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.