September 2010

Posted on September 10, 2010 by stacey

Hello Everyone!

I am getting a lot of calls and questions pertaining to… “Will this ever change?” Well, yes, and, no. Life is truly an odyssey – a wonderful, exciting, maddening, frustrating, emotional, and beautiful journey. So, no – the emotional highs and lows, the shadow and light, guiding and illuminating our paths, will not change. What will change is this: As you travel,

and work with, and through, the obstacles of your chosen path(s) – the intensity with which you experience most obstacles; the way in which you address, and deal with, any given issue;

and the way in which it will impact you, will definitely change. You are on your spiritual, emotional path. As you have traveled along it, you have learned new and effective ways to address difficult situations. People appear along the way to help, in a variety of ways, if you allow it. Just remember to use discernment, and trust your heart and spirit.

We are almost at the end of Mercury Retrograde (it ends September 12th – for more information on Mercury Retrograde, and it’s effects, please visit Susan Miller’s website –

the links are below). During this retrograde, old scars, patterns, and issues have revisited many. This allows you to re-examine them, perhaps addressing some aspect that had previously been overlooked, or unable to be dealt with. This is a good thing, however uncomfortable it may be. It is timely. Hold up your light. Explore. And deal with that which was not previously dealt with. It is always more frightening to imagine what is in the dark, than to shine the light on it, and see who or what you are really dealing with. You are safe, and you can do it. Don’t forget that you are not the person that you were when the issue or situation first occurred, or came into your conscious awareness. Remember that this is your odyssey, not someone else’s. The journey is never over – it is about what piece of it you want to deal with today. So, enjoy it, and choose wisely. And if you make a mistake – forgive yourself, learn from it, and smile. Everyone makes mistakes – all the time.

Below you will find a variety of articles, writings, videos, links, and recommended books/authors that I thought were interesting and/or useful. As always, I am available to support you with your journey, and your well-being, in any way I can. Please don’t hesitate to contact me. Enjoy…

Love, Light & Blessings to You,

Stacey Osder
‘Omnasztra’

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Susan Miller’s Website:

has Mercury Retrograde Information, and more:

Susan Miller’s www.astrologyzone.com current trends

http://www.astrologyzone.com/forecasts/trends.html

Mercury Madness

http://www.astrologyzone.com/forecasts/mercury.html

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This month’s Whole Person Magazine, has a good article about the disappearance of honeybees. You can visit www.vanishingbees.com to find out more information about this phenomenon, and to see the trailer of the documentary film featured in the article. A client also sent me the YouTube video below (which I have included for your convenience). It is worth watching, and learning about.

The Vanishing of the Bees

This is a trailer for the documentary feature film – The Vanishing of the Bees.. For more information or to help support the making of this film visit www.vanishingbees.com.

(In case the video above does not work – the link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL-A8Apn1_s )

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Following are some videos that, in the words of a friend of mine, are wonderful, and actually mean something! :

http://personalgrowthcourses.net/video/what_matters_w_mitchell

http://personalgrowthcourses.net/video/challenge_day

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How To Forgive :

…

“Rather than hurt ourselves with bitterness, the best course of action is to simply forgive. Forgiveness is the ultimate reset button. Sadly, millions of people struggle with forgiveness, but it is because they don’t understand how to forgive.

The first thing you have to understand about forgiveness is that it has nothing to do with your emotions. You may feel the emotional pain of what that other person did to you till the day you die – it has nothing to do with forgiveness.

Second, forgiveness has nothing to do with erasing your memory. You may remember what that person did to you till the day you die. Forgiveness is simply this: a decision to let it go. The Greek word that translates to “forgiveness” is “aphieemi,” literally “to send off,” “to release,” or “to let go.” This means forgiveness is the act of sending away incidents that cause offense to brew in us. It means we can’t keep focusing on the wrong done to us. Forgiveness is an act. This is an example of forgiveness: “I forgive you. I will never use it against you in the future. I will never speak of it again to you or anyone else.”

When you forgive, you decide to release the person from his or her guilt, period. You may remember the offense repeatedly at first. That’s okay. The commitment to forgive a person is a commitment to “send away” the incident every time it reappears in your mind.

Once the apostle Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

That’s 490 times.

Luke, in his Gospel, adds the phrase “a day.” Imagine forgiving the same person 490 times a day! Truth is, it is pretty easy to get consumed by someone’s offense. When a person does something that really hurts you, you will naturally think about it over and over again. Practicing the principle of forgiving someone 490 times a day means every time you think about what that person did to you, you prayerfully give it to God. The choice to forgive means we keep forgiving. Over time you will find the incident losing strength.

You must also remember that forgiveness has more to do with your tongue than your head or your heart. If you’re still talking about what that person did to you, you haven’t forgiven him or her. You need to hush. You need to let it go. The good news is, God will help you do this.”

Excerpt from “Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage” (p. 271-273)

by Mark Gungor

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LIKABLE LINKS:

Spirituality & Health Magazine | The Soul/Body Connection:
www.spiritualityhealth.com

The online Self Improvement Community: www.selfgrowth.com

International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers: www.grandmotherscouncil.org

Care2 Make a Difference – Causes & News for people passionate about animal welfare, human rights, and the environment. Also has e-cards. : www.care2.com

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May 2010

Posted on May 10, 2010 by stacey

Greetings,

I hope you are doing well, and enjoying a plethora of peace, happiness, and balance.

I do not usually forward the type of information in this newsletter to my clients, but I felt that these three articles are important and/or of value to many. In this newsletter you will find: 1) A Sioux Prayer Request from Chief Arvol Looking Horse; 2) The closing of the Bodhi Tree; and 3) A thought provoking and insightful story. Feel free to forward this email…

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or inquiries.

Take good care,

Stacey Osder
‘Omnasztra’

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From : Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
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My Relatives,

Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together from the Spirit of your Nations in prayer. We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things. As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf.

The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make.

I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies.

I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth. As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc’i Maka).

We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on.

As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life.

So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children’s future and well-being, and the generations to come.

Onipikte (that we shall live),
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipel

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Bodhi Tree Bookstore Is Closing: Bad News for Buddhists

By Gendy Alimurung, Tuesday, Jan. 12 2010 @ 4:02PM

Bad news for Buddhists and others seeking enlightenment: the Bodhi Tree Bookstore is closing. Owners Phil Thompson and Stan Madson informed their staff last Wednesday that the cozy Melrose Avenue shop, a nationally renowned and much beloved spiritual center, will be shutting its doors in a year’s time.
After some eight months of discussion, Thompson and Madson decided to sell the property to a local business owner who leases space to several other nearby retailers. The Bodhi Tree opened in 1970. Land values in the area have risen dramatically since then. Meanwhile, the business of selling print books has been on a steady decline. For years, real estate agents had been circling the Bodhi Tree like vultures. In the end, selling the property became a much more profitable option than continuing to sell books.
Thompson and Madson started the bookstore when they were in their 30’s. They are now both in their early 70’s. They were aerospace engineers who left a life of science for one of contemplation and meditation.
“Twenty years ago we felt like it was an expanding situation,” says Madson. “We were concerned the store was getting too big. We had a staff of 100. Publishing was expanding. Spirituality was expanding. But what changed was that the market became widely dispersed.”
Books on Wicca and Astrology and Native American shamanism used to be tough to find. But now every Borders and Barnes & Noble carries a significant selection of religious, spiritual and New Age literature. And what can’t be bought at a bricks and mortar shop can undoubtedly be found online at Amazon. For cheap.
For the Bodhi Tree, the question of how much to grow became one of how long to hold on. Thompson and Madson built most of the wood shelves and fixtures in the store themselves. The floors creak. The walls are permeated with the smell of incense. Two chubby bookstore cats roam the aisles and pause to be petted by customers who call each kitty by name.
Thompson likes to think that the place has helped people who were lost, who were trying to discover who they really are, whether that be through Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. They both worry about what will happen to the community once the store is gone. Where will people go for spiritual solace?
“Perhaps a wealthy philosopher entrepreneur will come in to buy the store and keep it going,” says Thompson. “A sort of philosopher king. Or queen.”
In the absence of a deus ex machina, however, the Bodhi Tree’s fate seems sealed. “We thought we had more time,” says Madson.
www.laweekly.com

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X: A Fabulous Child’s Story

Louis Gould

(edited and paraphrased by Linda Thurston)

Once upon a time, a baby named X was born. This baby was named X so that nobody could tell whether it was a boy or a girl.

Long before Baby X was born, all the smartest scientist in the world worked out the details of the Official Instruction Manual for Baby X’s parents and, most important of all, to find the right set of parents to bring up Baby X.

These parents had to be selected very carefully. But, finally, the scientists found the Joneses, who really wanted to raise an X more than any other kind of baby—no matter how much trouble it would be. Ms. and Mr. Jones had to promise they would take equal turns caring for X, and feeding it, and singing it lullabies.

The day the Joneses brought their baby home, lots of friends and relatives came over to see it. So the first thing they asked was what kind of a baby X was. When the Joneses smiled and said, “It’s an X!” nobody knew what to say. They couldn’t say, “Look at her cute little dimples!” And they couldn’t say, “Look at his husky little biceps!” They didn’t know how to play with the baby or what to say to it.

Ms. And Mr. Jones had to be Xtra careful about how they played with little X. They knew that if they

kept bouncing it up in the air and saying how strong and active it was, they’d be treating it more like a boy than an X. But if all they did was cuddle it and kiss it and tell it how sweet and dainty it was, they’d be treating it more like a girl than an X. The Official Instruction Manual said “plenty of bouncing and plenty of cuddling, both. X ought to be strong and sweet and active.

On his first shopping trip, Mr. Jones told the store clerk, “I need some clothes and toys for my new baby.” The clerk smiled and said, “Well, now, is it a boy or a girl?” “It’s an X,” Mr. Jones said, smiling back. But the clerk couldn’t help. Everything in the store was in sections marked “Boys” or “Girls.” There were “Boys’ Pajamas” and “Girls’ Underwear” and “Boys’ Fire Engines” and “Girls’ Tea Sets.” Mr. Jones remembered that the Official Instruction Manual said “Buy plenty of everything!”

So they bought plenty of fluffy pink pajamas in the Girls’ Department and Spiderman underwear in the Boys’ Department. And they bought all kinds of toys. Tractors and trucks and a girl doll that talked in three languages and said, “I am the Pres-i-dent of Gen-er-al Mo-tors.”

The Manual said, “Never make Baby X feel embarrassed or ashamed about what it wants to play with. And if X gets dirty climbing rocks, never say Nice little Xes don’t get dirty climbing rocks. Likewise”, it said, “if X falls down and cries, never say ‘Brave little Xes don’t cry.’ Because of course, nice little Xes do get dirty, and brave little Xes do cry.”

Then it was time for X to start school. The Joneses were really worried about this, because school was even more full of rules for boys and girls, and there were no rules for Xes. The teacher would tell boys to form one line, and girls to form another line. There would be boys’ games and girls’ games, and boys’ secrets and girls’ secrets. The school library would have a list of recommended books for girls, and a different list of recommended books for boys. There would even be a bathroom marked BOYS and another one marked GIRLS. Pretty soon boys and girls would hardly talk to each other. What would happen to poor little X?

The scientists had to make sure that X’s mother had taught X how to throw and catch a ball properly, and that X’s father had seen sure to teach X what to serve at a doll’s tea party. Finally, X was ready. The Joneses helped X button on a nice new pair of red-and-white checked overalls, and sharpened six pencils for X’s nice new pencilbox, and its nice new bookbag.

The Joneses had asked X’s teacher if the class could line up alphabetically, instead of forming separate lines for boys and girls. And they had asked if X could use the principal’s bathroom, because it wasn’t marked anything except BATHROOM. X’s teacher promised to take care of all those problems. But nobody could help X with the biggest problem of all— Other Children.

They couldn’t tell what X was by its clothes or haircut. And it was very hard to tell by the games X liked to play. Either X played ball very well for a girl or played house very well for a boy.

Some of the children tried to find out by asking X tricky questions. Like it’s favorite book, which was Lassie. When X said that its favorite toy was a doll, everyone decided that X must be a girl. But then X said that the doll was really a robot, and that X had computerized it, and that it was programmed to bake fudge brownies and then clean up the kitchen. After X told them that, the other children gave up guessing what X was. All they knew was they’d sure like to see X’s doll.

There was a seven-letter-word spelling bee in class that day. And a seven-lap boys’ relay race in the gym. And a seven-layer-cake baking contest in the girls’ kitchen corner. X won the spelling bee. X also won the relay race. And X almost won the baking contest, except it forgot to light the oven.

The Other Children noticed something else, too. X seemed to have fun being good at boys’ skills and girls’ skills. “Maybe X is having twice as much fun as we are!”, they said.

From then on, some really funny things began to happen. Susie, who sat next to X in class, suddenly refused to wear pink dresses to school anymore. She insisted on wearing read-and-white checked overalls—just like X’s. Overalls, she told her parents, were much better for climbing monkey bars.

Susie’s parents were horrified by her behavior. But the worst came when the twins, Joe and Peggy, decided to share everything with each other. Peggy used Joe’s hockey skates, and his microscope, and took half his newspaper route. Joe used Peggy’s needlepoint kit, and her cookbooks, and took two of her three baby-sitting jobs.

Their parents weren’t one bit pleased with Peggy’s wonderful biology experiments, or with Joe’s terrific needlepoint pillows. In fact, they were furious. It’s all that little X’s fault, they agreed. Just because X doesn’t know what it is, or what it’s supposed to be, it wants to get everybody else mixed up, too!

But the other children wanted to have twice the fun like X. So they were mixed up and happy and free, and refused to go back to the way they’d been before X.

Finally, the parents decided to call an emergency meeting of the school’s Parents’ Association, to discuss “The X Problem.” They demanded immediate action. The Joneses, they said, should be forced to tell whether X was a boy or a girl. And then X should be forced to behave like whichever it was.

The principal was very upset. Disruptive influence? Mixed-up misfit? But X was an Xcellent student. All the teachers said it was a delight to have X in their class. X was a very good student. X had won first prize in the talent show, and second prize in the art show, and honorable mention in the science fair, and six athletic events on field day.

Nevertheless, insisted the Parents’ Association, X was the Biggest Problem Child they had ever seen!

So the principal reluctantly notified X’s parents that numerous complaints about X’s behavior had come to the school’s attention. And that an Xamination by the school psychologist was requested. Then the school would decide what to do about X.

All through the examination, you could hear the psychologist’s low voice, asking hundreds of questions, and X’s higher voice, answering hundreds of answers. At last, the door opened.

Wiping his eyes and clearing his throat, the psychologist began: “In my opinion,” he said, “in my opinion, young X here is just about the least mixed-up child I’ve ever Xamined!”

The Parents’ Committee was angry and bewildered. Didn’t X have an identity problem? Wasn’t X mixed up at all? Wasn’t X any kind of misfit? How could it not be, when it didn’t even know to act like either a boy or a girl?

The psychologist whispered to X’s parents. “If I ever have an X of my own,” he whispered, “I sure hope you’ll lend me your instruction manual.”

Later that day, all X’s friends put on their red-and-white checked overalls and went over to see X. They found X in the back yard, playing with a very tiny baby that none of then had ever seen before. The baby was wearing very tiny red-and-white checked overalls.

“How do you like our new baby?” X asked the Other Children proudly.

“It’s got cute dimples,” said Jim.

“It’s got husky biceps, too,” said Susie.

“What kind of baby is it?” asked Joe and Peggy.

“Can’t you tell?” said X with a big, grin. “It’s a Y!”

http://coe.k-state.edu/about/download/profdev/X%20story.pdf

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December 2009

Posted on December 10, 2009 by stacey

Happy Winter Solstice Everyone!

This is a time of transformation, and movement (finally! I know some of you are breathing a sigh of hope and relief). It has been a long, and sometimes difficult, journey to this point… so many have been waiting, some avoiding, most doing their best to understand and transform any issues, scars, and obstacles. You have been working hard, and if you have not already begun to see positive results – you will soon. We have stepped through a doorway, and the future is different – it is brighter, a bit easier. The changes may be subtle, or dramatic, but they will be there. As always, I am here to help you if you need me.

There are a few things I want to share with you…

~~ First is a wonderful, short video from Humanity Healing (www.humanityhealing.org). I stumbled across it, loved it, and thought it a beautiful way to honor you, the solstice, and the transition to the new year. The name of the video is “Intention: Aware & Awake”, the url is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFPDrBCXnE

~~ Pepper Lewis offers an inspiring and informative article (“Making the Most of Your Spiritual Toolbox”) at: http://www.thepeacefulplanet.com/library/toolbox.php

~~ Many of you ask me about meditation, and about the energy of different stones.

~ For a ton of information on meditation, visit: http://www.meditationiseasy.com/index.htm

~ Heaven and Earth Jewelry offers the metaphysical properties of many stones at:

http://heavenandearthjewelry.com/ecommerce/control/category/~category_id=metaproperties/~pcategory=resources

I wish each and every one of you a brilliant 2010!!

In Love, Light & Peace,

Stacey Osder
‘Omnasztra’

September 2009

Posted on September 10, 2009 by stacey

Hello Everyone!

I hope this email finds you safe, peaceful, and enjoying your summer. There has been quite a bit of planetary action these last few months – eclipses, retrogrades, and so much more. I am by no means a planetary expert so I always appreciate it when I come across information that is informative yet easy to understand. I recently read two such articles explaining some of these current influences, and I wanted to share them with you.

As always, I am available to support you with your journey, and your well-being, in any way I can. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of service to you.

Following are the articles, and a link to a beautiful video on You Tube – “The Om” .

Enjoy…

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Excerpt from Cynthia Killion’s September Newsletter

(www.cynthiakillion.com) :

“We do have a couple of significant astrological & energy shifts happening this month. The first is Mercury Retrograde on the 6^th (or 7^th…depending on which time zone you live in). The second major shift is Pluto stationing & going direct on September 11^th.

I realize that if you’re not a professional astrologer (or at least a serious student of the subject), all this talk of “stationing” & “retrogrades” might sound like goobley-gook at worst, or a foreign language at best. I understand. Which is why I like to try to put it into plain & simple words, for those who don’t speak “astrologeuse” (smile).

Let’s take Mercury Retrograde first. This is what is happening from about September 6^th through September 29^th. “Retrograde” means “appearing to move backwards from the earth’s vantage point”. When a planet or heavenly body retrogrades, it usually means disruption, breakdown, challenges, problems, or reversal in the energies or areas of life that are “ruled” by that particular planet.

Mercury is said to “rule” communications, transportation, technology, travel (especially travel by car), contracts, commerce, business, the mind, mental processes, and the intellect. It is the rational, thinking mind, as well as all the countless day-to-day decisions we make involving the rational, thinking, mind. So when Mercury goes retrograde, the rational thinking mind doesn’t really work all that well, or at least, it’s not as effective as it usually is. Also, the “usual order” of things seems to break down. Things often just don’t turn out or work they way they are “supposed” to during this time. Even though you try to “cover all your bases” and make the “best laid plans”, things seem to change and morph at the last minute in spite of your best intentions.

Can you see how Mercury going retrograde might have potentially negative effects on the day-to-day operations of life? Of course, it’s only “negative” if you’re expecting things to flow as they quote-unquote “normally” do. But if you’re aware that communication could get fuddled, that travels slows down, and that plans must frequently get re-arranged during this time, then you’re not as likely to get so “bent out of shape” by what happens during Mercury retrograde.

How to survive (and thrive) during Mercury Retrograde in a nutshell…. Be flexible, fluid, and intuitive. Avoid making decisions only with your rational mind, as the rational mind isn’t very effective on its own right now (is it truly ever?). This is a good time for introversion, reflection, and meditation. Avoid starting anything new, unless it involves spiritual contemplation & meditation or you have been thinking about doing it for sometime. Of course, you can’t shut down your entire life or all activity just because Mercury is retrograde for 3 weeks. Listen to your heart, and you will know when it is right to act, and when it is better to hold back.

Mercury retrograde is good for activities that start with the pre-fix “re”…redo, redecorate, renew, resubscribe, reflect, rework, refocus, replenish, restart, renegotiate, relearn, remove, remind, reignite, reinspire, rethink, review, return, revisit, and so forth.

Pluto Direct. Enough about Mercury….let’s talk Pluto already. I feel kind of sorry for Pluto really, because after all, he was recently demoted to being just a “dwarf planet”. I think this is complete BS, because anyone who has followed the movements of Pluto knows that, while Pluto may be tiny, perhaps even subtle, the effects He has on our lives can be quite POWERFUL, even traumatic, shocking, or at least, cathartic.

Pluto spends a lot of time in retrograde each year (about 6 months). Now it is turning back “direct” on the 11^th. In this case, “direct” means that it will now appear to be moving forward from the earth’s vantage point. (This is the opposite of retrograde.) In other words, its orbit will look normal again. When a planet goes “direct“, it represents a time where the areas of life that it symbolizes can finally resume normally activity and begin to flow smoothly again. Except, it usually takes a little while for everything to get back to normal, especially when we are dealing with a slower moving body like Pluto, which takes about 248 years to go around the zodiac (contrast that with the Sun, which only takes a year!).

Pluto “rules” a lot of different areas in life, including transformation, regeneration, and the will. Pluto has just entered Capricorn, where it will remain for over a decade. Capricorn is associated with structure, responsibility, maturity, spiritual mastery, career, business, world governments & institutions.

With Pluto going direct, you might find your sense of self-empowerment and direction increasing, especially as it relates to your missing, calling, or any other area in life where you feel “pushed” to take on additional responsibility. Probably you will feel encouraged & empowered to look at new ways of earning income or becoming more serious about your mission in the world.

For the last 6 months or so, all of us have been experiencing a kind of deep-level inner transformation. Now, with Pluto going direct in Capricorn (a very material-world kind of sign), it is time to manifest some of this internal transformation into the “outer” world and make change in practical, real-world level ways. It’s also time to begin understanding & owning your own power to shape and create your own reality. You may not be the only force in your world, but you are certainly an important one. You have the power—and the responsibility—to change limiting situations in your life, by changing your thoughts, feelings, and most important of all—your actions. In other words, if you want something done, then be willing to get it done, and also be willing to let it be done.

Finally, Pluto going direct may symbolize a time of endings and deep physical & emotional “purging” followed by a time of renewal & rebirth. In fact, I would say with Mercury going retrograde, and Pluto going direct, that it is an excellent time to RENEW in any are of your life that has become stagnant, and to experience spiritual REBIRTH.”

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Excerpt from Maria Shaw’s Newsletter (September 2009):

“Leo Energy – Mars/Saturn/Jupiter/Sun/Uranus

“The Unveiling”

It is in the best interests of the Universe if you can keep calm, cool and collected during these times. On the way to you is the important date of 09/09/09!!!

I can’t emphasize enough about this date. Leading up to it and even after it could be days and nights of stress, confusion and upsetting events. Not just to you, but to the community, city, state, country you Live in. These are the times that try Men’s Souls.

The planet Mars is interacting with several planets at this time….

The planet Mars, the planet of action, sometimes aggressive action, is here squaring off with the planet Saturn. Saturn is the planet of seriousness and responsibility. Even if you are a good con artist or talker, it will be hard to get out of a situation you have found yourself in.

Someone or something in your world makes it clear that you need to stop what you are doing. Don’t let it get to you. Sometimes you try and try and try, and things still don’t work out the way you want.

It is simply a time to plan a little more carefully. This is the time to be informed. If you need to, see a professional. A counselor, a lawyer, a doctor. Sometimes you have to go to the pros to find out the facts. Hard work is here. If there are delays in getting what you want, that may be a good thing in the long run. If you think you are going to get off easy, look out!!

If you want to keep your job, if you want to make an impression on your boss, if you want to get ahead, you can’t sit and pout now. The best things in Life don’t always come easily. Sometimes you have to work for something worthwhile. If you have to search, work, toil, sweat, worry a little, go to bat for someone, have a full plate right now, guess what??

Join the majority of the people on this planet! There are those out there, who feel deep in their Heart that the world owes them. They feel that someone else can do the hard work.

They are used to someone else taking care of them. For some reason, they made a choice early in Life never to grow up. You may wake up someday and find the world has passed you by.

You Live in a different paradigm now. Getting by on your looks won’t work. Well, maybe for a little while.LOL. Seriously, it is time to step up to the plate and be counted!

Mars also is meeting up with the planet Jupiter. It is time to clean out the clutter in your Life.

You will have plenty of Energy to do this. It is a time of growth and expansion. Moving forward is a good idea before the Mercury Retrograde that will hit you next month. Confidence is a good thing now. Try something that will give your self esteem a boost.

Mars is very active now and interacts with the planet Uranus too. This planet is in Retrograde until December 1. Uranus, the planet of the unexpected is going to make you feel restless.

As mentioned above, you may have road blocks or delays and forced to reconsider what you were doing. Now, is a good time to see what changes need to happen in order to make your Life better. To hold onto something or to let it go may be a decision you have to make.

Maybe it is better to hold onto something and just a wait it out. Energies may change within a month, week or even days. Don’t give up!

Finally, the Sun meets up with Jupiter. The Sun represents the self or you. Jupiter is the planet of growth and expansion. Where are you now? Are you where you want to be? Is it time to make more money? Is it time to save? Is it time to spend? Is it time to invest in your future? Is it time to move on in a relationship? Jupiter is still in Retrograde and wants you to look at things that did or did not turn out the way you thought they would.

Maybe new ideas are perking in your brain, ideas you never thought of before. Jupiter turns direct on October 12th. So now is a good time to plan.

My Message for the Now is how to prepare for the future with the new Energies coming in the next weeks and months. I use the words “The Unveiling” because in a way you are becoming more aware, more conscious, more knowledgeable of the Energy around you.

While changes take place, it is important for you to be able to handle them.

This is not the time to become FEAR BASED, EMOTIONAL, WITH A BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES MENTALITY! It is about business, authority, and responsibility. It is about home, family, nurturing, contentment and security.

This is a time to think first, react second. This is a time to be more analytical, not to plod through without planning. This is a time to be spend less, save more. Here are some ways to cope:

1. YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS TIME: This is a time of the new and unexplored territory. You may be asked to do something you have never done before. The Earth is changing, the economy is changing, the environment is changing. You may be afraid of health epidemics.

You are alive now. You were born at the right time. You are here to learn the lessons and have the experiences of the new. For whatever reason, you are here to serve your Soul’s purpose. Every Soul has a part to play in the changes happening on Earth now. That includes you.

2. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE CRAZIES: It is a time of social networking. That is a good thing. There are those who will take advantage of it. You can choose to be in the now, living the best Life you can, or you can go to the dark. You can be part of something that is all smoke and mirrors. All illusion. You can be part of hysteria. Even though you may be tempted, try to take breaks from Facebook, Twitter, texting, emails, cell phones. Every once in a while try to take a break and just sit under a tree, or sit by the ocean.

3. MAKE YOUR OWN LIGHT: You are all Lightworkers, bathed in Light by God. Each person has his/her own aura or Energy field. Your persona follows you wherever you go. You make this journey alone, believe it or not. You can be surrounded by people, but the ultimate person you have to deal with everyday is yourself. Your Light is important. Your relationship with a higher power or God is important. It is time to Trust in your own Life, and the God in your Life.
4. IT IS NOT JUST YOU: There is a growing gap between the main channel and what is happening in your Life. Some things just seem out of the Twilight Zone. It can be confusing to watch TV, the Internet, listen to the radio, etc., and not wonder what is going on in the world? You can feel panic attacks, and fear when you hear about all the craziness. If you can keep centered, and not absorb all of this, that will be good. There may be surprises about your place on this planet. If you are suddenly seeing the world differently, you are not alone. Millions of people feel just like you.

5. EMBRACE THE UNKNOWN: As the old and familiar are taken away, you may feel like the unknown is scary. It is a time of being stuck, in limbo. Not always bad. You are in a transition, waiting for the next chapter to start. Anything can happen. Thoughts can manifest into reality. If you are a client of mine, you will understand that Karma can be completed now. This is a great time to let Karma go in your Life. You may have more Karma in the future, but now is a good time to complete negative Karma.

6. BE PRESENT IN THE NOW: This is a mantra I talk about everyday. Do not give up hope. Know that a dramatic shift in your thinking may happen. If doors are closing in one place, look for where doors are opening in another place. You will see coincidences, signs and get Messages to lead you where you are supposed to be. Please don’t shut out any opportunities. You may feel more free. Maybe losing something you were used to, will eventually be liberating.

More to be revealed on the changes coming. Be strong, be real, try to Live in the Now.

The veil is moving away. Things will be shown to you. Don’t be afraid.

This was sent to me by a radio listener of mine and I would like to extend credit to the writer Marylou Chapman. I couldn’t have said this better! “

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You Tube – “The Om”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ofPdEgsoQ

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Love, Light & Blessings to You,

Stacey Osder
‘Omnasztra’

October 2008

Posted on October 10, 2008 by stacey

Greetings Everyone!

I hope that each and every one of you are doing well. It has been awhile since I have written – I have been meaning to, but you know how that is!.. These are exciting times we are living in, aren’t they!? Difficult – yes, but extremely exciting as well, on so many levels. It seems an appropriate time to share a few different things with you (see below). Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions, need further information, or are in need of my services.

As always, it is a pleasure, and an honor, working with you. Thank you for all the referrals.

Many Bright, Beautiful & Peaceful Blessings,

Stacey Osder
‘Omnasztra’

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Many of you are on prescribed medications, dealing with increasing health costs, etc. Following are two websites you may find helpful to obtain free and/or low cost prescriptions. They are both great programs, and provide in-depth information on the websites.

www.freemedicinefoundation.com (Montel Williams publicized)

www.walgreens.com (Walgreens Prescription Savings Club)

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I receive many questions regarding the “energy” of our times, astrology, and planetary influences. Following are three of my favorite websites addressing these subjects:

www.whatuponplanetearth.com (energy alerts, which you can sign up to receive, are always informative)

www.moonsurfing.com (email alerts are available for moon phases, and their influences)

www.astrologyzone.com (astrology information, including monthly forecasts)

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A good article on silence, and its benefits:

THE BENEFITS OF SILENCE
By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

In the August issue of “Ode” magazine, Tijn Touber wrote, “Being silent means more than just holding your tongue. It means listening for the softest, most subtle sound of all—the sound of the soul.”

Last April, I was forced to keep vocally silent for a week after minor surgery on my vocal chords. Among the benefits I derived from not talking aloud (not even a whisper), was my penmanship dramatically improved. The notes I wrote to my wife were at least legible. The experience of not speaking allowed me the opportunity to identify some other benefits of silence. Here are some of them.

Verbal silence invites you to become mentally silent as well. Thinking has been defined as non-verbal language. One of the first exercises in learning how to meditate is to slow down (or completely stop) the mental activity called the “monkey mind.” Like a monkey in a cage, our thoughts usually jump from topic to topic in a rapid and endless motion. By not speaking, you can more easily learn to control the speed of your “monkey mind” and that allows your mind more easily to become silent…the necessary step for effective meditation.

When you do not talk, you become more sensitive to your external environment. After a week of silence, Tijn Touber exclaimed, “Never before had I felt such intense contact with everything around me—precisely because I hadn’t uttered a word. It was as if all my senses were wide open…”

Not only do you become more attune to your external environment, you also begin to focus more clearly on your internal environment. When you can’t verbally respond to the world outside your skin, you become
more aware of what is going on inside: every little discomfort; your breathing pattern; your pulse and heartbeat; your digestive sounds; etc.

Many times, using words can serve as a defensive “smoke-screen.” We all know people who speak incessantly, never letting you “get a word in edgewise.” They are constantly talking to protect themselves from being vulnerable to any responses from others. Their need to talk keeps them from receiving any responses from others. Other people very much appreciate it when the talker goes silent. It allows them
the opportunity to share their feelings and ideas.

When you are silent, it invites others the opportunity to be silent too. Religious orders know very well the benefit of “keeping the rule of silence.” When it is okay, even encouraged to be silent, that silence is never interpreted as negative or hostile (the “silent treatment”). It makes silence a comfort and a respite from the noise of every day living.

Internal silence enhances your ability to listen fully. When you don’t feel compelled to talk, you are able to be fully present, focused on what others may be saying. We all know the value of really listening without mentally composing and rehearsing a reply. Fully listening to another validates that what s/he is saying is important to you.

Italian psychiatrist, Piero Ferrucci, believes that silent contemplation is a human necessity. In the same “Ode” magazine, he compares it to the necessity of “going to the bathroom.” “But we deny this basic, physiological need—as if the entire society were to forget to go to the bathroom. That’s serious!”

The “ecoactivist,” John Francis writes: “Silence is not just not talking. It’s a void. It’s a place where all things come from. All voices, all creation comes out of this silence.” Perhaps Tijn Touber is right. When you are both internally and externally silent, you are ready to listen to the sound of your soul.

Don’t wait until you have vocal-chord surgery. Regularly, take some time to stop talking aloud AND internally. You may be surprised at what you can learn about the world around you…and your soul.

+++++++
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and Licensed Psychologist. He is available for coaching in any area presented in “Practical Psychology.” Initial coaching sessions are
free. Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or E-mail: DrLloyd@CreatingLeaders.com or LJTDAT@aol.com.
Dr. Thomas is a licensed psychologist, author, speaker, and life coach. He serves on the faculty of the International University of Professional Studies. He recently co-authored (with Patrick Williams)
the book: “Total Life Coaching: 50+ Life Lessons, Skills and Techniques for Enhancing Your Practice…and Your Life!” (W.W. Norton 2005) It is available at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com.
If you found the above column useful, feel free to share it with friends. If you are interested in your personal spiritual growth, I believe this is the best site on the Internet.
To subscribe yourself to Practical Psychology, click on the following line (or copy and paste the address below into your web browser): http://lists.webvalence.com/listmgr/subscribe?lists=practicalpsychology
Upon subscribing, you will receive Practical Psychology approximately once a week.
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D., 3421 Polk Circle West, Wellington, CO 80549
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This is just a wonderful story. I had forgotten about it, and came across it again recently. Enjoy..

A Water Bearer in India Had Two Large Pots

“A water bearer in India had two large pots,
each hung on either end of a pole
which he carried across his neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it,
and while the other pot was perfect and
always delivered a full portion of water
at the end of the long walk
from the stream to the master’s house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily,
with the bearer delivering only one and a half
pots full of water to his master’s house.
The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments,
but the cracked pot was miserable,
ashamed that it was able to accomplish
only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure,
the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer one day
by the stream.
“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”
“Why? What are you ashamed of?” asked the bearer.
“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load
because this crack in my side causes water to leak
out all the way back to your master’s house.
Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work,
and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.
The water bearer felt compassion and said,
“As we return to the master’s house, I want
you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill,
the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming
many beautiful wild flowers on the side
of the path, and this cheered it some.
But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because
it had leaked out half its load, and so again it
apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there
were flowers only on your side of
the path, but not on the other pot’s side?
That is because I have always known about
your crack. Accepting what was given to me,
I planted flower seeds on your side of the path,
and every day while we walk back from the stream,
you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to
pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table.
Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this
beauty to grace his house.”

Author Unknown

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