Full Moon in Scorpio - May 5-6

With the Sun in Taurus representing what we cherish, and the Moon in Scorpio, what we must transform, we might view it as cherishing transformation rather than seeing it as an opposition.

If we make transformation something we seek rather than something we only do when necessary, then we can embrace this time of "dire beauty"* and constant change.

We have been living in a fool's paradise for decades. Any thinking person must realize that living on credit is
unsustainable. We were lulled into feeling we could have anything we wanted if our credit line was high enough. Anyone who came close to paying their credit cards off frequently noticed that just as they approached freedom from debt, they were given a higher limit, thus putting this or that luxury item within their reach. Many went for it, buying more, upgrading, and extending.

During the early 90's so many people re-financed their homes to remodel or add-on and now they are in debt.

I have seen people with dozens of credit cards. I have known people who have hundreds of thousands in credit card debt. Hello? Unless you plan to never pay them off and work it out so you die before it all starts to collapse (kind of like putting just the right amount of milk in your cereal so it all comes out exact at the end), you are in for years of misery. Rather than being free, you are in debt peonage. You have to keep working at that job you hate just to pay your bills. You can never retire.

Did Adam and Eve have bills? Did Moses have a mortgage? Did Jesus need the latest cell phone to get his message out? Was he tweeting day and night about what's on TV or new shoes? How did they manage?

In our modern culture we are praised for our credit score rather than our ability to live within our means. We are taught there is no limit; that we can have it all. But now, we are finding out otherwise.

To the extent that we bought into that system, we were similar to gambling addicts who believe that just because they won $10.00, they will continue to win and win bigger if they keep playing. They were lucky once and they might be lucky again, but the odds are against them.

We live on a planet with some renewable resources and with many that are non-renewable. The carrying capacity of Earth ... that is the maximum population density has been reached. We cannot stuff one more thing into that suitcase. There is no larger suitcase available. We must change our behavior.

We can do this kicking and screaming, or we can do it willingly and enthusiastically. Reframing is another word for attitude shift/paradigm shift. This means thinking and doing things in a different way and it may be unthinkable at first. We must learn to rely on inspiration (Uranus) and creative imagination (Neptune) to help us unveil these new ways of doing, thinking and being. The mind that thought up the problem is not what will find the solution. It comes from a different source.

Most people only change when they are forced to. They continue to do certain things despite the overwhelming evidence for its negative effects. I see women who are 10 years younger than me, who smoke a pack or two a day, whose faces look like dried prunes, wondering why I look so young for my age. Duh! I don't smoke. The proof stands before them and yet, they continue to smoke, cough, choke, smoke and smoke.

Whereas we may know what we don't want... what do we want? Aha!

That can sometimes be a difficult question to answer. Ask a starving child in India and the answer is easy: a meal for himself and his family. But since most of us reading this blog are beyond those basic survival needs, what do we want?

I have to admit I spend a lot to time thinking about this. If I create my own reality, I want to create something
meaningful and satisfying. This has compelled me to examine my beliefs, goals, and desires. What I have come to is this: I want to want what I have. I want to be satisfied with what is. I want to see and know that everything is already perfect.

So we come to cherish. The dictionary defines 'cherish' as:

1 a : to hold dear : feel or show affection for b : to keep or cultivate with care and affection : nurture

2: to entertain or harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely

The word is related to charity, care and cher (dear in French) and comes from Latin via French. It was first used in the 14th century.

These are all in the realm of Venus which rules both Taurus and Libra. With the Sun in Taurus facing the Moon in Scorpio, and in light of what I wrote above, we might consider learning to care for what we already have, repairing and restoring those things we purchased in the past and that with some TLC (tender loving care) might have some more life in them, or transforming them into something else.

I was thinking of quilts for example. In the past, people cut the good part out of their old clothes and patched them together to make warm blankets. They didn't go to a craft store and buy new swatches. They used what they had. Old thread-bare blankets were put between the layers of the quilt for added warmth. They didn't buy special batting in plastic bags to insert in the quilts. Quilts were made of all recycled materials and...often totally hand sewn. I still have one made by my paternal grandmother.

As for the second definition: most of us are quick to forget the past and everything associated with it. We want to live only in the present...or future. We look forward to what we are going to do this summer for example.

While dwelling on the past is inappropriate, I think we are deepened if we can cherish ie honor and value what has come before, realizing that the past is the basis for what exists now. It is our history.

At this point some of you may be saying, "She just contradicted herself. First she says act in new ways, out of the box etc., now she is advocating cherishing the past. What's up?" My response is that 1) the ability of hold two apparently contradictory views simultaneously is the mark of intelligence and this is where the synthesis occurs. Synthesis equals thesis plus anti-thesis. Synthesis is the 'third force' that comes from the reconciling of opposites. We must get beyond the apparent contradictions, the yes/no, the polarity to a third, yet unknown possibility that is lurking beyond the veil.

This powerful Full Moon in Scorpio is a portal to that place beyond the veil.

* an expression coined by Caroline Casey heard each week on KPFA. Go to her website for more.

Taurus New Moon - April 21, 2012

The day before Earth Day the Moon is in the first earth sign, Taurus. Connected to the Egyptian goddess Ma'at>matter>mother, the foundation of manifestation. It rules the sensual and all sensory experience. We connect to the outer world through our senses. We take in information through sight, sound, smell, touch, taste...then process it and interpret it.

With Neptune in Pisces we have access to other senses. How will this affect our thoughts and ideas? Perhaps we will be more able to connect with animals, plants, beings on other dimensions. We will come to understand that our dreams are perceptions from another dimension...not just fantasy...but experiences.

Taurus also has to do with our resources, talents, gifts. During these difficult economic times, we need to recognize that we are more than our stuff, that we have inner resources we can call upon and, most important, we are not alone. We are part of the Creation. We have alienated ourselves willingly or should I say willfully!

Most of us, especially the young, spend way too much time indoors and connected to electronic media of one sort or another. We have lost touch with Nature. This New Moon is conjunct Ceres the Great Mother, Goddess of the Harvest. Her daughter, Persephone, was abducted by Pluto (God of Death and Transformation) and taken to Hades, the underworld. While she searched for her daughter and mourned her absence, Ceres (Demeter) made the earth a wasteland. In her preoccupation with the loss of her daughter, she ignored her duties as Earth Mother and let everything die.

Lately, there have been many shows on KPFA radio about the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi. As far as I know, since I never listen to them and don't have TV, the corporate media have moved on, as if it's over. There are others who continue to monitor the situation. I heard yesterday that if there is another earthquake of at least 7.0, the pools that are containing the released contamination will not be able to be maintained. If they break, it will mark 'the end of civilization.'  Now you tell me, what is the likelihood of an earthquake in Japan or nearby?

Pluto released on the world. Ceres lamenting her daughter and paralyzed by grief. We need to help bring Ceres back to life so she can restore the green earth and put Pluto back underground where he belongs. No more nuclear plants. No more oil and gas pumped out of the ground. We need to implement alternative sources of energy - sun and wind, and discover others. We need to stop using so much. We are more than our stuff and if we don't finally get that...we will all perish. Dire, yes and true.

So this New Moon and Earth Day, make a commitment to use less gas, electricity and plastic and to spend more time in Nature. Plant something, even if it's just a pot of geraniums on your deck or in your window. Get closer to the green while you can.

I want to end with this quote taken from The Mountain Astrologer April/May 2012 issue:

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, were nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." (John Muir)

New Moon in Aries - March 22, 2012

Is it just me or does time seem to be moving faster and faster? I try to keep up with these New and Full Moons, but they usually go by so fast I am not able to do it. Of course, this time, the New Moon is in Aries and conjunct Uranus so that might also have something to do with it.

Meanwhile, Mercury is retrograde conjuncting this New Moon and Mars is still retrograde in Virgo making for challenging times at best. I have been having a hard time thinking straight, talking and not crashing into everything in my environment. While, yes, it could be related to the aging process (shut up you), I feel it is connected to Uranus in Aries.

Aries tends to be really good at rushing around without a lot of thought and thus leads to accidents, so BE CAREFUL!

Even though it's in my 8th house (other people's money) I sure don't want to get it from an insurance company.

An amazing thing about this New Moon is that it opposes the Super Galactic Center (SGC) at 2 degrees Libra - the black hole around which our Milky Way galaxy and many other galaxies revolve.

According to Stephanie Austin in The Mountain Astrologer "The stellar transmissions emanating from the SGC function as a spiritual beacon, triggering memories of our cosmic origins and destiny. Streaming across millions of light years, they impel us to embody the talents and tasks encoded in our birth charts." Heady stuff!

Problem is... most people have no idea what their birth charts mean, let alone seeing the 'talents and tasks' encoded there.This is where you need the 'talents and tasks' of an astrologer, trained to read that chart. I am available for in person or telephone readings. Contact me via email to set up an appointment.

This New Moon coming just 3 days after the Spring Equinox is the perfect time to set your course for the year. It is considered the beginning of the year and corresponds to New Year is some calendars.

Next week, March 28 - through April 1 is the final 5 day month (wayeb) of the Mayan Haab or solar calendar. In that system, April 2 will be New Year's Day 0 Pop. See my 2012 blog for more on this.

You may not be able to act on your goals quite yet...until we get through this Mars retrograde ending April 13, and this Mercury retrograde, ending April 4, but you can prepare for your Spring forward.

Since I teach a course on the Mayan Calendar and 2012 at a local Junior College, many people ask what will happen on December 21, 2012.

Part of my answer is, what is happening now? And how are you dealing with it? Is your life and that of those around you falling apart? Are you in denial or are you actively seeking to solve your problems? If there were 'an answer', what difference would it make? If you can't follow through on the daily goals you set yourself, can't control your addictions, can't control your behavior....you will still be at the mercy of events rather than the master of your Universe.

We are in the thick of it now folks. What you do and think moment by moment creates your reality and sets the tone for the rest of the year and even the rest of your life.

As for the 'end of the world'...well, does the world look anything like it did even a year ago? Things end and begin constantly. Life is change at all levels. Get used to it. Learn resilience. Challenge yourself by going outside your usual boundaries of behavior.

Pluto in Capricorn is in the process of destroying and rebuilding the structures of the consensus world. If you are willing to risk, you could become a pioneer in a whole different field. But it won't happen if you sit and
wait. What that will bring is loss and destruction.

This New Moon is about starting new things. You don't have to finish....just start. Experimentation, trying new ways of being. Be ready to let them go if they don't work out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained...an old adage, but still true.

Imagine yourself a little child, eager, curious, active, in wonder at the creation. Running after butterflies, picking up this and that. Not a care in the world. Delighted to be alive. New Moon in Aries.

Full Moon in Virgo March 8, 2012

Things are really jumping! Last night I happened to be watching a DVD of "Through the Wormhole", hosted by Morgan Freeman. In one segment they spoke about the effects of Solar Flares and how they could totally wipe out our electro-magnetic system, shut down all electricity and communication systems. Apparently they now have a way of predicting when they will happen, so they can prepare for it somewhat. I went to bed thinking about how our world would be affected if this happened. How would it be if all the electricity and communications were down all over the world..even for a few hours? To read about it click here.

I turned on the computer this morning to see that we did have a huge one! One of the benefits of no TV, no newspaper and very little contact with 'media' is that I don't know what's happening. I do feel things, but I don't always know what the feeling is about.

I really had a hard time sleeping last night, which is common for me during Full Moons. But this one was more difficult as I tossed and turned. My cat had strategically placed herself so that I had little room to move and when I would turn over, I would lose my blankets, so I was irritated throughout the night. Now I see why. I must have felt that flare. I am getting more sensitive with Neptune in Pisces.

About a week ago I went with friends to Mevlevi zikr. I have been a semazen (whirling dervish) for 17 years. After my mom died in 2005, I went to Konya for Rumi's Urs and after that trip, even though it was wonderful and I loved Turkey, I turned away from my Sufi groups. I felt that I needed to see what had 'stuck'. That is, what had I gotten from all the hours of teachings, practices, prayers etc. Had it changed me? Had I grown? Was any of it in me...or was I just in a habit of going? At Rumi's tomb surrounded by fellow pilgrims, I heard his words about not looking for him in the tomb but in the hearts of his followers. For me that meant it was time to move away from the teachers and groups and spend my time with 'regular' people.
To learn more about the Mevlevi Order of America, click here.

I did not 'burn any bridges,' so I always knew I could go back anytime I wanted. Last Saturday, the Mevlevi teacher from Turkey was in town and I wanted to see him and my old friends. I thought of it as a family reunion, which could include both painful and joyful moments. Now that my mother is gone, I have felt I had no more family. I have many cousins and one aunt left on my mother's side, but compared to the huge extended family I grew up in...I feel alone. These Mevlevi brothers and sisters are part of the family I created and chose for myself and I had not seen them in years.

It was more than wonderful to go back. I was able to turn despite years of not doing it. It was blissful.

I felt so much gratitude and appreciation for the teacher. What he had accomplished with Americans. The most precious things I learned from him were learned by watching and feeling. Few words were spoken, yet he guided us into a practice in which we could totally entrain with each other. Where we could begin to breathe as one, our heartbeats in sync. He taught us to see with the heart. It took being away to fully appreciate it; to spend all my time 'in the world' to truly know the difference. When I went all the time, it became second nature, but now I realize what I have been hungering for since I left.

I am not sure of my next move - whether I will get active in the group again. Right now, as Mars is still retrograde, I just want to experience things, then make my moves when out of the shadow of the retrograde.

So what does all this have to do with the Full Moon in Virgo?

Well for one thing, it is conjunct to Mars retrograde and thus emphasizes that theme of slowing down, taking time to think and feel. Time for evaluating, rather than acting. Out here on the West Coast, it feels like Spring just can't wait to burst forth, although the daily shifting from sunshine to freezing cold tells us all that we are still in winter, such as it is. Little rain, freezing temperatures.

It is important to take the time to evaluate what you're doing now while you still can. This is a time for big changes. It can be seen from many perspectives, I vote for the positive. It can only be positive, however, if you take the time to do your inner work. Then, no matter what happens, you will be fine. The key right now is to develop Resilience. That includes keeping the physical body hydrated. With Uranus in Aries, we all need to make sure we do not dehydrate. One of the effects of dehydration is that the dendrites in the brain cannot effectively function. Water conducts electricity, dissolves toxins, washes them out of our system and keeps everything lubricated. DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Try to get clean pure water, but don't obsess about it. If you think the water is less than perfect, pray over it - bless it - thank it and ask forgiveness for your role in polluting it.

I suggest you eat a little honey everyday. It will help with resilience. You can put it in tea or on toast or just eat it. About a tablespoon is enough. Eating it just before bedtime is best, since I heard that one reason we wake up in the night is that our body needs fuel. The honey can help you sleep through the night. Try it and see. Honey has many health benefits. The more natural the better.

We need to remain flexible during these times of change.

One woman I know whose landlord decided to sell the house she was renting considers herself 'home full' because she has so many friends who want her to visit or house sit, she is having a great time being free to move around. In the 60s, people bragged about being 'on the road', traveling, street people. We might think about a new form of nomadism. As Janis Joplin once said, "if you have nothing, you have nothing to lose."

In a materialist society like ours this sounds like a disaster, but if this is happening to you...think of the freedom you now have to create a totally new life for yourself. Reframing is another key word now. Change your attitude about what's happening. Try to see things from a completely new perspective. What else can you do? If you feel stuck...maybe you are. But the one thing you can do, is change how you think and feel about your circumstances.

When I was a young girl my mother used to read every book that came out about the Holocaust and concentration camps. I don't know why, we were not Jewish, but somehow she was obsessed about trying to understand what happened and why. I read the books too. One book that I read during this time made such an impression that I would have to say, it served as my spiritual teaching throughout my life. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. It tells of his life in a Nazi concentration camp and how people coped, died, survived. He believed that it was the mind that often kept people alive, despite circumstances and saw how powerful our thoughts can be. For me, just knowing that people could survive and then when free, thrive, even though they had lived through unimaginable horrors, showed me that probably nothing in my life would be unbearable.

 

Caroline Myss talks about developing a 'backbone' rather than a 'wishbone'. For years, we have lived in a fantasy, fed by Hollywood, media, advertising, TV, the consumer economy. We have bought into it. But just remember, all of this comes from the mind of man/woman. Someone created all these things. It is not part of nature. It is only as real as you allow it to be.

 

This is the perfect time to plan and strategize. Dream a new world into being. Develop your imagination then use it to see that new world manifested. Don't worry about how....think only of what and why. Focus on what is meaningful, beautiful and inspiring. With Vesta conjunct Uranus right now.... what you focus on, you can manifest. Vesta the Goddess of the Hearth. In Roman times, the hearth was the center of the home - the focal point of family life. The Latin word for 'fireplace' is 'focus'. So...Vesta is the Goddess of Focus. She was the one who kept the sacred fire going. Her followers, known as vestal virgins, kept the fires in the temples. Put another way, they kept the attention focused on the sacred aspects of life.

 

Some say, that Vesta should rule Virgo rather than Mercury, because of its emphasis on the sacred nature of service. Rather than wallowing in your own misery....go volunteer somewhere. They always need people to put books away at the library, pet cats or walk dogs at the shelter, distribute food or clothing at foodbanks and homeless shelters. There is plenty to do. How can you be unemployed when there is so much work to be done? Don't worry, "Dios le pagaré," (God will repay you) Spanish. Trust me.

Pisces New Moon - Feb. 21, 2012

New Moons are times of new beginnings, but with Mars retrograde in Virgo, this is not the best time to start anything. Rather, it is time to work on things that have already been started and to complete things.

That being said, I think this is a good time to make progress in healing your spiritual connection to the earth. With this New Moon conjunct Neptune and Chiron and other bodies (see below), we have a unique opportunity to heal deep wounds regarding spirituality and the deepest one...that affects all of us and may lead to our ultimate destruction,
our alienation from Mother Earth.

Sometime in our history we severed our connection to Nature, other people, and ultimately to ourselves.
By making Earth an 'it', we thought we could do anything to her and we did. Now we face total destruction due to environmental degradation.

Despite the statement in the Bible: "From dust thou art, to dust you will return", we seem to have forgotten our origins and the necessity to stay connected. In addition, we dismissed those who did not forget: native tribal peoples from every land, as ignorant savages and heathens damned to the fires of hell.

Now we are paying for it.

Depression is one of the most prevalent maladies in the industrialized modern world. Prescription drugs are so common, they are now one of the largest polluters of water, as they pass through the body and end up in the water supply. Some even recommend Prozac for 4 year olds. What's going on?

Alienation from Source and disconnect from our earthly roots.

Rather than following the celestial bodies across the sky, staying in sync with the seasons, knowing the life cycles of the animals and plants that are part of our environment, we follow strangers on Twitter, watch every move of 'celebrities' and take our cues from 'the rich and famous'.

We are shocked by the deaths of these icons from drugs and alcohol, wondering how this could happen, not realizing that they have been unconsciously carrying the weight of our projections. We have been willing to settle for 'the toxic mimic' to use a phrase from Caroline Casey. The illusion rather than the real thing.

This New Moon is conjunct Neptune, Chiron and Pallas Athene. Mercury and Vesta are also in Pisces right now, supporting us in our healing relation to Source, the Earth and each other. The veils are thinning between the dimensions. We may find ourselves with increased access to wisdom keepers of all kinds.

Stephanie Austin in The Mountain Astrologer writes about an additional celestial guardian conjunct this New Moon - Fomalhaut - a fixed star which was the first one seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. It has an extrasolar planet in orbit. Traditionally one of the four royal stars of Persia it was used in navigation for
centuries. It is associated with the Angel Gabriel - the angel of Incarnation and Consolation who instructs the souls before their arrival on Earth. He is also the angel who appeared to Muhammad (pbuh) and urged him to "recite", resulting in the oral teaching that became the Qur'an.

This a sacred time for healing and reconnecting to the deeper aspects of life. Take the time to meditate, pray, or do whatever spiritually based practices you engage in. If you don't have any....find one that gives you peace and helps you connect to yourself, the Earth and others.

Aquarius New Moon - January 22-23, 2012

In general, New Moons are times of new beginnings. This is doubly true with this one since it is also Chinese New Year - a Dragon Year at that!

One of the qualities of Aquarius that you might find helpful right now...they can be VERY objective...even about themselves. They have the ability to change their lives in radical ways and not look back. This might be a useful thing to keep in mind these days. Learn to reframe 'loss' into 'making room for something new'. Learn to regard 'change' into something to look forward to and embrace, rather than something that upsets your apple cart.

With Uranus in Aries and Mars stationing retrograde in Virgo, the energy is challenging: full speed ahead/slow way down at the same time. This could lead to a very frustrating situation especially those with a lot of fire in their charts. Don't burn up your motor!

Rather take this Mars retrograde time to strategize and plan, so that when it goes direct April 13, you can leap ahead. You could make more progress in a shorter time, if you act with precision - one of the greatest qualities of Virgo. With laser-like focus, all your energy is put to its best use. No waste. So slow down to accomplish more.

Let this New Moon show you where you want to focus that laser in your life. The new beginning that you want to manifest in the next phase of your life.

This New Moon forms a T-square with Jupiter and Saturn which are asking you to check-in with your moral compass when you set your intentions. We are in a time when everything that you do and say has an effect on the future. Karma no longer takes lifetimes. We get it back in minutes now. Therefore, don't think you can get away with anything anymore. You must walk your talk; be the person you strive to be now; and get real.

While we may have the tendency to complain...and there's a lot to complain about... open your 'magic backpack' (another clever invention of Caroline Casey) and look for solutions... to your own problems and those of your 'peeps'. See how resourceful you can be rather than waiting for someone to rescue you.

Don't waste any time on fear or worry. Stay in present time so when the solution comes (and it will) you are paying attention and can recognize it.

Remember that old Chinese proverbs offer this blessing: "May you live in interesting times". That is putting it mildly. These are indeed, interesting times.