Articles
April Forecast 2010
The main theme for April is DEATH/RE-BIRTH.
We'll be working with nostalgia, resistance, victimization, fear, denial, artisan deception, surrender, acceptance, power, choices and great change. The main thing to remember this month is that death/re-birth is happening regardless of your desires. So you can either decide on what, how and where you will process death/re-birth, or it will be decided for you. We suggest you take charge.
Ancestors are important this month as archetypes and holders of wisdom, instrumental in how they have shaped us into the people we are today. As with anything that has come before, there is always that which remains useful, strong and pertinent, and that which is weak, karmic and dysfunctional. The weak material needs to fall away, eroded by time and stronger more positive elements, leaving the more powerful patterns and useful wisdom as a foundation to build on. You may find yourself contemplating your past ancestral history consciously or it may be an entirely subconscious process. We cannot stress enough the power and importance of this time as requiring a resetting of ancestral patterns as part of the current trend of deep change. This will affect both your ancestry and your future posterity. Any work you do has a domino affect both in the rears and going forward.
Recently, Jose and I visited a wonderful site in New Mexico called Tent Rocks. The tent rocks were formed by layers of volcanic material, ash, sandstone and other composites, laid down over centuries, and then covered by the earth. With time and more powerful elements such as wind and water, the weaker portions were washed away leaving eccentric formations of beauty, each with a unique character. These formations inspire many that visit the site. They delight people of all ages and stimulate the imagination. The tent rocks are much like the composite we call ourselves, made up of many layers of karmic lessons, and lifetimes of experiences and ancestral influences. When challenged by the stronger elements causing erosion and clearing of the weaker material, we emerge as tent rocks, individual, eccentric characters of beauty that others will take note of. The weak material is anything that is not useful, that has played itself out; that is non-permanent, insignificant, of the ego, and part of the illusion. This is a time when we are facing the probable death of these weaknesses, the erosion of what needs to crumble and be washed away. The trust comes in the deep knowing that what will be left is truly an amazing thing like a tent rock, full of unique character, incredible beauty, and something that will inspire others. These rocks taught me a lot. They taught me that if I hold on to all the loose sand and earth around me that I will remain unstable and insignificant, a boring landscape. If I meet the challenges and allow myself to be scoured and cleaned, I will end up standing powerful and strong as a sentinel made up of all that is lasting and useful from my past.
If you do not wish to be a boring landscape, allow yourself to be scoured by the challenging energy of the times, make friends with death, and emerge in power and beauty as you birth your creative eccentric self. You can be proactive with this process by deciding what needs to be scoured off. What death removes is permanent. There can be no ambivalence. There can be no conditions when you decide to allow something to die. This is where the submission of the year really shows up. Be dedicated to what you are directing to be pruned. Decide who you are right now, today, and anything that does not fit that image has to go. Be ruthless. Remember that death is permanent and does not leave any back doors. And in order for something to be born, something has to die. It is the nature of the universe.
The way you can be proactive this month is to decide where death will visit. If there is anything that is not aligned with your current positive self and the life you desire, let it die and remember the permanence of death. Death is liberating because it does not allow for the energy leak of sitting on the fence or ambivalence. No back doors or conditions. Be certain and the universe will be certain back. As you focus on birth, pay attention to what is showing up in the process; new relationships, opportunities, challenges and bids for power you are ready for, choices and realities that seemed only like a dream in the past. Contemplate the wonder and magic of how things are manifest as in the sprouting of a seedling or the birth of an idea that takes hold. Stay out of resistance, stubbornness and martyrdom. You will need to hold any experience with a positive attitude regardless of how it may appear. Those of you who have a tendency to always react in the negative or be quick to blame will need to really watch yourselves. Because what you think becomes manifest easily in a time like this, you could end up creating lots of experiences you don't really want.
Nostalgia
What is nostalgia? Nostalgia is the emotional residue of past experiences that were repeated enough that a pattern was formed providing a platform of security for the instinctive center. Nostalgia is usually a positive feeling triggered by the senses, especially smell and hearing. It is also sometimes accompanied by a yearning for something in the past that cannot be repeated the same way in the present. One can get stuck in nostalgia and have trouble moving on. Dwelling too much in the past dis-empowers the present and certainly does not leave anything for the future. It can serve as a bonding agent among close relationships but it can also be a crutch that keeps present choices from being made. Be nostalgic if it comes up especially around something that is truly in the past but don't indulge in it. It is not useful as a place to live.
Artisan Deception
Artisans are known for creating their own reality and it is often different from everyone else's reality. When an artisan does not like the reality they see, they will often define what is happening in their own terms and put a spin on events and experiences that color them in a preferred light. To others this seems like a way to deal with denial or resistance. Because this is an artisan year, everyone will have a tendency to be self-deceptive. When in doubt, ask another for a reality check, preferably someone who is neutral and not attached to any outcome.
Fear
Fear this month will fell very non-specific, like waiting for something to happen that you know will not be good. This anticipation should always be disciplined towards positive excitement and expectation of a really good surprise. This requires a tremendous amount of discipline since there is so much focus these days on negativity, lack, destruction and dysfunction. You need to remind yourselves several times a day that what you feed is what will grow and become more powerful. Most of the fears that come up are not real as they are connected to an illusion created by the false personality. If you are a person that is chronically fearful, this is a good time to change that aspect once and for all. If you make a choice to be positive, trusting, nurtured and safe, then the universe will begin to support that choice especially if you allow death to take the fear and leave no back door.
Power
Pluto (very present astrologically in these times) represents power. And you need to choose what gets more power. You will find this month that everything happens powerfully. Death shows up powerfully and birth shows up powerfully. There is a difference between power and drama. Drama does not equal power, rather it is often a poor impostor and substitute. Watch drama, the addiction to drama, and the habit of creating drama where none exists in an attempt to empower something. Power makes things happen, drama does not. Drama is usually a reaction whereas power drives things into action and manifestation. Practice being powerful rather than reactive. You'll get more done and your life will feel more on track.
Submission, Surrender, and Acceptance
There is a quality this month that makes getting into the flow of things easier. It can be called surrender or acceptance and is also related to the goal of submission of the year. It is not a giving up, as in a failure, but rather a choice of going with the tide rather than against it. On several occasions I have been overwhelmed by the possible decisions facing me, and stressed by the impossibility of being able to second guess or plan ahead, and found myself just giving it up to spirit, not knowing but trusting, and then putting one foot in front of the other with a strong intention that it will all work out better than I could ever have imagined. And it usually does, and in ways I could not have thought of with my limited mind. It is also best to always accept what you cannot change and practice changing what you can.
How Death/Re-birth shows up this month:
You Personally
The fears of the false personality will be fighting for their lives and will try and convince you that your life is falling apart, that you are losing everything, that you have nothing to show for all the years you have lived, that you must hold on for dear life to all that you have as without it you are nothing, that there is destruction, greed, violence and terrible things happening that you cannot do anything about, and a variety of other nasty pictures. Say, "thank you for sharing" and then choose to be happy, in gratitude, in love, and focusing on growth and miracles instead. This month may be a real roller coaster of emotions and confusion, one day feeling overwhelmed and the next day at peace. The moving center does not allow for anything to become fixed. As soon as you think you understand something or have it tangible enough to sink you teeth into, it is gone. So don't get attached to anything this month. Death/Re-birth needs the freedom of un attachment in order to be useful and manifest in the best way possible. Be flexible and ready for sudden changes and adjustments. Focus on what you are getting rid of and never lose sight of who you are becoming.
Relationships
The energies of this month can easily be isolating, as you get busy and busier. You will need to make time for relationships, slowing down enough to be with others. Nostalgia brings people together to reminisce and rebuild old bonds into new ones. Don't be surprised if old relationships go through a re birth. Be careful to eliminate any old expectations that are of a past agreement. Death will also strike relationships that are finished. Look to the birth of new ones. Nothing happens these days by accident so if a relationship is coming into your life it is for a reason. You do not need to know, just trust it and if the mind tries to second guess the outcome, discipline it not to. Stay away from blame at all costs. It is never about them and always about you. Ask what parts of you need to die so that others can be reborn. Trust your intuition.
The Physical Planet
On the climate and weather front, look for unusual patterns and events that end up being much more intense than originally predicted. Just be prepared for anything. It is more than likely we will continue experiencing earth changes that have a permanent quality and are somehow related to the theme of death/re-birth. All the elements are engaged; fire, water, earth and air. Notice their power and align yourself with that power rather than being in fear or resistance. Be aware of the difference between drama and power. Align with the power rather than with the drama. Drama is caused by people's reactions; power is inherent to nature. There is also a theme here about something hidden or underground coming to the surface. This could be symbolic or it could be very much of the physical planet. Volcanic activity represents this as well as any discovery under the surface such as a new cave system, ocean floor discoveries, and anything unearthed by melting glaciers. The moving center is also well at work moving and shifting the physical planet to keep up with the movement forward in consciousness.
Business, Projects, Partnerships, Work, Finances
The death/re-birth theme is alive and well in these areas. Look for old and tired ways to die, partnerships of all kinds to go their separate ways, finances to be restructured and old dreams and goals to be reconsidered. The birth of new partnerships, projects, ways of making money and opportunities for work is definitely supported by this month's influences. The key will be to let go of the old attachments. Notice what is dying of its own accord and help it along instead of trying to hold it together. Watch where you are compromised and exhausted trying to hold something together that is disintegrating. When you let go, you free your energy up and it goes naturally into the birth of something new. The most important thing will be to be in partnership with those that are on the same page spiritually and in consciousness. You can no longer afford to be compromised by putting energy or resources into anything you don't really believe in. This is a highly creative/destructive time. Use it well!
Global Issues, Politics
One day it is one way, the next day, different. This will be a hard month to keep up with the constant changes in political thinking and order of importance around global issues. Polarities are at their worst as many aspects are facing certain death and other are pushing the birth canal. The economy will fluctuate greatly and what is news one day will be very old news the next day as something else takes precedence. There will be many reactions, actions and decisions made that will seem illogical, and they probably are. But the "Road to Rome" right now is a scenic one stopping at many points of interest. Enjoy the ride and be patient. As has been said before, the way to serve the greater global community is to take care of your own self, environment and personal responsibilities for health, finances, relationship and your own well being. Stay out of the drama and enjoy your life.
Dates and Time Frames
April 1-7: A good time to allow your imagination, desire and creativity to form a picture of what you wish to birth for yourself. This creates a point of reference that will help you to manage the death of what is in the way of that desire and intention. Allow yourself to stretch the envelope of what you believe is possible in this life for you. Look for change, embrace change and definitely get rid of something permanently as a way to honor death with ritual and celebration. To make this tangible create a future self fantasy collage by cutting pictures out of magazines or printing off the internet. Make it fun.
April 8-15: This could be a period of darkness, as in not being able to see clearly what's ahead. Fears may surface, don't give them any power. Drama may try and claim you, ignore it. You may face disappointments, accept what is. Rely on your practices, give things over to spirit and remember the tent rocks as you go through the scouring process of shedding the useless skin and weak material that has covered your unique character under the pretense of protection and stability. This too shall pass and you will come out the other end much brighter than before. People will deal with this time frame differently. Some will go into a melt down reaction and fall apart (there is a new audio on melt downs available on the website); some will become aggressive and impatient; some will go into deep depression and withdraw; some will become victimized and start blaming others; and some will surrender nicely to the process and continue to put one foot in front of the other, trusting in spirit. You want to make sure to be around people who are proactively helping themselves and not the ones who are reacting badly. It is OK to set boundaries and make choices about what you will tolerate. Remember that what you feed will grow. Stay out of drama and focus on power.
April 14: New Moon at 6:29AM MDT (Mountain Daylight Time) Re focus on your creativity and imagination and what you are birthing or desiring to manifest for yourself. The new moon is always a good time to plant seeds, to honor what has died and to appreciate the rich compost created by your personal past history. It is important that you listen only to yourself and to spirit at this time. Do not take others reactions to your ideas or desires personally. Spirit has no judgment, so talk to spirit when you need to share.
April 16-22: Lighten up! Discipline yourself against worry and practice trusting that everything will work out. This is a time frame when many exciting new things can happen if you are willing to trust. Pay attention to new people in your life, new ideas, new energy and inspiration for work, new opportunities. Listen to what others may have to share as they may have good insights. Watch for stubbornness as it tries to keep you locked in old patterns. Do something new that you have never done before and never thought you would. Say yes and show up! This is a great time for manifesting and expanding. There is possibility for experiencing the higher centers, the higher moving center being that of pure energy. Have some fun even if it is dealing with death and letting go. Laugh at yourself and enjoy life!
April 23-30: You are either in the flow or not. If you are, you should feel pretty good about what you have accomplished and the dead skin you have shed. Good things should be happening in your life even though you may still be recovering from changes and challenges. This is a time to really pay attention to details and fine tune both your death process and your rebirth process. Think of yourself as a plant that has begun to grow and flourish but needs constant watering, feeding and weeding. In the expansive influence of the past week you may have opened yourself up to many possibilities and feel you have a lot more on your plate than you can handle. You will need to make some decisions about what to keep and what to discard. This is time of bringing balance into your daily life so you don't get overwhelmed. Continue the death/rebirth process wherever it is still needed. This is a theme that will continue to be with us for a time yet.
April 28: Full Moon is at 6:18AM MDT (Mountain Daylight Time) Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate! Do something higher centered and heart opening. Mostly make time to honor the fullness and richness of your life. Acknowledge your uniqueness, character and creativity. Do something that represents and feeds that.
Have a great month,
Blessings,
Lena Stevens