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.

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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)

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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

How do we practice Relationship Astrology appropriately?

I need to start out by stating that I am not an expert on this subject.  Maybe you could consult Robert Hand or Liz Greene or Stephen Forrest – someone with decades of experience.  For me, I have been studying astrology for about ten years, and I have been on an accelerated path of personal growth work through Buddhist meditation practice and from giving and receiving Process Oriented Bodywork during that same time period.  Therefore I feel I do have a unique perspective on Astrology, but I stress am no expert.

For those of you who stuck with me after that disclaimer…  This post is a little bit of a rant against the oversimplification of Relationship Astrology websites and this post will explain how we practice a more comprehensive form of Relationship Astrology. I want to state that there are at least a couple of good books on this subject – for instance “Planets in Composite” by Robert Hand is a fantastic book for experienced astrologers who can stick with a subject even during a few dry spells – Hand goes so in-depth that he will temporarily lose any superficial readers.  But if you stick with it, this book is a gem of knowledge.

So, for the sake of brevity, I am simplifying the process of appropriate Relationship Astrology interpretations here.

As I mentioned in the last post, where I elucidated the merits of Frequency-based Astrology, you will recall that I mention the horribly simplified statement that “Aries women fit best with Leo and Sagittarian men.”  Yes, maybe this is true for SOME Aries women.  But the reason why it is true is not because of the one-size-fits-all theory of astrology, rather let me use an example:

Say Martha (fictitious name) is an Aries Sun (10th house), Cancer Rising with a Taurus Moon (11th house).  Now would a Leo or Sagittarian man be good for her?  Perhaps.  To know with more certainty, we would need to know the ruler of her 7th house (the house of intimate relationships), in this case Saturn (Cancer Rising means Capricorn is on the Descendant which is ruled by Saturn), and we would need to know its aspects and then we must understand that this is only the first step to see what Martha’s capacity is for relating and who she desires in a partner.  Next we would look at planets in her 5th, 7th and 11th houses, her Venus, Mars and Uranus placements and aspects to see if there are other indications of relationship needs – Mars in Scorpio in the 5th house here would be MUCH different than Mars in Cancer in the 12th house!

Say we determined that Martha would need someone to either be an authority figure to her (Saturn) or maybe she needs someone who can be emotionally intense (maybe some good Scorpio energy indicated by Venus in aspect to Pluto).  Do either of these needs describe the average Leo or Sagittarius?  No!  But, is it possible that a Leo Sun sign man could also have Saturn on his Capricorn Midheaven and be the disciplined, less-than-emotional authority figure that Martha needs?  Yes!  Or could that Sagittarian Sun sign man have a Scorpio Moon and therefore have the depth of emotional intensity that she longs for – Yes!

If you have not gotten the subtle hints, I am trying to say that Relationship Astrology is very complex!  To say that ALL Aries go well with ALL Leo Sun signs is hogwash.  There are many levels and layers to look at first before we can say, “Oh she will match up well with him.  And that relationship has a good chance of being long-term.”  Therefore, if you are searching for a very superficial answer to your relationship questions, then go ahead and use the recipe websites.  But don’t expect to have an accurate in-depth interpretation!

What is the first step in practicing Relationship Astrology appropriately?  I already touched on it a little.  Step One – We must know the individual’s chart or charts in the case of two people.  Without taking the partner into consideration, first we must see what is Martha’s capacity for relating in general.  What does she want?  Does she have several indicators that she wants to be a hermit in a nunnery somewhere and that she would be perfectly content in a celibate lifestyle?  No – of course not!  That is why she is coming to you in the first place – she wants a MAN damn it, but why don’t her relationships work out?!

Once we determine Martha’s relating ability and needs and desires and we determine that she wants to be with a member of the opposite sex, then we must also look at the partner’s chart for his capacities and needs in relationship.  Keep in mind we are blending Frequency-based Astrology with Natal Chart interpretation here.  We know X, Y and Z about him and his chart concurs with what he has told us – so we have a good fit and we know that his birth time is probably pretty accurate (something else to factor in).

That was the first step (individual needs and capacities).  What is step two?  Once we know what the two people’s capacities and needs are, then we need to see if they fit together.  Step Two involves doing Natal Chart Synastry.  We hold up Martha’s chart to his chart – let’s fictitiously name him Earl.  Okay so let’s assume we see that Martha needs someone to either mother (remember her Cancer Rising) or more likely, she needs someone to be a father-figure to her.  And this information would need to come from more than just the Rising sign – that tells us where to start but we need more evidence and strength to come to that conclusion.  Let’s say she has Venus conjunct Saturn in the 7th house (in Capricorn).  She has had some disappointments in love and she appreciate’s how Earl is a disciplined, dispassionate Leo Sun sign who is concerned with his career as a bank vice president and who has been steady in his courtship of her for five years now.  He is also twelve years her senior and they do not want to have children.  So we discover that Earl would meet most of Martha’s needs.

Next we would need to check to see – does Martha meet Earl’s needs?  Remember we are keeping all of this in mind and we are only sharing what is appropriate with the client.  There are never two perfect partners – if there was someone who met all of my needs and with whom there would never be a disagreement…  then I think I would be in heaven, but I still think there would be some conflicts  🙂   So we MUST keep in mind that Martha has the karma to be with Earl in this moment and no matter what we see, we have to support her in her decisions.  And we must be very skillful when describing conflicts and disharmonious aspects.  And of course, if everything were peachy and roses, then she wouldn’t be coming to you (the astrologer) in the first place!  🙂

In the next post, I am going to cover Composite Charts in Relationship Astrology.

 

Raw thoughts on Relationship Astrology

This post is about the practice of Relationship Astrology and because I personally know Western Tropical Zodiac Astrology, that is the perspective I am coming from.  I am writing this post because I want to state my opinion about oversimplification of Western Astrology, specifically around the technique of Relationship Astrology and the problems with doing so.

Who has read websites or books that state “You are an Aries Woman so you fit well with X, Y and maybe Z men (or partners).”  Or to get into the Natal Horoscope a little more, there are always those recipe websites which say something like, “Oh your Saturn squares X’s Neptune so that is going to equal a betrayal of trust at some point [or substitute your own rigid interpretation here].” 🙂

When you read either of these sentences what goes through your mind?  Is Astrology really a one size fits all modality?  No, I don’t think so.

I want to introduce two things in this post: first the idea of frequency-based astrology and second, upon discovering the merits of frequency-based astrology, then we must go deeper into the charts and also go deeper into the client’s history.  In the next post I will expound upon what is Relationship Astrology and how do we practice it appropriately.

First, frequency-based astrology.  What is it?  This is where we realize that due to varying karmic predispositions and backgrounds, we could have a similar chart to someone else and be having a completely different set of experiences and situations in life.  Sometimes you will find really great people with difficult charts – take Mohandas Gandhi for example – he had a challenging (to say the least) T-Square in the Fixed signs.  He had Pluto conjunct Jupiter in Taurus, opposite Mars and Venus in Scorpio with his Moon in Leo completing the squares.  So due to the Fixity of his personality, once he established a belief, he stuck with it to the end.  But he accomplished incredible results in spite of the strong Polarity in his chart.  And of course with these extraordinary energies at work in his chart, to say he would be without idiosyncrasies would be a big mistake – because he certainly had a number.  To make certain it is clear that I have analyzed his chart more in depth, he did have a Grand Trine in Fire signs (Saturn, Neptune, Moon meaning he could make his dreams a reality especially with the utmost perseverance from those Fixed planets mentioned above).

Nonetheless, you can easily find people with planets in a Fixed T-Square who have chosen to be criminals or who have chosen to continue having a victim-identity or another form of listless less-than-productive life (and productivity can take many forms, so know your capacity first and foremost before you take my words too seriously).  And we can find many people with Grand Trines who just coast through life, evading challenges and responsibility.  I personally know people with intense Fixed oppositions who manifest that incredibly overpowering energy with mild to severe mental health issues – maybe a personality disorder as some complex traumas have forced the individual to completely blank out a specific sphere of their lives.  And yet, they may still accomplish a great deal of positive benefit for the world!

I want to be clear – having a Fixed opposition in your chart is not bad.  In fact, I am a firm believer in the fact that we must have some difficult aspects in our charts to get anything accomplished in this lifetime.  I have seen so many people with a double Grand Trine bouncing from activity to activity, rarely focusing and getting down to mastering anything.  You must read and interpret your entire chart.  We all have Fixed signs in our charts.  You have to take your whole chart into consideration and be able to understand the intricacies of the signs, houses and aspects.  Then we can make a judgement about our capacity – and we must also take the next step and take responsibility for our lives.  No blaming our situation on our charts, no saying, “Oh, I’m a triple Pisces so I didn’t have a choice in the matter!”

So how do we know what someone will do with the energy of their astrology chart?  We have to do a little interview – what is their history like?  Do they meditate?  Do they like to do yoga?  If they do yoga, do they use yoga class as a competition or feather-in-their-cap type of dynamic?  Or are they legitimately working to deepen their yoga practice in a way that is truly kind and compassionate to themselves?  We can get a sense of where someone is at just from their voice on the phone – are they embodied?  Are they timid or confident or apathetic, etc.  But generally we need to have a little bit of information about where someone is one their path – whether it is mundane, spiritual, agnostic, whatever.  When someone comes to you asking exclusively when they will get their next BMW, there is probably very little point in telling them about the subtleties of advanced meditation (provided you might know something about the topic and know when it is appropriate to share this information with others) – although I do know a couple of exceptions to even this rule!

There are many spectrums of life – spiritual, material, social, movement / rigidity / flow, aesthetic, etc.  We need to find out what the client wants to know and then discover where they are on those spectrums.

Then we will have a sense of the frequency of the individual behind the energy of the chart.  Why is this important for Relationship Astrology?  What could be more pivotal?!?!  If you have two charts that look pretty good, but then you meet the individuals and he is a yogi who has completed ten years of successful solitary meditation retreat and she is a hardcore Jehovah’s Witness…  Just saying!  Not that this relationship is a guaranteed failure.  But the astrologer would have to search pretty deeply to find out where their interests intersect.

In the next section, I am going to elaborate upon Relationship Astrology and its ingredients: the idea of Natal Chart interpretation for Relationship needs, wants, capacity; Chart Synastry – comparing two Natal Charts; and introduce the notion of Composite Charts.

Thank you for reading.

Tangled, Moving Through, Upward: New Reality (2nd Part)

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  To support Kirby in his business and blogging efforts, please visit Kirby’s website.  Thank you for visiting!

In Part One, I describe the tangle about having moved to a new location (Tampa Florida) and I briefly described how I deal with that stress (which I heap on myself).  You should go back and read Part One if you’ve not already.

In this part, I will continue to mention how I unravel the enormous ball of self-inflicted pressure and then I will conclude with what my guidance is saying about my situation.

Somatic exercises seem to be best for me for unraveling my tangled emotions.  When I start fretting, which these days is at least once per day, the tangle starts to build.  Then if I search for jobs and expend effort and mental energy in the process, the tangle grows and grows.

One of my teachers is Julie Henderson, PhD.  She is the founder of Zapchen Somatics and she is a spiritual teacher in her own right.  She has written several books on energetic self care, Zapchen and she has two interpretations of the I Ching out.  Yes, I prefer using her versions, although I have several copies of different interpretations for balance and perspective.  In Zapchen Somatics, we are radically penetrating and playfully disengaging from strict internal conditioning and beliefs.  Rigidity is rooted out and played with until it either dissolves or needs a nap.  It is a profound and potent modality.  I am not able to do it justice with words.  But one MUST have an authentic teacher of it who embodies the work in order to truly receive the transmission of gentle loving mischievous kindness.

It allows me to notice when conditions of inner tangling are starting.  I notice when I start to disembody or disassociate (to drift up and out of my body).  If this is occurring though, that means I did not heed the yellow warning flags from earlier and rather I am now faced with red caution flags.  This is an immediate sign that I need to pause whatever I am immersed in and do some self-care.  And once I do so, I can generally come back into alignment within minutes.  My body is starting to rest in easy present alignment so I notice the discomfort of conforming or reverting to old rigid patterns.

Therefore I am definitely experiencing a different reality than most people.  Now the question is, what do I do with myself having realized that I am in a relatively different place than I was five years ago, or even last year?  I am not independently wealthy.  I need money to pay the bills.  In this regard I am just an ordinary human being.  So this is where frustration sets in.  What the hell do I do now?

I like what the latest interpretation of Julie’s I Ching has to say on this subject (by the way, you should really consider picking up a copy of this book if you have the chance – Julie’s website – www.zapchen.com is a little out dated considering she has been recovering from illness or been in retreat for about five years now.  But you should get this book).  Kua 46, Yao 6 (line 6) says, “You have grown like the grass in the spring, beyond the edges described in the stories of your culture.  Take care.  Progress, both relaxed and alert.  Take time to examine the new scenery and compare it to what you know.  Learning really new things will open reality for you and keep you safe.”

Now I know several things: I have a tendency to allow fretting to become a big tangled mess inside; AND I have the skills and patience to move through these obstacles one right step at a time; AND I am experiencing a slightly different reality than most people (while being an ordinary human being on many levels).

Knowing these things, I still don’t know what to do with my life or my time or my energy and I still have to put food on the table.  So I am just going to try to heed Julie’s advice: “Do your best not to fret, just keep going.”

I do know that I have innate gifts as a healing facilitator – whether using healing touch with bodywork or using soothing insightful words with Spiritual Astrology – and I appreciate putting these gifts to use in benefiting others.  But so far, there are obstacles as people do not know how to reach me or maybe the obstacles are internal.  Who knows.  May I be able to benefit many beings very soon!

Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

Tangled, Moving Through, Upward: New Reality (Part One)

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.  To support Kirby in his business and blogging efforts, please visit Kirby’s website.  Thank you for visiting!

I am continuing on my previous theme of describing my move to Tampa Florida.

A lot has happened since I moved down here two weeks ago, and at the same time, very little has occurred.  First I will talk a little about this and then describe my reactions and inner tumultuousness.  Finally I will end with what my guidance is saying (even though I still don’t completely trust my guides or this radical process).

So.  What has happened since moving down here?  Internally, I have done some good practice and I have had some days where I actually napped.  I have been so worked up over the past couple months that napping was usually out of the question unless I was sick.  Considering I feel this move is / was equivalent to a major rebirth in my life (moving away from my family, moving away from the place I called home for 27 years, moving away from friends and support in Virginia), I know I need A LOT of time to integrate and renegotiate the terms of my life.  My heart is fearful and anxious most days, unless I am doing my utmost to practice self-care and that means doing spiritual practice (inner yoga) and somatic exercises for wellbeing (outer yoga).

I have met with some neat new people but this only happens once or twice per week considering how much down time I am preferring to take.  Therefore much has happened and very little has happened, simultaneously 🙂

Now – what is happening in my reactions internally?  There is a reason I put the word “Tangle” in the title.  When I start trying to do the conventional route of using employment agencies or calling around about job openings, etc, I start getting very worked up inside.  Tension becomes the norm as my torso braces for oppression which may not actually show up.  What is happening inside me?  I suspect several things – in the past the I Ching spoke about (and it still does actually) my beliefs and in particular, my conditioning not keeping up with my present reality.  What does this mean?

This is very complicated.  But let me try to sum this up briefly – I was born with birth trauma AND like all children, I took on some if not most of my parents’ beliefs about the world and about myself (about reality really) AND I was born into a culture that rarely ever slows down enough to take a deep breath, let alone deal with an internal emotional conflict.  So this means I have spent the past 10 years plying apart these layers of conditioning and misunderstandings about reality which tend to bombard us on all levels – whether watching TV, talking with family members, going to church, etc.  There are misunderstandings about reality running rampant in this world and without a qualified guide or mentor or teacher, it is impossible to start to figure it out  🙂

Deep breath…  where was I?  Yes, concluding the part about my conditioning needing to catch up with my perception of reality.  I have been very fortunate to meet with qualified heart teachers, spiritual gurus and exceptional bodywork and psychology teachers.  Therefore, my personal growth work has been on an accelerated pace as I move toward constant easy presence in my body, as a body and as awareness and as I come into alignment with what is.  And this last sentence is no light task that can be accomplished over night.  I firmly believe that my fortunate karma from past lives allows me to undertake this swift radical inner tectonic shift with relative “ease.”  (You will see how easy this is for me below. )  So don’t try to copy my path without first getting a solid understanding of your own capacity!  For me, I am starting to realize that I am a spiritual being having a human experience (not sure who this quotes goes to but it ain’t mine originally).

With all this mentioned as context, let me now describe the ingredients of this inner tangle which can spring up with such swiftness as to be remarkable and frightening: when I start worrying (fretting) about how I have not made much money in the past month and how money has gone out faster than ever before, I immediately go into a form of fight or flight and I am afraid this tangle can sometimes get to be so big that I might even start to fade toward freezing (in psycho-physiological terms, when we have exhausted our resources and we can no longer fight or run away, then the body will freeze in an attempt to play dead.  Freezing is a pre-cursor to trauma and if it is not resourced, this is what leads to PTSD symptoms – among other things.  Keep in mind this is a gross oversimplification of the trauma cycle.)

Why might I start to move toward frozen tissue (freeze)?  Because I don’t know what direction to take.  And because I know from previous experience – I had the shingles relatively recently from too much stress from over working – that I can only take so much stress.  It is like an endless cycle – I’m stressed out about money and income and what to do with my life now; and simultaneously I am even more stressed because I know the damage stress can inflict on my body.  SO, how do I put an end to this horrible cycle?

Deep breath…  first I am blessed to have clear guidance – not from outer sources (yet) but rather I explicitly trust the I Ching (book of changes – a form of divination originally from China) to describe the subtleties of what I am experiencing.  Occasionally I might rely on its advice too much – but it generally tells me if I am doing so.  I believe the wisdom beings or Angels can speak to me through the I Ching; however, more importantly I feel it is my heart’s true communication rather than my distorted mind’s ideas about what it wants life to look like.

Luckily I have been trained in many modalities for self-care.  This includes spiritual practices from Tibetan Buddhism, and Sufism to Energy Medicine techniques like Reiki and Pranic Healing and it also includes physiological techniques from Craniosacral Therapy, Somatic Experiencing (Trauma Resolution), Visceral Manipulation and others.  So my repertoire of ways to be kind to myself is pretty vast.  But I just need to remember to use them!  This is how I break free from the tangle described above.

In Part Two I will describe what my guidance is saying.

Thanks for reading!