Holiday, everyday!

I have learned much in the way of inner strength and emotional independence as well as cooperative teamwork. Now I want to acquire the behaviours and skills - based on my training RE self-care and boundaries - to deal with my deference to authority in any form. I need to build my confidence to be assertive in getting my basic needs met and to face my fear of lost friendship when I assert myself.

Grown-ups are still intimidating to me and many things are not important to me - something others tend to take advantage of. My payoff for self-neglect is peace and quiet. I am not describing my personal weakness well…

I do think operating in a group of several friends would make it easier to see assertiveness modeled and would take off the pressure common in the traditional husband/wife setting

Osho Zen Tarot -  60. Ice-olation

We are miserable because we are too much in the self. What does it mean when I say we are too much in the self? And what exactly happens when we are too much in the self? Either you can be in existence or you can be in the self–both are not possible together. To be in the self means to be apart, to be separate. To be in the self means to become an island. To be in the self means to draw a boundary line around you. To be in the self means to make a distinction between ‘this I am’ and ‘that I am not’. The definition, the boundary, between "I" and "not I" is what the self is–the self isolates. And it makes you frozen–you are no longer flowing. If you are flowing the self cannot exist. Hence people have become almost like ice-cubes. They don’t have any warmth, they don’t have any love–love is warmth and they are afraid of love. If warmth comes to them they will start melting and the boundaries will disappear. In love the boundaries disappear; in joy also the boundaries disappear, because joy is not cold.
Osho Zen: The Path of Paradox, Volume 1 Chapter 5

Commentary: In our society, men in particular have been taught not to cry, to put a brave face on things when they get hurt and not show that they are in pain. But women can fall into this trap too, and all of us at one time or another might feel that the only way to survive is to close off our feelings and emotions so we can’t be hurt again. If our pain is particularly deep, we might even try to hide it from ourselves. This can make us frozen, rigid, because deep down we know that one small break in the ice will free the hurt to start circulating through us again. The rainbow-colored tears on this person’s face hold the key to breaking out of this ‘ice-olation’. The tears, and only the tears, have the power to melt the ice. It’s okay to cry, and there is no reason to feel ashamed of your tears. Crying helps us to let go of pain, allows us to be gentle with ourselves, and finally helps us to heal.

Osho Zen Tarot, Major Arcana - 10. Change

Life repeats itself mindlessly – unless you become mindful, it will go on repeating like a wheel. That’s why Buddhists call it the wheel of life and death, the wheel of time. It moves like a wheel: birth is followed by death, death is followed by birth; love is followed by hate, hate is followed by love; success is followed by failure, failure is followed by success.
Just see! If you can watch just for a few days, you will see a pattern emerging, a wheel pattern. One day, a fine morning, you are feeling so good and so happy, and another day you are so dull, so dead that you start thinking of committing suicide. And just the other day you were so full of life, so blissful that you were feeling thankful to God, that you were in a mood of deep gratefulness, and today there is great complaint and you don’t see the point why one should go on living…. And it goes on and on, but you don’t see the pattern. Once you see the pattern, you can get out of it.
Osho Take it Easy, Volume 1 Chapter 7

Commentary: The symbol in this card is an enormous wheel representing time, fate, karma. Galaxies spin around this constantly moving circle, and the twelve signs of the zodiac appear on its circumference. Just inside the circumference are the eight trigrams of the I Ching, and even closer to the center are the four directions, each illuminated by the energy of lightning. The spinning triangle is at this moment pointed upward, toward the divine, and the Chinese symbol of yin and yang, male and female, creative and receptive, lies at the center.
It has often been said that the only unchanging thing in the world is change itself. Life is continuously changing, evolving, dying and being reborn. All opposites play a part in this vast circular pattern. If you cling to the edge of the wheel you can get dizzy! Move toward the center of the cyclone and relax, knowing that this too will pass.

Osho Zen Tarot, Major Arcana – 0. The Fool

A fool is one who goes on trusting; a fool is one who goes on trusting against all his experience. You deceive him, and he trusts you; and you deceive him again, and he trusts you; and you deceive him again, and he trusts you. Then you will say that he is a fool, he does not learn. His trust is tremendous; his trust is so pure that nobody can corrupt it.
Be a fool in the Taoist sense, in the Zen sense. Don´t try to create a wall of knowledge around you. Whatsoever experience comes to you, let it happen, and then go on dropping it. Go on cleaning your mind continuously; go on dying to the past so you remain in the present, here-now, as if just born, just a babe.
In the beginning it is going to be very difficult. The world will start taking advantage of you…let them. They are poor fellows. Even if you are cheated and deceived and robbed, let it happen, because that which is really yours cannot be robbed from you, that which is really yours nobody can steal from you.
And each time you don´t allow situations to corrupt you, that opportunity will become an integration inside. Your soul will become more crystallized.
Osho Dang Dang Doko Dang Chapter 2

Commentary: Moment to moment, and with every step, the Fool leaves the past behind. He carries nothing more than his purity, innocence and trust, symbolized by the white rose in his hand. The pattern on his waistcoat contains the colors of all four elements of the tarot, indicating that he is in harmony with all that surrounds him. His intuition is functioning at its peak. At this moment the Fool has the support of the universe to make this jump into the unknown. Adventures await him in the river of life.
The card indicates that if you trust your intuition right now, your feeling of the ‘rightness’ of things, you cannot go wrong. Your actions may appear ‘foolish’ to others, or even to yourself, if you try to analyze them with the rational mind. But the ‘zero’ place occupied by the Fool is the numberless number where trust and innocence are the guides, not skepticism and past experience.

Tarot for am

The Creative Process spread is designed specifically to peer into the nature of a project or creative undertaking, and shine a spotlight on the evolution of its parts. The Cat People Tarot paints a picture of faraway lands trod by mystical archetypes and their feline companions. This deck is a perfect tool for dreamers and idealists, and is a great choice for divining the nature of human imagination.
 
The card in the middle represents the creative force behind the project, be it a person, organization, or other entity. Five of Pentacles (Worry): Material trouble. Destitution. Loss. Failure. Error. Impoverishment. Lover. Mis-affection.

The card on the top represents imagination – the prophetic image that stems from the creative force of the previous card to initiate the project. This is the poetry or voice of the undertaking. The Sun: Satisfaction. Accomplishment. Contentment. Success. Favorable social relationships. Love. Joy. Devotion. Unselfish sentiment. Engagement. A happy marriage. Earthly happiness. The contentment derived from extending oneself toward another human being. A good friend. High spirits. Warmth. Sincerity. The rewards of a new friendship. Pleasure derived from simple things. Liberation.

The card on the left represents emotion – the feelings aroused by or surrounding the ideation of the project that takes place in the previous card. This is the music or scent of the undertaking. Seven of Swords (Futility): New plans. Wishes. Fortitude. Perseverance. Hope. Confidence. Fantasy. Design.

The card on the bottom represents thought – the analytical process of organizing the project and capturing the emotional content of the previous card. This is the science or vision of the undertaking. Ten of Wands (Oppression): Overburdened feeling. Excessive pressures. Problems soon to be resolved. Striving to meet a goal or a certain level or position. Possibly using power for selfish ends.

The card on the right represents manifestation – the real work involved in completing the project, and the form it will take upon culmination. This is the painting or touch of the undertaking.
The Devil: Ravage. Bondage. Malevolence. Subservience. Downfall. Lack of success. Weird experience. Bad influence or advice. Black magic. Unexpected failure. Seeming inability to realize one’s goals. Dependence that leads to unhappiness. Controversy. Violence. Shock. Fatality. Temptation to evil. Regression. Self-destruction. Disaster. Astral influence. The tearing apart of one’s self-expression to such an extent that the person becomes ineffectual. An Ill-tempered person. Lack of humor except at another’s expense. Lack of principles.

PK on a rampage – scary

The One Card spread is the most concise of all spreads, intended to provide a quick take on a situation, or to reduce it to a single point of meditation. The Voodoo Tarot of New Orleans is a deck rich in primal spirituality. It draws on images from the religion Santeria, which weaves Catholic and African beliefs into a vibrant tapestry. This exceptional deck is most often used to ask questions regarding the joy, fury, and spirituality in everyday life.

Santera (Queen of Discs): The essence of earth behaving as water, such as a hot spring: A warm and generous host, providing shelter and comfort for all who would seek it. A person steadfast, practical, and domestic, able to create opulence and stability in any setting. The qualities of maturity and sensibility, coupled with an innate appreciation for nature and the material world.

he’s going on and on - fear of escalation

The Hagall spread is a tool for revealing the path of spiritual growth in difficult situations. It is a favorite of mystics and those confronting a major life challenge. The images of the Minchiate Tarot are drawn from a rare surviving 18th century deck of 97 cards – 19 more than the traditional Tarot. It is considered by many to be the single most powerful divination tool on the web, providing deep insight, rich in ancient symbolism, to any question you may pose.

The card in the middle of the circle represents the core or central issue of the situation. Earth: The established order and pattern by which the world is defined. The substance of all things, stable and resolute, resting firmly on the foundations of reality. The basis of all transactions, and hence of all value. The medium of sensual experience.

The card at the bottom of the circle represents something you did to bring the situation about. The Sun: A time of contentment and freedom from restraints. Creative inspiration. Achievement, success, and warmth. Light and love in personal or business matters. Happiness and faithfulness in a relationship.

The card at the bottom left of the circle represents your beliefs, impressions, or expectations. Queen of Wands: The essence of fire behaving as water, such as a rainbow: The natural embodiment of passion and sensuality, who is always the center of attention. One who reflects the desires and ambitions of others, and ignites them. A radiantly vital person, cocky and charismatic, who sees what she wants and goes after it.

The card at the bottom right of the circle represents the most likely outcome of the situation given present circumstances. Pisces: An imaginative and otherworldly dreamer, selfless and empathetic. Inner duality, balancing loving tolerance and righteous anger. Kindness and compassion resulting from dedicated introspection. Mysticism and uncanny intuition.

The card at the upper left of the circle represents the spiritual history of the situation the things you’ve learned. Temperance: Calm and restraint. Self-control, patience and tact in handling situations. The act of applying balanced spiritual and psychic forces to physical life.

The card at the top of the circle represents the spiritual tasks and challenges of the present situation. Aries: An adventurous pioneer, brimming with courage and enthusiasm. Love of competition and conflict. Confidence in your abilities, limitless energy, and a quick wit. The need to be the best.

The card at the upper right of the circle represents the metamorphosis of the spiritual situation, and how your knowledge will evolve. King of Cups: The essence of water behaving as air, such as a billowing cloud in the blue sky: Great maturity, endless patience, tolerance of other points of view, and a deep knowledge of human nature. One who intuitively knows the strengths of those around him, and gently cultivates them. Remaining calm and relaxed in all situations, and making artful use of diplomacy or a quiet word to resolve conflicts. The ability to listen to what another person is saying, and truly understand what is in their heart. A rewarding partner and a beloved leader.

The card at the left of the lower line represents the person or qualities that will sustain your spiritual journey. Eight of Cups (Indolence): Losing interest in a matter deeply important to you. Being forced to abandon something in which you had invested great love and devotion. Seeking earthly, physical pleasures, to the exclusion of spiritual growth and emotional fulfillment. Emotional withdrawal and lethargy.

The card in the middle of the lower line represents the qualities that you express in this circumstance. Ace of Wands: The seed of a new venture – perhaps as yet unseen. An opportunity to be met with boldness, vigor, and enthusiasm. The herald of birth, invention, or entrepreneurship. An innate and primal force released. May suggest a surge of vitality, creativity, or fertility that can set things in motion.

The card at the right of the lower line represents the person or qualities that will reveal spiritual knowledge. The Chariot: Victory through might. Advancement through bold action. Change through force. Order established through vigilance. A trying situation mastered by balancing opposing forces against each other. Discipline, individual effort and endurance will turn the tide.

He is fucking scary – he won’t quit yelling about some missing spices

The Two Paths spread provides insight into an important decision ahead of you, the possible outcomes, and the forces that draw you towards each of these outcomes. The Voodoo Tarot of New Orleans is a deck rich in primal spirituality. It draws on images from the religion Santeria, which weaves Catholic and African beliefs into a vibrant tapestry. This exceptional deck is most often used to ask questions regarding the joy, fury, and spirituality in everyday life.

The top left card represents the first possible outcome. Manman Brigitte (Three of Cups): A time of merriment and reflection spent in the company of friends and loved ones. The conclusion of a matter in plenty and perfection. The strength of a diverse community being brought together. May suggest a celebration, festival, anniversary, wedding, baby shower, or other joyous gathering.

The top right card represents the second possible outcome. Legba (Six of Swords): Trusting in intelligence and intuition and setting off into the unknown. Leaving an untenable situation and charting a new course. Passage from difficulty and progress towards a solution. The road to recovery. Travel and exploration.

The middle left card represents the force drawing you towards the first possible outcome. Ayida Wedo (Ace of Cups): The seed of a new relationship or spiritual journey – perhaps as yet unseen. An opportunity for joy, contentment, fertility, or enlightenment. Coming to understand the emotional needs of those around you. May represent an unexpected message, a chance meeting, or the start of a friendship or romance.

The middle right card represents the force drawing you towards the second possible outcome. Simbi (Eight of Swords): Chagrin at the unforeseen consequences of prior decisions. Criticism, censure, and the imposition of external restrictions. Confusion leading to powerlessness. Inability to focus on the crux of a problem and free oneself from a difficult situation. Being hamstrung by a past failure or humiliation.

The bottom card represents the critical factor that decides what will come to pass. Les Morts (Death): A major change or transformation, possibly traumatic and unexpected. Freedom from the shackles of the past. A new beginning. Death coupled with rebirth, usually related to consciousness and lifestyle.

The Fourfold Vision spread offers a progression of different ways of looking at an object, person, or situation. It is a powerful tool for gaining deeper insight into the specific subjects of other readings. The Renaissance Tarot is a modern deck, with symbolism drawn from the heroic age and rendered in renaissance style. This deck is an excellent choice for exploring questions of passion, mastery, and the inner workings of human reason.

The card on the far right represents the object being viewed, be it an idea, relationship, or the self. Knight of Cups: A person of turbulent, poetic, romantic cast. An opportunity or favorable event in the near future. Deep feeling transformed into verse, music or visions.

The card second from the right represents the physical vision: how the object is seen at a base or mechanical level. Three of Staves (Virtue): Achievement attained after a long chase. A rare and glowing prize.

The card in the middle represents the mental vision: the object personified and seen through a humanized perspective. Six of Staves (Victory): Triumph over great difficulties. A glorious victory. "If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again."

The card second from the left represents the emotional vision: how passions and values are creatively stimulated by the mental vision. Nine of Staves (Strength): Attempted betrayal in the guise of aid. Hidden enemies, risk and conflict.

The card on the far left represents the fourfold or mystical vision: still viewing through the previous three, we now add a spiritual element, revealing unseen aspects of the object. Ten of Cups (Satiety): The union of love and the soul. Happiness in love. Balance in friendship. Joyful equanimity in oneself.

I tried telling, leaving; still I’m in bondage

The Relationship spread provides insight into the interaction between two people or entities. It is the spread of choice for questions about partnerships, be they in romance or business. The Aquatic Tarot is a modern watercolor interpretation of the classic Rider Waite symbolism. It is rapidly becoming one of the most popular decks, due to both its spectacular beauty and its traditional imagery.

The card at the top left represents how you see yourself. Queen of Pentacles: The essence of earth behaving as water, such as a hot spring: A warm and generous host, providing shelter and comfort for all who would seek it. A person steadfast, practical, and domestic, able to create opulence and stability in any setting. The qualities of maturity and sensibility, coupled with an innate appreciation for nature and the material world.

The card at the top right represents how you see your partner. The Tower: Unforeseen catastrophe. An abrupt change, perhaps leading to a new lifestyle and enlightenment. May indicate a broken relationship, divorce, or failure in business or career.

The card in the center left represents how you feel about your partner. The Hierophant: Faith in tradition and the old school. A justified and ancient source of power. Being supportive, sympathetic and loyal. Receiving instructions, learning, guidance or inspiration. The ability to hear a higher or inner voice. May also indicate a religious ritual, such as a marriage or an initiation.

The card in the center right represents what stands between you and your partner. The Fool: Fearlessness, imagination, open-mindedness, and an adventurous spirit. Freedom from cares and worries. Ideas, thoughts, and impulses coming from a completely unexpected place. Nonchalance at the threshold of gaining all or losing all. Extravagance and intoxication with life. The pure and undifferentiated power of creation itself, where ultimate knowledge and oblivion are unified.

The card in the lower left represents how your partner sees you. The Devil: Being seduced by the material world and physical pleasures. Lust for and obsession with money and power. Living in fear, domination and bondage. Being caged by an overabundance of luxury. Discretion should be used in personal and business matters.

The card in the lower right represents what your partner feels about you. Judgement: A swift and conclusive decision. The resolution of a matter long unanswered. A change in point of view, most frequently towards greater enlightenment. Final balancing of karma.

The card in the center represents the present status or challenge of the relationship. Six of Pentacles (Success): A time of prosperity and profit. Success and generosity in material things. Power and influence turned to noble pursuits. Philanthropy, and the balancing of physical and spiritual life. May suggest gifts or aid to one in need.

I warned Joaquin; my death is on his head

The Hagall spread is a tool for revealing the path of spiritual growth in difficult situations. It is a favorite of mystics and those confronting a major life challenge. The Golden Tarot is a modern celebration of late medieval artwork. This deck is the choice of scholars, for it evokes images of elegance amid barbarism, and the light of virtue in dark times.

The card in the middle of the circle represents the core or central issue of the situation. Death: A major change or transformation, possibly traumatic and unexpected. Freedom from the shackles of the past. A new beginning. Death coupled with rebirth, usually related to consciousness and lifestyle.

The card at the bottom of the circle represents something you did to bring the situation about. Queen of Swords: The essence of air behaving as water, such as a refreshing mist: A person gifted with both keen logic and natural intuition, giving them uncanny powers of perception and insight. One who easily sees past deception and confusion to the heart of a matter, and understands both sides of any argument. The embodiment of calm, forthrightness, and wit, in the face of even the most trying circumstances.

The card at the bottom left of the circle represents your beliefs, impressions, or expectations. Seven of Swords (Futility): An opportunity to withdraw from a hopeless situation and fight another day. Disengagement from a struggle you should never have been involved in. A desperate attempt to resolve a matter without conflict. The use of cleverness or outright deception to turn the tide in your favor.

The card at the bottom right of the circle represents the most likely outcome of the situation given present circumstances. Nine of Cups (Happiness): Contentment and satisfaction in romance, friendship, or other relationships. Achieving your deepest desires and savoring beauty and sensual pleasures. A state of joy and abundance radiating fulfillment and bliss.

The card at the upper left of the circle represents the spiritual history of the situation the things you’ve learned. The High Priestess: A pure, exalted and gracious influence. Education, knowledge, wisdom, and esoteric teachings. The forces of nature. Intuition, foresight, and spiritual revelation of the most mysterious and arcane sort.

The card at the top of the circle represents the spiritual tasks and challenges of the present situation. Three of Swords (Sorrow): Unsettling news leading to heartbreak or loneliness. Tactless or hurtful words. Acting without consideration for the emotions of others. Betrayal of trust or confidence. The revelation of a painful truth.

The card at the upper right of the circle represents the metamorphosis of the spiritual situation, and how your knowledge will evolve. Knight of Swords: The essence of air behaving as fire, such as a tornado: A fearless and skillful warrior, unfettered by emotion or material concerns. One able to boldly take on challenges that others consider terrifying or insurmountable. A person who inspires fear and awe through the purity of their purpose and the intensity of their intellect. Speaking frankly, in an outspoken manner, and with great influence. May portend the swift initiation or conclusion of a conflict, through the decisive invocation of force.

The card at the left of the lower line represents the person or qualities that will sustain your spiritual journey. The Hermit: Withdrawal from events and relationship to introspect and gather strength. Seeking the inner voice or calling upon vision from within. A need of understanding and advice, or a wise man who will offer knowing guidance. Personal experience and thoughtful temperance.

The card in the middle of the lower line represents the qualities that you express in this circumstance. King of Coins: The essence of earth behaving as air, such as a diamond: A true businessman, with a gift for identifying opportunities and taking advantage of them. A person well informed about the world, skilled in all things physical, and eager to encourage others. A pillar of practicality and dependability, embracing tried and tested methods, and possessing an innate understanding of the material reality. A philanthropist and devotee of both luxury and hard work, whose word is as good as gold.

The card at the right of the lower line represents the person or qualities that will reveal spiritual knowledge. The Hierophant: Faith in tradition and the old school. A justified and ancient source of power. Being supportive, sympathetic and loyal. Receiving instructions, learning, guidance or inspiration. The ability to hear a higher or inner voice. May also indicate a religious ritual, such as a marriage or an initiation.

The Full Moon in Capricorn is exact on Saturday, June 30, at 6:49 am PDT. Here’s a little something I dashed off for the occasion:

The Gifts of Our Fathers

by April Elliott Kent

One beautiful afternoon last week, I suddenly found that I couldn’t bear being inside for another moment. I grabbed a hat and headed out to the back yard. It’s a mess out there; we’ve been renovating our old garage for months (we joke that the only thing keeping it together is the termites holding hands) and half of its contents – along with thistles and weeds – have overtaken our back yard. An orderly person, I was beginning to feel desperate and panicky every time I walked out the back door. So while I was outside I decided to tackle the mess. I started pulling weeds, and within an hour I’d filled three trash cans and was sweating, tired, and completely happy.

Whenever I spend time up to my knuckles in dirt it’s as though part of me has come home. I’m the daughter of a Capricorn farmer who was blissfully happy spending hot, humid summer afternoons in absolute solitude, meditatively traversing his acres aboard a tractor. But even in the early 1960s small farms were struggling, so he also drove our school bus – "to support his farming habit," my mom liked to say. He did whatever he had to do to make a go of his farming while supporting his family, working long hours and odd jobs. He even tried to make farmers of my reluctant brothers, who made it clear they had other plans for their futures.

I know many astrologers, artists, writers, and metaphysical practitioners, myself included, can relate to this idea of supporting our vocational "habits" with other sources of income. We devote long hours and much love to our work, usually for little money compared to what we might earn in a regular job. Many years after becoming a professional astrologer, much of my earnings still come from side enterprises such as my web design business. If someone asks me what I do for a living, though, I always answer that I’m an astrologer – because regardless of how much I earn from that work, that’s how I think of myself.

I suppose this stubborn determination to support my astrology habit is a legacy from my father. In his quiet way, Dad demonstrated that dedication to the work you love – and not how you earn your money – is what defines your vocation and makes you a success. Reading a recent installment of Cary Tennis’ advice column at Salon.com reminded me of this. A reader wrote in to complain that after many years of struggling to make a living as a musician, his art still didn’t support him financially. Cary reminded him that earning money from other sources wouldn’t make him any less a musician. "Maybe," Tennis wrote, "it’s time for you to support your art for awhile." And as my dad demonstrated, that’s true – sometimes, we have to be good fathers to our work and support our vocations, rather than the other way around.

This month’s Full Moon chart features Venus, goddess of money and relationships, almost exactly opposed idealistic Neptune and nearing a conjunction with Saturn. If you’ve been struggling financially, or feeling like a failure because the work you love doesn’t pay enough, it may be time to let go of illusions and take a more realistic view of money’s role in your vocational happiness. Take a closer look, too, at your relationships. The dark side of Capricorn’s tenacity is a certain ruthless singlemindedness, and our bonds with others often suffer when we give too much to our work, sacrificing the soft, Cancerian shapes of domestic pleasure. With Venus opposed Neptune and conjunct Saturn, we have the opportunity to recognize which of our relationships were built on shifting, sandy soil and to embrace those that were founded on enduring bedrock.

When the Sun is moving through tender Cancer, we grow nostalgic for childhood summers, ice cream trucks, and the safety of our mother’s protective embrace. But it’s all too easy to stay nestled in her arms for too long instead of venturing out of your shell and tackling the world. At some point, Cancer’s baby must leave the tidepool and learn to fend for herself. Teaching us how to take care of ourselves was dad’s job, and the Capricorn Full Moon reveals how well those lessons were learned. Dad may have been loving, cruel, or absent; successful or a failure. But his example undoubtedly informed your values and visions about your place in the world.

Perhaps like my back yard, your vocational garden has been overrun with a chaotic tangle of weeds, or maybe you’ve been tending the wrong garden altogether. At this Capricorn Full Moon, it’s time to nurture your ambitions just as you nurture your pets, plants, and loved ones. Let us be thankful for the gifts of our Capricornian fathers and honor them by claiming our true vocations and defining our personal visions of success. Let us be frugal stewards of the earth’s bounty and steady friends and lovers upon whom others can rely. And let us tend our gardens well – pulling weeds, clearing away what isn’t needed, and being willing to get our hands dirty.

© 2007 April Elliott Kent
All rights reserved

May 7, 2007
Compassionate Space
Gemini Daily Horoscope

Your sensitivity to the emotional states of other people could make you feel empathy today, which may be because you can see the struggles that others encounter and can easily relate to them. Try to recognize that the emotions you are picking up on are a constant in the world around you. By cultivating compassion in a healthy and positive way, you will find it easier to process the feelings you are receiving. Perhaps trying a meditation to generate compassion for all beings could help you today. While meditating, for each inhalation you can imagine that the emotions you receive are entering you. As you exhale, picture an unlimited amount of unconditional love enveloping the feelings you have, experience, or see in others. Doing this may help you transform these emotions in a positive and healing way.
Learning how to filter the emotions we receive from others allows us to generate compassion but through a strong and healthy heart. Unless we find a way to alter the energetic nature of what we pick up, we might find that others’ feelings become embedded in our own selves. Although being sensitive to other people is a positive thing, it is also equally essential that we find nourishing means to hold others in compassion with open hearts and without taking on their struggles. Finding a positive way to sort out the feelings you get from other people will allow you to create a space in your heart for infinite understanding and empathy today.

May 1, 2007
Gemini Daily Horoscope

Your thoughts may be focused completely on accomplishing your duties, which may make you feel more reliable and trustworthy today. Perhaps knowing that once you get everything done you will be able to relax more fully and enjoy your free time is providing a greater incentive to tend to your responsibilities. While being focused is an important part of this, you may wish to take a few short breaks to recuperate and reenergize throughout the day today. Maybe every hour or so, you can stretch and walk around for few minutes taking deep, refreshing, and healing abdominal breaths as you do. This can bring new energy into your being and help you focus more deeply in the next hour to come.
It is important to take short breaks, particularly when we wish to attend to our duties fully. Even though it may seem that a break is a distraction, in fact, it gives us time to recharge our energy. By just quieting our minds for even a few moments, we are able to bring a greater amount of focus to our work in the moments to come. Simple stretches and deep breaths bring oxygen to our muscles, infusing us with new energy and relaxing any physical tension we may have enough to get back into the flow of our work. Taking healing breaks during the day will help you concentrate on your tasks with greater awareness and motivation today.

Cause, Effect, And Transformation ~ Feeling Depleted
May 1, 2007

There are times in our lives when it seems our bodies are running on empty. We are not sick, nor are we necessarily pushing ourselves to the limit-rather, the energy we typical enjoy has mysteriously dissipated, leaving only fatigue. Many people grow accustomed to feeling this way because they do not know that it is possible to exist in any other state. The body’s natural state, however, is one of energy, clarity, and balance. Cultivating these virtues in our own bodies so that we can combat feelings of depletion is a matter of developing a refined awareness of the self and then making changes based on our observations.
A few scant moments of focused self-examination in which you assess your recent schedule, diet, and general health may help you zero in on the factors causing your depletion. If you are struggling to cope with an overfull agenda, prioritization can provide you with more time to sleep and otherwise refresh yourself. Switching to a diet containing plenty of nutritious foods may serve to restore your vigor, especially when augmented by supplements like B vitamins or ginseng. Consider, too, that a visit to a healer or homeopath will likely provide you with wonderful insights into your tiredness. But identifying the source of your exhaustion will occasionally be more complicated than spotting a void in your lifestyle and filling it with some form of literal nourishment. Since your earthly and ethereal forms are so intimately entwined, matters of the mind and heart can take their toll on your physical self. Intense emotions such as anger, sadness, jealousy, and regret need fuel to manifest in your consciousness, and this fuel is more often than not corporeal energy. Conversely, a lack of mental and emotional stimulation may leave you feeling listless and lethargic.
Coping with and healing physical depletion will be easier when you accept that the underlying cause might be more complex than you at first imagined. A harried lifestyle or a diet low in vital nutrients can represent only one part of a larger issue affecting your mood, stamina, and energy levels. When you believe that you are ultimately in control of how you feel, you will be empowered to transform yourself and your day-to-day life so that lasting fatigue can no longer gain a foothold in your existence.

April 28, 2007
Gemini Daily Horoscope

You may feel like remaining true to what you believe in, which could make you more defiant when interacting with authority figures today. Your willingness to assert yourself may cause you to dig in your heels, and you might appear more unbending than you actually are. Perhaps today you can make a point to be more aware of how your opinions sound to others. Even if you feel you need to get your point across, you might wish to think about how to frame your thoughts before saying them, maybe even playing out the conversation in your mind beforehand. Just being able to take a moment to craft your ideas could make it easier for you to say what you really feel is important, but in a way that will make others more receptive to your thoughts.
Thinking before speaking allows us to consider the feelings of the people we interact with. While it may be difficult to do so at first, unless we truly take some times to formulate our ideas, our words may come out sounding harsh or perhaps even uncaring. Other people will be more willing to listen to what we have to say—and this even includes criticism—when we are cognizant of how our ideas will be received. Our feelings will be recognized once we recognize those of others. Speaking with awareness will help you stay firm but also allow you to get your ideas across effectively today.

April 27, 2007
Gemini Daily Horoscope

You may feel grounded and stable today, which could be because you are more settled into a domestic routine. Having a set schedule and place to be might give you a greater sense of security and could make you feel more comfortable with your life and the way it is going. Perhaps taking some time to nest today would be a good way for you to appreciate more deeply the benefits that your home life has for you. Nesting means spending time creating a living environment that is comfortable and homey—a place where you can relax and simply be yourself. By doing so, you may notice that the more effort you make to inhabit your private personal space more fully, the more you recognize how full your life truly is.
Our home life is a large, wondrous, and centering part of our lives, and creating a haven to retreat to means that we have a safe place to collect our thoughts and recuperate from the busy-ness of the outside world. When we make a space that is secure and grounded, we call that type of energy into the rest of our lives. Settling down doesn’t mean shutting ourselves off from the rest of the world; instead it is a way in which we allow ourselves a means to be rooted in a protected and healing place that we can call our own. By developing a space that makes you feel grounded today, you will always have a retreat.

April 27, 2007

As earthbound beings, humans have always had a fascination with winged creatures of all kinds. The idea of being able to spontaneously lift off from the earth and fly is so compelling to us that we invented airplanes and helicopters and myriad other flying machines in order to provide ourselves with the many gifts of being airborne. Flying high in the sky, we look down on the earth that is our home and see things from an entirely different perspective. We can see more, and we can see farther than we can when we’re on the ground. As if all this weren’t enough, the out-of-this-world feeling of freedom that comes with groundlessness inspires us to want to take flight again and again.
Metaphorically, we take flight whenever we break free of the gravity that holds us to a particular way of thinking or feeling or being. We take flight mentally when we rise above our habitual ways of thinking about things and experience new insights. This is what it means to open our minds. Emotionally, we take flight when the strength of our passion exceeds the strength of our blockages; the floodgates open and we are free to feel fully. Spiritually we take flight when we locate that part of ourselves that is beyond the constraint of linear time and the world of form. It is in this place that we experience the essential boundlessness that defines the experience of flight.
Taking flight is always about freeing ourselves from form, if only temporarily. When we literally fly, in a plane or on a hang glider, we free ourselves from the strength of gravity’s pull. As we open our minds and our hearts, we free ourselves from habitual patterns of thought and emotional blockages. As we remember our true nature, we free ourselves from identification with the temporary state of our physical forms. The more we stretch our wings, the clearer it becomes that taking flight is a state of grace that simply reminds us of who we really are.

April 25, 2007

When we feel pain, our first impulse is often to eradicate it with medication. This is an understandable response, but sometimes in our hurry to get rid of pain, we forget that it is the body’s way of letting us know that it needs our attention. A headache can inform us that we’re hungry or stressed just as a sore throat might be telling us that we need to rest our voice. If we override these messages instead of respond to them, we risk worsening our condition. In addition, we create a feeling of disconnectedness between our minds and our bodies.
Physical pain is not the only kind of pain that lets us know our attention is needed. Emotional pain provides us with valuable information about the state of our psyche, letting us know that we have been affected by something and that we would do well to focus our awareness inward. Just as we tend to a cut on our arm by cleaning and bandaging it, we treat a broken heart by surrounding ourselves with love and support. In both cases, if we listen to our pain we will know what to do to heal ourselves. It’s natural to want to resist pain, but once we understand that it is here to give us valuable information, we can relax a bit more, and take a moment to listen before we reach for medication. Sometimes this is enough to noticeably reduce the pain, because its message has been heard. Perhaps we seek to medicate pain because we fear that if we don’t, it will never go away. It can be empowering to realize that, at least some of the time, it is just a matter of listening and responding.
The next time you feel pain, either physical or emotional, you might want to try listening to your own intuition about how to relieve your pain. Maybe taking a few deep breaths will put an end to that headache. Perhaps writing in your journal about hurt feelings will ease your heart. Ultimately, the message of pain is all about healing.

April 24, 2007
Gemini Daily Horoscope

You may feel hesitant about your influence in the professional world today, which could mean that you might proceed with greater caution. While being conservative in your decisions can be a prudent course of action, you may wish to examine the underlying cause of your carefulness and ask yourself why you feel uncertain about the world around you. You may, for example, ask yourself if it is your uncertainty about others or your lack of faith in yourself that makes you more cautious today. Once you have some insight into this, you might take a few minutes to remind yourself that you have the potential to succeed in whatever you do. Cultivating greater trust in your own power and abilities might make it easier for you to go into the world with a greater amount of certainty and assurance that things will work out well.
Understanding our personal capabilities gives us more confidence in our ability to make decisions and navigate the intricacies of the world at large. Being hesitant about ourselves will often manifest things that are, in essence, self-fulfilling prophesies for our uncertainty means that we act tentatively. When we recognize that we have gifts that make us unique, however, we are more likely do what is best for us and enter into the professional world with more self-assurance and faith in what we are able to achieve. By having faith in yourself today, you will make firm and strong decisions by asserting your power in a positive and affirmative way.