Coming Up for Air: Going the Distance

What a time we have had.  WHEW!  A most challenging summer.  One for the record books really.  Usually summer is a treasured time of vacations and being outside enjoying nature and warmer temperatures.  But for many, this summer felt like a grueling marathon.  Even if you didn’t experience a crisis or significant stress, you may have felt just “off”, mired in the sluggish and difficult mucky energy, spinning your wheels.  For most of us, “normal” has been redefined. 

For those of us who used our time well over the summer, we reflected on our journey:  how far we’ve come and mapped out where we want to go next and how to get there.  You can just about hear the voice from the film “Field of Dreams” echoing Go the distance....   However, during these past two months many of us were completely knocked off the path they traveled; for some, it is the only path they’ve ever known.  This is known as a course correction. 

No matter what your experience, this summer has indelibly shown us who we are.  What is real and what is illusion, what works and what is broken, what our reality is in stark black and white terms.  Our time has marked each of us like a stamp.  September, then, is a most welcome reprieve of back to routine and regularity.  Back to school and work; yes, a new grade or perhaps a new job to carry on with. 

This September more than most others is for releasing all that pent up energy built over the summer.  Now is the time to move on all those dreams you harbor.  Helpfully underscoring the start of the new month is a grand earth trine – an immensely supportive alliance between the Sun (our will), Saturn (the taskmaster) and Uranus (the change agent).  This troika enables us to find the right resources and people while maximizing our time very efficiently.  In equal measure, Generous Jupiter continues to align with Soulful Neptune, bolstering our faith in our plans and ourselves.

Coming up for air out of the stagnant summer energy, the time to act is now.  The next 35 days are ripe to give life to any dreams, ideas and plans you’ve been holding on to dear life waiting to breathe life into them. Go, go, go.

Just days after the Labor Day holiday, life really shifts into high gear as Messenger Mercury enters its own sign of Virgo on the 6^th, streamlining our thoughts and enhancing our efforts; while on the same day, Taskmaster Saturn turns direct motion.  BOOM!  You can fairly hear the cosmic choirs chant: activate, activate, activate!  Overnight, your to do list and time management seem to flow so much more smoothly.

What happened?

Within two weeks’ time, three of the six planets retrograde during August have now pushed forward, direct again.   The power of this gear shift cannot be emphasized enough.  Yes, of course, we still have our struggles, large and small; but the sheer battle of getting things done, signed, checked off and accomplished is greatly reduced now.

The New Moon on September 9^th is especially helpful.  It is a manifestation New Moon if ever there were one!  Hand write your goals and wishes for the coming harvest season.  What do you hope to reap now?  What do you want to create?  Beneficent Venus enters transforming Scorpio on the same day, encouraging our desires; while Generous Jupiter aligns perfectly with Powerful Pluto, the Sun and Moon, our will and emotions, turning our dreams into reality.  Pay no attention to those Naysayers!  Keep plugging away.  This cosmic combo says you will get there for sure.

Two days later, on the 11^th, Mars re-enters Aquarius.  Back in June, Mars turned retrograde and reversed into Capricorn.  Direct once more, Mars pushes into the avant garde Aquarius again and joins the Lunar South Node, a point of release.  This duo emphasizes purging.  What do you need to let go of now?  The Mars/South Node duo square off with Radical Uranus, Scorpio Venus and the Leo North node.  This giant stubborn celestial square pushes our buttons big time.  We need to dig remarkably deep the second week of September. 

Any long-festering issues are forced on to the table, out in the open, now.  These may be on the family/home front, work arena, with our health and wellness...wherever you are struggling.  We are pushed to make radical (and necessary) changes and/or activate long-harbored desires no matter how difficult the obstacles before us.  These may present as overcoming inner/internal beliefs instilled in us or external hurdles to leap across.  For example, a woman who dreams of starting her own business but must tune out naysayers squashing her ideas and/or overcoming fears of taking out a bank loan to get the business off the ground.

Hold tight to your dreams and desires and just do it.

Because fortunately, we continue to have a plethora of cosmic support as we confront obstacles. Eight, yes 8, out of ten planets are getting along famously at mid-month.  Use their harmony to your advantage.   Pluto aligns with the Sun and Messenger Mercury, Jupiter syncs with Neptune, and cooperating Venus-Saturn-Uranus tell us Carpe Diem:  Seize the day!   

Try not to sweat the small stuff or refuse to walk across the bridge these planets offer by clinging to stubborn ways.  Best not to give in to the negative Nancys in your life and stagnate, fill with resentment; instead, when you hear the word NO, take a breath, step back, re-group then figure out your next moves to create a new, manageable situation.  Excellent problem solving possibilities abound now.  The point is:  keep going.  Move forward.  Do not take no for an answer.  Remember:  FEAR stand for False Evidence Appearing Real.  Don’t fall for that illusory trap.

All the while, Messenger Mercury is tightly conjoined to the Sun which enters Lovely Libra on September 23^rd.  Aligning with Mars and the South Node in Aquarius, this pair helps us find inventive strategies to chart our future:  how to prioritize, what to keep and what to pitch.  Most critically, how to establish balance and order in our lives so we can honor our journey, selves and those relationships we treasure most.

This energy is in place for the Full Moon the very next day, September 24^th.  Under its spotlight, the Libra Sun-Mercury oppose the Moon, Hygeia (health and wellness) and Chiron (healing) in fiery Aries.  Brand new opportunities for healing, health and well-being are ripe.  Tied fortuitously to the Leo North Node, creative solutions surround us if we keep our minds and hearts open.  Take the blinders off and try alternative approaches.  Experiment.  That radical/crazy idea your mom/wife/child…or you, have may hold more than a kernel of truth.  It may be the key to all your answers.  Instead of dismissing and doubting, try it out. 

Especially if you keep getting the same message repeatedly.  Once is notable; twice is intended for you; three or more times:  you are being shown the way.  Backed into a corner?  Give that crazy idea a whirl.  Take it for a test drive.   Necessity is most often the mother of invention.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  The Universe says so.

Feeling the Heat? Take a Soul Vacation

The intensity is on as August opens, whether by actual temperature or from life itself.  For many it feels like we’re living inside of a pressure cooker.  Wow.  Five out of ten planets are retrograde motion on August 1^st, soon joined by Uranus turning retrograde at the end of the first week; meanwhile we also prepare for the third and final eclipse of the summer on August 11.

Spinning your wheels?  Life turned upside down?  Well…yes.  The first three weeks of August in particular may have you feeling stuck.  There is very little traction.  Our efforts to push ahead feel swallowed up by a black hole.  

Why?  We aren’t supposed to be moving forward right now.  If ever there was a time of reflection and introspection, this is it.  Two key interpersonal planets, Messenger Mercury and Motivating Mars are retrograde for the balance of August.  Mercury deals with communication while Mars sparks our actions.  In reverse gear, we can feel our work bouncing right back at us without any feedback or barely inching forward.

If you are trying to get anything accomplished other than routine details (and not even then in many cases), this can be a very frustrating three weeks.  With these planetary retrogrades comes the usual astrological cautions:  avoid signing significant contracts or making major purchases, especially anything mechanical during the Mars retro period.

So how do you make August work for you?

Pick up the cosmic cues.  We have a whole lot of heightened intuition.  Our instincts are super sharp thanks to Jupiter in Scorpio harmonizing with Neptune in Pisces.  Quiet your mind, pursue solitude so you can feel your natural internal guidance system, your soul’s GPS.   Scorpion Jupiter gives us expert x-ray vision while Piscean Neptune has an accurate finger on the pulse of life.  Your life.  These two lead us with pure certainty about what is actually happening in our lives.  Pay attention. 

Ask whether it is easier or more work to bury your head in layers of denial…just because “that is the way it is” or  ”that’s the way it’s always been done”.   Um, no, no, no, no, no….  Not anymore.

Maximize August by leaning into self-reflection.  Even if you can’t spare or afford a whole week off for vacation, taking a day or long weekend from your regular grind for radical self-care, pampering and healing will do a vast amount of good for your body, mind and spirit.  Let your mind off the hook for now.  Play.

The Lunar North Node in Leo is all about creativity, having fun, building a sand castle and mud pies for the sheer joy it gives, not for any status or how productive it makes you feel. This is not such a time.  This August is anything but a classically productive period.  Hard as this may be to digest:  we are supposed to putter right now.  Dilly dally. 

Puttering is actually very helpful.  It allows our minds and spirits to imagine possibilities even if we aren’t aware of it.  Gardening, washing and waxing your car, cooking a favorite dish come to mind.  Utilize this opportunity for a soul vacation.  For inspiration and imagination.  Puttering is productive in an altogether radical way…not the linear, Western hemisphere notion of productivity.  Being still and simply being this month is equal to getting a full night’s sleep.  You emerge on the other side awakened, refreshed and ready to go.

Feeding this great shift is Radical Uranus in earthy Taurus.  It turns retrograde motion on August 6^th and continues to square off with Mars in Aquarius.   The Great Awakener suddenly jolts our internal awareness.  Our ideas and ingenuity clash mightily with traditions, available resources, or other inhibitors if you are thinking along old lines.  These conflicting forces are pushing us to think and do in completely new ways.  Not just “out of the box” methods but perhaps by following unheard of, wildly different, alternative paths.  Many are being forced to break apart from what no longer functions anymore.  Expect abrupt announcements, course corrections, surprise and seemingly inexplicable events to throw curve balls at us.

Meanwhile, healer Chiron in fiery Aries catalyzes Capricorn Saturn to generate entirely new platforms on which to build our future.  Create a new, functional and efficient foundation to grow your life.  There is a tremendous physio-psychic push and pull occurring both internally and externally in our lives.  What are you being shown now?  Often repeatedly?  How and what are you asked to be in this world?  One thing is for sure:  once August has passed, we face an entirely new landscape.  The old is gone and with it, outdated modes of living.

On August 7^th, Venus enters Libra for the remainder of the month.  In her own sign, the planet of love, money and relationships smooths out ruffled feathers stirred up by the on-going cosmic tugs of war.  Try focusing your attention on art, beauty and extending an olive branch to those you disagree with.

If not now, when?  If not you, then whom?

You will be so glad you did.  Surprise yourself, surprise whomever you’re sparring with, to reach across what divides you to find common ground.  This will serve you in good stead heading into the third and final eclipse on Saturday, August 11^th.  This occurs on a New Moon and challenges Jupiter in Scorpio.  Our will and emotions pull us one way – big, brash and boldly, while Jupiter shows us what is really happening in vivid colors.

If there were ever a time to check your ego, this would be it!  Adding to the conflation, Messenger Mercury exactly squares off with Jupiter in Scorpio now too, playing tricks with our thoughts if we aren’t careful.  Watch for deception, grand illusions and grandiose notions in yourself and in others; you may encounter huge asks, your eyes being way too big for your stomach, biting off more than you can chew.  You get the idea.  It is great to think big and live large but Scorpio Jupiter will make you keep it real.  Do not get sucked into any smoke and mirror spin job…that you absolutely can’t live without ”X” or must believe “Y”, or else…  Rather, use this energy to step back from your life to look at the global picture you want to paint and vision forward.

Set aside what you hope might happen and ask the hard questions:   what is really going on?   With focus and attentive effort, this otherwise confusing energy can be harnessed to your benefit.  The August 11^th eclipse affords abundant creativity with the Sun, Moon, Mercury and North Node in passionate Leo.  Craft three to five intentions you hope to accomplish in the next month, season or year.  Hand write these and either plant them in the earth or cast in a moving body of water.

The following week, Messenger Mercury turns direct motion on August 20^th.  Feel the collective sigh of relief?  Technical glitches be gone!  Slowly we are inching forward again, where our efforts to get ahead will stick.  No sign appreciates this quite like Virgo, master of function and efficiency.  So when the Sun enters analytical and earthy Virgo on August 23^rd, we regain traction.   Proceed with major purchases and signing contracts.

A few days later, like layers of blindfolds being peeled off, Mars finally turns direction motion on August 27^th under the glow of the Full Moon the day prior.   What has been brewing all month now rises to a head, culminating.  You can feel the stagnating fog that permeated our energy lift away.  We can see clearly again.  We’ve waited so patiently (or perhaps not) to get going already, to get ready for fall.  Returning from vacation, literal, mental/emotional or otherwise, the Virgo Sun helps us plan and prepare.  Buy all those back-to-school supplies, new equipment, clothing, and so on.  After Labor Day, we feel a surge of energy.

A useful reframe of the old first day of school question, “what did you do over the summer” might be:  “what did you learn over the summer?" 

The promise of a new day and a new season await your response.

Are you the problem or are you the solution?

Try not to let the sultry summer month of July deceive you into thinking it is all that laid back.  Multiple layers of unfolding cosmic energy will have you feeling like you are fighting against titanic forces if you try to accomplish anything.  You are.

Better to go with the flow. Ride the wave.  Vacation anyone?

Our time this month is marked by two eclipses (the first of three this summer) and Messenger Mercury turning Retrograde.  Motivating Mars has already turned retrograde (June 27), turning our active energies inward.  If ever there was a time to remove yourself out of the fray, this July is it!  When possible, take time off and take care of yourself and loved ones.  Enjoy the warm, playful summer Sun sign of Cancer.

July opens with Messenger Mercury conjoined to the lunar North Node in Leo:  we are a chatty bunch, creative, festive, ripe for the Fourth of July.  Your messages will be heard…so a note of caution here:  think before you speak as the Mercury/North Node pair challenges Radical Uranus and opposes Mars.  This is a potentially explosive combination.  Watch what and how you say it and even then, expect that your words may not be received with the spirit you intended.

Generally, I refrain from dire predictions in my forecasts; however, the 4^th of July holiday in the United States looks particularly dicey.  Please move deliberately and choose your words carefully the first week of the month.  Accidents on both individual and collective fronts are possible.

Softening the edges of this sharp energy is a gorgeous angle between the Cancer Sun (our will), Generous Jupiter (abundance), and Neptune (inspiration).  Our intuition is off the charts now so trust your instincts as they are accurate.  Time spent on, in or near water July 1-8 is especially healing to cleanse your mind and heart; clear away mental cobwebs keeping us trapped in old thought patterns.  We have the ability to really tune in now.  Your connections to others, both human and spirit, are super sharp.  Listen.  What do you hear?

Also helping us navigate bumps and obstacles is the beautiful angle between Saturn and Uranus in earth signs.  These two keep our feet on the ground with practicality and focus our energies productively like a finely tuned machine.  If you are seeking solutions for a long-term problem, Capricorn Saturn and Uranus in Taurus point you in the right direction to find reasonable answers. 

By July 10^th, Venus, planet of love and money, shifts into industrious Virgo, while the same day Generous Jupiter turns direct motion.  You can just about hear the Hallelujahs! as the titan of abundance moves forward again.  This particular passage of Jupiter through Scorpio has been most revealing.  Scorpio deals with secrets, sexuality, big money and power among other traits.  Jupiter is the largest energy in solar system. 

So it is no wonder that the Me-Too movement began under this combined influence, exposing the misuse of power and sex, especially in the workplace.  Many notable titans across multiple industries have toppled under this passage.   As Jupiter moves forward and finishes up its tour through Scorpio in 2018, expect more dirt and secrets to be revealed.  With Jupiter’s handy alignment to Neptune in transparent Pisces, everything is coming out in the wash; all will be made to come clean.   

This is a time of hard truths, truth telling and speaking truth to power.  Scorpio is psychology: the plumbing of our psyches and souls in the largest possible way via Jupiter.  Citizens of the United States are having a deep look at what is real and what is not, sorting facts from “fake” news.   Is Fox or CNN real news or is one a propaganda machine; or, as some believe…are both?  When we become removed from actual facts, observed data, and so immersed in “spin” that we can no longer discern truth from illusion, we tread very treacherous waters indeed. 

The key to sorting fact from fiction is to know yourself.  Read, learn, ask questions, understand.  Know that there are different realities for each of us, lenses of experience that we look at the world through. 

Perception is everything. 

Enter the New Moon Eclipse on July 13^th.  At 21 degrees Cancer, the Sun-Moon pair directly opposes Pluto in hard-core Capricorn.  It shows in no uncertain terms what works and what does not work around family, food, home, country, mother, nurturing.   Healer Chiron challenges Saturn now, ruler of Capricorn, pushing us to heal long-buried familial wounds. 

The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. 

Leading into mid-month, the question to ask now is:  What needs to change in the arena of family, country, house and home? 

Is it, could it be, perhaps…you?   

Do not be afraid to ask yourself if you are contributing to the problem or if you are offering solutions. The great news is we have a tremendous amount of cosmic support with this eclipse to pivot and alter our course of direction.  We have not just one but two immensely supportive planetary combinations in water and earth to help us navigate the uncharted terrain ahead.

Venus in Virgo aligns with Capricorn Saturn and Uranus in Taurus while Piscean Neptune flows beautifully along with the Cancer Sun/Moon and Scorpion Jupiter. 

These are SIX of our ten planets assisting us during this potent solar eclipse.   The balance of planetary power is supporting us!  Change is rarely easy, but often essential if we are to grow and thrive.  The alternative is stagnation, or worse, facing a slow, drip-drip erosion of what we seek to hold on to, staying the same because we fear anything different while watching it slide out from our weakening grasp…   Staying put and staying the same because it (insert relationship/job/etc., here) is convenient, functions on the surface, when underlying you feel your soul dying is sad at best and fatal at the most dire.

The earth troika of Venus-Saturn-Uranus shows us our resources and how best to utilize these to implement change.  The water trio of Sun-Jupiter-Neptune eases our path forward with connections and ideas.  All you need to do is take the first step; make a plan then follow through.

Eclipses mark distinct passages in our lives.  Navigating these takes awareness and yes, grace.  The days between eclipses operate like black holes – so be very careful not to make key purchases or sign significant documents during this time as deals, partnerships and arrangements secured between July 13 and August 18^th are likely to end up unraveling. 

Contributing to the cosmic crosshairs is Mercury Retrograde from July 26^th, the day before the total lunar eclipse on July 27^th.  With the Sun now in Leo opposite Motiving Mars in Aquarius conjoined the lunar South Node, much is to be released.  Careful to bend toward construction, rather than destruction. The most productive use of this energy is creative.  But it is a reflective creativity.   Messenger Mercury is turning our thoughts inward.  Ideas generate; inspiration soars, stirring the thought pot.  Store your ideas and review them carefully over the next month.  See how they feel to you on different days.  You will know if they serve you well or if they were simply flashing mirages.

Slowly through August, these multi-layered cosmic cycles unfold what is best for us, for our health and well-being, for our future.   In this frazzled and fragmenting world, sit still this July and sift through possibilities.  Meditate and feel.  Remember how?  

Feelings arise from your soul.  Allow these to steer your boat forward.

OF SPECIAL NOTE:  Please join me at Spiritfest on Thursday, July 19th from 5-10 pm at the Pembroke Country Club, 94 West Elm Street, Pembroke, MA,  I am offering readings along with many other healers and holistic practitioners.  Vendors include holistic and fitness professionals, natural products, energy healing jewelry, crystals, aura photos and more.  For more information or to register please visit:  www.myhealthyliving.eventbrite.com.  

So what is a Rising Sign Anyway?

Even if we don’t believe in astrology, many of us know our astrological Sun signs.  I’m a Scorpio, you’re a ­­­­­­_______. 

But occasionally, we might hear the term Rising Sign.  Someone might say yes, I’m a Sagittarius with Libra rising.  Say what?

What exactly is a Rising Sign (also known as the Ascendant) and why would it garner so much attention as to be mentioned in the same phrase as a Sun sign?  And, what significance does it have on your life?

In astrology, there is what is known as The Big Three:  Your Sun sign, Moon Sign and your Rising sign.  (For more information on your Moon Sign, please see my previous blog post on this topic).  Granted, your Sun sign is a really big deal:  it carries such weight because all of the stars in our Solar System revolve around the Sun.  So it is in our astrological charts:  the placement of our Sun by sign and house tells us about our identity, our self, how we direct our will.  This is immense.  So why is our Rising Sign of such import? 

Because it is the literal starting point of our entire chart.  It is the eastern most point on our chart at the moment of our birth.  Thus the Rising Sign determines where every single planet falls in our chart. 

So w-hat does this mean for you?  How does it affect you?  The Rising Sign indicates our initial reactions to the world, our perception of everything.  Think about that.  Initial impressions count for SO much!  They often stay with us and do not change unless something or someone makes a greater impression to alter our first reaction.  As a result, the Rising Sign also determines our initial response to the world.  How we engage and interact.

As Jeanne Avery writes in her book, The Rising Sign, “The Rising Sign/Ascendant can act like a wall or a façade that an individual erects around himself.  It is often like a mask that he hides behind, simply because it is concerned with survival issues.  It describes the part of the personality that is most easily expressed.  It is also how a person allows others to see him.”

Think of yourself at a gathering of people:  backyard barbecue or cocktail party.  There might be people there that you know and some you don’t.   Your Rising Sign determines your initial reaction to a new person at the gathering.  How you interpret their appearance, speech, choice of conversation, etc.  Consequently, your interpretation decides your response to all of the above.  This is the Rising Sign in action.  A Libra Rising will engage with someone new to them very differently than say, a Leo Rising.

Once we are comfortable interacting with said new person, we might reveal our Sun sign.  And, as happens, we get really in the flow of dialogue with that person, we will reveal our Moon sign, our most interior self.  “Hey, let’s meet for coffee next week.  I want to tell you more/learn more about X, Y, Z…”

And so it goes.

In order to learn your Rising Sign, you need to know your birth data:  exact time, date and place of birth.  This can be tricky as often in days of yore, hospitals failed to note the time on the birth certificate.  However, it is Federal Law since the 1930s that ALL birth times are to be recorded.  To learn your birth time, contact the Vital Records department of the City or Town where you were born.  When ordering a new birth certificate, specifically ask that the time of birth be noted on the new copy. 

Once you have that, any practicing astrologer can calculate and interpret your natal chart for you.  This is your gift from the Universe!  Your natal chart is a road map that shows where you are going in life, how you might get there utilizing your blessings and challenges.

Below is a brief outline of Rising Signs and their mask/worldly perception and interpretation:

Aries:  bold, pioneering, brave, brash, impulsive, impetuous, idealistic

Taurus:  sensual, earthy, demonstrative, material, reluctant, steadfast

Gemini:  inquisitive, quick, talkative, engaging, stimulating, mischievous, agile

Cancer: sensitive, empathic, empathetic, sympathetic, intuitive, caring 

Leo:  regal, dramatic, dominant, sparkling, vibrant, entertaining, humorous

Virgo: objective, analytical, mercurial, questioning, orderly, clean, decisive

Libra:  gracious, social, diplomatic, refined, charming, polite, harmonious, judicious

Scorpio:  intense, deeply observant, persevering, magnetic, keenly perceptive/aware

Sagittarius: happy-go-lucky, philosophical, optimistic, enthusiastic, curious, free, dynamic

Capricorn:  remote, shy, determined, practical, serious, mature, proper, stoic

Aquarius:  spontaneous, off-beat, unique, maverick, intellectual, eccentric, individual

Pisces:  visionary, glamorous, adaptable, dreamy, reflective, fragile, innocent, inspirational

To learn more, or to book an astrology reading, contact:  Hilary@oursightyourlight.com

Fight, Flight or Flow: Finding Gratitude Amidst Volcanic Change

June opens on the heels of a Full Moon still casting a glow over us.  The loveliest of aspects in astrology figured largely with this Full Moon and exactly aligns on June first.  Two beneficent planets, Venus and Jupiter (love/money and abundance), connect beautifully with Neptune (inspiration and dreams).  The energy stays with us the entire first week of the month, underpinning our faith and trust in all that is good in the world and delivering much needed empathy, relief and resources to those in need.

May we remember this moment and flow with its universal guidance.

This grand water alignment takes some of the harsh edge off the jolt that many of us experienced in May when Radical Uranus and Motivating Mars sharply shifted gears, challenging each other.  Whether or not you are a fan of British royalty, the wedding between Prince Harry and American Meghan Markle is a stunning example of the above duo in action.  The Prince and his new wife are living archetypes of the tectonic movement taking place on earth now.

We witnessed the oldest surviving monarchy, a bastion of tradition and stoicism, shifting before our very eyes.  Who could ever have imagined, even a few years ago, a divorced woman of African American descent marrying into the highest echelons of the House of Windsor?  A black gospel choir singing at a royal wedding?   Harry and Meghan sent a Uranus-Mars message:  we are the change and we are here to create change.

Welcome to the New Age, to Uranus in traditional Taurus butting heads with fiery Mars in atypical Aquarius.   Still doubting?  Look no further than the Hawaiian volcano (earth) erupting (uranus-mars).   While the shifts are most needed and desired for human progress, many will struggle with this time.  Change sparks fear in many.  This is called a growth edge.  Do we let go or hold on to a relationship, situation or condition, often despite really poor/uninspiring/dire circumstances?  As we anticipate outcomes in either direction, fear arises.  What will happen?

Both Taurus and Aquarius are fixed signs – meaning, resistant and stubborn until or unless we apply perseverance and stamina to meet our most nagging (or lagging) issues.  In short, like the Royal Family, we are being pushed, prodded and forced to evolve.  Grow and adjust we must.  For is there anything worse than stagnation?

Most humans resist change.  We have no choice now, though.  The great news is that amidst these seismic shifts, the aforementioned Venus-Jupiter-Neptune alliance gently guides us and bestows resources where we most need.  This flowing aspect calls us to practice gratitude for what we already do have, to focus on what we want rather than what we do not want.  Gratitude is the great multiplier.  It may seem old fashioned or trite in this hi-tech world to count your blessings; yet gratitude is one of the Cosmic Laws.  If you do nothing else during prayer, meditation or casting wishes but express a simple “thank you”, the doors to opportunity will open.

The first week of June, 1^st-7^th, Messenger Mercury and the Sun in communicative Gemini conjoin.  This is a perfect time to give thanks to all who help you along your way and for all you have.  Direct your mind along positive tracks as this pair challenges mystical Neptune which may confuse and deceive us.   It is the master “smoke and mirror” aspect:  begging what is real and what is not?  

Negativity and doubt is the easier track to follow.  Instead, like flexing a lax muscle, choose trust and faith now in the face of haters or fear mongers.  It isn’t easy.  It takes heft and work.  Truly, choosing faith and trust is the harder path.  To push through this week, we must veer optimistically along the lines of what is possible to defy what pulls us backward and down.

A silver lining blessing to what otherwise appears as confusion, anger, drama or fear is the beautiful angle between change agent Uranus and healer Chiron.  This will stay with us into 2020!  Here is our key.  For those with open hearts and minds, for those willing to accept, even embrace, opportunities rather than dismiss them, new paths, healing and solutions are available.  You just have to remain open minded and look around.

Ask:  where am I stuck?  What patterns do I keep repeating without progress or change?  What would I most like to change about my life?  Rather than expecting, hoping others to change, the answer and key lies with you.  Radical notion to some.  However, if the Other (be it work, partnership, finances, family, etc), aren’t budging and stay stubbornly resistant, the only power you have control over is your reaction.  As Dr. Gerald Jampolsky said, “Change your mind, change your life.”  Likewise, change your response, consistently, clearly, over time, the situational chemistry will alter.

Amidst this comes the New Moon in Gemini on Wednesday, June 13^th.  Gemini rules communication, our thoughts and minds.  This particular New Moon is terrific for outlining your goals, wishes and prayers for the coming months and year.  Hand write five or so wishes on paper and either plant in the ground or cast in moving water.

That same day, Messenger Mercury moves in to Cancer, imbuing our thoughts and heartfelt wishes with care and nurturing.  On the heels of this, Venus moves into festive Leo for the next month.  Let creativity, romance and taking chances flourish and guide you now.  Leonian Venus loves a great party and will ensure terrific holidays and vacations.  Relax and enjoy.

Just before the summer solstice, dreamy Neptune turns retrograde motion.  Most of us will not feel this most subtle of energies turning inward, akin to the ocean tide ebbing.  Neptune’s continuing helpful angle to generous Jupiter remains in effect while Mercury in Cancer joins the pair, heightening our intuition.  Pay attention to messages this third week of June!  Are you receiving repetitious signs or guidance?  Stay open and follow where these lead.  Allow for surprise and curiosity.

Cautious optimism is the watchword for the Summer Solstice as the Sun enters caring Cancer on Thursday, June 21^st.   As we move into the peak of the summer season in the northern hemisphere, the Sun aligns beautifully with change agent Uranus in Taurus this week, encouraging us to plant and foster our directed energy.  The solstice occurs on the cusp of Mars turning retrograde motion, Tuesday, June 26^th.  The Red Planet of action, doing and pushing forward, Mars has the biggest difficulty in retrograde motion which turns our energy inward rather than outward.  For the next two months, until August 28^th, Mars will shift backward in atypical Aquarius, reversing course over the lunar south node.  This pair continues to challenge Uranus in Taurus, really forcing us to purge and release what does not work in our lives – any dysfunction, any expectations we have fiercely clung to, any patterns and habits obstructing our growth or potential.

Mars retrograde can make for a bumpy summer; watch for flashes of anger, shocking outbursts of emotion, feeling at loose ends.  Yet, the summer offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on aspects of our lives that are out of sync, or totally out of whack.  A word of caution here:  if you can, best to hold off on purchasing any mechanical items between June 26th and August 28^th.  Mars rules fire, the basis for mechanization, machines and automation; if possible, refrain from buying a new phone, appliances or new car.  Turn any pent up energy toward active vacations, holidays, artistic and athletic outlets. 

The Full Moon in practical Capricorn on June 28^th helps us assess our lives with a calculated, detached eye.  How do we make the most of the coming weeks and months?  One foot in front of the other, guides this Full Moon, keeping a steady hand firmly on our goal and abundant faith and trust in our hearts.

For a personal astrological reading, please contact me at www.hilaryharley.com or hilary@hilaryharley.com.

What is Your Moon Sign?

Many of us are familiar with our Sun sign.  We will occasionally read our horoscope in newspapers, magazines or on-line.  Sometimes these messages ring true and other times, not so much.  At parties someone may casually mention he is a Taurus or Sagittarius.  But often, that is the extent of their zodiac knowledge.

Yes, in astrology, our Sun sign is paramount.  It represents our identity and self, and, how we direct our will.  It is our vitality.  However, there is much more to our own personal horoscope.  Each planet, from the Moon to Pluto, is in a particular sign and house at the moment of our birth.  Together, these comprise our astrological chart.   

Along with the rising sign, or ascendant, the moon by sign, house and phase carries equal weight to the Sun in any astrology reading.   The rising sign is our mask, how we perceive the world and how the world perceives us.  The Moon, by contrast, is our emotional interior, our feelings, how we interpret and digest stimulus on the deepest level.  

Only when we are very, very at ease do we show our Moon and relate to others with it.  We share our Moon, our true feelings only with those we love and trust such as family members and very old, dear friends.   With anyone new to us, we typically present our rising sign.  If they pass muster and we feel we can relate to them, we ease into our Sun sign.  Once we know them for a while, have enough trust to relax in their company, we take off our outer layers and reveal our Moon sign, our vulnerable, soft, emotional self.

Astrologically, the moon represents our: mother, family, how we parent, food, cooking and feeding, our biological inheritance (genetics and shared resources), and psychological roots.  Psychologically, what triggers emotions, trigger thoughts, then trigger actions.  So it is a wise man who knows himself and how he will react from his deepest places:   his heart.  When feelings are steered deftly and with maturity, our thoughts follow suit, followed by our choices:  what we do. 

When we understand our emotional triggers, we can detach and make healthier decisions.  No small thing this.

So then, what is your moon sign?

It may be calculated from the time and date of your birth.  This will also show your moon phase…indicating how you connect to and engage with the world.  New Moon people are different from Full Moon folks are different from Dark of the Moon fellows.

For now, let’s stick to Moon Signs.  Here are the ways each zodiac sign taps into their feelings:

Aries moon:

Initiating, pioneering, brave, courageous, warrior, impulsive, rash, heroic, rescuing, champion, fierce.

Taurus moon:

Values, worth, money, skills, talents, down to earth, stubborn, resilient, realistic, return on investment, artistic, sensual.

Gemini moon:

Data driven, charming, versatile, flexible, mental, intellectual, detached, persuasive, argumentative, curious.

Cancer moon:

Nurturing, comforting, compassionate, empathetic, sympathetic, empathic, intuitive, overly sensitive, moody

Leo Moon:

Creative, optimistic, festive, playful, loud, charismatic, athletic, overly dramatic, generous, spirited, passionate, proud

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Virgo Moon:

Precise, analytical, perfectionist, detailed, service, health and work oriented, routine, habits, patterns, efficient, practical

Libra moon:

Balanced, gracious, artistic, relating, charming, diplomatic, fair, judgmental, overly concerned with others, easily persuaded, engaging

Scorpio moon:

Psychological, suspicious, hidden, concealing, passionate, sexual, regenerative, layered, spiteful, deeply sensitive, the detective

Sagittarius moon:

Adventurous, curious, understanding, searching, spiritual, optimistic, bellowing, honest, truthful, casual

Capricorn moon:

Pragmatic, grounded, responsible, honorable, dignified, cold, calculating, structured, ambitious, formal, reserved

Aquarius moon:

Interested, inventive, detached, aloof, different, outre, resistant, ingenius, unusual, group oriented, connecting

Pisces moon:

Mystical, inspired, dreamy, musical, spiritual, selfless, intuitive, hyper sensitive, compassionate, believing, trusting

Once you identify your moon sign, you may also learn where it falls in your astrological chart by house and phase.  These three elements signify how you relate and connect to yourself and others and initiate your work in this world. 

The moon is our psychology.  No matter what your relationship to her, the moon represents our mother, the earliest and most formative of our relationships.  The moon is primal.  Regardless of sign, house or phase, the placement of our moon indicates how we nurture…every one and everything, from ourselves, to friends and loved ones, to any ideas, projects or products we create.   From your moon, all creative energy flows. 

If you are interested in learning more about your moon, its location in your astrological chart by sign, house, phase and how it operates and influences your life, please contact me for a personal astrology session: hilary@oursightyourlight.com or www.oursightyourlight.com

And Now For a Completely Different Perspective

While there are the usual planetary sign changes during the month of May, one in particular makes us stand up and take notice.  Uranus, planet of rebellion, genius, invention and the unusual, has been cycling through fiery Aries for the past seven years.  At mid-month, Uranus shifts into earthy Taurus.

As Taurean Barbra Streisand says:  let’s talk. Uranus is change.  It is called The Great Awakener.  The planetary change agent, Uranus spins vertically rather than horizontally like all the other planets.  That’s how a-typical Uranus is.  It says to us: what’s so wrong about that?  I do my thing and you do yours.  Its role as awakener serves a key purpose in our lives:  to show us a truly alternative perspective.  One we may never have thought of, considered, or could even conceive of.

To do this, Uranus often acts radically.  Sudden, surprise events and moments, both positive and challenging are ruled by Uranus.  Since it literally rules earthquakes, lightning (and electricity), Uranus shakes us up and shakes us down.  It jolts our world.  Think break ups and break throughs.  Eureka!  And the veritable Ah-Ha moment.

Moving from fiery Aries into earthy Taurus, Uranus takes on a whole new flavor.  Think back over the last seven years of your life.  Where did the greatest changes occur for you?  At work, in health, with relationships, family or your home, finances or neighborhood and community?

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, known as the Initiator.  So many firsts occurred over the last seven years.  In the United States for example, the Supreme Court approved gay marriage and upheld universal health care; we had a vast increase in mass (Uranus) gun violence (Aries); a dramatic change in presidential administration from our first African American President to the controversial Donald Trump; a rise in terrorist attacks, the rise and fall of Al Qaeda/Isis; numerous scientific and technological discoveries including self-driving cars, CRISPR genome progress and the widespread use of drones.

Now as Uranus enters the very different quality of Taurus, we may expect other kinds of changes.  Taurus is the first earth sign of the zodiac and is most closely tied to Mother Nature. Taurus is springtime and Uranus is change.  Together, they manifest the bursting flower blossoms and new leaves on trees.   Ruled by Venus, planet of love and money, Taurus oversees beauty, our personal resources, money we earn through our skills and talents, our self-esteem, values and worth.  Taurus wants to know exactly what it is getting for our hard-earned dollar.

Practical Taurus says what you sow, so shall you reap.  So be very careful what you plant, wish or pray for.  As we have treated Mama Earth, so shall she treat us.  Since Uranus is the change agent, in Taurus we can expect fluctuations with our money, the stock markets, climate events, plus new applications of our talents and skills both individually and collectively.  This is key:  Uranus rules groups, networks and friends.  It stands as a reminder:  as goes the individual, so goes the collective.  Uranus is the pebble tossed into the status quo, generating ripples. 

Expect ripples, shifts, in your life wherever Uranus in Taurus cycles through your chart.  To prepare for this, be open in all aspects of your life – open to new ideas, people, and creative concepts.  Guard against stagnation, the same-old-same-old, the daily grind.  Change it up!  Even just by taking a new route to work.  There is a time and a place for tradition…such as the holidays we celebrate.  And there is also a time for altering and tweeking customs, routines and habits. 

That time is now. 

With this in mind, let’s look at the first two weeks leading up to Uranus’ shift into Taurus.  As May opens, three planets cycle through pragmatic Capricorn, lending a whole lot of ballast and drive to our efforts.  Capricorn is the ultimate achiever, setting its sights on a goal, it doesn’t demur. Three planetary heavyweights in this sign (motivating Mars, transformer Pluto, and karmic Saturn), align with the Sun (our will) and generous Jupiter during the next few weeks will get any job done.

Allow your humor and ingenuity to flow as the lunar north node in festive Leo dances with Venus in versatile Gemini.  Much like April, cosmic activity really gets moving the middle of the month.  On the 13^th, Messenger Mercury joins the Sun in Taurus, fixing our minds on realistic and worthwhile endeavors.  Again:  be open to anything new – alternative solutions, people, modes of thinking.  This is vital:  Open minds and hearts willing to receive do reach breakthroughs.  Cures, answers, healing.

Ask:  what can you do differently to change the outcome of a stubborn or resistant problem or concern?

May 12-16, the answers start arriving, just in time for the New Moon on May 15^th in Taurus.  The Sun (our will) and Moon (our emotions) align beautifully with Pluto (our desires) and Mars (our drive).   In other words, go for broke.  Plant your wishes like crazy:  hand write five or so goals you hope to manifest over the next few months and year.  With six planets in earth signs, master manifesting energy is primed and super ripe.  Plant baby plant.  Water carefully, then step back and watch it all grow.

Two days later, the big shift occurs.  Motivating Mars moves into Aquarius, sign of invention and Uranus turns into Taurus.  These two have challenged each other for the better part of May and will continue to do so through the entire summer.  The truly intriguing part of this challenge is that Mars (our drive) will be in the sign Aquarius, ruled by Uranus!   With both planets cycling through fixed signs (Aquarius and Taurus), we are really being pushed to change long-held and stubborn areas of our lives. 

Aquarius is about communication, invention, new modes of thinking and being.  Taurus is deeply rooted in its values and resources.  Uranus asks us to find new ways to add value and fresh resources to harness to resolve obstacles in our path forward.  New applications and new skills, talents to increase our worth.  Think about that.  Uranus in the money/value sign of Taurus is the ultimate entrepreneurial genius. While Mars in Aquarius pushes us to find non-mainstream modes to solve resistant problems.  Each of us is imbued with skills and talents no one else quite has or applies in the exactly the same way.  How could you bring your skill set out to share with others?  Uranus is the group:  how can others benefit by what you know or do? 

When applied with focused energy, this combo is the Mother of Invention, pushing through the most obstinate of problems.  Breakthroughs will occur.  The key is to keep trying until success is at hand.  As Winston Churchill said, “never, never, never give up.”

Two days later, on May 19^th, Venus enters the nurturing sign of Cancer.  For the next month, until mid-June, our attention is drawn to home, family, food, nurturing anyone or thing we care for.  It is a terrific time to get house projects accomplished and beautify your flower box or yard.  The next day, the Sun shifts into flexible Gemini.  Infinitely versatile, the Gemini Sun finds clever ways to address immediate needs and long-term concerns.  Gemini is the master communicator.  So you will find yourself talking a whole lot to your neighbors, co-workers, students, family and friends.  Just make sure you do not talk yourself into or out of anything you aren’t 100 per cent sure of!

The Full Moon in Sagittarius falls on the 29^th, broadening our outlook, searching foreign landscapes (literally, spiritually, on the internet or in our imagination), for answers.  The Sagittarian Moon says don’t fence me in, while the Gemini Sun wants to discuss every possible angle and outcome.  This is a generous, gentle and sensuous Full Moon underscored by a grand planetary formation in water signs.  Generous Jupiter in Scorpio (abundance) aligns with Neptune in Pisces (inspiration) and Venus in Cancer (nurturing).   This alliance is the building block of Faith.  Belief. “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of faith is to see what you believe.” – St. Augustine

With broad minds and open hearts, no obstacle is too great to tackle.  The world is truly ours for the asking.