Monday 30 March 2009

Azure Magic

I have long loved crystals, some I love for their healing properties, some I love for their beauty, and some I love and I don’t really know why. Very often, a crystal remains on the shelf gathering dust, serving no particular purpose until one day it catches the eye. This is no coincidence, I am sure, for when we look deeper into the ‘meanings’ and ‘uses’ of said crystal, it is so clear why we need it close to us.

This happened to me recently. Many years ago I purchased a rather beautiful Aqua Aura pendant. I have always had mixed feelings about Aqua Aura as it is not natural, it is made by surface bonding clear quartz with finely powdered gold. So, ultimately my beautiful Aqua Aura pendant remained in my jewellery box for many many years. Then, a couple of weeks ago, it ‘fell’ out of the box. I immediately became entranced by the magical azure blue shimmering in the sunlight, and realised that I was in need of some Aqua Aura in my life.

I tend to connect intuitively to crystals, and Aqua Aura seems well placed to work with the throat chakras and communication. Once wearing my pendant, I also immediately sensed an aura of protection around me – as well as a feeling of close connection to the ‘higher’ realms.

Wanting to find out more I picked up my favourite crystal book, The Book of Stones by R Simmons and Naisha Ashian. I like this book so much as to me, the authors truly know stones – they have a bond or relationship with the crystal energies and so their interpretations really resonate with me.

They confirmed my connection with the throat chakra, and felt that it helps to communicate inner truths. This makes so much sense to me as the crystal seems to vibrate on a different frequency – almost multi-dimensional.

Aqua Aua is a calming and relaxing stone for the emotions, and it releases stress and relieves depression and anxiety. This also resonated as for me Aqua Aura imbibes a sense of stillness and inner calm, almost as though it washes through the body, cleansing stress as it goes.

The authors also confirmed my thoughts that this tranquil yet powerful stone has a very high and intense vibration that does not only protect and support the wearer, but that it helps one to connect to higher knowledge and wisdom.

One insight that they also offered was that Aqua Aura can help the wearer to connect with their inner beauty, and to help them to attract wealth and success. These too make sense, and we can all do with connecting to the beauty within because by doing this, we can start to believe that we truly deserve success and happiness in our lives.

So, I now wear my Aqua Aura pendant lovingly and devotedly, that is until the next crystal jumps out and grabs my attention…

Thursday 26 March 2009

The Spring Equinox

As we begin to awaken from the slumber and retreat of the winter, we start to feel the stirrings of new life. As we look within and around us we can see the breathe of life invigorating, energising and revitalising everything it touches. Dawn comes earlier each day, and the Sun leaves later and later giving a wave of solar powered vitality to us all.

Spring flowers tentatively reach up into the sunlight bringing with them an array of colour and beauty, birds start to nest and insects get back to the business of being busy. The closer we look at our surroundings, the more we can see the Divine in everything and in everyone.

It is all too easy to lose sight of the perfection of nature, to get out of step with the perfect rhythm of the Universe. Life often prevents us from being conscious of what is truly around us; we focus instead on over-thinking, over-complicating, over-whelming ourselves with worry, fear and concern.

This is not to say that life is perfect, far from it in many ways. But how many of us stop, even for a brief moment to watch the birds, gaze at the flowers or contemplate the stillness within, and the quiet busy-ness around?

The Spring Equinox marks the time when the Sun enters the sign of Aries. The Ram is a fire sign, a sign of energy, vigour, enthusiasm, drive and courage. Fire represents the chaos of the untamed imagination; it drives spiritual quests and our deepest aspirations. So, just like the natural world, we should be contemplating making the most of this energy drive to bring about change in our own lives.

For Aries, no challenge is too great, no problem insurmountable, no obstacle too great. There is a sense of strength in the air now, a feeling of being back in the driving seat once again.

Of course, spring is a stormy and unpredictable time – the weather plays tricks from Jack Frost, to March winds and April Showers. The rawness of the elements comes at us all with full force and vigour. And if we consider the huge amount of energy surging forth from the land – how much energy a single bulb needs to flower for example, it is clear that this is a wake up call, a time to shake off the cobwebs from the winters sleep in order to start the cycle of the year once again.

Aries is about looking forwards, looking ahead. It is also a time for finding balance, because after all this is a time when day and night are of equal length. Balance within and without, balance between wisdom and intuition, ideas and reality, logic and inspiration. This is truly a time to listen and to trust your instincts and inner wisdom, for it is only through doing this that we can bring ourselves into balance with ourselves, one another and with the Divine.

So, we can make the most of this vibrant fresh energy to bring about important changes in our lives. It is a great time for preparing and refreshing our environments too. Some space clearing, or spiritual spring-cleaning on top of a physical spring clean breathes a new life into our living and workspaces. It is a great time for detoxing to breathe new life within ourselves. And most importantly it is the perfect time to stop for a moment to connect with nature, and to see the Divine both within us and around us…

Tuesday 17 March 2009

Dancing with the Universe

What a wonderful phrase…but what does it really mean?

A Physicist may think that it relates to protons, electrons, quarks and other tiny things that make up the Universe. An artist may connect with the gliding paintbrush across canvas. An astronomer might think of the movement of planets. A night-clubber may think of losing themselves in the music. A gardener may see this when they are at one with the earth planting and growing things. Someone in meditation may see this as their connection to the Divine.

Who’s right? Well, in many ways they all are. The Universe is a living, breathing, moving force, full of energy. I make no attempt to acclaim much knowledge of physics and quantum mechanics, but I do suspect that even they wonder at the energy in the Universe, from sub-atomic particles to giant Suns.

One statement I do remember from my university studies is the phrase that ‘energy can neither be created or destroyed’. This (along with Schrodingers Cat!) always stuck in my mind. The main reason for this is that to a new age, bohemian thinker like myself, this (albeit simplified) theory gives credence to my own thoughts and beliefs about the power of the collective unconscious, healing energy, past lives and so on.

Energy is a flowing force that creates a myriad of different things from humans, to the Earth, to a beating heart, to a bubbling volcano. Of course energy comes in different forms, but when we consider that energy is all around us and within us, it is all there is. We start to see just how well this correlates with the idea that God or the Divine is energy, and that this energy is within and around us, it is everything.

So is the Divine the same as the quarks and protons of quantum mechanics? I guess that comes down to personal choice and individual beliefs…

I guess for me, contemplating my own Dance with the Universe, I can see just how by seeing the interconnectivity of all things, that it is possible to create change in one’s life. The power of thought is something I often speak of, yet thought is powerful, it is not a whimsical idea or notion, thoughts change the world, thoughts change our reality.

Thoughts are energy, like attracts like, so positive thoughts create a positive celestial dance, whereas negative thoughts create constriction and lack.

So I see that each of us has a clear choice, do we embrace the Universe, Dance with love and joy in our hearts, and enjoy every breath of life we have, or do we withdraw, imprisoned by fear and lack? I have experienced both extremes in my lifetime, as I am sure many of us have; and I now clearly know which side of the fence I am now standing on…

We each have our own unique dance with the Universal energies; this is akin to each of us having a unique note in the orchestra of life. We can choose to keep our instruments (i.e. ourselves – body, mind and soul) well-tuned, or we can allow discord to take over.

Of course life gets in the way, stuff happens. That is just the way of things. BUT, we can choose whether or not to dust ourselves off and keep on going, or to just give up and withdraw.

So it seems that everything comes down to choice…

Coming back to the question ‘who’s right about the meaning of Dancing with the Universe’? Well, there’s no such thing as right or wrong, it’s all about choice. So, ‘who’s right?’ that’s up to you to decide…!

Monday 9 March 2009

The Chiron Return...

In my work I often see trends, I might see a whole batch of people going through the same issue, or who have had a similar trauma in their lives. I also find that the planetary returns come along in batches as well – Jupiter Returns, Saturn Returns and most recently Chiron Returns…

Chiron is not a planet, but an asteroid (sometimes called a planetoid). He lives between Saturn and Uranus. It is believed that Chiron did not originate in our Solar System, and that one day he will up sticks and leave again. His somewhat erratic orbit around the Sun takes just over 50 years – so when someone reaches the magical 5-0, Chiron pops up to stir up all sorts of nonsense.

Chiron was the King of the Centaurs; he was half-horse, half-human and was an immortal. He became friends with Hercules, but one day Hercules accidentally scratched Chiron with the point of the arrow used to destroy the monster Hydra. There was no anecdote to the poison, but, as an immortal Chiron could not die. Despite his great wisdom of plant and animal lore, he could not find a cure and heal his wound, so he was faced with living in great pain for eternity. Chiron then had a choice, to retreat into the pain or to use his suffering as a way to help and heal others. Fortunately for us, he chose the latter.

So, how does the myth of Chiron affect us mere humans? Well, Chiron represents compassion and healing, and he helps us to identify our own incurable wound (for we all have one – whether it be from a traumatic event, illness, addiction or experience). Once we can identify our ‘wound’, we can then start to use the benefit of our experience and help others.

Chiron gives us the gift of turning a negative into a positive by helping and healing others. He represents the healing arts, and his placement in our birth charts can help to identify how we can help and heal others.

Now back to the Chiron Return.

When Chiron comes back to the point he was at when we were born, he stirs up the ‘wounds’ of the past. He is keen for us to identify those things that might still be holding us back from helping and healing others. For example, a troubling or challenging parental relationship, a distressing marriage breakdown, or a traumatic accident can all be examples of the things that Chiron highlights as ‘wounds’ which need attention.

Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’. This is a statement of which Chiron would be proud. We all have a choice, and of course sometimes the traumas in life just become too much to bear, and no one should judge anyone else in how they deal with such experiences. But if we can find the strength within to pick ourselves up and see how we can turn the experience into a positive by helping others, then it can give some light at the end of a sometimes very long and dark tunnel.

The Chiron Return is a time to let go of the shards of the past, which no longer inform the present, it is a time to learn from life’s experiences and to create a reality where we can make a difference. Very often reaching the age of 50 is seen as a milestone in life – the halfway point. So 50 years of being human, 50 years of experiencing the highs and lows of life, 50 years of seeing the very best and very worst of human nature, 50 years of wisdom.

This is not a time to fear, it is a time in life to roll up one’s sleeves and get stuck in. It is a time to take the strength from past experiences and to go out into the world and make a difference…

Friday 6 March 2009

Venus Retrograde

Venus, the Light of Beauty, moves into a retrograde phase today; she will remain retrograde until April the 18th. Venus has close links with the Earth, and her cycle is strongly connected to the Mayan Calendar, 2012 and all that…

Intuitively, I tend to describe retrograde phases of planets as times when the energy or ray of the planet becomes internalised with processing or release to be done. Venus’s strongest attribute is beauty, and I wonder if this is now a time to go within to see the beauty that resides there in all of us?

Venus’s celestial dance around the Sun, weaves threads of learning, insight, self-discovery and challenges. How many of us, look in the mirror and pay ourselves compliments? It is easier to denigrate, to discount our beauty. There is a famous saying that beauty is only skin deep, well physical beauty maybe, but beauty comes in different shapes and sizes. After all who defines what true physical beauty is, the catwalk size zero models, or the glowing earth mother with lumps, bumps and stretch marks?

The key with Venus Retrograde is to see beyond the stereotypes, and to see the things about ourselves that are truly beautiful. Going deeper, we can look into our souls (the eyes are the windows to the soul after all), and see the beauty within.

It is interesting that throughout this retrograde phase of Venus, Saturn is also in Retrograde. I wonder just how significant this is? Saturn retrograde is helping us to take full responsibility for our own lives, to become our own inner parents and to let go of parental issues from the past that may be holding us back. If we can embrace this, then surely part of this process is in acknowledging our beauty and grace? We need to own ourselves, to love ourselves - every single bit from the cellulite to the grey hairs.

It all comes down to how we think – we need to think positively in order to create positives in our lives. Like attracts like, so any negative thoughts we have only create more negativity. It is of course hard to love excess weight, scars, stretch marks and other signs of wear and tear that our bodies experience, but even if we take small steps towards accepting ourselves, and changing our own inner dialogue to something much more nurturing and loving, then we are likely to see changes in the world around us as well.

We are in a time of accelerated spiritual growth and learning, of stepping into a higher consciousness. It is a time for Cosmic Truths, a time to Dance with the Universe in harmony, as one. It stands to reason then, that until we can be nice to ourselves, how can we truly step onto this path and embrace one another without judgement or ego. It is a challenging time, but it is also a time to finally step out of the shadows and shine…

Remember how important it is to have faith in ourselves and our dreams, and to have the courage to journey into the unknown without guarantees. This is the key to embracing life. A lack of faith in yourself or in life means that you only cling to what you know rather than open the doors to the possibilities of what might be. Very often in life our greatest failure is in aiming too low, so work with Venus to love yourself, to be open to the idea that you truly are a special, gifted, beautiful, talented individual – because you are.


So remember, love yourself, love your soul, and love everything about who you are. Weave a web of love within you and around you – you owe it to yourself after all…

Monday 2 March 2009

February Horoscopes

Aries
You are blessed with a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm for life in February, as recent obstacles fall away leaving your path ahead clear and well illuminated. It seems that whom you know is more important than what you know this month, as the celestial gathering of planets in Aquarius highlights teamwork and co-operation for you. So, whilst you are usually one who prefers to go it alone, you will need to be aware of those around you. The good news is that your leadership skills will also be put to good use, so you are likely to end up with a pivotal role steering group projects along.
With your confidence running on a high, you will be feeling quite invincible and unstoppable, but you need to be sure that you don’t rush ahead – try listening to your intuition and trusting your own beliefs and thought processes. The clarity you have found with your path in life is strongly connected to your inner world, so you need to be aware of your intuition, and to listen to it a lot more than usual if you are to make progress this month.
On a more personal level, when it comes to your relationships, you need to cultivate an arena of openness and clarity this month. Don’t let niggling issues fester - deal with things promptly.

Taurus
Ambition is the name of the game for Taurus this year, and whilst January may have felt slow and lethargic, the pace steps up in February. There is an air of opportunity around you and with Jupiter playing such a key role in this area of your life, you will feel confident enough to broaden your horizons and seek pastures new. You are looking for challenges that will help confirm to yourself that you are indeed a gifted and talented individual. We all know this already, but you need to see this now…
The heavens are shining a spotlight on your career, and it is up to you to clarify your path ahead, listen to your intuition and to reach for the stars. This is not a time to underestimate your abilities or to avoid following your dreams just because your current situation feels comfortable. You owe it to yourself to at least explore the myriad of amazing opportunities that are out there waiting for you.
It seems that your environment is particularly important during February – you have been feeling a little restless and uncertain recently and this has largely been down to your home/domestic life. You will have the opportunity to create a much more harmonious and contented living environment as the month progresses, and the result will leave you feeling much more settled and happy.

Gemini
Thinking outside of the box is your way forwards in February. This is a year of change and growth for Gemini, but you have been struggling to see this over the past few weeks as life has felt so restricted and restrained. This is now a time to use that brilliant mind of yours to start seeing the wood for the trees. Your creative use of intelligence is pretty much unrivalled, but you get distracted so easily, that you often forget to make the most of this wonderful gift. The heavens are outlining a year of vibrancy and abundance for you, but you need to switch your brain into the right mode now. So, stop seeing problems, start seeing solutions…
Your spiritual outlook on life is also going through something of a transformation, as you are starting to realise just how powerful your mind is in creating your own vision of Utopia. There is a sense of growth and abundance when it comes to your own connection to the Divine, and you start to see that your thoughts actually do mould your reality. Deep down, this comes as no surprise, but it is something else that has got lost in distractions.
Travel is also highlighted for you this month, a need to escape from the norm, and to find a little haven where you can rest, be still and contemplate.

Cancer
February looks set to be a month of new beginnings for Cancer – alongside this though comes a month of endings (for you cannot have one without the other). This is not a time to be sad or frustrated though, but a time to embrace the new and to grab life with both hands. Free choice comes into the equation of course, so if you choose to focus on what you lose over what you gain, that is entirely up to you; but just remember that you are in the driving seat of your life at the moment, so please make the most of this. Your actions and choices over the coming weeks will shape your life for a long time to come…
There is a sense of isolation in February, a sense that you feel a little disconnected and alone. This seems to come from a mini crisis of faith, where you start to question your beliefs and spirituality. Everyone gets these at some point in life, but yours comes at a powerful time of change; so you are likely to feel this quite deeply. Just know this, that as February progresses, not only are you likely to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but you will also begin to see your own little Garden of Eden – joy, abundance and plenty in your life.

Leo
Life feels as though it has reached something of a crossroads for many Leo folk. This is partly because of some new opportunities that have presented themselves to you and those close to you, and this has left you feeling quite discontent with your lot in life. You have the power to make change though, but you just need to think before you act to ensure that you have considered all your options.
With the Full Moon (and lunar eclipse) in your sign on the 9th, your emotional life is in strong focus. You have been aware of some feelings that have been surfacing lately that have felt quite out of character for you. This is in part due to the feelings of discontent around you, but these feelings are also connected to past experiences in your life that you have not yet fully released.
The Full Moon is the time to go within to discover the cause of these emotions, and to release and let go of anything that may be holding you back. So, try meditating on the Full Moon, and ask for the power of the Moon to work with you in releasing anything that no longer serves you. In addition, use this special time to state your intent for your path ahead – let the heavens know your plans and dreams.

Virgo
February looks set to be a month of hard work – it is time to dust off your ‘to-do list’ and to get all those things done that have been hanging around for ages. Hard work may be a distressing notion to some people, but not Virgo; the level of satisfaction you will receive from achieving so much will far outweigh the reduction in ‘you time’.
Saturn is the dominating energy in your life at the moment – hence all the hard work, but there is more to this celestial being than this. Saturn is still in retrograde, and this has the effect of you wanting to take more responsibility for your life – to be accountable for your actions, words and thoughts, and to completely ‘own’ these. This sounds quite heavy, but it is in fact a key part of your path ahead, for the more you are in control of your life, the more clearly you will be able to steer ahead. It is ultimately up to you just how much you want to be in the driving seat – but this is your time to decide.
Throughout this transformative phase of your life, you would be wise to go with the flow of life more – if you try to force things to push ahead, you may end up feeling let down. In addition, the grass is not always greener on the other side you know…

Libra
Inspiration is the name of the game in February as you start to feel increasingly energised and motivated with life. Your path ahead looks clear and exciting, and you can see your horizon expanding before you. You are finally beginning to see just how multi-talented you are, and you no longer need to see your life as one long series of ‘either/or’s’ - you can have it all. It becomes clear this month just how you can incorporate all your talents into your work and life, and whilst some of these may appear a little left of centre – trust your instincts, and believe in yourself.
Abundance, luck and good fortune are within your grasp now; you will be in exactly the right place at exactly the right times to meet just the right people who have the perfect opportunities for you. This is in plural for a good reason – opportunities – more than one – lots in fact. This is not a time to think ‘restriction’, but instead it is the perfect time to think ‘freedom, expansion, independence and adventure’.
So, don’t be afraid to explore pastures new, to push your limits a little, and to allow your creativity and imagination to take you to some new (and very achievable) heights in your life. February is an amazingly prosperous and favourable month for Librans – this is your moment to create the life you have been dreaming of…

Scorpio
Change is in the air for Scorpio in February as the page of your life turns to a new chapter. The joy in this is that this next chapter has not yet been committed to paper; and you not only have the ‘celestial pen’ in your hand, but you are free to write your own story. So, be sure you think before you act, and have the courage to believe in yourself and your dreams. Opportunities like this do not come along very often.
This external change is a direct reflection of what is happening deep within you – you have been going through a phase of intense transformation emotionally, and you have learnt a great deal about yourself and your relationships. Some of these experiences have been hard to deal with, but you are now emerging from this with a sense of renewal, strength and self-confidence. In many ways you are now seeing the world through fresh eyes, and this new perspective will enable you to explore your true potential.
Any journey’s you make this month are likely to draw you into new social circles and arenas. You will find yourself surrounded by many like-minded people, and you will have the opportunity to meet at least one kindred spirit who will have an impact on your life for years to come.

Sagittarius
The winds of change are gathering momentum this month; and as you journey through February your life is likely to become quite hectic and chaotic. In many ways this is not different to normal, as you so like to have lots of different distractions to keep you busy. However, this month things are much more focused – you can now clearly see your way ahead, and you know exactly what needs to be done in order for you to reach your goals.
It is likely that you will need to expand your credentials, and so a period of study is possible. In addition, with your mind on high speed, you will find that you can throw off any obstacles that try to get in your way with considerable ease. Your communications ability is both rejuvenated and enlivened, and you will speak to many people this month who will both help you and inspire you. You are a born networker, so this month you will be in your element!
You will also meet some kindred spirits who will open you up to a new way of thinking – this could even lead to you making a few tweaks in your direction as you will see a better way to achieve your dreams. Just remember to keep the end goals clear though, otherwise you may end up straying off course and reaching a dead end.

Capricorn
There is a strong focus on your finances in February, and you will see some new ways to boost your earning power. It is also time to trust your instincts as well, so don’t take things at face value when it comes to your financial and material security. Play your cards right, and you will end the month feeling confident, excited and strong.
There is a chance that the job of your dreams is coming your way – only you will need to think creatively if you are going to get it – that is not to say you should lie or be creative with the truth, but rather you may need to find a different way into the interview than normal.
Your life has been full of its fair share of knocks and setbacks, and this has made you very cautious, particularly when it comes to meeting new people. You tend to put up a barrier making it hard for people to get to know you. Of course, your belief that you always know best could also be part of the problem – you may have faith in your opinions, but you need to allow for discussion and debate – people do not want to hear lectures on issues, they want an equal free-flowing conversation. So, try to relax, loosen up, and let those barriers down a little. Oh, and listen!

Aquarius
Change is in the air for Aquarius, and life is fast-paced in February, so you need to be prepared to take full advantage of all the opportunities that come knocking at your door. Ideas that have been drifting around your mind become more pressing as you feel that now is the time to reach up and grab those dreams. Life is for the taking, and it is up to you just how you make the most of this.
You are quite firmly in the driving seat of your life at the moment, and with Mars moving into your sign on the 4th, you can expect a huge rush of energy and vitality at just the right time to drive your plans forwards. A change of residence is possible, as is a change in career – what is clear is that you are being guided into making changes to your life (some huge, some subtle) in order to take a giant leap forwards – to get your life onto a level that you have been dreaming about for ages.
The celestial party in Aquarius this month gives you a massive boost in confidence, self-belief, luck, intuition, and support; and you will finally begin to see that your dreams are not only possible, but finally within your grasp. This is a time where dreams come true, so keep a clear mind and go for it!

Pisces
For the last few months (if not years), you have been tangled up in other people’s lives and worries. You are an empathic and compassionate person by nature, and do tend to get embroiled in other’s lives, but recently it has been more than this, you have almost felt overwhelmed by what is going on around you. This starts to change in February as you start to emerge from the entanglement stronger and more able to detach.
At the same time you need to realise, that whilst you have a strong need to help others, you are not sucked into their lives unwillingly. In fact, you are so used to being involved in other people’s lives, that you find life way too quiet when you are isolated. You need to accept responsibility for your choices and your involvement – there is a word in the English language that you need to take on board now, that word is simply ‘no’. Use it or own the consequences – it’s up to you.
The New Moon is in Pisces, which suggests a time for breaking free from old routines and traditions, and standing in your own power. Try meditating at the New Moon on the 25th, and connect to the lunar energy and ask for the Moon to give you strength and guidance as to how to move forward with your life.