Astro Tips for January 2014

Astro Tips

January 2014

January 1, 2014

New Moon 10 degrees Capricorn

The January New Moon actually falls on New Year’s Day.  How odd is that?  When I look at the horoscope for this New Moon, I just want to frown.  There is one hard aspect after another in this chart.  I hope we know how to get out of a pressure cooker because that is what it looks like. Pressure has been building up ever since Mars stepped into the sign of Libra and that Mars in Libra is activating the Uranus/Pluto big show.

We are rattled, fatigued and overwhelmed by energy that feels relentless with its demands.

The cycle of Uranus and Pluto started in the mid 1960’s when the planets made a conjunction in the sign of Virgo.  This conjunction initiated a social revolution on our planet.  In 2012 Uranus and Pluto reached the first Square Aspect of this cycle.  You might say they reached the first serious challenge of all that occurred in the mid 60’s.  There will be two more serious challenge times before the cycle is complete and a new conjunction of Uranus and Pluto forms. Their current square connection has many exact aspects between 2012 and 2015.  Our puny minds can’t totally grasp what this revolution is about because it is really beyond our comprehension and most of us will not live to see how it actually unfolds.  The next major crisis in the Uranus/Pluto exchange won’t occur for almost fifty more years.  Most of the time we are just in reactive mode to this event.  Other times we speculate on what it all means.  One example of the current revolutionary changes would have to be gay rights.  There has been a profound change in how the majority of people think about gayness.  Even the Pope!!  Maybe these current times represent a small step toward becoming citizens of a Universe (not just citizens of a city, state, country, planet).   But each of us is in our own revolution.  Maybe it’s in our psyches, in our bodies, in our relationships with family, or in our careers. We are all Mr. and Ms Uranus and Mr. and Ms Pluto.  We are all control freaks. We are all “out of control” freaks. We are trying to shift away from old ways of thinking. We are trying to ascend into different vibrations.  Meanwhile, we are rattled, fatigued and overwhelmed by energy that feels relentless.

Have you noticed any change in your sense of time, or is it just that I’m getting older and time flies by?  It seems there is not enough time to do everything.  Life keeps rushing along.  Life keeps asking me to make adjustments. Nothing stays in place.  Everything seems messy.  Mad drivers fill the freeways.  Friends are irritable.  I’m behind in everything and frustrated beyond belief.

Uranus (planet of shock, trauma, upheaval, revolution) and Pluto (planet of control, elimination and transformation) are not necessarily causing anything to happen.  However, their cycle should be understood this way:  As Above, So Below.

Metaphorically, these two planets might be viewed as archetypal deities.  They are waging a battle and we are experiencing their battle on earth.  Does that sound crazy?  Uranus is the sky god.  Sky god rules things like wind and thought and lightening bolts and striving for perfection.  Pluto is the underworld deity where riches are found.  Think diamonds and gold. Who controls the underworld controls life, or so it seems.  Pluto doesn’t want to give up control of all those pretty things.  Think stock market.  The movie, “Wolf of Wall Street”, has a strong Plutonian theme:  being seduced by wealth and the sense of being invincible.  The rich Wall Street players seem to get away with living a life out of the days of the Roman emperor Nero.  It’s just in their nature to use other people and to try to grab more than they really need.  They prove their power through having too much and living without scruples. This is how they experience themselves. Uranus is the planet that brings surprise and awakening to this operation.  Uranus driving the car off the road or brings a tornado to the neighbor.  Or the FBI tracks them down.  

We all have some little part of Pluto telling us we must be in control . . . my will, my will, MY WILL.    We all have some little part of Uranus, the rebellious impatient awakener ready to bring the fire of innovation to all.  Furthermore, as a community on planet earth, maybe we have gone too far in our hubris. We have robbed the underworld of its treasures.  We have used more than we needed.  Now Uranus and Pluto play out in the heavens and we watch on earth as the environment suffers, animals suffer, people suffer and many people make fools of themselves.  Some people turn to religious fervor to justify antiquated behaviors and beliefs. Judgmental religious/spiritual arrogance can only lead us further from the center of the Universe.  

Back to January and the New Moon:  Imagine that all the planets are living parts of your inner being.

Those of us who lived through the 60’s really believed the revolution was a done deal and we were on the way to a more compassionate world.  The chart for the New Moon on January 1^st tells us we still have a long way to go.  The Sun, Moon, Mercury and Pluto (all in Capricorn) are all sitting on a stone bench (it’s stone because this is the sign of Capricorn, solid earth).  They are bunched together and they don’t like it.  The happy, warm, vital Sun and the emotional Moon must hold hands with the underworld (Pluto) where confronting secrets and truth must happen before we get the gold.  In addition, Pluto is holding hands with Mercury (Hermes), the messenger. We are sure to get some powerful news on January 1.  Maybe we could start right now and practice how to talk to each other without damage.  Mercury and Pluto together is a sign of truth telling.  Pluto gives intensity to our words and also to the Sun’s ego identity expression.  Venus retrograde is sitting off on the corner of the bench (8 degrees away from Mercury). Maybe Venus is trying to stay balanced while the rest of the crew is arguing.  It’s possible that the Moon in Capricorn will just shut down and wait for the Sun to come up tomorrow.

Planet Jupiter, the deity of excess and bravado, is opposing all five of these entities  from across the playing field in the sign of Cancer.  Maybe a Cancerian Jupiter is a little toned down, but still the Sun, Moon, Pluto, Mercury and Venus are all extremely big and in your face due to Jupiter’s presence.  If planets Mars and Uranus were not involved, we could almost say it’s just an optimistic kind of big day.  Alas, Mars in Libra and Uranus and Aries are in the big grand square pressure cooker.  Imagine a big square, now it becomes a shouting match in a boxing ring.

Venus in Capricorn is retrograde so maybe we are longing for the good ole days.  Maybe we call up some old friends to help ease the pressure.  Maybe we hear from an old lover.   Mars in Libra is full of the fighting spirit, particularly in the relationship arena.  Uranus in Aries brings surprises and possibly shock. In fact, Mars connecting with Uranus and all these other planets could mean some surprise announcement in partnerships.  The rest of the cast of players in Capricorn wants life to be settled and dependable, but the interaction with Mars, Uranus and Jupiter forces the staid Capricorn energy to squirm and wiggle.  Trying to find a comfortable thing to say or a warm & fuzzy place to relax could be hard. I see the New Moon in Capricorn as a time of frozen emotions. The Moon is overwhelmed by all the excitement, agitation and aggression.

If you are into New Year’s resolutions, do a ceremony and seal it with your word!

These planets are all in the cardinal/moveable signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn. Remember, the moveable signs literally move us along through the seasons.  They get stuff going.  New Year’s Day is a great one to get stuff going.  If we commit to a plan, we will probably carry through.  If you are into New Year’s resolutions, do a ceremony and seal it with your word!

What’s it good for?

Here are a few possible remedies that hopefully will keep the day from becoming a boxing match. This new moon energy might be great for a rock concert, any kind of musical performance, theater, creative undertakings, journaling, hiking in nature where weather permits, intuitive readings for the coming year, and finally, deep explorations of our belief systems and our current life situations. 

Saturn trines Jupiter:  We have hope no matter what!

At least Saturn, our good planet of structure and planning, is making a wonderful connection (trine) with Jupiter.  All is not lost.  We have hope in this New Year no matter what.  We can get serious and thoughtful about our plans and purposes. 

Neptune is a dim light on this New Year’s Day

On the bigger collective/social stage, one might expect explosive news from anywhere on the planet.  Political players will be caught in their shenanigans or they will take up air space trying spread their version of truth.  Poor planet Neptune is hardly visible in the planetary arrangement.  Neptune, ruler of the victim, will be victimized by harsh words about the new health care agenda.  Neptune rules compassion also, but compassion is a dim light on this New Year’s Day stage.  Maybe we can light a bunch of candles and try to up the level of caring.  Speak out for justice (Mars in Libra). Refuse to be seduced by the promises of the corporate rulers (Pluto in Capricorn). Recognize your own genius (Uranus in individual Aries) and make plans to be a pioneer in your special area of expertise.  Dream up ways to help others.  With Jupiter in Cancer we can feel the need of all sentient beings.  Instead of using the Jupiter energy to brag and boast, we can extend to others with enthusiasm and nurturance.

Have a board meeting with your inner self

All those planets in Capricorn have a message: be realistic, be pragmatic, and fight all illusion. Have a board meeting with your inner self.  What do you want to happen this year?  How do you want to live your life? Can you give up being a victim?  Can you change how you think about your life?  Can you align your beliefs with the present hour? How will you thrive and be prosperous and yet not be seduced by wealth?  How can you be a good steward of planet earth? What are your bottom line values?  Where is your community? Are your relationships supporting your wholeness?

We are being cooked for some purpose but it feels like we are still raw.

The Big Square in the heavens is a pressure cooker.  We are being cooked for some purpose and it feels raw and scary.  Life goes on.  We will meet the challenge.  Perhaps a mantra like, “I eat change and transformation for breakfast” will help us stay in the flow of fast moving energy. Meanwhile, tuning in to dimensions beyond this earthly plane can save your body and soul.  Remember Neptune is the silent player on the stage all month. These days are about “what you see is what you get” and it’s hard to escape the busy, harsh reality.  Seek out Neptune, the silent player.  Take time to remember other times of sweet connection with planet earth and with higher dimensions. Remember special, profound, happy experiences.  Connect with the heavens and the stars and the moon, and with the angels and all the spiritual beings that dart in and through our existence to help us.  There is plenty to look forward to in 2014.  We look forward to more fun, more learning, more happiness, deeper connections with others, better health and new ways of expressing ourselves.  Keep a light heart and continue to watch the show.  Keep an open heart and it will fill with new sources of awakening and love.  And remember, the wise ones tell us we signed up be here NOW.  Welcome to 2014.

Astro Tip, December 25, 2013

On Christmas Day the Moon is sitting in the sign of Libra.  You would think this would give us a light and harmonious tone for the day.  Libra is about relationships, balance and fairness.  We want to meet and greet family and friends. Alas, I am sorry to report that Christmas Day is anything but light.  Our Libra Moon is attached to planet Mars.  Moon and Mars don’t “sing too good” together.  Moon is emotional and needy and Mars is aggressive.  The end result is angry or hurt feelings, tears and frustration.  This duet also opposes Uranus and squares Pluto, the Sun and Mercury.   Control freak Pluto wants to be the commander of everything.  Out-of-control-freak Uranus will throw a few curve balls. How to make good eggnog of this planetary arrangement?  It’s great for theater. Imagine the whole day is a play and you are an actor or actress on the Yule time stage.  Play your part and just imagine others are playing their parts. No reason to take it too seriously. 

However, when it comes to family energy,  we might expect some airing of pent up “stuff” or maybe some bad juju needs to be talked about.  No family to perform with?  Visit the big screen and connect with cinematic theater.  Might be a safe way to experience this Christmas Day, a day of power and potential transformation.  We may have some big inner change or receive surprising news. We may stand up and shout, “I’m not going to take this anymore.”

In the midst of stress, we can still aim for love and harmony, and do our best to make it happen.  May the Force be with us!! Merry Christmas.

December 23, 2013

Monday, December 23, 2013.  Mercury changes signs today.  It leaves Sagittarius today to spend about three weeks in Capricorn, sign of seriousness and practicality.  The Moon continues its visit in Virgo.  Both Virgo and Capricorn are Earth signs.  We can be grounded today and focused on the task in front us.  Don’t worry about Christmas Eve. It hasn’t happened yet!  Do what you can to get ready for tomorrow but stay connected to now and enjoy today.  Remember Venus is in Capricorn as well.  We get a big ball of earthiness all day, along with thoughts about what is really valuable to us.  Capricorn values tradition and items of quality  (just a hint for last minute holidays gift purchases).  Slow down and be like a turtle, moving with purpose, calmness and ease on planet Earth.

Astro Tip December 22, 2013

Today is Sunday, December 22 and the Moon steps into Virgo this afternoon. From 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM the Moon is “void-of-course” and that means an empty time and a slow start to the day.  Sometimes it’s a challenge to get new things jump-started when the Moon is “void of course.” This empty moon time occurs when the moon is not making any aspects to other planets. It stands alone. Nothing is giving the moon energy. Don’t get frustrated.   This time of year there is so much to do and Virgo Moon will help you to quick and efficient if you just relax until the Moon is comfortable in Virgo and gets some juice from planet Mercury around 3:30.  Tonight the Moon connects with planet Neptune. This is a great time for the spiritual part of the holiday. Go hear some uplifting, heart-moving music!

Another tip about Venus retrograde in Capricorn:  connect with people from the deep past.  Also, you might hear from someone you never dreamed would get in touch with you after all these years.

Today is December 21, 2013—the event is Winter Solstice.  The shortest day of the year with its extra moments of darkness guides us into stillness and darkness. Is such a thing possible in our modern world?  Our European ancestors honored this day with pilgrimages to holy sites.  They waited for the Sun to come up and give them the promise of new life.  We are busy with shopping, driving around in traffic, and with preparations for holiday festivities.  Can we take a few moments to feel the stillness? Can we pause and acknowledge our place in the Universe?  Maybe all it takes is lighting a candle. Maybe we sit in our car and feel patience and compassion for all the people rushing around. This time of year we are more connected with the center of our Galaxy.  Take pause and connect with being a conscious spark of Universal Intelligence. 

Meanwhile, back on Earth Plane!  Today the planet Venus moves into its retrograde phase until the last day of January.  Venus’s retrograde phase begins at 29 degrees of Capricorn.  Venus in the sign of Capricorn is not so warm and fuzzy.  It is material and matter of fact and values love that is durable and secure.  These next 6 weeks are perfect for reassessing what and whom we value.  We will look at life with more practical eyes.  Our attention wanders to budgets, long-range finances and practical purchases.  This is a good time to do the research on substantial, big purchases (like homes and cars).  It is not considered a great time to make a big purchase unless that operation is already planned and in motion. Since Venus rules relationships, some people will experience the deepening of a relationship.  Capricorn is known for durability, so some relationships may move into commitment by the end of this Venus retrograde transit.  Other relationships may end during this time.  The commitment may come undone. Venus in Capricorn brings up the practicalities of a union.  For example, does the relationship support my ambitions and goals? Is it working financially?  Is the relationship warm and affectionate or is it chilly and distant?

This day continues with the Moon visiting the sign of Leo.  Enjoy the fun but take a moment to light your candle and feel the stillness.  Let go of the past and prepare for a new day when the Sun comes up tomorrow.  With the Venus energy, try to remember that it takes time to build a loving relationship.

Astro Tips for December 20, 2013

Today is December 20^th and the Moon has rolled into the sign of Leo.  Leo is an energetic fire sign and today that Moon is making supportive aspects to Mars and Uranus.  Maybe we will get some stuff done today or we will enjoy some good heart felt connection with others throughout the day and evening.  In spite of wanting to be on stage in a spotlight, the Leo character is full of love and loyalty.  Let your heart vibes flow out today—even in the grocery store or at the mall.  Put on your happy, happy and smile.  Staying centered during the holiday season is challenging, especially with our mythological deities fighting all the time (Uranus & Pluto).  Use the upbeat Leo energy to help all of us keep a sense of humor in the midst of a heavy planetary feeling of being weighted down by the ball and chain.

One more tip:  If you are a Libra or you are associated closely with a Libra, please be advised that planet Mars is currently visiting this sign.  Libra’s goal is to be easy going and diplomatic. Today is one of those days for Libra. Tomorrow, however, Libra may erupt with a battle cry.  Mars is desire and the fighting spirit.  Special message for Mr. and Ms Libra:  Mars is squaring off with Pluto (i.e., control freak) and screaming across the room at Uranus (out-of-control freak).  These are unsightly, uncivilized energies for a gentle soul like you! Don’t hide from your dark side. Ask for what you want before you explode.

July 2013: Star Stuff To Know About

STUFF TO KNOW - JULY 2013

Mercury is retrograde in Cancer from June 26 to July 20

Mercury, messenger of the Gods, goes swimming with the crabs.  What happens to you during Mercury retrograde weeks?  Me?  I say c-r-a-p more than I normally do. Just now when I opened WORD to do this document a blank page appeared that I had never seen before. The margins were wrong (1.5 inches on left & right). The font was 16 and in blue.  Then I remembered that you can open an existing document, click on new document, and it will style itself after the opened doc.  It seems that when Mercury is retrograde electronic imps jump into equipment and have a cocktail party

Mercury in Cancer, messenger of the Goddess

With the messenger in the sign of Cancer (mother, nurturance, food, home, family), we might expect to hear from relatives long forgotten.  We might take on some home projects that have been on our minds for quite a while.  Yesterday I did a closet cleanup.  What a great feeling to get some home project checked off the list.  On the more serious side, Mercury in the sign of Cancer suggests attention to the mother and to women in general.  In Texas, we have the women’s reproductive rights on center stage in Austin.  The Republicans did not manage to get their law passed regarding abortion clinic regulations last week.  Wendy Davis did a filibuster and thousands of protestors demonstrated in the Capitol.  The Governor immediately announced there would be a special session so the Republicans could pass their bill.  The abortion issue would fall under more than one archetypal heading, but for sure it falls under the sign of Cancer, ruler of the moon, of a woman’s menstrual cycle, of pregnancy and the Great Mother (the archetypal symbol of what it means to be a woman).  What is interesting is how the Legislature can proclaim they know what the Great Mother wants.  A woman lawmaker brought this bill to the legislature and that would require a complicated analysis of the feminine aligning with the patriarchy.  Most of the Republican lawmakers are men. Men have no vaginas or uteruses and cannot get pregnant, but these particular men feel compelled to ordain what women should do with their bodies and their reproductive lives. These same individuals believe in liberty; believe the government should not interfere with their precious freedoms.  At the same time, they irrationally believe it is okay to deny women their freedom.  The bill will probably pass since the Republicans are the majority in the Texas House.  However, Mercury, messenger of the Goddess, is retrograde!!  The bill will eventually be revised, discarded or found unconstitutional in some way.  It is being birthed in dirty water and will not survive.  Mercury retrograde brings the abortion issue back to the table and back to the community for consideration.  In Ohio and North Carolina restrictive anti-abortion laws were inserted into the budget and passed without discussion in the past few days.  Basically it was an ambush.  Did I mention that Mercury is also a trickster?  With Mercury retrograde in Cancer I am asking what this says about the Republican Party’s relationship with the feminine principle. No one is forced to have an abortion so what interest do they have, exactly?

The Moon rules Cancer.  

Mercury retrograde in Cancer takes us back to many female issues. On the personal level it could mean a return to the issue of motherhood. Some couples might be trying to decide whether or not to have a child.  It could mean a return to a fertility doctor to try one more time to get pregnant.   And, as already stated, there is a return to the odd belief that a small group of individuals can dictate what women do with their sexuality and reproductive potentialities. 

Jupiter entered the sign of Cancer on June 25 for a one-year visit

It takes Jupiter one year to travel 30 degrees through a sign (and it takes 12 years for Jupiter to go through the entire zodiac).  In 2012 to June 2013, Jupiter visited Gemini, a ruler of information, learning and teaching.  There was plenty of data to go through.  There was lots of chatter and debate.  Now, in the sign of Cancer, Jupiter amplifies the feeling nature.  Cancer is a water sign, one of the emotional signs of the zodiac.  Jupiter makes whatever it touches BIGGER.  Old worn out water pipes might break.  There could be flooding, literally and figuratively.   Feelings will be bigger.  We will be asked to process a lot of emotional information and we are asked to maintain emotional balance.  Jupiter is excess so we can get out of control emotionally, we can get out of control with all things Cancerian (see information on Mercury retrograde in Cancer—mothering, food, comfort, needing to be babied).  Here are some other possibilities to think about: 

·      Being too much of a mother!  Practice the balance of nurturing with proper boundaries.   Avoid suffocating other people.

·      Too much focus on food and drink and emotional eating. Solution: focus on nutrition and appropriate diet and exercise.  Avoid the sofa!

·      Stomach upsets and problems.  Solution:  talk about your troubles or journal about your upsets. Find creative outlets for pent up emotions.

·      Being a CRAB.  The totem for Cancer is the crab, the critter that sidles away when it feels threatened.  It crawls into its shell and stays there. Or maybe that crab grabs on with its pincher and doesn’t let go.  Ouch! Anytime the sign of Cancer is in the spotlight, we need to practice expressing what we feel rather than repressing what we don’t want others to see or hear. Learning how to express without using the pincher is the trick!!  You know what I’m talking about, Cancer folks. You can complain and complain and get crochety.

Rather than let Jupiter in Cancer make our crotchety tendency bigger, let’s pay attention to our emotional climate and balance.

Jupiter in Cancer:  Trust Your Belly!

We have a year to experience the abundant gifts of Jupiter in Cancer.  For many people this is a wonderful year to be a parent.  For some it’s the perfect year to get pregnant.  It’s a great time to deepen our family connections.  The Moon rules Cancer. We want to have a happy home.  Jupiter in Cancer can help us align with our feminine aspects and with our psyches.  The crab lives in the sea. We have a year to embrace the ocean and to support the protection of our seas.  Cancer and the Moon rule the breasts and the stomach.  Become more mindful about what you eat, both literally with food and figuratively with energy.  What energy are you eating?  What gives you a bellyache?  What is your abdominal area telling you?  If you have an eating disorder, now is the time to address it because Jupiter in Cancer may make it bigger.  Get help if you have an eating disorder or get out of control with food or alcohol. If a person or situation in your life is giving you a bellyache, then some correction is necessary.

Last year, with Jupiter in Gemini, we had more Mercury associated disorders.  Mercury rules Gemini, so people had to watch their anxiety level. They had to be careful not to get so over-amped by media, the news and excess data. This year the focus is more on the physical body and emotional body rather than the mental/ neurological body.

Saturn leaves retrograde phase, resumes direct movement at 5 degree of Scorpio on July 8^th.

We are swimming in a Grand Trine

After 20 weeks in a retrograde phase, Saturn picks up speed and goes direct.  We are invited to take action.  What plans have you been making?  It’s time to get stuff done.  Saturn in Scorpio; Sun, Mercury & Jupiter in Cancer; and Neptune in Pisces form a big triangle in the water element.  We can float in the whirlpool or we can take advantage of the positive current and swim.  It is times like this I wish I still kept an everyday journal.  How cool it would be to go back to mid February and see what I was thinking about.  What kinds of goals or plans were in my mind?  With Saturn transiting Scorpio, the goals are both internal and external.  Perhaps we have a project that now can move ahead, but we also have internal issues that are demanding attention. If you prefer to stay on the surface of things, then Saturn in Scorpio might be a confusing and perplexing time, because Scorpio is deep.

Saturn is the teacher in the sky. Remember that long ago people could not see anything beyond Saturn.  So Saturn represented the boundary of our solar system. Boundaries are practical.  If you get too close to me, I might not be able to breathe.  You will rob my oxygen!  Saturn is the planet that rocks our world when we forget to be practical and pay attention to reality.

Saturn in Scorpio puts the practical emphasis on relational dynamics.  Scorpio is the 8^th house of the zodiac. That 8^th house represents the results of partnering.  These results include intimacy and sexuality, money, shared resources, inheritance and taxes.  It also includes the inevitability of change and death.  So much of our behavior is unconscious.  Scorpio is the detective that shines a light into the unconscious.  While Saturn is traveling through Scorpio we are learning about intimacy and sharing.  How close do we want to be? What boundaries do we need to establish?  Is the communication open?  Is it veiled in unconscious innuendos? How far do we want to go with the partner?  And what about money? How much to share?  Is the relational dynamic working?  If a person is not in a relationship, these issues are still very important.  If a solo person wants a union and doesn’t have one, then Saturn in Scorpio may make that person feel extremely lonely.  A person suffering from Scorpio loneliness will hopefully reach out to family and friends for companionship. Also, Saturn in Scorpio is a period of time in which to probe into one’s unconscious for information and guidance. Like Persephone and Inanna, we can travel into the dank deep underworld to visit the realm of death and rebirth.

Saturn entered Scorpio in October 2012 and will not complete its work there until December 2014 (and then a brief re-visit to Scorpio from June to September in 2015.)  While Saturn visits this sign, we can dive deep and dig deep.  We can find some answers to our life long issues and bring reality into the light. 

A Grand Trine in water gives us a chance to swim into new territories.

In July we have the help of that big triangle formation in the element of water:  Saturn in Scorpio, Neptune in Pisces, the Sun, Mercury and Jupiter in Cancer.  A Grand Trine is about flow and relationship.  That means relationship between people, between people and animals, or between life events.  It’s about synchronicity and meaning. We can admire the Grand Trine, we can float in its emotional pulse, we can dive into it, and we can use its energy to swim into new territories.

Full Moon is in Capricorn on June 23.  What is a super moon?

 You’ve seen it on Facebook and the news. This full moon in Capricorn on June 23rd is a super moon.  That means the Moon will be closer to earth than it normally is.  The moon’s proximity to Earth will give us the biggest and brightest full moon of the year.  We can enjoy the beauty and we can soak up the energy of the full moon.  Hopefully it will give us insight into our hearts and minds.

Moon and Pluto are conjunct in Capricorn.  Sun and Jupiter are conjunct in Cancer. 

The Moon is sharing the stage with Pluto.  When these two energies join together we tend to get some intense emotions.  Pluto is about death and transformation so maybe some of us will have some cathartic moments during the two and one half days that the Moon transits the sign of Capricorn.  The Moon/Pluto duo opposes the Sun and Jupiter. Interesting!  Sun and Jupiter get together and create big ego. Moon and Pluto get together and throw a hissy fit.  Fortunately this strong opposition is contained in a Grand Trine (in the water element) between the Sun and Jupiter in Caner, Neptune in Pisces and Saturn in Scorpio.  The easy flow of these planets in water should help tone down the ego and the intensity of old emotional patterns trying to transform.  The whole shebang forms what we call a “kite” formation.  If we can get that kite air born, we feel lighter and more optimistic.

The energy polarity of Cancer and Capricorn:  Mom and Dad

The Sun entered Cancer on Friday, June 21, at the summer solstice.  We have moved into a new season.  Where do we want to put our energy this summer? The sign of Cancer is associated with the home and with security.  What do you need in order to feel more secure?  The opposite sign, Capricorn, is about achievement and accomplishment.  These signs seem very different, but they are actually the parental polarity in the zodiac.  The Moon, the emotional barometer, rules Cancer.  The Moon is the mother so Cancer is associated with the caregiver and with nurturance and creative activity.  Saturn, the taskmaster who tells us what to do and where our shortcomings are, rules Capricorn.  Capricorn is the father.  Capricorn is associated with practicality, accomplishment, achievement, and with climbing the totem poll in the patriarchy. Both signs have elements of insecurity.  We must feel secure in ourselves before we can be creative and achieve something.  We all have gifts and talents to share with others.  While the Sun is in Cancer we should strive to feel more emotionally secure about our gifts.  When the Moon reaches its fullness in the opposite sign of Capricorn, we can envision how to share our talents.   Another way to think about the Cancer/Capricorn polarity is this:  Capricorn builds a container to hold the creative, nurturing energy of Cancer.  In its purest form, the full moon in Capricorn encourages us to build something out of our unique gifts because it is just the right thing to do!

Meditation from The Essene Book of Days 2013

The following Meditational words are from The Essene Book of Days 2013 by Danaan Parry.  It’s a fitting meditation for the summer solstice and this full moon in Capricorn:

“With the electric limits of my aura,

My personal energy field,

I tap the power

Of the earth in summer.

The earth current flows in me

And strengthens my body

For the work that only I can do

As a channel for the Light.

I feel it shine in me.”

New Moon in mercurial Gemini

There are two ways to think about Gemini.  The first is fundamental:  Mercury rules Gemini.  Therefore, Gemini is associated with the mind, learning, communication, trade and travel.  Geminis are known to gather information and to chatter.  Gemini can be a teacher and Gemini can be a truck driver using a CB radio. Because of the connection with rapid moving Mercury, Geminis are easily distracted and find it hard to focus on one thing for an extended period of time.  They need diversity and they need to be on the go.  Gemini is mutable, changeable energy.

The new moon in Gemini on June 8^th sits close to transiting Jupiter in Gemini.  We will probably get together with friends or family, plan a trip or take a trip, have big conversations with someone, study something new or lay the groundwork for some heady project.  How we communicate right now is covered by where Gemini’s ruler, Mercury, is located.  Mercury (along with Venus) has moved on into the sign of Cancer, a water sign.  Our communication will be more emotional than analytical.  This new moon energy is good for communicating with family, partners, and loved ones. We can clear out relationship problems if we keep ourselves connected with our hearts as well as our heads.

Gemini, the Sign of the Twins

The second way of looking at the sign of Gemini is through mythology.  The twins,
Castor and Pollux go back to the Greek/Roman times.  Zeus seduced a mortal woman named Leda, who conceived twins.  Perhaps one offspring was the product of Zeus, the other the product of Leda’s mortal husband.  The twins were born from two eggs. One was destined to live among the gods; one would live among the dead.  In the end Castor is killed and Pollux, the divine one, finds too much suffering in being separated from his twin brother.  He asks to share his immortality with Castor.  They become united as the Gemini constellation.  In antiquity, this constellation was important to travelers and especially to sailors. Gemini, an air sign, is thus associated with the hope for favorable winds and safe journeys.

Think of Gemini as a black and white photograph.

The Gemini twins have one foot in this world and one foot in the other world--the world of the dead.  When we contemplate Gemini, we need to think about light and shadow.  It is easy to assume that we are all light and airy but in fact we all have our shadow that lives in the other world.  It takes little to trip the switch that opens the hatch to the shadow realm—to the dark side.  Perhaps Gemini is the best astrological example of Carl Jung’s theory of “complex” (unconscious material around a particular life theme or difficulty).  While the Sun is visiting the sign of Gemini, we can let the Sun shine on our shadow (our unconscious complexes).  There is nothing wrong with having a shadow but the shadow becomes menacing when we fail to become conscious of it and when we neglect it.  With big planet Jupiter finishing up its one-year visit in Gemini (Jupiter enters the sign of Cancer on June 25^th), we have time to look at our shadow.  There is still time to study it, talk about it and heal it.  I think of Gemini as a black and white photograph.  Without the dark shadows the light would not stand out.  Without the dark shadows, there would be no depth or mystery to the image.

Twin Flames, another Gemini theme

The theme of twins is huge.  It would be hard to exhaust the subject.  Think about the profound connections documented between identical twins that often report knowing what the other is thinking and feeling even when separated by geography.  In recent times we have the subject of twin flames or twin souls.  Many people want to be reunited with their other half.  There is a longing to connect with a missing part of our self.  Perhaps we are hoping that finding our twin flame will ensure our soul’s immortality, just as Castor and Pollex are united in the heavens.  Is that twin flame another person or is it a sacred marriage of wholeness in the self?

The impact of water on Gemini

Gemini days are deeper this time around due to a grand trine in the water element: Mercury & Venus in Cancer connecting with other water energy…Neptune and Chiron in Pisces and Saturn in Scorpio.  I can’t help it that I dove deeply into the meaning of Gemini.  That’s what water energy is for.  We can feel the touching love of the Gemini twins because of the water surrounding them!  And how difficult it must be to BE a Gemini!  A Gemini individual must be looking for his or her twin, looking for someone who will totally understand and bring completion to who he or she is, and looking for that one soul who will never abandon the union.

As we go through these Gemini days that last until June 21^st, when the Sun enters Cancer, there will be less emphasis on the chatterbox Gemini and more attention to deeper knowledge gained through traveling to “the other side.” 

“A large archaic volume reveals a traditional wisdom.”  The Gemini steps into another world seeking seed knowledge and growth.

From An Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformation and its 360 Symbolic Phases by Dane Rudhyar

New Moon Solar Eclipse 19 degrees of Taurus

On May 9^th there is a New Moon solar eclipse in Taurus.  In addition to the Sun and Moon, we have Mars, the South Node, Mercury, asteroid Pallas and dwarf planet Sedna, all clustered in the sign of Taurus.  Taurus is a fixed, earth sign.  Some astrologers propose that the Earth itself is the ruler of Taurus. 

We associate Taurus with the Bull, the male consort of the Great Goddess.  In mythology, the Bull is the male principle that supports the cycle of birth and growth to make sure life continues.  We think of the Bull as strong, steady, sustaining in its power, slow to act, stubborn, and rooted in one place.  Taurus prefers to be secure.  The challenge for Taurus is to know or intuit when to let go.  Taurus struggles with issues around possessions, like “when to save and when to spend”  (for example). 

Planet Venus rules Taurus.  Images of the bull’s horns are connected with the Moon, the feminine principle. Ancient images show a waxing moon with the horns of the bull.  The energy of Taurus is linked historically and mythologically with the feminine principle.  The mother principle is associated with security and fertility. The mother will not let you down.  Contained in Taurus are both the feminine principle of giving birth and the masculine image of sustaining and protecting life.

Taurus is about integrating the masculine and feminine principles

This eclipse brings up issues pertaining to the integration of the masculine and feminine principles at this time in our lives.  It is the old cycle of creation, life and death.  This eclipse pattern goes back in recent time to May 1994.  Did you give birth to something then? What were you creating?  Does it need to be re-created now?  Do you need to let it go completely?  Eclipses have cycles based on 19 years.  For one thing, this eclipse in Taurus is an invitation to upload, re-boot or even finalize your creation.  Maybe you need to sustain your life and hold on to what you are doing.  On the other hand, you may feel that it is time to let is go and begin a new cycle of creation.  The challenge is to be still like the bull, to feel the message of the moon and then to take action. Let go if it is time to let go, or generate new life into the project.

On the collective level this eclipse is another opportunity to look around and examine where the masculine and feminine energies are integrating to produce a more sustainable life.  The eclipse will also show us where the masculine and feminine continue to disconnect and be at odds.

Pallas Athene, asteroid:  Athene popped out of Zeus’s head

The Astroid, Pallas Athene, is exactly conjunct this eclipse.  Remember your mythology?  Athene was born from the head of Zeus.  She is a woman with great intelligence.  She comes forth fully developed ready to apply her wisdom and intellect to all of life’s great problems.  She is feminine with a strong left brain!  Athene is the feminine example of how we can integrate the masculine and feminine energies to create a new kind of thinking. 

Women appointed to the Supreme Court are good examples of the Athene archetype.  Female Justices hopefully bring a more whole brain approach to justice.

 Dwarf planet Sedna:  Sedna was betrayed by the masculine

Dwarf planet Sedna sits close to the Taurus solar eclipse.  Sedna orbites beyond Pluto.  She is a portal to outer cosmic places.  However, Sedna is also a feminine earth principle.  In Inuit mythology, Sedna is betrayed by the masculine.  Both her husband and her father let her down.  When her father refuses to save her from the icy ocean, she surrenders and becomes the mother of life in the waters and the goddess of all animals.  Sedna teaches us to connect with the sacredness of Earth.  She reminds us that the value of Earth is not reduced to a monetary sign. Julia Butterfly Hill lived at the top of a 1500-year-old California Redwood tree (for 738 days) to protest logging.  She was listening to Sedna.  People go to witness the sea turtles laying eggs in the sand; they are listening to Sedna.  Whispering with your pet?  You are listening to Sedna.

Mercury and the South Node are woven into the eclipse

 Mercury and the South Node, also involved in the eclipse, help you look back and re-think your life.  Some people say we are always in the process of re-writing our personal history. The South Node highlights our past patterns, so they are up for examination with this eclipse.  Do we keep doing the same insane thing, or ?  This does not just apply to behavior.  We can also keep thinking the same insane thing and get nowhere as individuals and as a society.

The polarity of Taurus and Scorpio

Astrology is based in part on the principle of polarity.  The polar opposite sign of Taurus is Scorpio.  Two weeks ago there was an eclipse in Scorpio.  The energy of both signs is highlighted for these eclipses.  Taurus creates, maintains and holds on.  Scorpio has to let go when it is time to let go!  However, Scorpio is a fixed sign so it not easy to let go.  We all have Taurus and Scorpio somewhere in our horoscopes.  During these eclipse days, think about what you have been creating. Are you worn out with some aspects of your life?  Maybe Athene can help you fire up your whole brain and bring some good problem solving to your dilemma.

People born under the signs of Taurus and Scorpio are deeply affected by the eclipse on May 9^th.  Taurus is about the thing and possessing that thing.  Scorpio is about the process of life and what we do with the thing.  Eventually “the thing” has to change.  That could be a life style, a relationship, a career, a belief, a habit, a worn out car, a computer…the list continues.  Taurus is about money and possessions.  Scorpio is the energy of transformation.  What needs to stay?  What needs to go?  It’s time to MOVE ON.  It’s time to spend some of your savings (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual savings!) in order to create a new life.  Don’t worry if you cannot change your life tomorrow.  Later this year, another eclipse in Scorpio will help move the process along.

Meditation during this eclipse period has got to be a good thing to do.  The Sabian symbol for the Taurus eclipse is a beauty:  “Wisps of winglike clouds streaming across the sky; the awareness of spiritual forces at work.”

The portals are open!  Take a look!

 

Astro Tips for April 2013

New Moon is 20 degrees of Aries on April 10^th:  New Beginnings

For the first few weeks of April we are graced with a trio of energy: The Sun, Mars and Venus are conjunct in the sign of Aries, the first sign and the first fire sign. 

What is Sun and Mars in Aries good for?

Spring housecleaning

Anything that requires confidence and long hours

Being a bully (so be careful on the giving and receiving side)

Sudden fevers/illnesses

Getting well quickly

Heart problems—try not to break a heart

Passionate involvement with life

Fires

Really energetic children (watch them closely)

Anger & irritability

Impatience

Initiating self-improvement programs

Strength

Courage

Running in a marathon

Kick boxing

Imagining you are kick-boxing

Feeling good about yourself

LOTS OF ENERGY-getting a lot done

What are Venus and Mars conjunct in Aries good for?

Trouble with the opposite sex

Competition

CREATIVITY

Arguing

Love-making

Metallurgy

Buying nice jewelry

Vitality

Vivaciousness

Generosity of spirit

Sporting events (but avoid fire arms and fireworks)

LOTS OF ENERGY-getting a lot done

This is the energy of the New Moon in Aries: Enthusiastic, and without a thought of defeat, we jump ahead with ideas and creative outpourings.

By the day of the New Moon on April 10^th, Mercury lags behind at 24 degrees of Pisces.  Maybe our minds are still musing about the past or maybe some of us are still in the dreamy Pisces clouds, but the Sun, Moon, Mars and Venus are all connected in Aries and we are running through the gates out onto the track.

Aries is passionate, brave, inventive, impulsive and ready to try anything once.  Aries is the unique individual and sometimes Aries is the hero who jumps out of the boat to save someone.  We all have independent, “me-first” Aries, somewhere in our horoscopes.  This New Moon in Aries allows us to witness ourselves as Aries warriors (handsome, pretty and egotistically bothersome at the same time).

The March Full Moon had Sun, Mars and Uranus conjunct.  We felt impatient then and we still feel impatient.  Now however, at this New Moon, Mars has moved away from Uranus, hooked up with Sun and Venus to give us energy to move forward. This is great for being impulsive in fun ways….get in the car and go see wildflowers.  This is bad energy for getting into arguments. Venus always wants to relate and be cooperative; Mars is competitive so the combo brings cooperation with an attitude!

Moon, Sun, Mars, Venus all together in Aries for the New Moon produces abundant creative juice.  Plug it in somewhere and let it create a whole new universe!

Ever notice that there is one day around the Vernal Equinox when you look out and see that the whole world has blossomed again?  It’s spring. We are alive and passionately ready to plant seeds.  We anticipate new challenges.  This is the energy of the New Moon in Aries: Enthusiastic and without a thought of defeat, we jump ahead with ideas and creative outpourings.  There are certainly other planetary aspects to grab our attention and cause us to be perturbed, but I suggest we simply enjoy the gift of spring renewal and let it dissolve all negativity for the moment.

Finally the planets begin to shift. Sun/Venus/Mars step into Taurus and we connect with Mother Earth.

On April 15^th, Venus moves on into Taurus and by April 20^th, planet Mars will step into the sign of Taurus and bring calmness.  Mars will still be traveling near the Sun (also in Taurus on April 19^th).  We continue to have strong, intense, willful energy that can accomplish a great deal.  Taurus is an earth sign, so the Mars/Sun conversation may slow down.  It may get stuck. It may turn stubborn or maybe just careful.  Still it’s a wonderful trio to have--Sun/Venus/Mars in Taurus—because Taurus is strongly creative. We get triple Taurus creativity.  Venus rules Taurus and connects us with Mother Earth.  The Sun entering Taurus makes us want to see the results of our planted seeds.  We give thanks for bountiful growth.

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse is April 25 at 5 degrees of Scorpio: Taurus is the solid container. Scorpio is the mystery inside.  During this Lunar Eclipse, we can expect the mystery and container to know each other.

Then, on April 25^th, the Lunar Eclipse happens with the Moon full at 5 degrees of Scorpio.  Great things will be happening for some folks.  There can be moments of stepping into new life chapters.  The planetary combinations during this eclipse—Sun/Venus/Mars in Taurus opposing Moon and Saturn in Scorpio—can bring form and grounding to everything you have been working on.  Think about what you have been focusing on since the beginning of the year.  This is a time of reaching a new place of comprehension, fulfillment or release.  It could be a period of re-construction or re-adjustment. Taurus and Scorpio are the money arenas of the Zodiac. Do you have something for sale? Are you expecting a windfall?  Here it comes.  Something big may happen with the stock market….let’s hope it is good news. If you have been struggling with a relationship, expect enlightenment. Taurus is the container while Scorpio is the mystery inside.  We can expect the mystery and the container to connect.

We start the month of April with passionate Aries.  We end the month with a passionate Scorpio eclipse.  We are constantly bombarded with news from the Universe and from pundits. It is easy to feel confused and overwhelmed with all the stimuli.  So far in 2013 it feels like the energetic forces are extremely strong.  It is a challenge to respond to all that is offered.  Here are a few poetic lines to bring us back to the rock we live on:

“Wherever you are is home

And the earth is paradise

Wherever you set your feet is holy land.”

            Wilfred Pelletier & Ted Poole

Take a deep breath and exhale.