Last week's tragedy in Paris happened in the wake of a powerful Full Moon in Cancer that formed a T-Square with transformational planets Uranus and Pluto.

Now I believe the intensity level will subside for awhile, at least until around the New Moon in Aquarius on January 20- followed by Mercury Retrograde on January 21.

But then in March when Uranus exactly squares Pluto again- for the last time after 6 previous exact squares- a powerhouse of planetary aspects will begin.

The world as we know it is in the process of monumental transformation into a New Age of Aquarius.

So much needs to shift so we may eventually live in a world of more equality and fairness, one where Diversity within Unity is the standard of the world.  Love and Truth, the pillars that hold up the Universe, will need to be the pillars that hold up our human culture on Earth too.

Abusive power; greed; cover-ups and lies; corruption; and violence will need to be cleansed from our human consciousness in order for the New Age to be birthed and to flourish.

Right now there is a growing conflict between the values and traditions of the Western World and a rising tide of Fundamentalist Islam.

The western values of freedom and freedom of speech have been violently challenged this past week in Paris.

I as a western living American place a very high value on freedom and freedom of speech.  And I also believe the killing of those cartoonists and others of Charlie Hebdo is horribly wrong and there is no excuse for it.

But I also believe that with freedom comes responsibility and sensitivity toward others' sacred beliefs.

As a spiritual person, I am not fan of most organized religion of any brand; but at the same time I respect that others do have strong religious beliefs.  In a world of Diversity within Unity it is imperative that we respect others' ways of life as long as the Golden Rule is used.

That means that as long as someone else's beliefs or way of life does not directly hurt anyone else it is OK.

Is it being responsible and sensitive to demean and humiliate a God some cherish and love?  Did you see the cartoons that Charlie Hebdo made of Mohammed?  They humiliated him and also showed no sensitivity to the fact that Muslims believe that Mohammed's image should not be shown or drawn, etc.

I also believe that humor needs to be free to be irreverent, to poke fun, to show the Emperor with no clothes. Being spiritually or politically correct holds back the truth that humor gives us.

But those cartoons of Mohammed were filled with hate and sought to humiliate.  Mean spiritedness is not the same as pointed sarcasm.

I know many of you are thinking "yea but who is to draw the line and how does one draw the line?"

If it is about what another culture finds sacred,  as sacred as Islam finds Mohammed, then we should respect that.

Are Christians OK with Jesus being shown as depraved or perverted and him being humiliated?

Well perhaps here in America where freedom of speech is also a sacred value, perhaps one can get away with it?   But if the other culture does not have that same cherishing of freedom of speech, is it not responsible and sensitive of us to put limits on our expression, especially if those expressions are filled with venom?

Again let me reiterate there that there is no excuse for the killings. Those people did not deserve to die for those cartoons.

But if we are going to build a New World, one where we respect the differences in a world of Diversity within Unity; then all people will need to respect the cherished values of other cultures.

To get to that New World, all cultures and peoples will need to leave behind the idea that their way of living is superior and that all others should believe and live the same way!

So now you can see the work to be done, and there may be more and more ugly situations that erupt until we start waking up to what is needed.

If you start hating Muslims and their way of life and judging them, it will be no different than the judging of blacks or gays or hispanics, or transgenders, etc.

Please do not buy into what is developing, now in both Conservative and Liberal cultures (see Bill Maher).   If we from all sides further demonize Muslim culture we are contributing to what is brewing so strongly now:  world war.

So this coming week brings us a 4th quarter Moon in Libra Tuesday the 13th.  After that the waning moon brings more downward movement to our consciousness.  Low key is the watch phrase, and as Mars goes into Pisces on Monday January 12, that reality gets stronger.

Mars will stay in Pisces until February 19, so forceful and straight-forward activity turns to a more circuitous process. Mars in Pisces brings yang Mars into yin Pisces.

It is time to let the flow of life, as it unfolds, determine what you will do. Overly aggressive movements may find much frustration in fulfilling an agenda or reaching a goal now.

The 14th/15th may add to that theme as Mars squares stop sign Saturn.  Be patient and all will turn out better.

All in all this is a good week ahead to process one's thoughts and feelings, to heal, to work things out.  But it is not a great time to rush forward, to take on big projects, to have important new beginnings. Be careful not to let yourself get too negative or depressed.

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