• Recommit to being a good Mother to yourself
• Soften your defenses – forgive someone, forgive yourself
• Light a candle in front of a picture of your family and/or your extended family and friends.
• Practice Emotional Authenticity
• Check out what astrologer Molly Hall has to say about this Full Moon
• Spontaneous Family Dance Party (Ours always happen in the kitchen. The one pictured below was inspired by the new Chili Peppers I’m with You)

Uncle BadAss shares the new Chili Peppers album - love it!

Dance Party in the Kitchen

TIP + Smiling Belly Intention – it’s wintertime here, a time for dreaming and composting. One of the synonyms for Resolution in the dictionary is Courage, cor meaning heart. What would it feel like for you if your intention came from your Heart? What friendly theme has been popping up for you? For me, my new year’s intention is Friendship with self. As a mom, it is really easy to get down on myself with negative self-talk for “not accomplishing” what I want during any given day. And I am not even talking about accomplishment in the area of my work/passion/creativity. I am talking about not finishing the laundry, responding to emails, returning calls or the 10 million other things that don’t happen… on top of the things I wished didn’t happen (blowouts aka shit storms, meltdowns, too much coffee and chocolate, not enough sleep, etc.) If I was a friend to myself, I would put down the whip, pat myself on the back and say “you’ve done enough today, no one expects you to be superwoman” and take a deep, cleansing breath more often. Why are we in such a hurry to finish everything before we let ourselves relax and enjoy what is… right now? What if you created an intention that makes your belly smile, feels easy & fun, and gives you the sense of coming home?

Goodbye 2011

Relax and release.

Have Heart,
+ heather

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This Thursday, November 10th, the Full Moon enters Taurus, the gardener sign that encourages us to stop and smell the roses… for if you try to rush or move things along too fast, you’ll fall flat on your ass!

Taurus is all about pleasure, beauty, Mother Nature, our animal-self and the sensual-side of life. If it feels good, surround yourself with family and friends, good food, beautiful surroundings, great music and art, and all things that help soothe, heal anxiety and release worry. This earthy moon lights up our natural desire to be going at our own pace and inspires our sense of beauty. So, instead of fighting against your moods/Moon, honor them.

• Spend a day tending, caring, nurturing and/or mating
• Enjoy a Slow Feast with special treats. Think tasty – pomegranates, chocolate, wine, you get the picture.
• Take a break from rushing. Taurus runs on biological time, not man-made time.
• Lush up your space! Fresh flowers, new music, add a splash of color… and for heaven’s sake move the furniture around!
• Give extra love and attention to your animal friends

TIP + Recreating Your Container: As Caroline Casey says, “When we make something beautiful (Taurus Moon), we invite invisible magic to live there (Scorpio Sun).” As the season slips into darkness, begin to create a compassionate container for yourself that reflects your current values and supports you through the process of releasing and regenerating through the winter. What’s a container? A container can be anything from an altar with images and objects reflect your dreams and values, to a space you create for yourself in your house, to making time for practices & structures that support an inward journey. Taurus moon wants that container to be beautiful, nurturing and pleasurable. Let yourself Invite the invisible magic into your container by making it sing with beauty.

Save those uncut gourds for your Thanks Giving Cornucopia!

Collect leaves, collect yourself,
+ heather

UPCOMING MERCURY RETROGRADE
November 23rd in Scorpio – December 13th in Sagittarius. Mark your calendars. Read More

FRIDAY 11/11/11
This Friday will be a great day for ritual! In numerology, 11 is a master number and symbolizes a gateway, synchronicity, illumination, and balancing opposites while reminding us that help from the Divine is always available. So, not only will we be enjoying the illumination of a full moon, the triple 11 brings the potential of taking us to the next level of understanding.

“You will have more clarity on where you are going, where humanity is going, where your planet is going…it will reconnect you to the essence of your own spirit itself.” Akashic Library

If you are intrigued, I found this post really interesting. (Everything with a grain of salt, my friends. xoxo)

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Say Yes to the Journey, Agree to the Adventure!

On Tuesday, October 11th the full moon bursts into Aries. The planet associated with Aries is Mars – the hero, the adventurer, the pioneer, the warrior. Mars asks us, “What do you desire?” When the Moon is in Aries and the sun is in Libra we are asked, “what is your relationship to your desires?” Invoking the natural curiosity & playfulness of Aries, stay open, entertain possibilities, and don’t rush to premature solutions - energy follows your intention. Once you have a clear picture of what you want, you can utilize the initiative gifts of Aries to create a new beginning and take a first step. Be BOLD – what do you really, really want?

• Give yourself a “fresh start” in any area
• Move that body – run, cartwheel, karate chop!
• Halloween Costume- ask yourself, if I could be anything, what would I be?
• Bonfire Time – light it up
• Commit to one creative act this week

TIP + Speak Up – According to Caroline Casey, the Gods and Goddesses want to help us but spiritual etiquette requires that we ask. I’ve found that the most effective (and strangely quickest) way is to literally ask for what you need out loud. For example, when I lose something, I say out loud ”Show me my keys” and they appear soon after or “I want to find the Curious George DVD and return it to the library”… which actually took a day and a half to reappear (and thus I paid a small fine, oh well.) I also do this when I need help. For example, I have a one month old with no obvious sleep pattern other than – she is supposed to be sleeping. Thus our sleep is also unpredictable… and from time to time I start to panic. So when I start to get crazy I go to my altar, light all the candles, ask for help out loud and pray for sleep. It comes in unpredictable ways, but more often than not help arrives and I sleep… even if it’s only for a little while.

“To achieve the impossible; it is precisely the unthinkable that must be thought. ” – Tom Robbins

Giving yourself permission to Bust Out of the Box!
+ heather

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This Monday, September 12th, the Full Moon swims into Pisces as the Sun heats up in Virgo. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox (Friday, Sept. 23rd) is called the Full Harvest Moon and marks the peak of harvest when farmers can work late into the night gathering corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice. So what are YOU ready to gather? What seeds will you take with you through the winter?

The Full Moon in Pisces embodies unconditional love, feelings, expanded consciousness, dreaming, freedom, unity, imagination, and the BIG PICTURE, while the Sun shines through Virgo’s analytical, service-oriented, detailed mind. This gives us the opportunity to expand our thinking in a smart, serviceable way. Instead of being lost in the fantasy or the funk, we can use Virgo’s attention for detail to write down the “Big Ideas” and start to create action steps that are in alignment with what we are ready for in the present tense. Let the full brightness of this moon illuminate your true feelings and intuitive knowing about the current situation.

• Keep track of your dreams this week and next. “It seems like my dreams are saying….”
• You may be questioning EVERYTHING – get to your journal and start answering your questions!
• Lay it Down – make an altar to your attachments, ask for help in the areas you are struggling in
• Take ritual swim – imagine that with each stroke, you are releasing the past and moving into pregnant possibility. (If you can’t find a pool, take a ritual bath. When you drain the water, release!)

TIP + Grounded Dreaming – Combining the gifts of Virgo (grounded & detail oriented) with the Visionary Dreams of Pisces, create a Dream Card on an index card or piece of construction paper. Any size or shape will do. With the intention of creating a guiding image for bringing your big picture to earth, flip through magazines and cut out images that draw your attention. Don’t worry if they don’t fit on the card – make a bigger card. You can also cut out words or phrases. When you are done, sort through the images, letting yourself know which one needs to be on the card. It doesn’t have to make sense right away. Place the guide on your altar and ask for help from the mystery.

Autumal Equinox, Friday, September 23rd
The equinox marks the day  of equal balance between sunlight and darkness. It is also the second of three pagan harvest festivals. For our Celtic ancestors, the fall equinox was time to reflect on the past season and celebrate nature’s bounty, accepting that summer is now over. Harvest marks a time of rest after hard work, and a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of nature. At Mabon, we leave the abundant expansion of summer behind, and begin to sort through what we are harvesting for the Fall. For More Info

Meet Our New Baby

Think Magic, Dream Big! Transform Power – the answer will be Yes!
+ Heather

Here is my Dream Card from 2010: Grounded Perspective

Image of Fish

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Happy Harvest Time!

What are you ready to pour yourself into?

Today, Saturday, August 13th the Full Moon will be in Aquarius as the Sun continues brightly through Leo. It is also the Lunar Lammas – First Harvest – marking the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox. Colored by the energy of Aquarius – the inventor, revolutionary, progressive, extroverted free thinker – the Aquarius Full Moon is an excellent time to raise your own vibration, and by doing so, raise the vibration of of everyone around you. How? Entertain possibilities, break the rules, find the third way of doing something. Put your imagination to work and stop worrying about what other people will think.

• Forget trying to “get it together” and Get Together! – invite friends over. Full Moons are celebratory.
• Brainstorm next steps in an area that feels stuck
• Thaw out a Frozen Area of your life by creating a win-win
• Change your Mind about something

TIP + PANIC BUTTON – Aquarius is symbolized by the Water Bearer (new life) and is an Air sign, so think Wave Energy. In sessions this past week, we looked at the energy of Panic and how each person has a unique wiring and relationship to their personal panic button. For most, the roots of our wiring lie within our birth families. Let yourself recall the last time you felt that wave of adrenaline surge? What was the source – fears around finances, family relations, changes in plans, time-lines or expectations? Now, notice how your reaction is mirrored in birth family’s Rules of Reaction around fear? With the energy of a full moon in Aquarius, we have the opportunity to break the rules. Governed by both Saturn (tradition) and Uranus (innovation), the energy available right now offers us security through our willingness to make progressive change. So next time the panic energy surges (because it always does), choose to ride the wave energy with your breath instead of your bite, and dare to stay in the present moment. Is there really cause for alarm? Trust that you have already survived. Make your own Prayer Candle.

Keep it loose, Mercury continues retrograding through Leo until it goes direct around August 26th. Read more

Schedule an Intuitive Consulting Session before I take Maternity Leave on Sept. 1 – Oct. 31. Only 3 weeks left! Book your session NOW.

Take a leap, time to reap!
+ heather

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On Thursday, July 14th (11:40 PM. PST)/ Friday, July 15th we celebrate the Full Buck Moon or Thunder Moon. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur – beautiful, soft and protective. Can you let yourself be beautiful, soft AND protected with healthy boundaries? (say yes!)

Today the Earth sits between the Full Moon in Capricorn and the Sun in Cancer.

The Cancer-Capricorn opposition blends two signs that draw in what they need, and fiercely resist what they don’t want. Both can appear to brood and go deep within, only to end up surrounding themselves with emotional and material structures that are built to last. Molly Hall

Built to last, now that is a concept worth exploring in these uncertain times. As you know, the Moon rules Cancer and is the place of emotions, the pulse of the heart, the tides and represents the archetypal mother. The planet associated with Capricorn is Saturn – the place of authority, boundaries, structure, and describes your relationship with archetypal father.  It makes for a very interesting dance between our desire to be taken care of and our drive to make something happen. Instead of torturing yourself with repetitive thought patterns around “________” leading you into fear and depression, externalize it – dance, play, run, sing and drum with it. Do anything but think about it. Use the creative tension available to release energy into the parts of your life that are begging for your non-thinking attention. Movement begets movement. Healthy energy is moving energy.

• Give yourself some tough love by letting go of what is not giving you energy
• Enjoy a little Cranial Sacral therapy,  re-pulsing the body to re-connect with your own rhythm
• Send a note to a teacher that has made a difference for you
• Align your life’s priorities with what you truly value in the present tense

This is my favorite tip… and is always a good reminder!

TIP + IS THIS MY MOUNTAIN? – As your sturdy Capricorn mountain goat Maria sings “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” take a moment to access the nurturing intelligence of Cancer to ask yourself, does this FEEL like my mountain? OR is this somebody else’s mountain? You may want to reconsider if you really do need to climb EVERY mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow until you find your dream. What if you could take a time out and check in with how this current path is feeling? Does this path light you up, turn you on, make you excited about life? If the answer is no, it’s time to make a COURSE CORRECTION. Before you charge off, take advantage of the view, reassess where you are and where you want to be…and make the choices that feels good to you (even if they are hard for others.) One step at a time. Trust that you can follow the Sound of your OWN Music.

Capricorn is represented by the Sea Goat – half goat, half fish (some say shark!) – a mythical hybrid, if you will. Legend has it, that the goat’s broken horn was transformed into the cornucopia, the horn of plenty. Just for today, imagine yourself as your own mythical hybrid, completely unique and never seen on this Earth before now. Imagine that the parts of you that have been labeled “broken” in the past are actually the keys to your success and fulfillment in this lifetime. Transform the conversation and come home to yourself.

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Today, Wednesday, June 15th, we will enjoy a total lunar eclipse with a juicy Full Moon shining in Sagittarius. Along with the sun in Gemini (communication & information) this naturally optimistic and enthusiastic moon brings increased awareness through investigation and conversation. Even if your own personal darkness and demons of habit are in your face, you can choose to allow the light of this moon and your awareness to open new doors for healing, gratitude and understanding. Sagittarius believes that everything happens for a reason – not to bring blame or reward – but to gain a deeper understanding of your purpose and the meaning of your own sweet, unique life. It’s all about the JOURNEY. Whether that means traveling, meditation, doing a shamanic journey, or simply reflecting…take some time to go on a journey this next week.

• perfect time to quit a habit – Ask yourself, “what is the one thing that has got a hold of me…that I am NOW ready to let go of?”
• turn off the machine (tv, radio, ipod, etc.) and tune into your own natural awareness – breath & listen
• campfire time – tell tales, roast marshmallows, sleep in your back yard!
• go on a mini-adventure – visit the local “sites”, try a new restaurant, make a date with a new friend or an old one that you never see.

TIP + Celebrate Life Locally – The Farmer’s Markets are opening. Enjoy red ripe strawberries, hearty veggies (fresh & dirty), gorgeous flowers and families strolling. Take a mini adventure and visit your local market(s). Dare to taste, to listen, to watch. Celebrate the season and the full moon by making a meal of locally grown delights to share with friends and family. Give thanks to all the beings, and forces of natural (seen and unseen) that make the feast possible. With each bite, connect to your love of life and the beauty of living it.

MIDSUMMER / SUMMER SOLSTICE – Tuesday, June 21st
The Summer Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) is a turn of seasons leading toward the heart of ourselves. It is officially the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. It is also referred to as Midsummer because it is roughly the middle of the growing season throughout much of Europe. The Goddess manifests as Mother Earth and the God as the Sun King. In celebration people light fires, stay up all night, bedeck themselves with flowers, it’s a perfect time for a love-shakin’ pagan party! Summer Solstice is ACTIVE – doing, expanding and living the dream envisioned in winter. This holiday beings the Maiden Goddess’s transition to the cycle of the MOther Goddess as Maker/Creatrix. (Who doesn’t love the word Creatrix!) Feed your creative Fire! Nurture, sustain and protect your creations like a good mother would. Water your genius like you water your garden. Start your Summer Altar Now

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Scorpio is about the death and rebirth cycles we go through in life. At this Full Moon, you can identify what’s dead weight in your life, and perform a mercy killing to transform it into something new. - Molly Hall

While the Full Moon lights up our shadow, Scorpio brings the promise of transformation and renewal with it’s laser-like intensity, passion and truth-telling. Scorpio loves the emotional raw underbelly. With the Sun in Taurus, we are being asked to transform and compost something that is deeply rooted within us, but no longer enhances our potency. You don’t have to make a big production out of it. Simply notice the habit/pattern that comes to your attention with this full moon and preform your compassionate “mercy killing” - hiya! Whatever it is, express it and release it with art, dance, music, writing. Creative expression is the key!

• Remove dead plants from your garden and/or house
• Release and recycle worn out clothes, shoes, sweaters, etc.
• Rearrange/redecorate the bedroom – sage it, add a new color, spice it up. It’s time for new life & passion!
• Get Creative – the raw, imaginative landscape is at your figure tips, so dive in.

TIP + Altar Your Self – Time to lay the Outgrown Self to rest – the old identity or part of you that served you well in the past, but no longer feels present tense. The part of you that is actually interfering with you moving forward and into the role/job/relationship that is tugging at your heart right now. Ask yourself the question, what role do I feel stuck in? (This could be a role you actively play or you are afraid of playing.) Give it a name, an identity, let it be playful: Loser Larry, Cherry the Cheerleader, Impulsive Perry. (Mine is “That Weirdo WooWoo Girl.”) Now, build an altar to that Outgrown Self. Give it your full attention – express it. What does Loser Larry want on his altar? What does it look like, smell like, feel like? Even if you hate the role, invite the player into the light. Bring him/her up to full consciousness. When you are done with your altar, ask a few questions in your journal: What gifts did this Outgrown Self bring? What were the payoffs I received? What did it cost me? What do I need to remember in order to let this Outgrown Self go? Ask anything else you need too, and then take a photo of your altar (and email it to me for my gallery of shadow altars.) Leave your altar up for a few days or  take it down if you got the message clearly. Giving conscious space to the part of ourselves that is “taking up space” in our unconscious can helps to release energy and bring more of our own essential goodness back into the present tense. Don’t limit yourselves. Open up & play with the Shadow instead!

“I do not seek. I find.” — Pablo Picasso, Sun in Scorpio

FIND IT!
xoxoxo heather

My Biggest Fear Altar - several years back!

You can also do an Insight Collage. This is mine for the Full Moon in Scorpio. It was actually 8 pages long to get to the heart of it. Below are the 2 key images: Out-Grown Self aka Weirdo WooWoo (page 5) and The Truth – I have the Heart of a Healer (page 8).

Out-Grown Identity InSight Collage (excerpt)

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Today the Moon enters the earthy sign of Taurus, with the Full Moon on Sunday, November 21, 2010. Or, as my daughter would say – look mommy, the Moon has a Full Belly! And that’s what what Taurus likes, a full belly. Taurus is the sign of sensual pleasure, beauty, Mother Nature, the 5 senses, earthly delights, a cozy home and falling into the yummy. It’s a time to stop and enjoy. It’s a time when we are called to appreciate the many gifts in our life and the talents we posses.

As a Taurus Moon myself, I have a deep appreciation for this sign. It brings a delightful balance to my fiery Aries sun who would run me ragged if left unchecked. With impressive enthusiasm, my Aries Sun says “I’ve got great ideas, let’s do them all, right now!” and my Taurus Moon replies, “that sounds interesting, let’s think about it” as she heads off towards the couch with a cup of ice cream. Eventually my Capricorn Rising aka The Boss steps in to say “OK people, time to get to work.” And off we go again.

As I was lying in bed this morning, pondering my day and thinking about this blog post, a curious phrase came forward – the best way to move forward is to stop. It doesn’t make sense in the hustle-bustle world we call “reality”, but energetically (from an Intuitive’s perspective), it makes complete sense. What if we did stop struggling? What if we allowed ourselves to enjoy what we have in our lives right now? Honestly, there is nothing more attractive than a happy person enjoying their life. When that phrase popped into my brain this morning, I was reminded of the Transformation Retreat I co-led two years ago when all our prep-meditations on the Taurus Gate led us to the Sacred Stop. It is literally the place where all roads meet, where you embody yourself fully, where anything you want can be touched. It is a place of power and it is in the NOW. That is what balanced Taurus is all about, enjoying the now.

As for my Full Moon in Taurus Insight Collage, it seems like there is a mighty, centered, solid focus happening. Her horns seem like they are for listening, rather than for protection. Winter is upon us, giving us permission to rest knowing that life is alive & bubbling beneath the surface. Spring, fruits of summer, abundance, seeds, juiciness, ripeness are in her minds eye… she remains a focused gardener/maifestor. Her heart leads her forward like a beacon. She is surrounded by nature and greenery – her place of power. The Sun is her ally and she is always moving towards it, growing herself one step at a time. She is a mighty presence. It seems like the message she is offering is to stay focused & centered, to breath in the power of nature that is surrounding me. The year of the Tiger is not over – pay attention, stop moving, listen and allow what I am most longing for to come to me. It seems like…

My Art & Magic collage will go on the altar as I continue working with it through the Full Moon. Please feel free to leave a comment or try out your own Insight Collage. I’d love to hear from you. What are you ready to enjoy?

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As I said on my FB status last Friday, nothing feels more futile than *waiting* for a Scorpio baby to arrive. My sister’s baby is well over a week overdue and shows no signs of coming… much to the dismay of all the “planners” in our family. And yet, the past week was filled with magical moments that could not have been planned. Basically, as my family let go of planning last week… in favor of the Mystery’s plan…we all cleared and cleaned a lot of “dead weight” out of our homes and hearts. Our houses got cleaned and organized, our gardens were swept and trimmed up, we spent more time with each other and were grateful for any time we got to spend with friends.

As I look forward to the new week, I see our Moons/Moods moving from the Big Picture of Pisces into the initiating energy of fiery Aries. From there, we may find the inspiration that will help direct our impulse into action. Time to put our hands into the dirt with earthy Taurus waxing to FULL by this Sunday, November 21. Taurus is ruled by Venus and is about valuing beauty. As Caroline Casey says, “When we make something beautiful (Taurus Moon), we invite invisible magic to live there (Scorpio Sun).”  As this week unfolds, begin your gratitude or thanks giving altar focusing on themes of abundance, family and what you are grateful for.

The season teaches us to dance in the dark, to breath the winds of change, and to let go of our attachment to form. That is the miracle that following the cycles of life offer us – the relief from suffering through the reminder that we don’t know shit…. nor can we afford to hold on to it.

So, dear reader, perhaps you’ll refuse to make plans this week (or at the very least schedule in some un-planned time) to see what wants to happen when you loosen your grip. For the last few years, my friend Juliana has declared November to be NO-vember – giving herself a break from commitments outside of work. It’s a beautiful thing to rest and reset yourself – to release yourself from the Hamster Wheel and Go Limp.

For the rest of NO-vember, is there anything you would be willing to let go of, in order to leave room for the Mystery?

REMINDER: GiveAway – Like Us on Facebook & leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway for a free 1/2 hour Intuitive Consulting Session with Heather. Ends Nov. 21st.

Image: my daughter Addie and my mom (Carol/Nana/Nana-pants/the Nana/ Grandma) reading the comics… hanging out WAY more than usual… as we all wait for the baby. photo: iPhone.

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