New Blog Site

I've moved this blog over to a new site, directly connected to my website. To get there, just click here, http://pixiedusthealing.com/blog/ and you'll be there! Follow me on the new site and you'll get updates sent to your inbox. Same stuff, new site is all. Looking forward to "seeing you on the other side"!!

New Moon In Leo: Dr. Bach meets Dr. Seuss

Dr Seuss's "The Waiting Place"

Today marks a New Moon in Leo phase.  Last year we were also in a Blue Moon month which we aren't experiencing this year, but the rest of last year's post seems to apply http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/08/new-moon-in-leo-energy-of-change.html  with perhaps some subtle differences.

Yesterday I tried to write a post. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, I had the picture lined up- the works.  And the technology just wouldn't support me.  I tried a few times to juggle things around and see where my cursor "disappeared" to- no luck.  I took that as a sign, went to the woods and pondered life in general. Today my cursor seems to be "back" and perhaps my perspective is slightly changed.

Yesterday a friend of mine sent me today's picture.  It's from Dr. Seuss's "Oh the Places You Will Go" book.  It's what he describes as "The Waiting Place"  in the following:

The Waiting Place…
…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a
Yes or a No or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for
Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

My friend and I were lamenting being in "The Waiting Place".  It's a very restless, uncomfortable place to be.  Often we think we should try and break out of the waiting place, perhaps through aggressive action, yet we really realize this is the spot we need to be. Perhaps the challenge is to bring the Boom Bands into "The Waiting Place".  This could be the energy of the New Moon in Leo when it's a good time to start a new project that expresses ourselves and appreciates each other. Maybe it helps if you can find your inner Leo Lion to bring the boom bands to the  waiting place http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/02/finding-your-inner-lion.html . 

Agrimony might be a necessary Bach Flower right now.  I've written about it before. I've included it in the remedies that help you find your inner lion and figure out what project best serves you and others.  It's also a remedy for restlessness.  It took a "cursor issue" for me to discover that.  Dr. Bach used Agrimony a lot with patents that felt restless and discontented.  He used it for people that questioned their path, found it difficult to line up spirit with earth endeavors and tried to block out emotions.

Dr. Seuss's "Waiting Place" is a place of emotions- many of them not that comfortable- all of them primers for restless fidgeting.  Maybe under the light of this New Moon and with a few drops of Agrimony I'll settle into what it is I really want to say.  Who knows, maybe I'll find my cursor again and be able to write my blog with ease. 

Let the Boom Bands begin!

Aquarius Full Moon; Act on Intuition

I'm a little behind with this post.  We entered a Full Moon cycle yesterday with the moon in Aquarius.  I wrote about this last year. Although this year it isn't a Blue Moon as well, the information still feels right to me http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/08/full-moon-in-aquarious.html

If anything I think there may be increased intensity this year to understand our role in the "whole" of things. Not always an easy task.

I believe when we consider "the collective" or talk about that, we are often thinking of the people we should be a part of.  It's concepts like foreign aid, helping out neighbours, being part of movements, connecting with others that share similar philosophies or ideologies in order to pursue goals and objectives. That might be the energy within the Full Moon in Aquarius but perhaps it's something different.

Maybe it's an energy that helps us find our place in the "wholeness of the universe", only a very small part of which would be other humans. It feels to me like this moon might be challenging us to look beyond the people we see around us and connect on a much bigger, wider, further scope. Hmm...

I was thinking about the Full Moon energy yesterday, and considering how I felt about that and what I might write when I had an encounter with a Lynx. There aren't really supposed to be Lynx in my part of the world but I guess the Lynx I saw yesterday didn't get the memo.  There is something very distinctive about that tuff of hair on their ears and believe me, I saw this guy up close and personal.

I was driving along somewhere in the middle of what felt like "no where", hadn't seen another car for miles, when this guy ran out of the ditch,  faster than anything I've seen before and collided with the side of my car.  It was a strange encounter. No breaking, no swerving, no "holy ___", just "thump".  He really did run into me instead of the other way around. He lay there on the side of the road for  while a crowd really gathered. All of a sudden I wasn't  in the middle of "no where".  There were tons of vehicleses, a bit of a traffic jam, people were pulling over all over the place and gathering.  Hmm....

The Lynx was definitely breathing, no blood or obvious injury- but he wasn't moving and  geez I felt that thump. There was a lot of talk as we all observed from a very respectful distance, at  what was obviously a beautiful, incredible Lynx.  There was talk of euthanasia, of could he possibly be okay?, of how beautiful he was, of farmers in the area that could be summoned with guns and therefore, finally, my call to 911 for Natural Resources personnel.  There was convincing to be done there but I got patched through. While suggesting we might need someone to help this guy out, the Lynx bolted back into the woods.  There was no slow, maybe I can get up movement, there were no sounds, no limping, so slow adjustment. One minute he was there and the next he was not. Reports from Natural Resources are they can't find him anywhere. They think he must be okay because they have searched extensively and can't find a thing.  That actually feels right to me; much to my relief. There may in fact be some disbelief as to him ever being there in the first place except the "collective" of us that gathered on the road all saw him and stood in awe of him.

So...  I can't ignore that thump on the head.  I looked up Lynx in Steven Farmer's Animal Spirit Guides. There are lots of interpretations when a Lynx shows up, but the one that really feels right to me is:

"Your clairvoyance and clairaudience are particularly acute at this time, so pay attention to what you see and hear that's beyond the immediate realm of your usual senses."

I had a thought about this just before it happened.  I had a weird feeling when I went on that drive.  I have had lots of feelings and "coincidental" occurrences lately, that in hindsight, I had a glimpse of ahead of time.  In the days previous to this there had been a lot of messages that I didn't quite act on. Lack of trust I guess. I don't think I'm alone in this. This is the kind of thing that is expanding in our universe.

The issue, at least for me, is to accept and listen to that intuition so that I can act on it when I'm supposed to, not think about how interesting that was later! Perhaps it's time to realize there is a bigger collective out there that has information to share, and knowledge that should be grounded in the earth.  I don't believe it's any longer about being either fearful or amazed by discovering our intuition. Rather, it's time to accept and above all, act on it. It's not the time to wait for the memos to tell us how to respond, or where to be, when. It's time to feel our inner knowing and bring it to our physical being.

So I'm really sorry for that headache you must be feeling today Mr. Lynx.  I hope it wasn't only for my benefit. I'm hope there were other intentions there as well.  But I have heard the message and I will act.

Message received...

Duck Energy and Mother Love

I'm not really sure what the heck was going on yesterday.  In my part of the world it was hot- really hot- that might have been part of it.  We entered a Waxing Moon in Libra. When the Moon is in Libra the energy is focused towards avoiding conflict and heightening that sense of fairness, so maybe that was it. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2013/03/full-moon-in-libra-balance-in-chaos.html  It was a Monday....  Hmmm...

Whatever the cause, by noon my mind was spinning in a thousand different directions at once. I guess it was that "monkey mind"   http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2011/05/monkey-mind-animal-signs.html kind of chatter that is so intense it can quickly become overwhelming.  I was already focusing (and I use that term loosely!) on about six different and significant projects and really couldn't harness myself to pick something and stick to it, yet I couldn't get my mind to settle on one. People were coming at me from multiple directions too.  No one was demanding.  They were all great things and good conversation, lots of it was positive or "big shifting" at least, but just intense I guess.  So, while all this rattled around in my head to the point of explosion, I decided I really needed to focus on just getting the frozen groceries home in 34 degree Celsius weather.  Sometimes it is the most obvious issue that first needs attention!!!

So I was finally concentrating on a task and very focused on taking the most direct and fastest route home, particularly because, putting on the air conditioning in my car makes the engine light go on and I was positive my brain could not receive any more stimulus of that nature! 

That's when I had to come to a somewhat screeching halt to allow a mother duck and her babies to cross the highway!  Now, we do have these "warning duck crossing" signs in my part of the world like todays' picture.  I realize they may seem pretty unusual if you live in a "non-protective duck zone", but they are common around here.  They aren't erected on major highways though.  There was no sign in place anywhere near this particular spot. 

Perhaps it was because she knew she really wasn't in a cross walk, that the mother duck was honking the entire time she crossed.  She had way more babies behind her than the three in the picture- I'd say close to ten.  They were totally in line, completely bunched up into a tight single file formation and no one was straggling.  This was serious business.  They weren't looking around enjoying the scenery.  They weren't thumbing their wings at the cars that had to stop "because Mom said so". They were totally 100 percent  focused on Mom. She was large and in charge. She didn't seem anxious. She just seemed in control; fully capable of honking herself and her children across the highway ensuring all danger stopped to allow her success.  It worked.  They all got across in rapid time and as soon as the last one was off the pavement, the honking stopped.

So that got me thinking!  I've written about Duck energy before http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/02/animal-signs-duck.html . The presence of Duck energy according to Steven Farmer signifies,

" the time of turmoil has passed, so now you can release any pent-up emotions that have been suppressed... Do whatever is necessary to find emotional comfort rather than trying to deny your need for this"

Hmm....

My wondering mind got thinking about that Mother Duck.  It was her presence that  really stood out in the duck experience to me.  It wasn't about a gaggle of ducks.  It was about a Mother Duck leading her children to safety and a new experience.

I was recently at a high -level, professional, conference.  We were in a room packed to capacity and then some. The chairs were arranged in a circle. The topic was about leadership. In particular, it was about women in positions of leadership and the role of feminine energy in a shifting world. The facilitator started the session with ,what to me, was a powerful but unusual exercise.  We went around the circle, said our first name followed by the full maiden name of our mothers'.  It was powerful.  The experience has stayed with me.  Some people stumbled over maiden versus married last names. Some people said, "my mothers name is", others said "my mothers name was" and there was power in that alone. Some people cried. Some people laughed. Everyone seemed reflective. By the time we got to the end of the circle it felt like the energy in the room had doubled.  There was a lot of spirit there for the rest of the session. 

There is confident power in maternal love wherever the source of it. Mothers are a force of nature. They can stop cars, soothe tears, create and absolve angst. Maybe that's why we refer to "Mother Nature" as a force of it's own. In many ways, it's the true origin of power.  Hmm...

So on the way home with my "not -so- very frozen food", I made a vow to myself to say my mothers name out loud, every day.  I did it in the car and realized by doing that I had actually settled my monkey mind. It was almost like a cool cloth on a feverish brow;  that type of "mother thing".

But as I wrote before, Steven Farmer also suggests you

"call on Duck energy when you realize you have been taking yourself way too seriously and you need to lighten up. "

So.. I put the groceries away, but I didn't respond to the emails and notifications.  I didn't follow-up on the meeting tasks.  I didn't put an action plan in place to sort through all the things I needed to do all at once.

I went for a swim.  I needed that.  I soaked my head and soothed my brain and heard my mother clapping from the lifeguard chair.

Here's too Mother Duck energy in this world and beyond!

New Moon Crab Energy

According to my We'Moon 2012 book, yesterday marked a New Moon in Cancer phase.  The New Moon cycle is a time of beginning.  It's the energy to start new projects, make decisions and resolutions. It's a time of action.  Having released old "stuff" during the waning moon, the energy is now available to us to really focus on bringing into our lives what we want to be surrounded with.  I started this blog posting yesterday.  I was going to write that it felt like there was a great flood of emotions.  As I tried to write that, my Internet decided to have "issues".  That brought on a whole other "flood of emotions".  My "connection" is still not quite "secure" but I'm going to try again....

Cancer is a water sign.  So when the New Moon is in Cancer, that positive "go get it" energy is centered around tides of emotions.  We'Moon suggests we can choose to feel overwhelmed with our oceans of emotions, or we can use this time to reconnect with our true feelings and use water to heal, to hydrate, and irrigate our plans. Hmm...

In Western Astrology, Cancer is represented by the sign of the Crab.  In my part of the world this creature is perhaps underestimated.  He is overshadowed by the lobster for sure. Crabs are very durable creatures though.  They live in all kinds of different watery environments and can be found in both fresh and salty water. Perhaps that's why the emotions of a New Moon in Cancer can be both sweet and salty, soothing and painful, but above all- a release.  It is only when we release our emotions that we can truly move on with that new project, that new focus, that new way of being.

Today's, or yesterday's picture (depending on your perspective) is of a blue crab.  Most crabs are green when alive so the blue crab is a bit unusual although not unheard of.  I picked the blue crab because blue resonates with the throat chakra.  I think that's important.  It isn't just about feeling our emotions as they come from the heart (the green color of most crabs), the blue crab suggests we need to put a voice to those emotions.  Not always easy to do, but most important for the release factor.

In Animal Spirit Guides, Steven Farmer writes,

"If a crab shows up, it means you're about to experience an unexpected shift in your sourroundings or in your personal life that will be beneficial for you soul's path."

So maybe if we are going to experience that shift we need to really consider how we feel about that. Hmm.. Farmer also writes that the appearance of Crab is a signal that you might be too focused on what's directly in front of you and you could gain insight by considering the information in your wider range of vision. It's a time to consider promptings from your subconscious, dreams, visions, flashes of insight, and inutition. Those things that you feel rather than think. That sounds similar to adopting the "Daisy Perspective" http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-daisy-perspective.html  In the flow of things from a Wanning Moon to a New Moon, it would seem we are being challenged to let go of old ways of thinking and embrace new ways of feeling. Now that we're in the New Moon phase, it may be time to put those feelings to words and actions. Speak your truth, release the emotions, and embrace the newness that comes with that.

I truly feel it's time to release these words for whatever they are worth  and before I experience any more frustration with my computer. That means with typos, weird characters and strange phrases if that's what it takes. It's just "one of those days" that is better felt than thought and that's the only way I know to express it!

Enjoy the tides of emotion and accept the release!  

The Daisy Perspective

The poet Gil Scott-Heron said,

"The first revolution is when you change your mind about how you look at things. The revolution-that change that takes place- will not be televised".

  I'd like to take that quote a bit deeper.  I believe that "The first sparks of evolution occur when you change your feelings. That transformation will not be televised".  We are taught that in order to effect true change, people first have to change their cognition; their mind as Scott-Heron refers to. That change in mindset is said to provoke changes in emotions, which then lead to changes in behavior or action.  I don't believe that anymore. I believe the very first step comes with a change in feelings. Once your feelings have changed, you can probably even skip the whole "mind step" and go right to a change in behavior- both yours and in those around you.  That feels like evolution and transformation to me.  Bring it on!

I was feeling deep changes in myself the other day. I was feeling good and looking at nature all around.  It was pretty hard not to notice the rain, the rain, and the rain.  All the rain had really trashed the peonies and their petals were all over the ground as were wild rose petals. It seemed like they were destroyed before they really had a chance to thrive.  I was lamenting their destruction when  I realized I was totally surrounded by daisies.  They are everywhere this year.  I really have idea how they got there, I don't remember them being around last year. Unlike the peonies I didn't intentionally plant them. At least not where they are growing- which is everywhere! Hmm...

Sabina Pettitt writes about the Daisy in "Energy Medicine Healing from the Kingdoms of Nature". Pettitt writes that the Ox-Eye Daisy is a remedy for vision that helps us tune into a larger perspective.  Pettitt writes that when we are able to access the big picture we can put things together in a new way.  Sounds like transformation to me.

The Daisy has a golden centre. The daisies all around me often have little insects resting in this centre.  Pettitt writes that this yellow centre symbolizes a safe place to view all of life. The white petals that extend out from that inner being provide a connection to all of life and beyond.

Pettitt suggest you use the Daisy remedy when you are over-focused; when you aren't able to see the forest for the trees.  www.PacificEssences.com

I'm certainly familiar with the concept of focus!  But usually I'm looking to find focus, and would consider myself under focused, or to be grammatically correct, unfocused; not over-focused as the Daisy suggests. I've written lots about the Bach Flower essence Hornbeam, http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/04/indecision-uncertainty.html as a remedy to help provide focus and enhance concentration. But wait a minute- this is about transformation, changing patterns and feelings and finding balance. So it only stands to reason that if one can suffer from inattention and lack of focus, it's just as easy to stray to the opposite side and become over focused and intense. Hmm...

I guess it's easy to get really focused in on what is not right in our world. We are creatures that like to "do" and "fix" so perhaps we are drawn to closely observe what we think we can/should/would, change. There can be a tunnel vision in that type of behavior that prevents truly seeing the visionary aspects of change- the power of transformation.  We can be so focused on creating change that we miss the whole transformation piece. Perhaps we need to stop thinking so hard and feel the vision.

I was so intent on the peonies that I had intentionally planted, and the wild rose that I believed I was nurturing, that I missed the incredible spontaneous beauty of daisies all around me. I was so focused on creating nature that I missed feeling the natural landscape. It really wasn't quite in my vision.

I realized that I can feel my own yellow center of safety, power, and certainty. When I really tune in to that and feel that, I can enable my vision to expand outside of my usual narrow focus.  I can see the forest of daisies that surround my peonies.  Feels like a place of expansion in an evolving world.

Let the transformation unfold.

Feelings not Facts

It's been a long time since I posted anything.  That's not to say that I haven't had a lot of inspiration for writing, quite the contrary.  Every day seems to bring some major changing event somewhere in the world, and many seem pretty close to home.  We have been seeing 100 year storms as a pretty regular occurrence and shocking in their impact.  It seems like everyone has a personal story of chaos or loss as well. I'm torn between being glued to the news and wanting to listen to everyone's story,  and really wanting to close myself off  keeping a protective bubble around myself and family to prevent the penetration of the angst. The Violet Flame  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2010/09/violet-flame.html   remains a constant in all the chaos and actually does provide that "bubble effect" when required.

I've told myself and others that I'm not writing because "there are no words". In fact, I almost wrote a post about that- but that seemed a bit to ironic even for me! My defence of that phrase is that it seems as though words are less and less capable of expressing the things I am feeling and the things I want to share. Hmm....

One of the events that almost made a post but didn't, was a pretty amazing conference I went to.  I was rather beamed into the middle of it and was quite amazed by the power and enlightenment in the room.  I was astounded by what people had done, were doing, and how they were changing the world in incredible ways, and by leaps and bounds. I heard Nina Simons speak. She's the author of Moonrise: The Power of Women Leading from the Heart.  Nina Simons mentioned that something that had changed her life was watching the documentary The Burning Times by Donna Read. www.nfb.ca/film/burning_times/   It's a film about the Witch Hunts.  In parts it can be a little difficult to watch but  it's worth if for the  clear and important messages that can be found within.

Prior to the Witch Hunts, women were seen as the village physicians for the most part.  They were the ones dispensing medicines, treating the ill, delivering babies, and offering advice. As part of the "religious take-over" it suddenly became illegal to provide healing if you weren't trained. That pretty much took women out of the picture because they weren't allowed to attend University. So men became physicians and healers trained and validated from institutional science and the old cures and methods went underground at best and more often were totally lost. If women did still heal, they did so under the very real fear of torture and death.

So, if one believes in past lives, ancestral links, coded DNA, or all of the above, you might find a message in that film. For me, as I watched that film, I realized those trials and times are to some degree still imprinted within me. A piece of fear still resides with sharing things of an intuitive nature that cannot be explained through science, formal study and test trials.  I am still living under the code that to practice you must have studied.  I still believe in the parchment paper to prove my validity and allow me the opportunity to share. I have shifted a bit in that I accept training and parchments from alternative places but I'm still blocked a bit from my own knowing. Hmm....

As I shift through those thoughts and find the feelings behind it, I am lost for words. In my opinion, the reason this happens is because my words are tied to the left side of my head, that place of reason, science and education. That place of "validity". The challenge for me in the shift is to find words that are able to describe more adequately what I feel; words that tap into the right side of my head and express the knowing I have there that isn't validated by others.  I believe we are meant to share our feelings as much as we are our thoughts.  Perhaps that's the shift that is going on right now.  When so much of the world is experiencing angst we are being asked to tap into the feeling of that  to help release the pain  bringing a new  balance of being.  I'll admit I have no idea how that's done, but I feel and intuit it can be done and perhaps from that place of feeling I'll also find some words.

If I look to nature for help with that I go no further than my backyard. Today's picture is of Mr. Magnificent.  He's affectionaly known as Cutie around here, but he really only tolerates that name as a sign of endearment and he is much more responsive to Mister. Today is his adoptive birthday. Fourteen years ago we brought him home in the back of a hatchback in an expensive rescue effort.  He's worth every penny he cost us then and since. Mr. Magnificent is a complete example of living from feelings not facts. In reality he is a miniature horse.  He only stands 38 inches tall.  He doesn't feel that. In his mind he is a draft horse and he "packs a punch". He shows no fear except what is required for healthy survival and he is totally confident that he can figure that out. In every herd he has ever been in he has retained his sense of self. He has never been bullied, nor has he been a bully. He once traveled across the country with million dollar, credentialed, registered, race horses. He got on and off the trailer as the leader. He stands his ground no matter how big the other horse, person, or object is. He is completely confident in what he feels and he feels capable of being who he is. No faking, no guff, no credentials required. He leads because he doesn't care if anyone else follows him. He does talk a lot.  I guess he has found a way to put his feelings into words. 

No fear, just feel. Happy Birthday Mister.

Full Moon; Lunar Eclipse: Nature's shift



http://www.owlsdaughter.com/2010/05/blessings-of-the-full-moon-in-sagittarius-3/

 If  you haven't been feeling an intensity to the world these days I can't imagine where you've been, certainly not the dimension I'm living in! All this may be building up to tonight's Full Moon in Sagittarius. It's a pretty powerful moon, the last full moon before Summer Solstice in fact. This full moon is also called the Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, or Flower Moon.  Today's picture comes from Owl's Daughter website and she gives a beautiful description from 2010 of what this Full Moon is about.

The Owls will likely be out tonight.  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/07/animal-signs-owl.html  They are the spirit animal in Shamanic Astrology that corresponds to Western Astrology's Sagittarius. Like this moon the Owl Spirit is about expansion, increased consciousness and wisdom brought from awareness. 

This moon brings the energy to unite physical and spiritual.  It's about bringing your knowing into your reality, letting go of limitations of thought and physically or spiritually imposed restrictions. This is powerful energy for moving forward in the flow. You should expect intuitive insight and inspiration.

In my part of the world, according to my ancestors, this is a planting moon.  Crops that produce above the soil are to be planted just as this moon waxes full.  Yesterday my tomato babies gleefully screamed at me that they needed to be planted. I listened to them even though the weather forecast suggested today might have been a better day to plant. They seem very happy today safely tucked into their "big kid beds"  their toes stretched out and spacious, ready to receive the full power of the moon to allow their roots to expand.  Crops that produce beneath the soil are to be planted just as this moon wanes. My potato patch will soon be vibrant once again. It's humming in readiness now.  That kind of connection with plant allies is what this moon is about. It's time to listen to what nature is telling you and work with them.

As if that most powerful of Full Moon's isn't enough to pull us along, today also marks a Lunar Eclipse.  A Lunar Eclipse signifies the energy to finish up the past, close off a chapter, and move on a new path with greater illumination. This particular eclipse is almost "imperceptible".  It isn't obvious from any vantage point on earth.  You won't see it happen.  That doesn't mean it isn't happening.  It means, like many things, something is occurring that is beyond your sight and intellect.  There are things we feel that we can't explain, see, or prove. Hmm....

Tonight's Full Moon is also known as the flower moon so it only seems right to consider some Bach Flowers if you're having trouble to fully connect with the energy in the way you want to.  Clematis, Scleranthus, and Honeysuckle  all come to mind.

Clematis might be helpful if you're got the dream but are having a hard time bringing it into your present reality.  In fact, you might not even be particularly trying to bring it to reality.  You may be spending more time off in dreamland without taking any tangible steps to plant your aspirations.  A few drops of Clematis might help you ground your inspiration and provide a sense of purposeful movement.  Exactly the kind of energy this Full Moon provides.

Scleranthus might be helpful if you're going back and forth between what you know and what you feel.  When the Moon is in Sagittarius the sun is in Gemini.  Gemini is quite a flip/flop energy.  It's hard to settle on a decision because the pros and cons seem equally valid. If you want more information about this Gemini energy check out this week's (May 22nd) Pele Report at  http://newparadigmastrology.com/  . Scleranthus can help you unite logic with intuition so you can find the balance in the middle. That energy is freely available during this Full Moon, but a few drops of Scleranthus might help you find that certainty and decisiveness to move forward.

Honeysuckle could be helpful for you, particularly if the Lunar eclipse energy of letting go of the past is something you want to tap into but are struggling with. Honeysuckle can help you live in the present without experiencing the past as overpowering in either a positive or negative way.  Honeysuckle can help you accept the past for just what it is-the past- allowing you to move forward into a new light.

In my opinion, this new expansive energy is freely available and offered to us.  It's in particular abundance right now and a nature's offering to us.  That doesn't mean you have to take it, or feel it, or believe it. If you want to stay with past ways of being, old habits, tried and true paths, secure patterns, the pull of the moon isn't going to change that. You don't even have to notice the moon or nature if you aren't ready or don't want to go there. Life doesn't have to change. But it could...

If you truly want to expand your consciousness, reach a new level, experience a new path and a letting go, now is a good time to do it.  Tap into that "jump start" being offered right now and enjoy the journey. I believe we have three choices at this point.  The first choice is to ignore nature, our sense of knowing and deep feelings and just continue on in our physicality making every day decisions.  There's nothing wrong with that if that's your choice. The second choice is to tap into this energy, focus on it, feel it, experience it and be awed by it, but resist the change it offers. In this choice we talk about the energy, we read about expansion and new opportunities, we consider how life might be, but we don't really "pull it in".  We stand in awe and wait for the moon to change us. We drift into "Clematis dreams", but we consider them a different space than our physical awakened reality.  There's nothing wrong with that choice as long as you don't expect to really "be" in a different place. The third choice I believe is available to us, is to truly connect with that available energy. It's not about standing in awe or feeling something amazing, it's about working with that force of nature, bringing that energy into your physicality without question, indecision or fear. It is a choice.

Owl's Daughter suggests during the Full Moon in Sagittarius you "let your mood expand and become more adventurous and optimistic".  That's a choice. 

Contrasting Energies: Bach for that!

I'm still into my "nature energy measurement" phase. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2013/05/reading-natures-energy.html So today, my first impression of nature's energy was that of strong contrasts.  One moment the sun was shinning brilliantly, the next moment dark clouds had moved in.  I could walk through pockets of warm currents, that suddenly change to cold winds. Part of my recent "take the pulse of nature" experimentation includes observing what animals are doing.  While delivering hay today I watched one horse obviously try to pick a fight with her brother. It was pretty clearly unprovoked. The Blue Jays were out and about this morning as well, making their presence known  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2011/10/animal-signs-blue-jay.html Oh, that kind of a day I figured.  A day of conflict with no clear winners? 

In my opinion, we are very affected by nature's energy.  I believe the contrasting intensities of today could cause some unsettled behavior.  To find the balance in the contrasting energy, a number of Bach Flower essences might help. The most obvious would be Beech, Scleranthus, Wild Oat and Holly.

Beech would be a good essence to take if you really felt like taking a chunk out of someone "just because".  Maybe their hay crunching sounds are just ticking you off today, or you don't like the way they are standing. If you've responded to contrasts of light and dark, warm and cold, cloud and sun by feeling a bit irritated and intolerant of the changes, Beech is a good essence for you. 

When weather patterns are staying constant and nature seems in flux, a lot of people have a hard time to find their point of integration. It's hard to decide between what your left brain tells you is the right and logical thing to do, and what your right brain tells you would feel right.  You leave the house with a raincoat on because you can see those clouds and you read the forecast, and yet you feel more like it's a sandals and t-shirt kind of day. Scleranthus can help when you can't make those simple decisions. If you are bouncing back and forth between opinions, ideas, thoughts and actions, Scleranthus can help you find a settled balance. Might be a good remedy to have on hand today.

When nature is swinging a bit through intense contrasts, there can be a tendency to respond with real internal uncertainty in my opinion.  This goes beyond the indecision of Scleranthus where you can't figure out how to choose between two things.  In a Wild Oat frame of mind you can't find any direction.  Everything seems possible and nothing feels right. It's the "spin your wheels" state where you flip from project to project without finishing any, or you just sit in a daze unclear where to start. If you're around other people when this state kicks in, you might just find yourself in conflict without even realizing how you got there or which side you want to take! Wild Oat can help you pick a clear path and stick to it.

If your feelings tend to be stronger than mild intolerance or irritation, and you feel down right bad-tempered and suffering with nature's contrasts, Holly might be a good essence for you. Conflict often develops because of feelings of jealousy, envy and insecurity.  That's where Holly can help. If you find yourself arguing everywhere you go today it might be because you really are feeling quite insecure. If you're rising to the intensity of the day by engaging in conflict, perhaps fighting your way to convince yourself you're right, Holly might help you find that inner harmony.

Today is the kind of day when people in casual conversations say things like, "the sun is sure trying to shine out there", or "I think those clouds are going to win over- looks like rain".  I guess this type of energy can put people at odds with each other. However, as I continued in my musings, I realize the idea of conflict is not something from nature- at least not in my opinion.  That's a human (and perhaps horse!) interpretation from nature's energy. But maybe, if I follow along on my musings, and use the energy nature presents to match with human behaviors, I need to look a bit deeper than what seems immediately obvious.  This doesn't have to be a day of conflicts or irritation. Nor does it need to be a day of avoiding conflicts.  Instead it might just be a day of strong contrasts. It might just a day of power.

The sun just shines. Every day it shines whether there are clouds in front of it or not.  It's truly in the sense of "being".  I don't think the sun actually cares if a cloud passes by or not.  Nothing about the sun or it's internal actions change just because clouds roll over or park themselves directly in front of it.  Kind of like my more self-assured horse, the sun could care less rather the clouds are "trying to pick a fight" or not.  As his sister tried to egg him on, and threatened to take a bite out of his neck, he had no reaction.  Just kept eating. Just kept "being".  She gave up and moved on. He didn't really care about that either.

I don't think the clouds are trying to "take over" anything either.  I think the clouds themselves are "just being", perhaps happy to allow  the wind to move them to "wherever". Not in an uncaring way, but in a trus in all outcomes, way.   They too are just "being".  I don't believe there is a battle going on in nature. In fact, it's more of an equal balance between light and dark and within each there is power.  The Blue Jay I saw today wasn't  bullying anyone or fighting.  Perhaps he was  just a sign that today can be a strong day to do whatever feels and is right.  And maybe it's a good day to do things that even seem to be in opposition. 

I think nature is suggesting you can harness this power to do whatever you want to do today, and perhaps accomplish multiple things in seamless transition. It might be a good day to focus internally if you have that luxury and really do some self-directed actions. If you do find yourself with "group projects" just being aware that others may try to take a chunk out of you can help you avoid the conflict and recognize the power in contrasts.

Enjoy the power!

Reading Nature's Energy



 http://www.psychicreadingswithmarie.com/palm-reading.php

 I'm a weather watcher.  I love observing the weather predictions. I  follow storm tracking sites.  I expand my observing beyond earth weather or climate and sometimes check in with space weather and solar activity.I feel we are all affected by atmospheric and natural phenomenon so it's interesting when things seem to match up.  I often write about moon cycles and how that brings a particular energy to us. I believe solar flares can affect how we feel  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/02/solar-flares-and-temper-flares.html   It's an interaction that I think is worth observing.

I feel affected by weather. On stormy days I feel that kind of high energy. Good solid rain or snow days are perfect for writing or developing stuff- the thoughts seem to pour out of me then and I can be quite focused.  I thought this connection probably was linked to the past and an ancestral rhythm when we were more in tune or in cycle with nature.  There are some days that are just good days for making Dandelion Wine for instance. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2013/05/dandelion-wine-part-ii.html

In my part of the world, the last few days have been pretty up and down, quickly switching from one weather pattern to the next.  We've had hot sunny days, then lots of rain and everything in between. Today feels different yet again. That set me on a "ponder".

As we open up our consciousness, become more sensitive, and realize we are part of something bigger than ourselves, surely we must open up to a connectedness with nature as well. So when everything is bursting into bud, or soaking up the rain, or braced against the wind, perhaps we feel that energy. Hmm...

Seems like this increased sensitivity presents some choices. We can choose to ignore this energy and go about our daily earthly lives without changing our patterns.  We can choose to be very in tune with this energy and increase our connection to nature- meeting nature on nature's level.  This seems to me to be what people do when they create essences on certain days, plant crops or flowers according to moon cycles, or plan their daily activities based on planetary alignments.  I write about things like that.  But suddenly, it occurs to me there might just be a third choice.

What if we were to tap into that abundant nature energy and bring that vibration into our daily lives, using it to move forward on a human level.  Maybe it isn't about going "back to nature", a much as it could be about "using nature" to help us with human, even technological pursuits.

It seems to me this would like palm reading, hence today's picture which come from a very interesting website, if round about now you need a a distraction. What if,  every morning you sat still for a moment and really took a feel for what nature is "sending out".  This feel would be a collection of earth weather, space weather, moon influences, planet influences, and many other dimensions we aren't aware of, but somehow seem to sense in some way if we allow.  Based on that collective nature reading, you then could plan your day.

I'm not really suggesting that you pick and choose what you do in the day based on this reading.  That's going back to nature in my opinion.  In today's "world of humans", I don't think we can always do that.  Most people have routines that need to be followed, it's part of how we have agreed to socialize and do things together.  We do some activities during "work hours", some places are closed at certain times, we organize meetings based on availability, not moon phases.  But what you can choose is how you do those things in the day.

Here's an example.  Today, in my part of the world, I read nature's energy as "absorption energy".  When I really tune in, it feels to me like nature is in  "pre burp" mode.  That sensation that you've really gulped everything down and now you need to let it settle. Yesterday roots were open, the ground was shifting and nature was slurping up water and nutrients as quick as it could.  It was high energy in an almost competitive, somewhat panicked, perhaps a bit desperate way, due to a previous dry spell. We went through a cycle of a New Moon in Taurus on Thursday, had an eclipse, lots of intense changing, growth stuff and everything was struggling to "take it in".  We had intense sunlight, heavy rains, and changing winds. Today nature feels in an "I'm so full" mode with a  need to let things shift into place.  It's a grounded, calm, deep energy.  It's the process of breaking down nutrients into useful energy and releasing what isn't needed.  The ground is full of the outer shells of tree buds. Those shells are being absorbed back into the soil while the buds themselves allow water to flow to the their tips, giving leaves their form. It's a bit foggy and that mist seems to hold things close to the ground encouraging a "soaking in effect".

So, to use that energy in everyday life seems to me to be something like this.  Whatever you do today you do with the thought that you have everything you need inside you.  You don't need to "gather more stuff", you need to let the energy move and flow and find the very depths of your soul and the end of your toes. You could read a book and really absorb the information, the words, the language and let it find a place in you.  You could meet with friends, or go to a meeting and absorb the ideas other people put on the table and allow your mind to choose what should be kept and what should be let go. You could bring the calmness of the energy nature is offering  into peaceful action, secure in the fact that your body and soul knows what to use and what to let go of.  Whatever you do today could be done with calm confident assurance. It's a safe day, with the assurance that whatever you are doing, it's the right thing to do.

If all of that is just a bit too much to absorb, toss out what you don't need and won't need. Allow yourself a delicate burp and enjoy the sensation of being pleasantly full.  Ahhh...

Dandelion Wine: Part II

The world feels very unusual to me the past few days.  Well, maybe it's been the past year or more, but honestly the past couple of days feel quite indescribable.  Maybe the "veil between worlds is very thin" sort of feeling that occurs sometimes? 

In this vein of thinking an old recipe flew out at me the other day.  It jumped out of an old cookbook I had buried away in the closet while I was looking for something else.  It just so happened to fly out of my Grandmother's cookbook.  It was written on a piece of paper so old it was brown and crinkly. It was written in pencil and signed by a friend of my grandmothers to her.  It just so happens the recipe was for Dandelion wine.

If you've followed along with this blog for awhile, you'll know I've tried Dandelion wine before.  I feel just a wee bit obsessed with this adventure I guess, because I had been considering the notion once again a day or so before the recipe made it's appearance. I was seeing a great bumper crop of dandelions and feeling just a bit "itchy to try again".  Last year, I thought I had a revelation about Dandelion Wine  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/04/dandelion-wine-living-in-moment.html and a new way of being.  It sounded good at the time, but I've changed my mind. 

I wouldn't have thought my Grandmother would have been the Dandelion Wine making type. Perhaps I just didn't have her around for long enough to know this.  Maybe that's a wisdom you don't share with a less than 10 year old.  I feel a little disappointed to have missed the knowing, but then again, maybe that's why she flew the recipe in my face!  I do know the author of the recipe.  I would suspect her of making Dandelion Wine.  If I had eight children and lived to be over 100 as she did, perhaps I would attribute the success to the wine! 

I was still thinking about making the wine and not actually doing it, when this morning I got a great email from a friend with a long explanation of the healing benefits of dandelions, including this link  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dandelion-weed-or-medicinal-powerhouse.html and a beautiful picture of dandelions.  Okay, okay, I hear you!!!  I'm making the wine!!!

First I had to do a lot of math.  Crazy conversions from quarts, gallons, and pounds to cups.  I'm still not sure if I really have the right amount of yeast and my head hurts just a wee bit from trying to sort out all those figures, but here's what I went with:

8 cups of Dandelions tops
16 cups cold water
(boil these two together for 20 min., then strain)
Add 6 cups sugar and the juice of 2 lemons to the water minus the tops, and boil for another 20 minutes
Let the mixture cool and add 1 teaspoon of yeast.

Now the whole mixture is sitting in a place of honor on the kitchen counter.  Unlike the previous year when I bottled it right away and put it away in the dark to brew, this one stays front and center.  I am told, by my ancestors, that I am to let it stand for 4 weeks but skim it every day. After 4 weeks I am to bottle it. 

There are no fancy spices in this mix unlike the last one.  Well, my ancestors were pretty "plain jane" about things like that- so I guess that make sense.  It smelled very earthy while cooking- healthy for sure. I wonder if my Grandmother ever actually made the recipe or did it just sit idle in her book- perhaps on her "list of things to do" for years.  No one around to ask that question, so I'll just make up my own story.  I think I will decide she never did actually make it but was always meaning to "give it a go".  Makes me feel like I am completing a circle a bit and am making my Grandmother's Wine for her. 

Cheers Grandma M!

Surrender: A Bach Combination Remedy

Every once in awhile a particular word kind of "strikes" me.  This was the case the other day while talking with a friend. We were tossing around the word "surrender".  This seems to be one of those words that a lot of spiritual advisers use as advice to live by. We are told we should surrender.  It almost becomes a mantra.  Sometimes a word like that just slips into our everyday language and we don't really consider what exactly it means or maybe we use it so frequently and flippantly that we lose site of what it means. I started to think...

I started to question how you would know when you reached the point of "surrender".  If it's something we are supposed to do, practice, achieve, how will we know when we get there?? Hmm...

I drove my friend a little crazy with my questions and analyzing I think, but like all my friends, she is very patient with me and later sent me a definition she found  on Wikipedia for "surrender":

"To surrender in spiritualtiy and religion means that a believer completely gives up his own will and subjects his thoughts, ideas, and deeds to the will and teachings of a higher power."

Hmm, maybe.... But the picture I can't quite get out of my mind when I hear the word surrender is of someone waving a white flag of surrender.  The kind of flag flown when battles were being fought and lost in civil wars maybe.  Or maybe even a scene from a wild west movie when the tavern is being shot up by the bad guys and someone sticks a white handkerchief out a window and waves it in an act to promote cease fire.

The more I thought about it, the more I figure surrender means the act of giving up control.  More particularly, giving up a false sense of control. In so doing, you actually gain control.  If I go back to the tavern scene.... the handerchief of surrender is extended when you have run out of bullets anyway and you know you are completely outnumbered.  Rather than really loose the fight, and perhaps your life, you decide to give up the false idea that you can protect or control something . The point is, you realize you don't have control, you can't win this one, so you extend the flag.  But once extended, you actually do win.  If the other side is playing by the rules, they stop shooting or fighting you.  You are actually the one that calls an end to the battle and it would seem, in this way, you actually maybe come out the winner?

At least in the movies, the flag of surrender is always white. Sometimes it's a big white flag designed for that purpose.  Sometimes it's a delicate white lace handkerchief.  But it's always white.  That's how it is recognized.  White is the symbol for peace I guess.  It's also the color that resonates with the Crown Chakra- that higher self again, that knowing, the part of you that knows you don't actually "control" anything when you hang on tightly, but only when you let go.  Hmm...

Although it's easy to I don't think it's easy to find that place of surrender.  It's back to finding the place of trust again
http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2013/04/a-new-paradigm-of-trust.html  It's a place where you aren't attached to outcomes, or methods, but just find a place of peace.  Not easy but well worth finding.

I believe there are some Bach Flowers that can help you find this place of surrender.  I include in this combination; Cherry Plum, Rock Water, Cerato, and Elm. 

Cherry Plum is included because it is the remedy for the fear of loosing control.  I've written about this before. It's helpful when you are holding on so tight it hurts. The Cherry Plum state can be one of deep despiar where you fear you may lose control of your behavior, or are on the verge of a breakdown.  It's the fear that if you start to cry you'll never stop.  Cherry Plum can help restore your calm mind.  It can help allow you to wave the white flag in the most rational of all acts.

I also include Rock Water in the combination I'm calling "Surrender". Rock Water types set really high standards.  They belief they have to defend the saloon no matter what and no matter the circumstance. They defend their sense of control because they can't really see another way to do it.  Rock Water will allow some flexibility to your letting go.  Who knows, maybe the new bartender can really make some great drinks!

I don't think you can find the point of surrender without trust. And for that, Cerato is the Bach Flower to turn to.  Cerato helps you listen to your higher self, your Crown Chakra, your place of knowing.  Once you listen and believe in what you're hearing, you've found the place of peaceful letting go- and ultimate surrender.

If you find yourself in a place to be considering surrender, you've likely been through a bit of a battle.  No battle is easy and the energy involved can be immense. No doubt by this time you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer responsibility.  I think most people find surrender when they have exhausted their resources and got to the point of exhaustion. If that's the case, Elm can help restore your normal capable self.  If taken before you "hit the wall", Elm might help you put things in perspective so you can allow yourself the luxury of letting go (surrendering) some of that responsibility so you don't get to the point of being overwhelmed.

So, I think my personal definition for "surrender" would be "having the self trust to let go of those things overwhich you don't really have any control in the first place". Open the saloon doors and let in some new energy. 

I surrender. Ahhh....

Beltane: No talk, just dance!

It's been a long time since I posted anything on the blog.  Which is not to say there hasn't been a lot going on. Quite the contrary. In fact, it feels like so much has been, and continues to transpire, that I find myself "out of words".  I just can't find any words that adequately describe what seems to be happening.  Or if I can, it feels like they have already been said. "Been there, done that".  And when everything feels so different how can we possibly use the same words to describe it?

However, today is the first of May and that signifies new beginnings. It's May Day or Beltane in Celtic tradition.  I wrote about Beltane in 2011  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2011/05/lunar-beltane.html 

Beltane is a celebration of new life. It's a transition from colder weather, perhaps colder hearts, and certainly a time to move from winter introspection into warm sunshine, release of grief, and a lightening of our hearts.  It's a time to get together with friends, perhaps the fairies, to dance and be free.

In my world, it feels like the time to analyze, discuss, and debate might just be over. Words don't seem adequate or necessary anymore and it feels like perhaps they should be replaced with feeling and action. Hmm...

Marian Spadone, in We'Moon 2013 writes this about Beltane:

"Weaving in and around one another, we thread our passions in the web.Warp and woof, spokes and runners, take up your strands with clear intent. Weave what you want into being, into Life!"

So are far as words can go, those seem pretty good to me. As the world shifts we become more connected in that web, but only as individual strands. It's about dancing in around other people and the events that touch our lives until we have a pattern we like and feel good about. Maybe it's not about repeating the same pattern, but mixing it up to see what you can weave.  You don't have to be able to explain it.  There may be no reason to explain it because we all have our individual journeys.  Sometimes we touch each other, run into each other and bounce off others, but we each have a different strand and a unique way of weaving.  We can share, but there is no need to compare. My dance is not your dance, nor should it be.  The point is not to be "in step" with each other, it's to connect as we pass by, let go, and perhaps connect again.

In that traditional May Day dance, each person has a brightly colored ribbon and although the ribbons are connected in the center, the dance is played out at the end of the ribbon, on the periphery. Dancers are connected not to each other but through the center and through that colorful, individual string. It is our uniqueness that makes us part of the whole. There are no complicated dance steps in the May dance.  It's all about feeling free; feeling the feeling, not thinking about your performance, or anyone elses'.

In my opinion, this winter in many ways, for many people, might have been pretty dark.  There were a lot of events going on that really took a toll on faith, hope, endurance, and most certainly the sense of security.  I guess that's what change is about. 

Today, the first of May, at least in my part of the world, was a bright beautiful warm sunny day.  The robin I wrote about almost a month ago seems here to stay. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2013/04/new-moon-new-beginnings-signs-from-robin.html He's got a buddy or two and they seem to be building a nest.  The flowers are starting to poke out and blossom and the grass is getting greener.  No mater what else is going on in the world, that kind of renewal seems worthy of a dance of too. 

No words, just dance.  Happy Beltane!

New Moon & New Beginnings; Signs from the Robin

I was on my way the other day to, what I considered, a fairly important meeting when I was delayed by a Robin.  The Robin was sitting in the middle of the driveway and didn't seem to be in any particular mood to move.  I inched forward in my impatience and still the bird stayed there staring at me, I assumed.  I wondered if the bird had been stunned by something. It sort of looked like it was surprised to find itself where it was, if birds can actually have such a look, and I like to think they can.  After what seemed like a long time, in no big hurry, it moved out of my way and let me pass.  I haven't seen it, or any other robins since.

No doubt about it, in my part of the world, the Robin is considered a sign of Spring.  I got today's picture from http://www.symbolic-meanings.com/2008/03/16/massive-red-robin-sighting-symbolic-interpretation/.  She agrees with that assumption.  In fact, this is a great site in my opinion and I've "ended up there" a couple of times lately, which again may be a sign! 

I wrote about the appearance of robins last year.  They came very early last year and rumor had it they were a bit confused or displaced robins when they arrived in February http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/02/animal-signs-robin.html I welcomed than anyway. We haven't seen a lot of real spring signs yet, so the robin was a happy occurrence for sure this year.

But it wasn't until a couple of days later that I realized it wasn't the robin that was stunned that day- alas it was me.  It took me awhile to see past the idea of the robin being "just" a sign of Spring. Steven Farmer, in Animal Spirit Signs, writes that if a Robin shows up, among other things, it means: "Let go of your attachment to drama and allow as much joy and laughter into your life as you possibly can."  Hmm...

If I had of paid attention to that particular message on the way to my meeting I might have had a more joyful day I think. Sorry Robin for being so stunned... and thank you for the message, even if I am a little late on the draw.

So today, a couple of days since I've seen the Robin, we also enter a New Moon in Aries phase.  New moons are always about new beginnings and the presence of this moon in Aries means energy is really focused on initiating projects and doing what makes us feel alive. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/03/new-moon-in-aries.html   This year I think I'll worry less abut "butting heads" than I did last year.  Under the energy of the New Moon in Aries we may find it easier to listen to our muse first and others second.  That seems to be a nice match for the Robin's message to me.

There is lots of darkness and angst in the world.  It's everywhere we look.  But so too is there a chance for new beginnings. It's everywhere we look.  And at this particular time of the year, we may be that much more able to bring this new energy, new beginnings, light, laughter and joy into our lives.  So why not do it??

It's perhaps easier to bring in darkness. We are drawn to tales of woe.  We listen for various reasons; because we think we should, because we think we have the solutions, because we might be able to make a rescue, because we feel guilty that we aren't experiencing such pain and think we should somehow share the load, because we want to feel lucky for what we do,have or don't have... And the list goes on and on. And once you get pulled into the drama tornado http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2011/09/detachment-from-drama-tornadoes.html it's really hard to get out again.  The tornado has an energy all it's own and before you know it, everyone is in the darkness and you no longer know where the light switch even is.

Springtime seems a time of fluctuating opportunity. For parts of the day it's dark and gloomy, then all of  a sudden the sun comes out only to disappear a few minutes later.  From insid,e it often looks cold and dreary, only to discover in reality it's quite warm and pleasant out there. It seems like the energy of Spring suggests a chance to go to one side or the other; light or dark. Both opportunities are equally there- ours for the taking.

I choose the lighter side of life.  So in this new moon phase, I'm going to choose the light. I'm going to follow the muse to what feels light and right. I'm going to take that on as a project.  I'll "embrace the light" without apology, guilt, angst, or misgivings.  I understand wanting to stay in the darkness. There is a sense of comfort in pulling the covers over your head, closing your eyes and feeling the weightiness of "all". There is nothing wrong with staying in the dark if you choose to.  But, I'm not staying there to keep anyone company. Let me know when you want me to come back and turn on the light.

That Robin I saw was all by himself.  Perhaps he was the first guy sent out to see if living conditions were sensible out there in the light.  I read that in some parts of the world, Robins don't actually migrate away, they just go deeper into the darkness of the woods during the winter. I guess the darkness doesn't go anywhere but we can choose to step out of it and  into the light. Like the Robin, I'm prepared to go there alone for a bit if I have to.  That's what the muse is all about.  It doesn't follow the crowd, popular thought, or the comfort zone.  It follows the light. 

Happy Spring.  Enjoy the Newness of the Moon!!

A New Paradigm of Trust

Chaos still seems to be reigning supreme, at least from my viewpoint. It seems like individuals are dealing with all kinds of trauma and drama including strange illnesses and health concerns, deaths, personal changes, loss and anxiety, job struggles, fears, and above all; challenges.  It seems, that which you are most worried about or afraid of, is now "in your face". 

Throughout the ages, whenever people, either individuals or groups, have found themselves in crisis they have turned to faith- whatever they perceived that to be. But these days, the very faith systems that "held people up" seem to be crashing, somewhat suspicious, perceived as lacking, or at the very least, changing, as well.  We are seeing shifting in religious institutions, economy structures, and government order at the same time  individuals are most grasping for something to hold on to. Hmm...

Maybe it's our very concept of faith, or trust that is being challenged.  Maybe it's time for a whole new order of thinking, that is, in fact, disorder.

In this new paradigm, I'm suggesting that trust, in the universe, the divine, higher self, God, whatever you pick, is not about praying, asking for, or expecting any outcome.  It is not about trusting that you will be "looked after", because that is attaching to an outcome.  This trust is true detachment from all and any outcomes. No ordered set of events.

In my opinion, we are programmed to consider all possible outcomes during crisis. We try to think about what could happen and plan for all outcomes. We prepare ourselves for the good, the bad, and the ugly. We don't like surprises unless they are good, so we try to buffer ourselves by considering how we might cope with negative outcomes. By being prepared to some degree for all outcomes we feel we can maintain control.  Once we have it all roughly sketched in ,we say we place our faith in something external and "trust that all will be well and we will be taken care of".

What if you really let go of control. Really. Instead of trying to consider all outcomes you allow yourself to react and respond to whatever appears without practicing your lines ahead of time. You place your trust in self. It's a trust that you can act out your life as your true core self, your soul. It's the trust that your core self, your soul not your embodiment will still "be" and can't "not be"- no matter what. You don't need to be "taken care of". When you plan for a particular outcome, or a number of them, which actually means you are worrying, you're trying to re-write the script or move ahead so you can be prepared to go back.  That's a whole lot of work, effort and angst.

This sense of letting go of control happens sometimes.  It often happens when we have "hit rock bottom".  We have spent so much time trying to figure out the outcomes and imagine all possibilities and prepare ourselves for each and every one that we take ourselves to the point of mental, and sometimes physical, exhaustion. That's when we say "I give up".  That's usually also the time when, in fact, things start to fall into place. A shift happens and we come out the other side in a new and changed way. We learn a lesson. We find a new way of being, a new solution, a gift. Hmm...

In my new paradigm of trust we would give up in the very beginning.  We would give up before we have exhausted our strength and resources. We would carry that strength with us into every response we make rather than dribble it out in preparation phases or try to save it for recovery efforts.

When you can finally find that place of "having trust" it is incredibly liberating. It is a place of reacting only to what's in front of you. In crisis management terms, it's about being in perpetual response phase rather than spending effort in prevention, preparedness and recovery.  And if we are truly honest, response phase is by far the easiest phase.  It's also the most fun. It's the high energy, adrenalin fueled, making a difference, reacting to what's obvious, phase. We are energized by that.  We see the difference we are making for ourselves and others. We say it isn't easy, but in fact it is. Everything else stops and you can focus on what's in front of you.  You don't think about what you did in the past, or what you need to do in the future, you focus on the here and now and do what's obvious. No worry.  You trust yourself to do what you need to do. And it works. It works because you just keep reacting. That's the trust. You have no idea what's going to come next.  You don't consider what you did in the past. You trust yourself to say your lines and play your part to the best of your ability. It's real life, not a rehearsal.

I was thinking about this post and how I could try and put what I was feeling into words. I often do that by walking. I was walking and remembering how liberating it was in the moments when I really could do this: let go of outcome and just "be" without worrying, trying to control, or considering outcomes. Softly and gently a feather floated onto the ground in front of me. I didn't see the bird. I will admit I don't even know what kind of bird feather this is. It was just "there".  I didn't pick it up and take it- instead I "took it" as a sign. It's today's picture.  A quick check on the Internet reveals a feather, in most Native traditions, means a "gift from the sky".  They arrive unexpectedly but not without purpose and are considered evidence of a higher spiritual partner. That's what I'm talking about! That's the trust.

The feather is a symbol of truth, lightness and ascension.  So I'm going to make it the symbol for my new paradigm of trust. Because having true trust is allowing truth, inviting lightness, and ascending to a new shifted reality.  It's peaceful. It's all about "being", and with that there is a bit of peaceful nothingness. 

It takes practice to move into a new paradigm but I'm going to try. There are some Bach Flowers that might help make this shift. So, my New Paradigm Bach Remedy will include Cherry Plum, Chestnut Bud, Red Chestnut, and Cerato. Cherry Plum will help let go of the fear of losing control.  Chestnut Bud will help maintain forward movement, learning from mistakes so I don't slip back into an old paradigm of control. Red Chestnut will help release that scenario creation mind that keeps putting outcomes into my head in the hopes that I'll divert energy to preparing for and worrying about something. Finally Cerato is the Bach Flower that is all about trust in self. That's where I'm placing my trust- in self. Cerato will  help keep that firm despite what the rest of the world thinks.

Release the shift!

April Foods Day or Crazy Wisdom

Seems kind of strange that today is Easter Monday and also April Fool's Day. Sort of a mix of serious and silly it would seem to me. I decided to lean more toward the silly.

I've written about Easter the past few years.  In 2011, I wrote about the colors of Easter and my thoughts on the whole Spring Bunny thing  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2011/04/easter-colors.html.  I talked about the colors of Easter as they related to Chakras and considered it was a good time to tune in to your intuition and bring it into your personal power of renewal.  In 2012, I was still on that Spring Bunny theme, but seems I was getting a little lighter myself.  I did see this time of year and this particular holiday as a good time to consider the Bach Flowers Agrimony and Scleranthus  http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/04/easter-full-moon-in-libra.html  We were in a Libra full moon cycle at Easter time last year too, so balanced emotions were really front and center.  Those Bach Flowers still seem a good match for the energy of the day to me. 

But the whole world has changed this year I believe. We are in a new cycle.  Maybe it's time to really lighten up a bit.  Maybe it's no coincidence that this year, Easter Monday is falling exactly on April Fool's Day.  I don't see any other way to take that but as a message to "lighten up" and get "over ourselves"! 

The origins of April Fool's Day are not really clear., They seem to go way back, in many cultures, and the prevailing theme is that of being silly.  It's considered a day to play pranks. The pranks are usually designed around getting people to believe in things that don't exist. Hmm....

That kind of mystical quality led me to the idea of the Fool card in Tarot Decks. Today's picture if the Fool from The Rider Tarot Deck.  I am, by no means an expert in Tarot cards.  But, I do have the book "Tarot For Dummies". Yup, I'm not kidding, and I did warn you this post wasn't highly serious in nature!

It turns out the Fool is considered to be "spirit in search of experience".  It is considered mystical cleverness without reason, sort of "crazy wisdom".  If you look at the card, it's obvious that this guy is about to walk off the edge of a cliff without any real concern.  In fact, he seems oblivious to his impending plunge into the abyss.  No worries there; ultimate trust and unconcern. The sun clearly shines on the Fools back though and that signifies divine nature. That seems to me to speak to real Crown Chakra, the knowing that you're protected, and "peaceful in the knowing" type attitude.  He also has a dog with him that is said to represent animal desires.  He's gently holding a flower which is interpreted as an appreciation of nature. So it seems to me he's got both a connection to the beyond, at the same time he's very in tune with earth and nature.  A nice balance there in my opinion.  The Fool is also carrying all his possessions with him in that Hobo style stick/backpack.  He's ready for whatever adventure comes up.  He doesn't have to go home and pack first. He has everything he needswith him all the time.  Yet, his load looks pretty light and easy to transport. Sounds good to me!

Tarot cards, at least the ones in the Rider Deck are given numbers. But the Fool is given the number zero. This means he can become anything once he reaches his destination.  He's clearly on a path to somewhere with no expectations.  The "joker's wild" and can be anything.  From a mathematical point of view, zero is kind of interesting. It defies the rules a bit in my mind.  If you add anything to zero, you don't cause any change.  But if you multiply zero with anything you come up with a whole lot of zero.  Everything is transformed if you multiply zeros, except the zero itself.  You can't add anything to the fool, but it has the power to transform you. The fool remains the same and only creates more fools. In other words the fool creates, without trying it seems,  more people that are clearly on a journey simply for the joy the quest. Hmm...

So... lighten your load, trust the divine, find that balance between nature and the unseen, and get your adventure started. Happy Crazy Wisdom Day, and enjoy the journey!!

Full Moon In Libra: Balance in Chaos?

 Intense energy seems to be swirling all around us these days.  I guess there are a lot of astrological reasons for this feeling.  Some of them are explained on the blog
http://dothework6to7.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/libra-full-moon-march-27-2013/
- very interesting reading. There are all kinds of things going on for everybody it seems, in all realms and dimensions. Plus, it's Easter in my part of the world. A confusing time in my mind. I wrote about the whole "spring bunny thing" last year http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/04/easter-full-moon-in-libra.html.  I think it's still applies.

Once again during Easter, we have  a Full Moon in Libra. A friend of mine showed me a cartoon picture this morning.  It showed a number of animals; elephant, monkey, snake, and dog, all lined up in front of a tree that looked like the tree of life.  A person was speaking to the animals saying " in order to maintain a fair selection process each one of you will have to climb the tree". It seemed to me that cartoon really was a good take on the energy of the day and this moon cycle.  We seem to have this wish for fairness and yet our method to achieve that balance may be just a bit "off".

Libra moon energy can cause us to feel that heightened sense of beauty, caring, real Heart Chakra sensations.  We want everyone to get along and we feel very uncomfortable with discord- even if it's not our own.  The challenge of this energy is to handle conflict directly.  It's finding that Agrimony balance to conflict  where we aren't ignoring the issue or masking it with something false but are meeting it head on.

Libra is all about fairness, balance and harmony. That should speak to very soothing positive energy but I'm not quite feeling that!  Perhaps that's because there is so much going on to conflict with, muddle that up and stir the pot a bit. It turns out that Libra energy is reflective in nature, a look back at what should be fair and balanced. But the Sun is in Aries right now which suggests a pretty impulsive, driving forward energy.  So we are being pushed both forward and back, perhaps with equal energies which, in my opinion, leaves us just a bit "stuck in the middle" feeling. Hmm...

But then again... there are two ways to look at the sensation of being "in the middle" between two, somewhat opposing, forces. That middle position can be one of peaceful balance, or one of feeling stuck. Hmm...

I was thinking about what I was going to write in today's blog when a HUGE spider planted herself in my line of vision. I "encouraged her" to move just a bit further away from my personal space.  She did. But she sat there for awhile staring at me, I'm assuming, although to be fair, I suppose she might have been a bit dazzed from my encouragement.  I decided she was "encouraging me" to look her up as an Animal Spirit guide.

Ah ha!  In Animal Spirit Guides, Steven Farmer writes the appearance of a spider means:

"rather than staying stuck in this apparent impasse, open your mind to the infinite possibilities that are before you, and make a choice; Don't limit yourself to the mundane world, but instead be willing to explore other dimensions and realities. It's time to write creatively without limits of tradition or habit, allowing yourself to be inspired by Nature".

All right then. So listening to my Spider, I realize that the sense of being "stuck" in the middle of two or more forces suggests a tendency towards the Bach Flower essence Willow.  The Willow unbalanced state is that of feeling disgruntled by life.  In this state we judge other people's good fortune and wonder why we can't have that for ourselves. The sense of fairness we are seeking is to have to what we see or think others have.  But back to that cartoon today; Elephants, dogs, snakes and monkey's don't have the same qualities and skills and really can't be compared by how they climb the tree.  Hmm...

A few drops of Willow can help you let go of that past reflection of what you see as injustice. That could be letting go of some of that Libra "reflect on the fairness energy". But before we get moving too quickly;  it's an Aries type energy that suggests you act without reflection at all. It's Aries that would line up those animals and demand they all climb the tree.  Now we're stuck again.  Time to call on the Spider.

Spider in a Willow tree suggest you stop feeling stuck as a victim of the times, the situation, planetary influence, or any limitations. Spider suggests you open your mind to other possibilities rather than wishing you had the agility of the monkey and thinking it unfair that you don't.  With the Willow relieving your sense of victimization (and by the way that seems a bit "Easter like" to me to see victims everywhere), and the Spider opening your mind to explore different realities, then the power of Aries' forward movement can really be a gift. 

If you're thinking that right about now I have just confused you with too many trees, flowers, animals, and planets.. well.. I make no apologies.  I'm writing without the limitation of tradition. I'm taking my cues from Nature and I'm moving forward with new possibilities.  It's quite a new sensation. I like it. 

Enjoy the limitless power of Nature!