The year 2011 will set the stage for dramatic changes — and an evolution in consciousness — in 2012. Before marathon runners reach the finish line, they often slow down to catch their breath before making the final sprint to the finish line. This is the year when we will need to collectively slow down so we may take stock and let go of all that is unworkable from the last century of commercial, political and economic evolution.

The year 2011 will serve as a bridge between the old and new. The seeds planted by vibrant and dynamic planetary activity in 2010 will germinate and bear fruit in 2011. In 2010, there were more than twenty stunning celestial alignments involving Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto. This celestial phenomenon was called "The Cardinal Climax." The Cardinal Climax of 2010 paved the way for a dramatic global transformation that will continue to unfold for years to come. Fortify yourself now, for the reverberations of this celestial symphony will be felt all throughout 2011.

As a result of the continuing confluence of cosmic energies, there will be an increase in physical, mental, emotional activity on Earth. Consequently, you may feel as if time is speeding up along with the increase in activity. Yet, if you slow down and observe what is going on with a detached eye, you will see that the magnified level of intensity will eventually help you discover what is truly important — your connection to your heart, your soul, and your spirituality.

Ultimately, the convergence of planetary activity will move you to a higher, more expanded and inspired level of consciousness with greater dimensions of thinking and feeling. Contrary to what you may have heard, rather than the world coming to a cataclysmic end in December 2012, all that will be ending are old, ineffective ways of thinking and living on the planet. We have much to look forward to. We must remind ourselves not to fear the unknown or the unexpected, but to know that a higher divine plan is unfolding in a way that is in the highest good of all.

***

In 2011, there will be seven important planetary events. This upcoming planetary activity will occur in concentrated clusters while aligning with powerful eclipses, which, according to ancient sages, bring unexpected people together in unexpected ways to produce unexpected results that forever alter the course of history. There will be six of these eclipses in 2011, two more than occurred in 2010.

As we prepare to enter a higher age of consciousness, where we will be freed from the time and space limitations that currently restrict us, we will become more aware of each other's thoughts, feelings and intentions. Just as the Internet and electronic gadgets have made it easier to communicate, so too is human consciousness evolving to the point where many people will be able to communicate with each other and with nature in ever quicker, telepathic ways. The evolution of gadgets is a mirror of the greater capacity of the human mind. Simultaneously, non-life affirming and outmoded styles of thinking, acting, and being will attempt to reassert themselves to hold back the inevitable evolution promised by this auspicious period of human history, which even now is gaining momentum.

A major theme of 2011 will be liberation: freedom from past limitations in our minds as well as in the physical world. People will be freed from personally oppressive situations as they gain confidence to authentically express themselves. Of course, the changes may initially create some chaos, but ultimately, those who have been disenfranchised and marginalized will gain energy and courage to affirm their rights and confront those in power. Great technological progress will be made that will enable people to more easily articulate their thoughts, express and share ideas, and gain access to previously inaccessible information.

Not surprisingly, those in power will resist the inevitable changes that already loom on the horizon even though freedom from limitations would enhance their lives as well. Increasingly strong corporations or wealthy individuals also will try to exert greater influence on decreasingly effectual national governments, trying to supplant governmental authority with financial power.

The planetary alignments in due course will rebalance out-of-balance power dynamics and rectify inequality across the globe, redistributing resources from the "haves" to the "have-nots." Global power will naturally flow from North to South, and from West to East. You will see China, India, Australia, Indonesia, South America, and even Africa, play an increasingly powerful role on the world stage. Simultaneously, the leadership role of the United States will diminish.

Women, young people, and people of diverse ethnic backgrounds will increasingly ascend to powerful positions in businesses, governments, and influential grassroots movements. Older, white men may continue to appear to be "in control." Time will prove, however, that the true power will progressively lie with groups that have been historically disenfranchised and appear weak from our current perspective. Within these groups are the seeds of change.

Social networking groups on the Internet also will play a powerful role in defining a more inclusive and egalitarian future society. First, however, the powerful will fight to stay on top. Power struggles between the old and the new are bound to ensue. Governmental and financial chaos and disorder will to escalate. As a last-gasp attempt to maintain order, the government may try to exert greater control, yet its attempts to manage the masses ultimately will prove unsuccessful. Freewheeling, and as yet unorganized, youth will prevail in their quest for autonomy and freedom as older structures begin to fade away.

New and better styles of life are waiting to emerge to take the place of unsupportive ways of living and thinking. For those concerned about economic growth opportunities, look to agricultural, healthcare, educational, service-oriented, technological, and planet-supporting endeavors, including those involving air and water purification and new sources of energy and food. There are plenty of opportunities even though the overall economic cycle, from an astrological perspective, is in period of contraction, or at best, sideways movement, that that will last until a new business cycle begins in 2020.

Still, instead of holding onto the past or to fear, try to feel gratitude for the gifts you do possess. By expressing gratitude to the Divine, you open a channel for more of what you appreciate to come to you. Through this practice, you will connect to your soul, which ultimately is more precious and gratifying than any economic success. Practice simplicity and thankfulness. Meditate and pray to be guided. And be receptive to alternative solutions — there are many of them.

When you look back at this time in future years, you will see how positive these changes were for your sense of self, your confidence, and your faith in the universe. Even if you think you are letting go of many things, everything will return to you in a higher form. Strive to practice patience as you transition to a higher and more beneficial way of being.

It is a law of physics that the greatest chaos precedes the greatest order. From the disorder will come the opportunity to rearrange your life according to a higher truth, one that is closer to the needs of your soul.

So, try to find comfort in the changes, in the situations you are unable to attain or control, in the rearranging of those things you had depended upon, and in the things you appear to be "losing." If you are unable to attain something during this period, it may be delayed for a more opportune time, or it may be in your highest good not to have. If you let go of something, consider that it has outlived its useful purpose and that something better is coming to take its place.

Hold onto the love in your heart and please pray for the light to dispel the darkness, for the new to overtake the old, and for self-centered, greedy attitudes to give way to the awareness that what is good for each inhabitant of the planet will uplift the fortunes of all.

May you be blessed for a peaceful, loving, happy, healthy, holy year of 2011!

Love & Light,

Laurie

***

The Upcoming Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice arrives on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 (see table below for time in your location). The change of season — and the changing angle of the light of the Sun — coincides with a dramatic Total Eclipse of the Moon in very close proximity to Mercury Retrograde. The Eclipse of the Moon on December 21, 2010, will be followed by an Eclipse of the Sun on January 4, 2011. Just hours after that eclipse, lucky Jupiter will join revolutionary Uranus in Pisces, engendering startling events in government, finance, air travel, and communications.

Expect the unexpected under the influence of this series of cosmic alignments. Everything from the dramatic to the embarrassing may occur on the world stage. Revolutionary movements and protests will bring about results and reversals. Clarity and understanding will alternate with miscommunication and misinterpretation.


Events in late 2010 and 2011 will reverberate with those of December 1991 to January 1992. During that two-month period in the early 1990s:

·     The Soviet Union collapsed

·     Boris Yeltsin announced that Russia would stop targeting U.S. cities
with nuclear weapons

·     The Yugoslavian Republic dissolved

·     Bosnian Serbs, Croatia and Slovenia proclaimed independence

·     El Salvador officials and rebel leaders ended a 12-year civil war

·     Iraq refused to cooperate with nuclear arms inspections

·     Terry Anderson, a journalist who was held hostage in Lebanon for 7 years, was released

·     Pan American World Airways folded after being in operation since the late 1920s, due in part to a terrorist attack on one of its planes over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, and the hijacking of one of its planes in Pakistan in 1986.

·     George H. W. Bush fell ill, vomited, and fainted in the lap of Japan's Prime Minister
Kiichi Miyazawa


The parallels today:

·     Russia is negotiating an arms control treaty with the United States

·     Tension between North Korea and South Korea is rapidly escalating

·     Airline travel is back in the news with the debate over invasive body scanners and pat-downs due to terrorism threats

·     Iran, rather than Iraq, is pursuing nuclear ambitions

·     Oil-rich southern Sudan is taking steps to become independent of Sudan

·     Lori Berenson, an American arrested as a terrorist while she was carrying press credentials, has been released — at least temporarily — after 15 years in a Peruvian jail

·     International authorities are eager to prosecute WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for releasing state secrets in the course of working as a self-styled journalist

·     President Barack Obama suffered an embarrassing basketball injury when a player's elbow to his lip cost him twelve stitches


Here's what the planets have in store for you:

Total Eclipse of the Moon
An impressive Total Eclipse of the Moon (see table below for time in your location) will occur just hours before the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2010. The eclipse will be visible in North and South America, northern Europe, Japan and northeast Asia. Expect increased communication from people, and among people, who inhabit these regions. If you live under the path of the eclipse (if you can see it, you are in its path), you will experience greater daily activity and encounter numerous opportunities to learn many new things during the two weeks before and after this powerful eclipse.

During the eclipse, the Sun will be in the fiery, action-oriented sign of Sagittarius and the Moon will be in the airy, mental sign Gemini. Both are signs of communication and learning. That means this eclipse will focus your attention on gaining more insight into how you communicate — how you express yourself, how you perceive others, and how they perceive you. Innocent misunderstandings may occur simply because of the way information, thoughts and feelings, are presented. You will have a chance to clear any misunderstandings — and take action on your new awareness — under the influence of this eclipse. It will also be a good time to review and resolve issues from late 1991 and early 1992.

Mercury, Planet of Communications
Mercury, planet of communications, also will be retrograde in Sagittarius from December 10 to 30, 2010, very close to the point of the Total Lunar Eclipse on December 21. This means that people will be thinking and talking about the past, and basing decisions upon past information rather than looking to the future. Please take this into consideration as you make decisions in late 2010. Postponing important decision may be wise, for you may gain better information relevant to the future after Mercury returns to direct motion on
December 30, 2010.

Winter Solstice
Hours after the Total Lunar Eclipse on December 21, 2010 (see below for time in your location), the Winter Solstice will arrive with the movement of the Sun from light-hearted Sagittarius to serious and dedicated Capricorn. This initiates the period that the ancients called "the return of the light." After the Winter Solstice, the days become longer and the nights shorter. A period of quiet and resting in nature at the Winter Solstice will lead to a time of growth and flowering at the Spring Equinox three months hence.

The Sun's rays hit the Earth at a new angle each Solstice and Equinox. It is a law of physics that light is strongest when it changes direction. Use the changing angle of the sun to energize your thoughts, prayers and affirmations. The Winter Solstice arrives on December 21 at 3:39 PM Pacific Time and 6:39 PM Eastern Time. It arrives on December 22 at 12:39 AM Central European Time and 5:09 PM India Time.

Partial Eclipse of the Sun
A Solar Eclipse in Capricorn follows on January 4, 2011 (see table below for time in your location). This celestial event will trigger fateful meetings capable of altering the course of global business and commerce. Revelations about covert governmental activities could ensue. Well thought-out humanitarian concepts will be implemented under this influence.

Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction in Pisces
Five hours after the Solar Eclipse on January 4, 2011, optimistic Jupiter conjoins innovative Uranus in Pisces. This potent combination will give people the chance to experiment with innovative ideas, relationships, and businesses. The good news is that truly universal ideas with positive humanitarian value will have an opportunity to become reality. The bad news is that optimism and a lack of consideration of practical reality may prevent some worthy projects from being effective. If you have a good idea, take small, practical and positive steps in the direction you want to go. Consider the consequences of each step — on yourself and others — before taking each step. Make choices that will benefit as many people as possible. High-minded plans with a methodical approach are likely to succeed.

Jupiter in Aries
Expansive Jupiter enters Aries on January 22, 2011. Jupiter in Aries will support your desire to start new ventures that enable you to more fully express your individuality and creativity. Jupiter will remain in Aries until June 4, 2011.

Uranus in Aries
Innovative Uranus joins energetic Jupiter in Aries on March 11, 2011. Throughout history, Uranus in Aries has created circumstances that galvanize people to mobilize and overthrow repressive situations to create greater freedom and independence. This celestial transit has consistently been the backdrop for breakdowns of governments, institutions and businesses to make way for more innovative, socially viable ways of conducting government and commerce. This planetary alignment also supports entrepreneurialism, individualism, creativity, and forthright expression of public sentiment. Uranus was last in Aries from 1927 to 1935.

Jupiter in Aries Square Pluto in Capricorn
On February 25, 2011, thought-provoking Jupiter makes a square angle to depth-seeking Pluto in Capricorn. This planetary alignment will bring governmental and financial secrets to the surface. When revolutionary Uranus joins Jupiter in Aries on March 11, 2011, the general populace will gather energy to push for social change.

Spring Equinox
Spring Equinox, the moment when day and night are of equal length, arrives on March 20, 2011. The Spring Equinox heralds a time when new ideas and innovation are rewarded.

Jupiter in Aries Opposite Saturn in Libra
Challenges to governmental regulations and organizations will abound when this planetary alignment takes place on March 28, 2011.

Neptune in Pisces
Neptune, god of the oceans, enters the water sign of Pisces for the first time since the 1840s on April 4, 2011. Neptune will retrograde back into Aquarius from August 4, 2011, to February 3, 2012, when it will re-enter Pisces and remain there until 2026. This historical planetary passage portends a global focus on water, primarily the availability, purity, and ownership of this precious resource. Opportunities abound in storage, purification and discovery of new sources of H2O.

Partial Eclipse of the Sun
A Partial Eclipse of the Sun on June 1, 2011 (see table below for time in your location), will enable you to understand old information in a new, more enlightened way. You may find yourself focusing on a subject you were previously unaware of.

Jupiter in Taurus
When Jupiter enters Taurus on June 4, 2011, the market will more highly value agricultural land, precious metals, jewelry and commodities. There will be a pervasive feeling that physical possessions, to the extent that they are portable, sustainable, or rich in natural resources, will have more value than assets on paper. In other words, a piece of gold or a shaft of wheat may be perceived to be worth more than a bank balance.

Total Eclipse of the Moon
A Total Eclipse of the Moon on June 15, 2011 (see table below for time in your location), will heighten people's awareness of the interconnectedness of all human beings on the planet.

Summer Solstice
The longest day of the year — Summer Solstice — arrives on June 21, 2011. Energy is abundant for exploring new ideas and implementing practical solutions.

Partial Eclipse of the Sun
A Partial Eclipse of the Sun on July 1, 2011(see table below for time in your location), will cause people to contract as a way to protect themselves from sensory overload. People will eventually move closer to either end of the consciousness continuum: becoming more selfless and oriented toward helping others, or more self-centered and oriented toward themselves. An orientation toward the highest good of all — and a connection to Spirit — is the direction that will bring the most positive results.

Autumn Equinox
The moment when day and night are of equal length — Autumn Equinox — arrives on September 23, 2011. Peaceful solutions are available, but many people will only be willing to participate if outcomes are assured and traditional methods and systems are in place. People will be in favor of experimenting and taking further at the upcoming Winter Solstice.

Partial Eclipse of the Sun
A Partial Eclipse of the Sun on November 24-25, 2011 (see table below for time in your location), will blur understanding where agreement had already been reached—on personal, governmental, corporate and global levels. New compromise solutions will be reached in mid-December.

Total Eclipse of the Moon
A Total Eclipse of the Moon on December 10, 2011 (see table below for time in your location), will bring to conclusion matters that had been mired in confusion and misunderstanding in the latter half of the previous month.

Winter Solstice
The shortest day of the year — Winter Solstice — arrives on December 21-22, 2011. This celestial event initiates a period of experimentation and entrepreneurialism. More people and private enterprises will fill in where government has cut back. Volunteer efforts will have a greater impact upon improving our world.


What to Look for in the Heavens in 2011:

December 21 — Total Eclipse of the Moon in Gemini: The eclipse is visible in northern Europe before sunrise, after midnight in North and South America, and at sunset in Japan and northeast Asia; the eclipse is visible nearly 3 hours before and 3 hours after the height of the eclipse.

(12:13 am Pacific Time, 3:13 am Eastern Time, 9:13 am Central European Time, 1:43 pm India Time)

Winter Solstice — December 21/22

January 4 — Partial Eclipse of the Sun in Capricorn: The eclipse is visible in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, northwestern India and northwestern China. (1:03 am Pacific Time, 4:03 am Eastern Time, 10:03 am Central European Time, 2:33 pm India Time)

January 4 — Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction in Pisces

January 22 — Jupiter enters Aries — First time since 1999

February 25 — Jupiter square Pluto

March 11 — Uranus enters Aries &mdash: First time since 1927

Spring Equinox — March 20/21

March 28 — Jupiter in Aries opposes Saturn in Libra

March 30-April 23 — Mercury Retrograde in Aries

April 4 — Neptune enters Pisces — First time since 1840s

June 1 — Partial Eclipse of the Sun in Gemini: The eclipse is visible in eastern Asia, northern Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland and northern Scandinavia. (2:03 pm Pacific Time, 5:03 pm Eastern Time, 11:03 pm Central European Time, 2:33 am India Time June 2)

June 4 — Jupiter enters Taurus — First time since 2000

June 15 — Total Eclipse of the Moon in Sagittarius: The eclipse is visible in Australasia, Asia, Japan, Africa, Europe and South America.(1:14 pm Pacific Time, 4:14 pm Eastern Time, 10:14 pm Central European Time, 1:44 am India Time June 16)

Summer Solstice — June 21

July 1 — Partial Eclipse of the Sun in Cancer: The eclipse is visible only from the ocean between Antarctica and southern Africa. (1:54 am Pacific Time, 4:54 pm Eastern Time, 10:54 pm Central European Time, 2:24 pm India Time)

August 3-26 — Mercury Retrograde in Virgo-Leo

Autumn Equinox — September 23

November 24-December 13 — Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius

November 24/25 — Partial Eclipse of the Sun in Sagittarius: The eclipse is visible from southern tip of South Africa, Antarctica, Tasmania and New Zealand.(10:10 pm Pacific Time, 1:10 am Eastern Time November 25, 7:10 am Central European Time, 11:40 am India Time)

December 10 — Total Eclipse of the Moon in Gemini: The eclipse is visible from the Central and Western parts of North America, northern Mexico, Hawaii, Australasia, Asia, eastern Africa, Europe and Iceland. (6:36 am Pacific Time, 9:36 am Eastern Time, 3:36 pm Central European Time, 8:06 pm India Time)

Winter Solstice — December 21

Remember, the distance between the problem, and the solution, is the distance
between your knees and the floor!

Many Blessings to YOU!

Written December 4,2010