New Moon in Libra: Truth, Unfiltered

Today, we welcome a New Moon in the cardinal air sign of Libra, the scales of balance, justice, equanimity. The seventh house of the horoscope is Libra’s home – the domain of self and other, formal marriage, contracts, partnership, you ‘n me. While it is the natural house of “we,” most of us don’t realize is also the traditional house of open enemies – those situations where the disagreement or confrontation is clearly on the table. The seventh house of Libra is also the terrain of counseling, and other close one-to-one situations (like meetings with an attorney or consultant or advisor), and of course, therapy.

Since we’re on the subject of therapy and counseling, let's enter today's edgier realm.

This past month, I’ve had a couple of dreams about my former therapist. In waking life, she was a fantastic practitioner – masterful in attachment therapy and Jungian psychology. We worked together intensively every single week – see you Tuesday at 11am – for over three years. A large chunk of cash, to be sure, and worth every penny. I will forever be grateful to her and our deep work together.

In these dreams of late, I’ve seen her as a crunchier, older version of her usual, polished, fashionable self. Her dream self smokes cigarettes, has a side gig as a bad pizza delivery person, has personal friendships with past clients (verboten in licensed therapy), and lolls about in red crushed-velvet robes on the therapy chaise lounge, making herself and others more comfy. She’s undergoing early menopause, her face is aging. She hates spiritual platitudes and pop positivity psychology, and rejects formal religion. She’s a rebel, and a somewhat unkempt one at that. Truly, she simply doesn’t care.

After having two of such dreams, I got the message. This dream therapist is an integrating aspect of my own self and my own work with clients and students. While I wouldn’t be so messy, unbounded, sloppy, or careless, I might also not be following the usual cultural expectations of traditional therapy. I would bring my rock-and-roll, bohemian self to the fore, use the F-word, hear about your favorite beer, and be so frank as to make a person start to feel more Frank herself.

Truth, Unfiltered 

A spiritual teacher is going to tell you the Truth. By being and embodying the truth, sans artifice. The boundaries of one’s personality are seen and experienced as that which they truly are – edges, hues, skeins of color and light indeed, but they are no longer identified with. 

When a person works with a spiritual teacher, they’re not going to receive traditional talk therapy or trauma/attachment work, though that might be an aspect of it. Working with a spiritual teacher is a facing of your self, and even more True, it is a facing of the Self – where is your soul aching to go, what is Life Itself longing to express? Where are you telling yourself a story, where are you believing the lie, perpetuating the lie, indulging in the lie?

Spiritual teachers are not necessarily going to help your egoic self feel better, though you may end up that much closer to knowing you are truly Free, and that is the ultimate “feel better.” Embodied liberation does not come and go. It is not contingent on outside people, circumstances, politics, health, finances, relationships, and all of that. It is not a state.

The Truth is unlimited, as You are unlimited. The Truth is not bound by an idea of what should be happening, or what might occur next. 

The throes of achievement, accomplishment, and aspiration come and go, no longer important – unless, of course, it’s what’s happening. Status, recognition, image no longer sub for the real thing.

Yes, it may look normal, it may look buttoned-up, professional, smiley and welcoming.

But Truth may also smoke cigarettes (unfiltered), loll around on the couch in red crushed velvet robes, and eat bad pizza. Nothing is excluded. Truth faces everything, because it is everything. And that's pure Love.

Truth. It's What's for Dinner.

Truth. It's what's for dinner.

It's what's for dinner, lunch, breakfast, and your midnight snack.

Truth. Open 24x7.

Erin Reese, M.S. is a contemporary spiritual teacher, author and guide. A modern mystic with over thirty years of experience, Erin Reese offers incisive, practical intuitive readings to her clients worldwide. She is a counselor, guide and mentor to those seeking an alternative to traditional psychotherapy or business coaching. Erin also offers non-dual meetings and retreats on embodied liberation and freedom from suffering.

*Weekly nondual satsang in the advaita lineage is held Thursdays, 9am Pacific. Email Erin for more information. The November 13-15 retreat is currently full yet there is a waiting list available.

Fun with Memes

I’ve been getting creative on Instagram and Twitter, finding new modes of creative, visual pointers to the Absolute. Here’s a few of late:

Full Moon in Libra: Individual Social Justice

Liz Greene's Mythic Tarot

Tonight we have a Full Moon in the cardinal air sign of Libra, the Scales of Equality and Justice. Beyond the limited reach of "political correctness" lies the realm of social justice.

The term social justice means different things to different people: some balk at the concept or are tired of hearing about it; some welcome it and dedicate their lives to the matter. Whatever your personal position, a good discussion of social justice is going to raise some eyebrows, or at the very minimum raise some intriguing points of view. This is Libra’s pet terrain – the perspective of self meeting other, where we discover if ever the twain shall meet.

INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL JUSTICE

We don’t often hear the term “individual social justice.” Heck, I may be one of the first people to coin the phrase, for all I know. Maybe the words ‘individual’ and ‘social’ technically cancel each other out; perhaps it's a complete oxymoron. But I’m going to turn grammar on its ear and do it anyway. Since I’m an artist, writer and free-thinker, I reserve the right to play with these terms and do so in public.

To me, individual social justice is an act that involves standing up for oneself individually, yet has a far reaching impact on the culture as a whole. That culture may be a society, family, organization, institution, or partnership. As a humanitarian-minded Aquarius, I do think about my greater brotherhood and sisterhood and all-genders-in-between-hood. I see how standing on the sidelines and being abused, or discounted, or harmed by another person’s actions or non-actions has a much more far-reaching effect than JUST ME. The world is watching; we are all connected. The elders, the children and the neighbors are observing our behavior. Do we stand up and advocate for what we feel to be fair and just, honest and healthy?

I know it’s downright scary, even terrifying, to stand up to a bully, whether that person be a playground chump, a politician, a boss, professor, or a misguided partner.  Perhaps you are afraid of being exposed by speaking up, that you might experience a counter-attack or receive undermining that’s worse than what you’re putting up with now; however, if you get the right support (hint, hint) and you muster your courage – no matter if it takes days, weeks, months or years – you will find the power to speak up skillfully. You will reclaim what is rightfully yours: your dignity, your serenity, and your peace of mind. 

At this Full Moon in Libra, we are experiencing a cardinal t-square involving the Sun and Uranus in Aries, opposing Jupiter and the Moon in Libra, all square Pluto in Capricorn. A need for freeing oneself from shackles and chains is arising, and there is tension that must be worked through in order to gain that liberation. Pluto's potent presence makes sure the lesson is bone-deep – we are not playing small. Our actions will have consequences for the greater culture and for past souls and future folks. Uranus opposing Jupiter shakes the ground, changes the playing field significantly. The cosmic pot is being stirred in order to propel us forth in our personal and collective evolution.

Yes, we need to tread carefully with thoughts, words and actions as Mercury and Venus are both retrograde and wires are easily crossed, things feel messy, toes are stubbed. But, the theme is clear: In order to experience the healthy Libran gifts of harmony and balance, we need to stand up for Individual Social Justice. If you need support to find the right strategy, reach out for a helping hand. Your trusted guides and loving mentors - seen and unseen - will be more than happy to be there for you. How do you think they got where they are today? They walked through the fire with courage and faith, just like you are doing right now. For all of us. Thank you.

Erin Reese is an author, spiritual guide, astrologer, and modern psychic reader based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with clients all over the world.

For readings and spiritual counseling by Skype, phone or email, contact her directly at erin@erinreese.com.