Falling Forward

Greetings, Gifted Reader.

Fall leads to Winter

Fall is just around the corner—again. Does it seem to you that time is just flying by?

Autumn Equinox was on September 22. Did you happen to feel anything unusual on that day? 

Here’s a great article about that event:

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/september-equinox.html

The quarter’s months of September, October, November and December are dominated by Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and a bit of Capricorn. That means folks in general tend to be pickier (Virgo), more sociable (Libra), incredibly intense (Scorpio) and gregarious (Sag). Capricorn, of course, is all business and status.

But, those are all generalizations. To get an accurate reading of the months to come, check out your Natal chart for any Transits and Progressions.

With Pluto now in Direct Motion in Capricorn, talk of war could become a reality. Also, Neptune turns Direct in Pisces on November 22 so watch for covert activity.

no leaves left for the deer

As we gather warmer clothing and prepare for winter (well, those of us living within four seasons anyway), it’s a good time to take note of some inner preparation, too. During cooler weather, we tend to spend more time indoors and, in a way, are more often stuck with ourselves for company.

Have you done a lot of introspection lately? Would you like some ideas about how to clear this year’s messes so far, so you can move into a better space as you complete the year?

clearing leaves might be a good idea, too

1. Make lists. Absolutely jot down your goals, your thoughts, your achievements, your  disappointments. What you write doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just some words that will help take you to a deeper level.

2.  Start collecting items to accompany you through Fall. Perhaps it will be glass jars for canning jam from all the strawberries you harvested this summer. Or, maybe it’s a pile of books you’ve been meaning to read, but got too busy having summer fun to do so.

3.  Reach out to loved ones to let them know you still care, but that you’re taking off some Fall days to spend on better understanding yourself. Then, actually do it. Meditate, that is.

Those are just some ideas to wind up the year. You probably have more that you can come up with by following step 1. above.

Well, Gifted Readers. Gypsy Stars is contemplating ending this blog next year. We have one more post scheduled for December 31, so please stay tuned.

Meanwhile, you can find The Urban Goddess on Facebook as well as T_zing t-shirts on Cafe Press.

Good luck, light and love.

Gypsy Stars

In Sickness And In Health

Greetings, Gifted Reader!

There’s little that makes us feel more out of control than experiencing illness. There we are, lying in bed, barely able to move, with our bodily functions gone wacky. All of us, at some point, come down with a cold or a communicable disease like measles. And as we get older, we tend to suffer more.

chillin' in healing Honolulu...

But what do you do when you get sick? Some people prefer Western medicine and its unending supply of pharmaceuticals while others practice Ancient, Eastern or Indigenous healing methods. In the latter styles, the reasons for illness are often explored on a deeper level. In some cultures, being sick is attributed to something that’s occurring on a spiritual plane. Some even point to events that transpired in previous lifetimes as the cause for diseases in this life. Most metaphysicians believe that all illnesses manifest for a purpose.

If you’re experiencing a mild ailment, you’ll most likely be well soon again.

In a lot of cases, we can look at the particular area of disease and connect it to the way the mind takes things literally. Even injuries can be attributed to some signal that crosses between our conscious and subconscious.

healing at Lake Shrine, Pacific Palisades...

For instance, I recently stubbed my baby toe badly on the way out the door to a trip I didn’t want to take. Intuitively, I really dreaded this particular journey from the moment I knew I was going on it. And, I was right! It turned out to be one of the worst I’ve ever taken. Further, while I was on it, I was forced to think about my bad choice because of my continually throbbing toe.

On the day of departure, as I gathered my suitcases and checked last-minute details, I rushed towards the door. But just before I got to it, there was a moment where I half turned in a second of indecisiveness before tripping hard over my own feet. Wow. Could the message be any clearer? It’s called ‘stopping one’s self in one’s tracks’, and I was injured because something on another level was telling me not to go.

meditating in the hills of Colorado...

Another example is the inability to hear clearly. I’m not referring to those who are born deaf, but to those who develop hearing issues later in life. In almost every case I know of, that person has a hard time hearing others because they often talk over or interrupt them. Is it just a coincidence that they then experience hearing loss? Could it be their ears are saying, “What am I hanging around for if you’re not going to use me? I think I’ll just shut down.”

If you take some time to explore a recent illness or injury, you may very well pinpoint the reason you’re experiencing it. Obviously, I’m not a medical doctor, and these are merely my observations as a metaphysician. If you have an ailment, please see your practitioner. But if you’ve always wondered how your physical self works in conjunction with your higher consciousness, then meditate on it. Take some time to sit quietly in front of your altar and ask your higher self to tell you why you’re ill or injured.

soothing Sedona...

In Astrology, health is ruled by the Sixth House and is the domain of the sign Virgo whose ruling planet is Mercury. Hard angles to the Sixth House would predispose one to sickness although that can be remedied by any positive aspects. The Twelfth House rules hospitals and with a lot of planets deposited there, one may find oneself confined to (or perhaps just working at) one.

As for cures for illness, it helps to be in a healing environment where Nature can soothe away your troubles. Places like Sedona, Pacific Palisades, Hawai'i or the hills of Colorado all work for me.

Don’t forget to check out T_zing t-shirts on Café Press, send a friend request to Gypsy Stars on Facebook and like The Urban Goddess fan page. And, Happy Halloween.

Until next time, here’s to you good health and…

Good luck, light and love,

Gypsy Stars

http://www.gypsystars.com

Ellegua, Legba and Mercury

Greetings, Gifted Reader!

Apologies for the delay this week, but Gypsy Stars had a party to attend on Saturday and missed her own deadline. That, plus Mercury Retrograde was the culprit for things falling apart.

By now, most people who read their daily horoscope have some sense of what Mercury in Retrograde means. For decades, popular Astrologers rarely discussed it and now that they do, it seems a lot of the general public has a misunderstanding of the effects of this planetary phenomenon.

Personally, Gypsy Stars has heard from some lay folks that this configuration is the worst thing that could happen as miscommunications abound and nothing is settled. While that's somewhat true, there are times when things going wrong turn out to be blessings. Think of Mercury Retrograde as a rest stop on the long highway of life and you'll be just fine.

First of all, let's take a look at the planet itself. Here's the guy responsible for communications, basic education, siblings and short-distance travel; thus, neighborhoods. In the religion of Ifa which is incorporated in Santeria and Vodoun, the deity Legba or Ellegua is highly representative of Mercury. As the Trickster,  he has 21 paths so he's quirky and changeable. In Ifa, you must first petition Legba or Ellegua to ask him to open the doors to the other deities in order to fulfill your desires. If he likes the ebbos (sacrifices) you offer him, he just may let you enter. You can think of the planet Mercury in a similar fashion since he is all about the way we think and speak. When Mercury is in Retrograde motion--meaning he appears to be moving backwards as he slows his speed--that's the time when our thoughts and speech also retract themselves. That's why mail gets lost, voicemails are garbled, emails are never delivered, etc. They occur to gives us a chance to stop action on something, retrieve it, and rethink it before releasing it again.

Since this particular Mercury Retrograde is in the sign Virgo, it's an ideal time to analyze Sixth House activities--or matters of health and employment. Virgo is also about "service to others", so reconsider what you give away so freely.

Use this time wisely. If you have a Natal Mercury Retrograde in your chart, you're already backtracking regularly. For the rest of you, remember this is an opportunity to reassess and resolve an issue that continues to confront you.

To learn more about Legba, read Jambalaya by Luisah Teish pictured below. Remember, we have t-shirts, too. And, don't forget to join us on Facebook!

Leaving you with good luck, light and love;
Gypsy Stars