☽☼ ☾ ♊ Solstice New Moon ~> Tuesday 16th June @15:05UT

☼ ☾ As holy month Sakadawa closes, Tuesday's dynamic New Solstice Moon provides one of the most lively astrological lunations of the year. Not only is it Solstice next weekend – one of the year’s two major turning points, and a time of friendly gathering and celebration, there’s also a seriously exciting opening between generous and optimistic Jupiter and altruistic Uranus (22nd June), which will remain in big, visionary effect until the end of July.

☼ ☾ ♂  Also at this New Moon, Spirit Sun and strongman, passionate and fiery Mars will conjoin Luna, to be directly opposite the Galactic Centre, at 25 Gemini, in a part of the sky known to the ancients as ‘Heaven’s furrow’. This suggests our ancestors recognized a fertile ripple in the spacetime field, within which there’s the potential to imbibe pure Galactic light frequencies that help to nurture, feed the soul and grow, physically as well as spiritually.

Together, with the Moon and Mars aligned, SOL’s light of consciousness now tunes each individual into our core (galactic) values to the plant seeds of right action that accompany Gemini’s right speech and right mindfulness. The challenge, it would seem, is in setting and keeping the right Bodhisattva intention.  Best familiarise one's self with positive motivation to stay on track, as Mars can aggravate and antagonize the Monkey Mind to rise in anger (and we all know what that means: a tragic loss in karmic merit!).  

☿ ♊~> Meanwhile a direct infomaniac Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, now moves away from its perfectly imperfect opposition to a retrograde Saturn, which gave form and finalisation to certain ideas.  Mercury only then squares nebulous Neptune – again, on the 23rd, to make things appear less formal and more formless, (Fyi: Sat-SQ-Nep is a major theme later in the year – so what is discussed/evolved/communicated now, can re-emerge again, late Autumn).

Curious Gemini questions the duality of everything and nothing, Samsara and Nirvana, form and formless, and how can it all exist side by side. Events surrounding this Solstice period provide insights into understanding what's real and what is illusion, i.e. what kind of karma we are creating, even when believing our often distorted sense perceptions? 

So consider carefully, at this magic moment of the Great Galactic Yang, what would we, as a collective, really like to see growing now in ‘Heaven’s Furrow’?  First, though, before we quantum leap into singularity, or in and out of parallel universes, we may need to take stock of this one and stop deceiving ourselves, and/or others, and see the truth for what it is: All is Oneness in the spaciousness of beauty, LOVE, and light.

Enjoy! ~> Happy New Moon & Summer/Winter Solstice everyone _/\_  with ℒℴѵℯ and thanks for sharing and to unknown artist for glorious artwork  ॐ__/❤\__ ☼✶•*¨*•.¸¸❤✫

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

New Moon in Taurus & Fixed Star Algol

“Life begins with love, is maintained with love, and ends with love. Right now, while we are alive, is the time to practice and express love. So please take care of your love. Love is capable of reaching so many people.” ~Tsoknyi Rinpoche

A New Moon at 26Taurus @ 5:12bst Monday, 18th May, is ruled by Love Goddess Venus, Taurus is an earth sign, where a New Moon in the sign of the Bull suggests there’s a greater stability to be found in all we truly cherish: love and nourishment, as well as finances and shelter. Please, Goddess, let it be so, especially in Nepal, as well as the rest of the world.

This New Moon sees the start of SakaDawa, the ’Star Month’ which culminates with a Full Moon June 2nd, when Himalayan Buddhists honour Buddha’s life, death and enlightenment. Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment in the ‘Earth-touching’ position, seated under the (Taurus ruled) Bodhi Tree. “The great 20th-century Vedantin sage, Ramana Maharshi said the Earth is in a constant state of dhyana (meditative absorption). The Buddha's earth-witness mudra (hand position), as in the shown illustration, is a beautiful example of "embodied cognition." His posture and gesture embody unshakeable self-realization. He does not ask heavenly beings for assistance. Instead, without using any words, the Buddha calls on the Earth, by touching it with his right hand, to bear witness.”* Note now, that this New Moon also coincides with quicksilver Mercury slowing down to go retrograde until June 11th. Time now to remodel outmoded thinking. As this lunation begins, we can begin to review, and renew the way we communicate about subjects we care about. And like the enlightened Buddha, bear witness to the value to life, all the while reorganising and re-training the mind to awaken compassion and loving kindness. 

At the 26^th degree of Taurus, Sun and New Moon conjunct (on the 18^th May) a challenging fixed star called Algol, which represents the ‘Gorgon’s Head’, the snake-hair dreadlocked Medusa, whose name originally meant ‘sovereign female wisdom’ **. Fixed stars tend to pinpoint certain intensity: In this case it is a concentrated primal feminine passion which, if obstructed or repressed, severed or feared, has the potential to dramatically harm and turn to stone – or, surprisingly, to heal, when the powerful feminine force is understood and revered.

Interestingly, Medusa in myth is one of three winged gorgons (skydancers!), sometimes shown with fangs and a boar’s head (Vahari!); while Medusa is the central ‘ruler’, the other two are ‘wanderer’ (Moon) and ‘strength’ (Sun). All of which could, in my opinion, be twilight language for awakening Shakti-power through the human subtle body’s three main channels, stirring Kundalini serpent power.

Also fascinating is how blood from the right side of the Gorgon’s head has the power to restore the dead back to life, while that of the left is venomous. This relation to the brains’ two hemispheres (and three channels) is poignant for modern yogis - especially when one considers when heroic Perseus cuts off the Gorgon’s head (i.e. ends his animal passion), it is only for the immortal magical winged horse Pegasus to emerge with his brother Chrysaor, holder of a golden sword.  Also in my opinion, this myth suggests that when we prevent the espression of a powerful sexual energy it can devour us in fear, frozen in time with frustration unresolved and supressed, only to explode more violently at a later date. Better to address these often taboo subjects, that of man’s desire and female sexuality, and release pent-up (sexual) energy in a healthy, beauty honouring manner and heal the feminine within.     

There is also the not-so-small matter of Mercury retrograde in the healing, trickster brother’s home sign, Gemini. Until June 11^th, Mercury wends his way back over old ground (13-4Gemini).  A finger of fate between the retro Mercury and Cosmic Guru, Jupiter, points directly to transformational Pluto, suggesting a dramatic change of mind directly appertains to the healing power of information, and the truth found therein.  

**http://www.skyscript.co.uk/algol.html

With love & thanks to the FPMT for beautiful Shakyamuni Buddha in Earth-touching mudra & to *http://www.ecobuddhism.org/wisdom for inspiriation _/\_ & Ramana Maharishi quote.

ॐ Dakini Day ~> May 23rd/24th ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_

Coming into the last major phase of this moon cycle, with only five days before the New Gemini Moon that starts the month of SakaDawa, today’s Dakini Moon in Aries puts fire in your soul and brilliance at the heart.

This highly independent Aries Moon also activates the Cardinal Cross of the Central Spiritual Sun, the current celestial configuration that is dynamic, active and extremely influential. Because this Grand Cross also involves generational planets, it means the initiation into transformation and often dramatic change is felt by everyone, in one way or another. Whether the changes we individually go through are seen or unseen (as in spiritual or psychological), it is over this weekend that the initiating power and insight from the Divine Feminine (which we all possess) that now sets the stage for liberation, with this super-strong and passionate Aries Moon.

Note this adventurous Aries Moon conjuncts wild-card Uranus on Saturday 24th, when insight can come from out of the blue. As can less helpful emotions, such as egotism, selfishness and anger. That Uranus is the Hierarchical ruler of Aries, it does however suggest raising the altruistic intention and helping others is the way to help oneself.

Today’s positive aspect from the Gemini Sun and Aries Moon also coincides with Mercury entering into the shadow phase of its retrograde, which will take place June 7th until July 1st. An applying shadow phase tends to alert us to possible issues which will need extra attention during the retrograde. And as Mercury rules Gemini there’s a double emphasis upon healing, communication and, dare I say, trickery. Yet there may even be more solutions than usual, as well as more slip-ups. Gemini and Mercury are both known as being quick-witted and highly versed in mental gymnastics, aware there are many paths, each with interesting twists and turns which lead to the same place – and much will depend upon our ability juggle many things at the same time, as well as relations with sangha and friends, as to the speed to which we achieve the aims we now set forth over these next few days.

ℒℴѵℯ_/✿\_ & thx to unknown artist for Mandala.
If you would like to know more about how the heavens shape your own personal horoscope, please contact me here for rates. Thank you! ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_

Training the mercurial mind ~ Mercury in Gemini

Mercury in Gemini 10 June 10

Mercury is the planet of the mind. Our celestial messenger moves quickly through Gemini, his home sign, making sure our anntena is alert to all kinds of helpful & healing information (on a relative level).

On the ultimate level: "What is the mind? It is a phenonmenon that is not body, not substantial, has no form,... no shape, no color, but, like a mirror, can clearly reflect objects."
Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Interesting mental exercise to quickly train the mind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6KKyPjnhjI

And this (though am not sure it is Tibetan): http://angelmessages.paradisenow.net/tibetan_exercise_of_paradox.html