Today is Lion’s Gate Portal celebration day. It is August 8th, a date that has become fashionable in the New Age and astrological worlds to celebrate as offering us a portal to higher consciousness.

I’m going to tell you what I love about this portal celebration, and express a point of concern.

In Numerology, the number “8” is considered auspicious for power, wealth, abundance and prosperity, a time of harvest. The strength of “8” manifestation can be any kind of accomplishment but is most often associated as a good time for financial empowerment or career success. The 8th day of the 8th month is a great day to focus on manifesting intention, ideally adding spiritual desire or goals as well.

August is associated with the astrological sign of Leo, represented by the powerful lion. The sign of Leo is connected to creative expression, performance, loyalty, validation and a desire for joy and pleasure, while excess Leo can show up as the shadow of narcissism, grandiosity, overindulgence and excess. We are in a Venus retrograde period right now, drawing our attention to the highest expression of our Leo-ness, perhaps enjoying renewed relationships with those from the past. This is a time to attend to self-care and our need for play and creativity. Leo has an uncanny ability to feel entitled to more. Some of us need a bit more of that feeling — and some of us could use a little less!

The brightly visible fixed star Sirius is also connected to the Lion's Gate Portal mystique. In Ancient Egypt, the heliacal rising of Sirius—its first visible appearance on the eastern horizon just before sunrise—coincided with the flooding of the Nile River. This event marked a vital time for agricultural prosperity and was also associated with the Goddess Isis.

The qualities of Sirius are Leo-like, although most of us were born with it around 14 degrees of Cancer in the Tropical Zodiac. Is it in an important place in your chart?

Its assigned qualities include pride, ambition, wealth and passion.

The Lion's Gate Portal time (overall from July 28 through August 12) is believed to create a powerful influx of spiritual energy. This alignment is said to enhance the Earth's connection with higher frequencies of light and consciousness. It is believed that the veil between the physical and spiritual realms is thinner, making it an opportune period for spiritual growth.

Many promote this as a time of heightened intuition, creative inspiration, and inner transformation. It is seen as an auspicious time for setting intentions, meditating, and engaging in practices that facilitate personal and spiritual development. Some believe you can hear your Spirit guides more easily during this time, and especially on August 8th. Today!

This is where I have my concern.

It’s lovely to celebrate an energy portal, or any spiritual holiday. Any excuse to meditate or have a ritual is fantastic. But it can draw us into a superficial viewpoint where one day is given priority, possibly leading to an all or nothing perspective, like going to church on Sunday and then being a jerk the rest of the week.

Spiritual consciousness is available to us every day. The practice of consciousness is supported by regular meditation, cosseted by the awareness of infinite Oneness always. We get up and meditate when we feel like it—and when we don’t. We lose the thread—and find it again, and again. The truth of life is that consciousness is a moment to moment practice, not to be saved up for special occasions.

My wish for all of us on this celebrated day, is that we renew our commitment to find Oneness, cosmic connection, and enjoyment every single day. The world we live in tests our resolve, but our ability to connect with spiritual energy and each other is essential.

In the midst of the ordinary we find the place where our hearts long to open.