*Day of Light*

Today is my most favorite time of the year & of course, my name matches just how much I love it too 😉 Everything about it makes me smile despite ANYTHING & EVERYTHING that might be going on! The sunshine alone is magical, truly magical and I am determined to keep fighting this battle and come out stronger & healthier than ever by time Fall is upon us. At least SOME progress to be more realistic.

I wanted to share a wonderful article sharing everything from the cosmos & what is happening in the heavens to some very beautiful quotes to everyone’s Vedic Astrology horoscopes for this very special, spiritual and BEAUTIFUL day of the year!

WELCOME SUMMERTIME!!!

Moon is waxing (bright half) and moves through Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius this week. Moon is debilitated in Scorpio from 6.20 to 6.22.

Summer Solstice is Friday 6.21 when the Earth is tilted towards the Sun and its axis gives us the longest day of sunlight for the year. This has both felt and metaphoric connotations. This “day of light” is followed by the full moon in Sagittarius on 6.23 at 06:23 CDT.

This is a week of charged masculine and feminine energies.

Venus moves to Cancer this week on 6.22 at 14:10 CDT and will be weak due to its sandhi (gap) passage; it is not a friend of Cancer.

We can expect our relationships to effect our emotions and vice versa during this transit. We can also expect extra sensitivity for the feminine part of ourselves, and extra sensitivity for the feminine and divine feminine we are connected to.

Both Cancer and Venus correlate to water and bring movement, currents, expansion, tears, fluidity, emotional releases and passionate hearts. Venus will be receiving drishti from Saturn (Saturn who is still retrograde in its position of exaltation, rendering him debilitated, and in Swati nakshatra, ruled by Vayu, the wind god, enters Cancer on a Saturday- day of Saturn).

As Venus transits through Cancer, the aforementioned will gain an extra level of sensitivity, as well as an element of grief and sorrow possible. Expect structures, frames, perceptions, and containers to shift, expand and change. There is also the likelihood of transportation issues, car troubles, problems while traveling, etc. Patience and caution may be necessary.

Being physically active with intentionality will go a long way to ease this transit. Do physical movement such as dance, yoga, walking/running, somatic awareness etc. Watch for somatic-bypassing. This will be a great time to practice your (mental/emotional) surfing skills!

“The body says what words cannot.” ~ Martha Graham

Sun moves to Ardra nakshatra on 6.21 and will be there for two weeks. Ardra is connected to Rudra and Rahu, both known for creating changes, destruction, movement and storms. Expect high energy changes and restructuring over the next few weeks. Hang on, Jupiter is next!

*Horoscopes are based on your Vedic rising sign. You can also check your Moon and Sun signs for further insight. Do the same with your Navamsa signs for further clarity. Do not use these horoscopes with your “Western Sign” as there is likely no correlation. These horoscopes are meant to be used as a broad overview of the current transits and obviously do not address the specifics of an individual’s unique chart.

Aries: Movement, change, and transition are determined by your courage, self-initiated actions, and effort. Emotions with women, heart, home, and land will be sensitive. Your focus is on children, growth, knowledge and decisions, but only due to sheer force. Make space for healthy expression and creativity. Find a safe space for “messy emotions” when necessary.

Taurus: You and your heart are on a mission and it’s full steam ahead! The foreign and unusual seem magical and captivating. Enjoy it while it lasts- it will lose it’s charm inevitably. Comfort and support, wealth, sustenance and support, speech, singing and eating are still effecting you. Watch what goes in and out of your portals. Bad habits and vulnerabilities are present. Watch your emotions- they give the biggest clues into your safety and security. This is a time to put your needs first.

Gemini: You are still shining and finding much to say about it. Expect an increase in voicing the emotions- a desire, a need a necessity to do so. Share this and make it an offering, a creative gift. Children, decisions, intelligence, relationships and romance continue to blow in and around your mind. How are you doing with pressing the pause button these days? Press it before you are forced to.

Cancer: When one door opens, another closes. You are navigating openings and closings, endings and beginnings, losses and gains. The heart seems to expand and contract with every up and down. Use this next Venus cycle to bring awareness to your tides- to the creative tides, the emotional tides, the tides of desire, the tides of momentum and movement. This week especially brings insights. Pay attention to the waters within.

Leo: There’s a certain creative charge occurring for you right now. You are in a space of offering and have the energy and dynamism to do so. As Venus moves to your twelfth house, expect a shift in your creative tides. Pay attention to the subtleties or you will end of forcing things to happen that have a time frame of their own. The process will be slower, expect some endings, transformations and losses to take place. Note the parts of you that are in a rest phase. Be sure to switch gears and come to a full and complete stop when necessary.

Virgo: We might call you motor mouth. Move the mouth and let the inner winds transform your thoughts, words and actions. Sing your songs of freedom. Creative gains, relationships and friendships begin to shift and move. The fierce guru is cultivating your presence and dharma. Magic can enter through the back door—and leave just as quickly. Work on courage and taking effective action steps.

Libra: Some of the new awareness you have received will be moving into external expression, an offering, over the next few weeks. There is a drive to do so now and some may get support from friends or gains in the process. Don’t expect complete ease here—this may be an emotional experience—one that likely digs up the old muck. But let the flood waters bring a sense of cleansing, even if at first it ungrounds you and creates muddy water.

Scorpio: The door to the outside world is bringing some irritations still, but also a certain charge and dynamism. Harness the powers and use it with the winds that will bring movement and momentum. You will go further. The emotions, somatic awareness, and the feminine, will begin teaching you more fluidity. Listen to the raindrops making music. Transformations, travels, changes, endings. Doors are opening and closing with old and new opportunities.

Sagittarius: Others, relationships, external resources, the door to the outside world are all bringing resources, offerings, tools, and gifts. Are you receptive to receiving them? You may be so charged from enemy combat that you can’t take it in. Don’t worry, the emotional currents are beginning to pool and will soon break down your dam. Endings bring beginnings, losses can bring blessings. Find some semblance of gratitude amongst the turmoil.

Capricorn: Paying attention to your gut is essential as you navigate this time of vulnerability. Dealing with enemies, bad habits, losses and changes can take its toll. It is imperative to trust your gut instincts, mental acuity, and felt sense, when making decisions, taking action and navigating relationships. As Venus moves into your seventh house, these skills will be paramount. The portal to the outside world will be alluring, passionate, creatively tantalizing. Finding balance between the inner waters, the emotional needs and the outer lures, will be essential.

Aquarius: Insights and awareness have proved useful lately. Changes, movement and momentum have increased on certain levels. As Venus moves this week, you will be entering a cycle that requires your digestion of creativity and emotions. Be vigilant with these two elements and note their intimate connection. For you, chewing carefully—words, ideas, thoughts, emotions, food—will be very important. Talk it out. Walk it out. Paint it out.

Pisces: It takes two to tango. Your work right now involves the dance of the heart and the mind. This dance begins to move more consciously over the next few weeks so pay attention to the direction you are moving in. You can effectively take action steps and courageous leaps if you dare. Watch for the old bad habits though, and the “enemies” blocking your path. Realizations will come with mind/body connections.

Vedic Horoscopes/Article Compliments of:

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/06/jyotish-vedic-astrology-horoscopes-for-the-week-of-6-17/

TRUE Friends, At My Doorstep!

::In Dedication to the Most Amazing Gesture & Visit From My Two Best Friends ❤ xoxo ❤

WOW….The only words I can truly mutter out right now from the bottom of my heart & soul, I truly cannot thank two AMAZING women who have touched my life in so many ways and forever! Last night, was more than I could even imagine, expect, etc..it was ALL a complete surprise and just wow! The gesture made by my two beautiful & outstanding, I mean, truly there are not enough words to express how much love I have for these girls and all that they have done throughout the years especially recently. I was so speechless that I for the first time in a long time, couldn't even cry (GOOD tears) I couldn't even express to them how much their love and crazy amazing gestures made my YEAR!

Literally! To let the GOOD in, I must let go of the bad and move forward and NOT GIVE UP. I was reminded of this on so many levels last night and gosh, I broke down big time but in the most positive way you can imagine as soon as I was alone and just sitting with my thoughts, the love that just was brought to my house and the reminder of how important I AM to these beautiful and amazing friends. THEY are my blessing and all that comes with them! Never, did I ever expect to be blessed in such a big way and for that, I am forever indebted to you guys! I LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH! Today's blog absolutely without question goes to my best friends, Bryn and Erin ❤ childhood friends who have stuck by my side, no matter what! PROVEN yet again!

These women aren't just my friends. They are also my spiritual friends and there is a major difference between just being a friend vs. being a spiritual friend along with it. Friendship and our human relationships in general, can at times be one of the most difficult aspects of our lives while at other times the most helpful. In Buddhism, friendships are INCREDIBLY important…there is even an art behind it. The art of a friend. A true friend. I want to share something that I have bookmarked actually that explains why friendship, I take to such an extreme level. Because it ultimately IS my life and should be yours too.

In Buddhism, friendship is an extremely important factor, perhaps even more so than you might expect.

The most famous statement on friendship in Buddhism comes when the Buddha’s cousin Ananda is said to have approached the Buddha and remarked “This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.” And the Buddha replied, “Don’t say that, Ananda. Don’t say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, and comrades, he can be expected to develop and pursue the noble eightfold path.”

So in a BIG way, having them a part of my life is more than just friendship. It's super inspirational, incredibly helpful, loving and helping me get back to the girl, the woman and friend I once was. I have torn myself to shreds emotionally lately based on how disgusted I've been with myself and not being the person nor friend I know I am and always have been. I can't thank these two enough along with the kiddos for EVERYTHING!!! You both turned my whole night around but my whole general sense of well-being so to speak. I woke up feeling refreshed, ready to take on the day regardless of what may come my way or happen, but because of how much you both changed the way I was thinking, giving up, etc. (I don't need to give you both the whole low down..anyone else reading my blog, just know, a lot of PEACE was in the atmosphere & still is all thanks to these incredible women!)

and I want to end with this, because it speaks volumes:

**The Buddha tells his monks to seek out friends with seven qualities:

“Monks, a friend endowed with seven qualities is worth associating with. Which seven? (1) He gives what is hard to give. (2) He does what is hard to do. (3) He endures what is hard to endure. (4) He reveals his secrets to you. (5) He keeps your secrets. (6) When misfortunes strike, he doesn’t abandon you. (7) When you’re down & out, he doesn’t look down on you. A friend endowed with these seven qualities is worth associating with.”

– Mitta Sutta (AN 7.35)

Those qualities my friends, are the reasons I believe in quality over quantity all my life and IF you believe ALL of your "friends" treat your friendship spoken like above, you may want to take a step back, look at things in detail and truly see if ALL of them have done that & stay by your side. I'm lucky TWO of them have 🙂

With all my love, from my heart to yours,
SUMMER

Reaching Out For Help is a Hard Thing to Do

4:38am 6/11/13

ALL Because of My Health, I Lost More, I Got Sicker and Things Took Another Huge Turn For the Worst….
**a short poem I wrote early in the middle of the night or morning..however you look at it. It was still the same day for me. Nothing special, just something I wanted to share whether anyone liked it or not.

My heart is pounding out of my chest,
Just wondering & questioning what will be waiting for me next…

When this isn’t my “normal” way of thinking,
It comes to my realization that all is not well & I am sinking.

Tears filling my eyes as hours & days go by,
Have my daddy’s picture in one hand & his hanky near my eyes.

I can’t put a stop to things,
I can’t put a stop on life,

But all I do at this time is think & how broken is my life,
Sadly, every moment reminds me of how bad I feel as a wife.

When a woman’s life comes to a complete halt,
Its hard not to think, ALL in life is NOT your fault.

We now live in an era of ‘real-time’ everything,
Something that just never, going to ever be what I live and bring.

I believe in the ‘Olden Golden Days’ where your friends were everywhere,
Now all I seem to have and do is look at hospital room walls, my bedroom walls, bathroom wall and just stare…
and stare….
and stare…..
stare….

So many thoughts, nothing but hopes and dreams rushing through my minds veins
But yet nothing has changed, only more loss, more hurt and more pain..

So I now lay my pen down on my journal, step away from looking up at the sky and attempt to calm my mind from the pure panic going on inside. Praying and dreaming of a better tomorrow..and better, healthier times…FOR ALL.