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

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...