Friday, March 18, 2022

Let's Talk About Sex, part 3, a guest blogger.

Guest blogger Jennifer gives an astrological view of sex and sensuality. Check out her website at

https://stoneangelstudios.com/   -Ray



The Astrological Pleasure Body

By Jennifer Kaufman ~ Astro LifeStylist ~ Stone Angel Studios

 

 

            If the Taoists believe in the polarity of Fire and Water to explain the differences between men and women*, Astrologers use a more intricate system.  Astrologically, Air and Fire are masculine/electric in polarity and Water and Earth are feminine/magnetic in polarity, but an individual chart (for both men and women) is made with unique and different combinations of these elements and polarities.

 

Pleasure is the “good stuff” in life. Humanity as a whole, now that we have progressed past our primal urge to procreate, can literally exist to “just” to love and be happy… if we let ourselves. Pleasure in the form of sensuality, sexuality and relationship with another human is an ideal path to happiness. Finding a pleasure partner, no matter your gender, is all about mixing your elements with the complementary elements of another to establish an ideal partnership. Opposites can attract, and energies can complement one another, but the key is to know what (or who) YOU need, and honor that while giving your partner what they need.

 

I’m going to show you some Astrological ways you can identify and create sexual and sensual compatibility. Even if you are not a student of Astrology, it is a great exercise to look at your own chart to see where these influences effect your life. (If you do not have your own astrological chart, goto astro.com and enter your exact time, place and date to generate your own natal birth chart.)

The Elements:

Elementally, the chart can show a dominance, which lends its own flair to romance, pleasure and sexuality.

 

ALL elements are surrounded by space, its sense of sound is beneficial for all Elemental dominances.

 

Air is the Power of Movement, it is the lightest of the elements and is linked with the mind and the sense of touch. Air people have sensitive skin and enjoy holding hands. 

           

Fire is the Power of Transformation, it is the hottest of the elements and linked with action and the sense of sight. Pleasing the eyes, taking a walk or a good foot rub pleases the Fire signs.

 

Water is the Power of Cohesion, it is linked with emotions and the sense of taste. Sensation using the tongue, the act of procreation and stimulating the genitals is a Water pleaser.

 

Earth is the Power of Stability and it is linked with matter and substance, and the sense of smell. Pleasing the nose, expelling fluids and attention to the anus is very Earthy.

 

The Planets:

Planets are the “What” in a chart, and the sexual planets are as follows:

 

m Mars determines your sex drive: motivation, energy and initiation.

 

            In the Masculine: the energy to initiate sexual circumstances and encounters that               

            arouse him. What actions initiate sex. 

           

            In the Feminine: represents the type of individual and/or actions needed to make her                           aroused.

 

l Venus determines your sensuality and desire: touch, smell, tastes as well as WHO you would like to touch you and stimulate you sexually.

 

            In the Masculine: represents the type of partner they want to commit to, and who they

            find beautiful.

 

            In the Feminine: represents where you like to be touched, erotic zones, pleasure spots.

 

w Pluto is the Lord of Sexuality. He illuminates ones sexual power, style and the how/why/who                            you achieve orgasm.  *Power is an interesting thing in sex, you MUST keep it high vibe,                         or it can be used inappropriately.

 

a The Sun determines casual or recreational sex: how you like to date, as well as                                               circumstances that lead to casual affairs, romance and pleasure.

 

s The Moon directs feelings, emotions, instincts and attachments: where the moon falls in your                          chart compared to other sexual planets will determine your emotional state before,                           during and after sex.

 

The Zodiac Signs:

Zodiac signs are the “How” in a chart. The sexual zodiac signs are:

 

aAries (ruled by Mars) determines your sex drive

 

bTaurus (ruled by Venus) dictates your 5 senses

 

hScorpio (ruled by Pluto) determines the type of sex and sexual orgasms

 

eLeo (ruled by the Sun) is where you find sex for relaxation, recreational purposes (procreating,   romance and true love matings)

 

 

While the above signs are the “sexual signs”, each of the 12 Zodiac signs is connected to an area of the body, making each sign have its own sweet spot for pleasure.




 

aAries rules the head

bTaurus rules the neck and throat

c Gemini rules the arms, hands and shoulders

d Cancer rules the breast and chest

e Leo rules the heart

f Virgo rules the gut and digestion

g Libra rules the kidneys and lower back

h Scorpio rules the sexual organs

i Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs

j Capricorn rules the knees, bones and skin

m Aquarius rules the shins and calves

n Pisces rules the feet

 

The Houses:

The Sexual Houses* are the containers or “Where” in a chart. I’ll note those with an asterisk, but all of the Houses can inform you of how you find your pleasure. Look to see which sign is on the cusp of the house, indicating the sign and planet that rules that container.

 

*The 1st House of Identity exemplifies our likes and dislikes regarding sexual arousal and drive. It also identifies the circumstances (environmental and psychological influences) to initiation of sex.

 

The 2nd House of Value and Matter can indicate our values and morals regarding sexual activity.

 

The 3rd House of Communication and Expression can show us how we best communicate our needs in sexua activity.

 

The 4th House of Home and Family can show is where we ancestrally are connected to sex and sensuality.

 

*The 5th House of Play, Fun and Performance is our container for recreational or “fun” and enjoyable sexual activity.

 

The 6th House of Work, Health and Duty will inform us of our sexual habits and tendencies, as well as if we find sex “work”

 

The 7th House of Relationship can show us the ideal energy of our partner, and the type of sex we like to have.

 

*The 8th House of Transformation, Sex, Death and Rebirth is our house of sexuality and procreation. It’s energy illuminates your style, type and sexual preferences. 

 

The 9th House of Wisdom and Philosophy can teach us what we desire or seek philosophically in a sexual relationship.

 

The 10th House of Career and Public Perception will show us how we show our relationship to sex and sensuality to the world and in public. Is it included in our work and public life?

 

The 11th House of Community and Common Causes indicates where we will find groups of like minded people regarding sexuality and sensuality

 

The 12th House of Endings, Synthesis and Prison may show us where we end our relationships as well as what we keep hidden, or what sexual energy is imprisoned inside ourselves.

 

 

 

Putting this all together, I will use my own chart as a reference. I am extremely Venusian, making me extremely sensual as a partner. I have Libra Rising and a Taurus Sun found in the 7th House of relationship, all three ruled by Venus. My Venus is found in my 6th House of work, duty and Health in Aries, making my Venus a Warrior for Love, as well as key to my health. It’s all about the sensual for me, a kiss given at my throat (Taurus Sun) is incredibly erotic, as is a caress given to my low back (Libra Rising). If I don’t get the sensuality I need in my daily life and routine, I suffer, if I do, I thrive. My partner needs to be active and instigating (7th House ruled by Aries).

 

You can go MUCH deeper into relationship and sex and sensuality in a chart, and you can always do a synastry reading to see where two people align in relationship energies. Astrology can shine a light on your physical makeup, needs, challenges and desires if you focus on the right places in your chart.

 

 

May you find your Pleasure and Be Happy!

 

 

 

*Note: men and women are used here as those who are born designated as male and female as a representation of the polarity opposites of yin and yang. 


Part 4, Red, White, and Blue!

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Replica's of my sword

 If you read the last blog, here is another chapter in my sword's life.


https://www.arms-n-armor.com/collections/single-handed-swords/products/jian-long








Monday, March 14, 2022

Thursday Night by Chris Venaccio

 


Thursday Night

by Chris Venaccio

(taken from Wu Tang volume 9 number 1 September 2001)


Thursday night, June 28, 2001. Warm Springs Lodge, Pennsylvania. We were sitting downstairs in the basement prepared for our first night of the annual Tai-Chi retreat. There was a muted excitement among the attendees. People checked and double checked their cameras. The excitement was over a shrouded box standing in the corner of the room. Inside that box was a sword. Not just any sword. This was a sword approximately 150 years old from the late Ching Dynasty. This was a sword used as a real weapon, its center of gravity being the center rather than at the hilt. This was a sword that saying with an indescribable energy when you pulled out of the sheath. This was the blue copper sword as the characters on the blade and noted. More than that, this was "Ray's sword."


Since my beginnings at Diane Cannon's Ming Tao studio in Delaware, I have always heard the phrase "Ray's sword" in passing. On my first retreat, Ray would joke about Diane getting him "his sword" this year. On Ray's visit in November, we drove up to Chinatown to eat and visit "his sword." He would look at it through the glass. The shopkeeper would allow him to hold and even on sheath it. Ray smiled ear to ear as he ran through some postures, then with a sigh would hand the sword back to the shopkeeper and comment that he would be back next year. And this is how it was for the three years I have known Ray. This was our routine when he visited Delaware. From what I gathered, this was a routine much longer than three years old. It had achieved mythical proportions.


Diane mentioned that Ray's 25th Tai-Chi anniversary will be coming up in the next year. This set a string of events into action. With the combined efforts of our local Tai-Chi contingency and the Twin Cities studio we were soon driving up to Philly to purchase "Ray's sword." We brought it back to Delaware and stared at it for a while as if a seven year quest was finally fulfilled. A group of diligent workers constructed a display box for the weapon. Don lent his artistic talents and created a work of art out of the bleached wood. When the retreat finally arrived, we snuck it into the basement and waited for the night to begin.


Ray came in and sat down in the only empty chair, position conveniently to keep his back to the covered box propped in the corner. After handing out the agenda and some general introductions, Ray open the floor to stories and questions. Diane stood up and congratulated him on his upcoming 25th anniversary. People shuffled in their seats. Diane led him to the box. Flashes powered up. I think his first reaction when he saw the sword was somewhere between disbelief and total surprise. He finally opened the box and took it out among the flashes and the wir of cameras. He thanked  everyone repeatedly. He let everyone hold it. He was touched. The true testament of how touched he was came over the time of the retreat. He always carried it with him, sometimes to dinner. When we held our classes, he had it near him. In the open time between the classes, you might catch a glimpse  of him in a more secluded area of the Lodge practicing the sword form- always with a smile. It was the first thing he showed Master Liang on our annual visit.


There are very few times in one's life when you can touch the core of another's. Thursday night was one of those nights.