As I'm laying here tonight, ready to go to sleep-I wanted to share a situation from today.  I know that most everyone has experienced this.  The dreaded customer service phone call to the cell phone company that lasts for hours.  I was fuming tonight as I ended phone call #1 to customer service.  Here, in front of me, was a situation that was absolutely not my fault.  The fault was on the cell phone company.  A $200 charge showed up on our credit card for something that had been returned almost two months ago.  The item that was returned was something that had been sent to us to try and remedy a situation that the cell phone company was responsible for.  I didn't have a good feeling about it, and now I know why.  Without proof of the tracking number for said item, they would not be able to cancel the line or credit our account.  What?!  Wait a minute, I received a box to return the item in, from the cell phone company directly.  It had a prepaid label, with tracking number already on it...but they have no record of it.  What?!  I was getting frustrated.  In fact, I'm pretty sure a new zit was forming on my chin due to the frustration.  On top of that, the customer service assistant was just plain rude and didn't want to try and help figure things out.  I ended the phone call and ate two Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookies.       

​Cue phone call #2 to customer service as I remembered that I had taken a photo of the return label because I had that 'bad' feeling about it at the time.  Phone call #2 went much better than phone call #1 because the customer service assistant that answered was so much kinder than the first one.  All it took was a little kindness on both of our parts to figure out a remedy to the situation, and, oh-she informed me that they could indeed track down the return without the tracking number.  After another 30 minutes on the phone with her, we had things back on track and she promised to call me in 3 days to ensure that the credit had gone through on our end.  That was good customer service.  I recognize that the first customer service assistant could have been having a bad day, I do.  However, I gave him every chance to try and help me with the problem that the company had created for me.  He had no desire to help.  His response was simply, "I can't do anything for you without the tracking number."  Over and over again.  No budging or solutions on his end.  

Yesterday, I had to contact a business that I purchase supplies for my malas from because I received an incomplete order.  When I contacted them the first time with compliments on how nice the beads were, but followed with the fact that there was a problem with my order-I got a 'sorry for the inconvenience, but look in the package closer because sometimes people throw away things on accident' response.  No apology or promise to check things on their end.  Hmmm.  It wasn't outright rude, but there was certainly a tone that alluded to the fact that this was my problem, not theirs.  So, I did as asked and looked through the entire package for the missing things.  Nope, not there.  Definitely not there.  I took pictures of the items and the inside of the package to ensure that they were seeing what I was seeing.  I sent the pictures in a response email with the suggestion to check around their work space to make sure the items hadn't been forgotten.  Today, I received a reply from a different contact person with a much kinder response.  He said they would get the missing items shipped out to me immediately and that he was sorry for the inconvenience.  That was good customer service.    

Why is it that we automatically assume the worst of people, or that there is nefarious intent in every situation?  A gesture of kindness goes a long way.  A simple check-in with ourselves to make sure that we aren't reacting to a situation out of influence from other things we've dealt with during the day.  Instead of automatically reacting to a situation, an email, a text message, etc-stop and take a breath.  Try not to take offense to every little thing.  Everything could be considered 'offensive' in one way or another.  Let's just take a break from being so offended all of the time. 

Mercury is in retrograde right now and communication breakdowns can happen.  That's why it is even more important to try and take a minute to assess before reacting.  I wanted to reach through the phone and flick customer service assistant #1 on the nose to wake him up to his behavior.  I had to check myself before calling back so that my frustration with him wasn't taken out on the next person.  I was all prepared for confrontation when I called back.  Instead, I was confronted with genuine kindness and understanding.  What a breath of fresh air!  Same with the second situation, I was prepared for having a similar response email after sending the photos, instead I was met with genuine kindness and understanding.  What I was prepared for, and what I was expecting to confront were two different things.  I was preparing for the need to be defensive, but expecting solutions to the problems.  What I expected is what actually happened.  It just took a bit of patience and awareness to flow in. 

Now that I have explained all of that, I have completely missed the point of this post.  The most important thing that happened during the very long phone calls to the cell phone company was that I cleaned out the inboxes to two different email accounts while on the phone!  A situation that was frustrating the daylights out of me, led to cleaning out a lot of crap from my email that had been sitting for a long time.  Some of the emails I had been saving from long ago brought up other not-so-fun feelings.  Deleting and cleaning those out of my life is exactly what I needed.  All of those old wounds that needed cleaned out and released happened due to the fact that I had to deal with a situation that kept me rooted to my phone and computer for several hours.  Imagine that...a situation that was deeply irritating and frustrating just helped me release situations from my past that I hadn't been ready to deal with before.  That is part of what the Full Moon and full Lunar Eclipse is trying to get us to do.  Open up those old wounds, release the energy associated with it and let the light in to heal it. 

Where is this happening in your life right now?  What old wounds have reopened so that you can let the light in to heal them?  What situations have arisen that are trying to send you a message to make the time to see those wounds?  Look for the magic in frustrating situations.  How are they trying to help you?  

If you're unsure of how this could be manifesting for you, please consider scheduling a session with me.  This is what we do-identify energies that need released and look at where things need to shift so that you're able to move forward in life with confidence and peace.  We want to heal old wounds, not cover them up so that they can fester. 

Love and Light~
Mandi    

       

This Summer is full of interesting planetary and cosmic body movements.  You may be feeling the effects of it and not even be aware of why you are feeling the way you do!  

We have 6 total retrograde planets happening this Summer!  Some people refer to this as a 'retrograde storm.'  This has only happened twice over the last century-once in the 1940's and again in the 1980's.  Retrograde storms happen when there are a group of planets that go retrograde all around the same time.  What does 'retrograde' mean?  A 'retrograde' planet is actually an optical illusion.  A planet will appear to be moving backward during retrograde.  Astrologist Kathy Biehl describes it best, in my opinion.  Here is what she says about explaining a retrograde planet: 

     "A retrograde is an optical illusion. It’s the same optical illusion that occurs when cars are whizzing around a racetrack in different lanes. When a car on an inside lane passes a slower one in an outer lane, the cars will appear to “retrograde” to one another. Same with planets. When a faster-moving planet on an inside lane (aka orbit), catches up to and passes a slower-moving planet on an outside lane, observers on both planets would see the other planet as retrograde." 

No doubt, you've heard people talk about Mercury retrograde and making a big deal about it.  Every planet goes retrograde at some point-except the Moon, which is not actually a planet, but is referred to one in Astrology for the sake of discussion.  During a retrograde, the Earth will be the closest to that planet that it can get.  The Earth being on the 'inside lane' of the orbits, with the outer planets on the outside lane-they are the closest in orbit as they will get during their retrograde time.  One to three retrogrades at a time is pretty normal, this Summer we have SIX planets going retrograde around the same time. 

So, if a retrograde Planet appears to be moving backward, why does that affect us?  Energetically, it means we may be backtracking as well.  Often, we see situations arise, or people appear from our past-or to help us heal situations.  This also means that we are trying to 'pull out' shadow stuff that needs work.  All of those pieces and parts of yourself that you don't really love-they may make an appearance this Summer to help you accept and embody them.  It's time to reevaluate and revisit some things that you may have been stuffing down or trying to avoid.  Understand that it all happens to help you move forward and to help you heal wounds that are still raw.  It can be challenging at times, but it you shouldn't be fearful of retrogrades. 

There's a lot of information out there that has a very negative voice when it comes to the cosmos this Summer.  The retrogrades started earlier this year, when Jupiter went retrograde in March, followed closely by Saturn and Pluto.  In June, we added Mars to the retrogrades.  This month we add Mercury and Neptune, while Jupiter comes out of it's retrograde.  In August, we will have Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in retrograde.  Later in the month-Mercury and Mars will come out of their retrogrades.  Adding to that, Chiron-which is a comet we examine in Astrology, also went retrograde in July.  Saturn comes out of retrograde in September, and Pluto does in October-right before Venus goes into retrograde.

What does all of this mean for us?  It can feel very chaotic right now.  Emotions may be high-especially agitation and annoyance.  Mars is the planet of initiation and drive, but also high-tempers.  Give yourself time to respond to situations instead of reacting.  Deep breaths, some sips of water and a little break from the action can all help you reset.  Turn your high temper into productivity with exercise or finishing a task.  This is a good time to get your life in order.  Saturn is trying to create order and organization right now.  Try not to push situations or make things happen that you feel you are hitting up against a wall on.  There's usually a reason it's not supposed to move forward.  With Mercury in retrograde from July 26th-August 19th, try not to solidify any agreements, contracts or create new businesses.  This is a great time to complete 'old' work or to finish a project that has been hanging around.  With Jupiter retrograde, it's a wonderful time to focus on personal growth and development.  As I type this, Jupiter has already gone direct and out of retrograde, but that doesn't mean you aren't still feeling the effects.  With the outer planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto, Neptune) the affects that they have on us may not be felt quite as strongly as the planets closer to our orbit of Earth.  They typically work to create change inwardly for us during retrogrades.  Venus, Mars and Mercury tend to have a more dynamic affect on us individually, and as a collective.  Venus retrograde may challenge what you think you want out of life.  It may also bring up old relationships, or people from those relationships into your life.  It challenges us to define what we want out of life and what we value in relationships.

On top of the retrogrades happening, we are also in Eclipse season.  We had a partial solar eclipse, a full lunar eclipse (this Friday, July 27th-with the full moon), and another partial solar eclipse to follow.  The first partial solar eclipse happened on July 13th in the sign of Cancer.  If you remember things being very emotional, confusing and irritating around that time-it fits.  The full lunar eclipse coming is in Aquarius.  Aquarius loves to do work for the greater good, the collective, so if you feel yourself being emotionally charged for the sake of others, it fits.  The next partial solar eclipse happens on August 11th, and what you may experience around that time is the culmination of events coming to an end, or even a very new venture that you've been tossing around in your head for awhile with no clear decision on.  Aquarius likes to create the energy to make concise and actionable decisions. 

None of what we are experiencing this Summer/Fall is happening to us, it is happening for us.  Cue the eye roll!  It's a true statement.  Another thing to consider is how these retrogrades, eclipses, etc are impacting you truly can't be discovered until you look at your natal chart and understand what influences are held there.  Every time I look at a natal chart, or check progression or transits for a client-even if what I see might be considered challenging, I still see it as positive in one way or another.  It usually signifies that shifts are needed in order to project someone out of a state of stillness, or to improve an area in their life that they just haven't put attention on, or haven't wanted to put attention on.  When we learn to work with the energies of the planets, signs and astrological bodies, everything gets a little clearer and less chaotic. 

If you've been feeling a little cuckoo...know that it won't last forever.  It will end!  But, what I would encourage you to ask yourself is, "what am I supposed to be learning right now?"  Each situation that you encounter that feels very 'out-of control,' chaotic, frustrating, uncertain or hopeless, just take a moment to breathe and reset.  Walk away from situations that feel unfavorably charged or tumultuous, keep your opinions to yourself in certain situations and speak your truth in other situations.  Only you can determine when your voice needs to be heard or silenced.  Being in tune with your inner self will help with that. We won't just be experiencing this in our individual lives, there's a lot of transitioning and transformation going on in the collective.  World wide we are seeing the effects of these retrogrades.  Lots of political unrest and arguing, disagreements on boundaries (borders) and human interest stories that are sparking lots of support and want for change.  Remember to lead from the heart, to always try to see the other side of the story, understand that the media is only reporting small parts of a bigger story and give grace where it is needed.  You can be a warrior, but do it with the intention of love. 

If you are interested in learning about how the retrogrades could be impacting you personally and on a deeper level, contact me to set up a Natal chart reading.  We look at the planets at your time of birth, as well as where they are now and how they are influencing you on a spiritual, emotional and physical level.  Initial Astrology sessions are still on special through the end of the Summer!  I wanted to keep the cost down during these challenging times to make it more accessible to my clients. 

If you are interested in learning more about Astrology, I recommend two phone apps that are helpful.  One is Sky View Lite, you can hold your phone up to the night sky and it will tell you what you are looking at.  Another is Co-Star, this app will tell you about the transits you are currently experiencing from the information from your birth information.  A website that is full of information for the beginner is www.astro.com.  You can even generate your own birth chart to start understanding it better.  Happy Learning!   

Love and Light~
​Mandi              

Why Yoga?  This is a question asked of me, quite often.  What made me decide this was my path?  Why...Yoga?? 

Yoga embodies your entire being-body, mind, spirit, and soul.  So often we are so stuck up in our head space that we need something that connects our head to our body-literally & figuratively.  Yoga can do that.  Not only can it strengthen the body physically, it strengthens the mind as well.  There are so many different types of yoga-there's always something for everyone.  Sometimes it takes trying different ones to find the one that fits you best.  You can explore Yoga for a really intense workout, one to help you relax the entire body, Yoga to make you sweat (a lot!), one specifically for intense meditation, one for just adding flexibility, aerial Yoga and many, many more.  It gives you time to really understand how your body moves and what feels good-deep down. 

In an hour of Yoga, you will learn so much about yourself.  I find that it is during my time on the mat that I have the best conversations with God/Spirit, and with myself.  It's some of the most profound 'spiritual' time that I have experienced outside of deep meditation and nature.  When my doctor told me that I shouldn't do Yoga anymore due to an issue that I have in my joints, I was determined to become a Yoga Teacher because I need that there would be profound healing through it.  It took me a year and a half to get my RYT-240 Teaching certificate in Hatha Yoga.  I experienced so many obstacles along the way, many different situations that tried to make me believe that I couldn't do it-but I did it! And, it has been so incredibly healing for me.  I know that it can do the same for you.

Many people stay away from Yoga because of the appearance of what Yoga looks like via social media sites.  You see Yogis standing on their heads, twisted up like pretzels, looking perfect in the newest trendy Yoga clothing or holding handstands for an abnormally long time.  This is not the reality of what Yoga is.  This is a perception of reality that many Yogis try to present that is not entirely true.  What you don't see in those difficult poses is what it took for them to get there, the straining that is taking place in the body during it or even a truth of the number of years and practice that it took them to get there.  You see a quick snapshot in time of a perception.  Yoga is about your relationship with your body and a practice to create a deeper connection to Self and Spirit.  It doesn't always look clean and crisp.  Sometimes it's awkward and uncomfortable as you are trying to learn new poses, or even just to teach your body to move into the 'easy' poses the correct way.  

Don't let your perception of what Yoga is 'supposed' to look like, keep you from attempting it.  It takes persistence and daily practice to really learn what Yoga is, but it's so worth it.  Everyday, when I come to my mat, I learn something new about myself.  I often make up my routine as I go.  I'm not a by-the-book kind of Yoga teacher or student.  Using your creativity to come up with a flow that feels amazing in your body is part of the inspirational process of learning Yoga. 

I urge you to try out a Yoga class in your neighborhood or city!  It may take going to several different places before you find a Yoga teacher that you like and connect with.  If you don't feel comfortable going to class, find a YouTube video or online class that you can do.  If you need a little extra assistance, I offer one-on-one private instruction, as well as Yoga Class by Skype.  Each session is a case-by-case decision, so there is no set pricing structure, as of yet.  Please email me if you are interested so that we can set up a time to chat and come up with a plan that works for you.  I love teaching Yoga and helping others to find the joy, peace, strength and inspiration that it can bring them.  If you follow my Instagram account (@raiseyourlight) you will see many videos of my Yoga practice.  Soon, I will be uploading class videos that you can follow along with at home.   Give it a try-see if Yoga is right for you!  

Namaste~
Mandi