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

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

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

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