Tag Archives: Equinox

A Pivotal Time

GONG!!!!! 

Today, March 20th, 2023, strikes a gong of new beginnings on increasingly larger scales of magnitude.  

  • First, it’s a New Moon, the first day of a 28-day lunar cycle.  
  • Second, within four hours, it enters the spring equinox, regarded by astrologers as the first day of the zodiacal New Year. 
  • Third, within three days, Pluto, planet of transformation, changes sign, entering Aquarius, regarded as the abode of inspiration, innovation and upheaval. In sum, its duration lasts some 284 years. 

The New Moon is located at one degree of Aires, the first sign of the zodiac. The Sun and Moon lead an impressive line-up of planets and asteroids in the same sign, adding up to a powerful alignment of Mars-ruled energies. In the higher octave, it’s a great time for courage, initiative and vigorous, positive action. In the lower octave, look for irritability, belligerence and outright conflict. 

In the higher octave, in the northern hemisphere, the entry of spring bodes a season of renewal and hope after a dreary winter. In the lower, we’re in for lots of rain, mud and windy bluster. 

With Pluto entering Aquarius, we can expect, though not necessarily over night, radical social, economic and political change. Astrologers, for example, point to the French and American revolutions, which occurred early on during Pluto’s last stay in Aquarius. In the higher octave, it supported the overthrow of oppressive rule by monarchs in favor of individual rights and freedom. In the lower octave, it witnessed cruel bloodbaths, massive dislocations and widespread suffering.  

Compounding the affect, the United States is currently going through its Pluto return. It’s a time of massive rethinking. In this case, being in the second house related to values both social and economic, great shifts in how the nation sees itself and intends to evolve are already in the works. 

It’s a momentous, pivotal moment in time, either for better or worse. How will YOU use it? 

My greatest fear is that, as a nation, the US might fail to learn from the lessons of history and simply mindlessly repeat the same old mistakes, yet again. For example, the revolution in France gradually devolved back into tyranny. Napoleon, who at first was welcomed as a hero, eventually crowned himself emperor — tyranny dressed in new clothes. 

Similarly, in the United States, the values enshrined in the Bill of Rights have devolved and are currently under siege. Cloaked in liberal rhetoric, the oppressive influence of socialism has undermined its institutions — from education and healthcare to the government and military, dangerously undermining the values for which the founders fought. 

My dearest hope is that we will learn from the lessons of history and do the Pluto thing better this time around the astrological block. Much better. 

This time, let’s seek freedom from the inside out, rather than the other way around. Let’s do it more mindfully. Less violently. 

Words matter. A lot. And freedom in particular is a powerful word, much used, less often understood.   

In the year 2000, I wrote a collection of 64 essays based on the premise that, over time, the value words of the English language have devolved to mean both one thing and its opposite. The Tower of Babel Dilemma. All too often, we miss each other coming going, using the same words, but meaning very different things, sadly unaware of the disconnect.  

From the I Ching, the Chinese Book of Change, comes the awareness that in duality, there are two sides to every coin. Thus, for each of the value words explored, one section was called “The Front,” while a contrasting section was called “The Back.”  

Here’s part of the exploration of FREEDOM, which we would do well to revisit at this powerful, pivotal time of change: 

THE FRONT 

Freedom is the state or quality of being free, implying exemption or liberation from the control of other people or arbitrary powers. It means liberty and independence.  

It implies exemption from arbitrary restriction or a specified civil right.  

It can mean exemption or release from imprisonment, or being able to act, move or use without hindrance or restraint.  

It means being able of itself to choose or determine action freely, at will, implying ease of movement performance or facility. It means being free from the usual rules or patterns.  

It can also mean irresponsibility, easiness of manner, or sometimes an excessive frankness and familiarity. 

Most people fail to recognize that, like peace, love and unity, freedom is attained first on the inside as a state of mind and being, only then authentically reflected in external circumstances.  

In I Ching context, freedom is a state of in-dependence, depending primarily on inner resources – rather than undependable, imperfect mortals — for guidance, protection and peace.  

The freedom sages seek is the cessation of negative, involuntary patterns of behavior. Breaking the chains of destructive cause and effect is a function of deliberate self-awareness, forgiveness and atonement (at-one-ment). 

Those secure in themselves dedicate their lives to extending the freedom they value for themselves to others without prejudice. Abraham Lincoln, for example, had the soul of a sage. He intuitively knew the basics of magic, and recognized the difference between black and white rules. He wrote, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.” 

In any case, while human laws might change outer appearances, they cannot change the underlying attitudes and beliefs that drive slavery. Nor is saying and doing whatever one wants as a puppet of blind impulse true freedom. Seeing through negative filters of fear, pride, or hatred is as limiting as literal bondage.  

When its people are disconnected from inner wisdom and out of touch with nature, though a society may call itself democratic, it isn’t truly free. 

THE BACK 

The opposite of freedom is imprisonment or slavery. This includes not only external, physical incarceration, but internal, programmed or self-imposed limitations. Ignorance and bad attitudes, along with negative emotions and self-destructive habits can be as addicting as tobacco, alcohol or drugs, undermining personal freedom. 

Recklessness and heedlessness are perversions of freedom. If a mistrusted authority says not to drink, smoke or drive too fast, for example, the first thing a rebellious teen will do to assert “freedom” is disobey, regardless of the consequences. Sadly, this is the hard way to learn the connection between foolishness and disaster. 

This time around the repeating cycles of history, let’s be mindful that we have free will, and use this pivotal time of new beginnings as the opportunity to choose wisely. Let’s learn to live in the higher octave, and get better results for ourselves, our loved ones and for the collective community. 

Patricia West is author of The Common Sense Book of Change and Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change. She’s currently working on The Phoenix Response: Dying To Be Reborn – in the Same Lifetime.     

A Taste of Sanity – IC – 092220

Last night, I felt like tearing my hair out.

I threw my hands up in despair.

“What’s the use? Why bother? I quit!”

Why?

Because the gift I have to offer the world could make the difference between life and death, human survival or mass extinction.

Yet no matter how often I post blogs, trying to get through to the public, they’re ignored. Or glossed over. No comments, likes or shares. The content is too far outside the comfort zone of the familiar.

Again. Why?

It’s because we’re brainwashed. We wear the blinders of empirical science.

By education and ingrained prejudice, we habitually filter out awareness of the inner levels of the Life Wheel, including the energy level upon which the Book of Change depends.

They’re “ruled out.”

Taboo.

In the context of the Unified Field Theory, the limited and limiting materialist world view looks like this:

Sadly, we’ve been rendered deaf to the inner levels of consciousness.

This explains why the vast majority is fiercely resistant to the Book of Change and its magical synchronicities.

Sadly, it also explains why so many remain blind to the extraordinary opportunities for positive change hidden, latent with today’s challenges.

Most of us forfeit the blessings in disguise inherent in today’s chaos: the I Ching way out of madness.

A la Einstein, whose formula fits so perfectly within the archetypal Life Wheel, expecting a positive result from repeated attempts to solve today’s problems with empirical science is INSANE.

It rules out exactly the sub- and super-rational levels of awareness where problems begin and where creative solutions are ultimately found.

Fortunately, thanks to the work of a growing army of authors (notably Wayne Dyer, Joe Dispenza and Marisa Peer), we’re becoming increasing aware that our immediate experience is the result of our thoughts and inner atunement.

As strange as it may sound, the way to change ourselves and our world for the better is to improve our thoughts and beliefs.

Our best hope for the future is to make ourselves whole again. It’s possible to integrate the full spectrum of inner light and energy with the tangible, measurable experience of daily life. Meditation has the potential to open us up, like magic, to the experience of UNITY. Wholeness.

Then, inner peace arises. Relationships become harmonious. We become extraordinarily resilient and inventive.

We’re not trained to come to the Book of Change for answers to our deepest questions. That’s why I’ve chosen to bring the book to you in this series of bi-weekly blogs through to the end of 2020. They’ll serve as an introduction, to make the unfamiliar familiar — a first taste of sanity, if you will.

This morning, I queried my departed teacher. (Today would have been his 62nd birthday.) I wrote how much I love him and dearly miss his physical being. Then I asked what I should be aware of NOW.

The answer spoke to the frustration I felt last night. I’m publishing it here because it speaks to all of us whose hopes and dreams are on hold, whether due to social distancing, economic chaos, natural disasters or relationship upheavals.

The original reading was SHADOW:

The reading was dynamic, with three changing lines. In my notebook, it looked like this:v

The bottom line warns, “Only unselfish motives and moderate actions will meet with success.” It changes to BALANCE, the original hexagram of yesterday’s equinox reading. Given that today, the 22nd of September, is the actual equinox date, I’m smiling at this bit of synchronicity. The repeater confirms yesterday’s message. : )

The third line advises, “Build new habits slowly. Remain calm. Develop constant awareness.”

It changes to RETURN, which looks like this:

The top line offers hope. “Problems will fade. New and better times will come soon.” I can live with that. : ) It changes to BEAUTY, which looks like this:

My beloved teacher was telling me not to look back. No matter how beautiful time spent with him was, dwelling on the past isn’t helpful now. Instead, I should focus on building better times ahead – for all of us.

Surely the same applies to anyone focused on regretting what’s passed.

Finally, the combined result of the three changing lines is ADVERSITY, which looks like this:

ADVERSITY can be read in one or many ways at once, as you choose.

For many reasons, I’ve been under a SHADOW for more than a year. It’s due partly to the fact that the Book of Change remains in obscurity, misunderstood and unappreciated.

This fact has resulted in ADVERSITY, not only for me, but for the world at large.

Today I was advised on the best way to adjust. Accept hardship as a test of fortitude. Regard it as an opportunity to strengthen character. It’s incentive to focus on inner strength – an essential survival quality ruled out by empirical science.

Last night I was in despair. This morning, the final warning of ADVERSITY is straight to the point! AVOID DESPAIR.

The same goes for all of us.

The next installment, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, will expand on the connection between the Book of Change and the Life Wheel which embodies the Unified Field Theory.

If you’d like your very own copy of the CSBOC to work with, to answer your own unique questions at your own convenience, or want extras to give others in need of insight, solace and support, it’s available here. : )

Okay, then. That’s all for now. Talk with you again soon. Take care, all.