I'm very lucky in the work that I do as a psychic, or as I prefer, spiritual counsellor, to note patterns of energy and behavior. It's wonderful to know these things in broad strokes based on Astrology, but it's extra helpful to see them emerge in a more personal way when five or six separate people come in for readings on a single day, all with the same issues.

One of the patterns showing itself now is that, with all the challenges of Saturn Retrograde, Pluto Retrograde and Mercury Retrograde (not to mention the physical changes of the Earth herself), people are trending to extremes in one of two reactions.

People are either feeling incredibly insecure and lost, and filled with self doubt, even when the general things in their lives haven't changed; or, people are standing in self righteousness demanding that God / Creator / the Universe / the Powers That Be give them a sign or make something happen because they feel they've done enough and they've had enough of not getting their own way.

Either of these paths can happen to anyone. Self-righteousness isn't only for the ego-driven, nor is self-doubt only for the thoughtful. They're both ways to face the lessons that are on us - lessons in self awareness and awakening. And none of it's easy because it requires a perception shift. It requires thinking in an Aquarian way instead of a Piscean way (more on that when I get to the Piscean Age/Aquarian Age changes in another blog).

It was pretty incredible to witness a beautiful, level-headed, even-tempered client come to me with surprisingly intense anger, demanding that something had better happen for her or she was going to give up. I laid down several Tarot spreads, all with very valuable information. But even before I opened my mouth I knew she wouldn't hear a thing I said because nothing was going to give her the answer she wanted. The energies I called on (hers and mine) were showing a way to overcome this temporary anger and see the bigger picture, but she wanted her way. She left as angry as she'd come - not at me, at the Universe in general. I knew she'd eventually come down from it - that wasn't her nature - but it wasn't going to happen immediately.

Most of the people, however, are on the opposite end - feeling insecure and lost. But, as far as I understand, these retrogrades are taking us back over past experiences that were not healed or had no closure and showing them to us so we can fix them.

It's definitely uncomfortable, but without this energy, we wouldn't be facing these past issues, which means we'd carry them throughout our lives and probably have them bite us in the ass at some time when we're old. Then we become stuck, grumbly old people looking at what could or should have been. I think we've all seen or know people like that. And by that time, it's too late to do anything about it. But it's not too late now.

Try something for yourself, no matter what you're feeling or what situation you're facing. What happens if whatever negativity is in front of you is perceived as exactly what is right for you in that moment. Our modern society, especially in the United States, has gotten so used to the "right to happiness", we avoid or try to alter what we don't like or feel is undeserved instead of thinking why it's in our way in the first place. Because there's always a reason it is.

I had an encounter with someone at work recently where I was treated unjustly as a scapegoat. My first reaction was indignation and anger but then I tried to look at it as if it was exactly what was supposed to be happening to me at that time. I asked myself what I was supposed to learn, and looked back over my life (the retrograde effect) to find the scapegoat theme had happened before. Instead of blaming him, I took conscious responsibility for having treated this guy exactly the same way at some time in a previous life. I didn't have to remember the details, the proof that I had used him as a scapegoat before was in him using me as a scapegoat now. The lesson wasn't his, it was mine.

That wasn't easy to realize or to face. Before I'd worked it all out within myself, I went home with my stomach in knots at the injustice of it all and had to do several sessions of Tapping (thank you to the great Marilyn Morris for teaching me that) and some deep yogic breathing just to relax enough to sleep. The next day, I had completely owned the encounter and felt at peace. Even though my human self still wanted to kick a little ass, my spiritual self knew I'd get over that.

No matter what you're facing, just try seeing it as a way to learn something instead of as an obstacle. And hang in there. We're in difficult times. If you're having a difficult life at the moment, try not to judge yourself for not doing better. What happens if you stand in the knowledge that everything you're doing is exactly right and if you look at it long enough, you'll see it in clarity? Kind of takes some of the weight off of things, doesn't it?