Well, I held up as much as I could to still participate as much as I could this year. Sure, I might have blogged 10x in the month of November, but I definitely wouldn’t have blogged this 11th one 😉. One day I might even have some fiction in me, and I might even endeavor to write a novel. That could be fun. I could jump-start it with using a November month to brain storm.
I’ll save some more astrology for another post at another time. I still have comments to reply to from previous posts and people to visit who I miss. So, we shall see.
In my comments to dear Karin from Shamanismandhealing.com, (I might need to fix the link. Let me know in the comments) I mentioned what I am reading; I consider it to be the quintessential holiday book: “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion,” by Gregory Boyle. I’m blown away and my heart has both exploded and imploded with the words on the pages. This is soul food. This is real purpose. This is the gift of a lifetime: this one precious human life.
For everyone for whom I am connected, I feel devoted. I feel loved and loving. Being brave enough to reach into our souls and pull out anything from a dove’s nest or pocket fuzz, worse, even rocks. Some might find roses. But to be able to reach is the gift. It’s not about what comes out. We need to empty ourselves and our lives have a way of turning us upside-down and jingling us and seeing what comes out. It seems that the riches and sweetness grow just as strong as the bitters and what is rotten festers without being able to ignore.
I feel so small in comparison to the world with which I am connected, but I feel wholly a part of it.
In two weeks I will be sitting in meditation with this soul-nourishing Buddhist group I met and will be attending a brief retreat on “this precious human life.” Honestly, folks, I don’t want to squander it. I’m doing the best I can. My soul is not quiet but it is loud and sometimes it even roars: NOW. There’s a feast in here. We are all sharing it with bravery. We are all so courageous.
I want to honor my fellow Cheer Peppers for reaching the end of Nano Poblano. Congratulations!!
Dinah, I’m really especially thinking of you and holding you in my heart.
May we all know more and more blessings and find our capacity to endure grow evermore as we share the love we have for one another, for all creatures big and small, for the air and the mountains, the rivers and the trees.
Hello! This is a post for your astrological reflections in an expanded way. For this full moon in Taurus, Jupiter is opposing Mercury, and the thoughts and communications are stirring.
What I don’t have to tell you (the title): Things are changing in pronounced and dramatic ways!
Since before the U.S. election I was thinking about all the major transits taking place in the next couple of years, and I knew that whatever the outcome, it was sure to demonstrate a pronounced reflection of these cosmic on-going changes. This is a deep overhaul.
I’ve been watching astrology for too long (just my life) to see this as a coincidence. I do remain a skeptic astrologer; it’s part of the fun. I always look for the positive and while that makes me biased (I tend to keep the beliefs that are most suitable to my integrity as a speaker coming from my inner authority and authenticity).
While I could ‘just’ write about today’s full moon, a discussion really merits the context of the changes in the next few years. The two biggest changes are Pluto is going for its full time stay in Aquarius, starting on Nov 19, 2024, to January 19, 2044; the other profound change is Neptune ingress into Aries, but I’ll get to that later.
So, as you see this full moon today is merely an “usher” to these bigger and more profound changes. The full moon in Taurus shows the moon conjoining Uranus (the ruler of Aquarius) and surprise! Uranus is associated with all the surprises and disruptions to the norm! This is also living itself out before your very eyes.
Important segue as I share a little bit of my “as I write this…”
…an unusually beautiful sunrise emerged, followed by some light rain, and a rainbow. 🌈 The pictures are included.
The rain was unexpected (and the combo with sun, so pretty, unexpected).
Last week we discovered (and this week) we had to repipe our house. The 87 year old iron pipes were in pieces, had several breaks and leaks and there was root encroachment.
There were times when they dug under the house and the smell of dirt felt lively and enriching to my nose, inside my house, the soil and subterranean influence from underground was being refreshed and turned over anew. Brand new piping was fabricated to supply our vital waterways into our house.
The piping situation was unexpected! (Uranus)
With Pluto we will find ourselves digging deep for transformation around the subjects of the future, our ideals as a collective human species, and the role of technology in how we integrate with the planet. Are we indeed, nature? I would say, yes. My Taoist influences direct me to the nature of my own existence as both mundane and transcendent. I am an animal for the most part. I am not separate from nature. I’ll be tapping into more of my feral ways in the days to come, I’m sure. Hint: Aries is gonna be big soon. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and the spring into action head-first archetype. Aries is a bit feral.
The next big profound shifts are due in 2025, then quickly followed by and leading up to 2026, where Aries will be discussed more.
Whether we liked the outcome or not of the U.S. elections, the changes are going to be profound (Pluto). We will be digging into our humanity as individuals and as a collective (Aries and Aquarius), excavating our inner and outer resources for survival and for meaning and purpose. It will be a time for grit.
Now for the sentinel change that is Neptune. (yes, I am making a metaphor of our Transpersonal planets as sentinels. They are watchers and ushers.) They lead the changes we will be taking on. How we deal with the changes, though, is up to us.
On March 30, 2025, Neptune will be crossing into Aries. This domain is the home of fire. The reason this is much a big deal is the themes are lasting. Neptune will be in Aries until March 23, 2039.
If that wasn’t enough to showcase the movements of the heavens being a bit dramatic, to say the least, then you would be not surprised to learn that Saturn will conjunct Neptune in Aries on February 20, 2026. Still, if this wasn’t enough to knock your socks off, then it’s important to know that this exact conjunction will take place at 0 degree of Aries. The beginning of all beginnings. Pluto will still be in the early degrees of Aquarius at 4 degrees and the two signs get along. They are aren’t known to be especially inviting though (we will have a nice Jupiter in Cancer transit for that lasting 1 year). The planet of structure, discipline and achievement, delays and traditions (Saturn) will be fusing with Neptune, planet of dissolution, imagination, vision, spirituality and the other worldly. Neptune is all about illusions and art/artifice and Saturn is all about “reality.” It seems like the ultimate “choose your reality, wisely” pair. Let’s go to work on those dreams or bust the illusions and delusions.
Neptune is posing for you with a wink from this full moon today because, it’s in its domicile of Pisces, meanwhile sextile to Pluto.
Pluto is also saluting 🫡 with this full moon as it “prepares” a tour of duty in Aquarius. Pluto is trine to the Uranus/Moon combo which is an agreeable energetic flow.
Mercury in Sagittarius continues to oppose Jupiter. There’s a lot of mental reflection and communication around beliefs and broadcasting on a large scale. Obviously the polls were off in the election run up. There’s much dissatisfaction with a great portion of the electorate, despite that the “people have spoken.” I think the majority are still in shock. That’s how I read this. Shock.
Fact or fiction with all the things we are processing as a collective, the astrology is clear. It’s not a perfect discreet language but the symbols and the themes are fairly consistent. How we choose to act and where we choose to act out remaining power is all about our individual abilities and capacities. Will we rise to these challenges?
As the future has a lot of Aquarius and Aries in it, the spark of life is going to be challenged but not vanquished. Your spark is not small, nor gentle and fragile, your spark is one with humanity. You are many.
How will you carry on in these days of immense change and instability? As you can see, Uranus has been transiting Taurus (the guardian of stability), and we have had so many changes ushered in to break that stability and beg us to look at our values and resources in the face of these disruptions.
The future will belong to the individual (Aries) AND the collective (Aquarius). How will we embrace new values and comforts (Taurus). This full moon in Taurus is a time for assessment but it still might be too soon for the stir-up is still really yet to begin.
I wish you all well as we navigate the questions and answers that arise. May you be healthy. May you be whole. May you survive. ✊🏼
With deepest respect for you and your journey through the cosmos on spaceship Earth! Ka 💗
Yesterday i wrote about practicing and about imperfection and the perfection of imperfection. Then, today, I visited my new spiritual home at the Kadampa center, for probably the 6th week in a row or cumulatively, not sure.
We have been embarking on these perfections as a family. This is taught by the Buddha that the 6 perfections are:
Generosity,
Moral discipline/morality,
Patience,
Effort/Energy,
Wisdom,
Meditation,
All of these aspects are related to karma. Karma is an often misunderstood concept and topic. It’s really a cause and effect relationship rather than a “punishment” or “reward.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about my personal spiritual journey and how it overlaps with my immediate family. My daughter is learning meditation and my husband and I met at a Buddhist meditation group over 13 years ago. We both practiced meditation before we met, with our own orientations and backgrounds.
In some ways, we are back on our paths. In some ways our paths overlap. And in other ways, we journey alone. The discussion and dharma talk always takes me exactly where I want to be: in the inquiry. I feel nourished my the inquiry and not clinging to feelings and impressions. I feel more like myself to gently embrace concepts and practice them as an investigation. In the meantime, I am accumulating some faith.
Faith is a word usually reserved for Christianity. I was originally brought up with many different forms of Christianity. Then when I was 21 I traveled East and received many different blessings from Indian and South East Asian traditions and explored them deeply with my heart. The cognitive aspects of the exploration have always been not as important, but they are still present. I have no desire to get super academic about my spirituality. I don’t ever wish to get saturated in dogma, but to remain inquisitive while building my own confidence in the fruits of my practice. My practice is for inner peace and to be an extension of that work in my world and in my life. It doesn’t matter how I get there, just that I am consistent and earnest in my endeavors.
Many bloggers are now over on Substack. I’ve joined just enough to comment on those blogs that I am able to read. It’s interesting to see the options that Substack is offering and I’m seeing more and more that there are people who are favoring connecting with their readers through that platform.
In April I completed a daily poem challenge. I wrote and posted a poem every single day for the month. It felt like a huge accomplishment and was also self-nourishing.
You know what else is self-nourishing? Doing this challenge with others and knowing I just don’t feel like being ON and doing this every day. It’s self-nourishing to be less committed to daily blogging and more committed to my positive thoughts.
So, I’m here.
I’m definitely here; and I also want to read a lot more and comment as I can. Being here and being with those other bloggers is what it’s all about.
Let’s all be perfectly imperfect!
For me, this looks like being intentional about joining, but NOT doing it in full. Doing it in full can come again when that is the challenge I really want to go for. I’m regularly involved in so many daily self-discipline practices, such as with a specific daily meditation, journaling (falling behind on that one), and physical disciplines of stretching, yoga and strength training.
My days aren’t perfect but I am perfecting every day.
This is a personal update. We just found out last night that we have to redo all the plumbing pipes in our 90 year old home we bought 2 years ago. This comes after non-stop flooding challenges that were related to the actual water and runoff problems from living in an area that is not used to rain, and getting atmospheric rivers and an abundance of water last season. That resulted in having to dig up and fix, in certain places reroute, the water flow from the existing French drains. The same year, this one, our dishwasher malfunctioned and created more water damage in our kitchen which led to the discovery of leaded countertops which led to a kitchen remodel, which is now halfway done.
Then, two days ago the toilet started bubbling.
This one year alone, 2024, has by far and wide been the most challenging of all years. There have been so many personal problems beyond these listed that are still so very private and multi factorial spanning multiple family members. It’s been a year of untold sorrow.
Yet there is still so much hope for an end to this non-stop saga of extreme adaptation.
Or, maybe the adaptation is the only key here. If there be no end, building resilience as far as I see it, is the only way. It’s the only way to move through it. That might not look entirely graceful, but sometimes the key is survival IS thrival.
Maybe that’s why I decided to join this challenge with NanoPoblano—but not really; I’ve had so many challenges that challenges and “getting out of the comfort zone” talk just sounds like BS to me. Not that any cheer peppers take that type of tone. They are a uniquely sincere bunch, living the best they can—not a lot of talk about living out of the comfort zone. Maybe they are working on it, too: still trying to create a comfort zone that never quite existed.
I choose to join OTHERS. I’m not alone. I know that life has been truly traumatizing for so many, mental health conditions are on the rise, and extreme weather and political unknowns have people on edge.
Here’s the thing though:
We are gonna get through this. All of it. Will we be a smidge wiser: YES.
Pause.
This is that fancy time of year when people are all getting together with their families to celebrate the holidays. I will get the gift of having my father come to visit for 2 weeks. That will require adaptation. However, I am so looking forward to seeing him and sharing this Thanksgiving holiday for the first time in so many years. He’s not really a big celebrator. He’s from the school of hard knocks and that’s also how I’m here.
Life is short. Having a roof over my head, sharing love, and knowing that I live in a sanitary environment with my family is good enough for me. Each day has been coming with its surprises. I’m grateful we caught this collapsing old pipes problem now before we had a bigger catastrophe. Sure it’s still a very costly problem, but at least it’s not worse.
That’s all I can say about everything that’s not great: at least it’s not worse. And for the first time, those words are more reassuring and comforting to me than any time they came before (or from someone’s else’s mouth).
Darling view of little K, artistic ‘trick or treat’ moment
Life get sorted by calendars, schedules, holidays.
Each day we make meaning into neat little organized experiences.
With reflection and selection, we go even deeper into the richness we can cultivate.
Along the way, we make friends, hold hands with some, grieve, and share successes and milestones.
This is the bread and butter of life: light and darkness, living and dead, joys and sorrows.
My hope for each one of my friends and loved one is that both grow and glow.
You don’t need to be the brightest star in the night’s sky, nor the sun during the day.
Just be who you are, in all your colors, and let it out a bit more.
Day2 of Cheer Peppers 🌶️ Nano Poblano
I seem to have overdone it with all my travel this month with a trip to Mexico for energy working with colleagues and a trip to Los Angeles with TCM dermatology colleagues at a module 3 training. Now, I’m back for an annual conference and volunteered two days ago and my back hurts and I have a cold. 🤧. I love this season. I call this growing pains! Once I heal up I will be an expanded version of myself. Then I get to do some post-conference volunteering. But, for now, I’m streaming the beloved conference from home. What a modern luxury. To be both ‘here’ and ‘there.’ I also join with Cheer Peppers in November and my deeper celebration underlying it all is writing and art, sharing beauty and what catches my eye. I have plenty to glow about. How about you? I may live in the dark, but glowing is what we do. For that, I have no fear of darkness—only to embrace.
“We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life—those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.” Oswald Chambers
Faith naturally is not easy. It’s asking to believe before there is proof.
Superheroes don’t really exist like society
fixates on,
in frequent, Marvel movie releases
But there are superpowers. Among these
are Faith, Patience, Perseverence and
Kindness.
No one who came before us was perfect.
Their legacies were not necessarily influential, popular, nor epic.
But their love remains golden for me,
as soft whispering reminders that what’s
worth cultivating, can be cultivated.
Not that they exemplified these superpowers
in every way; but that their regular, human
strength was often good enough.
I think we can all be inspired by “good enough.”
🕯️
🔥
You existed, and you mattered;
and in me, you continue to exist, cultivating…
Persevering.
I joined Cheer Peppers 🌶️ for daily November blogging month just today. I’m not sure if I will post or read every day. It just felt good to join and be in community. So I am keeping it simple: one day at a time, and doing what feels good.
Fiesta Estrellas 
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