Newsletter, Iris Insights articles - archive

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Fall Eclipses: A Season of Great Change ~October 2013

All you have to do is read, or watch the news, and you can see that we're in a time of great change in our country, and around the world. The Fall Equinox of 9-22-13 was a pivotal point where we completed a cycle that began on the Winter Solstice of 12-21-12. Depending on your level of awareness, some people stepped up to a higher level of consciousness. Most of us are still dealing with the letting go of the old to make way for the new. Even the U.S. government is manifesting this letting go by trying to hold onto what no longer serves the country, and in doing so, they are also assisting at higher levels in the demise of the old, and the preparation to re-build a new government that serves us all.

This coming eclipse series of October and November is going to help all of us move closer towards this vision of the New Earth. Eclipses are extra-potent New and Full Moons, bringing in major endings, and new beginnings. You could find yourself at a crossroads, and faced with making a decision that moves you forward on a whole new path.

The first eclipse is a Lunar Eclipse (Super Full Moon) on October 18 at 26 degrees of Aries/Libra. A Full Moon always sheds light on what has been hidden, but with an eclipse, the revelations can be life-changing. This lunar eclipse highlights the signs of Aries and Libra - the two opposing signs that represent the Self, and the Other in relationship. The goal is to balance both within ourselves; expressing our authentic Self in our lives, and in our relationships.

If you have your own birth chart, look and see what planets and houses, this eclipse is highlighting. It can reveal the areas of your life that are being brought to light for insight and change. In my own birth chart, I have Mercury, the planet of communications at 25 degrees of Libra, opposite my Midheaven, the career/public life point, at 26 degrees of Aries. I am hoping that I'll be receiving some insights on how to bring my own writing more into my work, and out into the world.

The planet, Mercury will also be starting its third and final retrograde cycle of 2013 beginning on October 21 in the sign of Scorpio, and turning direct on November 10. The retrograde periods are always good times to complete unfinished business, and all those re-words: re-do, re-evaluate, review, etc. Mercury doubles its time in Scorpio, making it a fruitful time for resolving issues especially emotional and financial that we may have with others.

The second eclipse is a Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon) which begins the next moon cycle on November 3 with the Sun and Moon at 11 degrees of Scorpio. New Moons are always excellent times to write and release your intentions/goals for this moon cycle, and the upcoming year. Solar eclipses mark the end of a major phase of our life, and can show us how to take what we have learned to the next level.

Take a look at your birth chart, and see what house this Solar Eclipse is shining in because this is the area where you may have the greatest potential for a new beginning. If it's close to a planet in your chart, then that can reveal where the new beginning can take place. In my own birth chart, the fourth house of home and family will be highlighted, revealing where the new beginning could take place. It's also close to my natal planet of Neptune in Scorpio so my vision of home and family could be changing along with the gifts that Neptune brings such as intuition, and a stronger connection with the divine and higher spiritual love.

With everything that is happening on the planet, there is no doubt that this will be a powerful eclipse series bringing great changes to our personal lives, and the world.

If you don't have a Western astrology birth chart, please call or e-mail me for a personal Birth Chart package which includes your birth chart along with a symbol sheet, and a detailed guide and written interpretation of your birth chart. The package is only $25, and it can help you track these upcoming eclipses in your own life. I'll also include my personal guide to Manifesting with the Moon Cycle.

Please feel free to copy this news article, and to share it with others for Free. I just ask that you keep my name at the bottom of the article, and include this line of text: Donna Fisher-Jackson, M.A., CHT is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Western Astrologer and Author who counsels clients through her business of Iris Holistic Counseling Services at www.DonnaFisherJackson.com. She has published the self-help book, The Healing Path of the Romantic: Type Four of the Enneagram Personality Type System and a novel, Clara & Irving: A Love Story of Past Lives, based on the true story of a Romantic. Both books are available in a print and Kindle edition on Amazon.com.

The Turning Point ~September 2013

The Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere are just around the corner on September 22, 2013. It is the completion of this birthing phase that we have been in since December 21, 2012 when the seed for the New Earth was planted. Over the summer, the energy has intensified in the higher dimensions for this New Earth where there is love, unity, and reverence for all life with the awareness that we are all inter-connected on this planet we call Home. What happens in the Middle East impacts each and every soul on this planet; and what happens next could be a turning point for this planet.

Since the seed was planted on December 21, 2012, we have been going through cleansings and adjustments to match the new higher vibration of energy coming into the planet. These shifts have been the strongest as we moved from the New Year into each month as well as on the 11th of each month; and then most notably around the eclipses, the solstices and the equinox. This last trimester from the Summer solstice of June 20th until now, has been the most intense as we have healed and released old karma, and patterns that are no longer in alignment with our vibration. 9/11 is another pivotal portal as we approach the first day of Fall/Spring. The labor pains are intensifying, pushing us along towards the New Earth.

Depending on where you are on this healing journey, you may have hardly felt the shifts in energy, but if you're very sensitive, you could have felt each wave deeper and deeper as they washed away another layer that you no longer needed. Some of the symptoms may have included head and sinus pressure, chest and lung pain, back muscular pain, digestive issues, nervous system conditions, and surges of heat. The energy has also affected sleep patterns where we may wake up every night at about the same time, and have trouble getting back to sleep; or the inability to sleep at all. (Of course, if any of these physical symptoms become unbearable, it's wise to get them checked out by a professional to rule out any serious health issues.)

The energies coming into the planet have been raising our vibration to open up to more love in our hearts, and to reveal more of our authentic selves within, and with others. At times, we may have glimpses of this new way of living on the Earth. We may have found ourselves guided to the right spot at the right moment. We may have noticed more daily synchronicities on our path, running into the person we just needed to see, or opening a letter that answered the problem we had been struggling with. We may have noticed more heart and soul connections with others. Over time, we will trust our own guidance even more in the moment. From moment to moment, we will know where we need to be and with whom we need to share this life on the New Earth.

The numbers of the Fall/Spring Equinox - 9/22/13 - are powerful - a 9 which means completion and endings as well as holding the essence of humanitarianism, universal compassion and tolerance. The number 22 is a master number symbolizing unlimited potential for mastery in any area - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The number 13, often portrayed in a negative light, is actually a number connected with the Divine Feminine which many believe is also part of this time period as we move towards a balance of the Masculine and the Feminine within each one of us, and on the planet. The date - 9/22/13 - also adds up to a One which is definitely new beginnings, and oneness with all of life.

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, there could be a time after the Fall Equinox of September 22nd where some people choose to leave the planet. Whether we decide to keep on living here, or go to the Other Side, we will all still be shifting to a higher level of consciousness. There is no judgment about which path you choose. Each path leads to where You need to be at this given moment in time.

Coming in the Fall, I will be starting a new blog about Living an Awakened Life. I will write more about what this New Earth will look and feel like as the changes become more and more known to each one of us.

Blessings on your path this Fall, Donna

Thanks to Karen Bishop who has a great new book on the changes happening on planet which is available on Amazon, and on her website at www.gamabooks.com ; and to Denise Le Fay of Transitions at http://deniselefay.wordpress.com/ for her insights.

The Last Trimester ~August 2013

As we move through mid-Summer, we’ve been going through the final trimester of the birth of a New Earth. We’ve all been in a birthing process since the seed for a New Earth was planted on December 21, 2012. At that time, there was a shift in energy, vibration and consciousness. It was also another beginning, another chance to release and let go of what is still holding us back from fully embracing this higher level of consciousness.
During the increasingly intense and developing three trimesters of 2013, we’ve all been going through our own individual and collective re-birthing process. For most of us, it has been an emotional and physically draining time as we have cleared and let go of all of our old baggage that we’ve been carrying around for lifetimes. This is our time to finally release it, and to be able to move into a higher vibration while still living in our physical bodies on planet Earth.

It really is mind-blowing to think that we can actually ascend into a higher dimension while still living in our physical bodies. The potential is there, and the choice as always is up to us if we want to do the inner work to match this new and higher frequency that will be life on the New Earth.

Many of us have heard about this time period of ascending while still in the body, but to actually live it mind, body and soul is a whole other process. Since January, I feel like I have been pulled down into my own personal “Underworld” multiple times where it felt like I was going through “near-death” experiences, dealing with physical illness, and intense feelings of grief and loss. Now, I know that I was experiencing the physical and emotional elements of more than just this lifetime. I was finally releasing these lifetimes from the cellular memory in my current physical body. I do believe that the emotional and physical experiences that I was still holding onto were keeping me from moving into this higher vibration. After each “near-death” experience, I felt lighter, and freer as if more light energy was flowing into the newly-opened spaces within me. That has been my personal experience with this year of 2013 to this point.

Now, we move through this final trimester towards the end of nine months on 9-22-2013 - the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. The Fall or Spring Equinox is a point of balance where the light and the dark are equal on the planet. Perhaps, at this point of balance, the feeling of unity, holding both the light and the dark, and all the polarities on the planet will finally come together.

In the New Earth, there will be no more separation and duality. We will all realize that we are One, and that everything we do to help another person, another living thing only enhances life for each and every one of us. There will be no more disease, poverty, hunger, war, greed, hatred, or pain and suffering of any kind because it will not be sustained in this higher frequency of energy. As each one of us shifts into a higher consciousness, we move more into this place of divine love, oneness and reverence for all life. This is what living on planet Earth at a higher vibration can look and feel like.

For those of us who have been awakening to this new level of awareness, it is in our best interest to continue to help others on our path when they come to us seeking our help. If they ask you for help, you can freely give it, but asking is the key word. Sometimes, your presence alone can help other people. Keep that in mind when people around you seem to still be holding onto the old Earth. As you vibrate higher, you may have to leave some of these people, and places behind.

Many spiritual writers have addressed the idea that not everyone is going to be able to make the shift into this higher vibration of the New Earth. Many people after 9-22-13 will choose to leave the planet along with the demise of the old, negative patriarchal structures that will no longer be sustained in this higher vibration. There are certainly many other options for people than living on this New Earth. Each person will make their own choice consciously, or unconsciously. There is no judgment here, or on the Other Side. It is only a matter of personal choice.

As the old world collapses and disappears, the New Earth is being manifested at the same time. Step by step, we are moving towards a time where each one of us can choose to positively manifest our highest intentions while still living in a physical body. The time is close at hand.
Blessings on your path and your personal choice, Donna

Thanks to Patricia Cota-Robles of www.eraofpeace.org ; and Denise Le Fay of Transitions at http://deniselefay.wordpress.com/ for their insights.

The Flowing and Crashing Waves of July, 2013

The month of July is going to be a watery mix of energies. It really felt like the month began this week on Mon., July 8 with the New Moon in the water sign of Cancer reminding us all to get more in touch with our feelings, and what we really need in our lives to nurture ourselves. The New Moon is always the beginning of yet another moon cycle, and a chance to release our intentions for what we would like to create this month, keeping the theme of nurturing in mind.

As we move into mid-July, we all have a chance to feel the power of a healing grand water trine between the planets of Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio, and Neptune in Pisces. It will peak between July 17 - 19, and then be joined by Mars in Cancer from July 20 - 22. Many people have been describing this time period as the “Third Trimester of 2013” following when the seed of the New Earth was planted on December 21, 2012. We’ve already been through two trimesters, and the changes have been shaking and awakening all of us at different levels. These grand water trines will be giving us some extra support to go through this more emotional trimester. The emotional release and healing can flow more gently, with less effort and resistance on our part. We can heal our emotional selves, preparing for the more intense energies that move in later this month. (The Full Moon in Aquarius on July 22, another Super Moon, will also highlight our individual hopes and shared dreams.)

From July 27 - 31, we’ll all be navigating the intense waves of a Cardinal T-square with the strongest energies between Mars in Cancer, Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries, bringing some long-standing issues to a head. I live with a Cardinal T-square in my birth chart, and it has been worked over these past few years with the awakening and transformative energies of Uranus and Pluto. During this time period, my best advice is to take care of your basic needs: eat healthy, get extra rest, and exercise out in nature if you can. When the surf is up, I do my best to not overwhelm myself with more work, social plans, chores, communications, etc. I cut back, and hunker down as I prepare to ride out the inner and outer waves which are bound to stir up some more natural and man-made disasters on the planet.

For all of us, this intense energy is giving us reality checks. We are all being called to look at limiting beliefs and structures, and what is holding us back from moving to the next level. As the old inner and outer structures come down, do your best to stay in your heart space, and choose Love. Envision the New Earth we are all creating.

Blessings on riding the mid-summer waves, Donna

Extreme Storms: Awakening the Heart ~ May / June, 2013

As we approach the final eclipse of this spring, I had the chance to participate with James Redfield, author of The Celestine Prophecy and his wife, Salle in their monthly on-line Global Prayer Project where I joined people around the world in a prayer visualization on diminishing the impact of these extreme storms this season. Their circle was very timely, happening the day after the tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma.

The recent storms and tornadoes of this spring have many people shaken, trying to make sense of what is happening. Some believe that the extreme weather is due to the global climate changes on the planet. Others believe that these powerful events are leading the shift into the New Earth. Whatever the reasons, there is no doubt that these painful tragedies are opening people’s hearts, and bringing them together in community.
This past Monday, May 20, the astrological alignment of Uranus/Pluto square became exact. These two planets - Uranus, the planet of revolutionary change and awakening, and Pluto, the planet of deep transformation which means endings followed by rebirths; have been squaring each other on and off since June, 2012, and will continue to do so through March, 2015. These two outer planets are literally shaking all of us, and the planet to the core as we release all that is not in alignment with the new consciousness of the planet.

These two planets, Uranus and Pluto, came together in 1965 - 1966, igniting the worldwide cultural and political changes of the 60’s. Now, the two planets are squaring each other signifying a crossroad, and a turning point where the dream first seen in the 1960’s now needs to move to the next level. As Stephanie Austin of The Mountain Astrologer wrote, “It’s time to manifest the Aquarian ideals of equality, peace and prosperity for all.”

Fellow astrologer, Barbara Hand Clow, also wrote about the Uranus/Pluto squares: “During the first two Uranus/Pluto squares, many people woke up, actually intensely feeling their real connections to others. This is the awakening of the human heart…Sometimes, I wonder if we are right in the middle of the Second Coming! One by one, people sense that the fabled return is not Jesus coming again: the Second Coming is about awakening love in our hearts. I actually think this is what’s going on. No wonder everything is so intense.”

Now, we move towards the final eclipse of this spring series of three eclipses, the Lunar Eclipse with the Sun in Gemini and the Moon in Sagittarius which peaks on Fri., May 24 at 9:26 pm PDT, and on Sat., May 25 at 12:26 am EDT. This is also a Super Moon which means it’s even closer to the Earth than normal creating more intense gravitational and electromagnetic shifts, affecting the tides, and tectonic plates as well as challenging our views of realty. It also happens on the same day as Wesak, a time where the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing are honored by millions of people around the world.

The Lunar Eclipse may not be seen in your backyard, but the energy will be felt everywhere. Under the light of this full moon, we are being shown what’s been hidden, and what we need to see at this point in our lives. It’s a perfect time to do a meditation, or spend quiet time in nature to receive revelations and insights on your own path. During this time, we are all feeling the shift on the planet. We can go through these changes with awareness or we can stay asleep, but in any case, this energy is awakening all of us. We can no longer remain asleep, but need to wake up to what changes we need to make in our lives, and to begin making them, and envisioning this Aquarian world of equality, peace and prosperity for all.

Blessings on your path this month, and into June, Donna

Three Eclipses in a Row ~ April, 2013

Eclipses are always powerful times of transformation, and with three in a row, we are all going to be feeling this energy even if we can’t see the eclipses in our backyards. Eclipses are extra-potent new and full moons that can signal major endings and beginnings.

Eclipses create a powerful moon cycle that you can work with in your own life. Every month at the new moon, I work with the moon cycle at manifesting my goals. When there is an Eclipse, I have seen my goals take off in a big way if the timing is right. Last fall, I published my second book - Clara & Irving: A Love Story of Past Lives utilizing an Eclipse cycle. Almost nine years ago, I utilized an Eclipse cycle to move up to the Gold Country in California. On the Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon), my house in the San Francisco Bay area was sold, and by the Lunar Eclipse (Super Full Moon), I moved up to the Gold country to live in a rental house, and by the next New Moon, I had found my “dream” home, and made an offer which was accepted. I still live in that house today.

If you have a goal or dream, work with this energy, and if the timing is right, you could see the fulfillment of that dream by the beginning of summer. Of course, sometimes challenging events happen that we don’t expect, and we can find ourselves in a whole new place because of those events by the end of the Eclipse cycle.

The first eclipse is a Lunar Eclipse (Super Full Moon) on April 25 at 6 degrees of Scorpio/Taurus. This is the full moon following the powerful New Moon at 21 degrees of Aries on April 10, celebrating the return of the zodiac wheel to the first sign of Aries. Under this full moon, light can be shed on the intentions that you released at the New Moon to reveal any adjustments or changes that are needed. If you’re able to make those changes, then you’ll be ready for the next moon cycle to launch your updated intentions.

At the Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon) on May 9 at 20 degrees of Taurus, release your revised intentions/goals for what you would like to create in this Moon cycle, and into the coming year. If you have your natal chart, check and see what house this Solar Eclipse is highlighting in your birth chart because this is the area where you have the greatest potential for the new beginning. If the Solar Eclipse lands right on a natal planet in your birth chart, that energy is also ripe for change. For example, if it lands on your Venus, the planet of personal love, you could find yourself changing the way you look at love such as re-energizing your current partnership, or letting go of a relationship that is no longer in alignment with your own life’s path.

At the Lunar Eclipse on May 24-25 at 4 degrees of Sagittarius/Gemini, this Super Full Moon is a spotlight illuminating an area of your life, and revealing the potential for this new goal that you hope to manifest. At this time, you may have to make some kind of adjustments, or be faced with some opposition or challenge to your plans. You may also experience the fruition of your dream at the peak of this moon cycle. Take a look again at your natal chart, and see where the light of this Super Full Moon is shining. This is the area that is the most ripe for revelations and insights into what has been hidden from your view.

The winds of change are very strong for all of us with these three eclipses. I would love to hear about your experiences in working with these eclipses in your own lives. I have a plan of how I am going to work with these energies, but I am also open to seeing what develops in the month of May because I may be surprised by the new opportunities and changes that show up as well.

If you don’t have a Western astrology birth chart, please call or e-mail me for a personal Birth Chart package which includes your birth chart along with a symbol sheet, and a detailed guide and written interpretation of your birth chart. The package is only $25, and it can help you track these coming eclipses in your own life. I'll also include my personal guide to Manifesting with the Moon Cycle.

Tools to Manifest Your Dreams ~ March, 2013

March is the month to plant those seeds for new beginnings. Barbara Hand Clow, a fellow astrologer, has a great method for manifestation. On or near the first day of Spring, she takes her list of dreams that she wants to create for the coming year, and follows the steps below. (Spring begins on March 20th this year as the Sun moves into the sign of Aries, the first sign on the zodiac wheel.)

First, take time to be still, and in your quiet contemplation, make a list of three to nine items that you would like to have or create, and state clear timelines and circumstances around these dreams. Be as clear as you can be, and select items that are in your best interest, and that don’t manipulate others such as your desire for a certain person. It is better to describe the partner that you are seeking without asking for a specific person.

Once you have the list, follow the technique below for each item on your list:

1. Place the image of what you want to create in your mind, and be as clear as you can with the time, the conditions, and the changes that would come from having this dream come true. Next, ask yourself the question, “If I could have this dream, would I want it?” Sometimes, you discover that it’s not something that you really desire anymore. In this process, you can clear your mind of what you don’t want, and begin to get clearer about what you really do want in your life right now.

2. Hold the dream in your mind, and do three visualizations of scenes that portray the creation happening in your life. For example, if you are seeking your “dream” home, envision what it looks like and feels like, and see yourself there in three different ways. Close your eyes, and picture it in your mind’s eye, and hold the image like on a movie screen, and strengthen it visually as much as you can, and then go onto the next scene, and follow the same process.

2. Once you have visualized all three scenes of your chosen dream, then you can choose to speak the words such as “So be it!” or “Manifest on all levels, now!” Follow the same technique with your other dreams, and then place the list in a special place, and allow the dreams to manifest. In a few months, or even a year, you can look back at the list, and see what has been created. Whenever, you feel stuck, you can get out the list and re-charge it again by following the same technique.

Barbara Hand Clow has practiced this technique for many years, and many of her dreams have manifested. Last spring, I followed her manifestation process, and wrote down my dreams, and visualized them happening. I also added a chosen rock or crystal for each dream to make them more real and tangible, and then placed my list of dreams in a gold envelope in a special box with the rocks and crystals. I practiced this technique on the first day of Spring last year.

In this last week of winter, I decided to look at my list after only glancing at it once during the year. It turned out that my biggest dream for the year did come true. I published my second book, Clara & Irving: A Love Story of Past Lives, in December, 2012; and I began working with a marketing professional this winter to publicize the book. Some parts of the other dreams manifested, but not completely so now, I will take a look at them again, and re-work them for this coming year.

I invite you to try out this technique, and see where it may lead. You may be pleasantly surprised at how your dreams come true in the coming year. Take time to plant your “dream” seeds for this year of 2013-14, and you could be living out your dream.

Please feel free to copy this news article, and to share it with others for Free. I just ask that you keep my name at the bottom of the article, and include this line of text: Donna Fisher-Jackson, M.A., CHT is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Western Astrologer and Author who counsels clients through her business of Iris Holistic Counseling Services at www.DonnaFisherJackson.com. She has published the self-help book, The Healing Path of the Romantic: Type Four of the Enneagram Personality Type System and a novel, Clara & Irving: A Love Story of Past Lives based on the true story of a Romantic. Both books are available in a print and Kindle edition on Amazon.com.

Finding the Balance with our Inner and Outer Worlds ~ February, 2013

February is always a fast-moving month, and this year has been no different except for the fact that many of us have moved this year into a whole new space. It's not quite like a physical move where we've packed up the boxes that contain our life's belongings (though for some people that might have happened) - it's more of an inner shift which is beginning to manifest in the outer world.

Since the shift of December 21, 2012, our physical bodies have been catching up. This hasn't always been easy - having to go through cleansing, purging, and letting go which manifested as illness for many people. As our physical bodies adjust to these new spaces, we may experience more symptoms such as nose bleeds, sinus headaches, sensitivity to light, and a mental fogginess. The symptoms are usually connected with our pituitary and pineal glands as our inner (feminine) and outer (masculine) worlds are moving more into balance, but if your symptoms are more severe, it's always a good idea to get checked out by a medical doctor.

The winter is a time to be more introspective, and to take a breath. During this time of transition, practice being with your Self, and nurturing the new Self within you that is emerging. As you let go of the old parts of your Self, embrace the new parts that are becoming stronger. These newborn parts need your tender care, and may not be ready to be shared with the world just yet. They are like the tender, green stems of early, spring flowers. If they poke their heads out too early, they can be crushed by the winter snow. It's a matter of timing. The spring is always the time to plant new seeds. That time is coming, but for now, nurture those seeds within.

In another month, the new beginnings will start to take form. The new paths, new relationships, new ways of making a living will all begin to reveal themselves to us as long as we remain open, and have faith and trust in our intuition. This can be a time to notice the signs and the synchronicities that are always guiding us. We stand on the brink of co-creation. As we move into our new Selves, we can begin to create our long-held heart's desires.

In this month of Pisces, we may want to meditate more, record our night-time dreams, and spend more time in creative activities. In the watery world of Pisces, our intuition can become stronger. By the Virgo Full Moon on February 25, there will be five planets in Pisces so you don't have to be a Pisces to feel all this creative and inspirational energy. In the sign of Pisces, it can also be easier to feel the oneness with all beings on the planet. As we move away from duality, we can see the interconnectedness with all of life. Together, we are co-creating our New Earth.

Blessings on your new path as it emerges, Donna

Thanks to Lauren of www.ThinkwithyourHeart.com for her insights, and the many other wise guides who are shedding light on these changing times.

Happy New Earth! ~ January, 2013

The Shift of the ages moved through last month in December, 2012. And honestly, the whole month of December feels like a lifetime ago to me. Over the holidays, I went back to New England to celebrate with my family and friends, and to also launch my new book. I honored the day of December 21st by appearing on a radio talk show to speak about the date, and what I felt it really meant for the planet. As I spoke to Philip Wright of www.KVMR.org of Nevada County, California on the phone, I looked out at the surging Atlantic Ocean outside my window. The waves crashed in a stormy stew while the winds shook the whole house. For a moment there, I did wonder - “Is this the end of the world?” But I knew that it was really more of an ending of the world as we’ve known it. That day, I felt a tremendous pressure in my head as if the bones my skull were expanding once again –something that I have felt only a few other times. As I watched the seas calm down in the afternoon, the sun split through the clouds and splashed across the ocean. It looked like the earth had survived the transition.

The next day, I awoke, and got busy with holiday plans, and my upcoming book signing party. It was only after I came back to California, that I was hit by the full force of the shift in my physical body. Coming from Boston, I arrived home with more than my holiday gifts, but came home with the flu. Two days later, it seeped in, and this time, the waves and the wind of December 21st were the chills and the fever of a full-blown flu. I felt a clearing and a purging of something very old within my physical body. I can only compare it to a “near-death” experience except that I was fully awake even though I wished I couldn’t feel all the discomfort of my physical body. The intensity only lasted a couple of days, but the remnants lingered for a week.

As I felt better, I read other people’s postings on Facebook of their bouts with the flu, and one man had some amazing insights to share. He spoke about the “flu epidemic,” and mentioned, “What did we expect to happen after such a huge shift in consciousness moved through the planet in December, 2012?!” The physical body is always the last to process an event, or an emotion that we’re dealing with in our lives.

For me, personally, I finished my book about past lives in December which meant the completion of a lifetime that I had been living with for more than one life. Finally, I went through the complete letting go of that lifetime. I re-experienced the death in my body, but at the same time, I lived through it, and moved fully into a new space. And that’s why the month of December feels like a lifetime ago. I still can’t believe it’s only the middle of January!

For me, this is the beginning of my New Year, and I have a feeling that is the case for many of us who lived and “died” through December 21,, 2012 into a whole New Earth.

As astrologer, Stephanie Austin wrote in her recent New Moon of January 11, 2013 report: “The December Solstice of 2012 marked the completion of a 26,000 year cycle and the birthing of a new world, which will mature in the days and decades to come. The magnitude of this cycle and paradigm shift makes it vital to clearly formulate our intentions, and be open to some radically new directions. Each one of us nurtures the New Earth's growth by contributing our unique gifts. Some have gone ahead to clear the path for others. Some have chosen to stay behind to help others find their way. Some will continue the work they have been doing, and some will be propelled into new forms of service. This new moon calls us to reflect on what our role is now. Hold “beginner’s mind," listen to your intuition, and be willing to be surprised.”

Now, that I’m on the other side of that experience, I am so excited to be alive at this time, and ready to move forward into my new life. I would love to hear from you about your own experiences with December, 2012. Your new space awaits you. It’s time to take the leap into the New Earth.

Blessings on your New Year of 2013, Donna

The New Earth is Here ~ December, 2012

Many people have been waiting for this time period in history – the end of a 26,000 year cycle known by many names including the Shift of Consciousness, the Great Awakening, the End Times, the Hopi Fifth World, the Age of Aquarius and the end of the Mayan Calendar.

The Winter Solstice on December 21, 2012 has often been given as the date for this shift into a New Earth as the solstice aligns with the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The media has often dramatized this time period as the end of the world, but that is far from the truth. It’s not an end of the world, but a shift into a new level of awareness which many have described as moving from duality (where everything is black and white, good and bad, etc.) to unity where we encompass all aspects of life as being part of the journey of being human, and divine.

In my experience, the shift seems to be a melding of the two – the physical and the spiritual coming together within. Each one of us has the opportunity to vibrate at this level of consciousness, and to live with the awareness that we are more than our physical bodies. We are also souls who have a higher purpose in life. With this kind of awareness, we can shift from the goal of making a living to making a difference in the world. If we live our lives from our higher purpose, then we can realize we are all inter-connected with all living beings on the planet. The shift moves us from a more self-oriented focus to a more universal focus where we realize that every action we take has an impact on others, and on the planet.

As you watch the news, you can see that so many are still living in the old paradigm from a place of materialism, power, competition and domination over others. I’m not certain that everyone is going to be able to make the shift into this New Earth. But it does seem that the choice is up to each one of us. As we become more conscious in our lives, we need to be crystal clear about our intentions for the future. The New Moon is a perfect time to write down those intentions.

The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 13 heralds in the beginning of this new cycle. As Stephanie Austin of The Mountain Astrologer writes, “This New Moon, vastly empowered by the transformative forces of 12/12 and 12/21, magnifies what is in our minds and hearts. What we believe, we will see. What we desire, we will manifest. Are we choosing love or fear? Are we creators or victims? Are we living our life purpose or our programming? Our answers to those questions determine how we will experience this extraordinary time in history.”

I wish you an enlightening holiday season. I hope that you will take the time to release your intentions and visions for the future. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year of 2013 with the dawning of a New Earth.

Blessings on your path, Donna

November Eclipses ~ November 2012

This month, there are two powerful eclipses that will create more waves of transformation. The first eclipse is on Tues., November 13, a Solar Eclipse, a New Moon in Scorpio, and the second eclipse is on Wed., November 28, a Lunar Eclipse with the Full Moon in Gemini, and the Sun in Sagittarius.

Eclipses are always power points where we can utilize the intense energy of the moon cycle to move through long-standing issues, and take a step up to the next level. Solar Eclipses always signal a time of major endings, and new beginnings. But before we can bring in the new, we have to release and let go of what is keeping us from moving forward. Once, we are able to do that, then we can really experience the forward energy of the eclipse. It’s like having the wind at our backs in our own personal sailboat.

This month, I am using this energy to publish my second book, Clara & Irving A Love Story of Past Lives. I am going to take the next step in the publishing process on the Solar Eclipse of November 13th, and by the Lunar Eclipse on November 28th, I will see how far I have come in the publishing of my book. My hope is that by the next New Moon cycle that I will have a book in hand, if not sooner. I invite all of you to work with this energy with a personal goal of your own. As long as the blocks have been removed, and the timing is right, you may also find yourself manifesting a long-held dream.

This Solar Eclipse in Scorpio is also a Super Moon where the Moon is both closer to the earth as well as in alignment with the Sun and Earth which intensifies its gravitational pull on tides, tectonic plates and our emotional bodies as well.

At the Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon) on November 13 at 22 degrees of Scorpio, release your intentions/goals for what you would like to create in this Moon cycle. If you have your natal chart, check and see what house this Solar Eclipse is highlighting in your birth chart because this is the area where you have the greatest potential for the new beginning. If the Solar Eclipse lands right on a natal planet of yours, that energy is also ripe for change. For example, if it lands on your Venus, the planet of personal love, you could find yourself changing the way you look at love such as seeking a new partner, or letting go of a relationship that no longer serves your highest interest.

Lunar eclipses shed light on what has been hidden, and can reveal your unconscious desires and fears. This Full Moon on November 28th in Gemini/Sagittarius highlights where we need to question our beliefs, remember who we really are, and follow the path of our soul.

At the Lunar Eclipse on November 28 at 7 degrees of Gemini/Sagittarius, this Super Full Moon can be a spotlight illuminating an area of your life, and revealing the potential for this new goal that you are hoping to manifest. At this time, you may have to make some kind of adjustments, or be faced with some opposition or challenge to your plans. You may also experience the fruition of your dream at the peak of this moon cycle. Take a look again at your natal chart, and see where the light of this Super Full Moon is shining. This is the area that is the most ripe for revelations and insights into what has been hidden from your view.

This year of 2012 has been another big year of change for so many of us as we move through major endings in all areas of our lives. We are on the brink of a new year, and a new era as we move closer to the powerful alignment on the Winter Solstice of December 21, 2012. I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, and may you practice gratitude for all that we do have on this planet, Earth, that we call home.

Blessings on an abundant holiday, Donna

The Gifts in our Dreams ~ September 2012

In these times of great change, I find guidance and insight through my night-time dreams. They give me signs about the next step on my path, and where I need to pay more attention. In my quest for more knowledge on working with dreams, I recently began a Dream program with Dr. Connie Rodriguez, a wonderful healer and artist who lives in Auburn, California.

In the program, we gather together in a dream circle to share and interpret our dreams as well as express them through different art mediums. I am always amazed at the depth of insight that can come from working with a dream within a group. What often appears to be a simple, straight-forward dream can suddenly be revealed to hold a lot more gifts than you ever imagined.

This happened to me this month when I shared a dream which I entitled, "The Estate." In the dream, there was a death of a grandfather and a grandmother which left the matters of their estate to be handled. There was a treasure trove of heirlooms that needed to be sorted and distributed, and this task appeared to be supervised by a woman, all in white, who I called "The Judge" in my dream. She would make the final decision on who would receive the different heirlooms from the estate.

In my outer life, I just went through the recent death of my father-in-law, and my husband is handling his father's estate so I wasn't surprised by the dream. But in my inner life, this dream signified a lot more. All the heirlooms in the dream had been kept in the basement of the family house, and they were now being sorted, and brought to light in my life. I knew these treasures weren't just material objects, but all the other gifts that we inherit from our families, and our ancestors.

In the dream circle, I discovered the true meaning of this female judge. In the middle of our circle, she stood in all her glory and revealed herself as Pallas also known as Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Justice in Greek mythology. As she made herself known in the room, I felt her strength, and her gifts such as being able to make challenging decisions in the midst of conflict and change. I believed that she was coming forward in my dream to show me a new way of handling all the changes that I have been going through personally and collectively in the world.

The dream also revealed one more gift. At the end of the dream, a young man gave me some gifts including a pressed red rose on top of a white, leather book. I also had the feeling that he wanted to ask me to marry him. In the dream circle, I received the revelation about the gift. It is my upcoming book which happens to be a Past Life Love story, and there it was right in front of me with the symbol of the dried red rose on the white cover. My heart overflowed with that gift.

The gift of the dream gave me new inspiration to finish the book, knowing that it was time to join forces with the masculine energy within myself, and "birth" the book into the world.

And that is truly the gift of working with your dreams – to be able to receive direction and insight that can help you on our life's path. I enjoy working with my dreams as well as helping others work with their own. Take time to remember your night-time dreams, and you could discover the next step on your path. I wish you enlightening dreams during this time of great change on the planet.

Blessings on your path, Donna

Thanks to Connie for sharing her wisdom about dreams with me, and so many others. For more information on Connie, go to her website at www.soulmatters.com

The Beauty of it All ~ June, July & August 2012

The Summer Solstice of June 20th is upon us celebrating the arrival of summer as we move into the sun sign of Cancer. The Solstice is an important turning point with the seasons as well as an opening for more energy coming into the planet. There is a great deal of energetic support right now to release old patterns and beliefs. With the recent New Moon in Gemini and the Solstice, we are on the brink of major endings and beginnings. As Astrologer, Stephanie Austin wrote in The Mountain Astrologer, “Relationships, institutions, and anything not aligned with the highest good for all concerned are being challenged to evolve or dissolve. This is a huge cosmic test and a summons to stand in our truth and in our power.”

We are going through a time period of extremes. Rain has drenched parts of our country to overflowing while other parts are burning out of control. In the United States, we live with a great deal of freedom while other countries live with oppression. Perhaps, more of us are noticing these extreme differences because of the rapid speed with which we receive the latest news from around the world.

This month, I took a trip to Hawaii where I visited my favorite places on the Big Island and Kauai enjoying the contrast of the black lava fields with the green lushness of all the tropical plants. As I walked the sandy beaches and hiked the rocky trails of Hawaii, I was struck by the beauty, and also by the challenges of day to day island life. In the past, I only had glimpses of what living on Hawaii might be like, but this time, I stayed with people who lived full-time on the islands. This way, I had the chance to really see what life on Hawaii could be like. My tourist’s sunglasses were stripped away to see Hawaii the way the locals viewed it. And what I viewed was a lot different from my past trips to the islands. I came to Hawaii to find a respite from daily life on the mainland, but instead, I experienced the reality of life in Hawaii, and perhaps, everywhere at this time on the planet. I had moments of bliss on the beach and on the hiking trails, but I also felt the struggle of daily life for many of the islanders.

Experiencing the June Lunar Eclipse and the transit of Venus across the face of the Sun on Hawaii only opened my eyes more to the diverse experiences of life from joy to sadness, from pleasure to pain, and the many places in between. The insight that came through to me was the gift of allowing and accepting all these many shades of life. Instead of judging one experience as better than another, to be able to accept them all as part of the human experience. Of course, this is always easier said than done. It’s so much easier to be in the blissful moment, and to accept those joyful times of life; but when we’re faced with the sorrows of life that’s the challenge to allow the feelings to come through without judgment and attachment. To truly be in the moment is to experience all aspects of that moment.

That is the only place to be - to be in a place of love and acceptance for whatever is going on in our lives from moment to moment. The truth is that we’re not alone in these feelings and thoughts, and that there is always support to help us through the challenging times as well as support to help us celebrate the joyful moments as well.

Personally, I’m not quite there in accepting the beauty of it all. I’ve had moments of acceptance and that gives me hope that I’m moving in the right direction to shifting my view from a life of duality to accepting all the many aspects of life on this planet we call home. Because truthfully, it’s all good.

Wishing you moments of love and acceptance in your daily life, Donna

Please Note: This newsletter issue, I am combining the June/July/August issues because I am beginning the final edit of my next book, Clara & Irving: A Past Life Love Story which will be taking up a lot of my time this summer. I hope to have it published by the fall of this year. I will send out a special edition in July and August with Genevieve Vierling’s great article series on relationships which continues with the sun sign of Cancer and the sign of Leo. In this edition, you can find her article, Relating to Gemini.

Spring Eclipses ~ May 2012

The recent Super Moon of May 5 where the moon reached its closest approach to the Earth is just the beginning of a powerful month for the Moon. This month on May 20, we have the first of two eclipses, the Gemini Solar Eclipse, a Super New Moon on the day the Sun moves into the sign of Gemini. This is a perfect time for launching new beginnings.

Every month, there is a Moon cycle that you can work with in your life, and when there is an Eclipse cycle, it can really help you move through some long-standing issues as well as help you manifest some long-awaited dreams. The energy of the Eclipse cycle can really shake up your life, and help you to move forward in a new direction. It’s like being dealt a new hand of cards in the game of life.

If you have a goal or vision that you have been hoping to create, this moon cycle would be the time to focus your energy on that dream. The New Moon is always the ideal time to write down your goals for what you would like to create in your life. With the Eclipse energy, your goals can really take off especially if they are in alignment with your life purpose.

At the Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon) on May 20 at one degree of Gemini, release your intentions/goals for what you would like to create in this Moon cycle. If you have your astrology birth chart, check and see what house this Solar Eclipse is highlighting in your birth chart because this is the area where you have the greatest potential for the new beginning. If the Solar Eclipse lands right on a natal planet of yours, that area of life is also ripe for change. For example, if it lands on your Venus, the planet of personal love, you could find yourself changing the way you look at love such as seeking a new partner, or letting go of a relationship that is no longer in your best interest.

In the same moon cycle, the Lunar Eclipse occurs on June 4 at 15 degrees of Sagittarius/Gemini, this Super Full Moon is like a spotlight illuminating an area of your life, and revealing the potential for this new goal that you are hoping to achieve. At this time, you may have to make some kind of adjustments, or be faced with some opposition or challenge to your plans. You may also experience the fruition of your dream at the peak of this moon cycle. Take a look again at your birth chart, and see where the light of this Super Full Moon is shining. This is the area that is the most ripe for revelations and insights into what has been hidden from your view.

This Lunar Eclipse will be extra powerful because in the same week, Venus, the planet of personal love and our sense of beauty, makes a rare transit across the Sun in Gemini on June 5 - 6 highlighting this important time in history where we are all being called to find a balance between the masculine and the feminine in our own lives, and in the world. It’s interesting that Venus and the Sun are joining in the sign of Gemini which represents learning and communication along with the deeper understanding that comes from exploring all dualities in life including the masculine/feminine, mind/heart, light/dark, etc. This time period is ideal for women to reclaim their personal power, and for more men to embrace the more feminine aspects of life such as intuition, being and feeling.

The winds of change are very strong this month of May and into June. I would love to hear about your experiences of working with these eclipses in your own lives. I am in the midst of finishing my second book, Clara & Irving: A Past Life Love Story, and look forward to the energy of these eclipses to help me with the final editing process.

This is an important time to have a Western Astrology reading to see what these Eclipses are highlighting in your own life. For more information about the readings that I offer, click here. During this eclipse cycle, I will also include with your astrology reading a guide to Manifesting with the Moon Cycle. Good luck making your dreams come true this month.

Blessings on your journey, Donna

March Roars ~ March, 2012

March roared in like a lion in many parts of the world. Tornados in this country swept through the mid-west and the south leaving a wake of destruction. Tornados are often a symbol of transformation, and this time of great change on the planet continues this month of March. Some of my fellow astrologers have described the month of March with powerful imagery:

Tom Lescher of Hawaii wrote, “The month of March will be a lot easier for you if you just pretend that you have boarded the high speed bullet train that gets you to your destination at hundreds of miles per hour…This is a month where our nervous systems are undergoing a great cosmic cleanse. It is an opportunity to rid ourselves of all the shaky, old outworn mental patterns that are no longer serving us.”

Remy Lindsey of Nevada County, California wrote, “The beginning of this month is a time of sensing, feeling or seeing what we are holding on to that is no longer necessary. And in so doing, we can then let go. This could be in many forms: physical possessions, thought patterns, emotionally stuck places and physical tension.

Alan R. Wheatcroft of the United Kingdom wrote, “During March 2012, a congruous planetary alignment will form, giving us the potential to understand the true meaning of unconditional love, the law that governs life on Earth.”

In the month of March, we move from the watery depths of Pisces, the last sign on the zodiac wheel, which is the ultimate in letting go, and merging into oneness into the fiery realm of Aries with its new beginnings, and taking risks. Many people around the world are experiencing these shifts in their own lives from having to go through all kinds of loss, to moving towards a new beginning which remains unclear.

As people and communities recover from the destruction of these tornados, I have been reminded of the amazing heart openings that seem to happen whenever we are faced with loss. So many people have come forward to help these communities giving them food, money, resources, and volunteering their own time. I can just feel the hearts of people opening wider, and wanting to reach out and help each other.

This month of March, there will be some astrological alignments that support this growing heart energy. In the middle of the month, March 11- 16, we will all experience a harmonious grand trine which involves four planets, all in earth signs. Venus and Jupiter will be in the sign of Taurus, Mars will be in Virgo, and Pluto will be in Capricorn (all at 9 degrees of their signs). Grand trines signify an easier flow of energy, and with all this earth energy, there is a greater potential to manifest this higher energy into unconditional love. Many people have spoken about 2012 as a time of the rebirth of our planet. It could be that this grand trine is one of the astrological transits leading us towards that destination.

In the coming months, there will be other powerful transits such as Venus transiting over the Sun in Gemini on June 5 - 6 this summer. Carl Calleman, one of the experts of the Mayan Calendar, wrote, “The world of consciousness will be born during the June 5 - 6th transit of the Sun and Venus in the sign of Gemini.” We will have to see what this transit brings as the summer unfolds.

For now, we are moving on that rapid transit of change, and as we move into the sign of Aries on March 19, the pace will be speeding up. I am reminded of what the late Ian Xel Lungold said about these times that we are now experiencing. He spoke of how we will no longer be able to keep up with the fast pace of change with our minds, but that we will have to follow our intuition from moment to moment. It looks like the time is now to follow our intuition, and our hearts. There’s a lot of planetary and energetic support for the heart energy this month. The time is at hand for unity consciousness, and for the re-birth of Mother Earth.

Blessings on your journey, Donna

Beauty & the Beast ~ January, 2012

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I enjoy discovering signs and synchronicities in my daily life. Some weeks seem to be filled with them, and then, there are dry spells where I am wondering where the signs are.

After a whirlwind holiday trip through New England, I came back to my quieter life in California, and I promptly got sick. Open to all signs including illness, I knew there was more behind my head and chest cold than just overdoing at the holidays. I began to find it hard to breathe, and a deep heaviness weighed on my heart, and lungs. Lungs have often been connected with grief, and many lung conditions can be tied to unexpressed grief.

Coming back to my home in California, I knew the one year anniversary of my Father’s passing on 1/11 was approaching. I also knew that I would be 3,000 miles away from family and friends who knew my Father. I had been feeling sadness, and loss as my holiday trip ended. For me, the chest cold was no mystery. I still had more grief to feel and release concerning the loss of my Father.

As we go through the losses of people and animals in our lives, we are given the greatest heart-openings that we can have. As our hearts are broken again and again, we become more vulnerable, and our hearts open more and more. I have no doubt that this is what is happening within my own heart, and for many people on the planet right now who have been going through losses of all kinds from homes to jobs, and from loved ones to animal companions.

There is a higher purpose for all these losses which are leading us to living more from our hearts. And that leads me to my next synchronicity. When I came home from my holiday trip, I saw a television ad for the release of the movie, Beauty and the Beast, (Walt Disney Pictures) now in 3D on Friday, January 13, 2012. Having seen the musical, I thought it was interesting that it was being released again as a movie at this time.

The very, next day, I was in the middle of reading Karen Bishop’s new book Emergence: Finding New Life Amidst a Crashing World, and right there, she mentions the story of the Beauty and the Beast. I brightened up right away at the synchronicity, and began to read her summary of the beloved tale of a prince who had refused to take in an old beggar woman who had offered him a single rose for shelter; only to discover later that she was a beautiful enchantress who had warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for true beauty is found within. Seeing no love in his heart, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and the only way to break the powerful spell was if he was able to learn to love another, and earn her love in return.

Bishop writes, “These opening lines from Beauty and the Beast (Walt Disney Pictures, 1991) could well be the perfect description for our current stage of ascension, and our arrival into the higher realms…In order to break the spell, mutual love between two parties had to be achieved. This was the requirement that would then release Belle and the Beast into their Heaven on Earth. And this is the requirement for all of us as well if we are to arrive in our own Heaven on Earth and begin the creation of a very new grid of reality.”

This is the key part that the heart energy cannot be one-sided. Our new connections must be heart-to-heart connections. We can have hearts that are filled with love, but if the recipients of that love aren’t ready, then the love can be rejected, ignored, or disrespected. Many people are still not ready for this kind of heart energy.

When you do meet someone who is ready, and if there is love between both people, then anything and everything can begin to manifest. Sometimes, one person may be further ahead on the personal evolutionary path, and if there is a genuine love between the two people, then the one who is behind can move ahead while in the presence of a more evolved soul. Bishop believes that, “It is the energy of the heart that will wrap itself around everything, embrace it, and melt away any darkness that remains.”

Some of us are now ready to begin living the life of our dreams, and to also be with others who have a loving bond. As we each create our own individual Heaven on Earth, we can feel like we are living in “a protective bubble” of our own individual reality, untouched by the world that is still going through its breakdown. In time, as others desire to be with us because we have the same things in common, then our bubbles will connect.

Bishop suggests that we don’t have to let just anyone into our new spaces of Heaven on Earth, but that we can choose who we truly feel a heart connection with. The connections can include mutual respect, reverence, really seeing each other, and feeling uplifted being around each other.

In coming newsletters, I’ll write more about what this new Heaven on Earth can feel and look like, and if you can’t wait, check out Karen Bishop’s books at www.gamabooks.com

May your New Year be filled with synchronicities, and heart-to-heart connections.
Blessings in your New Year of 2012, Donna

The Heart Energy ~ December, 2011

As 2011 comes to an end, we literally stand on the brink of a New Earth. Last month, I wrote about what this New Earth may look like, and how we could get there from our conscious intention to become more aware in our lives, and to make a choice of what path we want to follow on this planet. It can be as simple as choosing to live in a way that supports the Earth, and all beings on the planet; or to follow a path that believes in the doom and destruction of the planet.

A big part of this path that supports the New Earth is opening up to the Heart Energy. Karen Bishop, a spiritual writer, speaks about this energy in both of her books: Heart in the Night, and her new book, Emergence, both of which can be found at www.gamabooks.com

After going through so many losses, and cleansings of what we no longer need on all levels – physically, mentally, and emotionally, we can now feel quite empty, and can finally feel a desire for more heart and love in our lives. Our old remedies that used to give us a fleeting satisfaction may no longer work. We can find ourselves craving more pure foods and beverages. We may also be drawn to healing tools that have helped us in the past like listening to our favorite music, exercising in ways that we enjoy, or even going to places that have been nurturing and supportive in the past.

Of course, the losses and the cleansing process can go on longer for many of us because we are all at different levels of consciousness. And even the planet continues to go through her cleanse as well with the flooding, fires, tornadoes and earthquakes that continue to happen around the globe.

As Bishop writes, “The heart energy is pushing out from a very new base, and removing everything in its path that does not resonate with or embody its energy. Expansion is ever present then, as this new and higher vibrating energy will soon comprise the air that we breath…As we begin to fill up with this energy comprised of heart and love, we also begin to operate in a different way as well…We have a new normal, and along with it, a new purpose as well, and add to this a massive loss of ego.”

There will also be people who won’t be able to embody the heart energy, and many souls are leaving the planet at this time for this very reason. They have either lived most of their lives in the old world, and may not have any desire to live in a new world; or they are simply choosing to not be here during this time of transition.

In the big picture, everything is happening with divine perfection, and Bishop reminds us that everyone is always helping us even if it doesn’t look that way in the moment. “Budget cuts, a changing and tight economy, new airline provisions and constraints, unstable fuel prices, and bickering, stubborn and insistent strange behavior from politicians, are all in divine order. At their soul levels, they are greatly assisting in bringing the new world to our fingertips at a rapid rate,” writes Bishop.

Local communities are going to become the cornerstone of the New Earth. In this way, communities will come together and be more self-sustaining by tailoring their local food distribution/farming, employment, health care facilities, educational centers, etc. to meet the unique needs of their residents. Bishop sees this as the wave of the future. It’s about partnership which is equal distribution rather than one person helping another; and instead of giving, it’s more about sharing which she describes as “staying still and centered with equality between two parties, which is the more evolved energy of the new world.”

How will we know when we are experiencing this new Heart Energy personally? We can find ourselves connecting with ease to those who are at the same energetic level. We don’t have to force a connection with others, but just allow it to happen. Right now, we are not at the stage of “We are all One on the planet.” We are all One at very high levels of being, but there is still a lot of ego energy on the planet, and not everyone has released and let go of this ego energy. In the meantime, we can choose who we want to connect with, and follow our heart energy by how we feel. When we feel a pleasant and uplifting connection with another, it’s a sign of a more heart and love connection.

We can also follow those feelings to choose where we want to live our lives. If we seek out places that energize and excite us, we may even discover those places happen to be right in front of us right now. The New Earth could be right outside our front door.

“As we transition through the End Times, individually and as a planet, eventually we come to find that things get much, much better. Life as we have known it leaves in slow and steady increments; we lose much, but are filled up once again with more love and heart energy than ever before. We come to know what gratitude really and truly means, and what matters most to each and every one of us – and most every time, it is the energy of the heart.” – Karen Bishop from Heart in the Night.

I wish you a heart-opening holiday season, and may you have profound moments of gratitude, and practice random acts of kindness, and enjoy being in the present – which is the real gift of the holidays.

Blessings in the New Year of 2012, Donna

Holiday Eclipses ~ November, 2011

This November, the holiday season will begin with some extra energy with a Solar Eclipse, a Super New Moon, right on Thanksgiving Day, November 24; followed by a Lunar Eclipse, a Super Full Moon, on December 10.

Eclipses are always power points, and times where we can make a shift into a new level of consciousness. I also call them times of transformation because if you’re ready to take a leap, and leave the past behind, and jump up to the next step; then the eclipse energy may just be what gives you that extra boost. It all depends on where it lands in your own personal birth chart, and what it is highlighting for change in your life.

The first eclipse right on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, has the Sun and Moon at 3 degrees of Sagittarius at 10:10 pm PST. This extra-potent New Moon can signify the end of a major life lesson, and that you’re ready to take the next step. Being a Solar Eclipse, it’s an excellent time to release intentions for what you want to create in your life. At that time, the New Moon is also joined by Mercury, the planet of communications, and Venus, the planet of personal love, which are both in the sign of Sagittarius as well; and all helping you to see the big picture of what is going on in your life, and on the planet.

Mercury also turns retrograde the day before this New Moon on November 23 adding some challenges to the holiday season as far as communications, scheduling and possible break-downs with electronic and mechanical devices. It’s a good time to double check appointments, and get those devices maintained before they do break-down. Mercury will go direct on December 13, giving us time to untangle any plans, and finish up the holiday shopping.

The second eclipse is on Sat., December 10 at 6:38 am PST with the Sun at 18 degrees of Sagittarius, and the Moon at 18 degrees of Gemini in a powerful Full Moon. A Lunar Eclipse is a time when light can be shed on what has been hidden. It gives us the opportunity to see things in a different light. It’s a good time to meditate for insights and direction on the next step on your path.

Uranus, the planet connected with technology and revolutionary changes, will be going direct in the sign of Aries just hours before the peak of this Lunar Eclipse. Uranus is also known as the awakener, and it could be a signal for all of us to break out of our old ruts, and with the energy of Aries, to prepare to make some new beginnings in our lives.

With these two eclipses, it would be an excellent time to take a look at your birth chart, and see what areas of your life are being highlighted for change. If you need a birth chart, I offer a birth chart package for $25 which includes your birth chart, a symbol sheet, and a print-out of the interpretation of your birth chart along with a guide on how to manifest with eclipse energy. I also offer more in-depth astrology readings in-person, and on the phone. For more details, click here.

I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with abundance, gratitude, and with family and friends.

The New Earth ~ November, 2011

We’ve been moving at warp speed for most of the year, and it looks like we are close to the end of Time as we know it. The Mayan Calendar ended on October 28, 2011 per Carl Calleman, and some still believe it really doesn’t end until next year in 2012. But maybe Calleman was a man ahead of his time. The Sacred Portal of 11/11/11 approaches which many view as another shift in time.

2011 has been a huge year for change on so many levels, and perhaps, 2012 will be even bigger, and the year that many of us finally move to a “New Earth.” Some of us are already there. It could be a matter of intention, and where do you want to be? Do you want to be caught up with the mainstream belief of doom and destruction for planet Earth? Or would you rather be on a “New Earth” where the earth is treated as a precious gift to all of humanity, and where all living beings are inter-connected?

I am choosing the “New Earth”, and it may be as simple as that, as making a conscious decision to live in a way that supports the Earth, and to join others who are also living with love and kindness to one another, and all beings on the planet.

How do you get there? Tom Kenyon, a sound healer, and psychotherapist, makes it sound simple. It does take some practice, but he calls it “Jumping Time Lines.” In an article on his website at www.tomkenyon.com, he believes that one of the current time lines is about living with doom and destruction for the planet, but that this is only one of them. He feels that it’s possible to choose a different one, and calls another time line the “New Earth” where the earth is honored, and held in gratitude by humanity. In his article, The Art of Jumping Time Lines, he outlines the steps to choose that time line which may be different from where you are currently living.

The way I understand it is that it’s a shift in consciousness. By making a conscious choice to support the Earth, and all living beings on the planet, you begin to raise your energy level also known as vibration to match the “New Earth.” As you do that, you then choose to stay at that level of vibration, and take actions that support that level in your daily life. The challenge is to stay at that level when you are faced with a different reality. In other words, Kenyon writes, “You deal with the reality of your life while simultaneously holding the vision of a different life. This is the art.” He also believes that “it is quite possible to live a separate time line, having a different experience of life than those around you.”

I think most people could relate to that last sentence. Most of us have met people from a different country, and in some ways, it does seem that they are living their lives in a way that is very different from us. But in essence, that is their reality, and that is their experience of life. It really is a matter of choice. How do you want to live your life on this planet Earth? The choice is yours.

In past newsletters, I have written about Karen Bishop, and her views of this “New Earth” in her book, Heart in the Night: From Death to Rebirth, Experiencing Great Loss During the End Times from www.gamabooks.com She speaks about having to go through a time of transition, and through a series of losses until we are finally ready to move to a whole new place. The losses are part of the process because we can’t take the old with us. Otherwise, we would just re-create things that belong to our old Self. We are literally being reborn into a new Self.

Bishop writes, “As we begin to evolve and expand…our ego selves begin to diminish as well, and when so much has been cleared away from all the losses we sustain, we are then able to see more clearly what is really and truly occurring, and do not take things as personally as we might have in times past.” She adds, “In this way, we can come to know that everyone is always helping us, even though it may feel as if just the opposite is occurring.” That is how much support we are being given to evolve on this planet.

Another step is looking for the signs. They can come in a variety of ways such as a song on the radio, or a message on our answering machine seemingly left for another person, but it is a message just for us. The signs can show up in a sign on the road, or in a passage of a book that you are reading right now. It’s all about becoming aware, and opening your eyes to them.

Another indicator that can be helpful when you’re looking to relocate is to wait for an invitation from anyone, or anything. It may come from a friend, or just a letter in the mail, or on a television show. Usually when I see or hear something at least three times in different forms, then I really pay attention to what the message is for me.

Bishop also speaks about noticing the flow like in a relationship. When we keep getting mixed messages, or can’t seem to connect with another person, then the relationship may not be a good match. When we’re in the flow with another person, we feel understood, we relax, we open up and can be ourselves, and lastly, we feel safe with that person. It’s easy to connect with them.

The signs are always there. It is just being aware enough to notice them. I feel like many of us are at this stage now. We’re in the aftermath of huge changes and losses, and we’re beginning to have glimpses of this “New Earth.” Now is the time to really envision this Earth, and to look for our own personal signs where we need to be on this planet.

There will still be many changes to come on the planet, but we can begin to take steps to move into our new Selves on this “New Earth.” The Time is now.

Blessings on your path, Donna

Times of Transition ~ October, 2011

In the midst of these times of transition, I find my mind just spinning with ideas of what I want to do, and what I need to do in my daily life. Time is really accelerating which means that more events are taking place in less time than ever. I am reminded of Ian Xel Lungold's statement in his video on the Mayan Calendar. During this time period, he suggested that our minds are just not going to be able to keep up with the amount of changes happening on the planet, and that we will have to trust our intuition to guide us. Some people call it their gut instinct, but I feel that it needs to come more from our hearts. In any given moment, we can tune into our heart, and ask ourselves, "What feels like the right next step in this moment?"

We are going through a huge transition on the planet, and once, we can come to terms with this in our personal life, and accept being in this "In Between" place as the spiritual writer, Karen Bishop calls it, then we may find ourselves finally moving into the next phase called the "Thawing out" period. (In my September newsletter, I wrote about this Betwixt & Between place, and many of us are still there so please read the article below for reminders of what that place can feel like.)

Personally, I have only recently begun to have moments of this next phase - the "Thawing out" period. For me, it has shown up in serendipitous ways like hearing from a friend whom I was just thinking about, or receiving in the mail just the article that I needed to read right now, or running into a friend around town who has just the message that I needed to hear which allows me to be fully present in the moment. It is those synchronistic moments that give me hope that I am moving towards the "new" world.

Karen Bishop in her book, Heart in the Night: From Death to Rebirth, Experiencing Great Loss During the End Times from www.gamabooks.com describes this next phase: "Once the thawing out period begins, and we start to experience warmth, caring, support, and love once again, it can feel as if we are getting a much-needed drink after an eternity in the desert. The stage of thawing out does not arrive until we have lost enough of what we need to lose in order to enable us to move forward and out of our old spaces."

The losses that we have been going through on many levels are all part of the process of moving into our new and better spaces. These heartbreaking losses have a higher purpose. As Karen writes: "As our hearts break over and over again – whether due to a deep sadness about conditions on the planet, from the losses of loved ones who are not yet ready to move forward and experience love themselves, or even perhaps from the loss of our loving human and animal companions who have decided to depart early - a broken heart also creates an open heart."

Each time our heart is breaking, it is opening wider, and allows us to begin to feel gratitude for the smallest and simplest gifts of love and kindness. It can bring us to our core center of what is really important in our lives. A simple technique that Tom Kenyon, a Sound Healer and psychotherapist, on his website at www.TomKenyon.com suggests is to take moments throughout the day where you just allow yourself to move into the feeling-state of appreciation or gratitude. You don't even have to look for something to appreciate, or feel grateful for, but just allow yourself to go there into the place of appreciation or gratitude. Over time, it creates what Tom calls a "positive attractor" which can shift your mood, your thinking, and your behavior, and raise your vibration as well. Over time, you can literally attract situations, people and opportunities that will make you feel appreciation or gratitude in your everyday life.

As we move forward on this path of spiritual evolution on the planet, we can find ourselves being removed from situations and places where there is no love. As Karen writes: "Our environment must match what we are now embodying ourselves, so if it does not, we will separate. This process will eventually create new spaces where loving hearts will begin to congregate, while others are denied access until they are being and embodying this love themselves."

This may sound harsh, but if you reflect on your own life, you may have noticed how you have lost contact with some family and friends, and even how some groups and places that used to be important to you are no longer attractive to you. As our vibration rises, we may no longer be on the same wavelength as some of the people in our lives, and it may be time to let some of those relationships go and move on - all part of the evolution of our souls.

Eventually, we will find ourselves "thawing out," and beginning to feel again after having been stuck for so long. As we begin to move forward, we can feel more moments of simple joy. We can also be ready for a new look, or feel like re-decorating our living spaces. We can also feel like fixing things around us, all part of this preparation for the new space. We can feel lighter, and less encumbered by our pasts. We are creating a new Self, and are now very ready for a new space on the planet, and that is what is coming in the very, near future.

Wherever you may me on the continuum of this big transition on the planet, just keep opening your heart, and trust your intuition knowing that you are being guided to the next step.

In my next newsletter, I will write more about this "new" world that we are moving towards, and how you can know when you've arrived. In the meantime, keep breathing, and know that you are right where you need to be in any given moment.

Blessings on your path, Donna

Betwixt & Between ~ September, 2011

Betwixt & Between by Susan Sorrell Hill The time period that we're in right now feels a lot like these two words - Betwixt & Between. We are neither here, nor there. We're somewhere in the middle, and it's not quite clear where we're headed. We've all been through so many endings. Most of us have been through minor and major losses this year in all areas of life. As we watch the nightly news, we can see the big endings and changes around the planet from the Middle East with its changes in regimes, to the global climate changes with its extreme weather patterns.

Karen Bishop, the author of Heart in the Night: From Death to Rebirth, Experiencing Great Loss During the End Times at www.gamabooks.com, describes the time after so many losses as "the In-Between" where we can feel like so much has changed, and all that was familiar is now gone. Sometimes, it can make us feel like we may be leaving the planet altogether, but for many of us, it is not an actual physical death, but more of a death of our old selves which no longer fit us since so much has been stripped away. In a sense, we are going to be "re-born" as new and more highly evolved human beings that will match the energy of this "new" world that is now being created.

According to Bishop, some of the common symptoms of being in "the In-Between" are feeling vulnerable, not feeling as self-confident, being more forgetful, feeling old and worn-out, insomnia, hot flashes and heatstroke which are all part of the process of burning off old energy especially the energy of the ego. You may also find yourself going through a "life review" as you examine parts of your prior life because you have let go of so many old relationships, old jobs, and old residences. You can find yourself reviewing it all, processing it, and making sense of what all those experiences were about.

In this place of Betwixt & Between, it can feel like we are being held back, and kept from moving forward. It can be challenging to create anything new, and take the next step. At the higher levels of our spiritual evolutionary process, we are being re-born into a very, new person. During this time, we have the opportunity to learn patience, trust, and how to be still. Of course, we are all at different levels on this continuum of evolution, and no one place is right or better than another - it is just where we are.

When this "In-Between" phase is complete, it will become very clear what we are here to do and be in this "new" world. Right now, many of us are in this place of waiting and watching as so many earth changes are happening on the planet. As we move into the End Times, the flooding, tornados, fires, and hurricanes are all part of the cleansing of the earth, but the earthquakes have a very, different purpose.

As Bishop writes, "The earthquakes during the End Times occur at very deep levels, and many times are deep enough to shift the axis on which the earth rotates (all part of the divine plan). So not only are the inhabitants of the earth required to adjust their own personal energy at deep levels in order the match the earth, but the earth herself is also re-aligning and being re-born as well. Like a perfect sailboat tacking on the ocean, we change and the earth changes - all destined to create new and higher vibrating ways of existence in a very, new world, as the old world completes its death process."

The month of September feels like it will be a continuing time of Betwixt & Between until many of us are ready to make the shift along with the earth into this "new" world. Like Susan Sorrell Hill's painting, above entitled, Betwixt & Between, we are in that place of "the In-Between." I feel that her painting captures that feeling of being in a physical body, but knowing that we are so much more than that - that we are spiritual beings who are having a human experience. And like the new eggs in the nests in the painting, we are on the brink of a whole new beginning as a human, and a spiritual being.

Blessings on your path, Donna

Please Note: Susan's beautiful paintings can be "seen" on her website at www.SusanSorrellHill.com, and her beautiful words can be found on her blog at http://susansorrellhill.wordpress.com/ As one art gallery proclaimed, "Art Saves Lives," and it's time to support those artists that give us life. Thank you Susan for sharing your paintings with me, and so many others here in Nevada City, CA, and around the world.

The End Times ~ August, 2011

Many people have been referring to the times that we're going through right now as the End Times. Ancient prophecies from the Bible to the Mayan Calendar to the Hopi tribes have predicted this time period when the world would go through a huge ending. We are now in this process which is a time of transition. The approach of the ending is what we are feeling right now, but we are moving towards the birth of a "New" world. And this "New" world will be more evolved, and more about love, respect and unity for all people on the planet.

Endings are often challenging because they involve going through losses, and big changes that we are not always prepared for. On the planet, the earth is reflecting this time of transition in the global climate changes which have resulted in more tornados, flooding, fire, earthquakes, and other extreme weather patterns around the globe. In our personal lives, we are also going through these changes in different, but similar ways.

Karen Bishop, a spiritual writer for many years, has written a new book, Heart in the Night: From Death to Rebirth, Experiencing Great Loss During the End Times. In the book, she describes this time period that we are now living through, and how we may experience it in our own lives. She writes that, "Experiencing massive loss is a pivotal and substantial part of our spiritual evolutionary journey." Going through the loss of our old lives, and our old world seems to be a key step in moving towards this "New" world.

"But the more we lose, and the more we choose to let go of, the more we will find ourselves in new and wonderful spaces that perfectly fit who, where, and what we have evolved into," writes Bishop. Some people may already be in these new spaces, and then many of us are still going through the losses.

Bishop writes that there are basically two ways that we can leave our old lives behind. "1) We can consciously choose to walk away from jobs, people, residences, responsibilities, and the like, 2) or we can be removed through seemingly no fault or decision of our own... The more we have evolved, the more that these decisions will come from within�But even so, there will still be times when we will be removed from places, careers or callings, people, and geographical residences through an invisible and loving source that knows more than we do, and many times sees what is coming before we can see it ourselves."

Going through all these losses can feel like a death, but it is more often the death of our old selves before we can arrive in a very, "New" world. The loss of our selves is from the old world - a world where we no longer belong. This is "The In-Between" as Bishop calls it. She writes, "As human beings, we very naturally crave a sense of belonging... a place where we fit in, feel comfortable, know who we are, and what is ours to do and be." In this in-between place, "we may find ourselves alone and isolated... creating feelings of loneliness, invisibility, lack of value and worth, and at best, confusion and insecurity."

In a sense, we are like in the birth canal, not quite ready to be moved into our new selves, but when we are ready, we can be re-born into a more highly evolved version of our selves which will be in alignment with the energies of the "New" world.

As I read Bishop's book, I could relate to many of the stages of transition that she was writing about. I have felt like I have been in an in-between place for quite some time. I have been letting go of the personal clutter of my "home" along with noticing the letting go of different relationships including going through the deaths of my Father, and a Great Aunt who was the matriarch of my Mother's family. I could feel that I was going through a huge ending, and even now, it is not quite clear to me where my new space will be. I am being open to the changes coming through, and trusting that when the time is right, that I will be guided to the next step on my path.

In future newsletters, I will write more about this major transition that we and the planet are all going through together. In the meantime, I encourage you to read Karen Bishop's book as one of the guidebooks that can help you through this "in-between" time on the planet. (Her book can be found at www.gamabooks.com ) I also encourage you to use all your healing tools that work best for you whether that is spending time in nature; or being in a community with other like-minded souls; or getting massages along with eating pure healthy foods, and drinking lots of water. Our personal tools are essential right now to help us to stay grounded and centered through these stormy times of change. By the fall, we may all feel like we are in a whole, different place.

Blessings on your path, Donna

July Fireworks ~ July, 2011

Summer heated up quickly this year with a series of three eclipses that began on June 1st with a Solar Eclipse in Gemini; followed by a Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius/Gemini on June 15; and now the series comes full circle with a Solar Eclipse on July 1st at 9 degrees of Cancer which is what I would call a "Super New Moon." As Stephanie Austin writes in The Mountain Astrologer, "This could very well be the hottest "Hot Spot" of the year."

In the past month, I have been observing many climate changes just in this country including the fires of the Southwest to the floods of the Midwest; and the extreme heat and drought of the South. Around the world, there have also been active volcanoes in Chile, and Iceland affecting many nearby countries. Now, we're not only dealing with the aftermath of the Japanese nuclear power plant meltdown, but in this country, we have three nuclear power plants at risk. These are just some of the "Hot Spots" on the planet which have been heating up with these eclipses.

As far as personal lives, I have seen many changes in my own social community from retirements, to big, geographical moves; from marriages/new relationships to divorces. Many people have been going through big endings only to be ready to take that first step into a new chapter of their lives.

This final eclipse is a powerful one, and it is very much about large endings, and preparations for new beginnings. The energy is so strong because there is also what is known in astrology as a cardinal grand cross taking place. The grand cross involves the Sun and Moon in the sign of Cancer along with the planets, Saturn in Libra, Uranus in Aries, and Pluto in Capricorn. Like the Tower card in the tarot, we are facing a breakdown of old structures in order to make room for the new to be built.

Eclipses can assist us in making changes a lot more quickly. If we're ready, the eclipse energy can be like a wind in our sails moving us along to the next step; and in some cases, even if we're not ready, we can find ourselves facing an ending, and having to make that next move. Astrologer Stephanie Austin made some of these suggestions for this time period: "Pay special attention to what your feelings and your body are telling you; you may need to rest or meditate more, fast or eat different foods, to integrate the profound spiritual upgrades being offered. This is a time of becoming "light", a time of simplifying and healing; a time to resolve childhood wounds and relationships, as well as clean out closets and basements."

The highest way to work with this eclipse energy would be to meditate on what you need to let go of in your life in order to allow the new to come in. I would suggest doing this in the next couple of days before July 1st. If you made intentions around the June 1st Solar Eclipse, review them, and revise them if necessary; and then on July 1st, the time would be ripe to release your new list of intentions of what you would like to create in your life, and release them within 24 hours of the eclipse which will peak at 1:55 am PDT / 4:55 am EDT. A special ritual around the releasing can also reinforce the intentions.

With an eclipse this powerful, it can also be an excellent time to make a treasure map/collage of what you want to create in your life. Keep it simple, and focused on one area of your life whether it be career, relationship, family, home, etc; and keep this collage posted in a prominent place where you can see it every day, and be reminded of your intention.

At this time, it would also be in your highest interest to focus on your higher purpose, and what you are here to do on the planet at this time. Many people are being called to wake up to their higher purpose, and to begin leading more conscious lives. The time is now as we are all involved in creating a New Earth.

I would enjoy hearing your Eclipse stories, and how your life has changed in the past month. If you have your astrological natal chart, check and see what house this Solar Eclipse is highlighting in your birth chart because this is the area where you have unfinished business that you can work on for the next 6 months to a year.

If you don't have a Western astrology birth chart, please call or e-mail me for a personal Birth Chart package which includes your birth chart along with a symbol sheet, and a detailed guide and written interpretation of your birth chart. The package is only $25, and it can help you follow this eclipse in your own life. I'll also include my personal guide to Manifesting with the Moon Cycle.

Blessings on your path this Summer, Donna

Three Eclipses in a Row - it's Time to Manifest your Dreams ~ June, 2011

June takes off like a rocket with a Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon) in Gemini on the first day of June, the first of three eclipses that really turn up the heat even before Summer takes off. Eclipses are always powerful times of transformation, and with three in a row, we are all going to be feeling this energy even if we can't see the eclipses in our backyards.

Eclipses create a powerful Moon cycle that you can work with in your own life. Every month at the New Moon, I work with the Moon cycle at manifesting my goals. When there is an Eclipse, I have seen my goals take off in a big way if the timing is right. Seven years ago, I used an eclipse cycle to move up to the Gold Country in California. On the Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon), my house in the San Francisco Bay area was sold, and by the Lunar Eclipse (Super Full Moon), I moved up to the Gold country to live in a rental house, and by the next New Moon, I had found my "dream" home, and made an offer which was accepted, and I began to make plans to move once again.

If you have a goal or dream, work with this energy, and if the timing is right, you could see the fulfillment of that dream in just one Moon cycle. Here's the plan:

At the Solar Eclipse (Super New Moon) on June 1, 2011 at 11 degrees of Gemini, release your intentions/goals for what you would like to create in this Moon cycle. If you have your natal chart, check and see what house this Solar Eclipse is highlighting in your birth chart because this is the area where you have the greatest potential for the new beginning. If the Solar Eclipse lands right on a natal planet of yours, that energy is also ripe for change. For example, if it lands on your Venus, the planet of personal love, you could find yourself changing the way you look at love such as seeking a new partner, or letting go of a relationship that no longer serves your highest interest.

At the Lunar Eclipse on June 15, 2011 at 25 degrees of Sagittarius/Gemini, this Super Full Moon is like a spotlight illuminating an area of your life, and revealing the potential for this new goal that you are hoping to manifest. At this time, you may have to make some kind of adjustments, or be faced with some opposition or challenge to your plans. You may also experience the fruition of your dream at the peak of this moon cycle. Take a look again at your natal chart, and see where the light of this Super Full Moon is shining. This is the area that is the most ripe for revelations and insights into what has been hidden from your view.

The final eclipse in this series is a Solar Eclipse on July 1, 2011 at 9 degrees of Cancer, launching another New Moon cycle. This could be the most powerful, and volatile of all of the three eclipses. Before this Super New Moon, take a look at your goals/intentions that you came up with in June, and see how far, they have manifested. You may have to let go of some of the goals, or re-write them based on what you have learned in the past month. Some of you may also find yourself in a whole, new place by this powerful Super New Moon in Cancer. You may be physically living in a different place, or just seeing the world with a whole, new perspective. There is a potential for great transformation, personally and collectively, with this eclipse energy.

The winds of change are very strong for all of us with these three eclipses. I would love to hear about your experiences with working with these eclipses in your own lives. I have a plan of how I am going to work with these energies, but I am also being open to seeing what develops in the month of June because I may also be surprised by the new opportunities and changes that show up as well.

If you don't have a Western astrology birth chart, please call or e-mail me for a personal Birth Chart package which includes your birth chart along with a symbol sheet, and a detailed guide and written interpretation of your birth chart. The package is only $25, and it can help you track these coming eclipses in your own life. I'll also include my personal guide to Manifesting with the Moon Cycle.

Blessings on your path this Summer, Donna

We're not in Kansas anymore ~ May, 2011

This spring has been a wild and stormy time across most of this country, and recently, the Midwest and the South have really been feeling the force of nature with all these tornados moving through their areas along with the flooding of rivers. The people of these areas really need our prayers, and support as they deal with their losses.

These tornados reminded me of one of the most famous tornados that took place in literature in the well-known story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the story, and in the 1939 MGM movie starring Judy Garland, Dorothy speaks that famous line to her little dog, Toto, "I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." And this same feeling is what I have right now along with many others on the planet, that it already feels like we're not living in the same world anymore. The world is looking a lot different.

A tornado in night-time dreams is often a symbol of going through a strong, sudden change with the end result being transformation. The tornado is like a wake-up call to let us know that life is always full of changes. I feel that the recent tornados along with the Japanese earthquake/ tsunami, and the revolutions happening in the Middle East are all showing us that we are in the midst of a huge transformation. We also have a choice of how we want to go through this big change. We can move through it consciously, or unconsciously. The choice is up to us.

Many people have looked at the story of The Wizard of Oz as a symbolic myth showing us a young woman who goes on a journey of self-discovery. After being literally moved out of her comfort zone by the tornado, she goes on a quest for the Land of Oz, the place that will help her to get back "home." Along the way, Dorothy discovers parts of herself that she never knew that she had within her. She had been looking for them outside herself, but they were within her the whole time.

Her little dog, Toto, is that instinctual part of her that knows that "everything" she needs is always with her if she can stay in the present moment. Along the yellow brick road, she discovers other parts of herself. In the Scarecrow, she finds her intellect, and the capacity to think for herself. In the Tin Woodman, she opens her heart, and awakens the love and compassion that lies within. In the Lion who is at first cowardly and fearful, she finds the courage that she didn't know she had to face the challenges along the road. Even the two witches, the Wicked Witch of the East, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North are showing her the shadow and the light sides of herself.

At the end of the tale, Dorothy finally meets the Wizard of Oz, and learns that she has had the wisdom all along within herself. She doesn't need a role-playing wizard behind the curtain to help her get "home." All along, Dorothy had the ruby slippers, and with three clicks of her heels, she could have gone "home" at any time. Home being that place within where we have all the answers, and we realize that the divine lives within each one of us. After her journey, Dorothy is not the same young woman; she has been transformed by the experience, and heads back to her physical home in Kansas which looks a lot different now.

The recent tornados may have a message for all of us that we are all going through a huge change, and that the world is already looking a lot different, but if we can discover our innate gifts and higher purpose for being here, we can also find our way "home." We can choose how we want to view all these changes on the planet. We can see these changes as part of a transformation to a better world. The choice is up to us.

Blessings on your personal journey along the yellow brick road, Donna

"Green" Energy on planet Earth ~ April, 2011

April is always the time when we honor the Earth with Earth Day celebrations around the world. This year could be one of the most important years ever to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2011. The Earth needs us more than ever. This past month of March, 2011, has been one of the most intense, and Earth-shattering months that I have experienced in my lifetime. From the natural disasters of Japan's earthquake and tsunami to the man made disasters of the Middle East revolutions, and the leaking of nuclear radiation, it does make one's head spin to think about - What does this all mean?

Even the media can hardly keep up with all the stories coming in. In some cases, they don't even have to "sensationalize" the facts, but just present the hard facts, and the pictures and words tell you all that you need to know. Even though I like to keep abreast of what's going on in the world, I have had to take breaks from the media when I've seen enough pictures and news over and over again, then it's time for a media fast.

In the midst of all these events around the world, I had a powerful night-time dream series that began to give me ideas of ways to cope with all these incredible changes on the planet, and to honor the Earth in the process. I won't go into the details of all these dreams, but they all involved energy, and the amazing synchronicities/coincidences that can take place when you're paying attention.

In one of the dreams, I focused on the greenness of nature around me, and I found myself feeling lighter, and beginning to experience what seemed to be a higher vibration. Once I woke up, I realized that I had read about such an experience back in the 1990's when I read The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. In the book, the characters of the story learned how to raise their energy by observing beautiful green-filled scenes in nature, and in time, were able to vibrate at such a high frequency that they seemed to have "disappeared" from sight - when really, they had just become less dense, and were vibrating at a higher energy level than most people.

Back then, Redfield's book was considered to be a "fiction" novel, but many people wondered if what he wrote about could really happen in the future. After my "Green" energy dream, I began to re-read Redfield's books, and also discovered that he had just published a new book called, The Twelfth Insight, the same month of my dream. I have yet to read that book, but from all the reviews, it sounds like it is describing exactly what we need on the planet right now.

This powerful message that came to me in a night-time dream seemed significant, and after discussing it with several people, it began to become clear to me what the dreams were telling me. During this time of great change on the planet, it is going to become very challenging to stay grounded and centered in our physical bodies. If we get caught up in the fear and anxiety of the world, we are going to lower our energy, and could even cause disease in our bodies, but what if there were tools that could help us counteract this and actually increase our energy?

Some of the tools are as simple as watching less news on the TV and on-line, and getting out in nature, and celebrating the Earth. Others are more complex like having to do our own inner work which may involve some assistance through counseling, bodywork, energy work and other alternative healing methods. We may also have to monitor the "negative" energies that we are exposing ourselves to such as environmental toxins, "junk" food, and even "toxic" people that can bring down our own energy. The more positive influences that we can find the better, from making healthy diet choices to exercising, and from getting enough rest and relaxation, to hanging out more with positive people. All these changes could literally help us raise our energy levels.

Some other tools that I have found helpful over the years include flower essences which are made from all-natural ingredients, and are used for the healing of emotional and physical issues. Right here in Nevada County, California, we have one of the most well-known companies that sell flower essences called the Flower Essence Society, and they sell their essences locally and world-wide on the internet at www.FESflowers.com.

In the past couple of years, I have also begun using Young Living essential oils. I don't personally sell them, but I began using them upon the recommendation of a couple of trusted healers. These oils are made from the purest of ingredients, and are a 100% therapeutic grade, but what is the most amazing quality is that they have been classified as having a certain electrical frequency.

Everything can be measured for its electrical frequency, and pure essential oils have a very high frequency. Dr. Robert O. Becker in his book, The Body Electric established that the human body has an electrical frequency, and that a person's health can be determined by one's frequency. In 1992, Bruce Tainio of Tainio Technology built the first frequency monitor in the world, and found that the average healthy human being has a frequency of 62-78 MHz, and that when the frequency drops, the person's immune system is compromised, and they are more likely to experience disease. At 58 MHz, cold and flu symptoms begin to show up, and as the number drops to 42 MHz, people are more likely to develop cancer, and other serious health issues.

The frequency monitor was also used to measure other substances like processed/canned food which had a O MHz frequency, and pure essential oils that started at 52 MHz, and went all the way up to 320 MHz, the frequency of pure Rose oil. The study also revealed that as you raise the frequency of your body that disease can begin to leave your body.

Through the use of the Young Living essential oils, you could literally be raising the energetic vibration of your body, and over time, it may even be possible to gradually increase the vibration more and more. The benefits of these oils can be experienced by breathing them in, diffusing them in a room, or applying them to your skin like on the bottom of your feet. A great beginner's kit is the Essential Seven which includes the following seven oils: Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Joy, PanWay, Peace & Calming, and Purification to get you started at www.YoungLiving.com On their website, they give you information on all the healing qualities of the oils.

I began to wonder if I was able to make all these changes to raise my energy vibration how this might help me with all these great changes on the planet. Through having a higher vibration, one could find it easier to cope with all these changes, and more able to see the higher perspective of why these events are all happening right now. I'll write more about some of these higher views in upcoming newsletters as well as under the section on the Mayan Calendar. In the meantime, I invite you to "play" with some of these tools for raising your energetic vibration, and see where it leads. Who knows? You may actually begin to feel better, raise your energy level, and begin to see your higher purpose for being on the planet at this time in history.

In any case, take the time to get out and celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2011 by planting a tree, cleaning up a park, or just spending time in what I call the Green Energy of our home, planet Earth.

Blessings, Donna

Aries energy ignites the month of March, 2011

The Sun always enters the sign of Aries in the month of March on the Spring equinox which is March 20th this year, the first day of Spring. But the Sun will be joining a host of planets that are already in the sign of Aries.

Aries is a fire sign, and as the first sign of the zodiac, it is about new beginnings, and blazing a new trail. Aries is also the god of war in Greek mythology, and his energy can be impulsive, direct, confrontational and initiating. We can all see what is happening in the Middle East with a series of revolutions that are erupting in countries that have long been ruled by dictators. People around the world are ready for a change, and they may not be aware of astrology and how much these planets in the sign of Aries are stirring up the world's energies.

Jupiter has been the frontrunner entering the sign of Aries on January 22, 2011 where it will be through June 4. As the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter represents the principle of expansion. In Aries, Jupiter inspires individual initiative and courageous leaps of faith. It has been the awakener of these feelings in the oppressed people around the world.

Mercury, the planet that represents communication and learning, will move into Aries on March 9th which can inspire us to have inventive ideas, and also lead us into more passionate communications where we may want to talk more, than listen to others. The ideas and words can flow freely now so be open to the intuitive insights that can show up. Mercury will also go retrograde on March 30 where we can re-view, re-do, and re-evaluate all of our ideas and projects until it goes direct again on April 23 where it remains in the sign of Aries until May 15th giving us an extra dose of Aries energy.

Uranus, a slower moving planet than Jupiter, will be moving into the sign of Aries on March 11 where it will be for about 7 years. Uranus as the Greek god of Chaos breaks down old structures in order for new ones to grow. Uranus functions as the Awakener, the liberator of conventions and rules that have become oppressive and destructive. In Aries, Uranus sparks rebellions, and ignites grass-roots movements that challenge hierarchal organizations, and overly structured institutions. In our personal birth charts, and in the transits, Uranus is highlighting where we must innovate, question the status quo, and be an agent of change.

Uranus's last pass through Aries was in 1927 - 34 which was a time of women's suffrage in Great Britain, Gandhi's civil disobedience in India, and in the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal along with a reorganization of the Federal Reserve, and the passage of the Social Security Act. Around the world, the impact of Uranus in Aries is looking to ignite even more rebellions, and more break-downs in old structures of all kinds.

The Sun will join all these planets in Aries on March 20, and will be there until it moves into the sign of Taurus on April 20. The Sun's energy will amp up the fiery energy for all of us, and highlight the Aries in our personal birth charts. Lastly, Mars joins all of these planets in its ruling sign of Aries on April 1st, April's Fool's Day, but it's no joking matter this year.

All of this Aries energy is going to stir up a lot of new beginnings along with a strong desire for freedom and change for all of us. You don't have to be an Aries to feel all of this energy, we are all going to feel the impact of this energy which wants change, and wants it now. To work with the energy in your life, it can be a time to update your look, take on a fresh outlook on life, start a new business, or expand an existing business, or take a relationship in a whole new direction. The choice is up to you, but I think it is going to be challenging to remain the same during this month of March. Change is definitely in the air.

By Donna M. Fisher-Jackson, M.A.

P.S. Thanks to Stephanie Austin, Western Astrologer, who writes for The Mountain Astrologer

Honor your Soulmates ~ February, 2011

The month of February is one of my favorite months because of Valentine's Day - the day that celebrates romantic love. Being a romantic, I have always enjoyed this holiday, but this year, I began to wonder about the meaning of the word, soulmate. Many people talk about looking for their soulmate, and some spend their whole life looking for this perfect romantic partner. I invite you to consider that there may be many more soulmates in your life than you realize. If you can consider a broader definition of the word soulmate, you may be surprised to discover how many soulmates you have known in your lifetime.

The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, defines soulmate as a person with whom one has a feeling of deep and natural affinity, love, intimacy, sexuality, spirituality and/or compatibility. With this definition in mind, a soulmate can be more than a romantic love partner. What if a soulmate is someone whom you share a deep heart and soul connection? That person could be a lover, or a close friend. They could be a mother or a father; a sister or a brother; or your own child. I feel that a soulmate shows up in your life in many ways. The key part of the word is "soul", and the strong connection that can exist between two people's souls. When you meet a soulmate for the first time, you may have recognized them immediately or slowly over time, but however it happened, you could feel a powerful connection with this other person. There's a feeling of having known them for a long time. There is a familiarity, and often an ease in being with this person, but not always. Sometimes they activate you in powerful ways that can leave you feeling on edge and uncomfortable. The role of a soulmate is to help you on your life's path. With them, you are learning life's lessons, and they can help you awaken more to your life purpose.

I have a soulmate connection with my Father, and even though, he died physically on 1/11/11, I can still feel this connection. My Father and I have known each other for a long time, and I am so grateful that I was able to share this lifetime with him. He taught me so much, and I feel like I taught him as well. He led a rich life; abundant with family and friends; and a deep appreciation for the outdoors, and helping others. He was a humble man, and didn't draw a lot of attention to himself, but in his quiet way, he touched the lives of the people that he met. I was blessed to have him in my life, and I know that I will see him again, and that gives me great comfort. He is one of my soulmates, and I feel like I have been blessed with more than one soulmate in this lifetime.

I invite you to honor the soulmates in your own life. Take a look at your circle of family and friends. I am certain that you will find more than one soulmate in your life. During this month that celebrates romantic love, take the time to honor all those that you love and hold dear. It is in those personal love relationships where we open our hearts to another, that we really learn how to love one another. It is that personal love that can lead to universal love, and that is the kind of love that we need right now on this planet. We need a love that knows no boundaries, no differences in culture and race, and an all encompassing love for all of humankind and all living beings on this planet. This Valentine's Day, take time to celebrate the love of your soulmates, and the universal love that this world needs at this crucial time in our history.

I wish you blessings, and lots of love this month, and throughout this pivotal year of 2011. Donna

Going Kindle in the New Year ~ January, 2011

The New Year really got off to a big start with the Solar Eclipse on January 4th. During the month of December, the energies were intense as we went through a Lunar Eclipse on December 21, the same day as the Winter Solstice. I didn't realize how heavy and intense the energies were until Tuesday, January 4 when I felt such lightness and a huge opening like a door being opened with a breath of fresh air coming in. First, I attributed it to the energy clearing that I did in my house that same day, but as I shared my thoughts and feelings with my friends, I began to notice that a lot of people had felt the same shift like a corner had been turned, and we really were in a new and different place. I also felt like the energy had influenced me to make a new decision about my book, The Healing Path of the Romantic.

Everything I've been reading has been telling me that this is going to be a big year for change from the end of the Mayan Calendar to the significant astrological alignments. One area where there has been rapid change has been in the area of technology from the way we communicate through our smart phones and computers, to the way we connect with others through Facebook and LinkedIn. This holiday season, I held my first e-book reading device in my hands in the form of a Kindle, and in a matter of 15 minutes, I was sold on this becoming my new way of reading books, and I could see my own book, The Healing Path of the Romantic being turned into a Kindle edition.

Mind you, I have had a love affair with books my whole life. I have collected hundreds of books over the years, and have had my husband build me numerous bookshelves every time we moved into a new house. Of course, he always creates these wonderful built-in bookshelves that I can't take with me so I have gone from house to house leaving the bookshelves behind along with letting go of hundreds of books each time I move. Luckily, I only move about every 6 � 10 years, but each time, I do move, I have had to donate, and give away so many books, only keeping a treasured few. Now, I have my own office/library which is lined with bookshelves, and in almost 7 years time, I have filled them up quite nicely. With another possible move in my future, I am looking at these books which I will be leaving behind once again. So when I held this Kindle, and saw all the books that it could possibly contain - up to 3,500 books - I thought this is the wave of the future for books. For one thing, these e-book reading devices are so much lighter to carry around, and another important fact is that I will probably never have to leave a book behind for a long time when it can safely be stored in an e-book reading device.

And there you have it, in a matter of minutes; I saw the future of books through a Kindle. I saw all the trees that I could save by ordering digital versions of my favorite books, and I saw a way to share my own published book with so many more people. So now, my own book, The Healing Path of the Romantic, is now available as a Kindle edition on Amazon. Even though I loved holding the finished book in my hands, I can now see the value in turning it into an e-book, and being able to share it with so many more people around the world. So that was my big event on New Year's week-end leading up to the Solar Eclipse in Capricorn on January 4th, I ordered my very, own Kindle, and I decided to turn my own book into a Kindle edition. And now, if I had a crystal ball, I am seeing my next book going down a similar path. Maybe, I'll find a publisher who wants to print my next book; or maybe, I will just be going straight to the e-book edition. In any case, I know my future books will eventually end up as e-books, and I will never be faced with lugging boxes of books across country ever again. I'm sure I'll hold onto a few, favorite books, but in my next move, there will be a lot less boxes to carry.

In this monumental year, there will be many changes coming our way, and some will be in technology, and others will be personal life changes. It's up to each one of us to think out of the box, and ask yourself those big questions: What is your heart and soul longing for? What is your real job in life? What is it that you need to focus on right now? As you get ready to take that next step on your life's path, remember: "You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)

Blessings to all of you in 2011, Donna

P.S. Thanks to Stephanie Austin, Western Astrologer, for those inspiring life questions.