So in the midst of all of the chaos last week, I was thinking a lot about Reiki and the fact that I had not yet found someone with whom to do my Master Training. I have been doing quite a bit of it lately and so was seriously contemplating taking it the next level. Then I remembered a gentleman that I had treated when I was doing free sessions at work a few years back. He had told me at the time that he was a Level II and was also a Shaman, originally from Peru. We had stayed in touch sporadically and the last time we had chatted he told me he was going to do his Masters. It dawned on me last week that if he had done it, then perhaps I could train with him. So I sent him a note and indeed he is now a Master and is doing teaching. We met for a conversation and he asked what I was doing generally in life and in regards to Reiki. I told him about sharing the energy, writing here, and studying astrology. He told me he had also returned to his psychic practice which he had not really been focussed on since his arrival in Canada. After we chatted for a while, I asked if he would consider taking me as his Master student and he agreed. I was really excited. He explained the process and what we would be doing (including etheric surgery!! Holy COOL!) and some other aspects. And then he asked me if I have ever read Tarot and that question sort of stopped me cold.
I answered that yes, I had been doing Tarot readings a few years back but had let it drift. He asked me why and I explained that I had been a little overwhelmed by the psychic side, had no real idea how to communicate authentically what the cards showed and often did not trust myself in what I saw. Frequently, I was just doing readings for fun or entertainment, like at Hallowe’en parties. The thing is, the cards always gave a pretty clear picture about the querant and what the real issue they needed to focus on was, even if it was totally different than the question they posed. Often they did not tell me their question, I always advised them that it was their choice and the cards would speak to them even if I didn’t have the full picture. I still always got a pretty clear picture and was not sure how to handle that responsibility. So, I pretty much put it aside, and got up to my neck in astrology.
Back to the new Teacher, who hearing the short version of the explanation above said, “The whole time you have been sitting here, I’ve been seeing you reading cards. You need to go back to it. You’re Reiki practice will help deepen your abilities for Tarot and to trust yourself, and your Tarot work will inform your Reiki. It’s time.”
Deep breath. Okay. So, still on my adrenaline high from our meeting and excitement about the coming training, I took myself off to a local store that carries a pretty good selection of decks and bought 4 new ones. I wanted to play with different ones and see the energy I felt within the variety of choices. And then I put it off a little. And some more. And then Sunday morning, one by one, I took out the decks and shuffled them, and studied their images and did a reading with each. I pretty quickly decided which one is my new favourite, but I believe over time, I will build an interesting relationship with each of the others.
So…. Nice story, Veronica. What does this have to do with your north node and the eclipses? Okay, I’ll try and make this relatively coherent. North node is what calls you in this life, but it’s uncomfortable, and a little scary and you might take one step there and then two back. You always have a choice to go there, but it’s important to know that it’s the path, in this lifetime, of greatest reward. The south node is the old karma and learning you bring with you from past incarnations. It’s knowledge that serves you, is easy, and comforting, but as time goes on, less and less satisfying.
My north node is in Pisces, in the 10th house. Long story short, in this lifetime, I am supposed to be using Pisces energy to move forward – releasing myself from the analytical framework and moving into the feeling one, the one of connection and the dissolving of boundaries. It is healing energy, it is mystical, it is romantic and it is psychic. Here’s the thing, I know I have psychic abilities (we all do to an extent, I’m not special). I have always been uncomfortable about it because I had no control over it, because details are always a little fuzzy, and I am never quite sure until events unfold, what might have been real and what might have been metaphorical. So for a long time, I didn’t tell anyone about things I saw or dreamt. And then for a while I did, and it sort of freaked people out (my poor father-in –law, may he rest in peace, I think I totally shocked him so much about one insight that he actually avoided me for a while). Now, if I get insights, if they feel really imperative, I’ll check them out with whomever is involved and risk being thought of as “way out there”, I’m okay with that.
Anyway, the thing is, I was not consciously working with the energy and now, I agree with my teacher, it’s time. (okay, exhale). I have developed a lot of insight as a result of learning about myself over the past couple of years, and by practising Reiki and getting past the ego and surrendering to the wisdom of the energy going where it needs to go and being a channel. Funny, I have always played with cards, loved the feel of them in my hands (my rising sign is Gemini – rules the hands) and of course Reiki is delivered by hand positions. Oh, and I also realized that as much as it skirted the edges, the astrological study that I have been pursuing really feeds much more into my south node, in analytical, detail oriented Virgo. Sigh… So, I will do as the eclipse energy pushes us to do… release. I am not going to give up observing the astrology and writing about it here. I am going to ease back on the study portion and use that space to make myself open up to the magic and mystery of Tarot.
One of the elements that drew me to learn about the cards in the first place is their imagery and symbology. An ancient language that speaks to/reflects archetypes and connection through the Universal Consciousness – much like the planets (SO HARD TO LET GO : ). Now I will focus on applying discipline and deeper surrender to the experience of learning and reading. I’ll keep you posted on the journey. The 10th house, where my north node is, is the house where we are known to others, usually through our career or vocation. As mine is in Pisces, along with my Mars, I guess this is a component/ part of my calling, what I am driven to put out in the world. Interestingly, my Teacher said he saw me making money doing readings (path of rewards). We’ll see. : )
So, all this brings us to another point…. What did the recent eclipses bring up for you? The most recent was in Taurus – which was close to the south node for all of us right now, and it illuminated the old ways of doing things which are no longer really working for us, and so we need to shift, move forward where we might have been stuck – especially where we might have been scared or in avoidance mode. It might be work, it might be relationships, it might be personal learning, it might be creative expression and it might be a mixture of these and more. You know best what was brought to the surface for your attention in the past two weeks (and past two years). And if you weren’t, paying attention that is, you can expect some repeats between now and the end of the year. We’re currently in the midst of the Pluto-Uranus square (it is exact today) and we will see another action packed week, into the weekend with the next Full moon eclipse. It’s really time to be paying attention and noticing the messages the Universe is presenting us, sometimes gently (often harder to see) and sometimes like a freaking sledgehammer. : ) Would love to hear your stories, as always.
“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose” – Janis Joplin, Me and Bobby McGee
The e-mails, texts and phone calls have been steady all week from people dealing with the fall-out from last week’s eclipse and the energy building into next week. There have been shifts, direct hits, highs, lows and not much of the in between for most of the people I have spoken with. And the speed of developing events and the barrage of information has been breathtaking. And that includes my own context.
This recent eclipse and the upcoming Pluto-Uranus square is like nothing we have experienced in memory and we’re living it. As a friend keeps repeating, “No kidding!!!” He also asked me to have a chat with the stars and the planets. I told him it’s really a one way street and they appear to be lousy conversationalists. No matter, we still have to live through what they dish out. And the dishes might not be so appetizing from many perspectives, although it appears they are being spaced with a few palet cleansers.
That’s the way the week has been, complete tearing down of and lightning fast changes to situations and contexts and then little sparkles of the diamonds and gold that are awaiting us as we move through this phase of our journeys. What is appearing to be the salve (root of salvation?) for many of us is the little gestures. The reaching out when we think of someone, only to get a reply that they were at the end of their rope, hanging from a thread, ready to break or already having gone there, and the gestures are making all the difference.
I have been holding tension in my shoulders all week. I’ve been trying to be conscious of releasing, but at work the phone is ringing non-stop and I am not so ergonomically aligned and spending a lot of time in unnatural posture. I walked by a friend today and when they put their hand on my shoulder I just stood still and received some healing touch exactly in the spot needed. I received a text today from another friend whose words moved me so much that I was surprised to realize how much I needed them until I read them. I had a phone call from an old friend tonight with whom I had not spoken in a very long time and we reminisced about high school and life and again heard some words that meant so much to me. And still another note arrived that made my heart smile. So many messages from the Universe saying to me, in case I had forgotten, “It’s the relationships, Einstein”. : )
Pluto is eviscerating us and bringing things to the surface that will no longer be kept in the dark. Uranus is delivering surprise after surprise to us. And Neptune, still very much in the picture, is showing us the opportunity for healing is ever present. Whatever we are experiencing, we are called to keep our hearts open even when all our instincts are saying flee or fight.
We started a process last Fall, consciously or not, to make choices about the people who are going to walk this part of our evolution with us. It serves us to remember, when we are feeling the fog, or trying to see clear through the dust of chaos around us, that we can reach out for the hands of our travelling companions. And that when we do, we might be sharing a gift without even realizing it as their hands may have been searching for something to hold onto as well.
If we chose to open ourselves to these shifts, we may be able to see that, as Janis sang, when we see so much that we had constructed and perceived to be “our lives” fall around us, our freedom is what awaits us. When we have nothing left to lose because we realize that we can never lose those connections that are built on authenticity and vulnerability and sharing, we can step into acceptance of the rest – even if we have to process other elements first. Saturn in Libra taught us lessons about what kind of relationships are important and add richness to our lives. Saturn in Scorpio is helping us then to build awareness about which of our relationships bolster and sustain our learning and our evolution and our path to wholeness – that is, the most important relationship, the one with ourselves. We can only be authentic with others when we are authentic with ourselves and we’re getting to the point, if we are not already there, that being anything but is expending energy we just cannot afford to divert.
My analytical, astrology student side continues to be fascinated by the events rolling out and observing how the impacts are being assessed and integrated by us all. My intuitive, human bean side is welcoming the sharing and the invitations to share, and I am feeling blessed to receive the gifts of these wonderful connections and I encourage you all to do the same. When you are feeling pressure or alone in these turbulent times, when you go to the dark places, know that we are all connected and you need only reach out your hand. Love to you all. I believe Peace may be a while in coming. : ) Hang in there. Breathe.
So, apparently a few people who have been e-mailing or sending notes would have liked a little more astro in the last post. Since we aim to please around here, I will spend some time going over the energy waves that are rolling (crashing?!) around right now and in the near future.
So last week on Friday we had the eclipse. That was fun, non? Anything come at you from out of the frickin’ blue? Yes, it’s going around. Eclipses shake us up and get things moving in our lives. Even if we’ve been thinking we’re going with the flow, they’ll still often throw us some curve balls to bring new perspectives to our line of sight in regards to contexts or people – all in alignment with our path of evolution. All the astrologers I read were indicating that eclipse was one of the more powerful in a long time. And the energy released from it goes back to 1994-1995. So, events that were happening at that time certainly came into play in the past few days, even if it was only old patterns of behaviour resurfacing in response to triggers. And there’s our challenge in the face of the catalysts that present – to pause and to move forward in response while acknowledging any fears that have been triggered rather than reacting to them.
So, that was last week and those events will continue to play out, over the next weeks and years. More immediately, though, we’ll see even more towards the end of this week as Mars crosses over the eclipse point on the 17th. As well, from Wednesday of this week into the next, we’ll be feeling (if we’re not already), the build-up to the exact Pluto-Uranus square, the third of 7 that started last summer and will continue into 2015 (note for those who are asking me when things will start to stabilize or at least stop being quite as crazy). The squares last year would have been felt around the 24th of June last summer and then again around September 19th. What was shifting and changing, surprising you then? Where were you feeling tension and pressure and stress? Pluto is in Capricorn for about another 12 years. Uranus is in Aries for another few years as well. Where it hits each person’s chart is different: it might be your home life, your housing situation, your relationships, your romances, your business, your health, your children, your parents. Whatever you saw around those dates last year, you can count on those themes being revisited at each of the squares, and the effects will continue to be intense unless we are consciously releasing. And even then, we’ll be tossed around. Issues of control – what are we holding onto? Where are we resisting change? Where are we trying to sustain the status quo? Be sure that Pluto – god of the underworld – will bring things to the surface. And Uranus, planet of surprise will ensure that we do not know what is coming. And both will – without emotion – move us closer to where we need to be.
So, that’s the building square. Pause. Deep breath and exhalation. And THEN, the week after that, there is the full moon eclipse in Sagittarius. This eclipse (yes, that will make three in a row! I know, I want a nap in a cave just thinking about it all!) will complete the cycle of eclipses that began to bring powerful change to our lives in June 2011. I will write about the themes for that one as we get closer to it.
For now, I offer that sanity is at a premium over the next couple of weeks. Be conscious in your choices in response to triggers. Listen to the voice inside you when you find yourself at a crossroad. Neptune is very involved in the energy right now and it adds fogginess and confusion. Your intuition rather than your ego will be your best guide. We need to honour both, so use your ego energy to take the steps your intuition illuminates, and take them with purpose.
It’s still May : ), so find healthy ways to ground yourself. We’re all likely to feel some level of sleep challenges and anxiety, especially in the solar plexus region, about what might be coming at us next. Channel and focus the energy in your physical body as much as you can. Breathe. Take moments for pleasure when you can. We, once again, will all be in a different place/context/perspective come June. It’s not likely to be a comfort while we experiencing these shifts, however, it is clear that there is a resting point in the rather near future (until next November, when things heat up again.)
Feel free to keep contacting me as we move through this portal – here, or any of the usual means, FB or e-mail, if you have questions or just need to share or vent. We’re all in this together. : )
Today is the new moon in Taurus. It also began with a lunar eclipse at the early hours. This eclipse packs some big energy and it’s smack in the middle of a series of three in a row, not to mention the building Pluto-Uranus square that will be exact on the 20th. (here’s the pause for the God of Wellness to go have his laugh about Uranus – okay, we’re all good now?: )
So, in case you haven’t been sleeping under a rock, you might have noticed the energy getting a little intense this week. “Mistress of Understatement there, Veronica”. New moons start new cycles for us and the moon in Taurus is about our resources – what we value, currency, what makes us solid, and of course, ruled by Venus, it is also about relationships.
Now, we can go on and talk about change and suprises coming from the building energy or we can take a detour and float down the path with Venus. I pick Venus. : ) Hey, it’s my blog.
I think we noted earlier this week that seeing as it’s May, it’s also Masturbation Month. We’ve discussed here before as well that of course we don’t want to limit ourselves just to May. : ) With Venus changing signs today into Gemini, we’re noting that when it comes to love and romance and relationships generally, we have some choices. And those choices about with whom and how we might want to share our sensual, sexual selves should be based on our values. What is important to us in our relationships? Now is the time to reflect and perhaps set some intentions moving forward. We began the initial steps into a new Venus cycle last summer, and really it’s just getting kicked off over the next couple of months. This cycle is one that we will be manifesting for years to come.
So get out a pen or pencil or crayons or chalk or whatever works for you and some paper. Mercury is still in Taurus, so simple will do just fine. If you are stuck bringing your intentions to the surface, contemplate the values element. What do you want, desire, need in your relationships? You have a right to have your desires and needs met. We all do. Setting them down clearly helps to clarify them in your mind and then, trust, you will see yourself attracting those people into your life. There may be lessons that come along with that, it’s your path, so you always have the on-going opportunity to learn, mainly about yourself – especially in connection with others. For now let’s focus on the intentions.
Do you want someone who likes to travel with you? Do you want relationships that are centred on action/activity? Do you want to spend time with someone who shares your love of sports? Do you want to be with someone who is a great conversationalist? Do you want to be with someone who is very comfortable with space and silence? Both? Do you want someone who is adventurous and wild in the expression of their sexual selves or do you prefer a slow, tender or tantric approach? Or both? Do you want to be with someone who challenges you to learn more about yourself? Do you want to be with someone who is a great cook and who nourishes you physically? Do you want to spend time with someone who likes culture and art and social events? Do you want to ride your Harley down long winding vistas with your partner revving their engine beside you? Do you want to be with someone who does the same type of work or enjoys the same vocation that you do so that you have a shared understanding of the rhythm of your days? Or are you looking for an opposite who brings you into new experiences?
Venus is about what we attract. And Taurus is about what we “want”. Literally, its key phrase in the zodiac cycle is “I want”. It’s the second sign after the first, Aries, “I am”. And it’s before the third sign, Gemini, which is about “I communicate-relate.” Think about babies. They grab what they want or try and get to it, before they learn to ask for it. The same concept can be applied here. Before you can ask for what you want, you have to know what it is. And you should be specific – asking yourself questions, withholding judgement of yourself and being truly authentic about your desires is key. And did I mention, specific? Unpack – “a red-hot romance”. Is it sex every day? Is it stealing away for weekends in the country and only getting up to eat? Is it love letters? Is it with a new lover? Is it a new path with a well-known lover? Is it going and buying toys? Be specific. The Universe really works well with specifics.
Now, let’s bring it back to May (see I wasn’t just bringing up masturbation to get your attention  . What is the most valuable aspect of your life? YOU!! So, start there. What kind of relationship do you want to have with YOU? How are you going to wine and dine yourself? What kind of sensual pleasure will you gift to yourself? And how and when will you make the time and space to be your best lover? Will you do so lovingly and with joy and abandon and recognize that shame has no place in the honouring and revelling in the gift that is your physical vessel?
The effects of this eclipse will be seen over the next 4 years and different aspects during that time will trigger different elements at play. There is much coming to us, in alignment with our desires and our highest purpose. In order to use the Taurus energy in a healthy way, we need to welcome what comes to us, and avoid the tendency to “hoard” or get stuck. We need to hold fast to our belief in the power of our magnetism and that it will continue to attract what we desire and need. We will also have to let some things go to make room. The eclipses and the squares will continue to be catalysts for these exchanges. Venus entering Gemini at the same time as this energy of the moon and the eclipse reminds us that we have options and we have choices. We can certainly have our needs met, and maybe they will not all be met by one person or one relationship. Venus is saying, “let’s not get stuck in old paradigms” – Pluto and Uranus will help us avoid that. And Venus is saying “be proactive, add to the richness of your garden by welcoming diversity and variety”. You know what happens to fields where the same crop gets planted year after year? The soil becomes depleted and is not good for growing anything after a time. It’s needs variety and it needs time to rest.
So go contemplate your wishes. You’ve got a bit of time – a couple of days – and use this resource well to be thorough, specific and confident in setting your intentions. And remember, take frequent breaks for pleasure and rest. : ) Both will only add to your health and wellness and overall abundance.
I know I am preaching to the choir when I say that the past two years have brought many of us to very different places than we had probably expected or envisioned just before the eclipses of June 2011 started. The changes and shifts have impacted each of us differently but certainly, I do not know anyone who has not experienced significant life impacts in one form or another. And the individual perspective is really the only one that matters in defining whether or not those shifts were beneficial or unwelcome. Either way, they were likely to have presented contexts and situations that were challenging to live through. And for the most part (sadly I cannot say all of us), live through them we did.
How we weathered these crazy chaotic winds of change was dependant on how resilient we were and are. The thing about resiliency is that the more it gets tested, the stronger it becomes. Sometimes, when faced with crashes and banging from all directions, it’s all we can do to get up and keep putting one foot in front of the other throughout our day. And for many, that’s the best they could do for much of the recent past, and that was a lot. Others may have seen events as opportunities and met the challenges head on and with relish.
When I took the time to pay attention, I could see that how I felt when doing yoga was always a reflection of where I was in my journey. Where was the tension? Where was I strong? Where was I not so strong? How was I breathing? How was my balance? How was my flexibility? What poses were calling me and which ones was I avoiding? Where was I getting stuck? How much could I let myself be open? Sometimes, it was enough to just do as many sun salutes as I could. It’s like when you run and it’s not pretty and at the end, the only good thing you can say about it is that you did it. Nothing fancy, not much of a “high”, but enough awareness that this vessel that carries you around needs constant respect and it should be given, even if it’s sometimes grudgingly.
And lately, as with many other areas of life, I am feeling a shift. I don’t think it’s just me. So many people around me seem to be stopping and expressing, “hell, if life’s going to be crazy anyway, why not reassert some control and design my own challenges.” Everybody seems to be getting pretty tired (bored?) with “dealing with it”. I think it has much to do with the recent eclipses and also the energy that is brewing over the next few months. Regardless of the driver, the manifestation is evident. And it is pretty cool to observe. I am someone who gets as much pleasure out of seeing other people living and experiencing their own excitement and joy as I do when it’s my own. It’s the kind of contagious that I love. : )
Seeing and feeling myself on the edge of the unknown right now, and wondering where the next steps will take me, as this incredible path of life unfolds, I realized today taht I want to cultivate much more skill and ability in yoga, that I want to push past my mental blocks in this regard, and that to do so I will have to find a teacher and take some classes – which will probably include (gasp !) other people.: ) That’s part of my challenge and my learning to share that space and make myself open to the energy of others in that context. There’s even a chance (albeit slim!) that I might develop some affection for that “&%$# side-angle pose”. Ha! At the very least I may come to understand why I react so strongly to doing it and holding it. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I hope you are finding space to design and manifest your own challenges. Building resiliency can only help us strengthen all aspects of our being. Doing it joyfully, also makes our souls happy.
P.S. And speaking of happy souls…. Remember: May is masturbation month!! So celebrate Spring Fever and give yourself some good good good vibrations. : )
We’ve arrived at the feast of Beltane. This is the mid-point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. We’re meant to be celebrating fertility and sexuality and life itself. Venus is to be honoured in all her glory right now. Love, laughter, expression, creativity and beauty are all the hallmarks of happy Venus. And music. We are deep into our annual Taurus leg of our journey and there is quite a collection of planets hanging out here. It’s interesting that for the first time in many years, we are moving through the various signs with significant concentrations of planets in each, as if for emphasis. It appears that we are meant to be paying particular attention to the key themes, energy and lessons of each sign.
Taurus, ruled by Venus, is one of the two most musical signs. The other, Libra, is also ruled by Venus. The other morning I was stirring pancake mix in a stoneware bowl while preparing to make breakfast. The ‘Independent Advisor’ was in town and was sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading. He looked up and said that the sound of my stirring was akin to the sound and rhythm of a heartbeat heard through a stethoscope. Well, as is always the case in my life, the kitchen is the heart of my home, so it felt like the observation was apropos. : ) My moon is in Taurus, so no matter where I lived, that was the focus and where all the action was. I lived in a barn for a time, and while the bathroom had only a cloth draped down the doorway for privacy, visitors were constant and one evening I entertained 25 people there from all over the country, most of us crammed near the “kitchen” space. The area I inhabited was probably about 500 square feet in total. It was really a barn, formerly home to cattle, housing hay and 2 cats and two dogs, 3 horses and Yours Truly. The cats and I had an uneasy truce. I stayed away from their mice and they stayed out of my “bedroom”. : ) I had no cable (very happily) and the pipes froze several times in the winter months and it was pretty darn cold at night. But I had music. Glorious, wonderful, loud, soul stirring music whenever I wanted and with no one else to complain or make requests about type, volume or variety. Weirdly, the acoustics were amazing in that space. I could dance and sing to my little heart’s content. My Taurus moon was pretty flipping happy in that barn.
Music is the Universal way all of us human beans express beauty and love and honour the Venus archetype. Not to mention the higher level beings: the birds and the bees and the dolphins and all the other creatures who also are gracious enough to share their songs. It is communication that acknowledges differences, yet dissolves barriers and blockages. The `God of Wellness’ and I were talking today about Tibetan singing bowls and the incredible therapeutic healing energy that washes over you when you open yourself to their exquisite vibrations when they are played. The first time someone did that for me, I felt like I had entered another state of existence, every particle of me felt connected to every other particle of All.
At one of our training modules last year, our guest speaker brought his drum with him. He had purchased it while visiting Israel and Gaza. He brings his drum with him when he talks about peace- building and seeking to find common ground with others. He knows. The music is the common language and the rhythm echoes that of the Earth – our common ground. I saw and heard that drum and I was just about nuts thinking about finding one for myself. Hasn’t happened yet, but I believe the drum will choose me. : )
A dear friend is a drummer in a couple of different bands. His gift is evident to anyone and his desire to play as often as possible reflects his all-encompassing love of music. Often when he plays, no matter the venue, he strips off his shirt and you can see the clear integration of body and soul in the experience of creating and sharing the rhythm. It is an honour to be in his presence when he is playing.
We all have Taurus in our charts. When all of the planetary energy is focussed in one area, as it is right now, it’s hard to miss the influences. It’s in the day to day the rest of the time when we might not have as much awareness of it. But every time we turn up the radio and belt out the words, every time we tap our hands on a table to express our inner song, every time we associate a particular beat with a culture or community, every time we are instantly transported to another time and place when we hear a song, we are evoking Venus into our presence.
I offer that Venus desires to be a regular and cherished visitor in our lives. As we move into May, we’re not likely to really dance around maypoles anymore. Too bad. : ) But we can still bring music and body movement into our everyday. And when we choose to, we can go very still and be very quiet and hear the Universe’s rhythm and that of our heart beating along in tandem. Venus is love and through our vibration so are we.
Let’s take a moment shall we, and step away from the heavy, the serious, the to-do’s, the angst, and the pressure. Let’s take a stroll down a dirt road where the grass is turning green on the shoulder, the birds are singing beautiful songs, the crocuses have pushed through the ground and the tulips are getting ready to open up and share their glory. The sun feels warmer and the breeze is a little softer and the scent of moist earth is telling us that it’s soon time for planting. Just stand there for a minute and breathe in the scene, the sky, the fresh air after so much time with shoulders hunched against the cold and feel your lungs expand to bring in life and inspiration. What was that as you inhaled deep into your abdomen? A little tingle as you exhaled? A feeling of excitement about potential? Ahhhh yes, maybe the stirrings of Spring Fever? : )
We’re coming up on the Feast of Beltane, the pagan celebration of fertility which takes place over April 30th and May 1st. For millenia, this time of year was celebrated with some serious partying and some dancing around the maypole. And this is our Venus in Taurus. She is in her element here and she is happy and wants us all to take some time to revel and celebrate all the things that are full and ripe with possibility. She wants us to feel ourselves in our bodies, in our skin and use them for pleasure and play – with ourselves or with playmates – our choice.
As the moon ripens to fullness this week, we may find ourselves experiencing the juxtaposition of energy building that is both languorous and eager. I offer that entering into the tension and looking for ways to honour and incorporate the Venus gift will allow you to connect purposefully to the rhythms of nature and the cycles of both earth and sky in this beautiful, amazing, awe inspiring Universe of ours. Right now, the moon is transiting Libra, the other sign that Venus rules. Over the next couple of days, seek the beauty in the simple things. Admire the incredible balance, symmetry, synergy and interconnecting complexity that manifests in the creations of Gaia. Watch the night sky as the stars appear, the moon gets larger and feels closer. Feel yourself as you truly are: this magnificent, spectacular, mysterious, glorious embodiment of the Divine’s essence in physical form on this physical plane. Recognize each and every living thing in you and around you as the miracle that it is. Breathe. Laugh. Touch. Love.
Wow, it’s been a heck of a last two weeks since we had that action packed new moon in Aries. On a personal level, there was a lot going on, a lot coming up and lots to process. And while normally, I try and lay some of that out here, I needed a pause. And now, here we are, back at it. : )
This weekend, and really for all of the past week, we’ve seen the energy building to the Full Moon in Scorpio that is coming on the 25th along with the lunar eclipse. This is going to be serious energy. A culmination point, as with all full moons, and with a lunar eclipse, things ending with some finality. It will be disruptive and it will be unsettling. We also have the energy of Mercury rolling through Aries and touching off the Uranus-Pluto Square which is building towards exact in May. It’s really getting old, I know, to keep saying that all this change is bringing us to a new and better place and after this week, not an understatement I am sure, to say that it can be really challenging to embrace this. And yet, there are shifts happening that are important given recent events. Many are emphatically saying that they will no longer let fear be the basis for their decision-making and they are putting this perspective into action. One great example, from my perspective was hearing that two days after the horror in Boston, people were purposefully walking through the area of the finish line and engaging in life – staring fear down – eating in restaurants, strolling in parks and running.
Our resiliency is being tested these days that is certain – and our capacity to hope and most importantly to love. Once again, I am in awe of the courage of people to choose love. Part of this global consciousness awakening is that we are all connected and when one of us is in pain, it affects all of us. When we go back to the symbols highlighted last December, we are reminded that now and moving forward, it is all about relationships.
The Full Moon this week will be in Scorpio. They don’t get much more intense than Scorpio. Scorpio is the deep dark lakes of unknown depth. Pluto, God of the Underworld has gone retrograde. This does not mean the energy is any less powerful, rather that it turns inward. The North Node is currently also in Scorpio and shows us our path of most growth and reward. The Sun, at the time of the Full Moon will be in Taurus. The Taurus/Scorpio axis is about what we value, our resources, personal and shared. Taurus is all about earthy sensuality – engaging our senses and revelling in the beauty around us, just being. Taurus is calm (mostly), simple in desire, “what you see is what you get”, does not like change, and likes to collect and accumulate things that bring them pleasure. It is solid and trustworthy. Scorpio is about our deepest darkest selves, intimacy that lays us bare, complex desires interwoven with our shadows, stripping away that which no longer serves, interacting with authenticity – energy that can only be explored through our connections with another in order to understand our own soul path.
As the Sun, Venus, and Mars all expand the focus of the Taurus energy, the intensity of the moon’s energy, the eclipse and Pluto retrograde in action with Uranus will give us some strong nudges about the personal and relationship experiences that are presenting for many. These contexts may evoke a feeling of tension between fear of uncertainty in contrast with the pull of the path of growth and learning. As always, the days following the Full Moon will provide some feelings of release. It is important to keep in mind that if we choose to dig in our heels or resist the pull, we will likely experience disruption more strongly than if we take a deep breath and actively enter into the journey honouring any resistance and choosing love in whatever context is being provided for your learning – with intimates, with business partners, with sexual partners, with friends, with communities, with colleagues, with children, with family members. It will be different for all, but the overall themes will be universal.
There is more rapid evolution coming this Spring. Use the Taurus energy to ground yourself and use the Scorpio influence to question, learn, explore and go deep. And for gosh sakes, if you have any flowers blooming where you are, take some time to sit and smell them. : )
Last Fall quite a few people were engaged in fear mongering about the upcoming Winter Solstice or the “end of the Mayan Calendar”. Many were also trying to decipher or find some meaning in what they believed was not an everyday event. There was much talk about a global awakening of consciousness which could mean just about anything really. And over at Planet Waves, Eric Francis kept going back to the chart for the Solstice and noting that Juno was playing a key role in it. He hypothesized that the new consciousness was about relationships – all forms and contexts and that we should be paying particular attention to this area of our lives. Certainly, if we spend more than three minutes in contemplation, we realize that all our relationships are a reflection of some part of ourselves.
Solstice gave way to an eclipse in December and full moons and new moons and we’ve been trucking along through Capricorn, Aquarius, a Mercury retrograde and a significant period of bathing in Pisces waters. I’ve been saying here for some time that the energy has been particularly conducive to healing and you’re probably getting a little bored of the repetition. Certainly, conditions were there, and I believed people were starting to go deep. And then we began the trek into Aries territory. Aries is the beginning. If Pisces is Omega, then Aries is Alpha. We are starting a new cycle and I believe it’s like none we yet experienced. Aries is “I am”, the Warrior, the baby, the child, Fire, Action, Drive, Impulse, Ego. Uranus is in Aries – has been for some time, and will be for quite a while. Uranus is also known as the Great Awakener. We have had stirrings since Uranus moved into Aries – we’ve had the Arab Spring, we’ve had the Occupy movement and we’ve probably all experienced surprise, shock and awe over the past two years in our personal lives as we live through the Pluto-Uranus square. As we’ve noted as well here, Pluto is in Capricorn and recently we had Saturn move into Scorpio – Pluto’s homeland.
And then, seemingly without warning, over the past two weeks, as Mars and Venus grew closer together, both moving with the Sun and crossing over Uranus’ position, there has been a feeling, as Robert Wilkinson describes as “a quickening”. The quickening has transitioned into a time of new birth and as the contractions of this passage push us to a new place, we will find much roll out from the point of the new moon in two days’ time and will truly start what I believe is the awakening of consciousness hinted at in the Solstice chart.
The contractions that lead to a birth are not a particularly good time. They are scary and painful and sometimes, we can get a little stuck. But there is no question, there is only one direction in which to go. And today, it hit me – it’s really happening.
There is a saying in astrology, “the birth chart is not an excuse”. I am sure we’ve all heard iterations of this in various contexts. The birth chart shows where we have gifts, where we are challenged, where we can meet the path of most growth and most reward, and it can really help us to understand ourselves, our patterns and our motivations in depth. And then what do we do with it? We’re human after all. Well, the humans I have been encountering lately are battle weary, they are raw, they are spent and they are wondering what the heck is going to hit them next. Over the past two weeks, people have been sharing their journeys with me and telling me that suddenly they have reached their limits. They have come to realize they are no longer able to be anything but their authentic selves. Those things, those contractions and fears that have been holding them hostage, stuck or blocked are being faced and WILL be addressed. There is no other way to go. And as challenged as they find themselves, they are all showing a spark. Their flames might be weaker than in the past, or they may just be getting warmed up, but there is the light of the Divine showing in all of them. And they are done – done with the games, done with the strategy, done with being ruled by fear or anxiety. They are stopping right in their tracks and they are awakening to the awareness that they are not able to take one more step in a direction that isn’t in alignment with their highest selves.
They are scared, they are hurt and they want a shift. They are completely breaking down and surrendering and naming their feelings and their wounds and they no longer want to be defined by them. And as they are giving up these pretenses, these covers, these bandages, these weighted suits of armour, their fire is growing stronger. It is awe inspiring to witness.
I am cautious of hyperbole because it does not serve the gravity of the decisions people are making to open themselves up to healing and yet at the same time, I cannot deny the incredible joy that washes over me as I see them choose love for themselves and start taking these tentative steps in this direction – frequently for the first time in a long time, if ever. They are going deep and they are coming back up, each and every one a guardian/custodian of their inner child. I really always saw that metaphor was a bit precious. I am now seeing it in an entirely new light. The Aries Warriors are using their depleted stores to stand tall and hold the hand of their Aries Child and walk together through the places that demand strength, openness and trust – each supporting the other. People are asking for a safe place to share, to be heard, reaching out for tools and for teachings, and then saying, “I have to do this and I CAN do this.”
The Piscean mentality which can lend itself to victimhood and martyrdom is being burnt away. This new cycle is about a journey of the return to self. It is about personal ownership, establishing boundaries, and clarity of purpose. It is so fitting then, that we see the real manifestation of action happening at this moment, at this important joining of Mars and Venus. Mars is our outward energy, Venus is how we receive. We are beginning a new era of relating and it begins inside. In order to relate with others at our highest vibration, we must seek that for our relationship with ourselves – and what is in essence, our connection to Source.
I can say with utter amazement and gratitude that I am witnessing miracles unfold daily in ways and quantity that I have never seen and probably would not have imagined. I am breathless in the face of people’s courage and humbled that some have invited me to share this path with them. It is giving me a view of the awakening and it is so beautiful, my heart was full to bursting today. This is the darkest time of Luna’s cycle and in two days we set our intentions for the new moon. And so, I offer, for your contemplation, that we can continue to manifest miracles and healing when we intentionally honour the Aries energy of love of self, and combine it with action and a conscious awareness of how we want to move forward interrelating and giving and receiving love with others. There really is no other possible direction to wholeness, but better than any other, Aries energy shows, each of us must make this choice on our own.
How are you feeling after that full moon and all that planetary crashing and bumping last week? Lighter? Heavier? Still not sure? Waiting for the dust to settle? We’re coming up on a new moon next week bringing even more charge to the Aries energy currently in play. And then on the 25th, we’ll have a lunar eclipse in Scorpio at the full moon. Personally, it feels like I just checked the March 1st horoscopes. What a whirlwind month! And the pace is only going to keep ramping up between now and the end of June with two more eclipses after this one. Tired yet? : )
What we have this week is some space – a little breathing room and a chance to take care of the things that have not been on the top of the priority list recently – or a chance to actually make a priority list, not just be in reactive mode. So hopefully you are taking advantage of it. And this weekend coming will be a terrific one for release, letting loose, and revelling in a little Spring Fever (and NO I do not mean cleaning your house!). Venus and Mars have a date this weekend and it’s in Aries. The last time these two played together this way was in 1985. Soooooo, it’s not your everyday energy. Have fun with that. : )
The full moon and the aspects in effect are also continuing to support deep healing. I did a Reiki session last night for a client and she reported some significant immediate effects on issues she had not told me about before the treatment. I don’t actually need to know what might be impacting a person before they receive the energy. I always ask if there is a particular area they might want me to focus on and then I just give myself over to the process and know that whatever is meant to happen will happen. Very often people will report that they felt a shift in an area that had sustained injury a long time ago and it appears it was time for that blockage to release. It’s their journey, and I am honoured to be able to witness and participate in a piece of it. Reiki energy will have an influence whether you are a sceptic or embrace it wholeheartedly. What makes it really effective, however, is when people are really intent on welcoming the potential and allow themselves to be vulnerable and open up to release.
This opportunity for healing is available to all of us right now and the other times when the energy has been this potent have been rare – like a few hundred years rare. So with Pluto in Capricorn scoping out what you might benefit most from releasing, you may be well served by consciously leaning in and letting go of that which has been perceived as a source of pain. It may take some work to get there and it will certainly take a commitment to self and to deepening your scope of awareness. Pluto wants you to make room for that which is essential to your path and if we aren’t consciously paring in support of growth, it will happen to us.
Aries energy is all crackly and sparky and with Uranus there it can also be pretty random these days. Take care to keep the coals burning brightly and steadily. And for this weekend anyway don’t be surprised if things start to get really hot. : ) There is a great deal of healing that can come from a passionate encounter with ourselves or with another, and more obviously, a whole lot of pleasure too. Wherever your path takes you over the next few days and weeks, most importantly, make note of the feeling of ALIVE – that is Aries at its most powerful.
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