Ellegua, Legba and Mercury

Greetings, Gifted Reader!

Apologies for the delay this week, but Gypsy Stars had a party to attend on Saturday and missed her own deadline. That, plus Mercury Retrograde was the culprit for things falling apart.

By now, most people who read their daily horoscope have some sense of what Mercury in Retrograde means. For decades, popular Astrologers rarely discussed it and now that they do, it seems a lot of the general public has a misunderstanding of the effects of this planetary phenomenon.

Personally, Gypsy Stars has heard from some lay folks that this configuration is the worst thing that could happen as miscommunications abound and nothing is settled. While that's somewhat true, there are times when things going wrong turn out to be blessings. Think of Mercury Retrograde as a rest stop on the long highway of life and you'll be just fine.

First of all, let's take a look at the planet itself. Here's the guy responsible for communications, basic education, siblings and short-distance travel; thus, neighborhoods. In the religion of Ifa which is incorporated in Santeria and Vodoun, the deity Legba or Ellegua is highly representative of Mercury. As the Trickster,  he has 21 paths so he's quirky and changeable. In Ifa, you must first petition Legba or Ellegua to ask him to open the doors to the other deities in order to fulfill your desires. If he likes the ebbos (sacrifices) you offer him, he just may let you enter. You can think of the planet Mercury in a similar fashion since he is all about the way we think and speak. When Mercury is in Retrograde motion--meaning he appears to be moving backwards as he slows his speed--that's the time when our thoughts and speech also retract themselves. That's why mail gets lost, voicemails are garbled, emails are never delivered, etc. They occur to gives us a chance to stop action on something, retrieve it, and rethink it before releasing it again.

Since this particular Mercury Retrograde is in the sign Virgo, it's an ideal time to analyze Sixth House activities--or matters of health and employment. Virgo is also about "service to others", so reconsider what you give away so freely.

Use this time wisely. If you have a Natal Mercury Retrograde in your chart, you're already backtracking regularly. For the rest of you, remember this is an opportunity to reassess and resolve an issue that continues to confront you.

To learn more about Legba, read Jambalaya by Luisah Teish pictured below. Remember, we have t-shirts, too. And, don't forget to join us on Facebook!

Leaving you with good luck, light and love;
Gypsy Stars

Abracadabra: Magical Moments With George Patton And Black Jack

Greetings, Gifted Reader! As promised, a special guest is featured on this week’s blog.

George Patton is a professional stock market technical analyst, founder of Patton Capital Management, and a registered investment advisor currently living in Orlando Florida.

He’s also the author of Black Jack, a book about his great uncle Herman who was a famous magician. However, Patton's main character is his aunt Eva, who was only 17 when she met Herman and became his assistant. A small time ingénue who fell in love with Herman (already famous when they met), Eva was propelled into superstardom along with her man as they became part of the Harlem Renaissance.

Besides a focus on the world of magic, the book also addresses the Jim Crow laws of segregation during that time period. Written from Eva’s point-of-view as a survivor, the book starts with her and ends with her. Black Herman died mysteriously onstage in 1934 while Eva continued to rise with resplendence as she had been conditioned to mentor the following generations of her family. She passed away this year at age 111.

Q: So, George, do you believe in magic?

A: I believe there is more in this world than meets the eye. As for the mental manipulation of matter, I think that is possible also. That there are unseen powers that can be beseeched to do your bidding, definitely, but there is always a price.

Q: What inspired you to tackle a project that involves heavy research about history?

A: Love of history. Love of family. Learning about my family history was fascinating especially since no one had spoken Black Herman’s name in my household in forty years, believe it or not. When you research your family history, you learn about yourself. The choices they made prepare the fertile field for your development. Also, my heart leapt when I saw my great aunt’s name in a history book.

Q: How long did it take you to write the book?

A: The better part of a year. But I was seemingly aided by inspiration from beyond. Suppositions I made early on were revealed to be chillingly accurate. Once more, facts were uncovered. I say that this fictionalized version is closer to fact than even I imagine.

Q: Do you think that Black Herman based his work on African techniques that became Hoodoo in America?

A: Yes, in the beginning of his career and back then his audience was mostly semi-literate Southern blacks who were heavily steeped in these traditions passed down from slave times. Herman provided shows based on African Hoodoo to entertain and empower just as his talk of hailing from Zulu tribes—the fiercest warriors in existence--were meant to empower and embolden.

Q: Do you know of any black magicians working today? 

A: Yes. I have corresponded with some during the marketing of my novel and some of them have been very supportive. Among these are William Puckering “The Magic of Puck” at www.puckmagic.com, and the “Dean of Black Magicians” Donald Camp who thanks Black Herman for giving him ‘mystery’. Also, there’s Teddy Lee of White Plains New York, the “Mortician Magician”.

Q: How do you feel about Las Vegas magicians? Are they helping to keep the world of magic from fading? Where are the Johnny Carsons of today?

A: Syndicated TV continues to air specials featuring magicians and they’re unmasking them. But no matter how many tricks are debunked, the public still wants more. Magicians and others in touch with the occult will always prosper during tough economic times. Black Herman’s business was largely unaffected by the Wall Street crash of 1929. He was quoted as saying that the day after the crash shouldn’t have been called “Black Tuesday” but “White Tuesday” because “our people” didn’t have stocks or bonds to worry about losing. In fact, initially, Herman and Eva were busier than ever because people needed an entertaining distraction and the comfort a great magician could provide.

Q: Do you know any magic tricks?

A: No. I prefer to be the audience; to sit back in amazement, tantalized by clever conundrums. 

Q: Any last words?

A: Yes. A professor from Chapel Hill in North Carolina has recently written a novel about a fictional Negro magician. It turns out this man was neither a Negro nor a magician. He was just a white guy who makes a deal with the devil. This characterization besmirches my family’s honor and my great uncle’s memory. I think it’s heinous.

Abracadabra!

Look at that, Gifted Readers. By George, it’s George’s book!

Leaving you with good luck, light and love;

Gypsy Stars

Cardinal Climax And Metaphysical Mixing

Welcome back, Gifted Reader!

Someone pointed out that while last week's blog noted that Saturn ruled Saturdays, it omitted its sign-- Capricorn. That wasn't intentional; it was because the focus was on it being Saturday or Saturn's Day.

The one thing you'll soon discover about Gypsy Stars is that we're all over the metaphysical map. So, while writing about an Astrological event, we might also add something about an Ifa goddess of the Yoruba deities--like Oshun whose character traits are very similar to the planet Venus. Let us digress. In Astrology, we say that Venus rules "all moving things"; in particular, love and money. Venus is beautiful and she loves beauty. Well, the goddess Oshun is also physically lovely. And, while Oshun is a seductress, she also possesses a genteel manner. In either case, feminine idealism is at its zenith.

But back to the nature of this blog. The name Gypsy Stars came about because the word Gypsy felt intuitive and attached to cards, like Tarot; while Stars refers to the Astrological elements that makes up our studies of the occult.

Speaking of Astrology, our group of Astrologers meets monthly and today we had a meeting. After our leader passed around Natal charts for the U.S., we discussed the Cardinal Climax. Because this blog is not meant to cover highly technical aspects of Astrology, let's just say that our consensus was that the next few months are going to be on the difficult side. The Cardinal Climax involves several planets--Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto--all in Cardinal signs (Aries, Libra, Capricorn) and all within a few degrees in forming an opposition (Aries, Libra) and a square (Pluto in Capricorn). Pluto in Capricorn often predicts meltdowns (Pluto) in government (Capricorn). And, Uranus always brings the unexpected. Mars is violent and rules war and warriors. You already know that Saturn is a harsh taskmaster. That leaves Jupiter, who is often presented as benevolent. But Jupiter is also excessive and can be overindulgent.

It will be really interesting to see what this grouping of planets is going to bring about in the near future.

Meanwhile, do check back next week as we present our very first guest, George Patton, author of Black Jack--a book about his great uncle who was a magician during the Harlem Renaissance.

You can also friend Gypsy Stars and like The Urban Goddess on Facebook. And, please visit our online store, T*zing, at CafePress.

Leaving you with good luck, light and love;
Gypsy Stars