Take a breath!

If nothing else, this April reminds us that the only constant in life is change.  Amidst all the upheaval, or at a minimum -- lightning-fast paced living, please remember to take a breath.  As the month opens we may be suffering from what is known in astrology circles as an “eclipse hangover”.  Moving around, we try to collect ourselves and get our bearings.   With the immense amount of planetary activity bombarding us, we feel unsettled and that nothing is for certain right now (definitely not in the US elections!).   What we have always relied upon as givens in our lives, the tried and true, has been or is in the process of being radically altered or yanked out from under us.  And if you can put your mind around this:  the givens we always expect to support us are supposed to dissolve and be altered; otherwise, we would stay put, get too comfortable and not grow.

The great news is that helping us, the month unfolds with a fiery, can-do, trailblazing energy as well as earthy stability underpinning our dreams.  It is a potent mixture.   The fearless first combination involves Saturn and Uranus.   Taskmaster Saturn is cycling through Sagittarius, seeking adventure and new horizons.  Saturn aligns beautifully all month long with Change-maker Uranus in Warrior Aries.  Go for it, these two say.  Open to new possibilities and stretch yourself!  Meanwhile, the second planetary pairing beautifully ties Transformer Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn to Jupiter in hardworking Virgo, telling us to make a plan and build, baby build. 

Together, the effect of these four planets say:  If you build it, they will come. 

So…what is your dream?   What do you seek to build?

By the end of the first week, two key personal planets shift signs.   April 6^th finds Messenger Mercury (how we think and speak/communicate) moving into earthy Taurus lending practicality to our ideas and words.    On the very same day, Venus rolls into pioneering Aries.  The planet of love and money isn’t comfortable in this brave warrior sign.   Here, she is very impulsive and rash, not known to keep her emotions or wallet in check; so exercise caution with relationships and purchases.  Buying needless things and plunging headlong into relationships with a Devil-May-Care approach can cost you.  So will challenging others to a throw down, or smack down, as Aries Venus has been known to do, to, you know, prove themselves or prove a point, to be sure everyone knows they are right!  Not to mention maxing out your credit cards to take home that flashy red sports car.  Do you really need a car or do you just want to make a statement? 

The impulsivity of Aries Venus is notorious.  Think:  the runaway bride jilting her groom at the altar; the couple who elopes; the crazy-mad and completely reckless one night stand.  You get the idea.  The effect of Aries Venus is exacerbated by the New Moon on April 7^th .  Both our emotions (the Moon) and will to act (the Sun) are ignited by the blazing energy of Aries, especially as it conjoins Radical Uranus.  You may feel as though you are standing on a rocket launch pad. That’s how fired you will be!

With four planets in Aries ready to hit the ground running, such fearless energy pushes us to launch any endeavor in a blaze of glory. Tightly bound to this energy, Uranus sparks sudden, out-of-the-blue movements, insights and discoveries.   With the Sun, Moon and Uranus in Aries making a gorgeous angle to Saturn in Sagittarius, do not be surprised if you have the energy of a three year old, the innovation of Edison and the determination of Caesar to set life in motion.  No joke!  That is how powerful this New Moon is.

The downside is there is significant look-before-you-leap cautionary note here.  Impulsiveness is an understatement.  So … take a breath.  Just stop and count to three.  Don't worry that if you hesitate all will be lost.  Really?  Will sleeping on a decision for a night (or two) really cost you? 

The combustability leading into the New Moon and afterward is difficult to exaggerate since Transformer Pluto challenges all three:  the Moon, Sun and Uranus.  Plutonium is named after Pluto for a reason.  Think atomic energy.  Rubbing against our emotions and will (sun and moon) with Uranus as the match, Pluto has the power to level and reduce to rubble that which must no longer stand, what is standing in the way of our growth. Hence, as aforementioned, we have the feeling of the rug being pulled out from under us, or the givens we have relied on for years disappearing before our eyes, what we have been able to count on is just no longer there.

Along with fearless choices to act bravely, this atomic energy can prompt us to walk out of a poisonous partnership (romantic or business), cause accidents, violence, religious or philosophical warfare, etc.  April is a notoriously violent month for a reason:  Aries, the god of war, is leading the Sun’s charge.  This April is a poster-child for upheaval.  And while I do not like to predict the dreaded and dire, I would be remiss to neglect mention of darker possibilities.  Take heed.  Do what you can to protect yourself…pay your insurances, really listen to and follow your intuition.  Don’t allow anyone talk you into anything that does not feel right for you. 

The best antidote and helpmate during April is Messenger Mercury’s cycle through grounded and practical Taurus.  Much more cautious, plodding and methodical than Aries, our mind and thoughts are guided to look check the underside of any relationship, project or purchase (car or otherwise).  Taurus asks the hard questions, wants solid information, stats and data because it rules values.  What bang am I getting for my buck?  How are my skills and talents valued?  What is this job, relationship, project, appliance, worth?  How am I valued?  What am I worth?  Taurus Mercury is the original show me the money combination.

We work hard for our money, applying our talents and skills where they are most useful and appreciated, to fulfill and enrich us literally and figuratively.  Taurus Mercury says: all that Aries Venus bravery and bravado is fine, all that Aries Uranian innovation is fabulous, just as long as there are solid foundations underneath what you create.  In the great rush to act this April, take a breath and gently apply some Taurean brakes.  Then ask:  how will this person, project, collaboration, purchase, benefit me or others in the long-term?   

The following day, April 8^th, the Moon joins Messenger Mercury in Taurus to bolster our realistic thoughts and center our emotions; when mind and feelings align pragmatically, we can accomplish anything!

By mid-month, both Motivating Mars and its higher extension, Transformer Pluto, slow down to a halt and reverse course turning retrograde motion on April 17^th.  For the next two and half months, Mars travels backwards from Sagittarius into Scorpio until it moves forward again the very last day of June.  Pluto's retrograde phase lasts much longer.  But the fact that both of these catalytic planets shift into reverse on the same day is truly significant.  Brace yourself.  You can practically hear the grinding of the gears.  Be gentle with yourself and others.  Practice patience.  And yes, take a breath.

Mars is the motivating planet.  By extension, as the Transformer and ruler of our desires, Pluto triggers our actions.  Both push us out of bed in the morning and propel us forward in life.  Without them, we’d be hard pressed to do just about anything.  They are the great initiators.  So as with any planet that has turned retrograde, the energy of Mars and Pluto now turns us inward toward ourselves, inviting us to review and reflect (in this case) our actions.  Of any planet in retrograde motion, Mars no doubt gives us the most difficulty because our activity is wired to move outwardly and externally.  We want to literally move on with our lives in every sense; especially in springtime when life is coming into full bloom. 

The effect of these inwardly facing planets depend on where they fall in your chart; but for all of us, Mars will retrace its steps in Sagittarius, then the latter part of Scorpio.  So first, we are called to reflect on the honesty of our intentions and actions.  Sagittarius is about spirituality, freedom, lessons we learn through living, education, the law and long journeys.  We will be called to answer for our actions and deeds where we have been less than honest with others and ourselves.  We are granted freedom in life but only by obeying common rules of civilization:  the law.  So anyone committing crimes or acting dishonestly (especially those in the name of religion, God or spirituality) will be held accountable.

When Mars backs into Scorpio, we are then asked to pay up:  pay back taxes owed, balance the karmic slate where or however it is uneven in our lives.  Consequences are nigh. This Spring is not the easiest time…yet another reason to stop and smell the flowers.  To pause in our ever-loving compulsion to get ahead.  Retrogrades are naturally built into the cycles of life on purpose.  Because think about it:  where would you be if you never stopped to reflect, muse or mull over something or someone before doing?  In the past, when you have leapt into a significant endeavor or relationship without sleeping on it first or listening to the valued opinions of others, how has that worked out for you?

This Spring, we have little choice but to hit the brakes.

Three days later on April 20^th, the Sun joins Mercury in practical Taurus where our mind and thoughts are beautifully linked for a few days (April 19-21) with Generous Jupiter and Transformer Pluto all in down-to-earth signs.  This energy provides the grounded grid on which to establish plans, create healthy choices that serve as a sustaining base for our future:  what is built to last.

The energy is a lovely entrée to the Full Moon in Scorpio on the 22nd.   Where the practical Taurus Sun is still offering a realistic foundation for our lives (thank goodness) there are some contrarian forces at play now which are definitely heightened and magnified by the Full Moon.  The Scorpio Moon deeply and carefully examines every emotion.   Why am I feeling this way? you ask; meanwhile Aries Venus, now conjoined to Radical Uranus, absolutely cannot be bothered looking twice into the emotional whys and hows much less deeply at the underlying causes of relationships, conflict, etc.   Aries Venus-Uranus wants to get on with it already, whatever it is, most likely brand new, highly charged, fearlessly exciting, brazenly flagrant and perhaps recklessly undertaken relationships, work, projects.

Aries Venus-Uranus wants to love and spend money completely unchecked, unquestioned, unfettered, especially in its challenge to Capricorn Pluto.   The Scorpio Full Moon says:  not so fast.  With all the earthy planetary elements mitigating the Venus-Uranus haste, some will be saved from grand mistakes.  And themselves.  Not so for many others.  All full moons garner lavish attention.   This particular Full Moon has a severely radical quality to it (like its inception at the New Moon on April 7) that begs awareness.    Venus rules relationships and Uranus is the change agent.  Already we are witnessing the complete upheaval, if not the collapse, of the Republican party in the United States.  On the positive side, accidental meetings or reunions of karmically tied relations may occur, including those you have never met before in this lifetime.  Remember:  there is no such thing as coincidence.   Sudden awakenings in consciousness, realizations, breakthroughs (in every possible path…artistic, psychological, scientific), emotional a-ha moments will be the norm.

The flip side to this energy cautions us about accidents, sudden death, complete breakdowns in relationships including breaking off ties to family and friends.

SIGH.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Breathe…

In all of our rushing around, if we have not learned that haste makes waste, we surely will this April.  On the 28^th, Messenger Mercury turns retrograde for the next three weeks until May 22nd, joining Mars and Pluto in its reflection of thoughts, words, deeds and desires.

“Slow down, you move too fast.  You’ve got to make the morning last” reminds Simon and Garfunkel.  Time to conduct a full assessment of who, what and where we are in our lives.  Think of it as a whole and thorough spring cleaning.  This Spring, before planting hopes and dreams, take stock.  A full inventory of yourself.  You’ll be glad you did.

Of Special Note:

I am once again offering my class "Creativity, Moon Cycles and Self-Expression".  The course will be offered on two nights, Tuesday, April 26th and May 3rd at the Newton South High School, Newton, MA from 7-8:30 PM.  To register, please go to the Newton Community Education website: www2.newtoncommunityed.org.  The class is listed under Body, Mind, Soul.  Cost of the session is $45 for both nights.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Visionary or Victim: you choose

As cosmically quiet as February was, March shifts us into high gear.  The calm before the storm has now passed (it was busy enough!) and it is time to buckle down and brace ourselves.   There is so much brewing this March that it is best to keep your eye focused firmly on your goals while relying on steadfast routines as the celestial forces push and pull us this month.  

While it is good to be stretched in mind, body and spirit, March may seem like we are careening around in the spinning teacup ride at an amusement park.  Hold on tight for dear life to that center wheel!  The build up toward the Full Moon on February 22 gave us a sense of what is to come over the next four weeks.  Everyone:  Inhale; then exhale!  Remember to breathe and often.  If you have go-to relaxation habits and tricks, be they exercise, reading, walking the dog or meditation, prepare to put these to full use this month.  It is not that there is anything “bad” that is going to occur.  It is just the pace at which life will move is very intense over the next four weeks.

By the end of the first week, change is a comin'.  Saturday, March 5^th, Messenger Mercury leads off the Great Gear Shift as it moves from stable, intelligent Aquarius into dreamy (and often foggy) Pisces.  Mercury delivers messages and maneuvers our thoughts and speech.  In watery Pisces, the messenger planet doesn’t operate so easily as it did last month in mentally agile Aquarius.  So you may find your thinking more muddled and confused.  There are always upsides to every planetary passage though and Piscean Mercury encourages daydreaming and reflection about all those ingenious ideas stirring around your mind sparked in February. 

And, Messenger Mercury in Pisces is highly, acutely intuitive (psychic really) and imaginative. So take your ideas and fantasize:  let them really soar, ride along to see where they take you.  A magic carpet ride is much more preferable to going down on the Negativity ship…so a word of caution here:  your thoughts form your intentions which in turn form your actions and words.  Stick carefully to positive tracks and streams of thought while holding the wolves of worry and dark down sides at bay.  This is truly the best use of this energy combination.

Two days later, Motivating Mars moves into adventurous Sagittarius where he is very comfortable taking charge.  Challenges arise as the Red Planet butts heads with Mercury’s visions and dreams.  Mars wants you to get down to work but your mind may be off at the beach or dreaming about the book you’ve always wanted to write.  HELP!  Torn between Do-It-Now Mars energy and Mercury's thoughts of...hmmm, wouldn’t a Mai Tai be so pleasant right now, take a breath.

Center yourself and count to ten.  Focus.  Try to strike a happy medium between these two by writing down a list of all those fabulous ideas Mercury is prompting (active motion combined with messaging).  Pick one or two items that can reasonably be accomplished.  Re-focus.  Bring that mind of yours back to the work at hand.  The otherwise conflicting energy between Mars and Mercury now can actually be highly productive when well applied:  imagination (Pisces Mercury) mixed with a drive for adventure (Mars in Sagittarius). WOW.   So think breakthrough rather than breakdown.  

Apply all of that terrific intuition to manifest life adventures and long-held dreams.  Because the gateway to the next phase of your life is right around the corner if you have the wherewithal to focus and apply energy positively.  On March 8-9 there is a total solar eclipse on the New Moon.  The planetary aspects of this eclipse are strong to say the least.  There is tremendous potential, power and healing available to us now.  So it is essential to open and align yourself with what is possible, your soul goals, your highest and fullest Self.  Here’s why:

There is a very strong pull between stretching ourselves to do the work it takes to reach our potential OR falling into a victimization role and blaming others for our woes.  Jupiter (abundance) and the Lunar North Node (our soul’s calling) in Virgo (work/health/service…or victimization) are opposing the Sun (our will and identity), the Moon (our emotions) and Chiron, the wounded healer, all in Pisces… our very soul, the highest and lowest of humanity, the saints and sinners.  Watery Pisces is the epitome of cleansing and purification OR the sheer delusion of the great escape artist:  drugs, alcohol, dishonesty.

Thus nothing illustrates the choice between Heaven or Hell quite like this total solar eclipse.  When the Universe wants to get our attention, it certainly knows how.  You may feel a range of emotions brushing the Dark Side:  worry, anxiety, doubt, OCD second guessing, all in an effort to review where we stand in the course of our lives.  Our internal tug of war is underscored by the aforementioned challenge between Mars-Mercury and the final throw down between Pluto and Uranus.  Where are you going?  Are you sure about why you want that particular destination?  How are you going to get there?  What are you going to spend your time when you get there?  Motives, motives, motives.  We may feel like we are being ripped apart at the seams while being run through the dishwasher.

Because before we can realize our fullest potential, our slate must be clean.  Virgo is all about health and work; the root of her quest is pure, clean, honest living.  She seeks to virtually houseclean our lives.  Hence, all the questions, self-examination. Virgo Jupiter and the North Node want to give our identity, emotions and old, buried wounds a thorough scrub down, take a complete inventory of who exactly we are and make sure we are on the right track.  Or get us on the right track if we have strayed too far from our soul goals. 

IF we allow ourselves to be completely cleansed and face ourselves honestly and with pure truth, then we can harness the untold potential and power afforded by this eclipse that remains with us all month long:   Saturn in Sagittarius demands our utmost honesty in order to start brand new ventures sparked by the gorgeous angle to Uranus in Aries; while powerful transformer Pluto aligns perfectly with Jupiter, the Sun, Moon and Chiron to bring home the material support we need to get the job done.  This latter planetary combination is terrific for building what we seek to create while simultaneously clearing out and healing wounds by the old baggage we've dragged around for years.

The key to working with this hugely potent eclipse energy is to ask yourself if you want to be a victim or visionary.  We must remove the rose-colored glasses of false expectation (often promoted by advertisers) that delude us into believing we should be living an unattainable fantasy life.  Instead, by facing the reality of our circumstances it is now truly possible to build the life we need.  Do this by picking up the most valuable and useful pieces of your Self and put them to work.  Most likely, they have been patiently waiting for you to notice their qualities.  Allow them to support you now in every way.  What may seem like the impossible path in front of you is actually the immeasurably more fulfilling and enriching one.  There are no short cuts in life so shake hands with the work ahead. At no time like any other the Piscean energies with us in March afford wonderful opportunities to pray, meditate, vision forward, dream, and connect with the Divine outwardly and in ourselves.  You need not sit still to pray or meditate:   hike through the woods or along the water’s edge to count your blessings and those assets you do have; with these, create a plan.  Virgo Jupiter and Lunar North Node pull us toward the future.  Then fire it with the heady steam engine that Sagittarian Saturn and Aries Uranus have to offer.  Go for it!

On Saturday, March 12^th Venus enters Pisces greatly helping our quest since she is especially happy in this dreamy sign.  Over the next week she gradually joins Neptune to heighten our intuition and willingness to share with others -- on every level – time, money and energy.  Venus-Neptune are quintessentially selfless, the essence of giving the shirt off our back to help our fellow man, utterly devoted.  In a world where it is often “every man for himself”, this duo invites us to think of others, how we can best, fully, serve humanity with dignity and grace.   Applied positively, their combined energy is truly the highest we are offered in our lives and that we in turn may offer to others.  The caution here is:  be careful of giving yourself away, by either over-committing or draining your being to exhaustion OR colluding with the escape artist that Venus-Neptune in Pisces entice.  Choose forgiveness and love rather than avoidance and delusion.

By March 20th the Sun moves into Aries marking its annual passage of the Spring Equinox.  Can you feel the shift in energy as the Sun, your will and identity, move into the primal fire sign?  You can practically hear the announcer call, “ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!”  Life really takes off now.  No more wandering around in that Piscean haze and fog.  Oh no.  Feel the surge.  Because the very next day, Messenger Mercury joins the Sun in Aries and the following day, March 23^rd, there a lunar eclipse on the Full Moon.  You really couldn’t script a better entrance into Spring 2016 than this burning cosmic wave.  Smack on the Equinox, Lunar eclipses are about endings.  We are now invited to say goodbye to the winter and walk straight into brand new energy firing on all cylinders.

With Mercury tied to this eclipse at 3 degrees Aries:  pay attention to all messages you receive now – both those you see and hear.   As always, if you receive the same message twice or more, the Universe is trying to catch your eye or ear.  Ask:  what is this message trying to tell me?  How can I best use this information or follow where it leads?  Be open minded.  A willingness for adventure enhances our growth and development.

Conversely, the opposite end of this eclipse falls with the Moon at 3 degrees Libra.  So:  strike a balance.  Aries is famously impulsive energy so look before you leap!  Read the fine print of any document before you sign.  Find a happy medium between rushing into a commitment and resistance to considering your options.  With Libra in this eclipse equation, there may be relationships that are ending now or phasing out.  While it is wonderful to have friends, employers, work, networks and even relatives from all times of your life, if there are those who aren’t serving you right now (or haven’t been for a long time), it is OK to set them free…and yourself too!  That way you can both proceed on your life’s journey.  Think of this as another form of life-housecleaning.  Are there friends who completely drain you and make it all about them when you spend time together?  Do you have employees who always fall short of delivering on the job?  Or are you in a dead-end job?  Time to find friends, workers and a career path that fulfill you and with the latter, that also pays the bills!

Hammering this message home is good ol’ task master Saturn when he turns Retrograde motion on March 25^th.  Time to take a long, long Sagittarian journey to your inner landscape and find out how to truly best spend your time (ruled by Saturn).  He’ll give us the next few months and the summer to reflect on that which truly feeds our core being, soul, with depth and meaning.  You may find yourself reading, traveling (virtually or in your mind), or studying to learn how to bring out the best in yourself. 

The final week of March finds Venus pairing with Caring Ceres and Healer Chiron in Pisces, affording optimal energy for the deepest of nurturing and healing, both for ourselves and others.  Make the most of this time to repair old wounds spotlighted by both eclipses.   Pisces' greatest healing tools are water and music.  Walk by a lake while listening to bird songs or your favorite Ipod tunes.  Then, march out of March carried by a song in your heart.

Cosmic Support amidst Shakedown City

February offers us a bit of a break.   It feels so nice after the push and pull of planets in January and the hustle-bustle of December’s holidays.   This month, not a single planet turns retrograde or direct motion out of retrograde which affirms our sense of where we are going.  With the exception of Jupiter, all planets are moving forward in February.   So we feel less struggle and more directed.  YAY!  Not that there isn’t work to be done (there always is…); but we will feel as though we are actually getting somewhere, making tracks, accomplishing our goals. 

Underscoring this are some really helpful configurations.   For starters, Generous Jupiter and the Lunar North Node (our true calling) continue to travel together in Virgo, focusing and delivering our goals in the health and work sectors of our lives.  This power couple finishes details to an astonishing level of perfection and will not skip over a single item of note. 

Forming a gorgeous alliance to Jupiter-North Node are Messenger Mercury tightly conjoined to Transformer Pluto in constructive Capricorn, matching our minds, messages and desires.  Messages will be really strong now, both those you receive and deliver.  Pay attention to what is said and what you say.  Capricorn is all about solid foundations, creating that which lasts the test of time.  What are you trying to create and manifest to sustain yourself and loved ones?  Envision. By the end of the first week (Feb. 7^th) beneficent Venus joins this pair complimenting and cheering on our efforts; all three align with Jupiter-North Node to plan and execute to the final detail.  Build baby build!   

The trick is managing the unexpected.  The curveball.  Because challenging the Capricorn planetary trio is Radical Uranus.  This is the game changer.  All of us find we must reinvent ourselves, our methods and routines to accomplish what we seek.  No exceptions.  What used to work no longer does.  This can be a break through period for those willing to go out on a limb and take chances (see below).  You will be rewarded.  For those clinging to worn out ways, little movement occurs.  An example of this out-of-the-box climate is the highly tumultuous political scene in the USA.  On both the Right and the Left, the Capricorn Establishment is facing complete upheaval.   Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are shaking down the traditional system and offering something totally different. Keep an eye on the Iowa Caucuses as an indicator of how much change voters demand.

So while we have a tremendous amount of cosmic support this month to get where we want to go, do make allowances for surprises.   When we aren’t caught off guard and staying on track, February is a time to roll up your sleeves and really nail down the format and details of your desires.  Mars accentuates the messages from the Mercury-Pluto duo:  trust what you are hearing and seeing.  As February begins, Motivating Mars is at a critical degree of Scorpio telling us to dig deep.  Keep looking, searching and hunting to leave no stone unturned and each detail accounted for. 

(A cautionary note about Mars at such a notable degree in Scorpio:  watch your wallet.  Fortunately it is aligning helpfully with Mercury-Pluto in practical Capricorn.  So balance and settle accounts. Ask:  do you really need that extra such and such?  It is always a good idea to pay debt off first.)

Scorpio is the master intuitive so trust your gut, your instincts and your hunches in all cases.  The greatest art has been produced by artists following their intuition.  Some of the most profound and significant scientific breakthroughs have occurred by scientists following their hunches.  The trick is stamina.  To persist and keep at it even when you think you have no energy or ideas left.  Try not to let failure or disappointment dissuade you.  You have gut instincts and hunches for a reason.  Make like a Scorpio detective and put your nose to the grindstone.  Hard work now will indeed pay off.  It just isn’t always for us to know when or how.  Trust the flow and allow.  Take a break when needed. Just when you believe all paths have been exhausted, that’s when Mighty Uranus and Saturn step in by offering an Awakening, a Surprise, a breakthrough. 

Because the engines of invention and innovation are working overtime now, firing on all cylinders.  Wow.  We can hardly ask for more!  Radical Uranus in fiery Aries beautifully aligns with Saturn in adventurous Sagittarius fueling our mind, body and soul through the entire month.  Working late to solve a problem?  Feeling like you are on the edge of landing that job, healing old psychological or physical wounds but just don’t know if you have steam left to pull it off or are overwhelmed by the task ahead?  The Uranus-Saturn alliance is your friend for sure.  It’s like having an endless supply of gasoline to keep the car running.   Turned into yet another dead end?  Uranus-Saturn delivers miraculous ways of looking at something, a fresh round of resources you never knew you had.  It is very cool indeed.  Saturn in Sagittarius is all about trust:  believing even though you can’t yet see results.   Like agreeing to something or someone with a handshake and a whole lot of blind faith and just knowing it will all work out.  Uranus-Saturn say go ahead and make the deal, try something new: you have nothing to lose.

This gorgeous, fiery energy is in place on February 8^th for the New Moon at 19 degrees Aquarius.  Talk about the Mother of Invention and out of the box creativity…Wow!   Smack in between both planets, the New Moon forms a very helpful angle to both Uranus and Saturn, aligning our emotions, will, effort and creative intent.  There is a “your wish is my command” expression to this New Moon.  The caution here is the challenging angle between the Moon/Sun in Aquarius and Motivating Mars in Scorpio.

We must reach far deeper than we expected, re-examine exactly what we’ve gotten ourselves into to achieve our goal.   In fact, we must ask if our goal is in line with our soul purpose.  In other words, are we really certain our goal is what we need for our best and highest good?   Have you thought about what you will do when you attain that goal?  Then what?  We definitely have an endless supply of energy to get us across the finish line now. It is within reach:  you can see it just in the distance.   If your mark is in fact soul-aligned, you will attain it.  Keep moving toward it with everything you have. 

On Valentine’s day, Messenger Mercury moves into group-oriented and detached Aquarius.  And the Messenger planet in this airy sign loves springing surprises; with Venus in status-conscious Capricorn, expect the rather large and unexpected ­­­­­­­­_________ fill in the blank.  The moon is exalted (super honored) in earthy Taurus all weekend forming a gorgeous angle to Transformer Pluto and Jupiter-North Node.  What may seem to begin as an ordinary date night on February 13-14 could very well carry particular, positive and weighty significance.  Ahem.  Any proposal will be most heartfelt.  The ring accompanying it, BIG. 

Three days later beneficent Venus joins Messenger Mercury in Aquarius helping us to detach emotionally from any difficult relationships we may be ensnared in.  Incline toward folks who are new to you, can help you see through a different lens and/or enjoy group activities and networking for the rest of the month.  Aquarian Venus is humanitarian by nature and reminds us that we are all one, with souls and beating hearts.   Through detached interaction, we can more easily bridge the differences among us for better understanding of our fellow man.  This connectivity increases as Mercury-Venus travel together to the end of February.

On the 19^th, the Sun moves into self-sacrificing Pisces.  Known as the Mystic, Pisces directs our will (Sun) to believe.  Believe in our ideas, our fellow man, our loved ones, ourselves, what we create, increasing as the Sun joins Neptune, the ruler of Pisces.  It is an excellent time for creativity of any kind…to day dream and let your imagination run wild, to listen to music and enjoy any kind of water activities (from a soak in the tub to swimming in the ocean).  Have fun and see where the flow takes you…just remember to come back to earth!  Because the polar opposite of focused belief is escapism.   This is the caution with Pisces.  While Pisces imbues us with faith and imagination, it is best to strike a balance between reality and our fanstasies.  Fortunately, the earthy and ever-pragmatic Pluto in Capricorn and Jupiter-North Node in Virgo trio keeps our feet on the ground even while our head wanders through the clouds. 

This effect is highlighted on the Full Moon, February 22 with the Sun in dreamy Pisces while the Moon is realistic, analytical Virgo.  What we have sown blossoms into fruition now.  With Messenger Mercury exalted (specially honored) in Aquarius, it is a particularly great time for announcements of significance.  All Full Moons are key periods to make a splash and get noticed.  But the Full Moon on the 22^nd is a particularly ripe time.

The final week of February (and we get an extra day due to leap year!)  both Messenger Mercury and beneficent Venus move through a very noticeable degree of Aquarius.  So the spotlight you garnered on the Full Moon will carry over until the end of the month.  It is an excellent time to share news, build a network, grow the work force and expand building on all that hard work you have accomplished to date.  Mercury-Venus in Aquarius have a magical connectivity power.  So what you unleash and release to the masses can spread like wildfire.  Conversely, any information you are not prepared to share is best kept to yourself since Aquarius loves a surprise and can catch you off guard.  Whatever the case, may the Force be with you!

Of Special Note:

I recently completed my Level IV Reiki Training and am now a certified Reiki Master.  I offer both in-person and distance Reiki sessions which last about 45 minutes.  To schedule either a Reiki session or astrology reading, please email me at hilary@hilaryharley.com or visit my website www.hilaryharley.com

Tried and True: It isn't Sexy but it Works!

We all like a little glamour in our lives.  Who doesn’t?  Yet as 2015 rolls into 2016 we will find ourselves relying increasingly and steadily on that ever-so-boring quality:  function.  What works efficiently and effectively in our lives.

As each of us is pushed and pulled by the forces that be and drowned out in the cacophony of others seemingly more powerful, it is imperative to stay focused this coming year.  What are your goals?  Stick to them like glue and don’t be dissuaded.  Don’t have any goals?  Develop one or two manageable tasks that you believe can be accomplished. 

At our service helping us to get things done through the first three months of 2016 is the powerful pairing of Generous Jupiter and the Lunar North Node.  The latter is often called the North Node of Fate because it pulls us toward our destiny.  There is no mistaking when it calls our name.  How?  By resonating deeply with us.  Making us feel good, that we have done the right thing when we follow its lead.

Jupiter brings abundance wherever it cycles through the zodiac.  In combination with the Lunar North Node, these two underscore and emphasize where we are supposed to go, what we are doing, and how we spend our time.  If you are on the right path, you cannot help but feel it, that you are in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing.

In functional Virgo, the Jupiter-North Node duo is highly discerning and analytical.  They will really help you get the job done, no matter what the job is.   Nothing says Let’s get Real like earthy Virgo.  Why?  Virgo rules health, work, animals, routines and habits, and service to others.  Virgo doesn’t mess around.  It makes a list, checks it five times, adjusts accordingly, and follows through with an unparalleled efficiency.  Depending on where this power couple falls in your chart, all the wholesome goodness of ethical, hardworking Virgo is brought to you in spades.  Stand back and behold!

January is often a time when we revisit diet and exercise, routines of all kinds.  Virgo is the Queen of Routines.  Since our lives are formed and based on habits, it is essential to make sure these are healthy and serving us well.  Rolling into the New Year, what habits and routines do you want to change, what have you outgrown and need to shed or improve upon?   Have you neglected your body?  Are you overworking and under-playing?   Want to volunteer but haven’t figured out how to squeeze it into your schedule? 

Optimally functioning and well-serving routines and habits are vital to our well-being.  But a word of caution:  they can be a trap like anything else where we get stuck in a rut.  Sticking to a routine simply because it is what you know, not because it serves you, greatly diminishes its value.   The New Year affords us a time to review what is working and what is not in our lives.  Virgo is a mutable sign, meaning it offers flexibility, variety and possibility to help us adjust our patterns to create the most effective life possible.  It is OK to embrace the new, untried path, to add variety; in short:  to be different.  Regardless of what others think or say.  No time like the New Year to take charge of your life!

So what a blessing to have Jupiter tied to the North Node all month long underscoring and reinforcing our quest to develop new patterns.  At every turn this pair supports our efforts for health and well-being, and work (but not overwork).   The caution here is that Virgo rules perfection and details.  Be careful not to bite off more than you can chew; try not to over-analyze or overthink the myriad details and lose sight of the big picture for all of the details.   Attempt small shifts first.  Give yourself a trial period.  Feel what works and what doesn’t.  Adjust.

Deepening our quest to Get Real in 2016, Motivating Mars enters Scorpio just after the New Year on Monday, January 4^th.   Mars is our drive, what gets us out of bed in the morning.  In Scorpio, the psychologist of the zodiac, Mars drives us to dive deep inside ourselves to thoroughly observe and examine what makes us tick.   Where the Jupiter-North Node pair analyzes how well parts of your life are functioning, Mars now pushes us to find out why, to get to the veritable bottom of the story.  This trio is potent and means business.   It wants answers.  Like the film, A Few Good Men, Mars directs us to get the truth, whether we can handle it or not. 

Uncovering the Truth, you may not like what you find.  And so of course the downside, flipside and dark side of Mars in Scorpio is a drive to escape into sex, drugs and overspending to avoid what must ultimately be faced:  reality.   If you choose avoidance instead of walking the Path, prepare to pony up.  Instead, why not do the hard, soul work now so you can enjoy life when the time is right.  So, watch your wallet for the next two months.  Ask:  do you really need that?  After all the holiday shopping and spending the bill comes due in January and February.  Pay it off as quickly as you can.  Otherwise the interest is guaranteed to build up in 2016 as Mars revisits Scorpio later this year.

The very next day after Mars enters Scorpio, Messenger Mercury turns retrograde motion for most of January.  This is a mixed blessing.  While we have the urge to get going in the New Year, to jump on the bandwagon to set a fresh course in 2016, it is also the deepest part of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.  A time for turning inward.  Snuggling with others and ourselves.  Our pets.  So while we set intentions for the New Year, Mercury asks us now to review those intentions until January 25^th, to be sure of our goals, that this is what we want, the path we seek to walk.  Is it?  For the next three weeks:  ponder.

Three days later on Friday, January 8^th, Jupiter also turns Retrograde until early May.  Unlike some common perceptions, planetary retrogrades are not a bad thing.  It simply means the planet’s actions slow down and prompt us to search or act internally rather than outwardly.  With Jupiter conjoined to the Lunar North Node, we are invited to take to heart our quest for good health, efficient work habits and service to others.  Do as you say.  Follow through.  Be reliable.  Virgo isn’t sexy or fun, but oh man, where would we be without honesty, responsibility, punctuality and integrity? 

Introspection never hurt anyone; and prepares us beautifully for the New Moon on January 10^th in earthy, pragmatic Capricorn.  This New Moon is tied to Messenger Mercury, the Sun and transformer Pluto.   Pay attention to messages you receive now, literally anything that crosses your path, as Mercury forms a very helpful angle to Jupiter, creating one very powerful New Moon phase.  In practical, structured Capricorn, the stage is set for 2016.  Think of January as the platform and building block for the rest of the year.

A key note of this New Moon is its proximity of transformer Pluto challenging Uranus, which has shaped us over the past four years.  While these outer planets will not precisely challenge one another again for quite some time, their current razor’s edge prompts us to revisit the same the same themes we’ve worked through in 2014-15.  It is a highly appropriate time given Mercury and Jupiter’s retrograde status in January…to have us take one more thorough look at where we’ve been, how far we’ve come in order to establish where we want to go in 2016. 

Fasten your seatbelts then because during the third week of the month, cosmic activity picks up steam.  On January 21, the Sun says goodbye to Capricorn and enters inventive Aquarius, paving the way for strong individuality two days later when the Full Moon occurs in Leo on the 23^rd.    This is the culmination of a very potent lunar cycle involving Messenger Mercury which is tightly conjoined to Powerful Pluto.  Watch your words.  Listen, really listen, to what others are saying.  Pay attention.  With Mercury-Pluto in black and white Capricorn, people will take you at face value, closely observe whether you are hearing what they tell you and want you to know.  So be sure to say what you mean and mean what you say.  The Leo Full Moon can also be over the top dramatic.  It also wants to have FUN.  A good time, a really, really good time.  Just be sure to take a taxi if you’ve had too much to drink and filter your words.  Rely on Mercury-Pluto in practical Capricorn to help with both.

Exactly the same day as the Full Moon, Vivacious Venus shifts into high gear at an attention-getting degree of Capricorn.  Deals and relationships may take form now.  With the North Node of Fate still tied to Jupiter, very significant people may enter or make a mark on your life now.  FOCUS!  Do not ignore or dismiss anyone new to you now.  While you may not find them relevant in the current moment, hang on to their information as you may need to contact them at some point later on.  The Leo Full Moon is also highly romantic and creative as much as it is full of surprises with the Sun in Aquarius.  This is a great time to plan a proposal or creative venture as Mercury turns direction two days later on January 25^th.  So go ahead and ask/prepare to launch!

Heading into the final week of January, Savvy Saturn makes an increasingly helpful angle to Ingenious Uranus and will continue to do so through February.  With the Sun already cycling through Aquarius (ruled by Uranus) it is an excellent time to think, plan and act out of the box.  Saturn’s alliance with Uranus is the magician’s wand, a truly magical combination, as Saturn is hard work and Uranus is ingenuity.   Both are currently in fire signs bringing together pioneering, trailblazing inspiration (Uranus in Aries) and adventurous, philosophical search for meaning (Saturn in Sagittarius).   Uranus in Aries is full frontal can-do spirit while Saturn demands the Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth.  It is in an incredibly strong combination.  Whatever the energy is aimed at manifests, like literally having a magician’s wand in your hand.  It is terrific for accomplishing altruistic goals.  But use with care.  With Mercury now direct, still tied to Powerful Pluto in Capricorn, the Great Manifestor, the world will be yours for the asking in 2016.  So do be careful what you wish for.

Of special note:

I wish each and every one of you a healthy and joyous New Year!  I have now expanded my practice to include Reiki therapy.  Please see my newly updated website:  www.hilaryharley.com and linkedin page listed under Hilary Harley for more information on Harley Holistic Healing and how to schedule an astrology reading or Reiki treatment.

Blessings,

Hilary

Seek and ye shall find: all that glitters is not gold

Try as we might to ease into December, the cosmic forces aren’t having any of it.  The dance between illusion and reality, what is really going on, kicks into high gear this month.  We felt it building all through the fall as Taskmaster Saturn moved into a tight challenge to Mysterious Neptune.   The latter, Neptune, the most famous trickster and ringmaster of illusion and delusion tantalizes us with all that glitters.  It is up us to decide, discern and figure out the hard way, if what glitters is actually gold.  Or not. Do we get caught up and slide into the vortex of what feels really delicious but may be oh, so unreal. Or, do we roll up our sleeves and get down to the gritty work (but immeasurably rewarding effort) of searching for veritable and lasting meaningful truth.

As I wrote this month’s blog I was torn about how to title my message:  do I use Shakespeare’s weighty line “All that glitters is not gold…” or the more optimistic, “Seek and ye shall find.”  Either way, it is up to us to sift through glamour, fog, and haze of what scintillatingly allures us to find the meat and bones, the structure holding up our lives.   As Walter Mondale famously asked, “where’s the beef?”  This December more than most others past, we quest for sustained and sustainable substance in our lives.

For those already on The Path, (following their hearts and conscience), their journey will have its challenges this month but not be riddled with eruptions and life interruptions like those who are off path.  You know who you are.  Are you chasing an unattainable something you think will make you happy…if only you had this job/ car/house/lifestyle, then life would be perfect/good, etc. OR, are you diving down deep inside yourself to figure out your source of unrest and lack of peace?   Saturn in Sagittarius demands pure, unbridled honesty with one’s self and others.   By the end of December when Uranus turns direct motion, those not following their hearts and conscience will receive a wake-up call for sure.

But first, let’s look at the opening days of December.  Saturn tightly conjoins the Sun (our Will) in Truth and Justice Sagittarius, both challenge deceptive Neptune…hence we are asked, invited (or pushed) to examine what is real/true/meaningful and what is not.  What will see us through the good times and especially the bad times.  Life’s downturns.   Driving this message home is transformer Pluto’s increasing challenge to radical Uranus.  We must really look hard at our desires, what drives us at our core, and how we can use alternative, untried and perhaps pioneering methods to achieve our goals/desires.  A word of caution here:  using illegal and unethical means to achieve said desires will fail utterly now.  Mercury in truth-searing Sagittarius aligning with out-of-the-box Uranus assures that:  we must tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 

All through the first two weeks of December, Motivating Mars in Libra tightly challenges Pluto and Uranus.  Libra is about relationships, the cornerstone and centerpiece of our lives.  If someone or somebodies are not cooperating as you would like or expect them to, it is up to you, not him/her/them, to effectively manage the situation.  Alter your tactics.  What has not worked before is most likely not going to work now.  Time for a new strategy.   You do have options:   try something new, surrender your expectations, give it up and let go; talk to others in similar situations and find out what works for them and try that; walk away. 

December 4^th-6^th may be especially prickly as the emotional Moon moves toward Mars giving rise to feelings that have been unrealized or unspoken.  Suggestion:  be gentle with yourself and others during this time.  Patience and understanding, putting yourself in another’s shoes will work wonders rather than harshly judging.  Libra is about decisions, the process of decision-making and judgment.   And if there is one thing about Mars in Libra, you do not want to rush to judgment only to wake up and find you were on the wrong side of the scales.  Take your time and evaluate your options, consider your feelings and those of others.  Weigh all of the facts carefully and judiciously.  After all, what is the rush? 

Significantly helping our quest for the Truth now is Venus’ move into psychological Scorpio on December 5^th.   Scorpio is a veritable detective which plumbs the depths and leaves no stone unturned.  If someone is deceiving you, you will get to the bottom of exactly what is going on.  Ferret out every last single detail.  Fully supporting your efforts is Jupiter in detail-oriented Virgo squaring off with Messenger Mercury in truthful Sagittarius.  Those running away will not be able to hide.  And anything swept under the rug now will be tripped over as the truth is surely discovered.  Own it and own up.  Otherwise, face a stiffer penalty.

The point of these converging forces is simple:  live your truth.  Cosmic energy is not complicated.  It is elegantly streamlined.  It is just that human beings get in their own way and muddle things.  The aim of structural Saturn and dreamy Neptune is to build a solid foundation and dwelling for our dreams.   Neptune in Pisces asks us to believe in ourselves and our dreams while Saturn in Sagittarius asks the hard questions:  why do you really believe/want/desire this?  They ask us to understand what we believe; to have faith but also learn why and how to have faith; to educate ourselves about the very basis of our religion, philosophy, ideas, opinions, principles, theories…

In short, do not blindly follow ANY tenet/system/person/faith.  Do so at your own peril.  If you have lost faith or trust in someone or some aspect of your life OR are asked to place faith and trust in someone/thing:  ask questions.  Again, there is no rush.  The Mars-Pluto-Uranus trio demand we weigh our options.  Do not blindly follow.  It may feel radical to question the status quo but going along for the sake of getting along is a dead end trap.  The old ways, methods, routine just won’t work any more.  Put on your creative hat and find out what will work.

All this searching, truth-questing and detective work the first ten days of December gradually pays off around mid-month.   Scorpio Venus aligns helpfully with Neptune in Pisces, lifting the veil of what confused and confounded us, unifying, clarifying and demystifying answers we have sought, and further refining questions still to be asked, opening up the Path still to be walked.  There is tremendously powerful healing energy available to access December 7-20.

These are pivotal days.  First, Messenger Mercury moves into Responsible Capricorn at an attention getting degree on December 10.  You may very well hear vital news.  Capricorn’s key phrase is:  I USE.  So put all your knowledge collected over the past weeks and months to good use.  The very next day is the New Moon in Sagittarius on Thursday, December 11 forming a beautiful angle between the Sun (our will), the Moon (our emotions) and Uranus (our ingenuity).  If ever there were a New Moon to say a prayer, make a wish and set intentions for the time to come, this is it!!  Our creativity is off the charts now.

Guard your thoughts very carefully and focus precisely on what you DO want, not what you do NOT want to manifest on December 16 and 17^th when Venus helpfully aligns to the Messenger Mercury-transformer Pluto in Capricorn duo.  Venus rules love and money, so laser-like thought focus enables Venus to bring home the bacon and then some.  Venus continues to work its magic through the 20^th as it makes a harmonious angle to healer Chiron.  We will need every bit of her powerful love as the Sun challenges the lunar nodes exactly on the 18^th.  It is an evolutionary moment for every single one of us:  we are invited (or dared, depending on your viewpoint) to step into Love.  To unify through understanding and education rather than blindly dividing, further separating.  Become whole.  Recognize we are ONE.  That separateness is a fallacy, a lie, an untruth.  That each of us is a mirror to the other, our fellow human being(s).   

Hugely emphasizing this is Generous Jupiter’s conjoining of the lunar north node all month long in Virgo.  The North Node calls our name, calls us forward to our best selves.  Jupiter grants our wish.  In Virgo, this duo says through hard work, taking care of our health, being responsible, our wish is the Universe’s command.  The lunar nodes are evolutionary markers.  As they square or challenge the Sun (our will) in Sagittarius on December 18^th, we are called to do the work of telling the truth.  To ourselves and others.

The very next day, December 19^th, Messenger Mercury joins Pluto in industrious Capricorn to challenge the Moon and Uranus in Aries as the latter prepares to turn direct motion.  This is a highly explosive mix  as Mercury-Pluto see and hear life in black and white, right and wrong, you vs. me.  The Fiery Moon-Uranus duo doesn’t give a darn about black and white, and will boldly strike wherever and however necessary to get its point across.  This mix is strong to say the least.  Explosive…which can be positive or negative, destroying for the sake of it or creating breakthroughs for the better, love, self-love and healing.  Ask:  which side do you want to be on?  Destructive or productive?  To build or tear down?  It is a crystal clear moment, as evolutionary, pivotal choices are presented to us.  We can unify and heal or perpetuate the illusion of separateness.

By the 21^st, the Moon enters earthy Taurus where she is healthfully grounded and makes a gorgeous angle to Mercury-Pluto and Jupiter-North Node duos.  This could not be more helpful to us as we enter the heart of the holidays.  Our thoughts, emotions, desires and efforts are all brought together, centered and aimed realistically to achieve our highest purpose and fullest potential.  It is really, truly lovely energy.  Heightening this is the Sun’s entrance into pragmatic Capricorn at an attention-getting degree.

It is the perfect lead-in, almost too storybook in its effect, as the Full Moon falls precisely ON Christmas.  In its home sign of Cancer, the Moon is serenely content and may ensure a very sweet, thoughtful holiday with family, good food and lots of heart-felt nurturing.  We will need every bit of this compassionate nurturing and otherwise planetary practical focus as radical Uranus turns direct motion the very next day, December 26^th.   How we have felt up until now, life as we know it may very well be turned on its head as unpredictable Uranus shifts gears.  In short, have your ducks lined up and be prepared for anything!

A potent combination supports us as the earth shifts under our feet:   Venus moves into adventurous Sagittarius on December 30 enhancing our faith in life and in ourselves, while Jupiter and the lunar North Node converge, making anything and everything possible if we are willing to focus on our to-do list and do the work ahead.   

Of special note:   I wish each and every one of you a wonderful 2016.  These last few years have been very challenging for all of us and we continue to feel the fall-out from the Uranus-Pluto shifts of 2012-2105.  I am now a Level 3 Reiki practitioner and am now offering both complete astrological counseling and Reiki services under a new name:  Harley Holistic Healing.  You may continue to find me at www.hilaryharley.com to schedule either a Reiki healing or astrology reading.  It is a the perfect gift for anyone in your life, including yourself!  May your holidays bring you peace and contentment and a beautiful New Year. 

Pretenders need not apply

November opens with a powerhouse cluster of planets in earthy Virgo.  Generous Jupiter joins Venus and Mars to emphasize health, healing, well-being, duty and work.   Giving tremendous support to this combination is transformer Pluto’s helpful angle to Jupiter and wellness asteroid Hygeia in practical Capricorn.  The effect creates solutions for long-standing problems with work and health as Healer Chiron opposes the cluster.

We are being handed a step-by-step how-to guide to follow an unfolding road map.  We are asked to produce (or reproduce) structures (Capricorn) to build a stronger and healthier life and/or more efficient and productive workplace.  Virgo is all about analysis.  By crunching the data, searching for numbers and information, we can then study what we’ve gathered and apply it accordingly.   This sounds very cold and impersonal.  However, even in the most intimate and personal relationships we are asked to now stand back and assess.  Detach and be objective.  What is working about certain aspects of our lives and what is not?  Pro vs. con.  Depth of situation or relationship.  Ask the hard questions.  It is a great time to search for answers.  The power cluster lasts through the first week of November so put it to good use.  Work it!

Bolstering our efforts for creative solutions is Messenger Mercury’s move into intense Scorpio on November 2^nd.  Mercury rules communication, how we think and speak.  In powerful Scorpio our observational and intuitive skills sharpen dramatically.  Trust what you are being shown now.  Try not to doubt or dismiss what crosses your view.  You may want to just file away for future reference what comes to you or you may want to act directly.  You choose.  The key point is that Scorpio Mercury is like a detective following clues revealed.  Each new one we overturn leads to yet another.

The first two weeks of November is a great time for scientists, artists, engineers of all kinds, anyone looking for breakthroughs to stubborn matters of the mind.  Conversely, we may be shown problems that must be addressed or fixed.  The Virgo cluster helps process and analyze all that data to look for a better way of functioning and operating.

Mercury gradually pulls into beneficial alignment with Jupiter through mid-month increasing our ingenuity and insight.  Wow.  At the end of the first week, Venus joins the lunar North Node at an eye-popping degree of Libra.  Relationships, art, the beauty business, harmony are the focus.  This intensifies on the 11^th and 12^th as Motivating Mars and the North Node switch signs:  Mars enters Libra and the lunar Node reverses into Virgo for a long stay.  Both are still tightly clustered with Venus, love and money, to form a power trio.  It is critical mass for those relationships that are not functioning and scenarios can play out in a number of ways.

There is significant help available to those committed to getting back on the right track – for doing the work to salvage the relationship or to create a healthier dynamic.  This planetary combination also portends new relationships opening up – perhaps with people you have been familiar with for a while but haven’t had the time or opportunity to really get to know them. 

There will be those who decide to call it quits once and for all and leave, either their family of origin or partnerships; and not to be forgotten, shifts in relationships at work – the classic corporate shuffle, the reorganization of staff reassigned to other departments, jobs outsourced or cut altogether.

The cosmic shifts occur on the heels of the New Moon in Scorpio with Messenger Mercury at a highly visible degree of Scorpio.  Bells and whistles will go off now.  Attention.  Attention please.  If nothing else, Scorpio is about power.  The dim light of the New Moon paired with Mercury aligns helpfully with Jupiter in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn.  This combination literally gives us X-Ray vision and hearing, knowing power if we tune into it.  Really be aware and focus on what you are being shown now.  Even the slightest bit of information might be useful down the road.

A word of caution about secrecy:  the Mercury, Sun, Moon in Scorpio troika is keenly adept at hiding information, money, anything.  The dark of the Moon ensures it.  But it is also acutely aware, psychic if you will.   If you get a vibe that someone is taking advantage of you, follow your hunch.  Ask questions.  You do NOT want to sweep things under the rug now or dismiss advice, messages, anything that looks odd or off-putting.  Ask:  what is that about?  Gauge whether it is the proper time to use the information you receive; if not now, just wait and the right time will appear. 

On the 18^th, mystical Neptune turns direct motion in Pisces.  The effects of Neptune are subtle and gentle yet offers a consistent cleansing and clearing result to push us toward our highest potential.  As it will over the next year to come, Neptune challenges Saturn in Sagittarius, causing us to sift through our beliefs, our systems of faith, educational methods and institutions, our spiritual lives, and our attitudes or interest in foreigners and foreign life.

You may have questioned your religious or spiritual upbringing and faith before but now find yourself challenged in a whole new way.  Do you relate to your faith at all?  Do you want to explore new spiritual fronts?  What works and what doesn’t work about your spiritual life?  You may realize during this passage that you have nothing in common with your traditional belief system, its tenets.  The push and pull between Neptune in Pisces and Saturn in Sagittarius is BIG.  Its effects can be applied to nearly every aspect of our lives – partnerships, whether business or person, the kind of work we want to do, do you even relate to/believe in what you’ve been toiling at all these years?  What kind of work feels fulfilling, what kind of people do we want to work with or live near?

It is essential now that we are REAL with ourselves.  Faking your way just won’t work anymore.  The X-Ray eyes of Mercury in Scorpio ensures that no stone is left unseen.  The Neptune-Saturn challenge is profoundly existential – asking us bare bone questions:  who we are, what do we believe in, our values, on every single level, earthly to spiritual, how much faith do we have in ourselves and our work.  Are we pursuing meaningful work for the greater cause of humanity.  These are all at play now.  Escapist Neptune deals in disillusionment and deception while Saturn demands Truth and Faith.  Ask:  where are you avoiding/denying/deceiving yourself about another or a situation?  

Sagittarius Saturn is the ultimate Truth Seeker and the questions only sharpen, one leading to another, when Mercury joins Saturn in Sagittarius on November 21.  The quest for Truth is ON!  Those trying to skirt the issues in motion will be tripped up by this Cosmic Truth Teller duo.  It will be harder and harder to hit the Escape button now.

As much as Neptune would like to escape Saturn’s cold grip on Truth, there is no way out.  Except surrender.  Where are you working so hard against the grain?  Neptune invites us to surrender to the flow.  To give up what no longer works.  The job, the relationship, the fight.  Wherever these two fall in your chart, you are being called to surrender with faith, and KNOW it will be all right.  It will all work out.  Ultimately, this time is about cleaning house and getting on the right path in order to evolve.  Move forward.

The quest for truth tide is unstoppable as the Sun joins Saturn in Sagittarius on November 22^nd, leading up to the Full Moon on the 26^th.  The Sun (our willpower), tightly bound to taskmaster Saturn and Messenger Mercury in Sagittarius opposite the Geminii Full Moon sends a powerfully potent message:  hop on the Truth Wagon once and for all.  The Gemini Moon will gather any information you need to help you forge a more meaningful and substantive life that aligns with your personal truths.  Straddling the Full Moon configuration is Neptune, yet again, wringing out all the dirt, making sure we stay honest and above board as we shift our priorities to align with our best selves.

A word of caution:  be aware of Neptune’s escapist desires.  Ask whether you are joining Neptune’s Great Escape by avoiding a situation, substance abusing; or, are you using Neptune’s higher strengths to clarify, reveal, cleanse the direction of your path.  You choose:  self-deception or authenticity.  One thing for sure is that the result of your choice will be spotlighted under the glaring Full Moon on November 25^th.  Run and hide if you must but know you will be found out and discovered.  Eventually.  Then what?

OF SPECIAL NOTE:   I am now certified as a Level 3 Reiki therapist.  I am thrilled to combine my astrological service with Reiki healing into a more integrated, holistic practice now known as Harley Holistic Healing.  Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing.  It is administered by laying on hands to activate the life force energy that flows through each of us.  If our energy is low, we are susceptible illness or greater stress.  If our energy is high, we feel greater vitality and well-being.  I am slated to receive my Reiki Master certification in February 2016.  In addition to personal Reiki and chakra cleansing sessions, I am available for Reiki house cleansings to purify your current or new home or office of unwanted energies.

To book either an astrological reading or Reiki healing, please contact me at hilary@hilaryharley.com or visit www.hilaryharley.com

Truth Be Told: It's Decision Day

After the rock ‘em, sock ‘em cosmic ride of September, with double eclipses and Mercury retrograde, October will feel like an oasis of calm.  The next four weeks offer scant planetary activity, giving us a break from the constant push and pull tug of war we experienced last month.  Other than the Moon (which changes signs every two days), only one planet, Venus, switches signs during October while Messenger Mercury finally turns direct.  That’s it folks!

Good thing, too, that this month will be calm celestially.  I for one welcome it.  But it's not like we won't have anything to do.  No.  We will need every bit of peace and quiet as we walk out and survey the wreckage following September’s planetary storm.  September flipped over the tables.  Time to roll up your sleeves and get down to business.  While havoc may not have swept across your doorstep (good things do emerge now as well), quite a lot has been churned up for us to deal with and manage. Perhaps your entire approach to living requires adjustment since our perspective, the lens through which we look at life, has pivoted.  Maybe wildly.  So whether you are facing a big ol' TO DO list or figuring out how to put one foot in front of the other on this radically new landscape, we may feel daunted by what faces us.

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start at the beginning, and start small:  What needs attention first, second and third in your life?  What pockets have you ignored?  Where have you lied or deceived yourself?  The good news is, first, with Saturn now firmly planted in truth-telling Sagittarius, we can clearly see the tasks ahead.  Let the great clean up begin!   Nothing like the Great Taskmaster Saturn to call us on the work to be done:  to hear our truth, speak our truth, live our truth.  Anything less will not stand.  Second, as a direct result of being who we really are, living our true selves, there are decisions to be made and followed through with.   A word of caution here:  do not expect to be liked or admired for some, any or all of your choices as you honor your soul.

As October opens, these two key directives are highlighted:  honoring personal truth and working through the consequences and choices of honoring your personal truth.  These directives remain the primary message the entire month long.  Saturn in Seeker Sagittarius helpfully aligns with the lunar North Node, calling us to step up and stick to our True Path.  All month, the North Node is at an attention-getting degree of Libra, bolstered by Messenger Mercury and the Sun (our will) to aid our decision-making.

In the light of day, as difficult as some of the choices confronting us are, it is essential, imperative really, to listen and follow your internal guidance, your natural GPS, otherwise known as intuition.  Ignore the Truth now at your peril.  For the next two years, Saturn in Sagittarius demands we honor our truth and promises consequences for those who do not.

Helping us sort through our lives the first week of October, Generous Jupiter and Motivating Mars pair up in industrious, health conscious Virgo and align beautifully with transformer Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn.  Projects, work, health care concerns offer promise now if we apply ourselves.  Virgo rules the future and we are assured a stable and healthier life if we commit to a plan during this time.  Sketch out ideas, create a pro-con list, outline a step-by-step guide to your goal(s).  Then once Mercury turns direct motion on October 9^th, sign the deal, move ahead with your plans. 

The very same day that Messenger Mercury turns direct, Venus changes signs from dramatic Leo to reliable Virgo, joining the Jupiter-Mars duo.  This troika in hard-working Virgo offers abundant opportunity by underscoring the need to form good habits and healthy routines now.  Your efforts will be rewarded so go to it!    One rather large stickler to this energetic trio is their opposition to nebulous Neptune.  This is tricky stuff.  On one hand, at its best Neptune clarifies even further the work to be done by the three planets in Virgo.  At its worst, Neptune wants to do what it likes most:  run for the hills and escape the quest for perfectionism and honest details insisted on by the Virgo trio.   However, it will be really hard to run away from the work at hand this month as it is glaringly, unmistakably HUGE.  Remember that massive to do list from September’s storm?  If left unattended, it will only pile up.  So as always with planetary challenges:  balance.  If you do the work, one bit at a time, Neptune will welcome you with relaxation, music, tranquility. 

Meanwhile, it only gets harder to ignore the work in front of us.  Saturn in Sagittarius insists on the Truth.  Won’t let us get away with a thing, much less escape into Neptune’s hazy mists.  There is not a lot of room for deceit now.  Little to no wiggle room to wiggle away from reality – harsh as it may be.  Venus’ challenge to Saturn at this same time, October 9-12, guarantees that.  Our relationships and money (Venus rules worth and self-worth) may be picked apart in finite detail (Virgo) as Sagittarius Saturn seeks to weed out the Truth of what’s really going on with our bank account and relationships.   In other words, the very essence, building blocks and cornerstone(s) of our lives are under scrutiny and possibly up for grabs if we stand by and do nothing to fix what needs attention.  After the turmoil of September, the New Moon on October 12^th offers us a clean slate.  So set your intentions with honor, integrity and soul baring truth.

The Virgo drive for accurate information and attention to detail increases at mid-month when Jupiter and Mars tightly conjoin from October 15-19^th, offering greater purity, clarity, pristine understanding of yourself and the situation(s) you find yourself in.  Healer Chiron in Pisces directly opposes Jupiter-Mars, gently insisting on the highest and best interest for us to mend our deepest wounds.  Where do you need to connect (or re-connect) to your hurt, abandoned child?  It is not only OK to take care of yourself and your needs, it is essential now – critical mass as they say.  Past high time.  Yes, you may surprise some and tread on the toes of others who expect you to stick to the same old drill.  So if you make changes, put yourself first, being disliked is part of the process.  Really, truly,it is more than all right to lose parts of your life where you are taken for granted.  But to stay the course and risk lack of growth, to wither on the vine, what could be worse?

From a different angle, using different words, Chiron underscores the same theme Saturn in Sagittarius harkens to. Where Chiron says “attend to your deepest needs”, Saturn says “honor thy truth”.  Do it.  This energy only continues to build during the third week of October, 20-27, as we approach the Full Moon.  It is incredibly important to stay grounded now.  The Full Moon in Taurus greatly helps keep our feet firmly planted, helped by the convergence of Venus, Mars and Jupiter in down-to-earth, pragmatic Virgo.  Wherever Virgo falls in your chart, good health and work habits soak up a great deal of our energy at this time.  Remember:  the purpose is to bring each of us to our highest and best Self.  Honor your Path.  Do the Work.  Your soul’s work.  There is nothing less at stake.