Supermoon - 19 March 2011

Stargazers will be treated to a spectacular view this weekend when the full moon approaches earth at a distance of just 356,577 kilometers away. During this time, the moon will appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter in the sky, particularly when viewed on the eastern horizon.

This moon cycle, known as a ‘lunar perigee’ or 'supermoon' occurs every 10 to 20 years - the most recent being in 1955, 1974, 1992 and 2005.

Previous supermoons have been linked to extreme weather conditions and other natural disasters such as earthquakes. However, there is no need to panic as the experts have assured us that a larger moon cannot affect the weather or create earthquakes.

Japan Earthquake

The recent events in Japan are devasting to say the least. We can all do our part by sending our healing energy and loving thoughts to all the Japanese people.

A good technique is to visualise white light around Japan bringing positive energy and helping to bring the reactors under control. Japan, our thoughts and prayers are with you, may you have the strength to carry on.

Essential Oils - Absolutes

The highlight of essential oils would have to be the absolutes or precious oils. Used mostly in the perfume industry, these oils are highly concentrated extracts derived from plants or flowers. Unlike other oils, the absolutes are extracted using a chemical process rather than steam distillation. These oils are highly concentrated and little will go a long way. They are also quite costly but you can purchase them diluted in a carrier oil such as Jojoba which makes them a lot less expensive.

One of my favourite oils (and flower) is Jasmine. It has a sweet, exotic aroma and is often associated with love and romance. The oil is extracted from the white blossoms of the shrub and always picked at night, when the fragrance is most intense.

The therapeutic properties of jasmine oil are anti-depressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac and anti-spasmodic. It is a valuable remedy in cases of severe depression as it soothes the nerves, producing a feeling of eurphoria and optimism.

Other more popular aromatherapy absolutes include:

• Carnation
• Frangipani
• Rose
• Lotus

Because of the intensity of these oils, their scent can invoke powerful feelings and emotions. They are also very effective when used in massage as they relieve nervous tension and depression and provide a soothing effect to sore muscles and joints.

As with all essential oils, absolutes need to be handled with care and caution. They are very powerful and some oils such as Jasmine should not be used during pregnancy.

Tarot Card of the Month - The Heirophant

Originally called “the Pope”, this month’s Tarot card is the Heirophant. The value of the Heirophant Card is number five and is ruled by Taurus.

The Heirophant represents spiritual leadership and guidance. He is the vehicle for spiritual knowledge and stands for conformity and responsibility. His right hand points heaven-wards and is held in a sign of benediction, symbolising a blessing of love and spiritual well being. A gold and silver key appear at his feet, meaning “keys to the kingdom of heaven”. They are crossed in a papal emblem of authority and unlock spiritual knowledge. In his left hand is a staff. It is the symbol of the triple cross with each mark a symbolic level of devotion. The staff as well as the keys and the hand blessing are all signs that the Heirophant is more than qualified to extoll spiritual advice and leadership to the people.

On the one hand, the Heirophant is a wise counsel, striving to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. On the other hand, he can also represent strict conformity and uncompromising ideas or values. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.

When the Heirophant appears in a spread, it could signify advice and guidance received or sought from a professional source, such as a teacher, lawyer or spiritual adviser. As the Heirophant stands for conformity, it may warn the Querant against being too stubborn, unbending or too conventional in the area of moral, religious or social conventions.

Key words of the Hierophant – conformity, good counsel, tradition, knowledge

Full Moon in Leo - 18 February 2011

Feeling out of sorts and on edge? Tomorrow night's full moon in the sign of Leo is causing all kinds of turmoil. Watch out for conflicts as this alignment is forcing secrets to the surface, amongst other things. Any frustrations you feel in your relationships will be highlighted and you can see where you need to make changes. It’s also a good time for reevaluating any new projects recently undertaken.

As people tend to be more emotional during a full moon, the best way to deal with any conflict is to understand that they are simply lost in their own drama and don’t take it personally.

Any major decisions are best made after Sunday when things begin to settle down.

Valentine's Day

In celebration of Valentine’s Day on 14 February, this month’s article is dedicated to love and romance. Hopefully, most of us will be spending Valentine's Day with that special someone. But for those who are single, rest assured love is never too far away. In the meantime, there are plenty of things you can do to help shift old energy patterns and help bring more love and romance into your life.

Crystal Therapy
A great way to align yourself with loving energy is by using crystals (see my earlier article on Crystals). Once they are charged with intent, carry them around with you or put them where you will see them. You can place them by your bed or wear them over the heart chakra. The crystals I would recommend for any matters to do with the heart are Rose Quartz, Rhodochrosite and Jade.

Rose Quartz is the stone of unconditional love and peace. It is the most important crystal for the heart and the heart chakra. It purifies and opens the heart at all levels and brings deep inner healing and self love. It is calming and has a very gentle soothing energy. It releases repressed hurts, promotes forgiveness and offers inner peace. If you want to attract love, Rose Quartz is the crystal for you. In existing relationships, it will restore trust and harmony and encourage unconditional love.

Rhodochrosite is a wonderful stone that promotes selfless love and compassion. It is an excellent stone for the heart and relationships, especially for people who feel unloved. This stone helps bring repressed and painful feelings to the surface, allowing them to be acknowledged and then released. Emotionally, it encourages expression of feelings and helps lift a depressed mood bringing lightness into life.

Jade is a symbol of purity and serenity. It is associated with the heart chakra and increases love and nurturing. It is a protective stone, which keeps the wearer from harm and brings harmony. Emotionally, jade is a “dream stone”. Placed on the forehead it brings insightful dreams. It aids emotional release, especially of irritability. It calms the nervous system and channels passion in constructive ways. It can also be used to harmonise dysfunctional relationships.

Essential Oils

There are plenty of essential oils that can be used to support the heart and emotions. These include rose, geranium, lavender, juniper, bergamot, jasmine, sandalwood and ylang-ylang. Here are some suggestions on how to immerse yourself in these healing aromas:

• Burn a few drops of your favourite oil in an oil burner. If you’re after something sensual, ylang-ylang is a well known aphrodisiac aroma. For emotional healing, choose Rose.
• Use a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle with water and spray throughout your home.
• Sprinkle a few drops of essential oil into your bath.
• Dilute 20 drops of oil in a carrier oil such as jojoba and give yourself (or that special someone) a romantic massage.

Colour Therapy
 This is another complementary therapy dating back thousands of years. Colour has a profound affect on our moods and emotions which is why we find some colours depressing and others uplifting. Colour is simply light of varying wavelengths, thus each colour has its own particular vibration.

For matters to do with the heart, surround yourself with warm pinks and green. These are the two colours that resonate with the heart chakra. Pink is the colour of universal love and green represents life, nature and fertility. Try burning some pink coloured candles around the home to help open the heart and stimulate love and beauty.


Ways to Love Yourself
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about lovers, it’s also about loving yourself. As the old cliché goes, you need to love yourself first before someone else can love you. Here are some ways to give yourself the gift of love on Valentine’s Day:

Self Acceptance
Accept yourself for who you truly are. We all have negative feelings regarding ourselves but when we recognize that none of us are perfect, we can accept our flaws more easily. To have self love means to be non-judgmental about yourself, accepting all parts unconditionally. When you accept yourself fully, others will too.

Forgiveness
We all have guilt from our past. Mistakes are unavoidable and a necessary part of life. How else would we learn if we never made mistakes? Feeling shameful and guilty about the past doesn’t serve anyone, least of all yourself. Spend some time meditating on your past mistakes and offer yourself and others total forgiveness.

Let Go of the Past
Being bound by regrets and disappointments from the past can keep many of us in chains. Recognise that the only time that exists is this present moment. Release old energy and thought patterns by offering forgiveness to the divine. Treat yourself to a spiritual healing to help your body reach an inner state of harmony - physically, mentally and spiritually.

Spoil Yourself
Many of us spend too much time worrying about life instead of living it. Do something out of the ordinary to spoil yourself on Valentine’s Day. Have a relaxing full body massage or spend a weekend away. Treat yourself to a special gift to boost your self esteem and make you feel good about yourself.

Do Something Different
Many of us define ourselves by who we think we are. Challenge your self perception by trying a new activity – join a new club or book in for that course you have always wanted to do. Every path leads somewhere and you may find yourself on a whole new journey of self discovery.

Tarot Card of the Month - The Lovers

This month’s Tarot card is the Lovers Card. It’s numerical value is six and it is ruled by Gemini. The Lovers card can have several different meanings, depending on the surrounding cards.

The symbols on the card show a man and woman. Their nakedness represents having nothing to hide and innocence. Behind the man is the Tree of Life bearing 12 fruits. Behind the woman is the Tree of Knowledge with a Serpent wrapped around the trunk symbolising enlightenment. Archangel Raphael presides over them both.

The man represents the conscious mind (logic and reason), while the woman represents the subconscious mind (passion and emotion). An amalgamation of the two is represented by Archangel Raphael, the super-conscious mind.

The image shows the man looking at the woman, who in turn looks up at the Angel. She is the bridge between the physical and spiritual planes. When these two forces come together, we experience love and union, which in turn allows us to get a glimpse of Heaven.

When the Lovers Card appears in a spread, it usually indicates a physical relationship of some kind. It can point to love, intimacy, physical chemistry and mutual attraction. It may suggest a platonic relationship is now moving towards a more intimate one. It may also indicate harmony, co-operation and unity within an existing relationship. There is an element of commitment with the Lovers card.

Another aspect of this card is the element of choice. You may be faced with having to make a choice in love, work or career. There may also be decisions that involve personal beliefs, values, standards and ethics. Moral crossroads is often shown by the Lovers card which tells us to consider all consequences before acting.

Keywords of the Lovers card are – love, relationships, intimacy, union, conflicting choices, temptation, personal values