RETROGRADE MARS IN VIRGO

How many times have you heard the phrase, "Be Here Now?" This sounds good to me. Just center my mind, take some deep breaths and focus on the present moment. But how can you "be here now" when your mind is being bombarded with stimuli coming from your inbox, facebook, twitter, the evening news, telephone calls, etc., etc. Seems that no matter how I try to keep my mind on the things right in front of me, there's always something else roaming in the back of my consciousness, telling me I have to take care of something right away, or else... There's the website to update, charts to do, telephone calls to return, and most importantly these days, my swim workout and the drive to the pool in the next county.

What is happening to my world? When will I ever get to the bottom of the pile on my desk? Why is it that no matter how much I try to stay cool, calm and relaxed, stuff for me to pay attention to comes up from nowhere to distract me? Not a good sentence. But I'm reflecting from the feedback I receive from people; we're all experiencing the same things.

Mars the action planet is in Virgo, the sign of details that says, "I analyze." Since January 23rd, Mars started a retrograde movement that will not end until April 13th. The retrograde, which simply means Mars has slowed down in it's orbit, requires us to go back over details that we thought we had dealt with in the past. Mars in Virgo says "take care of the details" or "before running the marathon, make sure your shoe laces are tied." If we don't take care of the small, seemingly insignicant things, they could trip us up right as we're headed to the finish line. 

Here are some things that Mars retrograde in Virgo could bring up:
. the need to take care of your health, diet and nutrition
. the need to edit or rewrite something you wrote a long time ago
. the need to rethink a promise made  to yourself or others
. the need to start a spiritual practice that decreases stress or anxiety
. the need to be especially patient when faced with delays
. the need to mind your own business, or as the Hopi Elders say, "tend your own garden"
. the need to take a spiritual time out, to meditate and pray
. the need to take a step back to look at the bigger picture

When Mars slows down (retrogrades), it's time for us to also slow down. No matter how urgent your things-to-do list seems to be, use Mars in Virgo to prioritize. Decide what's really important to you right now. What is it that you just have to do today to have peace of mind? You could make a lot of progress by looking at your list and setting aside the things that you have no control over.

I love the Serenity Prayer that reminds me that there are things I have control over and other things that I don't have control over. For instance, I have no control over the huge solar flare that hit the earth earlier this week. But I can make sure that my computer is backed up, just in case, the increased electromagnetic energy interferes with the satellite signals that my computer depends on to work properly.

Lastly, if you're feeling overwhelmed, it's a good idea to take a time out. Temporarily remove yourself from the things that are stressing you. You can do this physically or mentally, or both. There are affirmations that can be helpful, i.e. "none of this shall bother me", "everything is working for my good", "I have everything I need", "it's all good!", "this too shall pass", "it is all right", "good things come to those who wait". If you feel anxiety building up and deadlines seemingly impossible to meet, I suggest that you say one of the above affirmations, take a deep breath or two, relax your body, and slow down.

Remember that tomorrow is another opportunity to complete what you started today. And it is all right!

Important cosmic events in January 2012

The planet Mars

BELOVEDS, three important cosmic events happen on the same day...Monday, January 23rd, the New Moon will be in Aquarius, the Chinese Year of the Dragon and Mars the action planet in Virgo goes retrograde until April 13th. Usually we say that New Moon energy is a time to make new starts, to write down your goals and to take advantage of the potential to create something new. We also would say that on the Chinese New Year there's the opportunity to set your goals for a whole year, i.e. "say goodbye to the rabbit and hello to the dragon".

However, with Mars going retrograde in Virgo until April, we're counseling people to be patient, to be willing to go back over stuff that you might have thought you finished, to embrace the wisdom of the ancients who tell us "don't push the river." As we feel these energies long before they actually happen, lately I've been saying "all things are working together for my good!" "It is so, and so it is!" We've said it before, but it's more true now than ever before. This is the best time to start a daily meditation/prayer practice and to pray without ceasing. The New Moon in Aquarius inspires us to be inventive to get unstuck from the mediocrity of the status quo (Rev. Michael Beckwith, spiritual leader of Agape International), to color outside the lines, to open up to the Divine potential that's inside of all of us.

The Chinese New Year of the Water Dragon inspires us to tap into our inner dragon, to be courageous, fearless and to move past the little things that might have been holding us back. The Water Dragon is the most magical and spiritual dragon of all the other dragons as it's power comes from using the spiritual tools that aren't easily seen, but when used, create magnificent and mystifying results. But then retrograde Mars in Virgo says you might have missed something, take time out to put the details together, take care of your health because nothing's moving forward if your body isn't healthy. Mars retrograde in Virgo also says, tweak your diet, pay attention to how your body feels after you eat those things that you know you shouldn't eat. Do some juicing, go on a physical and mental fast, walk, run, do yoga, swim, some physical exercise that will make you feel rejuvenated, healthy and free. Try to eliminate the tendency to say toxic things or to be around people who bring up toxic feelings.

We've said all that before, i.e. take responsibility for your health and know that your health is greatly affected by your thoughts and emotions, as well as diet and exercise. When Mars makes the appearance of going backwards it will go over territory that it traveled when it was going direct. In actuality, Mars has slowed down, while we're still going forward. It's retracing the areas of your life that you may have thought were completed. It presents a golden opportunity to get it right, to correct the typos, to rearrange the paragraphs, to create a better title, to find a better publisher. Can you see where I'm going with this one, as my book still hangs in limbo, waiting for an opportunity to be born (smile)? Even so, I still remember earlier teachers who would tell me, "sometimes you have to take two steps back before you take one step forward." It's not what's happening, but your reaction to it that really matters.

My inner editor tells me that this message could have been shorter, and I could have just said "it is all right, it is all good." And so it is!

I love you all, Ayesha

Moon Reports for Januray 2012

NEW MOON IN AQUARIUS

The New Moon will be in Aquarius on the 23rd, and it also will be the Chinese New Year of the Dragon. New start energy abounds with both things happening on the same day. One message that we get from Aquarius, is "we are all one", and "we are all connected." So whether you're celebrating the New Moon or the New Year, know that it is all good. Happy New Year, Happy New Moon!

FULL MOON ECLIPSE IN CANCER

The Full Moon will be in Cancer on the 9th. Time to be more loving and compassionate for all people, including you. Check out your emotions and embrace the ones that are making you feel good. Joy, Bliss, Love, Gratitude, are good feelings. Fear, hatred, resentment are negative feelings that can be destructive to your physical body. Do yourself a favor and only embrace those feelings that are healthy and that boost your energy. Feelings are contagious so be mindful of the energy that you bring into the room.

FULL MOON IN CANCER, MON. JAN. 9, 2012

Beloveds, this is a Full Moon weekend. Even though the actual Full Moon takes place on Monday the 9th, we'll all be feeling it the whole weekend.

Full Moon in Cancer, the sign ruled by the Moon, can be a highly emotional time as the psychic energy is higher. How you will experience this increased flow of emotional energy will depend on what you're focusing on...we say look up, be positive, nurturing and loving and more of that energy will come your way. However if for some reason you're tempted to think about the things you don't want in your life now then just know your activating an emotional time bomb that can explode at any given moment. This is what we've been saying to people for eons, "think what you want, but want what you think". It's time to nurture yourself and to remember "you can't give from an empty cup".

So those folks who are always nurturing and caring for others, may need a well deserved time out, and it's all good. Now the reverse is true for people who haven't had time for loved ones (cause they've been so busy)...this is a good time to reach out of your comfort zone, make the phone call, write the letter and let the people in your life who matter, know that you love and appreciate them.
If you're feeling low energy, or depressed, it's time to make out a list of all the things that are going right in your world. Make a grateful list and you'll be surprised at how many things you have to be thankful for. We can all benefit by taking some time out to meditate and to visualize healing Light coming through our bodies, from the feet up to the third eye center (between your two eyes) and pouring out the third eye center and recycling again throughout the body. Do it at least three times and each time imagine the healing Light is touching every organ and physical function in your body.

We are being called to raise our consciousness to higher levels and to actually become Divine Alchemists, turning lead into gold. Our consistent thoughts and feelings have a profound effect on our physical bodies. The good news is we have the power to control our thoughts and feelings once we realize and know that our present circumstances is not the result of outside influences. In other words, it's not what's happening, but our reaction to it that will help it, heal it, or make it worse. If you believe this, you're going to have a wonderful joy-filled weekend. But if you're still skeptical and want to blame what's happening in your life on outside influences...that's your choice.

I'm urging you to choose, life, choose health and wellness, choose joy, choose love, choose abundance and prosperity. It's all good.
Love you, Ayesha

2012 - BRING IT ON!

2012 is finally here and I'm looking forward to it. This is the year to put into practice all the things I've learned over the past years, and especially in 2011. I believe that 2011 was a test run that prepared us to confidently flow through 2012 with ease, love, joy and bliss. Yes there were major weather events, unemployment, foreclosures, homelessness, homicides, accidents and shocking scandals last year. There were also many acts of love, courage, kindness, forgiveness and shocking successes last year. What I learned was that we are all co-creators of the events in our lives. I also learned that if I don't like what I see, I can change it with a change of consciousness that will help me to focus on what I want as opposed to what I don't want. Life is good.

We all have free will and choice in every matter. This is the year to be what we say we believe and to put our beliefs into conscious action. We don't need to waste our time this year pointing out what's wrong with the world. We do need to put ourselves in position to help make this world a better world. By being willing to give selfless service we can make a change, one person at a time. This is the year to put aside our selfish lust for more things and to open up to the need to do something to help someone who might be less fortunate than ourselves.

This is the year to seriously start a spiritual practice and to stick with it. No matter what else may be going on in your life, take time out to pray, to meditate, to read spiritually inspirational books and to consciously stay in a Higher consciousness. Neptune planet of spirituality is moving into Pisces in February of this year for a 14 year stay. Neptune rules Pisces, the sign that says “I Believe” or “ I Serve”. When you're in service to others you are also in service to God. You can be the antidote for someone whose in pain or in need of an angel in his or her life. God's angels here on earth are humans like you and me.

So I say “bring it on”, I'm up for the test and looking forward to a much better year. Mainly because now I know why I'm here, I know who I am and I'm going to use my life to help others. By helping others I'm also helping myself. Giving and serving actually feels good. It's why we're here and it actually makes us healthier and happier.

So “bring it on”, I'm ready for this new year and looking forward to the joy of being alive.

Happy 2012 to everyone!

Visit my website, 'Ayesha Grice - Astrology for Life' for your personal birth sign's message by clicking here AyeshaGrice.com