More current astrology, Virgo/Pisces, the “retro” trend, Qigong Healingfest, labeling GMOs, and Conception Day 2012

Our present Mars in Virgo cycle initiates a time where men (and the masculine principle) align themselves as allies to the Earth (and feminine principle). Virgo has the ability to perceive of, create ceremony around, and otherwise evoke and work magically with, the sacred aspect of matter, with the Soul of the Earth–the re-emerging Goddess.

What might this mean for our Earth and human community? I see it as a rapid increase in technologies and ecological design systems to assist the global human community in transitioning to an era of harmony with Earth systems. Virgo is skillful at navigating and calibrating/recalibrating complex natural (ecological, physiological) as well as technological systems.

I see this also a time where  many of us, (and especially men), are stepping away from careers that simply pay the bills, or support the family, so as to pursue the sacred work that only we can fully contribute. Right livelihood is a fundamental need for Virgo. Work that can make a difference, that can bring greater balance to a world in transition.

This also represents a time where we are learning to release our focus on how others perceive of us, and how our actions place us in the social hierarchy (Mars has completed its most recent cycle in Leo). Instead, we are learning to engage in our work from the place of the devoted craftsman/woman–committed to delivering the most masterful expression of our art; not for applause, but for love of the craft itself.

The Goddess Breaking Barriers

After crossing the 5th Gate (Moon conjunction) last Saturday and becoming fully empowered at the 5th Chakra, the Goddess (Venus), currently in the sign of Aries, was exactly opposite Saturn (Libra 29) early this morning.

Life circumstances have been pushing many of us (especially women) to take a stand for our own truth, what we know and believe, and what we are capable of. The 5th Chakra is where we find our fundamental truth, and it is also where we give our word, setting our intentions in the world.

When we are more accustomed to staying small and adjusting ourselves to meet the needs of others, it can be terrifying to stand up and assert our right to be. It is tremendously courageous to take a stand, to be willing to claim our own personal power, vision, and capacity, and move from that place.

In these situations, many of us are finding that we must call on Spirit for assistance, and to claim and embody our higher selves. We must be willing to bluff our way through when we are not quite “there” yet,  acting as though we are valuable, smart, capable, worthy, until we begin to believe it ourselves.

With Saturn in the picture, we are stretching ourselves through conscious effort, and are really feeling the growth pains. Our triumphs, big and small, are not simply handed to us. We earn them. It is the act of pushing through barriers and resistance (often more  inner than outer), that we gain the muscle to show up more and more in our lives, and in the world.

Early Monday morning Mercury is conjunct Uranus in the first of 3 conjunctions over the next month. This portends an energizing time, where we are able to access the boldest, most visionary ideas and perceptions. We are waking up to the new visions of possibility and imagination that will lead us through the remainder of the year.

Mercury represents Collective Mind, and it is in need of a serious reboot. Uranus triggering Mercury so powerfully at this time is the electrifying wake up call we all need. This is the time for us to tune into our intuition, and to take embodied action in the direction of our most invigorating vision.

It is a time to let go of phrases like–it’s impossible (because it’s never happened before). It’s inevitable (because those with the greatest power tell us repeatedly that it is so.) It is too hard (because we have not quite gained enough momentum yet) Throw those old ideas out the window. We are here as revolutionaries of the Heart, destined to overthrowing the old habits of mind, destined to create a new paradigm.

Calling all visionaries, change agents, radical healers, and beauty makers–now is our time to shine, and to step forward.  Have you felt frustrated, meeting barriers as you try to affect change? Does it feel like humanity is moving far too slowly in the direction of sanity and Earth care? Remember the principle of momentum, and ready yourselves.

All that we have been dreaming, and visioning is taking form at a rapid pace, and our job over the coming months will be to ground ourselves enough to flow with the accelerated change, with as much ease as possible. We have been learning the rhythm of the Earth’s heartbeat, and entraining ourselves to that. Let the wild rumpus begin!

If your circle of influence includes visionaries, healers, change agents, artists, pioneers, agents of conscious evolution, way showers, and lovers of humanity, The Shift Network together with the entire 2012 Welcoming committee invite you to share a free ticket to Conception Day 2012 – live, virtual, and global – March 22, 2012.

Imagine 100 million of us gathering in a shared commitment to birth a healthy, sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world.  We can achieve this goal with your help!  Invite your community to celebrate locally, find co-creators, and unleash our unique geniuses for this collective campaign.

# 3 – For you animal lovers out there, another great story with a happy ending…

http://www.care2.com/causes/pups-left-in-laundry-basket-in-shopping-plaza-rescuers-swoop-in.html

Plus an interesting video with some beautiful big cats and a couple of breeds I’d never seen…

http://www.care2.com/causes/big-cats-mirror-funny-video.html

# 4 – An invitation from Chris Flisher at Turning of the Wheel about his program tomorrow at 11am EST on the current astrological “retro trend”…

We are about to be immersed in the power of three major planets in retrograde motion.  Mars has been in reverse since the end of January, Saturn started to high-tail it backwards in the beginning of February and now little Mercury will toss it all away and waltz backwards aiming towards Uranus.  This could actually be quite a mess for the planet.  Mercury retrograde conjunct Uranus typically spells natural unrest.  Where does it affect you in your chart?  How will this affect you this month?  How do we prepare?What are the best strategies for such a backwards pull?  Listen as my good friend and colleague Sharita and I discuss this ominous cosmic event.  Call-ins welcome the  second half of show.Call with your questions. Where do these planets fall in your chart? Free readings in the second half of the show. Listen, learn, evolve!

Call-ins welcome the second half of show.

http://ctrhotspot.com/profile/ChrisFlisherHOST?xg_source=profiles_featuredList&utm_source=%22You+Are+So+Retro%22+with+Sharita+Star&utm_campaign=Chris+Flisher&utm_medium=email

# 5- Interested in telling the FDA to label foods containing GMOs, etc.? Here’s an easy way to let your voice be heard…

http://justlabelit.org/take-action/

# 6- Even though the full moon was officially yesterday, this article contains information and insights that are always going to be pertinent…

Virgo Full Moon Reflections:
The Editor
by April Elliott Kent

As a writer, I’ve worked with my share of editors. I’ve appreciated every one of them. A couple of them, I’ve downright loved.

The editors I’ve loved working with have had something important in common.Their focus was on what was right with my work, instead of what was wrong with it. I mean, eventually we got around to refining the disjointed thoughts and cleaning up the sentences that occasionally trailed off without any ending at all. In this, they were every bit as exacting as their job required. But the process began with their enthusiasm for the best of my writing, followed by coaching designed to help me bring the rest of it up to the same level.

All this is soothing for the writer’s ego, of course. But there’s also a practical lesson in there for any of us who find ourselves in a position of critiquing others, as parents, bosses, coaches, or even friends: most of the time, high standards combined with encouragement inspires better results than criticism alone.

The Full Moon in Virgo – especially this one, with the Moon conjoined prickly Mars in Virgo, and Mercury square Pluto – is a good time to meditate on one of the keywords commonly associated with Virgo: criticism. Virgo’s criticism is a consequence of two other keyword qualities, discrimination and discernment. Like its opposite sign, Pisces, Virgo is idealistic, embracing dreams of perfection – but Virgo can be a bit pessimistic about the capacity of mere mortals to live up to these ideals.

While Pisces is blessed with the ability to overlook imperfection, Virgo is tasked with seeing each failing that stands between us and the vision. Sometimes, it must be said, Virgo indulges in negative criticism; the world is full of faults and mediocrity, and Virgo’s inability to ignore these things can turn her into a cranky scold. But sometimes, Virgo criticizes because she is enraptured by a vision of greatness that lies only a few punctuation marks away.

My mother was born with the Moon in Virgo. When I tell astrologers this, they tsk-tsk – “You poor thing!” they say, imagining a childhood spent practicing hospital corners and declining verbs under the supervision of a scowling prison matron. It’s true that Mom’s standards for us were high. Get good grades. Be polite. Always do your best. Be the bigger person. These were hard to live up to, and when we were small and learning these lessons, Mom was tough, and tolerated nothing less than our best effort.

Expectations like these could be pretty rough coming from someone who doesn’t like you and has little hope that her opinion will improve with prolonged exposure. But luckily (and perhaps this is the influence of her Venus in Pisces peeking through), Mom made us feel that she really liked us. And even when she scolded, she prefaced her comments with something like, “I know you’re better than that.” Even when we really, truly weren’t.

Mom used to say that most people behave just about the way you expect them to behave. If you treat them as though you assume they’ll do the right thing, then they will go out of their way to prove you right. I never figured out whether she was right about this, or whether she was just a really good judge of character and surrounded herself with diamonds in the rough. But for whatever reason, for more than three decades, I watched the unlikeliest people blossom in her presence. People loved her – not just because she was friendly and funny, but because she made them feel like better people than they had ever imagined they could be.

I thought of Mom when a Virgo friend posted about honesty one day on Facebook. She wrote something like, “People think that being honest means criticizing people for everything that’s wrong about them. But I believe honesty means that when someone is really wonderful, or has done something amazing, then I should tell them that.”

I like this perspective. My friend was not advocating that we massage others with condescending, Hallmark sentimentality. Rather, it’s a reminder that criticism doesn’t have to be brutal, and that the ability to perceive the faults that prevent others from being great is no more important than the ability to make them believe that they are capable of greatness at all.

If you find yourself in a position of being someone’s “editor,” I propose beginning not with a litany of errors and failings, but with a vision of what she might become – and more importantly, the ideal she envisions for herself. What if everything were to come together in just the right way – if she found the true center of herself, committed to the hard work of being and doing better, of humbly serving her vision? What would her paradise look like?

And how can you help her get there?

©  2012 April Elliott Kent

# 7 – And don’t forget that Monday the Spring Forest Healingfest sponsored by Learning Strategies begins. Check one of my previous posts for details about this exciting event.

Enjoy and have a great weekend, “Zippy”

And don’t forget to stop by my “What’s New” page for more tips, picks and free stuff!