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The Project
By Grace Cavanaugh

It is interesting that we continue to call it 'The Project'. It began as a group endeavor to collect, transcribe, organize and systemize the multiple CD's pertaining to meditation, teachings and lectures, as well as reams written work of Donna Mitchell-Moniak, founder of Spirit Fire and teacher-mentor to most of us.

The inspiration came about three moths ago when Donna asked a small group of us if we would be interested in participating in such an endeavor. The majority of Donna's work stems from the teachings of the Master Djwal Khul as found in the books of Alice A. Bailey. The intention of The Project, then, is to further the work of the Master and assist in its dissemination to a wider audience.

The work began slowly as we struggled to find both a method of going about the task and a focus of our efforts. Eventually both became clarified and the group expanded as more people became interested. It has been a rewarding task. The group field has deepened and the connection between us has become more palpable. Many of us have meditated together, participated in classes and attended lectures together; yet, this may be the first time that we have pooled our efforts to create something tangible and lasting. We are all learning much in the process, not only by being exposed to teachings of quality and depth but also in having a concrete experience of working as a group of consciousness assisting in the work of the Hierarchy and most especially the Master DK.  We are indeed blessed.

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School of Meditation
By Judy Harrison

I have been studying and meditating with Donna Mitchell-Moniak for several years now and have been privileged to enhance my own meditative practice under her excellent guidance and tutelage.  What has been noteworthy is the evolution over time of the refinement of the meditative technique she has offered to support the growth of consciousness.

About a year and a half to two years ago when the School of Meditation was first impulsed, the focus of the meditation that Donna was offering centered on heart, breath and awareness.  No longer was the stretch out and up the mainstay of the practice, but rather the meditation was centered within, with a focus on immanence rather than transcendence.

This past year the School of Meditation officially was seeded with two and four-day retreats scheduled both at Spirit Fire Retreat Center and in Colorado.  As part of the "project" to offer these recordings to students, I was asked to listen to a series of four meditative retreats that took place over the year. To do so was such a gift!  As I listened to each CD the energetics received by the group attending the meditation weekend not only maintained its quality in the recording but also was received by me.  This was totally unexpected!  The livingness of the experience was imparted and captured though sound and laser imprint. Not only that, but I was also in a position to experience the growth of the teaching and technique.  Beginning with emptiness and an emphasis on the breath, I then moved to a focus on soul breathing, heart breathing and then became centered in the ground of my being.

To participate in these retreats as they built one upon the other was to see the curriculum of the School of Meditation unfold.  It also taught me the gifts of meditation which include rhythm, breath, heart and discipline to name a few, and helped me to better appreciate expanding consciousness from the inside out.

With 10 being the number of completion, the School of Meditation under Donna Mitchell-Moniak has now evolved in its fullness to offer a meditative practice that is able to bring one the gift of Self in a very clear and structured way.  This speaks of the impulse of the Master DK with his focus on the new schools of meditation.  As we enter the new year 2008 (2+0+0+8=10) this is certainly Good News!

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A New Look
By Darren Roth

Spirit Fire's website is being redesigned! As the organization continues to grow, it is important that the website continue to reflect the fullness of what Spirit Fire is and make it easy to find the information that is being sought quickly and efficiently. It's also very important that it be beautiful and to that end we have asked and received the permission of the Roerich Museum to make the paintings of Nicholas Roerich a central theme on each page. We expect to launch the newly designed website in January 2008. We hope that you will find this new incarnation of SpiritFire.com the most beautiful and useful yet!

Follow the arrow to your dreams
Trust your inner self and
Celebrate the power of your heart
Possibilities are endless
Embrace them and soar

The last few Tarot cards that have been discussed pictured the main subject sitting on a throne and each card symbolized a position of authority and power over either the spiritual or mundane. The Hierophant is also one of these. His authority is in the realm of the spiritual. The Greek term, hierophant, means 'the interpreter of the sacred mysteries or esoteric principles'. In some Tarot decks this card is called The Pope or The High Priest. The Hierophant is clad in priestly robes, carries a scepter and wears a miter, the official headdress of a Bishop or Pope; his right hand is raised in blessing. The scepter he carries in his left hand has three horizontal bars suggesting that his authority extends to the three words, physical, emotional and mental, the domains in which humans live and earn their place in the future life. The keys of St. Peter are seen at his feet indicating that he is a direct descendant, an essential basis for his authority as teacher and interpreter of the scriptures. Two priests kneel at his feet to honor his authority and wisdom.

Throughout the ages organized religions have had leaders who were designated to be interpreters of not only sacred texts, but to interpret God's will and indicate what one must do to be saved. The Hierophant calls on us to examine the belief systems that we have been exposed to from all institutions: family, educational, church and society. Too often we are controlled by these beliefs and have little insight as to just how much our lives are restricted by them. We all reach a point in our maturity when we must take inventory of the rigid ideas and belief systems that are directing and controlling our lives. The Hierophant is, then, a gift since he presents us with the possibility of freeing ourselves from the constriction and restrictions of our belief systems. This is not an easy task since for years, perhaps from childhood, we have accepted the dictums of institutions in the assumption that they possess the truth and know what is best.

The Hierophant card is suggesting that now is the time for us to stand up for ourselves, to make our own decisions and to choose what is best for us here in this present moment. Deep down in the inner recesses of our heart we truly know the answers to our deepest concerns and most profound questions. We do not need to be led and guided by outside forces. There is a Buddhist saying, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him". This is generally interpreted to mean that if we are seeking a guru, spiritual teacher, in order to help us find direction from the outside we are not only forfeiting our power and authority but will be missing the boat, so to speak. We all have within a Buddah nature or the Christ consciousness; in reality these are the same thing. It is the finding of our inner spirit, what some call the soul that must become our focus. This inner spirit is who we really are, our true master and guru. It is where we find guidance, acceptance, forgiveness and love.

So we see that if we look for this outside of ourselves we will be following someone else's path and not our own. It may be easier to look for guidance outside of ourselves. The struggle to find our own way is difficult. It means having to experience and experiment with life. Frequently that results in suffering because of the many lessons to be learned. But suffering and finding our own way is the only path to enlightenment.

In mythology the Hierophant is likened to Chiron, the king of centaurs, a creature having the torso of a man and body of a horse. Centaurs were frequently violent and given to sexual license. However, Chiron was an exception and known to be a healer and wise teacher and was a mentor to several heroes including Jason and Achilles. Chiron was accidentally wounded by a poison arrow and since he was immortal was condemned to spend his life in pain and suffering. He used this time well, devoting it to teaching spiritual wisdom and healing. Since he was half man and half animal, perhaps his quest was one of learning to balance one's spiritual and animal natures. Chiron is often known as The Wounded Healer and, as such, represents the wounded parts of our self, the parts that need insight and healing. One can readily note the association of Chiron with The Hierophant. Both are devoted teachers giving wise direction. In their wisdom they know the role of suffering one must experience in the path of enlightenment.  They direct us to get in touch with our inner wounded self in order to understand our own personal path.

Some suggest Taurus for the astrological sign of this card, but we will look to Sagittarius who is, after all, the centaur. Sagittarius is the visionary, the mystic and philosopher, the seeker of truth, following his arrows to the heights of the unknown.  He is forever on the move in his search for that which is purer and more profound. Since he is part animal and part human, however, his task is to find balance between the frivolous and the serious, between earth and spirit.  His is a need to establish priorities, to develop discernment and wisdom. In his persistence he will reach his goal but not being quite satisfied will enthusiastically begin his pursuit for his next ideal. It is interesting to look at the wounding arrow of the Centaur and the aspiring arrow of Sagittarius. The one keeps us grounded in matter and suffering while the other reaches out to the stars and the possibilities of growth.  The Hierophant is pointing to Sagittarius to show us that with self-reliance and a deep sense of self, there is no ceiling to the heights we are capable of.

The number of this card is 5. We must remind ourselves that there is significance to the number and the order of each card. In numerology the number 5 relates to freedom, versatility, resourcefulness. It points to inquisitiveness and the need to explore and express oneself. It is the number of one who is adaptable and who is always ready for the unexpected. In the esoteric teachings the number 5 has to do with all the aspects of the mental plane. The ability to move along the path is determined by the development of our mental faculties, moving from the concrete, detailed mind to the abstract illumined mind, which allows one to experience the Real.

It is always amazing to discover that the symbology, mythology, numerology of each card weaves a wonderful story and lays down the lessons needed to be learned. Our journey with the Hierophant will be an interesting one; as we move from the insecure, needing outside direction and guidance, to the individual who has developed intelligence and will and confident in her identity and her future decisions. 

I joined the Worship Weavers, a guild within the Unitarian Church, in part because I loved the title.  Recently I took a course in Esoteric Psychology.  In it we were studying the direction of the various rays.  The rays quite simply are the seven vibrations or breaths of God that energize our universe.  Least I get derailed, since that is another topic, the following is the direction of the 3rd ray of Creative Manifestation:

"I weave the pattern which I seek and like.  The warp and woof is planned by my desire.  I gather here a thread and here a color.  I gather there another.  I blend the colors and I mix and blend the threads.  As yet I cannot see the pattern, but it will surely measure up to my desire.

Loud voices, and a movement from outside the darkened chamber where the Weaver sits; they grow in volume and in power.  A window breaks and, though the Weaver cries aloud, blinded by the sudden light, the sun shines in upon his woven carpet.  Its ugliness is thus revealed...

A voice proclaims: 'Look from out thy window, Weaver, and see the pattern in the skies, the model of the plan, the color and the beauty of the whole.  Destroy the carpet which you have for ages wrought.  It does not meet your need...Then weave again Weaver.  Weave in the light of day.  Weave as you see the plan.'"(EP II p.168)

In meditation I began to ponder what it was that I weave.  Soon I became graced with snippets of phrases which I recognized as the warp, the foundation threads in a dual life made up of spirit and matter or soul and personality. 

The first phrase was "Living Expression".  It comes from LIFE, the gift that we all share and the recognition that our joy is the expression of that Life.  As I meditatively breathed this in I experienced that my lungs were filling with the energy of Life.  I sat with this and understood that irregardless of circumstances each of us is a facet of living expression which in total is called the One Life.  Our conscious recognition of this fact is immaterial, but to have this knowledge is pure joy and helps one to re-frame and appreciate one's livingness.

The next thread that came to me was "Eternal Youth".   I recognized it as the name given to the Buddah, this got me thinking, because I don't often equate wisdom with youth.  But youth quite simply is a way of perceiving which knows that the world is filled with possibilities and sees with clear expectant eyes.  It is in the fragrance of a flower, the new green of spring, the sparkle of sunlight off the water, a virtual blanket of shimmering diamonds.  As I breathed this in I understood the phrase of the Christ "Behold I make all things new."  Oh to be able to cock one's head and to see with the eyes of consciousness!  When we can do this we share in the Buddah's eternal youth and marvel at the life expressions which surround us; be they beauty, pain, suffering or joy.

 My third thread was "Growing Consciousness". This, I understood, had to do with the substance that underlies life.  To recognize this has helped me to move from cause to meaning; from outer expression to that which has given rise to our experience.  Without this awareness we are dead to our souls and existence becomes dried and withered.  Conversely by giving ourselves the gift of solitude and an open heart we can find home.  It is at this point that I began to actively grow consciousness and balance the dual life of spirit and matter. Having reclaimed an authentic self one begins to live life more abundantly.

 This recognition segued into the thread with was "the Birth of Humanity".  At first this seemed an odd phrase but for me it was the recognition of moving from a single self to viewing myself as part of a larger whole.  The story of the hundredth monkey applies here as does the tipping point.  Under the influence of Aquarius and globalization the fact of being a cell within the body helps me/us to appreciate our humanity.  In this process of birth I was reminded of a line from the song "Yahweh" by U2, 'always pain before the child is born'; clearly our current condition.  The matrix has been set for this birthing process however and some in fact would say that this process has already happened but the phenomena of time has caused our disconnect with the registration of the event.  Regardless, our fabric of life must begin to include our birth as humanity least we continue to act as cancerous cells and destroy the body.

My last thread was the phrase "to Touch".  Meditatively I understood that this holds within it both the act of being touched and touching, of sharing our gifts and our humanity.  As a weaver working with lighted threads we don't weave in isolation, instead the fabric of our life is a living quilt of sorts or a coat of many colors.  The lyrics for the group Spiral Singers song "Weave and Mend" says it best:

Weave and mend; weave and mend
Gather the threads weave and mend the golden circle sisters
Weave and mend; weave and mend
Sacred sisters weave and mend.

We all know the woof of our lives - job, partners, children etc.  But what is the warp upon which they are woven?  What gives meaning to ther life we weave?

Trauma, at the core energetic level, is the experience of a vibratory impact through the personal energy fields that disconnects and disorients. The Human Energy Field is composed of inter-connecting bodies of sequential vibrational frequencies from the Causal to the physical. During a physical impact, such as a slip or fall, the physical and etheric bodies may become disconnected at certain points, resulting in disorientation or even dissociation, until the system accommodates and a new sense of balance is gained. Usually, this is not a return to original equilibrium, but the best adjustment and compensation for the bodies in that moment; this is also true of impacts such as car accidents, running into, or tripping over things. The result is an imperceptible but real loss of connection to basic energetic alignment.

Traditional healing has mostly dealt with the physical ramifications of these types of impacts or injuries. Yet, with each impact, there is always a related emotional reaction which may become attached to the compensations. This may develop into PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder - a generalized psychological response. However, the Human Field can experiences a range of  'falls' in each of the vibratory fields resulting in trauma or disconnection. There are other ways that one might 'fall,' and which also cause disruption in the central organizing principle called the central channel, energetically located along the spine. Some ways that one may 'fall' off center include:

• falling back- into the past or old habits
• falling out -  a conflict or disagreement; or falling out "of favor"
• fall short or fall behind with commitments, plans etc.
• fall over or fall hard
• fall flat
• fall in with "the wrong crowd"
• even fall in or out of love

With each experience of 'falling,' there is an energetic shift and accommodation, as well as the most often unconscious feeling-laden thoughts about not measuring up. This is the inner story that we tell ourselves to give justification for the 'fall.' Trauma, as experienced by the personality, is possible then because of a conscious or subconscious self-critical or judgmental reaction. In other words, we believe we are broken. Very young children and primitive people do not innately experience falling this way. We have to be taught to do so. As a result, for most people, even accidents contain a lingering sense of self-blame.

Self-blame and guilt are the result of error in understanding the Biblical Fall which was, in actuality, a process of the immersion of spirit into form in order to gather experience. With the development of social and religious codes of conduct, the range of accepted experiences was narrowed. 'Missing the mark' or 'sin' produced judgment or punishment and the resulting guilt and shame. Thus codes, at first intended to be guidelines, become the fashioner of self-created original sin- the Fall from Grace. These rules were internalized, creating patterns of past 'failure' or future expectations of 'measuring up'- patterns which distort feelings and behavior.

Essentially, we fall from our own grace and by our own self judgement. A 'sin' or error is only a reflection of an unstable 'point of residence' within consciousness. We err through acts (in thought, word, or deed), and choices that are not coherent with that which we would like to attain or aspire toward. In truth, a fall is a disconnection from ground - the ground of being, and from gravity - that which keeps us centered and aligned. The remedy for any type of 'fall' is to develop alignment 'of' and 'within' the energy fields and a connection to earth and ground. This connection helps us to cultivate alignment along the central channel and thus spiritual aspiration. This is the key to that uplifting factor and transformative process which brings us home to soul, from which we will no longer fall.

The river, the boat, the oarsman. Together these represent the fullness of a human being.

The river is the life stream that carries the boat and its passenger along. The river is actually in command; the boat follows the river's course, and the oarsman gets from here to there. The river represents our deepest spiritual nature, the monadic essence, the One, the universal ego. The boat represents the Soul, the pure wisdom and compassion that we are, the light that shines from us, and the stability of Presence. This boat cannot be overturned, and is secure no matter what the weather. In our analogy, the boat exists because of the river. The boat/soul is the unified ego.

The oarsman is the personality. It thinks it is in control of the river and the boat. But the river of life is streaming the personality through the particular eddies and currents that will give life experiences, thus grow skills and consciousness. The oarsman exerts effort, pulls on the rudder, and is fearful of the water's depth, but the boat of the soul floats along effortlessly. The oarsman is the personal ego.

The river of Life that is each person's primal spiritual nature is qualified by one of the Seven Rays. The soul is qualified by a Ray, and the personality is as well.

To quote Magic in the World,

"The Seven Rays or seven archetypes of energy and quality are the essence, ingredients, coloration, and vibration of everything. They are the breaths of God, the children of the Divine Mother, and the building blocks of life. Everything and everybody, today, tomorrow, and in the past are composites of the rays. The Rays govern all systems cyclically, be they star or planetary systems, kingdoms, or inside a human being. Everything is here and is manifesting because of the Rays." (Donna Mitchell-Moniak, Llumnia Press, 2002)

The Science of the Seven Rays is the most ancient psychological system. It pre-dates astrology, numerology, The Enneagram, and all modern typologies. Understanding the Seven Rays give us the eyes to see the river of life that is our most refined spiritual nature and to come to an understanding of how, throughout our life, this river has streamed us along in a particular way. The Seven Rays helps us understand ourselves as the Soul, and to know the nature of light is ours to radiate. This we do with our family, in our workplace, and in the service we give. And because the Rays are the very nature of everything, our personal ego, mind, emotions, physical body, and our orientation to wants (desires) and requirements are also conditioned by the Rays. Therefore, not only is our life conditioned by a particular flow and our Soul emanates in a specific way, but the uniqueness of every aspect of each of us is (the result of the Rays) that way because of the Rays. As a spiritual Being we decided to grow, hone, and wield these energies and qualities.

The Seven Rays give us insight into not just to our self, but everything! For example:

• why dogs are loyal
• why cats are aloof
• why plants grow toward the sun (in addition to photosynthesis)
• why people have a variety of learning and (thinking) styles
• why some people are quick to react and others less so
• why people come in all the body shapes they do
• why some relationships are long lasting and others are not
• why we have the patterns that we do and why some are hard to change.

Going back to our analogy of the river, boat, and oarsman, The Science of the Seven Rays suggests that even cats, dogs, and the plant kingdom have a river of life influencing them en masse. The Seven Rays suggests that there are many levels of energy within us and that we exert the influence of them on others whether we realize it or not. Therefore, the Science of the Seven Rays is one of the few psycho-spiritual typology systems that is not limited (to humans but can be just as well applied to all of the kingdoms of nature and even cultures of nations) as to who or how big to look at in order to gain understanding.  For instance, we should be able to look at a nation and see the energy quality of its personal ego as well as its soul. And we can with the Seven Rays. This helps explain differences in culture, traditions, and overall tone of countries. The Seven Rays also helps us energetically and psychologically work together, understanding one another deeply through a lens that turns personal preferences into energy tendencies. The Seven Rays do not take away our responsibility to be conscientious through blaming a ray energy for our tendencies; instead we are empowered to move dynamically with the power of the river of Life behind us, the security of the boat on the river and, as the oarsman, realize that there are forces greater than our strength and personal will. Wisdom lies in deep understanding. The Seven Rays provide this.

Seminar with Donna Mitchell-Moniak and Martha Henry-Donald
Discover the Self: The 7 Archetypes of Energy
Feb 9-10  9am-6pm
Center at Westwoods, MA
To register call 781-329-0711
For info call Donna 413-624-3955

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Meditation Retreat with Donna Mitchell-Moniak
Awareness Meditation with Chakras
Jan 19 -20 2008
Boulder, CO
Call Joy 303-449-8664

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Future Meditation Retreats in Leyden, MA
April 25-29, July 2-6, Nov 19-25

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Meditation with Martha Henry-MacDonald
Open meditation circle
Bi-weekly - Medfield, MA
Go to www.harmony-center.org

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Meditation with Cherie Peterson
Open meditation
Thursdays @ noon
Evergreen Conference Center
Evergreen, CO
Call 303- 674-2646 for info

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***More astrology classes in the spring! Please check the website for upcoming dates.