Energy Astrology: May 2006 Column

Lassoing the Stars for a Better Life

By Cyndi Dale

The Grateful Heart is the

Greatful Heart

Did you know that it is biologically impossible to be unhappy while you are appreciative?

There are three main criteria for being happy, according to happiness expert Dan Baker. First is appreciation. Second is the power to make choices. Third is giving without expectation. The month of May initiates us into the art of Gratefulness, the foundation that allows us to appreciate what we have and are; to perceive present-time choices that can lead to a desired future; and to then make decisions without being scared of outcome. The entire process of Gratefulness the fullness of Grace -- creates the heart space for Greatfulness the fullness of our greatness.

And don’t we all want to be great? To be great at being whom and what we really are?

The streams of the celestial are transpiring to assist us in being grateful. We’ve just completed two gigantic months of change and challenge. March marched in lessons about Love; April forced examination of our use of Power. So what are we going to do with our newfound expressions of Love and Power? We’re going to become GREAT through a way that respects the truth of Love and the ethics of Power.

As we proceed through May, we’ll be boosted by the full moon in Scorpio on May 13^th. Scorpio is volcanic and forceful, you might even say, “stormy.” Don’t be surprised if when you are presented opportunities to shake yourself out of (self-imposed) misery. Hang on, because we’re aiming toward the end of May, when two events occur.

First, there’s a full moon in Gemini, which encourages us to face the horrors of the past against the promises of the future. The second heavenly happening is a trine between Jupiter and Uranus at the end of May, a juxtaposition that promises increased intuition and spiritual awareness. All things of the past can be healed in this energetic bath of Gratefulness, thus freeing us to fulfill the greatness that we are.

The Spiritual Backdrop

This is an uncommon energy column in that it emphasizes the spiritual over- and undertones presented by the astronomical, rather than the specifics of interplanetary movements. Against the backdrop of the sky are spiritual energies aimed at increasing our consciousness.

And toward what end, we might ask?

It’s little use to be conscious without a conscience, or to be aware without action. Being a conscious human being implies that we are able to embrace the imperfect with the perfect and unify these seeming opposites. At this point, we must then motivate ourselves to do something with the resulting energy. We must make a difference in the world. A fun, fantastic, and brilliant difference!

Each of us are scripted and gifted with a unique way of perceiving and shaping reality. I’m able to sense what might help myself or others become happier. My oldest son blends strength and kindness to encourage healing. My youngest son is a light of truth. You can’t slip anything off-tone or false by him! There are as many gifts as there are people and as many ways of stating or understanding each person’s gifts as there are words. In the end, it’s important to be aware of your gifts, accept that we will imperfectly as well as perfectly implement these gifts, and then share whom you are and what you have to offer. In the process, why not make use of the blessings from the heavens, which are in full support of our individual and collective goals? This month invites the receivership of Gratefulness.

Gratefulness is the energy of Grace made practical. To better understand the energy of Gratefulness, think of the words related to Grace. “Grace” spins with several meanings. It is an indication of thankfulness, as revealed when we “say grace” at the table. It is an acknowledgment of being blessed or given what we need. Christianity defines grace as infinite love and mercy; goodwill shown by God. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the graces were actual beings, each invested with specific qualities and attributes. A graceful person was therefore one who displayed a pleasing or admirable characteristic.

Grace implies giving and action as well as receiving and acknowledging. We are grateful when we appreciate others’ kindnesses or comfort. A graceful man is a gentleman; a graceful woman is a lady. When we react to life’s ups or downs with grace, we maintain a standard of elegance and politeness that speaks to an inner calm and dignity.

Grace isn’t a one-way street. God certainly knows we all need a lot of grace, as in infinite love and forgiveness, but we also need the encouragement of knowing that God is thankful that we exist as unique and special beings! One of the most important steps in being a gracious, grateful, and Grateful person is to receive grace from others beginning with God.

Take a second and think about grace from this perspective. If God is thankful for your existence, maybe even chuckles at your less-than-great habits, isn’t it easier to be grateful for others? A “perfect gentleman or lady” is simply one that looks at others as if they are great, even when their behavior is less-than-gracious. When you can get through the attitude of, “look how bad this is for me,” you can suddenly see a whole new set of choices open up; choices you might not have seen before.

Acknowledging that God appreciates means that you have something important to offer the world. Part of working with Gratefulness involves owning and developing your special gifts. What are the “graces” that make you special and important? As you analyze and accept your unique attributes, you might set different goals for the future in the areas of relationship, health, or work, than you did before and this opens the door for even more choices!

The energy of Gratefulness can take you one more step, if you allow it. Are you ready to be really happy? Then you need to release expectation. To be gracious is to accept others’ inabilities as well as capabilities. Give without expecting to receive. Being gracious invites more grace. This is the formula for greatness.

From Shake-up to Shape-up

Want to become more full of Gratefulness and Greatness? Three stellar equations present themselves to assist.

First is a full moon in Scorpio on May 13^th. Scorpio is known for its shake-ups and shakedowns, mainly because this watery sign connects to the relentless powers of the eighth chakra, the placeholder of darkness, karma, and shamanism located just above the head. The eighth chakra links us to all times and worlds; most effectively, to our past. While it’s good to remember the past, it’s not so good to be stuck in it, which most of us are. You can’t see the present if you’re looking through the lens of the past, and you certainly can’t head toward a new future if you can’t figure out the present! Allow the full moon to shake you into shape by owning the regrets, resentments, bitterness, and hang-ups you carry from your past. Being honest is the first and most important step toward change.

At the end of May, two other events encourage a full release from the past and a new leap into a more desirable future. A new moon in Gemini poses the issue of forgiveness. Can you accept the fact that parts of your past have been difficult and maybe injurious, while opening to the grace of forgiveness? Grace involves accessing a lot of seventh chakra energy. This energy center houses on the top of the head and specifically in the pineal gland. The pineal is known as the master spiritual center, the focus area for connecting with all things spiritual. Only spirituality can help us perceive the good in the bad and the sweet in the bitter. Use prayer, meditation, contemplation, or whatever other form of connection or worship works for you, as a means of making peace with your past.

And then open your heart, for a trine between Jupiter and Uranus at the end of the May promises an increase in intuition, spiritual awareness, and opportunities for happiness. Jupiter brings in all things faraway and may take you there in the course of its teachings, while Uranus balances this wanderlust energy with a focus on the everyday and inorganic. Grace can be an expanding and playful energy, not only a divine and serious one. Look around you with a fresh perspective! Listen to your intuition! Trust your spiritual senses! What decisions do you need to make that can make you and your life GREAT, not GRATING. Take some risks; bring in the new; and do it because it’s the right thing to do, not because you expect something in return. What shakes you up can also shape you up.

The Greatful Heart

Want to move into your greatness? Here are a few ways to access the energy of Gratefulness to do so.

Ace Appreciation. Appreciation emanates from the same parts of the brain as does trust, faith, and love. When we’re depending upon these sections of our brain, our brain shuts down the sections that encourage despair, negative attitudes, depression, and anxiety. Appreciate forces us to release the past. This resulting lift in spirit actually encourages a process called “coherency.” Every organ and cell begins to operate in concert with each other, encouraging health, happiness, and effective decision-making. Try this three-step exercise to earn an “A” in appreciation.

List ten people or events that you appreciate from your past. Write down why these people or situations were and still are so important. What did you gain from the person or experience? Why do they continue to be important? If you could speak to the individuals involved, what would you say? After completing this exercise, notice the “good feeling” that remains. Visualize the resulting energy as pink and image yourself putting this pink energy in a bubble. Now insert this ball into your heart.
List ten people or events currently in your life that invoke a feeling of appreciation. As in step one, record the reasons you feel appreciative when you think of these people or situations. Return to the image of the pink bubble in your heart and this time create ten separate bubbles from that one. Send these bubbles toward the hearts of the each person or situation. Notice how sharing the appreciation only increases the love inside of your heart!
This time, think of the being or consciousness that most call God. I don’t care what term, word, phrase, or ideal you use. Now write down what this being appreciates about you, and why. When you are done, ask God to send you the full amount of His/Her appreciation to you in whatever form is best. As you receive this Grace, ask for help in owning and understanding it.

Check Your Choices. Center yourself in the bubble of appreciation in your heart. Now select a question or a problem. Imagine yourself inserting the issue in the bubble. What happens as you begin to appreciate the predicament, or the person “causing” it? Breathe deeply if instead of appreciation, you experience cynicism or bitterness. These feelings can cloud you from clearly seeing the choices that can help you heal the situation. Ask God to give you the grace you need to move into appreciation, and when you feel it, ask to image, sense, know, or hear the various choices that could lead to more grace and greatness. Record these conclusions. If you want to make a decision at this point, ask that a solution or set of choices form within the bubble. Check these ideas against the sense of Gratefulness in your heart. What choices affirm Gratefulness and graciousness? Which increase the feeling of grace? Which choice evokes a greater you? Watch while an answer emerges.

Release Expectation. Expectation is a real killer of mood and sanity. How can we not be invested in outcome; in getting what we want; in making someone else see it our way? Only the power of grace can lift the burden of being God instead of believing in God. Think about a challenging situation, and then surrender it to the pink bubble in your heart. Now release the entire bubble to your sense of God or your Higher Power. Give permission for God to be in charge of this person, situation, or predicament, and return to the bubble of Gratefulness and appreciation within. What now do you “expect” from someone else? Yourself? A situation?