New Moon in Pisces : March Astrology Message

March 6, 2019 is the New Moon in Pisces.  It’s a particularly powerful one that I would like to share some messages about. 

This New Moon conjuncts Neptune in Pisces, and coincides with a Pisces Mercury Retrograde and the movement of Uranus into Taurus – a major 8 year transit (please read my article on this transit for more in-depth insight).  Just a few weeks ago, the asteroid of wounds, healing, vulnerability and mentorship, Chiron, also changed signs from Pisces to Aries where it will reside for 8 years as well.

To put it simply, this is a moment where the movements of the heavens are reflecting great change down here on earth, and so we can expect our worlds to evolve and change in kind.  The two long-term planetary ingresses initiate significant new phases of growth and the very intense Piscean energy that pervades the month of March shows a watery transition – filled with long abandoned memories, grief, and deep emotional release. 

Some keywords/concepts for this month:  Reflective, mirroring, nostalgia, flux, vague, confusion, visionary, deeply emotional, inspired, afraid, facing and embracing the past, transition, holding patterns, finishing what’s unfinished, preparing space, clearing the past to invite the future, connecting with spirit, embracing change. 

In this month’s message, perhaps appropriate to the Pisces Mercury Rx active right now, I decided to go forgo my usual astrological breakdown & dissection and go directly into the energy.  My hope is for a simpler, more direct message as a result.  Please enjoy.

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In this era of great change each and every one of us is undergoing processes of transformation.  For years now, people have asked me, “When does it end?”  And the answer is that it never ends.  Maybe the day comes when change is stabilized, but I could not tell you when such a reality would come to pass and if it is soon or in the far distance.  For now, I perceive that it is right to accept that change is the new normal, and that we can learn to embrace and enjoy it instead of holding so much resistance to it.  Resistance is nothing more than a survival mechanism and it has served its purpose.  Now invites surrender.

Many of us have conditions in our lives that cause us to spin in cycles:  Visions that seem out of reach.  Paths we resist taking.  Patterns we can’t ever seem to address.  Intuitively, we know that we need to move forward, but it feels unsafe and unknown to leap into things that have no guarantees, no specific pattern, no outline.  We fuss about being accepted, having enough money, and always knowing what to expect.  We worry too much about whether or not we’re doing things right.  Unconsciously, we keep ourselves stuck and blame circumstance for our failures.

What arises now is something different – both the motivation to change and the vision of where the root of the problem lies.  Reflections of the past show up in everyday moments and take us back to places we had long concluded we’d rather not be.  But observing and feeling them anew, having changed as much as we have, grants a new perspective.  Don’t run from your reflection – because one day you’re going to have to accept that it is your face. 

What is the mirror really for?  In it we see what we really are – what lingers around us, what weakens us, what undermines us from embodying the real self.  Even if we know intellectually, perhaps we still have not seen it truly yet.  Within us the emotional paradigms can seem quite vast and unfathomable – from where did they arise?  It could be well beyond what we think and anyway, it’s not important – what’s more important is recognizing the integration of our hundred selves and the wars within as nothing more but friction between our multi-dimensional aspects.  What we are going through is a sort of fusion – eventually it will melt down into one, but there are still pieces that knock together unpleasantly and of course, there is also the fire scouring the impurities in tiny bursts and spontaneous flare-ups.

What I’ve noticed is that it won’t work to reject the old faces, old fears, or lament what has past.  Instead these must be drawn in and digested, incorporated into the being – so we can go forward with wholeness and acceptance of self -- past and future.  We are being haunted by the scars upon our heart, our deepest unprocessed pain, everything left in the boxes of the past that we decided to shut off and not feel.  Even if we’ve met these ghosts before, still there are residuals -- threads kept intact, pieces unconsidered, broken shards with some answers.    

The past and future might have long looked like a straight line – but in this moment they are all joining together – lines bending back to create circles, all closing at once, meeting at one point.  That point being now.  That point being you. 

Above all things it is about wholeness through drawing ones spirit back into oneself.  And through this, old pain and heaviness is slowly, naturally, and effortlessly dissolved.  Whatever threshold lies in wait requires this merging.  For reasons that we don’t have to know now, but also for one reason that is obvious:  For completion.

In coming months and years we will be embarking on a new journey.  It is a journey we’ve been working towards for some time.  Quite simply, it is a journey into the future – into light – into a developing new paradigm of reality.  And it is not to say that this is the kind of thing where one day we suddenly pack our bags and arrive – no, it will continue to unfold in a gradual manner.  The world will continue to play out its chaos.  We will continue to grapple with ourselves.  But what I am seeing is a kind of tipping point – the see-saw is equalizing – the window between two worlds is open and soon, we will find ourselves on the other side.  Thinking, creating, wondering, “What’s next?” in a more joyful way.  With more confidence, personal power, and control.

In our current world, nature and civilization exist in conflict and contrast.  Yin and Yang are separated.  Human and earth too distinct.  The lack of integration within the human body creates disease, and so it could be observed that the lack of integration of man with nature is a form of disorder, and the true root of our current condition.  The path to reclaim our connection to the earth is quite long and the distance exceeds our view.  At the same time, the distortions of human consciousness are profound and deeply embedded by millennia of conditioned response – so of course we find it painful, destabilizing and confusing to be where we are now – the place in-between.   

But with sincerity and faith, we can go forward.  Trust in goodness.  Trust that you can be healed.  Trust in the power of the human spirit.  That we can overcome.  Together we already have the skills, knowledge and creativity to change the world, to correct the corruption, and find a new order.  And soon, we will also start to see the way through.  But for now we have to surrender and trust that wherever we are going next, we are getting closer to what we’ve hoped for.  

It starts with ourselves.  It starts inside.  Always.  Every time.

How can we embrace every person we’ve ever been – in this lifetime and in the past?  How can we accept every experience we’ve ever had?  How can we love the joy and the pain, the beauty and the sorrow, with equanimity?  And forgiveness?

It’s time we stop denying life to erase darkness -- because we know it doesn’t work.  Darkness is dispersed only when it is seen.  Health only exists when there is acceptance, integration and digestion.  Wholeness includes everything, no exceptions.

Yes, these times are intense, taxing, and filled with difficult inner trials.  We must remain vigilant to establish good habits for our health and well-being just to stay on top of it all.  But in the energy of change, there is also the possibility of miracles.  Our ails help us to grow. 

If we have beautiful dreams, no matter how grand or how simple, let’s nurture them with faith and devotion. Let us meet them with our complete, whole, and integrated selves.

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2019 Astrology Reports

If you are curious to learn more about what 2019 has in store for all of us, please check out my in-depth astrology reports. In these reports I expand on the spiritual themes and astrological configurations of 2019 in detail.

The themes and channeled messages within my reports will be relevant throughout the entirety of 2019 and can be revisited again and again throughout the year for guidance and insight.

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The Vision Going Forward // Astrology of December 2016 // New Moon in Sagittarius, Full Moon in Gemini

Hello friends and welcome to my analysis of the Astrology of December 2016.  This month I am discussing the energies of the Sagittarius Lunar Cycle:  The New Moon at 7 degrees of Sagittarius on November 29, at 7:18AM EST and the Full Moon at 22 degrees of Gemini on December 13th at 7:06PM EST.

I like to discuss the monthly weather in terms of the lunar cycles from new to full because I find it a helpful way to present archetypal themes.  I find that the lunar charts neatly summarize the general vibes of the month as they represent both what we are looking to sow (new moon) and what is culminating/being reaped (full moon).  Every year we experience new and full moons in each sign – and so if we choose to follow the lunar months, we can become more attuned to the energetic rhythm of life in general.  Working with, deepening, and understanding the natural flow of things.

So looking into the chart of the New Moon set for Washington, D.C. the new moon is sitting very near to the ascendant which refers to the outer self or image we present to the world in the 12th house, the realm of the subconscious, self undoing, and karmic release.  Its closest aspects are to the nodes of fate and Neptune, points that just began separating after two solid months traveling together.  Neptune for these past two months has been on the south node of past life habits and addictions in Pisces, the sign of disillusionment, confusion, escapism, etc.  Neptune is extremely amplified in the sign of Pisces and has been a dominant force in the world psyche for the past several years.  On the highest level – these energies represent the soul visions, spiritual growth, the dropping of the veils, compassion, understanding, and the unearthing of gifts that direct us towards more empathetic and heart focused relationships.  This is between people as well as the relationships we have with other aspects of our life such as our work, the “world” as an entity, oneself, etc.  On the negative side – Neptune energy increases emotionality, is receptive to a fault (it represents illness both psychic and physical), and shows where we can be blind to ourselves, where we lie to ourselves, and where we can become completely enveloped by and lost in an illusion.

One of the things associated with Neptune is film – so think of when you go to see a film, how easy it is to become lost and engrossed in the action and emotion of the characters – so that you almost feel as if you are there and that the characters themselves become familiar and real.  That is the power of Neptune at work – through this enveloping characteristic it can show us the highest beauty and truth and also pull us into a deception, a fog.  As Neptune has lingered near the South Node in Pisces – where these themes are greatly amplified – the world at large has been grappling with its handle on reality in a big way.  Much has been revealed in the discourse of the past month that has been shocking and upsetting to the world consciousness, but what has also been evident is that the things were ALREADY PRESENT, and were simply hidden, obfuscated, etc.  There is a strong tone within the USA national politics at this time of intense public deception.  And this deception is occurring at many, many levels – from money mongering political agendas that have existed since time immemorial to the most basic level of how we receive information in this age of technology.  We live in a world that is increasingly connected and unified, one that is increasingly aware of our interconnectedness – but yet at the same time there is an unprecedented heavy influence of perception in almost all information that we receive.  What it seems like, to my eyes, is that in many situations, it matters not whether a piece of information is true or false, but whether or not it succeeds in conveying a specific psycho-emotional message.  As with anything – this goes just as powerfully for positive messages as it does for negative messages.

As such, we have been living in times where clarity and straightforwardness have become elusive.  The correct path is the path of Virgo – current resting place of the North Node, which upholds integrity, virtuousness, and simplicity.  But the energetic patterning that we are coming upon is very much suggestive that the darkness comes before the light.  These shocks and revelations to our consciousness is a part of our collective emotional shadow work.  In the past it has been easy to talk a good talk and do little else, but it seems that we find ourselves now faced with a critical situation – something major has culminated – and now our job going forward is to figure out WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NEXT?

And that question is very much central to the function of this New Moon in Sagittarius, which lingers in that liminal time just after dawn on the East coast.  The consciousness of the collective and our personal consciousness is VERY enmeshed at this time.  We all feel in touch with issues that affect humanity in the big picture, and we all feel the impulse to do something about it.   In a way, it feels very much like we’ve opened a collective Pandora’s box, and things have felt fast, and out of control – but the link between the personal consciousness and the collective consciousness can also be utilized to direct the clean up process, and the vision of the future.  In short, FEAR is the Pisces Achilles heel – but clarity comes when we devote ourselves to how we can help, as individuals, in our daily lives to make our world a better place.

Before I even looked at the chart for this new moon, I felt that this article would be about “The Vision Going Forward.”  This year we have come to completion with many large thematic arcs of consciousness.  From the Chinese perspective, 2016 was the year of the Fire Monkey – an almost impossible to control, compulsively mischievous creature paired with the most difficult to control element in the Chinese Zodiac.  The shifts have been rapid, often surprising, and usually unwelcome.  Predictably unpredictable, the Fire Monkey has also exposed fallacy and weakness in our social system in a way that perhaps no other sign could.  And in the wake of this, what was unclear has become clear, what is unclean can become cleansed, and what is feared can now become conscious.

Who are we now?  And how do we inspire change?

There is a strong suggestion in the chart for the New Moon that part of how we actualize change is through embodying our radical qualities.  So that it is not so much an idea of how we would like to be, but to work towards fully BEing in the flow of our own personal freedom, growth, and individuality.  This is a way that the personal consciousness can affect the collective in a positive manner.

With the connection of this new moon so close to the nodes of fate – our intentions this month will be supercharged and important for progress going forward.  Sagittarius is an inherently joyful, hopeful sign that ceaselessly quests for higher knowledge and looks at the big picture of every situation.  Utilize this energy from the space of hope, and feel what is truly important for your growth and mission on a personal level and how that fits in to the collective.  There is so much that we can offer as individuals that can serve others in a positive way.  Knowing that change on the large scale does not happen overnight, but living as if change is here and continuing to feed the energy of connection over division, distraction, or escaping.  We have the power to transmute things in the collective consciousness through our presence and personal journey to truth and clarity.

Wherever we are on the spectrum in that process, there is always another precipice, and a deeper revelation to meet us.  In fact, we may even come to the same realization repeatedly with new wrinkles and layers.  But each step is necessary, as each step is basically a further integration of our higher self – provided we are aspiring to connect with this aspect of ourselves. 

The Full Moon at mid-month brings with it the “work” part of the vision that we are setting in motion now.  At least, it will show us with stark clarity where the work within us really lies, in particular, how our ego self tends to operate against our softer ideals.  At the time of the full moon the Sun will be separating from a conjunction to Saturn and a square to Chiron – both energies which represent lessons, repercussions, and the karmic process of going from our raw, most animalistic qualities to the more refined, integrated and human version.  If we actually work with Saturn (representing our Karmic inheritance and mission) and Chiron (Chiron represents our soul wounds/the force of healing within us), two planets that tend to create a big “ouch” effect for many, we can start to come into contact with this more refined version of ourselves.  But because as a society we are so indoctrinated with fear, we tend to resist the lessons and experience these energies as mostly painful.  As a result of this, many of us stay in our fear and survival urges without ever graduating to our human self in a fully integrated sense.  Somehow I sense that this will be a reminder that we can be so much greater if we can stop getting so hung up on the little things and resist the urge to constantly overreact.

The Full Moon is also strongly supported by the progressive energies of Mars in Aquarius, Jupiter in Libra and Uranus in Aries.  So while it is challenged and burdened by Saturn, et. al. both a Kite formation and a Mystic Rectangle in the chart (both aspecting the full moon) suggest positive synchronicity.  This is a MIND to ACTION energy.  The emotional process serves as a maturity gauge and is a source of great soul searching.  The potential is for a lot of haywire energy if one is not careful – but it is a great energy for manifestation of thoughts into reality, or at least thoughts into motion.  Thus, it is important for us to be measured in the thoughts that we choose to set into motion.

Even as we are breaking out in new directions there is still emotional subconscious processing that is very present.  The full moon is going to be powerfully illuminating of collective thought forms.  I’ve been seeing it for a long time and saying it for a long time, but I can sense the power of the collective mind continuing to grow under these influences – and as the month progresses we’ll go from “seeing” what it is to feeling it in real time.  The tangible reality creates pressure – and people either succumb to it or shift it.  As much as we can, when things come up within us – especially reflections that come to us from the outside – it is most beneficial if we FACE and SHIFT the afflicting energies.  They may feel quite numerous, heavy, and difficult, but this is how to more rapidly transmute the discordant vibrations out there in the world.

What we are dealing with is a sort of spiritual battleground.  The energy is running hot and fast, but within us we need to remain vigilant, centered and grounded.

As we wrap up the nodal transit through Virgo in the next several months, the keys will be to stay focused on Virgos virtues – participation, bringing order to chaos, creating routines, focusing on the here and now, being of service to others, moderation, grounding ourselves through experience (read up on Virgo North Node here).  Now that Neptune, Saturn, and Jupiter have all separated from the nodes, we have weathered a massive onslaught of psychic information and shifting and it feels like we now have the opportunity to integrate this experience and fully arrive at the ultimate lesson of the Virgo North Node this time around, which is also one of the anchoring lessons of these times that we are in.  Staying with the simple, the humble, the natural way – this is the path to the clarity we are seeking and the ultimate truth of how positive change is to be created at this time.

Keep the momentum of change going, stay positive and hopeful – this is the Sagittarius perspective.  What you believe becomes your will.

Well wishes for a happy December – may we all use this time to direct the will of humanity for the greatest good of all.

Peace.

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The Astrology of November 2016 – Scorpio/Taurus Moon Cycle & Reflections on October

Hello everyone, and welcome to my analysis of the 2016 Scorpio/Taurus lunar cycle & astrological overview of themes for both October and November.

Last month in October I did not have the chance to write a full article due to hosting the Star Spirit Movement Retreat (which was awesome, by the way!!!)  But October was a super-charged month – brimming with much change and action!  The Libra/Aries lunar cycle that encompassed the New Moon on September 30 and the Full Moon on October 16 was highly social, transformative, and a powerful initiatory point for the year-long transit of Jupiter in Libra.  In October we saw the arrival of many long-awaited but nonetheless quick shifts and an abundance of social-connection oriented activity.

In the energy of October, we got a full dose of Jupiter in Libra’s influence and primary message for 2016 & 2017:  To honor our RELATIONSHIPS and CONNECTIONS as the measure of truth.

In the whirlwind of October, no matter what was happening in any interaction I was having -- positive, negative or neutral -- the message from spirit kept going back to “the relationship.”  Remember the relationship, was the whispering.  The situation doesn’t matter.  It’s about the relationship.

This came up again and again when considering the one-to-one relationships in my life -- from business partnerships, to family, to students, clients, visitors, and beyond.  It was a consistent, gentle reminder that at the central core of all that we do and all that we exchange of others (money, knowledge, love, etc) the thing that holds it together in the end is not the transaction of goods, time, or even kindness – but the quality of the bond between two people.  And in that, we each have a responsibility as individuals to recognize the value of harmonious interactions with others in our life as GREATER than momentary quibbles or grudges.  It is the RELATIONSHIPS and our efforts to harmonize with and care for one another that determine positive outcomes and govern the genuine health and happiness of daily life.

To succeed in relationship is to recognize fluctuations and work with them – knowing when a boundary might need to be set, yet in the same moment, when to back off and allow.  So often in our current cultural paradigm we are hung up on the policing and commanding of other people in our lives and we lose sight of the necessity to let things rest & reset.  Without intending it, we add fuel to the fire and get lost in a war we didn’t mean to start fighting due to our impatience and desire for instant gratification.

There are many things that can be resolved through peaceful allowing.  Every negative emotion that is directed towards us by another person is not necessarily a call to arms.  Sometimes, it is a time when we need to be still and allow the other to ventilate.  Sometimes, harsh behavior is a hidden call for attention and help, a veiled concern, a defense mechanism, an expression of isolation or frustration, etc… I feel that the energies of the times are asking us to become more sensitive to the true emotion underneath our day-to-day interactions.  What rises to the surface is only one layer of truth, and often the most superficial.  What people show first are usually responses that arise from conditioning, past experience, and expectations.  Dig deeper.  Feel what is really being said.  Respond to what lies beneath, not just what you hear with your ears.

Harmony in relationships from a Libran perspective is truly an art form.  It requires the ability to perceive and work from a nuanced space.  It is knowing that every action need not evoke a response – and that a response need not be direct to be effective. 

Consider this example:  Let’s say someone in your life approaches you in an intense way – they might even be putting you in the line of their fire whether or not you are the culprit for this upset energy.  If we respond from Libra’s opposite archetype, Aries -- the warrior energy – we might be inclined to immediately demolish this person out of impulsive anger and irritation.  If we respond from Libra’s shadow – where we feel at odds with ourselves and uncertain how to choose sides – we might even take a passive-aggressive approach – smiling on the outside while crafting a devious revenge plot on this inside.  Wearing the façade of being “cool” while internally seething.

But there is something to be gleaned from the fact that the planet that is in its exaltation in Libra – meaning a planet which has special strength in a sign – is Saturn.  Yes, Libra’s ruling planet is Venus – the planet of relationship, romance, refinement & luxury – but with the subtle connection of Saturn here, we can understand that inherent to the archetype of Libra is also a sense of wisdom, control and dignity.  Libra, in its most pure quality, teaches us how to receive, redirect, diffuse and dissolve adversity with loving kindness.

We might ask ourselves:  Why is this person upset?  Am I really the one they are upset with?  If so, what offering of peace can I make?  If not, can I remain calm enough to offer reflection?  Can I step aside and dodge the force of their attack while remaining unaltered in my own integrity of truth?  Can I suggest another perspective in a non-forceful manner, with no expectations?  Can I allow myself to relinquish the any need to control others – their reactions, behaviors, etc… and seek a peaceful solution?  And the absolute key to it all – Can I be controlled enough in myself to understand and respect the value of grace & good timing – Waiting for the right moment to act or speak.  In the meantime holding no emotion (allowing them to pass through … not encouraging their festering) or negative expectation?

Honor that honing the skills of peacekeeping in our personal lives is important right now.  The influence of discord, upheaval, and anger is strong and it is easy to allow ourselves to be triggered.  But we must always ask ourselves – is it worth it?  What is gained (and lost) through angry exchanges, emotional dramas, etc?  It’s high time we start acknowledging our desire to fall into these snake pits for what they are:  distractions from what it is we know deep down we should be doing with our mind energy – which is to be creative, evolutionary, and inclusive.  We do not need permission, or even the “on-board”ness of others to achieve this.  In fact, to the contrary – those that walk in the path of their truth will find true partners.  It need not be a fight, or a demand.  And so the irony of the Libra archetype is that in order to harmonize with others we must first recognize our individuality.  Our interdependence is one that stems from individuals in their strength operating together.  The need to “agree” is not the first step or always necessary.  If we can let go of that, we might find a greater capacity for compromise and our needs more fully met by others.  True partnership is the authentic union of two whole individuals in freedom and trust.

Anyhow – that was a pretty long reflection on the October energy, but it was a reflection that I feel is of perennial importance and will be relevant for the year as our journey with Jupiter in Libra continues to unfold.  This is a time to strengthen ourselves through CONNECTION and LOVE.

Now -- diving into the realm of the Scorpio phase, the energy of the autumnal release and drift into darkness is upon us.  What I see/feel is that this is a time to consolidate the forces that drive us, to move forward with the plans we hold dear, and let go of our grievances in the process.  We must look forward towards the health of our lives with foresight -- going beyond primal impulse urges and striving toward a deeper evolution.  We actually have a great opportunity in this moment to work positively with the subconscious, and untangle the roots of our addictive behavior patterns, no matter how they manifest.  This is the season that is celebrated in Western esoteric traditions as the time when the veils between the spirit world and the human world are the thinnest, thus this is also a time when we can receive great insight from the spiritual realms regarding our forward progress.

I write over and over in this blog about how letting go is the key to productive development at this time.  Scorpio is a sign that, at its highest level, embodies the concept of letting what is destined to be, to be.  Scorpio is empowered by the killing of the ego’s control-oriented survival urge – which is often the most difficult thing for the Scorpio aspect of ourselves to grok.  Scorpio archetype grips, and controls, and strives for power over something in order to ensure its life-force… but in this gripping and controlling, we also limit our capacity.  The Scorpio well is actually bottomless… which is frightening if we’re concerned about falling into it.  But if there is no ground to hit at the bottom, what is there to fear, really?  Must we always know everything to be secure? Can we embrace the mystery of life?  And accept the possibility that if we surrender, we may have the chance to experience life in a new way?  That a narrow tunnel is not our only destiny?

When we open to the broader vision of our life – we might later have the opportunity to understand the structure we desire to put around things.  But if we obsess over every detail of the planning, and attempt to micromanage every outcome, we may be undermining the greatness that is trying to come towards us!  This is the time of visioning and building… but it is a process that ebbs and flows.  It does not arrive all at once.  There are steps, detours, and rest stops.

What we are doing this month of November is assimilating meaning and applying the knowledge that we have gained to the situation.  The dynamics of control vs. no control underlie our present perspective and subconsciously direct us if we are not careful.  I am feeling it is important to remember that the master is within us – and to consciously seek the higher wisdom that is available to us.  If we open ourselves to hear, we are in a position to create deep and lasting change – and develop a more personal relationship with the nature of spirit and our true self.

We live in a time of restructuring and repatterning.  This is very much visible in the chaos of the outer world – but the true work of repatterning begins with us as individuals.  During this time we vacillate between feeling like “we got this” and feeling like everything is completely out of our hands -- and many people, in my observation, are subconsciously leaning towards the latter.  A hidden quality of Scorpio is highlighted by its opposite sign, Taurus – and that is a deeply felt need for security and reassurance.  Taurus finds these things through the physical world (am I fed?  Do I have shelter?  Do I have enough money?  Am I comfortable?) – but for a Scorpio this must be found through trust in self on a primal, pure instinctual level.  What I am sensing is that the consciousness of people has not fully embraced that a repatterning/restructuring is possible.  There is a great deal of uncertainty and hesitation, though the desire for change has been well established.  What I feel is that November is an opportunity to go full on into divine trust and see what we are made of.

The sense of "security" that is found within the Scorpio archetype is the unflinching knowledge that no matter where we are and what is happening, we are, at our deepest core, unshakeable and undamageable.  In order to arrive at this space we must be willing to unhinge ourselves from the many subtle grips of fear and sink into a deep trust and knowing that all is well and all will work out as it should.  We can have control of ourselves and our lives without needing to BE IN CONTROL.  There is a subtle but important distinction between the two.  The dance of November will be finding that delicate balancing point between determining where change and structure is needed while still remaining free.   Know where you are, and respect the sovereignty of the dynamic wheel of fortune that surrounds each of us in collective and individual ways.  Do what is necessary, and also heed the greater governing intelligence of mystery.  This energy is about anchoring INWARD in order to direct & manage (not control or try to drive) the outward.

The Full Moon in Taurus is to occur at 22 Taurus, the degree of the master builder.  The energy of this moon has an unrelenting and somewhat confrontational feel.  Alliances have strong relevance and will speak a great deal into the processes underway at this time.  Heed the input of October’s flow and maintain dignity, composure, and acumen.  This is the time to APPLY all the philosophy, compassion, and beliefs that are passed around and spoken about, in a steadfast, even, and determined manner.

I can’t seem to emphasize enough that it is all going to come back to our personal integrity and self development.  What I feel very strongly from this particular cycle through Scorpio is that we must empower ourselves through self discipline when it comes to how we respond to the world around us – recognizing the subtle differences between emotions rising up from hidden doubts or conditioned expectations – and those that are truly “straight from the gut.”  This is a time to really work on crystal clarity in alignment between mind & spirit, because when we are in integrity here, our consciousness has much more power of focus to create the substantive shifts that we are making at this time.  So, if nothing else, it is a good time to get to know your psychological distraction patterns really well and aspire towards greater clarity of thought and action.  Really explore the possibilities of the inner will…  With it, you might find yourself able to move previously immovable mountains.  This is the true power of our integrity, as it is integrity alone that can cause true transformation.

We are in for a very interesting time this coming month, and I am curious to see how it all plays out in the worlds inner and outer, and look forward to the opportunity to go in and go deep.

Much love.

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Astrology of August 2016 - Becoming Real

Hello again my friends, and welcome to August’s monthly forecast!  In this article I will be discussing the astrology for August based off of the charts cast for this month’s new moon August 2nd at 4:45PM EDT and full moon eclipse on August 18th at 5:26AM EDT.  Yes, you heard right, the sun is coming back to meet the nodes of fate, which means this month begins another eclipse season!  It will be a long cycle of eclipses, too, as there are three eclipses occurring from August to September, rather than the usual pair.

For simplicity’s sake, I will be discussing only August’s astrology in this particular article and will go into greater depth about the subsequent eclipses in another article.  However, I do go into detail about the overarching influence of the nodes at this time, which does apply to the eclipse season as a whole.

Last month I wrote a great deal about the indications within the chart that we were officially making the transition from established status quo territory into the reality that we’ve been working to build – for ourselves personally as well as for our community.  The energies of July were so powerfully aligned with the long-standing Uranus-Pluto square that there was a very profound sense of “now is the time.”  The most distinct image I had received during the creation of that article was one specifically of racial and religious harmony and integration.

I am sure that it goes without saying that July was a powerful month in so many unexpected ways.  A rash of violent events struck the consciousness of Americans to our core and there has been a sense that we can no longer remain numb to that which has divided us and caused undue harm to innocents for so many years.  These events sparked a great deal of widespread introspection about why it is our American culture has supported such behaviors for so long, and how we must go about changing this unfortunate situation.  I was surprised, myself, at how apt the article I wrote about the month ended up being – the prevailing message was, of course, How do we undo the webs of conditioning and so-called tradition that keep us bound?  How do we really allow ourselves to push the boat from the shore and fully commit to the mysterious, unformed vision of reality that so many of us have been striving to develop?

My feeling at the beginning of last month was that this commitment comes from simply realizing that we are ALREADY past the point of no return.  If we were to turn back, there would be nothing to go back to.  All has changed.  We are in the active process of CHANGING.  So the truth is, we have no other choice but to see this journey through, as a people, together.  It is our individual participation and our willingness to step into a space of service that will determine the ultimate outcome of these changeful times.

I am feeling the need to recap this because we are entering into an eclipse cycle where the Sun will be crossing the North Node – illuminating the way to get where we are going.  Back in March we had an eclipse series in Pisces, passing over the South Node of our default mode, habits and addictions, which over the past six months has made the problems within the collective consciousness increasingly apparent.  Since last fall, the nodes have been traveling through the axis of service & compassion – with the North Node in Virgo and the South Node in Pisces – arousing the collective fears & anguish, as well as our desire for simplicity and an unperturbed daily life.

The function of the nodes is always a polarity to be worked out – a reckoning of the soul.  The North Node indicates the area where we refine and channel the situation of the South Node.  The South Node position usually operates like a stuck, over-exaggerated version of the sign of its placement’s shadow until it is able to be harnessed and utilized effectively through the channel of the North Node.  In the case of Virgo/Pisces, we are looking for practical, real world solutions to problems that are massively confusing, complex, and are so because they are emotionally based.  Pisces’ shadow side is one of delusions, illusions, religious/emotional fervor, addiction – particularly to any substance or idea that brings about an ‘altered state,’ a tendency to see things how one wants to see them without discernment, and guilt/martyrdom/victimhood patterns.  Under the vibes of the Pisces South Node we are dealing with a storm of emotionality with no real grounding.  This is one of the reasons, astrologically speaking, that we have been finding 2016 to be so chaotic.  To spite an ever-growing consciousness of spiritual awareness – there also seems to be an ever-growing reality of unrest, violence, and bigotry.  How could this be possible?

Recently, I received a blog post update from one of my mentors that stated, “Earth is holding more light frequency now than it ever has. Are you finding that hard to believe?”  And as I am writing about this, I am seeing that paradox at work in the charts.  Yes, there is more light – but what happens when light is shone in a dark place?  We suddenly become aware of all that is falling apart and rotting away.  While this discovery is usually horrifying (THAT’S what has been living in my basement all these years?) we also have the opportunity to cleanse, purify and restore (Virgo’s specialty) now that these things have come to our awareness.  And – as painful, as disturbing, as upsetting as it is – this is our process at the moment -- to CLEAN UP and PURIFY our consciousness and perception of life.  These shadows we now see in flying colors are not new.  They have been there for quite some time – and their appearance in this moment is not a sign of our descent into chaos, rather it is our impetus to keep deepening our work.  Virgo’s urging is for us to awaken to our service in life, and to utilize all of our tools to assist each other in the process of creating the new framework.  Virgos are expert renovators.  I have watched Virgos transform structures that are dilapidated and falling apart into beautiful dream spaces time and time again.  A project that seems utterly hopeless (Pisces shadow) to most people, is just something that is waiting for Virgo’s fastidious attention and care.

So as we enter into August & September, and eclipse season, it would behoove us all to remember that in the midst of trying circumstances – now is a time when we have the great opportunity to create real reform.  But I must stress that it starts with the INDIVIDUAL first – why?  Because it needs to be REAL (Virgo Earth).  So whatever it is you are dreaming on, whatever it is you see that’s wrong with the bigger picture, wherever it is you would like to go and give in life – how can you do your OWN work to heal?  How can you really EMBODY your ideals deeply and authentically?  This is how we can utilize Virgo North Node’s practical nature to channel the positive energy of Pisces – which is the deep and unconditional love for all things and our connection to the universal.  The ideals we carry need to PASS THROUGH the process of embodiment in order to be effective.  Otherwise they’re just ideals.  But if we have embodied the ideals?  If we’ve made them real for ourselves?  Well THEN we can effect change!  The difference is that it’s not just a thought anymore, now it is a vibration that we carry in our being, something that has passed through the alchemical fire, stood the test of time, and now can be transmitted to other people through our actions.

Of course, I know in some ways it sounds like the same old trope, “Oh yeah, be kind to others, golden rule, yeah yeah yeah…”  But understand that what I am professing and where the energy is gearing us towards is well beyond that.  How can we be EFFECTIVE and create RESULTS in our reality?  What is our ROLE?  How do we help?  Until we have very seriously grappled with these kinds of questions and been able to create shifts in our own consciousness and reality reflection, no effective change can come to pass on a large scale.  It will be fleeting and temporal, as it often is.  It will be emotional and momentary, as it often is.  Think bigger.  Think not just in actions/non actions, language and emotions (how should I feel, how should they feel, what should I do? Etc.) – think how do I channel the vibration of a certain kind of CONSCIOUSNESS?  And then notice how when you broaden the question the “What to do” starts to answer itself.

In my weekly Qigong class I was speaking to the students about the distinctions between different martial arts and our own specific practice, which is, at its heart, a Taoist alchemy practice.  What came to me as I was speaking on this was that the Qigong (energy work) is naturally understood as the alchemy – but it is not in itself the alchemy.  The true alchemy is in the self knowledge acquired through practice.  It is the integration that occurs when we move and look inward.  It is the understanding of how to access and then utilize the essence of the true mind, and live from there, shedding the layers of the thinking/egoic mind or shadow self.  The shedding of the layers is and is not conscious – actually, it is more just a natural result of the increased embodiment of self.  And by self, I mean of our natural, pure, unblemished spirit.  The energy work – the alchemy if you will – is to create the fire of purification within the self to transmute all of the internal resistance to this authentic experience.  In Tao this is referred to as “becoming real.”

It is a fact of our world that society is deeply out of sync with nature.  The structure of our society does not remember our connection with nature and each other and is instead caught in a web of public perception and ideology.  If we are not aware, we can also become engulfed by the waves of the prevailing consciousness, and in the midst of it all, completely forget ourselves and our true purpose in life.  For a long time, the vast majority of people simply went with the current.  In this moment, we are understanding that perhaps this mentality has gone too far, that we must strive to regain our sovereignty as individuals and use our power to direct the flow of consciousness by awakening the inner self.  Each and every day we must awaken the formless self, and carry our own current.  In the process, we help others – through direct service and even without words.  Nothing changes until we grasp this.  Nothing changes until we see with clear eyes, and can awaken in others the ability to do the same.  This is the alchemy that sheds the coat of conditioning.

So in looking to August & September’s astrology, understand that we are working with the archetypes of Leo & Aquarius in August, and then Virgo & Pisces in September, which will greatly intensify the energy and paradox that I have been speaking about. 

For this month, the energy directs us to become clear in who we are and what we want to achieve through this process.  Leo is the energy of the heart and inner illumination – the unflinching, unfiltered glow of the sun that never leaves no matter what clouds might obscure it for a time.  For August 2nd’s new moon – we are being compelled to activate the heart.  To find that illuminating nature deep within ourselves – and to utilize the light of Leo to see clearly the dark spaces.  What clouds obscure our true light?  What subconscious programs keep us from being a force of creative evolution?  How do we subvert our own power or perhaps misuse it?  What is the example that we set?  How can we SHINE in our example?

This is a fantastic new moon to set intentions around overcoming blocks related to creativity, effectiveness, and inspiration by example – as well as meditating upon and clarifying our understanding of what, precisely, we WANT.  Define it.  Intend it.  And set the process of creation in motion – because this is a month when we will be especially inspired to do so.

The full moon eclipse in Aquarius helps us identify our role in the community and our needs in relationship to community -- who WE are (Leo/1st House in USA Chart) and our awareness of the others in the big picture (Aquarius/7th House).  There will be a great deal of focus during this eclipse around understanding and implementing personal values and cultivating self worth with integrity.  I see an emphasis here around the idea of nourishment – how do we care for the collective in a personal, heart centered way?

The month of August will continue to bring up many of the challenges that are surfacing – especially around how we relate.  There is a pretty strong ping-ponging of energies that tends toward the easily offended/overly sensitive and on the other side unnecessarily picky and critical.  Try to stay with the big picture because this can be a very productive time, to spite the disagreements and constant emotional negotiation.  Unity comes through mutual agreement to overcome differences for a common purpose.  Start to define that purpose in clearer terms now – first with yourself, and then with those close to you – and then further out into the community.

Remember the common purpose – the essence.  It is your essence, and the essence of all humanity.  In the space of essence there is tolerance, cooperation, and peace.

Love.

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.

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.

The Tao of February 2015's Astrological Weather: Reflections on Mercury Retrograde, Venus & Mars in Pisces, the Wounds of Chiron & the Waves of Neptune

On a recent episode of one of my regularly enjoyed astro radio shows, Astrologer Heather Roan Robbins made the comment that “One of the great gifts of Astrology is that it allows us to be where we’re at.” This can apply to so many things in Astrology, but she was talking, of course, but the recent influx of Piscean laziness that seems to have stricken many as both Mars & Venus (the two planets which rule our social nature and action/motivation) transited Pisces in conjunction with a powerful Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius. I, myself, have enjoyed this time taking it easy and encouraged the others I encounter in my days to remember that it’s really OK if they don’t feel like pushing themselves too hard right now – this is a lazy, slow moving, lackadaisical vibe. We’ve been licking old wounds and pampering tired bones. There will be time for action later – for now, just let it all be. For myself, personally, the rest and reflection period was much needed to tie up the extremely hectic Horse year. I have been working quite a lot with Neptunian realms for the past several years, and when these extra potent phases of dreamy, floaty, watery energies pass through, I am reminded that there can be a great deal accomplished in states of “non-doing.” As a person whose strengths are in every element BUT water, this has been challenging for me to learn.  On a cultural level, we have become so obsessed with producing, having results, and doing that we almost completely disregard the moments of simple refinement that these Piscean realms represent. Really -- all healing, all joy, all beauty, all abundance, all true love – comes to us not through a state of doing but through a state of allowing. No matter what we might want there are just some things in life that cannot be forced into being – they either are, or they aren’t. Pisces is a sign that represents dissolution but also, in my eyes, radical acceptance for what is. If you look at Pisces’ polarity, Virgo – the sign of judgment, critical analysis, etc – we see the world more through the lens of “This is the right way” and “this is the wrong way.” In Pisces’ world, any way is right, because all paths, no matter how windy, indirect or convoluted, are intending us all in the same direction. That is, in the direction of the divine will – our reunion with the Oneness. There is almost a complete lack of discrimination here, which in a way can be quite wonderful, but is also sensitive Pisces’ major Achilles heel. In the world we live in, discernment is a necessary skill, or else we can easily allow ourselves to be mercilessly thrashed by every oncoming wind and wave – taking on the woes and troubles of everyone we meet and eventually drowning in the muck. Nonetheless, in the right time and the right place, these non-discriminating states can open us to experiences of otherworldly beauty, deep heart healing, and the simple, evolving process of living without needing to have a reason.

Experience within this realm has taught me that at its highest level, Pisces work is soul work. Everything we deemed important can be taken in a second out to sea, and we find that we are left alone with just the core of our inner self, our inner want, our inner calling. There was nothing we could have done to discover this inner self, it was actually there all along – it was just the conditioning that we carry and all the stuff we cloak ourselves with that was covering it. Often it is the clinging to these cloaks that causes the pain and disillusionment often associated with Neptune (Pisces realm) transits. In this realm, we really grapple with what is REAL – as in what is TRUE – and what is just an illusion. Our inner vision is suddenly awakened, and our inner atmosphere seems more permeable and more impressionable than before. Ordinary encounters now possess many layers– mixed signals, hidden motives, emotional manipulations – and can become quite tiring to experience, much less sort through and understand. Becoming aware of the subconscious noise within ourselves and others can be disorienting, but it is in our allowing that these confusing experiences also become teachers. Rather than resist, try to fix, or resolve, we let the process unfold naturally and reveal to us the hidden aspects that we were previously unable to discern. And then, these experiences that once vexed us become gifts of insight and crystal clear clarity. All this is accomplished quite effortlessly. It is said that muddy waters become clear once settled. This is exactly the lesson of Pisces/Neptune. Through letting be and doing nothing, clarity comes on its own.

Another major feature of the past month’s work in Pisces has, of course, been our work with Chiron as both Venus and Mars made aspect to this planet/asteroid in the course of its journey the past few weeks. Chiron represents wounding, healing, and wounding all over again. So while the Pisces sea always seems to me like this place of unstructured randomness and free form emotion, there was also this added element of primal wounding at work. I saw this play out in my life in several ways – the most potent example for me was the day before the Chiron-Mars conjunction on January 31st, my sister’s Chiron in Taurus (wounds surrounding money, material possessions, worth and self worth) was activated when she peeled off the top of her moving truck on a low clearance overpass (at a bank, no less) just moments after I had decided to ignore an intuitive message that was repeatedly prompting me to warn my sister about said overpass, triggering my own Chiron-in-Gemini dilemmas (Gemini is not only the sign of communication, but it is also the sign of siblings. Seriously. Astrology is that literal.) Over the course of the following days and weeks, I found myself really working deeply with my emotions surrounding my siblings, and in an even bigger way – my struggles surrounding self expression, conveying information/truth, and listening to my inner voice. This week, as Venus came into aspect with Chiron on Monday, I found myself looking at this wound again as I fumble through a new intuitive process for me – working with the Akashic Records. Although I had one extraordinarily amazing adventure in the records in the beginning (which I hope to share in some future time), the subsequent process has mostly been an exercise in breaking through incredible inner resistance. At the same time, this has also been illuminating in itself, as I am learning about this resistance more intimately and also receiving instructions (abstract as they may be) on how to actually CLEAR these energetic barriers that have been ailing me most of my life. Communicating truth (Chiron in Gemini) has been a major source of wounding for me. I have either told the truth at all the wrong times, in all the wrong ways, or withheld the truth at all the wrong times, in the wrong ways… and from my fraught perspective – there’s been almost nothing in between. The reality is, there are plenty of times when my communication skills have actually been lauded and I really flow with my divine truth (just as I have observed individuals with Chiron in Taurus, who usually fret about finances and success, experience great rewards and praise for their steadfast, fastidious & level headed hard work). So in some totally contrary way, communicating truth is also my divine gift. But this is Chiron we are talking about – so akin to Saturn, this divine gift does not necessarily come easily at all times. It must go through a lifetime of painful trials and total failures in order to find that central, refined place where the aspect of our lives that we’re always screwing up and feel real sensitive about evolves into our natural source of healing.

This principle of Chiron will apply to you differently, depending on where Chiron is in your chart. For my sister with Chiron in Taurus, we spent three days at my house with the ripped up truck in the driveway and all she could do between frustrating phone calls with the truck company was sit in a room away with no view of it and refer to “The Monster In the Driveway” with slight fear and trepidation. The truck had become the manifestation of her inner Chirotic dilemma. The very picture of everything wrong. Chiron can feel very much like the “Monster In the Driveway” – a giant gaping THING that we’re perpetually having problems with and feel like everyone sees. It’s where we feel like we’ve been walking around half exposed, and are unable to escape our own folly. It’s where we’re vulnerable, weak, struggle to trust, and feel like we’re failing. In fact, it was the question, “Why do I feel like a failure?” that brought me my most important guidance with reference to my troubles with inner listening. Failures are moments when things are the exact opposite of how we want them to be. Moments when we feel we’ve met a dead end, where we’ve made the same error too many times, or create an obstacle for ourselves through our expectations. Moments where we’re required to do one of two things – take a totally new approach, or further refine our way of being in order to create a new pathway for success. When we have the courage to not only face our wound, but begin the work of reframing our life according to the new knowledge gained through the wounding experience, we then transition into the energy of healing. Not only for ourselves, but also for the other people we meet along the way who can now benefit from our experiences.

I find myself thinking of the guidance from Hexagram 39 “Obstruction” in the I-Ching – this is a teaching I find myself returning to frequently, and speaks very much to the considerations I brought to this post. In summary of these reflections, I leave you with this…

During times of obstruction, one should be still and practice cultivation. This opportunity should be used to gather energy, instead of complicating matters with impatience and struggle. When one has a positive attitude, even the highest mountain seems lower and the deepest water more shallow. Inner strength can make obstructions seem less imposing.

Attempting to fight an obstruction directly can often become an obstacle to breakthrough. Instead of battling the difficulty head on, one can overcome the obstacle by simply letting go and ceasing the struggle. Both benefit and growth can result from a so-called obstruction.

Obstructions are met daily when things do not go as planned. In the process of growth, obstructions are met thousands of times over and usually generate great despair. One who wishes to move forward, but is unable to do so because of restrictions, can respond by changing direction and taking another path, one that goes inward or upward. Sometimes what appears difficult is actually a protection or an opportunity for spiritual growth. All great achievements are attained through the positive use of obstructions.

Without an obstacle there can be no breakthrough.

 -- Excerpts from Ni, Hua-Ching, I-Ching: The Book Of Changes and the Unchanging Truth, Hex. 39 “Obstruction”

Fall 2013 Eclipse Season Reflections

This Sunday's Full Moon in Taurus concludes the energy surrounding the very intense season of eclipses that we have just gone through since October 4. This cycle of eclipses, as with the last several (Last April/May and Last November/December), was very profound. For me, personally, this set of eclipses took on a particularly strong INTERNAL quality of transformation and change. As always, an important thing to always realize when eclipses occur is that eclipses always bring events, realizations, culminations, endings, new beginnings, and other sorts of big changes and "Aha!" moments -- in particular when they aspect our natal planets. Reviewing the charts of the past several moons, there seem to be a few main themes, with the major emphasis on Saturnine (e.g. Karmic) decisions or disappointments. Saturn in Scorpio is working our issues with commitment and the charts also suggest, to me, a deep desire to become more in tune with our true inner SOUL yearnings (a theme that seems to have taken prominence in this past year.) In this process of trying to understand our karmic work -- the real project of our lifetime -- many things from our past need to be relinquished and finding a place of surrender within ourselves seems at once tenuous and tantamount. Do we accept the responsibility and hardship of our Saturn work? Can we face the bare bones, no frills truth of what we truly dream to be, and how we may or may not be currently in line?

This eclipses have also had a strong Neptune vibe, as always lending an additional shroud of confusion to the overall picture. Saturn may have shattered our illusions about ourselves, others, or situations around us in a jarring way. Or it's required us to make realistic adjustments to our expectations or plans based off of the new insight. A tendency to avoid the situation and indulge or escape could have been very powerful -- it is so much easier to stay within the confines of our habits, our safety zone, and comfort, but Saturn seems to want to pull us away from these behaviors and remind us that if we really want to play out our higher Neptune (Do good for the world, for example) we need to pull it together, see it clearer, and do the work.

This past month has really been a time of looking more deeply into our lives, facing and healing painful issues originating deep in our ancestry, trying to understand what it is we really want, and, of course, with Saturn and the North Node in Scorpio -- learning to let go of attachments which block our growth and transformation. SURRENDER is the key word, but surrender in these circumstances is also immensely challenging. We have to have the courage to let go of parts of ourselves and things in our lives we perhaps once loved -- but even those we don't. We have to have trust that events in our lives beyond our control also serve some kind of purpose, that there is a lesson to be gleaned that may help us better understand our karmic work. Finally, we have to have faith in the decisions we make every day -- especially when choosing the path of our intuition, following what comes to us -- that stepping into unknown territories and committing to the vision is not something to be afraid of, that we will be taken care of, and end up where we're supposed to.

So much of this year has been about THE DREAM. So much of this year has also been about immense and deeply challenging internal transformation (As can be expected during the Chinese year of the Water Snake!). It's one thing simply to dream... but now we must ask ourselves, seriously, are we willing to work for it? Live it. Be it. That, to me, is the central core of this year's transformational energies. How do we shape ourselves to reflect the reality of the dream? -- And what does it really mean to walk the path as who we really are?

Without going outside, one may know the whole world!

Caught in the Current

August has felt much like autumn. The summer continues to roll by with its themes of flexibility in crisis, sowing intentions, evolution, and new pathways emerging as old ways of being die away. These days I reflect upon all of this drinking tea, writing astrological reports, making photographs, and reading Chuang Tzu ... So I bring to you a slice of all that:

"Great knowledge is all encompassing; small knowledge is limited. Great words are inspiring; small words are chatter. When we are asleep, we are in touch with our souls. When we are awake, our senses open. We get involved with our activities and our minds are distracted. Sometimes we are hesitant, sometimes underhanded, and sometimes secretive. Little fears cause anxiety, and great fears cause panic. Our words fly off like arrows, as though we knew what was right and wrong. We cling to our own point of view as though everything depended on it. And yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away. We are caught in the current and cannot return. We are tied up in knots like an old, clogged drain; we are getting closer to death with no way to regain our youth. Joy and anger, sorrow and happiness, hope and fear, indecision and strength, humility and willfulness, enthusiasm and insolence, like music sounding from an empty reed or mushrooms rising from the warm, dark earth, continually appear before us day and night. No one knows whence they come. Don't worry about it! Let them be! How can we understand it all in one day?"

Excerpt from the "Inner Chapters" (trans. Gia Fu Feng)

On the Star Tetrahedron

Today's very interesting and rare chart has been all the rage in the astrology world for the past month at least. The formation in this chart is referred to as a "Grand Sextile," "Star Tetrahedron," and "Diamond Tetrahedron" among other things. It shows a very exact 6 pointed star formation created by two grand trines, one in earth and one in water (the "yin" or feminine elements of the Western Zodiac), interspersed with two pretty stressful T-squares and a Yod. Though the completion of this formation as we have seen it today is somewhat fleeting, many of the influences involved are enmeshed in long term relationships that have already, and continue to show a substantial and unquestionable change in the world at large on both personal and societal levels. There are many theories about the meaning of this formation. Admittedly, even as an astrologer I approached looking at it with some measure of pragmatism. Does this "star" formation really have any special impact beyond its fleeting few hours of life? Is its message as profound and prolific as many believe?

I did not really have an answer to that question in advance of today. My feeling as I contemplated the chart this afternoon and sensed the energy of the day, was that this chart represents a pretty powerful overall metaphor for the transformative processes at work -- and perhaps a further elaboration on the long term influences involved. The influence of this event, in itself, feels rather like an illumination of new pathways that have not seemed feasible, or may not have even been visible before.

What really stands out to me about this chart, aside from the obvious visual effect, are its stressful characteristics. Mars/Mercury/Jupiter are in a T-Square with Pluto and Uranus, an extremely volatile combination on its own -- Jupiter making Mars' sensitivities in Cancer more extreme and Mercury, more biting, while the on-going Pluto-Uranus combination shows a long-term disruption of established systems. These are not influences that play well together, and without mitigating factors have the feel of very angry, explosive situations and emotions, the essential driving factor being Mars toward Pluto and Uranus -- like all efforts are constantly being thwarted and usurped by greater power, but there is no sense of giving up or yielding. The second stressful aspect of this formation includes a T-Square between the Sun, Moon and Saturn showing an inherent conflict between the soul's desire for pleasure (Moon Taurus) and the ego's desire for recognition (Sun Leo) in a relationship frustrated by the limiting effects of Saturn. The overall theme being that there are inherent obstacles for individuals whose desires are to be seen and live comfortably, but whose needs and wants are constantly being curtailed by the problems imposed by the system at large. This of course connects to the former conflict -- where profound change is taking place, we feel intensely that we are fighting for survival, and that our simple needs must be protected against the force of life's unrelenting, and often unforgiving tests. The needs of the individual are threatened by the disruptive nature of these influences and the potential for dangerous people coming into power, but simultaneously liberated by the situation, for as the established order crumbles, people find the strength to stand their ground -- in the hopes, of course, that there is ultimately going to be some sort of compromise.

Meanwhile, the Grand Sextile itself seems to provide an answer -- in fact, a whole new set of answers -- to the problem posed by the above troubles which we have come to know intimately in recent years. Practical Earth signs and Emotional Water signs suggest heart based solutions, and the matrix of the formation itself supports profound and large scale changes where we have had blocks, obstacles, and stalemates for the past several years. Here, we see Mars and Saturn softened somewhat -- in a less defensive context we see a distinct opportunity to express needs, envision our dream, and then actually begin the process of manifesting those things into lived reality. The earth trine shows that the need for transformation is both an emotional and social process. We want comfort, desire perfection, and surrender (finally!) to the necessity of structural changes in order to move forward. Motivated by the stressful impact of the earlier discussed energies, we find ourselves meeting a unique opportunity to plant seeds and intentions for the new structures we wish to create. There is a greater sense of the "big picture" and reality feels more malleable and workable than it has for some time. Perhaps the phase of crisis was, as it often is, merely a period of discerning our true values and needs. Now that we have a better sense of what we want, our carefully cultivated and protected hopes and ideals have the opportunity to take root.

The final interesting piece is the Yod between Pluto, Neptune and the Sun, emphasizing what has felt to me like a phase of profound transition. As we adjust to changes that are currently dissolving and transforming everything about our approach to life, we are doing so through a process of spiritual renewal and purging. Those things that have been destructive and deceptive on the outside are being rooted out, and the conditioning that we ourselves have created as a matter of course our whole lives is being released. All of this in a constantly evolving effort to reveal our most authentic self expression and inner light.

So -- quite interesting energies are afoot. Even though this particular formation was only up there for a few hours today, I feel the themes of this chart describe very much themes that have been at work since the start of the summer, if not longer. And I don't know about you -- but it has been one crazy adventure so far!!!

OK, just my 23 cents. It is time for rest -- Have a great week and enjoy the cosmic roller coaster ride!