When the veil thins...

A curious thing has happened to me today.  I borrowed a friend's lawn mower as mine is out of action and when I returned to do the back yard, I noticed something on the ground outside the garage.  Before I moved in, the previous owner had erected a Snoopy pilot in his plane, because the street I live in is named after a plane.  Unfortunately for Snoopy, he lost his head and it smashed to pieces.  I initially thought it to be a shame, as I rather liked it quirkiness.  I soon came to realise that this is a sign, and I'll attempt to explain why. 

I moved into a house which had been owned by others.  The last house I owned was built and my family and I lived in it for 20 years, so it was our own energy which went into the place.  Ever since I've moved into this house, it's felt like a battle of wills in that I had to not only seek co-operation with the house spirits, I've had to remove residual energy - much of it negative!  It's been a real learning curve for me to live in a house that once belonged to somebody else.  Houses are objects which store a lot of energy over time, be it positive or negative.  This house is over 40 years old and at this stage, I have no idea how many occupants have resided here.  I know about the last occupant, who I met when I looked the house over before buying it.  He is a very sick man with a lot of emotional issues who would refuse to see himself for who he really is, and I had a lot of that negativity to deal with.  In fact, not long after I moved in, someone wrote behind the stove, calling this man an arsehole.  Said a lot, really, as I found negotiating with him difficult at the time.

Anyway, the moon is in its final balsamic phase before it moves into the new phase of Scorpio tomorrow morning.  I enjoyed a chuckle at the thought of a headless pilot in the lead up to Hallowe'en (or Samhain to mark the onset of Winter in the northern hemisphere), or Beltaine (the start of Summer in the southern), which is where I live.  Here is a photo, simply because it appeals to my warped sense of humour.

I have slowly, but surely, been able to appease the spirits (I hope so!) here, to accept me as the new owner of this property.  I bought this place because I saw its inner beauty and I would give it the cosmetic makeover it deserves, mainly some painting, replace the kitchen and bathroom eventually, and put in a nice garden.  I feel that this house has mostly been owned by men and not much had been done.  Thankfully, it's structurally sound, with no evidence of termites.  Since I've moved in, the roof needed to be repointed and filled with mortar, a gurni taken to it so it can be cleaned, and then repainted.  I also had both the front and back doors replaced, and a termite barrier around the house.  I also ran out of money and this period of my life has been very difficult.  I really needed to convince the house that I'm here to look after it and do what I can.

So, as funny as the headless pilot is, I had taken it as a sign for the "Out with the old and in with the new" ditty.  It was past its use by date and I think we're all settling in with each other now.  What once belonged to the previous owner is being phased out at last.  I was able to take it down and put it in the bin, and I already had an idea about erecting a witch on her broom instead, just for a hoot.

Whatever you're celebrating over the coming days, may it be a merry time!

Wassail!

The Three Main Lunar Phases

As we've moved through this latest full moon in Aries, I'm inspired to write this particular blog, because my patience about full moon memes on social media has well and truly worn thin, and I will do my best to explain why.

As a practising Astrologer of more than 10 years, while I'm not an expert by any means, I've had plenty of time over the years to study the interplanetary patterns within our solar system - at least from an archetypal level - and in particular, the phases of our celestial luminaries that we call the sun and moon.

Technically, the sun is the luminary, while the moon is its reflector, giving light at various times in our night sky, depending on its phase.  While the lunar phases can normally be broken down to eight phases from new to balsamic, for the purpose of simplicity, I'm explaining the three main phases in the meantime and I will expand on the eight phases at a later date.

New Moon:
The new moon is a time for new ideas, concepts and planting seeds. The moon is yet to appear in the sky at this stage, although it can still be felt on an energetic level.  This period is for recognising what you want from your current situation, and/or long range goals.  Set the wheels in motion by planning, forecasting and focusing.  The work begins here.  For example, you would love to have a garden in and around your home.  For the discerning gardener, planting and sowing can be determined also by which sign this is carried out, as there are fertile and barren signs to look out for, but that's for another time.  Think about the plants, understand the soil content, whether the plants require full sun or shade.  Another example is getting a small business off the ground and finding the right network in order for you to succeed, good advertising and quality stock.  No success is ever overnight, and some projects may take longer than others,  How the foundations are laid in the beginning will determine the best outcomes in the long run, even if your best efforts appear to be barely noticeable at first.  Perseverance eventually pays off.

Full Moon:
The full moon has long been the stuff of legend and myth.  Plenty of TV shows and movies have churned out tales of superstition and horror based around this phase.  Think of werewolves and hounds and you'll get the idea.  I know that I grew up watching a lot of these shows when I was a kid.  My siblings and I would sit in the dark and jump out of our skins every time some unspeakable horror would occur, and I loved it.  A lot of anecdotal evidence supports claims that people tend to act a wee bit crazier than usual, and it's from the word luna that we get lunacy.  Acts of crime are meant to spike during this time, and stories about patients in institutions would always suggest that they go off on the deeper end than usual.

The full moon is also a time for many animals to go through fertility rituals, like going back to the same breeding ground during this time so they could spawn.  It's well known that the full moon affects the tides around the world, especially when in its own sign of Cancer, around the time of either Summer or Winter Solstice in December.

As an archetype, the full moon is also a time of harvest, of reaping one's rewards from the hard work that they've initiated from the time of the new moon.  Matters of the heart that have simmered for a while can also come to a head at this time.  Not everyone reacts in the same fashion around a full moon, and this all depends on the aspects of your horoscope, or natal chart, as it does around the other phases also.  You can be sure, though, that the full moon will trigger an emotional reaction in one form or another.  It must also be borne in mind that no one month is the same, and anything that requires redress can take months or even years to manifest from its starting point.  Which is why Astrologers tend to have a long range forecast if they're observing something that unfolds.

The time of the full moon is not a time for getting things started, or ending matters, as emotions are heightened at this time.  The moon's fullness and reflecting light allows you to see in the darkness and throw a spotlight on that particular moment.  There is also a sense of illusion which may skew how each of us are feeling so it's normally a good idea to ride the period out and see how you feel when the dust settles.

Dark Moon:
This phase brings about the time for letting go of what no longer suits us, spring cleaning if you will.  For the magical practitioners, this dark phase is usually a fortuitous time to perform spells and rituals as a way of ridding the old in order to make way for the new, although these can be practised during the other phases.  People who were in your life may suddenly move away from you, and the reasons for this are many and varied.  Relationships may come to an end and depending on the circumstances, it may move smoothly through as a natural ending or it could bring about resentment for a person who refuses to let go.  It may be time to relocate from an area which has been stagnant and restricting you in the way of growth and development.  Old items that have long outlived their use-by date are cleared out at this time also.  The crux of this period is always about release, and when we really think about this phase, the moon goes into darkness, it can't be seen in the sky during the night at this time.  Some would call this the darkest hour before the dawn.  What may have come to a head during the full moon phase is now in readiness for resolution and moving on from, in whatever form that takes. 

While there are some who can relate to this narrative, there are others who probably aren't affected by this at all, and that's fine.  What can't be denied as a stargazer is the moon's beauty as we watch in awe during the various phases of each monthly cycle.  It's always a beautiful sight to behold as we allow ourselves a moment to enjoy watching this luminary move over our skies.

Till next time, Wassail and happy stargazing!
 

As A Reader and Healer...

As a reader and healer, I personally feel it to be of great importance to focus on the person who wants a consultation with me, from start to finish.  What do I mean by that?  Unfortunately, I myself have paid good money for a consultation with a reader, only to find that the attention shifts onto them, when they start to go on about how their lives are and what the cards mean for them, making comparisons to my current scenario.

Excuse me?  I don't pay to hear about your life!  I pay to be advised, in the best way possible, about what the cards mean for me at this point in time, and what I can do with this information.  When  a reader wants to go down that road, I can't help but get the feeling that they have a problem with interpreting the cards in front of me and use it to move away from this stumbling block and hope that I don't notice. I then question their empathy and authenticity, instead believing that the ego is at work - along with the dollar signs.

What can be done?  If  you're the more ballsy type and you've paid for your reading through a shop, then you're well within your rights to request a refund, because of dissatisfaction.  On the other hand, if you feel that's too uncomfortable for you to undertake, make a point of not ever returning to that reader.  Word of mouth has a way of getting around if many of the same customers aren't satisfied with their desired outcomes.

In saying that, I don't want to go to a reader who doesn't show any degree of empathy towards me, so the occasional sympathetic remark is fine.  I make it my business to make the querent comfortable and give fully of my engagement to them.  It's their time, and it's also their money.  If I'm stuck with how a particular layout of cards may not be giving me what I'm looking for, well, it's no trouble to turn more over to get a clearer picture.

Another problem can be applying pressure on ourselves because it's assumed that we should know everything about the person in front of us and what the cards are telling us.  This isn't fair, either, as we should enter into dialogue with the querent.  Sometimes, there is that crucial point in the dialogue which allows us to get a clearer picture and the momentum of the reading can continue.  I've had to learn this lesson myself, and I'm glad to have learned it.  Dialogue allows me to relax, and provides a more authentic reading.

We don't want to blow our money by going to the reader who's going to disappoint us, although sometimes, choosing the right person is a case of trial and error.  There are those times when, by going blind and not knowing who the reader is until afterwards, do we find that we're very happy with that choice and will go back, so it's worth the risk if you're happy.  I used to do a market stall where I previously lived (and the only time I gave readings back then every year), and one woman would come back every year when she saw that I was there.  It was good to know that I came across to this woman as being somebody worth her while enough to see me every year.

Conversely, I have gone back to the same readers over time, because I was happy with how they read for me, happy with their engagement and readiness to enter in dialogue.  It proves to me that we're all human, we're not going to know everything and it doesn't matter.  It's how we approach the person in front of us which counts, and the more genuine we are, the happier everyone is.

Until next time, Wassail!

To Live In The Moment

I write this after having taken my granddaughter to Huskisson beach this morning, while she is enjoying an afternoon nap.  I hope that this post doesn't come across as patronising, like a lot of memes about living in the moment tend to do.  In saying this, there has been nothing more important for me at this time but living in the moment, and I will endeavour to write from my perspective.

It's been nearly five months now since I moved to the Bay and Basin area.  From the word go, I had been doing as many of the local markets over the winter months as I could.  Not much money had been earned and sometimes, I even went home at a loss, which made me rather despondent.  I was lucky enough to have had some money to live on after the sale of my previous home but this money has since dried up.

I had played the patience game, looking at markets like a reconnaissance mission in order for people to get to know who I am and what I do over a period of time - and I was doing that throughout Winter, when trade of any sort slows right down in an area reliant on tourism.  Trying not to panic when bills start to stack up and everything possible is being done to avoid falling behind.  What hasn't helped was feeling ill.  I have had a raft of medical appointments to try and find out why I kept having dizzy spells and headaches.  I also had infected ears, which, thankfully, have come good since they were last irrigated.  I have also had my eyes checked, and while my short sight is seeing better days (please pardon that pun!), my long sight is much improved, and to the point that I no longer need to wear glasses while I drive.  Very pleasing!  Blood pressure is fine, no sign of thyroid or diabetes, although my cholesterol is slightly up.  Reassessing my diet should change that.  None of these have explained my dizzy spells and I'm still none the wiser.  I mention my illness because looking for work has brought me unstuck, and not allowing me to earn money the way I want to at the moment.

Now, I just think "Fuck it."  I can't change what's happened in the past and I can't afford to look too far ahead in terms of what I want to happen because it causes more despondency for me by believing that I've somehow failed in my achievements.  There is also no point for me in looking too far ahead because there are no guarantees beyond putting one foot in front of the other.  That's it!  It's a tough ask for somebody like me because I like to make plans and set goals.  I've never been in the situation that I'm in now, to chase the money without having had anything else to fall back on - and this is precisely why my perspective has changed.

While I still want to know what the cause of my headaches and dizzy spells are, I believe that worrying about my current scenario has caused more of them.  Since I've been minding my granddaughter over this long weekend, my focus has been on her and in the moment.  I live some distance away from my family now and seeing them isn't as regular as it used to be.  So while I have my granddaughter this weekend - and catching up with my other family members at other times - I'm making this moment count and enjoy it for what it really is.  Everything else can be sorted when it needs to be.  When my granddaughter goes home, I can focus once more on what I want and narrow it down to a point in time that I can cope with - without that feeling of losing control and getting scared of the future.  It's not worth the worry.  It's not about ignoring my situation, by any means.  It's about focusing on what lies ahead, step by step, and turning my fortunes around in this fashion.

I hope that by sharing my current situation, it inspires you, the reader, to simply enjoy the moment.  While I don't know what your moment is, I know how it has felt for myself.

Till next time, Wassail!