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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.