“Just like our sexual self don’t have much space to roam in this world, neither does our shadow self…” says Alexandra Roxo.
Which is a mask, which is a shadow, and which is my truth?
Last week in my Holy F*ck salon I felt a heaviness as we gathered on the call, and so I asked: “How many of us are in pain today?” To which everyone replied: “Me.” Some quietly, some more boldly. We were about to do a round of storytelling around transcendental orgasms, but instead I decided: “Fuck talking orgasms today. Let’s talk shame. Sorrow. Rage.’”
I myself was in the deep throes of having let my shadow out to speak her voice at Burning Man, having been silenced for months. I’d literally called on my WHOLE healing team to help me process the experience. Coach Perri Gorman. Intuitive wizard Luke Simon. Michael Ventura, who’s been working with me on this for three years! And a psychologist I met at Burning Man, Justin Hartery. Plus all my besties. LIKE WHOA IT TAKES A VILLAGE, and I’m so grateful I have help when I need it.
Somewhere during Eclipse season, at the Temple on the “playa”, some old wounds had gotten a fresh surface scrape. As a result I was oozing blood onto everything in my life. And as my wounds and the wounds of all the ladies of the salon were given a voice on that call, I realized—just like our sexual selves don’t have much space to roam in this world, neither do our shadow selves. But when they come knocking we have to answer.
We put on happy faces left and right and keep our shadow tucked away. We don’t want to “be a downer” at a party. So we tuck those feelings away. They get judged, while the “positive” feelings get center stage. Sometimes these are the shadow itself behind a clever mask, and sometimes the positive feeling is holding its hand over the “negative” one, creating a carefully curated dialogue.
“Who, me? No! I’m not insanely horny today! I’m great! Been meditating and doing Bikram!” Or….”I’m fine! I’m not grieving the fact my dad forgot my birthday for the 18th year in a row. I’m a grown up. I should be over it by now, right?”
We walk around as if “doing okay” and “keeping it together” are badges that will earn us Love and Life Merits. We live by “shoulds.” I “should” be grateful. I ‘should” be strong (p.s. I have eliminated SHOULD from my vocab and I challenge you to do the same).
One shadow that surfaced in the salon was the overwhelming shame of being single. Of showing up to weddings and dinner parties alone. Of having people ask you, “Are you seeing anyone?” before asking about your work, your passions, your friends.
Another that floated into our call was about being in your 30’s and having your parents still supporting you. Many women I love deeply are supported by their families as adults, and since society says this is wrong, it creates yet more shame. When in truth their tribe is caring for them.
On the flip-side, another of my own shadows has been wearing the “Independent Woman” costume (ahem armor) that serves me so well at times, but had become hard to pull off, creating a tough barrier to deeper connections and vulnerability’—until it got ripped off at Burning Man that is.
As we gave these feelings a voice, they were like orphaned children being held tightly for the first time in a long time. How beautiful it was to each other say: “I pretend it’s okay. But I’m in pain.” As we each cried, the rest of us just listened. And I got to thinking…
What if we did this at dinner parties? What if we could eschew some of the socialization that keeps us separate and lonely by keeping these feelings—our truths—hidden away? And what if when I said: “I just feel ugly today”—instead of you replying, “Girl, you’re beautiful!” you just honored my feeling?
What if we just held space for that feeling like two wild witches on a Full Moon in the woods, and watched her fly around the room until she disappeared out the window and into the stars to be at home with all the other parts of our souls? And then we ate spaghetti with marinara sauce until it made our lips red, and talked about where we want to travel before we die and danced to Bowie.
Dancing with my shadows at Burning Man
How about we reclaim old rituals for honoring the shadows together, and make some new ones of our own? How about I just listen as you speak every fear to me…and I don’t try to fix them. I don’t offer you a solution. I don’t tell you “Everything is going to be okay.” I just hear you and see you and witness you and hold you.
After all, we came here to be wild. We came to make “mistakes.” We came to try things and fail. We came to let our hearts be smashed to bits and to carefully sew them back together. We came for glory. And we came for failure.
They tell us to keep it neat and pretty. To “be the light.” But your shadow is your asset. When you hide her away you teeter along as a half version of yourself, dragging a corpse of old, half-acknowledged feelings around. And so next time shame or grief comes calling, answer her. Make her a temple. Throw her a party. Give her center stage for once.
Will the shadow start running the ship? Most likely not. But if this fear exists, then create a container for these feelings. If you know rage could cause chaos, then take her moshing at a concert. Or give her a punching bag at a boxing gym.
In my Holy F*ck salon that day, I made a pledge to my group and we made a pledge to ourselves:
“When you cry I promise not to comfort you. I promise not to usher away your feelings with my ideas of what’s “right” and “wrong.” When you scream, I promise not to shush you and tell you it’s going to be okay. I’ll admit I don’t know if it will be, but I’ll listen and stand tall with you, and be by your side.”
I pledge this to you now and welcome you to share this with the people you call tribe.
This column is dedicated to those Wild Women and Men who are willing to go there with me and grieve and mourn and rage and laugh and cry and dream with me. Who don’t shut me out when things get ugly, and who aren’t afraid to get down and dirty in the name of growth and change. You know who you are.
The Libra New Moon is an invitation to seek balance, by fully embracing the needs of yourself and others, says Sandra Sitron…
New Moon :: Friday September 30, 2016 :: 8.11 PM EDT ::8 degrees 15 minutes Libra
The New Moon is a time to set intentions—and the Libra New Moon wants you to initiate balance. Libra represents connecting people and ideas. Take this moon as a reminder to listen and share, to give and receive. To breathe peace. Within this balancing act, acknowledging what you need is so important. This Moon is a reminder that you deserve to get your needs met.
But you also have a responsibility to expand your thinking to include the other person’s position. To become an expert at walking with one foot in your own shoes, and one in someone else’s. So be humble. But don’t deny yourself in your humility. Seek to be satisfied with yourself too. The Libra New Moon offers big bright bold expansive rays of love and joy. This moon wants to help you fill your heart with joy. And from that place of joy, do the kind thing for someone else.
Stretch yourself to be generous with your words. Look for ways to balance out injustice. This moment is a reminder to find joyful and exuberant balance. Just remember: balance requires discipline. Requires us to be steady. Through disciplined actions now, you can create a sense of balance that will help you to expand.
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New Moon In-conjunct Neptune The dart falls in the sand.
So close to target, but getting lost in confusion. This aspect is important because it reminds us that we have spent the last year being prodded by the uncomfortable intersection between reality and illusion. The Libra New Moon reminds us that we are still coming to terms with our collective denial. The ills and unbalance that we have been denying in our society are being seen—and it is very, very necessary. This Moon reminds us that illusion is uncomfortable and we must demand truth. The scales of justice must be balanced. Denial is unacceptable.
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New Moon Conjunct Jupiter A frog’s bellowing love-song.
The Libra New Moon is so big and expansive, our hearts can grow three sizes now. We can use this energy to fill us up with so much love that we are truly able to see things with a new perspective. This aspect is about growth. Higher truth. Inclusiveness. Adventure. Generosity. Set your mind to your greater purpose. Use this lunation as a reminder that you are unlimited. This moment asks you to define your most inclusive and just philosophies on life. How can you show up as your best self?
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New Moon Sextile Saturn A pyramid glows in bright sunlight.
The Libra New Moon is a moment to seek stability. To judiciously create balance in your life. If there is a area where you seek moderation, this will feel like a practice of self-love, opposed to a denial. Discipline is your friend. Planning is your friend. Systems are your friends. There is real security to be found in this moment. This is wonderful time to get your goals figured out. To plan out your projects and start mapping the steps that you need to succeed.
In Summary
The Libra New Moon feels secure. You can allow yourself feel secure enough to simple be yourself. To connect to the part of you that is untamed. To defend who you are, and defend the rights of others to be themselves too. By knowing yourself you will be reminded to trust in the goodness of all humanity.
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SELF-INQUIRY BY SIGN FOR THE LIBRA NEW MOON
ARIES :: ARIES RISING What can I do to be more emotionally open in my partnerships? Am I challenging my assumptions about what it means to be in a relationship?
TAURUS :: TAURUS RISING What is one thing taking up my time and energy that is not a priority? How can I change it to become more efficient?
GEMINI :: GEMINI RISING How can I make more space for fun in my life? Am I prioritizing this enough? Am I celebrating my success?
CANCER :: CANCER RISING Am I naming my feelings as they come? How can I allow myself more space for all of my feelings?
LEO :: LEO RISING How am I engaging mentally with the world? When was the last time I was playful? When was the last time I was curious?
VIRGO :: VIRGO RISING Do I believe that life is about the journey or the destination? If it is about the journey, then how can I allow myself to feel rewarded in the moment?
LIBRA :: LIBRA RISING How am I showing up as a leader in my life? Am I truly saying Yes to what I want and No to what I don’t want?
SCORPIO :: SCORPIO RISING Can I give myself some more free time? Am I prioritizing time for meditation? How easy is it for me to do nothing?
SAGITTARIUS :: SAGITTARIUS RISING How can I make more space for my hopes, dreams and aspirations? What is my brightest future vision for the collective?
CAPRICORN :: CAPRICORN RISING Have I defined my goals and the steps necessary to achieve my goals? How can I link the steps of each project to a desired emotional outcome?
AQUARIUS :: AQUARIUS RISING What enticing new philosophies am I being exposed to? Do I trust myself to speak my truth? Or is ti time to re-evaluate some of my beliefs?
PISCES :: PISCES RISING Am I feeling all my feelings? How can allow myself to surrender emotionally? What makes it safe for me to let go of control?
Our #TuneInPeaceOut initiative is an invitation to choose peace, every day and in every way…
:: MONDAY :: Got to see Deepak “the don” Chopra speak live for the first time, at the launch of his Radical Beauty book with nutritionist Kimberly Snyder. TOTALLY get why he is who he is. The charisma! The effortless way with a deeply spiritual insight! A fave takeaway were his quotes about our relationship to our bodies: “Your body is an activity, not a thing. It’s not a sculpture it’s a river.” And how, since our cells are in a continual process of rejuvenation: “I’ve had this jacket longer than the body I’m wearing today.”
:: TUESDAY :: Another day, another book about feeding our body right with Nicole Centeno’s Soup Cleanse Cookbook. Nicole is the founder of Splendid Spoon, one of our sponsors at Club SÖDA NYC, and she’s all about the healing power of soup. As Nicole tells it, souping changed her life (a low-calorie way to stay fuller for longer, the mindfulness of making soup, AND a totally practical way to cook and eat big batches of seasonal veg). All I really need to know is, my body just sort of gives me a big, cozy hug from the inside just looking at some of her recipes—which feels like an intuitive “yes” to a lot more souping this fall to me.
With Juquille, Eddie, Jaytaun, Tyrell and Raheem of the Urban Yogis, and Erica and Prince of Life Camp.
:: WEDNESDAY :: (Lots to say here, you might want to go make a cup of tea first…) So roughly three weeks ago, I had the idea for #TuneInPeaceOut—an initiative to celebrate the UN’s International Day of Peace. This following some work I did with my coach Cherie Healey, when I was thinking about the big, underlying message of The Numinous. “If I gave you the loudest megaphone in the world, and put you on top of the highest mountain, what would you say to the world?” she asked. The words came immediately: “Can everybody just stop fighting. We’re all human. We all have the same needs, and the same fears. Please can we remember that we’re here to help each other work it out?”
Because essentially (besides me just being a massive pacifist), all the practices, philosophies, and ways of healing that we cover on The Numinous are about forging a deeper connection to our true nature—and therefore a deeper sense of connection to ourselves, and to each other. Two things I believe are fundamental to any conversation about creating more peace in our (inner and outer) world. This since a) connection to self is what fosters the resilience needed to respond to life’s trials in a calm, non-reactive way; and b) it becomes pretty much impossible to want to harm somebody once you recognize that we are all part of one big human family!
And then “Summer 2016” happened. Week after week we were slammed with reminders of the rampant divisiveness, hatred and violence in our world right now, and often stemming from a place of separation, of “us” v. “them.” Which is not exactly anything new. Bombings, shootings, rape, hate crimes, and other acts of terrorism are happening all over the world, every day. But what struck me was the emotional charge in the way we responded to the events of this summer. How personally we all took each heart-wrenching episode of violence and injustice.
I think this is because we’ve reached a tipping point in how we consume our news. It used to be that we first heard of such inhumane acts as mass shootings and racist police brutality from people in suits, reading from scripts, in newsrooms far away. Now, this information first reaches us via our social media feeds—the same place we connect with our family and friends, and share our own lives with those we love. As a result, it has become impossible not to empathize with the people being violated against as we would our own brothers and sisters, parents, friends, and colleagues. The veil of separation dissolves…and we are reminded that we are all part of one big human family.
And with this, comes the remembrance that it is all of our responsibility to look out for one another. To speak up. Literally. Like, “WTF, that’s not how we do things in THIS family!!” No matter how scary, or how uncomfortable this might feel. And to take whatever (non-violent!) action we can to change up the status quo.
The above is pretty much how I introduced my event in NYC for #TuneInPeaceOut, which ended up being one of 20 or so IRL gatherings held by the Numinous tribe globally. Earlier in the day I also hosted a live webinar with Bri Luna from The Hoodwitch and my dear friend and collaborator Alexandra Roxo (you can listen to the recording here), in which we spelled out what this initiative is really all about—empowering all of us to use our voice and take action to choose peace, and help create more peaceful communities from the ground up.
After all, as a friend in the UK pointed out on one of my posts about #TuneInPeaceOut, since it was inaugurated in 1981, it would not appear that the UN’s International Day of Peace has actually done much to end—or even lessen—violence. Since September 21 was subsequently declared a day of of ceasefire and non-violence in 2001, US military spending has increased dramatically—rising from under $400 billion to almost $800 billion in 2011 (there has been a slight drop during Obama’s presidency, but spending is projected to increase again in 2017). I see this as yet another reminder that it is actually on YOU AND ME to demand a different way of resolving conflict. That the power, truly, must be claimed by the people.
This message is why I partnered with the amazing Urban Yogis for my event tonight, since here are some people who are walking the freaking talk. Based in Jamaica, Queens, a neighborhood where violent street crime fueled by prejudice and lack of opportunity is a way of life, the courageous and progressive human beings behind this initiative are bringing the tools of yoga and meditation into their local community. The results? Less reactivity. Less violence. More listening. Increased feelings of self-worth, leading to more empowered and empowering lifestyle choices.
And, most importantly, the slow chipping away of stereotypes (about the “kind of people” who do yoga, for example—or who perpetrate violent crimes) that are the sick, Monsanto seed of so much separation, fear, and hate.
“Real change needs all year round effort, not just a day,” my friend noted. And I could not agree more. Which is why it is my sincere hope that the conversations sparked by #TuneInPeaceOut will continue today, tomorrow, and every day going forward. That we will continue to choose peace every step of the way. On our webinar, we asked people to share what this looked like in their lives, and what they do to bring more peace to their communities, so we could all be inspired by each others efforts. I’ve created a post with the transcript from our chat. Check it out here—and add your feedback in the comments, so we can keep the conversation alive.
:: THURSDAY :: Pulled the above card in a mini meeting oracle deck reading with my girl Lisa Barner. Thanks for listening, angels.
:: FRIDAY :: And all that said, with the Moon in Cancer today, sign of nurture and self-care, I shall be mainly tuning in…and peace’ing out.
Libra season invites us to soften and play with polarities, say Cara George & Bess Matassa of Mojave Rising…Homepage main image: Awave Awake
Libra season asks us to strap on our lightsabers, corral our unicorns, and celebrate both the ever-elusive quest and the already-realized ideal. It’s a month for playing with polarity, equilibrating between extremes, and recognizing that we contain even that which we claim to disavow.
The zodiac’s high-minded empress reveals both the perils and pleasures of building castles in the sky, as she switches between rose-colored glasses and magnifying specs. Her ultimate gift lies in the gap between sleeping beauty visions and early morning reality, where the full range of our humanness lives.
So let’s make a wish, grab each other’s hands, and take a leap across the cavernous divide with all our glorious, dynamic contradictions in tow. The good, the true, and the beautiful may truly be in the eye of the beholder. But we’ve got the compassionate courage to stand face-to-face.
The keyword: synergy.
The song lyrics: “Hey now, hey now/Don’t dream it’s over/They come, they come/To build a wall between us/We know they won’t win”—Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” Check out our Libra season playlist, complete with aspirational anthems, synth stylings, and polarity points.
The color palette: sophisticated, clear-headed shades and ballerina pastels. Think gray, navy, black & white, icy mints, pale violets, and slipper pinks.
The style: French New Wave meets Royal bridal shower—clean lines, classic cool, and simple trench coats collide with white satin, velvet brocade, ruffles, and empire waists.
The scents and flavors are eye-opening citruses, culinary pairs, and candied confections—lemon Pellegrino, sweet-salty snacks, and tea-time petit fours.
The healing: anything that’s energetically and aesthetically equilibrating—yin/yang yoga, art museum and topiary garden wandering, photography classes, and hot/cold saunas.
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Sensuous Invitation of the Month: Weather Patterns (by sign below) With Mercury and Pluto stationing direct in earth signs, Mars entering Capricorn, and Venus entering Scorpio, Libra’s high-minded idealism gets an infusion of crystalline clarity, and the willingness to work with the “real” world exactly as it is. It’s a month for invigorating our sense of responsiveness as we use current climatological conditions to build our castles in the sky.
ARIES Libra season invites you to soften your gaze as you incorporate compromise that still feels courageous. Weather pattern: Morning mist—let yourself get a little bit lost in the haze as you experiment with slow navigation without forcing forward.
TAURUS Libra season invites you to get full-on Venusian as you revel in the sweet sensations of ideological and sensual love in all its forms. Weather pattern: Blue skies—celebrate the majestic aesthetics of an absolutely perfect day.
GEMINI Libra season invites you to settle some of your endlessly curious chatter and exercise judgment in a way that feels liberating rather than stifling. Weather pattern: Sunbeams—stand directly in the path of the sun’s rays and watch how these solar streaks illuminate a single patch of ground.
CANCER Libra season invites you to adopt perspective on closely-held emotional narratives and to step outside your story without losing any of your penchant for poetics. Weather pattern: Crisp & breezy—let the subtle dance of wind inspire you to become gently unstuck.
LEO Libra season invites you to loosen fierce personal identifications as you recognize the self in the non-self. Weather pattern: Partly cloudy—trust that the sun still lurks beneath the ever shifting white fluff, even when it’s unseen.
VIRGO Libra season invites you to experiment with the sweet sense of collaboration without always having to work it out alone. Weather pattern: Humidity—notice how its closeness to your skin can feel safely supportive rather than oppressive.
LIBRA Libra season invites you to acknowledge the polarities that exist within you as you sample both ends of the spectrum with ease. Weather pattern: Daybreak—bear witness to the darkness that comes just before the dawn.
SCORPIO Libra season invites you to balance your desire to penetrate beyond the veil with a little faith in wide-eyed magic. Weather pattern: Chasing rainbows after the storm—celebrate the gorgeous luminosity that can come after turbulence.
SAGITTARIUS Libra season invites you to fuse your penchant for emotional honesty with a truth-telling that considers the consequences for others. Weather pattern: Lightning storm—harness your electrical energy while understanding how these bolts work with the storm and lessen as it passes.
CAPRICORN Libra season invites you to marry your keen sense of the difficult with a full-hearted celebration of goodness and ease. Weather pattern: Downpour—recognize the beauty in the overcast as sheets of rain soften and wash things away.
AQUARIUS Libra season invites you to equilibrate your radical eccentricity with an occasional blending that’s in service of the whole. Weather pattern: Nightfall—let yourself feel deliciously small as you witness the vast, star-studded sky.
PISCES Libra season invites you to celebrate the mystical beauty of your most ethereal dreams while moving towards coalescing them into solid form. Weather pattern: Hail—Investigate how these mysterious waters congeal into solid shapes.
When it comes to astrology for entrepreneurs, it’s about knowing your cosmic career signature—and following a few hard and fast rules, says Rebecca Gordon…
Found on Pinterest
I grew up learning astrology with my step-mother, and I simply could not get enough. As soon as I opened my first book on the subject, I knew that this was going to change my life in a profound way. Here was a timeless and symbolic language that seemed to describe all the happenings in our lives.
Astrology occupies such a sacred space, the space where the cosmos meets the soul and inner-psyche. I simply could not think of anything better to do with my life than to decode the wonderfully poetic language of our skies and use it to help others align with their own life-path.
Since launching my subsequent career as an astrologer, I have consulted many people on astrology for entrepreneurs—and my strategy has always been to simply apply what I know about astrology to running a business.
This could be as simple as scheduling meetings at the most ideal cosmic alignments, and using lunar cycles, planetary returns and so much more to inform business practices. But on a deeper level, it’s about letting the clues in somebody’s birth chart to help unearth their “calling.”
For when you are aligned with your natal chart, your own path, and the natural cycles, a feeling of great support and synchronicity pervades. We all have a specific role here on earth and something unique that we are here to share, and life is as much about the journey to discover this. Your path to your calling is truly what makes you who you are. Value each “misstep” as nothing but a teaching, all of which are vital parts of your unique journey.
:: DISCOVERING YOUR COSMIC CAREER SIGNATURE :: How can we know the type of career best suited to us? The first indicator I look for is temperament, as seen through the balance of elements in the chart: fire, earth, air and water. Each element rules a different kind of function in work and life, and each unique combination of elements and signs has its most ideal work habitat and daily practice.
The other thing it’s important to note are the modes which are: cardinal, fixed and mutable. These tell me your strengths and weaknesses as an entrepreneur and your most ideal platform on any team. It’s really about knowing ourselves and finding a way to express what we do best.
Some people have a balance of all of these elements and modes, though most of us do not. So I am a firm believer in hiring out in the places where you are lacking. For example, if you have no air, you may need to hire a big picture strategist or consult with.
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:: THE CAREER HOUSES :: There are three houses (sectors of your birth chart) that deal with ideas around work. These are the “Earth houses,” which deal with the practicalities of life, and are sectors two, six, and ten. Each of these houses deals with a different aspect of your work day; cash flow, daily practices, and your vocational calling.
Each of the 3 houses speaks to another aspect of career. The 2nd house is synonymous with the concept of “your farmland—your crops.” It represents the inherited skills, attributes, talents and also the attitudes around them and the ways which we may derive self-worth.
Your 2nd house will reveal attitudes around money as well as inherited and karmic wealth stories. If any entrepreneur wants to integrate astrology into their business plan, the first thing is to understand your own 2nd house and how it works.
The other house that deals with running a business is the 6th house. This house deals more with what sort of business atmosphere and work-flow suites you best. The 6th house also relates to the style in which you will deliver your service and what kind of service this may be.
The 10th house, in my opinion, is the most important because this deals with the concept of your ‘true calling’ or your ‘vocation’. Not everyone has their 2nd house (income) aligned with 10th house (vocation) though they can be congruent.
The 10th speaks about where you will find your dignity in the world and this is a key to happiness at work. I feel the 10th house must be awoken somehow for anyone to feel like they are on their true path. Think of the base of the chart (the IC) as your root system and ancestral stories and the top of the chart (the 10th house) as the fruit you bear—what you may emerge into when you follow your calling.
:: THE CAREER PLANETS :: There is not one planet that rules career. Though I often look at the ruler of the 10thhouse, as well as the “conversations” that planet is in (how I refer to the different aspects it is making) and where it is positioned. Also, and planets in the 10th house speak volumes about your career interests. This and the ruler of the 10th will usually tell me a pretty in-depth story about your calling.
:: CHOOSING A TIME TO LAUNCH :: Choosing a launch date for a business, product or service can be make or break, and it’s something I put a great deal of time and energy into. First there are a series of questions I ask because the chart of your business (calculated using the time, date and location of the launch) must speak to the mission statement and goals of the business.
What is a stellar chart for an online coaching business may not work at all for someone opening a restaurant! I also consider the entrepreneur’s natal chart, to make sure the timing also works for them.
There are also a couple of hard and fast rules when it comes to astrology for entrepreneurs:
– Stay away from Mercury Retrograde for your launch. – Try to also have Mars, Jupiter and Saturn direct, if possible. – Friendly aspects to Saturn show stability so I like to have some of those – Jupiter and Pluto alignments with the luminaries (sun and moon) can bring wealth and abundance – I try to make sure the important planets for your business type are in a sign they function highly in. – Launch on a friendly New Moon, ideally one that’s near the top of the chart. – Stay away from launching on Full Moons and especially not on a Lunar Eclipse. Full Moons and Lunar Eclipses are times of endings and culminations, not beginnings. – I look for the Moon to be applying to a positive aspect, for example a conjunction to Jupiter or trine to Venus.
I have seen my clients launch under all kinds of personal transits, though Saturn and Jupiter are the two main ‘business planets’—as Saturn rules consolidation and stability, and Jupiter expansion. Both equally important.
Sometimes a Saturn transit gives someone the discipline they need to actually concretize something. Another person may need a Jupiter transit to give them the vision and confidence to let go of all of the preparation and studying and finally set sail.
BEST ASPECTS FOR CAREER TRANSITIONS… I have also seen people change career paths suddenly under a Uranus transit or transform their life direction under a Pluto transit. One client I had a years ago had Pluto crossing her 10th house, and she left the cosmetic counter at MAC and went to study Chinese medicine. Now she’s a full time doctor and loves it. Pluto rules over medicine and research, so we used astrology to successfully time her transition.
BEST ASPECTS FOR LAUNCHING A WEB-BASED BUSINESS… For launching a website or online business, I look for a strong Mercury because “communication” is the main focus here. Also I may emphasize the 3rd and 9th houses (axis of communication), although the details of the chart will depend on what sort of website it is.
BEST ASPECTS FOR A MARKETING CAMPAIGN… If the marketing campaign is oriented to bring in revenue or sell items, I’d arrange the chart to have a healthy 2nd or 8th house depending on the revenue stream. Maybe both. Also I would like strong aspects to the 11th if there will be affiliate partners.
BEST ASPECTS FOR HIRING STAFF… Hiring is definitely something to avoid in Mercury Retrograde as the agreed terms would change down the road anyhow. Hire when planets are occupying Earth and Air signs so judgment does not get too clouded by emotions and there will be clear communications about the role and expectations. Also hire when you are not under a Neptune transit or any challenging influence for that matter because whoever enters your life while you’re under that transit, will likely be another manifestation of the lesson it brings.
BEST ASPECTS FOR HOSTING AN EVENT… You will get a much better turn out on a Full Moon then a New Moon, generally speaking, as a Full Moon has a more celebratory feel, making people want to go play in the magic and connect to others.
“To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.” — Terry Tempest Williams
The worst kind of loss is one you’re not even aware of. The loss of the wild and our allied wildness is one such loss, haunting us in a multitude of inner-howlings and muffled cries; deep, psychic pains and distant, all-engulfing yearnings.
We may taste it in the devastating awe of a sublime valley of meandering meadows and lakes surrounded by towering mountains. Or else in the skin-crawling terror that some city slickers can experience in the dark woods. We get little nudges of it, too, when we boldly take risks, calling upon unknown resources. In the ecstatic place when limits are transcended and we witness how much more powerful we are than we believed.
And we also find it in the rebellious streak that smirks at authority figures, sometimes playfully, sometimes out of a sheer desire to transgress any kind of ‘taming’ of our primal being, as if it were a grave betrayal. The story of our wildness—what it is, what happened to it and what to do with it now—is old and complicated, but it’s one worth remembering, for it harkens back to the most ancient wounds that usurp us all.
Our natural world, horrendously abused, is now in a state so perilous our very survival as a species is threatened. This is an example of just how deep the wound of separating from our wildness goes. At the heart of perhaps one of the longest and most insane of wars in our story as a species, it is also one we are largely ignorant of: the war against both nature and the wilds of our own human nature.
I realized this returning to Toronto after a recent vision quest in Manitoba, and realizing what we’ve lost in choosing to pave over Her wild, ragged skin; to relegate Her rawness to sanitized city parks; to drown out the peaceful pulse of Her wilderness with the perpetual motion of the traffic and busyness that charge our cities with a certain kind of restless madness.
Moreover, how we have become cut off from something so vital and necessary; something that keeps us in constant alignment with what is true and good, on a path of virtue, and away from the suffering that modern culture wreaks upon us by way of social conditioning.
But all it takes to remember is to acknowledge the inherent wisdom that awakens within us when we’re in the wild, like a silent soul-switch.
In any moment of heartache, when you’ve felt called to take a walk in park or, better yet, hike in a forest, didn’t you experience an almost immediate peace-of-mind? And perhaps a subsequent yet even more powerful cascade of wise insights, resolve, and answers? In my one-on-one healing practice, I often send people besieged by turmoil to the park to sit beneath a tree, to ground into the earth and simply ask questions. I counsel them to enter a state of meditative receptivity and to wait to see what happens. It never fails.
One incredulous friend later admitted she thought it was some ‘hippy bullshit’—but that within minutes of sitting, she found extraordinary insights. On this note, one ancient name for Goddess Earth is Sophia, meaning ‘wisdom’—also at the root of the word philosophy: philo (love) of sophy (wisdom). Or Sophia, the Earth Goddess, whose quality is wisdom.
I believe that when we encounter any kind of wilderness, even in a city park, an extraordinary resonance takes place between it and the wilderness buried deep in us. Suddenly, stagnant emotions, thoughts and experiences find flow because what is wild is always in flow, cannot be tamed nor contained. To take a hit of this means an immediate sense of liberation.
It’s a feeling we experience as teenagers: as our hormones thrust our bodies into adulthood, and we feel the unhinged energies of our being expanding. In traditional cultures, these were times to take the boys and girls into the wild to teach them how to navigate these new energies, so that their wildness could be channeled, and not devour them in arrogant hubris and inflated egos vulnerable to narcissism.
Nowadays, kids do drugs, and partake in other risky activities to test their mettle against these dynamic evolutions. All too often, it leads to disaster—disasters we often survive (we are sturdy folk). But some are are never able to escape this deep yearning for more aliveness, chasing the sensation for the rest of their lives in whirlwinds of drug and alcohol abuse.
For the great call of the wilderness is forever present.
If we choose, we can learn to ride the stallion of our desires using the tools of our spiritual practice, while fostering a quiet reverence for the wild, knowing that there will always be a part of us that lies beyond our control. For if we don’t figure out how to live in harmony with our wildness, we’re doomed. Something we’re reckoning with as a species right now.
And so I invite you to rediscover the wild in you and to find ways to connect more deeply and even sacredly to the wilds of the world.
Perhaps this means a month-long discipline of mini-vision questing a la urban shamanism, going to the nearby park every morning to sit in gratitude and receptivity for potential flumes of wisdom.
Perhaps this means shaking for twenty minutes a day and letting the voice vent into roars, yells and spontaneous songs.
Perhaps it means following our instincts more, our gut-truths, and heart-wombing wisdom; giving head to our heart.
Whatever your way of connecting to the wisdom of wildness, know that you are healing the great wound between ourselves and the Earth, a wound that has pushed us to the harrowing brink. Know that these small acts are in service of a greater movement that is sweeping through our species as we begin to remember a deeply eternal love for Earth, and for the wild.
In which we might just find the way to live one of the most splendorous truths imaginable; we might find the way to let the world save us.
A weekly horoscope for your sign, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron—a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology…
Virgo :: Virgo Rising Fruit growing on a tree. This is a time of resolve and a time of clarity. Get ready to usher in new understanding. Get ready to pick the fruit of knowledge this week. It brings wisdom about joy and pain. And it brings acceptance. Your focus is shifting from invigorating your sense of individuality to building stability in your life. Allow yourself to feel worthy. Feel valuable. Focusing on creating wealth and accumulating resources so that you can do what needs to be done.
Libra :: Libra Rising Golden rings. Rings made of gold. Rings made of light. Rings symbolize connection and cycles. You will be connecting people and ideas. You will be making connections within yourself that help you know who you are. Stay on the look-out for more and more subconscious clarity. This week, open up to receiving important information from dreams and intuition.
Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising A spiderweb. Imagine that you are walking through tall grass. Blocking your path is a spider in a web. She speaks and says: Stop. It’s time to honor your creativity. She is talking about the kind of creativity that comes without conscious thought. The kind that comes when you stop thinking. So, get the juices flowing and follow the creative path. It will lead you out of confusion.
Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising Pegasus’ wings are made of feathers. It is time for you to be bold. You have the ability to reach new levels of creativity as long as you are comfortable with being unusual. Take a risk and embrace unexpected change. You have more ability to focus on your career than you have had for the past three weeks. Let Pegasus’ wings take you up to great heights. Reach for a broadened perspective. Another way of saying this is to suggest you stretch your mind.
Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising Diving with dolphins. You are ready to expand in your career. Your career success depends on the critical components of grace and camaraderie. So often it is easy to forget that. So often the drive is all that matters. You will be noticing how relationships are really the secret to success. Focus on play, love, and friendship. Let the dolphins be your example. Joy leads to all good things.
Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising Looking for a cave in the side of a mountain. You are exploring. Seeking. Finding a new way. In your personal life this may feel as if you are fired up to travel or change your environment in some other way. It may feel like anticipation. Or a need to break free. Promise yourself that you will meet the itch by looking for new answers and new input. Look all around you for a trail that will take you to a to the thing you are hunting. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo.
Pisces :: Pisces Rising Newborn animals suckling life-giving milk. You are needing to nurture yourself. Give yourself lots of space and time this week. Let yourself be new. Be at the beginning. Allow yourself the shelter that babies need. You may feel fragile. You may strongly desire closeness. Give yourself these things. Sometimes you have to reach for it, but you will find it. Let closeness heal you.
Aries :: Aries Rising A high five. This week it’s all about partnership and finding camaraderie. You will also want to keep reminding yourself about balance. About giving and taking. About union and walls. You may have a desire to really connect with another person. It might even be a strong or forceful desire. Just keep balance in mind. Lean toward another person and stay true to your own individual nature at the same time. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can meet in the middle.
Taurus :: Taurus Rising Rubik’s cube. Ah, a brain teaser. How do you discover the correct algorithm to complete the puzzle? You just keep trying. As you practice, you learn the right way. Stay focused. This is your lesson right now. Dial it all down to the details. Settle in and look closely at how you are tending to your life. Are you taking very good care of yourself? Look around for ways to improve. Create order that allows you to build.
Gemini :: Gemini Rising Friendship bracelets. You are ready to embrace love. Jump for joy. Go out and have fun. You are a playful creature, but it’s easy to become separated from that truth. In this moment you can actively remind yourself to have fun. Think back to how kids play in early childhood. That is the kind of fun you are shooting for. Just make it your number one priority. It will help you learn. Get your friends involved. Remember they are your rocks and they can meet you where you’re at. With true friends, you don’t have to be anything that you are not. Let them help you take yourself less seriously.
Cancer :: Cancer Rising A waterfall. Lots of feelings this week and every feeling tells you a little bit more. Let your feelings teach you. Dig down into your gut and know your truth. Honor it. This is your work. Allow the waterfall to flow through you. Don’t build a dam. Feel your feelings, but be little bit clinical about it. Don’t get too caught up. The trick is to allow the flow of emotions, validate the emotions and discover what the emotions are trying to tell you.
Leo :: Leo Rising Veins in a leaf. This week you will feel bright and lively, but slightly serious as well. You may be feeling very focused. Prioritize your connections and friendships. Be out in the world, circulating and learning what you need to learn from your peers. Gently balance between work and play. This can be a very productive week for you if you allow your curiosity to lead you on your path.
What is Juno? The asteroid named for Jupiter’s “wife” represents our attitude toward relationships, including our jealousy triggers, says Shari Zollinger… Artwork: Miyuki Sugimoto
Astrologically speaking, besides the ten planets, there are five major asteroids that help us deepen our understanding of ourselves: Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta and Lilith. These asteroids orbit the Sun in a belt located between Mars and Jupiter.
Juno, discovered on September 1, 1804 by Karl L. Harding was named (in the Roman tradition) after the wife of Jupiter. What is Juno in the birth chart? Juno represents marriage and partnerships and our attitudes toward commitment and equality in relationships.
Being the partner of a rather philandering god, Juno also tells us how to work with the shadow side of relationships like domestic abuse, inequality, possessiveness and jealousy.
Have you experienced that familiar feeling of jealousy? Does jealousy have any up side? When is it okay to feel jealous? HOW DOES JEALOUSY SERVE THE SOUL? These are questions we can ask Juno. And Juno can help us understand our jealousy triggers.
Jealousy is different than envy—envy is when we want what someone else has, and jealousy is when we fear losing what we already have. Juno’s jealousy often shows up in relationships, when something or someone becomes a threat.
In my chart, for example, Juno is in Libra. Libra is a social sign with a focus on balance: I am often socially competitive, expect people to behave in a certain manner, and am jealously triggered when someone tips the collective attention their way, especially my partner. Juno in Libra cautions me to work with a partner with similar social values and who is willing to become a social team rather than a competitor.
Juno through the signs helps us locate our insecurities, so that we can work to overcome them and become proud of our passions, our needs, and our strong feelings. Juno reminds us that when we feel jealous we are giving our power over to something or someone else.
Our jealousy reminds us to return to the self, to adjust and rediscover our unique powers. Our jealousies may even teach us about our boundaries.
And Juno is capable of great feats of forgiveness. She would ask us to consider our jealous tendencies, and bless us with strength to move through these intense emotions, anointing us as a tribe of initiated souls who dare to feel strongly. She would have us recognize jealousy as part of partnership, and encourage us to talk about it, work with it, understand it, and most importantly understand its place within the soul.
Where is Juno in your chart? If you don’t know please email Shari at [email protected]. Please include your birth information: Full Name, Birth Date, Birth Place and Birth Time. She will get back to you within 24 hours with the Zodiac sign in which your Juno resides.
Once you have located Juno in our chart, here’s a look at her influence through the signs.
What is Juno in Aries My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my own strength, confidence and natural juicy warrior-ness. I like my partner to exhibit a level of self-sufficiency and self-confidence. I will not diminish myself for a partner.
What is Juno in Taurus My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my self worth. I will not let others dictate my worth. I revel in a partner who reflects my value back to me through genuine love, romance and gorgeous adoration.
What is Juno in Gemini My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my need to communicate and my natural curiosity. I like my partner to feel curious about me, asking questions that get to the heart of my superbly interesting story.
What is Juno in Cancer My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of a sense of belonging and overall ability to care and be cared for. I desire a partner who views me as their tribe every single day.
What is Juno in Leo My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my authentic, creative self. I am meant to shine. I yearn for a partner who encourages me to roar, and splash out onto the world with gusto (and doesn’t feel threatened by this).
What is Juno in Virgo My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my ability to discern the truth. When things get messy I have the power to organize. I seek a partner who speaks as they mean and will follow through on promises.
What is Juno in Libra My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of symmetry, beauty and balance. I value social grace. I crave a partner who values social dexterity and balance and walks into a room with me as my equal. We shine together!
What is Juno in Scorpio My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of intimacy and my need for erotic pleasure. I pine for a partner who can keep up with me sexually as well as render themselves vulnerable at all the right times.
What is Juno in Sagittarius My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my freedom and strong voice. I wish for a partner who speaks directly and with confidence, who dares speak for the truth and can march passionately and actively with me.
What is Juno in Capricorn My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of my inner authority. I am powerful. I need a partner who understands my ambition and thirst for success and encourages me to move toward my extraordinary dreams.
What is Juno in Aquarius My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of the big picture. I am good at watching and learning. I hope for a partner who won’t overwhelm me with drama and who values my gifts of rational observation.
What is Juno in Pisces My jealousy is triggered in partnerships when I lose sight of the soulful. I like to melt boundaries and long to merge. I seek a partner who is unafraid of intimacy and who takes pleasure in creating a spiritual union.
If you wish to explore further please book a session with Shari at www.sharizollinger.com
A week that’s been all about finding and using my voice, as we get ready to #tuneinpeaceout...
The message, always!
:: MONDAY :: OMFG finally did the Mayers Briggs personality test. OMFG mind totally blown. (And not just cos my personality “type”—Advocate—also includes MLK, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Theresa, lol. #TuneInPeaceOut)
:: TUESDAY :: A Skype session with amazing Gail Schock, who’s work I’d been aware of, but had not connected with until we met in Croatia earlier this summer. Gail teaches Voice Freedom, and I need way more words than I have today to describe the serendipity of us finally getting to work together now, this week, with all that’s been stirred up for me during this particular Eclipse-season-Mercury-retrograde-999-portal.
Let’s just say, some karmic shiz been going down—much of it connected to all the ways I have not felt or allowed myself to be truly heard. Following some intuitive coaching, Gail took me into a Quantum Meditation, which she said would work to heal the memories keeping me stuck, quite literally, in my throat chakra, at a cellular level. And since we’re planning a couple more sessions, I’ll leave it there for now. To be continued…Read more about Gail and her work at: Gailschock.love
:: WEDNESDAY :: And another angel floats into my life in the form of Carey Davidson, founder of Manhattan’s Tournesol Wellness. Again, there’s too much to write about this meeting of hearts, minds, and souls in this post, suffice to say (for now) that it seems this week for me is ALL about being heard, using our voice, and, yes, advocacy. Which makes a lot of sense since Friday’s Full Moon Lunar Eclipse is in my Pisces-ruled (healing/compassion) third house (communication). Having run several wellness-focussed non-profits, Carey has tasked herself with the not exactly humble pursuit of taking on the entire US healthcare system, to make alternative healing practices available to all. What can I say? I’m SO IN. Read more about Carey and her mission at: Tournesolwellness.com
:: THURSDAY :: Published this amazing piece on how to heal your throat chakra by Emma Whitehair. Obviously.
:: FRIDAY :: And would you just look at the line-up of events that’s coming together for next week’s #TuneInPeaceOut initiative for World Peace Day! You guys ROCK. And there’s still plenty of time to plan something—which could be as simple as a pot-luck dinner and gathering with friends to discuss ways to bring more peace to your family, community or workplace today. If you DO feel called to plan something larger then send details to [email protected] and we will share as many events as possible!
You can also sign up for a LIVE webinar + guided meditation for peace with Ruby Warrington and Alexandra Roxo of The Numinous, Bri Luna of The Hoodwitch, and Dori Varga of TRIBE de MAMA on 9/21. The broadcast will be at 12 noon PST / 3pm EST / 8pm GMT—and if the time doesn’t work for you, ALL those who register will receive a recording of the session. Click here to sign up!
Sandra Sitron explores all the elements of this month’s Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, with suggestions for celebrations by sign…
Click here to join a FREE virtual Full Moon ritual with Ruby Warrington and Alexandra Roxo on 9/17.
Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, September 16 2016. Exact at 3:05pm EDT
PISCES FULL MOON LUAR ECLIPSE :: OVERVIEW
A whisper. A quiet murmur. Full Moons are usually loud and all fired up with the light of the Sun. Yet this Full Moon is a quiet and gentle offering that echoes through the mist. The whisper comes from your intuition. It says: look more closely, listen more closely, slow down, grow quiet. Let yourself dissolve.
This Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse will offer many moments where you may want to instinctually push forward. Choose instead to step back. See what happens if you step away instead of push. If you meet a force, avoid the collision by bowing down and creating a blessing in your heart. If you are in right mind, you don’t have to be right. You can just be. Be connected to all things.
The Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse brings us a heightened sense of spiritual connection, along with a heightened desire to improve our physical experience through purification and service. It is here to let us know we are making progress in this, and to provide us with an opportunity to start fresh in these pursuits. We reset our intentions once more.
Every eclipse marks a time to reset. This one is in the sign of Pisces, the last sign of the Zodiac. Pisces is the container that holds the wisdom and lessons of all the other signs. It is the summary. As is the number 9 in numerology—and this Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse happens right in the middle of the 2016 999 portal (9/9—9/27). And so, at this time, we come to the end of a long story about human struggle and growth. We pause here. We listen. We wait. And as we begin again, something is very different.
:: THE ASPECTS AT PLAY ::
Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse The crow looks you in the eye and says “Don’t forget.”
Don’t forget what? Your humanity. Your desire to improve the physical world. (Virgo Sun) And your spiritual oneness with all that is. Your perfection in simply being. (Pisces Moon)
A Full Moon happens when the Moon is opposite the Sun. The Moon is in Pisces and the Sun is in Virgo. All Full Moons help us create greater awareness in our lives. The awareness we are learning now is about the balance between the physical world and the spiritual world. These are two sides of one ideal. Virgo teaches us how to improve our physical realm. Pisces teaches us how to improve our spiritual understanding—the understanding that we are already perfect.
The Virgo Sun asks you to get really tuned into your body. Do good things for your health. Eat right. Exercise. Meditate. And then do good things for your world. Offer small and big acts of service. Keep your body and mind active by helping others. The Pisces Moon encourages you to empathize and feel. Listen to and process your feelings. Remind yourself that you are loved. Remind yourself that you are connected.
Points of tension can arise when two luminaries oppose each other. The Virgo Sun is concerned with the details and can get caught up in analysis. The Pisces Moon has such deep emotions that empathy can overwhelm. If this happens it can become easy to slip away, like a fish. During this Full Moon, we have energy to define, yet a need to dissolve.
To create balance, we can slow down and make space. Lengthen the amount of time between action and emotional reaction with a mindfulness practice. Listen to your breathing. Slow down and grow quiet to allow the voice of the crow to come through. He may prompt you again.“Don’t forget.”
Don’t forget your humanity. Don’t forget your spirit.
Who is the crow?
The crow is associated with life’s mysteries, with magic and transformation. He is also the embodiment of the trickster. This is very apropos for Pisces. With the current aspects, it is hard to know what is real and what is not. True clarity comes from deep within. Follow your intuition. Watch the crow for clues, as all the animals do. The crow will nudge you in the right direction if you slow down and grow quiet enough to interpret his voice.
The takeaway Virgo Sun: Act in ways that are good for your body and your world. Think about purification and service. Pisces Moon: Connect with your spirituality. Listen to your intuition. Feel all your feelings. Empathize.
***
Sun and Moon in T-square with Mars The deer runs from the hunter.
This is a dance, and an inevitable point of tension. Are you the deer? Tuned-in, agile, instinctual, pure, innocent. Or are you the hunter? Focused. Confrontational. Taking conscious action. Hungry.
You will be both in this T-square configuration. You will be asked to form opinions that are like arrows. You will be asked to dissolve those same opinions if necessary, and rush to the cover of another tree. You will find the same benefit from putting your opinions forward and from being open-minded.
This mutable square reminds that adaptation is the goal. There are always new levels of understanding to be reached and improvements to be made. Be wary of over-exertion, yet harness your drive to explore and take risks. Keep navigating toward the result that you desire. Stay out of conflicts. (This may be hard.) But remain confrontational with yourself. Ask yourself questions. Form opinions. Hunt out your truth. Push yourself out of your comfort zone.
And at the same time acknowledge your true perfection. Be gentle with yourself. Remember your innocent and singular childhood purpose—to be alive.
The takeaway Use Mars in Sagittarius energy to help you define your opinions, but don’t get caught up in unnecessary conflict.
***
Full Moon Conjunct Chiron The clock chimes.
Time passes and feelings that were once too difficult to process bubble back up to the surface. This moment offers us another chance to heal. This is a chance for many of us to reprocess the past. Sometimes we must experience challenging emotions in order to process them. Encourage yourself to feel all of your feelings.
You may feel very tender. If you feel especially tender, think about why. Are you being reminded of a much older wound? Monitor your reactions. If you have an emotional reaction that you can safely say is out of proportion to what is going on, note that you are being triggered. Think back to the first time that you had the feeling you are having. Maybe there is a clue as to what is triggering you. Or ask yourself where the feeling is located in your body. That information may provide a different clue.
With Pisces, the tendency is to get overwhelmed by feeling and to try to distract away from it. This Full Moon would be the right time to watch what you reach for when you want to distract yourself. Just watch. Common things that we reach for are: drugs, alcohol, sex, disordered eating, work, TV, video games, social media, the internet, or talking too much. The list goes on, to include anything that is habitual for you and distracts you from your feelings.
All you have to do here is notice. If you are reaching around for different distractions, take it as a chance to interview yourself about your current emotional state. Ask, “What am I feeling?” “Where is the feeling located in my body?” “When was the first time I had this feeling.” Or, “Am I lonely?” “Am I sad?” “Am I angry?” “Am I afraid?” Dig in to these feelings as far as you can. The clock is chiming and it is time to process the feelings of the past.
The takeaway Feelings may come up that are lingering from past wounds. Process them fully.
***
In summary, at this Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, it is time to end one chapter and begin the next. It is time to reset. Honor your humanity and your spirituality. Work to improve, but remind yourself that everything is already perfect. Take care of your body and listen to your intuition. Form and defend your opinions, but don’t get caught up in conflict that doesn’t serve your highest purpose. Seek cathartic healing of old wounds, so that you can move fully into the next phase.
:: FULL MOON ACTIONS FOR YOUR SIGN ::
These suggestions can help you balance your emotions during the Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse. If you know what house in your birth chart 24 degrees Pisces is in, also read for that house.
Aries :: 12th house Write down a dream or sit quietly in meditation.
Taurus :: 11th house Get together with friends and brainstorm ways to make the world a better place.
Gemini :: 10th house Create a plan to get super healthy, so you can be a more confident leader.
Cancer :: 9th house Explore a new place and allow your intuition to be your guide book.
Leo :: 8th house Tell someone you want to connect more closely to how you really feel.
Virgo :: 7th house Invite somebody close to share in your latest project.
Libra :: 6th house Tweak your schedule to make it more moderate, nurturing and balanced.
Scorpio :: 5th house Do something creative that really ignites your imagination.
Sagittarius :: 4th house Nest in your home space and hang out with loved ones.
Capricorn :: 3rd house Enliven your mind. Learn something new and then share it.
Aquarius :: 2nd house Put your bare feet on the ground. Literally—it’s called earthing!
Pisces :: 1st house Step out of your comfort zone to make your mark. Do something that feels like a risk.
Heal the instrument of your voice to not only speak but also live in your truth, says Emma Whitehair… Artwork: Dr Steve Hinkey
The throat is a physical bridge between our body and mind, while its chakra governs our communication and search for truth. It’s the most powerful but also the most vulnerable of all seven chakras, and with so many of us struggling express our true needs, a blocked throat chakra is more common than a cold these days (even if the “symptoms” could feel the same).
If this chakra does not have a healthy flow, not only will your relationships with others be difficult but you will not be receiving clear guidance from your intuition. On the other hand, however, once beautifully balanced, negative experiences are transformed into wisdom and ultimately you are open to a higher level of consciousness.
My business is PR and writing, and no one who knows me would think I had any blocks in the area of communication. However, what can’t be seen is that I’ve had a pretty much permanent, choked up feeling for, I don’t know, months, years…lifetimes! It’s hard to tell as I only properly noticed it early this year, when I started to really get tuned in to Self.
At its most intense, it’s an energetic constriction like a noose around my neck, but mostly it’s a lump in my throat, like I’m on the brink of tears—even when there’s no apparent reason for it.
After googling ‘throat cancer’ and ‘thyroid problems’ then giving myself the all-clear (with a deep sense of relief!), I found myself drawn to a chakra workshop with James French advertised at the Yoga Loft in London—I was ready to find out if this throat funk was a spiritual malady.
On this two-day course, I discovered that Vishuddha (the Sanskrit name for the throat chakra) has a developmental age of 7 to12. Probably no coincidence that this was when my parents divorced and I was packed off to a strange boarding school. I also learnt that the corresponding sense of this fifth chakra is hearing, giving me the excuse I was looking for to connect with sound healing practitioner, Ashera Hart, who I had met a few days before.
Ashera had hosted an incredibly powerful sonic breath + gong bath event, that had been listed by The Numinous, which had helped open my throat and started to stir things up in that area. Wondering if my unbalanced Vishuddha could be realigned further with the power of sound, I made the most of the opportunity to have a one-to-one session with Ashera in my home, while she was in London (rather than her usual base of Bali).
After this session, I met up with my healer, psychotherapist Fiona Arrigo to help me process what my body had shown me. She explained that traumas to the throat chakra are often connected to early childhood issues; when, if we experience emotional pain, we encounter separation. She commented that my adult vocal personality—which “on the surface is ballsy, clear and wise” is in juxtaposition to the inner child—who swallowed down her tears, and never expressed how she felt.
I asked by subconscious to say out loud the stories I may have been holding onto, and one resonated deeply: “no one is taking care of me…I’m alone.” And with that tears of relief fell down my cheeks. It all suddenly made sense—that part of me, the child, who had swallowed her sadness, was physically manifested like a bitter pill, stuck in my throat for over 30 years.
Fiona reminded me “to meet the understanding that we ARE alone in this life.” She also explained that the feeling I encountered during the sound healing, of being held, was the Universal holding, and in that moment, I had flipped my scratched record. Rather than archived pain, I had experienced something way more profound—a spiritual embrace so meaningful it had helped heal that source fracture.
My journey with this continues. Read on for 10 STEPS I’ve investigated to help with starting to CLEAR YOUR THROAT CHAKRA.
:: STEP BACK IN TIME :: What unexpressed emotion or story are you holding on to? Once that’s understood, then it’s important to try and change the record, in order to free yourself. Byron Katie’s The Work might do it for you. Alternatively, perhaps you story is more complex—could it be from a pre-verbal era, or another life?
I spoke to Sue Minns, who’s book ‘Bodies & Souls’ touches on the throat chakra (as well as the others) and she explained the following to me:
“Chakras are like micro-chips of soul information that are links to our past experiences on earth, and connection to where we came from. The throat chakra, if holding negative memories, will become a bottleneck, a block to our true Self expression. Many of us (especially as women) have had gruesome deaths as a result of speaking out, spreading the word, saying the spells.
The throat is the chakra of secrets and lies, whispers and screams—and of speaking your truth without fear. A historical ‘block’ will obstruct cosmic, divine energy coming through the Crown and Third Eye to reach the Heart. It will short circuit at the throat if it cannot pass through. The central column (Sushumna) needs to be an open conduit between heaven and earth so that we can remember both our source and our purpose on this earth.”
:: SOUL MANTRA :: “The 1st Law of Healing—all disease is inhibited Soul Life. The job of the healer is to lift the downcast eyes upward unto the Soul, and the Soul does the work” – Dr Steve Hinkey
So how do we allow the soul to work its magic? Mantras should allow the soul to take position naturally and Steve gave me these to use to unblock the throat chakra:
Because ‘I am…’ is so powerful, and soul infusion the ultimate achievement: “I am the soul infused throat”.
To use if starting to experience, or resist tension in the throat: “I am wanting to know my soul’s process, as it expresses itself through my throat chakra”
As no-one evolves without loving what they have, including dis-ease, this as a good all-rounder:
“I love myself as I am”
:: SOUND HEALING :: Ashera Hart hosts The Frequency Shift solfeggio journeys, which encourage a Theta brainwave state, through healing vibrations, helping you access intuition, transform limiting beliefs and most especially—clear energy blockages.
I attended one of her ‘Sonic Immersion’ events (at Kind Yoga in London) which was a blissfully relaxing 90-minute experience. With the Zobet (solfeggio) healing frequencies along with sounds of the ocean, the cosmos and nature, Ashera accompanied this with an ethereal vocal invocation, tuning forks, chimes, shamanic drum and percussion.
We were told we may have dreams that night, that might reveal what is unresolved and one of mine was quite interesting. The throat chakra’s traumas can include alcoholism and yelling—both themes which were visited while in an abstract and gentle dream featuring my much loved childhood pet dog…
:: CONSCIOUS COMMUNICATION :: Which means honoring your feelings, understanding your needs and kindly requesting that they are met. With authentic expression however, comes responsibility. There’s also a delicate balance between being honest and tactful, and on some occasions silence is golden.
Voicing irritations and raising one’s voice, for example, can pollute the throat chakra, as can gossiping, blaming, criticizing, or any other type of negative communication. If you start thinking in these terms, try to raise the vibration before saying anything. Also use this checklist:
Is what you are about to say true?
If so, is it necessary to be said, and does it need to be said by you?
If the answer is yes, ask yourself if what you are about to say is kind/compassionate/loving.
Hearing is the fifth chakra’s sense and therefore listening is one of its most important realms of communication. That means listening to both your inner voice, and the voice of others. I think I may have an overactive Vishuddha, as I speak super fast (often with no filter) and sometimes feel impatient while listening.
With this in mind, I have made a conscious effort to start listening more intently, giving the other person my full undivided attention, putting away any devices and waiting (patiently!) to hear the them out completely before jumping in. This helps me to read between the lines and decipher others’ real needs, in order to respond in the right way.
:: THE AH MANTRA :: To cleanse and purify any impure energy of speech, let the “AH” sound fill your throat for a few minutes.
One of the most powerful mantras on the planet, this sound is found in the name of most deities: Tara, Buddha, Krishna, Yah, Yeheshua, Saraswati, Wakantanka, Quan Yin, etc., along with many of the sacred words (Amen, Alleluia, AUM).
‘AH’ is also a sound related to the throat chakra, so it’s no coincidence that ‘AH HEM’—is the sound unconsciously made when a person clears his/her throat. While on a more conscious level, the Buddhist mantra ‘OM AH HUM’ is explained by my yoga guru Cat as “translating to body, speech and mind—speech being an integral part of having a harmonious co-existence with all living beings and speaking up for those who may lack a ‘voice’.”
:: USE YOUR VOICE :: As long as the intention is pure, ANY way that you use your voice will help draw fresh energy through your throat chakra. I touch on the benefits of singing in this story and you can also hum, whistle, groan, sigh—ask your body what sounds need to be released, and just go for it, dialing up the volume if need be.
:: TEAR JERKERS :: The throat is where I store my tears, and those that came with discovering my stuck story were beautifully cathartic. And as I know there are more to come, as part of my healing I chose my moments to indulge in deliberately triggering a little cry, with film.
When we watch weepies, it releases not only emotion, but also oxytocin, aka the love or cuddle hormone, which also regulates crying. A boost of oxytocin gives feelings of bonding, empathy, trust and maternal behavior, and it can’t differentiate between actual human beings and flickering images of them. If, like me, you have stuck emotion to release, this 10-minute supercut of tear jerking movie moments should have you sobbing in no time, letting those loving feelings wash over you. You’re welcome!
:: MUSIC :: As sound is Vishuddha’s sense, music can also be a powerful activator. Partly down to some of the lyrics, melody, story or my personal associations, these tracks seem to resonate with the emotions stored within my throat chakra, allowing me to feel and heal.
What would be on on your Vishuddha playlist?
:: YOGA :: Correcting one’s posture is key when re-aligning chakra’s, and these two yoga asanas, should help open up and/or activate the throat:
Fish (Matsyasana): Not only does this stretch the neck, it also strengthens the neck muscles needed to balance and stimulate the throat chakra.
Shoulder stand (Salamba Sarvangasana): considered the Queen of all yoga poses, because of its amazing healing abilities. Doing shoulder stands regularly is an excellent way to keep your thyroid healthy and helps sufferers of asthma (like me).
Two Pranayama exercises that also bring heat and stimulate the throat chakra are the Ujjayi and lion’s breath.
:: HEALING ROCKS :: You can re-balance Vishuddha by stimulating its reflex points in the feet and hands: the connection point of the big toe with the feet, and halfway down the thumb. I’m taking this a step further by wearing a memento mori, which I had made by Zoe & Morgan, that hits this point of my left thumb. A gold ring depicting a skull with diamond eyes on angel wings. A little reminder of both my mortal and immortal self—to help me be more conscious and stop sweating the small stuff!
Zoe & Morgan have also created this beautiful throat chakra ring. Featuring Aquamarine, the stone of the sea, which helps the throat chakra to open, and communication to flow like water.
Other stones that are good for rebalancing the throat chakra include: lapis lazuli, blue topaz, turquoise, chrysocolla, sodalite and my favourite—sapphires, which I wear on a necklace and ring. Try wearing these stones so they sit on your throat chakra for the full healing benefit.
:: TRUE BLUE BABY I LOVE YOU :: Considered a hue for health, blue’s calming effect helps restore balance to the throat chakra, and for me, my blue healing comes from connecting with the ocean. My happy is getting out under blue skies (ether—the throat’s element) whenever I can, and in the sea at least every few months. However, when that’s not possible a pool also does the trick. So treat yourself to a spa day, and the immersion in water as a kind of soul soothing, spiritual cleansing.
A Nu way to vacation on the ultimate hedonist’s playground: Jodie DS introduces Ibiza’s new spiritual party scene…
Ibiza. The quintessential hedonist’s playground, and ecstasy-fuelled party paradise. But, in keeping with the global shift in consciousness that’s about tuning IN to our innate bliss verses getting OUT of it with drugs and alcohol, the summer of 2016 has witnessed the birth of Ibiza’s new spiritual party scene.
And these parties have depth. Designed to take you on a journey though the senses, the idea is to leave you hangover-free and feeling inspired, revitalized and refreshed. Many events also have a conscience charity focus to help participants to be the change we all want to see in this world.
In a sense, it’s a return to the hippie roots of Ibiza’s original party scene, which was about coming together to raise consciousness through dance, often out in the open air, on beaches beneath the stars. And if an influx of big money over the past decade has seen flashy conspicuous (champagne Sangria) consumption, then high vibe events this summer have ushered in a welcome alternative.
The height of the summer season might be coming to an end, but there are still plenty of happenings in late September and into October. Check out our selection and let Ibiza’s new spiritual party scene inspire you to get high on your own supply…
Now an island favorite, WooMoon is a party that will take you on a beautiful artistic journey with a new story at every event. Imagine a night out that’s all about art, live performances, healing and interactive experiences, paired with mesmerizing music to feed your soul. There’s also a great variety of food and drink for all dietary requirements including vegan and vegetarian curries, ice creams, cocktails and organic acai bowls from Amazonia EU. The event is also family friendly with a kid’s circus and face painting. You will fall in love with the picturesque location of Cova Santa located in the beautiful mountains in San Josep, while at midnight the party continues downstairs all the way until dawn. All you need to enjoy this party is an open mind and an open heart.
Line up includes: Atish, Audiofly, Behrouz, Begun, Chancha Via Circuito, Chris Len, Crussen, Hraach, Ida Daugaard, Jhon Montoya, Luca Musto, Lulacruza, Mees Dierdrop, Noema, Rampue, Sabo, Timur, Unders, Valentin Huedo, Viken Arman and More.
Cosmic Pineapple Thursdays in September at Ibiza Rocks at Pikes Hotel 4pm-4am
Every Thursday in September at the eccentric Ibiza Rocks at Pikes Hotel it goes Cosmic Pineapple! The conscious event positions itself as a place to dance, connect, create and transform. From spiritual workshops to cosmic activities there is something for everyone, combined with great music from the word’s most visionary DJ’s with the lineup remaining a secret until the day. Workshops and activities include yoga, energy work, live art, cosmic hairstyles and make-up, conscience talks, card readings, astrology, nature workshops, outdoor cinema, night market, healthy food and drink and much, much more. The community and charity focused event is free entry and welcome to children before 10pm. All proceeds going to Green Peace, Young Minds, Love Support Unite and the David Lynch Foundation.
Sundance: a dancing freedom practice Various Saturdays from 7:30pm to 10:15pm announced sporadically at Lamuella Ibiza
Dancing is a medicine to express yourself, and to heal and transform, and this mindful dance practice helps you to surrender, to let go and to focus on the present moment. For two hours there is no speaking, while one of the best inspirational DJ’s will take you on a musical journey through the senses—connecting you to Earth, Water, Fire and Air to allow you to connect deep within yourself. The sessions usually begin with a powerful meditation. Dancing is living, living is moving, moving is dancing. No dancing experience is necessary.
An event that brings the people of Ibiza together to share in the joy of our true spirit. The event combines creative dance, yoga, tantra, musical meditations, workshops, inspirational talks, singing circles, natural food and drinks, great music and much, much more!
The schedule for the day is endless, but a few not to miss party alternatives are:
Kundalini Flow Dance with Cecilia Dyaljot This workshop involves dancing with spirals and waves beginning with a short meditation to ground to Mother Earth to awaken your Kundalini Energy. The dance movements connect you to the source of the power to produce heat to unlock the energy that is rooted at the base of your spine.
New Moon Dance with Veetmaya This dynamic ritual will inspire you to set new intentions and help you manifest it. You will dance together to express your intention through the body allowing energy to flow. Through your breathe you will charge your body with energy and dance to let go of what needs to be released making space for your manifestation to begin.
Music Moves the Spirit of Ibiza Various musicians and DJs will be filling the air with melodic and uplifting sounds from the day to night. Kareem Raihani will do a Sunset Dance Celebration through Ecstatic dance paired with inspirational music. Celebrate life through rhythm, sound, movement and expression. Kareem doesn’t just mix music, he mixes emotions.
Virtue Ibiza brought to you by Rainbow City October 27 to November 1 at Hotel Es Vive
After their success with Yoga Mornings in Ibiza, Rainbow City are back with a full retreat for healthy hedonists at a new location, the Hotel Es Vive. The 5-day experience at this magical venue will have a party vibe—but without any toxic substances. Virtue is a concept to show you can have fun and be healthy at the same time, with alcohol completely removed from the bar and replaced with fresh fruits and super foods. Daily yoga, reiki, mediation and more will help guests settle into a beautiful, peaceful environment that will be hard to leave.
The 5-day launch week package is 595 Euros per person. The package includes:
Welcome party themed 70’s, 80’s and 90’s Organic, plant powered health bar Daily healthy buffet or menu breakfast and dinner Sunrise and sunset yoga, healing and meditation sessions Mystery group excursion Daily live sacred music Regular guest DJ’s and pop up healthy pool parties Rainbow hippy market Spa access with Jacuzzi and sauna Healthy cooking, raw food and nutrition workshops Ppop up workshops, including dream catcher and jewelry making, reiki, essential oils and more Ecstatic dance Group sound healing Moonlight mantra session Detox guidance and support Lots of hugs Cacao and Matcha farewell ceremony
A weekly horoscope for your sign, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron—a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology…
Virgo or Virgo Rising Tea leaves forming patterns. It feels so good to know. To have the facts. To step forward sure of your path. But right now you can’t know. You have to hold space for the mystery. You have to make room inside of you to allow for other people’s chaos. And your own chaos. And the chaos of the universe. Find your footing in the truth of your heart. Respect your intuition. Inspect the tea leaves. Even if you don’t know how to read them, you will know how to read them. All you need to do is listen very closely to the beating of your heart.
Libra or Libra Rising A seesaw. This is a week to find balance. But you must use gravity to help you. You must not push too hard or you will disrupt the delicate order. You have to think about cause and effect. You have to tread lightly. Control only the things you can control. These things are logistical and mechanical. They have to do with cause and effect. Let go of the emotional and spiritual things that you cannot control. These things you can only witness. Show up as a witness but do not apply pressure here. You have two goals this week and they are on opposite sides of seesaw. One is to refine. The other is to listen. Your challenge is to fulfill each goal at the right moment.
Scorpio or Scorpio Rising Kittens eating food. The world needs your sweetness, your wildness, your generosity, your fire. Kittens are crazy, innocent, and fun. Be all of these things. Nourish your inner child. Push yourself to frolic. Let go of everything you’ve learned and focus on the part of you that is innocent and wild. Notice where you are being critical or judgmental and be creative instead. You need to express yourself now. It’s not always easy. We get caught up. We have responsibilities. We are sometimes habitually detached from joy. You can wash all of that off right now. Get joyful and nourish your inner wildness. Be courageous enough to give yourself the gift of freedom of expression.
Sagittarius or Sagittarius Rising Cross-country skiing. You are moving so fast. You need to be on the move right now. It’s healthy for you to explore your philosophies about humanity so that you can create new structure for your life. But this week offers you a chance to notice what grooves you are creating. What tracks are you following at breakneck speed? These grooves are foundational and they must be examined. The grooves in the snow are like the stories you tell yourself about life. Don’t tell yourself the story you don’t want to believe. Tell yourself the story you want to believe. Tell it to yourself over and over again. Make it into a love letter that you write to yourself. Nurture yourself with the story of your success.
Capricorn or Capricorn Rising Going through the tunnel of a slide at a waterpark. You are moving quickly through darkness. So much is unclear. So much is not yet understood. There is so much to be learned. It is time to tell yourself a different story. You can start by noticing where you are anxious.Your anxiety is really fear. And fear can be annihilated by changing the story that you tell yourself. Tell yourself a story in which you are safe. And brave. Begin at the beginning of the story. Begin fresh. Begin in the darkness. You don’t always love the mystery of the darkness. You would generally prefer to be an expert, not a beginner. But right now you are learning the basics and nothing is as clear as you would like it to be. So champion your curiosity. Make this process lively, fun and adventurous.
Aquarius or Aquarius Rising Picking petals off a daisy. This symbol says something about hope. It’s a wish. “He loves me, he loves me not…” “She loves me, she loves me not…” A wish to merge. A hope to be together. This week you are reminded that you are always enough. And that you are always connected. Take the energy of your desire to be joined with another person and pour it into your own cup. Whether you are in a relationship or not, there is always an opportunity to feel more held by the universe. More safe and supported. So imagine the way it feels to be satisfied, fulfilled, secure and centered. Imagine these feelings with high emotion. Then fill your heart with gratitude for this experience. This is how you fill your cup. This is how your remind yourself of abundance. Your task for this week is to sink into your rightful place on the crust of Mother Earth and to know through and through that you are enough. You are safe to be alive in this world and to be supported by it.
Pisces or Pisces Rising Finding a path through tall grasses. Looking for a new path, leading the way. This week you lead. But here is the catch, you may be feeling more deeply and more intensely than usual. You have so much empathy for the experiences of other people that sometimes you can become overwhelmed. And when that happens you try to disappear. Don’t disappear now. Stay present. Keep listening closely for the voice of your intuition. That is the voice that will tell you where to lead us. It is the voice of your truth. It is the voice that you may have to be brave in order to hear. Trust your gut. There will be new heights of emotion this week. Conflicting emotion. But underneath all of that emotion, there will be the song of the truest part of you. Get quiet so that you can hear it.
Aries or Aries Rising A unicorn’s horn. Something powerful and imaginary. Something ephemeral. This week you can experience a new flowering in the realm of your being that is concerned with faith. Are you a believer or a non-believer? Normally you prioritize reality, and reality is defined by the environment you can change at will. You believe in action. You believe in your own motivation. You believe in fire. But what about water? What about non-action? What about the void? What about the imaginary? What about the places that you can’t see, that you can’t change, that you can’t be certain of? What about the worlds that are behind the veil? The worlds that are made of chaos and dreams. The worlds that you can only guess at. The worlds that are too gauzy and vague to become the subject of your force. This vagueness must become the place where you focus your attention this week. Because in the vague and misty void you will find your new beginning. You may have to guess at it more than be sure of it. You may have to believe in it rather than see it. This week allow yourself to dissolve. Allow yourself to be unsure. Open your mind and surrender. Do this so that you can discover where to put your faith.
Taurus or Taurus Rising Eating the highest leaves off the tree like a giraffe. Adapting. Creating innovative solutions. This week you can be gifted with a new solution. Something sudden and unexpected. Something that changes your future. But here is the catch— you have to be willing to receive it. And we all know how hard it can be to receive. You are meant to receive inspiration. To receive fully you have to get into your best receptive state. This is a state of gratitude. Begin with gratitude for the simple things. The air that surrounds you. The light through the trees. As you practice gratitude your neck will grow longer like a giraffe and you will reach a higher perspective. This higher perspective will help you receive inspiration. Your new solution. You can’t get to the solution from a place of lack. You must get to the solution from a place of gratitude. So go to the gratitude. If you try, you can easily put yourself there.
Gemini or Gemini Rising A castle on the horizon. This symbol foretells of your dreams realized. Your stability. This week you are reminded that you must create a vision and then dig and in and work for it. Do the work. Roll up your sleeves. But keep your eye on the prize. This week you envision the ladder. You envision it rung by rung, step by step. See the structure that will take you where you need to go. Focus. Make a plan. It’s not always easy for you to do this. There are so many delightful places for the mind to wander. But keep batting away distractions and pour your heart into the vision of your destination. You have been on a bit of a roller-coaster lately. Now you need to feel your stability. Nothing offers stability like a very good plan. This is your chance to create a plan that you can repeatedly say Yes to.
Cancer or Cancer Rising A spear flying through the air. When working with symbols, it is helpful to describe them the way you would to an alien who had never had contact with the imagery. “A spear flying through the air,” becomes “an object that is moving with force and is designed to impact the surface it contacts.” You are moving with force. You are moving toward knowledge. You are moving toward having an impact. You are philosophizing. You are hunting. You are seeking a new understanding and when you land, you will wish to change the nature of your environment with the thrust of your newfound opinion. This week you must go out of your shell and explore. Give up your safety and go. Let go of your container. Surprise yourself by being brave and vulnerable at the same time. You must soften your mind so that you can open up to new heights of knowledge. You will learn about your own humanity and the nature of humankind all at once.
Leo or Leo Rising The long stems of a lily pad. Leo, this week you are learning how to open up and connect intimately with another. Whether you are in or out of relationship, you get to practice sharing your feelings honestly. This is how intimacy is birthed. Because of the nature of our society, sharing feelings is often a struggle. Often, it is not what we are taught to do. We must stretch ourselves to name our true emotions and share our true emotions. The stems of a lily pad stretch from the sandy soil at the bottom of the pond, all the way up to the surface. When they break out onto the surface of the pond, the lilies bloom in the full light of the sun. In just this way, you can stretch yourself to tell your emotional truth and breakthrough into full intimacy with another person. Take this risk. It is a practice that will help you share your light with the world.
The numerology of 999 is a powerful invitation to let go and move forward in our journey, says Felicia Bender. Artwork: Victor Moatti
999
Ah, sweet surrender.
September 9, 2016 breaks down to 9-9-9 (since “2016” = 2+0+1+6 = 9, making this a Universal 9 Year). The code is a message and also an energetic reality.
This day opens us to surrender on the highest realm. It is the end of a concerted struggle and a transition into wisdom or even a sense of rebirth.
Think about what has constituted your biggest or most consistent struggle—either in the past year, or even throughout your life. This is the time to put this issue (or issues) to center stage and into the spotlight. Now is the time to make some deep changes.
In Numerology, the number 9 is sacred and offers all of the lessons related to all the numbers 1-8. It challenges us to take the lead and embrace independence (1), to love and serve the needs of everyone (2), to express emotions in a healthy way and to be creative (3), to work hard and create stability (4), to use freedom constructively and have fun (5), to nurture and create a home (6), to live with a spiritual base and also ask questions (7), and to empower ourselves and to manifest in the material world (8).
The numerology of 999, day where there is a TRIPLE serving of 9 energy, it opens us—whether we “like” it or not—to our truth, in ways that we have been both searching for and avoiding. While we can say we want enlightenment, we often romanticize it, when the actuality is that enlightenment a painful process. It is a constant stripping away and revealing of Truth and also shines a light on how we must participate in creating what we want in the world.
There is true beauty in the transition opening on this special day. And given we also have two eclipses in September—which themselves are known to accelerate change in a big way—the numerology of 999 in this particular year presents an opportune time to unveil your deepest desires and visualize what it would look and feel like to step into your new reality.
So how to maximize the numerology of 999?
TAKE THE LEAP. Have you been hovering around a decision for so long you can’t remember a time when it hasn’t been eating at you? For example, I know people who have been thinking about getting a divorce for years and just continue to hover in the relationship. A friend of mine said it so well: If you’re constantly thinking about whether or not you should be in your marriage, you shouldn’t be in your marriage! If you’re meant to be there, thinking about whether or not you should stay or go is simply not on the radar.
BE REAL about your actions and participation—while forgiving yourself fully and completely. Do you keep beating yourself up about something you did or didn’t do in the past? Do you replay it over and over again? I think it’s Byron Katie who observes that often we have one traumatic experience and yet our mind relives it so often, it is if we experience the trauma every time we replay it. This is the time to find a way to truly forgive yourself and move on. It’s up to you to find your way to do it—Therapy? Energy work? Hypnosis? A “Release” ritual? Whatever speaks to you, try it it.
EXPAND YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS. Oh, sure. Sounds so cliché. Yet the energy of the 9 is optimized when we can truly live the Buddhist tenant of being Present—when we can live in the moment, let go of the past without resentment, and be open and curious about the future. If there’s ever a time to clear our slate of negativity, this is it. And this is made more challenging by the current conditions we’re experiencing in the world. There is so much tumultuous change, it can be disconcerting. Yet if we can be the eye in the center of the hurricane—even in the most intense times—the rest of it will become so simple.
With the lucky planet’s move into the sign of harmony, relationships and social justice, Jupiter in Libra will bring blessings for every sign, says Ash Bonelli… Artwork: Paula Duró
Jupiter, our cosmic Santa Claus, will enter the sign of Libra on September 9, 2016, and will stay here until October 10, 2017. Jupiter spends roughly a year in each sign creating a 12-year cycle. He basically vacations through each house of your natal chart giving you the opportunity to experience his qualities in each area of your life, and so each 12-year cycle signifies an all-encompassing period of growth. In astrology, each house also builds on and balances the one before it, bringing you experiences that help you gain knowledge and maturity with each passing phase.
Jupiter has been in the sign of its detriment, Virgo, for the last year. In non-astro speak, this means he’s been a bit uncomfortable. Jupiter wants to go BIG, and has the tendency to indulge if not kept in check. Virgo likes to look over each detail until everything is absolutely perfect no matter how long it takes. This past year these two opposing energies have made for strange bedfellows for sure! Jupiter has had to learn the art of pure focus and Virgo has had a chance to see the entire forest, not just the bark of each branch. Now that Jupiter is moving into the Libran area of your chart, life will run a bit more smoothly.
A reason to celebrate, since gratitude is the quickest way to usher in more gifts—which is what this planet is all about! Jupiter in Libra 2016 will highlight relationships of all kinds, which I will touch on below. Libra also likes elegance, balance, and fairness. Jupiter stands behind justice and equality. This transit will also highlight the other three cardinal signs, so you will also notice a boost to any area where you are Aries, Capricorn and Cancer.
This will be a welcome reprieve as the cardinal signs have been hit really hard over the last few years with the consciousness shifting Uranus/Pluto square. No matter where your planets reside you all have these signs in your chart so everyone will get a taste of Jupiter’s blessings! Listed below are some suggestions as to how Jupiter in Libra 2016 may express itself for your sign. If you have your chart, you can get a more accurate read of how Jupiter in Libra may impact your life by checking which house is ruled by Libra. Don’t have your chart? You can do it for free here—but you will need to know your exact time of birth to know which sign rules each house.
These are not rigid interpretations but rather some inspiration to get you thinking about that part of your life. Little jumping off points to help guide your free will and connect you to the flow of your path!
LIBRA :: LIBRA RISING (Jupiter in the 1st house) Jupiter in the 1st house is about to expand possibilities around how you put yourself out in the world. This transit can add a nice boost to your self-confidence and can give your aura an extra sparkle. Jupiter in Libra can help you express yourself in a more successful way which in turn can bring about more opportunities for healing and growth. You may notice that you desire to be seen and heard more, especially in your personal relationships. You could use this transit to get more in touch with what you need out of your relationships and really be mindful of how your energy is given.
The 1st house also rules our bodies so this would be a great time to kick start any healthy endeavors that have been lingering about at the end of the to do list. You could switch up your diet to include more greens, start meditating to connect more to your higher self or start exercising. Whatever you choose to embark on will grow and most likely at a faster rate than usual but keep in mind that Jupiter can blow up even the negative choices. So choose wisely about your body, health and relationships this year!
VIRGO :: VIRGO RISING (Jupiter in the 2nd house) This transit could amplify all 5 senses. You may feel the need to dive deeper into self-care and start a new routine around how you could love yourself more. The things in life that you value most could come up for review and this includes the relationship you have to yourself. Where and how you find pleasure will likely be more important in the year ahead. An emphasis could be placed upon your material world and how your possessions either make you feel more safe and secure or weighed down.
This transit can be a boost to your finances through a raise, promotion or career shift. This house usually doesn’t lend itself to quick abrupt changes though so the pace may move a bit slower than usual for Jupiter’s liking. Slow and steady wins the race though so enjoy the finer things in life without completely blowing through the extra funds you may find yourself having. Jupiter can blow things out of proportion so embrace what feels good while always keeping a foot planted on the grassy hills of reality. Also, enjoy the boost to your self-esteem and take time to figure out how you can create more stability in your life!
LEO :: LEO RISING (Jupiter in the 3rd house) Jupiter is about to have a year long conversation with you. As he glides through your house of communication you might notice yourself becoming a bit more chatty. You may become more involved in your community or social groups. Your relationship to your siblings might be more prominent at this time as well. The 3rd house symbolizes our ability to express through teaching, writing and engaging so you may go back to school to catapult at new career path. Simply learning a new skill either through a structured program or a DIY book could capture your interest.
If you ever wanted to become a better public speaker, write an article for a magazine you love, start a blog or get involved with a charity, this would be your year to do it. Jupiter riding side saddle here can bring blessings that make us more confident and open. People seem to receive us in a really positive way which just builds on that amped up self-esteem! So get out and connect. Be open to possibilities such as fun weekend mini-trips, learning opportunities and all around growth in how you express you!
CANCER :: CANCER RISING (Jupiter in the 4th house) Jupiter comes homes for you during this transit. The 4th house represents our family, our homes, our security and our roots. You may find yourself being more of a homebody than usual. Also, the desire to be more involved with your loved ones could grow stronger. This can also signify a time when a new member gets added to the family unit. Baby bells may be chiming! Home improvements or moving to a new residence could be in order. Jupiter wants room to grow and expand his independent intentions so you may need to work on creating more freedom within your family dynamics.
This could be a healing time for you, where you discover more about what you need to feel more secure and stable. Sometimes we have to grow past our comfort zones to really see what we are capable of and what we really need in our hearts. Elements of the past may come up for review as this house symbolizes our roots. You may discover more about your ancestry and get a better understanding of yourself via a new perspective and appreciation for the blood pulsing through your veins. Use this transit to connect deeper to someone in your family, blood or not and embrace what you need to feel more centered.
GEMINI :: GEMINI RISING (Jupiter in the 5th house) Welcome to the party! Jupiter likes to enjoy himself in this house. This is traditionally the house of Leo so all things playful, dramatic, creative and expressive are going to be highlighted this time around. This is also the house of falling in love and dating. It’s the house where we flirt and the first flutters of romance are in the air. With the jovial king here you may meet someone new and have a passionate love affair. Considering this is a Jupiter in Libra transit, the potential for all romantic relationships will be highlighted. A jolt of new sparks could fly for the longtime couples as well so never fear if you are already happily paired up.
This could also be a time of heightened artistic expression. Keep in mind you don’t have to be a traditional artist to be creative, although if you are this could be an amazing year for you. Any hobby or craft already in your life could really grow in importance or you may find a completely new creative passion. This is also the house of indulgence so to keep from going overboard be respectfully mindful of the fact that Jupiter also enjoys the act of going over the top. He will big up anything he touches. So with that in mind embrace the fun and enjoy life but remember to keep your head above the water!
TAURUS :: TAURUS RISING (Jupiter in the 6th house) Jupiter gets a new routine here. The 6th house governs over our bodies, our health, our need for perfection, our work routine and acts of service. Considering this transit is moving through Libra you may notice that you are paying more attention to the relationship you have with your body. This would be a great year to start eating more whole fresh foods, to start a new workout program and just be more aware of your mind/body connection. Another point of focus could be on your daily routines, (the little tasks that make life a bit dull) and how you could move through them with more efficiency.
The daily grind will either feel more fluid or you will recognize you need more freedom from certain routines. Now will be the time to correct your daily habits to better suit your needs. You may also see some success at work via a promotion or you may shift jobs entirely. Also, this could be a time where you get involved in some type of charity work that speaks to heart. Jupiter has faith in humanity and the universe so you may feel yourself naturally tap into that altruistic energy! Use this benefic presence to find perfection in the imperfections and to get healthier!
ARIES :: ARIES RISING (Jupiter in the 7th house) Ah, the house of love! With Libra ruling this house, relationships of all kinds may always be a big focus in your life but with Jupiter moving in for the next year, he will be kicking things into high gear. This could be the year that you take your romantic relationship from dating to co-nesting or a bigger option, (remember Jupey poo likes BIG) wedding bells! With that said if you are in an unhealthy relationship this could also be the time that you cut those toxic strings and work on the love affair with your own heart. The Jupiterian energy will be there helping you to make big leaps that you may have been too scared to make beforehand. Just trust your heart and forge ahead with your head held high!
On the less love focused front, you may meet someone who would make the perfect business partner giving you the spark you need to embark on bringing those indie business dreams to fruition. Collaboration of all kinds could be major themes for the year! Get social and connect because you never know who is coming onto your path to help you out! We can meet our earth angels anywhere.
PISCES :: PISCES RISING (Jupiter in the 8th house) Jupiter goes deep into the soul with this transit. This is the house of sex, death and taxes. The human shadow. Our spirit wounds. Our power and how we use it. You may find that you desire to have more control over your life in general and the positive energy now available with this transit is here to help you attain that goal. You may need to do some soul searching though because power is only a good thing when the intention behind it comes from a healthy and balanced place. You may start to see where you are out of balance when it comes to wanting to control certain people, situations or experiences in your life.
This is Scorpio’s house so stepping into the fire to come out anew is a dominant theme here. You may need to let go of an attitude, belief or person in order to overcome and heal. With the benefic energy here though you will have aid at your side. You will find the strength needed to evolve and grow past any self-imposed limits. This could also be a time of increased money in your pocket. This would most likely come from an inheritance, property sale, legal issues being solved or any situation where the finances come from someone else instead of your job. Use this good energy to move past any soul blocks and come out on the other side with a happier healthier spirit!
AQUARIUS :: AQUARIUS RISING (Jupiter in the 9th house) Jupiter loves the 9th house! This house governs all of his favorite subjects. Traveling, teaching, law, publishing, spirituality and philosophy. You may find yourself traveling or studying foreign cultures. Getting totally immersed in another language and lifestyle. Adventures are highly smiled upon during this transit. Also, education could be a big focus this year. You may go back and get the Master’s Degree that you’ve been dreaming about for years. This will probably be a year of thinking, understanding, learning, sharing and preparing. Like the 3rd house description above you may go to a traditional institution for your area of study or you may choose to teach yourself something new.
Either way, the amplified learning energy is there for the taking. Diving into a new spiritual practice or getting involved more intimately with your existing religious practices could be highlighted. Understanding your place in the world and understanding other people’s ways of life could provide valuable insights into your soul’s growth. Faith and optimism will be key features this year which you can apply to any section of your life for a boost of good energy. Use this auspicious time to learn more about yourself and your world! Learn a skill that you never thought you could before. Surprise yourself!
CAPRICORN :: CAPRICORN RISING (Jupiter in the 10th house) Jupiter meets the boss! The beautiful benefit will be bringing the blessings to your career house. Polish up your public persona because you may find that you are in social situations where you are the focal point more often than usual. This is a good time to make your mark and put yourself out there for the world to see your greatness. You may get a promotion or venture into a new career field. This can be a very exciting time because everything you’ve been learning via Jupiter’s previous transits can be put to good use in how you express yourself. Think about any valuable lessons you have learned over the past year while Jupiter was in Virgo.
Those lessons can be applied into action steps now. You can also find a great new mentor during this transit as the 1oth house rules elders/bosses/authority. This could be someone who can help you shape up your goals to reach the next level. Be open to any opportunities to get in front of people because you never know who you will meet next on the path that could change your life! Jupiter is here to help you be in charge of your life. So get your GirlBoss on and go after your best dreams!
SAGITTARIUS :: SAGITTARIUS RISING (Jupiter in the 11th house) Time to get social! This transit helps you expand your tribe. The people that you feel on a soul level really get you. All your unique traits are appreciated and even celebrated during this transit. You may have the desire to be way more social than usual. This always throws off the introverts, so never fear my little home dwellers, it’s only a year! Plus this isn’t the painful socializing we must do to “play the game.” This is fun, optimistic, heart opening experiences that make you fall in love with how awesome humans can be.
The 11th house is the home of hopes and wishes so it’s possible that your birthday wish could come true or something you worked very hard on over the past year while Jupiter was amping up your career house will come to fruition. You may also find a charity or cause that really speaks to your heart. You could find yourself giving back and discover a new way of being seen via really seeing others in an amazing, vulnerable way. Your attitude could also shift into more eccentric, unique and striking ways! Embrace your own quirky behaviors, have fun with your new friends and get connected with a cause that makes this a better world for us all!
SCORPIO :: SCORPIO RISING (Jupiter in the 12th house) Jupiter goes undercover. This is more of an internally felt transit. After a year of Jupiter being in your social 11th house you may want this year ahead to be more private. This has a very healing, lunar, yin energy to it. You can use this time to integrate all of the experiences good or bad that you’ve had via your previous 11 Jupiter transits. This is a great time to start a meditation practice to let go of any unwanted gunk that has built up in your psyche. Restorative Yoga or Tai Chi would also be good choices to help cleanse the energetic body. Jupiter can bless you with the positive energy to work on your relationship to self-love and help you create new healthy practices.
You can think of this next year as healing prep for the new cycle that will begin when Jupiter moves into your 1st house and touches on your Ascendant. Shedding old skin and parsing through your soul’s needs so you can move ahead fresh and ready for Jupiter’s next 12 year sojourn. There can also be a focus on any health issues that have been buried or ignored that need addressing. Use this time to deeply check-in with yourself, find something to revere and honor in your life and allow the time needed to emerge from this blessed chrysalis!
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