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Today, Sun is at 11 degrees Pisces, while Saturn is retrograde at 11 degrees Scorpio.  The two "planets" are separated by a 120 degree trine, something that only happens twice each year.

Saturn can be thought of as the Parent, while Sun would be the Child.

Saturn in Scorpio tends toward a ruthless, totally-honest process of tearing down and cutting away that which no longer serves our overall karmic evolution.  Sun in Pisces tends toward taking risks in response to a childlike desire to test the forbidden.  Together, there is a willingness to let go of the old and tired, and to welcome the new and adventurous.

This transit is at its peak today and will wane over the next several days.  At this moment of maximum influence, we're given a chance to return to our childhoods, when perhaps we just wanted to be kids -- to run free, play in the street, create a world that adults would never understand -- but we were also under the control of well-meaning adults who felt it their duty to mold us into a set of rules and regulations.  We're prodded to look into this dynamic, and to find love for both the parent and the child.

Are we still kicking and screaming, resisting our parents' efforts to shepherd us into adulthood?  Has the inner-child -- who says, "Look at me, Daddy!" -- been buried under the weight of responsibility?

An interesting thing to remember is that, as life rolls along, the Elder Leader (Saturn) gradually returns to a more childlike state.  This archetype slowly drops its need to control, becoming more tolerant, patient and curious as life's lessons take hold.  As time goes by, Saturn becomes more Sun-like, such that, as we revisit the old rivalry between the two, we begin to notice that they're now on the same team.

On this day, we're encouraged to allow ourselves to play, no matter how solid the boundaries around us.  We have permission to bend the rules a little -- eat some ice cream at lunch, maybe cut away from work an hour or two early, take the long way home.

Being that it's Friday, we may just want to get the weekend started a little early.

No work this weekend, only play.



 
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If you're like me, you're feeling a bit lost in space these days.

While you'd love to settle in and ground yourself in the moment, the larger part of you is swimming in an unfamiliar body of water -- like you've never been here before, you have no map, and no one seems to know how to get there from here.

Your being wants to disconnect from it all, to float free and allow some Greater Intelligence to guide and direct you -- but who can afford to do that?

There's rent to pay, groceries to buy, meetings to attend, deadlines to satisfy.  We're mired in collective economic distress -- we can't just let go from the sense of control we think we have... right?

Well, it's not like we have any choice in the matter.

These past few days, the planet Saturn (time and structure) is in an exact 120-degree aspect with Neptune (timelessness and a wild abandonment of structure).

We are ALL dealing with distortions in the space-time continuum.

We are ALL questioning our grip on things.

And, especially, we are ALL challenged to be okay with this set of circumstances.

We're asked to allow this review of our basic beliefs.  We're asked to consider, in an open-minded way, different options for negotiating the unfoldment of our lives.  We are, in fact, prodded to release from our need to control things, and to TRUST that these underlying shifts and turns will eventually place us in an optimal position in this life.

Our human family is collectively working it out.  We, as individuals, DO have a role to play.  A new and improved reality IS in the offing.

We must, however, practice patience.  There's no point in jumping from one neurotic action to another -- we just spin our wheels when we do that, we waste our energy, and (in the end) we experience intense resistance when we could just as easily experience the music of FLOW....

My advice -- to myself and others -- is to listen to the still, small voice inside, which strongly suggests that we follow a shared urge toward contemplation.

We need to curl up with a book.

We need to pray.

We need to check-in with our bodies, breath into the painful spots, allow PNEUMA to trigger relaxation and healing.

We need to release from the self-imposed expectations that rob us of the present moment.

We need to free ourselves into timelessness -- and in this freedom, we will learn what it is to function at a high level... regardless....

After all... this, too, shall pass....

 
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In two days' time, transiting Sun will travel into an exact 90 degree squared connection with Jupiter.  Twice a year we encounter this aspect, which is neither "good" nor "bad," neither "positive" nor "negative" -- it is simply a tight connection that cannot be avoided, such that the human species must collectively (in some way) deal with the archetypal combination as it manifests through each of us individually.

Using a 7 degree "orb," this aspect started on August 30 and lasts until September 12.

Archetypally, Sun is the Golden Child, while Jupiter is the Teacher/Traveler.

The Golden Child represents the youngster in us -- enthusiastic, adventurous, filled with curiosity and heart-felt expression.  There is a spontaneous, fun-loving nature at play here, willing to take risks for the chance to engage life fully.  There is also a self-luminous quality present here -- the Divine rising up from within, connecting with others in an innocent and receptive way.

The Teacher/Traveler represents expansion -- gaining wisdom through experience, through connecting with other people and other cultures, broadening our horizons.  It also symbolizes the teacher and the student in us -- an exchange of information meant to grow us at the soul level.  It reminds us to use our discernment, since not all information is "correct" or true.

So, we are living in a time-window (climaxing on September 7) through which we are challenged to open up in a child-like and adventurous way to new and fresh encounters that promise to broaden our experiences in life.  We are asked to set aside our preconceptions in order to access "beginner's mind," which is innocent and untouched, totally receptive to nuances that we may have missed in the past.  At the same time, we're asked to filter incoming data and information, knowing that everyone has a bias and no one has a corner on "truth."  Our Golden Child heart, while enthusiastic and anxious to engage the game of life, is also equipped with a "truth detector" that will know when the Teacher/Traveler is bending facts to suit our inward, secret agenda -- so we need to listen to our hearts, take in what we feel to be true, and let the rest go.

While this combination of Sun squaring Jupiter can lead to enlightening and light-hearted experience, it can also lead to seeming mistakes based on a lack of experience -- and this is how we learn.

Live and learn.

It's not about perfection; it's about availing.  Now is a time to immerse ourselves, rather than hanging back until some mythical set of ideal circumstances arrive.

This is a short period of time when we as a species are able to take ourselves a little less seriously -- a time when we can learn without resistance, enjoying ourselves as though encountering life for the very first time.

My astrological rating for this time-period:  A Sweet Spot, for sure....

 
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Now that I've been relieved of the dreaded day job (as of March 30, in fact), and am firmly ensconced in one of life's rare and delectable windows of transformation, it feels wonderful to jump back into a flow of communication that leads to connection... with you.

Today I've spent a little coffee shop time updating the Meditation page on this site.  Mainly, content has been added to a renamed middle section of the page, now called Ecstatic Meditation Peer-Mentorship.  There, I offer to assist those who are serious about arranging their entire lives around a rigorous and skillful contemplative practice.  Head to the link above for further details.  I look forward to working with the "chosen few"....

Also, I'd like to initiate a potentially-international Skype meditation group that meets weekly, at a time to be determined.  This way, we can remain in the comfort of our own homes, and all the prep-work that went into our local 2010 Boulder group (i.e, cleaning, cooking, brewing Chai tea) can be set aside, and all our energy can go into Silence.  Again, visit the Meditation page for details -- and if you're interested, let me know, and I'll get busy coordinating a time (or times) for our cyber-group to meet.

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During the rest of my week, I'll be working on promoting the oracular portion of this site.  I know that the prices I charge may seem beyond reach for some of you, so I want to be more explicit about the "financial assistance" part of the deal (beginning by calling it something different, yes?).  I'll let'cha know when that's been firmed up.  When it comes to establishing a meditation practice that leads (among other things) to a release from various neuroses and a sense of overall well-being (despite possible appearances to the contrary), it may be helpful to have someone like me look at your chart, pull some cards, or offer dreamwork assistance.  Why?  Because, once we get behind the surface aspects of our life's drama, and we begin to see where we are in the cyclical unfoldment of our overarching process, we're able to relax the vigilance we exert in clinging to our fears, forebodings and other anxieties.  The point is to "clear the deck" even while opening to the meditation space -- which, for beginners especially, inevitably exposes those aspects of our being that we most ardently resist.  I don't wish money (or lack thereof) to prevent anyone from tapping these most valuable spiritual tools -- but, please know that this is my livelihood, and anything you can do by way of compensation keeps the boat afloat.

 
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According to my information, Saturn moves from the sign of Virgo into Libra at 11:09:01 a.m. (U.S. Mountain Time) on Thursday, October 29.

Saturn, which rules the earth sign of Capricorn, is moving from another earth sign (Virgo) into an air sign (Libra). Saturn represents structure, systems, authority, rules, social position/expectations and so forth – and it becomes even more grounded in the material plane when it travels through another earth sign.

This particular earth sign (Virgo) has (since September 2008) influenced Saturn through issues of health and healing. There has been, of course, the seemingly-endless U.S. healthcare delivery debate, as well as dire warnings around the H1N1 virus with its notorious vaccine. While major media have focused on the devastating financial, emotional and physical effects on the uninsured and under-insured in the U.S. (while also presenting frightening stories around the so-called “Swine Flu” epidemic that may or may not materialize), the almost 14-month-long Saturn-in-Virgo signature has sparked a classic “healer's journey” for many others.

This healer's journey has highlighted the connection between career and physical well-being. This last year has been a time when many have realized just how separated they have been from a sense of purpose in their work, to the point where this misalignment has manifested in physical pathology. In the wounded global economy, employment has suffered in general, increasing stress on those who are negatively impacted by a family member's sudden loss of work. In the U.S., lack of employment usually means absence of health insurance, which adds another layer of burden on those who are dispossessed by the economic system. Many are losing their homes as a result of the damaged financial system. All of this serves to weaken the immune system, leaving many open to injuries and illnesses, which only speeds the sense of a downward spiral.

Some, on the other hand, have begun to utilize chaos in the System as a springboard into their life's work. This has meant simplification, getting rid of objects that no longer serve them, cutting back on spending... engaging a process of transformation from one way of life to another. One aspect of the new way of life has been to discover the blessings of a healthy lifestyle, including a natural diet, exercise, meditation and creative expression. Through “embracing the descent” and reaping the wisdom embedded in so-called difficult situations, these brave beings derive spiritual healing and growth from what others experience as pure negativity.

In other words... they turn their lemons into lemonade!

From October 29, 2009 to October 6 2012, Saturn expresses itself through Libra.

Here we may expect issues of social justice, loyalty, fairness, tolerance and openness to new ideas to emerge as dominant influences in our lives. Where some would say that the past several years have seen an assault on the social fabric of the U.S. (and, by extension, the entire world), it would appear that the long-anticipated collective consciousness shift is finally beginning to bear fruit. Even though politicians have been slow to enact genuine reform in response to the overwhelming electoral shift at the end of 2008 (for fear of angering their corporate sponsors), the population continues to insist on a drastic program of change toward a better world. Saturn in Libra, confronted with intransigence within an entrenched System, opens the way for direct transformation from the ground up. Relationships are coming together through powerful social networks like Facebook, allowing people from different ends of the planet to organize efforts toward change. The net effect of this hyper-collectivization is to elevate universal consciousness no matter how much resistance is presented by the corporatist media. There is a definite drive toward the formation of new combinations of talents and gifts, using the Internet and other technical means to overwhelm systems of control, thereby paving the way for the sort of change that seeks to pull the planet back from the brink of disaster.

On a personal level, these next three years are a time of clarity in terms of our individual relationship with social structure. We are drawn to kindred spirits, organizations and movements, joyful as we find that we are not the only ones who desire positive change. This is also a time for the formation of strong personal relationships, including business partnerships and marriage. Existing relationships are re-confirmed and re-dedicated, as we come to realize just how important our family bonds, friendships and partnerships are. Intellectually, we are able to clearly perceive those with whom we wish to align, and the impulse during these three years will be to access new alliances based on the vividness of this understanding.

I don't mean to imply that everything will go easily. Those with an agenda to maintain the status quo will not lay down quietly. Those who are blinded by fear and hatred will not be easily turned from their deep-seated fundamentalist-type beliefs. The world remains polarized on many levels, such that it may take generations before the collective reaches a point of universal peace and goodwill.

What we anticipate through Saturn in Libra, however, is the notion of reaching a critical mass of collective consciousness, such that there will be no going back to the negative entropy that has marked so much of the industrial age. Saturn in Libra brings a level-headedness that allows the collective to effectively (and even dispassionately) deal with the difficulties that have been handed down to the world, paving the way for Saturn's move from Libra into Scorpio... when the old structure finally breathes its last breath, making way for a new creation that more truly reflects the spiritual, emotional and intellectual state of an evolving humanity.





 


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I learned astrology (originally) within the context of Jungian Archetypal Psychotherapy, as taught by my mentor Charles Bebeau (who was a direct student of Dane Rudhyar, among others).

To graduate with certification as an archetypal therapist, I wrote a paper from which I extracted the attached essay, which is an explanation of the 12 archetypes we used at Boulder's Avalon Institute (now Archetypal Academy).  It also gives some Jung quotes about archetypes, and briefly discusses Jung's use of astrology (see the last couple paragraphs).

My readings nowadays, while incorporating more and more from Evolutionary Astrology, is based on the archetypal language and symbolism expressed in this essay.

Let me know what you think!

archetypal_mandala.pdf
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