Riots in London, economic melt downs right and left and today was the most powerful Sun flare in years (an X-7) to add yet more intensity to the air.

That Cardinal Cross is back!

So what is happening? Basically Pluto in Capricorn, Mars in Cancer, Uranus in Aries and Saturn in Libra are forming a Cardinal cross. Yes…it is indeed back (this was very potent during the Summer of 2010). AND right now, and for the next 24 hours, the Moon is also in Capricorn, adding a strong emotional element to the mix.

These combined impact the most fundamental areas of our life. Work, finances, relationships and home. Our sense of security and trust in the future is challenged as many strive to find answers to the challenges they face.

There are several articles and posts on my site about the influence of the Cardinal Cross. You can read more here.

But Wait ~ There’s More!

Further, Mercury is Retrograde while opposing Neptune. This can confuse things, making it extra difficult to gain clarity and direction. Are we hearing the whole truth, you may be wondering under this influence as deception and the “spin doctors” are most prevalent now. BE SURE to check and re-check your plans and arrangements now!

And then there’s the Full Moon, too!

Saturday (8/13) is the Full Moon which also creates a build up of energies. This Full Moon is in Aquarius, which creates a feeling that what is happening “in the World” is impacting you personally. The events that are occurring on a global level are of a far-reaching magnitude and this is quite apparent now. Even though things are happening externally that impact you and that seem outside your control, how your respond is up to you. This is a key to moving through these times with Grace.

What to Expect ~ What to Do ~ Where’s the Hope?

What to Expect and might be feeling:

• A sense of urgency. The energy feels odd at times and erratic.
• Tense and irritable.
• Anxious, worried, fearful or helpless to effect change in your life.
• Off center or ungrounded.
• Angry or frustrated.

What you can do:

• Slow down. Especially if you are about to react to something.
• Do things that keep you grounded: walk, do yoga, hug a tree!
• Don’t add too much to your plate and simplify where you can.
• Use common sense. Elaborate schemes are not likely to work so well these days.
• Don’t hurry around. Deep breaths.
• Don’t try to figure everything out at once. Answers will come when they are meant to.
• Remember that you are doing the best you can.
• Acknowledge that yes, change is in the air. But it may be exactly what is needed now. Trust.
• Ask your Guides to raise your frequency so that you may rise above the turmoil and fear.
• Ask your Guardian Angels to keep your protected from negativity, fear and panic that is in the collective. These do NOT have to be in your space.
• Help others by being available, kind and tolerant.

Where’s the Hope:

• These are challenging and trying times. Be honest with yourself about this. Yet it is by Cosmic design and you signed up to be here now. Get in touch with the part of you that consented to this and you will find the strength and courage you seek.
• Know that you have all the resources and help available to you that you need.
• There is assistance and hope to be found. Keep looking.
• You are a powerful being with unique gifts ready to come forth and be shared.
• The Light is all around you, in you and available to you.

Many blessings and light to you,

~Elizabeth

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Astro Currents Monthly

I mentioned how intense things would be about now on my August Astro Currents Monthly, my membership site. So they had a heads up that this would be a dicey time. Learn more here.

In the Tarot, the Tower (XVI) is a perfect card depicting the current energies. We all have a structure for our life, which is the Tower in this image. Many things built this structure–believes, experiences, decisions, etc. Yet there are times the structure becomes out-dated in some way, and actually begins to confine us instead of support us.

Know that new avenues for Light are created from Tower-like experiences.

The Universal energies, here shown as the lightening, rain and wind, come and threaten the existing Tower, i.e. structure. While there is much here to understand, the most important thing to remember is that it is indeed necessary at times to allow the old to crumble, as this creates an opening to the next phase.

I love that the next card in the sequence of the Tarot is the Star (XVII)–enlightenment and insight from above. Yet how can this enlightenment “get in” if we block it by remaining “safe” within our Tower?

Back to the current Astrological influence: With Mercury also retrograde, trust your instincts more than your mind. (Or at least as much as.) You know, at some level, what is going on. This happening in the sign of Capricorn indicates that the area of your life likely being impacted is foundational, basic, where you stand. Time to move? Change jobs? Break off a habit? Or a dysfunctional relationship or association?

Some questions to ask now are:

• Are old forms and patterns holding me back?
• Did I make decisions in the past that I am still living by, but that are now out dated and no longer server me?
• Am I tending to the most basic areas of my life? Those that encourage and create new life to course through my veins?
• Do I do things in a direct and decisive manner or waste time in indecision?
• Do I have a Life Plan? Is it in alignment with my Soul Plan? (I will be addressing this more as the New Year approaches).

In essence, now is a time when what is REALLY going on deep within, those patterns and believes that can run the show from the unconscious, are emerging in some way or another. This can indeed be uncomfortable . . . however, it can also be revealing and ultimately show you where you are blocked.

A birth of sorts is at hand. And as with most births, it can also be painful and full of intensity. Notice the shift of the subtle inner currents. A change by mid-week in some key area is possible.

Sending you much Light,

~Elizabeth

Mars is called the Great Activator and Catalyst. When Mars comes along, it can be as a sudden burst of energy appeared out of nowhere. Here is what my thesaurus says for catalyst: stimulus, stimulation, spark, sparkplug, spur, incitement, impetus.

Here are some things you might notice for a few days:

• An activation of energies as something pulls you in and gets your attention.
• Sparks may fly around you. This could be thrilling and interesting or unsettling.
• A project needs to move forward-like now!
• In fact, forward motion is a key to taping into this energy. It’s time!
• You may feel anxious, as though something is going to happen but you don’t know what.
• Your energy may soar.
• This is a great aspect for sparking inertia or stagnation of any kind.
• Do try not to get impatient or reactive. Steady does it!
• Take note of what area of your life is pulling you forward into your life.

It is important to pay attention to anything that carries these vibrations as they may have at a deeper source the energies seeded by the Eclipse this Summer. Thus it’s impact on your life may be more significant than a first glance suggest.

This may be just the spark you need to get going. Take advantage of the fiery nature available now and you may be amazed at what could come of it and how far you can go with it in the next few weeks.

In Light,

~Elizabeth

Think of building a sand castle at waters edge. You work away, watching your creation take shape. But then, the inevitable occurs…the tide (ruled by Neptune) comes in and after a few waves, dissolves that which you worked so hard for–returning the grains of sand–all those bits of effort you put into it–to the sea. And isn’t it interesting that you can’t build that sand castle away from the water line, out of harms way. No, we need the water in the sand to form the castle. It’s that inspiration that Neptune provides that is the key to our creations. (Neptune’s influence is most inspiring).

So now, during this time of Mars opposing Neptune, and also Jupiter at the last degree of Pisces, we are in between creations. Perhaps you are feeling a urge to create something new in your life, yet can feel at some level, it is not quite time for it. If so, you are surely being influenced by Mars and Neptune and Jupiter. It is indeed a time for the inner aspect of creating. To look at what inspires you, and to accept that even as you begin, it is always true that it will someday dissolve back into the ocean of the cosmos.

This detachment from the beginning of our creations can in itself be inspiriting (I meant to type inspiring…but decided I like it the way it is :~). It can bring us right into the moment as we create. It helps us to see more clearly just why we create. Who is it for? What do we feel compelled to create? And who, in us, is the true creator? And that is really the question. And something to think about during these next few days. Who in us creates…

A perfect visual of all this is the Buddhist monks creating extravagant sand mandalas, then destroying them. There is a wonderful video of this on CNN today (which I thought, in and of itself, was most interesting, being that Mars is opposing Neptune at this time). You can view it here:

Buddhist monks creating sand mandala

Enjoy your time of inner creation. Surrender to it and you will be amazed at what you will manifest in the weeks to come. Follow the Inner Light.

Many Blessings,

~Elizabeth

The Surface of Mars

Mars has hit its “shadow point” of about 20 degrees of Leo.
This will get some things moving along into new directions this week.
You can read about it here.

Courage is available now through Mars. Moving through fear and resistance by finding that courage can happen at this time. It is a unique opportunity to move out of fear or inertia. Ask for guidance as during this time especially, it is nearer than you may think, as this is the time of year that the “Veils are thin”.

Spring holds the promise of renewal clearly within your grasp this year, but first, you must find and then encourage the Spark of your own Divine and unique Self.

Sending Blessings and Light,
Elizabeth

Every so often there is a combo of celestial events that really gets my attention and one such time is occurring in the 3rd week of December.

• Mars in Leo is stationing retrograde on the 20th (while opposing the Moon, btw. More on that in AstroLite in a few days).
• Jupiter is conjunct Neptune on the 21st.
• The Sun enters Capricorn, which is the Winter Solstice in the No. Hemisphere.

At the least, you can expect to be busy, overwhelmed and excited all at the same time. I have lots more info on this at AstroCurrents on these influences and how they will affect us.

Mark your calendar to check back around that time for up-to-the-minute insights as to this most dynamic of influences.

In the meantime, my hope is that you are enjoying this Season of Light in a myriad of ways, as there are so many available to us during this time. A key is to spend some time in silence and alone, especially important during these busy days. Your Light will always be found there.

In Light and with Blessings,

Elizabeth