Disenfranchised voters pose a far greater threat to our democracy than anything that we can imagine, because if we don’t have participation we have the electoral college which will never elect the right person.
Daniel Passino
Capitola, Retired

During Friday’s full moon, Virgo’s (9 degrees) solar festival, Burning May is in full swing in the Nevada desert. In the sky the nodes of the moon (North and South Nodes) change signs. The north node (our present/future dharma) shifts into Scorpio, and the South node (past which needs tending, completing, the Dweller on the Threshold) enters Taurus. For 18 months we move into a state of reorientation, learning to stabilize ourselves through that reorientation.

Plus Letters To The EDITOR

If you have ever wondered what really gets you through some of the challenging times in your life, then you may appreciate this week’s news story on Thomas Hickenbottom. The longtime local has been an active surfer since Santa Cruz first began generating national buzz for its surfing scene back the 1960s. As a boy, he actually once paddled out to a large piece of driftwood in the ocean, hopped on and rode the wave back to the beach. He shares these memories and quite a bit more in a story that also shines the spotlight on his cancer journey. Many of us have family members or friends who have been affected by cancer, so this particular tale may inspire you. 

This summer I mostly grew friendships, I made a lot of new friends and socialized a lot more. It was really good.
Kianna Kimura
Santa Cruz, Cosmotoligist in training 


 

On Thursday, Mars enters Scorpio; sign of discipleship and of reorientation (into higher regions) for humanity—Hercules, who, through overcoming our Twelve Labors (signs) becomes the world disciple. With Mars in Scorpio we all become very serious personalities, with intense wants, desires and aspirations. 

Plus Letters To The EDITOR

What heated times we live in. Blog haven turned über tabloid, The Huffington Post (at which, curiously, I am still a blogger), heads into live streaming, NBC gets flack over the Olympics and meteor showers streak across the sky. Meanwhile, Downtown Santa Cruz gets an economic boost with the arrival of Forever 21 yet still debates whether to make its main thoroughfare one-way or two-way. And let’s not forget all the commentary on the homeless camp situation (see letters). So, it seems as if each day ushers in a new series of “Look here/No, look there!” And somehow, we search for levity in between. And some fun.

Gardening, camping, surfing, beach days, and barbecuing.
Katherine McCamant
Santa Cruz | Restaurant Owner 


 

This is our last week of Leo. The Sun enters Virgo Wednesday. The month is overshadowed by Venus in the sign of Cancer. Venus is the Soul (star) of the Earth, where our God (Sanat Kumara) came from and these mornings Venus is the Morning Star. Mars is always in the news these days. But Mars is humanity’s past. Venus is our future. Returning to Mars is a retrograde action. 

Plus Letters To The EDITOR

Are you open and receptive to receive all good? That may sound too California woo-woo for you, but we are living in California, after all. So, when I was recently asked the question, I had to ask myself: Am I? It also reminded me of something I overheard in a recent spin class with a group of indoor cylists who were simulating an uphill bike route: “Take the struggle out of it.” Think of it as a cross between “letting go” and detachment. Any way you spin it—sorry, had to do that—metaphorically speaking, life often mirrors the cyclist’s journey. For every challenging hill climb, there are smooth plateaus to experience, too. It’s something to remember as fall approaches and schedules become filled up with more structured activities. Hopefully, somewhere in between all of our dashing about, we can take some time to reflect on the good around us, and the good we’d like to experience.

I think it has to do with how it's raised and the additives that they put in fertilizer. I think that it's critical that we pay attention to that. And we haven't in the past.
Jane Anglin
Santa Cruz | Retired