Into Alignment

The past doesn't determine the future.

Tonight's annular Solar Eclipse in Capricorn initiates a new round of changes in our ever-accelerating journey through the 2012 gateway and beyond.

Eclipses are super-charged alignments that amplify the effects of new and full moons. Beginning two weeks ago on New Year's Eve and continuing through January 2011, five eclipses happen in Cancer and Capricorn. Issues around family, home, marriage, parents and children will be highlighted. Also banking, business, finance, real estate and taxes. In short, the structures, forms and foundations of our lives.

Electromagnetic shifts connected with eclipses tend to trigger Earth changes. This week's violent 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Haiti is a grim example. A 6.5 earthquake shook northern California days before.

New moons are endings, and new beginnings. As the Sun and Moon meet tonight in late Capricorn, things begin to stabilize again, in a new way.

Ruled by Saturn, Capricorn organizes and reorganizes physical forms based on cosmic principles. Eclipses break up energy patterns. Throughout the year, the forms and structures of our lives will continue to shift in this fluid, ever-changing reality on planet Earth.

Instead of waiting to see what will happen, we're invited to join in this process of reorganization as powerful co-creators, agents of change committed to creating a brighter future unencumbered by the past.

Tonight is an excellent time to begin. Align with your purpose and initiate something positive with the New Moon eclipse energies. Saturn asks for commitment, discipline and effort. Here's the timing.

Eclipse begins (first contact with Earth) 4:04 AM GMT/UT Friday; 11:04 PM Eastern US Thursday

Central eclipse 7:20 AM GMT/UT Friday; 2:20 AM Eastern US Friday

Eclipse ends (last contact with Earth) 10:07 AM GMT/UT Friday; 5:07 AM Eastern US Friday

This annular eclipse will be visible across Africa, India, the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka and southeast Asia. With optimal viewing conditions, a narrow ring of the Sun will be seen beyond the dark mask of the Moon in those regions.

Eclipse Ritual

In Buddhist tradition, eclipses are holy days reserved for prayer, reflection and meditation on behalf of all beings. Our thoughts are amplified exponentially through these portals created by the alignment of Sun, Earth and Moon.

Meditation, ceremony and ritual are extremely potent throughout the eclipse window, especially in the hours leading up to the central alignment.

Ideas for ritual are included in the free audio class, "Tapping into the Power of Lunar and Solar Cycles." To listen, visit:

http://www.starpriestess.com/audio/lunar-solar-cycles.mp3

Our Intuitive Astrology class will join with lightworkers around the world tonight in prayers of peace for humanity as we make our way through the changes.

Align with the Sun, Moon and Earth tonight and feel the tremendous strength and support this creation offers in these fast-changing times.

Namaste.

Personal Consultations

Change happens whether we initiate it or not, especially in times like these. Don't wait for the decisions to be made for you. Find out how you can work with the celestial energies to create positive change in your life with a 2010 Astro Preview Reading or Astro-Shamanism session.

For details, visit my web site:

http://www.StarPriestess.com/services.html

Mention this blog post and receive $25 off the posted rates through January 20, 2010.

Astro Preview: 2010-2012 and Beyond

My 18-page 2010-2012 Astro Preview gives an overview of the astrology for the new year and beyond, including dates of major alignments in 2010, ongoing planetary influences through the 2012 gateway, and practices for navigating these turbulent times with grace.

Details are posted here:

http://www.starpriestess.com/cosmic_time.html#2010report

This Is It

Each December I publish a preview of the upcoming planetary transits and alignments for the new year.

As I put together my astrological forecast for 2010, I was blown away - literally.

I've been studying and writing about the planetary energies of the 2012 transition for more than a decade. You can look back through the archives of the Cosmic Time ezine and Alignments newsletter to see where we've been. In my book, Cosmic Time, we take a look at the big-picture, planetary and cosmic context of the times we live in, especially the years 1987 through 2012 and beyond.

As I wrote in the book, the planetary energies of 2010 are the hot spot of this transition. In the past few months, as I studied and meditated upon the planetary motions and alignments coming up in the new year, layers and layers of meaning began to unfold.

In short, 2010 will be a defining time in humanity's evolution. Galactic energies will force us to change. We will reach a crossroads in 2010, and the choices we make will set the stage for eons to come. I do believe this is the central message of the sacred prophecies and calendars of the Maya, Aztec, Hopi, Lakota, Iroqois, Egyptians, Hindus and other spiritual cultures around the world.

It took many weeks to pull the information together. During the time that I actually wrote the piece, a megastorm blasted through much of the United States. As I attempted to sleep after one of several days of writing, fierce winds rocked my tiny casita perched on a mesa in the open desert. Torrents of rain pelted the parched Earth for nearly 24 hours. It was a long night of communion with the nature spirits, the elements of water and air. Sleep didn't happen, but something alchemical did. I realized this violent storm was an expression of the kinds of energies I was writing about in the preview.

Not a comfortable epiphany.

Many people in this country will be digging out for days as a result of the storm. I read this morning that surfers in Hawaii were riding 30-foot waves... a living metaphor I used in the piece about the opportunity we have in 2010 to get on top of the potent energies and create something positive.

So that's the gist of it. Quite simply, 2010 will be the most volatile year we've experienced yet on the way to 2012. During these days and nights leading up to the Solstice, I invite you to familiarize yourself with the energies and this profound opportunity. Get clear with your intent. Don't wait until January. The new year actually begins with the Sagittarius New Moon on December 16, so now's the time. Surf's up!

The 18-page 2010-2012 Astro Preview is now available. If you're so inclined, read the details: http://www.starpriestess.com/cosmic_time.html#2010preview

Astro Preview: 2010-2012 and Beyond

http://www.StarPriestess.com/cosmic_time.html

Newsletter Archives

http://www.starpriestess.com/time.html#archives

The Big Storm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_storm_rdp

2010 Preview Astrology Readings

http://www.starpriestess.com/services.html#2010preview

Calling All Souls

Last night an owl called out, several times, near my window. He was hidden, somewhere on the mesa bathed in bluish, milky moonlight. His voice was clear and persistent. I relished the invitation to explore the mystery in this sacred season.

Every year I count the days to Halloween, which is also the cross-quarter sabbat called Samhain. What a powerful time it is, our connection with the netherworlds strengthened, our night vision more acute, extrasensory perceptions finely tuned. The seasons are turning, toward winter in the northern hemisphere, toward summer in the south. Fall is a time of harvest and gratitude. We prepare for winter and go within as the nights grow longer. The Samhain fire releases pain, suffering and outdated beliefs, preparation for our journey into higher realms of consciousness.

With the Sun in Scorpio, Samhain (pronounced 'sow-in' or 'sow-een') skims the boundaries between the living and the dead. This is a special time when we honor the Ancestors and loved ones who have crossed into spirit. We're especially attuned to their guidance, love and wisdom through this portal.

This year, the Full Moon energizes the mystic, healing qualities of this shamanic gateway. Full Moons illuminate what's been held in the subconscious. In Taurus/Scorpio, she invites us to see and embrace the shadow.

Samhain begins with Halloween on October 31 and continues through "true" Samhain on November 7 when the Sun reaches 15 degrees Scorpio. All Saint's Day is November 1 and Dia de las Muertas (All Soul's Day) is November 2. The Full Moon rises Sunday night, November 1. The alignments create a bubbling cauldron of possibilities fueled by Scorpio's promise of transcendence. Prepare for the cycle of death and rebirth embedded within this change of seasons.

Light a candle and invite the Ancestors and departed loved ones to your circle of prayer, healing and manifestation. Be clear with your intent and notice messages from beyond the veil. Mercury's conjunction with the Sun in Scorpio facilitates otherworldly communication. Also commune with the Earth herself, the animal and plant kingdoms. Open to receive their medicine and the visceral sensations of this creation.

Owl carries us into the Void, quantum field of no-time, no-space... the fertile ground where shamans and alchemists dance.

Tune in, ritualize and create during this sacred passage.

Special Astro-Tarot Readings - Halloween Weekend Only!

http://www.StarPriestess.com/services.html#astrotarot

Samhain, Full Moon and More

http://www.StarPriestess.com/cosmic_time.html

Sabbats

http://www.starcraftsob.com/craft/sabbattiming.shtml

Animal Medicine

http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm

What's Essential?

With today's very Virgo New Moon, our thoughts turn to the physical details of life.

The Sun, Moon, Saturn and Virgo are constellated in the sign most associated with the harvest and health. On Tuesday the Sun journeys into Libra and we have the Equinox, point of balance.

As the seasons change and we prepare for the harvest, it's appropriate to tend to our physical bodies. Nourish the body with nutritious foods. A supported cleanse detoxifies the body and strengthens the immune system. Add some discipline and commit to a daily practice of meditation, exercise and perhaps yoga. What habits need to be changed?

At home and work, use this this strong Virgo energy to pare down to what's essential. (It's a lot less than you think.) Simplify, downsize, clear out clutter. Get organized.

Virgo is also about service. How is your path of service changing? Are you aligned with your purpose?

With Mercury in retrograde motion until September 29, we have a little while longer to reconsider our options, revise our intentions and complete unfinished projects.

New Moons are the time for turning the soil and planting. Today's New Moon culminates in the Harvest Moon on October 3. Flow with the natural energies to create powerfully in this time of new beginnings. Notice the blessings streaming in.

Life Path Consultations

A few appointment times are still available for the special 1/2-price rates on my Life Path Consultations by phone. The discount continues only through the Equinox on Tuesday.

This is a comprehensive, intuitive astrology reading that explores your spiritual destiny and the specific gifts you brought into this lifetime to facilitate the fullest expression of your life path and purpose. We identify the cycles of energies you're working with now and in the near future with direct application to your current life situation, including relationships, career, health, finances, location, family and business matters.

Details and rates are posted here:

http://www.starpriestess.com/cosmic_time.html#readings

You can take advantage of the special rates now and have your reading in the next week or so. Just e-mail me to set up your appointment.

Freedom

For me, letting go means being free.

This year's six eclipses line up significantly with my astrological blueprint, and all I can do with this much transformational energy is to let it do its thing. The results so far have been amazing.

I'm traveling this summer in the western United States, in parts of North America steeped in the vibrations of freedom and adventure. We had a profound Full Moon ceremony on Monday night on the banks of a creek running through Aspen, Colorado, a small gathering filled with magic, synchronicity and light.

I'm hearing from others who are enjoying similar experiences of expansion and joy. Some are delving into the depths of uncharted emotions and emerging more clear, vibrant and alive. Surely this is a rebirth. Hearts are opening.

There are two more eclipses coming up this summer. The adventure continues with a Total Solar Eclipse on July 21/22, followed by a penumbral Lunar Eclipse on August 5/6. You can read more about these in my previous blog posts below, and in my ezine, Cosmic Time.

Eclipses break up long-standing energy patterns. Last week's Lunar Eclipse and the upcoming Solar Eclipse fall in my birth sign of Cancer, and I'm having the time of my life, shedding old skin, allowing outdated beliefs to shatter, opening to the new, the wondrous, the divine. Something new is emerging... soon, not just yet.

How are you experiencing these energies? Eclipses happen in 6-month and 19-year cycles. What's coming to completion, and beginning, in your life in these time frames? How are you feeling physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually? My work with individuals helps you navigate the volatile eclipse season, understand how the planetary alignments and transits affect you personally, and make the most of the energies. The effects are amplified during these times of peak intensity. Please be in touch if you'd like to schedule a session.

This summer is intense, to say the least. Old paradigms are crumbling around and within us. How we choose to respond will have everything to do with what we'll experience through this transition. Attempting to hold on out of fear, insecurity and anger will lead a certain direction. I'm convinced that letting go, learning to trust and spreading our wings will carry us further, and higher, than we ever dreamed possible.

Enjoy the journey.

Views from Aspen

Cosmic Time Ezine