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.