Mine has been such a life affirming task!  I have been challenged to be the lookout for good news.  This came as a suggestion when posing the question of how should Soundings change or what should it include in order to tweak its presentation as a voice supporting the dictum that only a change in consciousness can change the world.

In this quest the realization came quickly that the glass is both half empty and half full.  Why?  In great part the answer is held within the dynamic of change itself, seen in the going out and coming in of a cycle and an age.  We are at such a point now; the going out of the Piscean Age and the coming in of the Aquarian Age as well as the ending of the 6th ray cycle and the beginning of the 7th, understood by those who study such matters. As Master DK states in Rays and Initiations; "One of the greatest adjustments to be seen is the new techniques and changed approach from that of individual culture to united group progress...Specifically I speak of the passing out of the influence of Pisces, the slow withdrawal of the 6th ray force and the incoming Aquarian energy which is effecting the mental and astral planes.  These are the conditions to which we must look for the origins of all our present troubles...And so we move in two directions: toward that which is higher and which indicates a better and more spiritual future with all that that implies and also toward that which is rooted in and related to the past, which is crystallizing, reactionary, blind in its selfishness and materiality and which is implemented to retain old things which should pass away...This conditioning factor can be seen working out in every group, organization, world religion, and every nation as well as in the planet as a whole." P231-237

The video The Shift, seen on YouTube, captures the new change best.  In it we are made aware of a cultural shift from masses following a strong leader in politics, religion and other organizations to the spontaneous arising of groups and leaders from within the masses who take on global actions and demonstrate shared global values.  These new groups are not formed around an outer dictating ideology but rather directed by the inner stirrings of individuals to support humanity and the planet itself.  Such is the work of Lynn Twist and the Pachamama Alliance, Bill Gates and his foundation to eradicate poverty and world hunger, Bono from U2 who is helping to finance the fighting against aids in Africa, and the micro-financing efforts of Mohammad Yunus from Bangladesh who is giving small loans to women to help them become economically self-sufficient.  This conscious evolutionary process is in a word  'spiritual'.  "Humanity is today on the verge of this major awakening and joint registration of a unity not hitherto reached, the growth of the spirit of internationalism, the inclusiveness of the scientific attitude and the spread of a universal humanitarian welfare movement are all indicative of this meeting place." (p.365 Rays and Initiations)

In the Ideas section of the Boston Globe on Aug 5 an article titled "Building Big, Starting Small" the concept of incremental infrastructure as a new model was introduced by Alieu Conteh in 1997 in the Congo. He built the country's first mobile phone network by hiring welders to build a single tower and then found that customers would line up to buy phones giving him the financial means to expand and build more towers."The availability of mobile phones has had an unexpected economic impact.  Farmers check prices in the market before putting their harvest onto trucks...Carpenters, welders and other technicians no longer need shops, they have their tools and their mobile phones...Now several African nations have pursued incremental strategies for internet collectivity and perhaps phone companies could become incremental power companies if base stations build slightly larger power generators and sold excess power to their surrounding communities."  With projects like these, financed in part by users, entrepreneurs like Conteh are finding small solutions to the problem of African infrastructure.

The third place that I found 'good news' was in an article I came across about a group that named themselves "The Elders".  The folks that make up this group include such notables as Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Desmond Tutu and other, many of whom are former Nobel Peace prize recipients. These global leaders have decided to band together and with the funding support of a London philanthropist will meet regularly to brainstorms initiatives for world peace. 

As I reflect on the good news that I have found, clearly what seems to be surfacing and bringing with it the theme of light, vision and illumination is the existence of The New Group of World Servers.  This group coined by the Master DK in the writings of Alice Bailey is an evolving subjective organization that "offers a practical expression of an existent unity, based upon oneness of motive, of recognition, of orientation, of methods and ideas toward the service of humanity all in spite of the fact that the physical plane relationship is usually non-existent...This inner organization is constructed around the major principal of evolutionary growth which indicates a registered consciousness" (p299 Rays and Initiations) even if it is not yet recognized by the participants on the objective plane.  Keep your eyes open for good news and undoubtedly you too will spot these servers of humanity.

Astrology is the study of energy and its effects upon us. It is an ancient form of science, tens of thousands of years old. Great scientists and thinkers, including Isaac Newton, Johannes Keppler and Nicholas Copernicus have used astrology as a tool for unlocking the secrets of the universe. William Shakespeare, Ralph Waldo Emerson as well as Geoffrey Chaucer showed knowledge of the study of Astrology through their writings. It is interesting to note that the curriculum for scholars in ancient times included astrology, mathematics and philosophy. Nevertheless skepticism still reigns about Astrology as a science and about its effectiveness as a tool to better understand the human psyche.

Astrology entails the study of various energies, forces, and factual data. These energies and forces normally produce predictable effects. We see the forces of the moon affect tides daily and solar flares causing the earth's atmosphere to become more ionized affecting radio signals with a resultant disruption in wireless communications. Why then would these as well as other unseen energy not affect us humans? We are transmitters as well as receivers of energies and it would be naïve to think that extra planetary energy has no impact on us or that we in turn have no effect on our environment.

Considerable data has been gathered for millennia, about the perceived effects produced by predictable movements of planets and stars, and the energies generated by them. This data has remained consistent over centuries. Surprisingly however, many of us still have difficulty accepting the fact that energy, being something unseen, can have an effect on our behaviour.

Having introduced and taught on the subject of astrology to many curious students and seekers, I have come to realize that in order for one to become open to a deeper and more meaningful understanding of what Astrology is all about, one must be prepared to let go of the preconceived thought-form, that astrology is nothing more than a quick-read found in a daily newspaper. Astrology is much more than this. When understood we begin to see things through a different lens, one that brings greater knowledge of ourselves. Some examples of these are:

• understanding why we behave the way that we do

• finding some hidden treasures, strengths that may not have yet been revealed

• understanding more about how and why we relate to others the way that we do

• clarifying our life purpose. 

Upon careful observation it appears that people are quick to reject that which they don't understand. Astrology, interestingly, like any other science, is predicated on experimentation, prompted by the fact that we do not know what the final outcome of any astrological influence may be. There's the rub. We can predict, hypothesize, guess, or make assumptions, but the human psyche is complex and how it outwardly perceives its reality is even more so. The experimental nature of astrology lies in the fact that we make choices based on our level of awareness and we may choose to work with crises and turn them into opportunities or we may just simply suffer through the crises and learn very little - our choice. It is probable that predictions will occur in specific ways. However, nothing is set in stone. Perhaps it is this unknown factor that makes astrology a questionable science for some. The only way to know whether or not Astrology is fact or fiction is to learn more about it and then judge for yourself. I assure you, you won't be disappointed. A good place to begin is with a book, Astrology Illumined - revealing Soul through Astrology, co-authored with Donna Mitchell-Moniak. It can be purchased through our online bookstore.

Yin and Yang
The harmony of opposites
Duality ceases
The true Self emerges
A prism of sound and color
Blinding in its radiance

In contrast to the soft, lush and feminine aspects of the Empress card, the Emperor sits stately on a throne of stone; rocky mountains in the distance give tribute to his regal state. The throne is adorned with ram's heads, and his robes are colorful and majestic. In his right hand he holds a scepter in the form of an ankh, a symbol of life, and an orb in his other hand. The crown, orb and scepter are signs of his authority. His outer garments are colorful and flowing but his legs are covered with armor. We note also that he does not have any weapons. In the past he was, perhaps, a warrior but now armed with the wisdom gleaned from the experience of ages, he chooses not to rule with the sword but rather with wisdom and the authority of the Law. He is the protector and wise teacher who leads by example. In the traditional Tarot reading The Emperor is the father card and it elicits concerns regarding one's relationship to a father figure and also questions how one uses one's own personal authority and power. This card also leads us to question it there are any external forces deterring us from our destiny.

The Emperor encourages us to reflect on our own masculine energy. Although one unusually is dominant, we have both masculine and feminine energy. As women, we do not always honor our powerful and sometimes aggressive energy and as men, we may perhaps shy away from the soft emotional aspects of our personality. In the cards of The Empress and the Emperor, the Tarot presents to us the qualities of the feminine and masculine. The Empress is seen as mother and nurturer, receptive and relaxed in her enjoyment of the goods of the earth. On the other hand, the Emperor is the father authority figure, ambitious, protective, accomplished and exudes confidence in wise guidance as he uses his power judiciously. We eventually must lean that it is only in accepting the totality of who we are, honoring both the masculine and feminine, that we can become  whole and integrated individuals.

In addition to realizing our personal power in our interaction with others, The Emperor leads us to reflect on our relationship to other authority figures. It is important that we question if, in fact, we relinquish too much of own personal power to those we presume as being superior to us. He encourages us to become our own person, to honor our own decisions and to move through life with assurance and confidence in our own abilities. It is only as we begin to honor the spirit within do we come to we realize that true guidance comes from the inner self and not from outside sources. Many seek guidance from external sources, books, lectures, a guru, and thus neglect to honor their own inner wisdom.

The Emperor is compared to the Greek god, Zeus the ruler of Olympus.  Mythological tales suggest that Zeus led a revolt against his father, Cronus, and once he gained control he divided the universe among his brothers. Zeus gained the heavens, while his siblings ruled the oceans and underworld. His reputation was that of a protector king, a wise judge and peacemaker. He brought peace and maintained the laws. It was said that he controlled the weather and in an attempt to portray his immense power, he is often shown  posed in the action of throwing a bolt of lightening. The Emperor displays many of the traits attributed to the archetype of Zeus, a wise and just leader, who kept peace and adhered the Law.

The symbolic representations in this card point to the sign of Aries: the red garments, the rams heads carved on the throne, the stately and powerful demeanor of the Emperor. Aries is a masculine sign and is thought of as courageous, confident and dynamic. Aries is an adventurer and a champion of causes, a pioneer and an initiator. The ruler of Aries, Mars, also represents male energy, he is a forceful and combative god associated with passions and strong emotions. However, Mars teaches us also about will and the courage to face the challenges that life presents. Mercury, the Messenger of the Gods, rules the more evolved Aries. Aries rules the head and Mercury brings a deeper use of the mind, more developed communication skills and reasoning ability to enable the Emperor to settle differences rationally instead of with the sword, that is, to be led by the mind rather than by the emotions.

In the deck the Emperor holds the number IV. In numerology four is associated with the traits of discipline, stability and balance. It is the one who is persevering, steadfast and determined to achieve one's goals. Esoterically the number four is associated with a facility for reconciliation and peace making; in bring various sides of a conflict together in peace. It is   a gift not only appreciating, but also of living harmoniously with all aspects of the creative world. The wise Emperor is the embodiment of these gifts. It is important not just to see the stern father figure but also to see beneath the façade to the wise seer within and learn from the Emperor to view ourselves in this totality, the whole person.

A Planetary Awakening
Reflections on the Teachings of the Tibetan in the Works of Alice A. Bailey
By Kathy Newburn

This insightful book captures the essence of the Master DK's s teachings - it is both a primer for those who are new to the Ageless Wisdom teaching and a useful précis for those who are familiar with these works.  Kathy seeks to provide a road map for our times, as we pass fully into the Age of Aquarius when tremendous and stupendous changes await and will confront humanity.  This book seeks to provide answers to questions not yet asked by most of humanity, the answers to which will become vitally important during this time of transition.

Kathy provides the reader with an historical review of the founding of the hierarchy and some of teachers that have led the way.  She reviews such concepts as the Law of Rebirth, the Seven Rays and Glamour and gives us a perspective on ray cycles, the impacts of the outgoing Ray 6 energies, and the incoming Ray 7 energies.  Kathy looks carefully at the problem that money posses in building a sustainable world and at the difficulties we are faced with in securing sufficient resources for spiritual work.  She examines the possibilities of new forms of relationships and offers a new perspective on sexuality. In addition she describes the benefits of meditation, the joys of group work and demonstrates the potency of the Great Invocation.  Kathy explains in clear terms the value of meditation especially at the time of the full moon and gives us an overview of the process of initiation. The book ends with a model of spiritual practice that will prove beneficial to all.

I found Kathy's summary of Master DK's key meditations and mantras to be particularly useful.  She recommends a number of Esoteric Groups including the Centre for Esoteric Studies as places where earnest students can come to find more and receive personal instruction.  The book is available through Blue Dolphin Publishing at bluedolphinpublishing.com.  It would make a great gift for any friend or relative who is curious about meditation or for someone beginning to inquire about the spiritual path.

Report: Vitamin D

The following is an e-sharing received from Tamara who had recently seen her primary care physician and was given some nutritional advice as follows:

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) at doses of 1200-2000 IU/day prevents a whole list of cancers and auto-immune diseases, including MS.

The list of sources to get your Vit D to add up to this doses level include;

• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), ie: CVS generic
• cod liver oil
• multivitamin (which normally includes 400 IU vit. D each) ie: One-a-day vitamins
• Caltrate, Oscal, or Citracal calcium tablets, (containing 200 IU vit. D each)
• Food sources: milk, (1 quart=400 IU) salmon, tuna, sardines.

I found detailed data on Wikipedia-this is really very promising!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_d.

Here's a clip that's a highlight;

In 2005, scientists released a metastudy which demonstrated a beneficial correlation between vitamin D intake and prevention of cancer. Drawing from a meta-analysis of 63 published reports, the authors showed that intake of an additional 1,000 international units (IU) (or 25 micrograms) of vitamin D daily reduced an individual's colon cancer risk by 50%, and breast and ovarian cancer risks by 30%. Research has also shown a beneficial effect of high levels of calcitriol on patients with advanced prostate cancer. A randomised intervention study involving 1,200 women, published in June 2007, reports that vitamin D supplementation (1,100 international units (IU) / day) resulted in a 60% reduction in cancer incidence, during a four-year clinical trial, rising to a 77% reduction if cancers diagnosed in the first year (and therefore more likely to have originated prior to the intervention) were excluded. A recent study using data on over 4 million cancer patients from 13 different countries showed a marked difference in cancer risk between countries classified as sunny and countries classified as less-sunny for a number of different cancers.

In June 2007, The Canadian Cancer Society began recommending that all adult Canadians consider taking 1000 IU of vitamin D during the fall and winter months (when typically the country's northern latitude prevents sufficient sun-stimulated production of vitamin D). This kind of recommendation is a first for cancer agencies.

Research has also suggested that cancer patients who have surgery or treatment in the summer - and therefore make more endogenous vitamin D - have a better chance of surviving their cancer than those who undergo treatment in the winter when they are exposed to less sunlight.

After reading a story by Steven Miller about CFL (compact florescent light bulbs) which contain mercury, Darren wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I personally had never heard of the mercury issue and CFL's. It prompted me to do some quick research. Here is what I found...seems there are two sides to this debate.

Viewpoint #1 - CFL's are the future because they use less energy, therefore less strain on the coal-fired electric plants, with the result of less worldwide pollution. Less consumption of energy all around. Greener planet. We can breathe the air, etc. Bottom line: Be careful handling CFL's (don't break them!) and help save the planet.

Viewpoint #2 - CFL's contain small traces of Mercury (this is true) which is highly toxic to the human body. If you break one by accident, Mercury will be released in the environment and could possibly get into your body....again all true. Bottom line: Because of the personal risk, CFL's should be banned in favor of the traditional incandescent bulb, regardless of how much energy they consume.

Interesting dilemma! If we use incandescent bulbs, we are being irresponsible to the planet. If we use CFL's, we are potentially endangering ourselves and others with mercury poisoning.

At this point, it seems to be a personal decision for which road each person will take. So, I did some research on this subject so that no matter what decision someone chooses, they have a course of action:

Choice #1 - Keep your Incandescent Bulbs

If you choose this path, don't go buy CFL's and just keep on doing what you are doing for lighting choices. Your bills will be higher, and the planet will not appreciate it, but at least you won't be in any personal danger.

Choice #2 - Continue with purchasing CFL's

This is the harder of the two choices financially and in the level of personal responsibility it requires. Your bills will be lower, the planet will benefit, but there is a real danger of safety for yourself and others if a bulb breaks. I gathered this information below from the web. It details the dangers of CFL's, but also discusses safe options on how to use and dispose of them properly. If you have CFL's in your home, its worth taking the time to read.

"CFLs require a tiny amount of mercury to function. Mercury is poisonous, and since it tends to accumulate in the human body, there's no acceptable level of exposure. An intact CFL will never emit mercury. But CFLs can broken through accident or improper disposal. That makes it important to dispose of spent or damaged CFLs in a responsible manner.

The best solution is recycling. Some CFL sellers, such as Ikea, have a no-questions take-back program. Environmental groups are pressing big-box retailers to establish in-store CFL recycling bins, and there are a few (rather pricey) recycle-by-mail vendors. Convenient CFL recycling is clearly an area requiring improvement as adoption increases.

Many states require CFLs to be treated as hazardous waste, and this is good practice for everyone. Do not dispose of CFLs with household garbage. If your community doesn't have curbside pickup of hazardous material, you'll need to bag and safely store old CFLs until you have enough to take them to a drop-off center.

So how do you find a center? Calling your local government is probably the first step. Or log onto Earth 911, which will help you locate your closest facility. They've also got an automated phone information system at (800) CLEAN-UP.

There's no need to panic if you break a CFL. Most bulbs are damaged when they're cold, and the mercury is likely to adhere to the bulb's debris. To be safe, ventilate the area. Using rubber or latex cloves -- the kitchen variety should be fine -- carefully gather up the ballast and broken glass with disposable paper towels. Wipe the floor carefully with more paper toweling, then double bag everything in Ziploc bags. Dispose as hazardous waste.

As a point of interest, CFLs can actually reduce the amount of mercury released each year into the environment. Half of the power in the United States is generated by coal-fired plants. Burning coal releases mercury into the atmosphere -- about 10 milligrams over the life of an average incandescent bulb. Because of its superior efficiency, a CFL will only be responsible for about 2.5 milligrams. Even if you add the 4 milligrams contained in the typical CFL (which is fully recoverable by recycling), a CFL is actually responsible for putting less mercury into the wild than its incandescent equivalent."

OK, that's it for this report!

Why meditate? Because meditation changes everything.

It changes our bio-chemistry. Blood pressure is decreased. Endorphins that enhance well-being and good feelings are released and thus not only help with mood and stress, but reduces cortisol levels in the body, acidity in the belly, tightness in the muscles, and overall edginess.

It changes our relation to breathing. Most people don't breathe fully; thus the brain and muscles don't receive maximum oxygen to think clearly or have adequate stamina and vitality. Most meditation practices include a component related to breathing. At Spirit Fire the focus is metaphysical as well as physical; yet just by having it as a focus, people begin to breathe better. And just as importantly, we realize when we are not.

Meditation changes our relationship to our feelings. This is because meditation opens us, to beauty, goodness, Godness, to hurt and pain that has not been fully realized or released, to joys that have not been remembered in a while. We often don't allow ourselves to feel fully being afraid to do so. We have to get vulnerable with our self in order to feel more; more joy, more forgiveness, more peace, more letting go. Meditation, because it is a personal practice, allows each person to explore these deep and semi-uncharted waters within. Meditation also gives a container for both the exploration and what might be encountered. If we encounter a moment of grace, meditation will hold it in sacredness. If we encounter anger, meditation will allow it room. If we encounter pain or sadness, futility or remorse, meditation will give us the space of empathy within. Eventually, meditation becomes the empowering place of non-judgment of one's self, then deep love and peace can pour in.

Meditation changes how our mind works. In some ways this is the most important result of meditation. By nature, the mind is an activity machine. It was made to handle myriads of bits of information simultaneously. As you are reading this undoubtedly there is noise somewhere around you, sights other than the page within your vision, you are breathing and possibly smelling something in the air, and your skin is being touched by your clothes. While you are reading you might also be thinking about things people have said, things you want to say to others, appointments, the list that didn't get done, etc. The point is that the mind handles all this and more every minute of the day. It is an activity machine.

Meditation helps the mind learn to do something additional or different with this natural tendency of activity.  At first the mind needs to learn to withdraw from being sensorially bound, jumping into action at the whim of every sense. Then it can learn to focus in a whole new way, in a meditative way. This focus is different from the usual use of analysis, deduction, computation, or even reading an engrossing book. It eventually becomes a beam of light shining onto wherever we point it. It cultivates clarity, insight, and prioritization. These result in simplification, at first in the mind, and then little by little, in one's life. As the mind has less reactiveness and is less of a Mexican jumping bean, our life is also less reactive and more calm, rhythmic, and composed.

Meditation also changes our relationship to our self into a relationship with our Self. We move from being a person with primarily only everyday mundane awareness, getting through the needs of the day, to a person getting in touch with deeper considerations, probing questions, or sensing a new creative spark seeking outlet and expression. We touch into and are touched by a deep goodness, by the grace of God, and the wise love of the soul. Then things really start to get interesting!

Why meditate? Because meditation changes everything. As people change in positive ways they want to see positive change around them. People create avenues for service, and try to transform their workplace, community, country, and the world into a better place. As we say at Spirit Fire, "only a change in consciousness can change the world." Meditation changes consciousness and so changes the world. It changes everything.

If you would like more information on the School of Meditation at Spirit Fire, please visit our website. www.SpiritFire.com

A free introductory talk on the Six Gifts of Meditation is available on cd on our website. Other talks on the subject and meditation cds are for sale on the website also.

School of Meditation with Donna Mitchell-Moniak

This fall Spirit Fire has opened its School of Meditation offering a weekend retreat at its center in Leyden, MA and in Boulder,CO.  Below is a sharing from a retreat participant.

"I want to share my experience of meditation that would not have been possible for me without the awareness training that is being taught/built/practiced.  So simple, yet so profound!  Breathing up and down AND pulling my thoughts, emotions and sensations into the central channel and into the heart specifically led to alchemy of the heart on these matters.  Almost magically all that is above and all that is below started to permeate each other.  Matter of the three worlds was lifted up and matter above the three worlds reached down from the magnetic invocation and intension of the heart.  Each breath at-one-ing spirit and matter in the consciousness of the heart.  Thank you."  (Jennifer Paris)

Dates at Spirit Fire Retreat Center for the School of Meditation '07-'08 calendar year:

• Dec. 7-12
• Feb. 22-24
• April 4-8
• July 3-11
• Sept. 5-7
• Dec 10-14

Classes with Donna Mitchell-Moniak

Beginner Esoteric Astrology
8 sessions/ 4 weeks T & Th
Starting Oct 9   7:15pm
Circles of Wisdom - Andover, MA

Beginner Esoteric Astrology
8 sessions/ 4 weeks M&W
Starting Oct 15  7pm
Center at Westwoods - Westwoods, MA

Programs with Martha Henry-MacDonald

Open meditation circle
Bi-weekly - Medfield, MA
www.harmony-center.org

Meditation with Cherie Peterson

Open meditation
Thurs. @ noon
Evergreen Conference Center
Evergreen, CO
Call 303- 674-2646 for info

Learn more about all of these programs at www.SpiritFire.com