I’m not one to feel the need to put myself or others in neat little boxes with labels, especially when it comes to religion or politics. I am not Catholic - although my father’s people, the Italian side, practiced Catholicism - & growing up I attended many a Sunday Mass with my Strega-Nonna - working especially with The Blessed Virgin Mary & all the Saints - in an earth-based-peasant-kind-of way, with tons of incense & candles. My mother’s folk wore the Protestant orange in Ireland, but quickly became Baptists after living in Tennessee. In the track-house suburban hell I grew up in, we were bussed off to Bible School as kids for the simple reason that the van came every Sunday to get the local children out of their parent’s hair for the day. I did not have a good experience there. On the outside they preached a sexist totalitarian ‘morality’ of the buttoned up, no dancing kind - & yet behind closed doors the pastor molested certain ‘chosen ones’- myself included. So, as you might imagine I swore off organized religion - relating more with my Grandmother’s way of celebrating, with Mary as the Divine Feminine at the center.
Now, I live deeply into the practice of being an Anthroposopher – Working the path of the modern Rosicrucian - an Esoteric/Cosmic Christian passage. I am an active member of the ‘Christian Community’ - part of the ‘International Movement for Religious Renewal’, founded in 1922 with the help of Rudolf Steiner. And yet every year I feel the need to use the opportunity afforded by the Lenten-Tide to deepen my inner work. There is something powerful about the 40 days – culminating with the Resurrection. This rhythm of 40 shows up often – seen particularly in the Bible - & since the # 40 appears so often in contexts dealing with judgment or testing, many understand it to be the number of “probation” or “trial.” For instance:
In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days & 40 nights (Genesis 7:12).
After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30).
Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days & 40 nights (Exodus 24:18).
Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days & 40 nights after the Tribes fell back into idol worship while he was gone (Deuteronomy 9:18-25).
The first 3 Kings reigned for 40 years each: Saul, David & Solomon – That’s no coincidence - since 40 years is considered one generation. For these 3 Kings of Israel’s antiquity, this measurement of time also contains a warning - 20 years of their rule was marked by prosperity - & 20 years by ruin. We’ve all heard the term 40 lashes (Deuteronomy 25:3) the maximum number a man could receive for a crime.
The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Before Samson’s deliverance, Israel served the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1).
Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16).
When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days & 40 nights to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).
The number 40 also appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel (4:6; 29:11-13) He laid on his right side for 40 days to “bear the iniquity” of Judea’s sins (3:4).
In the New Testament, Christ Jesus fasted for 40 days & 40 nights (Matthew 4:2). (So did Moses, & Elijah)
There are 40 days between The Resurrection & The Ascension (Acts 1:3), a powerful time when the community of disciples received the esoteric teachings of the Risen Christ, before Pentecost.
And so dear friends, I will be taking this 40 day journey - May each step along the way serve to Bloom the Roses on the Cross. ~hag
19 February 2026 – “Speaking with the Stars”
The time has come, Aidan Benkowski is full time on the Zinniker Farm ! - & we’re launching our community membership! Join us today! https://www.zinnikerfarm.com/membership Our Vision is to build a committed community that funds the farm’s entire annual operating budget together. When the financial burden is shared, farmers are freed to focus purely on caring for the soil, animals, and land rather than chasing sales and survival. In return, you receive extraordinary food, deep connection to the farm and the satisfaction of helping ensure this healing work continues for generations.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1473 – Birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish mathematician & astronomer
1807 – Former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr is arrested for treason in Wakefield, Alabama and confined to Fort Stoddert. During his last year as vice president, during President Thomas Jefferson’s first term, Burr engaged in the duel in which he fatally shot Hamilton, his political rival. Although dueling was illegal, Burr was never tried, and all charges against him eventually were dropped. Nevertheless, Hamilton’s death ended Burr’s political career. Burr traveled west to the American frontier, seeking new economic & political opportunities. His secretive activities led to his 1807 arrest in Alabama on charges of treason. He was brought to trial more than once for what became known as the Burr conspiracy, but was acquitted each time. Nevertheless, with large debts & few influential friends, Burr left the United States to live as an expatriate in Europe. Handicapped by a stroke and financially ruined, Burr died at a boarding house in 1836.
1878 – Thomas Edison patents the phonograph.
1899 – End of the Kali Yuga, according to Elisabeth Vreeda, which began in 3001 BC.
1899 – Birthday of Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, a German scientist, soil scientist, leading advocate of biodynamic agriculture, anthroposophist & student of Rudolf Steiner. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer worked with an ancient variety of feral spelt found in Italy - these breeding experiments yielded a variety we now call Pfeiffer Wheat - with higher nutritional content - grown today on Zinniker Farm. Order your Pfeiffer Wheat HERE
1942 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs executive order 9066, allowing the United States military to relocate Japanese Americans to internment camps. 1953 – Book censorship in the United States: The Georgia Literature Commission is established
1963 – The publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique reawakens the feminist movement in the United States as women’s organizations and consciousness raising groups spread.
To honor & foster the Christian Community of Southeast Wisconsin, interest has been building to have regular ‘Devotional Services’ in-between Priest Visits. All are welcome to gather on select Sundays 10:30 – 11:30 am so that we can tune into the time when the Consecration of the Human Being is being celebrated all over the country. 1 March 22 March 26 April At the ‘Spirit Lodge’ in Elkhorn WI. RSVP for directions Hazel@CogRite.com
Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to Cognitive Ritual: Confessions of a Modern Rosicrucian - with every $ going to support Zinniker Farm
Here’s the link to a compendium of Free Video Presentaions
If you want to support the Spiritualization of the Earth thru the Biodynamic Farming done on Zinniker Farm, you are invited to become a paid subscriber, with all donations going directly to the farm The Cognitive Ritual is a Free Will Offering to All worlds. Please Share freely
Greetings Friend, you currently a free subscriber to Cognitive Ritual. Thank you for receiving my workings freely offered. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. ALL donations go to support Zinniker Farm - The oldest Biodynamic Farm in America! Together we can spiritualize the Universe. XOX ~hag
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Thursday, 19 February 2026
Wading in
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