Summer Solstice 2013Can You Handle the Bliss? by David Pond
Imagine being on a river raft excursion and after an exhausting series of heart thumping, white water rapids passing through narrow openings, the river suddenly empties into a calm expansive lake. Ahhh! You feel like you can catch a breath, take stock of where and how you are, and enjoy the calm interlude. Welcome to Summer 2013, a rare Grand Trine in Water occurring at the same time that ongoing outer planet tension is temporarily subsiding. This is a unique time on our journey.
The last many seasons we’ve been focusing on adapting to the fast moving current and the next set of approaching rapids. Advice has been about how to change, adapt, and shift to align with the wild energy we’ve been in. Now, this season’s advice changes dramatically to how to slow down and enter into the available peaceful, easy waters. J
upiter moves into Cancer June 25th for a year and its uplifting influence promises to be a welcome tonic for our personal emotional side of life. Many have been on nerve’s edge from dealing with all the accelerated changes we’ve been through, so the thought of emotional comfort and some ease in life hasn’t even been on the radar. Buck up and deal with the next set of changes has been the way, but not now.
Jupiter will join with Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces, covering the three water signs, all in perfect harmony with each other. This greatly increases the opportunity for emotional well-being this season. This is also an opportunity to turn within and connect with the essence of your being, that today I am calling “source”. The subtle promptings from the soul have been there all along, but masked for most of us by the anxiety creating uncertainty of chaotic times. This season, the anxiety making aspects pale into the background, allowing the sweet music of the soul’s guidance to be more clearly heard.
This movement into Cancer can awaken a need to be cared for and nurtured and the ‘heads up” on this can be revealed in this story:
Imagine two individuals who meet and fall in love. Before they meet, they have both found a way to live a full life; to someway or another find some connection to source to fill that which can’t be fulfilled by another. So they are both “full cups” when they meet and the relationship takes off. Both individuals are sharing from a full cup. As they fall in love, they start focusing on each other as their source energy (who needs meditation when you have new romance?)
Now instead of bringing a full cup of self to the relationship, they begin to look to their partner to be filled. Instead of adding to the relationship from their fullness, they begin to inadvertently drain energy from the relationship from being in a state of need rather than full, and the magic wanes.
This familiar story could be remedied by not breaking the personal connection to source energy even in this falling in love scenario. To apply this to the Jupiter in Cancer and the need to be nurtured, if this awakens in you, look first to source to fill your needs, rather than projecting this hunger onto others. Fill yourself first from this inner wellspring, and then share your fullness. Turn inward and ask to be aligned with source energy, however you picture that being. Even if you are not sure and don’t know exactly what source energy means--especially if you don’t know! Actually we could say if you do have a strong mental construct of what source energy is, keep trying. This is beyond mental constructs and better to be open to its mysterious nature to listen for its guidance. Promptings from the soul shrink from the glaring lights of too much analysis, and are often more lyrical than logical in nature.(I will be giving some guided meditations on the CD as examples of how to align with source.)
Grace: Be open to receive the blessings of celestial grace being bestowed upon us this summer. Grace is unmerited and unexpected. Like rain, grace falls on everyone equally, weather you feel you deserve it or not. It is not from being good, or ethical, or not. It is just there and can be accepted or not.
Being There is different than getting there; we know how to work towards the goal of ultimately getting to a place of ease and comfort in our life. We know how to struggle to get there, overcome obstacle after obstacle to get there; but actually being in a state of ease as the norm is not something many of us are used to. Don’t let OK be OK
There is the warning with the grand trine; it is easy to become complacent; the pressure eases and what’s wrong with OK? A Grand Trine is much like a beautiful sunset; tranquil, serene, quiet.
Squares and oppositions are noisy like horns honking in traffic and demand attention; you will notice them, but the quiet grand trine can slip by unnoticed and not availed of its inspired creative bounty because it doesn’t demand attention. The grand trine is not exciting, nor fearful, nor ominous; so it doesn’t have much sell factor. If you are not lulled into comfort and choose to dive into the mysterious waters of the grand trine you will be richly rewarded. But you must direct energy and attention to it to activate its latent creative potency. It doesn’t give off energy like the squares, oppositions and conjunctions, but it responds to energy without resistance.
Guard your privacy; This is a decidedly inward turning and listening type of aspect, rather than an outward reaching and expressive one. Having at least a little quality alone time each day to drop into this opportunity would be essential. Each of us is the custodian and only authority of our interior world. And some time alone with yourself provides access to this inner knowing. Don’t be bullied out of trusting your subjective feelings by the patriarchal mandate: “You are not being logical.” Take the intended insult and turn it into a compliment by thanking them for noticing you are not operating from the narrow confines of the logical mind. A life animated by soul and guided by spirit is not limited by logic. One of the major components of the paradigm shift of these times is that it is no longer the age of reason, figuring everything out by putting the plusses and minuses in columns and making the right decision. Now when someone says, “I just have to make a logical choice”, we pretty much know they are up to no good and violating their heart in someway.
The healing impact of connecting with source on a regular basis could not be overstated. By connecting to source you connect to the place within you that has never been wounded, nor tainted by life’s experiences. As this becomes more of your “informing agent” than your old stories, you become rejuvenated through this connection.
Past Boredom into Bliss. Here is an activity to engage the themes of this season. Sit somewhere peaceful until you are bored and then sit some more. (after all, how long has it been since you’ve allowed yourself to be bored?) Notice how long it takes for your mind to find something problematic to think about, even if you are in a totally peaceful situation! Observe this happening, watch it, but don’t act on it or take the bait by following the thought. Simply watch the problematic thought rise, and if you don’ follow it, it simply subsides. Go past boredom and shake off the tendency to be distracted. Stay in the moment; it is more available this summer than usual; the background field supports entering into the empty space, the pregnant void that births creativity and originality.
Take a Data Break; This is the time to feel your way through life, not think your way. Jupiter in Gemini for the past year was the opportunity to gather new information, now with Jupiter moving into Cancer, the call is to assimilate all this information into that which is personally meaningful for you. Another attitude to explore to engage this energy is the practice of Deep Acceptance of the “as-isness” of life. Practice accepting things as they are without desiring to change them in anyway. Imagine accepting the people in your life just as they are; imagine accepting yourself just as you are without desiring to change yourself. Deep acceptance allows you to linger in the delightful moments that do show up as you are not rushing off to change something.
Nirvana is often thought of in terms of bliss but actually means, “To blow out the flame of desire.”
An act of volition is implied in quieting those disruptive drives that take us out of the moment. It is not about snuffing out passions in your life, heaven forbid! When you are in a passionate experience, deep acceptance would encourage you to embrace the passion. It is the desire for that which is not present, that takes us out of the deep acceptance of the moment that can be extinguished to sustain Nirvana. Its not that I’m expecting this season to be a constant love fest, Saturn is in Scorpio, and will reveal where you may have blocks in fully surrendering and trusting life.
Saturn in Scorpio, in harmonious aspect or not, is still going to shine its spotlight into hidden corners of our psyche revealing the shadowy, less than honorable aspects of our character. Grudges, resentments, buried hostilities from previous wounds unhealed, issues of mistrust, fear of abandonment or betrayal; this is the material Saturn will reveal that needs healing and transforming to move forward. How much armor to hold onto from previous wounds and how much to take down is the test of Saturn that each of us must answer to in our own way. Will you go forward with an open heart or more armored and jaded? Saturn will show you where you have armor, seemingly protecting you, but also blocking you and holding you back.
The deep work of forgiveness and honest self inquiry into your role in some problematic scenario you want to move beyond will be greatly facilitated by not only Saturn being part of the Grand Trine, it is also moving into an exact sextile with Pluto, and just a little more astro lingo, they are in mutual receptivity.
Translation: This is a most benign time of doing deep transformational work of shedding karmas and behaviors that pulled you into less than honorable aspects of your character previously. The increased conscious awareness available to all of us affords the opportunity to become conscious of that which you weren’t consciously aware of before. And if you can stay consciously aware even while in one of these behaviors that you haven’t been able to control previously, this breaks the hypnotic trance you were previously in. May you and your loved ones experience the blessings this season presents and Happy summer!
David Pond
ARLO: Why re-invent the wheel.. this is a terrific article. :~)
The last many seasons we’ve been focusing on adapting to the fast moving current and the next set of approaching rapids. Advice has been about how to change, adapt, and shift to align with the wild energy we’ve been in. Now, this season’s advice changes dramatically to how to slow down and enter into the available peaceful, easy waters. J
upiter moves into Cancer June 25th for a year and its uplifting influence promises to be a welcome tonic for our personal emotional side of life. Many have been on nerve’s edge from dealing with all the accelerated changes we’ve been through, so the thought of emotional comfort and some ease in life hasn’t even been on the radar. Buck up and deal with the next set of changes has been the way, but not now.
Jupiter will join with Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces, covering the three water signs, all in perfect harmony with each other. This greatly increases the opportunity for emotional well-being this season. This is also an opportunity to turn within and connect with the essence of your being, that today I am calling “source”. The subtle promptings from the soul have been there all along, but masked for most of us by the anxiety creating uncertainty of chaotic times. This season, the anxiety making aspects pale into the background, allowing the sweet music of the soul’s guidance to be more clearly heard.
This movement into Cancer can awaken a need to be cared for and nurtured and the ‘heads up” on this can be revealed in this story:
Imagine two individuals who meet and fall in love. Before they meet, they have both found a way to live a full life; to someway or another find some connection to source to fill that which can’t be fulfilled by another. So they are both “full cups” when they meet and the relationship takes off. Both individuals are sharing from a full cup. As they fall in love, they start focusing on each other as their source energy (who needs meditation when you have new romance?)
Now instead of bringing a full cup of self to the relationship, they begin to look to their partner to be filled. Instead of adding to the relationship from their fullness, they begin to inadvertently drain energy from the relationship from being in a state of need rather than full, and the magic wanes.
This familiar story could be remedied by not breaking the personal connection to source energy even in this falling in love scenario. To apply this to the Jupiter in Cancer and the need to be nurtured, if this awakens in you, look first to source to fill your needs, rather than projecting this hunger onto others. Fill yourself first from this inner wellspring, and then share your fullness. Turn inward and ask to be aligned with source energy, however you picture that being. Even if you are not sure and don’t know exactly what source energy means--especially if you don’t know! Actually we could say if you do have a strong mental construct of what source energy is, keep trying. This is beyond mental constructs and better to be open to its mysterious nature to listen for its guidance. Promptings from the soul shrink from the glaring lights of too much analysis, and are often more lyrical than logical in nature.(I will be giving some guided meditations on the CD as examples of how to align with source.)
Grace: Be open to receive the blessings of celestial grace being bestowed upon us this summer. Grace is unmerited and unexpected. Like rain, grace falls on everyone equally, weather you feel you deserve it or not. It is not from being good, or ethical, or not. It is just there and can be accepted or not.
Being There is different than getting there; we know how to work towards the goal of ultimately getting to a place of ease and comfort in our life. We know how to struggle to get there, overcome obstacle after obstacle to get there; but actually being in a state of ease as the norm is not something many of us are used to. Don’t let OK be OK
There is the warning with the grand trine; it is easy to become complacent; the pressure eases and what’s wrong with OK? A Grand Trine is much like a beautiful sunset; tranquil, serene, quiet.
Squares and oppositions are noisy like horns honking in traffic and demand attention; you will notice them, but the quiet grand trine can slip by unnoticed and not availed of its inspired creative bounty because it doesn’t demand attention. The grand trine is not exciting, nor fearful, nor ominous; so it doesn’t have much sell factor. If you are not lulled into comfort and choose to dive into the mysterious waters of the grand trine you will be richly rewarded. But you must direct energy and attention to it to activate its latent creative potency. It doesn’t give off energy like the squares, oppositions and conjunctions, but it responds to energy without resistance.
Guard your privacy; This is a decidedly inward turning and listening type of aspect, rather than an outward reaching and expressive one. Having at least a little quality alone time each day to drop into this opportunity would be essential. Each of us is the custodian and only authority of our interior world. And some time alone with yourself provides access to this inner knowing. Don’t be bullied out of trusting your subjective feelings by the patriarchal mandate: “You are not being logical.” Take the intended insult and turn it into a compliment by thanking them for noticing you are not operating from the narrow confines of the logical mind. A life animated by soul and guided by spirit is not limited by logic. One of the major components of the paradigm shift of these times is that it is no longer the age of reason, figuring everything out by putting the plusses and minuses in columns and making the right decision. Now when someone says, “I just have to make a logical choice”, we pretty much know they are up to no good and violating their heart in someway.
The healing impact of connecting with source on a regular basis could not be overstated. By connecting to source you connect to the place within you that has never been wounded, nor tainted by life’s experiences. As this becomes more of your “informing agent” than your old stories, you become rejuvenated through this connection.
Past Boredom into Bliss. Here is an activity to engage the themes of this season. Sit somewhere peaceful until you are bored and then sit some more. (after all, how long has it been since you’ve allowed yourself to be bored?) Notice how long it takes for your mind to find something problematic to think about, even if you are in a totally peaceful situation! Observe this happening, watch it, but don’t act on it or take the bait by following the thought. Simply watch the problematic thought rise, and if you don’ follow it, it simply subsides. Go past boredom and shake off the tendency to be distracted. Stay in the moment; it is more available this summer than usual; the background field supports entering into the empty space, the pregnant void that births creativity and originality.
Take a Data Break; This is the time to feel your way through life, not think your way. Jupiter in Gemini for the past year was the opportunity to gather new information, now with Jupiter moving into Cancer, the call is to assimilate all this information into that which is personally meaningful for you. Another attitude to explore to engage this energy is the practice of Deep Acceptance of the “as-isness” of life. Practice accepting things as they are without desiring to change them in anyway. Imagine accepting the people in your life just as they are; imagine accepting yourself just as you are without desiring to change yourself. Deep acceptance allows you to linger in the delightful moments that do show up as you are not rushing off to change something.
Nirvana is often thought of in terms of bliss but actually means, “To blow out the flame of desire.”
An act of volition is implied in quieting those disruptive drives that take us out of the moment. It is not about snuffing out passions in your life, heaven forbid! When you are in a passionate experience, deep acceptance would encourage you to embrace the passion. It is the desire for that which is not present, that takes us out of the deep acceptance of the moment that can be extinguished to sustain Nirvana. Its not that I’m expecting this season to be a constant love fest, Saturn is in Scorpio, and will reveal where you may have blocks in fully surrendering and trusting life.
Saturn in Scorpio, in harmonious aspect or not, is still going to shine its spotlight into hidden corners of our psyche revealing the shadowy, less than honorable aspects of our character. Grudges, resentments, buried hostilities from previous wounds unhealed, issues of mistrust, fear of abandonment or betrayal; this is the material Saturn will reveal that needs healing and transforming to move forward. How much armor to hold onto from previous wounds and how much to take down is the test of Saturn that each of us must answer to in our own way. Will you go forward with an open heart or more armored and jaded? Saturn will show you where you have armor, seemingly protecting you, but also blocking you and holding you back.
The deep work of forgiveness and honest self inquiry into your role in some problematic scenario you want to move beyond will be greatly facilitated by not only Saturn being part of the Grand Trine, it is also moving into an exact sextile with Pluto, and just a little more astro lingo, they are in mutual receptivity.
Translation: This is a most benign time of doing deep transformational work of shedding karmas and behaviors that pulled you into less than honorable aspects of your character previously. The increased conscious awareness available to all of us affords the opportunity to become conscious of that which you weren’t consciously aware of before. And if you can stay consciously aware even while in one of these behaviors that you haven’t been able to control previously, this breaks the hypnotic trance you were previously in. May you and your loved ones experience the blessings this season presents and Happy summer!
David Pond
ARLO: Why re-invent the wheel.. this is a terrific article. :~)