January 2010

New Year's Eve Lunar Eclipse :::Conversations with the Moon::: The second full moon of December takes place on New Year's Eve: Thursday, December 31st, at 11:14am Pacific Time. This full moon occurs in the lunar sign of Ardra, which is associated with the power of effort. That the lunar eclipse happens on this day signals success in new year's resolutions focused on quitting various activities. Ask yourself what you'd like to quit. Let's say you'd like to quit using your credit card for day to day living expenses, and shift over to using cash instead. Between now and New Year's Eve you'll have several days to remember what it was like to pay for everything on credit. You'll have time to thank the institutions that were willing to extend the credit, and time to thank the cards themselves for the lifestyle they afforded you. Then you'll want to envision yourself knowing how much you have in your bank account at all times, and going to the bank to have the cash you need for purchases. You could then write your resolution on a piece of paper: "My daily use of credit has ceased." Then ritually cut your credit card in half and place your new year's resolution into a new year's eve fire that you've got going in your fireplace... Get the idea? The important thing is to pick something you want to quit - not something you want to start. On a more esoteric level, the lunar eclipse in this sign promises an accelerated identity disassembly for anyone interested. (This day is a great opportunity to notice that who you are is not separate from Life itself.) Write this day/time into your calendar: Thursday, January 14, 2010, at 11:12pm Pacific Time. This new moon and the solar eclipse that accompanies it takes place in the vedic lunar sign of Uttara Ashadha. This lunar sign is associated with the ten "Vishvadevas," or collective forces of Light: Goodness, Truth, Willpower, Skill, Time, Desire, Firmness, Ancestors, Brightness, and "Peak." This lunar sign innately understands the responsibilities involved in leadership. That these collective forces of Light are being eclipsed mid-January will likely enhance greedy leadership unconcerned with widespread consequences (i.e. unconscionable bonuses for heads of financial institutions.) The power associated with this lunar sign is the power to grant an unchallengeable victory. With this power eclipsed, these next six months are like the scene in the movie where the good guys get their butts kicked, which makes their ultimate victory all the more sweet. Image: The Japanese Sun Goddess Amaterasu Emerging from her Cave, by Utagawa Kunisada, (歌川国貞), 1857

Planning & Scheduling :::Living in Accord with the Seasons::: New Year's Eve is an absolutely excellent day to lay low and spend some time in silence, resting and abiding in the eternal, unchanging truth of Who you are. The lunar eclipse will favor introspective, spiritual activities. Take some time to review the past year and connect with gratefulness for all it brought, and to playfully envision the upcoming year. Consider blueprinting your vision for 2010 with something creative like a collage. It is extremely important to connect with your heart's true longings, rather than holding on to outdated ambitions. Mercury is retrograde from December 26 until January 14. As during any Mercury retrograde period, patience will be required around Mercurial activities such as travel, communications, commerce. It's better not to sign contracts or initiate projects with high levels of detail during this time, as often the details must be revisited later. Mercury retrograde is a good time to edit, refine plans, go over details, and get back in touch with old friends. Venus and Pluto form a conjunction in Sagittarius on Monday the 28th of December, highlighting thrill-seeking activities, intense connections with others, and unblinking examination of existing relationships. Regarding relationships, resistance to change = pain. Letting go = freedom. Mars moved into the sign of Cancer on October 4, and will be staying in his sign of debilitation for almost eight months, until the end of May. In competitive areas of life, this placement of Mars may incline us toward playing an offensive, rather than a defensive game. Cultivate the balance of these forces as you go about achieving your dreams. This placement of Mars does not bode well for the real estate market. It is likely to create a general sense of insecurity in U.S. domestic affairs. Jupiter and Neptune are in an exact conjunction from December 20th until Dec. 25th. This conjunction represents several human tendencies: the tendency toward compassion, the tendency for striving toward ideals, the tendency for an unaware sense of entitlement, the tendency for an adolescent sense of invincibility. Actions benefiting others will bring far more joy and fulfillment than selfish actions during this time. Transiting Jupiter will conjoin the U.S. natal Moon from Jan. 23-26, which will likely coincide with the president's State of the Union address, promoting a general sense of hope and optimism. Saturn and Pluto have been dancing a tense little tango (forming a square aspect) since late October, and continue in this position until the end of February. No matter what good intentions exist behind reforming health care, reforming egregious banking/finance offenses, and creating jobs, powerful agents of change are already on the United States' doorstep. It is unlikely that governmental solutions will solve existing problems. Completely out of the box solutions will be needed. Social unrest brews. Notice what doesn't change, even when everything around you does. Coming from this place of what doesn't change - this is one way of apprehending enlightenment. Image: Inti Raimi, the Incan festival of winter solstice and the beginning of the year

June 2009

The Village Elders Conversations with the Moon The full moon of June takes place on Sunday, June 7, at 11:13am Pacific Time, in the lunar sign of Jyeshta. It might be your grandmother, or your chiropractor, or an old teacher, or your corner store grocer. Some people in your life perform the function of being your "village elders" - (it's healthy to have more than one) - the people you go to when you need wisdom that only years on the planet can bring. This full moon is a great time to check in with those elders. This full moon carries the energy of a charming, cocky adolescent, long on ambition, and short on common sense. We may each tap into the more youthfully ebullient and creative aspects of our own natures right now, adding spark to the beginning of our summer. Checking in with elders can help us ground some of that energy and help us feel our connection with the eternal cycle of life. If you've got youngsters around you graduating high school right now, this is a great time to be there for them. Many people will be feeling provoked right now - avoid arguments by connecting over fun times. Write this day/time into your calendar: Monday, June 22 at 12:36pm Pacific Time. On this new moon in Ardra, pay attention to water. This could come in the form of tears, your own or the tears of those around you. Or it could come in the form of rain or storms. Pluto directly opposes this new moon, possibly triggering loss and endings for those of us with placements in vedic Taurus and Scorpio. Any efforts toward physical, mental or emotional release will be fruitful on this new moon.

Planning & Scheduling Living in Accord with the Seasons The summer solstice occurs on Sunday, June 21st, signifying the peak of growth due to the lengthening daylight. We now begin the bend in the year, back toward shortening days and interiorization of energies. Mercury is aspected by Saturn until June 29, symbolizing tension in communications. People will be feeling provoked in general. Communication isn't easy, but it can be very fruitful to accept the tension and move forward patiently despite the challenge. Venus is traveling with Mars in Aries through June. They form a tight conjunction on June 22nd, adding quite a bit of passion to the new moon. This conjunction will be of enormous assistance to artists and athletes, lending creativity, passion and drive. Jupiter is in Aquarius until the end of July in opposition to Saturn, symbolic of the reorganization of leadership within communities. Jupiter is also closely conjunct Neptune, until the end of July, signifying altruism, rooted in an ideologically based compassion. In general, people may want to escape during this time, into imaginative technological spaces like the movies and the internet. Saturn is finishing his tour of the sign of Leo. From now until September 10 is a time for proving oneself in a chosen field of expertise or leadership. This summer is not a time to rest on your laurels. Continued success in your field will require persistent effort, humility to admit when you're wrong, and strength of character to course correct when necessary.

June 2008

Planning & Scheduling Living in Accord with the Seasons The Sun has moved into vedic Gemini, stimulating summer's delights: your most youthful, carefree self, and your spirit of Play. Mercury and Venus exchange signs until July 6, lending Grace to Words, and Wit to Beauty. Yay! Mercury is direct again as of Thurs. June 19! All that diligent editing and reformulating and fixing broken things and getting systems right is now paying off. Saturn is still loosely squaring Mercury though until July 6 so keep plugging away at being thoughtful and maybe even careful in communication and documentation. Mercury is in it's own sign of Gemini from July 7 - 23, ensuring the opening of the floodgates of ideas and collaborations and cool, new encounters. Venus enters vedic Cancer on July 8, joining up with Ketu, requiring healthy emotional detachment in relationships - not aloofness, but yogic "Dispassion." Mars enters vedic Leo on June 22 and joins up with Saturn on July 10, promising fireworks of a different stripe. This transiting conjunction signifies a period of pushing through to finish up a self assigned project. The Mars Ketu conjunction, still in effect this week, may find us all a acting a little touchy and defensive around our needs for personal space and comfort. Jupiter retrogrades through vedic Sag. as of May 9th, for roughly 4 months, getting us to review new understandings, implement new teachings, research new opportunities.

The Center of the Galaxy Conversations with the Moon This month, the full moon takes place on Wednesday June 18, at 10:31am PDT, in the vedic lunar sign of Mula. This full moon illuminates the part of the sky containing the massive black hole around which our Milky Way galaxy revolves. The Galactic Center, as it's called, is the astronomical equivalent to the "Pregnant Void" we sometimes experience in meditation. We may find ourselves striking gold in the information we're sifting through, happy to be mining in the right place at the right time. Write this day into your calendar: Wednesday, July 2 - the New Moon in Ardra. This part of the sky unlocks "The Power of Effort." With Mars approaching a conjunction to Saturn during this waxing cycle, there is double reason to persevere and "give it all you've got." Some project needs your full effort. The yogi will also actively contemplate the principle of "Non-Doership" at the same time.

A Golden Compass by Hafiz Forget every idea of right and wrong Any classroom ever taught you Because An empty heart, a tormented mind, Unkindness, jealousy and fear Are always the testimony You have been completely fooled! Turn your back on those Who would imprison your wondrous spirit With deceit and lies. Come, join the honest company Of the King's beggars - Those gamblers, scoundrels and divine clowns And those astonishing fair courtesans Who need Divine Love every night. Come, join the courageous Who have no choice But to bet their entire world That indeed, Indeed, God is Real. I will lead you into the Circle Of the Beloved's cunning thieves, Those playful royal rogues - The ones you can trust for true guidance - Who can aid you In this Blessed Calamity of life. Hafiz, Look at the Perfect One At the Circle's Center: He Spins and Whirls like a Golden Compass, Beyond all that is Rational, To show this dear world That Everything, Everything in Existence Does point to God.

December 2007

Skillfull Means Conversations with the Moon There's a full moon on Sunday, December 23rd at 5:16pm Pacific Time, just in time for Christmas, in the lunar sign of Ardra. Pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, is what this part of the sky is about. Ardra is associated with moisture, rain, flowing water, tears, storms, effort and self-inquiry. Here we encounter the power of our own efforts, especially as they're applied to our relationships. Notice what works, and what doesn't, with others. Make the effort to pull yourself up to higher ground. The chart for this full moon shows strength and fiesty energy and loveliness - sort of like chocolate with a hint of chili... Conversations over holiday meals may likely be a good-natured banter, with everyone excitedly expressing their strong opinions. Hint: Whenever you find yourself frustrated with overbearing Uncle Bob, find something to laugh about with him and love him all the same. You might be surprised at the "Ho ho ho" he's capable of.

Planning & Scheduling Living In Accord With The Seasons Jupiter in Sag makes an opposition to Mars in Gemini on Wed. 12/26, bringing abundant energy for new ideas. It might be a good idea to release some steam being active outdoors just after Christmas. Mars continues to be retrograde in Gemini until the end of January. Many of us will be shifting our alignments with projects and people and ideas, course correcting until the right collection of activities has been found. Saturn turns retrograde in Leo beginning December 19, grabbing the hands of time and ushering us through our Leo life lessons. Express yourself and re-connect with your own joy so as not to create dis-ease from too much care-taking, or too high a priority placed on pleasing others. Speaking of pleasing others, Venus is in Libra until Wed. 12/26, making sure that Christmas is a lovely and graceful time, before she gets more intense and intent about finding the balance of power in relationships. Venus briefly conjoins Pluto at the end of January - powerful allies, powerful love, the ending of manipulative or inauthentic relationships. Mercury is conjunct Jupiter on Fri. 12/21 - big ideas, wide net for communications, magnanimous speech, lots of talkie talkie. Mercury is conjunct Neptune on Thurs. 1/24 - vague communications, unclear contracts, poetry.

An excerpt from "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, is more elastic, more starry, more immortal - that is your success. All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself.

January 2007

Storms that Wash Away the Old Watching the Vedic Moon The Full Moon of January 2007 happens on Wednesday, January 3, at 5:58am Pacific Time, in the lunar sign of Ardra. This part of the vedic zodiac is associated with moisture, like the morning dew which reminds us of our daily fresh start. How beautiful that this full moon heralds in 2007! Ardra does however, also connect us with the powerfully cleansing and renewing feeling that fully experiencing our sorrow can bring. Ardra's symbol is a teardrop; we might find ourselves shedding a tear over the human experience of loss and change. Ardra carries "the power of Effort" and indeed, efforts made during this full moon should yield great results. This is a striving, hard work kind of effort, in stark contrast with the easeful full moon of last month. For the more ritualistic yogis out there, Wednesday morning is a great time to chant the ancient vedic text called the Rudram, since this full moon is Rudra's full moon. Any Shiva chant will also honor this aspect of divinity within ourselves.

Planning & Scheduling Living In Accord With The Seasons The (Sidereal) astrological landscape includes: The Sun, Mercury and Venus all in Capricorn, mid-month, bringing issues of personal accomplishments and life responsibilities to the fore, for all of us. Rahu and the outer planet Uranus are both moving through the sign of Aquarius for over a year, creating massive technological innovations, social revolutions and increasing open-mindedness. We may see the internet become what it was foreseen to be in the 90's - a revolution in the way we live and interact and do business - the global village. Rahu and transiting Uranus join up with transiting Mercury and Venus later in the month of January. Watch for technological developments and people mobilizing into group activism around compassionate social change. Notice the rise in popularity this year, of internet-based communities. Saturn is retrograding back into Cancer, giving us a few months to finish up business around issues of personal security, financial stability, and a nurturing home life. Mercury goes retrograde from Feb. 14 until Mar. 7; initiate projects before that time. Use the Mercury retrograde period to refine and distill those projects. Try to sign important legal agreements before Mercury goes retrograde.

"To Think of Time" (From Leaves of Grass) by Walt Whitman To think of time....to think through the retrospection, To think of today..and the ages continued henceforward. Have you guessed you yourself would not continue? Have you dreaded those earth-beetles? Have you feared the future would be nothing to you? ...The living look upon the corpse with their eyesight, But without eyesight lingers a different living and looks curiously on the corpse. ...Do you suspect death? If I were to suspect death I should die now, Do you think I could walk pleasantly and well-suited toward annihilation? Pleasantly and well-suited I walk, Whither I walk I cannot define, but I know it is good, The whole universe indicates that it is good, The past and the present indicate that it ts good. ...I swear I think there is nothing but immortality! That the exquisite scheme is for it, and the nebulous float is for it, and the cohering is for it, And all preparation is for it..and identity is for it..and life and death are for it.