A short video on the symbolic meaning of Uranus; specifically the symbolism of Uranus retrograde this year (July 1 – December 1).
More on Symbolic Meaning of Uranus here.
Find more on this subject via Michele Knight’s astrology site here:
Effects of Uranus in Retrograde
Dreaming of storms can offer a treasure trove of symbolic meaning.
I had torrential downpours in my dreams this week. And, whilst logging onto Twitter this morning, I saw @coachoncall , Cheryl Richardson (The Coach on Call) had a thunderous dream encounter too.
This synchronicity prompted me to write a few thoughts on symbolic meaning of dream storms.
My symbolic lexicon identifies storms with the elements of air and water. These elements run a symbolic parallel with thoughts (air) and emotion (water) amidst the cosmic consciousness. Ergo, dreaming of skies, clouds and storms may be akin to “stormy thoughts” or emotionally-centered thinking.
Storms brewing in dreams may indicate challenges in expressing thoughts, mis-communication, misunderstanding, or conflict between heart and mind. This may include an inability to make a decision or holding grudges (just as clouds accumulate and hold water, so too can thought & emotion).
Rain storms are symbolic of water, and water symbolism deals with cleansing and emotional stirrings. Stormy dreams may indicate an accumulation of unhealthy or unclear thoughts needing to be washed away from the psyche in order to continue on the Path.
Lightning is symbolic of a stroke of genius, clarity, or epiphany. It is also symbolic of action, power, and assertion. Many dream interpreters consider it to be a divine oracle as Native Peoples have established lightning as a “sign from the gods” in cosmic consciousness.
Dreaming of thunder also holds the potential for messages from the divine. When thunder rumbles through my dreams, I fancy it’s the Celtic god Taranis hammering at my heart – knocking down the layers I’ve built up around the soul – demanding entry so that my spirit may be emboldened by his presence.
Further, when I dream of rain or any kind of storms I consider the personality of the element. I propose Undines and Sylphs are not simply mythological creatures, but in fact, they are the personification of water and air (respectively).
When stormy weather visits the dreaming mind – I like to think these elemental spirits are paying me a visit – speaking to me through the language of dreams.
Whether you prescribe to these symbolic meanings of storms in dreams, or have your own symbolic identifications – you owe it to your highest selves to interpret them according to your own personal perspective.
There is infinite gold to be mined from these cavernous oracles. Start digging!
Other pages of interest:
My physical altar is effective, but so is my brain altar.
Most of us know what an altar is.
My friend @DonnaFaber8 of When Isis Rises and I often chat on metaphysical matters. During one such conversation my mind wandered into the topic of symbolic altars.
Paraphrasing Webster: “An altar is an elevated place or structure at which sacred rites are observed.”
Regretfully, the term altar often conjurs some wild imagery. And, although it’s true, altars can be the home of complex ritualistic scenes – even sacrifices (Aztecs, Mayans and other other ancient cultures were notorious for their sacrificial altars) – the nature of this blog post is a bit more subdued.
Let’s simplify.
The term altar can be traced back to the Latin word altus, meaning ”high.”
At its core, an altar is simply a higher place of focused thought upon – or devotion to a higher concept.
I propose an altar does not even have to be physical.
To wit, some ancient alchemists (many of whom were also physicians by day) conducted extensive research on human anatomy…particularly the brain. Their studies revealed some pretty startling and revolutionary conclusions about the function of the frontal lobes.
They (among other gifted scientists & mystics) theorized the forefront of the brain has the ability to communicate directly with the energies of the Universe. And, the energetic vibration that emanates from this area of the brain is quantum-magnetic.
What that means is the perception reflected in the “higher mind” is the reality maker, and thus creator of our experience.
Essentially, humans have a built-in altar; the frontal brain where we can place our devotions, troubles, prayers and perceptions on the elevated space of the higher mind.
In the same way a devotion is placed upon a physical altar with the intent of answered prayer, clarity or thanksgiving – similarly, the alter in our mind (the front of the brain/higher mind) can serve the same purpose.
What does this have to do with you and every day life? I’m glad you asked.
Do you pray? Do you work with the law of attraction? Do you visualize and make intentions for a better way of life?
If so, try a meditation or contemplative practice of placing these prayers and intentions in the forefront of your brain. Physically feel those thoughts localizing into a focused beacon that permeates your frontal lobes. Essentially, place your thoughts on the altar of your higher mind. Just give it a try and observe the results.
I can tell you from experience this has produced some amazing (downright eerie) results for me. I wonder what kind of results it will have for you.
-Just food for your brain-altar.
Touched by Evil, the autobiography of Psychic Michele Knight
To some extent, we’ve all had a case of the “Why me?” syndrome.
You know what I’m talking about. A phase of life in which a load of miserable (sometimes horrific) circumstances have plopped right into our laps.
Taking a look at these utterly dismal circumstances, we sometimes think “Why me? Why are these terrible things happening to me?”
Reading Michéle Knight’s autobiography will cause you to reformulate that question from “Why me?” to “How can this hardship serve me?”
In her book, Touched by Evil, Michéle bears her soul with steely candor. She recounts the events of her life tinged with abuse, neglect and circumstances that would put the most courageous among us at our wits end.
Michéle Knight is a brilliant psychic with an uncanny ability to see clear into the human heart with laser-beam accuracy.
And her book gives us a glimpse into how her brand of psychic power was forged. In reading it, we get to see, first-hand how her intuitive brilliance was enhanced and developed under immense pressure and conflict.
Michéle writes about the abuse she endured as a child from an objective, aerial view. Throughout the book, Michéle’s compassion radiates as time and time again, she acknowledges the demons and social ineptitude of her abusers with a level of acceptance that can only be described as Christ like.
That’s a strong statement, but you’ll see it too when you read her book. You’ll wonder how this woman was able to triumphantly move through one tragedy, loss and abuse after another to become one of UK’s finest and most powerful psychics.
You’ll learn she had some help overcoming insurmountable odds too. Michéle was never alone. She came into this world with a twin, and although her twin Lucy did not survive at birth – Lucy’s spirit resiliently lived on to guide and protect Michéle through her dark childhood.
Michéle weaves the story of her life with brutal honesty and stitches the painful memories together with a bright wit that makes you shake your head and laugh in spite of the circumstances.
What’s more, there is never a hint of the “why me?” syndrome in Michéle Knight’s life story. This woman has endured unfathomable atrocities, and she never once blamed a soul. She recognizes the value of her life, gives credit to the spirits who have held her hand on her path, and continues to love with a warrior heart.
This book will give you newfound respect for your life experiences. It will make you ditch the “Why me” syndrome and begin to see the world and all the people in it as divine (sometimes tragically divine) catalysts activating positive potential within you.
Further, this book will prompt you to take a look at the non-physical helpers who march with you, shoulder-to-shoulder through the battlefields of your life. Michéle’s experience with her spiritual guardians will cause you to reevaluate your own spirit guides, and recognize they are undeniably present – able – and willing to assist you in your evolutionary path to betterment.
Michéle Knight’s autobiography, Touched by Evil is a true inspiration to those seeking proof that we are not our story. We are valuable regardless of what our circumstances might indicate. We truly can overcome all odds against and experience love, success and peace. We never need ask “Why me” but we can live our lives knowing our experiences serve as fuel for our most brilliant potential.
In closing, if you want to know what a phoenix rising from the ashes is like, read Touched by Evil - it will clue you into the transformational potential each one of us possess in converting tragedy into victory.
Purchase Michéle’s book, Touched by Evil here.
Michéle Knight is a critically acclaimed psychic, astrologer, presenter, broadcaster and author who holds an honorary degree in anthropology. Aside from all that, she’s a genuinely delightful person with a heart of gold.
Find out more about Michéle on her websites:
Video on Summer Solstice Symbolism (say that 3 times fast) along with resource links for more info to follow:
More information on sun/summer symbolism:
I want to live the way Joe Cocker performs.
Like the Song of life is being rendered from me.
No matter how the many Selves contort or reel against exposure, I want the Song to be lured from me like a charmer coaxes electric snakes from straw baskets.
A higher life drawn, pulled and ripped from me.
Urged on like some rogue daemon, sick to tears of backseat driving, shreds out of the skin in a wild attempt at free-creation without me (the slack meat puppet) to contend with.
I want life to crack me open wide. Unbridled and wild - the way the soul is driven right out of Cocker’s body.
Like he’s thunderstruck by the message he channels.
Seems like a good way to live life.
Watch him for yourself on the footage below (circa 1969, Woodstock). Maybe this post will make sense after watching. Maybe not.
Pain can be Symbolic
I’ve got a trick back.
It’s a trick back because sometimes my body moves a certain way, and my back decides to move a different way. Tricky indeed, but it’s not magical, and it’s certainly not entertaining.
So what the hell is a trick back good for?
Herding Awareness.
Pain lassos our awareness and seizes our attention fully.
What’s so great about that? Pain can be a useful tool for focused awareness and it works like a double-edged sword.
On the one side, pain localizes our attention. Consider, you’ve got a sharp pain in your back, and suddenly your awareness is a laser beam on that one spot. You’ve pounced 100% on that pain. If your attention were fireflies, you could bottle them all up in a giant mayonnaise jar at the site of your pain because that’s where it’s all hanging out.
That kind of localized attention is invaluable to the spiritual developer. Pain makes awareness tangible because it causes our attention to get compact, tight, narrow and finely focused. It’s priceless because it shows us what focused attention feels like. Now that we know what it’s like to have all our fireflies of awareness shining brightly in one centralized spot – we can direct that attention in any way we choose.
And we all know, awareness is the key to – well, just about everything. It’s certainly the key to reality.
What’s the other side of the sharp sword of pain? Well, it’s awareness too, but of a symbolic kind.
I contend the body is a puppet whose operation is wholly reliant upon a vast network of energetic and spiritual strings.
A string of thought is pulled, the body twitches. A string of faith is plucked, the body dances. Pull a spiritual string often enough, over time, the body is going to heave-ho.
What’s this got to do with my trick back? I’m glad you asked.
I frequently pull thought-strings about control issues that can make a caffeine-narcotic-addled banjo player look sedated.
Every back problem I’ve had can be traced back, at the moment of injury, to some illusory thought/belief over how much control I want, need, or think I have.
I’m taking this a step further by saying different body pains are a result of specific emotional strings being pulled.
Backs and spines happen to be symbolic of core nervous issues which stem from the illusion of control.
Feet address foundational issues, a deep emotional need to feel stable, grounded and secure.
Eyes are symbolic of our perception, how we view the world, and our vision on a spiritual/intellectual scale.
You get my drift?
Take my trick back as an example of how pain can be a significant and symbolic tool for our personal growth. If you’ve got pain, take a deeper look into it. Try to trace the spiritual/emotional/thought strings connected to the pain.
What strings are you yanking that are triggering pain, and localizing your attention?
Here is where I offer further reading on the subject. That’s another trick, because I haven’t written much in this vein.
Maybe I’ll write a few pages on symbolic body parts.
If you have issues with your hands, you might want to check out my meaning of hands page here.
Anyhoo, thanks for reading.
Oh, and by the way: You know I’m not advocating pain as a path to enlightenment, right? Nope, just offering some thoughts on how pain (when it pops up, not self-imposed) can give us a new perspective on things.
Different ways to seek Wisdom
Last week, a brightly lit, inquisitive mind focused on a statement I made on my Tarot site .
I wrote:
In our own ways, in our own time, we will all find the answers we seek only to realize there was never a need to search for them at all.
And, in response, Ed asked me: “Isn’t it through searching (questioning) that we gain awareness?”
I love philosophical fodder like this….more than I love crunchy organic peanut butter with bananas and really good coffee (trust me, that’s a lot).
My statement wasn’t arbitrary, but my friend’s question made me reevaluate its consequences.
He’s right. It IS the searching through darkness that leads to the light.
It IS the question asked that reveals the answer.
Without the question, exploration isn’t launched.
But, there is a little caveat. Actually, a gigantic one. A mammoth loophole that often hides from plain view.
That loophole is this: We are all cradled in a matrix of infinite wisdom, love, and acceptance.
All knowledge breathes in our midst and we can inhale it by right, or by might.
I wrote that statement on my Tarot site from a place that knows I am (”IAM” – the greater “I”) a vital integration of the cosmos. As such, all knowledge is inherent to me (and you, and everybody else).
More and more I come to realize that KNOWING is more about the process of BEING rather than seeking.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m very much a seeker.
Nevertheless, when submerged in the idea that all things are available without the need to grapple, paradoxically, wisdom begins to roll up onto the sandy beaches of our awareness.
In this manner of being, full, burgeoning waves of wisdom may press themselves upon us. Voluntarily, that wisdom surfaces to our suspended perception – with no prompting from the seeking mind.
I’m not sure I’m explaining this very well.
Here’s another stab at it: It’s when I can simply BE and KNOW my beat in the pulse of life – this is when the wisdom comes…unbidden….fluid…and so clear….moreso than if I had ever asked a question.
To be frank, I’m still playing with this concept (lucidity, it seems, is elusive) And, I’ll admit, it can be a ”foreign” way at looking at the experience of learning and growth, but I suspect this mode of learning is quite natural for humankind.
My thanks to Ed, for his question, and allowing my ruminations in response.
If you liked this post, you may also be interested in: Well, humph – I haven’t publicly written anything like this before – so I don’t have any related posts to link (I’ll have to remedy that 
.
What are your thoughts? Shoot ‘em off in the comment section below.
Tags: Dreams | Personal Observations
Dream Meaning and Self-Communication
I get a lot of requests to interpret dream meaning and symbolism. Of course, I always have impressions to share, but I continue to stand firmly in the knowledge that dreams are personal oracles.
What do I mean by that? I mean your dream is a message for you and only you. Dreams are a form of self-communication. Dreams arise when certain aspects of yourself are reaching out to contact other aspects of yourself. That sounds redundant, but it’s not, really.
I contend humans are a sum of many, many parts (aspects, personalities, motives, heritages, etc), and dreams are a means of communication amongst these parts.
For example, a deep-rooted aspect of myself that moves from a place of insecurity may send a prophetic dream to a higher, more sure-footed aspect of myself whose job it is to interpret the dream. The dream meaning in this context holds a key to soothing or healing that insecure aspect.
If this sounds confusing, don’t let it. Here’s an analogy:
We are each an ocean. Our waters rise and fall in cyclical rhythms that are at once natural and mystical. And, within our waters stirs ancient life in infinite varietes. Some of this life we know intimately. Others lurk more deeply, and our knowledge of these life forms is slight.
Dreams churn our energetic waters, move the silt, and bring deeper aspects in contact with more familiar waters. This allows us to pick up new treasures and discoveries (in the form of personalities, tendencies and behaviors) that have surfaced in awareness.
Should we fear the unknowns in our watery depths? Not at all.
There is nothing in the grand body that does not know itself. There is nothing within the totality of the ocean that is excluded – all is known – all is accepted.
Making an effort to contemplate various dream meaning is a form of self-acceptance as well as self-communication.
In the end, we must swim in ourselves, and do so playfully – as a child would splash in the waters of the sea, fearless, unabashed and exilerated by the experience.
Better yet, be adventursome in the pursuit of determining your own dream meanings. There’s something empowering and alluring about self-discovery.
Go exploring. Approach your energetic waters like a saucy pirate lustily stroking the crest of a wave as if it were a lover by your side.
I digress…
Succinctly put, dreaming meaning and self-communication boils down to the grand tennet:
“Temet Nosce.” Know Thyself.
Sleepwalk through my other pages on dream meaning:
Common Dream Symbols and their Meanings
Common Dream Animals and their Meanings
Dreaming in Colors and their Meanings
Tags: Animal Totems | Native American | Horse Symbolism
My Great Grandfather, Bronze Medalist of 1932 Olympic Equestrian Events
For me, the symbolic meaning of horses is compelling because it points out the value of partnering with our animal kin for guidance, wisdom and growth.
That admiration was confirmed last week after spending hours with my dad going over his lineage. Simply put, we’re horse people.
Generation after generation the hands of my bloodline have held firm on horse reins (and mane hair before the advent of the bit).
What’s this got to do with you, who are seeking relationships between symbolic meaning and your personal life path?
Plenty, because horses, more than most creatures, exhibit a brand of stoic patience for humans and a willingness to help us in our pursuit of freedom.
Over the years, horses have stood by our sides, helped us in our plights, facilitated our goals, and offered us a kind of mobility we would have otherwise never known without their graceful countenance.
Native Americans knew this.
Sky Dog was the name given to horses by Plains tribes because prior to the mid 1600s (when visiting Spaniards accidentally let loose a few horses which eventually fell into the savvy hands of Northern American native folk) dogs served as helpers in daily work. They helped carry heavy loads by means of the travois, and facilitated an intensely nomadic way of life.
Horses effortlessly usurped these roles from the dogs, and much more. They afforded Native people freedom and opportunities as vast as the sky.
When Sky Dogs came on the scene, they shifted the entire paradigm for the Native way of life.
Most notably, horses showed a willingness to accept mankind’s dependence upon them.
For centuries, mankind has asked for their strength, and horses have nobly and generously provided.
With that in mind, I invite you to ask yourself: “Who are my Sky Dogs?”
By this I mean:
If you happen to be “horse people” too, you might enjoy my page on the symbolic meaning of horses here.
You may also find my page on Knowing and Communicating with Your Animal Totem intriguing.
Holiday Lane
Tags: Iguana Symbolism | Reptiles | Nature | Personal Observations
Iguana Thoughts
Like everybody else I know, sometimes I just feel like a rag that’s been wrung dry.
Too many deadlines, too much obligation, and too much (self-inflicted) stress and worry.
Thankfully, I have a home remedy for these moments. I mosey out to my sun porch wherein my six foot iguana wanders freely.
Why is Spike such good medicine?
Because she reminds me to squeeze the charm out of every moment in life.
She looks out into the world with deep wonder, and appreciation for everything she is experiencing. Observing her reminds me to do the same.
Iguana medicine is powerful stuff. It’s like taking a dose of simplicity. A measure of this Rx puts us in a state of simple joy for the lovely things around us.
Warm sun, fresh air, good food, fine music, a great book, flowers blooming, pleasant company, birds singing, shade trees, running water – real basic stuff we can all tick off our appreciation check-list.
That’s what iguanas do. They revel in the simple pleasures. Each moment in the warmth of the sun is a gift. Every Johnny Mathis tune is an unexpected pleasure (Spike loves Johnny Mathis), every mouthful of banana - an exquisite treat.
I’ve written more about Spike, and the amazing symbolic lessons she’s shared with me over the years. You can read all about Spike and her wisdom here.
 | Sun in Cancer 1 degree |
 | Moon in Aquarius 9 degrees |
 | Waning Gibbous Moon 16 days old |
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