A perspective on "the weirdness"

I received this email from a client/friend yesterday:

I was wondering if perhaps you could shed some light on a feeling shared by several people I know – including me. I have had a very difficult time DOING anything productive over the past couple of weeks. I have a houseful for Christmas, and our tree has been naked in its stand for two weeks. I have to push myself to get anything done, preferring the almost hypnotic cocoon of Spider Solitaire to just about any other activity. My daughter has mentioned how lazy she and her husband have been. My friend and her fiancé have been procrastinating preparing their vows for their marriage ceremony on 12/31. It's just weird. I'm not depressed. I'm actually quite happy in spite of all the uncertainty around me. But, I'm just not wanting to do any of my long list of to-do's.

It's a little crazy-making. And it doesn't feel like me. I thought that perhaps you may have some astrological perspective on this weirdness. 

Here is how I responded, in two emails separated by a night's sleep and my morning meditation:

My First Email Response:

If it helps, I've been feeling exactly the same way! Even down to the Spider Solitaire cocoon...

I think it has something to do with being bored with the third dimension. Parts of us, still mostly outside of our conscious mind's ability to perceive, are playing with higher dimensional thought and experience. Our conscious mind is aware enough to know there's new and exciting stuff happening on higher levels of consciousness, but not yet aware enough to participate fully. So everything, even those things we would often enjoy on this earthly plane, can feel dry and uninviting -- something like knowing we can see colors the way bees do, but having to settle for the (still beautiful, but pale-in-comparison) colors that human eyes can see.

Astrologically, it corresponds with the Pluto-Uranus square, with Uranus in Aries representing a strong desire to awaken to higher consciousness, and Pluto in Capricorn representing the powerful attachment to reality that can block that higher awareness.

My Second Email Response:

Good morning! I got a bit more about this in meditation this morning -- not different information, just fleshed out a bit.

It also seems that we are simply tired of the old ways of handling reality. A part of us knows there are more expansive, higher-vibrational ways of utilizing this human existence, and we're just done with the old methods, even though we may not yet be consciously up to speed with the new. Many things that we've always enjoyed and appreciated feel like they're a part of the old, so we are restless and don't feel the same energy around them as we have in the past.

Again, we can see the Pluto-Uranus square at work. The conflict between the urgency to find and embrace the new (Uranus in Aries) vs. the reality that deep transformation takes time (Pluto in Capricorn). It's challenging to find inspiration in what seems like our old world, based on this.

I hope this is helpful!

New Mayan cycle begins December 18

I received an email  yesterday from a reader who recently spent nine days in the Yucatan on an Acupuncturists without Borders World Healing Exchange trip. As part of that trip, they met with Mayan elders. They learned more about the cycles of energy related to the Mayan calendar from a Mayan elder and shaman, Don Bartolome Poot Nahuat. Here's what they found out about where we are, according to the Mayan calendar:

December of 2012 was the end of a cycle. December 2012 through December 2013 is the in-between or "Zero" year. This means that a new cycle begins on December 18, 2013. In particular, Don Bartolome said December 17 is a very significant day -- a day for prayer, and a good day to do ceremony.

On December 17, 2013, the Sun rises and the Moon sets at essentially the same time. (You will need to check what time that is in your local time zone.)

If you want to do a ceremony at that time, Don Bartolome suggested setting out four candles, one in each of the cardinal directions: a red candle in the East, a yellow candle in the South; a black candle in the West, and a white candle in the North. You can also place a green candle in the center, standing in a bowl of water. Outside of the bowl of water, place 2 crystals, one of each side of the bowl in alignment with the Sun and the Moon. The goal is to have the light from the rising sun and setting moon pass through the crystals into the bowl of water.

I appreciated getting this information, and especially hearing that we begin a "One" year this coming week. That feels right to me, especially considering that Uranus goes direct on December 17, another marker of our readiness for forward motion. It's time to move into the next phase of our evolution!

"Surf's Up!" teleclass in January

TELECLASS 
Surf’s Up! 
Riding the waves of the first six months of 2014 
Astrologer Pam Younghans and Wellness Educator Elsie Kerns 

We have a powerful SuperMoon on January 1 to start off our new calendar year. This New Moon is potent not only because of its proximity to Earth, but also because it sets off the energy of the Cardinal Grand Cross that we’ll be working with for much of 2014.

Since the new year begins in such dramatic fashion, it perhaps is not surprising to hear that the planetary influences during the first six months of 2014 will keep us on our toes! The image of a surfboarder is especially appropriate, given that we’ll continually need to adjust our center of gravity to stay in balance as we navigate the ongoing waves of energy and change. Knowing when the big waves are coming, and knowing when we will have calm seas, can help us prepare and ride the waves more effectively.

To learn more about the astrological influences in effect January through June, please join astrologer Pam Younghans and Wellness Educator Elsie Kerns for their 90-minute “Surf’s Up!” teleclass on Thursday, January 9. Among the topics we’ll explore:

• The ongoing Cardinal Grand Cross between Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars, including the powerful week in April when all four planets are at 13 degrees of their respective sign, and other times when the energy of the grand cross is “triggered” by the Moon and other faster-moving planets 
•  The New and Full Moon energies each month 
• April’s Lunar Eclipse in Libra and Solar Eclipse in Taurus 
• Mars’ retrograde phase in Libra from March 1 to May 9 
• Mercury’s retrograde phases in February and June 

We’ve known for a while that the Pluto-Uranus square is inspiring major changes on global and personal levels. As we ride the waves of the first six months of 2014, we’ll have even more focused opportunities to take risks that help us break free from the limitations of the past.

Imagine how the surfer feels when successfully harnessing the energy of that ocean wave – the sense of empowerment (Pluto), liberation (Uranus), joy (Jupiter) and self-confidence (Mars). This is the reward for taking the risk and utilizing the necessary combination of courage, perfect timing, and trust. This is what we are aiming for!

Here are the class details:

Surf’s Up! Riding the waves of the first six months of 2014 
Astrologer Pam Younghans and Wellness Educator Elsie Kerns 
Thursday, January 9, 2014 
4 to 5:30pm PST | 5 to 6:30pm MST | 6 to 7:30pm CST | 7 to 8:30pm EST

Attend either by phone or online! Your $25 registration fee includes an audio replay of the teleclass and a copy of the slideshow, so even if you cannot attend “live,” you will have access to the class content afterward. To register, please visit http://astrology2014.eventbrite.com.

ISON synchronicities

A reader in Germany wrote this week to find out if I had heard about possible connections between Comet ISON and the Great Comet of 1680 (also called Kirch's Comet and Newton's Comet). Well, no, I hadn't, so I did a little research. Here's what one website said:

The orbit of Comet ISON has an interesting similarity with another bright sungrazing comet, the Great Comet of 1680. The two comets don't have the same orbits, but the similarity between these two bright sungrazers is remarkable. One thing, however, is for sure: they are not the same comet. Comet 1680 is currently 250 AU from the Sun, and isn't due back for 9000 years. But the similarity suggests they have a common origin. Perhaps they are two fragments of a much larger comet?

This possible connection between the two comets was interesting to me, of course, so I drew up a chart for November 14, 1680, which is the day the Great Comet was discovered. And guess what I found? That same month, Uranus and Pluto were exactly square, the same as we are experiencing now. Uranus was in Aries in 1680, the same as now, and Pluto was in Cancer, opposite its current location. That would be another jaw-dropper in my book, to have fragments of the same comet visiting our inner space at the time we are experiencing similar configurations of Pluto and Uranus. Both are rare events, and here they overlap twice in history -- in addition to the fact mentioned in my journal last week, about the other "ISON-like" comet that came through our solar system in the mid-1960s, when Pluto and Uranus were conjunct. Seems like there's some sort of plan at work, wouldn't you say?

The online list of historical events for 1680 is fairly sparse, sadly, so it's hard to find much else that we might find common to then and now. But, given that the Pluto-Uranus square has to do with unexpected changes, weather, and uprisings, it is interesting that 1680 was the year of the Pueblo Rebellion, when the Pueblo Indians joined forces with the Apaches to overthrow Spanish rule in New Mexico. It's also interesting that every timeline I researched included the item that "The first confirmed tornado in America kills a servant at Cambridge, Massachusetts." Clearly, early settlers were experiencing dramatic weather events that were surprising in nature -- why else would that fact of one tornado and one servant's death make it on the list of most important events for the year?

Just some interesting synchronicities to think about. And, a beautiful photo of Comet ISON "plunging into the sunrise beside Mt. Fuji on November 22" (photo by Japanese photographer Kagaya, posted on Spaceweather.com):

Past or future?

I got this email today, in response to the question of futures and comets:

I'm a bit perplexed about the notion that comet ISON, or any body visible to us would be carrying energy of a future time or self, because the light we are now able to see was actually emitted quite a while back. Counter-intuitive to my mental setup. Can you elucidate?

Here's what I wrote back:

I agree, it all kind of feels confusing. I hope this explains my reasoning:

A body is out in space projecting light that usually gets to us a year later. If that body gets closer to the Earth, its light will reach us more quickly. So, if before it has been ahead of us (similar to being on Universal Time) but then draws closer to us (say, on Pacific Time), it is drawing what was our future into our awareness sooner than before. Does that make any sense?

It make not make literal sense, but I think symbolically it works. Kind of like all of astrology...

Thanks for asking!

On comets and futures

As mentioned in today's NorthPoint Journal, we have four comets currently gracing our pre-dawn skies. Here's a collage of all four, courtesy of the Sormano Astronomical Observatory in Italy:

I also mentioned that I would write a simple visualization to use for calling in our future selves... It's wonderful that we have the comet images to guide us, since they so clearly bring a light toward us from far away.

I would start with that visual, imagining that the light of one of these comets is the aspect of your future self that you most want to integrate into your Now. It could be a part of you that has healed a wound (on any level); a part of you that understands the reasons for current events; a part of you that has released an issue or a relationship; a part of you that ________ (fill in the blank). All that matters is that you can clearly sense that the comet image is actually the light from that future self coming toward you.

When you are comfortable and ready to do so, invite that light to enter your energy field, and let it fill your aura, then your physical body, to the cellular level, and into the spaces between your cells. Call on this light to dissolve and remove all darkness and blockages that represent or hold the energy of the current challenge, that this future self has resolved or healed. And, acknowledge and invite your future self to fully integrate with you on all levels -- physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Sit in this light for as long as you want, and repeat this exercise as much as you want. It should feel good, and the more you do it, the more your present self can hold and integrate that energy and knowing of your future self.

I hope this is helpful!

Blessings, Pam

Overwhelm

The past three weeks, we've worked with the energy of two eclipses, our fourth Pluto-Uranus square, amplified Sun activity with multiple X-class flares, Comet Ison moving inside Earth's orbit and growing brighter, and now this new asteroid with six tails being seen for the first time:

Is it any wonder we're feeling some overwhelm? It feels a bit like walking a path on the side of a steep mountain, wary of the hazards of not paying attention, but starting to feel exhausted from continuously paying attention... A part of me wonders -- what if this is like the Fool card in the tarot, where the young lad and his dog step off into the air and trust what happens next? What does that mean, to step off into the air, in real-life terms?

 

Not so many answers yet, but maybe some of these are the right questions to be asking.

Question about Venus in Capricorn

I received this question in my inbox today:

I was wondering what effect Venus' entry into Capricorn would have on a person whose natal Venus IS in Capricorn (as well as my sun). Is it likely to be somewhat more emphatic for a person with that alignment, or what?

Thanks for your question!

Venus usually takes 12 months to orbit the Sun, so everyone has their "Venus Return" (when the planet returns to where it was when they were born) once a year. The Venus Return is somewhat like a Solar Return, in that it indicates that a new cycle is beginning in the areas of relationships, finances, creative outlets, etc.

And yes, when Venus is in Capricorn, people with natal Venus in Capricorn may feel more at ease with the energies, since it is familiar territory for them.

But, there is an added emphasis when Venus goes retrograde in the sign of someone's birth Venus, because they are likely to have three passes of their Venus Return, depending on the exact degrees of natal Venus and transiting Venus.

When the Venus return happens three times like this, there is a greater emphasis on reconnecting with the purposes, opportunities and challenges that accompany Venus themes in the birth chart. A lot depends on the natal aspects between Venus and other planets, as well as where Venus is located by house in your birth chart, as well as other factors, how it all plays out.

I hope that's helpful!

Riding the wave

I've been contemplating the title for my next teleclass, which will cover the first 6 months of 2014. Since we'll be starting the New Year on January 1 with a powerful New Moon conjunct Pluto, I have a sense that we'll be riding the wave of that energy pulse for a while, and then will pick up on another wave, and another.

Based on that, I was thinking of "Riding the Wave" as the title -- but then I opened the new Mountain Astrologer magazine and saw that their main article about 2014 is called "Riding the Rapids." While it's good confirmation for what I was already sensing about 2014, the title is a bit too close to mine -- so I've decided to change my title just a bit.

So, if you're ready to hear about those waves and have your surfboard ready, save this date for my teleclass covering the first 6 months of 2014:

Surf's Up!
Riding the Waves of 2014
Thursday, January 9  |  4pm to 5:30pm PST
5pm to 6:30pm MST  |  6pm to 7:30pm CST  |  7pm to 8:30pm EST

An official announcement with registration information will go out in early December -- but just wanted to give you a heads up for "Surf's Up!"

Wind and rain

In the Pacific Northwest, October was a fairly benign month, weather-wise. I was momentarily startled, stepping out my front door at first light this morning, to see the ground not brown but yellow -- strewn with a carpet of yellow maple leaves that until last night's windstorm had still clung to the tree branches.

It seems appropriate that we're having our first real storm of the season on this day between yesterday's tumultuous Pluto-Uranus square and tomorrow's initiatory Solar Eclipse. And the symbolism of the great leaf fall is also appropriate to both -- the letting go of what has outlived its usefulness, to make way for eventual new growth after a period of external dormancy (aka inner work).

Pluto is the great transformer, hastening the purging of the old ways, often dramatically. Uranus provides the energy of breakthrough and breakdown, so that we are free to redefine ourselves and our journeys.

And, the Solar Eclipse is in Scorpio, conjunct Saturn, emphasizing the ending of an old cycle and the importance of claiming new levels of inner authority, self-reliance, and self-knowledge as we begin a new phase.

Here's to new beginnings, and to our ability to release the fears and limitations of the past so that we may take greater strides forward on our chosen higher paths.

Blessings, Pam

Elevated Sun activity

If you monitor the SpaceWeather.com site, you already know that the Sun has been very active this week, after many months of being in a more subdued state. Here's this morning's headline on the website:

X2-FLARE BLASTS EARTH'S IONOSPHERE: Electromagnetic radiation from yesterday's X2-class solar flare had a significant effect on Earth's upper atmosphere. As a wave of ionization swept across the dayside of the planet, the normal propagation of shortwave radio signals was scrambled.

It's interesting that although the solar winds from these flares on the Sun take a few days to reach Earth, the electromagnetic radiation arrives much more instantaneously. And, because we are electromagnetic beings in many respects, it affects us humans as well as our radio signals.

It explains a few things -- like why my morning run yesterday and today felt like I was moving my legs through blackstrap molasses. Our bodies are in the midst of adjusting to the changes in energy frequency, and may not have the same strength we expect of them while they're recalibrating.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

Birthday eclipse

I received this email question today:

Am wondering what your thoughts would be about the Lunar Eclipse falling on the birthday Sun on Friday, 18th October? It will form part of the Solar Return chart, as we know, and will be in the 8th house opposing the natal 2nd house Sun. This person was born in 1940 and is still working.

The interesting thing about eclipses is that they can have effects similar to a Uranus transit -- in other words, we're pretty sure change is afoot, but there's always the element of surprise involved in how it actually transpires...

With this particular eclipse being a Full Moon, we would project that this person is about to begin a year with great potential for new levels of self-awareness, perhaps triggered by the experience of strong polarities in the life. The natal Sun, being in Libra in the 2nd house, indicates a lifetime where growth of self-worth and finding a balance between one's own and others' needs are high priorities, from the soul's perspective.

With the eclipse Moon in Aries in the 8th house, another person's strong opinions and desires may play an important role in the growth in self-awareness intended for the coming year. The challenge is to honor one's own values and to awaken more fully to the potential for greater fairness and balance in relationships.

Then, of course, there's always the theme of financial issues associated with the 2nd and 8th houses. This is another area where polarities -- mine vs. ours -- could bring experiences that will result in substantial growth of self-worth.

Or, perhaps this person's self-worth (Sun) is bound to whether or not they're earning a living (2nd house). If this is no longer serving their greater good at this point in the life, the eclipse -- and the coming year -- could bring awareness about the value of Being rather than Doing.

Thanks for the question!

Rebirth

For my last few teleclasses, in addition to exploring the planetary influences for each month, I've been pulling a tarot card to provide more insights. When I was preparing for my most recent teleclass in June, I pulled the Rebirth card for our current month, October 2013:

The card made sense to me at the time, especially when considering the transformative planetary influences that would be in effect this month. And now, living in the energies of October, the meanings are even clearer.

We are in a great phase of transformation, and are in the midst of choosing what vibratory level we want to live in. We can choose to emulate the camel, the lion, or the child in how we experience and respond to life.

Here's what the interpretation of this card (from the Osho Zen Tarot deck) says:

"This card depicts the evolution of consciousness as it is described by Friedrich Nietzsche in his book, Thus Spake Zarathustra. He speaks of the three levels of Camel, Lion and Child. The camel is sleepy, dull, self-satisfied. He lives in delusion, thinking he's a mountain peak, but really he is so concerned with others' opinions that he hardly has any energy of his own. Emerging from the camel is the lion. When we realize we've been missing life, we start saying no to the demands of others. We move out of the crowd, alone and proud, roaring our truth. But this is not the end. Finally the child emerges, neither acquiescent nor rebellious, but innocent and spontaneous and true to his own being. Whatever the space you're in right now -- sleepy and depressed, or roaring and rebellious -- be aware that it will evolve into something new if you allow it. It is a time of growth and change."

And that's putting it mildly!

Chart similarities for parents and children

I received this question by email yesterday:

How unusual is it for someone born with a Grand Trine in water signs to have a mother with a Grand Trine in water signs -- and what would be the significance?

Here's my reply:

 

Thanks for your question!

 

I don't know how unusual that exact circumstance is -- but it is very common for children and parents to have similar themes in their birth charts. So, for instance, a parent might have a Pluto-Moon opposition, and their child might have a Pluto-Moon square, or the Moon in the 8th house or in Scorpio, or Pluto in the 4th house... (or vice versa).

 

We know that themes, talents and issues often run in families. I always consider that as children, we both inherit certain traits/issues genetically, and we are exposed to specific issues in our environment while living with our parents. That truth is, of course, reflected in our birth charts.

 

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" is often true -- even if we don't carry exactly the same manifestation of an issue, we often have the same issue at core. So, if we have a parent who expresses a lot of anger, and we decide as a result never to express anger, both child and parent have an anger issue -- just expressed in opposite ways.

 

And, a parent with a Grand Trine who has a gift for music may have a child with a similar Grand Trine and gift -- but it may or may not be expressed outwardly, since trines represent an easy flow of energy but do not indicate whether there is discipline or desire to utilize that flow. The gift might be more likely to manifest in tangible ways in either the parent or the child if they also have a planet squaring one of the grand trine planets.

 

I hope that makes sense!

Question about the week

I received an email from a reader this morning, with a question others may have as well:

"I was listening to a weekly horoscope for Sagittarius and she was saying that we have trines and squares and cardinal crosses and grand water trines this week. As you did not mention them in your journal I figured she must have got it wrong?"

Here's my reply:

Thanks for your email, and for your faith in my accuracy!

If you notice the list of "Highlighted Aspects" in this week's journal, you'll see several aspects listed as being exact -- so yes, there are aspects occurring throughout the coming week.

Each week when I write the journal, I sit with that list of aspects and feel where the most energy is contained, and write from there. This week, what stood out to me the most strongly was Pluto's direction change and what that means for us energetically -- so that's what I mostly wrote about.

I hope that makes sense. Thanks for the question!

POSTSCRIPT, added Sunday, September 29: I will be writing about the Cardinal Grand Cross in the journal for the coming week (Sep 30-Oct 6), as it feels like the strongest energy coming in at this point...

What if it all goes right?

A new friend recommended a book to me a few weeks ago. I haven't read it, but I have the title written on a piece of paper and propped against my mirror in the bathroom, so that I see it several times a day.

The title of the book is, "What If It All Goes Right?"

(I just googled those words, and found out there's a Melissa Lawson tune from 2008 with that same title. I don't know anything about that song, but I hope it has uplifting lyrics...)

I'm sharing this because of the effect I feel every time I read those words. I quickly feel the tension in my body relax, almost as if a part of me is jumping on the "What if" bandwagon -- after all, it could just as easily All Go Right, couldn't it? And isn't that an amazing thought?

So, I share this with you:

What If It All Goes Right?

Think about it. Maybe even let the energy of those words carry you for a while...

A choice point

Among our choice points this week is one that I think can initiate an important shift in how we move forward from here. It involves asking ourselves: What do I most identify with?

Do I identify with the chrysalis, or the emerging butterfly?

Do I still define myself by the broken shell, or by the bird that is taking flight?

What happens energetically if I start to think of myself, not as a bud waiting to open, but as the flower in full bloom?

And how do my answers to these questions change how I navigate the energies of today, this week, this month, this year?

Your sister on this journey,

Pam

The month of beginnings

I've always loved September. Maybe partly because I enjoyed school as a child, so always looked forward to starting a new year and a new class, getting new binders and paper and pencils... Maybe also because with the Sun in Virgo at this time of year, it always aligns with my natal Moon (at 11 degrees Virgo) in early September, initiating a new emotional cycle for me on a personal level.

This morning I've realized another reason for that palpable sense of "new beginning" that always pervades this ninth month of the year. Although I am not an expert in numerology by any means, I do pay attention to its symbology. And what I thought about this morning is that September always contains the purest energies of the current year, in numerological terms.

This is how I understand it: The numerological energy of the calendar year is set by the numbers in the year itself -- so 2013 is a Number 6 year (2+0+1+3=6). But, as we enter each month of the year, we have to add that month's number to the mix. So even though January 2013 was the first month of a Number 6 year, it was actually a Number 7 month. February 2013 was a Number 8 month, and so on.

Which means that we have to wait until September every year to get the purest energy of the year's intentions numerologically. September is the ninth month, so September 2013 is actually a Number 6 month, matching the energy of 2013 itself (9+2+0+1+3=15, 1+5=6).

And, here's what a numerology website says about the energy of the Number 6:

Connects above and below, reconciliation, intellectual creativity, discrimination, imagination, union, love, perfection, ability to use the imagination and the intellect combined, relatedness, taking responsibility for choices.

Just a bit more information to add to our understanding of the energies in play... And a wonderful way to think about the possibilities available to us this month!

The rebel surfaces

If you're like me -- born between 1949 and 1956, with your natal Uranus in Cancer -- you may have been wondering what the blazes (!) is going on, with restlessness, impatience, and even anger coming up more consistently than usual lately.

That's how I've been feeling, and wondering what was wrong with me. You'd think an astrologer would automatically check the planets and her chart, right? But like everyone, I tend to get caught up in what's going on in life, so can take a few days to consider what energies might be at work.

But, suddenly this week, I realized -- but of course! Mars and Jupiter are both moving through Cancer right now, so are triggering the typical Uranian rebelliousness for those of who have Uranus in Cancer in our charts. And, with Mars in late degrees of Cancer now until the 27th, if you were born in 1955 or 1956, Mars is conjunct your natal Uranus for the next few days, so you may be more inclined to do something out of the ordinary.

For instance, this '56-er got her hair cut quite short today, a very different look for me. I'd been feeling the urge to take the risk for the past week or so, and finally went with it. A fairly tame way to express the Mars-Uranus rebel energy, but it feels good to break out of the box, all the same.

Any other stories, from you early- to mid-50s babies?

Pam

Latest multidimensional news

No doubt I've mentioned Suzanne Lie (aka Dr. Suzan Caroll) before. She channels what I believe is very high-frequency information in her Multidimensional News e-newsletter -- which means that sometimes my brain understands it, and sometimes it doesn't. She also has a blog called "Awakening with Suzanne Lie," where she posts fairly often.

Her two latest blog posts have some excellent information that I've printed out so I can read and re-read them. Here are some of the passages that I've highlighted for myself:

From "The Opened Corridor," posted 8/11/13:

What you choose to think about and where you place your point of perception will set your state of consciousness. If you focus on what is fearful and damaging, you will become depressed, sad, angry and helpless. On the other hand, if you focus on what is loving and transmutational, you will feel empowered, happy and purposeful.

The only thing you have to change to alter your perspective of realty is your state of consciousness. Once you raise your consciousness enough to feel the higher frequencies of light around you, you will be able to believe that you can shift your perspective from victim to victor.

Therefore, you need to take the risk to believe that your reality is shifting NOW into a higher frequency. If you choose (as it is a choice) to believe that you are transmuting into higher frequencies of your SELF, and hence of your world you set a state of consciousness filled with hope, joy, forgiveness, gratitude and unconditional love.

Within this state of consciousness your body releases, not adrenaline, but endorphins. Your Pineal Gland is signaled to open to higher frequencies of light, which further stimulates your inner pharmacy of consciousness expanding and joyful "drugs." You feel "high on life" as your body is calibrated to that experience by your own inner pharmacy.

And from "Consciousness and Perception," posted 8/13/13:

Our multidimensional consciousness is blocked out by fear and activated by unconditional love. Unconditional love is free of all judgment, and judgment is one of the primary thought-forms that lower our consciousness. Judgment is a thought-form, a thought joined with an emotion, which is always fear-based. Whenever we judge anything, there is a residue of fear, even if it is hidden in our subconscious mind.

Therefore, the release of all judgment is a vital component for activation of our multidimensional consciousness...love-based emotion—that is love without conditions—allows our mind to connect with our Cosmic Mind.

As we become accustomed to holding higher states of consciousness in our daily life, we will remember to live within a feeling of unconditional love for our self and our world. From this perspective, we will be beyond all sense of fear. Thus, we will be able to maintain a constant connection with our multidimensional Cosmic Mind.

Our Cosmic Mind will silently and continuously guide our mind to teach our brain to release our third dimensional operating system and accept our multidimensional operating system. Fortunately the higher light from the Galactic Center is consistently activating our 97% DNA, which will accelerate our transition into our multidimensional operating system until it becomes the dominant operating system for our brain. Then our brain, mind and Cosmic Mind will merge into ONE.

I know these are long quotes -- but they are also just short excerpts from Suzanne's postings! If you're inspired to read more, just click on the title of each posting listed above to access the complete blog entry.

Blessings and Light,

Pam

CMEs

In last week's Journal, I talked a bit about our being in a time of "solar maximum," when there tend to be more coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Because these waves of solar energy can affect electromagnetics here on Earth, we can tend to feel a bit anxious when considering their arrival.

But, I think we can look at the purpose of these solar winds, and feel anticipation and excitement instead of anxiety or fear. Just as this solar activity is what allows the Sun to shift its magnetic poles to begin a new cycle of growth, it also encourages and enables us to shift energetically and lift our consciousness to a new level.

So, the next time we hear about incoming solar winds, we can benefit most from imagining those winds lifting us to the next higher level vibrationally -- which is a very good thing!

Blessings, Pam

New Hathor message

Sound healer and channel Tom Kenyon has posted a new "Hathor Planetary Message" describing our current passage through a new "Chaotic Node." The channeling includes instructions for a simple meditation to help us deal energetically with some of the intensity.

Since the timing of this message coincides with the beginning of August -- which astrologically looks like it will be the most intense month of 2013, due to the Jupiter-Pluto-Uranus T-square -- I tend to agree that we've entered another phase of important "choice points," as I've come to call them.

I used the new meditation visualization for the first time this morning, and it does feel like it brings through cleansing and high vibrational energies.

If you care to read the message, here's the link:

http://tomkenyon.com/orchidium

I hope you find it helpful, too!

Blessings, Pam

Your comments?

In this week's NorthPoint Journal, I invited you to share your experience of Monday's grand sextile/Star of David/diamond tetrahedron. If you're in the mood to share, please click on the word "comments" in purple at the end of this post, and write away!

Grand sextile aka "Star of David" formation

I've been so focused on this grand trine in July, I didn't even realize there was an even rarer configuration this month -- a grand sextile, also called a "Star of David" formation. But, thanks to an email from a reader who asked about it, I'm now looking forward to our experience of this configuration on Monday, July 29.

A grand sextile is basically two grand trines superimposed over each other, one with the point of the triangle up, and the other with the point down. I've been talking about the effects of the Grand Water Trine in the past two NorthPoint Journals, and on July 29 we add the energy of a Grand Earth Trine to the mix.

There is the same ease of flow between the planets in this second grand trine (Pluto, Venus and the Moon), but being in earth signs, the effect is to ground, comfort and calm us. This sounds like a very good thing, especially given the increase in the effects of the Pluto-Uranus square we will be expecting around the same time.

Since the fast-moving Moon is one of the planets involved in this grand sextile, the effects will last only for the one day. The chart I've run for the event is timed at 2:48pm PDT, when the Moon is exactly trine Venus and applying to the trine with Pluto. The energies should be strongest then, through the next few hours as the Moon then also exactly trines Pluto.

Here's what astrologer Bil Tierney writes in his book Dynamics of Aspect Analysis about a grand sextile involving a Grand Water Trine and a Grand Earth Trine:

"...a highly productive power that can realistically benefit many areas of the individual's life. Talents and opportunities indicated are pursued with a desire for practical application as well as emotional gratification and material security. The stability and purposefulness of the sensible earth signs minimize the danger of this Grand Sextile swinging off into too many scattered directions at once.

"Because of the presence of both a Grand Earth Trine and a Grand Water Trine, the sensual nature is apt to be very well-developed and able to be channeled in highly imaginative ways. Whatever routines are necessary for the thorough development of creative enterprises are more easily accepted and undertaken."

There is a bit more push to this energy than a grand trine by itself, because the overlapping of the two grand trines creates oppositions between some of the planets. There is still great opportunity, as with the Grand Water Trine, but perhaps less tendency to sleep through the experience! Still, to take advantage of this energy, we need to engage with life -- as Mr. Tierney also writes, "the creative resources are abundant and need to be actively tapped. Here exists an enormous overload of capacity which demands to be actively exploited."

We have a full week to consider how we might tap into the energies of this rarely-seen configuration. Any ideas?

When you wish upon a star

While I was moving wood yesterday, I saw a small cricket perched on one piece.

Crickets are not the rarest of animals, but I do not see them very often where I live, on a wooded lot in a suburb northeast of Seattle. I saw them a lot growing up in California, and cricket songs filled the air every night in the summer in my youth.

It always catches my attention when I see an animal that I don't see every day. So, like a good symbol-watcher, I visited my favorite "animal symbols" website (www.starstuffs.com) and checked out what cricket represents. I especially appreciated this part of the description:

"Cricket will attune to new vibrations and will aid in heightening intuition, sensitivity and awareness. Crickets can teach effective communication techniques and subconscious communication cues to obtain what is needed or wanted. Crickets are about resurrection and transformation from stages as in the molting process. Is it time to shed old ideas to make way for the new? Expect changes and new developments that will bring growth through reflection and patience as the sensitivity to mental, emotional and physical challenges are coming your way."

I share this with you today because another piece of the puzzle clicked into place this morning, that I believe makes the message of Cricket one we should all hear.

My dog and I were taking our early-morning walk in the nearby woods, and I started wondering what I might write for this week's Journal. In particular, I started thinking about the New Moon in the very early hours of Monday morning, which happens to align with the star Sirius.

Click.

Cricket ... Jiminy Cricket ... "When You Wish Upon a Star" ... the star Sirius ... New Moon ... "shedding the old to make way for the new" ...

Click click click.

If you participated in my recent teleclass, you've already heard a bit about Sirius and this New Moon -- and I will, of course, write more about it in tomorrow's Journal. But I wanted to share my cricket experience with you and encourage us all to contemplate the importance of this upcoming lunation. As the Sun and Moon align, they will bring through and enhance the energy of Sirius, which has been called "the great star of initiation," "the source of wisdom," and "the Great Instructor of humankind."

Not a bad way to start the new lunar cycle, eh?

Choose Something Like a Star

If you're familiar with Robert Frost, you may know his beloved poem called "Choose Something Like a Star." And, if you're familiar with choral music, you may have sung or heard the setting composed by Randall Thompson that provides glorious vocal accompaniment for the Frost poem.

I recently sang the piece with my choir in our spring concert, so of course the music continues to play in my mind. And, the words are so appropriate for us right now -- and so much in keeping with astrological and spiritual themes -- I want to share them with those who may not know the poem, and refresh the memories of those of us who have long held these words dear.

I find the final four lines of the poem especially meaningful, due to the upcoming New Moon in July that conjoins the star Sirius:

So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.

Image of the star Sirius

Here's the complete poem:

Choose Something Like a Star
by Robert Frost

O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right  
To some obscurity of cloud --
It will not do to say of night, 
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says "I burn."
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.

If you'd like to hear the choral version by Randall Thompson that sets this poem to music, here's a link to a YouTube video that's pretty awesome: Choose Something Like a Star

Enjoy!

Pam

New image for Pluto-Uranus square

I'm in the midst of preparing the PowerPoint slideshow for next Thursday's teleclass, and have happened upon an image that feels right for conveying the themes of the Pluto-Uranus square:

This young girl looks out into the future, down a road that stretches out before her and into infinity. To travel this road, she must have courage and stamina, and belief in herself. With no assistance in sight, it is perhaps natural to assume she would be fearful -- and yet, her stance indicates determination and strength. It is also important to notice that the wind is at her back, blowing her hair from behind, nudging her in the direction of her destiny.

As she travels this road, she gains ever greater levels of self-empowerment, a stronger knowing of her capacity to do whatever she sets her mind to, and the exhilarating sense of being liberated from the limitations of fear or the expectations of others.

These, too, are our potentials as we traverse these times of change.

"Just be Awake with poise."

I received an email from a reader of last week's journal, asking a question about the eclipse and how it was working with her chart. Midway through her note, she wrote:

"I re-read the journal while writing this, and am reflecting on The Owl, and becoming more conscious of the unconscious with poise.... and am wondering if I haven't answered my own question :) ... 'Just be Awake with poise.'"

I think this was a mantra we can all use right now. Many lived through literal tornadoes last week, others experienced figurative tornadoes that were less materially devastating, but still changed the landscape of their lives in significant ways.

It may be a bit of a tall order, this "just be Awake with poise" -- but remembering those words does seem to help bring us back into center a bit.

Blessings to each and all,

Pam

X-class solar flares

I've been monitoring solar flares on SpaceWeather.com this week -- and there's been a lot of activity on the Sun! Here's what is posted on the site this morning:

"When the week began, the sun hadn't unleashed an X-flare all year long. In only two days, sunspot AR1748 has produced four. In summary, AR1748 has produced an X1.7-class flare (0217 UT on May 13), an X2.8-class flare (1609 UT on May 13), an X3.2-class flare (0117 UT on May 14), and an X1-class flare (0152 on May 15). These are the strongest flares of the year, and they signal a significant increase in solar activity."

X-class solar flares are the highest intensity -- capable of altering magnetics on Earth in significant ways, and having major effects on our physical, mental and emotional magnetic fields.

These flares were not directed toward Earth, so we won't be feeling their direct effects, perhaps more like a "glancing blow" -- but evidently this sunspot is still very active, so it bears continued watching. Stay tuned!

Photo theme for teleclass

My journal for this week announces my upcoming teleclass on June 13, but I didn't have room to include the photo I've chosen to represent the themes of the next six months.

If you go to register for the class, you'll see this photo on the page:

This is a NASA photo, taken of new stars that are forming in "the Soul Nebula." When I was searching for a theme for the teleclass, this one stood out to me as especially appropriate -- because it truly feels that we are being born anew, and that the changes are being driven and supported from a very deep, soul level.

Of course, many are experiencing the pains of labor as our new selves are being born -- but each time we gain a glimpse of the new, more empowered and liberated being that is coming forth, our hearts are lightened and our courage is increased.

Blessings to all as we undertake this journey together!

(And if you're interested in learning more about the teleclass on June 14, please visit http://pamjune2013.eventbrite.com)

Pam

New heart chakra meditation

I've written about Tom Kenyon before -- he's the sound healer who channels some amazing toning to assist in the spiritual/emotional growth process we're all involved in.

Mr. Kenyon recently made a new heart chakra meditation available (a free download) on his website. Here's what he says about the 15-minute meditation:

"The purpose of this meditation is to integrate aspects of yourself that you have shunned or disowned. In psychology, this type of emotional displacement is called the shadow, and un-owned shadow material can contaminate our inner life as well as our outward actions in the world. The Hathors are adamant that we need to transform our own shadow material, both individually and collectively, as we move upward in consciousness. "

Evidently, the need for this transformation is especially important right now. I listened to the meditation this morning and found it helpful, so wanted to also share it with you.

If you're interested in reading more, the information about the meditation is called "The Healing Power of the Human Heart," and is on Mr. Kenyon's website (click HERE). You'll also find the link to download the recording on that page.

Blessings, Pam

What a week

Well, now the "Thunderbolt" card I drew for April is making a lot of sense (see the post dated April 6)...

If you or loved ones have been affected directly in any way by the dramatic events of this past week, my heart goes out to you. Please accept my sympathy and my prayers for your healing, on all levels.

In one way or another, all of us have felt some effects of the week, at the very least energetically. It has felt to me that the explosions in the U.S. and the two large earthquakes elsewhere in the world (7.8 in Iran on April 16 and 7.2 in Russia on April 19) manifested in physical form a tension that had been building. In the aftermath of the immediate crises, there was a sense of pressure having been released, much as the tension between the earth's tectonic plates is released when an earthquake occurs.

Now comes the time of recovery and healing, as well as the search for answers. It makes sense that this week's Lunar Eclipse (on April 25) is in Scorpio, the sign of the Detective and Psychotherapist.

Blessings and healing to all, Pam

Say yes to the process

For those who participated in my teleclass back in January, this card will look familiar:

This was the card I pulled for the month of April, and it certainly represents the energies we're already feeling. It's from the Osho Zen tarot deck, entitled "Thunderbolt," and here's the interpretation:

The card shows a tower being burned, destroyed, blown apart. A man and a woman are leaping from it not because they want to, but because they have no choice. In the background is a transparent, meditating figure representing the witnessing consciousness.

You might be feeling pretty shaky right now, as if the earth is rocking beneath your feet. Your sense of security is being challenged, and the natural tendency is to try to hold on to whatever you can. But this inner earthquake is both necessary and tremendously important -- if you allow it, you will emerge from the wreckage stronger and more available for new experiences.

After the fire, the earth is replenished; after the storm the air is clear. Try to watch the destruction with detachment, almost as if it were happening to somebody else. Say yes to the process by meeting it halfway.

It is this last sentence that continues to reverberate in my thoughts: "Say yes to the process by meeting it halfway." I've been considering how to best do that in my own life -- it at least involves being willing to embrace change, consciously letting go of attachment to the old ways, even physically doing a cleanse (either of the body or the environment). With each step we take in the direction of a positive change, we are participating in the process instead of just waiting for it to find us.

I also very much appreciate that the interpretation draws our attention to the background figure on the card, the "transparent, meditating figure representing the witnessing consciousness." It reminds us that we always have the choice to step into the higher perspective and to understand events from a place of Greater Knowing. It is also important to notice that although the meditating figure is "in the background," it is actually the most predominant feature on the card.

Flower essence support

With the rollercoaster ride we're currently on, more than ever we need to take advantage of all the energetic support that is available to us. Nature is one of our primary support systems -- we all know that just taking a walk through the woods can have a powerfully positive effect on our well-being.

For years, I've worked with various flower essences, some more to my liking than others. A few months ago, I was introduced to Green Hope Farm flower essences (based in New Hampshire), and I cannot say enough good things about them. They feel very pure (no alcohol), and I have felt their energetic support in many many ways.

If you're new to flower essences, here's an excerpt from the "What Are Flower Essences?" page of their website (http://www.greenhopeessences.com/what.html):

"Flower Essences are energetic tools. They offer us information of an energetic nature. We experience them energetically and use them in our energetic systems, something I also refer to as our electrical systems. Because Flower Essences offer their immense healing gifts energetically, there are none of the drawbacks of chemical medicine, yet the same healing information as chemicals can be conveyed. Our electrical systems read the data of a Flower Essence much as we might read a road map. If our electrical systems recognize that a Flower Essence offers a problem solving technique for a problem we have, our electrical systems will copy and use this electrical information to solve our problems. There is no involuntary chemical interaction that may lead to unpleasant side effects. Instead, our electrical systems use the same discerning skills they have always used to decide whether the Flower Essence is something useful or something we don’t need."

To read short descriptions of many of their flower essences, you can access a pdf at http://www.greenhopeessences.com/Documents/ShortDefinitions.pdf. Of course, their book with lengthier descriptions is very helpful as well, and available free by sending Green Hope Farm an email. You can also use the search tool on the "Finding and Choosing a Flower Essence" page to search for specific flowers or specific issues or conditions you want to work on (http://www.greenhopeessences.com/search.html).

If I sound enthusiastic about this place and these products, I am! One essence I am particularly fond of is Pyrola Elliptica, for dream work. After many years of only remembering my dreams sporadically, this flower essence has opened the doors of my unconscious and brought my dream images into my awareness on a much more consistent basis.

If you feel drawn to working with these flower essences, I hope you will share your experience with me.

Blessings, Pam

Enforced Pisces week

Having spent the greater portion of this past week in bed, fighting some sort of mega bug, I can see in retrospect how my experience fits into the amplified Pisces energies we've just come through.

My Moon is in Virgo, giving me many qualities for which I am grateful -- but also providing me with a large dose of "you're only valuable when you're working" mentality. My Moon happens to be at the 12th degree of Virgo, so is being transited this year by most of the outer planets.

In particular this past week, as Venus and Mercury aligned in Pisces exactly opposite my Moon, it appears the intention was to make me take a break, even if it took the form of a lot of physical discomfort. For five days I had no brain for work, no desire to be at the computer, no energy to put into anything other than self-care.

Now that I am finally seeing light at the end of the symptoms tunnel, and have some hints that I actually will be healthy again (which always feels improbable when we're in the midst of feeling bad), I need to remember this lesson about downtime -- especially since my Moon will continue to poked and prodded throughout 2013.

Completion

With so many planets in Pisces right now (six at last count: Neptune, Chiron, Venus, Mercury, Sun and Mars), it makes sense that we would be in a time of completion, given that Pisces is the 12th and final sign of the zodiac.

And, appropriately, the card I pulled for the month of March is called Completion. Here is the image, from the Osho Zen Tarot deck:


















The interpretation of this card reads:

Here, the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle is being put into its place, the position of the third eye, the place of inner perception.

Even in the ever-changing flow of life there are moments in which we come to a point of completion. In these moments we are able to perceive the whole picture, the composite of all the small pieces that have occupied our attention for so long. In the finishing, we can either be in despair because we don't want the situation to come to an end, or we can be grateful and accepting of the fact that life is full of endings and new beginnings.

Whatever has been absorbing our time and energy is now coming to an end. In completing it, we will be clearing the space for something new to begin. Use this interval to celebrate both - the end of the old and the coming of the new.

It feels like this completion is mostly taking place before the Equinox on March 20, when the Sun enters Aries. That day marks the beginning of a powerful last 11 days of the month, when we will be working with four planets (Venus, Sun, Uranus and Mars) all in alignment in Aries. Sounds like "full speed ahead" to me!

Managing Mercury retrograde

I've been reading astrologer Greg Bogart's latest book, Planets in Therapy, and came across his advice for working with Mercury retrograde just last night -- very timely, since Mercury goes retrograde tomorrow!

Using Mr. Bogart's guidelines and our current Mercury transits, here are some dates to consider:

This week, as Mercury slows to a standstill:

"Some unresolved issue or problem begins to occupy our attention."

Early next week, as Mercury begins its retrograde phase:

"We begin searching for a solution to this problem. Life seems busier, and we often feel more worry and tension. Know that a solution or clarification will emerge at the right moment. Now is the time to think about the issue, research it, gather new information, read, and make provisional notes. At this stage, don't try to organize your thoughts into a coherent or definitive decision, statement, or piece of writing. Simply try to get things moving and get the ideas flowing."

March 4, at the Mercury-Sun inferior conjunction:

"Our minds become clearer and full of ideas. Flashes of insight or new solutions to problems emerge into consciousness. We can contain the intensity of this period by focusing on mercurial tasks: thinking, writing, taking care of the small details of life, gathering information, and trying to shape our ideas into a clearer, more lustrous form. Mental powers are at their peak. It's common to be incredibly busy and preoccupied with our own affairs."

From March 4 to March 17, when Mercury stations direct:

"A time for re-evaluating, reconsidering, and reviewing all decisions or lines of thinking or analysis that emerged around March 4. Now we can edit, revise, and reshape our work into a structure that's appropriate for the task at hand. This is the time to bring a piece of writing, research, or a decision to a conclusion and to shape it into its clearest form of expression."

May 11, at the Mercury-Sun superior conjunction:

"Now, we presumably see the results of the new way of thinking or the decision reached around March 4."

It will be interesting to watch this particular Mercury retrograde period and put these guidelines to use. Let me know how it goes!

Meteor!

I received this question from one of my clients "down under" this morning:

"I am wondering, as I am sure many of us are: What effect does a meteor have on us metaphysically or astrologically?"

Meteors pose a special challenge for astrologers, in that we cannot use the usual scientific techniques to study them. Some may find it interesting (or laughable!) to quantify astrology as a "science," but it is based on studying the same kind of empirical evidence that scientific research regularly uses.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines empirical evidence as "a source of knowledge acquired by means of observation or experimentation." When a new celestial body is discovered, as Chiron was in 1977, astrologers immediately add it to charts and start watching how it plays out in people's lives. There are immediate ways to start interpreting the meaning and effect of a new "planet," based on the symbology of the name, for instance -- but much of our knowing of its impact is gathered by watching its effects over time.

When it comes to meteors that fall to earth, they are extremely short-lived events, and so we cannot study them in the same way we can other celestial influences that have cycles we can observe. Even many comets, which are fairly fleeting in their direct interaction with our planet, have orbits and cycles we can use to help us understand their purposes.

In many ways, we can interpret the general impact of a meteor strike to be similar to an earthquake, which causes large or small disturbances in the energy field of the planet and her peoples. In that way, a meteor is not so much a harbinger of change as the instrument through which energy fields are changed to allow shifts to occur.

If you've ever been in an accident that involved impact, or had an emotional shock, you know about the effects of these types of experiences -- almost as if your soul is jolted out of your body, and takes a while to re-integrate. I think we can look at the impact of the recent meteor that exploded over Russia in the same way.

Certainly, for those people directly impacted by the blast and the energy waves that were created, they are dealing with the same sort of effect as having been in a fall or other accident. Their energy fields have been changed, and as they re-integrate over time, they will find that they have changed -- some in small ways, some in larger.

For planet Earth, she is also absorbing the energy wave of the meteor, much the same as the humans, animals and plants in the immediate area must do. That means it really affects all of us who dwell on Earth, for what changes Gaia changes us.

So, we can watch in our own lives for those small (or large) ways that our own energy fields have shifted, and use that empirical evidence to demonstrate the effects of this particular meteor event.

Thanks for the question!

Comet Lemmon

Astronomers are watching a "new" comet, just discovered in early 2012, that is already within telescope-viewing distance and will soon be visible to the naked eye. The comet was named "Comet Lemmon," because it was discovered by astronomers at the Lemmon Observatory in Arizona.

Comet Lemmon's orbit takes about 11,000 years, so it's safe to say its energy will be a new experience! The comet is getting brighter as it gets nearer to our sun -- it will be brightest in the sky (about the same brightness as one of the stars in the Big Dipper) in late March.

Here's a photo of the comet, taken from SpaceWeather.com:

Energetically, comets are said to bring new information and insights to us, since they come from the far reaches of space. Here are some insights (slightly abridged) from astrologer Mary Elizabeth Jochmans about the effects of comets:

"Most people experience comets as intense, high-speed electro-magnetic energies, felt especially when Truth is spoken or heart or energy is moved, shifted or transformed. These people have lightening flashes of insight that may affect their entire energy field. This energy comes as sudden flashes of information that may be difficult to retain."

Since the end of March is already highly energized, due to the alignment in Aries that involves Uranus, Mars, the Sun, Mercury and Venus (!), we are clearly in for some exciting times starting at the Equinox. And, we should probably keep a pen and paper handy, since the information and insights coming in may come in quick flashes or in our dreams, so must be recorded before they slip away.

More about February

I received this email from a reader after sending out today's Journal:

Hi Pam. Could you elaborate what you mean by taking the month off in a retreat being a good thing. Does that mean things will be that crazy or it's a fruitful time to turn inward? - MD

Here's the email I wrote in response:

Great question! I'm glad you asked.

With the Pisces energies so very strong throughout much of April February, we are likely to feel less attached to physical reality, and feel more comfortable in situations without deadlines and timelines, or even clocks.

So I can see this being a great time to spend in meditation, journaling, dreamwork, creative writing -- anything that engages our spiritual/creative self and helps us transcend the often harsher aspects of this reality.

And I can imagine it's going to be harder than usual to push ourselves to get things done if we're "not in the mood" -- even with Saturn going retrograde mid-month, and being activated more strongly.

Thanks for asking!

Pam

This is how it feels...

This spectacular composite photo is on the main page of SpaceWeather.com today:

Photographer Göran Strand of Kall, Åre, Sweden, assembled this 360-degree image from photos taken during an aurora display on January 17. He calls it "Falling for Auroras."

It so captures the sometimes overwhelming, expansive, and awe-inspiring energies we're all working with, I just had to share!

Looking forward to the teleclass later today -- hope to "see" you there.

Blessings,
Pam

Pluto-Mercury alignment

This is a powerful weekend to meditate on and gain information about our higher purpose going forward. Mercury, representing our conscious, thinking mind, is aligned with Pluto, representing Divine Will. The challenges faced earlier this week, when Mercury was exactly square Uranus, have provided a shift in consciousness that now opens the pathway for us to connect more completely with the powerful Knowing of who we are and what we are here to do.

Be open to the insights today and tomorrow, whether they come through meditation or through life events!

Blessings, Pam