An Astrologer's View on STRESS

“Don’t worry.  Be happy.”

 - Bobby McFerrin

I said it last week and I’ll say it again – life is hard.  Why do I keep harping on this? 

Do I want you to go pull the covers over your head?  No, but I also don’t want you to feel guilty if you do.

Perhaps you’re like me and you read a lot of books by spiritual guru authors like Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle, and Brian Weiss.  Also like me, perhaps you envy their sense of serenity.  I went to a seminar given by Brian Weiss and was amazed at how he walked into a room full of hundreds of applauding people like he was strolling into his living room to watch television.  I’ll never forget that.  I was sitting many rows back and could feel his peaceful spirit permeate the room as soon as he appeared.  There wasn’t any sign of tension in his body or voice.  I thought how nice it must feel to be that relaxed whoever you’re with, wherever you are.  Maybe that’s why we admire people who have found their center and live from it. It’s like they’re in the eye of a hurricane, smiling at all the whirling chaos around them. They impart their wisdom calmly to us as we chew on our fingernails, bob our legs up and down, and tap our feet. 

For most of us, peace is hard work. We’re on the roller coaster of ups and downs.  One day we’re patting ourselves on the back for not flying off the handle in the face of frustration.  Then the next day we’re muttering an apology to someone, feeling like a jerk.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned in over eight years of listening to clients talk about their lives, it’s that most people struggle with the same issues.  Sure they take different forms.  Maybe you’re anxious about how to pay the bills and you end up yelling at your husband. Your best friend yells at her husband because they can’t agree on the color of their next Lexus.  One problem may seem greater than the other, but the underlying issue is the same. How to handle stress?

In addition to life being hard, it’s also short.  Do we want to spend our precious time on Earth worrying and arguing?  This question has come to the forefront of our minds especially this year and of course The Universe mirrors this for us through astrology.  In March 2011, Uranus – the planet of restless energy that rules tension, electricity, and  earthquakes – went into the warrior sign of Aries, where it will stay for seven years.  This shift is like a constant buzzing.  A fire under our collective seats.  We’re looking for the sunglasses sitting right on our heads.  Shooting off e-mails that say “I’d love to if I had the time….”  It’s very hard to slow down these days, to focus.  Insomnia is rampant because we can’t shut our minds off.  Have you noticed a rash of Facebook statuses like “Why can’t life be easy?” and “I need a vacation!!”?  It’s not just you.  Everyone is feeling it.  I booked four Reiki sessions for myself during a stressful 8-week period because they would force me to lie down, be still, and just breathe.  Just breathe!  

Aries is the sign of action and initiation.  We feel the drive to do more now, and it’s daunting, overwhelming. We want to fulfill our potential, live out our dreams.  That’s not a bad thing, but days only come one at a time and we’re impatient.  So does this mean we will be angry and stressed out for the next seven years?  We could choose to be, but I don’t think we will.  This energy just came upon us recently so we need to cut ourselves some slack.  We’re trying to deal with it and adjust. There’s a movement toward yoga, meditation, holistic healing, and wellness.  Massage places are popping up everywhere.  We want to relax, save our energy for the big battles.  We don’t want to sweat the small stuff.  We want to listen to Bobby McFerrin and we’re all finding our way, whatever works for us.  So if you find yourself under those covers, don’t beat yourself up about it.  We’re all in the same boat.  When you’re ready, throw those covers off, make the bed, and most important - breathe!!