Rate this:

I am a pantheist (as I have said before) and that is one of the reasons I easily accept astrology as plausible. If everything in the universe is connected, and everything in the universe is all one consciousness, then of course the positions and movement of the planets will indicate things in my life, and in the world. After all, all of the cells in my body are me, and yet they all live individual lives, but if any part of my body experiences either pleasure or pain, all of me is quite aware of it.

And science tends to back me up. Albert Einstein realized that E = mc2, That is essentially saying that physical matter is just a different form of energy. So that means everything is energy. Ok? We are all made of the same thing. Never mind just us: everything in the universe is made of the same stuff. So I say, why wouldn’t it all be connected?

And if everything is connected, then looking at the positions of the planets and expecting them to reveal something about us makes perfect sense.

And if everything is connected, then in a way, psychic abilities like telepathy make a certain amount of sense, don’t they?

And if everything is connected, that means everyone around you is a part of you. Everyone. Maybe compassion and empathy might be a bit easier than we thought?

But if you still resist the idea that everything is connected spiritually and literally, that’s ok. Everything is interrelated anyway.

In honor of today’s birthday, here is a quote from the spiritual side of Dr. Martin Luther King:
“It really boils down to this: all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied together into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. We are made to live together because of the interrelated structure of reality . . . Before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world. This is the way our universe is structured, this is its interrelated quality. We aren’t going to have peace on Earth until we recognize the basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.”

Rate this:

Recently a friend of mine called me, upset that her daughter was getting divorced. She wanted to try to talk the couple into working it out somehow. Based on the comments she ascribed to both husband and wife, it was pretty clear to me as an impartial listener that this particular marriage was over, dead and buried. I said as much to her, and she asked, perhaps rhetorically, “Well, what am I supposed to do?” Honestly, I was completely clueless at this point but I opened my mouth and said, “Love her. Support her in her decision. Be there to listen. It’s all you can do.” I was a little surprised at what I said. It seemed profound in the moment but also a little trite and maybe a pinch hopeless. That’s it? That’s an answer? But it seemed to make sense to my friend…

A few months ago a friend of mine was diagnosed with a pretty serious medical condition. It’s the type of condition that can go either way, with no promise of which direction when one is diagnosed. Since I had taken Level I reiki attunement this past January, and was told to go out and reiki 30 or more people before I seek Level II, I offered to reiki my friend regularly, to help encourage him to heal himself. He was seeking mainstream medical help, but was very open to the idea of including alternate treatments, too. I have spent the last few months seeing him at least once a week, sometimes solo and sometimes with another friend of his who is a reiki master. Until this point in my reiki experience, all the reiki I did was as a one-shot deal to mostly strangers. This was a whole new ball game. I am deeply emotionally involved in this. I didn’t just want to offer reiki, I wanted to save him. I wanted to have super powers or some mystic ability so that I could wave my hands and say, “Arise, whole and healthy!”

But I don’t. And I can’t. I can only reiki him, and my teacher told me we cannot direct reiki energy; we have to let reiki set its own way. I felt, at first, kind of helpless and a little hopeless. I thought, “What can I really do here?” But then what I said to my other friend a few months ago, about her daughter’s divorce, came flowing back to me, “Love… support… listen… it’s all you can do,” and I felt humbled and empowered in the same moment.

I have always had issues of control, and I understood in the moment that believing I had to control things separated me from the world. All I have for him is love, and whatever I can do for him as he copes, whether it is regular reiki, or any other favors I can do, is an expression of that love. And the only “control” I truly have over the reiki is to offer it to him, and trust him to do with it what he needs to do. To truly love anything, to use love in all its power, you really have to let go of your control and offer love freely and without conditions, without control. Love is all we really have, and it’s enough.

So he is doing quite well. He is responding to both medicine and reiki. I was in the hospital after his last op, and I watched as his heart monitor showed his pulse dropping from 66 to 52 as I was giving him reiki. He is positive and buoyant.

And love… love is a very important part of healing, maybe the most important part.

Rate this:

…this coming Sunday, September 30th, 2012, from Noon to 6pm, I will be co-hosting another of the ongoing Practical Mysticism Expos here in NYC at One on One Casting, 34 West 27th Street, 11th Floor, NY NY. There will be lectures, a séance/message circle, and available readings from astrologers, psychics, tarot card readers and mediums. And it is all very reasonably priced.

The Practical Mysticism Expo was created to try to demystify the mystical, & translate spiritual & mystical methods into useful, practical, everyday tools. Our goal is to help you connect with your spiritual self & integrate the mystical into everyday life, without losing sight of who you are.

To promote the expo, my co-founders (Ani Zeletz & Tova Kove) and I made a few short video chats (around 5 minutes each) and popped them up on YouTube.

If you are curious, here are the links to the videos:

Practical Mysticism’s Co-Founders Discuss How It All Started

Anthony Picco Offers Some Basic Astrological Ideas

Ani Zeletz Describes Some Of Her Experiences as a Psychic/Medium

Tova Kove Talks Discusses Her Take On Being a Psychic/Medium

Anthony Picco Examines Astrology & Relationships

Rate this:

As a person examining spiritual & mystical disciplines, I keep a discriminating eye focused on everything I read & study. Mystical knowledge can be very hazy & uncertain at times, and many charlatans, & misguided or misinformed individuals have been involved.

During the course of astrology readings, I often meet people who have not been thoroughly satisfying the spiritual side of their charts, and I encourage them to investigate any mystical path that appeals to them. But what about guidelines?

I understand & believe everyone creates his or her own reality. Everyone attracts to himself or herself what they concentrate on. Nevertheless, I want people to attract more efficient, less misguided teachers & educational materials. Yes, many paths lead to Buddha, but if the meandering & poorly marked path can be avoided, well… why not?

So the first guide I offer is: Never trust anyone or anything that claims their path is the ONLY one that works. Right off the bat, that is suspicious. Also be a little wary of anyone telling you there is only one way to do something. Many people adapt what they learn to suit their own way of doing things. It is important to try to master the techniques and practices as they are initially taught, but after that, customize to suit your natural strengths. We are all distinct individuals, with our own way of doing things.

Second guideline: Always trust your instinct, your gut feeling. I don’t care how “holy” or deep or spiritual anyone or anything sounds. If you don’t feel comfortable with what someone is saying, don’t do it. Trust yourself first and foremost.

Another guide worth following comes from the New Testament. Matthew 7:15-16 says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?”

This quote was made extra apparent to me recently, and so was the second guideline, too, about trusting my gut. I attended an astrology lecture featuring an eclectic branch of astrology I was not familiar with. Shortly after the lecture began, I felt myself getting restless and annoyed. As far as I could tell, nothing in the content of the lecture was upsetting to me. The material seemed a little overwrought and I don’t care for that, but so what? This material had been around for over 90 years. Surely it has stood the test of time? When I got home I searched the Internet for more info. And I discovered this “branch” of so-called mystical learning included racism and anti-Semitism in its earliest published writings. OK. That’s all I needed to know. My instincts were right. I trusted them and then did a little research. I am deeply suspicious of any teachings involving basic prejudices.

So, when exploring mystic avenues, trust your gut, and check their track records.
• • • • • • • • • • • •

SPECIAL NOTE
Sunday, September 30th, 2012, from Noon to 6pm, I will be co-hosting another of the ongoing Practical Mysticism Expos here in NYC at One on One Casting, 34 West 27th Street, 11th Floor, NY NY. There will be lectures, a séance/message circle, and available readings from astrologers, psychics, tarot card readers and mediums.

For more info as it becomes available, see www.practicalmysticismexpo.com or join our meetup group at www.meetup.com/Practical-Mysticism-Expo/ for e-mailed updates.
• • • • • • • • • • • •

SECOND SPECIAL NOTE
I have recorded a short 7 minute video chat discussing very basic stuff about astrology, and posted it here at http://youtu.be/kQF-_XgspSQ
It is the first of a few weekly posted videos to promote The Practical Mysticism Expo. The other co-founders will be featured in following weeks.

Rate this:

I imagine, to some degree or another, most of us are familiar with the idea of reincarnation and “past lives.” According to some religious and/or spiritual beliefs, our current lives are supposed to be ”fixing” or “atoning” for misdeeds or errors or sins we committed in previous lives. Some people see that as “karma.”

Me, I see reincarnation as similar to going back to school. Each life we choose (and I do believe we choose every one) is another chance to learn new things. Sometimes we fail to fully learn them, so we come back in yet another life, to try it again.

I have also come to understand, via various sources of supplied wisdom that all rang true for me, time does not really exist, but in our current physical existence we need to see things as linear, as a cause-and-effect system. So then, even though we may think so otherwise, all of our “past” lives are actually happening in a constantly unfolding “right now.” And if that is true, then all of our “future” lives are also happening “right now.”

And now let me add something else to the mix: some belief systems suggest we have “probable” or “parallel” lives. There is a theoretical scientific concept often referred to as the “Many Worlds Theory” proposing that every time we make a decision, we create another parallel world. There are spiritual beliefs that echo the same concept. So, as an example, if in your current life you decide to move to another town to pursue a career there, there is another parallel and probable life wherein you stayed where you were and forged a career there.

So everything you do, here and now, in “this” life, ripples out across all of your other lives, past, future and parallel. And that ripple influences all those other “yous.” And the same things happen when “they” do something. This to me is what “karma’ really is. All our lives are connected. All of our lives, past, present or parallel, depend upon each other, and so our best, most evolved behavior will not only help the individual life we are currently focused in, but all of  “us.”

As a more concrete example from my own life, I found it extraordinarily easy for me when I learned astrology, because in one of my “other” lives, I was/is/will be an astrologer… so I already had a study partner. And some part of me already knew astrology. And I feel there is a parallel life of me as a successful writer, and so I believe I can write quite clearly and succinctly, even though I never studied writing.

A friend of mine asked me recently, What was the point of all this? Why have so many lives? And I think it is because all our other lives support each other. We add up to much more than just that person that we see in the mirror.

Now all this talk of time-not-existing and parallel lives kind of confuses me. Sometimes I “get it” and for a few moments I clearly understand, but then I try to describe it and I’m lost again. Perhaps you too are confused or overwhelmed, trying to figure it all out. Fair enough. Stop thinking about it. Thinking won’t help here. Just accept that these concepts are true, and let go of them. Aim to live the best possible life you can, and remember how big your spiritual family truly is.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

SPECIAL NOTE: On Sunday, September 30th, 2012, from noon to 6pm, I will again be co-hosting another of the ongoing Practical Mysticism Expos here in NYC at One on One Casting, 34 West 27th Street, 11th Floor, NY NY. There will be lectures, a seance/message circle, a discussion group and available readings from astrologers, psychics, tarot card readers and mediums. The Practical Mysticism website is currently being updated, and more info will be posted here at my blog as it becomes available.

Rate this:

I thoroughly believe that when we are born, we know everything we need to know, in terms of the psychic tools we have and the spiritual connections we need to maintain. And we are born with an utter sense of self-worth and unshakeable faith. When a baby cries out, it expects to get its needs met. That’s how much faith and self-esteem we have at birth.

And what frequently happens is, over the next decade or so, we are taught to abandon our tools, and our sense of self-worth & acceptance. Sometimes this happens via well-meaning parents & authority figures (teachers, church leaders, government, doctors, etc). They nibble away at our psychic & spiritual awareness by telling us our intuition is just our imagination playing tricks on us. When the lights go out at bedtime and a child calls to mommy, saying there is “someone in the room,” well, maybe there IS someone in the room. Maybe the child is picking up on a spirit guide, or perhaps an ancestor passing through. So what if, instead of saying “Honey, that’s just your imagination,” we said to the kid “Really? Did you say hello? What did they look like? Did you ask why they were visiting? Did you tell them they have to play nice if they want to stay?” Imagine the possibilities!

There are miracles occurring all the time, right in front of us, and we have been trained to reject them as “just” coincidences. It always bothers me that the word coincidence seems to have lost its true meaning. It is often used in a dismissive manner, but an online dictionary defines it as “a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.” Right. Without ‘apparent’ casual relationship. That to me is almost the very definition of intuition.

To access intuition we have to pay attention. It is not a linear, causal, “1 + 1 + 1 = 3” kind of relationship. Intuition is free association & playful & irrational. What never ceases to amaze me is how, once I stop and listen carefully, once I truly take the time to pay actually attention, everything is so obvious. There are miracles occurring all the time, right in front of us.

Maybe one day, as you are walking a familiar route, you take a different street at random, for no ‘reason’ you believe, and there you bump into someone you haven’t seen in along time and the meeting turns out to be unexpectedly important. That was no accident, that was coincidence or as Jung defined it, synchronicity.

These types of things happen every day, perhaps dozens and dozens of times a day. You think of a friend, and a minute later the phone rings and there they are. And these things are often not provable. But they happen all the time, in small and large ways, and if you can shut off the logical side of your brain saying, “This cannot be, it is not logical,” you will eventually see the larger picture. Or even, after a friend or loved one passes away, and you are thinking of them, and one of their favorite songs starts to play on the radio? Not an accident.

But you do have to look for these things. You have to pay attention all the time. At first you will have to resist the training we all got as little children, telling us to dismiss these occurrences. This might sound like a lot of work, but it isn’t, really. Just gently remind yourself now and then during the day “I will notice and recognize any coincidences in life, and see them for what they really are.” At first you may only catch it now and then, but soon the universe will start to appear as it really is: far less random than you might have assumed, and far more connected than you might have expected.

Rate this:

Off and on throughout my life, I have dwelled upon why anyone would be self-sabotaging. Most of us do it in one form or another. Some of us are dramatic and spectacular in our self-sabotage. We become alcoholics, drug addicts, and/or reckless gamblers. But even in milder forms, we procrastinate, we refuse to commit in a relationship we want, we become workaholics, we avoid writing that book, that letter, painting that painting, learning to play that musical instrument… on and on. I am pretty sure most people reading this are perhaps nodding and thinking “Oh yeah… I do _________” and silently filling in the blank. And even in less dramatic ways, we may hold on to such misguided beliefs as “No good deed goes unpunished” or any other self-limiting motto.

What benefits could self-sabotage produce for a person? As if in answer, while talking with a friend of mine, she said “Most people would rather be right than be happy.” It sounded uncomfortably correct. I asked her to elaborate. She said she felt many people prefer to continually act out what they learned in childhood, whether it made sense or not, rather than take the time and effort change their almost automatic behavior and responses. Most people feel familiar with old patterns, and even though an old pattern may be counter-productive or even painful, it is a recognizable ‘known’ rather than a risky ‘unknown.’

As an example, a person might only have relationships with lovers or partners who betray them, because when they were growing up, that may have been what they observed occurring with his or her parents. And so that pattern is familiar. As children, we are, to a degree, sponges that absorb everything we see. And we often accept what we see as ‘truth’ unless someone can disabuse us of that belief. You may be a person who lacks self-esteem because you were verbally or emotionally abused as a kid. It might be someone who procrastinates rather than risk failure, because they grew up with parents who did that. I am sure everyone can supply their own examples either from their lives or from observing friends or relatives.

And people can come to me as an astrologer for help breaking a self-destructive pattern in their lives, hoping astrology can shine a light on these habits. And in the course of examining this topic, I took another look at Saturn.

Saturn has traditionally been considered the planet symbolizing limitations. Modern astrology softens that idea, looking at Saturn as symbolizing focus, usefulness and practicality. It can also signify rigidity and inflexibility. And it represents the structures and patterns in our lives that we consider “real.” Or as I like to put it, Saturn symbolizes the “beliefs we think are facts.” And that, to me, is where we create these self-sabotaging behavioral patterns. We believe we are worthless, or we procrastinate, or we may avoid commitment due to unfortunate lessons we learned as children. But these are not facts; they are learned beliefs and they can change. Recognizing that concept is the first step in learning to be happy instead of being ‘right.’

It may not be easy to let go of these patterns, but transiting Saturn is often energizing planets in your birth chart, asking you to get ‘real.’ There is almost always an opportunity to let go of old limiting beliefs… but in order to go for happiness, we have to let go of comfort and take some risks.

Rate this:

As I have said before, I like to browse the horoscope section at Yahoo!Answers, offering help if I can, and to keep and eye on how people see & use astrology. (There sure are a LOT of people asking about boyfriends & girlfriends!)

Often, someone goes to one of the various websites online offering a free astrology reading. All a person has to do is plug-in their birth data and click. And what they get is a computer-generated list, detailing each part of their chart in isolation. (ie: Your Mars in Capricorn means… Your Mars in the 6^th house means… Your Mars square your Saturn means…) Then they read through it all, and post a question asking “How come there are contradictions in my chart? It says I am outgoing and it says I am shy. It says I am pushy & overbearing yet I am also cooperative? What gives?”

A good astrologer knows how to balance a chart, how to weave together all the traits and work out the apparent contradictions. There are contradictions in every chart, and some elements in a chart will be stronger than others. Getting a list of traits at an online site, where everything is presented in isolation, with no emphasis or blending indicated, can be a good step in beginning to understand a chart, but people aren’t like that. Each one of us is a complex individual.

I have done charts for some people where the contradictions are a major part of their life, and they struggle with, as an example, being traditional and/or being offbeat, until they find a way to work out their internal balances. Some charts might indicate that some planets are much stronger than the others, so maybe a person could be essentially traditional, with a rarely seen wild streak that pops out at key times in their lives.

Or else, a particular trait might be assigned only to certain areas of a person’s life: as an example, maybe in their career and the outside world, they may be free and wild and unusual, but desire a traditional home life.

The birth chart must be interpreted as a whole. Ideally, this ought to be done after studying all the details and accumulating experience in putting them altogether. Aspects or placements may seem contradictory, but not when you take into account all the other information in a chart. It can be a challenge bringing it all together, and that’s where  professional astrologers come in. We’re not foolproof, but you will get more insight into your chart and personality with one of us.

I think the type of website I described above is a decent place for beginners to explore. Anyone can start getting a handle on how complex reading a chart really is, and can offer you insights into yourself, but there are flaws in having just a computer look at your chart. You can give anyone a list of ingredients but it takes a chef to prepare a delicious and enjoyable meal. Same thing with a complete astrology reading. Enjoy the information, but take it all with a grain of salt.

Rate this:

I am a very physical person. I like to be able to touch and hold things. The more I have involved myself in the concepts of the mystic and the occult, the more I run into the idea that the physical world is an illusion and time does not exist, and the more I am challenged to leave my comfort zone behind. I like to have physical confirmation of what I am doing, or what is happening.

Early this past January, around 14 weeks ago, I took level 1 Reiki** initiation/attunement in a one-on-one session with a Reiki master, over a two day period.

I had first heard of Reiki roughly 20, 25 years ago, and thought “…someday.” When my expanding circle of friends & acquaintances included a variety of Reiki practitioners, from level 1 up to master, I decided ‘someday’ had arrived.

Level 1 was an enjoyable and intense training experience, and I was eager to practice the technique. I did self-reiki daily as recommended by my teacher, and enjoyed it, but I wanted to share with others. He also suggested reiki-ing at least 25 to 30 other people before going for level 2 training. So I found two situations where I was able to offer free reiki a few times a month.

And after a few sessions, I felt nothing. Some reiki practitioners feel their palms heating up… or their hands tingling, as they do the work. Nothing. I felt exactly the same. I felt a little like I was going through the motions, although that phrase is a little harsh. I continued to reiki people, following the patterns I was taught. But I complained to my master. (Maybe whined would be a better term…) And he told me “just do it…don’t expect to feel anything, don’t look for others to praise or debunk you…don’t be caught up in the phenomena…”

Ooookaaaaay. He nailed me. My application of reiki was working. A fair number of people I reiki-d said they felt it or it helped or they enjoyed it. Some even said my palms felt very warm to hot when I was doing it (though when I immediately checked, they felt normal to me… damn!)

So… even at this stage in my studies and journey, I still struggle at times with simply letting go, having faith and trusting. I still want ego stroking, (and I think we all want some ego-stroking sometimes) but sometimes you just have to let go of that stuff and let the energy flow where it wants to go. Or as my teacher said “don’t work it with the mind… just be in your heart.”

———————————————

** FYI—Reiki is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui, which since has been adapted by various teachers of varying traditions. It uses a technique commonly called palm healing or hands-on healing as a form of complementary therapy… Through the use of this technique, practitioners believe that they are transferring universal energy (i.e., reiki) in the form of ki through the palms, which allows for self-healing and a state of equilibrium.

—Edited, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

• • • • • • • • • • • •

SPECIAL NOTE
This coming Sunday, April 22, 2012, from Noon to 6pm, I will be co-hosting another of the ongoing Practical Mysticism Expos here in NYC at One on One Casting, 34 West 27th Street, 11th Floor, NY NY. There will be three lectures, a seance/message circle, a discussion group and available readings from astrologers, psychics, tarot card readers and mediums.

And I will be offering free 15 minute reiki sessions when I am not lecturing as time and availability permits.

 

For more info, see www.practicalmysticismexpo.com or join our meetup group at www.meetup.com/Practical-Mysticism-Expo/

Rate this:

The Dead Sea Scrolls are on tour, currently at The Discovery Center here in NYC. I went to the exhibit on New Year’s Day this year with my wife and mother-in-law (who treated us to the tickets).

The exhibit was well done, and it illuminated a big picture of the world as it was when the Dead Sea Scrolls were written and then hidden away. The exhibit was popular, almost crowded, and the section with the longest line displayed a fragment containing the earliest existing written copy of the Ten Commandments.

When I was in a Lutheran-based parochial school, I was taught that the Ten Commandments could be divided into two parts: the commandments regarding our duty to God, and then the ones regarding our responsibility to our fellow man. God’s wishes were simple. Worship Him, obey Him, no other gods, etc. And our responsibility to our fellow man was also pretty obvious: no killing, no stealing, no lying, no cheating with your neighbor’s spouse, honor your parents.

I do not identify myself as a “christian,” but I like & respect a lot of Jesus’ teachings. When it comes to the Ten Commandments, Jesus gave us a new one in John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” It was so important, he repeated it again in John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (King James Version) And you know, if you follow this new commandment, it basically takes care of all the “no stealing, no killing, no cheating” stuff.

But as I was looking at the Dead Sea Scroll exhibit, I realized you could divide the Ten Commandments into three sections, not two, as I had been taught. There is that commandment about “coveting,”  (Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. Exodus 20:17, King James Version) and yes, at first glance it does seem to be about our neighbors, but really it is telling us how to be. This commandment is for our own mental, emotional & spiritual well-being. It is telling us to stay focused on our needs, our own desires and ourselves. How can you “follow your bliss” if you are keeping an eye on your neighbor’s achievements?

My wife’s grandmother often told her “The only reason you should ever look in another person’s bowl is to make sure they have enough to eat, too.”

So, not bad: Keep your eyes on your own prize, and only keep an eye on your neighbors to see if they need any help. Sounds like a good way to live…