Steppin' Out in Faith

This was the title of the second newsletter I wrote, 'way back in June 2000, and the directive is just as true today: every time I relax into thinking I'm going to "settle in" for awhile, Spirit reminds me I'm on a nomadic path, and that requires walking on faith, always. Since I declared this truth out loud with my article, The New Nomads: Spiritual Sojourners with a Global Vision, I've been hearing some extraordinary and inspiring stories of how many of us are living on the edge of the New, creating a lifestyle that is at once avant-garde and ancient. People have always lived nomadically; what's unprecedented is the numbers of us who are choosing this path in planetary service.

But whether or not you're a New Nomad, we're all being called to step out in tremendous faith, as Pluto is doing a slow, deliberate dance of deliverance on the entire earth body's inhabitants. It's only humans who are challenged to adapt.

The following wisdom from astrologer Stephanie Austin may be helpful:

"As Pluto moves retrograde (until September 7), we are called to examine every area of our life and to eliminate what is not in alignment with our soul intentions. The cosmic message to check our spiritual compass is amplified by Jupiter's approaching station retrograde on April 5th. Jupiter stations at 20º Sagittarius and moves retrograde until August 6th, prodding us to question our assumptions, review our options, and get back on track if we have taken a detour.

"On Monday, April 2nd, a Full Moon peaks at 10:15 AM PDT at 13º Aries-Libra. The cosmic keynote for this Full Moon is courage. It takes courage to grow, to face the unknown. It takes willpower to overcome the pull of the past. It takes resolve to endure discomfort or disapproval. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, the energy of initiation, of breaking new ground and birthing new forms. It is also the first fire sign, and fire requires continuous fuel. Creation never ceases. Nature abhors a vacuum. God dislikes boredom. As creators, we too perpetually encounter new edges, new frontiers. This Full Moon illuminates that we are facing a new challenge, and reminds us that as we grow, relationships that honor and support authenticity can grow also.

"During the Full Moon, the Sun at 13° Aries makes a wide trine to Saturn at 18° Leo (exact trine on April 8th) and also to Jupiter at 20° Sagittarius (exact trine on April 9th). This forms a Grand Trine in Fire, a high energy time which remains in effect for the first two weeks of April. Much can be accomplished with a minimum of resistance, as Jupiter in Sagittarius boosts optimism, Saturn in Leo urges us to follow our hearts, and the Sun in Aries nudges us to take action.

"In essence, all these alignments say: 'Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.' ~ Martin Luther King."