Tuesday 31 May 2011

The Warrior Queen Pallas Athene

Powerful Pallas Athene moves retrograde in Aquarius today. She is the warrior queen; strong, resolute and determined. She is a feisty, fiery warrior often associated with war, anger and destruction, yet she also represents creative use of the mind, justice and strength. In many ways Pallas Athene is the force of self-preservation and the freedom of Spirit.

Pallas Athene stands proudly in her armour, standing in her power and in her Truth. She is assertive, empowered and free, something that many of us, women in particular, struggle with even in the 21st century. How many women feel confident to show their strength, anger and might without fear of being stereotyped?

This powerful little asteroid goddess is a strong, powerful force to be reckoned with, but when used in a positive way, she can be incredibly creative, helping us to express ourselves and our individuality.

We have two creative and intellectual energies (Pallas Athene and Aquarius) coming together to encourage each of us to think creatively and to tap into the inspiration within. Another common theme between these energies is the humanitarian aspect, as both seek justice and equality in life. It therefore seems that whilst retrograde, each of us needs to think about the areas of our own lives where we need to create a little more equality and balance.

This also marks the beginning of a time for us to move within and to re-connect to the power that resides there. It is a time for introspection and for re-evaluating our directions or paths in life. It is important to be clear about the path ahead, for there is a strong sense of forwards propulsion as the weeks progress...!

Now is the time to think about how we stand in our power and Truth, and how much of our power we give away to others (freely or otherwise). Balance is the key – remember we should always keep at least some for ourselves. This is not about being selfish, but without self-preservation we are unable to help anyone.

Pallas Athene wants us to explore our true identities and to free the power within. This surfaces in several ways: through the positive expression of healthy and justifiable anger to release pain and anguish, and secondly to believe in ourselves and our gifts, and to have the courage of our convictions and reach for our dreams...

Monday 23 May 2011

Awakening from Slumber

The planets have been very ‘vocal’ lately; my head has been full of planetary comings and goings. This has been unsettling but inspirational at the same time.

I was meditating on one of the Sabian Symbol’s the other day ‘A withered old Indian squaw, with a clear light persisting in beady eyes, is selling trinkets’. I saw the Universe in her eyes, such strength, such vision, such beauty. The planets suddenly became even more verbose than usual giving more insight into the bigger picture...

It seems clear that we are all going through an awakening or a re-awakening, as we become more aware and more awake, we are living and breathing more consciously. Every step we take and every movement or action is becoming more conscious, more precise. It is as though we are awakening from a deep slumber. We have now had time to adjust our eyes to the light and we can now see, hear, smell, taste, sense and feel more clearly and vibrantly than ever before.

Cosmic events continue to weave their merry way in the skies above us challenging us, inspiring us, empowering us. As we awaken more and more we can begin to regain a sense of perspective concerning our gifts, path ahead and soul path. Clarity and vision take on new meaning and strength as we change the energy of our thoughts and actions by making them more conscious.

It is time now for each of us to find our voices, to find our strength and to get on with what’s truly important in life. As we each work hard to make the world a better place, we realise that this comes from both within and without, for it is the changes we make within that amplify and become the changes we see without.

When we choose to live mindfully and consciously in all aspects of our lives (our work, rest, health, food etc) this impacts us on every level of our Being and it of course also impacts the collective in a hugely positive and life enhancing way. Change begins from the inside out, and whilst we all have our demons to face and challenges to bear, it is clear to see that it is possible to make even small changes even when the chips are stacked against us. How we choose to think or respond to situations would be a good example of this.

We are also being asked to explore the relationships in our lives. Perhaps the most important relationship under the cosmic spotlight is the relationship that we have with ourselves. It is time to consider how we treat ourselves on all levels; how we speak to ourselves, how we nourish ourselves, how we honour ourselves...

As we awaken more and more, we can expect to see transformation on all levels of our Being. It is time now to stop pressing the ‘doze’ button on our inner alarm clocks and wake up to enjoy the sunrise and the new day that is dawning...

Saturday 14 May 2011

Stop the World, I Want To Get Off!

Now the going has got tough, many of the ‘tough’ seem to have done a runner! We are now standing in the midst of a cloud of confusion, feeling as though the world is slowly spinning out of control. Are we right to try to apply the brakes and step off, or is it time to trust the process and surrender to the chaos? Or is it simply our perception or a misconception that things seem a little awry?

In the musical that shares the same name as this title, Littlechap realises that all his attempts to ‘improve his lot’, to search for something better and something more, were seemingly futile as he already had everything he needed...to seek ‘betterment’ is human, but is there a lesson to be learnt now, to stop fighting and struggling against the current in order to work with what we have now?

To learn, to push ahead, to discover and to change is part of being human. If we surrender to the flow, are we giving up somehow? There is a fine line between becoming empowered through surrender and becoming a victim through running away in fear. No one can judge what the right choice is though, for we are all individuals, and have freedom of choice, even if that choice is not to decide (!). What is right for one person, is not right for another. Perhaps this is therefore simply a time for becoming truly accountable for our choices and decisions...

It seems prudent now to take time out for some honest self-reflection, to explore our own ‘lots’ and to see if we can make more of what we already have. Perhaps we do need to pursue a new path or avenue, but it is important to make this choice through personal power rather than through fear. Clinging on to what’s familiar or what society deems to be ‘right’ or ‘proper’ is unlikely to bring us the fulfilment that we seek. So it is up to us to seek out our own Truth and to trust our instincts to guide us forwards. This is scary, it is unknown, but life is like that. If we live a life without challenge, without movement, can we ever grow or evolve?

After much searching, twisting and turning, Littlechap realised that he already had everything he needed to sustain him in life. So, if we look closely enough at our own lives, we will find the same? The grass often looks greener on the other side of the fence, but is this the truth of the reality? Or is it just part of being human? Maybe we can never be truly content with what we have, for to continuously strive towards something more shows a willingness to grow and learn?

Yet, surely we must reach a point in our personal and collective evolution where we stop searching and begin to use what we already have? Perhaps our quest for more meaning and purpose is simply an avoidance technique to keep our heads lost in the dizzying heights of confusion and contemplation so we never have to think about simply ‘getting on with things’? Or maybe, just maybe, to quiz and ponder is an essential part of being human, and we have to accept that there will be times when we are confused, discombobulated and overwhelmed.

This is a time for seeking Truth, a time for understanding Truth and a time for taking responsibility for our own actions and choices in life. Easy peasy! If only...!

Questions, questions, questions. What we need now is answers!

Saturday 7 May 2011

Cosmic Insights for May 2011

2011 is already proving to be a year of great contrast! The cosmic climate continues to ebb and flow throughout May, and we can expect to become more and more ‘awake’ and aware of ourselves, our paths and one another on every level. It is time to listen to our intuition and to step into our power as we begin to embrace our full potential as evolving, growing, sentient Beings. Great shifts are happening both within and without, individually, collectively and globally. It seems that the more aware of these we become, the more intense our transformation.

Juno moved direct in Virgo on the 2nd May, and this suggests a time for re-addressing power imbalances in all areas of our lives. We often find ourselves surrounded by three types of people: givers, takers and those that give/take. The latter category is the most wholesome and balanced, but sadly this category is usually the least densely populated. Many takers are energy vampires and many givers have dependency and other motivations for giving. There is a need now for us to become more balanced both within ourselves and in our relationships with others, and to learn the art of give/take on all levels of our Beings...

Mars enters Taurus on the 11th and on the 15th, Venus and Mercury join him, and the Sun enters Gemini on the 21st. In many ways, this continues the need for balance sparked by Juno. Balancing the masculine and feminine, balancing the material, emotional and spiritual, and balancing how we communicate with ourselves and others are all so vital now. It is so important that we work hard at achieving balance. Giving (or indeed taking) too much is detrimental in the long run, and no one can do this indefinitely.

Finally, Pallas Athene moves retrograde in Aquarius on the 31st. Pallas Athene, the warrior queen, represents strength, creative thought and justice. In retrograde, all of these are internalised asking each of us to acknowledge our own power and to realise our potential to create change. As the tides of humanity begin to change, we need to own our power and stand in our Truth in order to stay strong and focused like buoys in stormy seas. Like beacons of Light, we need to reach out to help and guide others (if they ask for it), and at the same time, continue to work on our own personal evolutions...

New Moon is in Taurus on the 3rd at 05.51 GMT (06.51 BST)

This New Moon is in earthy Taurus marking the beginning of a very creative and inspirational time. It is a great time to think about some new affirmations or positive visualisations. In addition, try to connect with Nature (Taurus is an earth sign after all) and find a special place to contemplate or meditate. It is an important time to find stability and serenity within.

Full Moon is in Scorpio on the 17th at 11.09 GMT (12.09 BST)

A water Full Moon is likely to create a roller coaster of emotions as we enter an intense phase of introspection. However, we need to try to go with this and find comfort and joy from within. We need to allow our emotions to flow for bottling them up is likely to lead to some tense moments...

Monday 2 May 2011

The Wolf Is Hungry

Juno moves direct in Virgo today (the 2nd May). Juno is a powerful little asteroid with a strong connection to relationships, power balances and the dynamics in our interactions with others.

This forward movement marks a time to emanate the balance we have achieved within to other aspects of our lives. It is also time to ensure that all of our relationships (of all kinds) are balanced and life-giving. Of course, sometimes duty and obligation places us in relationships where we give much more, and as long as we enter such relationships with the right spirit, we can still receive positivity from these connections. If we see them as draining, negative and unpleasant then we either need to make the decision to walk away or to change our perspectives...

There is a sense that we are becoming more and more self-aware now, and, as a result, we are far more aware of what we truly want from our lives. This is why balance in relationships is so important, for balance prevents us from being pulled ‘off course’ by having our energy sapped or from being dominated by someone else (as well as a myriad of other possibilities as well).

Possibly the most important we have in life is the one with ourselves, and all too often, we can become wrapped up in powerful emotions that can drain and dis-empower us.

Someone very special sent me these words...

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that was going on inside himself. He said, “My son, it is between two wolves...One is evil: Anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, compassion and faith”.
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied: “The one I feed”.

These words are powerful and thought-provoking. Of course, it is important to acknowledge anger, regret, sorrow etc, for acknowledging them is surrendering to the flow of life. To fight them is to anger them more, giving them more strength and power in our lives. Once we can acknowledge and surrender to them, we can let them go and be in a place of joy, love and peace. We can feed the positive by facing the ‘negative’ with strength and resolve.

Juno wants us to nurture ourselves and our relationships now to ensure that we can live in balance and harmony. The dynamics or energy flows within our Selves and between ourselves and others, will become more visible and obvious now. It is therefore up to us to choose which wolf to feed...