THINGS I KNOW ABOUT AQUARIANS

Yes, I do know Aquarians well. 

• Both my oldest sister (one of my terminal sibs) and first husband (deceased) were born in Aquarius a day apart (Jan 25th & 26th) in the same year (1948). They were unique but very opposite in spite of being born within hours of one another.
• Aquarians are strong thinkers, known for their independent, adventurous spirit.
• Aquarians are air signs-they live in their heads (mostly intuitive thinkers). Underneath all that intellectualization is a heart, but it plays second fiddle to all that intense internal ideation.
• Aquarians love thinking, freedom, flight, anything innovative, and the abstract.
• Being an Aquarian will give one a certain amount of karmic leverage because Aquarius is associated with social justice. Absolving karmic debt through equanimity is one of their greatest strengths.
• Aquarians rarely have their feet on the ground. However, without Aquarians there would not be as many eureka moments, champions of the downtrodden, inspired creations, inventive genius, or brilliant scholars.
• Aquarians top the charts for iconoclasts. Of course, no one has to tell them that. All of them believe, to some extent, that they are so exceptional that are almost a different species.
• Most Aquarian males have the strong tendency to royally piss off all the women with whom they have been in a relationship. One can never win or be 'right' with them. Although I must say, at times they gracefully pretend to concede which makes them look almost believable. 
• Their need for unencumbered freedom means the chance of having a defined, traditional relationship with them is about as likely as getting hit by lightning. Whatever relationship you have is a concoction of what they perceive is ideal for their lofty sense of reality. 
• Aquarian's charismatic sense of humor enables them to deftly smooth ruffled feathers, make mad faces smile, and gives them a powerful weapon especially when dealing with the wrath of the female gender.
• They skillfully know how to create a hypnotizing reality and are shocked when people question it.  
• Aquarians frequently mistake themselves for royalty, someone historically important, or people who are so incredibly special that life's silly rules do not apply to them.
• Aquarians are represented by the "Fool" in Tarot (cards). The Fool is the highest card in Tarot and begins it with the number zero. Zero represents Creator. The Fool is guided by a path no one else can fathom. In Tarot, he represents the summa cum laude of wisdom. He symbolizes the ability to forge one's one destiny by defying the odds and trusting in one's intuition.
• The best way to get along with an Aquarian is to give them plenty of space, try not to grasp or hold onto their airiness, realize sometimes they do land back on earth, and remind them gently that we are all mere humans. 

Remembering the Loves We've Lost

Today is Memorial Day, summer's season of warmth and light.
How contrary a day to recognize those whose shining presence have passed.
Flowers will be brought to the cemetery. Tears will be shed.
Our hearts ache with painful longing. We feel the emotional vacuum left behind.
We will honor those felled by combat as well as those felled by life.

Know our grief is not empty. Know their lives were not in vain.
Their legacy remains in our hearts and memories.
With gratitude, we keep their contributions to us as a perpetual comfort.
In stillness we recognize even their weaknesses gave us strength.
Honoring them is to live life more fully, buoyed by their spirit.

On this day intended to remember lives lost, we also remind ourselves of the love they imparted to us. By releasing our armor and opening our hearts we never lose their presence. 

In recognition of all those who have died, I bless them by reciting the Phowa:

"Through your blessing, grace and guidance,
 through the power of the light that streams from you:

 May all of your negative karma, destructive emotions, obscurations, and 
 blockages be purified and removed.

 May you know yourself forgiven for all the harm you may have thought and done.

 And through the triumph of your death, may you be able to benefit all other   
 beings, living and dead."

Smiles of Summer's First Night

Radiating through violet shadows

resplendent rays of moonlit charm

Smiles of a summer night. -Rajlakshmi

Oh to revel in the arms of one so cherished

Carelessly abandoning reason for tenderness.

Swept away by the preciousness of the moment

Fearlessly diving off the precipice of apprehension.

All considerations, misgivings, and trepidation disappear

Dissolved by an intuitive excitement,  

Enticing and inspiring an organic passion,

Leaving the speechless awestruck.

The smiles of summer's first night

Signals the verdant promise of cultivation.

Melding the heart's desire with mindful intent,

Brilliantly creating a mystical lightness of being.

Oh to revel in a union so pure

Attesting to the benevolent grace

Of a sacred summer smile 

Connecting heart, mind, and soul.

Rest in Peace BB King

Thank you BB King. As a young white child from a very racist community, you were a beacon of light. Listening to your music changed my life. By showering me with your deep heart-drawn blues, you made me realize how powerful music is in combating racism. It also reinforced how wrong racism is, making me a lone child speaking for equality in an unequal world. You sang and played your Lucille with such profound depth, I could not imagine how anyone could not relating to the humanity of your music.

The thrill you gave is gone but we will always remember you as the master of the blues. Thank you for your presence and all the joy you gave us with your music. 

Rest in Peace, BB King, Majesty of the Blues.

Being New Mooned by a Bull Drifting into Mercury Retrograde

Officially the New Moon in Taurus begins on May 17th at 9:13pm PDT. Hot on its heels, the next day Mercury stations retrograde until June 11th in Gemini which it rules. How is this all going to make us feel? Like this:

Balance will be a key element in the week ahead. Taurus, the second earth sign which signifies spring will have some unpredictable variables catching us off guard with Gemini's windy, scattered communications. As we try to find our ground, the New Moon is slightly pushing us off balance because nature moves in cycles. We are in a season of growth; this is a time for seeding the uncertainty of our dreams without a safety net. Hypnotized by the clever distractions for constancy, we delude ourselves with our hard reality which will make us fall over backwards. Relaxing and enjoying this ride is what is called for but feels like the last thing we can do. What we can do, for a split second, is absorb what is needed next by taking it all in and letting it reach equilibrium.

As you know, Mercury retrograde is no time for impulsive decision making. It's like a magician's trick, you think you know how it's done but you're not paying attention. Looking back is a piece of puzzle to the solution of knowing how the magic is done. Now I'm not referring to obsession but peaking back at what is incomplete, unfinished, or needs a second look. This purpose is not to reawaken the dead but to understand your part in whatever is leftover keeping you from moving forward.

Time to pick up the mirror and put down the microscope.

Stop making worms into anacondas.

Realize the train you're on has left the station.

The Universe is impartial to how you feel about what you're going through. Resistance is futile.

Keeping moving forward.

May's Full Moon in Scorpio 8:42pm (PDT)

"Full Flower Moon – May In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon." -the Farmer's Almanac

This Full Moon lunation brings both the stable earth energy of Taurus mixed with the watery depths of Scorpio. Under this spring moon's light we will not be able to hide from the subjects generating emotional extremes. Expect some high drama as moonlight illuminates ground-shaking information. Just as winter is giving way to spring, we are being asked to give way to whatever is preventing us from experiencing much needed renewal.

Planting season has begun with the summer solstice right around the corner. The joy of growth is also sometimes accompanied by violent thunderstorms,  powerful tornadoes, and torrential flooding. Every spring is a crap shoot, especially if one if a farmer. Scorpio's Full Moon reminds us that growth happens in spite of obstacles. Encountering and examining deep-seated fears, regrets, and unresolved issues is a way to keep grounded. Yet isn't spring a season of hope? Where is the May Full Moon shining its light in your life? What needs to be buried compassionately in order for new growth to flourish? The illumination of this Scorpio Full Moon's will point the way.