How have you all been holding up recently?

I’ve heard and felt how for many it’s been a bit of an uphill battle, unsettling, or like hitting rock bottom yet again, as you rebuild from the inside out.

For some this return within is depleting and for others it’s been invigorating.

I know there’s a mix of despair, challenge in being hopeful, desire to withdraw, confusion about what to do next, and also excitement, new clarity, feelings of renewal, and deepening into more authentic embodiment than ever before.

Where ever you find yourself on the spectrum of experience, know that it’s all perfectly okay. If we’re honest about how we feel and we’re willing to feel it, then that’s the perfect journey to be on. Acknowledging and allowing the emotions to move through us creates space for something new.

I’m not going to go into all of the astrological aspects in high gear right now, as I’ll leave that to the astrologers, plus sometimes it’s all just too much info that is hard to understand by everyone. But Mercury Retrograde did just kick in on the 13th and today, the 16th of October, we have a Libra New Moon.

There are some harsher aspects to the New Moon that will amplify feelings and could create some triggers, but if you can stay grounded, centered, and present in your heart, then you may be able to harness Libra’s peace and justic-loving desires.

The challenges and harsh realities aren’t coming up to hurt us, but merely to get our attention focused on the things we’ve long overlooked or thought might just go away if we didn’t think about them. Because once we do integrate these forgotten energies, then we can be at the top of our game and more masterful in how we respond to life.

As many of us have mentioned before…we can’t just think our way through things or state affirmations over and over to create lasting change. Change comes from uncovering and working with the emotions underneath the thoughts (yes all of the icky-feeling ones too) and then aligning our body, heart, mind, and soul with the new.

New Moons are an ending to one cycle and beginning to another, so it’s a great time for fresh starts in life and in any area of life. This one has some challenged opposing aspects, yes, but with Libra at work you can bet it’s centered on balancing. So even with relationships, conflict, power struggles, and intensity being in the spotlight, there’s opportunity for realizations and adjustments. Patience and reflection will be your friend, rather than quickly reacting. All of this could lead to leaving toxic situations that no longer serve you and finding ways to do this that are in everyone’s highest good.

It’s a time to learn and grow from the challenges in our lives. So, if something bothers you or things feel confusing and unclear right now, just remember that you can take a pause and focus on the things that actually do feel more clear in your life. If you direct energy there instead of forcing what feels murky currently, then you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll give things time to settle and not be misconstrued by the combined other energies, including the Retrograde.

This could be a powerful time for a new perspective, awakening, receiving spiritual insights on things you’ve been wondering about or a new direction, or for experiencing a deepening of your intuition.

The more we can be gentle with ourselves and try to shift into a heart space when viewing all experiences, the more kindness will pour from and to us.

What is calling to you right now or moves you the most?

This is a great time to let yourself explore within and see what lights you up.

Retrogrades are not the villains they’re often made out to be…they help us to recognize the times for going within and reworking things, re-strategizing, doing stuff behind the scenes, reevaluating, reviewing, rethinking, reconnecting, releasing, and rebuilding. And when we do, we can catapult ourselves by working with the energies and strategizing inwardly.

For me, the “r” word has been reinventing and I feel the changes I’m weaving in are creating the future-self me in the now – if that makes sense. Retrieval from the future, rather than the past like has been the case up until now, is what I feel happening. And of course there is no distinction of time as multi-dimensional beings, but that’s the human way to describe it so that it’s somewhat understandable.

Retrogrades may seem like a hidden enemy, but I’ve found them particularly supportive. It’s all about learning the language of energy and putting to use your skills you’ve been cultivating. Retrogrades don’t mean a time to throw out all that you’ve acquired in life training to be at the mercy of a certain time of the year. Rather, it’s the perfect time to exercise a little self-mastery.

If you’ve been challenged with Retrogrades before, here is just a little reminder about how to navigate its waters and understand what might be going on with your current experiences.

This is a good time to complete and release things that no longer support your highest good, put to rest old “stuff”, have more patience and light-heartedness about things, take time for yourself away from it all, slow down and be still to receive, cleansing is a great way to utilize the energy, as is focusing on intentions you want to put out to the Universe, be more present in your life and with others, especially in terms of communication, realizing that things can get heated and meanings mixed up, so stay in your heart, listen and go within, and realize it’s not all that serious.

Things can be amplified during this time, but that in no way means it has to rule your life. This is a great time to exercise self-mastery skills and work a little alchemy in your life. Put to use all that you’ve learned and you can actually ride Retrogrades with ease and utilize its energy in very positive and productive ways.

Realize that if something is confused or delayed, or your electronics go awry, it’s not the end of the world and it may be serving a purpose you just can’t see in the heat of the moment. Let go, detach, and embrace that everything is working for the highest good. You will come to understand later, why things happened as they did.

You can utilize determination during this time to help carry out visions and goals, but you will also need to stay on top of your willpower, as illusions and immediate pleasures may easily sway you. Yes, that could mean more shadow work to help you to integrate and balance and be able to see things clearly. People and things that trigger us are important to look at, not pushed away, in order to understand the trigger and what it is telling you about yourself and hidden feelings you may be afraid to see or acknowledge within.

Do you secretly envy someone or wish to be more like that which annoys you?

Is the thing that is bothering you about them, a quality you, yourself possess, and therefore if you integrate it yourself with love, you can transform your experience of self and others?

Is the quality that you fear or cast out in another, a part of you that if nurtured, could really catapult your passionate life?

What are you willing to do and give up short-term for the things you desire?

Your strength, will, determination and focus are key now, along with the flexibility to know when to flow so you maintain balance of mind, body, and spirit.

This isn’t so much the time for outward doing, as it is for being and preparation, so all of this is done on the inner planes and if done with commitment to the process of you, you will reap the benefits of the Retrograde, rather than feel controlled and beat down by it.

Keep the faith and lovingly nurture yourself and others during this time. The more you practice these things, the more you can discover how Retrogrades can be powerful catapulting times.

And since there are some challenging energies around the also supportive New Moon energies, this Retrograde provides the perfect space for you to put to rest some of that old stuff so that you can start anew.

I interlaced this post with Autumn photos from this week (the last from our backyard and the others from a hike and bike ride the last two days) in hopes that they kindle a warmth that melts any walls around your heart. After our week away, we returned to everything illuminated in beautiful Autumn colors. I’m particularly fond of the wondrous golden trees right now (especially set against the clear blue skies) who’s whisper enchant and remind me that harmony is always at hand.

I was going to post the new classes, events, and offerings today, but was guided to wait until Monday, as this post felt more important right now given the energies we have at hand.

So stay tuned for Monday’s update, which I’m very excited about!

Until then, wishing you love and balance in all that you do.