Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Eclipse time!

December begins in the midst of two celestial events: mercury retrograde and an eclipse cycle.

The retrograde period ends on December 13 so any plans and activities that are stalling or hitting "re"peat will now move forward full steam ahead for the next several months. After mid-December is a great time to mail packages and cards for the holidays. Projects and travel plans should unfold smoothly.

The second major event this month is the full lunar eclipse occurring on Saturday, December 10th. Eclipses act as portals, openings that allow energy to pour through. These are often tied to fate and while in ancient times were considered unfortunate, modern astrologers view eclipses in broader terms...significant benchmarks, endings, or beginnings. Lunar eclipses, such as the one on Sunday, are tied to endings, since the full moon culminates what was started during the months or perhaps years before. For example, in 2004 the Red Sox baseball team won their first world series in 80 years on the night of a full lunar eclipse, breaking the "curse" Babe Ruth was believed to have put on the team when traded to the Yankees years earlier. Clearly, this was a most fortunate event (although St. Louis Cardinal fans may disagree, losing the series 0-4) that ended a long cycle of the Sox losing in the playoffs and world series.

Saturday's eclipse will occur at 18 degrees Geminii...so all forms of communication are impacted as well as short distance travel (by car especially), and matters involving siblings. Your life will be affected depending on which house the eclipse occurs in your astrological chart. It is best to hold off on signing anything during an eclipse cycle. Especially this month with Mercury in retrograde to boot. Sign on the dotted line after the 13th if possible.

As we delicately dance through life, there are some really beautiful planetary aspects this month. Saturn (builder/structural energy) is making a lovely angle to dreamy Neptune. Dreams really will come true this holiday season. See your dreams turn into reality: anything that you have taken the time to carefully develop and grow will manifest before your eyes; conversely, it is a terrific time to plant dreams for the future. As both these planets are in air signs (Libra and Aquarius) ideas, communication, and particularly inventions and the arts benefit now. Creativity unleashed in all its glory!

Helping this wonderful energy is the earth grand trine between powerhouse Pluto, titanic Jupiter and action planet Mars. All three planets are in earth signs. And what comes from the earth? Treasures to be mined. Capricorn, Virgo and Taurus have to do with manifestation. Literally reaping what you sow, as in days of yore at harvest time. This troika continues to help us through March, particularly in the New Year after Jupiter, planet of abundance, turns direct on Christmas Day. During this Season of Light, ask and you shall receive.

A note for this week only, Mars and Venus are harmoniously aligned. Relationships bloom and grow as male planet Mars directs his energy toward womanly Venus, ruler of love and money. Mars is cycling through Virgo now. Planning, precision, work and health rule the day. Take advantage of its alignment to Venus in Capricorn, where she is preoccupied with building, status, profession and integrity. One of the blessings of this angle are that any health issues that have been brewing could be resolved beneficially now.

Last, revolutionary Uranus turns direct on Friday, December 9th, right in time for the eclipse and Mercury turning direct motion. Uranus rules rebellion, lightning, electricity, earthquakes, and change. In other words: anything unpredictable. Think Occupy Wallstreet. Uranus is at an attention-getting degree as it begins a whole new cycle in Aries. What in your life is calling for change? The more we ignore something, the larger it can grow. Wherever we have swept things under the rug, Uranus will shake it out. Better to surrender than resist. A tip from the Universe: allow. You have permission.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

11-11-11: Count Your Blessings!

It's easy to say, but it is not something we always do. This month though, especially during the time of Thanksgiving, is terrific to begin a practice of gratitude.

Messenger planet Mercury conjoins Venus, planet of love and money, in adventurous Sagittarius for the first three weeks of November. Spiritual, educational and travel journeys are on the docket. It doesn't necessarily mean you need to leave your home to learn and enlighten ....perhaps begin a journey inward, that meditation practice you've always thought about. You may explore new spiritual opportunities or take a class that broadens your horizons and where you meet new people.

Whether or not you do meditate, consider saying daily words of thanks to Source, Spirit, God, or whatever you name as the higher power. You don't even need to reserve special quiet time to do this. You can be driving/commuting to work, preparing a meal, even showering. It is simply important to acknowledge all that you have been given. When the north node of the moon joins Mercury and Venus next week, the direction you intentionally set is emphasized. Like a Sagittarian archer, aim your arrow at exactly what you want in life and then fire away.

During November, we all share in the bounty. The much-talked about date 11-11-11 next week bears immense blessings. In metaphysical circles, this number is very special, a number of the angels. Eleven-eleven-eleven is a true attention-getter, calling us to realize how loved we are, enveloped in angelic goodness and light. The angels are here to help us to manifest our potential and become our highest and best selves.

So isn't it amazing that on the magical day 11-11-11, planetary energies align to deliver our needs and dreams? Since May, Jupiter and Pluto have been making a beautiful angle in the earth signs of Taurus and Capricorn, fostering our material desires. On November 11, action planet Mars will move into Virgo to enhance the strength of powerbroker (Pluto) and titan of abundance (Jupiter).

This configuration will be with us for a while: mid-November until March 2012. Now you will reap rewards for all you have sown over the past months and years. At month's end, Venus will join Pluto in Capricorn to heighten this planetary troika, bestowing further blessings, possibly honors granted in a very public forum for work well done. This is also an excellent time to plant seeds for the future to manifest dreams you have always thought about but never put into motion. And because of the time of year, it is literally a good time for harvesting the earth as well as planting in the ground what will flower next springtime. For those struggling with health concerns, you may now find long-sought relief as Virgo rules health.


As always in life, there is ying for every yang. Mercury turns retrograde on November 23, the day before Thanksgiving. You might think this is a cosmic joke, falling on the heaviest travel day of the year, as Mercury rules short distance travel. Helpful as mercury will be in early November, look out between November 23 and December 12, while the messenger planet doles out its notorious communication snafus. Best to tread lightly. If you don't have to travel, this year might be better off laying low and staying local. Eat turkey at home; maybe have the neighbors over since Aunt Betty's flight could be delayed...

If you do have to travel over Thanksgiving, plan really well in advance and be sure to have extra fuel, cash and essentials on hand. Try to remember that the point of the retrograde phase is to slow us down, not to "do" so much but to "re"flect, "re"fresh, "re"new...partake in any of those "re" verbs. This might be especially hard as we gear up to the Holiday Season. However, if we are truly "re"laxed over the retrograde three weeks and practice gratitude, heading into the Season of Light and the New Year will all that much easier!



Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Decision Time!

Nothing says, "jump down from that fence and make a decision" like the current line-up of planets! Wow!

Saturn is slowly percolating through the art and relationship sign of Libra. The sign of the scales, Libra also rules balance and judgment. Choices abound right now...which direction to take, deliberating what will happen if you follow one path and not another. Relationships are hugely at play too, figuring out what you value in each, how to balance and maintain them all, be they at work, home, school, or community.

Over the next weeks, three planets bring enormous focus and emphasis to Saturn and its big push to swing life into alignment. The Sun, Venus and Mercury are in close contact with the Taskmaster, all in Libra, pushing our will, as well as relationships and money, and how we think and communicate, to decide, decide, decide. Because Libra rules art and design, it is a highly creative time. And for those with courage, there is rarely such a perfect time to leap into new ventures: Go For It!

Helping you to branch out into new territory is dream-maker Neptune which makes a beautiful angle to Venus this week, assuring that for those who have faith in themselves, what is focused upon will become real. The challenge is thinking you can do it all. Hence decision time. Taking on too much right now will break the veritable camel's back with just one extra piece of straw. You may find yourself needing to be in several places at once more often than not this month. Smaller is better. By that I mean, less is more...if you really need to juggle and keep all those balls in the air, juggle two or three baseballs rather than four or five soccer balls.

Another great way to manage right now is to carve out time just for you. Libra rules peace, harmony and beauty, too! Give yourself a break: take a trip to a museum, walk in a garden or natural surrounding, get a relaxing facial. Afterward, you may find it easier to make that important decision or realize it really is OK to let go of something no longer serving you. Later, you'll wonder what you were hesitating about to begin with! "What took me so long?!"

On a larger scale, (pardon the pun!), since Libra rules relationships, it also rules negotiation. Around the United States, the "Occupy Wall Street" movement is taking off. Above all, this movement is about achieving fairness, balance, and equity by calling attention to the immense disparity that exisits in our nation. One percent of the population holds 99 per cent of the wealth. People are holding "sit-ins" for three weeks now. The New York City police are arresting scores but the protesters haven't budged. Giant Jupiter making a difficult angle to feisty, fiery Mars will make sure they aren't going anywhere! These brave men and women are an example of those who have made a choice: they will not move until the financial titans start negotiating, bringing about change. Meanwhile, mainstream media has been woefully reluctant to cover this event, perhaps due to the close ties between media and finance.

Last, this time is about Justice with a capital J. Hooray for Amanda Knox, freed at last after serving four years for a crime she did not commit, with a complete lack of DNA evidence to finally prove it. Justice and judgment are not for the faint of heart. On an individual level, each of us is asked to determine how to live the best, most honest and creative life. One thing is for sure, life as we know it is never stagnant. So if you have been dreaming of a goal, now is the time to dive in headfirst. Be brave and jump off that fence. Leap and the net will appear!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Rays of Light

It has been a challenging summer for some of us indeed!

The on-going friction between Pluto and Uranus continues to dig up areas of our life we'd rather ignore and catalyze us into change. This is reflected in the endless struggle to get the economy moving, increase jobs, and calm the wild swings of the stockmarket. The public is also immensely dissatisfied with both Congress and President Obama. These our national pillars, Wall Street and the US government, will continue to be under the gun until they are reformed to create more streamlined, equitable and effective systems for all.

And we haven't even talked about the on-slaught of severe weather that has wrought havoc throughout the country! Fire, floods, tornadoes, (even a rare East Coast earthquake) have left a path of destruction from West to East this year, upending peoples' homes and lives. Wow. Expect this pattern to continue as Pluto and Uranus do their snake dance awakening the masses. Change is the only constant and the only way to deal with change is to accept and embrace it!

Within this upheaval, however, there is a great big ray of light. Hooray! First, Mercury turned direct at the end of August just in time for vacation to conclude and folks getting back to work and school. This autumn is a great time to launch head first into projects and plans put on hold for a little summer relaxation. Travel and appointments should proceed without any interference or delays.

The second BIG helper is that Jupiter is making a beautiful, flowing angle to Pluto. For nearly a year (May 2011 until March of 2012!) both planets smoothly glide together as they cycle through the material earth signs of Capricorn and Taurus. Repository of our desires, Pluto in Capricorn asks us to take stock and reform what gives structure to our lives, the building blocks such as our homes, jobs, communities, government. Meanwhile Jupiter recently turned retrograde in Taurus, the sign of money and possessions. We are asked to meditate on what we value, how we spend our days, and earn a living. It is a terrific time to evaluate our personal resources, be they talents, real estate, or finances. Ask what possession, job, or relationship no longer serves you; or conversely, ask what talent or resource have you let languish? How could you match your unharnessed talents and resources to best serve your deepest desires? In the midst of all the roiling, inevitable change around us, as summer timelessly turns into fall, focus your attention on how to create the life you most desire.

Then when Christmas rolls around, like a great big present, Jupiter turns direct on Christmas Day this year so that we may move forward into the New Year, putting our resources and desires into action!

Direct motion!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Yin and the Yang of it all....wow!

It can honestly be said that whenever we have a problem, the solution always appears with it. This August is such a month. Truly a time of yin and yang! A door may close in your life, but at the same time, a window will in fact open. Through it, you will be able to see horizons that may have gone unnoticed before.

The month of July ended with the new moon in the fiery sign of Leo, urging us to create: create our day, our lives, our destiny. During the first week of August, not only is the New Moon (by definition joined by the Sun), moving closely with Venus planet of love and money, this troika makes a beautiful angle to Uranus, the big time change agent. The effects of this creative powerhouse give tremendous ability to bring much needed positive changes to our relationships and how we choose to earn a living. At the same time, we are benefiting from terrific angles between messenger planet Mercury, tranformational Pluto and uber beneficent Jupiter. Moving through practical and material earth signs, these planets will help manifest our hopes and dreams. In other words: show us the money. If not actually delivering the goods, then this group definitely gives us all the signs and directions for getting our needs met. This is a great harbinger for solving the debt crisis in the United States!

Also during the first week of August, Mars and Neptune are urging us to take time for family, preferably near water. Combined with Mercury Retrograde beginning August 3 (lasts until the 26th), this is an excellent time to go away on vacation and make great use of all the Re-trograde words: Read, relax, restore, renew, revisit...

Of course the Mercury's retrograde bears with it the reminder that for all the upsides this month, there are some significant challenges. The retrograde itself can cause all sorts of snafus: glitches with phones, computers, travel delays, and accidents to name a few. Heightening this is some difficult angles between Mars, Uranus and Pluto. Uranus is asking us to change outdated patterns in our lives at the same time Pluto is calling up what must be transformed for the better. Acting as a catalyst for these two planets is Mars in Cancer, sign of home, family, nurturing. So wherever we have avoided or resisted change on the family and homefront, between August 5 and 18th, there will be particular focus in this arena. Because Uranus and Pluto are involved in the mix, accidents and the unexpected are a distinct possibility with family members. Fortunately, Neptune's positive energy to Mars will help clean away and heal any damage leftover, as well as the Venus-Sun match giving creative solutions and clear directions to find our way ahead.

The final planetary yin and yang comes at the end of the month. Mars in Cancer will make a challenging angle to Saturn in Libra. The dance of these two planets is asking us to balance our personal needs and desires with those of our family and loved ones. Moms who continually put everyone before themselves will find this is really not going to work now. Time will have to be carved out for some self-care and creative ventures. The great news is that as Venus and the Sun move into earthy Virgo, they will make a beautiful angle to Pluto - quenching deep desires and restoring health and vitality.

May you find your place in the sun!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Tension you can cut with a knife!

Snap, crackle and pop! Sizzle too in the summer's heat. That's what the cosmic energy feels like right now. It is certainly hard to relax and unwind with the catalytic vibe pushing us forward full till.

The most recent solar eclipse in Cancer on July 1st leads the parade this month, forming a grand square between Saturn, Pluto and Uranus. The effects of this are difficult to understate. Saturn is now moving direct again in Libra, sign of relationships. Pluto and Uranus continue to be at odds with one another and will be in this pattern for some time to come, seeking to transform and change what no longer works for us, be it habits, relationships, work or beliefs. Uranus is the planet of surprise and upheaval. Pluto is about transformation, digging deeply into areas we'd rather avoid. However, what is put off for another day eventually comes back for us to deal with sooner or later.

How does all of this manifest and affect each of us? Expect change on the home front and change in any relationships tied to home, parents or children. These changes can and will catch us by surprise (Uranus) and be utterly transformational (Pluto). The only aspect of life that is predictable is the principle of change...so the best way to manage this passage is to surrender and accept what comes our way to the best of our ability. Flexibility is key right now. To fight or resist any changes we are asked to make at this time will only increase in power later on.

Like bookends to the eclipse in Cancer, sign of family, motherhood and home, literally tipping the scales of justice, are two recent examples: The capture of long-sought James "Whitey" Bulger and the long-awaited verdict in the Casey Anthony trial. Both incidents involved family, galvanized national attention for great lengths of time, and both involved huge surprise. Did anyone really ever believe that the FBI would actually snag the elusive Whitey Bulger? And how many of us truly thought the Casey Anthony jury would let her off the hook?

Interestingly, (as Saturn in Libra monitors the entirety of events ensuring the scales of justice are balanced), one case captured a hardened criminal while the other set a woman free, both murderers, of someone's child. For Casey's part, her own child. Fortunately most of us are not caught up in personal dramas as immense as these; however, the two stories seared our consciences with extreme examples of human behavior, reminding us to be true to ourselves even as we balance the needs of others meaningful to us.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Eclipse Central!

Occasionally in the calendar year there will be a cluster of eclipses. This next month is one such stretch. There are three, yes 3, eclipses between June 1 and July 1! Like bookends, the eclipses on June 1 and July 1 are solar eclipses. The middle eclipse on June 15 is a total lunar eclipse.

An eclipse is the full or partial obscuring of the Sun by the Moon (solar eclipse) or the full or partial obscuring of the Moon by the Sun (lunar eclipse). Solar eclipses occur at the New Moon phase and Lunar eclipses occur at the time of a Full Moon. The effect eclipses have on individuals is likened to an opening, or portal, of energy. Through these openings, we feel greater emphasis and heightened focus occurring in certain areas of our lives. Eclipses can mark significant periods, or endings and beginnings of events involving the area of life where the eclipse takes place. For example, if the eclipse occurs in a person's second house, financial matters may require attention.

The June 1 eclipse occurred in the sign of Geminii. Communication, short journeys, and siblings will demand a larger focus in the coming months. This eclipse made a beautiful angle to transiting planet Saturn which is excellent for building and strengthening anything it touches, thus supporting the noted qualities of Geminii.

The June 15 total lunar eclipse also involves Geminii and the sign Sagittarius to a lesser degree. This eclipse is in very close proximity to the planet Mercury, ruler of Geminii. So the media, communication, short and long-distance travel, life lessons, legal concerns, religion and matters of faith all take precedence in the future year.

Last, the partial solar eclipse on July 1 occurs in the sign of Cancer the Crab. How we nurture others, our house and home, the relationship to our mother and/or children, psychological roots and biological inheritance all come into play now. Due to the angles this eclipse creates to Jupiter, Uranus and Saturn, we will experience expansion and new growth in this arena, as well as be required to balance and juggle what surprises and unexpected turns life will deliver.

The cosmos is asking a great deal of us now. It is truly important to remember during times like these, that if you do not grow, you stagnate. Challenges occur to incite our development. May the force truly be with you!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Lusty Month of May!

We are currently about a week out of April's Mercury retrograde. It is never easy to slow down and reflect, review and reform our ways as much of April called us to do. For those able to vacation last month, it was a terrific time to escape and relax...leaving everyone else struggling with restlessness brought on by Springtime. Normally, the warm air encourages us to leap out of our cocoons; so it was truly difficult to wait even longer before jumping into all we set aside during the long winter months.

But after April's stasis and stagnation, May is rewarding us with immense energies pushing our efforts forward in all the areas where we have been held back. Five, count 'em, FIVE planets are currently in the action sign of Aries and will be for most of May. The first sign of the zodiac, Aries is all about initiation. What you start right now will come to fruition over the next months and years, specifically projects and new relationships. Both command our attention.

Take aim and focus on exactly how to shape exactly what it is you need to make the most of your work and personal life. Think of this time as a planting season: May is best month of the year to plant seedlings to harvest later on. Driving us forward like bookends to the other three planets are Mars and Uranus. Ruler of Aries, Mars leads the charge pushing us forward, followed at the tail end of this planetary collection with Uranus, inciting change, change and more change. For all of those resisting growth (you know in what arenas), please remember: the only constant in life is change.

Throughout 2011, Uranus will continue to make a challenging angle to Pluto, planet of transformation. This energy is to dig up and bring to the light any piece of ourselves that we prefer to keep hidden or buried. Because both of these planets are in cardinal signs Aries and Capricorn, we will be called to action. Force change by sudden exposure or revelation. Anyone trying to resist or escape his or her true north will be re-routed. This is particularly true in the case of relationships. It sounds harsh but the universe is calling each of us to take a hard look in the mirror.

An extreme example of this is Osama Bin Laden's recent execution. So sudden there was virtually no time to react much less run. How long did he really think he could resist justice? Eventually, everything catches up to those avoiding, ignoring, resisting.

However for most of us following our path, two beneficent planets will bless us with prosperity and opportunity during May. Titan Jupiter combines with Venus for the balance of the month. Both of these energies will afford us that "can-do" feeling: bringing plentiful resources and self-esteem boosts to ease whatever new ventures and relationships we launch right now. As if this weren't enough, Jupiter makes a gorgeous flowing angle to the moon's north node during May, opening avenues and inviting us to grow. Courage isn't always easy to muster when trying something new. This month, however, you will find yourself asking: what took me so long, why didn't I do this sooner? That is, if all that Aries energy even allows you to stop and think before venturing forth!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Aries Power Punch, Neptune enters Pisces and Richard Branson buys Pluto!

WOW. There is sooooo much happening cosmically, that I didn't even mention in this blog's title that it is Mercury Retrograde right now. This phase runs from March 30 to April 22. Mercury is reversing through Aries: sign of initiating endeavors, idealism and yes, war. Aries does not like to sit still. So the retrograde this month will be especially challenging. Even as I write this, (or should I say, "re"write this as my original blog was lost in one of the retrograde's infamous communication snafus) it will be difficult to follow the retrograde's usual "re"commended "re" activities: rest, restore, relax, revisit, etc. Life certainly demands us to carry on with daily living but "re"member: the best time for major purchases or signing documents is after April 22nd. Traveling back over the collection of planets in Aries, Mercury will touch Jupiter, the Sun and Mars before turning direct later in April. In its reverse path, the messenger planet asks us to review our plans for growth/expansion, identity and action. Along with yesterday's New Moon, it is best to visualize new seeds you want to plant for the future. Then after the 22nd, move forward with gusto! The planetary stellium in Aries is joined by Uranus, planet of surprise, upheaval and revolution. Is it any wonder that so many Muslim countries, typically bound by religious tradition, are witnessing explosive change? Or that the United States and its NATO allies decided to take military action in Libya recently. With four planets plus the Sun in Aries now, man is on the war path. Somewhere in your chart this group of planets in Aries is impacting you. Where are you experiencing change? In your home, at work or with friendships? Perhaps you are trying a whole new philosophy or approach to living? With Uranus new 84-year cycle beginning in Aries, each of us is asked to start fresh. Where is this occurring for you? Clearly, for Sir Richard Branson, one of the most successful risk-takers, Uranus is asking him to stretch himself even further: by buying Pluto. I, for one, did not know that it or any of the other planets (dwarf or not) were for sale. Astrologer Shelly Ackerman reported Sir Richard's recent purchase stating, "Exactly who Branson bought Pluto from and what he paid for the Lord of the Underworld remains a mystery." But evidently part of the deal is that Pluto is to be reinstated as a planet. You may recall that in 2006, astronomers demoted Pluto to a dwarf planet (whatever that is...). Along with astrologers, Sir Richards apparently disagreed with this demotion. Still, his purchase of Pluto begs the question: are Venus and Mars for sale, and if so, for what price and whom does one contact to place a bid? For more information on this story, please see: www.virgin.com/travel/news/branson-buys-pluto-reinstates-as-planet/ Last, Neptune moved into Pisces today. Neptune rules Pisces. Think of this movement similar to you being in your own home rather than being a guest in someone else's house or staying in a hotel. Neptune in Pisces is a very comfortable fit. They rule the subconscious, water, music and unity, among other things. So we are now moving toward collective understanding that we are all ONE. That each of our actions creates a ripple in the ocean. With so much motion, we create great waves affecting each other and ultimately our entire planet. (Think Japan's nuclear mess impacting all of us). Neptune in Pisces teaches us that we are part of a greater whole, our differences reflected in one another like water reflecting our image back to us. We watch the rise in ocean temperatures and sea levels and know that we are responsible for one another, the planet, its resources that we share and other creatures it sustains.

Friday, March 4, 2011

All we are saying, is give peace a chance: Pisces New Moon!

Today, March 4, has been designated a Day of Peace. For twenty four hours, we are asked to think kind thoughts, refrain from speaking against others, put out positive intentions for ourselves and our community, be it the neighborhood, nation and/or world.



Today is the New Moon in Pisces. Any New Moon is an excellent time to plant seeds for the forthcoming month which may then grow over the year and time to come. That the Day of Peace falls on the New Moon in Pisces is magical. Pisces, a water sign, gives us the opportunity to cleanse ourselves and our thoughts in order to dream and imagine, follow our intuition, the ultimate goal being unity, with ourselves, our fellow man and our God center. This is the message of John Lennon's song, "Imagine", and as he sang with Piscean Beatle bandmate George Harrison, "Give Peace a Chance."



As human beings evolve, we learn we are not so different from one another: That we share common traits and differences; that what we dislike in someone else is the very aspect of ourselves we disown and do not see. As the last sign of the zodiac, watery Pisces reflects the collective conscious and unconscious. It is the totality of humanity, good, bad and everything in between. Not only are today's Sun and Moon in Pisces, these are joined in by asteroid Chiron - the wounded healer, Mars, Mercury and Uranus, creating a powerful group of planets to cleanse and heal our world.



Like bookends, activating all of this energy on either end of the planets in Pisces are titans Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter, planet of blessings and goodwill, leads the charge through Aries, blazing a trail for us to follow. Opposite Jupiter is Saturn in the sign of Libra, ensuring balance and justice...that any change and upheaval will be kept in check. In the middle of these two, Pluto keeps watch in Capricorn, overturning and exposing anything hidden to maximize honesty and integrity, especially in government and big business. In otherwords: keeping everyone honest.

Consider the recent events in North Africa. Long-standing dictators in Egypt and Libya are deposed or on the brink of being toppled. This revolution has been an enormous Piscean wave surging through the continent, beginning with tiny Tunisia and threatening to spread in the other direction toward Iran.

At home in the US, utter chaos and bedlam has broken out in Madison, Wisconsin, where the statehouse was occupied by protestors continuously for the last two weeks, while the governor seeks to slash an unprecedented four billion from the budget, targeting government worker unions that he claims will bankrupt the state. All of this activity builds to a head toward March 11, when Uranus moves into Aries, joining Jupiter. The effect will be like lightning striking dry grass.

Prepare for surprises in your world; things get shaken or stirred in the next month! May blessings abound. Remember, this immense momentum is to prompt change and new growth. At this pivotal moment on the New Moon, take time to set your intentions for the highest good. Envision your dreams and goals and then create them in reality!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Jupiter in Aries: Ready, and ACTION!

This past Sunday, January 23, Jupiter entered the fiery sign of Aries. As the initial sign of the zodiac, Aries brings fresh energy, expanded even more so by the titanic planet Jupiter. How does this manifest for us? It means initiation, big time! Making your mark in this world is a signature of Jupiter in Aries. Depending where Jupiter is moving through your chart, the urge (perhaps urgent urge) to start a project, business, relationship, or make a major investment or purchase is likely to strike. The watchword is major and so whatever you undertake in the next few months is likely to have a stamp of permanence in your life for some time to come. Choose carefully and wisely. There is often the tendency to "leap before you look" with Jupiter in Aries, a feeling of invincibility, so please remember to consult and gather advice before signing on the dotted line.


In Roman mythology, Aries is the god of war, so this sign carries many flavors of the warrior. Places in our lives where we have not stood up for ourselves, hesitated or been a shrinking violet: Be Gone, says Jupiter in Aries. Now is the time to stake your claim, make your voice heard, refuse to take "no" for an answer. Think: Aries the Ram...pushing forward. There is a catalytic energy to Jupiter as it enters this new cycle of the zodiac, a take no prisoner flavor to Jupiter in Aries, especially with its challenging aspect to Pluto in Capricorn.

The potential combustibility of these two planets forces us, or any obscurity, out of hiding. One thing is for sure: all attempts to sweep things under the rug or keep them hidden will be useless. Expect to be exposed. You may receive invitations to speak and/or appear in public or in front of large groups as Jupiter in the first critical degree of Aries carries a highly public signature. Jupiter tells the truth. In Aries, it tells the whole, raw, unfiltered truth. And like a bulldozer over the next three months, Pluto will unearth any secret waiting for truth's shining light.

Two recent news items are examples of this: Oprah Winfrey just discovered she has a half-sister her mother never revealed. After meeting her new half sister, Oprah introduced her to the world on TV this month. The other news item also involves a family mystery: a woman searching for her birth mother discovered she had been kidnapped as a baby from a New York City hospital 23 years ago. She recently united with her birth family and her "adoptive" mother turned herself into the FBI. These are huge secrets kept for many years. In both instances, the children, as grown women searching for their identity, uncovered enormous lies and shared them with the entire world. Jupiter vs. Pluto!

The other big news this January 2011 involves the second titan in our solar system: Saturn. It turns retrograde on Wednesday, January 26th. With Saturn cycling through Libra now, sign of justice, relationships and art, we will be given the opportunity to review relationships of significance and bring these into balance. These can be personal, business or educational relationships. This will heighten as Venus makes a challenging aspect to Saturn over the next month. Any areas of our lives that are out of kilter will be a focal point so that we pay attention and restore harmony and equilbrium once again.

Last, the new moon in Aquarius on Wednesday, February 2nd affords each of us the opportunity to create inventive solutions to problems we may be facing, particularly solutions benefitting the whole rather than a few. Blessings to each of you!