Cardinal Crossroads of Change: What It Means for You

Okay, ladies and gents…we’re counting down the days till showtime. If you were born around the beginning of  Aries, Cancer, Capricorn or Libra (or have planets or angles in the early degrees of those signs), y’all have front row seats. The biggest lightning storm ever is a-brewin’. You’re breathing in raw tension just about now, pushing buttons and getting yours pushed. There’s an electric, pungent energy building. If you were a cat, you’d be arching your back. It’s the call to battle at dawn. What’s gotta go needs to get gone: relationships that don’t work, jobs that don’t matter, fibs that you’re supposed to believe.

Tense and intense strological energies are gathering, building up to peak pressure from June 26 to August 5 (and most potent on July 29th). Somethin’s gotta blow. It’ll be stinky, but it’ll also be a helluva relief.

Four planetary forces will be facing-off, forming a Grand Cardinal Cross http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_cross_(astrology)  Shamanic Pluto in exacting Capricorn summons forth a part of you that’s been banished in the shadows. Own it consciously and claim your power. Be in your truth, no matter who stands in judgment of you, as extremist Uranus in “me first” Aries gallops sidesaddle with Jupiter the Preacher.  Pioneering Mars in relational Libra impatiently taps the accelerator, while passenger Saturn gets focused on how to get where you need to be. Act with integrity and learn to love the word “no.” Lastly, acknowledge and release where you’ve been too tentative, sensitive or reactive (the South Node in Cancer) and focus on where you need to develop your inner authority (the North Node in Capricorn).

This may sound like a ten-car pile-up (and parts of it will be messy), but this is the kick-off point for positive change. Let’s be frank: what part of your life needs to be opened up and cleared out, like an attic suffocated by dust? Take the risk. Open the door. Be realistic–don’t horde what’s familiar but no longer has value. Dump what keeps you small or limits your aliveness. Shine the  light of awareness on forgotten treasures.  Be the judge of  your own truth, stick by it and don’t fail your dreams. You’re some kind of special. Admit it.

So go get ’em, ladies and gents. The curtain’s about to rise. And guess who the star is? You are, of course.

Big Storm a-brewin'

Read Full Post »

Astrological Food for Thought: A Recipe for the New Year

We experienced a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse this last New Year’s Eve. The Sun (our physical energy) was in structured Capricorn, which rules the knees, joints and skeletal system. The Moon was in the opposite sign of sensitive, nurturing Cancer, which rules the stomach and digestive system.  An opposition between two heavenly bodies offers up the chance for them to be integrated. This doesn’t always happen, but compromise is possible.

Often we end up partying during the holidays, staying up late, drinking and eating foods that don’t have an ounce of real nutrition. So when we wake up to a new year, it’s good to give our bodies something to shore us up. Here’s an “astrological” recipe which will fed you in the following ways:

Capricorn, ruling the skeletal system, needs calcium. Cancer, aware of the sensitivity of the stomach, needs food which is digestible and nourishing. To that end, following is a recipe that everyone can enjoy and that your bones and belly will benefit from. I’ve tried it several times, although at first I was relatively suspicious–but the flavor and consistency were nothing short of divine. This can also help to deter “post-holiday” illnesses as well as helping to boost your spirits.

I’d like to thank Sonya White, a knock-down chef and nutritionist here in San Francisco, for sharing the following recipe with me. You can reach her at <sonya_white@sbcglobal.net>.

Crispy BBQ Kale Chips by raw chef Alyssa Cox

1 Big bunch Kale, washed, dried, and torn into large pieces (collards work fine too).
2 TBs Extra virgin olive oil
1 TB Apple cider vinegar
1 TB Agave nectar

Spice Mixture
4 TBs Nutritional Yeast
1/4 tsp. Garlic granules
1 tsp. Onion granules
1/2 tsp. Chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp. Smoked paprika
3/4 tsp. Sea salt

1. Place torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on olive oil, agave nectar, and apple cider vinegar. Toss well to coat.

2. In a small bowl place all dry spice ingredients. Whisk well to combine. Slowly and evenly add dry spice mixture to the kale in the large mixing bowl, using your hands all the while to keep the mixture moving to evenly coat the greens.

3. For Dehydrator: Set dehydrator at 115 degrees. Place kale leaves on mesh sheets, allowing enough room for them to dry, not letting them overlap. Dehydrate up to 12 hours, until crispy and dry.

4. For Oven: Preheat oven to 350F. Place kale on lightly oiled or non-stick cookie sheets, making an even layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping once halfway through until crisp but not browned. Keep an eye on them as they can burn easily. Let cool and serve!

Crispy BBQ Kale Chips by raw chef Alyssa Cox

1 Big bunch Kale, washed, dried, and torn into large pieces (collards work fine too).
2 TBs Extra virgin olive oil
1 TB Apple cider vinegar
1 TB Agave nectar

Spice Mixture
4 TBs Nutritional Yeast
1/4 tsp. Garlic granules
1 tsp. Onion granules
1/2 tsp. Chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp. Smoked paprika
3/4 tsp. Sea salt

1. Place torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on olive oil, agave nectar, and apple cider vinegar. Toss well to coat.

2. In a small bowl place all dry spice ingredients. Whisk well to combine. Slowly and evenly add dry spice mixture to the kale in the large mixing bowl, using your hands all the while to keep the mixture moving to evenly coat the greens.

3. For Dehydrator: Set dehydrator at 115 degrees. Place kale leaves on mesh sheets, allowing enough room for them to dry, not letting them overlap. Dehydrate up to 12 hours, until crispy and dry.

4. For Oven: Preheat oven to 350F. Place kale on lightly oiled or non-stick cookie sheets, making an even layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping once halfway through until crisp but not browned. Keep an eye on them as they can burn easily. Let cool and serve!

Read Full Post »

The Rising Sign: Your Social Persona

What is the rising sign?  Literally, it’s where the sun was rising at dawn on the day you were born–hence, it’s how you “dawn” on people. It’s your style, both relational and in your “look.”  The rising sign (also known as the ascendant) guards your inner world, protecting those more private parts of you known only to intimates. If you’re doing your rising sign consciously, you have poise, confidence and savoir faire.

Throughout a lifetime, the rising sign changes 3 or 4 times, giving you a social makeover.  If you were born with sensitive, protective Cancer rising, for example, at some point it will change to expressive, outgoing Leo rising.  At first this will feel like a really bad idea. It’s awkward.  Your clothing selection may not suit you anymore. Your behavioral style changes. Friends notice. Ask them what for their honest opinions:  “You love me. Do I look dumb in this outfit?”  or “Did what I just said make sense to you?”  The new Leo rising may want you to present yourself with more flair and color.  When an edgy, passionate Aries rising moves into earthy, sensual Taurus rising, it’s natural to slow down and adopt a simpler, more comfortable style. Once you’ve adjusted to a rising sign change, you discover a new set of needs which correspond with boththe new sign and the planet that rules it.

Want to know more about your own rising sign?  Or what it’s changed to now? Call for anappointment.  Sliding scale pricing available.

Read Full Post »