dens & forests for refuge.}

• For storms will rage and oceans roar When Gabriel stands on sea and shore, And as he blows his wondrous horn Old worlds die and new be born.

• {The Last Trumpet. The Biblical Revelation. The destruction of this civilization and creation of a new one – the so called “End Of The World”.}

• A fiery dragon will cross the sky Six times before the earth shall die. Mankind will tremble and frightened be For the six heralds in this prophecy.

• {Appearance of a series of six comets and a probable collision with earth as indicated in the Bible and by Nostradamus. In the last 20 years alone we have seen at least four spectacular comets or “fiery dragons”: Halley’s, Kahoutek (a bit of a dud), Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp. But it appears here that she is referring to a SINGLE OBJECT that grazes the atmosphere before a collision.}

• For seven days and seven nights Man will watch this awesome sight. The tides will rise beyond their ken. To bite away the shores and then The mountains will begin to roar And earthquakes split the plain to shore.

• {After asteroid hits in the oceans, huge tidal waves will strike followed by awakening of volcanoes and earthquakes.}

• And flooding waters rushing in, Will flood the lands with such a din That mankind cowers in muddy fen And snarls about his fellow men.

• {Tidal waves and wars continue.}

• He bares his teeth and fights and kills And secrets food in secret hills And ugly in his fear, he lies To kill marauders, thieves and spies.

• {Continuation of wars in spite of disasters. The storing up of secret food supplies in underground bases.}

• Man flees in terror from the floods And kills, and rapes and lies in blood And spilling blood by mankind’s hand Will stain and bitter many lands.

• {Continuation of the World War}

• And when the dragon’s tail is gone Man forgets and smiles and carries on. To apply himself – too late, too late For mankind has earned deserved fate.

• {War and natural disasters will abate for a brief period of time after the dragon’s tail of a comet or asteroid disappears from the heavens. Peace will seemingly return but man’s fate is already sealed.}

• His masked smile, his false grandeur, Will serve the gods their anger stir And they will send the dragon back To light the sky—his tail will crack. Upon the earth and rend the earth And man shall flee, king, lord and serf.

• {When peace has returned and man is complacent, suddenly an even greater disaster happens. }

• But slowly they are routed out To seek diminishing water spout And men will die of thirst before The oceans rise to mount to the shore. And lands will crack and rend anew Do you think it strange? It will come true!

• {More earthquakes, floods and death.}

• And in some far—off distant land Some men—Oh, such a tiny band Will have to leave their solid mount And span the earth, those few to count.

• {Survivors coming out from their hiding places underground – the Biblical phrase “dead will come out of their graves.”}

• Who survives this (unreadable) and then Begin the human race again.
  But not on land already there, But on ocean beds, stark, dry and bare.

• {Survivors start a new civilization, not on lands which are poisoned due to war and nuclear radiation but on lands rising out of the sea after the Great Tribulation.}

• Not every soul on earth will die, As the dragon’s tail goes sweeping by, Not every land on earth will sink, But these will wallow in stench and stink, Of rotting bodies of beast and man, Of vegetation crisped on land.

• {The existing lands will be littered with bodies of humans, animals and burned vegetation, although all humans will not die during the “Judgement Day”.}

• But the land that rises from the sea Will be dry and clean and soft and free. Of mankind’s dirt and therefore be, The source of man’s new dynasty. And those that live will ever fear The dragon’s tail for many year But time erases memory You think it strange? But it will be!

• {Land rising from the sea will be clean and free of all these and this is where the new civilizations will be started. Slowly the memory of the disasters will fade away as time passes and fear will subside.}

• And before the race is built anew, A silver serpent comes to view And spew out men of like unknown. To mingle with the earth now grown Cold from its heat and these men can Enlighten the minds of future man. To intermingle and show them how To live and love and thus endow The children with the second sight A natural thing so that they might Grow graceful, humble and when they do The Golden Age will start anew.

• {Possibly the arrival of extraterrestrials in their space ships who will enlighten the men starting the new civilization. Children will be gifted with special (mental) powers which becomes a naturally occurring phenomenon. Then The Golden Age of man will begin again.}

• The dragon’s tail is but a sign For mankind’s fall and man’s decline. And before this prophecy is done I shall be burned at the stake, at One. My body singed and my soul set free.
  You think I utter blasphemy? You’re wrong! These things have come to me THIS PROPHECY WILL COME TO BE!

• {Asserts that this prophecy will come true even though people might think of her prophecy as blasphemy

Verses in their entirety (for ease of reading):

A carriage without horse will go,
disaster fill the world with woe.
In London, Primrose Hill shall be
in center hold a bishops sea.

Around the world men’s thoughts will fly,
quick as the twinkling of an eye.
And water shall great wonders do,
How strange, and yet it shall come true.

Through towering hills proud men shall ride,
no horse or ass move by his side.
Beneath the water, men shall walk,
shall ride, shall sleep, shall even talk.
And in the air men shall be seen,
In white and black and even green.
A great man, shall come and go
for prophecy declares it so.

In water, iron then shall float
as easy as a wooden boat.
Gold shall be seen in stream and stone,
In land that is yet unknown.

And England shall admit a Jew,
Do you think this strange, but it is true.
The Jew that once was led in scorn,
shall of a christian then be born.

A house of glass shall come to pass,
In England. But alas, alas,
a war will follow with the work
where dwells the pagan and the turk.

These states will lock in fiercest strife,
and seek to take each other’s life.
When north shall thus divide the south
an eagle build in lion’s mouth
then tax and blood and cruel war
shall come to every humble door.

Three times shall lovely sunny France
be led to play a bloody dance.
Before the people shall be free
three tyrant rulers shall she see.

Three rulers in succession be
each springs from different dynasty.
Then when the fiercest strife is done.
England and France shall be as one.

The British olive shall next then twine,
in marriage with a German vine.
Men walk beneath and over streams
fulfilled shall be their wondrous dreams.

For in those wondrous far off days,
the women shall adopt a craze
to dress like men, and trousers wear
and to cut off their locks of hair.

They’ll ride astride with brazen brow,
as witches do on broomsticks now.

And roaring monsters with men atop,
does seem to eat the verdent crop.
And men shall fly as birds do now,
and give away the horse and plow.

They’ll be a sign for all to see
be sure that it will certain be.
Then love shall die and marriage cease
and nations wane as babes decrease.

And wives shall fondle cats and dogs
and men live much the same as hogs.

THESE VERSES WERE ON THE OUTER WRAPPINGS OF THE SCROLLS

I know I go, I know I’m free,
I know that this will come to be,
Secreted this, for this will be
found by later dynasty.

A dairy maid, a bonnie lass,
shall kick this tome as she does pass
And five generations she shall breed
before one male child does learn to read.

This is then held year by year,
till an iron monster trembling fear,
eats parchment, words and quill and ink,
and mankind is given time to think.

And only when this comes to be
will mankind read this prophecy.
But one man sweets anothers bain
so I shall not have burned in vein.

THE FOLLOWING VERSES WERE FOUND ON A SCROLL IN ANOTHER JAR

The signs will be there for all to read;
when man shall do most heinous deed
man will ruin kinder lives;
by taking them as to their wives.
And murder foul and brutal deed:
when man will only think of greed.
and man shall walk as if asleep;
he does not look – he may not peep
And iron men the tail shall do;
and iron cart and carriage too.

The king shall false promise make;
and talk just for talking’s sake.
And nations plan horrific war;
the like as never seen before.
and taxes rise and lively down;
and nations wear perpetual frown.

yet greater sign there be to see;
as man nears latter century.
three sleeping mountains gather breath,
and spew out mud, ice and death.
an earthquake swallow town and town;
in lands as yet to me unknown
And Christian one fights Christian two
and nations sigh, yet nothing do.
And yellow men great power gain;
from mighty bear with whom they’ve lain.

These mightly tyrants will fail to do,
they fail to split the world in two.
But from their acts a danger bred;
an ague, leaving many dead.

And physics find no remedy;
for this is worse than lepresy.
Oh many signs for all to see;
the truth of this true prophecy.

THE LAST PROPHECY

In nineteen hundred and twenty-six
build houses light of straw and sticks.
For then shall mighty wars be planned
and fire and swords shall sweep the land.

When pictures seem alive with movements free,
when boats like fishes swim beneath the sea.
When men like birds shall scour the sky.
Then half the world, deep drenched in blood shall die.

For those who live the century through
in fear and trembling this shall do.
Flee to the mountains and the dens
to bog and forest and wild fens.

For storms will rage and oceans roar
when Gabriel stands on sea and shore,
and as he blows his wondrous horn
old worlds die and new be born.

A fiery dragon will cross the sky
six times before the earth shall die.
Mankind will tremble and frightened be
for the six heralds in this prophecy.

For seven days and seven nights
man will watch this awesome sight.
The tides will rise beyond their ken.
To bite away the shores and then
the mountains will begin to roar
and earthquakes split the plain to shore.

And flooding waters rushing in,
will flood the lands with such a din
that mankind cowers in muddy fen
and snarls about his fellow men.

He bares his teeth and fights and kills
and secrets food in secret hill
and ugly in his fear, he lies
to kill marauders, thieves and spies.

Man flees in terror from the floods
and kills, and rapes and lies in blood
and spilling blood by mankind’s hand
will stain and bitter many lands.

And when the dragon’s tail is gone
man forgets and smiles and carries on.
To apply himself – too late, too late
for mankind has earned deserved fate.

His masked smile, his false grandeur,
will serve the gods their anger stir
and they will send the dragon back
to light the sky – his tail will crack.
Upon the earth and rend the earth
and man shall flee, king, lord and serf.

But slowly they are routed out
to seek diminishing water spout
and men will die of thirst before
the oceans rise to mount to the shore.
And lands will crack and rend anew
do you think it strange, it will come true.

And in some far – off distant land
some men – oh such a tiny band
will have to leave their solid mount
and span the earth, those few to count.

Who survives this (unreadable) and then
begin the human race again.
But not on land already there,
but on ocean beds, stark, dry and bare.

Not every soul on earth will die,
as the dragon’s tail goes sweeping by,
not every land on earth will sink,
but these will wallow in stench and stink,
of rotting bodies of beast and man,
of vegetation crisped on land.

But the land that rises from the sea
will be dry and clean and soft and free.
Of mankinds dirt and therefore be,
the source of man’s new dynasty.
and those that live will ever fear
the dragon’s tail for many year
but time erases memory
You think it strange. but it will be.

And before the race is built anew,
a silver serpent comes to view
and spew out men of like unknown
to mingle with the earth now grown
cold from its heat and these men can
enlighten the minds of future man
to intermingle and show them how
to live and love and thus endow.
the children with the second sight.
a natural thing so that they might
grow graceful, humble and when they do
the golden age will start anew.

The dragon’s tail is but a sign
for mankind’s fall and man’s decline.
and before this prophecy is done
I shall be burned at the stake, at l
My body cinged and my soul set free
You think I utter blastphemy
your wrong. These things have come to me
this prophecy will come to be.