MARS IN AQUARIUS

Mars the outgoing planet of action moved into Aquarius on December 26, 2012 and it will be there until  February 2, 2013.  This message is late because yours truly was off the grid until January 3, 2013.  However I was having an Aquarian experience, traveling to other countries on a ship that was full of people from all cultures, religions and economic status.  Having spent more than 30 years living in New York City, hearing other languages and communicating with people who hardly spoke english was an interesting experience, but not unusual.  It required patience, hand signals, and more patience just to get everyday stuff done.  It makes you humble to realize that what you thought was easy, wasn't easy at all...i.e. asking the waiter from eastern europe for water without ice required hand signals and a smile when he realized what you were saying, asking the maid in your cabin if she saw your flippers, or asking the man in food service for turkey bacon, rather than pork bacon, or asking the aid in the spa how to regulate the hot water...simple things, if their english was good, difficult if english was the second language, or third or fourth.  It seems that Americans are the only people on the planet who traditionally speak one language.  While the people we met who were serving us spoke many languages.  We witnessed other Americans being rude to people because they didn't "get it" on first try.  No wonder we have the ugly American reputation.  Its not helpful to yell at people just because they don't understand what you're saying, but it is helpful to slow it down, speak calmly and then smile when the non english speaking person indicates they understand. 

THE MAYAN CONNECTION

Of all the accents and languages we encountered on our trip, I think it was more challenging to understand the people who spoke Mayan.  It was also challenging to pronouce the Mayan names of priests and goddesses, ummm, how do you say Ixl Chen and make the person know who you're talking about.  Ixl Chen is the Mayan Goddess of the Moon and she has jurisdiction over the weather, fertility and abundance.  We visited the ruins where she once lived and took pictures in front of the temple dedicated to her.  Our guide, Alexahandro, keep correcting me when I would try to say her name and it was difficult to understand his message about the Mayan Prophecies, allegedly calling for the end of the world.  What he made clear was that the Mayans never said the world would end on December 21, 2012. That our so-called "experts" got it wrong.  He did tell us what I had written before, that we've moved from the Kali Yuga, to the Satya Yuga, a new cycle that promises good things, a kinder gentler world to live in.  When Alex, which is what he asked us to call him, got started and spoke quickly, some of it was missed, so we resorted to watching his facial expressions to try to get a drift of what he was saying.  He was a kind person, very short in stature, but with a big and loving heart. 

THE SPIRITUAL MESSAGE OF MARS IN AQUARIUS

The spiritual message of Mars in Aquarius is to be patient with people who don't speak your language and to understand that the world is made up of many different cultures, races and religions and we need to bypass the belief that we are better than other humans, as we are all connected.  We need to treat others the way we'd like to be treated no matter who they are, or what their position is in this world.  Basically, we all breathe the same air, drink the same water and want the same things, security, safety and love.  I love to travel, to see new things to experience different people. Traveling temporarily takes you out of your comfort zone. You sleep in a different bed and shower in a different bathroom, and eat food that you haven't tried before.  We realized that being served shrimp with the heads attached was at first weird, but then it was sooo delicious.  You have to keep an open mind and realize that everyday there's the potential to learn something new.  I talked to a man who said he had never seen or experienced snow before...say what?  As we were talking I realized that the snow was piling up on my car in the parking lot where I left it before the trip, and I wasn't looking forward to coming back to clean it up and slightly worried that after sitting in the cold for two weeks, that the car would start again.  It's all good. My car started at the first turn of the key in the ignition.  I was able to clean off all the snow and ice with the handy brush I left in the trunk.  This trip left me wondering why I was living in a place where snow storms and ice were normal during this time of year.  But I was glad to sleep in my bed again and to shower in my shower again.  I love to travel and am thankful for the gift of the trip from my daughters who paid for it.  Was off the grid for a while, no internet service, no wi-fi available but know that you all were in my heart and prayers.  It's good to be home.  Love & Light, Ayesha