July 2010 – LoveDriven

Playing It Cool

On July 29, Mars moves into Libra for a brief but potent stay until September 14. It is being said in the astrology world that this is going to be period of revolutionary changes. These changes may be personal, relationship-oriented, or community-based, it may affect nations and even have global significance, but whatever is about to occur will probably be rather memorable or one for the history books.

Mars moves into Libra and promptly runs into a highly strung, rather disruptive, not to say explosive opposition to Uranus on July 30 and a teeth-gritting, impatient, accident prone conjunction to Saturn on July 31. Tempers will flare, plans will get chopped and change with everyone going in opposite directions.

The mood out in the world will be insecure. Playing it cool will be crucial. However tempting it might be, this is not the time to over-react to provocation. If you are confident within yourself, whatever is happening around you will just bounce off. Focus your energy on what can be done right away. Also, be aware that Mars in Libra gets especially annoyed about unfairness and injustice. So if feel you are being treated unfairly or see others in that position, you’ll be out there arguing the case to right the wrongs.

Once we survive the early days of August, we will be asked to arrive at decisions by being objective, balanced and listening to both sides of an argument before making judgements. Mars can be rather brash and tactless but it mellows in Libra to become co-operative and more refined. So there’ll be a greater understanding of the need for compromise to keep relationships running along smoothly. Resolutions and solutions should be arrived at through diplomacy and communication. Be assertive but not aggressive.

Plantain Ointment

This incredible formula came in an email full of treasures, like all of Susun Weed’s emails. I just had to share it…
Thank you Susun!

Pick Plantago leaves when they are vibrant and green. Chop them coarsely and pack loosely into a clean, very dry jar. Add olive oil, dislodge air bubbles with a knife or chopstick until the jar is filled to the very top. label and cap securely. Let sit out of direct sunlight, on a surface that won’t be marred by oozing oil.

Decant after six weeks, pouring off the oil and squeezing out what remains in the plant material. Discard the herb. Grate one tablespoon of beeswax for every ounce of oil. Stirring constantly, heat the oil and beeswax until the wax melts, usually within a minute. Pour the liquid into small, wide-mouthed jars (a good excuse for buying marinated artichoke hearts) and cool.

Use this ointment lavishly for diaper rash, insect bites, all itches, and minor wounds. It heals, stops itching, checks bleeding, and eases pain.

Excerpt from Susun Weed’s Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year www.susunweed.com

Welcome Change

Change is constant, its growth and when we resist change we are not allowing ourselves to expand within the natural ebb and flow of life. We are at an utmost important time of change for our spiritual growth right now.
Everything in the world is changing and how we choose to flow with it sets the theme for the journey; if we are fearful of the future then fear is what we’ll go through, but if we are Grateful for what we have, and what comes in also is what we have, then we remain opened to the possibilities of the universe, or what we call change.
When we go through things that are challenging and unexpected we react because we are pushed out of our comfort zone. Comfort zones may be helpful up to a certain point but they can also be a bit restricting. The minute you begin to feel the discomfort in your zone it means you’re outgrowing it, time for change. This is usually the case when we feel “frustrated” too. If we take a moment to examine the change we’re going through, whatever it may be, on any level, we will realize we’re merely receiving what at some point we asked for. We have to be very specific when we “want” something because we are creating it as we are desiring it. We are creating change.
So start creating the change you want to see in the world ..oops! wait! someone already said that! 🙂 ok, now let’s start living it.
Cheers to sweet changes! and many blessings to you my dear friend.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Prepare for a Shake Up!

On July 11-12, the New Moon in Cancer is also a powerful total Solar Eclipse and it will make for at time of heightened awareness for all of us.

Although, this eclipse is total, it will not be seen by many people since its pathway lies over the South Pacific Ocean and will be visible only in places like Cook Islands, Easter Island and several isolated atolls. However, it is predicted to have very intense, interesting as well as profound energies that will impact all of us!

During a solar eclipse, the Moon is positioned in between the Sun and Earth, cutting off the light of the Sun. A solar eclipse always occurs during a New Moon and is considered to denote the start or beginning of something new in our lives. Eclipses challenge us to develop our lives in some way. We can turn our backs on the hints from the universe, but that usually means in a few day’s or week’s time we may end up having to make changes which are forced on us.

This solar eclipse New Moon in Cancer makes aspects to Neptune and to Mars, just as Mars begins to close in on Saturn in the last decant of Virgo. Saturn itself is less than a degree away from its entrance into Libra, where it will form an almost perfect square with Pluto, and where we will experience the most potent expression yet of its ongoing opposition to Uranus.

This particular eclipse is in a series that we have experienced before in 1991-1992, so if we look back to those years, we may get a hint of what needs to be given a shakeup in our lives. It may bring to a successful conclusion a situation which has been bothering some of us for a while. Don’t worry if initially things seem worse, since you’ll then turn a corner into better times ahead.

What is vital is that we get our heads and our hearts together and really focus. A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun and the Moon are together as seen from Earth in an especially sensitive zone. So we need to have our yin and yang in balance. What we want needs to be in alliance with what we should be doing. If we can focus, and act from our core center using all our energies, then the results will follow.

As a general rule, we feel the impact of eclipses in the areas that are governed by the sign or sector of the zodiac that the eclipse occurs in. This solar eclipse is in Cancer so all things Cancerian will be in focus. On a personal level, solar eclipses can have a major impact, if it occurs in conjunction with one of our natal planets. So be especially careful if your Sun sign, Moon sign or Ascendant is in Cancer. Where the eclipse falls in the chart is significant, as the energies expressed by its house placement will show the areas of life that are affected by the new beginning that is implied.
How will this eclipse affect you?
by Astrology.com

Lunar Powers of July

New Moon in Cancer, Sunday, July 11, 2010 3:40 pm

**Solar Eclipse 3:33 pm

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Full Moon in Aquarius, Sunday, July 25, 2010 9:37 pm
Blessing Moon

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BLESSING MOON

In Cherokee tradition, July is the Ripe Corn Moon. First sweet corn and then dent corn ripen for harvest. As a staple food and sacred material, corn attracts much attention throughout its life cycle. to the Chotcaw, this is the Crane Moon, recognizing these large water birds. The Dakota Sioux call this the Moon of the Middle Summer. Indeed, for much of America, so it is: the three hottest months are June, July, and August.
July brings a swell of new foods; corn and tomatoes are ripening, along with many vine fruits such as squash and cucumbers. Visit your local farmers’ market to enjoy fresh seasonal produce. Watch birds and other animals raising their young. But be careful. While the Sun passed its peak at the solstice, the heat is still increasing. respect the Sun’s power, avoid direct midday sunlight and excess exposure.
Rituals in July may celebrate staple crops such as corn or supporting crops such as squash – whatever ripens in your area at this time. Rituals to honor the Sun, light, heat, fire, and so forth are also appropriate. Magically, tap into the rich power of the Sun to fuel spells for success and prosperity. -by Elizabeth Barrette

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Full Moon Musings
By Kathy V. Crabbe

This month’s Full Moon is in the sign of Aquarius, a fixed air sign.
Moon in Aquarius calls us to the circle, away from private concerns and intimacy reminding us of the sacredness of collaboration. We become deeply aware that what affects one, affects us all. It’s time to tend the web of community, to network, review our philosophy and find a way to walk our talk.

More Aquarian Tidbits

Aquarius – Water bearer
Time of Year – Winter, Imbolc
Quality – Fixed
Element – Air
Ruler – Uranus
Anatomy – Bloodstream, circulation, shins, ankles
Natural sign of – 11th house
Opposite sign – Leo
Color – Electric blue, turquoise, silver
Gemstone – Obsidian, opal, sapphire
Tarot card – The star
Goddesses – Feng P’O P’O, Freya, Ix Chel, Nut, Tien-Mu

More about the Moon Phases

The Full Moon invites us to peer deeply into our emotional, intuitive selves as we direct our attention to manifesting the hopes, wishes and dreams that were seeded at the New Moon.

The Moon changes signs approximately every 2 ½ days, going through all twelve signs of the Zodiac every 29 ½ days. The sign that the Moon is in reflects qualities of your inner self and being-ness.

Each month there is at least one Full Moon that will rise at sunset and set at sunrise and is visible all night long from moonrise to moonset. Astrologically speaking this means that the Sun and the Moon are in opposition (opposite each other in the sky and in opposite signs of the zodiac.)

Learning to work in concert with the phases of the Moon is an excellent way to add structure to your life because you are not only connecting with Mother Nature through the Moon’s reflection of the Sun and the Earth, but with human nature and especially with feminine nature.

Aquarian Full Moon Musings

In honour of this month’s Full Moon in Aquarius I am going to guide you through an intuitive, healing, creative exploration into body, mind and soul so that together, we can shift, transform and heal each other and the planet during this time of great change and awakening.

Aquarian energy can be felt by tuning into the energy of the Full Moon that is passing through the astrological sign of Aquarius from July 25 – July 28, 2010.

Independence, detachment, contrariness, outsider perspectives, artistic ability, humane and altruistic behaviour are all key Aquarian concepts that describe energy accessible to all of us right now.

One of my favorite ways to tap into these lunar energies is by attuning to gemstones and crystals, such as the Aquarian ruled gemstone, Sapphire. I begin by holding a small Sapphire in my left hand as I place it on my third eye along with a little help from a double terminated, Isis Lithium Quartz Crystal that I place at my feet while meditating. If you don’t have access to these stones you can work with their images instead.

Visit Susun Weed’s site for the Sapphire Meditation …and enjoy!

Think Before Acting

Uranus, the planet of rebellion, turns retrograde on July 5.

Uranus is the oddball of the solar system. For starters, it rolls along its side — on its equator — instead of spinning upright in its orbit the way planets typically do. Uranus is also in retrograde for more than half of the year. This means it is only direct for two weeks, and is retrograde for about five months out of every Earth year.

Astrologically, Uranus liberates you from the shackles of convention and applies pressure to change whatever is stagnant in your life. Uranus rules electromagnetic energy and is like a lightning storm that creates chaos as it cleans the air, revealing a fresh new world once the storm has cleared.

This year, Uranus goes retrograde in Aries, and heads back into Pisces in August in its retrograde motion. Uranus can be reckless, especially in fiery Aries and can be too aloof and impervious and inconsiderate about other people’s opinions and needs. There is always a risk with Uranus that you can turn everything upside down and then throw the baby out with the bathwater. So be careful and think before you speak or act. In addition, be prepared for your forward movement to suddenly stop or be put on hold for a little while.

Do not despair! Sometimes it is better to take a step back and really think about what your next steps ought to be. Take the chance to review and refine your plans with a more detached outlook. This is your opportunity to go inwards, ask your unconscious or your creative muse for guidance. You may lose some of that rebellious spirit which surfaced in late May. But now you have a chance to put more strategy in place. By next March, when Uranus moves firmly into Aries to stay for seven years, you’ll be prepared to really follow your passion and not be deflected.

To know exactly what to expect, review the placement of Uranus in your birth chart. If Uranus is direct in a chart, intuitive and inventive impulses flow on a regular basis. However, when Uranus is retrograde in a birth chart, rebellious urges tend to bottle up and then burst forth, seemingly out of nowhere. A retrograde period seems to reawaken freedom urges within individuals, causing them to suddenly and unconsciously rebel against any ruts or confinement in life. Is Uranus retrograde in your birth chart? Should you be on guard against your own rebellious tendencies in the following months to come?
by Astrology.com