Derek’s Newsletter – February 2021

Warm Welcome Companions on the Path to my February Newsletter, the second month of a New Year.

I have always like February because it stands alone. Only 28 days in contrast to the 30-31 Days of the other 11 months. Every four years it gives us an extra day, which is a little more time to create the magic we have been working on. 28 Days to a new…You.

This is the month of Aquarius, the 11th.Zodiac sign leading into Pisces, the completion of the 12 Signs of the Zodiac. The New Year’s Resolutions you committed yourself to achieve when the transit Sun was moving through the previous sign of Capricorn, is meeting its first challenges in Aquarius – will we rebel and break our commitments, or will we hold the vision and become progressively innovative, seeking out new pathways?  And when the transit Sun enters Pisces this month on 20th. February, will we go into complete meltdown, the period traditionally for Scandinavian’s Ragnorok, as we dissolve all our New Year’s Resolutions, if not forgetting them altogether? Or, instead of an emotionally low period, will it be contrasted by an emotional high phase, as that which has seemed far far away draws closer & closer, as we experience a wash and a cleansing that allows us to receive the descent of a higher vibrational frequency? Time has the answer to that question. 

February is a walker-between-worlds month for me. As we pass through the hard, dark, icy days of late Winter, February offers the first shoots and tiny buds of new life and so acts as the herald to Spring.

I am writing these words on 1st. February which represents one of the great 8 Festivals of the Celtic civilization – IMBOLIC: The Festival of Dedication.

The Solar Cycle of the Year brings us the Seasons of Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter. The Longest and Shortest Day and the Two Equinoxes (when Day & Night are equal) form a cross within the circle, one of our oldest symbols. This is then again crossed by the 4 Great Fire festivals of our Celtic past, IMBOLIC, BELTAIN, LAMMAS & SAMHAIN (the Cross Quarter Festivals). Astrologers will note that these 4 key Festivals in the Celtic world fall across the 15th. degree of a Fixed sign (Aquarius-Leo; Taurus-Scorpio). This is called the Avatar degree, the descent of incredibly powerful spiritual energies located at the middle of the Fixed sign. The Fixed signs represent centripetal energy, which is energy radiating inwards towards a center. In esoteric astrology, these 4 signs intuitively sense the depth and power of the life-giving spirit within and therefore the Fixed Cross is identified as the Cross of the Soul, whose nature is LOVE. The Cardinal signs (Aries-Libra; Cancer-Capricorn) represents the Cross of WILL, and the Mutable signs (Gemini-Sagittarius; Virgo-Pisces) is the Cross representing the INTELLIGENCE principle. 

To explore deeper what this FIXED CROSS OF LOVE represents, I am offering a February webinar entitled: “THE 4 KINDS OF LOVE”, where we work with the ancient Greek definitions of Epithemia (Taurus), Phila (Leo), Eros (Scorpio) and Agape (Aquarius). Don’t delay Book today if you are truly interested in exploring L-O-V-E.

Each of these 8 Festivals provides us with endless opportunity for Ritual, Ceremony and Celebration. Through them we can find ways to connect to the Earth, as we follow the changing seasonal cycle of the Year and acknowledge and honour our own Path within that cycle. Each Festival renews our connection to our Spiritual Selves, providing focus for our hopes, our deepest wishes and opportunity for gratitude, love and healing.

So 1st. February is the celebration of the cross-quarter Festival of IMBOLIC, which is the beginning of Spring in the Celtic calendar. Particular attention is paid to the lambing season and milking of ewes and over time became merged with Saint Brigit’s Day (1st. February). The Irish Brigit is also a very busy lady, being a Fire Goddess, a fertility and birth Goddess, a poet, a healer & warrior – so even though the date has past, raise a glass of milk to her as she is the Patron Saint of daily maids and her emblem is the cow.

IMBOLIC represents the time for your hearth and home to be cleansed & blessed, new fires lit and offerings made. This Festival marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. The Soul dedicates itself to the service of the Light within, that it might eventually shine forth in full glory. In the Orphic Mysteries of ancient Greece, the Lesser Eleusinia commenced at this point, the start of Initiation.

The Christian counterpart is known as CANDLEMAS, also known as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin and the Presentation of the Lord. Forty days after the birth of Jesus, Mary went to the Temple to be ritually cleansed (a custom known as Churching). Traditionally there was a Mass preceded by a candle-lit procession, hence the name Candlemas. People would bring their candles to be blessed to ward off evil in the home. What we can do is to simply light some candles and bless the space you live within. We can sit for a moment in the dark, think about where you are and what has happened to you in the past year. Then, when ready, strike the match. Notice the atmosphere change and the vital spark, the light-bringer, burst forth. Light a simple candle and be amazed at how much is suddenly illuminated. Feel the sense of wonder for a moment. Light more candles as you wish but invite the light in to banish the dark lurking. Every year on 1st. February I light a big candle just after midnight, placed by my altar, and it is kept burning the entire 24 Hours. This is a Day for renewal.

THE ALCHEMY OF IMBOLIC 

This is the Celtic Festival that celebrates the awakening Earth. It is Imbolic marks the initiation and beginning of the outer journey. Both Festivals unite and open the channels between the seen and the unseen, the inner & the outer worlds.

Imbolic Alchemy lies in the joining of the inner with the outer, in harnessing receptivity, the intuition and the imagination as active tools for the journey ahead. The alchemy of Imbolic is therefore not just one special day, but the entire month, as we make the transference of energy from the inside to the outside – which was known as the alchemical experience of Distillation. The time for action is beginning and IMBOLIC has a long tradition of honouring & celebrating creativity of all kinds – art, poetry, music & song, and all craftwork demonstrate sacred acts of power, a way of channeling the Inner Mysteries. The creative act was seen as a tool of magic, a way of manifesting what was invoked during the process of creation. 

This greatly interests me, and I hope it interests you too, as we become more aware of what we are bringing to what we are creating through our energy – and what I invoke and consciously activate through my creative work. This is a special time to remember to keep the channels of communication open so that you can receive impressions, insights and communications from the Spirit Realms. For some of you, this might resonate as tapping into your ancestral memory, which rises from the inner world and can be contacted through the MUSE. The MUSE, or your Spirit Guide is said to whisper inspiration in our ear – so let’s use these special energies available in this month of February to make contact linked to the Festival of Lammas (see diagram) across the Wheel of the Year, just as Aquarius & its opposite sign Leo are intimately linked. Lammas marks the initiation and beginning of the inner journey and 

So yes, I am very much a practitioner of the Celtic Mysteries, yet I will now introduce you to some special teachings around this month of February from my Indian Teacher, Dr. Ekkirala Krishnamacharya “The World Teacher Trust”. 

As we start February the transit Sun is positioned at 11-degrees Aquarius and by the end of the month it has reached 10-degrees Pisces. In the Spiritual Astrology promoted by E.Krishnamacharya, when the transit Sun moves from 17 to 30 degrees Aquarius (from 6th. to 18th. February 2021) it will activate the Constellation of stars known as “Dhanishta” that occupy the last decanate of Aquarius – sign of the perfected Man. The transit Sun does this one time a year. The transit Moon moves through the entire 12 signs of the Zodiac during every month and will occupy each sign every 2½-days, so each month it will travel through Aquarius. When they come together this year to create a New Moon at 23-degrees Aquarius on the 11 February, this creates an extra-ordinary connection for “As Above, So Below”. 

The spiritual teachers of the East have long recommended extended periods of meditation during the days when the transit Sun travels through the constellation of Dhanishta, and at 9pm local time when the transit Moon is also in this constellation. The 11th. February 2021 offers a unique opportunity for attunement with these higher frequencies. 

Aquarius is regarded as the most sacred sign of the Zodiac in the East and the Guardian of the Holy Grail in our Western traditions. It is the 4th. of the Fixed Signs and the 3rd. of the Air Triplicity, which technically speaking establishes man in the Fourth Plane and in the third state of Air which is Spiritual Air. Without expanding further upon these concepts, the teaching is summarized as the best period for making contact with the Hierarchies of Creation, the Cosmic plane of Agastya and the Divine Flames.

Remember that Aquarius is the 11th. sign of the Zodiac and governs the 11th. House in Astrology. Astrologers talk about the 11th. House as representing our future goals, our ideals, building with others the type of society that we wish to live in. Realisation of ideals is the keynote of the House & the Sign. 

Aquarius is the sign astrology connects with “Groups”, so consider a group of advanced Souls, Masters of Wisdom because they have mastered the evolutionary journey of being a human being. Then consider another theme of Aquarius which is the sign of “Friendship”, the 4th. Kingdom of Humanity working together and looking together in the same direction as the 5th. Kingdom of Souls. 

It is particularly powerful the energies available to us all during this period of Aquarius. But do not think that an illuminated Master or Guru, is going to make contact and give you personal help and attention to your personality processes. It is not the help you want – but the PRESENCE you want.

We are not trained in the science of our own existence. Most of us live in this body and die in this body without using the many gifts – and those who are really advanced and know the mechanism of the body and psyche we call them Masters.  So, to know (the keyword of Aquarius, a scientific sign, “to know”). to know something of the spirit, you have to become spirit. Just as a little piece of iron wants to know what a magnet is, should become a magnet. Without becoming a magnet you cannot have the magnetic picture of the magnet. The magnet we require can be called the senior magnet which in spiritual terms is called the Master or Guru (Guru: giving a glimpse of the Cosmic). As we receive the PRESENCE of the Master consciousness, we become the magnet that can activate and initiative the irons in our own environment to also become magnets. This is the meaning behind the idea that one person can initiate many thousands. And now you have a better understanding of the special energies available to us during this month of Aquarius – AS ABOVE, SO BELOW. 

We should strive to become more “Aquarian” in our thoughts, more “truth seeking” because these vibrations enable us to enjoy and celebrate our diversity as human beings, to celebrate our differences not emphasize uniformity. Aquarius is linked to the concept of “freedom” and to the Element of Air, our skill sets in communication. Every person is bound hand & foot by the thought that holds them. The fun is, each person thinks that they are holding the thought, but the truth is, the thought holds the person! As you are held by a thought so will you become in due course of time. Thought has the power of alchemy – it transmutes you chemically and physically too. The majority of people are held by sectarian thoughts – I am an American, I am English, I am Catholic, I am a New Age thinker, I am Republican, I am from the East, I am a Westerner etc. – these are all thoughts that divide us. In truth, all these concepts carry value, but not permanent value. The more narrow the thought, the greater is the suffocation. The more we widen the horizon of our thought, the more and more we feel the freedom of existence. The other way is only the way to imprisonment. 

High Souls like Krishna, Buddha, Christ and a host of Masters of Wisdom continuously demonstrate the thought of inclusion as against exclusion. They did not exclude any one. But the people excluded and thereby secluded themselves from such High Souls. If we can dare to think it during this month of Aquarius, we can become FRIEND TO THE WORLD, to think that we are ONE HUMANITY first, and nationalists second. The high challenge of the Aquarius vibration is that we are humanists that relate to each other as brothers & sisters. We can easily understand that we can be broad minded or narrow minded according to the pattern of thoughts we entertain. Happy are those who entertain thoughts of tolerance, patience, compassion, love, charity, inclusion and the like. Such positive thoughts energise those who entertain them. They are a source of health. Thoughts of jealousy, fear, suspicion, anxiety, doubt and the like pull down the energy system and contribute to chronic ill-health. Why, why, why, why during this ongoing global pandemic Covid-19, do we constantly focus only on treating and ultimately removing the outer EFFECTS, and never explore the underlying CAUSES – why oh why?

VALENTINE’s DAY -14th. FEBRUARY 

Don’t you find that revealing that we have our Saint Valentine’s Day in the middle of this month? And during the energies of Aquarius. Clearly Love yourself first otherwise no one else can love you. Do you remember the quote in the Christian Bible, the New Testament, when the Master Jesus gave the 11th. Commandment? Love Thy neighbour as Thyself. Shall we really experience another 2000 years before this teaching becomes a reality? And do you remember the Bible quote where he asks his Disciples to follow the Man carrying the pitcher or vase to the Upper Room? What a wonderful Astrologer the Master Jesus truely was! Tell that to the Christian Church….. 

But back to the approaching Valentine’s Day. Why make special this one day, why not make your love special throughout the year – yes, why not!  If you are a true traditionalist, and according to legend, if you are single then decorate your pillow with 5 bay leaves to dream of your love and partner-to-be Valentine’s Day. 

Also according to tradition, if you need to placate a ghost (other worldly spirit) you only have until the 21st. to do it as during “Feralia” the Spirits of the Dead are hovering about their graves – so leave provisions for them and make your peace. Finally, the 22nd. February brings the Roman Festival of the goddess Concordia and the feasts known as Charistia, for favour & goodwill. This is the counterpart to Feralia, for this is the time for the living to appease each other and share food cordially with all fights settled and apologies made. Can you see how our ancestors understood the energies that we struggle with so much – they made time & space available to make the necessary adjustments and used the seasonal cycle of each year to honour these processes. These ancient cultures were in harmony with their landscape and environment – could we possibly learn from them?

THE MAGIC OF DIVINATION

At the start of any New Year, Astrologers like myself, are inundated with requests from clients to predict their future. We want to know our future, we want to maximize our potential and realize our goals, and most importantly, we want to know what is going to happen to us and when! The most popular forms of “looking into the future” in today’s society is Astrology and the use of the Tarot cards. I don’t use the word “prediction”, but I do use the word DIVINATION.

Divination is a way to receive ideas from beyond our normal perception. You can either have a clear issue or question to ask or simply be open to the wisdom of the oracle. All divination is about asking questions which describe the present – and finding out what the Divine is doing, discovering the Will of the Gods. The asking of the question is essential to divination or prediction. Without a clear stated question there can be no clear judgments, no appropriate answer.

This is because the seeds of all future events are carried within ourselves. We are always in a state of becoming, of individuation – and Astrology in so many ways represents the best method of divining what is on the horizon and how to get there. Prediction or the timing of an event, is not seeking answers “outside” ourselves, because the horoscope is not just about externals.

Astrologer’s know that if it is shown on the birth chart, then those experiences will be attracted into the life. But if it is not shown, then it is unlikely that we shall get to experience that specific prediction. Each individual’s past, present and future represent a natural affinity between inner & outer worlds. And if we understand this, then the question to ask yourself is, does the Past condition most of your present expression, and therefore your Future? Or not? 

Often I feel my role is like a psychic weather forecaster, yet let us be clear about this Journey. Fate and Destiny are two words that are commonly mistaken to mean the same thing. When making a divination, it is normal that these words will somehow enter into the dialogue.  Fate is whatever happens, what is written - Fate is inevitable. Destiny on the other hand is ours to create, and it develops through our personal responses to Fate. Fate is the cards you are dealt – Destiny is how you play them. 

Fate is whatever happens to us which remains unknown until it happens. Fate remains unknown until it happens. Destiny is how we choose to approach our Fate, with a vision of purpose. A tragedy will occur and one person will begin painting themselves labelled “victim”, while another will put up a sign saying “I am not going to let this defeat me” – and herein lies the difference.

Do not confuse this idea with fatalism. There is nothing fatalistic or passive about accepting one’s lot in life for the greater purpose of increasing self-accountability. As this Destiny-making process interacts with the daily mysteries of Fate, a real authentic life is born.

To divine means to discover the Will of the Divine. Divination means to observe signs and see them as symbols – they are reflections of a higher meaning, so we use images or symbols which point to something essentially unknown, a mystery. Symbols require a kind of “seeing” that allows us to perceive a purpose or meaning beyond the physical or tangible. Symbols connect us with regions of our Being which are completely unavailable to our analytical mind. When we use imagery, any kind of imagery, we are making a connection between the unconscious and the conscious. So it is symbols that allow the passage of information from the unconscious to the conscious, and vice versa. This could be described as turning the unknown into the known or using the known to explore the unknown. Symbols are therefore a tool of integration. Symbols train us to understand by seeing directly – and this awakens the intuition. This means that the more you work with symbols and symbolism, the more you work and develop the intuition.

And it is the unconscious which is the Underworld – the source of all our images. So - the purpose of symbols is to make Ideas visible – and what, you may ask, are ideas, but the Archetypes existing in the Mind of God.

That means Divination points to a multi-dimensional reality. And the one who can read these signs-as-symbols, is a SEER – one who looks within. The word “horoscope” comes from the Greek “horoskopos”, whose roots mean: “looking at the hour”. To divine or predict an outcome requires a beginning. It is from the origin of anything that its behaviour and outcomes can be predicted. And Astrology is a science of Time, and of timing. Planetary configurations can be known in advance, and so, up to a point, can the conditions associated with them.

When you study the ancient cultures it becomes increasingly obvious that all SUN Gods are identified with the Art of Divination, the oracular sciences or prophecy. So whether we explore the Greek Apollo, the Roman Helios or the Egyptian Sun-God Horus, we will recognize that these Sun Gods not only represent the unfolding of a purposeful pattern or Destiny, but have the power to see over long distances, perceive the unfolding future and function as “curse-breakers”, releasing the individual from the power of family complexes. The Sun, as God of Light, reveals, as we see things in a new light, as we bring increased light on the matter which invites Revelation.

All work with the science of Divination enables us to focus and live within the Present. And it is only within the Present that there is the real power of Choice. Ponder upon this.

This entire subject of DIVINATION has been such an integral part of my personal Journey that naturally I wish to share my experiences with open-minded people. For those who wish to make a deeper journey into this fascinating subject, I shall be gathering a group in Norway, at JUPITER CENTER, Son, 40 minutes outside of Oslo, for a series of 6 Weekend Workshops starting early July 2021. More details upon request.

The next section of my NEWSLETTER provides information about events in February that you should know about – and some future activities beyond this month. Hope you enjoy your time here on my Homepage!

Have a wonderful cleansing and upgrading to a higher frequency here in these weeks of February and see you again in March! 

Loving thoughts from your Companion on the Path, 

Derek

24-hour livestream event 11th. February – THE MAGIC GARDEN

The World’s First virtual Psychedelic Temple – invites you to be a part of History.

Jacob Moth is a Danish psychedelic visionary and modern shaman. After 25 years of preparation, planning & building, he is ready to present his life’s work: THE MAGIC GARDEN, to Seekers and Psychonauts across the world.

The event on 11th. February will consist of a 24-Hour livestream events from The Magic Garden which will feature:

• Lectures & interviews with prominent figures in the field of spirituality and psychedelia;

• Webinars on different topics related to self-discovery;

• Live music from our professional band;

• Giveaways for viewers and much much more!

The aim of this unique event is, of course, to spread the word of MEMBERSHIP and support THE MAGIC GARDEN and its future activities. Yet it also offers a great opportunity for you to expand your network and audience. Come & join us for some fantastic experiences during Thursday 11th. February! HOORAY!

If you wish to know more then contact: info@themagicgarden.dk 

Derek & Jacob Moth Thursday 11th. February 11am-13.00 CET 

With great please we continue our exploration of the 22 Major Tarot cards and their placement in The Magic Garden. Join us for this exciting live streaming event. 

TAROT KEYS: 12-13-14: The Hanged Man, Death & Art/Temperance

Monday 22nd. February at 11am CET Live streaming:

TAROT KEYS:  15-16-17: The Devil, The Tower & The Star

These are “free” events so if you intend to participate, please contact us with your email in order to receive the invitation & Code to enter.

NEW EVENT at THE MAGIC GARDEN with Derek & Jacob

“THE 22 KEYS TO SELF-MASTERY”

A series of 6 Therapeutic 1½-Days Training starting Friday evenings and including Saturday 09.30 – 16.00

The work involves primarily experiential processes on-site at The Magic Garden and at the locations of specific Tarot cards, followed by further individual & group exploration within the Round Hall. This promises to be a unique and inspirational process for all participants. You will not be learning about each of the 22 Tarot cards through the normal memory exercise approach, but via a deep personal energy attunement with the specific lessons represented in each of the 22 Keys towards  self-mastery. This is the first of it’s kind in Denmark and we are very proud to offer this to our Network. Come play with the Dynamic Duo at Fredensborg!

For further information about these 6 1½-Days Training at The Magic Garden contact our websites. 

First meeting: Friday 16 April at 18.30 CET Fredensborg & Saturday 17 April from 09.30-16.00.

Live Streaming Sunday 21st. February OMSTARS, USA, EST 13.00 or CET 19.00.

Contact OMSTARS website for Zoom invitation & Code to enter.

Derek’s Lesson 3:  “Alchemical Healing – Integrating our Male & Female sides”

• How do we define our relationship to the energies of “masculinity” and “femininity”? Do we have a clear understanding of what these terms mean?

• What role has the first man in our life, our Father, and the first woman in our life, our Mother, played in shaping these concepts?

• How can Astrology help us to better understand these DNA psychic inheritances from our parents and how this affects our adult relationships.

• What experiences will enable us to enter into a deeper exploration of these qualities? If we need to better externalize ourself, that is a masculine quality. If we wish to be in greater harmony with ourself and others, that is a feminine quality. Derek will be offering many practical examples and insights of how to achieve this based upon more than 40-years teaching & counselling everyday people with everyday problems.

• This is Derek’s third Lesson with OMSTARS, with the focus upon the Alchemy of Healing our inner split, stimulating a new relationship to our male & female sides, and consciously moving towards a new wholeness. A very warm welcome to an inspirational Lesson!

Welcome to 2 New Trainings at 

Jupiter Center, Son, Norway with Derek

THE JUPITER SCHOOL OF ASTRO-PSYCHOLOGY – 1-year Training starts late June 2021 – 6 Weekend Workshops.

This Training is open to all who want to deeply explore their energy portrait using the amazing diagnostic tool of the horoscope. Some basic astrological knowledge will enable you to get the most out of the educational journey. Full details upon request.

Derek & his Team of Teachers successfully ran “The Unicorn Center for Astro-Psychology” in Copenhagen during the 1980-90s for almost 20 years. Building upon those many years of experience, Derek will now be seeking to establish “The Jupiter School of Astro-Psychology” at Jupiter Center, Son. If this resonates with you, let us know soon to secure your registration into the new group and the start of this fantastic journey of self-discovery! 

For those that desire it, Jupiter Center has accommodation possibilities that will add another dimension to your experience.

THE JUPITER SCHOOL OF DIVINATION  - 1-Year Training starts early July 2021 – 6 Weekend Workshops.

Full details about these new programs are available on request. Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, we will aim at a small group of less than 10 persons – yet the good news is that the entire training will be Live streamed which provides the prospect of wherever you are in the world, you can join us for this amazing magical journey. Contact us to register your participation.