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By Simone Butler A huge storm sweeps the country--blasting us with freezing temperatures, ice and snow. The U.S. government commits thousands more lives to the war in Afghanistan, and billions more dollars to rescue our failing economy. It's the last gasp of a decade of excess--temperature extremes, rampant egos, mindless spending, desperate poverty. The year 2010 launches a decade marked by greater restraint and compassion for one another. Those who continue to value external rewards over human connection are in for a rude awakening. We must create new habits and practices to make the shift into this new mode. This begins with the stories we tell about ourselves. At our December ritual, my goddess group sisters chose to bless one another rather than spending money on gifts. We read aloud each others' best qualities, which we'd written on pretty paper. Some had added special images or glitter. It was fascinating to see how others viewed me. Four of my nine sisters called me "wise." Ironically, a few days earlier I'd been telling friends about my "stupid" behavior. I had caught myself in the act of self-sabotage. As life coach Alan Cohen notes, "Every time you tell a story, you reinforce the feelings and experiences associated with the story; you amplify the themes in your consciousness, and you increase the chances of a similar story repeating itself in your world." Stupid is a leftover word from childhood that's lingered in my self-perception. So, at the Sagittarius New Moon on Dec. 16, I'll be ritually burning the word "stupid" along with the painful feelings it perpetuates. And, I'll be blessing the word "wise" as the flame that guides me into the new decade--to be evoked in future stories I tell about myself. Sagittarius is the storyteller, the raconteur of the zodiac. Sag types are optimistic and uplifting--but they can also be holier-than-thou, convinced of their own infallibility. Archers often set themselves up as gurus of some kind. Consider mega-Sagittarian James Arthur Ray, who recently exhorted his followers at a Sedona sweat lodge to ignore the wisdom of their bodies in favor of "spiritual mastery," with tragic results. Ray may have meant well, but his folly was a wake-up call to all of us. Whether we seek spiritual or political guidance, it's time to stop following gurus and follow our hearts instead. The Dec. 16 New Moon offers a rich opportunity to tap the guru within. The Sun, Moon and Venus in inspirational Sag unite with Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in the final phase of their healing and revealing link-up that began last spring. This aspect allows for a direct connection to our inner wisdom, and amplifies the message of compassionate care for one another. Also, eccentric Uranus--now in forward motion and extra potent--throws a liberating, though possibly destabilizing, square to the New Moon. We are shown higher truths that enable us to throw off the shackles of self-defeating habits. Now we can begin to think differently about ourselves, and tell a different story about our lives. Heroic Mars turns retrograde in Leo mid-December. The masculine urge to penetrate and protect is directed inward. This favors active self-care and soul-searching. Mars also represents anger, particularly in a fire sign. Beware of attacking yourself or others through the sheer frustration of not getting what you want. Instead, use this retrograde to determine your true desires and light a fire under yourself to go after them--once Mars is back to forward motion in mid March. Messenger Mercury also marches backward in Capricorn from late Dec. thru mid Jan. During this time, we're reviewing our basic structure in life, our ambitions and careers. The combination of two personal planets in retrograde motion is a huge call to turn inward--not an easy task during the holiday season. Yet that's where our strength and insight reside. Be careful of trying to do too much thru mid-Jan; travel, in particular, could require great patience. And, with a bevy of viruses floating about, take extra good care of your health. The planets are saying: Simplify, streamline and find your joy within. Many of us tend to wax loquacious at this time of year--especially after a few spiked eggnogs. The holidays are a perfect opportunity to listen closely to what comes out of your mouth. If you find yourself retelling a tired old story about yourself, stop and replace it with something more positive. The year 2010 is uncharted territory. We are going through a huge evolutionary shift on this planet. Let's stop judging ourselves so harshly--it only separates us from the Source within. We are gods and goddesses with divine qualities and powers. It's time to use them to birth the Golden Age!
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January
Theme: Tap
the Guru Within