All posts by Alistair Jordan

April 2nd Divination ~ Man & Ice

April 1, 2016 Alistair Jordan Leave a comment

Our divination for the day is provided by our Runes, an ancient alphabet of magical symbols we inscribe on wood or other natural elements cast to seek answers or insight.

In this reading, we asked what the day might bring and we were given this answer: The Rune of Ice, or stagnation, is met by the Rune of Man, or community.

Interesting… We then asked again and pulled the same two runes! This one is serious, so listen up.

Here we are given these two symbols, Isa on the left and Mannaz on the right. Isa is the rune of Ice, which represents not only cooling trends or effects but also stillness, stagnation, or a temporary halting of progress.

Mannaz, the rune of Man, exemplifies the unique experience of human community. The spirit of mankind emerges from our ability to work together and accomplish mind-blowing results.

When we consider this reading as a whole, we see the two acting one upon the other. Isa, the ice rune, acts as the object. In this we see stillness and isolation. We see the cyclical shrinking of our circles and we see time to rest and recover.

In Mannaz, we see a reversal of this as it acts on Isa. The rune of mankind highlights the interdependence of our existence. We exists not in isolation but among the living fabric our relationships. Friends, lovers, enemies, and strangers all play roles in our lives, and we are not ourselves without them.

Applying this reading to today specifically, we could say that it is a very auspicious time for new connections. It is the time to consider yourself an integral part of the community around you, the relationships you are in and the teams that you belong to.

Be prepared to lean on others to help you progress yourself or your goals. Be ready to accept new friendships and partnerships, and to offer your own unique talents as they may be helpful to or even required by others to progress. Offer kindness, assistance, and gratitude wherever you can.

We are all in this together.

with Love,

Alistair and Forest

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Daily Divination is posted every morning! See you tomorrow!

Check this out!, Civilizations, Community, Discoveries, Gatherings, Healing, History, Learning to Create, meditation, Nature, News, Organic food, Organic food, Primitive Skills

The Mountains Are Calling

March 21, 2016 Alistair Jordan Leave a comment

Think about what it would be like to spend a week in the mountains, learning from modern practitioners of ancient earth skills. Think about taking that knowledge home and using it to ground your diet to the earth in the same ways that your ancestors did. If you’ve been wanting to actually learn about living with the land, this spring in Asheville, N.C. might be the time to do it.

Local practitioners and teachers of permaculture, such as Wild Abundance, hold weekend gatherings and week long intensives like Ancestral Foods Cooking Class at their homesteads, where hands-on skills are shared by true teachers of the ancient crafts.

Botanists, herbalists, foragers, and homesteaders flock to these mountains, as they are the oldest on Earth and make up one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Being able to explore these beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with someone who is passionate and knowledgeable about the forest and its secrets is one of the most profound experiences you’ll find. It connects you with more than just your food, it connects you with the spirit of these mountains and the life to be found in them.

The permaculture and homesteading movement offers a chance to break out of the dependent consumer cycle that is killing our planet and our spirit. We owe it to ourselves to learn how to unplug from that. Taking back the food you eat is a great place to start.

There are those that say switching to a diet of simple, raw, wild ancient foods and foraged foods have miraculous health benefits, including relief from common illnesses to more advanced diseases such as diabetes and even cancer. But the fact of the matter is that eating off the land just tastes good and feels good. You will soak it up and enjoy it in your every cell. You’ll feel happy and healthy and juicy and nourished and you will love it.

The permaculture movement also offers hope of a world that marries 21st-century technology with the ancient skills of cultivation and stewardship over ourselves and our land. Our ancestors developed these skills from a loving, nurturing, reciprocal relationship with the earth.

Here in Asheville and the surrounding areas, you will find a celebration of these values and the sacred lands that it occupies. Join us this spring as we celebrate the ancient ways with the gifts and wisdom of these mountains.

Crown (Knowing), News, Third Eye (Insight)

Spring Cleaning for the Mind

March 17, 2016 Alistair Jordan Leave a comment

Winter is ending and new life is springing up everywhere. It’s time to do some spring cleaning and just like we clean our house from the built up layers of winter, we should also clean ourselves body, mind and soul.

Cultivating a harmonious mind is a lot like cultivating a harmonious home. Just like keeping our floors swept, regular clearing of thought-waste is an essential for those seeking a sound mind.

We occupy our minds in much the same way that we occupy our homes. In fact, your mind is your home, experientially speaking. From there you sit and watch the world play out around you. You take in everything you see and feel and decide how to react all from your little control tower you call your mind.

It has been said that your current state of mind is the sum of your thoughts up to now. We are inundated with thoughts all day every day, so we must come up with ways to let go of thoughts that no longer serve us. All thoughts, especially hostile ones, leave behind little bits of themselves that collect over time in dark corners and need to be lovingly cleared out and let go.

Here is a simple meditation/visualization that can be done quickly or with great detail when it’s time for your mental spring cleaning.

With a soft gaze forward take a few deep breaths, and settle the mind as you would starting any meditation. When you feel settled and present, close your eyes and bring to your visual mind the room that you are sitting in, exactly how it is.

Declutter and clean the room in your mind. Don’t let this become another to-do list, just give yourself a few moments to feel what this clean new space would look like.

Light an imaginary incense or candle and feel the cleansing smoke wash through the air, (some actual smudging beforehand will help too).

Beginning directly in front of you, take your mind around the room, section by section. In these sections, remove anything doesn’t bring joy and replace it with something that does. A plant, a painting, a window letting in beautiful natural sunlight, or any other element that brings pleasant, fresh chi will do.

Work all the way around the room from where you are sitting until you come back to where you started. The amount of detail is entirely up to you and how much time you are able to put in. In a few minutes you can give it a quick once over, or you can take your time and really work it out.

Spend some time mentally in this place you’ve just created, not thinking about changing the physical room into something else, just enjoying this peaceful place.

Before leaving the room, express gratitude for the time you’ve spent there and any pleasant feelings you’ve experienced. Exit and open the eyes when you feel ready.

Not only will you feel more at home as you continue your day, but you will be building a safe space in your mind that you can access any time. With continued practice, you can ‘build’ even more elaborate rooms that your mind will recognize when summoned later. By utilizing your knowledge of feng shui and applying it with a healthy dose of imagination, you can create mental spaces conducive to a healthy, harmonious, state of mind.

Check this out!, Community, Gatherings, Healing, Inspirational, Learning to Create, News, Organic food, Organic food, Primitive Skills, Spirituality, Team Spirit

7 Crucial Reasons to Learn Basic Survival Skills

February 24, 2016 Alistair Jordan Leave a comment

Connect your spirit to your sustenance by learning a few primitive skills! What do I mean by primitive skills? From raising chickens to making fire to growing squash and stitching clothes, primitive skills refer to a broad set of practices and knowledge that all people used to have.

These are the practices that fed us, kept us warm, and allowed our species to survive. They pre-date the industrialized way of life, and they were as essential then as reading, writing, and paying your bills are now. Here are 7 reasons to learn some of these skills…

Help save the planet – This one’s kind of important… Primitive skills were all we had to survive when we lived in harmony with the Earth. In fact, they were all we needed. In the face of global warming, water shortages, and an atmosphere of general global chaos, we all need to step up and do our part. Marrying our modern technology with the wisdom and skills of our most ancient ancestors will set us up for centuries of beautiful abundant living.

Builds confidence – Taking the time to learn a new skill is rewarding, but the results multiply when you do something that resonates with your spirit. When you do something that your ancient ancestors would be proud of, you are inspired in a way that is uniquely and characteristically human. If you can make a fire with your hands, you’ll feel like you can do anything.

Grow your own food – Rewarding and delicious! If you haven’t ever grown something, waited to see it form and ripen, and eaten it for dinner, it’s time. You’ll love it and you’ll feel your connection to the Earth grow every time. Take it a step further and learn to can or preserve your food when it is in season and abundant, (whether you grew it or not).

Reduces stress and anxiety – No tricks, pills, or self-help books to buy here. Pick up your tools and walk outside. Leave behind your iPhone. Connecting to the natural world around you will disconnect you from your daily stressors. Unless that stressor is a mountain lion, in which case you should go back inside for the time being.

Great family activity – Everyone can help when it’s time to set up your spring garden. Parents, children, and teens will find engaging outlets outside, and can often find positive ways to spend time together. Take it a step further and try out a weekend primitive skills gathering, (like this one). On the homestead, your family is your team. You will find something for everyone.

Be more self sufficient – You don’t have to go totally off-grid to establish your dominion. Having even a few permaculture-related skills and some experience will empower you in the way you see yourself and your capabilities, and it will never look the same again. Look up homesteading schools near you to learn what works best in your environment. Here’s an example of a great one near Asheville, NC, called Wild Abundance.

This stuff is really fun! If you’re going to put time and effort into a new skill, do something you enjoy. To me that sounds like bow making, but to you that might be studying plant medicines or making an earthen oven. To each their own.

In this modern world people need to return to a symbiotic relationship with the land and life around them. The great news is that this doesn’t have to be a sacrifice. Bringing this ancient wisdom into your life will bring great joy, fulfillment, and a chance to bond with your tribe.

Art, music, News, Pop Culture Spirituality, Sacred Geometry, Spirituality

Sacred Geometry in Superbowl 50

February 18, 2016 Alistair Jordan Leave a comment

The Super Bowl Halftime show is the most viewed event of the year, and in this 50th year we saw a presentation of many sacred symbols that begged for a more spiritual analysis. As with all spiritual matters and symbols, interpretations are extremely personal and this article is mere speculation on our part. These symbols and the influence they convey depends just as much on the receiver as they do on the giver of this information. What seems most relevant to one might be a totally different message for another.

During “Viva La Vida,” Chris Martin enters the field with a crowd of kids and then to the stage with “I used to rule the world…” The lyrics of this song tell the story of a king-like ruler, once powerful and on top of the world, with enemies quivering in fear. But this illusion is now gone, outlived by a world that took itself back and brought him to his knees. Could this symbolize the fall of patriarchy?

To progress spiritually, both individually and as a community, we are often forced to let go of the authoritative grip we have over ourselves. In the global sense, this could mean letting go of force and authoritative control and moving to cooperation, acceptance, and tolerance. The symbol of a king brought to his knees in humility is a powerful one, and is found in nearly all spiritual texts.

He comes onto the stage onto a massive, bright flower of life. The ancient symbol is not only featured on their latest album cover, it is also found on each of the band members and wherever else it might be squeezed in. Also on stage we have a prominent bell next to the drummer. It is a special bell known as the Ghanta. This is a bell you ring coming into a temple that is made to sound like an extended “Om.”

Throughout this song the camera looks straight down as the geometry begins to come alive, spinning and radiating into the viewer’s mind. This symbol is believed to represent the sacred path into life from the universal void. It is a pattern deeply embedded in the core of our existence, as well as the existence of all life forms that we humans know of. It can be seen anywhere if you look for it, but to be the focus of the world’s most popular broadcast has brought this symbol, knowingly or unknowingly, much deeper into our collective consciousness.

As Martin sings the vortex begins to open underneath him into the sacred geometry. As the performance begins its first transition, Martin leans down to the crowd and addresses the camera, “Whoever you are, wherever you are, we’re in this together. Let’s go!” Here he reveals what clearly appears to be the intention behind this aspect of the Coldplay performance: the unification of the global community.

Immediately after this, the message changes. The performance explodes into its next song Paradise. The visuals change into an exploding sun, a blast of bright energy surrounded by butterflies. This is an all-important symbol of metamorphosis and rebirth. A new dawn? A new paradise perhaps? You might have also noticed the not-so-subtle “Global Citizen” around his arm and heart-shaped multi-colored light in his shirt over his heart. One World?

Elsewhere on the field, a small army of green fairies have taken over the field with flower umbrellas. These expressions reinforce the celebration of color, of diversity, of spirit and oneness, all reminiscent of the colors of the Holi festival and depicted in the “Hymn for a Weekend” video. As the flowers in the field align, the seed of life and the fruit of life appear on either side of the stage for just a moment.

It is a spectacular scene, but it is important to keep in mind that these movements and patterns are extremely deliberate. This year, a 30 second commercial cost $5,000,000, which comes to $166,666 per second. It is with great and deliberate intention that these images, symbols, and messages are published. The symbols that are presented at this level have the power to affect the entire human race, and they will to be sure.

Alistair Jordan & Forest Sage

Spirit Science