The Cosmic Compass

What's in the stars for 2011?

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:47:00 GMT

As each new year begins the astrological configuration at New Year defines the potential for what can occur in that year. For 2011 there was a very unusual situation. All the planets were direct, which means they were all traveling in the same direction. The last time it occurred was in 1997. Also, with the exception of Saturn all the planets are very tightly gathered - within 123 degrees.

Essentially this means that it will be very hard to be secretive. Things some people would rather not become public will do so. Conversations will be more direct and sometimes more forceful than would normally occur. Interestingly Julian Assange and Wikileaks was one of the main news items around New Year.

We've seen devastating floods and fires around the world - a message that we mess will the environment at our peril. I recently had a conversation with someone who asked the question "which idiot decided to put Brisbane where it is?" His point was that the flood plains on which Brisbane is built is some of the best farming land in Australia. Instead of using it to feed the population we've paved it over, built skyscrapers and as Jodie Mitchell said many years ago, "paved paradise and put up a parking lot".

But what does this configuration mean on a personal level? This is a time to get focussed and really move forwards. Many of the obstacles and blockages we've been experiencing will be lifted.

While it doesn't stay like this for the whole year (Saturn is stationary on Jan 26th and goes retrograde on the 27th) this energy does influence the whole year. So 2011 is the year to really work on achieving all those dreams and goals you've been putting off for a long time. It may not be all smooth sailing but you will know what you need to overcome.

(If you want some help with getting your goals clear check out our workbooks for Business & Personal goals at aviel.com.au -> resources -> goalsetting)

Sacred Space Sacred Time

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 07:19:00 GMT

You're probably familiar with the idea of sacred* space. Have you considered scared time?

Synagogues, churches, temples, mosques etc are designated as holy or sacred. We understand that when we're in these places we change our behaviour, dress, way of speaking accordingly.

This applies not only to buildings but places as well. Uluru is an example. The traditional custodians of this landform, located in the centre or heart of Australia, consider it to be a desecration to walk on the rock. Unfortunately, many people don't understand the significance and see it as a badge of honour to climb it. However, it's likely that these same people would be highly offended if someone where to use the alter in their church, temple etc as a common table to have a picnic on or for preparing lunch.

When building sacred places we often use the landforms in the area to select the location. This may be the top of a hill, the presence of a significant object such as a rock or tree, laylines etc.

So we understand the concept of sacred space. What about sacred time?

In the same way as we can mark out a building, landform or even a room as being sacred, we can do the same thing with time.

Many people have daily rituals. After waking they may spend time in prayer, meditation, jogging etc. During this time they refrain from mundane activities like checking email, answering the phone etc and attempt to focus on those deeper or more personal things which give meaning to life which may or may not be religious.

In Judaism there is a lot of emphasis on sacred time. The core of this is the Sabbath. The seventh day of the week (Saturday) is set aside for contemplation and interaction with the divine.This day (defined as the period from sunset on Friday evening to the appearance of three average size stars on Saturday night) is marked on by special rituals, prayers and behaviour. By inculcating this into our lives we learn that taking "time out" is important. It gives us a chance to refresh, to renew our thinking, to gain clarity and insights into how and why we do what we, why we behave the way we do and where we truly fit into the world and the universe.

How is this time spent? As I said it is usually marked by specific rituals at the beginning and end of the period. Often candles are lit, special music may be played or listened to, prayers or chants can be used to initiate the process/period.

During the designated period refrain from normal activities. Don't use the phone, don't allow distractions like TV, radio, computers etc This may not necessarily be a time of personal contemplation or introspection, although it often is. It may be time with family, friends etc.

The important element of sacred time is that it's about spending time properly focussed on those things which have a high degree of importance in our lives but are often overlooked or overridden by those things which are urgent. It's very common in values surveys for people to rate family amongst their highest values and yet when you look at the amount of time spent in that area it's often not given much importance.

One very important aspect of sacred time is that it's regular. In the same way as sacred places are fixed on the Earth's surface (they don't generally move around), so too is sacred time fixed in time. The seventh day is sacred whether you use it appropriately or not in the same way that a temple is sacred whether anyone attends services or not. Certainly, people's involvement strengthens and reinforces the state of holiness or sanctity but that state exists with or without us.

What do you think?

* What do we mean by sacred/holy? According to Wikipedia, sacred means "considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspiring awe or reverence among believers in a given set of spiritual ideas".

My life changed in an instant - here's what happened

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 11:29:00 GMT

A few weeks ago I received a phone call which changed my life - in an amazing way. Before I tell you about it I need to give you some background.

Six years ago Danita & I had some coaching about marketing our Aviel business coaching services. One activity was to describe our dream scenario. We came up with a multi-disciplinary natural therapy centre located in a rural/semi-rural area close to Sydney. The name we had for it was Wellness, Wealth & Wisdom.

On Monday 13th September at 11.18am (see below for the technical/numerological details) I had a phone call from an associate offering me a business which matched this description EXACTLY. His wife had a multi-disciplinary natural therapies centre in Dural, a semi-rural area just north of Sydney. While her business was well established, she wasn't able to commit the time needed to grow it.

After much deliberation they'd decided to shut down the centre. However they felt uncomfortable with this decision due to impact this would have on the fantastic team of practitioners and their wonderful clients. There was something nagging at the back of his mind; my name kept coming up. He had no idea why that would be as he and I had never discussed this type of business and our connection was in a very different area. Following his intuition, he rang and asked if I'd like to take over his wife's business.

From my perspective this was unbelievable. At that point I was feeling very challenged as the Aviel business was not bringing in the income we needed and I couldn't see a way to address the situation. Life was feeling pretty grim; my relationship with Danita was suffering and there was no light at the end of the tunnel (except the one where it's a train coming).

However, there was one thing which kept me going. I was right in my Saturn return (when the current position of Saturn matches that of my birth). One thing I know about the Saturn return is that while it shuts down areas of your life which are not right for you it shows you the new direction that will work for you if you're open and willing to change. This usually works through subtle hints. So I was on the lookout for new opportunities and possibilities. What I wasn't expecting was such a dramatic event!

For me, this brought to mind the biblical story of Joseph (see the end of the book of Exodus). Joseph was in prison for 22 years and then within a matter of hours he became the person next in authority to Pharoah. I was always fascinated by this story but had the view that it doesn't happen in the 'real' world. This has now changed my perspective - it does happen when the time and energies are right.

Some technical stuff
As I mentioned I'd been going through my Saturn return. The first week of our ownership of the centre was when the transiting Saturn (ie where Saturn is in the sky now) was on exactly the same degree as my natal Saturn.

Also, the numbers associated with this timing were incredibly significant. There's no such thing as an accident or co-incidence so when certain numbers turn up I know there's a message for me and I pay special attention. 13, 31, 18 are special for me personally. Numerologically, 11 is important as is 9. So, when I received the phone call on 13/09/2010 at 11.18am my "psychic antennae" were on high alert. The other interesting number was the address of the centre. As I mentioned 31 is special for me. The address is 31 Kenthurst Road.

At first there were some slight doubts. Remember the old adage: "if it's too good to be true it probably is". The timing (and the numbers) helped me move through the suspicious phase pretty quickly. Also, while we still went through our due diligence and arranged formal legal agreements, contracts and leases our attitude has been very different to the "naturally" suspicious mindset that we'd normally have. This has had a huge impact on our approach to the negotiation process and legalities.

Danita & I are incredibly excited by this opportunity and would love the chance to show you our new business. So if you're in the area (it's only half an hour from North Ryde) please drop in. It's called Change For Life.

Are you living in challenging times - it could be Saturn

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:32:00 GMT

In my lat post I talked about the effect Saturn was having and how it was blocking changes. On 31st May Saturn went direct and I'm finding things have shifted. However, we don't seem to have moved into a time of easy flow. While the blockages have cleared there are new challenges coming up.

On 22nd July Saturn moves into Libra (and stays there until October 2012). This is a new phase and quite a different energy from what we've been experiencing. The focus of Libra is balance and it's ruled by Venus: the planet of beauty, balance and harmony. Now there's something to look forward to. However, in the meantime there's some work to be done.

We can't move into a new era with a heap of baggage holding us back. Saturn is currently in the last few degrees of Virgo. Virgo is about detail and so we're seeing a lot of time and energy being focussed on seemingly minor matters - making mountains out of molehills. This could be seen as getting caught up in trivia and not getting the big picture.

What is really happening though is that we're sorting out all the things that are holding us back and so attitudes are going to be tested, any lack in skill or competency in areas that are important for you is going to tested over this time.

Saturn acts like a doorway. It's the entrance to our new self, our new way of living, thinking, being. As well as being the doorway it's the gatekeeper. You can't move into the new while still holding on to old attitudes, beliefs or opinions.

So, if you're being challenged at the moment: financially, skills being tested, relationships under a strain, have a look at what's going on. Get some perspective and try to understand what the lesson for you is.

Between the end of October 2009 and early April 2010 Saturn was in Libra. This was a time when there seemed to be a lot of promise and positive energy. New ideas were coming up, new opportunities etc. There was talk that the GFC was really over and we could get back to enjoying ourselves. That seemed to fall in a hole when Saturn went back into Virgo.

Look back at what you were doing then (Oct-Apr). Over that time we were being given an introduction into what will be happening for us over the next couple of years. Once Saturn leaves Virgo (22nd July) we'll get back to what we were doing then PROVIDED we haven't got anything holding us back. So the things that are happening now are to help us remove those ties and limitations that will prevent us moving fully into our next stage.

Those challenges confronting you at the moment - are they an opportunity for you to shed your old thinking and grow or is it just the Universe "picking on you"? It's all a question of your perspective. How will you use this time and energy?

Is Saturn getting in the way?

Fri, 14 May 2010 06:09:00 GMT

Are you finding it a challenge to get things done at the moment? Things taking longer than they should? It could be the retrograde Saturn opposite Uranus & Jupiter.

Uranus is the planet of revolution and change. When there is any change the Uranian principle is involved. Jupiter is growth and expansion. So if you're trying to make a change and are looking for growth then these planets working together (as they currently are) represent an ideal time. The effect of this is that there is a real sense of urgency and an awareness of a need for change.

However, at the same time Saturn is opposed to these planets and is retrograde. Saturn represents time, limitations, crystallisation. So, while Jupiter and Uranus are trying to create shifts, Saturn is resisting this as its energy is very conservative. The other factor here is that Saturn is retrograde - moves backwards throught the signs. The effect of this is to really lock down any changes making it harder to get movement. Saturn turns direct on 31st May. So hang in there - things will pick up then and blocks that have seemed insurmountable will fall away.

Till then - stay positive.

It's Not All Bad

Thu, 13 May 2010 23:02:00 GMT

If you listen to the news on the radio, watch it on TV, read the newspapers and news magazines you could be forgiven for thinking the world is "going to hell in a handbasket" (whatever that means). While there's a great deal which needs addressing it's not all bad. Here are a couple of examples.

Gen Y is often criticised for being selfish, disloyal, have unreasonable expectations and more. However, if we shift our paradigm we can see the same group as being self-motivated, take responsibility for their own career development, have great personal networking skills, are globally connected etc. In previous blogs I've talked about the shift from the Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius. The underlying paradigm of Pisces is that the value of an individual is determined by what they can contribute to society. The paradigm for Aquarius is that the purpose of society is to support the individual in achieving the best they can be. This means that society provides the support, infrastructure, technology etc to enable people to achieve things they couldn't do on their own. Jessica Watson's solo world sailing trip is a good example.

In the 1970's a some friends & I set up an evening college in Katoomba. One of the courses we ran was called "Domestic Survival". It was aimed at building skills and knowledge in self-sufficiency. One of the classes was on use of solar energy. We had a researcher from NSW University who helped build a solar water heater. This consisted of copper pipes attached to a sheet of copper, painted black and encased in a box with a glass cover. At the time this was "bleeding edge" technology. 30 years on we have an incredible range of sustainable and renewable forms of energy generation available. Our challenge now is to implement this technology on a scale that will have a real impact. Israel is an interesting example. It is the first country to be introducing fully electric cars in the near future. Approximately, 90% of all homes use solar water heating and Israel is the only country in the world where there were more trees at the end of the 20th century than there were at the beginning. This is happening while existing in a constant state of war and under existential threat.

So, while there are a huge number of challenges (finding competent, capable and visionary political leaders being one of the greatest - but that's another story) there are also many wonderful things happening. We need to shift our thinking so we're focusing on the positives while being mindful of and working to address the challenges.

How does numerology work?

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 01:38:00 GMT

Can someone please explain to me (or refer a good reference book) how numerology works. I simply don't get it.

That's not to say it doesn't work but I'm sceptical. Sceptical means I need proof or evidence that something works. I'm open enough to understand it could work but I don't get it!

Numerology bases a lot of its interpretations on the date of birth. Now, as I understand it the calendar is rather arbitrary. The year (currently 2010) is based on an event which didn't even happen in the year 0 - Jesus's birth is now placed at 6BC. Other interesting aspects of the calendar are the change from the Julian to Gregorian calendar. In 46BC Julius Caesar employed Sosogenes to produce a calendar based on a 365.25 day year. This was used in Europe until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII had the calendar advanced by 10 days. In England they still used the Julian calendar until 1752 and in Russia it was until 1917. If you have trouble with different time zones imagine what that would have been like.

Returning to my question about numerology what is the implication of simply deleting 10 days?

Currently, different calendars are still in use. Take a birthday on 8/4/2010. Numerologists will have a great deal to say about the characteristics of someone born on that date. But that date also corresponds to 24/7/5770 in the Hebrew calendar. Presumably it will have links to different dates in the Chinese, Moslem and other calendars that exist. Why would the "English" calendar have any more influence than any of the others.

As I said at the beginning - can someone please explain how Numerology works!!!!

What do you think?

The Dance Of Purpose

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:40:00 GMT

This post is taken from Mark Borax's Cosmic Weather Report. It's important to understand what the impact of Saturn is and I felt Mark states things very well. So, rather than try to rewrite what he has said I've posted it intact.

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From November 2009 through the end of this month (March) Saturn has been moving through the early phases of Libra, after spending a couple of years in Virgo. Then Saturn retrogrades backwards through the end of Virgo until July of this year, when it goes back into Libra for the next couple of years. This dance from Virgo to Libra to Virgo to Libra is raising some interesting energies, and pushing many of us through evolutionary hurdles.

Saturn is the planet of Purpose. Its main purpose is to remind you of why you came here. After you died in your last life, and before you were born into this one, you looked back at what you'd accomplished in that life, and saw how it fit into the overall scope of your reincarnational purpose through many lives. After looking back you made some key decision about why to send your soul into a body one more time. That prenatal resolve is held within the Saturn sphere, and is the deepest underlying purpose of why you're here.

When the things you do reflect that prenatal vow, you experience release along the clear arc of your greater purpose. When you do things counter to that vow you experience resistance, like trying to swim upstream.
When Saturn dances back and forth between Virgo and Libra as it does in the nine months from November to July, your role in the world is being shaken around, danced with, questioned, probed, pushed through the wringer to see how well it fits with the whole reason of why you're here.

The Virgo side of this nine-month dance has been to awaken your inner knowing in relation to how skillfully you're tracking with your own purpose. Are the things you're doing each day clear reflections of what you really need to be doing? Is your life serving some greater point than just keeping all the plates spinning, keeping all the juggling pins in the air? Are you going to sleep at the end of the day with a feeling of inner satisfaction that you got something meaningful done?

The Libra side of the dance is teaching you how your choices and actions effect others, and how you're affected by the actions and energies of those around you. Virgo is the skilful management of your personal gifts and resources; Libra is the energetic engagement between you and others. With Saturn straddling both signs for a while, we're all being challenged to find a way to balance the two.

This is the time to discover how your individual purpose and personal relationships align with the greater thrust of evolution. As Saturn moves through Libra this month, the accent of the dance shifts to partnership. How well are your connections with others serving a greater need? How well are they serving you? Have you been holding some crucial truth at bay for fear of the waves it'll make when you finally face it? Are your feet stuck in the mud of obsolete patterns of relationship? Are you gathering your true tribe around you? Is there a current of inspiration you can draw into the shared space between you and others? Is your love giving you what you need? Have you dropped beneath your assumptions and disguises to let love show you who you are? Are you healing and releasing the wounds of the past? Is there anyone in your life, that if they died tomorrow, you'd spend the rest of your life regretting that you haven't yet cleared the air between you, or haven't yet told them how much you love them?

Who are you really? What are you here to do? How much longer are you going to wait?

Once in a Blue Moon

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:36:00 GMT

It's certainly an interesting time coming up for the beginning of 2010. It's Blue Moon time and a lunar eclipse as well as a solar eclipse (not at the same time though).

A Blue Moon occurs when there's two full moons in a month. Australia has the first on January 1 and then the second on January 30. First question - why Australia and not the whole world? The full moon (the point at which the Sun and Moon are directly opposite) occurs at 6.13am on 1st January Eastern Daylight Saving Time. This is 11 hours ahead of Universal Mean Time. So any countries which are more that 6 hours 13 minutes behind Sydney will have the full moon occurring on the 31st December. Consequently, they miss out on the double full moon in January - they have it in December 2009.

The Moon represents the feminine, intuitive, receptive side of our nature while the Sun is the masculine, outgoing, expressive part. So the full moon is a time when the feminine element is strongest. Having two full moons will therefore kick off the year with a lot of feminine energy and focus of female issues. It will be a major time for introspection and focusing attention internally - expect to see Kevin Rudd at home more often. I expect there'll be more attention placed on internal politics and what's happening within Australia rather than the more global focus we've had lately - especially leading up to and during Copenhagen. While I've concentrated on Australia I expect this will also be happening in many countries around the world.

On 15th January (6.12pm EDST) there's an eclipse of the Sun. Again we find the Moon/feminine energy overwhelming the Sun/masculine energy reinforcing the internal focus I outlined above. January then finishes with another full moon. Interestingly, the first full moon has an eclipse of the Moon - the masculine Sun is trying to subjugate the feminine Moon but the rest of the month keeps the Sun energy in check. Added to this, Mercury is retrograde ie appears to be going backwards. The effect of this is that the energy represented by Mercury is internalised and quite challenged. Mercury represents communication and so again we see an internal focus. When Mercury is retrograde we often find problems & misunderstandings between people and failures in our communication technology - computers, phones etc. (Mercury is retrograde from 27th December 2009 until 15th January 2010.)

Let's have a quick look at the Signs and Sabian symbols for these events.
First full moon - Sun 11th degree of Capricorn Moon 11th degree of Cancer.
The Moon rules Cancer and so is very strong in this sign. Cancer represents the home and the mother - see my comments above about the focus shifting to internal matters.
The Sabian symbols:
Sun - A large group of pheasant on a private estate.
Moon - A clown caricaturing well-known personalities.
Midheaven (30th degree of Virgo) - Totally intent upon completing an immediate task, a man is deaf to any allurement.
(The Midheaven represents the focus or purpose encapsulated in that moment of time.)
"A private estate" suggests the external trappings of wealth and power, while the pheasant represent the natural world. This symbol talks of the subjugation of nature in the "service" of mankind. I expect a backlash from the nations and organisations which felt they were being targeted in Copenhagen. However, the clown will help lighten the mood and people who are taking themselves very seriously will be in the spotlight. Looking at the midheaven we again see an emphasis on internalising and inner focus rather than getting out an "doing".

New Moon/Solar eclipse - 26th degree of Capricorn.
Capricorn gives a focus on career, purpose, direction in life. Discipline and order is the message.
Sun/Moon - A nature spirit dancing in the iridescent mist of a waterfall.
Midheaven - An Indian weaving a ceremonial blanket.
The nature spirit follows nicely from the symbol of the clown above. There is a sense of joy and excitement. The Indian weaving the ceremonial blanket suggests living in harmony with the forces of nature (as opposed to the subjugation of nature in the earlier symbol). The ceremonial blanket brings ritual and worship into this relationship with nature.

Second full moon - Sun 11th degree of Aquarius Moon 11th degree of Leo
Sun - During a silent hour, a man receives a new inspiration which may change his life.
Moon - Children on a swing hanging from the branches of a huge oak tree.
Midheaven - Two dignified spinsters sitting in silence.
Do you see a theme coming out here? Contemplation, reflection and internalisation leading to inspiration and a major change. The joy and excitement of children playing follows from the clown and the nature spirit. The dignified spinsters bring to mind a couple of women who have reached a state of inner peace and wisdom.

As these events bring in and hence define the new year I feel that overall, the indications are 2010 will be a time of regrouping, getting much more in touch with your inner self and your connection to nature and the universe. People who take themselves too seriously and resist this upwelling of childlike energies will be held up to ridicule.

Wishing you all a successful, fulfilling and fun 2010.

MarkBorax-Cosmic Weather Report

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:03:00 GMT

This week's post is taken from Mark Borax's Cosmic Weather Report. I felt it states things very well and so - rather than try to rewrite what he has said - I've posted it directly.

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A burst of energy will strike December 17, 18, and 19, when Jupiter, Neptune, and Alpha-Omega (Chiron) line up in consecutive degrees of Aquarius. This triple conjunction will speed us through a time tunnel and introduce us to fresh territories ahead. From Solstice through Christmas and New Year's tremendous forces will gather to push us out of the past.

These three planets are the most optimal for getting us on track of what's intended to happen next, for introducing us to the larger design that our lives align with, for providing both vision and energy to bring on the new.

The Solstice Ignition will propel us into the great make-it-and-break-it, do-and-die year of our time, 2010. When you feel that altered state toward the end of the month, associated with full moons, pregnancies, and medicine journeys, you'll be bombarded with energy to clear the past and get on with what you're really here to do.

      What does your gut-level truth say about the life you're living?
      Where does your greater willpower live inside your body?
      What does a free spirit look like?
      Which part of your life needs to get out of the way of the Tiger?

Valentine's Day begins the Year of the Tiger, time for taking risks, for setting sights and springing clear to the lush and fertile territory up ahead. Something Big and Striped is trying to get through to our species. As the year progresses, the rumble in your chest will become the roar of the Tiger of Your Soul, who is vastly bigger than every one of your dilemmas.

From Solstice onward things stream forward at a rapid clip, initiating a six-year period of accelerated growth. The last half of that period, from 2012 to 2015, will be even more intensified, to get us fully into the new. The main difference between the old and new is that in the old world we thought we were these isolated beings, and the new world is teeming with interconnected forces from many places and times. Our species is losing its flatness and becoming multidimensional. Many invisible planes and beings which timeshare reality with us will be closer than ever. The veils are thinning.

You're going to be bombarded from every angle with super-fast reflections of who you are, what you're doing, and the thoughts you're thinking. It'll be tempting to blame the sharper reflections on somebody else, or the world at large. But the images will be custom designed to show you how you've created the world you live in, and can therefore uncreate and recreate it.

When the world goes through growing pains like it will in coming years we have a rare opportunity to strengthen ourselves from within, and combine magic with logic to open the gates for others.

Who are you really? What are you here to do? How much longer are you going to wait?

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen - World Climate Summit

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:37:00 GMT

The world is watching as its leaders gather to make decisions about how to address climate change and its impact. As this is an issue which really impacts the entire planet you'd hope that the participants would overcome their parochial and partisan perspectives. What are the astrological indicators for this event?

I've prepared the chart for 10am on December 7th in Copenhagen. This is the time of the official opening. This blog entry selects a number of points from the chart. If you want a more complete listing of all the planets, their aspects to each other and the interpretations click here to view/download a complete report. {module_literature,i,58518} (NB This is a computer generated report so the language is as thought it were a person born at the designated time and place - be mindful of that when reading the interpretations.)

One of the first things we notice about this chart is the size of the houses. The 12 houses represent the areas of our life and the size and number of planets in a house tells us what the main focus in our lives is. The largest houses (and hence the greatest focus) are 3 and 9. House 3 is associated with communication while 9 is long distance travel and philosophy. The implication of this is that there will be a lot of talk and philosophising. Given the nature of the event that's a bit of a "well derrrr" kind of expectation. However, it does show that the astrological configuration is in alignment with what will be happening.

The next point is the aspects (ie the angles between the planets or points). The main aspects are a grand trine (the blue triangle) between Uranus, the South Node of the Moon and the MidHeaven. A trine is a flowing aspect and so, as water finds the easiest channel through which to flow, the energy of this event will easily flow along this path. Uranus is the planet of revolution and change. This is what needs to come out of this meeting. However, the South Node is associated with the past and so the natural inclination will be to fall back into old ways of thinking and old paradigms - not the best outcome. The MidHeaven is the focus and purpose in a chart and in this one it's the apex of the Grand Trine as well as a T-square. The T-square is an aspect of tension. By dealing with the lessons that these aspects bring into our lives we grow and develop. In this case the T-square consists of the MidHeaven at the apex with Jupiter and Chiron in the second house and Mars in the eighth. The second house is the area of manifestation, money & material security while the eighth house represents transformation and other people's money. So the outcome of these combinations is that it will be easy to fall back into old ways, giving lip service to the problems but the real work of actually getting something done and agreeing on action and how and where money to address the problem will come form is going to be very challenging.

Jupiter is the planet of growth and expansion - it's a magnifying glass for whatever it's associated with. In this case it's on exactly the same degree as Chiron - the wounded healer. Chiron heals through empathy and understanding. While having been damaged through traumatic experiences the person (or in this case an event) with strong Chiron in their chart grows through their challenges and is able to support and help others who may be going through similar experiences. Chiron is our ability to understand that everything is interconnected and that you can't tear down a forest in one part of the world without the rest of the planet being affected. Being so closely conjunct Jupiter this energy is very powerfully magnified. The other planet in this configuration is Mars - the planet of physical energy. This can provide great drive and determination to "get things done" or it could result in anger and violence (as Mars is the god of war).

I always find the Sabian symbols for the degrees on which significant points are found to be very telling. (The symbols and Keynotes are from Dane Rudhyar's book "An Astrological Mandala".)
Grand Trine
MidHeaven: 17th degree of Scorpio
Sabian Symbol: A woman, fecundated by her own spirit, is "great with child".
Keynote: A total reliance upon the dictates of the God-within.

Uranus: 23rd degree of Pisces
Sabian Symbol: A "materializing medium" giving a seance.
Keynote: The ability to give of one's own vital energy to substantiate one's conscious ideals or unconscious desires.

South Node: 22nd degree of Cancer
Sabian Symbol: A young woman awaiting a sailboat.
Keynote: The longing for transcendent happiness in the soul opened to great dreams.

T-Square
MidHeaven - see above

Jupiter/Chiron: 22nd degree of Aquarius
Sabian Symbol: A rug is placed on the floor of a nursery to allow children to play in comfort and warmth.
Keynote: The warmth of understanding which comes to those who, early in life, are open to new possibilities.

Mars: 19th degree of Leo
Sabian Symbol: A houseboat party.
Keynote: The enjoyment of temporary freedom from rigidly structured social behaviour.

As I understand these symbols the MidHeaven could be seen as someone who is so "up herself" (if you'll excuse a rather coarse turn of phrase) that she's producing a child in her own image. Alternatively, this symbol may be a very powerful reference to the feminine element merging with the spirit and through this a new being, thought, idea or paradigm can come into existence. This is what Rudyhar is suggesting with his keynote. The other symbols of the Grand Trine suggest a spiritual desire but no real substance - the medium is able to materialise spiritual thoughts or energies but only in a vague insubstantial form and the girl waiting for the boat to arrive is dreaming of what may be rather than addressing what is. The potential here is for great idealism, a connection with the soul of the planet to really make a difference OR to get so lost in vague "motherhood statements" that sound nice but make no real difference.

In the T-square we see a breaking away from conventions and the inhibitions of "polite society" together with doing something practical to support future generations.

As I said I've only picked out a couple of points of interest to discuss here. Download the report to see what else is going on. {module_literature,i,58518}
So let's all look forward to seeing great courage being demonstrated over the next few days and that htis conference will live up to the potential it has to make a great difference.

Being grateful for gratitude - stop asking and start receiving

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:26:00 GMT

I recently learned an important lesson from my sister.

After I'd starting using the "Perfect" mantra (see last week's blog - Join the "Perfect" experiment) I had a phone call from my sister who was VERY excited about some things that had been happening for her. Without going into a long story, things had turned around for her suddenly and dramatically - especially with regard to work and people she was meeting who could have a big impact on her life. The thing that really struck me was her attitude of gratitude. She was so grateful for what "the Universe" was bringing to her that she started doing things to acknowledge the help. One statement she kept making was "I don't want to ask for anything". Even without asking specifically, the things she desired were happening for her. One example was that her husband was having a struggle as he'd not been able to find any work. With this new attitude of his wife's he started getting regular work.

The message for me was to stop wanting and asking. Intellectually, I've understood this for some time. However, it was not a way of being. When I started thinking about how my sister was behaving I realised I live in a cloud of requests, wants, desires, needs, goals etc:let the weather be cooler, we need rain, please let that person find their lost dog, we've got to stop the clearing of the Amazon forests....... As you can see not all the requests were personal. I realised that even though my requests may be altruistic and worthwhile I was still living in a space of asking the Universe (in whatever form you want to define it) to provide STUFF. Going to a meeting or event had to have a purpose or objective - there was always an intention around achieving something. That could be to come away with a certain number of business cards or to let someone know about what I do or .....

What struck me (AT LAST - hey I never claimed to quick on the uptake) was that I can shift to a space of acceptance and being grateful for where I am right now and that whatever is happening is perfect. I'm shifting my mindset to a place of being rather than doing.

Ultimately, our soul knows what it's here to achieve. Our challenge is to get out of our own way so we can be who we've come to this time and place to be. The doing will come and we'll achieve our soul purpose. But first we have to get out of our own way. We have to stop chasing goals (no matter how worthy) that we've DECIDED are what I want/need.... Ultimately, the purpose of a goal is not so much in achieving the goal but in who we become in order to have whatever it is we've set our minds to. Often, this sends us off on a path which doesn't support our ultimate life or soul purpose. When you focus on your goals how do you FEEL about them rather than THINK about them? Are they things you think would be good to do because your friends, peers, TV show or book characters have led you to believe would be worthwhile objectives? Yet somehow deep within your "heart of hearts" something doesn't feel right.

I've now changed my BEHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to simply being fully present all the time. I reckon that is probably the greatest challenge of my life and potentially the most fulfilling.

What do you think?

Join the "Perfect" experiment

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:48:00 GMT

I've recently had a channeling session with Jo Prior and The Team and it was an amazing experience.
One of the things coming out of it is a new way to change our thinking patterns. It's very simple.

All you do is run the "mantra": "Perfect, it is perfect. Thank you for everything." Keep repeating this ESPECIALLY when things don't appear to be they way you want or expect.

Now here's the experiment.
As I come from a scientific background I'd like to see what happens when people start using this statement. So that I don't pre-empt anything or create expectations I've not said anything about what "should" happen.

Here's what you do. Start using the phrase "Perfect, it is perfect. Thank you for everything." as a constant mantra / thought. When / if you notice ANYTHING that's unusual please add a comment to this blog post. Alternatively, email to laurence@aviel.com.au

We'd love to hear about what's happening for you.

Did the Earth move for you? Reflections on 11/11/2009 @11:11am

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:19:00 GMT

On 11 November 2009 (2+0+0+9 = 11) @ 11:11am there was a significant shift in the Earth's energy field. Leading up to this time groups of people around the world united in events to facilitate a unification process. Go to www.serenitytravels.com for guided meditations and other ways to participate in this process.
As I've only heard of this very recently I've had a quick look at the astrology charts for the events at Uluru in Australia and the Great Pyramid in Egypt. This is where the Serenity Vibration groups were holding "gatherings".
Because the events are quite separated in actual time (Uluru is 10.5 hours ahead of GMT and Cairo is 2 hours ahead of GMT) the astrology charts are quite different. As the Sun and Moon are the major symbols of a chart I've limited myself to a quick look at the Sabian symbols for them at the specified time. In a chart Sun is the main representative of masculine energy while the Moon is the feminine.

Uluru:
Sun: A parrot repeats the conversation he has overheard.
Moon: A harem.

Great Pyramid:
Sun: A woman draws away two dark curtains closing the entrance to a sacred pathway.
Moon: After the wedding, the groom snatches the veil away from his bride.

The parrot repeating a conversation symbolises channeling of higher spiritual knowledge in a form that is understandable by less evolved beings. There is an opening to information and knowledge that is available to us if we attune ourselves to sources of higher wisdom.
The harem is a call to waiting. It is however a very powerful feminine symbol. A harem is generally seen as a place where the sultan's wives awaited his pleasure. When looked at more deeply we find that it's a place of political intrigue as the women living there vied for power and position. This however, happened in a subtle and feminine way.
As the time event occurred in Australia before Egypt I see the symbols here as a prelude to those at the Great Pyramid.
These are both quite passive symbols with a strong feminine feel to them. The message here is that we need to be receptive and open to the information and energies that are coming through.

Looking at the symbols for the later event we see a couple of things. Firstly, they are both about the removing of veils or curtains which are obscuring our view. Secondly, these are active symbols while the ones for Australia were passive.

My interpretation of this is: at first there is the need to be open and receptive. This enables us to attune ourselves to higher or more spiritual forces than we have previously had access to. By opening these channels, the illusions and false paradigms which are currently controlling world events are being broken down and removed so that we are being shown and experiencing things which previously have been hidden from us.

As part of this transition I find the timing of the following event to be quite interesting. The global TED community have just launched a Charter for Compassion. Click on the link or go to http://charterforcompassion.org/ to read it (it's only one page) and add your contribution - your name and acts of compassion.

Have you felt any changes or come across information which you feel is related to this shift?

What do you think of all this?????

Find your life purpose & meaning (in minutes) using astrology

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:59:00 GMT

One of the biggest challenges these days is often finding meaning and purpose to what they're doing. Life is very busy but when we get a chance to think about things like: Am I having fun yet? Do I have a sense of meaning and purpose with all this activity I'm doing? Am I on a treadmill living in Groundhog Day where I'm simply doing the same thing over and over? we often draw a blank. In my coaching practice I often find these questions are the hardest for my clients to answer.

In the West we live in very affluent societies and yet all this labour-saving technology has simply created more things we need to do. Hundreds of emails a day, being contactable 24/7, more things that need to be done but less time to do them, and the list goes on.

If, however, we could live our lives from a place of inspiration, knowing what our long term objectives are, what we're here to achieve, things could be very different. Imagine waking up each morning EXCITED about what the day had to offer. Imagine knowing what your real goals and lifelong objectives are - would that make a difference to how you lived your life, how you feel about the things you're doing?

Astrology offers a very powerful tool for understanding this. When you were born you came into this world at a time and place that would support your personal growth and objectives. Here's what you need to do.

Have your birth chart done. This requires the time (accurately), date and place of your birth. The easiest way to do this is using a site like www.astro.com or having an astrologer draw up your chart for you. Once you have your birth chart find the Midheaven. This is the highest point on the ecliptic (the path the Sun and planets use as they cross the sky) and represents the highest thing you can achieve in this lifetime.

Now comes the tricky part. Find out the Sabian symbol for the degree of the zodiac for the point on your Midheaven. Personally, I use Dane Rudhyar's book "An Astrological Mandala". There are other books and websites you can use. However, the best is to have your chart done by a professional astrologer - make sure they use the Sabian symbols. Here are some examples of the symbols:
9 Aries
A crystal gazer.
Crystal Element: Clear Quartz Crystal

13 Taurus
A porter carrying heavy baggage.
Crystal Element: Bauxite

5 Gemini
A revolutionary magazine asking for action.
Crystal Element: Crazy Lace Agate

A brief aside:
I've recently met Marina Costelloe who'se written a number of books about the association of the degrees with crystals and minerals. Her website www.crystalastrology.com is great. You can find out which crystals resonate for you personally on her site. Unfortunately, she doesn't give the information for the Midheaven.

As you see each degree of the zodiac has its own symbol. By finding which one represents you, you'll start to see an underlying pattern in your life and often a subtle yearning. I recently did a chart for a very successful businessman. He'd commented that he was bored with his life. While he was creating new businesses all the time it had got into a pattern where everything felt the same. The symbol on his Midheaven is "In a hospital, the children's ward is filled with toys" (15 Capricorn). He said to me: "You know if I told you what my secret wish, in my heart of hearts is - it's to be an orderly in a hospital". I've seen this quite often. Also, he's a very funny guy. As you can see there's a great resonance between the symbol and what he'd love to be doing.

So if you've been asking about purpose and meaning in your life here's a way to get an answer quickly and easily. While finding the symbol representing may only take minutes, actually making the changes that your new understanding requires may take some time but it'll be worth it.

Until next time: go out and make a difference.