We are at a tipping point in time, every moment is the prelude to another and yet holds the faint aroma of the last. No matter who we are, where we go or what we do, all takes place in the present moment. No wonder the sages throughout time have spoken so vehemently about staying present and focused on NOW!  

Sweeping the western world like a rash is the practice of Mindfulness. A simple meditative technique of being present in all its technicolour glory. Few of us have had the opportunity to understand the power we can derive from the gathering of our energy and focus into a single moment. Martial arts certainly teach the practice of sensing the energetic pulls of emotion in particular. Athletes or artists are perhaps our best examples of being present as they give completely to the task at hand. If you have ever 'lost' yourself in admiring a place of beauty or indeed in love then you also appreciate what is meant here. 

Since we have both imagination, which takes us into the future, and memory which draws on the past it is often extremely difficult for any of us to remain in the present.The memory and imagination are both amazing tools but are double edged swords offering both destruction and life renewed, past and future in a quantum package, all wrapped up in a perspective which reflects our present concerns. We are so easily swayed by the next impulse and distraction. 

The fulcrum, that central point upon which all is balanced, is where we find the present moment and since there is nothing but the present moment, we cannot find ourselves anywhere else. Holding onto this concept however is not so easy. 

   Whilst it has taken decades to get to this point in my life, I am proud to say I am now really living my life purpose to the max. Despite all the ups and downs, the distractions and the diversions along the path... HERE I AM!
   What is it that drives us insanely at times to go against logic, against everyone else's warnings of imminent disaster and the financial black hole? I can only say that when you have heard that still small voice within, then there is no looking back. 
   For most people who make a commitment to live their life's purpose there has been a trauma or extreme event that has not just triggered a life changing impulse but has rewritten history. For me it was a near death experience, for others it can be surviving tremendous adversity or a major disaster. Once we are shaken up in this way, it is impossible to look at a life in the same way. It is as if a mist has lifted and the underlying reality can now be fully appreciated. 
   Appreciation usually is the key, even in a relatively hum drum mundane lifestyle. Once we express our gratitude for everything and everyone in our lives (especially those things/people/events we would rather never have had to deal with!) then a corner is turned. It takes a great deal of discipline to do this on a regular basis. We are wired to maintain tried and trusted ways. Habit patterns are hard to break especially if upheld by our culture. It is however, more than just a possibility. So many now are living in a reality built upon gratitude. Much of this has come from the dissemination of Buddhist teachings and mindfulness techniques. 
   How do you know you have reached the point of finding your purpose let alone living it? Well, there are no words or explanations for that. You just KNOW! Every day is a joy and brings new and exciting opportunities to your door. No longer are you living in a strait-jacket imposed by the outside world. In short, a comprehensive feeling of empowerment enfolds you. 

   For a couple of decades now I have been reading self help books and other material which urges you to live you life's purpose. They are all written by people who have come up against adversity and more or less been forced to change their attitudes and turn their lives around. I often used to think that it was alright for them as things had turned out well but what about those who are struggling within a situation that cannot just be dropped to the floor and run away from. 
   In this respect I always felt it was harder for women to accomplish not only their goals but also to get into the right frame of mind to allow themselves to have aspirations. So often, whether they willingly accepted the role or not, women are responsible for home, family, nourishment, extended family, entertainment and not least of all also to have a job that pays part of the mortgage etc. The very thought of breaking free meant disaster for those around as they would have to readjust their own expectations and life styles to 'fit'. The inevitable reactive forces of those involved often create a massive backlash of discontent all of which is aimed at the woman concerned. 
   Perhaps this is the 'weakness' of women - putting others first, regardless of the burden and stress it causes. The 'strength' of women however, is to pull through no matter what. This is the power behind every throne or indeed 'successful' man.
Despite these words I am not particularly a feminist. What I do see and feel is a great need for cooperation rather than competition and not just between the sexes. 
   It is possible to achieve a greater sense of freedom through positive and supportive partnership than may be achieved by going it alone. If each person utilises their skill to the best advantage of both/all then so much more can be attained, including a sense of freedom from the life limiting constrictions that our culture imposes upon us. I believe we are at a tipping point where this is concerned and a new future is rapidly dawning on us. 
   It is incumbent upon us all to build our societies upon cooperation and magnanimity then we shall free not only ourself but all others to a life well lived. It will thus be possible to find one's life purpose, at present buried deep under layers of 'duty', and not only live it but also celebrate it in each other and ourselves!  

   July is a very busy month in astrological terms. As usual the sun changes signs in the third week - nothing new there of course, this happens every month, just as the moon changes signs every 2.5 days. What is more interesting however, is that Mercury and Saturn start forward motion again whilst Uranus, Neptune and Pluto go into reverse gear. We have ended a long period (almost a year) of personal planets (Mars included) having retrograde motions. When planets are 'retrograde' or appearing to go backwards in the sky, it is a time to be more introspective and to review and revisit the 'terms and conditions' of our situations in life. Now therefore is a time to use the knowledge gained in review to turn a corner and start to make progress again!
   The grand Cardinal Cross in the sky has now dissipated to some extent. This gave a very tense and pressurised feeling to the backdrop of everyone's lives for many months with a particularly strong influence in April. We can to some extent sigh with relief as we enter a whole new scenario. Jupiter is clear of the situation so things are no longer being blown out of proportion. Mars is now moving out of the range of the cross taking much pent up energy with it. However, do be aware of the Sun opposition to Pluto on the 4th July as the final gasp of the cross. We all may feel power issues raise their head in some form. 
   As we enter July Mercury stands still ready to get into 1st gear and move forward again. Don't try and push things in the first couple of days as we are still going over old ground until the 14th as far as ideas and thoughts are concerned. After this date Mercury enters Cancer and we may well find that our minds are somewhat preoccupied with home, family and a more generally emotional approach. We then look to shoring up how and where we feel secure and our sense of belongingness. 
   Venus enters Cancer on the 19th reinforcing a strong need to feel loved which will be centred around family or clan. We pick up on a much more emotional and possibly romantic sense and our values and appreciation of beauty become keener.  Food and enjoyment through entertaining could well be part of this. 
   Jupiter has been in the sign of Cancer since 30th June 2013 and finally moves into Leo on 17th July this year. We will feel a shift in energy for sure as Leo is not a sign that is backward in coming forward! The enthusiasm of Jupiter will certainly make itself felt in Leo. Since Leo rules the heart this should be a time to express heartfelt joy. A great time to be creative particularly in a dramatic way! Jupiter stays approximately a year in each sign so we have until 12th August 2015 to make use of the generous and optimistic quality that this position engenders.
   On the 21st July Saturn stands still ready to move forward after a month of reversal. This time it is serious about getting into forward motion though it will not be ready to leave the sign of Scorpio until Christmas. We are already used to this energy which has coincided with many scandals coming to the fore. Recent news items have reiterated this theme. 
   The Sun moves into Leo on the 23rd July and brings with it a renewed sense of self. Leo is the sign of sovereignty, over ourselves as much as onyone else. We can therefore go out into the world with a stronger sense of self-belief. I often think of Leo as the sign of entitlement and having a rooted belief that all needs will be met. The sun links directly with Jupiter on the 24/25th providing generous, fun loving and creative energies for the height of summer! Be careful not to go over the top on those days though. 
   Both Pluto and Neptune turn retrograde at the beginning of the month followed by Uranus on 22nd. These outer planets have a more transpersonal i.e. generalised/societal effect. How they influence you as an individual is heavily influenced by the position in your natal chart and therefore better ascertained through a personal reading. 
 

   So, it's the 1st of July. The year is half way through! I sometimes wonder at the randomness of the Gregorian calendar as the year never matches up to reality - hence we have to have leap years. However, the months do divide the year into equal seasons and number 12 is of interest in sacred geometry. Part of the reason is its flexibility; divisible by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12. In fact 12 turns up in a lot of diverse areas quite apart from 12 disciples and 12 days of Christmas - but now we really are rushing through the year far too quickly!!!
  Pinch, punch, 1st of the month. I nearly had to do this to myself this morning as I woke so early with a headful of marvellous ideas - at least they seemed to be at that time of day, one that cannot usually be said to be writ large in my life. I am celebrating as Mercury has at last come to a halt with its reverse travails and is prepared to get into gear again. Hence my headful of thoughts since Mercury is the messenger of the mind and Gemini its natural home as the sign of communication.
  Mercury entered Gemini on 8th May and trounced through until it zipped into Cancer on 30th May. It had barely made its influence felt before reversing on the 7th June returning to Gemini on the 18th. This apparent 'going backwards' occurs 3 times a year due to Mercury orbiting the sun every 88 days. From our viewpoint on earth there are therefore 3 X 3 week periods in the year when Mercury retraces its path across the sky. At these times we are all warned to watch out for problems with communications, clarity of thought, electronic equipment, transport and issues in our local environment in particular. With the retrograde in Gemini this year I have certainly felt all of these on a grander scale than ever before. My laptop got corrupted and wouldn't sign me in, had to be repaired and then picked up a virus and just kept crashing. The estate that I live on leads out onto a minor road which has been dug up from end to end to lay new service pipes etc. causing delays in both leaving and getting home. I turned up at a meeting a week early having had an original date in my diary for months on end, I did not register a change of date when it was sent through! I'm sure you can add to the list. 
  When Mercury is retrograde it is however, a good time to be introspective and review everything that is happening in one's life, particularly projects started in the 2 weeks prior to the retrograde. Now that Mercury has finally stood still today and will begin to rev up and get going again, we are at a tipping point. Clarify your position over the next couple of days and be prepared for action later in the week. You may find that others are in a rush to suddenly get things done now but my advice is to cruise rather than put your foot on the accelerator just yet!
  Mercury re-enters Cancer on the 14th July and the energy will become much more focused upon issues on the home front in general. It  would be good to just check in on what was happening around the end of May and draw a line in order to  bring those issues to a conclusion around the middle of July. Security and monetary concerns may come to mind as we go through the Cancerian month of the year. This is not because they are due to cause disruption and problems but purely because Cancer tends to get wrapped up in and emotionally disturbed by anything that is likely to threaten its sense of security and belongingness. 
  Carry a note book with you and capture any new ideas you have now. Dreams can come true as long as we focus positive intent upon them and allow them in!