Here comes the Year of the Red Monkey ... starts February 2016

We are awake and enjoying a slow, delightful start to our new Sunday. The rain has started up again after a few hours rest in its continuous flow flow flow. Weather people say the Pacific Northwest is experiencing record-breaking rain. Pete has toasted himself a grilled cheese sandwich made with a very nice aged cheddar sent to him by dear sister (his) Margaret. The smell of toasting bread and the melt of cheese is one of my favorite smells. But. My body does not tolerate what my nose blisses on. Too bad, so sad. Instead I have chopped celery, leaves of Romaine lettuce, and sprigs of Italian parsley; sliced into one of the gleaned apples still crisp and sweet. All of this went into the Vitamix along with some not quite hot water. Blended to a warm slurry I had my greens in a drink. Sipping and then crunching on roasted cashews for a satisfying oily chew. We ate and drank our separate morning breakfast.

We are so different my Pete and I. What balances him does not do the same for me. He is a pole bean, I am a dumpling squash.

Winter is freshly born. The season is unpredictable in its patterns. The forecasts for next week seem foolish. The Elementals laugh at our wishes to control them. "Ha, ha. Do they, those Uprights in footwear believe they can control us as they attempt to control Pigeon and Gull from depositing their lime?" Oh challenged the Pole Bean Man this morning, "I will take my wire cutter at night, climb their roof tops and nip off all those metal detractors. The Exclusionary Principle, ha!"

The Chinese New Year begins with February. To my usual way of computing I look at the second New Moon after Winter Solstice and point "There!" as the start. Using this method the Year of the Monkey starts, February 8, 2016. There are other, and perhaps more accurate and at least different ways to count. This morning over grilled cheese Pete asked me where I was (on my Internet search)? I said, "China. I'm calculating the start of the Year of the Monkey and playing with the Elements to see what I might need for Balance. Here is what I found this morning:

"...This Chinese Astrology uses the balance theory of Yin-Yang Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth) to predict people's future. Not like other horoscopes, this Chinese Astrology won't tell your personality or your relationships with people, which you should know better than any Astrology. Here we are interesting in telling something about yourself, which you never know before..." Master Tsai Chinese Astrology 

It seems it is Fire I need to balance my life. According to this approach

"... Here we select an element from the Five Element chart as your Lucky Element. The Chinese Yin-Yang Five Elements describe the BALANCE. When the Five Elements are balanced, they are in harmony and you will be lucky. When they are out of balance, they are in conflict and cause you trouble. So your lucky elements are the ones that bring the Five Elements into balance. Usually the lucky elements are the ones with a lesser weight (score). Here we want to pick Fire as your lucky element, because your Five Elements have a better shape when the weight of Fire increases. Using the balance theory, we can predict the rise and fall of your entire life.

I have been aware of my reluctance to embrace Fire. I am writing a medicine story now that has at its core this thought, and the motto for the Sun Magazine: "What is to give light must be willing to burn." The messages are multiple, and repeat themselves to me. I answer, "Give me courage to change, Gods." Pete says something that makes a lot of sense, "You gotta wait for the fire to burn." So true, waiting is not my strong suit, but I am getting lots of practice.

The Year of the Red (Fire) Monkey comes.

"Those born in Monkey years (1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004,2016) are clever, sharp, mercurial, and entertaining. They are wonderful to be around because they are fun, creative, and bring the sparkling energy that only Monkey can provide." 

I like to think of the Year of the Monkey as a year when we are encouraged by the monkey to be creative in the use of our gifts. How about you? Are you born in Monkey years? Do you see how a creative use of your gift will balance you? Which is your lucky element of balance?

Here is something to consider (I'm sorting the possibilities, the application)
When Fire is Deficient
The Spirit of the Water Element
The Season of Metal Energy
The Season of Wood Energy
The Season of Summer Energy 

Mahealani Moon

Holiday writing that turns into wishes ...

"All planets direct! And, the first full moon for more than forty years. You are invited to a gala celebration and occasion of jolly. As we toast Larkin's journey across the Green Planet, come prepared to be costumed and dressed for a night and weekend of merriment. Come for a party in the city!"  

A small insert of onionskin explained ... 

A carriage will pick you up at the usual ferry-riding lot at 10 AM, Friday, December 25, 2015. The driver has instructions and ferry fare for all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The blustery and wet December of 2015 may be recorded as topping the scales for rainfall. In town just a few minutes ago we tucked our heads into our breast feathers, shopped quickly for supper, exchanged smiles and good cheer with our grocer friends, and picked up more Christmas mail from the post office box.

I have ridden the storm of a December chest cold, and feel much better after ten long days and nights. To remedy the cold there have been bits of a story to write myself well. Characters who embody part of me, parts of the Other, and wishes that I embrace with my whole soul, and fullest heart ... fill me where phlegm would sodden my innards. Story, story, tell me a story and we will unwind a thread losing ourselves, finding home.

The opening lines to this post are part of the story that's writing itself through my fingertips. It's a tale of community like all my stories; one about generations who are while different link together in magical if not odd ways. Make the most of this Full Moon on December 25, 2015 when all planets are direct as well. Click here to read a story!

Much love,

Mokihana 

Happy Solstice!

From our hut to yours Happy Solstice and Good Holidays from the woods in Langley on a Salish Island. Cheers and loving hearts be part of your today.
Waving from the Quonset,
Mokihana and Pete

Survival Tips for the Pluto Transits

Pluto transits occur when one is about to make a great new leap forward, to leave the past behind and embrace a new beginning. This is what Pluto wants us to do— empower ourselves by letting go of the past and taking a transformative leap forward in our lives. 

- Lynn Koiner "Survival Tips for the Pluto Transits"

Yesterday my husband Pete and I went on our yearly adventure into Seattle to visit and gather with the group of MCS friends we first met in 2008. Among them is the woman who helped us cope psychologically with the severe challenges of adapting to life with a condition most medical systems did not (and still don't easily) recognize. Another of these friends offered us long distance emotional support; and then real and practical support when we needed a person to explore the possibility of renting a living space. We were living in a car at the time thousands of miles from the potential rental. With guidance from her mother who lives with MCS, a young realtor went through the basement apartment with and a whole body sort of radar and determined the space doable. With that assessment we made the choices necessary to travel from O'ahu to Seattle and began building a small, moveable safe space. We named that space Vardo For Two. Astrologically Pluto had changed signs from Sagittarius to Capricorn in 2008, and was now half-way into my 12th House.

 Lynn Koiner writes: "In 2008, Pluto was transiting late degrees of Sagittarius. Planets transiting the late degrees of a sign always indicates an ending cycle. It is a time in our lives wherein we must draw some life situation to a conclusion. In 2009-10, Pluto will be in the early degrees of Capricorn. This always brings something new into our lives when Pluto aspects an early degree planet. With a conjunction, square or opposition, the stress does not mean that the situation is bad but it is the stress of doing something that we have never done before. It is a totally new cycle for us!" 

Though I have been interested in astrology for most of my adult life, the deeper meaning of this navigational tool was never more important than at this time. I would need the ancient methods to make sense of the powerlessness I felt. Pluto is a small and slow moving source of energy; a planet, a dwarf. Scientists fiddle with naming his/her affects but without doubt Pluto is meant to bring deep change. For us, Pluto was forcing transformation, ridding all the unnecessary from us internally and externally. Yesterday our drive from Whidbey Island in a torrential rain was a kind of check-point. Had we taken care of ourselves in the period since we first met this group to venture out of the woods? Was it important enough to make the effort? 

Together we decided it was important to make the trek. One of our dear friends celebrated her 80th birthday, has been through a major surgery, and was recuperating from an unexpected physical ailment to top it all off. She would be unable to attend this once a year gathering. That was a crossroad: we could decide it was not meant for us to make the trek. Instead, I offered an option. We could stop by her home, and spend a few minutes, share some stories, a face-to-face gift of magic and appreciate the most important thing of all: love for one another. 

It worked that way last night. For the first time since our first long distance phone conversations in 2007, I was standing in our friends's home and did indeed share stories, tea and magic. With an hour to spare we continued our Seattle adventure. We shopped for a few things at the Green Lake PCC before wending our way through the wet and dark Phinney Ridge neighborhoods into Ballard to finally climb the steps to the party.

This rather winding tale is meant to tell the experience of surviving the challenges of a Pluto Transit. These transits through the space between Pluto and Earth are slow, as is our approach to becoming a more of the best-possible-human with the spirit of stardust. Journeying the way we do from the woods of Whidbey, the once-a-year December gatherings give us all a chance to see each other. We bring food to share, pack up things we no longer need and put them into a pile to offer others. We also spend time listening to the Highlights of the Year. Every one who comes tells the stories that are true for us now. With more positive than challenging, or with progress and change over time we share and listen. One among us has married for the first time at 60 plus. Others did not come because of illness or a stay in the hospital; another can't drive because of the weather and changes to her capacity to navigate her van. 

When I sat to compose this tale I wanted to include some of the tips I had found on Medical Astrologer Lynn Koiner's website. The extensive article can be read in its entirety. I have included the key points that seem so helpful. Pluto continues to move slowly through Capricorn, and for me, the energy moves crosses my Ascendent and moves from the 12th House to the 1st House* in April, 2016. I need to pace myself, make the most of this deeply transforming time, deal with the intense emotions and deep-water dreams that immerse me. 

I hope these tips, all or one or some of them might help. Visiting our friends who provide a new level of history for Pete and me during this Pluto Transit of undoing and redoing, I do look for ways to care for myself and my relationship with Pete now. Here is a brief look at "Survival Tips for the Pluto Transits" from Lynn Koiner's website. The specific tips and recommendations are on Lynn Koiner's site.

• Physical Activity— Exercise is a great release for Plutonian energy

• In this “out-of-control” mode, my work makes me feel out of control. I have also discovered another key to working with Pluto— KEEP YOUR LIFE SIMPLE. Avoid all complications. Learn to say NO to everything that is not absolutely essential. Your psychological survival depends upon it!

• I have observed that the transits of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto affect us through hormonal imbalances.

• Anxiety, especially at night, can cause night binging and insomnia. Around 7 PM, I make a big cup of a “Extra Strength Sleepy Time” tea. 

• The adrenals are severely stressed under the Pluto transit.

• Having to deal with the surfacing long-repressed emotions, the fears and especially the anger, can be very difficult! Give yourself permission to feel angry!

• Some Pluto transits can compromise our immune system, leaving us vulnerable to viruses and infections.

• Pluto can make you feel like the situation will last forever but it does not. You can easily lose your vision and hope for the future. It is essential to expand your consciousness in order to rise above the darkness. I found reading spiritual and consciousness expanding books and meditation to provide incredible relief! “The higher you go (in consciousness) the smaller things look below!”

• EMPOWERMENT— this is the most important lesson that you will learn under the Pluto transit but it does not come immediately or easily. When Pluto made its retrograde square to my Sun, I realized that I had given my power away to a powerless person who could only criticize and find fault with everything that I did; I had given my power away to negative thinking, to absorbing the criticisms of others and to the tyranny of self-recrimination!

* The post "Transiting Pluto crosses the Ascendent ... " is something I discovered. If you read this post earlier in the day today, please note, the link above was added later in the afternoon. If you have transiting Pluto in the 12th House this article might prove worth your time. 

Celebrating stories you can wear your whole life!

" Not SO long ago in this place at the edge of woods growing with Tall Trees and opportunistic berry bushes a sad and soggy heart was feeling very sorry for herself. Too far from her used-to-be- home where white, sandy beaches gathered up the ocean and let it out again, and again that sad and soggy heart was making it very difficult to be right where she was..." There's a story and a bit of celebration going on at The Safety Pin Cafe. If you've a need for a little inspiration or remedy for a sad and sodden heart maybe this will help.