Yesterday, at Balboa Park, I was greeted by an interesting type of flying Scarab beetle.

During our somewhat brief interaction, I went into a position with my arms out, as though I was being smudged with sage before a ceremony. It even took a couple of passes across the length of my body and around my heart chakra. SO COOL!!!! How do those little wings hold up that big, green, sparkling body?! The energy of it felt wonderfully soothing, there wasn’t a touch of fear in my body. Otherwise, a big, buzzing bug, that seemed to arrive out of nowhere, might startle me.

I had some computer trouble this past week, and car trouble; so the computer didn’t get resolved yet. I’m also looking at a loss of files. This was classic Mercury retrograde (and we’re still in it!). Natal Moon and Mercury in Cancer, and a Jupiter and Saturn in Virgo- plus the “more-or-less-there” grand cross activates my personal planets –especially my natal Moon square Pluto. Not to mention the Chiron retrograde at the Solstice, and my natal 3rd house (Mercury/Gemini) Chiron. I haven’t been able to practice my Chinese since my laptop firmware issue – the Apple Manufacturing defect required them to wipe everything – that I only partially backed up, due to perceived time constraints. See my former Mercury retrograde article. I’ll come back and edit this article eventually.

Meanwhile… amazingly awesome and mystical encounters…allow me to know that I am

http://www.universeofsymbolism.com/scarab-symbolic-meaning.html

Summer Solstice 2014

On June 17, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology, Solstice4 Comments

Summertime kicks off in San Diego at 3:51am, PDT, on June 21, 2014. I’ve always enjoyed summer as my favorite time of the year. Summer is always filled with so much hope and potential. As a child, I would just relish in the entire season of it and into the autumn, my second-favorite time of the year!

Looking at the chart that celebrates the beginning of the season:

I still see a weakening grand cross (looks like a square); it has lessened quite a bit. So… yes, there’s still some *creative* tension there. I will review it here. Following that, you will see an opposition (slicing through the center of the square) which is within interpretable orb, particularly Mars Opposite Uranus. Here’s a great blog post regarding Mar/Uranus Opposition. A quick note about orb – the tighter the aspect, the stronger the astrological accuracy. However, with all this Neptune energy (and my own transits), I’m not being very rigid with my orbs delineations. Also, this post is about making generalizations, so that’s what I am doing. I’m still talking about the leftover grand cross because we’re still not done with Uranus square Pluto‘s exact aspects (tightest orb), coming around for its second last *exact* aspect on December 15, 2014 (I haven’t checked for the specific date/time for San Diego yet). I wrote about it here, last year – it’s potentially what set me free from my astrology-writing hiatus for the whole year of 2012.

Corners of the Grand Cross –

Corner A:

Uranus conjunct Moon in Aries

(unexpected emotion, fiery passion, drive for genius, inspired inventions, objectivity over mind/body, anger, spontaneity, energy, excitability)

Corner B:

Retrograde Pluto in Capricorn

(transforming business-matters, opening up unexplored areas in the psyche surrounding public life)

Corner C:

Mars, with nearby transiting N.Node – orb is too wide to call it a conjunction – in Libra

(WE – balancing – scales – weighing the truth, merit of agreement – and the drive for relationship, negotiation, agreement)

Corner D:

Jupiter in Cancer

(family, abundance, world-view/philosophy, explorer, wandering heart)

Mental factors:

Mercury is retrograde and the strong Mercury/Sun conjunction trine Neptune give us more discussion around dreams and other reality-transcending topics – fuzzy thinking, idealistic or illusionary thinking, communication with angels or beings beyond the realm of the ordinary senses. For more on Neptune, click the link.

Oppositions:

Mars/Uranus (see link above)

Cover photo from 9HDwallpaper.

The chart I created using astrodienst

A Journey of Fulfillment: Intention and Dedication

On June 17, 2014 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn AstrologyLeave a comment

These 40 days I dedicate my existing meditation practice to this shared Journey of Fulfillment. I will check in daily with this contemplation and use it during my silent meditation practice. This is for you, for me, and for A.J.J. “To all who yearn, to all who desire, to all who seek, may my actions and intentions on this journey assist you toward your own fulfillment, that we may know our Oneness, Unity, Joy, and Divine Perfection together.”

Love your wounds while nursing your spirit

On June 17, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Creative Writing, Creatrix, Transformation10 Comments

OUch! I hurt here.

Where?

Right in my…. I don’t know where…

Is that a place?

Can you fix a spot that, that I can’t SEE – but feel?

Some of you know that I am enrolled in a Traditional Chinese Medical program. I’ve only just begun! Many of us are there because we have been wounded, we have aches and pains or chronic illnesses. We’ve been touched by them in some way – some aspect of life as “gotten us,” or a loved one, and we grieved so deeply – deeply enough to realize that there’s a way to work with pain by helping to direct it, through acupuncture, massage, etc.. and, so we’ve enlisted ourselves in this awesome task of learning how to help people with what ails them. It’s ambitious and scary, and also, delightfully interesting. It’s also about holding hands – touching – and being touched.

There are some students – and I’ve spoken to quite a few – who want to learn more about the services they will be offering their patients once they graduate, but they don’t have any reason to go for a visit at our clinic.

I, on the other hand, have been able to find *so many things* to work with! I feel so blessed, so fortunate, so unequivocally involved in the process! I celebrate it – in the process, I have met so many amazing internists, and every visit, I *know* I am at home. This is it! I found my spot! 🙂 Not to mention, I get to be a participant-observer. This is one of my philosophical view-points I developed through my anthropological studies, or one aspect of anthropology that made it uniquely anthropology… and not another discipline.

Love is your wounded-ness. You need a heart to break. It’s okay. Half the time we don’t even realize how broken we are, even if we thought we were pretty banged-up. The inverse is also true, we may be a lot healthier than we ever realized 🙂 Either way, we are all in it together. And, we are all caught in combat – fighting a battle inside us, that no one knows about. Because how could they? They are not you. Words do not suffice. This is life. We live in peace, knowing that to *feel* is to *be* alive.

Sometimes we hold stories because, we love… and sometimes, that is the very essence of our pain. And, sometimes, that pain can be transformed from a story… into a healing…

More to come, perhaps, Summer Solstice Chart…maybe a poem…still on 40-day consciousness journey of fulfillment.

Schedule for A Journey of Fulfillment

On June 15, 2014 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn AstrologyLeave a comment

I’m planning on embarking on a 40-day Consciousness Journey with Susanwithpearls. I look forward to this journey very much, and feel so grateful to have found Susan! It’s amazing how the universe always provides the opportunity to deepen our experience with others who also seek to discipline their process. “A Journey of Fulfillment, Beginning June 16, 2014.” Thank you, Susan, for sharing your practice with me!

Conceptualizing Astrology, the Universe, and YOU

On June 13, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology1 Comment

Fiesta Estrellas

The ancient Hindu and Buddhist scholars taught us that the external world is an illusion, Maya. Taken on an intellectual level, the concept is barely acceptable to anyone’s mind! We aren’t used to the notion that there’s no separation between ‘you’ and ‘me.’ In fact, the stability of our psychology rests on believing that this separation exists! In other words, the experience of reality as ‘oneness,’ can be really destabilizing. At its worst, it can take you off the deep end. So let’s be kind to ourselves, and allow ourselves to be comfortable with this as merely a concept, for just a little while in order to examine it here as it relates to astrology. (more a short story on Maya: http://www.eeedesign.com/stories/Maya.html ).

The Nature of Reality: Advaita

‘Oneness’ as the nature of reality is described really well by Advaita. Advaita is a sub-school of Vedanta, a Hindu school of…

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To have peace of mind is to empty

On June 12, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Creative Writing, Creatrix, Meditation4 Comments

To have peace of mind is to empty

Mind completely

Like overturning your purse

Stuff might plop out,

Not all neatly one by one, in single file.

That’s not what this work is about.

It is about digging deep into

the purpose.

What’s behind the cobwebs’ shadow?

From where did your first thought emerge?

There’s no voice in the empty mind,

It is a silent angel of energy neatly settled

In your womb.

From here everything learns to whisper.

Ka Malana© 6.12.14

June 12th Full Moon in Sagittarius, 2:11PM, PDT

On June 10, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology, Sagittarius3 Comments

This full moon will be conjunct my natal Neptune, within a 2 degree orb, so there’s a good possibility that Neptune will influence how I read this full moon’s chart. Neptune will be making some ‘friendly’ aspects to Pluto (sextile, 60 degrees) and the retrograde planet Mercury (trine, 120 degrees). So, I anticipate that what I have to write will be relevant to at least some of you.

The Sun part of the (Sun opposite Moon = Full Moon) equation will be occurring right on the cusp of my natal 11^th house. This is the 5/11 house axis that relates to the individual’s creative output (5^th) and the groups, friendships and associations (11^th), with whom the individual is participating. With the full moon on my 11^th house, it’s about these groups and friendships, community hopes and ideals, coming to fruition in some way. Sure. I can see that. Also, Gemini and Sagittarius are natural rulers of the 3rd/9th houses of the mentality, neighbors, local networks (3rd) and higher learning, educational institution, and publication (9th).

With Full Moon square Chiron, it’s also about healing wounds that arose from previous attempts with groups, friendships, and associations, and thus culminating into new fields of learning and associations. I AM really experiencing a lot of new growth showing up in that area of my life, as the moon deals with the public and Chiron with healing.

A full moon will bring something visible to your awareness in the area/house placement in your natal chart where it occurs. If you are looking at your own chart, see where 22 degrees of Gemini/Sagittarius are housed. See what planets are aspecting the full moon in your nativity; and then, look at those aspects by transit and progression.

General themes

The Full Moon in Sagittarius is squaring Chiron in Pisces. Sagittarius is about seeing the “bigger picture,” it relates to optimism and faith. Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter (ancient ruler of the sign Pisces) and represents grand portions and big plans. Sagittarius is also the natural ruler of the 9th house, in any nativity. Pisces is about spirituality and psychic experiences (Jupiter is the ancient ruler of Pisces). All in all, there’s a call to faith here that will take some effort for going the long distance (square aspect 90 degrees).

Gemini/Sagittarius: Anatomy & Function

According to Max Heindel in his book called, The Message of the Stars, “Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs, the femur, ilium, the coccygeal and sacral regions of the spine, the iliac arteries and veins, [and] sciatic nerves.” (p.543) According to Robert Carl Jansky in his book, Astrology, Nutrition, and Health, “the physiological functions of this [Gemini/Sagittarius] sign pair are distributive and locomotive.” (p.24). Gemini rules the lungs and trachea, and commonly known to astrologers is that Gemini is the ruler of the 3^rd house of communication and short distance travel.

Pisces Correlations: Host of transiting Chiron (Wounded-healer)

In Jeffrey Wolf Green’s Evolutionary Astrology book called, Medical Astrology: Astrological correlations to anatomy, physiology, and the chakra system, he makes the following associations for Pisces with regard to the Chakra system as well as other processes. Neptune/Pisces/12^th house: crown chakra, sacral chakra with co-ruler Jupiter, and the astral body. “Neptune also correlates with the phenomena of consciousness, the consciousness of the Soul. It correlates with sleep/being awake, dreams, visions, and hallucinations that occur within consciousness.” (p.23)

Finally, this Sagittarius Full Moon forms a trine (120 degree) aspect with Uranus in Aries. This is more fuel for fire in the ‘change and inspiration’ aka “newness” department of our lives. Aries rules the 1st house in the natural astrological chart. It deals with beginnings. The awakening involved with Uranus in Aries really is bringing in the ‘Age of Aquarius.’ It is fitting for Uranus to be cast in this role, as Uranus is the archetypal ruler of Aquarius in the form of Prometheus – one who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man!

References:

Green, J.W. (2014). Medical astrology: Astrological correlations to anatomy, physiology and the chakra system. San Bernardino, CA: School of Evolutionary Astrology.

Heindl, M. (1976). The Message of the Stars. Pasadena, CA: Wood & Jones.

Image:

A photograph of my yogi tea message for today.

Neptune Retrograde

On June 9, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology, NeptuneLeave a comment

Occasionally, I seem to have this natural ability to wake up in the middle of the night and ask myself, am I in denial about something? It’s so funny because life is just humming along, and then I have this new sense of awareness. It’s also interesting to notice that this experience coincided two days before Neptune went retrograde. This is just one of the reasons why I always say astrology found me – I didn’t necessarily find astrology. I simply realized it.

Today I am using the power of Neptune retrograde to shift my consciousness to the positive experiences, without drawing very deep and dark lines around what ‘is’ and ‘is not’ positive or negative.

It’s very simple, and one not need to make a big fuss about it – it’s actually a very subtle movement of consciousness, a light gaze. The mind brushes against everything ever so lightly. I’m simply allowing my experience to be delicate and imaginable. There’s no need to assign the order of “true/false” dichotomy to experiences that simply are all delicate veils and visions. I choose consciously the “color” of fabric for my mental filter.

In this scenario, I see rose or pink-colored. However, it’s more the experience of a lightness of being rather than one of “seeing,” but an analogy helps you understand a little bit better at what I am drawing with my mind, or rather what I am un-drawing. In fact, I’m un-touching everything, and feeling only those things most delicate and accessible.

Baboon Baby and the Lioness

On June 6, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology, Leo4 Comments

Hello friends, readers, visitors, and welcome guests:

This morning a friend shared something that ‘set the tone’ for my morning. It’s a special story, an unbelievable story!

You can read about it here, and maybe it will inspire something in you – like it did in me. It’s a story about not allowing the appearances of things determine your understanding of them. Things are not always what they seem! There’s a hunter in every heart, and a heart in every hunter. Watch and see what happens, as those who wrote the story, tell the story.

Lots of Love,

Ka Malana

My Return to Art

On May 31, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Creatrix, Sketches9 Comments

The colors don’t look as vibrant as they do in person. I suppose I didn’t make any fuss over the presentation of my latest amalgamation of line and color. I used a touch of sea water. It’s like when you take a break from writing, and what comes out is a flow (or sputtering) of consciousness; it’s a start. That’s where I’m at – after years of doing art – and then taking a short (or long) pause from it. I think my favorite style is “start with nothing in particular & end with nothing in particular.” I reserve the right to change my mind about that. Somehow, color happens and possibly a landscape is created, or what’s given are places for the imagination to roam. What do you see?

Interview ~ Screenwriter Director Shawn Tolleson

On May 28, 2014 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology5 Comments

I’m really excited about this project and film, and to see what my friend Linda at Litebeing Chronicles is up to with her new interview series!

litebeing chronicles

I am introducing a new component to litebeing chronicles, the Interview Series. In this series, I will be interviewing people whose worldview and contributions align with those reflected in the blog.

If you would like to be interviewed , please contact me here: contact

My first subject is the incredibly talented and versatile screenwriter, actress, and director Shawn Tolleson. I was approached to blog about her upcoming project Saturn Returns. This film’s title speaks for itself: it is a story about what happens as you approach and navigate your first Saturn return. I am so excited to share my interview with you and spread the word about this fabulous upcoming film.

Since this is an Indie project, sufficient funding is crucial to getting the film completed. At the end of this piece, you will find out how you can support the film. Please reblog generously so all Astrology…

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Gemini New Moon, May 28th PDT, 11:40am

On May 27, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology, Gemini9 Comments

Hello Dear Readers,

I’m looking at the chart for the New Moon in Gemini, PDT, San Diego, at 11:40am. Sun conjunct Moon at 7-8 degrees Gemini trine to Mars. Assertive energies are to be balanced, and with the trine are shown to flow quite easily around the New Moon.

We are asked to initiate from our deepest inspirations, and consider what kind of inventions (Uranus) and unique inspirations (Uranus in Aries) can we create and share to assist humanity. What structures can we create to help build bridges across the debris left in Pluto’s transit?

Retrograde Pluto is part of a kite formation (a triangle of 3 points with an extra point formed by two sextiles or 60 degree angles to a 4th point, in this case, Pluto is sitting on that 4th point). Pluto is sextile to Chiron and Saturn, asking for a little bit of harmonious work in terms of healing and stabilizing some of those soul wounds. Meanwhile, Saturn in Scorpio forms a grand trine with Chiron in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer – a continued reminder to keep sorting through those skeletons in your closet – there are many layers of shadow – including shadow puppets!

There’s no doubt to me that our greatest abundance of wound healing is taking place within the imprint of our families of the past (Jupiter in Cancer), and the history of our pain recorded in the water of our bodies. New moon square Neptune is further evidence to me of our on-going need to heal in our relationship to the spirit in water, our loss of faith and disillusionment with the world of form that holds the water.

The healing thought for this lunation is seeing a chasm in our lives (the abyss), and building a bridge over it in some practical way. Experience that the onward movement of Mars is initiation, and just keep going. You CAN find the bravery to continue crossing the chasm into unknown territory, and you will find the previously unexplored landscapes within.

Also, practicing bridge-building is evident to me in the completion/beginning of Venus’s visit at the last degree of Aries 29 – in this New Moon chart. Therefore, Venus has reached a completion point in Aries, and shall begin at Taurus 1. Venus and the North Node in Libra continue to guide us on our illuminated journeys, while lighting the way.

Interestingly Venus is sextile to Mercury, also finishing up a completion point in Gemini at 29 degrees – while forming an applying square aspect to Mars. Mercury is a little bit busy in the dream world, but with its trine to Neptune, it’s certainly doing its work in blurring boundaries, and bringing spiritual nuance to communications and miscommunications – all of it is part of the bridge-crossing.

Photography: http://lordscythe.deviantart.com/art/Bridge-over-pleasant-water-100728812

It’s the little things

On May 26, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Abundant Earth, Creative Writing, Creatrix7 Comments

At the moment, I’m just resting on my couch thinking about all that I have on my “to do” list. I’m entertained by my thought process – the attempts of entering thoughts to get me all worked up into a state of mental busyness, rather than savoring the present moment, and the birds chirping outside. The atmosphere of the natural world speaks louder, and I listen.

I listen for nothing in particular. I experience peace.

I realize that everything on my “to do” list is there because I want it to be there, because I am happy to be alive, and happy to be living my life as I choose. Now, I am experiencing gratitude. I feel grateful for every ‘now’ moment that has led to today, and for every ‘now’ moment that will help me get things done – all in the spirit of the birds.

Oh, let me sing my song!

Let me receive thy message.

For what exists is neither here

Nor there, this nor that, up nor down.

For every tweet there is a song

For every song there is a twitter,

For what I cannot say with words

I mean the most.

Oh, let me sing my song & hear yours, too!

(Photographer: Unknown)

Mercury Retrograde – June 7 – Cancer/Gemini

On May 19, 2014August 18, 2015 By Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.comIn Astrology, Gemini6 Comments

Hello!

I’m feeling the Mercury retrograde in Gemini early this time! Mercury will not officially go into the retrograde shadow, the apparent area of the zodiac @ 25 degrees Gemini, until May 23^rd. Yikes, everything keeps getting rescheduled! So my schedule keeps changing before my very eyes. Also, I keep feeling the desire to organize and get my data worked out. That is, get some of it saved onto my external drive – because goodness—all of a sudden it seems like there’s not enough room on all my electronic devices.

This Mercury retrograde will be primarily in Gemini, so it’s doubly-mental-witty-chatty. Double for a twin (astrological twins of the zodiac) is really saying something.

Usually my advice about a Mercury retrograde is to slow down. I use that same advice for a lot of aspects in life. This time, my intuition is telling me that if you can keep a steady pace while allowing for lots of flexibility, you can “master” the art of levity. One of the gifts of Gemini is that it’s light and airy – not deeply enmeshed in the details or in emotional attachment to details/information, but is subtly mentally aware of them all.

So, if while juggling during this Mercury retrograde, and your hands get tired, and you drop a ball or two – the important thing would be how much you don’t dwell on any one ball or occurrence. With Moon square Mercury on the retrograde chart, you should focus your energy on catching the next one, and once the astrological air clears, you can recover your other balls and make amends with any situations that turned up. Ultimately, the lesson is to juggle: gently releasing the ball, each one, in order to gently catch the next one. The sign of Cancer (ruler of the Moon) has a tendency to emotional attachment, and wants to nurture each and every step. Don’t cling to one of the balls! Mercury and Gemini help us “lighten up,” and keep things in the air – where they are constantly moving and adaptable.

Details from Swiss Ephemeris:

Mercury crosses retrograde shadow May 23^rd at 24.28 Gemini

Mercury stations retrograde on June 7 at 3.09 Cancer

Mercury stations direct on July 3 at 24.28 Gemini

Image credit: unknown