Aries Full Moon

This weekend's full moon has many aspects to it. It's called a Hunter's Moon ~ having the potential to be colored orange-red. It is also a perigee moon, a supermoon, at its closest point to Earth.

In astrological terms, it rises in the sign of Aries, making it about taking action and declaring what you stand for as well as what you choose to leave behind.

This full moon conjuncts Uranus ~ the rebel, awakener and liberator bringing often unsettling change ~ and Eris ~ the feminine warrior kicking serious wake-it-up butt in the social justice arena. This moon is about taking courageous stands, not blasting anger or even blame. Move through the fiery energy fully awake, taking responsibility and being creative as you go.

The asteroid Ceres is at 29 degrees Aries, the karmic completion degree. The Great Mother brings up family, environment, safety and security. These are deeply emotional places to visit. Feel the deepest emotions, those generally repressed like anger, grief, pain. Allowing them to be exposed and felt helps them to heal.

Although sometimes difficult to consider, people and events in your life teaches you more about yourself and the journey of your life. This Aries Full Moon may bring all that and more, perhaps unexpectedly, to the surface in order to teach and heal you.

 Besides personal life events, do you notice anything in the news lately reflecting these motifs? This energy is bubbling up through our entire culture.

Seize the Day

I recall hearing the phrase carpe diem from early childhood. My father and uncles had been in the armed forces. It was phrase they lived by while in combat. They knew it was possible they would not survive to see another day.

Through most of my adult life, it was a phrase I avoided. Not the sentiment of living each day to the fullest, but the simple Latin statement. I had grown to attach it to the violence of war.

Recently, I heard carpe diem slipping into my mind more and more often. Like a rock found on the side of a familiar path, I grabbed them up, turned them over and inspected them. I thought I knew them, knew what they were made of, knew how they were formed ~ but I discovered I only knew them in part. This most recent handling of them brought out a new question: What did carpe diem mean to me now?

What surfaced was a deeper understanding of the meaning to my parents' generation. The tenderness and vulnerability of life. The possibility, even likelihood, of change ~ including death. Grasping for the vitality existing in the moment, in today, because tomorrow was promised to no one.

When I see the word plastered on cards, t-shirts, journals, buttons and stickers, I resist it. My own tender and vulnerable view of time, of the world around me, of the often shaky balance of the world leaves me wondering if my energy reflects that of others viewing the same item. Or are they seeing it as a reflection of their own desire to have, to grab, to claim everything they want? I pause with a whisper of gratitude to those men, now gone from this life, who introduced me to carpe diem.

What do you think of when you see or hear carpe diem? How does it meld with your world view? or does it? To what in your life could you apply this principle?

Most Feared Woman

No matter where you are in today's culture, it's obvious that there remain narrowly defined roles and rules for women. In some regions and countries, it may appear women have freedom, but that's deceptive.

As I write this, a strong, dedicated, qualified woman (Hillary Clinton) is running for U.S. President. Challenges arise which no man running for that office ever received. Ever. No matter the political party affiliation.

Upon reading this quote, truth dawned on me. She's not looking for validation from anyone. She's moving forward in the world with confidence and power. That scares many men, and a number of women.

There have been two Presidential debates. Her opponent (Donald Trump) used many varied and extensive intimidation tactics: looming presence behind her, talking over her, accusing her of having 'hate in her heart' (as though he would know!). One of the best memes I've seen underscores the above quote: Once again, we have a strong, highly qualified woman who has to compete for a position with a man who is nowhere near her in competency. I look forward to the day when this no longer happens.

How do you respond to a woman who does not require validation? Why would she be feared? How can you help reduce the imbalance in competition? How might this be important for our daughters and granddaughters? for our sons and grandsons? for all future generations?

Lessons from a Phone Theft

A couple of weeks ago, my phone was stolen. I was out at a bar, a music venue, to be entertained by some friends. I put my phone down on a table and put my purse on top of it. A woman celebrating her 40th birthday invited me to partake of the taco bar in the next room. Picking up my purse, I went into the room and quickly loaded my plate and returned. I was gone less than 5 minutes.

After eating, I started looking for my phone. I thought it had to be in my purse. It wasn't. I went back out to the car to see if I had left it in there. Nope. Returned to the previous place where friends were playing music. Not there either. I recalled that when leaving the first place, I considered putting the phone on the roof of the car. By this time I was frantic. I must have done something. The phone must be somewhere close.

Of course, since it was my responsibility, no matter what happened to it, I was blaming myself. I felt horrible ~ the phone was only a couple of months old.

Once home, I reported the stolen phone to the phone provider. I found out the next day that since it was on a family data plan, it could be tracked. I also decided to let go of the self-blame. This was certainly a first-world problem. More than that, no matter what happened to it or why, it wasn't worth my health and stress.

With the help of my significant other, we began tracking it. It showed up miles away from home, miles away from either music venue. It stayed in that place for nearly a full day. As we were driving to put up reward posters in the neighborhood, I checked again for the phone's location. It was miles away from where it had been. We chose to play amateur sleuths and followed the tracking. It led to a restaurant. When we asked the people in the restaurant if they'd be willing to keep one of our posters and let us know if they saw it, they agreed. After telling all their staff about it, someone asked how we knew it was there. The manager replied that we had tracked it there. Shortly afterward the signal went dead.

The next day, I reconnected my old phone to our service. That night, prior to closing, a tech from our phone carrier called me to let me know that a phone connected to my cell number had been turned in by someone who had been asked by the thief to hack it. I could come in the next day to pick it up.... which I gladly did!

I learned several things through all this ~ besides making sure my phone is with me at all times and that there are ways to track missing phones. I learned that blaming myself didn't change anything. As a matter of fact, if I hadn't been winding my stress level up, I may have realized sooner that it had been stolen ~ and checked around more closely. I'm fortunate enough to afford a cell phone. Counting my blessings was far more helpful to my stress level! Follow the fun ~ that's what playing amateur sleuths with my significant other became ~ fun. Finally, once I relaxed, the Universe could flow through me in a more fluid fashion. I was fortunate to get my phone back with only the SIM card gone. By the time it did, three and a half days after being stolen, the thing that was my phone went back to being just a thing.

Have you ever had something stolen or lost? How did you respond? Did you blame yourself? or someone else? How long did it take to replace or return? What do you feel now, thinking back on that situation?

September Next Steps

Mythical Goddess Tarot ~ Holloway & Skaggs

From the Guide:

The Maiden of Fire is the wild woman who burns through the status quo with her heart of fire. She releases the binds to the old and transmutes the mundane outmoded form into the New Earth. She is unattached to the past, bringing innovation and cutting edge perspective.
This revolutionary Goddess of fire is here to assist you in the fiery release of all that shackles you to the past and outmoded form. You are ready for her pure flame to ignite your passion to ascend in frequency that you may change, heal and express your untamed essence. She brings the revolutionary power of change to you, inviting you to step into your true radiance and shine the light for others!

This week, we experienced a New Moon Solar Eclipse in Virgo. Whew! Lots of energy opening up there. Lots of opening up energy too ~ patterns that have served us for the past six months slipping out the gateway; new patterns settling in for the next six months. As the saying goes: Be careful what you wish for...... This is a time for setting those wishes in motion. A time to rework and reorganize our belief and value systems. A time to reweave, reconnect and restructure our connection to the web of life around us.

As I focused on the Tarot cards today, I simply asked for the energy that I would need to move forward from here. The Maiden of Fire ~ Revolution Herself ~ showed up. Reading the information from the Guide, I recognized that She is the Next Step for me ~~ precisely what I need to move forward after the New Moon Solar Eclipse. Someone Who will help me release the chains and dedications of the past, stand fully in the present moment, and move cleanly into the future. I want to focus my energy in each place in turn ~ until the form of what I'm calling forth reveals itself.

How is the New Moon Solar Eclipse touching your life? What are you letting go? What are you seeding? What do you want to see more of in your life? Who is showing up to help you? How will you define your next step? Where are you focusing your energy?

Aquarius Full Moon

© 2016 ~ ML Monroe

We are in the influence of another remarkable Full Moon ~ this time in Aquarius accompanied by a penumbral eclipse. 

Aquarius is the sign of joined work and humanitarian efforts. It's about caring for others as well as the creative impulse to rally for what we believe in ~ all done in a convivial, playful way.

In this moment, we stand at the crossroads of a Leo Sun and an Aquarius Moon in a combined focus of ME and WE. Aquarius lifting us beyond the personal focus of Leo to the communal good.

.Aquarius creates the energy for the freedom to experiment with a variety of behaviors, expressions and lifestyles. It encourages us to extend those freedoms to others.

Uranus, which rules Aquarius, provides the necessary energy to break up the status quo and make way for transitioning to the new.

Our current transition to the Age of Aquarius reveals its shadow side as well ~ the unpredictable side that seeks to destroy without having a more innovative and positive solution in place.

Be aware of and awake to intuitive flashes and synchronicities showing up under the influence of Uranus and Aquarius. Practice allowing the thoughts their space and thinking/reacting in the world on the fly. Accept the inspirations as they arise and trust the right timing of them. That's what this Moon is all about!

Where do you have your focus so intent that you don't see the forest for the trees? Can you detach yourself from the outcome, even a little? What is your concept of a perfect world? How can you begin to implement even a little of that into your life? What intuitions have surfaced in your thoughts? Have you acted on them? What happened if you did? How did you feel with either choosing to act on them or to let them fly by?

Gaining Perspective in High Spaces

Not long ago, I hiked Lower Table Rock in southern Oregon. To my mind, the path was steep. Walking up was less difficult because the ground rose in front of me, making it easier to see. At the top, we walked the path to the edge of the mesa. I snapped this picture standing near the edge and looking over the valley as well as Upper Table Rock in the distance. I watched eagles gliding over the field below and laughed at the thought that we were standing above the soaring eagles.

Hiking back down was more difficult for me. I kept my head down and focused on the bright turquoise shoes of my daughter hiking down before me (purposefully close to me). I was grateful for the assistance. It calmed me so much that I hiked down the steeper part of the path beside her with my head up. A very different view!

The following week, I found myself ascending Mt. Evans, one of Colorado's Fourteens ~ over 14,000 feet ~ on the world's highest paved road. At one point, this was our view: no horizon to speak of, nothing ahead but fluffy white clouds on which to focus. From what we'd already driven, I knew we were coming to another hairpin turn. My heart was racing and I pulled my right side closer to the center of the vehicle ~ as if that would help!

At the top, we met a fellow traveler on a bicycle and a couple riding a motorcycle. Mountain goats with their lost, bleating kids wandered and nibbled at the sparse grass or relaxed at the side of the road. Yellow-bellied marmots dotted the landscape and chirruped as they chased across the rocks. Our view was vast, rocky and distant. We could truly see for miles and miles. Pike's Peak appeared through the clouds as well as the other Fourteens. The view was breath-taking ~ as was being over 14.000 feet in the air! Hence the sign:

As I reflected on these trips, I realized how much perspective I gained on each of them. Although Lower Table Rock seemed an easy jaunt for most of the hikers, it was my perspective making it more difficult. Hiking next to my confident daughter afforded me the opportunity to notice that I felt safer when I limited my view. However, I did not feel better. Once I recognized that I was limiting the view, forcing a narrower perspective, I could lift my head and see the fullness of the wooded landscape I was traversing.

Mt. Evans, on the other hand, was a different sort of trek. We were in a car, driving up and up and up. The same what-if fear gripped me at times. I recognized more quickly that I could breathe deeply and enjoy the beauty of the heights or I could focus on the narrow space where the fear resided. Again, it was a matter of perspective. When I let it flow out in a wider circle, my fear dissipated. I felt the incredible awe of the adventure. I wondered about the First Peoples who traversed this mountain on foot and marveled at the people who created the paved road.

As Kurt Vonnegut wrote in If This Isn't Nice, What Is?: "We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down." Being close to those cliffs physically, recognizing the ones I carry within, I have a new perspective on how and why I develop those wings. I am grateful for the journeys in such quick succession ~ as well as for those who accompanied me up those heights, and those who accompany me on the internal cliff jumping.

At what cliffs have you stood? How do you face them? How do you feel when you stand there? Has the fear ever overwhelmed you? What do you know of your perspective at those moments? How has your perspective changed over time?