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About Us
I haven't written a blog in almost a month and what a month it's been!
If you're wondering why people, getting to places, and things in general
- especially anything involving communications - have been so erratic,
unpredictable, and difficult there is an astrological answer - Mercury
Retrograde, the approximately three week period that happens about three
times a year during which the planet Mercury appears to be moving
backward in the zodiac, called "retrograde motion" by both astrologers
and astronomers, and since Mercury rules communications and day-to-day
details of our lives and our relationships with the world, all of those
things appear to be moving backward or not at all or exploding in a
million little pieces all around us. Sound like your month, too? Mercury
started to go direct on May 11th, but it takes awhile for the energy
to get back in balance. Things will move forward by May 28th, the day
that Mercury hits the degree it was when it started to go retrograde.
Of course, forewarned is forearmed and as an astrologer since 1975
I've been through a lot of Mercury Retrograde periods, in fact I was
born during one and there were five other retrograde planets at the
time, too, so Retrogrades 'R Us here at the Enchanted World, or at least
my part of it. But nothing could have forewarned or forearmed me for
this past Mercury Retrograde - it was the worst that I've ever lived
through and I've spoken with many other people who are also spiritual
teachers and they concur - we should print up T-Shirts saying "I
survived the Mercury Retrograde of March 2010."
But as a spiritual teacher, I have the annoying habit of trying to
find both meaning and a positive purpose in even the very worst things
that befall us and there's no shortage of those things thanks to so much
of humanity willing to do horrendous things to their brothers and
sisters in the name of an invisible "God" who used to show himself but
has apparently tired of doing so, at least to us during the age of all
types of cameras all over the place. The clue to the spiritual meaning
of any planet Retrograde can be found in the symbol used to show that a
planet is in retrograde motion, an "R" with a tail with a line through
it, the same symbol that is used to symbolize a prescription that you
get from your doctor.
A retrograde inclines to be a prescription for disaster but if you
are determined to learn from your life's events instead of be bowled
over by them, then a retrograde period or a planet in your horoscope (or
six!) can be a prescription for attaining the goal of anyone who wants
to get the most out of life - contentment.
Contentment sounds so mild, so unexciting, so un-American! But it is
the best that life has to offer us and I don't mean that as in "that's
not a lot, but it's the best that can be expected." Contentment is the
best because it is as close to an unchanging, constant state of things
that we can attain on Earth and everything else doesn't satisfy.
Contentment is satisfaction and nothing else is.
So when the disasters were striking recently with tempers flaring,
feelings hurting, insensitivity raging, and manners lacking I'm proud to
say that Amy and I reached a new level of contentment. We didn't give
up, we didn't say "Screw 'em!" - well, Amy didn't, anyway! But it's
unreasonable to expect yourself not to feel your emotions and so I felt
them, but I didn't let them direct my actions and I returned to a state
of contentment in a remarkable fashion. Contentment is a safe haven from
the raging cyclone of reactive emotions and long-standing hurt.
Another reason I haven't written a blog is because I believe
strongly in the saying of the Book of Tao, "He who speaks does not know
and he who knows does not speak." Lao Tsu, its author, was writing about
those who know what the Tao is (it's another word for the force that
animates all creation and if you have a better definition, please speak
up!) But I think that admonition applies to a lot of things. If you
really know what is going on with any subject you must also be aware
that not very many people are going to agree with you because you REALLY
know what is going on and most people only know what they've been told
or what appeals to their emotions. So if you REALLY know what is going
on, you can not only expect to receive a hostile welcome when you write
or otherwise communicate what you know, you're putting yourself in
physical danger because if you REALLY know what is going on your words
are going to threaten people and established institutions - there's no
other way when you REALLY know what is going on with something to the
point where you realize how it has to change to work better. It's a
dangerous business.
But danger is our game here at The Enchanted World. We are
astrologers, tarot readers, leading New Age authors, psychics, all of
the happy buzz words that can still elicit the kind of derision and
hostility that would get you vilified if not sued and arrested if you
directed the same invective (a good word for "bad words!") toward
minorities or practically anyone else. You can say what you want about
us and the various professions to which we've dedicated our lives and
you can be as mean and stupid and cruel and vituperative (another good
word for "bad words") as you wish and no one will say or do anything.
OK, I've proved how brave we are and how risky it is to speak when you
REALLY know, so now I'll do it.
I REALLY know how to be content and I know that contentment is the
goal that everyone has, even if they don't know it. Contentment in all
circumstances is the "uber" goal, the over-arching goal that true
"yogis" are searching for and some actually reach. Like you, I test
anything anyone states as true by taking it to an extreme and so you
have to have contentment even if you're imprisoned and tortured and lose
everyone and everything - like the Book of Job in the Bible. But I
still say it, contentment is the goal. OK, it's my goal but I strongly
suspect it is everyone's goal, too, if they get down to the basics of
their own goals.
Here's the dangerous part. I don't need more because I have all that
I need to get what I want. Those are dangerous words in a culture built
on disposable income spent on disposable consumer goods, but that's the
way I feel. I don't feel any need to travel - none. I like where I live
and I don't need to see anyplace to feel complete, that's a part of
feeling content.
It may be because I live in a nice town and in a nice house that I have
worked on for close to thirty years that I don't feel the need to
travel. It may be because Amy and I have a fulfilling relationship and
lots of important work to do that we don't feel the need to have
children. And it may be because I have so much, that I don't want more; I
just want things to continue as they've been going, which I realize is
equally unrealistic but that's the way I feel. I am happy to have a
series of ordinary days for the rest of my life, days spent with Amy
creating our "content" - funny coincidence of language! - her art and
our books that spring from her art and our minds. I love each and every
ordinary day we are together, the time flies by as we share it with each
other and with little Mr. Zane, our wonderful cat. His favorite thing
to do, and mine, is for the two of us to go walking the neighborhood, no
leash (for him or me), just the two big boys walking in the dark - the
walks have improved my night vision immensely - and loving each other's
company under the stars of eastern Long Island, one of the few places on
the eastern coast of the US where you can see the Milky Way. When the
two big boys come home we walk into Amy's studio to share the events of
our walk with her. And when we sleep we are often honored by Zane coming
to lie in the bed with us, the Little Family.
But it is true: we don't want more than what we have. Our bills are
paid. I love my wife and my cat. We have great friends and a few family
members who are also great and who we love. We do meaningful work that
works to make life better for our fellow human beings. We have a great
website! We're relatively healthy and, we have to keep reminding
ourselves, relatively young. At least we're younger today than we'll
ever be, and still youthful and attractive thanks to yoga and our
treadmill and eating organically and having so much love and contentment
in our life. We don't hate anyone, we have compassion for everyone,
even the craziest of crazies. And we have so much Content in our life,
in fact that's the way we make our living, by creating content and
contentment - no wonder we're content! Our fondest wish is that all of
our readers find their own brand of contentment any way they can, but we
are hopeful that they can be aided in that quest by availing themselves
of our contentment-inducing content in our art, our words, and in all
things. Namaste, I acknowledge and honor the same Divine within you that
dwells within me. - Monte Farber |
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