February Fun Fest: Fiction for Under a Dollar and Astro Gadgets and Gismos

Article © 2012 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved
Photo credits below

I’m sending this via carrier pigeon from my Mars Retro cocoon! Thanks for all the hits on 10 Ways to Celebrate Mars Retrograde. I’m practicing what I preach, as much as possible …

… but I did want to poke my head out of the pod for a couple of minutes to share a few bits of news and fun tools. Those on my mailing list already know: I just put out my first fiction e-book in PDF format with Kindle, Nook, etc. to come within the month. You can now buy it on joycemason.com and on the sidebar of The Radical Virgo for only $0.99. Matters of Life, Death and Laughter contains three stories to make you laugh, cry and think. They are very Jupiter in Scorpio!

Now, onto some other fun. I co-presented a wonderful program in January at NCGR-Sacramento Area Astrologers with one of my favorite local astrologers and colleagues, Linda Kaye. I want to share the overall content with my readers and introduce you to Linda. Our program was called Astro Gadgets and Gismos. Linda focused on her use of Astrodice as an astrological oracle, and I shared my experience with AstroDeck, a keywords card system for studying your chart, bit by bit.

Click to purchase on Amazon

Astrodice

The Astrodice have been around for a long time, but I hadn’t tried them for ages. They are an astrological oracle. There are three dice, one each for planet, sign and house. One way to use them: You, your client or friend thinks of a question. You throw and interpret the three-part astrological “sentence.” Example: How can I improve my finances?

Astro Dice throw: Jupiter, Libra, 6^th

Possible interpretations: Promotion through work relationships, the importance of referrals, expansion of finances through friendships and willingness to work, expand your work but keep it in balance, partner with someone and work together to expand income potential for both of you.

Linda mentioned that the Astrodice provide an easy way to do readings at fairs or other events where mini-consultations are required in short time periods, or where you don’t have precise birth data or your computer handy. She also likes to use the Astro Dice as a wrap-up to a reading. They seem to work well, not only as an effective last thought, but often recap major themes that preceded them.

Chiron card created to go with my Astrodeck.

AstroDeck

First, let me get the bad news over with. This wonderful keyword tool is out of print, but a deck comes up for auction on eBay every few months. What’s more, it’s easy to make your own rendition of this terrific tool.

What It Is. AstroDeck consists of four sets of colored cards with lists of key words for each:

• Red for planets
• Blue for signs
• Green for houses
• Yellow for aspects

There’s a card for every planet, sign, house and aspect. The primary way to use them is to take any chunk of your chart, usually what I call an aspect configuration, and lay out the cards to delineate it. Each card has a long list of key words for each of the components.

The AstroDeck doesn’t include Chiron, my specialty, so I created a facsimile Chiron card. It’s constructed similar to the AstroDeck cards, so it should give you the flavor of what they look like.

Why I Like It

•   Variety is the spice – We tend to have “pet” keywords for planets, signs, houses and aspects. The AstroDeck gives a reminder of more choices and combinations.

• Keywords enable you to “go deep” into each piece of chart, then glean a more thorough synthesis

• It helps us when we’re stuck for whatever reason, such as being too close to an issue or having a Neptune transit that makes us foggy—or we’re in too big a hurry for a Mars aspect.

Potential Users

AstroDeck works great for anyone and everyone! It’s great for beginners and just as helpful to the seasoned pro. Chart reading is a creative act that involves the client and astrologer. AstroDeck or tools like it can allow for greater client participation in the process and overall, a larger landscape of possibilities for expressing any astrological energy combination. It helps us remember that each astrological signature has a variety of ways it can express, and we can harness that energy toward the expressions we want most.

Ways to Use Keywords

With a long list of choices, I recommend first seeing which keywords light up for you or feel right. Start with those. Another way to explore is to close your eyes and point to a word on each card—our use a pendulum. If you’re really compulsive, you can try them all on! Obviously, not all these interpretations will fit at a given time, but playing with the least likely certainly opens the mind to possibilities.

How to Score a Good Used Deck

•        Create a Saved Search on eBay to be notified when decks become available (every 3-4 months on average in my experience, so far)

•        Use keywords AstroDeck + astrology. It’s very important to use the word astrology, as “Astrodeck” is also a form of decking and artificial material used in various products. Without the starry reference, you may end up lost in a maze of links to a type of Astrodeck you didn’t mean.

•        Rule of thumb for a good buy is $20-30, including shipping. You might find one for a less or a little more. (I've done well on the side of bargains.) They’re getting rarer, so figure that into your analysis of whether the price is worth it.

•        Periodically check in a general search engine, like Google, with the AstroDeck + astrology keywords. You may unearth something somewhere other than eBay.

How to Do It Yourself      

It’s probably a weekend project—or at least a day of the weekend, but it’s worth the time for the learning you’ll get both in the process of putting it together and using the card system from then on.

• Get out your favorite beginning astro books or any that feature keywords.
• Make no more than a half page list for each planet, sign, aspect and house. (Use columns to fit in as many as you can.) Be sure to include both likeable and less likable connotations of each and parts of the human body the signs and planets they rule. For instance, for Saturn: discipline, wisdom, earthiness, getting grounded ambition, self-control. Rules bones, knees, teeth
• Go to Michaels or another craft store. Buy half-sheets of cardstock, multi-color, in a package. The brand I bought was Recollections with 5 different colors. It cost $3.99
• Buy a package of glue sticks, too ($1.99).
• Choose a color for planets, signs, houses and aspects. (I replicate the AstroDeck colors, because I already associate red with planets, blue with signs, etc.)
• Trim your half-page keywords so they’ll fit with the colored edge showing on the cardstock. If you have a spiffy printer, fancy enough to print directly on the cardstock, skip the glue sticks and simply print on the appropriate colored sheet info for each planet, sign, house and aspect.

Note that you’ll spend only about $6 and have a keyword tool that’s priceless.

Got AstroDeck Info?

I believe AstroDeck could enjoy a renaissance, if republished now. I’ve been unable to find out a thing about the creators and their former company, Soliton, in Woodstock, NY. If anyone knows anything about Authors Louis S. Acker, Mary Orser or Irwin A. Weisberg and James Wasserman/Studio 31 who produced the cards, please let me know. I’d love to encourage them to re-release AstroDeck. I think its time has come again. The world is becoming more astro-savvy, in part thanks to the Internet.

I own two of the decks, so I’ve got a spare for “parts” in case I lose anything from Deck #1! That’s how committed I am to these brilliant “flashcards.” I’ve gifted a deck to my best friend, a fellow astrologer, as well.

And I went right home and purchased some Astrodice after Linda’s demo at our astrology group.

Let me know how you like sampling my fiction—and these gismos and gadgets!

~~~

Photo Credit: Cover, Matters of Life, Death and Laughter - theatre stage & masks © koten_ok - Fotolia.com

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mars Retrograde

Giving Mars a rest can be rewarding!

© 2012 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

January 23 thru April 14, 2012

23 Virgo 05 – 3 Virgo 41

My article, Ten Ways to Celebrate Mercury Retrograde, was one of the Top 10 posts on The Radical Virgo last year. As I contemplated the upcoming Mars Retro, I thought to myself, “I’d like to read one of those for Mars.” So, I decided to write it and share it. Here are some ways to take optimal advantage of this cycle. Thanks for contributing your own ideas in the Comments. I hope this adds a big dollop of Virgo practicality to what you can do with Mars while its riding its “retrocycle.”

1.    Stop rather than start something new. Mars rules Aries, those energetic self-starters, wired to go get it now, whatever “it” is. When Mars is retrograde, it’s better to contemplate what you might want to stop doing rather than start. In the sign of Virgo, begin with the one of the things Virgo is famous for, namely habits. Habits are what we do with repetition and little thought. What are you doing mindlessly or obsessively that you know is better for you not to do at all—or at least to lessen? Apply this to other Virgo key areas of interest, such as health and communications.

2.    Review your desires and impulses—and how they get you into trouble. Mars is the planet of passion and wanting. This doesn’t just apply to your hormones. How do your longings serve you—or not? Are you obsessing over a lover, money, fame or other cravings? How about food cravings, given Virgo’s affiliation with diet? Stop for a quiet, objective review during this period and see what happens. Try de-emphasizing those desires or giving them a rest during the retrograde period. If you can’t control your impulses, become more aware of them so that you can take action, perhaps in a different direction, when Mars moves forward and you’re ready for it. What evolves?

3.    Look at where Mars Retro falls in your chart. This will make its influence more specific to an area of life and to the aspects it makes to your personal planets. Some examples: Mars Retro in the 1st may ask you to stop and look at how you’re “putting yourself out there.” What does your first impression look like out in the world, whether it’s your physical face, how you dress, or your posts on Facebook or Twitter? In the 5^th, you may want to stop and review what you’re creating. What are you doing, overdoing, or under-doing with your creative energy? And so on ‘round the zodiac.  Turn you Inner Investigator loose on your “do” in this house and area of life. What changes would serve you better?

As to aspects, how ‘bout taking the planets in aspect to it “inner” along with this Mars Retro? My Uranus squares Mars Retro at its starting point at 23 Virgo. Think I’ll look at where my actions are erratic and how I push myself to make progress, perhaps at the expense of some things I value. (A step at a time is sometimes better than constantly pushing the envelope for change.)

4.    Check out your relationship with physicality. I was discussing with a friend and colleague recently how many athletes have Mars Retrograde in their natal charts. I’ve been contemplating that fact while considering this upcoming Mars Retro. Since retrograde planets often reflect an energy expressed in a more inner than outer way, I’ve come to an interesting hypothesis. Mars Retro may be an expression of someone wired for movement and action. Having this inner drive for motion, action, even aggression and competition may fuel the drive to express it outward via athletics. What better channel? (Beats beating up on people!) I suspect that Mars Retro, by transit, may not give us the same feeling as the more personal natal type. However, it may grant us a period where conditions are more conducive to feeling Mars more acutely in our bodies, especially when Mars is in an Earth sign, as it is in the current retrograde. Our bodies are the Earth element. Experiment with feeling the Mars inside you, first, then how it craves expression in the outer.

5.    Analyze how you make the choices that precede action. Actions result from decisions. How are you doing with discrimination in the choices you make (Mars in Virgo)? For everything we do, we made a decision to do it. We live more and more in a world of a million options, every second of our waking day. Modern communication tools bring us nearly endless opportunities. We know the old saws—there are many spins on the same idea—Think before you act. What is your Mercury to Mars connection? How do you come to your decisions about taking action? Need any revamping on the circuitry between idea, analysis and action? Reflect on these patterns and whether they are serving you.

6.   Review your relationship with anger. Do you blow your top a lot? Hold in your rage and suffer illness because you let it seethe? How can you find ways to express anger in a healthy, productive way? As the wonderful quote in Ecclesiastes tells us, To everything, there is a season. Anger is. What we do with it is good to contemplate when Mars is in retrograde. In Virgo, especially consider angry words and communication patterns. Pay special attention to passive aggression—that nasty look or snarky sarcasm.

7.   Examine your patience.  Do you have too much or too little? (A friend once told me I was ridiculously patient, and she wasn’t far off during an era of my life when I was short on boundaries and too long-suffering.) Mars is about going for it, but sometimes it’s the season for rest. It’s winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, and that’s a fact. Mars Retro gives us an opportunity to look at how we handle being in harmony with nature rather than with what we want—now—regardless of other considerations. I love that most of the Mars Retro cycle this time precedes spring. But it remains Retro for the first few weeks after the Spring Equinox. Given that, you might want to ease into your new beginnings, even though spring is the right time for them. By mid-April, the timing will be better for launching your new projects. Don’t hurry, even then. Mars Retro will have a “shadow” just like Mercury Retro. You’ll likely feel its afterglow till June.

8.    Take the pulse of your vitality. Mars is highly connected to our physical energy and life force. Depending on your natal Mars configuration, you might be naturally energetic or like that commercial with the two adorable tortoises, a Mr. or Ms. Slowsky. Are you happy with your “juice?” Is it up to par or do you need rejuvenating? Again, with Mars in Virgo, look at what health habits you need to keep your engine running in top form. It’d be a great time to go to a spa, to give your Mars a vacation and your energy a booster shot.

9.    Get more intimate with you natal Mars. Is your natal Mars retrograde? How do you feel during Mars Retro? It may be different from those of us with Mars direct. What is the element of your natal Mars? If it’s in water, it may feel a bit like it’s retrograde. Whether its fiery, airy, or earthy, how does the Martian energy play into how you operate? Pay special attention to things like Mars angular (1^st, 4^th, 7^th or 10^th houses) or in its own sign of Aries or Scorpio (co-ruled with Pluto). My own Mars is in Water (Cancer), and it’s my only angular planet (on the IC). It trines Jupiter in Scorpio. What could otherwise seem like a watered down Mars principle is actually big in my life. I’m Marsy enough that many people mistake me for having Aries Rising. Don’t take too seriously the classic interpretations of your Mars position. Discover what your Mars means to you with an open mind and a commitment to express its highest possibilities.

10. Look at your relationship with the masculine principle. Do you “have balls” when you need them, whether you’re male or female? Are you a good leader, initiator and extrovert—when its called for? Can you win when important principles are at stake? Ideally, we balance yin and yang, masculine and feminine in our lives. The reason the yin/yang symbol has a dot of the opposite energy in each half is that we all need both energies to function as whole human beings. Mars Retro is a great time to rest with your male energy and look at how you’re working with it. Is it hostile? Accident prone? Selfish? Or does it have some of the more enviable qualities of Mars like drive, excitement, and strength?

I get a kick out of the fact that the Mars glyph looks so phallic. It reminds us that to take action, we need to point our male energy in the direction of where we’re going and just do it, as the Nike commercial says. But remember this. All those Viagra and Cialis commercials warn about too much of a good thing. You can harm yourself with too much for too long. Users of male enhancement drugs are warned to get themselves to the emergency room if the drug is effective for too many hours. This also applies to Martian energy in general. Too much testosterone, drive, anger, impatience—it can all lead to flashing lights and the emergency room.

There are many other qualities of Mars we could take retrograde this cycle for learning: jealousy, ego, and impetuousness, to name a few. While the motto of The Radical Virgo is live on the upside of the zodiac, we still have to be realistic about the fact that Mars Retro can make us more accident prone, if we refuse to slow down. I’m going to repeat one thing I said for Mercury Retro that applies to both planets in retrograde: Quit running around so much.

That’s hard for most modern people. One profession considered ruled by Mars is law enforcement. I can’t help but think of that positive and nurturing sergeant on Hill Street Blues. After every roll call and before he sent his officers out onto the streets, the Sarge said, Let's be careful out there.

We can’t quit living during retrograde cycles, but if we’re smart, we’ll stay in rhythm with them and “do less” for this 2.5 month cycle. It only comes every couple of years.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meditate on Mars and celebrate it!

~~~

Photo Credits: Mars Award, © valdis torms - Fotolia.com; Mars Venus YinYang, © vlorzor - Fotolia.com

Winter E-book Sale! See sidebar to purchase

Famous Quotes About Astrology

© 2012 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

With The Radical Virgo on occasional post status, I’ll be digging into my files to finish and share a number of articles and goodies from my Round Tuit folder. Here’s one of them.  While I usually do Quotes for the Signs, I find these Quotes about Astrology to be inspiring, reflecting how many well-known voices speak out in support of Looking Up for guidance. These quotes are handy reference points when talking with people who are new to astrology or skeptical about it. ~ Joyce

There shall be signs in the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. ~Jesus Christ

Astrology is assured of recognition from psychology, without further restrictions, because astrology represents the summation of all the psychological knowledge of antiquity. ~C.G. Jung

A physician without a knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician ... There is one common flow, one common breathing, all things are in sympathy. ~Hippocrates

About astrology and palmistry: they are good because they make people vivid and full of possibilities. They are communism at its best. Everybody has a birthday and almost everybody has a palm. ~ Kurt Vonnegut
 

I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical. ~Arthur C. Clarke

We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more. ~Carl Jung

Anyone can be a millionaire, but to become a billionaire you need an astrologer. ~John Pierpont Morgan

The fellow that can only see a week ahead is always the popular fellow, for he is looking with the crowd. But the one that can see years ahead, he has a telescope but he can't make anybody believe that he has it. ~Will Rogers, The Autobiography of Will Rogers

Learning astrology is like learning any foreign language. You already have the ideas, concepts, and experiences of your life within you; you are just learning a new language for what you are already experiencing. ~Barbara Goldsmith, Astrology Made Easy

Astrology is like a weather report; it tells you what conditions you're likely to face in the future. If the weatherman says it's probably going to rain, you bring an umbrella. If you follow that advice, you won't get wet. ~Lee Goldberg, Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu

An Astronomer who denies Astrology, is like a butcher who recognizes the brain but is unaware of its transmission of waves. ~Ahmed Hulusi, From Friend to Friend

A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma.  ~Sri Yukteswar

All anyone can see in a birthchart are tendencies that will become facts if he does not do something to alter them.  ~Isabel Hickey

Astrology is just a finger pointing at reality.  ~Steven Forrest

~~~

Photo Credit:  MS Office Clipart superimposed with Sabrina Star font. Background on quotation marks: Stars © Dmitry Maslov | Dreamstime.com

See Radical Virgo Annotated Article Index to find over 150 articles on The Radical Virgo by subject.

Winter Reading E-Book Sale!

Dear Radical Readers,

For the past two years, I have printed astrology book suggestions for your winter reading pleasure. There’s nothing like curling up with a book, Kindle, or Nook by the fire! Same goes for iPads and other reading gismos. Within these two articles, there’s a fabulous astrological bibliography worth a first or another look:

Winter Astrology Reading: Five Astrologers Share Their Faves

Books by the Fire: Winter Astrology Reading

 

Add a sale on my e-books:

Purchase the PDF version of my popular Chiron primer, Chiron and Wholeness, at $7.95 and you will receive Poems to Heal the Healer: The 12 Chiron Signs for an extra dollar. The two Chiron books combo is $8.95. (Save $5 on the pair.) Be sure to choose the Both Chiron E-books button.

Purchased separately, my other PDF e-books other than the primer are on sale for half-off. Also available now on the sidebar are:

Poems to Heal the Healer: The 12 Chiron Signs:  Regular price $5.95, now $2.95.

Outerplanetary (Extraordinary) People. Regular price $9.95, now $4.95.

As an early Valentine’s gift and to help you with the fast evolution in this red-letter year of 2012, these e-books will remain on sale through February 14, 2012.

Enjoy!

Joyce

Winter Readings 1/3-off Sale ends Jan. 16, 2012. E-mail Joyce to book your consultation.

See Radical Virgo Annotated ArticleIndex to find over 150 articles on The Radical Virgo by subject.

It’s Here! The Radical Virgo Annotated Article Index (2009-11)

“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." ~ Danny Kaye

The Radical Virgo Annotated Article Index

Download here 

 

© 2011 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

 

Dear Radical Readers,

As most of you know, I’m off this year throwing more paint on the canvas of my life, focusing on my work as a novelist. For nearly three years, I have blogged on a regular basis on The Radical Virgo and shared 185 posts, most of them full-length feature articles. Sharing this body of work has honed my skills as a writer and astrologer. It has taught me how to market my writing. What a labor of love and learning. Sharing astrological insights and related ideas about the mysteries of life has been some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Thank you! I hope this annotated article index will help you find material you haven’t read previously and allows you to access your favorites with ease.

While I may be focused elsewhere, I’m not gone! I’ll still share astrological insights via my Cardinal Quarterly e-news, on Facebook and Twitter. I may still do an occasional post, as time allows and the spirit moves. Readings? Yes!

Starry Stuff I’ll Still Be Doing

Novel writing works well in tandem with other work. It’s good to switch off! I’ll still be doing astrological readings and providing my usual Inner Growth Work services. (See sidebar.) I have plans for additional astrological publications and will continue to make available those I already sell in the sidebar. Although it will be an “as I can” project, I still plan to use the personal Chiron material many of you have generously provided. Time will tell whether my analysis of your Chiron experiences will be part of a full-length book in the future. At minimum, I want to report my findings in a research article or paper. I don’t anticipate this will be before 2013.

One project I’m contemplating with excitement is to expand the Chiron Keyword series into a book of similar entries that address every keyword for Chiron that I consider important. It will show the derivation of the word, whether it comes from myth, astrology, or other sources. I sense this will be a great tool to help each of you dig deeper into your Chiron—to overcome your stumbling blocks to wholeness. I see it as a tour book for your hero’s journey with each word a signpost and a concept with potential to illuminate Chiron’s personal meaning and your path.

How to Keep in Touch

The most important way, if you aren’t signed up already, is to join my newsletter list at the top of the sidebar. You can jump off any time your interests change with one-click unsubscribe.  I promise some Radical humor in each virtual gathering of “free Radicals.” (We’re the good kind.)

On both Facebook and Twitter, I’m @joycemason. And I always love reader e-mails: joyce [at] joycemason.com.

Meanwhile, have an amazing 2012! If you’re going to the United Astrology Conference in New Orleans in May, please introduce yourself.

May your life be full of spilled paint and wonder,

Joyce

~~~

Photo Credit: © pilarts - Fotolia.com

Don’t forget the 1/3-off readings sale through January 16, 2012! Get your 2012 update for $99—normal price $150. Details here on Radical Black Friday.

Winter Solstice Blessing

© 2011 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

In your heartbeat

this darkest night

in the quiet

lies the pulse of peace.

We can hold hands

 sync our heartsongs

discover

the circulatory system

the life force

that begins all

ends all

sustains all

and heals all

the communion of hearts

of spirits.

All this for the price

of hushed tones

faith in the dark

and deep listening.

~~~

Photo Credit: Fir Tree Heart © Albrekht | Dreamstime.com

A Blessed Solstice and New Year 
from The Radical Virgo.

Seasonal Gift: One-third off 2012 readings through January 16, 2012.

See details on Radical Black Friday.

"Happy Holidays," Another Kind of Peace Sign

© 2009-2011 by Joyce Mason
All Rights Reserved

I love my friends who “want to put Christ back in Christmas,” and I honor their viewpoint. I grew up with strong Catholic roots, and I love celebrating the birthday of Jesus. But I don’t think saying “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” necessarily does the trick of what’s at the heart of that Christ in Christmas expression—making people act more Christ-like or more aware of the religious roots of the season.

In fact, it can have the exact opposite effect. I am rarely this blunt, but I have to say it. In certain contexts, “Merry Christmas” is rude. It alienates Jews, Muslims, and practitioners of a variety of other religions or beliefs other than Christian. In a not so subtle way, it imposes your viewpoint on other people by just assuming they share it. “Happy Holidays” acknowledges the vast number of faiths that exist and respects a person’s right not to believe at all. It says, “Whatever you celebrate or don’t, I wish you well during this time of year where there’s a surge in generosity of spirit.”

Let’s put this in perspective. No one wants to inhibit your freedom to say Merry Christmas at church, among fellow Christians at home or in any other setting, except those that are more public where people of all faiths converge. If you know someone is Christian, “Merry Christmas” the right thing to say. “Happy Chanukah” is the appropriate greeting for someone who’s Jewish. Happy Solstice is a good bet for your favorite agnostic.

 But out and about, where you might not know someone’s spirituality or lack thereof—that’s another story. Here’s an empathy experiment. Imagine you’re Christian and you just landed on a planet where Christianity is not the norm. It’s a festive time of year and people are shouting (pick one) Happy Chanukah, Allah Be Praised, or Atheists Rock! No one acknowledges your beliefs, and you feel like a lonely petunia in an onion patch. If your beliefs are close to your heart, this can be painful and isolating. At best, it is hurtful or irritating; at worst, when done consistently, it contributes to an intimidating atmosphere where people do not feel safe to share themselves. Beliefs reflect the core of who we are.

How little it takes to acknowledge and celebrate diversity.

When “Happy Holidays” first became the politically correct greeting, I, too, resented it. I felt like a lifetime of celebrating the season in a way that wove religion, spiritual perspective, and general goodwill had been forcibly replaced by something that sounded secular and cold. It took me a long time to get the point. We are free to “talk amongst ourselves” in a very candid way in any homogenous group, but once we mix it up, we have to consider the comfort of others. It’s the Golden Rule. It’s the teaching of Jesus at his best, and I daresay of the prophets from any number of other religions.

Inclusiveness is the epitome of Christianity. Jesus ministered to the fringe of society—the poor, the sick, the disenfranchised. This loving kindness and welcoming is reflected in the beliefs of many other paths up the mountain. I appreciate that there are those who believe in their heart of hearts that their faith is the one and only way to salvation. But out in the world, it’s not OK with me—or a lot of other people—to emphasize it. Religion can be even more divisive than politics and this time of year, especially, we need to focus on the love in which we’re all joined. There will never be peace on earth unless we learn to stand comfortably in our beliefs while respecting each other’s unique way of seeing things.

Lastly, we are wrong to assume that saying “Happy Holidays” is secular or implies a person whose only interest in December is shopping and the presents she receives. As one of my friends recently reminded me, the word “holiday” is derived from “holy day.” You can make the winter celebrations more ecumenical or universal, but you can’t deny their roots. Many people would be surprised to know that the Christian holiday traditions drew heavily from pre-existing pagan practices. The original “Christians” were Jews before they split into two separate faiths. The simple expression, “Happy Holidays,” has a lot more togetherness behind it than meets the eye. The degree to which that’s true depends on the mind and heart of the person saying it.

Let’s try a collective experiment. The next time you say “Happy Holidays,” make it an open-minded, open-hearted outpouring of goodwill and the only true gift anyone you can give anyone—to love them just the way they are.

~~~

Photo credit: +EPS WORLD RELIGIONS, DOVE © Casejustin 

This post is a reprint from my blog, Hot Flashbacks, Cool Insights, originally published on 10-Dec-09.

Extra! Reader Linda from Tempe, AZ shared a carol in the spirit of this message. She doesn't know the source, so if anyone else knows how to attribute it, please let me know--and I will. I'm also using it at my own Winter Solstice celebration this year.

Share the Light

(To the tune of the First Noel)

On the winter holiday

Let us stop and recall

That this season is holy

To one and to all.

Unto some a Son is born

Unto us comes the Sun

And we know, even if they don’t.

All paths are one.

Share the light, share the light!

Share the light, share the light!

All paths are one path.

On this holy night.

Be it Chanukah, or Yule,

Christmas Eve: Solstice night,

All of them celebrate

Eternal light

Lighted tree or burning log.

Or the eight candle flames.

All gods are honored.

What ever their names.

Share the light, share the light!

Share the light, share the light!

All paths are one path.

On this holy night.