David’s Birthday Getaway

As I mentioned at the end of my May 7 New Moon in Taurus post, my husband David turned sixty that same day. When his daughter Allie (Alexia) and I asked what he’d most love to do for his birthday, David came up with a full itinerary. On Saturday, Allie and her partner Colby flew into Detroit, and we met them for lunch in Frankenmuth, Michigan about two hours north of the airport. We would all be staying in Ann Arbor for three nights over graduation weekend, so we figured we’d avoid the U of M crowds on Saturday.

For those who don’t know, Frankenmuth is famous for Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland–the world’s largest Christmas store. It was also full on Bavarian kitsch. I had very low expectations for this day, so I was delighted to find a tasty gluten-free vegan pasta lunch at the Bavarian Inn. We also discovered that Frankenmuth Brewery makes the most amazing mustard ever. They don’t sell it bottled, but it was delicious on fries. Yes, I ate beer battered fries with mustard, and wow, were they good!

The town’s pretty corny, especially since David has spent time in actual Bavaria back in his decades as a Dutch and German speaking international flight attendant. Still, we enjoyed the start of our visit with Allie and Colby. We even took some family photos:

We also ran into some life size and nearly life size faeries. The tall one was as tall as I am!

Note the OWL on her shoulder.

On Sunday, we began the David itinerary in earnest. All day at Greenfield Village. David’s wanted to go to Greenfield Village for years. This is Henry Ford’s creation and includes imported homes, farms, and workshops of inventors like Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers. We logged 4.5 miles walking around the acreage, and we also got to ride an old fashioned bus:

David got some great photos, including this one of Thomas the Train in front of the Ford logo. The kids were going wild for Thomas, since he only visits once per year. We happened to arrive on the first day of his 2024 visit.

Some other great shots from various old homes and early craftsman shops:

After watching a glass blowing demonstration, we wandered over to the glass collection:

I called this “The Momma Jane Room,” because it housed Tiffany lamps, irises, and owls.

The only way it would have been more “Momma Jane” is if it also had a giant cross somewhere, but the Momma Jane trifecta served as an effective “hello.” David felt something similar when we entered an old printers shop, only to find them printing images of trains. His father worked as a book designer at a publishing house for many years, and he had a lifelong obsession with trains.

We tried to take another family photo, and I’m not sure why I had such strange posture! In my mind the person taking the photo was standing elsewhere, and we accidentally missed the F. Oh, well, still a fun moment.

Watch the FORDS go by!

That same day, we saw three baby lambs, one of which was born the morning before. We also saw more owls, because of course we did!

After our long day, we pigged out on vegan food at the Detroit Filling Station in Ann Arbor. The next day took us to the Henry Ford Museum, plus a factory tour of The Rouge, where they make F150 trucks. I have to admit, I wasn’t excited for the factory tour, but I found it fascinating!

I had no idea that Ford does so much for the environment. We got to see the living roof and learned about their water reclamation projects. I’ve researched ways to clean groundwater and gray water back in my more intensive permaculture days. I know it is NOT easy to create these closed systems. They require a synergistic combination of plants that detoxify the water, plus tuning into what the land and water want to do on their own. In addition to reestablishing habitat for many species, the Ford factory complex also harvests toxic paint fumes and generates electricity through their chemical reaction.

We didn’t take as many photos in the museum and weren’t allowed to take any in the factory, but here’s a taste of the many classic cars we saw:

I don’t know the car names or the people.

After the museum and factory tour, we had more yummy vegetarian and vegan food at Seva, where we dined for my 50th birthday. I had thought Seva was a new place, but no, it’s the same vintage as me: 1973. During our evenings we played cards in the hotel lobby and wound up meeting some very interesting people. They were so impressed that we spent “screen-free time together” as a family. On Tuesday morning, we went to Zingerman’s Road House, which–it turns out–we had all wondered about the night before.

We had brunch, and then headed to downtown Ann Arbor for crystals, books, and Cannelle Pastries. Here are the ones we chose on David’s actual birthday. We had vegan tiramisu at Seva and traditional tiramisu at Cannelle’s. Both amazing.

Our trip wound down, because Allie and Colby needed to get to the airport, while we headed to Kalamazoo. Someone snapped this photo of us before we left Cannelle.

We walked them to their car, and another owl sent us on our way. I found this one right next to our parking spot and snapped the photo just before leaving town.

Perfect timing! Shortly after we arrived home and not too long after Allie and Colby flew away, our phones started beeping and screeching about severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning. Then came rapid fire hail and more warnings. I mentally put a THORN Rune on our home to protect from storms, and we went down to the basement to watch an episode or two while waiting out the sirens. We had no issues on our property, but two tornadoes touched down a little South of us. The FedEx building in Portage collapsed!

We feel grateful for our trip, our lovely visit, and also for the happy front yard awaiting our return:

Columbine, creeping thyme, alliums, candy tuft, and arugula are in full bloom, with irises and chives ready to pop. The Wheel in the Sky keeps on turning, and we fully celebrated David’s sixty years on Planet Earth. Happy 60th, David, and thanks for a wonderful trip!

More Timeline Splits … and Owls!

I know I’m not the only one noticing these splits, because I keep hearing examples from others. The contrast between amazingly beautiful, joyful, creative and empowering Life with a capital “L”–vs. the crumbling 3D-ality–continues to amplify. Yesterday, David and I went to the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, and we also walked on the grounds at Kellogg Manor. We hadn’t visited the manor since November 2018, and we’d never gone to the bird sanctuary.

Without going into too many details, it was a day of bizarre contrasts. David took a lot of photos, some of which I’ll share here, starting with this bench message:

“Enjoy Life. This isn’t a rehearsal.”

In particular, I want to draw your attention to Virginia the Great Horned Owl. I felt her eyes on me as we walked away, and when I turned to face her, our eyes locked. She’s magnetic!

Later that evening, I sat in one of our dining room chairs, and just happened to hit the right angle where the owl painting in our living room looked at me in just the same way as Virginia had earlier.

from 2010

The precise angle of my chair last evening somehow shifted the pupils so that they stared right into me, and that seemed to magnify and underscore whatever messages Virginia had earlier relayed. She’s a rescue with a permanently injured left wing, but clearly she does other work at the sanctuary! Here’s some of her story:

We also saw two bald eagles–named Liberty and Patriot!–and four red-tailed hawks. Toby posed for us and made a point of fanning her beautiful tail:

David channeled his inner photographer and also posed me around the Kellogg Manor grounds:

You can see why they host a lot of weddings on these grounds:

Dr. Kellogg used to climb these stairs every single day in order to stay in shape:

They even have their own “Windmill Island,” which my half-Dutch husband always appreciates:

I haven’t included all the paradoxes of this blustery day. Just wanted to affirm that yes, we’re living in very strange times, indeed! Past, present, and future seem to be reordering on a moment by moment basis. My dream “symbols” also keep appearing in waking life as actual events or sometimes photographs from news stories that just “happen” to cross my path.

Dream Guys are active right now, for me and for many. Wishing everyone peace, ease, and grace as we navigate the narrow precipice between realities. For best results, follow the expansion and relief.

Interview: Portal Doors and Timeline Shifting (with Laura Bruno on The Spirit World Center Podcast)

Eric Lingen of The Spirit World Center Podcast graciously invited me back on the show. We recorded this several weeks ago, and I just learned it was live. If you missed the first interview, you can find it here. Eric is a wonderful interviewer, and both conversations share many things I’ve never told in interviews before.

You can listen to the new interview on Spotify here. (If you don’t use Spotify, this page contains links to the other platforms.)

Episode #80 Description

Laura joins the show once again to share her many paranormal experiences. We discuss her practice of creating portal doors, and the many mysterious events that have surrounded these doors. Laura also shares her experiences with “electrical sensitivities”, and how her heightened emotions can literally cause a laptop in another state to “fry” if she is not careful. We delve into synchronistic lightning strikes, UFO sightings, and an encounter with a mysterious (and perhaps menacing) spiritual being while alone on a boardwalk. We also dive deep on the topic of timeline shifting and the coaching Laura offers on managing these reality jumps through astrology. We wrap things up by talking about the effects that “Pluto in Aquarius” will bring for the next 20 years, and the benefits of looking at the North Node in your natal chart (and how it can help you discover what is right for you to do in this life).

Laura Bruno is a psychic, intuitive coach, medical intuitive, and professional astrologer.

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Note: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Spirit World Center Podcast do not necessarily represent those of the Spirit World Center or its staff.

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GUEST LINKS

Website: https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@asklaurabruno

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SPIRIT WORLD CENTER LINKS

Website: https://www.spiritworldcenter.com/

Instagram @spirit_world_center

Fly Free, Momma Jane!

Some of you know that my owl-loving mother, affectionately known on this blog as “Momma Jane,” had been in final stages of life. Thank you to everyone who’s been sending Reiki and prayers my family’s way. We definitely feel them!

Momma Jane had been non-responsive since a brief moment of telling my siblings that she loved all of us. I continued giving a lot of remote energy support and had an all-night telepathic conversation with her last Friday (February 3rd) when she came to me to discuss her options. For some unknown reason–which later became clear–I had received many dreams telling me NOT to go to PA, just to do remote work since I could have more lucid conversations with her on the spiritual plane than the physical one.

But this past Tuesday morning, I awoke with very clear instructions to book my flight.

I found the last seat on the only direct flight available from Grand Rapids to Philadelphia and got to PA Thursday evening. My local sister Erica picked me up at the airport, and we went right to hospice, where I visited and gave her Reiki. Our Aunt Gail, who’s closer in age to me than she is to my mom (her half-sister) took a red eye and arrived Friday morning. Erica and I returned to hospice, and I started up the Reiki again.

Our brother Craig has spent quite a lot of time in Bethlehem dealing with hospital protocols, logistics, etc. He had just arranged transfer to the hospice facility, which allowed 24-7 visiting. Our mom had been silent, limp, and non-responsive for about a week, but on Friday, after some in-person Reiki over her throat to assist with labored breathing, she woke up enough to realize that Gail and I were there. We asked if she was in pain, and she said, “No.” At one point, she looked at Gail and said, “I love you.”

A bit later, she got restless, and I asked, “Mom, what do you need?” I was gently holding her hand, but she opened her eyes wide and looked right into my eyes. She grabbed my hand very firmly and lifted our hands into the air. In a strong voice she said, “Laura!” and held tight to my hand for a long time. To my knowledge this was her last conscious moment, and she drifted back to sleep. She held my hand so tightly that Craig eventually had to help separate our hands so that Gail and I could get some rest.

We returned the next morning, but the staff told us she hadn’t even responded when they cleaned her and turned her over. We knew it would be soon, but took time to attend a nearby track event where my nephew Anthony (Erica’s son) ran his personal record as the anchor of a relay race in State Quarter Finals. In the past month or so, I’ve had some “random” dreams about a relay race and the handing over of a baton. While sitting in the stands, I realized that soooo many “random” dream symbols had all pointed to this time. The inexplicable dream symbols kept appearing in waking life once I got here.

We visited some after Anthony’s event, and as we got in our cars, Craig texted to say that the hospice workers didn’t think she would last the afternoon. This tracked with my own sense when I wrote the February Forecast that she would likely check out around the time of the New Moon. If not then, I knew of several other major impact transits making it very likely she would pass on or before the April 8th eclipse. That would have been one day after her 79th birthday.

Erica, Craig, Gail and I were all with her as she passed. We held hands and also laid hands on Momma Jane. A classical music station played in the background, and after awhile, Gail jumped up and said, “I need to turn off that music.” As soon as she did, Momma Jane released her final breath. “When the music stops.” I continued Reiki on her heart until it stopped beating, just as I did when David, my mom and I witnessed my father’s death in 2016. It was a sacred moment.

Relay symbolism kept appearing. At the end of my flight out here, the woman next to me asked if I lived in Philly. I said, “No,” and she asked why I was here. I told her about my mom, and she shared that she was on the way to London for the birth of her second granddaughter. I said, “Cycle of life. Death, birth.” Then, as soon as my mom passed, one of Gail’s friends texted photos of her newborn granddaughter. Again, death, life.

Turning off the music alerted us to a woman playing the harp in the hospice lobby. Soft waves of harp music wafted through the air as Mom’s heart wound down.

Some other perfect synchronicities occurred. Mom and her siblings spent “a miracle trip” in Banff, Canada for my Aunt Sue’s 80th birthday this past July. They all saw each other before Mark and my mom rapidly declined.

L-R: Mark, Gail, Momma Jane, Sue and John

On October 2, my mom’s younger brother Mark passed, and his death hit hard. Yesterday, both Gail and Sue kept sensing Mark’s presence. Gail wanted to post a photo of my mom from the Banff trip, but “Mark Palmer” notifications kept showing up until she realized, “OK, Mark, you want to be in this photo, too.” She shared a picture with Mark and Jane. Once Mom passed, Gail realized, “Mark died on 10/2, and Jane died on 2/10.”

My Aunt Sue got the sense of Mark acting as a welcome guide once she crossed over. About a half hour after she passed, I suddenly felt her having a HUGE reunion with loved ones on the other side. Those who knew my mom know how social she was. I felt her soaring with joy to reconnect with those she hadn’t seen in a long time, and some she had recently lost.

Then, in the wee hours of the morning, Momma Jane stopped by. Gail and I are staying in her 2BR apartment. All of a sudden, something started flashing in the corner of the room, waking me up. When it continued flashing, I got up from bed to look. Mom’s iPad, which had been covered and turned off, had somehow turned itself on, with the cover pulled halfway back. A notification said that activating facial recognition upon startup required a password.

I told Gail that story this morning, and Gail wondered if maybe it was “just an automatic update.” I said, “Well, maybe, but I don’t think so. That still doesn’t explain how the cover pulled itself halfway back in the middle of the night.” As we discussed this, Gail mentioned that we might need to water Mom’s plants. (I got my green thumb from her.) The lights in the kitchen started flickering fast right then, and we agreed, “That’s Momma Jane! And last night was, too.”

While this death announcement may sound shocking, please know that I have been actively processing and grieving this time period since May 2022. Some things shifted with her medical care at that time, and I dreamed of my mother falling through a crack, with me trying to save her. I grabbed her hand but no matter what I did, I couldn’t pull her out. In waking life, I tried everything I could–hoping it was a warning dream, rather than a fixed premonition–but I was cosmically blocked from doing more for her.

After visiting her on Friday, Gail and I returned to her apartment, and I did yoga. At the end, I lay down in savasana, and I was soooo blissed out. I kept breathing in a shallow little breath, and then exhaling long, long, long and slow. Then I would forget to inhale. This happened until I was almost out of my body on the exhales.

Keep in mind, I LOVE the feeling of being on the other side of the veil. I love the feeling of being dead. I was breathing out, out, out and forgetting to breathe in, and then the farthest away voice, maybe from my body, said, “Savasana is also called the corpse pose.”

I realized, “Oh my God, I’m DYING for my mom. I like dying, but I’m not supposed to die now. SHE’S dying. I’m not supposed to stop her from dying. The only way I could stop her from dying is to die myself and I’m not supposed to die yet.”

In that moment, I realized that she and I are so linked that I needed not to be in physical proximity, because I would have done everything–including transfering my own life force energy to her so that she could live. It felt so natural that I didn’t even notice until a little, childlike voice said, “Savasana is also called the corpse pose.” Then everything about the past nineteen months clicked into place.

It was her time to go. I knew the transits that she, my sister and I all have–including all three of us having Pluto (planet of death and rebirth) conjunct Moon (mother, physical body, childhood home) right now. My natal Moon is 1 Aquarius, Erica’s is 5 Aquarius, and Mom’s at 8 Aquarius. The odds of our mother not dying when both daughters have Pluto conjunct Moon were slim, especially given Mom’s other Pluto and Chiron transits. She would have needed either a massive, total inner and outer transformation, or she would die.

She has always processed a lot in her sleep, and I wondered if she could “Rip Van Winkle” her way through such difficult transits–make the changes in dreamtime. That was the last hope of a possible recovery.

Like me, our mother didn’t fear death. On several occasions over the years, she told me that every night before falling asleep, she said a prayer making peace with God and acknowledging that He could take her anytime. She wanted to pass peacefully in her sleep, and that’s exactly what she did–with all three kids and her youngest sister offering love and wishing her bon voyage. She transitioned under a Bible verse blanket I felt called to send her a couple weeks ago. I thought she would love to be literally “covered in the Word of God.” Here she is on the day that it arrived, right before we FaceTimed:

The blanket became a talking point for many who visited her–bringing comfort and reminding them of our mom’s deep faith. We plan to bury her with this blanket that covered her long, slow sleep. We’re still confirming dates for a viewing and memorial service, but we hope it will be at Grace Church in Bethlehem next Friday and Saturday. If you’re local and want to attend, please feel free to contact me so I can confirm the timing and location(s).

UPDATE: The viewing will be on Thursday evening (the 15th) from 6-8 p.m. at Pearson Funeral Home in Bethlehem, PA.

The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 16th at Grace Church of Bethlehem. We’ll have a luncheon at noon. Obituary to follow once my brother finishes writing it. He did such a great job on our dad’s obituary that we gave him full license for this one.

Fly free, Momma Jane! You will be missed by so many whose lives you touched.

Audiobook for The Unseen ~ Kickstarter

I haven’t posted one of these types of campaigns since The Garden Tower Project needed funding way back when, but just like that project, I believe in this one.

Mike Clelland’s novel, The Unseen, keeps getting rave reviews.

Some of you might remember that I edited the manuscript, because I knew it would be a beautiful and important book. Well, now it’s time for the audio version. Although Mike recorded two of his nonfiction books by himself, to do justice to the story and to produce this audiobook in a timely manner, he decided to hire a professional voice actor. I’ve listened to some samples, and he definitely found the right narrator!

Kickstarter is “all or nothing.” They only release funds if the campaign meets its goal, so a successful Kickstarter will make this audiobook much easier to produce. The campaign runs until February 27th.

I think you either need to create a free Kickstarter account, or you can sign in with Apple or Facebook. My experience: I created a Kickstarter account, and there’s an option to turn off most or all of the notifications if you just want to pledge and be done with it. I don’t normally post these kinds of campaigns, but I truly believe this audiobook will make the world a better place. There are so many layers to the story, and listening allows for a more immersive experience.

As Mike explains, writing the novel was “a labor of love.” He turned down a lot of paying work in order to throw himself into the creative process, so he’s not in a position to fund an audiobook without crowdfunding support. He put together some great rewards, but Kickstarter also has an option for a straight donation if you’re someone who just loves to pay it forward. Here’s the campaign link for anyone interested.

Interview: Healing Oneself and Others with Laura Bruno on The Spirit World Center Podcast

I’m so excited to share this interview with you! Eric from The Spirit World Center Podcast and I had a fabulous conversation in late November, and it’s finally live. You can listen here.

Episode Description

Do owls hold healing powers? Laura Bruno joins the podcast to discuss her life of synchronicities and healing. Have you ever had many random people constantly coming up to you asking for advice? Or how about being told multiple times that your “doppelganger” already visited people you have never met before? Laura has had plenty of these experiences, and more! We explore the car accident that transformed her life and led her to fully embrace her spiritual path. We delve into her experience of healing her brain injury through Reiki and holistic approaches, reality-warping migraines, an owl that visited her continually as she healed, adventures in mysticism, and the power of “surrender”. We also talk about Laura’s powerful precognitive dreams and her deep practice of astrology.

Laura Bruno is a psychic, intuitive coach, medical intuitive, and professional astrologer.

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GUEST LINKS

https://laurabruno.wordpress.com

https://www.youtube.com/@asklaurabruno

———

Note: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Spirit World Center Podcast do not necessarily represent those of the Spirit World Center or its staff.

———

SPIRIT WORLD CENTER LINKS

Website: https://www.spiritworldcenter.com/

Instagram @spirit_world_center

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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spiritworld/message

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For anyone having trouble listening on Spotify, they also share The Spirit World Center Podcast on other platforms. You can find those listed here.

A Shamanic and Karmic Gemini Full Moon ~ November 27th (Video)

The November 27th Gemini Full Moon goes more shamanic and less “let’s make a deal.” With the Moon’s ruler, Mercury, square Neptune, bizarre communication and paranormal energies come through. What do the Sabian Symbols and other aspects reveal about the meaning of this Full Moon? Hint: a call for revolution and a wise old owl. Mars at 2 Sagittarius acts as the driver for all the potential mentioned in this video.

On a personal note, this Full Moon conjuncts my natal Mercury (same degree). I find that curious because I’ve been having censorship issues and also–as you’ll see in this video–pronunciation issues! Will this Full Moon reset those energies? Or do I just need to wait out my six Saturn transits? Time will tell.

From comments and private emails, it seems that in addition to YouTube, some people have also been unsubscribed from my blog without their knowledge. If you haven’t received my latest updates, you might want to check spam and also double check that you’re still subscribed. After floating under the radar for a few years, I seem to be back on the algorithm’s naughty list. I’ll take that as a compliment but may need to adjust how I do some things.

If you’re receiving this by email, you’ll need to click through on the title in order to watch on my blog or YouTube. It’s 18 minutes long. For those who prefer Rumble–in theory–my YouTube channel will automatically upload new videos to my newly created Rumble channel. This is my first time trying auto-upload. If you don’t see the video right away, please check back in a little while. I don’t know how long auto-upload takes. If it doesn’t load by the end of the day, I’ll do so the old fashioned way.

Meanwhile, here’s how to prepare for some of the stranger energies of this Gemini Full Moon:

Full Moon in Gemini ~ November 27, 2023

My November 2023 Forecast shared:

November 27 Full Moon in Gemini, 4:16 a.m. Eastern US time. This Full Moon’s ruler, Mercury (currently in Sagittarius) squares Neptune in Pisces. This aspect restricts some of the typical Gemini traits of communication, speed and deal making. Information feels foggy, with a hint of “Mercury Retrograde” style mix-ups.

The Sabian Symbol for this Full Moon is: (GEMINI 5°): A REVOLUTIONARY MAGAZINE ASKING FOR ACTION.

Dane Rudhyar continues:

“KEYNOTE: The explosive tendency of repressed feelings and root emotions.

“Every movement overstressing one direction calls forth in time an equally extreme movement in the opposite direction. This is particularly true at the level of the dualistic mind symbolized in the zodiac by Gemini. What is rigidly bound in form and convention tends to explode into formlessness. It may do so violently if socially oppressed — through revolution — or at the psychological level in psychosis; or it may withdraw inwardly into the mystical state in which one identifies with an unformulatable Reality.

“This fifth stage is related to the first, for it is the experience of a world of being so far unperceived by the everyday consciousness which starts the process. In the same sense a psychedelic experience may momentarily make the mind transparent to a non-ego-structured realm of consciousness, and may lead to a sustained attempt at understanding what has been revealed of a transcendent Reality. Whether the revolutionary action is violent or peaceful, bitterly resentful or loving, the one desire is TO REACH BEYOND ESTABLISHED FORMS.”

Gemini, the sign of the Twins, can handle paradox and multiple realities, but this Full Moon calls for revolution. Something needs to change, or we risk an explosion. Fortunately, some aspects encourage us to think outside the box–WAY outside the box! As Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.” Mars at 2° Sagittarius acts as the “driver” and amplifies all the strange potential described in this post.

This Full Moon’s ruler, Mercury, at 24+ Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces, will enhance the psychedelic nature of our experience. This could be a highly mystical day–and a fertile Dreamtime at night.

Pholus (the small thing/BIG EFFECT centaur) quincunxes this Full Moon from 6° Capricorn, sextiling Sisyphus and Elatus at 4+ Scorpio and Rhadamanthus at 6+ Scorpio. This sextile forms the base of a Yod (Finger of God) pointing to this Full Moon at 4+ Gemini. A Yod is formed by two quincunxes asking us to integrate signs that seem to have nothing in common. Failing to integrate the energies brings curses or taboo, but successful integration offers out-of-this-world blessings.

Sisyphus cheated death twice, and Hades (Ruler of the Dead) punished him by damning him to roll a boulder uphill. No matter how hard he tried, the boulder would always roll back before he completed his task. Sisyphus represents doing the same thing with the same failed results, over and over again.

The original discovery degree for Elatus was the same point as the October 28th Full Moon in Taurus, Lunar Eclipse–meaning that Elatus has embedded within its discovery that CANTILEVER BRIDGE ACROSS A DEEP GORGE Sabian Symbol. Combined with the butterfly effect of Pholus, this Yod suggests some kind of Divine Intervention that initially seems small, but changes everything. This change allows us to make progress instead of continuing on the same ineffective path.

Zane Stein notes: “On Amable’s blog, Transneptunian Astrology, there is this interesting observation about Elatus: ‘Elatus has an incredible ability to escape from the most dif[f]icult situations, like Morfeo-Neo in the movie “The Matrix” (1999). But [it’s] more habitual that he flees before things get worse.'” We stand at the end of the road of the Old World, and somehow that cantilever bridge appears and takes us to mystical and psychedelic realms. Is this New Earth energy? Time will tell, but it bodes well. What Sisyphus couldn’t budge with his own efforts, Divine Intervention remedies. In Biblical terms, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

If Rhadamanthus sounds familiar, that’s because he conjuncted the Sun point of the October 28th Full Moon in Taurus Lunar Eclipse. This is our second tie-in to that Eclipse. A wise ruler of the Underworld, Rhadamanthus brings an element of hidden justice. Given the other objects at 4-6° Scorpio, Pholus at 6° Capricorn, and this Yod pointing to the Gemini Full Moon, we might find Poetic Justice, a kind of Divine Intervention that corrects injustices that seemed like they would never change.

Asteroid Karma squares the Full Moon from 6° Pisces, and this amplifies the energy of wise judgment that intervenes beyond the normal realm of lawfare. This is a heavy time with weighty aspects, but these aspects invite solutions on another level. Saturn, Lord of Karma, adds his weight from very early Pisces.

Admetos conjuncts the Full Moon from 3° Gemini. In Greek mythology, Apollon informed Admetos that he could avoid death in his old age if someone went to Hades in his place. That someone turned out to be his wife, and Admetos spent the rest of his life grieving the loss of her. As with the October 14th and 28th eclipses, we have another story about loss of a soulmate. We’ve also got a double whammy from Sisyphus and Admetos, both stories bringing consequences for cheating death. Since we’re talking about mythology, the “death” could also symbolize any situation or term that needs to end but hasn’t. Just because the consequences haven’t shown up yet doesn’t mean they won’t arrive.

Hekate squares the Gemini Full Moon from 5° Virgo. Hekate is a triple goddess of the crossroads. She adds to the liminal, magical nature of this Full Moon, and she brings a Shadow element.

The Sun point of this Gemini Full Moon is:

“(SAGITTARIUS 5°): AN OLD OWL SITS ALONE ON THE BRANCH OF A LARGE TREE.

“KEYNOTE: A poised and wise approach to existence based on a clear perception of unconscious factors and their operation.

“The owl has always been a symbol of wisdom, and its hooting call has evoked a rise to mysterious and hidden elements in life. The owl functions lucidly in the night aspect of existence. His eyes see what men normally fail to perceive. He represents that consciousness which is active where the processes of life normally escape the attention of the personal ego and its intellect.

“This is the last of the five symbols in the forty-ninth sequence. It suggests the possibility of developing a wisdom beyond tragedy, a peace and poise beyond conflict. One might speak here of TRANSLUCIDITY.”

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“Translucidity: allowing light to pass through partially or diffusely.”

This reminds me of Leonard Cohen, who famously sang in Anthem: “Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Although darkness threatens to overwhelm the world, this contrast allows us to see the light in more obvious and hopeful ways. It’s there–in the world and inside each of us. Let it shine!

Thoughts on Turning Fifty

Yesterday, David and I celebrated my 50th birthday, and I have to say it was my favorite one yet! Thank you to everyone who sent texts, emails, cards, calls and more. I don’t know why, but I have never been so excited to turn a year older.

Aging is such a paradox for me, because I look way younger than my years, but I have always felt ancient. I’ve communicated with the dead since my best friend Grandpa Frank died when I was three. I then became best friends with his widow, my Grandma Van. Wherever I live, I tend to have at least one dear friend in her eighties. I have many clients in their seventies who send me “Mother’s Day” greetings, and my own mom often introduces me as “the best mom” she could ever have.

I recall loads of past lives going back to prehistoric times, and I experience these memories as one, long, continuous life. I remember dying in different ways, have previewed and empathed many people’s deaths at the time they died, only to learn later that this was not my imagination. I’ve had way more near death experiences (NDE’s) than most people. I always get sent back here, but I feel SO OLD most of the time. Not old, decrepit–old like a tree that bears witness to the rise and fall of empires. That sounds dramatic, but it’s how I experience “life” on a daily basis.

Throw in precognitive dreams and visions, and I’m simultaneously ancient and sometimes a decade ahead of the calendar. Clocks on my nightstand don’t work. They always run way fast, even if we reset them to the proper time.

Added to this mix is my May 19, 1998 car accident, which served as a not-so-subtle end of an era. This occurred three days before I turned twenty-five. I received a great big traumatic brain injury for that birthday, and I became totally disabled like an old person. Memory problems, balance issues, constantly in the doctor’s office, couldn’t drive anymore, lost my independence, retired from my career … and I have pretty much reverse aged since then. Now I regularly shock people who think I’m in my twenties, thirties, or–if they kind of know that’s impossible–then people like my shocked nephew think I’m forty-two.

David and I tend to celebrate “birthday month,” since his birthday’s May 7th. We took a beautiful three-day weekend up in Traverse City area for his, and for mine we did little day trips and outings around Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. David took me to the farmers market and various plant stores, and I got the rest of the garden planted up this weekend. We tried some amazing (and new to us) vegan food, and yesterday we spent the day in Ann Arbor. David arranged it all, hitting a perfect balance of bookstores, crystal shop, and a French cafe, followed by Mother Nature.

We took a lovely walk–almost a hike–in Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, followed by a delicious meal at the vegetarian restaurant, Seva. I’ll share a few photos from our day, since David documented it for Crazy Plant Lady, who is now–finally–“in her fifties.”

They have a huge collection of peonies at the botanical garden!

From the botanical garden, we moved onto diverse trails of the arboretum. My knee has recovered enough to hike almost three miles, including lots of hills and steps.

As usual, we saw a lot of owls, including this one:

My mom’s happy birthday text revealed that she had heard an owl hoot when she awoke yesterday. You also might have noticed (in the first photo) this gorgeous owl and moonstone pendant birthday gift from my sweet faery “twin” Tania Marie. She has a matching one with rabbits!

We saw more owls at Seva but didn’t document those since we were busy enjoying our meal. Presence is important, even for people as temporally challenged as I am. Take time to stop and smell the rhododendrons:

The Unseen ~ A New Novel by Mike Clelland

Mike Clelland–author of The Messengers, Stories from the Messengers, and Hidden Experience–has just released his first novel, The Unseen.

I’m so excited to review this book, but before I do, I need to disclose that I edited the manuscript. That said, I feel honored to have done so. This is a brilliant offering on so many different levels. I’ve watched it transform from a comic book to a novella into a full fledged novel that I’ve compared to Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. I’ve read that book a dozen times and hold a Masters degree in English Language and Literature, so this is no light comparison.

Mike has a special ability to write about emotions. This book ranges from the depths of despair to mystical heights, and the tenderness with which he treats his characters astounds me. Even minor figures come to life as real people grappling with paranormal events and more universal themes of love, grief and complex relationships. I would say the characters “make” the book, except so many other things stand out, too.

In addition to showing the nuanced paradox of spiritual awakening, this novel also conveys a tangible sense of place. Most of the book occurs in the Southwest, and Mike’s decades as a professional wilderness guide allow him to bring us right into that environment. As readers, we see, feel, taste, touch and hear the magical desert. We dive right into the charm and grit of a forgotten town. We experience the pulsating joy and sorrow of NDE’s, OBE’s and other difficult to explain things. I’m no stranger to strange events, and I know how tricky they are to convey. This story hits home in ways that only a fellow experiencer and researcher could bring to life.

It also goes way beyond a paranormal thriller. Yes, psychics, synchronicity and dreams play big roles, as do murky behind-the-scenes controllers. But this is also a love story, a tale of friendships lost and found, a hymn to the creative process, and a deeply healing narrative. We long to find our own Trail’s End Café, to listen to Tony’s mix-tapes and drink some of that amazing coffee.

While editing, I’ve read and re-read the entire book so many times that I’ve lost track. During all those reviews, I never once grew tired of the story, scenes or the characters. I actually miss reading it each morning and will probably begin again very soon. It’s the kind of book that rewards multiple readings, because so many subtle details reveal themselves with each new journey through its pages. I love this book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

An instant classic, available in paperback and Kindle.