Gaia talks to us all the time. After all, we are subject to life on her skin, and she is subject to our doing that living on her skin. Try to imagine it from her point of view for a moment. All of us - billions of us - scrabble around daily on her skin with our toys and machines and chemicals... that would get a bit itchy, don't you think?

Now, even though I love it here and feel a great affinity for this planet, some of us do not. Some of us feel alien here, as though we're from somewhere else entirely, as though we don't belong or aren't wanted. Whether that feeling comes from significant physical trouble - allergies to pollens, foods, dust, etc. - or the misunderstanding of other people, or difficulty assimilating the energy of this place... I believe Gaia does her part every day to communicate with us. I believe she is doing her best help us make sense of our daily experience.

I believe that Gaia shows us, every day, in her inimitable way, how energy moves in Her Natural world outside our buildings and cars and suits. Think of it... she is a PLANET! She experiences energy and life force on a whole different level. She perceives the energy that moves in our small, synthetic world very differently than we do and she wants to make our stay as comfortable as possible - for BOTH of us.

Whether or not you feel any affinity for this planet, it is the elements of her body that provide your physical vehicle. It is the cycle of her warmth/chill, wet/dry, light/dark that forms the structure of your daily routine. She is the mother, the lady of the house, and it is her rules that we must live by.

Let's have a listen, shall we? 

THERE ARE TWO PARTS to this article. The first is the energy of the "Moons" through which we are moving. The Moon is the fastest moving heavenly body in our sky. Its movement influences the tides of our planet, and, since our physical bodies are made up of mostly water, it influences us, too. Most directly, we feel the Moon in our emotional state. It can be revealing - and quite helpful - to consider the way our experience "flows" with the Moon.

Technically, there are 13 moons in each year, but for our purposes, we'll be using twelve, which correspond to the astrological cycle and our western calendar. This means there are three for each season, and, if we pay attention, we will see the arc of influence and how it correlates with our experience. For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, I've reversed the cycle... just scroll down.

The second part of the article is the Reading. In our Reading, we're using the Sacred Path Cards, by Jamie Sams. This is one of the most remarkable decks I've ever, personally, had the pleasure of using. If you're interested, you can find a copy on Amazon.com. The symbology of these cards is Native North American and I use a spread called the Inner Spiral to seek insight into the particular challenges that face us at this time.

 
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

From Budding Trees...
In the end of March, we transitioned the Budding Trees Moon. As the name suggests, this is Spring in full force. This is when the trees put their clothes back on... when they yawn, stretch, and encourage their juices to FLOW. This is when animals come out of their dens and set out to establish their Summer hunting ground.

It is a time of high hopes, and great expectations for the new season.

Remember that there is a process within the cycle. Yes, Spring is about new beginnings, and the energy is rising to fuel a grand new day! Tuning into that cycle, we are inspired to launch new projects and throw ourselves bodily into new endeavors. Do you remember the winds of change, stirring your hair back in February? This is it! The snow is melting, the roads are clearing, and you can see your way to a new tomorrow.

Have you ever watched cattle in Spring? They get a little nuts, frolicking and kicking up their heels. Sometimes, they take off running at full speed simply because they can (I know - it doesn't sound very "cow" like, but that's Spring). Sometimes, that same silly cow runs full tilt into the side of a barn, clocks herself right in the head and gets badly injured.

Be still. Close your eyes. Breathe. Smell the warmth in the air and the moisture. Listen to the breeze stirring the new leaves... Slow down...

Now, check yourself. Be sure that your expectations are reasonable. Set goals - what fruit would you like to see when the Strong Sun returns? What harvest would you like to enjoy, later? Remember that the energy will arc upward toward harvest and then drop off again... Trust in your inspiration, and stay focused. Make a plan to reach those goals using the natural arc of energy.

Then - with your plan in your hand - flex your winter-cramped muscles and stretch... feel that new energy singing into your veins, envision it lending sweet life to your plans, and forge ahead!

... Into Frogs Return
What a splendid time of year! Frogs Return is a time of great energy and determination. You're going to feel like you can take on the world. Generally speaking, this is a great time to do, it, too, but beware taking on too much. It's tempting when the sap rises like this, but you'd be wise to make sure you've got backup. Key word this moon is "cooperation." Friends, family, co-workers... cooperate, and you'll see your dreams in living color.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

From Ducks Fly...
In February, we turned the corner into the Ducks Fly Moon. This transition is all about re-claiming balance within yourself. Transition always brings a need for readjustment, and the warmth of Summer tends to make us just a little sedentary. We LIKE it, we want to STAY. So, with the end of the season, we resist the change. We fall further out of balance.

Don't beat yourself up over it; it's perfectly natural. But do understand that Nature has built into us a NEED to stay in balance. For millenia, trying to pretend Summer isn't over has been a (potentially) fatal mistake. Remember the parable of the ant and the grasshopper? The ant stored up food while the grasshopper played the days away. Then when Winter came, he had to come to his neighbor the ant and beg for crumbs. Your cellular memory will want to panic... Thus, falling out of balance during this transition will feel particularly rough. Even if things are only "off" by a very slight margin, you're likely to feel completely out of sorts.

Stop for a moment and consider the duck. This time of year she must leave her pond - the place that has been her certainty. To remain safe, she must go in search of a new place for the coming season. And, to get there, she must take to the air.

Remember that the Earth is your Mother, grounding you, nurturing you. Remember, too, that you require the inspiration of Heaven - sky, air, wind - to successfully navigate the seasonal changes. Go ahead, hold the Mother's hand. Let her steady you while you allow your spirit to soar. Now, keep your eyes open for the messages of Heaven: miracles, synchronicities, those rare moments of utter peace and radiant joy. Don't scoff at these gifts! Cherish them; hold them close and let them fuel your certainty that this change is necessary and good.

Take time to rebalance. Take time to find your Source. Let the transition happen as it is supposed to, without hurry or anxiety.

...Into Freeze Up
Like your friends in the Northern Hemisphere, beware your vulnerability in the Freeze Up moon. Use this time of waning energy to converse with your innermost self. Re-examine who you think you are. This is a time of shedding old skin, like a snake (in the Native American calendar, people born under this moon call the snake their birth totem). It is a time of changing roles as you change your wardrobe.

The folks around you may feel a little threatened by your willingness to stretch and become. Just remember their fear and uncertainty is not yours to deal with. Tend to your own evolution and let the authenticity of your deepest being shine.

April, 2009

April looks like it'll be a great month for contemplation. We've got a lot of gentleness in these cards... much about quiet reflection, changes in perception, and healing. Feels like a bright Spring day with just a bit of drizzle to throw rainbows in the air.

We've got four repeated cards this month. Watch for them, and notice how their message shifts with you as you shift your perception...

The CREATOR Offers Divine Guidance
MOON LODGE - Drawn this month in the position of Creator, the Moon Lodge card encourages us to retreat, to seek renewal and replenishment. Honor whatever part of you is in a state of depletion. Step back and care for yourself.

The MOTHER Suggests Where You Should Turn Within
BURDEN BASKET - We carry only the burdens we choose to carry.

In your quest to connect with the Great Mystery, you have learned many lessons in self-reliance. Review the progress you've made... How much can you carry? Whose burdens have you choosen to pick up? When will you lay them down? You have learned to ask advice when you need it... do you follow the advice you are given?

The FATHER Directs You To Act Decisively
PAINTED FACE - Paint your face already! Your painted face declares who you are and the gifts you offer to those around you. Remember, gifts so declared are the property of the community - given freely for the benefit of all.

Drawn in the position of The Father, we are directed to declare ourselves. Perhaps we have been shy about our gifts; perhaps we have been selfish or even lazy. It is time to step up.

The GRANDMOTHER Speaks With the Voice of Your Past
GREAT SMOKING MIRROR - The mirror reminds us that every reflection is one of ourselves - especially the ones that are hard to look at. Take the time to look deeply into the mirror. Remind yourself that you've been there - on some level, in some manner. Offer compassion.

Take this reminder with you into the present... be a kind reflection for others.

Turtle Card (EARTH) - Represents Your Current Position, Focus
MEDICINE BOWL - Your current focus is upon healing. Pay attention to the people, circumstances, and events in your life. Your medicine bowl is bringing to you the answers you have sought. No matter where this card appears, it's message is healing. There is no flip side, no "beware." Be still and know that all is well.

Frog Card (WATER) - Represents The Obstacles You Face
KOKOPELLI - Once again, the book says it better than I...

Kokopelli plays the flute and weaves the magic of his songs to remind us that magic is no more than a change in consciousness. If we want the seed we sow to fall on fertile ground, then we must change our perception and use our talents in a fertile manner.

Thunderbird Card (FIRE) - Represents The Energies In Motion
SOUTH SHIELD - The south shield is about returning to the child within - about play and laughter and letting go. Reclaim your inner child. Revisit purity and innocence.

Drawn here in the position of Fire, the South Shield asks you to stop taking life so seriously. Be willing to laugh at yourself. Take time out to play - instead of going to the gym for your "workout," go play basketball. Enjoy the journey you are on! There is absolutely nothing gained by clenching; you'll just become old and bitter.

Butterfly Card (AIR) - Represents The Future Coming To You
COUNTING COUP - It's coming to you in the future, this time... another great personal victory!

As always, stay in your integrity; conduct yourself with honor. Be the best you can be. Give credit where credit is due, and share the wealth of your victory (material, intellectual, or spiritual) with those in need.

© Vara LorEl, 2009

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 
Vara LorEl is a model builder at heart, an Exec Admin by training, and a Graphic Designer by experience. She has also worked in a grocery store, a greenhouse, a bank and a bookstore. She's done Customer Service, Construction, Missions and Marketing... and let's not forget the years she studied Bonsai or the uncounted hours spent in a saddle.

Chinking the spaces between, she engages in an ongoing little exercise she likes to call Spiritual Cartography... studying the archetypes found (again and again) in Mythology, I-Ching, and Shamanism, also poking about in Astrology, Numerology, and Tarot, as well as study of the Chakras and eastern philosophies. It could also be noted that she considers Cooking and Gardening to be some of the richest meditational spaces anywhere.

Over the years, she has lived all across these grand United States - from California to Georgia - currently calling Alaska home. When not up to her eyebrows in the next issue of PLW, she can be found in her home office playing Oblivion (way to go Bethesda Softworks!), on her couch reading a good book (with her cats curled nearby), on her soap box talking about any one of a dozen esoteric subjects... or, on her knees thanking GOD for the best life partner to ever embrace her nomadic heart.