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"Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and will one day return there." ---Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist How well do you know your heart? With an electromagnetic field five thousand times stronger than that of the brain, the little-understood heart exchanges electrical impulses with other hearts that are felt in subtle but powerful ways. The heart is the real source of intelligence in the body, as well as the "lotus flower" of love. Yet most of us are not in the habit of listening to our hearts. We distrust the needs and impulses of this passionate organ, fearing its desires will upset our lives by unleashing forces beyond our control. What image arises when you tune in to your heart? What are its deepest desires? My heart is like a thoroughbred, aching to break out of the starting gate and run free. It longs to love and be loved. If, like me, you have planets in Leo, the sign that rules the heart, you are intensely driven by your passions--even if you don't always act on them. Whether or not you have planets in "lion-hearted" Leo, you've got the passionate sign of Leo in some sector of your chart--and it's about to be activated by the August 20 New Moon. The Leo New Moon represents a time to honor our personal needs and creative or romantic impulses--to identify and follow our heart's desire. The intensely personal love nature of Leo is taken to a higher level by the opposition of the Sun and Moon to cosmic Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Aquarius. Translation: as we tune in to our own hearts, we are able to connect with people who are on the same frequency, and accept those who are not. Or even, as Leonine President Obama demonstrated recently with his infamous "Beer Fest" conciliatory confab, to arrive at a little mutual understanding. Leo is ruled by the Sun, the source of life on this planet. I'd never imagined that the Sun and Earth might have a relationship of mutual devotion--a cosmic love affair, if you will--until I read this poetic passage in Paulo Coeho's novel, The Alchemist: "From where I am," the sun said, "I can see the Soul of the World. It communicates with my soul, and together we cause the plants to grow and the sheep to seek out shade. From where I am--and I'm a long way from the earth--I learned how to love. I know that if I came even a little bit closer to the earth, everything there would die, and the Soul of the World would no longer exist. So we contemplate each other, and we want each other, and I give it life and warmth, and it gives me my reason for living." The love, care and acceptance inspired by the New Moon continue into September, as the Sun moves into the devoted, service-oriented sign of Virgo on Aug. 22. This should help us ground and commit to our heart's desires--to do the necessary work to give them life, and weed out anything that doesn't serve the whole. Potent Pluto turns direct on September 11, activating transformational energies that have been dormant since April. We may feel ready to make something new happen, yet the retrograde motion of administrative Mercury (Sept. 6 - 29) suggests that it's also wise to take things slowly, retrace your steps if necessary, and make sure all details are in place before acting. Open your heart at this New Moon. Cultivate a feeling of higher love by contemplating, while in a relaxed state, a beloved person or pet--in this world or the next. Place your hand over your heart and breathe into your love center, letting your breath become smooth and balanced. Focus on the feeling of love in your heart. Allow yourself to feel joy, even if it is mixed with sadness. Sustain it with your heart breathing. Build a temple in your heart to your beloved. Imagine the temple walls going up, as you create a holy shrine to love. When you are ready, see yourself lighting a candle at the altar. Your heart is shining brightly like the sun, beaming love to the one you adore. Give thanks for this sacred feeling, before returning to full consciousness. You may return anytime to this temple you have built, to commune with your beloved in the inner sanctum of your heart. For fascinating info on the mysteries of the heart, check out: http://www.Heartmath.org.
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SEPTEMBER
THEME: A HIGHER LOVE