Sagittarius Journey to Higher Consciousness
by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #165, November 22, 2009
Planetary Alignments
- The Sun moves into Sagittarius November 21st at 8:23pm PST (November 22nd, 4:23am GMT).
- The Sun moves into Capricorn December 21st at 7:47am PST (15:47 GMT).
- Gemini Full Moon at 10° Gemini, December 1st at 11:31pm PST (December 2nd at 7:31am GMT).
- Sagittarius New Moon at 24° Sagittarius, December 16th at 4:02am PST (12:02pm GMT).
- Uranus goes direct December 1st. It has been retrograde since June 30th.
- All planets will be direct from December 1st - 20th.
- Mars goes retrograde (20° Leo) December 20th at 5:27am PST (1:27pm GMT), through March 10th, 2010.
- Mercury goes retrograde December 26th at 6:38am PST (2:38pm GMT).
- Mercury goes direct January 15th at 8:52am PST (4:52pm GMT).
Cosmic Influences
1. Uranus Goes Direct
Uranus in Pisces goes direct just 12 hours before the Gemini Full Moon, December 1st.
Uranus the cosmic wild card, creates sudden, unexpected changes that catapult us into quantum shifts. When Uranus shifts direction, its 'stationary' phase amplifies its impact. Although Uranian surprises may appear unpredictable, random and chaotic, if we pay attention, we can discern the inherent necessity for the shifts that occur. Uranus disrupts our lives when we are so unconsciousness, that we do not notice reality and make the changes ourselves.
2. Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune Conjunction in Aquarius
Only once every several thousand years do the energies of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune come together in Aquarius to profoundly shift our inner and outer realities. Their alignment reminds us of the common humanness that we share with each other on Planet Earth.
The ongoing conjunction (through August 2010) of Jupiter (expansion), Chiron (healing) and Neptune (oneness) in Aquarius (humankind), continues to precipitate inner and outer transformation. How this transformation plays out will depend upon our ability to shift our consciousness. Aquarius awakens us to our interdependence, and our common human interests and needs. In our oneness we can work together to effect powerful and positive planetary change. In our conflictual mode, we can create catastrophic situations. The choice is ours.
Jupiter conjuncts Chiron for the third time December 7th. Jupiter conjuncts Neptune for the third time December 21st. At the Sagittarius New Moon December 16th, the Sun and Moon positively interact (sextile) with all three planets, helping us go deep into the heart space, where we acknowledge and feel kinship with all other beings.
3. Mars Goes Retrograde
Mars goes retrograde December 20th until March 10th. This means that Mars will be in Leo for eight months, instead of six weeks, (October 16th, 2009 through June 6th, 2010). (Mars goes retrograde only every 26 months). We have two and a half months to:
- examine where we are in life,
- evaluate where we want to go,
- define our goals, and
- outline our strategies.
We are given this time to take a thoughtful, heart-centered look at our lives, our choices and our life purpose.
The guiding principles while Mars is retrograde are:
- Be guided by what really matters.
- Be willing to let go of what holds you back.
- Trust your soul and Spirit to lead you on your destiny path.
4. Mercury Goes Retrograde
Mercury goes retrograde December 26th at 28° Libra and then will backtrack into Scorpio. Mercury goes direct January 15th. Mercury and Mars retrograde add an introspective flavor to the holiday season.
Rapid Transformation and a New Template
The electromagnetic field of Planet Earth is transforming at a very rapid pace. As a result, we find ourselves in an energetic environment that is vastly different than what we have been accustomed to. The old structure is dissolving and a new one is forming. The matrix of the Piscean age was held in place by the frequency of fear. The foundation for the template of the Aquarian age is the frequency of love.
The impact of this vibrational shift on our physical, mental and emotional being is profound and dramatic. Because we are each animated by universal energies, we are the beneficiaries of this evolutionary shift. The Light infusion of the frequency of Love on Planet Earth is making it possible, and necessary, to install a new operating system in our psyche.
This is not 'just happening' to us. We are being invited - or obliged - to participate in this evolutionary process, by eliminating dysfunctional patterns, and creating new ways of being and doing in our personal and collective lives.
A New Mode of Creation
One of the effects of the increased frequency on Planet Earth is that what we think, feel, project and intend (both positive and negative) is greatly magnified. This is one reason why looking at our old mental and emotional habits is of critical importance.
Our unconscious habits are locked into the matrix of fear, which has ruled how we co-create our reality for millennia. It is becoming more and more obvious that many of our old habits no longer serve us. Habits based in fear and anger derail us, and prevent us from reaching our heart-centered goals.
Scorpio and Sagittarius
It is interesting to view our journey in terms of the progression of the Zodiac. Scorpio is followed by Sagittarius. In Scorpio territory, we become aware of how our inner reality creates our outer reality. We go deep within ourselves to weed out self-sabotaging behaviors, beliefs and programming. We rise like a phoenix from the ashes only after we have burned away karmic patterns - the dross and samscaras that have burdened our journey.
The arrow of the Sagittarius Centaur is aimed at higher consciousness, connection with the Infinite and a heart-centered existence, but we must change how we operate in order to achieve these goals, and to synchronize with the matrix of love. We must upgrade our operating system, in order to co-create with the paradigm of the heart.
Letting Go Fear and Anger-Based Habits
As the matrix of love is being installed on the planet, we find that our fear and anger-based habits, that were fed by the fear matrix, are no longer being nourished and supported. What does not work is being exposed. Because of the incompatibility of frequencies of fear and love, we are feeling the necessity of letting go of fear and anger-based programming.
We all know that profound transformation can be painful. Becoming aware of the stories that have run our lives can make us feel uncomfortable, self-critical and vulnerable. The good news is that with the elevated energies, it is also much easier to let go of the old programs because firstly we simply don't identify with them any more, and secondly they lack the power to control us like they used to.
Even better, making the transition from fear to love can be an exhilarating process. It is wonderful to experience how the elevated energies are shaking loose, dissolving our old patterns, and sending waves of love through our being. The presence of the Light of Love is waking us up to the consciousness of our soul, and opening our hearts. We are beginning to recognize our authentic selves in this elevated frequency of the heart.
Sagittarius' Mode of Transformation
Each archetype has its special modalities, for engaging the never-ending process of self-renewal and self-discovery. Each one teaches us about a different dynamic of change, and offers us transformational techniques. The water signs teach us to use our feeling sensitivity to allow and love the energies of our emotional body - until they get unstuck, relax and begin to effortlessly flow. The Sagittarian arsenal includes the following:
1. Higher Perspective
A fundamental technique of the Archer is connecting to a higher perspective. We can change our perspective by going inside, awakening our neutral mind, and expanding our neutral space. When our mind moves beyond the boundaries of our beliefs, programming, personality and the restrictive cage of mass consciousness, we have access to an expanded view of reality, where we can:
- perceive deeper meaning,
- transcend how we think things should be, and
- see how things really are.
The light in our mind makes it easier to see what is real, and what really matters. It makes it possible to identify what is unimportant and unnecessary. When we see what is possible if we are willing to change, it is easier to let go of what is holding us back.
In our neutral channel, which operates beyond the box of our story line, we can view the soulful workings of our human journey. We get a detached and elevated glimpse of the state of our evolutionary process. We can monitor our progress, and identify where and how we have grown. We can also see clearly the distance that we must still travel.
2. Inspiration
A second transformational technique of the Archer is inspiration. The Archer teaches us to let go of control, and to give up trying to figure everything out through 'rational' thinking. When we relax into the space of our higher mind and our heart, we are receptive to the messages of our soul, and of Spirit. It is pleasurable to be in the connected space where divine guidance and wisdom flows through us. We get juiced up by the new ideas and inspired thoughts. We get filled up with cosmic energy, that propels us to take action.
3. Diversity and Focus
Focus is an important faculty of the Archer. The thrill of new ideas and creative endeavors lasts only so long. We can get high on the rush of Divine Connection, but we can also get distracted, and forget that focused action is required to create results. If we don't define what must be done to realize our goals, and get to work on practical tasks, we can become disillusioned and negative. We reach out for another hit of cosmic input, but if we do not focus on implementation, we never reach our goal.
We must train ourselves to concentrate on our target, and to not get derailed by distractions. We must patiently and methodically work toward our objective to manifest in the physical world. The power of focus is the challenge and gift of Sagittarius. If we can focus our consciousness like a laser on our life purpose, and shoot our arrow of intention from our heart, our efforts will create results beyond what we believe possible.
In addition to the faculty of focus that we must all cultivate, there is the question of how everything in our life fits together in a coherent package. Many diverse activities sometimes seem to conspire, to make us lose our focus on what is most important. I can see the tendency to go in many different directions astrologically - when people have planets located all over their birth chart. One way to deal with this 'diversity' situation is to view everything as part of your path. Step back and see how it all fits together.
Choose a higher goal that transcends all your various activities. Using your higher goal as a touchstone, evaluate possibilities, and makes choices that align with that goal. Ask yourself, "Does this activity or decision support my arrow reaching its destination?" If something does not fit, if it feels like a distraction, then most likely it must go.
4. Elevating Our Consciousness
Raising our consciousness is a guiding principle of the Archer. Sagittarius reminds us, that an underlying theme of our life journey is to become more conscious, and to participate more consciously in our human journey.
Like every sign of the Zodiac, Sagittarius has it shadow side - our unconscious instincts and imprints that:
- bind us to the past,
- restrict our horizons,
- obstruct our clear vision,
- inject fatal flaws into our judgment,
- block our creativity and the blossoming of our potential, and
- keep us from unleashing our arrow into the future.
We have to seriously look at our unconscious beliefs, and our habitual programming that cause us to endlessly repeat old ways. The Centaur's Achilles Heel is that it continues to injure itself without learning the lesson and getting wiser.
When our inner Centaur feels stuck, the trick to moving forward is to expand our consciousness. There are many easy ways to broaden our horizon and to cultivate wisdom - read an inspiring book, take a trip, meditate, gaze at the horizon, learn about someone other than ourselves.
Sometimes it is useful to momentarily get lost or distracted from our mind trips. After an interlude immersed in another reality, we can refind ourselves on a more stable, elevated and realistic footing.
5. Enjoy an Optimistic Attitude
Sagittarius is a happy sign. It is known for its optimistic attitude and positive approach to life. The Archer has hope, operates out of faith, and trusts in a good outcome. Sagittarius is a mutable sign. In the G-O-D scheme of creation (Generate, Organize and Deliver), Sagittarius is an O - its energy acts as an organizing force. Mutable signs go with the flow, make adjustments, and create alignments, so that things can move forward. The only mode of operation that works for the Archer is the flow mode - the path of least resistance.
Sagittarius is a fire sign, so it has a lot of energy and a powerful will, but brute force applied with an iron will depletes the Archer of its energy. Discipline - yes. Over-exertion and excess - no.
Sagittarius can weigh itself down with judgment, self-criticism, complaining, restless agitation and self-righteousness. The Archer must learn to travel with the lightness of the unleashed arrow. Gratitude and enjoying the lightness of being always clear is the path for the Archer's arrow.
6. Humility and Higher Guidance
The Archer teaches us that, although we must take action and consciously participate in our life journey, there is a higher force at work that we must recognize and obey. Our actions must be guided, not by our ego, but by Spirit. We must learn to open ourselves up to this Presence, and patiently listen for guidance. When our Divine Connection is authentic, we live in awe, and are continually humbled before the Infinite Force that supports and nurtures our life. It is our magical relationship with the Divine that motivates us, to focus on the task we are given to make our contribution, to bring love to Planet Earth.
Follow Your Arrow
Of course, becoming conscious is a life long process, and no matter how long we have been on a spiritual path, it often seems like we are still at the very beginning stages. In terms of what is possible, we are all novices. Learning new skills, and how to deal with universal energies, can seem awkward and frustrating at times. The good news is, that the universal energies that are flooding the Planet are facilitating and speeding up our awakening process. My best advice (Sagittarius Moon) is to actively participate in your own awakening, and to thoroughly enjoy the process, and the unfoldment of your very special life. We are indeed blessed to have the technology of Kundalini Yoga to facilitate our journey.
Transitions to a Heart-Centered World by Guru Rattana, Ph.D., is a rich and unique compilation of the core teachings and Kundalini Yoga kriyas and meditations of Yogi Bhajan.
The new Second Edition, revised and updated,is ready to welcome a whole new generation of students to this life-changing technology. It offers powerful and effective techniques to both teacher and student, to empower your lower chakras and open your heart to unconditional love.
Contains literally dozens of meditations to access heart and soul consciousness.
Kundalini Yoga - Change and Transformation - Navel and Neutral
There is no question that, both personally and collectively, we are in the midst of a profound evolutionary shift. Change requires transformation. The more radical the change, the deeper the transformation required.
Scorpio, Pluto and Sagittarius teach us, that permanent transformation necessitates eliminating old habits and making new ones. Our habitual programming is the result of being wired in a certain way. We must change our wiring to be able to disassociate from our habitual repertoire of responses.
To break old habits and to make ones, we need the faculties available at the third and sixth chakras. The navel center and the third eye are the command centers of habits and health.
Faculties of the Sixth Chakra
At the third eye, we activate the faculties of:
- clarity,
- consciousness,
- ability to focus, and
- the capacity to be centered.
In addition to the above, we need the one-pointed projection of our neutral mind, to break old habits and to create new ones.
Bad habits are perpetuated by the multi-faceted projection of our dualistic mind. By its very nature, our dual mind is unable to focus. It cannot know our highest truth. At our third eye, we can observe above our worldly stories, and perceive our soulful truth.
Faculties of the Third Chakra
Our navel center, the gravity balance point in our body, is the 'third eye' and our centering mechanism.
Navel exercises activate the thousands of nerve endings that come together at the navel center. As it is stimulated, the energy of all these nerve endings ignites and coalesces at this point. As the navel chakra is activated and strengthened, we also cultivate the faculties of:
- focus,
- centeredness, AND
- the ability to take action.
In sum, the essential elements of change, transformation and habits are NAVEL and NEUTRAL. Whatever the question is - the answer includes NAVEL and NEUTRAL.
From Anger to Action
Sagittarius is the third fire sign (the others are Aries and Leo). Navel energy is fire energy, that can be expressed as anger or as the ability to take action. Changing habits involves shifting from 'anger into action'. When our navel chakra is STRONG, we have the willpower to take action, and to break and make habits. We feel an inner strength that makes it possible to commit and not compromise. A strong navel is also essential for staying healthy.
When it is WEAK, we have difficulty taking action for ourselves, sustaining commitments, and making lasting changes in our lives. When our will or navel center is WEAK, we are easy prey to both external and subconscious manipulation and control. We become victims of both external and internal forces. Not taking action on our own behalf, and falling prey to the manipulation of outside forces, breeds inner anger and rage.
It is important to recognize, that fear and anger are often habitual responses from encoded karmic imprints, that have nothing to do with our current situation. One of the most powerful ways to move out of habits of disempowerment, into empowerment, is to cultivate our willpower at our navel center and third eye.
Setting the Navel Center
The navel center is the easiest chakra to monitor. You know your navel center is "set," when you feel a pulse at or around the rim of the umbilicus. You can also monitor this pulse at the don tien or navel center 2-3 inches below the navel. Although you can check the pulse sitting or standing up, the easiest position is lying down. The best times are before and after the navel exercises.
Simply take the middle finger of either hand, place it on the navel or navel center, and search for a pulse. If there is no pulse, the pulse is weak or it is not in or around the navel, your navel needs "to be set." You will experience that, after the exercises, the pulse is stronger and the position may have also changed.
Do not be alarmed if at first you cannot find your pulse. After a few leg lifts, one woman had her pulse jump from the lower right corner of her abdomen to the center of her navel! When there is a strong pulse on or near the center of the navel, your third chakra energy is aligned or "set."
It is normal to have a weak pulse in the morning after sleeping or after a nap. That is why it is strongly recommended to set your navel center before you start your day. Also during the day, if you feel off center, pump your navel center, or do breath of fire, to come back to your center.
Directives for Kriyas and Meditations
The Navel Center and Elimination Kriya on pages 70-71 of Transitions to a Heart-Centered World 2nd Edition is a classic set, to strengthen our navel center and to awaken our third eye. Practice of this kriya makes it possible to experience the powerful connection between the physical and mental points of focus in our body.
As you do the exercises of this kriya, be aware of how by:
- activating our navel center,
- awakening our third eye, and
- becoming conscious of their connection, you can:
- build an unwavering inner strength,
- create the inner willpower necessary to break old habits and create new one, and
- shift us out of the paradigm of fear into the paradigm of love!
In the Spaces between Exercises
The following directives can be used with all Kundalini Yoga kriyas. Be sure to take time between exercises to cultivate the faculties available at the navel center and third eye.
- Pull the locks and move the fire energy up to your third eye. Cultivate the faculty of focus, by focusing your attention at your third eye.
- Focus at both the third eye and navel and feel the connection between them. Their consolidated energies bring us into a state of centeredness. Take time to integrate the experience of centeredness by paying attention to the pulse at both chakras.
- Feel your spine between the two chakras. Feel how your spine creates an experience of alignment. Experience how your spine is a pillar of strength.
- Feel the old energies of fear and anger release, and be transformed into the higher frequencies of love. Experience that you simply don't feel like responding to in the ways you used to respond. You don't feel the way you used to feel. You don't act and react the way you used to act.
Your internal wiring is shifting. You are installing a new program, and initiating yourself into the matrix of love, and the dimension of the heart.
Hari Hari Hari Har Meditation
With elbows bent, arms to the sides, palms open and facing forward, chant this mantra in a monotone. Pump the navel. Feel the 'H' sound vibrate at your heart. Align your head, heart and navel in one pulse. At the end, sit and enjoy your experience of being present, focused and centered in yourself.
References and Footnotes
"Gemini Full Moon, Sagittarius New Moon", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, Issue # 148, Dec/Jan 2010, pp. 110,111.
"The Noisy Birds of Sagittarius", Gerhardt, Dana, The Mountain Astrologer, Issue # 148, Dec/Jan 2010, pp. 11-15.
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