Guidance

by

Lifelight Astrology 7th June 2017

intuition muscle

FULL MOON IN SAGITTARIUS 

On Friday 9th June, we have a full moon in Sagittarius, which means that the Moon is opposite the Sun in Gemini, continuing the communication theme for the next two weeks.

Gemini represents the logical, rational mind and is concerned with our busy daily lives, our immediate environment and all incoming information. Sagittarius represents the truth seeker, the higher intuitive mind, the guru that resides within each of us.

This full moon urges us to reach higher, shoot our arrows further and explore beyond the borders of our daily lives, by developing and honing our intuition.

Even though the rational mind often gets a bad rap, without it, we would be incapable of processing any information whatsoever.

However, we need to make it a servant, not the master.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift”. Albert Einstein

 

The barrage of information that comes to us on any given day, together with the gazillion thoughts and concerns we may have, tends to drown out any intuitive messages that might be trying to gain access.

Over the next few weeks, see if you can connect more consciously with your intuition. This is not something that’s reserved for a special  gifted few. It’s available to us all, but we need to work it like any other muscle.

14 WAYS TO HONE YOUR INTUITION:

  • For a few minutes each day, turn off or step away from your devices and the noise of daily life and spend some time in silence. Give the chattering mind a chance to subside, so as to allow your intuition to emerge. Remember that the words “Listen” and “silent” have the same letters.
  • Spend time in nature. Ground yourself regularly! (Read more here)
  • If you have a dilemma or a problem, try stepping away from it and doing something completely different. Go for a walk or a shower or pull some weeds out of the garden. Very often, the answer will magically appear.
  • Tune into the 5 senses regularly. It’s quick, easy and accessible and brings you into the moment, opening a channel to your higher self.
  • Do some stream of conscious journalling, which clears the mind of busy mundane thoughts and worries and makes space for intuitive guidance  to come through.
  • Try writing with your non-dominant hand. It will help you to liberate rigid patterns of expression.
  • Write down whatever you remember of your dreams. Our souls communicate every single night, but we need to listen.
  • Take some time to creatively express yourself. Spontaneous imagery, collage, painting, doodling, drawing, singing, making music and dancing help to calm the busy mind and give us more access to  our intution.
  • Start an intuitive notebook. Write down every intuitive flash or hunch you have.
  • When you have a feeling that you should call or visit someone, or reach for a book, follow it and see where it leads.
  • Pay more attention to your feelings. They are a compass and will tell you whether you’re moving in the right direction.
  • See if you can guess who’s on the phone before you look at it. Have fun with it and don’t beat yourself up if you get it wrong 🙂
  • Pick a subject and speak to yourself or to somebody else for 3 or 4 minutes – without interrupting. As you talk, notice how the clutter clears and gems of insight and wisdom start to appear.
  • Let somebody else talk for the same amount of time and just listen, without commenting, fixing or helping. As you listen, notice any new awareness that might arise  about yourself or your own life.

I’ll be sharing some insights on Intuition and Listening on FACEBOOK over the next month. Please join in the conversation and share how you connect to your intuition!

THE ART OF LISTENING WORKSHOPS

To work with the current communication/ intuition theme,  I will be running two THE ART OF LISTENING workshops in June, where I will be teaching you how to make your own deck of Soul Guidance Oracle Cards. The process of selecting images and reading the cards in a group environment will hone your intuition and listening skills and is highly likely to shed light on important issues in your life.

The workshops will be held on Saturday 10th and 24th June – 9:00 to 4:30  AND every Wednesday in June from 9:30 to 12:30

From June, Wednesday “pop-in” classes will be in the form of stand-alone courses – with a different theme each month.

 

Thanks for reading 🙂

 

In light and life

 

Michelle

by

New Moon 26th April 2017

lying grass

By Michelle McClunan

On 26th April we have a new moon in Taurus , which celebrates the  recent re-emergence of the Venus from the underworld.

The planet of love and money (ruler of this new moon) has turned direct after her  retrograde journey, which happens only once every 18 months. This is often  likened to Persephone’s descent into the underworld, where she gets to face her shadow, amongst other things. During a Venus retrograde period (especially if Venus features prominently in our charts) we face the parts of ourselves which we dislike or disown.  In addition to this, any fears or insecurities about money, love, safety and self- worth very often come bubbling up to the surface.  This has been emphasised in 2017 due to Venus also being locked into a tight square with stern, restrictive Saturn.

The good news…( yes there is good news!)…. is that not only has she turned direct again,  but she is also separating from the square with Saturn,  and is about to embark on a brand new journey on the 29th April when she enters Aries.

This beautifully gentle new Taurean moon ushers in some very welcome earth energy, after all the fire and brimstone of the past month, which has left many of us scorched and gasping for breath… and for an oasis of some sort.  We need to be aware that there are still some sparks flying around, which could easily start more blazes if they’re not tended, but generally the energy seems to have quietened down a little.

This new moon is a good time to integrate any learnings we’ve received during our time underground and to set new intentions regarding money, security or relationships.

Taurean energy is not fast or fiery. It’s slow and stable, methodical and sensual. Remembering that we still have 4 planets retrograde, this is not all about forward motion and climbing the next mountain. It’s about being present and patient and then taking the next step and then the next. It’s always possible to deal with this moment and the moment 60 seconds from now!

The sun’s passage through Taurus and this  new moon also  encourage us to reconnect with mother nature in a big way.

With all that’s going on, Earthing or grounding is essential right now.

Earth is an electrical planet, and we are bio-electrical beings.  Emerging science  has revealed that direct contact with the EARTH gives us an  energy infusion, which can help to restore and stabilize the circuitry that governs our  physiology and organs, harmonise our basic biological rhythms, boost self-healing, reduce inflammation and pain, improve our sleep and engender feelings of calmness. This  must be why we always feel better when we spend time in nature!

If you’re still feeling fiery, anxious,  burnt out, sluggish, frustrated, or exhausted, take some time to reconnect with Mother Earth and ask her to  recharge you. Walk barefoot as much as you can. Try lying down on the grass for a while and allow her beautiful  energy to seep into your being. Revel in those small, simple, sensual  moments of comfort or joy – luxuriate in a bubble bath, sit under a tree, dip your toes in a stream, slow down, stroke a cat, bask in the sunlight, read a good book, sip or eat something delicious… and enjoy the long weekend!

Check out the upcoming  ART OF EARTHING workshop on 22nd May. If you’d like to do the workshop but can’t make the date, let me know and I might schedule another one.

 

In life and light

 

Michelle

 

by

LIFELIGHT ASTROLOGY UPDATE 21 MARCH

firework

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Our new Astrological year has finally begun, with the sun entering Aries, the sign that governs new intentions, new beginnings and new life. This is the time of the year when we feel a real desire to emerge from the oneness, express our individuality, stand up, be seen and push forward with new initiatives.

The cusp on which Aries falls in your Natal chart is the area of your life which is where you will be wanting to focus your energy and  where a new cycle of expression will begin.

Some other important news is that Venus, the planet of love, peace, harmony and money,  is currently travelling retrograde through Aries, which means that she will be in the sign of the warrior for 13 weeks in total, compared to the normal 3 weeks she spends in a sign.

With her being retrograde, we are asked to re-visit our relationships, our money and our value systems. If there seem to be blockages in any of those areas, this is a good time to reassess them and make the changes that need to be changed.

When you combine the feminine energy of Venus with the fiery boldness, individualism and assertion of Aries,  you can end up with a ragingly angry feminine force OR a person who stands gently, but firmly in her own power, despite the opinion and actions of others.

This is the time of the year, where we are encouraged to explore our uniqueness, to embrace life to the full… to move, to sing, to dance, to make art, to make love, to adventure….  to emerge from the  shadows, step into our power and boldly embrace the next step in our lives.

Where are you unique?

How do you stand out from the crowd?

What is one audacious dream you have for your life? ‘

Where in your life, are you prepared to make one bold step into the future?

Email me for details on the BORN TO BE BOLD Workshops in April.

We still have space on our EARTH AND AUTUMN ODYSSEYS as well, so be sure not to miss them.

 

In Life and light

 

Michelle

by

To Surrender or not to Surrender?

dandelion

Coming up on the 26th February, we have a powerful solar eclipse (new moon).  The sun is joined by the Moon, Mercury, the South Node,  Neptune and widely by Chiron … all in Pisces. That’s a whole lot of water right there!

Solar Eclipses always indicate major endings, in order to usher in the new. This is  especially true when they happen in Pisces. Being the last sign of the zodiac, this signals that the end of the astrological year is nigh.  This one is connected to the Pisces  Solar eclipse in March 2015, so  there might very well be a connection, if you think back to that time.

Pisces is a dual water sign  (two fish swimming in opposite directions) and relates to the dreamworld, imagination,  intuition, surrender, Divine Connection and all things mystical. However, it is also associated with  delusion, illusion, addiction and  self-sabotage. It shows us where we let ourselves down, over and  over again, where we still consider ourselves to be victims and where we’re waiting for somebody else to come in and rescue us.

If this eclipse involved only a batch of planets in Pisces, I would expand on that, but it’s really not that simple.  Bringing all that  water to the boil , we also  have a major pattern in the sky, formed by Mars (masculine, goals, ambitions, ego drives) in fiery Aries ( the  warrior)  at the same degree as Uranus,  the planet of radical change and liberation; square  transformational Pluto and opposite expansive Jupiter.

So in English now… this combination of energy says – “What do you desire?  Where do you want to go?  How are you going to get there?  It’s time to push yourself forward, take no prisoners!  Don’t be a woes! Make those changes now and  get things moving!.”

So… what do we do with that?

Push forward or surrender?

I’ve just read a very interesting book called The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer.  He has made a life-long  commitment to release his personal preferences, and surrender to the bigger “plan” for his life. The story that emerges is very  interesting,  because every single time he relinquishes his ego drive,  something bigger and better than he ever could have imagined, opens up for him.

However, I have to admit, even though this resonated with me on one level, there was and still is, a voice inside my head  that pops up to say…. “But what happens to MY dreams, MY needs, MY purpose… if I surrender entirely to the flow???”

I’ve been mulling over this for a while and have yet to come up with anything definitive, but it does bring to mind  the first  time I ever rode a horse in the wild. It was at NIGHT, a moonless night at that and we were heading down into a valley in the middle of Zululand.  At one point, early on  in the ride,   I could see absolutely nothing. Let me tell you, my ego was freaking out. Every part of me wanted to take control of that horse, or get off and walk.  My body was stiff, I was scared and hanging on for dear life. A friend (experienced at riding in the dark) advised me to soften my body and give my horse a very long rein so that he would be able to smell and sense his way along.

This was completely counter- intuitive, because all  I wanted to do was tighten the reins and hang on with all my might. However,  due to the fact that I didn’t actually know anything about riding, and  had no idea of how to get to where we were going,  I had no option but to take his advice.  All I needed to do was to stay on the horse and keep my head down, to avoid being de-eyed by unseen branches!

The amazing thing was the  more I surrendered my control and put my faith in this  incredibly intuitive being, the more I realised that I could trust him to lead me to where I needed to go, which he did… and flawlessly at that, never even faltering once.  Along the way, on the straight sections, we cantered, wind in our hair…nothing but the sound of horses hooves on the ground and the occasional “Yeehaa!” from the likes of me and my fellow rookies.  I remember closing my eyes at one point and letting my steed do what horses do, without any interference from me at all. I felt completely connected to  him, to the evening, to the earth, the sky, the stars… the whole caboodle.

By trusting and surrendering to something bigger, I had one of the most exhilarating, liberating experiences of my life … and I reached the destination, but in an entirely different way to how I would have planned it. If I reflect on it, whenever   I have surrendered to the flow, I have been supported!

I  guess there is a midpoint somewhere between our  ego drives and surrender.  Perhaps this eclipse asks us to find it. What if we show up, wholeheartedly… get on the horse, head in the basic direction and then let go of the reins a little?  What if we are kinder, gentler, less cruel, less rigid… softer… towards ourselves and others?  What if we are able to relax and trust that we really are not alone in all  this and that there might be an even bigger, more delicious  plan in store for us than the one we’ve imagined ?

As Rumi says, “Life is a balance between holding on and letting go” … perhaps it’s  a dance between making it happen and allowing it happen.

Please see my newsletter or email me for details about my “Art of Surrender” workshops in March.

 

In life and light

Michelle

by

Lifelight Astrology 26 January 2017

barbed

IT’S TIME TO BREAK FREE!

On the 28th January, we have a new moon in freedom-loving Aquarius, which  officially ushers in the year of the Fire Rooster. If you’ve been feeling tired and jaded and  that you’re still in transition between 2015 and 2016, this might explain why.

New moons always indicate the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one, a time to reassess, let go and welcome in the new.

This new moon lies at the midpoint between Venus and Saturn, who are in an exact square to each other right now. This can bring to the fore  issues, concerns and fears around money, security and/or relationships. There may be a feeling of needing more than you have, or feeling burdened, tired or stuck in any of these areas.

Let’s investigate this a little further.

SATURN

Saturn is often viewed as a stern, finger-wagging father figure, who lectures us on where we seem to be failing  and gives advice about what we could be doing better. He can issue strict curfews and make us feel incapable, lazy, limited and generally “not good enough”.

However, it all depends on how we perceive him

Old Cronos is currently travelling through the expansive, optimistic sign of Sagittarius and although the two are unlikely bedfellows, when we combine their energy, we find the wise teacher, who provides us with challenges and tests, in order to help us stretch past our existing limitations and mature into our next level of being.

VENUS

Venus  represents  one aspect of the feminine and is all about relationships, love, money, self-worth, security and value.  She is currently swimming through Pisces, along with Mars – which brings us tenderness, imagination, intuition, creativity, compassion, sensitivity and vulnerability. The lover within us longs for depth of connection, which can be hard to define and satisfy. The shadow part of her journey through Pisces is  evasion, slipperiness, addiction, escapism and victimisation.

SATURN VENUS SQUARE

When these energies are blended together, we are presented with the opportunity to look at :

  • The challenges/ limitations/ fears that may arise around our attitudes and beliefs about money, security and/or love
  • Where we are evasive, addicted, non-committal, deluded or victimised
  • Where we are too hard or merciless on ourselves
  • How we can embrace the creative, intuitive, vulnerable sides of ourselves with a deeper level of maturity and understanding

NEW MOON IN AQUARIUS

The New Moon in Aquarius steps in here to  assist us in detaching enough so as to see things from a different perspective.  When we can lift ourselves out of the quagmire of our issues and put ourselves into the role of the compassionate observer,  we are able to clearly  see what’s actually going on and what we can do about it.

This new moon energy is revolutionary, rebellious and maverick. It refuses to conform to the status quo or to ancient paradigms, patterns and limitations. It dares us to stand up for what we truly believe in and unravel the ropes that bind us.

However, In order for us to stand up for ourselves and initiate change, we need to first understand what our perceived limitations are.

ELEPHANTS

When  elephants live in captivity, they’re tied to trees (sob)  with  strong ropes every night. Because it’s their nature to be free,  baby elephants will continually try to break away, until they realise that it’s futile , give up and resign themselves to staying put.

The interesting thing is that they are fully grown, even though they have the power to totally uproot the tree, they will not even attempt to break free. This is because their perception, which was set in place while they were babies, is that they cannot escape.

AND US?

Well, we all have illusory boundaries, fears and limitations, which were created in the past.

However, we also have the ability to see them and set ourselves free.

I see the energies of the moment as providing us with a chance to see, connect with and acknowledge  (Aquarius) the perceived limitations, insecurities, fears that bind us so tightly.  We can then  connect with the wise teacher (Saturn) and the gentle loving Feminine  (Venus) who live inside us and gently start to break the bonds that tie us so tightly and realign with our true state, which is unfettered and free.

Also on the day of the new moon,  Mars (the masculine)  moves out of Pisces and into Aries. Venus joins him on the 4th February.  This fiery energy could bring some volatility (or passion) in relationships, but also has the potential to catapult us forward into the year.

In Life and Light

MIchelle

by

Lifelight Astrology 11 January 2017

feminine-honouring

Image by Gabriel Tamaya

HONOURING THE FEMININE

We kick this year off Astrologically with an intense, super sensitive, feminine Full Moon in Cancer on 12th  January, AND all the planets have turned direct!  Leading up to, during and after the Full Moon, it’s highly likely that emotions could run high. Full moons  always highlight the polarities that exist within us and in our relationships, bringing to the surface that which has been hiding in the dark. .. and this is a big one!

Involved  with this Full moon, are  Pluto the plumber and planet of intense transformation who is travelling close to the Sun in responsible Capricorn, the Moon in sensitive, nurturing Cancer; both of which are squared by Uranus ( planet of change) and Jupiter (planet of expansion) .  This forms a giant Grand Cross in the Sky, which has the potential of cracking open and breaking through the armour that we may have erected around our hearts, in our striving to move forward. The full moon is also in a flowing trine formation to a group of planets in Pisces (a feminine sign). These include the wounded healer Chiron, Neptune, Mars and Venus, so its a very fertile time for feeling and healing on all levels.

As we all hurtle up our respective responsibility-laden, goal-driven mountains,  ensuring that we’re earning enough money, working as hard as we can, taking care of everybody else, perhaps burning the candle at both ends,  there’s a huge  tendency to close off our hearts, block off our emotions and become desensitised to what’s actually  going on inside and around us .

This full moon sets the scene for us to really start to honour and respect the softer, more vulnerable parts of ourselves, because only when we’re able to do so, can we respect and honour the same in others.

Meryl Streep recently made a powerful heart wrenching speech when she received her award at the Golden Globes.   There has been some controversy about it, but for me, Streep ( a Cancerian)  epitomises the mature woman, who despite her huge success, has kept her heart open and therein lies her immense talent and power.

She quotes

“Disrespect invites disrespect.

Violence incites violence.  

Take your broken heart.

Make it into Art. “

Most of us are scared stiff of allowing our hearts to be broken open. It feels much easier to  build walls around them. We witness something horrifying.  We turn away. We continue to trudge up the mountain. We become immune!

The problem is that when we block out the difficult feelings, we also block out the good ones.  Repress, ignore or numb pain and we start to flat-line, as  feelings of love and joy can’t flow freely either.

crack-in-everything

This full moon and for the next few weeks, see if you can  surrender to the feelings that arise  (because  they will).  Feel.  Breathe. Soften. Allow.  If you try it – you’ll notice that the difficult  emotions pass  much quicker when we don’t suppress them and they are also less likely to  emerge later as  explosions or illness or depression.

This grand cross is likely to bring some of  our exiled shadow bits out of hiding. This could result in people projecting their issues onto you, so,  when interacting with others in the next few days, take long, deep, calming breaths before you react.

 As our own emotional reactions (Cancer) become less spiky and more considered (Capricorn), our interactions with others become smoother as well.

The message of this full moon is about  embracing and expanding the mature mother within us , men and women alike. Rather than expecting and waiting for someone else to provide us with what we need, we’re being asked to learn to give it to ourselves. But… before we can do that, we have to connect with what we need.

If it’s normal for you to put everybody else’s needs before yours, this is the time to start turning that around. There really is nothing noble about ignoring our feelings and our needs and not taking care of ourselves. All that happens when we do, is that they go underground, only to reappear in a different form, when we least expect it.

 If, like many of us, you’re not particularly adept at nurturing yourself, commit (Capricorn) to doing something nurturing (Cancer) for yourself every single day, until it becomes a habit.  Its like watering a plant daily. Do it with love and tenderness and the plant will flourish and grow.  This will look different for us all. It could be something as simple as massaging cream (gently and tenderly) into your skin, quietly sipping a steaming cup of something, languishing in a hot foamy bath or cooking yourself some comfort food.

If each of us brings more softness, more gentlenesss into our lives, it magnifies out into the world and brings about change at a level we cannot even comprehend.

“The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers restorers, story tellers and lovers of all kinds”.

These are the words of the Dalai Lama, who like Madiba,  is a Cancerian – real men, who have integrated their Mature Feminine. This is what the world needs now.

Love

 

Michelle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by

Lifelight Astrology

make-a-wish

26th December 2016

Every now and then, the Universe gifts us with a New Moon right at the end of a calendar year and that’s exactly what’s happening in a few days time! It’s a gift because New Moon’s are always opportunities to finish off and let go, so that we can plant beautiful new seeds.

On the 29th December, the Moon joins the Sun and Mercury (retrograde) in Capricorn. It’s almost as if we have our very own trio of  mountain goats, beckoning us to journey with them up the 2017 mountain. They’re at the ready to  equip us with  resourceful guidance, discipline, structure, responsibility and commitment.

…All sound a tad boring?  Well, never fear… Uranus is near, giving us a hearty whack of maverick energy to kick start the New Year!

The planet of change and liberation, turns direct on the same day as the new moon,  after a five month retrograde period.  When Uranus is retrograde, we feel the force of change internally, but often aren’t able to make it manifest, for one reason or another.

This new moon, should, by all accounts, be a positive catalyst for change! Yeah!

All those plans you’ve had – all the change you’ve  wanted to bring into your life?  This is the time!   If you feel excited and maybe a little nervous  about doing something different – something that will  expand you,  ignite you, excite you…that’s our revolutionary friend Uranus!

Connect with the energy of this mature, thoughtful, goal-driven Capricorn new moon to assess the changes you want to integrate into your life. Write them down. Make dates in your calendar. Commit to them.

And then… stir in a handful or two of sparkly  Uranus energy to take it up a few notches. Break out of the norm. Do something new… or… Do something old in a way you’ve never done before. Embrace the unique, the unusual, the invigorating!

Why not?

What do you have to lose?

Happy New Year to you all.  Its gonna be a cracker!

 

In life and light