Moonlight Becomes Me

Blog Your Blessings Sundays---Kuan Yin

2009-07-12T10:05:00.006-10:00

This is ONLY the second blog post I've made on any of my blogs since returning from my travels in Asia this Spring and early Summer. When I returned, I had zero desire to blog, and it's taken me awhile to get back into posting again.

However, now that I've processed my journey, I'd love to share one of my blessings, and this involves receiving a very special blessing in Beijing, China. This story involves Kuan Yin, and for those who've read my posts, they'll recall I have a very special connection with Kuan Yin.

Kuan Yin is also spelled Quan Yin, Guan Yin, and Kwan Yin. I prefer 'Kuan Yin' because it most resonates with me.

Ok, back to the Blessing:

I was in Beijing, China and very much wanted to visit a Kuan Yin temple. Before leaving for the trip, I googled and searched the net for such a temple, but I couldn't find one. So when I arrived at our hotel in Beijing, I asked our concierge to help me. She tracked down the oldest Buddhist temple in Beijing which honors Kuan Yin. She offered to take me there (along with others in my group), and off we went.

Upon arriving at the temple, I spied a small gift shop, and when I went into it, there were hundreds of Kuan Yin statues of all types and sizes. After deliberating for awhile, I decided to buy a small metal one which would be easily packable and unbreakable. I already have many Kuan Yin statue's in my Maui home, but I wanted another from this very special temple.

After I purchased it--to my great surprise and BLESSING--the concierge ( who was also translating for me) arranged to have my newly purchased Kuan Yin statue blessed by one of the resident monks! The ceremony he performed was powerful, and I felt chicken-skin as he conducted the ceremony with his long fingers and hands twisting into various mudras. The energy was so strong and loving. He wrote mantras on red papers which he then cut out in designs and attached them to the bottom of the statue as well behind the head of the statue. For the remainder of the trip I hand-carried this statue with me.

Na Mo Kuan Shih Yin Pu Sa

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Mudras

2009-03-15T10:50:00.004-10:00

My blessing to share for this Blog Your Blessing Sunday is the knowledge of using mudras. Mudras are a very ancient science. Mudras help to restore balance to the system, and thus, they are great healing tools. Different mudras are used for different needs.

Wikipedia defines mudras thusly: "A mudrā (Sanskrit: मुद्रा, lit. "seal") is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers. Mudrā (Sanskrit) is "spiritual gesture" and energetic "seal of authenticity" employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions and Taoism."

The above photo of a mudra is for protection. Here is a link where you can view more mudras.

Uranus and Me

2009-03-10T11:37:00.005-10:00

Moon photo: Charles Pfeil

There's no getting around it: Uranus has me in it's crosshairs. And so it will be for longer than I wish to even state. Today, especially, is one of those Uranian days.

Let's begin with the details:

It's a Full Moon today, March 10th, with the Moon and Uranus conjunct in Pisces opposite the Sun AND my natal Sun too.

Five planets (counting Chiron) and the North Node are currently transiting Aquarius whose ruler is Uranus. My life partner is an Aquarius.

Uranus is close to my Ascendant.

These are the keywords often used by astrologers for Uranus: freedom, surprise, revolution, sudden shocks, futuristic, computers, electricity, jolts, originality, inspiration, and brilliance. On the flip side, here are some other words: eccentric, fanatic, rebel, restless, and impulsive.

With Venus currently retrograde in my First House, I'm not planning on changing my hair color or to undergo surgery. Rather I'm gonna patiently await Uranus to surprise me with a windfall, download of intuitive information, AND most likely, write a lot on the computer. :Smile:

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.” Carlos Castaneda

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Ocean

2009-02-21T08:03:00.005-10:00

The 'blessings' I'm celebrating today are the appreciation, beauty, and nourishment I receive from the gorgeous ocean surrounding my island home of Maui. Every day I have the opportunity to view this exquisite ocean from many different places.

In some locations the ocean is a pale aquamarine...in other places a deep cobalt blue. Sometimes the ocean is threaded with different shades of blue. The photo above was taken in a little town called Paia on the North Shore of Maui in the late afternoon, and you can see the water has a greenish shade in some parts.

I can gaze upon it for hours on end and love to listen to the sound of the waves. Whether I'm swimming in the warm ocean water or merely viewing it, I feel totally blessed.

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Maui Ocean

2009-02-15T08:37:00.005-10:00

During the winter months, the Hawaiian Islands are blessed by the return of the Humpback Whales who migrate to our wonderful warm waters every year. It's during this time that many people (as do I) venture out on boats to view the antics of these amazing beings.

I've been out on boats lately enjoying the ocean and the whales, and today I'd like to share the blessings I receive from being on the ocean. The ocean changes from place to place and day to day. Yesterday the ocean was a deep, dark blue...on another days it's a gorgeous cobalt blue...and on some days, the ocean has a turquoise coloration. Yesterday the ocean was very choppy and covered with white caps. At other times, the ocean is like a mirror.

Whatever way I discover the ocean, I feel blessed to be living around such an amazing element, and the energy I receive from being 'on the ocean' and experiencing this expansiveness which comes to one surrounded by deep waters.

As many people probably read online, the message was that yesterday officially began the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Many people were sending Heart Hugs around the planet with the intention to celebrate this dawning. I was on a boat on the ocean doing just this in my meditation.

For those that missed the viral message about yesterday, I'll sum it up briefly for you: On February 14 at 7:25 am Greenwich Time a rare astrological concentration brings together a group of planets with the North Node (higher purpose) in Aquarius which energizes the possibility for upliftment and breakthrough.

These words taken from a song of the 60's called "Aquarius" brought the idea of our New Age into our collective awareness:

When the Moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars.
Then love will rule the planets
and peace will steer the stars.

Such an alignment actually HAPPENED yesterday when expansive Jupiter and energetic Mars aligned with the North Node. Chiron (the healer) also got into the mix as did Neptune, Mercury, and Pluto. The Moon in Libra in the 7th house emphasizes harmonious relationships. Venus in the1st house energizes co-creativity.

What an awesome day it was, and I was on a powerful grid point in the Maui waters and blessed to be participating in such a day.

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Eucalpytus High

2009-02-08T10:09:00.005-10:00

Recently we took a hike through a grove of eucalyptus trees high on the slopes of Haleakala. The fragrance of eucalyptus was highly intoxicating, and we became high from this beautiful smell and energy from the trees.

Eucalyptus trees are an incredible blessing. It is said that if you sit with your back to an eucalyptus tree, you can easily send a telepathic message to the dolphin kingdom. Eucalyptus are native to Australia, and they've been extensively planted throughout Hawaii. There are medicinal uses of eucalyptus as well. Click here to read them.

Rainy Days And Astrology Magazines Never Get Me Down

2009-01-29T12:42:00.004-10:00

Photo: terragalleria

The last week or so there have been a lot of rainy days on Maui, and on such days, I love to curl up with a pile of books and magazines, one of which was The Mountain Astrologer magazine. I'm going to share some of my favorite articles from the Feb/March issue of The Mountain Astrologer.

The fascinating interview with long-time consulting astrologer Bill Herbst is a must read. I love this part: "...so I tried to run out in front of the parade a little bit, and now I'm presuming that the parade is reaching the town square."

Bill's the kind of astrologer who has been around the block and well ahead of most of us, and his candid insights about our future thus need to be carefully considered.

"Re-Visioning the Lunar Nodes" by Kathy Allan, is a comprehensive analysis of the lunar nodes, and it offered remembrance of my own Lunar node placement through one of the people she examined, Dr. Kay Mullis, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Dr. Mullis has a Cancer North Node in the 4th house and her South Node in the Capricorn 10th house as do I. It's always good to get a nudge/reminder: "The South Node in the 10th house in Capricorn indicates that, if the profession is directed toward the greater good of the collective, the native can be successful. But if he is seeking prestige or social standing, he will fail."

"Neptune and Economic Turmoil" by Paul Wright is another article which interested me for several reasons. My birthday is Sept. 14th, and one thing I hadn't computed was that the Full Moon on my birthday, 2008, was "significant by its alignment with the U.S. Neptune (at 22 degrees 26 minutes Virgo) in the Sibly chart." Somehow I had overlooked that interesting detail which has me reflecting upon the implications.

Another quote from this article: "Neptune is the great leveller, and as I have said, and over the next cycle I think there will be a (welcome) drift towards global equalisation of wealth." I'd like to think Paul Wright is right!

"In Praise of Melancholy or the Danse Macabre" by Brad Kochunas was another provocative read. "I do wish to make a distinction between major depression and melancholy, of whose praises I sing," writes Kochunas. I also treasure my melancholy when it comes, and out of the time spent in the melancholic phase, new creativity and direction arise for me. So I guess you could say I praise it too.

“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.” George Bernard Shaw

Of Mars and Grace

2009-01-17T10:03:00.006-10:00

Photo: terragalleria

My Mother had a saying which I heard all the time, "If it's not one thing, it's another!" And this is how it goes with astrology, since the astrological aspects are always changing, and just when one *challenging* aspect passes, another aspect comes along which is another lesson. If one is an anxious, fearful type, they shouldn't study the 'old-school' astrology.

Why? Because these astrology books are written with a fear-inducing slant. For example, transiting Mars recently transited my partner's Mars in his first house. If I bought-into what these books said about this astrological aspect, I would expect my partner to go ballistic, have an accident, or get into a fist-fight.

Of course, none of this happened, and he passed through his Mars conjunct Mars time without incident. I merely saw a positive manifestation of this aspect as he pursued business with added zest and vigor. He diligently worked to get a new account, and he succeeded.

It's my sense that Grace tweaks our lives, gives us an upgrade, and allows us to pass through the challenging aspects and times of our lives much more than many of the old astrology books would have us believe.

"I do not understand the mystery of grace–only that it meets us where we are, but does not leave us where it found us." Anne Lamott

Blog Your Blessings Sunday

2009-01-11T09:18:00.005-10:00

For many years I've been a vehicle/channel for the energies of the great Kuan Yin. Some days and moments I'm really in the zone when I strongly feel Her energies, and then at other times, no way.

When I come into contact with others-- either in person or through other sources such as magazines, newspapers, or the internet--I visualize Her loving blessings flowing through me to others. As a member of Her ground crew, I feel extremely blessed to assist.

As Her energies flow through me to others, I am doubly blessed.

What I do isn't a *career* for me as I don't have a Kuan Yin website, do channeling sessions, give readings, or anything of the kind. I don't proclaim my Kuan Yin connection to those I counsel.

Another spiritual practice I incorporate into my daily life is from something I read on the internet. I tried this practice, and it works. The source of this information is from a Hawaiian therapist named Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len.

Simply say several sentences to yourself and imagine another person--usually a person with whom you're having issues. Say, "I'm sorry. Forgive me. I love you." Say this over and over as long as it's required for the healing.

"The best things in life aren't things." Art Buchwald

Happy Full Moon

2009-01-10T11:49:00.003-10:00

Full Maui Moon Rising Photo: Kuanyin

Already the calls have come in about emotional upsets. This Full Moon in Cancer is tweaking people in the worst way, and many are dramatizing. Some want to punch another out. One gives her partner a sharp kick in the butt with her pointy toe shoe and throws her engagement ring back at her fiancee in a fit. Oh yes, I've been hearing the stories. You probably have as well.

This Full Moon in moody Cancer is triggering safety issues, and emotions are pouring forth. If you can find a way to defuse some of this excess emotion in yourself, so much the better. As for others who don't 'get' astrology and are busy emoting and acting-out, this is a time to remain calm and avoid reacting!

If you wish to make the best of this Cancer Full Moon, stay home and putz. Make yourself a nurturing soup or hot chocolate. Cook your favorite comfort food. Cuddle up to your pets, and shed a tear or two if you need. This too shall pass.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Gandhi

Blog Your Blessings Sunday

2009-01-04T09:02:00.005-10:00

One of my great blessings is our *always hot and ready-to-go* jacuzzi on our deck. Our deck is totally private and surrounded by trees and flowers--I feel like a goddess stepping into this hot, bubbling water. We use zero chlorine or chemicals in it.

When the planets Jupiter and Venus were paired together in the Southwestern sky recently, I was sitting in this delicious water all alone *stargazing* when I observed a meteor streak between these two. Pure Bliss!

Being a water-baby type, I love the water, and being outside in warm water in Nature is extremely healing and rejuvenating for me. If I've had a long day or night, this is the best thing for me to shake-off the energies and feel centered once more. I highly recommend the healing combination of starlight and warm water.

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars." Og Mandino

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Winter Solstice

2008-12-21T08:07:00.005-10:00

Today is Yule--better known as Winter Solstice.

Beginning today and for a 3 day period the Sun & Earth relationship will cause the Sun to appear to stand still in the sky. This is the coding: Sol is Sun, Sistere means stand still, and this is why we call it the Solstice. After the 3 days, the Sun will appear to move again, and this is why we celebrate its 'birth' on Christmas Day.

I feel blessed to be alive on such a Sacred Day and to once again celebrate The Season Of Light!

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Discernment

2008-12-14T10:50:00.004-10:00

Several weeks ago I was presented with an opportunity to use my god-given gift of discernment. We all have discernment, but sometimes (as in my case!), I'm not ALWAYS using this gift, and thus, I get entrapped/sucked-in/ensnared by information coming from authoritative sources. In other words, I buy-into someone else's truth other than my own.

These sources usually appear credible and trustworthy, but there will be *something* which sends a red flag alert that something is *off* with this source.

And it is at this point that your discernment surfaces. In my case, I wanted to believe this source. It took me awhile before my gut and discernment kicked in. What a blessing to employ this gift and become balanced once again!

Who Made The Moon?

2008-12-13T17:12:00.003-10:00

Here's an interesting link on this subject:

What is it and WHO made it?

And on another subject, I wish to say Mahalo Nui Loa to Red Orbit for their award as the Blog of the Day. Here's my prize:

Full Moon and Meteors Make Me Smile

2008-12-12T10:00:00.005-10:00

Full Moon over Maui image: Kuanyin Moi

What are you doing the next couple of nights? I'm gonna enjoy the "Long Nights Moon" (Full Moon) and this:

"GEMINID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Geminid meteor shower peaks on Dec. 13th and Dec. 14th when Earth passes through a stream of debris from extinct comet 3200 Phaethon. Bright moonlight will reduce the number of visible meteors from the usual 100/hr to only 20/hr or so. That's still a nice show. For best results, watch the sky starting 10 pm local time on Saturday night (Dec 13th) until dawn on Sunday morning (Dec. 14th)." via Space Weather

I watched an incredible meteor during the recent Venus/Jupiter conjunction--it streaked right between the two planets in the night sky. Wow!

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Relationships

2008-12-07T10:56:00.004-10:00

I'm grateful this Blog Your Blessings Sunday for the blessings of solid relationships that weather the stormy times, the rocky times.

Love that blooms again after a long, hard winter

Love which grows from conditional to unconditional

Love which transcends the pettiness

Love which is re-born

"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings." Anais Nin

Pluto Into Capricorn

2008-12-01T14:48:00.004-10:00

I've been pondering the entrance of Pluto into Capricorn, and then I found an excellent summary and article about this sign change, so I'd like to share the link with you.

Here's a snippet:

"The New World was created during the last Pluto-in-Capricorn cycle, when American colonists revolted against the old rule of England. The Newer World will likely be one in which each of us is like a unique gear in a beautiful timepiece, working in unison towards universal goals. When we individually raise our own consciousness, it acts like a magic fulcrum - the whole planet is lifted."

This was written by Rick DiClemente with Cheryl Crise and you can find the rest of the article here.

Check Out The Evening Sky

2008-11-27T15:10:00.003-10:00

If you'd like to see two jewels in the skies, check out the beautiful pairing of Jupiter and Venus in the early evening sky. Look to the Southwest.

Here's a link to read more.

Breakthrough

2008-11-25T16:49:00.005-10:00

Today as I sat meditating at my altar, I had a profound download. For many years, I've relied on astrology to get my bearings and select optimum timings for my ventures, but today I've graduated from this 'program'.

Even though astrology has been an excellent tool, this activation was an upgrade and it's called Presence. It's really simple: it's an energy which is always available 24/7 and with zero need to figure out the complexities of an astrological chart.

Presence doesn't look to the past or future. Everything is created moment to moment to moment. In the stillness I know.

The mind has been what I've identified with, and now I can't take it seriously anymore.

What this means to this *mostly* astrology blog remains to be seen.

This freedom is expansive, and my path may change in dramatic fashion.

Saturn Is Closing In On My Sun

2008-11-18T09:24:00.005-10:00

Photo: terragalleria

For the past week I've been fighting off a cold which began with a raw throat. I immediately began gargling with hot sea salt water, and this helped. But then this sore throat insisted on returning, and so I applied more remedies as the days rolled by. Yesterday I awoke with laryngitis, and I could only whisper. Thus, I spent my whole day *listening* which really was quite nice for a change--just nodding, pointing, and writing.

Ironically, it seemed everyone wanted to communicate with me on the day when I wasn't really up to it--at least, not in a verbal way. Here's my Astrodienst for yesterday: "Quite frequently this influence indicates one of those days when the telephone never seems to stop ringing. It seems as if everyone wants to get in touch with you, and you have to contact many people too. Important communications from others may very well come by mail, telephone or personal conversation. And you will speak your mind with everyone. It is very important with this influence to let people know exactly where you stand on every issue. Your honesty and forthrightness in what you say will command the respect of others."

And even though I would've liked to have spoken my mind and communicated, I could ONLY write my mind!

Here's my astro explanation for what's going on: my Natal Sun is in my 6th house of health, and transiting Saturn is slowly closing in on a conjunction with this Natal Sun. In my Natal (or birth chart), my Sun at 22 degrees Virgo was closely squared by BOTH the Moon and Uranus , and so I'm getting triggered by this transit!

Perhaps it's time for me to release and roar my Primal Scream?!

"One true self speaks to another, using the language of the heart,
and in that bond a person is healed." Deepak Chopra

Blog Your Blessings Sunday

2008-11-16T08:27:00.005-10:00

Photo: Gen

Blessings come together like grapes.

Take this photo, for example. This photo was taken by my daughter Gen when we vacationed in Ecuador this year. My family bonded as we hiked in the Andes. What a blessing to enjoy the mountains and Nature together. What a blessing to be off the beaten path in the raw wilderness. What a blessing to meet wild horses. What a blessing to have digital cameras to record our meeting with these horses. What a blessing to have great memories and photos!

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Transformation

2008-11-08T22:54:00.004-10:00

What an exciting week of blessings it has been! Obama's presidential victory was so thrilling, and as our family watched Obama make his historic acceptance speech on tv, we all cried bhakti tears.

Change is here. Transformation is here. Our journey begins.

We are ALL blessed!

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu

Astrology and Intuition

2008-11-07T16:37:00.006-10:00

Photo of Full Moon rising over Yellowstone Lake: Kuanyin

One thing I'm learning through the years following astrological aspects and charts is that symbolism of the planets can be interpreted in a variety of ways--and this is why so many astrologers had a very hard time calling the presidential election with or without correct birth times for both party candidates.

This is why I don't rely totally on astrology for my sense of things. I use many tools, and the tool I use most is my intuition. Cultivating intuition is probably the smartest activity anyone can do for it will serve you well.

I can't say I'm always 'on the money'--nor can the best seers and predictors. Things interfere. Our mind and ego interferes. Such is life. The best of us aren't always 100% clear.

Recently I went over the dates for potential mates with the Love Cards. A client who's wishing to marry wanted to know who might be good for her, and I read her off the multiple days of the year for those with whom she could potentially have a marriage. When she checked some of her co-workers, she realized she had some of these 'qualified' good catches with said co-workers.

Even though these qualified ones may size up to be 'good' according to the Love Cards, these men don't size up in other ways. For example, they are compatible as 'friends', but they aren't attractive for 'lovers'. These men simply didn't have the sizzle she was looking for.

It's my sense that lovers know each other immediately, and it's not as corny as love at first sight might suggest. There's a KNOWING that this person is your destiny. Maybe not forever. Maybe only for a couple of years. Maybe for many lifetimes. But there's HEAT.

And you know.

Your intuition is the best guide.

"The only really valuable thing is intuition." Albert Einstein

Blog Your Blessings Sunday--Art

2008-11-02T09:24:00.004-10:00

My subject for the Blog Your Blessings Sunday post is ART! I'm blessed by having an eye for beauty, for enjoying the creative process, by having friends who are artistic, and for my appreciation of ALL kinds of art.

When I was in high school, I received a full scholarship to a prestigious art school, but my family forbade me to take the scholarship for fear of my being alone in New York and too far away. It was in my despair at having lost out on this marvelous opportunity that I changed direction and eventually graduated with a degree in journalism.

Writing isn't my first love, but it has served me in my life, and I've learned that as long as I'm creating--whether it posting on a blog, taking a photograph, painting, dancing, or singing--I'm blessed to have the creative energies flowing through me.

Art brings me JOY, and when I'm joyous, I facilitate joy in other's lives. And I'm so appreciative of other artists who bring me great joy every day.

"If all you did was just look for things to appreciate you would live a joyous, spectacular life. If there was nothing else that you ever came to understand other than just look for things to appreciate, it's the only tool you would ever need to predominantly hook you up with who you really are. That's all you'd need." Abraham

It's Not Just You

2008-10-26T07:57:00.005-10:00

This past week everyone I knew was in a funk.

Including me.

And no one could put their finger on EXACTLY why because nothing dramatic had changed for them. They hadn't lost their life savings in the stock market or experienced a major crisis.

But astrology had the clues as to why the funk.

The Moon was applying to a conjunction with Saturn which is a downer PLUS the opposition of Saturn and Uranus is getting closer and closer, and everyone's feeling this stress. On November 4th--Election Day--the opposition between these two planets will be EXACT

Now that the Moon-Saturn conjunction has passed and Mercury has gone direct again, people's moods are a bit better, and I'm expressing my blessings today on Blog Your Blessings Sunday knowing the wisdom of these words:

THIS TOO SHALL PASS!