All Signs

October is the second month this year (the other being April) where we will see both a lunar and a solar eclipse. On top of that we will be able to enjoy two spectacular meteor showers. And just to throw more energetic and emotional drama into the mix, Mercury will be retrograde from October 4 to 25. Needless to say, this is a lot of astrological activity making for intense emotions, the possibility for things to go “wrong” (such as accidents, car and electronic failure, and miscommunication), and weird or disturbing, yet educational dreams meant to trigger us open from the inside.

However these kinds of events are also an opportunity to tune into and refine our link with the universe/mother earth/the sacred. This means that we have a chance to learn from our past decisions and experiences (whether painful or otherwise) through these astronomical events and the gateways they create on an energetic level.

So, let’s say that this year you decided to plunge into a new adventure/venture, take a chance and do what you dream to do. You have worked hard all year, you are starting to see some modicum of success, and you are feeling positive about the prospects and what you have accomplished. You can envision the future and you dream and plan for that future every day.

Then October comes along. Sales are down, you suddenly feel uninspired, or perhaps you have an accident that means you are not able to work for a period of time.

What is the universe trying to tell you, you ask as you shake your fists heavenward. Just what the heck is going on? You would think that with these celestial alignments and with the success you have already seen that things should go smoothly and you should be gaining momentum instead of having to slow down. Right?

Not necessarily. When these alignments take place, the universe uses them as gateways to facilitate change, which means promoting further work on clearing or changing old patterns, delving into and surfacing deep seeded issues that are currently held in denial, and cracking open the doors of permission to allow soul intent to occupy more space in the psyche, everyday consciousness, and the body.

Sadly, many people succumb to the victim role in this kind of situation, wondering what the universe is doing to them. Some may even find that circumstances get so bad that all they want to do is give up. They can’t see the blessing that these circumstances are actually bestowing upon them.

We live in a world where it is very easy to get caught up in the so called rat race. Where everything we do is quantified, qualified, and judged. We are easily stripped of the joy and beauty that we discover when we first high on the epiphany that we must follow our dreams and we begin to believe that we might actually be able to accomplish them. The world tells us that we must keep going faster and doing more. If we don’t keep up, if we don’t do it like others are doing it, then we are going to miss out, and then what was the point anyway?

The point, my dear friends, is to remember why you started; to keep that dream burning brightly inside you and to trust in it with every fiber of your being. But this means that you also have to listen. There is something you are not hearing that your soul/psyche/body is trying to tell you. Somehow you have gotten off track. Slow down, let the universe show you, or reflect back to you, the core reason for doing what you have set out to do. In doing so you may find that you have to tweak your plans, you may have to eliminate distractions, people, and certain short-term goals that, when you really feel and think about them, have nothing to do with the big picture.

This information applies to any life situation you may be going through. Take a moment to step back and listen, really listen, to the core of your intent. Whether you are in a bad relationship, dealing with a family situation (kids that are out of control, etc.), dealing with a health issue, a job that is draining the life out of you, or any number of other life circumstances, utilize the alignments that are happening this month to hear what your soul, the universe, and the earth are signalling to you. Align your mind, body, and spirit and think from your gut, not your head. Be warned, if you lie to yourself and try to keep going on a path that you “think” is the “right” one, you will end up causing more pain and/or complications for yourself.

Aries – Mar. 21 to Apr. 19

You have a little growing up, or maturing, to do and this time it’s about love. How you express your love, what you think love means to you, and how you receive love. You tend to think that if the object of your affection doesn’t respond the way you would like them to, that they are not actually showing you love. This can be very damaging both for you and your loved one because often those we care about need to express love in ways that is not all mushy gushy and head over heels passionate. Sometimes they have to give us tough love. You don’t like this very much. You think it means that they have turned their back on you, that they don’t care, that they don’t understand, that they are being cruel, or even that you have done something wrong. Being wrong is not the point. In some way or another you need tough love over the next while. Your partner, child, sibling, or parent is trying to get you to see the bigger picture, trying to help you get your head out of your ass, and if you don’t pay attention to what they are trying to tell you, you are just going to end up wallowing in your own self-pity and missing the point.

Taurus – Apr. 20 to May 20

Your focus is too narrow these days. Your mind is too busy sorting in to categories and sub categories, plotting and rearranging. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, except for that  right now it means that you are taking old data and regurgitating it and not leaving any room for new vision. You feel the potential for your ability to really master whatever project or skill you are focussing on. You know that it’s there and it’s so tangible you can almost taste it. However, sifting through old life experiences, old lessons learned, and what other people have told you are “tried and true” methods will not lead you in the right direction. Instead of being analytical with your head, instead of taking one stream of information and trying to pick through it with a fine tooth comb to prove that you know what you’re talking about, you need to fall in love with the whole picture all over again. You need to step back and look at all facets of your creation from your core and remember why you started pursuing it in the first place. What do you love about it? Why did it draw you in? Why have you put so much time and energy into it? Doing this will allow new vision to come into your field and give you inspiration and it will show you that you really know more about what you’re doing than you had any idea.

Gemini – May 21 to Jun. 20

In some way or another you have been released from the chains that bound you. This is either in the form of the responsibility you had toward someone or something, or in the form of someone having direct control over your life and the choices you make. More than likely you did not see that you were bound by these chains, and the reality that they are now gone has sent you into a kind of shock. Now, instead of being excited about the future and the possibilities that await you, you are feeling lost and you have no idea what path you want to take. To deal with this you are going to have to see this new phase in your life as an adventure. You are going to have to let go and allow yourself to wander with the wonderment of a child. There is no right direction at this time because you finally have the ability to discover what it is you want in the first place. Admit it, you don’t really know what you like or dislike, or why. You haven’t given much conscious thought to what you’d like to be “when you grow up.” These are the kinds of decisions you have learned to look to others to make for you. You have been like a chameleon in order to provide yourself with a sense of safety, normalcy, and stability. Now all of that has been taken away from you, and you are going to have to learn how to create them on your own. Remember, adventure is the key word you want to focus on.

Cancer – Jun. 21 to Jul. 22

The next while is all about taking care of yourself, your mind and your body, and learning to work with others to get things done. We have two problems here: first, you don’t like to admit it but you’re not the greatest at taking care of yourself—you like to think you are, but you’re not. And second, you also like to think that you are better at doing things when others are around, the but the fact of the matter is you like to do things your way and you like to tell others how to do it. The first issue is a little hard for you to grasp because it’s not about having the right to demand that you have “down time” with your friends and forget your responsibilities, it’s about being able to get enough sleep, eat properly, and maintain mental balance so that you can get things done. The second is more about your ego. Now is a time of listening and learning for you, and the more people you can engage in learning from, the better. Taking part in projects where you are not the one in charge, where you are merely a cog in the wheel, would be a very good thing for you. And believe it or not, your soul just wants to teach you how to know more, and be more self-assured, from your own creative core.

Leo – Jul. 23 to Aug. 22

Look to your belly, dear Leo. Your sun is shining brightly and you are feeling a bit lighter and brighter these days. You will attract others to you with your enigmatic presence and you will find your ability, once again, to charm a room full of even the worst old biddies. At the same time you are still on an inner pilgrimage self-discovery. This journey has to be taken alone, no one can fill the hole you feel inside but you. This journey is actually a mission to loosen the control factors in your life, to release them physically from your body (wherever you house them in your flesh) and from your mind. Really look at who you interact with and what projects you take on, and why. Do these people and projects feed your soul, or do they suck the life out of you? If it’s the latter, you are going to quickly decide that enough is enough. Purging these people and projects will free up your energy and allow you to truly enjoy the intense and brightly burning fire of your solar plexus.

Virgo – Aug. 23 to Sept. 22

There really is no need for you to continuously compare yourself to others. This kind of thought process has turned into a cyclical mind game you play with yourself, one that you have a hard time stepping out of and leaving behind. You need to shine a light on all the unique and beautiful aspects of yourself and allow yourself to remember your worthiness. No matter how much you think you should, you will never do anything exactly the same as anyone else, and if you did, that would be pretty boring. For now, the only action required of you to deal with this problem is to imagine or pretend that you have a protective shield around your psyche. As much as you can, experience this protective shield and allow it to create a sense of privacy from the rest of the world. Practice doing things simply because you like doing them, not to please anyone else. Practice spending time alone with a good book or perhaps a pen and paper. And when you craft something, or even when your mind wanders, do your best not to call up other data you have collected that you can use as comparison. Let your work stand on its own.

Libra – Sept. 23 to Oct. 22

The universe is inundating you with information, insights, epiphanies, and creative fervour these days, but you are busy struggling with the moral implications. Ahem. Trust your integrity. Inner moral debates are not necessary and only serve to distract you from all the glory you could be experiencing. For some reason you have become afraid to butt heads with the established norm. If you trust your instincts and your innate integrity, you will just know when something is not appropriate to talk about. However, appropriateness is not the focus. If what you think and/or have come to understand causes a ruckus, well then perhaps it’s meant to shake up the beliefs and conditioned social etiquette responses of others. Hmmm? Perhaps it would help if you deliver the information if you take on the persona of your favourite character or favourite actor? Or maybe you should write a story and weave into the plot line the lessons you would like to depart to your fellow humans? The point is, sometimes using a creative venue can soften the blow.

Scorpio – Oct. 23 to Nov. 21

Think of that vast space where we all exist as nothingness, where the spark of life that eventually became you in the flesh here on this planet, was born. Think of the multitude of planets and stars and galaxies and moons. Think of all of the possibilities and the love that you have, as a creator being without the ego of your human mind, for the moment to moment creation of everything. Cause and effect. Seed and 3,000 year old cedar. Humanity and its dramas and joys and potential. Bring that love into your every day and allow ecstasy to seep into your life. Try not to think too far into the future, try not to get so wound up that your stomach hurts and you think you’re going to get an ulcer. Try to stay in the moment and keep your heart open.

Sagittarius – Nov. 22 to Dec. 21

Though it really might not look like it to others, you are on an inward path these days. What with your ability to blend into any social situation and to be the centre of attention at any party, others may believe that you are perhaps a little superficial or shallow; they have no external clues to indicate that you are on this inward journey. However, it isn’t just inwardly that you are travelling. You do have bug in your pants and your feet are itchy to wander. In both directions, inwardly and externally, you are moving toward a destination where time meets up with readiness. A circle is coming complete. A cycle is drawing to a close. A puzzle needs the last piece. There is an opportunity for you to feel whole and complete, to realize a long-cultivated dream, even if it felt eternally out of reach. Let your feet guide you, in both your imagination and in your bodied self. Respond to the itch to travel, learn, and discover. Magical moments of synchronicity are waiting to happen.

Capricorn – Dec. 22 to Jan. 19

Even if it scares the crap out of you, state your truth. Your real truth, not the antagonistic, ego centric opinions you have about others. Justice is ringing a loud and clear bell within you these days. You see and experience situations that are wrong and damaging to others and you feel you ought to say something. Follow that instinct. It’s okay to use tact and to choreograph your intervention, but don’t give up. Magic is waiting for you through the accomplishment of such tasks. Not only in an external, “wow this is awesome and I never saw this coming” kind of way, but also through the discovery of the power of your integrity. You often feel rage at injustice but you know that in the past you haven’t handled dealing with it very well. You have a tendency to either suddenly withdraw or, conversely, lash out and create a scene. Don’t worry, you will learn to hone your methods to acts of graceful and effective lashings that bring light and dialogue to situations that were too long hidden in darkness.

Aquarius – Jan. 20 to Feb. 18

Are you feeling like you are stuck in a rut? Do you have the equivalent of writer’s block? You were expecting something brilliant, weren’t you? Expecting the epiphany of all epiphanies to come along and illuminate the path to success? Well, be patient. Perhaps you are looking in all the wrong places. What if, instead of looking for inspiration in the outer world, you tried looking inward? This of course would require some alone-time where you are not distracting yourself with a million different gadgets or to-do lists, but I know you can do it. You need to learn to put your mind on pause and listen to the world around you. Sometimes you spend so much time charging ahead, you forget to turn around every once in a while and appreciate the roads you have travelled.

Pisces – Feb. 19 to Mar. 20

You have a lot of questions that don’t seem to have answers. The world looks a little bit big and scary and it’s made all the scarier because you know you have to make some changes to your life. These changes are not a bad thing, the problem is that you don’t know what they are yet. However, you have made assumptions based on choices and decisions you have made in the past. The power of these changes comes from the moon. Your ability to listen to what they really are and act from your core, comes from the slow and steady rebirth of your soul within your flesh. When you were a child, you were wide open. Your imagination was your playground and you revelled in the inner knowledge you had that magic does exist. Over time that knowledge becomes harder and harder to hold onto, and thus the moment-to-moment daily connection you had with your source-self waned and became a place of refuge you run to when times get tough. But your soul wants your permission to once again house more space within your flesh, to return magic and wonder to every part of your life. My advice? Don’t spend too much time worrying about what you’re supposed to do next. Follow your feelings and instincts and let the universe do the rest.