You Want a Peace of Me?
I only really caught the tail end of the peace decade. I was very young in the late sixties and early seventies when the peace, love, and understanding movement peaked. In spite of the turbulence from the Vietnam war, Nixon, and a host of other controversial things, there was something magical about some elements of the hippie movement and “free love.” I really didn’t fully understand or even felt much of a need to strive for peace. I had glimpses of seeing its value though. Snuggling up in a bed with two dogs as a child made me feel safe and peaceful. My friends on the block would sometimes get into fights (hell, sometimes I started them) but more often than not we would make up and come to a place of peace again. It felt noticeably better in the home when my siblings and my mother weren’t at odds with each other. Still, peace was a concept I didn’t fully understand or even recognize how truly valuable it could be.
I often even made fun of the idea of peace. “Blessed” at an early age with a wicked sense of humor, I frequently made fun of things I thought were ridiculous. There were abundant pop songs that focused on this theme. Some of them were cool, some not so much. We went to Catholic mass every Sunday (even if you were sick mom absolutely made us go!). There was a point during mass where the priest would say: “Peace be with you.” You had to dutifully respond with, “And also with you.” He would then say, “Let us offer each other a sign of peace.” You would then have to shake hands with the people around you even if you didn’t know them. All I could think of was how awkward this was and also how many might have recently picked their noses and other similar thoughts typical for the mind of a 12 year old boy. I had real moments of shyness as well, so I hated this part of the service. Generally, when I felt uncomfortable I typically made jokes. Not having been to a mass for about 15 years now I wonder if this is still done at all. Especially since the dawn of Covid has sadly made large portions of the population afraid to touch each other in any way...
There was the singing mass option too. Mom avoided them like the plague preferring a more somber traditional approach to mass. I would sometimes go to the 10 am mass on my own and still get church “credit.” There was a lot of guitar playing and soupy, cheesy songs mixed in. The nuns in school told us, as an added incentive that “If you sing you pray twice.” As much as I thought most of it was lame I weirdly still remember lots of those songs. I must have liked some of them secretly. One that always stood out was:
“...Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now. With every step I take let this be my solemn vow. To take each moment and live each moment with peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me...”
For a myriad of reasons many people struggled in 2020. For me that year actually wasn’t that difficult. Thirty something years of metaphysical studies, and the use of alternative medicine, gave me a peace many people sadly didn’t have. I never really fear getting sick with a random illness, because I knew that there are always multiple layers to this happening, and the Covid-lung pattern didn’t fit me. In addition I was “blessed” with some extra money in late 2019. This helped overcome a noticeable decrease in my business because of Covid restrictions. 2021 actually turned out to be a much harder year. Multiple uncomfortable dealings with banks while trying to refinance my home and a few other moves had me under intense uncomfortable financial scrutiny for weeks. And when all was said and done I never even got what I was after! An old debt from 2009 was purchased by a debt collector and after filing a judgement many years ago they went as far as doing a pull out of my checking account. There was added expensive repairs for my car, home air conditioner, dental bills and a few other “gifts” that plunged me back into credit card debt. And strangely worst of all was a number of clients, and friends apparently decided they didn’t like my perspectives during the pandemic. Maybe to them I was now a “bad guy.” The icing on the cake was the loss of a twenty year friendship with two people I saw as true brothers/family. They decided that for their own reasons that they needed to cut ties. A new budding potentially intimate relationship with all kinds of magical connections this spring ended abruptly before it really took off when I experienced the uncomfortable act of being “ghosted.” I could see they all had their own unique reasons for their choices, but these were hard ego hits for me to say the least.
The year was by no means all bad. Heightened friendships with past loyal friends grew and new friends entered. My home doubled in value. My health improved dramatically. The difficult tests helped me to confront old patterns and contributed to some real healing and a stronger sense of what I would allow or not allow in my life. I gathered enough banking knowledge to be able to keep the vultures at bay, maneuver more successfully and to potentially resolve my financial banking stuff in 2022. Now it is just a test of patience. The people that fell out of my life I could intellectually understand for the most part why they chose to exit. We were no longer in the same space, they were immersed in fear, victimization patterns and we had simply grown apart. In some ways it was even appropriate. My year of explosions and tests while painful also added to my knowledge and contributed to increased wisdom! These experiences helped me to be more empathic and the insights I gained assisted in my ability to share with clients who were also struggling with their own tests; many of them far worse than my own. A number of my younger clients, and a few older ones admitted more thoughts of potentially leaving this world with feelings of “why bother.” This understandable reaction to the havoc that heightened fear, tribalism, and the ugliness so sadly common at this time was acting as a trigger. They were quite aware that important aspects of their childhoods and lost experiences would never be retrieved and many were angry.
The problem for me, as it is for most of us was in the emotional body. I felt abandoned, and judged. It was staggering to feel these levels of disloyalty. It was difficult not to find myself brewing about the cruelty I experienced. I had many moments of pondering angrily about “the gall of these friends!” “The nerve of those banks questioning my integrity.” How is it that it’s legal for debt collectors to buy old debts for pennies on the dollar that are long written off and to wreak such havoc?” “Why are repairs to my car and home so damn expensive?” There was clearly still a hint of self judgment, and taking aspects of life too personally inside of me that was unleashed in the outer world and it had wreaked destruction! Rune wisdom peaked through as always: “Prepare then for opportunities disguised as loss.”
I like so may other people longed to be at peace again or maybe for truly the first time. I implored my Higher Self in meditation, prayer, and in my dream state to help me get there. Insight of course began to trigger paths toward resolution when I willed myself to find the answers. It wasn’t that I had to understand why all of my antagonists did what they did, although some answers did come through. It was becoming clear I had to practice being at peace in spite of those recent storms. One successful way I did this was to see what I was at times feeling “the anguish,” as if it were a specific image on a phone screen or tablet, and simply swipe left. Not to try to resolve it, just to say “not today.” I could decide not to worry about it. This was extremely helpful. Another part was reminding myself that the adversity would prove useful, even if I didn’t yet know why; it simply always proves true from past experiences. A harder but valuable act was to just wish the people and institutions that I felt anger about, “health and happiness” in spite of what they did. I could give it to my angels for transformation. In essence, dealing with the harder testing aspects of the wisdom of forgiveness. Not a silly, delusional plan to someday walk hand in hand into the sunset happily again with those I no longer trusted. I would, of course unlikely place myself in those positions again with anyone or anything who would question my value or ghost me. Just the wonderful release that comes from forgiveness. The dropping of the part of me that is irritated when I think about any of it. This not only feels amazing but also often opens new doors for future resolution in ways we may not yet be able to see.
The interesting part was to get there I often had to fake it until I made it with feeling peaceful. Our beliefs do form our reality so to some extent this did began to work. Feeling at peace became addictive. I wanted more of it. Forgiving others is not always easy, or even forgiving ourselves. My desire to be around those who seemed to have hurt me, or even to need the help of banks at all began to shift. A new more empowered perspective was taking hold of me. In addition, all of my wise ass childhood jokes about religious songs, and making fun of those who were playing out exaggerated elements of peace, moved to a place of understanding. My chances of running back to church are mostly non-existent, but I was reminded that there is wisdom there too as well. I have evolved and gained a more mature, tolerant perspective about how everyone expresses their sense of spirituality. There is still some work ahead on all of this, but I am happily and notably more at peace. I was no longer searching for how to feel peace, because I let peace begin with me.
Jim Ventura 10-2021
“Ultimately, we have just one moral duty; to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it toward others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.” Etty Hillesum
Notes:
This year is coming to an end. The universal numerology year of 5 (2021) was definitely a year of change and a bit of notable turbulence often associated with the number 5 vibration. The year ahead; 2022 is a 6 more about home, family, service and a more domesticated feel...
To celebrate the finale of this year I am offering my New Client Special for both new and returning clients for $10-15 off listed rates now through December 31st. In addition my gift certificate special is an offer for up to a $75 discount for the purchase of three gift certificates. More information about that later in the newsletter.
I recently did a new YouTube video. I try to do one a month but it seems to be more like an every six week format. This one is of interest for anyone seeing repeated number combinations on clocks, receipts, and in other places. I also talk about what the master numbers mean. Check out the video and feel free to subscribe or pass along to friends. Referrals for new clients and subscribers to my Radio show channel, column subscription or YouTube, or for one on one sessions are always welcome!
Cut and paste in your browsers or u can access by going to my channel at J Ventura Snake Oil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTyatK4r4JU&t=179s
I am happy to be doing mini reading parties again. Covid of course killed a lot of that and now it’s slowly returning as people begin to gather together. One benefit of the social distancing and anxiety so many experienced from an almost two year pandemic, was I also developed an option for mini reading parties for out of area clients by face-Time or simply by phone. I have added more info about this on my website so if interested look for it there or email for information on setting one up in the coming year!
The holiday season is here again. We could also refer to it as sugar overdose season. I get okay with an added 5 pounds or so this time of year, then always plan (sometimes successfully) to drop it in the new year. But the Taurus rising part of me does enjoy a bit of indulgence here and there so also going with the flow. Wishing everyone a Happy holiday season and better New Year ahead! Cheers, Jim V
“Our bodies have five senses; touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing. But not to be overlooked are the senses of the souls; intuition, peace, foresight, trust, empathy. The differences between people lie in their use of these senses; most people don’t know anything about the inner senses while a few people rely on them just as much as they rely on their physical senses, and in fact probably even more.” C. JoyBell
November and December Gift certificates Special: $10-$75 off all sessions!
This offer is for new New Clients and Returning Clients
The holidays are approaching. Give a gift to someone you love that they will really appreciate: a reading/personal session with Jim Ventura. All sessions booked at this time and all gift certificates purchased from November 16th, 2021 until December 31st, 2021 will be at a discounted rate for all of the clients who are currently on my mailing list (receiving Snake Oil or following me on Face-Book, Instagram, or LinkedIn) and new first time clients as well can take advantage of the special!
Special discounted rate:
$10.00 off my current listed prices for any 45, 70, or 90 minute sessions. If you purchase up to 2 gift certificates (or decide to purchase a follow up session for yourself to use in the coming year after a session at this time) the second gift certificate is $20 off my listed prices. If you purchase a third it will be $40 off that one! A maximum of three session gift certificates may be purchased at this time. Cash or check payments can add an additional $5 off the total price.
Price list for services are at the end of this newsletter and on my website. The gift certificates are good for one full year and can be used any time during the remainder of 2021 and all of 2022. I will either mail them to you or, if you prefer, mail them directly to the people who you want to receive them (snail mail or email). You may want to buy a gift certificate(s) for friends, family or for yourself to be used anytime in 2022. Sessions can be in-office or by phone, or Face-Time for out-of-area clients.
“The more you talk about it, rehash it, rethink it, cross analyze it, debate it, respond to it, get paranoid about it, compete with it, complain about it, immortalize it, cry over it, kick it, defame its motives it continues to rot in your brain. It is dead. It is over. It is gone. It is done. It is time to bury it because it is smelling up your life and no one wants to be near your rotted corpse of memories and decaying attitude. Be the funeral director of your life and bury that thing!” Shannon Alder
Channeled corner. I read many, many books from different trance channelers in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Unfortunately many of them are now out of print, but I still have a huge collection and will share some of the best material I have collected over the years.
This is a great explanation about how things like genetics, heritage, astrology, numerology, and other sciences are meant to show attributes and dispositions, yet still involve choice. Here is a brief explanation of how Higher Self choices intersect with the idea of free will:
“...Each person, for example, is born with his or her uniquely individual set of characteristics and abilities. likes and dislikes. Those serve to organize individual action in a world where an infinite number of probable roads are open-and here again, private impulses are basically meant to guide each individual toward avenues of expression and probable activities suited best to organize action, and to set free will more effectively into motion. Otherwise, free will would be almost inoperable in practical terms: Individuals would be faced by so many choices that any decisions would be nearly impossible. Essentially, the individual would have no particular leaning toward any one action over any other...” Jane Roberts channeling Seth in the book: Dreams Evolution, and Value Fulfillment
“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” Gandhi
“Grudges are for those who insist they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.” Criss Jami, Salome
Snake Oil Radio
Thursdays at 3:30 pm (there will be two live broadcast this period)
My next live broadcast of Snake Oil Radio will be Thursday, December 2nd at 3:30 p.m. mountain (Phoenix) time. Usually one or two Thursdays each month you can catch a new show. Each 45 minute show will expand on my current column’s subject matter. It will also offer an opportunity for you to chat with other listeners in the chat room with comments and your thoughts about the topic of discussion. If you miss the live show, you can catch any of my previously recorded shows on the web site’s archive. You can also catch Snake Oil Radio on I-tunes (download my pod-casts there).
To hear a live show, all you need to do is be at a computer and tuned into: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Jim-Ventura You may also access it by going to the site and type “Snake Oil” into the search option. You can also go to the shows that are currently “On air” at that time and find me. The call in number is 646-200-3966 for questions and comments.
“I have lived with several Zen masters--all of them cats.” Eckhart Tolle
Here’s my contact information to make an appointment for a session, or information on current classes: Email: Venturasag@yahoo.com (best method for contact).
Phone calls to leave a message: (602) 957-3035 for text only: (602) 349-0746
Information about the different sessions and types of readings and services, past Snake Oil columns, and how to order my books and audio CD’s can be found at my website: Http://JimVentura.com
“Friend” me on Facebook to get other extra offers and in between column extras! Signing up for my fan page will get you even more extras and first shot at reading specials. Simply click on “like” on the fan page and you will automatically get my weekly updates.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-Ventura/110567902293371?ref=hl
You also may want to check out my posts on Tumblr.com:
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/snake-oil-blog
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel (approximately once a month 6-11 minute videos) at
J Ventura Snake Oil. You can also find me on Instagram..
All sessions/readings for 2020-22 are: Full (70 minutes) $115.00; Shorter session (45 minutes) $90.00; Extended session (90 minutes) $135.00 (two people can split an extended session back to back with an added fee of $5 for $70.00 each, although no other discounts will apply). Mini phone session 20 minutes $40. Email me for information about my Regular Client Program for even bigger discounts on session prices with the added benefit of monthly or quarterly check-ins. Purchasing 3 pre-paid sessions also brings sizable discounts (example 3 pre-paid 45 minute sessions is $150 total or $50 a session...)
