The New Moon in Capricorn on Christmas Eve called upon us to examine our basic expectations and beliefs in a very potent way.  As has been the case for the past year, we are continually being nudged, and now propelled to follow our true nature and soul urges.  Recently, someone asked me about the nature of the root/base chakra/Muladhara and its relationship to our sense of identity and survival. She was concerned that it was all about money, and that if she was without a job and struggling for money that there must be something blocking her root chakra.  Whenever we experience a sense of lack of any kind, we are dealing with basic issues, beliefs, patterns of thinking (coupled with behavior), and socialization of one kind or another (family, institutional, cultural, religious/spiritual).  It's interesting that she wrote to me on the New Moon when lunar pulls were focusing our attention on facing the reality of who we are. 

We are the sum total of all that we have experienced, all that we have been taught, all that we have learned or discovered, and particularly, all that we believe about our experiences. What kind of meaning have we put on the difficulties we have experienced as well as the positive experiences?  The Sun and the Moon in Capricorn both have been in close conjunction.  The moon is now in Aquarius, but the emotional reactions and responses that were triggered a few days ago by the lunar conjunction with Saturn (and the Sun's tightening conjunction with Saturn), impel us to examine the areas of ourselves, our lives, and our experience with others that need to be adjusted.  With the influence of Aquarius' lunar aspects, we may be able to get a broader perspective on how we need to adjust our thinking and our behavior to be more grounded and focused on our true needs, desires, gifts, and challenges. The New Moon in Capricorn, squared Uranus at the 1st degree of Aries (the start of an entire new cycle in cardinal fire energy). This may have brought up sudden challenges, brought out hidden agendas, or sparked unexpected problems.  We found ourselves in the emergency room with a child with a high fever the night of the new moon.  The plans for a restful night's sleep and a celebratory Christmas breakfast after the opening of presents, were immediately forgotten as Mother, Father, Grandmother, spent the night at the bedside of a sick child.  While the illness was transitory and not extremely serious, the awareness of what really matters was brought in sharp focus as we sat together caring for one another throughout the night.

Life's journey and our ability to ground ourselves in that which we believe to be most important, is not just about money and finances.  Our financial health is related to other aspects of our lives, but the real gifts that we have as spiritual beings living a physical life are not measured by our levels of productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, or our employment status.  We have lived through a number of decades where we tended to overemphasize the materialistic success, level of education, financial status, and ability to "get ahead,"  over many other areas of life.  When our economy sank into the depression that it has been in for the last few years, the rug was pulled out from under our beliefs, thinking, and patterns of behavior.  Many of us have had to redefine what it means to be successful and happy.  We have had to examine who we are without the job we had for years or without the successful job search we had hoped for when we graduated from university.  The question my young friend asked me last week, has been sitting on the back of my mind for nearly a week now, and what I want to say to her is what I am learning myself.  Our thoughts are powerful--they can be powerful tools or powerful weapons.  Experiences happen. Events happen. Some experiences are a result of choices we make; more often than not, experiences are the result of choices we don't make.  Events happen that upset our plans. Our plans are just ideas, stories we have created to help us give meaning to what has happened and what we would like to see happen.  John Donne once wrote, "No man is an island, no man stands alone..."  He meant we humans are relational, and what happens in our lives is not just a matter of what we would like to see happen. We can't even imagine all the possibilities and options we will be faced with.  We are in a constant cycle of reflecting on our own inner truths, responding  and interacting with other people in our lives, and becoming ever aware of how we are all connected to forces, energy, and movement beyond our own understanding or choices. 

There are two practices that I believe can be useful during times when we feel our survival challenged.  Depression, anxiety, worry, anger, frustration, fear....all negative emotional states, can be traps for us if we fail to see that we still can take action and focus our thinking in order to combat the negativity that poisons and deflates us.  One practice, called Ahimsa in Buddhist practice, can be found in all spiritual traditions.  In Judaism, the Deuteronomist poses the challenge...You have the choice of life and death...Choose life!   In Christianity, Jesus' whole message was about the power of Love to change the worst situations...not necessarily because the conditions changed, but because we can change the way we view the conditions.  In Islam, it is incumbent upon a true believer to take positive action, to treat everyone with respect and care.  The Vedic and Yogic practices all stress caring for and appreciating one's gifts, and sharing and caring for others.  Ahimsa is the practice of non-violence.  It means more than not hurting others physically; it suggests that we pay attention to the way we talk to ourselves. Listen to the inner voice that fills your mind with chatter. Is the voice critical and judgmental?  Of yourself? Of others?  Notice if there is a general sense of hopelessness and despair in the way you view life, view your own behavior or situation. Practicing Ahimsa, requires that you pay attention to the details of your thinking and your behavior. What are you doing or not doing, that is harmful to you? To others?  When we notice, then we can make an effort to make positive changes.

The second practice, is the practice of gratitude.  If I were to ask you right now to make a list of 100 things you are grateful for, could you do it?  Try it, and see what you have to be grateful for.  Count your blessings.  And give thanks for what you have.  The practice of gratitude is helpful for getting  your mind wrapped around all that you can appreciate about your life.  Think of 5 people for whom you are grateful. Why are you grateful for these people? What have they given you that makes you feel richer, happier, and more fulfilled?  What can you give back to someone else? What can you do for someone that would make them feel grateful?  Who in your life is worse off than you, and what can you do to help?  When my cupboards are nearly bare, I often give away food.  I think of the times when I have been hungry, and believe the least I can do is share some of what I have with someone else. We always have something we can give.  My friend Emory, owner of the Luminata Bookstore in Monterey, shared his belief that he always gives something away. He keeps a container of sticks of incense on the counter in his shop, and offers it as a gift of appreciation. I love the idea. Giving away something we value, can also be a way to share.  Mental health experts, religious leaders, healers, counselors, and many other people realize that one of the best things we can do to improve our sense of self is to help someone else.  For those who overdo helping others at the expense of taking care of themselves, this works in reverse.  Before we can take care of someone else, we need to be in good shape.  It's a constant balancing act. That's what is being called for right now.  We need to embrace the journey of our lives, and realize it is a dynamic process.  We can build in spiritual exercises, physical conditioning, proper diet and rest, and healthy boundaries and relationships.  All of which will help when times get tough. None of which will prevent life from happening.  Unless you have intentionally set the wheels in motion to cause harm to yourself or others, most of the time you are not responsible for the earthquake that knocks down your home, the job that didn't come through, the relationship that didn't work out, or the other challenges that are part of being human.  Self reflection and awareness, self care and compassion for others, and an ongoing awareness of life's journey can help you continually get grounded in your experience of being a human.  Your spiritual nature has gifts galore to develop and use when times are tough.  Just having time is a gift for someone who has been studying for years and had no time. Use what you have now, to strengthen yourself for what's next.

The one thing that I can count on is that whatever the present situation is, it will change. If I am so attached to the situation that I resist change, transformation becomes much more a struggle than it needs to be.  Recognize the gifts in each moment.  What is blessing you right now? Can you find the gifts in the garbage?  It's all about how you view your life, and what you believe about how things happen or not.  Be patient, and be ready. Be attentive, and release negative patterns that trap you in old ideas, beliefs, and stories that no longer fit you.  Create a new story that you can walk toward. This morning, I awoke before dawn to get ready to travel home.  I had spent the night with friends in Portland on my way home from my family in San Francisco.  No one was awake, so I made myself a cup of tea, and noticed a small book sitting on the counter by some Christmas decorations. The title of the book  is Get It Done.  It was written by my friend's son-in-law, Kressi.  A year ago, Kressi lost a job he had had for many years.  A trained musician, composer, and writer, Kressi began the book by writing about how he came to write the book.  He wrote about his life and his philosophy of how he views life.  He talked of learning to roll with the punches, and learning to use every experience or situation to learn something, to become stronger, to work towards your dreams, and to not give up.  He told me later that he "had to write the book."  And in the book he talked about learning that by losing a job he had outgrown but wouldn't just leave, he was given the gift of time and perspective--and the inspiration to write this beautiful book. 

As Venus nestles up next to the Crescent Moon tonight, let yourself dream and imagine a life that is built on who you feel called to be, what you feel called to do, and then start taking steps to move in that direction. Let go of worrying about how things will happen. If it's meant to be, it will happen. If it's not, you'll get numerous messages to redirect you.  Slow down, stand on the Earth where you are, and come to know yourself better. Know you have the power to change your thinking, your responses, your life, and your beliefs.  Spend some time in appreciation and acknowledgement of the beauty and gifts you possess. Allow those gifts to come to the surface of your consciousness, and let them begin to be sources of creativity for a fulfilling, transformative life.  Happy New Year.

Venus Leads us to the Winter Solstice

Today, December 20, as Venus moves into Aquarius, we are caught up in the energy of the winter holidays, Christmas, Chanukah, and the Winter Solstice, followed next week by Kwanza and Eastern Orthodox Christmas celebrations and New Year's, 2012. This year my daughter and I attended the Winter Concert at my granddaughter's school in San Francisco. Instead of pretending the holidays did not exist, the school embraces all the traditions, and honors each. It was so nice to see symbols, signs, and stories about all the spiritual traditions being shared, and not feel that anyone was having to water their religious traditions down to be politically correct. The doorway that we have all been lining up to enter over the past year or so, is ready to open wide, allowing us to begin new adventures, to live out promises and dreams that we have cherished, and to start a new phase of our individual and collective lives.

Aquarian Venus energy promises innovative and yet clearly-defined structure to put the wings on projects, ideas, and plans. There is a time for everything under Heaven, we are assured in the Canticle of Canticles, and yet some of us who have the gifts of imagination, dream, vision, foresight, often feel our plans just never seem ripe to come to fruition. The timing may not have been right, or the something was lacking (time, energy, resources) for a dream to come to life. This next 6 months or so, however, is a time akin to the first steps of the Hero's Journey...the time after an idea has been born, plans have been made, and intentions have been set. Rather than getting caught up in distractions of meeting unnecessary expectations or
worry over what you can or cannot do, be, or become, spend some time reflecting, slowing down, taking time for prayer and meditation, and open your heart, mind, and whole being to hear the next best steps for you.

Pay attention to your body's energy levels, and honor what your appetite, levels of rest and exhaustion require of you. At a time when the level of energy is so high and intense, breathe in the calm of your Divine nature, align yourself with Spirit, and allow yourself to be the servant of that which is truly honorable, loving, kind, and necessary. When you think of a gift you could give someone special, think of that which they need most. Listen for people to tell you what they need and who they are. Listen with your heart and intuitive senses as much as with your hearing. For one person, it may be the gift of time and lack of stress. It may be honoring another's wishes over your own, or it may be giving someone the full attention they seldom get. Venus, the symbolic and archetypal energy of the feminine, the open-hearted, sensitive, receptive, intuitive, insightful, and pragmatic care taker, calls on all of us to develop our capacity for caring for others and ourselves.

On the Winter Solstice (occurs 9:30 PM, December 21 PST/12:30 AM EST December 22), The Sun will be in its last degree of Sagittarius (fire energy), and the Moon, in Scorpio. Lunar sextiles to Mars (the energizer bunny of the planets) now transiting Virgo, provides a balance of energy requiring focused determination and emotional commitment to energize your journey and plans. By 9:30 PM, the Sun moves into Capricorn, for her entry into the heart of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, this signals the start of winter; in the Southern Hemisphere, this signals the start of summer (Summer Solstice, longest day). Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign, and the Sun's entry into Capricorn prepares us for a meet up with the transforming energy of Pluto which is slowly moving through Capricorn (6 degrees). The Moon's recent passage over the North Node (gateway), indicates that whatever plans, dreams, or visions you now seek to fulfill, have already been made. Within the next month, the news will come to you about whatever you have set into motion prior to the Winter Solstice time. The energy of the movement from season to season, year to year, and age to age, happens gradually and continuously, though we often are unaware of what we have set into motion. The more intentional and focused you can be right now, the more likely you will be setting sail on a trip that truly is what your soul desire is. When we fail to reflect, sit in prayer and meditation and listen to how the Divine communicates, guides, and directs us, we struggle more with the challenges we face. Learning to let go, and allowing ourselves to look at what our lives reflect about who we are, what we need, and how the Divine is calling us to be, allows us to move in the flow of life....flow with the river, not against it now.
Access your bounty. Breathe in the air that enlivens you. Be thankful for all the abundance you have...family, friends, resources, necessities, energy, health, ideas, and love. At this time, the secrets of our hearts are awakening. Take a leap into faith right now. Let go of your worries, with a child-like trust that "all is well."
Allow yourself the possibility of telling your story differently...create a happier, more fulfilling story for yourself. Do something for someone who needs help. Support those who lack love, care, or resources, and make your gifts acknowledge the gift you recognize in them.
As you move from the preparation stage to the movement at the gateway to the celebration, wrap up whatever has been left undone. Put the finishing touches on what can be set free, set aside, or handed off to someone who really needs what you no longer do. Release, bless your enemies, pray for your friends, embrace your family, and sit in quiet gratitude for the blessings of your life. When we prepare for a new journey, we must make sure we aren't dragging a number of outdated, worn out ideas, beliefs, or connections with us. Take the lessons you have learned over the last year or so, and honor the changes that have taken place within you and within your life. Remembering and hanging on are two different experiences. Honoring and cherishing memories builds you up; hanging on pulls you down and keeps you from moving forward freely. Enter into your new commitments recognizing where you need help from others. Temper the way you make choices and avoid unnecessary risk-taking.

On the Winter Solstice, find peaceful ways to align with the rhythms of life, and cross the threshold peacefully as we spend the last few days before Christmas preparing our hearts to receive Love and to recognize the blessings we already possess. On Christmas Day, Jupiter turns direct, releasing the archetypal energy of Abundance and Joy. Fulfillment requires intentional awareness toward what is. How precious our gift of life, and how wonderful when we recognize, cherish, and honor that gift in ourselves and in others. Regardless of jolts, upsets, or falling apart of plans (Uranus and Mars can sometimes aspect the Moon or other planets and create little pockets of chaos in the day), be in constant readiness to release expectations and release the time urgency or expectations that cause us to struggle when we don't need to.

On the New Moon that falls on Christmas, I will write another article. For the Winter Solstice, enter the seasonal change with an open heart and a spirit of adventure and gratitude for the new path ahead.

Intuitive Insight Pathways: December 7-12, 2011

Intuitive Insight Pathways: December 7-12, 2011: Tonight as I stood looking out to the east from my kitchen window, the beautiful glow of the waxing moon lit up the the landscape and shone ...

December 7-12, 2011

Tonight as I stood looking out to the east from my kitchen window, the beautiful glow of the waxing moon lit up the the landscape and shone on the surface of the river. Bright, glowing Jupiter sat to the left and just below the moon. As the earth turned, and the moon passed to the south, an icy, shimmering rainbow ringed the moon and then a curtain of clouds covered her. Yesterday's Taurus Moon trined Mars in Virgo, found us focusing our energies purposefully. The late night lunar trine to Venus in Capricorn, provided all the inspiration and urges for expressing ourselves creatively.

As the moon becomes fuller, and we move more deeply into the longest nights and the shortest days of the year, we feel the increasing tug of the tides. Tonight, the low tide at the mouth of the river revealed the silty bottom of the tidal slough almost as far out as I've ever seen it. As we approach the Full Moon in Gemini early Saturday morning, and the lunar eclipse, we will light candles, burn fires, and decorate our houses, inside and out, with lights. The tradition of putting up lights for the winter holidays, stems from the ancient traditions of lighting fires in midwinter to remind ourselves of the warmth of spring and summer. As I pull a blanket around my shoulders, and light candles, I am drawn to the light and dancing shadows that the flames cast, warming me through the long, cold winter night.

Today the Sun, in 16 degrees of Sagittarius, will be full at 18 degrees of Sagittarius when the Gemini Moon aligns to form a lunar eclipse on Saturday morning. The Sun moves one degree per day, while the moon moves through a sign in approximately 2 1/2 days. The Sun recently formed a conjunction with the North Node in Sagittarius, signifying the reaching of a threshold. Having passed through the threshold, the Sun now moves forward with greater energy and purpose. Our energy levels may be pulled in many directions right now, however, if we can focus on the plans, dreams, and intentions that may have become quite clear over the last week, we can use our spiritual practices to help ground ourselves in meaningful service, creativity, work, or other types of expression. While we may feel heavy pressure or nervous energy, depending upon how we respond to the collective energy alive in and around us, we can focus that energy through focused breathing and intentional activity. The depth of rising energy, and the deepening of the spiritual depths that seem to be filling our collective consciousness, is as close as your heartbeat, as accessible now as your next breath. In a few weeks, when Mercury moves past the North Node, we will learn more about those intentions that we cast out this week.

Close your eyes, and turn your attention towards the stillness, joy, love, and serenity within you. Feel the presence of the Spirit within you, and sense the presence of the Divine light that shines within those around you, that surrounds and reflects the sacredness of the Earth and heavens above. Listen with your heart to what those you love are saying, and let your love grow. This morning my granddaughter sang me a song: "Love grows one by one, two by two, and four by four, Love grows, round like a circle, and comes back knocking at your front door." I awoke to a video message from my granddaughter singing this song this morning, and I thought, what a beautiful message and a simple gift we can give to others and ourselves. The simplicity of living in harmony is found now as we live mindfully, listening for how we can love and honor one another more fully.

As we learn to listen to the intuitive knowledge, learn to pay attention to our dreams, and allow ourselves to face the parts or ourselves which need healing and developing, we grow in our ability to love and be loved, to live and embrace the gift of life. We are now at a turning point in our human development. Through our choices, we turn toward a more universal understanding of one another and our place in the sacred cycles and the exploding concepts of reality which challenge a limited, absolutist view of our existence. While we expand our awareness, we begin to understand a greater purpose, meaning, and conception of our journey. We understand more clearly, how the power of our mind, our spirit, our physical capabilities, and our intuitive knowledge are gifts to develop, use, and share for the sake of healing, preserving, and becoming more divinely attuned to the One, the Holy, the Divine. We have learned that we are all capable of using our insight, intuition, imagination, dreams, and ideas to create, to heal, to build, and to connect through more loving relationships.

Uranus, the planet of change, innovation, scientific breakthroughs, and higher levels of consciousness and communication, is at the beginning of a new cycle. At 0 degrees of Aries, Uranus portends the opening of a new and revolutionary time of advancement, knowledge, and systems. What grows stronger and more relevant for a living a purposeful, honest, and more loving life and forming stronger more meaningful relationships, will outlast the forms of communication, structures that only serve to preserve traditions and structures that no longer serve a meaningful purpose. Patterns, institutions, and outworn models of behavior, thinking, and social operations are falling away, revealing pathways and channels that are giving birth to what some have called, the cosmic wild card...the unexpected appears, on each new wave of discovery, on each level of consciousness, and at all levels of existence.

Moving in retrograde motion since July 9, Uranus highlights discoveries, technologies, hidden and not-so-hidden plans that continue to change the course of human history and will continue to affect the planet and our relationship and place in the Universe. By March 25, 2012 when she goes direct, we can expect to learn of greater mysteries, more innovations, and more upsetting or enlightening (depends upon our attitude) transformations coming out of the shift in direction that the collective whole, the universal energy is propelling us towards.

Mercury, which has been retrograde in Sagittarius since November 24, will turn direct on December 13. Mercury and Uranus work in tandem to propel and send ideas, signals, and all forms of communication and energy into a broad spectrum of channels over a vast sea of locations. Mercury will spend three times its normal cycle in Sagittarius, and thus will align with the North Node, bringing announcements, sharing ideas and dreams, stirring us to dream with more prescient certainty, and propelling announcements, hidden meaning, truth, and clarity in the months ahead.
At the same time that we are taking in new ideas, creating innovative possibilities, and discovering new truths, we will have more time and desire for reflection, feeling the need to absorb and digest the changes. Transitional thrusts will smooth out somewhat, as you develop a more meditative, wholistic understanding of how our spiritual nature infuses and directs our physical being...not the other way around. Meditating, praying, reflection, contemplation, creating calm and serenity...all tools to assist in transitional times.

On this Full Moon in Gemini, the urge to synthesize energies, perceptions, ideas, complexities, and focus will receive a strong infusion of information that passes through galactic energy channels. Carl Jung talked about the Collective Unconscious being a source that we all tap into (consciously through spiritual practice and unconsciously in dreams, intuition, and heightened perceptions) The multi-dimensional Source of all knowledge, all ideas, available as dynamic information, flashes of intuition, prescient knowing, clairaudience, clairvoyence, and the deeper understandings of the soul. Gemini, symbolizes the synthesis of opposites, the melding of polarities, and the coming together in a uniform system of thought from divergent theories and ideals. The meeting of scientific knowledge and spiritual thought. Viewing theory and hypothesis and a companion of faith, is but one piece of the great mysteries of life and our relationship with Creator Spirit.

Until we are willing to look at the mysteries and secrets of our own being and our own experiences, we are not able to heal, to love fully, or to create with our greatest gifts. Being willing to face the truth of who we are, allows us to begin to address the areas where we need to heal, develop, improve, release, and acknowledge. Knowledge of ourselves or the universe in which we live, may open our eyes and our hearts in ways that will enable us to see what part we are taking in taking part in the ongoing creation. The eternal Divine flame rests in the heart of the spirit of each being, and flares to a higher frequency when allowed to burn brightly through our lives. What is burning brightly in your heart? Take the time now to turn toward the brightest stars of your being, and live in joy and appreciation. Discover simple ways to choose life each day.

Intuitive Insight Pathways: Intuitive Insight Pathways-December 1-5, 2011 At a...

Intuitive Insight Pathways: Intuitive Insight Pathways-December 1-5, 2011
At a...: Intuitive Insight Pathways-December 1-5, 2011 At a time when expectations generally rise to outrageous proportions, it may be time to consi...

Intuitive Insight Pathways-December 1-5, 2011
At a time when expectations generally rise to outrageous proportions, it may be time to consider some simple ways to connect to the precious gifts of our lives. Starting with the beauty and awesomeness of the Universe in which we live...here on our tiny blue bubble. We can look up each night, reminded of the grandeur of all that is.

December’s night sky finds Venus and Jupiter the brightest stars, visible just after sunset as the skies begin to darken. In the middle of the night, Mars rises, and you will be able to see it through the night until dawn. Mercury makes her appearance in the morning sky each night from early December until January.

Just above the southewest horizon in the constellation of Sagittarius, is Venus. Venus will appear to be moving eastwardly across the sky until December 6, when Venus then lines up with the Moon, just above Nunki, the so-called, shoulder star of Sagittarius. From mid-December on until January, Venus moves into the Constellation of Capricornus. Venus will appear visible around 6:30 PM (PST) as she sets in early December. As the new year opens, Venus will be setting around 8:45 PM (PST).

Jupiter is visible on December 1, as you look to the horizon at an ESE angle. By Dec. 6, the Moon will appear between Jupiter and two other stars in the Aries constellation. Jupiter will be the star below the moon, the other two stars (Sharatan and Hamal) will appear above and beside the moon. You might imagine on another night long ago, thathave these four heavenly bodies lining up could have appeared to be one bright star. Makes me wonder. Jupiter travels through the night sky setting about 4:00 AM. By January, Jupiter will be setting by 2:00 AM, so for you night owls, we should have a view of her through the winter night skies, provided you’re not experiencing a storm. Jupiter has been visible in the night sky all Autumn, and will continue on through the early winter.

Saturn, in the constellation of Virgo, will be rising in the early morning, around 4:00 AM, visible to you early birds. Another planet visible until sunset at this time of the year, Saturn will move about 4 degrees during December, and then she’ll enter a retrograde cycle in January, slowing down and moving just one degree in January. You will find Saturn in the southern sky, toward the southeast. By the end of January, Saturn can be spotted due south.

Next week, December 6-19, the Geminids meteor showers will be visible. We’ll talk more about this next week. December can have some crystal clear nights, so we’ll talk more about stargazing as we move through the month ahead.

The Sun in Sagittarius, sparks expanded vision, visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads, and bountiful ideas. Later, we’ll be asked to put our ideas into a more Capricornian pragmatic framework, but for the first three weeks of December, we’ll be dreaming and envisioning. This year in the Northern Hemisphere and the western time zones, the Winter Solstice will fall in the late evening of December 21 (further east, on December 22).

According to Astoria’s Ship Report guru, Joanne Rideout, we’ll start noticing the day’s growing longer several days before the actual Solstice event. The days actually begin lengthening a few days before the Solstice, here on the West Coast. At the equinoxes, day is slightly longer than night. Sunrise and sunset are based on when the top of the sun touches the horizon as it sets or rises. The Earth’s atmosphere bends light rays, letting us see the top of the sun when it is still below the horizon.

On December 10th we will have a total eclipse of the Moon in Gemini, and wherever we may be wandering beyond the boundaries of realistic collective tides, we may feel the need to pause and reflect before charging forward into unknown territory. This time of the year, the collective tides may be characterized by advertising campaigns like "Extended Black Friday and Cyber-Monday" frenzy. We're being urged to go out and spend money we don’t have for things we don’t need. Even when we feel we really need something, it may be best to slow down, face the facts of our current situations and conditions, and adjust our expectations accordingly.

Instead of bemoaning your lack of resources, focus on eliminating distractions, waste, and clutter (including outmoded beliefs, habits, patterns, and practices) as you prepare for the holidays and the new year. Practice appreciation and gratitude for what you have, and get out of the crazy-making cycle that has nothing to do with the sacred season.

Holidays (holy days) provide us time to pause at the threshold of the sacred. Slowing our activities and lives down to turn toward a deeper and greater appreciation of our divine nature and our connection with what really matters in our experiences as humans. Using the model of the four pathways of spirituality (found in all major religious traditions), find a way to honor and deepen the path that you are on.

For those of us on the Path of Works/Service, this may be a time when you feel the urge to serve and help others. There are many opportunities to reach out to others and provide service to people in your community or your own family. What can you do for someone you love? How can you serve someone with your gifts? Washing up the dishes for your busy mom, or running some chores for a friend who is overwhelmed with responsibilities. Giving your daughther and her husband a break, tickets to the theater and a night of babysitting. Preparing a meal, donating your time, taking food to the local food bank, adopting a family for Christmas, and sharing whatever you have with those who have less or need more.

For those of you on the Path of Knowledge, maybe you can feed your soul with a good book, a trip to a museum or exhibit, or going to a lecture on a topic you love. Or perhaps, you could write a poem to share at a holiday dinner, or share your favorite book with friends as a special gift. Enrich your holy day experiences by learning more about what traditions and meaning are to be found. You may find the inspiration and energy now to delve more deeply into a piece of research or writing that is forming in your mind. Allow yourself the luxury of immersing yourself in the ideas, study or expression that comes on the wings of inspiration.

For those of you who are on the Path of Harmony, find ways to balance out your life, honoring all aspects of your being. Take time for physical exercise, pay closer attention to good nutrition and give yourself the gift of greater balance by signing yourself and your friend or family member up for a yoga workshop, a swim pass at the local pool, or a New Year’s Day hike or nature walk. Spend some quiet time reflecting on how to honor the people in your life with one special gift that recognizes how special they are to you. For many of us on the path of harmony, we think we have to do it all, when all we need to do is one, simple, meaningful act, done with intention. One simple, meaningful act, done with intention, can set the waves in motion for greater sharing. Slow down in the motion of your life right now, and become more mindful of what matters, one moment to the next.

For those on the Path of Unity (the path that unites all), walk in mindfulness, balance, and harmony as you serve others and take care of yourself. Be mindful of the differences that exist in the way we each understand, view, and experience the world. Be the best of who you are, and try to keep your expectations of others within
reason and within the bounds of what another is capable or willing to do and be.

When we face ourselves as we are, and are willing to accept others as they are (not for who we hope they’ll be or what we’d like them to be), then we help create harmony. As parents and grandparents, we learn that we can guide, we can instruct, and we can pray for our children and grandchildren; we cannot live their lives for them or keep them from making choices we would rather they didn’t. As Khalil Gibran, the Lebanese poet reminds us,

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts, 
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, 
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, 
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, 
and He bends you with His might 
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, 
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Venus moves into Earthy Capricorn

The Sun is in Sagittarius, the Moon has entered Capricorn as has Venus. Both will meet up with the Transformational Pluto which is making its long passage through this Earth sign. Venus is trine benevolent Jupiter (Taurus) this afternoon. With Saturn's (the Great Teacher) passage through Libra (25 degrees), there is movement alive in the world to create harmony, to find balance, to weigh ideas against one another to determine what's worthy of doing and what's not, what's left to be concluded and what's completed. Whatever your plans were at the start of the year, the academic session, or the last time you sat down with your long-range calendar, you may be feeling the extra push to finish things up or to get to the end of the season or project that's been in the works for a while.

Monday, Mercury in Sagittarius, provides us with a lot of fiery energy and motivation in areas of communication Depending upon where this falls in your chart/life, you'll notice more conversations, ideas, paperwork, and creative projects related to various forms of communication. Use the energy you have recuperated over the long weekend, and enjoy entering back into light-hearted conversations on Monday. At 3 in the afternoon on Monday, the Moon in Capricorn squares Saturn in Libra. Depending upon how you use the energy, this indicates that paying attention to your emotional responses will help you pinpoint how you are dealing with the bigger lessons of life. Our emotional temperament plays a big role in the way we relate to people handle both positive and negative experiences, and learn to balance the ups and downs of our own emotional, psychological, spiritual, and physical well being. Carry a sense of peace around with you, so you can find grounding, centering, and calming ways to maintain your equilibrium. Late Monday night (11:02 PM), the Moon moves into Aquarius, opening us up to a more detached and less emotional perspective.

Tuesday, provides another day of relative calm. The Sagittarius Sun is sextile the Aquarius Moon, lending an air of optimism to our view of life. Rather than feeling the need to push and adjust to the prevailing tides that seem to be pushing us along, we may be able to see how we can make the best of things, and look at situations that might have floored us last week, as adventures or at least, merely minor stumbling blocks that can be overcome. Learning to change our own perspective on uncomfortable, upsetting, or conflict-producing situations and events, we can change the way we respond. Practicing mindfulness and slowing our pace and response to events and communication, can help us move more fluidly through the day and week. While we have time for a breather, it's a good time to build a spiritual practice to help you through the more strenuous and challenging times. It takes about 20 days to build a habit, so use the Advent Season or the count down until New Year's to create some better practices. Avoid waiting until you're in the middle of a situation to decide it's time to start a new routine. Start instead, when you aren't rushed or harassed.

Wednesday, brings us to the end of November. The Moon and Mercury aspect one another in the early morning (around 5:36), so you might wake up with a busy mind full of ideas. Or you might have some vivid dreams just before you wake up. Whatever the effect, be aware that if you wake up with lots on your mind, you may simply be feeling the energetic effects of the lunar movement. Resist thinking that you have to deal with all the details of a situation before noon. Mercury in Sagittarius is quintile Neptune in Aquarius in the mid-afternoon, creating inspirational and imaginative ideas and solutions to problems (the ones you might have been wrestling with for a while).

A reminder. What we believe, may or may not be so. If we are operating out of incorrect beliefs, we can be hurting ourselves and others because we are not able to assess situations, communication, or decisions clearly. All this to mention that just because Mercury is in retrograde does not mean you can't count on communication or ideas. What it does indicate is that we sometimes need to brood on ideas, let seeds take root, and let plans develop. Our timing is not God's timing. The Divine Clock doesn't revolve around our individual plans; rather we have to operate with a greater understanding of the Divine sense of time. Regardless of our plans, we live in a world where what we decide may or may not be accurate, right, or intended to happen. That doesn't mean we don't make plans, choices, or suggestions. What Divine timing is about is being open to the fact that living in this moment, doing what is necessary right now, meeting our obligations now, eventually lead us to the right timing with most choices, plans, or relationships that are going to work out and be right for us. The more we can be open to the idea that trusting the Divine plan for our lives, means doing and being the best we can be right where we are, and not trying to "push the river." Most of our plans have to do with other people, and though we think we understand each other, very often we don't. Be patient with yourself and with others. Be grateful for what is working right now. Trust that you needs will be met, eventually, and you have enough to do right now to keep busy. Who knows what may open for you when you wait in patient and loving expectation of the fulfillment of Divine Right being.

New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Sagitarius: At the Threshold of Change

This year, our Thanksgiving holiday falls on an auspicious occasion; the New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Sagitarius. Every 30 days, the moon begins a new cycle. This point, when we actually can't see the moon, is called the New Moon. From the new moon on, the moon's light grows as the Sun casts her light on Luna. Tonight at 10:10 Pacific Standard Time 6:10 AM GMT, the New Moon aligns between the Earth and the Sun, and we experience the peak of the Solar Eclipse. A new moon signals time to plant the seeds of change.
We watch the moon’s effect on the tides, and we can use the energy of the new moon to plant seeds for change, release old, worn out habits and patterns, and set intentions to support growth, consder possibilities, make new plans, build stronger relationships, and act on creative ideas and ideals.

This new moon is called a Super Moon. Super Moons occur when the Moon is at perrigree (its closest passage to the Earth). At those times, the Moon appears about 14% larger and 30% brighter. According to NASA’s website, this is also a time when the perrigrean tides are highest. This Super Moon is the 6th and final Super Moon in a yearlong cycle. The effects of a Super Moon are best viewed when the Moon is near the horizon. Tonight’s eclipse is visible in the Southern Hemisphere, in Antarctica and New Zealand. For views of the eclipse, visit NASA Eclipse Webpage

Solar Eclipses generally occur from 5-7 times a year. Eclipses are times when the Sun's powerful radiation is temporarily blocked. In commenting on this solar eclipse and new moon, Stephanie Austin, counselor and writer for Mountain Astrologer, writes that “old pathways dissolve and new matrices emerge as Creation expands.”
This particular Solar eclipse in Sagitarrius occurs in the company of so many other planets, makes such significant aspects, and calls our attention to where we need to direct our collective consciousness. This new moon and solar eclipse also call our attention to where we need to align our individual intentions and actions.
The north node in Sagitarius, which acts as a threshold point, is the doorway to the future (where we are headed), and so this is a good time to do some soul searching, dream weaving and interpretation, prayer, and healing in our relationships and families.

The south node in Gemini, aligned opposite the north node, signals the area of our lives where we need to let go and release whatever is keeping us from our spiritual awareness. When we complain of things not happening according to our plans and timing, this is one area we might want to consider. What area of your life is signaling you to let go of habits, patterns, relationships, or beliefs? This is usually the area where we are least willing to make changes; also the area that keeps blocking our growth and keeping us from developing. You don’t need to know a thing about your chart to figure this out. The area of your life that is most problematic may be the area of finances or self worth. What are you worth and what is your work worth? How am I selling myself short? Or it may be in the area of the workplace. How is my work feeding my body, mind, and spirit? How do the jobs I do on a daily basis feed my soul or not? How does the workplace, the daily job affect my health? Consider what area of life seems to point to a need to learn, grow, and move into a deeper expression of your identity. Then consider that the urgings, tension, stress, frustration are Divine signals telling you, Divine time depends upon listening and maintaining awareness of what is growing in importance, what is needing to be released, and what is holding you back. Divine time, not my time, may be nothing more than aligning ourselves to our Divine nature and to the Divine calling that we struggle to resist or ignore.


Another important and ongoing occurence has to do with our place in the Galaxay, the Milky Way, and our galaxy’s proximity to the Gallactic Center. I’ve written about the Gallactic Center, around which billions of galaxies are orbiting. Currently, Venus is transiting close to the GC. The GC is sending infrared, x-ray, gamma, radio and microwave energy out constantly. This is a source of the energy that affects everything we are, have been or ever will be. According to the unified coherent model of the Universe, we can use this tremendous energy to support healing, to perceive our divine nature, and to understand our interconnectedness. With Venus aligned witht this GC point, 27 degrees Sagitarius, we experience the archetype fo compassion, understanding, tolerance, and unconditional love.

Mars in Virgo, squares the Moon and the Sun as does Chiron in Pisces. The forming of a mutable t-square neutralizes some of the energy and effects, resulting in a lessening of competitive actions and an increasing of compassion. We tend to see the bigger picture at this time, and have a greater sense of our place in the family of humanity, with less concern and focus on individual concerns.

All of the planetary action indicates what we see reflected in the world in which we live. It’s obvious transformation is taking place. It’s equally obvious that people want to take action to make changes. How we think, act, express our beliefs and ideals, will to a large extent shape the nature of the world to com. We all can use our good for the greater good of our planet. We can understand that what we do on a small scale, has a rippling effect beyond ourselves. As the ancient sages, gurus, saints, philosophers, and holy ones knew, what we give, we receive, what we do unto others, comes back to us. And what we do have control over, are our thoughts, actions, intentions, and hearts.

With the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and the North Node all in Sagitarius, we stand at the threshold of change, at the gateway between the past and our future.

Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is at OO degrees Pisces exposing our woundedness. Neptune in 28 Aquarius, deals with the veils of perception that melt boundaries among us, allowing us to see beyond our own worldview; encouraging us to act with intention and love in our individual lives.

Mercury turning retrograde at 20 degrees sag., hours before the eclipse and the height of the full moon, reminds us early on in the day, to focus on what we need to release, what beliefs, habits, patterns, and practices are outworn or no longer aligned with your higher purpose and life choices. Mercury’s retrograde means that this planet will be in Sagit. much longer than is usual (Nov. 2-Jan. 7, 2012). Rather than looking at Mercury retrograde times as necessarily disruptive and challenging, consider this a time of reflection and a much-needed pause in direct actions. Ideas that are taking form during this New Moon time, that have been planted since the beginning of November, require a time of brooding. Much like a hen broods on her eggs at nesting time, so too do we need to brood on our plans, ideas, and intentions now.Whatever seeds are planted now, will begin blooming in earnest within the next 6 months, and will have the power to grown to fullness over the next 19-20 years.

What does it mean for us? There are times when we can observe the world in flux, chaos, and great transition, and if we wonder why our own lives are not quite as we had planned them to be, we need only be aware that we are part of the change we see. What we see outside, is also happening within us. We cannot help but be affected by the world in which we live, for we are part of it. It is dynamic; our lives are dynamic. Our understanding, combined with our spiritual practices, can provide us with the necessary balance we need as we ride the waves of change and transformation. The practices of meditation, contemplation, yoga, and prayer can help us align with the inner core of our true nature, and the connections we each have to the beauty of the world, the spiritual potency of the Universe, and the guidance and support of the Creator as we become more aware and intentional about our part in the ongoing Creation.

Enjoy the New Moon, and take some time to reflect, meditation, create, celebrate, and share the love that you have to give. Everything counts. Whether you understand now why your life is the way it is or not, you are living out a divine plan, and there is someone you are meant to love and something you are meant to create, to add to the Creative beauty of the world in which you are blessed to be part. Happy Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for you and the gifts you live through your life.

In the wee small hours of Wednesday morning, Venus and Mercury slipped into Sagittarius. As the day got underway (9:38 AM), the Moon in Aquarius made its first quarter square to the Sun in Scorpio. Jupiter opposed the Sun and squared the Moon, forming a t-square aspect perhaps creating an inner struggle with our values and how we are living our lives. It's important to honor the struggles and challenges we face, and equally important to acknowledge what may be blocking our progress. Discerning what needs to be changed. With greater understanding come the need to take some steps to help us move forward in areas of our lives where we feel blocked, challenged, or frustrated. Being flexible, adaptable, and willing to change our habits, behaviors, and perspective, are all important at this time.

Over the last three days, the traditional holy days of All Hallow's Eve/Sanhain, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, we have been passing into the dark of the year. A time traditionally, in the Northern Hemisphere, when we sense the veils between light and dark, the past and the present, the seen and the unseen, and the physical and the spiritual worlds reveal themselves to remind us that we are part of the whole; we are One. Our experiences of living are neither wholly physical nor wholly spiritual, but instead reflect our Divine and Incarnated nature~reflecting the spiritual wholeness that we live through our lives.

During the month of November, beginning with the new season we just entered, we are called upon to remember those who have come before us, the seven generations who helped bring us to where we are today. Whether we know anything about our family's history or not, it continues to play a part in our lives now. We can take this time to examine the ways our past influences our present. To practice forgiveness, of ourselves and others, and to appreciate the gifts we have been blessed with. Where do you and your family need to heal? What steps can you take now to help that healing?

In looking at your life today, you might ask yourself, "Where is my spirit trapped? Who or what is keeping me connected through memories, guilt, shame, fear, or loss?" When we understand how our energy, our spirit sometimes gets trapped in what we hold onto, or what remains unresolved in our lives, we then act unconsciously out of pain, patterns, or conflict that need no longer be part of our lives. The dark forces are those elements of our thinking and feeling that we project onto the world around us...Keeping "it," the problems, the conflicts, the blocks, outside our own being, enables us to keep from resolving what is disturbing within ourselves. A dream that frightens you, often appears as something outside of yourself. The dream is calling you, however, to pay attention to something within your own experience, your own being, in order to face and make peace with or grow into a new level of understanding and consciousness. The idea that the world reflects our own ideas is really all about what we choose to focus on, what we project from our own reality onto the reality of the world, the people, or the situations outside our lives. This is not to say, we create the world, but more pertains to how our perspective of what we see, experience, believe we know, or understand, creates the lens through which we view the world and our relationships. When we change the story, the perspective of how we understand the world, our view changes. When we listen to what those we love and spend time in relationship with tell us about how they view the world, we have a better understanding of who they really are rather than who we think they are, who we think they should be, or who we would like them to be.

At this reflective time, honor and pray for deeper understanding of those who have left your life, and practice greater patience with yourself and with those you love, seeking to be more present and more tuned into the reality of who they are. Spend time appreciating the gifts of your life, and the people who are walking the path with you. Call your spirit and energy home from the negative experiences, the memories of the past, and honor your life as an experience you have been blessed to have. Seek forgiveness, give gratitude, and spend time in the power of the present moment where we find love, beauty, and the joy of life as it is. Take time to appreciate, that despite struggles, conflicts, and blocks, you have what is needed now to live in the present in gratitude, to serve others in whatever way you are able, and to live, each day, with a greater sense of peace, abundance, and serenity.

With Venus in trine with Uranus, the planet representing sudden, unexpected, and surprising changes, we may be open to approaching life with less fear of experimentation and with a greater willingness to use unconventional ways to communicate and think. Thursday morning Saturn, the Great Teacher, trines the moon, allowing us to feel more grounded in our thinking and more secure in our sense of being on the right track. Later, the Moon opposes Mars in Leo, perhaps arousing heated feelings of one kind or another over the area of your life where these two sit in opposition. Thursday evening, the Moon meets Neptune in Aquarius lifting our emotional involvement from the personal to the more impersonal, detached. Rising above the fray allows us to get a broader perspective on what might otherwise feel depressing, confusing, or frustrating.

In each of our lives, there are numerous areas where we we experience polarities. This is normal, and in the areas where we have grown and integrated aspects of our being, we suffer little. In the areas where we are called to grow or heal, however, we may feel greater ambiguity or conflict. Notice in times when oppositional aspects occur, what areas of your life are affected most.

To understand how the universal influences may affect your life, pay attention to the areas of your life where some of the trends seem to be stirred up or affected. Learning more about how our unique spiritual journey is affected by the world in which we live and by the universal principles and energies that affect us, is something you might want to consider. I offer individual readings and classes (individual and group) to introduce my clients to how to use different spiritual tools discern, grow, and increase your own understanding and intuitive awareness.
You can contact me via email: intuitiveinsight4@gmail.com or calmeten@gmail.com.

Enjoy the week, and the start of November. For those who celebrate this month as a new year or who honor those who have died during this month, I wish you a blessed beginning, and encourage you to find peace in prayers for those who have affected your life. Spirit is real, and eternal, and our prayers and meditations enable us to connect to anyone regardless of where they are. May you find peace in your life.

Life Purpose: the Call of the Holy Spirit

Each one of us is born with a divine purpose and a host of gifts that we are given to live out this sacred purpose.  One of our gifts is the ability to listen from within. Sometimes called intuition, insight, intelligence, or wisdom, it is the inner knowledge that reside in our physical, mental, emotional, kinesthetic, and and spiritual bodies.  Those of us who have had acupuncture may understand the energy channels that run throughout our bodies. Those with some knowledge of chakras (vortices of energy located throughout our bodies) understand how blocks and challenges in one area of our bodies and lives can have an impact on other areas of our bodies. Those of us who keep up with the latest information about from the sciences understand how our systems interact and work, and how we can have an intentional impact on our own health and levels of energy. Our whole health depends upon balance, which depends on paying attention to all areas of our lives and taking steps to keep ourselves nourished, energized, healed, and rested.

Today I am resting after a three-day conference where I sat and listened to discussions, talks, and sat among strangers for hour on end.  When I drove up the Oregon Coast yesterday, stopping to take in the beauty of the ocean, the rivers, and some of the idiosyntricities of coastal, rural Oregon, I was reminded of how exhausting it is for me to sit in meetings. While there were some very interesting people talking about some very important topics, my focus, attention, and energy were constantly reminding me that I am no longer a part of the system which I was trying to participate in. The result was a very tired, exhausted, poorly nourished person looking back at me in the mirror last night. The food at the conference was plentiful and well-balanced, the setting was beautiful and luxurious, yet my experience was draining and it depleted me of energy rather than nourishing me.

I share this experience as a way to highlight what happens when we are not listening to the inner voice, the intuitive sense we have of knowing what is good for us and what is not. We live in a time of great transformation and transition. We look at the world around us, the systems that have been operating for long periods of time, falling apart. The conference I attended had to do with higher education, and the trends, statistics, and conflicting values and interests were evident throughout all the conversations that took place. Most of us can observe in the world around us, how institutional, societal, cultural, and political change abound. What we often overlook, as most of us are caught up in holding on for dear life to the boat we call our life, to keep our own lives in order and functioning. Through the process however, we sometimes miss the inner turmoil, urgings, callings, and messages that our own lives require that we attend. Those of us who acknowledge a Divine Creator, God, Higher Power, Divine Mind and Intelligence, or omnipotent and omnipresent Holy One, we honor the tradition of God's voice speaking to us, through the holiness of God's Spirit. Not the voice of our inner critique that whispers you can't, or you aren't smart, strong, young, or old enough or the rationalizer who tries to convince us that "you had no choice" or it's someone else's fault. The voice of inner wisdom, the Holy Spirit, the intuitive whisper comes from a pure place that speaks of a truth that resounds throughout your body and whole being. It may hit you in the gut, tingle on the surface of your skin, warm and fill your heart, pop the synapses of your brain in a burst, or zing throughout your body like an electric current...however it comes to you, it is the strong voice of Divine wisdom connecting you to your soul purpose.

Much of our understanding and listening happens on the subconscious levels, the dream levels, or through the rational mind and aware heart connection. Those of us who rely on these pathways of wisdom, are often surprised when the answers we seek either don't come through the usual channels or we seem unable to discern or translate the meaning. I bring this up because being a highly intuitive person, I depend on the silent, subconscious messages, and find that in the process, I sometimes overlook that which dwells on the surface and in my full, conscious awareness. Over the weekend I had the experience of watching a movie about J.K. Rawlings, and her journey as a writer. One scene described the moment when the writer experienced the feeling of being acknowledged as a writer. She was at the time, a teacher. She had been called out of her classroom to receive a phone call letting her know her book was to be published. She stood by herself, trying to contain her feelings, and then she whooped and leaped for joy. At that moment, my entire body was shot full of electricity, and I recognized within myself, the feeling of joy at acknowledging my soul purpose. From that moment on, everything else became clear to me, and while looking outside or hoping for some divine inspiration, I found the connection by recognizing in a fictional discovery, the discovery I seek. On the way home, I stopped along the way to take photographs of an area that I'm setting a mystery novel I'm writing. As I photographed the street that features in one of my books, I looked up and saw a banner on a lightpost. It is the photograph posted with this article. There are signs all around us. We receive support from those who love and care for us, and we follow the path that seems to be the right one until we come to a realization, a dead end, a block, or a sign post that jangles our nervous system, awakens our dreams, or reminds us where we are meant to be headed. The discernment of our spiritual purpose and the pathways that we are meant to travel, are by no means set in stone, for we always have choices about which direction to head. We are fortunate to live in times when we have too many choices, according to some, but through spending more time paying attention to that intuitive knowledge we each possess, we are more likely to find ourselves living out the dreams, the passions, the life we believe we are meant to live.
One of the most horrifying things I heard at the conference I attended was the statement by an educator that he backed with facts saying, and I paraphrase, students don't like too many choices. They like to have the plan laid out in front of them, and to know where they are headed and what steps it will take to get there. They like to know what is expected, and then follow the path exactly as it is laid out.

Having been involved in education, one way or the other, for over 60 years (since kindergarten), I wouldn't want to put my faith in any educational system's ideas of reform, trends, or best practices. While I have enjoyed my experiences in academia, I no longer believe as many of my colleagues do, that the only path to the living out of one's dreams is through the educational system. Neither do I believe that an education is not important. Most of my educational experiences were a great support to me, and I regret nothing of my experiences. However, to truly meet the needs of others, we have to encourage the development of the whole person, and the reliance of each of us on the power of our intuitive knowledge and ability to connect to our own gifts, talents, dreams, and desires so that we can develop and live lives in collaboration, in relationship, and in communication in our families, communities, and world of nations and peoples.

Maybe we all "like" a plan and a knowledge of where we are headed and exactly how we are going to get there. The problem with this mindset is things rarely work out according to plan, and living with the expectation that they will, leads to an inability to deal with change. While there is some truth to having a plan and preparing for certain goals, a more important experience is learning to listen to one's own intuitive knowledge, combine it with knowledge, experience, reflection, and relationships that encourage communication, tolerance, synthesis of ideas, and focus on one's emotional, spiritual, intellectual, relational, and physical development and growth.

This morning, the Moon moves into Capricorn, where it meets the transforming Pluto to give us a desire to conscientiously put our hearts, minds, and souls into practical actions and steps toward living out our soul purposes more consistently, more truthfully, and more in alignment with the Divine Spirit in our lives. This process of facing our truth may trigger emotions and make us a bit uncomfortable. Emotions, however, are signals, signs, and indicators of what is moving within us, what is calling us to shift, change, and improve our lives. Neptune in Acquaius at 28 degrees, is allowing for a wealth of spiritual experiences...seeing beyond the traditional and into the wholeness of Divinity and the expansiveness of living a spiritually-based life. Tonight the moon conjuncts bountiful Jupiter encourages us to connect to that which nourishes, sustains, and enriches us; later a lunar conjunction with Pluto (the great Transformer) may trigger reactions from others. When we are feeling full and connected and in what feels like spiritual alignment, we need to be careful with our expectations of others. Our deep and sacred experiences are of the realm of the ineffable; therefore, we are not always able to communicate the depth and power they have on us to others. Let your experiences, ideas, bounty and abundance be what they are. Let them nourish you now for what you have to do, complete, serve, provide, create, or experience later...as part of your spiritual purpose and path. Let others do the same with theirs. Be supportive and provide a safe space for those you love and share your lives with to be with what is for their journey. Avoid competing over values, dreams, and expectations. There is no one right path for everyone; respect and honor your pathway and the pathways others have chosen.
Late tonight the Moon sextiles the Sun, and creates a peaceful, harmonious time for all of us to reflect, revel, relate, and remember our spiritual gifts and calling as we live out our physical experience of life.

Yesterday's New Moon occurred just two days before the Jupiter trines Pluto, both in earth signs and also before the date that signals the end of an age as described with the Mayan calendar.  Whether or not we follow the series of earthshaking predictions, we cannot help but observe how much the world in which we live is shifting and changing.  The rapid advances and changes in communications, the technology, and the subsequent changes in how we come to understand the world in which we live, all bring our attention to cultural and relational changes.  Looking out on this quiet morning, I see the world around me much as it was yesterday. Today the sky is clear, the sun is bright, and the colors of the river, sky, and mountains sparkle in the cool autumn sun.  For the first time in several days, my insides are calm and I move from one task to another in peace and serenity.  What makes the difference from one day to the next, in the way we experience our lives?

The shifting of perceptions has much to do with the changes I experience.  Being able to settle my mind on the tasks before me, or handle a task I have been putting off, often frees me from the edginess or preoccupation I suffer sometimes when I feel blocked, exhausted, afraid, or confused. Moving with intention helps, but only when I have truly acknowledged the underlying issues that keep me from living life freely and peacefully.  The energy of transitional times like new moon times, trigger us to refresh our memories, resolve those disturbing parts of life, and release the patterns, habits, and mind-trapping beliefs that bring us into battle with ourselves and the world around us.  Allowing ourselves to face the truth of who we are, what we need to take care of in life, and what we are being called to change, do, be, or create are all required in order to shift our perceptions and then our life paths. 

Without facing our inner, hidden or buried truths, desires, and fears, we live as if we were pushing the tides of the oceans with our hands alone.  Moving in rhythm with the tides, understanding and seeing the flows and ebbs of our lives, relationships, work, projects, creativity, indeed, all areas of our lives, enables us to living in harmony with the beat of the earth, in peace with the Cosmos, and in balance with ourselves and those we love.

We are always at a moment in time when we are either approaching change, resting in the midst of movement, or entering into a new adventure.  Paying attention to where we are on each leg of our journey, requires a time to rest in place so we can calmly acknowledge what we need in order to move forward.  The threshold times, the in-between times, come in moments, weeks, and sometimes longer periods, and they offer us opportunities that we can use or squander.  Respect your life enough to honor the moments of your days, the gifts of your unique incarnation, and the call of the Universe, the Divine Spirit to live out your intended purpose as a gift to yourself and those you meet along the road.

Devotion and ritual provide us with ways of honoring the sacredness of our lives. Gather with those who share a  vision and commitment to a more heart-centered approach to living and connecting with the Sacred within our lives, connecting us to all that is, and calling us to respond to the crucial needs of the cultures and peoples of the Earth who must decide how we are to live together and work on healing of the human spirit and the wounded soul of the planet and her people.

With Jupiter and Pluto forming a bright trine to one another, lighting up the night sky, we are also called to combine the power of our own bounty, gifts and abundance with the transformative powers and intentions of our times to commit ourselves to creating and living a more sustainable, united world for good of all who inhabit the earth and for the generations to come. 

Listen to what your heart, soul, mind, and conscience call you to do, be, and begin.  Acknowledge what needs to be released in order for you to live more present to the life you have been given. Enjoy the power of being in the world at this time, on this day, and with all the gifts of your life.  Be grateful and stand in awe of what beauty there is and how important it is for each of us to live with intention to sustain one another.  Enjoy the beauty of Life. Spend time in meditation, prayers, and contemplation acknowledging and sensing all the bounty of the transformation taking place in your life now. 

Moving into the Depths

Waking this morning to the river shrouded with fog, the ships' whistles blowing warnings of danger in the channel, reminded me of the different stages of life we live.  There are times when the stillness and lack of movement on the surface of our lives seems to hide the growth, transformation, and mystery brewing inside.  There are times when movement is not evident, when change seems distant, and when we seem so focused on one issue or situation or another that we can scarcely see beyond the moment.

Early today, the energy of Mars aspects the transformative nature of of Pluto, perhaps causing some to feel a sense of urgency to change, move on, or "do" something. On a day when many of us need to rest and refresh, we may sense a struggle within ourselves and between those with whom we live. Noticing that the nature of the urgency or frustration comes from planetary energetic shifts and reactions (as seen by the rash and emotional responses of people and the shaking up of the earth itself with the tidal shifts and earth movement), may help us channel the energy more positively than we might feel like.
Playing, exercising, sorting and shifting things around may be some of the ways to use the more frenetic energy apparent we might be feeling.  Often at this time of the year, we begin to feel the push-me, pull-me of the expectations of the lives we live. Well into a new school year, yet tired from having been on a treadmill for what may seem like an endless cycle of expectations, obligations, and keeping up. Time to get out of the rat race and onto the treadmill, bicycle, swimming pool, yoga mat, trail, or track to exert and expend some of the energy that has become trapped in places where we need to release.

Today the Sun moves into the constellation of Scorpio, the metaphoric symbol of the mysteries hidden in the depths of our subconscious or in the mysteries of the transcendence of the Universe. The interplay between what is brewing within our own being and how we are responding and reacting to the conditions, energies, and activities of the world in which we live, provide us with a constant series of stories that we live out. 

Something there is about the passage of the year and the changing of seasons, especially when we move from lightness to darkness, that calls our attention to our human mortality.  At its worse, some people trend into depression when the days grown darker. At best, we move into the cycles and activities of being present to each season and using the change as a way to deepen and use our energy to meet our immediate needs.  Time to pull out our warmer clothes, and arrange our homes, our wardrobe, our lives, and our thinking to appreciate the fruits of the harvest and to prepare ourselves for the winter season. Time to adjust our diet (something that often comes by a sudden change of tastes) and time to notice how our bodies are signaling us to slow down, to notice the shifts in temperature and the effect such shifts have on our movement and flexibility.  Living more intentionally because the call is stronger from within, and is unmistakable outside of ourselves.

Developing some practices that allow you to live more mindfully, move with more intention, and rest and nourish yourself and others with less need for structure and more need for creating a peaceful, calm, and enjoyable environment that nurtures everyone, allows for time for pleasure and fun, and allows everyone to let off steam without creating chaos in relationships. 

Sing and dance what you might not want to express out loud. Take your anxiety for a walk or burn off some anger by shouting out to the sea. Paint your expression, or write out thoughts that allow you to release feelings and irrational  desires in a safe and sane manner.  Allow yourself to view the shadow displays that come up from within or that are flying about in the environment like ghosts on All Hallow's Eve...and create a ritual or prayer, a story or creative display to put the expression of difficult energy and experiences in a form that helps change perspective and perception. Make someone laugh. Find the absurdity of a piece of your reactions, or learn how to forgive and release your spirit from the traps it might otherwise remain trapped in.  Mercury and Uranus aspect one another as the day ends, and we may find ourselves needing to communicate bursts of ideas, thoughts, or opinions. Find a peaceful way to channel those ideas into prayer, meditation, or a bedtime story. Nurture yourself and those you love. Allow yourself and others time, space, peace, and calm to tend to the care of the soul, the mind, and the body as live in awareness of that which we see and that which we sense. Listen for the messages of your dreams, your insight, your intuitive, as well as the messages you are receiving from those with whom you live, work, and interact. 

Just a Turn of the Head, Heart, and Life

Sometimes we wander along our life path, seemingly at the whims of unforeseen forces, overwhelming circumstances, or conditions beyond our control.  More and more people everywhere are awakening to not only their individual power and strength, but also to their collective power of strength.  We humans have always had an understanding of this power, energy, and strength, and we know this because of some of the beauty and grandeur, innovations and discoveries, and destruction and and misery we have created. Yes, we have the power to do good or create chaos and destruction.

Much of the time, however, we have all we can do to take care of the life we live from day to day. For the most part, we set good intentions and try to do our best.  There are exceptions to this evident in crime statistics, wars, and other destructive behavior and outcomes.  This morning as I listened to a Course in Miracles broadcast, a conversation with Jennifer Hadley and Karen Russo, I was reminded of three simple truths that support my belief that my life is my spiritual practice.  My life, the day to day living of it, is not in any way divorced from my spiritual practice and core beliefs. 

There are three elements of my practice that help me navigate the pathways and passages of life.
In every moment,  seek to come into alignment with the Divine Creative Force, God, within you, acting through you, infusing you with wisdom, insight, love, and intuitive knowledge. That may mean invoking or calling the Holy Spirit, the Divine Light, to awaken in me an awareness of the ever-present connection we have with God~within us, working through us, guiding us.  Aligning with the  Divine Presence within me and around me means being intentional with my actions.  Turning towards that which is Holy, Listening, feeling, watching for ways to recognize the Light.  It may be through the eyes of your child or in a moment of inspiration, or the lifting of a sense of dread. Allowing ourselves to release the need to define God, but instead allowing the Divine to infuse us with a sense of knowing, being, loving. In using the practice of forgiveness to release ourselves from those areas where we have allowed ourselves to be trapped in anger, fear, disgust, intolerance, shame, or blame, frees us for being more connected to Divine Being.

Second, examining our beliefs, to see if our beliefs are in alignment with our actions, thoughts, motivations, and the way we are living our lives.  Again, this is an intentional practice; noticing how what I say I believe jives with how I'm acting. And then, without judging or diving into blame or shame, accepting when things are out of alignment and then making some adjustments. What is the Truth about who is the source of my life energy, abundance, creativity, love? What do I need to change or forgive, release or turn from?  Do I possess some kind of magic wand that guarantees that by simply doing enough or the right thing, everything I want will come to me?  Is my life just something I concoct or does my path and purpose come through a revelation in the daily living of life?  What do I really believe about life, and how are those beliefs affecting the way I"m living? If, for example, I say I believe in the power of prayer and in the idea that the Divine Being provides and guides me, and if I never pray or make an attempt to listen for how God manifests in my life, but instead really believe that my life is all about what I do or don't do, I experience cognitive dissonance. What I believe is in direct conflict with how I'm living. My real belief is that I am in control, the mover and the shaker. This belief interferes from my connecting to the  Divine in co-creating. Calling in the Holy Spirit is crucial for living life in spiritual practice.

Finally, what habits and patterns of behavior do I need to develop to live more fully, more thoughtfully, more in alignment with Divine Goodness? One of the affirmations Karen Russo gives is the following: I love and respect myself enough to live a financially prosperous and responsible life." I would add to this, I love and respect myself enough to live a life of abundance and responsibility in all areas of my life.

When we walk our spiritual journey in constant awareness of our need to be in alignment with God in co-creation of our lives, be willing to examine our beliefs and adjust our thinking to more clearly align our beliefs with our actions and thinking, and finally, by making the difficult, shadow aspects of our lives a regular part of our spiritual practice~not separating the challenges out from the good stuff. Everything holds a lesson for us to learn, to hone our skills, gifts, and talents, and to bring us into alignment with the Divine and our divine purpose and life path.

Tonight there is a Grand Trine in Earth signs. The Moon (representing our emotional nature), Pluto (representing deep transformation) and Uranus (representing change, experiment, innovation, sudden flashes of insight, intuitive brilliance) all ground us in our experience as Spiritual beings having a physical experience. We are here as one. We are not dualistic beings, but we are wholly physical and spiritual united. And we connect to everyone and everything that is in a universal unification of energy, tapping into the Divine or Universal Source of Being, Truth, Life, Love, Soul, Spirit, Mind, all Being and Knowing.  Take it all in, and be grateful for the abundance of your spirit and the gift of your life.

Portals in the October Night Sky: Seeing Possibility

Coastal Night Skies, Clear and Full of Beauty

Those of us who live along the coast line of North America, often find our summer nights shrouded in fog or low cloud cover. Autumn is the time the night sky tends to clear making the night sky perfect for star gazing.  The temperatures are higher than they have been for a while on the Central and Southern California coastlines, and skies here in the Pacific Northwest are clearer than usual as well (in between fog coming and rolling out).  We have had some beautiful views of the night sky. The waning Gibbous Moon rises after dark, and will becoming dimmer and dimmer until the New Moon in early November. That makes the sky darker and better for stargazing.  Living along the river at the mouth near the ocean, makes for a constant change of weather. As the spiders weave their glorious webs, in a non-stop effort to capture their food, the wind blows, the leaves begin to fall, trees change color.  As the colors deepen and grow richer as each day passes, the changes in the light deepen even the blue of the river waters and the mountains to the north.  This morning as I rose before dawn, I watched as ruddy Mars rose in the Eastern sky. October is a wonderful month for stargazing.


In October Jupiter is dominating the night sky. Jupiter rises early on the eastern horizon. Pegasus,the constellation named after the mythical unicorn, is formed, the stars known as the Great Square, its legs composed of other stars lined out like the horses legs.   You can locate Pegasus by locating the stars that form what is known as the Great Square. Pegasus  is the 1st star to host an extrasolar planet, 51 Pegasi. Just to the southwest of Pegasus, you can locate a bright star cluster

During late October, an interesting meteor shower happens. If you look to the East, you may be able to see the remnants of Halley’s Comet as it makes its closest approach in many years, to the Earth.  Every few minutes you may spot a tiny remnant of Halley’s comet burning up high in the atmosphere. This is known at the Orion  meteor shower. You can look for the meteor shower from your backyard.
In the middle of the east side of the Great Square, you will find the brightest star in the constellation.  This star points you in the direction of the constellation Andromeda. In mythology, Andromeda was a woman changed to stone in order to appease a jealous and angry god. In the middle of the constellation Andromeda is what appears to be a blur of light. This is a galaxy island of billions of stars, spinning and devouring another gallaxy. Approximately 2.5 million light-years away, this  is the closest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way galaxy. Get out your binoculars or your telescope, and make a date with Jupiter, the Orian Meteor Showers, Andromeda, or the early-morning Mars.

I highly recommend the Hubble Space Telescope website and NASA’s Hubblesite.

The Sun in Libra is moving through the final degrees of Libra. Mercury is in 7 degrees of Scorpio,   the event 16° Scorpio, Jupiter  is early degrees Taurus Mars is in 17  degrees of Leo.  Uranus, the planet of sudden, unexpected changes, is in the early degrees of Aries. New beginnings happen suddenly for some who are ready; and perhaps for some who are not ready.  Ready or not, here comes something new, and how are you going to greet this new experience?  Doorways, gates, even walls and bridges, can be used for time to stop and ponder, ways to move across to a new experience, or for reasons to wonder what in the heck you're doing. Courage! Enjoy the opening for something worthy of you. 

Jupiter in the early degrees of Taurus, continues to be the brightest heavenly body in the early night sky. The Moon's entry into Cancer moves into opposition to Pluto in Capricorn, making us more aware of unexpressed fears and desires, dreams and visions.  Pluto, the great transformer, represents the energy of digging deeper and connecting our earthly being to our divine nature. Facing the truth of what we desire and what we fear, enable us to quell the fears with focus, action, and movement toward living more in alignment with developing our gifts and putting our energy, time, and resources into creating and acting on our dreams. No time for wishful thinking; time to take steps to ground ourselves in the reality of what we have to work with and how we are best to use our talents, resources, and vision. 

This morning, the Moon formed a sextile to Jupiter encouraging optimistic thinking and practical application in the that which we do to direct our work, time, and creative energies.  Step into acts with a sense of confidence and positive intention. Later in the evening when the Moon first trines Mercury, the planet that represents communications on all levels, and later Venus, the planet representing our feminine energies, our female friends, and the gifts, talents, and nature of the Divine Feminine within each of us and within the Universal makeup.  What we think, what we do, what we say, what we love, and what we create --all our being, actions, and intentions enable us to connect with one another, with ourselves, and with the Divine action that is revealed on the path when we are willing to listen, accept, and identify (name) clearly as the Truth of our being. 

This morning when I prayed and meditated on divine truth, I asked for a sense of alignment to take hold, connecting me to my Divine Creator, directly from within my Divine nature. Word came to listen to how the sacred was alive the quiet and calm. To watch and see. To wait and give thanks. To be and let be. There are signs all around. They appear in the call from a friend who is suffering, in the bird in flight that appears unexpectedly, in the dream, the fleeting thought or the nagging sensation. In the crisis that erupts, in the birth that takes place, and in the sense of overwhelming blessings that rise up when we least expect it.  Give thanks and be grateful for what you are, what you have, and what you can do.  Be a blessing to yourself; take care of yourself so you can be present and attentive to others when they need it, not just when it's convenient.  Move beyond the ordinary, the humdrum, the usual, and open your eyes to being at peace wherever you are. 

The Moon in Cancer, reminds us that home is where the heart is, and when we are struggling with our sense of feeling at home, it is a reminder that where we are is the right and perfect place to be now. We seem to get so caught up in the energetic movement of our lives, that being still, resting in place, and being at peace in the middle of the storms of life may seem counter intuitive. With the racing of our planet through the energetic tides of shifting and transforming movement, we are called to stand still and be at peace with who we are, where we are.  Connect with those who need to be reminded of your love and devotion; find stillness in your thoughts, actions, even you inner churnings. Let things unfold, and live in trust that the right and perfect movement includes you but doesn't depend on what you do or don't do, where you are or aren't, or what you think you should do or not. Be at peace today. Listen and watch for reminders, affirmations, and signs that all is well.

Star Explorer....Friday Feature: Sun Conjunct Saturn 2:14 PDT/21/13 UT/GMT

On the table near my front window, I keep my Star Explorer. My neighbor downstairs has his telescope set up by his window, but I'm using my wonderful Star Explorer Wheel to locate and identify the constellations in the night sky. For some reason, this seems like more fun when the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer and darker. The Star Explorer I use is a disc wheel that helps me locate constellations from wherever I am, any night of the year. Tonight as I look to the northern sky, I'm going to be looking for the 6-star constellation of Cassiopeia...the lady of the Autumn night sky in the Northern Hemisphere. Andromeda and Pegasus should be just below Cassiopeia, and at the tip of Pegasus, I should be able to spot Equulius. There are so many constellations that should be visible in a clear night sky, but I usually limit myself to trying to identify just two or three. The rest, I simply enjoy, watching for shooting stars, and perhaps a satellite or some cluster of dense matter that may be visible. Regardless of what I see in the sky, I look forward to clear skies so I can star gaze.

The stars take us back in time, and forward too. They remind us of our Source, and promise us the constancy of change and dynamism of the Universe, and the possibilities of Universes and dimensions beyond our reach or understanding. The stars also connect us to our own personal experiences. It was a year ago this week that I woke in the middle of the night, wondering about a dear friend who was in the hospital. As I looked out at the midnight and early morning sky, a shooting star shot straight down, looking as if it had crashed into the mountains north, across the river. Later I would discover that my friend had died. Coincidence? For me a comforting reminder that we are all part of the stardust universe of souls and energy, and when we lose someone near, it is nice to have a window sill, a star finder, a telescope, or a clear view to remind us of those we love the most, and to remember what really matters.

May you find a star to gaze upon tonight or sometime soon. Feel a part of the Oneness of the Universe; feel at home in the starlight and moonlight where you find yourself. Remember those stars that looked as if you could touch them on a high mountain road or the desert sky on a beautiful summer's night? Remember the full moon shining through the trees or the new crescent moon signaling the start of a new lunar month and the coming holy days? Enjoy the stars and the beauty of the sky and our place in it all.

Full Moon in Aries Oct. 11-12

On the West Coast of the U.S. (PDT), the Full Moon reaches its peak at 18/24 degrees of Aries at 7:06 PM on Tuesday evening. The Sun is in Libra, 18/24, and is conjunct (within 1 degree in this case) of the transiting Saturn (the Great Teacher). When Moon Aries opposes Sun Libra, it generally calls on us to balance the energies of Aries's need to express ourselves in unique ways with Libra's tendency to keep things in balance by being accommodating. With such close aspect to Saturn and the moon (ruler of tides, emotional temperment, grounding), we have great need of maintaining order, calm, and patience (with ourselves, with others, and with conditions and circumstances). Nothing much is coming easily; alliances are shaky, and compromise and self control are required. Embrace the waves, and find ways to be accountable, responsible, and willing to do your best, regardless of the circumstances.
Two pieces of advice have come to me from different friends these past few days, and they seem appropriate for the energy of the waxing full moon (we feel the energy and influence before and after). One practice associated with the High Holy Days of Judaism is the practice of forgiveness. The wonderful practice of forgiveness, an aspect of most spiritual traditions and religions, releases so much when we can make it part of our intentional experience. The practice she told me about was in a ceremony of letting go, releasing what you want to release from the past year or so...whatever you have carried with you that is not serving you, is the practice of forgiving yourself and releasing yourself from choices and decisions, commitments and promises made under duress. Considering the Full Moon and the current impact of a great many planetary and energetic aspects that are moving, uprooting, and transitioning us into a new way of living, any ideas that help make our journey a bit lighter and more focused will help. If you feel you are hitting a brick wall, see the wall as a signal for a change of direction/perspective. Practice forgiveness for yourself and others, and lighten a burden of energy that is deflecting your from where you need to be focused.

The second piece of advice has to do with a ritual that Astrologer, Dana Gearhardt recommends for this full moon cycle. Dana is big on intention and ritual, and has a strong affinity to the power and energy, the light and healing inspiration of the Moon. Her suggestion is to get out into the moonlight during the full moon, and bathe symbolically bathe in the moonlight. Use the moon's light and beauty, inspiration and poetic symbolism to drink in and bathe in the highest intentions you are setting at this point in your life. Visit Mooncircles to read her description of this lovely ritual along with the articles by the other writers on the Mooncircles blog.

On Tuesday morning, there is an enjoyable, harmonious trine between the Moon in Aries and Mars at 12 degrees of Leo. Use the energy to be creative in some way, and tame it as the full moon peaks so as not to make yourself obnoxious in some way.
A creative idea or a project to create something unusual or in an unusual way, can come to form or structure as the light, the need for cooperation and compromise that is evident at the peak of the full moon. Perhaps just in a more solid, well-rounded idea; perhaps in a beautiful expression of unity rather than discord.

If you know your astrological chart, look to see which areas of your life are receiving these aspects. If you don't know a thing about astrology, just notice which areas of your life seem to be affected more than others. Whatever you do, enjoy the beauty of the Full Moon in Aries, as we begin a new lunar year.