Full Moon In Capricorn, Saturday, June 30, 2007, 9:49am EST, Capricorn Committment

Capricorn Commitment

This full moon I am referring you to Lisa Dale Miller's column because I resonate with its description of the Capricorn moon. She discusses:

* the feeling of struggle we are experiencing with 6 planets retrograde (ow!) and the full moon in Capricorn
* the opportunity to explore our commitment and hard work towards realistic goals
* the opportunity to create structures which support our heart's desires
* the opportunity to honor our personal timing
* the opportunity to compassionately meet those places in ourselves which are wounded in love and do not respond from love as a first response; facing the reality of love lost or denied
* the opportunity to resolve fear vs love within ourselves!

I'd like to add some thoughts about the context of this Capricorn full moon in the Gemini Moon cycle. (see previous entry) I've written that Gemini New Moon under a Cancer Sun provides the opportunity to explore how lower mind is attached to ancestral imprinting...this means that the mind responds to all situations as if we are still 5 years old...it will tell us what it knows based on its experiences of 'reality'. Guru Rattana suggests training the lower mind with breath/kundalini yoga and mantras. What we're doing is teaching a mind with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) that the war is over. I remember a story about a Japanese soldier who hid in the jungle for many years after World War II was resolved. The lower mind is like that: it only knows itself in the context of the original imprinting. Even if the original imprinting was nourishing and pleasant, we will likely meet life with certain expectations and limitations. Perhaps it was nourishing and pleasant for a dependent 5 year old, but not for an ambitious 35 year old.

'Reality' is where Capricorn comes into the picture this moon cycle. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. Saturn in the chart describes the area of life where we have been defined as 'limited'. For example, someone with Saturn in Gemini will likely feel like they are not as smart as other people and will 'over-compensate' by studying until they are smarter than everyone else! That's because Saturn in Gemini slows down the mind...from the quick responsiveness of Gemini to a more slow, thorough examination of something. The final result is a mind that is very discerning! The lesson here is that hard work and commitment will help anyone to overcome anything. (Emotional maturity of Capricorn vs emotional dependence of Cancer : Independence from emotional attachment to tribal acceptance-and the ancestral/tribal imprinting-Capricorn IS the grownup! Capricorn decides where it will focus its attention.) Where we get lost with Saturn and Capricorn is believing that the 'limitation' makes us seperate from the rest of the world...does our hard work bring more fear and seperation or open us in love to interdependence?

In the context of the Gemini New Moon, this Capricorn Full Moon provides the opportunity to bring our desire for love and compassion to the lower mind: the parts of us who tell us why we are limited and will never get what we want, based in fear rather than love (see Lisa Dale Miller's column). With so many retrograde planets, it is an opportunity to look deeeeeeeeeply at our thought and life process. How do we stand in our own way? Can we awaken compassion for the power of imprinting in the mind and with hard work and committment train the mind to work for our true heart's desire, rather than it's limited outlook?

I have found that pranayama breath has really helped me this moon cycle when my mind was telling me how limited I was. The breath has helped to support the witness part of me and strengthen the higher mind-the mind connected to more expansive 'realities' and possibilities.

For the full moon and the rest of this moon cycle (Saturday, July 14th), celebrate your personal timing and honor any movement you've made from fear to love with lower to higher mind. Celebrate any movement to strengthen your commitment to your heart's desire, softness, compassion, emotional fluidity. (Capricorn Moon under a Cancer Sun) The next two weeks will likey feel easier as you integrate the 'work' you've done during this moon cycle. The opportunities still remain, with so many retrograde planets, to dive deeply to recover treasured peices of ourselves.

peace, love, blessings, Helen

Gemini New Moon, June 14, 2007. 11:13pm EST

Gemini New Moon/Capricorn Full Moon
New Moon: June 14, 2007. 11:13pm EST

Greetings and Blessings! This newsletter is a return after a break of one moon cycle; I last wrote at the Aries New Moon of April 17th . Today I will recap the intervening Taurus/Sagittarius moon cycle (May 16-June 13) and introduce the present Gemini/Capricorn cycle (June 14-July 13).

Summary Taurus new moon/Sagittarius full moon (May 16-June 13)
Using a Nature analogy, Taurus is the energy of resourcefulness, the ability to use the abundant resources available for growth. The new plant opens to receive and use the energy of the sun, the rain and nutrients in the soil to grow the potential of their roots. For humans, it describes a relationship to abundance and the ability to provide or maintain conditions which allow the roots of our new self birthed at the Aries new moon (April 17^th) to grow and flourish. It describes right livelihood, our relationship to ‘do’ right with resources to sustain life. This moon cycle has been a time to explore root chakra issues, to courageously explore what roots us on the Earth plane-abundance mentality or scarcity mentality, fear or love. What roots us will determine what resources we use to grow this part of ourself. If we’re rooted in abundance, then we have been exploring how to provide or use available resources to grow this part of ourself. And conversely, if we are attached to the experience of the pain of scarcity, we have had the opportunity to bring compassionate consciousness to how we attract more pain to our experience.

Taurus is the 1^st Earth sign and describes this fundamental relationship of growth to natural resources. It has been an opportunity to courageously explore a sense of ‘worthiness’ or ‘unworthiness’ to take from and give to the Earth. As a human cell of Gaia, this moon cycle has been an opportunity to awaken consciousness about our relationship and responsibility to resources to sustain life. Composting, recycling, green building, gardening, diet and the body, home repair and comfort, and attention to finances and right livelihood are some themes which may have come up during this moon cycle.

The Sagittarius full moon (May 31^st) was in opposition to the sun in Gemini. Sagittarius full moon in this cycle required that we develop a philosophical world view/universal view about abundance and resources that gives deep meaning to our life experience. Gemini fuel provided the ability to weigh complex, sometimes contradictory information with subjective discernment. This required that we find our center, right mind. The opportunity here has been to align our relationship to the root chakra, to take note and decide how we choose to be rooted on the Earth plane, in pleasure or pain, to explore the ‘right to have’ those life sustaining resources that will grow our roots…creating right livelihood, healthy diet, exercise and a physical home base, creating stability and harmony in our bodies and homes and with planet Earth. On a very deep level, this moon cycle has been an opportunity to evolve a Universal view that gives us permission to be a part of Earth, to realize we ARE a part of Earth and to develop an understanding and right relation to Her/Us.

In these last days of the waning moon cycle (until June 14^th), we are provided with anopportunity to consciously release attachment to the weeds that weigh us down, which don’t sustain life in our attitudes, beliefs and actions.

Gemini New Moon/Capricorn Full Moon
Gemini New Moon June 14th, 2007, 11:13pm EST

We are what we think.
All that we are, arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world. Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakeable. How can a troubled mind understand the way?
Your worst enemy cannot harm you
as much as your own thoughts unguarded. But once mastered,
No one can help you as much,
Not even your father or your mother. Buddha (from the Dhammapada, translated by Thomas Byron) (2)

Guru Rattana has written an amazingly complete and detailed report of Gemini’s path, which I quote in this newsletter. To read the whole report of the Gemini path I refer you here: http://www.yogatech.com/nmb/backissues/nmb119.html

Gemini is the first air sign. It is subjective thought, intelligence, curiosity and communication. Ideally, Gemini provides the energy to weigh complex issues and arrive at subjective discernment-how to cooperate with the other to maintain and sustain life. This requires a strong center from which to discern. Since Gemini is mind, intelligence and communication, ‘right mind’ requires peace of mind and a strong root to ground the sometimes scattered energy Gemini invites with its attention to many points of view. ‘Our goal is create a mental structure that is appropriately stimulated, practically functional and at peace.’ (3) (see below for some exercises to train the mind)

‘Gemini energy is inherently dualistic and detached (mental and non-emotional.) This duality is a source of indecisiveness and chaotic impulses and undirected action. Detachment can lead to an inability to establish meaningful personal connections. Immature Gemini is prone to be disoriented, inattentive and unfocused. Gemini’s challenges are to learn how to find its internal center and to listen. As Gemini cultivates these talents, its nemeses become its strengths. The consciously evolved Gemini can dance with the ever-unfolding dynamic of polarities and thoroughly enjoy the cosmic play.’ (3)

On one level it is still primarily concerned with the emerging self; it is not altruistic-its cooperation is self serving, as it must be at this stage of the self’s evolution. This moon cycle provides the opportunity to fully engage and play with the emerging beliefs of the new self birthed at the Aries new moon (April 17th). It’s important to keep moving, let thoughts come and go without attachment and encourage adaptability and grounded peace of mind. On another level, we are engaging Higher Mind, our mind’s connection to the Divine aspect of our self and others and Life.

‘The Gemini new moon supports us in being open to new ideas. It encourages us to think outside our habitual box and to let go of beliefs and attitudes that make this possible. It brings our attention to the mental aspect of our being and how everything in our mind – thoughts, beliefs, intentions and divine connection – determines the nature of our life experience. It is time to examine what is in our mind and how it is creating our reality. It is also time to acknowledge HOW our mind works and learn how to use this amazing masterpiece of consciousness in the most beneficial ways. The mind is our mechanism to access information about the most banal aspects of physical reality to the most elegant configurations of non-physical reality. Through our mind we acquire the knowledge that opens the doors to peace, power, wisdom and all the aspects of the Divine.’ (2)

Some keywords for the Gemini path:
IMMATURE ->MATURE (needs to learn)
Chatter box, too talkative ->Able to listen as well as communicate clearly
Scattered -> Focused
Distracted -> Can concentrate
Agitated -> Lively
Sarcastic -> Cosmic Humor
Tricks self -> Aware of consequences of own thoughts
Gullible -> Alert to ruse, able to discriminate
Irresponsible -> Responsible in the context of freedom
Perpetual adolescent -> Young at heart, childlike spontaneity
Glib -> Playful, cheerful
Too many activities -> Versatile lifestyle, explores many paths
Fluctuates -> Flexible
Restless -> Fluid
Cold, aloof -> Unattached, detached, objective
Ungrounded, fanciful ideas -> Experimental and innovative
Lost in thought -> Found in purposeful action
Suppresses feelings -> Listens to intuition
Future, perfection oriented -> Inventive and imaginative
Nervous system can burn out -> Takes care of body with exercise
Routines create boredom and depression -> New experiences keep life interesting and fun (3)

This moon cycle embraces the sun entering Cancer at the Summer Solstice June 21st. Life is busting out all over in glorious splendor! Ruled by the moon, Cancer provides fuel to explore the emotional attachment we carry for our ancestral past and tribal origins: tribal mentality (xenophobia), emotional dependence on tribal approval and extreme sensitivity and vulnerability of the personal self to collective tribal beliefs. It’s my sense that we are still working with root chakra issues through this moon cycle. The new self which emerged at the Aries new moon (April 17th) is still learning about itself and its new needs and is learning for the first time how to integrate its needs with the other. Energetically, this process bridges first and second chakras-the right to be and have and the right to be and have with the other.

Much can be gained this moon cycle by nurturing the airy detachment the Gemini new moon provides for the duration of the cycle around these issues. The Gemini/Capricorn moon cycle asks us to continue to explore our thinking about resources and abundance, weighing as many sides as we can, while we feel the emotional pull of our ancestral roots. At the Capricorn Full Moon (June 30th) we will have the opportunity to either nurture wholeness in the new self with the new found emotional independence Gemini subjectivity brings, or to work with any lingering emotional dependence on ancestral beliefs. Capricorn, as the highest Earth sign, represents Gaia Herself as well as emotional maturity and independence from tribal thinking. The Earth Goddess invites us this Gemini moon cycle to ground ourselves in right thinking about our relationship and interdependence as a worthy and necessary unique cell of Gaia.

peace, love and blessings, Helen

TRAINING THE MIND
It is imperative that we train our mind.

(1) THE BREATH AND THE MIND The easiest way to begin training our mind is to experience the relationship between the breath and the mind. When our breath is fast and shallow, our mind usually races and is out of control. We are prone to be more fearful, defensive and stressed. As our breath slows down, we start to relax, become more present and available to input without being overly reactive. When we slow our breath down to 4 or less breaths per minute, we begin to enter a meditative state. During the month of Gemini (and beyond), practice watching your breath and consciously slowing it down to 4 or less breaths per minute. Monitor your mental, emotional and physical states as your shift your breathing pattern. Train yourself to be more conscious of the relationship between your breathing and thinking. Power of the breath helps us get in touch with the power of the mind.

(2) FIND OUR INTERNAL CENTER When our breath is slow and deep, our mind is available to access our neutral channel. Follow your breath in your body until your body relaxes and you feel the rhythm of your breath in your chest. Then use your breath to open the space in your mind. Look and listen inside your head and continue to use your breath to open the space inside your head until you can comfortably connect with a clear, open space. This space is your haven -- your inner sanctuary. Take time to enjoy being in this neutral channel.

(3) STAYING IN NEUTRAL One of our biggest challenges is to learn to stay in our neutral channel. We can find it in meditation and then we lose it. Our next task is to investigate what specifically takes us out of the neutral channel. Three of the principle ways to revert back to our rational mind are the following: (a) Analyzing, rationalizing and explaining. (b) Dissatisfaction with what is and the desire as well as the attempts to change what cannot be changed. (c) Attachment and attention to something outside ourselves. Monitor the above activities in your mind and start training yourself to go back to neutral.

(4) STOPPING THOSE THOUGHTS To deal with information overload and to stop undesirable thoughts, we have the technology of sound. We each need to pick a mantra and have it handy to repeat it every time we have a thought that could take us a place we don’t want to go. Yogi Bhajan has given us dozens of authentic and powerful mantras. One great way to install a mantra in your mind is to listen to it continuously on a CD. There is a great selection on www.yogatech.com The sound bites are exceptionally recorded. I suggest allowing your intuition to guide you to several CDs and pick one that soothes your mind.

(5) MIND AND MOUTH All of the above help us investigate the relationship between our mind and mouth. One of our goals is to stop and think about what we say before we say it, first making a conscious decision about what we want to share with others and put out to the universe.

(1) Alan Oken’s Complete Astrology
(2) http://www.astrowisdom.com/thisnewmoon.htm
(3) http://www.yogatech.com/nmb/backissues/nmb119.html