Tag Archives: Autumn Equinox

A Passing Eclipse Season, Autumn Equinox, ETs & Powering Up Into A New Age and Paradigm

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Holy Cow, we have made it through the Autumn Eclipse Season! Of course, the aftershocks will linger for some time; which is somewhat akin to the way Mercury in Retrograde takes time for the fog to lift, and we can reflect back with more clarity.

Eclipses have the potential to shake up your consciousness, invite spiritual awakenings, and loosen up the grip of the ego. Recently, I heard a spiritual teacher share a story of how she forgot how to drive a car after having a spiritual awakening. It isn’t that the ego doesn’t serve. Rather, after such an awakening, a new way of shifting gears can be discovered after a healing, if you’ll pardon pun.

Use the energies now to cleanse and purify any old emotions and memories that you are still holding.

What needs to be released in your soul at this time?

What has shifted within you?

How have you grown?

What have you released that no longer serves your personal empowerment and sovereignty?

Today, September 22nd, marks the Autumn Equinox because we officially say goodbye to summer and hello to fall, in the Northern Hemisphere at least. The leaves are changing, days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are dropping.

Or if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, you’re saying peace out to winter and good day mate to Spring because it’s the Vernal Equinox.

Regardless of wherever you are on the Planet, the energies of Light and Dark, Masculine and Feminine and Yin and Yang will be in equal alignment with each other.

A New Balance of creation is in the air and will show up in our footsteps, if we are paying mindful attention.

Whether you call it a Dimension of Spaciousness, the Kingdom of Heaven or the Light of Consciousness; the energy of these words describe a real attainable experience that exists within you, and is everywhere.

But we all know that the Empire are protecting old ways of manipulation that wants us to think otherwise. The clinging and grasping of the Old Guard continues to try to control us so that we behave as sheeple by convincing you that you are not worthy. Think of it as a commercial that wants you to buy into an idea that you are separate from everyone and everything; God included.

The truth is that we are awakening into a New Age and Paradigm where Diversity within Unity will become the new normal. All that means is that we will know our Oneness with each other, while at the same time discovering our individual uniqueness. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Our interconnection with all sentient beings will become a self evident truth. Remember that Love and Truth are the Pillars that hold up the Universe. It has to be felt in the heart and without forgetting in the head.

During the season of Libra on September 22 through October 21st, we are always inspired us to balance what we give to our relationship with our self with what we give to our relationships with others.

A Full Harvest Moon will occur on October 6, 2025. This Full Moon gets its name because it is the closest to the Fall Equinox, and usually takes place in September. It is symbolic of the peak harvest of crops in many places. And it will be the first of three consecutive supermoons, which is like a Full Moon on steroids.

As Libra season ends on the New Moon on October 21, a doorway into deep healing in our relationships; including blood or extended family is possible, if only we are open to seeing beneath the surface of our long held patterns.

For example, most couples have known the experience of developing deeply ingrained and dysfunctional patterns in their current or past relationships. Whether or not you are still in the couple relationship, you can still heal and change these dysfunctional patterns within yourself, and the relationship can change. Or you can change the way you experience the relationship within yourself at least.

As this writer shared with you in the last blog post, he is on a Leave of Absence after serving as a social worker in the same school community for the last 20 years. Recently, he followed the wise guidance of a soul psychotherapist, and did an identity ceremony to honor, release and let go of who he was, his accomplishments, and also let go of what no longer serves him as he moves forward.

During the process, I thought about the good fortune it has been to have meaningful work. While trauma- informed practice in schools isn’t easy by any standard, it was important for me to honor the big changes that occurred, look upon them as all blessings, and choose what parts of them no longer serve me, and what I want to bring with me into my next chapter. It’s not a coincidence that we’re in the Chinese Year of the Snake, which symbolizes the shedding of the old skin, and transformation.

For those of you hip to the Chakras, my Solar Plexus Chakra was prompting me to do this identity ceremony, and has been giving me the clear message that it was the right thing to do.

Furthermore, as I look back upon the Mount Shasta retreat that I wrote about in the last blog post, I think about the arriving Massive Changes coming down the pike, as we move further into a New Earth Aquarian Age, and deepen our alignment with Unity Consciousness.

Check out the short video clip (approximately 2 minutes below) to see what we experienced as a group together on our retreat.

According to Gene Ang, our facilitator at the Mount Shasta retreat:

“We had a series of sightings over five consecutive nights where in the night sky you can see what looks like a star powerup to a tremendous amount and then power down.  The series looks like 6-8 of these power ups occurring one after the other with about a 30 second to a minute pause between each power up.  You can see a version recorded by Dr. Steven Greer . . . In the video, you will see Dr. Greer point out an object in the night sky with his laser which gets intensely bright and then powers down.  What we saw this past August was the same thing but the object would power up and power down 6-8 times in a row before disappearing.  The group saw this same pattern in some version on five consecutive nights . . . When I took my initial trainings with Steven Greer regarding extraterrestrial contact in 2009, he said that when a group in a circle outside sees these power ups, there is a tremendous amount of light and information that is sent into the group that assists in transforming their consciousness.  Even healings can occur.”

During the various debriefing sessions and sub-grouping conversations, I repeatedly shared that it felt like we were being winked at during the powerups. Moreover, I drew the analogy of when we were kids and someone would signal to the highway trucker to pull his horn, and they would.

Finally, most adult children can remember magical experiences at some point during their childhood. Even if it was the sense of adventure and promise that a new day might offer; whether a specific encounter with an animal, a field trip at school or an unscripted experience on a summer day during unstructured play, or dreams or visions that resonated and felt so real they were hard to shake. Perhaps it was an experience that your known paradigm couldn’t explain. Not everybody remembers or even had these experiences necessarily. Today, people are far more plugged into their devices, and are more likely to miss these opportunities. But there is a growing body of people who are intensionally experiencing them more than ever by slowing down their pace, stopping to smell the roses, and being mindful of the sacredness of the living moment.

May all Beings be free and awaken to the vibrational shift into the dimension of Inner Peace,

Ari

Back To School, Back To Business & Movement Towards The Autumn Equinox

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Ari & Elisha at Mount Shasta

A Full Corn Pisces Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse will happen on September 7, 2025. This full moon is a Total Lunar Eclipse, which is like a full moon on steroids. Sensitivity and perceptiveness of surroundings are greatly amplified now. It’s hard to go wrong with sensitivity and perceptiveness.

Yes, powers of perception do have their egoic enticements. But that’s OK, it’s just something to be mindful of is all. Nothing to get hung up on, develop an attitude about or demonize.

Looking ahead, another New Moon in Virgo will happen on September 21, 2025. This new moon is a partial solar eclipse. A sense of order and clarity can breathe in feelings of safety and security.

Energetically, Eclipse seasons are always reflective of shakeups in consciousness. It’s as if the old ways of being and paradigms of thought are blown away with the winds of change.

Eclipses are uprooting and are certainly inviting opportunities for spiritual awakenings and getting out of our comfort zones.

Getting uncomfortable and dealing with unpleasant experiences are typically not our preferred outcome measures. And yet, they are necessary for growth so that we can grow and move forward along the trails.

Insecurity is part of the human condition; as well as being heightened at this time. Allowing for creative and spiritual rituals that are organically built into our daily routine flows very naturally with imaginative Pisces. Fish are good reminders about going with the flow, and mindfully surfing the waves of life.

Like in football, we don’t need to get too cute; we can just just run the ball. In the spiritual community, there’s plenty of ‘Kitch’, and show and tell, like in other circles. There’s nothing wrong with show and tell or spiritual bling. It’s just that what’s beyond those items of power that really matters, if you’ll pardon the spirited pun.

Uncertainty is a cold hard fact of life that can bring up plenty of excitement, anxiety and of course fear. Feeling uncertain can be terrifying. And yet, there is predictability within the unpredictable.

For example, we know for certain that the Empire’s rule by few mindset, and power and control issues have been a longstanding behavioral trap in human history. On some level, we have all been conditioned.

What is uncertain is that because these old systems are breaking down, we can see that the chinks in the Military-Industrial Complex’s armor are being revealed. There’s a heightened and amplified sense of uncertainty in the airwaves these days.

The bad news is that we will not be solving the problems of the human plight with the current or devolved consciousness.

The good news is that; from an elevated state of consciousness that is aligned with the figure 8 sign of infinity . . . Perceptible solutions abound. Alas (and this is a big thing), it’s pretty impossible to do this without trust or an open heart and mind.

Some pragmatic and practical ways to explore uncertainty is to answer (or don’t answer) your phone without screening your call. Many people really struggle with even entertaining this possibility even in their minds. Just another way to play with life’s creative juices. Take a different route, use your non-dominant hand to do mundane tasks, like opening a door. I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of the KISS (keep it simple sweetheart) model.

Might as well say yes to the Climate Change and move with the process as gracefully as possible. But as you already know, all systems naturally resist change, humans notwithstanding.

Remember that the theater of life reveals the interplay between order and chaos. Try to have a more tolerant and accepting attitude of life’s imperfections; as well as allowing life to unfold as it does.

When we trust the process of the river of life, we are more equipped to let go of our expectations and wake up to what might spring up around the bend, if you’ll pardon the water pun.

Paradoxically, this invites a deeper sense of power and control by opening up to the organically sensuous and mysterious fruits that the Universe has to offer.

Besides, like the old taichi meditative joke goes: “one more case of getting what I no longer want.”

The Autumn or Fall Equinox will happen on September 22nd, in the Northern Hemisphere at least. Light and dark energies are in equal alignment at this time in both hemispheres. Our days will start getting darker after that, as temperatures are also cooling down, and leaves are changing color.

But in the Southern Hemisphere, it will be their Vernal or Spring Equinox. Feminine and Masculine energies will also be equal. Their days will start getting longer after that, while temperatures will rise.

Recently, I went on a spiritual retreat at Mt Shasta in Northern California. To say the energies there were majestic would be an understatement. Like a wise guide said, “there’s a lot going on in Mt Shasta.” I have always wanted to embark on a spiritual retreat, and I’m so thankful I did. I feel that the digestion process will be unfolding for quite some time. Our group was larger than I had thought- approximately 25 people or so. We had some downtime to socialize, sub-group or whatnot, which was nice. However, our daily routine was filled with lots of meditation, group process and debriefing, some hiking and connecting with nature spirits on and around the mountain, and skywatching at night. For many of us, that was a highlight, if you’ll pardon the skywatching laser pun.

In my estimation at least, part of what the ETs love about us is that we are on the cusp of an awareness that is old news for many of them. This is part of why they are so interested in us. They want to engage with us in a playful way that includes co-regulation and positive self talk. This is the mindset of Unity Consciousness. From this perspective, contact is safe and healing. Earth is like a reform school and we are here to learn. Unity Consciousness is in alignment with the Universal Pillars of Love and Truth; beyond the realm of manipulation. From this dimensional and vibrational frequency, we are in alignment with welcoming, allowing and arriving in Unity Consciousness. It would be absurd to manipulate, exploit or try to control someone else’s energy in this space. But really, this isn’t a far cry from the Golden Rule.

I feel deep gratitude for being around a group of people that are in alignment with a heartfelt and high minded commitment to operate from that place consistently; as well as help others along their way as needed.

When we skywatched and saw them ‘power up’, it’s like when we were kids and someone would make the pull gesture to a highway trucker to blow their horn, and then they would. The trucker and the passerby travelers awaken to a peaceful easy feeling that captures the G’Day Mate sentiment. Of course the internal telepathic communicative experiences folks had during the retreat were what made everyone’s collective experiences unique. In sum, “Mt. Shasta was the perfect place for deep connection, reflection, and realignment.”

Finally, after almost 20 years of working in the same school community as a social worker, it’s a very strange and surreal feeling to not be returning this Fall. However, I’m looking forward to awakening to what will be the unfolding new book of my journey. As such, I will use this Leave of Absence period wisely, and give myself spaciousness to make room for what’s next. I feel this aligns with the time to let go of our collective trauma. Everyone needs to hit the pause button and reset for self-care, healing and support their mental health.

May all beings be free and awaken to the dimension of inner peace.

Ari

May Autumn’s Transitional Energies Yield A Full Moon Harvest Of Super Relationships

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A Lunar Eclipse arrives in the form of a Full Harvest Supermoon on September 17th. Perhaps peaks in novel mysterious and magical energies will harmonize; as well as align with highly transformative events that can bring us closer to actualizing our soul purpose. 

May the energies of this full moon reveal a friendly reminder that now is the time to reap what was sewn in the spring. Time to squirrel away the abundant bounty of summer for when rainy day winter nest egg supplies are dwindling.

Speaking of squirrels, they are good teachers about sniffing out, and finding where their acorns are buried so that they can access their stash when supplies are short. To their chagrin however, turkeys have other leveling impulses that drive squirrels nuts because turkeys are notorious for stealing their hidden stockpiles.

Of course turkeys do that because they reflect shared blessings and an opening of a wider angle of spiritual sight. In chakra meditation speak, they open up the Third Eye, where the pineal gland is located.

The arrival of the Autumn Equinox on September 23rd breathes in transitional new energies for new direction, guiding things to change, evolve, and grow. Days are getting shorter and we will turn our clocks back in a ‘yinward’ direction soon.

Keep in mind that it is Eclipse Season, and another eclipse in the form of a solar eclipse falls on October 2nd. Eclipses really know how to shake things up on the inside and out.

Energetically, transformation is in the air. When we work consciously with these energies, we are more equipped to surf with the changing tides, rather than try to push the river. Expect more intensity not less during this timeframe. Become the tides rather than getting washed out by their waves.

The Equinoxes are a good time to reflect on Nature’s showcase that masculine and feminine energies are in equal alignment with each other, like the yin and yang reveals.

The Fall Equinox is accompanied by Libra energies on September 23 to October 22. Meditation on healthy giving and receiving in all of our relationships is good medicine.

Our ancestors noticed that the veil between the spirit and material realm thinned significantly at this time; resulting in an increasing intersection between these realities.

Today, the idea of a vibrational shift and dimensional bleeding are examples of this from both a scientific and spiritual perspectives. Inner peace is a knowable and practical experience.

Try to remember that the old patriarchy isn’t about men abusing their power by trying to control everything.

Of course there are still plenty of men that do that and are too codependent with their sun.

But we all know woman that do that too; many who are more masculine than plenty of men who are in touch with their feminine sides, and not afraid of their moon.

The patriarchy is about a hierarchical, vertical system that is dying; while at the same time, a horizontal system is birthing.

People are still buying into the old paradigm- even though a growing body of souls are waking up to how ineffective, unfair and unjust the current paradigm is for most.

In a new and different world, relationships are based on equanimity in a society that is more equitable for everyone; not just those that are privileged or in positions of power.

Those on top won’t even know the difference. Except eventually, they will come to see that everyone wins in a win-win world.

The idea of profiting off the ignorance of your audience will fade away into what Catholics call Limbo.

What issues are showing up in your relationships?

Do you feel this relationship has karmic ties or is written in your soul contract? If so, what do you think the higher purpose of it all is?

Be mindful of your projections. Take ownership for them, release them and let them go.

See yourself becoming the change you want to see in your relationships. Start with your relationship with yourself first. Where are you feeling stuck or blocked?

Human relationships are complex because human beings are not without our complexities.

For example, we have all been programmed by a longitudinal societal matrix that does not like us to deviate from an old dream of normalcy. You know the drill, buy into the game plan, shut up, follow orders, winner takes all and find clever shadow building ways of manipulating and controlling others to get what you want.

But once you see beyond the set-up, puppeteering and those selling a false narrative; like the old saying goes- the truth shall set you free.

Yes, chaos, the unknown, uncertainty and unpredictability are anxiety provoking and can easily seduce people into conformity, complacency and following the heard mentality.

Gently allow yourself to surrender to the Universe, and trust that it will guide you toward the mysterious shorelines that will become your safe haven. On these coastlines, you will suffer less from the clinging and grasping that accompanies and amplifies suffering.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

A New Moon In Virgo, Full Harvest SuperMoon and Autumn Equinox In September Will Yield A Fall Powerful Eclipse Season In October.

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Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV on Pexels.com

Dewdrops are the perfect metaphor for the transience in life.

Or as the echoes of the late musician Jimmy Buffet reverberate; changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes . . . nothing remains quite the same. As beautiful dewdrops are when we see them- the sun will shine, the temperature will rise and then they will dry up.

But there is a space between the intersection between joy and pain. If we can make friends with their transience, then we will relax the grasping and clinging of and our attachments to all moments; pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.

Between Tao and Zen, death is just another transition, even if a mystery for certain. In the mirror of the mind meditations, time spent with the ancestors is so much longer than the time spent here on this earth. Jimmy Buffet’s recent death reminds us that his lyrics live on in our heads and hearts.

On a deeper level, the energies of Parrot awakens the healing of bright color magic and the power of the sun. Buffet’s famous lyrics, searching for my lost shaker of salt is a synchronicity to the Pueblo connection of Parrot and its association with the gathering of salt.

It can be helpful to have a longitudinal mindset in life. If we pay attention to the signs and synchronicities of the Universe to light our way, then we realize there are no coincidences.

A Virgo New Moon on September 14, 2023 can draw us inward and travel back to the past, getting us to examine things to ensure we fully understand where we have been before we move forward.

We may feel that life or certain situations are at an impasse. It may be hard to move on or hard to know how to shift a dynamic.

But Mercury will go back on the 15th, so clearing skies ahead will be happening now.

While the changing energies will reveal themselves slowly, we may find it a welcomed relief to be stuck or stagnant for a moment. We may wish to enjoy the view a little longer or really soak our feet in wherever we have landed. By taking this time, we may feel more adjusted, better prepared, and more accepting of our situation and where we will move to.

This New Moon is the last before the Equinox and the Autumn Eclipse Season. This New Moon will set the foundation for the changes that are destined to come.

Returning to the grounding energies of Virgo are a good reminder that we are sovereign beings, free to be, free to express, and free to access a wealth of knowledge contained within.

On a more practical level, we can also channel the energies of the Virgo New Moon to plan, create a schedule, and get organized in our lives. We can use its energy to take a methodical and practical approach to all that we need to get done.

While we will still very much feel the stagnancy from all the retrograde activity, this New Moon acts as a turning point, lighting a path to help release us from the old.

Trust that the fog will lift and the veils will thin; in much the same way as they powerfully do during the end of October and early November, energetically speaking.

A Full Harvest Moon September 29, 2023 will be the fourth & final Supermoon. Our ancestors gave this name to the moon closest to the Autumn Equinox because it marks a time to reap what was sewn in the spring. Time to celebrate the bounty of summer while preparing for the long, cold dirge of Winter.

A historical, cross-cultural synopsis of this Full Moon reveals the powerful link between this Full Moon and the importance of an abundant harvest it yields around the world.

Eclipse Season will feature a New Moon Solar Eclipse on October 14 and a Full Moon Lunar eclipse on October 28. Remember that eclipses are catalysts for change and shaking up the status quo in our inner and outer world. New and Full Moons during eclipses are like regular New and Full Moons on steroids.

Connecting with Nature is good medicine for staying in alignment with the Universe’s orientation of Love and Truth. They go together and we need both. Perhaps you get out in your garden or listen to the waning sounds of crickets. I always forget how much I will miss their singing till Summer wanes and Fall approaches.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Hawk Soars Into A Full Blue Moon & Welcomes Us Back To School and Back To Basics

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Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com

A Full Blue Moon will happen on August 31, 2023. This moon gets its name when there are four full Moons in a single season. When this happens, the third is a Blue Moon.

Or when there are two full Moons in a single calendar month, the second is a Blue Moon. This latter is the case for this Full Moon. Of course, the saying “once in a Blue Moon” is apropos because they don’t happen frequently.

It is also a the third consecutive Supermoon, which is like a regular Full Moon on steroids.

But before that, Mercury goes in Retrograde on the New Moon in Leo on August 23rd and will stay in Retrograde till September 15th.

Our minds go into rewind mode during this time. We are often revisited by old relationships in dreams, visions and sometimes in person. This is a time to look back on our old selves to inform us how we want to move forward in our lives. While it is wise to use this time to reflect and contemplate, it’s generally not advised to finalize any big decisions when Mercury is in Retrograde.

When I reminisce about my extended family members at family gatherings during my youth, I remember them talking about watching the old black and white Twilight Zone TV series. Looking back as an adult, those past stories really put this reoccurring celestial phenomena into context in the here and now. People tend to zone out more during these episodes in the stars.

The key dynamic during this time period is to look back on who we were then in our relationships with our selves and others. We can use the energies of this review period to support the shifts that are in alignment with who we are becoming. Let go of trying to figure it all out from a compartmentalized, linear and rational perspective. This will just box you in even more in your consciousness. If anything, this time period can allow you to relax your old conditioned thoughts and open up to novel, creative thinking patterns.

Out on the trails, I have had multiple significant encounters with various Hawk energies recently. One such encounter was with an osprey, who had a fresh caught fish within the grasp of its talons. The fish made me think of the dying Pisces Age- a letting go of the sacrificial lamb. And then when I grabbed grandmother’s old field binoculars, the winged creature flew down river. Like the Springsteen lyrics sing, “where the river flows, tomorrow never knows.”

Specifically, red tailed hawks have connections to Mercury and the Temperance card in the Tarot. The connection to red is symbolic of the kundalini- our root chakra that fires our chi from the ground up. That’s why our ancestors recommended starting a chakra meditation with the root chakra, at the base of our tailbone. Buddhist Psychology would characterize Temperance as the Middle Way or walking the razors edge without getting too swayed from following the center of the path.

Hawk inspires us to be observant and pay attention to looking at reality from new vistas and a wide-angle lens. True spiritual strength means being both high minded and also deeply anchored into the ground.

As Fall approaches, it signals that it is time to get back to school and back to business. Summer play time is coming to an end. Like all transitions, there is always a grieving process for the passing of a season. But the reality is that it is time to get organized and ink up our calendars with increased doings and responsibilities.

Look at the squirrels outside and observe how they are even more keyed up than usual. They are bursting with even more nervous woodland creature energy, and busier than usual stockpiling acorns for later rainy day supplies in preparation for Winter. It’s as if they give pause to a confusing self-talk mantra, “am I going nuts, or have I just forgotten where I buried my acorns?” But then again, squirrels remind us about the balance between work and play. In the business of fall, remember to also keep the festive spirit of summer alive.

As an LCSW working in public schools for nearly the past 20 years, it has been interesting to watch these nuances play out. Teachers are among the hardest workers I have ever known. Summer is sometimes called the “off season” because they are away from the classroom. Administrators work, but at a very different pace. Schools are like ghost towns without kids around, as the custodians can attest. There is the excitement of a new school year in the air, but not without mixed feelings. It can be an unsettling transition for everyone, to say the least.

Speaking of transitions, the Autumn Equinox will happen on September 23. At this time, the light and dark energies will be equal. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be their Vernal Equinox. For them, the light and dark will also be equal, but after that, the light will rise and climax on their Summer Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, the light will be waning after the Fall Equinox till the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year in later December in the Northern Hemisphere.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Hawk Gives Us A Bird’s Eye View Into The Mystical Shorelines Ahead

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Photo by Kristen Bouse

Mercury in Retrograde, which has spiritual connections to Hawk, begins on September 9th and ends on October 1, 2022. Meditation on the energies of Hawk reveal spirit vision and guardianship.

Pay patient purposeful attention to the signs that will clearly reveal opportunities for you to see. Remember that we live in an energetic and sacred Universe. Hawk is a good reminder of the magic in it if our hearts and minds are open to it.

In a way, Mercury in Retrograde is like receiving messages from the gods of yesteryear. Relax and let go of left brain attachments and soar into the realm of right brain, intuitive faculties. Logic and rationalism are important forms of cognition.

But they are not the only way of thinking. Sometimes, it is best to let them rest and surrender to the irrational and creative forms of non-linear and non-localized thinking at this time.

It is a good time to get in touch with extraordinary states of consciousness.

For example, during meditation, our brain waves change form. Like with humor, changes in brainwaves gets us to look at things in a different light.

As always, be kind to your mind- machines too because they don’t always operate as seamlessly as they’re supposed to, especially when Mercury’s in retrograde. The Twilight Zone experience does not appear to discriminate.

Ever noticed how when your internal wires are crossed, machines also seems to short circuit and appear disassembled? Sometimes, I give Reiki to a machine that isn’t working properly and sometimes it will work. Other times, it doesn’t and I remember that it’s OK to walk away.

Distractions are everywhere, inside and out, in this world of 10,000 things. Mercury in retrograde is somewhat akin to AD/HD experiences, where we are can’t tell if we are going nuts or just forgot where we buried our acorns, like the squirrels in Nature.

Stay focused and keep your eye out for the signs to point you in the right direction. If anything, it’s a good time to sit with what is and not make any big decisions if you can help it.

Our old selves have very different lenses than our future selves. If hindsight vision is 20/20, then we can stand to allow this rewind time to inform us about the changes that we need to make.

Take flight, pause and reflect on this old episode retrograde rewind time period by reexamining what you see in the rearview mirror. It is likely that you will be revisited by past relationships in the form of dreams, visions and even in person encounters.

September’s Full Harvest Moon will peak on September 10. This Full Moon always happens closest to the Autumn Equinox on Thursday, September 22nd.

As we discussed in the last blog entry, in Ojibwe, the Full Moon during this time of year is called the Falling Leaves Moon. Watch the leaves falling and observe their process of changing colors. Seasons change no matter what we are doing or not doing. Might as well go with the flow of changes and embrace them as gracefully as possible.

Just after the official transition into Fall, a Libra New Moon awakens on September 25, 2022. New Moons are always symbolic of new beginnings and also a cycle of power for the energies of Hawk.

May the energies of the Libra New Moon ignite your soul’s expansion beyond the securities of your comfort zone and be open to exploration for all of life’s offerings. Spiritual wisdom reminds us to have an open heart and align with the Universe. 

If only we can calm down and harmonize with our environment. This requires balancing tension of opposites, like the intersections between joy and pain, sunshine and rain. How do we make friends with that?

Libra symbolizes peacemaking. It wouldn’t be a stretch for a Libra working their soul energy in the positive to be an effective social worker, educator and civil rights advisor with children. This is an example of the love they embody.

Awakening to your soul purpose is in alignment with Hawk.

Till We Tweet Again,

Ari

A Bell Of Mindfulness, New Moon In Virgo, Full Harvest Moon And An Autumn Equinox In The September Of Our Years

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Photo by Kristen Bouse

Have you ever heard the expression Bell of Mindfulness? Although this writer didn’t invent the expression, he recognizes it in his common language with regularity.

Many moons ago, my first inspiration of this meditative expression arrived when reading, At Hell’s Gate: A Soldier’s Journey From War to Peace, by an American Zen Buddhist Monk and Vietnam veteran named Claude Anshin Thomas.

Whatever your trauma, if you are a survivor and have put in the work, you know the journey from suffering to inner peace.

But when you work with that, it isn’t without its moments of struggling.

And if you are doing the work, you already know these journeys are not always linear and sometimes intersect and coexist with each other seemingly simultaneously.

Of course there is a tension of opposites, like when we were kids playing on the teeter totter.

Heaven and hell are inner states of consciousness that reflect back to us in the outer world.

Shamans called the current state of affairs a collective nightmare that we see playing out on the fiery Planet today.

Prophesies of a Golden Age are a co-creative New Dream. Remember that out of the ashes, the Phoenix Rises!

Truly, we all have what Taoists call the Chattering Monkey Mind, and this anxious mind can dominate our lives if we let it.

For example, chasing, clinging or indulging in darker thoughts (or any thoughts) are part of being human. It’s how we approach them that really matters.

Do we respond with mindful consultation with our Higher Self or do we react to the provocations of our lower self?

Do we resist and fight our shadowy thoughts or do we gently let them pass till an awakening of clearer thoughts emerge? We all have emotions and feelings that tend to accompany our thoughts. It is wise to take personal inventory of them through the light of loving compassion.

A New Moon in Virgo will happen on August 27, 2022. Feeling safe is connected to order, clarity and emotions right now. Perhaps there is a need to organize everything chaotic and disorganized.

Working Virgo energies in the positive tempers the self-critic with self-acceptance and finds self-expression of its soul purpose through service. In this way, you are more likely to take care of others if you are taking care of yourself. The inner critic is leveled by an internal state of acceptance. The situations are what they are. We might as well say yes to them on the inside, instead of meeting them with resistance (what we resists, persists!). From there, we can take corrective action if necessary.

Inner peace is a practical replacement for going to war with yourself (or others). It’s easier to replace with inner peace than it is to extinguish going to war. More inner peace replaces the likelihood of going to war.

Virgo stands on mutable ground to teach us that it is healthy to give consideration to being more tolerant and accepting about life’s imperfections. It is better to trust life and let it run its own way. Not everything must be according to our expectations or controlled. The Japanese spiritual tradition of Wabi Sabi reflects this way of being. Beauty exists in taking risks and making mistakes. It’s very Growth Mindset.

In many ways, we live in a Virgo world. It’s easy to get caught up in the do’s and don’t and should and should nots and consumed by fixing problems and perfectionism in the material realm. Chaos is especially hard on Virgo. But there is order in chaos and disorder is part of balance. Movement into the New Aquarian Age awakens possibilities that might be hidden or unseen to the predictable mindset or preoccupation with the headlines.

Energetically, Autumn is a good time of year to practice letting go. Tis a good mantra to Fall back on, if you’ll pardon the pun.

September’s Full Harvest Moon will peak on September 10, 2022. This Full Moon always happens closest to the Autumn Equinox on Thursday, September 22nd.

In Ojibwe, the Full Moon during this time of year is called the Falling Leaves Moon. Watch the leaves falling and observe their process of changing colors. Seasons change no matter what we are doing or not doing.

Furthermore, feminine and masculine energies are equal around the Fall Equinox. Meditation on balance of the yin and yang is in perfect equitable alignment with Nature at this time. Give this special consideration when you see people struggling with their identity issues, like sexuality and gender identifications. Appreciate the confusing times we are living in with open hearts and minds. In much the same way as race, disabilities, religion and ancestry, these are key Civil Rights issues to be mindful of in the here and now.

Reflections on the Harvest Moon, invites looking back at when our ancestors farmed the land before artificial light existed.

Back then, their work day depended on the natural cycles of the sun and the moon. They were more active and slept less during warmer weather and brighter days. Conversely, they were less active and slept more during shorter days, colder temperatures and darker nights.

This is the only Full Moon that rises at nearly the same time for multiple days, giving farmers several evenings of extra moonlight to finish their harvests before the arrival of fall frosts. Abundance is in the sky and on the ground. The harvest is in and yields its bounty.

Today, it is wise to pay attention and return to these natural rhythms and cycles. There is a time to do and a time to rest. Meaningful work is good for the soul. So is play.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Back To School: An Intersection Of Old And New

Posted on by under Spirituality, Uncategorized
Photo by Valiphotos on Pexels.com

As I sit here writing this post, this writer took a moment to hit the pause button to reflect on a meaningful, mundane transaction on today’s to do list. Specifically, I shuttled our teenager off to their final early morning summer cross training workout.

It’s not cool to call things like that day camp or playdates anymore (all too tempting). And you don’t call it practice, it’s now called training.

To wit: it’s hard not to hear George Carlin’s spirited questionable assertion, was it ever cool to call getting together with peers or friends playdates?

A vocational internship, community service hours, college tours, soccer season and the beginning of a new school year are all happening and on our household’s horizon. With a kid in school and dad who works in them, that’s what’s up. It’s a process many parents and caregivers have experienced before.

As parents, we’re trying to be mindful of our approach, because like any responsibility, it’s easy to fall prey to the doing, become robotic, and lose sight of the sacred moments along the way. That can happen in all aspects of life, if you’re not careful.

Speaking of transitions, the one constant is change along the trails of life. Are you noticing the subtle hints of Autumn are in the early August air?

These sense experiences mix alchemically with the microscopic, minority radiance of vibrant hues of leaves turning, whilst offering an early prequel to a backdrop to Nature’s theater. May we bear witness to everything old beginning anew again.

It won’t be long till the Equinoxes are here in later September, where light and dark are equal again, and peak foliage colors the tree lines again, if only for a brief moment in time. Ah, the yin and the yang at play!

Looking ahead, our days will get shorter until the darkest day of the year on the Winter Solstice in December. However, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, Spring is springing, and it will be the Vernal Equinox at that time. Those days will get longer until sunlight peaks on their Summer Solstice.

For the rest of us in the living moment, a Full Moon is waxing and will fully reveal itself in the second week of August. Historically, Full Moons go by different names. One of the traditional names, as indicated by many of our ancestors, is the Full Sturgeon Moon.

These mighty freshwater fish still thrive in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain regions in the Middle of the Americas. Like turtles, sturgeons have been around at least as long as when dinosaurs roamed Mother Earth.

In much the same way as everyone else, these fish are at risk in today’s changing tides. And yet, these living fossils are still around. Moreover, sturgeons reflect the power of survivors, and as such, are symbolic of resiliency. Like the murky waters these fish stir up, we need to swim through them with resiliency in our tackle box, if you’ll pardon the pun.

But what is this resiliency we speak of? After nearly two decades of social work practice in Public Schools, it is a dream come true to see that we are paying more attention to building resiliency in school community settings.

It’s no secret that we humans come into this Earthbound experience with our own unique, prewired blueprints. While our core temperaments don’t change, our personalities are an evolving process over our life cycle.

Resiliency is something that we are equipped with, and have an aptitude for- some more than others. But we can all build resiliency, which has a positive ripple effect on each other.

Systemically, one way we can all develop our capacity for resiliency is to create and follow a self care routine. I’m a big fan of the Keep It Simple Sweetheart (KISS) model.

Like any healthy self-care routine, building resiliency starts with yourself and invites an intention and commitment to a daily routine of mindful attention.

For example, teaching more meditation, mindfulness and social emotional learning (SEL) as part of the school curriculum supports resiliency and facilitates the challenging process of learning how to be human.

Strategies like focusing on peaceful, calming thoughts, positive self talk, mindful belly breathing, relaxing our judgments and learning to be gentle on ourselves are healthy ways to build an internal state of resiliency and harmonize with our environment. Of course drinking mostly water, emphasizing consumption of plants and being more meat minimalist doesn’t hurt.

Remember that saying yes to self care means that you are saying yes to your own mental health and well being. The rising tide of Inner Peace awakening increases as the more of us become living role models of these behavioral changes. Further, the more we make waves in this dimensional shift, we will collectively see ourselves becoming the change we want to see in the world.

Here is a practical self care/SEL demonstration below in the form of the The Mirror of the Mind meditation. Regular practice of this powerful strategy will support sound mental health and well being in your daily life:

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Autumn Equinox Yields A Full Harvest Of Falling Leaves Under The Moon & Dreaming Lucid Lunar Dreams

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Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

May the light of this moon shine on your soul

and leave you feeling an inner energetic balance in your walking meditation.

May the changing colors of Autumn’s leaves brighten your spirits

and soften your field of vision.

Notice how the squirrels reveal the balance between work and play.

Do you see how they learn through imitating each other?

Witness Social Learning Theory at play!

Photo by Valiphotos on Pexels.com