"Connection with..." the 2nd Chakra

If in the 1st chakra we create our own personal foundation and learn to stand strongly on it...in the 2nd chakra we learn to become comfortable in making a step towards someone outside of our own self and make a gesture towards connection (ie. a handshake or a kiss).
Chakra 2 is related to the color orange, creativity, relating, emotional sensitivity, and the world of duality. It is the energy center of our being-ness where we realize the concept of opposites and learn the art of integrating differences in order to come together and relate creatively. It is our center of being where we are aware of other's emotional reactions/responses. However, in order to be able to comfortably (a 2nd chakra keyword) look into someone's eyes and say "hi" we must first be comfortable with who we are (the foundation we created in the 1st chakra). So you see...although there are 7 main chakras each chakra is interdependent on the whole (especially on the chakra before and after).
*Refer to a previous blog post (July 2009) if you want a brief synopsis on all 7 chakras.

Another Song for Spiritual Support

Listen To this Song When Your Spirit is on "Low"

To Enter into the Spirit...of Your Essence

To introduce the Winter theme/quote posted on the right column....I wrote this brief story about my relationship with Charlie, the horse. His Presence (the Spirit of who he is) in my life has become a Guiding Force and a rare gift of authentic expression.


Aside from Charlie, but still eluding to the Spirit of something or someone...it is not enough to simply "know"...the object in question beckons to be understood....as Bruce Lee's quote illuminates.


Seek to Understand....always. Therein lies the Gift.
Happy Holidays!

THE SPIRIT OF CHARLIE

Long black mane sailing in the winds as Charlie canters into the pasture's hills. The lean strong muscular lines of Charlie, the stallion, captured my eyes at first sight. His intrinsic beauty, his long unmanaged mane, his quiet demeanor all took note of my internal senses.

Although he is a stud, and with that label has a supposed disposition of aggression, I personally have never witnessed it. He is gracious for his hand fed treats of hand-picked grass, apples from the tree, and baby sized carrots. I presume he's got a real sweet tooth. He seems like a kid at heart. When he sees me he knows I'm the one who sees him for who he is at his core. He also knows I'm the one with his "candy".

Yes, our walks together are short. It is only a few steps from his stable stall to the outdoors and then about 15 horse lengths to the pasture I take him to where he'll gallop in his freedom. Considering this brief interaction of walking to and fro the pasture, brushing his mane on occasion and feeding him treats, we have cultivated a special bond. It feels as though we trust each other completely. We experience each other beyond our designated labels.

One of the most captivating sights I can think of is to watch a horse, such as Charlie, run towards the horizon and bear witness to the Internal Freedom and Majestic Nature horses are known for possessing. There is tremendous Beauty in the Strength and Ownership of who you internally are. In freely expressing his essence something magical comes to life. That is it...I witness Magic in seeing Charlie run the hills and have his long black mane sail the winds.

Letting Go...Chakra 1

Letting Go of the Past, Letting Go of future worries... and Walking in the very Moment of the "What Is" is what being Grounded in Present Reality is all about. The first chakra, represented by the color Red is also referred to as the Root Chakra. Being connected to present reality for what it is AND is not-- is important. Feeling a sense of belonging here on earth (and to a group of people, whether it be family or not...but a group larger than one's self) and feeling safe and secure is what this chakra is mainly about. Trauma, whether physical or emotional,especially at a young age, can injure this energy center. Because it is one's grounding structure, the energy is denser and more material-oriented. This means physical, body-oriented concerns are extremely influential to the health or hindrance of this chakra.

Gentle stretches and mindful yoga exercises are effective ways to help facilitate grounding and living in one's body. Avoiding or cutting back on physically altering substances like sugar and caffeine also help the grounding process. Eating according to the season tells your body/mind/spirit connection you are in tune with the environment. Thus eating citrus fruit in Wisconsin in winter is not grounding. Winter foods in the Midwest include roasted root vegetables, potatoes and long-simmered soups.

Stones worn in jewelry like Black Onyx have denser vibrations that help one's energy acclamate to the Root Chakra. Flower Essences, Homeopathy, Massage and Cranial Sacral Therapy are also very good ways to help treat and faciliatate the well-being of your grounding foundation.




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Time for "Annual Review"

We are approaching the end of 2009...time for reflection on how we invested our energies. In a way, I regard this "annual review" very much like a job performance appraisal. In a very broad sense "How did I perform this year?" Did I meet my goals, expectations, abilities???

At approximately this same time last year I declared CHANGE was going to be my Focus, my Vision for 2009. And Change was presented to me within 2 weeks! I accepted the Universe's Proposal and moved to Wisconsin after almost 20 years of living in the city I love, Minneapolis.

Since then my life has needed to be in continual "Review and Update" mode. I stepped out of my familiar and comfortable way of existing and totally changed my surroundings. From living alone in an urban setting to moving in with family along the Lake Michigan rural shoreline ...I have faced a lot of long overdue "Letting Go".

I am now in the formal process of Reviewing and Appraising my performance for this year. My suggestion to you is to consider creating your own unique "job performance appraisal and goal setting". Make this process your very own. Use it to Create a Life you Love...not to condemn yourself and feel guilty. I have used my Vision Charts I create every New Year for about the past 10 years. This process helps me have daily "image reinforcement" and assists me in remembering my Focus, my personal Aim for the year ahead of me.

To you who browse this blog, I hope you have had a fulfilling 2009. May you plant your Seed of Intention for 2010 and have a Blessed Year ahead.

~Rae

Quotes of the Month

"Each day provides its own gifts."

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the Universe."

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

Marcus Aurelius

Alternative Ways to Stay Healthy this Flu Season

There are alternative ways to guard yourself against potential illness this season by taking several precautions. Of course there are all the basics: washing hands, adequate rest...etc BUT there are also some options you may not be aware of. First, I believe in LIQUIDS! Water and hot liquids (green tea or herbal teas) are Number 1 on my list for safeguards to prevent severe illness. Other "remedies" I include are Emergen-C (one packet grants you 1000 mg of vitamin C), Glaceau's Vitamin Water (many flavor varieties to choose from, I like IN SYNC the best which offers you 100% of the RDA for Vitamin C and several B vitamins, the water goes down well and has a "smooth" texture to it), Lavender Essential Oil with Epsom Salts (making a bath of this combination relaxes your nervous system and washes away negative energies you've accumulated throughout the day), and using Ginger. Ginger tea will help warm your energetic body and assist in digestion for the heavier winter meals you will be eating.

Full Moon in Taurus

Tomorrow on Monday, November 2 there will be a Full Moon in the sign of Taurus (which means the Scorpio Sun is opposing the Moon). Other planetary aspects include the Sun conjuncting Mercury; the Sun/Mercury squaring Mars in Leo; Venus in Libra trining Neptune Retrograde in Aquarius; and lastly the recent passage of Saturn going into the sign of Libra (October 29th) squaring the powerful planet of Pluto in Capricorn.

What does all this mean?

Emotions are running high and rampant. Deeply held feelings especially around creature comforts, security and relating have come to the surface to be dealt with at a conscious level. Life will continue to gravitate you towards experiences that will encourage you to transform how you interact with others, especially in the arena of intimate relationships. People may start to question whether their personal needs are being met and if "the other" honestly appreciates all that they (as an individual) bring to the relationship.

It is time to Recognize our own individual needs, Release what is toxic to our core Self and the relationship, and Replace it with a healthier mode of operating (relating) and more honest way of expressing our needs and concerns.

Surrendering to Essence

The Exuberance of Summer has Ceased. Time for the Peace and Stillness of Autumn. I experience a Silent Beauty in Fall's Essence.

As the Sun Shines, the Receptive Blue-Gray Water Reflects the Lake's True Nature.

It is in the Quiet Strength Displayed by the Crimson-Red Leaves that I sense there is Contentment to Stand Alone and Simply...Be.

photo taken and words written by RV

THE WOMAN I DARE TO BECOME

spiral movement transcendence

dancing rounded curves~

soft handed touch

generous

giving of her time much--

feminine energies flowing

showing others a way

how to go about the day

in an alternative beat--

wise woman healer

believer in God

creator of her Life--

artistic

realistic

poetically sensitive

wife to her masculine self--

Eve, Venus, Juno and Lileth

all women in one

lover of the sun

mate of the moon

singing gladly

her Heart's tune

written by RV Oct '09

Transmute the Mind into God's Palace

Looking out to the horizon line of Lake Michigan...I sense my Spiritual Home here on earth. The feeling I experience internally is one of silence, peace and transcendence. All my material and earthly concerns vanish as I meditate on the calming effect the Great Lake's water has upon my emotions and my mind. Somehow, someway all and everything seems "right". I feel as if my personal goals are in sync with God's wishes for me. At age 44 I have encountered various places that inject a similar sensation, but none quite as significant as the Lake Michigan shoreline where I grew up. Every cell of my body experiences Spiritual upliftment...I am showered with God's Grace and Goodness.

As a teenager I often biked to this very spot...grappling with an intense bag of anger and assorted other negative emotions. I didn't know how other to handle this surge of tumultuous activity...so I sought refuge in the tides washing over a shoreline of rocks. With each passing cycle of waves, the water danced over the rocks, polishing the stones slowly over time.

Much as these smooth stones, I too, have been polished and refined by the influx of shifting emotions and the vast scene of blue waters.

Lake Michigan seems endless. Yet in the uncertainty of the other side's shoreline, I find comfort in Knowing God is always right there with me filling me with the Strength and Courage to face Life's varied moments.

Hay is our newest addition to the family and animal friends community. He's a beagle puppy who was found with his mom walking along a country road. He smelled like he freshly rolled in some hay, thus he was named Hay by the animal humane society. Hay is smart, cuddly and very well-behaved. My sister calls him " a dream come true". See! Dreams DO come true!!!

The Four Noble Truths

1. Life means suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

4. The Path to the cessation of suffering.

1: We suffer because to live as a fragmented (non-perfected/ not Whole) person in a non-perfect world we are constantly disappointed and are dissatisfied...always striving to achieve the unachievable. We use selective memory to remember things in a certain way to keep our state of suffering alive and well-fed.

2: Because we are attached to certain ideas and certain ways of doing/being...we keep the cycle going. We are ignorant to how are mind has become so attached that we lack a higher understanding. Delusion, and our attachment to it, keeps us suffering and dissatisfied. What also keeps the cycle going is our attachment to fulfilling any and all desires/pleasures.

3: Nirvana is a concept used when one is able to elevate their Mind beyond the realms of this physical reality. It is used to describe a state of consciousness when one feels like they are in "heaven". The Mind has become free from worries.

4: The Eightfold Path is used in obtaining freedom from suffering. It describes the middle way. Balancing and being in harmony between living a life in the physical world and living a life based in (Spirituality) and transcendence.

Reverting to a selected memory from one's past (being in the there and then) or thinking that one day someday when __________ happens I'll be happy, is a delusion. All there really is ---is the Right Here Right Now. Remaining Open and Receptive to "what is" right before us is where Opportunity lies. This is the goal of Buddhism, the definition of "Health" in Homeopathy, and my opinion of what Christ's teachings were meant to instill upon us.

Having a foot in the past, or in the future...either way one or both feet are not standing on the Green Grass of this very Moment. Take a stand for your Health...and take a step towards living in the Present.

"Man struggles to find life outside himself, unaware that the life is he is seeking is within him." Kahil Gibran

Yoga Pose to Assist in Stillness of Mind

BALASANA CHILD'S POSE

Purpose: Stress Reduction, Transitional Pose

Benefits: Stretches hips, thighs and ankles; Relieves Back Tension; Calms the Mind

visit http://www.yogajournal.com/ for more information on this and other yoga poses

Regarding Yoga and Diet... Yoga's focus is to bring Universal Balance to one's Inner Life. Thus, mindful eating is most important. Because everyone is different, there is no "one diet fits all". The emphasis on diet needs to be grounding, balancing, and supportive. Grounding foods need not include meat. Root vegetables (vegetables dug up from the ground) can also be included to the list of helpful foods. Eating in moderation is key.

Yoga is mainly established on Ayurvedic principles... Depending upon if you are Vata, Pitta or Kapha body type will also influence what is best for you to eat. Vata's diet need more grounding foods (oils and root vegetables), Pitta's need more supporting and cooling foods (salads and sweet fruits), and Kapha's need foods to invigorate their energy (hot peppers).

Pluto: the Power to Transform

To begin with......Pluto, God of the Underworld; son of Saturn and brother to Jupiter and Neptune...is now, since 2006, considered a dwarf planet. Originally discovered in 1930 it was the furtherest most planet from the sun. Soon after establishing Pluto's existence...plutonium, the radioactive substance found deep in the earth, was added to the periodic table of elements. Explosive, deep, and hidden are a few traits that both Pluto, as an astrological component, and the element, have in common.

Pluto rules Scorpio (as does Mars) and commands the eighth house. So Pluto (the planet), Scorpio (the zodiac sign) and the eighth (house) all share similar traits.

In Evolutionary Astrology (EA), Pluto is the starting point for analysis and synthesis of a person's natal chart. Pluto represents the soul's will coming into this life's carnation. The soul has been there in the past, now it needs to venture into the Polarity Point (PP). This briefly means that this life needs to understand and live the "other side of the coin". (I began to talk about polarities in the North Node/South Node astrology post and the post labeled Source Point). So let's say Pluto is in someone's natal 1st house and let's say it is conjunct the Ascendant. This person exudes a very Powerful personality. The person is very much directed towards his/her own Purpose. Now, with the PP being conjunct the natal Descendant...the person's soul is called to understand the purpose of relating to another. You see, the 1st house is defining the Self...the polarity house is the 7th...relating to the other.

Pluto is an incredibly fascinating planet, not to be afraid of. Pluto contains the taboo, the hidden, deep dark secrets of the psyche. It represents obessions and fears. But most importantly...it represents one's soul purpose and the ability and Power to Transform .

If you are interested in learning more about Pluto...Jeffrey Wolf Green is the founder and utmost expert on Evolutionary Astrology. He has written several informative books. Or check out the Evolutionary Astrology school's message board. (see Resource link in right-hand column)

PS: As of today, transiting Pluto is at O degrees 42 minutes of Capricorn. Capricorn enforces the "rules" and imposes "Structure". Since Pluto is in the very beginning of this sign...NOW, is the time to abolish and destroy all the old rules and ineffective structures in your life. Wherever transiting Pluto aspects your very own natal chart is where you can bear the most "delicious" fruits of your efforts. For example, transiting Pluto is now in my 1st house opposing my sun in the 7th house. What this can imply is that my own physical identity/physical body is undergoing deep transformation and healing. With consistent effort and enforcing my newly deemed "structure(s)" I can develop a new and transformed, more powerful and healthy body. And, with it directly opposing my sun...I am being called to develop a more deep, powerful, and integrated Self---to express myself more intimately in my signicant relationship with "the other".

Flower Essences as Vibrational Medicine

Rescue Remedy, perhaps Dr. Bach's most widely known and used Flower Essence, is composed of 5 Flower Essences. This remedy (one of many different flower essences available) helps to bring the body, mind and soul back into harmony after a trauma or shock has occurred.

The Flower Essence Repertory (book featured above) or the Resource Link I have posted in the right column of this blog (Vibration Magazine) is an easy and comfortable way to begin becoming aquainted with the powerful YET subtle influences of Flower Essences.

As always, do not seek to treat yourself without the supervision of a trained professional.

PS...Rescue Remedy can also be used with animals. AND it can also assist you gardeners! Place a few drops of Rescue Remedy in water. Use this mixture to assist your transplanted flowers and plants in their transition of soil environments!

Transition time...into a New Season, a New Way of...

Autumn...the Metal Element

According to Five Element Theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)...the Season of Autumn corresponds to the Metal Element. The color is gray/white. The flavor is sour. The energy is one of contraction.

Fall represents the time of Harvest. Fall signifies the time when the exuberance of summer, the external firery energy of summer is called to retreat inward and begin to concentrate it's focus (ie. on school). Thus, if we are to live in accordance to the seasons...we also are asked to begin to venture inward, to reflect, and gather all of our energies in order to pass through the colder, darker months ahead of us.

The element of Metal suggests "structure". It is this time frame where it is best to reflect upon and perhaps re-implement a New Structure, a new and improved way of how we operate our energies to get the maximum joy from Life...to have the most Delicious Life possible!~ (and on a sidenote...with Pluto in the early degrees of Capricorn...this is a most opportune time to Transform "Structure"!!!)

From a culinary/dietary perspective...our food intake needs to accomodate the change of seasons as well. Begin to use less water, lower temperatures and cooking for a longer time period to infuse more "heat" into your foods ("concentrating" the heat energy). It is time to eat root vegetables (ie. parsnips and turnips). The taste of sour/astringent (the pucker type foods) helps to concentrate and focus one's energy as well. Such foods are vinegar and lemon...but make note...a "little" sour goes a long way...don't overdo it.

Autumn and the Metal Element reflect the function of the Lung and Large Intestine...now is a good time to improve the health of those organ systems. Because the emotions of sadness/grief and the ability/inability of Letting Go (metaphysically) pertain to the Lung function and Large Intestine...check in and review what emotions need to be internally dealt with at a personal level.

This of course, is a very brief overview of Autumn from a TCM level. But I hope it gives you some insight into any internal shifts you may be experiencing during this Summer to Autumn Transition.

God Bless~

Go to scottblum.net to download the first 3 chapters of this book. If you enjoyed the Celestine Prophecy you will find this book equally fulfilling. You can also listen to September 9th's healthylife.net webcast (Guiding Stars show) which features the author.

LIVING with PURPOSE

"The great and glorious masterpiece of man is how to live with purpose." Michael de Montaigne

"Don't do something to prove something. Do it because you have Passion for it and you love to do it. Create and do for the soul Purpose of Creating!" RV journal writing pertaining on topic of Life is to Whistle

"Contentment is for cows; a challenging purpose is for people." Einstein

"...In addition to the lectures, I would often share some of my poetry. My poems were not great literature, as my critics often pointed out, but they served my purposes---which were to entertain, to challenge, and hopefully to inject a little humor into the particular situation I was in at the time..." p 98 Soul of the Butterfly by Muhammad Ali

Outcome Based Approach to Life VS Purpose Based Approach to Life...

With the first approach the focus is on "What is in it for me?" One asks his/herself how may I have "success" and have more material possessions? With the Purpose based approach the question asked is "What may I give?" One lives each moment with a sense of fulfilling one's Purpose which leads to experiencing joy. paraphrased from Wayne Dyer's book "Real Magic"

Nature is my Treasure Chest

"For where your Treasure is, there your Heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

Whether it be Lake Michigan (which I consider my Spiritual Home here on Earth), time spent with my family, enjoying fresh tomatoes from the garden, capturing the first signs of a new season, realizing the Intrinsic Beauty of Charlie--the horse...or experiencing a work of art displayed by the uniqueness of each and every tree....there is so much in Nature to Value as a Special Treasure. Everything that beholds LIFE has a Gift & Blessing it desires to share with us... There is so much to be thankful for and to appreciate in all that surrounds us daily.

Books authored by a Spiritual Teacher

"Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst while bathing in a lake. If material poverty is to be avoided, spiritual poverty is to abhorred! It is spiritual poverty, not material lack, that lies at the core of all human suffering." The Essence of Self-Realization by Paramhansa Yogananda
Paramhansa Yogananda is one of the most significant Spiritual teachers of the 20th century. His classic "Autobiography of a Yogi" was first published in 1946.

Source Point

"Dis-ease is a process of liberation---the enemy is a static and crystallized state of being." p. 14 of A. Bailey's Esoteric Healing

{What follows is a personal summation based on the healing philosophies of Homeopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory, along with the Laws and Applications of Energy.}

The Source Point is where our own personal energy (Vital Force, Chi..etc) collects...and IF there are vibrational obstacles to the energy's flow...it will remain stuck there...impeded most likely because of how we personally view our life (not LIFE itself). Whenever, and wherever in our life, we deem there is a definite "right" way and an "absolute wrong" way...we create a Polarity within our Vital Force around the central issue. The opposing views create a push/pull...a back and forth trying to create a balance...but it never reaches that balance point. This daily and on-going dilemma we are forever trying to correct expends a vast amount of personal energy. As we become more elderly or are sick, our ability to compensate our natural state diminishes, thus we most likely will display the shadow energy we so wanted to conceal.

This polarity dilemma is not a "problem to be solved" but rather an obstacle to transform or transcend. This is where Homeopathy or receiving Acupuncture can help liberate and move the stuck Source Point's impeded energy reservoir. Living within the self-imposed Established Boundaries, that the internal polarities create, limit our personal expression; our physical health, emotional and mental well-being; our energy level, and our ability to feel a greater amount of personal freedom in how we live and who we Be in Life.

Oftentimes as a person starts their Healing Journey and they begin to acquaint themselves with their Polarity Issue(s) it gets scary. Why? At certain points along the Healing Path there come definitive times when life (the Life you knew as yours) begins to fall apart...the old way doesn't work or feel right anymore. Your Identity comes into Question...who you were and who you desire to be are Challenged. Will you pursue the Path to Liberating the stuck Source Points or will you revert back to the old, (comfortable), and familiar ways?

To conclude this ever so brief explanation...I want to end with 2 questions. First: What has been the purpose for this polarity tension? What has it wanted to teach you? Secondly: Accept that the issue you face may never go away...but ask yourself how you may relate to it differently in order to transform your perspective.

Health is about Movement, Health is Dynamic, and the ability to respond to the very Moment...not living from past experiences and allowing previous experiences to determine how you feel or Be in the Now.

Setting the Tone for Fall 2009...Stillness

"Be Still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 46 Verse 10

Summing up the Summer Theme of Wholeness

"...circumstances may change but you will be the same unless you work. ...Change is the result of consistent effort."

The Fourth Way by P.D. Ouspensky

"If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no 'friction', no fire. But if, for the sake of attaining a definite aim, he struggles with the desires that hinder him, he will then create a fire which will gradually transform his inner world into a single whole."

In Search of the Miraculous by P.D. Ouspensky

P.D Ouspensky was a student of and wrote about the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff.

Transmute the Mind into God's Palace

Photos taken at Lion's Den Park; Grafton, Wisconsin; Lake Michigan Shoreline

Check Out the New Link Posted

Visit the Health Beat Resource Site posted under the Resources Link (on the right hand column of this blog below Followers). Clicking on Health Beat will directly take you to the site, as will clicking on any of the other Resources listed.

Happy 75th Birthday!

Leonard Cohen's 75th Birthday will be September 21, 2009

Thank You Leonard....A Thousand Kisses Deep~

From the very moment I heard his smokey baritione voice sing out to me--I was enamored forever more. From that moment on--I would play his Hallelujah 10 times a day, I would listen for every slight nuance to his sexual-spiritual style of poetic verse. Rehearsing what it would be like to engage in intellectual, yet emotional, conversation with this Legend of Poetic Word. I've heard it all before..."he's old, he was back in the 70's..." I don't really care what "they" say...I've felt his words penetrate my reclusive heart...they've held me captive for many years now. Leonard Cohen is a gentleman, a scholar, a raw nerve of sex and spirit merged. From the very first words of his Be for Real sung to me, I felt his breath Kiss me... a Thousand Kisses Deep.

Thank you Mr. Cohen...It's been a Beautiful Journey~

My Sincere Regards & Gratitude.

Happy Birthday!

New Recipe Post...Chipotle Sweet Potatoes/Yams

3 large sweet potatoes or yams, cut into approx 1/2 inch cubes

1 c balsamic vinagrette (we also tried & with success I might add...1/2 olive oil 1/2 lime juice)

1/4 t salt and black pepper (we used more)

1/3 c minced fresh cilantro

3 T honey (or agave nectar)

2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, minced (we used chipolte powder)

*not in original recipe...but we added cumin powder as well

Place sweet potatoes in baking pan. Drizzle HALF of the vinagrette onto sw pot's, sprinkle with S & P..toss to coat.

Bake at 400* for 25-30 min's or until tender. Cool slightly and transfer to large bowl. In small bowl whisk the remaining ingredients and pour over the potatoes. Gently stir to coat. Serve on a bed of fresh Garden Greens~

Authentic Communication

G. I. Gurdjieff and the glyph symbol for Mercury.



"There do exist inquiring minds, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of things and phenomena and to penetrate into themselves. If a man reasons and thinks soundly, no matter which path he follows in solving these problems, he must inevitably arrive back at himself, and begin with the solution of the problem of what he is himself and what his place is in the world around him." G. I. Gurdjieff



Effectively and authentically communicating one's personal ideas and emotions is not as easy as one thinks. Obstacles that interfere--such as what others will think--vastly impedes honest two-way dialog or personal expression. One of Gurdjieff's spiritual aphorisms is of the like "Be externally considerate of others while not becoming externally influenced by others". Understanding what that really means (at least for me) took a long time. Intellectually I knew what it meant ( my mind knew) but it took effort for my mind AND my body to grasp its message. It took substantial and consistent awareness to dissolve barriers to my expression. Wanting to please others, finding myself saying what others wanted to hear, wanting to be liked by everyone, not being comfortble "making waves"...all these hidden tendencies impeded me from authentically expressing what resided in my Heart.
As for resources to help with this human dilema...there is a vast array of books describing in some detail "how to __________". But in actuality, I have found (note, this is my personal opinion) that one can read all this information in "how to" but it comes down to 2 main points. First, everyone is an individual--there is no ONE right way to achieve authentic expression. Second, the information read needs to practiced via personal action. Information read needs to be put into physical practice.
One's natal Mercury can be a tool for authentic expression. Everyone has Mercury in their birthchart...in one of the twelve houses and in one of the zodiac signs. Knowing and understanding how your Mercury placement works naturally can help you to express yourself in a genuine manner. Mercury is the planet that rules over mental reasoning and communication.
My natal Mercury is in the sign of Cancer. This indicates my mind and communication work in a Cancerian fashion...not in let's say...an Aquarian manner. Mercury in Cancer suggests a reflective mind, introspective, intuitive and has an emotionally sensitive nature to it. The manner of speech may sound (poetic)/watery. Mercury in Aquarius indicates an intellectually innovative mind and one that is detached from the realm of emotions. So if I attempted to void my expression from my innate emotional nature I would be denying my Essence of its natural form of expression.
Finding one's way that "feels" right takes hard work...it is a lifelong practice of trial and error.
ps. Walking your Talk will always speak louder than Talking your Talk. Once your knowledge is integrated into the body and spoken through your actions people are more apt to "listen".
pps. (Thursday, Aug 6, 2009)...just listened to the webcast archive of "Guiding Stars" via www.healthylife.net on Mercury in Libra. The webcast is a great place to go to further delve into your natal Mercury placement by house and sign. The show talks about Mercury as a whole and how it definitely impacts how you communicate. CHECK IT OUT!

Health Quiz

1: Vitamin K is a nutrient that assists in blood clotting, heart health and bone density.

TRUE or FALSE

2: Sunshine graciously gives us a healthy dose of Vitamin E. TRUE or FALSE

3: Spirulina is a supplement that offers protein benefits, chlorophyll and cleansing properties, along with vitamin B-12 for vegetarians who often don't get enough because of not eating meat.

TRUE or FALSE

1. True. Vitamin K can be obtained by eating an array of green leafy vegetables and is a fat-soluable vitamin that is stored in the liver.

2. False. Vitamin D is obtained from exposure to sunlight, dairy products and foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Vitamin D helps maintain bone and joint health. It is a fat-soluable vitamin which means the body stores the excess amounts until needed.

3. True. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that is found in nutritional supplements. Because it contains an adequate percentage of vitamin B-12 it helps boost energy levels. People deficient in vitamin B-12 develop what is called pernicious anemia. This type of anemia results because of either not ingesting enough of this nutrient or because the individual does not have the necessary intrinsic factor responsible for absorption of vitamin B-12.

Break Rhythm

Saturn....aka Father of Time and Discipline

Saturn rules the sign of Capricorn and the 10th house in astrology. Keywords to denote its significance are: Gravity, Time, (Internal) Structure (which leads to "Perspective"), Boundaries, Discipline and Authority.

We create internal stuctures to help us establish boundaries and personal perspective--from which we experience life. To Live Deliciously~ we are encouraged to widen our scope of perspective, to step out of the box of our everyday routine (our habitual rhythm--timing) and expand "how we Be" or "what we Do". It is by stepping out of our personal comfort zone and breaking routine that we expand our awareness and become better able to understand another's opinion.
Individually, we each have our own unique way of seeing and experiencing Life...that is natural. What Saturn, as Father of zodiac wants for us, is to teach us where we have "blindspots". One way to do this, is to try something new, something unfamilar...and observe your reaction(s). For example, I am NOT a camper. But, out of regard for my sister I went to experience the Great Outdoors. I resisted at first--- having to deal with no bathroom plumbing, sleeping on rocks..etc...BUT what I received from this experience...was having a greater appreciation for what Extended Family means to me. I enjoyed finding out more about who my nieces are as individuals. With my natal Saturn in the 3rd house...this would make sense...but it wasn't until this Adventure that I could consciously acknowledge the personal importance of knowing and understanding who my nieces are as individual people. Observing certain details and nuances (a 3rd house trait) to their behavior helped fill in the areas where I previously had no knowledge. Having made this recogntion I widened my scope in experiencing Life...the lens to how I view Life expanded...and in less than 48 hrs my Life became richer and more fulfilling.
Break Rhythm...and Live Deliciously by busting through some of Saturn's Self-imposed Restrictions!

Regarding Wisdom

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7