August 2009

The Inner Ear, and Balance Conversations with the Moon The full moon of August takes place on Wednesday, August 5, at 5:55pm Pacific Time, in the lunar sign of Shravana. The lunar eclipse is an invitation to tune in. Lunar eclipses always happen on a full moon, so whatever is being amplified by the full moon (the reflected light from the sun) is also being occluded. Do you see how this can be symbolic for magnifying a human trait, focusing on what's causing problems about that trait, in order to transform it? Eclipses are portals of transformation, opening a passageway to a labyrinth, leading to a new world. The ancient seers of India assigned the symbol of an ear to the lunar constellation in which this eclipse occurs. As we've been approaching this lunar eclipse, I've been contemplating the inner ear's relationship to the physical balance of the body. The labyrinth of the inner ear collects data that it reports to the brain, which interprets what it has heard. This affects physical balance, in an echolocation sort of way. Now if you extrapolate this relationship into the subtle realms, you can easily draw the parallel that the inner ear receives input (hears things) - and the brain interprets this data, resulting in balance, or imbalance of the emotional body. (i.e. taking something you hear personally and getting bent out of shape is a choice.) So for this full moon, pay attention to how you interpret what you hear. Pay special attention to assumptions, patterns of negative interpretation, and taking things personally. You have a chance right now to change these patterned responses. Write this day/time into your calendar: Thursday, August 20, at 3:02am Pacific Time. This new moon in Magha is a great time to give thanks your ancestors, and to everyone who has come before us, making our current lives on earth possible. Invent a five-minute ritual in which you picture your ancestors - biological, spiritual, even professional ancestors - and thank them for being able to stand on their shoulders in this world. This helps connect you to the cycle of life. In India, the yearly celebration of the ancestors called Pitru Paksha, begins this year on Saturday, September 5, and lasts two weeks.

Planning & Scheduling Living in Accord with the Seasons Mercury forms a conjunction with Saturn on August 18. This might be a good day to pay extra attention to how you interpret what you hear. You may find yourself rehearsing an interview, spending more time on the wording of emails, or editing something you've written. Venus travels through Gemini for the first half of the month, with Pluto forming an opposition to Venus on August 2nd. This day may require more than the usual amount of honesty with yourself about your relationship with loved ones. Wherever manipulations exist in love, they are likely to be exposed. Mars in Taurus continues his square with Saturn in Leo until August 16. This symbolizes the building of a new sense of "sovereignty" here on earth. Many different styles of leadership will be competing for dominance. When the sovereignty of the Self has been established, no outer forms of leadership can bring imbalance in a person. Later in the month, Mars moves into Gemini and forms a "T-square" with Pluto opposite, and Mercury square on August 26 & 27. This could produce communications tinged with intimidation, manipulation, or aggression. Decide now to exercise supreme discernment and compassion around the end of August. A favorite line of mine from the ancient chant, Hymn to the Glory of Shiva: "When You danced to save the world, the earth, at the striking of Your feet, wondered whether it would not come to sudden destruction, as did the spatial regions and the multitude of planets, being oppressed by the movement of Your iron, club-like arms; and heaven became miserable as its side was constantly struck by Your waving, matted hair. Ah Your very mightiness was the cause of the trouble." Jupiter has retrograded back into the sign of Capricorn and will stay there until mid-December. This placement is not great for the planet of luck, generosity, and optimism. It is likely that financial markets will reflect the compression experienced by this planet in this sign - optimism may take a back seat until mid-December. Remember that times of despair are also times of opportunity. Saturn is conjunct the Sun for the second half of August, suggesting that nations will require accountability from their leaders. Saturn is also finishing his tour of the sign of Leo. From now until September 10 is a time for mandatory self-actualization. With the economic changes we are facing as a nation and across the globe, we are witnessing a fundamental shift in the social construct of "career." Many are having to adjust to job loss, and financial insecurity. If this hasn't affected you personally, it is likely that someone close to you has been affected. Notice what doesn't change, even when everything around you does. Coming from this place of what doesn't change - this is one way to look at enlightenment.

February 2008

Planning & Scheduling Living in Accord with the Seasons Mars forms an opposition to Pluto in the beginning of March, releasing a certain tension around standing behind your passions and ambitions. Pluto is teamed up with Jupiter so we may find ourselves questioning ideologies that seem elitist. The energy of popularity and popular values and opinion give prestige a run for it's money - how does this relate to your life? Also, your mission, should you choose to accept it, around this Mars/Pluto opposition, is: to learn skillful means in fulfilling your life's passions, and to open up to the alchemy of turning anger into energy. Venus enters the sign of Aquarius mid March, and conjoins Uranus at the end of the month. Socially, we open up to new possibilities. People that seemed a little out-of-the-box up until now, are suddenly more delightful to hear out. Jupiter in Sag continues his opposition by sign, to Mars in Gemini through the end of April, bringing abundant energy for new ideas. This period might bring balance between your many interests; and a healthy tension between developing competency in many things at once versus tying them all together. Venus conjoins Neptune on March 7th and Mercury conjoins Neptune on March 9th, bringing idealism and inspiration into our lives. We're mobilized to believe in forgotten dreams again. Just don't try to pin down the poets and politicians on the details!

Solar and Lunar Eclipses of February Conversations with the Moon Twice each year, earth experiences a pair of eclipses. Solar eclipses happen by definition at the New Moon and Lunar eclipses occur at the full Moon. An annular solar eclipse took place on Wed., Feb. 6, 2008 at 7:45pm Pacific Time and there will be a partial lunar eclipse on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 at 7:31pm Pacific Time. Solar Eclipse Eclipses are excellent times for introspection and downtime. In terms of natural life cycles, they're not the best time for beginning important ventures. This solar eclipse is in Dhanishta. Folks with planets in the late degrees of sidereal Capricorn may sense this purposeful "prune" of excess energy streams. Lunar Eclipse When the light of one of the luminaries is blocked, life can feel unusual. We're meant to be taking a moment away from our usual lives, to recharge our batteries. This lunar eclipse is in the lunar sign Magha, and the Moon joins up with austere Saturn on this day. Saturn's influence may ask us to dig down for some necessary emotional self-reliance, especially around being our own cheering squad, our own welcoming committee, and the ultimate authority in our own lives. People with planets in the early degrees of Leo may feel the pinch of this eclipse more strongly than others - life may seem to be testing their mettle. Magha has to do with royalty and real estate, among other things - watch what happens to world leaders, and to the real estate market. On Feb. 20, 1989, there was a lunar eclipse in roughly the same placement as this one. What was going on then for you? Can you see any relationships between that time and now? (It would depend on which house 7 degrees Leo falls in your chart.)

Eclipses of February 2008

Solar and Lunar Eclipses of February
Conversations with the Moon


Twice each year, earth experiences a pair of eclipses. This month, there's an annular solar eclipse on Wed., Feb. 6, 2008 at 7:45pm Pacific Time and a partial lunar eclipse on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 at 7:31pm Pacific Time.

Solar Eclipse
Eclipses are excellent times for introspection and downtime. In terms of natural life cycles, they're not the best time for beginning important ventures. This solar eclipse is in Dhanishta. Folks with planets in the late degrees of sidereal Capricorn may sense this purposeful "prune" of excess energy streams.

Lunar Eclipse
When the light of one of the luminaries is blocked, life can feel unusual. We're meant to be taking a moment away from our usual lives, to recharge our batteries. This lunar eclipse is in Magha. People with planets in the early degrees of Leo may feel this eclipse more strongly than others. Magha has to do with royalty and real estate, among other things - watch what happens to world leaders, and to the real estate market.

On Feb. 20, 1989, there was a lunar eclipse in roughly the same placement as this one. What was going on then for you? This eclipse is a higher rung on the same evolutionary spiral.