In the case of Amy Winehouse, and all those other gifted artists who’ve struggled with and died from addition, it’s a tragic connection.

The planet in question is Neptune.

Neptune is about transcendence. That is, the arts that distract, inspire and enchant us. Escape from everyday life. This applies especially to music – from punk to ballads to classical.

Neptune also has dominion over transcendent practices, in particular activities such as meditation, which create distance between us and life’s suffering and burdens.

And it is associated with all those substances that create that distance chemically, from prescription drugs and anaesthetics to recreational and addictive drugs, and alcohol, too.

Thus the link undeniable link between the musicians and, on one hand, the mystical realms and their gurus, and on the other, those mind altering – and addictive – substances.

While pursuing the former requires a certain dedication and discipline, the latter offers an escape, from duty, from life’s obligations, from the confusion that comes with fame. And for some, from life itself.
Neptune can be overwhelming.

The solution? Astrologically it’s the planet Saturn. Discipline. Order. Responsibility. Structure.

This is the reason most rehab and recovery programs are so intensely prescriptive. Each day’s activities are ordered, with meetings to attend, sponsors to be reported to. They provide the structure these Neptune-led artists lack.

For many it works. Brilliantly.

But Neptune also can morph, changing form, seducing the addict in new ways – just as a dangerous lover appears with new promises. With each, seductive lovers or drugs, saying yes is far easier than no.

It’s been noted that Amy Winehouse was one of many hugely talented, and deeply addicted, individuals who departed at the age of 27.

At the age of 28 that planet of discipline, Saturn, returns to the place it was when an individual was born. This applies to everybody. It’s often referred to as ‘the Saturn return.’ For most this constitutes a crisis of identity, usually involving work, balancing the personal and professional or reconsidering life’s ambition. But for those who’re addicted, it’s facing the fact that the ‘great seducer’, Neptune, will have to be tamed – controlled – and using unsympathetic but effective Saturnine discipline. It’s tough. A sort of life boot camp. One that means of facing up to and dealing with challenges head on. No excuses.

And some souls, gifted as they may be, on some deep level aren’t ready for the necessary discipline. So, rather than face it, they depart.

Others do face it, and learn to find joy in combining their magical talents with discipline. They are reborn, in the sense they undertake a new way of living. And of those who couldn’t – those who believe in reincarnation would say they’ll come back, to try again.

So, although the signs are based on the constellations, their dates are determined by the seasons. The first moment of spring is the beginning of Aries, summer, Cancer and so on. So the recent “discovery” of a 13th sign was nothing new. The constellation Ophiuchus has been there as long as all the others. The problem? Astronomers – scientists – pretending they know about astrology. They made the incorrect assumption that the signs are based on the actual shape of the constellations in the heavens. Examine a map and it’s immediately clear they are uneven. It’s true, Ophiuchus is partially wedged between Scorpio and Sagittarius. But other constellations sit between many other signs.

The fact is. The signs are derived from the dates, always were and always will be. The astronomers in question should apologize for causing so much confusion. Since they’re unlikely to, it remains for me to say, everybody can now relax. They were wrong – and you are the sign you always were.

With the New Moon in Scorpio coming on November 6, many of us have started to experience increasing intensity of our emotions. From sadness, depression, and regret to anger, anxiety, and all those other not so fun emotions, this New Moon is all about facing the darkness within so you can grow stronger and more satisfied with your life. While this process doesn’t exactly sound a joy ride, it’s a crucial part of transformation. Many of us have experienced new possibilities in our lives—and even within ourselves—with last month’s New Moon in Libra. Now with this New Moon in Scorpio, we have the opportunity to deepen the transformation by getting rid of negative patterns of emotions or habits that keep us from obtaining our goals and dreams.

As I’ve talked with clients over the last week, I’ve noticed a theme of emotional exhaustion. Ups and downs are getting the better of us and interfering with our relationships and work. As we gear up for the holiday season, family troubles have also been coming up for many of us. For example, earlier this week I spoke with one client who felt she was drowning in an array of conflicting emotions stemming from family problems. Her brother has been having difficulties, and even though he is a full-fledged adult with his own life, my client’s life had been turned upside down. She expressed dismay that even though she rationally knew that she couldn’t single-handedly change her brother’s situation, she also couldn’t seem to let it go. Whereas she was usually always serene and detached, she said that over the past week she felt that she was riding an overwhelming roller-coaster of emotions. It all made sense when I told her about this New Moon.

This New Moon in Scorpio pushes us into that vast landscape within, which is sometimes full of hidden darkness and emotions we didn’t even know were there, but is also full of great potential for healing. Scorpio is a sign that seeks out buried reservoirs of energy that can then be turned into power. Think of what it’s like to finally release something that’s dogged you for many years. Your energy is suddenly freed up and you can channel it into new endeavors. Scorpio gives you the opportunity to look deep inside yourself, to question what is important in your life and to strip away or reinvent anything that is no longer serving you. It’s all about letting go. The more you hang on to old stuff, the more difficult, intense, or bogged down things become. If you embrace the changes that are being asked of you, you will make room for new possibilities. If you’d like to learn more about the particulars of this New Moon, I’ll be sharing more insight in my Wisdom Circle seminar on Monday November 8th.

Our paths aren’t always easy, but things are always in flow from one moment to the next. This too shall pass. In each moment, we have a choice of how to react and where to put our energy. When we allow ourselves to get caught up in the emotional intensity, we only feed the cycle; we disconnect from the Divine and our intuition, and step off our highest path in life. On the other hand, when we make the choice to step away from the intensity, we reconnect with Spirit and our higher callings. We also set the stage for inner and outer transformation.

So, back to my client. I had her do the exercise I’m about to share with you. She emailed me last night saying that she did the exercise a few days ago and is astounded at the shift she’s experienced since.

As we get closer to the holidays, I’ll be doing a series of blogs on family and navigating the ups and downs of your close relationships. So, stay tuned!

Remember, this too shall pass!

Exercise: Put the intensity on ice!

When we’re in the midst of intense emotions, we need to slow things down in order to gain the clarity we need to move forward. Brooding, ruminating, or eating a tub of ice cream doesn’t help! So, this week, take these two steps to put the intensity on ice, both literally and symbolically.

Step 1:

Meditate on any struggles or strong feelings you’re experiencing at this time. Then get a piece of paper and write down a sentence for each issue or you can even draw a symbol to represent it. Next fill a paper cup with water, put your pieces of paper in the cup, and then put it all in the freezer. Over the next few hours, your struggles will crystallize as the water turns to ice and the molecules slow down.

Step 2:

Take a time out! Rather than let the emotional intensity isolate you, take a break from the problem.Get out of your mind and into your body. Do something physical. For example; go for a walk, go for a run, swim, hike, play a sport, play your Xbox or Wii. The idea is to move out of your mind and into your body. And if you can’t do any of these things, then go for the old standards; take a bath, watch a movie, read a book, go to lunch with a friend, visit a local park, or try a new activity.

I’d love to hear your comments on your experiences with letting go of struggles and the New Moon in Scorpio!

And please, if you found this information useful, then spread the love and use the Share This link below to share this post with people you know, facebook or twitter.

Become part of our wonderful community with a monthly draw for a free 15 minute reading with Colette, our newsletter, and so many giveaways. Go to the HOME page and join now!

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Did you notice a shift last weekend? I sure did. From all the frustrations, chaos, and broken appliances of Mercury Retrograde, there’s now a calm and practical energy in the air. With the New Moon in Virgo on September 8 and the ending of the retrograde, the stage has been set for clearing out what’s no longer in your highest good and bringing your ultimate goals into the light.

This Mercury Retrograde was a one that many of us couldn’t be bribed to relive. In fact, for many of us, the entire last three months have been chaotic and frustrating. While summer is usually a time of lightness and relaxation, this year brought big changes, fears, anger, and sadness for many of us. A lot of things you hoped for may not have panned out. Even on a global scale, we’ve had a rough few months. But, the chaos has been the ultimate cleanser and we have positive energy in store for the next three months. Hip, hip hooray! (Hmm… I don’t think I’ve ever used the term “hip hip hooray.” See, I’m practically jumping up and down—that is just how excited I am about the next few months.)

When the moon is new, the Sun and Moon are aligned in the same sign, and a powerful energy portal is opened. New Moons are a great time to set intentions for things you’d like to create, develop, cultivate, make manifest. In fact, I always teach my Wisdom Circle online interactive seminars around each New Moon because the energies provide us with a powerful blank page to start a new cycle. We just came out of the energy of Leo, which was about ego, creativity, and fire. Now, with the new moon in Virgo, it’s time to put things in order, purify, build foundations, and focus on your body and nature. It’s as if our creative fire got stoked with Leo and now we’re going to put it in the earth with Virgo. We’ll also start to see more fairness emerge as we move toward the next new moon on October 7, which is in Libra.

The New Moon in Virgo works to create order out of disarray. Stuff that needs to go can be swept away and replaced with what’s in your highest good. In fact, to fully make the most of this time, it’s important to say no to what isn’t in your highest good. Remember, that what is yours will not go past you. If you intuitively know that something isn’t right for you, let it go and trust that Spirit has something better in mind. With this energy, it’s also the perfect time to earth your creativity and passions and make your dreams real by taking practical steps. For example, take one step each day towards an ultimate goal. It’s also very important to center yourself every day so you can connect with your intuition and Spirit. In fact, pay close attention to Spirit messages that come to you through the earth. With this energy, nature is going to talk to you. In fact, you may want to look at the sacred sign bearers dictionary in my book Messages From Spirit for insight into some of the messages in nature.

Exercise:

Before you start these meditations, it’s good to do the grounding meditation first so you can better ground your energy. This meditation is available on my website here.

Sit in a comfortable and quiet place as you do both of these meditations for earthing your creativity.

Get Grounded and Prune Your Life:

Imagine your feet a reach deep into the earth. Imagine there’s an invisible lights shooting from your feet into the earth. Imagine it circulates and keeps your grounded.

Now, imagine now that you’re a tree.

What kind of tree you are? How wide is your trunk? Put your hands out a bit to the side and imagine that you have all these branches.

The strongest branches, the ones that are fed by the life force energy that comes from deep within mother earth and the divinity, send up this incredible energy through you because you are here for a specific purpose. Now that purpose doesn’t have to be your job—it’s to express your divine light to the world. It doesn’t matter what form it takes.

Just imagine all of this light and life force energy is pushing up through you. The biggest and strongest branches truly embody your greatest dreams.

If you look at those other braches, you’ll start to see a lot of activity and rustling among them.

This tree needs to be pruned—that’s what we’re doing in this Virgo energy. Imagine an incredible wind blows and all the dead leaves and braches are taken away. Imagine a gentle gardener appears in the form of a wise old woman. She comes with pruning sheers and helps clean it all away.

Start every day this week with this exercise. Imagine yourself as the tree, to remind you that no growth can come without pruning. Remember your tree cannot be uprooted. It’s all about strength, conviction, and integrity.

Sweep Away the Cobwebs and Tap into Your Inner Oracle:

Imagine that you’re in a room. This room represents your life. Let your imagination show you the room. Look around—what does this room look like? Allow your mind to wander. This room represents what your life is like right now. There might be clutter, cobwebs, etc.

Now imagine a magical broom arrives. In your mind, let this broom sweep around and around. How does this feel? Picture the room becoming clean as the extra stuff is swept away and everything becomes more simplified and organized. Imagine how you feel.

Now imagine there’s a desk with a beautiful blank journal. See yourself putting your name on top of that journal. And imagine this journal glows. Without you doing anything, Spirit writes your destiny in this living, light-filled journal. It could be a word or a sentence or a symbol. See what Spirit has to say to you. Your inner oracle will speak to you.

Ask this magical journal: What is true about my longstanding dream? What is the essence of it?

Open your eyes. What was your message?

*******

I recommend you do these exercises every day for the next two weeks to help you tap into the new moon in Virgo energy.

First, imagine your tree and prune it. This will help you get grounded and centered. Then visualize your magical broom sweeping your room. (This is fun to imagine while listening to your favorite music.) Then ask Spirit for a message in your living journal. (You can also get an oracle card for more insight into your message.)

And, please share your experiences!

And, I’d love to have you join me each month for my Wisdom Circle seminar. For more details, click here.

In service and love,

And please, if you found this information useful, then spread the love and use the Share This link below to share this post with people you know, facebook or twitter.

Become part of our wonderful community with a monthly draw for a free 15 minute reading with Colette, our newsletter, and so many giveaways. Go to the HOME page and join now!

.

If you would like to see more of Debra’s work, visit her YouTube Channel

]]> http://www.colettebaronreid.com/blog/astrology101/virgo-aug-23-22-analyst/feed/ 3 http://www.colettebaronreid.com/blog/new-thought/intuition-101-making-mercury-retrograde/ http://www.colettebaronreid.com/blog/new-thought/intuition-101-making-mercury-retrograde/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:49:29 +0000 Colette Baron-Reid http://www.colettebaronreid.com/blog/?p=2779 It’s that time again… Mercury Retrograde! If you just got frazzled at the mention of this planetary cycle, take a deep breath. Today I’m going to share my insight into the Retrograde and help you make the most of the next three weeks.

From August 20 through September 12, Mercury is retrograde at Virgo, the sign of fine-tuning. Mercury Retrograde happens three to four times per year, when the planet Mercury slows down and appears to stop and move backward. It’s an optical illusion, since there is forward movement, like speeding by a slow-moving train—as it recedes, it appears to go backward. The purpose of Mercury Retrograde is to review and revise our life and our connection with reality. In many ways, this time helps us prepare for the future by propelling us to re-align and re-evaluate our plans and ideas. Since Mercury rules communication, things most often go haywire in that area—computers go on the fritz, miscommunications abound, and the internet goes down. For example, right before my radio show yesterday, the internet went out in my house! Of course, we worked through it and the show went on, but frustrating things like this are common during the Retrograde. Communication impacts almost all areas of our lives, whether business, relationships, or health. So Mercury Retrograde can be a powerful and frustrating time.

Generally, retrograde planets present us with a series of events over which we seem to have little or no control, relating to the sign in which the retrograde occurs. For example, this Mercury Retrograde in Virgo presents different conditions from a Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn, which will happen in December. Virgo is an earth sign and often considered detail oriented, methodical, analytical, quiet, perfectionistic/critical, and work focused. So this retrograde is likely to bring up details in all areas—for example, past problems you need to reevaluate and let go of, business errors that need to be corrected, or details that need to be taken care of for the future. It’s a great time to tie up loose ends, go over things again and again, and read the fine print. It’s also important to be clear in your communication and not take any thing that’s said to you to heart. Minor frustrations may add up, especially in the work place. Delays are also common during any Mercury Retrograde—so give yourself extra time.

Ultimately, the next three weeks are time to focus on words that start with “Re”: review the details (even the small ones), reassess what’s happening in your life, relate to others in a clear manner, rest and relax (even in the midst of a frustration), and rejoice in the good fortune in your life now.

Exercise:

Review the details of your life! Take some time to journal today about everything that’s happening in your life now. What do you need to let go of? What things have you been putting off? What are you most thankful for? I also recommend doing some of the journal exercises in my book, Remembering the Future.

Create a new calming ritual for this retrograde. Perhaps you’ll commit to sitting quietly by a tree each morning or eating breakfast in bed. Or, you might decide to take a bath or go for a walk each night. Just choose something to commit to doing for the next three weeks that will help you stay grounded and at peace. If you’re “too busy” slow down, breathe. Make order in your home as a ritual exercise, breathing slowly repeating the affirmation “ all is well, all is well.” You’ll be amazed at how great you’ll feel.

And, I’d love to hear your thoughts on Mercury Retrograde. Please share them with us!

In service and love,

And please, if you found this information useful, then spread the love and use the Share This link below to share this post with people you know, facebook or twitter.

Become part of our wonderful community with a monthly draw for a free 15 minute reading with Colette, our newsletter, and so many giveaways. Go to the HOME page and join now!

.

Uranus is about breakthroughs. In a house, you’d be breaking down the wall between the reception room and kitchen to make a new space – and that would lead to a new way of life. With the accompanying dust and disruption. And the discovery of new, and better, ways of doing things.

So when Uranus’ move into a new sign means things get a bit chaotic in the world, in the lives of others and in your own life, recognise these events not as an annoying disruption but as leading to something that, quite simply, you have never before experienced.

Every sign responds to a cycle of this nature, and the accompanying events, differently. Some welcome them instinctively, others worry, yet others regard them as a nuisance. The reaction can range from excitement to anger at that old and reassuring elements of life are being swept away. There notes for each sign below.

Bear in mind also that with the planet of growth and opportunity, Jupiter, joining Uranus on Sunday the 6^th, some of what’s on its way out now could be replaced by yet more unexpected developments – but this time in the form of amazing new ideas or offers. And with these two planets in close proximity for three months, there’ll be lots to choose from, and plenty of time to explore these.

While this won’t be the calmest or easiest period of your life, when you look back on it you’ll recognise it has having been the turning point you were waiting for – the moment when you left restrictive elements of the past behind and embraced a future that, when those events first arose – you wouldn’t have believed possible.

Aries: With both Uranus and Jupiter in your sign, events may be disruptive. But you’ve the courage to deal with them, and also rather enjoy the challenge.

Taurus: Initially, you mistake developments as problems to be resolved. Once you realise they’re about breakthroughs, you’re far more relaxed and optimistic.

Gemini: You thrive on anything new and exciting, so you’re intrigued at first. Then, until you recognise how things will come together, could get a bit grumpy about changes in your own life.

Cancer: The challenge is recognising that you’re stepping into the future. Efforts to stick with the familiar and reassuring only hamper progress. The solution: take chances.

Leo: You’re both impatient and loathe change. So your initial reaction to being “forced” to alter elements of your life is unlikely to be positive. Looking back, you’ll wonder why you caused such a fuss.

Virgo: Try to analyse what’s coming and you’ll only exhaust yourself. Regard this as a voyage of discovery and you’ll enjoy what each day’s events bring your way.

Libra: Being an air sign you’ll try to anticipate the impact of events on your own life and on others. Which only confuses things. The answer is to go with the flow.

Scorpio: You must, quite simply, let go. Instead, trust your instincts and you’ll recognise even seriously unsettling shake-ups as the end of the old and beginning of something new and better.

Sagittarius: In many ways this is what you’ve been waiting for, although developments may be more far-reaching than you’d anticipated.

Capricorn: Recognise that events could mean acquiring new skills or broadening your horizons and you’ll exchange anxieties about the unknown for the joy of learning.

Aquarius: You’d prefer to observe the impact of events in others’ lives, then decide which you’ll embrace. But it doesn’t work that way. Certain developments will arrive, custom- designed for you.

Pisces: When you’re in your adaptable mode, you’ll simply know why some things must end while other rather disruptive events are vital. Allow yourself to get caught up in others’ dramas, however, and you’ll lose that clarity.

The first time I saw anybody meditating, I was in my late teens. It was at the Vedanta Society Temple in Hollywood, a lovely if tiny refuge from the excesses of that city located, bizarrely, by the Hollywood Freeway, on which eight lanes of cars zipped by, day and night. Yet inside there was a profound stillness. There resident monks would meditate before evening talks or Sunday morning lectures. Although I had no concept what they were doing, I tried to emulate that stillness – outer and inner.

Since then, I’ve not only become somebody who meditates regularly, I often recommend it to friends and private clients. While there is no zodiac sign that could be said to favour meditation, the individual chart reveals an inclination for it. Doing meditation is by no means a requirement for an astrologer. For this one, however, it’s both a need, especially when life is trying or deadlines are pressing, and it is a source of increasing pleasure.

Yet frequently, the mere mention of meditation triggers a response that’s the reverse of the calm centredness it’s meant to engender. The most frequent remark is a concerned, “I couldn’t empty my mind.” Which makes me think that while the practice is rewarding in countless ways, meditation itself has a bit of an image problem. It’s seen as worthwhile – but beyond the reach of ordinary mortals, particularly those with untamed thoughts.

While it’s true that over time meditation begins to quiet the inner chatter that keeps so many awake at night and feeling jangled during the day, that isn’t its purpose. It’s about aligning with the Ultimate Stillness and, with that, discovering a strong, resilient core that remains solid whatever challenges life doles out. And the great news is, there are all kinds of ways to do it – all kinds of meditation.

Put simply, meditation is defined as a state of relaxed attention. This occurs naturally when we’re lost in a particular activity, from gardening to playing music or even when cooking. These aren’t about emptying the mind. It’s about calming it. Effortless focus. It’s like the difference between a calm ocean and a stormy one, with furiously lashing waves.

When it comes to doing it, the range of techniques is huge. There’s focusing on the breath, concentrating on an object, a candle perhaps, or a sacred image, or perhaps chanting, silently or aloud. Most religions have some variety of beads, so prayers can be repeated without actually counting them, thus creating a meditative state. And there are lots of teachers offering techniques, some religious, some distinctly not.

In every case, the objective is achieving a stillness so powerful that it alters even life’s greatest challenges. The worry and angst are replaced by a still power that reduces the size of those challenges. At first, temporarily. The benefits of meditation are cumulative. The more it’s done, the longer those blissful feelings last, and the easier it is to recall them even when not actually officially meditating. Over the years I’ve learned to access that state in a taxi – and sometimes even when I’m in the midst of urban chaos.

Not only is there no single way to meditate, the way that suits a single individual can change as their life evolves. While some involves sitting, others are done walking. And many religious communities encourage meditation while cooking meals.

Whatever the method or teacher, the benefits are the same. First and foremost, calm. Serenity when actually doing it, and a wonderful after effect, one that lasts longer the more it’s done. There’s stress reduction and lower blood pressure (in fact, according to tests done by TM, Transcendental Meditation, meditators age more slowly than those who don’t). Sleep comes more swiftly and is deeper and more nourishing.

Like so many of life’s greatest joys, from sex to Haagan Dasz Ice Cream, experiencing it is infinitely better than describing it. You don’t need a teacher to try it. Next time you’re driving yourself crazy, instead of worrying more about what you think is the source of your problems, choose to turn your attention to something else. That simple choice is the beginning of altering your state. Anything will do – a flower, the sun, the moon, a cloud. Dwell gently on it and sense the stillness that comes as the mental storm is calmed.
There. You’ve done it. Meditation.