Happy Leo New Moon

The lion who symbolizes Leo is proud and fierce, beautiful and expressive, roaring to let us know he's the King! For Leo is the sign of the King and the Queen, as well as the Divine Child within each of us who expresses its unique Self through its creations. So during this month of Leo, explore your creativity (playfully as only a Leo can) because the world most definitely needs our creative genius to flourish.

All of us are artists of one kind or another. Whether we express ourselves through art, dance, music, writing, cooking, gardening, sculpting, making, sewing or storytelling, we all have something within us that pushes us to express ourselves in some way. And it is more crucial now than ever before that we allow ourselves to create and express what we see and feel. Jean Houston calls it "social artistry', the artist as a culture bringer, the culture bringer as artist. Just like Lugh of the Long Arm, who was a master of many crafts! Artists are leaders, just like Leo's are. Artists lead the way by allowing themselves to go into the unknown, where there are no rules or boundaries. Through play and experimentation, they work with the creative imagination, the eternal fires of life, and bring something new into the world.

We are living in a time of chaos and change. While politicians argue over the economy, our culture is dying. We cannot look to political leaders for answers -- they are too caught up in trying to resuscitate a dying patriarchal paradigm that has brought us to the brink of extinction. It is up to each of us to become social artists and come up with the blueprint for a new society, a new paradigm that is global in scope, peaceful in intent and co-creative at best. We are seeing the beginnings of a global revolution in values and outlook, where masculine and feminine consciousness are balanced and each person becomes responsible for all. Starting in the next years, we have to bring on the revolution so we can evolve to the next stage of global unity, with new possibilities for humanity and for the world. This is our mission this lifetime!

"Frequency-Holders"

In Eckhart Tolle's bestseller A New Earth, Tolle writes:

"Others, after the natural expansion that comes with growing up has run its course, lead an outwardly unremarkable, seemingly more passive and relatively uneventful existence. They are more inward looking by nature, and for them the outward movement into form is minimal. They would rather return home than go out.

Some of them find it hard to fit into this world. Some are lucky enough to find a protective niche where they can lead a relatively sheltered life, a job that provides them with a regular income or a small business of their own.

In past ages, they would probably have been called contemplatives. There is no place for them, it seems, in our contemporary civilization. On the arising new earth, however, their role is just as vital as that of the creators, the doers, the reformers. Their function is to anchor the frequency of the new consciousness on the planet. I call them frequency-holders. They are here to generate consciousness through the activities of daily life, through their interactions as well as through 'just being.'

In this way, they endow the seemingly insignificant with profound meaning. Their task is to bring spacious stillness into this world by being absolutely present in whatever they do. There is consciousness and therefore quality in what they do, even the simplest task. Their purpose is to do everything in a sacred manner. As each human being is an integral part of the collective human consciousness, they affect the world much more deeply than is visible on the surface of their lives."

Dealing with Loss

"Just Listen" by Dr. Mark Goulston Is a book that helps with how to deal with loss.

According to Dr. Goulston the key to moving successfully through loss and back to higher living is to respond to loss in the most grounded, honest, and creative way possible. To that end, he suggests that we essentially have three brains; a reptilian brain, or "fight or flight brain", an emotional or feeling brain, and then our higher awareness or creative brain. This, of course, greatly simplifies the brain and the various ways our brains function, but for our purpose of working through upset and trauma quickly, this simplistic understanding is enough to get us through loss and back on track to recuperation.

In order to move through the negative feelings of loss and despair and be able to tap into your creativity and intuition, you must move from the reptilian brain response, through the emotional response, and then on to the higher Spiritual response as quickly as possible. Only there, in your Higher brain, or mind, or Spirit, (my version) can you hear the voice of your intuition and follow this inner guidance to higher ground. This sounds difficult but in fact can be done easily by using this 5-step method to move onward and upward when faced with upset, loss, disappointment, or any other unpleasant situation.

Begin by imagining that you are stepping onto a small five-step ladder, each step leading you away from the problem and toward the intuitively guided solution or new direction.

Close your eyes and take the first step, saying either to yourself or out loud, (I prefer out loud.):

Step 1. OH %%$@!!! (This is the first reptilian fight or flight response.) Then take two deep breaths.

Then mentally step, problem in mind, up to

Step 2. Then say quietly, or out loud, "OH my God!" Again take two deep breaths.

This step moves us on to our emotional victim response.

Step 3. Next, move up to the third step and say, "Oh NO!" Then take two deep breaths. This step takes us further into the emotional and even denial response.

Step 4. Continuing, move up to step 4 and say, "Oh Well!" This step walks us out of denial and into an acceptance, and now detachment response.

And finally step onto the top step, into your Higher Self, your Higher Consciousness, where in your mind's eye you can see clearly once again and say,'

"OK! Now what is the solution?" This final step opens the door to full acceptance of the event and now gives us access to a receptive intuitive response.

At first these five steps may take a while to move through, but if you practice them like a drill, moving more and more quickly through them each time you face an upset, the more quickly you can calm the emotional waters and the undertow of fear, and get connected with your Intuitive Spirit who can them guide you safely and in a grounded way to a productive creative response and move you to higher ground.

So, as a review:

When upset arrives

You say,

1. Oh &%$#)!!! (Or whatever expletive you prefer) Then breathe.

2. "Oh my God!" Then breathe.

3. "OH NO!!" Then breathe.

4. "OH well." Then breathe.

5. "OK." Then breathe a few times. "Only then ask your Spirit, "Now what is the next step?"

And then listen, breathe, be quiet, and wait.

A response may come from your Spirit right away or it may not. But at least you are out of the floundering and devastated mode of fight or flight and the powerlessness of victim mentality and are now primed to hear your intuition when it does present you with new direction.

You can repeat this 5-step process when responding to any loss, crisis, disappointment, upset, or surprise that you do not like. In fact, the more you repeat it the more it will start to become your automatic response to upset and the more quickly you will get back into the best possible flow, no matter what has happened.

Do not forget to breathe and listen at the end of the drill.

To make your intuition even more clear, you can also place your hand over your heart after you say, "OK, What is the next step?" and answer out loud, "My heart says…." And fill in the blank.

This simple drill works to keep you from feeling helpless, hopeless, ambushed, stuck, and in victim mode and keeps you moving toward the light, connecting with love to your Higher Self, Your Spirit for guidance, as you move through difficulty.

Try it the next time you find yourself upset, or worked up, and out of touch with your intuition and Spirit. Call it the 5-step ladder to intuitive guidance. I know it will help you under stress as it does for me.

The Body Never Lies

Did you know that "interlaced around the digestive organs is a nervous system that is so complex, and so neurologically similar to the brain in both structure and functioning, that it is called our 'second brain'?" - Philip Shepherd.


It is this second brain that activates gut feelings and reactions. Because of it's complexity and ability to process our unique feelings and emotions, some say it is more reliable than the brain that sits atop.

Leo New Moon, July 30, 2011

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Leo New Moon: July 30, 2011

Lammas: August 1st to August 7th

"The Welfare of the People is the chief Law." Cicero

The Sun enters its own sign of Leo on Friday, July 22 at 9:12pm Pacific time and Saturday, July 23 at 12:12am Eastern time. We celebrate this time of the Sun's rulership at the next turning of the Wheel of the Year on August 1st, the Celtic festival of Lammas or Lughnasad, the festival of the first harvest. Another cross-quarter holiday, originally marking the power gate at 15* Leo, Lammas celebrates the King who is willing to sacrifice himself for the good of his people. Ancient peoples always put aside an offering of the first fruits of their harvest for the gods and goddesses to ensure the continued fertility of the land. At this turn of the Wheel, we look at our lives and see what we have to offer to our people, not for money or power, but for the good of all.

Lammas by Elana Gibeault

The Irish Lughnasad celebrated the great Celtic sun-god, Lugh of the Long Arm, mighty king and bringer of civilization. Lugh was a member of the Tuatha De Danann, and his name means, "The Shining One." He was skilled in all crafts, and possessed a marvelous spear. He is the good king, willing to face malevolent otherworldly beings for the sake of his people. And so Lammas is truly the festival in which we commemorate the King or Queen, the possible human, within us all.

Lammas is a fire festival celebrating the time when the Sun burns its' fiercest, for fires are destructive, as we have seen in Arizona this summer. But fire is also creative, and if we can let the spiritual fires burn away all that is inessential within us, we are left with what is eternal and true. That is Leo's purpose in our lives -- to express our essential Self.

Leo's fire is a bonfire, a strong steady fire that illuminates and warms us. The lion who symbolizes Leo is proud and fierce, beautiful and expressive, roaring to let us know he's the King! For Leo is the sign of the King and the Queen, as well as the Divine Child within each of us who expresses its unique Self through its creations. So during this month of Leo, explore your creativity (playfully as only a Leo can) because the world most definitely needs our creative genius to flourish.

All of us are artists of one kind or another. Whether we express ourselves through art, dance, music, writing, cooking, gardening, sculpting, making, sewing or storytelling, we all have something within us that pushes us to express ourselves in some way. And it is more crucial now than ever before that we allow ourselves to create and express what we see and feel. Jean Houston calls it "social artistry', the artist as a culture bringer, the culture bringer as artist. Just like Lugh of the Long Arm, who was a master of many crafts! Artists are leaders, just like Leo's are. Artists lead the way by allowing themselves to go into the unknown, where there are no rules or boundaries. Through play and experimentation, they work with the creative imagination, the eternal fires of life, and bring something new into the world.

We are living in a time of chaos and change. While politicians argue over the economy, our culture is dying. We cannot look to political leaders for answers -- they are too caught up in trying to resuscitate a dying patriarchal paradigm that has brought us to the brink of extinction. It is up to each of us to become social artists and come up with the blueprint for a new society, a new paradigm that is global in scope, peaceful in intent and co-creative at best. We are seeing the beginnings of a global revolution in values and outlook, where masculine and feminine consciousness are balanced and each person becomes responsible for all. Starting in the next years, we have to bring on the revolution so we can evolve to the next stage of global unity, with new possibilities for humanity and for the world. This is our mission this lifetime!

Leo New Moon

The Leo New Moon occurs on Saturday July 30th at 11:40am PDT/ 2:40pm EDT/ 6:40pm GMT. New Moons mark new beginnings, and so use this time to envision what unique creative expression you want to manifest in the coming years.

Leo New Moon 2011 by Cathy Pagano/Kepler

The Sabian symbol for the Sun and Moon at 8*Leo is: A communist activist spreading his revolutionary ideals . This symbol expresses the idea of the patriarchy being confronted by a desire for a new way of life and a new sense of values, a new paradigm in which all people are equal in all ways. While we can say that these "communist' ideals have not worked out in reality, the ideals of freedom and equality can be achieved if we throw off the yoke of corporate control and take up our personal responsibility to own and create democracy around the world. It's all about being inspired by a vision to bring about change.

Venus, which moves into Leo on July 28th, is very close to this new Moon, and so she adds her Wisdom, Creativity and Love to the mix. The Sabian symbol for Venus at 3*Leo is: A middle-aged woman, her long hair flowing over her shoulders and in a bra-less youthful garment. This symbolizes emotional independence from cultural expectations, giving rise to a youthful attitude, regardless of age. The hippie woman is back, "making love not war' and singing "all you need is love'. Express what's in your heart and soul and create something!

This new Moon is also in a very supportive relationship (a trine) to Uranus and Ceres in Aries, nurturing our independence, our uniqueness, our genius and our awakening to cosmic realities. Uranus is still at 5* Aries: A triangle with wings. Uranus will help us envision the new possibilities of a co-creative life, which in turn can mobilize our creativity and our strength.

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Positive Psychology-- Promising a Better Humanity

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I spent Saturday through Tuesday at theInternational Positive Psychology Association congress. It took until the very end to realize that my first work in the field was in 1981-- that makes 30 years. And back then, the term Positive Psychology didn't exist.

Positive Psychology aims to explore the positive aspects of being human-- happiness, well-being, compassion, awe, kindness, love, civility-- and it uses some languaging, like savoring, elevation, broaden and build, eudaemonia.

This is exciting work. There have been trillions spent on the negative aspects of being human, hate, war, anger, greed-- so it's good that now there is a rapidly growing field that seeks to understand the psychology, neurobiology and underpinnings of what is good about people.

There are games being created based on the research, theories of what make good movies based on it, school programs built from the ground up with positive psychology principles.

Research shows that when people learn the skills that positive psychology has identified as worth learning, people feel better, are healthier and may even live longer-- and certainly happier lives. They show more compassion, take action and help others. One researcher, Robert Vallerand, explored the idea of passion-- proposing that there are two kinds-- obsessive, which can be unhealthy, and harmonious passion, which can actually enhance well-being and health.

Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at University of Wisconsin, Madison, has been doing and directing research inspired by his relationship with the Dalai Lama.

He's studied Tibetan Buddhist monks who have engaged in at least 10,000 hours, and an average of 34,000 hours of Loving Kindness meditation. He and his team have identified the parts of the brain that light up when the monks achieve higher states of consciousness. The goal of the mediation is to generate a state in which love and compassion permeate the whole mind.

Davidson concludes, "Compassion, kindness, mindfulness, and other related characteristics are best viewed as products of trainable skills. Mental training to enhance these skills changes the brain and body.

Maps of brain activity from Richard Davidson's presentation at IPPA

After his lecture, I asked Davidson, who I first met in 1979, about an interest of mine, the heartwarming experience-- when you have glow or warm feeling in your heart. That phenomenon was what set off my interest in positive psychology 30 years ago. He speculated that these monks who spend tens of thousands of hours practicing loving kindness meditation may may in an almost permanent state like the heartwarming experience.

The exciting thing is, his lab has shown that it doesn't take 10 or 20 or 30,000 hours to learn enough loving kindness meditation skills to make and feel a difference.

There were hundreds of reports, presentation, papers, posters, panels and workshops at the congress. This article gives a tiny sampling.

To see some of my earlier writings on positive psychology, see my websitewww.PositivePsychology.net

Manifestation Mantra

I free my natural genius to create my magnificent life.
I commit to becoming aware of the unconscious patterns that limit me.
I discover the essential questions of my magnificent life.
Blessings flow in the parts of my life I used to complain about.
With ease, I turn all my heart’s desires into reality.
I love as much as I can, wherever I happen to be.
I wonder about all the things I used to worry about.
Life flows easefully as I speak honestly and keep my agreements
impeccably.
I look for things to appreciate wherever I go, and I speak my
appreciation liberally.