A Reading About the 2016 US Election

Many of us are concerned and fearful about the results of the US presidential election. I know that I, personally, have been struggling with fear quite a bit over the last few weeks. But I still have deep faith that humanity’s transition into the new age of Aquarius is both inevitable and well underway. I truly believe that we are shifting from a patriarchal, hierarchical, conquesting, and brutally competitive age into a more egalitarian, harmonious and cooperative age; from separation consciousness into unity consciousness. But the thousands-year-old patriarchy isn’t going to tumble into the dustbin of history quietly….and perhaps not even peacefully. I view the election results as an embodiment of this; an angry backlash of the old, dying way—its last (or one of its last) hoorah(s). 

But that doesn’t mean we should just sit back, check out, or stick our heads in the sand. If we ever want to catch a glimpse of the new age we yearn for in our lifetime, we must be active participants in ushering it in. The damage that this reactionary backlash will cause remains to be seen, but the responsibility for minimizing and mitigating that damage is ours. As one of my absolute favorite astrologers, Kaypacha Lescher, so aptly put it:

“We could have entered and ushered in a new paradigm easily, gracefully, slowly, gently, dismantling the old…(but) we have decided, collectively, to bring it on like a tidal wave. Wipe out the old paradigm and start over again from scratch. This is more traumatic. For some people, it may be more exciting. It’s more revolutionary, it’s more rebellious.”

In hopes to bring peace and empowerment to myself and anyone who might read this, I decided to do a special oracle card/intuitive reading about how we, as a collective, can navigate these especially uncertain times.

Here is the overall message I received—I hope it will be as comforting and empowering to you as it was for me:

First and foremost: we were made for times such as these. We are lightworkers and it's time for us to wake up, step up and shine our light. While our fear and anger ARE valid and must be honored, we cannot let our fear and anger drive us. We must stand firmly for what we believe in and stand up for those whose rights are at stake, doing so from a place of love. We must go more deeply into our spiritual practice than ever before. 

Embrace your power; we're here to transform the world, not to disengage from it. We CAN be spiritual AND informed, passionate activists at the same time. And these times will require nothing less from us.

Remember that we are here to help heal this world and usher in a new age. We are called to show leadership and lovingly guide others by example. 

One of the oracle cards pulled that I found particularly empowering depicted a warrior WOMAN. It is time to join together, rise up, and courageously stand up for marginalized groups, whether we are a part of those groups or not. 

Don't shut down and don't check out. While you may need to take a media break or set limits on your media consumption, don't stop reading the news. 

Don't turn away from reality.

Don't be afraid of intense feelings and allow yourself to feel them. However, try not to wallow in fear, letting it bog you down and cloud your mind.

You CAN be loving while also being assertive. Marianne Williamson explains this so beautifully.

We are here to be examples of peace and to bring forth love and compassion—even (and especially) to those we disagree with.

While it absolutely is time to step into our power and be firm in our convictions, we can only effectively do so from a place of love.

We cannot meet hate, anger and fear with more hate, anger and fear. Feel for everyone, including those we disagree with.

Pray for hearts to be opened...including our own.

Have faith. 

Have patience with yourself and others. Trust in this process, your higher power, and yourself.

Keep releasing fear and anger. There's much work to be done and we need to shine our brightest.

<3

November 2016: Love, Trust & Express Yourself

November shines a big, bright spotlight on YOU. This month is all about loving, accepting, trusting and expressing our authentic selves. And it calls for a heaping dose of self-care. The resounding message this month brings is: YES, your intuition is correct. Now, trust it and follow it!

The cycles of birth and death (quite fitting for Scorpio season)/beginnings and endings will be in focus. For some, this can mean literal births of children, pregnancies or important birthday celebrations. For many, this will mean the birthing of new projects or ways of being/relating to others. Conversely, November will also be a time of completions; as the new emerges, the old continues to fade away.

As always, don't expect these endings and beginnings to be neat and clear-cut. Many of us may find these transitions occurring in the opposite order we'd expect. The first half of the month looks like a stronger time for beginnings, while completions will be emphasized more in the later half...and don't be surprised if there's also a little of both going on at the same time.

Prepare for some positive (though not necessarily easy) shifts in our finances too. Many of us won't be able to deny it any longer—the time has come to get serious about freeing ourselves from the burden and habit of debt. Once we make the commitment to do so, we can trust that we'll be guided towards the best ways to reduce our debt and spending.

Overall, the first half of November will be a joyous, celebratory time—and the lighthearted energy will be more than welcome as the extremely intense, dark United States presidential election comes to a close. The forward motion of October will continue well into this month. It continues to be a time for forging ahead after our heart's desires. And, lucky for us, the steps we need to take will be crystal clear...so long as way pay attention to our inner guidance. 

Inspiration abound, the beginning and middle of the month will be perfect for expressing ourselves (creatively or otherwise). "Follow your bliss" will be an easier adage to live by than usual, so make the most of it! But remember, even amidst all the excitement, don't forget to take care of yourself.

As the moon wanes and we slip into winter, the final half of the month is a time for going within. Rest, retreat and some possible regrouping may be in order. While we should expect our sensitivity to be heightened all month, this will particularly true in the last half. Remember to honor and embrace your sensitivity as a precious part of who you are. Being intently present with our feelings and thoughts will help us to distinguish between what's ours and what we may be absorbing from others.

As a time of reflection and release, clearing rituals can be deeply healing (and likely necessary) during this period—clearing our own energy, as well as that of our homes and work spaces. Ask yourself, what do I need to let go of in order to better care for myself and closer align my life with what's most important to me? Be gentle, loving and honest with yourself. Many may come to the realization that we need help and will be called to face any fear or guilt we have about asking for it.

Honor your needs and be true to who you really are.

October 2016: Taking Heart & Pressing Forward

October will be a month of healing and forward motion. While the momentum has certainly increased, we may encounter some situations this month that appear to be challenges at first. But these seeming challenges will actually lead to deeper, more rapid inner healing. Family will be a central theme for many this month as well—visiting and spending time with family, welcoming new additions to the family, but also healing of deep-rooted issues related to family.

We are ready; the time has come for moving forward and getting out there. For most, this will mean venturing outside of our comfort zones. For some, this could mean literally traveling to a new destination where important growth and learning will take place. As always, faith and trust will be of paramount importance this month; trust that there are gifts hidden within challenges you may face, trust enough to let go of the need to control and predict outcomes, trust that you are on the right path and all is unfolding as it's meant to.

Health will be a major theme of October too. For many, emotional detoxification will also require physical detoxification. Eating more healthily (more fruits and vegetables, staying away from chemicals and processed foods, etc.), getting plenty of exercise and spending time in nature will be crucial for all of us this month. Get out there and enjoy the beautiful Autumn weather!

The forward momentum will be particularly strong in the first half of October, which is quite fitting as we make our way towards a full moon in the strong, assertive sign of Aries on October 16th. This is a time for taking action, making decisions and going for it. We're reminded that this is our life and it's up to us to take initiative and to set our own course. You know what you need and want to do, so do it! This will also be a time of heightened manifestation, so be extra careful of your thoughts and attitude—we have the power to create messes or masterpieces of our lives. We create the latter by staying centered in faith, gratitude and love. 

Circling back to the nature theme of this month, many will find flower essences particularly helpful in their healing work, such as lavender oil for relaxation or rose oil for heart opening. While still a strong time for taking action, the second half of October will have a noticeably gentler energy to it, where we'll be reaping benefits of what we sowed earlier in the month. For many, soulmate relationships will blossom or come into focus during this period as well.

Go fearlessly forward where you know you need to go, trusting in the divine guidance and protection that envelops you. 

8/14/2016-8/21/2016: Receiving Our Good

Open your arms wide because this week is all about receiving! :) And it's no coincidence this receptive theme corresponds with a full moon week, as full moons are optimal times, energetically, for reaping what we've sown and for manifestation. Tying back to the overall theme of this month, we are reminded to stay in the flow of giving and receiving; recognize if you've been giving a lot of yourself lately. If so (which is more than likely), accept this week's loving invitation to re-fill and receive. 

We must open up to accept gifts not only from the universe and other people, but from ourselves as well—it may be high time you reward yourself for all the hard work you've done. Some inner child and/or family issues spotlighted two weeks ago may resurface once again for additional healing; notice how your inner child comes alive and rejoices when you give yourself some loving attention and a much-deserved treat or two...or more :)

Let yourself receive without guilt or fear. The universe/your higher power wants to help you learn to create and accept abundance, especially if this is something that doesn't come easily to you. All you need to do is be willing to receive and to release fears of loss or lack (financially or otherwise). It's the perfect time to leap in and follow our heart's desires. And it can't be reiterated enough—don't let fear hold you back. Trust that following your heart will lead to more abundance in the long run, even if it means taking a brave leap of faith right now. 

But first, you may need to ask yourself—what is it that I truly want? Get clear on it. Meditate on it. Once we're clear about what our heart truly desires, we can dive in and embrace that vision. You have the power to write the script for your life—what kind of a life do you want? 

Know that you are deserving of all good.