The Aries Journey - Reassessment and Rebirth

by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #158, March 18, 2009

SKY EVENTS

• The Sun enters Aries March 20th at 4:44am PDT (11:44am GMT).
• The Aries New Moon is March 26th at 9:07am PDT (4:07pm GMT).
• The Libra Full Moon is April 9th at 7:56am PDT (2:56pm GMT).
• Venus went retrograde March 6th at 9:17am PST (5:17pm GMT).
• Venus goes direct April 17th 12:24pm PDT (7:24pm GMT).
• Saturn is retrograde from December 31st, 2008 until May 16th, 2009.
• Pluto goes retrograde April 4th through September 10th.
• Venus squares Pluto three times - February 5th, April 3rd and May 2nd.

Aries New Moon and Libra Full Moon

The cosmic pressure is on. The Aries New Moon March 26th and the Libra Full Moon April 9th are intensified by celestial forces, that are obliging us to dramatically change course. We are at a turning point that is forcing a profound shift in consciousness, and creating a quantum leap in the way we think about ourselves and live our lives. Below is a summary of what is going on. Reflecting on the nature of the energies, and their implications, can help us guide our evolutionary journey during these challenging, transformative and magical times.

Venus is Retrograde in Aries

Venus is retrograde in Aries from March 6th through April 17th (Venus goes retrograde only once every two years). We are being given the space to listen deeply to our soul. If we listen deeply, we can receive guidance on how to move forward in the most satisfying and rewarding manner.

Venus sets the guidelines of peace, harmony, and compassionate resonance within ourselves, with others, the Earth and the Universe. Aries reminds us - This is YOUR life. Aries asks us - What are you going to do with your precious and unique life?

The cosmic message is to cease wasting our time and energy on any form of negativity. Our destiny path is to enjoy deeper meaning, and to make our special contribution. One day we may recognize this time as a pivotal moment in our lives.

Pluto Digs Deep and Forces Transformation

Pluto powerfully interacts with, and thus intensifies, both the New and Full Moons. Pluto goes retrograde April 4th just before the Libra Full Moon. Pluto squares the Aries New Moon and also squares Mercury and Venus in Aries. Because of Venus retrograde activity, Venus and Pluto square off three times this spring - February 5th, April 3rd and May 2nd.

Squares force us to make major decisions that alter the course of our lives. Conveniently, Venus retrograde is giving us the space to figure things out. To make wise decisions, we have to identify:

1. what is the most important to us,
2. where we get the most satisfaction,
3. what is the most rewarding, and
4. where we find the most peace.

We have to let go of the 'shoulds' and answer the call of our soul. Where do we find joy? How can we:

1. be more creative,
2. experience more connection,
3. be of greater service,
4. be more empowered, and
5. set ourselves free?

Stress, pain, suffering and dissatisfaction are the messages that we need to reorient and reshape our lives. We have to think, act and feel in a radically different manner. Where can you take a risk with the help of your friends? What has radically changed in your life since the lunar eclipse February 9th? What options are now available that make it possible to go for what you want most?

The Saturn-Uranus Opposition Continues to Create Space for the New

The Saturn-Uranus opposition is on-going for this year and most of 2010. Their message is clear. We can't prop up the old structures. We have to build new ones. Once seemingly viable institutions are now like paper boxes soaked in the rain. They can no longer perform their function (and in some ways they never really did. Their fatal flaws have gotten us into deep trouble). It is time for a new box. Saturn requires us to be realistic and efficient. Uranus awakens us to bold, creative and inventive possibilities.

Pluto Goes Retrograde in Capricorn, Exposes Straw Houses

Pluto in Capricorn (for 15 years) continues to intensify the pressure for evolutionary transformation. The intensity increases as Pluto goes retrograde April 4th (through September 10th). The end goal of Pluto's deep probing is to awaken our higher self. To do so, we have to look at our shadow and examine root causes, not just superficial symptoms. We have to look at the assumptions of the paradigm that causes our problems, not just try to circumvent the annoyances.

Pluto in Capricorn obliges us to redefine our goals and to rebuild from the bottom up. Pluto exposes straw houses. Bailout and Band Aid responses aren't going to cover up (or solve!) our personal or collective structural dysfunctions. We have ignored the truth and sacrificed our integrity at the cost of our sanity and well-being. The bubble has burst. There is no turning back and no propping up the house of cards.

Change or Be Changed

In some way we have all bought into the deception, and allowed ourselves to be manipulated and controlled by fantasies and illusions. (How many times did you charge something to your credit card with the thought "The money will come from somewhere"?) To extricate ourselves we have to listen to our own truth. By listening to our heart and following our inner wisdom, we can free ourselves from the inevitable pain and suffering, that accompanies robotic adherence to the lies and manipulation of corporate greed, and the denial of mass consciousness.

We are each in our own way being forced to change course. We can greet the opportunities as liberating news or we can resist. But essentially there are only two choices: firstly, will we willingly change? or secondly, will we unwillingly be changed? Make your choice or let it be made for you!

It Is Easier to Let Go

I remember Yogi Bhajan telling us to 'drop' our fears and neurosis. (I also remember my mother telling us kids to 'snap out of it'). Both admonishments sounded perhaps like good ideas, but impossible to achieve. The current high frequencies on the planet, and the heavy-hitting impulses from the celestial interactions, feel very supportive of this 'stop whining and move on' advice.

Somehow it feels like there is little energy for old trips and negativity. What once tied us up in knots is no longer relevant, interesting or important.

Check it out:

• Do you feel it has become easier to let go of attachments that were once glued to your very being?
• Can you walk away from old grudges that no longer exert any power over your psyche?
• Do the present and the future seem to offer you an open door?
• Are you more willing to try something new because you believe it will work?
• Are you getting the message, that what worked in the past will be ineffective and detrimental in the future, and that the special dreams that didn't work in the past are now being activated by Divine timing?

Given all of the above, the Spring Equinox March 20th, and the Sun in Aries, are important markers of a new beginning. To release the past and move on, we must release the habit of self-criticism and listen to our inner voice.

A New Beginning

We begin a new astrological year at the Spring (Vernal) Equinox, when the Sun enters Aries. If we have established a conscious connection with the Divine in our tour through Pisces, our Aries journey will be divinely guided and inspired. We will know that we are one with the Infinite, and that our soul is on planet Earth for yet another adventure in evolutionary growth.

Alas, when we reincarnate, we forget our oneness with the Infinite. We relate to our personality and not to our soul. Our naïve, and ego-driven, inner Aries must learn once again to reconnect with our soul self and our infinite identity.

At the Equinox, when daylight begins to overcome the darkness of night(Northern Hemisphere), regains control and rises victorious, the Aries archetype represents the triumph of life over death, the resurrection of life, and the power to restore life and to begin anew.

The highest expressions of Aries are:

1. soul-directed individuality,
2. the light and purity of consciousness,
3. clear direction for a noble cause, and
4. the willpower to rise above empty confrontation, and take a leadership role to work for the truth.

Our Biggest Fight is Within

Aries represents our Self. The goal of our inner Aries (the first fire sign), is to use our fighting spirit to support, not undermine ourselves. The Aries archetype makes us aware of the fact that our biggest fight is within.

The war we are fighting is inside our own mind. We wrestle with the raw energy of our instincts, subconscious and negative voice.

Our enemies are our inner anger, restlessness, impatience, resentment, undirected fire energy and frustrated innocence. We suffer from the painful vulnerability of an innocent child, trying to live up to the expectations of an adult.

We find ourselves vanquished by needless aggression, pointless assertiveness, sabotaging impulses and inappropriate reactions. When we look at our inner conflict, we are not sure why we are so confrontational, enraged and negative, and at the end of the day we are exhausted, and burnt out, for no reason of merit.

Self-Criticism

Our major psychological problem is that we feel limited and inadequate. We criticize ourselves for not living up to standards of perfection. We judge ourselves for our actions, our inactions, and the consequences that we experience from what we do and don't do. We play self-demeaning games firstly to get attention, secondly to get sympathy, and thirdly because we have a negative self-concept.

Of course, we can identify circumstances, and people in our lives who we can claim are responsible for our wounded programming. However, identifying and blaming our real, or perceived, victimizers does not change the racket in our mind (and generally reinforces our negative self-talk).

No one outside ourselves can heal our inner turmoil, or take responsibility for what we do with our energy (and our lives). Our quest is not to find and punish a villain, but to find a solution that will help us achieve inner peace.

Limited Self-Concept

Pogo identified that "We have met the enemy. And the enemy is us". The deeper truth is that we engage in self-criticism because our mental concept of ourselves is limited. We do not have a relationship with our infinite Self.

In our dual mind, we are unable to perceive our highest qualities and pure essence. This is because we are disconnected from our soul and the Divine. Our relationship is with our subconscious programming, not with our soul. Our authorities are other wounded personalities, not the Infinite.

Everyone has the capacity to experience their soul and the Infinite. With the assistance of Kundalini Yoga, we can:

1. train ourselves to be aware of the higher vibrations that resonate in our being,
2. release ourselves from the habit of self-belittlement and perceived limitations, and
3. deliver ourselves to self-knowing, self-respect and self-love.

Aries Tool Kit

As we enter our inner battlefield, it is a good idea to take an Aries tool kit with us. Those with weak fire, and fear-based programs, will have to develop these tools as we progress on our journey.

• Fearlessness
  Aries goes bravely where others fear to tread. Each one of us can tap into our inner courage. We build fearlessness as we confront our paper tigers along the way. Folks, we are confronting thoughts, not reality! Embrace your discomfort zone. It is not as painful as your critical mind speculates.
• Honesty and Truth
  Aries requires honesty and the truth. The Ram does not like deceit. It needs communication to be straight forward, clear, obvious and logical. Aries brings clarity and openness to the table.
• Lover of Freedom
  Our inner Aries loves freedom and wants to be its own boss. The Ram strives for independence of will. To claim our will we must firstly focus our attention on our energetic being, secondly learn to be energetically self-contained, and thirdly listen to our inner wisdom.
• Awaken Our Neutral Mind
  Our relationship with ourself is determined by our mental attitude and structure, and by the strength of our nervous system. Our mind has to be awake to our neutral channel to have an experience of our pure essence and Infinity. We have to have a strong nervous system to have a mind that can maintain access to the neutral channel and way of life.
• Listening Skills
  To be our own boss, we have to listen to the voices within that are controlling our reality, and we have to develop a relationship with them. We confront our critical voice by listening to it, not by fighting, denying, negating it, or trying to cover it up with positive retorts.
  
  Our task is to listen deeply. Stop talking to yourself and LISTEN! Make your mantra LISTEN.
  
  Underneath the chatter we hear another voice and the sound of the Infinite. They tell us that the negativity is not true. By listening to the two voices, we learn to discriminate. We tune into the wise advice of the bumper sticker - Don't believe everything you think!

A Conversation with Ourselves

Overcoming self-criticism requires a conversation between our neutral and negative voices, and we must be totally honest with ourselves. If we lie to ourselves, we are an open target to be manipulated by our critical voice. Our inner listening journey is an invaluable piece of our self-discovery and empowerment process.

Listening without judgment, we become aware of our self-critical emotional habits, and uncover subconscious imprints. We can:

1. find out what stories and beliefs are fueling our inner critic,
2. identify where we perceive threats, competition, demands, and battlefields that do not exist, and
3. recognize our innocence, and how we can get easily and deeply hurt.

Our job is to monitor and direct the conversation within ourselves. By deeply listening, we awaken our neutral mind channel and our inner dialogue shifts. In our neutral channel we can tune into the message and the meaning hidden under our critical voice. We find out that our soul feels abandoned. Our critical voice is our soul crying out for attention. Our soul has something to tell us. It is asking us to please listen. This is why, if we try to shut up our negative voice, its just gets louder.

My Voice - Which One?

As we hone our inner listening faculty, we begin to hear and identify the source of our different voices. Our inner critic is fueled by our subconscious. Our wise voice speaks for our soul. We can train ourselves to acknowledge our inner critic, and to lovingly recognize that it is controlled by wounded programming. The secret is that we don't fight back. We neutrally and respectfully listen.

The more we listen, the more we discover a voice that has been silenced and wishes to speak.

1. Underneath the self-judgment is another voice that loves us just the way we are.
2. Under our negative voice, we identify our authentic needs, preferences and desires.
3. We simply want to be loved, to give love, and to feel love in our being.
4. We discover that our inner-critic is just trying to get our attention, so that we can deeply listen to the voice of our soul, so
5. we can hear the Infinite sound that soothes our wounds and nurtures us through every trial and test.

Neutral is Our Anchor

Our neutral anchor makes it possible to hold steady when our negative voice speaks. Instead of resisting, we relax and listen. We go deep into our soul, where we find peace and compassion, and where we are able to embrace ourselves exactly the way we are. In this relaxed, accepting state, we can hear our truth. We can evaluate our lives and make decisions with the criteria furnished by deep knowing.

We learn to trust this voice, that guides us to make more supportive and loving choices for ourselves. We reclaim our free will by getting to know, value, listen to and follow the loving voice. In doing so, we activate the fire of our inner being, which fuels our inner strength, self-confidence and self-love.

We listen until we firstly find peace, secondly feel the resonance, and thirdly hear the sound of love.

Kundalini Yoga to Rebirth Ourselves

Every Kundalini Yoga set awakens us. After the activation of every exercise, we can deeply listen. One excellent set to practice the ideas in this lesson is the Set for State of Mind and Paranoia on pages 80-81 in Relax and Renew 2nd Edition. Between exercises, do your best to stop talking to yourself and LISTEN! Make your mantra LISTEN.

Chanting mantras delivers us to our peace channel. Mantras open the door and move us past our stories. Pranayama liberates stuck energy and awakens our mind to the deep reality of our soul.

Take your pick and train yourself to listen deeply.

The following Kundalini Yoga meditation works to clear the subconscious of self-critical voices and move us into the neutral channel of our soul.

Natal Rebirthing Meditation

(From page 311 in Your Life Is in Your Chakras).

• Sit in Eye Pose with a straight spine, arms at sides, hands up to solar plexus level, palms up. Lock index and middle fingers under the thumbs with the ring and little fingers straight, together and relaxed. The last 2 fingers are pointing towards each other about an inch from the fingers on the other hand.
• Inhale and exhale through the open mouth, creating the sound AAAAAAkkkhh in the throat. Make deep intense sounds as you pull the sound with the breath deep from within on the AAAAA and then let it go on the KKHHH. The rhythm is fast, about 40 inhales and exhales per minute. Do for 3 minutes. This will feel like a long time if you do it powerfully, which is the intent of the meditation.
• To end inhale, lock the teeth, concentrate and hold the breath for 20 seconds, and exhale. Repeat twice more, and on the last breath retention, feel and circulate the breath through-out the body. Then simply smile, silently, for 2 minutes, and then laugh, gently, for 3 minutes.
• Then DEEPLY LISTEN!

Comments: Do not jump up after this meditation. Sit silently and listen for at least 10 minutes. This meditation involves reducing yourself to the size of spermatozoa. It will allow you to lose a lot of garbage. As you are smiling, don't think of anything except that which will make you smile. Feel good, feel elevated, feel blissful. It will to totally recuperate your personality. Within this energy we have to heal our very selves - the sad self, the destructive self, and the negative self. When laughing, it is as if you are seeing something wonderful happening, and you are enjoying it. Don't get specific. Simply enjoy the feeling experience.

References and Footnotes

"Aries New Moon", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, Feb/Mar 2009, Issue #143, pages 108.

"Libra Full Moon", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, April/May 2009, Issue #144, pages 105.

"Taming Aries Wild Horses", Gerhardt, Dana, The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #144, April/May 2009, pp. 15-19.

"Aries the Ram", Houlding, Deborah, The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #144, April/May 2009, pp. 40-47.

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