The Leo Journey - Our Heart is our Sun Center

by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #150, July 28, 2008

Planetary Alignments

• The Sun moved into Leo July 22nd. The Sun moves into Virgo August 22nd.
• The Leo New Moon/Solar Eclipse is August 1st at 3:13am PDT (10:13am GMT).
• The Aquarius Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse is August 16th at 2:18pm PDT (9:18pm GMT)

The Leo New Moon/Solar Eclipse awakens us to new possibilities. Perhaps without even knowing why, we are feeling ready to make major changes in our lives, including shifting direction, realigning our priorities, and moving into uncharted territory.

Solar eclipses occur when the Earth and the Moon align to block the light of the Sun. During this short period of time "the normal flow of solar radiation is interrupted. Energetic matrices are opened, reorganized, and reconfigured, creating new patterns and pathways".(1) This Solar and the upcoming Lunar Eclipse are already affecting us.

The influence of eclipses starts weeks before they actually occur. They instigate permanent changes in the way we operate. Some of the influences of the current eclipses include:

1. a strong urge to change,
2. a need to carry out our mission,
3. the drive to go for what we really want, and
4. a powerful sense of being directed by our soul, to be who we came here to be, and to do what we came here to do.

Aquarius Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse - August 16^th

During a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon moves into the shadow of the Earth. We experience the Moon without the reflected light from the Sun. The Moon is associated with our instinctual, intuitive, right brain functions. In our feeling nature, we experience the world, others and ourselves differently than we do in our analytical, judgmental minds.

The powerful interactions of the three outer planets - Neptune, Uranus and Pluto - in this Lunar Eclipse, magnify the perceptual shifts available to us at this time. Our intuitive, feeling awareness is amplified. It is easier to get in touch with and believe in our deepest hopes and dreams. We are more willing to pursue paths and approaches that before seemed too radical, or out of reach. We find it easier to identify and let go of fears and blocks preventing us from pursuing our goals. We are willing to embrace deep transformation in our lives. We welcome to us new mind and heart expanding opportunities.

The Leo archetype is the driving force of the Solar Eclipse and the silent partner of the Lunar Eclipse. Leo is associated with the Sun. Both eclipses propel us to activate, listen to and follow our Sun center - our heart.

Sun Symbol - Our Center, Circumference and Field

It is most insightful to reflect upon the astrological symbol for the Sun - A circle with a dot in the middle.

The symbol of the Sun has 3 components: firstly a center, secondly a circumference, and thirdly, within the circumference, a field.

1. The central point represents our Sun Center or our Soul Center. It is the fountainhead of primal energy, the source of our sustenance and the core from which all our expressions and actions arise. It is also the directing seat of power in our life.(3)
2. The circumference or outer ring circumscribes our personal realm - our energy and our manifested life.
3. Within the circumference is contained our operational field. Our field represents our aura or electromagnetic field. Our field also represents our everyday existence. It includes everything manifest within our scope or direct sphere of influence.

Astrological Note - Our Solar Ray

Although there are ten other primary (and many secondary) astrological indicators (Moon, planets and ascendant and their interactions) that combine to make up the energetic blueprint of our soul, they all exist in relationship to our Sun.

The solar ray of our inner Sun is partly, but not exclusively, determined by our Sun sign. Our birth chart in its entirety is one technique for helping us understand the nature and qualities of our solar ray.

In our solar system, the Sun holds all the planets in their orbit. Like the solar system, our inner Sun provides the gravitational pull that holds all aspects of our being together, so that we can exist as a whole person.

Goal to Consciously Connect Within

We connect with our primal impulse, deep within our psyche and in our heart. Our goal is to become aware of the radiant spark that shines within. We activate our gifts and develop our soul qualities as we quest to awaken our consciousness. As we experience, identify with and embody the Light that ensouls us, our understanding of who we are and the nature of our path is clarified and expanded.

Our life goal is to become conscious of firstly our operating center, secondly the circumference (boundaries), and thirdly the field of our being. In this issue we will focus on becoming conscious of our operating center. In Issue 151 we will develop an experiential understanding of the relationship between our center, our circumference and our field.

Nature and Qualities of Our Sun Center

Our Sun center is our soul center. The following define its basic nature and qualities:

1. Our Sun center represents the life force that emanates from our core - the divine energy that animates, enlivens and sustains our being. This energy determines our sense of vitality, health and well-being.
2. Our Sun Center represents our will and our willpower to dance our own dance, and to follow our own path. It is our motivating force that initiates and directs our actions. It is the source of our courage and our resolve.
   
   It is the determined spark within us that strives, seeks, finds, wins, loses and learns. "It does not yield under any circumstances".(3) Despite delays, impediments, and challenges, it will never quit. It keeps on going and evolving. It will not and cannot die!
3. Our uniqueness, basic nature and truth is defined by the complex, elegant and totally unique impulse of our inner Sun. Our inner Sun, or solar ray, is the Divine fragment that radiates our unique essence. You are you, and I am me. The demeanor, vitality, grace and impact of our personality result from the radiance of our personalized solar ray. (4)
   
   In our soul center we find our core truth, from which everything in our life springs. Our core truth defines what we came here to BE. Our destiny path - what we came here to do - is defined by our essence.
4. Our radiating center is an independent force, subservient to none. Any external dependence would interfere with our very existence, and cause our destruction through the fragmentation of the power and knowledge of our soul. Our center insures that we do not lose our independent identity or authority. Our core does not merge with others. This can give us a feeling of separateness, but the purity of our core makes it possible to honor, understand and relate to others at the level of pure love. At this level of perception, we know that we are connected in the oneness of all existence.

We must feel in harmony with our Sun center to find balance, peace and satisfaction in life. We must act in harmony with our Sun center to follow our destiny path. The extent to which we are at choice 'to be ME' depends upon our relationship with our Sun center.

Three Important Functions of Our Sun Center

Our Sun Center has several very important functions:

1. Command Center
   Our inner Sun is our command center. It operates from our inner depths, illuminating our mind, arousing our desires and propelling us to take action and move forward.
2. Invisible Guide
   Our inner Sun is the intelligence of our soul - the invisible guide that directs our journey, and leads us toward our potential and our perfection. It operates discreetly, effectively and majestically, with focus and commitment to the end goals of individualization, enlightenment and liberation.
3. Determines What We Attract, What is in Our Field
   The flame of our primordial light shines out from the center of our being. It radiates the energy that nurtures the creations that we hold in our field. The nature of our light, and how it shines into the labyrinth of the cosmic field of possibilities, determines what we attract, manifest and create. How our soul light illumes our surroundings determines how we transform Spirit into material form, and how our divine essence is individualized.

Our Inner Lion

Leo represents the stage of our human evolution when individualization takes place. It is at our center that we recognize our identity separate from group consciousness. We become aware that we are a distinct individual and are differentiated in a radical way from everyone else.

The Lion represents the spiritual power, that transforms the animal nature of humans into its divine expression. The Lion is aware of the natural force that it embodies. The Lion has succeeded in becoming conscious of its Self. It has learned to internalize the divine spark into its psyche. As we become conscious, we become highly sensitized to the natural force of our soul. This awareness has a tremendous impact on our psyche,(5) on our electromagnetic field, on our environment and on our relationships.

The lion is a medium sized animal, yet it commands the allegiance of even the largest animals. The lion's power and influence come from the fact that it knows itself. It is in touch with and is able to contain its great energy inside itself. Its courage makes it the ruler of the animal kingdom.(6) The lion is conscious of the fact that its soul, residing and churning deep within the sacred cave of the heart, is the real source of its being, creativity and power.(7)

Our Inner Lion Leads Us to Our Center

The journey of our inner Lion is to circle closer and closer to the center of our own being - to our heart. This is a spiritual quest, directed by instinctual awareness, and orchestrated by our soul center. This is our quest for a direct experience of the solar polarity of our soul (the Father). Our inner Leo must find and embrace a sustaining vision of ourselves. It is only in our own heart-center that we can find the authentic Self we are searching for. Any external role model (father), or ego-based identity, is either too wounded, spiritually lame, or too distant to touch our heart. No matter how elevated our idealized role model might be, it is not ME!

Our goal is to shift our center from our ego/head to our heart. Our center determines what we project. What we project in turn determines the extent of our circumference, and what we create in our field.

Kundalini Yoga - Creating a Relationship with our Sun Center (Our Heart)

To create a relationship with our Sun center we must awaken our heart. There are many, many kriyas and meditations in Transitions to a Heart-Centered World 2nd Edition. "Heart of Gold" on page 81 is a simple set that produces powerful results. "Cleansing the Lymph Glands" on page 88-89 is more active. In addition to opening the heart chakra, it expands the aura and activates the navel center. Try "Heart Shield Meditation" on page 147. You will really feel your heart center expand and consolidate as well. Pick any one and use the following directives to focus your attention, especially during the breaks between exercises and at the end of the set and meditation:

1. Pay attention to and focus on your heart. Be with your energy and sensations emanating from your heart.
2. Be present to the rhythm and continuous flow of your breath in your chest.
3. Feel your light and solar center at your heart. Be present to its purity and its power.

Activate your heart light:

4. Allow and accept what you are feeling. Burn away darkness with your light
5. Breathe deeply and let each inhale expand and activate your heart center. Let each exhale release, relax and let your heart be opened a little more.
6. Inhale SAT. Exhale NAM. Activate and claim your true identity.
7. Observe your life from neutral compassion, without any judgment or evaluation.
8. Address any pain or sorry with "I am sorry. I love you! SAT NAM"

Remember - we find our heart through compassion toward self, not through shame, blame, condemning or beating ourselves up.

Only in Our Heart

Only in our heart can we experience the feeling of peace in our body.

Only in our heart can we know our truth and what path to follow.

In the depth of our heart, we are never misled.

In our heart we are not impressed with outer shows.

We touch our truth and the veils of separation and fear are lifted.

We must know the nature of our soul to be at peace.

I meditate on the pulse of peace in my heart.

I meditate on warmth of love in my heart.

I meditate on the vibration of joy in my heart.

In my heart I find my center.

In my heart I know my soul.

In my heart I know love.

References and Footnotes

"Leo Solar Eclipse - August 1, Aquarius Lunar Eclipse - August 16", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #140, Aug/Sept 2008, pp. 103-4.

"Fundamentals of Vedic Astrology", Behari, Bepin, Lotus Press, 2003.

"Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology", Behari, Bepin, Sagar Publications, 2003

"Astrology and Spiritual Awakening", Bogart, Gregory C., Dawn Mountain Press, Berkeley, 1994.

"Archetypes of the Zodiac", Burt, Kathleen, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, 2002.

"The Astrology of Fate", Greene, Liz, Samuel Weiser, Inc., York Beach, Maine, 1984.

1. Austin, p. 103
2. Behari, Myths, p. 37.
3. Behari, Fundamentals, p. 88.
4. Behari, Fundamentals, p. 88
5. Behari, Myths, p. 137
6. Behari, Myths, p. 137
7. Behari, Myths, p. 137

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