Advice

Alacazem 2010.12.02

December 2 to 9, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury, Venus and Saturn  Evening: Jupiter

Todos Santos, Venus and a Sagittarius New Moon

My husband Richard and I – and our three big golden labs – arrived safely in Todos Santos, Mexico, yesterday afternoon under sunny skies. It was 80ºF and breezy. Our 1,000-mile journey down the Baja Peninsula was cool and calm. Not much traffic – we crossed at Tecate – plenty of skinny, two-lane blacktop and a plethora of cacti along the way. We stopped halfway down to visit old friends and retired Telluride ski patrollers Mona and Gerry Wilcox at their Punta Abreojos casa and ended up sharing Thanksgiving dinner with them out at a camp on their favorite surf beach. Rod Martin, another ex-ski patroller, happened to be in the neighborhood – his sons Caleb and Nathan have a place there, too.

Alacazem 2010.11.25

November 25 to December 2, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury, Venus and Saturn  Evening: Mars and Jupiter

The Goodness, Gratitude and Grace of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day. A day to give thanks. A time to pause, slow down, take a look around and count our many blessings. It’s a day of feasting and abundance, a national holiday that honors the camaraderie between the indigenous peoples of the Americas and the European pilgrims who crossed the ocean in search of new life, freedom and prosperity. They arrived in a land of great resource and wild frontier, a land of mystery and magic, a place of magnificent beauty and bounty.  But they were unskilled and uneducated in the ways of survival in this land, and at the mercy of the native peoples who inhabited it. And then, by the grace of a divine force, good luck or a simple act of fate, the Native Americans embraced and assisted the immigrants. They showed them how to hunt wild game and harvest native plants. They showed them how to live and survive. They showed them how to thrive.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is quintessentially Sagittarian. Its philanthropic essence and unbridled spirit of generosity resonates with the over-the-top grandiosity and big-hearted giving the Archer is famous for. It’s a time to share the wealth, focus on the positive, recognize the goodness in ourselves and others, cultivate attitudes of gratitude and simply have faith. Gracious and loving, hopeful and hearty, let us give thanks to our angels and keep our eyes to the skies. Happy Thanksgiving!

Alacazem 2010.11.18

November 18 to 25, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Saturn  Evening: Mercury, Mars and Jupiter

Scorpio/Taurus Full Moon: Gifts of Gratitude and Grace

I don’t know how many of you get up early enough to see the magnificently brilliant planet Venus rising in the predawn darkness as a morning star. But what a blessing for those who do! And for those of you who haven’t witnessed this stunning celestial sight, it’s something you should really, really, really try to see. This week Venus - the Earth’s closest planet next to its satellite, the Moon - is riveting in its beauty, exceptionally bright in magnitude and so big, it looks like a UFO. And there’s also something magical about rising before dawn, watching the eastern sky grow slowly turquoise, pink and crimson. The quiet peace and tranquility, the twinkling stars, the phenomenal cosmic world - before the hustle and bustle of cars and trucks – it embraces the spirit and centers the soul. Great way to start the day - in synch with the Universe.

And once the day begins, the people move, coffee brews and we get ready for our daily tasks, routines and responsibilities. And it’s good. It’s Thanksgiving week and the Moon grows full - we are bringing another lunar cycle to a close. Reaching fruition on Nov. 21st @ 10:27 am MST at 29º18’ Scorpio/Taurus, this is the second of five Full Moons in a row that form at the last degree of a sign. And just as each of the 12 signs of the zodiac represent a universal cycle of development, so do the 30 degrees of each sign. Early degrees are similar to the zodiac’s first signs and symbolize birth, initiation and new phases of development. Later degrees resonate with the energies of completion, evolution and resolution.

Alacazem 2010.11.11

November 11 to 18, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Saturn  Evening: Mercury, Mars and Jupiter

Venus Peace and Libra Harmony, Inside and Out

Venus has returned as a morning star, and for those who rise before dawn, it’s a magnificently beautiful celestial treat. Currently retrograding  through the late degrees of light and lovely Libra, we are being briefly shimmered with vibrations of sweet balance and heavenly grace. It’s an energy that encourages us to find the common ground, shared intention and mutual benefit in our relationships – for the good of all concerned – cultivate tranquility and promote peace.

But out in the world, we discover this to be more fantasy than reality, a seemingly impossible ideal and vanishing species amongst the chaos and contention of political polarities, the distinct layers of economic and social strata and the age-old power plays of ego and self-interest. It’s both challenging and difficult to float upon the calm waters of inner serenity when the waves are choppy, the ocean rages and tsunamis threaten. Venus in Libra loves harmony, seeks justice and emanates equality. It gravitates toward beauty and art, glorifies cooperation and finds comfort in solidarity. How then, can we embrace and manifest inner and outer peace amidst the raging ideological battles and social, political, personal and religious wars running rampant on the planet?

Alacazem 2010.11.04

November 4 to 11, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Saturn  Evening: Mercury, Mars and Jupiter

The Birth and Rebirth of the Scorpio New Moon

This morning I awoke to a deep, blue-black sky, the twinkling lights of our tiny western cow town glimmering beneath the almost invisible horizon of the eastern San Juan skyline. Above and west of zenith, Sirius - the faithful “dog star” of mighty Orion the Hunter - shimmered its bright-white light like a beacon from heaven to earthlings below. In the north, the arcing handle of the Big Dipper pointed gracefully to stellar Arcturus in the east, rising above the thin, mountain horizon-line of dawn.

I put on the coffee and walked outside. The thermometer read 40º, which was noticeably warm for early November at 6:00 a.m. And then, I noticed the newly risen Moon. A brilliant, delicate slip of a slender crescent was cusping the faintly shining lunar ball as sunlight bounced back  off Earth, hanging like an ornament on an invisible celestial tree. The sight was so phenomenally simple and serene, and yet so stunning and magnificently beautiful, I found myself feeling blessed and humbled, awed and inspired. How can an astronomical event that takes place each and every lunar month, costs nothing and is free to all, be so rich and rewarding, deep and divine?

Alacazem 2010.10.28

October 28 to November 4, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Saturn  Evening: Mercury, Mars and Jupiter

Spirits Cross & Witches Fly...Happy Halloween!

Again and again, I am captured by the colors of autumn. The blush of peach, the deep reds, golden yellows and luscious greens quicken my heart and take me to a place of grace, gratitude and humility. It’s somehow connected to the thin line between life and death, the world of spirit and the heavenly, ethereal celestial sphere — the metaphysical mysteries that taunt and haunt, intrigue and entice me, fill me with wonder and tempt my imagination to explore and travel in the worlds beyond.

October is a month of metamorphosis and transition. It begins with the glorious, dramatic beauty of Indian summer —the magnificent colors and bounty of harvest — and ends with skeletal silhouettes and swirling leaves, icy mornings and crackling fires. Spirits fly and witches cast spells, pumpkins are carved, potions concocted and costumes created for the fun, frolic and festivities of Halloween — the most mystical and magical holiday of the year.

Alacazem 2010.10.21

October 21 to 28, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: none  Evening: Mars and Saturn

Metaphysical Magic and the October Hunters Moon

Last week I made the journey over the Continental Divide to the Eastern Slope – the place of my birth – and all along the way I was treated to a veritable feast of color, texture and light. Mid-October in Colorado is painted in brilliant yellow, luscious peach, crimson red, pumpkin orange and mouth-watering shades of green. From the time I left home to the moment of my return, my eyes danced with the morphing landscape and the transformational beauty of the Mother Earth. Our tawny blonde mesa was streaked with threads of gold and burnished auburn. Blue-green sage and forest pinon watched as I drove down our country highway, the deep blues of the La Sals in Utah standing like a sentry to the slick rock canyonlands beyond. Further west, immersed in the pink-red walls of Gateway Canyon, blazing cottonwoods lined the slow-moving, mud-colored Dolores River, their yellow-orange leaves a Halloween contrast to the gnarly, black charcoal trunks below. Then came the Unaweep – the territory between Gateway and Grand Junction – a place of granite spires and sweeping valleys, miles of red-orange oak and grazing horses, homestead cabins and working ranches. Stunning and magnificent, it literally took my breath away.

Alacazem 2010.10.14

October 14 to 21, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: none  Evening: Venus, Mars and Jupiter

"Live each and every moment of your precious life.".......Lise Christine Gausman

It’s mid-October and the days are blessings of brilliant blue, crimson red and golden yellow. Temperatures range from highs in the mid-60s to mid-70s, with lows in the mid-30s to 40s. So far, there has been no hard frost. My tomato plants are still producing fruit, our pink roses are in bloom and the zinnias are bursting with color. Magnificent Indian Summer!

Last week I celebrated the day of my birth, the day I chose to incarnate, the day that somehow, someway, the miracle of procreation created me. And here it is, LIFE. Life on Planet Earth, with all its magic and mystery, pain and suffering, ecstasy and joy. I know today that all is as it should be, all is as it is, and that everything happens for a reason – even if I can’t see or understand why.

Alacazem 2010.10.07

 October 7 to 14, 2010     Visible Planets: Morning: none Evening: Venus, Mars and Jupiter

Fresh Starts and New Beginnings in Relationships

The Libra zodiac month is the time of year for pairing and sharing. And the Libra lunar cycle – which begins with the yearly advent of the Libra New Moon – pinpoints the most fertile and favorable astrological period for fresh starts and new beginnings in relationships. In 2010, this lunation takes place on Oct. 7th @ 12:44 p.m., when the Sun and Moon align in the heavens at 14º24’ Libra. It is here - when the cosmos takes its monthly momentary metaphysical pause between death and rebirth, old and new - that the celestial world is reborn. The cosmic wheel turns and invisible doors open to the unlimited possibility and potential of our ever-expanding Universe. And it is here that we are also encouraged to take pause, mark our station, breathe deep and exhale just as deeply.

The process of inspiration and expiration – in and out, give and take – is what the Libra lunation is all about. It’s time to take a good, long look at what we are putting out in the world – ideas, words, thoughts, emotions and feelings, actual physical acts and material contributions, actions of good intent or questionable intention, selfish desires or motives of service, kindness and compassion? What is your present state of mind and spiritual condition? How about your energy quotient? What do you see in others? Do you see basic goodness or basic badness in the world at large? Notice the power of attitude and how strongly attitudes affect the behaviors of others. And what about the relationship you have with yourself? Are you kind and gentle, loving and self-nurturing or judgmental, harsh and critical when it comes to looking in the mirror of self-reflection? And – perhaps most significant now - how do you feel about the people and circumstances of your most committed and important relationships?

Alacazem 2010.09.30

September 30 to October 7, 2010
Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury  Evening: Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn

Pairing and Sharing, Trust, Passion and Intimacy

September and October are all about relationships – how we show up in them, our desire to have them, what we do to sustain them and whether or not we are healthy and happy within them. The zodiac months of Virgo - how we prepare ourselves to be attractive and worthy – Libra – how we attract and pursue others – and Scorpio – how we feel and behave once we’ve made a commitment to another – occur at the time of year when we instinctively want to pair and share. Summer ends and autumn begins. Nights grow cool and days are shorter. Brilliant fall colors open our hearts to nature’s beauty and the bounty of harvest invites us to gather together at feasting tables and celebrations of the season. We look for partners and people with whom we can share our time, attention, food, possessions, thoughts, feelings and experiences. The pull to engage and involve ourselves with others is strong.

That said, this week combines the pairing and sharing energy of the year’s traditional “mating” season with a variety of dynamic planetary aspects and stations. Fleet-footed Mercury – ancient “messenger of the gods” – forms a semi-square to both Mars and Venus, a quincunx to Neptune, opposes Jupiter and Uranus, enters Libra, squares Pluto and then conjuncts the Moon, opening our minds and lighting fires in the realms of interactive communication, learning, teaching, education, information and perception in general. Recognize the transitory quality of thought and how quickly emotions come and go. Be on the lookout for words charged with criticism, feelings of urgency, impatience or insecurity and compulsive desires that may lead to impulsive actions, rash decisions or unenlightened behaviors. On the upside, brilliant ideas and exciting experiences can fuel enthusiasm and put wheels in motion regarding creative, romantic and spiritual pursuit. Pay attention to what you think and say – as per The Four Agreements - be impeccable with your word.