....

WHAT'S ON THIS PAGE NAVIGATION BOX
FEATURE SERIES: The Celestine Prophesy -- Inside the Insights; All Our Children; Energetic
Energy
; SIDE BOX: The Way You Say It Version 1; SIDE BOX: The Way You Say It Version 2
DIARY: Crones Corner; SIDE BOX: In The Crone's Cupboard | INSPIRATIONALS
Use Contents Navigation Console | Go To Next Page (Page 21)

....
....METAPHYSICAL HEAD-TO-HEAD
PLAIN TEXT
A quote from the Coffeehouse Culture ‘Real Meanings’ Dictionary: 'Prophesy' -- the innate potential for an object or event to show a profit.’

Continuing our on-going exploration of The Celestine Prophesy, two experienced
and knowledgeable metaphysicians go head to head as they discuss the real
meaning of the insights that make the book -- for so many people -- a
valuable tool for personal growth

THE CELESTINE PROPHESY

INSIDE THE INSIGHTS

The Secret of Its Success

If ever there was an unlikely success story, it is ‘The Celestine Prophesy’
becoming a bestseller. But a bestseller is what it did become. It is hard to see
why. Almost totally devoid of literary merit, the book has a storyline that is
barely adequate, a plot that is arch, ham-fisted and predictable and a climax
that is almost impossible to swallow. None of that seemed to matter, however.
It sold like hotcakes. It is clear that something other than being ‘a great read’
made the book the success it became. In this article -- with the help of two
experienced and knowledgeable metaphysicians -- we consider what made
the book so successful and where it might fit in the lexicon of spiritual tools
available to us at this crucial point in world evolution.


ALL OUR CHILDREN

What is truth? My truth? Your truth? Somebody
else's truth? All different. Truth must be more
than that. It must be something that is true for
all of us or most of us. It must be understandable,
meaningful and real.

t would have been easy to have dismissed ‘The Celestine Prophesy’ except for the fact that everyone was talking about it. Few books in recent years had excited so much discussion. James Redfield’s tale of archaeological intrigue and adventure seemed to reach parts that other books did not even get close to. It seemed that it had something meaningful to say to almost everyone who read it. But it was an unlikely candidate for runaway success. An unsophisticated and not very ripping yarn with a slightly spiritual orientation, it was clear that the book’s success was due to something other than the storytelling.
...For a bestseller, The Celestine Prophecy has little to recommend it. Poorly written, poorly plotted, featuring one-dimensional and badly drawn characters reacting to situations like puppets in a kids TV show, it is far from great -- or even good -- literature. Possessed of a writing style that is adequate but neither erudite nor elegant, James Redfield make few demands on his readers’ intelligence. Using a vocabulary that is, to say the least, limited, it is amazing that the flat, uninspired and monochromatic text manages to keep the reader with it. Maybe there is something to be said for ‘easy reading.’ Described on its cover as ‘An Adventure,’ it lacks the drama and tensions that the description implies. The essential dynamic of adventure stories, the energy produced by the conflict between an objective and adversity, is missing. And that makes for a not terribly gripping read.
...So, what is it that placed this grizzled, warty, hunchback-
ed dwarf of literature among the tall and elegant literary aristocracy at the top of the bestseller charts for so long? It certainly wasn’t its high literary values. But there was something. Something special. Something that transcended the sheer awfulness of the tale itself. Something that gave the book a meaning and a value that far outshone its literary worth.
...It was easy to see the highly contrived and clanking tale of a disaffected social worker and his travels in Peru seeking a missing part of a Mayan manuscript, as a device. Clearly the whole point of the exercise was the dissemination of the nine ‘insights’ contained within the manuscript. It was those nine ‘insights’ that were the raison d’etre and point of the whole thing. The tale, the ‘adventure’ story, well that was just a device to get the insights across. They are what The Celestine Prophecy is about. It is the insights that keep us reading. And it is the insights that have made the book the bestseller that it has become.
...Unlikely as it might seem, it is, nonetheless, the insights that give the book its unique worth and value, that make it a volume that everyone should read. To have that effect the insights must be possessed of some significant qualities. Indeed, they need to be revelationary. That means that they must not only be relevant, meaningful, insightful and profound but also easily understandable, broadly applicable, personally relevant and believable. We are talking about truisms here. To become a bestseller, the insights must ‘speak’ to everyone and not be found to be speaking rubbish, either. To have the power to excite interest and evoke conversation and debate, it must have that revelationary quality that brings forth deep truths in a new form that gives us a more profound understanding of the factors that REALLY influence our lives. It must almost provide an epiphany of understanding.
...And, indeed, in many ways The Celestine Prophecy does provide such an epiphany. Just how it effects this is a tale in itself. There are, however, moments when the truth is revealed in such startling and striking clarity that it takes ones breath away. Confronted with a truth that one has felt but not known, experienced but not defined, with a truth that had marked one’s life but has never been understood or within one’s control, it is hard not to be a little gob-smacked. To have such truths defined in simple terms is like turning on a party in the head -- the lights are flashing and the bells are ringing.
...It all comes down to credibility. In the final analysis, for the book to have the revelationary qualities that are necessary, it must have demonstrated its credibility. And it is more than necessary for The Celestine Prophecy to fulfil this requirement for several of the insights take more than a little swallowing. Of course, the insights come in different forms and flavours. The way they are expressed in the original book makes a number of them deeply meaningful and profound but reduces others to almost gobbledegook. However, expressed in other ways, the more out on a limb insights become more believable but some of the others lose a lot of their relevance. It is a case of horses for courses. As you can see from our two ‘Alternative Insights’ boxes, the two versions of each insight come across in completely different ways. And both are dramatically different from the original.
...For me, this is nowhere better highlighted than in the sixth insight. When I first read the book, this was the insight that did it for me. Boy it was an eye-opener that left me blinking with incredulity that I had missed something so obvious and influential. Suddenly a whole new aspect of life opened up, One that explained why people are as they are, why they continue to be so, why we have little or no control over it or ourselves, why life is the self-interested, superficial and heartless experience that many of us (probably readers, one and all, of ‘The Celestine Prophecy’) had found it to be.
...In the brief version of the insights, number six is said to deal with: ‘Investigating family dynamics and interactive control dramas.' But that doesn’t say half of it. The longer alternative says more but that is what longer versions do. It does not, however, speak as loudly, as clearly, as stridently or as meaningfully as does the original.
...Designed to be explored and developed sequentially, one after the other, the sixth insight is unveiled in a conversation about control dramas -- the ways in which individuals seek to control people and situations through creating a dynamic that gets all the psychic energy coming their way. The scene is set when the unnamed hero meets someone with valuable information but is too distant and aloof to elicit it. When he realises that he has screwed up, he talks to his travelling companion, the old priest, Father Sanchez. The good father’s response is significant and meaningful. ‘You were so aloof you didn’t allow an important coincidence to take place.’
...The significance of the response, lies in that key word ‘coincidence.’ One of the core concepts of The Celestine Prophecy and the pivot upon which almost all of the insights rest is that there is no such thing as coincidence. Thus it is that, in a clever and one might say almost manipulative fashion, Redfield consolidates the credibility of earlier insights.
...Disturbed that he has messed up through his own ineptitude, he asks the priest to explain more and thus the sixth insight is unveiled. ‘The first thing,’ says Father Sanchez, who is the principal medium through which the insights are revealed. ‘is to bring our particular control drama into full consciousness.’ We must, he says, ‘look at ourselves and discover what we are doing to manipulate for energy.’
...To do this, the old priest continues, we must go back into our own past and discover how these habits developed. ‘Remember,’ he says, ‘most of our family members were operating in a drama themselves, trying to pull energy out of us as children. That is why we had to form a control drama in the first place. We had to have a strategy to win energy back.’
...Describing each control drama as unique to the family and the individuals involved, Father Sanchez, explores the unnamed hero’s own childhood, probing him with questions about his parents' attitudes and characters. When our hero mentions that his father was critical -- ‘He asked questions, then found something wrong with the answers.’ -- the old priest makes his move.
...And what happened to your energy?’ he asks.
...I guess I felt drained so I tried to keep from telling him anything.’
...With a tacit ‘Ah hah!’ that echoes through time and space like the J. Arthur Rank gong in a bucket, Sanchez strikes. ‘You mean you got vague and distant, trying to say things in a way that would get his attention but not reveal enough to give him something to criticise.’
...Describing the hero’s father as ‘an interrogator,’ over the next few pages Father Sanchez defines the four kinds of control drama and describes how they work. ’Everyone,’ he says, ‘manipulates for energy either aggressively, directly forcing people to pay attention to them, or passively, playing on people’s sympathy or curiosity to gain attention.’
...The most extreme control drama, he says, is that of the intimidator who uses threats, verbal or physical, to gain attention and energy. This is the most aggressive and unpleasant control drama.
...Next comes the interrogator who gains energy by setting up a drama whereby he asks questions and probes another’s world in order to find things to criticise. If the strategy succeeds, the person being criticised is pulled into the drama and becomes self-conscious and defensive in the presence of the interrogator. In this way the interrogator gains control of the psychic energy in the exchange.
...The response to both of these control dramas is
usually the ‘Aloof Drama.’ This both protects against other control drama freaks and creates a manipulative mysti-
que that is itself designed to gain psychic ascendency.
...More insidious is the ‘Poor Me’ drama. This is the guilt card and it is probably one that most of us recognise. It works by telling a person about the bad things that one is experiencing and suggesting that they are responsible or if not responsible at least unwilling to help to rectify the situation. Guilty or not it is a card that nearly always works.
...Explaining the inter-relationship and mutual dependency of the four control dramas, Father Sanchez presents a convincing -- some might say, among them me, mind-blowing -- case for understanding the way people are. As we all become victims of the control dramas of others, we develop defenses -- more control dramas. But, although we are constantly engaged in the control dramas in every area of our lives, it is the parental ones that mark us deepest. By the time we are adults ourselves, we have developed the mechanisms to not only defend our energy but to quickly replenish it if it does get zapped. Playing out the same control scenarios again and again, they become familar, instinctive and integrated into our characters. We come to expect that we will have to defend our energy against attack and put up our defenses in that expectation. And, before we know, the defenses are going up so early that we have become the attacker. By this time the systems we have developed for defending our energy have become so regular, common and routine, that we no longer know we are doing it. And about that time we decide to have some children. Love and cherish them as we might, we are set in a pattern and
THE WAY
YOU
SAY IT
version two


The summary of the nine insights below, was written by Alan Atkinson and used to be on the SpiritWeb web site. However, the last time we looked it was no longer there.

The Nine Insights, in brief:

1. Noticing and following sync-
hronicities.

2. Looking for more to life's ult-
imate purpose than material acquisition.

3. Becoming acquainted with subtle energies, seeing & pro-
jecting auras.

4. Recognizing polarized, comp-
etitive patterns in relationships.

5. Nurturing the mystical, beginn-
ing to build your energy and to allow love in.

6. Investigating family dynamics and interactive 'control dramas.'

7. Learning through contemplat-
ion and meditation to allow the steady stream of intuitions, dreams, and synchronicities to guide you toward your own transformation.

8. Practicing the new 'Interper-
sonal Ethic' by acknowledging and encouraging those who spontane ously 'connect' with you, by avoiding co-dependent relationships and by speaking when the spirit (not the ego) moves you.

9. Continued focus on our evol-
ution will raise our perceptions and vibrational frequencies to a high enough level of conscious-
ness to trigger a massive shift in our entire Reality.

there is no moving away from it. Thus it is that inadvertantly, unknowingly and with no malice or forethought, we pass on to our offspring our legacy of screwed-
upness. It is easy to see why the world is so slow to change and why the same old patterns are repeated again and again.
...It is also hard to apportion blame. The control dramas to which we were subjected as children mark us indelibly for the rest of our lives. Although no one intends to perpetuate the control drama scenario, we received it from our parents and they received it from theirs and it is virtually impossible not to pass the legacy on.
...When I first read and thought about the sixth insight, it was a deeply profound revelation that almost moved me to tears. I could see how I had been marked by my parents and how it had marred my interaction with life. Worse, how-
ever, was the way I had passed the tradition to my own children. Except.
...There was no blame involved because neither I, nor my parents nor any of us knew we were doing it. But -- as they say in the cover hype on the paperback edition of the Prophecy -- it was a life-changing experience. Of course, it is only when new information comes to the fore bringing with it a new understanding that negative aspects of individual functioning can be adjusted. Only through examining one’s past and present can the future be secured.
...Although within the insights there is much that felt instinctively ‘right.’ it is number six that seems to have made the biggest impression on many people. And it is number six that made everyone stop reading. What they had thought was just another faddish and fashionable accessory suddenly seemed to be rather more. Like me, many readers must have gone back and re-read the previous five insights with a new eye and appreciation. And, like me, they probably tried or re-tried the seeing energy fields technique. And, like me, they probably did see their own energy field and the fields of others. Mind-blowing stuff. When something as outrageous as seeing your own energy field is brought to life in such a simple and unpretentious way, it is hard not to take stuff that is even more outrageous rather more seriously.
...As you will have seen, it was not just concepts and ideas but real techniques that did things. Carlos Castenada made a fortune offering a lot less. And, right at the heart of the insights -- number seven in the list -- is the key technique that makes all the other insights realisable -- meditation. It is there because it is always the key technique in any system or practice designed to develop or nurture spirituality. And it offers support to all the other insights through its ability to elevate consciousness, to broaden and expand vision, to clear the obstacles that block the path of evolution and to develop an appreciation of the subtle forces that operate within life. It is the catalyst that draws the elements that constitute spiritual development together and binds them into a propellant force that makes them both very real and very active.
...In particular, the insights that deal with how we view and respond to the world -- which is most of them -- are supported by meditation. Not only supported, either, but also developed. In the Rig Veda it says: ‘Knowledge is structured in consciousness.’ And it is knowledge such as that contained in the insights that the Rig Veda is talking about. This is profound knowledge, perhaps the most profound knowledge. It is wisdom of the ancient sages that is still relevant today. It is eternal wisdom that has relevance, meaning and truth to impart to every age.
...And the fact that The Celestine Prophecy became a bestseller is, perhaps, in part due to its deep value as a practical and philosophical purveyor of truths, as a proponent of evolution and as a tool for the development of higher consciousness. It is a book with a special message. As if its message of personal development, evolution and world change were not enough, it also has to tell us that there is hope. That enough people have bought the book to keep it at the top of the bestseller lists for so long is, in itself, a message of hope for the future.
TOP OF PAGE


ENERGETIC TRUTH

So you have discovered what seem to be some
Truths that could change people and their lives.
This is powerful knowledge but what happens
now? What do you do with the knowledge? How
do you get it across?

ames Redfield's world vision, 'The Celestine Prophesy,' was presumably born out of his own personal journey to find 'Truth.' Where his journey took him and what he experienced can only be imagined. What, however, he brought back is a dramatic and life-changing legacy. For the truths he found were shocking and amazing, perhaps even to him! His urge to share these findings resulted in a book that has no rivals. The simplistic style in which it is written makes it accessible to all who care to see the world through a new lens, one that has been polished to sparkling just for the occasion. Mr. Redfield's version of 'The Truth' offers far more than platitudes and encouragement; it actually gives the reader usable tools for personal empowerment and spiritual evolution. This book is both a revelation to our current state of consciousness and a remembering from a deep level of soul. Although there are many books that offer advice, techniques and step-by-step guidance for those on the path to Enlightenment, Redfield's book has something else going for it -- accessibility. This is no holy book, gospel or esoteric treatise on personal development. It is, as it proclaims on the cover, 'An adventure.' And it speaks with a contemporary voice, one that everyone can understand.
...Having 'discovered' a new tag on Truth, one that seemed to offer fresh and revitalised hope of salvation, Redfield's problem was how to get it across. Appreciating, quite wisely, that these truths came alive when accompanied by
THE WAY
YOU
SAY IT
version one


'
It is not what you but the way that you say it' was and is ever is a truism. But it has never been more applicable than within 'The Celestine Prophesy.' Although the Nine Insights describe fundamental truisms, the way in which they are expressed has a big impact on how they are understood. Wihin the original book, definitions of the insights are allowed to unfold and their meanings and understanding of them grows in an organic fash-
ion. This creates a high level of association and understanding. Expressed in a different context, however, they take on different colours. Seeking to express the insights as simple aphorisms, sunstantially changes their nature and content. So much so that some of the insights become virtually unrecognisable. Where-
as in the original book, the insights take on a bright and shiny life, elsewhere they can become less exciting. Even when expresed by the author. The versions of the insights expressed beflow are taken from ‘The Celestine Prophecy -- An Experiential Guide’ by James Redfield and Carol Adreienne.

1. CRITICAL MASS
A new spiritual awakening is occurring in human culture, an awakening brought about by a critical mass of individuals who experience their lives as a spiritual unfolding, a journey in which we are led by mysterious coincidences.

2. THE LONGER NOW
This awakening represents the creation of a new, more com-
plete worldview, which replaces a five-hundred year old preoc-
cupation with secular survival and comfort. While this technological preoccupation was an important step, our awakening to life coin-
cidences is opening us up to the real purpose of human life on this planet and the real nature of the universe.

3. A MATTER OF ENERGY
We now experience that we live not in a material universe but in a universe of dynamic energy. Everything extant is a field of sacred energy that we can sense and intuit. Moreover, as humans we can project our energy by focusing our attention in the desired direction (“where attention goes, energy flows”), influencing other energy syst-
ems and increasing the pace of coincidences in our lives.

4. THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER
Too often humans cut themsel-
ves off from the greater source of this energy and so feel weak and insecure. To gain energy we tend to manipulate or force others to give us attention and thus energy. When we succ-
essfully dominate others in this way, we feel more powerful, but they are left weakened and often fight back. Competition for scarce human energy is the cause of all conflict between people.

5. THE MESSAGE OF THE MYSTICS
Insecurity and violence end when we experience an inner connection with the divine energy within, a connection described by the mystics of all traditions. A sense of lightness -- buoyancy -- and the constant sensation of love are measures of this connection. If these measures are present, the connection is real. If not, it is only pretended.

6. CLEARING THE PAST
The more we stay connected, the more we are acutely aware of those times when we lose connection, usually when we are under stress. In these times, we can see our own particular ways of stealing energy from others. Once our manipulations are brought to personal awareness, our connection becomes more constant and then we can discover our own growth path in life, and our spiritual mission, the personal way we can contribute to the world.

7. ENGAGING THE FLOW
Knowing our personal mission further enhances the flow of mysterious coincidences as we are guided towards our dest-
inies. First we have a question, then dreams, daydreams, and intuitions lead us towards the answers which usually are synchronistically provided by the wisdom of another human being.

8. THE INTER-
PERSONAL ETHIC
We can increase the frequency of guiding coincidences by up-
lifting every person that comes into our lives. Care must be taken not to lose our inner conn-
ection in romantic relationships. Uplifting others is especially effective in groups where each member can feel the energy of all the others. With children it is extremely important to their early security and growth. By seeing the beauty in every face we lift others into their wisest self and increase the chances of hearing a synchronistic message.

9. THE EMERGING CULTURE
As we all evolve toward the best completion of our spiritual missions, the technological means of survival will be fully automated as humans focus instead on synchronistic growth. Such growth will move humans into ever higher energy states, ultimately transforming our bodies into spiritual form and uniting this dimension of existence with the afterlife dimension, ending the cycle of birth and death.

some commentary, Redfield sought a device to get them across to the largest number of people. Clearly this was a case for a book. But what kind of book? Although he could have gone onto the new age shelves in the book-
shop with one of those 'change your life' type vol-
umes, he opted for some-
thing aimed at a less specialised market. What better than an adventure story? Were there not innumerable cases where profound truths and elevat-
ing wisdom had been con-
veyed through a fictional medium -- Hermann Hesse's 'Siddharta,' was a case in point.
...But for this new Moses, leading the children of ignorance out towards the land of milk and honey, there was no burn
ing bush. Having produc-
ed his book he could find no one who would pub-
lish it. Undaunted by short-sighted (although perhaps possessing some literary taste) pub-
lishers, he published the first batch of softcovers himself and sold them from the trunk of his car.
...His voice called out to all seekers who had no access to scholastic studies of mystical traditions, no ministerial seminaries to attend and no mentors at hand to guide them through the brambles of living a life of Inner Truth. Right before their eyes, in nothing less than black and white, the nine insights appeared --- outlining exactly what to watch for 'on the Path' and how to integrate the incoming information.
...As we all know now, the story caught on in spite of its critics, and he soon had a publisher who was so impressed with his sales that they printed it in hardcover! This was the first time in our publishing experience, and that's the ink-stained Coffeehouse Culture gang we're talking about, that we had ever seen that happen, for as you may know, the hard-
cover always comes first so we will fork over those big bucks in anticipation of the unknown content.
...Maybe it always follows that anyone with some-
thing to say will have his naysayers, but as this celestine tale was told, critics shot gaping holes in the fabric of his story, leading many to see it as a childish fable, or even worse, a mere sham. Astrologers dissed him for erroneous comments on the Moon phases, researchers disregarded his 'historical' findings as frivolous and juvenile, and Church elders laughed at the silliness of his prepos-
terous claims about ext-
racting an ancient manu-
script from the jungles of Peru. -sigh- They had all gotten stuck in the literalism of his story, and missed the entire point!
...The question arises of 'how does one go about telling a truth to the masses?' It is not merely a matter of finding a suit-
able vehicle through which to convey the information; it must also be ‘process-
ed,’ made palatable for mass consumption. The extent to which James Redfield effected his dramatic penetration of the collective psyche is a tale almost as impressive as the contents of the book. Most of our human history was first passed along (for thousands of years) through the telling of tales and legends, making it easy for the common folk to remember the important principles they contained. As these insights bubbled forth from 'Saint' James' expanding conscious-
ness, they cried for a vehicle through which they could be 'written' in the minds of the populace. Through the medium of an adventure story, ‘The Cel-
estine Prophecy,’ Redfield made a connection at a deep level with countless masses of people, but it was the nature of the 'in-
sights,' not the adventure, with which most people connected. The nine insights are almost all truisms. The nature of a truism is that it is true on all levels. Hardly, surpris-
ing, therefore that at least one or two insights clicked for everyone.
...Many of us instantly felt the familiarity of Redfield's
metaphysical terrain. These Insights seemed to represent a current 'code of ethics' or a sort of living mantra, by which any spiritual seeker could instantly recognize another ('Soul Family'), and in that recognition find a piece of his or her own Truth. The seedlings of our own Enlightenment are initially sparked by a dawning awareness of something 'more than meets the eye' about the world around us. Redfield proposes that a point of 'critical mass' has been reached in the collective psyche (umm, no kidding!), and that it is becoming impossible to ignore the First Insight, that there is meaning in every moment and that synchronicity guides our every move, if only we will choose to see.
...The third Insight was one that awakened something startlingly new in many people, even those who had been following synchronistic trails for years. In broad terms, it tells us that everything is energy. Rather than seeing everything in our physical world as a result of cause and effect in a direct, linear fashion, we were suddenly being coached to realize that, "the basic stuff of the universe, at its core, is looking like a kind of pure energy that is malleable to human intention and expectation in a way that defies our old mechanistic model of the universe -- as though our expectation itself causes our energy to flow out into the world and affect other energy systems." This is virtually the same as 'makia,' the 3rd Spiritual Principle of Huna (of seven): 'Energy flows where attention goes,' which has been practiced by Polynesian kahunas for thousands of years.
...The simple exercises for learning to see and sense the energy that exists in all living things were missed altogether by some readers in their hurry to get to the 9th insight, figuring that instant enlightenment awaited them at the end of the book, but those who took the time to try them out were rewarded with more than was promised. The act of stilling our bodies and minds enough to perceive, to see, to listen and to be at one ('meditation') is extremely empowering. Centering and intentional focus will build our 'chi' (life force) and hone our awareness of all the energy fields in and around us. This celestine tale emphasizes learning to perceive the auric fields around plants, animals and others, but in the process there is a byproduct of inner alertness that leaves us with a newfound sense of self that is much stronger, illuminated and more confident that we are each a vital part of the world unfolding as it should.
...As we attune ourselves to the natural flow of life through synchronicity, we can actually begin to see the energy fields/auras (3rd Insight) vibrating around plants, animals and people, our food, drink and medicines, and even our thoughts and actions. Conscious cooperation with these energetic fields will produce profound levels of awareness and illumination, particularly when coupled with a strong sense of continued focus, meditation and attention to intuition (7th Insight). As we become more aware of the rich texture of every moment in our lives, we begin to see the patterns unfolding, the flashing sparks of light on the path of 'right action' and the lacklustre clouds of discouragement leading the other way. The more we witness these undeniable resonances between the path we are walking and our own personal truth, the more adept we become at tuning-in to the appropriate frequency for the moment in which we find ourselves, to truly be 'in the Now.'
...From that impartial jot in time we are better suited to recognize the meaningful 'coincidences' in our meetings and experiences along our life's path, noticing when, where and sometimes even why we happened to meet that person or witness that event. As we sift through our past (4th & 6th Insights), our parents' agendas and our own conditioned, unconscious(?) tactics for gaining control in any situation, the layers of dust lift from our eyes, and the newly envisioned landscape reveals the mystical qualities of our earthly sojourn (5th Insight) and suddenly, our consciousness is bumped up a notch.
...Like the Ten Commandments, the Nine Insights are now deeply ingrained in zillions of people's mental circuitry, and the movement toward the author's Celestine Vision has truly begun.
...Living the Insights is a dance, a constant interaction with the ebbs and flows of Life. Redfield's message is far more profound than the fanciful tale that encases it. It is a common theme in many teachings to put up a smoke screen first, to discourage the insincere and to test the mettle of the true seeker. It is also common that the Truth is so simple that most people do not believe it, if simply stated as it is. To someone unfamiliar with synchroncity this story may appear to advise floating along unconsciously, being pushed and pulled by every random current. But it is actually quite thecontrary; the Celestine Insights are about empowerment, consciousness and evolution, personally and collectively.
...One of the wonderful things about 'The Celestine Prophesy' is its broad applicability. Whichever insight or insights hit home, they did so with vigour and deep penetration. But always on a very personal level.
...For me the third insight and the whole book confirmed a realization from my own childhood. It seemed clear to me even then that everyone exuded a certain 'energy' for which I had no name. But by 'tuning-in' or resonating with that energy for only a few seconds, I was immediately aware of a feeling washing over me. It was either one of comfort and safety, which I translated to mean that I could trust that person, or one of alertness and tension, which usually meant that I needed to be on guard about them for some reason.
...Upon reading this book, I found that I was not alone in my findings, and in fact, that Mr.Redfield had taken it into much more detail and had outlined several more expansive steps along the way! It seems more obvious to me now than ever that our intuition is the very best 'defense' we will ever have against any kind of 'attack' regardless of its scope. The tools in these insights can afford us the ability to easily recognize the positive or negative life force ('good for me' or 'bad for me') in the foods we are about to eat, or the prescription the doctor hands us, rather than waiting until we end up in the emergency room at midnight. We hear countless stories of people being shocked at how 'Joe Blow could possibly have done all those terrible things when he seemed so nice,' but intuition is not fooled by appearances. But of course, our intuition only works well when we are 'keeping our channels clear' of the mental and emotional gunk left over from past dysfunctions, and abstaining from inappropriate diets and behaviours that continually send us back down the food chain. 'The Celestine Prophecy' is an excellent guide book for doing just that.
...A progressive system of development, having established the techniques for developing consciousness, Redfield goes on to the eigth Insight which imparts the wisdom of interconnectivity throughout all of existence and encourages us to recognize the necessity of worldwide interactivity and mutual support, rather than separatism and derision. Becoming 'one with' the 'Emerging Culture' (9th Insight) requires a leap of faith and a nimbleness of spirit that may challenge your every fibre. However, as a rapidly increasing number of us begin to realize that we are part of our own creation process, and that we are all part of a greater -evolving- Consciousness, the frequency of the entire planet will lift accordingly, and the Celestine Prophecy will be fulfilled.
PLAIN TEXTTOP OF PAGE

PLAIN TEXT
......
.

ook, buster, just watch how you use the term ‘crone,’ that’s all . . . . But . . . . Okay, I know . . . . But . . . .Okay, okay . . . . And whiter wash? . . . . But . . . But . . . . Look, I’ve got to go. They’re here now. Yes, now. Byeeee.” Sorry about that. Just having a last minute conversation with our dear editor. What a d . . .eranged d . . . arling he is. Whiter wash, indeed. Oh, sooooo excuse meeee. Hello, hello. Welcome, welcome, Sit, sit. Oh dear, I seem to be saying everything twice. It’s that damned editor’s fault. Whiter wash, indeed. I have my reputation to maintain, you know. I mean, this certainly isn’t Home Economics 101. Home Econmics 420, that maybe I’ll go for. And do you know what he had the audacity to say? That I didn’t understand irony! Me. Me, whose
.

have manifested a condition called 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?' Can't we all claim some degree of 'chronic fatigue?' Why is that? Maybe because we are trying to do all the things that 'the experts' tell us we 'should do' but are ignoring the things that our intuition tells us, which would most likely nurture us back to a healthy balance!
...As we are continually subjected to increased levels of light and a speeding up of time, we are needing more and more body awareness in order to stay in-tune with ourselves and our own development. How about giving your vehicle some help? It will zing and sing and dance and prance if you feed it nutritious, fresh food and stay out of the grease bucket. Keeping your channels clear allows the maximum transmission of
. been ironing for most of her life.
...He says that I will have no need to mention that there will be no laundry tips in this column. But maybe you’ll come out of reading it a little cleaner. That’s what he said I should tell ya. And who knows. It is, he tells me, Coffeehouse Culture’s Shakti section, the special place in an otherwise fairly male preserve, for us wymyn. But that doesn’t mean it is going to be a perfume, panties and PMS affair. However, when it comes to buffing up your karma, your aura and your life, maybe this column will be of some
... . you. That is the Truth of the Feminine: it holds, it gestates, it rebirths. It was the old crones of the past who held the secrets of birthing and healing and dying. Once the matriarchal societies began to fade (about 4000 years ago) and the patriarchy gained in power, the wisdom of those wise womyn was downplayed into 'old wives' tales' or sometimes called 'womens' intuition' but rarely was it deemed worthy of equal consideration alongside the logical, linear thinking of the 'masculine' half of society.
... . your intuitive knowing about what Is good for you and what is not. A healthy flow of 'chi' (life force) can maintain good energy and dispel illness. Any form of full body movement will help to facilitate this overall lift. A lifetime of yoga has done wonders for this crone, as might tai chi or many of the martial arts,

CRONE'S CUOTE
A closed mouth gathers
no foot.
. help.
...So Gels, shall we begin.

ut before your eyes mist over with the strange lilac hue in the air here at Crones' Corner, let me put to rest any erroneous presumptions you may have about 'crones.' The old hag in the fairy tales with the wart on her nose is much farther down the road of cronehood than anybody around here.
...No blue hair in this corner, unless it is electric blue, but that's to match my nail polish! And the bubbling you can hear is just some nice veggy soup I am cooking up and my coffee pot making its presence known. Being a crone is an attitude as much as a chronological measurement, and it all starts with knowing yourself. Crone's Corner is a magical place where the pieces all come together and understanding prevails.
...There are you see, traditionally, three ages of womanhood. They are Maiden, Mother and Crone. And age has nothing to do with it. Being a crone is an attitude more than a chronological measurement, and it all starts with knowing yourself. When these defniitions were a recognised part of the social structure, too long ago for even recorded history to have jotted down a note, life expectancy was much lower and, therefore, everything happened faster. Childdren could be mothers at 12, 13 and 14, grandmothers by the time they were thirty and where do you go from there but into cronehood?
...The crone’s wisdom is in the ability to see the whole picture and 'connect the dots' without getting distracted by any one of them. And her role is to convey the wisdom of the eternal Mother to all those who can hear. And it just so happens that the words are for the ears of wymynkynd. Although some men can hear they are few; most are distracted by listening too intently for the sound of snapping elastic. The Mother’s message is one of holism. As she begins to lift the veils of mystery, we recognize our wholeness and our connectedness to all of life. The Mother's Love is all inclusive, unconditional and eternal, which means that her guidance is always there! Every moment is laden with its own truth, its special flavour, its synchronicities.
...One of my favourite crones, Dr Zippadedodah (sorry, that is Zipporah) Dobyns says that ‘Life if not an either/or. Life is an And.’ Too right, Zippo, say I. Every colour, every thread, every single cell of your life is part of your tapestry. Weave it well.
...The crone, of course, is never alone. She is a part and reflection of this connectedness.

hile the natural ageing process defines the stages of 'womanhood' as 'Maiden, Mother and Crone,' in actual 'fact, there is an aspect of all three in every one of us, which can be called upon as needed. Of course, we spend most of our lives in our appropriate 'time slots' being frisky and nubile as

...
IN THE CRONE'S CUPBOARD

LATEST MEDICATIONS FOR WOMEN

DAMITOL
Take 2 and the rest of the world can
go to hell for up to 8 hours.

St. MOM'S WORT
Plant extract that treats mom's
depression by rendering preschoolers
unconscious for up to six hours.

EMPTYNESTROGEN
Highly effective suppository that
eliminates melancholy by enhancing
the memory of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't
wait till they moved out.

PEPTOBIMBO
Liquid silicone for single women.
Two full cups swallowed before an
evening out increases breast size,
decreases intelligence, and improves
flirting.

DUMEROL
When taken with Peptobimbo, can
cause dangerously low I.Q. causing
enjoyment of country western music

FLIPITOR
Increases life expectancy of commuters
by controlling road rage and
the urge to flip off other drivers.

MENICILLIN
Potent antibiotic for older women.
Increases resistance to such lines
as, "You make me want to be a better person... can we get naked now?"

BUYAGRA
Injectable stimulant taken prior to
shopping. Increases potency and
duration of spending spree.

Extra Strength BUY-ONE-AL
When combined with Buyagra, can
cause an indiscriminate buying
frenzy so severe the victim may even
come home with a Donnie Osmond
CD or a book by Dr. Laura.

JACKASSPIRIN
Relieves headache caused by some
loser who can't remember your
birthday, anniversary or phone number.

ANTI-TALKSIDENT
A spray carried in a purse or wallet
to be used on anyone too eager to
share their life stories with total
strangers.

SEXCEDRIN
More effective than Excedrin in
treating the "Not now, dear, I have a
headache," syndrome.

RAGAMET
When administered to a husband,
provides the same irritation as ragging
on him all weekend, saving the wife the
time and trouble of doing it herself.

... . which all combine the spiritual teachings with the physical skills. But even just walking and drinking lots of water will restore your verve and enthusiasm for life! Having lots of sex might do it too, but only if your partner is as conscious as you are! Otherwise, it might be exactly the opposite, a totally draining experience.


t is surely no accident that the four 'feminine' asteroids -AND- the archetype of holism, Chiron, were all discovered in the same decade, the 70s. The asteroids had been physically discovered 200 years earlier, but we never had any way to calculate their positions until the early 1970s. The first four discovered 'just happened' to be representative of the four roles that wymyn have traditionally played in society: Mother (Ceres),
Daughter (Pallas Athena), Sister (Vesta), Wife (Juno). For us astrologers, this meant that by adding these four feminine figures to the birth chart, we joined their forces with Venus and the Moon to more effectively balance out all the 'masculine' planets in our pantheon.
The Wymyn's Lib Movement coincided with these asteroids landing in our charts, at once reflecting their surfacing strengths inherent in wymyn. For Chiron to be discovered shortly after that seemed perfect, indeed. Being half-man and half-beast, and yet Divine all the while, he embodies holism in the most dramatic of ways. While Chiron's discovery brought some relief to the male half of the populace with a resurgence of some of their power, it also brought a message to the wymyn, that the reintegration of the feminine strengths would necessarily include the men, not exclude them. At the same time though, it called on us to utilize our own masculinity, in terms of our desire and initiative to propel our own ideas forward and not continue to subject ourselves to the rules and restrictions that had been laid down by previous generations.

he soup is telling me it is ready so I must bring this evening to a close with a light meditation, asking us to bring our thoughts to the centre point of our circle and to allow the energies to coalesce and find their natural rhythm amongst us. In order to honour your Whole Self and thereby create well-being and harm-
ony in your life, it is vital that you use each of your component parts in harmony with the whole. If you know the signs of your birth planets, then you have even more information with which to begin your self-mastery, but here are the Crone’s Celestial Keys:

..Sun ~ You are the Light of Your Life. By shining as brightly as you can in the simple joy of being alive and truly being yourself, you are insuring your vitality and confidence!

. young maidens, stable and nurturing as mature mothers and finally, detached and wise as elder matriarchs. For the purpose of this column we are invoking our own wisest old womyn whose 'karma ran over her dogma' a very long time ago. She ended up gagging on her Valley Girl spoon after burning her bra and charting her stars, and finally ran off with the wolves. What better source of wisdom could there be? ~ except for your own wise old womyn, of course, but then if you were listening to her you wouldn't be reading this, would you?
...Mythology's Triple Goddess of Fate lies at the root of this perception of the Feminine experience. Meditating on each phase can help you attune to your own expression of these essential aspects of the human psyche: Lachesis (maiden) who spins the thread of life, Clothos (mother) who measures it, and Atropos (crone) who cuts it. The key to balance and success lies in knowing which role you are enacting at any given moment, to then 'pick up the thread' and handle it appropriately. (Auntie Edith is an old hand at this one!) The seamless transition from one to another takes a little practice, but a sincere focus of attention is your best approach.

he role of Womyn has turned itself inside out over the last century and we may all be quivering in the wake of it. But listen up! The answers are right where they have always been ~ inside

TOP OF COLUMN

... .
...In a world overflowing with outer stimuli it may seem virtually impossible to focus on the Inner Voice, the one that whispers those profound little gems, the only one that never lies. But don't despair ~ that voice is resounding all around you, and all you have to do is learn how to notice. Damaged childhoods and brutal life paths can add to the cacophony of crashing and bashing, of doubt and dissonance in one's mind. But there is a tranquil knowing beneath that chaos that is your Truth, your wholeness and your life. The beauty of it all is that your body knows, even if your brain forgot. The
body is our gift from Mother Nature, our vehicle through this Earth Walk, encoded with all of our past-life memories and instincts. We can reclaim our wholeness by honouring the 'feminine' wisdom of intuition and nurturing, and by applying it to ourselves.

pacing out, cramping up, running cold, flashing hot, - freaking, fainting, bloating, starving... and hormonal gyrations of all sorts are just your varied attempts at trying to get out of here! It ain't gonna work. 'Prescription drugs, silicone implants and hormone replacements further complicate the smokescreen of already confused female cells!' claims this crotchety crone. How about trying to see the parallels between our symptoms and the rest of our life?! Are we surprised that womyn
TOP OF COLUMN

... .
..Moon ~ Nurture your inner being and love yourself. Release self-pity by giving to your inner child whatever your parents did not.
..Mercury ~ Mind your mind, and mend your thoughts. Monitor your mental chatter with objectivity and discernment. Be impeccable in your word.
..Venus ~ Health, wealth and love come from Balance. Find the silver lining in every cloud, knowing it is always there. Create joy where there is none,and remember to laugh.
..Mars ~ Follow your instincts and deepest desires, and DO what you came here to DO. Giving away your power results in illness, accidents and trauma.
..Jupiter ~ There is always more. Look just above the horizon for the 'crack between the worlds' and capitalizing on them. Remember 'The Ugly Duckling?'
..Saturn ~ Take charge, take respon-
sibility and take credit. Self-discipline will get you everywhere.
..Uranus ~ Celebrate your differen-
ces from others by capitalizing on them. Remember 'The Ugly Duckling'
..Neptune ~ Dare to listen to your intuition, and feel for the Flow. When your eyes are blinded, your Third One works best.
..Pluto ~ Shit happens. Accept it, embrace it, and be still. Rebirth and renewal will follow.

As we relax our breath, the profundity of the dark centre envelops us, the candle is relit, we open our eyes, and bid farewell ‘til next time at Crone's' Corner. Brightest Blessings, and Merry Meet Again!


PLAIN TEXTTOP OF PAGE
,,,,

ON TO PAGE TWENTY-ONE
| CONTENTS | COFFEEHOUSE CULTURE HOME PAGE | SITE HOME PAGE
GO TO ISSUE TWO PAGE:
1
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
Questions, comments or criticisms to: Webmaster@coffeehouseculture.com
The Coffeehouse Culture Site is produced by
Cheapo Cheapo Productions on behalf of
The Enlightenment Company
Design: It Is But a Dream (Digital) Enterprises; Words: The Maya (Entertain You) Company
Copyright © 1999/2000/2001/2002/2003 The Enlightenment Company
THE ENLIGHTENMENT COMPANY IS A NON-PROFIT MAKING EDUCATIONAL TRUST
DEVOTED TO PROMOTING INCREASED CONSCIOUSNESS