astral meanders 4-10 April 2012

In general: With Mercury changing directions on the 4th we will likely experience frustrations in areas of travel and communication on this day. But this is the last of it for a good while! In general life is going to become easier from April 4 as Mercury shifts into its forward motion again. We will once more be well supported in getting on with life, especially with the Full Moon nigh on April 7th. The Full Moon in Libra, with its fair-minded energy, brings more ease to relationships and life in general. Do bear in mind that Pluto will be turning retrograde on April 10th however. Pluto is the planet of potent transformations and many folk could feel extra sensitive or a little more irritable than usual on April the 10th through to the 12th. Under a Pluto influence we are dealing with secrets and the shadowy side of life that generally stays concealed from view but which needs to be exposed so that real transformation may ensue. If you are celebrating a birthday this week then it’s wise to expect some intense transformative energy in the year ahead. Personal growth is a big one now! On the world scene this week holds some travel issues and communication breakdowns as well as the groundwork for some notable changes to come in the next twelve months, secrets will out. Locally enjoy the delightful full moon!

Thought for the week: Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. Dalai Lama

Aries
This week you need to exercise all the tact you can muster as its way too easy to upset others without meaning to! The full moon puts you in the mood for a debate but this can instigate a tense moment or three so think twice if you want to go that way! Take others criticisms with a grain of salt too. It’s time to breathe!

Taurus
Venus may be moving on from its comfy posse with you but Jupiter remains so the energy is still all light and lovely! Luck remains on your side and things in general have an uncanny but positive way of working out. Energy levels are constant and you just seem to be making the kind of progress you have always wanted.

Gemini
The complex and hectic energy that you have recently weathered is on its way out this week and you should feel a lightening of the load, and it will continue to get better so put that smile back where it belongs! Put up with the remaining few delays and frustrations knowing that it is all soon to be but a memory.

Cancer
By this week’s Full Moon you guys should be starting to feel better about the nuances that have taken hold of your life of late! Things are at last starting to make some sense and all is finally fitting into place. Decisions will be easier for you now but do remember that compromise is not a dirty word!

Leo
This week its all about balancing your energy and your money! Others seem to be claiming a lot of both at the moment and you may need to give both a bit of a review! Your social world seems to be gathering momentum but your need to be aware of what you can and cannot cope with physically! Health needs to be looked after now.

Virgo
You are feistier than usual and more restless than a Virgo can stand but you are powering ahead with plans none the less! Try to resist the urge to be bossy and instead keep a reasonable head on your shoulders! Being too pushy will not win you any favours and patience is a true virtue for you this week.

Libra
You need to remain flexible and in good humour this week as some delays are still plaguing you. You don’t really feel like yourself until the full moon arrives with its light, romantic and considerate Libran energy! Keep positive and spend time listening to those around you rather than focusing on your own issues, and it all falls into place.

Scorpio
Good financial returns for all your hard work and some good partnerships are on their way at last! Do be aware that April 6 through to the 8tth will be a little difficult though. There is great potential building for you now but you have to allow for a few distractions to occur on the journey. This is a powerful time for Scorpio.

Sagittarius
Things are still moving slower than you would like but keep in mind that he pace will speed up as of next week so enjoy your moments for now! The focus is on romance, children and family life this week and it’s a happy enjoyable emphasis. This is a fated time in many ways so people and events are more meaningful than usual.

Capricorn
Stay inspired and positive and don’t sit on any frustrating or annoying feelings but rather talk them over. Things are generally improving for you and the slightly flat feelings you are experiencing now are just the result of the emotional overload from the past few weeks! Keeping things out in the open will serve you best.

Aquarius
You are experiencing a period of some uncertainty at the moment but things will become more manageable progressively over the next few months. The best advice is to just go with the flow at the moment and double check any areas of doubt especially where communications are concerned. Good folk are coming into your life now.

Pisces
This is not a great week for important decision making so hold off if you can. The Full Moon can be an intense time for you and emotions seem to hit you with some force! You can spend some time helping another or soothing over an old issue. Keep an eye on spending and all will be great as you move into late April.

Astral Peeks: PLUTO RETROGRADE /APRIL 10 -SEPTEMBER 18 2012

Pluto's effect is considered to be changing, regenerative and transforming.In any Pluto transit, we feel a need to jettison the old, outmoded, non-operational and superseded in our lives. When Pluto's transit is direct we incline to change in the external world or outer self. When Pluto's transit retrogrades, we reverse this practice to an inside one where our internal powers address us so that we can see our own necessity for change rather than being pushed into the process by outside forces.When Pluto is transiting retrograde, we are encouraged to let go of old outlooks, thinking and communication patterns, safety strategies and outworn emotions. The benefit of Pluto retrograde cycles are that we come out of them with less emotional baggage and an upgraded focus on the things that are really important to us.

Meditation Moments: Yale research

A Yale team conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging scans on both experienced and novice meditators as they practiced three different meditation techniques.
They found that experienced meditators had decreased activity in areas of the brain called the default mode network, which has been implicated in lapses of attention and disorders such as anxiety, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and even the buildup of beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. The decrease in activity in this network, consisting of the medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex, was seen in experienced meditators regardless of the type of meditation they were doing. Meditation’s ability to help people stay in the moment has been part of philosophical and contemplative practices for thousands of years,” Researchers said. “Conversely, the hallmarks of many forms of mental illness is a preoccupation with one’s own thoughts, a condition meditation seems to affect. This gives us some nice cues as to the neural mechanisms of how it might be working clinically.” The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Veterans Affairs New England Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.