Fine Tuning Frequencies

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Aquarius Lunation New Phase Aquarius Sun Pisces Moon

I've have seeded my vision for this cycle with aquarian graphics, a tarot meditation and the visual map provided by a chart for the Aquarius New Moon.

The following quotes call forth the qualities of Aquarian energy:

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
Alan Kay (1940- ) American Computer Scientist

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - ), "Profiles of The Future", 1961 (Clarke's third law)

Friendship makes prosperity more shining and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it.
Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC), On Friendship, 44 B.

Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality.
Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970), "Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?", 1947

The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.
Ursula K. LeGuin

Rob Brezsny advises me

"To invoke the awareness that will help you formulate this week's most important questions, spend quality time watching water flow through the earth, watching clouds stream through the sky, and watching thoughts glide across your mind's eye."

in his Free Will astrology column for February 1. I've been doing just that and dreaming my dreams.

Fresh Start

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Aquarius Lunation New Phase Aquarius Sun Aquarius Moon

The Associated Press ran an article today about the potential use of brain scans as lie detectors by Malcolm Ritter.

World Science reports on 'Disputes over memory ownership: What memories are disputed?', findings from a study published in Genes, Brain and Behavior. Vol. 5 Issue s1 Page 9, February 2006

CNN reports on the Chinese New Year celebrations that begin January 29 all over the world. Read about The Year Year of the Dog, what it signifies and what it could bring for you.

Blessings for the New Beginnings!

At Peace in the Dark

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Balsamic Phase Aquarius Sun Aquarius Moon

In the darkness, I surrender my fears, release my insecurities and forgive my imperfections. My inner voice speaks softly, quieting my mind. Peace and purity are the essence of this moment. In stillness, I hear the words, "I Am" and I know that all is well.

Last of the Last

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Last Quarter Phase Aquarius Sun Sagittarius Moon

Once again this entry comes in the last few hours of the phase.

After weighing what I discovered during the last 2 phases, I've made the decision to reorient. My intention to plan out my 9 year has led me to the understanding that my blogging goals have changed. I find that the amount of information I hoped to convey is too diverse and either I limit my self-expression or confound my subject with seemingly unrelated material.

Following up on the theme of the Capricorn New Moon and my entry on the Full Moon and recognizing the importance of defining boundaries as part of my Capricorn responsibilities, I joined a caregivers support group today. I also made a commitment to do some extended LifeCycle work and requested information about meditation classes forming in my area.

The word ARTICULATE came up 3 times today. I'm too much of a symbolist to let that go unnoticed. Twice it was referenced as one of my talents.

I found the quote below in the introduction to The Heroines Journey by Maureen Murdock. The words spoke to me so personally and intensely that I was compelled to copy it.

"The cave of womanhood feels cozy to me, and I shall always, I think, retreat to it with the comfortable feeling that I am where I should be in some sense deeper than words can articulate. ... But because womanhood is 'home' to me does not mean that I wish to stay home all the time. The cave would become fetid if I never went out. I have too much energy, too much curiosity, too much force to remain so confined. Whole areas of my self would either atrophy or sour. If I wish to be responsible for myself, and I do, I have to pursue my aspirations."

from Daybook: The Journey of an Artist 1982 by Anne Truitt, (1921 - 2004)

There was that word articulate again. If it is one of my talents or resources, I'd like to figure out how to put it to good use.

Disseminating Thoughts

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Disseminating Phase Aquarius Sun Libra Moon

Sharing things that came to light for me during the Full phase:

My birthday was September 1, so my personal astrological year runs from September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006. In numerology, the personal year begins on January 1 and as I said at the Capricorn New Moon, for me, 2006 is a 9 year. I pulled out my Solar Return chart which shows my Moon Phase for my current astrological year is Balsamic. Sure does sound similar to me.

Numerology-free.com says this about the 9 Personal Year

Much like the 7 Personal Year the 9 invites you to pay special attention to your inner world. You have graduated from a cycle of experience. It is a time for completing many areas of experience so that you can move freely into the next cycle ahead without carrying forward outgrown or unneeded baggage. There is a letting go of the old as anticipation of future possibilities exists within you. Gratefulness and compassion are especially important at this time.

crystalinks.com has more info on personal years

The sudden and, I trust, temporary change in my daily routine, has taken me away from my regular astrology work and made me a full-time care giver. Which brings up a lot of questions about my goals for the coming year. Was this the wrong time to begin my blogging project? Is it time for me let go of my astrology and web site work? Looking back to my entry for the Balsamic phase of the last cycle highlights the connections between the Phases. I was asking the same questions.


Tags: Moon Phases, Numerology, Astrology

Another Last Minute Post

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Full Phase Capricorn Sun Virgo Moon

The Full phase begins at the exact opposition of the Sun and the Moon, which occurred in this cycle at 11:48 pm Hawaii Time on Friday, January 13 with the Sun at 24 Capricorn 05 and the Moon at 24 Cancer 05 (in the Tropical Zodiac).

The Sun has continued to move through Capricorn at about a degree a day and the Moon has moved into Virgo, but the phase doesn't end until 2:50 am HT, on January 18 when the Moon makes a 225 degree aspect to the Sun at the beginning of the Disseminating phase.

When the Sun is directly opposite the Moon, its light shines fully on the Moon's face and is reflected back to earth making it appear as a slivery white circular disk. The light that is reflected illuminates the night sky and allows us to navigate the dark landscapes of our lives.

Symbolically, the Solar principle represents the conscious mind, the awareness of the self as an energetic being with a spiritual essence. Its radiant light guides us to the fulfillment of our purpose and potential.

The Moon, on the other hand, represents the unconscious mind and the instinctive body, the intuitive understanding of the self as a physical and emotional being that nurtures the creative source. The lunar energy illuminates our process and directs our progress.

As with all oppositions, the Full phase highlights relationship polarities. The sign Capricorn is associated with professional or public status. Cancer is associated with home and family. The goal of the last few days has been to find balance between two of the most important areas of life.

Here's how it played out for me. A few hours prior to the Capricorn New Moon on December 30, my 78 year-old mother-in-law, who lives with us, fell and broke 4 ribs. Without going into excessive detail, she came home from the hospital 2 days ago. This Full phase has certainly highlighted the relationship between my career and family situations.

I will share what I have learned over the course of the next few days. Meanwhile, I will post this now before the hour grows later.

Tags: Moon Phases, Sun, Moon, Capricorn, Astrology

Revision of Intention and Appearance

Friday, January 13, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Gibbous Phase Capricorn Sun Sun Cancer Moon

Here's my rendition of Clare Goodwin's New Moon Mandala for this cycle.



Since the Gibbous phase connects to the New phase, it's a good practice to look back at the emotions and imagery connected to the seeds of intention sown at that time. As it turns out, I didn't post during the New phase of this cycle, although I did make a post called "What should have been."

All my posts this cycle have been made during the last few hours of each phase. Yes, I know, I qualified it myself by noting Saturn's rulership with the sign of Capricorn and its association with moving slow. Saturn is also known for the "shoulds" associated with it and guilt is yet another saturnian word.

I remember my first mentor's caution about the guilt that "should" produces. One of her favorite expressions was, "Don't should on yourself."

While I was creating the mandala, I realized that using this lunation cycle to plan out all of 2006 may have been a bit too much. Although, the idea of gathering more information about what a 9 year means and working with a different aspect of it each cycle, is certainly doable.


Tags: Moon Phases, Mandala, Saturn, Gibbous, Astrology

Which Tarot Card Are You?

Friday, January 13, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Gibbous Phase Capricorn Sun Cancer Moon

The Gibbous Phase is a time to play. I took this quiz earlier today, which tarot card are you?

You are the Empress card. The Empress is the
archetype of the Mother. She creates and
nurtures life. She represents the abundance of
Mother Earth. The Empress is capable of using
nature in a productive way. She espouses art
for art's sake. Her planet is Venus, and she
embodies love of beauty and a strong value
system. Here is also found initial sensation.
This is the first really physical experience of
the world that The Fool has entered. The
Empress has a rich understanding of the world
based on her five senses. In a reading, The
Empress represents pregnancy, actual or
metaphorical. She indicates an act of creation
and a sensual experience of beauty. The Empress
is a nurturing force that wishes to see the
product of her experiences reach the next stage
of development. Image from A Photographic Tarot
http://www.bluewitch.com/healingtarot/healtar.htm

Deck

Which Tarot Card Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

You may have noticed that I'm using tags. It appears that I don't really have a handle on it yet, as the tags aren't connecting to anything. I'll continue to work on it.

Will post this lunation's mandala later today, along with revisions to my intentions/goals for the cycle.

Tags: Moon Phases, Tarot, Gibbous, Astrology

Moving Forward

Monday, January 9, 2006

Capricorn Lunation First Quarter Phase Capricorn Sun Taurus Moon

The Capricorn Lunation cycle offers us an opportunity to recreate our personal experience of structure, organization, responsibility, ambition, status and achievement. How we integrate and work with these themes during this cycle will be reflected in our encounters throughout the coming year.

It so it is at this time of year that we become as the Roman god Janus, looking both backward at what has been and forward at what is coming, in order to create the best new beginning. The purpose being to lay a solid foundation upon which our intentions for the cycle can be manifested.

The First Quarter Moon in Taurus further encourages us to be determined in our course of action, especially with regard to securing resources and standing up for our values. A good time to buy something for yourself that supports your goals.

physical activity will help to anchor the energy of this phase. A slow, steady activity like a walking meditation or Tai Chi.

I've been searching the web for information on blog rings and directories. Signing up and learning through trial and error. I've also been writing letters, making phone calls and setting up appointments for later in the cycle. All of which, I'm assuming will be of help to me as I plan to make the best of my 9 year.

Tags: Moon Phases, Capricorn, Lunation Cycle, Astrology

Macaroni and Lots of Cheese

Thursday, January 5, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Crescent Phase Capricorn Sun Aries Moon

Here I am, reporting in during the waning hours of the Crescent Moon.

The crescent moon hung low over the mountains to the west at 8:00 PM last night and from my perspective here just inside in the Tropic of Cancer, it looked like an illuminated bowl.

Since Capricorn is an earth sign and associated with the Last Quarter phase which is connected to the Crescent phase and both are sensitive to the physical senses, especially taste, touch and smell.

Taking inventory and gathering resources are the prescribed activities for this phase. To that end, David brought me a book on blogging from the library and I have requested information to assist with my planning for the rest of the year.

So, I have made 2 commitments for this cycle: #1 to continue learning about blogging and #2 to develop a general plan for 2006.

I like to set a medicine wheel during the Crescent phase and light a 7-day candle (why it's called a 7-day candle when it only burns for 5 days, I'll never understand) with my goals for the cycle in mind. It helps to anchor my commitments by giving attention to the physical aspects of my environment.

It's a great phase for enjoying comfort foods and this article from the New York Times was perfect!

from nytimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/dining/04wint.html

Recipes follow article

January 4, 2006
The Winter Cook
Macaroni and Lots of Cheese
By JULIA MOSKIN

MACARONI and cheese is just the kind of all-American, old-fashioned home cooking I was not raised on.

New York City in the 1970's was a hotbed of culinary radicalism. Food-forward parents like mine served dinners of homemade falafel, Mediterranean fish stew or stir-fried beef with broccoli. To me, dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, mashed potatoes with gravy and macaroni and cheese seemed exotic and unattainable.

Naturally, this is where my greatest passions lie as a cook. And after the frenzy of holiday cooking, a simple dish like macaroni and cheese is just what I want to make now.

Lacking a family recipe, I turned to cookbooks for guidance. A strange substance called "white sauce" cropped up again and again. Bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce and alien cheeses like smoked gouda and parmigiano also kept finding their way in. None of the recipes came close to my fantasy of what the dish should be: nothing more than tender elbows of pasta suspended in pure molten cheddar, with a chewy, golden-brown crust of cheese on top.

While reading the following passage in a 20-year-old cookbook called "Simple Cooking," the problem became clear:

" A good dish of macaroni and cheese is hard to find these days. The recipes in most cookbooks are not to be trusted...usually it is their vexatious infatuation with white sauce, a noxious paste of flour-thickened milk, for this dish flavored with a tiny grating of cheese. Contrary to popular belief, this is not macaroni and cheese but macaroni with cheese sauce. It is awful stuff and every cookbook in which it appears should be thrown out the window."

The book's author, John Thorne, still adheres to this position, but said that he has largely given up the fight. "Starting at about the turn of the 20th century, there was a huge fashion for white sauce in America - chafing-dish stuff like chicken à la king, or creamed onions," he said last week. "They were cheap and seemed elegant, and their legacy is that people choose 'creamy' over everything else. But I maintain that macaroni and cheese should be primarily cheesy."

Marlena Spieler, author of a forthcoming book, "Macaroni and Cheese" (Chronicle), agreed that most recipes simply do not have enough cheese. "I believe in making a cheese sauce and also using shredded cheese," she said.

But she refuses to forgo white sauce altogether. "You need a little goo to keep the pasta and cheese together," she said. Having made a global study of the subject, she ticked off a list of alternative binders: mascarpone, crème fraîche, eggs, heavy cream, egg yolks, cottage cheese, butter and evaporated milk, which she deems a little too sweet but "delightfully trashy."

Like me, Ms. Spieler believes that macaroni and cheese, which is often served alongside fried chicken or barbecue, deserves pride of place as a main dish. "I love it so much that I want to focus on it," she said. A crisp green salad and a glass of wine turn mac and cheese into a meal, she added.

I first made Mr. Thorne's recipe, a step in the right direction: it combines a whole pound of cheddar cheese with half a pound of macaroni. But the method, which entails taking the dish out of the oven every five minutes to stir in more cheese, is tiresome. And so, armed with the knowledge that a seemingly outrageous 2:1 ratio of cheese to macaroni is indeed possible, I set out in search of the ideal recipe.

At cheese counters across New York City, complex blends of pungent, unaged, rind-washed and cave-ripened cheeses have been devised for makers of macaroni and cheese. Rob Kaufelt, who owns Murray's Cheese in Greenwich Village, counsels a 30-50-20 blend of Swiss Gruyère, young Irish cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a blend of English cheddars. At Artisanal, cooks are steered toward the softness of Italian fontina and Welsh Caerphilly.

These are all indisputably glorious cheeses. But they do not all belong in a casserole dish. An impromptu focus group of children living in my apartment building showed a strong preference for the cheddar family. Ultimately, I found, the dirty little secret of an honest macaroni and cheese is often American cheese.

American cheese is simply cheddar or colby that is ground and emulsified with water, said Bonnie Chlebecek, a test kitchen manager at Land O'Lakes in Arden Hills, Minn.

"The process denatures the proteins in the cheese," she said, "which in plain English means that it won't clump up or get grainy when you melt it. With natural cheese, it's much harder to get a smooth melt." The cheese industry and the Food and Drug Administration call a cheese "natural" if it has been produced from milk, as cheddar and mozzarella (and virtually all other nonindustrial cheeses) are.

Plain American cheese, labeled pasteurized process cheese, contains the most natural cheese and is the best for cooking. American cheese derivatives are made from cheese and additives like sodium phosphates (acids that promote melting), nonfat dry milk and carrageenan. In descending order of their relationship to natural cheese, they are cheese food, cheese spread (such as Velveeta) and cheese product.

Daphne Mahoney, the Jamaican-born owner of Daphne's Caribbean Express in Manhattan's East Village, makes a wonderfully dense version of macaroni and cheese that combines American cheese with extra-sharp cheddar. Macaroni pie is hugely popular in the Caribbean, especially on islands like Jamaica and Barbados that once received regular stocks of cheddar from other members of the British commonwealth: Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

"We put a little pepper in it to spice it up," she said. "But as long as you don't make the macaroni soggy, and you use plenty of cheese, it will be good."

The macaroni must not be slippery and soft, but firm and substantial. This is not the time to bring out your whole-wheat penne and artisanal orecchiette: elbow pasta is the way to go.

One of the most surprising recipes I tried called for uncooked pasta. Full of doubt, I mixed raw elbow noodles with a sludge of cottage cheese, milk and grated cheese. The result was stunning: the noodles obediently absorbed the liquid as they cooked, encasing themselves in fluffy cheese and a crust of deep rich brown.

The last decision - to top or not to top - is easily dispensed with. Resist the temptation to fiddle around with bread crumbs, corn flakes, tortilla chips and other ingredients that have nothing to do with the dish. When there is enough cheese in and on top of your creation, a brown, crisp crust of toasted cheese will form naturally. There is nothing more delicious.

The moral of the story: When in doubt, add more cheese.
________________________________________________________

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/dining/041wrex.html
Recipe: Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ pound elbow pasta, uncooked.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.

2. In a blender, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together. Reserve ¼ cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

3. Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

________________________________________________________

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/dining/042wrex.html
Recipe: Crusty Macaroni and Cheese

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
3 tablespoons butter
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
12 ounces American cheese or cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1 pound elbow pasta, boiled in salted water until just tender, drained, and rinsed under cold water
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Salt
2/3 cup whole milk.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use one tablespoon butter to thickly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Combine grated cheeses and set aside two heaping cups for topping.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne (if using) and salt to taste. Place in prepared pan and evenly pour milk over surface. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top, dot with remaining butter and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes. Raise heat to 400 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until crusty on top and bottom.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

If comfort foods are a no no on your diet, try getting a massage or enjoying the benefits of aromatherapy.

What should have been

Monday, January 2, 2006

Capricorn Lunation New Phase Capricorn Sun Aquarius Moon

The sign of Capricorn is represented by the symbol of a goat, specifically a "Sea Goat" as pictured next to the stylized glyph for Capricorn in this clay sculpture made by my granddaughter, Jesse, who will turn 17 on January 9.

There's that number again.

I used it as the basis for one of my meditation images for this cycle.

I'm thinking that I might use this cycle to develop an organized plan for 2006.

It is the time of year for making resolutions.

So here's to us, Verlin, and anyone else who might be having a 9 year.

You're welcome to join me in this exercise.

I'm late, I'm late... for a very important date

Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Capricorn Lunation Crescent Phase Capricorn Sun Pisces Moon

The New phase ended last night at 11:13 PM Hawaii Time. I meant to have this posted before Crescent began. Whoops!

And now the "add image" feature in Blogger isn't working. Can we say frustration? Okay, with the Crescent phase there is the struggle of breaking away from the previous cycle and here I am, having difficulties with my blogging. I've requested help and as soon as it comes I'll post the visuals, I'd planned on posting during new.

Note that Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn, whose corresponding energy is considered slow and heavy.