Book Review: Married to Bhutan

Would you like to experience some slow living, trek through the Himalayas or learn about the history and culture of a distant and ancient land, all from the comfort and convenience of your favorite reading spot? “Married to Bhutan” might just be your passport. In the book’s 200 plus pages author Linda Leaming gives vivid descriptions of Bhutan’s remote, unspoiled terrain, detailed accounts of the colorful characters who have shaped its long history and her perspective on the possible benefits to Westerner’s of the nation’s decidedly slower pace of life. And she marries a local artist and they adopt a child.

In “Married to Bhutan” we learn that Leaming first journeyed to Bhutan in 1994, and we then follow her 10-year odyssey through moving to and living there. We are given a glimpse into a very different way of life than our own. Leaming compares and contrasts the cultures and argues the advantages of the less hurried and stressed out one. Her writing gives one ample reason to stop and ponder what our incessant rush is ultimately about as well as our relative contentment. Bhutan is, after all, the nation famous for measuring Gross National Happiness rather than product. While most of us will not make the colossal voyage to the country, which is located between China and India, “Married to Bhutan” certainly opens our eyes, ears and minds to a land rich in tradition, pristine scenery and a unique way of life.

In the interest of full disclosure, Hay House publishing provided me with my copy of this book as I regularly blog for them.

Sun into Taurus 2011: Dream it, Build It

   When the Sun moves into Taurus on April 20th, the grounded, patient energy that astrology's bull is famous for may be in short supply.  At that time, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will be in high spirits as they continue their lively foray through bold, fiery Aries.  While many like to think of Venus as a gentle, loving energy signifying beauty, art and delicate femininity, it’s a money planet that will enter Aries late on the 20th.  With such an excitable cadre of personal and outer planets in the sign of provocation, the bull’s more tempestuous side is likely to show itself in 2011.  By the end of this solar journey however, Venus, Mercury and Mars will have moved into earthy, fixed Taurus.  Softly aspected there by Neptune and Chiron in healing Pisces, this lineup suggests that the Taurus cycle will ultimately yield the peace, calm and sense of security the bull requires.  

   At this time of the year much is written about the Cardinal sign of Aries, the sign responsible for kicking off the astrological year.  In 2011, that is especially appropriate because at any given time from March 11th through May 11th no fewer than half of the zodiac's planets, 5, will be under its ferocious, instigative influence.  Independent and free-spirited, Aries loves to get us all fired up.  Its motto is "just do it" with an "out with the old and in with the new" added for emphasis.  Did I mention “Now!”? But with tough squares from Pluto in Capricorn and oppositions from Saturn in Libra waiting at every turn, many an Aries impulse will be interrupted or curtailed.  So while the Sun will lead the way into Taurus’s tranquil and abundant pastures on April 20th, it will be well into this Taurus cycle before the other planets stop their squabbling and begin to catch Taurus's easy-going drift. Quirky Uranus and violent Mars are two of the obvious Arian agitators, but Venus in headstrong Aries exerts a force to be reckoned with, or at least one to be recognized and reconciled.

   A living tribute to the saying that it’s always the quiet ones to watch out for, “sweet” Venus represents possessions, resources and income, and she will travel through assertive Aries from April 20th through May 15th.  Also associated with art and exalted forms of beauty, one of Venus's most enduring images is in fact that of Botticelli's voluptuous goddess serenely standing on a shell.  But make no mistake, Venus, the planet, is equally all about luxury, fertility and comfort, a.k.a. money.  Even in Botticelli's loving portrait, the graceful goddess hardly looks famished.  In Aries, Venus will ignite our material desires along with our aggressive tendencies toward attaining wealth and its associated power.  Cautionary tales of the dark side of the lust for gold abound.  They include everything from the deceit, treachery and loss encountered by mythological Jason in his pursuit of the Golden Fleece, to the modern day hubris of Jeffrey Skilling, Jack Abramoff and Bernie Madoff.

    Wielding his trident like an ancient super weapon, Neptune, the enduring god of the Greeks, stands at the ageless sea of consciousness.  Through time itself he warns us of the excesses of such greed.  Corporations, nations and civilizations rise and fall, like the coming and going of the timeless tides over which he prevails.  In 2011 he has taken up residence in his home sign of spiritual Pisces, for a 14-year odyssey.  Pisces promotes integration, assimilation and a holistic approach to life.  In the company of healing asteroid Chiron, one of Neptune's old fraternity buddies, concepts like “capitalism with a conscience” emerge.  In compassionate Pisces, Neptune will work to dissolve the boundaries between "us" and "them" while Chiron devotes its energy to global healing.  So where does that leave our cantankerous, lustful bull this year?

    Taurus's motives are stability, security and physical pleasure.  Those needs can produce the sign's notorious stubbornness and its penchant for hoarding. The antidote of course lies in its opposite sign, destructive and transformative Scorpio, the Pluto-ruled sign that insists on change.  On May 17th the moon will be full in intense, truthful Scorpio. This is an ideal time to reflect on what we value and what we are prepared to release and to birth in order to possess it. The Aries courage, Neptunian insight and bull’s strength and stamina on tap this cycle offer us the power to build it.

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Speaking Words of Wisdom

When British Prime Minister David Cameron said of the latest bombing in Omagh, “Those who carried out this wicked and cowardly crime will never succeed in dragging Northern Ireland back to a dark and bloody past,” he expressed a much greater sentiment. For me his words apply equally to the thugs in Afghanistan who would jeopardize peace and security by brutally murdering UN workers, and to those who are now using this tragic incident to loot and pillage. In my view, his words also speak to the thoughtless act of Quran burning by that deranged preacher in Florida, and to Americans who now post in support of such malicious and divisive actions. Odd that some of their posts lament the burning of American flags. It seems to me that when you hold a symbol sacred, you inherently understand and respect the rights of others to hold their symbols sacred.

I believe that the despicable acts of a relative handful of rogues in Afghanistan do not represent the aspirations of the vast majority of the Afghan people anymore than the unspeakable actions of the U.S. Army soldiers who desecrated the remains of Afghans represent those of most Americans. Both actions are appalling and unacceptable. The misguided acts of the preacher, the disgraceful conduct of United States soldiers, the reprehensible killing of the UN workers and this most recent and unfortunate act of terrorism in Northern Ireland are sadly similar. I hope that as Prime Minister Cameron suggests we do not allow any one of them to drag to us into their mire.

I’ve been traveling to Ireland since 1998 when people on both sides of the border voted for peace via the Good Friday Peace Accord. Along my journey I have ventured to the North and stood on the grounds of the region’s infamous Troubles. It was a very sobering and saddening experience. In 2007, I had the great fortune of making a music video about conflict resolution with young Catholic and Protestant students from Northern Ireland. The bitter and tragic history of NI offers us an unflinching glimpse into the abyss of hatred and retribution. The overall success of the peace process of Northern Ireland is a stunning example of what can be achieved when people want peace, healing and reconciliation.

The news of the loss of this young Catholic police officer’s life, 13 years after the original Omagh bombing and initiation of the peace accord, is devastating and heartbreaking. He was only 25-years-old and had bravely dedicated his life to helping both communities. It strikes me that his courage is very similar to that of the young men in Afghanistan who nobly risk their lives daily by joining their police service. Too many of them are murdered for doing so. On a day like this I feel utterly lost and disheartened. But I remember Northern Ireland’s late Gordon Wilson and I find solace and inspiration in his poignant words. He was the father of a young woman who was killed in the Enniskillen bombing, and this is what he said to a BBC reporter at the time.

“She held my hand tightly, and gripped me as hard as she could. She said, 'Daddy, I love you very much.' Those were her exact words to me, and those were the last words I ever heard her say. But I bear no ill will. I bear no grudge. Dirty sort of talk is not going to bring her back to life. She was a great wee lassie. She loved her profession. She was a pet. She's dead. She's in heaven and we shall meet again. I will pray for these men tonight and every night.”

Review: The Angel Therapy Handbook by Doreen Virtue

Excellent Resource for Beginners, Sound Advice for Pros

Virtue’s most well-articulated work to date, “The Angel Therapy Handbook” gives a clear and succinct version of its author’s take on the subject of angels, but its audience should not be limited to believers in angels. This is a solid textbook for those aspiring to learn how to give professional readings and a useful reference book for those already in the psychic business.

Under the sizable banner of psychic readings, there exists a nearly endless list of specialties including astrology, crystals, past lives and numerology, to name but a few. No one in his/her right mind attempts to be an expert in all of these areas. A good psychic, or Lightworker as we are now known, however, will have a working understanding of the various modalities. For this audience, Virtue’s book is a clear and concise primer on her views on the subject of angels. A respected authority in the field, Virtue first references her sources of information on the angels and then walks the reader through her ideas on topics such as archangels, angel numbers, etc. Particularly refreshing, she does not assert her opinions as fact or “the gospel” about angels, but rather as her experience with them. This creates an atmosphere of sharing which gives the reader the impression that Virtue’s motives are very pure and loving, to teach and to help others with what she understands. In this context the reader is free to pick and choose what works or resonates and to dismiss what does not.

Several chapters in the book detail Angel Therapy itself, Virtue’s speciality. The techniques for conducting Angel Therapy sessions, mediumship readings and angel readings are well defined and thoughtfully laid out. The nuts and bolts of “The Four Clairs: clairaudience, clairsentience, clairvoyance and claircognizance” are also given. While much of this information will feel pretty basic to the full-time professional reader, there are enough tips and tools to make reading this material interesting. For beginners, the clear definitions of terms, along with the exercises and suggestions given to develop one’s skills, make this book an outstanding training manual. With dedication and practice, anyone who wants to learn how to give readings, angel or otherwise, will benefit from this book.

Finally, and to her credit, Virtue takes on the sometimes sticky subject of reading professionally, as in for money. She confidently reminds her audience that this is a profession and that an exchange of energy is only natural. She also addresses popular myths which take a dim view of spirituality and compensation for work. Once those are dispensed with, she then provides practical business strategies. These are helpful to both the novice getting his/her business off the ground and the pro looking for ways to freshen up or grow an established practice. Throughout this discussion of business, a healthy reverence for God and the angels is maintained and in fact encouraged. This material also rounds out “The Angel Therapy Handbook.” With it, one can move from aspirant, to student, to Lightworker. Lastly, and in the interest of full disclosure, my copy of this book was provided courtesy of Hay House Publishing. However, they encourage honest reviews and I sincerely think this book is a worthwhile investment for Lightworkers for the reasons stated above.

Supporting Relief in Japan

This announcement was made in my newsletter of March 20th, and is being posted here mainly so that subscribers can recommend organizations for donations. However, everyone is welcome to post recommendations, and the offer on readings is also open to the public.

We are only beginning to comprehend the devastation brought by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  Some of you have written to me to express your heartfelt compassion for the people most effected by the catastrophic events of March 11th, and you got me to thinking. I have decided to donate my time in exchange for your donations to relief efforts in Japan. Between now and April 13th, when you make a donation of $25 or more to any organization providing humanitarian assistance to Japan, I will give you a free 5 minute reading.


Just email me your donation receipt and your Click4Advisor username and I'll add the minutes to your account. You will need a Click4Advisor account for these minutes. I want to thank 12Listen.com site owner Mark Husson for his support and direction with this idea. It is a sincere effort to reward and encourage your generosity and a powerful way for us to participate in global healing. Also I would like to invite those of you who would like to recommend organizations to post here. That way we can help those who want to make donations find out about the amazing work being done at this time.

Sun into Aries 2011: Perilous Problems and Inspired Solutions

On Sunday, March 20th at 4:21P.M. PST the Sun rolls into spirited, action oriented Aries where it will find Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus already transiting the sign of the Warrior. Fearless, agitating upstart Mars will arrive in enlivening Aries on April 1st and a new Aries moon on April 3rd will bring the planetary total in this Cardinal fire sign to an impressive six. Stern Saturn will sit opposite of Aries in Libra and reforming Pluto at a hard right angle to Aries in Capricorn, and the T-square formed by these planets will be highly energized during this solar transit. We will have a Mercury retrograde from March 30th to April 23rd, and Neptune will return home to watery Pisces on April 4th where it will merge with healing Chiron. Lately much attention has been given to the term Spiritual Warrior. The forthcoming mixture of Arian courage and leadership and Piscean insight and compassion offer this archetype sustenance.

When Uranus reentered Aries on March 11th one of the more volatile forces in the cosmos reconnected with one of the more explosive sources of energy. Uranus’s new location also added kindling to an existing Cardinal sign T-square. Uranus is associated with disruption and chaos as well as innovation and radical breakthroughs. A T-square is an alignment under which planets oppose and square one another, and in astrology oppositions and squares represent tensions between the forces involved. This T-square is considered an especially potent one because two of the planets forming it, Uranus and Pluto, are outer planets and all of the planets involved are in the Cardinal signs of the zodiac. Outer planets express generational and collective experiences and the Cardinal signs initiate the four seasons and thus reflect times of great change. Uranus is in Aries until 2018, Libra is in Saturn until October 2012 and Pluto is in Capricorn until 2023, So as of March 11th we entered a powerful 19-month-long T-square. During the Aries solar cycle immediately ahead, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, the Sun and new moon of April 3rd will be adding energy to the impulsive Aries component of the T-square. Mars and Mercury will continue to fuel it on into May and Jupiter through early June.

March 11th was also the day of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the beginning of a nuclear crisis. By March 16th the literal forces of uranium and plutonium had forged to pose the threat of a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Dai-ich facility. While the planets of astrology do not cause things to happen, they are symbolic reflections our reality. In this case, the erratic energies of Uranus in provocative, irrepressible Aries began forming a rough square to the planet of destruction and renewal, Pluto, in Capricorn, the sign ruling governments, business and institutions. Severe Saturn, the planet representing both lessons and limitations, was and continues squaring Pluto and opposing the planets in Aries from Libra, the sign of balance, diplomacy and the collective good.

That in the wake of the unfolding Japanese nuclear event, we see a global review of nuclear safety underway is not surprising. However, Aries is infamous for getting all fired up and instigating change, but then lacking the resolve to see it through. It will be interesting to see if the initial reaction to Fukushima will be sustained long enough to institute meaningful or permanent reform in energy policy. On the bright side, original and progressive Uranus in trailblazing Aries offers great potential for technological breakthroughs and advances, and this transit will last for seven years.

Mercury is associated with quick thinking and Aries with rapid action, and together the two can prove rash and reckless. Helping us slow down enough to review conditions on the ground and the possible consequences of our actions will be a Mercury retrograde from March 30th through April 23rd. Since Mercury entered Aries on March 8th you may have noticed that people are doing a lot more talking than listening, with little to no editorial exercise. The forthcoming Mercury retrograde will give us a chance to pause between sentences, collect our thoughts and consider our options before acting. Given the array of planets in impatient Aries, Mercury’s retrograde and slowing influence should prove beneficial. But don’t expect boredom to set in any time soon.

The planet of drive, power and passion, Mars, brings its audacious brand of excitement home to fiery Aries on April 1st where it will be until May 11th. Fierce and fearless, Mars represents raw force. Often through anger, it puts us in touch with our needs and desires. It also inspires bold and decisive action. Where and how we direct its power is up to us. Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn will be poised to combat Martian aggression. But the planet of War, in step with five fellow Aries travelers, will fight unjust restriction and authority in his push for independence. Even during times of conflict, the Spiritual Warrior remains aware of his motives. He then consciously directs his actions to a greater purpose.

To assist us with tapping into a deeper source of awareness, as well as vast stores of serenity, compassion and creativity, oceanic Neptune will return home to holistic Pisces on April 4th. Named for the Greek god of the sea, Neptune is another one of those influential outer planets. An immeasurable source of guidance, it represents our dreams, psychic abilities and connection to the collective psyche. Being the final sign of the zodiac, Pisces promotes understanding, unity and wholeness. Healing asteroid Chiron moved into its curative waters back in February. Together Neptune and Chiron will remind us of the human dimension of any challenges we face. Moreover, and oddly enough, this combination of Neptune and Chiron in intuitive and inventive Pisces and quirky, ingenious Uranus in Aries may prove to be the perfect elixir for our Spiritual Warrior. Empathy, insight and imagination blended with original leadership may be just the concoction She needs for the tenuous days ahead.

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Sun into Pisces 2011: Awakening Sweet Dreams

Under the full Leo moon of February 18th, at 4:25 P.M. PST the Sun quietly slips into peaceful, reflective Pisces. On February 21st communicative Mercury follows suit as does aggressive Mars on the 22nd. Already transiting the deep and dreamy waters of this mutable sign are newly arrived Chiron, associated with healing, and innovating Uranus. With so many planetary bodies swimming in Pisces meditative, nebulous depths for much of this cycle, our psychic sensitivity will be heightened as will a need to pull inward. Pisces completes the annual tour of the zodiac and prepares us for spring and the year ahead. In 2011, that yearly urge to move forward will get an early and rousing wake up call when rebellious Uranus abandons mystical Pisces for trailblazing Aries on March 11th. This Pisces solar journey will also see the moon nodes shift from the Capricorn/Cancer axis to the Sagittarius/Gemini on March 3rd. So while much of this cycle offers us time to contemplate and integrate the experiences of the past year, the impulse to begin changing things will prove equally irresistible.

Though fellow water sign Scorpio is reputed for its transformational powers, Intuitive, creative and unifying Pisces is also a gifted game-changer. With compassion as its guiding principle, perceptive Pisces goes about her work with empathy and serenity. The Sun, Mercury, Mars, Uranus and Chiron will be in her gentle tow on the new Pisces moon of March 4th, making it an excellent occasion to wade into her healing, spiritual waters. In her quest to help us make ourselves and our lives whole, Pisces encourages our muses. Through daydreaming and artistic endeavors, we unearth and confront the content of the unconscious. Distinctly different from her logical opposite sign of Virgo, Pisces could care less if we are just “making it all up” or whether it makes any sense. She implicitly understands the value of the truths being expressed in our stories.



Also, associated with the 12th House of astrology, Pisces is undaunted by anything unpleasant that may be lurking beneath our placid facades. Ruled by Neptune, she is fully equipped to descend with us to our darkest, most unsettling depths. Her job after all is to support us in assimilating all of the pieces of ourselves, including the messy and monstrous ones. For only when they are brought to the surface can we truly heal. What are we do to with this newly gleaned self-awareness? Pass the cosmic baton to Uranus.

Law-breaking, authority challenging and proudly unorthodox, Uranus swaggers into the bold, fearless fire sign of Aries on March 11th for a seven year stay. There his talents are well placed to help us break the new ground needed to manifest the lives we dreamed up under the Piscean influence. This volatile mixture of Uranus’s revolutionary spirit and Aries provocative, independent style is sure to prove explosive at times. But meaningful change cannot come from maintaining the status quo. Uranus and Aries are lovers of freedom, excitement and progress, and they will leave little room for mediocrity and complacency. In combination with that unfathomably deep Pisces quest to make life whole again, we are being given some awesome tools for self-reflection, inventory taking and courageous change.

Adding an another layer of enlightened inspiration to the airwaves will be the moon’s nodal shift from the Capricorn/Cancer axis to Sagittarius/Gemini one on March 3rd. Conventional thinking in astrology holds that the moon’s North node represents the lessons ahead while the South node describes those previously mastered. The term karma is often used to explain their relationship with the idea that our past experiences help us navigate the future. In this case, Gemini lies in the position of the past and Sagittarius points the way forward. Gemini is renowned for its journalistic skill. It scans the world ceaselessly for information. Sagittarius on the other hand, needs to find the meaning behind all of those facts and figures. The philosophical fire sign is also known for its warmth, imagination and enthusiasm. With the moon’s North node in the sign that believes that life always gets better, a benevolent note will constantly ring as the music of the spheres plays and the planets and asteroids do their dance through August 2012. In June of this year, the eclipses also fall along this axis, giving these energies a deeper resonance. So as we glimpse ahead, prescient Pisces arrives to offer up consciousness. It’s time to scry through her loving, holistic lens

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