Prevention of Cold Sores (self-care)

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Disclaimer: The author of this post is not a licensed health care provider, so he does not profess to be able to cure, treat, diagnose or prevent any health issues. If you have a medical question or concern, you should speak with a licensed practitioner. Now enjoy this post! 🙂

Okay, again, good to get that out of the way. So in this post: preventing cold sores and fever blisters before they ever get started. Which of course, prevents any need to treat them if they ain’t ever coming up.

Like I mentioned in the previous post, there are some supplements that help the immune system (Vitamin C, Zinc, Lysine, etc). [Speak to your doctor or a licensed dietician before changing your diet and / or supplement intake.] But again, those are just supplements, it would be ideal if we can practice self-care on a regular basis such that we don’t need many supplements. So how can we prevent cold sores from forming? By practicing self-care. So what is self-care?

There are several layers of self-care in my opinion: physical, energetic, emotional / psychological / mental, spiritual.

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Depending on where we are on our individual (spiritual) paths, each of these levels may be slightly more or slightly less important than the others. And sorry to do this so abruptly, but I just realized that it might take many words to elaborate on these various self-care subjects, so look forward to further posts. In the rest of this post, I will continue on the topic at hand (fever blister prevention).

What is the fastest way to get a cold sore? To allow the immune system to get run down and then have a trigger occur. What does trigger mean in this case? Different triggers are: getting a lot of extra sun (sun burns can do it), having a cold or flu, being shocked by a new situation or circumstance, in other words, stress can do it too. For example, one trigger can be eating extra sugar (cheesecake / cookies / ice cream) – because sugar wears down the immune system, so if we are already taxed or stressed, and we go to a get-together and indulge in the many lovely desserts… well don’t be surprised if, the next morning, there is a little visitor on your lip. Then you want to see my previous post 🙂

How are other ways that we get run down? And this will tie in to my next posts on self-care by the way. One of the fastest ways to run down our immune system is to not listen to messages from our body. In other words, by doing an activity which is depleting, and then continuing in that activity long after it was healthy to do so, will sap the immune system. If we are tired, we should try to rest as soon as possible. Even just a five to ten minute power “nap” can help to restore tissue tonicity and optimal function.

What are some ways that we deplete ourselves? Being on the computer for too many hours – I’m pretty sure (don’t quote me or take my word for it) that being on the computer for many hours on end causes the body to become more acidic (Ph issues). Being more alkaline is healthier, where as being more acidic allows viruses and other “baddies” to grow and thrive. [See my next post on physical self-care techniques] What if we can’t help it? Well break up the computer time – go for a walk once or twice a day in the healthy sunshine, take a short yoga or stretching break, take a five minute pause to sit and just rest the eyes and the body.

Are there other ways that we deplete our selves? Drinking alcohol on occasion can be good for us (apparently). However, drinking on a regular basis depletes the system – the liver (and kidneys) never has time to rest and restore itself if it is constantly stressed by needing to clear toxins from the blood. Another way that we deplete ourselves, if we are in a male body, is by too frequent ejaculation. The definition of “too frequent” here is very subjective and it has to do with age, diet, constitution, etc, but there are definitely times when the body says, “Hey man, we need to rest these gonads!” Ejaculation lowers the kidney jing (that would be the subtle energy of the kidneys from a Chinese medicine perspective). [Again see my next post on physical self-care techniques] So it would be good to determine a healthy balance here, or figure out how to enjoy sex without ejaculating. See books by David Deida or books on Taoist sex secrets, etc for more on this complex and it-will-take-some-effort-and-diligence subject.

We can also deplete ourselves by sticking with a toxic relationship. Yes, there are some people we must be around occasionally – whether at work, in our family, housemates, etc. But take time to establish appropriate boundaries and speak your truth and your needs (psychological self-care). We don’t want to allow ourselves to be sapped. And don’t try to blame the other person either as this just continues the chains of suffering – rather, figure out how we are judging them, or how are we letting them get to us, or how we can relax just a little bit more in their presence, such that they no longer tax us. This can take years, so do be gentle (spiritual / psychological self-care).

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And of course, there are many many ways in which we allow ourselves to become depleted. And yes, there are circumstances where cannot help it. That is okay! If we are stuck in a toxic job or a long-term situation that is very stressful, then we are stuck! No use spending lots of time wishing things were different when they can’t be. But how can we work to find equanimity even in the midst of stress? Where can we lighten up just a little bit more? How can we introduce more playfulness and humor into our lives?

So, back to the title of this post, how do we prevent cold sores? By attempting to take good care of ourselves. How do we start this process? By determining where in our lives we need to relieve some pressure – where in our life are we allowing ourselves to become depleted? First work to “fix” the grossest levels of self-care violation, and then slowly slowly work to ease in new techniques for all-round self-care.

If I have time, I will elaborate on further levels of self-care. Stay tuned. Thank you for reading.

Alternative Treatment of Cold Sores

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If you aren’t sure whether or not you have Herpes Symplex-1, you should visit your doctor or medical practitioner. The information in this post is not meant to replace Western allopathic medicine, but rather to supplement it. It is presented primarily for entertainment or educational purposes – consult your doctor before trying any of these home remedies.

With that disclaimer out of the way… here goes nothing: As someone who has gotten the rare cold sore, for the past 35 years, I have a little bit of experience in trying out various treatments. I am going to do something, perhaps backwards, and go directly into the home remedies, although the second part of this post will involve how to Prevent Getting Cold Sores in the first place (which would solve the problem of needing remedies, now wouldn’t it?). 🙂

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What have I heard from different people? 1) ICE a cold sore the moment you feel the tingling, itching or burning sensation starting (before any kind of sore has formed). 2) Use a tiger-balm like ointment or healing salve (I personally use Unker’s Medicated Salve which works wonders). 3) My doctor recommended using Zovirax (an anti-viral ointment which requires a prescription). 4) ETHER – please don’t try this! 5) Taking L-Lysine (amino acid) and Zinc.

[Updated November of 2017: if you are reading other posts, you may have noticed that I (Kirby) had to wrestle with Lyme’s disease for a few years. I finally feel that those symptoms are behind me, fortunately! But you know what I discovered? In the past 8 months, since starting Buhner’s herbal protocol for Lyme’s, I have not gotten a single cold sore – even when I am run down, depleted or exhausted. And I attribute that most likely to Andrographis. See below.]

1) Ice: This works! Icing a cold sore the moment you feel it forming (or if you wake up with a tiny blister having formed, you can still ice it then), will pause the sore in its forming process and they rarely ever get any larger once you ice them. Sometimes they will still form, but they are smaller for certain. This is not always comfortable, but it is pretty easy. You need to have ice on the affected part of your lips for at least five minutes continuously.

2) Tiger-balm: Again, I use Unker’s Medicated Salve, which claims to use prayer as one of its ingredients, so that can’t be a bad thing, right? This works to dry out blisters and have them heal swiftly. It can also be applied when you first feel a blister forming and I think this has two effects: it might slow the virus / sore formation process and it eases any pain associated with it. All good reasons to purchase some Unker’s and with your doctor’s permission, start using it. Note: wash your hands after using Tiger-Balm or Unker’s Medicated Salve – you do not want to accidentally wipe your eyes with this on your finger.

3) Zovirax: This works to quickly dry up and heal blisters. I have not had to use it at all in the past six to eight years though, which I will explain below in the prevention section. And see also below, the Oregano Oil section.

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4) Ether: As in the chemical or solvent. This is not a good idea. I heard it from an old country feller, and once I looked into ether to see what he was talking about, I thought he was crazy for putting that chemical anywhere near his face!!! However, I suspect that if used very very cautiously, this would kill the virus directly and / or dry up the blister quickly. But I highly recommend against this remedy! Do not consume ether! Do not get ether in your eyes! Very dangerous.

5) Take Lysine and Zinc: Taking these immune boosting (and Lysine is supposed to be good for the lips) supplements is just that – a supplement. They do not directly go after the blister, but they might boost your immune system to prevent further blisters from forming.

6) Buhner’s Lyme’s protocol may prevent Cold Sores from forming. As I mentioned above, in working with Andrographis (a powerful immune booster) I believe that not only have I resisted Lyme’s bacteria, but I have also pushed down the Herpes virus. There are several things to note about Andrographis – first, start taking it in very small doses (200 mg max / once or twice / day). About 3% of the population gets a bad skin reaction, a rash, to Andrographis. Make sure you are not one of these people. Then slowly build your dose up. Talk to a professional nutritionist / herbalist / health practitioner for your maximum dosage. But I have heard that Andrographis is a powerful supplement, so only take it for 4-6 weeks at a time, and then take 4-6 weeks off of it. This gives your immune system a time to strengthen on its own, and it gives your healthy bioflora a break in case the Andrographis was weakening it.

7) Other Buhner’s Lyme’s protocol herbs – in case it is not the Andrographis preventing my cold sores, I will mention the other herbs / tinctures I have been taking for the past 8 months: Japanese Knotweed root powder, Cat’s Claw bark powder, Ginseng (Siberian) root tincture and off and on I was taking an anti-inflammatory herbal blend from Botanical Treasures. It is possible that one of these potent immune boosters is responsible for repressing any Herpes viral response to stress.

What have I tried on my own, despite not hearing about it’s effects on cold sores? 1) OREGANO OIL

1) Oregano Oil: I heard that Oregano Oil is very good for dealing with any kind of skin fungus and that it is a natural anti-septic, anti-bacterial, etc. Therefore, one day, I said to myself, if I can put this on my arms or feet, why not try it out on a cold sore? Well, guess what? It works! Disclaimer: Oregano Oil is a VERY strong oil, so do not get it in your eyes! Also, try to find gel caplets of oregano oil and puncture the gel a little to allow some of the gel to come out on your finger and then apply that to your lips. I made the mistake of using Young Living Oregano Oil, which is highly refined and very pure and some of that liquid got in my mouth… Oh My Word! It takes many minutes to wash that horrible taste out of your mouth. I love Young Living Oils and their other products (considering I am a distributor), but I’m just saying that you would want to dilute their oil with a neutral vegetable oil before applying it to your lips.

With that said however, I have not found anything which always prevents a blister from forming if it is caught early enough (and if I am practicing self-care which means my immune system is never too frail, allowing for the Oregano Oil to work its magic). When I use this oil (gel) just as I feel a blister starting to form, then it nearly always prevents any further formation from occurring. The exception to this rule is if I am really exhausted and I have done something to really compromise my immune system.

See my next post to see personal tips for Fever Blister prevention. I rarely if ever get cold sores any longer by following several guidelines. See the next post for more.

And again, please consult a licensed medical practitioner before you attempt any of these home remedies! Thank you for reading.

Skillful means in addressing inner resistance

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Do you ever have a day where you just feel like balling up in a dim corner somewhere? Preferably a cave or a safe, blanketed section of your bed?

If and when this happens, what are some options? Well, we can submit to those desires for solitude (read isolation) and inner stewing, and continue to lay in a potentially miserable heap. Or… we can move our body, stretching, doing yoga, walking, biking, etc, that may help to move the stagnant energy and pump some warm juice into those frozen tissues. Also, we can speak with a trusted friend, a spiritual friend, someone who is compassionate enough to tell us where we are going wrong in our mental attitudes, if applicable.

Just to be clear, it would be good to check in with your system. Why exactly might you be feeling this sluggishness? Did we have two drinks too many last night? Are we getting sick? Or are we living in alignment with right livelihood, doing our best to work through our psycho-spiritual stuff, and now we have just chipped off a big chunk which may take some time to dissolve and integrate? Therefore, once we determine why we are feeling “blah…” Then we can proceed appropriately. And if it would be good to take some action, what might be best? Above I mentioned we can cover up and hide, or… we can do some yoga, or… we could check in with a valued friend or coach…

Better yet, we can go for a walk with that spiritual friend! What do you think? Then, as you both move your bodies, you can chat about how you are feeling, knowing that it is (hopefully!) safe to tell them anything and that they will give you that compassionate answer that you desperately need. But if they are someone who will hold back and support your mental patterns no matter what you say, then don’t expect wisdom or penetration through your muddled resistance. They must be someone who is strong enough and confident enough to tell you like it is. Then you will have the chance to decide whether what they say is true for you or not (sometimes we don’t want to hear a direct truth!).

This is why I think it is so vital to have someone, or preferably, multiple someones who are spiritual friends. In Eastern jargon, you could call these people “Gurus,” although I hesitate to use that term. This is because an authentic Guru has done ALL his or her personal growth work, they have dissolved the gross layers of their ego and they have stabilized spiritual realization, such that they can consistently be of benefit to you and many people (or they will know their limits and stick within their bounds in skillful, colorful, modest ways).

So, if you find yourself in a personal pickle, know that everything changes. Yes, even this too shall pass. And, if possible, work with someone, here in the West it could be a therapist, a coach, a counselor, a professional advisor, etc, or it could even be a spiritual friend or spiritual teacher (although you should investigate this last category very very thoroughly!), work with someone who can truly be of benefit to you.

We have many blind spots. Even if we are lucky enough to have the awareness of the majority of our inner foibles, our ego may still be strong enough to throw up the occasional smoke screens, meaning, don’t trust your perception entirely – find a wise spiritual friend or mentor and get a second and third opinion. Especially if you find yourself with an inner conflict or confusion or depression. Identify your red flags. Have tried and true techniques and tools available to counter (tools for self-care) those red-flag-raising tendencies. And then structure your life so you are not constantly tempted or urged back into harmful habits (no use confronting the branches of the problem if the problem’s roots and trunk are sturdy and strong!). And most importantly, be gentle, be kind, it takes time, and above all, know that difficulty comes and goes, joy comes and goes, resistance comes and goes, friends come and go. Try to find a balance and rest there, in the middle, in alignment.

And know that this advice is not easy to follow. That is why you should investigate carefully anyone who is dispensing such advice. Yes, that would even include this oft-confused-ordinary-human-being author. Do these words make sense to you? Does anything touch an oochy place in your heart? Sometimes discomfort is a sign that something needs to be worked on. And if so, do you want to do that psycho-spiritual work, knowing it ain’t easy and it ain’t always comfortable! But above all, it will be okay. This stuff takes time. Coming into a comfortable alignment, in your body takes years, decades even. So kindness and a slow pace and lowered (read realistic) expectations are necessary.

And of course, perhaps you saw this coming, the author, Kirby Moore, when he is not talking about himself in the third person, is able to offer such advice, as he offers Spiritual Astrology Interpretations and Coaching within his private practice. If you are willing to lean into support, call him at (434) 465.0603 to schedule an appointment. You can also reach him at kirby [at] mkirbymoore.com

By the way, Kirby is starting a website which you can access at mkirbymoore.com At present, it is still being developed so pardon the one or two unfinished pages. But you can see what he offers, rates and you can purchase coaching / astrology sessions with him from there.

Cleaning House

a little poem arising from dream time

Icky sticky yicky crevices and rails-a-dusty
Water planets, disciplined hedge chopper
Protecting loved ones from bully
Friends empowering, standing up fully
Making house neat and proper
Unpacking baggage, soggy, moldy, uniforms-a-musty
Sparkling, radiant diamond, tea on saucer
Making inner realms into pure schlosser

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About Astrological Transits and Progressions

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In this post, I will elaborate on whether or not Transits in aspect to Progressed Planets are really that significant. This post assumes the reader has basic to intermediate understanding of Western astrology.

What is a transiting planet? Transits consist of the current location of the planets (in our solar system) and then to see if they reflect changes / energetic shifts in an individual, we compare the Transit location of the planets to that individual’s Natal planets.

What is a progressed planet? According to “Parkers’ Astrology” by Julia and Derek Parker, progressing the chart allows astrologers to see trends in the life of that individual. To see which trends will be active at what time, we generally use what are known as secondary progressions, which basically take a day (after the birth date) for a year. What this means is that to look at the trends in the life of someone when they are between 5 and 6 years old, we would look at the 5th day after their birth day. If you try to think about this too hard, it is a bit mind boggling. How could this seemingly arbitrary system work so well? Some things might be worth accepting. Or, if you know a lot about astrology and progressed charts, please leave a comment. I suspect I might hear someone mention harmonics, indicating that amplifying a day gives us a year. But anyway, back to the subject at hand.

So basically, a progressed planet is not a “real” body in the sky. Unlike the Natal chart, which shows the real positions of the planets at birth (and their aspects among / with each other). Transiting planets are real, just in the present moment.

When Transiting planets make close hard aspects to Natal planets, generally that is a reflection of inner changes or “Ah ha!!” moments or moaning and groaning, etc. So we know Transits are significant when compared to Natal planets.

When Progressed planets are compared and contrasted with the Natal chart, the influences are generally more subtle, but they are still very noticeable. The Progressed Moon for instance, moves about one degree per month, so we can see its influence rising for about a month, being very strong for the middle month and then fading for another month. And the Progressed Moon is basically where our heart is in that particular month (kinda important I’d say). As an example, when the Progressed Moon enters the 6th house (hard work, discipline, organization, service, detail-orientation), generally, if we need to get to work with regard to improving our lot in life, this is where we do it. The 6th house is preparation for the 7th house, of intimate relationships, marriage and compromise. Hence, if we need to improve our income, or house, or job, the 6th house Progressed Moon will indicate a good time to get to work doing so!

But, I’m not convinced that Transiting planets make an enormous difference when they aspect merely a Progressed Planet. What I am trying to say, is that there are numerous aspects and layers of Western astrological interpretation which merit more time and dedication with regard to significant insights being learned. For instance, I would say this is one overly simplified list of Timing Systems to look at, listed in order of significance: Transits, Secondary Progressions, Solar Arc Directions, Transits to Mid Points, the Solar Return, Tertiary Progressions, then I might mention Transits to Progressed planets.

One thing we should look at however is when these above mentioned Timing systems stack. What I mean is when multiple planets from differing systems aspect the same Natal planet or planetary dynamic. For instance, if we have Mars opposite Pluto in our Natal Chart (or any other powerful, potentially challenging Natal aspect), then it is worth paying close attention to this. If we have Transiting Mars conjunct our Natal Mars, plus our Progressed Sun squaring this opposition (T-Square formed), plus the Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Pluto? Then that is a powerful stacking of energy going on. It would be worth speaking with a qualified astrologer at this point because you should strongly consider all the house placements, the house rulers and any other Timing aspects that are happening at the same time.

Not to put the fear of the Lord in anyone… if ever we see a potentially “frightening” (to use an antiquated term) series of aspects lining up. Take a deep breath. There are always guardian angels at work – what I mean is that if we have the above configuration happening, but if Progressed Venus is conjunct our Sun, or if Progressed Sun is conjunct Jupiter (or Venus) or if Transiting Jupiter is making a pleasant aspect to the Sun, or chart ruler; then we might pass through that potentially explosive stacking of aspects with just a little bit of added stress. This is because the benefics work for us and they must be considered before allowing any worry to arise. 🙂

So take a deep breath. Know it is going to be okay. And then, if you can look at your chart and its dynamic shifting without grasping or gripping, then do so. But if your tendency is to grip and cling to fatalistic information, then be careful who you talk to and which web sites you use. Find a qualified astrologer who practices frequency-based, choice-centered astrology! And make sure they walk their talk.

Okay… I’ve been on my soap box for way too long now. Thanks for reading as I step down off of it.

Losar in Charlottesville, Feb 2012

This morning I awoke bright and early, after having slept maybe… oh boy… two hours? Anyway, went over to my friend’s apartment for breakfast before heading to the local Dharma Center to do Losar prayers with the Tibetan community.

prepping the fire pit for puja

I got to his place at 6:30 am. He was already up and at em, bright eyed and bushy tailed. He was doing his shrine – he had the kap se, or the Tibetan New Year fried cookies, plus the special grains in their container which is used especially for Losar (I will find the name here shortly), plus he had many offerings on his shrine for the New Year, including tro ma drai si (a rice with a Tibetan tuber root in it, sometimes raisins are added for sweetness), dried fruit and nuts, plus candles, offering bowls, a bottle of wine and flowers. It was a full shrine to be sure.

He was very busy so he said this was a self-serve breakfast. It was very funny actually – he was brewing chang kos, or boiled Tibetan beer and Tibetan tea. And after he offered these to the wisdom beings, then I had some. Guests are important, but not as important as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. (Of course!) So I fixed us some eggs and toast. And with the curious, “is-that-a-bitter-or-fermented-taste?” chang kos and the salty, buttery Tibetan tea, I was full.

many prayer flags at Tashi Choeling
At one point, he lit some incense and I could have sworn that he had mistakenly put an illegal substance in the incense box. I thought I’d been around the block when it came to pungent incenses, but apparently I did not know about this particularly heavy smelling juniper variation. It was over-powering at first. We got his things together and then went to the Dharma Center.

At Tashi Choeling, the local Jonang Center which is just south of Charlottesville, the Tibetan community of C’ville meets for holidays and events. At first, there were about twenty people there, including eight to ten students from the University, some of whom I had met before and others who I met for the first time. But overall, I felt very welcome and welcomed. I typically feel like I am at home among Tibetans and that was the case here.

We eventually got organized and chanted prayers inside. I have one or two of those prayers, I guess the general ones, memorized, so I was able to say them with ease, but otherwise it was all I could do to keep up in the Tibetan-only prayer book. After that, we went outside where several Tibetans put up prayer flags – which included one or two people going up into trees to do so. Several other people got the fire going and then we chanted more prayers around the fire pit.

After the fire puja, we did the traditional Tibetan New Year ritual of offering (I think this is right, please correct me if not) flour to the deities. “Ssooo… Ssooo… Ssooo… Ki ki so so lha gyai oo!!” At which point you throw up a pinch of flour as an offering. When this is done simultaneously as a group, it looks really good – little fountains of white flour go up as one (and then rain down on you).

Then back inside to eat tro ma drai si, kap se, drink Tibetan tea and relax. It was good to chat with several friends in Tibetan, or I should say, the broken version of Tibetan that I attempt to speak… It was very inspiring though, I got several people’s numbers and I plan to call them to get together and practice conversing. I met several people for the first time. All in all, a very pleasant and relaxed morning.

It’s been a year…

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Year of the Male Water Dragon, a Leap Year, 2012 (Tibetan year 2139). Wow! Anyone thinking this should be a potent year? I believe it will be a full year. A year of discovery and a year of exploring new horizons, personally anyway.

I typically cultivate and create a provocative mission statement for the Western New Year, so why not try one for the Tibetan Losar? The past year has been a time of incubation primarily, especially after graduating from UVa in May. I attended Spring Retreat at the TMC in May / June, where I also got into my first car accident (first time for everything I guess). Plus I was able and so very fortunate to attend His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings on the Kalachakra in July, and I got to support several dedicated Dharma practitioners and Tibetan language students over the fall here in C’ville. Since December I have been working part time at a fine dining room at a local golf resort, which feels like a nice family of fellow employees, so it is not a bad way to pay the bills.

And it seems like some of these trends might continue over the next year.

What do I wish to hold in my heart this upcoming year?

– to continue resting in “don’t know” mind, despite yearning to control, to know, and longing to direct my life in a direction that seems to “make sense” to me (and preferably others), by resting in “don’t know” mind, I might support a brilliant, yet unknown and not-yet-able-to-be-perceived unfolding. To summarize: don’t know how long it will take, want to rest in “don’t know” mind for as long as it takes, and I don’t actually know what “it” is that is supposed to transpire 🙂 Lovely. Did I mention how difficult this was…? At least I can chuckle at the absurdity of this predicament.

For the benefit of myself and a desired future family, I want to be able to provide, to shelter and to have plenty to share, so that I can enjoy their company… hence it is a touch frustrating when the I Ching tells me that my life is blessed and that I am destined for great things, but for now, just wait! Grrrowlll! Don’t get me wrong – I’m definitely not complaining… I just impatient. I want to move toward what I perceive that to be now! Oh well, what choice do I have? I have learned, from far too many stubborn, resistant, foolish trying-to-push-through-despite-what-the-I-Ching-suggests actions, that it is now time to accept the fact that obstacles happen. Why bang my head against an enormous granite boulder when I could just wait for it to slowly roll by, revealing what has always been on my path?

– I intend to listen to my heart. In the past, it has been so easy to merge with another, to be a pleaser and basically to be in alignment with someone else’s needs / desires. I want to directly confront this pattern and to gently yet firmly choose to embody, to be in my energy, my breath and my awareness of being aware. Then I will decide what to do next. I want to do what it takes to find myself: rest down, find alignment and lean into wisdom beings’ embrace.

– I’d like to work with a provocative instruction from one of my heart teachers: Realize and act like you, your life and your practice are just fine, exactly the way they are. Oh my! I have my work cut out for me 🙂

What might this look like? Radical gentleness. New levels of resting down. Spending time with any discovered tightness / tautness of muscle, bone, tissue and working to relax into the ease of appropriate self-regulation. Being kind by slowing down just a little bit more – at work, while driving, at home, with friends, when hiking, when awake.

– If it is in the cards, I’m hoping for a slowly-unfolding, inspiring and beautifully growth-oriented relationship this year. But for now, I am withdrawn and getting used to space. My heart needs to take it slow though – I’m realizing that my brain can jump weeks ahead of where my heart is, so yet another reason to go extra slow!

– Finally I am looking for clarity in this year about what steps to take next in my life. I am sure this has to do with the first point above. At present, there is a the chance to do some incredible training with a master in birth processing counseling work. So I need to see if I want to make that commitment. Otherwise I am still on the fence about what direction to choose for grad schools, but I have feelers out as it were.

Well thanks for listening to me ramble on and on. I hope your (and all beings’) New Year is full of blessings and clarity and lasting affection.

on purity of nature

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Inner retreat faltering… flurries beginning to fall
Reaching, grasping for something… unknown… not yet realized…
suddenly the snow is falling moderately outside
Onto outer retreat then, on goes flannel, outer shirt,
scarf, coat, hat with ear flaps, goat-skin fuzzy gloves.

Biting cold, moving mind via form through time and space.
Pavement not taking snow, puddling and rivulettes forming,
leaves and bush just softly dusted with a white light brush,
A man pauses, he can go up or down, on the road less traveled, or…
He chooses up, away from the norm.

An adventure is signaled, trudging through flakes and gravel,
grey road amidst many silent, natural, neutral guardian trunks,
In winter weather, oaks seem ash seem poplars,
only evergreens are shaking and catching the windy swirls.
Up he goes, into the unknown, away from civilization, an urban pioneer.

Something about a wintry mix that sparks fierce explorer in him,
when challenged in nature, he pushes on, fights to conquer a mountain.
After uphill journey, passing novel house with columns and white gate,
“no trespassing, private road.” man-made, an obscenity on this stage.
Obviously trying to evoke Jefferson, but not this day – just stop, breathe deep.

Road levels out, gravel grey and brown, dirt mixed with years of pebbles,
Now he is alone, nothing but he and white and grey and pine needles,
dancing in wind, shivering and quivering with delight,
He decides to skip, freely, now hurling body through time and space,
daring the snow to fall, heavier, stronger, mountain hears his pleas.

Road does something strange and foreign as it descends,
he opts to trail blaze. Again faced with a road less traveled.
He chooses over-steep-boulder-strewn-leafy-brambly-snowy-mountain slope,
versus easy back-tracking over boring man-made road.
Peering out near an edge, he gazes down and sees civilization far below.

He cuts across slope, circumambulating mountain,
feet slide, shoot, slip, leaves dusted with more and more cold snow,
cold wind now bites face, then is on flanks,
blue coat becoming swiftly white,
a bizarre yeti here in this urban forest.

Choosing a treacherous route on purpose, daring snow, daring mountain,
now he must use tree and hands to support, shoes not great,
sometimes mud slips out from under feet,
far below, he hears children frolicking in the snow, conjuring a smile,
do they know, do they hear, far above, upon distant slopes.

An adventurer, conquering mountain, conquering fear?
No! Only squirrels chattering indicates that they know,
his strange intrusion into their quickly changing whiteout,
Large trees, short sprouts, little saplings, cling,
cling precariously to steep slope.

From high above, a fountain of rocks,
boulders scattered down face,
Stubborn old stones, refusing to take the snow,
surfaces slick, oranges, garnets, golds and greens,
highlight lichens and ancient stories.

Complete steep slope, less slipping now,
Now faced with a decision – to press into mini pine groves,
or go around, sure to discover gross-gated, man-made house?
There! a natural doorway as pine tree is leaning precariously,
beckoning, whispering, inviting – “come to my grove.”

Decision is already made for him, he goes into deep thick tiny pines,
brambles wrap round legs, thorns bite, reminding him he is alive,
some would shy away from these fears,
large animals probably nearby – most likely deer,
he pushes ahead without hesitation.

A curious and strange large bird stirs and flies off,
quickly lost in the eddying frosty cascades.
Navigating through, around, under tangles of grape vines,
He pops out, in open spacious woods, vulnerable.
Another pine grove beckons ahead.

Then he sees a familiar landscape,
Enormous water cistern, from far side of mountain.
His bearings were correct. Snow and mountain and slipping,
did not put him off course.
Skirting around fence, he strikes toward original road.

Crossing a barbed wire fence,
an invisible threshold,
man-made, unnatural, a threat to nature,
he frowns. Whose demarcation? And for what purpose?
Sharp, nasty, metal barbs, hopefully did not cause harm.

Finding road, running swiftly down embankment, hoping road is clear.
Road no longer grey, white has taken over.
Different landscape now.
Fence white, wind forcing one side of trees to cake,
snow pelting him in face, wind pushing down coat.

Getting close to home now, he shivers.
Is his nose starting to accumulate snow?
If so, bad sign. But it feels good, alive.
Having conquered his mountain, he feels vitalized in his core.
Goal of exploring, venturing into the unknown, not having a plan.

Accomplished. Done. Next time though,
he will remember to wear his boots,
Just in case. A modern day don juan. persists gently.

Astrological View of a Stressed Endocrine System, pt. 2

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Thank you for reading and please enjoy your stay.

This post is a continuation of a previous article posted by the same title. Just scroll down or look in the Spiritual Astrology category on the right to find it.

Also, when I mention that an endocrine system is stressed, I am referring to the subtle energy. This could be the chi, the jing, (to use Chinese medicine terms) or it could be elemental energy that is out of balance. But either way, I believe our bodies are fairly resolute and fortified, so despite being stressed or depleted, we can continue to function fairly well in our lives. But if we know and recognize signs of stress, then it might be a good time to practice self-care.

Now to continue this thread. What transits and progressions can indicate a challenged kidney and adrenal (endocrine gland on the kidneys – responsible for adrenaline and other “fight or flight or freeze,” stress-response chemicals)?

First, what planets are in Libra or Aries? Is there any Natal pattern of sensitized kidneys? Saturn conjunct any personal planet (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus or Mars) in Libra / Aries would say yes. Perhaps Pluto and Uranus as well. Simply having a single planet in Aries or Libra may not indicate much in the Natal chart, but if there is ever a time of heightened transit activity to that planet, then it might be good to watch for over-working and exhaustion.

Second, do Mars and Saturn make a challenging aspect in the Natal chart? If so, this could indicate sensitive adrenals. Then, if this is the case, whenever this aspect is transited or contacted by a progressed planet (or Ascendant / Midheaven), it could reflect a time of heightened stress in one’s life.

Finally, what aspects do Mercury and Uranus make? Are they pleasant or trying? This will show how the nervous system of the individual is geared naturally. Do they react in fear (aspect to Saturn perhaps)? Do they have faith in life (Mercury in Gemini making positive aspects or Uranus in Aquarius / Scorpio making positive aspects or positive Jupiter aspects)? You’d need to take the house placements into account for this as well. This can also give a fascinating glimpse into how a person deals with stress.

Now to show some examples. And actually, if you don’t mind, I will use some examples from my Natal Chart, as I started out the initial post by saying that my system is taxed, strained, exhausted beyond description. I am feeling like resting down for a month solid, and maybe that would be enough to convalesce.

Here’s my personal recipe for a stressed adrenal system:
Tr. Venus conjunct Mercury in Aries
Tr. Pluto square Mercury in Aries
Pr. Mars conjunct Mercury in Aries
Pr. Asc opposite Mars (which is opposite Saturn in my Natal Chart)
Pr. MC square Saturn (and soon to square Mars)

So my Mercury is a singleton in Aries, barely aspecting anything else (which may makes its manifestations more eccentric and unusual). The important thing for this example is that it is in Aries (the reciprocal of Libra). And look at all those intense Mercury hits – only the Tr. Venus passed over it quickly, moving on to later degrees of Aries with a rapid pace. Tr. Pluto will be squaring Mercury for at least a couple years (off and on in terms of its strength). And then Pr. Mars will be sitting on Mercury for a solid three years (!!!) – ooph! Remember, Mars in conjunction with Mercury leads to driving swiftly (think Aries), and driving fast leads to stressing the kidneys and adrenals as well. So now is a good time to purposely drive slower and more mindfully.

Then I have in my Natal Chart, Saturn in Virgo opposite Mars in Pisces, which is presently getting activated by the two Progressed Angles of the Ascendant and the Midheaven. So having Saturn opposite Mars in a chart can mean different things on various levels – personality effects, health implications, psychological issues which need to be cleaned up etc. And of course the house placement and other aspects to this opposition need to be looked at. But, if nothing else, we can easily assume that Mars opposite Saturn will have some kind of effect on the individual’s ability to handle stress.

As I mentioned earlier, having Mars and Saturn in a hard (challenging) aspect, which includes the opposition, indicates a pattern of easily stressed adrenals. Think about this in a very basic way: Mars is the gas (pedal or throttle) and Saturn is the brakes (limitation and restriction). What happens when we hit the gas and the brake at the same time? The vehicle gets very confused, upset even! Likewise, Mars and Saturn are not the best bed fellows.

So, even after doing years of personal growth work (therapeutic) as well as somatic processing work (bringing the therapy into the body), there could still be an old pattern of stress that could be re-triggered if given the right conditions. And sure enough – when we are stressed at work (for someone else), and if we are trying to juggle a new relationship, if we are simultaneously processing health issues and attempting to keep a part-time self-employed job going… Well you get the drift!

Isn’t it incredible how insidious stress can be? We don’t notice all the little things stacking up until we are saddled with many little responsibilities. Then the body will start to show signs of being exhausted. In my next post in this series, I will review (some of these things I have already mentioned) some techniques, activities and supplements I take to rest down and calm down.

Thank you kindly for reading.

*** Remember, Kirby Moore is not a licensed medical professional. He does not claim to be one and as a result he does not claim to be an expert on any of the above material (take it all with a grain of salt please). This is presented for educational or entertainment purposes only. If you have a medical problem, consult a licensed health care practitioner as soon as possible.

Astrological View of a Stressed Endocrine System

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Thank you for visiting.

Just for the record, what I am about to discuss can be a very complicated subject. I assume the reader has some knowledge of astrology, but please keep in mind that each idea posed here could be expounded on further.

Recently, I recalled reading somewhere, I believe it was in an astrology book, about a very creative friend of the author who said, as the friend was lounging for hours on his couch, “You know, I have burned out every synapse, stressed every sinew and exhausted all my reserves. I am pooped beyond description and all I can do, in response, is to lie here on this couch.” The author apparently had a different opinion, but the exhausted-couch-guy eventually (I think it was six weeks) got out of his cycle of needing rest and got on with what was to be a productive life.

And now I know how that guy was feeling. I wrote at least six months ago, something along these lines, but as I told a friend of mine earlier today, “my baseline, on an anxiety scale from one to ten, is an eight.” That is my resting baseline. Imagine what happens if I skip a meal, or have a stressful encounter with someone (or get sucked into someone’s drama at work). So now, more than ever, my kidneys and adrenals need to rest.

Now, how can I tell this is the case from my Natal Chart? Where do we start to look to see how the kidneys are doing? Oh, and I want to mention for the record that I am talking about subtle energy here. Yes, the physical kidney might be stressed, but it is still functioning well – purifying the blood, removing toxins, supporting the heart and liver, etc. So it is the subtle energy in / around the kidneys that can get stressed or challenged.

To get a glimpse at how the kidneys and adrenal system are doing from astrology, we look in several parts of the zodiac and the chart. First, any competent astrologer would tell you that the sign of Libra rules the kidneys (Libra is balance, harmony and purification through relationships – just as the kidneys purify the body of toxins and excess minerals, etc). I happen to agree with this conclusion. But there is more. Whenever we mention one sign, we must always think of its opposite – the reciprocal sign of Libra, is Aries.

Libra rules the kidneys and the lumbar back region around them. While Aries rules the head – specifically the forehead, the crown, the upper cortices and other brain structures. How, if at all, are these related? Well, when our kidney subtle energy (jing in Chinese medicine) is stressed and depleted, we tend to get headaches. Just as we can get headaches if we get dehydrated, which also affects the kidneys, we see that these signs have some connection – which all reciprocal (opposite) signs do.

But what else may indicate a stressed endocrine system? Well what planets rule the adrenal glands? What planet(s) rule the nervous system? What aspects can indicate a proclivity toward a stressed sympathetic nervous system response?

First, Saturn and Mars rule different parts of the adrenal glands respectively. The adrenals sit on top (ad-) of the kidneys (renal system). So any challenging aspects between Saturn and Mars can indicate a pattern of a stressed endocrine system (specifically referring to the adrenals). What else? Well Mercury and Uranus rule the central nervous system respectively. And then, any planet that tenants Libra or Aries may indicate or reflect a sensitive renal or adrenal system.

We could look at houses, other planets and other aspects, but for the sake of brevity, let’s stop here. So we have Libra ruling the kidneys, Aries possibly having a reciprocal effect on them, Mars and Saturn have direct rulership of the adrenal glands, Uranus and Mercury rule the central nervous system (and our mental dexterity and responses) and finally any other planet in Libra and Aries might have an effect on the renal system as well.

So what are some aspects to look at to see if / when these innate proclivities will be triggered? In other words, are there certain transits or progressions which indicate a time of sensitized kidneys? I say, “Yes!”

In terms of transits, we look at the slower moving planets first, as they stay on or near a certain degree (and therefore near a planet) for much longer. For instance, Pluto moves an average of about two degrees per year. That means it will “sit” on or near a planet for up to three years. Neptune is also a slow mover, then Uranus will usually only effect an aspect for about a year or so. Saturn and Jupiter move faster, but due to Saturn’s retrograde motion of approximately 20 degrees forward and then 8 degrees back, it tends to contact planets and aspects them for up to a year off and on.

Then, regarding progressions (secondary), we look at the inner planets, because when we do the secondary progressions, we are basically taking a day past our birthday for every year we are alive. In other words, to see what our progressed chart will look like when we are twenty years old, we simply look at twenty days past our day of birth (using the same birth time). Therefore, only the inner planets make any significant movement in a lifetime in a progressed chart. So we are most interested, with regard to progressions, in the Progressed Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars, plus the Progressed Angles – the Ascendant and Progressed Midheaven – play very critical roles in what is “up” for us at any given time.

I will go further on this subject in my next post. Same title, part 2.

*** Kirby Moore is not a licensed medical professional. He does not claim to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any disease. All information posted here is for educational or entertainment purposes only. If you suspect that you have a medical condition, please consult a licensed practitioner.