I always affirm that in a reading that I will bring through messages that will be useful for this person at this time. A reading I did for a client today affirms that, and I feel very good about my work, knowing that I have been of service.
"Your reading was so encouraging! I feel much better now. I was afraid and did not see my possibilities. These insights have helped me see that I do have options and I can pursue my dreams." ---Natalia
Testimonial: "Hi Dan- thanks for your time and care with the reading. I feel calmer than I have been and that it helped affirm some inner stirrings." --- Paul
"Hey Dan!!! Your reading for me a couple years ago ended up right on. I left my husband and I've moved back home with my folks in Philly." --- Krystal
"Wanted to thank you again for my last reading! So clear and guiding." --- Ian
These testimonials I just posted are typical of the feedback I get on my readings. If you are looking for fresh insights into your situation and your prospects for the future, why not have me do a reading for you?
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Why Isn't Mardi Gras on the Same Date Every Year?
The date of Mardi Gras moves every year for the same reason that Easter moves every year. Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. Why Tuesday? Because it leads into Ash Wednesday.
You see, every year the church sets the date for Easter according to this ancient formula. Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. Hmmm......Are you wondering how they came up with that formula?
Once again, when the church was busy trying to invest ancient pagan celebrations with a new meaning so that they could once again try and convince more people to convert by pretending that what they had been doing for millennia was really not what they thought, you begin to realize the sophisticated psychology of the cultural shift.
Spring Equinox was traditionally a time for people to celebrate the return of the greenery, the melted snow swelling the streams, the softening of the soil, the planting of crops, the return of abundance and fertility after the sterile, freezing temperatures of winter. It was also a cause for celebration and a randy spirit inspiring people who may have begun to get cabin fever. Hence, the symbols of eggs and rabbits. What are rabbits known for? Ah, yes, bounding around humping. And eggs, birth and rebirth. Even the name Easter has nothing to do with traditions of a someone born in Bethlehem. Easter comes from the name of an ancient Germanic fertility goddess, Estara, also spelled Ostara.
In church tradition, Lent is a period of six weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday when people fast, pray repent for their sins, and so since churchgoers were in for 40 days of such grim proceedings, they had a big blowout prior to the grim period. Hence the costumes, revelry, parties, parades and bop till you drop attitude that precedes Lent. Guess if you believe in sins, then you might as well enjoy some big time sins before you start feeling guilty and beating yourself up and apologizing for it.
Sort of in the same spirit expressed in the song "Stormy Monday." Party all night Saturday then Sunday go to church and ask forgivenness for having fun Saturday night. Yep, I'll never do that again. At least not until tonight. Or next weekend. Yes, we realists recognize true nature.
So anyway, the fact that Easter does not have the same date every year, neither does Fat Tuesday. Hey, the date changes, but the party goes on!
You see, every year the church sets the date for Easter according to this ancient formula. Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. Hmmm......Are you wondering how they came up with that formula?
Once again, when the church was busy trying to invest ancient pagan celebrations with a new meaning so that they could once again try and convince more people to convert by pretending that what they had been doing for millennia was really not what they thought, you begin to realize the sophisticated psychology of the cultural shift.
Spring Equinox was traditionally a time for people to celebrate the return of the greenery, the melted snow swelling the streams, the softening of the soil, the planting of crops, the return of abundance and fertility after the sterile, freezing temperatures of winter. It was also a cause for celebration and a randy spirit inspiring people who may have begun to get cabin fever. Hence, the symbols of eggs and rabbits. What are rabbits known for? Ah, yes, bounding around humping. And eggs, birth and rebirth. Even the name Easter has nothing to do with traditions of a someone born in Bethlehem. Easter comes from the name of an ancient Germanic fertility goddess, Estara, also spelled Ostara.
In church tradition, Lent is a period of six weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday when people fast, pray repent for their sins, and so since churchgoers were in for 40 days of such grim proceedings, they had a big blowout prior to the grim period. Hence the costumes, revelry, parties, parades and bop till you drop attitude that precedes Lent. Guess if you believe in sins, then you might as well enjoy some big time sins before you start feeling guilty and beating yourself up and apologizing for it.
Sort of in the same spirit expressed in the song "Stormy Monday." Party all night Saturday then Sunday go to church and ask forgivenness for having fun Saturday night. Yep, I'll never do that again. At least not until tonight. Or next weekend. Yes, we realists recognize true nature.
So anyway, the fact that Easter does not have the same date every year, neither does Fat Tuesday. Hey, the date changes, but the party goes on!
A Brief History of Valentines
Before they called it Valentine's Day, it was an old Roman holiday called Lupercalia.
It was a lusty holiday that celebrated Rome's origins and the coming of spring.
Those original festivals featured lots of bawdy, lusty playful priests of Faunus who would run through the streets in furry loincloths, playfully striking with little leather strips. Women would bare their bodies so that they could feel the stimulation of these little leather strips. It was considered good luck and fertility magic to be touched in this way.
Was this was the origin of mild B&D play? Lupercalia certainly popularized at least an aspect of it. What other popular erotic enchantments had their origins in these ancient bawdy festivals? Obviously, the festival was popular and hugely celebrated for centuries, and among some parts of the population, it still is.
Lupercalia gets its name from Lupa, the she wolf who suckled the twins, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. They were regarded as aspects of the origin of the wild god, Faunus, the Roman god who was the equivalent of Pan.
As the church became more powerful, they tried to get people to abandon the old Pagan festivals, but the challenge was how to get them to quit doing these things when so many people were having so much fun? Even though church leaders declared participation in Lupercalia to be a sin and forbid people to participate, the people largely ignored the church's orders and rules and continued to party on.
So in the 5th century, the church tried a different strategy. They simply renamed the party that people were already going to, and abracadabra! Lupercalia becomes Valentine's Day.
So the church declared that in honor of an early church martyr, St. Valentine, the holiday would be a celebration of romantic love, affection and dedication. Little is actually known about this person.
That is why today, we still see these two moods intertwine. Valentine's Day has become a day to express our appreciation and love for our lovers. And it is also a day to engage in erotic playfulness, encompassing everything from greeting cards and gifts to entertainment and special romantic dinners.
Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" opens at the scene of Lupercalia, with Caesar and Mark Antony as participants.
During the Middle Ages, in the time of writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, all kinds of stories about romance became popular, giving another boost to the popular holiday.
Because of the combination of religious and political power, they finally managed to drive some of the bawdy aspects of the holiday underground.
The modern greeting card industry dates back to the 19th century, and they promote the sending of Valentine cards (a billion a year, according to the US Greeting Card Association). Now we see promoting the sales of teddy bears and winter pajamas as Valentines gifts since the market is already saturated with heart shaped boxes of chocolates.
So if you are celebrating the real spirit of the holiday, it is to be found in lusty playfulness and embracing joy with the person you care most to be with.
It was a lusty holiday that celebrated Rome's origins and the coming of spring.
Those original festivals featured lots of bawdy, lusty playful priests of Faunus who would run through the streets in furry loincloths, playfully striking with little leather strips. Women would bare their bodies so that they could feel the stimulation of these little leather strips. It was considered good luck and fertility magic to be touched in this way.
Was this was the origin of mild B&D play? Lupercalia certainly popularized at least an aspect of it. What other popular erotic enchantments had their origins in these ancient bawdy festivals? Obviously, the festival was popular and hugely celebrated for centuries, and among some parts of the population, it still is.
Lupercalia gets its name from Lupa, the she wolf who suckled the twins, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. They were regarded as aspects of the origin of the wild god, Faunus, the Roman god who was the equivalent of Pan.
As the church became more powerful, they tried to get people to abandon the old Pagan festivals, but the challenge was how to get them to quit doing these things when so many people were having so much fun? Even though church leaders declared participation in Lupercalia to be a sin and forbid people to participate, the people largely ignored the church's orders and rules and continued to party on.
So in the 5th century, the church tried a different strategy. They simply renamed the party that people were already going to, and abracadabra! Lupercalia becomes Valentine's Day.
So the church declared that in honor of an early church martyr, St. Valentine, the holiday would be a celebration of romantic love, affection and dedication. Little is actually known about this person.
That is why today, we still see these two moods intertwine. Valentine's Day has become a day to express our appreciation and love for our lovers. And it is also a day to engage in erotic playfulness, encompassing everything from greeting cards and gifts to entertainment and special romantic dinners.
Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" opens at the scene of Lupercalia, with Caesar and Mark Antony as participants.
During the Middle Ages, in the time of writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, all kinds of stories about romance became popular, giving another boost to the popular holiday.
Because of the combination of religious and political power, they finally managed to drive some of the bawdy aspects of the holiday underground.
The modern greeting card industry dates back to the 19th century, and they promote the sending of Valentine cards (a billion a year, according to the US Greeting Card Association). Now we see promoting the sales of teddy bears and winter pajamas as Valentines gifts since the market is already saturated with heart shaped boxes of chocolates.
So if you are celebrating the real spirit of the holiday, it is to be found in lusty playfulness and embracing joy with the person you care most to be with.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Going with the Flow
Have you ever made plans for your life and then kept running into stumbling blocks that frustrated your plans? Many of us have.
One approach is to keep on revising the plan and trying different approaches until you break through. That kind of persistence will eventually pay off, but the price required will be to narrow your focus until there is only ever one goal in sight, to the exclusion of virtually everything else. Single mindedness of this type can exact a deep personal toll. However, it is a price that some people gladly pay.
Another approach is to be flexible and go with the flow of whatever seems to work. For example, one person who gets a great deal of satisfaction out of creating her art said that the act of creation is so important to her that if people don't want to buy her work, she would still do it as a hobby and make her money doing something else. For her, the act of creation is the important part.
For one person the goal is the most important part, and for the other, the process is most important.
Your greatest measure of self satisfaction is contained in knowing which kind of person you are. It's not like one way is the right way and the other way is the wrong way.
I have actually tried it both ways myself. Years ago, I self published a couple of poetry books. It cost considerable money to print them and it was a lot of work to think up different promotions, get them into stores on consignment and think of ways to sell them.
Later, I wrote a couple of nonfiction books and shopped them around to various publishers, figuring that this time around, I just wanted to do the writing part and let the publisher do the printing and distribution part. But first you have to get them to want to publish them, which I was unable to do. So I just put them away and have been considering other ways to continue expressing myself, and this blog became one viable option.
There are other avenues on the Internet these days. Artists can sell their own art on sites like Etsy or their own websites. Writers can sell their books as downloads off their websites or make arrangements for on demand printing. Musicians can offer downloads of their songs on their own websites or music websites.
Of course, sales may be sporadic unless you can get lots of people to visit your website.
There are possibilities. It is primarily a matter of deciding how you want to approach it, and which kind of approach you want to take. Go with the flow and see which way feels right for you. Either way, you can still enjoy the satisfaction of your creativity.
Remember, the first person to enjoy the fruits of your labor it you. How others regard it and what they are willing to pay for it is a separate question.
One approach is to keep on revising the plan and trying different approaches until you break through. That kind of persistence will eventually pay off, but the price required will be to narrow your focus until there is only ever one goal in sight, to the exclusion of virtually everything else. Single mindedness of this type can exact a deep personal toll. However, it is a price that some people gladly pay.
Another approach is to be flexible and go with the flow of whatever seems to work. For example, one person who gets a great deal of satisfaction out of creating her art said that the act of creation is so important to her that if people don't want to buy her work, she would still do it as a hobby and make her money doing something else. For her, the act of creation is the important part.
For one person the goal is the most important part, and for the other, the process is most important.
Your greatest measure of self satisfaction is contained in knowing which kind of person you are. It's not like one way is the right way and the other way is the wrong way.
I have actually tried it both ways myself. Years ago, I self published a couple of poetry books. It cost considerable money to print them and it was a lot of work to think up different promotions, get them into stores on consignment and think of ways to sell them.
Later, I wrote a couple of nonfiction books and shopped them around to various publishers, figuring that this time around, I just wanted to do the writing part and let the publisher do the printing and distribution part. But first you have to get them to want to publish them, which I was unable to do. So I just put them away and have been considering other ways to continue expressing myself, and this blog became one viable option.
There are other avenues on the Internet these days. Artists can sell their own art on sites like Etsy or their own websites. Writers can sell their books as downloads off their websites or make arrangements for on demand printing. Musicians can offer downloads of their songs on their own websites or music websites.
Of course, sales may be sporadic unless you can get lots of people to visit your website.
There are possibilities. It is primarily a matter of deciding how you want to approach it, and which kind of approach you want to take. Go with the flow and see which way feels right for you. Either way, you can still enjoy the satisfaction of your creativity.
Remember, the first person to enjoy the fruits of your labor it you. How others regard it and what they are willing to pay for it is a separate question.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
What Brings You Peace of Mind?
Questions like this can prompt us to make lists or try hard to remember, but it really is a simple question.
What are the things that you do that allows you to enter into a state where you experience peace of mind?
Just notice what you do. Often it is a simple thing, perhaps reading a book, sitting by a window watching the clouds change color at sunset, enjoying a cup of tea while listening to some soothing music.
Perhaps it is just going for a walk or singing a song or chant. How about swimming, feeling the water all around your body, and how even your thoughts seem cleansed while you are going through the simple repetitive motion.
If it has been a while since you did any of these things that bring you peace of mind, ask yourself, why? Why don't I do this more often?
What are the things that you do that allows you to enter into a state where you experience peace of mind?
Just notice what you do. Often it is a simple thing, perhaps reading a book, sitting by a window watching the clouds change color at sunset, enjoying a cup of tea while listening to some soothing music.
Perhaps it is just going for a walk or singing a song or chant. How about swimming, feeling the water all around your body, and how even your thoughts seem cleansed while you are going through the simple repetitive motion.
If it has been a while since you did any of these things that bring you peace of mind, ask yourself, why? Why don't I do this more often?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wicked Fairy Fun
After attending the White and Wicked Fairy balls this past weekend, there was absolutely no comparison. The White Fairies were pretty anemic, while the Wicked Fairies really came out to play.
Certainly the wicked fairies were more creatively inspired, with costumes or without. Without, you ask? The body painting was superb!
Wicked fairies certainly turned out in greater number than white fairies, and it is a certainty, that the wicked fairies certainly had more fun.
Wicked fairies are most colorful and tantalizing, and so they linger in our memories the same way as notable villains in crime stories, or the bad boy detectives that track them down.
So if you find yourself with an invitation to a wicked fairy ball, take it. And if you have to choose between white and wicked, choose wicked. You'll have a great time.
Certainly the wicked fairies were more creatively inspired, with costumes or without. Without, you ask? The body painting was superb!
Wicked fairies certainly turned out in greater number than white fairies, and it is a certainty, that the wicked fairies certainly had more fun.
Wicked fairies are most colorful and tantalizing, and so they linger in our memories the same way as notable villains in crime stories, or the bad boy detectives that track them down.
So if you find yourself with an invitation to a wicked fairy ball, take it. And if you have to choose between white and wicked, choose wicked. You'll have a great time.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Relax and Enjoy It
This is the time of year when we gather with family and friends simply to enjoy their company. It is also a time of reflection when we think about what has happened this year. Yes, there are many things to be concerned about, and there are also developments to be happy about.
Relax and enjoy this moment with family and friends. Then after you have enjoyed the holidays, approach your endeavors for the new year with renewed vigor and do what it takes to create this next stage of your life in a way that works for you.
Enjoy the festivities of the season. Savor these moments. Relax and enjoy them. Then after the holidays, do whatever it takes to do what is most important for you to do. Start with a clean slate, and make this your year.
The clearer your vision, the stronger your will, the more burning your desire, you can make things happen. Take a moment to consider your situation from every angle, and then perhaps you may need to adjust your vision. It is a good time for such things, as you reflect and enjoy the company of friends.
Relax and enjoy this moment with family and friends. Then after you have enjoyed the holidays, approach your endeavors for the new year with renewed vigor and do what it takes to create this next stage of your life in a way that works for you.
Enjoy the festivities of the season. Savor these moments. Relax and enjoy them. Then after the holidays, do whatever it takes to do what is most important for you to do. Start with a clean slate, and make this your year.
The clearer your vision, the stronger your will, the more burning your desire, you can make things happen. Take a moment to consider your situation from every angle, and then perhaps you may need to adjust your vision. It is a good time for such things, as you reflect and enjoy the company of friends.
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