Greetings <<First Name>>!
 
In the year of 2000 we moved from the Piscean astrological age to the Age of Aquarius, mixing Aquarian reason with Piscean heart and living the universal Law of One.  So it may ring a bell when I invite you to live aligned with your truth.  Become co-creators of your life.  Take responsibility.  Take note of the pattern of the Saboteur – the Guardian of Choice – in your life.
 
One of the mandates we are given by the New Age is to perfect our relationships and to create a world community.  If we neglect to put our hearts into the relationships and communities we create, the result will become an out-of-alignment experience.  This applies to any relationship in our lives: personal, professional, and notable.  A relationship which does not contain the energy of love and compassion is sure to be uncomfortable or painful.  Love and compassion engender respect and dignity, and if these are missing in any type of relationship, resentment and anger will breed.
 
Aquarian energy combined with the energy we are in (approaching the end of 2012) pushes us to acknowledge and feel our inherent interconnectedness and relationship with every other person on the planet and with all forms of life. We begin to realize that what we must bring to this interconnectedness is the strength of the heart.  Live aligned.
 
The way we honor our fear of taking responsibility for ourselves and for what we want to create, our fear of failure and hard work, the ability to forgive, the way in which we invite change and tolerate what it takes to follow through are all the archetypal energies of the Saboteur.  We sabotage ourselves to slow down the speed of change.
 
If not now – when?  When will you take responsibility for the life you envision, the life you want to create and live?  When you honor yourself, you honor us all.
   

THE SABOTEUR ARCHETYPE

Symbolic Living Through the Lens of an Archetype
The Saboteur
The Guardian of Choice
 
The Saboteur archetype is made up of the fears and issues related to low self-esteem that cause you to make choices in life that block your own empowerment and success through disruption.  The Saboteur is the mirror that reflects your fears of taking responsibility for yourself and for what you create.
 
As with the Victim and Prostitute (and the Child), you need to face this powerful archetype that we all possess and make it an ally.  When you do, you will find that it calls your attention to situations in which you are in danger of being sabotaged, or of sabotaging yourself.  Once you are comfortable with the Saboteur, you learn to hear and heed these warnings, saving yourself untold grief from making the same mistakes over and over.  Ignore it, and the shadow Saboteur will manifest in the form of self-destructive behavior or the desire to undermine others.
 
The Saboteur archetype may be the one most intimately connected to your ability to survive in the physical world.  Fears of being without the basic needs in life – from food to home to a social and personal network – often provide this archetype with the power to haunt you.  You can silence the Saboteur with acts of courage and by following your intuition.  It serves you brilliantly as a gut instinct that directs you take action based on hunches rather than on rational thought.  To learn to experience that voice, you must respond to it.
 
The core issue for the Saboteur is fear of inviting change into your life, change that requires responding in a positive way to opportunities to shape and deepen your spirit… change that can rearrange your familiar world.

 
 
Work Cited
Myss, Caroline.  Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential.  New York: 
   Three Rivers Press, 2002, 2003.  Print.

A SABOTEUR TESTIMONIAL

The Saboteur – In My Experience
by Damien Jordan
 
I want to thank Kendra for this opportunity to share my experiences and awareness of the Saboteur archetype. I began reading Caroline Myss’ book Sacred Contracts in mid 2007, after reading Caroline’s Anatomy of the Spirit. Anatomy of the Spirit really opened my eyes to a whole new realm of understanding my spirituality; so, I was very eager to read Sacred Contracts. Well, I got about a third of the way through that book, and I began feeling that it was too much to understand and absorb. So I put it away in a drawer (probably the power of my Saboteur!)
 
In October 2010, I attended a “Celebrate Your Life” conference in Scottsdale, Arizona and had the chance to hear Caroline Myss’ presentation. At the end of that session, Caroline announced that she would be teaching “Sacred Contracts” in 2011, and I immediately knew I had to sign up.
 
It was at the first session (of three) of the “Sacred Contracts” class in April 2011 that I first became aware of the concept and the power of the Saboteur and the other survival archetypes (Victim, Prostitute, & Child). As I continued my “Sacred Contracts” training and began working with Kendra, I became more in touch with my Saboteur and the patterns of behavior the Saboteur has influenced in my life.
 
The first area of my life I have seen the Saboteur at work is related to my weight. I have always been a “husky” person. Does anyone else remember “Husky” sized pants? That was the size of uniform pants that my mom bought for me when I attended Catholic elementary school back in the ‘60’s. This is just to illustrate that I have struggled with my weight/size all my life. There have been various times in my life when I would lose 20-25 pounds, and friends, relatives, or co-workers would compliment me on how good I looked. This is where the Saboteur would take over, and I would immediately revert to my poor eating habits and reduced exercise routine. Thankfully, through my continued focus on my Fate & Destiny chart, I have been able to become much more aware of my eating habits, have exercised regularly for over a year and a half, and have come to terms with my “size.”
 
Another area where I have witnessed the power of the Saboteur is related to my daily prayer and meditation practice. I know and feel that I’m much more centered when I start my day in prayer and specifically focus on my body and my day. During a very stressful time this summer, I stopped making time for my daily practice for approximately three weeks. It was a time when I actually needed to take that time each day to meditate, and the further I moved away from focusing myself, the more things in my life seemed to spin out of control. I definitely believe that I allowed the shadow side of the Saboteur to take over. Thankfully, I was reading a biography of St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Francis showed me the way out of the dark and into the lighter side of my Saboteur.
 
I’ll end this article with this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves.” I think the Saboteur, if left unchecked, can play some very serious games in our lives, and the more awareness we have, the better things will be.
 
All the best,
-- Damien
 
 

IN MY EXPERIENCE

Using our "All Things Alchemical" Tools

An Interview with "All Things Alchemical" Contributor David Frenk

Tell us something about yourself (perhaps something that we would not know from the rest of the interview) ...
 
I grew up in England, and lived in Paris, Kigali and New York before moving to Minneapolis. I’ve been teaching yoga for 6 years and have two studios in Minneapolis with my partner Megan Doll.
 
In seven words or less, tell us about yourself ...

A yoga teacher, not a yoga preacher

What first inspired you, or whom, to do this work?
 
My art teacher in middle school. He was actually an advanced yogi who kept a low profile so that people wouldn’t seek him out – just like in the stories. He taught me a few basic asanas (poses) and some meditation techniques when I was about 13 years old, and I’ve kept going since then. Much later, in New York, Greg Gumucio, who founded Yoga To The People, picked me out of class one day and asked if I was interested in being a teacher. I had only taken a handful of classes at that point, though I’d been practicing what my art teacher taught me for about a decade. Greg had an amazing eye for picking people that were meant to do this kind of work. He took me under his wing (and also my partner-to-be Megan) and trained us to the point where we could teach full classes.
 
What prompted you to begin your great mystical journey?  Was there any one event that occurred?
 
I didn’t really consider it a mystical journey until I got to know some curanderos from Peru. At that point, it became clear to me that the transformative personal work we do in yoga is mystical or “spiritual” even when that aspect is not explicit. I don’t like to talk metaphysics in class, but even if you have no interest in anything other than learning how to treat people better and how to be more at ease and authentic in the world (the main themes I discuss in class), the harmony generated from your efforts is a spiritual and mystical phenomenon.
 
What is the most significant shift thus far you have experienced by aligning with your truth?
 
I grew up in an intensely intellectual environment. It was profoundly liberating to learn that the intellect is only one lens through which we can view the world, and that a healthy and holistic approach requires a broader perspective. Also, it was pretty cool when I learned how to levitate and shoot lasers out my third eye.
 
What brings you joy?

I love seeing new students when they’re overwhelmed with a newfound sense of freedom and validation, which is what the yoga often brings. It’s also great when people who were initially hesitant or cagey start to feel at ease. Often it’s the initial skeptics who end up having the biggest breakthroughs.

Is there anything about yoga that you would like to share that most people, if they didn’t know this, would be missing out on a valuable tool to use in their life?
 
Well, for one thing I don’t think yoga is a “science” as many teachers are fond of saying. Nor is it a single ancient tradition or a philosophical doctrine. The yoga I (and many others) teach is a set of techniques – some ancient, some modern – that enable you to clarify your understanding of yourself and the world around you. Imagine if you could watch yourself from the outside and see all the beautiful and ugly things about you from an objective perspective. Wouldn’t that be incredibly useful, not to mention deeply moving? Well, that’s essentially what these yogic techniques permit you to do.

To find out more about David’s work, go to http://www.youryogamn.com.

INSPIRED POETRY

Numerology and the Saboteur
by John Morris
 
 
One of the many powerful aspects of numerology is that it helps shine a light on parts of you that may be hidden from your awareness. The essential energy of every number in your chart has the potential to be used in a positive or negative way. Other ways to name this potential include: an expanded or contracted approach to life; playing big or playing small; acting from fear or acting from love. The fundamental concept relates to the Law of Polarity – everything (and every force) has an opposite.
 
Numerology is very clear about the different forces available to everyone. These forces are represented by the numbers one through nine and zero. Also clear is how each of these number energies can be used in a positive or negative way. When shown these possible polarities, people often recognize pretty quickly which approach they are using in different areas of their lives. With recognition comes choice. And, well… who would consciously choose contraction over expansion, or fear over love?! It’s that darned unconscious choice you need to watch out for…
 
Enter: the Saboteur!
 
The Saboteur, according to Caroline Myss, is one of four basic archetypes that address issues of survival. The others are the Child and the Victim, which I have written about in previous articles, as well as the Prostitute (next month’s column – stay tuned!) We all have these four archetypes in common, although in varying degrees and forms.
 
The Saboteur illuminates the many ways you might get in your own way and keep yourself from getting what you want most. As with the other basic archetypes mentioned above, the Saboteur does not correspond in numerology to just one number. Any of the number energies can contain the Saboteur.
 
But wait.
 
Let’s look closely at the nature of the numbers one through nine. In numerology, the odd numbers are considered to embody masculine energy, while the even numbers represent feminine energy. One exception would be the number eight, which contains both masculine and feminine, and another possible exception would be the number nine, which in some systems of numerology is said to contain the energy of all the numbers coming before it.
 
The odd numbers tend to be more action oriented. Even numbers tend to be more about process or connection. Based on this information, I suggest that the odd number energies might be more inclined to struggle in an unconscious way with the Saboteur, whereas the even numbers may gravitate toward either the Victim or the Prostitute as a primary way of learning about negative tendencies.
 
It makes sense when you think about it in concrete terms. Here’s an example: “One” energy is the energy of initiative and leadership. This energy tends to be strong, active – and therefore less likely to be identified primarily with victimhood (unless it is victimizing someone else) or prostitution (unless it could do so in a way that keeps it in a primary or leading role). The most effective way to keep such a strong, directed energy from its own success might be by undermining its own power. The same may hold true for the essential energy of the numbers three, five, and seven.
 
“Two” energy, on the other hand, is more diplomatic, more sensitive, more focused on a way of being rather than on doing. Rather than leading the way, it sees all possibilities and encourages balance and compromise among all parties. Instead of sabotaging its own progress, this energy may be more inclined to unconsciously give its power to another – either through the Victim or the Prostitute archetype. You could consider the energy of the numbers four and six in a similar way.
 
Remember that the number eight has both masculine and feminine energy, which makes it a little more of a tricky read. The prominence of the Saboteur may depend on the other numbers present in combination with the eight. And, all else being equal, you might expect an appearance of the Saboteur simply because the eight can be such a power number oriented toward achievement. The nine, although like the eight in that it may have both masculine and feminine energy, might exhibit first the Victim or Prostitute. “Nine” energy is less about power and achievement and more about universalism and connection.
 
The bottom line is that by knowing your numbers and their tendencies for positive and negative behavior, you can get clear insight into whether the Saboteur is sneaking up behind you, bearing an important message about your fears and tendencies!

WISDOM FROM ANIMALS

• Your love of life and its joy brings joy to others.
• Drop judgment and relax.
• Embrace the highest aesthetics; spread joy!
• Be free or die.
• Without an open and loving heart, you can never taste the nectar and bliss of life.
• Enjoy Creator's many gifts.

WISDOM FROM ASTROLOGY

A Rare Occurrence:  Saturn Exalted, Rahu Debilitated
By Vidya Dasi
 
The date for the end of the Mayan calendar occurs this month, and it is getting close to the time when Rahu will go out of debilitation.  Saturn is still exalted in Libra and is presently fully active in our lives, giving us an opportunity to solve those places where we feel fearful and/or victimized.  If you have not already done so, you can honestly write the places in your life where you feel these victimizations and crystallize them to their bottom line.  You may find that they are one or two similar dynamics that you keep repeating in your life.
 
Once you have encapsulated these one or two conundrums, you can choose one or two friends in your life that you trust.  They should be those who are not envious and will not be passive aggressive toward you.  Then discuss with them your crystallized issues. Ask them to help you look deeply at the issues and see how you have participated in creating these situations over and over again.
 
It is difficult or impossible to change others, circumstances, or even ourselves, but it is possible to change our attitude and the way that we perceive and receive and react to these situations.  Try to honestly understand your fears. See that there is another way for you to think and respond to them that will be more constructive and will help you to move forward in your life. 
 
Saturn is presently in exaltation and is the planet that is bringing us this wisdom: possibility for solving our habitual victimizations.  This exalted condition happens only every 27 years, and it rarely is present at the same time that Rahu (the planet which reveals our victimizations) is debilitated. So it is imperative that we take this opportunity to utilize this rare occurrence to help us evolve and free ourselves from destructive habits, which we may have been carrying even from previous lifetimes.
 
On 12/21/12 the famous Mayan calendar ends.  There have been so many speculations as to what this means in our lives and for our planet.  Here is what the Vedic chart for that day indicates.
 
The overall situation of the chart indicates that this is a poignant time in our history.  The atmosphere is rarified, particularly now, and offers an opportunity for each individual to understand his own heart and karma in a very deep way.  The responsibility for the choice of how each person is going to proceed with his life will be emphasized, and each soul will make either an internal or external decision as to whether a spiritual (serving others) or material (serving oneself) direction is more important.  Depending on that decision, everyone’s future will begin to unfold in a very specific way according to his individual astrology chart and the opportunities that exist for him.
Although there are difficult aspects to the chart for that day, the overall indication is that there will be major protection from exalted Saturn, fully active Jupiter in Taurus, and exalted Mars and Sun in the auspicious sign of Sagittarius.  Moon also is nicely situated in the sign of Pisces, and Venus, the planet of love and artistry, is strongly situated in Scorpio.  Mercury in Scorpio also gives us pragmatic intelligence to deal with the situation that is being offered to us.
 
The debilitated Rahu is in the nakshatra of Visakha and thus indicates that it is possible to triumph over our external and/or internal demons.  We should experience attainment of a goal and the beginning of a new one.  We must be careful not to miss the true essence because we are so busy striving.  “Life is what happens while we are busy making other plans.”  We must be careful not to pursue unwholesome goals in questionable ways; otherwise, bad karma may result.  This nakshatra also indicates that profits and gains (either material or spiritual depending on your choice) will occur over time.  Immediate results will not be experienced.  Your plans and dreams will slowly grow.  This location indicates one who slowly grows in influence producing great fruits as one ripens with age.
 
In what arena each person will experience this possible transformation again depends on where exalted Saturn in Libra and where Scorpio (debilitated Rahu) lie in your individual chart.
 
If they are in your first house, you will be experiencing possible transformation to your body and health and self-realization evolution.
 
If either one is in your second house, you will be finding the opportunity for bringing transformation to your finances, education, speaking your truth, and personal resources.
 
If Saturn or Rahu appears in your third house, your possible transformations will be centered on communications, attainment of your personal desires, athletic accomplishments, and artistic expression.
 
Saturn or Rahu in your fourth house will bring transformation to your fixed assets, properties, homes, happiness and peace of mind, higher education issues, and family life.
 
The location of Saturn or Rahu in the fifth house will offer transformation possibilities in teaching, amusements, romance, spiritual practices, investments, and your children.
 
The sixth house placement of Rahu or Saturn will mean that transformations in your attitudes toward friends and enemies can occur.  The possibility of finally bringing to an end dichotomous thinking in your life is there.  You may become more interested in selfless service and find opportunities to apply your interest in selfless service.  Relationships with neighbors and servants can be transformed as well.
 
When Rahu and Saturn appear in the seventh house, the possibility for bringing transformation to your relationship with partners occurs.  Possibilities for foreign travel and evolving through travel can occur.  Business partnerships can also be transformed.
 
The eighth house brings the possibility for transformation in your attitude toward death and healing and sexuality.  Light can be shed on long-term ailments to the body as well.
 
Saturn or Rahu in the ninth house will enable you to bring transformation to your deep philosophical outlook on life.  It can affect your fame and spiritual thinking.
 
Tenth house Rahu or Saturn will bring possible transformation to your career and personal respect from others. 
 
Rahu or Saturn appearing in the eleventh house affects opportunities and brings innovative strategies for improving your life and your friendships. It also brings transformation that could allow you to realize your dreams, hopes, and wishes.
 
Twelfth house Rahu or Saturn will bring deep karmic understanding about your life. It will allow you the possibility to finalize some karmic debts and liberate you from these intricate situations that may have been heavily affecting your life.  Spiritual transformation is possible with either planet residing in this house.


Special Offer:  I am willing to map your Vedic Astrological chart for a nominal fee (to cover my costs) of $25.  If you email me the following information, I will mail your chart to you:

• full name
• address
• birth date with year
• birth place
• birth time

I think this will really help you follow the information I provide each month.  As you can see in recent months, I am getting more specific about the planets in YOUR chart.

Until we meet again……... Vidya

WISDOM FROM YOGA

The Saboteur shows up in yoga in at least two ways. The first is the benevolent kind, the second not so much.
 
The benevolent Saboteur is epitomized by Krishna, in the more religious forms of yoga, or by the guru principle in a more secular context. When practitioners of bhakti yoga invoke Krishna, they are asking him to ruin their life…for the better. Let me explain. If you have a “great” job, perhaps it is so great that you are willing to sacrifice everything else in your life in order to keep it: family, friends, your own health and sanity. Krishna would photocopy your butt and post it all around the office to get you fired, at which point you would experience an intense sense of liberation as you realized you’d been deluding yourself all this time that the job was what you really wanted.
 
Or say you’re in a relationship so “loving” that you can’t stand to be apart even for one moment. Krishna would dupe you into making some mistake or other so that you would either break up with your partner or find a healthier way of relating.
 
Krishna’s meddling is never malevolant. In the yoga tradition, it is always for the best and always done playfully. (The Sanskrit word for his Krishna’s tinkering is lila, which means “play.”) In the secular yoga tradition, the depersonalized guru principle serves essentially the same function – messing with you in a way that initially seems to go directly against your interests, only for you to realize that you were wrong about what you really wanted in the first place.
 
For yogis, lila, or benevolent sabotage, is a metaphysical truth about the structure of the universe – as immutable as the law of karma.
 
Alas, there is another type of Saboteur with a far less playful or beneficial nature. It exists inside each of us, and the yogis call it (an aspect of ) ahamkara. Literally, aham means “I am,” and kara means “maker.” So in other words, the ahamkara is what makes us believe in our own independent existence as a separate atom in the world rather than part of an indivisible unity. It is what makes us feel “I am.”
 
On the one hand, ahamkara is necessary. If nobody had any sense of individual identity, there would be no action – no room for lila. The cosmic drama couldn’t play itself out. And again, for the yogis this would be a metaphysical impossibility. On the other hand, an overdeveloped ahamkara left unbalanced by a strong sense of togetherness is sure to sabotage all your dearest hopes and dreams.
 
The take-away from all this? First, check yourself before you wreck yourself. If you find your ego careening out of control (even in subtle ways), contemplate on the needs and feelings of others. Second, if and when you do find yourself lapsing, don’t be too hard on yourself – show compassion. After all, if it weren’t for your occasional selfishness, the universe would have no opportunity to make you swallow your pride. If we were all perfect all the time, how boring would that be??


 - David

CONSCIOUS EATING

This month's recipe ...

Walnut Cranberry Quinoa Salad
from Alexandra Topp

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Mix quinoa and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Once water is brought to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer until all the water is absorbed (approximately 12-15 mins.)
• In a small glass mixing bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic. 
• Combine the cooked quinoa in a large mixing bowl with the cranberries, green onions and walnuts.
• Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl. Mix all ingredients thoroughly together.
• Place in fridge for 30 minutes and then enjoy!