14 Feb ALACAZEM 2012.02.14
February 14 to 21, 2013 Visible Planets: Morning: Saturn Evening: Jupiter
“Keep, keep it together. Forever keep people together. Keep it together in the family. They’re a reminder of your history. Brothers and sisters, they hold the key. To your heart and your soul. Don’t forget that your family is gold.” Madonna, “Keep It Together” from the CD Like a Prayer
My mother died on Easter Sunday 2003. My father died years earlier, in May of 1986. I think of them often, of course, like all children do – young and old.
Last week I made the 700-mile round trip journey to Denver, the city of my birth, youth and young adulthood. My father’s younger brother, Neil, had passed on in December 2012, and I hadn’t been able to make the trip up for his funeral mass – missing a great opportunity to see my cousins and relatives, including Aunt Darlene, Neil’s wife, my godmother. I also had not made it up to visit my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews over the Christmas holidays, and wanted to see them. I had a few gifts to give, and things to do in the big city, but most of all, I needed a family fix. I looked at my calendar and planned a trip in early February. I could leave and be back before Valentine’s Day. Perfect.
Driving to the Eastern Slope is always therapeutic, and at times even cathartic. It gives me a chance to get in touch with where I am at any particular point in time – where I’ve been, where I’m going; who I have been and who I am today. It’s a feeling. Illuminating. Deep.
Families are like mirrors, they reflect back the memories and images, experiences and events, places and spaces, emotions and directions of one’s life journey. Sorrow and pain, loss, joy, happiness, failure and success. The polarities of existence; an opening and closing fan of potential and possibility, choice and destiny.
The weather was great, the roads good and my time in Denver divine. I met up with Aunt Darlene and her beautiful, sweet daughter – my cousin Dana – for Saturday evening mass at Holy Ghost Church in downtown Denver – the night of the Aquarius new Moon. Cosmic. My brother Jeff, his wife Mary and their grown up kids – Devan and Blake – made the date as well. I slipped in through a side door just after the mass began. There in the front row – in candlelight, under magnificently arcing beams, stained glass windows and miraculously painted frescoes – I saw six people who seemed to be suspended in time, reflecting back my origins, my history, my story of life and death, birth and rebirth. Organ music flooded my ears, a young Asian woman sang in a voice that could have won on American Idol, and the altar looked like it came out of a competition for the Ten Best-dressed Altars in the World.
We smiled, listened, heard, contemplated, sat and sang, knelt and prayed. At one point, we all held hands; a line of energy, transmitting and feeling our connectedness. Love and peace, hope and faith. Together forever, in life and afterlife. Forever and ever. A moment of grace; magical, mystical, eternal.
A couple days later, I got together with my older sister Pam and younger sister Karla at Jeff’s house. Pam brought down several dozen butter cookies she had baked for us to decorate. She’s a cookie maven, the queen of cookie cutters and making cookies, with a case of tips, icing bags and colors for tinting. She has started a new family tradition: baking and decorating cookies for Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving and, yes, Valentine’s Day. So, there we were, sisters and brother, spending time together again, creating memories, sharing life. Family – late nights, long talks, shopping, eating, playing, creating and just being. A week full of family, for me today, is a week full of love. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Aries (Mar. 20-Apr.19) The last hug and kiss of the Aquarius zodiac month takes place this weekend as the Sun enters Pisces Feb. 18th. Enjoy the St. Valentine spirit of camaraderie with laughter, love and joy. The radical, sweeping changes, which have been part and parcel of your revolutionary awakening, bless you with the gift of rebirth. Embrace the present, it’s your to keep.
Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20) The greatest opportunities for growth and happiness lie in your ability to accept responsibility for the condition of your life and relationships. Understanding the power of personal choice is simply the most empowering thing you can do. Identify how you are creating suffering for yourself and others. Then stop the cycle by changing the behavior. Good luck!
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Valentines Day remains a day of fun and frivolity for the Twins. With so many suitors, jokers and jesters, you may feel overrun by wit and wisdom, love and laughter. Keep it light, stay calm and be cool. Don’t buy into social pressure when it comes to shoulds and coulds. Flowers and chocolate, hugs and kisses. Enjoy the fragrance and smell the roses.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) A series of water sign trines uplift and encourage you physically, mentally and emotionally. Doors open to higher-self experience and growth. Seek out teachers, gurus and avatars as guides on the journey of awakening and enlightenment. Take it easy, go with the flow. Forcing solutions on problems only creates more problems. Be kind, give love.
Leo (July 23-Aug.22) Voluptuous Venus in your solar 7th house of commitment and marriage decorates the relationship stage with hearts and flowers, love and affection, paving the way to the boardroom, boudoir or – heaven help us – altar. Enjoy the passion and feelings of attraction as the cosmos deliver a series of happy sharing and pairing. When things get deep, dive in.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep.22) You may feel a subtle but major shift of focus, desire and priority as motivational Mars in numinous Pisces aspects Saturn and Pluto in water and earth. The stars align in a dance of encouragement and commitment regarding yourself and others. Communication is a theme this week. Be extra conscious of what you say. Clarify intentions, express desires.
Libra (Sep. 23-Oct. 22) The hearts and flowers, chocolate and sweet intentions of Valentine’s Day rarely live up to its billing or hype. This year, be loving, accepting, giving and forgiving when it comes to partners, lovers and friends. After all, it’s an Aquarian holiday, one that favors platonic, altruistic relationships and ideals. Practice random acts of kindness and enjoy the joy.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) Mars dances with Pluto and Saturn this week shortly before Saturn goes retrograde in Scorpio. This translates as a chance to forgive yourself and others, make amends, embrace personal power and transform the world. Then, it’s time to do buckle down and do the inner work. These are days of great personal growth and restructure. Prepare, process and practice.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 20) Planetary shifts and cosmic coincidences take place this week as home and family agendas move and, as a result, improve both your attitude and aptitude. Embrace the power of focus as you consider commitment and delineate choice. You are the ultimate decider when it comes to where you go and how you feel. Take responsibility and do the inner work.
Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 19) You may find yourself highly motivated to express your opinions or communicate your visions, dreams and ideals this week as mover Mars prompts responses and encourages comments. Write down ideas, sketch projects and carve out agendas. You are capable, competent and careful when it comes to accomplishment. Help others as you lead by example.
Aquarius (Jan. 19-Feb. 18) When it comes to love, it is attraction rather than promotion and sweet rather than sour. Others see you as outrageously handsome, undeniably beautiful and seductively sexy. Enjoy the attention, and practice humility as you feel the amazing abundance of life on this awesome planet earth. Gratitude is truly the path to grace. Inner peace is a gift of grace. Give thanks.
Pisces (Feb. 18-Mar. 20) With personal power and physical energy running high, you may realize just how much you can do and see this week. Follow your heart, listen to your intuition and take positive action whenever and wherever you can. As you prepare for a prolonged period of spiritual work and ultimate awakening, take care of the physical and material. Get ‘er done!
Cynthia is a third generation astrologer living on a mountain mesa 40 miles west of Telluride. Visit her website @ www.alacazem.com.
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