Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Direction: Habits and Transformation

September brings a shift of the lunar nodes from fiery Sagittarius to the water sign Scorpio.  The nodes are directional points, determining the push and pull of our lives.  Think of them as a compass:  north and south poles on a map.  They stimulate us to release what no longer serves us while pushing us toward our potential, scary sometimes though that may be.

The nodes' shift into Scorpio has a penetrating effect.  We are asked to go really deep and sit with what we may have avoided; then harder still, change what we've avoided changing.  Scorpio can have a take no prisoners feel to it if we try to run away or escape.  It says we really don't have a choice in the matter.  Time to face the music and dance.  If nothing else, Scorpio is very psychological.  You may already feel it is way past high time to examine and explore matters that you have carried from early childhood into adult life.  You may want to open up the doors to yourself; look at patterns, habits and choices that you have resolutely clung to but are in no way healthy or helpful now.

Often we cling to habits based on what we were taught as children, or these sometime arise as coping mechanisms to get us through difficult situations.  Or, we may develop habits knowing full well they are unhealthy and not in our best interests.   Changing habits is no easy task.  It can be as simple as finding time for exercise or proper sleep, to more demanding habits like division of household labor/chores, or quitting smoking, altering diets and patterns of eating, as well as drug or alcohol consumption.

Ethereal Neptune continues to make a challenging angle to the lunar nodes this month.  One of the difficult characteristics of Neptune is it can envelope us in what feels like dense fog.  However, once we do the work it requires of us, we can cut through the fog and reach places of pristine insight about ourselves, others and life situations.

The good news is right now is ripe for delving inward to figure out what patterns work and don't work for us; in doing so we can come to crystal clear understanding to help heal old wounds and grow into our potential.  We have several forces helping us out in this process.

Venus encourages us toward our highest self through September 9th along with Uranus, planet of change, catalyzing us until mid-month.  And, as they have for so much of this year, Saturn aligns with Neptune.  I call this the "dream-maker" pairing, since Saturn is the architect of the zodiac and enables us to build life step by step, while Neptune is the stuff of dreams:  music, film, our subconscious.  Time to go build the future of your dreams.  You are on the threshold!

At mid-month there is a giant push forward allowing our transformation to become the selves of our hopes and desires.  You might even feel that energy now...kind of like sitting in a stationary car or plane when the engine revs.  Pluto, planet of desire and transformation is about to turn direct on September 16th at the same time as the New Moon.  Set your intentions.  Once you set your sights on something you desire, be it a new job, new home or way of life, etc., the wheels of transformation are set into motion.   Aiding and abetting us in this movement forward are nothing short of the Sun (our Will) and Mercury (how we think and communicate).

It takes 60 days to change or create a habit.  This is an excellent time to break a habit, launch a project or establish healthy patterns.  Repeating affirmations are especially helpful now.  Start small and build toward a goal.  By applying your Will to how you Think in positive and constructive ways, you can accomplish anything!

Toward the end of September, titanic Jupiter weighs in with all the abundance we can handle, alighning with Venus, planet of love and money, and enhancing our power of positive thinking via Mercury.  At the same time, just as a reality check, Venus challenges the lunar nodes, asking us:  are you really sure you want to go in this direction?  What is this change/transformation we seek really worth?  Is it valuable, helpful, healthy?   What will happen if we continue clutching to patterns that are not working anymore?

Do a double take in the mirror just to make sure of what you want.  Stagnate or grow, the choice is always yours.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Bounty of August

For a while now and a few years to come, outer planets Pluto and Uranus have been breaking down old patterns to make way for the new.  The new everything.  At times, this jarring movement has left us feeling bereft for the familiar and comforting.  However, during August, a shift toward what is possible shines.  As this month kicks off, Day 1 begins with a full moon in Aquarius, sign of genius and inventiveness.  These are key notes for the following weeks, both in work and relationships.

Under the bright light of the full moon, the Sun, change-agent Uranus and the moon's north node align in fire signs to show us that when we merge our will, ingenuity and focus, absolutely anything can be accomplished.  It is a time of insight and ignition...a feeling of get ready, get set, GO!  This force is so strong that even those with their heads buried in the sand will still feel an impetus urging all of us toward new frontiers of learning and growth.  How cool is that?

Supporting this fiery energy is a union between Venus and taskmaster Saturn in communicative air signs.  Venus seeks to smooth our path ahead while Saturn gets the job done.  Their alliance helps us to persuasively convey our ideas to those we hope to influence.  This planetary pairing provides a lasting effect for partnerships, both business and romantic.  Also, Mercury is in a key position to move us in the right direction.  Where we may have felt without direction before, we now understand exactly how to move forward...as though staring at a map and finally understanding where the roads connect to get us to our destination.

The timing could not be better.  The first ten days of August is the perfect time to line up all the pieces and then when Mercury turns direct motion on the 9th, it is full steam ahead!  Launch those endeavors and sign those contracts.  Waiting to begin breaking ground on a new project?  After August 10th, dive right in.

Around the same time, Venus moves into the nurturing sign of Cancer and aligns with intuitive Neptune.  You may not know exactly how you came to draw certain conclusions, you will simply know something.  If you have a hunch right now, follow it!  You will be spot on, especially in areas concerning familiy, home, food, children or the elderly.  A highlight of this pairing is that family vacations taken near bodies of water will be very beneficial.  So even if you cannot take a whole week off for vacation, a day trip to the beach or a nearby lake will feel like a true get-away.

If you are going on a family vacation at mid-month, remember that every family member needs space to unwind and do their own thing.  We are often so busy in our regular individual lives that we can forget how to come together as a family.  Venus' opposition to Pluto, and Mars conjoining Saturn in Libra is all about making relationships work.  Be mindful of your behavior.  Whether you find yourself in a business setting or away with a group in the mountains around August 15, each person has his or her own agenda (even small children).  The planetary positions will make us all aware of the needs of others versus our own.  Libra and Venus are about balance.  How do we strike a balance to ensure everyone's needs and desires are met?  This is the work for the last half of August.

Helping us out is Mercury's positive angle to Uranus.  Inventive solutions will seemingly emerge from the ether, moving us out of tight corners and sticky situations.  Somehow, the right words will bubble to the surface of our minds.  Seize these and apply promptly!

In the last week of August, the Saturn-Mars duo in creative Libra will make a flowing angle to Neptune.  Artists:  unleash yourselves!!  Creative ideas and our imaginations set sail.  So you think you are not creative?  Now is a terrific time to unlock your hidden talent and explore it.  Come to think of it, Saturn and Mars will probably not let you keep it buried but insist you apply effort to ingenuity.

Mars shifts into Scorpio toward September, releasing strong passions...for whatever you have up your sleeve, just as the Sun and Pluto align in earth signs.  With our Will and our Desires fostering practical accomplishments, we can build any future we envision.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Focus on Relationships

June always strikes me as a mini-holiday season.  Minus the cold air, hot chocolate and carols on the radio, June often finds us giving gifts...at life cycle events such as weddings and graduations. Even if you don’t have family members in school, there is something similar between the conclusion of events before summer’s hiatus and the winding down of the calendar year in December.

Today hosts a lunar eclipse, where the Sun is opposite the full Moon. Every full moon marks culmination and completion.  Think about what is currently happening for you.  Are there any significant endings or events occurring in your life?  In the case of this eclipse, the Sun conjoins Venus in communicative Geminii opposing an adventurous Sagitarrian Moon. This pairing finds an emphasis on verbal and written communication, siblings, short and long distance travel, life lessons, education and spirituality.  Are any of these areas in your world seeing heightened focus?

Eclipses mark significant turning points in life. They act as portals, doorways opening to new experiences; doorways that also close behind you, indicating certain passages in your life are now over and it is time to move on so your soul can grow.  I had to laugh noting how this eclipse is personally affecting me and my family. Today, my oldest daughter picked up her cap and gown for high school graduation. Sometimes the heavens speak so literally to us. Nothing says, “you need to move on from this place” like virtually putting cap and gown in your hands! Needless to say, this eclipse marks how my role in my daughter’s life is greatly changing as she moves out of the house and into adult life.

Intuitive planet Neptune now fosters this push and pull of new growth and letting go. It is making a difficult angle to the lunar nodes. Neptune rules water and some of us may actually find parts of our lives completely under water or washed away. If not by flooding, then perhaps by a flood of emotion, via tears perhaps.  Releasing old habits and patterns isn’t always easy. However, Neptune asks us to surrender:  accept what we cannot change and embrace new people, situations. Ask yourself what no longer serves you, habits, possessions, professions, etc. Are the people surrounding you in your best interest?

What will really push these points is fiery planet Mars in analytical, perfectionist Virgo smack in the middle of the eclipse equation. A word of caution:  now is not a time to parse words; rather, brush up your negotiation skills. Charm comes to mind. Messenger planet Mercury will really help guide your tongue the first part of June as it makes a lovely angle to intuitive Neptune. You will get a vibe of what not to say and how to turn a phrase for better reception. Like a polished diplomat, find ways to deftly charm your way through prickly conversations that may present themselves at work or home. Honey always works better than vinegar. Apply honey generously now!

Picking up where this planetary pair leaves off, game-changer Uranus makes a great angle to Venus from mid to late June. Say hello to new relationships and particularly, new ways of positively expressing yourself to people.  You may be pleasantly surprised listening to words coming out of your mouth... how truly clever you can be. This in turn will enable you to magnetize refreshing new relationships, and breathe new life into old, valued relations.

All of this activity is building toward two significant celestial events at the end of June, both involving people. The last week of June, Saturn and Venus turn direct motion. This is important as Saturn has been cycling through Libra, sign of relationships, art and beauty. And Venus is the planetary ruler of Libra. With both planets in air signs, communication is the watchword. Once both of these planets move forward out of their retrograde motion, relationships (including the most important one…that of you to your SELF) that have been out of kilter will right themselves and establish balance. Venus and Libra are all about harmony and peace. Truly, there is nothing more essential in life than the pursuit of these.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

May Madness!

This first week of May finds us moving toward a Full Moon....yes, that's right:   Full Moon in Capital Letters.  Popular culture has come to label Perigee full moons such as the one on Saturday, May 5th as "Super Moons".  The term stems from the fact that a Perigee moon is one that is in closest orbit to the earth.

How does this impact us?  Just as the tides of our oceans are influenced by the moon, so does the moon affect our lives.  All full moons bring culmination to any matters:  court decisions, graduations, debts to be settled, turning points in relationships, etc.  Full moons mean fruition.

So a Super Moon, especially this one in the sign of Scorpio, is bigger and stronger.  You will feel the effects of this culminating cycle for sure, if you haven't already.  Scorpio rules passion and sex, mysteries, and shared resources.  By the end of this week you may find yourself in a tidal wave of romance, uncovering long-sought answers to a matter hidden for years, or dealing with the IRS (yes, the Tax Man who manages shared resources is a Scorpio).  This is a sign that plumbs the depths, takes pleasure in going deep.  And whatever it uncovers under the bright glare of this Super Moon will be highly revealing!  So a word to the wise:  do not even try hiding something, be it an affair, issues dealing with money, or otherwise.

On the heels of the full moon, Jupiter conjoins the Sun in the sign of Taurus over Mother's Day weekend.  Your inner artist or gardener will get an immense boost from this combination.  How lovely!  Now is a great time to plant anything out of doors.  For those born in the sign of Taurus, enjoy the wonderful energy coming your way during the next year; as it only occurs once every twelve years.

This mid-month period is enhanced by Mars making a beautiful angle to Pluto in the earthy signs of Virgo and Capricorn.  Health or work related problems that have remained elusive will now find solutions.  Practicality rules... so dive into any endeavor involving building something from the ground up:  be it actual construction, a project or business.

Also occurring at mid-month, Venus turns retrograde.  As the planet ruling love and money moves inward, you may want to hold off until the end of June before leaping into new relationships or changing the status of a special relationship, such as engagement or marriage.  Consider as well waiting to invest funds in new markets, stocks or business enterprises.  Take these next few weeks to do your homework about how to invest your hard-earned dollar; evaluate how you really feel about that new love interest.  Is he or she truly right for you?  How do you see any future together?

The end of May brings some key answers.  First, a solar eclipse occurs on May 20 at the very beginning of messenger sign Geminii.  This event, along with the conjoining of the Sun, Mercury and Venus in Geminii bears significant information for each and every one of us.  Use this time to pause, take a breath, close your eyes and hear what the universe is trying to impart.  The last week of May, you will be given the answers to your questions:  just open your heart and mind to learn how best you can grow.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

April = Full Steam Ahead!

What a mixed up winter we've had! I've lived in Northeastern United States most of my life and can never recall flowering trees budding in March! Wow.

I truly cannot complain about the lack of snow and ice (compared to the prior winter) but the past few months I felt like I was living somewhere other than New England. The rest of the country hasn't had it so easy, though,with record tornadoes destroying parts of the midwest and south, and torrential rains in the Pacific Northwest. Even Hawaii had ten days of straight rain while a storm parked itself over the islands last month. After one of the driest winters ever, New England will be crying for some of that rain if we do not soon get some April showers. The weird weather since January, and especially this last month of March, only heightened the feeling that we've been stuck in alternate universe, a psychic quagmire, spinning our wheels.

So....I am really glad to say: April brings a completely fresh start. Leave winter behind and point your best foot forward. The planets are aligned to help you. This month sets us off to the right start as messenger planet Mercury turned direction motion yesterday. It has been circling back through the watery sign of Pisces. You may have felt like you had a low-grade fever or a fog filled your brain. Nothing you aimed to accomplish seemed to get done. However, with Mercury moving forward now, the fog occupying our minds lifts. Our judgment clarifies as a clear breeze blows across decisions to make. Our thoughts had a thorough housecleaning, and now are polished, ready to take up a new mantle.

Substantially helping this feeling, fiery planet Mars also turns direct on April 14th. Next week you will really start feeling more like yourself again. The kinks and knots in your system and life will smooth out like a traffic jam gradually unsnarling. Hooray! I know so many folks (including here on the home front) dealing with health concerns or tangles at work caused by Mars' reverse shift through practical Virgo. Animals or people who work with animals may have been particularly affected these past few months. The up side of our recent experiences is that we sure found out what did not work. And when you think about it, knowing what not to do is equally important as what to do. It gives us the opportunity to try what will work. Feeling the sting of "no", or rejection, is as they say, "one 'no' closer to 'yes'."

Now as the planets help us to move forward, mysterious ailments or scuffles at work (or a lack of work) will be clarified and remedied. All the while, Saturn has been making a beautiful angle to Neptune, giving us strength to carry on with our dreams. This dream-maker energy receives a tour-de-force boost at mid month when Mercury joins planet of surprise Uranus in fiery Aries, forming a terrific angle to the moon's north node. Pieces of yourself or your world that you seek to change are at hand. Feel the revolution within. Break free from the chains of habit. Toss out those rigid expectations and traditions foisted on you as a child or in your current relationships. It is true that where we are right now is precisely because of our choices. But as adults, we can also choose to be something else. Be that change you wish to see in the world. Then watch the ripple effect circle out from your being.

April 20-30 is the time to aim for precisely what you want and release your arrow straight toward your target. The Sun (our will) lines up with Pluto, planet of desire and transformation, and Mars to deliver the goods. Prepare to receive. Manifestation is yours. Just in time for the season of graduations and weddings. Funny how the cosmos works! Projects, in some cases, efforts we have worked on for a long, long time will come to completion. Ah, fruition. Stand up and take a bow. Raise your glass and celebrate the months and years of very hard work now finished. Well done! Then, bestowing grand celestial applause, the nurturing, emotional moon joins this earthy troika on May Day. Even as Mother Earth says a heartfelt, "Congratulations", she gestures for us to plant the seeds for our next venture....

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Manifestation Magnet!

As with all things in life, with the blessings also come the challenges. So goes this month of March. First the good stuff.

Venus just entered her rulership Taurus, joining Jupiter which has been there for some time. The down-to-earth, practical artisan sign of Taurus innately understands the good life; but it is not afraid of hard work and knows what it means to earn money and make a living. Taurus is the "show me the money" sign and rules the stock market. Hence the phrase: "It is a bull market".

Taurus has a softer side too, the artistic earth mother. Some of our greatest artists are Taurean: Barbra Streisand, Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, Greta Garbo to name a few. Rarely do creators born under the sign of the bull fit the classic image of the starving artist. Rather, these folks are masters of combining ingenuity with pragmatism. Specifically, they value worth, especially their worth and do not shrink from acquiring adequate compensation for their efforts. Remember, Taurus is ruled by Venus, goddess of love. She knows love begins with the Self. And the goddess loves herself very much by enveloping her life with valuables: creature comforts and the means to obtain them. So although a female Taurus might be a vision of angelic femininity, never forget that underneath she has the iron will of a bull. In the end, she gets what she wants!

So how does this energy parlay itself for each of us? This month, the coupling of titan Jupiter, bearer of blessings and abundance, with Venus, planet of love and money delivers the goods wherever it passes through our charts. For some, this could result in actual money. One of the largest powerball jackpots ever was recently claimed for $336 million. For others, the Venus-Jupiter pairing will bear harmonious relationships, peace of mind, restoration of health, a new job.

As if this pairing wasn't enough, Venus and Jupiter will form a beautiful angle with transformer Pluto and action-trigger Mars. Simply said: four planets in earth signs equals manifestation. Glad tidings to you! The effects of this carry forward through the rest of March so make the most of this time. This week in particular Venus also aligns with its higher octave, dreamy Neptune, underscoring the cosmic goodies you receive. Contributing to these beneficial results as well is the continuing alliance of dream-machine Neptune and Saturn. We will need all of these universal blessings as we face the month ahead.

Thursday's full moon in analytical Virgo certainly gleans each and every part of the work that needs to be done. For those stricken by the unprecedented rash of March tornadoes in the South and Midwest, this will help you pick up the pieces in order to go on. Uranus, planet of surprise conjoined with messenger Mercury in fiery Aries is delivering complete upheaval. However, with this pair comes a significant bright side: potential EUREKA breakthroughs in technology and science. Without exaggeration, long-awaited cures for disease are upon us. Expect the unexpected....accidental discoveries. And accidents. Complete unpredictablity is the watchword.

This is magnified by Mercury's retrograde phase from March `12-April 5. If you find yourself with that Taurean windfall mentioned earlier, hold off on major purchases and signing contracts until mid-April. I know that t he last thing you will feel like doing as the earth warms up is turning inward as the retrograde suggests. But if you do need to boost your self worth by spending that extra cash or time with a new special someone, do it over a spa weekend or getaway retreat. And you may very well want to hide around the time of the spring equinox (March 20), when the Sun joins Mercury and Uranus. Unrest in the middle east will reach fever pitch. Think revolution. Stalwart structures such as banking and government will continue to experience upheaval. This is not a time for the faint of heart. Remember, in order to evolve, the old must give way to the new. This nearly always involves a period of breaking down so a new order may be created. Think about how life is calling, perhaps demanding, you to change. Note to self: flow rather than fight. Resisting only brings pain and shame. After all, if Syrian President Assad had chosen to flow rather than fight, how many of his citizens would still be living?

May the force be with you!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Neptune: Music, Magic, Mystery...and more!

Never a dull moment as the cosmos continually churns things up to push us forward!

We are on the cusp of a full moon in Leo that occurs tomorrow, Tuesday. Think boundless courage and creativity. It is really difficult to hide yourself or anything you want to keep hush-hush under the blazing light of Madame Moon. So take advantage of this glorious lunar spotlight: ask how you can shine? Make like a lion and roar! Let your voice be heard. This is no time for shrinking violets. Rather, it is a great week for unleashing creativity, be it projects or ideas.

Aiding and abetting this energy is Neptune. Last week, the Dream Weaver moved into its own sign of Pisces where it shall remain for a nice long time. How long you may ask...? Oh, until 2025. So we might as well settle in for what Neptune does best: making exquisite music and art, dreaming up solutions to stubborn problems, caring for our fellow man, animals and planet with a level of compassion to make Mother Theresa proud.

But be careful. Just as Neptune is the highest form of divine love, it also rules the lowest man has to offer: drugs/alcohol, addiction, escapism. Its astrological sign Pisces is symbolized by two fishes swimming in opposite directions. Make sure you are not pulled down below the surface by the fish headed the wrong way. Attach yourself to the fish swimming toward a productive, healthy future. Wherever Neptune is passing through your chart, you will face two distinct choices: dissolution or creative dream building. Sometimes this can occur simultaneously as we may be relunctant to let go of part of our lives that is no longer useful. So a relationship, job or habit may dissolve like quicksand. And there is nothing we can do about it. You may find yourself scratching your head, quoting that line from the Talking Heads song...."well, how did I get here?"

Never fear. If a piece of your life isn't working for you, the cosmic dissolver Neptune appears to virtually wash it away so you can start fresh. That's where creative dream building comes into play. How should you really be spending your hours here on earth? Dream. Then build.

Enter Saturn. The planetary taskmaster continues to make a beautiful angle to Neptune through the end of March. Saturn will help you plan and execute your dreams. This energy is catalyzed by Saturn's opposition to titanic Jupiter in pragmatic, earthy Taurus, doubly ensuring you will not float out to sea on ethereal Neptune's waves; rather, you are safely tethered to earth with enough breathing room to grow. Strengthening our growth and evolution is Jupiter's solid angle to Pluto which continues to build through mid-March. Material resources are here to support us as we take initial steps forward. Leap and the net will appear. Close your eyes and go for it!

Remember, it is easier to change if we are in the driver's seat operating the controls rather than being controlled for our own good. Stay ahead of the curve instead of risking being struck by the cosmic cattle prod forcing change upon you. A few planetary interactions this month will take care of that. First, Saturn just turned retrograde at a critical degree of Libra, the relationship czar. This is urging us to look closely at those around us as we set sail to our dreams. Are the people close to us (including ourselves) helpful or hurtful? What people or parts of yourself need to be let go of, changed for the better?

Also asking us how we want to be treated is Mars which continues its retrograde in Virgo. Work, health and habits are getting a thorough review until April when Mars turns direct. Above all else, Virgo is about service. We must serve ourselves before we can serve others. Which is why if our health isn't in good shape, we are unable to work or help our families. Make sure your basic habits are serving you: eating and sleeping well? Getting enough exercise? If these habits are "working" for you, then you can focus energy outwardly. How do you want to best serve your family, workplace, community? Are you able to devote just a few hours a week volunteering for a charity or cause that sparks interest? One note of caution is that you may want to hold off on acquiring a new pet until mid April, as Virgo rules the pets we own.

The focus on relationship heightens through Valentine's Day which could be full of surprises... super OR explosive, this year. Relationship planet Venus conjoins unpredictable Uranus, both in a challenging angle to Pluto at the end of this week and all into next. This might make for unusual or surprising events. Instead of a routine box of chocolates and roses, unexpected marriage proposals, or conversely, breakups could occur. Nothing like Uranus to keep us on our toes, in suspense, waiting with baited breath. So help yourself. Now is a great
time for some yogic breathing: you control the breath instead of it controlling you! Breathe and prepare. The best offense is a good defense.