Menopause or Memorex?

I've written about menopause symptoms before, but with the combination of Saturn vs. Uranus energy (structure and form/old ways directly opposing the quirky, rebellious, bolt-from-the-blue-into-the-new), huge energetic downloads amping our circuits, and the latest Mercury Rx ~ well, it seems an auspicious moment to post some healing tips that, while created for menopausal women, can assist any of us in moving with more grace and ease through this passage:

How toxicity in the body can mimic menopause:
Hot Flash: Hormone Mimics Wreak Havoc on Women's Health (my personal journey)

How to detoxify your body and home (series of 4 articles):
Allergic ~ Or Toxic?

The challenges and joys of turning 50:
Life in the Middle Ages

Simple steps you can take today to help ground and release:

(1) Go to the woods or ocean, depending on where you live, and get the rage and frustration out by shouting, running, doing ritual, etc.
(2) Write down all of what's bothering you, then delete the message! Or print it out and burn it.
(3) Get an herbal or homeopathic formula from your local health food store.
(4) invest/indulge in acupuncture, massage, or another form of bodywork to help your body balance some of the symptoms and reduce stress.
(5) Remember to breathe! When you feel angry or imbalanced, just taking some really slow, deep breaths outside can make a huge difference.

I'm posting daily additions to my Practical Spirituality Examiner page and welcome your comments and questions ~ will respond to all!

And finally, this may be an ideal time to hire a personal coach to help you Get Unstuck!

∞ Blessings and Light ∞

A Question of Balance

Mayan time cycles maven Li Walter, PhD, says we're entering into a balancing act as we prepare to close out 2008, and it's an opportunity for integration on all levels:

"Coming in the Moon of Balance, this is a journey to find a new balance in our lives and in our society.

With so many planets in Capricorn at the moment, including the New Moon in Capricorn (and Sun in Capricorn) on 1 Skywalker (Saturday, Dec. 27th), this is clearly a journey in fundamentally re-balancing and re-structuring how we live. Mars and Pluto in early Capricorn provide some push, while Jupiter and Mercury in late Capricorn help to pull us toward the possibilities of Aquarius.

On Dec. 31st, Saturn in Virgo goes retrograde until mid-May, so here too we are given the indication that a practical re-working of how we work is in order. Also that night, just after sunset you can see the crescent Moon with Venus in the southwest and Mercury with Jupiter very low in the west.

January 1st falls on a 6 Mirror portal day, so here again is a call to reflect upon balance, and allow more balanced perceptions to lead us into the year to come.

This Skywalking journey toward greater balance manifests on the 10 Wind day on Jan. 3rd as Jupiter moves into Aquarius for the next year. It's time to take a big breath. Jupiter is much more comfortable here, able to go big, take risks, expand into the exploration of innovative possibilities.

And just on the very last day of this Moon, the World-bridger wave connects this new balancing into the attunement of Moon 7 to come. Moving from balance as we bridge different worlds is vital, whether between our personal world and another's, between work and home life, or between this dimension and others."

NASA Promotes Astrology!

Well, not exactly, but close: the venerable space exploration organization sent out a bulletin alerting celebrating Americans that on July 4th (Independence Day in the U.S.), the planets Saturn and Mars will align with the crescent Moon. And by July 10th, Saturn and Mars will be kissin' close: as snuggly as they'll be for the next 14 years. Saturn is the planet of form and structure; Mars is fiery action-oriented energy. Does this herald an exciting new direction for us all, held in a more conscious container?

Astrologer Allison Rae has a slightly different take on the celestial connections during this same period: as we enter the "dog days of summer", our Sun aligns with Sirius, the Dog Star, "creating an initiation portal linked to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Egyptian goddess Isis and the all-seeing, all-knowing Eye of Cosmic Wisdom. The rising of Sirius with the Sun near the Summer Solstice marks the beginning of the Egyptian New Year and heralds the annual flooding of the Nile, replenishing the physical and spiritual fertility of the motherland. The brightest star in our sky, Sirius streams the cosmic frequencies of Love-Wisdom to Earth.

"Freedom and illumination are themes of this celestial gateway. The United States and Canada both celebrate their independence from England under this alignment. Bastille Day, the French Independence Day, is July 14. In an intriguing twist, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was born under this configuration, as was U.S. President George W. Bush (both born on July 6)."

Which just goes to show that there's more to astrology than one's Sun sign. Then again, are H.H. and GWB simply flip sides of the same coin?