November 17, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ Full Moon in Taurus

Nov 17 ~ Full Moon at 25 degrees, 16 minutes of Taurus

Give yourself a moment of rest, of pause, of simplicity.  One way to do this is to bring yourself back to your body.  Feel your body supported by the chair, couch, bed, floor, grass and/or Earth underneath you.  Feel the breath of life moving through you and the subtle rise and fall of your abdomen.  Notice the air around you and on your skin, its temperature and your body's reaction to the warmth, heat, cool, cold or "just-right-ness" of it.  Are there any areas of tension or discomfort in your body?  If so, breathe into those spaces, and invite them to relax and open so that they can be nourished by the life-force pulsing through your body.  Stretch and let your body move in a way that feels good and pleasurable for you.  Let your hands caress and stroke those areas of your body that feel like they just need some loving care and attention-the healing power of simple, caring touch.

No matter what the circumstances of your life at present, no matter what challenges you must overcome or what problems you think you need to solve, you can connect to the simple miraculous phenomenon of your body existing in this moment, running quite smoothly without your having to make it happen.

It is happening.  You are happening.  Enjoy yourself.  Have a bite to eat-something that pleases you-and savor every moment of it.  Listen to the sounds within and without.  See all the amazing light reflecting off of all the surfaces around you.  Let yourself be quiet and still.  Simply BE.

Taurus reflects the wisdom that is inherent in the simplicity of the body and Mother Nature.  Peace is found in simply being, existing and appreciating the beauty of it all in this moment.

Without these moments of quiet, stillness, rest and appreciation, we lose ourselves in all the activity.  This full moon gives an opportunity to put all of the current evolutionary intensity and striving into perspective.  Let some doors close that have to do with dismissing your own need for self-care, rest, quiet, peace, stillness, and any denial that YOUR BEING AND BECOMING ARE QUITE ENOUGH.

When things get hectic or overwhelming in the next two weeks, bring yourself back to the breath and your body.  Breathe and be quiet and still.  Even if your body is in pain, some effort to do this can bring you some relief.

Key Astrological Alignments
* Nov 20 ~ Chiron Stations Direct (Integrating Healing & Applying Transcendent Wisdom)
* Nov 22 ~ Sun enters Sagittarius (Support for Exploring & Expanding Philosophical Awareness)

We are fast approaching the holidays and the end of the year, and there is support for the expansion of our awareness and understanding of just how far we have come.  The evolutionary and revolutionary alignment of Pluto (power) and Uranus (liberation) continues to propel us forward (sometimes kicking and screaming!) into deeper and broader awareness and growth, while we are still feeling the intense transformational energies that were awakened two weeks ago at the eclipsed new moon in Scorpio.  With Chiron stationing direct in Pisces, and the Sun moving into Sagittarius, THE NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS itself is being highlighted.  Consciousness seeks EXPERIENCE, LEARNING and EXPANSION.  With some conscious relaxation and reflection, as we head into the new year, we can be grateful for the journey and all that we have come to experience and learn.  We can recognize that this year's journey, with all of its challenges and opportunities, has helped us to expand.  We can thank it all, and begin to prepare for a whole new cycle of potential expansion that is about to dawn.

Tarot Reflections ~ Knight of Cups
Remember: IT IS ALL FOR LOVE.  One moment of love given or received makes the journey worth it.  The answer to every question or problem is love.  And remember to include yourself in your own loving embrace.

November 3, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ Eclipsed New Moon in Scorpio

Nov 3 ~ Eclipsed New Moon at 11 degrees, 13 minutes Scorpio

Feel all of the energies moving in your body, heart and mind.  There are forces deep within that are driving the movement of these energies.  They are wanting to find a new balance through a new authenticity of expression and being.  You may feel pushed and pulled, stressed (in a good or bad way), on edge, charged, anxious.  This is because the evolutionary call toward expansion and true fulfillment is in dramatic focus at this time.  "BE ALL YOU CAN BE" is one way to describe this inner calling.  And this force is hitting up against old patterns of limitation and wounding that need to be cleared, balanced and healed before you can truly move forward into the expansion that beckons you.  The sign Scorpio asks for nothing less that COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION.  Death is required and seen as a natural part of evolution.  An ego death must occur.  A surrendering to the inner Self is called for, and then the true POWER can be tapped and used to create new relationships, new creative opportunities, new material foundations, new everything.

Many new doors are opening, and these are doorways into much deeper alignment with your soul and soul purpose.  It is an intense time that rewards hard work and effort towards personal transformation with a deep wisdom of the creative process and the deep wisdom of LETTING GO.

Scorpio's domain is INTENSE RESEARCH AND PROBING INTO THE DEPTHS TO UNCOVER HIDDEN TREASURES, INTIMACY, TABOO, EXPLORATION OF POWER/HELPLESSNESS, DEATH, MYSTERY, PSYCHOLOGY, TRANSFORMATION and HEALING.

So at this time, some or all of the above may be highlighted, either the negative side of these matters or the positive.  At the negative end of the spectrum there might be FEAR OF DEATH/CHANGE and a deep anxiety over what cannot be quite understood or controlled.  These fears lead to secrecy, manipulation and abuse of power in order to control what cannot be controlled.  The positive end of the spectrum reveals deep resources of COURAGE, HEALING ENERGY, POWER and INTIMACY WITH SELF AND LIFE.  The positive end is a letting go into the larger forces of life and becoming their guide and co-creative partner.

For the next two weeks, face those fears and listen to the information they have for you.  Let go of what wants to die in and around you, and prepare for REBIRTH.  What is real and what matters can never truly be lost.

Key Astrological Alignments

* Nov 1 ~ Uranus Square Pluto (Evolution & Revolution!)
* Nov 7 ~ Jupiter Stations Retrograde in Cancer (Expansions Under Review)
* Nov 11 ~ Mercury Stations Direct in Scorpio (Communications and Plans Move Forward)
* Nov 14 ~ Neptune Stations Direct in Pisces (Ideals, Inspiration, Creativity and Spirituality Externalized)
* Nov 18 ~ Full Moon in Taurus (Completions/Culminations...for "good" or "bad")

The astrological symbolism is intense!  It's all about working through deep layers of fear, limitation, wounding and unconsciousness in order to emanate new levels of authenticity and alignment with soul and soul purpose. The core of you is speaking loud and clear "It is now or never!"  Well, that's just me being dramatic, but it could FEEL this way to you.  The times now can feel like "Do or die."  The new moon in Scorpio, however, is giving us a much needed burst of energy and resource from the depths of our being.  We have the power to heal the past, wake up and begin creating our futures from right where we are.

Tarot Reflections ~ 2 of Swords (Peace)
With these extremes pushing and pulling at you, you don't want to go off the deep end.  You don't want to do anything rash or negatively impulsive.  Spirit never feels urgent or coercive.  It never yells or tries to force you to make a move.  Spirit acts through LOVE, which is patient, gentle, kind, and ALWAYS LETS YOU CHOOSE.  So, don't give any fuel to the extremes that may be raging inside.  If you cannot decide or don't have clarity, WAIT.  PAUSE.  Let the insight and the intuition make itself felt and known.  Be fluid, and relax into the peace at the center of the storm.  When you stop trying to force a resolution or a direction, the answers will come.

~ Old Sage

October 18, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ Full Moon Eclipse in Aries

Oct 18 ~ Full Moon Eclipse at 25 degrees, 51 minutes of Aries

Climax.  Clarity.  Pause.  Rest.  The opposing forces see each other clearly, and from this vantage point, maybe each side can see that they can compliment each other more than the need to oppose each other.  At this time the Sun is in fair and balancing Libra, while the Moon is in aggressive and self-absorbed Aries.  At the same time there is an eclipse, which intensifies and amplifies the already heightened qualities of the Full Moon.  Doors are closing, and there is completion.  There is a letting go.  The focus is on Aries, however, as the eclipsed Moon is in this sign.  So there is a letting go of a certain aspect of the "war-ing" mentality and perhaps, a deeper understanding of which wars actually need to be fought.  Right now, we are acutely aware of where we stand versus where others stand.  We are acutely aware of what is "me" versus what is "them."  But  this is a quiet moment of pause where we can integrate the experiences of the past two weeks and allow it to become wisdom.

We can see this in the American government "shut-down" being lifted and the sense that there is potential to come to a new and workable balance.  It is happening at the personal level, as well, where we can see more clearly what battles and wars we need to set aside so that our energies can be focused on matters that will actually make more of a difference to what we want to create and experience.  Fighting will lead to understanding...eventually.

The tension of this intense time remains and continues to build, even as we have a small breather and period of rest.  The next two weeks will see us negotiating and coming to many valuable compromises and resolutions before tackling the next round of issues and challenges that face us.  We are still in the "getting down to the nitty-gritty" phase of our evolutionary transition.  We are rolling up our sleeves, diving in and doing the work of sorting through all the mess in order to create something that serves us better.

Key Astrological Alignments

* Jupiter Exalted in Cancer Square Sun/Moon Opposition (Growth Potential & Expansion)

Jupiter is leading the way, giving us forward motion, optimism and a sense of WHAT IS POSSIBLE.  From a traditional Astrological perspective, Jupiter is the Greater Benefic that symbolizes FAITH, TRUST, WISDOM and EXPANSION.  He can also represent INFLATION, ARROGANCE and IRRESPONSIBILITY.  We are definitely seeing both ends of the Jupiter spectrum at this time.  However, Jupiter is exalted in the sign of Cancer, which means we are all hearing the call of that WISE ELDER that lives within each of us.  We all have tremendous support, now, for growth and expansion and transforming vision, potential and possibility into reality.

Tarot Reflections ~ 3 of Wands (Virtue)

There is much virtue when the mind, heart and body are aligned.  One could say that this alignment equals a force that is similar to the power of the Sun entering Aries at the Spring Equinox.  There is an outpouring of energy and creativity.  There is a vitality that pulses through Life.  Every Spring we begin again, and we have this same capacity for renewal in each moment.  Even as the challenges of life press in on us, our inner spirit is ALIVE with CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES and an awareness of how to meet each challenge with PRESENCE and INTEGRITY.  We must all begin somewhere.  This card reflects the energy, spirit and drive to put the wheels in motion, to start the new adventure.  This is a symbol of the SPIRITUAL WARRIOR that is in each of us that must come forward, if we are to meet the challenges facing us at this time.  We are ready to begin again with expanded creativity and vitality.

~ Old Sage

October 4, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ New Moon in Libra

Oct 4 ~ New Moon at 11 degrees, 56 minutes of Libra

Of course, these are intense and dramatic times.  They always are when you are shifting from one paradigm to another.  The collective has been shifting from a paradigm of competition and "looking out for number one," to a paradigm of equality, cooperation and "we're all in this together."  This lunar month will highlight these transformational and turbulent times.  The renewal and new beginnings are in the area of RELATIONSHIPS, COOPERATION, BALANCE, HARMONY and DIPLOMACY.  You may feel a new impetus to work together to create a win-win in various areas of your life.  Beauty and harmony are emphasized, and ART may stand out as more than mere entertainment.  Art can be a way of life that soothes the soul in these disruptive times.  The energy is swift and intense.  This is a time to be social, to communicate with others, to exchange heartfelt dreams and goals.  Partnerships are highlighted along with the realization that you will "get there" only with mutual support and teamwork.  If you are having trouble figuring out what you want or what your next steps are, turn your attention toward another and seek to HELP THEM with their goals and next steps.  More and more you are discovering the OTHERS with whom you are sharing time and space.  It can all be so much lighter, more pleasing, more beautiful.  But you have to come to agreement and work toward these ideals together.  There may be turbulence before the dynamic balance is allowed/created, but it will have been worth the struggle.

Key Astrological Alignments

* T-SQUARE between Sun/Moon, Uranus and Pluto (creative conflict, being "forced" to grow)

The Sun represents Spirit, while the Moon represents the Soul.  Uranus is the AWAKENER.  He awakens through SUDDEN SHOCKS and DISRUPTION OF THE STATUS QUO.  When he is involved, CHANGE is a given.  Pluto is the GREAT DESTROYER, as well as the GREAT CREATOR.  Her power cannot be denied.  She brings EVOLUTIONARY ERUPTIONS.  These forces are in dynamic alignment at this new moon, infusing the collective with more energies that continue to catalyze our evolutionary growth and shake our foundations.  These are times of GROWING PAINS, but the only way out is through.

Tarot Reflections ~ 10 of Cups (Satiety)

The 10 of Cups signifies COMPLETION, FULLNESS and EMOTIONAL ABUNDANCE.  This reflection may seem at odds with the intense and chaotic nature of the times, but it is "right on time."  During intense times of challenge and uncertainty, of tragedy and war, RETURN TO YOUR INNER SOURCE OF HEALING AND LOVE.  There may be strife all around you, but there is always a quiet place of peace within.  There is always healing and love overflowing from your inner cup of soul and spirit.  RETURN TO YOU.  Remember the love that is around you, the others who love you, your family, your friends.  Help each other.  Turn to each other.  Let yourselves reflect the unconditionally loving spirit within.  We are entering a place of completion and fullness before moving into a new cycle.  Take frequent dips in the inner springs of love.  You are eternally sustained from within.

~ Old Sage

Refining & Putting Ideals to the Test ~ Fall Equinox Reflections ~ September 22, 2013

 

Now is time to put your ideals to the test.  It is not enough to have "nice thoughts," without actually learning how to apply them to your day-to-day life.  This Fall will be a time of moving deeper into the heart of your life, your relationships and your projects, so that you can put your ideals and strengths to the test.  This does mean there will be challenges.  Relationships appear to be one area of challenge (Equinox Sun in Libra, ruled by Venus conjunct Saturn in Scorpio), as you all will be sorting through what works and what doesn't, who now has similar values and goals as you and who doesn't, who has their own vision and who is sharing in your vision.  There may be some bittersweet goodbyes, as some from your circle of intimates move on.  There is a hectic pace to this Fall's energy, with a steady crescendo toward the end of the year.  It may at times feel as if the pace of life has accelerated beyond your control, and this of course is true, in the sense that you will be more aware of the aspects of life that you never had any control over to begin with.  In these areas, better to surrender to the flow and seek to change your own way of looking at things.  Life does not appear to be at a standstill at this time of the year.  It is just the opposite!  If you felt stagnant or like energies were not moving for you, this would be the time of the year where the dams burst open, and the energy begins to move again.  In terms of timing, October would be when the pressure builds, November the time when the cracks begin to appear and the water begins to spray forth, and December the time when everything is noticeably rushing forth to find a new level.  This pattern will more than likely be mirrored in the media and world events. This theme of "putting your ideals to the test" will be working itself out in personal and global circles.  It is true that this is a theme of importance and exploration at all times, for all groups of people on some level, but there is an intense focus on this theme at this time, and it will be unable to be ignored by most.  Over the course of the year, most of us have already been given an upgrade in terms of our VISIONS, VALUES and TRUTHS.  We KNOW what matters to us and how we want to BE in the world.  But many of us have not yet figured out what that looks like from a lens of realistic expectation and how life will refine those visions, values and truths, as we gain more experience along our chosen paths.  That may be the most intense realization for many this Fall; that IT NEVER ENDS SO I MIGHT AS WELL EMBRACE THE CHANGES AND FLOW WITH LIFE.  It is a scrappy time of diving into life and letting the current carry you, while you experiment, play, test out ideas, learn and grow.  You are planting seeds for the future and refining new thoughts, new impulses, new visions.  Enjoy this exploration, and remember to celebrate rather than condemn yourself when you find that some aspect of your ideal will not be manifested in the way that you thought.  This is where the SPIRIT meets MATTER and something new is created.  This is where the REAL WORLD teaches you something even better than what you had envisioned. Let all the parts coalesce into a workable whole, and by year's end, you will understand how all the pieces are beginning to fit together.

Key Astrological Alignments


* Oct 18 ~ Lunar Eclipse at 26 degrees Aries (Completion & Letting Go)  
* Nov 1  ~ Uranus Square Pluto, 4th exact alignment of 7 (REVOLUTION & EVOLUTION)
* Nov 3  ~ Solar Eclipse at 11 degrees Scorpio (New Beginnings & New Opportunities)

We continue forward into this decade of the Uranus/Pluto Square.  We all continue to be shaken up by old structures collapsing and making way for new growth (Pluto in Capricorn) and a powerful, rebellious, inner spirit that is charging forth into life in order to express more of itself (Uranus in Aries).  Some continue to fight for the old way, as more and more get on board with change and EVOLUTION into more positive expressions.  Some want to maintain a false sense of power and security, but there are rising forces that are inciting REVOLUTION.  And the current keeps gaining momentum.  

Tarot Reflection ~ Adjustment/Justice (VIII) 
Adjustment reflects processes of clear and objective evaluation of various departments of life in order to bring about simplification, order, harmony, balance and beauty.  When Adjustment appears, we are in the process of making very important decisions and choices that will help us to return our parts into a better balance and whole.  In this process, it may seem that the emotions are disregarded.  It may seem that some aspect of life and circumstances are unfair.  But this could not be further from the truth.  On a deeper level, everything is allowed and/or created by us, and this is a time of reclaiming our power through accepting responsibility for the creation of our lives.

~ Old Sage

August 6, 2013 ~ Lunar Phase Reflections ~ New Moon in Leo

August 6 ~ New Moon at 14 degrees, 34 minutes of Leo

It's NEW BEGINNING and RENEWAL time, folks!  It's NEW MOON time!  It's time to embrace the rising energies and enthusiasm and to focus your life-force energy on building momentum toward new goals.  This New Moon is in the fiery sign of LEO!

Remember the electricity in the air when we kicked-off the astrological new year with new moon in Aries back in April?  Well, now, the energy of the second fire sign of the zodiac is being activated, which means we get a another infusion of fiery life-force that we can channel towards manifesting our desires and dreams.  It is time to get moving with PASSION, BOLDNESS and THE JOY OF EXPRESSING ONE'S UNIQUE BEING IN THE WORLD.

The sign of Leo is all about embracing one's unique spirit and talent and unabashedly GIVING THAT SELF TO THE WORLD.  Leo overcomes insecurity and self-doubt.  It MUST be creatively self-expressed.  Leo knows that when it becomes a confident center of creativity and self-expression that others will be motivated to unleash their potential, as well. So, go ahead and get yourself out there!  Get in the creative "zone" for the sheer joy of it!.  Create the time to DO MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO!  Play!  Have fun!  Make love!  Be entertained by life!  Let your inner child inspire you to begin a new phase of enjoying your very own being.

Mars (energy and drive) and Uranus (innovation) are in harmonious alignment with this New Moon, and they are lending their energies to give us that extra boost of energy and ideas.  There is also a very powerful T-Square between Uranus (awakening), Pluto (transformation) and Jupiter (expansion) that might provide just the right amount of friction and conflict that may help us to unleash more of our creative potential than we ever knew we could.  Even Chiron, the "wounded-healer," is getting in on the action, as he closely aspects this New Moon.  With Chiron in the mix, you can bet that we will come face-to-face with any past wounding that has yet to be healed, as we attempt to move forward and express more of ourselves in the world.  And this is as it should be, if we want to experience greater wholeness.  Chiron teaches us to learn from our wounds and to transform past darkness into light.  When we have healed and accessed more of our wholeness, then we can use that same light to help others heal.  There's no doubt about it; YOUR LIGHT HEALS.  And there is no other light in the world quite like yours.  Do whatever work on the self that it takes to let more of this light into the world.  We are all in need of it.

We are leaving behind July's watery over-flow and soothing grand trines, as the planetary energies build momentum towards more creativity through tension and conflict.  This is an awesome time to bring forward more of our CREATIVITY, FLEXIBILITY and COOPERATION.  We are all in this evolution together.  So, let's see how much light we can radiate together in support of smoothing out the edges of this intense planetary transition.

Many blessings, all!

~ Old Sage

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