We Stand At A Threshold

Yowza! It is wild out there! Not much of a surprise for those who follow astrology, because something pretty amazing and transformative has been going on in our solar system recently. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, the outer planets that exert a powerful influence on society as a whole given their exceptionally long orbits, have all moved into new astrological signs in the past 8 months. 

Apparently, this is not just rare. It has never happened before. It takes a while for us to find our sea legs when ONE of these planet changes signs, but with ALL of them shining through new panes in the stained~glass window of the Cosmos, it feels disorienting, chaotic even. 

It is said that the Chinese word for crisis is the same as opportunity. Not exactly true, but close. Wēijī is made up of two characters. The first, 'wēi', means danger, while "jī", translates as incipient moment or turning point. We are clearly at one of those turning points now, which can indeed be an opportunity, but only if we make it so. We do have options. 

We can sink into hopelessness and despair, or avert our eyes from what's occurring, thus shrinking our worlds and our hearts. We can meet external hate with hate of our own, or become paralyzed by fear. Each of these reactions is understandable, and we may cycle through every one of them. Yet if we are to do our part, we can't LIVE in any of these. How do we find a proactive response? 

The answers are as varied as we are. I'll tell you what I'm doing... 

First and foremost, I've beefed up my spiritual practice: meditation, ceremony, opening to guidance. Not only does this keep me true to my own perspective, rather than swallowing whole the collective's, I hope it also offers positive juju to the world. 

I employ my good mind as it was meant to be used, as helpmeet of the soul. I regularly zoom out to see the larger picture, through the lens of the eternal Now. While the rise of fascism is indeed chilling, its seeds have been with us~~and inside us~~forever. They are always present, always present tense. As Adrienne Marie Brown famously put it, "things are not getting worse, they're getting uncovered." I remember that, though it is disturbing to witness, the hidden must be revealed in order to be healed. 

I also, though, celebrate the Now~ness of other seeds, seeds of justice and humanity, of courage and sacrifice, of kindness and love. As Thich Nhat Hanh beautifully urged us to do, I repeatedly commit to watering those seeds in myself and in others. 

That said, I have increased my level of political engagement. I've set up small, rather painless, monthly contributions to organizations who fight the good fight, and have committed to making one call daily to my representatives~~thank goodness for the 5 Calls app! I also attend protests to add my voice to others speaking truth to power, such as the one on August 15th at 11:00 to oppose the ICE Detention Center due to open soon in Walsenburg, Colorado, so very close to home. For more info, contact Dee Maes Sandoval at (719) 250~2626.‬ 

Whatever I do, though, I try not to focus overmuch on whether my efforts will make a difference. Parker Palmer cautions that if we measure our actions solely on effectiveness, we are apt to become discouraged and give up. He suggests using faithfulness as our gauge instead. Being faithful to the gifts given me and expressing them in the world~~as it is, not as I wish it to be~~is my job in anything I do. Such is the art of being human. 

We stand at the threshold of an unknown future. We don't, though, stand there alone. We stand with others. We stand with personal and spiritual resources honed over a lifetime. And those outer planets join us too, offering the raw material from which to craft our unique response. The Cosmos supports us always, especially when the tectonic plates beneath our feet and our lives are shifting. 

If we could fast forward, like in one of those time~lapse videos, I believe we'd see a landscape reworked. But that's not happening in the distant future. It is happening RIGHT NOW and we get to see it, to engage with it, and to decide what role we will play in this unfolding we are privileged to be part of. 

I close with an astrology~inspired prayer for us all, a call to action if you will. 

As Jupiter, the planet of expansion, shines through the heart~centered sign of Cancer, may our love of self, others, country and life itself grow more vibrant. 

May rabble~rousing Uranus in adaptable and curious Gemini break us free of old perspectives, thought patterns and communication styles, while helping us imagine new ones appropriate for these times. 

May Saturn, the planet of inner authority, and transcendent Neptune, both in passionate, confident Aries help us step forward in a purposeful way as we fervently express our dreams and cosmic awareness. 

And may Pluto, the planet of deep rebirth residing now in humanitarian Aquarius help us play our part in transforming the collective energy of the planet as we shine our light in our own unique way. 

Amen. And to paraphrase Rumi, may blessings drop their blossoms around us all. Leia

💜

Leia

Wisdom of the Taijitu

Halfway through the first book in Juliet Marillier's Warrior Bards Trilogy, the half~human, half~fey Queen of the Otherworld laments that the dominant human culture has strayed from the ideals that once kept things in healthy and harmonious balance. "Your kind have forgotten the old ways," Eirne tells the protagonist. "You have forgotten...the wisdom of the past, the strength that rises from tree and stone and stream, the bond between one world and the other." 

Sound familiar? The past has taught us much about the importance of kindness and working together toward a shared goal. History repeatedly cautions against the dangers of aggression, of authoritarian regimes, and unchecked power. We once knew to treat the natural world respectfully, never taking more than we needed and always giving something back, so that all remained in vibrant harmony. 

Too often now we forget the balance that is woven throughout nature, with one such example currently in evidence. We recently passed the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Daylight does not continue to grow past its allotted time. In fact, in the handful of days that have elapsed since the 20th of June, nights are already 7 minutes longer. The interchange built into the cycle of the seasons is furthered by the fact that, as daylight begins to shrink, temperatures soar. Each side of life's equation~~light and dark, heat and coolness, expansion and rest~~gives way to the other. In this way, harmony is maintained. 

This dance of opposites is most famously imaged in an ancient Taoist symbol, the Taijitu. 

A circle, representing the entirety of direct human experience, is divided into two halves of equal size. One portion is light, the other dark. Yet the dark side has a pinpoint of light, the light half a dark spot. This is a reminder of the natural harmony hidden within the world of duality. Even as summer moves into full swing, daylight decreases. Even as fascism surges, people rise up to speak truth to power, to do the right thing often at significant personal cost. 

But how do we manage the complexities of such a dance? Well, it helps to see it as a dance. The line that separates each side of the Taijitu is not straight or rigid. It curves, speaking to both the fluidity of things and the importance of being flexible ourselves, graceful in our response. 

The Taijitu offers another important teaching. While the eye is understandably drawn to the Circle itself, that Circle floats within a seemingly empty field. This is a reminder that human experience is not all there is, that a vastness stretches beyond what is known. Most of the time, we will be focused on this world, with lives that are lived here. Yet that which we can see with human eyes, touch with our hands, and interact with day in and day out is not the whole story. There are more things, Horatio, than can be dreamt of by human faculties. 

Perhaps you see the area outside the Circle as the Universe itself, which contains mysteries we will never fully uncover and possibly other inhabited worlds. Maybe for you this area is more ethereal, representing the spiritual guidance and support that is ever~available. Or perhaps this open space is simply a reminder of the Surprise Factor and encouragement to be open to possibility. No matter how you see it, this surrounding expanse can offer a helpful context for our very own and personal dance. Context we very much need. 

We live in challenging times, times when essential societal and political safeguards are being broken down and environmental degradation is accelerating. "It is at such times of distrust and disruption," Eirne goes on to note, "that dark forces...rise up to shadow our world." 

What is the appropriate response to this shadow? To shine our light as best we can. To offer our unique talents and skills in a way that enacts the change we'd like to see in the world. To work for the restoration of balance and harmony. To remember the Surprise Factor. To reject us~against~them thinking. To remember that ignorance, aggression and fear are our enemies, and that most of us have more than our share of each. To engage with grace, humor, and tolerance for the foibles of others, even as we honestly and effectively share our concerns.

In other words, to act in a way that revives "the wisdom of the past," to honor "the strength that rises from tree and stone and stream" in our own lives, and to nourish according to our personal theology "the bond between one world and the other." 

Be the change, my friend. In honor of the upcoming weekend that celebrates the birth of the experiment that is The United States of America, be the change. And be it now.

Much love, 

Leia