Thursday, May 22, 2008

McCain's chart

Interesting post from a friend:

So... it's long seemed as if the Democrats would be a slam dunk for regaining the White House in the 2008 presidential elections?

If I were you, I wouldn't take my eye off the ball...

John McCain
August 29, 1936
9:00 am
Cocosolo, Panama

Midheavens

As mentioned in a previous blog, the comparison of the Zodiac Sun Signs of the 42 USA presidents is interesting (and how many would have guessed Scorpio is tied with Aquarius for first place), but looking at the Midheavens of the USA presidents proves to be much more striking.

Of the 42 USA presidents, there are unfortunately only 24 where we can be reasonably certain we have the accurate time of birth necessary for the calculation of the Midheaven.

Of those 24, approximately 30% (7) have (had) their Midheaven located in the Zodiac sign of Cancer. For those unaware, the USA's birth Sun is located in the sign of Cancer.

Those seven USA Presidents include Chester A. Arthur, William McKinley, Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton.

Why is this obscure statistic potentially important? John McCain has a Cancer Midheaven. So don't count curmudgeonly MCain down and out just yet... as many in the USA will unconsciously be drawn toward him... and the battle is just beginning...

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Happy Birthday Gemini!

When the Sun enters Gemini the general atmosphere feels lighter, more open and easy-going. Issues of exchange, information, and communication are in the air.

Here is more info about Gemini's:

Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless. They take up new activities enthusiastically but lack application, constantly needing new interests, flitting from project to project as apparently purposelessly as a butterfly dancing from flower to flower. To them life is a game which must always be full of fresh moves and continuous entertainment, free of labor and routine. Changing horses in the middle of the stream is another small quirk in the Gemini personality which makes decision making, and sticking to a decision, particularly hard for them.

Since they lack the quality of conscientiousness, they are apt to fight a losing battle in any attempts they make to be moral (in the widest sense of the word). Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts. They quickly learn to use their outward attractiveness to gain their own ends, and when striving for these they will use any weapon in their armory - unscrupulous lying, and cunning evasiveness; escaping blame by contriving to put it on other people, wrapped up in all the charm they can turn on. In their better moments they may strive to be honest and straightforward, but self-interest is almost always the victor. If things go against them, they sulk like children.

Also like children, they demand attention, admiration, and the spending on them of time, energy and money, throwing tantrums if they don't get what they want. They reflect every change in their surroundings, like chameleons, and can become pessimistic, sullen, peevish and materialistically self-centered if circumstances force them to struggle in any way. If the conditions of life become really adverse, their strength of will may desert them entirely. They can become uncertain of themselves, either withdrawn, or nervously excitable worriers, sullenly discontented, hard and irritable, with "Self" looming ever larger in their struggles. On the other hand their versatility can make them very adaptable, adjusting themselves to control the world around them by means of their inherent ingenuity and cleverness.

Most Gemini have a keen, intuitive, sometimes brilliant intelligence and they love cerebral challenges. But their concentration, though intense for a while, does not last. Their mental agility and energy give them a voracious appetite for knowledge from youth onward, though they dislike the labor of learning. They easily grasp almost everything requiring intelligence and mental dexterity, and are often able to marry manual skills to their qualities of mind. Their intellect is strongly analytical and sometimes gives them so great an ability to see both sides of a question that they vacillate and find it hard to make decisions. But their intelligence may very well be used to control and unify the duality of their natures into a most efficient unit. If faced with difficulties, they have little determination to worry at a problem until they find a solution - they will pick the brains of others. In their intellectual pursuits, as in other departments of their lives, they risk becoming dilettantes, losing themselves in too many projects which they follow until they become difficult.

In love they are fickle, not intentionally so but because of the basic inconsistency of their emotional nature, which has an amoral aspect to it. Their is a side to Geminians which can become deeply involved emotionally, and another, hostile to sentimentality, which stands back from a romantic situation, laughing at it and the protagonists in it, including themselves while analyzing it intellectually. Gemini subjects take nothing seriously. So, in love, in spite of their temporary depth of feeling, for the intensity of involvement lasts only while it is new, they are superficial, light-hearted, cool, flirtatious and unimaginative in the understanding of the pain they may give others. They like intrigue, the excitement of the chase, but once they have caught the prey, they lose interest and look around for the next creature to pursue. In less serious situations they make witty, entertaining companions, good acquaintances rather than friends. Even at their worst they are never dull - there is usually playfulness below the surface, and they can be brilliant conversationalists - but they can also be quarrelsome, prattlers, boasters, liars and cheats.

Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers. In business any work which combines quick-wittedness with a change of surroundings suits them; working as a traveling salesperson, brokerage work, or dealing with the public in any capacity is right up their alley. Because they are dispassionate, logical, rational and analytical they make good scientists, especially in the fields of medicine and astronomy. They can also make excellent members of the Armed Forces, for they take danger no more seriously than anything else and can earn themselves a reputation for devotion to duty and heroic acts. In the arts they may excel in music, painting and sculpture. They make good psychic researchers of a sceptical kind. Negatively they can degenerate into confidence tricksters, thieves and even adepts in the black arts.

Possible Health Concerns...

Gemini rules the arms, shoulders, hands, lungs and nervous system and its subjects need to beware of diseases and accidents associated with the upper part of the body, as well as nervous and pulmonary disorders such as catarrh and bronchitis. Their mercurial nature may also affect a constitution which is not strong if it is put under strain.

You are prone to taking unnecessary risks and wind up harming yourself or others in the process. Sometimes pursuing pleasure too vigorously could also qualify as risk taking.

LIKES
Talking
Novelty and the unusual
Variety in life
Multiple projects all going at once
Reading

DISLIKES
Feeling tied down
Learning, such as school
Being in a rut
Mental inaction
Being alone


PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Gemini you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.

PROBLEM: Being superficial could be a big problem for you in your overall relationships with others and also in getting ahead on many jobs where you must endeavor to dig deep and learn something thoroughly. This is the worst Gemini trait of all.

SOLUTION: To make a conscious effort to control this trait is the best approach to take to this problem. If you make a commitment to something or someone you should mentally force yourself to keep that commitment where possible. This will be hard but it can, and has been, accomplished by many under this sign.

PROBLEM: Not one who cares for peace and quiet, you create your own problems with loved ones by picking arguments or tale carrying from one to the other then stand back and enjoy the show.

SOLUTION: While this may relieve your boredom, it is something that you should not let happen as it could easily go out of control and cost you the love and companionship that you desire. When you feel like doing this it would be better to take a long walk and let the feelings pass.

PROBLEM: Boredom is one of your biggest problems and you could easily fall into mischief if you do not find ways to alleviate it.

SOLUTION: You have a great many creative talents and if you put these to work for you in some sort of hobby or project you will find you do not have time to be bored, also, other physical activities should be considered: workouts at the gym, racketball, hiking, etc..

PROBLEM: You could have health problems brought on by overindulgence of food, drink, or the night life which only gets worse as you age.

SOLUTION: Tame your urges and save the party times for weekends only and then try not to overdo it. By keeping everything down to a mild roar you may not have to fight off diseases such as obesity or cirrhosis of the liver.

PROBLEM: You may have the problem of not being able to keep a spouse or a lover due to your pursuit of the opposite sex.

SOLUTION: Cultivate the habit of not flirting with every attractive person you see and make up your mind to be a true and loving spouse, or don't commit until you are really ready to do this.


Your ruling planet is Mercury

Mean distance from the Sun (AU) 0.387
Sidereal period of orbit (years) 0.24
Equatorial radius (km) 2,439
Polar radius (km) 2,439
Body rotation period (hours) 1,408
Tilt of equator to orbit (degrees) 0
Number of observed satellites 0

Some more interesting facts about your sign:

While no animal appears to be associated with your sign other than the wolf in which is seen to be the nurturing force for another set of 'twins', romulas and remus. The twins themselves are their own sign representatives.

The color of choice for Mercury in Gemini is Yellow

Your starstone is the agate. It has been shown to be beneficial to the health of Geminis who are suffering from circulatory problems and has been shown as an aid to getting your intuitive feelings tuned to a higher pitch. It is also an aid to relieving depression. There is another gemstone which is used for Gemini and that is the emerald, but the agate vibrates to the levels of your ruling planet, Mercury, and therefore is much more beneficial for you.

This is an excellent analysis too...

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Full Moon 5/19/08



Full Moon tomorrow (the 19th) which is likely to be an intense one. Not only is it the second Scorpio Full Moon in a series, but it is at the last degree of Scorpio. The 29th degree is sometimes called the "anaretic" degree, or the "karmic" degree, because it is like the final exam. By the 29th degree we are by necessity learning any lessons of that sign that we have not yet assimilated before we can move into the next sign.

All of this is part of a major Yod to the South Node that occurs on the 21st and incorporates a conjunction of Chiron to the North Node. A Yod, or "Finger of Fate" aspect, is an event of great significance of which the Apex planet (in this case, the South Node) is the key. The importance of the South Node shows that there will be an illumination of an episode from the past (South Node) that is brought into the current time period so that patterns of behavior can be alchemized into new modes of behavior and thinking that are more useful to us.

Traditional astrologers consider the South Node to be malefic, but that is because there is a tendency with the South Node to be drawn into behaviors that hold us back from our soul's evolution. When we are on a path of conscious understanding and awareness it becomes easier to let go of our attachment to the dramas that previously we considered our reality.

In many ways, the Full Moon in Scorpio is about letting go of those attachments. Scorpio has a tendency to hold on to the emotional drama and create an intense story that becomes a part of our identity. During the Full Moon the lunar instinctive energies (now in Scorpio) overcome the solar conscious mind (working with the Taurus dynamic of stability and peaceful existence). Achieving a balance between these two is the goal now as we move with the Moon from Scorpio's last degree into the more expansive climate of Sagittarius with its optimism and love of adventure.

After the culmination of the Full Moon we'll be able to assimilate all of the information downloaded during the previous week of intensity when Mercury forms a trine to Chiron on the 23rd and facilitates the healing process and the deepening into wisdom of any challenges that we faced during the cathartic Scorpio Full Moon. Because Mercury and Chiron are both moving very slowly now, this trine will be in effect for at least a week between the 21st and the end of the month during which time we'll have two more retrogrades: Mercury and Neptune, both on the 26th.

link

Thought for the day

“An average man is too concerned with liking people or with being liked himself. A warrior likes, that’s all. He likes whatever or whomever he wants, for the hell of it.”

~ Carlos Castaneda
20th century mystic and Toltec warrior
from A Separate Reality

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Thought for the day

“Believe nothing.
No matter where you read it,
Or who said it,
Even if I have said it,
Unless it agrees with your own reason
And your own common sense.”

~ Buddha
6th century bce Indian mystic and founder of Buddhism
from The Dhammapada

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Explaining the elements in Astrology

This is a little astrology lesson on the elements. In astrology, you will hear certain signs associated with four different elements: Fire, Earth, Air, & Water. The Fire signs are Aries, Leo & Saggitarius. The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo & Capricorn. Air signs are Gemini, Libra & Aquarius. And water signs are Cancer, Scopio & Pisces. Here is a way to understand what energies they represent:

Fire - "Ecstatic Expression"

About: The free flow of divine creative energy in a positive, uplifting fashion.
Without Fire:  There would be no spark, no radiant expression, no conviction.
Weakness:  The unintentional identification of ego/self with the divine, creative energy flowing through oneself, leading to an excessive self-centeredness and exaggerated sense of self-importance.

Earth - "Humble Embodiment"

About: Embodying.  Focusing on the present moment, present life, and being realistic/intelligent enough to perfect this reality.
Without Earth: We would all be up in the clouds (emotions), in the air (thinking), or in the imagination (fire).  There would be no actualization.
Weakness:  Attachment and stinginess.  Clinging to physical things, resistance to change, overfocusing on physical, temporal details rather than the larger spiritual picture or the heart.

Air - "Human Relating"

About:  The love of people with freedom and non-attachment.  The use of the intellect in service to humanity.
Without Air: There would be no ability to appreciate differences and different perspectives.  There would be no unified humanitarian vision.
Weakness: A difficulty with feeling emotion, leading to depression and/or a lack of true connection with Self and others.  An overactive mind, or addiction to learning that blocks deeper peace and awareness.

Water - "Spiritual Unity"

About: Harmony with Spirit through Spiritual Surrender, leading to co-operation with Divinity, which then manifests through loving presence, service, and/or creative arts.  The removal of selfish instincts from loving, giving, and having.
Without Water: No compassion. No surrender. 
Weakness:  Attachment.  Addiction to emotional obsession, victimization, insecurity, defensiveness, and pain.  Inability to separate and work on the self before appropriate merger with others, with Spirit, etc.

Sweet smells banish pain


Sweet smells banish pain
13:14 20 June 02

The sweet scent of roses or almonds could take some of the pain out of
your stay in hospital. But only if you're a woman.

Serge Marchand and Pierre Arsenault at the University of Québec in
Abitibi-TĂ©miscamingue asked 20 men and 20 women to keep their hand
immersed in painfully hot water for as long as they could while smelling
various odours. When given pleasant aromas such as almond extract to
sniff, the women experienced significantly less pain. Foul smells such
as vinegar seemed to slightly intensify their pain. However, the pain
felt by the men was not affected by the smells.

Physiology and Behaviour

Both sexes reported feeling happier in the presence of good smells,
while bad smells put them in a worse mood. But this effect on the
emotions can't be what changed the women's perception of pain. If it
was, the men should have responded in the same way.

Women are typically more sensitive to odours than men. But this also
can't explain why only women feel the pain-relief benefits, because the
women in the study didn't rate the intensity of smells differently from
the men.

Pleasant sensations of touch are known to activate an area of the
brain's frontal cortex used for taste and smell. So it's possible that
smells could be altering the sensory processing of touch, pain and
temperature by affecting this part of the brain in women.
More at: Physiology and Behavior (vol 76, p 251)

Spring

"Be like a flower and turn your face to the sun."
- Kahlil Gibran

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Zen thought

"Before a man studies Zen, to him mountains are mountains and waters are waters;after he gets an insight into the truth of Zen through the instruction of a good master, mountains to him are not mountains and waters are not waters; but after this when he really attains to the abode of rest, mountains are once more mountains and waters are waters." (Essays in Zen Buddhism – First Series 24)

I begin again


Decided it was time to begin blogging again. Opened a new business bank account, and will advertise my oils, Blessings-in-a Bags, and astrological services once I have my ducks in a row.


Need to get up a new website too; but I think I have spotted what I need.


I feel good about getting started.


I named my new bank account - 'Abundance.' Heh.