This last week of February has an added day. It’s leap year. Thursday, Mercury joins the Mars retrograde. We ponder upon many things but cannot act on them until after April 13th after Mars turns direct.
Mars retro restrains us in order that we reassess, reorder and review. Friday is the feast day of St. Matthias replacing the disciple Judas after his betrayal of Christ (a developmental stage).
Sunday is the 1st Sunday in Lent — 40 days and nights preparing for the Three Spring Festivals; Resurrection, Wesak & the Festival of Humanity.
In Greece, Cyprus and the Eastern Orthodox Church, Monday is a celebratory festival (akin to Mardi Gras), called Clean, Ash, Pure or Green (in Cyprus) Monday that begins their season of Lent. The words, “clean, pure, green,” refer to fasting during Lent, purifying one’s life, leaving behind all obstacles to health and goodness.
Celebrations begin Sunday night at Vespers (evening prayers) with prayers of Forgiveness ending in a Ceremony of Mutual Forgiveness. All present bow to each other asking forgiveness, understanding and love. Forgiveness is always given. Thus Lent begins with a clear (clean, pure) conscience and loving heart. An outer appearance of this is homes are cleaned the first week of Lent. Reference to Clean Monday is in the Old Testament, Isaiah 1:1-20, read at the Sixth Hour (morningtime).
Purification and cleansing through fasting is an ancient religious discipline. Isaiah 58:8-9 describes a fast and its heath effects:
“Then your light breaks forth like morning, healing (restoration, new life), goodness, peace and prosperity spring forth, and Glory protects you. And when you call out, the Lord answers, ‘Here I am.’”
Let us, as we fast (from unkindness, criticism, too much of anything), also forgive. Forgiveness releases and liberates. Forgiveness, held before humanity as an ultimate ideal, is an aspect of the will nature of Deity, the “very breath of life itself.” Let forgiveness be given.
ARIES: Groups are calling to you from inner and outer realms. You’re being pulled, pushed, attracted, magnetized and swept into groups that need your expertise. You become more community-oriented, offering your skills there. Also, if you haven’t already, investigate the Thrive movement (www.thrivemovement.org). You are to become cause-and-purpose-oriented, filled with passion for humanity’s well-being. Study the idea of decentralization.
TAURUS: Your purpose is to maintain substance in ways that create sustainability for humanity to thrive. You attempt to anchor ideas into the minds of humanity concerning resources (staples) needed for the coming times. These resources are to be used differently now. No longer tossed away but tended to, saved, cared for and cherished. You will create all the structures for this saving of resources. Many stand by to assist you. Call to them.
GEMINI: The difference between the fledgling disciple (aspirant) and the Disciple. The aspirant is the “experiencer” — experiencing form and matter, unreflective and unaware of others, focused upon the self, building the vehicle of the personality. The Disciple is the Observer, having completed life experiences and deeply reflective. Which are you? Are you the jungle, the trees, the clearing or the Path? What would you want to be?
CANCER: A great time of testing, transformation and regeneration has begun. Within the urge to leave everything behind is a seed of regeneration. And hidden within regeneration is Resurrection. Much of the time you hide in darkness with intermittent soaring into the air. Do you see, envision, study or dream of birds? Draw them. What hurts eventually heals, and then you become the healer. Maintain as best you can, abiding in the Light.
LEO: From not really comprehending love comes the understanding of “love that underlies the happenings of the times.” From needing to dominate comes the offering of self to the other, then to humanity. From centralization (self only) emerges decentralization (self merged within the Group). From seeing only the light of self emerges a light that shines over the earth and penetrates the dark. Stand under this Light. You become a new creation.
VIRGO: Inner and outer parts of you are attempting to synthesize. The long process of learning in relationships has resulted in understanding how to project Right Human Relations. Searching for order within disorder, you encountered chaos. Your next lesson is true kindness. Eventually you realize everyone is living within their own developmental stage. Careful. Anger and projections return to their creator.
LIBRA: You’re to work within yourself now. Stand in the Sun and with focused intention absorb the heart of the Sun into your heart. From the Sun’s heart to your heart, Love flows and you transform. Instead of reflecting everyone else’s light you grow to be the Light source. Your intelligence becomes loving. Now you can forgive your entire past and everyone in it. You begin to understand the one you cannot forgive.
SCORPIO: You’ve become the mother. The chaos and conflict felt are actually states of creativity emerging. As you awaken to nature, a greater identify with Life emerges. You’re shedding desires, moving into sharing, becoming the aspirant and disciple. At first you rested in the waters of the womb, then swam earth’s waters. Now (thirsty), you’re seeking the “Waters of Life poured forth for thirsty humanity.” Soon you become the waters. You’re the Mother now.
SAGITTARIUS: You’re constantly regenerating, entering into a new state of reality. Eventually you step into the Light of Right Relations. You plunged into instincts, then you sought practicality and information. Now you’re seeking divine knowledge. Before you related only to yourself. Now you relate more carefully with others seeking the first steps to unity. This is your new direction. Your heart calls for this.
CAPRICORN: In the coming weeks you’ll attempt to resolve an inner conflict that recently appeared. You speak words of harmony hoping to replace conflict. But actually, to achieve a higher state of harmony, that conflict must exist. It provides information. Its tension calls us “to attention.” Knowing this you can work with and willingly struggle with the horns of conflict. Then all of a sudden the “horns of plenty” (harmony) appear.
AQUARIUS: A Virgo quality permeates your life blending with your Aquarian energies. You will work within the fires of desire and aspirations. Do you know the difference? Allow your power of position, of experience and of knowledge to assist others. There’s no longer any reason to struggle. You’re home now. Is something/someone new inspiring you?
PISCES: After many experiences falling down and things falling away, Pisces becomes the World Savior. How are you these days? Is your energy dispersed everywhere or service-oriented? Where is your focus? What are you creating? A new identity is making itself known through a sense of wounding and a dissolving away of all you identify with. You’re being “refined” Difficult, yes. A new destiny results.
For more of Risa writings, see her website www.nightlightnews.com & daily messages on her Facebook page – Risa’s Esoteric Astrology.
