Archetypal Exploration: Felina's 4th House- Poet

The Fourth House is the house of home and family. Here I have the asteroid, Eros, representing love. My Poet archetype is also closely associated with the Lover within. I have a deep love for family, and I create a loving home environment like a nest. For this, and many other reasons, my Hummingbird totem connects with this archetype.

I started writing poetry around the age of 8. Unlike many of my other artistic talents, this talent was only encouraged by others...never rejected. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Lane, complimented my poetry and writing one day...and ever since, it's been my guiding passion. Poetry has helped me communicate the way I see the world, and it has also been a salvation of sorts during the toughest times in my life. Had I not kept a journal of poems or had this outlet to express myself, I wouldn't be the same person today. Everything I love, I see with the eyes of a poet.

Poet

By Felina Lune Kavi

The poet is a hummingbird;

Her words, a joyful dance.

Her life, a sensuous wonderland,

Is the nectar of romance.

Something of beauty catches her eye

And causes her to hover.

She hums the moment magically,

Embodying the Lover.

The universe inspires multi-verse

Within the poet’s heart.

Love abounds in the world around

To feed her soulful art.

An open heart like an open book,

A rainbow kissing flowers.

The miracle of living love and light,

The beauty of her powers.

The Poet nests her eggs and rests

On a limb from her Poet Tree.

Her warmth and love gives birth to life,

Creating what she sees.

The universe inspires multi-verse

Within the poet’s heart.

Love abounds in the world around

To feed her soulful art.

Small as we may be, she says,

We sing the sacred key.

Our medicine hums happiness.

In each moment, we are free.

Archetypal Exploration: Felina's 3rd House- Visionary

The 3rd House of Astrology is about communication and self-knowledge. It is in this house that my North Lunar Node in Cancer resides. The north node shows us the qualities our soul urges us to develop in this lifetime...and it's not always an easy road to travel at first. Growth and wisdom come from the journeys along this path. In Cancer, the north node guided me toward motherhood first. However reluctant and scared of this process I was, this was a defining factor of my own maturity. After developing this new outlook on life, the path lead me on to exploring shamanism. This was no easy road either...but it is, like motherhood, a necessity to my path of self-actualization. My Jaguar totem and Visionary archetype are linked to this area of life, and this is why I communicate with symbolism and foresight. I have since freed myself from the limitations of what others might think of the peculiar way I see the world...and I honor the truth I see in the way I give my words.

Visionary

by Felina Lune Kavi

Into the golden eyes of the jungle cat…

The Seer sees within the shadows,

Stalking through the tangled jungle

Of the human mind.

On the hunt for our fears of freedom,

Jaguar peers into the darkness,

Pounces upon the prey of promise,

And feeds the Spirit.

Moonlit eyes arise in gratitude,

For the stars hold worlds of verity

When the power within connects

To our symbolic sight.

Visions integrate a path of integrity

Between the Blue Road of Spirit

And the Red Road of Physical Life…

A harmonious bridge.

Jaguar leads through lessons of Self…

Respect, discipline and actualization.

Short-cuts through the Ego’s Jungle

To the center of the Soul.

Archetypal Exploration: Felina's 2nd House- Victim

The second house in astrology is about life values, resources, and finances. The Victim is one of the four survival archetypes that all of us share, whether we like it or not, and it is the guardian of self-esteem which teaches us how we become victimized or how we victimize others. Like all archetypes, the Victim is essentially neutral with a light side and a shadow side. Most of us are familiar with how the shadow side plays out...but the light attributes of the Victim show us where we might give up our own empowerment to avoid taking responsibility for our own independence.

Those of you who know me well know that I value generosity over monetary gain. Those of you who know me even better sense that I might actually have a fear of money and the evils that come from its misuse. Regardless of the fact that I would never misuse it for destructive ends, I'm still not that comfortable with needing it for survival. I value the giving of myself over the receiving for myself...and it's not a prosperous way to live...at least, not on the material plane.

It's been my ever-present shadow for as long as I can remember...and acknowledging it was just the first step. I actually have to embrace this and transmute it into something helpful rather than destructive. So, that's where I find myself. Facing my shadow, and finding the light within.

Victim

by Felina Lune Kavi

I value the Earth as our sacred home,

the Goddess within and without.

Downtrodden by the soles of our souls,

Forgotten Mother, for use and for gain.

I value Her generosity and love

in the hands of greed and fear.

I champion the underdog

and try to ease Her pain.

I value the natural order of life

from the predator to its prey.

I value the Victim who takes a stand

and changes the rules of the game.

I value the strength of the Mother we share

so I give and I give and forgive,

but I've placed no value in man-made gain...

for that, I'm the only to blame.

I value my Spirit which calls to me,

"You, too, deserve to receive."

I release myself from the fear of our power

and make it a means to sustain.

Archetypal Exploration: Felina's 1st House- Storyteller

In Astrology, the 12 houses represent the areas of life where planetary energies and archetypal forces play out through the positioning of planets at birth and in transit. In my 1st house, the house of Self, I have Chiron (the wounded healer) on my Taurus Ascendant. It is in this house that my Storyteller archetype holds great significance in my life. My sense of self is one with the Storyteller. This is how I teach, this is how I learn, and this is how I honor my life and the lives of others...by telling the stories that shine the light through mundane existence and into the heart of the lives we live. The writer and actor in me are connected to this archetype as well. I tell the story, write the words, and show the acts...in this way, I am able to heal the wounds that would otherwise stagnate the story. One of my totems, the spider, is connected to this archetype as well. Watching her at work calls me back to the connectivity of all things that inspires me to weave intricate webs.

Storyteller

by Felina Lune Kavi

She spins a web of life and death;

Words of wisdom in every breath.

Each path she measures by design,

Creating circles to intertwine.

The story starts from a single string,

Connecting us to everything.

The plot is thick for each lot we choose.

The lesson is clearest as it concludes.

New Blessing Moon and Solar Eclipse: The Force

Part One: May the Force Be with You (and Not Against You)…

"It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.” –Obi-Wan Kenobi

There are many definitions of ‘force’, and this quote describes well the mythical/allegorical one many of us grew up with. And it certainly applies to the energy I’m about to describe, if you look into the mythic journey popularized by the Star Wars saga. However, there are other definitions that may hit even closer to home during this final stage in the trilogy of eclipses this summer.

This eclipse aligns with 3 outer planets (Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto) in an aspect configuration called a Cardinal Grand Cross. For those of you who were reading along last year, you may notice we are revisiting a similar energy now from last summer. Same Cross, but with less planets involved. When the planets and luminaries are in the four cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn)…something karmic is taking action. In fact, action is unavoidable now. Especially for those who, during the last eclipse, didn’t pay much attention to the aperture of light shining into our own shadows…this upcoming eclipse will literally FORCE you to see yourself in a light you can’t possibly ignore.

In this energy field, we may find ourselves faced with one or more of these challenges:

1. Someone or something strong and powerful will force us to move or take action (you may see this on a grand scale as well, like the flooding in our part of the country).

2. An influence will change our course or produce action or stress in our lives if we are not already working toward a beneficial goal (this is what you will see most often in those who have been resistant to changing their lives for the better).

3. We may, ourselves, be a force exerting power or influence over a situation or others (for those that read this, I would hope that use of ‘The Force’ would be more Jedi than Sith…and, indeed, times may call for such action).

4. We will see the powerful effect of something we have said or done.

5. A group of people (perhaps with you included) may band together and organize to create a necessary change.

6. Things may be broken into or taken by force.

7. You may feel the need to force yourself to do something that is uncomfortable or new to you.

8. Many of the changes we face will not come easily…they will take action and much effort.

9. You will be confronted with the potency of your own personal power and realize your own potential.

Part Two: Diamonds in the Rough…

The Solar Eclipse is Friday at 3:38am CDT and the New Blessing Moon begins several minutes later at 3:54am CDT. The degree of the zodiac being highlighted by both events is the 10^th degree of Cancer. The Sabian Symbol for this degree is ‘A large diamond, not completely cut’.

The theme of this energy is that of a ‘diamond in the rough.’ The best way to express this energy is to recognize the value of yourself, others, and your situation…emerging as if a latent potential is about to be fully revealed. Shake off the illusion that you need to appear perfect before stepping forward…even a rough-cut diamond is still a diamond. Your inner light is invincible (after all, the word ‘diamond’ derives from the Ancient Greek meaning ‘invincible’) and potent. You will shine either way…all you have to do is break away from your self-limiting constraints (which has been an ongoing process, but it does get easier as the summer moves past these initial lessons of self-knowledge and integrity.

And look outside yourself as well…everyone is struggling with these themes in different ways. You can help others along by valuing and amplifying the positive traits of those around you. With patience and care, you can reveal your highest attributes while encouraging others to do the same.

Now, many times I will focus on the positive actions we can take in order to do the most good during these times of struggle…but it doesn’t mean I ignore that things are in massive upheaval (after all, these particular aspects of massive upheaval have been going on since last spring/summer). These aspects have coincided with things (which are still ongoing even if the media has moved on) such as the oil spill in the gulf, the Fukushima disaster, the upheaval of old regimes across the world, natural (and even unnatural) disasters, etcetera…ad nauseam.

In times like these, when powerful and drastic changes are so concentrated all around the world…condensed into a few years which look bleak at best from the world-view…sometimes the best we can do with our diamond-in-the-rough spirit is to shine our light into the wounds closest to home rather than scatter our energies into every direction the collective shadow rears its ugly head. The energy initiated by a Cardinal Grand Cross can feel like we are being pulled (or forced) in multiple directions at once. When we give more energy to one cardinal direction…the others jerk us back harder. The oppositions in this aspect configuration call for balance, while the squares call for action to alleviate the tension. Without actions of balance, and balances of action…we risk the tug-o-wars that oppositions can bring, and the extreme stress and duress that squares can bring. The diamond represents balance and abundance, and amplifies energy. To do the most good, we can amplify the positive rather than the negative.

Part Three: The Cross That Binds…

The Cardinal Grand Cross is a great initiator of action (I should know…there is one present in my own chart! It makes for a life full of change and challenges, but a great deal of self-motivation to actualize your goals. If you’ve ever wondered why I go by four different names…though most of you only know one or two of them…this describes why. If you want to know more about that, just ask). Grand Crosses are much like diamonds-in-the-rough, as far as aspect configurations go. The uncomfortable tension of the right angles may cloud the fact that its design is like a nucleus of structure and strength that can be a tremendous resource. Finding the point of balance and integration in order to use this gift properly is a difficult challenge, but it can be done. The key comes from developing balance between the two oppositions. When balanced, they are wielding the same amount of force on the planets that are connected by the 90 degree squares, creating a solid foundation.

Many times, these four cardinal points activated will call forth issues of identity. The Aries planet (in this case, Uranus “the innovator”) inspires action that impulsively expresses the self. The Cancer planet (in this case, our luminaries, the Sun and Moon “the ego” and “the emotions”) inspires action that sees to the nurturance of the emotional identity. The Libra planet (in this case, Saturn “the teacher”) inspires action that connects the social and intellectual identity. And finally, the Capricorn planet (in this case, Pluto “the transformer”) inspires action toward recognizing the tangible manifestation of the identity.

In the energy building now, the luminaries are illuminating our latent power and the emotions surrounding it. Uranus is illuminating enthusiastic energy toward self-improvement through change. Saturn is illuminating the honing of our intellectual skills for the benefit of imparting the wisdom of experience onto others. Pluto is illuminating the mundane transformations we are being forced to make with the hidden resources of personal power we don’t always recognize. All of these illuminated aspects of our identities (individual and collective) are pushing and pulling in four different directions.

In many cases, this Cross can represent an identity crisis if not balanced…and during this summer, that crisis is on a global scale. The four points involved are each pushing to express a facet of the identity, yet each operates from a different level and perspective of the self. This can cause people to feel overstretched or pulled apart. The influence can also cause frustration based on the desire to take action without a sense of focus or direction. Contained within the cross, the action or reaction lacks an outlet…but in this case, there is an inconjunct aspect from Pluto to Mars that we may use as an outlet.

The Finale: 3-2-1 ACTIVATE!

Mars “the warrior” is all about action, echoing what this Cardinal Grand Cross is forcing us to recognize. The inconjunct aspect is one that requires stepping into new, possibly uncomfortable, territory in order to learn and grow. In the 9^th degree of Gemini, Mars activates the Sabian symbol of “a quiver filled with arrows”…a symbol that has much to do with preparation. With energetic and mental preparedness, we find the key to stability and accuracy in this time of crisis is to be poised and confident…ready to skillfully aim our ideas toward action. Be alert to the stressors of this time and how they relate to the identity. Maintaining a sense of focus on the bull’s eye in the center of this Cross while acknowledging that there is an action needed in order to express the self and uniqueness of the self makes it less difficult to make decisions.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

PS- Music for the Soul from now throughout this weekend...particularly while watching fireworks in the dark moon sky..."Cosmic Love" by Florence + The Machine.

Strong Sun Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse: The Aperture

The Full Moon Eclipse at 3:12pm CDT on Wednesday, June 15^th opens a portal of cosmic energy from the Galactic Center. This opening is an opportunity to consciously connect to the shadows within. During a Lunar Eclipse, the Earth passes between the two luminaries and the Earth’s shadow falls on the face of the Moon…so while it evokes experiences that confront your own shadow nature, it also evokes the collective shadow of the Earth itself.

This energy is an emotionally intense transformation of death and rebirth…where the shadow conceals the light of the self (Sun) from being reflected in the emotional body (Moon) for a brief time before the light returns. Eclipse energy is a quickening of time, healing opportunities, and confrontation with who we really are and what no longer resonates at the vibration of our highest frequency. We often come across times that are astrologically sound for ‘out with the old, in with the new’ cleansings of our lives…but this particular eclipse would be the once in a lifetime chance to have the universe act as a cosmic converter for everything that no longer serves us on our planet. Most of this process will not happen easily…crumbling foundations will leave a mess and people facing drastic confrontations of self may react with kicking and screaming victimization. However, there is a wide open door for those who wish to do the work required and get right with themselves for their own sake, and the sake of those they love.

Eclipse energy often highlights accelerated changes, clearing, eliminating, releasing, and transforming so new energies have room to manifest and grow. This can be like opening up a dark storage closet that hasn’t been opened for years, and thinning out the excess by determining what can be kept and what can be thrown out. Most of the things you find here will bring up shadows of your past, and you’ll have to let go of those attachments so that your new, more true to you, life has room to breathe.

The Sabian Symbol for this Full Moon Eclipse is “a chubby boy on a hobbyhorse”. This is a symbol that connotes adolescence, coming of age, practicing manhood, asserting bravado, egotism, and threats in order to assume the role of alpha male. The projection of macho attitude swings back and forth like the gait of a galloping horse…full swing confrontation, and then retreat, and back and forth again…worked to a frenzy then released. Much effort will be put in to getting everyone involved or at least watching this display of assertiveness. It is mostly show, but something may also come to a head. Be careful not to feed the dramatic behavior that may be asserted during this time. You have better, more important things to do…no matter how important these types of people may want to appear. Keep in mind they aren’t even riding a real horse in this act. ;) Go do the good things for yourself that will better serve you at this time…and let others beat a dead horse if they will.

We still have another eclipse to finish this sequence at the next new moon (July 1st). Here we are at the midpoint...what we do in this energy will determine what will come in a few weeks.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Strong Sun New Moon and Solar Eclipse: The Initiation

On June 1^st at 4:01pm, the moon starts a new phase as the Strong Sun Moon. At 4:15pm, there is a partial solar eclipse in the 12^th degree of Gemini. The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon is “Newly opened lands offer the pioneer new opportunities”, while the Sabian Symbol for the eclipse is “A slave girl demands her rights.”

Let’s begin with the New Moon. With the Sun-Moon illuminating as conjoined twins in Gemini, our luminaries form a harmonious trine with Saturn in Libra. Saturn in this position reminds us of others…cooperation, peacekeeping, and balance are the important lessons of this taskmaster in the sign of relationships. The trine promotes understanding, teamwork, and creative flow between the three. A new phase is opening up for us, and opportunities to succeed are conveniently there for the taking (as long as you make the effort…the natural tendency with a trine is to simply coast in the ease of it, but you’ll find more benefit from accomplishing something worthwhile now that you have this opportunity).

Each New Moon phase brings a new start with new opportunities, but this one even more so. We’re being initiated into a very intense few months (as a very powerful lunar eclipse and another powerful solar eclipse will all happen this summer in alignments that, in one way or another, will demand or command your attention). Here’s where we prepare for what’s to come by shedding old skin and identifying more with the completeness of who we are, as these are the changes we’ll be faced with this summer.

After those new opportunities from the New Moon present themselves, a first glimpse at our collective shadow appears. This first eclipse, though less intense than the two that follow, is a wake up call. After identifying what it is we need to do, and what it is we need to leave behind, in order to be the change we wish to see in the world…we may be backed into a corner by that which has held power over us for so long now. It’s important not to give in and go the easy route that takes little effort but has far-reaching drawbacks and debilitating limitations. Here, we will be called upon to demand our rights in the face of what we have allowed to limit our truly limitless selves. This may show up in the world view as more power-struggles, more signs of revolution, or more calls for change in our failing societal structures. But even more important is what is going on within each of us.

There is light and shadow within each of us. Many of us hide from our shadows by playing the victim and pointing fingers outside of us…whether it be at parents, relationships, or the evils of the world around us. We have these experiences, though, to teach us the whole truth about ourselves and our interconnectedness to what we experience. Those people, those situations, those struggles…they are mirrors reflecting what we refuse to acknowledge about ourselves.

The shadow side of our personalities are the parts of us we don’t want to identify with…the aspects of ourselves that we hide, repress, or dissociate after society teaches us various things that aim to correct what is ‘wrong’ or wild about us. We’re conditioned to watch our tempers, hold back our tears, look presentable, concern ourselves with money, keep our heads out of the clouds, not say something stupid or crazy, or any other variation on what blocks our self-expression. This is not to say that letting children run wild is the way to raise them. My parents laid down ‘the law’ for us, just as I find myself doing with my daughter now. But discipline is about teaching right from wrong and guiding along a morally sound path. Those are not the limitations to which I am referring. I’m talking about what makes us feel worthless, unloved, misunderstood, maladjusted, less than, wounded, afraid, disconnected or wrong. Harsh judgments stay with us, whether they come from outside or within. It’s those ideas that keep us from our highest potential. That is the shadow side at work…phantom pains from old wounds that demand that we heal them in order to discover our gifts.

No one can heal your own wounds but you. The Age of Pisces has been swimming in a martyr’s wounds for so long that we’ve grown disconnected to the collective undercurrent we share as living beings facing a new age. In terms of salvation, you have all you need to save, redeem, and reclaim yourself. In terms of damnation, you’ve handmade the shackles you wear…and only you have the key to free yourself from this story you’ve created with beliefs you’ve accepted until now. Looking outside of yourself for answers, for cues, for acceptance or reassurance…you’ll only be drowning yourself in the Piscean dream of the past. In the Age of Aquarius, you either identify with the Water Bearer who determines the flow…or you can be the victim who washes away with the past. Taking responsibility for who we are and what kind of world we co-create is key to the changes we are learning to make now.

This eclipse hastens us to begin or resume our healing process. Step out of self-defeating cycles and forge a new path filled with new discoveries. Identify your wounds, integrate your shadows in your healing and loving light, and identify yourself as whole in the process. Shed the limiting skin of the past and welcome the new you, unwounded.

Love and gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Neptune in Pisces: The Spiritual Renaissance

On Monday morning, Neptune donned the cloak of Pisces (the sign it rules and, therefore, feels most comfortable in) for a new phase of spiritual exploration. As Neptune is a slow moving outer planet, it will stay in this sign for about 15 years. These are the years where we discover our true spiritual voice and its place in our material world.

Like everything, Neptune has a light side and a shadow side. On one hand, it rules idealism, inspiration, intuition, spirituality, mysticism, visionaries, abstract thinking, and all things related to water. On the other hand, it rules deception, delusion, disguise, escapism, the oppressed and abandoned, persecution, derangement, guilt, confinement, and addiction or physical intolerance to drugs and alcohol.

In Pisces, Neptune is operating at its highest vibration. During this transit, a spiritual renaissance is likely to blossom in those who are aligning with their own highest vibrations. For those that aren’t, or refuse to be…this period of time may find them working with deceptive aims, fearful delusion, or escapism in the form of addiction or fantasy.

Neptune also rules oil and liquids…so expect to see a lot more of these themes in the world news…our collective addiction to oil, its contamination of the waters of the world, and the torrential storms and natural disasters that Mother Nature responds with will likely get much heavier before it gets any better. As a collective (sad, but true), we don’t have a good track record for changing what we know we need to change right when we see it. Neptune can be a master of disguise…clouding the issues and making them appear other than they are. But don’t be fooled…we’re still in the same trouble we were in before. The powers that be are just going to be sweeping them under the rug as much as they can before the chorus populi can wildfire-voice it around the world again in a flash (as our current concentration of planets in Aries incline us to do). They’ve noticed the strength of the collective voice in this high-tech world, and they’ll likely use Neptunian shadow tactics to quiet or confuse it.

Coming together to pool our voices and activate awareness and solutions, outside of the technology of social networking, will be even more important in the years ahead. And so will transitioning from those outmoded beliefs, luxuries, and supposed needs that we’ve become so familiar with…and into ways and sustenance that seeks to harm none. Neptune suggests that the path toward this new wisdom is a spiritually attuned one.

Pisces is the sign of selfless service, imagination, sensitivity, dreams, intuition, and compassion. It can also be very malleable, secretive or vague. These qualities will color our spiritual journey for the years ahead, so while you are searching for your connection to the Divine…try to keep your wits about you. You can’t believe everything you hear, and you’ll need to keep a firm grip on reality so you don’t float up into the clouds for an extended stay in la-la land…or you’re likely to come crashing down into unfamiliar territory without your finger on the pulse of the state of this world.

There’s a lot to be said about Neptune in Pisces, but let’s wrap this up by talking about the creative flow of inspiration.

Delve into your subconscious mind, find your hidden motives and unmask them. Look for images you thought you lost and re-create them into something whole. Nurture your creative talent. Seek inspiration from your spiritual quest. Appreciate artistic communication. Find your sacred voice.

On my other blog, Cup of Kavi, I have just posted a musing that relates to Neptunian water imagery and the subconscious mind. If you have a moment more, the post ‘Catching Consciousness’ reveals the very process by which Neptune in Pisces can communicate to all of us.

Mercury Retrograde in Aries: Rediscovering the Truth About Self

I’ll start by airing out the truth…Mercury Retrogrades are not a bad thing! Keep that in mind during these times of possible delays and miscommunications. It serves a necessary purpose in the cycles of life. Mercury Retrogrades are among the top astrological topics that are misunderstood and misconstrued (even by many astrologers…but consider that each person has our own natal makeup coloring our views)…though the dreaded Mercury Retrograde has been recently outdone by the Ophiucus debacle that is for some silly reason still hanging around. If I had time to address that misunderstanding fully, I would, because even my aunt…and even the bagger at the grocery store…have mentioned in conversations with me that they don’t understand why their signs have changed. That’s just it, I keep explaining, they haven’t. But anyway…maybe this Mercury Retrograde will provide me with some time to write a further review.

More important now is that Mercury is stationed in the 25^th degree of Aries and is turning retrograde today at 3:48pm CST.

First let me paint a picture of Mercury in Aries, before we revise that energy in retrograde. Mercury rules the mind, communication, and transportation (just to name a few) and, in Aries, Mercury dons the cloak of the warrior, leader, pioneer and initiator…impulsive, fearless, and active. Mercury in Aries people (yes, I am one of them) tend to speak their minds…and at best, desire to champion the causes of those whose voices are not being heard. At worst, they can be hot-headed, quick-tempered, and tactless argument-starters. The Mercury in Aries mind moves full-speed ahead, which can result in appearing to speak before they think. But it isn’t that (though many times they find their foot in their mouth), it’s a willingness to speak the truth that can often find them in trouble.

As Mercury has been travelling through Aries (since March 9^th), you may have noticed a tendency (in you and those around you, and particularly in the world as a whole) to fight for what you believe in. There is more aggression in our communication, and less ‘beating around the bush’. And there is decidedly a lot less patience. But for those who are usually indecisive or timid with their communications, this placement boosts your ability to act bravely and quickly on your ideas. There is greater self-confidence and more self-expression, as Aries has a focus on self.

As Mercury stations (from our earthly point-of-view, of course…planets don’t actually stop or change directions), the above-mentioned qualities come to the forefront. The focus is on our mental state and the actions that respond to it. Then, when Mercury starts moving retrograde, we are in review mode…picking up things we may have sped past through the month of March. This is why these retrogrades are a good time to rethink, revise, and rediscover. In Aries especially, our minds have been quickening with the change of seasons…and many of us (including Mother Nature, it seems from a Northern perspective) need an adjustment period to prepare for the growth and activity that Spring will bring.

Now is the time to meditate on who you are, how you think about things, and how you want to express yourself this year. Mercury is having us all step back for a moment and reassess how we are coming across and what actions we should take in moving forward. For those who need a wake up call about these things, this retrograde can be a very trying time…causing delays and miscommunications if we haven’t taken the time to review our thought processes and ‘be the change we wish to see in this world’. For those who are already aligning with their goals and direction, this is a time of preparation and revision…crossing all the t’s and dotting all the i’s before we move along at the end of April.

It’s always best not to plan a busy schedule that relies on big decision making and timely travel during these times, because you may find the universe giving you grief for not allowing yourself a chance to calm your mind and learn the lessons that Aries has to offer. But don’t be afraid of it either…a travel delay gives you time to prepare, and the aftermath of a hasty decision can clue you into how you really feel about something…or how it effects others.

There is a boost in Aries energy from the cosmos right now, and not just from Mercury. The bigger picture in the following weeks shows Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus giving focus in this sign as well…with a necessary balance point of Saturn in Libra to remind us about others while so much energy is focused on the self. The New Moon this weekend is also in Aries, ushering in even more attention to bold new beginnings.

With Mercury’s ideas, Venus’s charm, Mars’s decisiveness, Jupiter’s optimism, and Uranus’s brilliance (all grounded by Saturn’s lessons on relating to others)…April’s New Moon may prove to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship with ourselves and with the world around us. Here’s to fresh starts and new opportunities in all of our lives.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

Dancer in the Sky: A Poetic Tribute to the Life of Alyssa Josephine Baye (7/1/88-3/25/11)

Dancer in the Sky

by Felina Lune Kavi

The music lifted her spirit to move,

Cascading to rhythms that followed each groove.

Sensations to dance sent her floating along,

Lending to lyrics her voice for each song.

Dancer in the sky

Spin your spirit so free.

We will sing, play, and dance

Like you want us to be.

This beautiful girl left bare footprints on Earth,

Casting her light on true love and its worth.

The music plays on, and her spirit as well;

The people she loves have her story to tell.

Dancer in the sky

You inspire our hearts.

We will sing, play, and dance,

We will be living art.

Smiling along with our love, light, and laughter,

She is celebrated now and forever, and after.

All the people she knew, all the souls that she touched,

Can all feel her bliss just from loving so much.

Dancer in the sky

Move our bodies in time.

We will sing, play, and dance,

We will let our light shine.

Her soul paints a picture, lively colors and love;

Her memory moves with the rhythm above.

The songs that she sang echo into our minds;

She sees how our lives are so sweetly entwined.

She’s in the wind that will shake us

Or the breeze that cools sweat.

She’s in the rain that will cleanse us

So we’ll never forget.

She’s in the sunrays that tingle

On sparkling skin.

She’s in the dirt we kick up...

Let the dancing begin.

The Dragon’s Flight Into the Sagittarius-Gemini Axis

At the beginning of March, the Moon’s nodes shifted from our last lessons of the Capricorn/Cancer plane to the lessons of Sagittarius/Gemini (from March 3, 2011 until August 29^th, 2012). The Lunar nodes, in scientific terms, are the points where the orbit of the Moon crosses the ecliptic. The astrological implications of the lunar nodes are about karmic lessons, and the necessary balance between what we’ve already learned and no longer need to focus on (South Node in Gemini) and what we must learn now, however uncomfortable and uncharted the territory, for the growth of our souls (North Node in Sagittarius).

Each of us has our own natal nodes and lessons, which tend to answer the age-old questions, ‘Why am I here?’ and ‘What is my soul’s purpose?’ For example, I (and those around the same age as me) have the lessons of North Node in Cancer and South Node in Capricorn…our soul’s growth comes from spiritual nurturance and caretaking, learning the value of emotional fulfillment as we move away from our engrained urges to acquire fame, recognition, and materialistic pursuits.

But the positions the Nodes are in at the present moment affect the collective soul’s growth of our entire global community…so while we are each having our own soul’s intentions directing us one way, those lessons are also being influenced on a global scale by the current position of the Nodes.

And it’s that shift that I’m talking about now…the one we’re all feeling. Now that the South Node is in Gemini we’re being introduced to the lesson of over-thinking decisions and second-guessing ourselves. We’re currently so proficient in seeing other points-of-view that we’re losing sight of our own. The North Node in Sagittarius directs our paths toward trusting our own intuition and being open and honest about ourselves and what we want. Over-thinking becomes problematic during this time because we can never have enough information to satisfy our minds…and we are drawn like moths to a flame toward information accumulation. Our own intuitive knowing needs to be cultivated now instead of second-guessing its validity because it may not be based in what appears to be ‘factual’ information.

This axis can be very confusing, making it difficult to make decisions you truly trust. Visualizing outcomes rather than relying only on logical information is where we move past the old ways of thinking and come into our collective ability to trust our gut. One of the things you’ll see during this transit is a greater tendency to indulge in gossip, taking it as information rather than the waste of energy it truly is. Our media is already skilled in this, yet now is the time they will be faced with its negative implications as more and more people will trust their intuition and turn away from such superficial communication. This is the time we learn the lesson that beliefs create reality…and if we’re wasting our time on old ways of thinking and communicating, we’re only being distracted from seeing the bigger picture involved…and manifesting the best possible outcome.

There will be a lot of mental health issues coming to the forefront during this time, as well as nit-picking about communication. The media is becoming more aware of how our words matter and the rhetoric we choose can no longer be irresponsible.

To see in what areas of life this shift affects you personally, look to the houses in your natal chart where Sagittarius and Gemini begin. The last time the nodes were in this axis was between August 2^nd, 1992 and February 1^st, 1994. Try to remember what was going on in your life at that time to get a taste of what is to come now, after maturing since then. Astrology follows patterns, and recognizing those patterns can help you to work with the energies when they come around again.

Here are some ideas on how to make the best of this ingress: Explore. Travel. Go on an adventure. Learn about other cultures, religions, philosophies. Come up with your own opinions. Stop quoting others and speak with the truth from your heart, in your own words. Have faith. Broaden your mind and release limiting thought patterns. Resist gossip and other forms of superficial communication. Seek truth. Get creative. Look at the bigger picture. Trust your intuition. Set goals. Take time to quiet your mind and meditate. Embrace the spiritual realm and the wealth of wisdom it has in store for you. Think before you speak. Actively listen more. Increase the productivity of information exchange. Visualize. Get outside and seek answers in the natural world, relying less on technology. Expand your global vision. Adhere to ethics in every situation. Teach and inspire others. Explore your horizons. Connect to Sprit. Follow the path of passion. Be gregarious. Release yourself from what is not working in your life and find freedom within. Employ optimism. Be straightforward with your communication. Get out of your head and get physically involved. Find your footing in spiritual activism. And most importantly, trust yourself.

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

The Initiation of a Shamanic Practitioner: A Journey to Katie

Disclaimer: Those of you who know me well know how much I will write when the muse inspires me. This is one of those long pieces that I felt needed to be written and shared. It is about a very personal journey through an initiation for which I have been preparing many years, without knowing how it would manifest in my life until now. You need not read it in one sitting, in fact, you need not read it at all. But if you look at me and wonder what it's like to go through life the way I do, you will come away from this piece knowing and feeling as I do...and learning a great deal about my own human experience.

The Initiation of a Shamanic Practitioner: A Journey to Katie

by Felina Lune Kavi

At the beginning of this month, I found out that my 17-year-old cousin, Katie Smith, was in the hospital with serious, unexpected, health complications. She had multiple blood clots in her lungs, pneumonia, and a bacterial infection throughout her system. She was induced into a coma and on a ventilator so that they could try to keep it from getting any worse. Katie was in the hospital in Des Moines where I was born. She was tugging at my roots to go and see her there.

We made room in our busy weekend to see her on Friday, March 4th. It was important to me to see her.

Before I even knew what was going on with her, before she was even in the hospital, Spirit called upon me to get back to my roots. My husband and I were at our monthly shaman circle on February 25th, journeying like we do. But this journey was distinctly different from any I've ever had before. Previously, all journeys through the shamanic state of consciousness had been light, joyful, even empowering. But that one...it was urgent, foreboding, and intensely emotional. For one thing, I met with my jaguar totem...a call toward integrating my knowledge of shamanic healing into the ordinary state of consciousness in profound ways. Next, I met with my deceased grandmother (who I hadn't seen in a journey since the first one 4 years earlier). This time it confused me, I didn't understand (at the time) why she appeared to me. The whole journey felt riddled with panic and confusion, I was supposed to find something that wasn't there. All that was there when I searched was a burned-down camp...and the jaguar within yowled at my loss that I didn't yet understand.

Woody's drum called me back into my body...and a rush of panic and emotional undertow flooded over me. I feverishly wrote down the scenes that had previously played out...filling a page with what had yet to manifest within the boundaries of ordinary sensory perception. My head was throbbing with sharp pains at either temple, my heart rate was soaring, and my eyes were flooding with tears that had no logical reason for surfacing. I shared the vision with our friends in the circle, not knowing what was to come.

When February quickened to March, my Aunt Kathy wrote...telling the family members of my dad's side that Katie had been rushed to the ICU and was in critical condition. The vision of my grandmother, who was also Katie's grandmother, came back to me. She had been warning me of something. She had been calling upon me to use my Jaguar medicine for something. It was Katie. I had to go to her. I had to try to help her if I could.

The day before we left, I had another vision...this time it wasn't helped along by the rhythmic drumming of the shamanic journey. Everything was coming to me more urgently now...not waiting for me to meditate, journey, or cast a sacred circle. This month had been unusually busy from it's start...and I had no time to get there myself...so everything just started coming to me in sudden flashes of cryptic insight, unannounced and prolific.

This vision was in Katie's hospital room. She, in her hospital bed, was surrounded by water. Jaguar went to her...yowling into the water...and stirred a dolphin from its depths. The dolphin went leaping across Katie...clicking, whistling, and giggling while in the air, splashing into the water at the sides of her bed. It was tired, though, and kept wanting to rest it's head on Katie's chest. Jaguar yowled again, sending power from my totem to Katie's...urging Dolphin not to give up...urging her to use her medicine to help Katie's once powerful lungs to breathe again.

After that, I knew I had to be in that hospital room with Katie...journey to her, and try everything I knew in order to ensure that Dolphin medicine could revive her. I had never worked with a patient in such critical condition before, let alone a family member whose survival I was so emotionally invested in. I felt unprepared, inexperienced...yet, at the same time, I was the conduit through which Spirit had chosen to work. I was the one who could go to her...who could try to reach her. I was drawn to her. She was calling out to me...and so was the spirit of our grandmother.

Upon leaving home, I packed a plethora of altar tools and tsentsak (mostly rocks and crystals) to help me in the journey ahead. I also packed my grandmother's heart-shaped locket (which last played it's tune...you are my sunshine...in her ear at her funeral, before it lost it's song upon re-opening it after her burial). Lastly, something told me to bring a madrone twig I had gathered at Aunt Kathy's house in Oregon when we visited during our honeymoon a couple years ago. I had the urge to break the twig into smaller pieces, but resisted.

When I brought everything to the car, the madrone twig fell out of my carpet bag and landed on the ground behind me. I accidentally stepped on it and it snapped into two smaller twigs and two tiny 'knot' pieces. I took that as a sign, and packed the four pieces...knowing they would somehow come into play as powerful tsentsak later.

We arrived in Des Moines after dark. My five-year-old daughter, Alyrica, droopy-eyed and over-tired, played with Aunt Karen (Katie's mom) in the family room while Jeff (Katie's brother) took Michael and I to see Katie. She was nearly unrecognizable...hooked up to all kinds of aids keeping her afloat for the time being, one of which was a very loud, very powerful machine to aid her breathing...jiggling her in her bed in percussive vibration.

I touched her hand, and something about her knuckles reminded me of the madrone knots I had in my bag. I wanted to kiss her forehead, but couldn't reach her around all of the tubes and wires precariously keeping her alive.

Jeff told us about everything Katie had been going through in the months that led to this. It wasn't a pleasant story to hear...it was hard times for all of them that culminated in this unexpected event that left Katie clinging to life. My heart ached for their whole family. Jeff was disappointed that it was very likely Katie's choice to take up smoking that had led to the blood clots and shutting down of her immune system. She hadn't been caring for herself properly, and had been stubbornly resistant to any help her family wanted to offer. That determined, willful, and rebellious streak that runs rampant in our family had come dangerously close to being the death of her.

The three of us returned to the waiting room...chatting a bit to catch up with each other after not seeing one another since our wedding two years ago. They were all so tired, so in need of a good night's rest...really, in need of some good news that could quiet their minds enough to sleep. I felt a deep tug at my heartstrings that made me want to comfort Aunt Karen and Jeff...but one never has the words on such an occasion. I told them to go home and try to get some sleep. I would stay with Katie tonight.

Aunt Karen made one last visit to Katie's room before she left...Jeff and his friends left soon after. Then Michael took Alyrica to our friends' house so she could sleep. He would pick me up later. I made my way, with my many bags, to Katie's room.

By the look on the face of her night nurse, I figured Aunt Karen must have told her something to the effect of 'this girl is Katie's cousin...she may seem a little strange, but don't worry...she's perfectly harmless'. The nurse was quietly obliging though perhaps a little puzzled by me and the strange things I pulled from each bag. I talked with her about Katie's current medical condition, and told her that I was going to attempt to provide her with some supplemental, harmless treatment that would not involve anything directly influencing her body or the medical treatment her body was currently hooked up to. She was courteous and allowed me to place grandma's locket on Katie's chest, a miniature dolphin-shaped obsidian on her knuckles, and a rose quartz and serpentine stone in each hand.

I set up shop in the visitor area of her room, behind closed curtain. I placed the plethora of rocks, crystals, and other healing tools at my head and my feet and shook the rattle about me in preparation for the journey. I placed the two knuckle-knots of Aunt Kathy's madrone tree in my mouth, one at the back of my tongue and one at the tip...in case I needed them to suck out any power intrusions I would find on my journey. As I rested myself on the small sofa bed, I closed my eyes. The rhythm of the drum that usually carried me into an altered state of consciousness was replaced by the loud, jarring rhythm of the ventilator. The dimly lit, quiet rooms I was used to journeying in were replaced by the disruptive, beeping hubbub of the necessarily lighted hospital room and the scuffling about of the nurse on duty. I had my work cut out for me...and it wasn't easy, at first, to reach her.

But Grandma came to me...in the form of her Deer Totem, and led me to the roots of Grandmother Tree. I followed them down into the earth and was rushed along through a tunnel...then out into an underwater cave. It was mostly dark, but I could see a darker, gyrating mass of something in the water in front of me. As I approached it, I saw it was a swarm of ravenous piranhas. They were feeding on something that was already torn to shreds.

The power intrusions in Katie's chest (symbolized by the underwater cave) had manifested to me as these sharp-toothed fish...eating away at something, which I later realized was her dolphin, and thus, her personal power.

My knuckles glowed on both hands and I felt compelled to grab as many of the piranhas as I could and suck them out of her chest. I could only grab two from the feeding frenzy, and sucked them into my mouth quickly. When I returned back to my body and into a waking state, I heaved the madrone pieces into the bowl I had brought with me, covered them, and placed them in a bag. I left the room quickly and went back to the waiting room where there was a bathroom. I discarded the pieces and cleaned the bowl, my mouth, and my hands.

This was all I could do, I knew. I felt disappointed and very sad. Perhaps I bought her some time, but I had no idea. All I knew is that it was probably too late to save her, and that I had tried my best. I also knew I could not dwell on what I saw there...and that I couldn't give up hope. And I wasn't about to tell anyone, even my husband, about the worst of it. I could only offer some hope by keeping positive...and willing myself to discard any doubt that she would miraculously return to us.

Katie died around midnight on March 12^th, 2011. When I talked with Aunt Kathy the next day (who was taking calls while Aunt Karen and her family were discussing funeral services with the pastor), she said she travelled there from Oregon just in time to spend the last 10 minutes of Katie’s life with her. There was some relief in thinking that maybe I bought Katie just enough time for that reunion, as Aunt Kathy was very important to her while growing up.

Katie's funeral was on Friday, March 18th. I can't describe the ebb and flow of emotion that had been welling up in me about her this month. I found incredible solace in my family that day...as I hope they felt as well. Katie's funeral was a beautiful celebration of an extraordinary life her soul had lived.

At the visitation the night before, I was greeted by our Aunt Kathy. She’s a self-admitted cryer, like me, but she said that Katie was there helping her stay strong…so that she could help the rest of us stay strong, which she certainly did for me.

She saw Alyrica for the first time, and told her how much she and Uncle LeRoy loved the video of her singing her potty-training song ‘I Gotta Poop’. Alyrica immediately began singing it at full voice before I shushed her and told her to wait until we weren’t in the church to sing it. Aunt Kathy laughed and encouraged it anyway, and really…with my family…it wasn’t like it was a bad thing. But, before going to things like this (which we have unfortunately been doing once or twice a year for many years now), I tell Alyrica that she should try not to make it all about her…because it is about the person who passed away. She’s an entertainer at heart, and is still learning the appropriate times and ways to take the stage…and how not to steal the spotlight.

Aunt Kathy took me to Katie’s casket. Among the little trinkets on her chest was the dolphin obsidian, which Kathy moved to Katie’s left hand. There were yellow roses and irises on the casket. Yellow roses were Grandma’s favorite. I even wore a blouse with yellow roses on it for that reason, but didn’t know they were one of Katie’s favorite flowers too. And the irises were symbolic as the flower of life, a flower named after the messenger goddess of the rainbow.

I made my way through our flock of family gathered at the church, hugging and talking with aunts, uncles, and cousins I haven’t seen for many years…some of them not since Grandma’s funeral nearly a decade ago. My husband, Michael, was talking with some family while Alyrica Rayven, my silly little songbird, was entertaining with her potty-training song. I let it go, seeing previously grief-stricken faces now alive and smiling at her unusual and unabashed sense of humor.

I went to Aunt Karen and hugged her. She was still in need of a good night’s rest, I could see. Our family had gathered around her during this time to take the load off of her shoulders…but she was still weighed down with sadness, and still shouldering an unnecessary burden of guilt.

It wasn’t until the funeral the next day that the clouds began to lift, and Katie’s spirit took over the whole church…inviting all of us to celebrate the good times in her life. The room was filled with family, friends, her class of 2011, her swimming buddies and students, and many others. Throughout the service, songs were filling my head. ‘You Are My Sunshine’ replayed on a loop, as well as ‘Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory’ which was a song I remember Katie and Karen teaching me when we were kids…all of us singing loudly and joyfully in Karen’s car on the way from Grandma’s to Karen’s farm. Soon the pastor asked if anyone would like to come up and speak about Katie…and I felt compelled to rise…and sing for her. I asked Alyrica to help me…knowing I would only be able to cry without her there to keep me smiling. She, of course, agreed…and wanted to sing her favorite bedtime song, “For Emily” by Simon and Garfunkel…a perfect choice, really. And I was glad she didn’t insist we sing her potty-training anthem.

The pastor told me to hold the microphone and just let Alyrica sing next to me. I sat her down on my lap and she instinctively grabbed the microphone and pressed it to her own lips, not waiting for me to begin the song. We sang together, and her loudness washed away my sadness and kept my voice strong as well.

After the song, Alyrica wouldn’t let go of the microphone and decided to tell everyone how she really loves Katie and wished she didn’t have to die. And how she wished Katie could come back to life. It choked many of us up, but at the same time…Alyrica’s innocence and fearlessness to express what was on all of our minds was a call to realize that Katie’s memory would always be with us, even though her soul had taken flight.

After many shared memories of her, they played ‘Angel’ by Sarah McLachlan, which I sang quietly to Alyrica while holding her in my arms. When they played ‘Strawberry Wine’ by Deanna Carter, my Aunt Kathy, Katie’s step-sisters, and many others stood up and sang into their thumbs…as Katie used to do. All of the emotion I had been suppressing then flooded out of me…that was the moment in the service where Katie seemed to be singing along and urging everyone to rise and shine along with her.

Soon after, we proceeded to the cemetery near Aunt Karen’s farm. As we stood there, Alyrica gathered a bouquet of “cattails for Katie” from the ground. Near the end of the service, she had picked up a piece of deer poop and asked me “What’s this?”…at which point everyone behind us tried to stifle giggles. It seemed to me a joke from my Grandmother…as if to say, keep your spirits up and take time to laugh at what’s funny. We then took the cattails to the coffin and left them there for Katie before driving up the road to Karen’s farm.

The sadness had lifted when we all gathered at the farm, a place so important in my growing years that it felt like a warm hug just to be back there again. Last time we were there was in 2008, and Katie was there…introducing me to ‘Celtic Thunder’ as they performed on TV during a family reunion before Christmas that year.

The whole house was filled with people and food…which was the way our family gatherings always were. Someone had made chicken soup with homemade noodles…a dish that reminded me of my Grandma’s. I hadn’t tasted it since before she died and was grateful that someone had taken the time to make it for Karen.

While Alyrica was playing in the toy room upstairs, I took a walk around the yard with Uncle Jim and Aunt Michele, whom I haven’t seen since I first became pregnant with Alyrica. I always used to take walks with them wherever we were gathered. Uncle Jim admitted to me that they tended to do that when there were huge swarms of people buzzing around whosever home we were gathered. They are a quieter sort, more inclined to share when in smaller groups. Along the way, I noticed that Aunt Karen now had the three deer statues that used to be Grandma’s…along with the old playhouse we used to play in at Grandma’s farm.

Aunt Karen had become Grandma, I thought to myself. Since Grandma had passed, our family had lost its sense of centeredness…its grasp on our roots. But Karen never lost it. She always had it there, at the farm. And each time we gathered there after, and anytime from now on…we were coming home.

When we got back to our own home in Omaha that night, the TV was on IPTV. ‘Celtic Thunder’ was performing. I froze, remembering the last time I heard them was because of Katie. They were going to be in Lincoln in October…so I felt it important to mark it on my calendar.

The next day, Michael and I went to a retreat at Platte River State Park. When we entered the lodge, the facilitator told us we had time to take a walk around outside before everything began. He said the deer were out in large groups all morning. As soon as he mentioned the deer, Sarah McLachlan’s song ‘Angel’ started playing through the speakers. I knew I was in the right place at the right time, Grandma and Katie were telling me, simultaneously.

Throughout the day, things that each speaker would say kept bringing up memories of Katie and Grandma…and thoughts about Aunt Karen. I kept fighting back tears that were both happy and sad at the same time. Finally, after our friend, Woody’s speech about shamanism in the 21^st century, someone suggested he break out the peace pipe.

A handful of us gathered in a circle outside in the rain of the Full Storm Moon. The tobacco that Woody loaded into the pipe was not for inhaling into our lungs, but for smoking out into the cloudy sky along with our prayers. When the pipe came around to me, I thought of Katie and wished her a happy return into the arms of angels above. But my prayers were for Aunt Karen, especially, and for her family.

After the pipe returned to Woody, he mentioned that whoever it was that was worried about their Aunt need not worry. She will be okay. Of course, I cried a little…letting loose the worry that had been making my eyes water all day. The gentle rain washed away my tears…and all was peace.

In the energy circle at the end of the night, I saw Katie take the hand of my spirit guide and fly away toward the full moon, looking back to me with her smile that I will never forget.

While Katie graced this earth for almost eighteen years, her soul left an imprint on my own…and many others. I know I will see her again someday.