❂ Fire bird Sakadawa ~> New Moon Gemini _/\_ 25th May 2017 ♊ 🙏

The New Gemini Moon of the Fire Bird Year (20:44BST) is perigee, meaning it is the closest New Moon to Earth of the year, with tides higher than usual - and emotions could also overflow up to three days after the New Moon.

For the Himalayan Buddhist this New Moon is the start of Sakadawa, and a karma multiplied month x100 that gains momentum until the Full Moon June 9th, when karma is multiplied by 100 billion as we celebrate the Buddha’s enlightenment.

Although this sounds delightful in the need to be mindful of action and results, this is also a New Moon with two rather difficult astral signatures within its scope: one is how the Goddess of Love, Venus – now conjunct asteroid Pallas Athena - is bringing out the fearless warrior woman looking for serious change. And as Venus and Pallas square up to Pluto, the secretive planet of control, it puts the feminine archetype into a powerful position, which may or may not work. Successful outcomes depend upon intention and insight.

Another factor to take into account is one of my least favourite transits, that of feisty Mars in opposition (Rx) to taskmaster Saturn. This combination of the two planetary malefics can signify all kinds of hard-hitting bully-boy tactics. And as the Moon connects to this aspect over the weekend, it brings home harsh realities and how much work needs to be done to overcome doubt and fear. We would all do well to take an active responsibility within our various walks of life, so that can we find within the strength to overcome any fear that could stultify positive potential.

Back in the 80’s there used to be a popular phrase that I always found helpful which was ‘feel the fear – but do it anyway’; and Pema Chodron says in her book 'When things fall apart' "Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. When I was first married, my husband said I was one of the bravest people he knew. When I asked him why, he said because I was a complete coward but went ahead and did things anyhow." So be brave, my friends, as life goes on in its myriad of changes. Thankfully the planets begin to brighten up somewhat towards the middle of next week.
May all our new Moon intentions be helpful, especially to be free from the fear of suffering by the means of enlightened thoughts, words and activity. 🙏🌹

With many thanks for 'Chenrezig, Lord of Compassion', to unknown artist _/\_

☼✰··☾♡☽··✰☼ New Moon Pisces Solar Eclipse @14:58gmt ~>

☸ Losar ~ Tibetan New Year 2144 of the Red Firebird! ☸

Today’s New Moon Solar eclipse will see a magnificent ‘Ring of Fire’ over South Africa, with the potential for solar winds to make it rather spectacular, when we will be able to see the Sun’s all-illusive corona, high density plasma that holds the secrets of the Sun’s crowning glory. The Eclipse is in Pisces, the sign of the magical power of prayer, as well as collective confusion, and the compassion we generate within the mysteries.

·✰· When Sun and Moon unite in their orbits to form a total eclipse (Solar or Lunar) a massive amount of transformational celestial energy concentrates upon the degree concerned; in this case it is the 6-7-8-9-10-11° super-sensitive Pisces feeling the pull of oceanic and cosmic tidal change. This degree is also conjunct the Babylonian fixed Royal star Fomalhaut: a star which sometimes indicates dealing with difficult secrets and/or hanging out with the wrong crowd, as well as snake bites and squandered inheritance. Essentially Fomalhaut’s influence is to learn from and leave behind the negative and bring consciousness to the fore, dragging from the depths of the oblivion all kinds of insight into the light, and the inner and outer workings of the most subtle vibrations. It’s a star to watch very early on summer morning, with its spherical ‘fish’s eye’ hanging low in the sky. To my mind this star witnesses the embodied resonance of a collective soul - we are one - each with an actual body (relatively speaking) and corporeal soul. And this brings me to what I think the crux of this eclipse is about: how we collectively demonstrate loving kindness and compassion to all beings, as we all (eventually) become enlightened conduits for cosmic universal consciousness. 

Taking into account the fact that the mighty powerful Uranus-Pluto Square is now currently being reactivated, this then is no ordinary eclipse. It’s one, when looking at all the dramatic changes taking place, where we need to think in the long term. In the short-term, some situations happening now are directly and karmically connected to and/or even created by obstacles relating to 2012-13-14. BUT we mustn’t forget that the Uranus-Pluto cycle is a long one, approximately 125 years, and that where we are now is only the crisis ridden opening square; i.e. the first quarter of a longer cycle. Looking at this longer astrological cycle, it is also worth noting how an eclipse at this degree is also exactly opposite the feminist liberation and freedom loving conjunction of the mid-60’s, directly opposing that particular generational signature, (Uranus-Pluto conjunction in Virgo). Those born around that time may really resonate with this eclipse and feel a strong need to purify and connect to the divine, and with a sense of urgency if one is live in the kind of 'Peace,Love & Equality' the 60’s offered.

That said, Pisces is the very last sign of the zodiac, and to realise a collective heaven on earth, endurance and serenity are always a boon. Now, however, we need to collectively heal our connection to the sacred feminine, our bodies, the Earth herself as well as the Divine. Please also note how this opposition to this most famous 60’s conjunction, which saw freedom in love and information on computers grow to where we are now, is actually going to be in 2046-48, and it will be encompassing the same degree we are looking at now, i.e. 5-6-7° Pisces. What does this tell us? It tells us that every time there is an eclipse at this degree (every 19ish years) there will be an important cosmic download from the universal matrix which we need to integrate into our lives in order to become spiritual and practical world servers. And as we soon leave this tense trans-personal Uranus-Pluto aspect behind (by the end of next year) we will continue to look at the issues of making personal and collective sacrifices, so that we can heal the planet and ourselves. 

·✰· But most exciting in the immediate is how a day after this New Moon begins the Tibetan New Year of the Red Fire Bird, Losar, which starts on Monday 27th Feb to celebrate a fortnight of miracles the Buddha displayed during his lifetime. These are considered karma multiplied days. Each miracle accumulates more and more merit to awaken the Bodhi-mind, the awakened heart-mind; and on the 15th Full Moon day (12th March 2017) the accumulation of merit is celebrated with the ‘Day of Miracles’, also called known as 'Chötrul Düchen', or ‘The Great Prayer Festival’. 

With that, I wish you all a very happy ‘Losar Tashi Delek’!
Light blessings and love _/\_ from Laura

Ps:
·✰· A New Moon is also a time of setting intentions. As always, our intention (here at Dharma Stars ) is to raise the cosmic love vibration with sincerity and a kind heart, especially when faced with difficulty and uncertainty, and to keep the faith!.
·✰· Geomagnetic storms are also forecast for the next few days, bringing beautiful Auroras to Mother’s Earth poles. As her natural Sushumna glows with healing LoveLight, so can ours. _/\_
Many thanks to unknown artist for Firebird _/\_

✴️️ 🕯️ ✴️️ Feb 1st – 3rd Imbolc ️~ Brigit’s Day ~ Candlemas ~ Saraswati Panchami _/\_ Groundhog day… _/\_ ✴️️ 🕯️ ✴️️

🕯️ Both West and East now celebrate the light and hope that emanates from the Goddess of purity, hearth and heart, of wisdom and craft, music and poetry. Taking time to kindle the inner-flame of the Sacred Goddess will allow her warmth to gently radiate within and around you.  

🕯️ As the female Fire Bird year flies on the wing to the seasonal Fixed Air cross-quarter, mid-way point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox (exact 3rd Feb), she remind us to hold steady and strong, united in love and humanity, before the seasons change again from winter to spring in the north, summer to autumn in the south.

🕯️ A First Quarter Moon on the 3rd-4th is an exalted Medicine Moon in earthy Taurus. Because ‘The Lights’, Sun & Moon, are exactly at the 15°mid-point, there is the potential to stabilise – even when performing critical actions. Indeed action is called for: sudden or measured, a step in the right direction, even in the midst of chaos can avoid flapping wings of desire, to find pleasure in living a simple and good life, connected to helpful kindred spirits.

Image is Goddess Saraswati painter unknown <3
with love ~> Om Sara Si Dhi Hrem Hrem.... _/\_
🕯️ ✴️️  🕯️ ✴️️ 🕯️  ✴️️ 🕯️ ✴️️  🕯️🕯️ ✴️️  🕯️ ✴️️ 🕯️  ✴️️ 🕯️ ✴️️  🕯️

🐓 New Year of the Fire Bird 🐓 Aquarius New Moon 2017

🐓 Shake a tail feather and now wave goodbye to the crazy year of the Yang Fire Monkey – not to be seen again for another sixty years! And hail a hearty welcome to the year of the Yin Red Fire Bird, which begins to crow with the Aquarian New Moon on the 27-28th January at 00:07gmt, 19:07est.
A Fire Bird year can be a controversial and colorful one with over dramatic scenarios, where the ordinary is given rank of the extraordinary – and vice versa, depending upon the power of the pecking order in the proverbial chicken coup (i.e. one’s own mind). 

The Red Rooster’s organizational abilities are generally stubbornly applied, although compromise and cooperation would create a greater sense of union - and harmony, as well create the adulation they desire and/or deserve for their perfectionism. The challenge in the year of the loyal and punctual Rooster is to see competition and comparison as futile and counterproductive to positive personal development, particularly when partaking and celebrating differences create the unified whole. 

A natural born confident Fire Rooster knows how to strut one’s glorious every-day stuff with regal style and strength, without having to prove one’s authority. Those born in 1957 will truly resonate with this year’s fiery element. It is, however, a time for everyone to wake-up and cultivate mindfulness with noble intentions in all spheres of life, honing skills with precision and awareness, which others may benefit from. 

From a spiritual point of view, this year of the Fire Bird is one of a phoenix in transformation, possessing the courage to root out any negative minutiae the ego tenaciously holds onto, in order to fly up to higher sights. In the astrology of the Tibetan Kalachakra Tantra, it is the mighty and mythic Garuda Bird who is akin to the zodiac sign Aquarius, the group-oriented sign in which this Chinese New Year starts – which is also the sign of surprises and amazement. (Please note Tibetan New Year, Losar, begins with the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Pisces on the 26th of February). 

The soaring Red Garuda is also a King of outrageousness; he emerged from his cracked egg fully grown, already perfect in his warrior ways, having overcome hope and fear in order to experience freedom and spaciousness.
This is year is auspicious for Snake; successful for Ox; happy for Dragon; entertaining for Goat; and good for Tiger, Monkey and Boar; a fair one for the Horse; and moderate for the Rooster; while Rabbit and Rat may be happier in a less provocative role, a Dog’s relation to the Rooster will depend upon how fiery elements dominate his or her horoscope. 

With love & prayers _/|\_ & even though we don't really need wings to fly to a higher perspective and get our clearer view (meditation and dharma will do!), best wishes to one & all!
Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Happy Chinese New Year of the Fire Bird!
🎆 🐓   🌟 🐓 🌟 <3 🐓 🌟 🐓 🌟