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Freedom of Speech and of the Press
As an American citizen born in northern Illinois in 1953, I have always valued the concept of being able to have freedom of expression of our beliefs and ideals. Senator John McCain is right when he directly brings us a precautionary message that when the Executive branch of a government attempts to limit the freedom of the press, this potentially can represent the beginning of attempts to bring about a dictatorship. Now, I'm not saying this is going to happen, however, this is a reminder folks of something that is possible and please do not think that it cannot happen in the good ole' familiar USA because during this Administration, anything is possible.
During a few of my previous newsletters, natal charts of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were reviewed along with some of their more likely tendencies. As you can see, President Trump does have his practical side in that he is doing his best to carry out his promises, at least as much so as I had sensed. I don't recall ever seeing so many Executive Orders of such magnitude in the past and remember, Mr. Trump noted that what he planned to do, he would do "alone". I'd like to refresh everyone's memory from the U.S.A. Constitution.
Article I states: Congress shall make no law respecting as an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
I notice this states "Congress" and I hope this also applies to the President. As a former news reporter in radio broadcasting, given my Broadcast Communication background, I learned and am a firm believer of accuracy in reporting and of distinguishing what is meant by news versus editorializing my personal opinion. I believe the news media has a responsibility to be clear about what is truth and what is fiction. However to categorize everything that the media does as "fake news" and to block certain media from attending, this discredits credibility and disrupts part of our system of checks and balances is short-sighted, deceptive, manipulative, and wrong. There are responsibilities by both the "Executive" branch and the multi-colored "News Media". My thoughts and prayers are with my country for clarity since this is a very dangerous trend and can threaten our very freedom, especially when some media are being barred from being able to cover certain events.
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Science versus Spirituality; or Shall we Say Science Intertwines w/Spirituality
As a member of Ned Matinnia's Near Death Experience group on Facebook, I have the opportunity to see and hear of some amazing things. Whether someone is coming from a scientific/skeptic background, or a religious background, or a mixture of the two, NDEs are so beautiful and important in that they help to bridge this false gap. Many ND experiencers' come back including Dr. Eben Alexander, and say, there is no conflict between true science and true spirituality. As NDEr Mellen Thomas Benedict says, "It's all physics." Maybe physics that our mainstream science doesn't yet understand, but it's science. And spirituality........both, and at the same time. Interestingly, I have always sensed this to be true since shortly after my birth.
The theme of true, universal, and unconditional love is repeated over and over and over again. The "After Life Awareness" Conference that I attended last May will be in Portland, Oregon this year during early June 2017. One of the keynote speakers will be presenting on animal communication which sounds very interesting. Danielle MacKinnon will share info about our animal companions on the Other Side and what they have to teach us. Included will be a lecture on how we can communicate with animals on both sides of the veil. Wish I could attend this year however maybe you can. The International Association of Near Death Studies conferences is also on my list to attend in the next several years. For those interested, the links to the 2017 After Life Awareness Conference and International Association of Near Death Experience conferences are listed below followed by a very beautiful 26-minute description of an NDE by Nancy Rynes on a radio show. It is quite incredible..............
http://afterlifeconference.com/
http://iands.org/home.html
http://sandrachamplain.com/nancy-rynes-dont-die-radio-show/
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We are One Regardless of our Political or Religious Beliefs
During these hard pressed conflicting times, there is much pressure to side with left or right, one party or another, or even an offshoot of one party. Here is a comment that was presented by Ned Matinnia of our Near Death Experience group that I find identification in:
The only way that we are going to heal ourselves and come to the world of more peace and wisdom in the future, is by transcending these boxes and labels and divisions. Treating people more honestly and purely, as a person; as a soul. "In La-Kech" - the ancient Incan or Mayan (forgot) greeting that roughly means: "I am you," or "I respect you for we are one."
The core and deep message of every major spiritual tradition often is boiled down to this: "Love God/Truth/Life with all your heart. And love one another as yourself." (this particular reference coming from the Christian angle). This includes everyone upon the whole Earth - all races, cultures, backgrounds.
We are in a time period that seems to be requiring a lot of extra effort to remain balances, stable, calm, and understanding. Finding joy in what we value along with practicing healthy pathways with whatever helps us retain that balance will continue to be very valuable.
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My Own Personal Upcoming Health Plans
Well, we all have our cycles and times for getting things done. I am likely having surgery sometime within the next few months. With this planet known as Jupiter on my 6th house Saturn-Neptune conjunction, combined with the opposition to Uranus, and the developing square to Pluto in Capricorn, there's been a lot of emphasis on action to be taken regarding medical, dental, and work activities. Squares and oppositions tend to bring out these calls to action whether we like it or are ready or not.
This is one of the practical values that astrology offers. It's a long way from a religion, but it tends to shed light offering information about what is being emphasized and the timing of it. For me, the time will come and then, I'll be flying around again soon somewhere and somehow. Thanks for your healing thoughts and wishes.
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A Brief look Back to the Beginning of 2017
You may remember in my last newsletter, there were precautionary warnings about New Year's Eve in relation to certain astrological aspects. Well, fortunately, there were no major incidents in the USA itself that we know of, however there was one major incident affecting Turkey. This nation of Turkey had also come up as a predicted location earlier by one of our NCGR presenting astrologers during the second half of 2016.
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A Wish Finally Fulfilled in an Unexpected Way
One of many things I like about astrology is that the events that occur to us in life as well as the timing in which they happen can be very interesting to observe. Bellingham, Washington has always held a special place in my heart. I went to college at Western Washington University in the early 1970s and graduated with a degree in Broadcast Communication in June 1975 when my father, mother, and other close relatives joined us there in celebrating my educational accomplishment.
I remember the heavy rain and windstorms of the dark and sometimes violent winters, the views of Mt. Baker towering over the Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock trees, the sailing lessons on Lake Whatcom, the spelunking along Bellingham Bay, and viewing colorful spring wildflowers around Orcas Island.
However, I always remember the great efforts, personality, and beneficial communications advice from Dr. Alden Smith in the Broadcast Communication Department there. Dr. Smith taught broadcasting writing, journalism basics, and eventually helped to pav the way for me to coordinate a television program that we produced in the spring of 1975 on the Bellingham Transit program.
I was involved with radio announcing and news reporting for several years following college and always felt what Alden taught us was very helpful and beneficial. Life moved on and I spent time in Western Washington, Southwest Oregon, and then moved to San Francisco to begin my next ventures.
I occasionally thought about Alden and each time a Western Washington University Alumni donation solicitor contacted, me I would ask them about Alden and check to see if I could find out his current status. Well, early February, I received a contact from Assistant Director of Giving Jonathan Dymond with some information. I learned that Alden had been struggling with some dementia and debilitating arthritis for the past five years and at 83 years old, was now in a health care center in Bellingham. Having a feeling that there may not be time for me to send a card and full summary of the many years gone by, I sent an e-mail February 5th which made it to the Communication Dept. and included a brief summary and the newsletter which I produced following my After Life Awareness Conference I attended in St. Louis during May 2016. I received the following message on February 16th from Jonathan conveying a message from Alden's wife Eunice:
I wanted to let you know that the Communication Studies department has let me know that Eunice (Alden’s wife) shared your response and newsletter with Alden before he died last weekend.
“How wonderful that Mr. Kaminski reached out before Alden died. Eunice told him about Mr. K’s inquiry and kind words.”
Alden passed away Saturday, February 11th. I was so happy, grateful, and thankful that I finally was able to reach him before he passed on to his next life. My only regret is that I didn't make more of an effort to do research on finding him earlier. However, I did visit his memorial website, contributed some thoughtful summaries for family, friends, and loved ones, and I feel thankful about that. The son of a minister, Alden was truly a contributor to the education of his students, had a very colorful background, and his personality was full of wit, charm, spontaneity, firm and sometimes biting diligence to clarity and brevity, and a truly great human being. I am so thankful for knowing him and the ocean beach image above clearly points to his colorful, complex, and Gemini mirror image nature of being witty and quick thinking, yet intelligent and honestly diligent. Alongside the photo above in the NDE description it came from were the words: "The meeting of two eternities, the past and future..is precisely the present moment." ~ Henry David Thoreau. We're celebrating Alden's life in our present.
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Effects of the Recent Eclipses
The most current eclipse effects are powerful and are not over in a day. The New Moon and Solar Eclipse occurred Sunday morning, February 26th at 6:58 AM at 8 degrees 12 minutes of Pisces. The eclipse itself was not visible here on the west coast. The photo above shows an eclipse I captured a few years ago although it's very small.
Eclipses may make us feel more intense, like we're losing our minds, pressured to face more things, pushing us to the limit, and causing higher anxiety and emotion. A solar eclipse in Pisces has the effect of emphasizing higher emotional receptivity, and changeability.
Pat Lynch, Kathy Biehl, and Bernadette Brady are skilled astrologers who research and provide education on the Saros cycles that point to the different lengths of time that these cycle occur. The late February eclipse is part of Saros 140 which occurs every 19 years. The Pisces New Moon Solar eclipse falls in Saros series 19 South which originated April 16, 1512 at 6 degrees Taurus while Venus and Jupiter were conjunct and Uranus straddled the midpoint between the New Moon and Jupiter. It's kind of interesting since this time, Jupiter in Libra is opposite Uranus in Aries in transit. Although these affect everyone uniquely, this one is described as bringing an element of surprise, sudden happiness, and / or a lucky break according to Bernadette Brady. With Jupiter caught in this current T-square along with Uranus and Pluto, it's especially potent.
With Mars conjunct Uranus building up to an opposition with Jupiter February 27th, this can result with a major explosion, some kind of temper outburst, or a break into a new profound freedom. We've actually been building up to this for quite some time. For those of you like myself who have planets in Libra where Jupiter is currently transiting, it is an especially prominent time on some level(s). Then around the first of March, the Sun conjuncts Neptune which can cause things to feel rather unworldly, illusive, and nebulous without boundaries. The New Moon has also been conjunct the fixed star Skat, a harbinger of fortune and lasting happiness, but with energies which will only endure if one is deserving of it.
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Astrological Keys of our Current Time
With the Sun transiting into Pisces, there is an adjustment that equates to moving from a fixed, ideological, universal quality to an environment encouraging inner awareness, flow, and feeling.
However, it just goes to show, in contrast to Pisces, even though Aquarius has the general tone that it does, I so much admire the statement made by Ellen DeGeneres “We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that.” I think that even though Ellen has no planets in Pisces, her Sun conjunct Venus in Aquarius, childlike influence of Moon in Aries, and Mars conjunct Saturn in lively, optimistic Sagittarius, all tend to bring that happy, upbeat dancing personality that she motivates in people. Meanwhile, the fact that there is so much emphasis on what is fact vs. fiction and what reality really is shows the ongoing influence of Neptune in Pisces and the current gathering of additional planets there.
With the ongoing Jupiter-Uranus-Pluto T-square in Libra, Aries, and Capricorn respectively, there will continue to be very dynamic, abundant, intense, and changeworthy vibrations. The signs and locations most heavily affected include between about 17 degrees and 24 degrees of Aries, Libra, and Capricorn. If you would like more information about these or other transits and how they're affecting you personally, feel free to contact me and we can set up a date/time to discuss it. We're also seeing the planet Saturn very close to the galactic center, the "Heart of the Milky Way". We won't be seeing another Mercury retrograde until about April 10, 2017.
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