This month brings another New Year observance– Chinese New Year on February 19^th. The first two months of the year provide us with an opportunity to scope out what we want the year to bring us and how we can best go about accepting and receiving it. With the combined energies of the Western calendar year and the Chinese year, we can access our own personal power system and use it to manifest our dreams into concrete reality. Your message for this month is grouped together with cards of the same mode of energy expression. The communal spirit of the gathered energy of each mode of expression will help you commit to and dynamically support your efforts as you further immerse yourself in the powerfully manifesting energy of 2015. By combining the wisdom of this month’s message with your message from last month, you’ll find that you have all you need to make this your most magical year ever!

The first Mercury retrograde of this year began on January 21^st and will end on February 11^th.  Since Mercury rules communication, transportation and contracts, when it’s retrograde, all manner of mistakes and misunderstandings can occur. If you can, hold off on buying (or leasing) any big ticket items.  It’s also a good idea to triple check any and all plans you make. This is an excellent time for introspection and research, as those things that are usually hidden from view, show themselves more easily during a Mercury Retrograde period. Wait until Mercury goes direct before making any big decisions.

 For all of us:

 THE RULES FOR BEING HUMAN

You will receive a body.  Like it or hate it, it’s the only thing you’re sure to keep the rest of your life. * You will learn lessons.  You’re enrolled full time in “Life on Planet Earth” school. You’re responsible for all of your actions and inactions.  As you know better, you’ll do better. * There are no mistakes, only lessons.  Growth is a process of experimentation. * A lesson is repeated until learned.  It’s presented in various forms until you learn it, then you can go on to the next lesson. * If you don’t learn easy lessons, they get harder.  External problems are a reflection of your internal state.  Pain is how the Universe gets your attention. * You’ll know you’ve learned a lesson when your actions and results change.  Wisdom is a result of learning from your experiences. * Others are only mirrors of you.  You can’t love or hate something about another unless it reflects something you love or hate in yourself. * What you make of your life is up to you.  Life provides the canvas, you do the painting. * You always get what you want.  Your subconscious determines what and whom you attract. The only way to know what you want is to see what you have and don’t have. * Your answers lie within you. You know more than you’ve heard, read or been told. Just look within and listen, trust and obey. * You will forget all this. * You can remember any time you want.

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THE EMPEROR (March 21 – April 20), THE CHARIOT(June 21 – July 20), JUSTICE (September 23 – October 22) and THE WORLD (December 22 – January 19) The energy of your mode of expression is action and activity oriented.  You’ll better navigate your journey through this year by consciously and conscientiously taking responsibility for furthering your emotional, spiritual and physical growth.  During this year of high level creation, what you give your attention to will show you and the world what you’re energetically committed to. If you like the results of what you’re getting, keep doing what you’re doing. If you don’t like the results of your energy and actions, take a time-out, re-assess you’re the way you use your energy and what’s motivated you so far and begin the process of constructive change. Either way, you may need a Life Coach and/or support group to help you successfully manifest your most important goals this year. Your mantra for this phase is by Abraham Lincoln, “Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.”

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THE EMPRESS(April 21 – May 20), THE SUN (July 21 – August 22), THE MAGICIAN (October 23 – November 21) and THE STAR (January 20 – February 19) The energy of your mode of expression is best focused in a more introspective and personal manner.  2015 can bring you to a deeper relationship with yourself, your Higher Power and others as you knowledgeably traverse the paths of enlightenment through introspection and transformation. By consciously embarking on this profound life adventure, you’ll become an adept at using your powerful gifts of intuition, empathy and passion to become the person you’ve always known you could be. Your mantra for this phase is from Martin Buber, “I do not accept any absolute formulas for living. No preconceived code can see ahead to everything that can happen in a person’s life. As we live, we grow and our beliefs change. They must change. So I think we should live with this constant discovery. We should be open to this adventure in heightened awareness of living. We should stake our whole existence on our willingness to explore and experience.” 

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THE LOVERS(May 21 – June 20), THE HERMIT(August 23 – September 22), THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE (November 22 – December 21) and THE MOON(February 20 – March 20) The energy of your mode of expression is best utilized in the form of gathering and processing information that can then be used to help society evolve to higher levels of humanitarianism. By communicating your findings to others, you will benefit from strengthening your connections with your world. By so doing you’ll inspire and strengthen those winning aspects of yourself. Your mantra for this phase is, “Everything is energy. Your thought begins it, your emotion amplifies it and your action increases the momentum.”

 

“If you expect the best, you will be the best. Learn to use one of the most powerful laws in this world; change your mental habits to belief instead of disbelief. Learn to expect, not to doubt. In so doing, you bring everything into the realm of possibility.”

 Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

 Happy New Year! Let 2015 be the year that you fully acknowledge and merge your humanness and your greatness so that you create the life you want. Follow the wisdom of the great theologian, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, and this month’s personal message and you’ll have all of the guidance you need to make this your most fantastic year, ever!  

 FOR ALL OF US: 

“I love you, my sister and brother, whoever you are– whether you worship in your church, kneel in your temple or pray in your mosque.  You and I are all children of one faith, for the diverse paths of religion are fingers of the loving hand of one Supreme Being, a hand extended to all, offering completeness of spirit to all, eager to receive all.”

Khalil Gibran

THE EMPEROR (March 21 – April 20)  “We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance.” Benjamin Disraeli

THE EMPRESS (April 21 – May 20)  “Truth only reveals itself to you when you give up all preconceived ideas.” Shoseki

THE LOVERS (May 21 – June 20)  “Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth.” Benjamin Disraeli

THE CHARIOT (June 21 – July 20)  “Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.” Mahatma Gandhi

THE SUN (July 21 – August 22) “The great composer does not set to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired because he is working. Beethoven, Wagner, Bach and Mozart settled down day after day to the job in hand. They didn’t waste time waiting for inspiration.” Ernest Newman

THE HERMIT (August 23 – September 22)  “We must listen to the child that we once were, and who still lives within us. This child understands about magic instants. We can muffle his sobbing, but we can’t hush his voice.” Paulo Coelho

JUSTICE (September 23 – October 22) “Letting go means to come to the realization that some people, events or occurrences  are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.” Steve Maraboli

THE MAGICIAN (October 23 – November 21) “This is the purpose of life– to get what you want. There are deeper things, but this is fun.” Karl Lagerfeld

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE (November 22 – December 21) “Any task can be accomplished if it’s broken down into manageable parts.” Universal Truth

THE WORLD (December 22 – January 19) “Embrace fully your capacity to create, to think in unlimited ways, and to pursue everything that you have been wanting. Be flexible, open and willing to let the new come to you. This can be the most joyous, prosperous, and creative time of your life.” Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer

THE STAR (January 20 – February 19) “What saves a person is to take a step. Then another step. And then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery

THE MOON (February 20 – March 20) “Learning to be aware of feelings, how they arise and how to use them creatively so they guide us to happiness, is an essential lifetime skill.” Joan Borysenko

It’s December and in a few short weeks, this year will have come to a close. Did 2014 work out the way you’d hoped or planned? Did you grow and progress in all the ways you’d hoped on January 1^st of this year? Did you enjoy the passage or was it a slog through what seemed to be very dense matter?

As you close the door on one chapter of your life and open the door to unexplored territory and new experiences, take a look back at yourself and your 2014 journey. How will you take what you’ve experienced and learned and use it to help make the coming year, 2015, your best year ever?

Your message this month comes in the form of a quote or affirmation that will help you analyze and understand the experiences of this year and the value you received from them.

By so doing, you’ll learn how to use your 2014 experience to energize yourself, your hopes, wishes and dreams in 2015. Use the empowering questions below to guide you in your review of 2014 and your preview of 2015:

* Is there a message for me in this experience? * What’s the gift in this situation? * What can I learn from this? * What’s the most loving thing I could do now? * What’s the most important thing for me to focus on now? * What would I do if I knew I could not fail? * What would I do if there were nothing to fear?

THE EMPEROR (March 21 – April 20) “You have done what you could– some blunders and absurdities have crept in.Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

THE EMPRESS (April 21 – May 20) “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” Zig Ziglar

THE LOVERS (May 21 – June 20) “Within each of us lies the power of our consent to health and sickness, to riches and poverty, to freedom and to slavery. It is we who control these, and not another. What have you consented to?” Richard Bach

THE CHARIOT (June 21 – July 20)“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” Albert Schweitzer

THE SUN (July 21 – August 22) “It is wise to keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.” Roger Babson

THE HERMIT (August 23 – September 22) “We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance.” Benjamin Disraeli

JUSTICE (September 23 – October 22) “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

THE MAGICIAN (October 23 – November 21) “The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”  L. P. Jacks

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE (November 22 – December 21) “If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.” James Russell Miller

THE WORLD (December 22 – January 19) “Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth.” Benjamin Disraeli

THE STAR (January 20 – February 19 “Don’t let the noise of other people’s opinions drown out your inner voice.” Steve Jobs

MOON (February 20 – March 20) “Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end.” Carl Bard

Mercury, the god of communication, is direct now– Yea! Since Mercury rules communication, plans, transportation and contracts, you now have permission from the Universe to proceed with your intentions. The setbacks, mistakes and misunderstandings that the retrograde period emphasized can take a backseat to the important realizations that have come to you during the past few weeks.  Hopefully, you are appropriately dealing with all of those previously hidden feelings, motives and motivations that were exposed to light of consciousness during the time of the retrograde. If that’s the case, you are in the very blessed place of self-awareness and balance. If that isn’t the case, remember– it’s never too late to begin living your life from a position of courage and self-honesty.

THE EMPEROR (March 21 – April 20) A change of perspective will help you see that the help and circumstances you’ve been looking for, have been there all along. Once you’ve seen them, if you focus on what’s needed, committing to the action required and taking the action that will bring about the changes you’ve been hoping for, you’ll achieve your desired goals. And please remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Developing the art and practice of productive patience has unlimited benefits.

THE EMPRESS (April 21 – May 20) There are profound changes coming your way and how you handle yourself will make all the difference. Avoid the impulse to succumb to hysteria, focus on staying centered and let your intuition guide you through all of the phases to completion. The rewards will be great and you will have learned to master one of your most important aspects– strength.

THE LOVERS (May 21 – June 20) Shh! Sometimes life is like playing cards—if you want to win, you must play your cards close to your vest. (All of you poker players know what I mean.) Now that your ruler, Mercury, has gone direct, the opportunities in the next few weeks can be very profitable ones for you if you quietly develop your projects and save the fanfare for the presentation.

THE CHARIOT(June 21 – July 20) Practice your acceptance speech because you’ll need one win they announce your name at the awards ceremony.  Although it’s been a long time coming– you and your good works are about to be acknowledged, celebrated and honored.  Remember to express your gratitude to yourself and to all of those who’ve helped you along the way.

THE SUN (July 21 – August 22) Yes, we are living in interesting times.  Whether you consider this to be a blessing or a curse depends on your perspective. If you choose to see these times and events as a blessing, you will reap the rewards of powerful assistance, luck and rare unexpected opportunities.  Carpe diem!

THE HERMIT (August 23 – September 22) Finally! The planet that rules communication– Mercury– is no longer retrograde.  With a grateful sigh of relief, you can now move forward with your plans and purchases.  The next three months are very fertile ones and you can reap the benefit of the powerful actions you need in order to give birth to your hopes and wishes.

JUSTICE(September 23 – October 22) Powerful, positive balance comes from learning to live both intuitively and intellectually. As you do so, you’ll realize the untapped strength that is your innate gift. By achieving this type of balance, you’ll discover that you can glean and rely on the truth from all of your senses.

THE MAGICIAN (October 23 – November 21) Passion! It’s your power word this cycle. It allows you to embrace and express your life dynamically. In this lifetime alone, you’ve gathered lifetimes of experience and information and that makes you an expert.  Use your knowledge to illuminate and expand the mundane perspectives of the status quo.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE (November 22 – December 21) Right now, cause and effect are instantaneous. Careful consideration and clear communication are your allies at this time– it is wisest to think before you speak in order to make progress and avoid painful learning experiences. Your ability to look inward and re-assess your circumstances will come in handy.

THE WORLD (December 22 – January 19)  Are you a dreamer? Good! So was Einstein. All greatness begins with a dream and a desire to make that dream come true.  Now is the time to make and enact practical plans, committing to them and taking the positive action required to bring your dream to fruition.  Remember to be grateful and have fun as you create and live your dreams.

THE STAR (January 20 – February 19) Increasing your understanding of your place in the world of creativity– music, art and the flora and fauna of nature, is the most  important thing you can do now.  You’re a great example of Divine Nature’s creativity and opening up to this powerful truth of life and creativity will attract new energy and opportunities to you.

MOON (February 20 – March 20)  This is an especially intense and sensitive time for you and you need a lot of positive reinforcement now, beginning with you! How you treat yourself tells the world how to treat you. Please remember to acknowledge yourself as well as your contribution to your community. Take it easy and by all means, nurture yourself.

On October 4^th, Mercury, the god of communication, will once again go retrograde for three weeks. Mercury rules communication, transportation and contracts and when it’s retrograde, all manner of mistakes and misunderstandings as well as important realizations can occur.

This is the last Mercury retrograde of the year and it promises to be memorable! The retrograde starts in the sign Scorpio and moves backwards into the sign Libra before it goes forward again on October 25^th. All manner of hidden feelings, motives and motivations are likely to come to the surface of our consciousness so that we can better understand and balance them and ourselves.

As always, with any Mercury retrograde, if you can, hold off on buying (or leasing) any big ticket items.  It’s also a good idea to triple check any and all plans you make.  This is an excellent time for introspection and research, as those things that are usually hidden from view, show themselves more easily during a Mercury Retrograde period.  Wait until Mercury goes direct on October 25^th before making any big decisions.

THE EMPEROR (March 21 – April 20)  You, at long last, realize the importance of your dreams. No longer content with living them in your head, you’re feeling compelled to manifest them.  Plant your feet firmly on the ground and commit to the practical action that’ll bring them to fruition. Help and great advice will come from unexpected quarters.

THE EMPRESS (April 21 – May 20)  This is the beginning of your ‘lucky period.’ Your ideas are worth a lot now. With proper planning and the support of appropriate actions– focus, faith and follow-through—your efforts will pay off in ways you can only imagine (so imagine big!).

THE LOVERS (May 21 – June 20) For the next few weeks, the planet that rules communication, Mercury, will be retrograde.  When Mercury is retrograde, it’s a good time to contemplate, investigate and/or analyze.  It is not a good time to sign papers, buy houses or cars or make binding decisions.  Since Mercury is your ruling planet, this goes double for you.  Your mantra is “This too, shall pass.”

THE CHARIOT(June 21 – July 20)This is a period of transformation for you and your results will yield rich results.  You will be happiest with the results of your efforts if– (1) you are clear about what you want, (2) you are willing to ask for what you want, (3) you recognize when you are receiving what you have asked for and (4) you express your gratitude for receiving what you have asked for.

THE SUN (July 21 – August 22) You must make a choice now. How do you choose the best path?  By remembering the important lessons of your past.  You’ve developed a lot of skills based on your experiences and they will help you now.  Be careful not to rely solely on the ‘facts’ as they present themselves to you now or you’ll create something totally unnecessary– stress, hassle and misdirection. Use the powerful force of your intuition, instead.

THE HERMIT (August 23 – September 22) Mercury is your ruling planet, too, so please pay heed– your message is the same as THE LOVERS with this additional message– Mercury rules the body’s nervous system, so it’s very important that you get rid of any accumulated tension by making sure you schedule a bit more ‘down time’ and getting a few massages.

JUSTICE (September 23 – October 22) You will have several new opportunities to choose from in the next few months.  Although they could appear to “shake up” your life, don’t choose in haste or try to take the easy way out. You deserve the best; so make your decisions based on what will be good for you in the long term.

THE MAGICIAN (October 23 – November 21) It’s nearly time for you to put your plans into action.  Right now though, it’s time for some fine-tuning.  You must make some very important choices that will affect the outcome of this and future plans.  A key piece of information will come from an unexpected source.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE (November 22 – December 21) A new, improved social life is at hand. It’s time for you to ‘be’ instead of ‘do.’  So– go out to new places and meet a whole new group of like-minded people.  And remember, your only obligation is to have fun!   Recharging your batteries this way prepares you for the next phase of your journey.

THE WORLD (December 22 – January 19)  The decisions that you make at this time about your life must be based on your being completely honest with yourself.  The actions you take based on this very important self-assessment will be empowered by the degree of honesty you embrace.  Be courageous and you will reap wonderful rewards.                                                      

THE STAR (January 20 – February 19) Things are changing fast and you must be on your toes.  Many of the agreements you make with others at this time may not work out as planned (Mercury is retrograde!).  Carefully think through your game plan and have contingency plans ready.  That way, you’ll always come out a winner.

MOON(February 20 – March 20) It’s time for you to reflect on your motives and actions and reevaluate the situation you find yourself in.  Now is the time to consciously process your recent experiences in order to put them in proper perspective.  The information you get will serve as a springboard for you as you embark upon an inner adventure that promises to reveal the essence of your power to you.