Category Archives: Something For You

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‘Fallen leaf litter in a mountain stream near Ophir, Colorado, USA’ Photo By Semiautonomous Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

This is from an issue of ECLIPSE from 2014, slightly modified and added to. Thought it might be useful, right about now. I was prompted to share this because of a dream I had last night. In recounting it to my husband, I realized that the whole thing, a long story about hospital personnel who had poisoned someone and were trying to dispose of the evidence, could be boiled down to a single sentence: Someone claiming to be a healer was trying to get away with murder! This offers interpretation of someone’s activities of late, activities I had brushed off as either innocently engaged in or as this individual’s misunderstanding of the Universe itself; this dream tells me that the grift is quite deliberate.

The idea of knowing with whom we’re communicating in any situation was brought up, and the short answer to that is, we just can’t know. I’m talking about those times when we interact with others and something about it leaves us wondering, or unsettled; we sense something about the messenger, because that’s what they seem to be. More than just random encounters, these interactions seem to offer information beyond appearances, information that seems to be of greater import than we might think if we are living ‘on the surface’. We’ve all felt this from time to time, the interaction, often with a stranger, that shakes up our thinking in the moment, and sometimes affects our entire world view.

That stranger we’re speaking with, who says something so innocently profound that happens to resonate completely and specifically with our most recent problem, could be anyone at all—and in speaking influences us in ways we can’t be totally conscious of. We try to know who that is making a remark, whispering in our ear, coming into and out of our life, but the obvious labels we can apply (“man at the bus stop”, “salesman at the door”, “person who appeared out of nowhere and had just what I needed”) don’t suffice to explain the import of what they offer. It’s human nature to attempt to classify the extent and type of our own experiences—and we have so many encounters, in a day, in a week, that push us this way and that, it’s as if we’re a leaf on a stream’s current, being moved and turned in ways we may not even notice.

There are some effective ways to break down our encounters, to put them in a mental kaleidoscope that rearranges the parts enough that we get a different understanding of what we’re meant to take away from the interaction. Here are some possibilities, for your consideration:

The Mirror  This concept follows the precept of ‘As Within, So Without’. Those with whom we interact literally mirror facets of our internal perceptions and of ourselves. It’s ‘What We See Is Who We Are’; this should probably be the first, or at least an early, go-to for understanding encounters, as no matter what our external world will reflect our inner landscape in one way or another.

The 180 Degree Test  This is found in someone who embodies exactly what we shouldn’t do or be, and we find these encounters often coincide with points in time when we are faced with making big adjustments and choices in the life. Often they will reflect the unconscious inclinations—that is, they show us before we’re even thinking of it consciously what the consequences might be. These people also come in another form, typically someone consistently in your life before whom you can float an idea, and whose reaction will tell you to do the opposite. These kind of people can be invaluable, and can be recognized just by observing where their own judgments have taken them: if it’s not similar to where you want to go (and especially if they clearly yearn for more/ better) you know to do the opposite to what they advise, as their thinking and judgment are not working in such a way that their choices are capable of getting them where they want to go. People with bad judgment can reveal the flaws in your own plan–and I mean this in the mildest sense; they are not outright disasters that everyone knows not to listen to, but those who are getting by but not living the life they want, and who consistently are unable to make ‘it’ happen.

Interpreting an Actual Dream In the case of an actual dream had while sleeping, the symbolism and situations must be filtered through one’s own recent experiences and one’s own personal dream and symbolism vocabulary. One helpful thing can be to recount the dream as if it really happened; that can help us remove the unreal qualities and focus us on those facets of the experience that our minds have deliberately magnified, hoping to get our attention. Or, as in my dream described in the intro, we find the whole story can be reduced to a kind of instructional picture, mandate, a single sentence, saying, or concept, or even a rebus (you remember, those puzzles where saying the names of a series of objects creates another, sometimes larger, concept).

Life as a Dream  This offers us a little distance from what we’re trying to analyze, and a stronger orientation toward seeing the symbolism in a situation, and so offers some objectivity and perspective. For this way of seeing we simply narrate the experience as if it’s happened to someone else—or as if it’s happened in a dream–and we observed it. This can be tremendously useful when our own part in things is confusing, or when someone tries to persuade us of something; we can apply the ‘distance’ viewpoint and see just what energies are at work, and just how reasonable others are being.                        

The biggest bonus, though, seems to be the way symbolism becomes so much more obvious when we cast the situation as a dream one. We can get some ‘Big Picture’ messages if we are willing to consider what elements of the experience can stand for, as well as considering what personal meaning these elements might have. For instance, opening an old box and finding a completely worn out pair of ballet toe shoes will have a totally different meaning for someone young and starting her dancing career, another meaning again for someone who doesn’t and never has danced, a third meaning for someone at their ballet career crossroads, and another meaning again for someone with bad memories of childhood ballet classes who has hated ballet ever since. With this method of understanding, context can mean quite a lot.

There is a dream analysis theory that states all parts in the dream are actually parts of the Self; this can at times be illuminating, especially when we sense that the centerpiece of the incident is ourselves and our behavior, but is in my experience only occasionally applicable, as though life certainly concerns each of us from our own vantage point, there is far too much input coming at us that concerns interaction, choice, and that informs us, to label everything ‘me’.

This also comes in another version, which we’ll call Tell It Like It Is, where you tell your own story as if it’s the experience of someone else. Or, you can recruit a friend to tell you your story as if they’re talking about a third party. This offers tremendous perspective, and can be incredibly harsh, as those things we make excuses for or soften in our own minds are laid out under a very unforgiving light. This is helpful when we are trying to see why something’s not working, why we may be getting the reception that we are, or why our lives have reached a stalemate. Seeing our lives as if they’re splashed across a tabloid, or as if our life history is being recounted by someone who doesn’t like us (and so is unwilling to emphasize the good) can help get us moving in significant ways—but be prepared, because no matter how accurate, the bald Truth can still hurt.

When trying to parse the meaning of encounters or experiences day-to-day we should also pay attention to our totems and other ‘familiars’ (including objects/ symbols) along the Path. When these pop up, and especially when they repeat with us seeing the same thing or hearing the same word or phrase, or we undergo any form of deja vu, this suggests you’re closely in the ‘stream’ of meaningful events. This is the principal behind the Daily Image—when I began to notice that it seemed to have meaning not just for me but for others as well, I started to include it in posts. I happen to believe that all events have significance, and that we can never actually be outside of our own Path—but we can fool around along the way, become confused and stuck, and can be mislead into a kind of ‘siding’ (like rail cars are shunted to along the tracks) that prevents forward progress we can recognize as our own, find meaningful, and embrace.

Now a note about the possibility that we encounter angels, demons, supernatural guides, or other entities in our lives: be very careful about casting what by all measures is a flesh-and-blood human being in one of these roles. We may want to see someone this way (especially if they meet our idea of how that entity would interact with us) but the reality is that if we’re actually encountering something like this we are unlikely to recognize it. I believe there are many energies taking many forms and interacting with us all the time—but I know there’s no way I can be sure when that occurs. This reduces the ‘angel experience’ to a very personal level—which I think is where it should be, as that’s the level at which we can recognize it, but not really share it with others, because it is so personal—and because who wants to bust an angel, who’s only there to help?  

End of Summer

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Stan Feldman

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My recent Mercury return, and the Moon reaching that spot in days, plus some completely unexpected events prompting some contemplation, brings me to the need to step back for a bit from screens of all kinds. I will not post here or be available from 29 August through 10 September 2022, and no one will be monitoring the press, so there will be no book sales, either. But before I go, let me tell you a little story.

This summer the forest directly behind our house was logged. It was a relentless assault, day after day, enormous machines, men with chainsaws, huge claws grabbing entire trees and pulling them from the earth, and when they were finally done, the sheltering woods behind our land were gone, the land scarred, stumps and debris everywhere. Some trees directly behind our next-door neighbors house were left, a beautiful stand of cedars designated as sacred by the tribe that now owns the land, so there is that, a small bright spot in a decimated landscape. Summer was full of displaced and disturbed birds, squirrels, deer, raccoons, even bugs, and presumably bears, though we haven’t seen any of those lately, the last siting during a plus-100 degree day last year. I was sad, seeing individual trees taken that I’ve come to know and love, distinct from the thicket of forest, particularly a small fir that had the look of the quintessential Christmas tree, and a tall pine that had a dogwood wound through its branches; I looked forward to that blooming, a line of white flowers laced into the pine boughs.

Now it’s open, and we get first morning sun, which is new–all the plants in the back yard are still adjusting! And something else: they finished logging right before the August Full Moon. All day I had been mourning the trees, and then night came and the Moon rose–and it was stunning, big and illuminated, and I realized we never had that before. It had been difficult to see the Moon here except when it was very high in the sky, and even then it tends toward the southern exposure, which for us is blocked by trees still. But now, in place of the forest, we have this small gift, the chance to watch Luna as soon as it comes up over the horizon. It just reminded me that even when something that seems terrible happens, and it inevitably brings change, we might find that the ‘new reality’ offers some wonderful things the ‘old reality’ didn’t.

Have a lovely end of summer, and I’ll be back soon, with a little something on the Mercury retrograde in Libra!

The Return of the Goddess

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Goddess Bhadrakali Worshipped by the Gods from a tantric Devi series, Artist Unkinown, 12th century {{PD}}

This is a reprint from ECLIPSE, slightly modified, and has already appeared here at the blog under a different title–but I do think the ideas bear repeating. Looking for the Full Moon report? See it here.

There’s been lots of talk these days about the return of the goddess–but I don’t think the goddess was ever gone. Seeing it as a disappearance/ re-appearance is seeing it through patriarchal eyes: women have always been, so goddess has always been. A patriarchal society is a Doing-oriented society, one that recognizes and values action, while (typically) disparaging its opposite, the essence of female energy: the receptive, the accepting, the open, the Being-oriented. Goddess energy is female energy, and functions by filling space and time with its very existence; it is vital simply by being, whereas male energy only exists when it is in motion, closed, targeted, inflicting itself on others or the environment. It’s a disparity that many have difficulty grasping, and this is chiefly because we have been indoctrinated with a bias for movement, action, ‘results’, and a sense of accomplishment that relies on seeing change, rather than feeling it. The goddess can sit perfectly still and sense the inevitable processes of growth and decay all around her–she is in fact aware that she is part of this cycle–while those invested in the god-like animus credit only the effects the hands or mind have on the landscape.

In modern Western society we’ve been conditioned to see worth and even virtue in emulating male doing energy, no matter one’s role. We applaud activity, even when it’s purpose or value is questionable, and we see this ‘busy’ attitude reflected in phrases like ‘Protestant work ethic’, ‘Yankee ingenuity’, ‘make hay while the sun shines’, and so on. This is not to say that effort is not important, but that it is only one side of an equation; to celebrate doing and accomplishing without also celebrating the contemplation, depth, communion, feeling, sensitivity, and intuition that can not only shape and guide effort but make sure efforts are effective, is to make action a god, and to cast being as a meaningless state that offers nothing to our advancement–and of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

We tend to have disdain (or at least, less regard) for the kind of contemplative or menial or repetitive tasks that act as a meditation and are much more a being state than a doing one; we may label these ‘women’s work’ (oh, the derogatory tone with which this is spoken!) and see them as beneath us, since they don’t include the slap-dash of going from A to B–but that would miss the point. No one thought to ask the grasshopper why he fiddled while the ants worked–but no grasshopper lives through the winter; it would’ve been a waste of his time to put away food for days he wouldn’t see. (And if we want to get technical about it, the ants would awaken from a torpor to begin their work and replenish their colony before much had grown or bloomed out in the world, so they did need a storehouse). In nature there is balance and reason, room for both god and goddess energy, a different set of rhymes and rhythms that apply to each creature–and we should keep that in mind when judging what’s appropriate or ‘right’, useful and useless.



‘Jupiter in the Guise of Diana Seducing Callisto’ By Gerrit van Honthorst {{PD}}

The picture above is a testament to recognition within the patriarchal structure of Western society that sometimes receptivity is needed in order to gain what is wanted. There’s irony in a doing-dominant entity choosing to enact the anima in order to get something, which getting is in itself a highly animus thing, the kind of goal the doing energy is consistently targeting and pursuing. In the painting Zeus (Jupiter) has apparently learned that abduction and rape don’t win him any friends; instead he transforms into the goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, Diana, and lures Callisto with the Moon’s sensitivity, responsiveness, and ability to reflect back to others what they ‘shine’ with–and yet, in choosing Diana’s form, he’s choosing the most animus-like of the goddesses, in terms of her Self-expression through hunting and pursuit. Empathy requires the surrender of boundaries to the point that one Being can feel the other Being, complete, which the male-oriented cannot do without putting aside the continual, outward thrust of energy that is the normal modus operandi for them.

Even in Zeus’ choice, though, the usefulness of the receptive, Being stance is denigrated, as it’s seen as a tactic with which to accomplish  a goal, rather than as a state of Being just as valid and as dynamic in its own way as any action. With Zeus it’s a means to an end, and so falls in a long line of actions meant to fulfill the animus aim; if it were a true goddess energy, the communion would be without boundaries, and no specific outcome would be on the agenda–being would be enough. If quantum mechanics are correct and the butterfly’s movement is enough to topple a civilization as the shift ripples through matter and time, then the even more subtle shifts in consciousness, attitude, belief, and the effects of both prayer and love are felt as strongly as anything built, accomplished, or acquired. So next time you see a woman sitting with eyes closed, or standing quietly out in the grass, or strolling along with no destination in mind, or rocking a child, you’ll know just how busy, how important what she’s doing, really is.

Your word image is a pair of things: the mention of Karma addressed in or in the name of works of Art, and a key that suddenly appears on the floor at your feet. As they’ve come up at the same time, I can’t help but think they’re linked, each describing a part of what needs our attention. The key came first. Of course, there’s the key, the ‘at your feet’ part telling me it’s laid out before me, presented even, no searching required. The image seems to say: Here’s what you need, that vital thing that will open it all up, let you in to where you want to go. I kept seeing references to Karma related to Art that made me wonder what was in the Collective air that was influencing Artists. Too often I feel that Karma is mis-represented as something outside ourselves, when in my view it’s really just the accumulated energy of our own choices and actions, bouncing off the energy of everything else in existence–that is, it’s not something weighing and judging you, out to get you, to ‘balance’ the Universe, it’s just you, meeting your own energy in another form. So, that would suggest that the key we need to acknowledge, pick up, and use, the use of which will be entirely to our benefit, presents in a situation that’s nothing more than our own accumulated efforts and attitudes, bringing about particular results and circumstances. My thought is: you’ll know this ‘Karmic’ thing, and what it means, when you see it–and you’ll also know, it’s the key you’ve been looking for.

Friedrich Haag

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Let’s Discuss: the North Node

29 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, aspects and placements, astrology, Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Consciousness Explored, Natal Delineation, Nodal Axis, North Node, Something For You

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If the North Node is the direction we’re headed on the road of life, understanding its meaning is like having a map that can help guide the turns we take and what types of things along the way we should look for; as well, it will help us avoid wandering back toward re-tracing our steps in familiar, South Node territory. ‘Hochalm mit Serles bei Innsbruck’ By Leopold Scheiring 1917 {{PD}}

I want to say thank you to all for such a robust response to the One Aspect invitation! I’ve already gotten far more submissions than I can use, far more than I expected, and the submission period isn’t over yet! So my apologies to the many who won’t have their situation addressed–I send you special thanks, just for being willing to offer your info, and I’m sorry I won’t be able to get to you. That said, I’ll probably be drawing from these for at least a month, so don’t give up hope–you may see yours yet!

Here’s our first aspect/ placement topic, the North Node. A large number of you mentioned the North Node as a point of interest. There seems to be a lot of confusion about what it really means, in the sense that knowing it points you toward the future doesn’t make things any clearer! I hear you. The North Node is an excellent way to illustrate my contention that aspects shouldn’t be delineated in a vacuum, as it isn’t just the sign and House placement that speak to us, it’s an axis of the chart as well as the aspects made to it and the disposition of its ruler that give depth to interpretation–so in order to effectively interpret a North Node placement at a truly individual level, we need that full chart info that allows us to add context, and so much more particular meaning than we’d get just from placement alone.

First a little background: the Nodes aren’t bodies, but points where the Moon’s orbit intersects the ecliptic, which is, in brief, the Sun’s apparent path through the sky as observed from Earth. So these are Lunar-related points that tell us about past (South Node) and future (North Node) personal development, and are generally considered to ‘point the way’, with the SN offering well-developed skills and qualities, and experiences we’ve already had and so don’t necessarily need to undergo again, and the NN describing what we must strive to experience, learn, and incorporate into our lives in order to grow and develop on all levels: physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, with the equation varying widely for each individual. The trick is to find ways to import and exploit that South Node knowledge to support North Node forms. Now our first seeker:

“I’d love to play along! My info: (birth data redacted for privacy). The aspect of my chart I’m interested in is my North Node. I left my South Node high paying job 7 years ago. My entrepreneurial attempt at a small business has been failing since it began. I’m at a loss on how best to navigate to the North. Thanks for your consideration.”

We are given a brief sketch of the current life situation, and we see it illustrated in the Nodal situation within the birth chart: South Node in Capricorn in the 2nd of assets, talents, Self-worth, earnings=this suggests someone who sees hard work, nose-to-the-grindstone, Self-disciplined effort as the way to success. Follow-the-rules careful, serious effort is probably natural to this woman–and with Capricorn the attitude, it may be hard to understand why joining the high-powered status quo isn’t completely fulfilling, as well as why hard work isn’t a complete success formula on its own–it always has been in the past!

Of course, this places the Cancer North Node in the 8th=it’s hinted here that cooperation (rather than the individual, jaw-gritting determination of Cap) or collaboration is needed, maybe even supporters who contribute or invest, or work where you do that for others, as an emotional investment on the part of the NN individual is required; she also must develop a sensitivity to changing circumstances and feelings–an ability to ‘read the room’, so to speak, rather than go blindly with authority and following the rules. The individual must care about what they’re doing, at a level that actually moves them. All these are required to move in the proscribed life direction–and so presumably to create success.

We turn toward NN ruler the Moon for illumination of the necessary conditions for progress, and what we see is a Moon in Libra in the 11th, just more than one degree past conjunction to the Sun–so, a New Moon baby!–and this again hints that partnership and/ or an ‘audience’ or other supportive public may be required, that aesthetics, Art, or relationships are central, and that the Soul’s purpose and the emotional/ intuitive nature are deeply connected. Too, we might infer that the kind of venture may be entirely new to the individual–something she doesn’t have a lot of experience with (New Moon status), and the House placement implies involvement with or leading of a group could be part of the ‘new’ role, and that the natural tendency is to create goals and then pursue them. We note that the Sun-Moon sit at the midpoint of the Uranus-ASC square, and that they semi-sextile Mars. Both suggest that the Will is strong and likely ‘leads the way’ in creating situations, some of which are surprising or ‘accidents’, that attempt to turn the individual in the direction most beneficial to her development. There is also a sesquiquadrate to Chiron, implying that there may be a lot of situations the individual either tries to accommodate (out of pain) or works to avoid (out of fear of pain), making circumstances more difficult or convoluted than they need to be.

Peripherally we look at the state of Moon/ Sun ruler Venus, which sits in the 12th in Scorpio, conjoined Ceres and sextile Zeus. This tells us that most of what motivates the individual is hidden, or at least working below the conscious level, possibly delivered/ revealed to the conscious mind through dreams or through Collective or spiritual experiences, and that ambitions, desires, and situations of autonomy, personal power, and responsibility are paramount learning experiences throughout life–even though they may not seem to be central to learning. That is, the condition of relationships, values, and finances may carry more info about the individual and the individual evolution than they do about their apparent subjects–and that implies the current financial situation is speaking about personal development needs, more than purely business ones.

Now back to the Nodes. We have three striking aspects/ configurations in which the NN is involved: a Cardinal Grand Cross with the Nodal axis and the Mercury/Pallas-Jupiter opposition; a Water Grand Trine with NN, Neptune, and Chiron; and a quincunx to Saturn. Let’s take these one at a time.

The quincunx to Saturn suggests a continual ‘adjustment’ of the real-world situation to the destined direction. The individual is constantly looking to modify ‘what is’ to take it in the direction they want to go. This shows high adaptability and practicality–they don’t fight the need to respond to circumstances or conform to the expectations (especially of authority) in order to move forward, and that’s good, but they also might be a little too quick to discard what they think isn’t working, or to modify efforts according to feedback–which is reinforced by the heavy Libra emphasis, suggesting a danger of losing one’s own desires by giving too much credence to what others say or do, to what authority or tradition tell us, or to ‘fashions’, as they apply to the individual’s own efforts. There may also be a sense that reality is perpetually unstable, perhaps making for a bit of fear around ‘what ifs’ or unexpected losses, or that there is always something semi-holding one back, anything from actual physical difficulties to a sense of barriers or a ‘glass ceiling’. The very rules and structure that gave a ladder to climb may have come to feel unreasonably inhibiting, along with an idea that things are ‘unfair’ and that the same restrictions don’t apply to others.

The Water Grand Trine speaks of the way feelings are the conduit for healing and creativity, for the spiritual and the most personalized of skills, and again we see the suggestion that these energies are held down deep, in the individual’s ‘deep down’ beliefs about the Self, or manifesting through familial relationships (Chiron in the 4th) or hidden and revealed in glimpses within dreams, spiritual experiences, interacting with large institutions that ‘confine’ the individual (like hospitals or prisons), or Collective events. So, the feelings hold the key to healing, to finding emotional balance, to accessing creativity and spiritual harmony, and so to creating with as much conscious intention as possible the life direction (NN).

But it’s the Cardinal Grand Cross that really lights this up! The thing with a Cross is that, when one arm is stimulated by transit or other contact, the whole thing lights up–and that means it can be very difficult for an individual to sort the energies out, or to handle them. It may feel like a landslide, with so much triggered at once, bringing forward a disconcerting confusion about why so much is happening at the same time, with the initial response often being a, Why me? as so little that goes down makes sense on the surface.

The Nodal axis is ‘crossed’ by the opposition of Mercury/ Pallas in Libra (wisdom and practicality, learned and offered through relationships) and Jupiter in Aries (belief in the Self! Too, always believing one can figure ‘it’ out on one’s own, or can learn ‘it’ by personal effort and availing oneself of the accumulated knowledge of society–that is, through education). That can also read as what the individual feels/ knows, the inner wisdom, is perpetually to some degree at odds with the ‘knowledge’ of the social order, making it hard for the individual to feel they belong.

The involved Houses are 2, 5, 8, and 11, and when combined with the Cardinal signs say that one’s own actions then form circumstances where things must be developed, calibrated, assessed. This can give a start-stop feeling that may frustrate that Cappy South Node and leave the Cancer North wondering what there really is to care about here, especially as the individual may be asked repeatedly to care about what others do or have, or to offer some sort of nurture or support, when to the individual it seems like it should be the other way around! And indeed it will be, as soon as the individual has put her energy into the needed, caring form.

Looking back 7 years, to the point when one career ended and the next began, we see something revealing: that between the Chiron Return, the proximity of transiting Pluto to conjunction with the South Node, Zeus’ conjunction to Pallas, and Saturn’s conjunction to Venus, the inclination was to ambition fulfillment through real-world means, but what was aimed for was pure South Node! Pluto’s contact made it feel like complete and utter change, but Pluto rules the 12th, cluing us in that what motivated the changes was at the mercy of the unconscious–which of course will work to stay safe, to profit, to gain power, to establish work that fits the dream (Saturn to Venus, ruler of the 6th and 11th)–and safety may have required a contained and conservative effort, rather than one as adventurous as intended. Her 3rd House Aquarian Saturn (thoughts consumed with creating a bright and progressive future, appreciation of the ‘new age’ of communication) was at this time receiving a longer-term transit of Juno (back and forth across the body), suggesting that the individual felt empowered in a real-world sense, believing her ideas had come of age, that it was her time to shine, that the empowerment picture and her place in it had matured–and that’s not wrong.

But, it seems to me that it was the timing of it all that may have thwarted the new start. My message might be this: Without meaning to, you may have followed the South Node, mistaking it for the change you were seeking. The ambitions felt smart and practical (Zeus to Pallas) and it looked like manifesting a prosperous earning situation was can’t miss, when it really may have been simply an echo of older, familiar ways couched in ‘new’ terms. Saturn natally in the 3rd and ruling the South Node may make it especially hard to break away from the past; the individual may do so on the surface, but the unconscious continues to orchestrate things in such a way that retreat may seem to be the only answer. It’s not, of course; a truly new venture may require amounts of feeling, vulnerability, and cooperation that are genuinely challenging to this individual. Now, transiting Uranus opposes Venus, driving home the unsustainability of it all, the unreliability even of the Self, life, and Purpose itself, and makes emotions feel like wild things (Uranus opp ruler of the Moon and Sun), even as Saturn transits the 3rd and prepares in a short while for the second Saturn Return, making the thoughts stubborn things, and making changing the way of thinking difficult, indeed. Surrender may be a concept to contemplate, with Uranus’ eventual sextile to the North Node in about two years potentially bringing illumination to the ‘which way should I go?’ picture.

And a second seeker interested in her North Node:

‘Virgo constellation from Uranographia’ By Johannes Hevelius 1690 {{PD}}

“My North Node in any aspects it makes, because I feel I didn’t figure out how to be of service/my mission/why I’m here anyways? (birth data redacted for privacy)”

Though normally we make some allowances for larger orbs in a natal chart, I’m going to keep it tight in this instance, as the picture is rather crisp and single-themed. This woman’s North Node is in Virgo in the 6th, conjoined Black Moon Lilith, semi-sextile Mars, ruler of the 1st, and trine Sedna. Interesting that she asks about service and her mission, as that’s definitely how Virgo sees things! The sign of service in one of the Houses of service, connected to the House that rules the Self. Add to this the contact to BML=a life direction one may actually try to avoid or ignore, or it may feel like it will stir up rage, if one addresses the injustices one sees–an attempt, perhaps, to just not open that can of worms that holds the key to one’s purpose–and contact to Sedna=again, easy to put the life’s mission in the ‘blind spot’ and ignore the inner knowing, the instincts and promptings. But why would someone want to avoid what they ostensibly seek?

I would assume that inability to pinpoint Purpose centers in a mistaken idea of what serving might ask of the individual, or as we see here, Purpose requiring some time and living to develop–so what kind of service does this chart suggest? Here’s where we see an amazing consistency in the nature of what the NN points toward: service through Virgo and the 6th, with NN ruler Mercury in Scorpio in the 8th of shared resources (opposed Sedna), Merc ruler Pluto conjoined the Sun in Libra–and what is Libra about? Justice! And cooperation/ aiding others, emphasized even further by placement of Sun-Pluto in the 7th of all others. With a NN in Virgo, we see that the Purpose in the largest sense is to serve–and we do that by some form of cooperation (Libra) with others. There’s also a lovely Taurus Moon in the 2nd–nurture as a talent–closely quincunx its own ruler Venus in the 7th in Libra=lifelong adjustment to the feeling nature through relationships–and this may signal that it was necessary for a good part of the life to have already been lived in order to develop a mature, resilient, and empathetic emotional nature, that’s now ready to take on the life’s purpose.

It seems to me this life is about serving either through forms of nurture, or in finding justice for others. This can take many many shapes, from health care or hospice care to forensic accounting to counseling or advocacy for others in court or within government systems to feeding others or finding housing for those without. Research, detective work, medical research or medical practice, tax preparation or administration, court advocacy or law, psychology, couples counseling, probationary officer, helping at-risk youth, nursing, chef, gardener or co-op manager, house mother, writer (concentrating on illuminating human nature, fiction or non-fiction)–I could go on, but the important point is all are in the broadest sense forms of looking for the Truth at the core of life, and in so doing benefiting those with whom one works/ interacts. This can be in formal roles that require training, or in the informal venues of friendship, intimate relationship, or motherhood, but in any case, an ability to think concisely, to follow the facts, to look unflinchingly at darkness but know how to show others the way to the light–that’s what you’ve got going for you–it’s up to you what shape your mission takes, but this service does need to have a public component, to be visible to others, especially others who can affect the fates of those you aid (like judges, doctors, or police, unless that’s the role you take on!) Please don’t feel like you’re getting a late start–you may already have gone in this direction to some degree, and just know that you needed time for what you have to offer to reach it’s full potential.

More to come! Thanks, everyone–

 

 

A Change of Pace

25 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by in astrology, Natal Delineation, Something For You

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I’ll just hang out here while you get your info ready. ‘The Valkyrie’s Vigil’ By Edward Robert Hughes 1906 {{PD}}

Let’s have a change of pace, shall we? The answer to that is Yes, and you can be part of it! I’d like to hear from readers who’d like a particular aspect in their chart discussed. As regular readers know, I do not like to discuss only one facet of a chart–it gives a lopsided and sometimes incorrect picture, when isolated–but with this we combat any distortions by having the aspect discussed as it functions within the whole chart. That means I’ll talk about the aspect, but as it fits into the entire natal picture. Emphasis will be on how it influences areas other than the obvious and expected ones (such as placement by House(s) or sign(s)). Expect about three paragraphs for any specific aspect–not an exhaustive analysis, though I do aim to make it an instructive one.

How do you play along? You can submit the aspect you’d like to hear about plus your complete birth data (stated as local time, date, and place–for example, 5:05 AM 6 March 1983 Los Angeles). It’s important you state the month in a word rather than a number, to avoid confusion (not doing so automatically gets your info discarded). You may also want to include a few words on how you feel this aspect has manifested so far. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SEND COMPLETE INFO–leaving anything out makes it impossible to use.

Allow me plenty of time to choose and write up what comes in. I’ll be accepting entries through the end of April, for this first round. There’s no guarantee your info will be used, but if it is, your name will not be disclosed. I will not be answering individual entries–if it isn’t addressed publicly in this blog, it won’t be. Submit info through the comments section of this post only.

For at least a while I’ll be going to more random posts, covering current aspects or upcoming astro events or analysis of interesting people, rather than a Daily; the last one of those will post on Monday the 27th for Tuesday the 28th. Stay safe out there, dear Readers, and be happy–and if you need to you can do as I have, and mix it up a bit!

 

Finding Joy in the Horoscope

13 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Aspect Delineation, astrology, Consciousness Explored, Something For You, Spiritual Considerations, Transit Effects Explored

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‘Circle Dancing’ By Franz Stuck 1910 {{PD}}

I thought instead of a forecast for the weekend (because I anticipate we’ll all be sorting through the Lunar energies of the Full Moon for a bit), I’m offering a re-print from ECLIPSE, modified and edited slightly. Have a wonderful weekend!

Do you ever have a moment with a stranger? One where your eyes meet and you feel this kind of Soul blending and for a heartbeat of time you completely lose awareness of your surroundings? The moment stretches, and then you fall out of it, as abruptly as it began, usually at the moment you realize how odd it is for you to have locked eyes with a total stranger. It’s funny to think that some of the best moments I’ve ever experienced were brought about by this kind of wordless, ultra-fleeting encounter; what made it pleasant were two conditions that gurus are constantly telling us we need to cultivate: losing awareness of the Self, and losing spiritual boundaries, in the sense that you lose not just the consciousness of yourself as separate, but feel a distinctly boundary-less connectedness, a Oneness with All That Is, because in truth, when you are having this kind of experience, you are not just one with the stranger, you are one with everything.

Neither of these, the loss of Self-awareness or the sense of connection, can be commanded consciously. We may well ask, why do we not share many, or any, of these moments with people we already know? It doesn’t happen for a very simple reason: because we have imposed a thick lens of expectations, anticipations, imaginings, and the past onto the individuals we know, and it keeps us from connecting on that pure level. Sometimes, of course, spirit manages to leak through the illusions each has imposed upon the other, and we do have that moment of perfect harmony, perfect awareness—but not often, and certainly not as often as we’d like with our most intimate relationships.

Of course, there are ways to encourage such experiences, as through meditation (an attempt to set Self-consciousness aside), in sleep (through dreams, where the unconscious, and so our connections to the Cosmos, become prominent), and in the practice of seeing without that imposed lens, which can only be dealt with consciously, moment-to-moment—something the Seeker strives for continually. We can note the propensity for such experiences, as well as the likely venues or circumstances during which we may experience them, through the House placement of related energies; more on that in a moment.

‘Young Man and Woman’ By Charles W. Hawthorne 1915 {{PD}}

There is another kind of communion with a stranger, one where the connection sparks from observing or being involved in a mutually shared experience, usually starting in a shared remark, an answer, and an understanding. This typically leads to the temporary loss of boundaries between the two spirits involved; we share the experience through a common event, a shared observation or connection that is like an acknowledgment: “Yes, we have shared the same thing, at the same time, we understand each other”. This does not often have the purity of the Soul-to-Soul encounter, but does include the feeling of connectedness; in this instance, we don’t lose the sense of separateness, but do feel the link to others. These often have the character of Jupiter (the social scene), Uranus (a group experience), or Neptune (the ‘mass’ experience, shared with a very large group).

The more intimate, Soul-to-Soul, boundary-less moments can be characterized by transiting bodies making contact to natal bodies, with the area of experience delineated either by the House transited and/ or by the House matters ruled by the contacted body. For instance, Ceres transiting the 4th square Uranus in the 1st in Virgo, ruling the 6th, can bring a harsh experience or surprise from Nature (the square) that reflects the health, or comes from or affects the job or duties (6th) but that could result in a transcendent moment that illuminates one’s connection to Nature, that even shows one how much a seamless part of Nature we truly are as human Beings. It’s the real-life Circle of Life, and during our brief experience we are at One with it. Or, this same contact could bring forward a deep inner sense of natural authority (Ceres) that is expressed as higher knowledge or through taking an academic or innovative (Uranus) approach on the job or toward health (6th).

I think of these moments, even when instigated by less-than-pleasant happenings or triggers, as points of Joy in the chart, potential times of learning and transcendence. Here are a few of the possible associations that will help you find the potentials in your own chart. Whether the contacts are transiting, Solar Arc, Secondary Progression, or natal, they all carry the ability to offer those fleeting times of perfection in relating to All That Is.

The inner planets offer some obvious entrance points to joy when contacted by transit, though as transiting elements themselves they typically must aspect one of the ‘heavier’ energies (Jupiter out) in order to have the potential for this specific kind of impact—and of course, those contacts are most fleeting. The Moon speaks of joy gained through emotional experience or intuited in purest form, the Sun through expression of the identity or Soul Purpose, Mercury through communicating something we consider important, Venus through Love or the experience of reward or expression of values, and Mars through taking action or a statement of ‘I Am’.

The asteroids act as more narrow conduits, and in the case of Sedna the body moves very slowly, prolonging the contact to a natal body. Sedna aspecting a natal body brings long-term experiences of the depths of the contacted energy that takes us close to life-death-life, probably repeatedly and in many forms.

Ceres signals joy gained through expression of authority, power, connection to Nature, nurture of what ‘belongs’ to you, or negotiation, Vesta through gestures involving those energies to which we are dedicated, the home and mate, through what we regard as sacred, Pallas through use of practical skills or innate wisdom, Juno through circumstances of empowerment or status, and Zeus through realization of ambitions and desires.

Jupiter offers the joy of expanding one’s world or experience, as well as the joy gained from acceptance on the social scene. It also signifies the joy of knowledge, the desire to ‘know just to know’ and the association of this energy with ancestry and the past, as Jupiter carries the kind of information that relies on the accumulated knowledge of those who came before.

Saturn offers the joy of reality, as well as the intangible joy of accomplishment. Sometimes we denigrate the material world, mistakenly believing that it’s inferior to the spiritual. In such an instance our definition of spiritual is lacking: the material world is the spiritual world, as much as the unseen factors are. When we look at our material surroundings and physical manifestations and happenings as indeed spiritual, we open up an entirely new way of relating to the material—and we begin to see the infinite in the finite, in what can be held in the hand.

Uranus offers the joy of surprise, the joy of the new, the joy of awakening, intellectually or otherwise, and has the unique ability to give us the experience of leadership and individuality at the same time as it can blend us perfectly with the group.

Neptune offers the joy of creation, with the manifestation of what one has only dreamed or imagined, the potential of living one’s ideals, and holds the most promise for the boundary-less experience, as does anything related to the matters of the House that contains Pisces.

Pluto offers the joy of renewal, of change, of the end of something painful or arduous, and the joy of phoenix-like transformation, with re-birth as the ultimate expression of pure hope, with a sense of hope bringing the greatest joy of all.

Catch Friday night’s Full Moon report here–

Finding Your Cinderella Point

24 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by in astrology, Astrology and Identity, Consciousness Explored, Something For You, Spiritual Considerations

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By Jennie Harbour {{PD}}

A little Saturday night reading, from a 2013 ECLIPSE, though it seems just as timely today. I’ll return in a few days with an example of the Cinderella Point; the original article used someone not widely seen, anymore, so didn’t seem relevant for now.

Considering all that’s going on in the world, you may wonder why I came up with this topic, as if we’re all sitting around, idly wondering about our spiritual ‘G’ spot! It’s precisely at times crowded with outrageous and inexplicable events and confusing outcomes that we can really use a little something that will cut through the clutter and be both rewarding and purposeful–and something I will, for now, call your Cinderella point, is just that kind of answer to an unasked question.

The Cinderella fable, more or less as we know it today, serves as a template for this exploration, in large part because this story connects the dots between experiential energies in the natal chart–and this is so for men or women–and shows us a point or set of energy interactions that may catapult us to the next level. It also has the benefit of re-focusing our attention at a personal level–my sense is that many of us have been so distracted by events outside ourselves that we’ve lost an appropriate personal focus, one that keeps us aware of ourselves within the context of the world, rather than leaving us feeling we’re at the mercy of it, or making us so defensively Self-focused that we fuss and demand and end up unsatisfied, grabbing the wrong things in an attempt to assuage the bombardment of hurt we seem perpetually to be under.

The story goes like so: the central character, Cinderella (the Soul) lives in squalor in the confines of a splendid house (our earthly circumstances, and the surrounding nature/ the world), having ‘lost’ her father/ protector (awareness of our connection to the Divine, and our difficulty accepting that the connection is vital and alive, no matter how separated we seem to be-this can also be our connection to ourselves as part of Nature, or as part of the Cosmos) and under the auspices of a stepmother (mundane matters). The stepsisters are all those things we serve, those things that keep us running but that don’t replenish us; they represent the demands of our existence, the ones we believe are essential, but that really aren’t. The fairy godmother can be the Universe/ God, or something more prosaic, like ‘luck’ (but then we don’t really believe in luck, do we? We can call it synchronicity or timing or Providence, if we like that better), or the helping hand of another, especially of someone who is in a position to provide something you can’t. The ball is opportunity, showing ourselves and our talents to our best advantage, on whatever stage life affords us. The Prince is the opportunity that is just right for us; he does not represent an actual human or circumstance that will ‘rescue’ us from our current life, but is instead a chance for us to elevate ourselves and our expression, a chance to take the place only the Soul can adequately conceptualize (it’s the old idea that the Universe can have much more or much better in store for us than we are capable of imagining ourselves!)

So why does Cinderella run from the ball? She doesn’t want the Prince to know who she really is; she doesn’t believe she is ‘enough’, just as she exists. She doesn’t really have a clear Self-identity. She’s not a person in her own right, but always seen in a role in connection to others: servant, step-relation, critical target. She is aware that her fancy facade lasts for a limited time. Her appearance will lose its enhanced trappings and return to its modest origins on the stroke of midnight. She puts too much value on appearances, and shows a lack of faith in the Universe by believing that she will be rejected for the ‘new role’ if she is seen for who she is–she is projecting her own beliefs, making the assumption that the world shares her standard of judgment. This perfectly describes our own typical response to opportunity that will bring us to the next level, that will allow us to shine:  we present ourselves in what we think is our best guise, secretly believing we are not up to the challenge, in fact believing that we will be rejected if we don’t pretend to be other than we are.

You’ll recall, though, that unlike the rest of her clothing, Cinderella’s glass slippers don’t change back; she loses one on the steps as she flees, and it doesn’t turn back into her sensible loafer, but retains its magical substance. This suggests two things:  that even the experience of presenting ourselves under an idealized guise changes us, and in particular changes the foundation on which we stand (behaving as if what we want is already true); and, the way the glass slippers remain says that this is the right role–otherwise, the shoe wouldn’t fit. So, the glass slippers act as a direct message both to the Prince, who finds the shoe, recognizes it as Cinderella’s, and knows to seek the person for whom this is exactly right, and to Cinderella, that the elevated experience is indeed both real and attainable, perfect for her, that in fact this experience is actually seeking her out–she’s attracting what she’s meant to do.

So what in the chart can lead us to that Cinderella moment of realization, a knowing about the direction our life must take and the role we must play? What combination leads us to our own elevation, and so inevitably to the purpose of our Soul’s incarnation in the first place? We start with the Sun, of course, as the Soul Purpose and also principle identity indicator–however, not everyone sees themselves chiefly in the Sun–a male may identify more with Mars and a female with Venus, particularly if that male is an Aries Sun, or that female is a Taurus or Libra Sun, or Sun conjunct Mars or Venus, respectively, in any sign–but there are also those who center their identity in the Moon (those who see themselves in the main as sensitives, before anything else, or those who see themselves mainly in nurturing or mothering roles), and there are those who identify with their Ascendant–these are typically very outgoing individuals who are all about how they meet the world–it’s a little bit like a constant collision for them, so they may focus their viewpoint strongest through the sign on the Ascendant degree. A very few may take to Jupiter (teacher) or Chiron (healer), but neither of these should be worn full-time as a main identity (when looking from the inside out, back at yourself), so if that’s where you are drawn I would ask that you consider there is probably another of the already-mentioned bodies that is actually more suitable–of course, there will be exceptions to this, too.

Though it may seem like we’re all over the map with identity matters, we can’t underestimate the importance of allowing individuals to Self-identify when it comes to what energies they resonate with, despite my above warning. It would be naive to believe that everyone identifies most strongly with their Sun; instead, we allow for the idea that individuals may ‘live through’ various portions of the chart at different stages of life–or that for some, another energy will just beckon more strongly,such as in the instance of response to the Sun’s ruler, rather than the Sun itself. This process in general of finding the Cinderella point is quite loose; don’t expect a cut-and-dried formula–that would deny the great variety within human nature, and make things pretty boring, to boot!

Once we determine where our identity lies in the chart, we will want to locate the other ideas, players, or concepts, and see how they relate to our principal identity indicator. The earthly circumstances are centered in the Earth itself, always directly opposite the Sun, and secondarily in Saturn, which generally stands for all mundane matters, as well as things that control us (the stepmother), including our fears. The God/ Universe concept and our separation may be outlined by Vesta, or may, especially for those who identify with bodies other than the Sun, be found in the Sun, suggesting that for these individuals, the Cinderella moment involves moving back toward the Soul Purpose, as defined by our Solar placement.

The ball may be represented by Jupiter, as the expanded personal stage found on the social scene, or Uranus, if we are drawn to a role within a group, or conversely, if we find a big part of our identity in isolation or rebellion. The Prince is opportunity tailor-made for us–and likely is indicated by transit, Secondary Progression, or Solar Arc of featured energies in the chart, i.e. those that are prominent and obviously rule important life matters. The character of these may also be suggested by the 8th House, both the state of the ruler of the sign on the cusp and anything posited therein, because the 8th shows us the support we can expect from others, and by the 10th, which can suggest those authorities who may be significant to our career or status, and the glass slipper–oh yes, even this can be found in the chart!–is likely related to matters of the House with Pisces on the cusp (the sign of feet!) or is described by Mercury (he of winged feet). Those things blocking our direct understanding of our Divine connection, and so our Divine mission, may be signified by Chiron, Saturn, or possibly Neptune, if he is in a position that suggests he’s more about obscuring the view than inspiring the individual, or could be suggested by any hard aspects of bodies to the Sun or to the chosen identity indicator.

You may feel hopelessly lost at this point, drowning in details. We’ll walk through an examples here.  You’ll see that we must be flexible, and also a bit unconventional, in forming ideas about what might offer us true opportunity to what we’re meant to do, and so re-connect us with the Divine. We musn’t be afraid to edit concepts to fit reality, and to turn on a dime, should we find a theory unworkable–otherwise, how useful would astrology be? We must remember that the Cinderella point will for some be found in a role, for some in action, for some in acceptance of who they really are by others, and for still others it could entail taking a completely unexpected turn, but for every single person, it starts with Self-acceptance–remembering our Divine connection means we will be willing to appear at the ball as we are–only then will efforts be meaningful, and fulfillment a real possibility.

Weekend Special

06 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by in Something For You

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‘The Cafe Singer’ Edgar Degas 1877 {{PD}}

If you were ever thinking of getting a Horary or single-subject consult from me, but were waiting for a discount, now’s your chance. For three days only (the duration of the rest of this campaign) donate $25 or more to the production of this musical, and get a Horary/ single-subject reading from me OR get a $35 credit on a larger purchase. Just let me know you donated, and expect me to check with the project sponsors, then off we’ll go! Offer ends Sunday the 8th 9 PM Pacific time.

Forecast for the 6th-7th here, and the upcoming eclipses are here–thanks!

What Is Intuition?

07 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Recognizing Intuition, Something For You

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Another re-print from ECLIPSE.

Intuition is something we all have and that we all use, but it’s not necessarily something we are conscious of, or recognize when it’s in play.  Intuition is easily mislabeled; fear, ego, want, or the mind can jump in and convince us that the urge is one of pure information, and intuitive insight, rather than the biased wish, thought, or frightened assumption it really is. How do we recognize real intuition when it arrives? Here are some points that help sort the intuitive inspiration from everything else:

Intuition is instantaneous  We don’t gradually come to an intuitive insight, nor do we cogitate our way there; it’s like a little ‘ping’ inside us that is not centralized in the mentality but fills the awareness.

Synchronicity signals  These needn’t be related directly to the intuitive insight; instead, synchronicities act as a signal that we are traveling along the Path with our senses ‘wide open’, and thus that we are open to those connections, leaps of logic, and ‘right assumptions’ we must make spurred by the intuitive insight.

Not willed, but allowed  Intuition doesn’t appear on command–we can’t will ourselves to have an intuitive insight, and we can’t plan ahead for one. We can allow them to happen–but that involves paying attention every time they do–and too often we will judge them, then push them aside with one rationale or another (“But I’m already committed to ‘x’, I can’t change now!” “Everyone will laugh at me if I bring this up” “That contradicts the way things seem to be!”) We must honor and follow the intuitive prompts we are offered–don’t, and the well goes dry–or at least narrows to a trickle.

Intuition comes whole By that I mean it arrives in the awareness all of a piece, not straggling in bit by bit. However, this is no guarantee that an intuition will hand you what you consider a complete answer or detailed Path. It’s not uncommon to be given a ‘next step’ with no idea of where it will lead, or proof that it’s ‘right’–that’s where our own trust in the Universe comes in, with trust in the Cosmos tantamount to trust in our intuition.

Intuition refrains from bias  Even though an intuition can be highly definitive, pointing very strongly to one point of action or attitude, it does not carry heavy condemnation of other potentials. If we find ourselves wallowing in how bad the varied possibilities except for the one we’ve chosen, then we are likely involved in some sort of ego-persuasive reasoning, not intuition. Intuition gives a ‘clean’ perception that does not waste energy denigrating other options. Period.

Intuition does not spur fantasy  In fact, intuition removes a great deal of the impetus to extrapolate–after we receive and act on a true intuition, we are likely to be in a continued state of openness, one that accepts all possibilities and waits for some indication of what’s to come, rather than pushing forward into a state of ‘I want’.

Intuition rarely presents as words/ a thought  Those who have strong influences from Venus, Neptune, Cancer, or Pisces in the natal chart will know what I’m talking about, while those with a lot of Air or Earth may not be so quick to understand: typically something that presents in words/ a thought is an idea, not an intuition. Remember how I said it comes into the awareness whole and immediate? We may then translate that into words and thought–but if it starts that way, it’s more likely the mind, putting in its two cents–that’s not bad, it’s just not intuition “

 

A New Year’s Wish For You For 2018

31 Sunday Dec 2017

Posted by in health, Something For You, Spiritual Considerations

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By Nicodemusgold – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54297561

Here’s my New Year’s wish for every one of you: that you make no resolutions for 2018. Here’s why: we must stop seeing ourselves as ‘works in progress’ and start treating ourselves as if we are already adequate to do whatever we dream of, to face whatever we need to. There’s no need to gather courage, resolve to be better in some way, to put off living and doing, or try to ‘clean up’ some area of your life. Perfection is not a goal, it’s an artificial (and static) state, so stop yearning for it; it only prompts judgment, guilt, suffering, and ultimately, rejection of ourselves. We are not perfect, and never will be, but we are perfectly lovable the way we are–so love yourself, be open to receiving love from others, and have a wonderful 2018! Thus endeth the homily 🙂

Scroll down for the Full Moon–