All Planets in Direct Motion

Here's some interesting astrology for you. From December 25th's Full Moon in Cancer GMT 11:11am, yes, you saw that correctly, 11:11) we have All Planets in Direct Motion for 11 days, till the 5th January 2016. (yes, 11 days)

Previously, astrologers would simply mark a chart 'zero retrogrades', however an astrologer, Stephanie Forest, recently saw it in a different way. Rather than zero retrogrades, what she saw was All Planets in Direct Motion. ALL planets moving in sync and harmony together and in the same direction. This only happens at seemingly random times and for differing lengths of time. 

What are these windows of time for? 

How amazing is the ability to look with new eyes, interpret something in a different way and open up a new world of ideas?

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL PLANETS DIRECT MOTION™
1. We can consider acceleration, movement and velocity as intrinsic to APDM timings, and observe or apply core potential.
2. We can open to discovery, information and/or messages during APDM.
3. We can meditate and/or dance together, or individually, apply timing and conscious focus to conceive new ideas, organic cures, set the intention, visioning.
4. We can BLOG our thoughts, observations and feelings before, during and after APDM cycles, checking for similar themes.
5. We can take note of apparent APDM themes including faith, confidence, determination.
6. It takes a Village to unpack APDM. our combined participation makes a difference. in fact APDM is all about global participation during the approaching Aquarian Age.
7. We can co-create an enlightening experience through a collective vision for the future of humanity.

Read more - http://allplanetsdirect.com/

STOP THE WAR

We got the news last night that the UK government has decided to bomb Syria. This is wrong on so many levels and will not help the situation. We are not being listened to. Our government is destroying our country. STOP THE WAR. You are not killing in my name. #notinmyname

I have seen many turn their cover photo's on Facebook black. This is a dark situation, this is a black situation, however, we need light, we need colour, we need hope...

I created this drawing last night. It flowed out, with little direction from me. A spiky rainbow emerged, colours united, angry and wanting to protect the earth and it's people.

Feel free to share and use it as your profile picture to make a stand with light, colour and hope, not more darkness and depression.

If you're on Facebook come and like my page and share/download the image from there. You can find more of my art at shaktimandala.co.uk.

They want us to be depressed and scared. What better way to defy them by continuing to create, to colour the world and bring light into everyday life?

STOP THE WAR

Recycled wax and pine cone firelighters

On my walk to the shop today, I noticed a load of dry pine cones littering the path.  On my way back, I stopped and collected around 20, good sized pine cones.  Not too small and not too big.

A friend had recently mentioned she was going to make some firelighters by dipping pine cones in wax.  I had other things to be doing but decided I'd much prefer to have a go at making some with my pine cone stash (the moon IS in Leo!).  I had lots of tea light candle stubs, another old candle that was almost all gone, and some old taper candles.

I placed all the old wax in a plastic soup tub and into a pan of water (like a bain marie) and left it simmering.  While the wax was melting, I wrapped some waxed cord around the pine cones.  I had waxed jewellery cord to hand and wanted to use why I could find, so decided it would do the job! You could use cotton or jute string.

Once the wax was melted, I took it out of the hot pan and left it to cool a little.  I added some old, out of date clove essential oil.  No good for use on me, but all good for the firelighters!  You could use up any old essential oils in this way.  You still only need a few drops, as too much oil added to the mix will stop the wax from setting hard.

If you dip the cones when the wax is very hot, not much sticks and you'll have to dip again, if you leave it too long, each dip will go on a lot thicker. If it starts getting solid, just place back in the pan of water and heat up again. I ran out of the first lot that I'd melted, so melted 3 more taper candles to complete all my pine cones.

They don't need to look pretty (unless you're making them as a gift), so leave it 5 mins then dip one, if you think the coating is too runny, wait a little longer. I placed mine in some old fairy cake cups as I thought they would be messy, but actually, I needn't have bothered. The paper would have been fine.

Leave them to cool and harden.

Place in your fire stack and light the cord near to the top of the cone.  Lighting paper around the cones will help get them going too.  I've stored mine in an old chocolate tin.

Voila! recycled wax and pine cone firelighters!

I made 22 in a couple of hours (if that).  I'll definitely be doing that again.

You will need -

Dry pine cones
Wick - cotton or jute, thin string or cord.
Old candles, left over bits and unused stubs of wax.
Old essential oils, out of date is good! Can't use it on the skin, may as well fragrance the fire!
Old plastic tub for melting wax in.
Pan of water to use as a bain marie.