DAY NINE: AT THE THRESHOLD In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between them, there are doors.” ― William Blake We are definitely right on the precipice of the darkest before the proverbial dawn. In the Sidereal system of astrology (Jyotish), Saturn is sitting on what is called the Gandanta (karmic knot points) or liminal point between Scorpio and Sagittarius. He is literally on the tail of the Scorpion, or the Galactic Center in the western system. We are also about to reach the darkest phase of the Moon before she opposes Uranus in Aries and then the Moon quickly followed by the Sun move into Scorpio to join Jupiter and Mercury. In other words, we are on the verge of more major shifts/epiphanies. The darkness to light theme is an ongoing one. I woke up to ash-covered skies and my apartment building smelling like the Delhi airport but by the evening the sky had turned all pastel and pretty with a definite angelic omen as you see above. So there is hope. Some of this heaviness is going to lift. There will be rising from the ashes once we cross the threshold of this extremely dark lunar phase. The upcoming opposition to Uranus could bring something quite revolutionary and yet more awakening. So in such corrupt and soul-sucking times, what to do to stay open to the Infinite? We must hold the tension of the opposites of knowing this is a dream and unreal and yet being completely present and witnessing and participating in it like true warriors. Being in the world but not of it, doesn't mean check out and pretend it's not happening. Again it's not the throw pink bubble gum version of love and light on it. It's about staying connected and plugged in to the love of the Infinite to see through the darkness of what is being presented to us. Not being fearless but like Krishna on the battlefield, we must go in all the way as is our dharma to do so. We don't hide out on the sidelines and hope someone else will do the dirty work for us-- in the name of spirituality. We roll up our sleeves and get in there and fight for the complete demolition of ignorance. We ask where we can most be of use, of service. #p40mars (at Russian Hill, San Francisco)