Your Higher Self is present, activating your powers of reason and intellect. It asks you to develop clarity and objectivity when looking at your life, rather than interpreting events through the murky and distorted waters of emotion. Strive to see the reality of what happened in the past so you can acquire a more accurate understanding of what’s going on. You may notice things that make you uncomfortable or challenge your ethics. Ask your Higher Self to give you the courage to stand up for your truth and address difficult situations at their core, rather than distance yourself or pretend you don’t see the real problems because they make you uncomfortable. Like the child in the fairy tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” your Higher Self is motivating you to not only see life more deeply, but to also share your perceptions with those around you.

This is the time, for example, to address your unbalanced budget and look for ways to cut corners. It’s also the time to acknowledge your ever-expanding waistline and seek out what’s really eating at you. This is when you need to step away from your emotions and dispassionately study the problems at hand so that you can come to a solution without blame and projection. Ask yourself what the problem is, not who the problem is. Only then can you begin to find real solutions with productive outcomes. Your Higher Self is sharpening your perception and clarifying your view so that you can make important and necessary changes at this time. As Carl Jung once said, “When the diagnosis is correct, the healing begins.” And your Higher Self’s message is: “Look for the truth behind appearances.”

Your Master Teacher is reminding you that nothing is entirely good or bad, even people, and that every person has their own version of reality, which may not necessarily agree with yours. Instead of arguing with or feeling wronged by those who refuse to submit to your point of view, give up your righteous and rigid demands, and broaden your perspective to include the interests of those you struggle with now. Mentally move toward center, and open your mind to look at the situation from their point of view.

Although it’s easy to feel indignant and defensive as you deal with this current impasse, the truth is that no one’s trying to harm you. Instead, your detractors are simply supporting their own interests and priorities, which are different from yours. Rather than reacting emotionally to their resistance, strive to understand them. Be mindful not to be overly self-centered, however justified it may feel. Strive to be fair instead. Your Master Teacher’s message: “Accept that your interests are no more or no less important than those of people around you, so the only way to progress to higher ground is to compromise.”

Gaia, the Divine Earth Mother, is present, making you aware of your marvelous physical body, her great gift to you. Be grateful for her gift; it’s a wondrous temporary home for your spirit. She asks that you give it the respect and attention it deserves and needs, so take care of it with love and attention. Give it adequate rest, a proper diet, and a calm and peaceful environment. Spend time with nature, as the earth is the true mother to your body and will restore it.

The better you care for your body, the more it will serve your spirit. Listen to your body—its gut feelings, its flutters, its impulses—as Gaia speaks to you through it. This is the Earth Mother cradling you, protecting you, and guiding you through each day. She advises you not to live in your head alone and ignore your physical self. Without a strong connection to your body, you’ll be weak and unable to achieve your goals. Gaia’s message: “Pay attention to your body.”