not a morning person

preferably, i would sleep through the bulk of it every day, but obviously that is not an option. i like mornings in theory- the stillness, the quiet, the changing sky, the gradual opening of the day. drinking coffee and looking out the window or on the porch, all whimsical-like. obviously, that is not how i get down with mornings, but maybe one day i'll get there. what amazes me is people who get up early and exercise. (*note to self: getting up early to exercise would be amazing.)

but, that is not me. instead i feel fully awake after 8pm, and always want to start various projects around the house at like, 11. then i feel sleepy and pass out. i guess what i'm trying to say is, i really love sleeping and would do it most of the 24 hours of the day if it were culturally acceptable. 

so i really haven't written anything on this for like almost two weeks, or something? i've had terrible writer's block (what else is new), and had started a couple posts but i hated them and they felt so contrived and i got frustrated and gave up. 

also i hadn't gone to my meditation group in two-three weeks, and i realize how out of touch i get with spirituality in any sense when i don't have at least that weekly meditation! i like it because it is so tangible- you actually work with your energy centers, aka chakras, clearing them and such. it feels sooo good to do, i don't know why i slack and don't do it every day. 

but anyway, when i don't do that, it seems as though everything else creatively, or spiritually, or whatever, that i try to do, doesn't flow as well. oh, that kundalini energy.

(if you're interested, it is sahaja meditation that i practice- it's always free, i know there are various groups just around my small portland, maine, so they must be in other pockets of the world too :) )

i do know that i need some sort of positive change in my life, and that just sounds so vague! i mean, i know that like the first rule of making a change is knowing at least in what area of your life you want that change. from an astrological standpoint, i have transiting saturn in my first house, and it is slooowing me down and making me feel sooo stuck! oh and mars is there now, perhaps that's where the urgency is coming from? like, i just want to move (says mars) but haven't figured out any of the specifics (saturn says be careful).

oh and i just realized that the moon is in capricorn, which conjuncts transiting pluto in the early degrees. i learned, last month, i think? that this transit makes me feel crazy! plus it happens right on my natal neptune, which just... adds to it. to my delusions of grandeur. heh. (plus this all happens at the bottom of my chart, the IC, so it's just on that deep level that's hard to shake. so thankful that moon transits are short!)

welp, there it is. i posted something. i should go outside now.

*note to self: talk about the angles of the chart next time. :)

favorite parts of the day.

tiny buddha link, and fear of making the wrong decisions.

Tiny Buddha is an interesting and enlightening website that I don't read nearly enough, but sometimes a link of theirs pops up on my facebook newsfeed that catches my eye... and this was one of them! I can definitely relate to this author, Alana Mbanza, as I try to figure out the next steps of my life (and feel totally flooded with conflicting thoughts and feelings), as she does with deciding whether or not to go to Korea:

"I realized that the issue isn’t about being afraid to go to Korea. The real issue is that I have an overall fear of making the “wrong” decisions in my life.

Interestingly enough, I also realized that this brand of fear directly coincides with my decision to live a more purposeful and spiritually centered life.

(Record stops.)

Huh? I embarked upon this journey hoping to find inner peace, bliss, rainbows, and unicorns and I actually seem to be experiencing more negative emotions than before. Seems counter-intuitive right?

Not exactly.

What I’ve been interpreting as an increase in negative emotions can more accurately be described as a greater sensitivity to myself. I’m “hearing” the messages my mind, body, and spirit are trying to tell me because I’ve made a conscious decision to listen."

You can read the rest of Alana's article here. I'd highly recommend it!

element repost + some updates

(It's crazy to me that this is from nearly two years ago, but I wanted to bring it back and I've also added some new info :) )

So, last time we talked briefly about your sun sign and what it means for you. 
*[If you haven't yet done so, I highly encourage you to click either here or here to the right for your complete chart info. It literally only takes a moment and is an essential tool to get the most out of astro learnings!]


This week's topic is the elements. It's a part of astrology that I think gets kind of glossed over a lot, but in actuality is very interesting- it shows some of the themes of your expression in this life, your personality. Again, this is all from the top of my head, so it's quite likely that some things may not make sense; I fear this is the only way blog entries will ever be created, because I am a master procrastinator.


Okay, so elements. There are four: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. Let's break it down a little more:
Fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Air signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces


Okay. So there's a couple ways to go about analyzing this- 1.) The obvious- take the element of your sun sign and read on! 2.) Go on, take two seconds and get a free chart done at Astro and then look at the box like my masterpiece MS paint rendition to the left. If you are heavily weighted in one particular element, you'll want to read that info along with your sun sign's (if the two are, in fact, different). For example, in the box to the left, the sun sign is in Pisces (water), and there is a lot of other water going on, but there's also four signs in fire, so it would make sense to read the fire description as well. It can also be beneficial to read your rising sign's (a.k.a. ascendant- listed in the chart as AC) element too, as this shows how you portray yourself to the world, and aspects of the element may apply to you. The element of your moon sign ("earth" in the sample table) will show how your inner self relates to the world. As you know, there are many aspects to your personality. Am I getting way too confusing? If so, just ignore and read about your sun sign. I will clarify more on "ascendants" and "moon signs" in later posts, and this will all make sense. I promise! *2012 update note: I am currently reading Liz Greene's "Relating" (she is SUCH a great writer, I really can't emphasize enough how much I am enjoying her book- she is also the Astrologer behind astro.com). I am going to include some of her keywords for the elements- she calls the four elements the four psychological types. I thought it was interesting and wanted to include! 


Anyway...


Fire signs. Expressive, emotional, sassy, stylin'. That's right- fire signs are well known for having a particular "look" all their own, that they are fantastic at cultivating (with varying degrees of effort). They are apt to try out the funky (Sag), provocative (Leo), bright and fun (Aries) styles. They have a unique creativity and will definitely let you know their point of view in pretty much any given situation. Fire signs are honest and often opinionated (although with Sags, it's more likely to change as they learn new information- but they believe what they believe when they believe it! I hope that makes sense to you :P). Fire signs NEED- I repeat, NEED- regular physical activity to stay in the best shape of their body AND mind! Fire signs, this is your therapy. Indulge it. Fire is the intuitive type, according to Liz Greene.


Earth signs. As such, are in touch with the earth and their own bodies. Nature makes them feel alive. Their clothing style tends to be nice and tailored, accentuating their favorite body parts. Back to being in touch- while they have a very rational, logical side to them (for everyday dealings, they try to be as no-nonsense and direct as possible), most have a (possibly unearthed) spiritual side as well, which allows them to feel more fulfilled. These earthy types  may be very interested in "new age"-esque topics; perhaps more so than they let on at first. Earth signs are striving to find deep meaning in their lives, and a way to actively pursue it. A lot of these folk are very involved with the arts, (not to mention talented and willing to put in the time)- it grounds them, challenges them, and helps bring mental clarity. Earth is the sensation type.


Air signs. Talkative and always have a new topic to discuss with just about anyone! They tend to be friendly on a surface level, but can become more aloof the more you try to get to know them. They may even be an open book about most things, but have parts of them that will take a long time coming out (at their own discretion, of course), or not at all. Like the element air, they can be impossible to pin down, which really is part of their charm! Air signs are perfect for any social gathering, as they can find something to discuss with just about everyone in the room. This is the most eclectic bunch, style-wise; although comfort usually greatly influences any wardrobe choice, they'll add a funky kind of flair so even if it's pajama bottoms and an old top, it's so much more than that. Meditation works wonders for slowing down and bringing to present the busy minds in this element. Air is the thinking type.


Water signs. Like their opposite element, fire, water signs are emotional but are probably repressed a bit much to adequately express it without sounding (or getting) a bit crazy. Water signs are a varied bunch, just as water in it's forms on this Earth are (think the oceans, lakes, streams, tidal pools, and so on...). Some are introverted, some extroverted, but most go back and forth between the two. This is because water signs need time in their heads to swim around and get centered and recharged in between interacting with other humans. If they don't have enough time for this, then they tend to get stressed and cranky. And more emotional! And that's usually not good for anyone involved, as water signs have the propensity to hang on to negative feelings for way longer than is healthy. It's important for them to learn how to simply let go of things and feelings that bring them down- gentle exercise like just taking a stroll around the block and meditation can help. Water is the feeling type, according to Liz Greene.

Well that's what I got for today. ;) Any questions about the elements or astrology in general, in any area of life, hit me up. I love talking about this stuff! Much love.

bar harbor

sorry for all the photos, i'm not coherent enough for a real post right now, but i'm shooting for tomorrow... here are some more photos of our travels up route one in maine. :) thanks for looking!

p.s. moon is currently in gemini. good for socializing and being active!

seaside.

going over the bridge to bucksport, maine.

top of cadillac mountain in bar harbor, maine.

cadillac.

islands look like whales/fish.

downtown bar harbor.

bridge!

route one north

can't write at the moment, but did have these uploaded so i figured i'd post them and now i have to dash...

xo

hiding turtle.

charming lane.

don't remember the context.

mermaid pub in searsport, maine. yum.

beach in searsport.

quick note

this morning felt like autumn. so cool, crisp, and breezy... perfect cardigan weather! but now it is hot, and i am not complaining at all, but i'm glad i dressed in layers...

so obviously i'm not really focused on blogging at this particular moment in time, but i wanted to say, that i am starting to do astrology chart readings. Right now they will be both free and brief- i'm fairly new to chart interpretation but am getting the hang of it, and learning more and more every day. :) so, yeah. if you're interested, you can leave a comment below or email me at the.earth.and.stars@gmail dot com and let me know if you'd like me to look at your natal chart and/or transits, and any particular questions you may have. This is really good practice for me, so thank you in advance! :)

repeat offender of taking queen anne's lace photos.

portland, maine.

roque bluffs, maine. <3wc

early bird

it's what i am today. also yesterday- woke up hours before my boys, they are still sleeping as i write this. however, the fact that i decided to do something productive with this rare time most likely means that someone will come out into my writing space any time now... 

it's a gorgeous morning. my desk faces a window, and out it i can see the pale moon in the blue sky, see a green, green field and trees, and hear some birds and other critters running around. oh, and my coffee just finished being made, so.

what's up today? moon in pisces, 17* now, so a little more than halfway through. this makes a nice trine to the sun as i type this. the sun is our true self, the moon our hidden, emotional self, so when they trine- either by transit, or if you have this aspect in your chart- it's harmonious. your wants and needs match up, you feel comfortable with yourself and have a strong sense of self. and right now, i feel oddly calm and awake for 8:23am on a sunday. 

i've been thinking about shadow sides (polarities, aka opposite signs) somewhat lately, and how i am affected by mine. i'm a pisces and so my polarity is virgo- i talked about this once here. it's funny because for so long i wasn't aware of the virgo side of me at all. i just couldn't relate because it wasn't there, or so i thought. then, when mars the past 6 months has been in and out of my 12th house, which is ruled by virgo, i started... seeing it. i couldn't not see it. something that had been hidden (12th house rules this), had been revealed. and now it's there, and i'm working with it. trying to. never realized how controlling i could be, how detail-oriented, scrutinizing, fault-finding, obsessive, and such a perfectionist i could be (the detrimental kind, where you feel defeated all the time).

 (and yes, these are all lower qualities of virgo itself. the higher qualities of virgo are amazing- selfless service, nurturing others, spiritual, focus on health, manifesting their visions for themselves and the world. and i feel like virgo is also a transformational sign. they can go through hell and come back with the same positive outlook, just wiser. oh, and they're also known for having an insane work ethic. i love virgos!)

so i'm trying to transform some of these lower qualities into higher ones, and it is a bitch. but i'm thankful to see it. thankful to see the start of the roots. i realize that anxiety fuels much of this. the other night while laying down in bed but before sleep i cleared my chakras, which helped, but i could still feel anxiety in there. so i started taking deep breaths, and i pinpointed it. the very front of my stomach felt this very tangible anxiety. so i breathed very deeply into that space, visualizing the breaths dissolving it. then i did a short visualization of pulling the cord of anxiety out from that place (my virgo sister-in-law just took a class where she learned, among other things, how to cut cords and she taught me how to do it). right after i did it, i got a sudden jolt in my right forearm. like, it actually hurt a bit, but was very quickly gone. and it helped. meditation is healing, and i know how much i benefit from it, but i still don't do it every day. 

anyway- that was a tangent. i was going to say, i have to keep reminding myself to step back a bit, relax, not get riled up. because it is futile. and so, writing more. photography more. attempting to create/find a meaningful job. 

i think next time i will write a little bit about chakras. also, i have a post that i'm working on that isn't coming to fruition as quickly as i thought it would that's about a card reading i did. en route. 

i think that's all for now. enjoy this day, wherever you are.

Happy 4th

Welp, the layout/spacing of this post is not the way I was intending it to be, but I guess it's just not going to happen that way tonight. Something to learn!

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised the other night, going out for a drive. The weather and sunset were both beautiful, and I happened to be out at the right time, which doesn't happen enough! I'm still surprised by beautiful weather, my mind is back in early spring. 

And then I instagram'd it and some orbs showed up. :)

(carolinedilz if you'd like to follow me there <3)

     

And this... is totally not me. ;) I got it from here, which I discovered while looking for the band Stars. Both very good things.

That's all, really. It's all rainy and a thunderstorm just passed through. I'm glad we BBQ'd when we did...

PS America is a Cancer (or as one Cancer I know prefers to be called, and I actually prefer as well, Moonchild)

10th house and career

Lately the subject of career has been coming up, and I've been thinking about mine, too! So I figured I'd write about what different planets in your 10th house- which rules career and your public persona- might look like. Let me know if it's accurate, I'm new at this! ;)


This is how I find a chart and transits (it's under 'free horoscopes,' then 'extended chart selection,' then 'natal chart and transits' in the drop down menu... or you can ask me to find it for you, I don't mind ;) ). Around the outside of the charts, the symbols for the planets are in green... that's where the current planets fall in your chart! Like this... so, this made up person has the moon transiting their 10th house.
 


(note- if you sign up at astro, you can save chart info so you don't have to enter it every time)

The sun here is going to illuminate the subject of career in your life- will bring to light what's working, and also what isn't, and you may be able to glean some important information. You'll probably want your efforts to be recognized and appreciated, perhaps through a raise, some other sort of perk, or maybe leaving a place that takes you for granted for a better fit. Just keep your ego in check!

The moon rules emotions and nurturing, among other things, so every approximately 28 days for about 2 1/2 days (the moon's cycle and time in each sign, respectively), you need to take some you time and decompress. Care for yourself as much as you care for others in whatever your work is- and that could be anything, not necessarily a job you get paid for. After all, you can't do well at your profession if you don't have yourself together, so do what you need to do to really relax. :)

Mercury is all about communication, words, and work, but the word work could mean different things for different people. ;) I see this as either helping communication or revealing professional relationships that are weak in this area. Either way, this is a good time to get info on careers you are interested in and explore your options. Mercury loves to multi-task!

Venus rules beauty and the arts, I see this as a time when you can improve your current career space (and yes, this could be by quitting and starting a new path) so it better suits you and your needs, and/or make time to do the things you love- maybe to make it your life's work, maybe just to feel more balance in your life because you've been working too much lately and need to reconnect with the rest that life has to offer. :)

I think of Mars as bringing a boost of energy to whatever house he is visiting in your chart! So think of this as the time to really get shit done to reach your goals, short and/or long-term. It's just that- an energy boost. Savor it, but remember to still take care of yourself, and get enough sleep so you don't burn out.

I view Jupiter as expanding this area of life- bringing new opportunities, or showing advancement of some sort in whatever it is that's your career/what you're trying to make your career. Depending on the sign these opportunities may be hidden, but they are there! :)

Saturn is going to bring the principles of hard work and discipline into your career path. You may have a vision, and have the necessary training and are just trying to earn money/get ahead in your line of work. The time you bring in will also bring you reward, especially if you're not just phoning in your efforts.

Uranus brings a shakeup of some sort. Maybe an opportunity out of nowhere, or a shake up at your current employment. Maybe you'll suddenly just go in a new direction altogether, and forge your own way. A good time to show and live independence, especially in the area of career! I'm thinking that this is something that others will really take notice of, as well.

Neptune is going to help your dream job vision, if you let yourself go there! ;) I'm seeing this as a great time to pursue your interests and make time to do the things you truly enjoy, in whatever propensity is doable. Just revisiting, or doing more of, these things, you will bring inspiration!

Pluto may bring a shake up, but a different kind than Uranus. I see this as a time where you may have to regroup and strategy. What are your values? And not just in the career world, but in real life. Is whatever you're doing living up to those values? What can you do to change that? Look inside yourself and learn.

If you don't have a planet in your 10th house right now, worry not! Something will be there soon, and besides, other areas of your life may be taking front stage right now. You can always look at the sign that starts the 10th house (and the corresponding planet- for example, in the chart, Sag is the beginning of the 10th house, and it's ruled by Jupiter), and see how your attitude in work may be in general. :)