A Story – Crisis & Chaos then Harmony.
Today is Wednesday, September 9, 2026. A Ray 4 day.
Mercury’s Day today – the Messenger.
Virgo (ruled by Mercury) moon begins at 12:35pm (PT).
It’s Mercury’s day today – Ray 4 day of at the center of conflict & chaos is the seed of harmony needing to be discovered.

And so…a Story –
I am remembering a time when I was teaching in Santa Fe w/ Alan Oken. He taught the morning class. I taught the afternoon class. We both taught different sections of astrology & the Wisdom Teachings.

On the 2nd afternoon of my class as I entered the classroom, 1/4 of the class of students had their desks turned around. Their backs were facing me.

The spokesperson for the desks turned around students told me they didn’t want anyone else to teach them except Alan. They would not accept my teachings. So with their desks turned their desks around with their backs facing me, they were telling me they were not going to accept me as a teacher.

I was both stunned & shocked. I had never encountered this resistance or act of refusal and rejection.
I had been teaching for years both in my own Astrological School in Santa Cruz & in many centers, towns & cities in the US.
I actually didn’t know what to do.

And so…It dawned on me – this is a crisis. This is a Ray 4 moment. There is a seed of harmony here, but what is it & how to diffuse the moment so the harmony can come forth.
This was an example of encountering a major public conflict for the first time & not knowing what to do – again a Ray 4 moment.

So I stood there quietly & looked around, assessing the situation, my heart pounding, attempting to remain non reactive – and pondering upon what to do?
I did not want to react (emotional).
I had to think what the best response (non reactive, thoughtful) would be.

Feeling shocked continued. I did not know how to respond (mental). What was I observing, what to ask, how to continue?
So I began to ask myself what is it I am seeing?
What do the turned around desks signify?

I knew I had to ask….4 Functions of Understanding.
What do the students with the turned around desks feel, think, sense, want? (Note these are four core levels of receiving & offering information – they are 4 functions of human consciousness and psychological experience).

Note the different levels – different ways of asking, listening, offering information.
Senses, Feelings (emotions), Thinking (cognition), Wanting (Desires).

The students whose desks were turned around said they did not want any other teacher than Alan to teach them.
I noticed the students whose desks were not turned around were very uncomfortable – squirming in their seats, embarrassed by the behaviors of their classmates. Some seemed sad.

I paused, remained calm, observing, internally thinking, sensing.
I waited. I walked slowly thru the room in silence.
A long silence tells everyone in the room something is occurring, something’s amiss.
Finally I said…
“I see a fourth of the room has turned away, and we cannot continue until everyone is facing forward. Please turn your chairs around.”
Nothing changed. No one moved.

I knew who the ringleader was – a very angry woman – angry at a lot of things. It was also a power grab on her part.
She was going to be in charge, not the teacher.

I notice this often – in a group (of students or strangers or friends, in gatherings) there is always one who will challenge the teacher or the leader.
They are the unskillful Leo or Aries student – the ones who want to be in charge. acting like dictators.
Their projected anger & power grab need to be diffused.

And so- all the students were watching – what will happen the students wondered, who will win out – & it’s important to know that this is actually a TEACHABLE MOMENT each time for the teacher.

So this was a public power struggle.
I told the desk turning students that I respected that they did not want me to teach them and that I actually did not want & would not be teaching them.
And I asked them to gather their things & leave the room.
And waited for them to comply.
Gradually the room of desk turning students left – & after the desks were turned around, quiet settled in the room.
We had all been through something & before the formal teachings began we needed to talk about this.

So I turned to the remaining students who did not turn their desks around & asked them how the situation was for them.
I asked them what did you feel, think, sense & what did they want to do next? (4 levels, questions, etc.).
I
asked them also to share why were they in this class to begin with in order to bring about a sense of purpose & focus.
I listened to all their responses & gradually the classroom settled into a state of acceptance that something important had occurred, and that a state of crisis had been met.
Gradually harmony was restored. And teachings proceeded.

The Astrology Today.
Moon Chiron, Pluto, Neptune & Uranus.
Moon at the outer edges of our solar system with the big guys today – wounds felt, healing called forth, transformations, refinement, spiritual world & sudden revelations.
All in our day today! love, Risa