“The canvas is the door to another dimension.”
~ Salvador Dali. 1904-1989.

 Daniel Merriam
“The canvas is the door to another dimension.”
~ Salvador Dali. 1904-1989.

 Daniel Merriam
Happy Labor Day everyone! Good news, we are starting September off right with two planets resuming forward motion đ
Mars and Mercury are doing an odd dance right now. Mercury (in Retrograde) is barreling towards Mars (Direct) in the last degrees of Leo. Remember the eclipse a couple weeks ago?
The American eclipse on August 21st occurred at 28 degrees Leo. Mars will be ON that degree tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 2nd! This transit inspires us to put our eclipse insights into motion and TAKE ACTION! We also have a Mars/Uranus trine (positive aspect) tomorrow! Expect the unexpected… revelations abound and the desire to be free and independent will reach a fever pitch.
Next week, Mars and Mercury will “cross” each other in the night sky causing a moving conjunction AT 29 degrees Leo. If that wasn’t enough (and it really is), Mercury is going Direct on Tuesday (Sept. 5th) at… you guessed it… 28 degrees Leo!!
Mercury (mind and communication) will be united with Mars (action and vitality) and you can finally move mountains in the right direction. Creativity, assertiveness and expression will be easy to access. This is an amazing event, and really beautiful. Astrology never ceases to amaze me.
Saturn turned Direct at 21 Sagittarius on Friday, August 25th at five in the morning. It’s the planet of responsibility, discipline and reality and can feel HEAVY. When Saturn is retrograde, things appear less stable in our personal lives and society at large. Thankfully we are now moving Direct, and issues will begin to get back on course. If you haven’t made progress on a project or goal, there’s steady movement now. Saturn in Sagittarius asks us to recommit to our Truth, Beliefs and Goals, and have discipline in our day to day activities.
The August 21st eclipse will be rolling out and affecting us for the next six months. Since it occurred in Leo, so we can look for a rebirth or change regarding our self expression, status, and identity. Art, clothes, music, leadership and public speaking are highlighted. Did you get any insights on your life?
Everyone will be impacted by August’s eclipse in different ways. If you’re interested in how it will affect you, set up a reading with me đ I can give you a huge snapshot of your life story in a 15 minute phone reading.
This guy is HILARIOUS! Check out the vid đ

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Solar Eclipse at 28 Leo: 11:25am Pacific, Monday morning, August 21st.
New Moon in Leo: 11:30am.
Moon’s eclipse of the Sun will also TRINE Uranus at 28 Aries! Watch for fireworks. This is a major turning point in our personal lives, AND society at large. Events could change suddenly. Unexpected, hidden insights could appear out of nowhere next week. Eclipse’s can take awhile to manifest too, so the next six months could reveal more sudden changes.
On top of this, most of the other planets are currently Retrograde, asking us to review and reorganize the growth we’ve experienced over the past few months:
Mercury Retrograde in Virgo until September 5th: Reflect. Bring something back that you’ve had on “hold”. Revise, reconfigure and try a different approach or path.
Sun, Moon, Mars and the North Node in Leo. Thatâs a LOT of action where Leo falls in your chart. You can find your chart here, or set up a reading with me here.
Saturn stationing Direct next Friday at 21 Sagittarius
This eclipse is on the North Node (destiny), leading us to our future. You can get a glimpse of your future if you pay attention on Monday.
When the World falls under the influence of an eclipse, things are out of the ordinary. It’s an uncommon time, and we have rare and insightful experiences. It’s like walking around a darkened room with a black light – things show up differently, and we see things in a way we don’t normally see them. An eclipse can illuminate your path of meaning and life purpose, and bring a new phase of growth and adventure. It’s a hushed, quiet time when you can hear your Higher Soul speaking to you.
We touch the foundations of why we are here on this planet. Each of us gains some new insight or information into the life we are currently leading. This information can come through anything – our family, friends, a situation at work, or a bolt of lightning straight from the heavens into our consciousness. When it’s an eclipse, I pay close attention to what I hear, see and think, because there’s something synchronistic about it. No sudden moves though; think things through and give any revolutionary inklings time to take shape.
Check out the horoscopes below to see how this eclipse will affect you. Read your Rising sign, NOT Sun sign. You can figure out your Rising sign (or Ascendant)Â here
Aries â Let your creativity shine and your romantic side fully express itself. If you’re an artist, writer or musician this will be a fortunate time for you. If you’re looking for love you are likely to meet someone in the next few months.
Taurus â Hanging out at home is where you want to be. This eclipse lands in you House AND the bedrock of your soul, illuminating your personal psychology. Your personal life is at a turning point, and the next six months could see a change for the better. Be brave and seek counseling if needed.
Gemini â The Sun, Moon and Mars are in your favorite place! The 3rd house of communication, socializing, teaching and learning. Self expression is enhanced so explore your creativity.
Cancer â The eclipse signals a transformation with your money and values. Cancerians need security to feel stable, and with Saturn stationing nearby in a loose trine you should feel on top of things. There could be a boost with values and self esteem in the next few months.
Leo â Mars in Leo gives you the confidence to assume leadership of your life. You’ve had your birthday and you are shining. The fortune you’ve experienced the past couple of years is revving up for a finale, so make the most of this time. Be Bold and embrace the positive changes that are coming. Where do you want to go?
Virgo â The eclipse in Leo is in your 12th House of spirituality and psychology. It’s a time for solitude and contemplation. This house is also known as your “blind spot”, so pay attention and see if you’re repeating old patterns.
Libra â Time to socialize and solidify hopes and wishes. Where do you want to be a year from now? Mars is giving you the drive to make it happen. Bring your wishes into reality.
Scorpio â Your 10th House of ambition, public image, career and direction is foremost in your mind. This eclipse could generate a huge shift in your status. Your ruler Mars is active here and is driving you to work harder. The next six months bring recognition – you are out in the world and highly visible.
Sagittarius â Mars in Leo sends sparks of energy, drive and action to your ideas! Entering a new course of study might be appealing to you. Expanding your life perspective through long distance travel is also possible. Your focus is the higher mind.
Capricorn â You’re looking at issues around debt, credit and real estate… and sex and death too. The eclipse is in your 8th House, and you need to upgrade your views on these issues. This is doubly highlighted by Saturn stationing in Sagittarius next Friday. There’s some deep diving into psychological issues which will yield positive results around your birthday.
Aquarius â The eclipse inspires you to reassess your relationships… ALL of them. You’re redoing your approach to love itself. Look at your values and write a list of the qualities you’re looking for in a partner. A soul mate has appeared – or will be before December.
Pisces â Work, health and habits. You’ve had a lot of business the past few months, and will continue to work hard for the next several weeks. Mars in Leo is physical, so it’s a great time to start eating better and working out. It’s always good for a Pisces-influenced person to get out of their imaginations and into their physicality.
This week is the dark of the Moon. We spiritually “gestate”, as we turn towards the New Moon in Leo + Solar Eclipse on Monday at 11:25am Pacific. This is SUCH a roiling, wild ride. Mars (aggression, battles) and the North Node (the future) are closely escorting the Sun through the last degrees of Leo towards it’s eclipse. Emotions are running high as you can tell by watching five minutes of news. We are fighting for the future we want in our personal lives AND for our country. This eclipse runs across the US, and the degree of 28 Leo symbolizes an embattled leader. Check out Austin Coppock’s post for more info on society at large.
Personally, we don’t have to buy into the tension. This is the black of the Moon, and it’s a week of rest. That’s the best way to prepare for the fireworks on Monday – just rest, detach from stressful situations and allow your mind to wander. Mercury retrograding through Virgo asks us to review our goals and re-prioritize our lives. The best use of your energy this week is to do some research, take on tasks you’ve been avoiding, tie up loose ends and get organized. Try to sit with what life is bringing you right now, and what it reflects regarding your evolution. Begin things anew after Monday.

This week is the waning Moon in Cancer. We finish our emotional self-reflection and turn our energies towards the Sun in Leo occurring this Saturday morning, July 22nd at 7:15am. AND Mars enters Leo Thursday! This is big news.
Mars and the Sun have been slogging through Cancer over the past month, and neither of these planets are happy in that situation. Men in particular have been affected by these transits. Mars, in it’s detriment in Cancer brings up insecurities, introspection and weakness in any person or venture requiring assertiveness. All this changes in the next couple of days with the arrival of Leo! The Lion isn’t afraid to stand out or claim it’s rightful place.
There’s an undercurrent going on too.
Yesterday we had Mars square Uranus which is a restless, electric aspect. Mars gives us the energy and drive to work hard, and Uranus wants to be free and independent – especially at the end of Aries. The actual lightning strike of the aspect occurred yesterday, and today we can start developing a plan to a achieve our freedom. The goal? To fully express our originality and genius!
And now today we have a beautiful vibe of Venus trine Jupiter (along with Moon in Taurus). This inspires us to take that dream and activate it towards joy and meaning. If you require Luck or Love, the next few days are highlighted as a fertile planting time for ideas. Do your Art, burn a green candle and walk in rose gardens – but don’t overindulge in substances or nowhere relationships.
Every month there’s a New Moon where we rebirth ourselves to the Sun’s renewed vibration, and this Sunday is our New Moon in Leo. Tie up loose ends this week, solidify your foundation, and point yourself towards the goals of late July/August. This is important work because next month we have an eclipse over the United States. An eclipse casts a different light over things – revealing situations normally hidden. This could be a turning point for ourselves AND our society.
More to come.
Excellent article and video on the tarot by Alejandro Jodorowsky.
“The practice of cartomancy, or divination with cards, dates back several hundred years to at least 14th century Europe, perhaps by way of Turkey. But the specific form we know of, the tarot, likely emerged in the 17th century, and the deck weâre all most familiar withâthe Rider-Waite Tarotâdidnât appear until 1909. Popular mainly with occultists like Aleister Crowley and Madame Blavatsky in the early 20th century, the tarot exploded into popular culture in the new age 70s with books like Stuart Kaplanâs Tarot Cards for Fun and Fortune Telling, and by way of cult filmmakers like Alejandro Jodorowsky.

Since its relatively recent popularization, âfunâ and âfortune tellingâ have more or less defined most peopleâs attitude to the tarot, whether they approve or disapprove of either one. But for artists and poets like William Butler Yeats, T.S. Eliot, and surrealist director Jodorowskyâwhose film narration is perhaps the most poetic in modern cinemaâthe tarot has always meant something much more mysterious and inspiring. âThe tarot,â says Jodorowsky in the short film above, âwill teach you how to create a soul.â
After studying the Major and Minor Arcana and the suits, and puzzling over the symbols on each card, Jodorowsky discovered that âall 78 cards could be joined in a mandala, in just one image.â Learning to see the deck thus, âYou must not talk about the future. The future is a con. The tarot is a language that talks about the present. If you use it to see the future, you become a conman.â Like other mystical poets, Jodorowskyâs study of the tarot did not lead him to the supernatural but to the creative act.
And like many a poet before him, Jodorowsky explored the journey of the Fool in his 1973 film The Holy Mountain, a âdazzling, rambling, often incoherent satire,â writes Matt Zoller Seitz, that âunfurls like a hallucinogenic daydream.â Jodorowskyâs cinematic dream logic comes not only from his work as a âshamanic psychotherapist.â He also credits the tarot for his psychomagical realism. âFor me,â says Jodorowsky in the video at the top, âthe tarot was something more serious. It was a deep psychological search.â The result of that searchâJodorowskyâs singular and totally unforgettable body of workâspeaks to us of the value of such an undertaking, whatever means one uses to get there.
Or as Jodorowsky says in one of his mystical pronouncements, âIf you set your spirit to something, that phenomenon will happen.â If that sounds like magical thinking, thatâs exactly what it is. Jodorowsky shows us how to read the tarot as he does, for psychological insight and creative inspiration, in the video above, addressed to a fan named John Bishop. Spanish speakers will have no trouble understanding his presentation, as he quickly slides almost fully into his native language through lack of confidence in his facility with English. (The video belongs to a series on Jodorowskyâs YouTube channel, most of them fully in Spanish without subtitles.) Selecting a translation on YouTube yields rather garbled results.”
Read more: Article

I stumbled across an episode of Forum with Stanford neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky the other day, and the show was so stunning I HAVE to share it. The influence of our biology on our decision-making is profound, and I find it fascinating.
Apparently, our brains are wired to become aggressive and angry when we’re fearful; to default into “us and them” mentality (which causes a host of social problems), and to make decisions based purely on smell and hunger. You gotta listen to it. We are homo sapiens. It’s so easy to forget while running our errands, getting to work on time, raising our kids. But WE ARE ANIMALS, and our biological impulses have a HUGE influence on our behavior.
Dr. Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, and has spent a lot of his life around primates and studying their behaviors. He finds interesting correlations with human behavior, and discusses them at length in his new book “Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst”.
Here’s the audio of the show. It really takes off eight minutes in… let me know what you think!


Astrologically, the first days of July have been emotionally rough, and the best way through it has been to Feel our Feelings. The Sun is in Cancer which is the most emotionally sensitive sign of the zodiac. It directs our attention to unresolved family/home issues that need to be addressed and purged. Also, the Moon has been traveling through Scorpio the last few days – bringing up our deepest psychological knots to be healed. Mercury and Mars have been barreling through Cancer too, adding some extra urgency and heat. PLUS on Saturday, Chiron (the wounded healer) turned retrograde – activating the vulnerable place of old pain each of us carries. I mean seriously!! How much more can we take??!!
Be gentle with yourself this week, and take time for solitude if you need it. I do a lot of journaling during times like these, and often find nuggets of wisdom through reflection and dreams. As a wise friend once told me, “if you treat yourself like a precious jewel, everything will fall into place”. I find the deepest truths can be found in our recurring patterns. Is there something you need to sacrifice in order to release suffering?
Currently:
Mars opposing Pluto (the warrior faces Death, read this piece by Austin Coppock)
Mercury into Leo 5:20pm Pacific TODAY.
Full Moon in Capricorn this SUNDAY, July 9th (just work all weekend)
Venus in Gemini, Mars in Cancer (not happy) until July 20th.
So basically, next weekend could be the sequel to last⊠the Full Moon this Sunday is at the same degree as Pluto – so we will have a Full Moon conjunct Pluto which is also intensely emotional – but highly transformational. Pluto wants to help us rebirth ourselves by clearing out toxic sludge; it’s catharsis.
“Catharsis (from Greek ÎșΏΞαÏÏÎčÏ katharsis meaning “purification” or “cleansing”) is the purification and purgation of emotionsâespecially pity and fearâthrough art or any extreme change in emotion that results in renewal and restoration. It is a metaphor originally used by Aristotle in the Poetics, comparing the effects of tragedy on the mind of a spectator to the effect of a cathartic on the body.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharsis
From Katie Sweetman:
July 2017 Horoscopes
http://empoweringastrology.com/july-2017-horoscopes
Pluto in Capricorn: Sign by Sign
http://empoweringastrology.com/pluto-in-capricorn-sign-by-sâŠ

“Sirens by the Sea” by Victor Karlovich Shtemberg (1863-1921)

A strange visual language developed from the 18th to the 20th century behind the closed doors of American secret societies. Itâs a languae made up of all-seeing eyes, ominous skulls, hourglasses, arrows, axes, and curious hands holding hearts. Each of these icons was deeply symbolic for the thousands of people â mostly men â who participated in rituals of borrowed meaning, where ancient Egypt, biblical Christianity, and some homegrown amusements like wooden goats on wheels met the rise of American folk art. The American Folk Art Museumâs (AFAM) Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection examines this often hidden history through its arcane artifacts.

Mystery and Benevolence was curated by Stacy C. Hollander, chief curator and director of exhibitions at AFAM, and Aimee E. Newell, director of collections at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library. It features over 200 objects recently donated to the museum by Kendra and Allan Daniel, who spent three decades buying up the once-secretive art. Installed in the museum, the objects are an exuberant display of the âgolden ageâ of Masonic and Odd Fellows objects, when American decorative and folk art merged with the need for a sense of belonging in the new country.
âAfter becoming an independent nation in the 1780s, America was seeking to establish its own cultural identity; Freemasonry offered a source of images that resonated with the new nationâs values of equality and liberty,â Newell writes in the accompanying catalogue. âFreemasonryâs visual language and American style began to intersect almost as soon as victory over the British was declared, and continued to adapt as the nation grew and the fraternity evolved. â
Much of the exhibition contextualizes this long-hidden art in the history of the societies, such as their charity work. The Odd Fellows, formed in 18th-century London, were organized as a benevolent group to support the sick, orphans, and those who died without money for a funeral. One of their mission statements is proclaimed in red and gold on a large wooden sign: âBury the Dead.â There are also axes indicating how the Odd Fellows saw themselves as âpioneers in the pathway of lifeâ; staffs topped with a heart in the hand were a reminder to be open to others.
Similarly, even the more ghoulish imagery had some meaning connected to charity, and selflessness. The skulls, hourglasses, and skeletons holding shields painted with the word âfidelityâ were all reminders of mortality, and how oneâs brief time on earth could be better dedicated to others. Reverend Aaron B. Grosh wrote in 1853âs The Odd Fellowâs Manual: âOnly the good or evil of our lives will survive us on earth, to draw down on our memories the blessings of those we have aided, or the contempt and reproach of those we have injured.â



âThe outward form of each symbol offers a different point of access, but in its context within the lexicon of the fraternity, deeper meanings are revealed to those for whom the symbols are signified,â Hollander writes in the catalogue. âIn this, the art of fellowship is not dissimilar to the art of alchemy, its secret knowledge also protected by its practitioners.â

In As Above, So Below: Art of the American Fraternal Society, 1850â1930, recently published by the University of Texas Press, itâs noted that from 1890 to 1915, an âestimated one in five men belonged to at least one society.â Fraternal societies still exist, although their numbers have greatly dwindled. According to the Masonic Service Association of North America, there were 1,211,183 members in 2014.
The Masons are the countryâs oldest established fraternal order, with numerous lodges founded in the 18th century across the US. In one painting on view at AFAM, their most famous member, George Washington, stands proudly at a Masonic altar. The Odd Fellows soon followed and quickly gained an important membership of their own, as did other societies like the Knights Templar, Shriners, and Junior Order of United American Mechanics. All were mostly white, male, and protestant, albeit from across different economic classes.
The objects in Mystery and Benevolence are seductive with their strangeness and feel somehow accessible through the ordinariness of the materials. I remember visiting the Masonic Hall on 23rd Street in Manhattan, and the tour guide (a Mason) pointing out that all the grand architectural flourishes were fancy fakery. The Corinthian columns, the Renaissance murals, and the Gothic arches that adorned different meeting rooms were all plaster â beautifully painted, but mimicry of the exotic and ancient all the same.
Likewise, the objects in this exhibition are visually stunning, from a late 19th-century staff wrapped with a snake to a towering column topped with a globe. There are some truly masterful pieces, like an intricate marquetry table by James J. Crozier, yet for the most part, the artists remain unidentified and the closest an object gets to a precious material is in the application of some gold leaf on the edges.
These are rare artifacts of an occult culture, each a labor of love for their ritual purpose, not originally intended as art, but as a tool of connection through shared rites. The value of these pieces goes beyond their folk art status. They represent a clandestine history embedded within the story of the United States, where for decades a large percentage of its men would amble over to the local lodge after dark, have a drink (or several), don a scarlet robe, then ponder a skeletal memento mori â or take a ride on a wooden goat around the lodge room.












Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collectioncontinues at the American Folk Art Museum (2 Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Manhattan) through May 8.
http://hyperallergic.com/271755/folk-art-relics-from-the-golden-age-of-americas-secret-societies/
and…