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.

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.

Full Moon Eclipse Dec 10, 2011

Coulda, shoulda woulda.. written this earlier, but in the FLOW of NOW which the power of entrenched paradigms to control our perceptions of reality while the NEW dimensions are shimmering right below the surface ready to bring forth a new way of being.

The importance of not succumbing to the illusion of 'no way' is becoming so clear to me. To the extent of my ability to walk my talk and practice what I preach (do I preach?)...things work.
I would love to be able to get up early to see this eclipse, but as cold as it is right now, I don't know if that will happen.

Eclipses open portals for souls to come and go. They are also times for reprogramming. This one is no different.
The Universe has been demonstrating indisputably to me lately that we have infinite power to create the world we want to live in. If you are like me, you get loads of emails about seminars to help us deal with our blocks to abundance, blah, blah, blah. Don't you get sick of it? Everyone talks about how are natural state is happy, loving, living in abundance etc. but the news is all about lack, anger, frustration, and fear. So what's the problem?

We all know at least one thing we could do that would improve our lives...lose weight, stop smoking, meditate, talk a walk, the list goes on and on. But do we do it? At the same time we complain about this or that. We want something to change, get better, whatever, yet we don't do the ONE THING that would make it better. The fact is, if we did that one small thing, everything else would be different too. I KNOW THIS IS TRUE!

The amazing effect of doing that one small thing that we know about is that other things improve as well. The reason is that by doing that one small thing, we are both strengthening our will power and working against self-sabotage. We change our energetic makeup completely. The other seemingly unrelated changes we want to see are thus available to us. We change our image of ourselves as this person who does not follow through to a being with integrity. The block is our self-image - as a person who does not follow through. The Universe responds to our self image. When we stop self-sabotage, the Universe responds.

Consensus reality is still operating from the old paradigm: hard work=success. What the Occupy Movement is about is that the old paradigm does not work anymore. They are only dealing with part of it and if I may say so, only the surface of the issue. We have to go deeper than whether someone has a job or not to the concept of having a job in the first place. Questioning the paradigms is about much more than that. Why are we here in the first place? To get a job? Buy a house? Pay our bills?

These are the REAL QUESTIONS the Occupy Movement is never going to ask because it, too, is just part of the existing paradigm - the other side of the same old coin. To make real change, each individual has to do the inner work. The work you only can do alone. Only a few people are going to do that. The real 1%!

We can get so used to "struggling, fighting" that we have no idea how to function in its absence. What would we do if all our dreams just came true overnight? Could we handle it? Or would we still see the old situation? Isn't it just possible that the world we want is already here, but that we just can't see it?

On Dec. 10, Uranus, the Awakener goes direct in Aries, then 3 days later, on Dec. 13, Mercury goes direct in Sagittarius, the Truth Seeker. We are living in amazing times, when the veils are being lifted. Are you ready to see the truth?

Dec. 13 is also Feast of Santa Lucia, patron saint of the blind. Lucia, who lived from 283-304 AD in Sicily, was a Christian who refused to marry a pagan. She had her dowry distributed to the poor.
Her name means "light" and it is believed she can bring sight back. May Santa Lucia shine her light and help us to see the truth of who we are and why we are here.

Nov. 10, 2011 Full Moon in Taurus

One day before the 11.11.11 date. Personally, I don't understand what that is about, but there are those who consider it extremely significant. Is this another doomsday? or another chance to ascend? Whew, with all these major transformations possible...you'd better get it together. That's the message I get from all this and what this Full Moon is all about.

If found this online and it seems to sum 11:11:11 up fairly well, so I am quoting it. It comes from a website featuring newspaper articles from Ontario, Canada.

"According to Ancient Secrets Revealed, 11 is a master psychic’s number that means spiritual truth, intuition and ideals. It is viewed as a conduit to higher vibrational energy and wisdom. For that reason, there will be a tremendous number of ceremonies and celebrations around the world on November 11, 2011 or 11.11.11 including a major event in Toronto, Ontario.
The number 1 by itself can mean either the positive aspects of self-awareness and consciousness or selfishness, arrogance and aggression. The number 11 in astrological terms means you should pay attention to your intuition. Then the 11.11 connection suggests living as a more evolved person and taking responsibility for your actions.
When it comes to 11.11.11, which when added equals 6, it relates to home, family and stability as well as making the correct decision, being a good role model and viewing the world with an open mind. It also denotes getting rid of old thoughts and feelings that are detrimental emotionally, physically and spiritually."

I also like this article on Ancient Secrets Revealed

Be that as it may, the day before is a Full Moon in Taurus. Taurus encourages us to live in balance on the plane of matter. Taurus is concerned with survival, the realm of the senses (and the sensual), land, and values in relation to material wealth among other things. VERY IMPORTANT right now. And definitely 'up'. The Occupy movement is a rebellion of the 'people' the 99% against those who own most of the wealth. A classic struggle between the haves and those who want more. I won't call them the have nots because that is not really true. Few of the people protesting are have nots....they are people who want more. For more on this see my post on one of my other blogs.

Back to this Full Moon. Three important celestial bodies go direct around this one: Neptune, Ceres and Chiron. Ceres and Chiron go direct in Pisces, Neptune in the last degrees of Aquarius repairing for its ingress into its home sign.

Neptune in Pisces for the next 14 or so years is the real harbinger of spiritual evolution. I have discussed this in relation to 2012 on my CD program for sale on my 2012 blog.

During the next 14 years, transcendental experiences will be happening to everyone - even if just for a few moments. Everyone will have the chance to awaken - at least a little.

I think this quote sums it all up:
"The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away." (Pablo Picasso)
taken from The Mountain Astrologer, Oct/Nov 2011, p.105

I think this Full Moon on the axis of Taurus and Scorpio, asks us to examine our values and what we value. Do we value relationships or possessions? Do we determine what is important in our lives or do we follow the beliefs or dictates of others. Are we self-affirming or do we need feedback from others to establish our self-worth?

This Full Moon happens to be in wide conjunction to my natal nodes. It is also coincident that I am currently in a mode of re-evaluation and examination of my talents and abilities in relation to the needs of those I hope to serve. Lately, I have been feeling that no one wants what I have to offer. Should I change what I do to correspond to the market? or should I maintain my own goals. It boils down to - should I change my 'product' so that people will buy it? Interestingly, as I write this, the answer is clear. If I am truly following my heart's desire, it doesn't matter if anyone else values it or not. I am inspired by God/Goddess who provides for all my needs.

What is success? It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are on a spiritual path, success may look very different from a person who is a Wall Street trader.

We are all being asked to examine our values and this Full Moon highlights that process.

Signs like almost everything, exist in a world of polarity, thus they have 'light' and 'dark' sides. Rio Olesky would call this 'centered' and 'uncentered'. Sometimes it is easier to see the 'centered' aspect by looking at the 'uncentered' side. Rio has a great new book called A Manual for the Modern Mystic: How to Practice Being in the Presence of God. (see sidebar to purchase) I highly recommend it. This is how it is described on his website:

"This book discusses 12 universal laws, each one associated with a sign of the zodiac. Rio uses stories and personal anecdotes as well as quotes or references to mystics throughout history. He discusses ways of working with these laws to enhance spiritual growth and consciousness development."

He will be one of the speakers at Astrology Day March 17, 2012 in San Francisco. His talk entitled: The Upside of Downtimes sound fascinating. The website is http://ncgrsanfrancisco.org/IADSF2012.html

The uncentered, dark, or shadow side of Taurus is materialistic, simplistic and unwilling to change. I would add stubborn.  Uncentered Scorpio is manipulative, obsessive and unable to trust.

Perhaps it is time to see how our society has been operating from the Dark side for quite a long time. This Full Moon, thinning the veils between the visible and invisible can help us see the truth and then perhaps we can change it.

Full Moon in Aries - October 2011: Learning from the Slime Molds

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.

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!

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)"

Full Moon in Scorpio - May 17, 2011

Last weekend I was supposed to participate in a Health Fair Sampler with Songbird Community Healing Center. I was going to offer flower essence readings and promote my classes and readings.

I woke up with a lot of resistance, my knee still aching, and my energy low. I thought about how little money I have been making at shows and events lately as people seem less willing to part with their declining funds.

On the other hand, I had not paid for the booth and so would lose nothing, except the gas to get there, even if I made nothing. I went through the usual inner conversation of 'yes and no' - which doesn't seem to get better, despite my efforts.

At some point, a new idea popped in, probably because I have been meditating more lately. Why not see it not as a chance to make money, but rather as a time to have fun. View it as a party I was invited to, a chance to see my friends and meet new people. This way, I didn't need to make money because it was a social activity.

Amazingly, this gave me renewed energy to get ready and go.

Let me say that this was the most financially successful day I have had in months! I scheduled and was paid for a reading and sold aromatherapy products. Effortlessly, I had made 4X what I had hoped I would make! I felt like a miracle had happened. In a sense, it had.

This showed me something very important which relates to this Full Moon in Scorpio, which asks that we shift the way we do things. By viewing the show as 'work' it became drudgery like many of the jobs I have had in my life.

I got into making herbal products and giving astrology readings because I loved it. I had made into to a chore by "needing to make money" at it. When I shifted my attitude, my energy changed. This, of course, is related to the Law of Attraction. People were willing to give me their resources (money) because they liked the energy I was radiating.

Many agree that things are falling apart and shifting. Rather than scrambling to rebuild the old and replace the outworn, let's use this as an opportunity to create and manifest our bliss.

Many years ago I worked at a women's shelter. Despite the fact that every one's life had been led them to their current circumstances, all were doing everything they could to restore that dysfunctional life minus their abuser. No one saw the whole pattern, their role in the dysfunction, the fact that it was their attitudes about themselves and the world that had, in part, created the scenario they found themselves in. No one saw they had to change everything, including themselves. I used to encourage them to see their stay in the shelter as the greatest opportunity they might ever have to totally change their lives. Some wanted to believe me, but feared the unknown. They opted for the security they knew, despite the fact that it led to misery. Of course, some did manage to make improvements, but most just changed the particulars, not the causes.

Let us not make the same mistake. If you find yourself with more time on your hands, why not use it to do inner work? Read, meditate, walk, work in your garden. Change your patterns. What else do you have to do? Perhaps, with this opening in your life, you will create something even better than that job you resented every day. One thing that all this proves is that there is no such thing as 'security' except that which comes from within.

I love this quote Stephanie Austin offers this month from Joseph Campbell:
"The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the Universe, to match your nature with Nature."

By the way, my class Ek'Waynal, the Galactic Center and 2012 is now available on CD. This narrated slide show connects the end of the Mayan calendar, the alignment with the Galactic Center and astrological events. How does the ingress of Neptune in Pisces relate to 2012? Go to my Maya and 2012 blog to purchase.

Full Moon in Virgo - March 19, 2011

Many of us will be attending the International Astrology Day events in San Francisco this coming Saturday. It is the day before the Spring Equinox and the day of another Power Full Moon.
The second of six SuperMoons this year, it will exert a stronger pull on the Earth's oceans, tectonic plates and energy grids than 'normal' Full Moons. Not exactly what we need right now!

A psychic I know said the west coast of California could have a huge earthquake between March 19 and 27. Apparently, California is on the other side of the same fault that caused the recent earthquake in Japan.

Another element of this upcoming Full Moon is that the alignment of the Earth's equator with the Sun at the equinox causes a reduction of the Earth's magnetic field, which according to Stephanie Austin, "facilitates switching channels and increasing access to higher dimensions and new information".

Since this Full Moon (opposition of the Sun and Moon) is square the nodal axis (currently in Sagittarius and Gemini), we have a Grand Cross - the the Sagittarius NN conjunct the Galactic Center. The Galactic Center is a black hole at the center of our galaxy. It is a super transmitter of energy and radiation which effects the electromagnetic field of the Earth. So we have two conditions which could shift our magnetic field, not to mention whatever effects were caused by this recent huge earthquake.

I have discussed the meaning of the Galactic Center a bit here and on my 2012 blog.

Equinoxes are considered cosmic gateways by many ancient cultures. Spring and Fall Equinoxes are when the Cosmic Serpent at Chichen Itza moves down the sides of El Castillo and slithers off to his home in the Underworld via the portal of the Sacred Cenote. Hope to be there this September.

This Full Moon occurs at the final degrees of Pisces and Virgo, potent degrees as we are challenged to 'get the message' of the sign before the planetary body moves on.

So what are we to do? Nothing. There is nothing to DO. It is time to BE! Rather than be a human doing, become a human being. Being occurs when live in our hearts. As we get better at staying in our heart, then no matter what happens, it will be okay.

The Sabian symbols for this Full Moon are potent.
Sun 29 degrees of Pisces - "Light breaking into many colors as it passes through a prism."
Moon 29 degrees of Virgo - "A seeker after occult knowledge is reading an ancient scroll which illumines his mind."

Kim Marie of the Evolutionary Astrology Network suggests that we pray for all those who have passed due to this earthquake and tsunami so that they can realize their situation and move on to the Light. Whenever there is a mass trauma like this with a huge loss of life, souls can be trapped because they get confused.

Now that we are moving towards Pisces in Neptune (April 4) the veils will be thinner. Perhaps these large numbers of people who have passed in the last couple of years are actually 'immigrants' to the new world - going ahead to prepare the next level for the rest of us. Maybe their soul contract included being emissaries to the new dimension.

It was a tragedy from our perspective, but we may not know the whole story. Because we are unable to accept a concept such as 'ascension', we have to have 'an earthquake' so that a large number of people could leave and their departure would fit into our paradigm.

If we shift our consciousness, we might just be able to ascend without blowing anything up first. We can leave without trauma. It's a naughty child who destroys his toys before he leaves so that no one else can play with them.

Come in from the Cold - Full Moon in Leo February 18, 2011

I felt the pull and saw the light of the beginning of the Full Moon in Leo last night. For me it lasts for 3 days. One day before and one after the 'actual' day. Since I have a skylight in my bedroom, (it was there when I moved in), the light of the Full Moon, not to mention the energy, can keep me awake.
Coupled with the sound of the rain pounding overhead, I had a wakeful night. I found myself, once again, beginning the litany of concerns about this or that. Instead, I shifted my mind to counting my blessings. A warm cozy bed, a full stomach, a roof, my sweet little white cat Melody at the end of the bed, a peaceful life.

The world is upheaval. The revolution in Egypt was remarkable. I wonder if anyone noticed that a million plus people were out in the streets for nearly 3 weeks and there was no destruction of property and very little violence (except on the part of the government). The so-called down-trodden Muslim women in their headscarves, were shouting as loud as the men. This people's revolt would never, no could never happen here. We are too fat and happy.

Rather than demonstrating in the streets that we are not happy that the richest people in the country continue to make more money while people are without work, losing their homes, paying more for everything everyday.... we sit and watch T.V., drink our poisonous softdrinks and eat our GMO-based snacks.

Did you know that almost every type of prepared food has corn in it? In some form or another? Whether it be corn syrup to sweeten, cornstarch to make it seem creamy or hold it together. And that corn is all GMO. Did it ever occur to you that part of the modification might be designed to do something to you? (Sounds like a conspiracy. Now she's really becoming a nut job). Well, it's my blog and I can say what I want. Hmmm did anyone ever notice how many obese people we have here in the good ole USA?

When I was a child in school there was only one 'fatty' in the whole school. Now, almost everyone is overweight or starving themselves to stay from getting there. I know this is not PC, but folks, obesity is a PROBLEM! It's not okay. Yes, you should still love yourself, but love yourself more and do something about it! It does affect your health.

And now that most of us cannot afford medical insurance, myself included, and the government will not offer Medicare for all, we are facing a real crisis. I am not blaming 'the victim'. I AM blaming the advertising industry, corporations, and the food industry. In order to make cheaper, faster food, they have engineered this 'plastic' food. But it contains elements that not only are starving people so that they have to eat more, but also addicts them, so they want to eat more. Healthy whole food is satisfying.

So how does this relate to astrology you might well be asking at this time. The signs and planets have been anthropomorphized for centuries. Named after gods and goddesses, they interacted just like we do. Many of the mythologies of the world are based on the stories associated with the heavenly bodies.

Right now, the Moon in Leo is out there by itself except for Saturn (not exactly the warmest of planets). And we all know that Leo craves, nay requires, love and attention. I learned years ago, that one way to see this need in the Leo is to imagine that in a past life the Leo was left alone sleeping in a cave, while the mother went to forage for food. While the mother was gone, there was an earthquake and the entrance to the cave got buried. The child wakes up, and sees that it has been 'buried alive' and eventually starves and dies thinking all along that the mother abandoned it and left it to die. Never understanding the truth. Meanwhile, the mother scratches her fingers to the bone trying to dig out the child. Bleeding and crying, she succumbs to the elements and also starves and dies. A sad tale, yes.

This Leo Moon feels abandonded by the rest of the gang which is having a party together over there in Aquarius and Capricorn. Yikes! I can't imagine a more boring party than that! But in the mind of the Leo - THEY are all whooping it up over there on the other side of the sky while he/she is shivering to death alone.

I suggest that you bring your Leo 'abandoned child' in from the cold. Make him/her some warm homemade soup, using a real chicken and some real vegetables. Rather than stressing and worrying, do something constructive. A whole chicken is cheaper than cut up parts. Cut it up yourself. Take the neck, back and other 'non-useful parts' and make a broth. Freeze the legs, wings, thighs and breasts for other meals. Anyone can learn to cut up a chicken. Fresh celery, onions, carrots, and fresh herbs from the garden outside, can make it delicious.

After you have made a pot of soup, invite your friends over. Maybe someone knows how to make bread from scratch....not some frozen preservative-laden dough from the store that you heat and serve. The homemade jam someone got as a Christmas gift makes that bread a delicious treat.

Share your skills, learn new ones.

Everyone laughs at the 'back to the land' movement of the 60s, but many of us 'elders' know how to do things that will help us all through this time of change.

We need to learn to use all parts of the chicken.

You Are What You Eat - Full Moon in Cancer

This up-coming Full Moon in Cancer, January 19, sort of crept up on me. Although it is still officially winter, I can feel the energy of Spring. I think it is due to the up-coming ingress of two planets into Aries - Jupiter January 22, Uranus March 12.

Time is moving faster as Jupiter moves into Aries, soon to be followed by Uranus.

Projects that I have had on a back burner for months are suddenly manifesting. My Virgo ascendant keeps saying "not ready! wait! stop!" But my progressed New Moon in Gemini in the 10th house is ready to roll.

First new offering is my Pluto Through the Houses Course. A four week course featuring Pluto as viewed through the Evolutionary Astrology perspective.

Each week we will cover three house/sign archetypes. You have the option of taking the whole course for a discounted price, or just the one/ones that relate to you.

Everyone must take the Introductory class, which covers the basic principles of Evolutionary Astrology and the role Pluto plays in the chart. It will be offered three times so that you have a chance to take it before the Course starts in April.

The dates for the Introductory Class are:

Sunday, February 27, 2-4
Saturday, March 5, 2-4

They will be offered at the Songbird Community Healing Center in Cotati.

The four week Course will be first and third Saturdays of April and first and third Saturdays in May. April 2 and 16, 2-4pm and Saturday May 7 and 21, 2-4pm.
Each class is $25.00 or $90.00 for all four.
The Introductory Class is $15-$25 sliding scale

Register here at the PayPal button in the sidebar or through the Songbird Center website.

Now on to this Full Moon. Cancer, ruled by the Moon often represents the Mother or the Nurturer. That which sustains life so that it can reach maturity (Capricorn).

Stephanie Austin in The Mountain Astrologer says, "The first water sign (Cancer) teaches about feelings, family and food; how emotions function as our spiritual GPS; the importance of where, how, and with whom we live; and what helps us to grow."

It is important that she connects spirituality to emotions. In the West at least, we often connect spirituality with thought and the mind. We believe, often unconsciously, that emotions are connected with the body, which in the Christian tradition, is often considered the source of evil. Actually you cannot separate any of it. It is all a system - the body affects the mind, the mind the emotions, the emotions the body. What came first - the chicken or the egg?

Spiritual technologies that seek to control the mind and thought often leave out the next crucial part. It is not the thoughts themselves that affect us, but their relationship to emotions. If you have a thought and it is neutral...then no effect. But if a thought sparks an emotion (which it often does) then you have a bodily response and that can be detrimental to your health and well-being.

It might sound indulgent to say that being happy is good for you... but it's true! Being happy can be a result of gratitude, it does not mean you just bought a new Lexus!

Happiness is not dependent on your status or accomplishments although Hollywood and Madison Avenue have learned how to manipulate us so well, we now associate happiness with whatever they tell us we should have, be or do. They learned early on how to control us and they do. Most people are totally unaware of this type of programming.

Lately I have been watching T.V. a lot because I have been visiting an elderly relative. I have not had T.V. in my home for nearly 17 years because of where I live. I had heard horror stories about what has been going on there, but I had no idea how bad it had gotten. After a couple nights of watching T.V. I began to have an uncontrollable desire to eat. Being the analytical person I am, I sought an explanation for this insatiable hunger. I realized that it was due to frustration. Watching T.V. made me feel powerless. The one thing I could do, was run to the kitchen during every commercial break and grab something, ANYTHING to eat. I was eating stale crackers!

Why frustrated? One thing was the flashing images... they have speeded everything up. There was no time to process what I was seeing. Just as I would begin to wrap my mind around something, the image changed. I never got to see what the result was or even what happened next. Some shows were extremely bad. The worst I saw was Inside Edition. They spent more time saying what they were going to cover than actually covering it. It was hard to tell what was the content of the show and what was an advertisement. After awhile, it didn't matter. It was all sound and action bites, which left me 'hungry' for the meal....which was in the kitchen.

So we have come full circle to Cancer (which rules the stomach) and food...that which nourishes us.

We have to learn to eat what is good for us, not what is dished out by the media. We need to turn the electronics off. We don't have to take it in. We need to feel the effects of the things we consume...whether it be ideas, food, images, sounds - whatever. Limit or reject that which feels toxic, because it probably is to you. So what if people say "you are too sensitive." How can you be too sensitive? Especially if you have to 'toughen up' to withstand it?

"You are what you eat" was a slogan that came out at the end of the 50s. It was probably part of a T.V. ad (ha!ha!). But it is true. And it refers not only to food but to all forms of energy that enters your body.

It is especially important now that we are going through this huge energetic shift to feel the effects of everything and anything you are exposed to and to limit or stop contact with whatever makes you feel sick.

Learn to take care of yourself. Don't ingest poison in any form.

There Are No Coincidences - Full Moon in Aries September 23, 2010

The Full Moon this month is on Sept.23, 6 hours after the Fall Equinox. It is said that times like these energetic gateways are opened. I call them portals.

At zero degrees Aries, it is the beginning point of the zodiac and thus is the start of a new cycle.


Just today, I scheduled my first Astrology class at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton. It will take place next (Spring) semester. I have been wanting to leap into teaching astrology and was invited to do so today. This is a new beginning for me and I look forward to it joyfully.

It turns out that the Sun on this Full Moon is only 2 degrees from the Super Galactic Center (SGC) at 2 degrees Libra around which our Milky Way Galaxy turns. Saturday, September 25, I will be teaching a class on the Galactic Center (GC) according to Mayan belief. When I scheduled the class, I did not 'know' we were at that point. So, a class on the GC just a couple of days after passing by the SGC! WOW talk about portals.

Although the Sun crosses the point of the SGC every year, it is extremely rare for this to coincide with a Full Moon and in connection with four outer planets.

Stephanie Austin says, "The SGC functions as a homing beacon, a transmission of stellar intelligence streaming across millions of light years, impelling us to embody the energies encoded in our birth charts."

It takes courage to do that and Aries is all about courage. Consensus reality controls us more that we would like to admit. Even our rebellion against it is conditioned by it. What would we do if we were truly free? If we had unlimited choice?

The work I am doing now, after the recent Evolutionary Astrology conference in Denver, includes identifying those hidden fears and beliefs that keep us from our best manifestation.  Jeffrey Wolf Green says that nearly all of us are born with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to past life trauma or trauma experienced in the womb. The rest experience trauma some time in their early childhood years. This trauma serves both to condition us and to teach us. When acknowledged and processed, it can lead us to our greatest gifts. It is one of the factors that leads to evolution... the soul's purpose on Earth.

Another coincidence is that I am currently working on a chart reading for a person whose natal Sun is conjunct the Super Galactic Center. I likened his situation to that of a butterfly ready to leave the safety of the cocoon he has lived in for most of his life, spread his wings in the Sun and fly free and beautiful.

Stephanie Austin in her article in this month's The Mountain Astrologer (which I read after I received the image), quotes the Sabian symbol for this Full Moon: "In a collection of perfect specimens of many biological forms, a butterfly displays the beauty of its wings, its body impaled by a fine dart; the immortal archetypal reality that a perfect and dedicated life reveals." Well, I can do without the impaling part, but the rest is inspiring. In fact, impaling is part of what we need to shed at this time.

My client's birthday is September 26 and his life has been one of dedicated service to family and friends. He strives for beauty and harmony in all areas of his life.

There are so many indicators that this is the time for transformation for all of us. The Grand Cross we are all being affected by includes Jupiter/Uranus/Moon in Pisces/Aries on one corner, Sun/Saturn in Libra opposing, Pluto/North Node/Ceres in Capricorn squaring with South Node in Cancer opposing - 8 oppositions and 15 squares. Only the inner planets are not involved, although Mercury in Virgo trines Pluto and the North Node.

We are coming to the end of the Piscean Age, where we were taught to believe that we must suffer in order to grow, that being spiritually oriented meant we had to be poor and alone. Those days are over.

Full Moon in Pisces - August 24: The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn

As we approach the upcoming Full Moon in Pisces on August 24, I'd like to tell you about the astrology conference I went to last week in Denver, Colorado. Last time I was there in '08 was for the UAC conference. I guess it is a desirable place for conferences as it is situated in the heart of the U.S.


Sponsored by the Evolutionary Astrology Network, the theme was Astrology, Reincarnation and the Soul. Pretty deep stuff! And it was. The speakers were: Kim Marie, who spoke about The Shifting Reality of the Soul (Pluto and Saturn); Mark Jones, who spoke about Trauma and Healing (Uranus); and Patricia Walsh, who spoke about Understanding Karmic Complexes (Pluto and the Nodes). We learned about three sign/house combinations a day for four days.

The material, as you can guess from the titles, was both intense and transformative.

One night Patricia demonstrated her method of past life regression and working with past lives, known as Deep Memory Process/Regression Therapy created by Roger Woolger PhD. All of us were deeply affected by watching her work with the brave soul who volunteered. Some were so triggered by it that they had to leave the room. Many were crying. It stayed with us throughout the conference.

Mark Jones spoke about the Aquarius/11th house/Uranus relationship to Trauma that Jeffrey Wolf Green brought through in his Pluto: The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul books I and II published in the '80s, and in his many workshops and seminars.

JWG said that 85% of the population is born with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome due to past life trauma, trauma in utero or at the time of birth. This is reflected in the astrological chart by Aquarius/11th house/Uranus and planets in hard aspect to these archetypes.

This is a radical idea but can be explained briefly like this. Society (Saturn) seeks stability and security for its members. In general, change is seen as disruptive, so there is a desire to restrict change. At the same time, the souls of the individuals living in a society seek evolution. If there is no way for people to grow and evolve, or if the natural impulse is constrained or restricted, there will be a build up of pressure leading to revolution. In a sense, revolution leads to evolution.

The same thing occurs at all levels from the individual to the collective. Evolution is the natural impulse and it either occurs at a slow but constant rate, like growth of a plant, or it occurs suddenly and precipitously and is interpreted as a crisis. Crisis - sudden radical action forces change. This can cause trauma to the psyche.

Another way of looking at it is that if we refuse to 'do our soul's work' something in our life will happen to 'force' us to do it or die.

Other sources of trauma include war, natural disaster, violent death, etc. These things leave resonances in the soul and are re-experienced in the current life.

Traumas that occur in the current life get replayed and thus re-experienced, in the mind and can affect us in all areas of our life. They, in effect, create 'buttons' that can be triggered in any number of ways.

Uranus is associated with long term memory and includes memory stored in the soul over lifetimes.

I was so intrigued by Mark's teaching that I had a reading from him the day of departure. I have had many astrological readings by numerous people over the years. Since I have been a student of astrology for nearly 40 years in addition to doing readings for other people myself, I have studied my own chart a lot. Mark's reading explained the core challenge of my life. It totally shook me up. His words touched me deeply. No reading or interpretation of my chart has ever had such a profound effect on me.

I'm sure you have had people say 'you have to get out of your own way'. What does that mean? Or - 'you always sabotage yourself.' Great! But how? Why? What can I do about it?

Sometimes others see the effect that trauma has had on us, but cannot help us understand what the trauma was, nor how to heal it.

Looking for the 'trauma signature' in a chart, if there is one (and remember 85% of people are born with PTSD according to this method), we can begin the process of deep healing.

This brings me back to the upcoming Full Moon in Pisces.

Jesus brought in the Piscean Age. The Pisces/Virgo axis has to do with victim/perpetrator consciousness. Through lifetimes, we have been on one side or the other.

When we look around at the world today, we see both. On one level, there is an incredible amount of suffering going on. The daily news is full of catastrophes, wars, disasters etc. All these victims, all these perpetrators. It's constant.

At a higher level, there is no trauma. This is all illusion, since it has to do with life on the planet, and not the soul level.

Have you ever heard the expression, 'the darkest hour is just before dawn'? We are on the verge of the Aquarian Age. The paradigms are about to shift radically. New archetypes are manifesting. But just in case you didn't get the message about 'victim consciousness,' the gods want to give everyone one last chance to experience it. This is the message I get from all that is happening.

If you wish to stay in victim consciousness there is ample opportunity. But if you are ready to ascend to the next level of evolution, you can. Understand that there is a higher purpose for the Earth and all life on it.

As Caroline Casey says.... the gods are conspiring...that is, breathing with us.

Mercury went retrograde yesterday in Virgo - another player in the victim/perpetrator game. When your computer breaks down, resist the impulse to feel victimized by technology. Instead, go outside and feel the Earth beneath your feet and thank Mercury for 'forcing' you to take a walk!

See the opportunity rather than the restriction.

I am thinking a lot these days about Nelson Mandela. Imagine a man in prison for 27 years who was released and later became President of his country! What if he had been swallowed up in anger and self-pity about his circumstances? What if he had 'believed' that his life was over? At the same time, how could he possibly know the outcome of his life? What sustained him through all those years of imprisonment? Then ask yourself what you would do in similar circumstances.

To assist you in doing your 'Pluto work,' I have developed a set of flower essence blends called: 'Pluto Through the Houses.' A blend of flower and other essences deliciously flavored with Pomegranate and Hazelnut liqueurs (to make the medicine go down easier) formulated to work with the issues of each house. See the picture in the sidebar.

You may want to work with your natal house placement of Pluto, the house it is currently transiting, or both.

There is also an Aroma-essence Spray which includes the Pluto Blend I developed scented with essential oils to use as an environmental enhancer or cologne.
If you decide to sign up for the correspondence course offered through the Evolutionary Astrology Network (Kim Marie's link) please mention my name so I will get a commission.

Scorpio Full Moon - April 28, 2010

Once again we approach a Full Moon. I don't know about you but things seem to be moving faster all the time. Sometimes it feels like every day is a Full Moon in terms of intensity and the amount and rate of change that is occurring.

Perhaps I am feeling the coming of this next Full Moon more intensely because it will be conjunct my South Node and my natal Chiron. Which, of course, means the Sun will be conjunct my North Node, which is great!

I certainly have been having many opportunities to relive, review and heal past traumas both internally and in my relationships.

This is one of the keys to developing our consciousness. Rather than seeing these upswellings of the past as 'bad memories' to be forgotten... see them as toxins rising to the surface to be released and exhaled out of your being.

When we acknowledge them, recognize them and see how they have affected us as objectively as possible, then do something different, we experience miracles.

We need to feel, not numb out. The reason past traumas stay inside us is because we are not willing to feel their pain. We put off feeling it as long as we can, but it doesn't go away. Once we are present to the pain, it goes away. It's kind of like monsters in a dream. If we run, they will chase us forever. When we turn and face them, they vanish in thin air, never to return. Many people develop illness because they are unwilling to experience emotional pain. Instead, they experience it as physical pain.

With the Sun in Taurus and the Moon in Scorpio, which both relate to security issues such as food and money, many of us are feeling a lot of fear about the future. On Earth Day, KPFA had many special programs about the effects of climate change. One of the issues that directly affects all of us is FOOD. So used to having food easily available at the local supermarket (even if we don't have the money to buy it), we tend to take it for granted. We know it is there. But at some point, the changing climate will affect crops. It already has in some areas of the world.

Yesterday I had a booth selling my herbal products at the Harvest for the Hungry Plant Sale. (See my herb blog) Next to me was a woman selling plants including berry and grape vines. She was also promoting IGrow and the upcoming 350 event. I think she was dismayed at how many people had no idea what 350 referred to - especially since we were in the part of town where more affluent and educated people live and they were there to buy vegetable starts for their gardens. I heard her explaining it all day. By contrast, I didn't have to explain 2012 once (I make and sell a flower essence blend called 2012 - see my 2012 blog)

When no one was there, I asked her if she really thought we could do something about it in time. She admitted that while she thought it was probably impossible, one still had to try, "What else can you do?"

I agree, working toward a sustainable future is the only game in town. As I have seen with energy work, intention is possibly the most important element in the process. The mere act of setting intention, which focuses one's attention in a particular direction, propels you halfway there.

Taurus, although ruled by Venus, is more closely associated with Earth and there are some astrologers who suggest we should change the rulership. One thing about Taurus is that it is slow and steady - sometimes boring in its adherence to patterns and routines. Let us not get bogged down with this idea of slowness when it comes to change, however.

While the forces that create earthquakes and volcanoes take time to build up, once they have arrived at a particular threshold, the shaking and explosions are felt quickly in the moment. Drip drip drip in the bucket until it overflows all at once.

There are those who say that the climate change we are now experiencing began with the first agriculture several thousand years ago, because it made it possible to sustain more people. This is the major cause of climate change - overpopulation. Many of the inventions that create pollution came as necessary developments when managing the growing population.

I hate to say it folks, but sustainable means small not mega. In our own lives, we see that while our imaginations may make anything possible, the restraints of time and energy means that little actually gets done.

In my house, I have enough cross-stitch patterns to keep dozens of people busy all day for their entire lifetime, yet when I was into it, I kept acquiring more. Now, while I rarely touch cross-stitch, I still can't part with my patterns because "maybe someday I will get to them." Yeah, right. Probably not in this lifetime. Not unless I stop doing all the other things I do, or I figure out a way to do it while I am online.

Yesterday at the sale, I spoke with other vendors about how difficult it is to set up and take down shows. We all need to have more venues to make more money, but our backs could not take anymore lifting. The limits of the body are real (at least on this level).

So too, are the limits of the Earth's carrying capacity. Scientists like Michio Kaku say we have always had massive earthquakes. The difference today is 1) our communication systems allow us to hear about them and 2) people live in densely populated areas and so there is more loss of life and destruction of property. Tremendous explosions of volcanoes which have destroyed whole cities have always been part of Earth's history (remember Pompeii?). The difference is that cities are now larger than ever and there is little space between them.

The "San Francisco Bay Area" stretches from the northern border of the state of California to the southern. (Some would prefer to call it LA.) There are few areas of the coast of California that are uninhabited. Certainly there are no areas where humans have not affected the environment in one way or another.

Taurus deals with personal resources and Scorpio with shared resources. We are under the illusion that there is a difference. In astrology an axis - say between the 2nd and 8th house does not so much deal with differences as with perspectives on the same issue. As Above So Below... a matter of perspective and focus... the inner and the outer...So our personal resources are related to collective resources.

We need to begin to identify our inner resources and to bring them out into the collective. I refer to such things as our "character" a seldom-used term in the modern world. Who we are as people. What kind of people we are. Rather than what we do or what we have.

Anyone who has been in a crisis where they had to live in a shelter or on a lifeboat or something like that.. knows that that type of situation (where no one has anything) can bring out the best and the worst in people. In the next few years, earth changes will show us all that we have always been living in a lifeboat and that we have soiled our own nest.

What we do about it now will reveal who we really are as individuals and as a species. Some will get busy and clean, others will complain and blame, still others will just go to sleep. Which one will you be?

It is time to assess your inner resources. Not just how much money you have because what is needed now money cannot buy. In fact, money and stuff might cloud your judgement since it will provide you with a false sense of security.

Being prepared now does not mean stock-piling canned goods and batteries, for they, too, will eventually run out. Being prepared now means being calm and still like the Buddha while events swirl around one. Finding the center of the storm and abiding there.

In her article on this month's Full Moon in Scorpio in The Mountain Astrologer, Stephanie Austin quotes the Sabian symbols: Sun at 9 degrees Taurus: "A fully decorated Christmas tree; the ability to create inner happiness in dark hours" and Moon at 9 degrees Scorpio: "A dentist at work; overcoming the negative results of social practices and ego-cravings." She encourages us to release the fears that are holding us back.

I would add that we need to stop worrying what others think of us. As a friend once said to me over and over, "you wouldn't worry as much about what others think if you knew how little they think at all." Unfortunately, true. Most people are "asleep at the switch" as my mother would have said. For those of us who strive to be awake, this means that we can accomplish much, since no one is really paying attention. No one is at the controls of the "machine." Intention, focus and energy will accomplish much toward the Shift that we are seeking.

July 7 Eclipse - Portal Between Worlds

As we approach the upcoming Full Moon eclipse on July 7, we may feel contraction. For some, this will be experienced as fear leading to panic.
The circumstances of the outer world which seem real - money issues - may cause us to put the focus of our energy in the wrong place.

While a contraction is called for, it is not a 'bad' thing. Since we live in a world where only expansion and growth are valued and sought after, we feel something is very wrong with contraction and must be 'forced' into it. Rather we should submit to this contraction willingly for it is part of the cycle. Observe your breath. It goes in and out. Observe the tides, they go in an out. All of it is a rhythmic cycle. Neither can exist without the other.

With Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron conjunct right now, I feel that after the contraction, the 'in-breath will bring more healing, greater intuitive capacity and an increase ability to manifest our dreams. But we must first be willing to let go and release on a grand scale.

Have you ever been told to take a deep breath? What is the first thing you do to prepare to do that? Breathe out more than ever. So, now, get ready to take a deep breath.

Rather than clenching up in fear which is usually accompanied by holding your breath, let it all go. Don't try to hold on to whatever goes with it. Don't grab on to anything. Before we can manifest the new life we want, we have to make room for it. Right now we also have access to creative imagination on a grand scale. Dream big. Dream into reality the next phase of your miraculous life.

The Moon in Capricorn 10th house and Sun in Cancer 4th forming this eclipse, open the portal between birth, death and rebirth.

The ancient Maya saw 'life' as starting with death. Life comes out of death. The 4th house is both the house of death (where we come from) and the house of birth. The 10th house is the life in between. This eclipse has the Moon (the ruler of Cancer) in Capricorn. To me this means that the nurturing energy of the Moon/Cancer is on both sides of the portal.

Go to your emotions to see what needs to change. My doctor recently advised me to "let pain be my guide" in regards to the physical therapy I must do after my broken ankle. At first I thought "what? Why would I want to do that?" But after thinking about it I saw the wisdom in it on a larger scale. To determine what is not working anymore in your life, let pain be your guide.

Often in order to continue to function, we avoid the pain in any number of ways. Distraction, medication, numbing out, sleeping, staying busy - are common ways. But in order to see what needs to be changed/healed and when we are not going in the right direction, we need to experience that pain.

Remember that game where someone hid something and the other person had to go look for it? We said warm, hot, boiling when the searcher approached and cold, freezing when they were far away? Well, be sensitive to the subtle emotional changes that accompany different parts of your life. Pay close attention to your stomach, your aches and pains, your mind, your energy. Does your body respond positively or negatively as you go through your day. Your own body can give you clues your rational mind hides from you.

Let emotional or any other kind of pain, be your guide to what is no longer working in your life and what needs to go. Then, imagine the new life you want. Get ready, breathe out, then breathe in deeply and move through the portal into your new life.

Full Moon in Libra - April 9

Clearly, this Full Moon is strongly influenced by the recent retrograde of Pluto on April 4 and the retrograde motion of Venus which started March 15. At this time, Venus retrograde is square Pluto retrograde. I'm kind of glad I am in a relationship with someone who is following his bliss on his boat in Mexico right now. Otherwise, who knows what the fireworks might look like. LOL

On top of that, Saturn is still retrograde in Virgo. What all this means for me is that first we examine our values, then rather than rebuilding the things that are falling apart, we let them fall. We don't rebuild things that didn't work. We take this opportunity to build new structures. We need a whole new way of doing things. The time is perfect to let it go and start a whole new, sustainable, green way of doing things. How much more evidence do we need that the Earth is encouraging us to change our ways? Of course, the institutions that exist (for their own sakes) will do everything they can to justify their existence and keep themselves going. That is the nature and the problem with institutions. They are calcified fossils of ideas which were once new and fresh and alive. They are dead now. Bury them. Jesus said "let the dead bury the dead." Let us take this opportunity to create a new, vital world.

It does not take an astrologer to tell you that we are in challenging times. What astrology can tell you is that there are forces larger than any government, bank, insurance company, or other man-made institution at work now. Astrology provides a way of seeing cycles and patterns that are transpersonal. They affect everyone on this planet albeit in different ways depending on their awareness and connection to spirit. I do believe that one suffers less if they have an active spiritual life. Formal religions don't seem to provide much support these days because they tend to externalize and project, rather than encouraging people to take personal responsibility for their own thoughts and actions.

This Full Moon in Libra ruled by Venus opposes the Sun in Aries ruled by Mars. Traditionally, these are the archetypes of female and male. Thus, spring (in the
northern hemisphere) corresponds to the period when the fecundity of Nature surrounds us Christians celebrate the former ancient pagan rites of fertility through the holiday of Easter, represented by the risen Christ. The miracle of rebirth. The return of the life-giving light of the Sun.

Stephanie Austin in her article in The Mountain Astrologer, suggests we "take a risk" and "do something radically different" wherever 20 degrees Aries falls in your chart and "get by with a little help from your friends" where 20 degrees Libra falls in your chart. She also offers the Sabian symbols for these positions: Sun at 20 degrees Aries - "A young girl feeding birds in winter: overcoming crises through compassion." Moon at 20 degrees Venus - "A rabbi performing his duties; the ability to draw on the power of an ancestral tradition in order to serve and inspire one's fellow men." She asks what you yearn for and what is holding you back?

"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just lack of money or things." (Eric Butterworth)

Full Moon in Virgo - March 10-11

As if Venus retrograde weren't enough, this Full Moon is conjunct the Saturn/Uranus opposition. Yikes! Hold on to your... or is it better to let go?

According to Stephanie Austin in The Mountain Astrologer, this is one of the most importantFull Moons of 2009 because it amplifies the Saturn/Uranus opposition which she calls an 'evolutionary imperative.' Ah, that's what they are calling it. I thought it was 'my life falling apart.' This so-called imperative is operational until 2010 folks, so I guess we have no other choice but to evolve or .....?
Austin suggests we 'embrace inventiveness.'

What we see is the breakdown of of outmoded structures and rapid cultural change. The retrograde Venus can be useful here since it assists us in determining what is of value and thus what we should keep or at least work on rather than just totalling tossing it.

As you may have read in my 2012 blog, I am really getting into Nassim Haramein and it just happens to relate to this Saturn/Uranus thing. Saturn representing the laws of classical physics and Uranus the 'quirky' realities of quantum mechanics.

Other contrasts that Austin makes that relate to this Saturn opposing Uranus transit are: hierarchy/democracy, status-quo/progress, and fear/freedom. Duh, I wonder which to choose? The difficulty is that there are few models out there because we are being called to create new ones.

But on to the Full Moon. The Sun will be at 21 degrees Pisces conjunct Uranus at 22 degrees. The Moon will be at 21 degrees Virgo with Saturn at 19 degrees Virgo. Austin says that each moment we have a choice between standing in love or collapsing into fear, between staying asleep or waking up. She says that where the Sun at 21 Pisces is in your chart is where you must trust your intuition and do something out of the ordinary; where the Moon at 21 Virgo activates your chart is where you need to discern your priorities and honor them.

Those with Uranus in Virgo and Pluto in Virgo are being given an especially loud wakeup call to own and express their power. Austin suggests we all use the power of this Full Moon to take the next big step on your path and remember: If we are facing in the right direction, all we need to do is keep on walking. (Buddhist proverb)

As for me, lately I have a lot of trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I am filled with an intense energy but must really focus to accomplish anything. I feel there is something really important I must do, but don't always know what it is. When I am focused, I can get a lot done in half the time. I can be very efficient. But when I am not focused, I feel I am spinning my wheels.

One way I ground myself is by literally saying: "Stop! What are you doing?" This can snap me out of the whirr of my mind. I also need to go outside a lot and smell the flowers or work in the greenhouse. I am learning to listen to my intuition and act on it.

Over the years through meditation and other spiritual practices, I have learned how to distinguish between my intuition and other 'voices' that pass through my mind. My work with flower essences (see my herb blog) has moved up to another level. I can feel it. When I am with a client, I get 'downloads' from the plant spirits and find staying grounded both essential and extremely difficult. It is definintely an interesting time and I feel excited about what is happening.

Full Moon in Gemini December 12

During a Full Moon, we experience the maximum exposure from both the Sun's emanations and the Moon's reflection of solar radiance. Since human bodies are composed of both electrical and magnetic fields, we are affected by these changes in energy.

This is the fifth and final Super Moon of 2008. That means it is both at perigee (its closest approach to the Earth) and syzygy (directly aligned with the Sun and Earth).

In addition, the Sun and the Moon make a Grand Cross with Saturn and Uranus. All mutable signs, there could be some really big changes afoot.

I recommend flower essences during times like these because they operate on the energetic level. In the last couple days, I have been having erratic emotional states and have been relying heavily on my essences to maintain an even keel. Go to Hamida the Herbalist for some suggestions on essences that might help you during these challenging times.

Stephanie Austin says: "The Sun in Sagittarius illumines what we need to see; the Moon in Gemini, what we need to say. Saturn in Virgo exposes what no longer works, and Uranus in Pisces reveals where we are ready for a quantum leap."

Mars is conjunct the Sun exactly on December 5 and squares Uranus on December 11 and Saturn on December 15, extending the force of this Full Moon. Mars gives us the courage to act on our convictions.

It is one thing to know and what needs to be done, another to do it. The energy Mars brings to the situation can help us make the required changes. Good time to tackle those long-avoided projects, like cleaning out the garage.

Oh yes, and let us not forget that Mercury is conjunct Pluto at 1 degree Capricorn, which insists that we examine our assumptions and ask: "What is true for me now?"

"To be mistaken is a misfortune to be pitied; but to know the truth and not to conform one's actions to it is a crime which Heaven and Earth condemn." Giuseppe Mazzini

The Day Watch Calender "2for" lasts until December 24. A good last minute gift as well as any of the Astrology Reports which are sent to you via email and thus nearly instantaneous. You can print them and add a nice cover.

Please contact me if you want a Pluto Reading and Flower Essence Blend. Leave a comment with your contact info and I will get back to you.

Taurus Full Moon - Nov 12-13

This is a Super Moon, one that both at perigee (closest approach to the Earth) and syzygy (either a New or Full Moon). It is said that Super Moons act like laser beams which focus the electromagnetic particles into channels of energy. Super Moons increase gravitational pull and generates more extreme tides, weather and emotional reactions.

This Full Moon is conjunct Sedna which is at 20 degrees, 40' Taurus and symbolizes a mass initiation into cosmic consciousness. Located beyond Pluto, Sedna functions as a spiritual gateway to higher dimensional realities. Sedna was first sighted in 2003 by the same team of astronomers who discovered Eris. It has been noticed that astronomical discoveries coincide with evolutionary leaps, reflecting the concept: As Above, So Below.

Sedna, in the constellation Cetus the Whale, was discovered during a time of tremendous changes in the arctic and ocean regions. As a goddess, Sedna supports the development of the divine feminine and provides a link with the womb of our generative energies.

In addition to the conjunction with Sedna, this Full Moon is square Neptune at 21 degrees Aquarius. Neptune represents spirituality and illusion, intuition and imagination. This God of the Sea dissolves our existing concepts in order for us to experience a far greater reality that transcends death and the physical world. What would we do differently if we knew that nothing is separate and that we are all part of the web of life? How would we live if we knew we were immortal and infinite spirits?

Another factor influencing this Full Moon is a sextile between Jupiter in Capricorn and Uranus in Pisces. Jupiter represents expansion and Uranus innovation - the sextile represents opportunity. New perceptions and possibilities can arise with little effort.

The message of this Full Moon is in response to the economic situation we are presently experiencing. It suggests that we ground ourselves upon our divine core rather than material resources - that we live in accordance with spiritual as well as physical realities. We are called to face our fears, own our power and let go of what is decaying.

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly" (Chuang Tse)

Taken from The Mountain Astrologer article by Stephanie Austin.