Upheavals

With transiting Uranus hovering over my natal Sun, I knew that major changes were to occur in my life. However, changing jobs for the second time this year is not exactly what I had in mind!

As mentioned by life coach Gill Edward, and further echoed by many other spiritual writers, our external world is a reflection of our inner state. Perhaps my recent cleansing is finally having an impact on my external environment?

Recalling my thoughts and emotions for the past few months, I have noticed that I had been acting very much out of character. Similar to Lucinder Ledgerwood - a candidate on last season's 'The Apprentice' in the UK. She was fired by Sir Alan Sugar for being 'too zany'. The competitive nature of the show was probably too harsh for Lucinda's spiritual self. I too feel my current environment is vibrating at a dangerously low energy level to suit my sensitive nature. The Uranus-Saturn opposition has been 'conversing' in my chart in the last few months - shall I move or stay put? In the end, Uranus won. My Saturn side is still getting over the shock of my brave decision during this economic decline! Fortuntately, positive affirmations are keeping me optimistic and spiritually content.

I was on the underground last month when I noticed a butterfly perched on the air con vent. It should be fluttering in the open air - where it truly belongs. Instead, it somehow got stuck inside a man-made environment, i.e. a train. We could call it an adventure. On the other hand, we could also interpret it as 'Fish out of water'. It's not being true to itself and should seek a location suited to its biological state. I too feel I have been drowning in the sea of confusion and being suffocated by Scorpionic and 8th house themes. With Uranus transiting my 8th house, where my natal Sun, Mercury, Mars and North Node reside, I have been wondering how I would experience this transit? Back in August during the astrology Summer School event, I remember one other participant commented that with such a significant 8th house influence, it would be a good idea to experience that through client work, i.e. I could deal with these issues through others. Otherwise, I would meet them head-on in my own life.

Is there truly enough money for everyone?

Louise L. Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing and an advocate of positive affirmations, often mentions in her work that 'money' is an energy exchange. It is not dependent on a person or event. John Randolph Price also reinforces this notion in his 'The Abundance Book'. By changing the consciousness of the law of abundance, we can increase this flow of energy into our lives. Louse Hay also believes that business doesn't have to be cut-throat. There is enough abundance from the universal source to support everyone.

It would be absolutely unthinkable to send customers to a competitor's door - but what happens if you simply cannot provide service for these customers?

When I was working part-time at a chain-store in England, we would openly send customers to our competitors if we could not provide our customers with the relevant products. As a customer, I have been recommended to shop elsewhere when the shop did not have what I was looking for. This truly shows the ethics of putting the customers first - they have our own interests at heart.

Somewhere down the line, I inadvertently attracted the complete opposite workplace - turning customers away - if we could not take their money, then no one else will. Or at least, we would not take an active part in sending them to others.

As a follower of positive affirmations, I believe that our universal creator is the ultimate provider of abundance. I stand by my beliefs that there truly is enough for everyone. Even in our current economic decline. There are still people looking to spend their hard-earned cash - less so than before, but would you not agree that some of our modern spending habits have been too extravagant? Perhaps with Pluto re-entering Capricorn later on this month, we need to think about our resources more prudently. Oil and house prices have been soaring to ridiculously high levels in recent years. People are spending money they do not have. It is a great shame that everyone globally has to suffer the consequences of these reckless behaviours.

Congratulations Obama!

In a conversation a month ago, some of my acqaintances remarked that America wasn't ready for a black president. These acquaintances also commented that I wasn't good enough to achieve certain projects. Deep down, I said to myself 'If Obama does become the first black president, it would proof these people wrong and also the fact that I can achieve my dreams too.'

So, on the day of the election, I was diligently tracking the votes minute by minute.

To begin with, McCain was leading, but after that, Obama raced right ahead, remaining in the lead until the very end.

Obama's success has proved that miracles do happen. This historical event shows that anything is possible if you dare to dream it. The universe is there to support us. What is it that you honestly desire from life?

Feng Shui your Life

I'm a big fan of positive affirmations. I believe that a balanced internal state is required in order to attract positive experiences into your life. This process can be enhanced by simultaneously 'cleanse' your external environment - i.e. by using feng shui techniques.

Recently, I was recommended a fantastic blog with highly insightful tips on feng shui:

http://dragonfengshui.blogspot.com/

Find out your Kua number and start making positive changes in your life today!

I'm a teacher and proud of it!

November 4th marks the opposition between Saturn and Uranus. Coincidentally, it's also the day of the US presidential election. Saturn appears to represent McCain - the mature and experienced candidate with traditional ideas versus Uranus/Obama - the candidate who is young, full of energy and enthusiasm and ready to present his innovative ideas to the world.

Personally, this opposition falls in my 2nd-8th axis, with Saturn transiting my 2nd house, also conjunct my natal Saturn (1st return) back in August and Uranus transiting my 8th house conjunct my natal Sun for the first time back in April 2006. This opposition could signify the struggle between keeping things as they are versus making changes. I have certainly been going through the motions of whether to stay put or to move around career-wise. In the end, Uranus won and I uprooted myself to another country, hence a new home but it's also my childhood home (natal Uranus in 4th). However, it's not until today I realise that this configuration also signifies a sense of self (2nd house). During a conversation with an auntie of mine on careers, she mentioned that as I'm approaching 30, I should really just stick to my current choice of profession - teaching instead of making changes (which I had been contemplating - the Uranus side of me). If that idea was presented to me 5 months ago, it wouldn't have been well received. But, today, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride of being associated with that label. I am a teacher. That is who I am and what I am good at being. I accept it with open arms. I no longer feel it isn't good enough. I have finally understood my lesson on self-worth (Saturn in 2nd; nodal axis also in 2nd/8th houses).

Manifestations

Last week, I visited Summer McStravick's website and signed up for her e-newsletter. From her e-newsletter, I downloaded her free recording of a 5-minute meditation. This past week, I have tried to listen to it daily. By the third day, I began to notice events that were mentioned in the recording becoming true! Of course, just listening to it would not gurantee the manifestation of your wishes. I simply took Summer's advice and affirmed in the present tense - without 'wanting' the events to happen. Instead, they are already happening. I used to find this concept very hard to grasp but lately, it suddenly made complete sense to me.

Flowdreaming

I am a big fan of Doreen Virtue - the founder of Angeltherapy. I listen to her radio show on Hayhouse.com religiously. The other day, while searching for her latest show, I accidentally clicked on the wrong button and ended up listening to Summer McStravick's show on Flowdreaming. I was about to close the window when I realised that Summer was discussing the reasons why sometimes manifestations did not seem to work.

Besides the fact that we may send out our wishes to the universe and then change our minds about them afterwards, another major reason for this apparent failure is because of the way we phrase our affirmations.

On the radio show, Summer used an example of someone wanting to manifest a soulmate level relationship. This person may affirm that 'I am in a harmonious relationship with my soulmate' and that 'We both understand one another on a deep and meaningful level'. So far so good. Positive affirmations work on the basis that one assumes the wish desired is already occurring. However, this person may continue to affirm 'I yearn to be in such a blissful relationship' or 'I wish to be with my soulmate ASAP'. Here, the message is being phrased in the future, i.e. the person is affirming the state of 'yearning' for a meaningful relationship instead of 'being' in a one. A big difference here.

For more information on Summer McStravick's work on Flowdreaming, visit her website http://www.flowdreaming.com/