Quiet time

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The shortest day of the year approaches, dark time.  Working with shadows, quieting the discursive mind, allowing what is to bubble up.  Warm heart.

I am realizing how much heart work I need to do.  Therefore, I am taking a two – three week break from posting here.

If you want to join me in a ritual, feel free.  On Dec. 21st, I typically set an intention and hold an aspiration, after reflecting on the past year.  What needs to be released?  What served me in the past?  What did not?  How can I slow down enough to allow my prayer to come to fruition?  What do I need to do, in order to create the safe, kind space necessary to slough off old stuff?

As an example, my intention for this year’s end is to kindly allow grief and sadness to arise and process through – I intend to weep appropriately with resources.

Then spend 10 days, in and out of celebrating / spending quality time with family, working toward your intention.  When New Year’s Day rolls around, that is the time to open the shades just a little more – allow the growing light to illuminate your process – and write a New Year’s provocative statement.  This is a personal challenge which pushes you just a little more but is within your reach.  It can be a statement about anything – professional goals, psycho-spiritual process, playful hobbies, meeting family needs etc.

I learned this process from Janet Evergreen.  Where she got it from, I do not know.  With speculation, I would say it is from Sunray Meditation Society.  It is not my own.

On that note, I must mention that in my writing, I might come across as seeming to know something about wisdom, but alas it is not true.  My mind is quite afflicted and ordinary.  But at least I am honest and becoming more humbled.

See you in the New Year!  Have holidays that are growth inspiring and wholesome, if you please.

Astrological relationships – Venus and Uranus Part II

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

So… for those of you fascinated by the first article, you will discover my theory(s) about dealing Uranus in hard aspect to Venus below.  For those of you who have not read Part I, I would highly recommend going back and doing so.

Several thoughts arise when I consider Uranus in aspect to Venus in a Natal Chart.  First, Please keep in mind that spiritual (evolutionary) astrology is quite complex, therefore, to only look at one aspect in a chart and to think that you can isolate it and its reflected traits without considering the rest of the chart is simply in error.  As a result, please, please(!) do not read this series of posts and think that you know all about someone who has this aspect in their charts.  Rather, spend time getting to know their whole chart – years even – before jumping to any solid conclusions or assumptions.  Also, when we practice frequency based astrology, you never know where the person is on their psycho-spiritual path, so we cannot label a certain aspect and say, “Oh you have “X” squaring “Y”, therefore you must do / think / process “Z”…”  Nope!  Does not work like that – in fact, that is what gives astrology a bad name (see fortune telling).  Choice-centered, frequency-based astrology takes many, many factors into consideration before concluding anything and conducting an interpretation.

Speaking of fortune telling, I wanted to make certain that my audience understands that I do not entirely agree with the teacher who told me about this aspect (Uranus and Venus causing men to require new partners every few years).  We do not know what karma is in store for us – and I have certainly seen exceptions to this rule – men who lived happily with their partners for twenty or thirty years, while having Uranus in a hard aspect to their Venus in their birth charts.

What is someone going through who has this aspect?  In answering this, the complexities surrounding a chart must be considered.  Merely having Venus opposite Uranus does not mean much in the way of challenging traits.  It can bring about magnetism, charisma, charm, guile, jealousy, flashiness, bohemian likes and desires, and / or a unique fashion sense among other traits – which depends on the signs involved and house placement of the aspect.  If someone has many beneficial aspects in their chart (keeping in mind that some squares and oppositions manifest positively) and very few challenging ones, then a Venus / Uranus contact can be positive overall, without much in the way of hectic forms of relating.  However, in my limited experience, trouble can arise (in intimate relationships) when there are a number of Saturn / Pluto / Neptune hard aspects in a chart plus Venus / Uranus.  I will develop this idea further…

It is my humble belief that we are purifying our karma in this incarnation as human beings.  However, while we keep that in mind, it should not be used as a crutch – we can’t say, “Oh, I act like that because it says so in my chart.”  This is an erroneous belief and a foolhardy method of going through life.  Rather, I would recommend saying, “my chart would indicate certain proclivities.  I have noticed these tendencies manifesting within intimate relationships.  Now, having this foresight, what can I do to work on deepening my awareness, practice mindfulness and strengthening my inner resources to gently confront and change these patterns?”

We can always be thankful of the opportunity to purify our challenging karma – just don’t lean on it too hard, or give up saying, “what’s the point?  My karma is my karma.”  That is also in error – the Buddha, among other spiritual teachers, said that we have to work on ourselves in order to grow and improve.  No one can save us, no one will do the work for us (at least not the work which results in lasting transformation).  We have to step up to the plate and say, “okay – this is my issue.  I acknowledge it.  And now I will try to practice being gentle and kind with myself and with my process as I work through it.”

Back to the astrological issue at hand – Venus and Uranus – while keeping the above information as context, we can start to discuss what this aspect is and ways around / through the energy.  As I mentioned, someone who has a lot of personal growth work to do around their inner patterns, who also has a hard aspect between these two, will probably be reactive and involved in some strong, subconscious projection / defense mechanisms, especially in intimate relationships.  So, the first step is to gain some clarity about the self – meditate, do yoga, chill out in a contemplative manner, have your chart done by a professional, spend quality quiet time in nature, go to a therapist (for a number of months – get into the uncomfortable material and continue gently working it) and / or receive some bodywork from a qualified practitioner or any number of introspective alternatives.

If an individual has done a lot of their personal growth work, then they are aware of their old tendencies and patterns and they have either released them, compensated appropriately or learned positive methods / tools for adapting.  If an individual does not have much in the way of strong, subconscious patterns or reactions, then they have many choices – to be in a long-term intimate relationship, where they can speak their needs and requests and have them honored, or they can discuss their patterns and habits with their partners and work something out, maybe living separately but still being together, among other choices.

There are many manifestations of relating with awareness and clear communication but the take home message from this aspect is to expect a bit of excitement, freshness and magnetism.  If you are in a relationship with someone who has a hard aspect between these two, you might want to analyze where they are on their path – are they embodied?  Have they done much in the way of personal introspection?  Do they react strongly or in strange ways when you make requests?  Are they mindful, kind and patient – both with themselves and others?  Do they take time for themselves – time for self care?  Then you might have a bit more of a clue as to how conscious they are of their inner processes.

These words were hastily written in November 2009 by Kirby Moore.

Astrological Relationships thru the lens of Venus and Uranus Part I

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

I am writing this series for several reasons.  First, I would like to inform my audience of my experience and opinion regarding astrological Venus in aspect to Uranus and how this affects relationships.  Second, it is my intention to have this be a brief healing journey for myself as I have Venus squaring Uranus in my natal chart.  But don’t worry, I have a bit of experience and results from years of personal growth work, so expect a light-hearted analysis of some potentially heavy topics.  Third, my theory will be introduced about how we can avoid the typical flash-in-the-pan relationships which often arise with Uranus and Venus’ combinations.  Finally, I will gingerly discuss the ramifications of what I am proposing – most of which will be in further posts.  [Please note - anyone with sensitivities to colorful language or sexual topics should quit reading now.]

Normally, I would not be so frank and open, but it feels like this information needs to be shared.  Because these are my intimate thoughts on a delicate subject, I ask you to not reproduce anything written here – if you want to refer people to my blog that is fine.  With that, I am writing what is near and dear to my heart.  Getting the vulnerability and contraction out of my beingness and “onto paper.”  Having in my horoscope, this funky little aspect, of Venus square Uranus (6 degree orb), has been a fascinating experience and journey.  Many astrologers – both my teachers and peers – have shared their thoughts with me about this dynamic.  And actually it is funny how the mind works (my afflicted mind in particular) – for several years, I would casually glance over and past this aspect in my chart.  I’m not sure what my reasoning was – “oh it’s 6 degrees, that’s too wide to matter…  I think… moving on now…”  Subconsciously I think I knew this aspect indicated work that needed to be done, however I was not ready to face it.

Something like that, except I did not consciously realize it was uncomfortable until one day, my first main astrology (and meditation) teacher, about a year into our teacher / student relationship, told me, “you know Kirby, men with Uranus in hard aspect to their Venus cannot keep an erection after several years of being with the same woman.”  I thought about this for a minute.  Then I realized…

“Hey!  Wait a minute.. I have Venus square Uranus in my chart…”  I replied.  Well, yes you might have guessed it, she was a Sagittarius and Sagittarians are exceptionally talented at sticking their feet in their mouths.  She was no exception to this rule and she answered with, “oh… well..  maybe you will find a way around this…”  Her response definitely sounded flaky.  I thought to myself, “well, so much for traditional relationships,” or to be more honest and accurate, “Damn it!!…  I’m screwed!”  Actually, having six years of cathartic, plumbing-the-psychological-depths-practice time, I feel I have discovered a way around it.

I now realize that this teacher was not justified in proclaiming the encompassing blanket prediction like she did.  I say this for several reasons – first, consider the raw numbers of men who possess this aspect in their charts.  Second, I will discuss how each aspect is different – house placement, signs involved and how the partner might play a role in this dynamic.  If you think about it, consider how many people have Uranus in hard aspect to Venus.  The opposition, square and conjunction are three aspects, and say each has a seven degree orb (both sides of the aspect), we are looking at 14 degrees per aspect.  Three aspects times 14 is 42 degrees of the birth chart, and 42 into 360 (all the degrees of a chart) is 7 / 60.  Therefore, if this statement is entirely true, seven men out of 60 would have this issue and therefore would have a major difficulty maintaining intimate relationships.  Consider the United States having 300 million people living in it, say half are men.  Then this ratio produces the number of 18 million men in the U.S.   To me, this number seems high.  Sure, there is a growing problem with erectile dysfunction in the U.S. and the divorce rate is increasingly higher, but I would argue that there are many (other) factors involved.  The evidence regarding erectile dysfunction seems to pointing to a number of factors, not simply psychological – for instance one’s diet, physical fitness level, stress, peace of mind, etc may all play a role.

Second, consider all the possible mixtures of these two planets.  Uranus in aspect to Venus can happen in any sign and in any house of the horoscope.  The conjunction would produce the same house, same sign contact.  The opposition produces an opposite house / opposite sign dynamic, and the square can be in any number of sign / house alignments.  I have to wonder if there are some houses that diminish the affects of this aspect.  For instance, the angular houses of the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses seem to give more strength and physical manifestation to the planets occupying them.  This is the case in my chart, but it would only be the case in one out of three charts having this hard aspect occurring.  It seems like having this aspect in the succedent houses – 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th – would soften the physical manifestation of the dynamic.  Then, as I mentioned, another piece of this puzzle to consider is the partner.  Actually, I am going to touch on this extensively in Part II of this series, so see that when it is complete.

To me, Uranus in hard aspect to Venus (square, opposition and conjunction) and sometimes this dynamic (which I will explain) can even be discerned through the softer aspects of the trine, sextile and quincunx.  So, what is this series of aspects about?  Uranus is a fast energy – buzzing and electrifying, it energizes the nervous system and speeds up synapses in the brain – basically leading to wittier thinking, ingenious ideas and outside-the-box, ahead-of-the-curve dynamics.  Uranian types are the visionaries of our time – thinking at least 20 years ahead of conventional methods.  Venus of course, is all about love, art and what we desire (to keep it simple).  Combine the two, especially in a hard aspect and you suddenly have an individual who, in intimate relationships, easily bores of the same routine, the same types of love making, the same responses and reactions – they have a flare for the unique and for freshness.  They need to find ways to liven up their relationships and to do new activities and explore new places – maybe expand the social and psycho-spiritual circles as a couple.

There is another piece of Uranus that I would like to touch on.  Uranus, to me, has an element of enlightenment within it.  Clairvoyance, lightning bolts of clarity and insight, and intuitively knowing what direction to move in – instantly – are some of Uranus’ higher frequency gifts.  Now, combine that with Venus, and you get a mind that is capable of making a decision rapidly, regarding an intimate relationship and then it is just as capable of thinking weeks, months and even years into the future regarding where a relationship is heading or where one could go if the relationship were redefined.  Uranus demands authenticity, and if we listen carefully, whole heartedly, with patience, deliberation and discernment (not jumping to any rapid conclusions as the mind is very capable of throwing some curve balls), we can know when we find a suitable mate or when we have found another friend and growth experience.

In conclusion, people with Uranus in hard aspect to Venus have an exciting, fresh and unique method of being in intimate relationships.  One of my teachers, whom I deeply respect, mentioned a controversial ramification of this aspect, which I am apt to disbelieve.  In further posts, I intend to elaborate on my theory regarding this dynamic.

Astrological Life Processing I

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

In this particular post, I am going to continue a theme which I recently introduced.  That is, from the “Deep Processing, Astrological Style” piece.  Now, I must inform readers that most of what I have written in the past has been humorous, lighter and written when I was feeling upbeat and inspired.  And with that, you are probably thinking, “Uhhh… where is this heading?”  Well I will tell you: I have been on a remarkable journey in the past eight plus years – sloughing off issues and/or wounding through various means and methods.  I will elaborate on this broad statement, at some point in this series, have no fear.  But first, it is time to admit some of my challenges.

Yes, everything I have written on here is true, and when I refrain from writing when I am down, or grouchy, or in the midst of a giggle-fest (high on laughter), then the radiant Sun of a Leo Rising can shine through.  However, at present I am under an irritated fog, rough thoughts and sensations pulse through my body; at least my desire to please others seems to have shriveled up, an artifact of the past – replaced by a need for alone-time and allowing the waves to wash away old stuff.  I am used to discomfort and I have many resources, however as I process new-found birth trauma, I wonder when it will let up.

It is my intention for these articles to be a book someday, so.. if you know a good publisher (you know where to send them)!

Long story shorter – prior to 2002, I was more of a typical young male (well… slightly).  Playing a lot of computer games (Pisces are fond of addictions), succumbed to peer pressure and drank / partied (Pisces are also fond of numbing out / escaping – see addictions) and I got my fair share of speeding tickets (suppressed anger comes out in miraculous ways).  Conversely, my many past lives as an ascetic / monastic still shone through the fickle “I’m-trying-to-fit-in-on-this-bizarre-planet” facade.  For instance, I was just as content to be alone as I was to be social if not more, and I had a very active imagination which I believe ties in very handily with the practice of Tibetan Buddhism (many visualizations and images to play with).  I also had an enormous threshold for pain which may tie in with previous meditation experience or with an incredible dissociative habit.

I say my healing journey has been on-going for more than eight years because in 1999 I joined the military.  Yeah, you heard that correctly.  I had just flunked out of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (I think I got a “D” and four “F”s) and I decided it was time to stand on my own two feet.  I spoke with recruiters and I found a path that had little chance of sending me over seas to fight – being in a training brigade in the Army Reserves.  Of course, when I completely aced the entrance exams I should have known – the recruiters said they had never seen scores as high as mine and they offered me anything I wanted – a path to special ops, military intelligence.  I stuck with being in a drill sergeant reserve unit – I was angry but I wasn’t stupid.  So after five months of 24/7 drilling in boot camp and advanced training, I got let out on good behavior <he he he>.  Actually I was told to go straight to my reserve unit – do not pass go, don’t collect two hundred dollars.  But that was only one weekend / month and two weeks in the summer.

As I was saying, I believe being in the military was a step down the healing road for me.  First, I was subconsciously purifying previous warrior karma (I had not been introduced to Buddhism yet to know about this consciously).  Second, I got to experience life on all levels and frequencies – believe me, many people (about 1 out of 10) were in basic training because a judge had told them, “Okay son, its either jail or the Army for you, which one you want?”  As I got to know people better it was almost like being in prison – you did what?!  And they want you to carry a weapon!!  Oh my god!!

But I learned how to relate with many individuals and in my reserve unit I was able to see the unflinching altruism of misdirected passion – they would sacrifice anything for their country and for each other.  There were many public service professionals in the reserves – law enforcement officers, teachers, rescue squad workers, etc.  I was definitely the odd ball out – being a philosophizing waiter…  however I feel I took a step toward grounding in this world.

The manner in which I got out of the military is complicated, comical and convoluted.  Very briefly – I told the commandant of the drill sergeant school – I had been talked into going – how I felt about the military system (to say I was less than satisfied is one of the biggest understatements of my life) and I was promptly told to either “go see a shrink or stay here for the remaining two weeks.”  Did I mention how being in the military felt like prison?  So it really wasn’t a choice for me – being able to get out with a marginal, temporary psychological issue was infinitely more important than attempting to grind my teeth.  I was in the reserves for over four years.

There is a saying which I agree with, and I am about to state my thoughts on the military, which might ruin or fire up my future political possibilities, it goes: “those who can, do; while those who cannot, join the military.”  Having someone tell you what to wear, what time to eat, when to go to work, etc is conducive to being a cog in a big machine – not with having freedom or creative liberty.  Therefore, as a Uranian type, I am strongly opposed our country to having a large military and I would highly recommend anyone to come and speak with me before joining – the recruiters are lying to you, I guarantee it – its their job to get you to sign your freedom away, not to be straight with you.  While I say all of this, I do not regret my time in service – I learned a lot, interacted with many different types, I got free room and board and because this Pisces is basically happy anywhere he goes, it was not overly terrifying.

Astrologically, when I entered the military in 1999, there was much happening in both my transiting and progressed charts.  In my opinion, one of the primary reasons people are ignorant enough to join the de-humanizing militaristic system is because they have a lot of suppressed anger.  This was certainly true for me and some of the following aspects reveal it.  Transiting Mars was trine Natal Mars, Tr. Pluto was square my Na. Mars and Na. Saturn – in my chart, I believe the Saturn opposite Mars aspect is indicative of deep, deep rage, which Pluto was prying on at the time.  I also had many other aspects – Tr. Uranus conjunct Na. Venus (cramping my style; very new, unusual, unexpected decisions being made – these ran contrary to any “normal, Venusian, refinement-oriented” directions), Tr. Sun conjunct South Node (past tendencies, opportunity to purify previous karma, getting touch with inner wisdom / skills), Tr. Saturn square Na. Jupiter (remember how I mentioned it felt like prison? no freedom in the military, no expansion – rather expect your heart to scrunch up really small in an attempt to make it through boot camp; Saturn is all about scrunching things up), my progressed Ascendant had just switched to Virgo (a change of Pr. Sun / Asc. signs can be indicative of major life shifts, plus in the military I was trained in personnel administration – the detailed office work, which is right up Virgo’s alley).  Then…

In 2002, I had a dream, in which the words, “you have appendicitis.”  rang true.  Again this is the extreme pith version, and in it, I was operated upon.  The next morning the surgeon came in to check on me and in his few minutes of procedural candor, he also dropped the line, “you know, there were complications and we had to stop your heart… blah blah blah…”  Hang on a second!  What did he just say?  Well, actually I was still jacked on morphine, so it was more like, “Oh man, they stopped my heart… that’s funny… wait… that doesn’t sound right… but these rainbows are neat…”  Yeah.  I had heard correctly – he said that actually it happens in about 10 % of cases, something about a major vein being near the swollen appendix.  So I was attached to oxygen and “there was no brain damage and everything went fine.”  Yep – except for the whole having an “out of body / near death / interacting with light beings” experience I would take three years to uncover, it went just fine and dandy!

When this event happened, transiting Pluto was exactly conjunct my Natal Neptune (5th house, Sagittarius) and square my Natal Sun (8th house, Pisces) by 3 to 4 degrees.  Keep in mind, with my Pisces Sun, Neptune is the ruler (strengthening it), plus my Natal Neptune just happens to square my Nodal Axis – North and South Nodes (in Pisces and Virgo respectively).  Then, on March 1st, the day of the surgery, the transiting Sun was very close to my Natal Mars (8th house, Pisces, a potential trigger in my chart) and as a result it was directly opposite my Natal Saturn (2nd house, Virgo).  Yes, you might say there was quite a lot going on in that fated year (for me).

So soon thereafter, I noticed I could not really hold (any) my alcohol, and I slowly became more interested in health and body / mind issues.  My driving became more patient and it was challenging to be around old patterns, or friends who manifested these.  Also, it was in 2002 that I really began my two year withdrawal process from the military.  It took a little while to build up the strength to say, “Nope, I’m no longer interested in being a bullet stopper…  It’s much less glamorous than the movies!”

So this is the beginning of several posts.  I hope you enjoyed it.  I will explain what I am currently going through down the road in another post – however it might take me several to get there.  The literary-psycho-spiritual layers are peeling away.

Astrologically – The Big Three: Part One, the Moon

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

I finally received a request from a reader.  Hey hey!  Things are looking up.  Well… at least I have a few readers <grin grin>.  The request from Sachin Pednekar was to write something informative about the Moon signs.  It was mentioned that occasionally Sun sign descriptions do not fit and, rather, the Moon sign seemed to be much more accurate in describing traits.  (I hope I got that right).  The final paragraphs of this article begin to answer this question, where the meat of the text is context for doing so.

In astrology, the Big Three are known as the Rising Sign or the Ascendant, the Sun and the Moon.  If you know all three, then you can tell them to an astrologer and s/he can get a basic sense of your chart (just from these three pieces – hence their importance).  The Rising Sign is an important feature in the chart as it sets the template or the framework that one’s planets fall into.  It also determines what energy (planet) is manifesting in what area of life (the houses).  Without the birth time, it is challenging to get a really accurate interpretation because the Rising Sign is determined using the time of birth.  For instance being born at sunrise vs. midnight would make a significant difference in the chart.  The Sun, of course, is the primary energy in the chart, the impulse to be, to take action and to progress through life.  The Sun is basically the driver behind the other planets as well – for example, Venus takes the Sun’s energy and transforms and molds it to manifest in her silky, sensual, artistic manner.  This is the case with the rest of the planets as well.  [Jupiter is the only planet that technically gives off a little of its own energy.]  The way in which we interact with the public, with strangers and our primary purpose for being here is colored by the Sun’s sign, house placement and aspects.  And finally, the Moon: It is my intention to describe the Lunar orb first, as this is such an integral and personal planet – having much to do with our form, physiological and emotional functions (among many other attributes).

I want to mention as a disclaimer, that one of the reasons we have astrologers in the world is that the art of choice-centered, frequency-based astrological interpretations is a very complex process.  It takes years to learn and even longer to master (I’m not there yet).  There are many, many factors to take into account when doing someone’s chart, therefore, when you read the following paragraphs, please, please(!) don’t say – “Oh, he says <blank> about that Moon sign, I have that in my chart, therefore <blank> must be true about me.”  Nope!  Before jumping to any solid conclusions, go have your chart done by a professional (like me).  With that, please enjoy these thoughts which I hastily wrote off the top of my head.

Among astrologers, it is common knowledge that the Sun rules the male body and the Moon rules the female body.  Upon hearing this, someone might assume that the Sun is stronger in male’s charts and vice verse.  Actually I believe we often come in with a stronger polarity in one direction – for instance, someone might have had many lives as a beautiful woman, and then they take a male rebirth.  I would say there is a good chance you would find that particular man to be more sensitive, receptive and more in touch with his inner feminine than the “average male.”  The same goes for women – sometimes you find a woman’s chart having a preponderance of fire and air signs, often leading to a strong, outspoken woman; and thankfully so – with fiery women come the progression of women’s rights and liberties.  So, without a more in depth analysis of the chart, one cannot tell which planet – Sun or Moon will be stronger.  Overall there might be a tendency for Sun to be stronger for men and the Moon for women.

In my limited experience, the Moon is one of the strongest indicators of where we have been in recent past lives.  Another way of putting this is that the Moon sign, house placement, its aspects and its sign’s ruler reveals what we have been working on the most in recent incarnations.  This makes sense when you consider that the Moon rules our instinctive reactions, our defense mechanisms and our gut feelings.  Basically the essence of the Moon (sign, placement, element, etc) is so deeply ingrained within us that we now react in its manner without needing to be conscious of the decision / re-action.  For instance, an Aries Moon in the 9th house (that did not have significant hard aspects) may show an increased devotion to political or social progress – most likely indicating the individual is an activist and participant in protests and social movements, there would be a definite camaraderie with those of lesser fortunes – empathy for the underdogs of the world.  If there was some strong Saturn, 11th house planets, a strong Uranus, or Sun in Aquarius for instance, this Moon placement would blend very well for a desire to be involved in progressive movements and non-profit, benefit-others groups, maybe even being a manager or organizer within them.

This Aries energy would show an ability to stand on their own two feet, possibly having been in a warrior / guardian / mercenary position in the past – leading to quick reactions and rapid, instinctive actions.  And to bring this warrior energy into the body, an individual with an Aries Moon would need to do some work to relax their adrenals – call it what you will – karma, birth trauma, childhood wounds, social conditioning, etc, but something would be making their adrenals and sympathetic nervous system run on overtime.  The “fight-flight-or-freeze” mechanism may not ever turn off completely, until an authentic healing regimen has been adhered to (see other posts on this blog for further info here).  Their natural (without a lot of healing work) stance would be tense, rigid and ready to spring into action.

As the Moon is an indicator of where we have been, it is a deeper, often subconscious influence.  In general the Moon sign and placement is referred to as the manner in which we relate with ourselves.  Where the Sun generally represents how we react and display ourselves to the public, the Moon is often more secretive.  It’s nature only comes out when you get to know the person better.  Or, if you know what you are looking for, and you know the person’s Moon sign (and chart), then you can see this lunar influence flavoring their lives and their reactions.  There are exceptions to this rule, but the Moon is generally a quieter influence in a chart until you gain the individual’s trust.  This is the case because the Moon rules the home, domestic needs and attitudes, that which is deep below the surface, and the mother; along with having a strong familial association.  Therefore if the person starts to treat you like a family member, then their Moon sign and placement will be much more obvious.

In conclusion, I would recommend having an open mind to chart analysis – get information from many books before coming to any major conclusions.  Preferably, get a professional astrologer to interpret your chart, as there are many factors which go into having a quality interpretation conducted.  Regarding the Moon, it plays in a role in our instinctive reactions, our moods, intuition and defensive mechanisms, as well as physiological functions (some hormone production, fertility, the womb, the skin and other influences come under its lunar rulership).  The Moon has a lot to do with what we want in a home and regarding domestic affairs – how big, how stable (do we like to roam while having a solid place to return to), who else is in our home with us, do we want a family at all?  How big a family?

To answer the question which was posed by a reader – why does it seem that some people’s Moon signs are readily evident, even when compared to their Sun signs? – well first, it is complicated.  I know, what a cliche!  But it is true – the Sun enjoys being in certain signs and certain houses (known as its Rulership – Leo or Exaltation – Aries or Joy – 9th house) and it would rather not be in others.  The same is true for the Moon (Rules Cancer, Exalts in Taurus, takes its Joy in the 3rd house) and the Moon has signs where the energy is very cold or dry, not typical lunar traits.  Remember what I said above, about our Moon signs being more personal and maybe even secretive.  If you are really open minded, tending to offer unconditional loving-kindness to those around you, then guess what?  Those people will probably open up really, really rapidly and their Moon sign will be available for public viewing.  And finally, I have another theory which we will add to what I have mentioned above.

This alternative or supplemental theory is this: hard (major), strong (close orb) aspects play a significant role in what psycho-spiritual issues we are dealing with in life (especially in this particular incarnation).  To describe this in brief, the hard aspects are the Conjunction, the Square and the Opposition.  In general the Square and the Opposition aspects tend to lead to challenges or obstacles which we must overcome, and the same can be true of the Conjunction depending on the planets involved (certain planets work really well together, others not so much).  If we have our Natal Saturn making an exact Square (e.g. Saturn at 9 degrees of Virgo, Moon at 9 degrees of Gemini) to our Natal Moon, then I would posit that the Moon’s sign manifestation will be grossly restricted.  In this case, it might be difficult to tell which mutable sign their Moon is in.  There might be a Saturnian, stern, dutiful attitude which travels with this person until they have undergone some personal growth work (bringing awareness to their defense mechanisms and their personality structures, etc).  It might seem like they have days of stern pessimism blended with other days of incredible productivity.

To continue this theme, its seems to me that the Moon is especially susceptible to significant aspects (close orb).  This makes sense when you consider it is the primary emotional and possibly even the primary reproductive impulse in the body / mind system.  It is associated with so much which we take for granted – moods, reactions, instincts, etc.  Therefore, having the Moon conjunct Pluto or the Moon opposite Neptune begins to play an even larger role in our lives, and in the individual’s psycho-spiritual make up.  So… in taking up the question, again, we find there are many variables, and maybe, in your case, most of your friends have Natal Moons that are making close aspects and therefore this dynamic colors their life and their personality more – making the Moon sign more obvious, maybe even more so than the Sun.

Mani Drupchen 2009 and other news

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Hello blogging world,

Sand mandala from 2008 Mani Drupchen

Guess what?  The Great Accomplishment Mani Drupchen for 2009 is getting organized.  I am happy to be a part of the crew this year, so if you have any questions, you can check the website and after doing so, email manidrupchen at gmail dot com.

Last year’s was a huge success, with all the accompanying chaos that is normal when dozens of people start meditating / chanting mantras around the clock.  Actually it went remarkably smooth and I was very pleased to have participated in its entirety.

This year it is starting on the 26th of December, at least that is when people are arriving and the last minute preparations are going into the shrine and Dharma center house (where we spend the night).  The first full day of Dharma activities which, if I am not mistaken includes the Chenrezig empowerment, starts on the 27th of December.  Then we maintain the intensive / retreat for seven or eight days and we wrap up on the 3rd of January.

If you have the opportunity, you should definitely drop in.  But please let us know ahead of time.  If you plan to stay for more than one meal, we need to know.  When several dozen people, plus six or more Lamas are conducting a Drupchen, the charge and energetic potency that is created and sustained throughout is incredible, and who knows, perhaps people will be giddy and find themselves laughing at the most insignificant things again.

Mani Drupchen 2008, last morning of intensive

The sand mandala and shrine are reasons enough to join in the festivities.  Last year, when I first arrived, I went in the shrine room and did my prostrations.  Then I looked in the curtain, which was still open, and saw the magnificent sand mandala.  Due to the potency which is always present in the shrine room, it was almost as if there were Buddhist deities hanging out on or near the mandala.  I could almost picture them sitting on the edge of the platform, just resting in bliss and swinging their legs.  MMMmmmm.  Not that I can see wisdom beings mind you.  But it is fun to imagine.

His Eminence Gyabra Tritsab Rinpoché will be leading the profound cast of Lamas as the vajra master.  We are very fortunate to have so many incredible teachers here in the West.  The website for the Drupchen is:

<http://drikungtmc.org/drupchen2.htm>

As far as other news, I am planning to continue the series I just started, namely Deep Processing, Astrology Style, along with, maybe while on break from school, continuing my series on a Ladakh Pilgrimage.  I believe I got through day 8 of 28…  It will be good to tidy of the blog, all in good time.  Have a good day.

Deep processing, astrology style – introduction

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

[Revised - I have started many threads on my blog.  It might be a few weeks before I can devote the time needed to spin and weave this one further.  Thanks for your patience. - K]

Kirby and Max (who is not exactly a lap dog)

I am writing this post to inform you of an upcoming series.  Over the past few years, I have been aware of a deep mistaken belief within the core of my being (how is this for a melodramatic opening…).  For the longest time, I felt like all the bodywork and previous explorations I had conducted were beneficial but not getting to the center of the iceberg as it were.  However, I have now identified “it.”  And I am receiving process-oriented bodywork and support from friends around this issue.

So, as I continue to track the progress of my process, I will share what I am discovering.  And of course, very soon I will name it.  Why not now?  I’m still re-orienting myself to the possibility of sharing and lovingly dissolving it.  So this is all quite new to me.  So patience please.

Over the next few posts however, I intend to name and describe the challenging aspects within my chart, what they look like for me (how they manifest in my life) and how they contribute(d) to holding on to this underlying mis-belief for over thirty years.  I might also refer back to previous posts which you can find in the Spiritual Astrology category.  For those of you who do not understand “astrologese,” don’t worry, in future posts I will simplify these following aspects and make it understandable for a non-astrologer.

look out for the pet gecko (they like to escape their jungle gyms)

Here is what I plan to write about:

In my natal horoscope (birth chart), I have a (1) grand trine in water – Jupiter in Cancer, Sun in Pisces and Uranus in Scorpio.  This is definitely not a challenging aspect, but I will discuss it nonetheless.  Second, (2) I have Pluto parallel my 3rd house Moon in Libra (within one degree), there is (3) Pluto / Moon conjunction trine 7th house Aquarius Venus, (4) Uranus is in Scorpio in my 4th house, square Venus.  (5) My Sun is in the 8th house, squaring my 5th house Sagittarian Neptune, and (6) Neptune also squares my north and south nodes (8th / 2nd houses respectively).  (7) Mars is in my 8th house as well, opposite a 2nd house Saturn (Virgo).

Well I do believe this is a good start.  I am looking forward to sharing more as it bubbles up.  And please let me know if you have questions / comments or if you are interested in receiving an interpretation.  Good day.

P.S.  I am feeling too lazy to actually write a specific post about my relationship to animals, so it seems like you are getting the pictures from that non-existent story anyway.  I hope they bring a smile  =^)

angelic weekend

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

I spent the weekend with a new friend.  And as I lay awake tonight, having downed a lot of nutritious meat (long story short, I need meat for my health and wellbeing), I thought about writing this.  Due to its intimate nature, I first asked the I Ching.  “Can I write from my heart (or should I tone it down)?”  It replied with number 48 – “the well, communion, water of life, source connection and gateway to the mother” along with the 5th line changing – “the well is there.  You have only to drink.”

So, as one of my heart teachers (Julie Henderson) says, drink up!  “Slurp slurp.”  This is dedicated to you know who.  And to all sentient beings – may all beings know they are intimately, joyfully and immutably connected to source.

our heart a flower? nestle in warmth, know pure joy

Meeting an Angel

“my heart rejoices when I feel your presence, singing rays of light

due to cosmic laws; impermanence;

I playfully devour every second I am with you

when the curtain of this divine union temporarily descends

sadness closes in for a moment, until

wisdom presence re-membered -

they remind me:

we are never separated,

we meet in the heart

hugs and kisses always, my friend”

Heart aches – Transiting Uranus Conjunct the Natal Sun

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.  Photos from Angela Harkavy’s collection (Drikung Kagyu photographer).

Tibetan Lamas know about working with the heart (Khenchen in Arizona, Angela Harkavy photo)

This is a post about working with the Heart, with an astrological slant thrown in for good measure.  In my astrological practice, I conduct choice-centered, frequency-based interpretations.  What this means is that I am open to the infinite possibilities around people’s choices and the consequent results.  I like to tell people that nearly everything in the astrology chart is tendencies and habits – which, with practice, discipline and over time, can be changed and re-patterned.  Anything is possible if we have the karma for it – even when the astrological sky is looking a little overcast.

So, for any fatalistic astrologers who may be reading this, I offer a counter to the “certain challenging aspects are going to be that way, period” philosophy.  Here is why:

In my chart, I have a Leo Rising (meaning the chart is ruled by the Sun) which is associated with the Heart – think lion and courage, bravery, pride, occasional arrogance.  No “problems yet,” from a fatalistic perspective.  However, the Sun is the ruler of the sign of Leo, making the Sun in my chart personalized, e.g. slightly more important than normal.  My natal Sun is in the 8th house, the first, “ugh..” might come from the antiquated fatalistic crowd.  The 8th house is associated with many things, being one of the more complicated “psychic” houses of the horoscope – some of these are transformation, magic, personal harrowing journey through the inner underworld, death, sex, psychological insights etc.  It is not the greatest placement for an energized, enthusiastic, extroverted Sun.  In some traditions it would be interpreted as the shaman, the medicine woman or maybe a good investment adviser (but definitely a background power – not the chief or executive per se).

How much vast, spacious, open heart is in a room full of Tibetan Lamas?

Recently, the chart ruler – the Sun in my chart has been undergoing a bit of a titanic tug of war.  If you have been keeping up with my posts, you may have read about the planet Saturn crossing through the late stages of Virgo (opposite my Sun), or you may already know that Uranus is sitting in Retrograde, slowly backtracking through the late stages of Pisces (exactly conjunct my Sun and opposite Saturn).  This is one configuration most traditional astrologers would rather not see their clients (and especially not themselves) have to struggle through.  However, I want to discuss a differing argument.

If someone is involved in a transformative modality for a long period of time – sustains dedicated Buddhist practice, receives many treatments of Biodynamic Cranio Sacral therapy, maintains a daily Metta practice, works with a qualified meditation teacher, sees a body-oriented psychotherapist for several years, etc etc – any modality that leads to a gentle, kind and gradual deepening in self understanding and heart-warming, then someone could potentially “purify” or come to grips with the shadows lurking under the surface (in the un/subconscious).  And then, they are not as likely to be hit with an “Oh my god, you want me to deal with what?  There is no way I have the negative karma to merit that!  Come on!”  In other words, a major obstacle to the previous status quo (event, catastrophe, tragedy, etc).

Khenchen teaching at the Garchen Institute, Arizona (Angela Harkavy photo)

One book that I use sparingly for reference because of its fatalistic trend, is “Predictive Astrology.”  Oh – as a tangent – I want to add that when I analyze my own chart, I always like to experience life first and then later, get an understanding of what I went through from an astrological perspective, if warranted.  That way, there is no way I am “being ruled by my stars” as Nietzsche so eloquently put it.  So, back to the Predictive Astrology book, one line I recently read in the section on Transiting Uranus crossing the Natal Sun, is that one can go through temporary heart arrhythmia that is so slight, that medical tests do not pick up on it.  Well, guess what.  Over the past nine months or more, I have noticed that if I am under a lot of stress, once a month (or less), my heart slightly changes a beat.  And of course, during my last physical (a few months ago) my heart was fine.  Actually my heart is fine, it is just a matter of listening deeply and providing it with the space it needs to process old “stuff.”  And to make gradual changes when I encounter old, limiting patterns of fear and / or contraction.

I have been feeling my heart more and more over the past few years.  In speaking with one of my teachers, Julie Henderson (the creator of Zapchen Somatics), I got a fresh perspective on what the heart needs to unwind.  Gentle-kindness, space, safety, patience (often a very slow, gradual process).  As layers begin to come alive, I thank them and I try not to have any judgment toward the new tentative layers underneath.  [Note to reader - this is a challenging, fascinating, rewarding and difficult journey, please do not try to undertake it without a person-to-person, qualified spiritual teacher!  Seriously.  And I am just an objective observer and reporter, not a teacher.]

As Garchen Rinpoche says, (and I paraphrase), “allow the ice around your heart to melt.”  The lamas have been saying this all along, it just took a Western teacher (Julie) to explain it in a fashion I could easily and comfortably grok.

Khenchen and Garchen Rinpoche, Arizona (Angela Harkavy Photo)

What is one way to truly get in touch with your heart?  Well, I will present several, take your pick, not in any particular order: 1) be in an appropriate, well-defined-boundaried, inspiring, comfortable, direct-communications-are-okay intimate relationship – and when you notice resistance arising, name it, notice it and be present with it rather than reacting negatively or suppressing it; 2)start training in a healing-hands modality as the hands are a direct link to the heart (Reiki, Rolfing, Osteopathy, Craniosacral Therapy, Zero Balancing, Massage and all of its variations, etc); 3)if you are not maintaining a daily meditation practice, this is another method to come in contact with your heart space; 4) maintain discipline and right conduct (positive morals and ethics) in attempting to live life from a kindhearted perspective; 5) if you have the resources, adopt, cherish and open your heart to a child; 6)if you have the resources, adopt and be kind to an animal; 7) find a qualified teacher to help lead you into deeper realization of your heart.

So… in conclusion, don’t believe everything you hear.  (Don’t trust everything you read here on this blog either for that matter.)  Especially if the person is a fatalistic diviner (astrologer, tarot reader, i ching practitioner, etc).  Know that another possibility exists for you besides what you read in any number of well-written astrology books – not to mention the poorly written ones (joke joke).  And take a deep breath… right now… seriously… breathe… it’s going to be okay.

As an aside, regarding these photos, when I see such an incredible line of teachers gathered in the same place, especially in the U.S., I am filled with a deep yearning aspiration to attend them.  I also realize that I am not practicing enough.  I know – be kind and gentle – yes, but up to a point.  When a Tibetan Lama makes a suggestion based on your asking them multiple times about a situation, you should probably try to put their advice into practice.  As an example, I asked Khenchen Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltsen, what would be the best practice for me?  What would help me benefit the most sentient beings?  (Not that I have much in the way of capacity)  Well he said, “practice / study Dharma, finish school.”  So that is what I am trying to do, slowly, slowly.  Maybe I am being hard on myself, or maybe I am leaning too heavily on self care.  The middle way is good.

Cutting through fear and attachment, Chod teachings

This material is copyrighted by M. Kirby Moore.  Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Drupon Thinley Ningpo teaching in Va Beach (October 2009)

As promised, here is the post from my yummy,  juicy Virginia Beach journey.  I went down there with the intention to attend my root lama, Drupon Thinley Ningpo (I call him Rinpoche).  Luckily I got to follow through on this aspiration.

Woke up bright and early Saturday morning, with the typical “its the night before a Dharma teaching, therefore I am unable to sleep” kind of deal, so I had a maximum of three hours rest before the three hour drive.  As a result, I was giddy all day – you know, in a happy-go-lucky and oblivious sort of manner.

The teachings were well attended – about 28 people on Friday night for the public talk (the organizers reported), then about 20 on Saturday for the empowerment and then 14 or so on Sunday for the practice and teachings.  And the Va Beach Sangha really outdid themselves in setting up the shrine room – there were thangkas hanging on the walls in addition to the beautiful shrine and the artwork which usually graces the Heritage Center meditation room.

We descended on an Indian restaurant for lunch on Saturday which was nice – about 18 people joined in.  Sunday was a shorter day so we ate at the Heritage Center which has a nice selection of healthy vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices.  Plus there is a huge new-age shop attached to the grocery store and deli, so we felt right at home (not that Tibetan Buddhism is new-agey, rather we did not stand out in the least).

A vivid, spacious and inspiring shrine at the Heritage Center, Va Beach (Oct 2009)

From the little bit of understanding that my afflicted mind could discern about this practice is that it is definitely (emphasis) not for beginners.  It seems to be an explicitly clear and direct way of cutting through one’s fear and pride which arise due to attachment to the body (self).  As a result, the practice itself is a little graphic and very intense.  In the past, and apparently in Tibet, one gets the best result from practicing Chod in graveyards (at night).

Chod is also one of the only practices that went against the traditional flow of wisdom from India to Tibet.  One of the founders of the Chod lineage was from Tibet and apparently she taught many yogis from India who wanted to learn this profound technique.  Basically, the Dharma originally came to Tibet from India along with the teachings and practices of the Vajrayana path.  What is so precious about Tibet is that these teachings have been preserved and transmitted, to the point that Tibetan Buddhism was flourishing in Tibet before the Chinese take over.  The advanced (tantric) techniques had primarily died out in India before they were re-introduced by Tibetan Lamas and yogis.