Happy Holiday!

Well, in spite of weather forecasts, it has not snowed this morning in my immediate vicinity... somewhat disappointing, since the idea of a white Christmas is always a romantic notion.

Still, I can share with you a photo of my house taken last January, when we had a major snowfall. Along with this picture, please accept my gratitude for your presence in my life, and my heart-felt wishes for your happiest of holidays.

Blessings, Pam

The "Aethos" meditation

For a few weeks now, I've been listening to the "Aethos" recording, a channeled sound healing by Tom Kenyon, both for background during meditation and as an accompaniment when falling asleep. I have found it both uplifting and expansive, so wanted to share with you.

The Aethos Meditation is a free "Sound Treasures" on Mr. Kenyon's website, at http://tomkenyon.com. While this is a free download, you will need to accept his "terms and conditions" before being able to access the file. That "Listening" page is at http://tomkenyon.com/listening.

If you want to use the Aethos recording, I highly recommend reading two of his instructional channelings as well:

The Aethos and Non-Dual States of Consciousness (dated Sep 20, 2012) - This has instructions about using the meditation, and a few cautions about the high-vibrational energies it contains.

The Cosmic Window (dated Dec 4, 2012) - This second tranmission, just posted, explains about using the Aethos recording during the upcoming three-day "cosmic window," Dec 21-23, 2012.

I hope you receive as much benefit from this information and the recording as I have!

Blessings, Pam

December and "No-Thingness"

When I prepared for my last teleclass about six months ago, I drew a tarot card for each of the months that we were going to discuss. As I got ready to choose a card for December, I had extra anticipation as I considered what card would represent the end of the Mayan calendar.

The card I drew (using the Osho Zen tarot deck) was number Five of the major arcana, entitled "No-Thingness":

At first I felt some disappointment that it wasn't a more spectacular card -- and yet, as I read its interpretation, it began to make sense:

"Being 'in the gap' can be disorienting and even scary. Nothing to hold on to, no sense of direction, not even a hint of what choices and possibilities might lie ahead. But it was just this state of pure potential that existed before the universe was created.

"All you can do now is to relax into this no-thingness...fall into this silence between the words...watch this gap between the outgoing and incoming breath. And treasure each empty moment of the experience. Something sacred is about to be born."

It is that last sentence, especially, that speaks to me now, as we enter this last month of 2012. It does feel that something sacred is being born in each of us. At the same time, I can also relate to the lack of an image on this card, because it is feeling to me that we are clearing the energy fields and ready to begin a new cycle of creation.

I'm starting to like this "No-Thingness" card more and more.

Pushing us to a new perspective

The Uranus-Mars square, exact last Friday (Nov 23), was pretty intense!

Squares always represent an obstacle to be overcome -- this particular block was created by a conflict between our need to feel in control by staying committed to old ways of solving problems (Mars in Capricorn) and the potential of achieving liberation by having the courage and flexibility to try new solutions (Uranus in Aries).

I hope you were able to find some of those new solutions as the energies the square began to dissipate and the supportive Saturn-Mars sextile became exact yesterday. With Pluto and Mars conjunct next week, it's full steam ahead, on whatever route we've chosen...

Sleepy in Seattle (or thereabouts)

It would make sense that with the recent change to Standard Time, so that we're actually getting up one hour later than before, that I'd be springing out of bed at the crack of dawn these days.

But, not so.

It's more a matter of dragging the body out of bed, already late for the start of the day, wishing I could stay in sleep mode for a while (or a lot) longer...

I'm chalking that up to the combination of being in between eclipses and also dealing with Mercury being retrograde -- a lot of energy shifts going on at the same time, that our bodies and psyches are having to accommodate. So it makes sense we might be needing more sleep than usual.

Anyone else having a similar experience?

Pam

Mercury retrograde strikes again

Yes, you're right! The dates are wrong on this week's Journal.

I use the same template week after week, and I neglected to change the dates in the header before I sent out this week's issue.

So if it seems odd that you receive it on November 11 but it says it's for November 5 to 11, just chalk one up for Mercury retrograde.

It of course should have read: "November 12 to 18."

Ah, well.

Magic on the beach

A bit more about this vacation with my sisters...

After our parents' passing -- Mom unexpectedly in 2007, and Dad a year later on her birthday (!) in 2008 -- we made the vow to get together once a year and treat ourselves to a spa weekend. Turns out we've been doing it twice a year, and loving it as an opportunity to reconnect. We live at a distance from each other -- me in Washington state, middle sister in Northern California, and oldest sister in rural Connecticut -- so fully value the time we can spend together.

My middle sister and I took a walk on the beach this afternoon. At one point, Lani said, "I sure miss Mom," and we talked for a bit about how that missing her continues, even though the extreme grief and shock we felt at her passing has softened.

We walked on for a few minutes in silence -- and then, there in the sand, we came across where someone had written, "I love Mom." A few steps later, another written message: "I love Dad." Lani and I hung together, touched by the synchronicity of our seeing these messages right after having talked about how much we were missing our parents...

And then, a few steps later, a message written in Spanish, that I translated out loud to Lani: "Happy Birthday Mom! We love you and we miss you."

Magic on the beach. Just wanted to share.

A stormy Sunday

Getting ready to write this week's issue of the Journal, sitting overlooking Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon, where I'm on vacation with my two sisters... thinking that it would be fun to share a visual with y'all, in case you're not familiar with the landscape on the Oregon coast. I didn't take this photo (just found it online), but this is pretty much how the ocean looks this morning:

It's a mystical place, one of my favorites on the planet -- and seems to go along with the strong Neptunian influence of the week ahead.

And two pelicans just flew by our window! Haven't sighted them here before. Very cool. Makes me want to look up their meaning -- seems to be a message for all of us, since they came for a visit while I am writing this post:

"Pelican demonstrates the power of reflection and insight, buoyancy in life and how ride the air currents of life. He teaches to rest and relax in spite of life's heavy weight. Pelican balances use of good fortune and abundance with responsibility and priorities. He has the ability to navigate emotions and aids in recovering what is lost -- whether it be emotional, mental or spiritual. Pelican aids in tapping into your feelings and putting them to wise use, all the while peacefully balancing the world on your shoulders." (From http://www.starstuffs.com)

Appropriate message for us all, I believe. Now off to write this week's forecast...

More on Scorpio

I just ran across an old article I wrote, about 10 years ago, about Scorpio -- if you'd like to read it, it's still online at this URL:
http://www.newtimes.org/issue/0211/scorpio.htm
(And, you can see an old photo of me, too!)

Sun activity

The Sun has gotten more active again in the past couple of days -- a very high-level M-class solar flare yesterday (rated M-9), and more being forecast. A new, very active sunspot has just rotated around to the Earth-side of the Sun, so any flares that are released by that spot will be coming our way.

Solar flares have effects on Earth's atmosphere, and on our own individual electromagnetics as well. We can see the results of the Sun-Earth interaction through the glorious auroras that shimmer and fill the skies in the higher latitudes. On a more personal level, we may be able to sense the increased activity in our personal energy fields, and also notice a new movement in life events.

If you'd like to monitor solar flares, and the current speed and density of solar winds, they're posted and updated many times throughout the day on the SpaceWeather.com website. It's an interesting exercise to see if we can finetune our extra-sensory abilities to pick up energetically what is being monitored scientifically.

Sunspots on the Sun, October 21, 2012:

Auroras

The aurora borealis has been so spectacular this week, I'm having a hard time picking one specific photo for this week's NorthPoint Journal.

And, of course, that means we've been receiving extra impacts this week from solar winds. Perhaps that explains the sudden acceleration in certain life issues again, as we're encouraged to step more boldly into new definitions of self and future.

If you're interested in seeing some of the aurora photos from this week, click here. The page (on the SpaceWeather.com website) is full of thumbnail photos, and you can click on them one at a time to see it full-size. Enjoy!

Here's one I loved but didn't choose for the Journal, since it's in landscape instead of portrait format -- but I did choose it as my desktop background for the coming week, since it is both glorious and peaceful:

Riding into the wave

I've just read an excellent metaphorical description of the effects of the Pluto-Uranus square, especially as it was involved in the Full Moon on September 29. If you'd like to read it, here's the link to the blog post by Suzanne Lie: "Seize the Astrological Moment." The post also talks about the upcoming Saturn ingress into Scorpio, and its effect on the Captain (Pluto) of the Ship (Uranus).

I hope you find it helpful, too!

The political unknown

I got an email from a reader this week, asking, "Who do you think will win 2012 election?" Here is the response I just sent:

I'm not a political astrologer, so I don't usually offer predictions such as this. A lot of variables need to be researched -- not only the candidates' charts, but the chart for the U.S., and several other variables.

That being said, I have looked at both Obama's and Romney's personal charts. Both appear to have some challenges this fall, which is likely to play out in a very close election.

Obama is finishing up a two-year-long Chiron Return, which has corresponded with a loss of popular approval. This transit is still in effect throughout this fall, so a lot depends on how well he moves through the personal and spiritual challenges offered by this transit. If he is successful in achieving the personal growth required by a Chiron Return, I think his chances are good for also achieving re-election. The outer reflects the inner.

Still, if you had asked me a year ago, before we knew who would be the Republican candidate, if I thought it was likely that Obama could win re-election while going through a Chiron Return, I would have had to answer no.

But that was before I had a chance to look at the challenger's chart.

As fate would have it, Romney is also coming into a challenging aspect this fall -- Saturn square his Midheaven -- which usually corresponds with a time of frustrated goals and a lot of hard work for limited external reward. So he also has some hurdles to overcome if he is to pull this out. We may get some hints about how that transit will affect his campaign once Saturn goes into Scorpio (on October 5).

As an added factor to complicate this election, Mercury goes Retrograde on election day. The last time Mercury changed direction on election day, we had the whole fiasco with the Bush-Gore election and the ballot issues in Florida. So it's possible we may not know right away who is the actual winner -- it may be three weeks afterward, when Mercury goes direct, or longer, when Mercury is beyond the shadow period. At the very least, there is likely to be confusion about the election process or the outcome.

That's what I can share at the moment -- perhaps not the clear-cut answer you wanted! But this election in particular has a lot of variables that will probably make this one a nail-biter.

Blessings, Pam

Direct link to "Release" by Janosh

Hi all,

I found a direct link to a larger image of "Release" by Janosh, which I used in today's Journal. Here's the link:
http://www.janosh.com/en/work/artpage/26
And, just to make this post pretty, here's the image again -- Enjoy!

Vertigo

The spinning sensation started sometime early this morning. I was lying in bed, awake, and suddenly became aware of vertigo. It's still going on now, some three hours or more later. It does seem tied into something going on energetically, based on how things felt during meditation a while ago. Perhaps it is the effect of the Mercury interaction with Pluto and Uranus today, which is dismantling and rewiring our logical brains in some respect.

Anyone else having similar symptoms?

Pam

A flicker of hope?

If I were to tell you I had a flicker in my woodstove today, you would assume I meant a small fire, wouldn't you? Ah, but you would be incorrect!

Sometime yesterday, a real live flicker, like this one:

somehow made its way into my stovepipe and down into my woodstove. No small feat. Clearly the screen at the top of the pipe has decayed, to allow this fairly large bird to enter.

All last night, I heard scratching inside the stovepipe -- bird? mouse? I didn't know what to think, and couldn't imagine how it had gotten inside.

This morning I threw a blanket over the window on the front of the stove and had to leave for the day. My hope was that if it were feathered, it would fly up toward the light during the day. And, that if it were furry, it would somehow find its way back the same way it had gotten in.

This afternoon, on arriving home, all was quiet. But, when I opened the top of the stove, something moved. I screamed. Dogs barked. My first thought was that it was a big gray rat. Ugh.

I shone a flashlight in the front, and saw the unmistakeable black crescent that marks a flicker's chest. Relief that it wasn't a rat, but concern now. How do I get it out? Is it hurt? What to do.

Online, I found the phone number for a wildlife rescue organization in the area, and called for ideas. The answer was, that if the flicker wasn't hurt, the best thing to do was open one door or window, black out all the rest, and open the woodstove for the flicker to fly out on its own.

Long story short -- it worked, after the bird didn't move at all for several minutes (no doubt frozen in fear after all it had been through), and then after a few frantic moments of the poor bird flying up to the window I hadn't been able to reach to cover. But then I opened the double doors off my upstairs bedroom, encouraged the bird to leave the window where there was no opening, and he flew out through the open doors. Hooray.

Now that the adrenalin rush has subsided, I'm curious about the symbolism of the event. This flicker had to work VERY hard to get my attention, and put in a very difficult almost-24 hours. It makes me think there's something important here.

Online again, this time to search for "flicker symbolism." Here's one I found:

"The bright red markings of flickers are associated with fire, and in the Native American legends, Flicker sometimes features as a medicine character with powers over fire. Like other members of the woodpecker family, flickers are considered lucky birds and are associated with friendship and happiness. In particular, yellow-shafted flickers or yellowhammers are believed to bring good luck and healing; hearing their cries means that you will soon receive a visitor, and in some Northern California tribes, dreaming of a yellowhammer is the sign that a person will become a traditional healer."

And, Ted Andrews, in his book Animal Speak, tells us that the flicker represents spiritual, emotional, and creative change. That part I know is true. As I emerge from the two-year passage of Saturn through my 12 house, much has changed in my life and many things are still finding their way into new reality.

I find it interesting that the Native American legend gives flicker the power over fire -- and here was this flicker, in my woodstove.

I need to give my various levels of consciousness more time to consider all that the flicker was trying to communicate to me. But I especially like thinking that one of its purposes was, as the subject line of this post says, to remind us of the "flicker of hope" that can light our way during these powerful times of change.

And, oh yes -- I've scheduled a chimney cleaning and replacement of the screen at the top of the stovepipe. Don't want to put any more flickers, or myself or my dogs, through that experience again!

Synchronicity and Shakespeare

An interesting coincidence to share...

If you read this week's NorthPoint Journal, you know that I began with a quote from Shakespeare's King Richard III, the play that begins with the words "Now is the winter of our discontent..."

The synchronicity revealed itself today, when I opened my Yahoo email account, and saw a teaser headline about a "medieval church discovered beneath a parking lot." That got my attention, so I clicked.

The news story began, "The hunt for King Richard III's grave is heating up, with archaeologists announcing Sept. 5 that they have located the church where the king was buried in 1485."

Having written the journal on Sunday the 2nd, I could not have read that announcement somewhere and had it trigger my use of the quote from the play. And, to be honest, although I consider myself somewhat familiar with classic literature, I am no expert on Shakespearean plays, and did not know what play the quote was from.

I had formatted the new week's issue of the journal, as I sometimes do, on Saturday night -- entering the highlighted aspects for the week and finding a suitable photo for the masthead, and hoping that my unconscious would work on the information overnight and guide me in the writing on Sunday morning. And, as I also sometimes do, I wrote a first paragraph, then turned off the computer and went to bed.

It was early the next morning (or in the middle of the night?) when the "Now is the winter of our discontent" line came tumbling into my awareness, and with it the beginning lines of the journal entry for the week. When I turned on the computer Sunday morning, I erased the paragraph I had written Saturday night, and began to write the issue using Shakespeare's quote. (I then had to Google the quote so that I knew what play it was from...)

So, to read that news article today, referencing King Richard III -- well, it got my attention, as synchronicities are meant to do. Always fun. (If you're interested in reading rest of the news article, click here.)

Hope your week is going well!

Pam

Light at the end of the tunnel

It has again been a long stretch between my postings here -- my apologies to those of you who are faithful followers! I am nearing the end of Saturn's transit through my 12th house, which has pulled me inside for most of my extracurricular activities, and dampened some of my usual initiative for external creation.

Saturn is now crossing my Ascendant, wrapping up some issues that have been cycling through my consciousness for the past 9 months. In the weeks ahead, especially as Saturn leaves Libra and my Ascendant behind, I anticipate I will also come further out of the 12th house cave...

Thanks for your patience! Off to write this week's Journal...

Pam

The pressure being felt

Such extremes we're experiencing -- and in keeping with the effects of the Pluto-Uranus square. On personal levels, the Uranus effect is causing restlessness, a strong need for doing things our own way, breakdowns and breakthroughs, and boredom with life as usual. On the other side of the equation, the Pluto effect manifests as upheaval in what was once reliable, power struggles, intensification of emotions, and the feeling that much of what used to define us is being stripped away.

With these two planets pushing on us with such intensity -- and with Mars and Jupiter adding their energies to the mix this past week -- even those of us who feel generally stable may have found ourselves questioning our sanity and ability to cope. And those who are near the edge emotionally or mentally may, unfortunately and often tragically, slip off the edge of rationality.

It's difficult to find purposes when tragedy strikes, seemingly so senselessly. My heartfelt sympathy to anyone touched by recent events.

PS: I just received an email about the events in Colorado from Lena Stevens, a shaman whose newsletter I receive monthly. She offers helpful perspectives and healing insights regarding the events. You can find her brief letter on her website by clicking here.

My turn

So I get to be the poster child for Mercury and Uranus retrograde this time! My hard drive just crashed, and I'm in the midst of trying to configure a new computer, finding out which programs won't work on the new operating system, realizing what information I no longer have, etc. etc.

Lots of fun! I hope your experience goes a little easier than mine!

Unplugged

This in-between-worlds feeling has been with us for a few days now. A friend of mine wrote last night that it feels like we have been "unplugged from one matrix or power source and not plugged into a new one yet."

Whether you call it being in "limbo" or "the void," it's at least helpful to know others are feeling it, too! And that it's a positive indicator of the leaps forward we're making, and that we'll soon be entering a(nother) new phase ...

Relax, breathe, and enjoy the space in between...

Sweet cravings and aimlessness

I've been wondering why, with Pluto and Uranus being so energized right now, I've been feeling rather aimless today. Having finished the Journal early in the day, I've found it very hard to feel inspired to do anything of a practical nature -- even though there's plenty, as always, that could be done.

Then I realized that I might be feeling the effects of the Neptune-Jupiter square, exact on Monday (tomorrow). There's a certain fogginess that accompanies any Neptune transit, and at least a little laziness often associated with Jupiter. Voila!

Plus, the two planets together could also be to blame for the amplified sweet tooth I'm experiencing this afternoon and evening. Sweets are one of those ways we treat ourselves when we want to feel good or escape reality for a while (Neptune) and there's less discipline when Jupiter is involved.

Good thing Saturn is also strong right now, being stationary. Otherwise, I might very well be in line at See's Candies...

Going where no one has gone before

Because I view most (if not all) of life as a reflection of what's going on other levels, I was especially excited to see the top story on SpaceWeather.com today. Here are the first couple of paragraphs:

June 22, 2012: For nearly 35 years, NASA’s Voyager 1 probe has been hurtling toward the edge of the solar system, flying through the dark void on a mission unlike anything attempted before. One day, mission controllers hope, Voyager 1 will leave the solar system behind and enter the realm of the stars—interstellar space.

That day may be upon us. "The latest data from Voyager 1 indicate that we are clearly in a new region where things are changing quickly," says Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "This is very exciting. We are approaching the solar system's final frontier."

This story stands out to me because this news comes within two days of the first Pluto-Uranus square, which is meant to break us free from old paradigms and perspectives. If Voyager is really about to enter interstellar space, from where it will send back to Earth all kinds of new information about what has been previously beyond our understanding—what that symbolizes for us as spiritual humans is pretty profound, and very exciting.

For the rest of the story on the NASA Science News website, click here.

Interesting, too, that 1977, when Voyager 1 was launched, was the year that Chiron was discovered. Chiron is situated (most of the time) between Saturn and Uranus, and represents our bridge to the transpersonal planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto). As we heal the wounds that Chiron symbolizes, we are enabled to cross that bridge into higher consciousness.

Exciting, doncha think?

And a New Moon, too!

Yes, there's a New Moon this week, too! It occurs in late degrees of Gemini at 8:02am PDT on Tuesday, June 19.

As with all New Moons, this lunation marks a time of beginnings. In Gemini, those beginnings may involve new ways of communicating, teaching, or networking. It is time to allow ourselves to think in new ways, to recognize the thought patterns that keep us in fear or limitation, and to embrace a different way of viewing reality.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon reads:

"The first mockingbird of spring: The creative exuberance of the human soul in response to basic life experiences."

Amidst all of the pressure from Pluto, Uranus, and Saturn, this New Moon reminds us of the joy that is to be found in the simple experiences -- hearing a bird sing, watching the clouds move through the sky, feeling the warmth of the sun on our faces. Be sure to allow yourself these small, but healing touches throughout the coming week.

Blessings,

Pam

Incoming CMEs

SpaceWeather.com posted this entry this morning:

INCOMING CMES: On June 14th, for the second day in a row, sunspot AR1504 erupted and hurled a CME toward Earth. The fast-moving (1360 km/s) cloud is expected to sweep up a previous CME and deliver a combined blow to Earth's magnetic field on June 16th around 10:16 UT.

CMEs are waves of energy that are released by the Sun -- when they are directed toward Earth, we usually experience aurora borealis, and fluctuations in other energy fields on the planet -- including our own! And, it looks like we'll be getting the effects of two waves at the same time late tonight and into tomorrow.

So, if we feel a bit unsteady on our feet, at least we have a reason. We'll be in the midst of integrating and adapting to another wave of high-vibrational energy and information, on various levels of our beings.

Surf's up!

Venus before the transit

As Venus nears her transit of the Sun today, we get a rare view of the planet as a ring of light. Here's one photo, from Rob of Liverpool, UK:

Pretty spectacular! You can see more photos from other parts of the world on the SpaceWeather.com website today.

Enjoy the transit, wherever you may be.

Big days ahead

We have a lot going on over the next few days. In addition to the Lunar Eclipse on Monday, Neptune stationing retrograde on the same day, and the Venus-Sun occlusion on Tuesday, there's a large coronal hole that's just opened up on the Sun:

As the Sun rotates, that hole will be lined up with Earth, and we'll start receiving the solar winds it is releasing. According to SpaceWeather.com, this should be sometime June 5-7 (next Tuesday through Thursday).

So, energetically speaking, a lot to work with! Be gentle with yourself during this time, get plenty of sleep, get some exercise to keep the energy moving, and eat root vegetables for grounding (carrots, beets, potatoes, etc.)

Blessings,

Pam

Another eclipse photo

And, here's how the eclipse looked from Vancouver Island -- very mystical and mysterious. Many thanks to Kalon for sending this to me!

Even the car guys...

I had to chuckle this morning, when passing the local Jiffy Lube. On their marquee was written: LEAVE WORRY BEHIND.
Quite in keeping with the Gemini Eclipse themes!

And, here's one of the three stunning photos sent to me by Jim Perry -- showing his view of yesterday's eclipse from Valley View, Texas. Thanks, Jim!

Remembering to breathe ... DEEPLY

With the Gemini Solar Eclipse occurring tomorrow, we're already working with its energies pretty intensely. Throughout this past week, I've talked with clients who were experiencing the impact of this eclipse in their charts, as it initiated necessary change so that they could move forward in their lives.

Gemini rules the thinking process and our nervous systems, so it's not surprising to find that our minds are a bit harder to calm right now. If you find yourself feeling anxious over these next few days, remember to BREATHE consciously and deeply. It's amazing what profound effect that simple process can have. And, of course, if you have a meditation process you like to use, be sure to rely on that right now, too...

Other suggestions include listening to calming music, sitting outside in the garden in the sunshine -- whatever tools you have that help you relax your mind, breathe calmly, and create inner silence. Besides calming the nervous system, in that silence, we are more likely to receive the new levels of information that are available to us through this eclipse energy.

Blessings!

Solar winds and CMEs

If you monitor the SpaceWeather.com website, you already know that there has been increased activity on the Sun over the past day or so. Several strong flares have created solar winds that have headed toward Earth, at the same time that large coronal holes have released CMEs... All of which began interacting with Earth's energy field this afternoon (Wednesday, May 9) -- and, of course, all of our energy fields as well.

So, if you have been having trouble focusing for the past few hours (or have been feeling more emotional or tired or irritable), take it easy -- these energy waves can make us a little unsteady while we're getting used to them. Get good sleep, if possible, tonight, to allow extra time for integrating the energies. Meditate if possible, and drink plenty of water -- the usual advice for self-care.

And, stay open to the insights and information that these solar winds carry -- So much solar activity means we must be ready for our next step!

"Harmless but beautiful"

I had to chuckle at what SpaceWeather.com posted this morning about tonight's Full Moon:

"SUPER MOON" TONIGHT: Tonight's full Moon is a perigee moon, as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moons of 2012. This is a harmless but beautiful astronomical phenomenon. Enjoy the moonlight!

I found this humorous, not because I expect tonight's Full Moon to bring about catastrophes in any way, but because it was clearly discounting of the effects of lunations -- and, since at the very least, Full Moons affect the ocean's tides, I think we can hazard a guess that they affect other watery manifestations (humans and their emotional bodies), too! Especially given the fact that this Full Moon is in Scorpio, arguably the most emotionally intense of the 12 zodiac signs.

Still, the main point is that tonight's Full Moon will be the closest to the Earth, and therefore the largest in appearance, of all the Full Moons of 2012 -- so, if you get a chance and some clear skies, be sure to take a look tonight! The lunation will be exact at 8:36pm PDT (11:36pm EDT).

And, if anyone takes a good photo of the event, I'd love to see it! Please send it to me at pam@northpointastrology.com.

Postscript: Lisa Perry in Valley View, Texas sent me several gorgeous photos of the SuperMoon, taken by her husband Jim Perry. Here's one of them -- many thanks, Lisa and Jim!

The solar pole shift: Our choice point

If you're like many (most?) of us, you may be finding it hard to stay in balance these days. And, perhaps we can understand the mechanics of this by looking at what's going on with the Sun's electromagnetic field.

The Sun has a north and a south magnetic pole, similar to what we have on Earth. Every 11 years or so, the Sun's poles shift their magnetics — the pole that carries a positive field shifts to negative, and vice versa. This pole shift always corresponds with the "solar maximum," the phase in the Sun's regular cycle when sunspots, CMEs and solar flares are at their most active.

With the Sun's last polar shift occurring in April 2001, scientists have been predicting the next shift would occur this year. And, true to their predictions, current monitoring of the Sun indicates the shift is underway.

But — with one interesting variable. Instead of both poles decreasing at the same time in preparation for the flip of north and south polarities, one pole's magnetic field is near zero, while the other pole is close to full strength. Here's how one article explains it:

Currently the polarity at the north of the sun appears to have decreased close to zero—that is, it seems to be well into its polar flip from magnetic north to south — but the polarity at the south is only just beginning to decrease. “Right now, there’s an imbalance between the north and the south poles,” said Jonathan Cirtain, a space scientist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., who is also NASA’s project scientist for a Japanese solar mission called Hinode. “The north is already in transition, well ahead of the south pole, and we don’t understand why,” he explained. (Read the full article here.)

Since the energy from the Sun is always being broadcast to the Earth, whatever occurs on the Sun affects us. The solar energy we're receiving right now carries the imprint of the current imbalance between the Sun's north and south poles.

Why it is happening? Scientists don't yet understand the physical reasons. If we consider the metaphysical purposes, we could consider the south pole (which remains strong) to be symbolically connected to the South Node in astrology. The South Node represents our karmic past, and the issues that we are working with most directly in this lifetime in our efforts to advance.

The continued strength of the Sun's south pole is consistent with the sense that each of us is dealing with core karmic themes right now.  I've been aware of that truth for a while — it seems everyone is working to clear out the old mental and emotional patterns that have most directly hindered our spiritual advancement.

And now, knowing about the electromagnetic imbalance on the Sun, we have confirmation in physical reality for what we have already been aware of. As each of us prepares for our own shifts into higher consciousness and more direct spiritual connection, we are made aware of where we are not yet in balance, through an exaggeration of the old patterns of reactivity.

It will be interesting to keep watch of the Sun's polar shift and see how our personal/global experience is affected. Japanese scientists working on the Hinode mission are predicting that the actual shift will occur next month, in May 2012. At the same time, there are some predictions that the Sun's magnetic field will become "quadrupolar," with positive fields at both the north and south poles, and a negative field at the equator. Evidently, this last happened some 300 years ago, and resulted in an overall drop in temperatures around the Earth.

If this occurs, how might it affect each of us, energetically?

With both the north and south poles broadcasting an equal magnetic field, our choice between the limiting patterns of the past and the higher potentials of who we are becoming will be even clearer. Some channels interpret this as a dimensional "split" due to the clarity of the choice we will each have. At the very least, it seems to be a choice point for each of us about how we want to direct our lives from this point forward.

Entering the solar storms

Tom Kenyon has just posted a new channeling entitled "Entering the Solar Storms." It's been quite a while since he last received information from his other-dimensional sources (the Hathors) — over a year, in fact. As he says in his comments on the channeling:

"Whenever I went to them and inquired about the lack of a new message they said that they had already communicated everything that needed to be said up to that point. And when the time was ready — meaning poised for another shift — they would give a new message."

The new message (posted April 1) contains some interesting information. It repeats some of what I wrote about in yesterday's Journal — that as we work with the heightened solar winds and higher vibrational energies, our emotions become more volatile. Here is one paragraph in particular that got my attention:

"As you enter this new phase of solar storms understand that they are extraordinary opportunities for evolutionary advancement. They are also, paradoxically, fraught with dangers for devolution due to their intense nature. If you resist the energies of acceleration, you will experience great difficulties in this passage. If you embrace these energies and master them — finding a way to navigate through them with appreciation and a good dose of humor — you will find greater freedom. This freedom of which we speak is a freedom of the human spirit, mind and heart. It resides in a level of consciousness untouched by the dualities of your earthly existence."

The new channeling also provides techniques and an audio meditation to help release emotional toxins and heal the heart chakra.

If you're interested, here's the link to the new channeling, which includes Tom's comments at the end, and the link that will allow you to listen to or download the audio meditation (free of charge):
http://tomkenyon.com/entering-the-solar-storms

I plan to listen to the meditation later today — if you decide to do the same, I'd love to hear about your experience.

Blessings and Peace,

Pam

16 seconds to shift the energy

With many thanks to the two sources in my life that have presented corroborative ideas recently (Johanna Hedge, my energy practitioner extraordinaire and Suzanne Lie, author/channel of Multidimensional News), here is a 16-second process to shift the energy of something that is causing you distress:

1. Feel the emotion, and find where it is being held in your body (where you feel it the most).

2. To the count of 4, inhale, focusing on that location in your body and the emotional energy there.

3. Hold your breath for another count of 4, allowing your entire focus to be in the emotion and in the area of your body where it is held.

4. You will then exhale for 8 seconds. For the first count of 4, imagine the emotion and energy from that emotion being released with your outbreath. For the last count of 4, call Divine Light and imagine it coming in through the top of your head (crown chakra) and filling the space where the emotion was.

Repeat, if needed, and as often as it feels helpful.

And let me know if this works as well for you as it is for me!

Blessings,

Pam

Another "break" word

A client sent me this email this morning:

In your journal today you use the word "break" in many forms. What came to my mind as I was reading was "breaking silence." I'm finding the need to become a "squeaky wheel," after perhaps too many years of being "nice."

A perfect example of another "break" word that is appropriate for the coming week!

Question about the human-animal relationship

This question came as reply to one of my other posts on this site:

I'm very interested to know how all these astrological shifts are affecting the human/animal relationship in our world. As an Animal Advocate the increased awareness of animal suffering at the hands of mankind seems to be getting more publicity -- and support. Petitions are being started on a daily basis to draw attention to things -- and based on what we saw from the exposure of McDonalds poultry attrocities -- they seem to be working. Do you have any comments or insights? Thanks. 

As a vegetarian since I was 19, and now mostly vegan for the past 2 years, I very much appreciate your question!

I think astrologically we can see support for this renewed awareness of the suffering of others -- no matter what species -- from both Chiron and Neptune now being in Pisces. Pisces energy reminds us that we are all One, and so your pain becomes my pain, and vice versa.

As Chiron travels through Pisces (April 2010 through April 2018), we become more aware of the wounds in the world, and our hearts are opened in compassion and with the desire to alleviate suffering. In mythology, Chiron was a centaur -- half man, half horse -- which also reminds us of the connection between humankind and the other animals that share our planet.

And, as Neptune travels through Pisces (2011 through 2026), we become more sensitized and sensitive in many many ways. Hopefully, as a result of this high-heart opening, we also become stronger conduits of the healing power of Divine Source Energy and Love.

Question about Taurus Sun, Scorpio rising

This question arrived in my inbox today:

I had a quick question I wondered if you could help me with: If I am Taurus with Scorpio rising, how can I understand what I read in both charts/horoscopes, if it seems like what is happening in one sign is happening oppositely in the other? For example, they always say I'm supposed to be having a great time when the moon is in Taurus, but honestly, those are some of the worst days -- a pattern I've noticed! Haven't noticed Scorpio moon days being fab, in exchange, either. Do you have any tips for interpreting what I read? Pay more attention to the houses? The aspects?

Astrological interpretation and prediction become much more complicated when two planets or points in our natal charts are opposing each other -- especially when they are both so central to our self concept, as the Sun and the Ascendant are!

Of course, when any transiting planet is conjunct your Sun in Taurus, it is opposing your Scorpio Ascendant, and vice versa. This means that any generalized horoscope you might read for a specific sign is likely to bring up both agreement and opposition within you.

It would be interesting to notice how you feel when the Moon is in complementary aspect to both your Ascendant and Sun -- so, when it is in Cancer (trine your Ascendant, sextile your Sun), Virgo (sextile your Ascendant, trine your Sun), Capricorn (sextile your Ascendant, trine your Sun) or Pisces (trine your Ascendant, sextile your Sun).

You can also watch how it feels when other planets are in those signs -- but, of course, their effect will also depend on the placement of other planets in your birthchart, especially the Moon. Like many (or most) of us, you have a complicated chart, one that can't be easily contained in a "one size fits all" horoscope.

As for which general horoscope to read, I think you'll always find both the Taurus and Scorpio predictions a bit "off" from your experience!

In the silence

I know it's been a long time since I've posted to this site, and my apologies for that! It's not that I don't think about it, and I think of all of you often and fondly...

But transiting Saturn is both conjunct my Ascendant and square my Midheaven right now (and conjunct my Neptune and square my Uranus), so my work and personal lives are filled to the brim -- there just hasn't been that extra space and energy available for posting regularly here.

I'm always happy to answer specific questions, so please email me if there's an astrological/metaphysical thought or question you have that isn't being addressed in my weekly Journals, and I'll do my best to add a post here in reply.

And, I'm assuming things will lighten up eventually! Perhaps once Saturn goes direct (end of June), those of us with strong Saturn transits going on will start to breathe a little easier. But then again, the energy of these transits won't be wrapped up until the last pass of Saturn through the final degrees of Libra in September/October, which means we may have a bit to wade through, still.

So, my condolences to all who have planets, Ascendant or Midheaven in late degrees of the Cardinal signs (Libra, Cancer, Aries and Capricorn)! I can relate to what you're going through...

Blessings,

Pam

Precession of the Ages

I received a question by email today that I thought might be on others' minds as well:

Very interesting reading about the upcoming shift to Neptune in Pisces and I appreciate the way you are breaking it down. However, the following paragraph has me confused. I kept reading it over and over. Is it possible that the two signs were transposed?

As we shift INTO the Age of Aquarius, Neptune will be helping us release those roles, allowing us to shift into the knowing that each of us has the awareness and insight necessary to guide our lives.This enables us to hold compassion and understanding in very different ways, and even more powerfully than before.

Thank you for your work...

Here was my answer:

Thanks for your question!

The astrological ages go in reverse direction through the zodiac. It has something to do with how our galaxy moves through the universe -- but please don't ask me to give you the scientific explanation!

What that means is that as we leave the Age of Pisces, we are entering the Age of Aquarius. Before the Age of Pisces was the Age of Aries, before that the Age of Taurus, etc. In each of the ages, religious imagery has emerged that corresponded with the zodiac themes (such as the Golden Calf for the Age of Taurus, the Ram's Horn and Sacrificial Lamb in the Age of Aries, and the Christian use of Fish symbology in the Age of Pisces).

I hope that helps!

Blessings,

Pam

Coronal hole and solar winds

As happens from time to time, a large coronal hole has recently appeared on the Sun. The solar winds from that opening in the Sun's magnetic field will be reaching Earth in the next few days -- on January 16 or 17, by scientists' estimate. Here's a UV image of that coronal hole (shown as dark blue) from the Spaceweather.com website for January 14:

And, by synchronicity, this wonderful explanation of the metaphysical effects of solar cycles, solar flares and solar winds appeared on another website. I thank Gillian MacBeth-Louthan for receiving and sharing this information:

Solar cycles always play an important part in the upgrading of human consciousness. Solar activity is a catalyst for our evolutionary process. Solar light stimulates change in matter, energy, and consciousness. It pushes us into a higher position of knowing and the ability to integrate and use that knowledge for the betterment of all Universes. Evolutionary change is Sun driven. New energy is coming from deep space via this Solar portal.

Our Sun as the pulsing heart of this solar system, sends a twelve-faceted geometric light into every atom of its solar universe. The Sun is a portal which streams information in the form of light from other light/solar systems and worlds beyond ours. It is a storehouse of vital energies and is considered to be the Great Heart. Stars like our sun are the visible raiment of celestial beings. Their inner aspects are invisible, just like ours. The sun is simply the heart and brain of our little Universe. The mighty heart of the solar system beats to a different drum, disrupting and erupting time at any given moment. With each beat, the sun expels its accumulated light and energy through sunspots projecting to the remotest corners of the solar systems. The sun feeds its family, just as the heart feeds the body.

Earth and all her inhabitants are living receivers and transmitters. Solar flares affect the Central Nervous System, all brain activity (including equilibrium) and all human and animal behavior. Solar flares can cause us to be nervous, anxious, worrisome, jittery, irritable and lethargic, have short-term memory loss, lose time, feel nausea, headaches, trouble with all forms of communication--both human and technological. Solar activity illuminates consciousness, causing old patterns to be consumed in Light, just like a phoenix making way for the new prototype.

This is an excerpt from longer article entitled "2012 Time Fields" in Gillian's January 2012 newsletter. The newsletter also contains a lovely description of the Year of the Water Dragon, and other gems. Recommended!

No, Mercury is not retrograde!

Yesterday's Journal seemed to indicate Mercury might be retrograde! But it's not -- just my mind working backward.

Specifically, I wrote that Mercury was leaving Aquarius and entering Capricorn, when actually Mercury is leaving Sagittarius and entering Capricorn. The reverse would be true only if Mercury were retrograde (moving backward).

So, thanks to those of you who caught my error!