By, Elena Nicole

We are in the midst of a heavy eclipse season and many of you are inquiring how to get out from the clouds and into the light... so I thought it fit to go to an expert on the matter. The report below is compliments of Priya Kale, one of the most astute astrologers I have ever worked with. You can find more on Priya at her blog, http://www.priyakale.com/blog/ and if you have not invested in an extensive examination of your astrological chart, treat yourself.

Welcome to the Solar Eclipse and Cancer New Moon!
On July 21, 2009 at 9:34 PM EST and on July 22, 2:34 AM UT and 12:34 PM AEST the Sun and Moon will conjunct at 29+ degrees of Cancer. This marks the second Cancer New Moon and the second in a series three eclipses this season.

On June 22, 2009 we had the first New Moon in Cancer and since then the Capricorn Eclipse brought a revelation of reality as it stands. Now that we've had a chance to review what came to light we are actually getting a second chance in one area of life to start over armed with truth. Over the past month the energy has been heavily focused on our emotional and financial commitments and agreements. Rules are fast changing and there have been overwhelming emotions and insecurities to confront, and political agendas to navigate. It also has been important to recognize patterns within our relationships, if we want things to be different.

Even as we reach the end of a cycle, this Solar Eclipse marks a powerful new beginning. In astrology, rarity racks up points pretty quick. This Eclipse is the longest one in duration that we've seen in a 100 years and the longest one we will see for another 100 years. Also interestingly, the Sun and Moon are rulers of Leo and Cancer respectively and this Eclipse occurs on the cusp of these signs. This is suggestive of the changes happening on a very core individual level of consciousness and emotional make-up. The change happens within and then ripples and radiates out into our Universe.

Cancer rules mothers, our sense of security and in a very real way the emotional baggage, which colors our world. Look at what fears and insecurities keep you caged, unable to receive the gifts of an abundant Universe. With the Eclipse in close trine to Uranus this is a new start capable of washing us clean of the past moving us into the light of the Sun and pure consciousness with a little effort on our part. Over the past weekend on July 18, 2009 the Sun made a trine to Uranus, bringing a deeply enlightening experience opening up emotional floodgates. The Eclipse is triggering this aspect offering us a chance to go deeper within a situation to discover it's infinite potential. This is deeply intuitive energy opening a flow that then requires us to act boldly, with courage and passion.

Leo is the sign that rules the 'self.' It is also the sign that rules ones sexuality, creativity, ones sense of being, or birthing something into being. This is the sign that rules the heart, which when it is open and fearless is free to love without fear of judgment or rejection. As children we all have this quality. As we mature the necessary process of understanding of power of 'self' emerges, which if worked with consciously creates a compassionate. But if worked with in the darkness we end up struggling with the demon ego that is afraid to take chances for fear of failure. But aspects now are drawing us towards a profound personal evolution where we can return to that state of being free to be ourselves.

Only hours after the lunation, Jupiter and Chiron will exact their conjunction for the second time in Aquarius in close conjunction to Neptune. This triple conjunction first peaked towards the end of May and now peaks again. Expect quantum leaps of awareness at this time; Eclipses tend to accelerate the energy but with this conjunction exact now, there can be a feeling of having lived days within even an hour. Chiron's force is rapidly transformational which can be a tremendously liberating one. But any denial or tendency to escape will only manifest in an escalating spiral of depression, isolation or sheer chaos until the lesson is learned and souls work done.

Chiron's process [which I work with closely in my chart readings with clients] is a rapid transformational force that transcends the levels of consciousness from a physical to the spiritual bringing awareness of the 'One-ness' of all energy in this Universe. Jupiter tends to exaggerate things, magnifying this force. Look at where Aquarius falls in your chat to see what area of your life this energy is manifesting in and you will likely see signs of a new consciousness awakening. One clue here is to find your most faithful vision, which keeps you up at night against all odds.

Acknowledge your deepest wounds, addictions and fears, for these are opening the way to your gifts - to light the path for others who will travel this way with your awareness. Once we each as individuals awaken to our unique gifts, this is opening a space for healing on a collective level. What makes us each different is also what makes us interesting and able to contribute to the whole what only 'we' can, free to be who we were born to be.

Also at this time Venus will square Saturn. This may bring the feeling of being caught between a rock and a hard place with emotional and financial negotiations and situations. There may be a tendency to worry or a feeling that you are just banging your head against a brick wall. But in truth we are turning a corner towards greater understanding, communication and healing. Commitments are being tested for strength and integrity to see if they can hold up against the sands of time. Work to resolve any inner sense of limitation or inadequacy. Squares are always an internal turning point, which then allow us to turn a corner externally. Be it money or love, if one is not open to receive there can be no recognition of the abundance waiting to rush in.

Later this week on July 27 and July 28, 2009, Venus trines the triple conjunction in Aquarius and squares Uranus in Pisces, suggesting this story is far from over. If we can move past this inner hurdle with maturity we are more than likely to come through with luscious, flying colors. Expect big changes on the horizon that could happen in a flash, lifting the spirit with a fresh breath of inspiration and freedom. As she squares Uranus this could be a transcendentally divine experience if we are willing listen to the heart and soul and let go of the head. This is also a powerful indicator of healing for the heart and our relationships, if there is a painful past we are trying to move on from, filling one with hope for the future.

Eclipses occur when the Sun and Moon are in proximity to the Nodes and hence heavily Karmic in nature. As this Eclipse in Cancer conjuncts the South Node in Leo, we are releasing residual emotional energy. The Moon represents our emotional nature and the Sun the primary consciousness or ego.

Consider this a time of unfurling your true being; cleansing past Karmic debts, so you can move forward renewed, refreshed aligned again with your souls purpose.

-- Priya Kale, NYC, July 21, 2009, Cancer New Moon and Solar Eclipse

Related: Welcome to the Solar Eclipse and Cancer New Moon! (http://www.priyakale.com/blog/)

One of the definitions of Faith is- firm belief in something for which there is no proof. The issue with that definition is that in order for us to believe in something where there is no proof we must get beyond Logic. Logic is defined as- interrelation or sequence of facts or events when seen as inevitable or predictable. The very act of believing in something beyond seen Facts and Events can feel like a super-human event. Faith can therefore become one of the more grand as well as illuminating challenges of our human experience.

Despite the effort and perceived ingrained fears, I challenge you to look at both logic and faith differently. In response to a world where over 99.9% of everything as small as an atom and as large as the Universe is void or pure energy... doesn't Having Faith become a New Logic?

No matter the issue, applying faith within the fabric of life can be daunting to anyone. Faith is after-all an expansive journey of experience rather then an on-demand solution. It requires that human beings go beyond the logical mind and delve into a region of themselves far more sacred then where we typically familiarize ourselves with. A long lost friend to us all that we seem to only reconnect to in moments that require the deepest courage and reflection as a last-resort. For instance- I may exercise courage in faith when confronted with a natural disaster, getting over heartbreak or overcoming a life threatening illness.

The interesting result of these courage inspired journeys into faith, is that we seem to prosper in ways we never imagine..."beyond our imagination". Imagine then living more frequently within the New Logic of Faith, we would constantly be raising the ordinary to the exalted.

Consciously examine when you have relied on the deepest part of you and relied on your Faith: when you were able to create a better reality that released even the slightest fear, garnered the new job, fell in love again or generally accomplished something that you thought you knew you could not... when you soared "beyond your imagination". In other words- When have you had to turn inward and rely on your gut instincts in life? Think back- weren't the results extraordinary?

Let me know how it goes.

A BIT OF WISDOM from A Course in Miracles tells us that no matter what our lives look like at any given moment, we can choose again. As our awareness shifts, we create ourselves anew, adjusting our resonant signature and consequently, experiencing life differently.

We all have the capacity to decide our future, based on our decisions today. In essence, that is the metaphysics behind being 'born again'. We can rebirth every day, every minute, every thought -- therein lies the creative divinity within our human potential.

Why am I posting an article about 'Learning' to a question about 'Why' because soul connections are the Universe's way to push us forward.   

Hang in there.

Souls connections - what have we learned ?

If there's a core issue to soul connections I really believe it's that they are such an insight into the methods of the universe...

In creating such a conflict between what logic tells us versus what we feel inside - begin that most vital and all important journey where we depart from the idea that we really know what reality is about from logic and reason, to begin existing on the multiple levels ...ie spiritual awakening.

Being very general - the first part of that journey is usually from a position of that we have found something thats so utterly magical , so utterly completes us...and it's taken away from us or we can't have it.

Thus follows the crisis and pain we all know so well...

In latter parts of the journey we will by then have begun to think, perceive and exist more on the multiple levels having experienced all of the mental confusion, romance, energetic and spiritual roller coaster effects of the entire experience where it becomes much more about a total and parallel inter woven multi level life experience than just about the other person or just about love. This is when we being to truly comprehend...

If i had to personally summarize what i feel is the key point of transition from stage 1 of the process - with all the pain and shock and comprehension, through to the later stages mentioned above, i would say its this...

We are mostly conditioned to think in a way that because God loves us he wants us to be happy and i don't have issue with that. Where it tends to go terribly off track is that we often make the mental leap to that being we will be provided for.. In other words what we seek we shall find and thus achieve happiness...

God, life , the universe does not teach most of it's lessons through providing what we need....Rather...if the universe requires us to find answers it poses questions. When it requires us to be strong it provides crisis.
If we need to learn to fight we are provided with a battle... NOT to say passing those tests isn't rewarded, because as we know in all things there must be ultimately balance ( primarily law of karma ).

BUT that the tests come first.

I suggest that when a soul connection comes into our lives it signals a time when we have work to do.

As in the usual laws of duality, the karmic burden doesn't reside with one partner but both and there's no accident that karma each mirrors the other if it manifests in the same way or the opposite way.

So the question we have to ask ourselves is "what lessons am i meant to learn, what issues has this connection brought to the surface, and what tests do i have to pass."

As per another important law of the universe, this person in our life isn't meant to be the answer but to highlight the issues that need resolution so that we ourselves can be the answer. ( The law of not being allowed to want from others what we can't first find in ourselves - ie love isn't need - it's choosing to share what we already have. )

So we have some karmic issue to work through singly and jointly.

As i often quote ( sorry i forget the source ) "When God wants us to learn strength he doesn't send strength he sends challenges."

Usually it will be something that's been a lifelong issue like power or boundaries or rejection or insecurity, something that the universe wants dealt with once and for all. And whatever has happened in the 'running' phase will have jabbed all those raw nerves in the issue department to bring them to the surface.

So when questioning oneself about the lessons or indeed Mystic whatshername and the answer that comes is "the lesson is patience"....be assured no it isn't.

The universe doesn't require waiting, ever. It requires lessons, progress, challenges, and change, especially at times like these. After all why else would she have sent us a soul connection?

Just before the romantic idealists begin throwing darts at my picture again - yes it's also about love but again never JUST one thing. back to the universe, always duality always balance always reconciliation of imbalance ( karma ).

I like to think of it this way - that first come the tests, then the rewards

by, Steve Gunn

I hope you find the inspiration I did in examining this great scene from Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, a fantastic reference to the spiritual journey.

YODA: Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.

ANAKIN: I won’t let my visions come true, Master Yoda.

YODA: Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is.

ANAKIN: What must I do, Master?

YODA: Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.

Take another look at the first line quoted above. Think of the “dark side” as our own Fear/Suffering, Fear is the path to suffering. The only way to free yourself from the fear of loss is to detach yourself from whatever it is you fear to lose.

How do we let go? Yoda was correct when he said that Anakin must train himself to let go. Letting go requires a great deal of practice, discipline, and courage. But who wants to do that when it is easier to continue on the path of Immediate Gratification? Our concept that we have control is an illusion that we keep up, only to find that we are still unhappy. It is only when we commit to the practice, discipline, and courage and letting-go of our fear responses that we understand we are, we have and always will be all we need.

There is nothing to believe, no gods to embrace, and no dogma to adhere to. Instead, we must all look deeply within ourselves and find that the truths we seek are much closer than we realize. After all, you can’t change reality to fit your preferred vision of it. The only thing you can do is change your perspective to fit reality. It’s the only path to achieve freedom from suffering.

Religion is not primarily about beliefs. Rather, "Religion is a search for transcendence".

It is  a journey for all of us.  We have this feeling inside that there is 'something more' going on here.  So I propose you go find it.  Study and learn, become a student of this magnificant life you live and loose the judgement that keeps you bound to the past beliefs that were not working.   By freeing yourself and doing something different... you are sure to discover you are closer to that 'something more' then you thought.

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True Religion

People who are eager to convert others to their religion usually believe their religion is the "right" one -- the One True Religion. They think their doctrines are the true doctrines and their God the real God, and all others are wrong. Such a view makes two assumptions that I reject.

The first assumption is that an omnipotent and omnipresent entity such as God -- or Brahma, or the Tao, or the Trikaya -- can be completely understood by human intellect, and that this perfect understanding can be expressed in words to form doctrines that transmit this perfect understanding to others with unfailing accuracy.

And I say that's nonsense. I say no doctrines of any religion, including mine, are the complete truth. All fall short of perfect understanding. All are frequently misunderstood. The truest doctrines are just pointers, shadows on a wall, or a hand pointing to the moon.

At the same time, it may be that most of the doctrines of most of the world's religions reflect some small part of a great and absolute truth, so they aren't necessarily false, either. As Joseph Campbell may have said, all religions are true. You just have to understand what they are true of.

The Search for Transcendence

The other false assumption is that thinking the correct thoughts and believing the correct beliefs are what define religion. I'm with historian Karen Armstrong when she says that religion is not primarily about beliefs. Rather, "Religion is a search for transcendence."

Of course, transcendence can be conceptualized many different ways, also. We might think of transcendence as union with God or as entry into Nirvana. But I don't think the conceptualizations are all that important, since all are imperfect. Maybe God is a metaphor for Nirvana. Maybe Nirvana is a metaphor for God.

The Buddha taught his monks that Nirvana cannot be conceptualized. In Exodus, God refused to be limited by a name or represented by a graven image. It may be hard for humans to accept, but there are places our almighty imaginations and intellects cannot go.

Lights in the Darkness

I'm not saying beliefs and doctrines have no value, because they do. Doctrines can be like a flickering candle that keeps you from walking in total darkness. They can be like markers on a path, showing you a way others have walked before.

Buddhists judge the value of a doctrine not by its factual accuracy but by its skillfulness. A skillful doctrine opens the heart to compassion and the mind to wisdom.

Rigidly fixed beliefs are not skillful, however. Rigidly fixed beliefs seal us off from objective reality and from other people who don't share our beliefs. They render the mind hard and closed to whatever revelations or realizations Grace might send our way.

The One True Religion

I believe the world's great religions have all accumulated their share of both skillful and unskillful doctrines and practices. I also have observed that a religion that's good for one person can be all wrong for someone else. Ultimately, the One True Religion for you is the one that most completely engages your own heart and mind. It is that engagement that enables transcendence.

I left Christianity because it no longer engaged my heart and mind. Well, the heart maybe, but the mind said "Nope." But just because I walked away from Christianity doesn't mean I think Christianity or any other religion is wrong for everyone else.

Just yesterday I had a lovely conversation with the cantor of a nearby synagogue. As he spoke of being a cantor is was clear that Judaism illuminates his life and is his One True Religion. I'd have been the world's most boorish ass to even think of "converting" him.

Engaged Buddhism

It's been twenty years since I found Thich Nhat Hanh's Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism . The first one is:

"Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth."

I knew then that Buddhism was a religion I could enter into with my entire heart and mind without leaving my critical thinking skills at the door. And it's also why I feel no deep compulsion to convert anyone.

If you are looking for a spiritual home, I'm happy to help you learn about Buddhism. But I can't give you reasons to convert. You'll have to find those within yourself.