From Amanda's very early writing (1990s to early 2000s), shared as it was originally written.
A Big Year
It's official! 1996 was a huge year for massive personal change. A year of upheavals and letting go. Apparently this was predictable because the planets Saturn, Uranus and Pluto were all changing signs. For those sceptics out there.... ask around. How many people do you know had massive changes in their lives? Deaths of loved ones, relationships, old ways of living, retrenchments or just huge personal growth and development opportunities disguised as disaster!
Well, the good news is that now it's over! They have done their moving and are settled for a while. 1997 is going to be an easier transit for most. Whew! I know my 1996 was one I wouldn't like to repeat. But I'm glad it happened. I think. As soon as I catch my breath I'm sure I'll be grateful!
My astrologer friend Jane Alquist - who is not at all cosmic or space cadet -ish - and I were talking last week and I mentioned how everyone I knew seemed to have been touched by disaster in 1996. Our discussion turned to the influence of planets. Astrology seems to be a remarkably mathematical process. It is not a method of predicting anything but of understanding energies that exist. And working with those energies. Funny how quantum physics seems to be making discussions of energy acceptable when, years ago I would have been labelled as a 'quack' if I wrote about energy transfers and suckers!
She also said that Uranus had moved into Aquarius. 'Ah, that's why' I exclaimed! Why what? Well, apparently Uranus is the technology planet and it passed into it's own sign. That's astrology talk for saying that's why the Internet has exploded!
Anyway, enough of the complexities of the planets. Lets look at the results of a 'planet moving year'! What happened to you last year? Have the circumstances in your life changed? Even if it had nothing to do with the planets! And more importantly, what did you do about it?
How did you deal with the life crises that occurred? Did you drop your bundle? Become aggressive? Blame others? (Always a good strategy for stagnation!) Climb into a shell? Withdraw from life? Or did you go the other way and work yourself to burn out?
Or did you actually deal with the issues that came up? Which usually is a frightening and ultimately uplifting experience. It takes courage to look at the truth about situations because we usually have made some contribution or have had a part to play. It's also pretty confronting for people to explore their emotions.
It's so easy in our society to feel numb rather than feel feelings! So much so that many of us have forgotten how to recognize a feeling! I thought it might be a good start to the year to make a list of as many feelings I could think of so that you could put the list on your fridge and it would remind you to think - and more importantly - feel your emotions as they occur.
If you don't feel them, they'll be suppressed and fester underneath and who knows what sorts of disease will emerge. (This is not alternative mumbo jumbo....the science of psychoneuroimmunology looks at the impact of emotions on our immune system and therefore our health.) So make 1997 the year of 'recognizing and feeling your feelings'.
Here's the menu: are you feeling hurt; confused; sad; frustrated; angry; sad; hostile; frightened; worried; anxious; depressed; lonely; alone; empty; misunderstood; despairing; bored; overwhelmed; paralysed; betrayed; unhappy; worthless; uncomfortable; unfulfilled; insecure; uncertain; useless; safe; loved; joy; excitement; peaceful; contented; calm; relaxed; in awe; excited; enthusiastic; positive; alive; happy; in love; secure; compassion; hope; trust; stillness; real.
Why not have a family meeting or gather a group of friends together and brainstorm about other feelings you may experience? This may help you learn to recognize what is happening to you. Once you recognize it dealing with it in an appropriate way is easier.
As I looked at this list of feelings . it seemed that many could be categorised into two groups - fears and love. Think about it... fear of failure, of intimacy, of rejection, of looking stupid, of being alone, of commitment, of enjoying ourselves, of lack of financial security; of being 'found out', of not being able to do something are the basis of many of the negative feelings I noted. And the positive feelings can come from love - of life, self and of others; from feeling things are as they are meant to be.
Anyway, 1996 seemed to be a year that was designed to maximize our experience of feelings! Lets take advantage of our lessons and look for and really feel the positive ones that are coming our way in 1997. Life, apparently is going to settle down. Hooray!
