Did anyone see the big, beautiful Moon last night? Anyone tipsy by the "Moonshine"? We are in a full Moon phase now and it may be very intense on many levels. The Moon is in diplomatic Libra opposition not just the Sun, but a host of other planetary bodies - Venus, Mars, Uranus, all in Aries. All of these planets including the moon are square Pluto. Creating internal stress and need for movement or quick resolutions. This may sound like a different language - which it is! The short and sweet of it is: remember to breathe, balance needs and... Continue reading

On this second day of spring I pull the Water Card (Soul Navigation Cards) and reflect on its significance immediately after yesterday’s Fire Card for spring. Water is connected to the world of feeling, as distinguished from emotions. Emotions connect us to past feelings that may have created patterned responses, belief systems, and habitual ways of being - separate from temperament. I connect the element of fire with Spirit, and water with Soul. When the water of our soul is clear, unclouded by past emotional patterning, we are able to be more fully present in the moment. And when we... Continue reading

From the perspective of our blessed planet earth, I imagine the cycles of birth, death, and renewal as a constant. Not just here, everywhere. Life is change, it is a constant whether it is the life of a human being, or that of a far away galaxy. Energy is always in movement, it can neither be created nor destroyed. On this first day of spring, for some the beginning of the New Year, the Fire Card (Soul Navigation Card) appears as the harbinger. How fitting I think, as the Sun enters Aries, a fire sign, and that fire also represents... Continue reading

When we have an abundance of something, we have more than enough to meet our needs. Our cup is not simply full, but overflowing. When we feel there is plenty, and believe there always will be plenty, we more easily engage in generosity of spirit. Abundance is not about how much we have, but rather having more than enough to meet our needs. When people speak of abundance they are often referring to money - perhaps because in our society, money provides us many ways to meet our needs. Abundance, however, can refer to any area of our life, whether... Continue reading

Join Leslie Ciechanowski, M. Ed, & Lynn Larkin, MSW, in two Sound Healing Workshop Saturday, July 28, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm AND/OR Sunday July 29, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm East West Bookshop - Seattle, WA www.eastwestbookshop.com Seattle, WA Explore the gifts of sound as a means of meditation, stress relief and healing in our daily lives. Using crystal bowls, voice, and other sound instruments, we will experience how sound can impact body, mind, and spirit. Join in with your own voice, and soak up the energy with sound healers facilitating your journey. Leave with a deeper sense of... Continue reading

 Direction moves us towards our intentions, goals or life vision, providing a sense of purpose and meaning in our life, or in our day-to-day activities. A sense of direction guides our choices, movement, and the paths we take, moving us forward towards our goal, and unfolding Self. Sometimes our direction is clear and focused, choices are obvious and there is a sense of progression towards our goals. At other times our direction may seem unclear, guided by a sense of what we do not want, what feels good in the moment, or an inner knowing of what is congruent... Continue reading

When we act from the deep center of our heart, we are connected to internal guidance that is rooted in both timelessness and expansiveness. Wisdom is discernment through deep listening and balancing experience, understanding, insight. It is using the heart as the lens to see through. Seeing through the eyes of the heart means listening with feeling, compassion and connectedness to our humanity. Feeling is distinguished here from emotionality, sentimentalism, and reactivity, and is defined, in this case, as our present moment response to what is. We often associate wisdom with age, and associate sages with great wisdom that comes... Continue reading

Earth is the substance of life itself - the rocks, clay, sand and soil from which emerge the trees, plants, and all creatures. Symbolically, it is the substance from which matter emerges into manifestation. Some cosmologies see earth as the clay from which our physical bodies were formed. Mother earth, Gaia, and Demeter are all associated with archetypes of the Earth Mother. Earth holds the qualities of nurturing, strength, steadfastness, and creativity in that it supports and nurtures growth. It is connected to the physical dimension and the realm of the senses. In our language we have sayings such as:... Continue reading

Expect magic, entertain the mystical, and dance in wonder! Magic engages us in the unexplained wonder and mystery in all of life. It is the place where “coincidences” appear to be planned by some unexplained order and where synchronicities abound - if we have eyes to see. To the “magician”, it is the mastery of his or her craft that hides the mechanism of the constructed illusion. Every move is orchestrated to enhance the illusion. Being our own magician is to be aware of and be able to move within the flow of life’s mysteries, to know how we are... Continue reading

Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel, the belief that “this too shall pass”. Its slightest glimmer can take us out of deepest despair and lead us to our sweetest joys. When we are hopeful, the resulting emotion creates an energy shift wherein our positive expectations are able to arise and move beyond doubt and negativity. When we are hopeful, the emotional constriction that doubt, fear, and despair bring is softened and we are able to move to a place of new possibilities. While hope is the expectation of positive possibilities, it does not have to be... Continue reading

When you pull this card there may be something blocking your desired goals, destination or achievements. Obstacles are an impediment of your natural progression, and as with most things, obstacles may originate from within, without, or from an interplay of the two. Continue reading

Responsibility is the ability to respond and be accountable. It may be felt as a subtle awareness on some level, that accompanies and guides a response. Ones ability to respond is influenced in turn by ones awareness. The extent of ones sense of accountability ranges from ones self, social sphere, family friends, work, etc Biologically, we are guided by instinctual impulses, which can oftentimes direct our propensity to respond such as, a mother’s impulse to nurture her newborn child. Psycho-socially, some factors that guide our accountability are commitment and valued end. If there has been a commitment made to oneself,... Continue reading

Whenever I get this card, I sometimes notice a twinge of irritation arising in me that usually means I need to stop pushing, slow down and allow myself and/or others to move through their process of unfolding. In short, I need more patience. Sometimes we have a lot of patience in certain areas of our life and not in others. Some people may have copious amounts of patience teaching complicated material, or caring for the young, and yet none while driving. Often we have the least amount of patience for ourselves. Regardless of our level of patience, there are usually... Continue reading

When we say “YES!” wholeheartedly, every part of our being opens up, and we accept and affirm that which we are saying yes to. At that moment, there may be a sense of expansion in spirit and soul. If we could see our body’s response when we are experiencing a congruent and enthusiastic “YES!”, I imagine we would see our very pores and cells open up to receive! When we fully engage, affirming what is happening in the moment, we enter a state of allowance and are able to overcome resistance. Continue reading

Peace is often described as the absence of war, strife, conflict, or struggles of any kind in our internal or external world. We all long for peace – a state of ease and harmony – and wish it for others as well: in their homes, their countries and in their hearts. Inner peace is felt as calm, harmony, and a sense of ease deep within our being. When one is at peace with the present moment, nothing needs to be added to or taken away. Peace in the world begins within each individual. When we let go of our internal... Continue reading

When we have courage, we have strength of heart that enables us to continue on despite our fears - real or imagined. It does not mean we move forth senselessly or mindlessly, but that we simply do not let the fears of the mind, override the spirit in the heart. The etymology of the word courage comes from the Latin word “cor” meaning heart. Following the truth of the heart is often a brave act, though some may feel it is all we can do. Our heroes throughout history and in myth, acted from what they believed in at their... Continue reading

Play is an activity we often associate with children. More often than not our culture has a negative attitude towards “child’s play”. It is seen as trivial, extraneous, unnecessary, and, very often, as a waste of time. There is, however, much we can learn about how to be in the world from the play of a child. When children play they bring all that they are into the moment. They are interactive with the environment in a way that is fully engaged, with a fluid interplay between their inner world of imagination and the world around them. When engaged in... Continue reading

Dark is a place we all need to dive deeply into once in a while to find our luminescence deep within. Dark is quiet and empty and without pulse. Its gripping silence and emptiness can be frightening. In this silence we may hear our thoughts whirling, and feel the grip of strong old pain, or perhaps old beliefs, habits, or ways of thinking hampering our ability to feel joy or our inner peace. When we dive in, if we hold our breath and struggle, we may be resisting and fighting against ourselves and the very essence of our being. When... Continue reading

Responsibility is the ability to respond and be accountable. It is felt as a subtle awareness that accompanies a response to something and guides our actions. Our sense of responsibility varies with our social, cultural, and psychological makeup. With responsibility as the card for the week, you may want to explore your sense of responsibility in different situations. What are your highest responsibilities for this week? Are there things you are responsible for that you shirking? Are you taking on too many responsibilities? How are you being responsible to your body, and to your soul? What responsibilities can you let... Continue reading

With OPENING as the card for the week, it may be important to keep an open mind as you explore the multitude of possibilities. You may notice opportunities, alternative solutions, or shifts where things were previously blocked. What happens when you are open to the moment without judgment of right or wrong? When we are open it allows for flexibility and change. This week’s planetary dance may bring intense emotions as Venus squares Pluto, Mercury enters Pisces to conjunct Neptune, followed by the Sun at the end of the week. What would it be like to be open to the... Continue reading

With “Beginnings” as a card for the week you may want to pay attention to any newness in your life, be they habits, opportunities, or something you have thought of starting for a long time, but have finally found the time. Be patient with yourself as you begin new endeavors, remember there is always a learning curve. Approaching the world with a beginners mind may allow you to see what is new and invigorating, and approach things with curiosity and openness. The full moon in Leo this week may spark a new creative project. Be patient with the execution phase,... Continue reading

When we are in contemplation we slow down, turn inward, and reflect upon things very deeply. In deep introspection, our “searchlight” reviews a myriad of past events, actions and choices, our life, or the meaning of life. We may turn our attention to specific issues of concern, but may also be able to observe our process in the moment – the rising and falling of thoughts, feelings and emotions. Continue reading

A moment of clarity is often experienced as a sudden insight, a flash of understanding, or an “aha moment” when the light bulb turns on. It may be a sudden understanding of a problem one has been working on, a truth that has been out of reach for some time, or perhaps some dynamic or pattern that becomes clear. The experience of achieving clarity can be a personal revelation or epiphany that send depth charges into our very being, sometimes illuminating a personal truth, or a grander vision of interconnectivity. Continue reading

When we lay the groundwork for something in our lives we are establishing the foundation on which other things can be built. Strong foundations are like deep roots and are essential for anything that is lasting in our lives. They ground us to our origins and ancestry, and can provide the blueprints to help us navigate through any problems that may arise. Continue reading