Guided meditations from Orin

Two decades ago, I became aware of the work of Sanaya Roman, channel for Orin. I enrolled in and completed their "Awakening Your Light Body" meditation course, which I credit for having opened my awareness to perceiving energies.

Now, they are offering two meditations free for download from their website. I used one of them in my meditation this morning and found it very powerful.

The one I used is called "Contacting the Sacred Transmuting Flame," and is available for download at this site: http://www.orindaben.com. The second meditation (which I have not used yet but plan to also download) is called "Starting a New Chapter in Your Life," and is available at the same link. They include written transcripts of the meditations, so that you know before sitting down what work you'll be doing.

I offer these links for those who may also be interested at this time.

Blessings and Joy,

Pam

Comments on this week's Journal

Just thought I'd share an email I received today, and start the conversation in case anyone else wants to comment on this week's Journal...

Regarding your dates for the solar flips, there was a significant shift in my life at each one of the cycles, except for the first -- I wasn't born ( though as a history teacher, I realize that '44 was near the end of WWII). 

What caught my attention about this week's post was the word "vertigo." Since about January 10, I have been experiencing a dizzy feeling, but only when I lay down, and turn my head to the left. I don't seem to be affected when I am standing and moving around. The laying down seems to activate something. There are no physical symptoms; I've had no head colds or any illnesses. I've attributed it to winter lack of physical activity, age and maybe crocked glasses frames. I so often forget that I (we) live in an environment where many things happen and I am not aware, or at least have never seen them. (Your lovely pictures of the Auroras remind me.) Thanks for the reminder that there is more than meets the eye.

A quick note about the vertigo thing -- I had a strong experience of it about three weeks ago, too, especially when I was lying down. The best description I could give of it was like I was lying on my back on an old LP as it spun on the turntable... And no other symptoms, so very similar! Mine lasted about three days, and has seemed to subside now.

Well, Mercury IS retrograde, after all

You will notice that I neglected to update the dates in the header of today's issue of the NorthPoint Journal... So, even though the subject line of the email is OK, the header still has last week's dates.

Oh, well. If that's the biggest error I encounter while Mercury is retrograde, I'll consider myself fortunate! Thanks for smiling through it with me.

Pam

Question about "Blood Moons"

I received an email today with this question:

Do you know anything about these two 'blood moons' this year, at the spring and autumn equinoxes? Supposedly the last time this occurred was 2,000 yrs ago when the Romans destroyed the Jewish temple.

I decided to post my reply here, since there may be others who are also wondering about these lunations:

Thanks for your question!

In astronomical terminology, there are lots of different "kinds" of Full Moons -- the Hunter's Moon, the Harvest Moon, etc. It looks like "Blood Moon" is another name for a Hunter's Moon.

It also looks like the two Lunar Eclipses in 2014 and the two Lunar Eclipses in 2015 are all "Blood Moons" -- but the dates of those eclipses are not on the equinoxes in either year.

There's a great article on the EarthSky website called "What Is a Blood Moon?" that gives a lot of good information about the upcoming Blood Moons, and how they coincide with Biblical prophecy -- which I'm sure is why there's some trepidation around their occurrence.

Astrologically speaking, the eclipse this April is most powerful because it occurs the same week that the Cardinal Grand Cross is exact. From my perspective, the fact that it could be called a Hunter's Moon or a Blood Moon is not as important as the planetary configurations at that time.

I hope this EarthSky article provides some of the clarification you are looking for.

Testing a theory

In researching online about the time of "solar maximum" that we're currently experiencing, I found a list of the dates of the most recent solar cycles, which begin and end during times of "solar minimum." The dates of solar maximum seem to occur about 4 years into each solar cycle. Our current solar maximum is a bit later than expected -- it was originally predicted for 2012-2013.

Based on that list of solar cycles, I now have an interesting theory to test out.

I noticed that the dates listed were significant in my life, especially in the realm of relationships/partnerships. Since the Sun in my natal chart is in the House of Partnerships, I started wondering if perhaps each time the Sun finishes one cycle and begins another, we earthlings experience an energetic shift in our personal lives based on the house location of the Sun in our natal charts.

So, if you'd like to play along and know the house location of the Sun in your natal chart, here is that list of dates marking the end of one solar cycle and the beginning of a new one:

February 1944
April 1954
October 1964
June 1976
September 1986
May 1996
January 2008

Are these dates (within a few months on either side) consistently significant for you, especially in the area of life represented by the house where your natal Sun resides? (If you need a reminder of what each of the astrological houses represents, click here to visit the "Houses" page on my website.)

This is just a theory, but I find it interesting to think about. Any comments?

The Sun's magnetic field shift

One reader's comment on the "Learn something new every day" post (see below) asked if the magnetic field on the Sun had shifted yet. I went to the NASA site, and the most recent article on the subject was written on December 6 and is titled "The Sun's Magnetic Field Is About to Shift."

One of the quotes at the beginning of the article states, "It looks like we're no more than three to four months away from a complete field reversal."

So, it appears the Sun has not yet completed the shift -- although it's halfway done. The north pole has already shifted, and the old south pole is a bit behind.

This article is actually a very good one, and explains a bit more about the "current sheet" that we passed through last week. Here's another quote about that phenomenon:

"During field reversals, the current sheet becomes very wavy. As Earth orbits the sun, we dip in and out of the current sheet. Transitions from one side to another can stir up stormy space weather around our planet."

Here's an artist's concept of the current sheet, that's included in the article:

It starts to make sense how, as the Earth passes through folds of the sheet, we can experience emotional, mental and physical fluctuations. I still haven't found an article that tells how often we will be passing through the folds -- if anyone else finds one, please let me know!

Learn something new every day...

I had not heard of this before, so it has my attention!

The lead article on Spaceweather.com this morning (January 20) says that:

"High-latitude auroras are possible on January 21 when Earth crosses through a fold in the heliospheric current sheet. This is called a "solar sector boundary crossing."

Evidently this happens from time to time (although I could not find an article telling me how often it occurs). I did find a long NASA article that describes the current sheet as "a sprawling surface where the polarity of the Sun's magnetic field changes from plus (north) to minus (south)." The article goes on to say that:

"As Earth orbits the Sun, it dips in and out of the undulating current sheet. On one side the Sun's magnetic field points north (toward the Sun), on the other side it points south (away from the Sun). South-pointing solar magnetic fields tend to cancel Earth's own magnetic field. Solar wind energy can then penetrate the local space around our planet and fuel geomagnetic storms."

My main interest in this is, of course, about the energetics. Will we feel something on that level tomorrow when the Earth "crosses through a fold" in the current sheet? Will meditation feel any different?

I'm looking forward to finding out!

2014 is THE year

(If you participated in my teleclass, some of the content of this post will look familiar -- but I hope the repetition is helpful!)

One of my goals this year is to emphasize the positive as much as possible, especially as a counterbalance to some of the doom-and-gloom prophecies that are accompanying our Cardinal Grand Cross. My sense is that this configuration has great potential for benefit, for each of us individually and for all of us collectively.

It is true that a grand cross represents a turning point -- but that turning point is meant to take us in positive directions. So what might those directions be? Here are some ideas, based on the positions of the four planets involved in our grand cross.

2014 is THE year to:

• Focus on the aspirations that you feel passionate about, that are in alignment with your knowing of purpose (Pluto in Capricorn)
• Have the courage to follow your unique inspirations and allow the changes that this brings (Uranus in Aries)
• Have patience and take the time to find inner balance before you take action (Mars retrograde in Libra)
• Allow optimism, faith and hope to nurture and support you (Jupiter in Cancer)

Focus, courage, patience and faith -- these are the qualities we want to strengthen in us, that will pave the road to best outcomes throughout 2014.

Blessings to all!

Pam

Spinnnnnnnnning

No, my finger did not get stuck on the "N" key -- this is just descriptive of how the world feels right now!

I was aware of it when settling in for meditation this morning -- the sense of spinning, something akin to what I suppose it would feel like to be lying on top of an LP as it spun on the record player.

I looked up on Spaceweather.com to check, and we are, indeed, in "a fast stream of solar wind," with current speed at 617.0 km/sec. The highest speed I've seen since I started monitoring the website several years ago was in the low 700s, so 617 is pretty high up on the scale.

Back to the spinnnnning -- it seemed to settle out when I went for my morning run, but is now strong enough again that I'm having trouble focusing on writing the Journal. Never fear! I'll get there eventually, but it may be a bit delayed today.

Anyone else having a similar experience?

PS: Just had a thought. We should be entering the dust stream remnants from comet ISON about now, too. I wonder if this sensation is related...

Pam

The first New Moon of 2014

Today's New Moon is a powerful one for many reasons, in particular due to its alignment with Pluto and Mercury. This combination of planets provides the support for us to transform habits of emotion and thought that no longer serve us, and the opportunity for us to make great strides in our level of conscious awareness.

How and where this influence is acting for each of us varies, of course. We are all individuals, a fact clearly demonstrated by the uniqueness of our astrological charts. Even twins are usually separated in birth time by a minute or two, which can make subtle but important differences in their birth charts.

If you would like insights into the purposes of this New Year New Moon in your life, find the house location of 11 degrees Capricorn. This is where the New Moon occurred. (If you do not have a copy of your birth chart, www.astro.com is an excellent website where you can enter your birth data and run your own chart.)

Once you've found that house location, here are some ideas to ponder about the intentions of this New Moon for you:

• In the 1st House: Transformation and new beginnings in your self-concept, how you present yourself to the world
• In the 2nd House: Transformation and new beginnings in your values, self-worth, how you support yourself
• In the 3rd House: Transformation and new beginnings in your thought and communication patterns, relationships with siblings
• In the 4th House: Transformation and new beginnings of attachments to the past, childhood issues, themes of self-nurturance
• In the 5th House: Transformation and new beginnings in your means of self-expression, how you experience joy and take risks
• In the 6th House: Transformation and new beginnings in how you handle responsibilities, your employment and service, your health
• In the 7th House: Transformation and new beginnings in your primary relationships, partnerships (personal and business), commitments
• In the 8th House: Transformation and new beginnings in your ability to share, merge resources, and gain intimacy in relationships
• In the 9th House: Transformation and new beginnings in your beliefs and where you find meaning in life
• In the 10th House: Transformation and new beginnings in your sense of purpose, career, ambitions
• In the 11th House: Transformation and new beginnings in your long-term goals and dreams and in your group associations
• In the 12th House. Transformation and new beginnings in your spiritual journey, your connection to the inner planes

I hope this helps shed a little light on your personal journey as we begin 2014. And, oh yes -- Happy New Year! May 2014 be a blessed and fulfilling year for each and all of us.

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