Day: May 21, 2012

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’ for May 21

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Regret is something everyone has, but no one can afford to keep. Being remorseful is commendable when we should be sorry for wrong behavior, but to live with regret is to add to it day by day. There are those who are unable to admit they have ever been wrong. But there are more who carry with them so much regret they are bowed in spirit.

Thomas Moore, the Irish poet, once said, “Remorse is beholding heaven and feeling hell,” but perhaps just knowing heaven can exist makes regret more hellish. And so often it renders the regretful almost powerless to lift themselves out of their predicament.

But there is forgiveness! A daily vow or affirmation can take us a step further in lifting ourselves above the things that cause regret. And if we’ve settled down in the middle of unhappiness to enjoy our lot in life, then, moment by moment, inch by inch, we shall overcome that, too!

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Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org

 
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Elder’s Meditation of the Day May 21

Elder’s Meditation of the Day May 21

“A vision could put you on a path you don’t want to follow.”

–Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA

There is a saying, “You move toward and become like that which you think about.” If we keep thinking about a bad thing, we will move in that direction. If we think about fear in some area of our life, we will probably experience this fear. We move toward and become like that which we think about. If we think about secret things, these secret things will come to pass. Our visions are very powerful. Visions determine our direction, our lives. If you think about lustful things, it’s a matter of time before you’ll be wrestling with it. We should think about our visions to make sure they include the Great Spirit in every area.

Great Spirit, today, give me Your vision to follow.

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May 21 – Daily Feast

May 21 – Daily Feast

Many are gamblers without knowing it. They demand their right to do something – even when it is not expedient. We can insist on our right to turn at the stoplight, but if someone else has never heard of our right and takes his chances at going through, it is dangerous business. Having rights holds only of the responsibility of them goes with it. Sometimes a right is a privilege we don’t dare demand. The Cherokee calls this u na du da lv, acting in a way that is mature and careful of others. Some people tend to believe they are above the basic rules of living. But when life drops a rock on the one who so freely takes advantage, it can be a well-deserved rock. It reminds us to stay within the limits of everything from good taste to common sense.

~ The good road and the road of difficulties you have made me cross; and where they cross the place is holy. ~

BLACK ELK

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Daily OM for Monday, May 21st – Trial and Error

Trial and Error
Learning to Trust Divine Guidance

by Madisyn Taylor

 

Keeping an open mind is the most important step when learning to listen to divine guidance.

Anyone who has asked for divine guidance knows that it can be challenging to trust it when it comes. This is because divine guidance comes in many forms and it is sometimes hard to locate it. We aren’t sure if we are meant to trust our thoughts, our feelings, our dreams, or our intuitions to be the carriers of divine wisdom. We are not sure if advice from a friend is the form in which the guidance has come into the world, or if our own opinion is the source of wisdom we need to take seriously. The ability to sort all this out comes with trial and error, and the best way to learn to recognize divine guidance is to engage in the process of asking and receiving.

Sometimes when we ask for guidance, we already have a sense of what we want to hear. At such times, receiving guidance can be difficult, because we don’t want to hear anything that appears to be in opposition to our desire. Therefore, one of the most important qualities we need to cultivate if we are to receive guidance is an open mind. It helps to acknowledge what we want, and then to symbolically set it aside, making room for whatever wisdom comes through to us.

Cultivating an active relationship with the divine is the essential ingredient to being able to receive and trust guidance when it comes our way. We can make a daily practice of this by using a set of runes, a deck of cards, or a pendulum. We can also use our journals, developing a relationship with the divine through the written word. As we request and receive guidance, we might take notes on our experiences. Over time we will begin to recognize when we were able to hear correctly and when we were not. In this way, we will gradually attune ourselves to our particular relationship with the divine. Begin to trust the guidance you are receiving and soon you will find it flowing with ease.

Special Kitty of the Day for Monday, May 21

Name: Jet
 Age: Seventeen years old
Gender: Male
 Kind: Domestic Short Hair
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Jet has been a special cat his whole life. It started the day I met him. I was looking into adopting another cat (Jasper) from a local cat rescue organization and was at the foster parent’s home to have a look at him. I was sitting on a sofa and all of a sudden I got tapped on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw a young black cat sitting there, looking at me. He was so friendly and outgoing that I knew right away he would make a good therapy cat, something that I had started to do a few years earlier with another cat. I asked if he was up for adoption; he was, so I went home with two cats that day. I had no idea what to name this kitten, but when I saw him flying through the house it became quite clear- he was black and he was fast. So his name became Jet.

Since Jet was only six months old we had to wait another six months before I could have him tested as a pet therapy cat with PALS (Pet Access League Society), our local pet therapy group. He passed the test with flying colors, and soon started coming with me to the Children’s Hospital. He became an instant hit as cats are not usually seen doing pet therapy work. But Jet took it all in stride, and actually loved going to see the kids. He would go and sit on their laps, nuzzle them and sit very still while they stroked his soft fur. One touching story involves Jet and a young boy who had just come out of a coma. The boy had not spoken at all, but when he saw Jet at a PALS visit, he spoke his first word, “kitty”. His parents were in tears, as was I when they told me that this was the first word their son had spoken since he had come out of his coma. This is just one of many touching moments that pet therapy pets are involved in.

After ten years Jet received his special PALS scarf for his ten years of service. He was one of the first pets to receive it, and when he retired was the longest serving pet volunteer with PALS. Forward to thirteen years of pet therapy work, and I receive an email from a person involved with the MEOW Foundation, the rescue group from which I adopted Jet, that she wanted to nominate Jet for an award for all his years of pet therapy service. So Jet was nominated for, and won, the 2009 Volunteer Calgary Animal Volunteer of the Year award for his thirteen years as a pet therapy cat. He was the only animal present at a huge banquet dinner where all the other (human) award recipients received their awards. Of course he wore his red bow tie to this fancy banquet!

Sadly, Jet fell ill soon after the awards and was retired as a pet therapy cat. Jet just turned seventeen, and his health is continually declining. His spirit is still willing and he is still just as friendly as he has always been, but his body is getting frail. When he does pass to the Rainbow Bridge, Jet will be remembered by many people for his pet therapy contributions.

There will never be another cat like Jet, he is one in a million.

Precious Pup of the Day for Monday, May 21

Name: Nala
 Age: Two months old
Gender: Female Breed: Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever
Home: Seven Fields, Pennsylvania, USA
Nala is absolutely full of energy and is mischievous but she is such a loving dog that loves kisses, hugs, laps and to be held. She already sleeps great at night and is a hit with the neighborhood kids and dogs. We can’t wait to see what she turns into. Right now it looks to be more lab but only time will tell. But we do know that she will provide lots of love and fun to this family for many years.

Nala is a Golden Retriever mix. Her dad was pure bred Golden and her mom was half Golden Retriever and half Black Lab. We lost our fourteen-year-old Golden Retriever about two months ago and Nala lovingly fills that void. She is incredibly intelligent. In just four days of having her home with us she learned numerous words including: home, inside, outside, sit, bedtime, our “potty words” and the obvious “no“.

She is potty training great and now goes to the door and whines but we have to move fast! She does great in her crate with little complaint and has slept through the night since the first day we got her. She listens to and watches everything from the lawnmower to a someone sawing. She doesn’t always like these new things but watches intently to try and figure them out.

She has many favorite toys but especially loves my kids old Webkinz animals. Perfect for her size and little teeth for now. She loves kids with no hesitation. She is more apprehensive with big people but warms up within seconds. We love her very much!
 

About the Celtic Month of The Hawthorne Tree

The Hawthorne Tree

FOLKLORE & PRACTICAL USES: HAWTHORN

by Muirghein ó Dhún Aonghasa (Linda Kerr)

Crataegus oxyacantha– English Hawthorn. Found in England and continental Europe.

The hawthorn is easily recognized by its branches, covered with long, sharp thorns. Its small, usually white flowers bloom in May, earning it the additional name of May or Mayblossom, although in the southern U.S. it usually blooms in April (the ship Mayflower was named after the hawthorn). Its generic name, Crataegus oxyacantha, is derived from the Greek work kratos, meaning hardness (of the wood), oxus , meaning sharp, and akantha , meaning thorn. The old German name for the tree, Hagedorn , means Hedgethorn; the word haw is also an old word for hedge (1).
The red fruit, or haw, which appears in late summer, resembles a miniature stony apple. The wood makes an excellent fuel, making the hottest wood fire known, and in the past was more desirable than oak for oven-heating (2).
To the ancient Greeks and Romans, the hawthorn was a symbol of hope and happiness, and was linked with marriage and babies. Hawthorn was dedicated to Hymen, god of marriages. The torches carried in the wedding procession were made of hawthorn. People would put a sprig of hawthorn in their corsages, while the bride carried an entire bough (3). This also helped to appease the goddess Cardea, who did not like weddings, especially in May. In England, May was considered a lucky month for engagements, though not for marriages.
Later, in Medieval Europe, it was thought to be an evil and unlucky tree, and foretold a death in the house if brought inside. The hawthorn was considered one of the witches’ favorite trees, and on Walpurgis (Beltane) night, witches turned themselves into hawthorns. “With a little superstitious imagination, the hawthorn’s writhing, thorny branches at night probably do look enough like a witch to have instilled fear in medieval folk (4).”
In Ireland lone hawthorns belong to fairies, who meet at and live inside them. Many dire things are predicted if a lone thorn were disturbed in any way, among them illness and death. The Irish believed the fairies spread their washing across the thorn to dry. Ireland also has sacred hawthorns at holy wells, on which rag offerings are left (5). According to Geoffrey Grigson, the haws are also called ‘hags, (6)’ and might be a connection with the old Irish Hag-Mother, whom it was said that the rags and clothes were meant for.
The most famous hawthorn of all is the Glastonbury Thorn. It is Crataegus monogyna var. praecox , putting out leaves and flowers in winter and again in May. According to the Glastonbury legend, the Crown of Thorns was made of hawthorn. Later, it was added that Joseph of Arimathea stuck his dry hawthorn stick into the hill, where it at once grew, and ever after bloomed on Christmas Day (7).
The hawthorn is associated with May Day more than any other plant. On most May Days the hawthorn was already in full bloom, before the British at last changed the calendar in 1752 and adopted the New Style. May Day now comes thirteen days earlier (8).
Hawthorn was gathered on May Day morning, interwoven, and placed on doors or windows. The interweaving was important, since the power of magical plants was always increased by weaving them into various shapes. The magic of the hawthorn had already been increased during the night by the dew, which the country people always considered a magic fluid, especially on May Day morn (9).
On May Day, fairies and witches were abroad, and just as excited as humans by the beginning of summer. Milk and butter were likely to be stolen or bewitched. In Ireland, the rowan was the surest protector against this, while in England and France, the protective plant was the hawthorn (10).
Sex and fertility were very much a part of the old May Day celebrations, and were symbolized by the hawthorn. The stale, sweet scent of the flowers makes them suggestive of sex. This same smell led to the belief that hawthorn flowers had preserved the stench of the plague. The flowers contain trimethylamine, which is an ingredient of the smell of putrefaction (11).
Today hawthorn may be the source of an important cardiac medicine. Scientific research has shown that hawthorn dilates blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely, lowering blood pressure. It also regulates heart action, acting directly on the heart muscle to help a damaged heart work more efficiently. It works slowly and seems to be toxic only in large doses, making it a relatively safe, mild tonic (12). When administered properly, hawthorn is good for a heart muscle weakened by age, for inflammation of the heart muscle, for arteriosclerosis, and nervous heart problems.
At home, the hawthorn flowers and berries can be decocted (boiled) and drunk for a sore throat. They are also helpful in kidney trouble, acting as a diuretic. The berries can be made into a tea, which is good for nervous conditions and insomnia (13).
An excellent liqueur can be made from the berries or flowers. This recipe using the flowers dates back to about 1775. May Blossom Liqueur: Try to gather the may blossom on a dry, calm day when there is no dust flying about. Pick as much as a preserving (quart) jar will hold. Fill it up with brandy or vodka. Close the jar and shake it 3 times a week for 3 months. Filter and if necessary add sugar to taste. The resulting liqueur is excellent in custards and sauces (14).Sources:

1 Grieve, Mrs. M. A Modern Herbal (2 volumes). 1931. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY, pg. 385
2 Ibid, pg. 385.
3 Lust, John. The Herb Book. 1973. Bantam Books, New York, NY.
4 Ibid.
5 Grigson, Geoffrey. The Englishman’s Flora. 1955. Phoenix House LTD, London, England, pg. 169.
6 Ibid, pg. 166.
7 Ibid, pg. 170.
8 Ibid, pg. 168.
9 Ibid, pg. 168.
10 Ibid, pg. 167.
11 Ibid, pg. 168.
12 Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Edited by Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton. 1987. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA, pg. 275.
13 J. Lust.
14 van Doorn, Joyce. Making Your Own Liqeuers. 1980. Prism Press, San Leandro, CA, pg. 72.

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The Hawthorne 

LUNAR ENERGIES & ESOTERICA

As Dictated by Epona to Imré

Huath – Hawthorn – is the sixth lunar tree/month of the year. The Yin or female energies have subsided and the yang or male energies are on the up- swing. This is the perfect time of the year for people to begin to utilize and collect the Yang that is needed, because the energy is not yet strong enough to blow us out of the water, but is just strong enough to begin using. Women will find that the men around them have become irritable and testosterone-ridden – be warned, ladies, that this is the last chance that you are going to get, before the cycle of Yin returns, to establish the balance in the home.
This is also a good time to practice abstinence; for Hawthorn is the moon of purification and creative (as opposed to fertility-oriented) uses of sexual energies. We have found that women who indulge in the increase in their sexual appetites will feel the repercussions of their actions during the summer (around the Summer Solstice in particular) as “female problems.” Use this increased sexual energy to form a stronger bond with Nature. You will find it easier to contact spiritual guides, or ‘the Masters.’ Just as your energies are easily released at this time, so are Nature’s.
Folklore tells us that at this time of the year priests would go out into their church- yards and beat the surrounding stones in order to form a boundry and to keep evil spirits away. However, according to myths that originated in times when standing stones commonly created the physical boundaries around magickal circles, that the stones were struck so as to “wake them” or charge them (see Needles of Stone Revisted, Tom Graves). This would create the astral boundries. What does this mean? Well, it is now the time to begin understanding who you are and how you are developing. This will begin to happen as you go to Nature, yet, along with your pilgrimage comes the need to realize your basic physical limitations brought about by this incarnation. You must transcend them by imploding, or going within your being and discovering how unlimited you are within. Discover the mysteries of You. This is that time of year.

For further research, look up these points:

Vestal Virgins
Cardea (goddess)
Lady Godiva

(This is what we have come to know and understand. We would like to hear from those who have experienced it differently or would like to add to what we have. You never stop learning! – Epona, High Priestess of Faerie Faith)

Calendar of the Moon for Monday, May 21

Calendar of the Moon

Hawthorn Tree Month

Color: Purple
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a cloth of purple place a vase of the budded hawthorn twigs, a knife, incense of gardenia and marjoram, and a figure of the Goddess.
Offerings: Contemplate something that is both beautiful and painful.
Daily Meal: Serve fruit juice with the food.

Huath Invocation
Call: Now is the time of the flower’s blossoming.
Response: Now is the time when the hand reaches forth to pluck.
Call: Now is the time when we struggle with our instincts…
Response: To take beauty for ourselves, or to leave it in its place.
Call: Now is the time when we must remember that all plants are not ours.
Response: We did not plant the forest, and it does not belong to us.
Call: We were not the first beings on this earth.
Response: We have come young and late, and the trees look down upon us.
Call: They groan from the centuries of our meddling.
Response: They grow thorns to protect themselves.
Call: Now is the time when the hawthorn goddess steps forward.
Response: Now is the time when the heartless lady lifts her hand.
Call: Now is the time of great beauty in the world.
Response: Now is the time when Nature protects her beauty.
Call: The hawthorn goddess stabs us to the heart with beauty.
Response: She reminds us of our place in the world.
Call: She reminds us that we do not own this green planet.
Response: She reminds us that our grasping fingers can still bleed.
Call: She makes the hedges that our animals cannot cross.
Response: She sets the boundaries that no man may cross.
Call: She makes our hearts beat faster or slower.
Response: Her berries are sweet, but she protects them.
Call: We must respect her as we respect the Earth….
Response: The Green Man falls before her, heedless and headless.
Call: She is the blade of all trees, and we shed our blood for her.
Response: She is the teeth of Nature, and we give way before her might.

Chant:
Cauldron of Changes
Blossom of Bone
Arc of Eternity
Hole in the Stone
[Pagan Book of Hours]

Calendar of the Sun for Monday, May 21st

Calendar of the Sun
21 Thrimilchimonath

Day of the Twins: Beginning of Gemini

Colors: Light blue, pale yellow, white, and silver.
Element: Air
Altar: Lay with cloths of the day’s colors, and deck the altar with flags, wind chimes, bells, kites, incense of many kinds, pens, and small sharp blades. Let there be two of many things.
Offerings: Leave the windows open, to let the wind in to play. Write letters and mail them. Sponde should start with a long session of yogic breathing, the room divided into two groups who breath in unison.
Daily Meal: Poultry. The rest of the food should be light, and preferably raw and cold. Serve nothing hot this day. Have two choices for every dish.

Invocation to Gemini

Light twin of daytime
Dark twin of night
Speaker, writer, storyteller,
Riders of the wind,
Quicksilver child of Mercury
Whose gift is Thought,
Bless us with the ability
To think sharply as a razor,
And to separate the True from the False.
By the power of all that is spoken,
You challenge us
Not to underestimate
The power of Mind.
May we all go forth in clarity.

Chant:
I am word
I am wind
I am breath
I am spinning
On the edge
Of the blade.

(All shall be given paper and pens, and all shall write down some secret thing to be whispered only into the ear of the Gods, and all shall tear the paper into tiny pieces and fling it into the wind, to be taken to Their ears.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Current Moon Phase for Monday, May 21st – New Moon(Waxing)

Moon Phases: New Moon

(waxing 0-45 degrees)

by Jan Spiller

The New Moon is a time best suited to making new beginnings! For the first 48 hours following the exact time of the New Moon each month, a window of opportunity opens for making wishes that, if written down, come true in the days and months ahead. There is a tremendous amount of enthusiasm in the atmosphere and a feeling of Springtime. This is a great time to go forward and begin projects that you feel instinctively attracted to initiating. Follow your impulses and let yourself make new starts in areas that are important to you.

Your Daily Feng Shui Tip for May 21st

Daily Feng Shui Tip

I remember with great fondness my days as a waitress in Caldwell, New Jersey. Because I’m so proud of that past, today I want to share a money making tip on ‘National Waiters and Waitresses Day.’ This is a tip that I use whenever I need a quick infusion of cash. Pour five different kinds of uncooked rice into any glass, ceramic or crystal bowl or vase (no metal or plastics) and fill to about seventy percent capacity. For the next thirty days, at the end of each day, take all the accumulated coins that you have received that day and add it to the top of the container of rice. On the final day, count up all the change and then give ten percent to charity. Or give twenty percent to your favorite waiter or waitress. Even if this totals less than a dollar, it’s the act that counts. Then all you have to do is to wait for bigger and better career opportunities to come your way. But if you skip a day you must begin the entire process over again! Feng Shui says this daily tip will have you celebrating your career as quickly as possible!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Your Daily Number for May 21: 3

Domestic issues that include decorating, gardening, or home-repair may dominate your schedule today. It’s not the best day to engage in business dealings; some confusion in money matters is present. Be sure to get receipts and estimates for all purchases and projects.

Fast Facts

About the Number 3

Theme: Expansive, Sociable, Dramatic, Diversified, Creative
Astro Association: Venus
Tarot Association: Empress

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for May 21st is 22: Grace and Beauty

22: Grace and Beauty

Hexagram 22

General Meaning: A splashy sunset bathes the mountains in a soft radiance; the light of a full moon dances on the surface of a rippling river. Grace and beauty adorn the natural world. Grace is not an all-powerful force, nor is it the essential or fundamental thing. By itself, it is form without content. Grace is moonlight on water, not the sunlight at noon. Yet grace brings artistic expression into the world, and enhances the quality of our lives.

In the arts, grace arises out of adherence to form: the dancer becoming the form of the dance, the musician giving life to the form of a musical score, the painter becoming one with the brush and canvas. In human affairs, grace is also aligned with form — with mastery of aesthetic and cultural patterns honed by time and honored by tradition. Through appreciation of graceful customs in human relationships we apprehend the pure beauty of the ideal, of life raised above the mere struggle for survival.

Possession of grace, like the bearing of a beautiful gift to a wedding, can add stature to those in humble positions. Take care to lend grace and dignity even to small happenings, while giving the weight of deep and careful consideration to matters of greater consequence. Though it should not be confused with true substance, an artistic flair can take one far in this world.

Today’s Runes for Monday, May 21st is Tyr

Today’s Runes

Ice Runes are most commonly used for questions about struggle, conflict, and achievement. Tyr is the symbol of the warrior. This rune most represents masculine force and potency, and frequently victory in battle. Beware though, for this rune represents directly the Norse god whose name it bears – Tyr stands out in legend for having sacrificed his hand that he might bind Fenrir, a monstrous wolf that threatens to swallow the world. As such, this rune is known to portend a great victory that can be bought with a terrible sacrifice. Tyr is also the god of law, frequently placed in such position above Odin. In this aspect, protection of justice may be had by this rune.

Today’s Tarot Card for May 21st is The Magician

The Magician

This Tarot Deck: Winged Spirit Tarot

General Meaning: Traditionally, the Magus is one who can demonstrate hands-on magic — as in healing, transformative rituals, alchemical transmutations, charging of talismans and the like. A modern Magus is any person who completes the circuit between heaven and Earth, one who seeks to bring forth the divine ‘gold’ within her or himself.

At the birth of Tarot, even a gifted healer who was not an ordained clergyman was considered to be in league with the Devil! For obvious reasons, the line between fooling the eye with sleight of hand, and charging the world with magical will was not clearly differentiated in the early Tarot cards.

Waite’s image of the Magus as the solitary ritualist communing with the spirits of the elements — with its formal arrangement of symbols and postures — is a token of the freedom we have in modern times to declare our spiritual politics without fear of reprisal. The older cards were never so explicit about what the Magus was doing. It’s best to keep your imagination open with this card. Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by evolutionary forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul.

Your Daily Horoscopes for Monday, May 21st

Your Daily Horoscopes for Monday, May 21st

 
 
It’s challenging to know what to do with all the new information we receive today. However, yesterday’s Solar Eclipse was a turning point, and the flighty Gemini Moon reminds us that we don’t have our feet back on the ground yet. But even if we perceive our world differently now, mental Mercury’s run-in with naysayer Saturn prevents us from flying with an untested idea. It will take time to integrate our clever thoughts into the real world.
Aries Horoscope
Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

Everything seems to be moving too quickly — even though you speedy Rams are the Champions of Fast. You’re also the Champions of First, but being in front of everyone else isn’t what’s most important now. Slow down your words so your heart can catch up to your thoughts, or otherwise you’ll be the cleverest lonely person around. Even if you think too much today, saying less helps to maintain the peace.

Taurus Horoscope
Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 – May 20)

Although your thinking picks up a bit of speed from the agile Gemini Moon, the urgency of your message is diminished by communicator Mercury’s presence in steady Taurus. It’s easier now to let go of those things that quietly bother you because you recognize that you won’t find resolution today. Nevertheless, your natural persistence enables you to restore balance between your current need for immediate gratification and your willingness to wait until the timing is right.

Gemini Horoscope
Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – Jun 20)

Your world is changing faster than you realize. Even if you have a well thought-out plan, rational Mercury’s anxious quincunx with sobering Saturn just might send you back to the drawing board to tighten your logic. Meanwhile, the Moon dances along in your sign, but it’s not a simple tune that’s playing, especially if you are trying to hold on to a feeling from the past. Nevertheless, share what’s in your heart before it’s too late.

Cancer Horoscope
Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – Jul 22)

Fear is creeping into your subconscious mind today and turning your imagination two shades darker. Just remember that dark doesn’t necessarily imply evil; it simply means an absence of light. What you think and feel can seem more real now than reality itself. Enjoy the magic of the Hall of Mirrors without needing to know what’s going to happen next. Fortunately, your active imagination holds the keys to your future.

Leo Horoscope
Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

There’s an important shift brewing in your social world now that the Sun, Moon and Venus are all occupying your 11th House of Friends. Something out of the ordinary may occur, ultimately making you feel as if your friends or co-workers aren’t even on your side. However, these feelings could be just an illusion playing a trick on you. Let things develop naturally and don’t try to read too much into the current situation.

Virgo Horoscope
Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

If everything at work appears to be too good to be true today, then something is about to change. However, if progress has been bumpy, it may be smart to examine what changes you could initiate. But don’t get too impatient or your frustration can put a negative spin on your professional relationships. It is to your advantage to allow the tensions to resolve gradually, without applying too much pressure to have things go your way.

Libra Horoscope
Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

You tend to be rather philosophical about your day, even if it doesn’t turn out as you envisioned it. Instead of getting all stressed out over a necessary change of plans, you might just quietly adapt as required. Nevertheless, there’s still a price to be paid for missing your mark. Instead of wasting energy worrying about a setback, process your disappointment quickly so you can set new goals and try again.

Scorpio Horoscope
Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

The current cluster of planets in your 8th House of Shared Resources might affect your material possessions and income status. However, this emphasis is just as often about non-material things that others bring into your life, including love and sexuality. You may secretly wish that you could withdraw for a bit to re-evaluate the complexity of a relationship. Instead, stay connected to those around you and save the contemplation for another day.

Sagittarius Horoscope
Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

No matter how much you apply your analytical thinking today, you might not be able to figure out what’s going on in the mind of your partner. Whatever is usually transparent has now gone dark, making it impossible to accurately read the situation. Stop trying so hard to solve a temporarily unsolvable mystery. Instead, focus on the beauty in those you love and support them the best way you can.

Capricorn Horoscope
Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Concentrating on the details of your work is extremely helpful today. If you do your job right, your efforts will bring you the rewards and recognition that you seek. In the meantime, there are probably more tasks to do than you expected. Even if you would rather celebrate your impending success now, don’t go popping any corks until you are absolutely positive that your tasks are truly done.

Aquarius Horoscope
Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Your romantic world may be in for a change, yet you cannot see what’s around the next corner. However, prior to your pursuit of happiness, you first need to finish the business that’s still on your plate. Don’t try to rush the process since it will happen on its own timetable. Instead, focus on the possibilities of your creativity, without worrying about concrete production for now.

Pisces Horoscope
Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

It’s difficult to move forward today, even if you’re enthusiastic about your next project. You might prefer hiding out in your office or at home, sharing your plans online or over the phone, as the Sun and the Moon visit your 4th House of Emotional Security. Nevertheless, it’s wise now to push beyond your comfort zone. Nothing ventured; nothing gained.

Your Business & Career Horoscopes for the Week of May 21

Your Business & Career Horoscopes for the Week of May 21

Aries

It’s where you’ve been held back or penned in on the work front that you’re finally able to put your foot down and go for it this week, spurred on by a new sense of urgency on the income front. It was only last week that Mars, planet of passion, drive and ambition faced his last hurdle and not due to leave your work sector until the 4th July what has been a marathon is switching back to a sprint again. As you come into the home straight of a journey that began last November, you’re no longer green behind the ears and you have a wealth of experience and professional hindsight to draw on. This allows you to pick your battles wisely at what is a time for putting your head down and your tail up, putting everything you have into everything you do.

Taurus

There is a new level of confidence on the work front this week and it’s coming from the fact that things have shifted to support your hard work and effort and all the drudge work put in, in the past. Saturn, the only planet in either of your professional houses, has been in retrograde motion in your work sector since early February and will remain in retrograde motion until later next month, so nothing has changed as far as he’s concerned. It’s still all about putting your head down and your tail up, putting in the hard work behind the scenes that you need to but more that the conditions have changed. Saturn is no longer under pressure, so the work pressure should have eased right back, but it’s support and confidence on the income front that has changed all the filters.

Gemini

There is a chance to pull back this week. It was just last week that the last in a series of Mars oppositions, that has put direct pressure on your career sector, finally ran its course. Where this created professional pressure and work/life balance pressures specifically, you’ve had a chance to learn a lot and take heed of any wake up calls. But with the pressure gone and both Neptune and Chiron, the planets staying on to keep your professional game on a roll slowing down, ahead of their retrograde turn early next month, there is no longer any urgency. Instead there is a chance to pull back this week and work with the cards already on the table. This is now all about the big picture and it’s that big picture that you have a chance to refer back to now, with a chance to get your bearings.

Cancer

Pay attention to any work pressure early in the week, finding a balance between avoiding sweating the small stuff and not sticking your head in the sand. It’s on Monday, 2 weeks to the day before a lunar eclipse in your work sector is likely to see fate reveal the final wildcard up its sleeve, that the Moon and Sun will align to push some buttons. This comes at the start of the month long wind down to your current solar year, when there is a need to start conserving energy and to pace yourself. This may present as a case of Mondayitis, in which case you need to humour yourself and not push through this, telling yourself to buck up. There is a serious need to slow down and to look at where any expectations are coming from. A slower approach may see you accomplish more in the long run.

Leo

Moving into the new week with the Sun, Mercury, Moon and Jupiter in your career sector would suggest that this is going to be a professionally charged week and while it will remain an important professional week, things ease back dramatically while becoming more urgent at the same time. With the Sun and Moon leaving your career sector on Monday, Mercury on Thursday and none meeting up with lucky Jupiter again here for another 12 years, all your cards are now on the table. It’s the insight, professional instincts and intellectual savvy that the Sun, Moon and Mercury leave you with that allow you to move into what is the end game ready to play your A game. With Jupiter leaving on the 12th June it’s time to bring things home.

Virgo

Venus’ retrograde turn in your career sector last week and her first full week in retrograde motion suggests this should be a fairly quiet professional week, with the focus on the past and on working behind the scenes. While this will play a part in this week’s dynamics this is anything but a behind the scenes week, with your professional game being thrust into the limelight in the early hours of the week. It’s on Monday that the Sun and Moon not only return to your career sector within hours of each other, but align to form a solar eclipse on Monday. This opens the door to new beginnings and opportunities, just as Venus is opening the door to the past and second chances. Mercury’s return to your career sector gives you the intellectual savvy to manage a changing professional landscape.

Libra

You have a chance to rest on your laurels this week. It was only last Thursday that work pressure began to ease off, yet unlike the false starts of the past, this time you really have crossed your final hurdle. Pay attention as your professional instincts kick in, from Thursday or Friday onwards, for what you’ll be picking up on is the Moon’s return to your career sector, for what is his last visit before new doors open in less than 2 weeks time. Once new doors open on the career front, from the 7th June onwards, they’ll remain open for the next 3 months, bringing you to the most important professional months of the year, especially when it comes to looking at where to from here. This makes it important to step back this week, catching your breath before the next wave.

Scorpio

Things have eased back considerably on the work front, to a point where you’re now able to focus more on pacing yourself, keeping what has been put in motion in play. Mercury only left your work sector on the 9th May, so this is still early days and with Uranus staying on to keep things on track, it’s less about the push to bring things up to speed and more about being in the driver’s seat, keeping things on the road. It’s the Moon’s return to your career sector on Saturday, a month to the day before new doors are due to open, that gives you a chance to both sharpen your professional instincts and look ahead. This gives you your first real glimpse of what will be the defining months of your professional year, with a chance to start looking ahead to new mountains and goals to conquer.

Sagittarius

Despite a professionally driven start to the week, expect things to ease back. It was only last week that Mars faced his final hurdle and not due to leave your career sector until the 4th July, his professional passions move into the overdrive this week, ready to make up for lost time. At the same time you begin the week with the Sun, Mercury, Moon and Jupiter in your work sector, completing one of the most formidable line ups you’ve gone into a new working week with all year. Yet while you still have several more weeks to bring things up to speed on the career front, on the work front this is the end game. The Sun and Moon leave your work sector on Monday and Mercury on Thursday and with Jupiter leaving 3 weeks later it’s time to wrap things up and tie up loose ends.

Capricorn

After Venus’ retrograde turn in your work sector last week her first full week in retrograde motion should see things pull right back especially as Saturn, the only other planet in either of your professional houses, is also in retrograde motion in your career sector. While this does open the door to second chances on the work and career fronts, especially as Venus and Saturn are working together, this is destined to be anything but a quiet and behind the scenes week. It all changes dramatically when within hours of each other first the Sun and then the Moon not only return to your work sector on Monday, but align to form a solar eclipse. This opens the door to new beginnings and a game changing month on the work front, while the doors to second chances are also open.

Aquarius

Apart from a Full Moon in your career sector earlier in the month you’ve had no help from the professional gods this year, with no planetary activity in either of your professional houses so far this year. That’s about to change with Mercury returning to your work sector on the 7th June, opening the door to an active 3 months on the work front that will overlap the start of a much bigger phase on the career front, that won’t ease off until 2015. In short, your time on the professional sidelines is about to end, with the Moon’s last visit to your work sector before things kick off giving you a chance to sharpen your instincts, get your bearings and pick up on some valuable clues. Keep your finger on the pulse and your ear to the ground, especially between Thursday and Saturday.

Pisces

Look behind any work/life balance pressures, for it’s coming from buttons being pushed as planetary influence kicks in on the home front, inadvertently putting pressure on the very points on the career front that are due to come to a head during a lunar eclipse in just a few weeks time. At the same time this gives you a chance to address any work/life balance issues it also provides some valuable wake up calls, putting you on alert to developments that are likely to come to a head during the lunar eclipse in your career sector on the 4th June. It’s the Moon’s return to your work sector on Saturday, a month to the day before Mercury returns and opens the door to the first planetary activity here for the year that gives you a chance to tap into any clues, hunches and insights ahead of time.

Weekly Financial Horoscopes for Monday, May 21st

Your Weekly Financial Horoscopes for May 21st

Aries

Even though you begin the week with the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Jupiter in your income sector, ensuring that you move into the new week with your eyes open and both a smart head and a nose for money, this extreme focus will quickly ease back. With the Moon and Sun leaving your income sector on Monday and Mercury on Thursday, none meeting up with lucky Jupiter again here for another 12 years, it’s important that you move into the week playing it like you mean it. Even Jupiter is leaving your income sector on the 12th June and after continuous planetary activity since April 2011, you’ll soon be on your own. With your fighting passions and drives kicking back in on the work front, it’s time to break your way through any glass ceilings.

Taurus

There is a dramatic turnaround on the income front this week, with the money gods out in full. This is Venus’ first full week in retrograde motion in your income sector and with the support of Saturn, in retrograde motion in your work sector the scene was set for a fairly quiet and behind the scenes week, where the focus was on second chances on the income and work fronts. That all changes on Monday when the Sun and Moon not only return to your income sector within a few hours of each other, but align to form a solar eclipse. This is the first of 2 New Moons, the second on the 20th May and it’s between these two New Moons that everything will change. Mercury’s return to your income sector on Thursday will give you the smart head for money needed to manage this turn of events.

Gemini

Pluto is the only planet active in either of your money houses and it’s been that way since last September. That’s when the last round of planetary activity in your income sector ran its course, with the focus since then on your financial situation as a whole. With Pluto now in retrograde motion, you have a chance to take care of any financial housekeeping and to look back and change anything that isn’t working. If this is becoming a little boring and you’re anxious to see some movement on the income front, then help is on its way. It’s from Thursday to Saturday that the Moon will make his last visit to your income sector before Mercury returns early next month, opening the door to the most lucrative months of the year. Hold onto the nose for money or any clues this leaves you with.

Cancer

While you will have to wait until the weekend to get any support from the money gods this week, you don’t actually need it. With no planetary activity in either of your money houses since activity in your financial sector wound up in February, all your cards are on the table. While this leaves you qualified to manage your own financial affairs and to have confidence in the decisions you’re making and the way you play things, things may be running on empty on the income front. This makes the Moon’s return to your income sector on Saturday so important. Arriving a month to the day before new doors are due to open on the income front, the Moon will be doing a lot more than simply giving you a nose for money, with some valuable information and insight into which doors to start lining up at.

Leo

You can breathe a sigh of relief, with the last of the financial hurdles you’ll need to cross finally behind you. It was last week that Mars, now becoming more impatient to get things moving on the income front, faced his last roadblock, with oppositions between forces in your financial sector finally behind you. At the same time that this brought everything to a head on the financial front, so that you know what you’re dealing with and can now do so behind the scenes, this set you free to really make things happen on the income front. With a new sense of urgency developing on the work front, to get things up to speed, the same sense of urgency and hunger is developing on the income front. It’s time to take serious aim at any glass ceilings, ready to come out of your corner fighting.

Virgo

You’ve known or sensed for a few weeks now that the financial challenges of recent months are behind you, but where you may have settled for things returning to the status quo, it seems that the money gods are bending backwards to compensate. This was always going to be a confident week on the income front, with Venus’ first full week in retrograde motion in your career sector lending forces on the income front, where the door has been open to second chances for some time, her full support. But it’s the new doors opening on the career front this week that bolsters your professional confidence and because of the link already established, should boost your income confidence as well. All of a sudden you have options, with a turnaround now underway.

Libra

While you begin the week with a lot of focus on your financial situation with the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Jupiter all in your financial sector as you move into the new week, this will drop off dramatically. Yet as it does a new sense of urgency will set in, with a growing sense that it’s time to tie up loose ends and bring things home. When the Sun and Moon leave your financial sector on Monday they’ll leave you with your financial instincts sharp and some real financial objectivity, with Mercury’s departure on Thursday leaving you with a smart head for money. For all 3 this is their last contact with lucky Jupiter here for another 12 years and as he’s leaving on the 12th June, you’re now in the end game. It’s time to bring things home and to bring all the different strands together.

Scorpio

The shift in financial focus at the start of the week is so sudden and so abrupt and because there is an element of financial pressure thrown in, this might throw you off guard. Yet however it’s experienced this is a good thing, a very good thing. This is Venus’ first full week in retrograde motion in your financial sector, so this should have been a fairly low key money week, giving you a chance to work behind the scenes and revisit old financial desires. Yet that all changes on Monday when within hours of each other the Sun and Moon not only return to your financial sector, but align to form a solar eclipse, opening the door to new beginnings. Mercury’s return to your financial sector on Thursday will give you the smart head for money needed to manage these changing financial times.

Sagittarius

Pluto, in retrograde motion in your income sector is enjoying a free ride, with support from professional forces but no challenges. That won’t always be the case, with the Moon’s return to your financial sector on Thursday and opposition with Pluto providing some timely wake up calls. This is the Moon’s last visit to your financial sector before Mercury returns early next month and the first planetary activity for the year kicks in. This puts you just a few weeks away from the most active money months of the year, but the focus will be split between your financial and income situations. Listen to the financial instincts and insights the Moon leaves you with, without sticking your head in the sand or sweating the small stuff, while realising that your main focus is still on income matters.

Capricorn

With no planetary activity in either of your money houses the Moon’s monthly visit to your financial sector is always important, with a chance to sharpen your financial instincts and get your bearings. But there is something a little more significant to the Moon’s return to your financial sector on Saturday, returning a month to the day before the first planetary activity for the year kicks off. You’ve had a lot of planetary influence on the income front this year, so much so that you should know what you’re aiming and striving for and how to make it happen, making it more a case of keeping things on track. On the financial front and with money matters in general you haven’t even begun to bring things up to speed, with a chance over the weekend to gain some valuable clues and insights.

Aquarius

Chances are there is a sense of belief and also doubt in the air this week, for while last week’s opposition between forces on the income and financial fronts is over, this has happened in the past, only to return. This time some fairly challenging money months are behind you and last week’s setbacks and pressure really was the last hurdle you needed to get through. Life will always have its ups and downs, but in terms of the challenges you’ve been facing over recent months, this chapter is behind you. This comes just as your fighting spirit is starting to bounce back and with Mars, the warrior planet of the cosmos not due to leave your financial sector until the 4th July, this leaves you plenty of time to turn things around. It’s time to come out of your corner fighting.

Pisces

The tide has turned on the financial front and whether your actual financial situation has changed yet or not there is a new sense of empowerment. Even past financial challenges are more likely to be empowering you, as a new sense of financial confidence returns. What is helping this is that it’s retrospective, in that you’re starting to see the past in a different light. Instead of casting yourself in the role of the victim, you’re able to look back at past financial challenges or back to the roots of a current financial situation, in a way that makes it hard to play the ‘woulda, shoulda, coulda’ game. There is a real sense now that, that was then and this is now. When you take ownership of the past you’re able to tap into the experience and the wealth of hindsight this opens the door to.

Your Daily Love Horoscopes for Monday, May 21st

Your Daily Love Horoscopes for May 21st

Aries

Ever since Venus, planet of love returned to your communication sector early last month, communication has become even more important, especially on the relationship front. With Venus already opening the door to second chances and an opportunity to give the past and unsaid words a voice, today creates an opportunity for new beginnings as well.

Taurus

As your birthday month comes to an end you’re able to create a real line in the sand, distancing yourself from the romantic setbacks and challenges of recent weeks and months, ready to move on. Any roadblocks are behind you and the most romantically charged and important relationship months of the year lay in front of you.

Gemini

If how a new solar year begins is any indication of how it will continue, then this is destined to be a big year on both the personal and romantic fronts. Your new solar year kicks off today with a solar eclipse, opening some major new doors and providing a real tailwind, at a time when the door is open to second chances on the romantic front.

Cancer

Just when you thought the focus on the past couldn’t be more extreme with Venus, planet of love in retrograde motion in an already nostalgic part of your chart and Pluto in retrograde motion in your relationship sector, it does just that today. As you begin the process of wrapping up your solar year, the solar spotlight shifts to the road behind.

Leo

This is a day for coming out in defence of your heart and your romantic confidence, which could get a bit of a bruising during today’s solar eclipse. But with a lunar eclipse in your romantic sector in just 14 days time this is more a wakeup call, with a chance to look at what’s still pushing your buttons and why.

Virgo

There is a real sense of relief in the air, as whatever relationship hurdles you needed to cross are now behind you. In fact, things are settling down so much on the relationship front and such a steady sense of momentum is now possible, that you run the risk of letting a growing professional focus swamp things.

Libra

There is a new sense of freedom and liberation being felt on both the romantic and relationship fronts, that is giving you permission to let both your love life and your relationships take their natural and intended course. This is not only influencing your journey forward but the way that you’re looking back on the past.

Scorpio

Both the Moon and Sun leave your relationship sector today, bringing to an end a defining month on the relationship front, but in a way that leaves you with a sense that there is still more to be done. At the same time that the Sun leaves you with some reality checks the Moon leaves you with an intuitive sense of what’s a priority and what isn’t.

Sagittarius

There is a very dramatic turn of events on the relationship front today, with the Sun and Moon not only returning to your relationship sector within hours of each other, but aligning to form a solar eclipse. With zero build up this might take you by surprise, suddenly opening new doors just as you’re adjusting the old doors that are now open.

Capricorn

Within hours of each other first the Sun and then the Moon leave your romantic sector today and in both cases it will be another 12 years before either meet up with lucky Jupiter here again. This makes it important to hold onto the realistic and intuitive read they give you of your heart and romantic needs and situation, taking the messages on board and to heart.

Aquarius

Today is one of the most important days of your romantic year, more because of the huge turning point created by not only the Sun and the Moon’s return to your romantic sector, but the solar eclipse this creates. Having a solar eclipse on Day 1 of what was always going to be game changing months, creates a chance to draw a real line in the sand.

Pisces

There is no doubt that you’ve turned a corner on the relationship front, but also that the journey isn’t complete. With the objectives, challenges and roadblocks behind you you’re in the rebuilding phase and the glue and nails that will help you build better and stronger relationships moving forward are words and good intentions.