Astrological Update for the Year 2012

January 2nd, 2012

January begins with all the planets being direct until Jan. 23.  This is a time to move forward in your lives, clarify your plans and goals, and set positive intentions for the coming year.

Retrograde Mars in Virgo (from January 24th to  April 13th) Offers us an opportunity to gain insight into our unconscious motivations instead of worrying or brooding about personal health issues, work, or our daily lives.   

 February 3rd, Neptune enters its own sign Pisces and will stay there until January 2026. A gateway to higher consciousness in humanity, the abilities of clairvoyance, music, artistic sensitivity, mysticism, and healing will be highlighted, along with the beginnings of a more caring, peaceful society.

From May 14th to June 24th Venus the planet of love, beauty and the feminine principal is retrograde. When retrograde in a person’s birth chart it usually means a challenge in loving oneself, or finding value in who we are. On June 6th during this retrograde period Venus Crosses the Face of the Sun in a rare configuration that happens every 105 -125 years. Called an Occultation it always comes in pairs, both either in Gemini or Sagittarius .The last one happened eight years ago in 2004.

So What Does This Mean?

Past occultations of Venus and the Sun in Gemini have brought about new explorations in communication and brought humanity closer together. The Mayans see the 2012 configuration as an opening to higher consciousness. So if we do our inner work and release old thought patterns that no longer serve us, or the world, perhaps we can bring in the light of the Sun, evolve our consciousness and shift the collective thought patterns of humanity to serve the Earth and its peoples instead of harming them.

Although Pluto/Uranus remain square to each other until 2015, this year they form two exact squares on June 24th and September 19th. If you remember from past newsletters, Pluto is the planet that tears everything down first, and then builds something new from its ashes of destruction. Uranus is a planet that needs unbridled freedom to initiate the new.

Together they are associated with cultural upheaval and change. Personally it’s a time to know how we want to transform our lives, and move forward. In this way we can ride the wave instead of feeling submerged in fear or resistance. The main message here is go with the flow, and don’t get caught in the undertow.

When Jupiter enters Gemini on June 11th for about a year, energetic changes in communication and learning can be expected, along with love of philosophy, mind expansion, and new advanced intellectual ideas in society.

An extremely rare Mutual Reception between Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto in Capricorn forms when Saturn enters Scorpio on October 5th and stays until Christmas Eve 2014.  Some astrologers look at the Mutual Reception to mean that the planets behave as if they are in their own signs, however  I see a Mutual Reception as mixed-up energies and a place of challenge before success can be met.

On an astrological chart Pluto rules the 8th House  (joint resources, joint values, power, transformation & death) and Saturn rules the 10th House (authority figures, career, destiny), so this configuration may indicate more power struggles for authority between the people and government, and further unrest in the global economy. However, once these energies are balanced, there is the promise of reorganization of financial structures and government that serve humanity.

Winter Solstice, December 21, when our sun and the entire solar system are in perfect alignment with the center of our galaxy, here on Earth we will also be undergoing an uncommon aspect called a Yod, or sometimes called  “The Finger of Destiny”.

A Yod is comprised of two quincunxes (difficult & awkward aspects) and a sextile (easy flowing aspect). This configuration has Pluto  (9 degrees Capricorn) & Saturn ( 9 degrees Scorpio) in sextile to each other, while both are quincunx to Jupiter (9 degrees Gemini). The Apex planet, in this case Jupiter, is the focal point for the energies.

Generally speaking a Yod entails a choice of two roads, yet not knowing where either one will take you.   Following instinct, we simply find ourselves veering off onto another path and changing the course of our lives.   Although undefined, the new direction has actually been gathering strength for many years. And after activating the Yod, you soon realize that you have a hidden knowlege of how to proceed and be successful.

Coupled with Pluto and Saturn’s mutual reception, the Yod of 2012’s Winter Solstice alludes to a time where we have the power to regenerate ourselves and the world from unrest and chaos through discipline and hard work, while learning to look at situations realistically, release our fears and dogmatic attitudes and move on toward new opportunities.

As discussed in past newsletters, the Mayans see this as a time of awakening and moving into a higher consciousness of reality for mankind. 

 

About Your Astrologer… Barbara-Lynn Freed has studied and worked with astrology for over thirty years.  Her personal readings specialize in  discovering your Karmic issues, your Evolutionary Goals and your Life’s True Purpose, while helping you to gain insight into how to grow and change within your current life dynamics.  For more information and to have your chart read, see her website.

 

Thirteen Crystal Skulls: Ancient Meets the Present

December 1st, 2011

I first heard of the Thirteen Mayan crystal skulls many years ago when I read Chris Morton and Ceri Louise Thomas’s book “The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls.”  In it they told about an ancient Native American legend that told of 13 life-sized crystal skulls that held information on mankind’s true purpose and destiny.  The prophecy further said that these skulls would be discovered and their information revealed when humanity was developed enough to hear it.

So I was fascinated when a friend happened to tell me a few days ago of Mayan Elders pilgrimaging from New York City to Los Angeles from October 27th ~ November 11th and making stops at many sacred sites along the way to  “reawaken the Spirit of the North American Continent so that it can reclaim itself as the sacred ground in whose soil would be sown the seeds for the enlightenment of all mankind.”

Wow! 

But that’s not all.  In collaboration with Cirque de Soleil, ‘Google’, NBC, Santana, Elevate Films, and others, there will be special performances in 2012 on the Equinoxes and Solstices to carry the Crystal Skull’s messages to everyone around the world.

Themes of these performances will embody the ancient wisdom of the Great Shift of the Ages, the mysteries of the heart and how the heart is connected to the awakening of human consciousness.

Prophecy has also said that when the Spirits of the Skulls are ceremonially awakened, ancient wisdom, that has been preserved in it’s crystalline matrix for eons, will enter our collective consciousness with knowledge of everything that has occurred on the planet during the last 26,000 years.

I’m looking forward to that.

 

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.

Mistletoe: An Ancient Custom

December 1st, 2011

As the Winter Holiday Season approaches, I am reminded of the Mistletoe plant that many of you probably have growing in your midst without even knowing it. Mistletoe, commonly known as the “kissing plant” is hung up in a doorway or light fixture where lovers can pass underneath and kiss their partner.

Mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant that grows on the high branches of many kinds of trees, and if you are observant enough, you can see it’s characteristic green foliage in contrast to it’s host’s leaves. As an evergreen Mistletoe especially stands out during the winter months when deciduous trees loose their leaves. Because of this, it was believed in ancient times that this plant had life-giving energy and the power to bestow fertility.

From this grew the popular European idea of having good luck in marriage when lovers kissed under it. Oak mistletoe was highly venerated by the Druids and ancient Germans, and thought to have mystical properties such as protection from evil spirits, witches, poison and lightning. So our custom of decorating with mistletoe at Christmas and Solstice is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian traditions.

So the next time you’re out in the woods, look up and see if you can see the Mistletoe.

 

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.

Astrological Update: December 2011

December 1st, 2011

Remember, Mercury will continue to be retrograde until December 14th, so don’t start any new projects or sign contracts until after that date. Get ready for a dynamic day on December 10th that also holds far reaching affects with a Full Moon, total Lunar Eclipse, at 18 degrees Gemini.

Folks from Alaska, northern Canada, to Australia, New Zealand, and central and eastern Asia will be able to view the eclipse for it’s entire 51 minute duration. Viewers in most of North America and Hawaii will see the moon set still in eclipse, while people on the west coast of the US and Canada will see the beginning of totality just as the moon disappears below the horizon.

This eclipse will pack a punch on all types of communication, giving an assortment of mixed messages. Mercury retrograde and the lunar eclipse will try to blunt what we want to say, while Uranus moving direct on that day, will give birth to new, spontaneous ideas, opportunities and the spirit of adventure.  And the Full Moon in Gemini can give us a vacillating, although quick witted and resourceful thoughts.

Venus at 16 degrees Capricorn also forms a quincunx to the Moon and Eclipse at 18 degrees Gemini. This awkward aspect may exemplify our feelings of inadequacy with our values, appearance, relationships, and self-worth.  Also in the mix is Mars at 13 degrees Virgo squaring the Sun and Moon, adding impulsive behavior, emotional turmoil, independence, frustration and anger.

Whew! I think this is a good to stay out of trouble by staying in bed all day.

Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year happens on December 21, and the New Moon at 2 degrees Capricorn occurs on Christmas Eve. Although this earthy moon favors practical activities, it will be conjunct (close together) to Pluto and square (challenge) to Uranus. Again watch out for your emotions and do your inner work as emotional depth, moodiness and emotional excitement abound.

And finally some good news! Christmas day Jupiter ends it’s four month retrograde period, marking the return of light, hope and optimism for the future

Astrology Birth Charts: Why Are They Important

November 2nd, 2011
An astrology  birth chart is like a snapshot of the heavens when you were born, and is an overview of your potentials, challenges, strengths and weaknesses. It also suggests how to heal and work with your core issues.  A birth chart reading is important not only because of the above reasons, it also serves as a foundation for all future astrological work.
Want your Birth Chart read?  See:
http://www.transformationalstudies.com/astrology
Here astrologer, Barbara-Lynn Freed will help you understand your major life challenges, your Karmic issues, Evolutionary Goals and Your Life’s True Purpose.

Ancient American Magazine Review

November 2nd, 2011

Have you ever wondered if ancient people crossed the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans to land on America’s shores long before Columbus sailed here?  Or did you know that there was prolific copper mining in Michigan during prehistoric times, or that ancient Celtic Oghams were found inscribed on stone in Utah?If these topics sound tantalizingly interesting, then Ancient American magazine is for you.  This 18-year old quarterly, reports on all ancient findings in the Americas. From an endless book list, to an exciting resource page, the Ancient American website is a wealth of information.  Here is a link to their site.  Yearly subscriptions are $32.95.
http://www.ancientamerican.com/subscribe.html 

 

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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.

Totem: Turkey

November 2nd, 2011

I love living out in the country because I get to see and hear a large number of wild animals in my backyard.  Fox, ‘possums, deer, hawk, turtles and turkeys are just a few of my neighbors.

In the late summer and fall months, Tom Turkey toots his call trying to attract a mate.  And sometimes I am fortunate enough to see a group of turkey hens gathering in the back of my property, before gobbling and flying off into the low lying tree branches.

Shamanically, Turkey reflects our spirituality and honoring of Mother Earth’s bounty and is sometimes referred as an earth eagle. It represents all the many blessings that the earth brings to us and how to use them in a practical way.  When turkey walks into your life, you can usually expect a year of harvest.

Turkeys eat a diet of nuts and acorns that symbolize hidden wisdom and the seeding of new beginnings.  They also represent the energy of sharing by roosting together in the trees at night, and by sharing their nests with other females.

So this Thanksgiving, when you are sitting around the family table, give thanks to the humble turkey.  Not only for giving you life through it’s death, but by allowing you to share in it’s theme of abundance and prosperity.

November 2011 Astrology Update

November 2nd, 2011

Mercury goes retrograde from Nov. 20 – Dec. 14 and may put a damper on Holiday sales. Remember to use this time wisely to finish up old projects, meditate and relax. On Nov. 3, both Venus and Mercury move into Sagittarius helping you to have fun and adventure in love, socialization and decision-making. Take care of your Biorhythms when they take a jolt, as we turn our clocks back an hour to standard time on Sunday, Nov. 6th.

 Neptune goes Direct on Nov. 9th after five months of being retrograde. This is a good time to recognize any deceptions, dependencies or cover-ups that have plagued you since last June. Now you will now have more clarity of what’s really going on.

A Full Moon, at 18 degrees Taurus on Nov. 10th reminds us to take care of our bodies, our needs and to find balance in our changing world. The Taurus full moon helps us move ahead by facing reality and what needs to be done. Here we use stamina, determination and persistence to plough through any obstacles that arise, as we bring things to a happy conclusion.

With the Sun in Scorpio and Moon in Taurus both practicality and passion are brought to our endeavors, so it’s time to finish and bring creative projects to a close. Because both of these signs are fixed, whatever we accomplish will have a lasting effect.   

 The New Moon on the 25th of Nov., 2 degrees Sagittarius, is the last of four solar eclipses this year, and the one this month is only a partial one, seen from the regions of Antarctica to New Zealand. With three other planets also in Sagittarius (Venus, Mercury & Sun), we can look forward to a rather super-charged day. Be careful though, Sagittarius tends to be a little too optimistic and looks towards the highest possibilities instead of what is real and grounded in the now.

With Mercury Retrograde there is also a good chance that there will be some communication and travel mix-ups during the Thanksgiving Holiday. On the bright side, this is a new cycle of adventure beckoning you to move towards growth. So take some risks, but keep the big picture in mind.

Look to your charts to see if you have any planets close to 2 degrees in any of the signs. If so, this Solar Eclipse will affect you the most.

Shamanic Apprenticeship Update

November 2nd, 2011

As I am writing this issue, I am also preparing for the Journey Conference at Laurel Ridge Retreat Center in the NC mountains near Boone. My seminar will be on the partial content of two of my Tutorials on Spirit of Place.

Spirit of Place: The Landscape & Spiritual Development and Spirit of Place: Earth Magnetics and Blood Mysteries will be featured.

I will talk about the meaning of Spirit of Place, how connecting with Spirit of Place can help you grow spiritually and recount several of my own experiences when I journeyed on pilgrimage to many of Great Britain’s sacred sites in 1996.

Also covered will be information on how Earth and Stellar magnetic currents affect our civilizations and our everyday lives. We will also work within sacred space to contact our local mountain spirit. A handout will be given with two additional exercises to help participants work with Spirit of Place on their own.

 

Mayan Prophecies

September 29th, 2011

With the Mayan Calendar and year 2012  being at the forefront of  everyone’s mind these days, it’s easy to get carried away with all the negative hoopla running around on the Internet.  I always find that the most accurate information is usually rooted in it’s original source.  So today I bring you words from Carlos Barrios, a Mayan elder, ceremonial priest, and spiritual guide who along with his brother, has interviewed almost 600 traditional Mayan elders in reference to their understanding of the Mayan Calendar and it’s end date.

According to his research Carlos found that all of the confusion about the end date is because anthropologists and others are not interpreting the calendar correctly and are simply making things up.  He says that the world will not end in 2012, it will simply be transformed.

“Humanity will continue, but in a different way. Material structures will change. From this we will have the opportunity to be more human. We are living in the most important era of the Mayan calendars and prophecies. All the prophecies of the world, all the traditions are converging now. There is no time for games. The spiritual ideal of this era is action.”

It will be a rebirth of the world  and beginning of the 5th Sun when our Sun crosses and aligns itself and Earth with the Galactic Center of the Milky Way on December 21, 2012.  Carlos says that this phenomenon will  open up a channel for higher frequencies to come to Earth.

He reminds us that this shift in vibration has already begun causing change to consistently accelerate. Now is the time for people to come together in love, light and life to create balance in unity. We need to find similarities with our neighbors and enemies, instead of squabbling over differences.

Carlos says that the 5th Sun will be ruled by the Element Ether that rules spiritual energy and is thought to be brought to Earth by the unusual Solar and Galaxy alignment  in 2012.  However, he also states that the prevailing global forces today are working to block this transformation  through creating fear among the people, environmental havoc, and war.  In this way, they are hoping we will not be ready when the shift occurs.   Carlos says that:

“It’s very important to be clear about who you are, and also about your relation to the Earth... it’s a time is to learn to sense or see the energy of everyone and everything – people, plants, animals.

This becomes increasingly important as we draw close to the World of the Fifth Sun, for it is associated with the element ‘ether’ – the realm where energy lives and weaves. Go to the sacred places of the Earth to pray for peace, and have respect for the Earth which gives us our food, clothing, and shelter. We need to reactivate the energy of these sacred places. That is our work.

One simple but effective prayer technique is to light white or baby-blue colored candles. Think of a moment in peace. Speak your intention to the flame and send the light of it on to the leaders we have in power to make peace.

The greatest wisdom is in simplicity. Love, respect, tolerance, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness. It’s not complex or elaborate. The real knowledge is free.  It’s encoded in your DNA.  All you need is within you.  Great teachers have said that from the beginning.  Find your heart, and you will find your way”  

Want to read the original text and get more information?  

 http://www.mayamysteryschool.com/pdf%20files/Carlos_Barrios.pdf  (you may need to cut & paste this)     

HTAAXEN96W4Z

 

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.