I may be a little slow in the next week...

I'm quite nervous about my upcoming disability hearing, and so my illness has gotten worse - I might not reply as quickly to your emails, but I do read them - and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Your prayers, positive energy, and support are welcome and appreciated :)

Thank you!
Emilie

Saturn Begins Retrograde!

Hello friends! I hope you found my website already, because I'm working hard to share some hopefully useful information!

At around midnight tonight (November 22nd's first wee moments) Saturn will go Retrograde.. Well, if you're in Eastern Time (-5). If not, well you should be either feeling it a few hours early, or a few hours later.

What's a retrograde, Em?
For those of you who aren't into the whole astrological terminology, a retrograde has nothing to do with the 70's, or any kind of past. What it has to do with is planetary rotations around the Sun, seeming from the Earth - to be changing direction, and going backwards (hence "retro").

Retrograde Details:
Planet: Saturn
in Sign: Leo
Begins: Tuesday, Nov 22, 12:00am (approx) EST
Ends: Wednesday, April 5th, 6:00am (approx) EST
Saturn's Retrogrades happen every 1 year and half a month, lasting for a little over four and a half months. So this isn't a new thing, my friends.

SO - What does this mean for you? Here's the breakdown, just for you :)

Saturn Retrograde Stuff - Big Changes to Come!

1. Get ready for infrastructure clean ups! You might see a lot of job changes - not necessarily lay offs, but more restructuring. Fitting people where they should go. But there will also be layoffs, but mainly to "cut the fat" out of companies - to streamline them. Efficiency will be the buzzword in this time period. Policies, rules, these are about to change if they don't work.
2. House cleaning / fixing. Not only do the clean-ups and cutting the fat happen at work, but in almost every aspect of life. Trimming and streamlining your home will be a priority!!
3. Dieting to fit into society's image of physical perfection... this is a bad thing, as this is when people embark on impossible diets - like the grapefruit diet, or an extreme form of the Atkins Diet. If you're about to embark on a diet, it's best to consult a nutritionist, or at least read about Nutrition.
   
4. Children testing their limits! During this period, children will test their limits even more. This is due to the Saturn Retro in Leo - which rules Children, Creativity, and Frivolous Physical Pleasure (if you catch my meaning). They will also begin to understand their role in the family hierarchy more, as well as their role with friends, at school with teachers and older/younger kids, and generally their role identity.
5. This is also a time that people redefine their sexual identity - not strictly their orientation, I'm speaking more of their likes, dislikes, what energy they give off when seducing, what "kind" of sexual person they are. Don't be surprised if your partner wants to try something new, or stops doing a certain thing altogether.
6. Creative people will find themselves also on a soul-seeking adventure, maybe even changing their medium, their style, their subject matter - etc.
7. This is also a time for religious quests, especially with the Jupiter-Saturn tension going on.

I could go on and on about this particular retrograde, but then I'd have to dedicate my life to astrology ;)

A Little Advice during this time:

1. Don't embark on any drastic diets, take it slow and steady - and have realistic goals
2. Don't worry so much about what other people think, remember that everyone else is probably thinking the same thing about themselves not properly fitting in!
3. Try to "go with the flow" with work-related changes. If you feel the changes hinder the efficiency of the company/workplace, talk it over with your superior and use words like "efficiency". Let them know you're the right person for the placement, and suggest things that would make your job even more efficient. This is the best way to negotiate during the next 4 1/2 months.

Feel free to ask questions about the Saturn Retrograde in the Comments section of this post, and I'll answer them when I have time.

Meditation: Momentum To Meditate

So you've decided, or have been told, that meditation is good for you? Or maybe you want to try it out due to its many benefits? Or maybe you have a lot of waiting time in waiting rooms, the board room, etc. Deciding is one thing, actually getting into the habit of meditating is another thing.

Once you get into the groove, or habit, of meditating, it becomes easier and easier to motivate yourself to take the time out every day - or whatever schedule you've set out for yourself.

So how do you get into that habit? Here is a suggestion:
Write these down on paper, calendar, in an agenda/datebook, or on a white board:

• Set a week for beginning - let's say the week of December 1st (beginning of the month dates are always great to start projects)
  
• In that week, meditate 5 minutes the first day, 10 the second and third day, 15 the fourth, fifth, and sixth day, and 20 on the seventh. If you want to skip a day, that's fine, but you don't want to skip more than three, otherwise pick another week to "start"!
• Set a meditation topic for each day or each couple of days, as you don't want to try the mind-clearing Zazen right away. Topic suggestions are:
• An object, preferably with a basic shape (a sphere, box, vase, bottle, etc), a living thing (flowers, animals, trees, etc), or anything you can see yourself being able to focus on without getting distracted (ie. the TV is not something to focus on!!!)
• Colours, perhaps a wall in your house that is painted either a vibrant, interesting, or personalized colour. Colour meditation can be quite interesting, once you get over distractions.
• A thought, a single thought- such as an emotion or concept, but don't think it through, just observe the thought, repeat it inwardly or externally.
• A word
  
• Be creative! Anything that doesn't put in a state of panic, escapism, or any negative emotions. You can even meditate on your hands - try staring at your thumb and contemplating it.. it won't be the same after 30 mins of that..
• Set a special place aside for your meditation, prepare it well before your meditation session or right before it. Make sure it's not near distractions, as a beginner, or someone coming back into meditation, distractions will play a big part in making or breaking your meditation success. So will excuses ;)
• Set a time, each of the days you have set, to meditate - preferably the same time each day, but it doesn't have to be. I suggest that you meditate after working, or after the most stressful part of your day - and/or before. Clear your schedule for this time slot, and let everyone know you're busy during that time.
• Unplug your phone and leave the machine to get your calls.
• After meditation, try to observe your inner changes - your relaxed muscles, light endorphins, and whatever else you happen to find. I find that my pain level can decease after a good meditation session, and that my moods are much more balanced. Patience is another great side-effect of meditation ;)
• Keep at it, PUSH(but don't force) yourself to follow each time slot for that week. Try talking yourself into it, like you'd talk someone else into something they should do. List the reasons, and knock down any rebuttals you have!
  
• Keep a small record of your meditation week, this will help you to remember the changes well enough.
  
• Leave post-its or email reminders, reminding you to meditate.

Even if you can't meditate for 30 mins a day, that's okay! 5-10 minutes a day of meditation still makes a great difference, especially if you're a stressed out person.

Try this method if you've fallen off the meditation groove, or remember it for later when you've learned to meditate. More to come on meditation, and more to come on how to build momentum to meditate.

Why did I transfer the site to this weblog?

Well, for a few reasons:

1. People found the old site address difficult to input, as it included a @ in it, which many thought to be a typo.
2. Here I can keep, anyone who's interested, up to date in what's going on - with me, with my services, with freebies, etc.
3. Since I'm ill, the journal is relatively easy (no coding required), and so even during my bad weeks, I can still offer artices and thoughts, tips, and interesting places to visit/books to read etc.

You can also comment on any of the posts you read here, ask questions, see if I'm backed up with work or illness, and talk with others who have similar interests. I also hope to bring back the free reading online chats at some point ;)

I'm looking forward to your thoughts concerning this!

Hugs,
Emilie