Madam Lichtenstein's Cosmic World

CPA Spring Online Astrology Courses

The Centre for Psychological Astrology just released it schedule of Spring online courses. I am happy to share the announcement with you in this post:

 

Dear All
Here are the details for our Spring 2020 Webinars - you can see the full details and book at www.cpalondon.com/seminars.html

Our webinars are real-time, online seminars in psychological astrology. You are able to interact with the tutor and other students as the session happens via a chat box. Experience a CPA/MISPA seminar live from anywhere in the world through your computer browser. If you can't make it live you can still book and receive four weeks access to the recording of the event afterwards.

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Juliet Sharman-Burke
The Craft of Chart Interpretation
Sunday 2nd February 2020 - 15.30-18.00 GMT

You have learned the astrological theory but now how to put it into practice? This seminar will concentrate on the “how to” of chart reading. We will start by looking at some basic counselling techniques which can be usefully applied in chart readings, as well as simple ideas to follow when setting up an astrological practice. I will then present an example chart from my own practice to demonstrate possible ways to interpret a chart. Students will be encouraged to offer opinions, ask questions and share experiences during the seminar.

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Darby Costello
Water: Giver of Life
Sunday 9th February 2020 - 15.30-18.00 GMT

Water is perhaps the most mysterious of all the elements. It is in everything, and mostly invisible. And yet, it is so visible: in ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, oceans and seas; below us in the earth and above falling from the sky. It always heads for the sea when left on its own - always seeking unity with its larger self. In our charts it shows us where we are seeking unity, with ourselves, with others, with life itself. Where there is water, we must attend our emotions so they stay healthy and life-giving. Ignored, they become harmful to ourselves and others – over-purified and they become sterile. In this webinar we shall explore astrological Water through signs, planets and houses.

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Lynn Bell
The 2nd House
Sunday 23rd February 2020 - 15.30-18.00 GMT

What truly belongs to us? We often judge our self-worth by what we have or don’t have, an object a talent, a treasure. What are we worth to others? Planets in this house need to be part of an embodied experience. We will look at how different planets in the second house affect our self-worth, and what they require of us. People with second house planets can have difficulty recognizing themselves until they have accomplished something tangible. Money, or the lack of it, can be a reflection of these inner issues.

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Alexander von Schlieffen
Applying the philosophy of the astrological quadrants in theory and practice
Sunday 1st March 2020 - 15.30-18.00 GMT

The origin of the theory of the astrological quadrants is based on Aristoteles’ writings on the four causes (causa materialis, causa efficiens, causa formalis and causa finalis). Once we understand the inner dynamic of Aristoteles’ beautiful thoughts, we can easily apply them onto any birth chart. That will allow us to get a very quick and profound inside into the dynamic of the horoscope. This perspective requires some new interpretations of the astrological houses as well, this is more than fun.

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Shawn Nygaard
Saturn in Aquarius - The Difference Between Us
Sunday 8th March 2020 - 15.30-18.00 GMT

When Saturn leaves Capricorn in March of 2020 and enters Aquarius, it moves into the second sign of its traditional rulership. Where Saturn in Capricorn maintains limits and seeks a disciplined approach to its accomplishments, managing a life in control, Saturn in Aquarius goes further, heading into the outer limits, often deviating from established norms. Saturn in Aquarius takes a breath of fresh air and moves to a different beat. New innovations and potentials present themselves, sometimes as crazy ideas. New and interesting characters, often unfamiliar, step onto the stage where we may not have been looking. Social justice enters the conversation where injustice has prevailed. The focus is on the future while we deal with the difficulties of the present. Saturn in Aquarius asks each of us to participate.

This webinar explores different facets of Saturn in Aquarius, from the nature of the water it carries, to the more complicated tendency of holding onto tradition while heading into the future. Do we bend, or do we break? The answer, as they say, is blowin' in the wind. Includes numerous chart examples and historical events that help to illustrate the gifts and challenges of Saturn in Aquarius.

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Safron Rossi
Archetypal Polarities 2: Pisces - Virgo
Sunday 22nd March 2020 - 15.30-18.00 GMT

The zodiac contain 6 natural polarities. These polarities depict archetypal configurations between two signs which symbolize two patterns of consciousness. Each sign contains its own energy as well as the energy of its opposite, and learning to see in terms of polarity helps with understanding both the shadows and potential gifts of each sign.

Session 2: Pisces-Virgo
Essential themes in the Pisces-Virgo dance: Form and vision; matter and spirit; alchemical coagulation and dissolution

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See all the full details and book at: https://www.cpalondon.com/seminars.html
Very best wishes

CPA - www.cpalondon.com

Tarot Cards - More Than Just A Deck of Cards

I just discovered a new blog on the Tarot and wanted to share it with you. It is called Tarot Cards - More Than Just a Deck of Cards. 

 As a great fan of the tarot and its meditative powers I think it is important for one to choose the right tarot decks -- one that offers the reader a contemplative, non-subjective read capacity. I tend to read with decks like the Swiss or the Spanish. And yet many readers like the Ryder Deck. It is one of the most popular. For me, that deck has too much subjectivity in the drawings on the cards. But that is why there is so much choice out there - everyone seeks a little something different. And that is great!

Meditation 101 - An Introduction

When it comes to me and meditation, the spirit is willing but the flesh is over-scheduled. I can't tell you how many times I have said to myself, "Now is the time to start learning how to meditate." But the time fills up with other things and I never seem to be able to get to it. For those of you in the same situation, here is Gaiam Life - a wellness website that introduces you to meditation.

Gaiam Life says that “In Buddhist tradition, the word ‘meditation’ is equivalent to a word like ‘sports’ in the U.S. It’s a family of activity, not a single thing,” University of Wisconsin neuroscience lab director Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., told The New York Times. And different meditative practices require different mental skills.

It’s extremely difficult for a beginner to sit for hours and think of nothing or have an “empty mind.” But in general, the easiest way to begin meditating is by focusing on the breath — an example of one of the most common approaches to meditation: concentration.

Concentration meditation

A concentrative meditation technique involves focusing on a single point. This could entail watching the breath, repeating a single word or mantra, staring at a candle flame, listening to a repetitive gong or counting beads on a rosary. Since focusing the mind is challenging, a beginner might meditate for only a few minutes and then work up to longer durations.

In this form of meditation, you simply refocus your awareness on the chosen object of attention each time you notice your mind wandering. Rather than pursuing random thoughts, you simply let them go. Through this process, your ability to concentrate improves.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation technique encourages the practitioner to observe wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind. The intention is not to get involved with the thoughts or to judge them, but simply to be aware of each mental note as it arises.

Through mindfulness meditation, you can see how your thoughts and feelings tend to move in particular patterns. Over time, you can become more aware of the human tendency to quickly judge experience as “good” or “bad” (“pleasant” or “unpleasant”). With practice, an inner balance develops.

In some schools of meditation, students practice a combination of concentration and mindfulness. Many disciplines call for stillness — to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the teacher.

Other meditation techniques

There are various other meditation techniques. For example, a daily meditation practice among Buddhist monks focuses directly on the cultivation of compassion. This involves envisioning negative events and recasting them in a positive light by transforming them through compassion. There are also moving meditations techniques, such as tai chi, chi kung and walking meditation.

Benefits of meditation

If relaxation is not the goal of meditation, it is often one result of it. Back in the 1970s, Herbert Benson, MD, a researcher at Harvard University Medical School, coined the term the relaxation response after conducting research on people who practiced transcendental meditation. The relaxation response, in Benson’s words, is “an opposite, involuntary response that causes a reduction in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.”

Since then, studies on the relaxation response have documented the following short-term benefits to the nervous system:

• lower blood pressure
• improved blood circulation
• lower heart rate
• less perspiration
• slower respiratory rate
• less anxiety
• lower blood cortisol levels
• more feelings of well-being
• less stress
• deeper relaxation

Contemporary researchers are now exploring whether consistent meditation practice yields long-term benefits, and noting positive effects on brain and immune function among meditators. Yet it is worth repeating that the purpose of meditation is not to achieve benefits. To put it as an Eastern philosopher might say, the goal of meditation is no goal. It is simply to be present.

In Buddhist philosophy, the ultimate benefit of meditation is liberation of the mind from attachment to things it cannot control, such as external circumstances or strong internal emotions. The liberated, or “enlightened,” practitioner no longer needlessly follows desires or clings to experiences, but instead maintains a calmness of mind and sense of inner balance.

How to meditate: Simple meditation for beginners

This meditation exercise is an excellent introduction to meditation techniques.

1. Sit or lie comfortably. You may even want to invest in a meditation chair.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Make no effort to control the breath; simply breathe naturally.

4. Focus your attention on the breath and on how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation. Notice the movement of your body as you breathe. Observe your chest, shoulders, rib cage and belly. Make no effort to control your breath; simply focus your attention. If your mind wanders, simply return your focus back to your breath. Maintain this meditation practice for 2–3 minutes to start, and then try it for longer periods.

Get your Zen on! Watch meditation videos on GaiamTV.com.

 

http://life.gaiam.com/article/meditation-101-techniques-benefits-beginner-s-how

 

 

Baltimore Astrology Society

The Baltimore Astrology Society hosts a wonderful website and resource center for astrologers and those interested in learning more about astrology. The site offers a list of aastrologically related events, an up to date ephemeris, classes offered and thought provoking articles on the subject.

It is never too early or too late to learn more about astrology. And there are many different types of astrology disciplines out there. Here is a list of books that offer an Introduction to All Types of Astrology

Political Astrology Blog

If you are interested in astrology and politics and want a great resource for politician's horoscope and birth information, bookmark the terrific Political Astrology Blog.

This blog has everything you need to either cast your own horoscope for a certain politician or read up on someone else's interpretation.

Most important is the great database on Presidential Candidates birth times. It is somewhat easier to find a candidate's birthday and year and place of birth but to cast an accurate horoscope you also need birth time. And this is quite a bit more difficult to locate. Now it is all in one place! Check out this blog often!!