This Month: Astrological Trends * Meditation * Cayenne Mushroom Kale Soup
February 2015 Astrological Trends
The full moon in Leo On February 3 asks us all to let go of those things keeping us from honoring our true selves. If we wish to use these energies for their highest purpose, we can learn a pretty penny about self-authority and become a role-model for those who are in our care and who look up to us. We don’t need to hold on to things that leave us feeling bereft and unhappy. We can reach for a fulfilling and healed life, now stepping through doorways that make possible the next act in the drama unfolding in our lives.
If we yield to the lower energies of the Leo full moon, we may fall prey to flattery and people pleasing, getting caught up in dramas of other people’s making. Make sure to stay focused on your own unique desires and life story and stay out of other people’s business. You can relax if people around you seem upset—all will be well. Just do you.
Jupiter’s influence should lead you to a place where you can expand your situation (a joyous one, we hope) into the first few weeks of February as Mercury retrograde finishes on February 11. The beginning of February will see the most intense Mercury energies. If things seem to be moving fast or intensifying, it’s to be expected.
After the Aquarius new moon on February 18, things should slow down. All month long, intuition should be in full force, and this new moon is no exception. Being on the cusp of Pisces, it is an especially nice time to practice spirituality, compassion, and seek breakthroughs and insights. Let the love and awakening move to and through you.
Venus and Mars meet up in a Pisces conjunction aspect on February 22, so if you wish to delay your valentine’s plans you would have a lot of romantic energy on this weekend! Pisces is the sign where two can certainly become one, and lovers and others may find themselves awash in divine love for the end of February.
Saturn moves into a trine aspect the next day, February 23, adding structure to the romance. Weddings and commitments performed on this day and the days surrounding it are blessed.
However, it is not only romantic relationships that Saturn, Venus, and Mars supports. The easing of many relationships that stand on solid ground will occur. Those relationships that are in need of a better support system will likely be tested, however, as Saturn is the teaching planet. Saturn brings its red pen along sometimes, to give us a grade and report on how we are faring. Our egos are no match for Saturn energy.
Cleaning up our side of street can be done early in the month to enjoy the benefits later in the month—if there are any conflicts currently simmering in our relations. The nice things we do now will pay dividends within 28 days!
Meditation
Emotional pain requires that our egos have a place to be acknowledged if we are to move forward. Often we hold back our tears and our realizations as we fulfill the needs of our day and force ourselves to function forward.
At some point, hopefully close to the point of our pain’s ignition, we need to sit down and write out our grievances and our hurt feelings. It can be so revealing to see that we have been touched by an experience in a place that brought us back to a state where we are responding as if we are a child seeking approval. Or we need to shed tears because a situation is so unfair. Or we simply need to defuse our emotions before we can see how to heal our hearts.
We may feel ashamed of our inability to be more skillful in a situation. We may wish we had acted differently. Writing out our egoic wishes is an important step so that we can release our need to rehash the past in our mind’s eye.
It is ultimately unnecessary to defend ourselves, and that is a humble truth to acknowledge. If we need to defend ourselves, we have already entered a battle and anytime a sense of “battle” exists, we have already lost. The wisdom moments occur when we realize we have avoided a battle and created a life where conflicts cease to occur. The deeper WIN is to address the core of the pain, not to have said the right things to defend ourselves in any particular situation or to be smooth about reacting to people. It’s great if we gain verbal skill—nothing at all wrong or right in that—it can be supportive of ourselves and others so I’m all for it—but if you are like me and you might walk away realizing you should have said something differently… It is also OK to attend to the larger picture and be at peace with it.
In meditation, quieting the mind, relaxing the body and releasing the stress that occurs in the nervous system after an unfair encounter, it can be quite freeing to realize that we have nothing to prove to anyone else. We can get back to the place where we feel we have choices in this world. It is a powerful transition to go from feeling victimized to realizing we have choices and options and that each of us matters to ourselves and to the world, no matter how others are acting at the moment. We may become entangled for a moment but we have the strength, skills, and wisdom to untie any knots that we accidentally find wrapped around us.
I wish you all the internal power and ability to transform pain through writing, being kind with your pain as you see others behaving badly sometimes, and allowing yourself the peace of choosing an open mind and a healing heart.
Nourishment for the Body and Soul
Cayenne Mushroom Kale Soup
This soup is warm in the winter and chock full of nutrients! It is vegetarian to boot.
Yield: 8 Servings with leftovers
Ingredients:
2 Yellow or red onions, diced
2 Portabella mushrooms, diced
3 TBSP Butter or olive oil
3 Carrots, sliced
3 Potatoes, small to medium
6-8 Cups Vegetable stock
1 TBSP Paprika
Up to 1 TSP Cayenne (to taste)
6 cups kale leaves, chopped
Directions:
Melt butter on stovetop in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Saute’ onions and mushrooms over medium heat for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Garnish with plain yogurt (or sour cream) on top if you like, and serve with your favorite toast.
Nourishing Recommendations
You can learn so much about Tarot from Susyn Blair-Hunt, my wonderful mentor, in her book, Tarot Prediction & Divination, Unveiling 3 Layers of Meaning.
(Llewellyn also publishes the best selection of Tarot decks that I’ve discovered.)
Homeopathy and Core Synchronism have changed my life. First, I was immediately able to breathe after experiencing asthma-like symptoms for years. Many other improvements followed. Elizabeth Battarbee is available via Skype everywhere and in-person in Louisiana!
Elizabeth Battarbee of Flourish, Doctor of Homeopathy
Elise Hensley, LISW, an amazing healer, offers unique psychotherapy services in the Albuquerque and Los Lunas areas at an unparalleled level. EMDR helps with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and anxiety of all types. Neurofeedback is a therapy that helps reconnect and enhance your brainpower in all sort of ways to maximize your mental functioning in this complex world of ours. Elise is one of only a few people trained in Neurofeedback in our area. She is someone who is a skilled and amazing mentor. Better yet, your insurance may cover your sessions.
Thank you for enjoying this month’s newsletter! You can contact me anytime via email: domikajama@gmail.com for consultations. Visit at Intuitivemoon.com.
Be well!
Blessings,
Dominique