Comet Pan STARR - The New Kid in Town, March 10th

Sunday, March 10th, we may all be in for a treat.  There’s a new kid on the block.  You may have heard of him: The comet Pan STARRS.  As with all new kids moving into the neighborhood, however briefly, we’re pretty curious about them.  Where goes this comet come from and where’s it going?

Pan STARRS comes to us from the region of our solar system past Pluto where our Sun is no more than a pinpoint of light.  In this frozen darkness lies a debris field of icy balls of gaseous material and cosmic dust known as comets.  This field is called the Oort Field and it is the point of origin for comets within our system.  

Where did this comet get a name like Pan STARRS (And I thought celebrities came up with crazy stuff)?  Pan STARRS was discovered in 2011 by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System located at the Haleakala Observatory on the island of Mauii, in Hawaii.  The comet was named using the acronym for our planetary advance warning program, S.T.A.R.R.  The Haleakala Observatory searches for objects (among other things) approaching us from space to determine whether or not they pose a threat to our planet. Good to know someone is keeping an eye peeled.

Pan STARRS is what’s referred to as a ‘naked eye’ comet, meaning it is viewable without a telescope and doesn’t require optical filters to protect your eyes. It is visible in the northern sky in the Northern Hemisphere, to the left of the setting sun. 

Sunday the 10th is the date this comet makes it’s closest approach to “Old Sol.”  Astronomers have theories on what we can expect - theories, because this is the first time Pan STARR has come to visit.  The comet is expected to be about as bright in appearance as the stars in the constellation known as The Big Dipper.  As the comet draws closer to our Sun, its ice will melt, releasing more gaseous material and debris.  This material will show as a ‘tail’ streaming behind the comet.  Astronomers hope to witness an impressive display.  The best time for viewing Pan STARR is at sunset on the 10th, but also on 12th and 13th of March.  However, the comet should be visible for the rest of the month. 

2013 will have a rare, second comet making an appearance in November.  This one is called, Ison.  I’ll have more on Ison later.  In the meantime, keep looking up.

LADY ORACLE

Astrological Trends for March, 2013 - Wondering Where the Lions Are

The thing about old sayings in that sooner or later we discover there’s some validity to them.  I learned that I can’t teach my 14 year-old dog tricks, new or otherwise.  March is said to either come in like a lion and go out like a lamb, or come in like a lamb and out like a lion.  This year, astrologers are using this simile to describe the astrological patterns of the month.

At the moment, we have a Mercury Retrograde in Pisces and it’s comparatively mild, as Mercury Retrogrades go.  Perhaps it’s all that whimsical Pisces energy.  The first two weeks of March are colored from our emotional palette.  However, we need to take care that we don’t paint in broad, sweeping brush strokes.  The key here is to stay centered and exercise some control.  The first half of March also gives us a chance to explore our creative side.  Meditations will be deeper and more rewarding. Mercury remains in Pisces until April 13th, making our thinking more magical.  This is a perfect opportunity to create your own reality. There’s a vibrancy to our intuition and a natural “joie de vivre” attached to the things we undertake.  Can’t you just see those little lambs frolicking across the meadow?  

Venus is visiting Pisces until March 21st.  The Goddess of Love not only makes us optimistic in romantic pursuits, but also gives us the urge to hug the world. (Watch some 60’s stock footage of Haight Ashbury, or the East Village) We will be more tender, compassionate and forgiving towards our partners.  The downside of this lovefest is that we may have a few border disputes when it comes to establishing and maintaining our personal boundaries.  Selfless acts too easily develop into victim-martyr scenarios.  Wishful thinking turns to self-delusion and when our behaviors are pointed out, we will most likely cover our ears and dawn our favorite pair of rose-colored glasses to evade the issue.  

On March 11th we have a New Moon at 21 degrees of Pisces. Also on the 11th, Uranus enters Aries and Venus travels parallel to Mercury.  These configurations signal March’s turn from lamb to lion.  On the 12th, Mars joins Uranus in Aries and we will feel the urge to throw out the old, restrictive patterns in our lives and start afresh.  These feelings will intensify through the Spring Equinox on March 20th.  On March 22nd Mars is conjunct Uranus, drawing in a restless and discontented energy.  Where you may have experienced dissent in the ranks before, you could see open rebellion.  Think of it as Spring Fever on steroids.  This is a good time to align yourself with the physical world.  Garden, clean house, hike, fly a kite, etc.  Being part of the physical world literally grounds you.

On March 27th we have a Full Moon in Libra.  Thank Heavens!  Libra’s influence grants us a respite from rebellious Aries.  I’ll have more on this month’s full moon later in the month.  Just remember your lion taming tricks.  The whip and the chair are optional.

LADY ORACLE

Crazy 8s - Tarot's Movable Feast

In tarot’s Minor Arcana, eights are concerned with aspects of

8 of Wands Lo Scarebo's "Tarot of the Pagan Cats"©
Very much tarot, but oh, so, catlike!

movement within your life.  Movement refers to change that shifts you into a different set of circumstances, either internal or external.  The RWCS deck depicts the Eight of Wands as wands that have arced through the sky and are now coming back to earth.  This card signifies information or news that leads to the successful completion of business matters, affairs of the heart or a particular goal.  Depending on the situation, this message can feel like “Skyrockets in flight,” or “Incoming.”   There is also an element of timing implied with this card. Let the timing of the situation reveal itself to you.  Don’t rush your fences and your outcome will be successful.  

8 of Cups from Rome Choi's
remarkable "Dreaming Way Tarot"©

Cups deal with emotions and spiritual aspects of life. RWSC shows you eight cups stacked into a prymid form and setting on a beach.  They are not stable.  What else can you expect when you try to build a structure on shifting sand?  In the background we see a figure leaving.  He glances over this shoulder at the cups as he departs, indicating regret.  Here’s the deal.  The situation, or relationship is over.  Stick the proverbial fork in it.  This card also comes with a promise.  You’re leaving behind a situation or relationship that was not a good fit and you are heading onwards and upwards where solid ground will allow you to build a firm foundation.  Bigger and better, baby, bigger and better.

Swords - gloomy doomy and in your face.  Swords show you

8 of Swords - the restricted lady
from RWCS by US Games®

the patterns in your mind with all their subtle shading and complexities. Swords can be upsetting to us in a reading because we are often not comfortable with what we see in the images that they mirror.  Still, mirrors are valuable.  They keep us from leaving the house with spinach in your teeth if nothing else.  In RWCS Eight of Swords we find a damsel in distress - captured, bound and encircled with swords.  Restriction.  What ensnares you?  Why, nothing less than your own fruitful imagination.  Look at the lady again.  She’s blindfolded, but her bonds are loose enough to break.  The swords do not completely encircle her and to top it all off, there’s no one around to prevent her escape.  That’s the truth about most restrictions - you create them in your own mind.

8 of Pentacle from the incomparable
"Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen

In Pentacles, the eight shows us an apprentice working hard to become a craftsman in his own right.  Financial growth through industry and mastery of skills.  He’s got a lot of pentacles there and he’s worked tirelessly to produce them.  The deeper lesson here is gained by asking yourself two questions:  Am I working for the end product, or for a deeper sense of satisfaction?  Am I so attached to outcome, that I’m missing the significance of my journey?  How you do something tells you more about why you do it in the first place.

Tarots eights hold promise for you.  They can reassure you, unlock your potential and give you a completely new take on a situation.  The important thing to remember is that all forward movement counts.

LADY ORACLE

Links I Love:  Check out Cathy Rose!  I love her astrological information!  Always upbeat and proactive.  Check her out!

http://www.roseastrology.com/

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You know you want to!

Ametrine - The Jewel in the Crown

My love affair with Ametrine began years ago when I worked for a jewelry designer.  I’d never seen anything like this amazing marriage between the rich, purple of Amethyst with the sunny, brilliance of Citrine.  “Hello, my lovely.”  This crystal and I go together like ham and eggs, although I'm a Scorpio and Ametrine is attuned to the astrological sign of Libra.  Ametrine balances energy and Libra is nothing, if not about balance.

Ametrine’s balancing act works on all frequencies of universal energy, making this stone a ‘must have’ for your crystal arsenal.  It is an excellent example of synergy because the sum of the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts. This blend of Amethyst and Citrine carries, not only properties from both of these members of the Quartz family, but also unique characteristics all its own.   Ametrine enhances cosmic consciousness, stimulating the crown chakra and making higher states more accessible during meditation.

If you suffer from energetic and emotional blockages, Ametrine will clear them out of the way faster than Liquid Plumber and you’ll find your negative programming easier to eliminate as well.  It disperses negativity and guards against attacks from energy vampires - no garlic required.  This crystal promotes optimism, cleans and aligns the your auric field and through the attributes of Citrine, helps you create prosperity and abundance in your life.  What more could you ask for?  

Maybe one more thing.  Ametrine is one of the few crystals that never needs clearing.  They can’t hold negativity.  They make an excellent protection stone and because of their high vibration, they are relatively easy to program.  I programed a large Ametrine crystal to protect its holder through love. I gave the crystal to my daughter to take with her on her ghost hunting adventures and it worked phenomenally well.

Whatever the need, whatever the occasion, Ametrine crystals have something for everyone.  Try using it in your crystal work and I’m certain you’ll be very impressed with this versatile stone.  

LADY ORACLE

Major Arcana's # 10, The Wheel of Fortune - That's Some Cookie

At first glance, tarot’s Major Arcana # 10, The Wheel of Fortune, suggests a gamble, or that life is a game of chance.  In stead of the Goddess, Fortuna, we sometimes find ourselves hoping Vanna White will turn a key letter in a phrase that helps us decode the message that life is screaming at us.  What’s the answer?  What’s about to happen?  I knew I should have saved up for a vowel.  

Keywords for #10 include, ‘chance encounter, ‘destiny,’ and ‘fate.’  There’s an air of romance in these words, expectation and more than a hint of mystery.  #10 can also denote movement in your life that closely resembles the first step in a vision quest.  The chance it represents in this case, is your chance to become something and someone more than you ever expected to be.   

The Wheel is about change in the status quo - the usual circumstances, the given factors.  The key to dealing with #10 when it appears in a pivotal part of your reading, is to examine your ability to adapt to change.  Seasons and circumstances change. People change.  But here’s the exciting part.  Change offers us the chance to grow and learn - to develop a skill set that later on gives us a chance to expand our vision and definition of who we are.  Is change unsettling?  Often so.  Is it welcome? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Is it inevitable? Absolutely.  It comes at us from all directions.  That’s why all four elements are represented on #10.  

Everything I know about The Wheel of Fortune, I learned from Carole King’s song, “Sweet Seasons.”

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,

         And sometimes the blues get hold of you

         Just when you thought you made it.”

Look for your shot at destiny in your reading.  Look for that chance to become someone above and beyond.  It’s there.  The thing to keep in mind is that if you don’t like the winds of fortune today, don’t worry.  They always change.  Just keep it light.

LADY ORACLE

Abundance, Gratitude and the Joyous Heart

Candles, crystals and tarot cards - now that is joyful!
Corrine Kenner's and John J. Blumen's "Wizards Tarot"©
in the foreground

When we practice the abundant life, we strive to stay focused and positive on the people and things that makes us feel abundant.  We are told that it is essential to explore gratitude as we meditate on abundance and prosperity.  Today, in my meditation practice, I focused on gratitude.  Often when I do, I’m moved to tears as I count the blessings in my life.  Today I wasn’t and at first I didn’t understand why.

I love meditation.  It’s where I go for Divine connection, inspiration and comfort.  Today my feelings of gratitude, while they were sincerely meant, lacked the emotion, the elation that I often feel as I recount my blessings. My gratitude lacked the ‘kick-start,’ if you will.  I wondered why my expressions of thankfulness rang hollow until a realized that I was not in joy.  Joy, or rather a joyous heart is an intrinsic part of gratitude and therefore vital to the process of manifesting abundance in your life.  

Joy opens us to experiences.  Our hearts become accepting 

3 of Cups - celebration
from "Tarot of the Pagan Cats"©
by Lola Airaghi and Magdelina Messina

of pure possibility when we are in joy. Joy takes us away from negative projections and judgments about ourselves and others that confine and limit us.  In joy, we focus on the moment where life is lived in its entirety.  Within the present moment we can recount all that we are and hold dear without effort.  Joy links us to our Creator.  Joy allows us to examine the fullness of our gratitude and within that moment of actualization, we hold the creative force of the entire Universe in our hands. 

We all have moments, days, months, etc. when we are not happy.  I realized today that joy is different from happiness.  Joy is force all its own and not dependent on a happy state of mind.  I propose to you that true joy in the moment is not an emotion, but an energy field of its own.  As such, we can tap into joy, use it and direct it to power our meditative and creative processes.  Manifesting if a multitiered process.  Today i believe I reached another tier.

LADY ORACLE

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."

Melody Beattie - writer

For more thoughts on the workings of gratitude, please click this link and follow it to "The Moment Is Now"  our online radio show!

The Sign of Pisces - February 19th Through March 21st

On February 19th, the Sun enters the sign of Pisces and will

remain there until March 21st.  People born under the sign of Pisces are water babies and filter much of their life experience and intuition through their emotions.  The sign of Pisces is symbolized by two fish.  There’s a reason for using two fish when one would do.  Cancer has one crab and Scorpio, one scorpion.  The sign of Pisces exists has a natural duality.  It is ruled by two planets, Jupiter and Neptune and people born under this sign exist in two worlds - the world of their reality and the world of their illusions.  Often, they get lost between the two worlds.  Some astrologers theorize that Pisces, being the last sign of the zodiac year, borrows traits from all the other signs.  Note that it is in the twelfth house of the zodiac that astrologers look for secrets and secrets are intricate to the make up of a Pisces.

  

#18, The Moon is the tarot association
for the sign of Pisces. From
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen's
"Wizard's Tarot"©

Fish folk are the most mystically charged members of the zodiac.  They are both highly empathic and deeply spiritual.  On one hand, Piscesans give selflessly to friends and family - often too much and to your own detriment.  On the other hand, they guard their secrets within their emotional depths, sometimes making it difficult for non-fish people to understand their reasoning and motivations. When life become too difficult for them, Pisces retreats into silence - shutting down and shutting out the world.  They believe it’s easier that way.  Unfortunately, for these empathetic souls, their inward turns can too easily lead to depression, self-pity and lethargy. 

Pisces draw their impressive creative power from Neptune, the planet of dreamers.  They do very well in both visual and performance arts.  In tarot, the sign Pisces is ruled by the Major Arcana card, # 18, The Moon.  This card serves to remind them that while it is easy for them to get lost in the world of illusion, they can use their inner guides and intuition to return to them to their life path and get moving again.  Their tendency towards self-sacrifice and being easily stagnated also comes from Neptune whose tarot card is #12, The Hanged Man.  

#10, The Wheel of Fortune is
Jupiter's ruling card.  From US Games©

Jupiter, whose tarot card is #10, The Wheel of Fortune, offers Pisces the chance for growth and expansion of their real world.   Pisces, being highly intuitive, has the capacity to make their own luck.  It is when they are ungrounded (out of their tank?) that the Wheel takes a downward turn. If they follow tarot’s advise, stay on their path, don’t be distracted by the illusion and follow their intuition, they will be highly successful.

Neptune's tarot card, #12, The Hanged Man
from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara
Moore's "Shadowscapes" ©

In relationships, fish folk do well with high-energy signs.  Fire signs are their opposite, but opposites attract. ( Aires, Leo, Sagittarius) Air signs also work. ( Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) Earth is not the natural state for Pisces.  These signs make it easy for them to surrender too much of themselves and their dreams. (Capricorn, Virgo and Taurus) Pisces must remember that they do not need to take second place to anyone.  As with everything in life, it is a matter of balance.  If you are fortunate enough to be in a relationship with highly imaginative, creative and compassionate Pisces, love them, care for them, but don’t drain their tank.  

LADY ORACLE