Astrological cycles

To update from my most recent post, which I believe was written when I had less than adequate sleep, after studying for a comprehensive (big) exam, I am more stabilized now, more embodied for that matter.  I had noticed that I was starting to dissociate (my consciousness was starting to drift away from alignment with my body) for a few moments here and there, but that has gotten better now as well.

I am still working more than I would like at the restaurant, but because we are understaffed or staffed to the bare minimum, at least the money is good, and that is supporting my bigger intention of completing nursing school  🙂

But I have now realized that I am on winter break, and I am wishing that it would last longer!  I have a few days off in a row (on purpose) next week, so that should be nice, although I will be prepping for the upcoming semester and applying for scholarships, etc.  I also intend to rest, go hiking, soak in sensory deprivation chamber (AquaFloat) and do other self-care practices.

At present, I am aware of and doing research into various astrological cycles in my own life (reflected in my astrology chart).  In particular, I am focusing on Chiron aspects in my chart, related to various Buddhist or meditation-type events along with looking at Jupiter / Neptune cycles.  As Jupiter is presently making a 3/4 square to my Neptune (the conjunction will be the next major hard aspect), I have been looking back at dates and times and events in my life.  So far, it is correlating to meeting one of my heart teachers, and then being tempted off the path for a time as it were.

I am clarifying my thoughts and I will post more about this shortly.

Thanks for reading!  And my everyone have an abundant and joyful new year!

~Kirby

December 2015

So I have begrudgingly stumbled into passing grades in nursing fundamentals, health assessment and sociology.  My pursuit of a nursing license was almost derailed due to procrastination, but fortunately the massive comprehensive final exam was easier than expected.  Of course, it does not help my situation that I am working full time.  Apparently next semester is supposed to get more challenging, although from the military-style preview of what next semester is going to look like, they (the nursing faculty) are accurate in that assessment.

I am seeing the odd astrology client here and there when and if I have time.  Although I suspect that I will only have time between now and January 11th (when I resume nursing school).

My mental clarity was nearly derailed due to a TV show (Elementary) and a new computer game.  The process of studying at least 36 hours for a test that was easier than expected has shaken my world, at least temporarily.

I don’t quite realize that I am on winter break.  I intend to sleep.  I want to take baths, work, see the occasional friend, spend quality time with my girlfriend (she has supported me admirably during nursing school so far), and did I mention I wanted to nap and sleep?

I also have assignments to complete.  I must buy the medical surgical textbook, and the disease and disorder book.  Not to mention the pharmacology book.

Honestly, I am excited about what the next couple of semesters hold.  I am learning more than I ever have before.  Although I must do a better job of staying focused and at least rest down when I have a moment to myself.  I fear that the shingles virus which reared its ugly head in 2013 might attempt to re-emerge what with all the stressors I have swirling around me at present.

Om Mani Padme Hung Hri

Spiritual practice and self care are vital right now.

I wish I could write more extensively and with more clarity.  But at present, this will have to do.

Thank you for reading these jumbled words of a busy student!

Powerful kindness takes many forms

As a child, I watched Sesame Street (and cartoons) and Mr. Rogers neighborhood.  And as a child, I did not realize how special Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood of kindness actually was.

After watching these two clips below, I found myself weeping.  It takes a lot to make me cry, so maybe it was just time to let go, or maybe this was something very precious about this modest kind giant.

I am hoping one day to be able to manifest this much kindness on a daily basis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEuEUQIP3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI_9GegVoYk

Thank you for reading

And may all beings realize

kindness and compassion

in their daily lives.

Looking for hope about our planet’s future? Here’s a story worth sharing:

I heard a story on NPR today about the traditional Polynesian sailing vessel known as Hokulei’a (out of Hawai’i).  I got the chance to see this large sailing canoe about 7 or 8 years ago in Hawai’i.  It is impressive. What is more impressive is that some ambitious voyagers are taking the craft around the world using primarily traditional forms of navigation – no GPS, no satellites, no radar.

The vessel is planning to sail across the Atlantic next (it is presently in Durban, South Africa) before it comes up the South American coast toward Washington, D.C.  They are planning to visit the Hawaiian President (Obama) before he leaves office.  And I for one, would love to be on the edge of the Potomac River to cheer on the Hokulei’a as it sails past!  These are ambassadors worth receiving!

You can see more at their beautiful website: http://www.hokulea.com/

Been busy with nursing school, in January ready to do Astrology

Hello my fine readers,

If you or anyone you know is interested, I am looking to do some astrology interpretations in Dec / January.  I have been busy with nursing school which you can imagine is quite empirical and very scientifically dry.  So I could use some creative intuition for a change and I am looking to do about half a dozen chart interpretations.

I was invited to Yogaville to teach Spiritual Astrology, but I need to see if the timing will work out.  My schedule is amazingly full.

You can reach me at kirby [at] mkirbymoore [dot] com

I am available one or two days in December and then January 3rd – 9th.

And then of course, I will rest during my break as well.  Balance is good.

Thanks for reading!

Assessing Zero Balancing Day 3

Wow!  I have to say that writing the post soon after receiving a treatment is best.  Because this way I will remember the key points I want to jot down  🙂

Also, I want to state for the record, that receiving 3 sessions of ZB is necessary – vital.  Do it.  Go.  Now.  Having received 3 sessions within a 3 week period (over the course of 21 days to be exact), I realize that the unfolding and softening and processing of tension stored in the joints and bones is definitely a process that cannot be reached in one treatment.  There are many layers and complex psycho-emotional and physiological strata that can be worked through.  But I don’t want to scare anyone off – Connie was extremely professional and for the most part, she was silent in doing the treatment.  So any psycho-emotional processing was purely my choice and my prerogative.

Here is a brief assessment of various body parts and how they feel, one hour after my 3rd treatment:

The most significant shift I notice is in my neck – for at least 3 years, I have dealt with stiffness and off and on soreness there.  But now I am noticing at least a 75% improvement in my range of motion and now instead of feeling pervasive, unresponsive stiffness, I notice a couple of small areas of tenseness and resistance.  But it is extremely localized and manageable.  Before I would just accept that that was the way things might be.

My ribs in the back feel more open, below and especially around my scapula (shoulder blades).  Not only that, I notice better and smoother range of motion in my arms and shoulders, and my hips and pelvis feel more open and more responsive.  It literally feels like a breath of fresh air is blowing through certain joints where as previously, it was getting a little musty.

To be honest, I still have more work to do.  I signed up for another ZB treatment in 2 weeks – I want to assess where I am at on 5 treatments and then if I want to continue, I will assess at 7 and 10 treatments.  Connie is a superb massage therapist, so I will probably drop in getting a massage as a reward once I finish this semester of school (December).  And that will be heavenly.  And at the same time, I am looking forward to this opening I am noticing and exploring with ZB.

I do need more exercise.  Nursing school has made it so nearly every single minute can be taken up reading, studying, completing care plans, etc.  But I intend to enjoy it as much as I can and I want to strike a good balance between self care, relaxation and plugging away with studies.

I am very happy to have worked with Connie.  She is a skilled and professional and compassionate bodyworker.  Again, if you are in the Central Virginia area, you can contact her for sessions at:

Connie Staley

434.996.2640 or email her at conniemstaley [at] yahoo [dot] com

Thank you for reading!

Assessing Zero Balancing, Day 2

I am writing this post 2 days after receiving my second full ZB session.  Go back and read my most recent post about Zero Balancing (ZB) if you haven’t already.

I should point out that off and on for the past 5 years, I have been dealing with neck stiffness.  Sometimes I even experience torticollis – a condition where muscle spasms high in my chest make it so I can’t turn my neck without having a lot of pain – and on those days, I have to turn my entire body to look a different direction.  Fortunately those days only come about twice a year or so.

Also, I’m the type of person who yearns for any kind of compassionate bodywork done by a skillful (or caring) practitioner – massage, Craniosacral, ZB, acupuncture, etc – count me in.  So if nothing else, these 3 free ZB treatments are providing excellent maintenance to keep my system more loose – softening my edges as it were.

I noticed several positive changes between this recent treatment and the first:

  1. First and foremost, my neck stiffness feels much different.  Overall I would say the level of discomfort has dropped at least 50%.  Not only that, but the texture of the pain has shifted.  Instead of being a full blown pervasive stiffness, it is now localized tenderness – like I am more aware of the few areas of discomfort.
  2. Second, I relaxed very deeply during the treatment.  I was grateful to Connie for being silent unless I was the one talking.  She would only say something if it was necessary or maybe once every 10 minutes.  This allowed me to drop much deeper into a relaxed, aware state.
  3. Off and on for the past couple of years, I think due to my being a waiter, I have noticed right shoulder discomfort when I move it in certain ways.  My range of motion is fine, but there is stiffness with certain regions of movement.  I think that is slightly shifting as well.

So far, I would say that ZB is approaching my body in a new beneficial manner.  I think it works with certain physiological AND emotional layers of the body.  It helps to bring awareness to the chest and ribs, breathing, and to the hips and legs, as well as the shoulders and neck.  And I think I might continue on with it – after my 3 free session, I intend to get 2 sessions of ZB per month.

And like I mentioned above, if nothing else, if ZB helps to abate the stiffness in my neck, I would go back every month!  When I get the torticollis, I am pretty much laid low for a day or two – if I have to go out, I literally look like a frankenstein’s monster  🙂   It is sad really.  So, I am grateful for what I am learning about my body from ZB – and I think a lot of that learning is happening subconsciously.

I must admit (for the sake of science), that there are several variables to be aware of (full disclosure):

I am staying massively busy with nursing school and work.  I wonder if I would notice even more breakthroughs with ZB if it weren’t for these large burdens on my shoulders.  Also, while I suspect ZB is what is responsible for my neck improvement, I can’t be 100% certain – correlation does not equal causation  🙂   But I am very certain about that – considering I am not doing much different over the past few weeks.

And I should point out that I am extremely sensitive to bodywork practitioners – if someone is not very conscious or aware or compassionate or caring, I feel that and I would not go back for a second or third treatment – even if it was free.  [Because in energy work – energy always flows from a higher source down to a lower source – like electricity or gravity.  So if I am significantly more energetically full than my bodyworker, then they would potentially be energized for treating me!]  And I say that with as much modesty as possible – it is just what I have been taught by my teachers.

So Connie is a phenomenal practitioner – she does massage and Craniosacral work as well as ZB.  But she is trying to promote Zero Balancing, so if you contact her, she might give a discount if you need one (at least for the first treatment).  Here is her contact info:

434.996.2640 or email her at conniemstaley [at] yahoo [dot] com

Thanks for reading!

Assessing Zero Balancing, Day 1

One of my colleagues in Charlottesville, Connie Staley, who is a fellow bodyworker (massage, Craniosacral therapy and Zero Balancing) heard about how busy I am with school and work, and she generously offered me 3 sessions of Zero Balancing for free.  In exchange I told her I would blog about my experience and if she wants to use my testimonials, then great!

I have never received a full session, pure Zero Balancing (ZB) treatment before.  On two or three occasions I have received the legs and hips section of it, or the ribs / shoulders section.  Another time, someone with ZB certification worked on my neck.  But today, I just received 50 minutes of straight ZB.  And it was great.

Initially she had me sit on the table and she tested my range of motion in my arms and my hips (sacral-iliac joints).  Then I lay down and she mentioned that I could, if I wanted to, voice an intention for the day.  I said that physically my neck is stiff and tight and that I want to be able to better balance work and school stress and rest better.  I will assess over the course of the next few weeks how that comes along  🙂

Over the course of the next 45 minutes or so, she worked on my hips and legs, doing hip stretches and holding my legs, assessing the range of motion of my feet and hip joints.  Then she went to my torso – she adjusted or palpated my ribs and shoulders, spending some time around my shoulder blades.  Then she worked on my neck.  Last she did my arms.  Then she went back through this whole list again, testing range of motion and getting my feedback for what was different.  It was quite a nice experience.

Apparently, the theory behind ZB is that we hold tension in our joints and our bones.  And sometimes, that energy or tension has no where to go – no outlet to leave the body.  ZB helps to align the posture and free the connective tissue and bones of that residual tension.  I know I am not explaining it fully – I am definitely not an expert!  But whatever it does, I feel better an hour later.

On getting up (slowly and gradually), I felt my feet on the floor and then I took a few steps.  I definitely feel more liberated in my neck and shoulders – especially around my scapulae (shoulder blades).  My chest and ribs feel different – almost like my posture is natural now.  There is no forcing a straight back.  The discomfort in my neck is not gone completely, but it feels a little lighter and more free.  It is almost like it was tightly bound together and now the tension has a different texture to it.

I will assess what I notice over the next seven days and I go back for another treatment next Thursday.  Yay!  I’m definitely looking forward to it.

If nothing else, it is a good modality from an excellent practitioner (and that is what matters most).  The modality – whether ZB or massage or Craniosacral work or whatever – is only as good as the person doing it.  The tool is only potent and efficacious in the hands of a skilled practitioner.

I suspect that after a short nap, I will notice more unfolding and openings happening in my body.  I am very glad she offered and that I agreed to do this!

If you want to schedule a massage or a ZB session with Connie, I would highly recommend it!

Her contact info is 434.996.2640 and she sees clients in Charlottesville and maybe out at Lake Monticello.

Thanks for reading!

Thoughts on Nursing School, astrologically

I have never been as productive and efficient as I am becoming these days.  Nursing school is doing this for me.  In the past, I may have needed to conduct one binge night of studying per week – maybe staying up late as I finished a 6 hour lab project for a neuroscience seminar at UVa.  But then I would go back to studying 1-2 hours per day in between those sessions.

These days (and nursing school is just getting started!) I am studying a minimum of 3 hours per day and sometimes more like 4 or 5 – every day.  For instance, yesterday I watched videos for about 3 hours prior to going to nursing skills lab.  Then I came home and studied for another 3 hours as I have a big test this coming Friday.  And I barely feel like I broke the surface as far as what I need to study to be “ready.”

So what in my astrology chart might indicate that I am ready (or what has prepared me) for this level of intense discipline and arduous work ethic?  Honestly, it could be a number of things.  And I am not the expert on this topic – therefore I will just share my opinion.

First of all, I am 36 years old.  I have been through a number of experiences which have molded me to see that I am not going to live forever.  Obviously.  So it is time to get busy and get to work.  Let’s do something meaningful and positive.  Plus I have been working off and on in food and beverage jobs – mostly restaurant serving jobs – since 1998.  Good lord it is time to get out of that business!  Restaurant work is probably the most stressful work for such a superficial end product.  Sure feeding people is important – but occasionally the stress levels would seem to be life or death back in the kitchen…  No thank you!  If my job is going to be stressful, I would rather be providing real life benefit to customers and clients and in the hospital that will definitely be the case.

And I will come back to my astrology chart: what indicators “say” that I am prepared for this level of overwhelming loads of assignments and assessments and care plans and quizzes and tests…?

Saturn is a good place to start looking.  One of the Lords of Karma, Saturn is also on the best indicators for whether or not someone is capable of really hard work sustained over time.  You can look at the Sun’s placement, you could look at the number of earth signs in the chart and are those planets in positive aspects or are they afflicted?  Is Neptune stronger than Saturn?  Is Jupiter stronger than Saturn?

And even if your Natal Saturn is afflicted at birth, you can still develop good discipline and work hard to attain a lofty goal.  Just look to Saturn’s transit location in the astrology chart.  I forget where I read this – probably Jeffrey Wolf Green or Robert Hand or Liz Greene – but Saturn’s house position as it transits the chart is very important.

For instance, when Saturn is cruising through your first house, that is a time of new beginnings.  Some old pattern is dying off (or died off when Saturn was completing its cycle through the 12th house) and a new rebirth is beginning.  Then Saturn comes to the second house and you start learning a new skill, you begin to get images of what is possible within the next 5 – 10 years.  Likewise this process continues into the third house.  But now you have more grounding in this new idea or dream or concept.  You are starting to formulate what will be needed and who to go to for assistance with this new idea.  Maybe you start a new school curriculum during this time?

Then Saturn crosses over the Nadir in the chart.  And if you have a Cancer Sun or Moon, this could be an intense year in your life (or if you have any personal planets conjunct the Midheaven in your chart, etc).  But for most people, Saturn crossing the Nadir is one of the major times for getting down to business.  If you have been lackadaisical up to this point, now you will start to doubt your “it’s all good” attitude.  It would be better if I were working toward a goal!  I would feel more satisfied!

So the time that Saturn is in your fourth thru sixth houses, this is the time when you really buckle down and get to work.  Because you are preparing inwardly to give these skills back to the community.  You are learning a new skill so that you can be rewarded for your hard work once Saturn crosses into your Seventh house – and emerges back into the public arena.  You may not know this consciously, but this is what is going on under the surface.

And that is where I am presently as I go through nursing school.  My Saturn is crossing into my 5th house – having been in or around my 4th house for the past 2 – 3 years.  It is time to get to work.  To buckle down and study harder than I ever have before.  To prove to myself that I am not a lazy Pisces – that I can be disciplined and intuitive and brilliant at the same time  🙂

Well this has been a quick update on where I stand presently.  Maybe in a few weeks I can make another report.

Thanks for reading!

Approaching the Nursing Profession from an Alternative background…

As many of you readers know, I am presently in nursing school.  And if you have been reading my blog for some time, then you would also know that I have quite a long and devoted history of practicing and receiving and championing (when it is legitimate) complimentary and alternative medicine modalities.

So how am I reconciling this change of direction within myself?  Honestly, it is a very complex issue – here are some of the feelings and thoughts going through my mind as I ask myself, “coming from years of practicing Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and Somatic Experiencing (trauma resolution), what is it like to be thrust into a mainstream group of scientists and future nurses?

I feel like a part of me is selling out.  However, this is also complicated (see below).

I am glad to be entering a profession where it is said to be a “calling” and a “service” to be a nurse.  It is not for everyone.  First of all, it is extremely tough to get into (my school accepted about 18% of applicants) and once you are in a nursing program, it gets more and more complicated with each class you take.  Until, suddenly after two years, you are a well-educated professional who might be able to jump right into a hospital setting and care for a wide range of patients.  In other words, being a nurse is one of the worst ways to make a lot of money – it is possible to make good money, but that can take years of hard work, study and more schooling.

My nursing professors so far are very solid women.  They have obviously done their personal growth work and are grounded, clear, honest and seem to radiate joy in some aspects of their jobs.  Therefore it seems like the nursing conundrum (most of the 50 United States being in serious nursing shortages) has not burnt them out at least.

I suspect I am one of the only people who is doing nursing with a solid background in Craniosacral Therapy, trauma resolution and Spiritual Astrology (and Buddhism).  That combination is difficult to find. A part of me wonders if my talents are being wasted…  (I hope that doesn’t come off as being too brash or arrogant).

I am intimidated regarding the stories about some hospitals being short staffed.  If you give someone (in this case nurses) so much responsibility and so many patients to handle in a given shift, and yet you ask them to do TWO people’s job, it seems that mistakes are inevitable.  And not only that, but it seems that this situation will always lead to a focus on disease treatment rather than prevention.  If you know that counseling patients might lead to preventing future diseases, and yet there is not enough time to do that counseling…  wouldn’t you go out and do something about hiring more nurses?  Something is very wrong with a system if all that is going on.  I’m just saying (and keep in mind I have not done a clinical in a hospital setting yet).

As to why I did not stick with bodywork as a profession (and why I am in nursing today):

I am not good at marketing myself.  I am / was a very solid bodyworker but I was never good at marketing myself, nor was I good at maintaining a strong practice if I built it up.  As a bodyworker doing complimentary medicine, there is simply too much work involved to constantly be acquiring new clients as a few of my previous clients got better and only needed occasional “maintenance” sessions.  To market, and practice, and schmooze, and take care of the accounting, etc is simply too much work for me.  😦   I’m not cut out to do it, at best I need help.  Or I need a marketable skill (like nursing) that is in high demand where I will be compensated a living wage for the work I do.  And aside from the emotional strain, I can pretty much leave my work at work and come home and let go…  we will see if this is a pipe-dream, but I think you get my point.

Not only that, but I wonder if bodywork is a little too easy for me.  Nursing is very complex and as a result, it is and will challenge my intuition and studying abilities in novel and creative ways.  In other words, I needed a new challenge, and nursing is definitely providing that.  This is why I did not go the route of graduate work in psychology.  Because that would have been rewarding yes, but again it would have been more of the same and less of a new challenge.

So we will see where this (the nursing path) takes me.

Thanks for reading my breathless posts  🙂