KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

April 5 through April 11, 2021

The Sun will be moving through creative Aries this week, inspiring our hearts and minds and giving us a glance into the possibilities for the future. We can expect an easy-going and smooth-flowing week ahead, as the Moon touches base with many of the planets and tones down any conflict or worries. An upbeat mood is sure to surround us as the Moon saunters through Aquarius the first three days of the week, emanating friendship, cooperation, and joy. Unconditional love is also a gift of this Moon, making it easy for us to embrace the differences, as well as the similarities of all who cross our paths. The Pisces Moon on Thursday and Friday evokes our spiritual sides, evoking a sense of being one with the Universe. The weekend unfolds under an Aries Moon, culminating in a new Moon on Sunday. This is a great time to reconnect with loved ones, dive into something creative, or simply practice the art of being!

Revitalizing the Creative Spirit, by Lisa Hunt

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Nature has a lot to teach us. Just before a hurricane struck my town in South Florida, the animals began to act strangely: birds flew in a hurried manner, the usual cacophony of frogs grew silent, and my cats acted skittish and nervous. As the palm fronds began waving erratically the world assumed an eerie presence that spoke of the ominous event ahead. The ferocity of the winds grew in intensity and barreled down on us; lifting trees, roof tiles and screened-in porches, I started wondering about the many animals that were being exposed to winds exceeding 110 miles per hour. How can they survive under such extreme conditions?

After the storm, everyone emerged from their homes in my neighborhood to check on each other and inspect the damage. There was the initial shock upon looking at the devastation, but then many of us put on work gloves and began engaging in the arduous clean up. The plant life took a beating and I didn't hear the usual frog croaks, but as the hours passed I grew to appreciate the miraculous resilience of nature more than ever. Wildlife began to reawaken from its organic shelters in my garden. One emerald green fly was sitting on a leaf looking stunned but alive. After a few minutes, it spread its wings and flew into a now serene atmosphere. Great herons landed in the yard and began foraging through the rain-soaked grass, opportunitists in the midst of the disaster. Even the cats began to assume their normal feline antics. They instinctively knew the storm was over and that life goes on.

The persistent hot days of summer broke with a hurricane-steering cold front. The days grow shorter, the nights cooler and the festive tropical atmosphere that dominated the summer season is a little more subdued. As the days pass since that storm, I have become more reflective and more appreciative of nature's awesome power and resilience. I have been cajoled into a sort of hibernating mental state, letting mind and body rest after the intensity of the destructive hurricane season.

I have been understandably distracted, but at the same time, the hurricane and subsequent cooler weather has wakened me out of a seemingly deep sleep of unawareness. Before the storm, I was working too intensely and obsessively feeling driven by impending deadlines. Creativity is something to be nurtured and respected. It cannot be forced. It is an extension of a soul's need to express itself. I'm sure most of us have experienced burn out and many of us don't even realize that it is happening. The continual efforts that we put forth without pause can actually result in uninspired, lackluster material. It is as though we start peddling backwards with no landmarks of achievement in sight.

Instead of stagnating in the midst of a project, sometimes it is good to slow down, take a deep breath and allow the senses to be rejuvenated. We don't need a big storm to initiate this more sensible approach to creativity. Take a walk, read a book by the fire, or engage in a ritual that helps remove you from the mundane pressures of everyday life. Even though you may feel your creative endeavors deserve all your attention, you can actually trigger an aversion to what was once your most enjoyable pastime.

It is necessary to let yourself go and allow your mind to be fed, inspired and rejuvenated as a prelude to another spate of activity. People often ask me how I create so much artwork—where do all of those ideas come from? For me, inspiration is a combination of external stimulus and internal exploration. New ideas will spring forth after a period of dormancy. This is analogous to the new buds that start poking through the newly defrosted springtime soil. Creative vigor will return with an irrepressible energy if you let it. Ideas burgeon to life and manifest themselves in spirited articulations and depictions if you allow them to germinate as they will. After my own forced retreat into hibernation, I am starting to feel a wonderful rejuvenating spirit return. The post-hurricane haze is dissolving into a new cycle of creative need. This is when sketches, paintings and other gifts from the muse will overflow and ignite my creative passion. When creativity is exhausted, I have to recognize the signals for another cycle of reprieve. Maintaining a balance between proactive creative acceleration and reflective idea gathering is paramount to creative longevity. This is not always easy. It may take a conscious will of spirit to slow down and take a break.

If we look upon the patterns and cycles of nature, we can see the displays of nature as poignant metaphors of our own psychological makeup. Hibernation is nature's way of pausing. For many animals, their torpid states allow them to survive through inclement environments until spring beckons their revival. We can observe this cycle of activity and inactivity and apply it to our patterns of creative engagement.

Life after the hurricane will eventually return to normal. My shredded bougainvillea vine will sprout new buds and the frogs will return with their nightly symphonies. I am sure my garden will grow back stronger and more beautiful next season. And I intend to sketch its progress with renewed inspiration.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2005. All rights reserved.

I keep hearing that my astrological sign is incorrect due to something called a wobble that has thrown off the constellations and added a 13th sign, or moved everyone's sign. I'm totally confused. My birthday is in early June, which would make me a Gemini. Am I really a Cancer? Or does it go backwards, making me a Taurus? What's the scoop?

Brian

Astrea:

The famous astrologer Carl Payne Tobey is credited with the discovery of Moon Wobbles, which always occur when the transiting Sun makes contact with the lunar nodes. They happen about four times a year and generally are about two weeks in duration.

Moon Wobbles create events and cause things to happen that are similar to a Mercury Retrograde, so things seem to be unsettled or intensified during these times.

Generally, Moon Wobbles can be held responsible for car crashes, mechanical breakdowns, and people over-reacting to emotional issues. On the positive side, sometimes they produce increased awareness and creativity.

Moon Wobbles don't determine your Sun Sign, but where your Moon is in your chart will usually show what kind of reaction you will generally have during one of these astrological events. Your personal horoscope probably contains information as to whether you were born at one of these times or not. If your astrologer omitted that information, it's easy enough to look up on the internet.

During a Moon Wobble, it's not advisable to sign a new lease, buy or sell a home, plant a garden or travel, unless you can be extremely flexible. Try to avoid arguments with others, especially with spouses, parents and children, as conflicts that begin during these times can be volatile and very difficult to resolve.

It's best not to start a new job or project or have major repairs done to your car or your home. Following the same precautions advisable during a Mercury Retrograde can help you stay on a smoother track. The key to doing well is to try not to react to things that would normally push your buttons.

As a Gemini, flexibility won't be a challenge for you, and during a Moon Wobble (especially if you were born during one) this trait would intensify. Expecting the unexpected is a way of life for Air Signs, so living with all sorts of surprises and sudden shifts may be fun for you. Nevertheless, it's still wise to take extra care during volatile periods.

While I think that this is an interesting feature of astrology, for me personally, it's not something that is in effect all the time; it comes and goes. Some people do just fine and hardly notice these planetary changes in their lives.

I'm pretty old-fashioned in my astrology work, so in my view, they're not all that important when it comes to a person's life and personality. However, this is something fun to study and find out about in your own chart.

*****

Susyn:

Thanks for a great question. This is a theory that popped up in the mid-1990's and has been causing quite a stir ever since. It's based on a scientific study that measured the shift in the earth's axis (called the wobble). This study suggests that the constellations are no longer moving in sync with the ancient dates assigned to the zodiac in early times.

This was used by skeptics as just one more reason why astrological practices aren't valid, and it generated a lot of confusion about sun signs, as your question indicates. Unfortunately, this whole theory was based on a misconception about how the signs of the zodiac came into being and what they are based upon.

In truth, the signs, degrees and divisions of the zodiac have no connection to the heavenly constellations that bear their same names. Instead, they were originally based on an imaginary elliptical belt surrounding the earth. These sign designations are determined by the seasons of the year, not the stars above.

An easier way to view this is to remember that our seasons start on the first day the Sun enters a particular sign, so the first day of spring (in the Northern hemisphere) corresponds with the onset of Aries; for summer, it's the first day the Sun is in Cancer; for autumn, it's the first day in Libra, and for winter, it's the first day in Capricorn.

Because the constellations are fixed stars in the sky, they hold little place in the reading of an astrological chart, as they don't create transits or vary from client to client. The signs of the zodiac were created over 2,000 years ago, as first recorded in Greek history; they were named long before most corresponding constellations were identified or named.

So you can rest assured that you are still a Gemini. Since that means there are already two of you, I'm sure you don't really want to add another sign to the mix!

Just for reference, however, there are some instances where you may experience a change in your Sun sign. For example, if you decide to explore Vedic astrology, your Sun would move 23 degrees backwards, which could easily identify you as a Taurus instead of a Gemini born within the first 23 degrees of your sign.

Keep in mind that Eastern and Western astrology are two very different practices. One leans more toward predictive readings, while the other finds its center in spiritual growth and development. Both work well for the purposes for which they were designed, and by understanding the difference, you can get the information you're seeking.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.