Back in High School, one of my favorite classes was an elective called Humanities. The course was created by a great teacher who brought his theatrical personality, and philosophical spirituality to the classroom. In short, he embodied his humanity, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Our class ran like a group, which ended up being a precursor to some of my social work classes later on in graduate school. Seating arrangements could look like a traditional classroom with rows, or perhaps more avant guard small groupings of desks or resemble a horseshoe configuration. These seating arrangements and rearrangements are pretty typical and more commonplace in today’s classroom environment to help keep the energy flowing to facilitate the learning process.
In my case, going down multidimensional mind trips and wormholes wasn’t a new experience for yours truly. But in this class, the expanding group consciousness was unfolding in our classroom. In my experience, it was easier to come in and out of realms; somewhat akin to a UFO hovering in and out of dimensional bleeding between realities.
As always for yours truly, the classroom and school environment was anything but boring to a guy like me. To my teacher’s chagrin, it wasn’t typically the lesson plan that captivated my attention. Humanities class was a different story. We explored differentiation between Plato’s Republic and Pericles’ Democracy, our teacher’s own ‘Theory of Good’, and read Herman Hesse’s classic book entitled Siddhartha, among other curricula.
Looking back zen, Plato’s Allegory Of The Cave really struck a chord in me that has remained like a light flickering in a shadowy cave, if you’ll pardon the pun. This class really exposed some of the chinks in my armor that were key dynamics to my protective survival instincts at that time.
Furthermore, the metaphor of humanity being asleep and trapped in own own darkness lit a fire in my neurons and energy field. Death and rebirth were beginning to take root in my psyche, as they had done earlier in my formative years. I’d never heard of higher level thinking, metacognition or superconsciousness as common language experiences yet. But that didn’t stop me or others from having them. I remember when our teacher chalked up a simple diagram of his take on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave on the old school blackboard. As I reflect right tao, this visual resembles the ancient cave art we see from our ancestors. What can I say, the novel learning experiences still resonate.
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
A Full Flower Moon will happen on Thursday, May 23rd. Hummingbirds accentuate this point because they embody effective cross pollination of spreading the seeds of love and flowering of consciousness.
Of course this moon goes by many names, such as Mulberry Moon by the Creek and Choctaw or Moon of Green Leaves by the Lakota or Field Maker Moon by Abenaki.
Other ancestral names given by the Celtics and Old English are Hare or Grass Moon. And for those who hear the peepers singing, it’s easy to understand where the name Frog Moon sprung from, if you’ll pardon the seasonal apropos pun.
Speaking of frogs, remember the beautiful Lotus Flower grows out of the Lily Pad in the gnarly swampy bog areas. This is the true roots and meaning behind Flower Power because the Lotus Flower represents the Flowering of Consciousness and awakening our Human Potential.
Meditation on Flower Power reveals for us to pass on buying into the commercial that sells that the 60s were all about sex, drugs and rock and roll. Yes, those ingredients were real parts of that era. But underneath those appetizers was a main course meal that fed expanding consciousness; including the questioning of conventional societal programing, working on Civil Rights and leveling the playing field.
When we truly acknowledge an authentic awakening taking root in our souls, we recognize that we are living on Indigenous lands, and have all been affected by Colonization. In this state of awareness, we will evoke a living memory of our ancestral roots. May we breathe in a sense of clarity, renewal, healing, and rejuvenation into our souls during this season.
Let’s not forget that White Privilege and White Supremacy are real collective traumas that affect everyone, regardless of how we identify. The reality is that we humans have been mixing it up together in a garden variety of ways; including having cross cultural relationships and intersectional experiences with one another. Variability in the species is a good thing. Nobody wins at the hands of oppression.
Beneath the headlines is the deeper truth that we are living in an age where we are letting go and releasing all of that.
But Regardless of who’s on top, the horizontal evolution of power awakens the reality that power is shared in a way that is equitable. From this perspective, there are no real losers because there is enough, and we can all win. Most of us don’t want to be billionaires. But most of us want be free and have equal access to resources; including a safe place to live, learn and thrive as a human family. That’s not easy to do within the Fog of War and the dying old matrix.
Given the current and historical oppression that humankind has experienced on the Planet; including the genocide and enslavement of various groups of people, including Semitic, BIPOC & LGBTQ+ folks- it can be challenging to perceive the infinite possibilities awaiting humanity to co-create a more fair and just society.
Meditate on We The People consciousness; as well as the truth that everyone are Chosen People created in the image of Creator. This mantra will bear fruit to transcendence and transformation with humanity, our Planet and beyond. We are all One and Diverse expressions of Great Spirit. Our formless energetic selves are akin to the Color of Water.
It’s unbelievable what the upper echelon got away with during Gilded Age. How embarrassing is it to actually believe and promote a return to this way of life? Talk about Gangster. Time to keep those old guard crime rhymes off the shelf.
Underneath this parody of a fairy tale should be embarrassing to read to our grandchildren is the idea that a minority of souls in positions of power should control the narrative, galvanize and exploit everyone else in the form of a rigid ends justify the means belief in a maximum economic profit mindset.
Like the yin and the yang, the Universe is full of light and dark energies. It’s not about either/or; rather its about these energies flowing in synergy and balancing each other out. The Earth doesn’t complain when the Sun is hiding behind the clouds. Nor does the Moon resent the Sun for giving his energy to other moons, planets or energies. Yet the sun still shines and the moon still rises. The moon doesn’t tantrum at the sun for heating her waters, nor does the earth complain when the moon rises her tides and floods her shorelines. Nature has leveling impulses that humanity should get in alignment with. Like Eldridge Cleaver once said, “if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.”
During this Gemini time of year, we shift from our lower chakras to our upper chakras. Lower chakras are more for grounding and naturally appear to align with the energies of the Ram or Bull, while the Twins spark the cerebral forces found in the upper chakras.
Keep in mind that our throat chakra is the realm of communication. Knowing when to speak and when to listen are key dynamics in effective communication. This includes conversations on the inside of ourselves; as well as the conversations we have with others.
Just as an example, coworkers and I often talk about how we have learned the art of hitting the pause button from sending an email by resting on the draft overnight. And then when the next day comes, the seemingly urgent email might not even need to be sent. Or if it does, a new tone has been discovered and implemented before the message is sent. I like to look at this skill as a form of journaling, letting go and processing.
Remember that birds of a feather, flock together when socializing in co-creative ways with like minded folks that reflects the power of the community. This time of year is great for getting out and about and socializing with folks.
Energetically, this is a good time to meditate on walking one foot in spirit, one foot in ground as a way to balance our experience of spiritual beings having human experiences. It is a balancing act to walk in the center of the circle without getting too swayed in either direction.
Our souls live in our bodies till the body expires and then they break out and find a new home.
We are probably at our best when our soul and humanity work together. But this can be challenging because of the tendency is to feed one over the other, depending on the person and their own unique experience or the cultural narrative they were born into.
People who are more materialistic are probably are more preoccupied with their humanity, while folks who are more free-spirited are probably aware to their soul’s promptings; although this is not always the case necessarily.
Energy is energy . . . It’s what we do with it that counts.
Regardless of our orientation, the key dynamic for all of us is to harmonize with our environment.
Reflect on stories you might cling or grasp to from your past that you continue to say to yourself. What might a new version of that story with a more awakened or positive outlook look like in the Mirror of the Mind?
Last Friday, February 2nd was the Imbolc, the approximate halfway point between the Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox, or the first day of Spring on March 19th.
Days are getting longer everyday. Before long, light and dark energies will be equal on the first day of Spring. Like the yin and yang, masculine and feminine energies will be in equal alignment with Nature’s rhythym.
In modern American lore, the Imbolc is popularly know as Groundhog Day. Everyone wonders if the groundhog will see his shadow or not.
On a deeper level, Groundhog spiritually symbolizes death without dying, from an energetic perspective. Meditation on death without dying can encourage us to live our lives to the fullest- or play ever down like our last, as my old football coaches used to say.
Winter is the death cycle in Nature, when we go deeper into the Dreamtime. Groundhogs hibernate during the Winter. They remind us that even in the dirge, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Our tunneling through the darkness represents a safe passage into a new realm of being.
Energetically, the stirrings of Spring are happening as the seeds underground are starting to think about waking up. A simple shift in mindset might help give us a lift from any Winter blues we might be feeling now.
A New Moon in Aquarius on February 9th tunnels further into the Chinese New Year of the Wood Dragon on February 10th. Remember that Aquarius is rebellious and is in alignment with finding their own way as unique individuals, yet finding ways to be true to their selves but also fit into a group. This is captures the program design of Diversity Within Unity, the mantra of a New Age and Paradigm.
In Chinese astrology, the Wood element represents vitality and creativity. Dragon makes connection to success, intelligence and honor in Chinese culture. This alchemy makes people born in the Year of the Wood Dragon full of energy and drive. They dream of changing the world and spring forth innovative ideas and manifesting their ideas.
Also, I had an encounter with a ladybug recently. Winter is an unusual time to see them, but I took my encounter as a bright spot that warmer weather is on its way.
Ladybugs are symbolic of metamorphosis, as beetles also symbolize. Recognizing that change is an inevitable part of life, may we awaken to the reality that we will encounter death and rebirth during the season of authentic living. When one door closes, another door opens.
These spirit guides can awaken the idea of reincarnation. However, even if we believe in other lifetimes; it is wise to remember that our current lifetime should be our primary focus in the here and now.
May we allow our current life cycle to afford us the vantage point to see that our old selves are akin to past lives. And then we can look at our new self as once a future self that now is. Perhaps meditation on this perspective might open up your consciousness and relax rigid thought forms.
Remember what we resist persists. Might as well say yes to the changes in seasons that our mythical life quest reveals.
According to Chinese astrology, it will be the year of the dragon on February 10th, 2024.
Dragon symbolizes power, change and spirituality and can awaken self-love and empowerment bytapping into your inner royalty and power.
Dragon represents masculine soul energy or yang.
Consider Dragon’s connection to the mythical Phoenix, which symbolizes the sacred power of the feminine or yin. The Yin and the Yang, masculine and feminine are at their natural best when flowing in balance with one another.
A Full Wolf Moon on January 25, 2024 symbolizes feeding our wise minds. We have our rational minds and our emotional minds.
May our wise minds balance out the rational & emotional. Lead with the heart and mind our heads.
It is a good sign of mental health when the right and left hemispheres of our brains are communicating effectively with one another.
In alignment with that, Wolf energy is a spiritual pathfinder that will leave you novel tracks in consciousness into a New Chapter.
What new trails do you want to howl into your life as you blaze into the New Year ahead?
Wolf government is an interesting interplay between hierarchy and horizontal balance of power. It would behoove us to examine how a healthy interplay between a social democratic approach might harmonize with our politics of living.
A more fair and just society will highlight equal access to quality healthcare, which emphasizes sound mental health and wellness. But more importantly; people have the self evident incentives to choose sound mental health and wellness as a way of life.
Imagine systemic support for self care practices, such as yoga, massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, and tai chi & qigong being strongly encouraged into everyday well being and mental health practice. The power of the individual to self-soothe, community co-regulation and finding peaceful and non-violent ways to co-exist for mutual aid is a key dynamic for an effective systemic transition into a New Age and Paradigm.
The only constant in life is change, aka the Law of Transience. May the energy of this New Moon in Sagittarius on Tuesday, December 12 be a friendly reminder that Nature reflects change.
Like the seasons, change is inevitable. Tastebuds change, relationships change, and even our DNA can change. But with change, there is a death of the old self; not without its grieving.
What makes Sagittarius so unique is its dynamic blend of passion, curiosity, intensity, and adaptability. The archer or a hybrid human/horse centaur, is symbolic of this sign.
Moreover, their energies aren’t afraid to use its bow and arrow to explore expansive terrain, seeking answers in places and spaces others wouldn’t dare venture.
Remember that even in the darkness of death, there is the rebirth of light. Truly, we grieve the loss of death energy. And yet at the same time; may we welcome the light born again unto our souls.
It is the last New Moon of 2023. Fitting this New Moon is associated with fiery and passionate energies.
Might as well be in alignment with these energies and go out with a bang, in peaceful and non-violent ways of course. Peaceful and non-violent strategies are more sustainable ways of conflict resolution and harmonizing with our environment.
Where are you at on your map of consciousness with regards to change? Are you resisting the changes of your old self? Or are you moving into a place of gratitude, letting go and even surrendering to the Universe’s signs and synchronicities to light your way? Are you allowing yourself to paint a creative picture in a New Chapter in the Mirror of the Mind?
Given our modern cultural narrative that conditions us to buy into holiday mania of rampant consumerism, artificial light, and being up all the time; it’s no wonder people get depressed about darker days and darker emotions. But darker days invite us to examine our darker thoughts, which are quite natural.
The real suffering is the clinging to and resistance of our thoughts and then the emotional reactions, judgements and stories thereof.
It can be freeing to simply watch out thoughts, and even go beyond our judgements into a dimensional shift of awareness.
Awareness, along with the the power of Universal energies right now can help you take action to create the New Chapter that you desire. It can be done with letting go of the old chapter with gratitude; so as to facilitate a healthy transition into the New Chapter with as much love as possible.
Moreover, the Sagittarius New Moon is a great time to focus on healing and bringing yourself into a state of balance. Use this New Moon to plant seeds of calm balance and think about what you want to manifest for the weeks ahead.
On the day after the New Moon, Mercury in Retrograde will happen on December 13th and stay till January 1, 2024. I saw a hawk do a flyover the other day, and it felt like a prequel to the chi of the forthcoming Mercury in Retrograde. In much the same way as Coyote’s vibe, Mercury in Retrograde can bring in trickster energy into the 3-D realm.
Beyond that, there is a higher vibration on a multidimensional level. For example, in mythology, Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods. Further, during its retrograde cycle, it can more quickly and easily bring these messages to us intuitively. This is a powerful time to focus on your intuitive and psychic gifts.
Pay mindful attention to your intuition and other subtler forms of communication like dreams, synchronicities, and perhaps consulting spiritual oracle decks under Mercury Retrograde. They will likely be sending you encouraging positive reinforcements for authentic living, if only we gently allow for them to build gradually, like the power of water.
A Full Cold Moon will happen the day after Christmas, on December 26th. This is the darkest Full Moon of the year because it always occurs around the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The Winter Solstice will happen on December 21st. Like our ancestors that came before us, this is a good time to gather around a fire, honor the darkness, go deep into our soul caves and begin to coax back the light. After the Winter Solstice, our days will become a little longer. Paradoxically, it will be the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere; the Vernal Equinox will bring shorter days ahead. The Winter Solstice is a powerful time for expressing gratitude for what is and letting go of what was.
As an appetizer to Samhain and other subsequent days that honor our ancestors who have left their earthly incarnations; please give consideration to the Hunter Moon that will occur on Saturday, October 28. Like all moons, this moon goes by many names. Traditionally, its name was inspired by the fattening of game animals from their late summer bounty, and being hunted for winter storage. Falling leaves and less brush during the day brings better visibility for day tracking or hunting, while the moonlight makes it easier to see or hunt animals at night.
However, you don’t have to physically be a hunter to appreciate the origins of how this full moon gets its name. If you like to spend time out in Nature like me, then you can meditate on different animals as gateways into the spirit realm.
When I think about moving further into October and early November, I remember to meditate on the spirit of the season as honored by our ancestors. Did you know that the pop culture identification with Halloween traces its roots to the cross-cultural, and spirited seasonal festivities of the Samhain, followed by the mystical vibrations of Day of the Dead, All Saint’s Day & All Soul’s Day at the end of October into early November?
Moreover, our ancestors observed the ‘thinning of the veils’ around this time. At this junction, we can notice the intersection between the physical and spirit realms more readily co-mingling with each other.
In modern society, there’s normalized rituals of ‘Goretober’, scary masks, costumes, ghosts and goblins and bloody violent movies designed to frighten. Further, we all know that the line between fantasy and reality is harder to discern these days. With so much ‘fake news’ out there, it is harder to know what the truth is; although when you do find truth, it shall set you free.
Just look at the story the Empire sells on behalf of its Military-Industrial Complex. We spend more capital on weapons of mass destruction, military caliber weaponry, big business and big government largesses than anywhere else on the Planet.
Our children (and parents) don’t feel safe in schools or in large community events nowadays. Yet some community people bum rush board meetings and classrooms. Like many, these folks have a tendency to know “a little about a lot” and have no real solutions. It seems like mass shootings are becoming a new normal of everyday worry. Why don’t they call these acts of terrorism?
As we have discussed in this blog before, fascism is a romantic fantasy. It can appear appealing, but it doesn’t work. Underneath fascist thinking is that people need to be conditioned and controlled by mechanistic means to execute that paradigm. But we are sovereign beings. On a deeper soul level, we feel deeply in our bones a strong desire to manifest a more free-thinking, fair and just society. We all have the capacity to self-regulate and co-regulate so that we can co-exist peacefully with one another.
Imagine if resources will be poured into this New Age and Paradigm to support mental health and social emotional learning so that everyone has equal access to equity in healthy learning environments. There are many movers and shakers with deep pockets that have the capital to back this because the Billionaire Class is larger than ever. There are many “doers” on the front line that are already working tirelessly to make a positive impact, and many others that will jump in if there are more incentives for them to Do The Right Thing.
When everyone on the planet meditates, our world will change overnight. Together, we have the pre-wiring capability to unlock the power to move mountains and lighten-up cities, in peaceful and non-violent means necessary of course. The other option is unsustainable and leads to our extinction.
More importantly, it will be a real treat if we can stay in alignment with the Universe’s Pillars of Love and Truth and stay away from the tricks of being seduced by our fears. And you all know that there are many rational and irrational fears out there that could pin your ears back if you let them. The way out of this polarizing madness aka suffering that burns on our planet today is to stop demonizing and going to war with ourselves and each other.
Truly, we can have our disagreements peacefully and co-mingle with one another without subtle and not so subtle acts of violence. The debates, pontification and political football are a parody of a fairy tale reality show that grandparents would be embarrased to read to their grandchildren. I hardly think a totalitarian state could achieve the level of indoctrination that plays out in the corporate media outlets! And yet, without the growing body of intensities- there would be no Tao, or Phoenix Rising out of the ashes. How much more horror and terror do we need for humanity to wake up?
Furthermore, this time of year can awaken heightened co-regulation with our ancestors and loved ones who have left their earthly incarnation. There is so much help available to us in the spirit realm, if only we ask and allow ourselves to receive their spirited wise guidance. One simple way that I use this strategy is to open my morning meditation practice with a simple mantra by saying, Activate Spiritual Light Team. And when it’s time to end the meditation, I conclude by saying, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. It’s like picking up the phone to make a call and then hanging up the phone to end the call. Sometimes, this writer says these statements aloud or telepathically because he believes that both communication forms work effectively.
For example, the energies of owls reflect psychic vision and clairaudience, or hearing spirit. It might even mean seeing a loved one who has passed in your Third Eye, perhaps a ringing in your ear that could be coming from an ET or Multidimensional being that wants to make communicative contact with you. It appears that the more spiritually aware factions of these otherworldy and multidimensional beings want to commune with ‘common folk’ because they see the absurdity of the Empire’s pledge of allegiance to the Military Industrial Complex.
On a lighter note; shortly after my maternal grandmother died, I can remember driving in her old car and perceiving my mother and grandmother’s spirit in the car smoking cigarettes during my daily commute. Even though I still hate the smell of cigarette smoke; the psychical scent of them smoking in the car was something that I looked forward to during a dark time in my life. But in spite of how depleted my energy field was, gearing up for my morning commute at that time motivated me to get out of bed in the morning so that I could be with their spirits.
As the veils thin, may we co-regulate with these powerfully spirited energies in a way that leaves us awakening to the realm of inner peace. But not without grieving the dirge of past loved ones that can leave a heavy heart. Honoring a loved one who has left this earth with an item of power or keepsake to remember them by can bring levity to your soul by awakening a spirited connection to them. You can even use this time to re-work your earthly relationship in a way that is healing for you now, as well as their spirit. Think of this as a win-win Karmic clearing exercise.
From a consciousness perspective, the wearing of the masks can awaken shapeshifting and portals into other alternate or imaginative realms. Brain science has confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that brainwaves do change during this extra or non-ordinary states of consciousness. By simply shifting your awareness to your Third Eye or center of your forehead, this strategy will help bring you into a perceptual shift into a different dimensional vibration. People who become consistent meditators change their brains, their DNA, and their general experience with life. That’s why it’s really hard to go back to the old ways once you awaken to these novel neuronal pathways. This transformation is Alchemy.
Finally, a consistent meditation practice can become a strong ally in the development of listening and sensitivity skills, as well as reinforcing empathy and compassion in our approach regarding our interactions with each other. Our world can’t get enough of that now more than ever. There is so much help from the spirit realm. All we have to do is ask. And of course be open to allowing ourselves to receive.
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.
While the sun is often associated with masculine energies, Lion symbolizes the rising tide of feminine energies and the feminine sun.
Remember the Yin and the Yang are oriented to naturally flow together, just as Carl Jung talked about the anima and animus in men and women. It is wise for men to get in touch with their feminine sides, just as it is for women to get in touch with their masculinity.
Gender fluidity, non-binary and transgender folks are all examples of reflecting these forms of energetic soul expression as well.
As we have explored in this blog, the New Earth paradigm we are now living in is an era that reflects the return and rising tide of the Sacred Feminine energies.
Sadly, but understandably, the feminine has long been suppressed and repressed. You don’t have to identify as a Pagan, Witch, Conservative Republican or a Buddhist Monk to have been burned alive to understand we’re living in a world on fire. Do you believe a book burning is in order?
The hierarchical patriarchy, to a large extent, has glorified men and an archaic form of masculinity. More recently and generally speaking, the women that have broken the glass ceiling have embodied these old world masculine traits.
A gentle and soft approach has been dismissed as weak. But in the New World, those outdated ideas are changing and shifting with the tides.
Lion’s are unusual for cats because they belong to a pride and hunt best together, relying on their psychic abilities for stealth and communication.
Females do most of the hunting, work and child rearing. Males protect the pride and often scare prey into the awaiting lionesses to bring home the bacon. Males are romantic and sensual and can have a strong jealous streak with their lioness partners.
It’s hard not to think of the sensitive male ego or wanting to have your cake and eat it too, in a male privileged form of cat consciousness. Truly, there is grieving in the letting go of these old ways . . .
These cats typically kill by strangulation. My name means lion, and I remember using this tactic during experiences with getting bullied as a kid in the old neighborhood that I lived in at the time.
Looking back, it was a built in defense mechanism, and thankfully ended the confrontation before someone walked away seriously injured or killed.
The neighborhood I grew up in during my early years wasn’t as rough as the one Mike Tyson grew up in.
But like him, I learned that I could fight because I was put in the position by older bullies to defend myself, like a cat does when backed into a corner.
But even if lions hold a royal place of respect as Kings and Queens of the jungle, they prefer to avoid danger. Creativity, intuition and imagination are all specific feminine energies that are associated with Lion medicine.
These spirited powers want to awaken now, and are regularly in alignment with Nature, as well as with the New Moon in Leo on August 16th.
Leo is in its cycle of power time right now. Their energies feel safe in moments when they can impress others and get praise and admiration.
However, when stepping into the spotlight, which is natural for Leo, they may find themselves at a loss. It could be empowering for Leos to admit fear of criticism and their inability to accept criticism.
Of course, it is very important for all of us to accept feedback and use it for personal growth purposes.
For some of us who have had a hard time with criticisms or a tendency to get defensive, this is just another area to push our edge while following the trail of Growth Mindset.
In my own experience, I have learned that it is a healthy form of vulnerability to step out of my own comfort zone of self determinism and into an area of receptiveness.
Classroom Mothership Earth 