Astrological Update ~ March 2012

March 1st, 2012

The Full Moon this month occurs on March 8th at 18 degrees Virgo and is very significant for it continues to set a backdrop for the opening and development of spiritual consciousness in ourselves, as well as the world.

Complexity is the theme here with a rare astrological configuration called a Grand Kite. This is composed of a Grand Trine (Moon/Mars in Virgo, Pluto in Capricorn and Venus/Jupiter in Taurus), an opposition of the Sun and Moon, and two sextiles (Neptune/Chiron in Pisces sextile to Pluto and Venus/Jupiter.)

This Full Moon configuration emphasizes the building of an inner foundation of peace and spiritual consciousness, while finding new solutions for solving old problems and emotional attachments. 

A few days after the Full Moon, Mercury goes Retrograde on March 12th and in the next three weeks will catalyze the still prominent Uranus/Pluto square three times.  It’s best to keep a low profile during this Mercury Retrograde and do your inner work.  You can spend time thinking about future projects, and goals, but do not act on them until Mercury turns Direct on April 4th.

On March 22nd the Spring Equinox and New Moon  occur as the Sun moves into Aries.  Complexity seems to be the norm this month as the Grand Kite is still prominent in the heavens, except the opposing planets that hold the Kite together have changed to Mars opposing Neptune and Chiron. Now we need to continue our inner work but focus the light towards any lingering anger issues and heal them.

To add to the mix, Sun/Moon/Uranus/Mercury Retrograde are all  conjunct in Aries and square Pluto.  This is a very powerful time of personal and global transformation.  However, we must be careful not to act too impulsively, for afterward we may regret our actions.  Look deeply within yourself to find the truth behind your issues and work on healing them. This configuration also tells us that as  individuals and as a collective, it’s imperative to align our heart, mind and soul with Mother Earth now and in the future.

The New Moon is usually a time of seeding and beginning new projects.  With Mercury Retrograde and Uranus in the mix, it may be best to simply gestate and gather new ways to implement your healing. Then in the next lunar cycle when Mercury is Direct, move forward with confidence and put your new ideas into action.

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Ohio Mound Builders

March 1st, 2012

Ohio Mound Builders
When I attended Ohio’s Marietta College back in the early 1970’s I was intuitively drawn to spending many meditative hours in the town’s Mound Cemetery.  The Mound itself was too overgrown with poison ivy to actually sit close by, so I would find a place amoungst the grave rows facing the mound and commune with the ancient spirits.

The first settlement in the Northwest Territory, the early Marietta inhabitants had the privilege of viewing an Adena prehistoric village, as well as ceremonial sites that dotted the landscape.  Sadly today, only a few monuments remain.

Who were the Mound Builders? 

Archeologists refer to these people as the Adena and Hopewell and their cultures extended from the Great Lakes, Mississippi River valley,  Ohio River Valley and their tributaries. During a 5,000-year period  these two  traditions constructed various styles of earthen mounds for religious, ceremonial, astronomical, burial, and residential purposes.  The most famous of these remaining sites is the Serpent Mound near Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Adena culture is seen as the forebears of the Hopewell traditions and as casting considerable influence with these later tribes. The Adena lived in the Central Ohio valley, Kentucky,  Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The Hopewell communities were connected together with a network of trade routes known now as the Hopewell Exchange System, which ran from Canada to the Southeastern United States.  Through this system these ancient people were able to receive goods from all over North America.

So, nestled on a corner of land where the Ohio & Muskingum  rivers meet,  Marietta was a perfect site for both the Adena and Hopewell civilizations and the white settlements that followed centuries later.

 

About the Author…
Barbara-Lynn Freed has over twenty years experience in Shamanism and teaches a 3 year Shamanic apprenticeship called Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship.  To find out more about this program and how to sign-up visit her website.

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Law of Mother Nature Proposed

March 1st, 2012
At the UN Earth Summit this June 20-22 in RioDe Janeiro, Brazil, attendees will vote to protect the Earth by creating a Law that will give the environment the same rights that human have.

If the protocol passes some of the eleven new rights for Mother Earth will be:

– to continue vital cycles and processes free from human alteration

-to have pure water and clean air

– to have a balanced environment

– for mother earth not to be polluted

– to ban genetic cellular, structure modification

To see the complete article, please go to http://www.isfoundation.com/campaign/earth-summit-2012-rio20.

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Sweet Pea and it’s Traditional Meaning

March 1st, 2012

This year I’ve taken advantage of all the warm weather we are having and started working on preparing my garden site early.  This way when Mercury Retrograde comes around I’ll be finishing my project instead of beginning it.  A friend came over last week and helped me dig out the invading carpet of weeds and roots that made my garden space home for over a year.  A couple weeks under black plastic and my dirt patch will be ready for the spring planting of sweet peas.

Sweet pea has traditionally been used to find friendship, protect children and have good luck. Because of its wandering vines and fine tendrils, as a flower essence it is now taken to help wandering souls to ground, balance and harmonize with society, along with discovering their beautiful, unique talents and how to share them with others. With a delicate, feminine scent and flowers, Sweet Pea is associated with the Moon, innocence and chastity.

A great addition to anyone’s garden, Sweet Pea’s crunchy texture, and delicate flavor is good for stir fries, salads, and simply eaten off the vine.

 

About the Author…
 Barbara-Lynn Freed has over twenty years experience in Shamanism and teaches a 3 year Shamanic apprenticeship called Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship.  To find out more about this program and how to sign-up visit her website.

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February 2012 ~ Astrology Update

February 2nd, 2012

Continuing with our theme of the New Year, here’s a listing of when Mercury goes retrograde.

March 12 – April 4
July      14 – August 7
Nov.       6 – Nov. 26
Remember, these are times when it is best to meditate, take it easy and reflect.  It’s not a good time start new projects.  So plan your year accordingly.
Full moon in Leo at 18 degrees on Feb. 7th
Watch out on this Full Moon that you don’t get on an ego trip. With the Moon at 18 degrees Leo it’s full steam ahead with ambition, creative self-expression and leadership skills. But we need to be careful not to dominate others too much when we have the need to be admired and be the center of attention. If that were not enough, Mercury is conjoining the Sun in Aquarius and opposing the Moon. Although this combination can give us an easy flow of ideas and communication, it can also hinder objectivity of our behavior and how others see us.

 Although mental stamina and energy abound with the full moon, unconscious emotional patterns can distort our conscious thinking so we are not as clear or objective as usual. The word here is balance! It’s easy to make up for your fog and get emotional gratification by binging on food and spending money.

We are also dealing with the energy of Saturn on this day, as it goes Stationary Retrograde in Libra. For up to a week before and after Feb. 7th, your physical and emotional energy may feel heavy or stuck. You may feel pressured by authority figures, expectations and responsibilities that have cropped up. This is a time to use the Leo Full moon energy to develop courage to face any danger or difficulty in your life.

During the next four months while Saturn is Retrograde will be a time to rework and refine your goals and figure out how you will achieve them. It can also be a time to improve the way you deal with authority, expectations, obligations and discipline.

This month marks Neptune moving into Pisces. For the next fourteen years we should expect to see the advancement of spiritual awareness, providing more peace in the world. Many of us may develop clairvoyant faculties along with exalted forms of art and music. This month, there are also three other planets joining Neptune in Pisces. Chiron, there since January, Mercury on Feb. 15th and the Sun on Feb. 20th.   This is a good time to work on your spiritual advancement and brush up on your dream techniques.   The New Moon  also joins the Pisces gang on Feb 21st.

New Moon in Pisces at 2 degrees on 21st of February

Take the high road with this New Moon and begin a new pattern based on healing yourself and being sensitive to others. Use your now vivid imagination for poetry or the arts, and be kind and sympathetic to your friends. Try not to feel too vulnerable with all that Pisces energy, as Chiron, Sun, Moon  and Neptune are all conjunct.

This New Moon urges us to comprehend our beliefs, secrets and mysteries that lie hidden in our unconscious, so it’s a good time to explore your dreams. With Chiron in the mix, it’s also time to work on our individuality and heal any lingering wounds we may still have with our parents. This is a time for spiritual work and opening to the cosmic energies  pouring into the planet at this time. Don’t fret if it all seems too overwhelming. Simply spend some time alone to get grounded and all will be well.

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Chinese Astrology ~ 2012, Year of the Black Water Dragon

February 2nd, 2012
Chinese Astrology ~ Year of the Black Water Dragon

Celebrated since ancient times, this year’s Chinese New Year marks it’s 4,709th year of festivities. As the most important holiday in Chinese culture, the New Year is celebrated on the second new moon after the Winter Solstice, and is a time for family reunions and delicious feasts. This year our new beginning started on January 23, 2012 (China time), and on the afternoon of January 22 in America.

The Chinese lunar calendar is cyclical and is based on 12 animals, each with their own significance, plus having the years organized by yin and yang, color and elements such as fire, air, earth and water. Unlike our western counterpart, the Chinese Dragon is always seen as Divine and beneficial. Although somewhat unpredictable, the dragon symbolizes auspiciousness, creativity, generosity, altruism and charitableness. Also seen as the spirit of change, the dragon can represent renewal and regeneration.

So what does our dragon have in store for us this year?

The Black (or yang) Water Dragon symbolizes great creativity on one side, and stormy weather on the other. The yang part of the equation could mean a year when money flows easily with high returns, if we take a lot of risks. And it can also mean that there may be many natural disasters. In contrast, Water tends to tone things down, like putting out a fire. It exudes calmness and empathy where it can heal Mother Earth’s temper, and help us to reap spiritual progress from cleansing and renewing our body, mind and spirit.

In fact, according to the Taoist perspective, your whole year’s fortune depends on how you begin it. They say it’s a time to purify yourself and become humble enough to receive the New Year’s energies. If you would like to find out what the Year of the Black Water Dragon means to you personally, click here. I found my reading to be very similar to my 2012 Solar Return chart.

 

About the Author…
 Barbara-Lynn Freed has over twenty years experience in Shamanism and teaches a 3 year Shamanic apprenticeship called Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship.  To find out more about this program and how to sign-up visit her website.

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Birch Tree and New Beginnings

February 1st, 2012
In keeping with the theme of this Newsletter, I thought the Birch tree was a perfect, synchronistic candidate for this column, for it brings in many of the same ideas as the Chinese New Year below, and the New Moon above.

One of the first trees to bloom in spring, the Birch or Beithe as it is commonly called within the Celtic tree Ogham, represents new beginnings and opportunities for the future.  This tree helps us to recognize our subtle change in consciousness when we decided to shift gears in our life and embark on a a different path.  The Birch tree says, make a statement of intent, now, to plan for the journey ahead.

Birch also helps us be unselfish, caring and work for the common good. And as the first tree in the Tree Ogham it serves to set things right from the beginning. Graceful and slender, with a characteristic white bark, it symbolizes cleanliness, (purifying oneself from the old) and a determination in overcoming obstacles.

So if you are having problems spacing out with all that Pisces energy this month, just focus on Birch to help you out.

 

About the Author…
 Barbara-Lynn Freed has over twenty years experience in Shamanism and teaches a 3 year Shamanic apprenticeship called Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship.  To find out more about this program and how to sign-up visit her website.

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Shamanic Apprenticeship ~ Elemements & Elementals Tutorial

February 1st, 2012
Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land and
Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship

All indigenous peoples honored our sacred collective connection, with the Element of Air for they knew without it, our world would cease to exist. This tutorial teaches you how to give voice to your truth by learning how to listen and speak with Right Communication. You will also learn how to contact and shamanically work with the Air Elementals.

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Movie Review: Quest for a Lost Civilization by Graham Hancock

January 2nd, 2012

In this full-length video (2 ½ hours), well-known researcher and author Graham Hancock compares the similarities of three ancient civilizations: Egyptian, Meso-American, and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. This flick is professionally made, easy to understand, and has incredible photography of these rather complex sacred sites and their artwork.

Hancock’s basic premise shows these three civilizations all share the following:

  • Pyramids were built in each culture
  • Each culture worshipped Kings as Gods
  • Their religion focused on a quest of immortality of the Human soul
  • Their priests were sophisticated astronomers with advance knowledge of the star cycles
  • Poisonous snakes were sacred
  • Their monuments contained hidden meanings of the heavens.

Through years of collaborative research with other well-known archeo-astronomers, Hancock introduces new and fascinating ways to interpret these ancient sites, with evidence of an older, world-wide, Mother-culture.

This a must for anyone interested in ancient culture, archeology, astronomy or Atlantis. To view click here.

 

About the Author…
 Barbara-Lynn Freed has over twenty years experience in Shamanism and teaches a 3 year Shamanic apprenticeship called Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship.  To find out more about this program and how to sign-up visit her website.

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Shamanic Meaning of Apple Trees

January 2nd, 2012

While enjoying myself at a Holiday gathering, sipping on hot, mulled apple juice, I couldn’t help reflecting on an article I had just read in Consumer Reports regarding the high content of arsenic and lead found in various juice brands. Normally I would have been elated that the host had used Whole Foods, organic 365 brand, but now I found myself a little perturbed, since that was one of the brands that contained a higher arsenic/lead content allowed in bottled water.  The real problem being, that there isn’t any legal limit of these elements in juice.

The Apple tree has been cultivated since the earliest of times, and is included in the Celtic Tree Ogham, an ancient language/divination system used by the Druids.  Here the apple is associated with Choice and choosing between two equally attractive things.  Since the alternatives seem to be equally promising, the choice my be difficult.

The original apple of course was the crab apple, and not the hybrid types we grow and eat today.  This original apple tree usually had thorns and held very close ties to the Celtic shaman. It was the tree that the shaman worked with while undergoing magical transformations in their Otherworld journeys.  The most famous of Otherworld places in Celtic mythology is that of Avalon; the word is actually derived from old Irish meaning “a place of apple trees”.

Perhaps this has something to do with why the apple represents the forbidden fruit for Adam & Eve?  Perhaps the Bible is hinting that we should stay in mundane reality and not venture off into the Upper or Lower worlds of the Shaman.  It’s certainly something to ponder on the next time you are munching on this favorite snack, or sitting under a beautiful apple tree.

 

About the Author…
 Barbara-Lynn Freed has over twenty years experience in Shamanism and teaches a 3 year Shamanic apprenticeship called Resurrecting the Old Ways:  Walking the Land & Honoring the Spirits in Right Relationship.  To find out more about this program and how to sign-up visit her website.

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