Kasey Ford
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The Art of Consciously Creating Food:  Kasey's Creamy Mushroom Lentil Kale Soup

10/17/2019

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This blog is for all things related to "The Art of Consciously Creating Life."  

By practicing this art, we become more and more aware of ourselves and the world around us.  As we become more aware of ourselves, we also are uncovering our deepest soul desires for this life, our strengths and weaknesses, and our gifts and talents.  As we become more aware of the world around us, we begin to connect to the support of the ground beneath us and the inspiration from source above us - and we begin to realize ourselves as the vessel of manifestation between the two.  We begin to pay attention to the seasons and the travels of the sun and moon and align with those energies that tell us when to move and when to pull back and regroup.  And we begin to understand ourselves as the complex beings that we are.  We are not just the physical.  We are not just the spiritual.  We do not create in a vacuum.  We are made up of things seen and unseen, as is our world.  The more conscious we become, the better we are able to integrate our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual beings, and the more adept we become at aligning our truest soul desires with the energies at play around us in order to co-create with the universe.  

What I have experienced personally is that we work on one piece, and then another follows, as we have to catch up the rest of our being.  So for example if we experience profound spiritual growth, we will then probably find ourselves cleaning up our diet and habits.  We could change jobs in this case or our entire social circle might fall away to make room for a new one.  If we grow by leaps and bounds on the physical plane by cleaning up our habits, routines, and diet, and by honoring our body as a temple, we may then find ourselves shifting on the mental, emotional and spiritual planes as a result.  

What I have found is many times as well, I can see in an astrology chart when certain types of growth are likely to occur.  I have seen it in my own, and having lived it, I can say that I don't think I could've forced it to happen faster or somehow found a shortcut around it.  Knowing about the work we need to do in life and understanding it doesn't get us out of it.  We still have to live it to actually learn and grow.  Yet, I feel that astrology is a tool for becoming more and more conscious of ourselves, our work and the world around us, and that is why I focus so intently on it.

Which brings me to something else I am intently focused on:  food.  Years ago after dealing with multiple health issues for years, I ended up being diagnosed by blood test under the guidance of a naturopath with food allergies.  I was allergic to the trifecta of foods - gluten, dairy and eggs.  Not only was I suffering from migraines and depression, at the same time I was diagnosed with the food allergies I was diagnosed with low thyroid and adrenal fatigue.  And after years of avoiding the foods my body finds poisonous, I was able to go off of the thyroid medication, and I am migraine-free.  

More recently I have found myself in a battle with parasites - hitchhikers from my travels abroad.  Funny thing - the physical manifestation of those vampiric drainers of life-force are not only a sign of giving away one's power, but of those same energies existing on a person's emotional and spiritual planes.  More on that in another post.  The point is, this has sent me on a mission of exploring how upsets in our enteric nervous system (the nervous system that lines our digestive tract) affects our everything.  This peculiar predicament has forced me into being way more conscious about food and the effect it has on my system.  In this process, I have realized that our bodies truly are our temples and what happens in our physical realm most definitely affects us on a mental, emotional and spiritual level.  Eating for anxiety, eating for depression, eating for enlightenment - these are all very real things.

And so the arts of consciously creating food and consciously eating are absolutely parts of The Art of Consciously Creating Life.
With fall now fast turning to winter, this soup recipe has been on my mind.  I developed it with a creamy mushroom soup in mind I had tasted at a restaurant before I knew about my food allergies.  The soup I remembered was absolutely delicious (enough for me to remember it years later) but I had not come across anything since then that was similar that was dairy-free.  
There are actually two recipes here.  The first one is for the vegetable broth that makes the base of the soup.  This vegetable broth recipe is from an ayurvedic cookbook that I no longer have - it is just that I loved this recipe to much it has been committed to memory over the years.  You can of course substitute store-bought broth instead of making this, but I promise it will not be as good.

​Happy Eating!

Veggie Broth
2 fennel bulbs, coarsely chopped

5 carrots, coarsely chopped
4 leaves bok choy, coarsely chopped
2 zucchini (small, or 1 large, peeled, coarsely chopped)
1 sweet potato, coarsely chopped
4” leek, coarsely chopped
Thyme
Parsley
8 C filtered water
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Make 6 C Veggie Broth: (2 fennel bulbs, 5 carrots, 4” leek, 4 leaves bok choy, 2 zucchinis, 1 sweet potato, thyme, parsley – coarsely chop, add 8 cups filtered water, bring to boil and simmer for 40 minutes…strain.)

Kasey's Creamy Mushroom Lentil Kale Soup
1 ½ C oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 ½  C baby Portobello mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 ½  C shitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4” leek, sliced
6 cloves garlic
2 T butter/Earthbalance vegan butter to saute mushrooms, leek and garlic in
1 C red lentils
½ bunch kale, rolled and thinly sliced
Veggie Broth


Take mushrooms, leek and garlic and saute in butter, set aside.

Bring lentils in broth to a simmer and simmer 15 minutes or until tender.
Strain lentils from broth.

Set aside 1 C of mushroom leek mix and ½ C lentils.
Puree the rest in food processor of mushroom mix and lentils together in food processor.
Slowly add broth to puree in the food processor to blend together.
Put pureed mixture back in pot on stove.
Bring to simmer.
Add sliced kale and simmer 15 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.


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Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio October 31st - November 20th 2019

10/16/2019

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Mercury, the planet that rules the mind, thoughts, and communication as well as our day to day commutes, errands and monetary transactions, will station retrograde in Scorpio on October 31st.  Mercury is known as "the messenger" and "the trickster".  

A retrograde is when a planet appears to move backward in the sky.  In astrology, when a planet is in retrograde, its influence is said to be turned inward in our lives and it is a time where as the planet retraces its steps over recent degrees of the zodiac, we review and reevaluate.  

Typically a Mercury retrograde means we will be in some way reviewing our thinking and communications.  Because we are in a period of reevaluation during a retrograde, we may find pushing ahead challenging if not impossible.  During Mercury retrogrades, it is not unusual for phones to start acting up, WiFi to go out, fax machines to break, details to get missed, conversations to get misunderstood, vehicles to break down and travel plans to go awry.  It is never advisable to sign a contract during a Mercury retrograde unless the contract has already been finalized pre-retrograde and there are no changes, the reason being that the chances of overlooking important details or missing something in the fine print is much more likely during Mercury retrograde.  As a time of review, Mercury retrogrades can be great for tasks like editing.
This Mercury retrograde happens to be in Scorpio, meaning that this review of the mind and messages will be occurring through the prism or filter of Scorpio energy.  Scorpio is the sign of other people's money, such as taxes and inheritances, power, transformation, healing, the deep psyche, shared resources, elimination, regeneration, death and rebirth, destruction and creation, the mysteries, occult and taboo, passion, sex, what is hidden, secrets, unearthing, truth, obsessiveness, and resurrection.  

This retrograde begins with Mercury stationing retrograde conjunct Venus in Scorpio.  The conjunction is technically exact the day prior, October 30th. 

Simply put, Venus and Mercury together translates to "love expression".  However, the meaning here is layered.  Venus is the Roman version of Aphrodite, known most widely as the goddess of love.  Venus manifests as both the evening star, the goddess of love, and the morning star, the goddess of war.  Venus/Aphrodite comes from a long lineage of goddesses including the Sumerian Inanna and the Babylonian Ishtar.  They were goddesses of not only love, but sex, fertility and war.  Venus rules both Libra, sign of relationships, aesthetics, balance and harmony and Taurus, an earth sign associated with values, money, possessions and security.  While Venus represents the feminine energy within us all and attracting our desires to us through alignment and receptivity, and rules over love and relationships, Venus also rules over our values and our value of self, which not only extends into our ability to give and receive love, but is at the core of our relationship to money and possessions because it determines how we value ourselves and the resources we offer to the world to support ourselves.  

Mercury is about how we express and communicate, but that is because Mercury rules our mind and therefore our thoughts.  Our thoughts are a product of our beliefs and values.  Therefore the way in which we express and communicate is driven by our thoughts, which are a product of our deeply held values and beliefs.  

Scorpio is an energy that goes deep.  It has the power to be profoundly transformative, precisely because it will take us to the depths of ourselves necessary to uncover these deeply buried beliefs we carry that hold us back. 

While "love expression" is absolutely a theme of this Mercury retrograde beginning  influenced by Venus, when we take a closer look, that has everything to do with us healing deeper issues within ourselves around our value of ourselves, gaining clarity on what it is we most value, and therefore shifting our beliefs which in turn changes our thinking and therefore how we express ourselves in the world.  

Scorpio has no tolerance for the shallow or superficial - only intense and deep connections will do.  With this retrograde being kicked off with the blessings of Venus in Scorpio's healing waters of transformation, we are given an opportunity to work some relationship magic.  This energy available with Mercury conjunct Venus on October 31st supports love expression as well as any dialogue where compromise is necessary.  Venus loves balance, harmony, equity and peace, and on the 31st she will be whispering into Mercury's ear instructing us on how to go about achieving these with our communications.  
The upcoming Mercury retrograde has one more major influence.  Mercury in Scorpio is making a total of three aspects to Neptune in Pisces that weave through this retrograde.  Mercury and Neptune will be connecting via an aspect known as a trine, which is a sixty degree angle.  This happens when two planets arrive at the exact same degree of different water signs at the same time.  Because trines always involve two planets both in water signs, they are known as easy or helpful aspects, where the two planetary energies are blending harmoniously rather than challenging each other.  
Neptune has been in Pisces since 2011 and will remain there until 2026.  Neptune is the Roman version of the Greek god Poseidon - the god of the sea.  Neptune rules the hidden and mysterious, including imagination, dreams and all things magical, spiritual and shamanic, as well as illusion, delusion, lies, deception and escapism.  The energy of Neptune is known to have a dissolving property and be nebulous, whether this is for better or worse.  ​

Neptune stationed retrograde in Pisces on June 21st, and will station direct on November 27th.  ​When a planet is retrograde we experience its energy in a way that is more internalized and as the planet backtracks we review how that energy is at play in our lives.  With Neptune retrograde we may find ourselves facing a reality we had been hiding from or denying.  However, Neptune also connects us to our intuition and the spiritual realms.  If we are using Neptune energy to disconnect from reality and our truth, we keep ourselves from using it for higher purposes.  So while Neptune's retrograde may leave us with nowhere to hide and with no choice but to accept our reality, that is precisely what will make it possible for us to access the energy of Neptune to connect to spirit and our inner guidance and bring our dreams to life rather than hiding from a reality we cannot face.
Over three separate meetings Mercury and Neptune are going to help us work something out.  The first of these alignments occurred on October 15th, with Mercury direct and Neptune retrograde.  The second one will b on November 13th, this time with both planets retrograde.  The final connection of these two planets will be on November 28th with both planets direct.  (Mercury turns direct on November 20th, and then Neptune follows suit on November 27th, just one day prior to the third and final aspect.)  

Whatever presented itself in your life on October 15th sets the theme of this series of trines between Mercury and Neptune.  The same goes for the time period of October 11th until October 31st for the Mercury retrograde itself.  October 11th is the date that Mercury began transiting the degrees of Scorpio it will be covering in retrograde for the first time.  This is known as the pre-shadow of the retrograde.  Because Mercury will be going back over these same degrees during the retrograde, during the pre-shadow the issues that come up in your life having to do with the mind, thoughts, communication, and expression filtering through the energy of Scorpio, which includes themes of healing, transformation, regeneration, death and rebirth, the deep psyche, and uncovering truths, not to mention power, sex, and other peoples' money.  

Each of the three times Mercury and Neptune reach the same degree of Scorpio and Pisces, respectively, Mercury, as ruler of our minds, will be receiving Neptune's ethereal messages for us and broadcasting them through the energy of Scorpio.  Remember that Neptune is an enigma - there is nothing here that will be all that tangible or easily defined.  When under Neptune's spell, the senses we use to interpret the mundane world become unreliable; we must navigate with our intuition as what our eyes see could be illusion, and what our ears hear might be deception.  Also Neptune influence dissolves - think of watching wave after wave crashing onto rocks or cliffs and how hypnotic the sight and sound of that is.  And we can watch for hours entranced without ever noticing what those waves are actually doing to the rock that seems so solid - eroding it.  Logical thinking and reasoning won't work here - this is territory we must feel (or even imagine) our way through.  If there ever an aspect to apply magical thinking, this one is probably it!
Mercury in retrograde reaches cazimi (the halfway point of the retrograde where Mercury conjuncts the sun and therefore appears to disappear under the rays of the sun).  Cazimi is when the retrograde planet is said "to be granted an audience with the king in the throne room".  The sun is the light of consciousness.  This is the climax of the retrograde - the point at which we receive insight.  

Mercury cazimi the sun will be on November 11th at 8:23 a.m. MST.  Typically when the planet of the mind and communications is traveling backward, it is not recommended to try and push any type of message with the intent of moving things forward.  However, due to the favorable influences acting upon Mercury at the degree of cazimi, and cazimi being by definition a moment of insight, enlightenment or raised consciousness, the morning of November 11th is supportive for communications, messages or proposals to be well-received. The closer you can time your communication to the exact moment of cazimi, the more power you can access to back it.
On November 20th, Mercury stations direct.  Just as it began, this retrograde cycle completes supported by harmonizing influences which all in all make this Mercury retrograde more about healing and reconciling than consisting of challenges that teach us lessons and force growth, which is a really sweet thing in the midst of the challenging astrology we have navigated for much of this year.

Happy Retrograding!


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Know to Flow:  A Weekly Forecast for Consciously Creating Life:  The Week of October 14th, 2019

10/15/2019

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This week only, check out the Know to Flow Energy Forecast
here on the blog!
 

To receive this weekly newsletter direct to your inbox (the only way its available) sign up in the "subscribe" fields located on the right hand side of the blog page or on the "about" page of the website.
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At the full moon, that time each month when the moon, our subconscious, comes into direct opposition to the sun, our light of consciousness, we experience an illumination of the shadow of whatever sign the sun is in at that time.  Some full moons are illuminating or enlightening, and some are downright apocalyptic.  Sitting with "bad" girl and mythological troublemaker Eris, in challenging aspect to Pluto and Persephone in Capricorn, Sunday's full moon in Aries fell into the apocalyptic category.

The Libra sun, bringing conscious light to themes of relationship, partnership, cooperation, balance, harmony, justice and peace, has been at odds with the other energies at play during the full moon over this past weekend.  A full moon is always an opposition between the conscious and subconscious, and since it is always an opposition, it is always going to be illuminating the polarities that make up a given axis of the zodiac - in this case it was the Aries-Libra axis - the axis of self and other - divine masculine and feminine - of relationship.  

This full moon was made complex in part by it carrying so much Scorpio energy.  Venus, ruler of Libra, had already moved out of her own sign and into Pluto-ruled Scorpio, where this weekend she was in opposition to Uranus retrograde in Taurus (the other sign she rules).  While Uranus is a change-bringer, Venus is debilitated in Scorpio, as prior to Pluto's discovery in 1930, Scorpio was ruled by Mars - ruler of Libra's opposite sign Aries.  Libra is the sign of relationship and diplomacy while Aries is the sign of self and assertion.  They both have their place in our lives, but they are polar opposites.  It is up to us to balance these energies in our lives. 

While Venus/Libra energy would prefer to keep things pleasant, Pluto/Scorpio energy wants the truth no matter how dark, disturbing or ugly.  Venus may find what she encounters in the inky depths of Scorpio's waters difficult to stomach.  The moon sitting with Eris in Aries can be an instigator and a warmonger, which in opposition to the Libra sun, might have reminded us that maybe we don't always need to "go there" - maybe we want to pick our battles more carefully and be more discerning of what is truly deserving of our energy.  

In addition to that, we had Scorpio's ruler Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, in square aspect to the full moon, meaning it was at a ninety degree angle in Capricorn to the opposition formed by the sun in Libra and the moon in Aries.  This is a challenging aspect.  And Pluto (Hades to the Greeks) just happened to be sitting with his stolen bride Persephone for this aspect too.  This amplifies Pluto's theme of bringing to our doorstep situations that force us to find our power - situations that transform us through death and rebirth of our persona, psyche, consciousness.

So congratulations, because we are now on the other side of that intense full moon that was loaded with complex energies.

As the dust settles from everything that was kicked up with last weekend's full moon, it is time to take stock and take note.

We are now in the waning phase of the moon - a time of release - of banishing. On October 23rd, the sun (remember the sun is the light of consciousness) will move into Scorpio, joining Venus and Mercury there.  Then on the evening of October 27th, the sun and moon will meet at 4 degrees Scorpio for the Scorpio new moon.  The three days leading up to the new moon make up the dark moon - this is when turning inward and retreating into stillness can facilitate profound healing and transformation for us in the form of releasing what no longer serves.  We only need create the space to allow it.  From now until the new moon, integrate the truths that were illuminated on Sunday's full moon in Aries in preparation for the magic of the dark moon. 

Lastly, Mercury, ruler of the mind and communication, will station retrograde in Scorpio on October 31st.  We are now preparing for "the messenger" to turn backwards in the sign of the witch and underworld, on Samhain when the veils are said to be thinnest no less, retracing the territory it has covered since October 11th.  Pay attention now through the 31st, as whatever issues arise during this time having to do with the mind, thoughts, messages, and/or communication, are clues as to what the upcoming retrograde from October 31st to November 20th will be about for you.

More reading on the blog....

Know To Flow
Consciously Creating Using Lunar Cycles
Secrets of the Dark Moon
The Void of Course Moon:  What It Is and How to Work With It
Accessing the Magic:  The Secrets of the Libra Lunar Cycle
The Magic Ahead: 
Consciously Creating with the Saturn-Pluto Conjunction of 2020

Only When We Believe in Magic Will We Find It
Love and Astrology:  Where's Your Venus?
The Full Moon in Scorpio, Death, and the Phoenix
The Magician: Trusting and Creating a New Reality
Let Me Just Straighten My Crown: 
Silencing the Treasonous Inner Critic and Taking Back Your Throne

A New Beginning:  Exploring Card XX in the Tarot, Judgement
I'm Not Here to Be Your Bitch:  On Venus and the Goddess Archetypes

Post Eclipse Apocalypse

Energy Forecast by Day:

Monday October 14th through Sunday October 20th:

Mon. 10.14:  On Friday night at 9:45 pm MST, the moon entered Aries, really kicking in the full moon vibe.  Sunday the intensity built up until the full moon was exact at 2:07 pm MST.  The moon then went void-of-course at 2:59 pm MST, leaving us feeling a little floaty after the intensity leading up to the big event.  Monday has a decidedly more grounded feel with the moon moving into Taurus at 9:23 am MST.  At 7:28 pm on Monday the moon makes a conjunction to Uranus retrograde in Taurus.  With the sun in Venus-ruled Libra, and Venus in Scorpio sitting opposite change-bringer Uranus, Monday evening's moon might have us feeling a little restless and uncomfortable.   Uranus in Taurus is just getting started on its 7 year cycle - the previous Uranus cycle, Uranus in Aries, went from about March 2011 til May 2018. Think on what transpired over those 7 years for you, and what has been different since then, and then the insight that comes at 7:28 pm Monday evening might be more apparent.  

Tues. 10.15:   The moon remains in Taurus all day Tuesday.  With our emotional barometer in Venus-ruled Taurus, things might tend to get fixed because if Taurus is anything it can be stubborn, but the flip side is Taurus is grounded.  Taurus has a great love of possessions, comfort and the good life.  The moon in Taurus is always a good time for good friends and good food.  

Wed. 10.16:   The moon goes void-of-course at 20 degrees Taurus in the wee hours at 1:37 am, not moving into Gemini until 7:30 pm, making this a VOID MOON DAY!  Check out the link to find out how to make the void moon work for you, and remember, stick to routine - nothing ever comes of anything started on a void moon.  

Thurs. 10.17:   With the moon in Mercury-ruled Gemini, today is a abuzz with mental activity, perfect for ticking items off the to-do list, taking care of communications, and running errands.  Versatility and adaptability are tools at your disposal today so plan accordingly to make the most of them!  Keep in mind that Gemini moons are mutable and changeable by nature, which means we will tend to be too.  Don't expect to be extraordinarily decisive today, and don't expect others to be either.  Expect things to shift and change. 

Fri. 10.18:  The moon remains in Gemini all day Friday as well, going void-of-course at 7:13 pm MST.

Sat. 10.19:  Just before dawn, at 3:42 am MST, the moon moves into its own sign of Cancer, where it will remain through Sunday.  Its a moon in Cancer weekend, which brings the focus to home and what nurtures us and keeps us feeling safe and supported.  Cancer is the sign of the archetypal mother, and also speaks to our past and ancestry. We can be sentimental and nostalgic when the moon is in Cancer - if we are conscious of this we can use it to honor happy memories and connections rather than allowing ourselves to get trapped in a the past dimension of a not-so-happy event. This is a great time for getting together with close friends and/or family around a home-cooked meal.  

Sun. 10.20:   A Cancer moon is a healing moon, and this one comes at the last quarter square as the moon is waning from last weekend's Aries full moon.  Soak in hot springs or a salt bath this weekend and allow the waters to wash away any residue of past sorrows.  Salt has been regarded since ancient times as one of the most powerful spiritual cleansers - take advantage of this moon to banish the ghosts of your past - including your ancestry - before the upcoming Scorpio new moon.  Even soaking hands in a bowl of salt water and allowing the stresses of the day or week to dislodge from your mind and heart and flow down through your arms into the water can be profound healing now with this moon.  


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*A NOTE FOR NEXT WEEK:  

Mon. 10/21:  The moon goes void-of-course at 27 degrees Cancer at 5:39 am MST, then moving into Leo at 9:28 am MST.  This is a great day for connecting with your inner child, creativity - allow yourself to find healing through beauty, romance, play and inspiration.

Tues 10/22:  The moon remains in Leo today.


Wed 10/23:  The moon goes void-of-course at 23 degrees Leo at 2:14 am MST, moving into Virgo at 12:29 pm MST.  This means the morning is characterized by the void moon.  Stick to the routine this morning (or sleep in!) - wait to have meetings, make decisions, or initiate any projects until after the moon is in Virgo. Also today the sun moves into Scorpio at 10:19 am MST, officially bringing us to Scorpio season. 

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Note that with the new moon on Sunday the 27th, Friday, Saturday and Sunday up until the new moon (exact at 4 degrees Scorpio at 8:38 pm MST) is the dark moon.  Use the dark moon to turn inward, rest, hydrate, nourish and bathe in the stillness and regenerative qualities of the dark, the void. 

This is a very healing time where releasing what no longer serves is supported.  Scorpio is THE sign of the dark - of the deep psyche, of the shadowlands, of the underworld - and of transformation and rebirth.  This dark moon on the threshold of the Scorpio new moon is a powerful time to take advantage of. Sink in to the deep stillness of the dark and rest there - allow it to nurture you and replenish you and heal you - surrender to its wisdom and ways, allowing yourself to let go, to release, to "die", in order to be reborn with the Scorpio new moon on Sunday evening, then rising majestically a fiery Phoenix reborn from its own ashes. 
 

Why Follow Lunar Transits?

Following the moon through transits gives us a day to day guide of what energies or "vibe" will be dominating each day.   Following the monthly lunar cycle from new to full to new again keeps us on the path of constantly growing and releasing, always renewing ourselves.  There are always other larger cycles operating in the background, some affecting entire generations, some matching up with points on our natal astrological charts so that we feel the energies quite intensely and acutely in our personal lives.

A main theme we can take from learning about and following astrology is the idea of balance.  Astrology interprets the movement of the celestial bodies as experienced and witnessed from earth.  We sit in the center of the zodiac system, and each sign has a sign that is always opposite it, and the planets move through at different speeds "weighting" the energy of one sign or another or pitting energies that don't mesh well against each other.  We sit in the center as this occurs around us and so it is our task to simply always be working to maintain a state of balance as the energies shift, like reading river currents or surfing waves.

As the "energetic weather" constantly shifts with cycles that change as quickly as day to day up to larger scale influences that last many years, one of the best ways we can achieve and maintain a sense of balance is to remember to ground - connect into the earth, be fully present in our bodies, and stay mindful - in that way we are able to consciously create our lives, always working with the energies at play.
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For more on working with lunar cycles, check out my blog articles, "Know to Flow," and 
​
"Consciously Creating Using Lunar Cycles."

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The Magic Ahead:  Consciously Creating with the Saturn-Pluto Conjunction of 2020

10/4/2019

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This fall comes with big energetic shifts.  We are now embarking on the final leg of the journey leading to a significant astrological event that will occur on January 12th, 2020 - the conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn.  The last time this happened was in January of 1518. The stage is being set now through the energetic prism of the current lunar cycle in Libra.  This carries with it a heavy dose of the energies of Scorpio, punctuated by the involvement of the sign's planetary ruler - Lord of the Underworld, Pluto.

Autumn Equinox:  the Gateway to fall and Beginning of Libra Season...

With the autumn equinox in September, the sun moved into Libra - this was the beginning of both "Libra season" and fall. 

The lunar cycle always works with the themes revolving around the sun representing masculine energy in the form of our "light of consciousness" and the moon representing feminine energy by representing our subconscious - both hidden from our awareness and as certain aspects become illuminated by the light of the sun.  When the sun is in Libra, the new moon occurs when the sun and moon come together in Libra, and the full moon features the sun shining from the consciousness of Libra onto the moon in opposing sign Aries.  With Libra representing relationships and other, and Aries representing the self, and their respective rulers Venus and Mars representing the divine feminine and divine masculine, during the Libran lunar cycle we are exploring a deeper level of these masculine and feminine energies including and yet beyond the sun and moon, consciousness and the subconscious, light and shadow.  

The new moon in Libra occurred about one week after the equinox, on September 28th.  Venus and Mercury had already moved into Libra ahead of the sun, but Mars was still lingering in Virgo.

As the planetary ruler of Libra, Venus is strong here in her own sign.  Venus rules over love, relationships, love expression, beauty, and self-worth.  Venus represents the divine feminine and how we attract our desires to us and our receptivity.  Libra is the sign of relationships, harmony, balance, peace, justice and cooperation. 

Aries is the sign opposite Libra, and the sign of self.  Together they form the axis of the zodiac that asks us to balance self and other in our lives.  A good example of a healthy expression of the Aries/Libra axis is having a solid sense of self before entering into relationship with another.  Mars rules Aries, and represents the divine masculine.  Mars goes after desires directly.  Mars is our assertiveness, as well as our ability to confront, to challenge, and to protect. 

While the sun is in Libra, bringing the light of consciousness to relationships and how we achieve cooperation, balance and harmony, we begin the lunar cycle with the sun and moon coming together in Libra, focusing our intention on relationships.  But at the full moon on October 13th, the moon will be in Libra's opposite sign of Aries, and the sun in Libra will be illuminating the subconscious shadows that hide at the opposite end of the spectrum, within Aries, that might pose challenges to those intentions around relationships we set at the new moon.   

The lunar cycle of Libra with a Plutonian undertow...

Themes of relationship, the divine masculine and feminine, confrontation versus diplomacy, and self versus other are all energies inherent to the sun in Libra and the resulting lunar cycle.  However, because of specific additional events last week, we began this lunar cycle of relationship heavily influenced with Pluto/Scorpio energy.  This was due to Pluto stationing direct in Capricorn (in challenging aspect no less to Venus in Libra), Mercury's ingress into Scorpio, and Mars' ingress into Libra.  On Tuesday October 8th, Venus moved into Scorpio, intensifying the Plutonian undertow which is growing beneath the surface of this Libran lunar cycle.

As we set the stage for the big finale, (which is the meeting of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn on January 12th,) we do so through the energetic prism of the sun, light of consciousness, shining from Libra, the sign of other, relationship, beauty, peace, harmony, balance, fairness and justice.  
To understand how this is all weaving together, we look to the rulerships - in this case Pluto and Saturn and the signs they rule, and Libra and Aries and their planetary rulers, to gain insight as the sun moves through the signs of Libra, Scorpio, and then Sagittarius, actually ending up in Capricorn to shine the light of consciousness on the stage of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in January.

Understanding the Rulerships of the Involved Planets and Signs and their Associations as well as Current Interaction = Understanding the Bigger Picture....

Pluto, along with Neptune and Uranus, is known as one of the "outer planets," as they were all discovered with the aid of technology and lie beyond Saturn, which is the last planet we can see with the naked eye. 

Because Saturn is the last planet seen without the use of modern technology, it carries the themes of limits and boundaries, along with time, things old and/or slow, karma, responsibility, work, discipline, consequences, structures and lessons.  Saturn was an agricultural god and resonates with sayings such as "you reap what you sow" and "freedom through discipline".  The sign of the zodiac ruled by Saturn is Capricorn - the sign of the father, authority, and political and financial systems.  

Pluto was discovered in 1930, at the same time depth psychology was rising in popularity and the atomic bomb was discovered.  Until Pluto's discovery, Mars ruled both Aries and Scorpio, but to modern astrologers, Pluto rules Scorpio, and Mars, because of its traditional rulership of Scorpio, then has a secondary affiliation.  

Mars, as ruler of Aries, is defined as the warrior, the protector, the leader, and the pioneer.  Mars represents our passion, our assertion, our motivation, our anger, and the self as well as the divine masculine that resides in all of us.  

Venus represents the divine feminine and rules the sign opposite of Aries, Libra, which is the sign of relationships.  

Saturn rules Capricorn, and represents the father, authority, and the patriarchy, as well as political and financial structures and systems.  

The Libra-Aries and Libra-Capricorn Relationships....

In the zodiac, Libra is the element of air, and Capricorn is the element of earth; both are cardinal in modality, meaning they both begin seasons - fall and winter respectively - and they are always at a ninety degree angle to each other.  A ninety degree angle forms an astrological aspect known as a square, which represents an intersection of energies.  When these are activated by planets in these signs, at this angle in the heavens, what we experience is a challenge that brings forced growth into our lives.  Essentially we are required to find a way to bring harmony to these energies that are at odds as they play out in some specific situation in our lives.  

As we move into Libra season, the sun moves into Libra, and then the sun and moon meet to begin the lunar cycle in Libra.  The "personal planets" - Mercury (the mind, thoughts and communications), Venus (the divine feminine, love, relationships, beauty and self-worth), and Mars (the divine masculine, motivation, passion, aggression, assertiveness, leadership, drive, protection, confrontation and anger) - are never too far behind (or ahead). 

Saturn and Pluto have both been retrograde in Capricorn (remember at a ninety degree angle to Libra).  Saturn turned direct back on September 18th, just before equinox, and Pluto turned direct just last Thursday October 3rd.  Now both in forward motion, the two are moving steadily toward their conjunction that will take place on January 12th, 2020.  (This is a larger cycle at play to pay attention to now as energies are building in Capricorn towards this meeting of two heavyweight planets.)

Pluto turning direct last week in square aspect to Venus in Libra had all kinds of undertow.  But over last weekend, (the 5th and 6th) as the moon moved through Capricorn, we had an opportunity to receive our first messages (if we were listening) from Saturn and Pluto respectively, with both planets direct. 

On October 13th, the full moon in Aries will be revealing even more new information to us around all of these themes.  

While Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn represent power, truth, transformation, elimination, regeneration and rebirth of authority, themes of the patriarchy and the father, through the prism of well-established and far-reaching political, social and financial systems, the influence of Mars/Aries and Venus/Libra are adding themes of the divine feminine (and masculine), the polarities of self and other, the importance of relationship and necessity of union, along with our desire for balance, fairness, justice and harmony to the mix.  

Pluto Direct in Capricorn, Mercury into Scorpio, Mars into Libra, Venus into Scorpio, with Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio on Deck....

Last week, the same day in fact that Pluto stationed direct, there were two additional big shifts of energy:  Mercury moving into Scorpio and Mars moving into Libra.  On top of that, Venus moved into Scorpio on October 8th, and the  Mercury retrograde preshadow will begin October 11th, with Mercury stationing retrograde in Scorpio on Samhain/Halloween on October 31st. 

​The sun moves into Scorpio officially beginning a month of Mars/Pluto ruled "Scorpio season" on October 23rd, but with all of the activity over the past week and a half involving Pluto and Scorpio, including the Libra's ruler Venus moving on into Scorpio, this Libra season is carrying a strong Scorpio vibe.
Pluto Direct in Capricorn (square Venus in Libra) Oct. 3rd
Just five days after the new moon in Libra, the god of transformation and rebirth stationing direct in forced growth aspect to the ruler of this lunar cycle, the goddess of love, had the hours leading up to midnight (mountain time) on the night of the 2nd/morning of the 3rd fraught with intensity.  Both Pluto and Saturn have been retrograde since April.  Saturn turned direct just before equinox on September 18th, and Pluto followed suit last week.  Now both direct, they are moving toward their conjunction in Capricorn on January 12th, 2020.  Saturn is the father archetype, authority, responsibility, discipline and karma.  Pluto is transformation, death and rebirth, elimination and regeneration, as well as issues involving power, secrets, and unearthing hidden truths. Capricorn is finances and work, including societal structures and big systems such as political and financial ones.  Globally the themes of Saturn and Pluto retrograde in Capricorn then moving toward their conjunction might involve us being shown what is rotten beneath the surface of our political and financial systems, in our personal lives this could show up, especially with Pluto stationing direct in square to Venus in Libra, as issues or challenges around power, authority, and finances in relationship that has to do with self-worth issues and/or a tendency to sweep problems under the rug to have things look good on the surface to please others and be liked.  

Mercury into Scorpio Oct. 3rd
Mercury is the messenger and rules our mind and thoughts.  When this god of communication moves from simpatico air sign Libra into the deep waters of Scorpio, the driving factor behind our thoughts is likely to shift from Libra's focus on creating harmony and relationship to Scorpio's focus on getting down to the truth of the matter, no matter how unpleasant. 

Mars into Libra Oct. 3rd
Mars, has spent an extended stay in Virgo and is the last of the personal planets to arrive in Libra.  Libra, being opposite Aries and Venus-ruled, is the opposite sign of Mars and therefore not a naturally comfortable place for the warrior.  We rely on Mars when we need to confront and to assert.  But these things are frowned upon in the land of Libra, so during this transit our warrior has to stretch to find ways to express and retain authenticity and sense of self that don't alienate others.  Finding new pathways to honor self and other and retain a sense of authenticity and integrity while creating healthy relationships is the high side of this energy.  Getting stuck in passive-aggressive behavior is the low side.

Venus into Scorpio Oct. 8th
The goddess of love, beauty and relationship (also of our values and value of self) moves into Scorpio - a sign ruled in modern astrology by Lord of the Underworld and god of transformation Pluto, but traditionally ruled by Mars, ruler of Libra's opposing sign of Aries.  The Divine Feminine is now in the deep waters of the collective psyche and subconscious - a place that not too long ago was ruled by her polarity, the Divine Masculine.  Scorpio is a sign of being unafraid of the dark.  It is a place where the truth is favored over comfort, where sugar-coating what is difficult to digest and telling white lies to keep everyone happy is considered blasphemous.  The truth and the dark are rich with both beauty and value.  Venus transiting Scorpio lends itself to deep soul connections and unearthing truths about our value of self and how that plays out in how we show up in relationship.  We must first have relationship with self to be in relationship with other.  We must be apart in order to come together.  We must be whole unto ourselves before we can experience a whole greater than the sum of its parts in union.   We must die in order to be reborn.

Mercury Retrograde preshadow begins Oct. 11th

Mercury turns retrograde in Scorpio on October 31st.  The messenger appears to fly backwards through the sign of the occult, the taboo, the shadowlands, truth, secrets, power struggles, transformation, death and rebirth, healing, regeneration - the witch - beginning on that night of the year when the veils are said to be the thinnest with the soul's of the dearly departed roaming the earth.  Mercury will turn direct November 20th, just two days before the sun moves into Sagittarius, where we will reclaim our fire and foundation of beliefs before entering Capricorn season when we cross the threshold into winter at solstice, and honor the nurturing we receive from the dark, on this longest night of the year.

​With the autumn equinox, the sun brought our conscious focus to relationships, balance, harmony, fairness and justice as it entered Libra.  As we move through the lunar cycle of Libra, we will also be exploring the axis of the zodiac that Libra forms with opposite sign Aries - the axis of self and other, the axis of relationship.  At the same time, with Saturn and Pluto now direct in Capricorn, we are moving towards the culmination of a huge astrological cycle that was begun in 1518, when the last Saturn-Pluto conjunction occurred.  With Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn forming a square angle to Libra, and all of the activity now occurring there, we are now being tasked with working through some challenges between the two. Part of these challenges are showing up because of the extra dose of Pluto and Scorpio we are experiencing even from the very beginning of this Libra season - Pluto direct in Capricorn squaring Venus in Libra, Mercury into Scorpio, Mars into Libra, and Venus into Scorpio, with the Aries full moon and then sun into Scorpio on deck,  followed by the upcoming Mercury retrograde in Scorpio.  

Mercury will turn direct in Scorpio just two days before the sun shifts our light of consciousness from the deep truths of Scorpio to the personal truths and beliefs of Sagittarius.  Sagittarius brings us the optimistic enthusiasm that allows us to set off on our Fool's Journey out into the world. 

​But first, over the coming weeks, we must make that journey into our own underworld and into our own subconscious to meet the truth of our own shadows.  This need not be a journey of sorrow and loss though.  We have been doing this work for some time now.  We have been preparing for this.  And this in turn is preparing 
​us for our big date with destiny in January, for when Pluto and Saturn come together in Capricorn, we are being given the opportunity - an opportunity that does not present itself once in a lifetime, or even once a century - to reclaim our own inherent power and authority and recalibrate our relationship to it in the world in which we exist. 

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    As an ambassador for Consciously Creating Life, Kasey serves as an advocate of the magic that exists in this life and in each and every one of us.  She is a champion of the journey to access our own powerful magic by returning home to ourselves and reclaiming the thrones of our hearts as sovereign rulers of our realms, through practicing the Art of Consciously Creating Life.  
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