Phantasmaphile

Museum of Lost Wonder Membership

I've written about Museum of Lost Wonder creator, Jeff Hoke, before and was lucky enough to have him come present at Observatory a while back.  Glory of glories, Hoke has decided to bring his vision into the material world and build an actual institution.  That's right, a real Museum of Lost Wonder for all of us to visit.  If you click through the virtual tour on his site, you'll see that actualizing this incredible alchemical-emporium-meets-Wonka-Factory-with-a-nod-to-the-MJT-by-way-of-the-Met will be an incredible feat to pull off.  But if anyone can do it, it's Jeff Hoke.

To raise money for this hall of marvels, he now offers some pretty sweet membership packages on his site.  Have a look, and then join, why don't you?  There are 7 levels of membership, as detailed below:

Neophyte

Zealator

Practicus

Philosophus

Adept

Magus

Illuminati

All museum members will receive a Membership Folio that includes:

*Personalized membership certificate, hand illuminated with your name and membership grade

*Exclusive enameled Brass member's badge.

*Official membership card entitling the bearer to lifetime free admission to the museum when opened.

*A colorful, 16-page monograph showing detailed plans of how the Museum of Lost Wonder would translate into a physical museum. It explains in depth how the museum would be laid out and what experiences visitors could expect.

*Additional Ideal Building Plan monograph, showing the Museum of Lost Wonder in its ideal form.

*Regular notification of special events and museum milestones as they occur.

Moon Mind

I've been a bit of a lunatic lately, in the etymological sense of the word.  We've got our moon show, LUNATION: Art on the Moon, opening at Observatory this Saturday, from 7-10pm.  Please join us!  There will be wine and special lunar cocktails for sale, courtesy of Julianne Zaleta from Herbal Alchemy. 

Julianne also created a special, limited edition, moon perfume for the show, called Moonrise:

As she describes it:

The Greek goddess, Artemis, who represents the new moon, is portrayed in this fragrance by the addition of wormwood (an artemesia) in the top note, supported by bergamot and petitgrain.  Luminous jasmine forms the basis of the heart along with honey and rose, and sandalwood and frankincense form the base chord.

There will be some bottles for sale for the duration of the show.  I've already reserved mine.  *Swoon*

 

I'll be selling a magickal ritual tea I created called LUNA VISION, which comes with a huge piece of selenite.  Pictures to come, but here's a little taste:

I'm also going to be teaching a class on Moon Magick at Observatory on Sunday, Jan 22nd from 3-5pm.  Drop me an email if you'd like to attend:

Moon Magick Ritual Workshop with Pam Grossman

Remedios Varo "To Be Reborn: 1960

Date: Sunday, January 22nd
Time: 3-5pm
Admission: $20
Presented by Phantasmaphile

***You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as space is limited

Ancient cultures from around the world have looked to the moon as a source of deep and potent power.  By working with her phases and honoring her myths, one can learn how to manifest personal transformation and glean profound wisdom.

Tonight we’ll ready ourselves for the first new moon of the year with an evening of lunar ritual and contemplation.  We’ll explore the spirit of the moon through story, symbol, and spell work, with special focus on Hecate, the goddess of darkness and magick.  The evening will include ritual, meditation, and discussion, as well as teachings regarding how to start your own moon magick practice.  You’ll learn how to work with the specific energies of each lunar phase, thereby effecting meaningful change in your life.

Please bring a candle and holder, as well as any altar objects you like.  Please also bring a cushion, pillow, or fabric, as we will be sitting on the floor (chairs will be available for those who need). Note-taking is welcome.  This workshop is open to men and women, novices and advanced practitioners alike.

Pam Grossman is an independent curator and lifelong student of magical practice and history.  An initiate in the wise woman tradition, she is currently apprenticing with green witch Robin Rose Bennett.  She is the creator of Phantasmaphile, a blog which specializes in art and culture with an esoteric or fantastical bent.  Her group art shows, Fata Morgana: The New Female Fantasists, VISION QUEST, and Alchemically Yours have been featured by such outlets as Boing Boing, CREATIVE TIME, Time Out New York, Juxtapoz, Arthur, 20×200, UrbanOutfitters.com, and Neil Gaiman’s Twitter.  She is a co-founder of Observatory, where her programming aims to explore mysticism via a scholarly yet accessible approach.

 

Lastly, I leave you with a moon mix to get you in the moon mood:

Winter Solstice Ritual Celebration with Green Witch Robin Rose Bennett at Observatory

I'm excited and honored to announce that my teacher, Robin Rose Bennett, will be coming to Observatory to do a Winter Solstice Ritual Celebration on Thursday, December 22nd at 8pm.  I've been learning from Robin for several years now, and officially apprenticing with her for the last two.  She is a reknowned herbalist, a potent ritualist, and a truly magical and brilliant human being.  Please email me if you'd like to join us in what is sure to be a beautiful ritual and an altogether luminous gathering:

Winter Solstice Ritual Celebration with Green Witch Robin Rose Bennett

 

Date: Thursday, December 22nd
Time: 8pm
Admission: $20
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

***You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as space is limited

Join green witch and wise woman Robin Rose Bennett in a joyful community circle as we celebrate the shortest day and longest night of the year.  We will create sacred space and turn the Wheel of the Year with song, story, and candle lighting.

Please bring a personal candle and holder.  Festive dress, altar objects, instruments and food or drink to share after the ritual are welcome.

Rest and dream in the safety of deep darkness. Journey within to conceive the spark of your own light and life to be reborn in the spring. Whatever your spiritual tradition, come celebrate the magical rhythms of nature that unite us all.

Robin Rose Bennett is an herbalist, writer, green witch, and educator who teaches Wisewoman Healing Ways of herbal medicine.  She is the author of the booklet Wild Carrot:A Plant for Conscious, Natural Contraception, two meditation CDs and her book, Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living.  Her website is www.robinrosebennett.com

 

Hope to see you there!

TONIGHT! The Occult in Modern Art 101 at Observatory

Just a friendly reminder that I'll be giving this lecture tonight at Observatory:

The Occult in Modern Art 101

Leonora Carrington "La maja del tarot" 1965

An illustrated lecture by Pam Grossman
Date: Friday, November 18th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Though few history books make mention of it, many of our most lauded artists — Picasso, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Duchamp, to name but a few — were deeply influenced by the occult.  The imagery and tenets of arcane traditions including alchemy, Spiritualism, Theosophy, and shamanism have infused the work of artists through the ages.  Beginning with the Symbolists, then spiraling through such periods as Cubism, Dada, Surrealism (with its wonderfully witchy women), Abstract Expressionism, and the visionary art of today, this evening’s lecture will be a visual primer on the existence of magic in our museums and galleries.

Pam Grossman is an independent curator and lifelong student of magical practice and history.  She is the creator of Phantasmaphile, a blog which specializes in art and culture with an esoteric or fantastical bent.  Her group art shows, Fata Morgana: The New Female Fantasists, VISION QUEST, and Alchemically Yours have been featured by such outlets as Boing Boing, CREATIVE TIME, Time Out New York, Juxtapoz, Arthur, 20×200, UrbanOutfitters.com, and Neil Gaiman’s Twitter.  She is a co-founder of Observatory, where her programming aims to explore mysticism via a scholarly yet accessible approach. 

 

Hope to see you there!

Tarot of the Holy Light

Though I love tarot, particularly tarot imagery, I've only allowed myself to purchase a small number of decks over the years.  I just know that, left unchecked, I have the potential to get a bit obsessive!  And so in the interest of finances and space, I've decided to only own decks that have exceptional beauty and meaning for me.

Well, I can tell already that the new Tarot of the Holy Light is going to have to join my limited collection.  Created by Christine Payne-Towler and Michal Dowers, the deck uses images from old alchemical engravings, which are then collaged together in gorgeous and colorful combinations.  It feels traditional and psychedelic at once, and just the few online pictures I've seen of the cards are already making my skin hum.  Good thing the holidays are coming up soon - this is definitely going on my wish list.

(And this is probably a good time to remind you all that there are a few spots left in our Tarot class at Observatory this Sunday, so do drop me a line if you'd like to attend!)

Via

This month at Observatory

As a reminder, I'm hosting the following events at Observatory this month.  There is still room in both the Cocktail Alchemy class on Thursday, and the tarot workshop on the 20th, so do drop me a line if you'd like to attend:

Cocktail Alchemy with Julianne Zaleta (Back by popular demand!)

Date: Thursday, November 10th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $20 (You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as class size is limited)
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Cocktails, like perfume, are a mix of art and alchemy. In this workshop you’ll learn how to infuse your own spirits to make seasonal and artful cocktails with fresh herbs, spices, nuts, dried fruits and grains. The spirits are then paired with mixers and piqued with the addition of essential oils, which add their own unique accent to these artisanal creations. Samples of angelica, chocolate mint and basil vodka (amongst others) will be passed around along with the cocktails they inspire.

Julianne Zaleta is a natural perfumer, aromatherapist and herbalist and has trained with Michael Scholes and Jeanne Rose. Owner and sole proprietor of her own company, Herbal Alchemy Apothecary, Julianne creates aromatic and therapeutic remedies and elixirs for a wide variety of ailments. As a perfumer she has trained with Mandy Aftel to create a line of all natural perfumes. Recently she has turned her attention to artisanal cocktails, which makes her work life quite enjoyable, as you can imagine.

 

The Occult in Modern Art 101

Leonora Carrington "La maja del tarot" 1965

An illustrated lecture by Pam Grossman (Oui, c'est moi!)
Date: Friday, November 18th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Though few history books make mention of it, many of our most lauded artists — Picasso, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Duchamp, to name but a few — were deeply influenced by the occult.  The imagery and tenets of arcane traditions including alchemy, Spiritualism, Theosophy, and shamanism have infused the work of artists through the ages.  Beginning with the Symbolists, then spiraling through such periods as Cubism, Dada, Surrealism (with its wonderfully witchy women), Abstract Expressionism, and the visionary art of today, this evening’s lecture will be a visual primer on the existence of magic in our museums and galleries.

Pam Grossman is an independent curator and lifelong student of magical practice and history.  She is the creator of Phantasmaphile, a blog which specializes in art and culture with an esoteric or fantastical bent.  Her group art shows, Fata Morgana: The New Female Fantasists, VISION QUEST, and Alchemically Yours have been featured by such outlets as Boing Boing, CREATIVE TIME, Time Out New York, Juxtapoz, Arthur, 20×200, UrbanOutfitters.com, and Neil Gaiman’s Twitter.  She is a co-founder of Observatory, where her programming aims to explore mysticism via a scholarly yet accessible approach. 

 

Tarot Practicum: How to Read Any Deck Without a Book

A class with Kathy Biehl
Date: Sunday, November 20th
Time: 2-4pm
Admission: $40 (You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as class size is limited)
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

The imagery of the Tarot is rich and complex, intimidating even experienced readers into thumbing through a book for meanings to interpret puzzling cards or an unfamiliar deck. In this intensive practicum, Tarot master Kathy Biehl will teach sure-fire methods for picking up any deck and pulling information from it without consulting a book — whether you are a beginner, novice or experienced reader.  Please bring a deck that you’d like to work with; to facilitate the ease of group understanding, the instructor requests that you bring a deck that follows the structure or of the Rider-Waite deck. (If you have any questions about whether your chosen deck is appropriate, please email Kathy at kbiehl@empowermentunlimited.net in advance).

Kathy Biehl uses the symbolism of the Tarot and astrology to help her clients understand themselves, their options and the people in their lives. Her connection to the Tarot began in her mid-teens, when her mother unexpectedly gave her a deck after an otherwise ordinary day of high school. Since then she has been an avid collector and professional reader and developed a distinctive methodology that she has has been teaching for more than 25 years. In a parallel life she is an attorney and author.  Her website is Empowerment Unlimited.

Moonshot Magazine’s “Secret Issue” Reading and Release Party

 

Date: Monday, November 21st
Time: 7pm
Admission: $5 suggested donation
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Moonshot will be celebrating the release of its third print issue, “Secret”, with a reading and reception. From adults glimpsing into the strange occurrences of childhood to poems invoking spirits in a language of their own, “Secret” is a force of arresting writing and art. We sought the uncanny, the hidden, and the immeasurable and placed it inside these pages. This issue includes a special collection of artwork curated by PULP Projects.

Moonshot, a magazine of the literary and fine arts, was conceived in 2009 to provide an equal opportunity space for writers and artists based solely on the merits of their work. Moonshot’s mission is to eliminate the social challenges of publishing–encouraging all types of writers and artists to submit their work in the pursuit of exposing their creations to a wider range of audiences. It is our goal to utilize traditional printing techniques as well as new technologies and media arts to feature voices from all over the globe. Moonshot celebrates storytelling of all forms, embraces the dissemination of media, and champions diverse creators to construct an innovative and original literary magazine.

Upcoming Observatory Events!

Apologies for the sporadic posting of late.  It's been a whirlwind of activity between day jobbery and a trip to Hudson, NY to celebrate my 1 year of marriage / 7 years of in-love-ed-ness with this dashing darling.

Happily, I have lots brewing on the Observatory front, with the following events coming up soon - the first one is tonight, in fact.  Have a read, and please do join me for one or more:

 

Manly P. Hall and The Secret Teachings of All Ages

 

A Talk and Visual Presentation by Mitch Horowitz
Date: TONIGHT, Friday, October 21st
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

It is one of the strangest and most beguiling books of the twentieth century: The Secret Teachings of All Ages. Privately printed in 1928 by a 27-year-old occult scholar named Manly P. Hall, the table-top sized volume – brimming with arcane diagrams, otherworldly illustrations, and detailed entries on everything from Pythagorean mathematics and Egyptian geometry to the origins of the Tarot and the secret authorship of the Shakespearean plays – became one of the most successful underground books ever published. Passing through many printings and versions, including a compact “reader’s edition” in the twenty-first century, it reigns as the Encyclopedia Arcana of the modern age – a must-read for every acolyte of mythical traditions, esoterica, and the occult.

Who was the young and preternaturally gifted author of this massive and impactful work? And what were the circumstances behind the early genius of Hall, a man with little conventional schooling who went on to become the most influential occult voice of the last century? In this vibrant and intellectually lively evening, author Mitch Horowitz (Occult America) – who has written widely about Hall’s life and published the recent “reader’s edition” of The Secret Teachings of All Ages – explores the remarkable persona behind this mysterious tome.

Horowitz dissects the unusual career of Hall and explores his legendary status on the West Coast occult scene for most of the twentieth century. From Hall’s art-deco headquarters in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park neighborhood, the arcane scholar not only helped reignite the academic study of esoterica but made an impact on figures as diffuse as Bela Lugosi and Ronald Reagan (who actually quoted from Hall in his speeches). Horowitz also explores the circumstances surrounding Hall’s 1990 death, which is marked by persistent rumors of foul play. Finally, Horowitz considers the wide-ranging influence of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, including the book’s strengths and weaknesses, enduring mysteries, and seismically powerful, yet underappreciated, impact.

***Books will be available for purchase and signing

Mitch Horowitz is the editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin and the author of Occult America (Bantam), which The Washington Post Book World called: “Fascinating…a serious, wide-ranging study of all the magical, mystical, and spiritual movements that have arisen and influenced American history in often-surprising ways.” Horowitz has written on alternative spiritual topics for The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, CNBC.com, Boing Boing, and The Washington Post, where he recently explored the relationship between Manly P. Hall and Ronald Reagan. In 2003, Horowitz published the “reader’s edition” of The Secret Teachings of All Ages. He leads Observatory’s popular Occult New York Walking Tours and has discussed alternative spirituality on CBS Sunday Morning, Dateline NBC, and All Things Considered. Horowitz is currently writing a history of the positive-thinking movement, to be published by Crown. Visit him online at: www.MitchHorowitz.com.

(And be sure to check out this awesome interview with him on Gothamist today).

 

The Magic of Magic Squares

An illustrated lecture by Jesse Bransford
Date: Friday, November 4th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Magic Squares represent a mathematical convergence of the verbal/syntactical and the visual/compositional. From the simple and elegant Lo Shu sequence from Ancient China to the baroque and heady formulations of the Renaissance magicians, the mystery and fascination of magic squares have a long and interesting cultural history that spans over five thousand years, four continents and dozens of systems of thought.

Referring to recent scholarship on the subject as well as his ten years working with the squares and the systems that developed around them, artist Jesse Bransford will discuss magic squares and all of the wonder, amazement and magic that he finds in the topic.

Bio: A teacher at NYU since 2001, Jesse Bransford also taught at Columbia University for a year before becoming the Director of Undergraduate Study in 2005. Exhibiting widely since 1997, his most recent projects have been solo exhibitions exploring pictorial and visual associations of the observable planets, a series that will eventually result in seven exhibitions.

Recent exhibitions include solo exhibitions in New York (2010), Miami (2009), Toronto (2008), as well as participation in exhibitions in New York ([2011 at Observatory,] 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007), Glasgow (2008), Milwaukee (2007), Los Angeles (2007) and Busan (2008).

Bransford’s work is represented by Feature Inc. in New York, Kevin Bruk Gallery in Miami, Florida, Galerie Schmidt Maczollek in Köln, Germany, and Shaheen Modern and Contemporary Art in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Cocktail Alchemy with Julianne Zaleta (Back by popular demand!)

Date: Thursday, November 10th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $20 (You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as class size is limited)
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Cocktails, like perfume, are a mix of art and alchemy. In this workshop you’ll learn how to infuse your own spirits to make seasonal and artful cocktails with fresh herbs, spices, nuts, dried fruits and grains. The spirits are then paired with mixers and piqued with the addition of essential oils, which add their own unique accent to these artisanal creations. Samples of angelica, chocolate mint and basil vodka (amongst others) will be passed around along with the cocktails they inspire.

Julianne Zaleta is a natural perfumer, aromatherapist and herbalist and has trained with Michael Scholes and Jeanne Rose. Owner and sole proprietor of her own company, Herbal Alchemy Apothecary, Julianne creates aromatic and therapeutic remedies and elixirs for a wide variety of ailments. As a perfumer she has trained with Mandy Aftel to create a line of all natural perfumes. Recently she has turned her attention to artisanal cocktails, which makes her work life quite enjoyable, as you can imagine.

 

The Occult in Modern Art 101

Leonora Carrington "La maja del tarot" 1965

An illustrated lecture by Pam Grossman (Yes, c'est moi!)
Date: Friday, November 18th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

Though few history books make mention of it, many of our most lauded artists — Picasso, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Duchamp, to name but a few — were deeply influenced by the occult.  The imagery and tenets of arcane traditions including alchemy, Spiritualism, Theosophy, and shamanism have infused the work of artists through the ages.  Beginning with the Symbolists, then spiraling through such periods as Cubism, Dada, Surrealism (with its wonderfully witchy women), Abstract Expressionism, and the visionary art of today, this evening’s lecture will be a visual primer on the existence of magic in our museums and galleries.

Pam Grossman is an independent curator and lifelong student of magical practice and history.  She is the creator of Phantasmaphile, a blog which specializes in art and culture with an esoteric or fantastical bent.  Her group art shows, Fata Morgana: The New Female Fantasists, VISION QUEST, and Alchemically Yours have been featured by such outlets as Boing Boing, CREATIVE TIME, Time Out New York, Juxtapoz, Arthur, 20×200, UrbanOutfitters.com, and Neil Gaiman’s Twitter.  She is a co-founder of Observatory, where her programming aims to explore mysticism via a scholarly yet accessible approach. 

 

Tarot Practicum:  How to Read Any Deck Without a Book

A class with Kathy Biehl
Date: Sunday, November 20th
Time: 2-4pm
Admission: $40 (You must RSVP to phantasmaphile [at] gmail.com if you’d like to attend, as class size is limited)
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

The imagery of the Tarot is rich and complex, intimidating even experienced readers into thumbing through a book for meanings to interpret puzzling cards or an unfamiliar deck. In this intensive practicum, Tarot master Kathy Biehl will teach sure-fire methods for picking up any deck and pulling information from it without consulting a book -- whether you are a beginner, novice or experienced reader.  Please bring a deck that you'd like to work with; to facilitate the ease of group understanding, the instructor requests that you bring a deck that follows the structure or of the Rider-Waite deck. (If you have any questions about whether your chosen deck is appropriate, please email Kathy at kbiehl@empowermentunlimited.net in advance).

        

Kathy Biehl uses the symbolism of the Tarot and astrology to help her clients understand   themselves, their options and the people in their lives. Her connection to the Tarot began   in her mid-teens, when her mother unexpectedly gave her a deck after an otherwise ordinary day of high school. Since then she has been an avid collector and professional reader and developed a distinctive methodology that she has has been teaching for more than 25 years. In a parallel life she is an attorney and author.  Her website is EmpowermentUnlimited.net.

The Midnight Archive // Observatory web series

One of the most frequent things we Observatory folks get asked is if we will ever record our events, so that those who can't be there in body can enjoy our odd-lightful lectures from afar.  We've experimented with both video and audio, but haven't yet landed on a method which logistically works for us - though certainly open to ideas.  The next best (or in my opinion, even better) thing has happened though.  Genius independent filmmaker, Ronni Thomas, has started a web series of short pieces featuring some of Observatory's weird and wonderful special guests - including occult historian and frequent collaborator, Mitch Horowitz.  The series is called The Midnight Archive, and the first episode will be launching on 9.9.11.  In the meantime, you can watch a trailer for it here. 

Alchemical Tarot: Renewed, 3rd Edition

My favorite tarot deck is Robert Place's gorgeous and glorious Alchemical Tarot.  It uses - you guessed it - alchemical symbolism, and is lovingly rendered in Place's signature graphic style.  Colorful, unusual, image dense, it's truly the stuff of dreams.

It was an honor to be able to show some of his fine art in my recent show, ALCHEMICALLY YOURS (the promo pic is a detail of his work as well).  I wish I could have bought every piece of his.  But now there's a great way to own some of his work, and support the 3rd edition reprint of the Alchemical Tarot: just donate to his Indie GoGo fundraising campaign.  By doing so, you'll be supporting an artistic and magical project, and receiving all kinds of goodies to boot:

"Donate $30 and you'll get an 8.5” by 11” signed archival gyclee print of your choice of one of The Alchemical Tarot illustrations.

Donate $40 and you'll receive a signed copy of The Alchemical Tarot.

Donate $65 and you'll receive both the print and the signed copy of the deck.

Donate $120 and you'll receive the print, the deck, and a signed copy of the companion book when it is complete.

Donate $200 and you will receive the print, the deck, and a signed copy of the companion book, plus I will give you a one-hour Tarot reading with the deck over the phone or in person in Saugerties.

Donate $700 and you will receive the print, the deck, and a signed copy of the companion book, plus you can come to my house for a five-hour personal class on using The Alchemical Tarot."

 

Sounds like a great deal to me.  More info here.

Dave McKean's Vertigo Tarot Set Re-Release

Oh, YES!  I just read on living legend Neil Gaiman's blog that Vertigo is re-releasing the Dave McKean designed Tarot Card Set.  Dave McKean is a one of the pioneers of digital art and color copy compositing, and is the genius behind every jaw-dropping cover of the hallowed Sandman comics series.  He's since gone on to bring his vision to many other projects, including illustrating children's books, creating his own comics, and heading up the design for the Henson/Gaiman film, Mirrormask.  This new edition of the tarot set is being released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sandman (can't believe it's been that long...):

"This new anniversary edition features:

Seventy-eight cards with art by Dave McKean, a softcover 128-page book (with a four-color cover by McKean, black and white interior text by tarot expert Rachel Pollack, and an introduction by New York Times best-selling SANDMAN author Neil Gaiman), plus a black velvet-like drawstring bag to hold the tarot cards. The book cover, box front, spines and velvet-quality bag are gold foil-stamped with a special Sandman 20th Anniversary logo."

Can't wait til November 5th!

R.I.P. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

                  

His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi passed away on Tuesday.  He was the founder of Transcendental Meditation, and guru to such luminaries as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and David Lynch.  This news resonates on a particularly synchronistic level for me personally, as I very recently finished reading a small gem of a book by Lynch entitled Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity.  In the book, Lynch discusses the impact his practice of Transcendental Meditation has had on his life and his creative process, saying that it has allowed him to gain access to more vivid, potent ideas:

“Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper. Down deep, the fish are more powerful and more pure. They’re huge and abstract. And they’re very beautiful.”

In a further twist, my pal Joanna and I had been planning on going to our local Transcendental Meditation center today, to learn more about the practice ourselves.  May Maharishi Mahesh Yogi rest in peace, and with the knowledge that his legacy is spreading day by day. 

Horoscope dork

Yyyyeah, so I really like horoscopes.  GOOD ones.  For a weekly forecast, I throughly enjoy Rob Brezsney's Free Will Astrology.  I like the entire web site, actually, along with his book, Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia.  For a monthly forecast, I go to Astrology Zone.  You know, in case you were wondering.