Tag Archives: Mental Health

Firing Up Our Horses & Blazing New Saddles Into The New Year Ahead

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A Full Wolf Moon on January 3, 2026 lays early tracks into the New Year. May our inner Wise Wolf guide us into new pathways in consciousness. The energy of Wolf is a powerful teacher in soul development. Humans have much to learn about the governance of wolves. Their politics of living reveal a hybrid approach that balances a healthy sense of both individualism and collectivism. Like the old saying, no man (or woman if you are one) is an island. Wolves have a clear pecking order but rely on each other for interdependence.

When I think about the wisdom of Indigenous People, it’s hard not to remember the longitudinal seven generations ahead perspective from the Iroquois Nation of the Americas. From a politics of living standpoint, we give purposeful attention to the way our actions now will impact seven generations ahead, or approximately 150-210 years into the future, in human-centric terms at least. And of course the converse is true in the way that we look at the past and how it affects us right now. We have relationships with everything, whether realized or not.

New beginnings on the New Moon in Capricorn on January 18th heats up our saddles, so that we are equipped to blaze new trails into vast frontiers of our technological and social emotional learning in the new year ahead. A lot of people are talking about AI these days. Of course there are both positive and negative applications in the advancements in AI. Find a middle way when walking in the circle of romanticizing or demonizing AI, technology, the human and planetary plight, etc.

And then when we talk about Chinese astrology, it will be the Year of the Fire Horse on February 17th. Unlike the sun based Gregorian calendar, the timing of the lunar-based calendar changes from year to year, depending on where the lunar cycle falls.

An awakening of Fire Horse’s archetypal forces reveal greater movement, decision, freedom and courage so that we can effectively giddy up into unknown frontiers.

The forthcoming Eclipse Season further ignites the changes coming down the pike in 2026; starting with a Solar Eclipse on the Chinese New Year, and then a Lunar Eclipse on March 3rd.

Remember that eclipses are catalysts for change and shaking up the status quo in our inner and outer worlds. New and Full Moons during eclipses are like regular New and Full Moons on steroids. New Moons are always associated with new beginnings and Full Moons are always associated with heightened energies. There’s nothing to be superstitious about with regards to any of these energies because, like the present moment, they are what they are. What matters is how we align with their energies.

In much the same way as horses being key drivers in expanding humanity’s sense of collective freedom; advancements in AI, robotics, and celestial discoveries will be amplified over the next several years. We will be reworking the way that we take care of ourselves, and organize the business of our lives.

It’s as if these shifting energies in consciousness are hitting the reset button. As such, we will be equipped to upgrade our internal systems so that we can effectively integrate, and align with the changing frequencies that we will continue to be faced with, and need to tune into.

Our humanity needs to catch up to our significant technological advances during the digital age we have been living in. This transformation will lead to our collective consciousness evolving into alignment with Cosmic Consciousness, Diversity in Unity, and a generalized sense of Oneness. Check out the short clip below from the 1995 film Powder that illustrates the point:

Keep in mind that the changing tides and new waves of spirituality and consciousness will continue to gain momentum by flowering and blooming into a New Earth; where we are literally co-creating Heaven on Earth in more healthy normative ways.

Like the old REM song, it’s the end of the world as we know it. Gone With The Wind will be the dying old segregationist ways of Us and Them. Rather, we are moving further into a We and Us approach. Check out their music video that artistically amplifies the sentiment:

In this frequency, everyone belongs, and awakens to their soul purpose and recognizes their unique role to play during the transitional process of a New Aquarian Golden Age and Paradigm. When enough of humanity shifts into this frequency in a normative way, consciousness transforms into harmonization with Cosmic Consciousness, aka God, Christ, Unity, Collective Consciousness etc.

Truly, the escalating violence, dirty energy, emphasis on maximum economic profit, rise in polarity consciousness, or the duality playing out in the 3D realm are catalysts to the break down of the old ways that no longer serve. Moreover, these systemic breakdowns will create spaciousness and make room for what’s next for us as we make forward progress in our evolutionary process. The more present we are, the less our suffering will dominate the playing field.

We will continue to move away from the past coveted egoic positions of power, towards soul power, standing in our personal authority, and becoming the change we want to see in the world.

Otherwise, if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem, so to speak.

Paradoxically, living through the digital age gives us incentive to enter into a new chapter of universal planetary consciousness. The Earth already has a heartbeat. Might as well listen to it with an open heart and mind. The ride is far more graceful and joyous when we say yes to it because what we resist persists.

Everything is accelerating and revolutionizing. This is why it is more important than ever to slow down, be mindful of our breath and stop and smell the roses. Think of the revolution as something different from anything that we have ever gone through yet.

Speaking of revolutionary energies, it’s always a good idea to check your own inner state of consciousness as you navigate life’s everyday aches, pains, pleasures, situations and moments. Remember that you can’t feel good when you’re feeling bad about feeling bad!

As mindful meditation becomes the new normal; these awakening truths will become self-evident within our individual and collective constitutions, if you’ll pardon the Declaration of Independence pun.

Artistic, philosophical, spiritual and technological movements will become further aligned and harmonize with each other toward a deeper and higher reality than the conventional one we have known.

As the old narrative fades away, emerging healthier relationships will leave us with a more perceptible sense of emotional, financial, and spiritual rebirth.

2026 will reinforce awareness and presence in humans embodying love, empathy, compassion and kindness. May we recognize ourselves in the mirrors reflecting back to us any blind spots we might have missed. Everyone matters, and we can all win.

May all people be free and experience inner peace as a way of life,

Ari

Thinning Veils, Rising Spirits, A Full Beaver Moon, Resting In Non-Striving, Letting Go Of The Need And Impulse To Struggle & Dropping Into The Felt Sense Of Peace And Love In Your Body

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We gotta make a change…
It’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes.
Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live
and let’s change the way we treat each other.
You see the old way wasn’t working so it’s on us to do
what we gotta do, to survive. —Tupac Shakur

A New Moon on October 21 marks the end of Libra season, and the beginning of Scorpio. Their seasonal energies are dominant through late November, right after the next New Moon and approximately a week before Thanksgiving.

I really appreciate the willpower associated with Scorpio. It’s a good trait to be mindful of when you need to tap into your personal will that makes its home in the solar plexus chakra.

The Samhain will happen on October 31st into The Day of the Dead and All Saints Day on November 1st, and then All Souls Day on November 2nd.

Many indigenous cultures and ancestors of ours honored the ‘Thinning of the Veils’ at this time; reflecting the blurred boundary between the spirit and material realms.

A growing body of people are reawakening to, and getting in alignment with Nature and Celestial cycles and power seasons.

That’s why Halloween features wearing masks, tricks or treats. Modern festivities and holidays are inspired by older traditions that predate colonization and rampant consumerism.

Just as an example, Chinese culture still follows the lunar calendar. Speaking of the Chinese Lunar calendar, we will be transitioning from the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Fire Horse on February 17th. Giddy up, and get ready to blaze new trails ahead. More transformation is in the air and on its way.

But before that, a New Moon in Scorpio on November 20, we are invited to delve deeply into our feelings. Desirous meaningful emotional exchanges are amplified now, even if it is not easy and you are called to make a myriad of perhaps unwanted changes in your life.

We don’t typically like challenging relationships because they can be unsettling and get us out of our comfort zones. And yet without them, we do not grow.

During these darkening days, it’s time to turn our clocks more ‘yin-ward’ as we move closer to the Winter Solstice on December 21st, the darkest day of the year. Keep in mind there is mystery and magic in everyday life. Darkness symbolizes creation. Humans are creative beings that need to cultivate creativity for life to have meaning that transcends robotic doings.

A Full Beaver Moon on November 5th reflects energies that reveal feeling safe being contingent on the need for stability. That’s tough to satisfy now, especially because change is part of life, and there are big changes happening and coming our way. The ego clings, grasps and resists what is in this world of 10,000 things…especially the material things.

This isn’t new to the human condition, but it is far more in our face with the rise of technology, fake news, etc. in the reform school called Earth. Isn’t ii poetic to notice those wearing The Emperor’s New Clothes (the ones rigging the system) throwing that term around by targeting those who have far less power than the Billionaire Class? Who payin’ you?

Part of the arriving New Aquarian Golden Earth Age is the death of an old world and old ways of being. Like any death, there is a grieving and letting go process.

Take movements like No Kings, Me Too, Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street and Civil Rights as examples.

These songs of freedom and protests to the status quo reflect the will of the peoples spirit to build a more equitable, fair and just society.

We all lose (even the perceived winners) in the current paradigm. The playing field is leveling as we speak, even if it is hard for you to find the eyes to see that.

Check out the poetic song below that I reimagined many moons ago that was inspired by the legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie . . .

This Land Is Your Land Revisited

Accepting ourselves for who we are does make it easier for us to find peace and tranquility in the outside world. Be mindful that the old guard (including the Establishment and ‘Trumpamania’) wants you to believe otherwise.

Consider beavers for a moment. Even when humans try to squelch their development, they can often rebuild their dams faster than they are destroyed. Beavers have an intelligence about them that understands the process of maintaining their dams and constant water levels.

Accumulating points in life’s game is less about material success. Rather its about showing up and being of service to others without being a sacrificial lamb to yourself. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Remember the Golden Rule. We are all interconnected, part of the Earth and the Universes energy.

It is a real possibility to let go of the struggle through resting in a deep sense of awareness in restful stillness,; whatever side of the fence you are on or whatever belief system might look like.

But it is highly unlikely that you will know this experience without being present and meditating consistently. You don’t have to get sucked into the drama or the struggle. It’s hard to go wrong with a heart-centered loving kindness perceptual reality.

Demonizing and hate are easy. Beaming loving kindness to everyone and everything reveals the power of love.

There is an order to the Universe. Of course there is also an interplay between order and chaos, like the fluidity of the yin and yang. Have faith and trust in the process. Don’t get sucked into the fear mongering. We don’t have to draw our swords or go to war with one another. Lighten up folks.

Rest in non-striving. Rest the need and impulse to struggle. Drop into the felt sense of peace and love in your body.

May all beings experience a letting go of the struggling and suffering; while at the same time, an awakening to inner peace as a way of free and clean living.

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

Swimming Further Into The Natural Waters Of Life By Staying Grounded & Anchoring Into Mother Earth

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A Full Sturgeon Moon jumps out of its murky waters today on August 9th, 2025. Their prehistoric experiential intelligence is worth reflecting on.

Unlike modern humans, these ancient fish do not appear to argue about their beliefs or pontificate about whose systems of thought should be more alluring than others, if you’ll pardon the pesce pun. Humans can stand to aquire and access their mirror of resiliency. We need to build resiliency now more than ever. We can swim through our murky waters and find common schools of thought, regardless of our superficial differences.

Everyone has bias, and of course this is part of the human condition. It isn’t about setting aside our biases, beliefs or judgments. Rather, it’s about moving beyond them. Perhaps humanity’s violent tendencies are waking us up. Abusive language, temper tantrums and micro-aggressions or even giving someone the cold shoulder are subtler examples of this. That’s why there is a growing trend of non-violent communication workshops out there so that we can wake up in the ways we relate to each other.

Remember Ghandi’s wisdom, “an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” Or President Lincoln’s assertion that we need to evoke our better angels, instead of devolving into drawing our swords or going to war with one another.

Mercury In Retrograde goes back direct on August 11, after being in Retrograde since July 18th. Time to tend to what needs to be addressed, as in dot your i’s and cross your t’s.

Keep in mind that it usually takes about 10 days for the fog to clear till Mercury’s shadow leaves the dirge of its wake behind. Until this time, we are guided to listen to our inner voice and not get caught up in the voices of the world around us.

Knowing the difference is key. Parroting FOX News talking heads, or other media outlets, including social media, isn’t your inner voice. That can be tricky because it can be difficult to recognized when getting sucked in to those experiences, like conspiracy theories. Truly, these Deep States can be suffocating and feed on us like parasites, psychic vampires, bloodsuckers or leeches.

What lost messages or hidden information need your attention so that they may step into the light? May we allow the light to illuminate the shadows so that they may be a sound mantra in your river of dreams and a life preserver in your waking reality.

Speaking of messages and hidden information, has anyone else out there experienced their neurological systems triggered to the point of seemingly no return? Wow, to say that I had some intense experiences with anxiety recently would be an understatement. To someone who likes to stay ahead of the weather, these moments of crazed inner circuitry reared their ugly head seemingly out of nowhere without rhyme or reason.

Ah, but we know better because they do serve their purpose, even if unrecognizable at during the moments they occur. It’s easy to forget that purification comes often during unpleasant episodes in the body, the most powerful portal to consciousness. I try to remember that during episodes like these, but it can be really challenging, to put it lightly.

A New Moon in Virgo will happen on August 23. Earthy, organized, efficient and often perfectionists; the critically acclaimed Virgo energies remain dominant till September 23rd . . . Only a day after the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere at least. Light and dark energies will be in equal alignment by then.

Feeling safe now connects to breathing in order, clarity and emotional regulation. It’s back to school and back to business coming down the pike. Tis the season to bring order into chaos and organization into disorganization. Building in tolerance and acceptance with life’s imperfections are key dynamics to mental health.

But if only we can allow for things to unfold in their own due time. There’s so much beauty in the cracks and crevices of the tapestry of life.

Meditate on the Japanese spiritual tradition of Wabi Sabi; as well as the spirited guidance of Swan. It is better to trust life and let it run its own way. Meeting expectations can be a good egoic reinforcer. Educators especially like to talk tough about expectations and striving in education. Nothing wrong with that. But it’s critical to emphasize letting go of expectations and focusing on arriving too. Walking in the center of the circle of paradoxical thinking isn’t always easy, if it ever is.

We are living in a time to let go of trauma, and remember our primal first stage of psychological development; trust versus mistrust. It’s a personal choice of freedom versus victimhood. To blame is to be a victim.

By the way, you can’t let go of something until you acknowledge the reality of its grip on you. For example, trauma isn’t an excuse, it’s an explanation. If you don’t own the reality of it, then you are in denial of it. Denial is a primitive, yet powerful defense mechanism. And it a’int just a river in Egypt.

Appreciate the subtleties of messages as they become louder while approaching the Virgo New Moon on August 23rd. Consider this New Moon an official portal into the Eclipse Season. Major shakeups in consciousness take place during Eclipses, especially the more consciously we work with these energies.

Or you can hunker down and ride out the storm front until the dust settles. But those of you that still do that already know that’s getting harder and harder to do these days.

Furthermore, as we switch horses from Leo into Virgo season, notice feeling much better preparedness for the strong winds of change that are on their way. The season of Virgo will help us to ground our energy, and create some structure and routine amidst any of the chaos that may be happening.

Like Master Yoda says; the future is fluid, rather than etched in stone commandments. Let’s use the Force aka Chi to state our desires to the Universe, and imprint on the reality we envision. This is a powerful time for us in our individual and collective consciousness to get out our paintbrushes to co-create the canvass of New Earth we envision together.

Spending time in meditation, focusing on positive energy, abundance, hope, etc., will be incredibly powerful and healing, not just for ourselves, but the entire planet. Keep hope alive, like my wise old spiritual counselor Leo would say.

A Full Corn Pisces Blood Moon Eclipse will happen on September 7. Given the energies of the fish, this Full Moon embodies their sensitivity and perceptiveness of surroundings.

Additionally, feelings of insecurity can be mitigated by being passive, and a wait and see approach to what is unfolding in your life. A creative and spiritual way of being aligns nicely with imaginative Pisces.

I can dig on how Ram Dass says that he has become identified with Love. Back when he left Harvard and went to India in the late 60s, he didn’t believe it was possible when his guru told him that he was called to love everybody in his lifetime.

Or like how Dave Chappellle says that he doesn’t hate anybody, he just works with that feeling. Comedy has a way of getting us to look at things differently.

And let’s echo Mother Theresa’s wise heavenly callback to stay as close to Love, and as far away from fear as possible while we are breathing.

Love is all around us. Don’t get sucked into the fear because fear is chock full of trigger happy weapons of mass deception.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering, live in harmony, and awaken to the dimension of Inner Peace.

Ari

Keeping The Flame During A Fiery Late July Leo Season & Swimming Into A Full Sturgeon Moon In August.

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A New Moon in Leo will arrive on July 24, 2025.

About a week before the New Moon, Mercury will be in Retrograde on July 18 and stay there till August 11; just after the Full Sturgeon Moon on August 9th.

Transformation is in the air. Be mindful of a rising tide of emotions that may surface in your waking reality for self-examination.

Are you experiencing power struggles? Are you feeling displaced or taken advantage of?

Leo’s fiery energies inspire us to frolic, play and enjoy drinking in summery energies.

Humanity can look upon this time as a friendly reminder that we are social creatures by nature.

May we access our social butterfly at this time, and build confidence in social situations so that we can effectively step into the limelight.

Tap into the fire element to access your intuitive spiritual wise warrior now to face any old ghosts or wounds.

And then transform them into spirit guides that support you along your way. Doing so is far more worth your time than getting your fix of the daily news to ‘keep informed’.

Our ancestors named this Moon after the Sturgeon because they were a primary food source to Indigenous people and colonists, and peak seasonal catch at this time.

If it seems like something fishy is going on during this Nature cycle, Mercury in Retrograde can feel like an old Twilight Zone episode; where communication can break down. Moreover, logic and reason of left brain systems of thought lose their power.

At the same time, we are invited to move into creative, right brain realms, like meditating, journaling, singing, playing music, and movement.

It’s also a good time to rewind and review where we have been, and explore the direction we want to move toward that awaits on the horizon.

Further, Mercury in Retrograde gives us the opportunity to let go, surrender and go with the flow.

Try to let rigid thoughts relax into the ebb and flow of the tides. Shorelines are magical places to meditate on for that.

Sturgeon’s have a prehistoric intelligence, and are good at swimming through murky waters. This reflects their survival instinct and resilience.

Humanity can stand to build our collective resiliency. Just imagine the infinite win-win possibilities!

Nowadays, mental health is paying more attention to learning how to swim in mental waterways that access happiness as a way of life.

Inner peace is a real deep dive; a dimension where following your bliss and discovering what awakens joy within your being are key dynamics.

I like breathing in the energy of new beginnings around New Moons. This one is a good reminder to accept feedback for the sake of personal growth.

Back in my late teens and early 20s, I remember when my thespian friends encouraged me to get into acting. Given my tendency to be less open to stepping outside of my comfort zone at that time in that way, I dismissed their recommendation; in spite of a natural gift for entertaining fantasy, pretending and playing cat and mouse in the theater of life.

But then again, that’s just part of being human. And learning how to be human is a process, and works best when we’re patient and kind to our minds and our selves.

Looking back in the rearview mirror, I wasn’t foreign to the spotlight following me around or having an audience. In my experience, I felt safe with impressing others, and receiving praise and admiration from them. Truly, a disease to please was a good frenemy, and security in my consciousness for years to come.

And yet, when I would become conscious of stepping into the limelight, it was easy for me to clam up, get taken over by stage fright, and then feel at a loss. Given my hard times with criticisms, it’s taken me a long time to learn how to be vulnerable by leaning into them and embrace criticisms as agents of change.

During my tenure on the planet, I have noticed how challenging it can be to not get defensive with folks; especially the ones whose criticisms pour liberally from their mouths, like an unsolicitedly peddled powder keg.

However, a gentle and open gaze at criticisms can open up pathways for internal shifts to take place so that we can move forward.

As I look back on an old friend’s High School yearbook quote, it does make sense to rather be hated for who you are than loved for who you are not.

A compassionate gaze reveals that hate is a strong term and an unsustainable way to live. But the idea of being true to yourself allows for more abundant inner peace. Besides, giving up your power to acquiesce to the desires of others is a recipe for digesting bitter.

May this Full Sturgeon Moon light up your sea of consciousness. People talk about the dog days of August. But it is our approach to the internal and external weather patterns, and changing seasons that matter.

Fish Philosophy speaks of the critical ideas that we all have the power to choose our attitudes, and make someone’s else’s day through kindness, etc. Of course there are many ways to do this. But probably not getting into a heated debate with someone else about whose beliefs Trump another’s, if you’ll pardon the political pun. Besides, you wouldn’t really be listening to the other person anyway; rather, you’d be reacting to the voice in the head.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

A New Moon In Gemini At The End Of May, A Full Stawberry Full Moon In Early June & The Summer Solstice In Late June . . .

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A New Moon in Gemini on May 27th manifests itself with energy reflecting the need for changes and spontaneity.

Communication is key.

Meditate on how you can feel safe when thinking about your feelings and sharing them with others.

Be mindful of keeping a cool head but not without remembering an open, compassionate heart.

Harmony of thinking and feeling is important.

Under the Gemini New Moon, check in with this balance.

Do you feel connected to your Spirit?

Do you feel connected to your body?

Do you feel as sense of inner peace with both of these states?

It can take time for our inner tapestries to awaken and rise above ground from what has been previously smoldering beneath the surface.

Our consciousness can rise up in ways that gives us the sight to see a deeper or higher truth.

The likelihood of elevating consciousness happening increases when we let go of anxiety, negative self talk and accompanying emotional reactions.

Because this opportunistic attack of the Chattering Monkey Mind or Nervous Woodland Creature energy can really cramp your Chi, and limit our ability to see clearly from new vistas.

Instead, find ways to channel your mental energy into being kind to your mind, being gentle on yourselves, and allowing for the experience of cultivating better mental health.

Looking ahead, a Full Strawberry Moon, will happen on Wednesday, June 11.

This moon gets its name from a number of North American native tribes, and is inspired by the peak of wild strawberries in June.

Consider this as a synchronicity to the peak light by the Summer Solstice around the same timeframe.

In Anglo-Saxon traditions, this Full Moon is called the Honey, Mead or Rose Moon.

Life is sweet like honey, if only we allow for it. Of course it takes mulch to compost life.

According to Chinese ancestry, this Full Moon is called the Lotus Moon. The Lotus flower appears on lily pads in bog areas.

In spiritual meditation practice, the Lotus Flower reflects that out of the primordial darkness, comes a natural creation of the Flower of Life.

It is symbolic of how a spiritual and meditative life is always waiting patiently to spring forth in a soul.

The first day of summer arrives with the solstice this year on Friday, June 20, in the Northern Hemisphere at least. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the Winter Solstice.

In much the same way of our brains, we need both sides to heal the illusion of duality and polarity consciousness.

Depending where you are on the Planet, the solstices will bring us the longest day or night or the shortest day or night.

Like our ancestors who came before us . . .

We will either be coaxing back the light while tunneling through the dark or watching its manifestation fire up our skies and spirits; more yin-ward or more of a social butterfly. Might as well reflect on both experiences.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

How Do I Balance Home & Work Life?

Posted on by under Spirituality, Uncategorized

Ah, an age old question that does not seem to be disappearing anytime soon; for humanity at large at least.

Of course, humanity in general is addicted to work and it shows up in our lives in a myriad of ways. With this attachment comes with the price tag of negligence on the home front. Or maybe you don’t work enough, have the good fortune of meaningful work, or spend too much time on the couch and checked out from connecting with coworkers or people outside of your home?

Who doesn’t do this? Even asking the question points us in the right direction.

But it is important and no longer a luxury in our evolution to not give ourselves intensional time for non-linear and non-localized time as a powerful form of self-care. We need to do this to rest, recharge and keep ourselves online; in our brains, consciousness and otherwise.

I keep in touch with an old friend who gives himself time to daydream everyday because he realized he needed to build this into the structure of his daily routine. It’s different for yours truly because daydreaming is something that has always come naturally to me. If anything, I’ve had to learn to temper and contain this tendency; without squelching the gift entirely.

More importantly, we are human beings, not doings. And yet, we have been well trained or conditioned to feel fed and feed modern society with work to do and bills to pay. I remember when one of my clinical supervisors in social work school taught me that if you give 110% all the time, when you give 100% people will think your slacking. Reminds me of the American saying, keeping up with the Joneses.

In my experience, home and work life balance is not an exact science, and requires regular self-awareness and self-examination; not without giving mindful reflection and attention to peer feedback. As more priority is giving to a healthy holistic balance in home and work life, self-care is becoming more encouraged and accepted. For example, self-care is now in our Code of Ethics as social workers; as well as other forms of counselors working in the mental health field.

Furthermore, when I notice squirrels outside; I remember their wise spiritual guidance on learning the balance between work and play. These creatures reflect this important balance in life, and it is wise of us to heed their spiritual wisdom. I’m not sure there’s any other creature on the planet that are bursting with nervous energy. Squirrels have an incredible work ethic; and yet they seemingly integrate play while they work. I have spent more time than I care to admit meditating on how I and we can learn from squirrels in this way.

Giving ourselves time in Nature, and connecting with the animals and nature spirits is a powerful form of meditation that is so replenishing. As Lao Tzu would say, Nature is the best physician. I can’t tell you how many times I went into the woods feeling depleted or drained. After about 20 minutes, the forrest seems to embrace a human who is willing to sit, watch and listen.

And then as I walked out of the woods, a feeling of being refreshed and recharged magically awakened within. As with anything else, the seeing yourself experiencing this balance transforms itself when an intention and commitment to the mirror of the mind meditation is followed through with consistently.

In my profession, there is always something else we can do to help people. However, like one of my favorite life mantras that resonated from the book, Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff; the incoming box is always full, and the outgoing box is never empty.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Swimming Away From Winter & Surfing Along Arriving Energetic Waves Of Spring

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It is a Pisces time of year; the tail end of the Western Zodiac, if you’ll pardon the nautical pun.

As we reach the end of the month, the soft and sensitive Pisces New Moon arrives as wise guidance on February 28, 2025.

May we use this energy to get in touch with our emotions, and remember the strong psychic wisdom that we all possess within.

Tis the season for a time to bring more empathic and psychic communications into the dreaming as well as within our waking 3-D realities.

Fish are highly sensitive creatures and the elemental forces of water are building gradually.

Shorelines are in between times where land and sea come together; intersecting and smoothing out the rocky and edgy seasonal transitions.

As you all already know, the signs and synchronicities are blowing in the wind.

They are illuminating the shadows and shining light on the darkness on the edge of town.

A Full Worm Moon will happen on March 14, 2025. And add on to that is that it’s also a Total Lunar Eclipse, which is like a full moon on steroids.

Remember Eclipses bring shakeups in our inner and outer worlds. More of that happening now that ever; in more recent human history at least.

In medieval English and neo-Pagan circles, this moon is called the Chaste Moon; reflecting the purity of the season as life renews after winter.

It’s no coincidence that the fish and worm are showing up now energetically. To catch fish, you often need worms.

The Fish are incredibly sensitive creatures, and amazingly perceptive of their surroundings. Feelings of insecurity, the path to least resistance passive, and a wait and see approach are natural tendencies.

It’s a good time to work with creative, spiritual, and imaginative realms of Pisces.

Given that Pisces are energetic mutable chameleons of the zodiac, they help us all to see ourselves through new lenses, and shapeshift or transform accordingly. 

Empathy is a flowing experience with Pisces.

Keep in mind that self-compassion as a form of self-care can build resiliency.

Mercury in Retrograde on March 14 to April 7 stirs the pot of deep revelations in love, relationships, communication, and life philosophy.

The Vernal Equinox will arrive on March 20, 2025. Spring and Fall equinoxes reflect equanimity between light and dark, yin and yang, masculine and feminine energies in Nature.

In the Northern Hemisphere, days will continue to get lighter till they climax on the Summer Solstice in later June.

In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the opposite as they move closer to their darkest day of the year on their Winter Solstice after their Autumn Equinox.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Letting Go of Attachments, the Sweet Sound of Surrender & Giving Inner Peace a Chance . . .

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The Full Beaver Moon will happen on November 15th, 2024.

Beavers reflect the origins of this full moon because the first snow historically falls in the northern US and Canada at this time. Most of the trees and shrubs have shed their leaves, morning frost appears, and beavers are beginning to build their dams before the ground freezes. And November is historically the gloomiest month in Maine.

Beavers enter and exit their lodges through hidden underwater channels. They spend most of their time in their homes during the Winter, and keep their living quarters well stocked with Winter supplies during the colder months.

How many extraterrestrials, high ranking secret government officials or undercover journalists are enamoured by the elaborate and perceptibly invisible native beaver engineering projects that are invisible to the naked eye?

Ponder that Beaver is the animal spirit guide of the Freemasons, and that their energy medicine captures the design of political area of Washington, D.C.

Water also symbolizes the connection to the elemental forces of creation.

Beavers foreshadow the arrival of the winter months. Keep in mind that Winter reflects the death cycle in Nature.

Their energies beg the question: are we ready for Winter yet?

Ready or not, it will be be the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere on December 21st. This marks the darkest time of year.

And then after that, we will coax back the light as our days will get a little brighter every day till light and dark are equal again on the Spring Equinox in later March.

What seeds will grow inside of our inner lodges during the colder and darker months?

If it feels like the ground is shaking underneath your footing, and things are being flipped upside down in your world . . . Try to look at these shakeups as part of your spiritual growth; as well as giving yourself consideration about what is awakening inside of you.

Speaking of any upside down energies showing up in your lives . . . Remember that people in the Southern Hemisphere are moving away from their Spring Equinox. Their days are getting longer, till the light peaks on their Summer Solstice in later December. Even in darkness, there is light.

What spiritual lessons and gifts want to be dug up, unearthed and show up in your life?

It can be hard to examine the magnified shadowy side of humanity when it comes out into the sunlight. Remember that the purpose is to wake people up vis a vis the process of energetic cleansing and purification. This is a form of soulful mulching, composting and transformation.

Regardless of how intentional our commitment to our spiritual development might look like, we humans will always have attachments while we are in this form aka the 3D realm.

For example, after a long election season; The Donald was crowned President of the United States again.

By and large, the American Public, and many from the General Public around the world continue to show their support for Trump’s Cult of Personality.

And while many assert a radical opposition to another silver spoon candidate . . . We clearly have an attachment to a convicted felon who has won the American Presidency again.

Do you remember the good old days- when conservative republicans asserted that an American President should be a statesman- over an electable candidate that can win at all costs, if you’ll pardon the Billionaire Class pun?

Liberals and progressives have parroted this mindset as well. And they too, have shunned their coworkers who have deviated from voting from their perception of Coke or Pepsi being the lesser of 2 evils.

Is Coke or Pepsi Democrat or Republican?

This is how the American Public and General Public on a global scale continues to be hoodwinked and vote against their own interests. Know your history!

Think about it . . . If you identify as a white woman that talks tough on affirmative action or replaces Black Lives Matter with an asserted All Lives Matter correction . . . Do you realize that white woman have benefited the most from affirmative action policies (as in how women now edge men out in college enrollment?).

Being pro-black doesn’t mean you’re anti-white. White privilege isn’t something you have to hide behind or deny. There’s nothing wrong with privilege. Just don’t be a con artist conning yourself that you don’t benefit from a leg up in race or class.

But as always, a deeper spiritual transformation is happening on the consciousness of our planet and universe throughout. And in case you hadn’t heard it through the airwaves . . . the ringing in our ears is getting louder.

Power is often perceived as a tool or a means to achieve ends, whether in personal relationships, societal roles, or spiritual quests.

The pursuit of power frequently stems from an unconscious sense of disempowerment. Individuals may seek power as a way to compensate for feelings of vulnerability or inadequacy.

Like the changing seasons, the best thing we can do is to go with the flow, and remember that change always offers us the opportunity to keep trying, and make the necessary improvements.

In much the same way as shedding dead skin; letting go of the ancestral baggage that has been passed down to us, gives birth to new vantage points.

On November 19th, Pluto will moves solidly into Aquarius for the next 20 years. Like Beaver’s penchant for industry and multiple exit strategies; we will have the power of love to illuminate the shadows of what has stayed hidden in the darkness.

Release the old paradigms that no longer serve. Awaken to new ways of being that will create a New Golden Aquarian Age in alignment with Unity Consciousness.

The Empire’s pushback toward the inevitable changes coming down the pike reflects the patriarchy’s last stand. The chimes of freedom flashes a system that is naturally leveling itself and expelling dead air one breath, one step, and one moment at a time.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

Gratitude

Posted on by under Consciousness, Spirituality, Uncategorized

How do you express your gratitude? That’s a good question to reflect on . . .

I try to carry an attitude of gratitude in my backpack along the trails during the walk of life. It’s always a key ingredient for feeling pleasantly full when consuming energy medicine, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Paying mindful attention to our breath is the most important way I know how to remember gratitude in every moment. When I forget, I remember to focus on my breath, and give thanks for the breath of life in the present moment that it is given and received. There’s a lot of moments in everyday life to capitalize on this opportunity.

Also, I will typically say a little thanksgiving or thank you to conclude my daily meditation practice to honor the support available, and offered to us from the spirit realm. It’s like hanging up to signal the end of the conference call with the Universe.

One concrete strategy to bring spiritual power into the material realm is to walk with one foot in spirit, one foot in ground, like our Indigenous ancestors would say. Moreover, those tuned into this blog know that I am a big fan of cultivating a walking meditation in life. Yes, it’s good to sit on the cushion. But the application of what comes up on the cushion needs to be enacted in the moments in our routine when we are not sitting in the ritual of quiet meditation.

During our more focused spiritually oriented conversations, an uncle turned me on to a simple walking meditation strategy. In that conversation, he taught me an abbreviated children’s version of how to play with an effective walking meditation to awaken gratitude, and be present in our everyday moments. This form comes from Thich Nhat Hanh’s spiritual teachings from his own experiences (as well as the experiences of others) with silent walking meditation. This technique a great way to invite spirit into the act of ‘counting steps’, like many folks do today as a way to stay in shape. Based on feedback from many adults and kids alike, this strategy reportedly really resonates with them.

All you do is say ‘yes’ when you take your first step and then ‘thank you’ on your second step. The idea is that by saying ‘yes’ on our first step- we are saying yes to what the present moment has to offer by being open to the experience without conditions or judgments.

Everybody experiences judgments and resistance. But with the ‘yes’ footstep, we are willing to move beyond them so that we don’t get sucked into the past or future mental projections. And then by saying ‘thank you’ on the next footstep, we are giving thanks to what is; regardless of whether the experience is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.

The present moment is what it is. So we might as well say yes to it and then say thank you for the paradoxical blessing or curse of the present moment with gratitude in our hearts and heads. Easier said than done. But it is a skill we can develop and also makes for a nice positive self talk mantra.

Of course, when I look outside and see turkeys doing their thing in Nature; meditation on their energy reminds me of the shared blessings of everyday life. And for that, I am deeply grateful.

Thank you,

Ari

A Special Thank You To Artwork by Barbara Merlotti