As a writer and explorer of the inner life, astrology has always fed the springs of my imagination. Like a kind of symbolic almanac, astrology marks the rhythmic ebb and flow of time as it unfolds through the solstices and equinoxes, the phases of the Moon, and the rising and setting of the planets. It reconnects us to that cosmic grid that once organized Old World cultures, synchronizing their religious festivals, planting and daily lives with the heavens. This archaic memory lives within us, stirred awake by the stars above.
It is from the changing cycles of nature that astrology draws one of its key principles: the wisdom of timing. Observing the planets as they make their rounds through the sky teaches that life doesn’t always unfold according to our personal will. Instead, a deeper process weaving its own design seems to be at work behind our lives.
One astrological cycle that I watch closely in this regard is Mercury Retrograde. Indeed, if you haven’t already heard about it, we’re midway through a cycle that began on April 18th, and will end on May 11th, gradually waning in effect until the end of the month.
To those who may be new to this increasingly talked-about phenomenon, let me explain. Three or four times a year, for a period of approximately three weeks, the planet Mercury appears to slow down, reverse direction, and retrace a section of its path around the Sun. It then shifts forward, moving “direct” until it returns to its original starting point. Mercury doesn’t actually stop in the Heavens and go backward–it just appears that way to those on Earth who are observing its motions.
As Mercury is said to rule commerce, travel and all forms of communication, astrologers warn that its reversal can trigger setbacks, misunderstandings and “out-of-the-blue” events. A recent, dramatic example is the eruption of the Icelandic volcano days before Mercury turned retrograde, and that wreaked havoc for travelers and the aviation industry. For this reason, astrologers caution against making major decisions or initiating new ventures during this period of uncertainty. Most advise that this is a good time to undertake anything with the prefix re: redo, review, retreat and reflect.
In our relentlessly forwarding moving culture, of course, such advice goes against the grain. Even despite its growing popularity, Mercury retrograde has earned a bad rap as one of the worst times of the year, when anything can go wrong or fall apart. This is a symptom, I think, of our imbalanced way of life in which delays and obstructions are seen as the work of the devil—when it’s more likely, as Carl Jung said, that “All haste is of the devil.” In fact, I think it’s hardly an accident that Mercury retrograde has become part of the zeitgeist: it’s exactly the antidote we need for our time-impoverished, speed-addicted society.
We have the slow food movement. So why not take time to “slow down with the stars”? Allowing three-week “time-outs” several times a year to take life at an easier pace may be one way of realigning ourselves with what really matters. Would it be such a sin if we took advantage of this astrologically timed opportunity to play more, garden, go on retreat, journal, or simply stop pushing the envelope? Rather than give in to frustration when my electricity suddenly went out several days ago, for example, I spent a pleasant morning chatting with neighbors over coffee at my local convenience store, then reading the newspaper from cover to cover.
There is great foresight, as well, in the cautionary advice astrologers issue around the retrograde cycles. To deliberate over our actions deepens us philosophically and broadens our perspective, revealing the bigger picture behind our everyday lives. One commonplace about Mercury retrograde is that by the end of the cycle, our problems often look quite different from how they appeared at the beginning—yet another reason for adopting a “wait and see attitude.”
In myth, Mercury was frequently portrayed as the “messenger” who shuttled between heaven and earth. Depicted by his winged cap and staff, this ancient god of wayfarers reminds us that life is a journey toward meaning. Guided by this winged messenger, perhaps we can learn to slow down enough to trust the process of life as it unfolds through unexpected twists and unpredictable turns. Mercury retrograde reminds us that without losing our way we might never discover the right path. Retracing our steps along with Mercury, we might also unlock the door to the secret mysteries of time and patience–mysteries that our own modern-day culture has ignored at the expense of our psychological, spiritual and physical well-being.
How do you know who you are? Likely, you add up all the events in your life that you can remember and this helps your form your sense of self or your identity. These moments in your personal history, whether glorious or terrible, are touchstones that you can’t forget. They’ve left an impact–they won’t be forgotten–and when you write an autobiography of yourself, these moments will inevitably be recorded.
Successful people, those people with robust senses of self-worth, remember the good, the diamonds, not the bad and the lumps of coal. They don’t dwell on painful and embarrassing episodes from their past. They wouldn’t even consider allowing these moments to define their identity. The trouble is that the further you go back in your past, the greater the chances are that who you were, or your “remembered” identity, doesn’t match up with who you are. The world is full of people who were incredibly popular and successful–in high school. What’s sadder than the adult who “peaked in high school.”
Then there are those people who made mistakes in their past, but those errors do not necessarily pinpoint with any accuracy who they are now.
Years ago, I had the following conversation with one of my more self-effacing clients. I asked this man, with amazing achievements, to give me a list of his positives and negatives as an executive. Here’s what he told me:
“Well, I’m not very good at follow up,” he said.
“How do you know that?” I asked.
“My biggest screw-ups in business occurred when I didn’t pay attention to my customers,” he said. “I didn’t check up on them as much as they’d like. I didn’t return phone calls promptly. I didn’t always do what I promised to do, at least not in the timely manner they expected. And sometimes I lost customers because of that.”
I took a moment to look at the feedback I had been gathering about this man from his direct reports and colleagues. He was a capable leader, with several thousand employees under his command. He had a few behavioral issues that needed to be dealt with, but “bad at follow up” was not on the list.
“When was the last time a customer gave you negative feedback for poor follow up?” I asked.
“It’s been a while, at least ten years.”
“Then why do you still insist you’re bad at it?” I asked.
“I guess that I always remembered being told that.” He laughed.
This is where remembered identity can cheat us in the moment. While there’s nothing wrong with looking back to the past to sort out your strengths and weaknesses. There is something wrong with holding onto the past and creating a picture of yourself that is someone who doesn’t exist anymore.
This article can be found at http://www.history.com/topics/nostradamus
Born in 1503, this French astrologer and physician published collections of prophecies that earned him fame and a loyal following during his lifetime. In the centuries since his death, people have credited him with accurately predicting pivotal events in history, from the French Revolution to the rise of Adolf Hitler to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. According to Nostradamus, the world is slated to end in the year 3797.
Biography
Nostradamus began his medical practice in Agen in 1529 and moved to Salon in 1544, where he gained renown for his innovative medicine and treatment during outbreaks of the plague at Aix and Lyon in 1546–47. He began making prophecies about 1547, which he published in 1555 in a book entitled Centuries. The work consisted of rhymed quatrains grouped in hundreds, each set of 100 called a century. Astrology was then at a peak, and an enlarged second edition, dedicated to the French king, appeared in 1558.
Some of his prophecies appeared to be fulfilled, and his fame became so widespread that he was invited to the court of Catherine de Médicis, queen consort of Henry II of France, where he cast the horoscopes of her children. He was appointed physician-in-ordinary by Charles IX when Charles became king in 1560. The subject of many commentaries, Nostradamus’ prophecies were condemned in 1781 by the Congregation of the Index, the body set up by the Roman Catholic church for the examination of books and manuscripts. Because of their cryptic style and content—commingling French, Spanish, Latin, and Hebrew words—the prophecies have continued to create much controversy. Some of them are thought to have foretold actual historical events that have occurred since Nostradamus’ time, including certain details of the French Revolution of the 18th century. Others, having no apparent meaning, are said to foretell events that have not yet occurred.
—Nostradamus treated plague victims with pills he made from rose petals. He instructed patients to keep the pills under their tongues at all times and also claimed the rose remedy helped fight bad breath and tooth decay.
—In addition to astrology and medicine, Nostradamus knew his way around a kitchen. In 1555, he published a book of recipes for cosmetics, perfumes and fruit preservatives.
—Nostradamus predicted the world will end in 3797.
—While living in Salon in the 1550s, Nostradamus invested heavily in an ambitious canal project designed by engineer Adam de Craponne to bring an irrigation system to the arid region. The canal was a success and still stands today.
—In late 1561, Nostradamus was arrested and briefly detained for failing to obtain proper permission from the authorities to publish his 1562 almanac.
—According to legend, Nostradamus once encountered a young Franciscan monk herding pigs in Italy. To the surprise of onlookers, Nostradamus respectfully addressed the lowly monk as “Your Holiness.” In 1585, years after Nostradamus died, that monk, Felice Peretti, became Pope Sixtus V.
—Legend holds that Nostradamus was buried with a document containing the secrets to his prophecies. In 1700, officials in Salon decided to relocate his coffin to a more optimal location. In the process, they decided to look inside. No document was located; however, a medallion inscribed with “1700″ was reportedly found around Nostradamus’ skeleton, leading people to believe the prophet had correctly predicted the year his coffin would be opened.
—Although Nostradamus died in the middle of 1566, his 1567 almanac was published because he had the foresight to prepare it before his death.
—The house in Salon where Nostradamus lived with his second wife and their children still stands today and is open to the public as a museum. Every summer, the town holds a festival honoring its world-famous former resident.
Telling someone you love them for the first time — especially if they haven’t already said it — can be nerve wracking. In new relationships, it can often be difficult to tell if you’re really in love with this person or if you just think you are because you’re infatuated with them. The trick is to understand your true feelings and what those feelings actually mean to you. Once you’re clear about your feelings, only then should you share them with your partner. Here are some tips to help you do it with ease and confidence.
What Is Love?
First of all, let’s talk about what love is and what it isn’t. These are just my opinions and yours may differ.
To me:
Love is not a relationship status or a label.
Loving someone is accepting someone for who they are, not who they may become.
Love is not taken or earned; it is given freely without expectation of anything in return.
Being in love should feel freeing rather than restricting.
Love for another person means wanting them to be truly happy.
Love has no boundaries and no limits.
So, before you decide to say “I Love You,” make sure that you truly understand what love means to you. That way when you tell your partner that you love them, you can also tell them what that really means to you and open a dialog for them to discover what it means to them as well. Just keep in mind that it may mean something completely different to your partner and that’s OK. I’m sure you’ll find some common ground where you both feel comfortable.
Sharing Feelings Of Love
If you have special feelings for your partner — whether it’s true love or simply the joy of being around them — it can be a relief to share your feelings with your partner out loud. It’s also nice to know that someone else has special feelings for you, even if you haven’t spoken about your feelings first. While it can be scary to put your feelings out in the open like that without assurance that your partner feels the same way, I say go ahead and take the risk. Just don’t make a big production out of it.
The trick is to keep it casual and relaxed. Introduce the word “love” into your relationship gradually. Say things like “I love when you do that,” “I love the way I feel when we’re together,” or “I love being your girlfriend.” That way your partner will get used to hearing the word as it refers to your relationship — before you drop the big “I Love You”.
Do They Have To Say It Back?
Part of the awkwardness of saying “I Love You” to someone that they may feel pressured to say it back when they haven’t truly explored their feelings about you yet. It’s important to let your partner know that just because you’ve shared your feelings, it doesn’t mean they have to say “I love you” back or share their feelings at all until they are ready to do so.
Make it clear that you’re simply putting it out there. Most people hear “I love you” and think that now they have to be in a committed relationship and they’re chained down. Let your partner know that’s not the case — you’re not defining the relationship or discussing “where you stand” or trying to put a label on your relationship at all. You’re simply sharing your feelings. Nothing more. Nothing less. No Expectations.
Show Your Love
One of the best ways to let your partner know that you love them is to show them in addition to telling them. Or you can show them instead of telling them, if you’re really nervous that telling your partner that you love them out loud will make things too awkward.
Remember, actions do speak louder than words in most cases, so you can really make a statement if you just do little things that let them know you care. For some it’s a kind word or holding hands. For others it’s picking up their favorite snack when you’re at the store or bringing them coffee in morning. Find out how your partner likes to be loved and then do those things.
In the end, the choice of when and how you proclaim your love to your partner is up to you, but if you follow your heart and these simple tips, you’ll be able to express your feelings of love with ease and confidence.
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