Space to breathe

I am writing this post because I am noticing something important.

Recently, I moved back to Virginia from Florida.  Yes, I had been invested in Florida and I tried to make it work down there…  but I missed Virginia too much (and I did not find a good job down there).  So here I am.

Because I did not have a place lined up to live in, I temporarily moved into my parent’s guest room.  Let me be more descriptive, as this guest room is a whopping 8′ by 9′.  So maybe you could say I moved temporarily into my parents’ walk-in closet…?  Yeah, it was as comfortable as it sounded.  🙂

Two weeks of living with them, I am 34 years old by the way, and I practice a different spiritual path than either of my parents, and I was ready to run for the hills…  at least when my parents did their raised voice thing with my 16-year old brother…  Don’t get me wrong!  I love my family, I am very grateful to have a place to land should I find myself on shaky ground and need a refuge to take me in…  but my heart was feeling the weight of other people’s burdens.

I am a Buddhist practitioner (if you are new to this blog).  My parents are Christians – and very kind hearted, generous, ethical individuals.  So we do have some things in common – most religions are actually very similar when you look at their basics.  (Philosophically this is a different story.)  But more importantly, the reason I needed to grab my own space was because I have done a bunch of personal growth work.  Whether through process-oriented bodywork, or from studying my own and others’ astrology charts from a psychological perspective, or from spending time around authentic spiritual masters, my sensitivities are heightened.

So I am more attuned to emotional needs, to facial expressions and maybe even to non-visual cues (who knows?).  Anyway, I am now house sitting for a friend of mine, and it is a breath of fresh air.  It is a simple house, with beautiful Asian artwork – Japanese screens, Indian paintings and beadwork, Tibetan Thangkas and Chinese images.  Therefore I can fill it with my energy if I choose, or just leave it nice and peaceful.

I love my family and I am very blessed to have them in my life and especially for the kindness of my parents!  They have done amazingly generous things for me and supported me through all of my many various walks of life.  But I think there is something to be said about the statement, “when your kids are fit to live with, they are living with someone else.”  I wonder if the reverse is true, “when your parents are fit to live with, you should be living with someone else.”  🙂

This is just my random thought for the day.  Thank you for reading!

By the way, I am now back in Charlottesville pretty much for good (at least for another year or more).  So if you would like an Astrology interpretation or some Craniosacral work, just contact me or leave a comment here.

May all beings know happiness and its causes!

Who knew the teeth could be so insightful

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Not too long ago I invested $30 in an updated version of the I Ching.  If you are a regular reader, you would know that I occasionally check in with this divination tool to see what currents are presently passing through and around me.  Fortunately I use one of the best interpretations (at least for psychotherapists, bodyworkers, somatic practitioners, yoga practitioners, and meditators), an interpretation by Julie Henderson, PhD.

Also not too long ago, I asked the I Ching what would be a good practice to rest down / relax in the midst of everything.  I was having a difficult time in Florida at that point, unable to find a job I wanted, not sure what was next.  And believe it or not, it said, “Relax your teeth.”

Now you may not see this as being very profound.  But as someone who has some challenging aspects in my astrology chart, especially involving my kidneys (Saturn opposite Mars, 2nd / 8th house) and other nefarious type aspects, I pay attention whenever the I Ching mentions body parts.  Because it is usually right on.

In the past, I used to wear a mouth guard because of grinding my teeth, and I still do it from time to time.  Basically I can tell when I have been doing it for a number of reasons, but there is usually some type of stress which causes it – whether within or without.  My dentist keeps trying to get me in a mouth guard, but I tried one of his hard (static, plastic) mouth guards and it did not allow my teeth to move and shift at all (even tiny micro-movements are vital), so I woke up with a rocking headache.  Then the dentist mentioned that if I continue to grind away at my teeth, I may lose some of them prematurely…  Not good.  Long story short, my teeth are pretty important to me.

Luckily I had a day off.  I relaxed down into the bed, trying to relax each body part consciously.  Then I moved awareness and attention into my oral areas.  I felt into my maxilla and mandible – the upper and lower jaw bones.  Likewise I slowly moved awareness around and between each tooth – molars, pre-molars, etc.  Each tooth I swept my attention through and around, inside surface, outer surface.  Then I hummed into each tooth, into the roots.

This process may have taken at least half an hour, possibly closer to an hour.  But you know what?  It was a very profound experience.  In the past, I have sort of neglected some of my body’s messages about self care and its limits.  By analyzing and sweeping all my teeth with awareness, I discovered something helpful.

I have had my wisdom teeth removed, to that means I have 28 teeth remaining.  Of those, 8 are molars.  That means I should have four chewing surfaces between those eight teeth.  But guess what?  Two of my molars grew in different directions, meaning the upper tooth lands outside of the inner tooth.  So that means I only have 3 chewing surfaces!  And one of those molars has had extensive cavaties…

Basically I realized I cannot mess around with my teeth.  I can’t think, “Oh you know, I have many teeth, I can afford to lose one.”  No!  The body is interconnected.  If there is stress in the torso, the teeth may be affected.  Like the myriad connections between emotions and body parts, I believe the body parts themselves cannot be taken as independent entities.  The liver may need something specific, but maybe it is lacking in support from another organ.

These are just some random thoughts I have.  From here on out however, I am practicing better self care, realizing the dentist’s words may prove to be true if I don’t take care of my body (and mind).  Therefore, I plan to retreat from anything which causes harm or which does not move me along on my spiritual or life path.

Sometimes we come to these conclusions in unusual ways.

Thank you for reading!

Marriage aspects in Western Astrology

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  If you would like to support Kirby’s blogging (and living) efforts, you can purchase Astrology interpretations and bodywork treatments at www.mkirbymoore.com  Thank you for visiting!  Another easy way to support Kirby’s blog is to click on the ads – you don’t have to watch much of them, but every click helps.

In this post, I am going to start revealing some secrets of professional astrologers.  For the record, I want to point out that while I am a professional, I am not THE expert and I am still learning as I go.  I do love seeing the various manifestations of Astrological aspects across many different people (and clients!).

Why this topic?  Because it is a vital part of Relationship Astrology and that is what I have been posting about off and on recently, possibly with more to come.

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This post will be almost entirely about the Natal Chart – what are the “Marriage” Aspects in one’s own individual chart?  I will post about potential “Marriage” Aspects in Relationship Astrology charts later.  By the way, I have “Marriage” in quotes because not everyone chooses to marry their partner.  So you could say these are primary intimate possibly serious romantic partnering aspects – and ideally, who do we want to marry – our best friend, our inspirer, our coach, our peer, our cheering on and cheering up person.  So let’s just say it is complicated – many people get married for various reasons, but if those reasons are not covered here, then maybe I believe there are gradations of positivity along the reasons-for-getting-hitched spectrum.  How ’bout that?

What is “The Classic Marriage Aspect?”  Honestly I don’t know if this exists, but if I personally had to choose, I have read over and over and seen in several of my clients’ charts that when Progressed Venus crosses the Midpoint of the Natal Sun and Moon in the Progressed (to Natal) chart, then you would have to work really hard to avoid meeting a high-quality partner, possible even a soul-mate.  I guess if you were in a solitary three-year retreat, you might avoid it, but even then this partner might come to the monastery where you are practicing, so you would have been in close proximity even if you did not actually meet (at that time).  And I should point out that if you are already happily married, and your partner also feels the same way, then having this aspect come about may be about improving your present marriage rather than meeting someone new – but you never know.  Best to be sure about who and what your heart wants and be certain how committed you (and your partner) are to the relationship.

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What is another popular marriage aspect?  Look at the Ascendant!  It is one of the two major relationship lines in the chart – the other being the opposite of the same – the Descendant (the 7th house cusp line).  Fresh starts, new beginnings and re-births occurs when major planets transit or progress over the Ascendant.  Therefore Transiting Jupiter can indicate a new positive relationship in your life, maybe not marriage per se; but probably the best partner you have attracted to yourself up to that point.  If Progressed Venus crosses the Natal Ascendant (it will be there at least a year or two because of its slower movement), then that will be a very fortunate and possibly “fated” time as far as relationships go.  Keep in mind this is the 11th or 12th house Venus progressing out of the shadows and into visible life – your attractions and enjoyment and generosity of the heart will be more palpable and certainly more visible.

Are there more favorable “Marriage” aspects?  Yes, but I do want this to be a teaser – no use revealing all our secrets at one time, now is there?  🙂    So what I will say is this.  Relationship Astrology is complicated and complex – knowing the ruler of your 5th, 7th and 11th houses is also important.  Then seeing what aspects those planets make in your Natal Chart can show who and what you are attracted to and why.  Next, you can see what planets are making Transiting aspects to the rulers of those houses and then you will see relationship juices start flowing (inner, mental, etc).  Also there will most certainly be changes if Transiting Pluto, Uranus and even Neptune aspect those planets.

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Kirby will spend 90 minutes interpreting your Natal Birth chart. You can chat about any area that you like. This includes printed charts and it also includes about 30 minutes of preparation time! These are typically done on the phone, via Skype or in person if you happen to be in Virginia, USA.

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This is why it is important to have your chart done by a professional Astrologer at least once a year (approximately).  We all have blind spots – meaning, even if we are the most discerning person on the planet, there is probably a good chance we still want our life and our world to be a little different than the way it is.  In other words, our expectations, hopes and dreams can blind us to the precise reality of our present situation and that is why we need support, we need good coaches and we especially need an outside, objective perspective on our charts and our lives.

So go out and get your chart done professionally.  If you have relationship questions, just know that this is a very complicated “science.”  Therefore if you expect a 2-second glance at your Natal chart to reveal everything about “Am I meant to be married?”  “When will it happen?”  “To whom?”  Then you have a surprise coming!  Rather it takes a qualified astrologer at least several minutes with each chart – the Natal Chart, the Transit Chart, the Progressed Chart AND the Synastry Chart and Composite Chart.  It takes a lot of time and energy to prepare a solid Astrology Interpretation and then to give it in an inspiring, skillful manner.  Hence the reason we Astrologers need to charge for our services.

Stepping off my platform now…  Thank you for reading!

By the way, I offer phone sessions (and In-Person) interpretations.  Contact me for rates and services offered.  Obviously, Relationship Astrology is one of my speciaties.  Email is kirby [at] mkirbymoore [dot] com

Positive Disenchantment

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Thank you for visiting!

I am writing this post as an update for my “progress” in Florida, and to comment on the phenomena of disenchantment or disillusionment being able to be positive and a potentially maturity-oriented noun. Another reason I might be writing this is to clarify my thoughts on what has been a confusing process.

So I moved down here to Florida, or at least I should say now, I moved about half of my stuff – mainly physical possessions. I have visited Florida several times and I thought it might be a good fit. I have some friends down here and there are many Drikung Kagyu practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism (which is the lineage I feel a close connection with). That and my primary spiritual teacher has his residence down here, for when he is not traveling or teaching elsewhere.

Having been here for two months, I think the word “moved” is erroneous. I should have been clear from the beginning – this was really an experiment. Can I weave into the physical environment here? Can I find some similar kindred spirits who I can share my presence with and who will provide me with good company? Do I feel like my potent gifts of awareness and emotional clarity are a decent fit down here, do people appreciate me for who I am and what I can offer them? Are my skills with bodywork able to be put to use?

Unfortunately, almost every answer to these questions are a definite “NO.” I am someone who enjoys a deep connection with the Earth, I like to hike, to swim, to bike and to be outdoors. Whether it is watching the sunset or just enjoying the leaves change to winter, I am fed by my connection with nature. And so far, I have only been on edge being outdoors here. I don’t know how to deal with alligators and people keep reminding me that there are many (new and foreign-to-me) venomous snakes here. And of course, there are panthers and large bobcats here too. Ooph!

I am finally feeling like my expectations of finding a decent job and enjoying time with my spiritual teacher (soaking up his awesome teachings and presence and fiery potency!) are dissolving in these autumn breezes. I have applied to dozens of jobs and so far, all doors are closed to me. I have been rejected, even by some jobs I thought I was qualified for. So I think it is time to throw in the towel. No need to try to push onward in a situation where I am trying to move a mountain by myself. I have nothing to prove to myself.

Yes, I will tire of explaining why Florida did not work out, but my true friends will understand. My ego might take a little bit of a hit – I wanted this to work out, I wanted to slay my dragons away from the beautiful land where I have spent 27 years of my life. And it is okay. My ego could use a good dose of reality from time to time!

I’m not sure when I will actually say goodbye yet, but I think my time in Florida is now limited.

Thank you for reading.

Transiting Saturn square Natal Venus

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  If you would like to support Kirby’s business, you can go to his website: www.mkirbymoore.com.  

This is a post about Western Astrology and specifically about Transits to the Natal chart. This post will go into Saturn mixing it up with Venus.

A lot of what I am going to say might also be applicable for any hard aspect between Tr. Saturn and Na. Venus (applying square, opposition, separating square or the conjunction). Remember, conjunctions can either be hard or soft aspects depending on which planets are involved. But typically whenever Saturn is involved in a conjunction, we consider it to be a hard aspect.

I am presently experiencing the separating square between Transiting Saturn and Natal Venus. Considering Saturn’s orbit around the Sun takes about 29 years, these hard aspects tend to fall about 7 years apart. So, one way to see what may be coming is to look back and see what was happening 7 or 14/15 years ago – the last time a hard aspect went down between these two.

I recommend getting your chart done by a professional astrologer. I could post hundreds of instances here about various astrological configurations and still be WAY OFF the mark about your individual precise chart. Because I don’t have the time to write the 144 posts about, “if your Venus is in the 1st house and Saturn is squaring it from the 10th…” or 2nd house, or 3rd house, etc. Eae Gads that would be a ton of work!

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What I am saying is that this particular square will be different depending on whether you have an Angular Venus (1st, 4th, 7th or 10th houses), AND this aspect will be received differently by the individual depending on what other aspects are happening. For instance, if we have Jupiter making a Trine to the Natal Sun, along with Progressed Venus making a conjunction with the Sun (both typically positive aspects), then this particular transit might not be challenging in the least. However, if we have several difficult transits going on at the same time this is in effect, then some of the more extreme forms of what I describe below may be experienced.

What is Saturn? Saturn represents reality, pragmatic energy and structure among other things. Saturn says to us, “Get real, get your head out of the clouds, make a plan, develop a strategy for attaining your goals, and if you don’t… then you may feel lonely, down in the dumps, pessimistic or cynical.” Planning, consensus, laws, restrictions, limitations, practical common sense, caution, boundaries and grounded process are all Saturnian key words.

What is Venus? Venus is what we want. It represents what we like, what we desire, who we desire, etc. Without afflicted aspects, Venus is refined, charming, generous, compassionate and kind and oriented toward aesthetics (especially when in Libra, Taurus or Pisces). It is how we like to be romanced. If Venus had its way however, we might not ever leave the comforts of a beautiful luxurious home – picture the Romans eating grapes and drinking wine on comfortable divans – and then you are reaching one Venusian paradise. Venus also has to do with what fashions we appreciate, colors, do we lean toward symmetry or asymmetry? Depending on the sign, house and aspects, Venus can show if we are more traditional in our dress and mannerisms or if we are more bohemian or rebellious.

So what happens when the down-to-earth, get-real-or-have-your-eyes-rudely-awakened Saturn makes this hard aspect to potentially rose-colored-glasses-wearing Venus? Well, depending on where you are in life, this can be a rough wake up call to be sure! Perhaps you just divorced or got out of a serious relationship not too long ago – this aspect could lead to feeling lonely or sad about relationship decisions. (Of course we can feel lonely whether or not we have recently been in a relationship!) Or, if you are in relationship with someone, if might lift the veil of illusions and say, “Whoa! Who am I with and why? Why aren’t they moving forward in life? Time to get real or get out.” In this case, Saturn can indicate tests and challenges to your relationship. Of course, if you have a partner who is open and growth-oriented, mature and willing to change for the better, then you have very little to worry about!

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[Update from Nov 2017] Here we must bring frequency-based astrology into play: meaning, if you are really evolved and mature, then you have most likely attracted and gone after a mature and responsible partner. If this is the case, then Saturn making a hard aspect to Venus might only be a little speed bump! But if we are mainly operating from our subconscious reactions and we have not done much personal growth work, then the tests and trials will definitely show up during this aspect. Especially regarding intimate relationships.

And that is just one area where this aspect might indicate introspection. Another area is money and the way in which we acquire it. Working is one of the main ways we earn money, and Venus rules money (what we value), so working is closely influenced by Venus. On top of this, Saturn’s desire for structure and planning plays a prominent role in many jobs. As a little tangent, if we have a well-aspected Venus in Taurus, then we may be willing to work 50 – 60 hours a week for a few years to acquire that nice town house in a beautiful part of town, and / or that nice BMW, and / or that exquisite cherry furniture we have had our eye on for years now… Right?! But if we have a poorly aspected Venus in Aquarius or Pisces or Virgo, then we may say, “Work 50 – 60 hours a week? Are you INSANE?! No, I would rather be content with Goodwill clothing and be able to enjoy my simple pleasures, plant my own garden and be HAPPY most the time.” 🙂 This is why you see a professional astrologer – there are so many variables to factor in, that no Astrological recipe book is going to fit you exactly (unless you write it, and even then it will stay static while you continue to evolve and grow).

So back from the tangent… Saturn transiting Venus in a hard aspect can lead to the realization that you are not up to the task(s) that you have set for yourself. Maybe you have been thinking, “you know, I could be a great general manager! I could easily earn $100,000 in a few years.” Well, if you don’t have this capacity, or lack any executive ability, then GOOD LUCK! And guess when you would rudely confront yourself about your lack of skills for what you have planned? Yep – during this transit! You will come down to earth one way or another.

Comprehensive Natal Chart Interpretation

Kirby will spend 90 minutes interpreting your Natal Birth chart. You can chat about any area that you like. This includes printed charts and it also includes about 30 minutes of preparation time! These are typically done on the phone, via Skype or in person if you happen to be in Virginia, USA.

$150.00

So to wrap up, I actually love Saturn. Sometimes the truth hurts, but I would rather know the truth than wander around in a deluded fog all my life! I love how Saturn indicates, “Are you sure? How do you know? What makes you think that? What is your plan for attaining those goals? Do you REALLY have those skills or that capacity?” It asks the difficult questions which are necessary to have some gain and growth and structure in your life. Whether it is aspecting the Sun, or Venus, or Mercury, we will have the chance to confront some aspect of ourselves. And that confrontation may be uncomfortable. But who among us is extremely comfortable with the unknown, comfortable with change, with transformation?

Mythologically, I think there was a reason that Saturn (Cronos) ruled the Universe for a time – and under his rule, it was a Golden Age! The reason is that without rules, without consensus, without a clear understanding of our limitations, without appropriate boundaries, we will be recklessly depleting our energy, we could just bounce from job to job without ever growing, without learning the life lessons which are constantly being presented.

So this Aspect might be rough when you are in it, but you will look back on it and say, “you know, I’m glad I saw that part of myself in a raw, objective fashion. Otherwise who knows what I might have done?!” So be grateful for Saturn. Do the work it is suggesting, receive its hard-nosed, common sense blessings. And you will be better for it.

Good luck! (To myself included)

Thanks for reading.

About Nagas

This is a post about the spirits known as Nagas. Also known as Lu in Tibetan. I need to start out by saying that any errors from my transcription are purely my own. They do not reflect on the teacher. This information comes from Lama Dawa who is a Nyingma Lama, and other lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and certainly other religious traditions would have different information about this topic. These words come from a teaching given on Saturday November 2nd, 2013. Please note that if you want to do a specific spiritual practice, including Naga offerings, you should get instructions from your teacher.

I will paraphrase the questions asked and the answers given, unless you see quotation marks – these are the Lama’s quoted words. Anything in brackets are my own thoughts and speculations. Again, pardon any confusing answers or errors.

First of all, where was I? I was at a Buddhist teaching in a practitioner’s home. There was a large shrine room that easily fit about fifteen people.

Who taught on this topic? Lama Dawa Chhoddak Rinpoche was the teacher. He is a lineage holder in the Dudjom section of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He gave these teachings on Nagas and how to do a Naga offering.

Next, what is a Naga? A Naga is a spirit. It is basically a long living animal (spirit). Most humans do not have the karma to perceive Nagas directly. Nagas are most often associated with the animals in the reptile kingdom – and snakes in particular. Basically Nagas are serpent spirits with extremely long lives.

Are Nagas malevolent? No. Generally speaking they mind their own business. There are some rarer classes of nagas who are “ill tempered.” In all cases however, Nagas cannot affect us at all unless we create the karmic connection for them to do so. See below.

Nagas have been around a long time! There are eight main kingdoms of Nagas. The Naga Kings (eight of them) are Buddhist practitioners. Some consider them to be Bodhisattvas – beings who have been traversing the spiritual path a long time and who manifested as Naga Kings to benefit other sentient beings and/or to guard holy scriptures not meant for this present time. Chenrezig, Vajrapani and Padmasambhava subjugated many Nagas, possibly even the Naga Kings. But the majority of Nagas are not Buddhists. And compared to the number of Human beings in this world, Nagas far outnumber us.

What does Nagas energy do? Naga energy affects health, wealth and weather. If a Naga(s) gets sick, the person (people) responsible for making the Naga sick might also get sick.

How could we possibly make Nagas sick? The most direct way to affect a Naga is to pollute water. Pissing in water is considered bad [the Tibetans say that pissing in water will cause the Nagas to give one skin problems]. Ejaculating in water (especially lakes, rivers, the ocean) is the WORST. Putting toxic chemicals in water can make Nagas sick. Then indirectly, polluting the planet in other ways can make Nagas unhappy.

Unhappy Nagas make bizarre weather patterns. It will be hot when it should be cold. It will be excessively rainy. It will be a bad drought year. Nagas are especially associated with the fertility of soil and the rain required to grow crops. Make the Nagas unhappy, and the crops will probably suffer. How much depends on how unhappy they are.

What sicknesses are Nagas connected with? Leprosy, boils, cataracts, kidney problems among other diseases.

Sometimes Nagas are considered Dharma protectors. This could literally be the case as some Nagas are guarding Buddhist scriptures which are said to be revealed at a later time. It could also be the case that Padmasambhava subjugated the Nagas and told them to protect the Dharma in our realm.

Nagas can take several forms [if they appear to us at all – and I imagine there must be karmic reasons to see them at all]. They can be entirely serpentine (snakes). They can be half snake, half human. They can be fishes. They can be alligators / crocodiles. They can be half fish, half human [- mermen, mermaids come to mind here].

Nagas are not associated with any specific disease – meaning, they do not go out of their way to harm human beings. They do not make weapons to cause harm – only humans stockpile weapons for war! If we have caused pollution, in turn causing Nagas to get sick, that is why we do Naga Pujas or offerings. We do these practices to make the Nagas get well and to pacify any injury we have caused them. In other words, we do these practices to pacify the negative karma we may have created in this or previous lives.

Some Nagas live in fresh water springs, some live in rivers, others live in lakes and yet others live in the oceans. If a Naga lives near a spring, in rare cases, they may choose to live in a tree like a Juniper. Therefore, if you see a short tree near a spring, a tree that never gets old but which also never grows really tall, do not cut it down! The Naga is living in that tree.

Doing Naga practices can increase [our connection to the Nagas thereby increasing] our wealth, health and fertility. [Plus, we might get better weather in the area in the process.] The Eight Buddhist Naga Kings listen to requests. We just have to know how to make them. [As in we have to offer something to them to get something back in exchange.] A Naga King is a powerful being – they have more wealth than any human and they are in control of Nagas in a large area of land or sea.

Are there better days on which to be doing Naga practices? Yes! There are some days when Nagas are sleeping and they do not want to be disturbed. Do not disturb them on these days! Conversely, there are other days when Nagas are so active that they cannot receive our offerings – in Tibetan these days are called Naga return days because our offerings will be returned “unused” as it were. According to Kalachakra astrology, we can find out which days are good for doing Naga Pujas and which days are ideal. Basically there will be 0, 1, 2 or 3 days a month on which to do offerings for Nagas. Consult a good Tibetan calendar or there are several good websites which have quality Tibetan calendars on them, detailing these days.

There is a special incense to burn during Naga offerings and smoke ceremonies. It is in the Vetiver family. [I think it is the root.] I could not find this on Google, but the Indian name of the incense is Chet-a-mam-sa? It is definitely in the Vetiver family because we all smelled it afterward and Rinpoche said it was from a plant that was like a grass [Vetiver does this] that can grow in large fields.

In rare occasions, a Lama [or Tibetan Astrologer] might do a divination [or see it in the chart] and see that an individual needs to do a large number of Naga Pujas to pacify some negative karma OR they might recommend that the individual put a Naga Vase in the ground on their property. Creating a Naga Vase is an elaborate ritual involving writing mantras on special types of paper, including gold paper, putting in precious substances, metals and stones and then there is a 2 week period of practice where the Lama does an accomplishment [which I am assuming is a large number of prayers or mantras if it takes two weeks]. Then the Naga Vase is put in the ground and that part of the yard is respected from then on – no humans or pets should be allowed to pee in that spot.

Why do we do Naga practices? In addition to what has already been mentioned… [This was a very skillful answer.] Because we want all suffering to come to completion and end. We want all wars pacified. We want all famines to end. We want all sentient beings who have been our mothers in past lives to be happy and free of sickness. Basically we do Naga practices to generate bodhicitta – the mind that wishes for the happiness and well-being of all sentient beings (may all beings attain complete enlightenment).

So basically, we may want to consider doing a Naga practice to befriend the local Naga(s). They are considered guardians of wealth and sacred texts, so they are like “bank managers” and “librarians” and we could certainly benefit from being on their good sides. Plus, if we become spiritual masters down the road, we might want to borrow a text from their libraries, so we will need to know how to ask for them. 🙂

Hopefully this was not incredibly confusing. Maybe it was even a little helpful. Thank you for reading.

[Perhaps this information is all superstition. I don’t know. Perhaps you want to test this theory by going to the ocean or a local lake and peeing in the water. Then see if you get a skin problem or a cold sore in the next week or two. 🙂 Just saying. Up to you. I don’t know what your karma is though, so I would not recommend doing this.]

Heading to Naga Puja teachings

Today the decision was made for me to head to these (it turns out) great teachings. Let me set some context here for a moment. Over the past few days I have not been taking the greatest care of my body. I have been frustrated with lack of progress on the “acquiring a job” front, so I was taking out my frustration by piddling around with computer games and watching movies. I lost some sleep and finally my body told me it had had enough – I developed a cold sore, which is the first in a LONG time (see my posts about how to prevent cold sores – I have become pretty adept at this). And on top of that, a day after the cold sore sprouted, I started to develop a stye in my left eye. Not fun. I knew I needed some rest.

I skipped the teachings yesterday which I really wanted to attend, but I had to nap. And thankfully rest I did! My friends, one of whom came down from Virginia, definitely missed me. Luckily I was able to pull myself together and grab dinner and a beer with them. By the way, down here in Tampa, Florida, driving to meet friends can be a major endeavor – meeting them at St. Petersburg Beach, I drove 90 miles round trip… Yeah, so I missed the Dharma teachings which were a little closer than that, but I would drive 90 miles for good company and good food. You betcha (especially after a refreshing 3 hour nap)!

Anyway, I had some dreams last night which forcibly grabbed my attention. Apparently one of the definitions of “nightmare” is a dream that wakes you up. Well I had a series of 3 or 4 dreams, two of which woke me up, but they were not “bad” dreams at all. Woke Me Up At 4:30 AM. I never wake up that early. In one of the dreams, my name was called out by a mysterious voice. Yeah, like I was saying – it got my attention!!! So, at 4:30 AM, I said to myself: “if I am meant to go to these teachings on Nagas, show me a dream about snakes.” [Note – Nagas are serpent like creatures, hence my reference to snakes.] Well, wouldn’t you know it, in the next dream there I was wandering around a school and when I went up some stairs, there were two little ringed snakes at the top. I turned around, not knowing if they were venomous. Back to the story. I now knew I was going to the teachings.

So I’m awake at 5:00 AM. The teachings don’t start for another 4 hours. I’m excited, because I haven’t had this much dream confirmation about something in years, and I am really interested to learn more about Nagas and the practice of making offerings to them to pacify them. [Note 2 – Naga Pujas are not about worshipping Nagas (unless you consider some of the Nagas Kings to be Bodhisattvas, which may be the case I would learn later), but rather about pacifying their sickness or anger about our polluting this planet which they “share” with us.]

So I try to go back to sleep one more time. Not much luck. 5:30 AM I get up and do some Shamatha sitting meditation. Figured why not? I’m awake and I’m excited and I have energy. Might as well sit. I light some incense and sit on my cushion. Not bad. It is overcast outside or else I would watch the sun rise. Aw Shucks!! 5:30 AM I fart around, study some Tibetan, do some gentle yoga. Finally it is time to eat breakfast and then get out the door. Remember what I said about the commutes down here? Seriously, this must be one of the worst cities in country for driving times. The teachings are “close to me” this time – 25 miles away. Good Grief! But fortunately they are well worth the drive!

My eye stye is kind of burning as I meet all these new people. It is a Nyingma teaching, so I only know one or two people until some friends arrive later. (Nyingma is one of the main four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, but different from the lineage I primarily practice which is Drikung Kagyu.) Lama Dawa is the Rinpoche, the teacher. In this case, the word Rinpoche is correct. Lama Dawa is from a very respectable lineage and he has had some incredible teachers in his own right – His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche among others… So yeah, Lama Dawa is legitimate! And he is witty, and funny and engaging. Oh and his English is exquisite. He is short in stature with a soft voice, but he more than makes up for it, drawing you in and then surprising you with some Zapchen or crazy funny wisdom. I am pleasantly caught by surprise multiple times! [Note 3 – One of way I measure a teacher is by looking at her or his students. Using this ruler, Lama Dawa gains even more strength because I met two of his pupils who completed their traditional three year retreats under him. And they were very grounded, gentle and clear headed individuals!]

I had some expectations going in about what a Naga Puja is / was. Most of my expectations were accurate. But what I did not expect was that a Naga Puja is very similar in some ways to a Dzambhala offering (Jambhala – the Buddhist deity of wealth and abundance). This actually makes sense considering Nagas are said to be the guardians of treasures – whether precious metals or precious stones or precious Dharma texts, etc. So why not appeal to them for wealth?!

I was expecting more to do with water, because Nagas are said to live in or near water. I knew that the Naga offerings went into water, but not during the actual practice. Rather, we did the prayers and offerings as a group, indoors, chanting the offering mantras and collectively pouring the milky water over the three whites and three sweets, popcorn and Naga Medicine balls in a big Dzambhala offering bowl. So it took time but we finally used up the offerings and wrapped up the practice.

I learned a ton about Nagas. I thought I knew something coming in, but I had never had full teachings specifically about Nagas before. So yeah, I had something more to learn to say the least!

In my next post, I will share some of what I learned.

Thank you for staying with me! By the way, any errors in my description of the practice are my own fault. This was taught well, many questions were asked and answered well. And I am most grateful to have been a part of it!

Guru Yoga, at least two benefits of doing practice

I am writing this post to describe my experience of Guru Yoga practice.  I am a novice practitioner.  I do not have any experience or realization, so read on at your discretion!

There have been at least two occasions however when I have done Guru Yoga practice and very soon thereafter I have had small windfalls land in my lap.  Recently, as I just moved down here to Tampa Florida, I have had some extra time on my hands.  I am searching for quality jobs where I will be rewarded for my hard work, but in this economy, there are not a ton of jobs that pay well.  Anyway, Guru Yoga – yes, so I have some extra time on my hands, and I had been doing some Ngondro practice (refuge and purification – again I know very little about these things, but I can say the words and maybe sound like I know).  So I sort of “built up” to doing Guru Yoga which by the way is a Buddhist (and other religions like Hinduism if I understand correctly) practice where one intends to establish a connection with the precious lineage of teachers and teachings – you know, gurus!

So I did the practice, again, not having anything special happen or really feeling any different.  But sure enough, the next day, a client calls me out of the blue, having been recommended by a previous client from years earlier.  I’m not sure if there is a connection here between having called out to my Lamas and getting “rewarded” with a paying client, but I would not doubt it.  This situation also happened back earlier in my practitioner-hood.  I would do a lot of practice one day, and then the next few days I would be called with odd jobs that people needed done.  Again, not sure if there is a connection.  🙂

And, I must emphasize that earning money cannot or should not be the primary reason one does any sort of spiritual practice.  Although there are certainly those Taurus types out there who need to have tangible results from whatever they are doing…  Instead, I think we should practice to improve ourselves and to be able to benefit more and more sentient beings as we progress and mature.  Then if money or clients or books or teaching gigs follow, then that is okay.  But if we go in saying, “I’m Buddhist because the dakas and dakinis rain down money when I practice…”  Then that might not be a good motivation for practice.  If that is your main concern, maybe you should go work on Wall Street.  If you have some morals however…  (just saying!)

So if you are ready, establishing a connection with an authentic spiritual teacher is a worthy and precious endeavor.  Then they will know what your capacity is as far as practice goes and who knows, maybe down the road you will be ready to establish a solid connection with your lineage and gurus!  I think that is a fine aspiration indeed!

As for myself however, the more I practice, the more afflicted I realize my mind is and the more I realize my difficulty in working with many types of sentient beings.  So I have a long long way to go before I am ready for a daily Guru Yoga regimen.  Thanks for reading.

When Transiting Planets play the congo drums (on your chart)

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  Thank you for visiting.  You can purchase Astrology Interpretations from Kirby’s website at http://www.mkirbymoore.com

There are always going to be some rare days when it feels like the sky is falling.  Of course this can take many forms.  If you are sensitive to astrological shifts, meaning you have a more refined state of consciousness, then there might be one or two days per year when the majority of transiting planets are making aspects in your chart.

This is why it is good to have a good support network.  As the saying goes, “No man is an island.”  No woman is either for that matter, although they are typically better at nurturing supportive relationships.  Why do I say this?  Because there might not be that many tough aspects in the sky in general, and yet, it will feel like the gods have all ganged up to bring you enormous challenges.  So your neighbors and friends might be fine, but you are either secretly or not so secretly suffering internally.

Now why would I write about this topic today?  Tangentially…  Some people say that the frequency of the planet is becoming more amplified, and I think I agree with that statement.  However, as I become more conscious, more present and more aware, maybe it is me that is changing and not the energies around our beautiful planet.  I can’t say for certain.  But whatever is going on, the last few days of September were doozies for me.  I will first describe what was happening in my chart.

Transiting Sun / Pluto / Uranus all involved in a transiting T-square with my Mercury in Aries (kidney depletion, potential headaches, a tendency to want to be done with a project or activity as soon as I start – and wanting to jump onto the next).  Then the Transiting Moon / Mars were squaring my Na. Uranus with Venus conjunct it – no I did not start any bizarre or unusual love affairs, but did have some unusual attraction energy going on.  This was happening with Jupiter squaring my Hades Moon – Moon / Pluto conjunction (I have been feeling a little invulnerable as of late, thinking I can take on enormous projects with ease, leading to further depletion and subsequent collapse) AND Transiting Saturn (Tr. Chiron was also in this mix) was trine my Mars amping up my desire to get a job and work many many long hours at it!  For one day there, only two transiting planets – Neptune and Mercury were wandering free from close aspects with my Natal Chart.

Oh, and my secondary progressed chart is quieter than the Transit chart, but there are still some challenging aspects (Pr. Mars conjunct Mercury, Pr. Mercury just re-entered Aries, Pr. Sun is close to squaring Na. Jupiter, etc).  Long story short, it took all the skills I possessed, along with some self-care tools (literally physical tools) to quiet my mind and heart down.  For an hour or two, I felt as if my body could no longer contain my energy (Moon / Mars square Uranus).  I wanted to be out running a marathon, even though I haven’t run more than a mile in years…

It is times like these that having an authentic spiritual practice helps.  From my meditation experience, I knew that “this too shall pass.”  Even though it felt like I could nearly fly with all the unrestrained energy, praying to my authentic spiritual teachers helped, along with pulling on a Development Needs Meeting Strategy reciprocal tension bar which helps to move energy through the body (specifically good for shifting anger and frustration).

That day was a good reminder that while I have come a little ways in my spiritual practice, I have not even begun to cross the Great Ocean of suffering and confusion. So it is / was good motivation to do more practice while at the same time being kind to myself and being alert to potential ways in which I might use my spiritual practices as a way of self-punishment or being tough on myself in general.   I survived that difficult day, but like I said, I had a very frustrating couple of hours (to put it lightly).

Maybe it helps to have a good book to immerse yourself in, and I mean really immerse yourself.  🙂  Because sometimes the best we can do is to just get out of the way [of negative karma ripening (and at least prevent those karmic conditions from arising)].

It is also at times like these that having a qualified astrologer around can help.  Perhaps they would have mentioned that day ahead of time so you know to duck, or scheduling an interpretation with them will bring clarity about what was going on during that crazy day.  🙂   But please know that if you practice virtuous behavior and try to be kind to as many people as possible (including yourself!), then you are shifting toward an optimistic paradigm and you are purifying negative karma by doing so.  Yay!  One right step at a time.

Thanks for reading.  I hope this was not terribly confusing!

P.S. As a side note – this is one example of how we can have difficult aspects involving the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) but only feel the difficulty when the Sun and / or Moon and / or Mars get involved.  As I mention to clients, I say that the challenging Uranus aspect (say Uranus square Mercury for instance) opens the window for difficult days, but it neither predicts nor guarantees it. And actually, that is why it is good to have a qualified astrologer – because they will judge from your history how present and future aspects will unfold.  The challenging days are when the Sun and Moon get involved (most often with the Full Moon or New Moon falling on a Natal planet or aspect) and the energy is certainly amplified when Mars is also involved.

Movement in Tampa

I am continuing a theme I had been covering up until the recent Astrology posts.

I am new to Tampa Florida, so it has been a journey and a process getting used to a new place, getting used to being so far from friends family and support and most importantly, finding a job.

So, in the past week, I have had an offer to do Astrology Interpretations at a spa.  That is possible especially if I have a part time job as the spa gig would only be a few days per month.  Then I encountered another place I could offer Astrology interpretations, although I did not get the most supportive vibe from them (more neutral or enigmatic, but not negative!).

Then I have two appointments next week to take two computer exams about potential jobs working with the City of Tampa (which pay pretty well), so that is nice.

I went to a curious Stress-reduction Meditation and Angel Manifestation night and that was very interesting.  I met some neat people and got to experience a new guided meditation.  For me this was not necessary, but I would certainly go back.  I also seem to have gotten a new Reiki student and client from it, so that is very positive.  Nothing like a little income!  🙂

So we will see what the next week or two bring.  I am hoping I get some actual job offers that have good benefits packages or a decent enough part time job so that I can afford what I need elsewhere.

And by the way, I will continue the Relationship Astrology post soon.

Thanks for reading,

Kirby