Social Moon Time

We are in the DISSEMINATING MOON phase (Dec. 14 - Dec 17)

Celebrate Your Life!!

In the West we can get so focused on what we don't have, we may forget to honor what we do. There is magic in celebrating what you've already created. Metaphysicians know that acknowledging what's good in your life draws even more good your way. You can do this by making a list. But during the Disseminating Moon phase, its even better to talk about it. This is a social moon. Do you have a good friend with whom you can do a little bragging? Let them know what you nave in mind. Make a date when you can share all the positive things that have happened in the last two weeks. Agree not to mention anything negative. Notice how you feel at the end of your mutual celebration. This is how it feels when you dance in your energy of success.

The MOON is in LEO (until Thursday @ 10:58pm est) - give into spontaneous heart-felt impulses! Visit the florist on your lunch hour. Choose sunflowers, marigold - yellow flowers inspire sunny thoughts. Allow your playful spirit to be infectious today. Experiment with jasmine and juniper oils; they can soothe the heart and relieve stress. Experience a heart awakening of some kind. Massage your heart center around your breasts/chest; deep breathing can help fuel the flame in your heart.

Feed your heart chakra and heal emotional hurts with foods such as:

* Leafy vegetables: spinach, kale, dandelion greens, etc.
* Air vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, squash, etc.
* Liquids: green teas
* Spices: basil, sage, thyme, cilantro, parsley

ABUNDANCE EXERCISE:

A clenched fist that holds on to what it has is also a hand that can not receive. Energetically, we give and receive with the same chakras. To increase the flow of abundance coming your way, be sure to regularly prosper others. During this Moon phase, make a point to give a gift to someone who needs it. This should be easy since its the holiday season and a time of giving and receiving. Don't think of this gift as an X-mas gift. Think of it as a gift of abundance you give to someone else. Notice how amazingly good this feels.

Your Report Card for Mercury Retrograde

“According to figures from the Federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the percentage of late flights into and out of La Guardia Airport during the past three summers rose to 24.6 during Retrograde periods from 22.8 during non-Retrograde periods. What's more, during the past three years, claims of mishandled domestic baggage rose to 5.44 per 1,000 passengers during months when Mercury spent more than half the time in Retrograde from 5.38 per 1,000 in months when the planet was not in Retrograde. That works out to one extra lost bag per 15,000 passengers.” Those are not hugely impressive numbers, but they are objective enough to help us believe that Mercury Retrograde’s effects are quite real.

To think of the Mercury Retrograde period as simply “bad” is a very simpleminded kind of astrology. It is indeed bad for certain things - and quite excellent for others. When a planet is Retrograde it is going back into earlier degrees of the zodiac. It is returning to ground it has already covered, in other words. And it is encouraging us to do exactly the same thing, “on earth, as it is heaven,” so to speak.

So how has the retrograde unfolded for you? Did you finally see what you've overlooked or been blind to? Did you get a chance to catch a past error and to how it was no accident but a much needed event although you missed it?

During Mercury Retrograde we attempt to go against nature's currents because we are totally out of sync with the energies. Accidents are plenty and in various forms. The biggest tip I offer those around me sleep more, get plenty of rest, slow down, do less, your past is trying to catch up with you to help you see it in a whole new light.

A client of mine has been having a very challenging retrograde time. He has locked his keys in his car at least 3 times now, had near miss car wrecks, car skids and other challenges as he is currently separated from his fresh new wife that he's been married to for less than a year. Much is coming up for the both of them as I observe that they each handle this separation in slightly different ways with 'Fear' as the common factor. Is this retrograde a blessing in disguise for them to see what they could not see in the brief time they've been together with so much quarrels and fights? Will they see that they have worked on the material aspect of their relationship - first their physical meeting and the sudden marriage proposal, an elaborate wedding, the purchase of a new home, the arrival of new baby, new jobs, quitting an old one and a new life together - all under a year, leaving the spirit of their relationship and themselves to suffer? Did they sacrifice the emotional and spiritual - non-material - aspect of their relationship for that which can crumble and fall?

We are all about to get our report cards on how well we did with this Mercury Retrograde period from which we are now emerging. Mercury goes direct tomorrow but the ripple effects last a few days after.

Mercury entered Sagittarius on November 2. Sagittarius correlates with your basic beliefs. That means your philosophy of life, but also your fundamental explanation of “what is going on” in your life. You have been invited, since Mercury turned Retrograde on November 24th, to reflect upon errors and bad assumptions in your understanding. No one likes to do this - and Sagittarius is linked to the universal human desire to be “right!” Yet you have been afforded a chance to reflect on your mistaken attitudes and to weed out beliefs that will make a monkey of you if refuse to see them.

On December 13, Mercury goes Direct. You will be plunging ahead, unfettered. Wisely? Stupidly? Thinking you are bullet-proof? Believing you are right about everything? Setting yourself up to say “oops” in a few weeks? Or will you have have used this Retrograde Sagittarian Mercury period to sort out facts and truth from errors and comforting lies? Were you patient, humble, and reflective - or did you light the fuse on a firecracker in your back pocket?

From January 8 through 27, Mercury is passing through Capricorn, a sign that is linked to commitments and “getting real.” This is the “grown-up world,” and it will up the ante. Will you actually buy that sports car that will only make you miserable - and your chiropractor happy? Or will you harvest the sweet fruits of patience and reflection.

To use Mercury Retrograde periods to sort ourselves out is the aim. Exactly what we are sorting out we can deduce from knowing the sign in which Mercury is moving. (If you are an astrologer, it helps to know the House through which Mercury is passing, and the aspects it is making too). In this case, the sign was Sagittarius, so the errors were tied into our beliefs.

Next Retrograde period. Mercury will make its Station in Aries on March 12, 2012, but then Retrograde back into Pisces on March 23rd, turning Direct there on April 4th. You may, for example, be given a chance to reflect on the right (or wrong) balance between aggression (Aries) and surrender (Pisces). And by fighting that war in your head, you may avoid fighting it in the world.

Mercury’s retrograde periods give us a chance to weed out our thoughts, to go back over our assumptions, to filter out mistakes and rationalizations. If we use it that way, it can be a precious, productive period.


** Excerpts from Your Mercury Retrograde Report Card by Steven Forrest

MOON WATCH: Earthly Pleasures-R-Us!

Our radiant Moon has just entered the beautiful, sensual sign of Taurus on this damp and sun-shy morning. Taurus combines the warmth of the Sun with the cozy warmth of Lady Venus and the Force behind this sensual sign is Comfort - with a capital "C". Earthly Pleasures-R-Us! I know intimately because I am a recipient of a Taurus Moon combined with Jupiter so with me I am and need plenty of that. I love fuzzy quilts, soft blankets, lots of pillows, warm soft clothing on my skin, a zen garden in my home, walking barefooted or naked at other times, long, hot bubble baths, naturally scented candles, earth's healing stones, aromatherapy -bergamont, lemongrass, lavender, ylang ylang, sweet orange are a few of my favorite.

I am playing music in the background which lingers from my intense dance work-out this morning. I am still moving my body and enjoying the power of the invisible musical waves that flows through every cell in me. Snapping my finger and really feeling good, I am immersed in the essence of this Moon as it touches me natally. We Taurus influenced folks love to be in Venusian situations, we absolutely enjoy art galleries, restaurants, beautiful home and spaces and more. And its always a delight being around Venusian people I love - doing Venusian things. If you have any Venus ruled friends then get together with them during this Taurus Moon.

With the Moon in Taurus until Thursday at 6:34pm it's a great time to listen to music, pick fragrant flowers from outdoors or buy some, work in the garden, spruce u your home space or office or engage in other experiences that give you pleasure. Yes, its also a delicious time to make love to yourself or another. It's a touchy, feely time so indulge your senses in a healthy way.

Since Taurus rules the throat - our avenue of expression and channel of creativity - it's also the best time to do something that can soothe and balance that part of the body. A nice soothing cup of herbal tea with a lemony, honey natural flavor, sweet rose or even an apple cinnamon spice infusion are a few nice options. A massage to the neck and shoulders using a few drops of lavender essential oil can be quite beneficial. Taurus also governs the thyroid gland so singing will open up your creative channel. Enjoy the sound of your own voice. And if you are having a sore throat or stiffness in your neck or developing a cold then this may mean you've been swallowing words that need expressing. The wise counsel says avoid surgery of tonsil or teeth during this time.

Make sure to particularly protect your throat and ears during the Taurus Moon. A great day for scarves if its chilly outside. Taurus is all about sensuality & the senses while the moon is about feeling & our emotions. Connect the two and engage in experiences that evoke pleasure or allow you to give pleasure to another. Your kinesthetic senses may be especially heightened during this time and can serve as an additional tool to tune into how you feel about certain situations and people.

So how are you feeling during this Taurus Moon? Notice the connection between the Moon and the events that take place in and around you? I'd love to hear how you are experiencing this sensual Taurus Moon which lasts until Thursday, the 8th of Dec at 6:34pm est and them off to Gemini it goes. So enjoy it and remember to give lots of hugs and kisses to those you love today. Those hugs will have a magical touch that will be especially warm and healing!

Lost Between the Moons

The title of this blog is one way to describe a Moon "Void-of-Course". And I am writing this one precisely at the onset of a very long void-of-course. The Moon just left Pisces a little after 1pm est and is now in between or in the gap before it reaches its next destination - the Aries zone - a little after 8pm est tomorrow night. That's a 31 hour void-of-course.

The transient void-of-course Moon is not the time to start new things, force issues or carry out important negotiations. Neither should we go on a shopping spree, unless we like having "useless" unused or unusable items just taking up space. I have a couple of pieces that I purchased and never wore. It's either hanging in my closet, standing without my feet in them or tucked away in my jewelry box. Sounds familiar? This is a time to kick back, relax, meditate, and to tend to unfinished tasks; an excellent time to polish off creative projects and those requiring imagination.

Before looking further at the natal void-of-course Moon, let's focus on the Moon's role first. It is the heavenly body, which reflects the rays of the Sun. The Sun is vitality, ego and the most prominent planet in the natal chart - the Moon shows its reflection. Reflection is an interesting phenomenon, pick up a photograph of yourself or stand in front of the mirror. Does one of your eyebrow sit higher or is there a birthmark on one side of your face? If you're naked, does one of your breast appear bigger than the other? Do you look like the picture you hold up? You may say no while another may say yes. Fascinating isn't it? You see the opposite of that image reflection in the mirror. Now think about the reflection of ourselves that others bring for us to see of ourselves that which we see in them and deny seeing or accepting in ourselves.

When it comes to our Moon expressions - there is no right or wrong reaction, responses or emotions. There are simply difference. So an Aries Moon woman will not respond emotionally the same as a Gemini Moon woman. The Aries Moon woman reacts instantaneously and does something about it while the Gemini Moon woman wants to talk about it first. Someone with a "void-of-course" natal moon will react totally different. In fact you are likely to get no reaction from them, at the very least it is not an apparent, visual response. They have a different perspective than we "on-course-moon" people. As for "void-of-course" people, there is incredible depth to their perceptions and immense control over their reactions. It is, as if they know something that us on-course-Moon people cannot fathom.

Knowing the Moon sign and emotional language of yourself and your lover or significant other can help you determine emotional compatibility and help you better understand how you and your partner or friend responds emotionally to life. Most relationships fail, fall apart or are emotionally draining and destructive because each person may be speaking a different emotional language. This means poor emotional communications and a very low emotional IQ (intelligence quotient).

During "void-of-course" moon times, people are non-committal, almost indecisive, less focused on the practical issues of life and temporarily without a focused direction. If you want a loan, a new job, or to avoid a tax audit, proceed with Moon thusly placed and you'll have nothing to worry about or nothing will come of it.

Moon void-of-course times are best enjoyed with flexibility and a sense of going with the flow. Finish up the old and if you can, just sleep it off and enjoy the moments of being lost between the moons.

Back Down "Green" Memory Lane

With a smile on my face and in my heart this Sunday morning, I recall the very first "greenhouse" in my life. I grew up on the West Coast of Africa where Green Living was in effect well before I was even born. Organic foods, water and energy conservation, pesticide free foods growing in my back yard, hormone and drug free chicken and meats, natural clothing, coconut trees standing tall outside my window and coconuts lacing the grounds, fruits waiting to be picked. These were a few of my favorite green things.

I came on this planet through a "Green Birth". I arrived by way of a natural birthing process with the help of a midwife and I was transplanted near the Atlantic Ocean. I was the only child out of 4 daughters who's womb journey and live path would be natural, earthy and green. While growing up, I was teased here and there by my family. They would say that I'd one day become a Nun or that I should start my own church. I believe the Nun description came from a lack of title or words to describe me; the idea originating from our Catholic foundation that we grew up in. But I was and am far from being a Nun, although I was surrounded by them at school and church, there is no way that I would sacrifice the pure pleasure of intimacy and sex for anything or any one. My spiritual interests and practices have always been that of an eco kind, sensual, heart focused and experiential rather than religious. And being of a dominantly earth element (Capricorn/Taurus), my pathway through life has always gravitated towards the natural, the real, the earthy.

My first encounter with a greenhouse was when I was an adolescent. My mother's best friend was probably the only woman who owned and cultivated a "greenhouse" in my entire country. I was named after her. Angelique is our name. She was my beloved godmother. And I always looked forward to visiting her with my favorite part being the tour of the greenhouse and the German Shepards she owned. Aunt Angelique was married to a dentist - Uncle Jake. They had 5 children - two of the boys became doctors. Michael became a physician and Francis became a dentist like his father. The girls were Donna and Ann. And there was Samuel Jerome (SJ) and Jamie who were nephews that lived there. (Jamie used to be a boyfriend of mine. He once got bitten by one of the Shepards and instinctively bit the dog back.) My Aunty Angelique was as beautiful and graceful as the flowers she grew in her greenhouse. She was gentle and very feminine in nature with a soothing and soft voice just like the complexion of her milky skin.

I was fascinated by this glass house - open and visible on all sides - where very lush and green plants and flowers grew constantly. I would sometimes arrive and Aunt Angelique would be in her greenhouse with her gloves on. I'd find her squatting or kneeling on the ground with her hands digging in the soil, fertilizing, planting or with a water jug in her hand feeding and hydrating her babies - plants. To tell the truth, I had no of idea of the environmental or ecological value of this glasshouse called a greenhouse. Although, I also had those squirming moments of seeing creepy crawly creatures and an occasional snake, I grew up loving its spirit, its beauty and a growing desire to one day have my own. I still want to own one and can see it as an annex to my retirement property.

Until then, I love having plants in my home space. Houseplants improve indoor air quality. They add oxygen to the room’s air by the process of photosynthesis. They also add humidity to the air by the process of transpiration. Both of these factors make the air healthier for us to breathe. Indoor house plants remove toxins from the air given off by the materials used to build, decorate and furnish our houses and offices. These toxins include benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. They also help to rid the rooms of other pollutants generated by furnaces, stoves and smoking.
House plants make a beautiful addition to any indoor space. They add color and texture to the room. Attractive indoor house
create impact and give life to any home. So when I go to other people's homes and I see it laced with plastic plants and flowers it always tells of story of the depths of the individual's artificiality.

There are various types of greenhouses. A home greenhouse can be attached to a house or garage, or it can be a freestanding structure. The chosen site and personal preference can dictate the choices to be considered. An attached greenhouse can be a half greenhouse, a full-size structure, or an extended window structure. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type. My Aunty Angelique owned a freestanding structure. It stood on its own, detached and was located on her home property separate from her house. Find out more about planning and building a Greenhouse.

I have learned that much of the sun's energy reaches earth as visible light. Of the visible light that enters the atmosphere, about 30% is reflected back out into space by clouds, snow and ice-covered land, sea surfaces, and atmospheric dust. The rest is absorbed by the liquids, solids, and gases that constitute our planet. The energy absorbed is eventually remitted, but not as visible light (only very hot objects such as the sun can emit visible light). Instead, it's emitted as longer-wavelength light called infrared radiation. This is also called "heat" radiation, because although we cannot see in infrared, we can feel its presence as heat. This is what you feel when you put your hand near the surface of a hot skillet. Certain gases in our atmosphere (known as "trace" gases because they make up only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere) can absorb this outgoing infrared radiation, in effect trapping the heat energy. This trapped heat energy makes the earth warmer than it would be without these trace gases. This means that a lot of the light we see during the day is a reflection of the sun's light on the earth. Fascinating eh?

Community Supported Agriculture

"Let Food be your Medicine and Medicine be your Food"
Hippocrates in 400 BC

Please consider joining the Winter CSA season and telling your friends about it too.

Appreciate and enjoy an array of items offered weekly for your whole menu, all biodynamic or organic nutrient-dense foods, cooking and eating according to the seasons, and perhaps most important this year is supporting good farm and the spirit of community!

It is a blessing to serve the table with the certainty that your family is nourished with food free of chemicals, hormones and genetically manufactured products and to be supporting farms that heal the earth and protect our food supply.

301-654-4899, box 5 or spiritualfood@schooloflife.org

Go to www.spiritualfoodcsa.org for more information.

SPIRITUAL FOOD CSA
Winter/Spring Registration Open Now
November 30 2011 – May 23, 2012

Crisp fall apples, fresh winter greens, hearty warming veges for cold Winter days
Support excellent farmers --- and --- food security

Season Schedule: November 2011 – May 2012; 6 months, 24 weeks
o pick up weekly on Wednesdays
o Location: Bethesda, Arlington, Takoma Park, or Washington Waldorf School
o skip 2 weeks at the end of the year (holiday)

Shares include:
o Greens and other vegetables, roots, herbs, fresh fruit, dried fruit, whole grains including sourdough (no yeast) bread, legumes, eggs, cheese, yogurt, homemade pasta, and specialty items to try
o 100% Biodynamic and Organic ; Local/Regional
o There is one share size designed for couple or small family. Single people who love good food and home cooking can use one share. People who are single, travel a lot, or are just getting started with eating whole foods often prefer to split a share with a partner.
o A volunteer opportunity, not mandatory but necessary to run the CSA


Registration forms available
o on the website
o attached to the e-mail announcement
o at pick up sites

Share Price: $900
o Payment: Lump sum or 3 installments of $300 ea dated Nov 1, Jan 1 and Mar 1
o Early Bird installment schedule is Nov, then Jan 1 and March 1 for $300

Half Shares: Partner with a friend, neighbor, relative, co-worker or we can help you find someone to split your membership. You could pick up alternate weeks or divide the share in half every week.

To find out more about . . .
* Why Biodynamic * Why We Love CSA * Volunteering * FAQs * How to use the Food
* Social Transformation * Who is the School of Life . . and to meet the farmers visit us at www.spiritualfoodcsa.org
Spiritual Food CSA >> 301-654-4899 box #5

On The Spiritual Food CSA

Things have changed since we began operation in 1998:

v There is a high level of awareness of the food/health connection – more people want real food: unprocessed and not tampered with
v People are concerned about food security
v More people want to eat locally and seasonally, and support small farms
v Climate change is affecting farmers and the food supply
v The government is cracking down on farms and on organized people who are trying to maintain there right to healthy food and making it harder and harder for small farms to stay in operation.

There is also lots of fear for the future, and we believe the best response to fear is LOVE:

v Love of life, Mother Earth, oneself, other people near and far, love of all creation
v Love in the broadest sense of the word: trust, faith, accepting, self-sacrifice, all-inclusive; ultimately unconditional
v Love in action

Community Supported Agriculture is one way to put love into action. We encourage your continued commitment, especially as the weather patterns put stress on the farms. This is something we need to remind ourselves of constantly, especially in these times when food security is a concern - how we as a community, with the financial resources we have, can keep alive the ideal of preserving those farms that will safe-keep the land, knowledge and capacity to produce truly healthy food.

What is unique about this CSA? It is founded on these basic principles:
Good Food <> Healthy Soil/Healthy Planet <> Equitable Economics <> Supporting a net of Small Farmers <> Service <> Community

Therefore, we are asking you to consider participating and also to help spread the word about our CSA in your community. Can you post a flyer at work, school, stores, or forward this link to your local list?


SEASON STARTS IN 3 WEEKS – NOW IS THE TIME

although we will take later registrations if there is still space

Moon Planting

Moon Day in Aries

Sweet & Loving Moon Day to U! Today the MOON is in ARIES! And is in the 2nd quarter phase.

The Moon sets the emotional tune and the sign it transits shows the color, tune and clothing the Moon wears and what emotional waves lie deep under. With Moon in Aries, we can be impulsive, emotionally assertive and driven. This Aries Moon supports you if you've got to be dynamic, for a job interview or on a date. You can go ahead and start that short term project (not long term since Aries is good at starting and challenged at finishing) or try to sell your idea to others. Quick short activities are favored, rather than doing any tedious footwork. You can encourage a friend, work on self-promotion materials, or throw a party. The Aries Fire is there. But wait.... its Moon-day so be discerning when it comes to using your fired up Aries sparks.

In the Second Quarter moon (i.e. waxing half moon) the moonlight is strong and increasing. It is a time during which the effects of the moon and the timing of your planting encourage growth. I have a few Mum flowers that I want to plant in the ground. Today and tomorrow are good days for planting such so I hope to take advantage of the Moon's energy.

I also went far back memory lane this morning when I prepared a breakfast meal that I used to eat when I was a little girl growing up in a tropical country. My mother would make two separate pots of Cream of Wheat for me and Oat Meal for my little sister on some mornings. I loved Cream of Wheat and my sister loved Oat Meal. It was great that Mom's could prepare then both. So I picked up a pack of Bob's Red Mill Creamy Wheat Hot Cereal also known as Wheat Farina on Friday and made it for the first time this morning. Talk about an emotional teleport back into childhood. With a bright smile on my face and in my heart, the cereal warmed me up inside.

After letting the dog outdoors to do his thing, I stretched my arms out and raised my head to the great sky and trees that that peeked through the skylight in my kitchen. With heart and mind I reached out to Great Spirit, the Divine Mother and God Father asking what shall I do this day. I immediately spotted a bird sitting on one of the highest limbs. At first I was not sure it was a bird because it was in perfect stillness. I locked my eyes on it to see if there would be any movement. Then I looked elsewhere and quickly returned my gaze to the bird. It was a sizable and pretty bird, sitting. Just sitting. I kept staring and it still did not move. Then I finally realized that my question, my prayer was being answered. BE STILL!! The bird symbolized being still. And that was the perfect message for this Moon day. I am being told to ... BE STILL. :-)

MONDAYS are our MOON Days. A day when nature says connecting with the Moon creates space for Magic; a day of stillness, reflection and going within. Unfortunately we live in a society and world in which Mondays are the most stressful days and thus has taken away the power of what this day intended to be. Did you know that Mondays are the most common day people commit suicide? And did you know that Males complete suicide at a rate 3.6 times that of females. Now you see why?

Feeling Moony? Then be moony! It is an emotional state of being that is filled with messages from inner space and the temple of our hearts. Be still and listen to the distinct voice of your heart.

If you'd like to Talk Astrology and other Magical pathways of living, loving, relating and sexuality then please feel comfortable in reaching out to me @ ecosensualliving at gmail.com.