June 3, 2015

June Astrology Update

mercury

June Astrology Update – 2015

Retrogrades, retrogrades and retrogrades ….

June brings with it lots of retrograde energy … so this is a month where we have to look backwards to go forwards!  Mercury and Saturn are already retrograde, and as Mercury turns forward mid-month Neptune turns backwards followed soon after by Chiron.  So, June looks like it’s going to be a time of internal seeking, but there will be some lightness with the playfulness of Venus joining Jupiter in Leo.

Before I begin the month’s emotional weather forecast, a word on ‘retrogrades’ …. planets don’t actually go backwards during a retrograde.  Astronomically, a retrograde is when, due to the elliptical nature of our orbits, a planet appears to be going backwards relative to the Earth. Astrologically, retrogrades are times when the planet’s energy is more inwardly oriented than outer-directed, when we subject our life to review, reflection, and re-thinking, before we move again with a renewed understanding when the planet turns forward.  The time at which a planet is in the process of (apparently) turning around is called the ‘Stationary’ point’, and at this time its energy is exacerbated.

We start the month with Mercury having just gone past the Sun in its retrograde motion.  This is when the impact of the Mercury retrograde period begins to reach its peak, so don’t forget to do all that double-checking for the next two weeks, and do give a bit of leeway to those Virgos and Geminis who’ll be having an especially challenging time!  The retrograde ends on 12th June, and then we’re in what’s called the ‘shadow period’ until the 27th June when the mercurial planet gets back to 13 degrees Gemini, the point at which it started the retrograde.  The shadow period at the end of a retrograde is all about integration, about taking on the learnings from the internal processing of the retrograde. What are the realisations you had during the retrograde?  What flashes of insight occurred?  This is the time to get them into action, to manifest that intuitive brilliance in your world.

On the 12th June Neptune begins its retrograde period, which goes through until 19th November. So, just as Mercury turns forward, and we might have been ready to welcome a bit of clarity back into our lives, Neptune turns backwards. Neptune is ethereal and otherworldly, it is spiritual and ideal, it blurs the boundaries of everything it touches, including the intellect and thought, and it both creates and shows that all is illusion.  So, this is a time when the subconscious mind takes over; a great time to take note of dreams and intuitive insights … they probably have something especially important to say at the moment, especially at the Stationary point when it is turning.  But, Neptune is quite nebulous, and the risk when it’s in retrograde is that we can get lost in vagueness and delusion.  It is especially important to stay grounded during this time.  This is really important … during Neptune retrograde, we have to do the work to keep our feet on the ground, otherwise we risk being lost in its dreamy clouds of elusiveness and self-delusion.

And then on the 24th June Chiron begins its retrograde period, which goes until 28th November.

Chiron’s energy is all about healing, and its purpose is to restore wholeness.  The way Chiron does this is that it reconnects things that have been hurt or broken, so that they can be repaired and reintegrated.  To do this, Chiron reminds us of the earlier time when the thing got broken, so the healing can happen.  While this energy often brings pain, the beauty is that, if you allow it rather than fight it, you come away more integrated, more whole in that area than you’ve ever been.  So, when Chiron stations and then retrogrades, this healing energy is accentuated.  This will be felt especially by those who have a planet that is at or in aspect to 21 degrees of Pisces (where Chiron is when it turns), but we will all be experiencing this one way or another.  Whether in our everyday life or our fantasy and dream world, old hurts will be being triggered, and the opportunity will be there to bring the pain to the surface in order to do the healing work.  But, it doesn’t happen on its own … we have to be prepared to do the work.

Saturn is still retrograding too (until 2nd August), and goes back into Scorpio on 15th June.  Saturn is the planet of sorting old stuff out, retrogrades are the time when old stuff gets sorted out, so a Saturn retro time is like a karmic washing machine! Scorpio is the energy of secrets, of desire, and of unconscious drives and urges, so as Saturn moves back into Scorpio, we have a chance to revisit any places where we may not have been completely honest with ourselves and others about what we want to build for our future. This is a time for greater awareness about what is really driving us, a time to remove the veils we have been hiding our desires behind.  As Saturn moves forward in early August, we can bring that new awareness and honesty to the world we are forming.

Mercury is square Neptune again on 24th June.  As it goes forward again, Mercury comes back into square with Neptune.  So the communicative, intellectual energies of Mercury being challenged by those imaginary and illusory energies of Neptune.  This is a time when it’s hard to be sure what is truth, and especially difficult to communicate our own truth.  Use this time to focus internally rather than expect that you’ll be able to communicate effectively.  And take time with anything that involves thinking or communicating, this is not a time for jumping to conclusions.

As I mentioned, the feminine, connected, indulgent Venus moves into Leo (6th June), where it’s as playful, romantic and dramatic as it gets.  It joins up with Jupiter and forms a Trine with Uranus at the end of the month, suggesting that we should go into July with a creative, playful and an ‘expect the unexpected’ festive vibe.  Until then, there’s lots of inward seeking to take care of!

But of course, remember that none of this is causal, it’s just a taste of the fundamental interconnectedness of all things …

– Michael Murphy

https://www.uranusrising.com/

February 25, 2015

Detoxification

Detoxificatio

Detoxification: meaning the process of removing toxic substances

The human body has the wonderful ability to self-detoxify.  Our major organs of detoxification include the liver (main detox organ which converts drug and toxic chemical molecules so that they can be eliminated from the body via the urine), kidneys (excretes the converted toxic molecules sent by the liver), skin (the largest elimination organ), gut (includes intestines and colon) lungs and let’s not forget our lymph system (drains fluid and bacteria from tissues).

So if we possess such powerful systems of elimination, why do they need help?

Human beings are now exposed to such a high level of toxins via our highly polluted environment, our toxic food that is not only sprayed with chemicals but chemicals are also added in the way of additives and preservatives, internal toxins generated by unfriendly bacteria, yeasts and parasites, and lastly, from stress – yes indeed, stress causes toxic activity that decreases the immune system and can make us sick on an emotional and a physical level.  Ever used the term “toxic” friend??

Poor quality food also causes stress on the body.  An abundance of processed and sugary foods, fast foods, processed foods, food sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, tinned food, alcohol, recreation drugs and medications such as aspirin, caffeine, tap water all contain chemicals that the liver needs to process and eradicate.

Of course, years ago, there weren’t a lot of the above.  Depending on how far you go back, so many people now consume or are exposed to many, if not all, of the above.  And our poor livers are angry due to a backlog of orders, our kidneys are struggling from bacterial overload, our skin is unable to breathe due to congestion, our lungs are weak and full of mucus, our intestines are uncomfortable, and our colon’s are backed-up.

Who makes the ideal candidate for a detox?

  • If you suffer with: headaches, fatigue, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, peptic ulcers, chronic thrush (candida), allergies or sensitivities, depression, anxiety or mood swings, muscle aches and pains, skin rashes, bad breath or body odour, you are an ideal candidate for a detox.
  • If you work or live in an environment surrounded by chemicals or take regular medications including pain relief medicines or have used many antibiotics, then you’re an ideal candidate for a detox.
  • If you are heavily overweight then a detox program can be the beginning of an effective fat/weight loss protocol.

There is barely a client that I have worked with who, after a “detox”, hasn’t reported great results.

 What constitutes an ideal detox program?

A detoxification program must be safe, therefore I always question my clients thoroughly to ensure that the no foods or supplements will cause any adverse reaction so thorough investigation during our initial consultation is vital.

A detoxification program must be effective.  Part of my service includes a follow-up, this may be in the way of a quick telephone call a week later to ensure that the client is experiencing positive results such as more energy, eliminating daily, feeling happy and lighter.  Basically, that they are enjoying the program and feel that their health has improved.  Ideally, a two-week follow-up consultation will discover whether or not a client has achieved all results required and will determines whether or not to continue the program.  Sometimes a client feels so good, they wish to continue the program and continue working on a specific area which requires a specialised approach.  For example, a hairdresser who is or has been exposed to continually high chemical levels may wish to include supplements and foods which target specific toxic chemical elimination.

I can tailor designed your detox program for specific chemical elimination such as sugar, caffeine, nicotine or recreational drugs, toxic metals etc.

Are supplements necessary?

Not always.  It depends on the individual and what it is they wish to achieve.  However, certain supplements are formulated with all the necessary amino acids and other nutrients to enhance certain organs of elimination.  For example, if you are experiencing skin problems, then I may recommend a product that will specifically target the skin to improve detoxification.

Cleansing and repairing the body with a safe and effective detox program can restore health, vitality and wellness by allowing your body to heal, breathe and operate in the effective capacity that it’s designed for.

Your body will love you for it!

– Julie McElroy – Nutritionist.

February 16, 2015

Acupuncture For Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Pain Toowoomba

Shoulder pain is a condition we often see in our clinic.

Generally, shoulder pain Toowoomba is caused by inflammation (bursitis), physical injury or arthritis. In fact it is easy for practitioners to mistake bursitis for arthritis, especially if the condition in chronic.

Traditional Chinese Medicine theory is based on a flow of energy called ‘qi’ of which the body consists in different forms and layers. Understanding how ‘qi’ flows through the body allows us to treat shoulder pain according to illness (signs & symptoms), lifestyle and constitution.

Often the severity of shoulder pain is measurable by the limited range of motion when our clients attempt to move their shoulders. This is also a great way for us to measure the efficacy of our treatments after a typical session.

It is said that Acupuncture stimulates sensory receptors and nerves that transmit impulses into the pituitary gland and hypothalamus sections of our brain. As a result the neurotransmitters Serotonin and Endorphin are released, blocking the messages of pain in the shoulder sent from the brain.

If you suffer from the following signs and symptoms then make an appointment at our Toowoomba clinic today:

  • Pain in and around the entire shoulder
  • Radiating pain towards the elbow or wrist
  • Pain worse when lying on the affected shoulder
  • Pain worse when extending or moving your arm above shoulder height
  • Painful arc of movement – shoulder pain felt between 60 – 90° of arm moving up and outwards
  • Constant dull pain regardless of arm position
  • Pain with everyday activities such washing hair, brushing your teeth, or reaching for high items

For stubborn cases of shoulder pain Toowoomba we will begin to look at underlying emotional factors:

  • What shoulder is affected and what this means emotionally
  • Underlying resentment
  • Carrying life’s burdens on your shoulders (exploring reasons and solutions)
  • Linking fluid build-up and retention with emotion

If you’ve identified any of the pain signs and symptoms or other aspects of this article then don’t hesitate to book your Toowoomba Shoulder Pain treatment by calling us on 0406 688 832 to discuss your requirements.

December 17, 2014

It’s Christmas! Coping with Family

It’s that time of the year when hectic work/domestic schedules are winding down for the year.

For most, Christmas plans are well into preparation mode. Ideally we’d like to think that Christmas is the time to spend quality time with family. A chance for kids to get excited about Santa, the adults to indulge in far too much festive food and beverages, whilst generally enjoying a break from normal schedules.

The reality for some is the fact that Christmas can bring unwanted anxiety and conflict. Old emotional wounds, clash of personalities and largely opinionated responses that can often lead to disappointment and sadness. We think this time of the year can be more enjoyable with a few strategies in mind:

  • Be comfortable in your own skin

Often some of the conversations and opinions thrown around the table during family time are because family members may be more comfortable around each other. Remember to be yourself, remain calm and collective, and remember – you can’t choose your family!

  • Stop proving your self-worth

You may be viewed as the underachiever; the one without common sense; the youngest; etc. Whatever the reason that your family has formed an opinion on you, remember just that – it’s an opinion. Trying to prove yourself will often fall on deaf ears.

  • Be happy with life at present and the thought of the future

Maintaining a positive attitude internally will help with any negatives coming your way. You know who you are and where you are going. If you’re uncertain about the future then that’s ok too. Patience and understanding may help with negative criticism.

  • Jealousy

Don’t be jealous of where everyone else is in their life, thinking that once again you have missed the boat. The path you’ve chosen has lead you to where you are today. You do however have control over your future.

  • Sibling rivalries/behaviour

You may not like the behaviours of your siblings. If it doesn’t affect you directly then respect where they are at in life and let it be. If the behaviour is affecting you in a negative way speak up in a positive way. For example, “When you put me down I feel hurt. What I would rather is if you don’t have anything nice to say please don’t say anything.”  The onus falls back on your sibling whilst retaining your personal power.

  • Speaking Up

Try not to sit there steaming in emotions as a result from constant advice or opinions voiced your way. You do have the choice to respectfully speak up and thank everyone for their opinions and considerations. Try not to make the responses personal or jaded. It can add fuel to the fire.

Lastly, remember that you cannot change your family. We all have our past, some memories positive, others incredibly damaging. Vent to your close friends if need be instead of family members. Alternately come and have some acupuncture to help de-stress and cope with life.

We’d like to thank all of our clients for your continued support and loyalty. We genuinely enjoy working with you and watching you grow. Stay safe and enjoy your Christmas period. We look forward to seeing you in 2015!