TheLifeForceInstitute

A usual query which people ask is when should I meditate? While there may be various schools of thought on the topic, there is no golden rule as to when to practice meditation as it can be unique to each one of us as individuals. However, many meditation instructors do concur that the most important aspect is to create some time for you, regardless of the time of day or any kind of timetable.

While formal meditation practice in a peaceful location where you are less likely to be interrupted is optimal, there need be no reason why you cannot employ aspects of mindfulness and meditation at any other time in your life. Without a doubt, it can frequently be in these hectic or stressful moments when you require the benefits of your mindfulness or meditation practices the most.

There are lots of times all throughout the day when you can apply your attention to help bring elements of calmness within you. When you travel on a train or bus, you can bring your attention to your breath. As you stroll down the street or take a walk through the park, you could focus on the sounds you hear or the motion of your legs. These practical and straightforward aspects of mindfulness should be incorporated into your daily life, so that mindfulness is not something separate, but is part of living.

In a similar way undertaking full meditation activities must not be treated like a chore which is slotted into an established timeslot each week. While carrying out meditation at a particular time of day can be beneficial, the reason is that doing your meditations at an established time builds a sense of commitment and focus within your meditation practice. Some people discover that it is best to do their meditation in the morning, yet if you are proverbially not a morning person then forcing yourself to do a morning meditation can be counterproductive. Others find it is best to do meditation in the evening to help them unwind and destress from the day. You may find that practising meditation after eating can be less effective, as your physical body is more focused on digesting your food. However, some people have actually discovered that after eating, their body is focused on food digestion, so their minds can be more focused on meditation.

The takeaway from all of this is that meditation can be done at any time. Find a time which works for you, and make use of that time routinely when you are starting to meditate. Once you have become familiar with your meditation techniques and it has become integrated into your life, then there is absolutely no reason why you cannot do meditation at any time throughout the day or night. Ultimately the most important thing is that you invest the time to do meditation on a regular basis to ensure that it becomes a natural part of your life.

Most of the aspects of Breathe with Purpose and Life Force Mindfulness have been developed to make sure that they can be applied at any time. The key is that via practice and repetition, you program the activities into your mind so that they can be conveniently recalled and applied when they are needed.

When you find yourself in the middle of a negative or unproductive reaction, perhaps you may have noticed how your breathing often becomes superficial and more rapid, and you may well feel unsettled in the stomach area, or a pulsing in your head. Sometimes your face might become flushed, or your chest area could start to tighten up as your emotions seem to start running out of control. After that, it can become like a slippery slope as thoughts can arise and emerge, which seem to make the matter even worse, and your emotions seem to go into overdrive.

There are many different techniques which can be leveraged to help you stop sliding deeper into this reactionary process. Simple breathing with conscious intent, can be a very effective means to stop this slide, anchoring your thoughts to one point. With yourself anchored, you have the opportunity to pause and choose to stop the continued reactionary process. The next time when you experience an adverse reaction to anything in life, do your utmost to apply some conscious breathing. By engaging your mind to bring focus to your breathing for a couple of moments, you can start to regulate your reactions. Then as you begin to take deeper and more rhythmical breaths, they can help you to find an anchor for your calmness. Allow this anchor to grab hold, and steady your emotions as you continue to breathe consciously.

For many years those that believed in astrology were seemingly at odds with those who trusted in the sciences. This is predominately because the observable locations of the Sun, Moon and planets relative to the constellations do not match with the star signs of astrology. While some kinds of astrology such as sidereal astrology are closer to the real positions, there are still significant differences. It had seemed inconceivable for someone to believe in both astrology and the sciences until now, however that all changes with the new paradigm of Astronomical Astrology.

The foundation of Astronomical Astrology is the actual observable locations of the Sun, Moon or planets relative to the eighteen constellations of the extended zodiac which fully aligns with the science of Astronomy. An extended Zodiac is necessary because the orbits of the Moon and the planets are not in the same plane as that of the Earth. Consequently several of these celestial objects can be observed either above or below the ecliptic (the path of the Sun’s motion traced across the celestial sphere throughout a year due to the Earth’s orbit).

The mechanics of the motion of the planets, together with our frame of reference, are explained in considerably more detail at Astronomical Astrology. The greatest cause for the big difference between the astrological constellations to what is observable, is due to a phenomenon labelled the “Precession of the Equinoxes”. This precession of the equinoxes moves slowly westwards across the sky over a cycle of 25,772 years, creating a drift in the observed position of the astronomical constellations. What this means is that each astrological star sign typically will include the astronomical constellation that was formerly to the east. There is a further complication by the fact that the constellations are not twelve equal 30-degree sectors of the ecliptic. Further adding to this complexity, each of the heavenly bodies transverses each constellation at a perceived angle and a different elevation. Once all of these variables are collated, the full picture of Astronomical Astrology emerges as the predicted location of any celestial body aligns precisely with the astronomically observable facts.

This new type of Astrology might be hard to believe for some people, as they have connected with being a particular star sign for most of their life. Importantly Astronomical Astrology does not disregard the aspects of what you have believed throughout your life. It has to be realised that thoughts are their own energies, which can form a layer of reality around you. So you may find that you exhibit aspects of the star sign you think you are, due to your thoughts. While at the same time, you will discover that you react subconsciously as a result of the energies which are the real astronomical influences. This is the nature of the reality of our lives, as we are affected not only by aspects of Astronomical Astrology, but just as importantly we are strongly influenced by our thoughts.

Astrology has been steeped in misunderstanding, confusion, dogma and even superstition for many years. Yet it strangely is discussed as being separate from the scientific discipline of astronomy and the actual observation of the sky and stars. With True Astrology, these two seemingly inharmonious areas of knowledge are combined, bringing into view astrology backed by precise and scientific knowledge to yield the indisputable observations of the Sun, Moon and planets throughout the skies. This extraordinary form of astrology takes into consideration the complete motion of the planets and the stars, factoring in the precession of the equinoxes and other real-world phenomena.

The awareness, understanding and comprehension of the energies which continually affect and influence you are pivotal to grasping how you live your life. The energies which are patterned by the Sun, Moon and planets as they transit through the constellations influence you and form the basis of True Astrology .

To form a more accurate picture of the energies of life it is necessary to look at the dimensions of the eighteen constellations that the Sun, Moon and planets traverse. The astronomical constellations which are observable in the sky are not divided into the twelve neat and equal segments as typically defined in astrology.

To define the constellation dimensions, Astronomical Astrology uses the constellation boundaries as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and which is observable in the night sky. The most noticeable difference to other forms of astrology, is that not all constellations are of the same dimension. As an example, the constellation Pisces occupies a much larger space of the sky than the constellation of Cancer. The cosmos add complexity as the inclined path through each constellation results in the Sun, Moon and planets each spending different amounts of time travelling through each astronomical constellation.

Considering these two aspects, each constellation fills varying arcs of the sky. This varies quite significantly from 6.5 days for Scorpio to almost 45 days for Virgo. Tying the constellation dimension complexity into the precession of the equinoxes, means that Astronomical Astrology aligns exactly with the observable universe and science.

This phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes is due to the long term cyclic wobbling in the orientation of Earth’s axis of rotation. This wobble of 1 degree for every 71.6 years was identified by Sir Isaac Newton and has since been better quantified as we have learnt more about the mechanics of the Solar System. We now know that the precession is caused by the gravitational effects of both the Sun and the Moon coupled with the fact that our planet is not a perfect sphere. Consider that the Earth is tilted and that the Sun’s gravitational pull is stronger on the portion that is tilted towards it, thus creating a torque effect on the planet. This torque coupled with the gravitational effects of the moon, which is tilted out of the plane by five degrees, causes the slow but very gradual wobble of the Earth.

The precession of the Earth’s axis has several noticeable effects. The first noticeable effect of this is that the positions of the north and south celestial poles appear to move in circles. The celestial poles take 25,772 years to create a full circle against the backdrop of seemingly fixed stars. Today, the star Polaris lies approximately at the north celestial pole, this will change over time as other stars become the north star. Second, the precession of the equinoxes moves slowly westwards across the sky, causing a drift in the observed position of the astronomical constellations. What this means is that each astrological star sign now contains the constellation that was formerly to the east. As an example, the tropical astrological star sign of Capricorn now covers a sector of the sky which is filled with the astronomical constellation of Sagittarius.

The location of the vernal equinox has shifted approximately 23 degrees westward over the past 2,000 years, will continue to progress westward at approximately 50.3 arc-seconds each year. When the astronomer Ptolemy mapped 48 constellations in the second century, the vernal equinox occurred in the constellation of Aries. Now due to the continued process of precession, the location of this equinox has shifted westward so that the vernal equinox now appears in the constellation of Pisces. This can be proven by simple observation of the night sky or the use of various apps on your smartphone which can map the stars.

The precession of the equinoxes is the prime reason for the difference between the true astronomical positions of the constellations and (western or tropical) astrology. Astronomical Astrology aligns with the science of astronomy and the real observations of the Sun, Moon and planets across the sky by factoring in the precession of the equinoxes.

Even though the physical form seems solid, science tells us that it is not so, the physical form is largely void. At an anatomical level, our body consists of various systems. These systems are comprised of various cells which perform specific functions necessary for the operation and wellbeing of the entire mechanism. At the microscopic level, the cells are the basic biological and functional unit.

The cells are comprised of smaller components such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and other substances. These cellular components are composed of atoms, which are in turn composed of smaller sub-atomic particles. Between and around these sub-atomic components are vast amounts of apparent nothingness. So while we all appear solid, at the sub-atomic level we appear largely empty. However, there is more to this emptiness. This quantum void is infused with the finite aspects of the universal force to maintain the structure of matter and maintain the illusion of solidity.

The major difference between astrology and the observable astronomical constellations is due to the Precession of the Equinoxes. Astronomical Astrology takes into account the rotation, motion and orbits of the earth and planets to build a complete picture of the Galaxy at large.

You may ask, how does an equinox impact the position of the constellations? Equinox means “equal night”, being that time of year when all points on the Earth’s surface experience the same lengths of daylight and darkness. There are two equinoxes each year and the vernal equinox marks the point in time when the Sun crosses the celestial equator and is the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere.

When Greek astronomer Hipparchus compiled his star catalogue in the year 129BC, he found that the positions of the stars did not match up with the older Babylonian observations. He observed that most of the stars and constellations had shifted a constant amount. This indicated to Hipparchus that it was not the stars themselves that had moved but the frame of reference, Earth, which had changed. Hipparchus concluded that the equinoxes were drifting westward along the ecliptic relative to the stars that were believed to be motionless from the perspective of astronomers, and opposite to the motion of the Sun along the ecliptic. The precession of the equinoxes is an ongoing process that has caused a shift in the position of the zodiac as seen from Earth.

Some may find new forms of Astrology hard to believe, as they have associated with being a certain star sign for all of their life. However, most forms of astrology do not align with the science of astronomy and the observations of the sky due to two factors: the precession (or drift) of the equinoxes & the dimensions of constellations.

The cornerstone of Astronomical Astrology is the actual observable locations of the Sun, Moon or planets in relation to the eighteen constellations of the extended zodiac.

Astronomical Astrology does not dismiss the aspects of what someone has believed throughout their life, as it must be realised that thoughts are their own energies, which can form a layer of reality around an individual. In which case you may find that you exhibit aspects of the star sign you think you are, but at the time you will find that you react sub-consciously due to the energies which are the actual astronomical aspects.

As you access your Life Force energies, they begin to blossom and radiate into the world. Your Life Force will try to release itself from the emotional instability of the human body. As it does, the Life Force gains control of your life, so that you can live every thought, emotion and feeling with high reasoning.

How long will it take to release the wonder of your Life Force? The awakening of your Life Force has to be controlled by you, as it is necessary to adjust to the energies of your Life Force on a gradual basis. Much depends on your ability to have an open mind to challenge the accepted conditioning that has built up over the years. The awakening of your Life Force depends on your enthusiasm to place your will to the fore through Ekagrata to enter into the silence within your Life Force mind.

As anyone who practices mindfulness, you must face the challenge of the aspects which you have pushed aside. While it is an admirable practice to improve your focus in life by pushing aside other thoughts, emotions or feelings, you need to take a deeper challenge. The challenge is to realise that pushing aside any thoughts, emotions or feelings, does not make them disappear. When pushing them aside, they continue to exist on the periphery of your consciousness.

 

You need to understand these aspects within your life so that you can then move beyond them. Moving beyond them, you can no longer react to the stimuli which they produce. However, if you leave them unattended within the recesses of your mind, they are like the proverbial Pandora’s box. As such, any emotional aspects not appropriately understood or banished completely from your mind, can lead to many unforeseen problems.

In astronomy, the zodiac is a group of constellations that is present behind the path which the Sun, Moon and planets transverse across the sky, as seen from our planet Earth. The Zodiac occupies a small eight-degree view on either side of an imaginary line known as the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun, which in effect traces a path of the Sun’s movement around the celestial sphere each year.

The constellations of the zodiac are named after figures, animals and objects from Greek or earlier mythology. The ecliptic line passes directly through the thirteen constellations of: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces. The ecliptic also passes very close to the constellations of Auriga, Corvus, Cetus, Orion & Sextans, which means that on some occasions the Moon or planets may actually transverse these other constellations. Astronomical Astrology identifies this group of 18 constellations as the extended zodiac.

The ability to work with your Life Force energies is not a mystery it is achievable through Cognition (a true calmness of mind) and Ekagrata (focused thought). As you learn about this inner energy, you will find that you can apply it in many situations for whatever positive result you require. Strength, willpower, healing, upliftment; all these and more are possible through the correct application of this amazing energy source. Multi-faceted Knowledge is based on accessing your Life Force to expand the understanding of yourself and expand the capabilities of your Life Force as an energy being.

 

Accessing your Life Force energies allows you to bring harmony within yourself and resonate within higher states of consciousness. Free yourself from physical, mental and emotional limitations through moving out of your conditioned emotional patterns of thinking into positive and creative higher levels of mind. Changing your mental wavelengths will enable you to calm and balance your thoughts, emotions and feelings. You then can make the right decisions, can see and evaluate situations that are not tainted or influenced by outside emotions.

Astrology has been steeped in misconception and superstitious notions for many years, yet has normally been considered detached from the scientific discipline of astronomy and the observation of the stars. With Astronomical Astrology, these two discordant areas of knowledge are merged, bringing to light astrology backed by scientific research and the actual observations of the Sun, Moon and planets throughout the skies. This unique form of astrology considers the comprehensive movement of the planets and the stars, taking into account the precession of the equinoxes due to the long-term wobble of our planet.

 

The awareness, understanding and comprehension of the energies which influence and affront you is key to grasping how you live your life. The energies which are patterned by the Sun, Moon and planets as they transit through the constellations influence you, and form the basis of Astronomical Astrology.

 

It is a rare and amazing opportunity to be able to see all five of these bright planets in the sky simultaneously. They will also be in the correct order outward from the Sun, starting with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and ending with Saturn. The event last occurred in December 2004, but it was only visible in certain tropical areas.

You can see the Northern Sky as viewed at 5 am in London or you can see the Southern Sky as viewed at 7 am in Brisbane and zoom in to see the locations of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as they align in the true astronomical locations for the Zodiac.

The display will be visible until early July, so unless you experience an unbelievable string of bad weather, you should be able to view the amazing display. Light pollution is a potential, although likely minor issue. The best conditions are clear, dark skies but luckily, these are all bright, naked-eye objects so you should be able to see the line-up even from the city.

If you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, point them at the planets and moon (but never the sun). With even a small telescope, or binoculars on a tripod, you can see Jupiter’s largest 4 moons and Saturn’s rings. If you are in a dark enough location with a small telescope, you might also be able to see the atmospheric bands in Jupiter’s atmosphere.