Today is the first week of the 15-day celebration of the Lunar and Chinese New Year, the Year of the Water Dragon.  We had a new moon (the new moon signals the beginning of the new year in many cultures, though the time of the year a year begins and ends differs according to  culture and spiritual traditions). What is lighting up the night sky tonight? What are some of the prevailing aspects that could be stirring things up in your life?  Here is just some of what is going on.

Mars turned retrograde just a day after the New Moon, lengthening the time the warrior planet spends in Virgo, an earth sign this last year, from 2 months to 8. Mars will turn direct in early April, and the motion coinciding with the new moon signals the need to use the time ahead to reflect on choices you have made or are considering making. Energy and thrust slows down a bit, allowing us to feel less urgency about choices. Using the time to become more grounded in the daily, pragmatic aspects of life, can help us become clearer about what our priorities are.  I moved my work station into my office this morning, settling into a more disciplined and focused approach to life and my work.  For months, maybe years, I have been on the road much of the time, and my office has been “in transit.”  I’ve carried it with me, on my shoulder, in the trunk of my car, packed in suitcases and brief cases, and on thumb drives and hard drives from one city to another.  Now I am centering my life and my work at home, and working from one place. My traveling is not over, but the idea of carrying everything with me is.  Moving from a decentralized life to a centralized life (to use organizational structure terms), allows me to take time to heal, nourish, and establish a sense of groundedness.

I have stopped by the oasis of home to rest and take my repose in my journey.   You may find me sorting through papers, boxes, and files, creating order, space, and a lightness of being.  The in-between times, the times of reflection and rest, are times when we can lighten our loads, clear up the details of life that have gone unattended, and live life with greater intention, focus, balance, grace, and joy.    


Visible in the night sky tonight are the Moon and Venus in Pisces. You will also be able to see the moonshine if you have clear skies. And some of you may see the Northern Lights. 

Tonight, Venus, the Moon, and Chiron all transiting Pisces; Venus at 15/26 and the Moon at 20/47, will be visible given clear skies.  Venus and the Moon in Pisces reflect the archetypes of the feminine and our  emotional lives in the sensitive, creative, and fluid water sign of Pisces, the last sign of the Zodiac. We are completing a cycle of some type in both areas of our lives~our development of the divine feminine within and our emotional nature and balance.  We may personally and collectively feel more at peace and serene as we view our world and our lives. We may develop or express greater gentleness and understanding, provided we are not acting out of purely self-centered motivation or manipulative behavior. 

Each sign, each archetypal aspect has polar qualities/traits that exhibit either  its redeemed or  unhealed characteristics. We have the opportunity right now to pay attention to our intentions, motivations, reasoning, and feelings~all of which are stirred and rising to the surface now. Being honest with ourselves is the first step in living and walking a harmonious and honest path of life.  “I want to be fit for myself to know; I want to be able, as days go by, always to look myself in the eye...” ~words from a creed that have stayed with me since I was a young girl. There is no better time than now to live the life you are meant to live.

A waxing crescent moon, may give us a glimpse of the Moon shine.  I recall years ago during a beach party at the Huntington Cliffs, being sure we could catch a Moon tan because of the light of the Moon being so bright.  My naivite long gone, I am pleased to learn that the outline of the whole orb of the moon that is visible on some crescent moons, is actually due to the reflection of light from the Earth.  You may be able to see it tonight.

This week the solar storms have brightened up the night skies in the Northern Hemisphere, creating the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. Along the Columbia River Valley, much of the night show has not been visible due to the storms that have been passing through. Tonight, however, the skies are fairly clear, so look to the north to see if you can catch some of the beautiful Northern Lights. Look to the west for a view of the Moon with Venus the bright star a bit below the Moon clearly visible in a starlit sky.

The Sun in Aquarius and Mercury, in Capricorn, are in  a waning trine with Mars in Virgo.  Again, we have the Sun in the sign of innovation, long-range and altruistic vision, electricity and higher levels of communication and energy in aspect with the planet of communications and the planet of movement and action in earth signs. Our higher ideals, our visions for a better world, for the next best idea, and the solutions to problems affecting all people everywhere, must be tempered in the grounding of the world that we are capable of acting on where we are.  We cannot be everywhere, all things to all people. We are reminded that we each have a life we are living. We have unfolded before us, the life we have chosen and the life that has unfolded due to our choices, our direction, our fate, our divine Creator, and the relationships we have been a part of.  Life is what it is, and not what it will be.  This simple platitude reminds us what these aspects suggest: we have a life happening where we are now, and that is what we can have an impact on.  What is calling you to take care of where you are? What do you say is important to you? How are you responding, (body, mind, spirit, emotions, finances, health) to the call of your being?

Jupiter (the archetype of benevolence, abundance, plenty) in 2 degrees of Taurus (earth) is within a 5 degree trine of Pluto (remember the archetype of transition) in 8 degrees of Virgo. Saturn (the Great Teacher, your inner guru and outer way shower) is at 29/23 degrees of Libra, an anaretic degree...bringing lessons, teachers, and decisions to their logical conclusion. Relationships that need to end, end now by choice or by the natural course of events.  Neptune, the planet of the subconscious, the Collective Consciousness, the mystical, and the world of fantasy, illusion, imagination, and dreams, is ending its cycle through Aquarius (where dreams, visions, ideas, and illusions have risen to the surface of out of our subconscious, into the light of awareness.  Neptune is moving into Pisces on February 4, near the end of the 15-day celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Water Dragon.

At the 29 degree (the final degree, critical anaretic degree), we are arriving at a time when the veils of illusion and the blocks to unlocking the power and knowledge of the subconscious, our intuition, and the insight of dreams and imagination, are about ready to shift.  On February 8, Saturn in Libra will make a retrograde turn until Oct. 3, 2012. During this time, the lessons and struggles with relationships, achieving balance, releasing whatever is blocking your growth, or affecting your health and well being, will again remind you of the areas of your life that require your attention.  
Notice, between now and Feb. 8, what decisions, challenges, relationships, areas of imbalance, and shadow-type struggles you are engaged in making/changing/releasing/altering/paying attention to. From February until October, use the time for reflection, completion, healing, and preparing to move forward while leaving behind what no longer serves to aid in your spiritual, personal, and emotional health, well being, and development. 

The movement of both Neptune (entering a water sign on Feb.4) and Saturn turning retrograde from Feb. 8 until early October, 2012, lends itself to providing new understanding, a more spiritual and deeply subconscious array of insight, intuition, and information that will be coming into personal and collective awareness. The down side of this, is delusion, illusion, and false conceptions fed by unhealed ego, dependence on false hopes, delusion, denial, and all the mental games we play to keep from dealing with issues that are vital to our development, well being and growth. The up side, is, if we pay attention to our intuition, study our dreams, seek to face our shadow side, listen to the soul callings, and deal with the issues in daily life that keep us from living more fully, we can find answers, heal wounds, face the truth of who we are, and begin to develop wings to fly, vision to understand possibilities, and determination and acceptance of what we are meant to do and be in this life we have been given as a gift. We can begin to appreciate the gifts we have been given, the abundance we already have, the accomplishments and treasures we have amassed.

The gift of this moment is available right now, in the understanding of how fortunate we already are. Living in fuller awareness of the treasures that lie beneath our feet, within our soul and mind, and the beauty and love we can share in creating, is the gift for all who open their hearts and minds and lives to accept.

There is no there there. Be happy, grateful, and appreciative of what is right now. Find something beautiful within you. Find something to be grateful for right outside your window. Receive the gifts that come to your door. And share the talents, energy, service, joy, love, or knowledge that you have with those who seek it. Share yourself where you find your joy; release yourself from where you no longer find life or where you no longer are nourished).

As you gaze into the sky tonight, or walk in the sunshine or rain or snow tomorrow, revel in the bounty and do something to show your appreciation for someone, something, or the simple acknowledgement of gratitude to the Creator Spirit that infuses all with the Life that animates all that is.

Intuitive Insight Pathways: Waking to the Power of Your Dreams

Intuitive Insight Pathways: Waking to the Power of Your Dreams: Over the last few weeks, I have had one conversation after another with friends, students, and even total strangers who have been talking ab...

Waking to the Power of Your Dreams

Over the last few weeks, I have had one conversation after another with friends, students, and even total strangers who have been talking about their dreams. Most voice a desire to know more about their dreams, or wanting to be able to remember their dreams more often. Some say, "I never dream." All of us dream, quite extensively every night. Many people, however, do not remember their dreams. Whatever your experience is with your dream life, I encourage you to explore and befriend your dreams.  What can you do to make your dreams a part of your daily, spiritual practice? How can you learn to understand the different types of dreams you have? How can you start to remember your dreams, and come to understand them as the gift they are to help and support you on your life journey?


First of all, recognize that you do indeed dream.  Just as you have an active imagination and fantasy life, so too do you have dreams.  Imagination, fantasy, and dreams, however, are often overlooked, dismissed, or intentionally blocked out through habits that are formed at different stages of our lives or through simply not paying attention.  If I ask you not to think about a red rose, what happens? Just by mentioning the term, "red rose" your imagination, your mind, comes up with an image. It may be a word image, red rose. It may be a memory of a particular red rose. Whatever passes through your mind, most people will, at least briefly, imagine something to do with a red rose.  Dreams come out of our consciousness, that part of our mind, intellect, being that holds a wealth of images, memories, symbols, archetypes, and connections to everything we've ever experienced and much that is present in and around us that we may never consciously notice.  Our mind filters information from our consciousness, our memory, and our perception in order that we can maintain balance, sanity, focus, and presence with our daily lives and activities. For example, if I am at the task of driving, I cannot be responding to all the images and activities or inner feelings and thoughts that are present in my experience. I must focus on my driving. Remembering, exploring, and working with our dreams also requires intention and presence. 


Most of us remember having at least some dreams.  Often the dreams we most remember are the nightmares or scary dreams.  Sometimes the fear or confusion we experience in some dreams causes us to want to block out or not remember dreams.  I remember going through a period of time when I was having some very disturbing and frightening nightmares. I would awake in terror from the dreams. Having always been a regular dreamer, I briefly went through a time when I "didn't want to dream."  That doesn't actually work, so I was faced with having to find a way to learn more about the dream process so that I could alleviate the fear that was built up at the time.  Like many negative experiences of our lives, facing the fear often helps us deal with it.  

Dreams present information to us in ways that often shock and frighten us; this happens to catch our attention.  For example, if I dream of someone crawling in the window to harm me or see myself falling down a deep, dark shaft, feeling myself in danger in both instances, I may worry first of all about my physical danger.  When we learn more about our dreams and the different types of dreams we all have, the knowledge helps us use the dreams to pinpoint the underlying messages (each dream could have more than one meaning). Frightening dreams where we are in mortal danger, more often than not, signal a threat to our emotional, energetic, or psychological well being.  Over time I have come to recognize such dreams as signals to warn me that the way I'm living, working, or pushing myself is causing me to lose control or put myself at risk.  


If you have stopped dreaming or  don't remember your dreams, and if you want to work with your dreams, it might be time to develop a dream practice.  In this column, I will be exploring some of the ways that we can develop a dream practice and use the great gift of our dreams as one more tool in our kit to live a more fulfilling life.  I will combine this discussion with some information about the kinds of energetic influences that may be affecting us, in both our waking and sleeping life. We, humans, are affected by the world we live in, by what we can see and what we cannot see, and by the energies of the Universe.  For that reason, I will add some information that may or may not influence your dream life. You be the judge of that.


Last night, for example, around 1:00 am, Venus (archetype of the feminine, creativity, love) formed a trine with Saturn (the Great Teacher archetype) bringing into focus the serious nature of our relationships and the pragmatic nature of our lives.  Think how that might have influenced any dreams or snippets of dreams you may have had.  Around 5 this morning, Mercury (archetype of communication, messages, neighbors, brothers, sisters) conjoined Pluto (the archetype of the great transformer).  How are things shifting, changing, transforming, and what information is flowing to you or going out from you? How is change showing up in your dreams, in your daily life, in your relationships, and in your work?  By 7 this morning, Venus was forming a conjunction (meaning they appear to be lined up together in the sky), creating a more romantic, creative, or uplifting imaginative tone to your early morning.  This may show up as seeing the good in others or situations (which may be somewhat illusionary) but it helps us sometimes be more forgiving or understanding (that's the good side) or more delusional or in denial.  Depends on the nature of the situation or relationship, and on how you are dealing with the pragmatic realities of your life.  Later in the day the Moon in Virgo forms a conjunction to Mars in Capricorn (both earthy energy) bringing us down-to-earth and grounded in the comfort of our lives.  The Moon then forms a trine to the Sun in Capricorn  near 6 pm.  Venus leaves the rather unconventional energy of Aquarius tonight as she enters the romantic, creative, and sensitive sign of Pisces.  All indications that emotions are aroused and need to be grounded in the pragmatic, daily focus of our lives.


Dreaming during this period of time, could then reflect more towards the major areas of transition in your life and in the day-to-day activities, issues, challenges, and habits that are signaling the areas of your life that are in the process of major transformation.  During this time, I had a dream about the number 2. The dream was a huge numeral 2 and then a series of photographs of things that come in twos.  The underlying message to me has to do with grounding myself in the simple nature of my daily habits, partnerships, and finding balance. Two may have any number of interpretations, but it is a number that to me speaks of simplicity, balance, pairing, and partnership.   Simplifying my life right now, and focusing on relationships within my daily sphere, are areas that are transforming for me now.


Developing a dream practice, begins with dreaming. As I stated, all of us dream. Our brain processes and produces dreams much of the night. Our conscious memory, however, stores much of this information away, and unless we are paying attention, we tend to jump out of bed and start our day without much regard to a dream, that is unless it's been significant or scary. To begin to develop a dream practice, keep in mind, we're not looking for long, epic, lucid dreams. We begin with remembering something. Even a feeling a dream has left us with. Or a snippet of a dream or a word or maybe a tune or color that appears in a dream.  How do we do this? As you go to bed each night, set  the intention of remembering your dreams. You might include it in your prayers or simply suggest it to yourself as you sleep. I would also pray for dreams to come in forms and ways that did not scare or upset me.  Again, if you don't pray, suggest this to your subconscious.  Surround your sleeping area with pleasant, calm, peaceful sounds, visuals. Avoid watching television or reading something disturbing before sleep.  In the morning, wake up gently. Before you jump out of bed, calmly lay still and pay attention to what you remember. Keep a writing tablet and pen beside your bed, and gently write down anything you remember. Write down what you recall. It may be the feeling of a dream, or a snippet or two. Sometimes we get what seems like a whole story, but quite often we get flashes and pieces of information. We might recall much of the dream at first, but then forget all but a few pieces of the dream. That's fine. Write down what you recall, and avoid judging whether or not it's enough. By writing down your dreams regularly, you will develop your own dream journal and vocabulary.  I record my dreams in a simple spiral notebook. About once a month, I reread all the dreams I've had.  By doing this, over time you will begin to see the different types of dreams you have, and you will begin to see patterns and symbols that you can work with.  Dreams images and symbols are archetypal in nature. They are not necessarily meant to be taken literally. When you first begin recalling and recording your dreams, avoid trying to get too analytical about what you dream.  I find it very helpful not only to write the dream down right away, but also to have someone to talk my dreams out to.  Be discerning about who you share your dreams with. Whoever it is should be someone you trust and someone who will be supportive. Sometimes simply retelling the dream will shed light on aspects of the dream you might not have noticed before. 

Dreams are gifts  that are full of ideas, messages, signs, and symbols.  A dream unexplored is like receiving a gift and not opening it. As you develop your dream practice, be gentle with yourself, and be consistent.  Meditation and prayer prior to bedtime are helpful, and reminding yourself to remember your dreams helps reinforce the practice.  Like any habit, setting the intention and then being consistent with a few simple steps will enable you to develop a dream practice. Avoid putting pressure on yourself, but rather relax into the process and welcome the news, ideas, insight, information, and images that come to you as you sleep. Our minds are active even when we sleep, and some of our best ideas can come from allowing our subconscious to release material that appears to us in dreams. In the next few weeks, I will be writing more about dreams and dream work. Sweet dreams.

Nurturing Mother Full Moon

The Full Moon in Cancer peaks on the West Coast of the U.S. at 11:30 PM on January 8/at 7:30 AM Grenwich Mean Time on January 9. Called the Full Wolf Moon or the Old Moon, this moon is also called the Nurturing Mother Moon.  Cancer, the sign that is the archetype for the feminine quality of nurturing and protecting in and around the home, sits in the fourth house of the home, at  18 degrees. The Moon is in direct opposition to the Sun in 18 degrees of Capricorn, calling our attention to the need to maintain balance in all areas of our lives. Cancer, the first of the water signs, opposed Capricorn, a hearty, grounded earth sign, the archetypal representation of wholeness, maturity, and individuation. Capricorn in the 10th house, is lessening in its recent conjunction with Pluto, the planet of great transition, upheaval, and energized direction. We appear to be moving forward into the directions, paths, and areas of focus that we have declared important to our individual and collective development over the last 6 months to a year.  All obstacles, challenges, and areas which require our attention, have come to the surface for us to incorporate into a more pragmatic balance in the way we live from this point forward.

Capricorn, the third Earth sign, is reflected in whatever area of your chart it falls, as the ability and knowledge needed to living on a dynamic planet, in a dynamic, ever-changing universe. We should have had some reminders lately, of our mortality and limits as humans.  The brazen idea that we are indispensable, immortal, and limitless,  has been tested and we may be more aware than ever before, of our mortal nature as well as that of our infinite spiritual nature.  We, individually, have a purpose that we are living out. Movement toward that soul calling, desire, or the intentions we have set for ourselves, may arouse in us, the sense of urgency, need, and imminent arrival of times and opportunities we need to acknowledge and act upon.



With Mercury having just entered Capricorn, we will probably hear more about what we have been waiting for, soon.  The news we receive, will be transforming, and will lead us to a new level of understanding, perception, and knowledge.

Neptune, in 29 degrees of Aquarius, the anaretic and crucial degree of any sign, is very near the end of her passage in this innovative sign. Soon Neptune will enter the sign of her rulership, so there will probably be more of a sense of urgency rising up--as signified through dreams, intuitive sensations, and very tactile and sensorial levels of understanding.  Feelings and subconscious material are adjusting and stirring in place, ready to burst to the surface. Our entire sense of balance and the manner in which we perceive is about to transcend the illusion of a split between the physical and spiritual unity and reality.  Still in conjunction with Venus in Aquarius, there may be more stirring beneath the surface in relation to women, the feminine aspects of situations, the Divine Feminine, and the more feminine aspects of our whole being.  For so many, this we are entering into the age of the Divine Feminine, where society begins to express itself from a singularly new paradigm that cannot turn its back or its way of perceiving back to the idea of a polar universe which separates intellect from spirit, body from soul, emotions from physical health, and the power of the mind from the power of the heart. We have evolved into a new level of human existence. We are communicating, creating, and committing in ways that are new as we enter uncharted waters. We will discover what this will lead to as we begin to experience life in awareness of many dimensions and levels of experience.

Saturn in 28/48 degrees of Libra is in a waning opposition with Jupiter in 0/43  degrees of Taurus.  With the Sun, Mercury, Pluto, and Jupiter all in Earth signs, we may feel pulled to be more grounded and may find ourselves breathing in the beauty of our surroundings, creating beauty within our homes, and feeling like immersing ourselves in the elements.  We may be sitting on a beach basking in the sun, warming ourselves around a campfire, sitting near the sea or the river watching the water flow and ebb. Even our homes will be filled with the aroma of hearty food and fruits. Ideas about what to plant in the garden for the spring may be taking shape.  We appreciate a break, a time of rest, and a pause in the patterns of our lives, as we prepare to make significant changes in how we live, what we choose to spend our time doing, and how we seek to enter into relationships of all kinds. We seek pragmatic, nurturing, and fulfilling connections, and are called to pay attention to that which we are blessed to receive.


Mercury in the early degrees of Capricorn, makes aspects to Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus...all of which means changes in ways of knowing and perceiving. Our ideas and concepts about reality are expanding and we are receiving strong messages, urges, and information that we will need to process and incorporate into new ways of living and relating. No longer able or willing to live with unfulfilled dreams and desires, we learn to ground our idealism in pragmatism. We take steps, lay down plans, and take action to do what we believe we are meant to do, be, and create.

During this Full Moon, create a special ritual and time to enter into alignment and prayer, to meditate and dance, and to reflect and commit to what matters most for helping build a better life, for supporting and nurturing those who need and depend upon our love and care, and for taking care of and nurturing ourselves so we are up to the tasks that are laid before us.  Balance is needed to walk the Path of Harmony. We suffer when we think we are beyond the limitations of our species, and when we push ourselves past our capacities and needs. Be tender with yourself, and honor the gifts you have been given. Use them with reverence and live in gratitude and disdain no one. Live with a loving, gentle, and kind approach with yourself and others. Take in the spirit of the Nurturing Mother Moon, and allow yourself to feel the love of Creator Spirit. Rest in the arms of love, and be still in the knowledge of your ability to create peace within. The Sabian symbol for this Full Moon is a priest performing a marriage ceremony. The Sabian symbol for the Sun in Capricorn is a five year old child carrying a bag of groceries. Being around 5-year olds a lot, I suggest you remember what gifts you have had since you entered this world, and use your gifts with the same joy and abandon that a young child does, unconcerned with outcomes and judgement; totally immersed in living and being a full expression of Spirit and Love.  I just heard of the passing of a childhood friend of mine. I am saddened at the news of her death, and yet all I can remember about her was the joy we had when we were together. She was kind, loving, and funny, and she cared without thought of cost or the return on the investment.  She lives in my heart, as she always will, the good, true friend with whom I share growing up with.  How precious our lives; how precious those who have graced us with their gifts and lives.  I am grateful for those in my life who have taught me about how capable I am of loving others.

Tonight, and every day, honor the gifts you possess and honor those who have filled your life with goodness and love.

Most of us wish we could know something about the future.  New Year's is a time when predictions are frequently made, however, no matter how prescient and wise you might be, the future remains a mystery. For those who think astrology is about foretelling future events, it might come as a shock to find out that the movement of our planet and its relationship to the other planets, stars and gallaxies impel but do not compel our lives.  Just as we are affected by the weather or by other peoples's actions and moods, so too are we affected by all things that are part of our universe. 

We can learn to hone our intuitive skills and learn to pay closer attention to the cycles, seasons, and energy patterns that affect the world in which we live.  As 2012 dawns, what lays before us are countless opportunities to discern, choose, and create a life that is influenced by our attitudes, beliefs, and desires.  The more aware we are of what impels us personally, the greater the opportunity to make choices, deal with challenges, and take steps toward a more fulfilling, balanced life. On this New Year's 2012 morning, I awoke to a beautiful day after a restful sleep. Yesterday, I shared the late afternoon and early evening with a group of friends and family who came to my house to toast the old year out and welcome the new year.  No one knew each other before we gathered, and I was surprised that everyone chose to sit down together and talk. One friend, Heather, mentioned that the one thing everyone had in common was me.  It made me more aware that my normal behavior would be to hide out and enjoy my solitude, but I stretched my boundaries because I wanted to share something of what I have (my home, some good food, and good company) with people who have meant so much to me and who have given me so much. Sometimes we move closer to what we truly desire by moving beyond our comfortable and familiar behavior.  Perhaps this year, we can challenge ourselves to think a bit differently, stretch our boundaries beyond the familiar, and open our hearts, minds, and lives to welcoming new people and new experiences. I approached the end of the year feeling I had little to share, but sharing the little I had and ending the year feeling full, rich, and happy. 



So what influences are we under as the New Year, 2012 begins? Early in the morning on December 31, 2011, the Moon entered fiery Aries.  The Sun is entering the second triad of Capricorn, making for very earthy Sun energy. Shortly after midnight, the Sun made a quintile aspect to Saturn (in balance seeking Libra).  The Sun shines in areas pertaining to what matters most to us, the pragmatic, day to day actions, events, and areas of our lives ruled by this grounding energy.  For example, if your ascendent is in Scorpio, your 12th house is where Saturn is transiting.  This tends to activate your subconscious, having you struggle with coming to terms with memories, unconscious (shadow) issues, old patterning and conditioning, and those areas of our inner self that we tend not to like to face or deal with. Having just completed this phase, with Saturn turning over every rock of my past and unconscious being, I understand it can be a rocky, uncomfortable time because we can no longer ignore these issues.  That's what Saturn, the Great Teacher, tends to bring when we are under the energetic influence in whatever area of our lives this is happening.  To find out where you are being affected by this Saturn transit, you might consider having a chart done so you can discover what types of issues may be affected. This helps us understand that not everything that affects us is a result of something we have done or not done. Sometimes the energy patterns and influences of the world create collective shifts and interactions that affect everyone, though somewhat differently depending on our individual differences. 

I was chastised once by an old Sunday School teacher for being interested in astrology when I was a young girl.  She "tsked tsked" me for "believing" such foolishness. Normally, a very wise and tolerant person, she responded to my interests without really knowing what she was talking about.  While sacred literature such a the Hebrew Scriptures, New Testament, and the Qur'an warn of soothsayers and certain practices, the warnings are of misusing the signs and interpretations. There are calls in all sacred literature to look for signs, and understand our interconnection with the world in which we live.  My response to the teacher was that if the Universe was created by God, the Creator Spirit, then everything in it was part of the divine plan.  After years of studying not only astrology but also ancient and modern history, psychology, spirituality and religious studies, and from my life experiences and reading, I have come to understand the archetypal understanding that all studies use to help us understand ourselves, our lives, and our interactions with others, not to mention with our spiritual and divine purpose.  Astrological knowledge is a tool that can be used to help us understand ourselves and the world in which we live.  
I invite you to have a consultation with me some time, to talk about some of the influences that are present in your life chart. You might find it very enlightening, and helpful in entering a new year.

During the next week, the first of the New Year, 2012, we will be living out the shifting patterns that have been building over the last few months. Whatever we have outgrown, lived out, or moved beyond, will begin falling away. We might leave a job, relocate, begin a new business, start or end a long-term relationship, or begin a totally new way of living. This movement will be in the form of a birthing of newness, rather than a shocking or jolting shift.  Whatever has been growing in your awareness and life will begin developing and will start affecting your entire perspective including your tastes and style.  In the early stages of this I lost my appetite. Almost nothing I normally ate, tasted good anymore.  I also began changing my tastes in clothes.  A friend gave me a present of a necklace and matching earrings.  At first, I thought I'd never wear them. They just didn't look "like me."  Last night as I was dressing for a party, I put on my little black dress, and also put on the beautiful gold beaded necklace and earrings.  The look that wasn't "me" turned out to be perfect for me.  Once I tried the necklace on, I realized, I had been mistaken about my perceptions. On the other hand, my friend had trusted her instincts about what I'd like. This is a friend I've known for over 30 years, and someone I don't get to see often, but she knew what would be perfect for me now.  Listen to what your friends say and suggest. Trust that what comes to you right now, is opening a new door, a new perspective, and a new path to follow.  Times of great transition, are times when our senses and intuition are activated, strengthened, and sometimes jarring us into awareness of what is needed to release what is no longer viable and nurturing in our lives.  

Changes, even thoughts, dreams, plans and ideas not yet manifested, that opened up in late November or early December, will begin breaking into your reality.  Think of an ice breaker, a ship that moves through heavily iced-over areas, to open the channels for ships to pass.  This is what has been going on, and though it may have been frustrating and upsetting, it has been necessary in order for us to make our way into uncharted territory, into new areas of life, and onto paths that were previously not open to us.  There will be ongoing healing that will come from paying closer attention to our dreams and subconscious drives, desires, and struggles.  Chiron, the Wounded Healer, has just entered Pisces, and is inviting us to pay attention to our dreams and intuitive knowledge  to resolve our personality, financial, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and pragmatic struggles.  It also challenges us to learn to trust the Divine energy through prayer, meditation, and spiritual practices that align us more and more through our spiritual nature. Through the way we handle what life presents as obstacles and challenges, we heal, grow, and develop into a more grounded, whole person...capable of facing and creating a stronger more firmly grounded set of ideals and goals for our lives.  Neptune, the planet that signifies the unconscious and mystical nature of our being and of the hidden aspects of life, is in the last degree of Aquarius (29 degrees). This is called the anaretic degree, and whenever a planet is moving through that degree, it signals final lessons, messages, endings and completion of whatever cycle it is affecting. For example, if it is moving through the fourth house, it may signal a move or relocation.  Or it may signal the resolution of an issue related to one's home. Home also relates to we, ourselves. Home is who we are, not just where we are. We are at home when we are being ourselves. When we feel a sense of comfort, familiarity, and connection.  So when there is a completion in the home, it can signal a resolve or learning taking place that makes us feel more ourselves.  This in turn, can make us more capable of living in full awareness of our gifts, purpose, and meaning. 

Neptune will be moving towards a conjunction with Chiron (in Pisces) in the next few months, so again, the more we develop our ability to pay attention, study, and use the knowledge of our dreams, intuition and spiritual gifts, the greater our reward of learning and sharing what most matters to us.  It truly is a time when we need to strengthen and balance ourselves with and through our intuitive understanding and gifts.  Failure to listen to the intuitive knowledge, will be a failure to release whatever is holding you in place or holding you back. It is not all up to you. Learn how to listen to God's voice in your life.  Allow yourself to seek Divine counsel, and learn to listen. Take the tools and gifts, the experience and knowledge you have, and combine it in an aware partnership with your Divine nature so you can live out the life your soul calls to you. 

During this Capricorn time, we are "maturing and mastering the physical plane" (Stephanie Austin, Mountain Astrologer). We are in community, and as we learn to master our own thinking, behavior, and desires, we do so in a relational way. We are part of greater wholes (families, friendships, marriages, communities, organizations, cultures), and we have multiple parts. In order to be a fully-functioning member of any relationship, we have to be constantly learning, affirming, and honoring our true nature.  Mercury, will be entering Capricorn on January 7th, just a day before the January 8-9 New Moon in Cancer. We are already feeling the movement of the moon's path toward the New Moon. As we watch the moon move through its phases to just a sliver in the sky, we also feel the tug of the tidal influences that stir throughout the earth and within us. Mercury, the planet that rules cognition and perceptions will be making a number of aspects to all the outer, slow-moving planets (Jupiter in 0 degree Taurus, Saturn 28 degrees of Libra,  Neptune 29 degrees Aquarius, Uranus at 1 degree of Aries, and Pluto at 7 degrees Capricorn).  Forming a trine to  Jupiter, conjuncting Pluto, and sextiles to Saturn and Neptune, this next week will make the next New Moon significant for moving us forward in our transitions. With Mars in Virgo, and Uranus in firey Aries, we will be both grounded in actions and motivated and propelled forward with our plans and dreams. There's an expression, "Be careful what you wish for; you might just get it."  This is especially true now, so it behooves us all to practice listening to our self talk, making certain we are projecting out from ourselves what we really want, not what we fear. Operating out of the principles of positivity, love, and creativity are crucial now.  Whatever patterns you set now, will lead you into your future. In that sense, we do create our world. We help shape and form it through the power of our thoughts, ideas, actions, and dreams as we project them through our words, actions, and desires.

Embrace your most loving, positive self, nurture your best habits, and live out your beliefs in positive action.  Happy New Year, and make it the best ever.  

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.