Spiritual PFM: Death, Transformation and Saturn in Scorpio

in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we on Long Island (and around coastal NYC) are doing our best to get life back to normal.  the hardest part is that normal life isn't possible for many people who have had major or total damage to their homes.  i can't imagine being told that you can't return home for weeks or months or, even worse, ever.  i know a few people, like Becca, who are in this similar situation.  the only silver lining is that many of the areas hit by the storm are middle to affluent neighborhoods; they will rebuild and most will return.  i can't help thinking about just how devastating Katrina must have been to the lower income areas of Louisiana and to those who couldn't afford to rebuild.   i also can't help but think about all that is going on as i witness the forced transformations happening all around me, especially as i am dealing with personal transformation.  a few things came to mind as i pondered it all:

• death and transformation - many are afraid of the idea of death, me included.  i think that fear comes from not understanding the powerful message of death.  when the death card, like the image above from the Motherpeace tarot deck (my favorite deck), shows up in a reading, it doesn't always mean literal death.  everything in nature goes through a death and dying cycle.  things have to die to make way for new things just like the leaves fall of the tree each autumn.  while that doesn't mean death for the tree, it does mean a stage has ended for that tree symbolized by the dying of its leaves.  many of us are in a stage of transformation.   some were forced into the stage by Sandy.  others, like the earth, are in this stage because this is the time of year that our part of the planet goes dormant. 
• scorpionic energy - this time of year, in astrology, is ruled by scorpio.  scorpio is associated with endings and beginnings, death and dying, and transformation.  it rules the time of year when the days are more dark than light, plants are literally dying and animals are stashing food - all in preparation for the cold of winter. it makes utter sense (at least to this layman astrologer) that we would be dealing with all that is happening now while we are in scorpio and right as saturn entered the sign of scorpio.
• saturn in scorpio - as i mentioned, i am a just an astrology aficionado.  i tend to believe that this science truly affects or maybe dictates what is happening on earth.  when things are hectic in my personal life or there are major occurrences (i.e. eclipses, full/new moons), i literally look to the heavens for answers.  i am a libra so i was fully aware that saturn was in my sign recently.  i was also fully aware that at the beginning of the month, it moved out of libra and into scorpio.  i wanted to do a dance of joy!  saturn is known as the taskmaster and forces us to experience hard lessons based on where it falls in our astrological charts and also what sign it is in.  so basically, scorpios are going through it right now.  the things is, you don't have to be a scorpio to feel the pressure of saturn.  if scorpio plays an important part in your birth chart (which i recommend you have done at least once in your life), it can also be stressful for you.  well, needless to say, my dance of joy has quickly stopped. scorpio plays a major role in my birth chart.  Dang it! so basically, i thought the hard lessons were over and they seem to be just getting started.  while in my search for understanding, i came across this cool astrology blog.  please see the links below to see how saturn's placement can affect you - scorpio or not.  hopefully you'll find some interesting and enlightening info like i did:

http://willowsweb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/saturn-in-scorpio.html

http://willowsweb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/saturn-in-scorpio-grounding-charge-and.html

it seems like both Becca and i are in the middle of transformation.  life is forcing us to say good-bye to things and concepts that no longer fit into the plan.  just like the snake in the pic above, we are shedding layers so that we can make way for the new, wonderful, bigger and better (have to stay positive) things waiting for us on the other side.  Becca is shedding layers of her house and i am shedding concepts and behaviors.  that doesn't mean that there won't be tears or resistance or downright kicking and screaming throughout this change.  (i think i've done it all and i'm sure Becca has too lol.)  ...but i am just trying to keep my eye on the prize and trust that as i peel away the dead layers that no longer serve me, i am making way for a happier, self-satisfied me. #fingerscrossed lol xo sesheta

Ask the PFMs: Making a Change - Step #3

Thank yourself for the progress you have made thus far! 

one of the hardest things to do, especially while trying to make a change for the better in your life, is to remain positive.  no matter the type of change, when we let the universe know that we are interested in doing things differently, sometimes it seems like everything and everyone is against us.  it can be extremely frustrating and can even cause many of us to give up on our goal.  that's why my step #3 is to be grateful.  while simple in concept, trust me, i know how hard it is to see the positive when everything around you seems negative.  besides taking baby steps, i encourage you to be happy with your progress.  it is easy to look at your goal and criticize how far you are from it.  instead of being your own worst critic, relish in the small victories.  pat yourself on the back for making a salad; it's one salad closer to eating healthy.  celebrate losing one pound; it's one pound closer to your goal weight.  applaud yourself for getting back on the horse; yesterday is just that and today is a new day.  thank yourself for your commitment you because, even for that alone,  you have already become a newer you.  congratulations! xo Sesheta

Ask the PFMs: Making a Change - Step #1

Photo Credits

there must be something in the air - maybe the cooler weather and shorter days - that serves as a sign to our bodies that change is in order.  i know i have been feeling the change in the air and it may be what my friend was feeling when he decided to "Ask the PFMs" for  assistance in changing up his diet.  though he isn't necessarily trying to become vegetarian or vegan, he was looking for ways to eat healthier.  he mentioned that he had started working out again and that this was part of an ultimate plan to generally be healthier.  it was also inspired by him often feeling tired.  does this sounds like you?  are you looking to make a change for the better?  well, i decided to share some of the tips that i told my friend with you, in case you have been wanting to do something but haven't figured out where to start.  

Today is step #1 and the tip for today is:

what is your goal? 

this may seem like a simple question but if you really start thinking about it more, you will see that it can really make or break your success.  take the time to examine what your purpose is for making a change.  have you been considering transitioning to vegetarian or vegan and decided this is the time?  are you just looking to lose some unwanted weight or simply would like to detox?  or maybe, like my friend, you are looking to incorporate some healthier choices into your everyday.  setting the intention for what you are trying to achieve is an important part of feeling and seeing a difference.  i challenge you to ponder this question and then write your goal down.  putting it down on paper will also make it more real for you and express your intention to the universe.  post your goal near your mirror or set a reminder with it on your phone so that you can renew your purpose to fulfill your goal every day.  once you have completed this step, you'll be ready for step #2 (coming soon). 

keep a look out for these Making a Change posts to continue gathering some easy first steps to making changes to your diet and your lifestyle. xo Sesheta

Spiritual PFM- Dragonfly: Unveiling Illusion

Pic courtesy of Animal Theory

life has been particularly stressful for me recently.  i have been feeling like i'm being pulled in a million directions while keeping a hundred balls in the air.  that being said, i've been known to exaggerate - blame it on my theater background lol.  regardless of the actual details - exaggerated or not, life has been throwing me for a loop.  most times i can attribute things and people being weird to a phase of the moon (look at that - there is new moon coming up).  ...but this all started last week.  i consider myself to be a spiritual person.  not the kind that goes to church every week, but the kind that feels a distinct connection to spirit - my inner spirit as well as to "god" (whatever you may call it).  i also believe that spirit talks to us and tries to guide us in small ways and, if we ignore the small ways, spirit will try again, bigger and in a way that we can't ignore.  though it's hard, i really try to be in tune so that i can be aware of the small, subtle messages; i'm not always successful, but this particular time, i have been looking for any kind of guidance i could get, to help me get through.  ...and after i asked for help, dragonfly appeared.  

i don't know if you believe in animal guides, but i do.   i believe that they are sent with the messages from spirit to help us.  i also believe that every person has their own particular animal totems but every animal or insect can show up depending on the message spirit wants you to get.  ...so dragonfly appeared to me.  as i was about to step outside my door, i saw a dragonfly was sitting on my step.  i didn't open my door because i didn't want to step on it and i also didn't want it to fly inside.  i watched it sitting there and waiting for it to move but it didn't.  i had to open my door and make a noise to startle it away but i couldn't ignore that i was being sent a message.  

the main symbolism of dragonfly is illusion.  they can symbolize that things are not always as they seem and that life itself is not always what it appears to be.  dragonflies are also associated with lots of movement as they flit about as well as the ability to hover while in flight- all due to constant movement.  i have been feeling like, while time is flying by, i have been stagnant in many different areas or at least that is how it has seemed.  i've also felt like i  have been handling a lot on my own with no one to help but i know that is also an illusion.  other  qualities associated with dragonfly are skill, relentlessness, refinement, and creativity.  in addition to reminding me that things aren't always as they seem, i feel that dragonfly was reminding me that i need to be relentless and find creative ways to force things to change.  just like i had to figure out how i was going to make the dragonfly get out of the way, i will have to find a way to force the obstacles to get out of the way in life.  i already feel like there has been movement in one area, specifically because i found another way to approach it.  i am thankful for dragonfly's message and for being open enough to receive it.

if you would like to learn more about animal guides, besides doing a google search, i suggest checking out the book, Animal Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small by Ted Andrews.