Energy Astrology: August 2006 Column

Lassoing the Stars for a Better Life

By Cyndi Dale

Faith and the Fast Lane

For many of us, July was a bit of a downer. Mercury went retrograde, terrorizing technology and tossing us around like we were made of mixed-up spaghetti noodles. Other events shot emotions through the roof, riling up and slowing down even the most even-keeled. For those who stayed the course, the resulting reflection time ushered in new or renewed dreams and a deeper sense of self. Fortunately, the wet soup is behind us and onward we travel, toward what is touted as the most important astronomical event of the year.

On August 31^st, we’re invited to move into the fast lane, leaving behind the gooiness of July and if we’re lucky, the stuck stuff of our lives. This doesn’t mean that we’re stepping into a stage of working harder, faster, and longer. Instead, this specific shift in cosmology compels us to find footing between the two most challenging aspects of everyday life: the contrast between what we have and what we want.

The difficulty in dealing with reality versus desires is that we can’t always figure out exactly what is “real” and what desires are “probable” versus “possible,” or more likely just “impossible.” Our feelings about reality are a matter of perception. Some of my clients have millions of dollars in the bank, yet they think that they are poor. Are they really poor? Not according to most of us. Some of us hold absolutely terrific goals and objectives and work very hard to meet them. Is it real, however, for a 70-year-old woman to resurrect the ideal of becoming a world-class ballerina when she gave up lessons at age eight?

We’ve all experienced the seeming split between form and fantasy. Every day, you wake to real life. My own jumpstarts with cacophony and catastrophe only to further proceed down the path of mayhem. The events change but the flavor is the same. The only breakfast food that Gabriel will eat requires his “good” (meaning non-organic, non-soy or anything healthy in it) milk, which expired two weeks ago. The dog, which skipped dinner last night, devoured the pillows instead, and just when I think the day’s about to go sunny-side up, the dishwasher goes down. Of course, every day comes with golden moments, sweet successes, and flowering gardens. And yet, as appreciative as I am of my real life and the people in them, I always want more, or at least something a little different.

That’s where fantasy comes in.

Who doesn’t long for more prosperity, greater intimacy, kids that magically clean themselves or at least happily leap into the bathtub? The truth is that there are some fantasies that will always remain just that. As stated by Mr. Webster, fantasies are “exaggerated mental images in response to an ungratified need.” That’s another way of saying that when we don’t think we’re getting what we want, we make up what we want. Fantasies are helpful if they lead to practical goals and propel us into action. They harm if we desire only to substitute what is unrealistic for what is genuine. Do I really want a child that loves purified milk, unrefined cookies, and organic fruit? What would I snack on when I’m hungry?

This month, a major transit invites us to examine the difference between what we have and what we want. It also requires that we get straight on what’s realistic versus what’s not and what goals are really worth our time versus which are a waste of time. We don’t want to spend even more time, resources, and mental energy at setting up the “good life” when there’s already goodness in our lives. Neither do we want to avoid addressing life’s problems; what we ignore will continue to act like anchors on abundance and love. How do we rev up our speed even if we still want to meander in the slow lane? Through Faith.

The Spiritual Backdrop

Faith exists where the mind meets the heart. Through Faith our perceptions, complaints, and desires are transformed so as to increase love. Faith will tell us what’s worth keeping rather than releasing and reaching for rather than skipping over. It is also a tangible (if invisible) spiritual energy and it is in ample supply this August. In fact, it’s being showered upon the earth as does rain fall on a spring day.

Every month, astronomers, astrologers, stargazers, and lovers look to the skies for inspiration and direction. Using physical tools like our eyes or a telescope, we perceive alterations in planetary movements and moon phases, cosmic occurrences and the sun’s surface. We might then examine scientific charts or astrological treatises to apply this knowledge for our own interests. There are other energies, however, that can only be read by the inner eye and heart, and these are the ones that I try and explore each month. These are spiritual truths, and they affect us all.

Spiritual energies differ from physical energies in that they embrace us all and are always positive. An astronomical movement affects each person differently and sometimes harshly but not if you encompass an astrological effect with the accompanying spiritual truth. Every major astronomical shift is buffered by a matching spiritual energy, which not only cushions any negative effects but also provides positive application. This month, the intensity of August’s upcoming trine is change is enhanced by the energy of Faith.

By definition, faith is the devotion to something that can’t be proven. Its root is the word “fidel,” which relates to fidelity or loyalty. A loyal person adheres to his or her principles or object of devotion no matter what. Such a conviction implies action. You can’t sit around and just “feel Faith.” If a situation challenges your values, you must often take action in order to uphold your values. If your current reality doesn’t match your values, you use Faith to change it.

Of course, we want to hold or apply Faith toward something or someone deserving of our loyalty. I might really believe in the Rolling Stones, a great rock and roll group, in that I have Faith in their musical ability. I’ll take action on this devotion in that every time they are in town, I’ll attend their concerts. Is a musical group deserving of my full loyalty, however? My total Faith? What if my seven-year-old is throwing up and I can’t find a babysitter and I have concert tickets? Should my fidelity to the Stones compel me to leave my child at home so I can go and play? Of course not and yet, many people place their Faith in equivalent places, situations, or people. Will bar hopping really alleviate loneliness? Will overeating honestly defeat pain? Does staying in an abusive marriage guarantee a place in heaven? And yet we’re all guilty of placing our Faith in similar ideals. Instead of meeting our unmet needs, these types of behaviors only create more needs. If the object or subject of Faith, whether it is drugs, food, a negative person, a group, a job, or even a confining religion, cannot get us what we really want, we’re dealing with fantasy not form; escapism not Faith.

Faith is a good thing. It guides and supports us through the toughest of situations. Sometimes we have to believe that something will get better to make it better. Believing, we act. Taking action, life changes. We all have to have Faith in a goal to substantiate it. Sometimes we have to hold Faith in what we see around us; to know and see it as good so that our perceptions rather than our reality can change. When we attach our Faith to a meaningless or fantastical goal, however, we enter a Danger Zone. This type of Faith leads to jihrad, addictions, abusive relationships, despair, and disease. It leads away from the very goal of Faith, which is love. Essentially, the quest of August is to determine the question of our Faith and to see if we’re using Faith the way we really want.

The Opposition that Invites Action

Astrologers are suggesting August 31^st as hosting the most powerful astronomical event of 2006. On this day, Saturn opposes Neptune, opening an energetic pathway between the here-and-now and our dreams.

Many people groan at hearing the mention of Saturn. Saturn energy does have a reputation for being dull, plodding, and difficult. It represents reality and form, the world as it is. Neptune, on the other hand, invokes images of dancing firelight and moonbeams, as it signifies dreams and fantasies. Putting these two energies together is like moving in with Oscar and Felix, characters from a movie and television show that are absolutely opposite. Oscar was messy where Felix was a neatnik; rag-a-tag rather than impeccable. Sometimes the stretch between form and desire can seem the same.

When faced with the vast schism between what’s here and what we want, we have three choices:

Accept current form. This is called playing it safe. However, there are aspects of anyone’s life that needs to change, especially that which causes hurt, harm, depression, or degradation. The human spirit is a creative one, constantly striving to take what is and make it better. Only the weak-hearted and risk adverse want everything the same.
Go for fantasy. As fun as this idea might sound, this choice begs the analogy of a balloon that flies into the sky without a string. Either you’re going to end up in a bad place or pop in the process. You have to stay rooted in current form to maintain the ability to be self-directed and rational.
Bridge with Faith. Faith occurs where science and poetry meet. If we can simultaneously hold Faith in what is good and already working and Faith in something better, then we can create a new life without throwing away the old one.

Help for choice number three my recommended path is available through another August astronomical vehicle, one that also occurs at the end of the month. In late August, Jupiter and Uranus engage in a harmonious trine, thus awakening intuition, inventiveness, originality, and optimism. These additional energies suggest that we might be presented with psychic breakthroughs, spiritual awareness, and inspirational input. If you are visited by the paranormal, remember the old rule of thumb. Some far-out messages are just that: too far-out. (Kind of like that balloon that floats without a line?) Saturn reinforces the need to join the intuitive with the practical reality. By and large, seek that which is deserving of your Faith and you will receive inspirations worthy of following.

Getting Real with Faith

To reap the benefits of negotiating between form and desire, you might want to consider the following tips:

Involve yourself. Living from Faith implies involvement. First of all, any changes you make because of your Faith will affect yourself and other people. Are the potential changes worth it or not? Are they loving or not? Know also that no matter what, you become intimately involved with the subject or focus of your Faith. If your fidelity is to your cigarettes, you are making cigarettes your major relationship. Can an unconscious and unhealthy energy really better your conciousness? Then again, be careful to think that taking action because of Faith in a person or even in just any old idea of God is necessarily any healthier. People are flawed as are you. Faith isn’t an excuse for abuse or for perfectionism. And remember, the word “God” is just a word. To direct and join with the being of God, you must become involved with the energy, heart, and core of God. Some of us confuse ideas and ideals of God with the real thing, however. These questions are litmus tests: Does the involvement with your idea of God increase the love in your life? Does it make you more loving toward others? Does it help you perceive God as more loving? These are the types of hard questions that August might force you to put on the table.
Measure with deserving. When we apply Faith to a goal, we’re giving it our all. Is the subject of our Faith deserving of this total conviction? In return, is it providing us with an increased sense of deserving more love? Let’s say that I put my Faith in a job, sacrificing everything else in ceaseless devotion. Is this job deserving of my heart and life? Is this sacrifice helping me feel more loving or deserving of more love? Hard questions, all of these.
Open to inspiration. We receive spiritual instruction and guidance in our own way. There are basically three main ways to perceive the supernatural: verbally, visually, or kinesthetically. I describe many of these processes in my books, such as Advanced Chakra Healing. In a nutshell, I suggest that you figure out your main intuitive style and embrace the spiritual guidance provided this month. Insights can be invited.
And enjoy your Faith! It’s the energy that creates change and Faithful change can bring more joy!