Monday, June 22, 2009

I was asked sometime ago to write an article for the Aquarius Rising newsletter. I did one the next day (‘quick’, I thought) then sent it off, I called it Courage. Meg (editor of newsletter) got back to me – "I think there’s something missing’ she said, "would you like to revisit it?"
That was some time ago now and the ‘story’ has still not been told.

So I sit down early, fingers on keyboard and wait with eager anticipation or is it cautious trepidation – for what will arise from the depths.
It’s easy, you see, to find some nifty bits, clever pieces that come straight from the head (and hands – in Gemini, they’re connected). For someone with a strong Mercury and Gemini, it comes naturally. But what about those deeper caverns, those seemingly inaccessible grottos? So deep that they are removed from conscious thought or memory.
Meg tells me that everyone has a story to tell – with my head, I have many – but what is the real one (for now)? Let’s see!

I came down to Adelaide almost a year ago now – a few things prompted this. The main stimulus for me is and always has been ‘my body’. Being a Virgo, I guess that’s not surprising!

I had worked hard to create a business and centre – Magick Moments – in Ipswich, Qld. My partner and I had completely renovated this lovely old (over 100 yrs) Queenslander house. The poor house had seen better days and once we started pulling everything apart it looked a real mess. I pulled off walls (much to my partner’s frustration), revealing incredible cedar boards beneath. He was frustrated because he had to fix anything I pulled apart – we had some very ‘trying’ times. I repaired, sanded and painted every square inch – inside and out. When I got to the outside that was a real scene – me perched up on scaffolding (which I’d hired and put up myself, with help) painting the outside of the house – it was a scorching heatwave and I was probably about 12 metres up in the air, precariously balancing with paint tin and brush in hand – it was very scary –!!! But I was determined! The poor neighbours – they were terrified for me! I had new floors put down where old boards had seen their final days – stripped all the old doors back to their beautiful wood, replacing a panel in one old door with simply gorgeous old pink glass. The place was coming alive!

When the renvo was finished it looked radiant – I had created my Magick Moments. Each person that came into that place, right up until I closed it, would all say ‘it feels so nice in here, what a beautiful place’. It was a very beautiful place and with the help of some others (particularly my partner Bryan - thank you so much!) I had created it!

I could also feel the change in the street, the energy seemed to have ‘lifted’ – it was palpable. Neighbours were so happy to have me there – they were all very sweet, Magick Moments had come to Keogh St. I experienced so much love there.

So why did I leave? Well it was August 2007, I’d just done my 2nd Astrology class (I’m self-taught, since 1959) with Babula in Mullumbimby (one of my favourite places). It was on the Black Moon. I wrote in my journal

"I took it as a sign to pull myself out of my groove for a few days during my Saturn Return and Lunar Eclipse. I hoped by being in a different environment it would widen my perspective and clarify my thoughts. Clear the cobwebs so to speak – illuminate my path ahead – on this most likely my last chapter here on earth. I knew there was change ahead – I could literally feel it in my ‘bones’ – but I was a bit afraid to instigate the changes – ‘what if?’ I mused. But I know if you don’t make changes when they’re due – they’ll be made for you. So best to get in first!"

I learnt that the Black Moon carries an energy of repression and loss, of the deepest, ancient feminine – like the lost goddess, the lost ancient mother. Her location can illuminate those areas of loss, pain and grief and show us how to heal these repressed energies. Bringing them alive, into conscious action so her strengths and wisdom can be used, to bring to life the goddess – her loving and caring ways.

I then went to spend some time at another of my favourite places Woodenbong, a gorgeous little town right on the Qld/NSW border, surrounded by mountains. It was my 2nd Saturn return and the day after was a Lunar Eclipse sitting directly on my Black Moon – a very powerful omen!

"Bit by bit the moon disappeared, not entirely, as I thought it might, but without the reflection of the sun, the moon looked like a muted red ball. As it went through its transformation I wondered what effect this must be having on all the bodies in the sky. "It must be having some effect," I thought. "How would this effect all the other planetary bodies?" Something cannot happen like this and not have any effect. It’s a huge event. I wondered how this would be effecting all the stars, how would they feel? What lasting effect would this have on them?

Something as large as a planet has a tremendous energetic field and when that’s altered it changes the entire field. It was kind of eerie in a way – this reddish huge planet sitting in the sky. It was clear that it is a planet and that it sits so close to us here on earth"

The eclipse was powerful, very powerful – and it changed my life!
Watching it was simply staggering! The night sky in Woodenbong is always brilliant – but this night something really powerful occurred. I awoke the next morning and new everything had been changed.

There were some more ‘hints’ or should I say ‘shoves’. I was still finding ‘reasons’ in my head, for not making changes. So guess what? Yes my body made sure I was listening. For the first time in my life I called the ambulance – something very weird was happening in my body and I didn’t know what it was. They took me to hospital with concern it may be a heart attack. All tests were fine. It happened again a couple of weeks later – this time they kept me in longer – but still nothing showing on the ‘machines’. I knew something was happening but it wasn’t ‘gross’ enough yet to register on their machines. The time for change had come. To add to that, one morning soon after, sitting at breakfast – the words came loud and clear ‘now is the time’ – they sounded insistent.

So the dismantling process began – it was huge – my beautiful home and Magick Moments! My beautiful home, which I’d invested so much time and energy, so much love – created much beauty and comfort – and my garden, my glorious garden. I had literally planted hundreds of trees and shrubs. I made many of my Flower Essences (Deva-line) from my garden. In fact the birth of my Deva-line Flower Essences began there. This was an enormous job! Extricating myself from all that I’d created was massive – simply massive.

The overwhelming sense of change that seemed to be occurring within every cell of my being – was overpowering – I simply had to concede. So I did.
It took around 9 mths for the whole transformation – from the initial ‘sense’ to leaving for Adelaide. That 9-month period has come again at different times – it really is a ‘gestation’ period.

Within that time of gynormous change I visited my values many times – they were my guiding lights – they kept me going. "What is important to me?" I would ask again and again. These values led me here – for now – who knows what the future holds?
Just recently my partner commented (in good humour) when I mentioned that I was ‘easy going’ - ‘you are many things, Courageous, very loving (at times!) and determined – but ‘easy going’ ‘I don’t think so!’ I had to agree! But there was that Courage word again!

Am I courageous – I don’t know. What I do know is that I have to be true to myself, I have to listen to what I’m saying, that voice never leads me astray.

"Time to do everything you want – live the life you’ve been putting off until tomorrow – ‘cause remember, tomorrow never comes"!

You could say these words are relevant for me in my life having turned 60 – but they are always relevant, every moment of every day they are relevant – because it’s my life – my very precious life.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Today is a big day in the 'heavens' - the massive system of space and life above us - the Sun is shifting direction!
Such a huge mass of living matter -so crucial for our existence here on earth has slowed, stopped and is just about (3.16pm exact Adelaide/Australia time) to begin his brilliant journey in a new direction.
For us down here in Oz it means 'yahoo - summer's on the way" - a little way ahead yet, but the focus is there!
Life is a lot about 'focus' isn’t it?
With the focus of such a giant, powerful mass of matter - this surely must have an impact! Imagine the focus, commitment and effort it must take for the Sun - to slow, stop and change direction - and why? Well, from my meagre mental meandering - i'd say - for the benefit of us here on Earth. So us down here can start to get warmer and you up there to cool for a while!
This life - such a miracle - such immense intelligence - so awe inspiring!
This incredible Earth - this awesome Universe and us magnificent Humans - enough for us to admire and investigate for eons, i would think!
So with this powerful energy occurring as i speak/write - how can i - how can you - use this gift in time to change directions in our own life? How can we muster all our focus, commitment and effort to build momentum into a new direction, one which is in sync with life and it's incredible intelligence.
Humans have been celebrating these special times - Solstices - for many a millennium, for various reasons. So how can you and i stop, refocus and move in a way in sync with life - our life and the life which surrounds us!
Another amazing opportunity we're given.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Worth checking out!

A new business, website - THE ZEN BULL - marketing with heart! Congratulations Samyo and team - all the very best! See link opposite.

http://www.thezenbull.com/?siteid=14374

http://www.thezenbull.com/?siteid=14374

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Monday, June 8, 2009




It's Full Moon time again!


The Sun and Moon are coming together, uniting their incredible energy - for a simply glorious display in the heavens above us! What actually happens at a Full Moon? It's the phase of the Moon when she sits on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun - facing each other. So the hemisphere of the Moon facing the Earth is almost fully illuminated by the Sun. They are reflecting each other, joining forces, combining their strengths to illuminate the surroundings - the surroundings being the constellation in which they are visiting.



They are currently travelling thru the constellation of Gemini and Sagittarius. Gemini and Sag sit opposite each other in the zodiacal wheel - this is known as an opposition in Astro terms. Signs in opposition are often described as being difficult to deal with, as they actually 'oppose' each other. They do provide the challenge for 'balance', but this opportunity grants us the chance to meet in the middle, take our egocentric vision away from ourselves and look at what is facing us. How can we blend the energies of self with that of the opposite self? I've always felt that opposites actually have a lot in common, they just look at things from opposite angles - this can actually give them tremendous insight, which joined together can create a more expansive view of the whole.



So when the Sun and Moon come into opposition - a huge opportunity exists - to see a greater view of the spectrum - what an opportunity! I guess that's why Full Moons have been celebrated since times long ago. People have performed rituals around the time of the full moon in many cultures. Even in our modern culture, many of our institutions have become acutely aware of this time of the month as they record more heightened levels of 'incidences' than normal. Apart from all of that - they are just magnificent to behold. Nature seems to come alive, as the Moon shines her gentle, loving energy on all - things seem heightened somehow, as if her brilliant energy transmutes a special magick. I just love the full moons - i feel like i want to bathe in her special aura, dance with all the 'litte folk', and celebrate this majestic time.



It's a shame that our modern lives often keep us indoors at night, missing her brilliant show. Why not create your own special ritual for the next full moon - acknowledge her, honour her - in that you will be acknowledging and honouring yourself, as she reflects back all you give.



Gemini and Sagittarius rule over the areas of our lives involved with gathering, sharing and communicating knowledge whilst seeking an even higher understanding of that knowledge - to evolve us to a greater level of understanding and wisdom. Gemini has the skill, curiosity and interest to search and seek out myriads of pieces of information and data which she contributes to the 'whole'. Sag doesn't have a lot of patience with bitty bits - his focus is on the big picture - how it all comes together. He has an innate understanding that a higher knowledge exists and he can take all this data and expand it till he sees the 'core', the diamond of wisdom within it. This he loads in his bow and aims far and wide - so we can all see this wisdom, as it illuminates our path ahead.



So what can that mean for us? Well, where in your life do you need to take your mental meanderings and create a bigger picture? How can you us the tools of your gathered knowledge, the information at hand - and paint it out on the hugest canvas you can find. Often things look clearer when they're bigger!



As a cute adjunct - i've developed this painful red swelling on the very point of my nose - not a good look! My realistic, analytic mind told me that's what happens when going from cold to hot temperatures - and being winter, that's what's happening. Then i thought - what is it that's right in front of me, literally at the end of my nose? It's becoming exaggerated to get my attention. Because i can get lost in my mental meanderings - what am i not seeing - that is obviously clear to everyone! The body is a wonderful point of reference - always! I'll hopefully busy myself in front of the computer today, so nobody has to see what is obvious to them and not me (i can just feel it) - my red nose!



So what needs to be taken out of the caven of your mind and magnified onto the canvas of your life? A little exercise - just start to keep looking for the big picture in everything around you at present - move those eyes from the computer screen to the scene outside your window - what is all around you that you keep missing because your focus is too narrow? I guess we gravitate a lot more to Gemini or maybe that's just me! But wherever there is Gemini - there also is Sag - they come together on the one continuum. You don't get one without the other.



So how can we/i give the old head a rest, respect the effort involved with gathering all this information - but create a break, a space so that all this information can alchemize into a more wholistic form. Good time to do a painting or a collage - get out all those ideas and thoughts from the head and put them on a canvas, a display - so you can clearly see the picture.



Use this special time - so abundantly given to us by our precious Mother Gaia - to illuminate the vision that sits within you right now - waiting so longingly for manifestation.



Let her light truely guide you to the manifestation of your ideas and thought - create your vision, our beautiful Mother Moon is supporting you.





till the next time



love and light



marilynxxx












Sunday, May 31, 2009

Moments of Magick




Today's the last day of May 2009 - only approx 3 weeks to the Winter Solstice, the longest day - midpoint for the Sun's journey around the globe.

The Sun still works in 'real' time, not techno time. We can go around the world in minutes, thanks to technological advancement and our minds are free to travel wherever they like, whenever they like - they know no bounds.

Technological advancement has created much good in our societies and most of us now rely heavily on it - like me now on the computer, communicating to you wherever you are! Someone may read this in Iceland, Russia or China, great eh! Or does it have it's flip side? I guess everything has it's flip side.


Whilst i'm communicating now to possible audiences around the world, my body sits here in Earth time. I'm influenced and affected by the cycles of the planets around the Earth i live on - most notably the Sun and Moon. My food is grown on the Earth, the water i need so desperately to survive comes from the earth. The air i breath is facilitated by the plants and trees that grow on the Earth. All of my loved ones live on the Earth. My house is mainly built with materials that are taken from the Earth. Babies are born from bodies nurtured and supported by the Earth.


So yes we live by Earth time too.


But it can be a bit of a schizophrenic existence at times - body in/on the Earth - mind and thoughts, where?

The mind is very alluring - it promises many things - some possible, some complete fantasy - what can we trust? Having a strongly aspected 'mental' astro influence i speak from experience. The element Air - in Astrology - represent the mental aspects of ourselves. The element Earth represents the physical, Water the emotional and Fire the intuitive and active elements of us.


Being a Virgo with a Moon in Capricorn makes me a double Earth sign and with an Ascendant in Gemini - adds the influence of the mental.

Astrology is a very useful tool for understanding our personal nature and why we operate the way we do. My initial impression of Astrology being a science and a wonderful form of Pyschology (back in 1960) still remains with me today. Within this area it can be very useful.


So having a strong influence of Earth i feel a strong connection with the Earth - i hear it, i feel it and i understand it. With Air on the Ascendant i often become seduced by the mind and what it promises to the detriment of my body. This is not a whole analysis of me here, just to give you an idea of it's connection to us personally.


We live in times where it's becoming obvious to most that the way we're treating the Earth is wrong - you don't need a degree in science to work that out! I believe that if we're abusing the Earth, than we are also abusing our bodies - the two are connected, physically and psychically. I also believe that if we start to look after our bodies we will also look after the Earth - they are made of the same material.


Living in a world where the mind has run rampant for some may be exciting - for others simply abhorrent. This is not the 1950's - where 'all is well', 'all is perfect', 'all is operating efficiently'. The veil of 'pretence' is falling rapidly - revealing the rotten corpse underneath.


Life is a wonderful and magickal gift. Mother Nature's kingdom is simply stupendous. She showers us with gifts constantly - she nurtures us, she sustains us.


We live in 2009 - how many of you couldn't even have conceived the idea of getting here? 2009 - only 3 years away from the heavily debated 2012.

But our bodies live in now time - live on earth time - so each moment, each breath we have a choice - do we choose life or do we choose death. Simple really. How do we choose life every moment, every day. How do we get behind sustainability, natural growth, wholistic evolution and creative and nurturing change?


We can do it, i know we can - we just need to remind each other and help each other along the way.


The planet Mercury is just about ready to move forward again - within the next few hours. He's been travelling backward since May 5th - so some of those frustrating delays should be moving forward very soon. And those things you seem to have mislayed? They should turn up! All personal matters put on hold or delayed should start falling into place. It's probably a boon that Mercury decides to do a backward tango every so often - even though it can feel bl....dy frustrating! As he travels forward with such speed at times (our mental facilities) - that it gives us some breathing space, time for reflection and review - before we finally move forward with our plans.

So get ready for all those things on pause to begin moving forward, quickly - you've been warned!


Neptune started moving backwards on Friday - just as Mercury was getting ready for his forward push. I was aware this was coming up and having Neptune as quite a significant personal influence - i was very curious as to how this would unfold. I've been very surprised. Since he's started his movement in reverse, i've felt so much more energy, clarity, enthusiasm and passion. I would never have thought that it would have had this affect. I won't bore you with all my mental meanderings and suppositions on the subject - but i will do some research on it - maybe for another time. As Neptune is a very powerful planet - he often appears hidden behind his misty clouds - his approach is definitely not direct - he is mysterious and incredibly subtle. Maybe he becomes more direct in his retrograde stage? All i know is that the influence has been sudden and direct - correlating with his movements - so will be interesting to 'uncover' the meaning. 'Uncover' is probably another word that could be attributed to Neptune - as he surrounds himself with much mysterious substance. He appears to hide, 'find me if you can' he taunts as he changes form again. Neptune has a very strong influence on our creative expression - now may be a super wonderful time to really get into all those creative projects you've been putting off. Neptune is stopping and sitting with you for a while - so his influence is strong. It can be a real ball with Neptune when you get used to his ways - so drift on and out!


Chiron - often referred to as the 'Maverick' of the zodiac and governing over the domain of healing - has also just started his retrograde stage. Chiron is a bit of an enigma - he's referred to as the 'Wounded Healer' - and his position in our natal chart refers to the personal place where we carry our 'wound'. We all have one, 'the wound that can't be healed' - but just in different areas of our psyche. It is not a physical wound but one which affects our psyche and thus our whole approach to life. Chiron's reverse movement will also bring him into our lives more acutely. Moving back and forward over ground already visited - trying to get a message across. Chiron is currently in the constellation of Aquarius so his message is for and about humanity. Where, in our own personal psychic wound do we affect the human family? How can we, by being aware of our own mortal wound, be a part of the healing of the whole?


The grand triple conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Aquarius is significant indeed. It's all about the huge, magickal healing which is taking place on earth now! The coming together of these three giants is notable indeed. Such a magnificent play happening above us as we go about our daily lives - a grand performance, a brilliant orchestration. As is above so is below - we are all a part of this divine theatre.

So in the midst of some pretty 'heavy' influences upon us -come the trio of Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron. This of course always has it's 'healing' requirements - but overall such a shining 'signal' of healing times ahead.

Jupiter will also be beginning his retro period from June 16th.

So this trio is surely making huge efforts to get their message across - one way or another.
There's a Full Moon coming up on June 8th - in Sag - so let those dreams and visions soar - believe in them. With all the learning and healing that is taking place - take this knowledge to even greater heights - explore further the incredible opportunities that are available for us now.
Have great moments and may they always be magickal!!
lotsa luv
marilynxxx