Friday 19 June 2009

Solstice Sun with Vesta ~ Ingniting Inner light

Summer solstice (in our Northern hemisphere) is traditionally a time of festivity as the Sun is at ‘stand still’ high in the sky at its’ zenith. As in days of yore, traditional communal solstice fire festivals honour the life force of our solar system, the Sun. By acknowledging the power of the life-giving Sun, we also show respect to our inner essence, Spirit, otherwise known as the Divine, which we could also call conscious intuitive awareness, at one with the radiant universe.
We’re lucky this year’s longest day, marking the entry of the Sun into Cancer, symbol of home and family, happens over the weekend; celebrating with loved ones needn’t wipe out the rest of the week. The Sun is with the asteroid Vesta, who keeps home fires burning and adds a certain spark to the proceedings. Even so, this is no ordinary Solstice: strength is also in its’ subtlety as the Sun opposes Pluto in Capricorn, planet of complete rejuvenation, urging for total renewal as if it were a matter of survival. With Sun, Vesta & Pluto in alignment, the celestial focus is upon inviting the inner Light of Consciousness to infuse courage, faith and stamina to affect positive self-renewal and a rebirth of the human spirit.

In order for transformative Pluto to assist our makeover, we need to ‘let go’ of a deeply engrained part of our being, such as obsession, fear or desire that no longer serves our highest evolutionary good. And this may not be an easy a task to undertake, as to cut away from said fixation may well seem akin to ego-death. In the Buddhist sense, death is only part of cyclic existence. Death is not the end, though, only a change as we flow through the Samsaric Ocean. Renewing life is the most significant transmutation we make. When we place our trust in faith, love, and peace of mind, doubts and fear of death melt into the void. Ego, on the other hand, is the part of our being that thrives on pointless drama, anger, competition and lust; all aspects of the psyche that generate conflict, dread and panic, which kick and scream all the way to the final resting place. Endings can be admittedly difficult, as change makes us look at ourselves in the raw and send us reeling into shadow mode. Yet it is from that shaded place where we can see the light of creativity and inspiration. So in the midst of Solstice celebration a controlled sense of calm and sensitivity to what may initially seem like a sacrifice, such as breaking an ingrained negative habit, changing the way we think or feel about something or someone, can actually be an awakening to light any psychological or spiritual load and breathe new life into any flagging spirit.

Interestingly, the further we look outside ourselves the deeper within we go, to reach more subtle dimensions of self in relation to spirit. A New Cancer Moon on the 22nd compounds the need for emotional support, where one is able to express how it feels during times of transformation. Venus and Mars cosy up to each other too; so all in all, this Solstice point could be a period of very sexy self-improvement. Enjoy & Happy Solstice!

Monday 15 June 2009

The Wings of Mercury

The winged messenger Mercury returns to my personal point of contracts. Guess what turned up? Yes, the contract for the already done tarot job (as I predicted to da boss). So I'm happy Mercury Direct now re-enters its home sign, communicative Gemini. Any exchange of ideas should speed up considerably.

The Mercurial courier also carries a healing wand, the Caduceus, as he travels swiftly through the sign of the twins; the next three weeks are optimum to boost the immune system with helpful remedies, healthy lifestyle, and a certain amount of mind training that retains poise and strength. Chakra meditation can balance mind, body and Spirit. While ‘insight meditation’ is for seasoned practitioners to observe the neuroplasticity of the cosmic psycho-spiritual-anatomica
l alignment. Knowing we are what we think and eat, means watching what is digested and allowed to influence; this also means noting whom to cultivate as (cyber) friends and neighbours. Note to self: Should the mind swirl with negative thoughts, take deep controlled breathes to energise with more oxygen, and make an effort to quickly change tack and generate sound motivation.

Saturday 6 June 2009

Saka Dawa 'Fully Enlightened Moon' 2009 pt 2

Saka Dawa ~ “Fully Enlightened Moon” on the rise ~ in T-square with Saturn = Spirit + Soul + Karma, or put another way: over the next three days the challenge is to generate positivity, perform good actions and create compassionate thoughts by maintaining emotional clarity and personal authority. Representing individual and collective karma, earthy Saturn now has a great deal of clout, especially during this very special and blessed Full Moon weekend, symbolic of Shakyamuni's enlightenment and Paranirvana, as it is also the head of ‘Thor's Hammer’ ~ banging on the pressure to take the responsibility of our spiritual evolution seriously. (Thor’s Hammer is a celestial configuration when two planets are in square to each other, pointing to another 135 degrees away.) It’s a powerful super-poke, energising with a sacred conductivity enabling one to literally carve mountains and create openings in seemingly difficult situations.

This full Moon is also conjunct a royal fixed star ‘Antares’, the heart of the Scorpion; there's no need to go through a dark night of the soul, as we are already equipped with all the sensitivity we need at this time. The Sun in opposition to the Moon shines a light upon a door to perception wide open - used wisely, Saturnian time is on our side when seeking wisdom, insight or success.

Saka Dawa 'Fully Enlightened Moon' 2009

In the run up to this potent Full Sagittarian Moon, on Sunday the 7th, a crisis of faith may well be the issue at hand. Should you find your mind twirling with nagging moments of doubt, this is good. Bewilderment can lead to wonderment. As this Full Moon is in hard aspect to Saturn, the planet of Golden Wisdom, the danger of being held back by dogma or threatened by a bunch of beliefs that do not ring true (for you personally) is an opportunity to, at the very least, see the same old thing, person, situation, from a different viewpoint. Faith is required to have a basis in reality, to give life joyful optimism; the need is to ask questions and test conviction by one’s own experience, and not accept blindly.

This Full Moon, called ‘Saka Dawa’, is considered to be one of the most holy in the Tibetan Calendar. It has a triple signification, representing Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment and Parinirvana. It is also one of the few days in the year when all karma – virtuous or non-virtuous – is magnified a hundred thousand times. Karma, the law of cause and effect, has a habit of expanding at the best of times; so when you find yourself doing something good, think of the karmic merit you’re creating (and dedicate it towards positivity.) On the other hand, if you encounter anger, jealousy, greed etc, try to quickly catch it, and then give praise for being compassionate towards yourself (and others!). Such discipline is a most positive way of honouring Saturn.

This Gemini Sun and Sagittarian Moon also creates a testing ‘T’ square to the Lord of Karma, Saturn in the healing sign of Virgo (note the word ‘healing’ has roots in the word ‘holy’ to be ‘whole’). The cosmic challenge is to take our responsibility for remedial activity more seriously, i.e. for the planet, for each other, and for ourselves. Authoritative Saturn, in helpful do-it-yourself Virgo, is also at the apex of another demanding configuration called ‘Thor’s hammer’ or ‘God’s Fist’. The heavenly pointers banging on the pressure for purity, transparency and responsibility are the North Node in Aquarius - symbolic of a collective destiny, with and Venus and Mars, the cosmic lovers, together in Venus’ home sign, Taurus, representing all we love and cherish. This celestial formation also suggests an endless source of love and affection to sustain and support us upon our personal and collective journey; yet we may have to overcome personal greed for the greater altruistic intention to manifest as one heart beating the one love, so all beings can be happy.