Friday 13th and the Tarot Card

It's Friday the 13th. Finally, I wait all year for this day. I've told you before how lucky Friday the 13th is for me, so I won't repeat myself. Instead, let's look at the 13th card of the Tarot, Death. 

In the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the 13th card is Death. Contrary to popular fear, when upright this card signifies transformation, endings, and rebirth rather than literal death. When reversed, it may indicate stagnation, upheaval, decay, or resistance to change.

Despite its ominous reputation in superstition, thirteen holds a positive and powerful role in esoteric traditions. It is regarded as the number of mystical manifestation and cosmic law.

The teachings of Jesus are framed around the formula 1 + 12 (Christ plus the apostles), producing thirteen. According to Pythagorean philosophy, one added to twelve creates an unlimited number, symbolising transcendence beyond completion. Through this principle, miracles—such as the multiplication of loaves and fishes—are said to occur.

Thirteen represents an all-or-nothing law of destiny:

• Death through failure and degeneration
• Rebirth through regeneration and transformation

It is also the sacred number of the Great Goddess, reflected in the thirteen lunar cycles of the year.

Roger Bacon 101

Roger Bacon was rich. So we know his story. Please take a moment now and think about all the other esoterics of his day, who because they weren't rich, we know them not. Now on with the poop on this guy. 

Roger Bacon was born about 1214, and he grew up wanting to be a teacher. He went to Oxford University in England; and after obtaining his degree, he became a teacher on the staff of the University of Paris in the 1240’s.

The writings of the Greek thinker Aristotle had been lost to Europe for over ten centuries and had recently been rediscovered.  Bacon had studied Aristotle at Oxford and became very excited.  He believed that Aristotle was a great thinker, and he taught his students in Paris about Aristotle’s writings.

During this time, Bacon was also working with light rays and lens and doing many chemistry experiments.  His experiments were based on some things that Aristotle had written about, but these experiments were not working out. He discovered that on many topics the famous and honored Aristotle was wrong.  Years of hard work based on some of Aristotle’s false teachings had to be thrown away. Perhaps worse was his realization that he had sent students out into the world with false knowledge.

Bacon was very disappointed at having wasted so much effort by trusting Aristotle.  Although much of Aristotle’s writing was correct, the errors made it risky to trust anything.  Bacon began struggling with the problem of how to make knowledge trustworthy.

Bacon first decided that there was something fundamentally wrong in the way people judged what was true and false.  In Bacon’s day, people believed that arguing logically could prove the truth.  Everyone thought Aristotle’s arguments were logically correct so they judged Aristotle to be writing the truth.  But Bacon knew, from his failed laboratory work, that Aristotle was wrong about many things he had written – even though Aristotle had very good rational arguments to support his views.

Bacon also studied other respected writers and found many to be wrong.  When he tried to discover what had led these men astray in their writings, he came up with four central reasons for their errors – the four stumbling blocks to truth.

Some were wrong because they had relied on a supposed “expert” who was wrong.

Some were wrong because they relied on popular opinions or beliefs that were wrong.

Others were wrong because they just wanted things to agree with their pet ideas and to conceal their ignorance through pride.

And lastly and most dangerous, some were wrong because they had believed in a logical argument.

These four sources of error were to be avoided at all costs.  It is ironic that Aristotle had espoused these very points two thousand years earlier (and they are still taught today in courses in rhetoric) as the best strategies to use in winning a debate or in persuading an audience by oratory.  Sadly, Aristotle’s stated goal, however, was merely to persuade the listener – not to find Truth.

Bacon now set out to devise a systematic way of judging whether a statement was true or false and thereby obtain trustworthy knowledge.  Bacon believed that “seeing might be believing” for experiments in his laboratory, but he was even unsure about whether personal bias could sneak in unsuspectingly to sway one’s observations.  Therefore, Bacon said that several people (the more the better) should do the experiment separately and independently to see if they all got the same results.  If many different people in different places at different times could do the same experiment and get the same results, then personal bias should be ruled out.  What was seen and duplicated in the laboratory could be considered to be true.  He wrote up his experiments in detail and had his students try to repeat them before he would trust the results.

Bacon summarized his belief clearly:  “Neither the voice of authority nor the weight of reason and argument are as significant as experiments from which come peace to the mind.”

Bacon’s ideas threatened a number of the powerful teachers of his day, and he was forbidden to continue his experiments or work on his books. He sent a copy of his preliminary work to the Pope, Clement IV, who liked Bacon’s ideas and wanted to see more. The Pope liked Bacon’s view that by observing creation, one learned more about God. It is not clear whether Bacon had to continue his work in secret or whether Clement ordered that Bacon be allowed to continue his work.  In any case, Bacon did continue his work.

It is believed that some time after Clement died, Bacon, his protector now gone, was imprisoned for his outspoken criticisms of current beliefs because there is a complete absence of any record of Bacon’s activity from 1279 to 1289.  His last work dates from about 1292 and is incomplete.  We assume that he died then at the age of about 72.

It is difficult to accurately assess Bacon’s influence in bringing about that revolutionary period in human thought – the Renaissance – that began several hundred years after his death.  Whether his work was widely influential or whether the “scientific method” was independently rediscovered really makes no difference in judging the greatness of the man himself.  His ethical standards in science and his relentless pursuit of truth stand as a beacon to inspire us all to the utmost in keen, objective observation and scrupulous honesty in all of our undertakings.

~~ Dr TV Boogie

A Brief Overview of Rudolf Steiner

I've written about Esoteric Christianity before, and well have been informed by one of my readers that I missed Rudolf Steiner who wrote the book on it, and so here is my brief overview of Rudolf Steiner. 

Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), was an Austrian philosopher, esotericist, and the founder of Anthroposophy, which can be viewed as a Christianity for modern times. At the heart of Steiner’s writings is his unique articulation of Esoteric Christianity, a visionary approach that covers Gnosticism, Rosicrucianism, and the Hermetic philosophy. ​His seminal works such as Christianity as Mystical Fact, Theosophy, and Esoteric Christianity articulate a vibrant spiritual cosmology in which the incarnation of Christ is the central turning point of both cosmic and human evolution.
​
Steiner’s Vision of Esoteric Christianity is not a departure from traditional Christian faith but a return to its mystical roots. He believed that Christ’s incarnation brought about a new evolutionary impulse in human consciousness—one that could be directly experienced by spiritually awakened individuals. 

The cornerstone of Steiner’s Esoteric Christianity is the Christ Impulse. This is not merely a theological abstraction but a living, spiritual force that entered the fabric of human evolution through the incarnation of Christ at the turning point of time—an event he placed in cosmic perspective. According to Steiner, the Christ being descended from the spiritual Sun realm into the body of Jesus of Nazareth, thereby embedding a divine impulse into Earth’s spiritual life.  

Steiner referred to Christ’s death and resurrection as a pivotal event not just in religious history but in the metaphysical evolution of the Earth itself. Unlike traditional atonement theology, Steiner viewed this mystery as the moment when Christ, through His sacrifice, united His being with the etheric body of the Earth. This union allows every human soul the potential to overcome death inwardly and spiritually regenerate.

​All of what I've just written is fine, but where I think Steiner is spot on, is how he breaks with with mainstream Christianity and argues that the human soul evolved through multiple lifetimes.

Yes, reincarnation. 

Furthermore, Steiner writes about Christianity like, well, for lack of a better term: Buddhism. His path to spiritual knowledge emphasized meditation, concentration, and moral purification. 

He also wrote about Christian mysticism, alchemy, and Hermetic wisdom and taught that through such initiations, the soul begins to align consciously with the Christ Impulse and take part in humanity’s collective spiritual ascent. 

Yes, he was a fan of Madame Blavatsky's "Isis Unveiled."

​Finally, Rudolf Steiner’s Esoteric Christianity offers an alternative to secular Christianity for those afraid of being labeled a non-believer in a Christian society where it pays to be a Christian. Having said that, I believe it is a great visit on the path of enlightenment, wherever that takes you.

~~ Eso Terry  

The Secret To Gambling

I've written about "Luck" before in my Joan of Arc post, but that was for the initiated, this is for the masses, and not for those faint-of-hearts who see gambling as a character flaw, for if you do see gambling as a flaw, please scroll to the next post, you won't enjoy this one.

Today I will talk about that recreational pass time that is helping millions of brainiacs like me survive today's spiritually-dead world with hard times coming for those of us at the bottom of the financial spectrum. But I'll save the political stuff for BlueSky.com, and stick here with my gambling-jones message for those like minds escaping the news, marriage, job... whatever. We gamble on today's legal "Daily Sports" games allowed almost everywhere, including Texas. So enough of my political sarcasm, and let's look at my gambling problem. Which, I might add, I know is a problem, so it really isn't a problem. That's how the shit works. 

Being a Spiritual Buddhist, I know I won't win until I totally expect not to win. And knowing this sucks, because it has been almost two years since I won 3k on a Basketball Fantasy lineup. Back then I had reached a point where I was sure I wouldn't win any substantial amount and so picked my numbers recklessly, and I won! Now that I know I can win, I can't help but expecting to win again, and so I never will. It is so bad, I fear for the people I bet on. 

Case in point, in tonight's Monday Night Football slate of two games on ESPN.COM, I've chosen Cooper Cup to be the highest point gainer of all receivers. The odds are in my favor according to NFL.com, and so you know what will happen? That's right, sorry Cooper, you will at best be doubled teamed all night, or will get hurt and leave the game. That's how my  gambling goes, and why you deserve the big-bucks you earn chasing a ball. 

As a Buddhist, the things we desire are pushed away; and so if you wan't anything, don't desire it. It's harder than it seems. 

And so I keep gambling thinking I will win big one day, and so I never will win big. I'm designed this way. Ask most winners of anything big in life and they will tell you they didn't desire it. They nonchalantly threw some dice as a joke, or picked a set of lottery numbers with no thought of really winning, and they won.

Yes, dear reader, this is the true secret of life.  So join us tomorrow to see if I'm right or wrong.

Signed, 

Average Joe, AKA Eso Terry. 

UFO, Mars, Donald Trump Hitler 13 Moons Connection

Elon Musk's Spaceship Now In Space... Really!

Hold on to your seats boys and girls, you are in for an Esoteric ride today. First up, Mars is back in the news. That's right, there once was life on Mars. Who knew? We did!

According to a recent AP post: New findings by NASA Mars rover provide strongest hints yet of potential signs of ancient life. 

I've written before about how Mars was the Earth before Global Warming, and it seems we will make the same mistake again and destroy yet another planet with greed, and those with money will escape with the help of Space Captain, Elon Musk. I've linked to the post where I wrote about how the Wealthy Oligarch Climate Change Deniers, must think that they will be able to escape our planet or surely they wouldn't be destroying it? Or would they? In that previous post I called it their "Noah's Ark Built by Elon Musk." You might want to check that out. 

The news today about Mars was more "evidence of microbes on Mars,"which means life. And so we here at EsotericDaily.com will keep our eyes open for you, because, along with the Life On Mars news, there is also another UFO sighting! 
 

According to our friends at CBS. ABC, etc., in their "Reaction to shocking video of U.S. missile" report, we are shown a radar-tracking image of a U.S. drone missile bouncing off whatever it is was that we were shooting at off the coast of Yemen last year. (Please watch the video version of today's post to see the footage.)

Yes, more UFOs proof, plus more Life on Mars news, equals:  Disclosure. Yes, disclosure is close, and if I may get a little political, we have the right man in office to let us know what is going on, President Donald Trump. Who, as I have recently reported, I am supporting now because it looks like he was right about everything, and as I write this post today, the economy is good, stocks are at a record high, and some really bad people have been deported. So I support this president Trump, who coincidentally, I might add for my Pagan friends, was born on June 14, 1946, exactly 13 moons after April 30, 1945, the day Hitler died.

Is Donald Trump the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler? Very possible; fortunately for us, however, Trump has stated that "Hitler did some good things," and in a democratic country where the people have power, Trump would be a fool to attempt the bad things Hitler did. I mean, it would be the end of the world as we know it, and I don't think Elon's escape plan is ready yet... Or is it?

~~ Eso Terry, be good to your pets because you might be their pet next time. 

September Is Here! Esoterically Speaking that is.

September, for the uninitiated, it is a time to conclude the rites of summer with a long Labor Day weekend, that weekend, originally intended to be a salute to the working people and their struggles for fair work week with time off, now, nothing more than a celebration of the end of the vacation season, signaling that it's time to go back to work.  It's also a warning to children that it's time to hit the books for summer is over and school is back.

For those of us with eyes to see who see, September is the ninth month of the year, the first month of Autumn, and it derives its name from septem, the Latin word meaning "seven," as September was the seventh month of the old Roman calendar. 

The traditional birthstone of September, is the blue sapphire, to which the pagans of old incanted:

A maiden born when rustling leaves

Are blowing in the September breeze,

A Sapphire on her brow should bind,

'Twill cure diseases of the mind.

Oh, the good old days. 

September is shared by the astrological signs of Virgo the Virgin and Libra the Scales (or Balance).  Before the Virgo sign's symbol of a virgin was co-opted by the patriarchy, the figure representing Virgo was simply an unmarried woman who chose to live by her own laws and to never, ever give it away for free.  To embrace the sign's motto, 'I serve', we must first and foremost serve with determination at the altar of the self.  As the sign that arrives just before the zodiac's midway point, Virgo marks the last moment we have solely to ourselves before we step into the wider collaborative communion of the final six signs. 

September is sacred to the following Pagan deities: Persephone, Thor, and the Wiccan Goddess in Her aspect of the Mother. The Celtic tree-calendar month of Coll ends on September 1, and from September 2 until the September 29, it is the vine month of Muin, sacred to the god Lugh (Loou-ggh).

During the month of September, the Great Solar Wheel of the Year is turned to the Autumn Equinox, one of the four Lesser Sabbats celebrated each year by Wiccans and modern Witches throughout the world. 

Being the ninth month of the year, September is represented by the 9th card of the Major Arcana, The Hermit.  The Hermit is usually depicted walking with a lantern and a stick; he represents meditation, isolation and quietude.  The card also signifies crystalized wisdom and practiced discipline.  The Hermit is a taskmaster who motivates conscience and guides others on their path.  The perfect card to get things ready for the coming chills of Winter, the death of and resurrection of the Sun, the all enchanting moon goddess and her mesmerizing rights. 

Hex 12

According to Carol Anthony's book, The Philosophy of the I Ching, "the hexagram representing the ninth month is called Standstill (Hex. 12).  Here three Yin lines have advanced into the hexagram from the bottom.  Visually, this hexagram represents the mid-point between the summer and winter solstices.  Heaven is above, drawing farther and farther away, while the earth below sinks farther into the depths of winter.  "The flowing and ebbing of the earth's energies was a primary theme in early matriarchal societies.  Accordingly, the hexagrams representing the last six months of the year give counsel that accords with the time, i.e., retreat, conserve, and store up supplies to prepare for the coming time of decrease (winter)."

In Bess Matassa's book, Cosmic Year, the astrology of September asks us to kneel at our inner altars, anointing ourselves in the signature of scents of self-understanding so that we can bring our unique mystique to the world.  She goes on to  say, "Wed to witchery of the sixth sign of Virgo, this month is for letting our constituent parts come into clarity, as we take an inventory of our assets and mine our own mineral make-up for magic."

Finally, the number 9 is considered a symbol of spiritual enlightenment and completion.  It is often associated with a higher consciousness, selflessness, and compassion.  So, those of you on the path of true enlightenment, the Bodhisattvas of the earth in service to others, relax, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, trace a leaf with your souls pen, in your spiritual journal, begin that masterpiece the universe is calling you to produce, get ready for cooler days, longer nights, the Autumn reunites, the stars are bright, it's September! Enjoy! 

~~ Eso Terry 

 

Surviving a Financial Crisis the Manly P Hall Way.

Economic downturns such as the financial crunch we are presently experiencing come and go, and each is driven by a force or forces debatable at best, predictable at worst.  There were the "panics" of 1785, 1789, 1792, 1796, 1857, 1873, 1893, 1896, 1907, and 1910, to name a few, and then there were the "depressions" of 1807, 1815, 1873, 1882, 1920, and the biggie of the twentieth century, 1929.  It is this "1929 Depression" that I want to talk about today, more specifically, how an article written in 1923 is so relevant today.   The article was titled, "The Economic Depression," the author, Manly P Hall.  In that article, Hall writes, "The present financial crisis is the favorite topic of conversation.  Persons in every walk of life gather in solemn conclave to explain and predict...."

Hall goes on to references the complaints of the people of 1923 who were saying such things as, "...it's the corrupt condition of the political system...,  ...machinery is not only jeopardizing jobs, but in many cases has practically destroyed the economic integrity of the individual...,  Women in the workforce has doubled the number of those desiring employment...."

As I write this article today, I see the complaints are the still the same, of course, the "political system" to blame in 1923 is the same political system we blame today, the names have changed but the players remain; and then the "machines are taking jobs" in 1923 can be compared to today's AI, or Artificial Intelligence problem on the lips of every news outlet as "taking intellectual jobs from checkout cashiers to television script writers."  And of course, the "woman taking our jobs" argument in 1923, is the same as the "immigrants  taking our jobs" today.  And as Manly P Hall wrote in 1923, "This list of causes could be continued indefinitely, but the above is sufficient to reveal the general scope of the grievances.  When it comes to the subject of cure, the dilemma is apparent.  The disease is so widely distributed and the whole body social so completely infected that a panacea is almost inconceivable.  That which would cure one phase of the trouble would complicate another.  A vicious circle exists.   

Manly P Hall

 Buddha declared ignorance to be the common disease of mankind, but it would seem that we should go still further and declare selfishness to be the most dangerous and most universal form of ignorance.  The world in general and America in particular is suffering from the fact that very few people can forget themselves long enough to think of anybody else at all."

Hall goes on to say, "We all exist in servitude to uncontrolled emotions and excesses. The only release from the present circumstances comes in release from possessions, from attachment and those factors which are the fundamental elements of the dilemma.  A philosopher was once asked what wise men did when they could no longer eat.  His answer was: 'They Starve.'  The disasters which are occurring around us today are really not as important as they seem.  It is a terrible thing to have all that we have and love swept away, yet we seldom realize that it occurs to all us at death, regardless of how successful our living seems to have been.  There is no beggar on the street who has less than the greatest financier after death has separated us from possessions.  

A wise person once said that the quickest way to get a thing is to stop wanting it.  To fortify oneself for trying periods, the realization of true values is essential.  If each individual will live as well as he/she knows, and will perform conscientiously that which is her's appointed task and divorce from heart and mind all thoughts of profits and reward, she may gain in poverty and distress a peace which she never discovered in success and power.  To paraphrase a famous Teuton:  'If we must stave, let us starve philosophically.'"

Finally, Hall writes: "A path will probably be found which will carry us temporarily through this crisis.  Realizing that this trying condition will arise again, the wise, however, will equip themselves and leave to their heirs a legacy of knowledge that will enable them to meet such future recurrences in a more rational manner.  

Manly P Hall wrote this article in 1923, since this time there have been 17 recessions, that is one recession every seven years.  Be wise, consume less, and give more.  It's the Manly P Hall way.  

~~ Eso Terry

August 9th, Time for people to Relax. The Human Race is Winning!

Tarot 9: Seeking Solitude and Answers.

 

Okay, August 9th, today it is 8-9-2024.  Reduced for numerological purposes, today's number is 7 (8+9+2+2+4=25=2+5=7).  In Numerology, the 7 is Truth, Wisdom, and according to Numerology.com, "...knows that the real gold is buried deeper than the surface level stuff."

This is where we begin today's journey, for it seems to be a good day for the will of the people over the aggressors, sometimes known as the 1%'ers in today's vernacular.  

On a steamy August 9th, in 1792, the French Legislative Assembly calls for revolution and the removal of King Louis XVI, who's regime is categorized in most historical accounts as a regime of corruption, excess, and devoid of care for his subjects; as well as, how can we forget his wife Marie Antoinette, of "Let them eat cake" fame.  So the people united, won one. 

In Great Britain on another steamy August 9, the Elementary Education Act giving free education to every child between the ages of 5 and 13 was past; yes, at the expense of the wealthy tax payer.  

In 1936 on August 9th, Jess Owens becomes the first Olympian to win four medals.  Of course, this was a win for all the friendly people of the world, for the 1936 Summer Olympics were held in Berlin by Adolf Hitler who had portrayed them as the "Aryan superiority Olympics."  Hitler was so pissed that he refused to shake the hand of the first African-American champion superstar. 

In 1942 on August 9th, Mohandas K. Gandhi was arrested by the British after starting the "Quit India" movement, which used methods of non-violent resistance to demand freedom from British rule. 

Unfortunately, there is a Yang to every Yin, and so also on a hot August 9 in Nagasaki, Japan, the US drops a second bomb on Japan ending World War II.  And as in all wars, there were no real winners or losers, just murder in the name of Gods and Greed. My grandfather, a racist who wouldn't allow a Japanese made car in his driveway until he died, and who served in Okinawa where he was pelted from a grenade, once told me, "We won that war in Okinawa, there was no needs for the death bombs.  Hope it never happens again."  To which I now say: Are you listening Russia!

In 1964 on August 9, a Democratic (for those of you who say I don't pick on the donkeys enough) President named Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) orders custom-made pants directly from the company's president.  In the recorded call from the White House phone, LBJ is recorded as saying, "Now, another thing, the crotch, down where your nuts hang, is always a little too tight.  So when you make 'em up, give me an inch that I can let out there, uh, because they cut me. They're just like ridin' a wire fence."

Okay. 

I can't end on that, so let's end on a bright note:  On a hot August afternoon in 1930, Betty Boop makes her debut in Max Fleischer's animated Dizzy Dishes; of course, a few years later in 1934, Walt Disney presents his first animation film, snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  And so we're back at the number 7. 

OH gosh, I almost forgot, Early this morning, on August 9th, 2024, there was another win for the people, more precisely, woman, for voters in Ohio reject the Abortion Ban vote on the ballet in Ohio, placed there by the Conservative-Nationalist who I hope take this as a sign to join the human race.  

~~ Eso Terry

July 21: Shakespeare, Native Americans, Moonwalk.

July 21, esoterically speaking, is a day of conflict.  According to the I Ching, "7" is "Army," and "21" is "Biting Through."  Together they spell "Conflict." 

Is it any wonder that on this day in history the Dutch territory of New Netherlands (New York state) falls into English hands in a peace treaty from the Second Anglo-Dutch War.  Of course, there is no mention of the Native Americans who never agreed to shit, and in any modern court of law would still be the legal owners of New Netherlands and the other 48 continental states due to a lack of "Consideration" according to contract law, i.e., what did the White Man offer in consideration for the Native's land?... Answer: Nothing! Nada! Jack Shit! Period.

Then in 1861 on another hot July 21, there was the Battle of Bull Run, the first major battle of the American Civil War which was fought on a strip of land still inhabited by the American Powhatan Confederacy, the most beautiful, peaceful, loving people ever: The Algonquian People.  Where's that contract?  

Okay, I'm not arguing to give the Americas back the original owners, because, well, like you, I like it here; but Goddamn, at least admit the documented genocide imposed on them by squatters like you and me.

What Shakespeare wrote regarding Henry IV's victory in defending his thrown from the Welsh on this day in 1403, seems to sum up the American Genocide perfectly:

Ill-weaved ambition, how much art thou shrunk!

When that this body did contain a spirit,

A kingdom for it was too small a bound,

But now two paces of the vilest earth

Is room enough.

_____________________________________________________

Also, let's not forget that on a zero gravity day on July 21, in 1969, Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the Moon wrote in his journal:

The blue color of my boot has completely disappeared now into this -- still don't know exactly what color to describe this other than grayish-cocoa color.  It appears to be covering most of the lighter part of my boot....

Odor is very subjective, but to me there was a distinct smell to the lunar material -- pungent, like gunpowder or spent cap-pistol caps.  We carted a fair amount of lunar dust back inside the vehicle with us, either on our suits and boots or on the conveyor system we used to get boxes and equipment back inside.  We did notice the odor right away. 

(The Folio Book of Days, 2002.)

~~ Eso Terry

 

July 3: Dog Days of Summer, Yin and Yang, Rock Stars Die in Water.

We've all grown up hearing the words, "The Dog days of summer."  Well, they begin on July 3rd in Northern Tradition.  You see, the Pagans of old, long before they were forced to convert to a single god theory or lose their family, looked up at the sky and saw Sirius, the brightest star in the sky alongside the sun in the Northern hemisphere and knew this was no coinkidink, but a sign from the gods.

Nonetheless, here is where July 3 gets its Yin and Yang: 

In 1775, on a hot July 3, George Washington formally takes command of the Continental Army by drawing his sword; in 1957 on a July 3, Nikita Khrushchev takes control of the Soviet Union by orchestrating the ouster of his most serious opponents. 

In 1940, the legendary American comedy duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello debut with their radio show; in 1946 the comedy duo of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin meet for the first time in Atlantic City.

In 1969, the founder of the rock band, The Rolling Stones, Brian Jones, dies.  The guy who played sitar on the song Paint It Black, and the recorder on Ruby Tuesday, is found dead in a swimming pool; in 1971 on this day, Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors, a group whose name was a reference to breaking through the doors of perception, is found dead in a bathtub of water. 

According to the I Ching, "3" is defined as, "From difficulty there is a great development...." The Yin: "Weak people at the culmination of difficulty, in extreme danger, without any helpers...." The Yang: "If the leadership is correctly oriented, and has the assistance of wise people who are strong and clear minded, then it is possible to solve difficulties." 

As a Yin and Yang fresher: Yin and Yang is a Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the cycles of yin and yang and formed into objects and lives.  In a nut shell, Yin and Yang is the Mystic Law esoteric and exoteric Buddhist obtain by chanting the words "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo."  

~~ Eso Terry 

Hamsa to the Rescue, and the Evils of April 20th.

In 1999 on this day, April 20th, the world changed due to the mass killing of 13 people by two teenage boys who then killed themselves at Columbine High School in Colorado.   Before this incident, schools had had their violence, other mass school shootings, rapes, kidnappings, etc., but none of them had the gravitas of the Columbine massacre, at least not in popular culture.  And it was this popularization of the killings that led to more killings as kids did it for fame.  Yes, fame, that second favorite tool of the Demiurge who owns this world and all things in it.  His first favorite tool?  Religion.

With the Columbine killings, division between the rich and poor has become more pronounced than ever; the rich, backed by profiteering churches and egotistic politicians, have used the school killings as a need for more programs called vouchers which takes public school money from our kids and diverts it to divisive private, privileged, and religious school; and all at the delight of the demiurge as 'We the People' become, 'We the Privileged' -- knights in the demiurge's army.

Yes, I hear what you're saying: "Without a healthy pubic school system we're fucked, okay, but what is esoteric about that?" Well, my dear initiates, as with most things esoteric if you open your eyes to see, you will see the demiurge's markings, for he leaves his evil clues for us in all that he does; for it is His way.  And the Columbine Massacre is no different, for example, in 1896 on this day the first commercial movie was played at Bial's Music Hall in New York City by a Vitascope projector.   A few years later on this day, 1909, Mary Pickford, the first Hollywood mega movie star, starts her first motion picture job, and by 1916 she is the sweetheart idle of the flicks.  Then, in 1926 on this day, Western Electric and Warner Bros. announces Vitaphone, the process of adding bullet sounds to the movies, and of course, in 1999, two teenagers with guns act out their favorite scenes from that year's box-office smash hit, The Matrix, a movie where a man in a trench coat, as the Columbine Boys were wearing, shoots the most people in a movie up to that time.  And all for fame, or better said, the demiurge.   

The final fact to consider is that all this happened on the same day that  in 1889, the demiurge's favorite follower was born: Adolph Hitler, which will always make April 20th a special day for, all things evil.

So, what to do?  Well, the answer is simple, Hamsa.  That's right, you can either go into hiding and get rid of all your earthy belongings and try to go unnoticed by the demiurge as monks and priest have done for centuries, or, you can do as all religions, mystics, and mediums have done since the beginning of time, find a protective charm, and as charms go there is no one more useful against the demiurge than the Hamsa, which means five in Arabic, but predates the advent of Islam by thousands of years, and is still used for protection for those wanting immediate results.  In ancient Mesopotamia, it was the hand of Ishtar, to the early Christian's, it was the Hand of Mary or Eye of Providence which can still be seen on the US dollar bill; and to the Hebrews, it was the "strong hand of God," as pointed out in Deuteronomy 5:15. 

The word Khamsa means 'five,' for the number of our fingers.  Lucky five was widely worn as a pendant, or worked into jewellery and fabrics as a decorative feature, and this highly stylized hand was believed to ward off the 'evil eye.' 

It is the most common symbol from old times, but one that is hardly used today, and as a result my friend, evil has run rampant with control over our governments and religions.  So create yours today, or if you prefer, place your hand over mine and make a wish.  Not only will your wish come true, the evilness around you will run in fear as it as always done from our first encounter with light.

~~ Eso Terry

The Esoteric Value of April 8th.

 Ah yes, April 8th, day 98 of the year, 9 + 8 = 17, 1 + 7 = 8.  A perfect day.  

According to the I Ching, 8 is closeness and togetherness; the 8th card of the Tarot is Strength with the keywords of inner-balance and control; and in numerology, 8 is one of the most desired numbers for it is the symbol of abundance, wealth, and achievement.  In some traditions, like Chinese numerology, the number eight is considered lucky -- so add "8" to your Chinese lucky numbers of "1,3,7" for this year -- which is why 8 is often a sought out number for special dates in China.

The Esoteric Value of April 8th can be best seen in some of the historical events that have happened on this day.  Take for example, in 563 BCE, according to Buddhist tradition, Gautama Buddha was born in the kingdom of Sakya near the modern Indian-Nepal border.  Son of the king, he was named Prince Siddhartha but gave up his wealth and position after seeing others suffer, and the rest is history. 

In 1861 on this day, Austria grants basic rights to Protestants.  That's right, the Catholics decided to be tolerant of the other Christian faith and together they are one -- I think this is a good thing. 

In this same spirit of Religious Freedom, on this day in 1994 a group of Pagans carrying placards, banners, and streamers paraded joyously in Gainesville Florida.  They praised the Mother Goddess and invited all to celebrate the beauty of life.  The focus of this Freedom of Religion Parade was to highlight the religious diversity of the community and to foster tolerance.  

Ommmmmmm.... Rip Cobain.

On the other side of the country in 1994 while the Pagans were celebrating, an artist had had enough so took his own life.  The artist?... Kurt Cobain.  Yes, the artist who played in a band called Nirvana ends his life on the same day Buddha was born.  Coinkydink?  Maybe, but the years do speak for themselves, for both the year Buddha was born, 563, and the year Cobain died, 1994, have the same nemerological value of 5, and "5" as any educated flea will tell you, is the number of "The Seeker." 

You can't make this shit up, or can you? 

 

~~ Eso Terry 

 

Day of Fortune and Other Interesting Items of Thought.

 

Fortuna lightly balances the orb of sovereignty between thumb and finger in a Dutch painting of ca 1530 (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg)

 

Ah yes, April 5th, the Festival for Good Luck day (Nones of April).  Fortuna, the Lady Luck to whom all gamblers pray.  Fortuna's father was said to be Jupiter and like him, she could also be bountiful.  Evidence of Fortuna worship has been found as far north as Castlecary, Scotland and an altar and statue can now be viewed at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. Unlike most of the other gods and goddess, Fortuna did not disappear with the ascendancy of Christianity. In the 6th century, the Consolation of Philosophy, by statesman and philosopher Boethius, written while he faced execution, reflected: "...most coincidental events are part of God's hidden plan which one should not resist or try to change." Of course, as the Christian faith became more and more worldly, the goddess Fortuna became their hidden secret.  Go to any casino on a Sunday morning and see all the Christians hitting the slots:  "Sweet Jesus!" you'll hear more often than not when someone hits 777. 

Oddly enough, Fortuna seems to have married into the Christian faith much as Pocahontas did on this day a thousand years later.

Pocahontas

  As coincidence would have it, on this day in 1614 in colonial Virginia, Pocahontas marries Jamestown tobacco planter John Rolfe, and by doing so, ensured peace with the Native Americans because Pocahontas' dad was the leader of most of the tribes in the area.  I guess you could say Rolfe married up.   Fast forward to the year 1758, on this same day! What? Really, on this same day in Pennsylvania teenager Mary Jemison is kidnapped by Native Americans from her family's farm and spends the rest of her life with the Senecas nation.   She eventually wrote a best selling biography about her captive history and it became a huge hit and was sold at all the feed stores.  


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On this day in 1794, French revolutionary leader Georges Jacques Danton is executed by guillotine for standing up to the wealthy 1% bastards running the show back then (The Monarchy).  Renowned for his satire, he said things like "The kings of Europe would dare challenge us? We throw them the head of a king!" at the execution of Louis XVI.

Before his own execution, Danton said: "Be sure you show the mob my head.  It will be a long time ere they see its likes again."

Danton was a man, yes, a big man.  Just look at his mugshot.

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And finally, on this day in 1887, Lord Acton wrote the following in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton of Cambridge University:

"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Possibly, the greatest words ever spoken since Pocahontas (playful, spirited little girl) said to John Rolfe, her husband to be: 

                     "eeleeliihilaani, (me bathe you, you stink!)"

An 1850s painting of John Rolfe and Pocahontas