MEMORY’S SWEET MADNESS

What a convergence Memorial Day holds! It is a mundane, well-loved traditional symbol amidst unseen, powerful planetary-vibrations of memory.  Mercury, Retrograde, like Memorial Day, asks we look back and look within to use memory as a refined tool to fund future gold. Memory is fashioned and forged in shadowed truths from the past.  Mercury rules the mind and whenever retrograde, we re-visit ideas and stories of the past. In order to recalibrate a better future.  We re-consider what memories to save, and in what form they need to be preserved. Who did we love?  How did we love them? How were we shaped by them? How might we integrate the past into new elements?

This year, Memorial Day arrives between Full Moon and New Moon Eclipses, offering another opportunity to clear out closets of past disrepair and despair.  Remembering those loved, we also see those who hold us prisoner through grief, and fear. Often, ancient shadow-material arises in Eclipse Season as they are entrusted to bring what lies hidden to the surface so we might heal.  As the shadow of the earth falls across the face of the Moon, our own shadows peer out and we see what lies beneath, creating a perfect storm to let go what imprisons us. ‘Truth skewered at long last.

 We are in a ‘mindfulness adventure learning to discern what faith, truth, and lies lead us forward. Don’t be frustrated by delays or sudden hard right turns   as often, ideas and inventions constructed in a retrograde-process become indestructible as they are grown from an inner authority, a deeper personal sense of responsibility.  This opportunity to expand internal layers from quiet rest offers the spirit room to breathe. Be generous with Self.  Turn toward visionary, evolutionary YOU!

David Whyte writes, “Memory is an invitation to the source of our life, to a fuller participation in the now……..Memory makes the now fully inhabitable.” As we are all struggling in some way with our confused-now, perhaps looking back can help moveus  toward a higher vibration.  Mercury Retrogrades are an invitation to take time to re-visit memories, review, and listen to what we missed first time around.  The reason ‘Mercury Retrogrades’ have such a bad rap is we are programmed to move with speed.  We are encouraged to think fast, and react before thinking….to be first.  The psychic energy of a ‘walk about Mercury in reverse is it forces us to slow-go.  We learn -either from frustration, or patience.  During these three weeks, we are invited to tune into different music and hear what’s really important. It’s here we learn to separate wheat from chaff, and deepen our process of communication, analyze experience, come up with better strategies as we re-visit memory. Notice it’s the supposed ‘failures’ and disappointments that hold the greatest lessons.

Consider June a review month!  This is not a time of action.  Rather it is a month well spent planning, and planning from a process steeped in review.  Along with mental-Mercury, who does not shift into forward gear until the 22nd, and not leave its ‘shadow period’ until July, we have a Gemini, New moon Eclipse, June 10.   On June 20, Jupiter goes Retrograde, quickly followed by Neptune on the 24^th.  Along with the Saturn, Pluto reversals we are only swimming backward.  Learn to welcome delays and view them as gifts that re-define priorities.  Eclipses, like retrogrades, welcome subconscious clean-out in order to re-set.  They arrive in pairs, usually twice a year, to make sure we are not holding on to antiquated psychic junk. Their blasts often creating enough emotional disturbance to force regeneration toward a lighter, brighter source.  June offers a great opportunity for mayhem, inner-information, mis-information, review, personal psychic-guidance, confusion, sweet withdrawal, reconsideration, frustration and delays.  Choose wisely!

(If you wish further information on Retrogrades, go here to Constellation Corner https://dailybreathjournal.com/astro/astrology/ )

It’s an important time to visualize the steps ahead.  Use your ‘celestial mandala’ to help see- without judgment- how you might deepen and enliven life.  I’d love to support and inform your mundane AND mystical Self!  Natal & or Solar Returns available as well as quick overviews of your personal Eclipse territory of changes, and Retrograde affects. $20 for 20 minutes.  email samcatcam@gmail.com

A RITUAL MOMENT:  Seek out something from your past, a photograph, a small treasure, a song, a piece of clothing. Hold it to your heart.  What appears?  What memory emerges?  Where does it take you? Is it healing, or still too filled with sorrow?  Listen to the gift inherent in its memories.

THE PRACTICE:  This weekwe are on the mat to release, to surrender in order to re-build. We shall give more time to becoming supple and serpent-like in order to transform.  We shall listen and move to exhale, releasing old forms that that cannot hold up-dated prana.  Growth is not comfortable, but we can change and find ways to enjoy.  How still can you grow?  How peaceful can you become?

YOUR BIRTHDAY WEEK: Clearly you are looking back in order to re-set.  You are wise to turn inward and seek your own counsel, and value the wisdom you have while having the flexibility to change.  The birthday year may start of slowly, but this is a golden opportunity for you to reconsider where you are going and how to get there.   Don’t be surprised if new goals are on the horizon. Whatever else you accomplish, know that your communication skills, and ideas are deepening because they are growing out of a more authentic YOU.  Happy Birthday, YOU!