November 9, 2012


That moment when you first strike the match against the strip and pull it away. You shield it from any breeze, you even catch yourself holding your breath as you watch it intently and wait for the flame to take hold and fully light up. There's that split second where you think it just might blow out, the flicker of ignited fire dims and almost completely resigns itself to oblivion when all of a sudden there's that delicious sound of burning wood and resin, a few sparks and then the bright glow of full yellow. We are in that limbo space right now. Only, we have the power to make that light shine bright and not fade away. We can wring our hands, we can cha-cha from foot to foot, expending all our energy without really going anywhere, or... OR. We can cut ourselves loose from the tree we ourselves strung us up on and move forward. Be left behind or become part of the force of momentum. That strike of the match can be the halo of enlightenment around your head. Up to you. 

CAPRICORN
Have you ever re-potted a plant? You put soil in the bottom of the new, larger pot, take out the plant from its original, smaller pot and place it inside and then pack pack pack soil around it until it is nice and snug in its new home. Then you give it plenty of water and sit back in smile, giving yourself a pat on the back. Only it ends up dying. When you dump it out, you see that the roots never went beyond the original soil. In fact, the soil and root system still holds the exact shape of the original, smaller pot. It's like no water at all got in. See what I'm getting at here? There is absolutely no room for growth and no possibility of healing if you keep yourself too densely packed and tightly wound up. This is your 20/20 hindsight vision given to you up front. Open up and don't be so rigid and let the possibilities live and you will grow into your new surroundings.

AQUARIUS
Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof, woof woof. I'm hoping it's you air signs. Let them out, open the gates, let them run free and wild. And then follow them. They are taking you to a better pasture where you can breathe fresher air and see for miles and miles. Stop looking at your shoes and stop kicking that can around. Take off the shoes! Wriggle your toes and clean out the sock fuzz. There is A LOT that wants to make its way to you. It's actually all right there. You are the only one playing hide and seek with it. Look up, turn around, open your eyes and arms wide. And then enjoy the positivity you are positively bathed in. 

PISCES
Give a person a fish, they have a great dinner. Teach them to BE a fish, and they will be satiated in ways they can't even imagine. That is the best use of your ability to take on water, my fishes. Instead of feeling like you need to do it all personally, Just Do. Others will follow your lead. So turn wholeheartedly into the direction that you feel is right and don't look back. And I mean that. Don't wonder if any one is actually right there with you and don't worry about those that would want to hold you back. Use all your energy to get to that place that you see in front of you. This is your grand opportunity to release yourself from what is holding you back. Be firm in your boundaries and clear on what you are cultivating. Your focus is paramount.   

ARIES
You've reached a point where you are comfortably riding high. So sit tall and revel in this moment of victory. You can now open yourself up a bit more, the need for over-protection and over-action has passed. Take this pause at the watering hole to replenish. Dip your cup in the river and sip it as you ponder the following: What you are bringing to harvest in the outside world and what you are on the inside are not separate. Not mutually exclusive. When you cultivate one, you cultivate the other. When you neglect one, you neglect the other. Tend to both simultaneously from this point on. You will feel more centered and be better poised to effectively administer to your growing domain. 

TAURUS
Time to directly confront bulls. Or. Time to directly confront, bulls. Both work in this case. You have all the clarity you need. You know all that is right there swirling in front of you. Taunting you. Whether it's your own stubbornness or the obstinance of others that is the red flag being waved in front of your eyes, time to own it. And the way to do that is: 1) turn around and 2) walk away. Don't be enticed to charge and instead take the high road. What you are leaving behind is an invitation to exhaustion. Who needs it?! Not you. You have another engagement to accept. This one is engraved and being handed to you on a silver platter. It's an invite to be received by your own inner light. Recognize the divinity in this moment before you and embrace it for all it has to offer. You are embracing a more elevated and more steady YOU. 

GEMINI
You are stoked, bra. But, even the most successful surfers know that sometimes to hang the best 10, you have to chill out and float awhile to listen to what the waves are telling you. That is what you are being asked to do. Balance out all that righteous action with some down time. Lay back on your board and feel the rhythm of the waves. Close your eyes and feel how your body moves with the tides. It is necessary to tap into this deeper vibe of your self every so often. You don't have to sacrifice poise for agility, technique for showmanship. They go hand in hand. Hang loose for right now. Let the riptide ebb a bit. Your endless summer is just beginning. 

CANCER
The hills are alive with the sound of music. That you can't hear. I'm giving you the straight dope because some of my most-loved ones are crabs just like you. Every summer, we would get together to eat some of those amazing Maryland blue crabs. All of us sitting around the table tearing into a bushel. Hands and cheeks smeared with Old Bay Seasoning. For a time, the only sound is the hammering of claws on the table and the hum of shared cheerfulness in the air. It's bliss. Pure and clean, even if a bit messy, bliss. But my most special crabby family members don't see all that: "All this work, never really fills you up", "be careful of the table, don't get Old Bay on the chairs." They aren't allowing themselves to get the point that it's the act of the annual tradition that is satiating, not the annual tradition itself. Make sense? If you worry so much about all the little things, you'll be running for duck and cover when you hear sirens in the air and you'll miss the fact that it wasn't an air raid at all but bells and whistles of a carnival coming to your very own backyard. Don't miss the splendor. Live a little. 

LEO
Zumba. Step. Aerobics. Ballet. You know what these have in common? They are all classes that give you instructions and steps to follow. I want you to break loose from all that! This idea that there's a correct way to twirl and spin around is a huge fallacy. You don't need someone to tell you the steps to finding the rhythm. You're the King of the freaking jungle! You dictate the steps! You might be timid at first, sure. So start in a room by yourself. Let your mind take a vacation, take a deep breath and then just start shaking it. Soon you'll have this smile on your face and be fueled by your own giddiness. Open that door and move with your new-found vibe outside. Open up your body this way and become more available to what life offers. Your life is now your own personal music video. Choose your own soundtrack.

VIRGO
You've kinda been hanging out for too long in your current situation. Lingering this way, you have been continually feeding some things that really do not need your nourishment any more. Imagine if you kept handing your leftover halloween candy to your kids. Just one piece after another. They are running around now and having a grand old time. They don't even ask for the sugar anymore but you keep doling it out because it's a habit and yeah, you actually enjoy the excitement. It keeps you moving too, all that kinetic energy. What you aren't able to see, because you have been there too long in the midst of it all and were there from the very beginning, is that you aren't involved with a controlled chaos--it's just chaos. And those kids aren't kids but actually over-sugared monsters that need to be reeled in. It's time to get some of your keen clarity back. Take yourself in hand and look at where you might have misplaced your eye-glasses.

LIBRA
If I were a doctor or even if I just played one on tv, I would write you a very simple prescription: Try something new. The leap from so-so to ah-mazing is just that short and swift for you. It's just that you are being too regimented and are lacking some of the fun. It's in the fun that you experience yourself in different ways. It's in the experiencing yourself in different ways that the world goes from being flat to being round, that the night goes from being too dark to being filled with starry constellations. Order #10 instead of your usual #5 at the Chinese Restaurant. Take that shortcut you've always heard about on the way home from work. Mix all the softdrinks together into one cup at your fave pizza place. Place your yoga mat on the opposite side of the studio that you usually do. The adventure is right there in front of your eyes, take advantage of it.

SCORPIO
Details, shme-tails. That's your motto this week. You are not going to get bogged down in any of the little things. Don't take that flyer being handed to you on the street, don't read that obvious chain-mail letter in your email inbox, scroll right by that inciting entry on your newsfeed. You are going to keep your gaze lifted. You aren't falling for any tricks and you won't be deterred from your bigger picture path you are etching out. You have carte blanche to be footloose and fancy-free. You will keep yourself moving this way and you won't lose any momentum or much-needed energy. This is how you stay focused and keep your balance. 

SAGITTARIUS
I was recently reminded that I wasn't giving myself props in the way I should. As I ranted on about my frustration about being delayed by my own stoopid choices, I was guided to see things in a different light. This lesson that I ended up learning, while a bit painful, will serve me in big ways. It's not a lesson I'll need to learn twice. And actually, having to learn it right at this moment means I'm set up to cultivate bigger and better things in the future. Abundance is now nearer at hand because of that little side-track that ended up being a great motivator. Wow. When I look at it that way, I'm pretty awesome! Remember that this week archers. See that bigger picture of why you are where you are. It'll help lighten the moment and give you what you need to integrate your future with your present. You are that awesome too!