Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday, Lent Begins
We have multiple festivals overlapping this week. After Mardi Gras, the big party before fasting and purification, we have Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season beginning (all on Wednesday). Overseeing all of this in the heavens is Mars/Pluto (careful, everyone) in Aquarius joining Sun and Mercury. “Have courage, humanity, and prepare for change,” the planets are telling us.
At 2 a.m. (PT) on Wednesday, the moon enters Taurus and we seek whatever comforts us. The question is how do we eat our Valentine chocolates on the same day Lent begins? We might put off Lent (fasting, purifying, cleansing, etc.) for a day so we can eat our candy. Meanwhile we ponder upon the e.e. cummings (poet) words perfect for Valentine’s Day – to “be of love a little more careful than of everything.”
About Lent? The word is Latin for forty days; Dutch for spring; in Christian liturgy, Lent is a season – forty days and nights (‘til Holy Week and Easter) of preparation for Easter (Resurrection Festival). Lent is not completely understood without an esoteric context.
Esoterically understood and explained, Lent is a time in which we purify our bodies (physical, emotional, mental) through prayer, contemplation and fasting. The purpose of these disciplines (Saturn) is to prepare our bodies for the inflowing fire of Ray 1, the Shamballa Force of Spring, at Easter and during the Three Spring Festivals of Aries, Taurus, Gemini.
The Christ, when on Earth, participated in this 40-day Lenten ritual by retreating to the desert in contemplation and prayer. In the desert solitude, His physical, emotional and mental bodies were tested and strengthened. The Christ’s purpose for the desert experience was to prepare, through tests and trials, His Sun body to withstand the trials (Initiations) He would endure – Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Transfiguration, Crucifixion, Death and finally Resurrection. These are spiritual Initiations that every individual undergoes.
Lent prepares every activity of our nature to be rightly adjusted and divinely harmonized. It takes 40 days to change, end or create a new habit. We use our will with conscious effort, self-initiated discipline and unity of purpose to bring about a change of rhythm in our daily lives. And each day we radiate Goodwill to the world. And we come to understand the words spoken to our personality on Ash Wednesday – “From dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.”
ARIES: You are making quick and decisive decisions, planning ahead. There’s little time for pondering. However, pondering is the best way of being now. Decisions made now can be implemented slowly without limitations. Astrology is about timing, when to act, when it’s best not to act. Astrology is the new thinking for the new era. As you are an initiator, it’s best to begin the study of astrology and learn its language. The best leaders are astrologers.
TAURUS: Unlike Aries, you take your time making decisions. Your “no” means “give me time to think.” Then the “no” often turns to “yes.” Many don’t realize this. That you need time to ponder on ideas. Your thinking is never scattered. You like to have fun, are always kind and pleasant (due to Venus). However, you are also completely realistic, like Capricorn. The world is very real for you and your approach is always practical. You are valuable to so many. You illumine minds.
GEMINI: You barely have time to organize. When the archeological digs of papers, books, clothes and daily life things become too great, they go into a box. Then they’re hidden, lost or thrown out. Is this the way things are these days? Conversations with you are interesting, a sort of philosophical meandering, meaning you’re thinking of other things while conversing. You can be blunt, impatient, direct and indirect, humorous, loving and kind. What is the direct route between where you are and the astrological esoteric class you need to attend?
CANCER: It’s important to write down in a journal dreams, thoughts, hopes, wishes and impressions. In this way they become organized and not forgotten. As a water sign you are intuitive. Be aware of impressions given, appearing in dreams or in daily life thinking. Impressions contain information and assistance for future endeavors. They help you be more aware and more productive. Doubting many things, you seek truth and reality in all endeavors. Here is a mantra that helps. Recite it over and over. “Let reality govern my every thought and truth be the master of my life.”
LEO: Someone lovely wants to interact, connect and perhaps play this week. Or maybe a new resource enters your life. Are you being somewhat non-communicative these days? Your mind seems to be locked into a strict pattern of thought. Actually, there’s also a simultaneous attempt to break those thought forms, having become crystallized beliefs. This is interesting. The Dweller on the Threshold has arrived. His other side is the Angel of the Presence offering a new world, a new story, a new narrative, a new life and freedom from the past. Which one will you engage with?
VIRGO: You feel more instinctive, able to think things through, plan and strategize better. You learn over time how to overcome self-criticism and self-judgments and thus are able to move forward toward greater cooperation with others. You feel a depth of multiple realities and want to share them. But there’s no one of your capacity available. Stand in nature and begin to communicate with the plant kingdom. Re-read the Findhorn Garden (book). You become a friend to nature – cooperating and communicating with the devas to build the new world. This is your realm. Sprinkle poppy seeds in your garden.
LIBRA: There’s a tremendous amount of work expected of you, and you roll up your sleeves and each day everything is accomplished, and this is good. However, I must ask about how much rest you get and how is your health? Are you able to be consistent with exercise, vitamins and green foods? It’s important to have physical checkups (naturopathic doctor, chiropractic, dentist, etc.) and to maintain a regular health regime so you can continue to serve others. Tending to self makes you kind, good and fair to yourself. On your next vacation, where will you go? And know the past is showing up. Asking for forgiveness.
SCORPIO: Know that even though you live often in a cave of your own making in order to protect yourself, your presence and very being are useful and your work and research invaluable. You are capable of holding and maintaining exacting information, both general and detailed. Humbled by your capacities, you are also protective of them. You can be impatient, sometimes quite grumpy when overwhelmed, which can be often. Although you hide away, you’re also grateful for recognition, praise, acknowledgement. You care deeply but hide it. We see you.
SAGITTARIUS: When speaking, consider speaking with a certain grace, charm, kindliness and style. What would that mean? Speaking, teaching and sharing with intelligence, transparency, no hidden agendas, no sarcasm, no self-criticism (hidden), no seeking acceptance. Speaking with style tells others you have presence of mind, confidence, intellectual abilities and the capacity to love not only your subject but those listening as well. It also displays your creativity, your drama and talent for writing (when you’re in touch) and the knowledge that one must always come from the heart of the matter. That is the mantra of a real teacher.
CAPRICORN: You communicate with such care, compassion and feeling. Sometimes, exhausted, you can become withdrawn. Overall, your nature is sensitive and always thoughtful. You’re free-spirited, too. When people look at you, they don’t quite know what they’re seeing. They don’t understand your meditative reflectiveness, your direct communication of emotions. Because of your depth people at times think you’re hiding something. We know you’re not. Always you attempt to bring forth balance and beauty. Dance is your hidden talent. The angels, and some of us around you, understand who and what you are.
AQUARIUS: Your mind is quick. Sometimes a bit scattered. That’s because your thought processes are varied, wide ranging, diverse and free which are the qualities of Uranus. You’re filled with facts, figures, ideas and knowledge that stimulate and impress others. You know everyone, picking up bits and pieces of information with lightning speed. You are restless, nervous, often must keep moving. You’re logical and often don’t entertain (understand) the emotions of others. It’s important to be logical and conservative with your finances, money and resources this year. Do not ignore them. Keep them close.
PISCES: It’s important to rely on your senses. They offer you information that is to be seriously considered and then followed. Make decisions that are down to earth, practical and not illusory or mystical. In the coming weeks and months provide others with concrete answers and basic concepts that will assist them in understanding the present world of conflict and chaos. Your information provides listeners with practical realities. Teach others to do for themselves, guide them toward an accelerated developmental stage. You will be no nonsense. This will be greatly useful for your sense of identity and self-confidence. Pisces falls to Earth.
Risa – writer, educator, teacher, psychological-spiritual counselor, mentor, astrologer & esotericist. Founder & Director of The Esoteric & Astrological Studies & Research Institute/College, a contemporary Wisdom School (center for spiritual discourse & study) for the Ageless Wisdom teachings. Foundations of the Teachings are the study & application of exoteric & esoteric Astrology, the Seven Rays, Theosophy, Esotericism, all religions, art, science & Raja Yoga meditation. risagoodwill@gmail.com www.nightlightnews.org/ Astrological, esoteric, day-to-day news – art, literature, psychology, the cosmos, consciousness, philosophy, history, religion, economics, geography & cultural journalism.