In All Your Imperfection

It’s important to remember that your ego—your separate personal self-sense and all its culturally conditioned tendencies—is just not awake to the urgent need for your participation in the evolutionary process. That’s why your ego is convinced that it has all the time in the world to be eternally busy with its own self-improvement. It says, “Well, I’m not ready because I’m not perfect yet.” But that’s just the ego’s perennial excuse to avoid the overwhelming urgency of the evolutionary context of being alive. Did you ever meet anybody who was actually perfect? I don’t think perfection exists within manifestation. If you want to experience perfection—inherent perfection; unborn, uncreated perfection—meditate. As you gain the capacity to transcend a conditioned relationship to thought, memory, and time, you will eventually awaken to the timeless, formless, infinite ground of your own being and you’ll experience that which is perfect. But when we reenter the manifest realm of time, space, and form, we leave perfection behind, in order to create ourselves anew through the evolutionary process. And perfection will never be reached here.

So when the ego tells you that because you are not perfect, you are not ready yet, it traps you in a spiritually and evolutionarily self-defeating cycle. A big part of awakening to spiritual maturity is realizing that, even in all your imperfection, you are ready to take responsibility. While you realize that perfection is unattainable, you aspire for it, always reaching higher and further. You are ready to be responsible for creating the future, right now, even though your ego may kick and scream all the way. And your liberation, your enlightenment, in every moment, depends upon that. It’s not easy. You have to be a warrior, you have to be an exemplar, even though you know that you’re not perfect. So you have to deal with the reality of your human frailty, with the inherent contradictions in your character, and still be bold and brave enough to be willing to take responsibility for all of this. If you do, then the power of spirit will enter into your heart, your body, and your mind and you will begin to express That, in spite of all your imperfection. And then you, as a human being, don’t have to be perfect, because Spirit already is.

 

by Andrew Cohen

The Art of Letting Go: Freeing Up Grief, Defusing Power Struggles and Inspiring Flow

 

The phrase “letting go” has long been a vital part of my stress management overview, especially related to breaking the “erosive spiral” of that all-consuming “b”-word.  (When it comes to stress, actually, a number of emotionally charged “b” words jump to mind, for example, “botox,” or when you have a BMW colleague, which I recently learned stands for an individual constantly “Bitching, Moaning and Whining.”)

Now, of course, I’m talking about burnout.  As noted in “The Vital Lesson of the Four ‘R’s”:  If no matter what you do or how hard you try, Results, Rewards, Recognition and Relief are not forthcoming, and you can’t say “No” or won’t “let go” – because you’ve invested so much time and money, energy and ego in that one right person, position or possible outcome – so that you cannot or will not step back and consider new perspectives, resources or options…trouble awaits.  The groundwork is being laid for apathy, callousness and despair.

I’ve come to appreciate three key arenas – psychological-interpersonal-motivational – in which “letting go” is critical for rebirth, resolution and resilient risk-taking, i.e., for generating new direction, a more daring focus and a revitalized determination, both for yourself and for others.  And appropriately enough, the first two arenas of “letting go” stimulate your “Inner GPS,” providing a map and tools for “Engaging with ‘Grief’ and ‘Power Struggles’”:

1.  Letting Go as the Key to Freeing Up Grief. Consider my Mobius Strip mantra: “One must begin to separate; one must be separate to begin.”  In paradoxical, yin-yang fashion, every beginning or separation contains its own seed of endings or returns; every ending or return has a beginning and separation seed lying dormant.  Any transition, whether stirring rage or resignation, rejoicing or relief is a dynamic, ongoing mix and flux of endings-wanderings-settlings-separations and potentially-eventually new beginnings and returns.  And in turn, every new beginning eventually comes to an end, once again providing both a fresh or unexplored landscape and mindscape of “danger and opportunity.”

Having the courage and support to face the acute emotions of this ever twisting and turning transition – such as fear and anger, helplessness and hopelessness, panic and paralysis, and/or mania and melancholy – makes it more difficult to deny the swirling, shifting currents, makes it harder to merely tread water.  Letting go and grappling with grief enables you to embrace and retrace, if not gradually replace, the past with new or reenergized purpose and passion.  As I once wrote:

Whether the loss is a key person, a desired position or a powerful illusion each deserves the respect of a mourning.  The pit in the stomach, the clenched fists and quivering jaw, the anguished sobs prove catalytic in time.  In mystical fashion, like spring upon winter, the seeds of dissolution bear fruitful renewal.

And what helps ignite the mystical or, at least, the mythical?

For the Phoenix to rise from the ashes
One must know the pain
To transform the fire to burning desire.

And if you can risk confronting that roaring river of pain – an often confusing rush and reliving of past and present emotions and memories – and over time can survive the occasional eerie stillness, the oftentimes tumultuous white water passage of grief, then you may arrive at a place more light than dark, a new transitional harbor offering some hard-earned healing and wisdom along with newfound maturity and opportunity.

According to Nobel Prize-winning author, Albert Camus, Once we have accepted the fact of loss, we understand that the loved one [or loved position] obstructed a whole corner of the possible pure now as a sky washed by rain.

Helping people engage with the emotional vulnerabilities, uncertainties and pain inherent in loss and major transition, that is, grappling with the psychological ramifications not merely with the changing physical realities – managing a new operating system, relocating an office, merging departments or divisions, etc. – is the foundational first step in the journey of evolution.

As renowned, 20^th c. medical pioneer, Jonas Salk, declared:  Evolution is about getting up one more time than you fall down; being courageous one more time than you are fearful; being trusting just one more time than you are anxious.

2.  Letting Go as the Key to Defusing Power Struggles. In the heat of interpersonal battle, why is it so hard to let go?  In addition to the fact that we’ve been engaged in such struggles most of our life (certainly toilet training was an early testing ground), power struggles definitely can set off some emotional “hot buttons.”   Here are key psycho-social-cultural dynamics that impede stepping back and attempting to reengage more effectively –“The Five ‘C’s of Power Struggles”:

a. Control – who has control, who is in charge?; this relates to the authority-status-power dimension, whether in the workplace, e.g., supervisor-subordinate relation, or the parent-child family dynamic; however, sometimes control needs are driven less by role considerations and more by aggressive messages and actions; consider my take on the covert motivation of the dysfunctional “strong silent type”:  “For me to be strong you must be silent!”

b. Competition – another family dynamic – sibling rivalry – or competition; who is the favorite who is better?; it’s easy for these issues to get acted out in the workplace as well

c. Change – times of change raise levels of uncertainty and anxiety; not surprisingly, at these times, many people have a greater need to be in control of their environment, including other people

d. Cultural Diversity – surely, different perspectives, values, customs, expectations, etc., forged by cultural upbringing and experience can contribute to misunderstanding and standoffs

e. Communication Skills – do the parties have the communicational competence to negotiate conflict and find “the pass in the impasse”?

Understanding the emotionally charged nature of these dimensions may allow for a cooling off period, at least for the person who can “let go.”

When the Other Party Won’t “Let Go”

My metaphor for letting go in an interpersonal context is “dropping the rope,” that is, acknowledging to the other party that the tug of war or words is not working for you.  Dropping the rope is not a sign of resignation or intimidation.  When declared up front, “letting go” opens another problem-solving pathway.  Of course, real life is not always so rational; actually, it’s often more psycho-logical!  As a recent workshop participant painfully declared, “What if the other person – a colleague at work – won’t let go of the argument; tries to call you out for wanting to cease and desist even after a reasonable attempt at problem-solving?”  It was clear the workshop attendee’s blood pressure was rising even as she spoke.  My response was brief and to the point. “Let the individual know that you are taking a time out from this back and forth (to this point unproductive, from your perspective).  You are neither afraid of him nor are you giving up; in fact, you will get back to him the next day.  However, if the two of you cannot resolve your differences, you are not going to continue this head banging.  You will call in a third party; you are not going behind anyone’s back.  But you will insist there be some form of mediation.”  Her energetic “thank you” told me “message sent was message received.”

So letting go doesn’t mean losing or giving up; it involves stepping back, presenting new perspectives and approaches, while reaffirming interpersonal boundaries as well as your personal integrity.  And in a letting go process, at a particular juncture, you may have to accept that meaningful resolution may be out of your individual control.  And you can live with this!

From GPS (Grief and Power Struggles) to Intimate FOE and Inspiring Flow

We’ve examined letting go both from a poignantly psychological perspective and from a power struggling and defusing one.  Now let’s consider letting go from the vantage point of self-acceptance and meaningfully touching and moving others.  My “four word” small group exercise hopefully will prove illustrative.  It’s pretty basic:  “Share an embarrassing moment.”  And the room invariably goes through a metamorphosis – from somewhat anxious silence to uproarious verbal outpourings and animated nonverbal gesturing and posturing.  One story cascades over another:  “That was good; now let me tell you about my experience!”

3.  Letting Go as the Key to Inspiring Flow. I especially like using this exercise with folks in leadership positions.  Why is that?  The exercise helps remove the “having it all together” or “always being in control” mask.  One may have to risk revealing a vulnerable aspect of self.  Yet, lo and behold, not only don’t people think less of you…hearing your story evokes knowing laughter, a genuine empathy (“not only have I walked in similar shoes, I can feel your bunions”), and even some admiration for your courage to share.  I call this “Confronting Your Intimate FOE:  Fear of Exposure.”  And as previously noted, the storyteller becomes a risk-taking role model; one vignette inspires another, invariably becoming more animate and passionate with each telling.

Making Room for Cultural Diversity, Mutual Humanity and Authenticity

Such unguarded sharing also reminds us that some experiences, like embarrassment, are universal and helps underscore our mutual humanity no matter how diverse our cultural backgrounds.  Perhaps most important, for a precious moment in time, it breaks down artificial rank and status barriers between people, allowing for more personal and intimate connection.  (For example, when the military wants a free flowing team exchange, despite the presence of “superior” rank in the room, they may hold a “Helmet’s Off” meeting.  In fact, I have done facilitation work with army and air force units; my interactive exercises help them to better “walk their team and trust building talk.”)  Remember, in a healthy social environment, not one simply manipulated by Big Brother media, machinations or mayhem, most people place their hopes and trust in authentic individuals whom they come to know through real give and take relationships.  People identify with an imperfect yet accessible and courageous leader more than an unfeeling iconic statue.

A Closing Leadership Mantra and Message, Method and Model

Here’s a final leadership mantra:  Learn to “Let Go”:  Turn Your Intimate FOE into Inspiring Flow! People want to connect with real and risk-taking leaders.  They too want to laugh at their flaws and foibles, to painfully learn from yet also playfully laugh in the face of failure…to finally let go of that incessant critical voice.  Many want to taste and touch this potent, idiosyncratic and liberating energy and spirit.  For when you bring both head and heart, when you simultaneously project a purposeful and provocative, passionate and playful message and presence, you become a magnet; people are drawn to your energy and essence.  (Consider my expansion of a saying passed on by a battle-tested salesman:  “Logic Tells and Passion Sells.  And ‘Passion Power’ Compels.”)  Yet, ironically, if your motivation is unselfish, you will help others become less afraid of speaking up, if not of breaking out and breaking away.  Remember, from its biblical origins, spirit is “the breath and flow of life,” hence spirit’s connection with “respiration” and “inspiration.” So if you are determined to:

a) rebuild your purposeful and passionate, newfound possibilities fire,

b) not be distracted or constrained by draining and unproductive power struggles, and

c) embrace and share your imperfect humanity while breathing life and energy into others…try the Stress Doc’s CPR method – be a model for “Creative-Passionate-Risk-Taking” (CPR) Leadership…“Grieve, Let Go and Become the Flow.”

 

by Mark Gorkin

————————————————————————————

Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW, “The Stress Doc” ™, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is an acclaimed keynote and kickoff speaker as well as “Motivational Humorist & Team Communication Catalyst” known for his interactive, inspiring and FUN programs for both government agencies and major corporations.  In addition, the “Doc” is a team building and organizational development consultant.  He is providing “Stress and Communication, as well as Managing Change, Leadership and Team Building” programs for the 1st Cavalry Division and 13th Expeditionary Support Command, Ft. Hood, Texas and for Army Community Services and Family Advocacy Programs at Ft. Meade, MD and Ft. Belvoir, VA as well as Andrews Air Force Base/Behavioral Medicine Services.  Mark has also rotated as a Military & Family Life Consultant (MFLC) at Ft. Campbell, KY.  A former Stress and Violence Prevention Consultant for the US Postal Service, The Stress Doc is the author of Practice Safe Stress and of The Four Faces of Anger.  See his award-winning, USA Today Online “HotSite” – http://www.stressdoc.com — called a “workplace resource” by National Public Radio (NPR).  For more info on the Doc’s “Practice Safe Stress” programs or to receive his free e-newsletter, email stressdoc@aol.com or call 301-875-2567.

The 11:11 Phenomena Decoded!

I concluded part one by saying that I was prompted by the “synchronic order” to prepare the article on the 11:11 enigma.  The synchronic order made itself manifest in this case as a reader who asked me about the meaning of the number 111.

If you have not read part one you may want to for orientation and proper comprehension of part 2.

The synchronic order is how the Tzolkin code models reality in terms of 4 colors, 13 numbers and 20 symbols. According to Tzolkin cosmology everything, everyone and every event is a manifestation of the synchronic order.

In the same way that 4 nucleobases and 20 amino acid of the DNA code articulate and organize the realm of living organisms so does the Tzolkin code accurately model and describe the world of human events and its players.

Glimpses of the Synchronic Order

In order to minimize confusion and information overload in part 2 I am going to refer to the Tzolkin archetypal symbols by their numerical value 1 through 20 and I will not refer to the color code aspect. In the late afternoon of April, 19th 2011or on the eve of April 20th I received an email from a reader asking about the meaning of number 111.

Please note that I included the notation “on the eve of” and you will see that I use it often when quoting other dates in the examples listed further down. “On the eve of” is an important detail because a new Tzolkin day phases in at sundown. The world standard for date change in mechanized time is midnight and its a sharp cut off from one day to the next—not so with the Tzolkin cycle.

The qualities of one day gradually transform into the qualities of the next day. Experientially I can detect the gradual shift in the thematic content of the days events in the mid-afternoon. Enthographic data on Maya culture affirms sunset as the beginning of a new day.

On the eve of April 20th, Tzolkin date (13)17-2: kin 117 was phasing in. Kin means day in the Maya language. Kin 117 refers to the day number within the 260 day long Tzolkin cycle.

The number (13) refers to the 13th day of the 13-day tone cycle and the number 17 refers to the 17th archetype in the 20 day archetypal cycle.

The number 2 represents archetype number 2 and it’s always paired with 17 and vice versa. I am using the numerical equivalent of each archetype to more clearly reveal the synchronicities. The same numbering format will be used to describe all Tzolkin dates noted herein.

I won’t explain in this article why the two paired numbers of a Tzolkin date are always paired, because I fear this article is already too complicated for non-students of Tzolkin cosmology aka Art and Science of Synchronicity (ARTSOS).

The Tzolkin cycle is itself is a weave of 3 subcycles, the two mentioned and a 3rd known as the 4 day 4 color cycle. But for the purposes of this article I will not refer to the color cycle.

Note: Henceforth is this article I will abbreviate as noted; Tzolkin Date =TD and  kin= k.

The first synchronicity you will note is that the reader’s question was posed during the portion of the Tzolkin sequence numbered 111 through 119. The next aspect I want you to note is the number 17. The 17th archetype possesses the key attributes of evolution, synchronicity and navigation. Each of the Tzolkin’s 20 archetypes has three key attributes.

As you can see the number 11 is already present, the reader inquired about the number 111 and k-111 had passed only 5 day before. Next note the incoming presence of k117 or TD:13-17-2, the archetype of synchronicity.

A question arises; if the entire Tzolkin code represents the numerical matrix governing synchronicity then why would one of its components have that specific designation? The 17th archetype is the archetype of OVERT synchronicity. On days coded by the 17th archetype or any member of its number family one is more apt to experience synchronicities of the overt type and in greater numbers.

The Numerical Connection between Jose Arguelles and Winter Solstice of 12/21/12

Before I get into the thick of my 11:11 experience I want to point out an amazing numerical synchronicity between, Jose Arguelles and the date he made famous, December, 21st, 2012. Jose Arguelles is the rediscoverer of the correct Tzolkin cycle and founder of the entire Mayan calendar-2012 phenomena.

Jose Arguelles was born on January 24th, 1939 or TD:(11)11-8; k11. He was also born during the first Tone Cycle (TC). The Tzolkin cycle is composed of 20 13-day cycles.

The first Tone Cycle(TC) is coded TC:1-18. His complete numerical coding is TC:1-18; TD:(11)11-8; k:11. No other Tzolkin date has more 1?s or 11?s.

Let’s call one’s numerical coding according to the Tzolkin as one’s serial number. If you make time to read deeply enough into the Art and Science of Synchronicity you will find that serial number is an appropriate and precise metaphor.

Many promoters of 11:11 mania have fudged a key fact by saying that the December 21st, 2012 winter solstice occurs at 11:11AM GMT when the official time is actually  11:12 AM GMT. The solstice point marks the end of a 5126 year cycle known as the Long Count Cycle.

All of the hoopla surrounding the “end of the Mayan calendar” has to do with the end of the Long Count Cycle which incidentally begins anew.  Arguelles referred to himself as the “closer of the cycle”.

Proponents of 11:11 mania have tweaked the time by one minute to add more mystique to their claim. Eleven-eleven could be a valid claim had they said that the Long Count cycle ends at 11:11 and 59 seconds. It seems that solstice times are rounded off to the nearest minute, but I was not able to find any solstice resources with unrounded numbers. Update: Further down in the comments section 2 readers have clarified the timing issue by saying that the number is indeed rounded off and the unrounded number was 11:11 and x seconds. Each reader gives a slightly different time and I have asked for a link or source on the matter, but as of this update no one has responded with a source.

Whatever the case it is a remarkable synchronicity involving what will undoubtably be histories most famous winter solstice for a long time to come and the man responsible for bringing it to the world’s attention.

From my point of view I consider approximations to be significant indicators whose values decline in proportion to their inaccuracy. Eleven-twelve is one minute off the magical 11:11, but in some realms “close and almost” counts for something. Synchronistic phenomena is one of those realms.

Read on…

 

Written by Rohaan Solare

http://emergent-culture.com/

Vedic Astrology Full Moon in Scorpio

The Full Moon will occur Tuesday morning at around 3 AM Pacific time. Full moons where we reach a balancing point in the current Sun/Moon cycle. The full moons have been occurring in the eighth house from the new Moon for months now. Meaning, the new Moon in this cycle occurred in Aries, now the full Moon occurs in Scorpio – showing months and months of transformation as we try to “emotionally and psychologically balance” our actions and deeper drives, shown by the current Sun cycle.

In this case, the energy of Mars is the predominant theme. Mars rules Aries and Scorpio. Beginning with the new Moon in Aries two weeks ago, we have seen many martial themes unfold in the world. With the killing of Osama bin Laden and its ramifications primary, military activity, pressure and alliances have been front-page news last couple of weeks. Additionally, concerns about global economic realities, resources, currencies and the interconnectedness of its people continue to be important themes. Big questions are being raised about governments interfering in Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq, but seem to care little about Ivory Coast, Darfur, Syria (so far) and other places of torture and human rights abuses.

On Monday, the United States government hit the limit on its debt ceiling. An event which could have catastrophic consequences on global economic markets if action is not taken. The consequences of international banking cartel, the Federal Reserve and geopolitical corruption are going to be felt for the next year and a half as Rahu transits Scorpio. In the midst of the dramatic changes we will see, there lies enormous potential for personal growth as we (hopefully) fix what is broken and try to establish a sustainable world model.

The current full Moon in Scorpio has four planets in Aries, and the Moon in its deepest state of debilitation and joined Rahu. The Moon is debilitated in Scorpio because of the potential for emotional extremes to disrupt our connection to Self. The Moon is the heart, the connection to truth itself. It must be still in order for us to hear and perceive the truth. Scorpio is not still, it is emotionally restless, where we feel vulnerable. This emotional restlessness can lead to profound truth, if were willing to face our fears rather than project them outward. This is much more easily said than done. Undoing lifetimes of emotional conditioning takes intention and emotional courage – which also comes from Scorpio.

The reason Ketu is exalted in Scorpio is because Ketu has a quality of certainty (which keeps us stuck if we are not careful). It is where we are certain of something, but dissatisfied with its “worldly” nature and we want to drill deeper into it, drill down to its source. Ketu will drill down into the source of restlessness in Scorpio and Scorpio will focus Ketu’s certainty to deeper levels. Rahu is restless and uncertain. This uncertainty and emotional stress aggravates the emotional fear of Scorpio.

Almost everyone I speak to now feels some deep emotional restlessness (Scorpio) right now because it feels like we are wading into dangerously uncharted waters. We feel unprepared for what comes next (Rahu). We don’t always feel restless wading into the unknown, sometimes it’s very exciting. But we feel restless now – because Rahu is in Scorpio.

Four Planets in Aries
Currently, four planets in Aries gives us enormous amount of courage to advocate and pursue our own personal, righteous course. These four planets are in Ashwini Nakshatra, the sign of two horses – and the Vedic physicians of the gods. Having four planet so close together can create the feeling of a lack of space. So, there may be quite a few intimacy issues or need for space in some of your relationships right now. Bear that in mind as there may be some frustration and impatience as you rush headlong toward your goals. Patience is a virtue.

Saraswati Yoga in Aries
Saraswati is the Hindu Goddess of creativity and spiritual purity. A Saraswati yoga is formed when Mercury, Venus and Jupiter occupy, join or aspect in angles. It is most powerful when they join. It is even more powerful if they join in signs the rule. In this case they don’t join in signs the rule, but they join in the sign with the ruler, Mars. We currently have Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Mars in Aries, forming the Saraswati Yoga in Aries – the sign of personal initiation and trusting their instincts to act with courage, enthusiasm and force. This is a very creative time to make a new course in life for yourself and to *finally* act with the courage to make it happen.

by Sam Geppi

http://www.mydailyastrology.net/

Psychic Help with Love & Relationship Troubles

Do you remember when you got butterflies in your stomach at just the thought of being near a particular person? You were suddenly breathless and your heartbeat thumped a lusty cadence of desire. Your communication was reduced to little snippets of stuttering and your vocabulary consisted of sappy, endearing expressions. In other words, chubby little Cupid shot his scarlet arrow straight into your heart.

Ah, but that was then and this is now, and you’re wondering if you should throw the arrow back at that fat little winged troublemaker. Those butterflies have turned your stomach sour; your breathlessness leaves you feeling suffocated; and now communication between you has escalated to shouting matches, insults and accusations. Has love run its course? You may need some help to sort it all out.

Will Couple’s Counseling Help?

Maybe. But all the counseling in the world isn’t going to save a doomed relationship. Some relationships are meant to fail as a means of furthering the soul on its human journey. Before you jump into a couple’s counseling program, you need to do some spiritual assessing first and try to discover who you are as an individual. You need to reconnect with your spiritual self and learn what your motivations and expectations are – individually and within a relationship.

Consulting a Psychic for Love & Relationship Advice

There are many reasons for consulting a psychic, but most often a psychic is asked about issues concerning relationships. Everyone wants to know essentially the same things: Where do I find love? How do I hold onto love? Should I stay in this relationship or should I go? Is my partner cheating? Is finding love that will last in the cards for me?

These are all good questions, but the answers are not simple though. Finding love that lasts a lifetime depends on many factors – some spiritual, some karmic and some based on free will. A love relationship is complex. If it has any intensity, it’s a sure bet there’s some kind of spiritual connection that brought it together; but whether or not it’s a lifelong relationship or one that was intended as a life lesson on the path of each individual’s journey is the question that has to be answered.

What Can a Psychic Tell Us That We Don’t Already Know?

Nothing. You both already know within your spiritual selves what the outcome is likely to be; after all, you wrote the script for your lives before you were born. But by the time your relationship has soured to the point where you’re considering throwing in the towel, chances are you’re too emotionally involved with your own egos and not listening to your own gut instincts (communication from your higher self) or to each other. A trained psychic is an objective third set of ears (and/or a verbal referee).

A psychic is an unbiased third party who is privy to spiritual information you may be blocking. Sorting out the reasons you came together in the first place, and evaluating the reasons Cupid’s arrow had a poison tip, requires more than a rehashing of the drama. It requires knowledge and direction from your higher source – a spiritual evaluation of both people involved. Consulting a psychic for an in-depth review of your spiritual life purpose is the first step in deciding whether or not to call it quits.

How Can a Psychic Determine Our Future?

No one can decide your future except you. You were born with the unalienable spiritual right of free will. But a psychic can tap into your life’s chart and/or channel your spiritual advisers to help you determine the likely effect certain actions may have on the life path you chose for yourself. You set up your life’s challenges before you were born, charted the potential losses and rewards, selected the people who would be instrumental in helping you achieve your spiritual goals, and penciled in intuitive road maps to help guide you. But when you incarnated on Earth, all that knowledge was hidden from you. Why? Because if you knew the outcome of every action, no lessons would be learned.

Wouldn’t Asking a Psychic to Spell It Out Harm Our Spiritual Growth?

No. Remember those little road maps? We all need reminders – gentle nudges of where we’re supposed to be going. Think of a psychic as a road map; just because your ultimate goal may be to reach a destination hundreds of miles away, getting a map or having someone give you directions doesn’t alter the experiences you’ll have along the way. Nor does it influence your reactions to those experiences. It simply tells you this is where you are, this is where you’re going. Remember, your goal is to reach your designated point “B” from your starting location of point “A.” If you get off onto point “C,” you’re not where you’re supposed to be, not having the experiences you were supposed to have. Hanging on to a relationship that’s no longer fulfilling can place a karmic debt on your spiritual growth – a debt you’ll have to pay sooner or later.

What If We Can’t Agree on Consulting a Psychic?

You don’t have to. Remember: You came into this life on your own and your journey is your own. Even though you may have a life partner, that partner is not a part of your soul. Your soul is yours; it answers to no one but itself. If your partner doesn’t want to seek help, whether it’s couple’s counseling or consulting with a psychic, it is irrelevant in the grand scheme of your spiritual growth. You can still consult a psychic and seek your own spiritual counsel. Knowing you’re headed down the right road can only enhance your journey.

Provided by Keen.com

May 2011 In Peril and Glory, Our Life on the Edge

The Nodes change signs – five planets in Aries!

The last two weeks have seen a whirlwind of astrological change. And of course, these changes precipitated some sudden and unexpected shifts in global consciousness. Here are a few of the importance planetary shifts and what they mean.

The Difficulty of Five Planets in Aries

Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet that breaks things that are too weak to survive the old paradigm. Aries comes after Pisces because in Pisces we are gifted with the opportunity to let go of the things that need to be let go of, things that may be destroyed in Aries.

That was last month, so what are you still hanging onto? Is it real? Is it serving your future or is it just an illusion from the past that comforts you?

Culturally, this could be a time of increased military activity and freedom fighting worldwide. It would not be surprising to see some surprising gains and courage from those in the Arab world who are demanding democracy from their governments. But also, harsh government crackdowns imposed upon rebelling citizens may also be seen.

May 13 – 17 maybe an especially difficult time, with the Moon joined Saturn, then hemmed between Saturn and Rahu.

There is also a high probability (even likelihood) of increased seismic activity – perhaps volcanic activity – during this time. Wildfires and explosions could be more frequent between now and early June.

So many planets in Aries portends a higher than usual likelihood for fatalities in the event of a natural disaster, with explosions, etc.

May 15-17 look especially difficult. Not only is the Moon hemmed, but it is aspecting Mars the entire time. It will be receiving a seventh house aspect from Mars while in Libra and the eighth house aspect from Mars while in Scorpio, joined Rahu.

The Nodes Change Signs – Past and Future

On Tuesday, May 2, 2011 the nodes moved from sidereal Sagittarius and Gemini to sidereal Scorpio and Taurus. The nodes change signs once every 1 1/2 years, so this is no small event. As the nodes were changing signs we had a royal wedding and the assassination of an infamous international figure and almost unnoticed – a deceased Pope (almost) declared a Saint. These events have implications far into the future, and evoke powerful feelings from the past.

The Royal wedding conjured images of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Princess Diana’s untimely death, comparisons of this wedding, Prince Charles and Camilla, etc. – and has implications far into the future.

The death of Osama bin Laden carries many charged emotions as well, opening up old wounds about 9/11, conspiracy theories, international relations and the “war on terror”, national pride or national disgrace.

Pope John Paul 2 presided over the Catholic Church during an unprecedented time of change.

All of these “karmic” events relate to the nodes, the main forces of karma and destiny. One recent news item fascinated me. One thing about the nodes is you will see something or hear something you have never heard of before when they move -  to show you they are active. it is usually something bizarre, specific and totally unique. A recent news story

>> read more here

Important Advice For All Sole Proprietors

Are you a sole proprietor who files the shorter Schedule C-EZ rather than the traditional (and longer) Schedule C? If so, please read on to find out why you may be making a big mistake.

First, a quick review of the qualifications for using Schedule C-EZ. You qualify if you meet these criteria:

1. Your business expenses are less than $5,000
2. Your business has a profit
3. You have no inventory
4. You use the cash method of bookkeeping
5. You have only one business as a sole proprietor
6. You have no employees
7. You are not taking the home office deduction
8. You’re not required to file Form 4562 (the form used to report deprecation and/or the Section 179 deduction for business equipment and other ‘fixed assets’)

Assuming you qualify, should you take advantage of this shortcut? Will it really make your tax life that much easier?

Do you notice how much shorter the EZ form is? It has only eight lines. Schedule C has forty-eight lines. So, which form would you rather file? Obviously, the one with only eight lines. And if you are not taking a vehicle deduction (which gets reported on lines 4-8), you can actually report all your business activity on only three lines:Line 1 – Sales; Line 2 – Expenses; Line 3 – Profit (Line 1 minus Line 2).

That’s got to be the easiest small business tax form I’ve ever seen! You just add up your income, add up your expenses, do one subtraction calculation, and presto, you are done with Schedule C-EZ. Next form, please. If you are trying to simplify your tax life, this form is for you.

But here’s something to think about: Sure, there’s something to be said for a 3-line business tax form. But I’m here to warn you that you might be doing yourself a disservice by switching to Schedule C-EZ.

Here are my reasons:

1. If you are filing Schedule C-EZ, that means you had no business equipment expense and no home office deduction.

Is that really true? If so, fine. But I urge you NOT file Schedule C-EZ just to avoid filing Form 4562 (the business equipment form) and/or Form 8829 (the home office form). These are two of the best tax breaks offered to the self-employed. You may be missing out on hundreds or even thousands of dollars in tax savings by omitting these two forms. Even if you have to hire a professional to do your return, the cost is usually well worth it when the tax savings outweighs the tax prep fees.

2. From a business management standpoint, are you filing Schedule C-EZ because you abhor doing any type of detailed analysis of your business’ income and expense records?

The regular Schedule C forces you to perform one of the best financial exercises every business needs: expense categorization. There are about twenty different expense categories on Schedule C. Most successful businesses have at least that many expense categories – tracking your expenses at this level of detail keeps your finger on the pulse of your business.

If you think you can run a profitable business by just lumping everything together into one huge catch-all expense category, well, I think you are taking a costly and potentially business-ending shortcut.

You need to know where the money goes. Failure to categorize expenses can be a symptom of financial laziness – and could be a sign that your small business is only going to get smaller and smaller. Before you know it, you won’t know how or why, but you will realize that you are out of business and will be clueless as to the cause of the failure. Detailed expense categorization is the business owner’s first line of defense against business failure.

So before you jump on the Schedule C-EZ bandwagon, take a close look at your bookkeeping system and see if you need to make some changes. The long-term success of your business may depend on it. I challenge you to ask yourself this question: Is the convenience of a 3-line tax form really worth it? I think not.

Many Happy Returns,

Wayne M. Davies, EA
www.GoodTaxPreparer.com

 

PS. Can’t wait for next week’s issue to get more tax deduction tips?  Check out the Tax Reduction Toolkit today for 29 little-known legal loopholes that will reduce your taxes by thousands — for small business owners and the self-employed only!

The Number Three Cards of the Tarot

When a Tarot card with the number three in it appears, one of the layers of meaning involved in it applies to this number itself. Threes in Tarot signify a unifying force. The number three is entwined with the couple it takes to birth new life. There are six cards in the Tarot deck featuring this number: the four suited cards (Three of Swords, Wands, Pentacles and Cups) and two cards from the Tarot’s Major Arcana: The Empress (card number three) and Death (card number thirteen). Themes that these cards reinforce include loyalty, bonding, indulging and crossing the point of no return.

·    Loyalty: The theme of being beholden to an oath, a relationship, a tradition or a way of doing things underscores both consistency and commitment. You may be feeling particularly comfortable because of the solid beliefs and actions you hold. You might, though, be feeling a little stuck in the mud if you have grown beyond a certain outlook on life.

·    Bonding: The love we have for a group, a belief system, a team, a type of artistic or creative expression, or some other set of ideals can bring us together with others like little else. Bonding with others from diverse backgrounds over a common locus allows us to broaden our perspective while maintaining a stable point of focus and comfort.

·    Indulging: We can swoon into deep sentimental pools of self-pity as easily as we can pursue a journey of the path of excess. Getting all we can, feeling as deeply as possible, consuming all there is to be had … indulging is an act that starts off as a casual visit and turns into an extended stay. There is no commitment made at the outset of an indulgence; we stay, though, because of the seductive power of the thing we try, be it food, lust, narcissism or worse, as well as because of our own human weaknesses.

·    Crossing the Point of No Return: All of the traits of the cards numbered three have a certain inevitability built into them. Like puberty, marriage and divorce, a Tarot card with a three on it is more than just an affirmation to move on. Cards numbered three are not just a line in the sand; they are the crossing of that line and the steps to move far beyond it. At its most intense, any card with the number three carries the power of complete and total transformation. If you receive one or more of these cards in a reading, understand that change will do you good, but that the process of changing might be more intense than you ever anticipated.
These themes are imbued into each of the cards numbered with a three in the Tarot. When one of these cards appears in your reading, some of this energy is apparent. When there is more than one of these cards in your reading, these themes will be a major current in your life quite soon.

The Major Arcana

·    The Empress

This is the highest ranked card of any numbered with a three in all the Tarot deck. The Empress sits on her throne, with everything and nothing to command. She is beholden to The Emperor and is not aware of the luck or power her position holds. She is at heart a pleasure-seeker. When The Empress card appears, the themes of loyalty, bonding, indulging and crossing the point of no return are emphasized not like a crashing tidal wave, but more like a fattening, irresistible, delicious box of chocolates that suddenly get consumed two and three at a time with little attention to what makes each delightful treat special unto itself.

·    Death

This is the scariest card in the Tarot deck. Death was once much more common in everyday life as antibiotics and common surgeries of today were not around when the Tarot was codified. The card might signal the end of a life but that life could be as a single person, or relate to the end of a job or some other all-consuming endeavor. Where The Empress prefers to seductively deliver bonding experiences, indulgences or the crossing of a line, the Death card has no such finesse and indicates that these transformative experiences are arriving in a severe manner. This is a card that serves up transformation in a way that will take with it every inessential thing in your life and sweep it away.

The Minor Arcana

·    Three of Wands

The Three of Wands is the card of extreme confidence in crossing the line. Your belief in your own creative process allows you to form the bonds that take you to the next level. You envision what you can become when your loyalty is recognized. You indulge your vision and dare to dream. This card indicates that you are about to envision crossing that line. When the Three of Wands is in your reading, the walking sticks that represent your creative and entrepreneurial impulses are set in a manner to take you places you are only beginning to dream possible.

·    Three of Cups

The chance to bond with others is one of life’s great pleasures. There are many hours of loneliness in life, and more still of being involved in a partnership. None of us choose the family from which we come and with whom we are often forced to interact. But we can choose our friends and select our acquaintances, and the time we invest into these relationships. The Three of Cups underscores a bonding process that is thoroughly enjoyable.

·    Three of Swords

A gloomy card indeed, the Three of Swords illustrates the three swords piercing a heart against the cloudy grey of a sleet storm. The deep indulgence of feeling sorry for yourself after loss can transform your life into a pity party. Narcissism is the state of mind that puts your suffering as the paramount tragedy. This card can represent your own self-destructive urges as much or more than the changes in your life foisted upon you by fate.

·    Three of Pentacles

Begin at the beginning. The Three of Pentacles is a card that acknowledges the coming big changes but underscores the discipline in waiting for big things to be built on a solid foundation. To build a cathedral is an undertaking of immense complexity and cooperation. We bond and stay loyal to the task when we seek to make our own heaven on earth, be it in a relationship, a social group, a condo association or any other long-term interpersonal interaction. Pentacles represent the material world. The transformation of this card is a slow process, but it is the most complete of any of the four suited Tarot cards numbered three.

 

by: KEEN.com

Making Sense of Synchronicity

The world can become a magical and meaningful place when you awaken to the creative field known as the “dreamtime”. Dreamtime is full of synchronicity and meaningful happenstances that turn your head around to the fact that we are individually and collectively creators of our experiences on earth. A series of repetitive numbers on a license plate, a symbol on a tee shirt of a passerby, a tune on the radio, or the subject of a drama as you glance at the TV can all seem miraculously synchronistic when referenced to your thoughts.

Thoughts drive creation and consciousness and produce manifestations in the form of opportunities and signs about what we are contemplating as quickly as an instant in some cases. Other synchronicities appear generated from the subconscious (the psyche) and are projected onto the screen we call life seemingly without volition.

Synchronicity is a phenomenon first described in the 1920′s by Carl Jung, the father of analytical psychology. Jung coined the word and described it in a variety of ways: “an acausal connecting principle”, “meaningful coincidence”, “acausal parallelism”, and “acts of creation in time”. In 1952, along with physicist and friend, Wolfgang Pauli, he published Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle, a paper that must have raised some eyebrows at the time.

In its attempt to explain magic, synchronicity, and the design of the universe, quantum physics has offered its theories. Michael Talbot in his groundbreaking books Synchronicity: The Bridge Between Mind And Matter and The Holographic Universe explains that every particle in the universe is interconnected. He cites the findings of an experiment by physicist Alain Aspect that proves it. Aspect discovered that subatomic particles such as electrons are able to instantaneously communicate with each other regardless of the distance. University of London physicist David Bohm believes Aspect’s research findings suggest that objective reality does not exist. Despite the appearance of solidity, the universe is “at heart a phantasm, a gigantic and splendidly detailed hologram.” Michael Talbot, like Jung, hypothesized that interior experience manifests in the outside world. He suggested a “psychoid reality”, a reality between physical and mental and influenced by both.

However we try to explain the nature of synchronicity, the phenomenon turns a 3-dimensional perspective of concrete reality on its head. What can be said about synchronistic experiences is that they tend to lead you towards self-discovery, bringing meaning to your life. They can be signposts of your achievement as you make strides in fulfilling your goals creatively. And most importantly, they are guiding messages helping you to fulfill your destiny.

Synchronicities are often experienced as symbolic language. Like any other kind of language, you have to learn the basics to understand what is being communicated. As with symbols in dreams, the meaning of a synchronistic symbol can be personal, having some association that the individual immediately recognizes. Or the symbol may have a collective or “universal” meaning that the individual must have or develop knowledge about. A symbol will stand for an entire idea that often has several layers of meaning within it. Seeing a rose on a tee shirt of a passerby and then looking into a storefront window a moment later to notice a dozen roses in full bloom would represent a synchronistic sign about the simple or more esoteric meaning of the symbol of the rose. Simply speaking, a rose represents beauty. As an esoteric symbol, one of its many meanings is divine love in feminine form, emblematic of the Queen of the Heavens – Mary. The symbol will be of personal significance to the individual, arriving at a moment in time when its message is necessary to the growth and evolution of the individual’s consciousness.

“Ah-ha” Moments

Synchronicity can produce an “ah-ha” moment. Carl Jung once described a session he had with a client who he described as overly rational. Because of her rational style of thinking she was having difficulty making a psychological breakthrough. In the session, she described a dream about an Egyptian scarab beetle, which Jung recognized as a symbol of rebirth and new awakening. Hearing a tapping sound on the window behind him, Jung turned around to see a beetle of the same description bumping against his window. Jung caught the beetle and presented it to his patient. The unexplainable synchronistic event so stunned his patient that it forced her out of prison of rationality and a breakthrough in her therapy occurred.

Expectation Elicits Synchronicity

The more open and expectant you are that signs will magically appear everywhere you go, the more you will not only notice them but the more you and your guides will be creating them in the field of consciousness around you. For instance, I make it a point to ask for messages and signs about the theme of my weekly dream group. The synchronistic signs of symbolic information that I collect while at the supermarket I jot down on a shopping list pad and reveal at the beginning of the group. In this way, I demonstrate how symbolic messages retrieved before each session at the supermarket can remarkably offer additional clues to the meaning of a dream discussed in the session later that day. Soon participants loosen their constructs of concrete reality and are able to see the correlation between night dream and the dreams of the day – the dreamtime.

Creative Play with a Meaningful Design

Some synchronistic messages stand alone and are immediately recognized for the intended meaning. Others are only one piece of a string of clues leading you towards an area of self-exploration or towards a piece of your destiny. For instance, some awakened authors relay that much of the research for their book was sparked by synchronistic messages or events pointing toward a particular line of inquiry.

Collective 11:11 Synchronicity

Large numbers of people, perhaps millions, have experienced synchronicity with the numbers 11:11. So much so, that it has been coined “the 11:11 phenomenon”. For some, it seemed that every time they noticed the reading on a digital clock it was exactly 11:11. This “collective synchronicity” suggests that 11:11 is a code embedded deep within the human psyche, a code some have viewed as the code of enlightenment. Others have said it represents the ascension of all of humanity into higher dimensions of consciousness.

A Mark of Your Divinity

Synchronistic experiences can be viewed as divine messages pointing to your unity with the mind of God. They remark on the measure of your soul’s evolution and readiness to awaken to a new level of consciousness – the dreamtime. At this level of consciousness you understand that you are an integral piece of the consciousness of everything – a co-creator (dreamer) of the world contributing your unique intelligence both consciously and unconsciously. Synchronicity also demonstrates that you are not alone. Rather, you are being pushed along by guides and sometimes legions of angels who unify their intelligence with you to send you synchronistic messages important to your spiritual evolution.

by: Ariadne Green

Compatibility Is Written In The Stars

Tip: If you’ve ever wished you had a way to know if a relationship was worth pursuing or not – there is…

The most amazing techniques in the vast body of knowledge that make up astrology can tell you this very thing.

To find out quickly and in the comfort, privacy, and convenience of your own home if you and a man have what it takes to be together in a way that’s mutually fulfilling and healthy, sign up for my free newsletters and check out “The Right Man Report,” an astrological compatibility write-up, by going here:

http://www.loveisinthestars.com/

Have you ever had a relationship start off great – only to quickly go South? Isn’t that just the worst? You meet someone and he seems so perfect – calling all the time, saying and doing all the right things, only to slowly morph into someone not nearly as nice and enthusiastic…

Eventually becoming someone you hardly recognize.

I probably don’t need to tell you that relationship studies have shown that in the first few months of a blossoming twosome, everyone is on their best behavior, only showing the other person the parts of their personality they want that person to see. (Which can be a VERY limited, misleading version of who they really are…)

Then there’s the fact that when you’re newly in love it’s as if you’re high on opiates, as your own brain is creating a chemical cocktail that makes you feel like life has gone from black and white to neon – causing that euphoric WOW that so many new lovers describe.

Ahh… But then comes the crash that often follows the bliss.

Ouch.

Don’t you wish there was a way to know if you should let yourself go down that veritable “primrose path” or not? If, instead of a painful crash after a few weeks of romantic fulfillment, you’d find yourself settling into something real and even MORE fulfilling, that lasts and lasts? Well, there is!

My very favorite thing about being an astrologer is helping people to know all about their relationships. And by far the most amazing way for you to have the greatest insight into an existing relationship (or one you’re wondering about) can be done with the compatibility technique used in a report called, “The Right Man Report.” It covers fifteen areas of connection – and even RELATIONSHIP DESTINY – between two people.

You can know at a glance all about the dynamics between you and any man in your life, including:

- If you have fundamental AGREEMENT

- If the man is a source of COMFORT, or discomfort to you

- If you can feel UNDERSTOOD by one another

- If you can have and fulfill SHARED GOALS as a couple, or if you’ll always be going in separate directions, no matter how much you may love each other

- If the circumstances of your life support you being together, or are constantly getting in the way

- If you have a WOW feeling

- If he’ll feel inspired to knock himself out for you – or not

- If you have a healthy BALANCE OF POWER, or if you’ll only end up feeling controlled and voiceless

This Astrology Compatibility report  incorporates a powerful technique that’s been used in India for thousands of years to arrange marriages – and it never fails.

I wish I could tell you this was because I’m a genius – but it was all thanks to the very information in “The Right Man Report.” I’ve used it in sessions with thousands of women, and they’ve all utterly agreed with what it’s had to say – often to their great relief. Because of this, I’m completely confident it can help you as well. And just to convey how confident, I’m offering it to you with a no-risk, money-back guarantee.

Here’s how it works – if you order a “Right Man Report” for you and a man in your life and don’t feel it was helpful in not only seeing exactly what the relationship reality is with him, but also WHAT TO DO about it all, then just let me know within seven days and you can keep the report and not be charged a dime. Seriously.

So, you’ve got nothing to lose, but instead have a whole lot of understanding, clarity, and peace of mind to gain. Stop wasting time on relationships that will only drain you and leave you disappointed, and instead put your energy and heart where you’ll get back what you truly long for and deserve…

You can sign up for my free astrology newsletters and order your astrology compatibility report by going here:

http://www.loveisinthestars.com/

Inside my free Newsletter you’ll learn:

* The truth about compatibility, and whether or not a relationship will be worth it, or if it’s just a waste of time and energy

* The astrological secret to experiencing more love with less “work”

* 5 common myths about your sign and why they could be preventing you from true love and happiness

* 5 proven tips for emotional fulfillment astrologers can’t or won’t tell you

* How your “astrological seasons” work… and the time TRUE LOVE will come

*  How to recognize astrologically “afflicted” partners who can’t meet your needs

*  The 7 secrets to communicating with a man that will bring more affection into your life (even when you share difficult feelings or ask for more)

*  “Must-know” insights about your chart under Vedic Astrology

* What your Moon Sign reveals about lasting romance in your relationship

*And you’ll also get a FREE subscription to my exclusive Love & Astrology Letter…

 

I’ll Blog again soon!

May God and his planets and stars shower you with love!

Carol Allen

 

Here’s what a few women who’ve experienced my astrology techniques have said:

“Carol definitely steered me straight with the Vedic reading regarding my long-term off and on again ?boyfriend.? For so long I always wondered when the right time would come when we would be in sync and he would finally fully commit to me. Then the reading! I then understood from our charts that we were meant to be friends and that the connection we had and continue to have is more intellectual than emotional. What a relief to not beat myself up about it anymore. I no longer feel rejected but, instead, appreciated.”

- M.H., Executive, Manhattan Beach, CA

 

“Thank you so much for doing a compatibility analysis for M. and me. Using Vedic astrology was cool as it illuminated some areas I wasn’t aware of from other astrology readings and provided lots of detail I’d been missing. Though things had been challenging, your reading gave me the peace of mind I needed as well as insights into how to handle our relationship dynamics in order to take it to a deeper level. It’s really helped!”

- K.M., Store Manager, Los Angeles, CA

 

“Through Vedic astrology Carol offered a clear explanation of why the unfulfilling relationship I was hanging on to for years was so powerful and challenging to leave. She identified and clarified the key issues I’d struggled to understand about myself and him that years of therapy never got close to, which allowed me to move on and open myself to a new life.”

- M.M., Entrepreneur, San Diego, CA

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