May 2007: The Gift of The Stars

Doctors insist that up to 80 percent of life’s problems, including physical illnesses, are caused by stressed. It’s true, but receiving that diagnosis is about as helpful as saying that the only way off this earth is death. Exactly what are we supposed to do with this information?

Some of us think the answer is to try and control our lives. We plan every minute of every day, down to our free time, which has been dissected into fifteen-minute blocks. And then we’re even more stressed (as in idealistically shocked) when some toothpick tumbles on our carefully arranged pile and our lives crash.

Stress means something different to each person. This morning, for instance, (on a day off), I polished off a book proposal, wrote an article, talked to two clients, and cleaned the turtle tank. Any one of these events might create heart-stopping anxiety in another person, but what did it for me? The early afternoon activity spent at the craft store, trying to purchase items for my eight-year-old son’s school project, following the actual construction of the assignment.

And who decided it was “fun” to create a realistic diorama of penguins for educational purposes of said-eight-year-old? Have you ever tried to assemble penguins out of black and white puffballs and Elmer’s glue—penguins that look like penguins, that is? Especially while pasting fake fish into a glitter pond while attempting to keep the artificial, smiling sun pasted in the cotton ball-kissed sky—with sticky fingers?

I don’t think the answer to stress is to control life’s daily events. (Though it might involve hiring a nanny for most “bonding” opportunities.) In May, stellar situations collude to provide us a coping mechanism, however. It’s about riding the wild side.

Uranus Upsets
Jupiter goes square with Uranus on May 10th. Jupiter isn’t consciously trying to “square off” with Uranus. Jupiter is a physical, unconscious energy, as is Uranus. All physical substances, however, are made of energy, which is information that moves. When a really big physical object (like a planet) interacts with another big physical object (say, another planet), they set off a reaction in the objects around them (including us, even though we’re under them.) We’re made of energy, and our bodies, thoughts, and feelings react to what happens upstairs.

Energetically, Jupiter represents opportunity and optimism. When Jupiter shines in our lives, we’re usually provided situations leading to personal and professional growth. Uranus is a different story. It’s eccentric, unpredictable, and unusual.

Let me illustrate Uranus for you. I had a great aunt, Marianne, who could have passed as a Uranus double in her unpredictability. For example, you never knew what she was going to give as Christmas presents. One year, when I was seven, I got parts of a coffee maker (and that’s parts, not the entirety, of a coffee maker.) The next year, I got socks. Really long, green and red socks, all decorated with different patterns. Not only didn’t they fit, they didn’t match.

When an energy like Uranus (think, Great Aunt Marianne) squares with a solid citizen like Jupiter (think Brooks Brother’s businessman), you can only expect the unexpected. The end result is the energy of “Wild.”

Most of us cringe when we think of being hit with Wild energy. We think, “Duck!” Not “mallard duck,” but “get down, duck.” That’s not going to help. Avoiding an unavoidable situation causes, doesn’t cure, stress.

The truth is that most stress comes from our insistence on controlling, rather than enjoying, what life presents us. What if life became a little more—Wild? What if you got up in the morning, and instead of putting on a blue suit, you wore a red dress, or a black tux, depending on your preference? What if, instead of ordering a black coffee at Starbuck’s, you got hot chocolate? What if you swam with the dolphins on vacation, instead of just sitting seaside? What if you said “yes” when the unusual appeared before you?

Years ago, I had a dream about riding a wild horse. In real life, I’m scared to death of horses. I’ve had two riding experiences, both of which resulted in being bucked off. It’s not a skill base for me. I began my dreamriding as scared as if I had been saddled up at a real-life ranch. As the dream proceeded, I began to grow comfortable, and then ecstatic, with the experience. I decided that maybe I could approach my every day life the same way—making peace with speed, twists, and turns.

In May, we’ll each be presented with the opportunity—or a set of them—to accept the Wild. Something—or someone—will take us to the extremes. Maybe we’ll be the person to intensify someone else’s life! Are we willing to “ride wild” and see where it takes us?

Going Wild
Here are a few tips, if you are willing to enjoy the serendipity of May.

1. Go intuitive. If presented with an interesting situation, know that you can rely on your intuition to decide to say “nay” or “yah.” The mind has a tendency to clap down—to reject anything new. If we don’t try something new, we’ll never become anything more than we currently are.
2. Go for it. Once you’ve decided to say, “yes” to an opportunity, see where it will take you! Our nation has so sanitized our thinking that most of us think that we’re doing something wrong if we have to turn “left” before we turn “right.” Science has proven that the shortest distance between two points IS NOT always a straight line. Why do we think life always evolves in a straightforward manner?
3. Go on it. Make change easy. Don’t force it—ride it. Life can carry us forward, if we “go with the flow.” By following our bliss and inclinations, even a difficult or confusing project can become enjoyable and exciting.