One stormy day, a distraught man walked far out onto a jetty, as high waves crashed around him. In deep despair, he thought how all he had to do was take one step forward, and his troubles would be over. At that moment, relates Sophy Burnham in A Book of
Virgo Full Moon: Catch the Express Train
Lately I’ve been giving a lot of things away. Inspired by Marie Kondo’s philosophy of blessing and releasing items that no longer spark joy, I’ve dug deep into cabinets and closets and let go of many items – everything from Mom’s old punchbowl set and Dad’s tools, to some lovely
Aquarius New Moon: Be True to Yourself
In her inspiring, irreverent book You are a Badass, Jen Sincero tells the story of a memorable hike in the Utah badlands. The writer and her friends stumbled across a modern-day Tarzan in his late thirties who lived in a cave and sustained himself on deer and squirrels he caught
Leo Blood Moon Eclipse: Us vs. Them
The United States has become a battleground. Like Yankees and Confederates in the Civil War, we find ourselves on opposite sides of the fence, unable or unwilling to bridge the gap. We look on, aghast, at a relative’s righteous Facebook posts, or avoid family gatherings altogether. Many of us withdraw
Capricorn New Moon Eclipse: Making Your Intentions Stick
Few would dispute that positive thoughts make us happier, and negative thoughts bring us down. So it would make sense that visualizing a positive future would help us create it. And to some extent, it does. Yet research has shown that those who only think about what they want to
Cancer Full Moon: Who Will You Feed?
Perhaps you’ve heard the Cherokee tale in which an old man was teaching his grandson about life. “A terrible fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is between two wolves. One is evil and the other is good. The same fight is going on inside
Sagittarius New Moon: Where are you headed?
“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around a lake.” –Wallace Stevens The year that’s wrapping up has been a confusing and frustrating one for many of us. Yet since Jupiter entered its own sign of Sagittarius early last month, hope is on the horizon. Not necessarily in terms of
Gemini Full Moon: Celebrate What Connects Us
Imagine sitting down opposite someone who’s vowed to hate everyone who shares your skin color and ethnicity. This is the position that filmmaker Deeyah Khan placed herself in when she met face-to-face with those who frighten her most – neo-Nazis and white supremacists – to see if they could find
Scorpio New Moon: Wrestling with Demons
It’s been an unusually bleak time lately, between bomb threats, hate-motivated shootings and pre-election political rancor. The Sun and Mercury are dredging the depths of Scorpio, while Jupiter transits the final degrees of that dark, inscrutable sign, spotlighting life-or-death struggles – and the power to overcome them. Sometimes the imagery
Taurus Full Moon: Reconnect to Your Sensual Self
An exceptional Full Moon is nearly upon us, with the Moon in Taurus (the body) dynamically opposing the Sun in Scorpio (the soul). In the old days of goddess worship, this was considered the most magical Full Moon of the year – as it connects body and soul in a
Libra New Moon: Busting the Soul-Mate Myth
Plato’s theory of the soul-mate or “split-apart” asserts that initially we humans had four legs, four arms, and a single head with two faces. But at some point, said the Greek philosopher, we started to become as strong as gods – so Zeus split us into halves to punish us
Sept. 24 Full Moon in Aries: A Sense of Purpose
A traffic controller standing in the hot sun as he directed the flow of cars on a stretch of Colorado highway was asked by a driver how he could stand such boring work. “I keep people safe,” he replied. “I care about these guys behind me, and I keep them
Virgo New Moon: A Physical Reset
In his book, The Jack LaLanne Way to Vibrant Health, the fitness guru wrote that as a boy he was addicted to sugar and junk food, and suffered from headaches and bulimia. He had violent episodes against himself and others, calling himself “a miserable goddamn kid.” At 15, LaLanne heard health
Pisces Full Moon: Bridging the Gap
At the age of 86, my dad was in so much pain he could barely walk. Soon after I moved in to care for him, he collapsed trying to get out of bed. By afternoon he was in hospice. The moment he realized the fight was over, my warrior father
Leo New Moon Eclipse: Good News!
During this intense, scorching hot summer of retrogrades and eclipses, we’ll take our good news where we can find it. Especially if it’s in the form of a handsome newcomer poised to rejuvenate the dwindling mountain lion population of the Santa Monica Mountains! The strapping young cat, discovered recently via