Book Recommendation - Gothic, An Illustrated History

There are so many excellent books for those of us who are interested in New Age, Occult and all related subjects. One recent example is Gothic: An Illustrated History by Roger Luckhurst.

Here is a rave review:

A richly illustrated history of the Gothic across a wide range of media, including architecture, literature, and film

The word Gothic conjures associations with the dark and melancholy, the weird and feared, and haunted places and people. In Gothic, Roger Luckhurst offers readers an unprecedented look at the ways this uncanny style has manifested itself through architecture, literature, film, art, video games, and more. From the works of Victor Hugo and E. T. A. Hoffmann to Southern Gothic, ancient folklore, and classic horror movies, Luckhurst explores how an aesthetic that began in the margins has been reinvented through the centuries to become part of mainstream global culture.

Organizing his wide-ranging history by theme, Luckhurst begins with Gothic architecture and form, including such elements as the arch, the house, and ruins. He considers how the Gothic is depicted in rural and urban settings, as well as in the wilderness and borderlands. And he delves into Gothic traditions and settings around the world, from the sublime Alps and Australian outback to the Arctic wasteland, from the dark folkloric realm of the forest to the postindustrial landscapes of abandoned hospitals and asylums, and then beyond the bounds of the planet to unknowable cosmic horror. Luckhurst investigates the monsters that mirror ourselves and society, and demonstrates that as the Gothic has traveled across the globe and through time, it has morphed according to the shape of our changing fears and anxieties.

Filled with a wealth of color illustrations, Gothic will enthrall anyone yearning to lift the veil on our fascination with the eerie, morbid, and supernatural.

 

Horoscope for the Week of February 28, 2022 - Mars and Venus Square Uranus

Uranus squares both Venus and Mars now. Our energetic love of all things can move mountains for us for the next couple of weeks. But be sure that those mountains don’t move in an unexpected direction…

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Justin Bieber has Mars in Aquarius)

Never miss your horoscope again -- free sign up here. Here is my favorite book on astrology and a "must" for anyone interested in learning more: Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook: Making Astrology Work for You and here's a guide to the best books available this month. This column is (c) 2022 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Madam Lichtenstein is the author of the best selling astrology book “HerScopes ” now in its 10th printing and available as an eBook.

ARIES   (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)

Friends will not only provide you with lots of entertainment, excitement and ardor, they may also tempt you to spend more than you can realistically afford. There are places for you to go and wonderful people for you to meet, now. You can expand your social circle into a globe. These fun times are great, Aries. Be sure you can afford the bill.

TAURUS (APRIL 21-MAY 21)

You are making a big name for yourself in certain professional circles, Taurus. That means that many people will want you on their side. Your biggest decisions now will involve how much time you want to devote to others, some of whom can make your career take off, and how much time you want to devote to yourself. Hmm.

GEMINI   (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)

Some travel, embarked on safely, will have its perks, Gemini. It is time to see what and who is out there and begin to feel more at one with the world. Expansion and illumination are your guiding force. But also expect changes or bumps along the way. Surprises are in store for you. Plan as best as you can so you are not too surprised…

CANCER   (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)

How much love can one Cancer have? A lot, it seems. Your passion knows no bounds and you are especially alluring and charismatic. The lesson here is that you need to choose with who and when you make your biggest and best love moves. Will it be with someone totally new, or a friend, or at work? Plan a successful future strategy.

LEO   (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)

Leos may find that they are pulled in two directions now as work commitments may take up more time at the expense of certain relationships. But it doesn’t have to be an either-or decision. Time management, setting boundaries and a careful plan will avert any surprises or double booking. Find time for both. You can do it.

VIRGO   (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)

Virgos may feel like they are in the middle of a big decision. Should you hyper focus on work, all of the tiny details or should you take off and explore from a bird’s eye view of life? There will be times when you feel tied to your chair (and productive) and other times where you just want to kick back and day dream. Find time for both.

LIBRA   (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)

A tiny romantic flirtation may balloon into something big and totally unexpected, so keep your eyes open, Libra, in anything having to do with love and intimacy. You may be tempted to take on too much in this area and try to please too many people at once. This type of balance will be difficult to achieve. Try not to over extend.

SCORPIO   (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)

If you find yourself in the middle of a family disagreement, try to find ways to diplomatically remove yourself from the discussion. It would be better, Scorpio, if you concentrated on just improving your personal surroundings. A nice home-based project to brighten and spruce up will work wonders not just for you but for those around you.

SAGITTARIUS   (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)

Sagittarians may jump into a project with both feel now, full of energy and enthusiasm. But check the specifics of any expectations and try not to over promise. Your mind is full of great ideas that need to be prioritized and tested. Great minds need willing helpers. Turn up your charm and see who you can enlist to help you out. Surprise!

CAPRICORN   (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)

Capricorns will be tempted by many fun and creative opportunities now. Some of them are very affordable and others may be too big for your budget. Your mission now will be to see what is what and what gives you the most bang for your buck. You are thinking big, big, big! If you can’t afford it, wait for a better time to tackle.

AQUARIUS   (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)

You want to get things moving, Aquarius. There are places you want to go and people you want to see. But there may be family members who, surprisingly, feel that you need to wait. Listen to what they have to say and try to find common ground now. Maybe they have a point. But if your gut is telling you otherwise, go with your gut.

PISCES   (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)

Pisces feel at one with the world. They share the love and the world seems to share it back. Keep your wonderful thoughts close and don’t let anyone dissuade you from your good mood and mellow vibes. Try to go with the cosmic flow and find peace and harmony with others. This can be achieved and may even lead to a few surprises.

(c) 2022 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. @thestarryeye Find astrology readings on tinyurl.com/TheStarryEye and a great sun sign book at tinyurl.com/Herscopes

Lucky Numbers for the Week of February 25, 2022

Lottery ads tell us you only need a dollar and a dream. But it is also helpful to have a list of lucky numbers to help spur the good fortune ... or fortunes. So with that in mind, here are some lucky numbers that can be used in any helpful way. I gazed into a pool of water, Nostradamus-like, and contemplated the cosmos. Then I mixed the tarot cards and allowed the spirits to guide me to the cards that represent the lucky numbers for this week. Nothing is guaranteed but who knows ....?

I choose eight numbers because 8 is the number of of wealth.

Here are the lucky numbers for the week of February 25-March 3, 2022:

3, 10, 20, 22, 32, 40, 57, 76

There are many ways to delve into your own consciousness to find luck and intuition. Try reading Dream Power/Improve Your Luck (Super Strength Series) and see if your dreams give you any clues and premonitions. Here's a guide to the best books available this monthJ

Pluto Return on 2-22-22

I have written in the past about Saturn returns which is when Saturn, the planet of life lessons, transits into the same degree as in one's birthchart. This occurs every 28-30 years and it a time of stress and dramatic change in one's life.

So what does it mean when a generational planet such as Pluto has a return to one's chart, in this case to the generally agreed upon U.S. chart, occurring every 245-250 years or so?

My answer is a wow! Pluto is a planet of transformational change, destruction of structures that no longer serve a good purpose or have become impediments to our ultimate success. Pluto unleashes our internal personal power and cleans out the old, introducing the new and overall, changing the landscape. Pluto tends to manifest its impact in generational changes and can take years for us to fully feel the impact. It moves slowly but, over time, it's power can move mountains.

Pluto is in Capricorn which is where it was after the Revolutionary War. Capricorn energy is deliberate, strategic and careful so I see any generational movements that might have started a few years ago focus on economic and practical movement.

What initially comes to my mind is the impact of income disparity that has been an impediment to our growth and upward mobility. Events that solve for that could be part of this return. So, for example, the pandemic has led to  something they call "The Great Resignation" where workers are demanding better pay and conditions. We have also seen more movement towards unionization, and more push back from workers who don't want to return to in-person offices.

Could a world war occur that will disrupt economies? Or a change in our democratic system here in the U.S. that impact how people live? Will it change our country's standing in the world, particularly in economic cooperation? Or could it mean a major shift in our policies, laws or governmental structures that might, eventually, make systems fairer and more equitable?

Change is hard and scary but sometimes the planets bring on the change that we need, even if we try to push back against it. The next couple of years will begin to reveal what this Pluto Return brings.

 

 

 

Pardoning Witches in Scotland

According to the Smithsonian Magazine, Scotland is considering pardoning those who perished during the witch hunts in Scotland in the early years. It would be an effort to right a passed wrong.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Advocates are calling on leaders to exonerate the thousands of women and men targeted in witch hunts during the 16th through 18th centuries

Nora McGreevy

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Officials have moved one step closer to pardoning the nearly 4,000 people accused of witchcraft in Scotland between the 16th and 18th centuries, reports Paul English for the London Times.

Witch hunts swept across much of Europe between roughly 1450 and 1750. Fear of the devil, social unrest and mass hysteria contributed to the frenzy of accusations and trials, which often arose from local disputes and typically targeted unmarried or widowed women, per the National Galleries of Scotland.

Scotland in particular was a hotbed of supposed “witchcraft” during the early modern era, writes James Hookway for the Wall Street Journal. A 2003 University of Edinburgh report found that at least 3,837 people were accused of witchcraft in the country between 1563 and 1735—the years in which the Scottish Witchcraft Act was passed and repealed, respectively. Around 84 percent of those accused were women, and more than half were over the age of 40. Five large-scale witch hunts took place in Scotland between 1590 and 1662 alone—a much higher rate than in England, according to the British Library.

Speaking with the Times, lawyer Claire Mitchell, who leads Witches of Scotland alongside schoolteacher Zoe Venditozzi, notes that “[p]er capita, during the period between the 16th and 18th century, [Scotland] executed five times as many people as elsewhere in Europe, the vast majority of them women.”

One of Scotland’s first major witch hunts broke out in the coastal town of North Berwick in 1590. As Caroline Davies explains for the Guardian, James VI of Scotland believed that the town’s residents had used witchcraft to summon storms that delayed the ship carrying his Danish bride, Anne. Sixty or so people were accused over several months, including the servant Geillis Duncan.

In 1597, James himself wrote a treatise, Daemonologie, about demons and magic more broadly. He identified several signs of witchcraft, including the presence of a devil’s mark, interpreted loosely as any “marke upon some secreit place of their bodie.” The text amounted to a passionate defense for the punishment and persecution of witches, per the British Library.

James’ treatise became a bestseller. It even inspired playwright William Shakespeare to incorporate details from the North Berwick trials into his play Macbeth, which debuted shortly after the king was crowned James I of England and Ireland in 1603. Colloquially known as the “Scottish play,” Macbeth’s opening acts feature three witches who make prophecies, control the weather and incite powerful storms. As the Royal Shakespeare Company notes, the play was most likely performed for the first time in James’ court in August or December 1606.

The North Berwick trials took place almost a century before the infamous Salem Witch Trials broke out in colonial Massachusetts. The worst mass hysteria event in early American history, the trials resulted in some 150 accusations and 25 deaths.

Nora McGreevy can be reached through her website, noramcgreevy.com.