Friday, December 27, 2019

Sacred Darkness, Holy Light


We are in a season of changing Light. Slight as changes may be, we acknowledge, and even celebrate, them. Of course, Solstice is the most grand, being one of the Cross Quarters humanity has long ritualized.

Seeking to describe this change of Light, I found this poem. Its stunning opening:
The voyager that   
Travels the furthest
Light is a traveler. Its mission: traveling across miles & miles & miles of space to reach us.... collectively and individually.

Humanity has always worshipped the Light, whatever its Source. The Sun. The Moon. Volcanoes. Stars. Fire. Each of these Sources produces awe and wonder. Our first keeping of time was by Light: Sun and Moon for the day; length of SunLight and MoonLight for the seasons, the year. We mark our lives by those same sources of Light.

We also acknowledge the changing faces of the Moon. Light as Traveler finds its way from the Sun to the Moon. From there, Light turns its reflection our way. What an odd way to travel! Currently, we celebrate the New Moon ~ a time of no reflected light. Does that mean Light is not traveling? Not possible! And then, there's the Solar Eclipse. The New Moon and Solar Eclipse occurring within hours of each other. This Solar Eclipse brings opportunity for expansiveness, generosity and big dreams. In Capricorn, it leans us toward regaining control over our life, embracing maturity, and forming a practical plan to achieve goals. With Solstice less than a week past, this is a season in which we notice the Light....and pray that the Light notices us.

This is the season of Change. Winter Solstice: the turning from Sacred Darkness to Holy Light. Summer Solstice: the turning from Holy Light to Sacred Darkness. This Voyager, this Ambassador reaches us for the shortest or the longest of days. It's all about the turning of our world.

On our travels through our lives, our personal world turns. Sometimes it's joy and warmth; sometimes it's too hot and bright. Most people prefer the light times, just as most people prefer the yearly season of Light. It feels more comfortable.

Without Sacred Darkness, we would not recognize Holy Light. One is found in the presence of the other. Darkness replenishes us. We sleep at night. In a darkened room. Our circadian rhythms shift with the shifting of the Dark and Light. We need sleep which finds us during the Sacred Darkness. Sacred Darkness enfolds us as we grieve or have needs or fears. Comfort comes from this enfolding when we allow it, when we open our hearts to let the breath of Sacred Darkness breathe us as well. We know this place instinctually, yet often ignore or even run away from it. As with Holy Light, Sacred Darkness is a gift.

How do you celebrate the season of Light? What rituals do you perform? Do you do them with a community? or on your own? How do you differentiate between the Holy Light and the Sacred Darkness? What do you feel this Solar Eclipse brings to you? How do you address the Shadow cast by the Light? and the Aura that's left?

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Full Moon in Gemini 2019


©2005 ML Monroe
Aaaah.... Here we are. The last Full Moon of the year ~ many say of the decade. In my personal way of counting, this decade ends with 2020. But that's just nit-picking....

Gemini Full Moon urges us to dive deeper into the power of our Self and use it to work with circumstances around us that are out of our personal control. Each challenging situation encourages us to find and express our deepest, truest Self. Gemini's objectivity and neutrality gives this Full Moon flexibility, perspective and adaptibility as we do that.

Friends and I have jokingly said that 2019 has been the Dickensian best of times (and) worst of times, the epoch of belief (and) the epoch of incredulity. A year of changes, of metamorphoses, of activations, it demanded we shift perspective and shake off what doesn't serve us individually or as members of the collective. And it's led us to the Gates of 2020 and our best future Self.
Being in the sign of the Twins, events and challenges may occur in twos. This energy may follow a similar path or may diverge into opposing ones. Two facets of our life may tug our attention. We may be of two minds on a decision that's before us.

As Saturn and Pluto come closer to their alignment (exact January 12th), they keep us reeling between the visible, concrete Middle World (Saturn's realm) and the hidden, secret Lower World (Pluto's realm). All this while the square of Neptune's influence ~ which can cause us to slip and slide into fantasy and forgetfulness as well as loose our inflexible grip on physicality and connect to intuition ~ obliges us to face our disappointments by surrendering our limiting beliefs, reassessing our priorities, and confronting our difficult truths.

Remember that Full Moon energy is all about releasing what no longer serves us. This Full Moon provides the opportunity to let go of whatever we wish to leave behind as we enter the new year. This includes any issues that arose around the time of the last eclipse on July 16th. Ablsolutely anything on which we need closure. Spend time considering this carefully.

Healing is a strong theme since right now, on this edge of the Full Moon, Chiron ~ the Wounded Healer asteroid ~ goes direct in Aries after being retrograde since July 8th of this year. Assess our physical, mental and emotional health. Schedule a check-up. Follow up on a health issue that's been niggling at us. Boost our immune system. Get a massage or give our Self a bit of extra care. Be kind to our Self. Speak up for our Self. Appraise our spiritual and soul health. Be clear about our motives. Practice self-acceptance.

Rest and breathe before the new year ~ and the coming eclipse season ~ begins. Slow down and listen closely for messages from the Divine. Trust your intuition.

What feels out of place in your life? What habits, behaviors, patterns are you willing to let go of? What habits, behaviors, patterns are you ready to bring into your life? How will you allow space for your own health and healing? How can you more clearly be the person you want to be? What is your opinion of your Self? How can you better accept who you are now?

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Open to Gold


Over the past year, I've experienced some health challenges. One modality with a significant influence on my healing process has been acupuncture.

At my most recent session, two separate practitioners worked in the same space with two clients ~ myself and another woman. The room was large. The practitioners spoke quietly and were attentive to their own client. Still there were moments of energetic crossover.

I entered the room and my session first. My needles were mostly in place, the conversation completed, before the second client and practitioner entered. In this way, although there was crossover, there was also flow.

Every time I heard a piece of the conversation from the other side of the room, I'd take a deep breath, release it slowly even as I released the connection to the words entering my own healing bubble. Every release took me deeper into the healing. It was a good practice.

At one point, as I released, I saw my head and shoulders as a cameo image viewed from above. Cameos generally have white, pink or cream colored areas around the edges. Mine were gold. Like the image above, those edges were smoky and flowing, changing as I breathed in and out. A feeling of cool green grass beneath me tickled my ears and cheeks. One more breath in and I released the image as well, sinking deeper even as my outer awareness expanded. In what seemed a brief time, my practitioner returned, asked me if I was ready to be finished, and removed the needles.

The aura surrounding me felt like a visitation ~ something of precious beauty and grace. Oddly, I didn't feel a strong need or desire to hang on to it. I simply wanted to know more about it. What was it? What did it mean? Why had it happened at that particular time, on that particular visit?

Golden auras are considered rare. Generally they occur either because one's heart is opening up or because compassion is flowing into the heart. It brings generosity, protection, peace and reasonableness. Just as gold represents wealth, a golden aura represents spiritual wealth. Most traditions see it as a blessing from the Divine. (Hence, golden Buddhas, golden halos, golden dieties, etc.)

An aura moving from green to gold ~ as my sensation of green grass with the golden aura ~ signifies healing and opening to blossoming golden energy. The green into gold image symbolizes the Tree of Life ~ golden with a center of the green aura of the heart. The heart chakra is called Anahata (the untouched) in Sanskrit. It's where we carry our deepest truths, loves and being. Our heart does not judge or struggle. It flows and changes direction as the will focuses on continuing life.

The spiritual nature of gold, particularly around the heart, is one of awakening, compassion and forgiveness. Gold shows in the aura as one is coming into their personal power ~ their Essence or Being ~ without the constraints of Ego.

My experience seems to be a common one with golden auras. A temporary energy. A passing visit. I hope to cultivate its continuance. The hardest sensation to explain is that it did not exactly feel good. It felt as though I was in a space of higher service. It felt connected, available, expansive. Although these words are considered positive, the space was one of neither positivity nor negativity. It simply was.

This momentary enlightenment passes. Some of the moments may be longer than others. It is difficult to contain, to maintain, when participating in human life. My wish is that every person, at some time in their personal spiritual journey, experience that golden aura.

How do you experience your Essence? What do you see in your quiet, meditative moments? or your Dreamtime? What colors do you see or feel or experience during these times? Where do you experience your center of Compassion?