Last week, I gave an astrology reading to a client who was getting the shit kicked out of him in various areas of life. When we finished, I checked-in to see how he felt about his reading, and he responded that, “to be honest,” he was very disappointed. I asked why, and he replied that he was disheartened to learn the next six months would be much of the same difficulties he had been experiencing over the past year. I followed up; “well, now that you are aware of what is happening over these next few months, how might you react differently?” He said that he would continue to react the way he’s been reacting – by doing the best that he can.
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To my ancestors who fought and died for me to live this life, may I make you proud, and be a beacon of light.
Halloween, also referred to as All Hallows Eve, is upon us. It is when the veil between the living and the dead is most thin, leading up to the celebration of All Soul’s Day at the start of November. This time of year is meant for the commemoration of our dearly departed. The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos in Mexican culture) is when we commune with spirits that wander the Earth to conjure great power from our deceased, and prepare for the long dark night. It is a time for reckoning – we come face to face with what lurks in the shadows for redemption. Whether that be a hidden fear, a painful history, or a country's shameful past, our guardians can be invoked for absolution. ToAClient: A friend is someone who would never lie to you, and would never allow you to lie to yourself.
Last week brought many challenges. As I reflect on everything that occurred, I can still feel the weight of it all. I spent much of my time holding tension – tension within, and feeling tension in others. It was so dense that I literally had to leave town – LEAVE TOWN – to disconnect and get grounded. As I took the long drive north, the density grew lighter and lighter. I began to feel less heavy, which was great, but now a lingering question persists in my heart: when is it OK to expect more from others – to expect more from life? Alice: But a dream isn’t reality…
Hatter: Who’s to say which is which? The eclipses of August may have reached totality, but the chapter changes they bring have yet to materialize. The Universe is conspiring as I write this blog – conspiring on your behalf, as well as mine. Some of us may be anticipating what is in store, while others haven't the slightest idea what to expect. Regardless of where you are, very soon, we will all be set on new paths and new journeys. Mercury retrograde may delay our understanding of what is to come for a couple more weeks. But indeed, change is afoot. “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” ~Francis Bacon
I agree that this “Great American Eclipse” is, in fact, an omen of things to come. That the entire Northern Hemisphere will be able to watch this cosmic event unfold is indicative of what to expect. Soon, everything will be revealed; where we have been blind, and where we need to awaken, will be made clear as day. If you have been hiding, afraid to face your greatest truth, strength, gift or fear – that is what you will be forced to see. This is where you will shine. This New Moon/Solar Eclipse is happening in the sign of Leo, so summoning your most authentic self will be required. But first, darkness. “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” ~ A. Camus
I was recently with a group of badass women from my church the other night, and shared with them some pent-up emotions. I’ve been having a difficult time articulating what I feel, but it goes something like this: I can no longer tolerate being around people, or in spaces, that do not adhere to a code of honesty, truth, or an evolved state of being. That means, if you continue to operate from an outdated mindset, I can’t connect with you. If you tell people how to live their own lives, but fail to embody your own teachings and wisdom, I can’t respect you. If the spaces we frequent together no longer reflect my own moral code and evolutionary growth, I can’t go there with you. And while I do compassion like a boss, I won't make excuses for you. “When our soul-body is saying “no” to life, the first thing to ask is, “Is life, as I am living it, the right life for me right now?” When the soul-body is saying “no” to participation in the world, the first thing to ask is, “Does the word, as it is presented me, merit my full participation?” ~Charles Eisenstein.
Mutiny of the Soul is an essay written by Charles Eisenstein – author, speaker, and activist. In this piece, he discusses how we unconsciously rebel against certain aspects of life, when our Soul refuses to participate. Oftentimes, this can be covert. We may, for example, express disinterest at a party we didn’t want to attend, or give a poor performance at a job that doesn’t bring us joy. Overt ways of such mutiny, meanwhile, could look like complete isolation from others when we are dissatisfied. No matter the experience, a mutiny of the Soul is usually unconscious, and the manifestations can be physical (health concerns, aches and pains), mental (depression, fatigue) or psychological (manipulation, deceit). Where in your life are you currently experiencing a mutiny of the Soul? "When all you see is your pain, you lose sight of me." ~God/Papa from "The Shack" Iyanla Vanzant wrote: “You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people. But until you heal the wounds of your past, you will continue to bleed. You can bandage the bleeding with food, with alcohol, with drugs, with work, with cigarettes, with sex, but eventually, it will all ooze through and stain your life. You must find the strength to open the wounds, stick your hands inside, pull out the core of the pain that is holding you in your past, the memories, and make peace with them.” Her choice of words, “pull out the core of the pain,” strikes me the most. What does one do with that pain? How does one make peace with it? During any initial Life Coach session, I like to do what is called “emptying out.” I ask my clients a series of questions around the intentions they have set to live empowered lives, so that they might identify what could trip them up and get in the way...and it is always something. Time and time again, it comes back to fear. Fear of success, fear of loss, fear of failure, and the pain that comes with it. It is the pain of sitting through anxiety and uncertainty. The pain of our upbringing and social conditioning. The pain of our trauma from past experiences. The pain of outdated stories and narratives. It is always something. But at least my clients can name what that pain is; it is why they tend to be some of my best teachers. Once you name it, it gets easy, right?
No. Then you have you to acknowledge what triggers the pain. Where does it come from? What unconscious responses have been deeply ingrained that lead to my pain? What is it that forces us to neglect, numb, put off, hide away, or run when pain creeps in? Who taught us that, and how does it surface? Who would have thought that healing involved becoming intimate with pain in such a way? Paying attention to it. Watching it closely. Feeling when it has arrived, and then, nursing it. Imagine your pain like a small child; it does not need to be fed as much as it needs to be reassured, feel loved and secure. This involves being the adult – being your own parent – and setting some ground rules. It involves taking responsibility for the ways in which you respond to pain. It involves falling into trust. Maybe you don’t believe in a higher power, but I am sure you know the power of kindness. Maybe you find it hard to forgive, but I am sure you know the lightness that forgiveness can bring. Maybe you would prefer to play the role of victim, but I am sure you understand how this only perpetuates the roles of guilt and shame in our lives. Maybe the suggestion to take responsibility for how you respond to pain seems overwhelming. But I am sure you know that once you own your shit, you have the power to heal. Knowledge, and the understanding of such things, makes it easier to fall into trust. It is the kind of trust that reassures, no matter how hard you fall, you will always heal. Check your horoscopes to see what’s in store this week ahead, and don’t forget to read for your Ascendant sign, too. Whatever happened over the weekend courtesy of that Capricorn Full Moon is a precursor to what’s on the horizon come August. We’ve got back to back lunar energy commencing as early as July 23rd, with a New Moon followed by a Lunar Eclipse on August 7th, and a grand Solar Eclipse on August 21st. The Leo/Aquarius axis will be triggered (Aquarius will host the Lunar Eclipse in just a few short weeks), which means topics around creative self-expression and collective innovation will be themes. This could be good, or challenging, and it is where we are headed.
On this day and all days, we each must soldier on in life and death for what is right and just and true. May it be so. In Memoriam ❤
On this Memorial Day, I remember the brave women and men who fought and died for our country; I remember the brave women and men who fought and died for black liberation in our country, a struggle that continues; |
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