This Full Moon lies on the 'relationship' axis - Aries/Libra - first/seventh houses. The first house and Aries, represents our relationship to ourselves ie our self-image whereas the seventh house and Libra represent relationships to others. Much of the discontent that is occurring in the world today is due to issues of self-image and relationship.
How so?
Capitalism and consumerism, which have led to destruction of the planet, flourish when people become convinced that they need something outside themselves to be okay. I want to emphasize SOMETHING. We DO need each other to survive. No question of that. BUT we don't need a new cell phone, car, pair of designer shoes.
By convincing us that we need stuff to be happy and acceptable, the advertising industry, at the service of corporations, has succeeded in making us weak, numb and/or addicted, so that we seek fulfillment by buying whatever they decide we need.
This is not by accident. It was by design. The advertising industry was employed by the government after the Great Depression to bolster consumer confidence, so that rather than holding on to their money, people would begin to spend again. Our economy and that of the world now in a 'global economy' depends on constant growth. Much like cancer, it cannot live unless it continues to expand.
Prior to the Depression, they worked on the hearts and minds of recent immigrants. Rather, they worked on the children of immigrants, encouraging them to buy stuff in order to appear modern and more American. Those teenagers, like those of today, were susceptible too. They were taught to reject their parents, traditions: religious and cultural, and thus become more part of the 'melting pot'. In other words, lose your history and individuality to 'fit-in better'.
This trend led to alienation from the matrix of family, religion, culture, resulting in 'the nuclear family', an isolated, independent entity that does not exist anywhere in the animal kingdom. Oh yes, did we forget that we, too, are animals? We cannot live in isolation. The nuclear family led to increased domestic violence, child-abuse, incest and many of the psychological traumas that we suffer from.
While we are encouraged to think in terms of 'abundance' especially in New Age movements, many of the resources of the Earth, such as water and land, are finite. There is a lot, but it is not infinite. Use it up, poison and pollute it and it is destroyed for centuries, perhaps forever. Constant growth is unnatural. Nature manifests in cycles of birth, growth, death and decay. Each part of the process leads to the next. Even decay feeds the next cycle - the rationale behind composting.
So, back to this Full Moon. Relationship is among the lessons we are here to learn on planet Earth. Libra is usually considered the sign of balance and harmony. What it really means is that these are the lessons to be learned. Balance can only occur between equals.
Our Bill of Rights says: all men are created equal. A condescension really. What it doesn't say is: while you may be created equal, the State, its policies, and the system that results from those policies, will make sure that you are neither born equal nor that you will ever have an equal shot at the brass ring.
While we are taught that this country was founded on religious freedom, make no mistake, this country was actually founded on the ambitions of the growing capitalists who wanted the freedom from the old entrenched social systems of Europe where kings and traditional elites, including those of the Church would not allow merchants turned capitalists to prosper beyond a certain level. Those who created this country wanted to freedom to exploit the resources of the newly discovered lands, without taxation or regulation by kings, etc. They sugar-coated it by including 'religious freedom'. The new religion of the founding fathers was capitalism.
So here we are. Occupy XXXXX! For the first time ever, people are realizing that we are unified on an issue that affects us all...or at least 99% of us. WE are all suffering the effects of the economic meltdown. All except the 1% for whom there is nothing going on. They are not even experiencing a blip. Rather than red states, blue states; radical or conservative; Christian or Pagan...We are seeing that we are ALL losing.
With Saturn conjunct the Sun in Libra right now, we are changing the structure of our consciousness to include the Other, realizing that we are all ONE - even in our diversity.
Even slime molds know this. Composed of individual cells which can exist completely on their own, they unite when necessary for survival. Once they have solved their problems, they revert to their separate existences. They have survived threats that resulted in mass extinctions for most other species. Can slime molds be more intelligent that US the great human race? Let's use this opportunity to go beyond the "distinctions and differences that divide" to unify behind the banner of 'Occupy Wall Street' and any other street that keeps us in fear, separation and despair.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A Time for Deep Listening - Fall Equinox
At the beginning of September, I spent a week in the Catskills at the Deep Memory Process Level 1 training with Patricia Walsh and Kim Marie (Evolutionary Astrology Network). Patricia wrote the incredible book: "Understanding Karmic Complexes: Evolutionary Astrology and Regression Therapy". (See book in sidebar)
Planned months in advance, it was almost cancelled due to flooding in the town of Windham, NY and nearby areas. The river that runs through Windham was swollen to flood levels by Hurricane Irene and the breaking of a dam. The town received 15 feet of water and many homes and businesses were destroyed. They had cleaned up the roads enough so that we could get there.
The Windham Retreat Center was spared since it sits up on a hill above the river. The whole time we were there investigating and re-experiencing our past lives and the traumatic deaths we had suffered which had left
scars on our souls, emergency vehicles, National Guard, FEMA personnel and all the able-bodied local men, worked day and night to restore order around us. There was an 8pm curfew, but nowhere to go at night anyway, since it had all been either destroyed or seriously affected by the water. We were isolated. I saw it as an oasis of the light of consciousness in a desert of the darkness of ignorance.
While we screamed and kicked ourselves out of the restricting cocoons of past life traumas, trucks filled with
debris whizzed around us down on the roads below. One night thunder and lightning echoed our wails and shouts. High drama!
While most of us at the training are moving toward creating a new world, those around us were doing all they could to restore the old. Clearly, life as we knew it was over, but rather than embracing the changes and seeking new solutions, people were trying to re-establish what they knew - security.
I kept hearing these words:
“Sit, be still, and listen,
because you're drunk
and we're at
the edge of the roof.” ― Rumi
I wanted to tell people it might be better to sit down and contemplate building a whole new world, rather than to rush into reviving the old, worn-out paradigm. They were merely prolonging the life of something bound to die, like putting someone on life support for an indeterminate amount of time who had suffered brain damage. Why? because of fear of the unknown. I could imagine them just sitting down amidst the rubble realizing that things were never going to be the same, and being okay with that. Taking the time to think about how they could truly change their lives rather than rushing ahead to rebuild the cage of consensus reality.
A new world is possible, but not if we spend our time shoring up the old.
Planned months in advance, it was almost cancelled due to flooding in the town of Windham, NY and nearby areas. The river that runs through Windham was swollen to flood levels by Hurricane Irene and the breaking of a dam. The town received 15 feet of water and many homes and businesses were destroyed. They had cleaned up the roads enough so that we could get there.
The Windham Retreat Center was spared since it sits up on a hill above the river. The whole time we were there investigating and re-experiencing our past lives and the traumatic deaths we had suffered which had left
scars on our souls, emergency vehicles, National Guard, FEMA personnel and all the able-bodied local men, worked day and night to restore order around us. There was an 8pm curfew, but nowhere to go at night anyway, since it had all been either destroyed or seriously affected by the water. We were isolated. I saw it as an oasis of the light of consciousness in a desert of the darkness of ignorance.
While we screamed and kicked ourselves out of the restricting cocoons of past life traumas, trucks filled with
debris whizzed around us down on the roads below. One night thunder and lightning echoed our wails and shouts. High drama!
While most of us at the training are moving toward creating a new world, those around us were doing all they could to restore the old. Clearly, life as we knew it was over, but rather than embracing the changes and seeking new solutions, people were trying to re-establish what they knew - security.
I kept hearing these words:
“Sit, be still, and listen,
because you're drunk
and we're at
the edge of the roof.” ― Rumi
I wanted to tell people it might be better to sit down and contemplate building a whole new world, rather than to rush into reviving the old, worn-out paradigm. They were merely prolonging the life of something bound to die, like putting someone on life support for an indeterminate amount of time who had suffered brain damage. Why? because of fear of the unknown. I could imagine them just sitting down amidst the rubble realizing that things were never going to be the same, and being okay with that. Taking the time to think about how they could truly change their lives rather than rushing ahead to rebuild the cage of consensus reality.
A new world is possible, but not if we spend our time shoring up the old.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Full Moon in Aquarius - August 13, 2011
Full Moon again. Didn't we just have one? Seems like things are going faster and faster. Does that mean I'm getting old? With all that is going on... I'm late in posting this. However, since the effects of the Full Moon operate for awhile, it is still relevant.
This Full Moon in Leo is especially potent. Venus and Mercury are conjunct the Sun, while Neptune retrograde is conjunct the Moon. In addition, Mars opposes Pluto, which is square to Uranus, making a T Square and ultimately a Grand Cross is you bring in Saturn. Whew!
Now tell me this, there is nothing going on here on Earth that mirrors all this activity in the Sky. The sky picture indicates huge, transformational changes which any look at the news will validate. Uranus (revolution/freedom) square Pluto (transformation/rebirth) and Mars (the will to make it happen).
All these changes are not only happening 'in the world' but also inside us. Although many of us tend to focus more on the external than the internal, I suggest you take the time to see what is going on 'in your world'.
I have a strong sense of optimism that many would see as foolish. I truly believe and am living from the perspective, that anything is possible. I refuse to be dragged down by the forces of doom and gloom, because the more we buy into what they are saying, the more we strengthen them. We feed them when we
accept what they say as the truth. I choose to feed joy, optimism, creativity, imagination. I feel happier than I've been in a long time and see my world improving day by day. Since 'my world' radiates out from me...I see everything improving.
Now, more than ever, your capacity to imagine the world you want to live in is crucial. See yourself living the life you want for yourself and others. Rather than worrying about dire circumstances, use the power of your thought to manifest the positive. What have you got to lose? At least you will be generating positive energy rather than negative and that in itself produces better outcomes.
The 'revolution' within, known in Islam as the Greater Jihad, is more difficult because it requires that you first imagine that another way of thinking and being is possible. We think we are stable and that the world around us is changing. But notice how different YOU are when everything is going the way you want, when you are in love, when you receive good news etc. then contrast that with how you feel when you are afraid, jealous,
angry, tired, sick. You are not always the same. Your thoughts and emotions are constantly in flux. In fact, your inner state is more changeable than anything else in your life.Gurdjieff said that in fact, there is no 'I' inside you but hundreds of 'I's' competing for the stage. Spiritual work such as meditation and observation helps you see the many 'I's' so that at least you can know who is speaking at any given time.
Don't believe this? Just try to quit smoking. The 'I' who wants to stop smoking doesn't know the one
who needs a cigarette right now and in fact, thinks you deserve to have one because you have been so good and have not smoked for a whole day. Or you start dieting, then because you lost 2 pounds, you think it is okay to have 'only a small bag' of chips as a reward.
This happens to everyone all the time. Observation is the first step and a very important one. It is also true that once you begin to see the chaos within, you could get depressed about it. But remember, this is the human condition.
With the Sun conjunct Venus and Mercury right now, we have the added benefit of Love, Harmony and Beauty (Venus) and the Messenger of the Gods (Mercury) to bring our dreams into focus and send them out into the world.
Have a Happy Life!
This Full Moon in Leo is especially potent. Venus and Mercury are conjunct the Sun, while Neptune retrograde is conjunct the Moon. In addition, Mars opposes Pluto, which is square to Uranus, making a T Square and ultimately a Grand Cross is you bring in Saturn. Whew!
Now tell me this, there is nothing going on here on Earth that mirrors all this activity in the Sky. The sky picture indicates huge, transformational changes which any look at the news will validate. Uranus (revolution/freedom) square Pluto (transformation/rebirth) and Mars (the will to make it happen).
All these changes are not only happening 'in the world' but also inside us. Although many of us tend to focus more on the external than the internal, I suggest you take the time to see what is going on 'in your world'.
I have a strong sense of optimism that many would see as foolish. I truly believe and am living from the perspective, that anything is possible. I refuse to be dragged down by the forces of doom and gloom, because the more we buy into what they are saying, the more we strengthen them. We feed them when we
accept what they say as the truth. I choose to feed joy, optimism, creativity, imagination. I feel happier than I've been in a long time and see my world improving day by day. Since 'my world' radiates out from me...I see everything improving.
Now, more than ever, your capacity to imagine the world you want to live in is crucial. See yourself living the life you want for yourself and others. Rather than worrying about dire circumstances, use the power of your thought to manifest the positive. What have you got to lose? At least you will be generating positive energy rather than negative and that in itself produces better outcomes.
The 'revolution' within, known in Islam as the Greater Jihad, is more difficult because it requires that you first imagine that another way of thinking and being is possible. We think we are stable and that the world around us is changing. But notice how different YOU are when everything is going the way you want, when you are in love, when you receive good news etc. then contrast that with how you feel when you are afraid, jealous,
angry, tired, sick. You are not always the same. Your thoughts and emotions are constantly in flux. In fact, your inner state is more changeable than anything else in your life.Gurdjieff said that in fact, there is no 'I' inside you but hundreds of 'I's' competing for the stage. Spiritual work such as meditation and observation helps you see the many 'I's' so that at least you can know who is speaking at any given time.
Don't believe this? Just try to quit smoking. The 'I' who wants to stop smoking doesn't know the one
who needs a cigarette right now and in fact, thinks you deserve to have one because you have been so good and have not smoked for a whole day. Or you start dieting, then because you lost 2 pounds, you think it is okay to have 'only a small bag' of chips as a reward.
This happens to everyone all the time. Observation is the first step and a very important one. It is also true that once you begin to see the chaos within, you could get depressed about it. But remember, this is the human condition.
With the Sun conjunct Venus and Mercury right now, we have the added benefit of Love, Harmony and Beauty (Venus) and the Messenger of the Gods (Mercury) to bring our dreams into focus and send them out into the world.
Have a Happy Life!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
New Moon in Leo - July 30, 2011
Once again we are in the time of the New Moon - a time of new beginnings. With things changing as rapidly as they are, some of us are not necessarily wanting anything new...Let's just keep what we have for awhile!
Yet, this New Moon in Leo conjunct Venus, trine Uranus - combines Creativity and Love with Values. Innovation and Courage to put our Creations out into the world. We have the energy now to create what we love and care most about. Take some time to think about what is most important to you, but don't just think about it - DO SOMETHING!!!
For me, one flower can brighten my day, or the sound of a certain bird that only sings early in the morning and at dusk and only during the early Summer. I don't know where that bird goes the rest of the year, but it is only here at these specific times.
I know this because I have lived in the same house now for 17 years and am finally becoming familiar with the beings I share this land with. Recently I have been thinking about selling my house, using to money to
improve my daily life. But then I heard that bird. I knew that I would lose that if I moved into town. What is the value of that bird song to me? It soothes my heart, brightens my soul. Priceless.
Can I create what I need right here so that I don't have to move? This New Moon in Leo conjunct Venus challenges us to find ways to create what we love and value. If not now, when? We have nothing to lose. we need to just go for it.
Today it seems that we base our self worth on not who we are but what we have..how much money, how much stuff. we feel we are failures if we have not 'succeeded' in achieving financial stability or wealth. With all that is occurring with the economy these days, there are few who are 'successful' or stay that way for long. Even those who once had it all are losing it.
The challenge is to not take it personally....one way or the other. We forget that 'we' are a drop in the ocean.. no better or worse than any other drop.
Often our success or failure depends on the decision of another person over whom we have no control. We get the fantastic job or we get laid off and our lives are affected deeply. We think we 'did' something.
The shadow of Leo is taking credit for everything. Thinking we are all powerful and that we are entitled to special treatment. The Pluto in Leo generation, now seniors, is really having a hard time with this. Some of us think that we deserve to have it all even if we did not put in the effort to have it. I am so grateful for the social security check I get each month. I marvel at it really. At the same time, I look at my circumstances and ask myself "How did this happen?" It's like I woke up one day shocked at my situation.
For me, this is the 'proof' of karma. There is no other explanation. Our past lives DO affect our present.
However, I have also found that any work done in the present to heal the past, has repercussions forward and backward in time. We heal not only our present life, but all that has come before and all that will follow.
The healing occurs in an instant. The work to facilitate that healing can take years. And yet it is worth it.
In September I will begin the training in Deep Memory Process (DMP) created by Roger Woolger, facilitated by Patricia Walsh. I have sacrificed a lot to be able to do this training.
Right now I am searching for ways to pay for the airline ticket. I have paid for the training in New York and need to fly there in one month. As of this moment, I don't have the money for the ticket.
Some would say this is an extravagance I cannot afford. I have prayed and meditated over it and I am certain that I am called to do this work. My entire life has been leading me to this. Like all pilgrimages, there are
challenges and dangers. I was recently diagnosed with Lyme Disease and am currently in treatment for it. I was experiencing the worst pain of my life. I knew it was part of the shamanic healing process and that it is 'now or never'. I must heal my past life traumas. I must finally deal with my issues so that I am totally available to help others through these difficult times.
More and more people are coming to me for answers. My astrology and flower essence practice is growing. I cannot afford NOT to go to this training.
I am seeking donations for my airline ticket.If you are wiling to donate, go to Paypal, enter my email address and give a personal gift. Any amount would be appreciated. I must raise around $800.00 in a week. I trust Spirit to take care of it for me.
I love this quote from Clarissa Pinkola Estes taken from the Mountain Astrologer, June/July 2011 issue:
"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these--to be fierce and to show mercy toward others; both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity."
Priceless!
Yet, this New Moon in Leo conjunct Venus, trine Uranus - combines Creativity and Love with Values. Innovation and Courage to put our Creations out into the world. We have the energy now to create what we love and care most about. Take some time to think about what is most important to you, but don't just think about it - DO SOMETHING!!!
For me, one flower can brighten my day, or the sound of a certain bird that only sings early in the morning and at dusk and only during the early Summer. I don't know where that bird goes the rest of the year, but it is only here at these specific times.
I know this because I have lived in the same house now for 17 years and am finally becoming familiar with the beings I share this land with. Recently I have been thinking about selling my house, using to money to
improve my daily life. But then I heard that bird. I knew that I would lose that if I moved into town. What is the value of that bird song to me? It soothes my heart, brightens my soul. Priceless.
Can I create what I need right here so that I don't have to move? This New Moon in Leo conjunct Venus challenges us to find ways to create what we love and value. If not now, when? We have nothing to lose. we need to just go for it.
Today it seems that we base our self worth on not who we are but what we have..how much money, how much stuff. we feel we are failures if we have not 'succeeded' in achieving financial stability or wealth. With all that is occurring with the economy these days, there are few who are 'successful' or stay that way for long. Even those who once had it all are losing it.
The challenge is to not take it personally....one way or the other. We forget that 'we' are a drop in the ocean.. no better or worse than any other drop.
Often our success or failure depends on the decision of another person over whom we have no control. We get the fantastic job or we get laid off and our lives are affected deeply. We think we 'did' something.
The shadow of Leo is taking credit for everything. Thinking we are all powerful and that we are entitled to special treatment. The Pluto in Leo generation, now seniors, is really having a hard time with this. Some of us think that we deserve to have it all even if we did not put in the effort to have it. I am so grateful for the social security check I get each month. I marvel at it really. At the same time, I look at my circumstances and ask myself "How did this happen?" It's like I woke up one day shocked at my situation.
For me, this is the 'proof' of karma. There is no other explanation. Our past lives DO affect our present.
However, I have also found that any work done in the present to heal the past, has repercussions forward and backward in time. We heal not only our present life, but all that has come before and all that will follow.
The healing occurs in an instant. The work to facilitate that healing can take years. And yet it is worth it.
In September I will begin the training in Deep Memory Process (DMP) created by Roger Woolger, facilitated by Patricia Walsh. I have sacrificed a lot to be able to do this training.
Right now I am searching for ways to pay for the airline ticket. I have paid for the training in New York and need to fly there in one month. As of this moment, I don't have the money for the ticket.
Some would say this is an extravagance I cannot afford. I have prayed and meditated over it and I am certain that I am called to do this work. My entire life has been leading me to this. Like all pilgrimages, there are
challenges and dangers. I was recently diagnosed with Lyme Disease and am currently in treatment for it. I was experiencing the worst pain of my life. I knew it was part of the shamanic healing process and that it is 'now or never'. I must heal my past life traumas. I must finally deal with my issues so that I am totally available to help others through these difficult times.
More and more people are coming to me for answers. My astrology and flower essence practice is growing. I cannot afford NOT to go to this training.
I am seeking donations for my airline ticket.If you are wiling to donate, go to Paypal, enter my email address and give a personal gift. Any amount would be appreciated. I must raise around $800.00 in a week. I trust Spirit to take care of it for me.
I love this quote from Clarissa Pinkola Estes taken from the Mountain Astrologer, June/July 2011 issue:
"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these--to be fierce and to show mercy toward others; both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity."
Priceless!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Capricorn Full Moon July 14/15, 2011
Capricorn, ruled by Saturn represents slow, deliberate and planned action. Representing paternal energy and naturally opposed to maternal - Cancer...this Full Moon is a sort of reversal. That is, the Moon (ruler of Cancer/mother) is in Capricorn, whereas the Sun (another 'male' symbol) is in Cancer.
No wonder we are confused!
In Evolutionary Astrology, this axis is featured in gender shifts... the idea being that through time we will all experience both the genders so as to achieve balance.
While I long awaited the summer light and heat after what seemed like an endless wet and cold winter under the redwoods, I find myself so lethargic I can't get anything done. I see myself lying on a beach chair next to a swimming pool, with an umbrella'd bright pink cocktail on the low lying table beside me. I know some people actually get to do that. Not a care in the world.
Capricorn also represent authority. Who has the authority in your life? The word authority contains the word 'author'. So we can say it this way - who is the author of your life story? You or someone else? The shadow side of Capricorn is domination and control.
By contrast, the other side of the axis, also highlighted in this Full Moon, is Cancer. Cancer is a relational sign dealing with home and family ties, nurturing. The shadow side of Cancer is over-dependence on others and blaming others for the failures in your life.
Do we give others credit for our successes? We tend to think we succeed by our efforts alone, but others ruin us. Interesting. We need to work on balance. Realizing our connections to others and how we need each other, but also taking responsibility for our actions and have the courage to act alone when appropriate.
The Capricorn/Cancer axis truly reflects the relationship between outer and inner worlds. Our life in the world - career (10th house Capricorn) and our inner life - home (4th house Cancer). With the Sun in Cancer and the Moon in Capricorn, this theme is highlighted.
In this culture (a Cancerian word) we tend to be oriented to the outer - who we are in the world, how others see us, what we do, etc., but this reversal - Moon in Capricorn/Sun in Cancer might be a good time to see that they are connected. One reflects the other. 'Right livelihood' is grounded in a healthy relationship to one's inner nature.
For too long, we have been encouraged to 'leave our feelings at home' when we go to work. This allows people to do inhuman things while on the job. We are seeing the effects of that all around us. I have often asked myself, "Don't the guys who manufacture weapons ever wonder if their own children will be harmed by them? Don't the polluters of water and air think they will get cancer? Do they think their money and profits will save them?" The excuse: "I was only following order" is no excuse anymore. When I was a child and told my mother I wanted what other kids at school had. I wanted to fit in. She would always say,"If they jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, would you want to do it too?" This is another way of saying, "I was only following orders."
Who's is in charge here? Isn't this YOUR life?
More and more we know that our world is interconnected. "We are all Japanese" is something Dennis Bernstein on KPFA has been saying since the nuclear disaster in Japan. We are all suffering the effects of the radiation that is being released from all these nuclear disasters going on. To think otherwise is foolish.
Everything is moving faster and faster. We need to stay centered within our own being. There are many techniques we can use to do so: meditation, yoga, breath practices, tai chi, or even long distance running. It is not only recommended, it is crucial if we are to navigate these times.
We can see that the so-called 'authories' have no idea what they are doing. They are neither experts nor competent. Why listen to them? Time to be the author of your one precious life.
Stephanie Austin in The Mountain Astrologer refers to the Sabian symbols for this Full Moon in this way: (They) accept the need for both cooperative efforts and individual courage. For the Sun at 23 Cancer: "The meeting of a literary society." For the Moon at 23 Capricorn: "A soldier receiving two awards for bravery in combat." We live in extraordinary times, which call for exceptional courage and compassion. If you are feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, spend time in nature -- by water, woods, wherever you feel nurtured or inspired.
We are in the midst of a collective spiritual initiation: "If the initiation holds, we never go back to the old forms or the old reality; we are now incapable of doing so. We have been reconstituted so that we can live now in this different universe, or entire system attuned to a different set of laws." (Deena Metzger)"
No wonder we are confused!
In Evolutionary Astrology, this axis is featured in gender shifts... the idea being that through time we will all experience both the genders so as to achieve balance.
While I long awaited the summer light and heat after what seemed like an endless wet and cold winter under the redwoods, I find myself so lethargic I can't get anything done. I see myself lying on a beach chair next to a swimming pool, with an umbrella'd bright pink cocktail on the low lying table beside me. I know some people actually get to do that. Not a care in the world.
Capricorn also represent authority. Who has the authority in your life? The word authority contains the word 'author'. So we can say it this way - who is the author of your life story? You or someone else? The shadow side of Capricorn is domination and control.
By contrast, the other side of the axis, also highlighted in this Full Moon, is Cancer. Cancer is a relational sign dealing with home and family ties, nurturing. The shadow side of Cancer is over-dependence on others and blaming others for the failures in your life.
Do we give others credit for our successes? We tend to think we succeed by our efforts alone, but others ruin us. Interesting. We need to work on balance. Realizing our connections to others and how we need each other, but also taking responsibility for our actions and have the courage to act alone when appropriate.
The Capricorn/Cancer axis truly reflects the relationship between outer and inner worlds. Our life in the world - career (10th house Capricorn) and our inner life - home (4th house Cancer). With the Sun in Cancer and the Moon in Capricorn, this theme is highlighted.
In this culture (a Cancerian word) we tend to be oriented to the outer - who we are in the world, how others see us, what we do, etc., but this reversal - Moon in Capricorn/Sun in Cancer might be a good time to see that they are connected. One reflects the other. 'Right livelihood' is grounded in a healthy relationship to one's inner nature.
For too long, we have been encouraged to 'leave our feelings at home' when we go to work. This allows people to do inhuman things while on the job. We are seeing the effects of that all around us. I have often asked myself, "Don't the guys who manufacture weapons ever wonder if their own children will be harmed by them? Don't the polluters of water and air think they will get cancer? Do they think their money and profits will save them?" The excuse: "I was only following order" is no excuse anymore. When I was a child and told my mother I wanted what other kids at school had. I wanted to fit in. She would always say,"If they jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, would you want to do it too?" This is another way of saying, "I was only following orders."
Who's is in charge here? Isn't this YOUR life?
More and more we know that our world is interconnected. "We are all Japanese" is something Dennis Bernstein on KPFA has been saying since the nuclear disaster in Japan. We are all suffering the effects of the radiation that is being released from all these nuclear disasters going on. To think otherwise is foolish.
Everything is moving faster and faster. We need to stay centered within our own being. There are many techniques we can use to do so: meditation, yoga, breath practices, tai chi, or even long distance running. It is not only recommended, it is crucial if we are to navigate these times.
We can see that the so-called 'authories' have no idea what they are doing. They are neither experts nor competent. Why listen to them? Time to be the author of your one precious life.
Stephanie Austin in The Mountain Astrologer refers to the Sabian symbols for this Full Moon in this way: (They) accept the need for both cooperative efforts and individual courage. For the Sun at 23 Cancer: "The meeting of a literary society." For the Moon at 23 Capricorn: "A soldier receiving two awards for bravery in combat." We live in extraordinary times, which call for exceptional courage and compassion. If you are feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, spend time in nature -- by water, woods, wherever you feel nurtured or inspired.
We are in the midst of a collective spiritual initiation: "If the initiation holds, we never go back to the old forms or the old reality; we are now incapable of doing so. We have been reconstituted so that we can live now in this different universe, or entire system attuned to a different set of laws." (Deena Metzger)"
Friday, July 1, 2011
July 1, 2011 Cancer Solar Eclipse
Here we are in the midst of another eclipse. July 1, 2011 a New Moon Solar Eclipse and a Grand Cross involving Pluto in Capricorn, Saturn in Libra, Uranus in Aries and the Sun and Moon in Cancer.
Cancer is the sign of home, family, nurturing, the cultural matrix in which we currently live and the one we were born into. Natural ruler of the fourth house and ruled by the Moon, it is generally associated with the Mother or the primary nurturer in our childhood, which may have been our Father or even another male.
At the 'bottom' of the chart, it is the basis of our consciousness: foundational, innate and often unconscious.
I am feeling paralyzed with exhaustion. It is blazing hot and although I was supposed to be at the Rohnert Park Farmer's Market, the thought of getting in the car and driving one more place became overwhelming, so I decided to nurture myself and stay home.
I have been working with more and more people lately and often self-nurturing is something they neglect. Somehow we feel that we must force ourselves to do things because of someone else, but what about us? Who will take care of us if we don't do it ourselves?
Sometimes we have not learned self-care because of the selfishness of those who raised us. They dragged us around with them on their shopping trips, socializing, etc., when we would have preferred doing something else. If we rebelled, we got punished. We were not allowed to be ourselves or express ourselves, so now as adults, we don't know who we are. We are lost unless someone is 'directing our play'.
Yesterday I decided to go to the de Young Museum in San Francisco to see the Balenciaga exhibit, which ends this weekend. I knew it might prove to be exhausting and it was, primarily because it took 3 hours to drive home. I forgot that for most people, this is a holiday weekend and everyone was headed out of the the Bay Area/SF to destinations north.
It was worth it, however. It was marvelous to see all the gowns, suits, hats etc. that were popular when I was a young woman. Most of those at the exhibit were women - my age and older and it was fun to listen to their stories about the prom dress they had that was like this or that dress in the exhibit. Two unrelated women told me how they used to make their own clothes (as I did) and that their favorite fabric was pique. I, too, loved pique. They don't even make it anymore.
I realize I was honoring my Venus in Cancer which is currently conjunct this Eclipse! My natal Venus went
retrograde by progression when I was around 4 and direct when I was around 47! No wonder my 'love life' was so challenging. In the past year, I have reconnected through Facebook with some of my former partners.
It has truly been a healing experience. An opportunity for me complete karma and move into Present Time.
With Pluto opposing this eclipse moving into a square with Uranus in Aries we are in for even more challenges. Eclipses are portals between dimensions. This portal in Cancer provides us with insights about what we need to nurture ourselves and those around us during this time of intense transformation.
Do we need to sleep more, change what or how much we eat? Drink more water? Spend more time with loved ones? Or do we get our nurturing in nature? Living in the woods as I do... near to a vacation destination, I watch the cars driving in on holiday weekends, realizing "I don't have to go anywhere. I live here!" While this area has its challenges.... possible flooding, long periods of being damp and cold etc. I am blessed to see green out of every window all year round! I know that I need green.
Take this opportunity to find out what you really need. What nurtures you, renews you, enlightens your being.
Cancer is the sign of home, family, nurturing, the cultural matrix in which we currently live and the one we were born into. Natural ruler of the fourth house and ruled by the Moon, it is generally associated with the Mother or the primary nurturer in our childhood, which may have been our Father or even another male.
At the 'bottom' of the chart, it is the basis of our consciousness: foundational, innate and often unconscious.
I am feeling paralyzed with exhaustion. It is blazing hot and although I was supposed to be at the Rohnert Park Farmer's Market, the thought of getting in the car and driving one more place became overwhelming, so I decided to nurture myself and stay home.
I have been working with more and more people lately and often self-nurturing is something they neglect. Somehow we feel that we must force ourselves to do things because of someone else, but what about us? Who will take care of us if we don't do it ourselves?
Sometimes we have not learned self-care because of the selfishness of those who raised us. They dragged us around with them on their shopping trips, socializing, etc., when we would have preferred doing something else. If we rebelled, we got punished. We were not allowed to be ourselves or express ourselves, so now as adults, we don't know who we are. We are lost unless someone is 'directing our play'.
Yesterday I decided to go to the de Young Museum in San Francisco to see the Balenciaga exhibit, which ends this weekend. I knew it might prove to be exhausting and it was, primarily because it took 3 hours to drive home. I forgot that for most people, this is a holiday weekend and everyone was headed out of the the Bay Area/SF to destinations north.
It was worth it, however. It was marvelous to see all the gowns, suits, hats etc. that were popular when I was a young woman. Most of those at the exhibit were women - my age and older and it was fun to listen to their stories about the prom dress they had that was like this or that dress in the exhibit. Two unrelated women told me how they used to make their own clothes (as I did) and that their favorite fabric was pique. I, too, loved pique. They don't even make it anymore.
I realize I was honoring my Venus in Cancer which is currently conjunct this Eclipse! My natal Venus went
retrograde by progression when I was around 4 and direct when I was around 47! No wonder my 'love life' was so challenging. In the past year, I have reconnected through Facebook with some of my former partners.
It has truly been a healing experience. An opportunity for me complete karma and move into Present Time.
With Pluto opposing this eclipse moving into a square with Uranus in Aries we are in for even more challenges. Eclipses are portals between dimensions. This portal in Cancer provides us with insights about what we need to nurture ourselves and those around us during this time of intense transformation.
Do we need to sleep more, change what or how much we eat? Drink more water? Spend more time with loved ones? Or do we get our nurturing in nature? Living in the woods as I do... near to a vacation destination, I watch the cars driving in on holiday weekends, realizing "I don't have to go anywhere. I live here!" While this area has its challenges.... possible flooding, long periods of being damp and cold etc. I am blessed to see green out of every window all year round! I know that I need green.
Take this opportunity to find out what you really need. What nurtures you, renews you, enlightens your being.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse - June 15, 2011
So here we go into another eclipse, the second of three during this season. This one is a lunar eclipse the other two are solar eclipses. It will be in Sagittarius on June 15.
Some astrologers say that the eclipses that occurred while one was in the womb affect the entire life. For me, there was a solar eclipse just 3 weeks before I was born - in Taurus, close to my North Node in Taurus in the 9th house.I have devoted my life to the study of languages (Gemini Sun), cultures and religions (Pisces Moon).
I was ordained as an Interfaith minister through the Sufi Ruhaniat International after lifetimes of training. I have been on my pilgrimage journeys with spiritual teachers to Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Crete, Mexico and India and in each place experienced past-life memories.
In general, eclipses are portals through which souls come in and leave the planet. But they are also portals for those who know how to use them, moving to other dimensions at will. This is increasingly available now with Neptune in Pisces and as we approach 2012.
One of the requirements for 'time and space travel' is that we are able to be totally in the present. Fantasizing or reminiscing indicate that our minds are out of control. While they both can be pleasant (or terrifying depending on what we are imagining), they are most often passively achieved. That is...they happen to us. It takes some effort to stay present. You have to learn to control thought.
A daily practice of meditation can assist in developing the mind-control muscle. Learning to stop thoughts (written about by Carlos Castaneda in the '60s book: The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui way of Knowledge) is a very effective way to stay in the present, in gratitude and out of fear.
The Maya, too, saw eclipses as powerful times and in the Dresden Codex there is a perpetual eclipse table that has been shown to be incredibly accurate.
A significant feature of this eclipse is that it is within 3 degrees of conjunction to the Galactic Center, the Black Hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy...the ultimate portal. What we have then is a lining up of portals on at least two dimensions.
Mercury is conjunct the Sun and South Node in Gemini. As the messenger of the gods, Mercury (which is associated with our state of consciousness, communication and 'lower mind'), assists us in moving between dimensions. Often called the 'trickster' which I feel has a negative connotation, I see its role more as a shape-shifter, able to adjust to circumstances as needed. In order to communicate with beings on different dimensions, we may need to alter our form. This is not a bad thing, it is an accommodation for the sake of being better able to understand.
It is not enough to just speak louder when talking to a person who speaks a different language than ours...we have to speak their language. This often means we have to change our mindset. Some things are just not translatable. It is true that the categories of meaning are different in each language. The world view of someone living in dense jungle must necessarily be different than someone raised in the Sahara. Think about it! This is why travel is so enlightening. You find out that not everyone thinks like a person from San Francisco, California, USA. Ha ha!
The North Node is also within orb of the GC and the eclipse and shows us where we collectively need to be moving. Where it occurs in your chart shows where you can be aiming the centaur's arrow for yourself.
North Node in Sagittarius - in general represents Higher Mind, Truth with a big T, and the search for it. Philosophy, Religion and Spirituality. Higher Educations. Ruled by Jupiter, the grand guru of the universe - the teacher. It also represents travel on long journeys inner or outer, pilgrimage, foreign lands and cultures.
I think we are coming into a period where we see all earth beings as part of one family of man/woman. Diverse and united. The many and the one. We are called to travel on different dimensions now - the macro and the micro. Perhaps beyond this Universe.
It is time to stop fighting and learn to work together for the good of all. Otherwise, we will all go down.
The numerous natural and man-made disasters we have been experiencing lately should be waking us up to the dire situation we are in. The corporations keep us distracted from what we really need to focus on so that they can continue making money as the ship goes down. With Jupiter in Taurus we need to find what is really important and work to nurture and sustain it. Jupiter in Taurus for the next year will be teaching us what really matters for the survival of the Earth and its inhabitants. We have to start looking at our kinship with animals and plants, without whom we cannot live.
Taurus an earth sign is ruled by Venus. It deals with the earthly comforts: food, shelter, clothing (as protection from heat and cold), pleasure, love, and other resources we need to sustain life. Many of these things have been taken for granted here in the West and now that they are threatened by the economic downturn, we realize that we cannot live the way we want without them. "It's hard to be spiritual when you are worried about paying the rent."
Many of us are being forced to whittle down our lives to what is absolutely necessary. The challenge is to see that we are more than our stuff and that our 'value' as a person is more than how much money we make. In Alice in Wonderland the caterpillar asks Alice "who are you?" and so I (as the resident caterpillar of this blog) now as you the same question: "WHO ARE YOU?"
Some astrologers say that the eclipses that occurred while one was in the womb affect the entire life. For me, there was a solar eclipse just 3 weeks before I was born - in Taurus, close to my North Node in Taurus in the 9th house.I have devoted my life to the study of languages (Gemini Sun), cultures and religions (Pisces Moon).
I was ordained as an Interfaith minister through the Sufi Ruhaniat International after lifetimes of training. I have been on my pilgrimage journeys with spiritual teachers to Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Crete, Mexico and India and in each place experienced past-life memories.
In general, eclipses are portals through which souls come in and leave the planet. But they are also portals for those who know how to use them, moving to other dimensions at will. This is increasingly available now with Neptune in Pisces and as we approach 2012.
One of the requirements for 'time and space travel' is that we are able to be totally in the present. Fantasizing or reminiscing indicate that our minds are out of control. While they both can be pleasant (or terrifying depending on what we are imagining), they are most often passively achieved. That is...they happen to us. It takes some effort to stay present. You have to learn to control thought.
A daily practice of meditation can assist in developing the mind-control muscle. Learning to stop thoughts (written about by Carlos Castaneda in the '60s book: The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui way of Knowledge) is a very effective way to stay in the present, in gratitude and out of fear.
The Maya, too, saw eclipses as powerful times and in the Dresden Codex there is a perpetual eclipse table that has been shown to be incredibly accurate.
A significant feature of this eclipse is that it is within 3 degrees of conjunction to the Galactic Center, the Black Hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy...the ultimate portal. What we have then is a lining up of portals on at least two dimensions.
Mercury is conjunct the Sun and South Node in Gemini. As the messenger of the gods, Mercury (which is associated with our state of consciousness, communication and 'lower mind'), assists us in moving between dimensions. Often called the 'trickster' which I feel has a negative connotation, I see its role more as a shape-shifter, able to adjust to circumstances as needed. In order to communicate with beings on different dimensions, we may need to alter our form. This is not a bad thing, it is an accommodation for the sake of being better able to understand.
It is not enough to just speak louder when talking to a person who speaks a different language than ours...we have to speak their language. This often means we have to change our mindset. Some things are just not translatable. It is true that the categories of meaning are different in each language. The world view of someone living in dense jungle must necessarily be different than someone raised in the Sahara. Think about it! This is why travel is so enlightening. You find out that not everyone thinks like a person from San Francisco, California, USA. Ha ha!
The North Node is also within orb of the GC and the eclipse and shows us where we collectively need to be moving. Where it occurs in your chart shows where you can be aiming the centaur's arrow for yourself.
North Node in Sagittarius - in general represents Higher Mind, Truth with a big T, and the search for it. Philosophy, Religion and Spirituality. Higher Educations. Ruled by Jupiter, the grand guru of the universe - the teacher. It also represents travel on long journeys inner or outer, pilgrimage, foreign lands and cultures.
I think we are coming into a period where we see all earth beings as part of one family of man/woman. Diverse and united. The many and the one. We are called to travel on different dimensions now - the macro and the micro. Perhaps beyond this Universe.
It is time to stop fighting and learn to work together for the good of all. Otherwise, we will all go down.
The numerous natural and man-made disasters we have been experiencing lately should be waking us up to the dire situation we are in. The corporations keep us distracted from what we really need to focus on so that they can continue making money as the ship goes down. With Jupiter in Taurus we need to find what is really important and work to nurture and sustain it. Jupiter in Taurus for the next year will be teaching us what really matters for the survival of the Earth and its inhabitants. We have to start looking at our kinship with animals and plants, without whom we cannot live.
Taurus an earth sign is ruled by Venus. It deals with the earthly comforts: food, shelter, clothing (as protection from heat and cold), pleasure, love, and other resources we need to sustain life. Many of these things have been taken for granted here in the West and now that they are threatened by the economic downturn, we realize that we cannot live the way we want without them. "It's hard to be spiritual when you are worried about paying the rent."
Many of us are being forced to whittle down our lives to what is absolutely necessary. The challenge is to see that we are more than our stuff and that our 'value' as a person is more than how much money we make. In Alice in Wonderland the caterpillar asks Alice "who are you?" and so I (as the resident caterpillar of this blog) now as you the same question: "WHO ARE YOU?"
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