Happy September! My goodness, I can’t believe we’re here already, how has the year gone so quickly already? Or has it? I love this time of year, Autumn is my favourite season and I can feel the warmth of summer starting to cool down, some leaves are starting to turn golden, the farmers around me are harvesting in the fields and evenings are having me putting on my cardigan now. But we aren’t quite there yet, the sun still gifts us warm days and beautiful light. I don’t know about you, but this time of year always has me in reflective mood. As the daylight hours get shorter, the fires and stoves get stoked and we start to slow down it’s the perfect time to contemplate the previous months, reflect and look towards the remaining part of the year. To think about what worked, what didn’t and what’s next. So, what about this year thus far then? What a ride! That’s what my inner voice screams. On the outside is that calm exterior, going about business as usual, while the internal rollercoaster has excelled itself and journeyed to places I didn’t think still existed. But of course, those places will always exist. Those places we don’t like to acknowledge or go to. But they are part of who we are. You can’t have light without shadow and that’s ok. We can’t ignore those areas, for it’s what completes us. The months of confusion, wrecked plans, sadness and fear that we’ve all experienced have no doubt taken their toll. How many of us feel exhausted, frustrated or quite honestly scared? Boy, hasn’t it been one hell of year so far, and yet I’m so proud of us all. We have come so far, even though it’s a struggle, and we have managed to endure what 2020 has thrown at us up to now. What’s next? I one hundred percent advocate the saying “it’s ok not to be ok”. For who is it that makes us believe we have to be ok all the time? that’ll be OURSELVES! We constantly put pressure on ourselves to be all things to everyone - don’t we always come good for others? Our family, friends or pets? We carry on regardless, even though we are in turmoil and, in some cases, just trying to get through the day. That leads me I ask, what about YOU? How are YOU feeling about this year? How do YOU feel right now? Sometimes there comes a point where the Universe nudges you into a moment of self-care. Sometimes it just needs to be about YOU. Sometimes you have to stop and acknowledge that now is the time to hold space for yourself. Sound familiar? We all need to look after ourselves and there is no shame in that, in fact I truly believe we should prioritise it. How can we give to others when we can’t give to ourselves? None of us are untouched by this, including me. And every so often I find myself stepping back for a wee while, to concentrate on me and my own needs. This time of reflection has highlighted for me the importance of looking after ourselves at this time. To stop, recharge our batteries and re focus is a huge benefit, allowing us to regroup and plan for the coming months. But how can we give ourselves this thing we call self-care? Everyone is different, and even small things can make a big difference to our day. Here are some examples of how you can take care of YOU. Listening to your favourite music Taking a walk in nature Cuddling the cat Taking a pampering bath Talking to another person or professional therapist Dancing round the living room Reading your favourite book Watching your favourite film Going for a run Take up that favourite hobby again Do what works for you, it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. What’s your favourite activity or food? Who are the people you like to interact with, the ones who feed your soul and lift you up? Taking a few weeks away from being plugged in to the mainstream media is one way that works wonders for me. In fact, I very rarely interact with it these days. In short, I encourage you to be gentle with yourself at this time. Ask yourself how you can make that small change, to do something for your own self-care. Because YOU are so worth it. XXX

18th June to 12th July. Put that in your calendar. Right Now. And set the alert to remind you. Done? … Good. What’s it for? Well, that’s the period of time for the next Mercury Retrograde. To be precise, it’s 05:53 on 18th June to 09:20 on 12th July (UK time). What does retrograde mean? Retrograde is the term applied to the motion of a planet, when it appears to be going backwards in orbit. In reality it isn’t, it’s just an optical illusion related to the part of orbit the particular planet is in. Mercury Retrograde happens 3 or 4 times a year, depending on whether it falls over a year end on our linear calendar. Years ago, when I used to mention Mercury Retrograde to my colleagues, they thought I was a bit weird, but these days there are lots of articles about it on the internet and it’s quite a common term to come across. And the poor planet does get quite a bad rap in a lot of these articles, striking fear into the reader, and pronouncing doom and gloom for the 3 weeks it’s with us. In reality, yes there are bound to be “glitches” during retrograde. But this is not some cosmic event, sent by our Creator, to wreak havoc on our lives. It’s a natural, regular occurrence (this is one of those times when I really wish I’d listened to my physics teacher in school!) and its effects actually give us opportunities that maybe aren’t expected. What is Mercury? Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and it’s the one that’s closest to the sun. It completes its orbit every 88 days, compared to our 365 days. Mercury represents your mind, communication, travel, gathering information, intellect and thought processes. It’s also known as the Roman God of Communication and the Messenger. How does retrograde affect us? When a planet goes retrograde it gives us the potential to revisit and adjust scenarios and tasks in our lives that maybe weren’t complete or fully dealt with, related to that planet’s associations. There will also be correlation to the zodiac sign that the planet is in, when it goes retrograde. So, you may have occasions in work or your personal life to REvamp, REwork, REview, REvalue, REassess, REconsider etc. those thoughts, plans, projects, contracts or reports, for example. You can expect things to surface that need to be dealt with, even if you didn’t consciously realise they would need to be managed. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, and quite often it’s a welcome relief to have that chance to sort it out, once and for all, or release it. A second chance, you might say. What about this retrograde? Mercury in retrograde relates in broad terms to communication, planning, information processing, travel and technology. The imminent retrograde will happen when Mercury is in the zodiac sign of Cancer. Cancer is a water element, and water is representative of emotions. In retrograde these emotions may be charged, with people reacting, before thinking. You, and others, may have unrealistic expectations around words, meanings and deeds. Add this all together and it makes for a few weeks of, in its simplest view, things going wrong with heightened emotions around them, to add insult to injury. Anything else I should know? This retrograde is occurring when there are lots of other planets also in retrograde (also a natural and common event). There’s a full moon during the retrograde pre shadow and it’s happening in eclipse season. That’s a whole other article, that I’ll be writing about. What can I expect? Here are some examples of issues that might surface during Mercury retrograde: Emails or texts you’ve sent are misread or misunderstood Plans go awry Your computer won’t work A project changes or gets cancelled This is an example of what I mean; during one retrograde I overslept my alarm clock, my cat wouldn’t come back in the house so I could leave for work, a warning light came on in the car, I got stuck in the most hideous traffic queue, was late for work, my laptop wouldn’t boot up and when it did, my password had expired and I couldn’t reset it. That all happened in ONE morning! Get the idea? But what can I do? Now you’re aware of it, it’s already easier to navigate, but here are some examples of simple practicalities, to guide you through: Double check booking details you’re making to ensure the right dates, prices etc are being confirmed. Pause before responding or replying to something that’s got your back up. Emotions will be very heightened you may need to take time out first. Check that email or text before you send it, for tone, spelling and grammar, and make sure you’re not sending it TO ALL by mistake (yes, it has happened to me). Don’t do things in haste. Backup your computer. And it might not be worth installing that new software just yet, unless it’s essential of course. We all know that nothing regarding computer updates only takes 5 minutes, at the best of times! Some people recommend avoiding signing papers. That doesn’t necessarily resonate with me, sometimes you don’t have a choice, but if you are signing important contracts, be aware that they may be subject to change at some point in the future. They might not be set in stone. Be very clear with your written and verbal communication, to avoid misunderstandings. If you’re able to get tasks or projects completed prior to retrograde it’s a good idea to do so. An example might be getting that contract signed. Don’t take things personally. This isn’t permanent, and you WILL get through it. Finally, LAUGH! As much as you can. What else? Here’s the thing … retrograde has a shadow phase, before AND after. Each one lasts approximately two weeks in length. We are already in the pre shadow phase, it started on 2nd June. At the end of retrograde you have the post shadow phase, which goes from 12th – 26th July. The pre shadow phase , where the planet is “slowing down” and getting ready to go retrograde, will be the period that gives you a good idea of what’s likely to come up for you during the retrograde. This is where I have actually been having most of my difficulties over the last few years, and by the time we are fully in retrograde I can usually navigate fairly calmly. In the last pre shadow phase, for example, misunderstandings kept causing issues, so I realised I had to be VERY clear with my communication, even verbally, and worked really hard on that for the following 6 or so weeks. I will admit, for the first week I just wanted to hide under the duvet and not come out, but once I realised the pattern, I was able to start adjusting my behaviour. This week I am already feeling its effects. Little technology glitches here and there are giving me reason to suspect that’s what I need to be careful with. The laptop upgrade certainly isn’t going to be carried out just yet, me thinks. The post shadow phase , where the planet is technically direct but getting back up to full speed, is the stage where you’ve got the opportunity to integrate the hard work and lessons you’ve been through. It’s that final chance, if you like, to cross the t and dot the i. In Summary Retrograde is not something to be scared of but it’s useful to be aware of it. I’m not going to lie or sugar coat it, sometimes retrograde time CAN be a bitch, especially if you didn’t see it coming. And yet sometimes you hardly feel a thing! But being forewarned gives you the ability to be prepared, to help you ride the wave of possible confusion, frustration and feelings of gloom. Because, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “This too shall pass.” Love & light Karen XXX

In a previous blog post I wrote about letting go and seeing what comes out. I think I'm starting to find out now. It feels that the last few weeks have passed really quickly, and I have to say I'm enjoying being at home. I've got used to not mixing with other people and my introverted side is absolutely loving this! But I am finding that I'm starting to miss social interactions. Never has my phone been charged up so many times in a week, thanks to catching up with everyone that way. Video calling is making me giggle. And I've taken to social media to connect with my tribe again. This last week has been surprisingly productive for me, I think I'm getting into my groove now as I have a list of tasks (and activities) that have been progressed or completed. The trouble I'm having is that I feel scattered. I get confused by this new way doing life and feel as if I have no plan, no clear path through the week. That's because I've spent the last few weeks giving it all up to the heavens and going with the flow. My guides and the universe have a plan for me, and for once I'm relinquishing the control and listening to them…properly listening to them! It's making the days quite interesting, I have to say. I will start a task and then suddenly this overwhelming compulsive feeling envelopes me, TELLING me that a certain other task needs doing…NOW! So, I'm obeying, pausing one task for another. And that's how my days are going. I never know in the morning what I'm going to achieve by the end of the day, and my business head screams in anguish that this is no way to do things. I can almost see the rolling of eyes and the wagging finger. And yet, somehow, I have managed to be quite productive with it all; the first stage of my website revamp is complete, and I am writing again. The downside? I have to say, no housework has been carried out for a while. Occasionally I look at the floor and sigh, it would only take minutes to get the vacuum cleaner out and just get rid of……NO! YOU HAVE TO DO THIS OTHER THING! And to be honest I don't think the cat is fussed whether the rug has a bit of fluff on it or not. Actually, he's terrified of the vacuum cleaner so think he's quite relieved! I haven't tidied up the corner of the room that is my office space either. But that's ok. It's a weird ride I'm on at the moment but it's almost freeing, when you don't have to control every moment of the day. I have that sense of calm back and can honestly say it's almost peaceful. Am quite intrigued to see what my guides have in store for me for the rest of the week…… Love and light Karen XXX

This week is turning out to be a challenging one, to say the least. I hadn’t planned on speaking about this today but if feels right to share. I was awake and out of bed at 4am today as I couldn’t sleep but wasn’t sure why. So I let the cat out, made a coffee and switched on the TV. I can tell you there’s nothing worth watching at that time of the day but, a wee while later, seeing the beautiful sunrise made me smile. I wish I’d taken pics. My day then got serious as I admitted defeat and realised I had to ask for help. Financial help, to be exact, from the government. Yes, I have indeed applied for Universal Credit! Now then, this post is not a political one or even one to discuss my financial position in life but suffice to say that whilst the government help that’s been introduced for self-employed people in this time of crisis is so welcome, it turns out that what’s in my best interest at the moment is making this application today. I call it “Operation Put Your Big Pants On, Girl”. The point of this story? The last few days I’ve been talking about acknowledging feelings and going within, to see what comes out. Today’s lesson, or acknowledgment, was related to my ego. What, little old me has an EGO? That’ll be a big fat yes. I made that application, all the while experiencing a gut wrenching nausea and having tears running down my cheeks. I thought I was going to have a panic attack. And it struck me, my friend called PRIDE had come out to say hello. Kicking and screaming it was too. Such a weird thing, this pride. I’ve always been an independent lady but I’m not conceited or full of self-importance. I’m no different to anyone else. Maybe it’s that feeling of failure, self-doubt, wondering what everyone will think, is the Universe really that cruel? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s only my own projection of feelings that actually, if you think about it, no one else is even entertaining for a second. And if they were, it’s no business of mine. And it doesn’t matter either! To add insult to injury I then had to head to the supermarket for essentials. Cue major anxiety again at the thought of mixing with actual human beings again. As it turned out the trip wasn’t as bad I thought although the queue of customers around the car park was a bit disturbing to see. Sitting with this all day I’ve realised it’s a setback. In fact we get these in life all the time. Asking for help is OK. I have my dignity and my honour, it doesn’t degrade me. I don’t need to have this lower energy unpack it’s bags and hang around. Although I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with it the front door is open and it’s ok to have it leave. The important thing is I’ve acknowledged and seen it for what it really is, allowing me to move on. I AM EXCEPTIONAL. I AM POWEFUL. I AM WORTHY. So cheers to “Operation Put Your Big Pants On, Girl”. Onwards and Upwards. Oh and I can confirm, people, I have actually managed to buy a pack of loo roll!!! There IS a God after all…… Love and light Karen XXX

As I write to you today I find myself in a very different place to the one I expected. Life over the last few days has been strangely calm and peaceful, when I expected it to be all go (specially having the moon in Aries, with all that fire energy). Now that I'm at home I had high hopes of being able to catch up with all my tribes on social media, reorganise my living space, hunker down to get some studying done and revamp the website. It started well. Really well, in fact. My new group has been set up in Facebook (more about that in the next post), the Facebook page is starting to be updated with my new branding and I was all ready to start some homework. Then the new moon came, on Tuesday, and had me pausing to think about what I wanted to birth and nurture over the coming moon cycle. This is where life in general seems to have paused. Because what came up was that what I need to nurture is in fact ME. Such a lot has happened over the last 10 days. How could I not think it would affect my thinking and emotions. After all, the whole world is being affected. I'm not scared, although as a self employed person I am concerned that I need to be able to pay my bills, but I am anxious. Anxious because I can tend to be a control freak and now I don't seem to be in control of my life. None of us are at the moment. What has come up for me is that I need to go within, sit with these energies and continue to keep my thoughts, words and deeds in energy of a high vibration. I will continue to hold space and be there for others. I truly believe that when we all emerge from this crisis the world will be a different place. In what way I don't know, but what I do see already is the true kind and loving spirit of the human race coming to the forefront. For the next day or so I'm going to bask in the sunshine and beauty of the garden, connect with Mother Earth, journal as the mood takes me and not pressure myself to complete all my to do list actions in one day. I'm taking time to listen to my gut and heart again so am going within, to see what comes out! Don't forget to nurture yourself too. Love and light Karen XXX