Snake Oil
Ending the Wars
I was excited. I hadn’t been on a Vegas vacation in almost four months. I was packed up and ready to make the five hour drive early on a Sunday morning. This trip was a little different than my usual every two or three month sojourns. I was overpacked for this one without much of a choice in the matter. I had a cooler that I iced up with sliced veggies, fruits, yogurts, and probiotics. I had also packed an added bag with many different bottles of things like green food powder, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera juice, psyllium husk, epsom salt, an assortment of bottles of herbal pills, and healthy snacks. I had a list of acupuncture doctors in the area if needed, and my insurance card for a last resort potential need of my medical insurance (High deductible Affordable Care Act insurance). I felt overburdened by how much I needed to take with me for this trip. As a Sagittarius, we’re not exactly known for our overpacking tendencies. What was comical was once I made it to the hotel, parked in the garage, and then optimistically figured I could carry my water jug and three full bags of crap in one shot to my hotel room. It was heavy, cumbersome, and I needed to pause many times along the way. I alternated between laughing at my cartoonish trek and being pissed off about all of it. Was this actually my current life as well as the possibly of all my future vacations?
The reason I was so heavily stacked with supplies was because the last few months had me studying and using herbal cures, acupuncture, dietary adjustments, and pressure points for healing. I had for the most part healed my issue with diverticulitis with these methods with real success in early 2019. I had an occasional much milder flair up from time to time but I was about 85 percent free of this illness entirely. Unfortunately the fall had me dealing with uncomfortable kidney issues, and milder bladder issues. I had notable discomfort on some days, and epsom salt baths were a huge help in decreasing the inflammation. I had two rounds of kidney stones that were painful and scary and breaking the stones without relying on western medicine was another test. The second of the two uncomfortable stone experiences was when I was in Las Vegas the last time. During this trip I was in excruciating pain for almost four hours on the second morning of my trip before they broke. During all of it I was wondering what I should do. Should cut my trip in half and head back to Phoenix? Try to find an acupuncturist here in Vegas? Bite the bullet and go to an emergency room in Vegas and use the mediocre insurance I had with it’s expensive co-pays? This would add another burden of feeling like I was going back to a system (I did go to emergency care months before this though to get a blood test and they mentioned the weakness in kidneys so that was useful) I had successfully avoided for the most part for almost 35 years now? I finally fell asleep and woke an hour later to a feeling of something breaking in a good way inside. I then heard a familiar inner voice say “you will be fine.” I felt like a bad-ass for having endured and overcome it and the rest of the trip was great. I trotted all my supplies back with me two days later as I headed home after a really fun trip.
There is a point that runs about ten miles where the I-40 meets 93 heading south that is a co-ordination point I discovered years ago (wrote about this in a column four years ago in more detail). Every time I drive through this area I find myself either mentally, physically, or spiritually lining up or getting insight and clarity. I decided to consciously ask my Higher Self as I passed through, what was still blocking me from complete healing in my digestion and elimination organs? I had made notable progress using the holistic methods although they worked slowly. The stone incident aside (even the fact that it pushed through in only four hours was pretty amazing in comparison to the last time it occurred) I was actually about seventy percent better overall in the process of healing these organs. I recognized fully that my beliefs formed my reality. I knew I was stuffing anger and fear in my digestive organs for many years of my life and the stones were a build up over time now finally releasing. The areas effected were all connected with second and third chakra’s; relationships and power respectively. Kidney issues usually have to do with reacting like a little kid, feeling criticized, and disappointment (from You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay). In tandem with tangible cures and healing methods I was moving through limited beliefs and perspectives all year about other people’s judgements of me and how I reacted to those judgments. The process was working and the organs were clearing and regenerating but every few days I would still feel discomfort so why hadn’t they fully healed? What was the missing piece in my belief systems that I wasn’t getting that was needed for full healing to occur? I pondered this as I headed south.
There are actually numerous examples of my success and work in overcoming reacting angrily to judgments in the last few months. Here is one of them: I had a client whose name actually sounded like the word fear. She bought a session through a Yelp promotion. She was impatient about booking, and was difficult to read for. A combination of impatience, martyrdom, fearfulness and combativeness to everyone around her made the session drag. Her cards were clear and reflected this, so I purposely encouraged her with a few personal stories, and some client’s stories about how to overcome limitations. We talked about her family, current lack of friends and a partnership, difficult work situations and many other things. I felt intuitively that she was thinking about opening her own business, and the Tarot cards reflected this too. After many years as a nail tech she had acquired a good amount of knowledge. It looked like that would be possible but might take almost two years to do so and finding a partner or investor. I added an extra fifteen minutes of free session time to encourage her.
When she got home she emailed me asking for her money back saying: “You didn’t talk enough about me and it wasn’t worth the $80 charge.” While events like this are rare thankfully I knew this was a play she likely used often in other areas as well using a service and then complaining to get the money back. A type of scam common for people immersed in extreme martyrdom. I surprisingly acted out of character. Didn’t get mad or offended at all and refunded her money without question. Why go into the “gall of her doing this” and damage my gall bladder too? I decided it didn’t matter and I would have the added blessing of never having to work with her again or add her to my mailing list. The next day two new clients booked sessions and a client from over a year ago contacted me to cover a session she had never paid for. She apologized about the delay and also pre-paid three more sessions. I took in far more than the “lost” $80 and with far less stress. There was the magic of allowing the Universe to solve the situation in it’s own perfect wisdom.
My intention was clear on the drive through this power spot but I didn’t get a direct answer. I started to think about my Aries niece. I hadn’t seen her in a few years but recalled how she often saw the world as a battlefield. While not every Aries I have know have been like this, a good amount were (Mars ruling planet gives strength and courage but can also bring battle). Then I thought about my recently deceased Aries mother. I had forgiven mom months ago for the hurts created during my childhood (this is primarily what cured the diverticulitis) so there wasn’t any pain connected to memories of my mom anymore, mostly love, appreciation for the good things she did (there were actually a lot) and acceptance of her flaws. But Mom was often in a battle of some sort whether real or imagined. She was angry at my sisters and my brothers often. She despised many of the neighbors and some of their kids. Yes, she did have a few friends, but she was irritated with most of them at time too. She didn’t speak to my father’s relatives. She was angry with NY’s governor, Democrats, supermarkets, Non-Catholics, Catholics, some of my dad’s friends, and so many other things. I chuckled about how much energy she put into some kind of war, and grateful that I didn’t do much of this type of thing. Then it hit me as I got closer to Phoenix-the Light Bulb moment came; I was not in any way as bad as mom, but I definitely had some tendency to do this too!
Years of meditation and spiritual work have helped me to allow criticisms from others and general negativity to simply flow through me most of the time, but a lingering part of me still battled a bit too much. I cursed and get irritated with “idiot drivers” on the road. I sometimes get annoyed when clients, friends and even family members and people who don’t get back to me for days, weeks, or even ever when I would send emails or texts. I watch television shows about political matters and get frustrated with people on the “wrong side” of an issue. I still sometimes get triggered when I get an obnoxious comment about one of my Youtube videos, FaceBook posts, or radio shows. Granted they are surprisingly rare, but it can still hurt when this happens to anyone, me included. I have been expanding my work in all kinds of media and television, I know I will need to get an even thicker skin as I inevitably reach more and more people in the coming years. While I battle far less than my mother and some of my family members do (we were all raised by a mom who acted a bit like a baby sometimes and understandably mirrored her) I still sometimes do this and years of it was basically stuffing this anger into my digestive organs, especially my kidneys. So much of our behaviors and beliefs become almost unconscious, we never question them. Especially from parents, and the areas we grew up in where we were told “how you are supposed to react.” I was still acting like I was in little wars, real or imagined and it was not only getting old, but hurting me physically. It was time to end a lot more of the energy I put into wars. I have no doubt that the remaining discomfort in in my body will clear up now. When we shift our beliefs, actions, and our diets to more positive ways of living, we no longer need to be as obsessed about carrying all the healing tools (they have already done their job!) around with us anymore. We can still use them, but they become less of a necessity. The body is in harmony again and can naturally flow the way it was designed too. I would now dump not only the baggage of physically carrying so much stuff around, but also finally internally letting go of unnecessary wars and battles. I feel lighter already.
Jim Ventura 4-2020
Notes
I have been studying health and alternative healing methods for many years now. I was often sick as a child with allergies, colds and even flu’s fairly often. These challenges prompted me to learn and study to heal this. My Mars defiance was not willing to accept a life of this. I was allergic to cats all of my life until I resolved that (completely BTW) by addressing the underlying emotional blocks and beliefs, getting a cat as a pet, and using holistic methods.
I have used Western Medicine a few times and have seen that it definitely has value. I had appendicitis when I was seventeen and thankfully had surgery. I had a calcium build up on the middle finger of my right hand and had surgery to remove it at age 18. When I was 37 I did something sexually reckless and had to use an antibiotic to heal it, thankfully it is also permanently gone (and lesson learned) and the antibiotic worked so well and quickly precisely because I never used them before. I had a blood test to confirm that there was a weakness in my kidneys primarily when I had diverticulitis last year. And thats all folks. I am glad I do have the back up of insurance for Western medicine insurance and the option. While it’s is rare if ever for me to use I think its a good idea to have just in case. I write and teach about the different aspects of using alternative medicine (with a heavy focus on changing limiting beliefs) because I want to suggest to my clients and readers to consider other ways to heal. Most of my readers will use Western Medicine and often with beneficial results. I suggest many people think more about looking at healing from other angles as well.
The last few months have definitely been a bit of a twilight episode to say the least. My heart goes out to everyone who lost a friend or family member to this. I actually wrote a lot about this Covid-19 scare on Facebook. Enlightening some and likely pissing off others! Discussing the astrology behind this aspect, building strong immune systems and understanding that “there are hazards on the physical plane” were the brunt of my messages. I even did an extra radio show about it and the totem of Owl. A link for this is accessible below. I suggest following me on FaceBook on my business page or even a friend request. Be prepared I am not only entertaining as hell with my humor but not afraid to tackle a few subjects that may push a few buttons. I have been expanding my media work all over. I used the time in the quarantine (my business dropped about 40 percent, but one the lucky ones who can handle that temporary loss financially. I made practical changes after the economic issues in 2009) to learn more about marketing and expanding my YouTube channel. My videos are new about once a month there (only 4-7 minutes purposely) and discuss many different subjects not addressed in my Snake Oil columns. Look me up on YouTube.com and subscribe to my videos there if you’re interested.
Recent video: (cut and paste for some reason when I link it, it makes every sentence in the newsletter underlined)
Breath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6unQMvHPyQ&t=12s
As we trudge through the rebuilding of our economy over the next few months and years (not an easy task to say the least) It’s easy to talk about the negatives and there were many. Yet there were also benefits with this Saturn/Pluto conjunction (it occurs about every 35 years or so and discussed in detail on my FaceBook page as well as in the radio show) to consider. Aside from the cleaning up of the environment, refocusing on priorities, a needed rest and retreat from crazy pace of life, facing fear head on, etc...the Conjunction of these planets (and Jupiter) offer a chance to reconsider your work, career, mission and message, and status in life. Are you meant to reconfirm the reason for the path you are currently on or change direction at this time in your life? The answers will be different for everyone. I have often been told by people that I am lucky that I had such an easy time (in comparison to many) in finding my life path at a young age. I was” lucky;” I found Astrology, Numerology, Animal totems, and other oracles when I was in my late teens and early twenties. Those things helped my get a clear path at so, so many levels. They can also help you!
Because there are many people who had to deal with some tighter financial limitations in the last two months, I am offering a special From May 1st through June 30th for new and returning clients of $15-20 off all 45, 70, 90 minute sessions. You can also pre-purchase three sessions (at an even bigger discount) to explore the three primary things I did to find my clear path in life. More information later in the newsletter about the special. Consider giving the special also as a gift to someone who is struggling with clarity about their life path if you are able to.
Wishing everyone a healthy, happy start to the summer of 2020! cheers, Jim V
“And Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is over. But one thing is for certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” Haruki Murakami
Who Are You?
May and June Special for new and returning clients! $15-20 off 1 session and up to $155 for three pre-paid!
The fallout from this pandemic and the astrology that contributed to triggering its appearance (Saturn Conjunct Pluto in Capricorn in early 2020) has been challenging to say the least.
There are some positive aspects to consider too:
Capricorn energy and some of the planets (Jupiter and Mars) moving into Aquarius are giving us the boost to consider whether we need to reinforce and strengthen our current life path with increased perseverance or to change gears and become who we were really meant to be!
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstance, would have lain dormant.” Horace
I was "lucky" because my studies of Astrology, Numerology, and Animal totems in my late teens made it clear who I was and what my life mission(s) were with clarity. I knew what I was meant to do by the age of 27.
Any one session with any of these oracles will give clarity and insight about your work, mission and message, career, and status.
A combination of all three sessions would be even more powerful!
My current special for in-office, phone, and FaceTime sessions is from May 1st until June 30th. $15-$155 (all three sessions pre-purchased) discount off my listed rates for both new and returning clients. Email me for more info and to schedule: Venturasag@yahoo.com
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.
“...What is your perception of disease?
If you consider (believe) your accidental body to be floating through its meaningless days in a planet swarming with germs, viruses, bacteria and other pestilence whose sole purpose and intention is to strike you dead, to eliminate you from the gene pool, then the course of one’s life thus becomes a constant micro-organismic target-shooting game with you the frantic target. dodging projectiles of death by donning the armor of pills, vitamins, diet, and so on.
Remember, above all, your beliefs create your reality. If you believe you are at the mercy of microscopic organisms that intend you harm, you shall indeed find yourself falling ill on a regular basis, pumping yourself full of antibiotics to kill the little buggers, and then enjoying a brief respite before the next onslaught. You live, therefore, in a perpetual fear of disease.
Remember our old friend, fear? Does it ever lead to understanding? Does it ever lead to purposeful action? No, it always leads to paralysis, and irrational action.
Thus your entire medical system is structured upon beliefs that guarantee that you will become ill on a regular basis; that you, an individual can have no comprehension of how your body works and must not attempt to heal yourself in any situation, always depending on the advice of your schooled better; and reducing your life to a game of chance, a roll of the dice, forever the prey of pernicious creatures you cannot even see.
Now let us state the reality.
THE UNIVERSE IS SAFE. It is not out to deceive you, to deprive you, to batter you about. The state of health, of your body working in smooth unison with your mind, is the most natural course of events. When you do become ill, it is a sign that you have not faced certain issues; you are therefore urged to stop and consider that state of your life and what might have brought on the illness. And the illness itself, it’s expression in your body, will always carry a host of clues as to the genuine source. The world is not out to trick you? Any disease or illness will always represent, in plainest terms, the issues you have not faced that brought it on...”
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” Khalil Gibran
“Don’t worry. Just when you think your life is over, a new story line falls from the sky and lands right in your lap.” Rebekah Crane
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, May 14th. at 3:30 p.m. mountain 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.
“...It has been said that only at the moment of greatest darkness do we become aware of the light within and come to recognize the true creative powers of the self...”Rune of Constraint Ralph Blum
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: (602) 957-3035 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.
You also may want to check out my posts on Tumblr.com: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/snake-oil-blog
All sessions/readings for 2020-21 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...)
