Thursday, October 29, 2015
Saturday, October 24, 2015
THE FULL HARVEST MOON IN TAURUS, OCTOBER 27TH
"– Full Hunter’s Moon or Full Harvest Moon – October This full Moon is often referred to as the Full Hunter’s Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Many moons ago, Native Americans named this bright moon for obvious reasons. The leaves are falling from trees, the deer are fattened, and it’s time to begin storing up meat for the long winter ahead. Because the fields were traditionally reaped in late September or early October, hunters could easily see fox and other animals that come out to glean from the fallen grains. Probably because of the threat of winter looming close, the Hunter’s Moon is generally accorded with special honor, historically serving as an important feast day in both Western Europe and among many Native American tribes." -The Farmer's Almanac
The Full Harvest Moon is Taurus on October 27th (5:05am PDT) is at perigee and zyzygy, making it the third Supermoon in a row. Appearing closer to the earth and larger, it will shine its lunar energy on matters concerning mystery and beauty. This is the night we dance with abandon, shed our inhibitions, and celebrate the earth's last harvest. Supermoons carry the astrological punch up to six months after the initial fireworks clear. Make no mistake about it, this orb is vacillating between shadow (Scorpio) and substance (Taurus).
Being walloped with energetic moonbeams in these two opposing signs awakens volatility, as things below the surface emerge to be resolved. Both Taurus and Scorpio are known for their stubborn earth and water natures suggesting something emotionally that has been brewing for a long time is requiring a breakthrough, causing a breakdown, or is the final straw.
Full Supermoons like this are a wake up call to dispense with the theatrics and move on. Anything could come out of the closet now: addictions, secrets, surprises, repressed behavior, etc. The shadowy side of Scorpio is highlighting what needs to be made manifest as the picture in the puzzle is calling to be completed and put away. Expect the unexpected over the next few days. It may not be good news but it is news we can use. However, with Taurus in the picture, one may get a dose of surprising thoughtfulness, tenderness, and comforting as a karmic reward. It may cause a re-thinking of a rigid position.
Taurus, the sign concerned with beauty, sensuality, and security is operating out of its shadow side. Being dazzled by appearances can make us forget about the substance we are really seeking. An impressive display may blind us to the fact we are blowing kisses to a figment of our own creation. Am I chasing shadows as a diversion from what I need to be focusing on instead?
More than ever the light of this Taurus Full Supermoon is revealing suppressed feelings, unconscious desires, and the impediments along the way. Is it the mystery we find so charming or the charm we find so mysterious?
Happy Birthday Scorpios!
Thursday, October 8, 2015
The Grim Reality of the Political Workplace
Being at the end of my career life, I can honestly appreciate my retired friends telling me to get out as soon as I can. They tire of my irritability, frustration, and abject helplessness when discussing my workplace scenarios. The biggest mistake they tell me they made, was not leaving the workplace sooner.
I am not alone. Being in the first generation to see how the rise of technology has changed the work landscape, I can say it is looking abysmal. The focus is not on doing your best, contributing to something greater, or utilizing one's natural talents to transform the world. Instead, it is on metrics, documentation, and having the proof in the numbers. Diminishing are the days we receive or have time to give good service. We mere humans are being pushed out of the way in favor of more, more, more, with less, less, less. And technology is only one of the culprits.
How technology has eroded attitudes with management and its workforce is undeniable. Often our techno devices respond to the mounting schism in the workplace with carefully worded emails, terse texts, or the ubiquitous 'this is how it is' memos. Their is no dialogue, no consideration of how eight hours at a terminal or in other confining spaces affect the body and mind. Yes, we are allowed to stretch and take breaks but in reality, how many actually do without being seen as goofing off?
Because I work in a windowless office that some genius painted storm gray, the majority of my coworkers have tested low in vitamin D, it is no surprise our building has high rates of breast and other cancers which correlates positively to low vitamin D levels. The irony is that we are a large public health building whose deluded director recently spent hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting living well. Everyday I see whitewashed happy faces of public health workers in posters around my building touting they are living well. Hate to say it, but that money would have been better spent putting in windows which bring vitamin D through sunshine (and some nicer color paint would help, too). Or maybe, just maybe we should be setting the example for good health in the workplace instead of launching a political campaign designed to promote our director as caring.
The most demoralizing aspect of this workplace is the rise of dysfunctional behavior accepted for normal. Nepotism, cronyism, and ethical violations are rampant. My boss has promoted all of her friends, even though they are totally inept, and she ends up covering for them by doing their work. Those of us that are competent, produce results, and have been lauded for our accomplishments make on average $6-8,000 less. Grieving did not help because higher management had covered up that my boss has been less than forthcoming about having a medical license required for her position. Incredibly, she did not get fired for this. Instead, her boss changed her job description and whited out the need for a license. Both have gone on to a bigger promotion and higher salaries. When these behaviors have been pointed out in numerous workplace surveys by our institution, they not only are ignored but everyone in management gets rewarded. And they wonder why we are so disgruntled.
Forget the internal whistle blower system companies installed to avoid political embarrassment by trying to get the lowdown on any ethical violations before it's leaked to the press. All it does is shore up the company's legal maneuvering when the shit hits the fan. They claim they are neutral but I have never seen anyone come through a whistle blower, even when it's supposedly confidential, without retribution.
I do not know the answer to all of this but I know I am glad I am exiting soon.
I am not alone. Being in the first generation to see how the rise of technology has changed the work landscape, I can say it is looking abysmal. The focus is not on doing your best, contributing to something greater, or utilizing one's natural talents to transform the world. Instead, it is on metrics, documentation, and having the proof in the numbers. Diminishing are the days we receive or have time to give good service. We mere humans are being pushed out of the way in favor of more, more, more, with less, less, less. And technology is only one of the culprits.
How technology has eroded attitudes with management and its workforce is undeniable. Often our techno devices respond to the mounting schism in the workplace with carefully worded emails, terse texts, or the ubiquitous 'this is how it is' memos. Their is no dialogue, no consideration of how eight hours at a terminal or in other confining spaces affect the body and mind. Yes, we are allowed to stretch and take breaks but in reality, how many actually do without being seen as goofing off?
Because I work in a windowless office that some genius painted storm gray, the majority of my coworkers have tested low in vitamin D, it is no surprise our building has high rates of breast and other cancers which correlates positively to low vitamin D levels. The irony is that we are a large public health building whose deluded director recently spent hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting living well. Everyday I see whitewashed happy faces of public health workers in posters around my building touting they are living well. Hate to say it, but that money would have been better spent putting in windows which bring vitamin D through sunshine (and some nicer color paint would help, too). Or maybe, just maybe we should be setting the example for good health in the workplace instead of launching a political campaign designed to promote our director as caring.
The most demoralizing aspect of this workplace is the rise of dysfunctional behavior accepted for normal. Nepotism, cronyism, and ethical violations are rampant. My boss has promoted all of her friends, even though they are totally inept, and she ends up covering for them by doing their work. Those of us that are competent, produce results, and have been lauded for our accomplishments make on average $6-8,000 less. Grieving did not help because higher management had covered up that my boss has been less than forthcoming about having a medical license required for her position. Incredibly, she did not get fired for this. Instead, her boss changed her job description and whited out the need for a license. Both have gone on to a bigger promotion and higher salaries. When these behaviors have been pointed out in numerous workplace surveys by our institution, they not only are ignored but everyone in management gets rewarded. And they wonder why we are so disgruntled.
Forget the internal whistle blower system companies installed to avoid political embarrassment by trying to get the lowdown on any ethical violations before it's leaked to the press. All it does is shore up the company's legal maneuvering when the shit hits the fan. They claim they are neutral but I have never seen anyone come through a whistle blower, even when it's supposedly confidential, without retribution.
I do not know the answer to all of this but I know I am glad I am exiting soon.
Monday, October 5, 2015
ALL EYES ON VIRGO IN MARS, VENUS AND JUPITER AS MERCURY BIDS A HASTY RETREAT
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
For Virgos, this has been one long road to our year of luck and good fortune (Jupiter in Virgo). How many of us have held onto the hope being promised by most reputable astrologers that we are soon to be the golden Goddesses of the universe? Love, romance, career boosts, being the front and center darlings of the zodiac is being assured with such fervor that I want to jump up and say, 'Amen'. Hang on, they say, the shower of magic is soon to begin once we say good bye to our thorny retrograde ruler, Mercury, October 9th. With Venus entering Virgo on the 8th, it will promise to be a week, month, and year to remember.
So far Mercury retrograde has bitch slapped me into realizing the plight of my poor Cardinal sign friends (Aries, Libra, Cancer, and Capricorn) who got walloped by this last eclipse. All of them seem to be struggling with sudden illnesses, life changes, major decisions, and existential depression. At least the earth signs got off by not getting the direct ecliptic hit. Unfortunately, this eclipse will carry some long time energy with it, giving us all a lesson in the power of lasting change. It's a now or never wake which is asking us to choose the setting for the next six month's stage.
Meanwhile, Virgos and those with planets in Virgo, have one more testy week of Mercury retrograde. As it wanes, the communications will become clearer, electronics will stop hiccuping, and stalled plans will move ahead. The one-two punch of both the eclipse and Mercury retrograde was like a TKO. Stunned, we rise again learning to get out of the ring.
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