Taurus and Scorpio - Cycles of Transformation

by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #175, November 12, 2010

Planetary Alignments

• The Sun moved in to Scorpio October 22nd, and remains through November 21st.
• Both Venus (in Libra, was in Scorpio) and Jupiter (in Pisces), go direct on November 18th.
• Scorpio New Moon - November 5th 9:52pm PDT (November 6th 4:52am GMT).
• Taurus Full Moon - November 21st 9:28am PST (5:28pm GMT).
• Uranus goes direct December 5th.
• Mercury is retrograde December 10th-30th.

Pisces Activity

• Chiron re-enters Pisces Feb 8th, 2011 until Feb 18th, 2019 (Chiron was in Pisces for 3 months, April 20th through July 20th, 2010, and retrograded back into Aquarius July 21st through Feb 7th, 2011).
• Ceres transits Pisces March 21st through July 11st, 2011 and August 10th, 2011 through Jan 19th, 2012). (In retrograde, Ceres hovers at the first degree of Aries July 11th through August 10th, 2011)
• Neptune moves into Pisces April 4th, 2011 until 2026, except when it retrogrades back into Aquarius August 4th, 2011 through February 3rd, 2012.

Endings and Beginnings

One of the major life themes at this time is Endings and Beginnings. This motif permeates every aspect of our individual and collective lives. If you are going through major life changes, don't feel singled out. Everyone is in the midst of some kind of death and rebirth process.

The whole planet is embroiled in a massive transition phase. We can experience this as:

1. not sure what is happening,
2. not knowing what we are going to do next,
3. being 'on hold' in a type of suspended animation,
4. not able to take action and not knowing why,
5. dangling between the known and the unknown,
6. no precise plan for the future,
7. not sure whether to fight to hold on, or to let go and trust (and not being able to do either),
8. indecisive,
9. want to take action, but can't, and
10. etc. (add your own variation on the theme.)

As one woman put it, "I feel like I am on standby. But I have my ticket, i.e. lots of projects to implement. I don't know what I am waiting for".

Personally, I am doing my best to take advantage of this 'pause' phase of the cycle. I am doing things that need to be done and that I want to do, without the demanding context of 'I better get this done'. In other words, I am being productive without the 'driven factor', which reduces the stress factor. This is a very valuable experience.

This limbo, on-hold situation can provoke the whole gambit of emotions - from guttural fear to relaxing into the flow with deep trust. Obviously a state of inner trust is our optimal choice. If we check in with our soul by listening to our heart, we can know at a deep level that everything is being worked out, and that the next phase will be revealed to us in due course, i.e. in divine timing. It is easier to give ourselves permission to be in this state when we understand the dynamics of cosmic energies, and how they are impacting our lives.

Shake Up - No Escape

2010 can be described as a major shake up. Although the 'shake up' theme is not over, some of the dust is in the process of settling. This could mean that we don't feel so confronted, conflicted or confused, but it doesn't mean that we:

1. can explain what happened,
2. know for sure what is now transpiring, and
3. are able to predict and plan our future.

This is because we are being catapulted into a new reality.

Although it may feel like a relief to walk through another door, we are entering unchartered territory. We don't know where we are. We have yet to figure out how to navigate the unfamiliar terrain. We are in the process of discovering and defining our new direction. We are a bit dazed because energetically we are entering a new world, which requires new perspectives and new ways of doing things. We could feel like we are in a twilight zone, and perhaps we are. We will have more twilight experiences as 3 celestial bodies (Chiron, Ceres and Neptune) enter Pisces in early 2011. (See above for dates).

I find it interesting to notice that I feel engulfed in this twilight zone, despite the fact that I have plenty of projects to work on and books to write. It is not like I don't have anything to do, and I love what I do and am happy being engaged and productive. A couple of important things have 'died' in my life (not people), but I am not upset about it. There are plenty of new things that I am being directed to develop, so I can see the grand plan of opening space for the new contributions.

My point is that there is no escaping from the undefined, and mysterious, feelings that accompany this quantum shift. It feels like the death/rebirth process is the grand ocean we are all immersed in now. Like everyone else, you and I are swimming in the same transformational waters.

Adjustments, Alignment and Recalibration

The death/rebirth process requires adjustments on many levels, both conscious and unconscious. We can't be aware of everything that is going on, we can't control what is happening, and there is nothing we can consciously do to prevent, or avoid, the inevitable transformation that is transpiring. During times like this we just have to wait, be patient and be alert for our next instructions.

This is when our spiritual practice is especially beneficial. Our most important task is to energetically align with the higher frequencies that are infusing the planet. Our yoga and meditation practice facilitates inner, cellular adjustments, that make it possible for transformation to happen at deeper levels. In the process, we get unstuck and create openings for the new. We build and sustain our Divine Connection so that our inner foundation can support us during trying, yet very creative and exciting, times. Basically, a complete recalibration is required.

In so many ways, we are re-inventing ourselves.

Evolutionary Cycles of Transformation

The cyclical dynamic of life is obvious every day as we move from day to night, from sunset to sundown. The daily shift is one of the shortest cycles - 24 hours. The Moon changes signs approximately every 2 ½ days and moves through the whole Zodiac every 28 days. The Sun takes one year to move through the Zodiac. Ceres takes 4-5 years. Jupiter completes the Zodiac tour in 12 years, Saturn in 29 years, Chiron in 50 years and Neptune in 168 years.

The Mayan calendar speaks of phases in a 26,000 year cycle, which is part of a 16.4 million year evolutionary cycle. The 26,000 year cycle is made up of the 12 astrological ages, each of which lasts about 2,150 years. According to the Mayan calendar we are in the midst of the completion of the last phase of the current 26,000 year cycle.

When one cycle nears completion and another one begins, everyone is affected. The longer the cycle, the greater the transformation required as we enter a new phase. The impact of the shifts of the outer, impersonal planets, which have longer cycles, is out of the range of our control. (Uranus takes 6 years to pass through in one sign, Neptune 12 years, and Pluto 15-20 years.

We must respond to these long-term evolutionary forces, but we are not the direct cause. It is harder to get clarity. A precise explanation of what is happening escapes us. There is no way we can hide or escape the tidal wave of change. We feel and are impacted by the energies, but the transformation is so profound that it takes time to adjust, and to understand what is happening. Often, it is more in retrospect that we 'get the picture'.

The transition to the Aquarian Age obviously falls in the category of profound, structural transformation. 2,150 year is indeed a long cycle, not to mention the 26,000 year galactic cycle of the Mayan calendar. Both these cycles are now also ending and new cycles beginning. Analyzing the impact of galactic shifts can be a bit nebulous. However, understanding the lessons indicated by the movement of the planets in our solar system can help us make adjustments in our lives, and adapt to new energetic imperatives and circumstances.

Taurus Full Moon

There is so much to discuss concerning the cauldron of the 'death and rebirth' process in which we are brewing. In this issue I will cover the general theme as related to the Taurus and Scorpio archetypes, which we can call the transformation polarity.

A major theme of the Taurus/Scorpio polarity is the cycle of life-death-rebirth and again life.

The Taurus Full Moon, November 21st, is the second of five full moons that take place at the last degree of the sign. This is another indication of a death and rebirth process. (We discussed Aries/Libra in Issue 174) When an astrological event occurs at the end of a sign, we are in the completion phase of a cycle.

In that issue we also talked about relationships (Saturn in Libra for 2 years). Our Taurus relationships are with our body, our sensuality, instinctual sensitivity, nature's resources and Mother Earth. Taurus' lessons involve achieving stability in our personal financial affairs, which must be in harmony with the laws that govern the sustainability of the Earth. Defining our values and acknowledging our self-worth are the foundation upon which we can support ourselves, find peace and satisfaction, and enrich our lives by sharing our special talents.

Taurus is the first part of the birth process. Taurus represents the seeds that we plant. For the precious seed of Self to grow, we must nurture it with self-confidence and self-trust. At the Taurus Full Moon, evaluate how far your seeds of self-worth, self-confidence and self-love have grown.

Taurus' partner is Scorpio. Scorpio likes Taurus more than Taurus likes Scorpio. Taurus likes pleasure. Scorpio's investigation of the patterns that prevent Taurus from experiencing pleasure can be painful. Scorpio's death process involves exposing the fears, obsessions and agendas that control our behavior and motivations, i.e. that which sabotages our ability to find inner peace and to meet our physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Scorpio's gut wrenching, alchemical process is necessary to transmute fear into love, darkness into light and conflict into peace. Our Scorpio process makes it possible to appreciate and to enjoy the sacredness of life.

Our Scorpio Secrets

A common reaction to the Scorpio archetype is some form of 'run for your life'. Our initial impulses are often negative, fearful and mistrustful. Scorpio gets 'bad press', not because those with Sun, Moon, Ascendant or many planets in Scorpio are any more devious, mysterious, controlling or neurotic than any other signs. We react to Scorpio energies because we are afraid of our own inner Scorpio.

Let's face it - some of the other signs are better at hiding the demons that lurk under the surface of their cordial and fun-loving personalities ... and perhaps less willing or driven to pursue the deep inner investigation that Scorpio prescribes. Those with significant Scorpio energy are viscerally tormented by deep rumblings, until they figure out how to befriend and claim the power crying for release and conscious creative expression.

Scorpio loves the truth. The truth is that the Scorpio archetype is a critical component of our spiritual awakening process. Without Scorpio, we would wallow in the muddy pools of our subconscious forever. Scorpio dives deep into the areas of our psyche where no one else dares to go. Scorpio's goal is transformation, and it will do whatever it takes to achieve this. Scorpio is able to get the job done because it has the invaluable and necessary qualities of passion, tenaciousness, determination, and intuitive/instinctual knowing. The Scorpion is tough (a fixed sign.) It won't let go. Its acute sensitivity gives it the power to know the unknown and to see the unseen.

Our Comfort and Discomfort Zones

Scorpio is comfortable with what makes most of us squirm. Scorpio is fascinated by what most of us are afraid of. Scorpio is comfortable with what is hidden underneath our superficial façade. The underworld, the unconscious, the subconscious, hidden agendas, and the worms under the rocks are Scorpio's territory - Scorpio's comfort zone.

This is not because Scorpio loves the unsightly, nasty or uncomfortable aspects of life. This is because Scorpio is able to perceive reality beyond beautiful or ugly classifications. Scorpio is driven to uncover the secrets that create alchemical transformation - that make deep healing possible, that solve mysteries, that activate the Kundalini and that awaken consciousness. Scorpio embraces the penetrating aspects of life, death and rebirth, so that our lives can be truly meaningful and deeply experienced.

In a word, Scorpio is purposeful. Without Scorpio and left to our naïve, ignorant and egotistical devices, we would never find the gold of our soul. We would continue to be haplessly manipulated by our subconscious demons. We would never find the truth. And we would never become whole, find authentic love or be truly happy.

We Need Scorpio

We need Scorpio's tenacity and intensity to unlock our obsessive loops that rob us of life. Scorpio teaches us the value of privacy, and space, to do our inner work. Our personal transformation is not a social affair. We need grit, nerves of steel, the ability to stand firm and to keep up, in order to face what surfaces. Scorpio is not honest because it loves the smell of its garbage. Scorpio is honest because is knows that what we resist we energize. What we repress maintains a stranglehold on our success. Our neuroses suck our vital life force.

Scorpio is not secretive because it is sneaky. The Scorpion is silent, because only with sensitive non-verbal awareness can it get in touch with the inner workings of its soul and the Universe. Scorpio knows how to penetrate deep into the psyche, where the mysterious secrets of life and death are revealed. The most important truth is that no one can tell us these secrets. We have to discover the mysteries of life, death and rebirth ourselves. We have to pay attention, to feel, to listen and to perceive with awareness, that is not available in our rational mind.

Scorpio is willing to face the darkness in order to discover the light. Scorpio knows that our goal is not to kill our shadow: our goal is to claim our hidden power for authentic living. Scorpio knows that the potent force of our destructive obsessions is simply misused energy, which is also the source of our creative genius. Scorpio is intent on accessing this hidden power, so that it can unleash the forces of regeneration, rejuvenation and transcendence.

The Power of the Truth

Scorpio wants to find out how we can consciously dance with the unknown. It takes time for that which is hidden to surface in our conscious awareness. Scorpio teaches us that persistence and patience pays. Both the process and the payout always involve some form of radical transformation.

It takes courage to let ourselves be naked in front of the mirror that highlights uncomfortable truths, but the vast wealth of the unknown lures us to keep searching, to keep probing, and to keep doing our spiritual practices. We must persist to awaken our sensory faculties, that make it possible to actually see the mystery that lives in our unconscious. Our inner Scorpio is the part of our soul that craves the truth, and is intent upon claiming the invaluable treasures that are acquired if we submit to the disciplined pressure of spiritual growth.

Scorpio teaches us that the value of the pure, raw substance of our power, is available only after we embrace (instead of run away from this power), and after we transmute it from its destructive or unproductive expressions into a refined and purified form. Excavating and refining our inner world is an arduous journey. We must befriend our inner Scorpio to find the riches hidden in our shadows.

Our Inner World

Our inner world is the gateway to our soul, but first we must pass through the sludge of hurtful memories, repressed desires and obsessive neuroses. We must tame the lions of fear, anger and sadness, to open the gate to our hearts. The energy of our soul is consumed by every dragon, wound and negative emotion. The wealth, riches and power of our soul must be liberated in the caldron of our own consciousness.

We must touch our pain with awareness. We must embrace our wounds with love. We must welcome our vulnerability with tenderness. We must protect our soft spots and defensiveness with the armor of compassion. We must honor our torment with forgiveness.

For many, the hardest part of our inner journey is actually grounding in our body the power that we unleash. Our soul is a high voltage current. The negative emotions and neurotic programs vibrate at lower frequencies that are, ironically, easier to contain. We not only have to be able to hold this high frequency energy in our bodies, we have to give up controlling it! It can't be controlled. It directs our lives.

If we undergo the Herculean tests prescribed by Scorpio, we can:

1. live our lives directed by our heart, not our head,
2. flow with the uncoiling energy of our soul, and
3. align our conscious will with Divine will.

Scorpio teaches us that this evolutionary process is not only required, it is worth the gold we find at the end of the rainbow - under the BIG rock!

Venus and Jupiter Turn Direct

An intensification of energy happens when a planet turns retrograde or direct. Like a focalized beam, the energy associated with the planet, and the Zodiac archetype, penetrates into our collective and individual consciousness. Soon three planets will go direct, during which time their energies will act as spotlights to beam truth into our consciousness.

Both Venus (was in Scorpio, now at 28° Libra), and Jupiter (in Pisces), go direct November 18th. Mark November 17th-19th on your calendar and be aware of what you feel. Do you feel clearer, more ready to move forward, more honest about what you really want, more connected to your heart? Do you feel more optimistic, more hopeful, less afraid, more courageous? Something has shifted inside you. What is it? This is part of your rebirth and recalibration process. Stay tuned to yourself. Another awakening is scheduled when Uranus in Pisces goes direct December 5th.

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury goes retrograde December 10th through 30th. We may already feel the effects of Mercury slowing down two or more weeks before it actually makes the directional shift. So, despite that fact that (until January 26th when Saturn goes retrograde) no other planets except Mercury are retrograde, we may have to wait until the New Year to see the green light. Given the holiday season, Winter Solstice and the end of the year, Mercury retrograde is probably optimally placed to help us slow down and realign so we can take off in 2011.

Directives for Your Kundalini Yoga Practice

Affirmation

Try a Scorpio affirmation when you don't know what is going on, what to do or are in doubt. Instead of saying (or thinking) 'I don't know' say (and think) - The unknown is known to me.

Install this affirmation as an automatic response, which is available to meet any situation that needs clarity or resolution. This affirmation builds a state of inner trust.

This is a very interesting exercise. Note your results.

Awareness

Penetrating into the unknown, takes us deep into the moment. Make yourself available through feeling awareness. Profound pleasure is available only when we pay attention to what is happening in the moment. Go deep into the now with every breath. It is in the present that we experience the sacredness of life.

We train ourselves to move into expanded consciousness, by paying attention to our body while we are doing the Kundalini Yoga exercises. We also take advantage of the energetic shifts created by the exercises. Be sure to take time between each exercise, to listen and feel deeply what is happening in your energetic bodies. Allowing space between exercises makes it possible to fully integrate the effects.

Attitude and Flow

Release whatever is leaving you with an attitude of gratitude, for the gifts and lessons that this situation or relationship brought into your life. It is also in death that we experience the sacredness of life.

It was the 'present' moments of the past that delivered us to this moment in time. When we settle into the ever connected and continuous stream of infinite moments, we enter the flow of life.

Scorpio Classes - Guru Rattana Online

To penetrate into the unknown, we must be able to forgive. To forgive we must know the truth. To know the truth we must cultivate a deep, silent, sensitive awareness within our mind, and physical and emotional bodies.

Check out the Guru Rattana Online class on 'Forgiveness - The Key to the Dimension of the Heart'. The Lesson/Lecture talks about the dynamic of forgiveness. The kriya I teach in this class is the classic Spinal Energy Series. Discover how to use the most basic sets to penetrate deep into awareness.

Also check out "Healing Our Physical and Emotional Bodies". Discover the secret life of your emotional body. The kriyas I use to create these experiences are "To Break a Drug Habit" on page 176 in Relax and Renew 2nd Edition and "Thymus and Immunity" on page 95 of Transitions to a Heart-Centered World 2nd Edition.

If you haven't already subscribed, you will need to do so to watch the classes I recommend. For a low monthly rate you receive unlimited access. The links for the Scorpio classes are listed under "The Emotions/Water Element".

References and Footnotes

"Taurus Full Moon", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, 153, Oct/Nov 2010, pp.106.

"2011 Outlook", Austin, Stephanie, The Mountain Astrologer, 154, Dec/Jan 2011, pp. 25-35.

"Engaging the Scorpio Hydra", Gerhardt, Dana, The Mountain Astrologer, 154, Dec/Jan 2011, pp. 13-17+.

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