☽ New Moon in Moon-ruled Cancer ♋ 15th/16th July 2015 ~>

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Tonight/Tomorrow’s New Moon in Cancer @2:25BST (21:25EST) accents deeply emotional reactions to issues that can make one feel defensive and want to crawl back into the proverbial crab shell. There's also a tendency to be impressionable, absorbing other's emotions easily. Psychic interconnection heightens when Sun and Moon are in Cancer - all of which may or may not be a good thing, depending upon how this profound sensitivity to others is used.

Sun & Moon, ‘The Lights’, are also making a several complex connections in the sky, involving a helpful aspect to karmic Saturn, as well as being conjunct both, informative Mercury and dynamic Mars; these 'relationship' planets are also in Cancer, sparking off a potential new and passionate way of communicating how one cares, which is hopefully with creativity and kindness (perhaps even in reaction to all the heavier degradation we see around). And even though some interactions may raise the temperature, the trick is to catch any anger, or resentement and redirect any hot-headed passion (encountered or generated) into creative pursuits that make everyone feel secure.

All these planets in Cancer can also bring out a mothering instinct that kicks into action to relieve suffering, show mercy, and nurture and look after others as if they were family. This is the way of ‘The Bodhisattva’, a person who defers Buddhahood in preference to being a source of unconditional love, for all beings – not just human beings.

This New Moon also sparks the infamous 7-hit Uranus-Pluto square (the vibration of which lingers into 2018), which has been representing society’s radical changes, through technology (among other things). Our own ability to be the agent of our own change and exercise compassionate in any given situation may seem like a lot to ask for, but the heavens do tend to incline and not compel.

Lastly, this lunation also sees one of the year's most important Buddhist Wheel-Turning days, Chökhor Düchen, on the 20th July. , The 4th day of the 6th month in the Tibetan Calendar, is a karma-mulitplied day, commemorating the Buddha’s first teaching on ‘The Four Nobel Truths’. It is also when The Lights make their first positive aspect to each other enroute to a heart-healing Full Blue moon, July 31st.

Thanks to unknown artist for artwork of Kwan Yin, 'The One who Hears the Cries of the World' _/♡\_

Mercury retrograde ~ Change is inevitable

Change is inevitable. Or as Heraclitus says "Change is the only constant". Understanding impermanence and that nothing is ‘fixed’ but everything is subject to alteration is essential in Buddhist philosophy. But it’s when and how we change, especially breaking out of negative patters or restrictive molds that can make all the difference to our emotional, mental and physical well-being. With the current retro Mercury and Mars in Gemini, the time now is ripe to re-think, re-work, re-consider changes, in direction, in approach, and even in the deepest recesses of the heart-mind, as the planets suggest the plasticity of the mind is now heightened, particularly by personal active intervention and continuous movement. Indeed, it may be time now to (re)consider new ways of looking at the same old thing, or even walking down another street to get a completely different point of view...
Here's a wonderful poem, often spoken by Sogyal Rinpoche, to illustrate how we change, and how habits can be broken and life improves with practiced mindfulness:

“Autobiography In Five Chapters

1) I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost... I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I'm in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in... it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

5) I walk down another street.”

by Portia Nelson
From: Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
Image with thanks & ℒℴѵℯ_/✿\_ to the brilliant Karma Phunstok

Medicine Buddha for all those affected by the 7.9 Earthquake in Nepal ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_

April 25th 2015 ~> ॐ_/♥\_
Due to several dramatic events this week, the volcano in Chile, and two quakes, in New Zealand and Nepal, I’ve been asked as to why now, seeing as we are not in the usual time-frame of eclipse season? Firstly, the Sun has been fairly active mid-week (and we on Earth tend to lag a few days behind solar activity's effects); and though not so large, solar flares have been medium sized but rather long lasting, releasing vast and unstable electromagnetic plumes from a northerly direction (entering into Earth’s crown chakra, Tibet/Nepal, and more lightly through southerly base chakra, NZ).

Earth is also crossing a point in the sky called the ‘heliospheric current sheet’; this is when planet Earth experiences Sun’s magnetic polarity changing from north to south. This is a time of planetary adjustment (which can wreak seemingly widespread damage, espcially if other planetary configurations interact, such as now).These are not the only astrological/astronomical markers: Also significant is the conjunction of quicksilver Mercury and fiery Mars, both in earthy Taurus (on the exact point of their own nodes (yes, each planet also has its' own nodal/eclipse cycle)); In square to Jupiter, the planet of expansion in Leo, this combination of Jupiter, Mars & Mercury means dramatic shake-ups are fast and furious. With the Sun also in Taurus and the Moon now uniting in generous Leo with the cosmic Guru, Jupiter, this fixed and extremely determined combination of ‘The Lights’ accents the value of the creative tension, the divine spark inherent in all beings, as well as the ability to quickly heal, with focus and care.

It’s also a medicine Buddha - Tara Moon day (depending upon which tradition is followed), the first quarter moon, a time of crisis in action, when the healing emphasis is upon stabilising one self (the earth and others) by connecting to the natural world, and seeing artistic and cultural value, as well as surrounding precious resources.

As all helping hands and deities are needed today, especially in Nepal, here are both mantras:
Medicine Buddha is:
“TAYATHA OM BEKANZE BEKANZE MAHA BEKANZE RADZA SAMUGATHE SOHA” _/\_
And Tara mantra is “OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA” _/\_

ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_

With thanks to Dechen Choekhor Mahavihara for Medicine Buddha mandala ॐ_/♥\_

Seven Magical Sisters & Artemis ~ Taurus Full Moon '10

“Twinkle Twinkle little STAR, how I wonder what you are. Up above the sky so bright, like a diamond in the night.” Everyone, young and old, has smiled and sung this song at some time and marvelled at the starry heavens. And there is one very special cluster of stars which truly fascinate and activate this sense of wonder in more ways than is at first obvious; these are the Pleiades –Seven magical Sisters who shimmer and glitter at the very last degree of Taurus, who are linked to mysticism and power, life and death.

For millennia we humans have known something very special emanates from the Seven Sisters. Mythology abounds with stories of these blue stars: To the Greeks they were Doves; to the Celts they are ‘The Fates’; to the Chinese the ‘Seven Sisters of Industry’; to the Indians they are ‘Seven Mothers’ who judge and wield moon-shaped razors; and to the Egyptians they are Seven Goddesses whom the dead encounter. Through these stars we acknoweldge a portal into another world.

Just by watching these alluring Seven Goddesses we link into a collective cosmic mythology that has captivated our imagination and thereby become a part of historical harmony. In esoteric astrology the Pleiades stimulates the human heart centre, enabling one to relinquish the obsessive desire that Scorpio can often cling to. Scorpio is also associated with transformation through rebirth and renewal; though letting go of all that no longer serves can sometimes be a painful process due to Scorpios’ fixed intensity.

So while the Sun is in Scorpio, still with Vesta igniting the inner flame, and the Full Taurus Moon conjuncts the influential Pleiades on Sunday, the 21^st at 17:27 gmt, the power of love is coupled with the power of renewal.  (Look to 29 degrees Taurus and Scorpio in your chart to see where this renewal is taking place.)   

When planets are found at the last degree of a sign, in astrology we call this degree ‘anaretic’, meaning it has an accumulative effect from having almost completed the passing through of one sign.  It’s as though we have already digested all the qualities of the sign before leaping into the next, and in the case of this Full Moon, when the Sun is in Scorpio and the Moon in Taurus, those consecutive signs are truth-seeking Sagittarius and curious Gemini.  Nonetheless, the issues surrounding this Full Moon are still Taurean (personal values and constancy, love and money) and Scorpio (shared values and strength, intimacy and power). Over this moon we harness Scorpio’s ability to deeply sense our Taurean needs in a heartfelt and protective manner without so much the need for words.  A Moon with the Pleiades can trap, hold, and purify (with wisdom and compassion) any negativity that comes to light via Scorpio’s psychic radar.

The Moon is also our emotional anchor; when full the Moon brings clarity and wisdom; and in Taurus, the Moon is exalted, where we find stability.  In the West she is feminine, a Goddess with many names. At this time of year (in the northern hemisphere), when the leaves on the trees have fallen and the nights are dark we call her Diana, or Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis is the bringer of Light, caring for children, women and the environment.  She is often connected to the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades in myth, and being reunited with them over this Full Moon indicates our Goddess energy is once again magnified.  

This gathering of moon maidens and sky dancers creates a dynamic connection, particularly as we are still under the cosmic auspices of the Cardinal Cross of the Central Spiritual Sun (which resumes an exact formation March 13th 2011).  Alice A. Bailey writes that during the time of a Cardinal Cross, the Pleiades employs both Mercury and Mars as agents working through Gemini AND Sagittarius; so it is interesting how they are now in conjunction in truth-seeking Sagittarius.  This could well be a sign that in order to understand the truth we also need to connect more with our intuitive and feminine sides, creating Shiva-Shakti over this Full Moon.  And from Monday, both Sun and Moon move into these signs, when a greater, yang energy becomes our celestial focus for another month, through which the heart-orientated Pleiades communicates.

Wherever you are during this full Moon, when looking out for the Pleiades with the Moon, take a moment to weather-watch. As over November’s ‘Dark Moon’, in both an ancient Babylonian custom, as well as Tibetan, it is said the during Full Taurus Moon (where the moon is exalted) one can note what might lie ahead in the cold winter months, especially for practical sustenance, as Taurus is an earth sign, symbolic of gardening and crops.

Thanks as always to Bill Brouard,"Artimis" by beloved Susan Seddon-Boulet, and other unknown but much appreciated artists.