Monday, July 29, 2013

July 29, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ 3rd-Quarter Moon in Taurus


July 29 ~ 3rd-Quarter Moon at 6 degrees, 45 minutes of Taurus

Here we are, again, at another critical moment of waning energy at the 3rd-quarter moon phase.  We are experiencing a possible CRISIS IN CONSCIOUSNESS.  What happens when you reach your goals in the external world?  What happens when you fail to reach your intended goals?  After failure or success, it is then time to come to terms with WHAT IT ALL MEANS.  Has experience taught you something new?  Have your beliefs been challenged?  Are you uncertain about what comes next?  This is all a part of the waning 3rd-quarter moon energy.  It is a time to let go of what has come before and reorient your consciousness in preparation for a new cycle.  At this time, you may not be able to move forward with external plans as clearly, swiftly or with the certainty with which you would prefer.  And this gives you an opportunity to clarify your inner world of consciousness and belief.  The planetary energies are forming a beautiful but brief GRAND SEXTILE.  This grand sextile is made up of two GRAND TRINES; one is in Earth Signs (material matters), and the other is in Water Signs (emotional matters).  Eight of the 10 planets (this includes the Sun and Moon) are participating in the grand sextile.  This symbolizes a great deal of energy that is flowing harmoniously and stimulating new and exciting possibilities.  Even though there are also a few oppositions (polarization) and squares (conflict) that are occurring at the same time, there is a great deal of support for integration of the more intense and challenging aspects.  Put another way; current challenges and tensions are forcing us to grow and evolve, while the new patterns are finding many pathways through which to express and manifest themselves in our psyches and physical realities.  This could be the time where you experience a great deal more insight into the larger patterns of your life and more understanding for current relationships and experiences.  You might also be able to flow around and through challenges with greater ease.  I also get the sense that through this grand, geometric, sky-pattern, our friends in Spirit are able to infuse our planetary collective with more vibrations of peace, patience, adaptability, softness, harmony, fluidity and tolerance.  Therefore, we might have an easier time of calling upon these qualities within ourselves, even when the going gets rough.  INTEGRATION is the keyword for this particular lunar phase.  We all have the opportunity to move to new levels of peace and harmony within, even as the external world is in chaos and confusion.  Give yourself time to reflect on your own personal shifts in consciousness and to understand what messages are there for you.  This will help to bring you to the perfect place from which to launch into the next cycle of activity that begins with the Leo New Moon in one week.

~ Old Sage

Thursday, July 25, 2013

July 25, 2013 ~ Sage Insight: "Love Is Not What You Think It Is" ...



Love is not what you think it is.  It is much more.  Just when you think you have a handle on it, it teaches you its deeper teachings.  There will always be more to learn.  Remain open to love's teachings, and your evolutionary journey will inspire, transform and enlighten you.

~ Old Sage

Monday, July 22, 2013

July 22, 2013 ~ Lunar Reflections ~ Super Full Moon in Aquarius


July 22 ~ Super Full Moon at 00 degrees, 5 minutes of Aquarius

The energies have reached their peak at this Full Moon in Aquarius.  The month of July has been a watery and dreamy month.  Emotions, nurturing and intimate bonding have taken the lead, as the Sun and many other planets have been traveling through the intuitive sign of Cancer.  We have moved past the climax of the days' light, which was reflected by the Solstice, and now we are moving into longer and longer nights.  We are fast approaching harvest time, which is also a theme during the time of the Full Moon.  Full Moons bring COMPLETIONS, CLOSURE, AWARENESS and ILLUMINATION.  At the Full Moon, we either see the harvest of our previous actions, or we see failure and collapse of our plans and relationships.  It is a time of great feeling and emotion, for good or bad.  But if we can allow ourselves to move into our higher perspectives, to detach from the overly-personalized and dramatic ways of looking at the events that can occur during this lunar phase, then we can be illuminated and enlightened about the "mistakes" of yesterday and the potentials of tomorrow.  The Full Moon in Aquarius brings even more of an emphasis on illumination and enlightenment.  Aquarius is the sign of the rebel, the eccentric, the genius, the bringer of knowledge that will help to enlighten collective consciousness.  Aquarius is highly intuitive and regularly receives flashes of brilliant insight that help it to envision more fulfilling futures for all.  Aquarius wants freedom from cultural conditioning and the status-quo.  It wants to become fully individualized and to manifest its unique self in the world.  It knows that being true to itself is the best way to support the collective in moving forward.  At this time, your own uniqueness will be calling for your embrace and love.  You will be getting many intuitive flashes of awareness that help you to see yourself with more clarity.  Friendship is very important to Aquarius, as well, and this time will emphasize becoming more aware of your TRIBE and those people and groups where there is mutual acceptance and encouragement for being authentic and real.  You may be made more aware of just how different you are from some others around you, especially if those others are asleep and following the false security of cultural conditioning and imprinting.  This is a time to celebrate your eccentricities, for your eccentricities are a part of your genius!  Saturn (hard-work) is squaring the Sun and Moon and supporting us in getting real about our unique gifts:  how we have already shared them and how we will continue to share them in the future.  And the Grand Water-Trine (which peaked last Wednesday) is continuing to support us, as well.  This Grand Trine would be underscoring the potential for greater intuitive and psychic awareness of how and where we will be channeling our gifts in the near future.  If you find yourself disappointed with the results of your efforts at this time, feel the feelings, but don't over-indulge or wallow in them, or you might might miss a very supportive stream of information coming to you from your INNER SELF.  So let it go and breathe deep into the NOW.  Give yourself a moment to relax, receive all the connections and ENJOY BEING YOU.  You will be able to begin again with new awareness two weeks from now at the New Moon in Leo.

~ Old Sage

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

July 17, 2013 ~ Sage Insight: "Learning to Love" ...


  

You've got creativity to spare.  You ARE creativity manifest!  Never doubt your inherent creative nature.  You are creating consciously or unconsciously.  Another way of saying this is that you are either asleep or awake.  Take full responsibility for all of your creations, and you stand wide awake as a creator.  Blame others and you fall back into sleep.  If you are frustrated with your creation, choose again.  You are learning to create consciously and be awake.  Another way of saying this is that you are learning to LOVE.

~ Old Sage

Monday, July 15, 2013

July 15, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ 1st-Quarter Moon in Libra


July 15 ~ 1st-Quarter Moon at 23 degrees, 46 minutes Libra

This 1st-quarter moon in Libra may be a bit "softer" than the usual 1st-quarter lunar phase energy.  1st-quarter moons signal times of CRISIS IN ACTION.  These are times when our ideals and plans meet their first tangible walls and obstacles, and we have the opportunity to push forward and adapt to real-world factors, if we want to continue nurturing our plans and dreams.  It's not that this particular moon-sun combination will be without any friction, it's just that there are some mitigating factors that might help to smooth-out any conflicts.  The Libra Moon is ruled by Venus currently in the sign of Leo.  Both the Moon and Venus are receptive, cheerful planets, and they both seek fulfilling and pleasurable bonds with others.  Add the influences of the signs Libra and Leo, and there might be a party or two thrown into the mix!  This is a very social energy that wants to mix-n-mingle with others while having a good time.  The Sun (and three other planets-Mercury, Jupiter and Mars), however, is in the more introspective and home-loving sign of Cancer.  There could be a conflict of interests at this time between parts of yourself or between you and others.  One side may feel that getting out and networking is the way to carry ideals and plans forward, while the other side may feel that it is time to go within and seek and wait for guidance before taking more action in the "outside" world.  The Cancer parts of you may just need some quiet time at home and some reassurance that everything will be ok, while the Libra and Leo parts will want to be playing a more active part in making dreams come true.  The two sides will need to talk it out and come to an agreement.  Both sides will have to get their needs met in order to contribute to any forward motion.  The probabilities for coming to workable agreements are high.  The Moon in Libra is said to "rule" all of the planets in the sign of Cancer, which means that the Cancer planets may be more willing to hear Libra's side of things without feeling threatened.  And Libra is all about cooperation and harmony, anyway, which also softens the potential friction of this square.  Another softening factor is Jupiter exalted in Cancer (expansive nurturing) in a Grand Water-Trine with Neptune in Pisces (spiritual consciousness) and Saturn in Scorpio (concentrated regeneration).  Empathy levels could be high at the moment, which could go a long way to easing any tensions.  We are definitely continuing to do deep work, here, as Saturn is again moving direct in the sign of Scorpio.  Whatever we have transformed and healed inwardly while Saturn was retrograde, we will now be bringing out into the light.  This could mean that we have reached some conclusions about the current circumstances and relationships that exist, and we are ready to make some changes that could be tough on all parties.  But it would be clear that these changes need to be made in order to continue growing and expanding.  We are still in the midst of the decade-long, revolutionary and evolutionary Pluto/Uranus square.  Without friction, there is no growth.  If you are noticing conflict, friction and challenges at this time, and feeling like obstacles are getting in the way of the fulfillment of your intentions, pause to see how you can soften the edges of these seeming interruptions and intrusions.  Look to see if you are needing to retreat to a secure home-base within or without in order to nurture yourself (Cancer), and look to see how you might be able to take your mind off of it, at times, by having a good time with friends and/or meeting new people (Libra and Leo).  At this time, there will likely be a time and a place for both methods, and it will be up to you to creatively and compassionately integrate both and use this new wholeness to move forward.

~ Old Sage

Monday, July 8, 2013

July 8, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ New Moon in Cancer


July 8 ~ New Moon at 16 degrees, 17 minutes of Cancer

Water, water, WATER!  At this new moon, 6 planets are in the emotional, intuitive and dreamy water signs: Jupiter, Sun, Moon and Mercury are in nurturing Cancer, Neptune is in soulful Pisces and Saturn is in penetrating Scorpio.  We begin our first lunar cycle of the summer with an abundance of support for FEELING and INTUITING our way forward.  Dreams are heightened, now, along with the messages they bring from the unconscious.  Empathy and compassion are also in great focus.  It is time to CONNECT deeply to ourselves and others and fully accept that we are not alone on this journey.  It is time to be with cherished friends and family, to enjoy shared blessings and to let already close bonds grow even deeper.  This time is about FAMILY, however we may define it.  Jupiter is exalted in the sign of Cancer and leading the way into an expanded sense of family during this time of personal and collective revolution.  As the energies of the Pluto/Uranus square continue to intensify and propel us forward into a new era of collective evolutionary manifestation, we will need all of the support from family that we can get.  Cancer's wisdom paves the way to a collective sense of family, the one WORLD FAMILY of which we are all a part.  But we will continue to undergo dramatic upheaval and revolution before we reach this ideal across the board.  At this new moon, there are intense energies striving to be integrated and used with more consciousness.  The Cancer planets oppose Pluto in Capricorn and reflect the imbalance of power that currently exists between the smaller units of family (Cancer) versus the power of the "state" (Capricorn).  At this time, we may be feeling powerless against the vast networks of corruption that currently exist within the major corporations, but at the same time, we are realizing our own power to affect change from our small little spheres-of-family that we cultivate.  While this polarization (and eventual integration) is being emphasized in consciousness, we are also being "awakened" by Uranus squaring this above-mentioned opposition.  Uranus continues to bring shocks, interruptions, surprises, disruptions and unexpected events that serve to break down the rigid structures, personally and collectively, that no longer serve the evolutionary desires of the WORLD SOUL.  We may all be feeling the need to retreat into the rescuing arms of family, but find ourselves continuously being drawn out into the wider world of family, so that we are forced to realize the impact of our participation in the community.  Still in the background of this intense theme of growth through conflict, is the grand water trine between Neptune (universal love), Saturn (structure and form) and Jupiter (expansion).  This harmonious aspect is reminding us to DREAM, to IMAGINE, to refine those IDEALS that we will spend the next few years working towards manifesting.  And we are also being reminded to remember our INTERCONNECTEDNESS TO ALL.  Our sense of CONNECTION to ourselves, others and the world around us, will determine how we continue to move through this intense time of change.  How do our individual goals affect and align with the greater collective?  How do we experience ourselves as one big family?  What is our role within the family?  These are all questions that we will be pondering more and more as this lunar cycle unfolds.

~ Old Sage

Monday, July 1, 2013

June 29, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ Last-Quarter Moon in Aries



June 29 ~ Last-Quarter moon at 8 degrees, 34 minutes of Aries

With this last-quarter moon, the heavens continue to reflect an interesting mix of dissonance and harmony.  Although the main theme of CRISIS IN CONSCIOUSNESS is still the focus for this last-quarter moon, it seems this may be the quiet before the storm that may come later in July.  How you experience this waning lunar-solar energy will depend on how well you have been cooperating with the historic and revolutionary Pluto-square-Uranus energies, as well as how comfortable you are with the great "waters" of life.  This last-quarter moon is in feisty Aries and very close to Uranus (rebellion).  This is "full-steam-ahead" energy, and a "let's-get-there in-the-most-surprising-and-adventurous-way-possible" kind of energy!  This energy conflicts with an opposition between Pluto (power & control) and the Sun (life-force) and Jupiter (expansion).  These planets are forming a cardinal T-SQUARE in the sky.  Cardinal signs like to initiate activities and deal with crises, but they all like to do it in a different way: Aries wants to do it NOW, Cancer wants to do it at it's own pace and without upsetting anyone, and Capricorn wants to to do it slowly, methodically and preferably in such a way that it can be the boss.  What will be the outcome when all of these leaders get together in the same room and begin to stake their claim?  The jury is still out on this one, but there is another factor to consider that may be a calming element within the approaching storm; the Sun/Jupiter end of the t-square is also a part of a GRAND WATER TRINE that also includes Neptune (compassion) and Saturn (form).  Whereas the t-square represents conflict and tension, the grand trine symbolizes ease and harmony.  Thus, the foreground energies during this lunar phase are tense and catalytic while the background energies are flowing and expansive.  These major planetary themes will be increasing in strength over the course of July, and it will be interesting to see how we navigate these unpredictable waters.  As last-quarter moons always herald the time during the lunar cycle when it is better to contemplate and reflect on where we have been and where we may be going, rather than to push-through uncertain circumstances with forced action, this watery and reflective grand trine energy would seem to have a special focus at this time.  While the "crisis in consciousness" theme is asking us to reorient ourselves and let go of what we thought we knew, the grand water trine is supporting us in "tuning-in" to the subtle messages that are coming from the unconscious.  We will get nowhere with a forceful approach to solving problems at this time.  We must let our intuition sort through the inner and outer conflicts and guide us as to how to bring integration and resolution to energies that are pulling in many different directions.  Mercury has also begun its retrograde journey in the intuitive sign of Cancer, which would also support our slowing down and taking time to reflect on and review what has come to pass over the past few months.  By week's end, we will come to the new moon in Cancer when we will be fully submerged in its emotionally deep and charged waters.  After that entrance, it might be more challenging to simply flow with these intense energies without reacting powerfully to unfolding events.  The transformational energies of the second half of the year are quickly gathering momentum.  But for now, wade quietly in the waters of your own imagination and receive all the subtle messages you will need in order to navigate the rest of the month of July and the rest of the year in a space of confidence and calm.

~ Old Sage