☸ Holy month of SakaDawa 2015 - Medicine Buddha Moon

☸ During the holy month of SakaDawa, honouring Buddha's birth, enlightenment and paranirvana, according to one of the Tibetan calendars (there are several), this lunation's Medicine Buddha Moon is when Buddha Shakyamuni was born. 

☼⚥☾Associated with health and wellbeing, today’s First Quarter Medicine Moon in Virgo has a magnified healing quality encouraging heart-mind, body and soul to be nourished with positive routine, healthy thoughts and diet, enough sleep and dutiful service: these are ordinary ways to find beauty therapy, love medicine, and joyful remedy.  

☼⚥☾With awareness flow moment to moment in ease and simplicity: There are planetary configurations generating heat and wind over water – a tight and tense ‘T’ square with Spirit Sun and dynamic Mars with a double whammy Mercury in Gemini retro (Virgo Moon ruler) blowing hot and fast, stirring emotions, strumming memories; Tame the tiger now, to veer from anger, resentment or desire, and relax into the bigger issue of compassion for all beings floundering in this Neptune in Pisces Samsaric sea, and perfect the positive healing qualities,  integrating wisdom and compassion.  ॐ_/♥\_

  

“May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings never be separated from bliss without suffering,
May all sentient beings be in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger.”

To make a connection to Medicine Buddha, mantra is  “TAYATHA OM BEKANZE BEKANZE MAHA BEKANZE RADZA SAMUGATHE SOHA” _/\_

P.S.: You don’t need initiation to say this mantra and feel healing effects. :) _/\_

Medicine Buddha image from Kagyu Rintchen Tcheu Ling, with thanks _/✿\_

☿ Dynamic Spiritual healing ~> 25th - 28th August 2013

~> ☉ & ☿ ♍ - ☍- ♆ ♓

The Spirit of the purifying Virgo Sun is currently boosted by the healing qualities of fleet-footed Mercury, Virgo’s ruler. As well as being the planet of wheeling and dealing, Mercury represents the kind of mental pacts we make with ourselves, particularly in regards to the healthy nurturing of mind, body and soul. A difficult Mercury placement can signal ignorance and/or negative thought processes. However, the winged messenger is now exalted in exacting Virgo, so Mercury is in the best possible place to be, to make this an optimum time to assess the benefits of a sensible lifestyle to look after oneself: positive thinking and healthy diet being the starting point of any remedial therapy.

For the next few days, both Sun and Mercury are also involved in the Sacred Six-pointed Star formation, galvanizing the curative Medicine Wheel (which began early July). And while these two planets now directly oppose spiritual Neptune, at home in visionary Pisces (exact Mercury opposition today, with the Sun opposite Neptune on the 27th), the power of visualization and working with unseen energy is magnified. Awareness of the invisible field of consciousness emanating unconditional love and bliss can be made manifest and utilized for practical purposes. Through prayer, meditation, yoga, dance, music and art (etc), Neptune in Pisces dissolves ordinary boundaries, taking us into uncharted astral realms (of the imagination), to align with the Divine, as well as highlighting the subtle energies that flow in and around the heart-mind and body (chi, bio-energy).

This cosmic connection creates an earthly perspective: Even if we cannot completely overcome suffering or cure disease, a positive intention coupled with the right tools, view and understanding, can heal a flagging human spirit: note that to transform suffering into joy advances spiritual practice. As the Buddha says “Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.” So the most important thing we can ever do is to cultivate a good heart, towards ourselves - and others.

Heal well my friends ~>
With love and thanks for sharing, and thanks to unknown artist for inspiring meditation _/\_

If you would like to know how the Sacred Six Pointed Star and/or the healing qualities of Mercury and Sun constellate your horoscope, please contact me for rates here
Thank you _/\_

✶ Grand Sextile & the Grand Water Trine ~ purify, renew & generate Bodhicitta - July 2013

17th July ~> Perfecting over the next couple of days, and providing a portal for developing deep spirituality (& good practice days), is the Summer's Grand Water Trine between an exalted Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio & Neptune, at home in Pisces. This incredibly rare formation between three powerful planets in feminine water signs can harmonize being in your flow, enhance intuitive psychic sensitivity, and activate deep compassion for all beings. To the power of three, trines add a magical pyramid power to the spiritual quest: Jupiter provides perspective, Saturn stability and Neptune Divinity; Cancer enhances feelings, Scorpio insight, and Pisces the imagination. The Water triangle can give us the ability to see the bigger picture and care about what we see so that we can purify, renew, and totally refresh thought, word & deed, physically, psychologically, and perhaps most importantly, our understanding of ‘Bodhicitta’, the precious essence of awakened heart-mind. ~> Om Ah Hung! __/♥\__

"Precious, sublime bodhicitta:
May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen,
May it never fail where it has arisen
May it go on increasing, further and further!" .... _(♡)__(♡)__(♡)__(♡)__(♡)_

◯ Full Capricorn Super Moon & the Solstice Sun ~> June 2013

☼ ☾ The full Super Moon on Sunday @12:31pmBST (6:31amEST) is at 2Capricorn, accenting the brilliant Solstice Sun, as it stands resplendent with generous and optimistic Jupiter. The Full Super Moon is indeed astrologically super, as it also brings into practical play a rare ‘Kite’ formation that includes the overwhelming power and fluidity of the ‘Grand Water Trine’; thus it is the Moon, i.e. ‘the people’, our emotions, our (vibe) family, and our needs, that are all now playing a pivotal role as catalyst for crystallising important ideas, events, situations, as well as enabling one to embody the compassion, care & perception indicated by this immensely important and long lasting Grand Water Trine.

Note how the summer’s perceptive and intuitive Grand Water Trine lasts until early September; Water and its qualities of purifying and nurturing will continue to be a theme throughout the summer. Notwithstanding a decade of rainy summers forecast in Britain, planets in the Water element make it easy to tune into a collective undercurrent; feelings that sense a transformation in the making. And it is the Spirit of the Solstice Sun which now seals this magical configuration that works on many emotional levels; being in exact trine to the perceptive Saturn in Scorpio AND watery Neptune in Pisces on the 26th June (same day Jupiter goes into Cancer, and Mercury goes retro in Cancer, advising us to reconsider family and security).

This Water triplicity, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, manifests at its highest vibration as compassion with Neptune/Chiron in Pisces, perception with Saturn in Scorpio’s laser-like insight, and caring Cancer, with Sun, Venus, Mercury, soon to be joined by expansive Jupiter, who is exalted in Cancer.

From the Buddhist perspective we could say this a summer of developing a connection between ‘Maitri’ (Metta), loving kindness (symbolised by Cancer, caring as a mother loves her child), ‘Karuna’, compassion when life is in the flow of change is Pisces; and Saturn in Scorpio, developing the Bodhisattva spirit with Vipassanna, the special penetrative insight into the true nature of reality– all of which can be enhanced by specific meditative techniques that help us to put compassion into action.

The Water trine can therefore enhance prayer, meditation and all work with unseen energies with positive affect. In light of this please send love & healing prayers to Northern India where the Temple town near the source of the sacred Ganges has been flooded and mountain tsunamied: many people have died and are still missing; Also Calgary in Northern Canada, where 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate due to flooding.

Thank you & thanks for sharing. _/♥\_
Image of Kwan Yin Goddess of Compassion, artist unknown. Shiva, guardian of the Ganges by HinduTimes photographs_/♥\_ ☼ ☆•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ☾

☾ Dark Moon in Gemini ~> June 13

☼☾ Maintaining a quiet mind during this the Dark Moon presents a challenge, as Moon conjuncts active Mars and policymaker Pallas Athena, whilst all in communicative Gemini – the same sign as tomorrow’s new Moon, when our nurturing Moon conjoins Spirit Sun (and expansive Jupiter) at 16:54 BST (11:54EST).

☆ A multi-dextrous Gemini juggles ideas, fact and figures, as well as conveying information, goods, and medicine (and therein lays the gift of the celestial courier). With no less five celestial markers now in Gemini, it suggests we’re on information overload (but still with an inclination towards healing); brains could whir trying to understand a planet involved in seemingly endless chitter-chatter. Yet making sense of the dualistic world now demands different tactics than ordinary number-crunching analysis, especially as energy levels tend to be naturally low at dark Moon. Consider stepping back from the monkey mind to revitalise and strengthen heart and soul, and potentially provide answers to tricky questions. These planets in airy Gemini not only emphasise data and brilliant intelligence, but also the importance of giving the mind much-needed space, to shape new ideas and grow.

When in the still silence of space, mind naturally radiates; and it is in this state that insight naturally arises – which is why watching our breath in meditation is so helpful for personal decision making, as well as generating mindfulness towards others, rooted at One with all that we are.

Also today Neptune, planet of dreams, meditation and unconditional compassion begins a 5-month retrograde in Pisces; this extra-long transit teaches universal forgiveness (among other qualities), internalising kindness and sympathy.

“As you breathe in, cherish yourself.
As you breathe out, cherish all Beings.”
~ His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama  __/❤\__

Thanks to Cameron Grey for his image “The Never-Ending Dreamer”  __/❤\__

New Pisces Moon seeding COMPASSION before Spring Equinox __/❤\__

Seven celestial bodies are now creating a very rare cosmic shoal in Pisces, as Neptune, Chiron, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun AND Mars, are all in the sign of the fish, making today’s new moon @19:51GMT (15:51EST), at 21Pisces, extraordinary in its breadth of vision, focus, and concentrated in its depth of feeling.

In esoteric astrology, Pisces is ‘The Light of the WORLD’ and its symbol of the two Fishes swimming in opposite directions connects EARTH to HEAVEN. Though this energy is mutable and dualistic, we are magically linked together to become ONE with each other and the universe.

Pisces also rules the world of dreams, messages of the night that can illuminate visions of future prophesies, as well as be symbolic of past fears and self-delusion.

In Buddhism all life is seen as illusion, ‘Maya’, that elusive interplay between substance and energy, form and personality, that merges the mind in a magical dance which can deceive us from acknowledging our true nature of light and love, thus keeping us bound to Samsara, locked into the Wheel of Existence. The ‘Mind Stream’ is the ‘continuum’ which flows from life to life in this Sea of Samsara. Yet Sogyal Rinpoche reminds us that Samsara and Nirvana are both sides of the same coin and we can choose which to focus upon: "Samsara is the mind turned outwardly lost in its projections. Nirvana is the mind turned inwardly towards it‘s true nature”.

At this amazing new Pisces Moon, now is the time to awaken to Nirvana and become enlightened through the Piscean Light of the World, open the heart-mind and third eye, plant the seed of unconditional COMPASSION, and be unified in wisdom and loving kindness.

Chandrakirti (7th Century Himalayan Saint) said “At the beginning, COMPASSION is like a seed; in the middle, it is like water; at the end, it is like a fruit. Achieving the result of full enlightenment is all due to COMPASSION”

Namaste my friends __/❤\__ ~> We are the light. We are also a collective powerfully transforming and healing wounded emotion in this year of the Black Water snake through the awakening of loving compassion ~ the most important practice in life.

♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥❤♥●• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥❤♥●• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫

Thanks to Krystaleyez for visionary art __/❤\__

If you would like an astrology reading to see where this important practice is now being activated in your horoscope, please contact me here Laura Boomer-Trent.

><((((º> MERCURY conjunct NEPTUNE in Pisces ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫

><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ♥❤• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥ ♪♪♫ ♥❤•:::~>❤ ♪♪♫ ♥❤• ><((((º> ♥ ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥❤♥●•><((((º> ~~> MERCURY conjunct NEPTUNE & CHIRON in mystical & musical PISCES!!!! 1st time for 165 yearS !!! ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥❤♥●• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥❤♥●• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ♥❤• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥ ♪♪♫ ♥❤•:::~> COMPASSIONATE WORLD SERVICE

♥ ♓ Mercury = the mind, intellect & communication
♥ ♓ Neptune = collective undercurrents, oceanic & fluid
♥ ♓ Chiron = the healing Shaman

All 3 planets in water sign PISCES ♓ (conjunct new Moon at LOSAR on 22nd!) A magical sign of wonder, shared experiences, and spiritual ONEness.

& today is also the last quarter soul-renewing SCORPIO VALENTINE MOON! ☼★☽

Looking beyond the obvious with profound INSIGHT ~> in the flow of UNIVERSAL unfolding _(❤)_ saying healing PRAYERs for oceanic Neptune's WATER; imagining in the mind's eye; ~> curing emotional delusion with UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, compassion, FORgiveness and SPIRITUAL ONEness...

Inviting a precious drop of BODHICITTA :::~~> for an AWAKENed *HEART~MIND* living for the benefit of all beings, wishing to attain the enlightened essence _(❤)_ & Living for LOVE ❤❤❤......

...♪♪♫ ٠•●♥❤♥●• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ♥❤• ><((((º> ♥ ♪♪♫ ٠•●♥...
& music and dancing and meditating and connecting to the DIVINE beauty ~> joyously taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma & Sangha, Guru, Yidam & Dakini __(❤)__

Neptune in Pisces & the Miracle of Spiritual Love _/\_♥ ૐ Feb 2012

Oceanic NEPTUNE changes signs today, Feb 3rd, returning to imaginative PISCES for the first time in 165 years (for only the 2nd time since its discovery!) ~> where the magical 8th outer planet stays for the next 14 years, until 2026. Mystical Neptune in spiritual Pisces stimulates deep sensitivity, a shared sense of oneness and collective emotional experiences, as well as the third eye. Individual intuitive psychic senses are also heightened, as is the urge to submerge and infuse with the Divine through blissful Piscean/Neptune ways, i.e. yoga, meditation, prayer, subtle body awareness, ritual trance, healing, art, music, dance, poetry, film, photography, and swimming, or any other positive activity in which we lose or renounce the ego-grasping self, happy to be in the cosmic love vibration, and of spiritual service of other sentient beings.

To actively achieve this compassionate condition, in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition we generate ‘Bodhicitta’, which is precious state of mind. Bodhi means 'awakened' or 'enlightened' – 'citta' is the heart-mind. When we generate bodhicitta not only do we want other s to be free from suffering, we also want to be awakened ourselves - and this means we must also be kind to our ‘self’. Bodhicitta therefore aims for both personal and planetary healing, which Neptune in Pisces indicates. 

Fourteen years is a long time in a sign, and the ingress chart for London sets the cosmic intention of Neptune Pisces, still travelling with heaven's wounded healing shaman, Chiron, also in Pisces since April 2010. Together these planets imply the importance of (planetary and personal) emotional healing, as well as the need to purify the world’s water. Luckily, Neptune and Chrion also approach the descendant, point of contracts, signifying much can be done together, as spiritual friends, in loving healing partnership, actively involved in generating bodhicitta, and a balanced heart with the light of awareness.  

The ingress chart also shows Neptune and Pluto in 'septile' to each other; this celestial connection creates a rarely seen magical portal between the two outer generational planets, denotes a small window of opportunity to transform our understanding of the 'unseen' Neptunian or Piscean vibration - one might also read that because Neptune's nature is to create illusion and glamour, this lovely aspect - that could signify spiritual critical mass - could pass us by. (But I don't think that will be the case.)  

A deLIGHTful 'Grand Trine' involves the 6th house Neptune in water sign Pisces, in trine to a conversant 10th house Moon in airy Gemini, and Saturn in Libra in 2nd, also in Air.  The 6^th house Neptune accents daily spiritual practice; Moon in the 10^th suggests a responsibility to keep informed; and Saturn in the 2^nd tells us to value love and cast a discerning eye over finances. This is an air/water Trine that accents mental, emotional and economic stability can be achieved and employed, especially when raising consciousness for (mass) healing. Certain close relationships could have taken a knock this week, but take heart; a 't' square between the Gemini Moon and the current Mars/Venus opposition requires kindness, compassion, and a balance between those combined want's and/or personal requirements, so that all parties get their need’s met. 

In light of the exaltation of Venus in Pisces accenting universal love, am also sharing a rather timely quote from my precious Guru, His Holiness, Dalai Lama (whose name means an Ocean of Wisdom!)

"The human capacity to care for others isn’t something trivial or something to be taken for granted. Rather, it is something we should cherish. Compassion is a marvel of human nature, a precious inner resource, and the foundation of our well-being and the harmony of our societies. If we seek happiness for ourselves, we should practice compassion: and if we seek happiness for others, we should also practice compassion." ~> HHDL _(<3)_

"Precious, sublime bodhicitta:
May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen,
May it never fail where it has arisen
May it go on increasing, further and further!"

_(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)__(♥)_

☆•*❤*•.¸¸ Neptune ¸.•*❤*•☆ in Aquarius -> flowing into Pisces

On the 9-10th November Neptune goes forward in Aquarius. 

Oceanic Neptune governs deep flowing undercurrents, collective feelings and personal emotion. Ruling Pisces, Neptune tunes into the unseen, accenting psychic awareness, mysticism, and spirituality.

Wanting others to be fee from suffering, Neptune symbolises unconditional compassion and the power of prayer. Such a combination has the ability to generate pure and innermost 'Bodhicitta': and open the heart. 'Bodhi' means enlightened - Citta means 'heart-mind'. 

"...Bodhicitta is the intoxicant that numbs us against pain and fills us with bliss.
Bodhicitta is the alchemy that transforms every action into benefit for others.
Bodhicitta is the cloud that carries the rain of positive energy to nourish growing things.
Bodhicitta is not doctrine. It is a state of mind... "
Lama Thubten Yeshe

Buddhist prayer for setting the intention:

"Precious Sublime Bodhicitta
May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen,
May it never fail where it has arisen
May it go on increasing, further and further!"

ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_ॐ_/♥\_

In Aquarius Neptune blurs technolgical boundaries and raises the potential for altruism. Neptune will move into home sign Pisces, in Feb 2012, where it will stay for 14 years ~ so that we can learn how to trust our intution and enable unconditional cosmic love to flow  ¸.•*❤*•☆

SuperMoon Spring Equinox with Uranus in Aries ~ March 11

What a week! Solar X-flares, volcanoes, a massive earthquake (and lots of smaller ones), PLUS a mega tsunami to add to the 4.5 billion people on the planet already suffering from some kind of disaster. Rescue teams do their best. Lightworkers too; please join me sending healing prayers of love to pacify the elements, overcome obstacles and eliminate fear, to the people of Japan, and the world over. _/\_♥ॐ. 

Everyone has been wondering: was it the SuperMoon which caused Japan’s 8.9 earthquake and tsunami? My answer is, well, um, yes it could be (but that’s not even half the story), even though it’s not exactly the correct definition of a SuperMoon (new or full closest to the earth, of which there are 5 or 6 every year); this current lunation culminates in said SuperMoon, and only one day before the Spring Equinox, the starting point of the Zodiac.  

The chart of Japan’s Earthquake shows Thor’s Hammer, with the Moon and oceanic Neptune crashing down onto earthy Saturn.  The last of three oppositions between Jupiter and Saturn form the tight axis, like an iron rod holding Thor’s hammer, ready to crash into earth and ocean reminding us to overcome fear (Jupiter in Aries), rest in our centre (Saturn in Libra), and be responsible custodians who really do take care of the earth.  Jupiter as planet of truth, is still in hard aspect to secretive Pluto, and with Pluto's influence to hide it may not be entirely clear exactly what has happened for some time to come. But there are always those who sense the truth, and are able to rise the challenge to this intense kind of energy to transform, generate light, and evolve - big style!

Adding influence, however, is a negative fixed star (Sheat) that implies flooding with the last degree of Pisces, just as Uranus, planet of shock and awe, jolted into explosive Aries March 11^th, where it stays for 7 years. Generally speaking, Uranus is unpredictable and chaotic during change, capable of extreme and radical beaviour. Its also the planet of genius, the New Age, and the kindred spirits. According to esoteric astrology, Uranus is the hierarchical ruler for heroic Aries. This means the collective competitive ego will change. How this manifests over these coming years will depend upon the degree of a leader’s awareness (please Goddess!). Good to know the higher vibration of Uranus has the potential to imbibe such wisdom, and in Aries it also provides courage to be mindful, especially when moving into new ventures with an altruistic heart. Uranus in Aries also recognises the value of each unique individual's contribution in the process of humanity's evolution, so that all beings are happy.

Cast your mind back to last spring, when we had a taste of what the thoughtless and heavier vibration of Uranus leaving the last degrees of the zodiac and moving into Uranus in Aries was like. As shown, this can be a fast-moving accidental and head-strong energy; and the Deepwater Horizon explosion took place (the same time as Saturn went back into the last degree of Virgo (which is the same as this full Moon) and Chiron went into Pisces). While senstive people held hands across the sands, oil spewed untold pollution into the sea along with unknown quantities of corexit, a detergent so strong that we don’t know long-term effects upon us, or any living creature in or out of the sea. 

Uranium is also named after Uranus – It's obviously time for the nuclear industry to really look at what kind of energy we ought to invest in. But who among us will be the brave Spritual Warrior to leave behind the old outworn paradigm and impliment a daring new vision? Interestingly, the Japanese nuclear reactors are now 40 years old - that's two Jupiter-Saturn cycles, one and a bit Saturn cycle AND a Uranus opposition. One could say Japan's nuclear industry is going through a midlife crisis.  This midlife change is something we all go though (in various forms), from the age of 38-42, when transiting Uranus opposes the natal Uranus, and the need to radically alter one's lifestyle in order to create and impliment the freedom to explore our own uniqueness becomes paramount during the second half of life (as symbolised by so many marriages, jobs and contracts that break down at this age).

I think/hope/pray that by the time Jupiter has rollicked its' way through Aries, by early June, things will begin to settle down somewhat. There's a humdinger New Moon April 3rd to manoeuvre, which could be challanging after this upcoming SuperMoon in Virgo that opposes the watery Pisces Sun on the 19^th of March.  Floods are normal with a Spring Equinox tide, but as Sun and Moon are in tight square to the nodes it could well herald higher tides, more storms/quakes, greater volcanic action & magnetic solar flares. 

Jupiter always makes things so much bigger than we ever expect them to be - good or bad. And as thunderous Jupiter and electrical Uranus have been melding cosmic magic together for the past year, we have witnessed mighty storms, along with a global depression that has even brought people together in a new and exciting manner, with the unification of spirituality of the digital rainbow tribe.

Yet the planets are hotting up now with the heavenly messenger, Mercury, also in Aries; and as Jupiter and Uranus now start to separate, we must actively train the mind and exercise our vision to implement the altruistic state of consciousness. Of course, this means we  remain centred in our presence and invite the Gentle Iron rabbit to work his wonder ♥

Other important factors to consider for this upcoming Spring Equinox Full moon is the Sun-Moon-Earth-nodal-axis forming a mutable cross upon the same degree as the Winter Solstice lunar eclipse, which just happens to be the very same degrees as the first Jupiter Saturn opposition last March – so there is an emphasis upon the last degrees of the Zodiac (which square the galactic centre); PLUS this actual last Jupiter-Saturn opposition’s (exact 28^th March), and unpredictable Uranus is very much in the cosmic mix. From the esoteric point of view, a Mutable Cross awakens consciousness with the potential to raise planetary awareness during times of immense change. Did I hear someone say 'Bring it on!'?

Looking forward, Neptune will soon be going into Pisces (at the same time as we have a new Aries Moon on April 3^rd); this could be our saving grace: Imagine if the world were bathed in beautifully structured unpolluted water - how healthy in mind, body and spirit we would be. Trust me: We are going to learn a lot more about water during the next 14 years. .•♪♫¸¸.☆♥ ♥ ♥

And if you're at a loose end next weekend, I am talking at the Theosophical Society in London, 50 Gloucester Place, at 6pm on Sunday, 20th March, with Full Moon Spring Equinox energy, on 'Personal & Planetary Awarness for Peace and Prosperity'. Come, it would be wonderful to see you! :)

_/\_♥ॐ The deity at the start of this blog is Kshitigarbha is our 'EARTH STORE' Bodhisattva.  As recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, His short mantra is  "OM AH KSHITI GARBHA THALENG HUM" specifically for pacifying earth and water. Here is a lovely version to dedicate to the people of Japan longer mantra

Thanks to Alex Musgrave for fanastic blast of red star, and other unknown but much appreciated artists.

🌕 Full Leo Moon & Dramatic Solar Flare * Spiritual Strength '11

Have you ever immersed yourself in the deeply intensely glorious light that shines through pigmented leaded glass window? If so, you too could know how art, colour and light (Leo's forte) have the power to heal and purify and, almost miraculously, open your heart and lift one’s spirit into other-worldly realms. The colourful stained-glass Rose windows at the medieval Chartres Cathedral in France did just this to me a while ago (fyi: Chartres also has the signs of the zodiac in its' stained glass windows, and features in Dan Brown's Davinci Code); when bathed in the all-pervading lapis-lazuli and rose-pink light that streams in through Chartres spectacular windows, I felt myself merge into a truly religious experience that I’d like to share with you. For my short story holds some symbolism for this Full Moon in 29 Leo* opposite the Spirit Sun in humanitarian Aquariusm conjunct mystical Neptune, who is also with active Mars, and healing Chiron at 8:36gmt (5 hours behind for est, 8 for pst) on Friday, the 18th February.

Before I finish my tale, some background on this dramatic and soulful Leo Full Moon that reflectes the light of the Sun in Aquarius - which often brings about sudden events - quite out of the blue (pardon the colour pun). When conjunct Neptune, those events can be deeply spiritual when positive (or decidedly deceptive if negative); when Mars is involved in the cosmic Aquarian picture, the warrior can wield such force it can almost knock us out (North Africa is a current case in point). Yet while our Sun shines upon this Moon in theatrical Leo, we are reminded of love and romance, as Leo is a sign that comes from the heart; this Lion heart represents playfulness and fun, children, art and parties, as well as how we show strength and express creativity. My three planets and an asteroid in Leo might explain why this blog is more personal than usual: I love a good party and adore being with kids - my Goddess daughters in particular, and I have a ‘thing’ about the iconography of the Mother Goddess and Child - in any culture, as the love a mother gives her child is usually unconditional. In the Tibetan teachings we are taught, due to karma, to treat everyone as a mother would her child.

But back to my incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience: As I knelt at the feet of the beautiful Black Madonna which Chartres Cathedral houses in a small side chapel, I settled into the silence of my prayers. Okay, these were Buddhist prayers, but I am now certain the Divine Cosmos was listening. My internal peace dissolved into bliss by the sudden arrival of a global gathering of nuns who had come together to sing praises to the beautiful Black Madonna. During the course of an hour the choir swelled and diminished in size, as each countries' representatives came, sang their beautiful hearts out, then disappeared. In the spirit of Sun-Neptune in Aquarius, I witnessed a universal sisterhood, a hundred or more congregate from all over the world pay tribute to the Holy Moon Mother in their own language; a sacred hymn sung variously in French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, German and other tongues. Each group of dedicated women, all dressed in a variety of blue and white, sang a tune honouring the Goddess, which resonated with the magical healing blue light emanating from the Cathedral’s windows, infusing every pore in my skin with a radiant wonder. My Spirit elevated beyond any normal sense of being. Because of this very obvious out-of-body sensation (I was gone!), my dear partner and his friend left me to release the overwhelming love coursing through my heart-mind and body. An hour and a flood of silent tears later I was once again alone in front of Holy Mother and Child, wondering if it were all a dream as the last nun left the blessed statue; lighting a candle symbolic of the spiritual light of the Mother Goddess honoured, she departed. I realised then how I'd been witness to an extraordinary gift of devotion to the Divine Mother that truly humbled me in the face of unity and oneness. 

And its this the kind of magical and mystical ONENESS with DIVINE LOVE that the current Sun-Neptune conjunction can invoke – through song, prayer, yoga and meditation, we can transport ourselves to the state of bliss, and reach a place of awareness where we see easily how we are all so interconnected. Understanding such interrelation enables altruism to arise from within, to become compassionate and loving which, to my astrological mind, is the highest vibration of mystical Neptune, as it flows through these last degrees of Aquarius before going into its' home sign of Pisces in April this year. Just writing about this precious choir-of-nuns memory, however, reminds me how important it is to drop Leo's ego, in order to open the heart and radiate the spiritual strength which love generates, including a natural non-pompous self-love.  

In the face of any overwhelming thought or sensation: hot-headed confusion, surrender, martyrdom, which a Sun-Neptune-Mars-Mercury conjunction can all too easily signify: to mediate (from a meditative approach to problem solving) work best. So, while under the auspices of this dramatic Leo super Moon (so close to the earth we have also just experience our 1st X-flare for 4 years), I can’t emphasis enough how deLIGHTful it is to submerge oneself in the unconditional LOVE of the Divine; and am wishing you a wonderful Full Moon meditation.

*This is also last of the five-in-a-row 'anaretic' 29degree Full Moons, and is the last full moon before the Tibetan New Year, Losar, on March 5th. This Leo Moon is also conjunct Regulus, a fixed star that represents the red hot passionate heart of the lion which confers unbridled success, but only when revenge is not sought (then all is lost); Regulus is a Royal star, and conjunct the emotional Moon which is opposite the Aquarius Sun conjunct Neptune and Mars AND Mercury, it can bring about some kind of successful sensitivity and/or healing to the heart-mind connection, to accent an individual’s spiritual strength and, when living for the highest good, compassion for the suffering Neptunian masses - of which there are billions on our planet alone.

The Aquarian Sun is spacy; electrical energy over this Full Moon is also seriously felt (I have hardly slept a wink during these solar flares): with Mars in Aquarius, action and insight can be sudden and daring; but be aware how anger wipes out karmic merit in one fell swoop. My advice for this Moon? Steer clear of toxic aggression, and be thankful for Divine kindred spirits, along with the love and kindness that such friendship generates in one’s life. 

One last observation (and please bare with me on this long but incredibly fiery interconnected planetary chain) is how this Solar flare formed almost simultaneously with our monthly Cardinal Cross of the Central Spiritual Sun (as opposed to the heart or the physical Sun). According to Alice A. Bailey in Esoteric Astrology, the Central Spiritual Sun’s outlet is through Jupiter, which has, interestingly, just moved into fiery Aries, the sign where the Sun is exalted; Mars, which rules Aries, is also currently conjunct the Sun, turning up the heat in this spate of solar flares that actually blew from a central zone of our life-giving Sun, to reach us here on earth on a Full Leo Moon, which is ruled by the Sun! Thus, this Sun-Leo-Mars-Aries-Jupiter-> Spritual Sun circle is, to those who read the signs and meaning behind this Full Leo Moon, (& should we choose to take this opportunity) propel the process of a heart-opening that awakens to central life-giving Spirit. Note: we may need to rest within said Central Spirit in a week’s time, when Jupiter squares up to powerful Pluto, on the 25^th Feb. The celestial call to expand will be the spiritual warrior's point of transformation. Until then, I join you through the Sun-Neptune-Chiron meditation healing ethers in the Temple of unconditional LOVE - and wish us all many helpful insights, so we constantly reflect the clear light of Spirit’s wisdom.

Heaven knows, our planet could do with healing prayers as Neptune begins to leave Aquarius and enter Pisces 2012.  This transit could be a big deal for the water element, ruling mass emotion, and our connection to the Divine_/\_♥ ૐ... Imagine if we all tuned into healing... 


Meanwhile...
_/\_♥ ૐ love and thanks for illustrations to Sea Lion at deviant art for the brilliant leopard, 'The Moon's Daughter'; to Mystic Sun for the fractal; unknown artists for Oneness; and unknown photographers for Chartres Cathedral's Black Maddonna, Rose Window and Lion pane _/\_♥ ૐ