Happy Birthday, Taurus!

Birthday greetings to our tough but lovable friend, the terrific Taurua!

Ruled by Venus, Taurus are naturally sensual and loving of pleasure.  Taurus people tend to be headstrong and practical, but they love a challenge in any form.  A Taurus may take his or her time to make up their mind -- but when they do, watch out!  Taurus will stay on track no matter what happens!  Taurus tends to be loving and protecting, wanting to give their partner the best of everything.  However, they tend to show their love through providing security and lots of hugs.  They are very physical and love to show affection by touching.  A Taurus can inspire others to be more grounded and earthy, but lots of fun!

With an Taurus by your side, you've got a strong and loyal friend for any adventures!

Happy Birthday, Taurus friends and sweethearts!  We love you!

P. S.  I made some cute birthday images of each zodiac sign... keep checking back all year for more!  I hope that you enjoy these!  They're licensed under "Creative Commons" (non-commercial only) so feel free to share them and use them for personal stuff on Facebook, Myspace, or wherever you like to network with your friends.  Have fun!

This work by ConsultTheSage.Com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Stalked at 17: The Real Story of Chad Bruning's True Colors

Sometimes, abusive personalities form in people who have had less than perfect childhoods.  And of course, they can also be present in people with idyllic and perfect family lives as well.

According to a study which was done in the early 2000s, a child from an abusive home is 30% more likely to repeat the abusive actions that are done either between his or her parents, or to repeat the abuse which is done to him or her.

In "Stalked At 17," the character Chad Bruning came from a very dysfunctional and unstable home life.  His biological mother, a drug addict who had been serving prison time for theft, was so unstable that she was even willing to kidnap Chad's girlfriend and baby in order to placate her son.

But the worst issue of all is Chad himself.  Although he was raised by his mother's boss, welcomed and included into that family, he still felt a sense that something was missing.  As a result, he chose the worst possible reason for bringing a child into the world:  Because he didn't feel loved enough by the people around him.  His craving for love and control prompted him to emotionally and physically abuse and manipulate his girlfriend, Angela, as well as lie to her and conceive a child without her knowledge or consent.

It is important to remember that abuse can happen even in relationships with people as young as Chad and Angela.  Not all abusive relationships are between adults, and not all teen and young-adult relationships are innocent, carefree, and idyllic.   Although this is just a Lifetime movie which can be watched for fun, it is important to remember that even here, there are lessons to be learned about relationships.

In order to do the best for yourself, your mate, and the children that you may decide to have in the future, it is imperative that we all understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.  By educating ourselves and each other about the dangers of manipulative, controlling, or even abusive personalities, we are protecting ourselves from present and future damage.  Stay strong and be smart.  You deserve a healthy, happy relationship and a wonderful future!

P.S.  Do you like the picture?  I drew it from a 10-pixel pencil in Photoshop!  I couldn't find any public domain photos to use, so I made a little fan art.  (If anyone out there draws -- let me know, I'd love to find more for future articles!)

Psychic Symptoms & Signs of a Spiritual Awakening

The psychic effects of a spiritual awakening are as varied as the people who experience them.  However, there are certain spiritual repercussions that are fairly common.  Here's a list of what to look for:

Experiencing a stronger connection to people as well as other life forms.  Perhaps you're more able to read and understand living things in a better way than you did previously.  Animals may sense this newfound connection as well.  Communication with other living things feels easier and more natural.  If animals seem to be responding better to you, try nutruring plants as well.  See if you're able to reach out and make new connections.  We are all inhabitants of the world!  During a spiritual awakening, you may feel this connection more profoundly with people, plants, and animals alike, a new awareness of sense of community and of everything working together from their own places in the universe.  Practice love and compassion in everything that you do.

Disturbances during meditation, prayer, or quiet times.  As you contact your guides, pray to God, or meditate, you may have issues focusing your thoughts or energy.  As you experience more signs and symptoms of a spiritual awakening, you may find that you need less time to meditate or pray to your higher power, as your ability to communicate those thoughts and feelings simply require less time.  Perhaps you simply don't need to allot as much time as before, or you may be communicating and/or centering yourself unconsciously in small ways throughout your waking (or sleeping) day.

A keener sense of awareness of others' presences.  This manifests through an understanding or consciousness of not only the presence of living and natural beings on this plane -- pets, friends, and random folks -- but also through consciousness of supernatural beings.  It may be a stretch, but some who undergo a spiritual transformation may just be becoming aware of spirits or even spectral presences.  There are some folks who are born with this ability, and others who develop it over time.  A spiritual awakening can bring many latent talents to the surface, including hidden abilities or weaker ones which suddenly become stronger.  If this is a frightening phenomenon for you, try meditation, prayer, or even calling upon friendly angels and spirit guides to protect you.  Remember -- most angelic or spiritual presences are either intent on trying to help you, or they are neutral in purpose.  Very, very few of these presences are harmful or mean, however some fear or paranoia is natural.

An increase in psychic or extrasensory abilities.  It is not unusual when someone experiences a spiritual awakening, for the sixth sense to become keener and stronger.  You will notice a heightened sense of awareness.  Perhaps you will experience clairvoyant, psychic, or empathic abilities that have been latent up to this point in your life, beginning to come forth and give you a new sense of perspective.

The discovery of a spirituality or philosophy that works for you.  Perhaps, for the first time in your life, you have found a type of spiritual or philosophical constructs that seem to correspond with just how you're thinking or feeling.  You may possess a deep hunger to learn more about a specific type of religion or belief.  This can help you to put your other issues into perspective, to aid you in growing on your spiritual journey.  The best way to go along with this is to read all you can, talk to other people, and ask questions if you're feeling lost.  Remember that exploration leads to discovery!

More communication with your higher power.  A stronger desire to meditate, to pray, or simply to commune with nature will always manifest itself in a spiritual awakening.  Perhaps you have found a new desire to speak to your guardian angels or spirit guides, and a greater inspiration to try making that connection.

About Energy Healing and Your Aura Type

The aura, which is a metaphysical layer of energy surrounding a body, is thought to have seven layers of energy which affect our physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.  The aura around each person is different, and thought to have various color energiess contained inside it. Aura condition can be determined by its color and thickness. 

There are six basic colors which are associated with the human aura.  Each of these colors occur in everyone, but in most people, only one or two are dominant in each aura.

Shades of red tend to belong to passionate, active individuals with lots of aggression and proactivity.  Remember that having an aggressive personality doesn't necessarily mean something bad -- however, the brighter the shade of red, the more anger or rage one possesses.  Darker reds tend to be quietly aggressive, or use their assertive and passionate tendencies in a more positive and productive way.

Orange hues are all about creativity and ideas, as well as the need to communicate those ideas to others.  People with bright orange auras are often unconventional, and tend to think of creative solutions to problems.  These are the world's innovators.  Orange aura bearers must take care, however, to keep their minds open to more rational and logical ideas as well, as they sometimes take flights of fancy a bit too far.

Those with green auras are said to be ambitious Type-A personalities.  They notice the little details that others often miss, and care about adjusting those little things in order to improve the bigger picture.  On the downside, these people can sometimes get mired in the small details so much that they can miss the bigger picture entirely.

Blue aura bearers are spiritual, introspective, and love peace.  They are also interested in creating a peaceful environment and nurturing conditions for other people.  Brighter blues tend to be more nurturing and considerate of others, but the peace-craving darker blues can also be prone to depression and anxiety.  It's important for these people to find a balance, and also to allow others to take care of them once in awhile too, in order to recharge their batteries and to renew their sense of faith in other people.

Violets and purples are the psychics of the world!  Indigo shades tend to represent wisdom and knowledge, as well as a desire to continue learning and to seek further wisdom.  Deeper purples are also wise, filled with insight and vision.  Vivid purple aura bearers are people who have the ability to impact the world with their love and kindness.  (I'm a dark purple, by the way!)

People say that those with white auras are protected by angels, benevolent spirits, and positive energy.  They are also able to bring out the best or worst in other people, reflecting their energies back at others like a mirror.

Lawyers & Astrology

Aries are competitive, physical, and active. They would make excellent representation for famous people, especially sports agents or attorneys, or awesome courtroom attorneys as well. As a strong sign that thrives on competition, an Aries would be a rough opponent as a litigator in a courtroom.

Taurus tend to be stubborn and set in their ways, but also very good with money. I can easily see a Taurean as a finance lawyer, estate lawyer, or even a business attorney. They could also be good in situations like corporate law, annuity settlement attorneys, or divorce lawyers as they are willing to fight for what's right and can keep a cool head even when they are feeling especially emotional.

Geminis are wonderful at communicating, and they tend to have open minds. They are great talkers, which would make them formidable in the courtroom -- especially as a criminal trial lawyer, when there is a need to convince a jury. I also feel that, as a sign dedicated to fairness and equality, they could be among the best judges of the zodiac as well.

Cancer people are emotional and nurturing. The law would be a draining profession on someone who was so sensitive, so I think they'd be great handling the types of cases where they could do the most good. This sign would be best at family law, as well as any type of litigation that is done in favor of children. Cancers are very affected by home and family well-being, and would like to provide the best possible service for people who need family help as well. They would make good defense lawyers as they pour their hearts out to those in need of help.

Leo loves the spotlight, and thrives in any atmosphere where he or she gets to step up and talk! Because of this, a Leo would do well in any circumstance where the legal case is famous, or involves celebrities and popular causes. Leo would be fantastic arguing in court, or good at giving speeches and convincing a jury, with their flair for the dramatic. It doesn't really matter if they're on the winning or losing side, as long as Leo is getting the recognition!

Virgos are definitely going to be more of the type who wants to sit behind a desk, rather than one who wishes to argue in a roomful of people. Virgos would excel at research, corporate law, and civil suits. They would do well in health-related lawsuits, such as the growing number of mesothelioma law firm attorneys, asbestos lawyers, or automobile accident attorneys. Virgos could also be good at teaching law to those in need of education, as their natural patience and helpfulness can be a boon to law students.

Libras are also naturally open-minded, and are represented by the scales which are a symbol of justice! Libras would be better at judging than arguing a case, though constitutional law or being a civil rights attorney would be right up their alley. Government law of all kinds would be a good focus point for Librans. Libra people like things to be fair and balanced for everyone, and would prefer to make the world a better place.

Scorpios, as everyone knows, are the dark and devious fellows of the zodiac. One would suppose, then, that they'd be excellent criminal lawyers and would be drawn to even more violent crimes, such as in murder trials. But as the sign which rules over sex and death, the Scorpio could make an excellent family lawyer or estate lawyer as well. What's more, the naturally charismatic Scorpio would be especially riveting as a trial attorney to convince the jury and judge of the validity of their client's position.

Sagittarius people are adventurous and freedom-loving. As such, they'd be fantastic arguing in front of a courtroom full of people! If you needed to find a lawyer who was good with groups, this is the one.  Their innate charisma and conviction can help to win people over. Sagittarius people would enjoy fighting for the rights of the overlooked or downtrodden, such as civil rights attorneys.

Capricorn is another sign that is best behind the desk, rather than in the courtroom. Capricorns are good at playing the devil's advocate, and thus can be quite convincing even when arguing for a case that they don't particularly favor.  You can hardly find a lawyer who's more into details than a Capricorn! They would also be adept at financial law, class-action lawsuits, and accident attorneys as well. They could also be good as car accident attorneys, personal injury lawyers, and corporate lawyers.

Aquarius places a high importance on freedom and love for their fellow humans. As a sign that's good at mingling and even managing communities, Aquarians would be the natural choice for class-action lawsuits. Because of their love of technology uniting people together, they could be especially adept at consumer law, and cyber laws as well.  It would be hard to find a lawyer of more humanitarian nature than Aquarius.

Pisces rules over the unknown and foreign, and as such, could be great for navigating crimes which are committed over state or international lines. They could also be especially savvy at helping to create and argue for new laws, or to eliminate laws which are no longer effective.