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The recent $75 billion mortgage modification plan captained by President Barack Obama has created a frenzy of scams and fraud now targeting the people the program was originally designed to help.  Since October of last year, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae alone have received a total of $59.8 billion from the recent bailout fund.  But is the plan actually helping or hurting American consumers?

According to Moody’s, of the 52 million homeowners in the U.S., nearly 13.8 million, or just under 27 percent, owe more money on their mortgage than their property is worth.  Credit Suisse estimates the U.S. could see nearly six million new foreclosures between 2009 and 2012 if trends continue at the current pace.  Consumers are desperate for a “life-line,” and are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in their homes.

President Obama’s mortgage modification program was designed to rescue up to nine million of those homes from falling into foreclosure; however, the messages received by consumers are not always aligned with this goal.

In a recent warning by the U. S. Treasury Department, federal and state officials are now targeting scams and fraud related to mortgage modification loans and the Obama administration’s efforts to revitalize the mortgage lending industry.  The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are also stepping in by alerting banks and questioning possible scam artists in connection with illegal loan modification programs.

Government officials report that borrowers in risk of default or foreclosure. are being targeted by scammers who are charging upfront fees of $1,000 to $3,000 to help modify or refinance homes.  However most of these loans never happen.  Attorney General Eric Holder said the FBI is investigating about 2,100 mortgage fraud cases, a 400 percent increase from five years ago.

Below are a few simple rules to help avoid scams and fraud.

When evaluating a product or service and before signing anything, find out a little information about the company.  Check out how long they have been in business.  Do they have a clean record with the Better Business Bureau?  Do they have any complaints or pending lawsuits?  After researching the company, its owners, and a sample of past clients, find out how much money you have to spend to evaluate whether the solution is right for your specific needs.

Make sure that you can afford the initial investment to get started and find out what additional fees will be charged if you decide to move forward.  Lastly, make sure that you actually qualify for the product or service if it requires lending or government assistance.

Homeowners can also locate free housing counselors at http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov or by calling (888) 995-HOPE.

Author Chad Sunyich writes here about mortgage modification plan which is captained by President Barack Obama. President Obama’s mortgage modification program was designed to rescue of those homes from falling into foreclosure. Now U. S. Treasury Department targeting scams and fraud related mortgage lending industry. Also he writes here few simple rules to help avoid scams and fraud. Find out how much money you have to spend to evaluate whether the solution.

Added by December 21 2012-411

Simon Parsons on the 2009 budget

Initial assessment indicates that there are no direct impacts on Payroll operations for the 2009/2010 tax year. Whether further detail will be declared in the Notes to Software Developers is not clear at this stage, but there appears to be no planned update or uplift for May (or June), as has been traditional for some years.

All tax allowances, bands and rates are as announced in the Pre-Budget Report 2008 (PBR 2008).

However, high earners (those earning over £150,000) have measures applied (effective 22 April 2009) to prevent them taking advantage of tax relief’s on pension scheme contributions prior to the announced change coming into effect in April 2011. This change has no impact on Payroll calculations with regard to Pension Schemes and tax relief. Any tax liability forms part of Self Assessment requirements (non-payroll).

The Pre-budget report indicated a number of future changes:

The following was announced in the budget:

April 2010 – New higher tax rate of 50% for those earning £150,000 or more

The Budget 2009 announced some revised and new changes to income tax:

We await the detail on how this will impact payroll and Income Tax calculations.

The government has announced a restriction to the basic rate of income tax, tax relief on pension savings with effect from April 2011 for people with incomes of £150,000 or more who on or after 22 April 2009:

This restriction applies to all contributions (both employee and employer). The charge on the individual has the effect of restricting tax relief on the additional pension savings over £20,000 to basic rate.

No payroll operation change is required as any “anti-forestalling” will be undertaken through Self Assessment.

No payroll, benefit or HR impact, though this may be of general interest to some.

Legislation in the Finance Bill 2009 will withdraw the entitlement for non-resident individuals who currently qualify for UK personal allowances and relief’s solely by virtue of being a Commonwealth citizen.

Potentially an impact on the P46Expat process but detail is awaited

Legislation will be introduced to stop attempts to avoid tax on the benefit of living accommodation when provided to employee by reason of their employment through the payment of lease premiums.

Where an employee is provided with accommodation there is a tax charge on the benefit. Where rent is paid the charge is based on the actual rent paid (less any amount made good by the employee).

Some arrangements involve upfront payments, which are described as lease premium, and a payment of a very small rent in order to try to avoid paying tax.

New legislation will ensure that where lease premium is paid (for a lease of 10 years or less), the lease premium will be treated as actual rent paid spread over the duration of the lease.

This revised legislation will apply to leases entered or extended on or after 22 April 2009.

No payroll impact excepting the calculation of values used if taxed at source (through the payroll) but implications for P11D reporting values and HR consideration where such operations may have been offered to employees.

These changes are to be made from 6 April 2011 – In summary:

No payroll impact. May impact HR in the choice of company car schemes in the future (especially a consideration for long car lease terms). The rules of calculation under P11D will be revised.

Added by December 21 2012-411

Economic downturn of 2008 notwithstanding, the U.S. market for nutritional supplements is poised for healthy growth, with sales forecast to climb 39% from 2007 to 2012.Packaged FoodsApparently, all is well with the nutraceutical industry and it knows very little about recession. While many other industries are experiencing all time lows in profitability margins, some nutraceutical products are actually gaining wider popularity. It seems the recession is teaching Americans the value of low-cost, preventive healthcare. More people are lining up for vitamin supplements and various other health supplements to meet their health needs as an alternative to expensive conventional medicine. All said and done, in spite of the global financial crisis and its effects on our economies, the bottom line is that people still need to eat and keep healthy. So the nutraceutical industry manages to keep afloat in spite of all odds.Global is the word for nutraceuticals. With many ingredients being imported from all parts of the world, contract manufacturers face a tough challenge keeping track of new research on herbs, nutrients, botanicals and formulating innovative products through in-house research in order to produce a superior, quality product that not only conforms to the newly installed FDA GMPs, but also meets rising demands of today’s consumer.Upward TrendJust how well is nutraceutical manufacturing thriving? Information Resources, a Chicago-based market research agency, reported an 8 percent growth in the sale of vitamins for the last quarter of 2008 as compared to the same period in 2007. During October 2008 to March 2009, Vitamin Shoppe noted that 20 percent of their customers were first time buyers of supplements like probiotics, glucosamine/chondroitin, probiotics, multi-vitamins, omega 3s, and herbal extracts.Why are profits soaring upwards for health supplement companies when the economy continues its spiraling trend downwards? A story reported in the April 4, 2009 edition of New York Times may help us to understand why. It expresses the sentiments of most Americans today. Here is what 40-year old Jacqueline Kreiss, a presently unemployed hairdresser and make-up artist, said when asked why she was buying vitamin supplements:“I don’t have health insurance, so I can’t go and see a doctor because it’s very expensive. The economy just really put me backward, so I started relying on the vitamins.” When asked whether the vitamins worked for her, she said she felt very energetic and strong. In her words, “I feel I’m in full form to go out there and get a job.”A 42-year-old working in the financial sector of Los Angeles reports that she takes a combination of herbal ingredients to support “calmness”. And the list goes on. There is definitely a growing interest in herbs and nutritional supplements as seen in the rising sales of nutraceutical products against a backdrop of economic uncertainty.According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, personal care products registered a 5.65 percent rise in sales in December 2008, when compared to the previous year. Consumer preference was towards natural personal care products.Global sales of nutraceutical drinks have risen by 9 percent according to Zenith International’s 2009 Global Nutraceutical Drinks Report with North America having the largest share, 47 percent in volume, followed by Japan.Another sector that has seen upward growth is sports nutrition, with energy drinks and high-protein formulas being the most popular along with proteolytic enzyme formulas. More people are seriously turning to preventive health measures such as diet, exercise and health supplements in an effort to avoid conventional medical treatments with its skyrocketing costs.Not all sectors have experienced such jubilant growth, however. Organic foods and functional foods that are higher priced have seen a slump. Trends show that consumers would rather pay for natural/herbal supplements which target their specific health needs, rather than pay extra for organic or functional foods. The general perception is that health supplements provide more health value than organic or functional foods. It’s a matter of taking health into your own hands and being penny wise rather than pound foolish in these difficult times. Health supplements are seen as being penny wise against a doctor’s visitation which could prove to be pound foolish in hindsight.Private Label Contract Manufacturing Stays on TopWe see more sales in private label manufacturing especially as the public continues to perceive private label brands as equal in quality to major selling brands which are often more expensive. Many chain stores have introduced innovative products that help people bite the economic crunch and stay on top of health issues. It is interesting to note that private label’s unit market shares rose 1.8 percent in the recession of 2001-2003, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association. Current statistics are likely to show even more favorable results for private label manufacturing.Popular private label supplements include multi-vitamins particularly Vitamins C, D, E and K, probiotics, fish oil, anti-aging agents, green tea, diet and weight management products, anti-stress, sleep aid products, eye-health products, personal care products, fiber-based products, bone health products, sugar-control products, glucosamine/chondroitin and coenzyme Q10. “Free from” products are also being received well by consumers. For instance, gluten-free, or “free from bovine sources” are in popular demand, as are kosher and vegan products. More TrendsTrends are moving towards products that are more convenient to use and eco-friendly. Individual sachet packaging, or easy-to-swallow gel capsules instead of tablets. Over-packaging of products can be seen as being wasteful in an economy that is sensitive to good stewardship of our earthly resources.Global competition is a key concern. With countries like China and India aligning themselves to cGMPs and selling quality products at a fraction of the price, small and large key players in the nutraceutical industry may be forced to move their operating plants to third world countries in order to stay competitive. What’s Cooking in the Nutraceutical World?Hemp-derived supplements are creating a buzz. Hemp oil is believed to be a good source of omega 3 and omega 6, amino acids and antioxidants. Use of hemp supplements may benefit diabetics, those with respiratory illnesses, or suffering from arthritis. They are also believed to provide a sense of mental wellness.According to the April 2009 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, research shows a combination of fish oil and walnut can help to reduce the risk of heart disease. In December 2008, Rebaudioside A (reb A), a natural sweetner made from stevia plants, received a status of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. Reb A has very little calories and is ten times sweeter than normal sugar, and now can be used as a general purpose sweetener at 95% purity or above. This is great news for nutraceutical companies who can now formulate sweeter products with very little calories. The recession has brought in a sense of global competitiveness. Start-up companies have bore the worse brunt. Albeit, many companies have cut down on controllable costs and lowered their prices to benefit the public, but at the end of the quarter, there is still a silver lining surrounding a dark cloud for the nutraceutical industry. Backed by scientific research, both the medical profession and consumers are now finding nutritional supplements are a better option for health. Unhealthy lifestyles and an aging population all contribute to the global growth of this industry. A new ray for an even better future awaits nutraceutical manufacturing as new healthcare reforms from the Obama administration, seek to encourage the use of complementary and alternative medicines.

Added by December 21 2012-411

The other day, I was sitting at the kitchen table sharing a cup of coffee with my friend Terry who is a small business owner. Since I’m a small business start-up consultant, she came over to ask my advice about what her accountant had just said to her. Terry had been told to put into place a “survival plan” for her business.

Terry was upset. Besides cutting expenses, her accountant asked her to consider laying off one or two of the people who work for her, eliminating her employees’ sick and personal days, and a salary cut for everyone.

She knows that this is the advice many small business owners are getting right now. But, she wanted to know, is it the right advice? Is there better advice to consider?

Times are tough right now. Recessions are always tough. However, being in a recession doesn’t give you liberty to take drastic action or make irrational decisions when it comes to your business. No. This is the time to carefully consider what you need to do to stabilize your business without hobbling it in the process.

Before you make any “survival plan” decisions, you owe it to your business to take these ten strategies into consideration.

10 Ways to Stabilize Your Business During a Recession

1. Don’t lower your prices.

The worst thing you can do as a small business owner is to reduce your rates when the economy slows. Many small business owners panic and lower their prices. The problem with this is that once you lower your prices, it’s more difficult to raise them later. Economies ebb and flow. Keep your rates constant.

2. Avoid giving deep discounts.

If you naturally give a 10% discount to repeat customers and then suddenly give a 20% discount, your customers now know that you can and will go lower and think that they can now negotiate prices with you. You can never go back. You don’t want this to happen. Stay the course. Keep the established discount.

3. Think small, sell big.

Instead of lowering prices, be a creative small business owners and package your products and services differently in order to provide a lower price point for your customers. This is a smart move. Instead of lowering your price, make your products and services more affordable by packaging them in smaller, more attractive packages with lower price points.

4. Offer alternative payment options.

Although this idea is not for everyone, some small business owners will benefit from promoting their products and services with an extended payment plan. Again, don’t lower your price. Instead, offer different payment options.

5. Build your reputation.

There’s no better time than the present to build your reputation. If you aren’t already recognized as an expert in your field, now is the time to become one by writing a book, doing a weekly radio show, or speaking at industry events. Experts get more attention. They get the lion’s share of the market. They get noticed by the media. Being an expert means your cash flow will increase, you can command more for what you do, and more people will be willing to buy from you.

6. Get control of your thinking.

Especially when times are tough, you have to get control of your thinking. The first step is to realize what you do have control over and what you don’t. While you may not have control over what’s happening with the U.S. economy, you do have control over your business’s level of risk and exposure to the economy.

Choose what strategies you’re going to implement in your business based on what you can control.

7. Practice a rational mindset.

This is, quite understandably, an uncertain and fearful time for many people. However, this doesn’t mean you should start making emotional and irrational decisions. If you’ve been a small business owner for any length of time, you know that it wasn’t an emotional and irrational mindset that got you where you are today. And it won’t get you to where you want to go tomorrow.

Practice a rational mindset. Before making any big business decision ask, “Am I making a rational decision or an emotional one?” Decide what cuts you are going to make based on what makes sense to the future of your business. Ignore what everyone else is doing.

8. Develop an eye for opportunity.

The key to surviving this recession and any other economic tough time is to cultivate an eye for opportunity. Instead of hunkering down, begin now looking for opportunities. There are still lots out there. After all, the millionaires of 2012 will be the people who saw opportunities now and took action.

9. Adopt a different way of thinking.

The media wants you to think that the recession is threatening everyone and everything. This is simply not true. You’ve got to see beyond the present circumstance to grow beyond it. Instead of looking at the 6% of the population who are out of a job, look at the 94% who are working. Just because there’s a recession going on in the U.S. doesn’t mean there has to be a recession going on in your mind. Change your thought. Change your creation.

10. Focus on what you want to expand.

What you focus on expands. You have the same 24 hours in your day as everyone else has in their day. What can you focus on in those hours that will expand your business? What can you focus on that will multiply, increase, or grow? What can you align yourself with now that will expand your business in the future?

To lay off or not to lay off. That isn’t the question. Neither is the solution to cut back on staff hours, eliminate employees’ sick days, or slash your budget just because other small business owners are doing so. We’re in a recession. We’ll come out of the recession. Before you make any “survival plans”, consider these 10 ideas to stabilize your business that will enhance, not hobble, your future success.

Added by December 21 2012-411

Imagine reversing the ageing process, feeling amazing and have everyone telling you how good you look! Envision yourself full of energy, with a clear focused mind, a body shape & weight that you are happy with and waking up daily feeling well rested and eager to get up and go! Picture living life to your full potential, with an optimum state of health.“Let Food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” Hippocrates.What is a Vegan Diet?A vegan diet is entirely plant based and void of all animal products – including eggs, fish and dairy. What is a raw vegan diet?A raw vegan diet consists entirely of uncooked, unprocessed, whole plant foods. Examples of what a raw “fooder” might eat are; fresh vegetables, salads & sprouts, green vegetable juices, fruits and fruit smoothies, and nuts and seeds & wheatgrass juice.What is the difference between Raw Food and Living Food?Although the definitions of raw vary, it is commonly held that for a food to be raw it must have not been heated over 118 degrees so not to destroy nutritive value. Living foods include wheatgrass juice & sprouted seeds, nuts & grains.What is a Detox?Detox, short for detoxification, is the elimination of toxic substances from the body.What can I expect during my Detox?The detox is a highly individual process. Everyone experiences it differently. For some there are no detox symptoms at all, whereas some experience light-headedness, nauseous, weak, tired, headaches, fever-like symptoms. Where do I get my protein?This is probably the most common question we get asked, and the answer is that there is a huge myth related to the amount of protein the body needs. Protein is found hemp seeds and nuts, sprouts, dark leafy greens and broccoli. The human body breaks protein down into amino acids, so If you cut out the middle man and eat foods that are rich in amino acids, like ALL uncooked fruits and vegetables, then you are getting more than enough protein direct from the source.How long have I been eating raw?In 2001 I first came into contact with the Essenes’ teachings about raw foods & purificaton, translated from ancient texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. At the time I was living on a tropical island. Fresh, lucious fruits and vegetables were growing all around me and I found myself eating raw naturally. I lost weight and started to feel an amazing vitality in my being. This experience lasted for the two years I was in the tropics, but when I returned to my home in the UK I drifted back into eating cooked vegetarian food. The weight piled back on and my sense of aliveness dulled. All the time I knew I was not living my full potential which took it’s toll on me psychologically and I yo-yoed between bouts of depression, PMS, lethargy & worryingly high blood pressure. In 2008 I had a skiing accident and as a result had to have my knee reconstructed. Whilst recouperating I researched places I could go to regain my health through raw foods. I came across The Hippocrates Health Institute in South Florida and decided to take their 9 week Health Educator Programme. The first 3 weeks of the programme is The Life Change Programme, and change my life it did! I learnt that this way of life is not just about changing the way you eat, but about changing anything in your life that no longer serves your process of becoming whole, mentally, emotionally & physically. I took a leap of faith, let go of my old life and made the decision to bring together what I feel most passionate about in order to assist others on their journeys to wellbeing and wholeness….Raw foods, swimming with wild dolphins & yoga. Humanity is at a great shift in consciousness. We are at the dawn of a new age, that we are just beginning to get glimpses of,….2012 has begun energetically….A raw food diet will bring your body into correct alignment for the coming times.What do I eat?First thing in the morning I make either a green vegetable juice loaded with celery, cucumber, greens, ginger, garlic & sprouts or a superfood fruit smoothie depending on whether I’m detoxing or training. The fruit smoothie contains banana, apple, kiwi, coconut water, raw cocao poder, hemp powder, green powder, raw cocao nibs on top and goji berries to chew on. I make enough to have a glass there and then and another in the fridge from when I get back from my workout. Exercise comes far more naturally as you progress on your raw journey…All that new found energy needs somewhere to go! I do a combination of cardio, stretching, yoga, pilates & weights five times a week. The green drinks or smoothies keep me going until around 2pm, then I eat my main meal of the day, a raw lunch of an entrée or onion bread & pate with a salad….I might snack during the day on something sweet like raw cocao or spirulina balls… Or an apple….then in the evening I try and eat before sunset, something light like a salad or juice. I do enjoy sweet things and the beauty of raw is that in moderation you can have your cake and eat it! Raw ice cream is a favourite!How do you eat out?I like to eat raw 90% of the time, but I am not going to forsake meeting up & spending time with friends that don’t eat like me. So occasionally I go out and eat cooked vegan food & make sure I have some digestive enzymes with me to help assimilate the cooked foods digestion process in my body. A raw living food lifestyle will boost your immune system, bring your body into an 80/20 Alkaline/Acid balance for optimum health, vitality & wellbeing so that you can live the way nature intended.Remember…Raw is a journey, not a destinationYour emotional health is just as important as your physical healthPrepare & eat your food consciously with loveExercise oxygenates the blood, stimulates your lymph, relieves tension & improves mental claritySpending time with friends & loved ones that support your vision is highly beneficial to your wellbeingBeing of service, finding your life purpose, sharing your gift with the world, giving something backTaking time out alone to meditate, focus and set your intentions“The food you eat can either be the safest & most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison” Anne WigmoreDo you suffer from any of the following?HeadachesAllergiesWeight GainAddictionsDiabetesHeart DiseaseHigh Blood PressureLow Blood PressureArthrytisCancerLow Energy Low libidoMood swingsPMSDigestive disorders Sleep disordersWeakened immune systemCandidaHigh CholesterolDepressionIf the answer is yes to any of the above, encorporating a raw living foods diet into your daily life will greatly help you.10 Reasons to eat more raw living foods:Weight lossIncrease energy & focusNormalise digestionIncrease enzyme efficiency/Anti-ageingBoost Immune systemClarity of mind/heightened sensesImproved hair, skin & nailsImproved sleep/need less of itIradicate diseaseFeel amazing!Learn more about raw food retreats at www.RawDolphins.com.

Added by December 21 2012-411

Obama says passing the health care bill is not about him and then he lays out a scenario about what might happen this year and into 2012 if things don’t work out as he expects. Republicans claim it’s not about politics but then they say if they can stop the health care bill, it will be Obama’s waterloo. Come on, even a blind person can see the POLITICS that are being played here. 

Obama has even gone so far to invoke the gods of the universe!

President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that the “stars are aligned” to pass healthcare reform legislation and Congress should take advantage of that opportunity. Obama told reporters at a televised White House news conference that he supports creating a special commission of doctors and experts to come up with ways on how to reduce healthcare costs.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., today insisted everything is smooth sailing with the House bill that would require every American to have health insurance or pay a fine; create a government run health plan to compete with private insurers to drive costs down; and impose an up to 5.4% new tax on top wage-earners. “I have no question that we have the votes on the floor of the House to pass this legislation,” Pelosi told reporters.

Does she or doesn’t she?

“No, I don’t think they have the votes,” Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said, arguing if that were the case he and the other six Blue Dogs on the House Energy and Commerce Committee who have been holding up the bill in committee would be under far less pressure. All of the talk about bailouts, recession-depression, and which company you and I as taxpayers will own next has fallen by the wayside as POLITICS (in the guise of health care reform) is raw, front, and center stage.

It’s about POLITICS!

Added by December 21 2012-411

Lunar Eclipses are most Powerful Full Moons I have commented in my article about the Capricorn Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, July 6, 2009 about the importance to look at the opposing astrological signs as the complementing force to the planetary position. Especially with a Lunar Eclipse which is a Full Moon, created by the opposition between the Sun and the Moon, it is crucial to look into the particularities of both signs forming the axes.

Sun and Moon are the yin and yang, the male and the female force, the complementing forces in life. Sun as the life giving entity is radiating the force to create life and Moon is reflecting the energy, taking it into the inner world, sustaining and nourishing life.

Sun in astrology show us our self- identity, the inner place of strength we act from in our life. Sun is representing the inner and outer male figure. Sun is our self awareness and consciousness guiding us into choices and decisions. With the Sun moving through the whole zodiac throughout the year it gives us different mental perspectives onto life and guides our process of evolution as an individual and as whole humankind.Moon in astrology on the other hand reflects consciousness evolving through our inner digestive process of our feelings and guides us more intuitively. Emotions are often unclear and hidden from the light of consciousness and might take a while to float up to conscious recognition and acknowledgement. Moon is the archetypal mother, the inner woman or outer woman, nourishing us in her unique way of being.A Lunar EclipseA Lunar Eclipse is created by the earth’s position between Sun and Moon, intercepting the Sun’s light meeting the Moon. For a short duration there is the interruption of Sun’s radiation towards the Moon. Some astrologer read that as the opening into a hyperspace portal into a non physical dimension. I don’t know about that but I always like to keep an open mind.What we can say for sure is that this is a moment of interruption of the familiar flow of consciousness and with that we have a chance of waking up from our normal, very patterned and habituated flow of thoughts, feelings and self-expression.I do believe a Lunar Eclipse stirs things up from our deeply unconscious mind because of that interruption in the habitualness. With looking at the shadow side of both astrological signs the Sun and Moon are in, we will be able to gain much clarity and guidance to make the best out of this particular universal time.The Last Lunar Eclipse 1990 in AquariusNineteen years ago we had another eclipse in almost the same degree at 13 degree, 47 minutes in Aquarius/ Leo. I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember much about that time or what was important to me then. If you do, you might have an inkling to the impact of this eclipse for you.

Aquarius Full Moon Lunar Eclipse ChartThis Lunar Eclipse is happening at 13 degrees, 43 minutes in Aquarius/Leo.Let us have a look at the qualities of Aquarius and his shadow side:Aquarius is the rebel against the conventions and rigid rules of society. He is the visionary and role model for new ways to live and reach for new horizons. Aquarius starts revolutions, teams up with like minded people and really wants to change the world to a better place.Its shady side is its tendency to believe himself to be very special and not bound in any ways by conventional ways. He has a hard time to fit in and chooses a place at the outer parameter of Aquarian minded groups. He likes to make the new rules and has been called the opposing king because of that. His appetite for power is more hidden as in the sign of Leo and is therefore his shadow.Sun in LeoLeo is symbolizing the king, the highest power in society making the rules and laws to live by. The king expects to be honored, celebrated and followed. When the Sun is in Leo we are in the heights of summer! By the end of July the summer sun is blazing and crops are bursting with their life force. Our personal energy is more outwards and we are carried by a new flow of creative energy and life force wanting to express itself. We can partake in the exciting and self-assured ways of Leos. Leo is a highly energetic, masculine fire sign. Leos can be none other than kings, leading all types of enterprises with their strong personalities. They need to be independent in their work, not submissive to others. They have a sense of entitlement and expect to be served. Fortunately, their strong, egocentric, masculine side is balanced by devotion to their children, a warm heart, and generosity. Leos’ courage pays off in the business world, where they take risks that lead to success.The shadow of Leo is his self-centeredness and narrow perspective caused by that. They can get easily lost in self-serving activities and ego driven decisions. Their love for power is not exactly unconscious but maybe the length they might be willing to go to make sure their own ends are being met.The Potential of the Aquarius/Leo OppositionI believe wherever this eclipse is touching into your chart it will have a profound impact for your soul’s journey in these challenging times. Note in which house the eclipse falls in your chart and which aspects it is forming to personal planet.You will be called upon extending your goodwill to others, be a role model for your beliefs concerning change for the better, taking care for your neighbors, acting from a place of oneness and connectedness, taking charge and stepping up. Become a leader for what you believe in! Grass root movements are needed to move on into the Aquarian Age, into the year 2012 with all its prophesied changes in consciousness of humankind.I think we all agree that the old ways driven by greedy ways of the ego for power and self-gratification won’t meet the requirement of the 21st century. The old economy is crashing and with it the old paradigms. We have to come up with new ways to organize ourselves on this earth looking beyond old tribal instincts and make decisions based on the good for all.

What is needed is the emergence of a new consciousness and astrology is giving us much hope and understanding about the challenges ahead.Lunar Eclipse Semi-Square with Pluto/Uranus

This is not the time to hide in your closet. This is the time for individual and collective growth in all areas of our life.

Pluto, the planet of transformation and death of the old is adding his spice to the pie. Uranus the ruler of Aquarius is right in line with his disruptive and sudden exploding changes and energy.

In the bigger picture Pluto is at the beginning of Capricorn smashing our structures and challenging the old ways of doing business in the old paradigm. The threesome conjunction of Chiron, Jupiter and Neptune is in Aquarius, fertilizing our transformational process as a whole throughout the year. Three Solar/ Lunar Eclipses in Two MonthI find it very significant that we had a Capricorn Lunar Eclipse on July 7th, a Cancer Solar Eclipse July 21-22 and this Aquarius Lunar Eclipse August 5-6. This is an indication of an important time of cleaning the slate from the old, renewing our intentions and raising our awareness to new challenges! Moon and Sun are in tandem to help us integrate the head with the belly, the mind with the emotions; supplying us with the chance for inner balance and a higher state of consciousness.Take ComfortWe are living in exceptional times! That can be very frightening at times! Maybe we can take comfort in our personal history and experiences of deep transformations we have gone through. Even with tremendously challenging experiences we often have managed to come out into the light at the end of the tunnel. Look into your life and contemplate the growth and good things which have come out of those hard times!We are all part of the whole and contributing to the evolution of mankind. There is great meaning to your life and so much you have to give. Live your own life to the fullest! This is where you have choices to make! Go for your biggest dreams, set your intentions and take the appropriate steps…Set up your support system. Take those classes to further your education, get a life coach or join a support group. If you cannot find one create your own!I have done that in my area of writing. I have a group called The Writer’s Circle where we meet every two weeks for 7 month now. It has been a tremendous source of inspiration and support for me with my projects.Use astrology as your personal guidance system to align yourself with the cosmic requirements of the moment and turn lemons into lemonade.  Go with the flow! Every windsurfer in Hawaii can testify how much easier it is to go with the flow of the wave and how impossible to fight your way against it. Astrology is an open invitation to understand the universal actual flow and use it to our advantage for a fuller, more successful and joyful life. Sign up for a personal astrological reading to see what life has in store for you with somebody you trust, maybe that is me.If you like my astrological musings I invite you to find out more on my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog for a regular update on the universal flow in the heavens. In my book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul I teach you about astrology and how to read your own chart. If you know where your challenges are, you can then take steps to support or balance yourself with gemstones, if that is something that appeals to you.I hope you enjoyed this article, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Added by December 21 2012-411

When I give an astrological reading I always start out saying that you don’t have to believe in astrology to benefit from the reading! My practical approach as a Taurus is: Try it out, see if it serves you and then decide if you want to deepen your relation with astrology. In my personal experience with over 31 years of astrology in my life and those of my clients the value is beyond mere believe.

Lunar Astrology

Following the lunar astrology with the Moon moving through the signs of the zodiac is one way of fine tuning my perception of my emotional journey throughout the month. It brings me in touch with the impermanence of life and especially of my emotions. It helps me to not take myself so serious and adjust my conscious thoughts to the highest level of the potential of each sign.

I accept where I am and then focus on where I rather want to go! Like Abraham-Hicks is saying: “Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.”  I use the Lunar Astrology to imagine the best and align myself through taking action along those lines.

Moon in Sagittarius on Friday

After the inward motion and intensity of the Moon in Scorpio the last two days we are ready for the expansive nature of Sagittarius.

The gregarious nature of Sagittarian people is hard not to like! They are idealistic and care about the state of the world, leading them to take up vocations in medicine, education, religion, and politics. They are high energy people, always involved in one project or another, adventures of spirit, in search of universal wisdom, full of openness, generosity, and have a sociable nature. They posses a lot of energy, passion and are full of ideas as a fire sign. The Moon in this sign will help us to find that part in ourselves!

They are ruled by Jupiter who is considered a very fortunate and joyful energy in astrology.

This Weekend

Whenever we expand, learn something new, get excited and passionate about something we feel good!  Growing as humans into our fuller potential is one of our basic human needs. If we stop growing we will feel bored, stagnant and very unhappy with ourselves.

I am a Star Trek fan; I love the open possibility mindset of the show.  With all the interstellar problems they are facing, they never give up and always figure something out. So I watched Star Trek last night and the episode finished with Deida, the android saying that he will continue striving to become a better person…

It seems like that is what evolutionary growth is all about! Be where you are, love yourself for who you are and where you are and strive for better!

Use the Sagittarian energy this weekend to expand out of your box. Take a little trip and visit that friend you have not seen for a while.

Check in with yourself and where you are in your life. Do you feel fulfilled in what you are doing? How about your relationship? What could you do to experience more satisfaction and fulfillment? Would you want to go back to school and enhance your education?

Do you have a way to contribute to your community? Would you like to be a mentor at Big Brothers, Big Sisters?

Venus in Cancer

Venus the goddess of love, beauty and harmony visits the home of the Moon, the sign of Cancer, the other feminine player in astrology. With it we will feel more emotionally grounded and nourished by life and the divine. It is easier to believe and actually feel the benevolent nature of the universe and our place in it.

At the same time themes around home and family, having children or not, feeling safe will be in the foreground. It will be a very fertile time for conception and you can plan around that depending on which direction you want to go with it. It is certainly an easier time to get pregnant if you want that or not!

But fertility can also show up in an abundance of creative ideas and new projects for you.

Mercury Opposition to Neptune

Mercury is strongly associated with everything involving communication—speaking writing, the media, even our internal communication. Mercury rules all things related to the mind and our internal life: rational thinking, intellect, intelligence, curiosity, learning, and memory.

Mercury describes the inner working of the mind and depending on the sign he is in, he will have a leaning and preference to how to channel and incorporate ideas and visions into our life. With the Neptune opposition there will be a greater opening into your intuition and collective unconsciousness. Mercury is in Leo and Neptune is stationed in Aquarius, activating the same axes where the Lunar Eclipse is happening on August 5-6 as well. Get ready for the ride!

The Potential of the Aquarius/Leo Lunar Eclipse

I believe wherever this eclipse is touching into your chart it will have a profound impact for your soul’s journey in these challenging times. Note in which house the eclipse falls in your chart and which aspects it is forming to personal planets.

You will be called upon extending your goodwill to others, be a role model for your beliefs concerning change for the better, taking care for your neighbors, acting from a place of oneness and connectedness, taking charge and stepping up. Become a leader for what you believe in! Grass root movements are needed to move on into the Aquarian Age, into the year 2012 with all its prophesied changes in consciousness of humankind.

Read more about the Lunar Eclipse on my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog and for a regular update on the universal flow in the heavens.

A Gemstone for Balance: The Herkimer Diamond [1]

“This stone is truly amazing in its beauty, clarity, and perfection. Unlike the Diamond, which must be cut and polished to bring out its beauty, the Herkimer Diamond is perfect in its natural state and requires no cutting or polishing at all. It is untouched by the human hand.

Balancing the Aura and Stabilizing Our Energy

The Herkimer Diamond has a very special place among the gems because of its superior qualities. It is worn most beneficially over the heart. Sitting on the heart chakra, which is the middle one of the seven, it balances the whole energetic system. Thus it is able to strengthen our auric field against all kinds of radiation, including electro smog and negative thought projections. We are constantly targeted by radiation in our daily lives, especially in urban areas. It is known that sitting in front of a computer for several hours can lower our white blood cell count, which inevitably impacts our health. The Herkimer Diamond in its perfection and balance between the negative and positive points can balance us and strengthen our own energy field.

This stone also strengthens our auric field against negative emotional or mental projections. I have made many Herkimer Diamond pendants for people who work in the healing professions to help them stabilize and treat their clients without picking up their imbalances. The more sensitive you are the more likely you are to pick up on disharmony in your outer field. The Herkimer Diamond is your ally in maintaining your own balance and strength.”

Where Do Gemstones Fit in with All of This?

With my background and experience as a healer, jeweler and astrologer I like to use the powers of the gemstones as a tool for balance and as an anchor for the highest potential I want to focus on. Have you heard about the work with NLP and how you can use setting a conscious anchor to activate a specific emotional or mental state? That and more you can learn about in my book. I am so passionate about gemstones and think it is such an elegant way to use them as allies for the inner balance we crave.

In my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul I teach you about basic astrological concepts, how to read your chart and find the main themes and challenges in your chart.

When you are aware of the bigger picture and you will be able to balance yourself with your 12 main healing gemstones, I am calling your true birthstones. If that interests you have a closer look at http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com .

I hope you enjoyed this post, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

[1] Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989. All rights reserved, used by permission of the publisher.

Added by December 21 2012-411

How did your day go yesterday? It seemed to be a special day with all the number nines going on. I had a nice evening at the book release party of a friend of mine. I am not an expert with numerology but the numbers where getting my attention. Today we have more challenging activities in the cosmic heaven which was already foreshadowed in the energy of yesterday.The Moon in GeminiMercury, the ruler of Gemini just went retrograde this week and with that things in our communication channels might be slowing down. Hurdles with electrical equipment, lost emails or responses force us to become really clear in our communications. The Moon in Gemini helps us with some lightness, ease and playfulness and will counterbalance some of the irritation and impatience the retrograde Mercury might bring. It is a time to go out and socialize with your friends, have a party or go to a concert.This article is a forecast and discussion of the current astrological weather in the heavens for September 10 – 11, 2009. If you have the same specific aspect connection in your personal horoscope we are talking about today you will experience similar things I am describing. Like if you have Moon in Gemini or Venus in Leo in your personal chart, you will be able to relate to what I describe here today on a personal level as well.Venus Jupiter OppositionVenus is now in 18 degree Leo, her face in opposition to Jupiter in Aquarius. All Leos are enjoying this transit immensely. Like my friend Laura with her Sun in Leo and she suddenly meets all this beautiful, attractive men who adore her and want to marry her. She is truly the Queen with her male admirers at her feet and after a dry spell of over a year in her relationship arena she is enjoying herself tremendously and I am having fun watching her. She is glowing and radiant.Venus the goddess of love and beauty is teaming up with the expansive energy of Jupiter and together they might go overboard in the excitement of the moment. Remember an opposition is a hard aspect and we have to learn to bring the opposing elements together and find an expression for them in our life. For my friend Laura that means there is a lot of activity for her in the area of relationships but she will not be settling down with it soon. The expansive energy of Jupiter is carrying to much energy and will keep her moving at least till the last back and forth motion of the two planets have settled. But she will enjoy herself for sure if she keeps moving with the energy.Jupiter is also a teacher for us to find deeper meaning in life and an inner connection to the divine in whatever form that takes for us. For me my relationship with God or call it the divine is the most important in my life. As a meditator and a creative person that connection fuels my everyday life and gives me so much joy in my participation of the flow of love.With Jupiter opposing Venus we will be confronting Venus themes which will elucidate what we really need in a relationship. Our sense of self value and who we are and what we have to give in a relationship will give raise to more self confidence.SuggestionToday I would like to inspire you to take time for yourself with a cup of tea and your journal and write down what you are able to give to your friends and partner because of WHO YOU ARE. It is always good to start affirming who you are beginning the sentence with I AM.I am a very compassionate person.I am always reaching out to help my friends or even strangers if there is need.I am always expressing myself from a place of truth and honesty as much as I am able to.I am more and more in the flow of love.I am allowing that love to flow through me to others.I am a very loving and gracious person.I am an interesting person because I am interested in life and growing into my highest potential.I am fun to be around and easy to talk to.I am a great and non judgmental listener. – - -You can see how one line leads you to the next. I love this exercise because it brings me into a state of abundance, gratefulness and fullness within myself. And that fullness is a wonderful place to come from into any kind of relationship.Uranus Saturn OppositionAnd then there is that Saturn at 24 degrees Virgo again in opposition to Uranus at 24 degrees Pisces. This is the second of 5 oppositions between these two planets.  The first one was in November during the presidential election and definitely was good for some changes.Saturn represents the ruling forces like the government, all organizational structures, the economy, forms, rules and regulations. Where ever we might have Saturn in our chart that will be an area where we will feel challenged by anxiety and a blockage in the energy flow. By confronting our fears with clarity we are raising our consciousness and are able to find a new form for the energy to flow.For example if you have Saturn in the second House, you will feel easily challenged or anxious around your material possessions and money. By paying attention and caution around your connection with the physical realm you will learn to master your finances and find a comfortable place within your means down the road.On the other hand Uranus represents freedom, interruption of continuity, change, originality, breaking free from the establishment and the status quo.  These two planets have very different motivations but are intricately woven together in an eternal dance of building structures and then tearing them down for new and better ones. This duo is the motor of evolution and forms the law of impermanence.Understanding the eternal dance between the two might help you to relax into what is going on in our world right now, not just in our country. And we might find a better place of adjusting to what is and faith that something better will grow out of it.Our western societies have been primarily driven by greed and power which has lead to these obscure money making vehicles in the financial and real estate markets which have been crashing our economy. I am glad for a Uranus to shake things up not allowing that to continue. And I am holding an Aquarian vision for a better world based on the experience of oneness. We are living in an amazing time and many prophesies have been pointing towards 2012 as the culmination of a higher state of consciousness emerging for humankind.Each one of us has a contribution to give by managing our own personal fears and anxieties and thus feeding the global level of consciousness.By shedding light onto our fears– FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL—we can then purposeful turn our attention towards our goals and dreams.Or as Abraham Hicks puts it –In order to effect true positive change in your experience, you must disregard how things are – as well as how others are seeing you – and give more of your attention to the way you prefer things to be. With practice, you will change you point of attraction and will experience a substantial change in your life experience.–Herkimer Diamond is the Perfect Stone for BalanceThe Herkimer Diamond is natural double terminated crystal quartz found in New York. The stone is so clear, brilliant and sparkling in all its natural facets it is easy to fall in love with it. And it has many wonderful healing and aligning properties which give him a special place in the apothecary of gems.–This stone also balances the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the creative and logical, the female and the male sides in us. Most of us tend toward one side or the other. The Herkimer Diamond balances us out in the middle between the two. The creative mind and the logical and scientific mind are enhanced by each others qualities: the creative mind benefits from greater focus and logic and the scientific mind draws on more creative and intuitive resources. The two hemispheres join forces, resulting in inventions and discoveries beyond the known.The Herkimer Diamond’s brilliancy stimulates our inspiration and connection to higher truth and wisdom. Clarity of thought and a peaceful mind are a matter of balance. – (taken from my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul)You can use the stone for meditation by placing it onto your third eye or by wearing it in a little pendant over your heart where it has specifically balancing qualities between the three upper and three lower chakras, stabilizing the aura.

I hope you enjoyed my musings today and check out my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems blog to receive current astrological weather forecasts and suggestions for your perfect healing gemstone, aloha and many blessings to you, Shakti.Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

Added by December 21 2012-411