Cosmic Crossroads

In 2010, as we stand at the threshold of a new beginning, the Universe offers a simple, supreme gift.

We are given the choice to awaken. Will we accept?

The rate of change is accelerating on planet Earth as we make our way through the 2012 transition. That translates differently for each one of us. We might experience illness, accidents, sudden loss of a loved one, economic hardship, natural (or not) disaster and various other crises. Jobs and relationships are ending. Many are losing their homes. These times are also filled with magic and opportunity. How has your life changed in the past year? Two years? Five years?

We live in a time of rebirth and renewal, endings and new beginnings. Destruction is a natural part of the process. This entire year is about coming to terms with change.

In December last year, I wrote that "2010 will be a defining year in humanity’s evolution. Massive changes will be initiated in 2010 and integrated in the years ahead. Arising from upheaval and chaos, a new paradigm will be born."

How we respond to evolutionary forces now will shape the future. This is not a year to stand by and wait for others to act. Positive change requires our participation, our commitment and leadership in alignment with the soul.


Divine Intent

Astrology is a way to decipher the intent of the cosmos as we make our way through the great cycle shift, the Turning of the Ages.

Many believe the year 2012 is the turning point, the end of the current cycle. The truth is much bigger. As we've said many times, 2012 is now. Vast cycles of time on the order of thousands, tens of thousands and millions of years are completing, and new cycles are beginning, now. That process doesn't happen in a single year. The cycle shift takes hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.

Within the 2012 transition, 2010 brings us to a crossroads. Which way will we go? Will we choose love and abundance or fear and scarcity? Will we seize the opportunity to become empowered co-creators and manifest a compelling destiny aligned with our true purpose? Or will we passively watch and wait, fearful to take a leap and participate in creating a brighter future?

Individually and collectively, we're initiating a sequence for years to come as we pass through the energetic portals of 2010. The choices we make matter.


What's Next?

The energies of change reached peak intensity in June, July and August as a volatile t-square and Grand Cardinal Cross configuration connected us with the heart of the cosmos. A potent eclipse series in June and July amplified the effects. Sudden, sweeping changes rolled through our lives like waves crashing to shore.

In the spring and summer months, an unthinkable crisis gripped the world's attention as oil bled uncontrollably from the sea floor into the Gulf of Mexico. The devastating effects of the oil spill will haunt us for many years to come. From the chaos surrounding this disaster, a clear message emerged. We can no longer ignore the obvious. We must change our ways.

With six planets now retrograde (Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Chiron, Neptune and Pluto), we have the opportunity to revisit our choices and decide how to proceed from here.

Issues we faced over the past few months will surface again between now and early next year. Do we need to make different choices? This is a big second chance.

Mercury's retrograde period through mid-September gives us pause. This is an ideal time to reflect and consider next steps as we integrate the powerful energies we've experienced recently.


Opening to Love

There’s an amazing phenomenon embedded in the planetary transits and alignments this year. Through these energetic portals, a new beginning is possible for humanity and the Earth. A mass awakening is at hand.

In part, the power of these celestial configurations relates to the Turning of the Ages with vast cosmic cycles ending and beginning now, in our lifetime. More specifically, the ongoing t-square configuration of Saturn, Uranus and Pluto has moved into alignment with the center of the supergalactic cluster that includes our local Milky Way Galaxy. The energies reaching Earth through this portal open us to the most exquisitely peaceful, nurturing divine love imaginable in this or any dimension. At the same time, the potent galactic forces are highly destructive and cause sudden, unexpected changes that serve a higher purpose in this grand reordering of life on Earth.

With a little spiritual savvy, we can channel all this flux and uncertainty in positive ways. Rather than resisting the energies of change, we can learn to focus cosmic forces to transform our lives and our world. Collective transformation begins within each of us individually. Through this gateway, we have an enormous opportunity to step into our power and do things differently on planet Earth. The changes that are needed are far too big for any one of us to manifest alone. We must join forces and work together, cooperatively, in true Aquarian style.

The energies of 2010 support quantum change. We can break through to the next level more easily now than ever before. In this moment, do you feel free? Do you sense a new beginning in your life that's related to something bigger, something important, something galactic? Are you living your purpose? If not, what's stopping you?

It's time to ask the hard questions and be honest with the answers. An opportunity like this won't come along again any time soon.



Autumn Equinox/Harvest Moon

Planetary energies will reach another peak at the September Equinox, which coincides closely with the Aries Full Moon this year. Join with others around the world in a special Autumn Equinox/Harvest Moon Teleconference to explore our world in transition. We'll give the celestial forecast for the next three months, offer tips and techniques for navigating the changes, and align with the planetary energies through group meditation and prayer at this powerful time. The teleconference will be held live on Monday, September 20. The event will be recorded, so you don't need to be live on the call to participate. Details and registration: http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#forecast



Cosmic Time

In my book, Cosmic Time, we explore the cycle shift and what it means for us in our day-to-day lives. How do we make our way through the tremendous changes we encounter every day? Where is all this change leading? The book focuses on personal and planetary transformation within a cosmic context. The content is relevant and timely. The reach excerpts and order a copy, please visit my web site: http://www.starpriestess.com/time.html#timebook

Additional Articles

Cosmic Time - April 16, 2010

Cosmic Time - June 8, 2010

Cosmic Time - June 21, 2010

Cosmic Time - June 26, 2010

Cosmic Time - August 4, 2010

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.

Grounded Action

"The more conscious we are of 'difficult' astrological alignments, the less power they have to move us, and the less likely they are to bring destructive effects.... Simply being aware of where the planets are (and their potentials) changes the way they manifest." - Tem Tarriktar


This is it. The much-anticipated Grand Cardinal Crosses are now forming in the heavens. The initiatory portal coming into alignment this weekend will be particularly intense.

If you thought the eclipse series in June/July was powerful, watch what happens next. The celestial energies have been ramping up steadily since the March Equinox and reach a crescendo during the first three weeks of August.

Outer planets Pluto, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter are joined by Mars and Venus in hot configurations over the next several weeks. The planets aren't just making hard aspects to each other. Saturn, Mars and Venus align with the orbital center of the cluster of galaxies that includes our Milky Way. The energy of the cosmos fuels the ongoing outer-planet t-square that will become the Grand Cross this weekend.

All heaven is breaking loose, and the effects will be felt for a long time to come.

This is a divine intervention. As the eclipses, ongoing t-square and grand crosses plow through outdated beliefs, the forms and structures of our lives are crumbling with accelerating ferocity each day. I'm hearing all kinds of reports of physical and emotional manifestations, abrupt endings of everything from relationships and jobs to locations and living arrangements...and magical new beginnings.

Because the planets of the grand cross are in cardinal signs, the overall energy is of change through movement and action. New forms are taking shape even as the old forms fall away. It's still early to fully harvest the new. It's more that an energetic imprint is established at this time for later manifestation in the physical realm. When we're flowing with the energies, the feeling is incredibly light and free, optimistic and joyful. It's also easy to get caught up in the chaos and feel overwhelmed or helpless.

Throughout this period, mindfulness and grounded action are key. Even though the fullest manifestation of our ideas is still far off, now is the time to cast the seeds of a new life and a new world. It's important to stay focused, stay positive and create with intent.

I've been writing about this series since late last year, and there's tons of information online about the astrological significance of the potent planetary alignments. At this point, I find it most efficient to deliver the forecast for coming weeks in spoken word. We'll do that again this week. Our final StarTalk Astro Forecast of the summer season will be held live via teleconference this Thursday, August 5.

In this call we'll focus on...

Lammas (Lughnasadh) Cross-Quarter Gateway
The Galactic Crosses
New and Full Moons
Venus in Libra
Mercury Retrograde
September Equinox and Harvest Moon

The program will be recorded and available for download whether you're live on the call or not. You'll also receive a copy of my 18-page 2010-2012 Astro Preview as a study guide. Details and registration: http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

My heart is filled with optimism and hope for a new day as the energies of change reach peak intensity over the next few weeks. I hope you'll join me in prayer that we as a people will seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to begin shaping a world we're proud to pass on to our children and their children.

Freedom's Light

Light is everything in the world
to men's eyes
Light thirsts after light
yes, the soul, twin to the stars
moves through space
to find, be made eternal by light
and grasp, trembling,
the sun
a torch handed on
from runner to runner
through the millennia.

- Gunvor Hofmo


Each year at this time, our Sun aligns with the magnificent blue star Sirius, creating an initiation portal linked to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Egyptian goddess Isis and the all-seeing, all-knowing Eye of Cosmic Wisdom.

The rising of Sirius with the Sun near the June Solstice marks the beginning of the Egyptian New Year and heralds the annual flooding of the Nile, replenishing the physical and spiritual fertility of the motherland. The brightest star in our sky, Sirius streams the cosmic frequencies of Love-Wisdom to Earth. As Sothis, she catalyzes the purification of ego so we may more fully embody Divine Essence.

Under this auspicious alignment, nations have won their independence and leaders have been born. The conjunction is most exact on July 6.

Freedom and illumination are themes of this celestial gateway. The United States and Canada both celebrate their independence from England under this alignment. Bastille Day - the French Independence Day - is July 14. In an intriguing twist, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of Tibet, and former U.S. President George W. Bush were both born under this configuration, on July 6.


Mother Love

Esoterically, Sirius is known as our Spiritual Sun, portal for the transmission of divine light-love, consciousness of the heavens. The sister stars are reunited each year, bathing the Earth in shimmering waves of creation. We are reborn in the divine light of the cosmos.

This year the Sun's rising with Sirius illuminates harsh realities, a world in much need of Cancerian divine mother-love. This tumultuous season of change is highlighted by a potent eclipse series in Cancer and Capricorn, signs of the cosmic mother and father. The waters of the Earth are threatened even as a galactic cross forms in the heavens, reuniting the Earth with our cosmic origins.

Within these celestial alignments is embedded a supreme opportunity to seize the light of the heavens and fashion a new reality on Earth. It can't happen too soon.

Humanity stands at a crossroads. The choices we make today will determine the course of things to come on planet Earth for a very long time.

In this period between the June 26 Lunar Eclipse and the upcoming Solar Eclipse on July 11, Earth hangs in the balance. The Solar Eclipse on the Cancer New Moon is a time for healing the oceans, sea of consciousness, the vast waters of human emotion, with divine feminine love.

Later this month, Saturn enters Libra, the sign of balance, liberty and justice. In the early degrees of this harmonizing sign, the planet of structure, karma and form completes an explosive cardinal T-Square with Pluto, the Transformer, revolutionary Uranus and expansive Jupiter.

The potential for change is off the charts. Upheaval and chaos reign as the reconfiguration of our world intensifies through the Grand Cardinal Cross alignments of August.


The Opportunity

Rather than resisting the energies of change, we can learn to focus cosmic forces to transform our lives and our world. Collective transformation begins within each of us individually. More than ever before, we have an enormous opportunity to step into our power and do things differently on planet Earth.

Inspired action is key. As we make our way through this volatile summer toward 2012 and beyond, we're invited to consciously engage in creating a world of peace.

The effects of prayer, meditation, ritual, healing and intent are greatly amplified during times of planetary alignment. Reserve time to observe these periods of quantum effect.

In these sultry summer days as our Sun aligns with the great star Sirius, the light of the cosmos streams to Earth in shimmering waves of creation. We are reborn in the spiritual light of the cosmos.

Align with these forces and celebrate freedom. Freedom from the past. Freedom from karmic patterns and self-limiting beliefs. Freedom to find solutions and explore new opportunities. Freedom to choose love.

A rebirth is at hand. Free your soul.



StarTalk Astro Forecast

We'll preview the astrology of the upcoming alignments in detail during the StarTalk Astro Forecast Teleconference this Thursday, July 8. Find out about the July 11 Total Solar Eclipse and upcoming Cardinal Grand Crosses, Lammas Gateway and more during this special 60-minute program.

Details and registration: http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon



Sirius Links

http://www.crystalinks.com/sirius.html

http://www.crystalinks.com/inundation.html

http://www.souledout.org/nightsky/dogdays/dogdays.html

http://souledout.org/cosmology/cossynthreflects/sirius.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_Days

http://thezodiac.com/weird/dogdayssummersirius.htm


If you want to get an idea of the size of this sister star in relation to the Earth, our Sun and other planets in our solar system, check this out. It's a mind-bender!

http://www.kiroastro.com/writings/perspective

For more about the summer eclipse series, click here.



Egypt Pilgrimage
2012 Conference & Sacred Sites Journey

Join us for a life-changing experience in Egypt this fall with the 2012: Spiraling Into the Next Cycle Conference featuring guest speakers, healers and guides from around the world. Following the conference, our initiatory voyage will continue with visits to the ancient temples, the Great Pyramid and Sphinx. An optional side trip to the ancient stone city of Petra in Jordan has also been added. Don't miss this transformational opportunity of a lifetime!

Details: http://wwww.StarPriestess.com/events.html#egypt

As Above, So Below

The game is changing on planet Earth. Right now.

No matter what you thought you knew or who you thought you were, your reality is about to be radically transformed.

This summer (fall in the southern hemisphere), a series of planetary configurations signals sudden, profound changes designed to break down outdated thoughts, beliefs and systems so a new paradigm may emerge.

Why? Planets in our solar system are aligning with specific points in space transmitting intense cosmic frequencies. We have a supreme opportunity to initiate a new sequence for a long time to come as we pass through these energetic portals.

The configurations are tense, powerful, revolutionary, and affect all areas of our lives and our world. All planets in our solar system will be involved at one time or another, although the central configuration involves Uranus, Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn.

As the alignments form, dissolve and reform over the next three months, the energies will grow more volatile and intense. In part, the power of these celestial configurations relates to the Turning of the Ages with vast cosmic cycles ending and beginning now, in our lifetime.

This has never happened before with so many beings living on the planet. The changes will be personal and planetary as Earth aligns with universal forces of creation. We're connecting with a larger reality, a new matrix encompassing and embracing All That Is.

Galactic Crossroads

What's likely to happen this summer? Breakthrough. Earth and humanity are poised for an evolutionary quantum leap. This potential is encoded in the Mayan calendar, a sacred timekeeping system that explains the acceleration of consciousness transformation in these times leading up to and beyond 2012.

We've come to a galactic crossroads. Will we attempt to hold on to outdated forms, systems and beliefs? Or will we accept this cosmic invitation to play in the quantum field, spiral up in consciousness, dance with the divine and surf the cosmic waves of love flowing to our planet?

Whether we try to hold on or not, 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 field. We realize we can choose our next reality. And we have the insight, tools and technology to do it.

This is a quantum opportunity to dream up solutions to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, discover new ways to feed, clothe and house the world's fast-growing population, and develop sustainable technologies to meet humanity's ever-increasing energy demands. These energies will catalyze rapid advances in all fields, including science, the arts, medicine, healing, education and commerce. In short, we can rebuild our world in ways that work for everyone.

Signs and Signals

Two days ago, the planet Jupiter was hit by an asteroid, which is not all that uncommon. The gas giant is something like 11 times bigger than Earth. Last summer an astroid crashed into Jupiter's atmosphere, leaving a gaping hole the size of the Pacific Ocean. Amateur astronomers captured this week's impact on film, even as NASA scientists released an update about last year's asteroid hit. New Hubble telecope images chronicle the "healing" of this giant wound.

Last month, scientists announced the disappearance of the southern band of dense clouds in Jupiter's atmosphere that looked like a brownish stripe on the planet's surface. Photos of the apparent facelift show a dramatic transformation.

Is it a coincidence that there's all this interest in Jupiter now, just as he's about to enter Aries, the first sign of the zodiac?

In astrology, Jupiter is the teacher, the guru, the guide. Always considered to have positive influence, his presence signals expansion and new teachings.

Overnight tonight, Jupiter joins his brother, guide and friend Uranus at 0 Aries, the initiation point of the zodiac. When these two team up, watch for sudden insights and breakthroughs. Solutions to longstanding problems appear in flashes of genius. Wherever this conjunction falls in your chart, magic is afoot!

Opposing the happy couple is Saturn, who recently returned to apparent forward motion in the heavens. The planet of karma, structure and form is transiting the late degrees of Virgo, and when he reaches 0 Libra in July, the fireworks really begin. Explosive Pluto squares the Uranus-Jupiter/Saturn opposition, forming a Cardinal T-Square that will become the much-anticipated Grand Cardinal Cross of 2010. Under this configuration, changes will be swift and dramatic, with long-lasting effects.

Shifting Realities

Shifting frequencies mean shifting realities. In techno terms, Earth and humanity are getting an operating system upgrade.

Expect the unexpected. Throughout the next three months, we'll experience major upheaval, chaos, movement, pressure and purification. The energy is revolutionary and frenetic, and comes in sudden bursts, seemingly out of the blue.

It could very well feel like your world is turning inside out as old structures collapse and new realities take shape. Different is the new normal.

As I interact with friends, family, colleagues, students and clients around the world, I notice some obvious trends. Many are experiencing emotional upheaval, anxiety, accidents, sudden illness, and extreme changes in sleep and eating patterns. Many relationships are ending. New ones are beginning. Many are being called to travel and/or relocate. Bursts of enthusiasm and bliss alternate with feelings of lethargy or exhaustion. There's excitement and anticipation. Also apprehension.

Time seems to be speeding up and the veils are thinning as our concepts of space and time shift. It's common not to remember whether you dreamed something or it really happened (does it matter?). Uncanny clairvoyant and clairsentient experiences are common, even among people who have never expressed these gifts before.

As the physical touchstones of our lives implode, our sense of self is radically altered. Who are we in this new reality?

Each will perceive the shift and potential outcomes through an individual lens of consciousness. As we attune to the higher frequencies, choices flood our field of awareness. It's wise to remain centered in love as we align with the highest potentials in each moment.

What is Jupiter teaching us?

As above, so below.

It's time to embody our essence as divine masters, learn to embrace change, heal wounds from the past and move powerfully into a new day.

The Forecast

Through the next three months, we have a special opportunity to welcome deep, lasting transformation and focus these intensely creative/destructive energies toward shaping a better world, a world we want our children and their children to inherit.

This Thursday I'll give the details in our monthly StarTalk Astro Forecast teleconference. We'll preview the astrology for the coming month and what it means, with special attention to specific hotspots when the energies will be most intense and transformative.

The teleconference is designed for anyone who's interested in astrology as a tool for personal and planetary transformation. No knowledge of astrology is needed. We'll focus on what the astrology means more than what it is, and how it relates to the changes we see every day in our lives and our world. Participants will receive a copy of my 18-page 2010-2012 Astro Preview as a study guide.

This month, we'll focus on:

* Uranus-Jupiter Conjunction

* Ongoing Galactic T-Square

* Summer Solstice

* Lunar and Solar Eclipses of June and July

You may register for the monthly teleconferences a la carte, or sign up for all four and you'll receive the audio recording of the May 13 forecast so you can follow along from the Taurus New Moon through the Grand Cardinal Cross alignments in August.

These teleconferences are recorded, so you don't need to be live on the calls to participate. Details are posted on my web site here: http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

Jupiter Impact

June 3, 2010

http://www.universetoday.com/2010/06/03/new-impact-on-jupiter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKmfldx0hb4

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/06/04/followup-jupiter-impact-video-and-a-color-picture

July 19, 2009

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2010/16/

http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2009/08/om-guru.html

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/jupiter-hubble.html


Jupiter's Facelift

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/20may_loststripe/

StarTalk Teleconference - June 10, 2010

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

2010 Overview

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

Summer 2010 Teleconferences

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

Full Moon Initiation

Let the games begin.

On this eve of the Full Moon Festival of Humanity, you are invited to join with forces of creation at play in the quantum field.

The Sagittarius/Gemini Full Moon on Thursday is the final of the three great spring lunar festivals in esoteric tradition. Many around the world will be honoring the Buddhist holy day of Wesak.

This is a potent time for prayer and meditation, joining with lightworkers around the world in loving service to humanity.

As the Sun in Gemini comes into exact opposition with the Moon in Sagittarius (7:07 PM Eastern May 27), revolutionary Uranus enters the first degree of Aries. The way the planets are aligning along this initiation point promises to shatter paradigms and expand human consciousness, opening us to a more galactic perspective.

With this Full Moon alignment, the Summer Games of 2010 begin, a breathtaking journey to the heart of creation and back as we become empowered masters designing a better world.

This summer, the stars and planets sound a wake-up call. Through an unprecedented series of planetary alignments, the world as we have known it will be transformed by what we hold in our hearts and our minds. Let it be love.

Grand Cardinal Cross

A powerful configuration will form in the heavens several times in June, July and August that will facilitate the reshaping of our world from the inside out. The ongoing t-square of Saturn, Uranus and Pluto becomes a Grand Cross as the Sun and Moon (at various times) transit a fourth point to complete the configuration. The Moon forms a triple conjunction with Jupiter, the Guru, and Uranus, the Awakener, in early June and early July, again at the intiatory Aries point.

Why is this important?

Because of the intense volatility of these alignments, drastic changes are inevitable. They will be social, economic and environmental. Anticipate another intense round of Earth changes. While the old paradigm crumbles, seeds are planted for a new beginning beyond the chaotic summer months.

The changes will reach deep into our personal experience, offering a gift of spiritual transcendence. Accepting this gift requires attention and action. How we focus our intent throughout this period will affect the course of things to come on planet Earth for a very long time.

The Prelude

Throughout the spring months (autumn in the southern hemisphere), the Full Moon festivals of the Christ, the Buddha and Humanity have been preparing us for this intiatory journey. We're cleansing our hearts and our minds, and purifying our bodies, to make way for an accelerated expansion of consciousness over the next few months.

The energies peak in June, July and August. We preview the astrology in detail each month with StarTalk New Moon teleconferences. For details, or to order the May 13 forecast recording, click here.

Full Moon Ritual

Many around the world, including our 2010 Ascension Activation class, will be joining in meditation and ceremony to focus the amazing potential of this Full Moon for the healing of Mother Earth and the upliftment of humanity.

The spiritual energies received during the full moons in Aries/Libra (Festival of the Christ) and Scorpio/Taurus (Wesak Festival) are disseminated into the Earth plane through the hearts of planetary servers.

The most potent window for ritual, meditation and ceremony is May 26-28 as the Moon crests to full and the spiritual energies are released. Simply allow the energies to flow through your being and radiate to the Earth and humanity. Pause every so often to focus your attention on the kind of world you'd like to create.

Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth. Namaste.

Ascension Activation

On Wednesday, May 26, we will have a Full Moon group meditation and ritual in our weekly Ascension Activation Teleclass. This will be the beginning of a new four-week segment of these classes that will lead through the Eclipses and Grand Cardinal Crosses of summer.

The circle is open, and you may sign up for classes a la carte, in four-week segments, or for the entire course (you'll receive recordings of previous classes so you won't miss a thing).

If you sign up for the new four-week segment this week, you'll receive $25 off the registration and a bonus audio recording of my May 13 astro forecast teleconference.

Details about the course:

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

A la carte registration for this week's class:

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

Registration for four weeks, beginning May 26:

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

Full course registration:

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

Spring Lunar Festivals

http://www.lifestationearth.com/three_festivals_39.html

http://www.lucistrust.org/en/meetings_and_events/three_major_spiritual_festivals

http://souledout.org/festivals/celebrationoflight1.html

http://www.starpriestess.blogspot.com (see previous posts)

Dark Moon

Within the still silence of the Taurus New Moon, Earth awakens. Across hillsides and valleys, in deserts and forests, the Goddess blooms in twilight silken splendor.

As the Sun and Moon meet Thursday evening, we are reborn into higher love. Venus, evening star, goddess and midwife, presides over the western horizon after sunset. All the planets and stars shine as jewels in the womblike, moonless sky. The New Moon is exact at 9:04 PM Eastern on May 13.

Sensual, earthy and passionate, Taurus is ruled by Venus, goddess of love. At this lunation, relationships and finances come into focus. All New Moons are endings, and new beginnings. What's coming to completion in your life, especially in these areas? What are you creating in this new cycle?

With Mercury now direct and also transiting Taurus, it's time to revisit our values. So many changes are happening so quickly these days. What do you hold most dear in this transition to the next world age? What are you willing to fight for?

Perhaps more than any other sign, Taurus reminds us to care for the Earth, to live sustainably, to live in balance. Are you feeling called to commune in nature, under the stars, at the sea or in a forest? This is a perfect time to visit your favorite places of peace and power. Make your home and land sacred through prayer, ritual and intent. Listen to the voice of Mother Earth. She will guide you.

Mars in Leo ignites our passions. Chiron in Pisces promises spiritual healing. Jupiter, the Guru, approaches conjunction with Uranus, the Awakener, in late Pisces. This dynamic duo opposes Saturn in Virgo. Notice the flow of spiritual energy, insights and inspiration, and the dissolution of structures and patterns that no longer your evolution.

Celebrate your divinity with this New Moon. Honor the Earth. This is a night to dream, and dance the dance of love.

Cosmic Time

The book, Cosmic Time, is my offering to Mother Earth during the 2012 transition. This magical moment in Earth’s history is a turning point, a time of shifting consciousness filled with quantum possibilities for transforming our lives and our world.

In Cosmic Time, we explore indigenous wisdom, prophecy, environmentalism, astrology, esoteric teachings and shamanism to shed light on personal and planetary transformation within a cosmic context.

To celebrate the Taurus New Moon, you may purchase the book at a special reduced rate of $15 each including postage and handling (US & Canada), for up to 6 copies. International postage varies. Please e-mail me to place your order and receive the discount.

2010 Ascension Activation

Tonight's teleclass focuses on indigenous wisdom, sacred sites, Earth changes, prophecy and a possible pole shift. The program will be recorded and available for download whether you're live on the call or not. You may register a la carte, in 4-week segments or for the full 16-week course. You'll receive audio recordings of all classes so you won't miss a thing.

Details and registration: http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#2010

StarTalk New Moon Teleconference

Our new monthly astro forecast teleconference features current and upcoming astrological highlights in an interview/Q&A format moderated by Bob Keeton of Living Successfully Radio.

Highlights this week: Taurus New Moon, Spring Full Moon Festivals, the ongoing Saturn-Pluto-Uranus T-Square and upcoming Grand Crosses of Summer. The program will be recorded and available for download whether you're live on the call or not.

Learn the dates of specific planetary alignments and find out how these energies might express in our lives and our world. We won't just share what the astrology is, we'll explain what it means.

You may register a la carte each month, or save by signing up for all four programs, May through August. Details and registration: http://www.StarPriestess.com/events.html#newmoon

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

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