Open my heart, winter cold, icy air, crisp and biting, you make me feel alive! And now those warmer days are sneaking in, where you tease the Spring. Birds are chirping above the snowmelt as the beginnings of life stir below the surface. I love it all! I chose to come here and experience, so on the path I walk, toward whatever is next and then what comes after that, for I live in the present moment.
I feel a combination of being lost and being found, as in, I am navigating the vessel (i.e. my own will, mind, body) but I still hide out in the comfort zone. This is the year to take steps, the point of no return, whatever we don’t do this year we could be sacrificing forever. Procrastinators will get left behind. I can feel that one. There is nothing left to wait for, time is marching on with or without me.
All this talk all over the place about balance is a bit deafening. Work/Life balance. Body/Mind balance. Spiritual/Emotional balance. Is that really the most important thing? Doesn’t it seem more like a buzz word? Like, do all things need to be 50/50 balanced? No, of course not, although that’s the implication. “You’re out of balance.” You can’t always “balance” the input and output. Some things require more effort and some feel effortless. The word has come to encompass every facet of daily life. It’s an overused adjective. This is my opinion based on how I’ve experienced the concept of balance in my life and the new ideas that have surfaced through spiritual study. Others may feel differently about the concept of balance, but hear me out. I prefer a different word and concept entirely to describe how we stabilize our lives - harmony.
Harmony comes from the different musical notes (to use a simple analogy) playing at their own frequency. Like in a piece of music, the various notes/instruments/voices probably aren’t perfectly balanced but with each unique component, a song finds its perfect harmony. Harmony and Balance are similar concepts but different in application and outcome. Don’t get me wrong, I love balance, too. It’s not wrong. We need balance in our lives for money, food, exercise, sleep, study, work, etc. I realize I’m essentially splitting hairs here. You could say that balance is achieved when there is harmony between one’s work and personal lives. You could say that harmony is achieved when there is a good balance between all elements.
To me, balance is another word that puts peace of mind just out of reach. While it’s meaning has positive intent, it’s yet another piece of “evidence” bolstering the narrative that people are living their lives incorrectly. Many of us realize that we are not yet living up to our fullest potential, but constantly focusing on “balance” unintentionally serves to keep us stagnant, stuck, not moving toward our goals or not believing we can, because we choose to believe something is wrong. That until we balance it, we can’t really actualize our ideas and goals.
We do need to work on ourselves. We are all unique with a special purpose, but we are not flawless human beings. We perfect ourselves through effort, through learning and study, taking action and going after things, making mistakes and learning from them. And also, we are Eternal beings, Souls that are connected to Perfected Spirit. We are completely capable of leveling up, of doing better each and every day.
What has been looming? A project you need to do? A trip you want to take? A dream unfulfilled? A routine you want to cultivate? A habit you need to discard? If you can think of it in less than 5 seconds, you really want it. Okay, I just made that up (haha) but really, I believe something ever present in your mind is coming from a deep desire. Deep desires come from the Soul and I like to answer my Soul’s call. Writing, using words to connect with people, to open their hearts, to tell their stories, counsel them, see them and express the inside and the out — that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. Through writing and doing Astrology readings, I often have the opportunity to connect with humans and hear their stories. So many stories. We all have stories.
Childhood stories. School stories. Work stories. Health stories. Love stories. Incredible stories. Mundane stories. Sob stories. There is a fascination with what each person chooses to focus upon. Is it their own joy or fear, a specific person they’re at odds with, a dogmatic belief, hope or despair? Is there wisdom, positive growth or self awareness? Hearing their stories lights me up. It inspires me to research things I don’t know, to write more, to solve, to offer more, to make art.
Interactions, words, ritual, expanded learning, Nature, activity - this is how I reclaim my inner Fire to remember why I came here, in this body with this mind, to do the work I’ve always dreamed of, fulfilling my purpose. Time moves on and I want to swiftly move in the direction of my dreams, savoring every moment and honoring myself with healthy, holistic, embodied living. There are many tools at my disposal and still more I want to learn. Let me drink the Elixir of Life and find my Center!
Ultimately it’s way past time to get up and out there. Couches can’t be the wings of action. What are we going to do with new knowledge that comes to us? Solutions are just as plentiful as problems. I’ll say that again, so it sticks: Solutions are just as plentiful as problems. What solutions are you seeking? Reality, realizations, technology and “what comes next” is getting to us quicker and quicker. We know (whether we ignore it or not) that we cannot “go back” to any time before now, the “new normal” is constantly shifting and those simple days of the 2000-teens are over. 2019 was it. That was the last time to chill and wait it out and actually believe we had time. We know the truth now, we can feel it, and most of society is still operating at “status quo” but it’s not working and it’s glaringly obvious. So what does that mean for you, for me?
I go back to the concept of harmony. Of harmonizing with Nature, with Humanity, with the Celestial Bodies, the Universe, my Soul’s desires, my Spiritual Path. One cannot focus on the whole, on saving the whole world. That’s absurd. What one person can do is save their own world. A person can come to better themselves toward living a life that is Loving, Sustainable, Open, Kind, Productive, Conscientious, Collaborative and Contributing to the Greater Good. Selfishness is over (we can’t go back) and those who commit to that path will find that the karma gets more and more instant, for we are not meant to exist solely for ourselves, no matter how much our world tries to convince us otherwise. The individual is not greater than the whole, could never be, yet the whole is not greater than the individual. The whole cannot make up for the inner work that can only be done by the individual. They are interlinked, forever connected — the outer and inner, the many and the one, the individual and the collective.
I am recognizing the work that needs to be done in my own life and taking steps, one at a time, to be responsible for my own mark, my energy, my consuming, my output, giving and receiving, what I offer this world and what I want for my life. I know what I do and do not want, but I also recognize that I have to do the heavy lifting to shift my personal paradigm.
The coming celestial movements this year are leaning the Collective (that’s all of us here on Earth, y’all) toward a final upending of the old ways, of the secrets and lies, of blind allegiance, while we settle in for a bumpy ride toward greater connection, transparency and growth. Pisces, the mystical fish, is a slippery one that can overflow and get us off course, caught up in fantasy and escape; caught up in not wanting to face the work OR the consequences of doing nothing. Yet sometimes we have to dip really close to the edge of the abyss to realize we don’t really want to stay hidden. Small dips into the deep waters are necessary for facing our collective shadow right now, but ultimately it’s time to stay up on the surface, in the Light, ready to face yourself and create solutions in your world. 🌛🌕🌜
Astro nugget ♒️ Bye-bye Aquarius 2023, hello Sun and New Moon in Pisces ♓️
We are entering Pisces shortly (late evening Feb. 18, then the New Moon arrives on Feb. 20) and this is a good time on the last days of Aquarius to catch the lesson or learning curve that came up for you this past month. Was there something that you could dig deeper on, something you can adjust that will align you more with your higher purpose? Pisces likes to use its imagination to understand, so these lessons or pearls of wisdom noticed over the last four weeks can sink into the recesses of your mind. Discern what is higher wisdom and what is your smaller self working to protect you and ultimately hold you back. Also, what do you love artistically? Photography, drawing, painting, writing, music, pottery, movement? Our imaginations are off the charts for the month of Pisces so take advantage of the inspiration. It will be easy to access the Spirit World and other dimensions. Utilize this time to heal or do channeling. Pay attention to your dreams, journal them if you can. You may want to spend some time by water. Your powers will be increased by water and during dreams.
This week Feb. 21-23 could have some snafus, disruptions, incidents. Don’t let it bother you. Carry on!
Venus moves into Aries Feb. 20-March 16, which amps ups the heat and activity! Venus is a uncomfortable in Aries (it is where she is exiled) but it’s active so it is a great time to start exercising AND taking initiative in artistic or financial areas.
Mercury entered Aquarius on Feb. 11 - March 2. It’s where he loves to be! Communication flows well in all directions. Now is a great time to plan ahead, and also to make connections or join new groups/organizations.
New Moon Ritual: On this New Moon (dark sky) in Pisces, which comes to us right at the change from Aquarius to Pisces Sun, use your imagination to plant the most authentic seed of your desires, in the incredibly beautiful and lush garden of your choice. The seed is your wish for something now or in the future and the wish must be very specific. Go there in your mind, breathe deeply and visualize it. Visualize, with eyes closed, a place where there is dirt, dig as far down as you can, and then place your seed (your wish) into the fertile ground. Cover it with dirt and stand over it, sending the frequency of intention from your heart to the seed below. See the seed expand and take root. Visualize this scene for a few minutes. Then open your eyes, write down a wish, one of your deepest wishes of all time, write it all the way out. Fold it into squares as tiny as you can get it. Hold it in your left hand and place your hand across your heart with the square still there (hand flat). Place your right hand over your left hand. Hold your head down and say whatever affirmation comes to you in that moment to solidify the wish and make the seed grow! (Example: I plant this seed with the intention of doing the work to make it come true. And so it is! -OR- I give thanks for this wish coming true and my ability to make it happen. And so it is!) In two weeks at the Full Moon in Virgo, you’ll be able to assess how you’ve been feeling during the first half of Pisces season and decide if you want to tweak the details of your wish.
Happy Pisces Season!
Won’t you join me to keep up with the 2023 moon cycles?🌛🌕🌜Check it out on my website: https://connectowisdom.com/2023-moon-cycles