Full Moon in Gemini // Feeling Overwhelmed? // Saturn Neptune Square, Virgo North Node

I had no intention of writing anything about this full moon. My life has been in a FLOW lately. A good flow, but also a busy one. Even though on the one hand, my schedule seems completely conquerable and normal, this other part of me finds itself easily overwhelmed by the simplest, smallest little things. A sign of the times, no doubt. But nonetheless, some murmurings crossed my vision today about this moon and the astrology of late and I felt it pertinent to offer some context, and perhaps solace, to those that this may reach. While I could really break down the whole chart for the full moon piece by piece if I wished, I feel it can be summarized more simply by just a few major aspects: The first perfection of the Saturn-Neptune Square, the recent transition of the North Node into Virgo, and the influence of Chiron & Jupiter.

The short story of all of that? The energy of vulnerability, of wounding, and of feeling adrift at sea is king right now in the cosmic soup. And if you are feeling somewhat bereft, you are most definitely not alone!

The extremely powerful 11/11 New Moon came across to me as an opening for monumental change, and a choice point for the world – on its simplest level, I felt it brought forward a recognition of (or need to recognize) the true power of consciousness. Almost immediately after the new moon, as the nodes shifted into Virgo/Pisces, a number of alarming news stories appeared before us. I watched for a brief moment as the emotion of compassion began dividing, and even the reality of tragedy seemed itself to quickly spiral away into the cloud of discourse, dialogue, and debate. I could feel the earth aching to such a degree that it all seemed to descend into this fuzzy mass of pointlessness. It occurred to me, suddenly, that what was important here had nothing to do with the details – the key to it all was within the realm of PURE CONSCIOUSNESS. Peace, if it can be achieved, will only ever have staying power if the people carry the vibration of peace, safety, and trust deeply within our own psyches. All of the complexity that resides above the level of pure compassion, is actually just a human constructed illusion of separation and isn’t really fundamentally important. OK – OK, I know that this might sound somewhat Pollyanna-ish to some people, but bear with me.

You can say that the realm of Pisces is the realm of consciousness. It is where we experience the authentic purity of ONENESS with all. It is also the realm of illusions, of the “fog,” muddy waters, so on. With the South Node in Pisces we are dealing DIRECTLY with the issues of this realm as a world. The way I see it – the transition of the North Node into Virgo (South Node Pisces) was the true transition & trigger point for the massive mutable T-Square between Saturn, Neptune & Jupiter that is dominating this month, this season, and 2016. Having made our way through so many intense, physically & emotionally powerful changes in the past decade or so… and the past few months really orienting our most basic attitudes around “what is mine” and “what is yours”… we’ve now crossed into a stage where THE MIND IS KEY. Mutable energy TRANSFORMS. That is its role in the Zodiac. So what we are working with most acutely in the next 18 months while the nodes transit one of the most active areas of the sky right now, is how we transform our own minds to banish illusion and arrive at the truth (which is to say, the heart of compassion and the spirit of wholeness among people – higher form Pisces) – AND – how we intend to bring that down to earth in the most mundane, day-to-day aspects of our reality (Virgo).

Pisces energy does not care about the details. At its worst it can live with senseless religious fervor, a zealot that knows no boundaries or reason – and holds to its dream as gospel. But on its highest level it sees far beyond the earthly straight into the soul. It is a HIGHLY impressionable energy. People who identify as empaths usually have a strong Pisces or Neptune energy in their charts, and can certainly understand how easily another person’s vibes can suddenly become your own. As such, it is easy for Pisces energy to fall into despair, fear, anxiety and helplessness. But there is ALWAYS A CHOICE. Just because these emotions exist and we can receive them so easily from the messages in our environment, does not mean we have to let it all in. Just as those things can influence us, we can turn right back around and influence our environment to say, “No! I’m going to feel happy, peaceful, and safe... I am going to choose to be in my light and in my strength, rather than let something outside of me cast shadows on my heart.” And one excellent way to activate our higher form Pisces is through the everyday discipline, routine, and devotion of Virgo. Virgo creates the container in which spirit can flow. It sets up the boundaries, it discerns what is suitable, and it strives for health in a physical & mental sense. Virgo is what keeps it real, because it’s always asking the question, “Does this work for me? Is this useful?” If you look at your life and some part of it is falling to total decay because of your spiritual beliefs, Virgo energy will strive to correct this deficiency… but we must learn to accept responsibility, receive criticism, and have some discipline about our lives.

Speaking positive affirmations is one thing, but living them is another. And this is an energy that is saying to us – LIVE YOUR VISION. LIVE YOUR TRUTH. Stop saying you want peace in the world and then spend your time arguing and getting mad about everything. Do the WORK. Find methods that help you create REAL TRANSFORMATION in your day-to-day, on the ground, here and now life.   Practice peace even –and especially- when people around you are not acting peaceful. Really feel it. Really explore what that means... And be willing to be a student and a servant to higher truth. It is not the talk of peace, compassion & love that changes things, it is the embodiment of it. The message I have been receiving is that we are in a time where the consciousness of I can have rapid and far-reaching effects on the All and that is what this time is all about. Understanding that the morphic field of consciousness energy that encapsulates the earth is just as powerful, if not more powerful, than the physical realities. And right now that field has holes, dark spots, and decay. It’s filled with so much hurt and sadness. People who bring light to this earth aura CAN influence its healing.

Connected to this is the Saturn-Neptune Square, and Jupiter/Chiron aspect that we see in the Gemini Full Moon Chart. Gemini is the messenger and I am feeling this moon as “providing the information.” The full moon is in close relationship with the Saturn/Neptune aspect, which actually perfects on Thursday. Though this aspect has been up in the sky intermittently throughout the year, the real tone of it still seems to be forming. Of all involved parties, Neptune is the most powerful in its home sign of Pisces. Saturn, the planet of structure and truth, meeting Neptune the planet of the formless, unseen, ocean of change in a stressful configuration can feel extremely depressing and difficult. On the one hand, Saturn has a role to create its world to Neptune’s bidding – which is of course, the “dream” – but it cannot do so until the crud has been washed away. And Neptune energy can come in like a tsunami, wiping away parts of our ego consciousness that we didn’t even know existed until they were gone. In light of what has been coming through for me as I write this article, I can really see that the ideas around what we have always held to be right and righteous (Saturn in Sag) are really coming up for question. Many years ago, what was appropriate in the consciousness of the culture, does not fit anymore. In fact, the amount of ill-fitting things seem to greatly outnumber the things that do agree. So what comes in its place? Truly we cannot get to that answer without fully clearing the old stuff first. That’s the way Neptune rolls. Whether you are experiencing this personally, or at a world level, there is always a great deal of muck mucking before the sun shines through in a Neptune transit. But the clarity once you get there is astonishingly clear. Your soul seems almost brand new again!

There is of course, yet another layer. While Saturn deals with structures and beliefs – Neptune deals with grief. As much as these things can seem separate, they are actually quite intertwined. Sometimes we develop habits to prevent ourselves from having to experience pain. This in turn creates this whole blockage around the process of our vision.   Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is acknowledge that we feel completely shattered and helpless. Amazing things happen when grieving processes are allowed to run their course – especially ones that have been harbored and stopped up for a very long time. Have you ever had one of those moments where you’ve been crying hysterically and inconsolably for hours over something, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, you stop crying and get this strong feeling of fortification, aliveness and clarity? That is the Neptune archetype in a nutshell! When Saturn comes into the mix we may also find ourselves grieving the things that are breaking down within us – a particular pathway we’d wanted to walk, a face we wore, a person we grew apart from – and noticing, with wonder, that even the littlest of these things was once important to us. And, in its own way, was creating a little sad dark spot on our spirit, no matter how innocuous it may seem. We might be confused by this because these things don’t always seem overtly negative, but it is like wearing old clothes, if they don’t fit you anymore why are you trying to stay so attached? What is that doing for you? Really?

The bottom line that I feel from these aspects being illuminated by this Gemini messenger moon, which we will be working with for the next several years, is “Soul Clearing.” What we are doing right now, individually, and as a world, is reuniting with our true spirit and bringing that once hidden part of ourselves into our mundane lives. Now is the time to “be the change” and trust in the fruit of change over the poison of fear.

Earlier today I had the insight that transformation only occurs in our lives when we enter into the still point of our being. This is our central essence. In fact, during the Scorpio New Moon on 11/11 the transmission that I received most strongly from the cosmic was to “Surrender every part of yourself but the part that is unchanging and eternal.” Now at this full moon that transmission seems to have evolved to go on to say that in order to fully enter that place of surrender, we need to fully enter into the unchanging absolute self. This essence self, this core being is the element of us that is connected to All. And we can get there through conscious abiding… meditation, art, qigong – whatever you do in your life that brings you to your pure and natural spirit, you need to use to cross into this space of being, and expand it. The expansion of the true self sheds, evolves, and transforms our lives naturally and effortlessly. It is through this that we become who we’re supposed to be. It is through this that we balance and heal ourselves. It is through this that we can break through the shackles of our self imposed limitations and life conditioning – and in turn influence and expand that internal consciousness of others. Allow yourself to empty in order to be filled with the universal and there will be no obstacles.

Words I wrote earlier, that I wish to share again here…

“The stillness within us knows that change is life and can accept anything... It is like a stone in the ocean... Storms or sunny days are all the same. It is here where we reside in our natural spirit. We are just lights floating around in a material world... Gains and losses come and go but the light is unflinching. In truth these pains are not really ours... And the losses are not gone. They are mere experiences, mere lessons, to remind the light of itself. And carry on.”

Peace and light to you in this time of change. May we always find the silver lining.

April 18, 2015: New Moon in Aries "Divine Inspiration"

This Saturday, we step out of eclipse season with a refreshing new moon in Aries. The eclipse cycle brought the energy of “letting go” to culmination in a powerful way. Through the past several weeks and months we have learned lessons about “letting go” that perhaps we haven’t known in quite this way before. The season of dissolution was spelled out in the charts, but in walking through it, so much more is being revealed to me about what this time in humanity is really about.

The things we’ve been releasing are deep, old, and often subconscious. They are issues long standing, going far beyond just ourselves and often into the ancestry and history we have been brought into. To me, this is the world changing from the inside out. This is a moment in time when we have a much higher ability to see what's past as past, and move in the now as now.  We are sloughing off our most deep-seated conflicts with unprecedented ease and finding the creative force within us that feels empowered to make real changes.

What I have been observing is that replaying the story behind the conflict or wound is less and less important. Yes, there may be some tears and sad feelings, but at the end of it, when we find ourselves exhausted by the act of holding on, the concern for the past fades quickly and we're directed to the next thing.  The process is simply a matter of acknowledging what caused us pain, and then making conscious choices to invite new energy into our lives.  No fanfare and no drama necessary.

The Libra full moon brought up issues of balance in all facets of our lives, most especially our close intimate relationships. Relationships are often where we meet the alchemical fire with the most intensity. Our partners are our mirrors. It is through our close personal relationships where we are most challenged to live out the things we might find much easier to do with acquaintances, clients, business partners, etc. – Listen truly, have compassion, be independent yet united, make changes and compromises, and really, truly, let go. Relationships teach us everything we need to know about ourselves and how we approach the world. Where do we need to stand up for ourselves? (Aries) Where should we soften, yield and compromise? (Libra) What is really important in life – being right (Aries) or being together (Libra)? Are all things equal and respected (Libra) or is one partner getting his or her way only (Aries)? Are we making unreasonable demands when there is a middle road? Or is there something else that might be more true, more fulfilling, more in line with our life as it stands now?

These are the questions I observed in the countless relationship eruptions that have appeared before me in the past several weeks. The basic energy of the lunar eclipse brought up all of our issues and conflicts, in particular the desire to be free of controlling influences brought on by the people and things in our lives, as well as intense release within our own selves surrounding subconscious behaviors that keep us feeling caged. The wisdom that came through, for me, was that when we agree to let go and truly listen in a relationship, we are also agreeing to abandon the irritating and often pointless loops we cycle through with our closest loved ones. Rather than reengage, reattach, and reinjure, we can come to the point of realization that some things are better left where they are, and that real freedom from the conflict comes from acceptance, forgiveness, and the conscious will to move forward. To make the choice of healing, listening, and caring – all of the things we really want out of our relationships and so often find elusive when we get hung up on the offenses. Letting go is as simple as recognizing that it is not necessary to reengage with negative experiences or emotions, especially if our wish is to be free of them. We can actually just say OK, I’m ready to move forward, and do that.

So in the spirit of that, I am ready move on and talk more about the fantastic energy of this New Moon in Aries.

I felt it was important to speak on my further reflections about the nature of “letting go” as it has come to us these past months because Aries is so much about initiation and creating the new. Recent times have given us a lot information about what we don’t want, what we need to get rid of, and so forth. As such, we should have a much clearer idea of what we truly do want. What makes your heart sing? Where do you feel in your groove? What gives you strength? What aspects of your life would you most like to focus on reforming and rebuilding? Who are you now?

This is one of the best times of year to set intentions for the seeds we’d like to plant for the future. Whether they be intentions to improve upon yourself in some fashion, bring certain new energies into your relationships, your business, your social life, to finish or start projects, improve your financial situation, find your true calling, or really, just about anything that you would like to see be different in your life, this is a great time to initiate progress on those aspects.

What I am seeing in the chart of this Aries New Moon is that what we are initiating is strongly intertwined with our ideals and sense of “higher purpose.” We’ve spent a lot of time this winter reflecting on our impediments, and asking ourselves what holds us back. Now it’s time to define what we want to do and be and then do it! Green light, go!

Of course, know that we are still in for some months of limbo between starting new things, and clearing out the old. Both of these things are happening simultaneously, but the phase of action is coming in more strongly, as the phase of release recedes somewhat. What is important right now is not that it all needs to be done exactly as we picture it right away, but to really envision and feel what it is we’re looking to align with and to start laying the groundwork in real time.

The energy of this new moon feels fresh and joyful to me. It feels serious and determined, yet wholehearted and free. We get to work with our life from a clean slate, if we wish it to be so. We get to reshape our life as we see fit, if we have the courage. The structure of things seems more malleable, giving way to a sense that the possibilities are truly endless… the only thing that stands in between who we are in this moment, and who we wish to be in the future, is work. So thus it is liberating, but also focused – as it lies on the individual to create the desired outcome. In the greater context, all of our individual dreams for a positive future, for a world that stands for love, and our inner work to make such a thing so in our lives, is the force that shifts the outer world to be closer to what we have hoped it to be. It is requiring considerable effort on the parts of everyone who desires to create their life around their essential joy, goodness, and happiness – but it is also a cumulative effort. The more the possibilities of joyful living are expressed through individuals, the more openness is allowed for more and more people to claim their own form of joy.

It is my perspective that the most beautiful gift we can give in life and in service, is the complete embodiment of our own true selves. To caretake, to perform, to teach, to share, to write, to sing, to anaylize, to build – wherever it is we find our brilliance. Wherever it is we provide in a way that brings us a feeling of our own warmth. These are the things that are truly important for us to believe in, to develop, and to become.

Aries is the sign of innocence. It knows not and cares not about others. It never compares itself, it just lets itself be who it is, charging its way through life, perhaps, but nonetheless, a fearless and direct force.

Find the heart of this within yourself. Not from a space of ego, headiness, or grandiosity – but from the distilled truth of the past several weeks, months, and years.

Who are you really? And what have you come to be?

Courage, integrity, fortitude.

These are the pillars we develop through the positive use of trying experiences. Through all choices to walk in the world as we are and as we wish the world to be. It is our willingness to endure and to evolve that gets us to the next level. Be righteous with your choices, and the world can become something more beautiful and something more great.

Aries energy, despite its reputation for its me first perspective, impulsive behavior, and volatility, carries with it an important reminder:

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH YOU.

Everything we do, everything we want, everything we are.

Who are you really? What is at your core? What is it you want most deeply, more than anything else in the world?

Embrace it. Be it. Live it.

And pour it out through your heart as inspired lightness, true happiness, and love.

April 4, 2015: Total Lunar Eclipse "PURIFICATION" // Libra Full Moon

Since Monday, I have been noticing the energetic build up to Saturday’s Lunar Eclipse. Every time I have left the sanctuary of my home, the world around seems to be teeming with chaotic vibes. Sirens, noise, agitation, strange encounters, and an overall energy of tension. It is a fire, but it’s not necessarily an angry fire. Nor is it carefree. I can feel it in my own physical body -- the grip of the mind attempting to hang on and having to coax it with special attention to rest, relax, and open. It is not that there are a lot of thoughts, but rather a sudden awareness of the iron-like vice of various egoic and emotional states, many of which I am not even consciously aware of. Some of which might not even be mine personally. When a wildfire caught on a mountain just a few miles away from my house, blowing and burning away over 500 acres of mountainside forest, the word that immediately came to mind was “Purification.” Tuesday night, as the town was crawling with unusual activity, I stopped to observe the burning mountain.

Firefighters from all over were at the scene attempting to contain a fire in windy conditions and extremely rugged terrain where vehicles could not travel. Again and again, since I have lived in Western North Carolina nature has shown me its abiding and unending power. The idea that mankind has at any time in history felt he has “control” seems increasingly laughable. For here in this environment, there is absolutely no manmade thing that can survive the rainfall, plant overgrowth, flooding, landslides, etc, without constant upkeep, and now – even a fire can start out of nowhere and creep steadily towards civilization with raging indifference.

It is the perfect metaphor for all that we have been experiencing.

Since the Winter Solstice, we have been undergoing an intense, oceanic process of reflection and purging. The New Moon Solar Eclipse two weeks ago was the climatic point of this long process of inner observation and feeling. Many people have found themselves in a state of grieving over things long since past, believed to be healed, or even, inexplicably, for no nameable reason. There is a feeling ‘Like life itself is dying’ to quote my own journals -- A deep sadness that is accompanied by a sense of ending, even if the departure is a welcome one. This underlying feeling does not seem to negate any good feelings we might have about the future, but the present situation is one of powerful unburdening, release, and letting go – and all of the sadness, apprehension, and fear that goes with it!

As we have traveled into this week of the Lunar Eclipse I have begun to really feel the ‘fire.’ That is, the Aries fire. It feels much like the fire on the mountain here outside of Asheville. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and represents initiating energy as well as innocence, purity, and freedom. The vibe of this time has had a strong element of initiation, but it is intrinsically paired with what feels to me like an alchemical firing process. This is the doorway of space and time that we have been awaiting for some years. By fall, once the Saturn retrograde cycle is complete and we enter another eclipse season, we will have fully crossed the burning lake into the next dimension of our collective human life experience.

Remember, we are still in the energy of the Pisces New Moon eclipse that is primarily about relinquishing the past. All unfolding energies subsequent still harken back to this essential concept. These are eclipses of karmic release – very profound, soul level, collective, world shaking, yet deeply personal transition. It does not stop after this month – as the influence of eclipses is with us for six months – so see this as a tipping point with reference to recent inner processes. What has happened this week, as the Aries energy has been accentuated by the Sun’s travels through the strong currents here, is the feeling that the emotions have surfaced and now we must burn them away.

This is BIG energy. About as big as it gets. But yet, we are not meant to try and manage or control it, per se. Simply we are to be its witness… and allow our lives to change in accordance rather than resistance. Our work now is not a directive, must do, must act, type of work – it is rather something more subtle: to look within, to allow what arises to arise, and then to open the door for its leaving. It is as if, perhaps, we are walking on coals – there is not pain in an overwhelming sense, rather a heat that continually churns, and our body sweats and purges. Stuck feelings deep within us purge through our skin, and the heat of the fire evaporates them. We are creating an empty space. This is a release of conditioning: societal, familial, and personal that over the years have blocked or hindered our connection to spirit. The idea now seems to be that the life of disconnection is no longer amenable.

We will be shown the way to clarity. We will be given the “why” for all of the recent years’ turmoil. But first we need to find “true north.” The true center of our being. The truth of us beneath all of the emotional layers that we have worn for years upon years – even beyond this life. This is the release of the “small self” or the “ego self.”

The process of emptying past experiences can be difficult because so often we identify with the past as being “who we are.” But it is not the truth. The past does not define us, good or bad. Or, at least, we do not have to let it define us.

Often our “identities” are like relationships that obstruct true flow in our lives. For life is change – one second we are this, another we are that. The only way to be all of it is to be none of it. Wonderful magic exists everywhere, every day, and is freely at our disposal. Who we are on the outside is not important, it is our resiliency and willingness to adapt that enriches us. Sometimes we have to suspend our notions of who we are to welcome growth and new opportunities. Think about it – does joy really come to us when we’re attaching to our roles? Or does it come when we open our hearts to the possibilities we have not previously imagined?

Aries energy is like a child. Fresh, pure, and innocent. It doesn’t even know who it is yet! So what I am saying is -- emptying is opening. The more structures we remove around our identity, the more peace we feel in our hearts. The more we explore what is ego and what is truth, the more we discover our universal nature. We can remove our identity and still be ourselves. We can release history, and still be forthright in the now. We can yield to powerful currents, and still maintain our grace.

Walk through the fire. Burn away your fear. Burn away your grief. Burn away your history. Burn away your very self.

For beneath the ash is a tiny sprout. A new tree. A renewed state of being. A fresh start.

It is not for us to dictate. No, rather, it is for us to face, with courage, a process of transformation that can shape the world, if we let it.

A Season of Love & Surrender: Total Solar Eclipse on the Spring Equinox

My writing about eclipses has lost some of its thunder due to the amazing abundance of great information already out there about what is going on in a technical sense. I felt -- Why add to the redundancy? Instead, I wrote a piece to cover everything I was just simply feeling intuitively about the Solar Eclipse chart, and in my own life. The biggest message I received in my contemplations of 29 Pisces was “The end of victim consciousness and realizing the divine order.” So I present some words on all that I have been seeing, feeling, and experiencing with reference to these recent and momentous astrological currents...

…

The old self is dying. The future is arriving. Our grief is profound, our new freedom amazing. What we want and wish for the past we know is no longer, and we let it go. Maybe joyfully, maybe with some reluctance. We love and embrace who we were, we celebrate everything that we’ve been through these tumultuous years -- we feel all of our pain, all of our joy, as one unified emotion of gratitude. Blessed to have known these octaves of experience, blessed to have received the gift of life – in this moment, at this time, at this place. Life is different now, the world is different now.  It has all been altered – permanently and irreversibly. For better or worse, everything has changed.

We knew all along that one day this change would come. At least, many of us did – if not consciously, then somewhere deep in our cells. We knew that there would be a moment in time when the world itself was to pass through a threshold of being and that every glorious romance of life as we once knew it would yield to the current of memory. We let go of what we cannot carry. We surrender even our most cherished parts. And we do so with the hope and the anticipation of a future that is beyond the bittersweet and delicate well of our past. A future that, until now, has resided only in dreams.

Today is the day we end our consciousness of victimhood and take full responsibility for our soul purpose. Now is the time to realize our authentic self expression, to create our high ideals, to be our dreamselves. This is the moment we make our final break from the old paradigms – purge the collective record of karma through magical thinking and free our value from sinking foundations. It is not the external world that needs to be righted, it is us. Ourselves. No outer form truly changes without the authentic evolution of inner conditions. Take off the masks. Especially the ones that seem the most real.

Release history, embrace love. This is not just new age tripe or a dismissal of the real. A friend offered this message at precisely the moment I fumbled to find these same words: “We can no longer teach through pain.” Have gratitude for your loss. Hold your pain in your arms and squeeze it with all your love and compassion. Then turn it over. Ask the universe to bring the love you feel for that old self into the present day, into your current relationships, into what you share with others. Remove your own bitterness, your own anger. Remove the bitterness, sadness, and regret of your ancestors. Tell them you will live out your destiny, whatever that may be, whatever it may mean. Be open to change. We live our destiny for the highest good of all peoples past and present. We step into our conscious power in order to completely surrender into divine service. Releasing, purifying, questing, feeling, experiencing – hurt, loss, joy, love, anger, grief, despair, elation – to know it, to know us, deeply, all of it – this is the purpose of life on earth.

There is a world beyond our suffering. It is deep and rich. Full and vibrant. There is a world beyond our fear. It is light and free. Open and endless. Do not tarnish it with doubt, heavy expectations or social chains. We are all capable of complete freedom. We are all capable of seeing reality – Oneness, divine harmony. We all can know our true center, which is the same as knowing truth. Sincere intent, humble gratitude, virtuous action, heartfelt humanhood. The simple path to joy.

In choosing to accept all that is offered to us in life, whether it looks just how we think it should or not, whether it ends up hurting in the end or not, whether it is the final destination or not, we choose to open to every possibility, every learning. We open to Tao, Source, The Divine Flow, God, Our Higher Self -- whatever words you choose to express the concept of deep, intimate connection with the unique rhythm of your own individual design and its place in the greater cosmos. The Divine Order of Pisces is in accepting life as it is, with no alterations, no manipulations, and to live from our heart – emanating, eternally, the infinite vibration of Divine Love -- and surrendering everything, absolutely everything, that could possibly interfere with that state of supreme acceptance.  Holiness.  Oneness.

We can all be this.  It is not something we even have to acquire.

A final word, from my Sifu: “Surrender to the Universe and the Universe will surrender to you.”

New Moon In Aquarius, Part II: Year of the Wood Sheep, 2015

The Horse year wound down dreamily, with profound emotional processing. Here in Western North Carolina and many places on the East Coast we were even blessed with a dose of winter weather hibernation as the Horse’s final moon waned to a close. Our energy has been low. We’ve been needing to recoup. To break up the routine – to have no routine. To lay in bed all day, ignore our projects, and exist in a state of receptivity, of rest, and of feeling. We feel it acutely: Something old is passing away, while a new dream emerges from the deep. This, as I expressed in last month’s New Moon post, is what I see as the predominant overarching theme in this upcoming Lunar Year of the Sheep. The Horse helped us set things in motion, now it is the Sheep’s job to begin the assimilation process – unburdening our closet of old selves, while gently nurturing the seed of the future. Just think of the shearing of a sheep’s wool – the extra stuff comes off, and with some work and cultivation, we fashion this wool into sweaters, coats, and scarves that continue to keep us warm for years to come. This opening moon of the Lunar New Year is like the shearing process. We feel a bit weak, sensitive and vulnerable. We’ve had a heck of a time recently – and we’re ready for a bit of peace. Most importantly, we are in a place where whatever it was that has been giving us difficulty has showed itself to be not worth hanging on to. So even if we were holding on, hesitating, and struggling – it seems somehow easier to let go of burdensome attitudes and situations right now than it did a year ago when many of these things were initially spun into crisis. Mainly, we’re just TIRED and feeling ready to move on. Whatever it was that caused all of the problems just can’t possibly be that important. Why waste precious energy on that old story, when there are plenty of new ones just waiting to be written? You know, next week, when the Aries energy starts and we’re ready to get off the couch.

An interesting point came up yesterday in a meeting with fellow intuitives that I think is relevant here. It is the idea that sometimes, the way to be free of disturbing energies is as simple as dissolving or dispersing those disturbing energies. Without needing to analyze, interpret – know how, know why – simply sweep away the debris. This, I feel, is what is happening – after the Horse opened us up, and galloped through our lives with a force, we are left behind with a mess. The ride was so strong, and so fast, that it seemed we might want to write some things down, or remember it, or memorialize something… but when it comes right down to it, the best thing to do is to grab the trash bag and push every broken chard of life directly into it. Right now, we don’t have time to waste playing “What to keep, what not to keep.” Trust that anything that came up during the 2014 Cosmic Shake Down belongs in the “What not to keep” section and be done with it. Because, remember, we are still feeling that new thing on the horizon. That important, big, creative dream – our personal, unique, individual contribution to humanity.  And we can’t let any of that old junk get in the way. That’s why it came up to begin with – because our job right now is to get clear, to be clear, and remove as quickly as possible, as deeply as possible, any and all impediments that interfere with the expression of our true self. Really chew on that one for a while – OUR JOB, Right now, is to see ourselves through the eyes of our UNIQUE perspective, gift, and calling … and let go of any and all psychological, emotional, and subconscious obstructions that keep us off course.

That brings me to the other theme I see powerfully presented in this Lunar New Year chart – and that is the sense that this a year for building new foundations. The interesting thing about these new foundations is that from all angles the element of deep release and divine surrender is also embedded within whatever it is we are planning to manifest. In other words, what I am perceiving from these energies is that what we are driven to manifest must powerfully align with our spiritual ideals and our hopes for the greater good – and, we must proceed with this work through the heart of service. Our ego involvement is not helpful in this situation, and so we are really grappling to connect more deeply and more authentically to bring forth what our heart is calling out for. We must see our creation as a container for something much greater than our small selves, and use this time to gather, test, and play with the many new ideas and visions we have been receiving. Having the willingness to surrender those bad habits that pit us against these higher goals helps us make progress faster, live a more balanced & healthy life, and fall in line with the divine direction more effortlessly.

I think this year it would be wise to avoid certain pitfalls that I see with these energies. Primarily, with the Sheep personality and the aspects in this chart, there can be a tendency to overthink, worry, or be fearful and obsessive. Getting in touch with earthy, grounded activities can be helpful this year as we are basically in a time where the small day-to-day tasks and routines are being laid out. For any void that might be left by the events of last year, we want to incorporate positive new habits and find a sense of steadiness. It is important, also, to cultivate a sense of safety and rootedness. This will help disperse some of the paranoia and subconscious emotional churning that is going to start working us big time these coming years. The sense of physical insecurity and instability of recent years, I feel, will start to ease off and we are entering a phase that will be more intense from a psychological and emotional perspective – so this is a time to really use the information we received in the past several years about what makes a good foundation and build upon it. A good foundation is one that has plenty of room for growth, expansion, and freedom, while also being a place one can return to when feeling lost, confused, or distressed.

Relationships are also a theme this year. Relationships will be a great source of inspiration, of pain, and also of reflection. This can be an area where we need to really shift perspective, or shed some people/things in order to be more authentic and stand in our truth. We feel VERY sensitive to others, and receptive to their energy at many levels. This sensitivity might also bring out the Ram within the Sheep – the more aggressive side of the Sheep that can emerge when his buttons have been pressed just a teensy bit too much! We might find ourselves occasionally defaulting on Independence At All Costs and relationships can quickly devolve into a war of rivaling forces – but compromise and cooperation are called for. Take some time to get clear about your own role and your own feelings before attempting to navigate these shifty waters with the other person. This will aid in smoother sailing for all involved.

I really see the year ahead as a year of visioning for our future, and tying up some loose ends and projects – emotional, karmic, and otherwise – from the last several years to be put away for good as we move into the more active phase of creative problem solving and restructuring that we’ll start to encounter toward the year’s end. I sense, overall, that this Sheep will be a more peaceful creature to contend with than the past year’s hyperactive Horse, and look forward to the calm progress that I think we’ll all feel is welcome now. Artistic, gentle, spiritual, and easy is the Sheep. This is the way we want to work our lives in 2015.

October 2014 Eclipses, the nature of change, and other considerations...

Emerging from a long silence – I am here! The prevailing internal storms and external frenzies have subsided just long enough for me to share some feelings on the astrological weather of late. My hope is to make a habit of it, as the winter comes in and I have more time to sort through the bits and pieces of writing scattered across journals about this year, 2014. Below are some thoughts on the October eclipses, and overarching themes of the year and the times… Enjoy!

Reflections on the Astrology of the 2000s through the lens of the October Eclipses…

The first thing that immediately strikes me about both eclipse charts is that here on the east coast, they are occurring right at the horizon lines – such that, this morning, as some might have seen, we had the rare event of an eclipse occurring while the moon was setting and as the sun was rising simultaneously. There’s something beautifully symbolic about that – as some large, prevailing emotional current culminates, ends, or finds clarity, the sun rises again for a new day, as if to remind us that the turbulence of the times will pass, that even in moments of confusion and darkness, we have hardly to wait to receive the light of profound transition.

The horizon of a chart, as some may know, is also the realm that refers most immediately to how we interact with the world. And indeed, these eclipses seem to resonate with the idea of profound transition. Swift, immediate, and surprising.

For the past several years we have been going through a time of immense change and turbulence. Since I’ve been learning and practicing astrology, I feel I have been witness to a fascinating, complex and multi-layered process of unfolding occurring across humanity. Since 2008, when Pluto first made its ingress into Capricorn (followed by Uranus into Aries in 2011, and Neptune into Pisces in 2012), the world has begun a marked process of transformation that has effected virtually everything from the most personal and intimate aspects of our lives to the largest institutions under which we operate. In the past several years, I’ve been writing in this blog to “dream the dream!” and telling clients (and myself) to begin to shape their lives and reality around what it is they really deeply believe in and want for the future. As the social constructs that society has built itself upon continue to shift beneath our feet, the dream of the future has an unprecedented opportunity to take root and blossom into something quite beautiful and different from anything we’ve built in the past.

Each year in this process has brought something distinctly different to the table. Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn (2008), for example, shook, eroded, and broke down the very core structure of society as a whole, beginning a 24 year process of destroy, evolve, and rebuild to systems, governments, and other large and powerful societal constructions. Uranus’ ingress into Aries (2011) created an atmosphere of awakening and rebellion against the outdated, the worn down, and the broken, creating demand for new ways of thinking and innovations to greater serve individual rights to freedom. Neptune’s ingress into Pisces (2012) then added an element of spiritual consciousness to the mix, the veil between the seen and unseen becoming quite fluid and malleable, exposing deceptions and other things of that nature more readily… even making humanity more sensitive to pollutants. These influences and subsequent aspect patterns have worked us from the inside-out to evolve our perspectives and clarify for ourselves what the purpose of life here on earth might be and how we want to live it in better alignment to this purpose.

This year, 2014, I feel, is a climatic point in this overarching process. And these eclipses, a time of major breakthrough and decisiveness in regards to the process. A turning point, if you will.

The thing I find tricky and tenuous about this discussion of the world evolving, is that there are always two sides to the coin – there are those that see only the destructive nature of things, and those that see only the positive, friendly, feel-good parts. Within this process of change there will ALWAYS be both, and change itself can feel like the complete destruction of one’s being – and sometimes, it is. With every overtone of higher evolution represented by planetary energies, there is always an undertone of the deep chaos and confusion also represented by these same energies. There are countless extreme examples in world events of recent years that have a twofold resonance of reflecting the horrific, overwhelming and negative impacts of mismanaged powerful energies – yet, these events have also had the effect of bringing sudden consciousness to issues previously neglected by society at large. The extreme pressure of these events seems to have left no soul unscathed or unchanged. On the micro level of our personal lives, these influences have of course been causing the same disruptions and upheavals in our own natal charts, causing countless people to reassess their careers, their locale, their relationships, and even their very identity.

In my other blog, the very first entry is a quotation I chose from a book called “Ta Chuan, The Great Treatise” by Stephen Karcher that discusses the use of the I-Ching (otherwise known as the Book of Changes). In this quotation Karcher explains that the word Change (Yi, or I in Chinese) is primarily translated as “trouble.” I find this definition relevant to the experience of life in recent years. Change is the one “Unchanging Truth” to use another scholar’s phrase. And when talking about major life evolutions, there are two ways it can happen – either from the outside-in by way of events, obstacles, etc, or from the inside-out by way of observation, allowance and early recognition of patterns/problems, etc. Regardless of how it happens, to me, change is ultimately an inner process – and certainly troublesome as there is no way to avoid it, and often it isn’t easy.

The past few years have been unquestionably intense for people on both an internal and external level – as the “dream” cannot be made real lest we make the necessary internal adjustments and commitments to realize it. These internal adjustments can include but are not limited to: shifts in personal belief structure, overall attitude, and even the letting go of aspects of the identity which do not correlate with the inner yearning. All of this stuff can be super scary, because sometimes it means that you also have to alter outer circumstances that are not in line anymore, but by which we have identified ourselves strongly – such as: ways of being or habits that are no longer healthy (having to set new boundaries, or parameters for your activities), shifting, changing or leaving work/environments/relationships that no longer fit, and in light of all of this -- having the courage to adopt new ways of being that might have seemed out of character or too different in the past. Most people, including myself, have to come to this by suffering losses. However, as we become more conscious of change in our lives, we have the power adjust how we experience change – and life itself! By looking more deeply into ourselves and recognizing incoming shifts and prevailing currents, our outer lives will inevitably be more even keeled, emotionally stable and transitions more fluid and easy.

In 2014, the major aspect pattern has been the cardinal grand cross that was exact this April. This was an interesting contrast to the prior years grand water trine – an expression of healing, fertility and growth. The overall feeling and theme of the grand cardinal cross is a major crisis of action. While we were off dreaming our dreams the year before, in 2014 we were propelled to take definitive action – a type of action that was rife with trials and growing pains as we sought to build a solid foundation for something truly new to us in some way, shape or form. Cardinal energy is the energy of creation, and so that is what this year has largely been about – the initial implementation of the vision we cultivated in the previous year. In the coming years, 2015-2016, what we are starting now will undergo a comprehensive test of authenticity, honesty, and integrity once Saturn moves into Sagittarius and forms a complex T-Square between sobering, logistics-oriented Jupiter in Virgo and disillusioning/spiritualizing Neptune in Pisces. This coming time will be plagued with an initial phase of extremes in thinking and idealism that will ultimately be met with hard realizations about what’s real and what’s not real. It is my intuitive impression and feeling that we are being asked now to align our material perspectives and realities with the higher spiritual ideals we all hold near and dear. All of the fallacies in our approach will become more than evident – which may result in some things falling down like a house of cards. Tricky though it may be, this, to me, feels like a time of reckoning and rebalancing when it comes to world politics and social concerns which are reaching/have already reached a point of critical mass and require profound adjustment.

Now, provided all of that context to what is happening here from my perspective – let’s return to the eclipses of October 2014!

Eclipses are interesting and mysterious events. Though they are cyclic, they often present major changes and shifts in consciousness in reference to ongoing situations. Often, during eclipse cycles, there are happenings that totally change our lives, or our approach to a given situation. Eclipses are fateful, extra potent full and new moons – and with them, they bring clarity, endings and new beginnings. On a spiritual level, I see eclipses as being like points of no return – gateways of time and space where things done can’t be undone and thresholds crossed that can’t be uncrossed. Once you see the truth of the matter, you cannot and will not go back to an old way of being. Perhaps propitious, perhaps ominous -- in either regard, significant and profound.

The October eclipses seem interesting to me for a few reasons. The first, is that this month’s solar eclipse is the final eclipse occurring in Scorpio for some time, giving a sense that there is some final conclusion being made in regard to our Scorpio mission these past few years – which has been especially important as both Saturn (Lord of Karma) and the Nodes of Fate transited this sign simultaneously. The second is the very strong sense of the individual and collective truly breaking out and doing something new and different.

Why, exactly, does this set of eclipses seem to me a tipping point over any other in recent history? From what I’ve observed and experienced previously, I feel as if all events leading up to now have been primarily preparatory. We’ve had to do some work in regards to our personal relationships, we’ve had to develop a vision, we’ve had to do a lot of inner seeing and healing, and we’ve had to make sense of some things – the new things – which we’re fumbling to bring forth. But now, at this time, it seems that the bulk of that work (at least in regards to this particular phase of it) is behind us, and now we are presented with a certain clarity of vision about how to take our lives in the much prepared for new direction.

Today’s eclipse is strongly influenced by inventive, innovative Uranian energy and ruled by an out-of-bounds Mars in Sag, which happens to also be in a grand trine with Jupiter in Leo. Though this combination of energies easily has the potential to become fire burning out control, there is also a very powerful vibe of inspiration, faith, courage, and creative expression that transcends ordinary rules and boundaries. To spite some major pitfalls to such an overabundance of fire, it feels to me interestingly auspicious. Being a lunar eclipse, this can be seen and felt as a culmination of the work we’ve been doing to break ourselves free from the inhibiting circumstances presented by the overarching problems of society. The main warning I sense seems to be reflective of what I see coming in 2015-16 -- we must use this inspiration wisely, and not let our imaginations run rampant with optimism, and be careful to maintain control of our impulses. There is a fundamental sense of new horizons, and greater freedom to do as we choose, if we choose responsibly and intelligently.

The solar eclipse of October 23 seems to carry a similar message as Uranus and Pluto sit firmly on the chart’s Ascendant and Midheaven respectively, implying shocking new approaches and great ambition, power and intensity. This is the final eclipse in Scorpio for some years, and lands on the degree of this month’s influential Mercury Retrograde cycle (giving us the opportunity to really reflect on and feel all that’s happening!) The solar eclipse in Scorpio, to me, is like the final call on our Saturn in Scorpio work of commitments. Though Saturn will continue to dwell in this territory for the remainder of this year and some of next year, we have finally become clear about our Scorpio work – issues surrounding deep intimate relationships with others, and our relationship with power – especially our own power.

Saturn in Scorpio has been an interesting phase. Its commitments seem simple enough on the outset, but in practice seem to probe at the deepest, scariest parts of our being – even when we believe we’d come to terms with these aspects of ourselves. What is curious about it, to me, is that the fears can sometimes be very nuanced and layered. Outwardly we might feel we have no problems committing to our partner, having a child, starting a business, joining the circus if that’s what our soul is calling us to do -- and we absolutely WANT to take on a path in life that is empowering for us… but inwardly there are all of this little hitches and hang-ups that seem to say, ‘Oh you want to do that – well then that means THIS – are you really ready for THIS?’ The THIS is the part of your life that you know will never be the same once you pursue THAT. THIS is us claiming our power and being one with who we are (or aren’t) in the face of potential opposition of others. THIS is the responsibility of our decisions, the narrowing of our focus, the shutting out of one thing to favor the growth of another. THIS is the point of no return – the courage to actually believe in ourselves, our lives, and our path enough to truly align with it.

To me, the energy of “breaking out” and "breaking through" that is described by the aspects seems very much tied up in the conclusions we are making about what it is we are committing to, why we are choosing that path, and then having the courage and the wherewithal to actually manifest this path. It’s like we’re getting the ‘in' – the universe is saying to us – OK, people, it’s cool. Be yourself, express yourself – please! Because it’s through the actions and pursuits of each and every one of us to influence and build a world that we all want to share and be in together. Hopefully, with greater harmony within and without.

OK, so that about covers it.  I have evidently been storing away tons of thoughts for this blog post. I hope you enjoyed it... There’s more to come!

Peace and love, Mela

Solar Eclipse: Relationship Tests

We're finally more than halfway through eclipse season with one more eclipse on May 25. The area of our lives where revelations and changes are taking place should be clear to us by now. In general, this can vary from person to person depending on where the eclipse falls in their chart, but one thing I have observed is that these eclipses have really been working people's CLOSE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS (associated with Scorpio). Over and over again people have been coming to me with the same story -- Partners are taking a stand for what they want and deserve in their relationships out of a fundamental desire for a true immersion and union.  Those old habits (Taurus) just aren't cutting it anymore and people are finding that they are more than done with the old way of doing things, and the same mistakes wrought from the inertia and laziness of comfort. The question afoot seems to be: How do we break those old habits which block our ability to merge? Are we willing to do the work necessary to change and grow as one? Or, is it time for us to part ways with certain associations, relationships, etc to find the fulfillment and depth we really desire in our lives?

Keep in mind that this is Scorpio energy at work. Saturn (Lord of Karma) and the North Node of fate are closing in on each other progressively, and we are feeling increasingly pressed to do the right thing. Self control and self responsibility are highlighted by this placement -- as well as the Scorpio theme of complete surrender, rebirth, and transformation. Relationships of all kinds seem to be at a critical tipping point as we look at the person across from us and ask ourselves -- how far can we go?

We're being asked to merge, to expose ourselves completely, and to do what it takes to form permanent, responsible, mature, and lasting bonds. This cannot happen unless BOTH partners go all in, and as a result, some relationships may become stronger and more stable, while others may fall apart. The reasons for this can be: a fear of/unwillingness to change (South Node Taurus), a lack of maturity or self responsibility (Saturn/Mars), or even just a realization that the relationship might not be that "one." (North Node Scorpio)

Whatever the direction your relationships take -- be it with a partner, friend, or other association -- these trials seem to be of the clarifying, revealing, and strengthening variety. We feel we know more what we really want, what calls to our souls, and where we need to go at a deeper level. Allow the changes to take place, whatever they are, and don't force anything -- the ultimate result of this time is part of a long term, evolutionary process for us as individuals, and those who we care about most deeply.

As always -- look towards growth and enjoy the ride!