Your Ancestors Didn’t Sleep Like You | Slumberwise

Your Ancestors Didn’t Sleep Like You

Author: SlumberWise |

May 16, 2013

Posted in Science, Trivia 

Ok, maybe your grandparents probably slept like you. And your great, great-grandparents. But once you go back before the 1800s, sleep starts to look a lot different. Your ancestors slept in a way that modern sleepers would find bizarre – they slept twice. And so can you.

The History

The existence of our sleeping twice per night was first uncovered by Roger Ekirch, professor of History at Virginia Tech.


His research found that we didn’t always sleep in one eight hour chunk. We used to sleep in two shorter periods, over a longer range of night. This range was about 12 hours long, and began with a sleep of three to four hours, wakefulness of two to three hours, then sleep again until morning.


References are scattered throughout literature, court documents, personal papers, and the ephemera of the past. What is surprising is not that people slept in two sessions, but that the concept was so incredibly common. Two-piece sleeping was the standard, accepted way to sleep.


“It’s not just the number of references – it is the way they refer to it, as if it was common knowledge,” Ekirch says.


An English doctor wrote, for example, that the ideal time for study and contemplation was between “first sleep” and “second sleep.” Chaucer tells of a character in the Canterbury Tales that goes to bed following her “firste sleep.” And, explaining the reason why working class conceived more children, a doctor from the 1500s reported that they typically had sex after their first sleep.


Ekirch’s book At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past is replete with such examples.


But just what did people do with these extra twilight hours? Pretty much what you might expect.
Most stayed in their beds and bedrooms, sometimes reading, and often they would use the time to pray. Religious manuals included special prayers to be said in the mid-sleep hours.


Others might smoke, talk with co-sleepers, or have sex. Some were more active and would leave to visit with neighbours.


As we know, this practice eventually died out. Ekirch attributes the change to the advent of street lighting and eventually electric indoor light, as well as the popularity of coffee houses. Author Craig Koslofsky offers a further theory in his book Evening’s Empire. With the rise of more street lighting, night stopped being the domain of criminals and sub-classes and became a time for work or socializing. Two sleeps were eventually considered a wasteful way to spend these hours.


No matter why the change happened, shortly after the turn of the 20^th century the concept of two sleeps had vanished from common knowledge.


Until about 1990.

The Science

Two sleeps per night may have been the method of antiquity, but tendencies towards it still linger in modern man. There could be an innate biological preference for two sleeps, given the right circumstances.


In the early ‘90s, psychiatrist Thomas Wehr of National Institutes of Mental Health conducted a study on photoperiodicity (exposure to light), and its effect on sleep patterns.


In his study, fifteen men spent four weeks with their daylight artificially restricted. Rather than staying up and active the usual sixteen hours per day, they would stay up only ten. The other fourteen hours they would be in a closed, dark room, where they would rest or sleep as much as possible. This mimics the days in mid-winter, with short daylight and long nights.


At first, the participants would sleep huge stretches of time, likely making up for sleep debt that’s common among modern people. Once they had caught up on their sleep though, a strange thing started to happen.


They began to have two sleeps.


Over a twelve hour period, the participants would typically sleep for about four
or five hours initially, then wake for several hours, then sleep again until morning. They slept not more than eight hours total.


The middle hours of the night, between two sleeps, was characterized by unusual calmness, likened to meditation. This was not the middle-of-the-night toss-and-turn that many of us experienced. The individuals did not stress about falling back asleep, but used the time to relax.


Russell Foster, professor of circadian neuroscience at Oxford, points out that even with standard sleep patterns, this night waking isn’t always cause for concern. “Many people wake up at night and panic,” he says. “I tell them that what they are experiencing is a throwback to the bi-modal sleep pattern.”


Outside of a scientific setting, this kind of sleep pattern is still attainable, but it does require changing our modern, electric lifestyle. Very cool person J. D. Moyer did just that. He and his family intentionally went an entire month with no electric light.


In the winter months, this meant a lot of darkness and a lot of sleep. Moyer writes “…I would go to bed really early, like 8:30, and then get up around 2:30am.  This was alarming at first, but then I remembered that this sleep pattern was quite common in pre-electric light days.  When this happened I would end up reading or writing by candlelight for an hour or two, then going back to bed.”


Moyer didn’t set out to reproduce our ancestors sleep pattern, it just happened as a byproduct of a lot of dark hours.

Should We Revive Two Sleeps?

Although history shows that two sleeping was common, and science indicates that it is (in some conditions) natural, there is no indication that it is better. Two sleeps may leave you feeling more rested, but this could simply be because you are intentionally giving yourself more time to rest, relax, and sleep. Giving the same respect to the single, eight-hour sleep should be just as effective.


Note too that two sleeping needs a lot of darkness – darkness that is only possible naturally during the winter months. The greater levels of daylight during summer and other seasons would make two sleeping difficult, or even impossible.


Perhaps two sleeping is merely a coping mechanism to get through the long, cold, boring nights of the winter. Today, we don’t need to cope. So long as we give our sleep the time and respect it needs, getting the “standard” eight hours of sleep should be fine.


But next time you wake up at 2 AM and can’t sleep, just remember your great, great, great, great, great grandfather. He did the same thing every night.

Update

Well this article proved exceedingly popular! Thank you to everyone who visited, or took the time to leave a comment. I would encourage new visitors to have a read through the comments below for some interesting ideas and perspectives. I learned two things in particular:


1. This is far more common that I thought. A lot of commenters either practice, or used to practice this kind of sleep.


2. Another possible reason for two sleeps is tending the fire during the night. Several clever readers noted that in order to keep a fire running through the night, we would need to get up and tend it.
Commenters also raised questions regarding non-European and non-Western cultures, which we’ll be digging into in future articles. For anyone who wants to learn more about this kind of sleep, I’ve linked below to two books referenced in the writing of this article, available on Amazon.

Your Angel Messages for November 10 - 16 from Doreen Virtue's weekly angel oracle card reading

Here are your angel messages for this week:

The progress you've made really shows this week, which begins on a positive note! Last week, you released a lot of toxic negativity. You've learned how to focus upon manifesting, creating, and attracting at a positive high level . . . and it's working in your favor. This week will feel much more balanced, with time for your work and your personal life. Enjoy your enchanted magical week, and don't let ANYONE or ANYTHING bring you back down to negativity.



Angel Tarot Deck :

Mon/Tues: 6 OF AIR: Things are Looking UP-Letting go of control/forcing something to happen. The end of a difficult situation. The worst is now behind you. Optimism, Faith, Hope....

Wed/Thurs: KING OF FIRE: Focus on Priorities, instead of wishing something to happen, MAKE it happen. FOCUS on Positive Outcome, Communication w/Higher Self, Letting Universe know, Divine Support, Heart -to-Heart communication Being honest w/self about what you are feeling.

F-Sa-Su: 10 OF WATER: Healing with Family. Contented, harmonious family time, New Trust being built, you step up and shift in a positive direction. Healing family issues from childhood. What comes up for you? You have the Power to rise above.

To watch the entire reading, and/or to get a free subscription to be notified by email when a new reading is posted, please visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PnCmLuEjJg&feature=youtu.be

This week's video features highlights from Doreen's Australian fund-raiser to help rescued baby kangaroos have a safe sanctuary. If you'd like to visit Rebecca's kangaroo sanctuary Facebook page, please see: http://goo.gl/HnvtHr

Choosing Freedom | Multidimensional Ocean

Phoenixfirebird:

Do what you love, even if it is not for a living, take those first steps
in the direction of your dreams, and don’t postpone joy. ~PB


Choosing Freedom | Multidimensional Ocean

Originally posted on Multidimensional Ocean:

Chosing freedom


I chose freedom of thought, or body and spirit over politics, bullying,
intimidation, exploitation, abuse, management policy which are hardly
better than prostitution in some workplace, as mine sadly.

I chose to do as I chose with my body, soul, and spirit, over being used
by a system which does not understand me,nor my physical, emotional,
intellectual and spiritual needs!

I chose to spend my time, and especially my free time in love, joy and happiness, rather on stressing over paperwork, and working from home day and night…

I chose to work that I enjoy, over doing work that some burocrat, or worse.. a politician decided that needed to be done.

I chose to live my life in love and truth, rather than hypocrisie, fear, company politics and lies.

I chose to be true to myself, and to my morals, rather than being false to my managers.

View original 64 more words

Top 10 Reasons Why Sleep is Important

I am trying to exercise more and cut back on anything that might interfere with sleep, especially REM dream sleep! -PB

Top 10 Reasons Why Sleep is Important
Erin Anderson
August 31, 2014

All of us know the very common phrase, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a person Healthy, wealthy and wise.” The sleeping positions and timings matter a lot in everyone’s life, scientifically. We all love to sleep. But how many of you sleep enough and comfortably, every night? Am sure, not many of you would be gaining efficient sleep every day. You may say that your age is working age and it’s totally o.k if you don’t sleep for some hours and use that as working hours. But let me tell you, it’s not at all o.k. You should sleep for at least 8 hours to complete your sleep. Remember that the Quality of sleep matters, not the quantity. The importance of sleep is still not known to many of us even today. People consider sleep inferior to their work, which shouldn’t happen. We should consider our sleeping hours as a serious matter of health. I would like you to provide information as to how much average sleep do you need according to your age.


Average Sleep                                Needs by Age


Newborn to 2 months old         12 – 18 hrs
3 months to 1 year old                14 – 15 hrs
1 to 3 years old                              12 – 14 hrs
3 to 5 years old                              11 – 13 hrs
5 to 12 years old                            10 – 11 hrs
12 to 18 years old                         8.5 – 10 hrs
Adults (18+)                                   7.5 – 9 hrs


And now am going to focus on the very vital 10 reasons as to why sleep is important for us. So go ahead read and pass on the information.



1. Brain Power

The activity to sleep not only makes you get relaxed and recharge, but it also helps in enhancement of your brain power that is your memory and concentration. Yeah, this is the top most reason as to why sleep is so important. We all want ourselves and also our kids to be healthy and brainy. And scientifically, it is proved that our brain power becomes strong if we take quantitative as well as qualitative sleep every day. Brain foods also play role in boosting up your brain power but it should be along with sleep. Sleep increases our memory power and concentration. You will be more productive when you have increase in concentration and good memory, after a well-rested night. Sleep would also decrease your chances of having mental disorders, depression etc. which is very harmful to us psychologically. And also sleep deprivation leads to memory loss.



2. Life Span

We all wish that we should be immortal or undead like the vampires in tales and movies. But we can’t. But yes, why do we decrease our life span, by not sleeping? Inadequate sleep decreases our life span. This is a very great reason as to prove you that why sleep is so important in our life. Many studies and researchers have proven this that if we don’t sleep as per the requirement of our body, you will surely have less life span as compared to the people who fulfill this requirement of sleep for their body. Hence, when you throw out every hour of sleep, it will be like throwing out the time from your life span. So think and then take action to work instead of sleep. Because this will make you pay heavy cost regarding your life.



3. Immunity

A best part of our body is that it protects us internally by immunity system present in it.We don’t get many diseases like cold, cough etc if our immune system is great, but do you know that the immunity system can be affected if you don’t take adequate sleep? Well, yes many research studies have proved that your immunity system goes down if you don’t take proper sleep. Immunity system works as a fighter in our body. It fights back the different viruses and diseases in our body. Hence, if we don’t take adequate sleep, we become more susceptible to diseases. Hence, sleep more to boost up your immunity power.



4. Revitalize

Revitalizing our body every day is very important to gain back our physical as well as mental strength to work more and more. As I told you above, you have fresh mornings when you take proper sleep. Also the main process that makes you feel fresh and enthusiastic for next day’s work is revitalization. When you sleep, your whole body relaxes, right from your toe to your head. You use up all your energy, for the work you do throughout the day. And as you sleep, you regain all your energy back which revitalizes you from within. Hence, provide energy to your body by sleeping.



5. Fresh Mornings

We all want our mornings to be fresh and beautiful. But we enjoy this only on our weekends and holidays. But, now you can make your every day’s morning fresh You will always boost up on the thought of making your every morning, a fresh morning. Thus, Sleep is important factor in making your mornings go fresh. As you sleep properly every night, your whole body carries out its biological processes like the kidneys workout efficiently which ultimately makes our digestion system work properly. Also when you complete your sleep, you get physically as well as mentally satisfied for it and this leads you to a fresh morning.




6. Working Capacity

We all do hard work and stay up all night to earn a living. You may eliminate sleep and work more. But be aware, because not sleeping and working more will lead you to more problems in future. It could directly make effect on your working capacity. Lack of sleep, can lead you to more tiredness to do things which you would like to do. Hence, many companies and working places today, have a special room where you can rest whenever you want. So sleep is important to keep your working capacity on the same level like earlier.



7. Mood

Have you observed your mood after remaining awake for the whole night, or after not completing the sleep? You go all angry on whoever it is around you, also you get irritated very fast. Have you thought what would be the reason behind it? Yes, here lies the importance of sleep again. Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, stress and moodiness. Hence, stop predicting that it may be a mood swing problem and start paying attention in taking quality sleep every day to remain in lighted mood.



8. Beauty

Everyone wants to be beautiful and gorgeous. Don’t you? Thus, remember from now that sleep plays an important role to make us beautiful. You would never need to use those harmful and unbelievable cosmetics for your beautification. All you have to do is take proper sleep every day. Let me tell you how it works, internally. In the time of your 6 to 8 hours of sleep, your body heals and repairs itself. During the period of our deep sleep, our cells renew themselves. If, you don’t sleep well then you develop more and more dark circles around your eyes which makes you look ugly and also your skin doesn’t revitalize and glow up which happens when you take a good sleep. Hence, have your beauty sleep every day.



9. Health Problems

We never want to go to a doctor for taking injections, Operations and all that bad taste medicines. Hence, it’s our duty to take precautions. We can face many serious health problems due to lack of sleep. Health problems that you would regret to have anytime in your life. It includes different cardiovascular problems. Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increase in level of stress hormones. Thus we see, that the sleep deprived people have more stress than the persons having complete sleep. Also lack of sleep constitutes to irregular heartbeat which can be a serious problem altogether. Hence, sleep is important to make us stay away from serious health problems.



10. Fatness

Obesity is a very common problem in today’s era. Everyone wants to be fit and fine. You could get slim now, the only thing you have to do is sleep for proper hours. Now you would be in question, that what is the relation between Weight gain and sleep, right? Let me provide you some scientific information regarding this. There are two hormones responsible for this process, Ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is the ‘Go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep deprived you have more ‘ghrelin’. And ‘Leptin’ is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived you have less ‘leptin’. In such case, when you are sleep deprived naturally your metabolism is slower and you eat more thus which leads to weight gain. So you sleep well and gain less.

A German Guy Wants to Give You a Bunch of Money for Nothing | Vice

A German Guy Wants to Give You a Bunch of Money for Nothing

By Chris Köver Aug 15 2014

Photo by Jannismayr.de


What would happen if we didn't have to worry about making a living any more? Would people just sit on their arses all day or actually do something meaningful with their lives? Michael Bohmeyer, a 29-year-old founder of a tech startup in Berlin, wanted to find out.


After he stopped working earlier this year to live off the £780 he makes from his startup each month, Bohmeyer says his life has radically changed. So he started “My Basic Income”, a new initiative looking to raise enough money to pay someone £780 a month for a year, no strings attached.


Through crowdfunding, the initiative has already raised more than the $16,000 (£9,585) goal. On the 18th of September, they're going to announce the lucky winners of that wad of cash at a party in Berlin.


I spoke to Bohmeyer to find out what he hopes will come of this and how his life has changed now that he doesn't need to work.

VICE: Would you say you’re a lazy person?

Michael Bohmeyer: I’d say that, but I don’t think being lazy is necessarily a bad thing. Other people probably wouldn’t call me lazy. I work a lot – even more so now that I don’t need to work for money. I even discovered a passion for washing the dishes.


You said that having an unconditional basic income has radically altered your life. How so?

After I stopped working earlier this year and started living off the approximately £780 I get out of my company, I just wanted to put my feet up and do nothing. Instead, I found a crazy drive to do things. I had a million new business ideas, I take care of my daughter and I work for a local community radio. I buy less shit, I live healthier and I'm a better boyfriend and father.


Because you have more time for your girlfriend and daughter?

Because I'm more laid-back. The pressure is gone. My working conditions were great even before, because I was running my own company and could pretty much do what I want. But making money was tied to conditions. Now, I do everything I do because I want to – and all of a sudden it’s twice as much fun.


Do you ever get bored?

I wouldn’t have the time. “My Basic Income” is keeping me busy 20 out of 24 hours. I’m not kidding – I barely sleep. All of a sudden I have these insane amounts of energy, because I'm doing 100 percent what I want to do.


So ever since you stopped working for money, you've been working your arse off. Kind of ironic.

Totally. It’s also funny how I got there. After I had stopped working for pay initially, I thought I’d have to immediately find a new project. I rented an office, made a to-do list, and showed up in the morning. After stressing myself out like that for a month and not getting much done, I thought, 'Wait a minute. What the hell am I doing?' So I actively made myself do nothing for a month – I watched the sky, no mobile phone, no books, nothing. It was physically painful. But after a while I could do it.


You want to pay someone a basic income of £780 a month for a year, no strings attached. What do you hope to prove or find out by doing this?

I was pretty astonished what not having to work did to my life. It would be presumptuous to make assumptions based on my experience, but I think that everybody has crazy potential that could be triggered by not having to worry about income. Don’t get me wrong, I think making money is awesome. To work and be paid for it – that’s great. But not to work for the sole purpose of making money. I got bored by the debates we're having about this issue and how they are not going anywhere. So I thought: Let’s just try this and see what happens instead of waiting around for politicians.


Through crowdfunding you've raised close to £19,000 so far – enough money to finance two basic incomes for a year. That’s two people not having to worry about getting by. Still, it doesn’t say a lot about what would happen if none of us had to worry about that.

Sure, my project is totally dumb for two reasons. First it’s limited to one year, so you still have to worry about making a living next year. And secondly, of course it makes a difference if it’s just me not having to worry about money or if nobody around me does.


So no, it’s definitely not representative. But at least we get a whiff of what having a basic income might feel like. And we're having a discussion about this. Because it’s not just about the two who are actually going to win this. It’s also about the 21,000 people who wrote on the website what they’d do if they had the money. They aren't looking to put their feet up. They want to continue working without having to stress so much – they’d like to volunteer more or start their own company. I think all of these things would be pretty rad for society.


So what do you think would happen if we all had basic income tomorrow?

At first, nothing much would change. But in the long run we’d see people making freer choices, because they wouldn’t have to make decisions based on economic pressure – only based on what they actually want. They’d have time to actually think about what it is that they want or they are good at. Now, you're just trying to get through school quickly so you can get a good job.


OK, you are talking about privileged people with university degrees who actually expect their jobs to not just pay the rent but also be fun, rewarding, and fulfilling. What about the underpaid who are cleaning toilets, working in call centers, or taking care of the old?

I'm not just addressing the privileged here. Having a basic income puts everybody into a better position when it comes to negotiating with their employers. The guy cleaning the toilet could say, "Nope, not doing that any more." The employer could then say, "Let’s automate this and we’ll only have self-cleaning toilets from now on."


Yeah, but it’s hard to automate taking care of children or the old.

Exactly. In these cases, we’d finally have to ask ourselves what we value in society. We’ll have to start paying these people way better. I think having clean toilets is important. It’s work that needs to be done, but it is done today at the expense of people who can’t afford to get another job. And I don’t know anyone who’d say child care isn’t important – yet we have people doing this work for the lowest possible pay, because no profit is to be made.


I’d actually like to be a pre-school teacher. But when I think about what I’d make compared with working in IT, I ask myself, 'Why should I?' With a basic income I can now reconsider this option, because with that plus the pay I’d earn an OK living. I'm pretty sure I’d make a better pre-school teacher than IT guy.


The group of people advocating a basic income is a pretty mixed bunch – from leftists, member of the Green Party, and anthroposophists to Milton Friedmanites and members of the German Liberal Party. Where on this spectrum do you fall?

Nowhere. Basic income doesn’t fit this left-right diagram. It’s partly socialist, because it’s about giving everybody the same. It’s also individualistic, because it’s about lean government and less bureaucracy. It’s neither left-wing nor right-wing; it’s a third road.


Today, politicians use it as a sociopolitical tool to get people to do what they want them to do. I think this strategy has gotten old, and it’s not working. Let’s give people some money and see what they do with it if they can decide for themselves.


What about your own agenda? Aren’t you also trying to prove a point?

Yes, but on another level. I think you can only achieve change by letting the people advocate their change. You can force people to do something they don’t want to do, but you can’t convince them. And most of all, you can’t force them to take jobs that aren’t there.


"The myth of full employment and the idea that everyone who doesn’t have a job is just not trying hard enough." What do you think of that?

That’s bullshit. In modern capitalism you can never have full employment. Having a reserve army of unemployed workforce at all times is necessary to keep the low-pay sector as a low-pay sector. There just isn’t enough paid labor for everybody. At the same time we are forcing people to take jobs that aren’t there. That’s just cruel.


Any other myths you’d like to bust?

People say, "Of course I would continue working if I had a basic income, but the others wouldn’t." That’s where I want to start. I want to show that most everybody would do something useful with their lives l if they had the money – it’s not just you. People want to contribute. You just have to let them.


People say a lot of things when asked. It doesn't mean they are actually going to do it.

Sure. But if you look at the 1.4 million people we already have in Germany today who could rely on welfare but prefer to work even though their job doesn’t pay enough for them to make a living – I’d say we can be fairly sure that people aren’t generally looking to be lazy. Even with the system we have now.


More on crowdfunding:
This Guy Wants You to Help Him Buy the UK Press
Poor Students Are Crowdfunding Their Tuition Fees
Forget Potato Salad, These Guys Are Crowdfunding for Drones and Weapons

Weekly Forecast: August 3 - 9, 2014 a message from Kelly M. Beard

Weekly Forecast: August 3 - 9, 2014
a message from Kelly M. Beard
Sunday, 3 August, 2014  (posted 4 August, 2014)


[The Karmic Tools Weekly Forecast covers the current planetary transits which affect people in different ways and to various degrees of intensity.  Take notice when it is a Personal planet (Sun / Moon / Mercury / Venus / Mars) interacting with a Social (Jupiter/Saturn) or Collective planet (Uranus / Neptune/Pluto).  And pay extremely close attention when it is a Social planet interacting with a Collective planet because that means something *big* is brewing that will move large groups of people along their evolutionary paths. Tuning in to the energy and rhythm of the planets can serve as a useful *guide* as you move along your Individual Path.  It also helps to understand your place within the context of the larger Social & Collective Story. Below, you will find out how these energies tend to manifest, as well as guidance and direction.

*NOTE*  There are some days when there are NO CONTACTS (besides the Moon), please note that there are no missing entries, we just list the actual Activations of each week + the day they happen.]

Weekly Forecast:  August 3 - 9, 2014

8/7 ~ Mars (action) ~trine~ Neptune (dreams):

This is a good time to reflect on your dreams and vision of Self and your life. You may feel inclined to help others, but always balance that drive with some objectivity (are those you're helping just as dedicated to getting well as you are to helping them?) This is a very laid back energy that allows you time to take effective action on behalf of your dreams and spiritual growth.

8/8 ~ Mercury (expression) ~conjunct~ Sun (core-Self):

This energy will compel you to express yourself on many levels. Communication will be a focus, just make sure it is reciprocated. You will have access to some powerful energy that can (and probably will) make quite an impression on others (if you need to). This is a good time to travel if possible too. However, if not physically, than mentally and certainly within your own area, you will take in more information per square inch than usual. Pay attention! You may even gain the much deserved recognition from others you have worked so hard for.

8/8 ~ Mercury (voice) ~trine~ Uranus (individuality):

This is a powerfully intuitive and stimulating energy. Your thinking may lack discipline, but your ability to access solutions to any recent (or long-standing) challenges and find instant and accurate clarity will be off the charts. This energy will not be contained, even though it is generally all mental, you really will have a hard time keeping up with the thoughts and intuitions that come to you under this influence. Pay attention! Communications with others will have this same "connected" feeling; be open to opinions and ideas that come your way. You may not have been ready for them previously, now you are!

8/8 ~ Sun (core identity) ~trine~ Uranus (individuality):

This energy is wonderful for a little self-examination. Look at your habits, home situation, work or anything else that is important to you and look at how you've gotten to where you are. What kind of choices led here? This is a good time to look around and see how you can conserve or release that which is no longer useful. It's a good energy for organizing and clearing the decks, so to speak, of things that have piled up but still need to be dealt with or released. You'll be feeling very practical this week.

8/8 ~ Mercury (communication) ~square~ Saturn (reality):

This energy is good for deep thinking. You are sharp and your standards are high because you are in 'strategy mode'. This is a more solitary energy though, so communications with others may be hampered a bit. You may feel like people don't understand what you're trying to convey or that you're coming across more negatively than you intended. This is not a good energy for business negotiations. This energy makes you most critical of your Self, but it could trickle over onto others as well. Beware of a tendency toward pessimism and/or depression. Try to stay focused on all the blessings that you do have and all that you have accomplished instead of what's still on the list of things to do (in life). This energy is not intended to make you feel bad about all the things left yet to do, but encourage you to begin the necessary steps for manifesting your dreams. This energy just makes you focus on the practical side of manifesting. Clear the debris, and begin to lay a new, clean, solid foundation beneath your goals. It sharpens your ability to see the necessary steps with an unusual acumen.

8/9 ~ Sun (core identity) ~square~ Saturn (responsibility):

With this energy, it is best to understand that you will have two distinct pulls within - duty versus self-gratification. It's not nearly as bad as it feels, however, it does bring up something we all struggle with to some degree or another - SELF & OTHERS. How much do you owe your Self and how much are you obligated to others? Balance and reciprocity come to mind as guides. One of the challenges of this influence is the tendency to make assumptions without checking whether they are true. Never assume! Some people may feel restricted, as if life is too demanding and there's never any time just for you. Others may find their lives falling apart because they have avoided responsibility for so long and now there's no more "wiggle room". Try to convert your impatience with seeming restriction to self-discipline - make a commitment to your Self and follow through. Physically and psychologically, your energies are low at this time. You may feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, but you don't expect help because you haven't asked for it. Remember, that is your choice. You may be reinforcing the very circumstances that make you feel lonely and isolated. What you must do is break out of the vicious cycle and take a good look around you, at your life and the people you allow in it. The events related to this transit tend to magnify the chinks in your ego structure. The purpose of discouragement is to reveal the weaknesses in your conception of your Self and to show where you must work to gain greater confidence in your Self.

You are encouraged to share articles as long as copyright and contact info are always included.  Thanks for your courtesy. Kelly M Beard Kelly@KarmicTools.com ~ www.KarmicTools.com Published by GypsyChild Publishing Copyright © 2000-2013 Kelly M Beard All Rights  Reserved

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Lynda Hill's Sabian Symbols: Finding And Acknowledging Our Trophies: July's Leo New Moon

Lynda Hill's Sabian Symbols:
Finding And Acknowledging Our Trophies: July's Leo New Moon

Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war-for killing people. We received ours for entertaining other people. I’d say we deserve ours more. John Lennon

There’s always something about your success that displeases even your best friends. Mark Twain

I feel sorry for someone who has to win at everything. Snoopy
One nice thing about egotists: they don’t talk about other people. Lucille S. Harper

I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis, and I don’t deserve that, either. Jack Benny

He who doesn’t risk never gets to drink champagne. Russian Proverb

A sportsman is a man who, every now and then, simply has to get out and kill something. Not that he’s cruel. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. It’s not big enough. Stephen Leacock

The English country gentleman galloping after a fox – the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable. Oscar Wilde

The Leo new Moon falls on July 27 in Australia and July 26 in the United States. It's another very meaningful lunation which promises to bring quite a few changes, or, in some cases, upheavals, in our lives or in the world around us. This new Moon is Leo 4 conjunct (together with) Jupiter on Leo 3 - they are only one degree apart. Mars is finally in Scorpio, on Scorpio 1, after spending what seemed like an eternity in Libra, and Mars is gathering speed and it is also gathering strength. Mars is squaring this Leo new Moon from Scorpio, and it is also squaring Jupiter, ratcheting up the energy. Further Venus and Pluto are tightly opposing each other, which also heralds a strong sense of change on many levels. Decisions will be made around relationships, money, investments, debt, loyalties, friendships, desires, etc. This could be a new Moon of power struggles, or, it could be a time for us to discover how powerful we really are.

We have a lot of charged-up energies going on around and within us and the last few weeks have not been easy. Here in Australia, we are mourning the loss of 27 (some say 28) Australians in the Malaysian Airlines bombing - a terrible, sad, twisted story. Weirdly, when the Malaysian Airlines plane went missing some months ago, Mars was just going retrograde and was passing over Libra 28: An Airplane Sails, High In The Bright Clear Sky, and Mars was retrograde on that degree for a number of days. Now, months later, Mars is going direct again over this degree, and coming out of the shadow of the retrograde, and Vesta is also on Libra 28, and we have the second Malaysian Airlines catastrophe. One wonders how these things work - it is weird and amazing and it really makes me scratch my head how the Symbols can so clearly and literally outline what is happening.

We also have the horror stories coming out of Gaza and Israel - all hard to reconcile. The Sun and Mars have been squaring each other these last few days with the Sun on Cancer 27: A Furious Storm In A Canyon Filled With Valuable Homes and Mars on Libra 27 - the Airplane Sails High degree. Bombs and airplanes and wanting to escape from it all.

In the days following the new Moon, realities and emotions will be tested and issues and questions that have been hanging in the air will be resolved - at least many of those questions will, although, as always, there will be some left hanging in mid-air waiting for those realisations and decisions.
The Sabian Symbol for the new Moon is Leo 4: A Man Formally Dressed Stands Near Trophies He Brought Back From A Hunting Expedition. The following interpretations are taken from my book The Sabian Oracle: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom.

‘A Man Formally Dressed Stands Near Trophies’ is an image of someone putting on their best attire and showing something that’s seen by himself and others as being a reward for achieving success in what is probably normally a male dominated arena. These are ‘Trophies He Brought Back From a Hunting Expedition’ and they are his to display or show off. It can be something he’s found, fought, shot or “bagged” in some way. It’s safe to assume that he’s very proud of his success and he may have had to endure incredible stress and dangers to acquire it. Whatever the ‘Trophies’ are, it is one thing to achieve them and another to then display these achievements for all to see.

This Symbol shows that there may be the urge, or the need, to impress others. There should always be some form of recognition or award for a job well done. Being proud and having a sense of satisfaction for accomplishing something should be awarded and congratulated. But just what are the rewards and spoils that you’re after? Some people will be pleased with the display, but there’s the possibility of some being uninterested and further, others could be distinctly unimpressed. Think carefully of the effects before you do anything as others may feel jealous or try to shoot you down for showing off. The ‘Trophies’ can be diplomas and awards for performing both physically and academically. Have you truly accomplished something? If so you should be acknowledged and congratulated, OR, are they just “things” that you can claim for yourself without considering where they’ve come from or caring about what had to be done to achieve them?

Keywords: Trophies of conquest. The desire to show oneself. Proving one’s animal instincts for the benefit of social position. Displays of manliness. The spoils of daring and courage. Notches on the belt. Victories over another. Trophies awarded for one’s club, social standing or country. Looking for pats on the back. Diplomas. Guns, rifles, ammunition. Academy Awards. Animal liberationists.

The Caution: Dominating nature with power. Showing off one’s spoils. Warfare and the ravages of it. Keeping tabs on one’s conquests. Boasting of masculine prowess. Living in the past. Arrogance. Seeing things as objects to conquer. Testosterone overloads. Compromises made to attain social acceptance. Envious responses to success.

The Karmic Condition (the degree before) this new Moon is also the same degree of Jupiter, Leo 3: A Mature Woman, Keeping Up With The Times, Having Her Hair Bobbed. This Symbol seems to imply that it's time to stretch our wings and to find a sense of inner and outer freedoms and to let go of some of the social constraints that may be binding us to certain behaviours, relationships or habits.

Keywords: Making an effort to keep up with trends. Asserting one’s independence from social constraints. Wanting to shrug off the years. Adopting a younger attitude. Following the herd. Going along with the things for the sake of being trendy. Plastic surgery. Changing appearances.
Hairdressers and hairstyles. Gray hair. Hats and scarves. Meeting the challenges of age. Radiating sexuality. Bad hair days. Mid-life crisis. Being a trendsetter.

The Caution: Relying on external fashion to disguise inner emptiness. Cosmetic changes that are transitory. Making superficial but not meaningful alterations. Fashion slaves. The illusion of keeping up with the times. Giving up on one’s appearance. Battling society’s glorification of youth. Mutton dressed up as lamb.

The Quest Degree (degree after) of the new Moon is Leo 5: Rock Formations Towering Over A Deep Canyon. We may be pushed to jump into the void, to take a big step, a big risk, or to figure out where we may have painted ourselves into a corner.

Keywords: Old structures and deep hazards. The choice: taking chances or standing still. Walking very close to the edge. Extreme sports. Risk taking. New takes on old situations. Additions to things long established. Masada. Mountains. Valleys and gorges. Fortifications. Isolation. The grandeur of nature. The forces of evolution. Rock. Geology. Layers of permanence. Landscapes. Canyons. Vertigo. No going back. Stability behind - the unknown in front. Great heights. Monuments.

The Caution: Painting oneself into a corner. Not being able to retrace one’s steps. Instability. Erosion. Jumping into the void without a safety net. Cracks appearing. Doing a “Geronimo”. Being right on the edge. Feeling like life is impossibly hard.

The Karmic Condition of Jupiter is Leo 2: An Epidemic Of Mumps. Keeping control of situations can be key here and there may be realisations around when to speak and when not to, when to let on what you're feeling and when to keep quiet about it. Things can get out of hand with this Symbol, and, as Jupiter has already passed over it, it may be necessary to do whatever needs to be done in order to rein in emotions, thoughts, events, possibilities before they get out of their safe boundaries.

Keywords: Hysterical feelings. Ideas of immunity. Things getting out of control. Common threads that link people and places. Infectious diseases. Medicine and cures. Discovering the truth of a situation and acting accordingly. Viruses and bacterial infections spreading. Rumors. Colds. Flu. Fear in general. The cat let out of the bag. The need for "immunization" in situations. The need for hygiene. Isolating causes of problems. Outbreaks. Blood tests. Tumors. Measles. Chicken pox.

The Caution: Fear of bad health. Hypochondria. Rampaging gossip. Widespread fear or upset. Stories that get out of control. Rashes and skin problems. Deprivation. Hiding one’s self away for fear of contagion. Fear of sharing one’s self with others. Obsession with health. Embarrassment.
 Impotence. Contagious thoughts. Negative thinking and compulsive actions. The complications of disease. Media frenzies. Problems that multiply with alarming speed.

Mercury is on Cancer 21: A Prima Donna Singing. Someone may be 'sounding off' - creating a noise, being a diva or a prima donna and wanting to make a big noise. Of course, the Prima Donna Symbol can be fabulous; there can be a desire to talk, or sing, about one's culture, one's feelings, desires or needs.

Keywords: Powerful voice. Emotional dramatizations. Talent. Taking center stage. Messages that need to be heard for social reasons. Playing out the myths of society. Makeup, hairstyles, wigs and costumes. Feeling important and special. Singing and performing. Opera and drama. Fame and fortune. Charisma and presence. Commanding center stage. Having control and good timing (or not). Flowers or brickbats. Years and years of training or improvising on the spot.

The Caution: Overplaying one’s role. Displaying noisily. Driving people to distraction. Refusing to keep quiet. Demanding to be heard. Wanting everyone to listen. Overreacting. Throwing tantrums. Not knowing when to stop. Passions worn on the sleeve. Showing off.
Venus is on Cancer 11: A Clown Is Caricaturing Well Known Personalities. Sometimes we have to 'put on a good face', smile and act like everything is OK. Sometimes we have to act like the clown in order to spread good cheer to others. We may see some around us, particularly political figures (I'm imagining), putting on an act and puffing themselves up. There is a bit of theatre in this Leo new Moon conjunct Jupiter and square Mars and with Mercury and Venus on these theatrical degrees. There's a feeling of 'propaganda much?'.

Keywords: Exaggerated responses. Wanting to entertain. Show business. Trying to be something or someone that one’s not. Putting on a face. Comic performances. Parodies of personalities. Making fun of someone. Clowns and clowning. Life imitating art. Always performing. Irony. Satire.
Objective observance. Criticism. Laughter. Caricatures. Cartoons. Lampooning. Voice impressions.

The Caution: Being foolish in the face of positive potential. Trying to cover up reality through buffoonery. Being constantly “on stage”. Living vicariously. Inauthentic behavior. Not having the courage to display one’s true self. Putting on a face to manipulate or fool others. Irritating behavior that wears thin after a while. Being the laughing stock. Overblown impressions. Loss of true identity.

Mars is on Scorpio 1: Tourists On A Sight-Seeing Bus. Mars is squaring both the new Moon and Jupiter, which can bring about heightened emotions, ambitions, anger, determination, friction and all kinds of Marsy possibilities. This degree often shows the feeling of being separate, being an observer, not really participating. Mars here could bring up issues to do with feeling like an alien in a strange land - as if you're thrown out in some way; not accepted, not belonging, not wanting to belong perhaps.

Keywords: Observing life. Feeling disconnected from reality.
UFO’s and aliens. Seeing how other  people live. Watching from afar. Tourists, traveling, buses. Suitcases and luggage. Cameras, pictures, souvenirs. Tour guides. Timing and being on time. The untried and untrodden or the same old road. Getting lost in something for hours. Foreign territories. New ways of seeing.

The Caution: Feelings of naivety and gullibility. Feeling like an alien even in familiar surroundings. Making assumptions about others’ lives. Disconnections from reality. Not fitting in. Expecting things to be done without any personal expenditure of effort or resources. Getting out of one’s depth. Having difficulty calling one’s own agenda. Separation anxiety. Inability to concentrate.

Straight after the new Moon, Mars will move onto Scorpio 2 - this degree speaks about letting things out, breaking or shattering and it can be a bit upsetting, although it can also be very relieving as the pressure is relieved - it's A Broken Bottle And Spilled Perfume. There will need to be a release of energies on many levels.

Saturn is on Scorpio 17: A Woman, Filled With Her Own Spirit, Is The Father Of Her Own Child. Saturn is going direct after being retrograde since early March. Many have been learning how to look after themselves, or, have been thrown back onto themselves. It can be a tiring responsibility, but it can be strengthening with Saturn on this degree and now things are likely to free up in some sense as Saturn starts to move forward again.

Keywords: Single parenthood. Being proud of one’s individuality. Feeling capable of anything. Spiritual experiences that fill one with one’s own spirit. Self-reliance. The lack of a father figure. Invitro fertilization. The complications of adoption. Self sufficiency. Facing the world feeling whole. Having the right to determine one’s future. The story of the conception of Jesus.

The Caution: Uncompromising feminism or chauvinism. Feeling like one has to be responsible for everything. Unrealistic independence. Being left alone and abandoned. Having no one to turn to for support. Being an adult before one’s time.

Uranus is on Aries 17: Two Prime Spinsters Sitting Together In Silence. Saturn is going direct while Uranus is going retrograde - this can spell an interesting period of stop, go, stop, go, but I think there will be more go going on as the impetus for forward movement is quite strong. With Uranus on this degree for the last few weeks, many have been learning about relationships and relating with each other. Many have been spending quite a bit of time along, or just hanging out occassionally with a special friend. Saturn and Uranus have been in a tight quincunx (150 degrees apart) relationship - which can be rather stressful. I have long seen the quincunx to be like the 'itch that is hard to scratch' - especially with Saturn in quincunx to Uranus - that is archetypally that. Innovative ideas are probably what's most needed and yet Uranus has been giving off rather 'old hat' energy, or, feeling the need to project a younger, more vital, freer energy.

Keywords: The need to loosen up emotional blockages. The struggle to hold onto one’s original identity. Compromise because of social expectations. Meditations that communicate. Exclusive relationships. Relationships that have a quiet “knowing”. Dignified silence. Inner withdrawal. Communicating through body language.

The Caution: Emotional isolation. Refusing to accept relationship. Pretending to be someone that one is not. Disapproval of younger, more vital energies. Being fussy and judgmental. Chattering that is not conducive to growth or true relating. Gossip. Difficulty in communicating. Being shutoff, or shutdown. The loss of joy and spontaneity.

Neptune is retrograde on Pisces 8: A Girl Blowing A Bugle. Neptune seems to be saying that we need to sound off, make a noise, announce or have realisations around our desires, our artistic or spiritual lives. Sometimes, however, with Neptune here, we may speak out of turn, make a noise and then regret it, blow our stack and regret it later. Finding the middle ground between what is and what isn't worth doing or saying is key here.

Keywords: Sounding the call. Awakening all to action. Going on and on about something. Loudspeakers, telephones, announcements. Being prepared to state one’s case. Calling attention to one’s self. Blowing your own trumpet. Whistle blowers. Heralding and proclaiming the dawn. Rise and shine! Girls in a man’s world. Leading the charge. Resurrection. Mass announcements. Advertising campaigns. Alarm clocks. Ear plugs. Blind folds. Breaking a fast. Proclamations.

The Caution: Making unwarranted and disturbing noise. Showing off. Unbalanced messages. 
Evangelists and politicians. Sounding the call but not making the grade. Being annoying. Trumpeting about one’s achievements. Not listening to people.

Neptune will soon move backwards onto Pisces 7: Illuminated By A Shaft Of Light, A Large Cross Lies On Rocks Surrounded By Sea And Mist. This can bring pu issues of misplaced loyalties and feeling like some bigger agenda is calling the shots, or, like one's life has been sacrificed or tossed aside in some way. It's not an easy degree, but it can be one of reconnecting with your true spiritual values.

Pluto is on Capricorn 12: A Student Of Nature Lecturing, Revealing Little Known Aspects Of Life. I get the sense that, like the last time that Pluto was on this degree last year, there will be quite a few revelations around the climate and climate change and insights into what makes our lives tick. This is a very meaningful degree and one that can have many wonders and amazing things revealed. For many, there will be realisations about the nature of reality, how we live in a rather holographic universe, etc.

Keywords: Observing what’s around and translating it so others may learn. Green politics. Revealing things and issues the conservatives don’t want revealed. Nature and natural remedies. Science and its rewards and drawbacks. Issues such as global warming. Whistle blowers. Natural healing methods. Documentaries. Conspiracy theories.

The Caution: Radical non-humanistic views. Intellectual smugness. ‘Lecturing’ and browbeating. Modern technological advances that stifle the environment. Lip service to conservation issues.
Chiron is on Pisces 18: In A Huge Tent, A Famous Revivalist Conducts His Meeting With A Spectacular Performance. This new Moon has quite the emphasis on 'performance and performing' and there could be reasons to see through people's actions to see what is really being said or conveyed. This and the Prima Donna of Mercury and the Bugle of Neptune certainly are whipping up quite a lot of 'sounding off'.

Keywords: Energy and inspiration. Evangelism. Whipped up emotions. Having a lot to say. Being instructional and dogmatic about how things should be. Being in charge. Ecstasy. Loud voices. Conversations that are said out loud. Acoustics affecting sounds. Evangelism. Preaching. Mind control. Performing. Political, religious and spiritual activism. Showmanship. Transformative experiences. Captivated audiences. The media circus.

The Caution: Using spiritualism for greedy financial gain. Overblown feelings of one’s abilities. Big egos. Hysteria. People whipped-up and manipulated by those in charge. Having the agenda of controlling others. Feeling that one has all the answers. Getting het-up about ideals and beliefs. Manipulation and exploitation. Bigotry.

The Moon's north node is on Libra 23: Chanticleers Voice Heralds The Rising Sun With Enthusiastic Tones. Here, also, is the thing of 'sounding off'... it will be interesting to see what happens with this new Moon. Certainly, the government and the media are likely to be making a lot of noise, perhaps more noise than usual, but we may find that we have announcements and realisations to make as well.

Keywords: Anticipating new opportunities. Waking early. Being a morning person. Having a clear, beautiful or loud voice. Speaking up when it’s needed. Heralding the new age. Seeing things ahead of their time. Being attuned to cosmic forces. Change or renewal. Someone associated with new things. Always being on the go. Being eternally vigilant. Alarms that spur to action.

The Caution: Overstating ones role, talents or abilities. Needing a wake-up call (literally and symbolically). Crowing about things disturbing others. Being noisy when others are trying to sleep. Loud and irritating.

All in all, this feels like a very dynamic new Moon - and one that will probably have a lot of noise being made, I imagine mostly by the media. It is bound to be an interesting and meaningful time. It could be one of expansion and abundance and going for your objectives - it pays to direct your energies wisely and not scatter them - as always.


~~~
If you're interested in booking a reading, buying a book or donating to the newsletter or the new website, you can do so here

And, the website is just about completely ready - we have some things to iron out still and would so love your help. If you'd like to sign up for the website, you can check a few things out and let us know what you'd like to see changed, improved, fixed, etc. You don't have to have any astrological knowledge at all to be able to cast charts and produce and email extended, insightful and amazing Sabian Symbol reports. At present you can do charts and solar returns and soon we'll have the progressions sorted. You can email all of these to yourself or friends or clients. With these, you can also put in the time and date and place of an event and you can check out the Sabian Symbols. You can also produce charts set for right now - these are great to see what the Sabian Symbols are saying about the current moment. The same can be done for full and new moons both now and in the future. You would have to check it out in order to see all the great things this site does. Here's the link to the site www.sabiansymbols.net

And a heads up: In order to access the Oracle, one will need to sign up for a membership. The Oracle has been free on the web since 1996 - a membership in order to access it is $22.00. Please let me know if you're a fan of the Oracle and really cannot afford to pay the $22, write to me at sabiansymbols@gmail.com

Cheers, and here's to a better time ahead.

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pssssssssssssssst.........astrospirit!.........pass it on................. AstroFlash! Capricorn Full Moon July 12, 2014

pssssssssssssssst.........astrospirit!.........pass it on.................

AstroFlash!  Capricorn Full Moon   July 12, 2014   4:24 am PDT

Capricorn Full Moon.
Tight-rope tension
between tough and tender.

Discipline and responsibilities vs
the immediacy of present needs.
Worries about money, status,
security, and worthiness.

Take care of business.
Root, center, foundation.
Be aware of your limits,
create and hold safe space within.
Be gentle with yourself...

:: Capricorn Full Moon Contemplations and Action ::
How may I balance my responsibilities and my personal needs? What is my body wisdom telling me?

take action: Sea turtles need your help: http://tinyurl.com/o3frrqg
take action: Keep up the pressure on Obama to protect bees from pesticides: http://tinyurl.com/ne868c3

Peace,
Jacqueline

"The reading you gave me was most moving and profound .  Thank you so very much and I wish you great happiness and health until we meet again!"  --  Stacy W.

Gain perspective that is aligned with your life's design.
I can help you with compassionate insight through navigating uncertain waters.
Contact me if you'd like me to dive deep with you into your personal universe.

Jacqueline Lasahn
Navigation in the Mystery (415) 637-8402
jacqueline@astrospirit.com
AstroSpirit.com    facebook.com/astroflash
sacred-ceremony.com    facebook.com/sacredceremony

AstroFlash! is a cosmic tidbit of astropoetic perspective from the celestial buffet.
Copyright © 2014 Jacqueline Lasahn All rights reserved
Art © Catrin Welz-Stein

What's Happening in the Stars? July 7--July 13, 2014 ~Contributed by Hillory Skott

What's Happening in the Stars?  July 7--July 13, 2014  ~Contributed by Hillory Skott
 
Things come into beautiful bloom with this week’s full moon
in foundation laying Capricorn. Your ability to see what's
unfolding around you in a non-attached way will pay big
dividends. Look for imbalance between work and family,
between obligation and offering. Balance what you give
and take from the home and what you offer of yourself to
the outside world for greatest happiness.  This full moon
will illuminate your true needs.

Tuesday evening PST the protective Cancer Sun will
square off with freedom loving Uranus.  Expect the
unexpected.  You may feel an electric energy in your body. 
Anxiety is even possible if you don't somehow ground the
energy.  Get your feet on the Earth. Consciously slow down
your breathing. Come into your body and be conscious of
your feelings and thoughts.  It helps to observe the energy-
then you can take right and immediate action as the need
presents itself, probably unexpectedly.  Uranus wants you
to be free. Freedom is life. But Cancer can be clingy. Are
you needing to free yourself from something? Or, are you
engaged in clinging to the past in some way?  Squares are
for growing.  Lean into what comes up.

The Full Moon is on Saturday July 12, 2014, at 4:25 am PST. 
This sun is in Cancer and the moon will be reflecting in Capricorn. 
This pair represents Mother/Father energy. Our sensitive
dependent selves and our get out in the world and stand on
our own two feet selves.  We need a home base that is safe,
secure, nurturing, warm and loving- But we also need to get
out in the world and offer our wares. Provide a service and
share our talents.  We need to know we can take care of
ourselves on our very own steam.  Balancing both needs is
the focus now.

Capricorn is a natural in the real world.  Duty and responsibility
are Capricorns forte. Laying foundation and working towards a
better future with discipline and focus are mixed into the matrix
of every Capricorn Soul.  Which is great if you want to be wealthy
and powerful and own land.  But can be a bit lopsided.  You also
need to cuddle, and cook, to relax and retreat to safe little corner
of Love if you want to be a non-dysfunctional human.  The Capricorn
side of life is much more respected in our imbalanced societies. 
But the need for a safe and cozy home to regenerate and relax
remains necessary and fundamental. 

Because Capricorn is an Earth sign they do have a knack for
manifesting, combined with the glow of the emotional Cancer
sun is excellent fuel for creating what you choose with focus
and discipline.  You will have an awareness of your real needs
in this area of your life.  You can create in authentic ways that
will satisfy fundamental needs. So do take the time to set your
intentions: draw, write, and speak them to the Universe. This
is a powerful full moon to co-create the perfect home and perfect
work in perfect love and perfect trust. So be it!

~Contributed by Hillory Skott

Enjoy the beautiful, warm summer week!

Many Blessings,
Karen & Salma

Be more...Live more...Love more
And Never Settle for Less
Go Beyond!



Unbounded Potential Empowerment Group Inc.
http://unboundedpotential.com/

NorthPoint Astrology Journal: Your Guide to Planetary Energies for July 7 to 13, 2014 By Pam Younghans

"This is clearly a time when we may feel conflicted about right action. "Should I stay or should I go?" is likely to be our theme song this month."

NorthPoint Astrology Journal:  
Your Guide to Planetary Energies for July 7 to 13, 2014
By Pam Younghans

THROUGHOUT this month of July, we'll be working with two planets with very different agendas. Saturn and Uranus are preparing to change direction on July 20 and 21, respectively -- Saturn will finish its retrograde (backward motion) phase on the 20th, and Uranus will begin its retrograde phase on the 21st.

During the two weeks on either side of a planet's "station," when the planet is virtually standing still (from Earth's perspective), we tend to feel that planet's effects more directly. I often use the analogy of a train station to explain this effect:

If we're standing on the platform and a train is approaching, at first the vibration and the sound are distant. As the train gets closer and also starts slowing, the vibration and sound get stronger. When the train finally comes to a halt, the vibration and sound are at their most intense in our experience. Then, when the train is ready to leave the station, we have a reversal of our experience, with the sound and vibration slowly diminishing.

SATURN AND URANUS change direction twice every year, so we are certainly familiar with their "train in the station" effects. What makes it very interesting this month is that the two planets reach their respective stations within about 25 hours of each other -- and that these two are not very compatible when it comes to their effects.

Saturn is the Teacher, the Keeper of Time, the Law Enforcer. When Saturn's energy is strong, we feel more compelled to look at life realistically and practically. We are encouraged and rewarded for our efforts to be responsible and disciplined.

On the other hand, Uranus has been called the God of Chaos. Uranus inspires the rebel within us to come forward. Like all the planets, Uranus is also a teacher, but is teaching us to pay attention to what is right for us, even if (or maybe especially if) it goes against the expectations of others, of society, or even of ourselves.

This is clearly a time when we may feel conflicted about right action. "Should I stay or should I go?" is likely to be our theme song this month.

ONE MORE THING calling our attention is that Saturn and Uranus will each be at 16 degrees of their respective signs when they change direction (Saturn in Scorpio, Uranus in Aries).

This will have special impact on anyone who has planets or points in their natal chart between 15 and 17 degrees of any sign. If this is true for you, both Saturn and Uranus will be working very intentionally with you -- and you may feel the push-pull more strongly than others.

PERHAPS it will help if we stay focused on what each of these planets wants us to learn during this time. Saturn is in Scorpio, and so requires that we pay attention to what is beneath the surface.

While we don't want to become cynical and suspicious, there is a certain lesson here about not taking things at face value. We want to be sure of what is real, what we really want, and what motivations are driving us and the others involved.

Saturn is also cautious and conservative, and gives an "A-plus" to any student who follows that example.

IN COMPARISON, Uranus in Aries is freedom-loving, ready to take action on a moment's notice, especially in response to a recent insight or sudden awareness. Uranus in Aries doesn't care about the rules. It's a risk-taker and thrives on the adrenalin rush of new experience.

What does Uranus want from us? It wants us to know ourselves as individuals, with our unique desires and fulfillments and purposes. It wants us to throw away the rule book (that Saturn has so painstakingly edited) and live according to the insights gained from the higher consciousness aspect of our being.

It will be an interesting dance this month. We may feel like one of our stereo speakers is playing foxtrot music and the other is playing an Argentine tango. Which beat will we choose to dance to? Each of us will need to find the answer to that question for ourselves..

THIS JOURNAL is already lengthy, I know -- but I can't wrap this up without talking about the Full Moon on Saturday (at 4:24a PDT). As with all Full Moons, the Sun and Moon are in opposite signs, providing the light for us to see more clearly where we need better balance in our lives.

With the Sun in Cancer and the Moon in Capricorn at this Full Moon, we are asked to consider how we balance our home life and our careers, our equally valid needs for emotional security and outer accomplishment, and the desires to stay connected to the past but also focused on the goals that lead us forward.

WHAT I FIND most intriguing about this lunation, however, is the stellium of planets in Libra -- Mars, Ceres, Vesta and the North Node are all within one degree of each other, they are all squaring the Sun and the Moon, and they are all opposing Eris. In other words, we have a mini Cardinal Grand Cross. (Mini because the Moon moves so quickly, it is only in effect for hours instead of weeks.)

To me, that group of planets in Libra is meant to rule the day, primarily because they are aligned with the North Node, which represents our collective path of spiritual growth. We are all working on new ways of being in relationship, with ourselves and with others. We are all working to create balance and harmony in our lives. We are all learning how to cooperate with others while still valuing our own sensitivities and needs -- and never selling ourselves out.

Libra is the scales, after all. The scales are meant to be in balance, not weighted too far in either direction. Each of us is coming back to center, some from over-dependence on the approval of others, and some from the declaration that support from others is not needed.

Thanks for reading through to the end -- and have a good week!

Blessings,

Pam

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Today's photo: Spectacular sunset seen recently in East Providence, Rhode Island, USA (credit: Mary Umbricht, on SpaceWeather.com)