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Symbols of the Soul

Discovering Your Life Purpose and Karma Through Astrology
GI A LAK!
!ndless Satsang "oundation ###$radicalhappiness$com

9"%:: 978-1463734022 This book was formerly published by Llewellyn ;ublications

5over photo < =ichael An$el > #reamstime com 5opyri$ht < 6&&& by Gina Lake All ri$hts reserved :o part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, $raphic, electronic, or mechanical, includin$ photocopyin$, recordin$, tapin$, or by any information stora$e retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher e?cept in the case of brief @uotations embodied in critical articles and reviews

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1 The "oulAs ;lan

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Beturn to ColismDAstrolo$yAs "piritual GiftsDAstrolo$y and BeincarnationD.ate and .ree 2illD5hoosin$ the 5hartDEarmaDBeadin$ the Earmic #ebtD#elineatin$ the Twelfth Couse 6 The Life Task and the Life Lesson The =oonAs :odesDThe 5hart ThemesDThe Life TaskDThe :orth :ode in the Couses and "i$nsDThe :orth :ode in the "i$nsDThe Life LessonD"aturn and the "outh :ode in the "i$nsD"aturn in the Couses and "i$nsDThe "outh :ode in the Couses and "i$nsDThe "i? :odal A?esD"ynthesizin$ the 9nformation in the 5hartDTwins and Astrolo$y F The Gvolution of the "i$ns Gvolution and the "i$nsDThe "even BolesDThe Belationship %etween the Boles and the "i$nsDThe Talents of Gach BoleDThe Tendencies that =ay :eed %alancin$DGvolution and the GlementsDThe 5yclesDThe Glements in the 5ycles ' The Bole and Hri$in of Aspects in the 5hart The .our BolesDThe 5onIunction, "e?tile, Trine, Hpposition, "@uare, and 9nconIunctDAspects that Hri$inate in ;ast LivesDAspects with the Huter ;lanetsDAspects that #escribe ;sycholo$ical 5omple?esD Aspects that #escribe GventsDAspects that #escribe Gifts ) The =oon, the Gmotions, and the Garly Gnvironment The Twelve Gmotional "tylesD"oft Aspects %etween the Huter ;lanets and the =oonD Card Aspects %etween the Huter ;lanets and the =oonDThe =oon "i$ns and the Garly GnvironmentD"aturn, -ranus, :eptune and ;luto, and the Garly Gnvironment

P ' ! "A % !

"ome of the information in this book was obtained by non-ordinary means %y that, 9 mean that the approach presented in this book was received intuitively %ut more than that, much of the information about the chartAs relationship to past lives was obtained from channelin$ Today this method of ac@uirin$ information is not nearly as mysterious or as suspect as even a few years a$o, althou$h it is still not routinely accepted 9n fact, 9 would not be surprised if much of what we know about astrolo$y came from supernatural sources when humanity was in its infancy This cannot be proven, of course, but information from intuitives has often contributed to our knowled$e and understandin$ Today astrolo$y is bein$ rapidly transformed 9t is bein$ elevated from its former fortunetellin$ status to the psycho-spiritual tool it was meant to be This is occurrin$ throu$h the infusion of new information, particularly throu$h the intuition of astrolo$ers and the dili$ent attention of many psycholo$ists =uch of what is presented in these pa$es is new 9t is up to you to evaluate these ideas, which have proven to me the profundity of astrolo$y 9 welcome hearin$ about your discoveries, for that is how the body of astrolo$ical knowled$e will evolve with the times :ote: 9 apolo$ize for not always findin$ a way to avoid the pronoun JheJ when 9 meant Jhe or she J 9 am not comfortable usin$ this pronoun alone, but sometimes it was too cumbersome to refer to both $enders

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Astrolo$y has reemer$ed after lon$ bein$ misused, misunderstood, and mali$ned 9t is returnin$ full force in this :ew A$e, to be applied at last as it was meant to beDas a tool for understandin$ the soulAs path and the personality, the soulAs vehicle -sin$ astrolo$y as a fortunetellin$ device is no lon$er acceptable if we are to face our lives responsibly 9t is unacceptable to sit back assured that somethin$ will $o our way because astrolo$y says so :or is it acceptable to shrink back in fear, feelin$ hopeless in the face of fate %oth stances distance us from livin$ in the moment 2e must be willin$ to live fully in the present with confidence in the unfoldin$ of our lives and free from the e$oAs need to be in control of the future =odern astrolo$y, the astrolo$y of the :ew A$e, provides a perspective that helps us do that 9t is both informative and philosophical 9t informs us of our psycholo$ical needs and issues, our spiritual lessons, and our $ifts, while supplyin$ a framework within which to understand life 9t demonstrates that we are connected to a Greater 2holeDthat we do not function separately but that we do function uni@uely And it demonstrates that life is meanin$ful, while e?plainin$ the meanin$ of each life Astrolo$yAs symbols are the soulAs lan$ua$e of life They reveal not only the mysteries of the universe but also the mysteries of each of our lives 9n studyin$ these symbols, we $limpse the marvel of the universe and our role in it They are deep and fathomless resources for psycho-spiritual insi$ht, revealin$ our soulAs a$enda for this lifetime and the personality chosen to carry it out The psyche Kwhich means JsoulJL cannot be understood separate from the soul because they are related: The personality is the vehicle throu$h which the soul accomplishes its $oals 5onse@uently, any complete approach to astrolo$y must therefore be a psycho-spiritual one 2hat is presented here is Iust thatDan approach that acknowled$es that the life we live today is influenced and shaped by other lifetimes and other charts 2e are more than our chartM 2e are spiritual bein$s and the sum total of all our earthly e?periences and all our previous charts The chart helps us understand who we are today, but it also $ives us a $limpse of who we have been and where we are $oin$ 9t is part of a lar$er IourneyDan evolutionary Iourney %on 3oya$eM

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%)APT!' * The Soul+s Plan

Astrolo$y has lon$ been used by humankind to understand himself and the universe Garly =an $azed up at the star-studded heavens and asked 2hy, 9s it so surprisin$ that he also looked to the heavens for the answer, 9t seems that this is what he did, and astrolo$y supplied the answers to both deep and practical @uestions Garly =an felt a connection between himself and the life all around him Ce saw himself as part of a Greater 2hole in which he played a part, althou$h insi$nificant As =anAs intellect $rew, so did his sense of importance and separateness Ce fell into competition with the life forms around him and sou$ht to control them to suit his needs =an lost his sense of interdependence with life, and astrolo$y became Iust another tool for tryin$ to control life %ut astrolo$y, which had once represented holism, can represent it a$ain 2e need to return to the sense of wholeness that we once had To do this, we will have to reinte$rate the lost part of ourselves that provided this sense of wholeness and harmony: our spiritual "elf 9n fact, if we donNt do this, the human race may not survive Hur current direction is destroyin$ our most basic resources and the earth itself 9f we continue, there will be little left =aybe this is what it will take before we realize that we can only survive by workin$ to$ether 2hat role can astrolo$y play in this, .irst, it can provide the philosophical and spiritual underpinnin$s that are missin$ "econd, it can provide $uidance about how to fulfill our soulAs ;lan, our chosen path for this lifetime .ulfillin$ our ;lan is important to the 2hole .irst, letAs e?amine these philosophical and spiritual underpinnin$s 9n later chapters we will e?amine the chart as a means of providin$ individual $uidance Astrolo$y reveals the cyclical nature of life 9t demonstrates that we are part of an orderly universe: the moon circles around the earth, the earth circles around the sun, one season follows another Hur lives imitate these cycles, bein$ a microcosm of the $reat macrocosm 2e can hardly notice these patterns and cycles without also concedin$ to the e?istence of a Ci$her Hrder, an or$anizin$ if not creative forceDa Lo$os Astrolo$y also su$$ests that life continues beyond death 2hat meanin$ would the chart have if it were not part of a lar$er process of evolution, And what meanin$ would our lives have if they were not part of a lar$er process of evolution, Beincarnation e?plains many of the mysteries of life: why people are different, why sufferin$ e?ists, and why some people suffer more than others do Beincarnation also

e?plains many thin$s about the chart that cannot be e?plained otherwise: some si$ns in our charts are more developed than other si$ns and some patterns run deeper than Iust one lifetime could e?plain Astrolo$y also offers us a $limpse of the perfection and wonder of the universe .or anyone who has used astrolo$y for many years, it is its own proof of the e?istence of somethin$ hi$her 9t verifies the unseen like nothin$ else, providin$ a brid$e desi$ned of symbols between the spiritual realm and the earthly one Astrolo$y is the esoteric translated into symbols Astrolo$y also teaches us of holism, that all of life is interrelated and interdependent 9n a holistic universe, the parts syner$istically combine to form a whole The whole is more than the sum of the parts, and each part is indispensable to the whole "o it is with our charts At the same time, the whole is reflected in each of the parts: OAs above, so below P The individual enterin$ life reflects the ener$ies present in the universe at the moment of birth The ener$ies of that moment can be read in the sky and are represented in the chart Thus, the chart is a picture of the ener$ies of that moment, which the individual born at that moment personifies These ener$ies are like a costume donned for one lifetime to e?perience the lessons and develop the talents of those ener$ies "till, we are more than these ener$iesQ we are more than our charts 2e are the sum total of all our previous lifetimes of e?periences and their ener$y patterns KchartsL 9n many ways, we are like actors on a sta$e: we know that we are more than the character that we are playin$, but for the time bein$ we dress up in our costume and play our part The difference is that the actor has no freedom to choose his lines and actions, and we do This is an important difference 2hile the actor lives the script written for him, we create the play as we $o alon$ 2e - have no script Hur future, our story, is created by our choices %ut is that all, 9s it all choice, LetAs e?plore this further Rust how much of our lives is predetermined and how much is created by our choices, =any of us believe that some events in life are predestined, such as certain meetin$s :evertheless, althou$h some events may well be prearran$ed, how and when they take place canNt be This is determined by the circumstances and events that we create by our choices .ree will and predestination interweave in our lives The few events in our lives that are predestined are woven into the fabric of life created by our choices and by the choices of those close to us 9f you stop a moment to think about the many possible choices you and others could make, you can only conclude that the specifics of the future are not predetermined The lessons that our soul sets out to teach us must therefore be worked into the framework already created by our choices The soul has to Jplay it by earJ and wait for suitable opportunities to deliver its lessons As a result, predictin$ the future is precarious, to say the least Therefore, the ;lan described in the chart can only be very $eneral =ore will be said about readin$ the ;lan in the chapters that follow %)&&SI G T)! %)A'T The soul is the vehicle of the Ci$her "elf, that part of us that we know as God -nder the Ci$her "elfAs direction, the soul arran$es and delivers our lessons 9t does this by choosin$ a chart Kchoosin$ a moment of birthL and by arran$in$ events The soul will reenter life when the ener$ies will provide the necessary

lessons A soul may have to wait decades before the ener$ies it needs to attain its $oals are available Cowever, sometimes, the soul mi$ht have to be born at a particular time and place when the ener$ies Ksi$nsL arenNt @uite ri$ht in order to take advanta$e of certain opportunities Ke $ , to reunite with someone who is important to the life task or the balancin$ of a karmic debt, or to become part of a particular familyL 2hen that is the case, reentry can be planned so that the chart reflects the ener$ies that are needed in other ways Hne way is to reenter life with an Ascendant that would put the "un or several other planets in the house ruled by the si$n desired .or e?ample, if ;iscean lessons are needed and no planets are in ;isces at the time needed to reenter life, the soul could arran$e to reenter with an Ascendant that would put the "un or several other planets in the twelfth house Kruled by ;iscesL Beenterin$ with a ;isces Ascendant or with the "un conIunct :eptune Kthe ruler of ;iscesL would also add ;iscean ener$y Another possibility would be to reenter when the ruler of the si$n that is needed is conIunct one of the an$les, which would ma$nify its importance in the chart Hnce we are reborn, the soul must present its lessons within the conte?t that we have created by our choices 9t cannot follow an e?act plan because the conte?t is always chan$in$ with every choice we and others make 5onse@uently, the soulAs ;lan must unfold as our life unfolds, and the specifics of how our lessons are delivered are left up to the moment of delivery :evertheless, some thin$s are predictable, at least at certain points in the ;lanAs unfoldin$, because once a set of circumstances is set in motion, it often plays itself out predictably LetAs look at some e?amples, which show how the soul works in our lives LetAs suppose someone needs to learn patience %esides choosin$ Aries or Taurus as a theme in the chart Keither si$n teaches patienceL, the soul mi$ht arran$e for that person to meet someone whose =ars falls on his -ranus This person is likely to stimulate the -ranus individualAs need for chan$e and e?citement and provoke impulsive and dan$erous acts This could teach the -ranus individual to be more patient by causin$ him to confront the ne$ative conse@uences of his impatience ;atience can be tau$ht many ways The point is that the soulAs involvement reaches beyond choosin$ a chart to on$oin$ participation in creatin$ whatever lessons are needed Cere is another e?ample, this time about a mother and her son 9n a previous lifetime, the mother was the son, and the son was the mother, an e?act reversal of current roles 9n the past, the mother had harmed her son by ne$lectin$ him 5urrently, the mother, who was the son previously, will have the choice of either carin$ or not carin$ for her son 9f she doesnNt care for him, the karma would not be balanced and her own $rowth would be marred because two wron$s truly do not make a ri$ht "he is likely to care for her child rather than ne$lect him, however, because of the compassion she $ained from her own e?perience of bein$ ne$lected Cow, then, is the child to learn his lesson, Throu$h love Althou$h it may seem that most learnin$ comes from pain, this is not always true 9n this instance, the son, who had ne$lected his son in the past will learn to care for others by bein$ cared for 2e learn to love by e?periencin$ love The astrolo$ical chartAs role in this is simple: the chart represents the personality Kor ener$y patternL chosen to brin$ about the lessons =ore specifically, the personality is chosen to help balance a karmic debt, to learn basic life lessons, and to complete a life task =ore will be said about the last two obIectives

in later chapters .or now, letAs concentrate on understandin$ how the chart in our e?ample was chosen to help balance the karmic debt The sonAs soul selected a chart that would help him learn compassion and repay the debt owed the mother from harm inflicted on her in the past To develop his compassion and desire to serve, his chart had a stron$ ;isces theme And to create feelin$s of loyalty and responsibility toward her, he reentered life when the =oon was conIunct her "aturn Hut of nearly infinite possibilities, the soul must find a chart to fit the karmic lessons, the basic lessons, and the life task Cowever, the lessons, particularly the karmic lessons, are the first priority in choosin$ a chart 9n our earlier lifetimes this Iob is simplified because our lessons and our life task are usually one and the same 9n these lifetimes, we are busy learnin$ the basic lessons of life 9n our later lifetimes, when the lessons and the life task are different, the life task is usually chosen to fit with the lessons This is helpful to keep in mind when tryin$ to identify the lessons and the life task in the chart Hne way a more specific lesson or life task can be facilitated is throu$h a chart with a stron$ theme, since it will not lend itself as easily to diver$ent paths Those with charts with stron$ themes find themselves followin$ a narrower course, allowin$ for $reater opportunity to encounter certain people or e?periences needed for their $rowth The Ci$her "elf $uides us throu$h intuition 9t speaks to us intuitively about our ;lan and what we need to learn 2e may or may not listen, but we all can intuit these messa$es to some e?tent Hur Ci$her "elves also can communicate with each other and often do when enlistin$ each otherAs help in our ;lans %ut because people do not always listen to their - Ci$her "elves and because peopleAs choices are unpredictable, each ;lan is both $eneral and fle?ible KA',A Earma is often thou$ht of as Jan eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth J This is simplistic and doesnNt take into account the comple? processes involved in human $rowth and evolution JAs you sow, so shall you reapJ encompasses the meanin$ of karma better, but this also doesnNt do Iustice to the comple?ity of this law There are two misunderstandin$s that contribute to the confusion about karma: that we are born bad and that we must be punished for our sins %oth beliefs are related to the Garden of Gden myth, which forms the basis of Rudeo-5hristian thou$ht The concept that God punishes us is a childish conception of God Earma is a natural law of the universe and a tool for the evolution of humankind 9t is $overned by love, as is all of life, and it cannot be born of retribution and punishment To e@uate karma with punishment is to underestimate the 5reatorAs wisdom and love A distinction should be made between lessons and karmic debts 2e all have lessons that are part of our evolution Earmic debts, on the other hand, ori$inate from choices that caused serious inIury or death %ecause karmic debts often cannot be balanced in one lifetime, they must be arran$ed for in the soulAs ;lan and not Iust introduced when an opportunity arises, as with many other lessons A karmic debt may well be the overridin$ consideration in determinin$ when the soul will reenter life and what

astrolo$ical ener$ies will be taken on 9f a karmic debt is to be balanced in a particular lifetime, that will shape the chart, and the other lessons and the life task will be secondary to it 9f a debt is si$nificant enou$h, it may even be the life task 2henever a si$nificant debt is to be balanced, it will be apparent in the chart, althou$h lesser ones may not Any act resultin$ in serious inIury or death must be balanced This is not necessarily done by e?periencin$ the same but by learnin$ whatever is necessary to prevent it from happenin$ a$ain and by makin$ amends to the victim The term Jkarmic debtJ is at the root of some of our misconceptions about karma and how it works, since JdebtJ implies punishment or retribution JLessonJ would be more fittin$, since balancin$ a karmic debt involves learnin$ as well as makin$ amends to the victim 9t is true that often a lesson is tau$ht by puttin$ the offender in the victimAs shoes to instill the empathy and understandin$ needed to prevent a similar tra$edy from recurrin$ Althou$h role-reversal is a common way that karmic debts are balanced, this doesnNt mean that the perpetrator becomes the victim at the hands of his or her former victim or that the function of a role-reversal is punitive 2hat follows are some stories that illustrate how karma works 9n a former lifetime, 5eleste was abused by her father, who is now her husband ;eople often choose to reincarnate to$ether to continue their relationshipDeven an abusive one 9t would not be surprisin$ under these circumstances if the pattern of abuse established earlier was to continue This often happens until the one who is abused reco$nizes that it is detrimental The abuse did continue until 5eleste realized that she deserved more "he had to come to this realization before the balancin$ could take place The soul often allows us to learn as much from our choices as - possible, intervenin$ to establish karmic repayment only after we realize a debt is owed Hnce the realization has dawned, the balancin$ can be$in immediately if circumstances allow it 5eleste pressed char$es a$ainst her husband who, as a result, was incarcerated for assault and received counselin$ Ce was also re@uired to pay monetary dama$es to her, which helped her start a new life Cowever, Iust because the husband served time and paid dama$es does not ensure the debtAs release This depends on the chan$es in the perpetratorAs understandin$ .or one person a certain sentence mi$ht be more than enou$h, while for another five times that mi$ht not be enou$h :eedless to say, the criminal Iustice system often does a poor Iob of teachin$ and sometimes does more harm than $ood :evertheless, it is societyAs way of tryin$ to carry out the soulAs work, and often it does do this 9n this case, the punishment did not teach the lesson "o, the soul will have to find other ways to further the perpetratorAs understandin$, which may or may not involve the victim The karmic debt is not always balanced under circumstances that include the victim, but fre@uently the victim also has somethin$ to $ain from further interaction with the perpetrator 9n that case, the two may meet a$ain Another woman, #enise, left her husband That marria$e had been necessary to complete a debt lin$erin$ from a previous lifetime Hnce the debt was balanced, #enise was free to move on =any other lifetimes had been spent with her former husband to balance the karma incurred from him killin$ her Ce was re@uired to take care of her durin$ these lifetimes to $ain the understandin$ he needed %y carin$ for her as an invalid, as his dyin$ mother, as a sick child, and as a wounded soldier, he $ained respect for the preciousness of life, which was the lesson Beleasin$ karma is not as simple as many mi$ht think 9t is

never known if the prearran$ed circumstances will serve the intended purpose 5ircumstances are arran$ed by the soul before life, but what is done with those circumstances is up to those involved "ometimes a situation intended to balance karma fails 2hen that happens, the individuals usually disen$a$e and try a$ain another time "ome think havin$ karma with someone means stayin$ with him or her no matter what Cowever, karma does not re@uire us to stay in unhappy or unhealthy relationships -nhappiness is often a si$n that oneAs soulAs needs are not bein$ met, and sometimes the relationship must dissolve before those needs can be met This is not to deny the value of commitment, but some people use their belief in karma as an e?cuse for not riskin$ chan$e 9n a karmic relationship, when no further release of karma can take place under the circumstances created by the couple, it may be best for them to separate and continue on alone Their ;lans may need to be adIusted if the karmic balancin$ was an important element of their ;lans, but that can usually be arran$ed "ometimes couples whose initial purpose for bein$ to$ether was karmic decide to remain to$ether to develop their love more fully even after the karma is balanced =any of our most meanin$ful and lon$-lastin$ relationships be$in this way Cavin$ shared lessons with someone creates a bond that often lasts beyond the dissolution of karma Tana e?perienced a painful death in a former lifetime at the hands of someone who broke into her home and robbed and killed her This e?perience was reflected in fearful behavior, especially in her fear of bein$ alone "he didnAt have to meet her killer a$ain in this lifetime, but her fear needed to be balanced and her killer needed to balance this incident for his - own soulAs $rowth 2henever someone is seriously harmed, not only will the perpetrator need to learn somethin$ and make amends to the victim, but the victim will invariably need to heal and readIust his or her outlook as well The souls of those involved must find ways to accomplish this, whether throu$h meetin$ a$ain sometime or throu$h separate e?periences TanaAs soul sou$ht to balance her fear and build her confidence by arran$in$ circumstances in which she could be a heroine 2hen an earth@uake shook her small villa$e, she e?perienced an inner stren$th and calm that she didnAt know she had "he used this to lead others and herself to safety before another @uake completely destroyed the area %y arran$in$ for her safety durin$ the earth@uake and by proIectin$ her True "elf to her then, her soul helped her e?perience the coura$e of her %ein$, which left a positive imprint on her psyche .or the man who had harmed her in a former lifetime, the story was different Ce needed to learn what it means to have to earn a livin$ 9n his ne?t life, he was placed in circumstances in which he would have to work hard to provide for himself To make it less likely that he would choose robbery a$ain when faced with hard work, reli$ious parents who would set an e?ample of honest labor and accomplishment were selected The last story is about a man who is tryin$ to overcome a phobia of horses A rampa$in$ wild horse killed him in a lifetime durin$ the tamin$ of the 2est Ce died in this manner to balance his youn$ dau$hterAs death, which happened when he allowed her to $o unsupervised into a pen of horses Hn the surface, this looks like Jan eye for an eye,J but it proved to be Iust the e?perience that he needed to teach him about the fra$ility of human life 9f he had appreciated this then, he would not have let his youn$

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child wander unsupervised Cer death impressed her with the fra$ility of life Hne would e?pect the father to have learned this too %ut because he saw his dau$hterAs death as her fault rather than his, he needed to learn this some other way Cis soul chose the tramplin$ to teach this Althou$h this may seem harsh, death is a natural part of life and has many teachin$s for us 2e all die traumatically many, many times durin$ our evolution Traumatic death is a way of teachin$ somethin$ dramatically .rom the soulAs perspective, death is merely a sta$e in the eternity of life and another means of teachin$ lifeAs lessons '!ADI G T)! KA',I% D!-T I T)! %)A'T A karmic debt or repayment for one will be indicated in a chart if balancin$ the debt will shape that lifetime %ut because bein$ owed a debt is indicated in the chart by the same factors as owin$ one, we cannot tell from the chart alone which situation is bein$ described .urthermore, since many lifetimes may be needed to balance a karmic debt, the same debt may show up over many lifetimes in the charts of those involved And, since each lifetime is likely to pay off a little more of the debt, any debt indicated in a chart will be somewhere in this process of release -nfortunately, from the chart alone, we cannot tell the e?tent of the debt remainin$ :evertheless, if a debt is reflected in the chart, it will shape that life somehow .or e?ample, if a small portion of a debt between two individuals remains, the souls may arran$e for them to meet and marry to release it once and for all Gven thou$h the debt is small, the marria$e would structure and define both their lives until the debt is balanced 2hat form the repayment will take depends on - several thin$s The one who has incurred a debt is $iven opportunities to repay it accordin$ to his or her abilities and the needs of the one owed The debt may be repaid throu$h aid of some sort, monetary or material compensation, or some other means dependin$ on the needs of the one who is owed for that particular lifetime Hbviously, if the one who is owed is already wealthy, monetary compensation may not be of sufficient value to balance the debt unless the debt is sli$ht 9f a karmic debt or repayment is indicated, it is likely to be symbolized by challen$in$ "aturn aspects or by several planets in the twelfth house The aspects most likely to indicate this are "aturn s@uares and oppositions to the "un or the =oon "aturn s@uares or oppositions to 3enus or =ars also may indicate a debt but one that will have a lesser impact on shapin$ that lifetime Althou$h these aspects are not the only indicators of a debt, this is the only $eneralization that can be made The absence of these aspects does not necessarily mean that no karmic debt e?ists, however Their presence Iust makes it likely that a karmic debt will shape that particular lifetime A karmic debt or repayment is likely if one or more planets are found in the twelfth house, especially if they are the "un, =oon, 3enus, =ars, "aturn, :eptune, or ;luto 9f several planets are in this house, the karmic debt or repayment is likely to play a si$nificant role in that lifetime The planets in the twelfth house and aspects to them, the si$n on the twelfth house cusp and its ruler, any other si$n in the twelfth house and its ruler, the rulerAs house, and aspects to the ruler provide information about the karma Taken to$ether, these chart factors describe the circumstances in a past life or lifetimes under which the karma was created "aturnAs house, si$n, and aspects describe how this karma mi$ht be met Althou$h there is no

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$uarantee that the debt will be paid, the opportunity to repay it will be throu$h the si$n and house placement of "aturn, and si$ns and houses related to "aturn by aspect The followin$ e?ample illustrates how a karmic debt can be read in a chart: 9n the first chart, the chart of a woman, "aturn is in 3ir$o in the ninth house opposite the "un in ;isces in the third house and s@uare the =oon in Gemini in the seventh house The twelfth house is empty with "corpio on its cusp and its ruler in Leo in the ei$hth house 9f there were planets in the twelfth house, the rulerAs placement would be less si$nificant Given this, the karmic debt may have involved an intimate relationship in which control was an issue K"corpio rulin$ the twelfth house and its ruler in Leo in "corpioAs houseL 9t cannot be known who dominated whom until this hypothesis is checked out with the person to whom the chart belon$s, who may be able to identify this relationship 9n this case, the chart belon$s to the one owed the debt :e?t, by lookin$ at "aturnAs placement in the ninth house in 3ir$o, we can form some hypotheses about how this karma mi$ht be balanced The ninth house rules lon$ distance travel, hi$her education, philosophy, and reli$ious thou$ht The debtor mi$ht repay her by takin$ her on a trip, puttin$ her throu$h colle$e, or e?pandin$ her outlook or ideas 9n fact, the debtor, currently a man, either $ave to her or had the opportunity to $ive to her in all the above ways "aturnNs si$n indicates other opportunities throu$h which the karma can be balanced 9n this case, the debtor worked at menial tasks K"aturn in 3ir$oL to provide for her "aturnNs aspects also describe the circumstances in which the karma is likely to be balanced 9n the womanAs chart, "aturn is opposite her ;isces "un and =ercury in the third house and s@uare her Gemini =oon in the seventh house As it happened, the man and the woman met in hi$h school throu$h a brother Kthird houseL and were - married Kseventh houseL The manAs chart provides additional information about balancin$ the debt Althou$h he does not have "aturn s@uare or opposite his "un or =oon, he does have ;luto conIunct his =oon and opposite his 3enus, the ruler of his #escendant 3enus is in his third house, indicatin$ the hi$h school relationshipQ and the ;luto!=oon conIunction is in his ninth house, portrayin$ the method of repayment mentioned earlier "aturn is in Libra, which also rules his twelfth house, indicatin$ possible karma pertainin$ to a relationship 3enus, the ruler of his twelfth house and his #escendant is in A@uarius, indicatin$ her abrupt departure in this lifetime K-ranus, the ruler of A@uarius, is known for sudden disruptions and upheavalsL, which caused him considerable pain K;luto!=oon opposite 3enusL "o, his chart is more descriptive of the situation that delivered the lesson than hers because he was more affected by it than she was The ne?t e?ample involves a man, now deceased, who was married to a woman to whom he owed a debt The husband needed to learn somethin$, which was only possible within the conte?t of a relationship with the individual whom he had inIured in the past, who was now his wife At the same time, it was important that his wife receive financial remuneration from him to bolster her confidence and pride, which had been dama$ed by their previous encounter The relationship was difficult for both, yet they stayed to$ether for over thirty years 2hen a karmic debt e?ists between two people, it creates a stron$ bond until the debt is balanced 9f a relationship is karmic and re@uires two people to remain to$ether, either they will stay to$ether without @uestion or circumstances will be such that separation is

16

inconceivable 9f the situation no lon$er allows for the debt to be balanced, either their sense of commitment will chan$e or circumstances will chan$e or both Aries rules the manNs twelfth house and its ruler is in 5apricorn in the tenth house "aturn is widely opposite his "un and s@uare his =oon, which is conIunct ;luto This confi$uration supports the possibility of a karmic debt As we saw in the previous e?ample and as we will see in the chapter on aspects, ;luto as well as "aturn often points to a karmic debt 2ith ;luto aspectin$ the =oon, the debt is likely to involve the wife Kif the individual is a manL or the mother 2ith Aries rulin$ the twelfth house, its ruler K=arsL in 5apricorn Kruled by "aturnL, and ;luto involved with "aturn and the two luminaries, the event in the former lifetime probably involved violence and death This chart describes a debt in many of its factors, makin$ its si$nificance in that lifetime all the more likely The =oon!;luto conIunction and the "un Kboth in aspect to "aturnL fall in the manAs second and si?th houses respectively, indicatin$ that the debt is likely to be paid by workin$ hard and providin$ material comforts to the one to whom he owes the debt "ince this debt is apparently si$nificant, it is not surprisin$ that the remainder of his chart provides the ener$y and drive necessary to make a $ood livelihood =ars in 5apricorn in the tenth house provides a drive for achievement, security, and status Taurus risin$ and the =oon in the second house provide a drive for material comforts and the persistence to obtain them The "un and 3enus in the si?th house provide devotion to a medical profession .inally, Rupiter in the fourth house ensures commitment to family 9f these e?amples alone are not convincin$, study people in your own life Earma cannot be interpreted easily from the chart without knowin$ specifics about the individual and without e?cellent intuition 9f it canNt be done skillfully, it shouldnNt be attempted This information is not presented with the e?pectation that you will be able to delineate the karma of every chart but to show you how karma works and is represented in the chart 9f you talk with others about the karma that you see in their charts, be careful not to sound ne$ative or preachy The only purpose for $ivin$ karmic information to others is to increase their understandin$ of their lessons and their life purpose 9f it doesnNt serve this end, then donNt reveal it This subIect must be handled very sensitively D!LI !ATI G T)! T.!L"T) )&(S! The followin$ descriptions are offered to help delineate the twelfth house and any karma that may be represented there The $oal is not to uncover the specifics behind the karma but to $et a sense of what needs to be learned ;lease keep in mind that these descriptions will not apply to every chart :ot everyone has a karmic debt or one that can be seen in the chart The followin$ interpretations assume that a karmic debt is indicated, specifically by challen$in$ "aturn or ;luto aspects Also, keep in mind that the twelfthhouse factors may describe somethin$ that happened to the person rather than somethin$ for which he or she is karmically responsible The rest of the chart will provide clues about whether the person owes a debt or is due one The description followin$ each si$n applies if the si$n rules the twelfth house, if the si$nAs rulin$ planet is in the twelfth house, or if the ruler of the si$n on the twelfth house cusp is in that si$n or in that

1F

si$nAs natural house KG $ , the first house is AriesA natural house, the second house is TaurusAs, and so on L 9f several planets are in the twelfth house, the si$n descriptions will have to be intuitively synthesized These descriptions are only $uidelines (ou will also have to use your intuition, analyze the rest of the chart, and talk to the person to whom the chart belon$s to arrive at an interpretation of the twelfth house Aries 2hen Aries is related to the twelfth house, the karmic debt may stem from inIury or death from a violent act, often the result of unleashed an$er or ra$e The cause of the ra$e may be described by other planets or si$ns involved with the twelfth house 9f "aturn or 5apricorn is also involved, a death is likely %ecause Aries usually does not represent accidental but intentional violence, this si$n can indicate some of the most difficult karma %ut because karma this serious takes many lifetimes to balance and because it may be at any sta$e in this process, the debt indicated may be lar$e or small 3iolent acts re@uire a variety of lessons dependin$ on the cause of the act, and a chart will be chosen accordin$ly 2hen controllin$ an$er is the lesson, a Taurus, 3ir$o, or 5apricorn =oon may be presentQ "aturn may be s@uare or conIunct =arsQ fire may be absentQ the "un or =ars may be in hard aspect to one or more of the outer planetsQ or earth and air will be emphasized to add distance to the feelin$s The possibilities are in no way e?hausted by this list 2hen we are enra$ed, we often lose si$ht of the value of life and our potential for destruction Therefore, $ainin$ an appreciation for lifeAs preciousness and fra$ility may be another lesson when Aries is related to the twelfth house 2hen it is, the =oonAs nodes are often found in the twelfth and si?th houses, and the lesson is learned throu$h a life task of service in the healin$ professions The proper use of oneAs ener$y and will may be another lesson with Aries related to the twelfth house 9n this case, the $oal would not only be controllin$ oneAs an$er but also $ainin$ awareness of oneAs needs so that an$er would not accumulate in the first place A chart with an emphasis in "corpio to increase introspection would help with this lesson An emphasis in the air si$ns to add obIectivity would also make a healthy use of emotion more likely, as would family members who could serve as positive role models .or someone who has acted violently in a past life, respect for life in $eneral may be lackin$ and an appreciation for the value of bein$ alive may be needed 9f this is the case, the soulAs approach may be to teach the beauty and pleasure of life by providin$ circumstances in the ne?t life that are pleasant, happy, and abundant An environment that is peaceful, lovin$, and respectful of life is often what is needed to balance a violent act in a former lifetime To help with this, Rupiter may be conIunct the "un, Ascendant, or =oon, addin$ protectiveness and $ood fortune Hr the chart may be favorably aspected in other ways Taurus 2hen this si$n is related to the twelfth house, stealin$, $ivin$ too little, or $ivin$ too much may be responsible for a karmic debt Greed leadin$ to criminal acts that caused inIury or death is the most serious possibility Hther possibilities are waste or frivolousness that caused sufferin$ throu$h deprivation,

1'

or selfishness that harmed someone like in the story J5inderella J 9nIury caused by encoura$in$ $luttony, spoilin$ someone, or failin$ to instill proper values are still other possibilities These last offenses may not take as lon$ to balance as somethin$ more severe but some sort of balancin$ is still likely 2hen Taurus is related to the twelfth house, the lesson also may be about values Those whose $reed causes them to steal may need to learn that material thin$s do not brin$ happiness, love, or fulfillment Hne way the soul teaches this is by arran$in$ for the individual to have more money than he or she can ever enIoyDcoupled with loneliness This demonstrates the emptiness of material thin$s, especially if love is not present amidst the wealth "harin$ is another lesson that mi$ht be in order Althou$h a de$ree of spiritual development is necessary before we are capable of selfless $ivin$, $enerosity can be tau$ht Hne way this is done is throu$h a watery chart, which increases empathy and sensitivity Lovin$ family members also help by modelin$ $enerosity and providin$ the e?perience of bein$ $iven to ;arado?ically, we do not learn to share by bein$ forced to as much as by bein$ $iven to 2hen our own needs are met, we willin$ly $ive to others Therefore, the soul will not usually use a ne$lectful or unlovin$ environment to teach unselfishness but a lovin$ one in which all the primary needs are met Those who suffered from $luttony or inflicted it on others in a former lifetime may need to learn the benefits of moderation A chart that is conservative, fru$al, self-disciplined, and self-sacrificin$ can be used to teach this Any combination of 5apricorn, 3ir$o, and ;isces are likely to be helpful Cowever, ;iscesA lack of discipline may not be helpful to some The soul also may choose a family with these characteristics or one that is not prosperous Gemini 2hen Gemini is related to the twelfth house, misuse of the power of communication or the careless use of a vehicle may have caused someone harm in a former lifetime 9ntent is important in determinin$ the e?tent of the karma -nintentional or inadvertent harm is likely to re@uire only minimal karmic balancin$ Hne possibility is that the individual spread inIurious rumors, either true or false 9f he or she was in a position of power with access to many people, the karma could be e?tensive A prime e?ample would be usin$ the media to dama$e someoneAs reputation 9f abuse of power is involved, ;luto or "corpio is likely to be related to the twelfth house in addition to =ercury KGeminiL 5orrect use of the power of communication is tau$ht several ways Hne is by inhibitin$ the individualNs ability to communicate, which demonstrates the power of the word .or this, "aturn may be in Gemini, in the third house, or aspectin$ =ercury Another is by puttin$ someone who abused power in an influential position Then, if he or she abuses power a$ain, the conse@uences would be $reat Hr perhaps he or she mi$ht be on the receivin$ end of someone elseAs abuse of power 9f an inIury or death resulted from the careless use of a vehicle because of a lack of responsibility, poor Iud$ment, ne$li$ence, carelessness, or indecision, balancin$ will probably be necessary Cowever, not everyone operatin$ a vehicle that inIures someone incurs karma 9f karma is incurred, what is needed to balance it depends on the cause of the accident 9f $reater responsibility, caution, or Iud$ment is needed,

1)

5apricorn may be present in the chart 9f $reater decisiveness is needed, fi?ed si$ns may be present The soul has ways of developin$ these traits, althou$h they usually come as a matter of course with a$e and spiritual development %ancer 2hen 5ancer is related to the twelfth house, the karma probably involved a family member "ince the family is one of the main arenas in which lifeAs lessons are tau$ht, karma is often incurred with family members The family is also the most common arena for releasin$ a karmic debt because of the mutual dependency and closeness demanded by these relationships 2hen =ars or ;luto are involved with the twelfth house, the incident is likely to have involved violence and physical harm, perhaps even se?ual abuse Htherwise, emotional abuse or ne$lect is likely 9f the chart is the perpetratorAs, compassion and empathy are needed, and the chart will support this To teach this, the perpetrator may e?perience dependency or powerlessness in some form Betardation, disabilities, and mental illness are Iust a few of the more e?treme conditions that lend themselves to teachin$ this There also are milder ways of teachin$ compassion and empathy, of course The soul will choose circumstances that fit the individual 9f the chart belon$s to the victim, it will support his or her healin$ Leo
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2hen Leo is related to the twelfth house, the incident responsible for the karmic debt probably involved an abuse of the individualNs influence or power, possibly for his or her own advancement 9f the incident involved self-advancement at someone elseAs e?pense, a $reater appreciation for the needs of others is in order To help balance a tendency toward self-service, the chart mi$ht be oriented toward service Another possibility is that the individual used his or her power to control others 9n this case, a respect for autonomy and freedom may be tau$ht by an e?perience of bein$ controlled The inhumanity and immorality of controllin$ others becomes obvious when the tables are turned Be$ardless of how it seems, this is not retribution but an efficient way of readIustin$ someoneAs attitude The victim who has Leo related to the twelfth house may suffer from feelin$s of inade@uacy and a tendency to $ive his or her power away This is fre@uently the result of havin$ been oppressed or controlled by others 9n that case, the rest of the chart will support the development of e$o-stren$th and confidence /irgo 2hen 3ir$o is related to the twelfth house, enslavement or mistreatment of someone under oneAs service may be behind the karmic debt Gnslavement must have caused physical or psycholo$ical dama$e for it to re@uire balancin$, however :ot all slave owners, for instance, are karmically indebted to their slaves The

11

purpose of karma is to balance a wron$ attitude or action 9f a slave ownerAs intentions and treatment of his slaves were $ood, then little or no karmic balancin$ would be necessary 9f not, the karmic re@uirement could be $reat A common way to balance this is to make the offender a slave or servant, which affords him or her the e?perience of this perspective "ometimes, however, this only reinforces the individualNs disdain for servants 9f that happens, several more lifetimes of servitude may be needed before the lesson is learned "ome people are susceptible to seein$ themselves as superior to others no matter what their role They are both the ones most likely to mistreat others when in a position of power and those hardest to teach this lesson to 2e all have certain lessons that come harder than others The victim with 3ir$o rulin$ this house may suffer from low self-esteem and difficulty bein$ the master of his or her destiny 2hen this is the case, the chart will be chosen to counteract this Libra 2hen Libra is related to the twelfth house, the karmic debt is likely to have involved a marria$e or other partnership 9f it was a business partnership, one personNs dishonesty, abusive treatment, or irresponsibility may have harmed the other 9f it was a marria$e, one of the partners may have been harmed because of the otherAs behavior 2hat the balancin$ will entail depends on the offense and why it happened 9f selfishness or $reed was responsible for the inIury, the rest of the chart will reflect the need to be more $enerous and cooperative Kif the chart is the debtorAsL, with Libra and ;isces likely themes 5hart factors that mi$ht be chosen to teach this are: little or no fireQ many oppositionsQ :eptune, 3enus, or the =oon conIunct an an$leQ a Libra "un or Libra risin$Q or the "un in the seventh house Hther circumstances also may be arran$ed to teach this, such as bein$ born into a lar$e family where sharin$ and cooperation is a necessity Scorpio 2hen "corpio is related to the twelfth house, a karmic debt resultin$ from emotional or se?ual abuse is possible 9f the chart belon$s to the perpetrator, he or she will need to learn empathy, compassion, and love 9f it is the victimAs, he or she will need to heal Another possibility when "corpio is related to the twelfth house is past business dealin$s that pursued power and wealth with little or no re$ard for others Lar$e corporations who take advanta$e of people in impoverished countries would be an e?ample of this, or the small businessperson who may re$ularly participate in $raft, ta? evasion, or petty theft Hne way the soul teaches empathy and compassion is throu$h certain si$ns, most notably ;isces and 5ancer The soul also may arran$e for the perpetrator to e?perience powerlessness and dependency to discoura$e him or her from takin$ advanta$e of others a$ain Althou$h this sounds punitive, it is often the only way to teach empathy and compassion

18

Sagittarius 2hen this si$n is related to the twelfth house, it may indicate a karmic debt resultin$ from an irresponsible or careless act 9n particular, it may indicate a mistake made while travelin$ or e?plorin$ that resulted in inIury or death Hr, "a$ittarian self-centeredness may have led to ne$lectin$ the needs of others and inadvertently harmin$ them "ince the harm caused in these instances is rarely intentional, usually the balancin$ simply entails learnin$ to be more careful and responsible Life has a way of teachin$ us what we need to learn throu$h remorse, other people, the criminal Iustice system, or a repetition of the incident 9f $reater care, common sense, and responsibility are not learned throu$h these ways, they are tau$ht easily enou$h throu$h the earth si$ns, aspects to "aturn, and a respite from "a$ittarian lifetimes Therefore, if a chart with "a$ittarius related to the twelfth house shows si$ns of a karmic debt as well as stren$th in earth or a stron$ "aturn, it is likely to have been chosen to balance irresponsibility or carelessness Hn the other hand, if the chart does not support caution and responsibility, it may mean that the individual e?perienced the results of someone elseAs irresponsibility in a former lifetime 9n that case, repayment may be received in that lifetime %apricorn 2hen this si$n is related to the twelfth house, it may indicate a karmic debt involvin$ a death %ein$ responsible for someoneAs death is as serious as any offense Cowever, whether or not it was intentional is important in determinin$ the e?tent of the debt and the lesson needed to balance it The planets in the house, the twelfth house rulerNs house and si$n, and aspects to these planets may describe the circumstances surroundin$ the death The subIect of killin$ brin$s up the @uestion of whether e?ecutioners, soldiers, and abortionists incur karma "ome karma is incurred in each of these instances, but these forms of killin$ are not on the same level as murder :evertheless, we incur societal karma by belon$in$ to a society that allows these thin$s Hf these three types of killin$, abortion is the least serious because in almost every case the soul has not entered the body yet 2hen someone is killed, the person responsible may need to $ain an appreciation for the preciousness of human life Hne way of teachin$ this is for the person to e?perience his or her own life cut short or to lose a loved one 9f the death was unintentional, what is needed depends on the individual and what caused the death Those who were killed may benefit from fire in their charts to $ive them more coura$e and confidence 3iolent or sudden deaths invariably leave the victim with a sense of vulnerability and distrust As a result, victimsA charts are not likely to have a stron$ 5apricorn theme, which would only increase their fear %y studyin$ the rest of the chart and usin$ our ima$inations and intuition, we can often determine whether the chart belon$s to the perpetrator or the victim

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A0uarius 2hen this si$n is related to the twelfth house, it may indicate a karmic debt resultin$ from sudden, accidental inIury or death caused by impatience or a lack of Iud$ment =any of these kinds of mistakes never need balancin$ because the ne$ative conse@uences teach what needs to be learned Cowever some people, especially those who blame others for their mistakes, may need further lessons and a chart that encoura$es caution and self-restraint 9n that case, the rest of the chart will bear that out Hn the other hand, if the chart belon$s to the victim of someone elseAs careless action, the rest of the chart will encoura$e confidence and coura$e rather than caution and patience Pisces 2hen this si$n is related to the twelfth house, emotional dama$e or ne$lect may be responsible for a karmic debt 2ith ;isces, the emotional dama$e is not likely to have been inflicted intentionally or violently =ore likely, it resulted from not bein$ able to provide care because of mental illness, physical disability, mental retardation, or dru$ or alcohol addiction The balancin$ depends on what was underlyin$ the ne$lect 9f it was due to dru$ or alcohol addiction, bein$ born to alcoholic parents is a common remedy This provides an opportunity for developin$ empathy and for facin$ this problem a$ain - in order to overcome it once and for all 9f more e$o-stren$th or practical abilities are needed, an earthy chart will help Cowever, because e$o-stren$th is a function of soul-a$e, the individual may need more e?perience with life before bein$ able to cope with the world 9f a physical or mental handicap was responsible for the ne$lect, the situation is more comple? The soul analyzes each situation to determine what is needed 3ictims of ne$lect will have to learn to see themselves as other than victims To accomplish this, the chart and childhood circumstances must be chosen carefully to balance feelin$s of unworthiness A lovin$ and attentive family coupled with a fiery chart and a favorably placed Rupiter for ease can do much to offset such dama$e

17

A%H-T TCG A-TCHB

Gina Lake is a spiritual teacher and the author of numerous books about awakenin$ to oneNs true nature, includin$ From Stress to Stillness, Trusting Life, Embracing the Now, Radical Happiness, Li ing in the Now, Return to Essence, !hoice and "ill, Ten Teachings for #ne "orld, Lo ing in the $oment, %natomy of &esire, and 'etting Free. "he is also a $ifted intuitive with a masterAs de$ree in counselin$ psycholo$y and over twenty years e?perience supportin$ people in their spiritual $rowth Cer website offers information about her books, free e-books, book e?cerpts, a monthly newsletter, a blo$, and audio and video recordin$s: http:!!www radicalhappiness com

6&

(oo)s by 'ina La)e Available in paperback, Eindle, and other e-book formats From Stress to Stillness* Tools for +nner ,eace. =ost stress is created by how we think about thin$s .rom Stress to Stillness will help you to e?amine what youNre thinkin$ and chan$e your relationship to your thou$hts so that they no lon$er result in stress #rawin$ from the wisdom traditions, psycholo$y, :ew Thou$ht, and the authorNs own e?perience as a spiritual teacher and counselor, From Stress to Stillness offers many practices and su$$estions that will lead to $reater peace and e@uanimity, even in a busy and stress-filled world Trusting Life* # ercoming the Fear and (eliefs That (loc) ,eace and Happiness. .ear and distrust keep us from livin$ the life we were meant to live, and they are the $reatest hurdles to seein$ the truth about lifeDthat it is $ood, abundant, supportive, and potentially Ioyous Trusting Life is a deep e?ploration into the mystery of who we are, why we suffer, why we donNt trust life, and how to become more trustin$ 9t offers evidence that life is trustworthy and tools for overcomin$ the fear and beliefs that keep us from fallin$ in love with life Lo ing in the $oment* $o ing from Ego to Essence in Relationships Cavin$ a truly meanin$ful relationship re@uires choosin$ love over your conditionin$, that is, your ideas, fantasies, desires, ima$es, and beliefs Lo ing in the $oment describes how to move beyond conditionin$, Iud$ment, an$er, romantic illusions, and differences to the e?perience of love and Hneness with another 9t e?plains how to drop into the core of your %ein$, where Hneness and love e?ist, and be with others from there
Embracing the Now* Finding ,eace and Happiness in "hat +s The :owDthis momentDis the true source of happiness and peace and the key to livin$ a fulfilled and meanin$ful life Embracing the Now is a collection of essays that can serve as daily reminders of the deepest truths .ull of clear insi$ht and wisdom, it e?plains how the mind keeps us from bein$ in the moment, how to move into the :ow and stay there, and what livin$ from the :ow is like 9t also e?plains how to overcome stumblin$ blocks to bein$ in the :ow, such as fears, doubts, misunderstandin$s, Iud$ments, distrust of life, desires, and other conditioned ideas that are behind human sufferin$

Radical Happiness* % 'uide to %wa)ening provides the keys to e?periencin$ the happiness that is everpresent and not dependent on circumstances This happiness doesnNt come from $ettin$ what you want, but from wantin$ what is here now 9t comes from realizin$ that who you think you are is not who you really are This is a radical perspectiveM Radical Happiness describes the nature of the e$oic state of consciousness and how it interferes with happiness, what awakenin$ and enli$htenment are, and how to live in the world after awakenin$ Li ing in the Now* How to Li e as the Spiritual (eing That -ou %re. The 77 essays in Li ing in the Now will help you realize your true nature and live as that They answer many @uestion raised by the spiritual search and offer wisdom on subIects such as fear, an$er, happiness, a$in$, boredom, desire, patience, faith, for$iveness, acceptance, love, commitment, hope, purpose, meanin$, meditation, bein$ present, emotions, trustin$ life, trustin$ your Ceart, and many other deep subIects These essays will help you become more conscious, present, happy, lovin$, $rateful, at peace, and fulfilled Gach essay stands on its own and can be used for daily contemplation

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%natomy of &esire* How to (e Happy E en "hen -ou &on.t 'et "hat -ou "ant will help you discriminate between your CeartNs desires and the e$oAs and to relate to the e$oAs desires in a way that reduces sufferin$ and increases Ioy %y pointin$ out the myths about desire that keep us tied to our e$oAs desires and the sufferin$ they cause, %natomy of &esire will help you be happy re$ardless of your desires and whether you are attainin$ them "o it is also about spiritual freedom, or liberation, which comes from followin$ the Ceart, our deepest desires, instead of the e$oAs desires 9t is about becomin$ a lover of life rather than a desirer Return to Essence* How to (e in the Flow and Fulfill -our Life.s ,urpose describes how to $et into the flow and stay there and how to live life from there %ein$ in the flow and not bein$ in the flow are two very different states Hne is dominated by the e$o-driven mind, which is the cause of sufferin$, while the other is the domain of Gssence, the #ivine within each of us (ou are meant to live in the flow The flow is the e?perience of GssenceDyour true selfDas it lives life throu$h you and fulfills its purpose for this life 'etting Free* How to $o e (eyond !onditioning and (e Happy. .reedom from your conditionin$ is possible, but the mind is a formidable opponent to freedom To be free re@uires a new way of thinkin$ or, rather, not thinkin$ To a lar$e e?tent, healin$ our conditionin$ involves chan$in$ our relationship to our mind and discoverin$ who we really are 'etting Free will help you do that 9t will also help you repro$ram your mindQ clear ne$ative thou$hts and self-ima$esQ use meditation, prayer, for$iveness, and $ratitudeQ work with spiritual forces to assist healin$ and clear ne$ativityQ and heal entrenched issues from the past
is a messa$e from =other =ary to her beloved Ten Teachings for #ne "orld* "isdom from $other $ary children on earth The teachin$s are intended to brin$ us into closer contact with the peace and love that is our divine nature, which has the ability to transform our hearts and our world =other =aryNs $entle wisdom will inspire and assist you in awakenin$ to the ma$nificent bein$ that you are

!hoice and "ill* New Teachings from /esus e?plores the comple?, mysterious, and important @uestion of who or what chooses The @uestion is comple? because there is more than one answer 9t is mysterious because our nature is mysterious and because the answer may not be what you think The @uestion is important because our choices shape our reality and determine our e?perience of it "hat %bout Now0 Reminders for (eing in the $oment. The secret to happiness is movin$ out of the mind and learnin$ to deli$ht in each moment 9n "hat %bout Now, you will find over 1)& @uotes from Gina LakeNs booksDRadical Happiness, Embracing the Now, Lo ing in the $oment, Li ing in the Now, and othersD that will inspire and enable you to be more present These empowerin$ @uotes will wake you up out of your ordinary consciousness and help you live with more love, contentment, $ratitude, and awe .or more info, please visit the O%ooksP pa$e at http*11www.radicalhappiness.com

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