Triumph of the Spirit

In this season of thanksgiving, tonight's Full Moon marks a key passage of the solar year. The phoenix rises. Death gives way to life.

We harvest the blessings of this creation as we attune to celestial rhythms.

Venus' six-week retrograde passage culminates with the lunar alignment tonight. The Sun-Moon opposition is exact at 12:27 PM Eastern on Sunday. In Scorpio-Taurus we celebrate transcendence, the triumph of the human spirit. The soul is laid bare, bathed in waves of milky light. For a moment, we see.

Next, we go deeper into the spiral.

Venus and Jupiter

Over the past six weeks, the planet of love and abundance has traveled in reverse, transiting parts of Scorpio and Libra in her quest for truth, healing and sacred union.

Earlier this month a shamanic journey led her into the underworld where she transformed away from our view. She has re-emerged as Morning Star in the the pre-dawn sky.

Now Venus reigns in the east, awakening our hearts, minds and bodies to the tasks at hand as we are reborn more fully into our purpose and power.

The new Venus cycle in Scorpio carries us through 2012 and the end of the Mayan calendar. This is no coincidence. The ancient Maya observed Venus and synchronized their sacred timekeeping system with her cycles.

Jupiter has returned to forward motion, too. In Pisces, he continues to expand our consciousness and ideals. Uranus, the Awakener, travels with Jupiter in late Pisces, although he moves more slowly and is still retrograde.

We have about 10 days to integrate the lessons of the Venus passage, lessons around relationship and love, money, passion, our creativity and values. We've faced our fears, plumbed the depths of the psyche. We're exploring new options and making choices.


Year-End 2010

Another round of intense transformation begins November 30 when the Sun enters the mysterious 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer. Known to ancient astrologers and depicted in the Temple of Hathor at Dendera in Egypt, this mysterious sign is re-emerging as a transformational gateway in these transitional times.

In mid-December, the Sun crosses the Galactic Equator near the Solstice. Within deepest night, light returns to Earth. This galactic alignment is punctuated by a potent eclipse series beginning with a Total Lunar Eclipse on December 21. Two weeks later, the Sun and Moon meet in Capricorn and we begin tending to the seeds we planted in 2010.

In my astrological preview published a year ago, I wrote: "In 2010, humanity arrives at a crossroads. Individually and in groups, we will initiate a sequence for the times to come, not only through our intent, but with our actions. This is a chance of a lifetime, many lifetimes, and the effects will radiate throughout the cosmos."

The pivotal year of 2010 now draws to a close. What are we harvesting?

As we gather with family and friends, I pray that we're mindful of the deeper rhythms pulsing through this holiday season, that we'll pause to commune with the galactic forces at play in our lives and our world. I pray that we open more deeply to love as we celebrate this holy season.

Namaste.



December Astro Forecast

We'll preview the astrology for the next two months during my StarTalk Astro Forecast Teleconference on December 7. Highlights include the Sun's transit of Ophiuchus, the Solstice Galactic Alignment and the December-January eclipse series. Details and registration: http://www.starpriestess.com/events.html#forecast


Ophiuchus: The Serpent Bearer

Enter the ancient healing temple as we gather for a special initiation during the Sun's transit of Ophiuchus. Details and registration: http://www.starpriestess.com/events.html#ophiuchus

Venus and the Underworld

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/into-spiral.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/spinning.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/turning-of-wheel.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/11/love-reigns.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/11/awakening.html


My Journey with Venus

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235245&id=631748611&l=f91cf61fe7

Awakening

Silently, Venus stirs me from sleep.
Hanging as a jewel above the crimson-orange horizon she beckons, guiding her initiates to this day, a new beginning, deeper love.

Venus' shamanic journey has come to an end. She metamorphosed as she met with the Sun away from our view, returning to the sky in early November as Morning Star. Like Venus, we are reborn.

During her retrograde transit the past six weeks, evolutionary forces took aim at relationships, values, creativity and finances. How have these shifted for you during this time?

Traveling with her since early October I am wiser, more aware, conscious of my flaws and fears, and eternally grateful for the simple gifts of abundance that fill my life. Family. Friends. The natural world. Infinite love.

Venus returns to direct motion today. She begins a 584-day cycle in Scorpio, her playtime in Aries complete. Now we learn the ins and outs of personal power through the 2012 gateway.

Jupiter also stations direct today. In Pisces and conjunct Uranus, the Awakener, Jupiter invites us to reach new depths, and heights, of consciousness.

The celestial passage culminates in the Full Moon this weekend. In the last degree of Scorpio-Taurus, the Sun-Moon opposition illuminates the wisdom of the soul. Reach in. Dive deep. Seek the treasures of enlightenment.


Venus in the Underworld

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/into-spiral.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/spinning.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/turning-of-wheel.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/11/love-reigns.html


Fall Travels

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235245&id=631748611&l=f91cf61fe7

Spinning

The journey deepens. What are you creating within the vortex of the goddess womb?

Are you spinning the silk for the web you will weave, or your chrysalis of transfiguration and rebirth?

Venus continues her retrograde transit as the Moon waxes to full this week. Together they reveal our deepest fears and wounds, the self-limiting perceptions that block our path to power.

In this season of the Ancestors, Grandmother Spider sings the songs of creation. She calls your name, beckoning. Sink into your soul, your purpose, your passion. Dissolve the fears that hinder your death and rebirth.

Venus disappears as the evening star soon to embark on her underworld journey. She'll re-emerge as the morning star in the eastern, pre-dawn sky on November 5. As we attune to her, we are transformed.

The Sun and Saturn in Libra offer the promise of liberation, freedom from the fears and karmic patterns that hold us back. Mars, Venus and Mercury in Scorpio remind us of the opportunity to reclaim our power.

In the last degree of Aries, the October 22 Full Moon illuminates perceptions and boundaries as pre-conscious thoughts take shape, later to form a new reality beyond this gestation phase.


Potential and Possibility

Within the Full Moon matrix lies hope that latent potential will manifest in ways that are both mundane and miraculous. While possibilities are infinite in the quantum field, what ultimately unfolds will rely on our thoughtforms during this lunar phase.

Vigilance is required, a continuous assessment of our thoughts so we may manifest the highest of all possible potentials.

What does that look like in our lives and our world? Ask the miners and the families of the miners rescued last week from deep within the Earth, trapped for 69 days in a cave that could have been their tomb. Instead, they ascended from the depths in a capsule named Phoenix, a mythical bird representing transformation through death and rebirth. This is the shamanic process of Scorpio, and Venus is leading the way as she transforms in the heavens from evening to morning star and becomes a beacon for human potential.

What did the miners, their families, the country of Chile and countless others around the world create through attention, through prayer and vigil, through hope? In a stunning victory, they preserved life.


The Web

We can work with this same energy, manifesting and creating with the Full Moon during Venus' retrograde journey. We can spin out in chaos and feel victimized, powerless to direct cosmic forces. Or we can go inward, focus and spin with intent.

At this lunation, connect with Spider Woman, the creation goddess of indigenous tribes throughout the Americas who weaves the web of life. Follow the shaman's spiral into the darkness, the Void, womb of creation, into a new reality. Within the darkness, you'll meet your deepest fears as subconscious patterns and beliefs are revealed. Press on.

Witness your response in personal situations. Have you been sideswiped in power struggles? Are you asked to be discerning in your use of power? How have you given away your power, and how can you reclaim it? In my Venus journey this month, I've encountered wildly karmic scenarios, both my own and those of close friends. Some know nothing of Venus but are deeply affected nonetheless. How is this process playing out in your life?

The Full Moon represents a culmination, a time of manifestation and creation. The energy reaches maximum strength as the alignment becomes exact with the Moon opposing the Sun on Friday. The tension between the feminine lunar and masculine solar energies is released at the moment of the opposition, which is 9:37 PM Eastern on October 22. Ritual, prayer and meditation are most potent in the hours leading up to and after the exact alignment.

Astrology guru Dane Rudhyar portrays the dynamic of this week's Full Moon in his astrological mandala. At 30 Aries, energetic potential has to be focused then united with substance in order for effective power to be realized. At this critical stage, there is enormous potential for failure as well as fuel for breakthrough.

Vigilance is key. Decide what you want to focus on. Emotions, love, relationships, finances and values are optimal areas for change. Notice messages in dreams and meditation that reveal patterns of self-limitation. Consciously transform the patterns by changing your focus and attention in the areas you've chosen. Notice the spin of the vortex. Children spin. Spiders weave. Sufis whirl in an ecstatic dance of creation. Spin clockwise, then counterclockwise. Mix it up and allow the transformation.


Letting Go

As the energies build, prepare to discover your deepest fears and secrets. Seek the assistance of the Ancestors as you dive deep and resurface from the subconscious realms. Honor the mystery and your own healing process. Persevere. The rewards will be worth the effort.

The journey continues as Venus disappears from our view to travel into the underworld where she will metamorphose from evening to morning star over the next three weeks. She returns to the sky during the Samhain gateway (October 31-November 6) to begin a new 584-day cycle in Scorpio.

During this phase, themes are dissolution, transfiguration and emergence. We must release the past in order to ascend to a new life, a new beginning as empowered co-creators on Earth. I described the passage of Venus in my revious blog post, "Into the Spiral": http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/10/into-spiral.html

In Native American tradition, there is a legend that Spider Woman will return at the end of this era. According to the ancient Hopi and Mayan calendars, the end is now.

In hushed silence, weaving and spinning, we create.



This Weekend:
Shamanic Guidance

To support your transformational process with the lunar energies described in this article, I'm offering very special rates on personal sessions this weekend only.

On Friday and Saturday, October 22-23, 60-minute phone consultations are just $125 (a savings of $40-$50). The session is geared to assist you in this current Venus transition period and includes a combination of intuitive guidance and personal astrology through the end of 2010.

A limited number of appointments are available. Details are posted here: http://www.starpriestess.com/services.html#octfullmoon

Harvest Blessings

As the planets come into a unique and powerful Equinox alignment, we focus on balance and integration. This moment of standstill extends through Thursday.

The Harvest Full Moon closely follows the Sun's crossing into Libra at the Equinox tomorrow. This is a time of culmination and celebration. We're harvesting the abundance of all our experiences in this Earth journey since the December Solstice.

In a year of upheaval and reconfiguration, we're offered a pause before another round of intense transformational energies begins in October.

Wishing you bright blessings at this sacred and auspicious time.


Autumn Equinox/Harvest Moon Teleconference

We previewed the planetary energies in detail during last night's Autumn Equinox-Harvest Moon Teleconference. If you missed this information-packed program, you can still order the audio recording. Find out when the hotspots are in the next three months and how to navigate the energies. Here's the link to order the mp3: http://www.starpriestess.com/events.html#forecast

Moondreams

Tonight's Full Moon is a spiritual, dreamy affair. Dive deep, into the inner realms of Pisces.

The reflected light of the Sun, shining through Virgo, illuminates our path of service. How is this shifting for you now, as the Summer of Big Changes begins to wind down?

Full Moons illuminate what's been held in the unconscious. Notice the messages that come through dreams and meditation. With Jupiter inconjunct the Sun, revelations may be uncomfortable, but necessary. Uranus in Pisces will offer some surprises. Resist the temptation to succumb to addictions to avoid facing the soul's truth.

With Mercury in retrograde motion, the Piscean desire to escape serves well if we take a conscious timeout for retreat and re-evaluation, a relaxing bath, a long walk in nature, a healing massage.

Like the tides they govern, lunar energies ebb and flow. The Full Moon is exact tomorrow at 1:05 PM Eastern. Ideal times for meditation and ceremony are tonight, as the waxing Moon crests to full, and tomorrow, as the energies are disseminating. Our prayers are carried on angels' wings.

Peace and enlightenment to all. Namaste.

Mercury Mayhem

That crazy Mercury. Just when you think the upheaval of summer is coming to an end, the high-spirited messenger takes aim at whatever you thought you knew about where to go from here. Poof, your plans just evaporated.

Do you love retracing your steps and doing things over again? Here's your chance. The planet of communication and transportation turned retrograde yesterday. As far as putting your agenda into play, give it up until September 12 when he goes direct again. Actually, wait another three days after that, so the 15th. The Universe will let you know what you're actually supposed to be doing until then.

Combine Mercury's mayhem with the opportunistic upheaval of the ongoing Jupiter-Uranus combo, now retrograde in Pisces, and you've got a recipe for "I have no idea what's going on." Communications mix-ups, traffic snarls, delays and rescheduling of all kinds are afoot. Watch for opportunities to reconfigure in ways that are much better than the original plan.

With this line-up, expect the unexpected. Double-check facts and figures. Confirm appointment times. Be forgiving when things go haywire. Most of all, keep a sense of humor. Get a massage and relax.

Pretty much anything with "re" in front of it is appropriate right now. Retreat. Re-evaluate. Review. Revise. Reconfigure. Reconsider. Repair if possible, replace if needed. Complete unfinished business. This is not a time to start projects, make long-term decisions or sign contracts.

Just for the record, Mercury doesn't actually go backward. Because of the way the Earth's and Mercury's orbits coincide, the tiny planet appears to stop then turn around and go the other way across the sky several times a year for about three weeks at a time.

Years ago, I scoffed when astrologers blamed Mercury Retrograde for everything from car breakdowns and computer glitches to missed appointments and plane crashes. As a practicing astrologer, I've even experimented several times myself with ignoring the conventional wisdom, forging right ahead as if Mercury didn't matter, things wouldn't slow down or get confused. Yeah, right.

These days I take my own advice. I'm actually going on vacation in early September.


The R Word

Mars and Venus are conjunct in Libra, so male/female relationships are front and center. It might be time for a re-evaluation in that department. Saturn's hanging out there, too, so if you're married (or want to be), you've probably got issues around that. There's a whole lot of separating going on after the big Cancer/Capricorn eclipses over the summer. Not as much hooking up... yet.


Think Service

Mercury's transiting back through Virgo, so pay attention to details. Take the time to get things right. Also pay attention to your health and well being. Mercury Rx check-ups aren't just for cars and computers. On a deeper level, our path of service is highlighted in the sign of the Vestal Virgin, goddess of hearth and harvest. What did you come to do in this lifetime? Are you tending the flames of your soul's passion? It's time to remember and recommit. Soon, it will be time to take action.


Balance and Integration

In the aftermath of this summer's eclipse/cardinal cross extravaganza, Mercury Retrograde provides a pause, a time to reflect and integrate the intense energies of this volatile season. The nearby Libra planets help us find a new balance.

If you've been following along with the astrology, or if you're just paying attention in general, you know it's been a wild ride as the planets lined up the past few months for a rare galactic showdown.

Now comes the time to process. Allow the energies to swirl and flow within. Pay attention to messages in dreams and meditation. Honor the naturally slower pace of life. Stay in the question. Answers will come in time.


Illumination

The Full Moon in Pisces this Monday night illuminates messages from the soul. Lots of people around the world will be meditating together at sunset on Tuesday, which is past the exact Full Moon alignment and a wonderful time to receive the disseminating energies. Full Moons are culmination points. The effects of meditation are amplified through this spiritual portal. Great healing is possible.

The Mercury/Full Moon gateway is an opportunity to rest and catch up before another change-up comes at the September Equinox.

Journey well.




StarTalk Astro Forecast

Mercury Retrograde is a perfect time to catch up on the astrology of change this season and what it means for us individually and collectively.

Explore the Galactic Cross, New and Full Moons, Mercury Retrograde and September Equinox-Harvest Moon with the mp3 recording of our information-packed Astro Forecast teleconference on August 5. We've given the dates of the hotspots and how the energies might express in our lives and our world.

Don't miss this galactic heads-up. To order, please go to:

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

A copy of my 18-page 2010-2012 Astro Preview is also included as a study guide.

Lunar Revelations

The Moon has had her way with me.

Last night's Aquarius full moon released the energy building since the Capricorn lunar eclipse a month ago. My life is already vastly different now than it was then. How's yours?

The total solar eclipse on the new moon two weeks ago initiated us into deeper levels of Cancerian love, the fathomless love a mother has for her child, the infinite love of the divine that flows through all of creation. Surrendering then to a persistent pull to the ocean, I disengaged from a life I loved and am now even more at peace, more at home, more myself than I have been in ages.

Life in the desert is already a fond memory as I make my way along the Pacific Coast, the edge of the North American continent. The ripe fullness of life rises up to meet me as it did when I first journeyed to these shores two decades ago.

At the ocean, I'm held in the embrace of the divine as wave after wave purifies my heart and cleanses the soul, creating fertile fields where a new consciousness will bloom.

Wheels within wheels, life is cyclical. The ocean attunes us to natural rhythms, the ebb and flow of creation. The tides are ruled by the Moon, zodiacal ruler of Cancer. As a Cancer, I feel these cycles deeply, feel the pain of our planet, feel called to protect and preserve the Earth and her waters that sustain us.

In these times, Mother Earth, her oceans and waterways are undergoing massive changes as are we, her children. This summer is a particularly volatile time with the eclipses just past and the Galactic Crosses now forming in the heavens. Astrologically, 2010 is the most volatile year of the 2012 transition, and the energies reach a peak in the summer months. Notice how much has changed, and how quickly the transformation progresses, as layer upon layer of what was gives way to what else could be.

Within all the change, all the chaos, is peace. Listen. From the quiet stillness at the center of all being emerges the voice of the soul. What is your soul whispering to you?

Mine has guided me back to my ocean home as a new cycle begins. For many years, I've studied and lived within spiritual, sustainable communities whose values align with my own. From that communion, Cosmic Time was born. Gestating within me as I explored place after place, time within time, the book took form in late 2008 and was published in January 2009.

Cosmic Time is a prayer for the future of our planet. It's an exploration of consciousness through the lenses of spirituality, prophecy, shamanism, environmentalism and, of course, astrology. My love for the Earth, my hopes and dreams for humanity infuse every word. As we explore personal and planetary transformation from a larger, cosmic perspective, the changes we see in our lives and our world day to day make more sense. Viewing the big picture makes it easier to surrender, to find peace, to live our purpose within a broader context.

My soul needed to birth Cosmic Time, to journey these past 12 years in the desert and to venture back to the sea, to explore and expand, as a new cycle begins. It's a curious feeling to anticipate without attachment, to sense the worlds of wonder that await each morning as I rise to meet a new day. The journey is everything.

It isn't easy to dismantle your life, but sometimes it's what's needed to reach a new level.

What's calling you from the depths of your soul? How else could you express your divine, radiant essence self in this life? The volatile alignments this summer invite us to explore the infinite possibilities of this creation, moment by moment, day by day, cycle by cycle. Journey to the heart of creation and open to the wisdom of your soul. Wherever life takes you, savor each moment.


Cosmic Time

Cosmic Time is my offering to Mother Earth in these times of the Great Changes. I have a few boxes of the limited first edition left, and the information is timely. You can read excerpts and order here: http://www.starpriestess.com/timebook.html

"Feel yourself being quietly drawn by the deeper pull of what you truly love." ~ Rumi


Namaste.



There's lots more to share in the current issue of my newsletter, Cosmic Time. Click here to read it on the web.

Beltane Fire

Fires of passion and purification burn bright this Beltane. The natural world awakens.

One of the four cross-quarters of the solar year, Beltane marks the transition from spring to summer in the northern hemisphere. The maypole anchors spring's spirited dance while a crackling Beltane fire promises deep transformation. We celebrate new life in spring with community festivals,the planting of the gardens.

Our neighbors south of the equator notice the Sun's light receding in fall. Attention turns inward in preparation for winter. Darkness encroaches. The veils between worlds become thin through the shamanic gateway of Samhain.

The Beltane cross-quarter is the mid-point between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice in the north. The gateway extends from traditional Beltane (May Day or May Faire) on May 1 through the zodiacal alignment on May 5 when the Sun crosses 15 Taurus. The potential for transformation goes quantum as outgoing energies and forms are released to make way for the new.

The ongoing T-square of Uranus, Saturn and Pluto erupts in sudden, deep change as we prepare for the initiatory gateway of the Grand Cardinal Crosses of summer. This potent planetary configuration promises to transform our lives and our world.

Those who are participating in our new 2010 Ascension Activation teleclasses have noticed the quickening of the fire's transformation already this spring. What's changing, rearranging, in your world?

The Sabbats

Cross-quarters are special alignments of the Earth and Sun called Greater Sabbats. In pagan traditions they're considered even more powerful than the Solstices and Equinoxes, which are known as the Lesser Sabbats. All eight Sabbats are points of balance in the solar wheel and remind us of the turning of the seasons. In honoring the Sabbats, we harmonize our lives with the rhythms of nature, the divinity that flows through all of creation.

Traditionally observed on May 1, Beltane is the pagan celebration of spring and the flowering of life. The maypole represents the merging of masculine and feminine, the god and goddess whose union creates life. We dance the maypole and jump the Beltane fire in celebration of the infinite blessings bestowed on our home, our family and community.

We commune with the nature spirits, the devas, elementals and the plant kingdom who help us bring forth a rich harvest through the warmer months of the year. Dance, chant, drumming and ritual are traditional activities that help us attune to the natural world as we gather with friends and family.

New life bursts forth at Beltane. We plant for a future harvest. What's blooming in your life? What is it time to release? What does community mean to you?

More about the Sabbats:

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

http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/seasons.html

The solar wheel established long ago by pagans in the north is inverted in the southern hemisphere. So in May, our sisters and brothers in southern latitudes are celebrating Samhain and the onset of winter. Here are some articles that offer a taste of Sabbat experiences below the equator.

http://www.mythinglinks.org/Wheel~SouthernYear.html

http://www.goddess.com.au/Links/SouthernHemisphere.htm

A Word About Wesak

The solar festival of Beltane falls on the same dates each year, but Wesak Festival is a lunar observance and the date changes from year to year. In esoteric tradition, the Wesak Moon is always the Full Moon during the Sun's transit of Taurus, which was April 28 this year. The Buddhist calendar is calculated differently, though, and the religious holiday will be observed at the Full Moon in May.

In Buddhism, Wesak (Vesak) celebrates the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha. In the esoteric teachings rooted in Buddhist and Vedic traditions, Wesak Festival is the second of the three great spring lunar festivals, a focal point for humanity to receive the cosmic energies of enlightenment.

Throughout the Wesak passage, especially this year, it's appropriate to prepare by quieting the mind and opening the heart, perhaps reserving extra time for meditation, contemplation, journaling and healing, alone and with others.

Ah, Mercury

And so it goes. Mixed-up dates, techno glitches and missed appointments are normal during Mercury's retrograde transit. The planet of communication and transportation returns to direct motion May 11. Is anyone else counting the days?

2010 Ascension Activation

A beautiful circle began gathering on the Scorpio Moon this past week for a collective journey through the powerful planetary alignments this spring and summer. The idea for the weekly 2010 Ascension Activation Teleclasses is to align with the potent celestial and Earth energies in coming months and transform our lives and our world through positive, focused intent.

The circle is open, and you may still register if you feel called to join with others around the world who are actively engaged in personal and planetary transformation. As a participant you can access the recordings even if you can't be live on the calls.

Details and registration:

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#2010

Monthly Astro Updates

Beginning with the Taurus New Moon on May 13, I'll be offering a preview of upcoming astrological highlights as we make our way through the volatile spring and summer months of 2010. We'll preview the New and Full Moons, Eclipses, June Solstice, Cross-Quarter Gateways and the potent Grand Cardinal Crosses of summer. We won't just share what the upcoming astrology is, we'll explain what it might mean in your life and your world.

These calls feature an interview-style forecast plus Q&A with call participants, moderated by Bob Keeton of Living Successfully radio (http://www.LivingSuccesfully.com). You can access the recordings even if you can't be live on the calls.

Details and registration:

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

Wesak Blessings

Softly, as the Moon rises

Spirit gives us our answers

In whispers, on wings

Within the Full Moon alignment Tuesday night, we are initiated into the heart of the lotus. The light of Wesak expands to clear our minds as divine love fills our hearts. The Earth, the Sun and Moon, the creatures of this dimension and beyond dance in celebration.

The Scorpio/Taurus Full Moon is the second of the three great spring lunar festivals. Around the world, this holy day honors the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha. In esoteric traditions, we are purified in the light of the Wesak Moon as the consciousness of pure love streams to Earth for all who are open to receive.

The Full Moon is exact at 8:18 AM Eastern on Wednesday, April 28. Meditation, prayer and healing are especially transformative throughout this passage and beyond. We begin our weekly series of teleclasses April 28 as the celestial energies rain blessings on the Earth and all beings.

With Mercury (retrograde) conjunct the Sun in Taurus, we have the opportunity to reconnect with Mother Earth, her sacred sites, the waters and mountains and deserts that nourish the soul. I just returned from weekend retreat at Chaco Canyon in northerwest New Mexico. It was a blessed moment to unplug the laptop and plug into Source. Where are your special places of peace and power?

Enlightenment

PBS recently aired a documentary chronicling the path the Buddha walked. Through art, narrative and interviews, we learn the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own times of accelerating change and spiritual seeking. Whether it's your first time watching or a rerun, a screening of "The Buddha" during the Wesak Moon would be a loving reminder that spiritual attainment is possible if we make it a priority.

For most of us, enlightenment unfolds in cycles, time after time. With each passage of Wesak, we may notice how we've grown spiritually in the past year, or longer. We may recommit to our spiritual practice. We may find ourselves drawn to the sacred in all things, all places, all people... as an enlightened master.

Pause for this moment, in peace. Namaste.

PBS - The Buddha

http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha

2010 Ascension Activation Weekly Teleclasses

Early registration extended for Wesak

http://StarPriestess.com/events.html#2010

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/04/songs-for-earth.html

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/04/coming-times.html

Songs for the Earth

I'll always remember the moment I realized I was in love. I was alone in the desert of northern Arizona, crossing a weathered bridge over an arroyo. The land opened invitingly, ridges of rose-red soil giving way to the ancient path below. In that moment, my awareness sunk into my heart and I knew. I am deeply, passionately in love with the Earth.

I've fallen in love many times in the desert. In the forest, too, and in the mountains. Especially at the ocean, or in a fragrant garden. The beauty of this planet and her blessings fill my senses.

How appropriate that we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, when the Sun enters earthy, sensual Taurus. In the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year when we begin to shed our winter layers and allow the spring sun to caress our skin. The plant kingdom awakens, alternately drinking in sunlight and gentle rain. As the animals give birth, we sow our gardens.

For our brothers and sisters in the southern hemisphere, it's the time of fall harvest. The natural cycles lead into the nighttime awareness of the soul.

The world is full of potential in this season of rebirth. Heaven smiles on our party for the Earth. The Lyrids meteor shower peaks in the early morning hours on Thursday.

Fierce Light

This Earth Lovefest is nothing new. Since ancient times, humanity has attuned to natural cycles, celebrating the seasons with festivals and thanksgiving. More recently, many of us have strayed from our roots in a world that's become increasingly mechanized, electronic and virtual. We sometimes forget to foster our sacred relationship with the Earth, and each other. Earth Day helps us remember our connection with the natural world, to live mindfully, in harmony with the generous mother being who supports us so abundantly.

In this twilight time between world ages, many are returning to her. In his film "Fierce Light," Velcrow Ripper has captured the words, stories, images and feelings of humanity's love affair with the Earth, and the efforts of many around the world to preserve and protect our cherished home.

If you haven't seen this film, treat yourself for Earth Day. Journey to the mountains of Mexico, the villages of New Zealand and South Africa, to Thailand and Vietnam and a very special place in south central Los Angeles where a group of activists hold vigil to preserve their community garden. This inspiring film will expand your horizons about what it means to be a citizen of planet Earth.

Fierce Light is about owning the responsibility of being human, to live in harmony with the Earth and each other. I strive to live up to this responsibility more fully each day. It's expressed in years of writing, publishing and teaching, my newsletters and blogs, the book Cosmic Time, in my astro-shamanism practice, and in classes, workshops and sacred sites retreats.

The journey continues. This spring and summer, I'm offering a series of teleclasses to create awareness, support and dialogue as we make our way through one of the most volatile periods in human history. Because of the special planetary configurations this summer, we have a supreme opportunity to transform our lives and our world very quickly, to take a quantum evolutionary leap. We'll ride the wave together with the 2010 Ascension Activation series beginning on Wednesday, April 28, on the Wesak Full Moon.

The subtitle of the film Fierce Light is "When Spirit Meets Action." These words carry special meaning this year because of the ongoing, highly charged T-square formed by Uranus, Saturn and Pluto, and the upcoming grand crosses of summer. These planetary configurations in cardinal signs compel us to take action based on our unique mission and purpose at this important time in history, action rooted in spirit. It happens at the level of the individual, and in community. We need courage, faith, guidance and each other as we make our way through the changes ahead.

Earth Day Celebration

In honor of Earth Day, I'm offering two-for-one registration on April 22 for anyone who signs up for the full 16-week Ascension Activation course. All calls will be recorded, and there's an online discussion group, so you don't need to be live on all the calls to participate. The course description is posted at http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html.

Earth Day is a call to action for each of us in this cusp period between world ages. Find a new or long-time favorite spot to commune in nature. Take a moment to pause and reflect on the bigger picture. What's your vision? Where is your life headed? What changes would you like to make? Action begins in stillness.

"Another world is here, right now, inside all of us. Listen." - Velcrow Ripper, Fierce Light

Earth Day

http://www.earthday.org

Lyrids Meteor Shower

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111165632228402&ref=mf

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/lyrid-meteor-shower-2010_n_544585.html

http://www.examiner.com/x-27474-Astronomy-Examiner~y2010m4d20-2010-Lyrid-meteor-shower-peaks-April-22

Fierce Light

http://www.fiercelight.org

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Fierce_Light_When_Spirit_Meets_Action/70119459?strackid=13176e20e107618c_0_srl&strkid=1028144456_0_0&trkid=438381

2010 Ascension Activation Telecourse

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#2010

Earth Changes and Ascension

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/04/coming-times.html

The Coming Times

As the Moon crested to full at the end of March, I was filled with an unexpected awareness. This year, the Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius Full Moons are preparing us for the changes coming this summer.

For years, I've been observing the spring lunar festivals of esoteric traditions, the Full Moon alignments during the Sun's transits of Aries, Taurus and Gemini. These are the festivals of the Christ (Easter), Buddha (Wesak) and the Festival of Goodwill, also known as the Festival of Humanity.

Each is a transmission of Divine Light streaming from the celestial realms to reach the hearts of all who are open to receive the blessings.

This year is a bit different. The transmissions are more intense. There's more at stake, and a sense of urgency.

Mid-Year 2010

Many of us are aware that we live in a transition period between world ages. In our lifetime, vast cycles of time are ending and new cycles are beginning. We live in the between times. The Mayan Calendar and 2012 alert us to this transition.

In June, July and August this year, celestial and Earth energies reach a peak as a complex series of volatile planetary configurations reshape our world. The potential for change is off the charts. Opening to the infinite possibilities inherent in this summer extravagenza requires the release of many layers of accumulated resistance, karma and outdated beliefs. Full Moons illuminate what's been held in the subconscious. That's where these patterns reside.

And so the already-potent Full Moon spring festivals are even more profound this year. They're helping us get ready for the summer alignments.

Here's what I've discovered based on comments from clients and friends and my own communion with the energies around the Libra Moon. Many are experiencing tremendous emotional upheaval. Sudden illness and accidents are common. Our relationships are being tested, and many are dissolving. Pretty much everyone I talk with is waking up in the wee hours of the morning, often around 3 a.m., and feeling a lot of fatigue during the day. Sleep, when it comes, is heavy. Many are receiving clear intuitive messages in dreams, meditation and waking hours.

The astrology community has been buzzing about the summer alignments for months. Highlights include the conjunction of Uranus and Jupiter in the first degree of Aries, which becomes part of the Grand Cardinal Cross configuration of June. The Grand Cross morphs into a Lunar Eclipse a few days after the June Solstice, followed by a Solar Eclipse in July and tense squares, oppositions and Grand Cardinal Cross configurations through early August.

I've been writing about the summer astrology extensively since late last year. From my Cosmic Time newsletter in December:

A celestial storm is brewing. In 2010, we'll experience the most intense planetary influences to date in this transition through 2012 and beyond.

If you think 2009 was wild, just wait. 2010 will be the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime. The intensity peaks in the summer months, and how things go from there depends on how we respond to the volatile energies.

Structures, forms and institutions are breaking down, reorganizing at a higher level. During the reconfiguration, we become aware of the infinite possibilities of the quantum creational field. We realize we can choose our next reality. And we have the insight, tools and technology to do it...

Click here to read the full article.

Now the alignments are upon us. We've already experienced massive changes in early 2010, as the energies ramp up. Intuitives, astrologers and prophecy keepers agree. This is the most volatile year of the 2012 transition, and the energies reach peak intensity in the summer months (winter below the equator). There are scientific, metaphysical and spiritual reasons for the changes, and the forecasts offered by these disciplines line up in some very intriguing ways.

Ramping Up

At the Full Moon in February, a massive 8.8 magnitude eathquake rocked Chile only six weeks after a 7.0 earthquake caused widespread devastation in Haiti. Less than 24 hours before the Chile earthquake, a magnitude 7.0 quake struck Okinawa in southern Japan.

We're only halfway through April and we've already witnessed a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the Baja peninsula of Mexico (April 4), 7.8 earthquake in Sumatra (April 6) and 6.9 quake earlier this week in southwest China (April 13).

On April 14, a volcano under a glacier in Iceland erupted for the second time in less than a month, melting ice, spewing smoke and steam, closing roads and forcing hundreds of people to flee rising floodwaters. Today, air traffic came to a halt in Europe on a scale unseen since the 2001 attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. All flights were canceled over Britain, Ireland and the Nordic countries.

It doesn't seem coincidental that a fireball lit up the night sky over five Midwest states in the U.S. while this was happening (April 14). Video footage of these events speaks volumes.

I wrote in the book, Cosmic Time, more than two years ago:

Earth Mother is rumbling. The vast changes we see in our world – natural cataclysm, devastation through wind, fire, water and air, “climate change” – all are expressions of a natural evolutionary process that flows in cycles, time after time. This cosmic wisdom is encoded in our cellular memory, recorded in sacred texts and transmitted through the prophecies and teachings of indigenous peoples around the world. This is a time of purification, Earth changes, living prophecy. Geological records show that the Earth has experienced many periods of extreme and sudden change. This is one of those times. Never before, though, have so many beings lived on the planet during the transfiguration. The Earth’s systems are realigning quickly. The changes are accelerating and intensifying.

Earth is stirring. Tectonic plates are shifting. Major realignments are due, and some will be sudden. As the planets align with galactic forces this year, the changes are growing in frequency and severity.

We're not used to this kind of intensity. This spring, the loving divinity of this creation is pushing us through a transformational process so we'll be ready.

New Teleclasses

This Saturday, Mercury begins a three-week retrograde period. While the March Equinox last month and Aries New Moon this week propel us forward in certain areas of our lives, deep healing, clearing and realignment is still needed within us as we prepare for the eclipses and Grand Cardinal Crosses of summer. During Mercury's retrograde transit, things slow down a bit so we can recalibrate.

As this profound awareness sunk in over the past two weeks, I've been guided to put together a series of weekly and monthly teleclasses to provide support, build community and help us focus these powerful energies in positive ways.

I'm walking a fine line here. While acknowledging that chaos and confusion grips much of the world these days, I have no interest in pandering to anyone's fear. We live in a Universe that's constantly changing, and right now we're experiencing a period when the changes on this planet are accelerating. This is a natural process. Science and and spiritual teachings confirm this.

We're entering a time of unprecedented opportunity for the volatile cosmic and planetary energies to be focused in ways that serve the evolutionary process of the Earth and humanity. We're poised for a quantum leap. What will we do at this critical juncture? Will we choose to transform consciously, to create a better world for our children and their children, and assist the Earth in her process of rebirth?

The next lunar festival is the Wesak Full Moon on April 28. A celebration of the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha, Wesak is observed in many countries and is the centerpiece of the spring lunar festivals in esoteric traditions. In the shamanic polarity of Scorpio/Taurus, this is arguably the most potent Full Moon each year. A death and rebirth is at hand, and will undoubtedly send us into another round of accelerated transformation.

What better time to begin this new series of weekly teleclasses, called "2010 Ascension Activation"? We'll journey together through the maze of planetary alignments coming up this spring and summer. Details are posted on my web site:

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#2010

I'll also offer astro forecasts once a month as we make our way through the volatile summer months. Scheduled in conjunction with the New Moon alignments beginning in May, these updates will preview the astrological highlights for the coming month. Details:

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

Both will be held live via teleconference, and each class will be recorded. So you don't need to be on the calls to participate and receive the information.

The series is designed to foster understanding, support and pro-active awareness at this volatile time in Earth's history. This is a shamanic journey, a quest for truth. We’re going to bridge Earth and Sky, connect with the heart of creation, and initiate a new sequence for the times to come. Check it out, and if the series speaks to you, please consider joining in this evolutionary journey of a lifetime. Tell your friends, too. I look forward to connecting with you during this most auspicious time on planet Earth.

Namaste.

Iceland Volcano

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/Green/wireStory?id=10379678

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/19179131

Midwest U.S. Fireball

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-TYo1LgHr4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_2aX-784sw&feature=related

2010 Astro Preview from the Cosmic Time Ezine

http://www.StarPriestess.com/cosmic_time.html#2010preview

2010 Ascension Activation Teleclasses

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#2010

New Moon Astro Updates

http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

Libra Moon

At night, I open the window

and ask the moon to come

and press its face against mine.

Breathe into me.

Close the language-door

and open the love-window.

The moon won't use the door,

only the window.

— Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi

Celebrating Cycles

Endings are beginnings. With the New Moon in Pisces on Monday, March 15, we complete a year-long cycle of spiritual evolution and deepen our connection with Divine Source.

The Moon and Sun meet in the late degrees of this most spiritual sign, with the planets Mercury and Uranus closely conjunct. Intuitive, watery Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac and represents spiritual mastery, union with the One Source of all creation. Jupiter, the guru and guide, is transiting the earlier degrees of Pisces. The dreamtime is potent with messages and insights, spiritual truth from the great beyond.

All New Moons are about endings, and beginnings. What's coming to completion in your life? How have you grown spiritually over the past year? What have you mastered? What's just beginning for you? Honor this passage with prayer and meditation. Celebrate your growth. Ritualize your intent.

At the Equinox on Saturday, March 20, the astrological new year begins as the Sun crosses into Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. Spiritually and physically, we begin again. It's time for movement and action. Think "new." The Aries energy helps us set plans in motion, begin projects, get creative and play.

Signs of rebirth and renewal are all around. In the northern hemisphere, the days grow longer. Birds sing. Plants sprout. Flowers bloom. The Sun warms our skin. In the southern latitudes, the Sun's light recedes as winter approaches.

The Equinox marks the change of seasons. Ancient cultures observed these special alignments of Sun and Earth with festivals, ritual and prayer. In the north, we plan and plant our gardens. In the south, we celebrate the harvest and begin to prepare for winter.

Galactic Alignment

The astrology of 2010 shifts into high gear with the Equinox on March 20. Since the Solstice last December, transformation has been happening on deep inner levels. Now the external changes go quantum and build to a crescendo in the summer months.

The March Equinox is especially potent this year with Saturn transiting the first degree of Libra, a point in space that connects Earth with the cosmos through the supergalactic center. Just as the Earth revolves around our Sun, the Sun orbits a central point of the Milky Way Galaxy. And our galaxy is part of cluster of galaxies that orbit a supergalactic center billions of lightyears away in deep space.

This alignment on the Equinox creates a supercharged gateway opening us to the infinite possibilities of the quantum creational field. If you haven't watched "What the Bleep Do We Know" lately, now would be a good time to revisit the ideas presented in the film.

Breathe and Balance

Equinoxes are moments of balance in the solar year. Day and night are of equal length. The Full Moon on Monday, March 29, is another point of balance with the Moon in Libra opposing the Sun in Aries. The Full Moon is the culmination of a 28-day lunar cycle and harmonizes the opposing energies of the two signs. Libra, sign of the scales, is about balance, justice and beauty. Aries, the ram, initiates action, activates the inner warrior, ignites our passions.

This next month is an amazing time for transformation. Which areas of your life are due for an overhaul? Consider the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical levels. Stay balanced with conscious breathwork, yoga, t'ai chi or xi gong, meditation and time in nature. Journal. Create with intent. Optimize your physical body for the changing seasons with exercise, healthy nutrition and a full-body cleanse.

Astrology attunes us to the natural rhythms of creation. How will you focus the powerful energy of these cycles?

Earth in Balance

Celebrating Cycles of Rebirth and Renewal

Saturday, March 20, 2010

12 PM Pacific / 1 PM Mountain / 2 PM Central / 3 PM Eastern / 7 PM GMT

We'll explore planetary alignments and celebrate the change of seasons with a special Equinox teleconference hosted by Satiama.com on Saturday, March 20. Learn more about the astrological outlook for 2010 and beyond and how the celestial energiesrelate to 2012 and the Mayan calendar, Earth changes and Native prophecy.

The two-hour live teleconference also features an Equinox ritual to help you synch up with the energies of this galactic alignment, support your spiritual evolution, connect more deeply with your life purpose and initiate a new sequence for the coming times.

When you register, you'll receive a complimentary copy of my 18-page astrological forecast for 2010-2012 and beyond.

E-mail me for details or visit http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#equinox

Dreamweaver

"I am the spiritual impulse itself - an evolutionary intuition embedded within the sacred unfolding of the cosmos." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

This weekend's Full Moon rises in consciousness over the landscape of the soul.

Four planets line up in Pisces, illuminating the world of dreams. The veils thin. We're more connected with Source, more aware of our existence beyond time and space.

Jupiter aligns with the Sun in Pisces and opposes the Moon in Virgo. Venus and Uranus, also in Pisces, bring unexpected pleasures. With Mars in Leo, passion burns bright.

Venus emerged earlier this week from her shamanic journey of the Underworld. Newly reborn, she reigns now as the Evening Star on the western horizon as the Sun sets, beacon of purity and personal love.

Associated with spiritual mastery and the divine flow of creation, Pisces is the muse of great poetry, music, art and literature. In Virgo, the Moon grounds our mystical experience and calls us to a path of spiritual service. In esoteric astrology, Virgo represents the alchemist-goddess, the creatrix who fuses spirit and matter into new, coherent forms through consciousness.

Notice how the light of the Moon infuses the Earth, the waters of the Earth, your being with spiritual, life-giving energy, sustenance for the journey.

The ongoing square between Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn brings continued reconfiguration of our world and our lives in alignment with Spirit.

The conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Mercury in Aquarius signals the possibility of healing on a collective level.

The Full Moon rises Saturday night. The lunation is exact on Sunday, February 28, at 12:38 PM Eastern. If you're feeling ultra-sensitive, go within. Align with your sacred power through dreams, meditation and prayer. Allow the energy of the cosmos to fuel your creativity. Paint, dance, drum, write, sing. Give voice to your soul.

Pray for the upliftment, the enlightenment of all beings, in these times of the great changes on Earth.

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

Harvest Moon

The Full Moon rises Saturday night in sweet celestial splendor. Below, ripened fields on Earth are bathed in her luminous glow. This is the harvest.

Full Moons are points of culmination, magical moments of manifestation and creation. Especially this one. In Aries/Libra, the Moon/Sun opposition aligns in a portal of initiation, a milestone in our ascension. The alignment will be exact Saturday night (11:10 PM Pacific October 3, 2:10 AM Eastern October 4).

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the Fall Equinox. Below the equator, the seeds of spring are ripening in a time of new beginnings.

In initiating, cardinal signs, the waxing Moon signals a completion, the harvest of all we've cultivated in recent weeks and months. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the abundant blessings in our lives. In many places, the streets are filled with the sights, smells and sounds of community harvest festivals.

Spiritually, we are fulfilled. The Moon in Aries illuminates our passions, urging us to pursue our dreams. The Sun in Libra brings balance, beauty and harmony.

Saturn, Mercury and Venus in Virgo celebrate the Earth, our path of service, the alchemy of spirit and matter within this physical dimension. Uranus in Pisces opposes Mercury and Saturn, a dynamic opposition we've seen reflected in recent Earth changes, including powerful earthquakes and tsunamis this past week.

The cosmos asks that we pause to honor this passage as Grandmother Moon waxes to full these autumn nights. Take action to manifest your dreams into reality. Pray for balance and harmony in our world, within the hearts of all, as we make our way through the prophesied changes of the 2012 transition.

Namaste.

Protecting the Moon

At the Full Moon in September, I learned of NASA's mission to bomb the Moon this month. Unbelievable, but true. For details and links, see my September 4, 2009 blog post below.

The story has been reported in Scientific American and other popular media, yet reliable facts and updates about this mission are sketchy. You can research it yourself and draw your own conclusions. At the very least, our prayers and awareness are needed.