MONTHLY TEACHINGS

January 2001

Our task this month, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, is to begin the journey back toward the light! The sun reached its southern most point on December 21, winter solstice, and for many of us it was a particularly "dark" time. I've had letters from dreamers all over the world who are either in health crisis, spiritual crisis, or are living in the midst of political crisis. As we purge ourselves personally and collectively, the harsh realities of living in a world polluted by chemical toxins and violent thoughts and practices come up to be examined.

We have dreamers in the United States, South Africa, Israel, the Balkans, China and Russia. (These are the countries where I know we have participating dreamers. If you are somewhere else in the world and reading this LET ME KNOW!) In each of these countries, we have massive external evidence that our dream of peace is not manifesting.

I recommend that you put a good portion of your energy, this first month of the Twenty-first Century, into truly examining the lack of peace in your own life. Not only do I encourage you to look into the places where actual discord exists in your life, but look into your heart and your mind and uncover the non-benevolent thoughts and feelings you have toward others.

Know that when you go to sleep, when you enter the dreaming realms, you carry that "violence" with you. If we are dreaming the dream through an impure vehicle, we will manifest error.

In addition to this personal self-investigation, I also beg you to begin a daily practice of prayer. Pray for peace. Pray for peace within your own heart and mind. Acknowledge that every shred of violence (which according to Gandhi is synonymous with error, lie or untruth) in you is contributing to the violence of the world.

Our work is big. Our path is clear. Injustice, murder, assassination, governmental corruption, and vengeance must be eliminated. We're killing each other. Our brothers and sisters are being denied the right to vote and to have their vote counted. We're murdering other species at unparalleled and unfathomable rates.

It's time to dream a new dream. Also, if you're ready to make a political statement, there's a march on the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. on inauguration day. For more information go to www.iacenter.org.

Dreams of the Last Month

I was privileged to sit in several dream circles during the month of December, both in my home and elsewhere. The theme of death was dominant. Many women brought dreams of the bardos - dreams of the after death journey - to circle for consideration. Of course, during the descent of the light (the last few days before the winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere, that is not a surprising theme. However, it was surprising to us because in all the years we've been meeting, we've never had so many "bardo" dreams in one short period.

Our old selves are dying. Our old ways of thinking are dying. Our governments are dying. The old systems are dying. Any of us who are specifically talented dreamers will be sensitive to these facts. We are in times of cultural and political transition. We've been here before (in other lifetimes), but perhaps this time we can allow all this death to gently and awesomely birth a new way of being. We can do this, only if we face the deaths without fear and with the courage and enthusiasm of midwives!

In addition to the social deaths we're experiencing, I think we're moving to a new level of dreaming. The dream is the perfect dress rehearsal for death. In the dream we can learn to recognize the signposts along the labyrinthine death journey. In the dream, we can practice simply saying the names of God as we walk directly past any attraction for glamour and drama and self-wallowing and self-pity. In the dream we can practice remembering the joy of going home.

What's Coming

January 1/2 starts the New Year with an Aries moon. The moon will sextile Neptune during the night. Look for dreams of new beginnings, initiations, youthful ideas. Aries rules the head, so watch out for headaches! Neptune is the collective dreaming planet. You may start this new millennium with a Big Dream -- one that gives you insight into the sacred dream, and/or the dream of your birth group. Look for global, planetary signals in these dreams.

January 2/3 brings a night with the moon starting in Aries and moving into a void of course space. During that night she'll aspect Mercury and Uranus. Look for dreams that bring clarity to your thinking (Mercury) and that bring glimpses of your authentic self (Uranus.)

January 9 brings a full moon in Cancer (the sign she rules) and a lunar eclipse during the day. Cancer is also connected to our emotions and our relationships with the Mother (biological and spiritual.) Look for emotion in your dreams the night before and after. Also look for messages from the feminine deities -- as well as messages from your biological mother.

On January 19th the sun moves into Aquarius. The moon will be in Sagittarius that night, aspecting Pluto, Mercury and Venus during the night. Sagittarius is the philosopher's sign -- the teacher's sign. Dreams with the moon is Sagittarius often bring teachings or at least contemplative information. Look for dreams that make you ask questions about your own mind (Mercury) and emotions (Venus.) Also, with Pluto and the moon conjunct that night, you may well find yourself on a Persephone/Inanna underworld journey. Do not be afraid! This is a night of deepening your understanding of life, death and rebirth. What you think and how you feel about the underworld may be transformed tonight.

January 23/24th brings a new moon and the celebration of the Chinese New Year -- the year of the snake. The Aquarius moon, and the snake influence may combine to bring information about the transformation you/we must make to bring in the Aquarian Age. Look for dreams of peace, shedding your skin, starting fresh!

January 30 bookends the month with another Aries moon. Be sure to compare the dreams of January 1 and January 30/31. These Aries (new beginnings) moon dreams should reiterate and clarify what you may not have understood on New Year's Eve.