Just
to let you know:
As many of you may be aware, I am heading off to England and Ireland soon to
Guest Guide a wonderful Sacred sites tour, where I will be facilitating
meditations, workshops and Astrology and Tarot consultation along the way!
Along with this there are many exciting workshops and overseas adventures
awaiting me throughout this year and next! As a result I will be adjusting my
regular column from weekly to monthly as of next week! I will endeavour to
put as much love into it as always and hope that it helps and supports your
journeys! I will also be letting you know about my future workshops and
journeys through this blog site where I will blog my
experiences on the upcoming Sacred Sites tour as well. Happy reading!
In general: Mars transits into Scorpio in late July after
spending 8 months in Libra. This is a challenging place for Mars to be and can
cause an intensity of emotion that is bewildering to deal with. On July 30th,
Mars squares Jupiter and there is a danger of too much ego expressing itself in
our actions and words. Mercury is in Leo from July 31st and this can
cause some overoptimistic thinking or if we are careful to approach things
judiciously, can help us find the confidence to achieve our goals. We can
definitely be more convincing and persuasive, because we will have more self-assurance
when we communicate. With Venus square Uranus as we hit August we are again
likely to encounter issues of freedom versus intimacy. If you have a birthday
to celebrate this week then you can expect to enjoy a year of great new ideas
and a lot of career success. However your emotional self could be feeling very
challenged! Its best to take every day as it comes and enjoy life moment by
moment now! On the world scene we will see a lot of affectation in the media
with public relation exercises and scandalous photo opportunities used to sway
public opinion, meanwhile, embarrassments, secrets and social disgraces for
public figures become more evident! Locally, keep things in reasonable
perspective and go for your goals with confidence.
Thought for the
week: The greatness of a man is not in
how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect
those around him positively. Bob Marley
Aries
As we head into
August you guys are likely to be feeling good in general, and you tend to
spread the joy. The Mars/Scorpio energy can make relationships and financial
issues more intense than is normal but any issues that do arise can now be
handled quite straightforwardly.
Taurus
You are restless or
more than usually tense during this week, and the increased errand-running, organizing
and social contact does not help. Writing and studying can be good ways to
handle stress now. Your close personal relationships are lively and rewarding
though and you should enjoy this!
Gemini
This is a strong
period for examining your cash flow, income, and earning power, as you are more
practical and balanced in your approach to finances. With your mind concentrated
on money and possessions, as well as personal values, this can be a strong time
for gathering new money-making concepts. In particular financial gain may come
through communications.
Cancer
Early August is not
the most eventful time of year for you guys. You are more disposed to keep the
status quo and hang on to what makes you feel most safe than to take big risks
now. Relationships
with siblings, neighbors, old classmates, fellow workers or casual friends may
be highlighted.
Leo
It's high time to
carve your own path in life and head towards those long held dreams! You could
be too easily inclined to get worked up about old angers or past emotional
issues that are resurfacing now. Count to ten and let it go, too much good
energy can be wasted if you don’t!
Virgo
The last few days
of July brings a greater need and desire for time to yourself to build up your
strength and regenerate yourself. You
could do a lot of thinking and contemplation about your personal happiness and goals.This is also an outstanding time for working on
intellectual or research tasks.
Libra
It’s a busy time
for Librans and you are likely to be doing some multi-tasking with career and
business matters. Success with work can come through your respectable
managerial qualities or through some form of creative talent, or even more circuitously
through your intimate relationships.
Scorpio
This week can give
you a push in the right direction. It’s time to take charge of your life! This
is an excellent week for decisiveness and increased physical energy. Whatever efforts
you make now will be rewarded in the year ahead as Jupiter is working very favourably
in the area of career for you!
Sagittarius
Deeper and more intimate
connections with loved ones can be made now and this will be revitalizing and
even healing for many of you. You are motivated to smooth over differences with
others too. All in all intimate relationships in general are intensified and
heightened now.
Capricorn
This week begins an
especially introspective phase during which you have the opportunity to truly discover
your personal strengths and talents. There is a lot of importance placed on communications
with partners and best friends at this time and that type of communication may
be heightened in some way as well. You are more diplomatic than usual now which
is in you favour.
Aquarius
Dealings with
authority figures might be a little strained this week, particularly since you
prefer to be in charge now, to work independently or to at least have things
your way! On another note, you can get a fortuitous opportunity for a new start
in a close personal relationship.
Pisces
Mars works more positively for you guys than
many, and it’s certainly ensuring that you move into a period when relationships
are easier and interactions more natural. Your personal charm is better
appreciated by others and thus happy encounters seem to abound. Your confidence
as improves.
Astral Peeks: Tips
on Viewing the Night Sky
The night sky on
any clear night offers an ever-changing show of captivating objects that you
can see, from stars and constellations to bright planets, often the moon, and
sometimes special events like meteor showers. Observing the night sky can be
done with no superior equipment, although a sky map can be very advantageous,
and a decent beginner telescope or binoculars will augment some experiences and
bring some otherwise imperceptible objects into view.
If you wish to
observe faint objects, such as meteors or dim stars, give your eyes at least 15
minutes to adjust to the blackness.
Even from a big
city, one can see the moon, a handful of bright stars and sometimes the
brightest planets. But to fully enjoy the skies, especially a meteor shower,
the constellations, or to see the remarkable ribbon across the sky that
represents our view toward the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, rural areas are unsurpassed
for night sky observing. If you’re in the suburbs, merely turning off outdoor
lights can help.
If you plan to be
out for more than a few minutes, and it’s not a warm summer evening, dress warmer
than you think is required. An hour of observing a winter meteor shower can
chill you to the bone. A blanket or lounge chair will prove much more comfy
than standing or sitting in a chair and straining your neck to see overhead.
When Venus is
visible (that is, not in front of or behind the sun) it can often be seen during
the day. You’ll need to know where to look sand this is where a sky map is accommodating.
When the sun has large sunspots, they can be seen without a telescope. However,
it’s unsafe to look at the sun without shielding eye-wear.
Meditation moments:
The Brain and meditation
Using modern
technology like fMRI scans, scientists have developed a more detailed
understanding of what’s taking place in our brains when we meditate. Recent studies have
shown heightened activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, frontal cortex, and
prefrontal cortex, specifically in the dorsal medial prefrontal area during
Vipassana meditation. Similarly, the cingulate cortex and frontal cortex areas
were shown to have increased activity during Zen meditation. Both studies
comment on the possibility that these findings could indicate some state of
heightened voluntary control over attention during mindfulness meditation. A study published
in the journal Consciousness and Cognition found that a brief interval of
mindfulness meditation mitigates the attention and mental energy costs of
suppressing emotions, or “self-control.” Furthermore, mindfulness training was
shown to stabilize or secure self-control for future use.
The wonderful book,
“Buddha’s Brain”: by Rick Hanson, PhD
shares the current scientific research and investigations into meditation in a
way that ordinary folk can understand! I recommend it wholeheartedly.
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