Self-Help
The Paradigm Shift Of An Awakening World
Most people respond more strongly to negative than they do to positive news or events. No matter how hard some of us may try to live with grace and gratitude by looking at the brighter side of life, a piece of bad news, malignant gossip, or fear-inducing information is a lot easier to run with than good news. We also react to someone else’s bad behavior much more strongly than their good conduct. We seldom praise or sincerely compliment, but we are quick to judge and criticize.
Case in point is my own experience working as the curator at fine art galleries some years ago. Ten clients would be nice and easy to please, but if the eleventh person was having a bad day they would be the one to get most of my attention. I’ve since gotten a lot better at being able to tune out the negativity and drama resulting from low vibrational frequencies, but it still remains impossible for me not to be affected by it from time to time.
Due to our innate survival instinct as humans beings we are simply incapable of ignoring negativity – or in a more enlightened scope, not give energy to it. This is understandable, as our first instinct is usually to protect ourselves by knowing if bad things may be happening.
But, so many people seem to absolutely thrive on every possible fragment of negativity, fear or drama they can find. From messy family quarrels, feuds with neighbors, and rude, unkind behavior in public places, to the brutal, senseless wars that continue to be fought since time immemorial. Every bit of it is and has been based on human reactions to slights, hurts and trespasses – some of it petty and even imagined.
Astrology Forecast October 3 – 9, 2022
Today’s Capricorn Moon should make for a highly productive and progressive day, so keep your nose to the grindstone as it will pay off handsomely!
If you lack the drive and motivation to make most of today’s energy, the Capricorn Moon’s trine with Uranus in Taurus will support us this morning with its energies of increased ambition, focus, attentiveness, and creativity. Don’t allow the usual humdrum to weight you down…there are always new and original ways to get things done!
The productive, determined approach will be especially wise today, because tomorrow and Wednesday could be fraught with interruptions, distractions and unexpected changes courtesy of the Aquarius Moon.
To make matters worse around midday on Wednesday, the Aquarius Moon’s square with Uranus in Taurus, as well as its conjunction with Saturn in Aquarius, may cause people to be difficult, uncooperative, moody and irritable, so it will be challenging to keep ourselves and others motivated. Do not give in to negative thinking or self-pity. And, if there is currently tension at home with your significant other, Wednesday will definitely not be the best time to try and resolve it.
Thursday and Friday should also unfold relatively smoothly under the Pisces Moon, but with the Moon preparing to wax full in Aries on Sunday, we may experience some unusual and synchronistic circumstances. Full Moons usually carry a few surprises with them as they near fullness, and this one will most likely be no exception. For example, you might run into a long-lost friend, or find hidden money while looking for something else!
Venus will go direct on Saturday after six weeks of retrograde motion, restoring a sense of peace and balance to our worlds.
Sunday’s Aries Full Moon also signals a time of release, so for the next two weeks, we will want to focus on letting go of anything that is draining our energy or slowing our movement.
Make It Happen Every Day
We have the ultimate ability to forge our own spiritual path in this lifetime, regardless of perceived limitations. As life is lived, important karmic lessons are learned and it is always your free will choice as to how fully you embrace your surroundings and opportunities.
Your experiences will depend on the lessons you choose to learn, the people with whom you interact and the ultimate goals you envision achieving.
To make the most of this incredible journey, spirit invites us to implement the following strategies:
Learn from all your experiences. Rejoice in the ability to create your reality and celebrate your successes, but do not judge your mistakes, nor your supposed failings. Reframe it instead into lessons.
Rejoice in all accomplishments. Even the smallest achievements lead to much greater opportunities. Never criticize your lack of visible success.
Lead by example. Be your best self today and encourage others to do the same for themselves.
Be kind to yourself. Aim for personal balance so that you can give more freely to others.
Be of service. Give so that your heart becomes truly free. Take giant strides in life and make your mark with love and integrity. Don’t let life pass you by.
Evaluate carefully. Think and make wise choices. Step back from the precipice of judgment long enough to gain solid insight before making a definitive move. You are much stronger than you realize. When confusion reigns, ask spirit for support and guidance.
Astrological Highlights October 2022
Prepare yourself for a whole lot of cosmic activity this month, including the annual Dark of the Moon, a Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius on Tuesday, October 25th, and Mars going retrograde in Gemini on Halloween weekend.
Mars Retrograde In Gemini
This year, the October Full Moon is on Sunday, October 9th in the sign of Aries. With Mars in Gemini in its pre-retrograde shadow period at this time, it will pack a powerful punch! Mars will go retrograde in Gemini on October 30th, which will last until January 12th, 2023.
Mars is all about fire and action, and Gemini about speed and intense energy. Be careful of over-indulgences and aggressive behaviors. Think twice before you speak and act. Don’t jawbone yourself by talking too much. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
Mars retrograde is fun and exciting. Hectic, but fun. It inspires us to get involved in projects or with people that we normally would not even consider. While all this activity is not permanent (it rarely lasts longer than ten months), it is a very productive period.
One day, you will find yourself remembering these periods as some of the most exciting and happiest times of your life. Enjoy it while it lasts, and don’t take it all too seriously. It will be worth the time and effort you invested.
In late December, we also enter the Mercury retrograde pre-shadow period which lasts through January 2023.
The Powerful Magic Inside
Every human being has powerful magic inside, and part of my job is to teach people how to use that magical energy. I understand the term ‘magic’ is somewhat of a loaded word, so let me re-frame it. Jesus called if faith and told us that with a small amount of faith we can move mountains. Buddha called it thought manifestation and explained that our conscious thought produces our reality.
How we focus our energy will eventually manifest in one way or another in our lives. For some people this implies ‘darkness’ or ‘evil.’ Darkness does exist, but I believe that it exists only as a catalyst to increase our vibrational frequency if we are ready to do so.
My personal belief is that darkness cannot ‘stick’ if there is nothing for it to stick to. This is why, when discussing lower vibrational frequencies, the best action is to increase your vibration. In my view there is really no war of light versus dark, or good versus evil. We can turn on the lights and then if there is something that needs to be cleaned up, we can clean it up. The darkness does not struggle when the lights come on. It just goes away.
For nearly all problematic circumstances our primary goal should be to change our consciousness and increase our vibrational frequency. It is quite rare that we are we taught to use this magic in everyday life.
There have been many spiritual teachers that have talked about it in the past, as I stated above. Jesus had enough magic (faith) to walk on water and Buddha could exert his magic (consciousness) to tame a wild elephant.
Receiving Spiritual Guidance From Your Ancestors
The ancient tradition of ancestor worship is a powerful, yet often misunderstood spiritual practice. It is typically viewed as a form of idolatry, mainly because of the inaccurate use of the term ‘worship.’
In truth most cultures practicing such rites do not refer to it as ‘ancestor worship.’ The more appropriate terms to use is ‘ancestor reverence’ or ‘ancestor veneration,’ because it is about living descendants paying respect to and seeking the guidance of their loved ones in spirit.
It is a common practice among indigenous people and an integral component of most shamanic traditions. It is not the same as the worship of gods or deities.
In fact, as a spiritual practice it is not much different from looking at old pictures of departed loved ones and rememembering them fondly. We might even tell them how we miss them or share our problems with them. Some of us have even asked them to help us find solutions to problems, or pull a few strings on our behalf from the Other Side.
Although I cannot say I have any special reverence for my ancestors, I do respect them for all the trials and tribulations they experienced while they were in this life. In my ancestral lineage there were courageous prisoner-of-war experiences, the conquering of grievous setbacks and material harships, and even suicides, to mention but a few. Several of my predecessors had truly unique, and even exceptional life stories that still dwell in my cellular memories.
The ancestral technique I use in my spiritual practice is similar to that of the Yoruba people of West Africa. My greatest connection is with my father, and he is the one I communicate with daily in the Yoruba fashion. You can create an altar or sacred space in your home for this purpose.
Less Is More When They ‘Know It All’
Some people just don’t like to hear the truth. Do you also know people who seem to avoid you, because they know you’re potentially going to say it like it is? They recognize you as a person who speaks the truth based on plain common sense.
I have known people who have very little common sense and really do not want help, advice, guidance or direction from anyone. They know it all. That is just the way it is with them. The ego can make us not want to take honest advice, and thus we do not have the advantage of learning and growing with help from others who may have more experience or wisdom. I have learned the fine art of silence when I am around these people. I feel awkward, because those who know what I do for a living realize that they are pretty much transparent in my eyes, when they are around me.
I especially have a very hard time when I am around certain people, because you see the damage they are doing to themselves and others. You want to share a better way with them, but you have to let them follow their own path. It may seem like an unnecessary struggle for them, but maybe they are supposed to go through all that pain and heartache. It may be a part of their unique spiritual journey towards soul growth.
Protect your energy by knowing when to practice the art of silence with people who ‘know it all.’ You can’t resonate with everyone, and it is especially pointless if they don’t appreciate it. Why use up all that precious energy if they are only going to be disrespectful?
