Welcome

Welcome to the Winter issue of Hermits Bazaar. This part of the year is marked by Samhain (sow'inn), a gaelic word which literally means "summer's end". It is a festival marking the end of the harvest season and the point at which we tip into the dark half of the year.

But despite this being the end of the growing season, I am guided to say “May the lotus flower of the world now bloom”.  Strange you may think?   But in Yogic philosophy the journey from darkness into light is symbolized by the lotus flower, which begins its life in the muddy depths and develops and grows over time, reaching up beyond the waters and becoming a pure, radiant flower.

The image of an enormous pink and white lotus flower blooming over the planet came to mind during my meditation on November 11th, a day of global meditations for peace.  It brought tears to my eyes immediately and I can only trust that the recent intense energy shifts that the planet has been going through are helping the lotus flower of the world to bloom.

Once again, a big thank you to our contributors for the wonderful range of articles in this issue where we take a look at the folklore surrounding this wonderful time of year and set the scene with a scrummy Quince cake recipe. As this is a time for taking stock with one year of ‘doing’ coming to an end and a new one beginning, the articles offer a variety of insights on new starts from Evolving your Brain (part 2 of Joe Dispenza’s thoughts on ‘changing our mindset.); using Angelic Guidance;  and Munay-ki, initiation rites now being transferred in the West; to how planetary alignments may have affected us this year; and, in the Therapy News section, using Thought Field Therapy to break old patterns.  We also take a look at the glory of one Yogi’s retreat away from it all.

And finally ….don’t forget to come and visit Hermit’s Bazaar very own Bazaar in Christchurch on November 22nd . Scroll down for details or check the Whats On Section.

The Celts believed there was magic in the air at this time of year.  Not a time to dwell on the morbidity of death, rather a time to celebrate and honour our ancestors for the wisdom they may impart, and to take stock of the events of our past year.   It is a time to celebrate the death cycle as part of the life cycle and to honour our past as an element which informs our present ~  and who we are right now...  They believed doors would open between this dimension and the other realms that surround us, giving us a rewarding glimpse of a bigger reality beyond our limited horizon

May the magic of Samhain touch you.

And May the Lotus Flower of the World Now Bloom