Full Moon in Gemini, Nov 28, 2012

The Sun is in Sagittarius, which is a sign of expansive thinking and broad visions. It is symbolized by the archer, whose arrow is pointed high into the sky. Sagittarius is all about big concepts like world peace, social justice, and the meaning of the cosmos. During this Full Moon let your consciousness expand and consider things you might think are beyond your reach. This is not the time to put blinders on your vision for yourself or the possibilities for our world. It is the time to reach for the stars. The Moon is in Gemini which combines the visions you have in your head with the love you have in your heart. During this Full Moon, what you think and what you feel right now are one in the same.  Let yourself integrate the dreams and visions you have for yourself and the world (Sagittarius) and start taking small actions immediately, led by your heart (Gemini).  This connection between Sagittarius and Gemini is also the connection between Heaven and Earth. We need both these perspectives. We need to stretch our vision far into the future and out into space, and we need to take actions that effect us in the here and now. It is a perfect Full Moon to open the way to the visions and actions that will create the transformed world of 2013. This Moon’s energy is expanded by its close alignment with Jupiter, the bright light you will see next to the Full Moon, and will continue to light up the sky for months to come. There will also be an eclipse on this Full Moon, though it will be very subtle and a bit hard to see.

Image from Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir

A Full Moon, and lunar eclipse on Wednesday, November 28th at 9:46 am EST.  This image is from a virtual choir that represents the energy of not only the Full Moon, but also of the new birth into 2013. I hope you take the time to click on this link  VIRTUAL CHOIR and use it as your meditation for not only this Full Moon, but also for Winter Solstice. Make the Youtube video full screen and be sure your speakers are working. Take a few deep breaths and center yourself. Expand your mind and open your heart. Then let yourself be uplifted by the connection of humanity that this choir represents, and how, in spite of our differences, we really are one with each other.  I can’t say it any better than this comment left by one person who was moved by what he experienced.
This is a perfect example of how strangers all over the world, from different cultures, races and religions can create something beautiful. Now if the rest of us can follow their example, the world would be a better place for ALL of us to live in. We are all just people. Human beings that despite our differences are all part of the same family. I hope that one day we all, ALL OF US, can live in the harmony that was beautifully presented here. Thank you for the inspiration, and the HOPE.

Full Harvest Moon brings in 12.21.2012

Sept 29, 2012. Exact at 11:19 pm EDT.   This Full Moon is in Aries, which puts the focus on new births and fresh beginnings. This Moon is super-charged, since it is joined by Uranus, a planet of expanded consciousness, global vision, and evolutionary changes. Together, the Moon and Uranus are like a team of tech developers who stay up all night on Red Bull creating new programs to revolutionize our world. Tons of energy to fuel their expansive vision and no sense of limitations. It’s as if they have the whole universe at their fingertips.

Every so often we have something called a paradigm shift, which is a fundamental change so monumental it transforms the way we see, understand, and engage in the world. In the 16th century, thanks to Copernicus, we went from thinking that the we humans were the center of the Solar System, to realizing that the Earth and all its inhabitants were actually just one planet among many that moved through space as we circled around the Sun. I think we are now birthing into another such paradigm shift. In this shift we will go from thinking our Solar System is the center of the Universe, to realizing that our Solar System is just one star system among many that moves through the Milky Way Galaxy as we circle around the Galactic Center. This shift will bring us into an intimate connection with the larger universe, putting us into a relationship of unity and interconnection with the cosmos. Once we make that shift, we will start to view the Earth we live on as the unique vessel it is, one upon which we depend for survival. Fighting among ourselves in our own communities, competition among nations, destruction of the environment, waste and greed, will all be seen as self-defeating acts that sabotage our planet and only life line. This paradigm shift will not only change the way we view the universe, it will also expand our consciousness to such an extent that we could continue on our evolutionary journey from Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neandertal, Homo sapiens, to our current, Homo sapiens sapiens into a new species. I call this new species Homo Spiritus, but others have called it Homo Evolutionary or Homo Universalis. Big stuff, indeed.

Of course any birth has its labor pains, and this will be no different. The Moon and Uranus in Aries are in alignment with Pluto, the planet of regeneration, and we can expect that the birth of the new will follow the death of the old. This “death and rebirth” part is what gets taken out of context when people discuss 12.21.2012, and the fear mongering and bad disaster movies take center stage. But once we move past fear, I think its pretty obvious to most people that the world can’t continue on the same path it is going and not hit a major crisis pretty soon. Our weapon technology alone has the ability to destroy all life on the planet. Our weapons are advancing faster than our wisdom. The parts of life that will pass away are the parts that need to change in order to allow a new birth to occur. For example, our dependence on fossil fuels will change as we develop more renewable energies. And personally, if I really expect to evolve into a Homo Spiritus, I will need to let go of my fears and self doubts. Our history as been defined, both religiously and environmentally, by cyclical changes of death and rebirth. This upcoming paradigm shift will fit in with the same archetypal pattern.

One last note of interest. This same alignment of Moon in Aries conjoined with Uranus in Aries and aligned with Pluto will also be present on 12.21.2012. This is the explosive, powerful energy needed to bring about the new birth of human evolution and consciousness. Click here for the whole MOONLETTER.

Welcome to Year of the Dragon

2012 is the Year of the Dragon in Chinese Astrology. It begins at the New Moon on January 23rd. For the Astrologers of ancient China, the Dragon was a constellation associated with rain and was a symbol of the life-force, eventually becoming the emblem of royalty, power and wealth. Because it symbolizes fertility, the Dragon is the sign of creation and innovation on a wide and expansive scale. In the Dragon Year the time is ripe for fertile imagination, bold strokes, wild schemes, and dramatic gestures. The Dragon, being associated with astronomy, promises new discoveries in cosmology too. The Dragon symbolizes the mystic and mysterious, and spirituality will gain new attention. This is not the time for the conventional; rather, those who succeed will be the rash or eccentric. In business, the more fantastic the proposal put forward the greater change of success. (from Derek Walters Ming Shu: The Art and Practic of Chinese Astrology, 1987.) This is the year of the Water Dragon, which brings in more emotional calm and compassion than other dragon years, leading to the ability to see things from another’s point of view with perspective and clarity.

Dragon’s creative and spiritual energies lend support to the transformations indicated by the end of the Mayan Calendar.  We are fascinated by the mysterious Mayans as we try to figure out what spiritual lessons the end of their era brings. Although some people are trying to bring fear to 2012, most people aligned to a spiritual resonance are looking at 2012 as a year of powerful transformation. Instead of focusing on the ending of this era, I have been thinking of the beginning of a new era, which astrologically corresponds to the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. The Age of Aquarius is a new time of global transformation, an increase in consciousness, and the development of social transformation. It is highlighted by our technological renaissance and global interconnection. The fact that the fate of all humanity is intricately intertwined as never before is evident in ecological, political, economic, and social interactions. I am fully convinced that this is a year of major transformation, and it is a time for each one of us to step up to the plate and make the difference that we always wanted to make. Whether that is in your family, community, or world, and whether it involves the environment, education, or religion, the time is NOW. Now is the time. This is the Year. Break free, reach out, take a risk, be bold, be a dragon!

To Do: I’ve always loved dragons and if I admit the truth, I have wanted my own dragon for years. Dragons are powerful, majestic, loyal, magical, and fearless. What better time than this Chinese Year of the Dragon to realize that these are all qualities that already exist within ourselves. We all have a dragon. We just need to learn how to train it. I think a good way to start this Year of the Dragon is to watch How to Train Your Dragon (Dreamworks, 2010, illustrated above). This is a wonderful parable about trusting yourself, believing in your talents, even when they are different than your family and society, and making friends with what you fear, turning that fear into your most powerful ally.

Winter Solstice, New Moon, 2012

Most people think of the Winter Solstice, also known as the first day of Winter, as the shortest and darkest day of the year. This is because the Sun’s light has been decreasing since its peak six months ago at the Summer Solstice. But it is at this depth of darkness that the Sun is reborn, bringing with it an increase in light and illumination. This yearly cycle of the death and rebirth of the Sun has been celebrated for millennium, and represents the birth, death, and rebirth that marks the dance of life on earth.

The celebration of Christmas was linked to the Winter Solstice since Jesus represented the birth of the Son that promised to bring the Christ light on earth. And it was the Magi, Astrologers from Persia, who recognized the Star of Bethlehem as heralding the time, place, and importance of his birth. It may be dark and cold outside, but the Winter Solstice and Christmas point to the knowledge that the seeds of life are alive under the hard earth, ready to rise up when the days become warm again. Life, like the Sun, is never ending and always renewing. Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is also around this same time. This year Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 20th and commemorates the re-dedication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Lighting the candles of the Menorah over the eight days of Hanukkah is a very special ceremony of remembering the light.

During this holy season remember your internal light, the light of the Son/Sun. Winter gives us many opportunities to remember the light within and to find a way to give it birth. Houses are illuminated with tiny lights during the dark winter nights. In our homes we build fires that bring warmth and comfort to the coldest part of the year. Every time you light a candle this winter, take a moment and remind yourself of the light within all life. This is a good reminder that no matter how dark it may look, that the light will come again.

NEW MOON December 24th

The Winter Solstice occurs when the Sun moves from the zodiac sign of Sagittarius into Capricorn. The Moon also moves into Capricorn on December 24th. When the Sun and Moon are together in the same sign, an event that occurs every month, it is known as the New Moon. The New Moon is a time of new beginnings. Since the New Moon takes place in Capricorn, a solid and practical earth sign, take some time on December 24th to think about what you want to bring forth in the area of real, practical, concrete actions. Consider what type of structure you need to create in your life to bring you success in some physical aspect of your life: exercise, job, healthy eating, cleaning your house, fixing up your home, changing your career, and so on.

NEW YEAR 2012

These questions are the perfect thing to ponder as you head into the New Year, one of my favorite rituals of new beginnings. This New Year Eve be a bit reflective and think about what the last year was like. What were your successes, challenges, accomplishments? Then on New Year’s Day, take some time to think about the upcoming year, 2012, and set some broad visions for what you want this new year to be. Then develop some concrete action steps to bring those visions to action.

In Mexico many Mayan cities are starting a year long celebration leading toward December 21st, 2012. They are seeing that date as a time of renewal, not an ending. Popular culture and the media have hijacked the end date on the Mayan calendar as a time to spread fear. But most Mayans and archeologist see that date as referring to the end of one age, and the beginning of another. Much like the end of the Age of Pisces and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. Many Mayan priests will burn incense, chant, and offer prayers for the new era that will begin very soon. Imagine the world you want to see at this time next year. Think about what you want to be celebrating on December 21st, 2012. Keep a positive vision for the world and take practical actions to manifest that vision. Doom and gloom  forecasts only create more doom and gloom. Resist the power of the dark side!! Bring the light into your heart and let the force be with you. Let this year of 2012 be the year that you step out fully and bring all your gifts, no matter how big or how small, into the world. We all need each other doing all we can in order to make this new era one of peace, justice, and unity. Just for starters, Egypt just had the largest women’s demonstration in their history as thousands of women marched through Cairo on Tuesday calling for an end to military rule. You go girls! Let’s all step up to the call like we never have before in order to bring a wise and caring feminine vision to the world so clearly in need of a new way.