My mum (pictured here) has spent the last four weeks in hospital, during which time she was permitted to leave for a few hours to celebrate her 90th birthday. Spending hours each day with her at the hospital, there was plenty of opportunity to reflect on and to discuss ageing. It became evident that it was highly unlikely she would be able to return to independent living in her own home. Given her location, family and social network the most logical residential option is a local nursing home and residential aged care facility that my dad was responsible for being built as his ‘project’ when he was the president of the local Rotary club back in the late 60’s. This would mean that she would be going from a four-bedroom home to a ‘hostel room with an ensuite’. Until recently, mum had been going out to this nursing home for years, being part of the support group that helped with their singing days. In many instances she was older than the people she was serving. Intimately familiar with what this move would mean she asked (with tears) a very poignant question, “Who will I be now?” Observing the inevitable confrontation with becoming elderly, 14th century Italian humanist philosopher, Francesco Petrarch wrote, “How swiftly time before my eyes rushed on after the guiding sun that never rests…This morning I was a child and am now old.” Petrarch, in describing the ‘trumps’ of life explains how Time (in the medieval manuscripts of Petrarch’s Trionfo, Time would be depicted as an old man carrying an hourglass typical of il tempo or the hermit in the tarot cards) “dissolves all mortal things, both physical and mental. Men turn to dust and life to smoke. Old age brings misery and Glory melts like snow in the sun. Time, in his avarice, steals all and thus triumphs over the world and Fame.”[i] Whenever those of us in the Western culture are presented (often beyond our control) with times of significant transition we either consciously or subconsciously ask this same question? An adolescent develops ‘adult physical features’ and in the case of young women, commence their menses, and even if not conscious of it will wonder, “Who am I now?” Women go through menopause, men through andropause, as well as facing retirement and may well ask, “So who will I be now?” In astrology reference is made to two Saturn returns, seen to be associated with those times when we make the transition from our formative years to our productive years (around the age of 30), and from our productive years to our harvest years (around the age of 60). Each time we are presented with the same question, “Who will I be now?” If we live long enough there is this time, like that confronting my mum, where all that essentially defines who we are both physically and mentally will be taken away. This results in what can be best described as a crisis of values. In other words, if what you valued was invested in external measures like wealth, power, love and intimacy, and popularity, then anytime natural justice, ageing or misfortune take them away, (which is inevitable) you’ll experience a values crisis. The recent pandemic forced people globally to prematurely experience that very thing. It would seem that a significant number of people found it overwhelming, typical of what the elderly experience when ‘Time’ turns their world upside down. During the pandemic, people were and still are being confronted with the loss of freedom, being confined to their homes. In many cases they struggled to keep their businesses open and to find enough money to pay the rent or sustain mortgage payment for their homes. What has significantly affected many people is the lack of social contact. When you think about it, this is typical of what a lot of elderly people experience, more especially, the older they get. The world has been given an intimate look at what the elderly have been experiencing for many years. In many cultures rites of passage are used for significant periods of transition. In the case of my own children, when my son reached the age of puberty and had noticeably developed more manly features, a friend of ours and his two boys, who were about the same age, decided to hold a rite of passage ceremony. In addition to the ceremony, it was decided to do bungy-jumping, which as dads we also did as our boys were quick to point out that we hadn’t had our rites of passage as teenagers. My daughters had their rites of passage with their mum and their network of women and girlfriends. Recently, friends of mine separated amicably and I suggested they hold a rite of passage to hold sacred this significant period of transition. The ceremony began with one large lit candle from which they each lit their own candle. The first candle was then blown out, symbolic of their union coming to a close. The lighting of individual candles symbolised the idea that the light they shared still existed in their individually lit candles. In their independence they could still acknowledge the love that they had shared. They were each then given a ‘worry-bead’ bracelet and for the number of beads that were on the bracelet, they would send their ex-partner a SMS message telling them what they appreciated about them, for as many days as there were beads. They had to wear the bracelet for the duration, after which they could do with it as they pleased. With their last bead they wrote a message of appreciation for the way they had been blessed, having been together. While talking to mum, the thought crossed my mind that what she was about to experience was one of the most challenging periods of transition that someone might face. Of course, many people by virtue of their spiritual journey voluntarily make this shift in values way before becoming elderly. Typically, this process of transition is called the Dark Night of the Soul. It’s my belief that whether it’s done voluntarily at an earlier age, or brought on by natural justice, ageing, or misfortune (or is experienced in post-mortality), it will still be a Dark Night of the Soul. This transition from unsustainable values to sustainable values in the Christian tradition was formalised in a rite of passage called baptism. I like to think of it as spiritual bungy-jumping since the apostle Paul wrote, “It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb 10:31) Given the significance of this passage of transition, I began to explore that idea that people in the same situation as my mum could benefit greatly by holding a rite of passage ceremony. It would highlight the profundity of this transition from home to residential age care. It would give the elderly somewhere to ‘park’ their grief as their fast approaching ‘end of day’, that inevitable destination of Time, more quickly dissolves the body and the mind. By shifting the focus from one of loss to one of celebration and giving helps to reduce the impact of grief. This rite of passage would include family and close friends at the elder’s home and might include the following components: 1. In the ceremony, the family and friends that have gathered publicly acknowledge the elder’s contribution in their lives and highlight the key points of this elder’s journey, giving space for appreciation and gratitude, thus helping to minimise the impact of grief. 2. The gifting of personal artifacts to specific family members and close friends by the elder will fill the elder’s heart with the joy that giving brings (which they would miss out on after their death). The elder can now associate joy rather than loss with the things they have had to leave behind. 3. There could be a ‘key ceremony’ where the elder hands over the keys to their house, and in return are given an album of memories of the home they are leaving and a maybe an important plant or something similar that holds the symbolic essence of their home that will help to bring that energy to their new home. 4. A ‘mourning tea’ where family and friends gather to share food and company, thus helping the elder to be more of the observer of their past and less attached to it. Being the observer of their past, one is more able to be detached from the past. 5. The elder is then taken to their new residence by close family and friends where a priest or person of spiritual significance performs a blessing or clearing ceremony on the new space, highlighting that this is now a sacred space. A place of heightened spiritual alignment, given the gift of being release from their material-centred world. 6. Each family member and close friend will then publicly declare what they will do to support the elder while they are in their new ‘home’. When we have the capacity to see something differently, then and only then can we change our experience of that thing. One of the most important steps listed above is the fifth one. It’s creating this idea that where they have moved to is a sacred space. Sacred, because it’s here that the real work can be done to consciously prepare to cross the final human portal, from life to death (given that most of the mental faculties are functioning). Now free of those things that had defined who they were in the world (their home, possessions and activity in the world) the elder has the opportunity to contemplate who they are without those things and explore a whole new set of values with which to be aligned. The absence of that, can only result in suffering that attachment with loss brings. As an aside, this rite of passage would also be beneficial to the family and friends of the elder who might otherwise be burdened with the sadness and possibly even guilt at having to orchestrate this shift for their loved one. An expansion of their ongoing support is the encouragement and assistance they can give the elder in more fully embracing this sacred part of their life-journey. In Part 2 of The Ageing Epidemic, I will discuss what the nature of this contemplative time could look like. [i] From The Early Renaissance Personification of Time and Changing Concepts of Temporality by Simona Cohen

No, I am not another Greta knocker, but my question is serious. I have always taken what could be best described as a metaphysical approach to the human experience. Forty years in ‘natural’ healthcare, the last decade of which has been focused on western mindfulness, has provided plenty of evidence to support this notion. Obviously for some time I have tried to make sense of Covid19 and the global pandemic from a metaphysical perspective. This last week the penny finally dropped. A part of my perspective of the human experience is open to the idea that what manifests in physical form was first created energetically. From the human perspective, what the mind and heart (consciousness) are aligned with forms our reality. I have personally worked with enough people over the last decade to see that when people shift their state of consciousness, their reality changes. If this holds true, then in terms of our global pandemic, it begs the question, “What global alignment of consciousness could be powerful enough to have caused a pandemic?” In the context of social dynamics, critical mass is when a sufficient number of people become so aligned with an idea that it causes a tipping point or threshold where the perceived reality of a community or population is impacted. It’s my theory that in 2019 Greta Thunberg reached a critical mass of the global population with her passionate message to ‘save the planet’. In just one year she was presented with seven prestigious awards including Time magazine’s Person of the Year 2019. Called ‘the Greta effect’, Thunberg in one year created more global awareness and gathered more support about the need to reverse global warming than any other person in human history. The breadth of her influence, it could be argued, reached that all important global critical mass. This much change in consciousness, meaning that a critical mass of the global population has been impacted, meant that in the context of metaphysics, reality had to change, it could no longer stay the same. Since it came across that the agenda for change was primarily fear driven, then fear would infuse this collective shift in consciousness. Fear inspires urgency, which on this scale would be the catalyst for an almost immediate dramatic global shift in reality. Enter, the pandemic. Thunberg didn’t create Covid19. But, here is one example of how the pandemic mirrored Thunberg’s rhetoric. Greta was responsible for bringing to prominence ‘flight shame’, an anti-flying movement promoting train travel over flying in-order to help reduce the accelerating greenhouse emissions created by the airline industry. This movement already existed before Thunberg’s prominence, having been started by Swedish Olympian athlete Björn Ferry. It only became globally noticed (critical mass) when Thunberg refused to fly to her international engagements, choosing to sail instead. You may have already guessed where this was going. One of the biggest impacts of the pandemic was essentially the shutting down of almost all air travel. The reduction in air pollution was unprecedented and was achieved much more quickly that anyone ever thought possible. Thunberg clearly identified capitalism and consumerism as major causes for escalating greenhouse emissions. Once again the pandemic was more powerful than any capitalist as they couldn’t stop its ability to curtail consumption. All the while, the key motive that allowed the pandemic to bring about these changes was the global fear of imminent death. Ironically, Thunberg was also talking about death, but the difference was, she was talking about global mortality that was relatively more remote. That said, the poignancy of her message was heard by teenagers and the young adults who would be most impacted in the future by the rapid deterioration of the ‘health’ of the environment. The challenge when change is the result of fear and scarcity is the lack of sustainability. In spite of the critical mass buying into Thunberg’s message, the critical mass has also suffered from the forced loss of those things that they relied on most; their freedom to consume, to socialise and to travel. The very things that if limited, in terms of travel and consumption, could make a significant contribution to healing the environment. On a slightly different angle, these priorities were the primary distractions of choice that made it possible for most people to function day to day despite their personal suffering. Most people are struggling with scarcity in terms of wealth, autonomy, feeling loveable and acceptance. Having had a taste of what will be required to ‘save the planet’, there will be many people who aren’t so sure that what they experienced at the hands of the pandemic, is what they are prepared to do voluntarily. This is the point where the support for saving the planet begins to wane and the critical mass can no longer be sustained. That being the case, the world quickly returns to its habitual ways of avoiding those things that are responsible for their personal suffering, thus dropping the environmental agenda. The question has to be asked, “Can a critical mass of the population be inspired to want to ‘save the planet’ motivated by love and not fear?’ If the weakest link in the ‘Greta effect’ is the lack of sustainable commitment by the critical mass because of their need to avoid their suffering, then it makes sense that the sustainable remedy must be to have the critical mass shift their perceived reality from one of scarcity and fear to one of abundance and love. Imagine for a moment a critical mass whose values had permanently shifted from the need for wealth, power, love (eros) and fame to minimalism, self-realisation, agape (brotherly love) and social justice (for anawims and the planet). Imagine a critical mass with sufficient self-worth that their lives are filled with peace, joy, love, kindness, temperance, patience, gentleness and mercy, lives where feeling discombobulated is a rarity. The ‘church’ had a mandate to champion that state of consciousness, but because of its own greed, abuse of power, fear-centred teachings and self-importance, it forfeited that mandate. What the world needs now is the ‘Agape effect’, a global critical mass that is committed to remembering in each moment that they have a choice to be more loving to themselves, to others and to the planet.

You can’t just walk on into the Rose-garden, you need a key, and that key is revealed in the Cathar Code hidden in the symbology of the cards of the Marseille Tarot major arcana. Joseph Campbell in The Mythic Image make reference to the Rose of France, the centre of the rose window in the northern transept of Chartres Cathedral. “There, in the center, sits the Virgin, crowned, the scepter of world rule in her right hand and her left supporting the infant Christ. She is in this vision the ‘Mystical Rose’ of the litany, vehicle and support of the revelation of God, the very ‘Gate of Heaven’.” Barbara Walker further expands our understanding of the Rose-garden in her book, The Women’s Encyclopaedia of Myths and Secrets. “In the great age of cathedral building, when Mary was worshipped as a goddess in her ‘Palaces of the Queen of Heaven’ or Notre Dame (meaning Our Mother/Lady), she was at different times given a variety of rose centered titles: the Rose, Rose-bush, Rose-garland, Rose-garden, Wreath of Roses, Mystic Rose, Queen of the Most Holy Rose-garden.” Walker explains further, “The church, the garden, and Mary’s body were all mystically one; for she was Lady Ecclesia, the Church, as well as ‘the pure womb of regeneration’. Like the pagan temple, the Gothic cathedral represented the body of the goddess who was also the universe, containing the essence of the male godhood within herself. This was largely forgotten after the passing of the Gothic period.” In The World card the Rose-garden is symbolised by a yoni, the mandorla shape surrounding the central figure. At this point in the Fool’s journey, they can only go one of two ways. Not being in possession of the Rose Key that allows them to enter the sacred yoni, the Fool is reincarnated and is born of flesh once more, to once again encounter the Magician’s world of illusion. Having been born of water (having become a Fool for Christ) the Fool is in possession of the key, that opens the Mystical Rose, the secret Rose-garden, the Gate of Heaven. Now the Fool as the Christ is permitted to enter the sacred yoni and can now be born of the spirit. As Jesus explained, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The Cathars possessed the knowledge of the mysteries that would reveal the Rose Key, which was the only way the Gate of Heaven (the Rose-garden) could be opened. In this regard, the Marseille Tarot is much more than a tool for doing tarot readings. If people really knew what they had in their possession regarding the Marseille Tarot they would understand that it was ‘the pearl of great price’ that Jesus explained, would have a merchant sell all that he has to buy it. Anne Barring and Jules Cashford explain it this way in their book, The Myth of the Goddess. “The great myth of the Bronze Age is structured upon the distinction between the ‘whole’, personified as the Great Mother Goddess, and the ‘part’, personified as her lover-son or her daughter...This essential distinction between the whole and the part was later formulated in the Greek language by two different Greek words for life, zoe and bios, as the embodiment of two dimensions coexisting in life. Zoe is eternal and infinite life; bios is finite and individual life...The Great Mother Goddess can be recognised as the totality of the lunar cycle - as zoe - and her daughter and son-lover, who emerge from and return to her, can be seen as the moon’s phases - as bios...The sacred marriage, in which the Mother Goddess as bride is united with her son-lover, reconnects symbolically the two ‘worlds’ of zoe and bios.” This sacred union is not the hieros gamos, the sacred marriage of Christ and Sophia depicted in The Sun card. That created the androgyny which is the Rose Key. This Rose Key is the son-lover that now enters the bridal chamber of the Mother Goddess. There was a time in the Neolithic era “when the goddess was the image of the Whole, when life emerged from and returned to her, and when she was conceived as the door or gateway to a hidden dimension of being that was her womb, the eternal source and regenerator of life.” (Barring and Cashford) It was this knowledge and understanding of the mother goddess that became a key part of Mary’s mantle that was the precious knowledge secreted our of Montsegur by four Cathar perfecti on that fateful night in 1244. They possessed the mysteries of the Rose Key, the key that made it possible to unlock the birth passage to obtaining eternal life, becoming at-one-with the good God. This divine womb of the Mother Goddess was the Holy Grail, for which the Cathars were custodians. This knowledge was the purpose for these portable stain glass windows (the Marseille Tarot) being created in the first place. It was the perfect place to hide sacred mysteries - in plain sight! The image of The World card included in this article is from the Tarot de Marseille [Edition Millennium] © 2011 FJP (Paris) This photo is from my personal alter, which includes symbols of the Yoni Rose and the Key (the cross). The image of the 'Gate' is from the book, The Hermetic Museum, Alchemy & Mysticism. Alexander Roob, © 2001 TASCHEN GmbH, Cologne, Germany. #worldcard #marseilletarot #catharcode #holygrail #thespiritualrootsofthetarot #rosegarden #rosekey

Guiding you on your soul journey. New Course Out Now! A Map for Transcendence Join Russell for a 16-session journey through the nature of human suffering, and discover the path that can lead you to uncover your true nature and the healing that follows. Find Out More Hello and Welcome If you have arrived here, you are likely seeking healing or a deeper understanding of your soul's journey—both of which you will find here. Russell has dedicated three and a half decades to serving as a spiritual mentor, author, and educator, guiding others along an ancient pathway to inner peace and helping them integrate this essence into their daily lives. Additionally, he brings over 50 years of experience in Osteopathic Massage and almost 40 years of expertise as one of Australia’s most prominent practitioners and educators of Bowen Therapy. We invite you to explore the range of services offered by Russell below. Work with Russell The Cathar Code Explore the ancient knowledge and divine wisdom of the Cathar. Speaking and Seminars Request Russell for a podcast, or engage him for a speaking event. Upcoming Events A complete list of upcoming events with Russell . Mindfulness Mentoring Identify and transform your subconscious narrative and habits. Bowen Therapy Treatments Book a Osteopathic Bowen Therapy session with Russell. Online Courses Learn at your own pace with courses on demand. The Mindful Healer Learn how to be more mindful in your role as a health professional. Numerology Book an online reading, or sit with Russell at his local markets. Mentor Training Find out what it takes to become a Western Mindfulness Mentor Books By Russell Immerse yourself in understanding the transformative power of the Beatitudes. Be guided on your soul journey at your own pace with my three books. Explore Titles Spiritual Roots of the Tarot Metanoia Get Out of Jail Card Spiritual Roots of the Tarot 1/3 Latest from the Blog Created by Russell for The Centre for Western Mindfulness 4 Part Blog Series HALE - A Mindful Intervention A tool to help you sustain love-centred living as a way of life. Read the Blog 8 Part Blog Series Understanding Forgiveness When peace is your priority, forgiveness will be your only function. Read the Blog 8 Part Blog Series The Eight Principles of Love Explore the eight beatitudes from the sermon on the mount in detail. Read the Blog Client Feedback Dan Cosgrove - Queensland Australia Russell's insights and ability to help others to navigate, and successfully transcend, even if only for moments at a time, the sometimes horrendous and often difficult walk that we call being human are profound. Melding very old philosophies with new, he has happened upon a teaching that is rare. Russell's programs are thoughtfully designed and presented brilliantly. I would recommend any of his work to anyone with a modicum of wanting to live a better life. 5 stars from me!

Russell has presented at workshops and conferences globally since the late 80's. He is an engaging teacher and speaker earning him well deserved reviews about his presentations.  Explore samples of his work and request him for your next podcast or event. Speaking and Seminars Russell has presented at workshops and conferences globally since the late 80's. He is an engaging teacher and speaker earning him well deserved reviews about his presentations. Explore samples of his work and request him for your next podcast or event. Book Now Spirit Gym with Paul Chek Ep. 335: Tarot for Progressive Enlightenment (2025) Listen Now Bris. Theosophical Society: Marseille Tarot - Exploring our True Nature (2024) Watch Now The Bowen Wellness Summit (Advert) Russell's Talk: The Mindful Healer (2024) Watch Now Monique Chapman Podcast The Tarot and The Cathar Code (2021) Listen Now An extract of Russell's interview for the documentary, These Two Hands (2018) Watch Now Russell speaking at the BTFA Conference (2013) Watch Now Interview with Bowen Therapy Professional Association (BTPA) (2025) Watch Now Caritas Consciousness Project: The Spiritual Roots of the Tarot (2024) Watch Now Spirit Gym with Paul Chek Episode 226: Russell Sturgess the Cathar Code (2023) Listen Now Everything Imaginable Episode 164: From Fool to Enlightenment (2021) Listen Now Exploring Sympathy vs Empathy at the BTFA Conference (2016) Watch Now BowenBuzz with Chris Reed Episode 40: Healing Journeyman (2024) Listen Now The Healers Café Podcast: Bowen Therapy Opens the Veil Between Human and Soul (2024) Watch Now Talk Gnosis interviews Russell on Tarot & the Secret of the Cathars (2021) Watch Now End of the Road Episode 150: Russell Sturgess The Mystic Journey (2020) Listen Now Russell explains how our childhood narrative is developed (2015) Watch Now Make an Appointment Fill out a short form and schedule a brief chat with Russell to request him for your podcast, or be a guest speaker at your upcoming event. Book Now These Two Hands Documentary Russell joins several leading therapists in the industry to share the profound healing nature of Bowen Therapy, while celebrating the magnificent mind and hands behind the method, Tom Bowen. You can purchase the movie here: https://www.thesetwohands.com.au/

Explore all of Russell's upcoming events, or join the waitlist to find out when new events are released. Upcoming Events Awareness and Mindfulness Events The Mindful Healer Events Events on Awareness and Mindfulness Can't find an event? Join the Waitlist Western Mindfulness 101 Monday 31 March 2024 7.30pm Imagine the stress of life becoming like water off a ducks back. This western approach to mindfulness teaches you how to sustain the awareness needed to have peace and joy become the 'rule' and not the 'exception'. Join Western Mindfulness founder Russell Sturgess live, as he discusses the nature of consciousness and explains how your habits are responsible for much of your suffering. Free Event Go to Events for Health Professionals Can't find an event? Join the Waitlist The Mindful Healer ONLINE 8-Week Online Workshop More Dates coming soon $750.00 AUD (12 people per workshop) Go to Events Based on The Cathar Code Can't find an event? Join the Waitlist A Map for Transcendence (Course on Demand) Join Russell in this 16-session course where together you will explore the ancient wisdom of the Cathar embedded in the Marseille Tarot. The symbolism contained within the cards will take you on a journey through the nature of human suffering, and illuminate the path that can lead each person to uncover their true nature, and the healing that brings. $290.00 AUD Go to Theosis: The Purpose of Human Life Wednesday 9th April 2025 7.30pm Brisbane Theosophical Society 355 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD In his talk Russell will explore how catharsis is achieved through surrender, and illumination through agape. Only then will we remember our true nature - Infinite Consciousness. And that, is Theosis. Free Go to Western Australia Tarot Conference Sat 15 - Sun 16 Mar 2025 This year the Western Australia Tarot Conference is taking place at the Italian Club in Fremantle. If you plan on attending the event, be sure to stop buy Russell's booth to find out more about his book 'The Spiritual Roots of the Tarot: The Cathar Code Hidden in the Cards' , as well as his new course 'A Map for Transcendence'. We look forward to seeing you there. Find Tickets Go to Theosis: The Purpose of Human Life Sunday 23rd March 2025 2.00pm Sunshine Coast Theosophical Society Suncare Community Centre, 2-6 George St, Maroochydore In his talk Russell will explore how catharsis is achieved through surrender, and illumination through agape. Only then will we remember our true nature - Infinite Consciousness. And that, is Theosis. Free / Small Donation Go to Cathar Code Events What People Say "Your presentation was fantastic. I'm still absorbing it all. Your passion, knowledge, research and dedication is inspiring! (T.S) "I saw Russell at Tarosophy Conference in Keswick (UK) last year, it was an outstanding presentation. (M.D) I HAD to buy his book as the presentation was mind blowing. (M.O) Russell brought down the house! (K.K)