Stephen Cope on the “night sea journey”

“It is the night sea journey that allows us to free the energy trapped in these cast-off parts—trapped in what Marion would call “the shadow.” The goal of this journey is to reunite us with ourselves. Such a homecoming can be surprisingly painful, even brutal. In order to undertake it, we must first agree to exile nothing.”
― Stephen Cope, The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling
e.e. cummings on your body

“i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh … And eyes big love-crumbs,
and possibly i like the thrill
of under me you so quite new.”
― e.e. cummings
Edward Estlin Cummings, who was also known as E. E. Cummings, e. e. Cummings, and e e Cummings (October 14, 1894 – September 3, 1962), was an American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright. He was an ambulance driver during World War I and was in an internment camp, which provided the basis for his novel The Enormous Room. Wikipedia
Child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (CSAAS) is a syndrome proposed by Roland C. Summit in 1983 to describe how he believed sexually abused children responded to ongoing sexual abuse. He said children “learn to accept the situation and to survive. There is no way out, no place to run. The healthy, normal emotionally resilient child will learn to accommodate to the reality of continuing sexual abuse.”[1]
Summit described how he claimed that children try to resolve the experience of sexual abuse in relation to the effects of disclosure in real life. He posited five stages:[2]
- Secrecy
- Helplessness
- Entrapment and accommodation
- Delayed disclosure
- Retraction
Summit himself recognized in later articles the extent to which many persons were misled by the use of the term “syndrome” and how his theory had been used inappropriately as a diagnostic method for both behavioural sciences and criminal trials.[3]
According to Mary de Young, CSAAS was invoked often during the day-care sex-abuse hysteria of the 1980s and 1990s, because it purports to explain both delayed disclosures and withdrawals of false allegation of child sexual abuse. De Young argued that CSAAS is used to justify any statement made by a child as an indication that sexual abuse had occurred, because immediate disclosure could be an indication of abuse, but also delayed disclosure, withdrawal and sustained denial.[4]
Several states have prohibited testimony regarding CSAAS, based on evidence that it is not accepted generally by scientists, except for delayed reporting.[5] Neither the American Psychiatric Association nor the American Psychological Association has recognized CSAAS.
References
- ^ Summit, Roland C. (1993-05-14). “Abuse of the Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome”. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. 1 (4): 153–164. doi:10.1300/j070v01n04_13. ISSN 1053-8712.
- ^ Summit, Roland (1983). “The child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome” (PDF). Child Abuse Negl. 7 (2): 177–93. doi:10.1016/0145-2134(83)90070-4. PMID 6605796. S2CID 4547031. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
More at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_sexual_abuse_accommodation_syndrome
Pluto In Aquarius And Sun Conjunct Pluto
(astrobutterfly.com)
On January 20th- January 21st, 2024 we have some BIG transits happening.
The Sun and Pluto meet at the very last minute of the very last Capricorn degree (29°59’).
They then march together hand in hand in Aquarius, so one day later, on January 21st, 2024, we have both the Sun and Pluto at 0°.
This is that once-every-year Sun in Aquarius ingress. This is the once-every-250-years Sun in Aquarius ingress. This is that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to align your goals and purpose in life (Sun) with the transformative power of collective change (Pluto).

A big chapter of your life comes to an end. As Sun and Pluto meet at the very end of Capricorn, there is a sense of urgency to have a breakthrough and to find closure to an area of your life connected to the Capriorn sector of your chart.
Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius is HUGE. And Pluto’s ingress WITH the Sun makes things personal. The Sun makes it much easier to relate to this shift. The Sun-Pluto conjunction is a unique opportunity to check what this Pluto in Aquarius shift means for you at a personal level.
The Sun is the essence of who we are. It’s the center dot in the circle. It’s our spiritual purpose – our goals and direction in life.
We identify so much with our Sun because the Sun is what gives our existence meaning. Sure, all the other planets create the unique individual that we are. But the Sun is at the center. It’s the core of our being.
As a transpersonal planet, Pluto influences us at a much more subtle level. Pluto influences our society as a whole, and we are indirectly influenced by Pluto since we are all part of society. When there are big economic or cultural shifts, we individuals are affected as well.
Pluto In Aquarius – 2024-2044
On January 21st, 2024 Pluto moves from Capricorn to Aquarius. This is an epochal shift we already got a taste of in 2023 (from March to June) when Pluto spent a few weeks in Aquarius. This is when AI and Chat GPT got popularized, and when we understood that the world will never be the same again.

What can we expect from the next 20 years of Pluto in Aquarius?
A temptation would be to focus on the influence of technology and AI, but let’s take a look at the deeper dynamics at play.
Both Capricorn and Aquarius are ruled by Saturn. Aquarius follows Capricorn. The ‘rules’ established by Capricorn are now put to the test. Are implemented. We get to see if they work – or not.
Saturn is the set of rules and systems our society is built on. Capricorn is the input part of the system. Aquarius is the output, or the feedback loop.
If Capricorn is the rulers and the rules, Aquarius is the “voice of the people ”, or how the world reacts to Capricorn’s rules and regulations.
Pluto in Capricorn metrics of success would be along the lines of “being a published author” “speaking at conferences”, “graduating from a prestigious university”, “having x peer-reviewed publications” – these are basically standards meant to ensure accomplishment within established societal frameworks.
Standards make sense, but they have their limitations.
Someone can be the best teacher according to Capricorn’s metrics of success, but if no student likes them, if their teaching method doesn’t actually work, are they still a great teacher? What makes someone a great teacher? Who establishes the criteria that someone is a great teacher?
One-to-many broadcasting models like radio and television made total sense back in the day. We needed capital and infrastructure (Capricorn) to establish news stations and publishing houses.
But when these channels become one-sided, used to propagate a certain (top-down) type of message, then it’s only natural – and in the best interest of the system – to look for information elsewhere.
We can’t fight nature, just like we can’t stop Pluto from circling the Sun, moving from Capricorn into Aquarius.
Pluto In Aquarius And The Collective Brain
When Pluto moves into Aquarius, rules and guidelines implemented years, decades or even centuries ago are tested for efficacy and efficiency.

Are they still relevant? Is there a better way?
When rules don’t make sense, people don’t follow them. There’s a group intelligence (Aquarius) that over time gains real-life experience, and simply ‘knows better’ than a few individuals at the top.
Oftentimes, policy-makers come up with initiatives derived from abstract ideals without understanding what actually happens on the ground level, without checking in with people’s everyday realities. What are they struggling with?
The paradox with being on the top of the mountain (Capricorn) is that you’re at the greatest distance from everyone else.
When you’re on the top of the mountain you can no longer see, or hear what’s happening at the ground level.
And of course, it’s easy to relate to this metaphor when we think of institutions or people of authority.
What we often forget is that we all have Capricorn in our natal charts. There’s a part of us that is Capricorn-wired. That sector of our life has been under very intense scrutiny in the past 15 years (when Pluto was in Capricorn). We’ve all learned a thing or two about the benefits, and the limitations of the Capricorn approach.
But the clock is ticking. Pluto is moving into Aquarius. In the next 20 years, Pluto will revolutionize the Aquarius sector of our chart from the inside out.
The more we proactively embrace transformation, the sooner we embody the higher expression of Aquarius – the less we will struggle with the inevitable changes that Pluto in Aquarius brings.
What does Pluto’s move into Aquarius mean for us, at an individual level?
Sun And Pluto Enter Aquarius – A New World, A New “You”
The Sun and Pluto ingress into Aquarius on January 21st, 2024 will give us a very direct and personal taste of this shift.

With Pluto in Aquarius, instead of relying on traditional ’metrics’ of success like a prestigious school diploma, a high yearly income, ideal weight, and number of social media followers – we want to shift our focus onto more bottom-up types of success indicators to run our lives.
What’s the actual feedback you get from others? What do others think you do well? What do others think that matters?
Do people actually listen to you when you talk about a certain topic? Are they being lit up and inspired? Do they ask follow-up questions? Or they nod their head, and look away in boredom?
Are you appreciated at your job – do you get positive feedback, raises and promotions? Or you get into conflict, and can’t keep a job for long?
If you’re working with people, are they coming back to you for more? Or they’re one-time clients, ghosting you when you follow up via email?
Does your current diet or health regimen (recommended by X doctor or Y social media influencer) give you actual results? Or perhaps there’s a different way to stay in good health, by tuning into your unique body design and needs?
When Pluto moves into Aquarius, we can no longer rely on ‘standards’ or conventional measures of success to define our goals and success in life.
The emphasis shifts from top-down success indicators “I’m a doctor/I’m a social media influencer, therefore I’m successful”, toward bottom-up success indicators “My results tell me whether I’m on the right track, and what to do next”.
Pluto in Aquarius invites us to reframe our perspective, by seeking more feedback and authentic connection with others.
Pluto in Aquarius calls us to listen to the collective voice, to the community intelligence that goes beyond unquestioned societal rules and hierarchical structures.
Each single one of us is unique, and has something special to offer to the world. It’s the community intelligence that will help us discover and refine what that unique thing is.
Anaxagoras on everything
“Alexa, why did you do that?”

picture alliance / Getty Images
Amazon Alexa
From Wikipedia, the fre encyclopedia
For the defunct subsidiary company of Amazon, see Alexa Internet.
| Developer(s) | Amazon |
|---|---|
| Initial release | November 6, 2014; 9 years ago |
| Operating system | Fire OS 5.0 or later, iOS 11.0 or later[1] Android 4.4 or later |
| Platform | Amazon Echo, Fire OS, iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, Wear OS[citation needed] |
| Available in | English, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic |
| Type | Intelligent personal assistant, cloud-based voice service |
| Website | developer.amazon.com/alexa |
Amazon Alexa or Alexa[2] is a virtual assistant technology largely based on a Polish speech synthesizer named Ivona, bought by Amazon in 2013.[3][4] It was first used in the Amazon Echo smart speaker and the Echo Dot, Echo Studio and Amazon Tap speakers developed by Amazon Lab126. It is capable of natural language processing (NLP) for tasks such as voice interaction, music playback, creating to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, providing weather, traffic, sports, other real-time information and news.[5] Alexa can also control several smart devices as a home automation system. Alexa capabilities may be extended by installing “skills” (additional functionality developed by third-party vendors, in other settings more commonly called apps) such as weather programs and audio features. It performs these tasks using automatic speech recognition, NLP, and other forms of weak AI.[6]
Most devices with Alexa allow users to activate the device using a wake-word[7] (such as Alexa or Amazon); other devices (such as the Amazon mobile app on iOS or Android and Amazon Dash Wand) require the user to click a button to activate Alexa’s listening mode, although, some phones also allow a user to say a command, such as “Alexa” or “Alexa wake”.
As of November 2018, more than 10,000 Amazon employees worked on Alexa and related products.[8] In January 2019, Amazon’s devices team announced that they had sold over 100 million Alexa-enabled devices.[9]
In September 2019, Amazon launched many new devices achieving many records while competing with the world’s smart home industry. The new Echo Studio became the first smart speaker with 360 sound and Dolby sound. Other new devices included an Echo dot with a clock behind the fabric, a new third-generation Amazon Echo, Echo Show 8, a plug-in Echo device, Echo Flex, Alexa built-in wireless earphones, Echo buds, Alexa built-in spectacles, Echo frames, an Alexa built-in Ring, and Echo Loop as well as the Echo Show generation.
History


Alexa was developed out of a predecessor named Ivona which was invented in Poland, inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey and bought by Amazon in 2013.[10][4] On November 6, 2014; 9 years ago, Amazon announced Alexa alongside the Echo.[11] Alexa was inspired by the computer voice and conversational system on board the Starship Enterprise in science fiction TV series and movies, beginning with Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation.[12]
Amazon developers chose the name Alexa because it has a hard consonant with the X, which helps it be recognized with higher precision. They have said the name is reminiscent of the Library of Alexandria, which was also used by Amazon Alexa Internet for the same reason.[13][14][15] In June 2015, Amazon announced the Alexa Fund, a program that would invest in companies making voice control skills and technologies. The US$200 million fund has invested in companies including Jargon, Ecobee, Orange Chef, Scout Alarm, Garageio, Toymail, MARA, and Mojio.[16] In 2016, the Alexa Prize was announced to further advance the technology.
In January 2017, the first Alexa Conference took place in Nashville, Tennessee, an independent gathering of the worldwide community of Alexa developers and enthusiasts.[17][18][19] Follow up conferences went under the name Project Voice and featured keynote speakers such as Amazon’s Head of Education for Alexa, Paul Cutsinger.[20]
At the Amazon Web Services Re: Invent conference in Las Vegas, Amazon announced Alexa for Business and the ability for app developers to have paid add-ons to their skills.
In May 2018, Amazon announced it would include Alexa in 35,000 new homes built by Lennar.[21]
In November 2018, Amazon opened its first Alexa-themed pop-up shop inside of Toronto‘s Eaton Centre, showcasing the use of home automation products with Amazon’s smart speakers.[22] Amazon also sells Alexa devices at Amazon Books and Whole Foods Market locations, in addition to mall-based pop-ups throughout the United States.
In December 2018, Alexa was built into the Anki Vector and was the first major update for the Anki Vector, although Vector was released in August 2018, it is the only home robot with advanced technology.
As of 2018, interaction and communication with Alexa were available only in English, German, French,[23] Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Hindi.[24] In Canada, Alexa is available in English and French (with the Quebec accent).[25][26]
In October 2019, Amazon announced the expansion of Alexa to Brazil, in Portuguese, together with Bose, Intelbras, and LG.[27]
In November 2019, Amazon introduced Echo Studio, a Dolby Atmos-compatible surround sound Alexa speaker.[28]
Hoped-for revenue never materialized from people using voice ordering for Amazon products or services from partners such as Domino’s Pizza and Uber. Alexa does not play audio ads, and display ads were relatively unsuccessful. In 2019 an all-hands crisis meeting was called to address the issue, and a hiring freeze was instated. In 2022, with the division losing several billion dollars per quarter, the company started laying off Alexa employees en masse.[29]
What if advertising was honest?
Sylvester Chauke | TED@BCG
• November 2023
After years of brand building, marketing veteran Sylvester Chauke realized that his industry had sold the world on overconsumption, with devastating consequences. He shares how marketers could instead promote sustainability with “honest ads” that do right by the planet and encourage people to think twice before buying.
About the speaker
Branding disruptorSee speaker profile
Marketing veteran Sylvester Chauke asks a provocative question with his work: “What if advertising told the truth?”
Apple Cancels ‘Schmigadoon’ After Two Seasons, Fans Revolt on Social Media

18 JANUARY 2024/ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/JAY BARMANN (SFist.com)
Apple TV+ has been up to a lot in its first few years as a streaming platform, and the deep-pocketed company has certainly thrown money at a number of worthy projects. But for fans of musical theater and brilliant comedy who couldn’t care less about Foundation, there was nothing as special on television as Schmigadoon.
A sendup of classic musical theater tropes, created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets), Schmigadoon starred comedy pros Cecily Strong — in her first lead role since leaving Saturday Night Live — and Keegan Michael Key. The first season spoofed the hokier, classic musical theater era of Brigadoon, The Music Man, and Oklahoma!, while the second season took on the grittier, more sexualized musicals of the 60s and 70s. (The latter is set in “Schmicago,” and cycles through musical numbers, plotlines, and characters that mashup Chicago, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, Annie, Hair, and other shows.)
The all-star cast includes a bunch of musical theater and comedy veterans, like Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, Aaron Tveit, Tituss Burgess, Patrick Page, and Martin Short.
Cinco Paul announced on Instagram Thursday that Apple TV+ was pulling the plug on Schmigadoon after its two seasons — even though, he says, the third season is already written, including 25 new songs.
“It’s a miracle we even got two seasons, honestly, and I’m so grateful we did,” Paul writes. “And to all the fans of the show out there, thank you with all of my heart.”
Fans of the show, including Dan Savage, took to Xitter and Instagram Thursday to express their outrage and devastation at the news.
The scripts are written, the songs are written — someone at some other network or streamer, please pick this up. Season 1 of Schmigadoon was amazing, Season 2 (Schmicago) was even better, and Season 3… needs to happen. If not Apple, then somewhere! https://t.co/kwCrrKJPVI
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) January 18, 2024
apple canceling schmigadoon after it gave us THIS jane krakowski is a crimepic.twitter.com/XXsfWZ2oFx
— ً (@filmbenanti) January 18, 2024
WHICH EVER APPLE TV+ PERSON CANCELED SCHMIGADOON I WILL FIND YOU pic.twitter.com/rTe0T9fr2B
— daily aaron tveit photos (@dailyaarontveit) January 18, 2024
THEY CANCELED SCHMIGADOON pic.twitter.com/3yOC89wMq0
— Tevin JC (@TevinJC) January 18, 2024
Season 3 of Schmigadoon was already written. I wonder if it focused on 80s/90s musicals pic.twitter.com/yGldgpIeEU
— Danny (@dandelionskie) January 18, 2024
NOT SCHMIGADOON TOO https://t.co/MawZsc0hF3 pic.twitter.com/vYEQqHAb4I
— Emily Kranking (@emilykranking) January 18, 2024
Will Apple, or some other platform, hear this collective sadness and rage and give the show a reprieve since the third season is already written?
Given that there is nothing else in the television or movie universe quite like it, it seems like a shame not to.
And there are apparently some petitions in the works, like this one.
When your entire timeline is full of petitions to save Schmigadoon. Come on @AppleTV The songs are written, don’t let us down #reviveschmigadoon pic.twitter.com/xgR0rs7TaX
— Louise (@adiposesite) January 18, 2024
Tarot Card for January 19: The Two of Cups

| The Two of Cups And here we have the Lord of Love, a card of bliss, deep joyous love reciprocated fully and with great enthusiasm, a card of reconciliations and new growth! Here we see harmonious and contented exchanges of emotion, which vibrate with an ecstatic undercurrent of passion and heat.Because this card is a reflective and receptive one, there’s an issue that people sometimes forget when reading it – to be truly loved, deeply treasured, valued highly by others, we must first and foremost strive to feel those things for ourselves. When we work toward loving ourselves, we hold our inner nature in high regard, treating it with deference and proper respect. When we see ourselves in that light, other people cannot help but respond to our personal sense of value.Furthermore, when we work to love ourselves, we release so many areas of self-doubt and uncertainty that we become infused by a new energy – and this we can lavish on others. The Two of Cups is about engaging in a caring and tender fashion with our own needs, first and foremost.It isn’t so much about achieving self-love, as about, in every single day of our lives, striving towards self-love. That action leads us into a positive, self-supportive and accepting approach to life. And also, when we stop wasting energy telling ourselves what’s wrong with us, we have lots more energy to enjoy being who we are.When this card comes up in a reading, if it relates to the inner journey, then it tells you to put your attention in the moment, to leave the past behind, and to let yourself be free to enjoy everything that comes your way.If it relates to outer events, it may point to a forthcoming reconciliation in a relationship where there has been pain and disappointment – this need not be a love affair, it can cover many different types of loving relationship.It might point up a new relationship which has recently begun and which will grow into a deep and lasting friendship or affair.And finally, it may reassure you that the meaningful relationship in your life will strengthen and grow, developing into exactly what you need it to be!! |
