Friday the thirteenth is a powerful day of transformation; knowledge that is not normally known. Friday the thirteenth was always viewed by pagan cultures as a day of power. It was transformed into a day of dread (supposedly bad luck) by the fear mongering lying church. One of the reasons: Friday is the honoring day of the morning/evening star Venus, the goddess that has been honored by various names from all cultures before the rise of Christianity. One of these names was Aphrodite, the goddess of love. And one of the prime directives of Christianity was destroying the goddess paradigm and the concept of earthly love.
Furthermore, according to the Norse-Germanic tradition, Friday is the day of the Norse-Germanic Frigg. But isn’t Friday the day of Freyja. But of course it is as Freyja and Frigg are one and the same originating from a common Goddess—Mother Nature of creation where Frigg is Mother Nature of the cosmos’ (the macrocosm) while Freyja is Mother Nature of the Earth (the microcosm). In other words, today is a day to honor Mother Nature of the earth and cosmos’. So every Friday is a time to make a special effort to honour Mother Nature. Of course, every day we need to honor and bless nature and all things of this beautiful earth – a personal simple green philosophy.
What is the knowledge of pairing the thirteenth with Friday as a powerful day of transformation. Let’s look at this number and its meaning. It is a Fibonacci number, the result of the sum of 5 and 8. Five (5) is the number of the divine human— the sum of the first male and female numbers, 2 and 3; the first number beyond the Monad formed from the union of the first odd and even numbers. 8 is infinity – thus 13 represent the immortality of divine humans.
Furthermore, tarot card 13 is Death with the Hebrew letter mem (40): Transformation, Mother – Great Sea of Life, Water. But this is not physical death. Tarot card 13 denotes the death of the unhealthy ego and the victory of spirit. It is both an end and a beginning.
This Friday 13th coming so near the December full moon and the Winter Solstice is a perfect time to dedicate or rededicate your life to a spiritual not a materialistic journey of life.
One morning at breakfast in Reykjavik, Iceland, an elderly woman started talking to me out-of-the blue. She was from Australia and asked if this was my first time in Iceland. I replied no, my sixth, which led to a discussion of our love of far traveling. Near the end of our conversation, she asked if I was familiar with the Lonely Planet guidebooks. Of course, I replied, at which point, she told me about the beginnings of Lonely Planet in Australia.
It seems the co-creators of Lonely Planet had a different title in mind, but due to the slip of one letter, the die was set as the first editions were already published. And the one letter that changed people’s perception of the planet? The N was supposed to be a V. The original title was Lovely Planet, which does send a different philosophical message.
[i] This flower has special characteristics and symbolizes beauty, strength, knowledge, wisdom, power, sincerity, and maturity. This flower brings people a sense of nirvana, relaxation and the necessary silence in which they will enjoy. Its fragrant notes bring the feeling of nirvana and many positive times.
As the days shorten and the night lengthens, the wheel of time keeps turning and turning; ever revealing mysteries, but only for the one-eyed and one-legged mystics.
Eventually the time arrives as we experience the day of the least light and the night of the greatest darkness—the Winter Solstice. It is a time when the sun stands still for three days. Silence reigns supreme. And then….
Will the light return? Or are we destined to live in a world of darkness? These questions are put to the seekers of truth.
And they reply: ‘it may and… no, but it may not and… yes; it all depends on you.’ JC
This is a season of fire and light; joy and love, remembrance of ….
The chill of winter’s embrace enfolds us in an ever-darkening time of anticipation and joy. In all of us, it seems to stir up a caldron’s brew of memories—of times past and possibly of things and moments no longer. The earth waits and waits, as do we, for the promised return of the light. It is a time to feel—to be aware of the fertile dark soil of potentiality that lies within us, the dark of our creativity. But there is also another dark within us that blends with our creative darkness. This is our dysfunctional darkness, our dysfunction disharmonious behaviors and actions that need to be released.
Take this time of the Winter Solstice to begin the process of awakening – awakening the light Within, your divine spark of creation.
The Winter Solstice marks the time of the longest dark and the shortest light. Symbolically, it portrays, on this darkest of nights, the goddess as the “great mother” giving birth to the young-hero god—the sun god. This is the symbolic birth of the messenger of light. It is the darkest time of the year, the time of the longest night, but there is always the everlasting promise and hope of the return of light. And watching over this eternal process of the virgin birth (Virgo on the eastern horizon) is the Sun Angel—the Archangel Mikael.
Just when the Sun is at its weakest, the other celestial light –the Moon – it is at its strongest. The full Moon at the winter solstice will rise higher and appear longer in the night sky than any other full Moon in the year.
At the equinox the sun rises due east, after which the location of sunrise moves towards the south. At the winter solstice the sun rises at its extreme south position for that latitude.
At this time it was believed that the Sun god was fighting with the forces of darkness that sought to drag him down to the south and thus to death – no daylight, no warmth, no sunrise. The battle lasted, and still does last, for three days, when finally Sol Invictus, the unconquered sun, emerges rising once again, not in the same place, nor having been dragged further to the south but victoriously having broken free of the grip of darkness, rising a notch further to the north. This was cause for celebration.
The Winter Solstice was also called the Feast of Lights. This celebration was highlighted by communal bonfires, sacred fires in the temples and burning torches and candles for the homes, all in honor of the re-birth of the fiery sun, the timeless symbol of Life. Feasting, gift-giving and oftentimes excessive revelry became part of this celebration. Evergreen trees (pines and firs) were considered sacred, as they remained forever green throughout the year. A pine tree was cut down each year, carried to the temples and decorated with a star on top, for the ancients knew that a star was simply a nascent (newly born) sun.
Birth of the Light Bringers – Messengers of Light
The Winter Solstice honors the symbolic birth of the “light-bringers,” such as Jesus. These are the messengers of love and light—the hero-shamans that first brought the knowledge of the fire of the heavens, the knowledge of the light in the darkness, to all of humanity.
These heroic messengers of light are born of the Virgin—the constellation Virgo. In the heaven’s Virgo is a Y-shaped group of stars resembling a cup that just happens to rise in the Eastern sky at this most spiritual time of the year. This is the mythic Holy Grail, the Cup of Light, the Bowl of Love that is Light—all the key to the metaphoric message of these virgin light-bringers—that the sun, the spiritual sun – the divine spark, is contained within all beings and all living things.
This is the message that Christianity does not want humanity to hear: that each one of us, like the light-bringers, are also a virginal vessel of love and light. No inborn sin here, just intrinsic love and light.
And there is this:
At the moment of the greatest dark, the Shaman, the messenger of the Sun, appeared out of the forest. Round of belly and full of spirit was he, dressed all in brilliant reds and greens with the flowing white of hair and beard while bearing the flaming branch. It was time to light the tree at the center of the village and welcome back the Sun. And it was a time to remind all that the flame of the heavenly lightning serpents, the divine spark, was truly in all people and in all things—the gift of life eternal.
The Season’s Symbolism
Bell Symbolism: During the winter solstice bells chime out the importance of clarity. To our ancestral minds, the very shape of the bell is reminiscent to dome of heaven. In Buddhism, the sounding of a bell is the resonance of pure wisdom – a tonal symbol of perfect harmony & clarity. In Asian thought the bell is also a harmonic symbol – the bell itself considered female, the clapper or pendulum within the bell is male. The two working as one to create a beautiful tone is symbolic of the union between male and female to create perfect cooperation and balance.
Holly Symbolism: Holly has long held itself as a miraculous evergreen. In fact, its status as an ever green (keeping green even in the stark winter months) is a testimony to its symbolism of renewal, immortality and rejuvenation. In ancient Rome, Holly was an attribute to the sun gods. Appropriately, holly adorned Roman halls during the celebrations during Saturnalia to represent health, joviality and good faith. By many ancient European cultures Holly is a protective agent and is carried into the home to ward of chaotic energy during the winter months.
Ivy Symbolism: Both Holly and Ivy are common companions during the winter solstice because of their evergreen status. They keep their viridian splendor in the austerity of winter which is symbolic of endurance, promise, hope and vitality – even in the most challenging environments. That’s a spiritual lesson – the Ivy encourages us to maintain our health and growth even when our circumstances are less than optimal. Ivy is also incredibly resourceful – weaving its way in every nook and cranny to further secure its placement. That’s another great lesson this time of year: Be flexible, be resourceful – there’s always another way to climb – another opportunity to be had to obtain maximum potential.
Ivy is associated with the World Serpent. Like the serpent that it symbolizes, the ivy entwines itself around life, causing change by bringing death, and subsequently allowing new life to begin. Throughout this process, the Ivy remains evergreen (eternal) and constant, in an act of initial paradox, a plant of death, but also a plant of life.
Mistletoe Symbolism: Keeping in-theme with renewal and the promise of illumination re-entering our awareness, it’s not surprising to learn mistletoe is a representative of an illumined life. Neither shrub, nor tree and suspended in the air – Mistletoe is a powerful symbol of freedom. It is limitless in its capacity for growth, and indeed, it chooses the Chieftain of the forest, the Oak as its home.
Wreath Symbolism: Wreaths at Christmas are typically made with Holly and Ivy for reasons cited above. They may also be made of Laurel. The circular shape of the wreath speaks of cycles (wheels of time, seasons), infinity, immortality, inclusion, community and the unbreakable bonds we share with Nature. It’s no accident wreaths are designed to be round. Everything is symbolic – particularly when we explore hereditary symbolism passed down from our ancestors. Wreaths are circular to emphasize the idea of continuity of life. Furthermore, wreaths often double as crowns – and therefore we could say our “crowning glory” is our immortality, endurance and the bonds of life we share with each other.
A time of honoring:
This is a time of holly and mistletoe. Both of these wondrous “greens” symbolize fertility – the mistletoe berries are white, representing the semen of the god, and the holly berries are blood red, symbolizing the menstrual blood of the goddess.
Mistletoe seems extremely significant of the complex, mediating hero, the self-sacrificing Odin type, the messenger, i.e. the very substance of existence, the monad.
This is also the season to honor the evergreen (ever—green) tree, symbolically the central axis of creation, the Tree of Life (Knowledge of Oneness) and to remember that this tree of fire and light is within us. Each of us is born with this central tree (axis mundi) of light/life (spine), which shortly after becomes the tree of knowledge—of duality—good and evil. Our ever-born quest is to return to our original tree of knowledge of oneness (light/life) within. This is the time to dedicate or re-dedicate one’s life to this divine quest of awakening.
The Solstice – a time to begin awakening:
The Winter Solstice is known as the time of the opening of the solstice “Gate of the Divine.” In other words, it is a time to awaken.
At this exact period of time the “Gate of the Divine” is opening allowing one’s entrance into the honey-filled domain of a divine landscape. Interestingly enough, because of the precession of the equinoxes, this gateway has shifted out of the province of earthly (body) Capricorn into the realm of fiery (spirit) Sagittarius.
And the opposite gateway, the “Gate of Humanity,” (open at the Summer Solstice) has moved from watery (emotion) Cancer into airy (mind) Gemini. These gateways now opening in Gemini and Sagittarius are a most interesting development as it foretells the anticipated Sixth Sun or Age of Aquarius.
Capricorn has provided the perfect gatekeeper for the past 2000 years, but the times are a changing, and in my view for the better. Capricorn is one of the champions of Capitalism that destructive paradigm that robs and rapes the earth and the “have nots.” And let us not forget that Christianity, with its dogma and doctrine and developed during the Roman Empire, took on the essence of Saturn (God as a cold judgmental perfectionist father paradigm) and it’s Cross of Matter.
Now, the gateway is opening under the gate-keeping joy of Sagittarius—ruled by Jupiter, which represents truth, wisdom, justice and joy. Sagittarius aspires one to greatness and the seeking of truth. While Capricorn is concerned with matters of the earth, Sagittarius is truly seeking spirit and the expansion of universal awareness. Sagittarius is linked with the mythic centaur—Chiron, the “wounded healer.” The “wounded healer” is also the persona of the shaman. Sagittarius with its creative imagination “is associated with philosophy, the quest for an inclusive world-view that can weld the often confusing fragments of life into a meaningful whole.”[i] This is the gods and goddess’s gatekeeper, our wounded centaur, who sacrificed his own concerns for the sake of the greater world:
“Chiron, the king of the centaurs, was a philosopher, teacher and healer. Wounded in the foot by one of Hercules’ poisoned arrows, he could not heal himself. But, being immortal, neither could he simply die. Chiron chose to die, but for a higher purpose—his sacrifice made it possible for Prometheus, the great awakener, to return to the service of humanity…. Unlike the other centaurs, who were primarily driven by their animal instincts and passions, Chiron had transcended his primal self and dwelt principally in his god-nature.”[ii]
Interesting times are upon us. Chiron teaches us to transcend our base human self (first chakra), which will then awaken our true human and divine self. During this season of the Winter Solstice rejoice in the joy of living and the opening of your light to the world.
Tequila and Chocolate: The Adventures of the Morning Star and Soulmate, a memoir by Rev. Dr. JC Husfelt and Rev. Sherry Husfelt shares amazing adventures and the important lessons they’ve discovered throughout their lives. You’ll find yourself immersed in their riveting life which has brought them fascinating experiences including night-long ceremonies, smoke dancing, and a journey of the soul. The stories take them to places like Machu Picchu, Peru, Hawaii, and British Columbia where firsthand experiences brought JC Husfelt spirit exorcism, awakenings, and a divine call. All of these are just a few examples of the experiences that can be found within this riveting memoir.
This is a spiritual and philosophical memoir that is extraordinary and inspires thought-provoking approaches to life through the amazing look at the life they’ve led. The memoir weaves through various locations that most people have never seen before. JC Husfelt and Sherry Husfelt use their experiences to offer a unique insight into these incredible places around the world that will have you looking at life differently. The memoir isn’t set during a specific period of time; instead, it is filled with several experiences drawn from various moments in their lives which they use with the goal of assisting others in their own journeys. Each of these stories strives to teach others on a spiritual level to be open and to think differently, with firsthand spiritual encounters and awakenings provided as examples. Among the lessons, you’ll see laughter as medicine of the soul, interconnection, the sacred power of stories, and the value of sacred places. The title is explained through various instances during the memoir, which shows the sweet meaning it has to their relationship and the emotional connection it has to these memories. This memoir will open your mind to new ideas, will have you exploring your own spirituality, and will give you a chance to explore different representations found in life such as the meaning of tequila, fire, naguals, and even frogs. Personal photos are included throughout which add to who they are and what they’ve experienced, giving the feeling of a travel journal or a memory book. This makes the memoir delightful, thoughtful, and completely original. Tequila and Chocolate is a unique memoir that offers honest experiences, lessons that are spiritual and philosophical with the guiding message throughout being one of love, magic, and life.
The light is dying as the dark strengthens. Winter is approaching bringing with it darkness and wind-whipped stormy days and nights. This is a time and season to honor our family, kin, ancestors and the hidden spirits of the earth. It is a time to go inward and strengthen our connection with the Otherworld.
At this time near the end of October the natural world appears to be dying in its natural cycle of death and rebirth. During this period of time, festivals of the dead celebrated and acknowledged the ancestors and the dead in general with offerings of food being commonplace throughout many cultures.
Burning—Feeding the Spirits
Feeding the spirits of the dead could be considered the supreme compassionate, ceremonial, indigenous religious practice. Nonetheless, there is still one dark blemish on this premier spiritual practice: down through history and throughout various cultures, there have been times when humans, even children, have become the sacrificial food of the gods.
Feeding the spirits or doing a burning is one of the shamanic/religious practices and power handed down to my wife and I by the late shamans Mom and Vince Stogan. Since this knowledge was and still is orally transmitted, I can only reveal a few things. Before we open the ceremony by calling in the spirits, I paint myself and my wife with red paint, symbolic of blood. Three plates of food and drink are always required: for the ancient ones, the spirits of the land, and most importantly, the forgotten ones. The plates are then burned providing “food for the Otherworld.” Contrary to Festivals of the Dead that are held once a year, burnings may be done anytime during the year for such reasons as beginnings and endings—funerals, memorials.
Oskhophoria
The Closest Celebration in Ancient Greece near the Festivals of the Dead was the Ancient Festival of Oskhophoria
(Greek) Ancient: 7 Puanepsion (first quarter).
The Oschophoria is a vintage and wine-pressing festival, in thanks to Dionysus, held on the same day as the Puanepsia, when the Mysteries of Dionysus were also held. Thus we find the two apparent polar opposites, Dionysus and Apollo, honored on the same day, but we must not forget that They also shared the sanctuary at Delphi: Apollo honored there in the summer, Dionysus in winter (when Apollo is in Hyperborea). An ancient krater (mixing bowl) shows them shaking hands over the Omphalos (World Naval) at Delphi. Keep in mind that Apollo symbolizes the One and Dionysus represents the Many.
There is a procession from the temple of Dionysus to the temple of Athena Skira, for the grape harvest is one aspect of Her concern for the well-being of the community. The procession also includes Deipnophoroi (Dinner Carriers), women who bring the food for the sacred feast that follows the sacrifice. A portion of the meat is burned for the God and some is eaten by the celebrants; the rest is divided to be taken home. Stories are told during the feast, especially the story of Theseus and Ariadne, and how she was claimed by Dionysus.
El Día de Muertos
El Día de Muertos, or the Mexican Day of the Dead Festival originated in pre-Hispanic cultures who believed that during these days of the year the souls of the departed would return to the realm of the living, where they could visit their loved ones.
“The celebration includes offerings of cempasúchil flowers, drinks and food for the deceased placed alongside their photographs and poems. Another traditional practice is the making of the bread of the dead and the sugar, colorful calaveras (skulls), decorated and labeled with names of people (living or dead).
“The creation of the altar is an integral part of the celebration, with many of the ceremonial objects and familiar signature items of Mexican culture to many outside of the country. Altars are often decorated with flowers, whose brief life span is meant to be a reminder of the brevity of life and whose bright, earthly colors are believed to be a guide for the dead back to their loved ones. Brightly colored and intricately cut tissue paper decorates the altar, waving like multi-colored flags. Offerings of sweets, fruits, and other foods are joined by the staples of bread, salt, and water. Grooming supplies, such as a washbasin and soap, may be provided for the spirits to tidy themselves up after their long journey.”[i]
Similar to burnings where we prepare a plate for the forgotten ones, the Maya Ritual of the Dead, Hanal Pixán, honors the solitary soul. In this case, a home altar is “dedicated to all deceased who have no one to remember them on Earth, or who had no known relatives, or relatives who showed no interest in them…. This simple offering is placed on a small table with a white tablecloth, together with a large white candle, a glass of water and a plate of food.”[ii]
Samhain
This honoring of the dead was the primary celebration in the Celtic calendar until the rise of Christianity in the 7th century. This was a transition time between summer and winter and a time to honor the dead—the ancestors as well as the spirits of the land. The “dead ancestors were, in many ways, still considered to be an active part of the living community. The feast of Samhain and the idea of a link between the living world and the Otherworld are inseparably intertwined. The communal feast was the main event of Samhain. On the eve of October 31 each year, communities gathered together to partake in a ritual feast.
“There were two widespread strains of customs when it came to preparing food for the feast. The first involved preparing some food to specifically set aside for the dead ancestors to consume. In some cases particular kinds of food were made for the dead, while in other cases a portion of the food prepared for the living was set aside for the dead. This act, by acknowledging the presence of the dead, was a means for the living to strengthen bonds with dead ancestors, retaining the souls of the departed as active members of the larger Celtic community.”[iii]
Winter Nights
Pre-Christian Norse celebrated and honored family and community throughout the whole of winter. However, there was three very specific times of Winter Nights for celebrating, sacrificing and for caution. And the reason for the caution; the first Winter Night, Vetrnætr, was also the beginning of Óðinn’s Wild Hunt which reached its peak around the Winter Solstice. This was a time of cold-whipped wild winter storms reflected by the imagery of Óðinn astride his eight-legged steed, Sleipnir, leading his spectral host across the night sky—woe to those that venture out on a stormy and menacing dark night. (Of course, good advice and common sense.)
The first Winter Night was celebrated around mid to late October. The second Winter Night was celebrated mid-January or mid-winter until it was moved to coincide with Yule (ON jól) on the Winter Solstice. The third was celebrated around the middle to the end of April honoring the beginning of the summer season The Norwegians and Icelanders divided their year into two seasons: the light (summer) and the dark (winter). All dates of the celebrations could vary depending on environmental conditions. The reason: they were in partnership with nature and listened to the sounds of the earth, the ebb and flow of the tides and the winds and the birds of the sky. They were not separated from nature like our society and culture, which is ruled by linear time and obsessed with calendar dates.
Vetrnætr, the first Winter Night celebration, was a blót (sacrifice/blessing) honoring the successful harvest and protection from the harshness of winter. It was a blessing and honoring of the fertility gods and goddesses, the dísir (a certain type of female deity), the ancestors, the landvættir (land-wights) and the hidden spirits of the earth; elves and faëries if you need a name. Basically, a blót signifies honoring the deities through sacrifice. It also meant to strengthen the relationship between the kin and the Otherworld. This celebration was also an occasion for heavy drinking.
The most common blót connected with Vetrnætr was dísablót honoring the dísir. Additionally, Freyr was one of the deities honored during this time of the year for a fruitful harvest and peace. In conclusion, as we hold our horns high filled with ale or mead an excellent toast during this winter season would be til árs ok friðar (for a good year and frith/peace) – Skål.’
A Journey to Greece to mark the 2,500th anniversary of Thermopylae
The Knowledge, Philosophy, and Wisdom of the Ancient Spartans
“The most ancient and fertile homes of philosophy among the Greeks are Crete and Sparta.. They (the Spartans) conceal their wisdom and pretend to be blockheads, so that they may seem to be superior only because of their prowess in battle, rather than by virtue of their wisdom.” Socrates
Join us on a sacred journey to Greece and the land of the ancient Spartans to honor the 2,500th anniversary of Thermopylae. Breathe and live the Spartan spirit in the homeland of these Warrior-Philosophers. A sacred journey is one of the corner stones of martial and spiritual development. As a pilgrim you become freed from the bonds of time and space and attachment of common life.
Our journey to Greece will provide a more intimate experience of the lore and magic of the ancient Spartan Warrior-Philosophers. We will travel from the site of Herakles First Labor to Sparta and then onward to Delphi and the Hot Gates—Thermopylae.
During your time in Greece, you will experience body/mind physical training in Sparta (Sparti), experiential spiritual exercises and training in various esoteric concepts connected with the ancient Spartans. Experience firsthand the sacred sites of Sparta, Delphi, and the sacred, hallow grounds of Thermopylae. Experience and walk the ANOPEA ATROPOS (PATH OF EFIALTIS). This classic route starts from I.M. Panagia Damastas, ascends the small plateau of Paliopanagia and ends at the square of Thermopylae village.
“ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!—Come and Get Them.”
The King with half the East at heel is marched from lands of morning; Their fighters drink the rivers up, their shafts benight the air. And he that stands will die for nought, and home there’s no returning. The Spartans on the sea-wet rock sat down and combed their hair. -A.E. Housman, from “The Oracles”
This is our second Gates of Fire Journey. Our first in 2006 honored my sixtieth birthday on the sacred and hallow ground of Thermopylae. This Gates of Fire Pilgrimage also includes an optional journey to mystical and mythical Transylvania—In Search of Dracula.
Honoring the 2,500th anniversary of Thermopylae
Wednesday, May 20, Day 1—arrive Athens, Greece. Lodging Apollo Hotel, Athens. Evening session for an over-view of our journey
Thursday, May 21, Day 2—after breakfast we journey to Sparti (Sparta). In route, special purification ceremony and session at Nemea, location of Herakles First Labor.
Photo: Sir Ian Owens
Arrive Sparti—Lakonia Hotel. Afternoon visit to the Museum where we discover an abundance of ascending serpent imagery. Ascending serpents symbolize the awakening of the serpent energy within us.
Both the Spartans and the Athenians considered themselves of serpent origin. The Temple of Apollo at Delphi, where Chilon’s maxim “know thyself” was inscribed, may have been located on the site of an ancient serpent temple. One of Athena’s symbols was the serpent. The Greek god of healing, Asklepios was also represented by an ascending serpent coiling around his staff.
Friday, May 22, Day 3—training session at the hilltop site of the step-pyramid structure and hero shrine of the Menelaion—late afternoon Initiatory Ceremony shrine of the Menelaion, New Moon —Lakonia Hotel.
The Menelaion was built in honour of Menelaus and Helen, the famous King and Queen of Sparta. Menelaus was the King of Sparta during the Trojan War and Helen was his Queen and would be “the face that launched a thousand ships.” Menelaion is the mythical home of the Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, the twin sons of Leda and Zeus and the brothers of Helen of Troy. Castor, a great horseman, was the one of the twins who was mortal. An expert in the martial arts, he taught Herakles to fence. Polydeuces was a formidable boxer and being with the Argonauts, he was challenged by King Amycus 1 of the Bebryces in northern Asia Minor, who compelled strangers to box as a way of killing them, but, in this case, Polydeuces killed him with a blow. The cult of the Dioscuri was indigenous of Sparta.
Photo: Sir Ian Owens
Physical training is important in the martial arts, but what is mostly overlooked, and what is even more important, is to know ourselves and to train our mind. The importance of strategy and knowing ourselves has its roots here in Lacedaemon. “Know thyself” is essential for all people’s evolution of heart, mind, and spirit. This central Delphic maxim was attributed to Chilon, a Spartan Philosopher and one of the seven ancient sages of Greece. During our training, it was more than appropriate to honor not only the Lacedaemonian Chilon but furthermore, Athena, the goddess of the heroic, martial ideal, who personified excellence in close combat and strategy.
Saturday, May 23, Day 4—We will conduct physical, mind, and spirit training on the Acropolis of Sparta located below the ruins of the Sanctuary of Athena Poliouchos (Athena Guardian of the City), who is also called Athena Chalkioikos (Athena of the Bronze House). Our mind – spirit training continues on the ruins themselves.
Before arriving at our next destination, you’ll get a glimpse of mist-shrouded Mount Parnassus towering over its neighboring summits with its sheer peaks, storm-wracked trees, and above the timber line, its naked slopes.
Part way up the south flank of the mountain famous throughout the world for being sacred to Apollo, his brother Dionysus, and the muses lies a sort of a natural hallow, like an enormous theater built for Titans but populated by nymphs. It is surrounded on three sides by the sacred mountain itself and two enormous upright crags the Phaedriades or “Shining Ones.”
Here is suspended in space over the river valley, exposed to wind, air, and penetrating light, is Delphi sacred to bees and the most venerated place in all Greece, the place chosen personally by the god Apollo for his domain.
Sunday, May 24, Day 5—depart for Delphi. Afternoon free. Evening session discussing: Know Thyself – Γνώθι Σαυτόν, Nothing (in) excess – Μήδεν Άγαν, and Everything in moderation – Παν Μέτρον Άριστον.These were three primary maxims followed by the Spartans: It is little known that these three maxims are attributed to the Greek Philosopher Chilon of Sparta. These “teachings” were inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at the ancient oracle site of Delphi. These three form the foundational heart of the famous and mysterious E of Delphi. E is Zeus’ epsilon and “was over the tall gateway entrance to Apollo’s temple at Delphi, signifying divine breath or prophecy.”–Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Monday, May 25, Day 6–we journey in the morning to Plataea.The Greek army that defeated the Persians at Plataea was led by Pausanias, the nephew of King Leonidas. After Plataea we stop at Levadia for our visit to the Oracle of Trophonius, named after the Greek hero with a rich mythological tradition, whose name means “to nourish.” The Oracle overlooks the river Herkina which bubbles up from the springs of Lethe (forgetfulness) and Mnemosyne (remembrance)—Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Tuesday, May 26, Day 7—morning spiritual teaching and session at Apollo’s Temple; afternoon session at Athena’s temple; morning spiritual teaching will be conducted by my Delphi friend, Constantinos. His ancestors have lived in Delphi for an unknown time and he carries secret teachings and knowledge of Delphi, evening free—Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Athena, the patron goddess of Sparta, personified wisdom and the heroic-martial ideal of excellence in close combat, victory, and glory.
Photo: Sir Ian Owens
Wednesday, May 27, Day 8—today, we hike the Delphi – Korykion Andro trail, which leads to the beautiful cave that was the mythological home of the ancient god Pan. The cave of Panos or Korikeio Andro, at an altitude of 1360m. on the southwestern side of Parnassos, amidst a beautiful forest of fir trees and magnificent views, was dedicated to the god Pan and the Corinthian Nymphs. It has gained worldwide fame, not only for its natural beauty, but also for the magic that the ancient myth provokes, in which, according to Aeschylus, the cave was a place of visit for divine spirits. (Additional Fee)
An impressive hike that will give us the chance to discover the unique location of Delphi in a natural amphitheater with a sea view.
We will follow in the footsteps of the ancient pilgrims walking first in the forested forest on the Livadi Parnassos Plateau, then descending overlooking the olive grove, the Corinthian Gulf and the Peloponnese Mountains in the background. We will have the opportunity to see from above all the ancient temples. The route combines the magic of the mountain environment and the mystery of the ancient temples!. Afternoon and evening free.–Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Thursday, May 28, Day 9–honoring and blessing journey to the Gates of Fire – Thermopylae; visit to Thermopylae Center for Historical Information and optional walk: the infamous Path of Efialtis. (Additional Fee)
The Anopea atropos was a path, a secret passage that started from the river Asopos and ended very shortly from the third strait of the Thermopylae.
In 480 BC In the battle of Thermopylae, the traitor Ephialtis, a well-known expert in the area, made known the existence of the Persian Emperor Xerxes, causing the Persian troops to cross the path of the Greek forces through this path. Surveillance of this secret passage had been undertaken, for as long as the battle had lasted, by about 1,000 hoplites sent there by Leonidas, who were taken aback, as they did not expect the Persians to attack through the Anopagus. Evening celebration dinner—Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
“Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot Sulphur springs. The Hot Gates is “the place of hot springs” and in Greek mythology it is the place where Herakles had jumped into the river in an attempt to wash off the Hydra poison infused in the cloak that he could not take off. The river was said to have turned hot and stayed that way ever since.
In the spring of 480 B.C.E., King Xerxes of Persia set forth to achieve what his father (King Darius) had failed to achieve ten years previously in 490 B.C.E.—the conquest of the Greek city-states with the final goal being the whole of Europe.
The narrow pass of Thermopylae was chosen as a holding action; to hold the pass in order to prevent the Persians from advancing further into Greece while Greek ships kept the Persian fleet in check at Artemisium. Diodorus elaborates on the nature of the land campaign by stating that the purpose of the defense was to forestall the Persians and prevent them from moving further into Greece.
The 300 Spartans and the other Greeks held the pass for three days… The result of day three of the engagement at Thermopylae is well known, even if the events and motives behind many of the decisions made on the day are not. Once the Persians had found a way around the Greek position, the defense of the Thermopylae pass was on a much more precarious footing. Regardless of why some of the Greek forces did not stay in the pass, and regardless of the tactics employed by those that remained, the outcome of the fighting on day three appears to have been anything but a foregone conclusion…” (excerpted from our forthcoming memoirs.)
Friday, May 29, Day 10—depart Delphi for the airport: Elefthérios Venizélos Airport, Athens. Depart to home or for our extended sacred and mythical journey to Bucharest and the intrigue and the magic of Transylvania.
Journey includes all teachings, transportation within Greece, hotels, breakfast daily, and an 2500th Anniversary Tee Shirt. Journey does not include meals other than breakfast, Korykion Andro trail, the Path of Efialtis, and airfare to Athens, Greece. Fee – $2995.
Optional extended journey to Romania includes all teachings, transportation within Romania, hotels, and breakfast daily. Journey does not include airfare Athens to Bucharest, Romania. Fee – $995
For further details and registration, please contact Rev. Dr. JC Husfelt (bigcatthatflies@gmail.com)
Transylvania – In Search of Dracula
Some say that Transylvania sits on one of Earth’s strongest magnetic fields and its people have extra-sensory perception. The area is also home to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and it’s easy to get caught up in the tale while driving along winding roads through dense, dark, ancient forests and over mountain passes.
Tales of the supernatural had been circulating in Romanian folklore for centuries when Irish writer Bram Stoker picked up the thread and spun it into a golden tale of ghoulishness that has never been out of print since its first publication in 1897. To research his immortal tale, Stoker immersed himself in the history, lore and legends of Transylvania, which he called a “whirlpool for the imagination.”
Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel was published in Romanian for the first time in 1990.
Count Dracula, a fictional character in the Dracula novel, was inspired by one of the best-known figures of Romanian history, Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), who was the ruler of Walachia at various times from 1456-1462.
Vlad Tepes was born in December 1431 in the fortress of Sighisoara, Romania. Vlad’s father, governor of Transylvania, had been inducted into the Order of the Dragon about one year before. The order — which could be compared to the Knights of the Hospital of St. John or even to the Teutonic Order of Knights — was a semi-military and religious society, originally created in 1387 by the Holy Roman Emperor and his second wife, Barbara Cilli. The main goal of such a secret fraternal order of knights was to protect the interests of Christianity and to crusade against the Turks. The boyars of Romania associated the dragon with the Devil and decided to call Vlad’s father “Dracul,” which in the Romanian language means “Devil;” “Dracula” is a diminutive, meaning “the son of the Devil.”
But while the fictional character Dracula is a creation of Bram Stoker, Transylvania has its own folk creations. For centuries, Transylvania was colonized by several transient populations that have shaped its history. Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons, Ottomans, Jews, and Roma Gypsies inhabited the whimsical territory of “the land behind the forests” (trans silvae), shaping the local folklore and giving birth to fantastic creatures, magic legends, and a fascinating tradition of storytelling.
One of the best-known legends is that of the Pied Piper, a mysterious character that is related to Saxon’s arrival in Transylvania.
Sanziene are gracious fairies that protect nature, represented by yellow flowers that bloom around June 24. Several rituals are related to this celebration. In the countryside, the Sanziene are represented by the girls of the village; dressed in white dresses and carrying flower spikes, they dance in a circle, recreating the whimsical atmosphere that surrounds the celebration.
The dark version of Sanziene are Ielele, charming fairies that live in the forests, lonely cliffs, or meadows, where they gather to dance the hora, a circle formed by their joining hands.
And then we have…. Strigoi, the Romanian vampires.
Transylvania is often associated with the land of Dracula and blood-thirsty vampires that sleep during the day and get out by night to suck the blood of their victims. But in the local folklore, vampires didn’t exist before the novel of Bram Stoker. Or at least, they weren’t called vampires, but Strigoi, undead souls that rise from their grave during the night and haunt the villages, feasting on the blood of the living. The Strigoi are usually assimilated with people who had a violent death or in the case of a Christian ritual that wasn’t fully respected during the funeral.
It is believed that they are afraid of the garlic and incense odor. In the villages that are supposedly haunted by Strigoi, locals grease their doors and windows with garlic and eat as much as they can. The little ones wear a necklace made of garlic cloves while they sleep.
Does Myth turn into Reality?
Friday, May 29, Day 1—late afternoon flight to Bucharest—Ramada Plaza Bucharest.
Saturday May 30, Day 2—depart for Brasov, the land of Dracula. Fringed by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture, as well as a wealth of historical attractions, Brasov is one of the most visited places in Romania.
Brasov Downtown Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance and has been used as backdrop in many recent period films.—Belfort Hotel, Brasov.
Sunday, May 31, Day 3—today visit Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad, and Bran castle, known as Dracula’s Castle. Because Bran Castle is the only castle in all of Transylvania that actually fits Bram Stoker’s description of Dracula’s Castle, it is known throughout the world as Dracula’s Castle.
Monday, June 1, Day 4— today we journey Sarmizegetusa Regia. Hidden in the dense forests of the Carpathians, Sarmizegetusa Regia is one of the oldest, most surprising and mysterious historical attractions in Romania. Sarmizegetusa had a sacred precinct—among the most important and largest circular and rectangular Dacian sanctuaries the famous Circular Calendar Sanctuary.
Tuesday, June 2, Day 5—depart Brasov for Bucharest airport, late afternoon flight back to Athens. And completion of Romania journey.
“In lake’ch:” I am another yourself. (Maya phrase)
The Aztecs called him Quetzalcóatl and the ancient Maya referred to him as Kukulcán—the Plumed or Feathered Serpent. Kukulkán—Quetzalcóatl, the god of wind, sky and the sun, was known as the Lord of the Dawn—Venus as the Morning Star and the Sacred Twin. Myths relate that Kukulkán—Quetzalcóatl disappeared into the Caribbean Sea. But before he left, he promised that he would return one day in the future, but he never revealed when…
Kukulkán-Quetzalcóatl’s religion was based on overcoming our consciousness of dualism by awakening to unity (oneness)—the merging of spirit and matter.
Ancient texts describe temples as places where a person may be “transformed into a god, into a bright star”—a divine human. If so, then the enigmatic temples of the Yucatan fulfill that promise, and more.
On this Mexican peninsula stand hundreds of temples and pyramids, each one dedicated to the spiritual elevation of those on the quest for personal transformation.
The ancient knowledge and teachings of the Maya are eternal, and more importantly, they are more relevant today than ever, as the modern seeker searches for tools to navigate this dysfunctional modern culture. The Mesoamerican teachings once predicted this age, but they also provided the antidote.
It is upon these timeless beliefs that we bring you this unique tour, a journey that integrates the spiritual and practical aspects of these teachings. It is about experiencing the subtle energy of place; the mystery teachings of the Maya; the cosmology of the ancient seers; and the experience of the spirit of place that awakens the divine spark/starlight residing within all of us.
Now is the time to discover yourself in the heart of the Yucatán investigating the ruins and deepening your understanding for the indigenous traditions. Not only will you experience Maya sacred sites but some of nature’s most magnificent gifts: the Caribbean Sea, jungles, cenotes, which are the mouth of the underground rivers, and more.
Stones hold memories; the temples and pyramids in the Maya sites were built to connect with the Wisdom of the Universe. Your guides and teachers will help open the doors to the ancient energies of the Maya Masters, who are waiting for you in the magical sites we will be visiting.
The most important gift you will receive from this is the inner journey, an awakening in consciousness that happens when you open your heart and accept all that comes to you. This journey will be unique for each one of you and exactly what each one of you needs.
Besides discovering the soul’s five enemies from the Popol Vuh, the seven forces of the Maya, the importance of Venus and the Ollin heart, and the awareness and power of the jaguar, our sacred adventure will include ceremonies, discussions, and wisdom teachings at key Maya sites to fully connect with the energy present there.
Far Travel with us as we invite you to receive Initiation in the Kukulkán—Quetzalcóatl Consciousness of Oneness during the week of February 3 – 9, 2020.
Monday, February 3, 2020: Arrival in Cancun and transferred to Chichen Itza. Evening welcome and Overview of the journey.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020: Breakfast; Early morning visit to the ruins before the crowds and vendors set up. JC and Sher will lead you through the main areas of the site including the Pyramid of Kukulkán known as the location of the descending spirit, “Descent of Kukulkán,” and then you will have some free time for shopping and exploring on your own.
late morning visit to Ik Kil, the most beautiful blue Cenote where there will be time for a swim and lunch before heading back to our hotel. The Cenotes were a worshipping and purification site for the Maya. Evening: Chichen Itza Light and Sound Show.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020: Breakfast; We bid goodbye to Chichen Itza as we head to Tulúm. En route we will visit the sacred, magical site of Ek Balam. The name means Black or Star Jaguar (Balam in Mayan). The Jaguar appears in this sacred city as the Inner Warrior of Light, helping you awaken to radical nonduality—Oneness.
There are some 45 structures at the site but one of the most exciting contains a recent discovery of Winged Gods resembling Angles. These are incredibly beautiful and are so perfectly preserved they look as if they were done yesterday. JC and Sher will help you develop your spiritual wings, so you can travel, in spirit, to the Otherworld.
Thursday, February 6, 2020: Breakfast; Today, we journey to Cobá and Muyil.
We first visited Cobá during August 1987. Cobá means “waters stirred by the wind,” appropriately named as it is situated on two lagoons. Located about 40 inland miles northwest of Tulúm, it is a vast archeological site with only a few of its estimated 6,500 structures having been uncovered.
Muyil, one of the oldest of Mayan archeological sites, is located on the mainland side of a lagoon in the Sian Kaán (“where the sky is born”) Biosphere. Muyil is the sacred site of our shape-shifting tale from our memoirs, “The Jaguars are Coming,” during the night of the Full Moon in 1989.
Friday, February 7, 2020: Breakfast; Before leaving for Playa del Carmen, we visit the sacred site of Tulúm in the early morning. We first visited Tulúm during August of 1987 and fell in love with this sacred place of magic and awakening.
The ancient name of Tulúm was Zama, “Place of the Dawning,” due to its positioning towards the morning sunrise over the turquoise waters of the life-giving Caribbean. It is interesting to note that its identity as the “Place of Dawning” could just as well be referred to esoterically as the “Place of Awakening,” considering that most likely Zama was a sacred spiritual center.
Tulúm’s Temple of the Descending God has a small staircase and a carving over the door of a swooping figure that is seen throughout the site. The images of the descending god – spirit have also been referred to as “the bee god” and associated with Venus as the morning star. According to Laurette Séjourné, the descending star which appears on the door of several buildings in Tulúm symbolizes Quetzalcoatl and the incarnation of the light.
Laurette Séjourné was a Mexican archeologist and ethnologist best known for her study of the civilizations of Teotihuacan and the Aztecs and her theories concerning the Mesoamerican culture hero, Quetzalcoatl.
Saturday, February 8, 2020: At first light (pre-dawn) Initiation and Nagual (Mayan Way) Retrieval (to bond with an Otherworldly guardian possibly one that has been staking you this week or perhaps longer). The rest of the day is free. Celebration Dinner.
Sunday, February 9, 2020: Closing Ceremony and transfer to Cancun Airport.
Fee: $1995.00 includes lodging, transportation within the Yucatan, meals as stated, teachings and a special designed t-shirt. Not included is air transportation to and from Cancun and entrance fees into sacred sites and Light and Sound Shows.
Rev. Dr. JC Husfelt and Rev. Sherry Husfelt
Rev. Dr. JC Husfelt and Rev. Sherry Husfelt first journeyed to the Yucatán in August of 1987 during the Harmonic Convergence. Since 1987, they have guided groups of spiritual “seekers” to various sacred sites around the world told within their forthcoming memoirs: Tequila and Chocolate: Far Travels of the Morning Star, Memoirs of this World and the Otherworld.
Rev. Dr. JC Husfelt, the Morning Star, is a philosopher and a tlamatini[ii]: a wise man and in modern Nahuatl tlamátiquetl: a “person of knowledge.” He is the author of I Am a Sun of God and So Are You, The Return of the Feathered Serpent, Return of a Green Philosophy, and Do You Like Jesus—Not the Church?. And late 2020, Return of the Morning Star, Quetzalcóatl – Sixth Sun, Awakening to a New Consciousness: Becoming a Quetzalcóatl – a Feathered Serpent.
Rev Sherry Husfelt is a wise woman, empath, counselor, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, shaman, and healer. The Husfelt’s have undertaken a literal and metaphorical journey through the mystical and practical aspects of the mystery, myth, and spiritual lore of indigenous cultures throughout the world. They have traveled across the Americas to the icy plateaus and volcanoes of Iceland, through the windswept barrens of the British Isles and the Orkneys, and across Norway, Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, and the Polynesian Islands.
Their teachings grew from their firsthand experience with multiple cultures and their spirituality. For more information or to register, please e-mail them at bigcatthatflies@gmail.com
