The Law According To Oya

Greetings, Gifted Reader!

Kanaka's Oshun necklace for love

What area of life do you find yourself needing the most help with these days? For a lot of people, relationships are a constant problem because they involve others who can never be controlled. No matter how much you love someone, you can’t make that person do what you want them to, how you want them to, or when you want them to. 

Gypsy Stars suggests for those of you experiencing frustration in your love life to try understanding what it’s like for the object of your affection. Even though it’s perfectly human to want to enjoy love the way you want to with that person, you must remember that everyone has his or her own way of loving you back. You can also ask for Oshun's assistance, but that's another blog.

Besides seeking help with relationships, a lot of people also tend to ask for advice about making more money, dealing with work woes, having a successful career, or how to have a happier family life. Actually, those are some of the easier situations to deal with and for which solutions are more abundant. It’s those pesky relationships that disappoint us the most!

leaving eggplants for Oya at Santa Monica cemetery

One irritant that I have personally rubbed up against more than once in my life involves legal issues. Whether you’re dealing with a lawsuit, lawyers or judges, it’s not easy for a layperson to navigate the increasingly complicated and elitist legal system. 

The Astrological signs most associated with law are Libra and Sagittarius. The 7th House rules 'open enemies' (as opposed to the 8th House of 'secret enemies'), while the 9th House rules higher education and law. Jupiter, ruler of Sag, is the planet of justice. If you have a preponderance of planets in Libra or Sag, be prepared to have to confront someone in a courtroom at some point in your life.

looking for Oya in Hawai'i cemetery--boy on ridge, human or spirit?

But know, too, that there are ways to protect yourself against lawsuits and help you prevail in them. One of the most effective is the Yoruba deity Oya. The warrior goddess of lightning and sudden storms, wind and fire, Oya is also the administrator of justice. Her number is 9, interestingly the same as the House that Sag rules.

Take 9 eggplants to the cemetery where Oya lives. Wear purple and silver. Light a purple candle, or light 9 of them. Give yourself over to the mama of righteousness who won’t see her children trample on by lowlife liars and thieves. Oya has her own special way of dealing with those without principles who cross your path and steal from you. Probably one of the most misunderstood deities, Oya’s fierceness is not without good cause. A believer in fairness, she will not sit by idly and watch the innocent suffer.

Here's more about Oya:

http://www.thegoddesstree.com/GoddessGallery/Oya.htm

http://journeyingtothegoddess.wordpress.com/tag/justice/

(scroll to end of page)

Oya's favorite

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Until next month, Fetifum Mama Oya!

Good luck, light and love,

Gypsy Stars

http://www.gypsystars.com

                                                                                                  

Meditation: How To Create Your Altar Space

Greetings, Gifted Reader! 

How are you handling your life these days? Are your night dreams helping you to maneuver this often complicated path we’ve been thrust upon by Karma? Or, perhaps you find that meditation provides you with the answers you seek.

Meditation doesn’t have to be some lengthy, formal ritual, you know. If a few minutes in silence helps you to focus and solve your problems, you can certainly call that meditation.

Included in the advice I give to people seeking answers to questions through Metaphysics (Astrology, Tarot) is to meditate in front of an altar space. In turn, I’m often asked to describe what should be a part of that space.

To begin with, everything depends on the type of person you are.

Some people are into traditional religions, others are agnostic. Some people are tied into their own cultural heritages, while others seem to embrace rituals that are not handed down by their own ancestors.

So, first identify those beliefs that are most important to you. For me, personally, it’s a mix of Japanese Shinto and West African Ifa. Therefore, I like to place objects from both religions onto my altar space.

My first sacred space is near my front door. There, I place a coconut representing Papa Legba (see last blog entry), he of 21 paths and communicator to other Ifa deities. Next to Legba (or Ellegua in Santeria) is the Legba (Rada) card from the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot deck (see ad below). New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, and I’ve read that the Fon of Dahomey ended up there, as well as in Haiti.

Next to Papa Legba is a framed photograph of Japanese actor Fukuyama Masaharu in costume playing Sakamoto Ryoma in the current NHK taiga drama, Ryomaden. Ryoma was a merchant-class samurai who rose to prominence when he helped topple the Tokugawa Shogunate in order to unite Japan and rid it of its class system. Okay, so Ryoma is not quite Shinto, but he seems like the perfect communications helper to Legba as he is a major hero in Japan. Remember, whatever works for you is what you need. If looking at a picture of an actor playing Ryoma (with a samurai sword) evokes a sense of power for me—let’s say, I’m fighting a particular legal battle, for instance—then, that’s fine.

Besides my door altar, I also have a meditation space where I do my work. Since I like bright colors like neon pink and turquoise--which would suggest the deity Oshun, although my spirit mama is Oya whose color is purple—I use a cloth in those particular shades. However, when I want to bring Oya to me, I use a purple cloth and 9 eggplants, or plums. But be careful if you’re calling Oya. She is the goddess of sudden storms, and I’ve experienced her unexpected lightning and thunder in the past.

If you’re the peaceful type, you’ll want to use neutral or pastel colors. If you need something more electric, by all means choose red and black for Chango or purple for his wife, Oya. Everything depends on the type of energy you want to draw to yourself. It may be meditation, but sometimes meditation requires action and in those times, you should attempt to attract something strong.

Add whatever objects to your altar that you think will help you focus on your problem. If you recall, Astrologer Linda Goodman put photos of troubled loved ones on top of purple plates. If you know someone who needs your help, put their picture on your altar along with your wishes for them written down. If it’s about love or money, add 7 oranges or tangerines, or 7 pieces of pumpkin drizzled in honey.

Again, whatever resonates with you is what will work for you. If you have a traditional religious background, definitely decorate your altar space accordingly. Is there a particular figure like Buddha or Krishna that makes sense for you? What are the special candles, flowers, foods, or incenses that they like? Use your intuition and try different arrangements if one of them doesn’t work.

Once you have your altar the way you like it, simply sit in front of it (on the floor is best), breathe deeply and close your eyes. Go to the part of your mind that is still, yet focused, and ask for the resolution of a particular problem. Stay in this state as long as you need—usually half an hour or less. When you “awaken”, you should have your answer. Or, more likely, the answer will awaken you.

Good fortune to you, and drop me a line to let me know how it worked out.

Above are photos of me at a New Orleans café, in front of the House of Voodoo in the French Quarter, and at Marie Laveau’s mausoleum at Saint Louis Cemetery #1 with a friend.

Until next we meet, remember to friend us on Facebook and like The Urban Goddess. Lest you forget, we also have T*zing t-shirts for you at http://www.cafepress.com/t_zing

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