Meditation Informs Healing Facilitation

2nd Annual Mani Drupchen – Day Two

This material is copyrighted by Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. To support my business and blogging efforts, please visit my website. More recently, I have begun teaching Astrology classes on Trauma-Informed Astrology, see http://www.traumainformedastrology.com for more! Thank you for visiting!

A page detailing the schedule of the Drupchen as I do not have much written in my journal about the day. I think I was still dragging a bit from the Christmas vacation and resisting being on retreat.

12/27 – I am sleeping in the living room, on a friend’s air mattress (as that was another item I forgot in my haste – ugh!). This means that every morning by 7 am, I must have my stuff packed and back in another room to make space for everyone to sit and enjoy breakfast. Personal space is something you cannot expect to have much of at the ManiDrupchen! I was actually lucky to have a little room around my sleeping area – sharing the living room with two other retreatants who slept on the couches. Downstairs people were packed in like sardines – one woman actually slept curled up under a medium sized display table.

9 am – we have a meeting for the retreat participants detailing what to expect, what conduct to maintain, a list of the jobs needing to be done daily and signing up for those as well as talking about candle donations. I mention that I might want to have some days of quiet and that I would be wearing a name tag that said “Noble Silence Please” when I wanted it. This is because I am feeling the need to get the most out of this upcoming week and I remember last year, when the kitchen and living room were full of chatter and some minor chaos.

10 am – Khenpo Tsultrim gives a Dharma talk about the practice of Chenrezig. He is such a great teacher – his english is decent so he can reach us without the need of a translator. He talks about the common and uncommon preliminaries which one must practice and maintain in order to conduct a yoga tantra like Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara). He emphasizes that Bodhicitta (the mind that wishes to attain complete enlightenment for the benefit of all beings) is mandatory and necessary to attain successful and positive results in tantrayana practice (vajrayana or mantrayana as opposed to mahayana and hinayana).

Around 1 pm we actually start the Mani Drupchen chanting. There are typical opening prayers and blessing mantras. Then this particular practice has some gorgeous prayers – a supplication to Avalokitesvara and the lineage of masters and more. Then we start chanting the slow, melodic Om Mani Padme Hung Hrih mantra (or Om Mani Pemme Hum Hrih in Tibetan).

Once the Mani Drupchen starts, we will be chanting around the clock – taking shifts at night where some people sleep and others keep the mantra going. We decide, due to the lower number of participants to have two night shifts. One group sleeps from 11 pm to 3 am and then chants from 3 am to 7 am and vice versa for the other group.

On Sunday, there were a good number of people attending and participating – maybe 25 to 30. There are many new faces this year – some participants come from Boston, Charlottesville (Virginia), Va Beach, Georgia, Texas, Ohio and Indiana and beyond. I hear that there are also groups in Vietnam and Malaysia chanting along with us. Hooray!

The above picture is of tormas or ritual cakes, made from flour and butter. From my limited understanding, tormas are used for a number of reasons – some of which are to feed (pacify) numerous spirits who might create obstacles to the practice and to make offerings to enlightened protector deities, etc.

The 2nd Annual ManiDrupchen (intensive) retreat begins

This material is copyrighted by Kirby Moore. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. To support my business and blogging efforts, please visit my website.

More recently, I have begun teaching Astrology classes on Trauma-Informed Astrology, see http://www.traumainformedastrology.com for more! Thank you for visiting!

One day has passed since returning from the 2nd Annual, Vast Noble Heart Chenrezig ManiDrupchen. There is much to say and yet much to reflect upon. Actually, in my case, there is much to do – I had several issues clear up and now it is a matter of implementing the information I have come across. We had less people attend this intensive, but it still went well and was maintained around the clock for a week.

It is my intention to write these posts in a style that is present tense, from the perspective of a series of journal entries. I got this idea from the book, Pure Heart, Enlightened Mind by Maura O’Halloran. This is a book I highly recommend – the author was one of the first women to enter the Zen temples to become a Zen priestess [I would say nun but in the Zen tradition, their teachers are permitted to marry, hence priest(ess)], she pushed herself tirelessly for 3 years, accomplished awakening and was recognized as an emanation of Kannon – the Japanese version of Guan Yin (or Chenrezig / Avalokitesvara).

12/26 – I rush home from my parent’s place, after enjoying Christmas with family. Upon arriving at my apartment, which is in the Dharma Duplex (a duplex with four Drikung Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist practitioners in it), my friend meets me at the door saying “I am ready to go.” Okay… well I’m not! After several days with my family, whom I love dearly, I am dragging a bit. But I do not have time to dwell on that for long as I need to unpack and then re-pack. I swiftly clean my car, dump out my suitcase and try to remember everything I will need for the next 9 days at the Drupchen. I quickly pack my car and then my friend and I are out the door to pick up a yogi who lives across town. The trip is fairly uneventful – we have good conversations as one of my passengers is an older yogi who knows many stories about Tibetan spiritual masters.

We arrive at TMC around 4:30 and we are some of the first people to arrive. Khenpo Tsultrim (Tenzin) greets us with, “Do you want tea?” which is his customary hospitable manner. We learn that Gyabra Tritsab Rinpoche – the Regent of the Drikung Kagyu – who was invited to be the Vajra Master of the Drupchen, is definitely not going to be arriving for the commencement of the retreat. He is having visa problems. The lamas who will be at the retreat are Drupon Rinchen Dorje, Khenpo Tsultrim, Khenpo Chophel along with Lama Gyaltsen and Tsunma Rigzin Khandro.

In my haste to get out the door, I realize (too late), that I forgot all the Tibetan shirts I had planned to bring – meaning that I have one long sleeve shirt to wear for the next 8 days… It is my green Irish rugby jersey – LOL!

I take a little nap, snap some photos of the mandala and do a little sitting in anticipation of tomorrow’s big start. I am one of Hun Lye’s assistants – Hun is the TMC president and the main organizer and facilitator of this particular Mani Drupchen. He tells me that it will be my job to keep an eye on the chores that are assigned and to make certain that they are being maintained on a daily basis.

In this picture of Chenrezig (and retinue), I would learn later that Chenrezig’s consort, son and daughter are present, along with the Lords of the Five Buddha Families – Amitabha (red – above Chenrezig), Amogasiddhi (green), Vairochana (white), Akshobya (blue) and Ratnasambhava (yellow).

Eccentric relationships – Venus and Uranus Part II (astrology)

So… for those of you fascinated by the first article, you will discover my theory(s) about dealing with Uranus in hard aspect to Venus below. For those of you who have not read Part I, I would highly recommend going back and doing so. You can find that link here: https://wordpress.com/post/astrodharma.me/785

Several thoughts arise when I consider Uranus in aspect to Venus in a Natal Chart. First, Please keep in mind that spiritual (evolutionary) astrology is quite complex, therefore, to only look at one aspect in a chart and to think that you can isolate it and its reflected traits without considering the rest of the chart is a big error. As a result, please, please(!) do not read this series of posts and think that you know all about someone who has this aspect in their charts. Rather, spend time getting to know the whole chart – it can take years, seriously – before jumping to any solid conclusions or assumptions. Also, when we practice frequency based astrology, you never know where the person is on their psycho-spiritual path, so we cannot label a certain aspect and say, “Oh you have “X” squaring “Y”, therefore you must do / think / process “Z”…” Nope! Does not work like that – in fact, that is what gives astrology a bad name (see fortune telling). Choice-centered, frequency-based astrology takes many, many factors into consideration before concluding anything, and it should be a fluid, flexible conclusion – not the written in stone, “it can’t change” prediction.

Speaking of fortune telling, I wanted to make certain that my audience understands that I do not fully agree with the teacher who told me about this aspect (Uranus and Venus in hard aspect causing men to require new partners every few years). We do not know what karma is in store for us – and I have certainly seen exceptions to this rule – men who lived happily with their partners for twenty years or more, while having Uranus in a hard aspect to their Venus in their birth charts.

In my personal experience, I believe that A) once we discover who we are and what we need from a partner to lead an inspiring, growth-filled existence, then B) we can seek out that partner. However there is a reason most people cannot do this, when we are going through life reacting to each situation and keeping so busy trying to just make ends meet, that taking a lot of time out of our lives to unwind the deeper essence of our being might be out of the question. To get down underneath all of the layers of conditioning and “you-are-supposed-to-do-X-with-your-life” thinking, takes a lot of time and contemplative energy. So are you willing to work on yourself first? When I was in the 9th grade in high school I told my mother, who might have asked me about girls at the time, I said, “you know Mom, I want to improve myself until I meet the right one.” Little did I know it at the time, but that is what I have been doing, and I think it is what is necessary if we want to avoid some of the pitfalls I am pointing out in this article.

What is someone going through who has this aspect? In answering this, the complexities surrounding a chart must be considered. Merely having Venus opposite Uranus does not mean we can know everything in the way of challenging traits. It can bring about magnetism, charisma, charm, guile, jealousy, flashiness, bohemian likes and desires, and / or a unique fashion sense among other traits – which depends on the signs involved and house placement of the aspect. If someone has many beneficial aspects in their chart (keeping in mind that some squares and oppositions manifest positively) and very few challenging ones, then a Venus / Uranus contact can be positive overall, without much in the way of hectic forms of relating. However, in my limited experience, trouble can arise (in intimate relationships) when there are a number of Saturn / Pluto / Neptune hard aspects in a chart plus Venus / Uranus. I will develop this idea further…

It is my humble belief that we are purifying our karma in each incarnation as human beings. However, while we keep that in mind, it should not be used as a crutch – we can’t say, “Oh, I act like that because it says so in my chart.” This is an erroneous belief, in addition to being a horrible excuse, and a foolhardy method of going through life. But seriously, I have heard it – all you Scorpio Moons out there, please stop saying, “I can’t help my behavior, I have a Scorpio Moon.” Sure, your lust / jealousy / emotional dial might be turned up a tiny bit more than someone with their Moon in Leo, and turned up higher than a Moon in Aquarius / Virgo often is… but it doesn’t mean you lose all self control! Sorry about that rant. I have heard it a few times – especially when someone is a double or triple Scorpio (not easy to be sure).

Rather than blaming my actions on my chart, I would recommend saying, “my chart would indicate certain proclivities. I have noticed these tendencies manifesting within intimate relationships. Now, having this foresight, what can I do to work on deepening my awareness, practice mindfulness and strengthening my inner resources to gently confront and change these patterns?”

We can always be thankful for the opportunity to purify our challenging karma – just don’t lean on it too hard, or give up saying, “what’s the point? My karma is my karma.” That is also in error – the Buddha, among other spiritual teachers, said that we have to work on ourselves in order to grow and improve. No one can save us, no one will do the work for us (at least not the work which results in lasting transformation). We have to step up to the plate and say, “okay – this is my issue. I acknowledge it. And now I will try to practice being gentle and kind with myself and with my process as I work through it.”

Back to the astrological issue at hand – Venus and Uranus, while keeping the above information in mind, we can start to discuss what this aspect is and ways around / through the energy. As I mentioned, someone who has a lot of personal growth work to do around their inner patterns, who also has a hard aspect between these two, will probably be reactive and involved in some strong, subconscious projection and defense mechanisms, especially in intimate relationships. So, the first step is to gain some clarity about the self – meditate, do yoga, chill out in a contemplative manner, have your chart done by a professional, spend quality quiet time in nature, go to a therapist (for a number of months at least – get into the uncomfortable material and gently continue working it) and / or receive bodywork from a qualified practitioner or any number of introspective alternatives. [Revised 4/26/21 – I would highly recommend receiving Somatic Experience sessions if you can. Some psychotherapists use this excellent body-oriented approach. This will help you to exfoliate layers of activation and reactivity, especially if you can do 5 to 10 or more sessions!]

If you have experienced trauma as a youngster or if you suffer from high levels of anxiety or worry (indicators of early trauma or birth trauma perhaps), then you should not do talk therapy alone. Find a somatic-oriented approach, like Somatic Experiencing. Talk therapy which is cerebral in nature only (excluding the body as it were) could just re-trigger you and possibly re-traumatize you without allowing you to release the deep cellular wounding. Rather supplement talk therapy with some form of bodywork or at least do some acupuncture as well.

If an individual has done a lot of their personal growth work, then they are aware of their old tendencies and patterns and they have either released them, compensated appropriately or learned positive methods / tools for adapting. If an individual does not have much in the way of strong, subconscious patterns or reactions, then they have many choices – to be in a long-term intimate relationship, where they can speak their needs and requests and have them honored, or they can discuss their patterns and habits with their partners and work something out, maybe living separately but still being together, among other options.

As I mentioned in Part One, space is necessary where Uranus is concerned. So there are many ways to create a win-win situation within partnerships with one or both partners having this particular hard aspect. Have a separate bed ready in case you want some space, or do what my aunt and uncle do – have separate houses. One of the partners might travel quite a bit, creating natural space and allowing creative, positive tension to build by not being around each other every day (absence usually does make the heart grow fonder!). There are options – talk about it and try to understand each other’s needs and then work to meet them (compromise or negotiate as appropriate).

Remember as well that astrology is a blue print of our ego. And most of us are very attached and tied to our ego states. However, with diligent meditative practice, we can start to overcome the ego, or at least gain control over it. Supposedly, when the Buddha attained enlightenment, he was no longer affected by his astrology – because his only wish is to benefit all sentient beings, there is no ego to wrestle with. Wow- there is hope after all!

There are many manifestations of relating with awareness and clear communication but the take home message from this aspect is to expect a bit of excitement, freshness and magnetism. If you are in a relationship with someone who has a hard aspect between these two, you might want to analyze where they are on their path – are they embodied? Have they done much in the way of personal introspection? Do they react strongly or in strange ways when you make requests? If this answer is yes, then expect them to grow and to change – so I would recommend not being too attached. But you should ask yourself why you have attracted that person into your life.

Or on the other hand, are they mindful, kind and patient – both with themselves and others? Do they take time for themselves – time for self care? Then you might have a bit more of a clue as to how conscious they are of their inner processes.

The heart speaks a language of its own, and it truly takes time to learn that language (especially for men who grow up in Western cultures). Then honoring what we hear the heart saying takes even longer. So have heart, and more importantly, have patience – with your heart, with your partner and with yourself. When we have this aspect in our charts, we have the capacity to hear that new language of the heart, but do we have the courage to march to the beat of our own drum? Plus we need resources – time, energy, financial – to take the time we need to move toward present, wholesome embodiment. It is well worth the journey.

These words were hastily written in November 2009 by Kirby Moore. Updated 3/1/2010, further supplemented in 2015. And revised a touch yet again in 2021.

Eccentric Relationships thru the lens of Venus and Uranus Part I (astrology)

I am writing this series for several reasons. First, I would like to inform my audience of my experience and opinion regarding astrological Venus in aspect to Uranus and how this affects relationships. Second, my theory will be introduced about how we can avoid the typical flash-in-the-pan relationships which often arise with Uranus and Venus combinations. Finally, I will gingerly discuss the ramifications of what I am proposing – most of which will be in further posts. [Please note – anyone with sensitivities to colorful language or sexual topics should quit reading now.]

Normally, I would not be so frank and open, but it feels like this information needs to be shared. Because these are my intimate thoughts on a delicate subject, I ask you to not reproduce anything written here – if you want to refer people to my blog that is fine. With that, I am writing what is near and dear to my heart. Having in my horoscope, this funky little aspect, of Venus square Uranus (6 degree orb), has been a fascinating experience and journey. Many astrologers – both my teachers and peers – have shared their thoughts with me about this dynamic. And actually it is funny how the mind works (my afflicted mind in particular) – for several years, I would casually glance over and past this aspect in my chart. I’m not sure what my reasoning was – “oh it’s 6 degrees, that’s too wide to matter… I think… moving on now…” Subconsciously I think I knew this aspect indicated work that needed to be done, however I was not ready to face it.

Something like that, except I did not consciously realize it was uncomfortable until one day, my first main astrology (and meditation) teacher, about a year into our teacher / student relationship, told me, “you know Kirby, men with Uranus in hard aspect to their Venus cannot keep an erection after several years of being with the same woman.” I thought about this for a minute. Then I realized… oh damn!

“Hey! Wait a minute.. I have Venus square Uranus in my chart…” I replied. Well, yes you might have guessed it, she was a Sagittarius and Sagittarians are exceptionally talented at sticking their feet in their mouths. She was no exception to this rule and she answered with, “oh… well.. maybe you will find a way around this…” She did not realize, as far as I could tell, that she was pointing out something from my chart when she said it. Nonetheless, her response definitely sounded flaky, leaving me undecided between dumping my respect for her (and possibly regretting it later) or realizing I had some significant work ahead of me. I thought to myself, “well, so much for traditional relationships,” or to be more honest and accurate, “Damn it!!… I’m screwed!” Actually, having six years of cathartic, plumbing-the-psychological-depths-spiritual-practice time, I feel I have discovered some ways around it.

I now realize that this teacher was not justified in proclaiming the encompassing blanket prediction like she did. I say this for several reasons – first, consider the raw numbers of men who possess this aspect in their charts – I am absolutely certain that at least a few of them do just fine being with the same woman. Second, each Venus / Uranus hard aspect is different – house placement, signs involved and how the partner plays a role in this dynamic. If you think about it, consider how many people have Uranus in hard aspect to Venus. The opposition, square and conjunction are three aspects, and say each has a seven degree orb (both sides of the aspect), we are looking at 14 degrees per aspect. Three aspects times 14 is 42 degrees of the birth chart, and 42 into 360 (all the degrees of a chart) is 7 / 60. Therefore, if this statement is entirely true, seven men out of 60 would have this issue and therefore would have a major difficulty maintaining intimate relationships with the same woman for more than a couple years. Consider the United States having 300 million people living in it, say half are men. Then this ratio produces the number of 18 million men in the U.S. To me, this number seems high. Sure, the divorce rate is increasingly higher, but I would argue that there are many (other) factors involved. Not to mention the fact that each of our karmas is different.

Second, consider all the possible mixtures of these two planets. Uranus in aspect to Venus can happen in any sign and in any house of the horoscope. The conjunction would produce the same house, same sign contact. The opposition produces an opposite house / opposite sign dynamic, and the square can be in any number of sign / house alignments. I have to wonder if there are some houses that diminish the affects of this aspect. For instance, the angular houses of the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses seem to give more strength and physical manifestation to the planets occupying them. This is the case in my chart, but it would only be the case in one out of three charts having this hard particular (specific situational) aspect occurring. It seems like having this aspect in the succedent houses – 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th – would soften the physical manifestation of the dynamic – it might affect the personality or the mind. Then, as I mentioned, another piece of this puzzle to consider is the partner. Actually, I am going to touch on this extensively in Part II of this series.

To me, Uranus in hard aspect to Venus (square, opposition and conjunction) produces eccentric, authentic relationship needs and sometimes this dynamic can be discerned through the softer aspects of the trine, sextile and quincunx. So, what is this series of aspects about? Uranus is a fast energy – buzzing and electrifying, it energizes the nervous system and speeds up synapses in the brain – basically leading to wittier thinking, ingenious ideas and outside-the-box, ahead-of-the-curve types. Uranian types are the visionaries of our time – thinking at least 20 years ahead of conventional methods. Venus of course, is all about love, art and what we desire (to keep it simple). Combine the two, especially in a hard aspect and you suddenly have an individual who, in intimate relationships, easily bores of the same routine, the same types of love making, the same responses and reactions – they have a flare for the unique and for freshness. They need to find ways to liven up their relationships and to do new activities and explore new places – maybe expand the social and psycho-spiritual circles as a couple. And most importantly, there is a need for space – nothing clingy or sticky is allowed for long when Uranus is involved (there might be some RARE exceptions to this rule when Scorpio / Pluto is involved).

There is another piece of Uranus that I would like to touch on. Uranus, to me, has an element of enlightenment within it. Clairvoyance, lightning bolts of clarity and insight, and intuitively knowing what direction to move in – instantly – are some of Uranus’ higher frequency gifts. Now, combine that with Venus, and you get a mind that is capable of making a decision rapidly, regarding an intimate relationship and then it is just as capable of thinking weeks, months and even years into the future regarding where a relationship is heading or where one could go if the relationship were redefined. Uranus demands authenticity, and if we listen carefully, whole heartedly, with patience, deliberation and discernment (not jumping to any rapid conclusions as the mind is very capable of throwing some curve balls), we can know when we find a suitable mate or when we have found another growth experience.

In conclusion, people with Uranus in hard aspect to Venus have an exciting, fresh and unique method of being in intimate relationships. One of my teachers, whom I respect, mentioned a controversial ramification of this aspect, which could easily be true when there is not much consciousness brought to the process. However, when we do start to unpack our painful decision making, to explore our suffering and our habits / patterns. And most importantly, when we start to process our activation and reactivity, then we will have to choice to approach relationships from a more stable, enduring perspective.

In further posts, I intend to elaborate on my theory regarding this dynamic.

Astrologically – The Big Three: Part One, the Moon

I finally received a request from a reader. Hey hey! Things are looking up. Well… at least I have a few readers <grin grin>. The request from Sachin Pednekar was to write something informative about the Moon signs. It was mentioned that occasionally Sun sign descriptions do not fit and, rather, the Moon sign seemed to be much more accurate in describing traits. (I hope I got that right). The final paragraphs of this article begin to answer this question, where the meat of the text is context for doing so.

In astrology, the Big Three are known as the Rising Sign or the Ascendant, the Sun and the Moon. If you know all three, then you can tell them to an astrologer and s/he can get a basic sense of your chart (just from these three pieces – hence their importance). The Rising Sign is an important feature in the chart as it sets the template or the framework that one’s planets fall into. It also determines what energy (planet) is manifesting in what area of life (the houses). Without the birth time, it is challenging to get a really accurate interpretation because the Rising Sign is determined using the time of birth. For instance being born at sunrise vs. midnight would make a significant difference in the chart. The Sun, of course, is the primary energy in the chart, the impulse to be, to take action and to progress through life. The Sun is basically the driver behind the other planets as well – for example, Venus takes the Sun’s energy and transforms and molds it to manifest in her silky, sensual, artistic manner. This is the case with the rest of the planets as well. [Jupiter is the only planet that technically gives off a little of its own energy.] The way in which we interact with the public, with strangers and our primary purpose for being here is colored by the Sun’s sign, house placement and aspects. And finally, the Moon: It is my intention to describe the Lunar orb first, as this is such an integral and personal planet – having much to do with our form, physiological and emotional functions (among many other attributes).

I want to mention as a disclaimer, that one of the reasons we have astrologers in the world is that the art of choice-centered, frequency-based astrological interpretations is a very complex process. It takes years to learn and even longer to master. There are many, many factors to take into account when doing someone’s chart, therefore, when you read the following paragraphs, please, please(!) don’t say – “Oh, he says <blank> about that Moon sign, I have that in my chart, therefore <blank> must be true about me.” Nope! Before jumping to any solid conclusions, go have your chart done by a professional (like me).

Among astrologers, it is common knowledge that the Sun rules the male body and the Moon rules the female body. Upon hearing this, someone might assume that the Sun is stronger in male’s charts and vice verse. Actually I believe we often come in with a stronger polarity in one direction – for instance, someone might have had many lives as a beautiful woman, and then they take a male rebirth. I would say there is a good chance you would find that particular man to be more sensitive, receptive and more in touch with his inner feminine than the “average male.” The same goes for women – sometimes you find a woman’s chart having a preponderance of fire and air signs, often leading to a strong, outspoken woman; and thankfully so – with fiery women come the progression of women’s rights and liberties. So, without a more in depth analysis of the chart, one cannot tell which planet – Sun or Moon will be stronger. Overall there might be a tendency for Sun to be stronger for men and the Moon for women.

In my limited experience, the Moon is one of the strongest indicators of where we have been in recent past lives. Another way of putting this is that the Moon sign, house placement, its aspects and its sign’s ruler reveals what we have been working on the most in recent incarnations. This makes sense when you consider that the Moon rules our instinctive reactions, our defense mechanisms and our gut feelings. Basically the essence of the Moon (sign, placement, element, etc) is so deeply ingrained within us that we now react in its manner without needing to be conscious of the decision / re-action. For instance, an Aries Moon in the 9th house (that did not have significant hard aspects) may show an increased devotion to political or social progress – most likely indicating the individual is an activist and participant in protests and social movements, there would be a definite camaraderie with those of lesser fortunes – empathy for the underdogs of the world. If there was some strong Saturn, 11th house planets, a strong Uranus, or Sun in Aquarius for instance, this Moon placement would blend very well for a desire to be involved in progressive movements and non-profit, benefit-others groups, maybe even being a manager or organizer within them.

This Aries energy would show an ability to stand on their own two feet, possibly having been in a warrior / guardian / mercenary position in the past – leading to quick reactions and rapid, instinctive actions. And to bring this warrior energy into the body, an individual with an Aries Moon would need to do some work to relax their adrenals – call it what you will – karma, birth trauma, childhood wounds, social conditioning, etc, but something would be making their adrenals and sympathetic nervous system run on overtime. The “fight-flight-or-freeze” mechanism may not ever turn off completely, until an authentic healing regimen has been adhered to (see other posts on this blog for further info here). Their natural (without a lot of healing work) stance would be tense, rigid and ready to spring into action.

As the Moon is an indicator of where we have been, it is a deeper, often subconscious influence. In general the Moon sign and placement is referred to as the manner in which we relate with ourselves. Where the Sun generally represents how we react and display ourselves to the public, the Moon is often more secretive. Its nature only comes out when you get to know the person better. Or, if you know what you are looking for, and you know the person’s Moon sign (and chart), then you can see this lunar influence flavoring their lives and their reactions. There are exceptions to this rule, but the Moon is generally a quieter influence in a chart until you gain the individual’s trust. This is the case because the Moon rules the home, domestic needs and attitudes, that which is deep below the surface, and the mother; along with having a strong familial association. Therefore if the person starts to treat you like a family member, then their Moon sign and placement will be much more obvious.

In conclusion, I would recommend having an open mind to chart analysis – get information from many books before coming to any major conclusions. Preferably, get a professional astrologer to interpret your chart, as there are many factors which go into having a quality interpretation conducted. Regarding the Moon, it plays a role in our instinctive reactions, our moods, intuition and defensive mechanisms, as well as physiological functions (some hormone production, fertility, the womb, the skin and other influences come under its lunar rulership). The Moon has a lot to do with what we want in a home and regarding domestic affairs – how big, how stable (do we like to roam while having a solid place to return to), who else is in our home with us, do we want a family at all? How big a family?

To answer the question which was posed by a reader – why does it seem that some people’s Moon signs are readily evident, even when compared to their Sun signs? – well first, it is complicated. I know, what a cliche! But it is true – the Sun enjoys being in certain signs and certain houses (known as its Rulership – Leo or Exaltation – Aries or Joy – 9th house) and it would rather not be in others. The same is true for the Moon (Rules Cancer, Exalts in Taurus, takes its Joy in the 3rd house) and the Moon has signs where the energy is very cold or dry, not typical lunar traits. Remember what I said above, about our Moon signs being more personal and maybe even secretive. If you are really open minded, tending to offer unconditional loving-kindness to those around you, then guess what? Those people will probably open up really, really rapidly and their Moon sign will be available for public viewing. And finally, I have another theory which we will add to what I have mentioned above.

This alternative or supplemental theory is this: hard (major), strong (close orb) aspects play a significant role in what psycho-spiritual issues we are dealing with in life (especially in this particular incarnation). To describe this in brief, the hard aspects are the Conjunction, the Square and the Opposition. In general the Square and the Opposition aspects tend to lead to challenges or obstacles which we must overcome, and the same can be true of the Conjunction depending on the planets involved (certain planets work really well together, others not so much). If we have our Natal Saturn making an exact Square (e.g. Saturn at 9 degrees of Virgo, Moon at 9 degrees of Gemini) to our Natal Moon, then I would posit that the Moon’s sign manifestation will be grossly restricted. In this case, it might be difficult to tell which mutable sign their Moon is in. There might be a Saturnian, stern, dutiful attitude which travels with this person until they have undergone some personal growth work (bringing awareness to their defense mechanisms and their personality structures, etc). It might seem like they have days of stern pessimism blended with other days of incredible productivity.

To continue this theme, its seems to me that the Moon is especially susceptible to significant aspects (close orb). This makes sense when you consider it is the primary emotional and possibly even the primary reproductive impulse in the body / mind system. It is associated with so much which we take for granted – moods, reactions, instincts, etc. Therefore, having the Moon conjunct Pluto or the Moon opposite Neptune begins to play an even larger role in our lives, and in the individual’s psycho-spiritual make up. So… in taking up the question, again, we find there are many variables, and maybe, in your case, most of your friends have Natal Moons that are making close aspects and therefore this dynamic colors their life and their personality more – making the Moon sign more obvious, maybe even more so than the Sun.

angelic weekend

I spent the weekend with a new friend. And as I lay awake tonight, having downed a lot of nutritious meat (long story short, I need meat for my health and wellbeing), I thought about writing this. Due to its intimate nature, I first asked the I Ching. “Can I write from my heart (or should I tone it down)?” It replied with number 48 – “the well, communion, water of life, source connection and gateway to the mother” along with the 5th line changing – “the well is there. You have only to drink.”

So, as one of my heart teachers (Julie Henderson) says, drink up! “Slurp slurp.” This is dedicated to you know who. And to all sentient beings – may all beings know they are intimately, joyfully and immutably connected to source. I’m not there yet so I definitely need to be included!

our heart a flower? nestle in warmth, know pure joy

Meeting an Angel

“my heart rejoices when I feel your presence, singing rays of light

due to cosmic laws; impermanence;

I playfully devour every second I am with you

when the curtain of this divine union temporarily descends

sadness closes in for a moment, until

wisdom presence re-membered –

they remind me:

we are never separated,

we meet in the heart

hugs and kisses always, my friend”

Heart aches – Transiting Uranus Conjunct the Natal Sun (astrology)

Photos from Angela Harkavy’s collection (Drikung Kagyu photographer).

Tibetan Lamas know about working with the heart (Khenchen in Arizona, Angela Harkavy photo)

This is a post about working with the Heart, with an astrological slant thrown in for good measure. In my astrological practice, I conduct choice-centered, frequency-based interpretations. What this means is that I am open to the infinite possibilities around people’s choices and the consequent results. I like to tell people that nearly everything in the astrology chart is tendencies and habits – which, with practice, discipline and over time, can be changed and re-patterned. Anything is possible if we have the karma for it – even when the astrological sky is looking a little overcast.

So, for any fatalistic astrologers who may be reading this, I offer a counter to the “certain challenging aspects are going to be that way, period” philosophy. Here is why:

In my chart, I have a Leo Rising (meaning the chart is ruled by the Sun) which is associated with the Heart – think lion and courage, bravery, pride, occasional arrogance. No “problems yet,” from a fatalistic perspective. However, the Sun is the ruler of the sign of Leo, making the Sun in my chart personalized, e.g. slightly more important than normal. My natal Sun is in the 8th house, the first, “ugh..” might come from the antiquated fatalistic crowd. The 8th house is associated with many things, being one of the more complicated “psychic” houses of the horoscope – some of these characteristics are: transformation, magic, personal harrowing journey through the inner underworld, death, sex, psychological insights, dealing with other’s money etc. It is not the greatest placement for an energized, enthusiastic, extroverted Sun. In some traditions it would be interpreted as the shaman, the medicine woman or maybe a good investment adviser (but definitely a background power – not the chief or executive per se).

How much vast, spacious, open heart is in a room full of Tibetan Lamas?

Recently, the chart ruler – the Sun in my chart has been undergoing a bit of a titanic tug of war. If you have been keeping up with my posts, you may have read about the planet Saturn crossing through the late stages of Virgo (opposite my Sun), or you may already know that Uranus is sitting in Retrograde, slowly backtracking through the late stages of Pisces (exactly conjunct my Sun and opposite Saturn). This is one configuration most traditional astrologers would rather not see their clients (and especially not themselves) have to struggle through. However, I want to discuss a differing argument.

If someone is involved in a transformative modality for a long period of time – sustains dedicated Buddhist practice, receives many treatments of Biodynamic Cranio Sacral therapy, maintains a daily Metta practice, works with a qualified meditation teacher, sees a body-oriented psychotherapist for several years, etc etc – any modality that leads to a gentle, kind and gradual deepening in self understanding and heart-warming, then someone could potentially “purify” or come to grips with the shadows lurking under the surface (in the un/subconscious). And then, they are not as likely to be hit with an “Oh my god, you want me to deal with what!?!?” In other words, a major obstacle to the previous status quo (event, catastrophe, tragedy, etc).

Khenchen teaching at the Garchen Institute, Arizona (Angela Harkavy photo)

One book that I use sparingly for reference because of its fatalistic trend, is “Predictive Astrology.” Oh – as a tangent – I want to add that when I analyze my own chart, I always like to experience life first and then later, get an understanding of what I went through from an astrological perspective, if warranted. That way, there is no way I am “being ruled by my stars” as Nietzsche so eloquently put it. So, back to the Predictive Astrology book, one line I recently read in the section on Transiting Uranus crossing the Natal Sun, is that one can go through temporary heart arrhythmia that is so slight, that medical tests do not pick up on it. Well, guess what. Over the past nine months or more, I have noticed that if I am under a lot of stress, once a month (or less), my heart slightly changes a beat. And of course, during my last physical (a few months ago) my heart was fine. Actually my heart is fine, it is just a matter of listening deeply and providing it with the space it needs to process old “stuff.” And to make gradual changes when I encounter old, limiting patterns of fear and / or contraction.

I have been feeling my heart more and more over the past few years. In speaking with one of my teachers, Julie Henderson (the creator of Zapchen Somatics), I got a fresh perspective on what the heart needs to unwind. Gentle-kindness, space, safety, patience (often a very slow, gradual process). As layers begin to come alive, I thank them and I try not to have any judgment toward the new tentative layers underneath. [Note to reader – this is a challenging, fascinating, rewarding and difficult journey, please do not try to undertake it without a person-to-person, qualified spiritual teacher! Seriously. And I am just an objective observer and reporter, not a teacher.]

As Garchen Rinpoche says, (and I paraphrase), “allow the ice of self-grasping around your heart to melt.” The lamas have been saying this all along, it just took a Western teacher (Julie) to explain it in a fashion I could easily and comfortably grok.

Khenchen and Garchen Rinpoche, Arizona (Angela Harkavy Photo)

What is one way to truly get in touch with your heart? Well, I will present several, take your pick, not in any particular order: 1) be in an appropriate, well-defined-boundaries, inspiring, comfortable, direct-communications-are-okay intimate relationship – and when you notice resistance arising, name it, notice it and be present with it rather than reacting negatively or suppressing it; 2)start training in a healing-hands modality as the hands are a direct link to the heart (Reiki, Rolfing, Osteopathy, Craniosacral Therapy, Zero Balancing, Massage and many more, etc); 3)if you are not maintaining a daily meditation practice, this is another method to come in contact with your heart space; 4) maintain discipline and right conduct (positive morals and ethics) in attempting to live life from a kindhearted perspective; 5) if you have the resources, adopt, cherish and open your heart to a child; 6)if you have the resources, adopt and be kind to an animal; 7) find a qualified teacher to help lead you into deeper realization of your heart.

So… in conclusion, don’t believe everything you hear. (Don’t trust everything you read here on this blog either for that matter.) Especially if the person is a fatalistic diviner (astrologer, tarot reader, I Ching practitioner, etc). Know that another possibility exists for you besides what you read in any number of well-written astrology books – not to mention the poorly written ones (joke joke). And take a deep breath… right now… seriously… breathe… it’s going to be okay.

As an aside, regarding these photos, when I see such an incredible line of teachers gathered in the same place, especially in the U.S., I am filled with a deep yearning aspiration to attend them. I also realize that I am not practicing enough. I know – be kind and gentle – yes, but up to a point. When a Tibetan Lama makes a suggestion based on your asking them multiple times about a situation, you should probably try to put their advice into practice. As an example, I asked Khenchen Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltsen, what would be the best practice for me? What would help me benefit the most sentient beings? Well he said, “practice / study Dharma, and finish school.” So that is what I am trying to do, slowly, slowly. Maybe I am being hard on myself, or maybe I am leaning too heavily on gentle self care. The middle way is good.

Cutting through fear and attachment, Chod teachings

Drupon Thinley Ningpo teaching in Va Beach (October 2009)

As promised, here is the post from my yummy, juicy Virginia Beach journey. I went down there with the intention to attend my root lama, Drupon Thinley Ningpo (I call him Rinpoche). Luckily I got to follow through on this aspiration.

Woke up bright and early Saturday morning, with the typical “its the night before a Dharma teaching, therefore I am unable to sleep” kind of deal, so I had a maximum of three hours rest before the three hour drive. As a result, I was giddy all day – you know, in a happy-go-lucky and oblivious sort of manner.

The teachings were well attended – about 28 people on Friday night for the public talk (the organizers reported), then about 20 on Saturday for the empowerment and then 14 or so on Sunday for the practice and teachings. And the Va Beach Sangha really outdid themselves in setting up the shrine room – there were thangkas hanging on the walls in addition to the beautiful shrine and the artwork which usually graces the Heritage Center meditation room.

We descended on an Indian restaurant for lunch on Saturday which was nice – about 18 people joined in. Sunday was a shorter day so we ate at the Heritage Center which has a nice selection of healthy vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices. Plus there is a huge new-age shop attached to the grocery store and deli, so we felt right at home (not that Tibetan Buddhism is new-agey, rather we did not stand out in the least).

A vivid, spacious and inspiring shrine at the Heritage Center, Va Beach (Oct 2009)

From the little bit of understanding that my afflicted mind could discern about this practice is that it is definitely (emphasis) not for beginners. It seems to be an explicitly clear and direct way of cutting through one’s fear and pride which arise due to attachment to the body (self). As a result, the practice itself is a little graphic and very intense. In the past, and apparently in Tibet, one gets the best result from practicing Chod in graveyards (at night).

Chod is also one of the only practices that went against the traditional flow of wisdom from India to Tibet. One of the founders of the Chod lineage was from Tibet and apparently she taught many yogis from India who wanted to learn this profound technique. Basically, the Dharma originally came to Tibet from India along with the teachings and practices of the Vajrayana path. What is so precious about Tibet is that these teachings have been preserved and transmitted, to the point that Tibetan Buddhism was flourishing in Tibet before the Chinese take over. The advanced (tantric) techniques had primarily died out in India before they were re-introduced by Tibetan Lamas and yogis.

Body centered meditation: Too much treatment?

In a recent post, I mentioned that it is good to remember the body when we are doing any kind of learning – whether meditation, getting our degree, teaching others, hiking in the wilderness, etc. Taking a few minutes here and there to check in with the body is crucial to holistic health – if this seems difficult to you – then find a qualified teacher to help you check in with your system (yoga teachers, body-oriented psychotherapists, somatic practitioners, bodyworkers, etc).

inner blossoming comes from practicing gentle kindness to self - Rhododendron, TMC, Maryland — inner blossoming comes from practicing gentle kindness to self – Rhododendron, TMC, Maryland

What I want to add to the above post, is that in extreme cases we can also over-treat the body. In my limited experience, the body needs time to process changes / shifts / treatments / etc – there needs to be some down time to integrate and re-pattern. For instance, in the past I have received once a week sessions with one type of practitioner (Rolfing), while also receiving sessions from a process-oriented bodyworker (Biodynamic Cranio Sacral Therapist). This was about all my system could take – and some weeks, when I had other responsibilities and mind-stretching deadlines, I started to notice irritability and frustration around receiving bodywork. One of my practitioners put two and two together and told me to allow for more integration time… thankfully. She gently asked, “Ya know, how many sessions are you receiving per week?” I told her and she realized that I was over-treating my system – slow down young man!

Please be gentle. Please be kind. Please go slow… Hugh Milne, an author, instructor and practitioner says in one of his delicious Cranio Sacral Therapy books (and I paraphrase), “we can never go too deep, but we can go too fast.” I think this quote should be reflected on by anyone in the health / spirituality / education / meditation fields. Another teacher, actually one of my heart teachers – Julie Henderson (of Zapchen Somatics) – says about her modality, Zapchen Somatics: “I usually tell people that it will take ten years to get started, and then you start learning it [from there on].” A profound statement to be sure. And for people like me with my Mercury in Aries (in my astrological birth chart – Mercury rules the mind and Aries can be an impulsive, intuitive, impatient energy), hearing that it will take 10 years just to get started is an entirely new paradigm. Wow!

So, take both of these posts to heart – work with a qualified practitioner who fully understands what it is to over-treat the body / mind system (and avoids doing it, of course!). And if you notice something that is out of the ordinary arising, by all means mention it to your practitioner (and maybe even get a second, third opinion). Work with someone who goes as slow as you need to and possibly even slower, make that request if need be, and if it is not honored, hit the road. Most of my clients can handle one Cranio Sacral session per week. Rarely, if I am going to be gone for an extended period of time, I will give two or three sessions in a week to someone and then let them gradually integrate the work for a month or more before seeing them again. And this is only after I have worked with someone for a while and I know their capacity.

So… be gentle, practice kindness to self and when in doubt, slow down. Have a great day.

Balancing Head and Heart – Body centered meditation

I just returned from Va Beach, where I attended Drupon Thinley Ningpo for Chod teachings and practice. There will be a post coming soon with additional pictures from this enjoyable weekend.

Beautiful shrine for Chod teachings, Va Beach

I am writing this post because I had some interesting conversations with my generous host. We spoke about Tibetan Buddhism, Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy, Zapchen Somatics, Spiritual Astrology, about his non-profit and my recent comings and goings. In the midst of these conversations, I happened to explain, in a simplified version, about how I believe process-oriented bodywork is able to function. It went something like this.

There are many, many ways in which we in the West are “stuck in our heads.” What I mean by this is that whether academic pursuits, personal philosophical explorations, reading up on an interest, etc, there are so many ways in which we conceptualize our learning experience. For the majority of people in the West, we take in information with our eyes and ears only – whether through reading, broadcast media or attending professors / teachers. In the above conversation, I went on to say that a lot of Buddhist practitioners spend much of their time in their heads – whether meditating, contemplating, studying or attending teachings (and I might say they spend too much time in their heads). Therefore I could speculate that as we purify our karma (in whatever way this comes about – I would recommend meditation as a tried and true method for purifying the mind stream) we are pushing out a ton of mental detritus. And this process is primarily in the conceptual realm (think head-oriented, more cerebral domains), although there are some teachers who check in with the body. As the mind becomes more and more clear, the body may become more and more left behind. So how does the body catch up with the pace of the mind? Or the mind slow down to the body’s pace?

[I want to insert a note here, that Tibetan Lamas in general do just fine through merely purifying their mind stream. There is a definite and reliable method of transcending the body during spiritual accumulation. I am just offering another possibility. That is of consciously and mindfully purifying our conceptual stuff while simultaneously bringing the body and its cellular memory into the equation – unwinding, re-organizing and shifting into new, healthier patterns.]

Fascinating artwork (lamps) in the shrine / meditation room, Heritage Center

One direct counter to this overly-conceptual tendency is to receive process-oriented bodywork from a qualified practitioner. As we purify our mind stream, a gap or a growing difference in what the body has processed and what the mind has processed and released, can arise. Therefore, if we have purified enough stuff (mentally) and afterward we attend a qualified bodyworker (see the next paragraph to help determine what makes a practitioner qualified and appropriate), if all of these causes and conditions come together, and if one maintains a sincere meditation practice and approaches bodywork without many expectations or enormous resistance, then the sky is literally the limit in terms of what you can process and release – in a manner that is lasting – it sticks with you for the rest of your life.

How do we determine who is a qualified practitioner? What I mean by a qualified and appropriate practitioner is pretty complex. However, the short version is as follows: first and foremost they practice quality self care (you may not want to go to a ‘healing facilitator’ who smokes or drinks excessively, or who is noticeably depressed or anxious – if they take good care of themselves, there is a good chance they can be of service to you), second – attend someone who seems humble – too much pride and cockiness in a practitioner will make the sensitive, vulnerable wounded places in the body shy away from their contact and they will not accomplish much in the way of lasting results, third – in conjunction with the humility piece above, while you want your practitioner to be skillful and well-trained, it is also good if they are okay with saying, “you know, I don’t know exactly what your body needs but I am willing to provide a safe, contained space with presence to listen to your system and see what it wants to share” (every once in a while, there might be a rare case that has not been covered in our training – to claim to know everything about a subject is just plain erroneous), fourth – go to someone who maintains good boundaries and negotiates contact (if someone is physically or energetically invading your space, this will also make parts of the body / mind system shy away from their invasive presence), fifth – trust someone who is willing to go slow and is patient with the process (they realize that the body’s inherent health will unfold and reveal itself when all the causes and conditions are right, which might take a few sessions). This is a good start in relation to a qualified practitioner (and good high standards for any of you out there who call yourselves healing facilitators).

Look for a coming-soon post to detail some of the experiences I have observed both as a practitioner and as a recipient of quality bodywork.

So, allow your body to catch up with your mind today – go out and ask around, (do some research) and make an appointment with a qualified practitioner. Then relax deeply and allow the mysterious healing process to unravel and reveal itself on its terms. This could be in a variety of modalities – some I would recommend, provided the practitioner is skilled and kind-hearted, are Biodynamic Cranio Sacral therapy, network chiropractic, massage, Reiki energetic healing, Zero Balancing, Bodytalk, acupuncture, Continuum movement, Zapchen Somatics practitioner, biodynamic psychotherapy, and more.

Finally, I want to state for the record, that the healing process is gradual. There are many, many layers to the onion as it were. Personally, I have been receiving bodywork sessions since 2002 and today, I am seeing the results of maintaining the work. After seven years, deeper changes and increasingly potent insights arise. Through the practice of gentle kindness and dedication to meditation, I am moving, albeit very slowly, toward lasting happiness.

On a separate note, on editing this months later (Jan 26, 2011), I wonder if we can also over-emphasize treating the body and leaving the mind behind? Eh? For instance, having a conceptual pattern which needs to be released to move toward our highest potential, if we simply receive bodywork, does that get to the root of the issue? Curious…