Palmistry

·          I took a workshop on Palm reading. These are my notes. It was a very basic class but peaked my interest in the subject.

• The study of astrology and palmistry began at the same time 
• It is a formal science, meaning anyone can do it without psychic skill
• The best book to use to learn is called, “The Scientific Laws of Hand Reading” by Benham
• Start with the back of the hand
•  How do they carry their hands? Are the loose, tight, etc?
• What is the skin texture like? This tells us where they come from. If it is rough, they are most likely tough or hard in character. If the skin is smooth, there is a chance the person may be sensitive. If the skin is yellow, there might be health issues such as jaundice. Look at the nails as well. See if they are well kept. 
• Colour: red=intensity, and emotional rage, pale=aloofness and introversion
• Be cautious when saying things that may be interpreted as negative
• The nails: Red over the moons may indicate high blood pressure, seeing more of the moon means a healthy immune system, blue nails mean circulation problems. If the texture of the nails is rigid, there is stress in the person’s life. Dents or white spots in the nail indicate trauma or a particular stressful time. The nail can read stress up to around 6 months from quick to tip. Where the spot is, indicates when the stressful time or trauma occurred.
•  Finger shape: If the first knuckle is pronounced, the person is most likely a reader. If the thumb is square shaped, the person is a stuck in the mud type, sceptic, earthy, stoic, material. If the finger shape is spatulate (wider at the top than bottom) the person may be precise, sceptical and practical. If the shape is conical, they are spiritual, creative and open minded. If the fingers are pointed, they are sensitive, intuitive, dreamy and very psychic.
• ·         If the thumb looks like a waistline, the person will exhibit refined logic, strategic thinking, and using mind over brute force.
• ·         If the first finger is smaller than the ring finger the person may be a bully. If it is larger, they may have a nasty temper.
• ·         If the fingers bend back, the person is most likely a flexible individual. They may also be  creative and go with the flow. If the fingers are rigid and don’t bend back easily the person may be stubborn, trustworthy and have fixations.
• Flip the hand over. What do you see first? Lines? Fingers? Etc?
• A long palm and fingers mean the person is detail oriented, has high standards, and picky. If the fingers are short, they are quick thinking, impulsive and last minute.
• Lines: Length doesn’t really mean time. Broken lines mean change
• If the head line is going downward it means creativity, strong dreams, intuition and moodiness
• The conscious hand is you predominant hand, the hand you use to write. This hand will tell what is most likely to happen. It is the external self, the self you show to the world.
• The unconscious hand is the internal self.
• If the head line is straight across the person is practical. What you see is what you get. They are ambitious and work to meet their goals.
• If the heart line is closer to the first finger then the person is a romantic. If it leads between the middle and first, they are practical and if it ends under the middle finger, they are sceptical

Celtic Reconstruction vs. Celtic Traditionalism

I listened to a woman talk about Celtic reconstruction versus Celtic traditionalism. These are the notes I took. I also talked to he later in the evening and took notes about how to live life.

In the Celtic tradition - honoring is your only right
Families would prepare the land fro three generations to follow
They had no right to the land

Which gods you worked with depended on ancestry and the tribe that started/married the land

More traditional is less likely to cast a Circle
They held rituals up on hills/in valleys depending on the time of year
Marriage was about the division of property, child rearing, balance of power
Earth/Sea/Sky were the three divisions
Also, underworld/overworld/world of man

Canada was originally 1/3 Gaelic speaking
Cape Breton NS is the largest non-Scottish Gaelic speaking place

They only celebrated the high Sabbats
The solstices actually have a five day window
Lammas usually fell on Aug 13
Shifting of the calender changed the dates
People celebrated after the harvest was reaped. Temp. and climate do shift and change - this is what was celebrated, not the date.

Gods were separated into 2 camps
Helpful - grains, harvest
Other - beasts, water (uncontrollable)

Stone circles have no proof of being used for worship

Traditional - if it wasn't written, they don't do it
Recon.- if it feels right, add it in

Sidhe were spirits that were non-familial gods - often life force of specific things such as lakes, rivers, etc.
Some rivers demand a sacrifice - Thames demands one a year
Lake Erie is often referred to as a "She"

Those with direct bloodline have a greater claim to the gods of that area, however, with honour and dedication they can be adopted

If you have the languge playing on a radio or tv in the background, it is easier to learn because you are familiar with the sounds

Canadian schools originally tried to stamp out the Gaelic language
Sacrifice can mean to sacrify
These traditions would sacrifice dire criminals to make them give back to the society and the gods

Make connections to the earth you stand on by eating local - you are what you eat

If you are not doing the real work you are not making the real connections

Fairies like whiskey - use it to butter them up

Swamps/mountains/deserts - not friendly energy for people
Listen to the feelings of the world around you - listen to its warnings

Gnosticism

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  A few nights ago I attended a seminar on Gnosticism. The following are the notes I took during the talk. They are not things that I necessarily believe or do not believe. They are simply the notes.
  
  
  "Tragic is the existence of they who die without having known the purpose of their life"
  
  - It is the path of self discovery and finding higher purpose in your life
  - Above the doors of many of the temple in Greece appeared the words: "Know Thyself"
  - The universe is the macrocosm and the self is the microcosm
  - What are we here for? What is knowledge?
  - Many seek peace, happiness, etc. but we look for these things outside of ourselves
  - Gnosis teaches that these things are in each of us, we just have to look internally
  - How many people study themselves? How many people study their own psychology?
  - Knowledge of self feeds our consciousness - the divine spark in each of us
  - Knowledge from elsewhere is intellectual and does not feed our consciousness
  - Knowledge of self is obtained through experience
  - Enlightenment cannot come from a book
  - No one can give us the knowledge of ourselves
  - We can begin this process by studying our own psychology
  - We are often our own obstacles in life
  - We need to ask ourselves why we feel and act the way we do
  - Obstacles are created in the mind, such as fear and anger
  - They are often revealed when we look within
  - When we do this we often will uncover both positive and negative aspects
  - These negative aspects are what cause the difficulties in our lives
  - Are we in control of our lives?
  - Gnostics believe that we are born with a purpose, to get from point A to point B, but we are knocked off course
  - We are reactive animals to the circumstances in life
  - We spend out time reacting to external factors and responding to other people
  - Our responses to what others think of us does not create lasting happiness or anger
  - We often respond to environmental factors in our mood or state when we can't change these things
  - We are constantly assaulted by hundreds of thoughts throughout the day
  - We have difficulty being in the present moment
  - Because of this we are never constant or conscious
  - Consciousness of the average person is "asleep"
  - This is why "awakening" is such a popular term in many spiritual paths
  - We need to practice self observation
  - Instead of reacting, we need to develop awareness - be conscious of emotion and not give into them, rather ask ourselves why we are feeling that way
  - We must also receive the feeling implied in order to actually feel them. If you are given an insult, simply do not accept it
  - We need to be aware of how we react
  - When we question what we are thinking we become present
  - Being aware allows us to choose how to react or feel
  The goal is to be aware of everything at every time, to be present in the here and now, the "eternal instant"
  - Don't let others pull you away from your control over your self
  - Get to know your hidden subconscious motives, what we don't know we are feeling or thinking
  - Gnosis is the Greek word for "Wisdom"
  - Wisdom is knowledge obtained through experience
  - This is what links the distillation of all ancient civilizations and major religions
  - They all express the "Truth" - the expression of wisdom for their time
  - All religions are born and die throughout time but they all carry "Gnosis"
  - Common themes in many religions throughout the world and time: A Divine Mother gives birth to a Solar Hero, usually in a special way or in special circumstances. The Mother is usually a virgin and the Solar Hero dies and is resurrected
  - The goal of modern Gnosis is to awaken the consciousness - find out who we really are and what our original path is or purpose in life
  - It speaks of discovering the "Higher Self"
  - It is accomplished by working on meditation techniques, Astral projection, working with the elements, psychology, etc.
  - Most Gnostic group hold workshops and meetings to work on these things for free
  - They believe that one should not have to pay for knowledge
  - They work on a donation system because they believe that you must give something to receive something but it is up to you how much or what you are willing to give

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   For more information:
  
  London Gnostic Association
  116 Emery St. E.
  London, Ontario
  (519)667-0767
  gnosislondon@gmail.com
  
  www.gnosislondon.com
  
  A Non-Profit Organization