Those of us on a spiritual path seek transformation and spiritual evolution but then resist it when the experience is upon us.  This is human nature since the ego seeks to control the experience of the life – to surrender that control can be frightening to many of us, especially if we have planets in fixed signs (like I do!!) which tend to be more inflexible and lack adaptability.

But life is about change and adaptation, and understanding the astrological cycles can help us to find peace within the storm of change.  When we recognize the dynamics of change that are at work in the form of planetary energies it becomes easier to work with them – they become trusted teachers and we know more about what we can expect in times of change.

A few days ago Venus opposed Chiron, the Soul Healer, and today the Sun is opposite Chiron. Relationships may be more painful than usual now as Chiron goes about his job as Soul Surgeon, exposing any sensitive places in the heart so that they can become healed. This kind of emotional sensitivity is quickly healed if we permit ourselves to consciously move through these experiences and allow these old thoughts, feelings or memories to emerge and then be released.

Venus made a trine to Pluto last night, helping to soften the rough edges and help us to be real and genuine in our relationships with others for the next 12 hours or so.  The Moon is moving away from Mars and it’s easier to express our vulnerability under the Cancerian influence. Meanwhile the Sun/Chiron opposition helps to crack open the protection that we keep over our wounds so that we can blossom and open from the heart.

By the 28th when the Sun trines Pluto at the New Moon in Virgo you will feel renewed.

Here on the East coast we are preparing for the onslaught of Hurricane Irene.  I’ve lived in North Carolina for over 30 years so I am very accustomed to hurricane preparation, and I have come to think of personal transformation as being very much like a hurricane.  It can be frightening when the eye of the storm passes over your house, as it did in 1994 when Hurricane Fran stormed through the state.  But after every hurricane the air is clean and refreshed, and though there may be damage to clean up and restore there is a sense of renewal and a new beginning.

As we head more deeply into the square of Uranus and Pluto we will become more familiar with the cycle of intense personal storm activity that is followed by a personal renewal.  This is an important aspect of the process of our personal evolution and like a hurricane, it is inevitable.  The more we can cultivate a personal relationship with our own inner voice and guidance, the easier the process of transformation becomes.

Understanding the planetary cycles that guide you personally can be a great aid and comfort as well as help us to prepare for the shifts that are required for the planet to adjust to the energy of this new age.

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