Full Moon in Gemini - Winter is Coming

Full Moon in Gemini - Winter is Coming

For those who watch Game of Thrones, you know what Winter is Coming means. In so many words, it means you can run but you can’t hide. Not when Saturn, the lord of karma, sits in opposition to this full moon. On the one hand, you’re inspired to be playful in a way that shirks all responsibility. On the other, there’s a nagging sense that you should be doing something… anything… more… productive… more… in... service.

Not only is Saturn opposing the full Moon, but Neptune is squaring it, which pulls Neptune’s square with Saturn into the fore of our awareness. This is something we’ll be working with throughout much of 2016. To summarize this aspect, it means the areas of our lives and our world that are illusory or deluded with fantasy will become increasingly strained. Likely to the point of partial or total collapse.

Let’s take all the violence, murder and mayhem that continue to top the headlines. We can debate gun reform, immigration laws and terrorism tactics all day long. Will it have an effect? Maybe. Will it solve the problem? Hardly. We live in world that spoon feeds the masses, including our all too impressionable youth (whose neural patterns are literally still forming), with extremely violent and murderous propaganda, media and gaming. In a very real sense, we’re being desensitized to such horrors and programmed on a meta level to not only accept but actually dream this reality into being. It sounds inhumane, and it is. And we (as a collective) often are. That’s a painful truth throughout mankind’s history, present, and foreseeable future. IF WE LET IT. And that’s what this Full Moon transit reminds us.

“If you want to be good, first you must realize that you are bad.” ~ Gospel of Thomas

It's innate in us to be both sides of every polarity. Those who act out the toxicity of forgetfulness serve to remind us of the divinity of remembering. The full moon Gemini, which exposes both sides of every coin, lands on a holiday when those of us in the U.S.A. gather to celebrate our gratitude. This is a good thing. An important thing. Gratitude offers our nervous systems the opportunity to soften. To accept what is. To love what we have. And to calm our thinking mind’s fixation on what we don’t.

It’s ironic, yet appropriate to the theme of this post, that Thanksgiving has at its foundation a brutal massacre of innocent men, women and children who are indigenous to this land. Thus Saturn lays down the law as I type this. We reap what we sow. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I’m not saying we as Americans are therefore deserving of such extremes. Merely that we can’t allow ourselves to forget. Which is to say that we must remember. That ALL men, ALL women and ALL children are our relatives.

Our relentless perception of separation, of other than, has perpetuated much of the toils we’re now faced with as the world spirals into chaos. Our industrial ideology, that man's actions have no impact on Mother Earth, has proven just how catastrophic this level of delusional separatism can be. Thus then, now as ever, this is our time to remember. No matter what. That all of humanity is created equal in the eyes of Great Creator. Humble your self in the eyes of every grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, sister and brother you encounter. Give thanks for their indelible part in the whole of our collective awakening.

For all our relations. A’ho Mitakuaye Oyasin

New moon in Scorpio

The Moon joins the Sun and Mercury in Scorpio, sparking a need in us all to own our power. For many, this requires the need to take back our power. While the Mars archetype of the warrior typically engages such an endeavor with unadulterated force, it's primed to take a back seat to the Pluto archetype of the transformer and the Jupiter archetype of the benevolent, both of which are strongly stimulating this new moon. Like a big ass bouncer no one dares fuck with, Jupiter maintains the peace. Like a stealth bomber of nuclear proportion, Pluto eviscerates the need for force in favor transcending the opposing forces of duality all together.

We're tapping into a healing energy of Chironic proportions. Our buttons are getting pushed, in all the right ways. The triggers appear more obvious when we cease our reactions. Recognizing the basic laws of the universe as they play out in each of us, our capacity to transmute all forms of denying energy and negativity, within and without, are substantial during this lunar cycle. As we disintegrate the old ways of forcing our will upon this world, we create space to drop more fully into our power.
We've seen the malefic effects on this planet and throughout humanity when force is employed to achieve any end. Where force needs something to oppose it, power just is. Where force speaks, power listens. Where force reacts, power responds. With the Uranus archetype of the revolutionary at the apex of a YOD (finger of God), in quincunx angle to Jupiter and the new moon, the energy to break through limitation, both that of our culture and our myriad ego structures, is readily accessible.

Plant alchemical seeds into the depths of your psyche in the week ahead. Rather than think, drop in and feel the answer to the following questions... What lead are you turning into gold? What wounds are you healing into blessings? What denying energy are you reconciling into the fulfillment of your aim? Where in your life can you integrate your innate power to respond and disintegrate your habituated forceful reactions?

"Human beings, besides being machines for transforming substances, are also instruments for receiving and transmitting vibrations. It is also possible for them to make use of the apparatus for their own benefit."

~ From C.S. Nott's "The Teachings of Gurdjieff"

Stellar blessings for a magical Scorpio lunation!

Mercury stations direct as I type this. That’s astrological parlance for you’re not crazy. The planet that influences our perception, cognition and communication just finished three weeks retrograding in the sign of Libra. I’m hard pressed to imagine a better moment to reflect, dissect and dissolve a multitude of imbalanced ways I'm prone to relate. Primarily with myself. Our minds correspond with the rays of the Sun in a most unique way during Mercury's rare stillness. If the Sun represents our essence, or life force energy, and the Sun is currently transiting the sign of Libra, it is illuminating what is essential to achieving balance, beauty and peace in our lives and in our world.

Pause and breathe deeply as you read again, the Sun is currently illuminating what is essential to achieve balance, beauty and peace in our lives and in our world. 

Where do you feel imbalance? Instability? Insecurity? Listen closely for the steps you can take that will achieve the balance you seek. The Sun’s essence goes through two filters before it reaches Earth. First Mercury, then Venus. The planet that represents the part of us that receives love and celebrates creative beauty just transited to zero degrees Virgo, a sign ruled by Mercury. Meanwhile Mercury begins its forward motion at zero degrees Libra, a sign ruled by Venus. We find ourselves in some version of realizing now is the time for the mind to bow in service to the heart. Trite as it may sound, it’s probably never sounded more relevant.

Virgo is clear, fastidious and humble (on a good day) and petty, critical and neurotic (on a bad day). Venus in this sign likes things a ‘certain’ way. With Jupiter, the Moon and Mars also in Virgo, we can’t help but be sensitive to what feels in alignment and what does not.

Neptune retrograde in Pisces opposes the planets in Virgo, forming a T-Square with Saturn in Sagittarius. The review of the last couple of months (the pain, magic, angst and beauty) has revealed that old habits die hard. And die they must. Neptune invites us to explore what needs to be dissolved and integrated to embody our most beautiful dream. Remembering... not my will, but thy will be done. Beyond any religious associations, consider thy will as the essence of the Sun that generates and cultivates life on this planet, expressing itself through us, in accordance with the planets that inform it’s every subtle frequency.

To track our stories, and those of the cosmos, we have that magical four letter word... time. The phrase Time is of the Essence came up for me recently. When I put the emphasis on “of”, my relationship with time shifted. It occurred to me that time is OF the Essence, just as I am of the essence. Thus, I am not separate from time. As my teacher Fred Mitouer oft reminded me, "don't be on time, be in time," the question that matters most seems to be...

“How am I going to play with this time?”

Given that a few planets were in Leo at the time, 'play' was naturally my verb of choice. Now those planets are in Virgo, inclining a more humble side of myself asks the question…

“How am I going to serve with this time?"

Hopefully we all tune in and find a good answer to that little ditty…

Full Moon in Pisces and the seemingly endless Venus retrograde

As Venus continues her backward spiral through Leo, so too the review of how we relate, what we attract and our capacity to create and receive love grows ever more complex. Novel situations and unique conversations join a chorus of nostalgic strolls down memory lane to mirror our ego nature and illuminate the ancient architecture of our latent fears, judgments and attachments. It's beyond these illusions that we see the truth of who we really are.

Saturn’s recent transit back into Scorpio (June 15 - September 17) refuses to allow that which has remained under the rug to stay hidden. We need look no further than the top headlines of the day to see just how unconscionable we are as a species. People do horrific things to themselves, to one another and to the planet. Ever wondered why we do what we do?

An attempt to answer that question can go in a multitude of directions. Philosophy, psychology, theosophy, whatever one’s chosen lens of perception, offer legitimate, if only partial, perspectives. The Pisces full moon (exact August 29, 11:35AM PDT) encourages us to go beyond the why. A quote from the classic film A Room With a View, when a young woman rebuffs her suitor’s invitation with the question “Why?”, his response offers the ideal perspective this transit encourages... “Out beyond the why there lives an ever lasting yes, yes, yes.”

The full moon conjoins Neptune to remind us of a divine truth that lives beyond the denial-entrenched mind bent on asking the question “why" in the first place. The moon and Neptune in Pisces opens a powerful portal for us to see ourselves in everything and everyone, beyond the standard mode of separation, judgment and rejection. To honor the actions of the other as perfectly valid for who and where they are, without any shame or an ounce of blame. As Pema Chodron puts it, going beyond good/bad thinking. Going beyond the labels we put on things that perpetuate the separateness that plagues our mind and thus our world.

Mars is charging ahead to join his lover Venus in the sky (exact conjunction on August 31 at 10:05 PM PDT). It’s going be creative, passionate and potentially messy with Venus still in retrograde. The desire to initiate intimacy and romance will be on high, and may be instituted by outdated patterns. Be mindful that what you’re attracted to now may lose its appeal when Venus goes direct. The words of Kabir feel relevant “Do what you do to another person, but never put them out of your heart.”
And that’s what I believe this Venus retrograde (complete September 6) is all about. Recognizing the old, patterned ways of relating and not getting caught in the illusion they create. Remembering the love behind it, within it and all around it. With the Sun conjunct Jupiter in Virgo, opposing the Moon Neptune conjunction in Pisces, this full moon will be super-charged. For my friends venturing out to Black Rock City (along with everyone else) during all of this, Jupiter’s recent transit out of Leo and into Virgo reminds us that pure motive and benevolent service is the best of all possible alignments. Let that inspire your thoughts, words and actions and miracles will abound...

Stellar blessings

Gurupurnima Blue Moon 7/31/15

This Guru Purnima Blue Moon in Aquarius offers jewels of sacred remembering. In the heart of pain, yours and mine, sprout the seeds of change. The trials of this human journey align with the wisdom gleaned by those who walked this path many moons before we came. Embody the teachings. Learn from the lessons. School's in session. We've seen this all before. Nothing we do is in vain. Everything they realized remains. Reclaim compassion in action, grace in motion, this ocean of love. It's not conceptual, so free yourself therefore from the burden of thinking. If only for a moment. Experience that which gives us this breath of life.

Feel the cosmos. The star stuff that created this expanding universe. Few of us consider, but are none-the-less effected, when the planets in our spiral galaxy change their natural orbit, or go retrograde. The vibrations to which we've grown accustomed are altered. Often in unexpected ways.

Uranus, the planet just beyond our capacity to see without a telescope, the planet that pulses shock waves of unexpected new energy to disturb our sense of limitation and provoke our rebellious nature. Just went retrograde.

Venus, the planet closest to Earth, the planet that harmonizes the light of the Sun with the frequency of love and nurtures our creative collaboration on Earth. Just went retrograde.

Our habitual way of doing things isn't going to cut it. All kinds of energy is getting liberated. Maintaining the status quo gives way to this unique window of transformation. What does it feel like to be with the fear, doubt, judgement, all egoistic human-isms that deny love? They're getting illuminated. And they ain't pretty. Now is the time to be with them. We've seen this all before. Say goodbye to the story that was and hello to the fruits of what is blooming in cosmic proportion.

Let the unraveling recalibrate your heart's electromagnetic vibration. Meditate in that direction. The first couple of weeks in August could get wild and wooly. The new Moon in Leo on August 14 will be a sweet space into which we can channel the energy that frees up between now and then. Avail yourself to the truth that is your part to play in this whole. Pay attention. And walk in a good way.

*gratitude to John Lennon and Xavier Rudd - Official for lyrics borrowed in this cosmological diatribe

Venus retrograde, Saturn direct, Full moon in Aquarius, oh my...

Venus begins her retrograde in Virgo today, July 25. In short order she will transit back into Leo, where, for the next six weeks, we will attract, relate and co-create in some very unpredictable ways. Suddenly old attractors, buried deep in our limbic system, will spark to life. Where Venus in Virgo is inclined to ponder the strange signals we’re picking up, Venus in Leo is all too happy to act on them. So… caveat emptor. What you attract and find attractive will be influenced by your unresolved past.

Venus is the lover, the loving and the love. She’s the creative essence playing and dancing with energy. The muse who inspires our every creative expression. And... she’s stubborn. She grows accustomed to playing and dancing without desire for change. On a bad day, she outright resists change. And change is inevitable as her frequency slows down in relationship with Earth. A slight incoherency will result. This isn’t inherently good or bad, just different. Unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar. A paradox of sorts.

A cautionary tale must be told of Saturn squaring Venus during this transit.

Saturn keeps us honest, primarily with ourselves, which takes far more work than most people are willing to give. And by work, I mean pay extra attention to your desires, the current life situation you’re in and be honest about whether or not you're embodying your truth and acting in integrity. Are you acquiescing to the wants and needs of others, or are you honoring your truth and demanding the respect of others? Probably both, and likely with a mixture of conscious and unconscious tendencies.

The warning here is that unconscious tendencies, when it comes to what we’re attracting and attracted to, may be dominant as Venus retrograde opens a Pandora’s box of possibilities. This will likely feel confusing, at least initially. Instead of trying to work it out, whatever it is, you'll be better served to just listen and feel. Catch yourself every time your thoughts gravitate toward trying to figure anything out. Direct your thoughts instead toward the intentions, the new forms you're living into. If you can help it, refrain from taking action on your desires until after August 1, when Saturn goes direct. With Mars in Cancer squaring Uranus and opposing Pluto (because we needed more intensity?), reactivity can be on high. Response-ability is of primary import, and that’s Saturn’s domain.

Saturn is the outermost planet we can see with the naked eye. In a manner of speaking, it represents the limit of our awareness of what’s beyond the veil. It keeps us more grounded in the here and now. But it too has been retrograde since March 15. A lot’s happened since then. We’ve traversed some difficult territory, some we thought (or hoped) we were complete with. Saturn's review intensified as it went back into Scorpio mid-June. There is a lot of alchemical potential between now and September 16, when Saturn moves back into Sagittarius. With structures falling away, energy is availing more and more for us to tap into and create new structures. With so much intensity on this planet right now, it is all the more important to be mindful of what frequency we’re tuning in to and what paradigm we're aligning with. Where the mind goes the energy flows. This is a time of great regeneration, of dying and being reborn. The phoenix is coming into form, as it prepares to rise out of the ashes.

Are you willing to rediscover, embody and expand your creative voice? That’s what Venus is asking as she retrogrades back into Leo and conjoins Jupiter again on August 4. Can you recognize and dis-identify from all the old stories and beliefs that limited you in the past? The full moon in Aquarius on July 31 precedes Saturn going direct. With Saturn stationary, this could be heavy. There may be an unrelenting sense of aspiring to one thing and bearing burdens that inhibit these aspirations. As Morpheous said to Neo... "Be patient. The answers are coming."

The Aquarius full moon reminds us the paradigms into which we blindly give our allegiance are hollow. Outdated. Meaningless. It’s time to step into something unfamiliar but essential. With Mars moving out of Cancer and entering Leo on August 8 and Jupiter entering Virgo on August 11, our ability to engage and create new order will grow stronger. Because Venus will still be in retrograde,  so too our need for a clean game will be evermore critical. And by clean game, I mean we have to be impeccable warriors. There’s no room in this world for more unconscious projections, deceit and manipulation. The full moon in Aquarius also reminds us to let go of our need to force things. There's a power that lies beyond the veil, and that's Uranus in Aries, also retrograde... Neptune in Pisces, also retrograde... and Pluto in Capricorn, also retrograde. Have you forgotten or displaced your inherent power to relate with, dissolve and transmute whatever arises in your life? Many traditions and teachers remind us that in order to course correct the imbalances and inequities we face as a collective, we first need to reconcile them within ourselves. These imbalances will grow increasingly obvious in the weeks to come. Remember the wisdom of the ancients. Attune with the music of the spheres. Journey well and in a good way... For all our relations.

With stellar blessings,
Ryan

Mercury Direct - June 11, 2015

The Moon conjoins Uranus (a particular image could be drawn if one were to play with the pun) in Aries, while Mars conjoins the Sun in Gemini. This occurs as Mercury completes its retrograde in Gemini this afternoon, in opposition to Saturn in Sagittarius.

Emotions are quick to spark and thoughts slow to form. A “shoot first and ask questions later” approach may feel like the best (if not only) approach when it comes to asserting ourselves, claiming our authority and protecting our autonomy. I might be inclined to suggest such an approach, given these aspects, but must acknowledge the limited nature of this largely “subjective" perspective.

Mercury’s technically stationary at the moment, and won’t have its full direct momentum until the new moon (June 16). With our thinking minds (Mercury’s domain) apt to disorientation, we turn to Jupiter (our benevolent heart) for a more “objective" perspective. Jupiter’s transit through Leo encourages us to see ourselves in the reflections - and the ego projections - of all our relations. Consider the bigger picture, the highest good of all concerned and love’s ultimate authority. Let that inspire our thoughts and motivate our actions...

March 30, 2015

Today we’re getting a boost of letting love flow as the Moon transits Jupiter in Leo. This marks the Moon's final pass over Jupiter in retrograde. The next time these two dance in the sky (April 26), Jupiter will be direct and full steam ahead. Appreciate for a moment that this massive benevolent force, well rested after spending the entire winter in retrograde, is stepping back into the game, inviting us all to embody the Leo magic, in a delicious and nutritious let your heart soar and your voice roar kind of way.

Mercury, ruler of communication and cognition, exits Pisces as well this evening, shifting our thoughts from processing the vastness of our oneness with the infinite (as well as our delusions of grandeur) and gives us the much needed mental faculties to implement those lessons and insights into action. In Aries, Mercury dances in the fire of self-empowered authority. Our awareness shifts evermore to what we’re here, on Earth, to do. Back to life. Back to duality, where every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Remember the words of Alan Watts, who said “Any affirmation you make has no meaning without the denial." Pay attention to where the ego wants to identify. Focus instead on the power of reconciling all opposing energy, remembering that grace trumps karma, and love heals all wounds.

The Sun continues to climb through Aries, approaching a conjunction with electrifying Uranus, which will amplify an already super-charged full moon Lunar eclipse (April 4). The breakthroughs will intensify. Breakdowns all-too-often precede breakthroughs. Whether you're still picking up the pieces from winter’s ass whipping or you've got your shit dialed, now’s the time to root it in and line it up. Energy is on the upswing. Believe in the good things coming, regardless of evidence to the contrary, and embody the song you were invited here to sing.

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." - Rumi

Final Pluto Uranus square

The Moon steps boldly into Aquarius, in a stimulating sextile with newly retrograde Saturn in Sagittarius. Marking a structural dismantling, a loosening of the ties that bind, a dying of the old and decaying forms. It’s happening. Can you feel it? The winds of change. Picking up steam. Today has an added bonus, a special twist, a tale of two planets, the final do-or-die friction-packed square of revolutionary Uranus and transformational Pluto. Tension abounds, testing patience, pushing limits, necessitating change. This aspect has been working us, and working us, and working us… with seemingly no resolution since 2012. In total, these outer planets have squared each other SEVEN times, launching revolution after revolution, both within our selves and the world at large. Dictators have fallen, outrage has increased, unconscious angst burgeons evermore to the surface, reaching a powerful pinnacle this month.

March 20 marks the Vernal Equinox, the astrological beginning of the new year, when the Sun enters Aries. This time of new beginnings will be preceded by a full solar eclipse in the last degree of Pisces, the LAST DEGREE of the 360 degree wheel of astrology. This is the end, not of the world, but of the pretense we project unconsciously into it. Ideally all will heed the call, but sadly many will double down on denial, remain steadfast in their adherence to comfort over change, personality over authenticity, lies over truth. But not you. Not this time. This potent time marks a unique window into crafting the year you choose, not the one you blindly accept. Culture is your enemy. Align with YOUR vision, beyond indoctrination, free of conditioning. Be deliberate, focused, intentional. Finish the final four days of winter with dignity, poise, and self-respect. Connect with your center, your heart, your soul’s mission for this new cycle around the sun. As structures fall, energy avails. Dial it in, use it wisely. What’s your dream? Write it down, read it often, live it day in and day out. Remember, every affirmation you set into motion will be met with denying energy of equal measure. This law of physics, which oft stopped you in the past, CAN AND WILL, be met instead with the reconciliatory energy necessary to feed on it, instead of letting it feed on you. Journey well

February 20, 2015

The Moon joins Mars and Venus at 0 degrees Aries, while the Sun softens into a conjunction with Neptune in Pisces (exact on Feb. 25). Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and Pisces the last. The former inspires in us a fiery initiative, forceful action and direct engagement. The latter dissolves us in a watery surrender, intuitive awareness and cosmic connection. There appears, during this preamble to spring, a rainbow bridge from Alpha to Omega, Omega to Alpha, Form to Formlessness, Formlessness to Form. Engage now in the actions that weave your dreams into manifest reality, cultivate wholeness with the infinite and transcend identification with the finite mind. For each of us, the practice is different. For all of us, transformation is essential. Whatever your dream, create it, in the courageous reconciliation of all that denies it.

February 6, 2015 Moon wanes in Virgo

The moon wanes in Virgo, so too the boldness of Leo calms in favor of a more orderly bent. With Virgo's ruling planet (Mercury) still rocking a retrograde that's done plenty to disrupt our natural flow, what's out of order is ever more pronounced. With the moon's opposition to the Pisces stellium (Mars, Chiron and Venus), the disorder of the day spotlights that pesky little, WTF, I thought I was clear, about the fallacy of separation, okay, fine, I'm here, now, present, to this simmering imperfection, upon which my ego relentlessly feeds, oh humanity, insanity, I'm over your glass is half empty, you're broken, unworthy, look at the despair, let if flare, MENTALITY... I'm here instead, to steer this ship ahead, take the reigns, see the beauty, in the error, of my ways, as perfection in progress, strength in learning, as great spirit, great service, to going beyond the illusion, accepting what it is, embracing fo' shiz, this laugh-out-loud, icloud crazy, absurd world, spiraling into the mystic, like cosmic butterflies, on high, down low, in flow, this wild (R)evolution, find your place, practice grace... With what's to come, the bestest, smartest angle we can play, is to gather fully from within, the love we wish to see, in this world full of splendor, own it now, and in the weeks to come, we're building towards, a vernal equiniox, where socks will likely get knocked, off... preparation is key, if you want to be, the one doing the knocking...

Full moon magic in Leo, conjunct Jupiter at the apex of a Yod (aka the finger of God) in an ever-so-curious quincunx with Mars, Chiron and Venus in Pisces, enjoying a stimulating sextile with Pluto in Capricorn at the base, which is also quincunx to the Moon and Jupiter, completing this super-charged isosceles triangle.

Translation... The heart must open, past pain will arise, that's part of the prize, love don't despise, get involved in the healing, yours and mine, stop pretending and defending, these lies that paralyze, get involved in the loving, Self in all, all is one, be mindful, have fun, be nimble, be quick, not to judge, but to accept, surrender, reversal of fortune? be humble, slow down, creation through transformation, transformation through creation, one love, indivisible by definition, beyond black and white, red and blue, me and you, this and that, win or lose, we are one, this infinite Sun, sacred circle, the Aquarian, bearing water, deeper well, loving kindness will dispel, the toils of resistance, double down on compassion, let go, the useless distraction, don't buy what they're selling, don't believe what they're telling, you know the truth, call in patience, walk in grace, consequences are heightening, it could feel frightening, keep your eye on the path, remember your aim, your highest expression, no more repression, transmute the depression, self-knowledge is painful, the fire that burns, yearns, discerns, create from these wounds, get involved in this dream, resolve suffering, be free, the way out is through, open heart, from the start, whatever your art, create your soul, let it be full, let what you love, be what you do, follow your bliss, whatever your leaning, sing your song, to the divine, Leo reminds us to roar like a lion... it our time to shine

New moon new year new you...

The Moon joins the Sun at zero degrees Aquarius on January 20 at 5:13 AM PST. New moons offer us a window into planting the seeds of our intentions, what we're calling forth at this moment our lives. Explore for a moment this celestial body, orbiting our planet as Earth orbits the Sun. Linked up to our gravitational field, the moon waxing for two weeks (from the new moon to the full moon) and wanes for the following two weeks. Astrologically the Moon represents the polar opposite of our Sun.

Where the Sun represents our conscious inspiration, the Moon embodies our unconscious motivations. Where the Sun drives us to be and do, the Moon reserves us to feel and remember. The specifics of when to do, how to be, what to feel and why to remember is strongly influenced by the sign of the zodiac where they join forces during each new moon.

Which brings us to the sign of Aquarius, that part of us that recognizes change is necessary, not just individually, but primarily collectively. Winter has asked us, or perhaps more accurately demanded us to integrate all the challenging lessons of 2014. We’re stepping out of our personal story a bit with this lunar cycle and putting our attention more on the universal. Aquarius demands progress. Wherever there’s stagnation, disease or anything outdated, Aquarius shocks us awake to bring about movement, revolution and change. None of us can deny there is a lot in our lives and in this world the need our immediate attention.

While this might sound like a great scenario to implement the measures necessary for change, and to forge ahead with new innovations and a fuller expression of our eccentric self, there will be plenty of time (and need) to act swiftly come spring. Right now there’s a unique twist in the mix that begs us to first go INWARD before we launch ourselves fully OUTWARD.

The twist to which I’m referring is Mercury retrograde. The little trickster planet that normally races around the Sun and interfaces our communicative faculties with the Sun's creative source is slowing to a halt as I type. It begins its official retrograde, also in Aquarius, on January 21 at 7:53 AM PST. **Please see previous post to better understand the basic three part structure to the Mercury retrograde transit and how best to orient with this three week transit.

As it regards this new moon, the best thing you can do is explore the inner boundaries of what you think you’re capable of. Cultivate your inner resolve to go beyond what your ego thinks is possible and imagine what you’re up to this year. If you’re not exactly clear on what that is, take advantage of this time to tune in and feel your truth. Even if you are clear, be open to what Mercury’s retrograde might reveal.

The key with Mars conjunct Neptune in Pisces is to let yourself be guided by your inner-feminine and your higher faculties of intuition. While that’s always good advice, there’s less room right now for linear thought and brute force to try and “figure it out." Turn instead to the more abstract, transpersonal faculties that transcend the very idea of limitation. As Carl Sagan loved to remind us, we’re all made of star stuff. We’re inextricably woven with the fabric of the cosmos. Just as every planet, every asteroid and every celestial bit of matter has an influence on the bioelectric field of our planet, so too our individual part to play is essential to the whole.

Drop in and feel where change is necessary. Align with what you know you need to embody and don’t for a second doubt you capacity to manifest this destiny. This may be a time to review your conditioning. The indoctrinations of your assorted environmental and societal influences. Aquarius disdains conditioning. It loathes the constructs of society. If you let it, Mercury's retrograde through this super mental sign offers a realization of just how cosmically badass you are, and thus will likely expose false beliefs to the contrary. Transmute that inner resistance and let go of your sentimental love of your own folly. In a phrase… Carpe the hell out of this diem.

It's encouraged to have an astrological or psychic reading during Mercury retrograde because you will bring to it a different, more expanded listening. If you’re looking for a new spin on how you do what you do, why you do what you do and where best to focus your attention, look outside the box of what you think you know. Seek the guidance of a teacher or teaching with which you resonant. Aquarius is about community. Open yourself to connecting more with like-minded kindred spirits. Realize that you are not alone. Remember your Self. Ask for help. Help others remember themselves. And above all remember… This human experiment is basically a cosmic joke. Either you’re in on it, or you’re the butt of it. The choice is yours to dig deeper and know thy Self...

"This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill -- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill -- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.”~ Morpheous

Stellar blessings,
Ryan

www.bodyworkastrology.com

Understanding Mercury retrograde and its transit through Aquarius...

"The first fundamental law of the universe is the law of three forces, or three principles, or, as it is often called, the law of three. According to this law every action, every phenomenon in all worlds without exception, is the result of a simultaneous action of three forces—the positive, the negative, and the neutralizing.” ~ Gurdjieff

Through the lens of astrology we can use the fundamental "law of three" to better understand the transit of Mercury retrograde. While this planet goes retrograde three times a year, in three week increments, there are also three phases of Mercury retrograde. The first phase is known as the Stationary Retrograde period. This occurs approximately a week before and several days after Mercury’s official retrograde transit. During this time, Mercury is farthest from the Sun in longitude and is about to swing back toward Earth. This marks a time when the forward motion of life is impeded, rhythms are disrupted and emotions can run dramatically high.

“One must not fall asleep but always be alert. One must know what is necessary at each moment, or one may stumble off the path into a ditch.” ~ Gurdjieff

The 4th Way, also known as “The Work”, establishes the incalculable value of Self-Remembering. To remember one’s Self, the capital S-Self, from which all and everything is derived, requires constant attention. During this initial phase of the retrograde, distractions are many and our capacity to focus is thus weakened.

“If we use our store of energy in useless associations - anxiety, resentment, worry, and so on - we shall have only enough energy, say, for the morning, and none for the rest of the day; and without energy man is only a lump of flesh.” ~ Gurdjieff

In the second phase, approximately ten days after Mercury goes retrograde, it enters the Inferior Conjunction period. This is when the planet is at its closest point to Earth, lining up between the Sun and the Earth. Thus, we have a Sun - Mercury conjunction at ten degrees Aquarius (on January 30). In the words of Pythia Peay, this day is called the “New Mercury” and marks the midpoint of the retrograde cycle. This signifies a turning point. What was feeling slow, dense and murky begins to shift. The pace of life quickens. While things feel better than they did, we’re not out of the woods yet and thus must resist the impulse to act or make major decisions. Use this time instead to consolidate the inner work evoked by the outer circumstances of your life.

“It must be understood very clearly and established as a principle that you must not let yourselves become slaves to other people’s opinions; you must be free from those around you. And when you become free inside you will be free of them.” ~ Gurdjieff

Following the inferior conjunction, Mercury moves away from the Earth and reaches its farthest point from the Sun. The third phase, the Stationary Direct period, is when it hovers just before and after Mercury goes direct (on February 11). During this phase we get to experience the relief we feared might never come. Once Mercury gets back to its normal trajectory, so too we can return to business as usual. The review is complete. If the subjective dynamics that unfold are navigated with an objective impartiality; a deeper trust that the universe is unfolding in the highest good of all, this transit can be exactly what we need to progress in every area of our lives. Within and without.

“It is necessary to work on oneself, to learn to be unbiased, to sort out and analyze each situation as if one were another person; only then can one be just. To be just at the moment of action is a hundred times more valuable than to be just afterwards. And only when you can be really impartial as regards yourself will you be able to be impartial towards others. A very great deal is necessary for this. Free will is not to be had for the asking, nor can it be bought in a shop. Impartial action is the basis of inner freedom, the first step towards free will.” ~ Gurdjieff

*AS IT APPLIES TO THE MERCURY RETROGRADE IN AQUARIUS...

With Mercury retrograding through the sign of Aquarius, the freedom loving revolutionary in us all, right alignment with your free will is the first order of business. Now is the time to get your head straight, your emotions in check and your instincts aligned with your dharma. Remember your aim. With conscience, let it be so.

We’re in a deep preparation for what’s to come in March and April. The celestial bodies are building us up to something big. Now is the time to shore up our inner-resources and fine-tune the mental, emotional and physical faculties. I implore you not to take lightly the opportunity to take the next three weeks and gather all you have learned, felt and embodied to this point. Make it yours. Yogi Bhajan reminds us “Wisdom becomes knowledge when it becomes personal experience.”

Whatever your spiritual orientation, Aquarius pours water on the seeds of awakening. Whether you’re awakening to Buddha-mind, Christ-consciousness, the center of the Tao, or some such realization of the interrelatedness and interdependence of the microcosm with the macrocosm, this Mercury retrograde in Aquarius invites you to free your mind and root down into the heart of whatever resonates for you. It’s always a powerful time of review. This retrograde also imparts the altruistic awareness that it’s not all about you! The narcissistic gene is up for transmutation during this time. Can you recognize your Self in all? As the saying goes… "If you cannot see God in all, you cannot see God at all."

There are some important transits on the horizon, each deserving of its own blog post. What’s to come this spring has extraordinary potential, as well as (thanks duality!) substantial challenge. The key to how we relate with what’s to come depends on how we spend these last weeks of winter. Drop in and explore what you’re creating with this precious human life. At the present moment, introspection is of greater value than extroversion. Get clear on and seed your vision of the astrological year that begins at the Vernal Equinox (March 20). A LOT of energy will become available.

The Aquarian archetype begs one simple question…

"How can you best work with this energy and contribute to the whole of creation?”

From the highest side of the Aquarian mind, the answer might be…

“Meditate on the sacred light of the effulgent source. Let that inspire your thoughts, nurture your emotions and inform your actions.”

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