May 2004 Alignments Newsletter http://ezezine.com May 2004 Alignments Newsletter In this issue... 1) Expansive May Moon 2) May Planetary Alignments Update 3) Transit of Venus -- June 2004 4) TheStarCenter.org and Star Path Newsletter 5) Tuning in to the Soul --------------------------------------------------- Expansive May Moon by Allison Rae --------------------------------------------------- “People all over the world, individually or in group formation, are observing the Wesak Festival and building a channel to receive and pass to humanity the energy of spiritual will, love and enlightenment.” - H. Saraydarian, Cosmos in Man Is it time for a powerful new beginning in your life? Upcoming planetary alignments will support change and new directions. When planets in our solar system (and beyond) line up, they influence us here on Earth. The most powerful and common are Sun-Moon-Earth alignments. We experience them every month at the New and Full Moons. About twice a year, we experience super-charged New Moons with Solar Eclipses (when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, partially obscuring the Sun from our view) and Lunar Eclipses (when the Earth moves between the Sun and Moon, blocking the reflected light of the Moon). Sun-Moon-Earth alignments also happen every season at the Solstices and Equinoxes. Solstices mark the longest days of the year. At the Equinoxes, day and night are of equal length. These planetary configurations were so important to the ancients, they aligned their buildings and stone monuments with them. Between the cardinal points on the zodiacal wheel are the “cross-quarters” -- midway points between Solstice and Equinox. Pagans, especially, observe these zodiacal alignments, known as the Greater Sabbats. These are the festivals of Lammas, Samhain, Imbolc and Beltane. In addition to lunar and solar cycles, we experience special planetary alignments with deep significance -- like the Harmonic Convergence (August 1984), Grand Fixed Cross Solar Eclipse (August 11, 1999), Grand Stellium in Taurus (May 2000) and the Harmonic Concordance Lunar Eclipse (November 9, 2004). Each of these represented a unique and rare configuration of planets in our solar system. In addition to their mystical lore, physical influence, seasonal and agricultural significance, all of these planetary alignments are gateways to higher consciousness. They are times when the veils between realms seem to thin, or even evaporate. We are more aware of our own divine nature, our relationship with the universe and all of creation. Planetary alignments influence us deeply, whether we’re aware of it or not. We may work with the energies consciously, to align with the Soul, Higher Self and Divine Will. Planetary alignments are often associated with spiritual wake-up calls, activations and initiations that might express as urges to find our life purpose or “true work.” Celestial events may also trigger emotional changes. We tend to experience extremes of the emotional spectrum -- bliss and ecstasy alternating with grief and pain - as we clear and align our emotional bodies during these periods. The accompanying physiological changes may include fever, chills, aches and pains, night sweats, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, digestive problems, neuralgia, weight loss or gain, dizziness and nausea. We may also experience vivid dreaming and increased clairvoyance or psychic abilities at these times. All of these “symptoms” are indications of transformation deep within our being as we shed the old paradigm and move forward into higher consciousness. A planetary alignment that’s affecting us deeply right now is an especially powerful Full Moon on May 4. This is the Wesak Full Moon in the Buddhist tradition. It is also the cross-quarter gateway of Beltane. And on top of all that, there will be a Lunar Eclipse on this Full Moon, visible from various parts of the world. Many are celebrating the traditional Beltane date (also known as May Day) on May 1. The actual zodiacal alignment happens on May 4, in conjunction with the Wesak Full Moon Lunar Eclipse. Because of the timing of the Full Moon, many are also holding Wesak observances this weekend. The April issue of the Alignments Newsletter featured an in-depth article about the significance of Wesak in Buddhist and esoteric traditions. For a copy of the April issue, write to info@TheStarCenter.org. Meanwhile, the Transit of Venus is fast approaching, and we continue to learn from the Goddess of Love and Finances. The Transit of Venus is “next-up” as a rare and powerful celestial event with deep meaning for us here on Earth. For details, see the articles and web sites below. --------------------------------------------------- Planetary Alignments Update --------------------------------------------------- Spring dawns in the Northern Hemisphere this month as the Southern Hemisphere prepares for the Bear Lodge of winter. Two major festivals mark our passage into new cycles this month -- the Pagan Sabbat of Beltane and the Buddhist holy day of Wesak. Change and new growth are the hallmarks of the season. Our opportunity for a fresh start in a new cycle is punctuated by a Lunar Eclipse on May 4, the date of the Wesak Full Moon and the zodiacal Beltane. This is a high time for celebration and ceremony as well as deep reflection. Enjoy the journey… Traditional Beltane -- May 1 Beltane is one of four “cross-quarters” of the year, celebrated since ancient times as Greater Sabbats in Pagan traditions. Cross-quarters are the midway points between Solstices and Equinoxes. Beltane is the springtime festival that came to be known as May Day. Traditionally celebrated with festivals on May 1, the astronomical midway point of the cross-quarter is actually May 4. Wesak Full Moon - Lunar Eclipse -- Beltane -- May 4 4:33 p.m. EST The May 4 Lunar Eclipse will be visible from Asia, parts of Europe, Africa, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and parts of the South Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The eclipse falls not only on the Wesak Full Moon, but also on the cross-quarter gateway of Beltane. In pagan traditions, the cross-quarters -- midway points between the equinoxes and solstices -- are considered the Greater Sabbats and even more powerful gateways than the Lesser Sabbats of Spring/Fall Equinox and Summer/Winter Solstice. The line-up of energies at this Full Moon make this the activation portal of the year. The Sun-Moon opposition in Taurus-Scorpio is close to the degree of the Lunar Eclipse of November 8, 2003, also known as the Harmonic Concordance. Issues that surfaced then will be ripe for resolution now. Themes may be of death, rebirth and earthly desires as we enter this portal of higher consciousness. Neptune Stations Retrograde -- May 17 Venus Stations Retrograde -- May 17 Beginning May 17, both Neptune and Venus will appear to move backward in the sky from our vantage point on Earth. During any retrograde period, the aspects of life influenced by a planet become intensified. In retrograde, spiritual Neptune can be the master of deception, so we may find our selves confused, unfocused and a little ungrounded. Venus, the planet of love and finances, turns retrograde as she approaches her historic transit of the solar disk in early June. These planets will bring new lessons and blessings around spirituality, our intuitive nature, healing gifts, relationships and financial matters during the summer months. New Moon in Taurus -- May 19 12:52 a.m. EST All New Moons are about fresh starts and new beginnings. In Taurus, out thoughts turn toward earthly matters. This is the time to plant our springtime gardens physically, mentally and spiritually. The spring eclipse series has encouraged us to clear our inner realms of clutter and begin anew. In what new directions do we choose to take our lives? What do we choose to manifest? Taurus is also about finances and physical comfort. How will we bring more abundance into our lives in these areas? --------------------------------------------------- Transit of Venus by Allison Rae --------------------------------------------------- Where will you be --physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally -- on June 8 this year? That’s the date of a rare astronomical occurrence that’s causing a big stir in spiritual and astronomical circles all over the world. The Transit of Venus is a rare and powerful alignment of the Earth, Venus and the Sun. Venus will conjunct the Sun at 5:13 GMT on June 8. Because of her size relative to the Earth and Sun, she will appear to move in a circle in front of the solar disk from areas of visibility on Earth. The transit will take several hours and will be visible (wearing special eye protection, of course) from parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, Greenland and the Indian Ocean. Pairs of Venus Transits happen eight years part in a curious series of 105- to 243-year cycles. The second transit of the current pair will occur on June 6, 2012. Because the Mayan calendar is said to end in 2012, we might interpret this contemporary pair of Venus Transits as yet another astronomical sign orchestrated by the Divine Plan to signal the end of the current world age and our emergence into a Golden Age of peace and enlightenment. Because Transits of Venus happen so far apart chronologically, no one alive at this time has ever witnessed one. We have photographs documenting the 1882 transit. The images of Venus dancing around the disk of the Sun are elegant and moving. In June 2004, astronomers and spiritual seekers around the world will flock to places where the transit will be visible. Tours and cruises are available. Venus gatherings are being organized in many parts of the world. One group is hosting a conference and ceremony in India during the transit featuring the work of Mayan calendar scholar Carl Johan Calleman. Calleman associates this Transit of Venus cycle -- which he calls Passages of Venus -- with the Meso-American prophecies of Quetzlcoatal, the feathered serpent. Quetzlcoatal is another symbol of the Christ Consciousness or Buddha Nature that is awakening more and more fully in the Earth plane as humanity and the planet transform to our naturally sacred and divine state. Venus is the mythic goddess of love and finances, so this transit has deep meaning for us in the emotional and material realms as well. Have you noticed a massive paradigm shift underway concerning your relationships and finances? We are being called to re-evaluate our beliefs and values in both areas. We are asked to open to a new paradigm in which Divine Source may move through us more freely so we may experience exalted states of bliss, divine union and material abundance. Any belief systems that stand in the way of manifesting this new reality are being called into question now, as the current Venus cycle comes to a close and she escorts us into new realms of human experience. Venus offers even more opportunities for learning and integration. She represents the feminine principle, just as Mars represents the masculine. Her dance with the Sun this year coincides with an intense Mars period in 2003-2004. Combined, these planets teach us about balancing the seeming polarities of masculine and feminine, active and passive, external and internal, thinking and intuition, doing and being. They also teach us about divine timing. When we’re in Venus energy, we’re in repose to receive, as in meditation. In Mars energy, we’re actively doing something. Both energies are vital. The key is to determine appropriate timing for each. Because Venus will be in retrograde motion during the 2004 transit, we may experience some lessons around patience. As we begin to envision the loving new paradigm, we’ll be eager to get on with it. The retrograde motion reminds us not to “push the river,” but instead to set our intention and allow our desires to be attracted to us in divine timing. As we approach the Transit of Venus of 2004, consider how these transits affect our collective and individual cycles of evolution. What changes are manifesting within our relationships? How are we doing in the material world? What changes do we choose to make? How are our friends and families experiencing this Venusian transformation? What’s happening globally in terms of economics and international relations? We might invoke the Goddess of Love to enlighten us in these areas as she dances in retrograde toward her date with the Sun. These web sites are among many excellent resources on the Internet for further study and contemplation about the Transit of Venus: General Transit of Venus site http://transitofvenus.org Steven van Roode’s Transit of Venus site http://home.hetnet.nl/~smvanroode/venustransit/eng/ Peter Langford’s Transit of Venus site http://www.dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/estate/vs76/trans.htm Philip Sedgwick’s Galactic Astrology http://www.astrologyforthesoul.com/galacticastrology/venusbetweenus.html The Oneness Celebration in India http://www.onenesscelebration.com ------------------------------------------------------------- TheStarCenter.org and Star Path Newsletter ------------------------------------------------------------- We invite you to subscribe to our new monthly e-mail newsletter, The Star Path, featuring articles, resources and links for enlightenment and peace in daily living. As an Alignments subscriber, you’ll receive the introductory issue in your e-mail. If you wish to continue receiving it, you’ll need to visit our web site and sign yourself up as a subscriber. Subscriptions are free. We’ve also updated our web site with additional articles and links in the Information Center, plus new dates for Star Path Workshops this summer. Visit our web site and see what’s new: http://www.TheStarCenter.org We also encourage Alignments subscribers to forward the Alignments Newsletter to others who might benefit from the information. --------------------------------------------------- Tuning in to the Soul --------------------------------------------------- Planetary alignments. Celestial influences. Transits, cycles and paradigm shifts. All the changes happening around us reflect deep transformation happening within us. Our Soul Readings help bring focus and clarity to your life path through channeling, astrology and numerology. With your permission, we connect with your Higher Self and the ascended realms to bring through information, guidance and healing energy to help you navigate your path in these challenging times. For more information, please visit our web site http://www.TheStarCenter.org And click on Soul Readings. In Love and Peace, Allison Rae allison@TheStarCenter.org http://www.TheStarCenter.org Resources for Lightworkers and Starseeds Soul Readings Star Path Series Alignments Newsletter Starseed Handbooks The monthly Alignments Newsletter features information about star alignments, personal and planetary transformation, metaphysics, personal mastery, ancient wisdom, spiritual prophecy and more. To subscribe, visit http://www.TheStarCenter.org All Content Copyright 2004 Allison Rae/TheStarCenter.org