Rising from the detritus.

All Signs

It would be great if all we needed to do to realize our dreams and beat the forces of “evil” that are out there in the world was to stay positive, be light and cheery, and not let anything get us down. But the truth of the matter is that forcing ourselves to be perpetually happy, upbeat, and positive can actually be a form of denial. Things are not always okay, and there are definitely times when being positive is not going to suddenly turn things around and make a bad situation come up roses. Sometimes we need to face the deep, dark, painful truths about our lives and the world at large so that the pain is acknowledged, felt, and thus can be transformed into something better, into the new growth that shoots up from the detritus of our lives.

Over the next couple of weeks there are many of us that will have a hard time staying upbeat. We will feel the pull of depression, feel defeated by the world, and moving forward with plans or even getting up in the morning will seem hopeless.

Instead of responding to these feelings by trying to ignore them, put on the mask of a happy face and pretend that we don’t feel the intensity of emotion weighing on our hearts, the best thing we can do is to have courage to dive into the sorrow or pain.

What is your sorrow trying to tell you? It has a message that it is desperately trying to bring to your consciousness. Whatever part of you that is suffering needs to be acknowledged in order to heal. The more you turn away, the more this pain or sorrow is going to grow and push in desperation and eventually it will surface any way it can. This could be in the form of a sudden explosion of anger for no apparent reason, your plans suddenly disintegrating, friends turning their back on you, and the world generally seeming to be against you.

What wants to blossom out of the cathartic release created by allowing yourself to feel your pain and sorrow, is the reward of true ecstasy. By this I mean that once you have delved in and allowed yourself to push through to the other side, feeling whatever your body, heart, and soul are trying to get you to feel, you will find yourself refreshed in the light of closer friendships, a deeper sense of meaning and purpose, and a genuine feeling of happiness and peace.

So if you don’t feel like getting out of bed, if the day just won’t brighten and you can’t turn your perspective around to being positive, stop fighting and surrender. Take the time and space you need to really listen to all that your feelings are telling you. Allow yourself to cry. Create sacred space to release your anger. And release the chaos within so that it may re-amalgamate into coherency.

Aries – Mar. 21 to Apr. 19

Trust in the moment. Take each day hour by hour and minute by minute. There is no plan right now, there is no way to see the future with any clarity, so let the little things become your universe. You are taking life too seriously these days. You are fighting the playful child within you, the one that looks at the world with eyes of wonder, who can pick up a rock and imagine it’s origins and contemplate the grandness of the universe through its weight in the palm of your hand. All you can do is surrender to the energy of creativity as it flows from your heart, down your arms, and manifests out into the world. Take joy in the little things, the minute details. Get lost in them like they are your whole world. In this way you can calm the beast within you that wants to charge ahead and get things done faster than anyone else, and who always seems to make mistakes. In this way you can teach the beast that your fulfillment is all about quality, not quantity.

Taurus – Apr. 20 to May 20

New possibilities are opening up to you, have you noticed? And do you know why? Take a minute to look at your own energy field, to become aware of the state of your body and your emotions. You are shining like a bright star. All the many facets of yourself have been given permission to dance out into the world uninhibited. You have not done this consciously, rather it has just occurred. In fact you’ve been riding on this energy of self-assuredness and self-confidence for a while and at the back of your mind you’ve been silently wondering where all this energy and pizzaz came from. There is nothing you need to do right now except acknowledge the logic of your inner harmony. Become aware of the actions you have taken, the internal work you have done, and the people you have in your life that have brought you to such a place of ease and synergy.

Gemini – May 21 to Jun. 20

Through sharing with friends and loved ones you will allow yourself to feel emotions that you have kept buried and in the dark. Feeling is the best thing you can do for yourself right now. Letting it all out and exposing your vulnerability to those who care about you will offer new solutions and restore your faith in humanity. Admitting that you don’t know what’s going on, which way to turn, and that you have no idea how to gauge the needs of others because you’ve been wrapped up in your own little world will restore balance to your life. Your mind has been in full conspiracy theorist mode and has worked overtime to create a protective shell around your heart and soul. You don’t want anyone to penetrate this shell and expose your underbelly. But by engaging the innocent within you, by looking at the world through eyes that are free of preconceived beliefs, you wipe the slate clean and see things as they really are. The reality waiting for you is much more full of love, joy, and cooperation than you now allow yourself to believe.

Cancer – Jun. 21 to Jul. 22

The guilt you’ve been feeling about not doing things the way that other expect you to is also a signal to listen to your own inner rhythms and seasons. You are learning that you are a person of the night, you are a deeply creative being whose passion is most crystal clear when you are bathed in starlight. You try to ignore this part of yourself. You try to fit in and live up to the potential that others see in you, instead of living up to the potential you see in yourself. The world has very narrow cultural perceptions of what it means to succeed and what it means to express one’s self creatively. You are a being that fights against this narrow minded thinking. You want to break free of the confines of classification. And the best way to get rid of the guilt that you feel about not doing things the way others want you to is to begin to do them exactly how you know to do them. Make no excuses. Pattern your life accordingly. Stay up late with paintbrush in hand and howl at the moon. Then make sure to get proper rest the next day and that doing so doesn’t conflict with plans you have made to keep others, and the world at large, satisfied.

Leo – Jul. 23 to Aug. 22

Listen to your inner voice right now, Leo. It is whispering the tantalizing invitation to take yourself on an adventure. You will be exploding onto the stage of your own life over the next while. Things will become quite busy; you will always have something on the go. And this is how it should be. You are going to be filled with purpose, with desire, and with intent. You know that the purpose is higher than yourself and this is what gives you the desire and the intent. You can feel your soul quickening in your chest. You can feel the pulse of the universe in your veins. Just make sure that along with all of the outward expression and energy that you keep your inner ears attuned to your soul or Source Self. This voice is vital right now. It will guide you and keep your integrity intact. Remember, this voice does not come from your head, but from that fiery, golden centre that is your solar plexus.

Virgo – Aug. 23 to Sept. 22

You’ve got a burning creative fire within you. You can feel it every minute of every day. When you’re lying on the couch, when you scrolling through your Facebook feed on your phone, and when you’re doing everything you can to ignore it. Well, it’s not so much that you’re ignoring it, it’s more that you are too lazy to get off your butt and find a way to express it. You are hoarding this creative energy all to yourself because you think that if you set it free, it will disperse into the atmosphere and you will lose it forever. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are only causing yourself undue stress by keeping this creativity trapped and by not acting on the impulses that it gives you. So stop postponing the inevitable and show yourself that you have true integrity by setting this creativity free, by allowing yourself to feel passionate and showing the world this passion.

Libra – Sept. 23 to Oct. 22

Turn the light of your third eye inward. Allow it to illuminate your inner world. Shine that light around inside the painted caves of your subconscious. What do you see? What adventures can you take yourself on? And what will you learn about who you are and the path that you are walking at this time in your life? Well for one thing, you will be reminded of the endless patience you carry. You are not afraid to wait until the world is ready to face itself. You allow others to be exactly who they are and you do not try to rush them into becoming fully conscious before they are ready. You will also be reminded that you like, and are good at, the art of play. A hearty laugh, good food, time with family and friends, being silly for silly’s sake. All of these things are essential to the health of your heart and mind, but sometimes you forget that this is so because you get lost in the seriousness of the world. Face the challenge of growth that is being presented to you at this time. Think outside your own box, and do things that are outside of your comfort zone. Look at those painted images on the walls of your inner caves and act upon what they are telling you.

Scorpio – Oct. 23 to Nov. 21

You are full of intensity these days. You are full of fire and passion and will. But this intensity is also making you feel a little crazy. Sometimes you don’t know if you’re coming or going, you don’t know if the thoughts you are thinking are just the intrusions of your mind or if they are actually stemming from your inner knowing. And sometimes you don’t know that you should stop and question “who exactly is speaking?”. A healing wants to take place, though. This fiery passion and intensity needs to be quelled somewhat. You need to pull back on the accelerator and trust in the magic of ordinary life, of every day moments. I know that the push, push, push comes from fear of failure, from worry and anxiety that has dug itself into your gut. However, you aren’t going to get where you need to be by being stressed out all the time. Remember to enjoy the moment by staying grounded in the now, and to feel yourself in your body. The passion and intensity are actually causing you to dance around, and never truly delve into, the part of you that knows and is the master of your own reality. Have the courage to acknowledge this part of yourself and to become tuned into the frequency of yourself instead of just being the static that obscures the image.

Sagittarius – Nov. 22 to Dec. 21

Right now, life is all about trusting the universe. You don’t feel the need to push in any particular direction, you have faith that everything is going to work out in the end, and you are full of life and vitality, being both lost and found on the inner plains. Utilize this time to allow healing to take place in your heart and mind, and to find who you are as a master (expert) through playfulness. Trust your instincts, don’t think too much about tomorrow, and experiment. Don’t conform to the rules, instead stay attuned to your inner integrity and the Mother energy that resides within you. Do what you know is best, and screw popular consensus. You have much to give this world, and the fact that the world doesn’t quite yet understand the value of what you have to give is only proof that it is all the more powerful. The universe is on your side.

Capricorn – Dec. 22 to Jan. 19

You are seeking for a way to reinvent yourself. You are ready for change, you are bored with the status quo, and you want to see what you are capable of becoming if you are challenged with new circumstances. But you are in a holding pattern. Do you know why? There are pieces of the puzzle of your current life that you have not yet found and put into place. In order to feel complete and have the energy to create the circumstances required to move on and go through a transformative rebirth, you need to become fully present with the thick, muddy waters of your current life. You need to really feel the slow down, the guck in your mouth, nose and lungs. You need to identify the energies that are creating this guck, who is causing it (you) and absorb this information into your consciousness. If there is anything left in denial, if you try to move to fast without becoming conscious of the reasons for the stagnation in your life, you will only cause yourself to repeat mistakes and create more trauma to yourself and to others.

Aquarius – Jan. 20 to Feb. 18

You are fighting your own consciousness right now. You are thrashing against the movement and change that wants to take place. Your soul is making waves, it is creating circumstances in your life that you cannot ignore, and it will push you into an explosion of energy that announces your magnificence to the world whether you like it or not. You are aware that you need to start building something or launch into a project. You are aware that whatever this is that you know to do involves the participation of others who are kindred to you. You probably don’t know them yet, but you do know that you are afraid of falling in love with them, you are afraid of the messiness of love and the fact that this time love is not about personal possession, but about letting go and letting be with full acceptance. You have once again dug in your heels. You have decided that you are not going to open your heart because you don’t want to get hurt. But that’s just not the way life works. You are eventually going to be tempted by the beauty of the potential creation within you that is waiting to birth, and you will surrender to all that it will bring into your life.

Pisces – Feb. 19 to Mar. 20

For quite some time you have felt like somewhere along the line you lost your way. The powerful, magic believing self that you were as a child or early adolescent seems to have faded away to be replaced by someone who is unsure and constantly walking on eggshells because you think the world won’t accept you. But you’ve had enough and the inner priestess within you is being reborn. You are experiencing a springtime of the soul and you have many blossoms that are unfurling and throwing their scent to the wild west wind. You are done comparing yourself to others and you have learned that the only perception you can rely upon is the truth you feel in your gut and in your dreams. Use the psychic capacities you hold to be the rebel. Speak, paint, write, carve, dance, sing, or bead what you see. Don’t hold back. Trust what you have to say because no one else is saying it. You are speaking for those who don’t have a voice, for those energies of pain and sorrow that have not yet been acknowledged and analyzed by the world. You have learned that it doesn’t matter if people like what you have to say, you are still going to say it because it matters.