Still have a cold. Not severe enough to keep in bed, but strong enough to keep me from human company, and my brain and energy-level are still about 70% of normal.

Indexing.

I’d started with Part II, which is the longest, trickiest, toughest Part of the book – all about archetypes and personal journeys. HUGE number of references. Truly a springboard for a doctoral dissertation, should someone want to go there someday. Then did Parts III & IV (yesterday).

This morning, just now, have finished Part I, and have moved back even prior, and am starting on Dedication/Acknowledgements/Intro. Time to take a break, get not only clean but as gorgeous as possible with a head cold going on. And maybe do a bit of pranayama/chi kung/yoga. Just circulate a little something.

Oh yes, raw foods juicing. I had been so focused on getting provisions into the house (over these last few weeks) for first an Open House, and then the Cognoscenti Reception, that I really neglected the “raw foods” aspect of my diet. And I’ll bet that this cold is at least in part due to ramming too much work-focus onto myself, and insufficient self-care.

Yesterday (or the day before? – memory blurs), I finally hit H-Mart, my favorite local source for inexpensive produce. Good to be inexpensive, as raw food juicing requires lots of raw veggies!

Brought home the ingredients for my favorite early-morning raw-food “power drink”: dandelion leaves (a tonic), parsley (another good cleanser), celery, beets (have actually adapted to having raw beet juice in my drink; something unthinkable when I was younger), carrots, and apples. Mmm, sounds good. Will go make another round now!

Am on a final push to complete Unveiling. The indexing is moving forward, faster than I though, thank God(dess). I am enormously grateful. I’d expected this to be an onerous task; it has (so far) not been so bad.

And I have a truck-load of edits to enter into the manuscript draft once again. Yes, another whole manuscript resubmission. (And each resubmission costs – $200.00.) No way out of it. Must be done.

For those of you who have ever contemplated writing a book — it is much, much more time-consuming and laborious than you you will ever think. Will the results be worth it? Time will have to tell.

Right now, I’m still advising all of my friends who are in a “knowledge-based business” to write a book. Passive income, guru-status as author, all of that. But with that advice comes the caveat. This is a huge undertaking, never to be taken lightly or frivolously. It requires complete, 100% commitment. There is a real danger of not hitting the goal. (There are so many people with an unfinished draft “someplace,” just as there are many people who get close to the goal of getting their Ph.D. but never finish; “ABD’s” – “All But Dissertation.”) Getting completion; getting the project done, requires a level of commitment that not everyone has.

That said, I do believe it is worth the effort.

Time well tell.

Getting close to the end-goal now, and we’ll see.

I have a horrific head cold today; the total body-ache and low-grade fever thing — seems to be going around. Thoroughly loopy on cold meds. Probably the best state to be in for indexing.

I’ve had friends – other authors – tell me that indexing is the task-from-hell. It’s really not so bad. Not creative; not in the slightest. But in a very monotonous way, it’s probably the best thing to do when not all cylinders are firing.

And I suddenly realized, the other day, having taken much time for developing a Business Plan, making all sorts of connections, and starting the pre-marketing, that oh-my-gosh, it was time to get this book done!

Well, now we’re getting closer every day.

I have one big round of proof/edits to enter in; there are so many that it will require (yet again) another manuscript resubmission. But after that, there should be very little in the way of proof-edits, and if I can slot the index in really fast, we’ll be on our way!

How incredibly exciting!

Over the past couple of weeks, a few dear friends have pre-ordered Unveiling (this ensures their getting a signed, dated, and numbered early copy). But in the past two days, the pre-orders have started to come in from afar – one from one of my dear and beloved teachers, living in the western half of the States, and another from someone whom I’ve never met, and with whom I haven’t corresponded up until now — and with such kind words!

This means a lot to me. Kind of the extra “oomph” needed to get over the final hill of editing/proofing/indexing and get the book out to people. Knowing that people are actually wanting and awaiting their copies makes such a huge difference!

A continuation of the previous blogpost – 6:20AM, sky just lightening up, and I really need to go to bed – getting too emotional and droopy. And probably have my emotional set skewed with a minor case of flu.

I’ll say this. Over the past two years, since I was guided (both by rational logic and inner “nudging”) to focus on Unveiling completion, I have been supported by the universe, or Source. And for that, I am most grateful and thankful. My health, miraculously, has been stronger than ever. My car has run smoothly and well. The house has had heat in the winter, and A/C in the summer. My cats and I have not yet missed a meal.

I’ve had emotional support from dear friends and family. That’s counted for a lot.

For about a year, one of the co-residents in my household was a very sweet, dear man who loved to cook – and he not only cooked for me, but bought the food. I am so everylastingly grateful and thankful! Much of that time, I was not only not making much money with being an adjunct professor at one of the local universities, but I didn’t have the time or inclination to shop and cook. (I did have an inclination to eat, though, and he supported me tremendously on that account.)

Over the past two years, family and friends have very generously been my “life support,” providing emotional and physical support as needed – and often, I needed a lot.

That said, this journey has largely been one that I’ve done alone.

There’s breakthrough stuff in this book. It’s got the answers that I was looking for, back when I started some sixteen years ago. (First chapter drafts had copyright 1996 at the bottom of the pages.)

But the more that I’ve worked on this, the lonelier it has been. And the past two years have been a very lonely process. Not just a solitary journey, but a lonely one.

By and by, there’s been noone with whom to share the little victories and triumphs, and no one to “vetch” with when things were slow and tedious, or when I realized that a chapter (or the whole book) needed yet another rewrite.

And soon, very soon, this actual writing/editing/proofing/indexing stage will be done. I’ll continue writing, of course, but it will be other stuff. (Am already mentally putting together a study guide for the actual “pathworking” in context of dance training; musings along those lines will be at my Alay’nya Blog. And there will be a whole lot more interaction; a lot more socializing, and I’ll remember back fondly to the days when all that I had to do was to isolate myself and write.

But that will be in the future. Right now, it’s still the final final stages of this journey, far enough along so that if I died today, the book would still appear. (Minus an index, of course.) There would still be value.

And as I look back, I’m saying – there’s been support, yes, but by and large I’ve done it alone. And it’s been a lonely journey. I’ve been an Amazon warrior – nearly without break – for over two years now, and it’s been tough going.

I will, however, give credit to Kate H., who has been my editor since this last summer, and who has given (and still does give) very generously with her time.

And this last Sunday, we had our first Cognoscenti Reception – a gathering of the “inner core.” About a dozen people, and very good – all connected with developing this book in one way or another.

And I had help – very freely and generously given – from those who did a digital video shoot with me last autumn; Kate, Alice, and Melissa all helped with stage-sets and costumes, and videographer Kirene shot the raw footage. Ken. S., a professor of multimedia studies at GMU’s Applied IT Dept., had various student teams try their hand at editing together a “digital video book trailer.” We saw their efforts for the first time this last Sunday. Good tries. Not what I’ll want as a final product, but a good effort and gave us some idea of what can be done.

My friend Dingwall F., and his friend Carlos, are working on a musical score that will be the Unveiling theme music.

So – over this past half-year – Unveiling has become more of a community process. The writing, both initially and now, is solitary. Writing a book is not done by a committee. (As Goethe said, “Genius requires solitude.” I’ve clung to that phrase over the past several years.)

But everything wrapping around the actual writing does indeed involve many people, and more all the time. Editor. Costume and stage, and videographer. Video editors – both the professor/coach and the students.

And now, I’m getting more business interest in this as well.

So it’s interesting. And getting more congenial. And becoming more warm-and-fuzzy, a little less Amazon. And on that happy note, having been up since 2AM, and dealing with a mild case of (mood-impacting) flu, I’m going back go bed.

Unveiling, Chapter 7: Archetypes

Actually, “Archetypes” is not the title of this chapter. But I’ve been up since 2AM, working on the index for this chapter (nearly done). Mind is a bit groggy.

People tell me that indexing is hard. And they sort of shudder when they talk about it. Really, I’m finding that it’s lengthy, not particularly hard. And it requires patience, and attention to detail. But not creativity. So it’s just the right thing to do when I’m slightly tired; the “middle-of-the-night” stuff.

What is creative these days is developing my Business Plan, and looking for the right relationships to bring the Unveiling Team into being, and to jumpstart the marketing effort. (Even writing to you, right now, is part of “marketing.” It’s also part of “girlfriend-connect time.” Right now, I’d just love to have a little heart-to-heart with someone, but who’s up at 5:30AM?(

So I’m off to bed. I could stay up, and wander-write indefinately. It would be a lot like journaling. (Still haven’t found my journal; might be a good thing; forces me to blog.)

But what’s happening now – because I took a break from book editing/proofing over the Christmas/mid-winter season (to write Business Plans, start connecting with potential sponsors, etc.) is that now I’m reading the book, as in reading it. Yes, there’s the whole editing/proofing (and now indexing) thing going on.

But years ago, I started writing the book that I needed to read. And now, I’m reading it. What an interesting feeling!

And surprisingly, I’m getting something out of this. It’s as though, now that I’ve gone through the last two years of just opening up to insight and guidance, and then getting the concepts, and doing the organization, the background research, and the writing, the book is finally in shape. The message is there. And it really is helping me.

I hope it helps you, soon.

And by the way, I have just a few copies out with various teachers & girlfriends. Noone, yet, has worked her way through it. (It’s not a hard read, but it is 500 pages +.) So I’m going to ask some people to join focus groups, and read – and share their thoughts on – just portions of the book. Not the whole thing.

Anyone interested? Email me — alaynya (at) alaynya (dot) com.

love and blessings – A.

Princess Training – It’s Tougher than We Think!

Princess Training. Imagine it. Isn’t this something that we learn vicariously when we watch The Princess Diaries?

The Princess Diaries, starring Julie Andrews (as the Queen) and young Anne Hathaway (as the Princess-in-Hiding, and later as the Princess-in-Training).

At some level, we each have an inner Princess. This is not about a feeling of entitlement. It’s a feeling that we each have some degree of nobility; an aspect that is beyond our everyday selves and our everyday lives.

What captures our hearts and minds about stories such as The Princess Diaries is that each of us knows that to bring out our inner Princess, we need training. We need training as a simple, ordinary, everyday Princess, and than later we need training as we become a Heroic, or Warrior Princess.

Dr. Nicole Cutts, Ph.D., leads Vision Quest workshops, and in Many Paths, Many Feet, contributes her mythic/semi-autobiographical story of Princess Isabelle, who becomes a warrior Princess on a Heroine’s Quest to save her parent’s kingdom.

We are drawn to becoming more than we are, right now. And we know that we need some form of training in order to become who and what we were meant to be.

Luke Skywalker had his Obiwan Kenobi, and his Yoda. He followed the “path” of the Jedi Knights; an ancient and honorable warrior discipline.

We women have a comparable path. (Chapter 6 of Unveiling will introduce this, as The Hero’s Quest – and the Heroine’s as Well!)

So what do we do if we want our very own Princess training?

We follow a body/mind/psyche/energy integration pathway. In fact, the very first aspect of this pathway is Princess-training!

Start your journey at Alay’nya Blog – Princess Training. Then, go to the Alay’nya Studio website to learn more, and to sign up for the Open House on Sunday, March 13th, from noon – 2PM.

We’ll see all of you emerging Princesses there!

5:30 AM. Usually, at this hour, I’m journaling. Today, I can’t find my journal – and both friends and business associates have been encouraging me to blog more. This is it. The blog will be a “substitute journal” for today.

Well-timed, also. We’ve just had a cold wave come through overnight; cold plus rain, plus freezing rain followed by sleet, and then a fine little layer of snow. It will be a rough morning start for many; the streets will be treacherous, and schools probably cancelled once again.

Today’s blog, done in lieu of journaling, will be a bit of a ramble – so bear with. (Or just skip this one altogether.)

This morning began by restarting last night’s fire. The best thing about winter is the opportunity – even the need – to have a good, strong fire going – 24/7 at times. It warms the south wall of the main floor. When the bricks in the back of the fireplace get good and hot, they help keep the whole house warm. Yes, we could do a lot more with fireplace inserts, etc., but so far, this is what we have – and a whole lot of wood, thanks to two former co-residents of “the Household,” and for this we are most thankful.

So the fire is merrily popping downstairs; a combination of light, dry, fluffy old wood that burns fast and bright, and deep, solid tree-core wood; it burns slow and steady. We’ll keep this going all day, and possibly throughout the coming night — it’s good to know that this might be the last time that we do a serious long-term fire for the season.

We had such a fire two days ago – Sunday afternoon – during our first Cognoscenti Reception for Unveiling. Nicole Cutts, who leads Vision Quest Retreats, took this photo.

Alay’nya, talking about Unveiling at the first Cognoscenti Reception – honoring those whose works are cited in Unveiling: The Inner Journey.

Digital Video Book Trailer for Unveiling Forthcoming Soon!

Videographer kirene (not a mis-type; she prefers to be all small letters)from Aurora Vision Journey and Alay’nya toast each other following a recent successful video shoot – Alay’nya in four costumes, four “stage settings” – credit goes to Costume Designer & Stage ManagerKatherine H., Still Photographer Melissa B., and Key Grip Alice P.

.!

Four weeks since last blog – and while getting ready this AM, I thought, “Should I do some blogging this morning?” This was followed by, “No, not today, not being moved to say anything.” And within 60 seconds, another thought, “I’m different from where I was at the start of this inner journey.” The big difference? I’ve learned to trust and follow Source.

Since my last blog, just a bit before Thanksgiving, my life has been a lot like yours. Clean the house. (“Deep cleaning.” All women intuitively understand this. We need to clean before we can do anything, like decorate for Christmas.) Decorate for Christmas. (I decided that it was time to go all out and put on a bit of a show. “Acting prosperity” creates “having prosperity.” And naturally, this entails multiple trips with co-residents to hardware and crafts stores.

Christmas cards. (I’m really making an effort this year, and seeking to be more organized about my people-connects than before – but this is a very slow process right now!)

And – wouldn’t you know it? An uptick in client work. (Doesn’t it always happen at this time of year?)

But finally – I’ve turned in grades for the single college-level class I’ve been teaching, and sent each an email thanking them for their excellent work. (Personalization – that’s so important. And it does take much more time! And the truth is – we really can’t automate real personal relationships!)

So there I was yesterday, in the midst of several hours of out-of-the-house errands; bank, Post Office (through a small miracle, a very short line!), grocery store, library (thank God, those dear people are taking a few good days off starting Thursday – it means getting all my stuff done now.) You all know what it’s like. And there, in the grocery store check-out lane, I got one of those little internal “knowings.”

Over the past two years, I’ve rebuilt my life based on these “knowings.” The little internal “nudges” that say, “Do this,” or “Don’t do that.” These can be minor. (“Go to the Post Office now!”) They can be major. (“It’s time to write a book.” And there goes the next year-and-a-half.)

This was a nudging that said, “It’s time to stand down, now!”

This nudging came after I had gotten up and (with growing trepidition) filled out my Day-Planner with task after task, all of which seemed very important. I had been reading and absorbing all sorts of wonderful business and marketing books. (Thank God, once again, for the fabulous Fairfax County Public Library system, and all the wonderful people who work there.) And based on this reading and absorbing, over the past more-than-month, I had both realized and decided that the coming year was going to be all about sales and marketing.

For a classic introvert, this is somewhat daunting. It helps to know that my MBTI Type (and I haven’t forgotten the closure to the last post, simply postponed it a bit) is INFP – the “P” comes when I’m being really honest with myself, and if I’m filling in the questionnaire when feeling life-stressed, I come out as a “J.” Meaning – for those of us who’ve temporarilly forgotten our MBTI lingo – that I’m great at building close, intimate, one-to-one relationships. But I’m awful at “broad-market” blasts, and very awful at things which require lots of people-density. Much more one-to-one.

But sales it is. And with that somewhat challenging thought, my “to-do” list has lots and LOTS of tasks on it.

In the midst of all of this (and while internally whuffling and whining, and feeling rather sad for myself), I got the internal order to “stand down.” Stop working, stop “filling out the form.” Stop creating and fulfilling endless rounds of tasks. Just stop, be quiet, settle down.

So I did my last tasks and went home. Didn’t stop with the tasks, of course – there were still a few hours of things that “had” to be done before I could cease and desist. But I completed those that were truly necessary, made dinner, went to bed, got up in the middle of the night for a long meditation, and am slowly working my way into the “quiet zone.”

Which is really what our Solstice season is all about, anyway. While we do desire connection – along with calorie-rich food and fireside warmth – what we do not want is a lot of running around and “doing.”

Biologically, we are programmed. Not necessarily to hibernate, but to ease back a bit. We’ll start feeling – all of us in the Northern hemisphere – a bit more “juice” come Imholc (Feb 2nd). We’ll be feeling a lot more of it come Spring Equinox. But now is the time for being inward; for gathering our thoughts and dreams, and for quiet reflection.

And just like you, even though I know this, it’s been hard to do. We all succumb to the pressure to do more, just as our biological programming tells us to “slow down.”

But when I got the “nudging” (from Source, or Divine Inspiration, or Higher Power — take your pick), I was able to follow it and go home and just start the transition to quiet zone. I told myself that those gifts that had been mailed out were fine. Those that were not yet purchased, wrapped, and posted would have to wait – and various relatives would be told that they had a somewhat eccentric auntie who got things done when she got them done, but not necessarily on schedule. Opening gifts under the Christmas tree be damned; sometimes a gift or card is more welcome in January or even February, when it’s cold out and we want a little emotional cheer-up.

A few years ago, I couldn’t have done this. Of course, I was still locked into corporate culture at the time; a system where we have to play “Captain, may I?” every time our inner knowing contradicts a corporate calendar. But even more, I was earlier locked into a mindset that told me that I “had” to do things in a certain way in order to “survive.”

That’s where most of us are.

When I talk with colleagues and friends, I realize that most of them are making survival-based decisions. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but they have (just as I had) internalized a set of “rules” about survival that say, “If you want to survive, you have to live your life this certain way.” Often, that means doing work that they don’t love. Often, that means sacrificing that which really calls to them, and continuing to force themselves to fit into a mold that increasingly doesn’t work – but they continue to contort their psyches anyways.

Over the past two years, as I’ve found my way towards working on Unveiling, and then done the actual work itself, I’ve lived primarily in what I’ve started to call the “Miracle Zone.” That is, life without so-called security or guarantees. Just trust. A huge amount of reliance on Guardian Angels. And really, on Source. Trusting that as I do as I am led to do, God (Source, Higher Power, whomever or whatever) will ensure that the little details – like survival – are cared for.

This doesn’t mean that we neglect practicalities completely. In my case, I’ve done an enormous amount (and surprisingly wide range) of various “jobs.” All part-time (although sometimes very time-consuming.) All of them ultimately allowing me to commit myself fully to Unveiling, as none of them required the kind of long-term, whole-life commitment that most “professional” jobs require these days.

This has yielded certain consequences. I’m not going to call it trade-offs, and I’m not calling it anything of a negative or unfulfilling nature. But let me say that when there is no money (on the apparent or superficial level) for going “shopping,” then my time has been spent writing, editing, connecting with people whom I’m quoting. In short, the decision to go with the main “nudging” entails lots of other, smaller decisions or commitments – and life circumstances work together to make it easier to align myself with these other, smaller commitments.

What I will say is: This works.

Here I am, a year and a half later. Two years, really. And I’m still (somewhat to my own surprise) alive. And I have a book. (Shortly, you’ll have this book also.) And somehow, by aligning myself with my inner guidance or “nudgings,” I’ve gotten to this point.

The work has taken much more time, energy, focus, and commitment than I ever imagined. Hugely so. And yet, it’s been worth it. Every ounce of effort along the way.

So now, I’m counseling my friends. (They’re “practice trials.” Shortly, I’ll be mentoring others on a professional basis.) I’m encouraging them to first, identify their dream or vision, and second, start to align their lives with this vision, and third, to disengage with the survival-based, fear-based, panic-based thinking that says that they must indeed continue to contort themselves (or overly emphasize one part of their psyche) in order to “fit in” and “get a job.” (Or to “keep their job.”) The “job” may not be the path for survival and social status, but rather, a means of so contorting their psyches that they become disassociated from their true selves.

This takes courage. Fortunately, we don’t have to look at the whole long path in advance. We simply need to make microscopic little decisions about our priorities and our time.

One final word – to those who are curious about Unveiling. I’ve been writing lots of “teaser” material. (And I’ll continue to do so – why not? It’s fun!)

But Unveiling, when it comes out, will whop out at about 500 pages (and this is after we’ve increased page size and decreased font size and line spacings.) It will have over 300 references. It will still be readable. It will still be a “girlfriend” book – the kind that you curl up with when you need nurturance and comfort, and insight into who you are and how you can approach things.

But really, Unveiling is five different books in one. That’s because there are at least three major discoveries, two minor discoveries, and several “inventions” in the book. Major discoveries, such as: The ancient, original archetypal system that applies to all humans – but is especially pertinent to women. This is the one that helps us understand the “What next?” and “Where next?” questions that we have as are on the cusp of a life transition.

There is another “discovery” – this is one that I regard as minor, although whole books and dissertations could be written about this – on what constitutes a Heroine’s Quest. We already have the Hero’s Quest. (Think Star Wars. Think Joseph Campbell, and The Man with a Thousand Faces. Think all the well-known, and greatly loved “young man comes of age” life sagas.)

What we’ve not had is the concise, thumbnail-level, high-level-overview understanding of what constitutes a Heroine’s Quest. But I found it – through nearly chance-comments from friends, and some reading where this just “popped up” – in the final editing stages of Unveiling, late last summer. This alone – which is not just huge, it’s profound – is actually a minor piece of Unveiling. It is in the tail end of Chapter 6. (The really good stuff starts in Chapter 7, and continues in Chapter 11, and picks up again in the last five chapters.)

So enough with the tease – you’ll hear more. But today is devoted, more-or-less, to “standing down.” To being in “quiet time.” And at the same time, I will still be doing much as you’re doing – a little shopping, a little card-writing, a little client-care. But from a more introspective, centered, internally-quiet state. Less trying to accomplish all that can be done, and checking things off the list. (Although lists are still important; they free up our minds from having to mentally track things.)

And in this spirit of Solstice-quiet, I wish you – truly – the “peace and joy” of the Season.

yours – Alay’nya

Unveiling: An Inner Journey Links Major Archetypes with Myers-Briggs Types

If you followed the course of Robert Langdon, Dan Brown’s heroic “Professor of Symbology” in his most recent adventures, you’d have seen him tracking down the most revered and esoteric secret hidden within a Freemason pyramid’s special “magic square” code. Cracking this code gave insight into one of the major hidden “inner truths,” known only to an elect few within the highest ranks of Freemasonry.

The truth is, we don’t need to do Dan Brown-style continent-crossing adventures in order to “crack the code.” What we DO need is some painstaking research, piecing together the insights that we obtain when we find the lost (or perhaps deliberately mislaid) real meanings of one of our well-known esoteric teachings. These teachings themselves have been available for all to study, over the past several hundreds of years.

Why this timeframe?

Actually, the “secrets” themselves go back much, much farther in time. They very likely were developed at a time when the Hebrew people were living in Egypt, and there was not only prosperity (for both Hebrews and Egyptians), but likely significant cross-cultural intellectual fertilization. The best minds, of both cultures, were – for a brief period of time – living amicably and in close quarters.

It is likely that from this timeframe, when there was both prosperity and intellectual stimulation, that the greatest “esoteric secrets” of our Judeo-Christian world were discerned and codified. They were also very likely taught in what we have now come to think of as the “Mystery Schools.”

What happened to these secrets?

In short order: The Hebrew people were cast into slavery, and then thrust out of Egypt. They claimed a new land, and solidified their culture. The “esoteric secrets” continued to be developed, and taught in an oral tradition. Over the next several hundred years, various elements were put down in writing, although the primary interpretation was still done in the time-honored oral tradition; master to disciple.

But at a certain point, the continuity was broken. The Grand Masters feared – with good reason – that their “secrets” could be lost for all time.

Why?

Plain and simple: The Inquisition.

The Crusades began just before 1100 AD, and lasted until the latter part of the 1200’s.

The Inquisistion began in the early 1200’s, and continued through the 1600’s. Most importantly, significant Papal Bulls, giving authority and direction for the Inquisition, were drafted in the 1200’s – while the leading nobility were away from their lands, the European power centers, and access to the Vatican. (“While the cat’s away, …”)

The Inquisition was a power and money grab on behalf of the Catholic Church, which was then (and possibly still is) the most powerful and wealthy organization in the world. In fact, the Inquisition was largely what made “Holy Mother Church” so powerful, wealthy, and influential.

In Europe, the practice of primogeniture – handing down a lord’s full estate, and his title, to his eldest son – made for some very unhappy second-eldest sons. The “typical assignments” of duties for a lord’s sons were: The eldest received the title and the lands. The second eldest, regardless of “vocation,” was destined for the priesthood. The third (and any remaining) sons became warrior-knights; they performed military service in the land of either their eldest brother or the king.

The eldest son could – and would – marry and have children. The second eldest son, becoming a priest, was not allowed to marry. (Of course, he had mistresses. The church history is replete with the various offices and honors given to the “nephews” of various high-ranking churchmen.) Even though a nobly-born priest could use his influence to improve the lot of his “nephews,” he did not personally own property. He could not bequeath property. This would make for some serious envy!

The solution?

Send the eldest sons, and many of the younger ones, off to fight a war in a foreign land. This left a power vacuum.

The lands themselves, of course, were being managed by the lord’s wife and his stewards. The solution to that little conundrum? Find heresy.

Thus, the Inquisition. A useful tool, which is why it was continued for four hundred very active years. In the course of this time, many, many women (and a few good men – most notably scientists, “heretics,” and other free thinkers) were burned at the stake. Also, of course, a good many Jews.

The Church, of course, laid claim to the estates of all these “heretics.” Over four hundred years, Church coffers swelled considerably, as estates, gold, valuable artworks, and jewels were all consumed by the overarching maw of the Inquisition’s venerable activities.

During this time, the last vestiges of a “woman’s pathway” disappeared – as did the women who possessed healing knowledge. (Is it any surprise that the Black Plague broke out in the mid-1300’s, and consumed approximately 50% of Europe’s population?)

Likewise, the population of Jewish peoples living in Europe was hugely diminished, as a combination of both the order of expulsion from Catholic Spain (mid-1400’s), the attempts (by many) to convert to Catholicism, and then the following pursuit by members of the Inquisition, which then had authority over the converted Jews (since they had turned Catholic, and thus were under the rule of the Church).

Clearly, during this time, it was unsafe to be a Jewish person, living in Europe. The masters of the great esoteric traditions had to find a way to communicate their knowledge.

In fact, they had to do so – with the thought in mind that not only they, but all their living disciples – their entire lineage – would be destroyed. They had to find a way to safeguard their knowledge, so that wise and discerning people of future generations would find it, and re-discover their esoteric teachings.

The great masters did precisely this – by hiding their “secret knowledge” in plain sight!

What these great thought-leaders knew honored women as much as men. Their “secrets” – once properly deciphered – show an even-handed balance of masculine and feminine perspectives.

However, as their “secret knowledge” began to be copied, morphed, and disseminated by those who did not know the inner meanings, the “symbolism” used to encode the original “secrets” was distorted over time. And without the Grand Masters to correct the course, and bring the insights back, the true meanings were lost.

To be continued.