Each New Moon offers a time to pray, make a wish or set intentions for the coming month. It is a rare occurance to have the New Moon fall exactly on January 1st, New Years Day. It is very special indeed. Knowing this, it is good to remember the quotation by the poet Rumi: "What you seek is seeking you."
January 1st to some extent forecasts the feel and the vibe for the entire year to come. We will not be without challenges this year and yet will also have significant opportunities to accomplish what we seek. The Sun (our will) and Pluto (transformer) are tightly cojoined today and closely tied to the Moon (our emotions) and Mercury (the messenger) all in practical, pragmatic Capricorn. In short, common sense, practical transformation is ours if we set manageable and realistic goals.
Think of Capricorn, the sign itself: the solitary goat climbing the mountain, step by step, pushing one foot in front of the other despite fierce elements of wind, cold, rain, snow... There is work to be done so throw your back pack on and buckle up your boots. Off you go, heigh-ho. The mountain (read obstacles) is not going anywhere. So you can either go about climbing the mountain with a positive mind and outlook, with a song in your heart, see the climb as a grand adventure OR see it as pure drudgery...fighting, resisting, and asking why me?
Whatever frame of mind you embrace, your experience will follow. To help set the tone for your month and year ahead, it is key to pause on this rare New Moon New Years Day. Close your eyes for a moment and meditate, reflect, pray, wish, set intentions, make resolutions. The abundant Capricorn energy will ground your resolutions with earthy common sense to assure the best, most realistic outcomes.
The prolific down-to-earth flavor of the New Moon energy is most welcome and very helpful in what otherwise seems to be such a muddled time, especially in terms of relationships. During the New Moon, the above mentioned foursome (Sun, Pluto, Moon and Mercury) challenges fiery Mars in Libra, the relationship sign. Mars is the Warrior, a trail blazer and not comfortable in its opposite sign of accomodating Libra. So the effect of this energy will make most of us feel on edge; at worst, some may feel over the edge while others feel exhilarated and energized at best. The point of this configuration is to catalyze us out of our comfort zones, push us forward, make us do something. Libra is not simply about our relationships to others. It is also about our relationship to our Self. January kicks us in the rear end to get going to be our best self.
Helping us out now is also the planet of relationship: Venus. For the entire month Venus is still turning in retrograde motion, encouraging self reflection and how best to reinvent ourselves. Think back to junior high or high school days, to the girl or boy who was so awkward when we left for summer vacation but who returned to class in September apparently a whole new person. To look at the student, it felt like an alternate universe, the Twilight Zone...we'd wonder what happened to said classmate? Who was this suddenly handsome, hip, beautiful person standing in the place of the former person...similar features and hair color yet not at all the same, no trace of the old gangly fumbler, leaving us to ask how s/he could pull off this magical transformation, what wizard or fairy godmother cast a spell to utterly remake our classmate; and more importantly, deeply, could we do the same thing? Become a whole new me?
Perhaps you were that student.
Well, for each of us, now is such a transformative time. Besides Venus, the other beneficent planet, Jupiter, is also turning retrograde motion. It may add to the feeling that nothing is going our way. Pause and look again. Turn inward and count your blessings. What is working for you? With both Venus and Jupiter in reflective mode, we are encouraged to dig ever deeper to get into the bones of our souls (Capricorn rules bones) to shed old layers of self. Like that high school classmate, shed your skin, that layer you've outgrown, which no longer represents you, that layer you no longer need so a new Self can emerge more representative of your true being. It is accurate that every moment of every day we have the chance to turn a page and begin anew. Still, some days are more fortuitous for reinvention than others. Early January is prime make-over season. Choose wisely.
Resisting and fighting personality plunging only makes life more difficult. Astrologically, we have what is called a grand square. Simply put, a big fat challenge, a cosmic throw-down if you will to get going. Push you like never before. Think Cosmic Labor Pain because that is what it will feel like as seven planets square off the first two weeks of the month (the Moon, Mercury, the Sun, Pluto, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus in cardinal, activating signs), catalyzing and catapulting us to grow and change. Develop. You have nothing to lose by taking a risk; and with radical Uranus in the mix, you may very well be surprised into seizing unexpected opportunity. It is only those with truly nothing at stake who are unafraid, or forced, to take chances, huge risks. We have all hear such stories. Put yourself in that mindset: Ask yourself, what do you really have to lose this year by not pushing your boundaries and leaping into the unknown? Living as if it were your last day? Again, with the balance of planets in sturdy Capricorn, you are being handed the road map to chart practical steps, minimize risk, strategize and create a plan for your month, your year, your life. What do you want your life to look like?
One thing is for sure, the spoils go to those who are decisive, can make up their minds to forge ahead. 2014 continues the theme we've lived with for a while: one of not suffering fools lightly. Facades and fakes aren't tolerated. Truth telling is heightened more than ever before as we stand exactly half way in the challenging dance between Uranus and Pluto, breaking down and throwing out the old and what no longer works while clearing the path to usher in the new. Sentimentality is of no use now, clinging to what used to be, be it relationships, projects, businesses, or patterns of life dangling reminiscences of past glory days. Evolutionarily speaking, it is a pivotal time. Capricorn is black and white, stark and unsparing in its glare that does not have time for what, or who, has been. Think: clean, fresh slate. Whole New World. Remember Darwin? Adapt or be left behind. Worse, become obsolete. Hard as that sounds for the dinosaurs among us.
Alleviating some of the harsh elements of our climb up the mountain is a helpful angle between Mercury, Venus and Saturn. Even as Saturn in transformative Scorpio pushes us to dig deeper, messenger Mercury and relationship Venus deliver clarity of vision and unmistakable practicality, ideas of how best to efficiently accomplish tasks. Harness this energy around the second week of January to plant ideas. Between January 10th and 13th, Venus passes by Mercury and the Sun when all three planets form a beautiful angle to the moon: manifest your hopes, plans and desires. At the same time, task master Saturn aligns to the Sun and Venus supporting meaningful tasks to get things done.
With so much Capricorn energy and Saturn (the ruler of Capricorn) in transformative Scorpio, we could witness significant headway for government and growth in big business. If nothing else, Capricorn is about Responsibility with a capital R. In the wake of seemingly endless shutdowns and bailouts, the American people are fed up and expect our government and corporations to be accountable and Responsible. This expectation begets positive change...especially during election time later this year! Expect resolutions to money matters and shared/collective resource concerns. And since Venus, ruler of money, is retrograde now, money owed to us as well as money surprises may occur now.
All the no-nonsense, serious-minded Capricorn energy can make us forget a critical element: to follow your gut, instincts and intuition. Enter Neptune. Planet of intuition and dreams helpfully aligns to the moon's north node, what calls our name and draws us toward our intended direction. It is truly an opportune time to listen, develop your intuition. Close your eyes and ask, what does my gut tell me? How do I feel about this situation/person? Are there messages you have ignored, passed over, discounted? Such as people who appear in your life at a pivotal moment saying the exact words you need to hear, calling you to pay attention? Conversely, does something, someone feel off to you? You may not be able to quite put your finger on exactly what doesn't jibe; still, follow your feeling. You may discover later on it was a really good thing you didn't follow a certain direction.
The full moon on January 15th in Cancer conjoins Jupiter to draw focus on matters of security, family and nurturing. Take care of yourself and loved ones. If you have any spare money, sock it away for retirement or a rainy day. Family relationships may feel strained, in a tug-of-war, as Jupiter-Moon opposes the Sun (our will) and Venus (relationships). Sensitivity is heightened now. Tread softly. With Jupiter challenging Mars for most of January, nagging family relationships, inheritances, real estate and psychological roots demand attention.
Helping us out under the light of the full moon is messenger Mercury's angle to game-changer Uranus. Lightning fast ideas and insights will surface to remedy and fix problems situations. Think breakthroughs. It could be just the cure to break apart old, repeating habits and patterns preventing our growth. By January 20th, both Mercury and the Sun shift into inventive Aquarius. Bring out your inner genius to play, wild child, radical side, your inventor and innovator. Don't stand for the old and has been. Beckon the new. Meanwhile Venus conjoins Pluto until the end of the month, so expect relationships to intensify. Pieces of relationships that are broken, either personally or expecially business relationships, will come into sharp focus now. Jagged edges of broken parts will stab you if you do not fix them.
The last week of the month the Sun makes a helpful angle to Uranus while Mercury aligns with Mars heightening creativity and energizing us to implement thoughts and ideas. The last day of January Venus finally turns direct motion, giving us permission to invest in our plans and relationships; even as Mercury enters Pisces delivering deep, pristine insights and instilling faith in our future.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Sunday, December 1, 2013
After the darkness follows the Light: Existential questions
Undoutedly bumpy, this autumn has brought some of us to the edge of the void, while others have stared deeply into it, while still others have been smack dab in the void. Way, way down inside. Any one with even the smallest shred of awareness cannot miss just how raw a time this is. A world away from where I write a cataclysmic cyclone decimated part of the Philipines. By some measurements, the storm was the worst in recorded history. Only days later, horrific tornadoes wiped away Midwestern towns in the United States. Images surfacing from both of these events are difficult to look at, just like parts of our own lives and communities we'd prefer to avoid. However, such destructive storms occur for a reason: to get our attention and to remind us that each of us touches the life of every one and every thing on this planet. Most notably, such events also offer us an opportunity to rebuild our lives into more accurate depictions of who we really are.
With a finely tuned syncopation that only the planets can render, out of the darkness of November and the sting of its Scorpion shadow, December opens with a dark moon. This is a good thing. For the first two days of the month we are given a window to make wishes and say prayers for the upcoming month. Take full advantage. Two days later the New Moon occurs shining a sliver of Light down upon us. Yes, you guessed it: a cosmic metaphor that from the deepest dark of our lives we inevitably emerge into eternal Light. It is always there for us. We simply need to remember.
Much like forgetting that the Light is perpetually available to us, we occasionally need to remember who we are, and why we are. Especially after the gut-wrenching days of last month, perhaps your life has been forever altered. There is no turning back. With the Sun now in philosophical Sagittarius, December prompts us to take a cue from the great French existentialist Jean Paul Sartre and ask the hard questions. This month we are afforded ample opportunity to learn. Ever the seeker, archer Sagittarius points his arrow at The Truth. Nothing less will satisfy. The archer wants to know why? Journeyman, searcher, spiritualist, teacher and preacher, Sagittarius asks: what is the meaning of life? The archer bolsters our strength to be adventurous: in faith go forth in search of answers. Then, share the knowledge you learned on The Path.
Messenger Mercury enters Sagittarius on December 5th, underscoring our questions and increasing our thirst for knowledge. Be careful of mixed signals during the first ten days of the month. While Mercury challenges foggy Neptune making it difficult to see The Path let alone our destination, Mercury helpfully aligns with ingenious Uranus. In short: you will have significant help finding your way and not getting lost in murky disillusionment. You are offered new ways of thinking about old situations. So hang on. By December 10th bolts of lightning in the form of creative insights arrive to deliver solutions. Perhaps, prevent us from repeating the same old-same old patterns and get us out of our routine ruts.
Meanwhile fiery Mars enters Libra at a critical degree bringing relationship concerns to a head. The beautiful angle between relationship planets Venus and Mars shift into a more difficult axis now stressing its importance. Don't look now, you may just refuse to put up with nonsense any more. That no-nonsense energy builds all through December as Mars challenges Pluto and Uranus to heat life up to intense levels. That nagging matter has reared its ugly head again. It just won't go away. Only this time, it has sprouted horns poking you to pay attention. Address, confront and deal with the situation. Will you? The catalytic energy between these feisty planets begs for (if not encourages) grace, dignity and tolerance to be applied to possibly explosive circumstances. Established relationships or habits now shift. Watch for crimes of passion, dramatic or sudden events jolting our consciousness...to remember. The Sagittarius Sun and Mercury are key to remembering this month by prompting the hard questions: who are you now and who do you really want to be. If you have shrunk from seeing your Truth, the Mars-Pluto-Uranus troika will make sure can't miss it now.
One thing that has become lost in the crush of living is the massacre at Newtown, Connecticut. Only a year ago, in some way the event seems like another lifetime. Although not for the families of the victims, I'm sure. Around the same time last December 2012, game-changer Uranus turned direct motion as it does this month the December 17th. Do you remember hearing the news that day? Horror let loose. Little children, devoted teachers, innocent all, shot in cold blood. Again, beneath a Sagittarian Sun, such an event incited us to remember what is truly important in life. Things we often take for granted or rush through as we hurry toward the "important" stuff. When really, the lives of our children, their hopes and dreams bundled up with ours for them, are truly all that matters. Anniversarys occur for a reason: to stop and take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself what has changed since Newtown? Anything? Nothing? Well, surely a great deal for some and very, very little for most. Gun laws in the State of Connecticut are tighter. But in no other state.
Like the families who live with that horror every day, we pause now and ask, what is it all about? What is it all for? How have I changed since that day?
Helping to soften Uranus' jolt forward, the moon joins Jupiter in its own nurturing sign of Cancer, beautifully aligning with heavyweight Saturn in Scorpio all this month. Feelings are tender. Acknowledge them, do not ignore them. Offer care and compassion to others. Your children, adults behaving like children. Your inner child. Maybe you don't remember, but when you were little you probably asked your parents and siblings all the time: why and how come? You were learning. And you still are.
The third week of December messenger Mercury tightly conjoins the Sun to highlight our questions before both enter practical Capricorn. Now we put to work what we've learned over the past month and season. We use our knowledge gained. A word of caution: on December 21st as the Sun enters Capricorn, Venus turns retrograde motion. Ruling love and money, this is not the time to make significant investments or purchases. Nor is it optimal for intiating relationships or bringing current relationships to new stages of development (ie, engagement or marriage). With a helpful angle between Neptune-Chiron and all that Capricorn energy, it is better to envision ideas for your future. Step by step. Fantasize about what kind of car, house or bank account you desire or the kind of partner you want to attract. Then ground it all with a little mental elbow grease: do some research then make a list of the qualities of what you want. It may not sound sexy, but creating a business plan for your house, career, mate, life will get the job done.
Christmas Eve, Mercury enters the sign of Capricorn, joining the Sun and Pluto. Great for observing tried and true traditions, this troika fosters self-reliance and responsibility even as the are challenged by radical Uranus and fiery Mars. Established order(s) are given a run. Some will feel truly threatened that time-honored holiday habits shift and change beyond their control. It may feel the world is disintegrating beneath our feet. Others, the young and young at heart will feel exhilarated during this time. That everything and everyone feels shiny, brand new and full to the brim with new life, new ways to grow. Take a chance. Be flexible. Open-minded is the watchword through the New Year. Be open to the new. With Mars in artistic and relationship oriented Libra, go to a holiday party instead of hosting one or vice versa; attend concerts, art shows, museums, plays. Surprise yourself.
The angels will watch over you and make sure you are safe. On New Year's Eve, Mercury, Pluto and Mars are each at the eleventh degree of their signs: 11, 11, 11. So how can you go wrong? Numerically the angels protect and guide us to make a wish on this magical night and believe it can be so.
With a finely tuned syncopation that only the planets can render, out of the darkness of November and the sting of its Scorpion shadow, December opens with a dark moon. This is a good thing. For the first two days of the month we are given a window to make wishes and say prayers for the upcoming month. Take full advantage. Two days later the New Moon occurs shining a sliver of Light down upon us. Yes, you guessed it: a cosmic metaphor that from the deepest dark of our lives we inevitably emerge into eternal Light. It is always there for us. We simply need to remember.
Much like forgetting that the Light is perpetually available to us, we occasionally need to remember who we are, and why we are. Especially after the gut-wrenching days of last month, perhaps your life has been forever altered. There is no turning back. With the Sun now in philosophical Sagittarius, December prompts us to take a cue from the great French existentialist Jean Paul Sartre and ask the hard questions. This month we are afforded ample opportunity to learn. Ever the seeker, archer Sagittarius points his arrow at The Truth. Nothing less will satisfy. The archer wants to know why? Journeyman, searcher, spiritualist, teacher and preacher, Sagittarius asks: what is the meaning of life? The archer bolsters our strength to be adventurous: in faith go forth in search of answers. Then, share the knowledge you learned on The Path.
Messenger Mercury enters Sagittarius on December 5th, underscoring our questions and increasing our thirst for knowledge. Be careful of mixed signals during the first ten days of the month. While Mercury challenges foggy Neptune making it difficult to see The Path let alone our destination, Mercury helpfully aligns with ingenious Uranus. In short: you will have significant help finding your way and not getting lost in murky disillusionment. You are offered new ways of thinking about old situations. So hang on. By December 10th bolts of lightning in the form of creative insights arrive to deliver solutions. Perhaps, prevent us from repeating the same old-same old patterns and get us out of our routine ruts.
Meanwhile fiery Mars enters Libra at a critical degree bringing relationship concerns to a head. The beautiful angle between relationship planets Venus and Mars shift into a more difficult axis now stressing its importance. Don't look now, you may just refuse to put up with nonsense any more. That no-nonsense energy builds all through December as Mars challenges Pluto and Uranus to heat life up to intense levels. That nagging matter has reared its ugly head again. It just won't go away. Only this time, it has sprouted horns poking you to pay attention. Address, confront and deal with the situation. Will you? The catalytic energy between these feisty planets begs for (if not encourages) grace, dignity and tolerance to be applied to possibly explosive circumstances. Established relationships or habits now shift. Watch for crimes of passion, dramatic or sudden events jolting our consciousness...to remember. The Sagittarius Sun and Mercury are key to remembering this month by prompting the hard questions: who are you now and who do you really want to be. If you have shrunk from seeing your Truth, the Mars-Pluto-Uranus troika will make sure can't miss it now.
One thing that has become lost in the crush of living is the massacre at Newtown, Connecticut. Only a year ago, in some way the event seems like another lifetime. Although not for the families of the victims, I'm sure. Around the same time last December 2012, game-changer Uranus turned direct motion as it does this month the December 17th. Do you remember hearing the news that day? Horror let loose. Little children, devoted teachers, innocent all, shot in cold blood. Again, beneath a Sagittarian Sun, such an event incited us to remember what is truly important in life. Things we often take for granted or rush through as we hurry toward the "important" stuff. When really, the lives of our children, their hopes and dreams bundled up with ours for them, are truly all that matters. Anniversarys occur for a reason: to stop and take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself what has changed since Newtown? Anything? Nothing? Well, surely a great deal for some and very, very little for most. Gun laws in the State of Connecticut are tighter. But in no other state.
Like the families who live with that horror every day, we pause now and ask, what is it all about? What is it all for? How have I changed since that day?
Helping to soften Uranus' jolt forward, the moon joins Jupiter in its own nurturing sign of Cancer, beautifully aligning with heavyweight Saturn in Scorpio all this month. Feelings are tender. Acknowledge them, do not ignore them. Offer care and compassion to others. Your children, adults behaving like children. Your inner child. Maybe you don't remember, but when you were little you probably asked your parents and siblings all the time: why and how come? You were learning. And you still are.
The third week of December messenger Mercury tightly conjoins the Sun to highlight our questions before both enter practical Capricorn. Now we put to work what we've learned over the past month and season. We use our knowledge gained. A word of caution: on December 21st as the Sun enters Capricorn, Venus turns retrograde motion. Ruling love and money, this is not the time to make significant investments or purchases. Nor is it optimal for intiating relationships or bringing current relationships to new stages of development (ie, engagement or marriage). With a helpful angle between Neptune-Chiron and all that Capricorn energy, it is better to envision ideas for your future. Step by step. Fantasize about what kind of car, house or bank account you desire or the kind of partner you want to attract. Then ground it all with a little mental elbow grease: do some research then make a list of the qualities of what you want. It may not sound sexy, but creating a business plan for your house, career, mate, life will get the job done.
Christmas Eve, Mercury enters the sign of Capricorn, joining the Sun and Pluto. Great for observing tried and true traditions, this troika fosters self-reliance and responsibility even as the are challenged by radical Uranus and fiery Mars. Established order(s) are given a run. Some will feel truly threatened that time-honored holiday habits shift and change beyond their control. It may feel the world is disintegrating beneath our feet. Others, the young and young at heart will feel exhilarated during this time. That everything and everyone feels shiny, brand new and full to the brim with new life, new ways to grow. Take a chance. Be flexible. Open-minded is the watchword through the New Year. Be open to the new. With Mars in artistic and relationship oriented Libra, go to a holiday party instead of hosting one or vice versa; attend concerts, art shows, museums, plays. Surprise yourself.
The angels will watch over you and make sure you are safe. On New Year's Eve, Mercury, Pluto and Mars are each at the eleventh degree of their signs: 11, 11, 11. So how can you go wrong? Numerically the angels protect and guide us to make a wish on this magical night and believe it can be so.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Sex, Death, Power and the Shadow: Scorpio Struts its Stuff.
I don't know about you but October ran a bulldozer over me. Wow. The weeks left me feeling grateful to be in tact and relatively unscathed. Grateful for what is working in my life and where I do not have to struggle. It was enough to cope with life events hurling at me full speed.
Loaded events carry over into November. Like a match to a firecracker, this month starts with Pluto exactly challenging Uranus. These two have tangoed for a long while and will for a time yet to come. Out with the old and in with the new this pattern hammers at us, pummeling our lives until we do as we're told. And shown. Get rid of habits, relationships, jobs, you-name-it, that do not work or serve you.
Only two days later a solar eclipse occurs in powerful Scorpio on Sunday, November 3rd. The strength of this eclipse is difficult to overstate. Scorpio is about power, karma, transformation and the ultimate transformative processes for human beings: sex, death, sharing joint resources (ie, bank accounts, land, cash, property of any kind). Money. All eclipses mark significant passages in our lives. What makes this particular eclipse so strong is its close tie to Saturn, the north node of the moon and messenger Mercury, all in Scorpio. There is no mistaking the message we are to hear now. Like a door swinging on a hinge, closing behind us for good, this is a pivotal point in time. Get busy, get down to brass tacks, get going making changes in your life so you can healthfully, meaningfully live the rest of your life.
Let's begin with Saturn's role in the eclipse. The most serious planet in the zodiac, Saturn demands responsibility and integrity in all we do. The rings around Saturn symbolically tell us: until we can contain and control our own lives, effectively, responsibly and honorably, Saturn (or life forces) will bind us by curtailing and inhibiting our freedom and choices. In the powerful sign of Scorpio, Saturn demands us to change but also gives us a clean slate and fresh start. We can settle debts now. Saturn is often viewed as the party-pooper, dour albeit wise. However, Saturn wants us to be our best selves. Demands nothing less than greatness to serve the purpose we are here to live. That said, for those ignoring life lessons or their true path, Saturn will strip you bare and insist we behave, deliver what is coming to us. Better to live honestly, don't you think, than continue trying to get away with something? Think of the thief who has perpetually gotten away with the goods, time after time, never been caught. Bernard Madoff comes to mind. Time's up, says Saturn. Time to pay the penalty. Time, after all, is ruled by Saturn. It tells us: it is only a matter of time before life catches up with you. One of the primary Universal Laws is that of Cause and Effect. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," might well have been dictated by Saturn.
Drawing us further into this reality is Mercury tightly conjoined with the moon's north node. Like True North, the north node calls us forward, pulling us toward our destiny. Meanwhile, retrograde Mercury turns us inward like a scope diving into the deepest reaches of our psyche to examine just exactly who we are and to tell us like it is. In Scorpio, we will feel every inch of this message. What we hear, live and learn may be stark, harsh, profound, revealing, and powerful...For if nothing else, Scorpio is about power.
If you have shied away from stepping into your own power, this eclipse insists you embrace just how powerful you truly are. One. Step. At. A. Time. On another note, power struggles of all kinds are highlighted now and brought to a head. Often those afraid or reluctant to accept and be powerful become victimized by those who do not wield power compassionately. Is someone or some situation holding power over you? Economically/financially, emotionally or psychologically? Are you the victim or perpetrator of abuse? Abuse can often be surreptitious as Scorpio rules what is hidden: power that is manipulated from behind the scenes, for good or ill.
Remember, power does not mean aggression, anger, vicious behavior or words, although it is often expressed this way. Power simply means asserting strength through choice and action. At its best, power is wielded with kindness and compassion, such as anonymous generosity via donation or action that helps another. Withholding harmful gossip. Shielding or protecting another from pain. This is the purest form of power. Think of the policewoman in Florida who recently caught a mother stealing food from a grocery store. Drive to desperation, the mother resorted to theft to feed her children. The policewoman understood that arresting the mother would only compound the family's circumstance by making it more dire than it already was. Instead of taking her into custody, the policewoman gave $100 of her own money to the mother so she could buy food. "Watching the kids unload the groceries," she said, "you would have thought it was Christmas."
That is power.
In the shamelessly exhibitionist, reality-TV, celebrity-obsessesed world we live in, it is essential to remember how much we, all of life, are sustained by the sheer goodness of the vast majority. Most of this compassionate power is purely unseen. Just because it is invisible does not invalidate its existence. The reverse is actually true: it is the glue upholding the world and stitching the fabric of life together.
And, now, a word about sex. Scorpio rules sex and there is an immense emphasis on it during this time. How is your sex life? Good, great, non-existent, indifferent? Are you having an affair or thinking about having one? Has bisexuality, the gay or transgender life crossed your mind; or perhaps, emerged as a life you want to lead? Scorpio demands you to live your truth to ensure your deepest needs are met. You are a sexual being. Attend to this side of yourself. Since Scorpio rules our shadow, the dark side of life, a word of caution: Ask yourself, where does passion turn into obsession, or become an ugly addiction? Sex is fabulous so long as it doesn't become all you do or want to do, just like the consumption of alcohol, gambling or any behavior that can turn dark.
Even routines that have become so rote giving our lives little substance or dwindle purpose to nothingness fall within Scorpio's domain. You may not like to think of your routine and habitual comforts as obsessive compulsions bordering on addictions. Take a second, deeper look, however. Are they confining you into a life of safety but not fullness, beauty, risk...? Every day a little death, wrote Stephen Sondheim. Live a little instead, stings Scorpio. You may have no other choice around November 3 with the eclipse, Saturn, Mercury and the moon's north node pushing us to transform, change it up. This month may very well shatter its share of lives. But it is through the cracks of our smashed pieces that the Light is able to pour in. When we resist, we block the Light; Light shining hope on us to grow, evolve, be our best selves. Tip: surrender, do not resist.
This will be especially true for relationships, to your Self, your Shadow and to others. Catalyzed by newly elevated planet Ceres at a critical degree of Libra, relationships are put on notice. Love yourself: the good, the bad and the ugly. Change what you can and embrace what you cannot...ie, your Shadow. For therein lies your greatest strength...the thing you least like about yourself. What you dislike in others is a mirror for what you dislike in yourself. With Ceres at a decisive degree, there is no more fence-sitting: get in or get out, get on or be done with it. If you decide to stay in certain relationships, figure out how to make them work for both of you. Ceres demands balance now between you and the outer world, you and the other person.
The other person may very well be a family member or loved one, especially around November 7. Jupiter in nurturing Cancer turns retrograde just as Saturn reaches a critical degree of Scorpio. Family matters will take the forefront. Anything hidden or buried from the past, old wounds, unresolved arguments, stories intentionally withheld, will be dealt with now. The good news is that a flowing angle between Jupiter, Saturn and the Sun make it easier to pull old closeted situations out to look at, talk about, and heal.
This can include financial concerns, joint/shared property, particularly the familial kind. Be aware of financial manipulation. Secure your home and property as well. Theft figures into this picture. Conversely, pots of gold might just surface now. That Aunt you heard about but never met might leave you a chunk of change. Were you her only living relative? Family karmic debts will be settled now; prepare to receive or pay up. By extension, estates may either end up in court with relatives fighting bitterly over them (read: resistance to change behavior), or reach resolution. May the latter be your circumstance! In any event, attempts to hide ugly parts, the pieces and people we disown, just will not work now and going forward. Everything has a glaring light shining on it.
This is really true after messenger Mercury turns direct motion on November 11, and further clarified by Neptune as it turns direct on November 14. What has been put on hold, delayed, or misconstrued is now clear and ready for action. Get busy cleaning up and clearing out the old and making way to accomplish the new and fulfilling in your life, be it projects, business ventures, relationships. Now is a terrific time to dive in head first and launch new endeavors. The energy at mid month is heightened when transformer Pluto joins Venus on November 15 in Capricorn. Great for building anything, practical and pragmatic Capricorn will show you how to climb that mountain in front of you, step by step. Black and white, stark by nature, Capricorn informs this planetary duo about who and what works or does not work, the people and parts of our lives that function well and other aspects that need to be rehabbed or scrapped altogether. That is Capricorn.
Saturn rules Capricorn and both rule Time. Venus in Capricorn asks how much time and energy do you really want to sink into relationships, especially those that are dysfunctional? One particular aspect to note during mid-November pertaining to Pluto (power) and Venus (love and money): power struggles involving our relationships and money (and our relationship to money) will either reach new plateaus, new lows or be settled once and for all. Ask yourself, who has the power in your relationships and who does not? Does money have power over you?
Furthering our insights about this pair is their alliance with the moon in earthy Taurus, as well as beneficial angles to healer Chiron, messenger Mercury and the north node of the moon. Deep healing is possible now enabling us to chart new courses for ourselves and our relationships as we purge and cleanse old patterns and utilize our best parts. All efforts point to maximizing function and constructive operation. Again, this is Capricorn.
November 13-20th is a significant week with Saturn at an attention-getting degree of Scorpio. High profile news, changes, deaths and events will occur. Continuing from late October, mysteries still unfold and revelations clarifying what was heretofore misunderstood or unknown. Venus/Pluto's beneficial angle to Jupiter will lessen the severity of those experiencing loss or difficulty during this passage.
The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 22nd leading us into Thanksgiving. Our resistance may soften, give way to broader outlooks, spiritual and philosophical perspectives especially as the Sun aligns helpfully with radical Uranus. Surpise and ingenuity rule this week so take a little adventure over the holiday. Do something, visit somewhere you have never done or gone before. It will do you a world of good.
We know Thanksgiving is a time to come together. Keep in mind the larger picture and end goal of this pivotal era: to bring humanity together. To show us that individuals are simply parts of a collective whole, that each of us fills a missing part of another, even those we vilify or disagree with, for they awaken us to greater self-awareness.
During this season of gratitude, let's remember the Dalai Lama's words: "We can make this a more peaceful century if we cherish non-violence and concern for others' well-being. It is possible. If the individual is happier, his or her family is happier; if families are happier, neighborhoods and nations will be happy." By transforming ourselves we can change our human way of life and make this a century of compassion."
Use your power for good.
Hilary's personal astrology readings are available via www.hilaryharley.com, www.tremont-tearoom.com, and www.celestial-beginnings.com.
Loaded events carry over into November. Like a match to a firecracker, this month starts with Pluto exactly challenging Uranus. These two have tangoed for a long while and will for a time yet to come. Out with the old and in with the new this pattern hammers at us, pummeling our lives until we do as we're told. And shown. Get rid of habits, relationships, jobs, you-name-it, that do not work or serve you.
Only two days later a solar eclipse occurs in powerful Scorpio on Sunday, November 3rd. The strength of this eclipse is difficult to overstate. Scorpio is about power, karma, transformation and the ultimate transformative processes for human beings: sex, death, sharing joint resources (ie, bank accounts, land, cash, property of any kind). Money. All eclipses mark significant passages in our lives. What makes this particular eclipse so strong is its close tie to Saturn, the north node of the moon and messenger Mercury, all in Scorpio. There is no mistaking the message we are to hear now. Like a door swinging on a hinge, closing behind us for good, this is a pivotal point in time. Get busy, get down to brass tacks, get going making changes in your life so you can healthfully, meaningfully live the rest of your life.
Let's begin with Saturn's role in the eclipse. The most serious planet in the zodiac, Saturn demands responsibility and integrity in all we do. The rings around Saturn symbolically tell us: until we can contain and control our own lives, effectively, responsibly and honorably, Saturn (or life forces) will bind us by curtailing and inhibiting our freedom and choices. In the powerful sign of Scorpio, Saturn demands us to change but also gives us a clean slate and fresh start. We can settle debts now. Saturn is often viewed as the party-pooper, dour albeit wise. However, Saturn wants us to be our best selves. Demands nothing less than greatness to serve the purpose we are here to live. That said, for those ignoring life lessons or their true path, Saturn will strip you bare and insist we behave, deliver what is coming to us. Better to live honestly, don't you think, than continue trying to get away with something? Think of the thief who has perpetually gotten away with the goods, time after time, never been caught. Bernard Madoff comes to mind. Time's up, says Saturn. Time to pay the penalty. Time, after all, is ruled by Saturn. It tells us: it is only a matter of time before life catches up with you. One of the primary Universal Laws is that of Cause and Effect. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," might well have been dictated by Saturn.
Drawing us further into this reality is Mercury tightly conjoined with the moon's north node. Like True North, the north node calls us forward, pulling us toward our destiny. Meanwhile, retrograde Mercury turns us inward like a scope diving into the deepest reaches of our psyche to examine just exactly who we are and to tell us like it is. In Scorpio, we will feel every inch of this message. What we hear, live and learn may be stark, harsh, profound, revealing, and powerful...For if nothing else, Scorpio is about power.
If you have shied away from stepping into your own power, this eclipse insists you embrace just how powerful you truly are. One. Step. At. A. Time. On another note, power struggles of all kinds are highlighted now and brought to a head. Often those afraid or reluctant to accept and be powerful become victimized by those who do not wield power compassionately. Is someone or some situation holding power over you? Economically/financially, emotionally or psychologically? Are you the victim or perpetrator of abuse? Abuse can often be surreptitious as Scorpio rules what is hidden: power that is manipulated from behind the scenes, for good or ill.
Remember, power does not mean aggression, anger, vicious behavior or words, although it is often expressed this way. Power simply means asserting strength through choice and action. At its best, power is wielded with kindness and compassion, such as anonymous generosity via donation or action that helps another. Withholding harmful gossip. Shielding or protecting another from pain. This is the purest form of power. Think of the policewoman in Florida who recently caught a mother stealing food from a grocery store. Drive to desperation, the mother resorted to theft to feed her children. The policewoman understood that arresting the mother would only compound the family's circumstance by making it more dire than it already was. Instead of taking her into custody, the policewoman gave $100 of her own money to the mother so she could buy food. "Watching the kids unload the groceries," she said, "you would have thought it was Christmas."
That is power.
In the shamelessly exhibitionist, reality-TV, celebrity-obsessesed world we live in, it is essential to remember how much we, all of life, are sustained by the sheer goodness of the vast majority. Most of this compassionate power is purely unseen. Just because it is invisible does not invalidate its existence. The reverse is actually true: it is the glue upholding the world and stitching the fabric of life together.
And, now, a word about sex. Scorpio rules sex and there is an immense emphasis on it during this time. How is your sex life? Good, great, non-existent, indifferent? Are you having an affair or thinking about having one? Has bisexuality, the gay or transgender life crossed your mind; or perhaps, emerged as a life you want to lead? Scorpio demands you to live your truth to ensure your deepest needs are met. You are a sexual being. Attend to this side of yourself. Since Scorpio rules our shadow, the dark side of life, a word of caution: Ask yourself, where does passion turn into obsession, or become an ugly addiction? Sex is fabulous so long as it doesn't become all you do or want to do, just like the consumption of alcohol, gambling or any behavior that can turn dark.
Even routines that have become so rote giving our lives little substance or dwindle purpose to nothingness fall within Scorpio's domain. You may not like to think of your routine and habitual comforts as obsessive compulsions bordering on addictions. Take a second, deeper look, however. Are they confining you into a life of safety but not fullness, beauty, risk...? Every day a little death, wrote Stephen Sondheim. Live a little instead, stings Scorpio. You may have no other choice around November 3 with the eclipse, Saturn, Mercury and the moon's north node pushing us to transform, change it up. This month may very well shatter its share of lives. But it is through the cracks of our smashed pieces that the Light is able to pour in. When we resist, we block the Light; Light shining hope on us to grow, evolve, be our best selves. Tip: surrender, do not resist.
This will be especially true for relationships, to your Self, your Shadow and to others. Catalyzed by newly elevated planet Ceres at a critical degree of Libra, relationships are put on notice. Love yourself: the good, the bad and the ugly. Change what you can and embrace what you cannot...ie, your Shadow. For therein lies your greatest strength...the thing you least like about yourself. What you dislike in others is a mirror for what you dislike in yourself. With Ceres at a decisive degree, there is no more fence-sitting: get in or get out, get on or be done with it. If you decide to stay in certain relationships, figure out how to make them work for both of you. Ceres demands balance now between you and the outer world, you and the other person.
The other person may very well be a family member or loved one, especially around November 7. Jupiter in nurturing Cancer turns retrograde just as Saturn reaches a critical degree of Scorpio. Family matters will take the forefront. Anything hidden or buried from the past, old wounds, unresolved arguments, stories intentionally withheld, will be dealt with now. The good news is that a flowing angle between Jupiter, Saturn and the Sun make it easier to pull old closeted situations out to look at, talk about, and heal.
This can include financial concerns, joint/shared property, particularly the familial kind. Be aware of financial manipulation. Secure your home and property as well. Theft figures into this picture. Conversely, pots of gold might just surface now. That Aunt you heard about but never met might leave you a chunk of change. Were you her only living relative? Family karmic debts will be settled now; prepare to receive or pay up. By extension, estates may either end up in court with relatives fighting bitterly over them (read: resistance to change behavior), or reach resolution. May the latter be your circumstance! In any event, attempts to hide ugly parts, the pieces and people we disown, just will not work now and going forward. Everything has a glaring light shining on it.
This is really true after messenger Mercury turns direct motion on November 11, and further clarified by Neptune as it turns direct on November 14. What has been put on hold, delayed, or misconstrued is now clear and ready for action. Get busy cleaning up and clearing out the old and making way to accomplish the new and fulfilling in your life, be it projects, business ventures, relationships. Now is a terrific time to dive in head first and launch new endeavors. The energy at mid month is heightened when transformer Pluto joins Venus on November 15 in Capricorn. Great for building anything, practical and pragmatic Capricorn will show you how to climb that mountain in front of you, step by step. Black and white, stark by nature, Capricorn informs this planetary duo about who and what works or does not work, the people and parts of our lives that function well and other aspects that need to be rehabbed or scrapped altogether. That is Capricorn.
Saturn rules Capricorn and both rule Time. Venus in Capricorn asks how much time and energy do you really want to sink into relationships, especially those that are dysfunctional? One particular aspect to note during mid-November pertaining to Pluto (power) and Venus (love and money): power struggles involving our relationships and money (and our relationship to money) will either reach new plateaus, new lows or be settled once and for all. Ask yourself, who has the power in your relationships and who does not? Does money have power over you?
Furthering our insights about this pair is their alliance with the moon in earthy Taurus, as well as beneficial angles to healer Chiron, messenger Mercury and the north node of the moon. Deep healing is possible now enabling us to chart new courses for ourselves and our relationships as we purge and cleanse old patterns and utilize our best parts. All efforts point to maximizing function and constructive operation. Again, this is Capricorn.
November 13-20th is a significant week with Saturn at an attention-getting degree of Scorpio. High profile news, changes, deaths and events will occur. Continuing from late October, mysteries still unfold and revelations clarifying what was heretofore misunderstood or unknown. Venus/Pluto's beneficial angle to Jupiter will lessen the severity of those experiencing loss or difficulty during this passage.
The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 22nd leading us into Thanksgiving. Our resistance may soften, give way to broader outlooks, spiritual and philosophical perspectives especially as the Sun aligns helpfully with radical Uranus. Surpise and ingenuity rule this week so take a little adventure over the holiday. Do something, visit somewhere you have never done or gone before. It will do you a world of good.
We know Thanksgiving is a time to come together. Keep in mind the larger picture and end goal of this pivotal era: to bring humanity together. To show us that individuals are simply parts of a collective whole, that each of us fills a missing part of another, even those we vilify or disagree with, for they awaken us to greater self-awareness.
During this season of gratitude, let's remember the Dalai Lama's words: "We can make this a more peaceful century if we cherish non-violence and concern for others' well-being. It is possible. If the individual is happier, his or her family is happier; if families are happier, neighborhoods and nations will be happy." By transforming ourselves we can change our human way of life and make this a century of compassion."
Use your power for good.
Hilary's personal astrology readings are available via www.hilaryharley.com, www.tremont-tearoom.com, and www.celestial-beginnings.com.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
As Bette Davis says: Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!
It's hard to imagine that we could pack anything more into this month of October. Fall is usually a busy time as we resume our routine, projects and work after the languid days of summer. Now that the kids are back to school, life seems more hectic than usual. And the cosmos is not about to let up or give us a break.
The beginning of October finds messenger planet Mercury conjoined with the moon's north node and heavyweight Saturn all in Scorpio. This means business. Literally and figuratively, getting down to the business at hand. What we began excavating last month, turning over for a really solid, inescapable look, continues through the entire fall season. Continuing, and heightening in some instances, are tug of wars over resources, good ol' money matters: divisions of what's mine versus what's yours, what belongs to whom in terms of banking, finances and property; some of us are figuring out how to fulfill basic survival needs while others are figuring out how to dig themselves out from overspending and overextending themselves. Ka-ching!$$$. Still others are wheeling and dealing big cash, planning or landing major deals.
Since Scorpio is also the psychologist of the zodiac, many of us, however, are involved in much deeper issues at play. Think of Scorpio like a gigantic X-Ray machine: it shows us exactly who we are and the situations we find ourselves in. And with Venus leading the aforementioned troika in Scorpio during the first week of October, there will be a thorough examination of how and where we've refused to change. We will have no place to hide from what we least like about our lives, ourselves or our situations. Scorpio rules karma and balancing the karmic slate. There is no other choice but to acknowledge road blocks in our lives, either internal walls we have built over time or external walls we've refused to work around. Any obstacles in our path cannot be ignored. It's time to go to the doctor and get that shot we've been dreading. Yes, it will sting. Or if situations have been ignored way too long, surgery might be necessary. We must get down to the bones of the matter. But the treatment ultimately serves to heal us or prevent further illness. Because Venus is essentially about love and money, in Scorpio, she stings to move us toward the deepest kind of love: self-love. So we evolve. Grow. In its essence Scorpio rules transformation of any kind, but especially the deepest kind: sex, joint./collective finances, death, rebirth. This month, think resurrection. If it means confronting and exorcising emotional (or by extension, financial) hurt to learn the lesson, so we can finally love ourselves completely, go for it. You will be a new and better you when all is said and done.
Standing back to observe the celestial interplay on a global level, it is hardly comforting to live through yet another US government shut down (BIG collective money). Congress is more interested in operating a government-by-crisis, maintaining walls (their positions and stances) than cooperating to benefit the public good. And the estimated $2 billion ticket for actually shutting down the government is only part of the sting. The rest of us, government employees from the military to park rangers, as well as ordinary citizens (read taxpayers), users, consumers and recipients of government services will feel a mighty sting of inconvenience.
On the opposite side of the coin there is Iran. From seemingly out of nowhere comes an effort by the Iranian government to suddenly go along and get along. Cooperate. Participate. Hardly imaginable even two weeks ago, the new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has reached out to the West, is willing to allow to nuclear weapons inspectors to examine Iranian facilities, all in order to stem the tide of Western economic sanctions and bring much-needed relief to its people. Dare I suggest the US Congress should take a cue from Iran and cry Uncle? Get over themselves and put the public welfare before individual egos.
On a personal level with Mercury in Scorpio, be mindful of what comes out of your mouth this month. Be careful how you respond to others. The messenger planet can have a laser-like tongue, good for shearing through any bullpucky you're mired in but deadly if words once out of the mouth cannot be taken back. Apologies might not get you anywhere this month. Or the next. So better to be tightlipped than fully regretful! Instead of impulsively lashing out, consider putting the Scorpio X-Ray vision to use: sit back from that irritating person or situation. Watch, observe, listen. Gather as much information as possible. Scorpio is at its best doing deep research. Dive deep and collect what you need. When the time is right, speak your mind. Launch carefully shaped words aimed precisely at your target. You get the hint.
Further enhancing the Scorpio X-Ray vision is Mercury's angle to Neptune giving our insights pristine clarity. This fosters our understanding of where we stand with others, loved ones, co-workers or complex situations. The pair will help us see our way through the catalytic effects of the Sun as it opposes radical Uranus, both challenging transformer Pluto. All bets are off as our will and identity are taunted unexpectedly the first week of October. This is part of a larger, much bigger picture coming into play: what we have known, taken for granted and assumed about life, its traditions, patterns, our relationships, even our purpose, is dodging curve balls one right after another.
The best (and truly only) plan is to be flexible and remember that the single constant in life is change. In a hurricane, which many of us feel as though we're living amidst, the trees that survive are those with branches that sway in the wind. So be like the Yew tree and bend before you break! If you push back now, resist bending, the consequences are less than desirable. The good news is that the New Moon on October 4th opens the way for a clean slate. What ideas and dreams do you want to plant now? Time spent carefully tending the healing work begun in September grows deeper, richer, more fulfilling. Rewarding, even.
On October 8th, Venus enters the sign of Sagittarius, helping us to see life philosophically, broadening our outlook, opening our eyes, relating to life as an adventure. Sagittarius rules spirituality and higher learning. Even as the Saturn-Mercury duo align beautifully with Jupiter, Venus now adds to this mixture, prompting us to step away from the hullabaloo and chaos of the last few weeks and ask thoughtfully, "What does it all mean?" How does our behavior impact our larger, human family? Further still, how does humanity affect all creatures on this planet?
At mid month, Jupiter challenges the Sun while messenger Mercury cycles past a critical, attention-getting degree. Practice deep breathing, check your tongue at the door and exercise far-reaching diplomacy skills you never knew you had. You may need every ounce of grace over the holiday weekend, especially if family events are planned. Remember: you'll never regret what you don't say.
All of this planetary activity is setting up for the lunar eclipse on the Full Moon, Friday, October 18th. Lunar eclipses mark endings in our lives.
Ponder: what is over and done with in your life so you may begin anew? Especially as it pertains to relationships? Where have you given all you could, fulfilled your purpose in another's life, tried your very best in a relationship? Whom do you need to (gracefully) allow to leave, say so long, farewell? Let them move on to someone or something else. It is time. Pluto and Uranus make an exact challenging angle the day before the lunar eclipse. This will feel like a labor pain pushing us hard to release the old in order to deliver the new. And relationship changes are usually the most painful because of the personal histories and emotions involved. Fortunately, like a midwife to ease our pain, an abundance of celestial help envelopes us during this transition despite the utter work and drudgery to let go, clean house of those habits and people whose time is up and must depart.
Only three days after the lunar eclipse, Mercury turns retrograde in Scorpio for three weeks. Repeated messages uncovering, unearthing emotional scars, mysterious deaths, psychological wounds, financial wrong-doings, and wrongs to be righted will surface. Buried "ghosts", aspects of our lives we thought to be dead come alive now, be they long lost friends, relatives or incidents from your past. There is no better time to heal old traumas than during the end of October and beginning of November. Long unsolved homicide cases will be re-opened now and find solutions; long-standing debts, money owed, will be paid. On the psychological side, what potential discoveries about your own past can you identify so you can heal, start fresh, change course when Mercury turns direct motion in November?
It often, usually, takes several steps back in order to keep moving positively forward. During the final days of October, with Mars in the healing sign of Virgo aligning helpfully with Pluto, we can focus on the required work and maintain healthy regimens. Healing and restoration of well-being is sure to follow.
A Special Note to all my readers and clients: Thank you for your continued interest and support in astrology! I have some very exciting news to share: along with continuing to see clients privately, I am so pleased to now offer astrology readings through the Tremont Tearoom in downtown Boston and Celestial Beginnings in South Natick, MA. I am thrilled to partner with each of these wonderful groups which offer myriad healing methods.
The Tremont Tearoom is the oldest psychic institution in New England; Celestial Beginnings is an alternative wellness center created by intuitive healer Annemarie Seidenberg. Please see www.tremont-tearoom.com or www.celestial-beginnings.com for more information.
The beginning of October finds messenger planet Mercury conjoined with the moon's north node and heavyweight Saturn all in Scorpio. This means business. Literally and figuratively, getting down to the business at hand. What we began excavating last month, turning over for a really solid, inescapable look, continues through the entire fall season. Continuing, and heightening in some instances, are tug of wars over resources, good ol' money matters: divisions of what's mine versus what's yours, what belongs to whom in terms of banking, finances and property; some of us are figuring out how to fulfill basic survival needs while others are figuring out how to dig themselves out from overspending and overextending themselves. Ka-ching!$$$. Still others are wheeling and dealing big cash, planning or landing major deals.
Since Scorpio is also the psychologist of the zodiac, many of us, however, are involved in much deeper issues at play. Think of Scorpio like a gigantic X-Ray machine: it shows us exactly who we are and the situations we find ourselves in. And with Venus leading the aforementioned troika in Scorpio during the first week of October, there will be a thorough examination of how and where we've refused to change. We will have no place to hide from what we least like about our lives, ourselves or our situations. Scorpio rules karma and balancing the karmic slate. There is no other choice but to acknowledge road blocks in our lives, either internal walls we have built over time or external walls we've refused to work around. Any obstacles in our path cannot be ignored. It's time to go to the doctor and get that shot we've been dreading. Yes, it will sting. Or if situations have been ignored way too long, surgery might be necessary. We must get down to the bones of the matter. But the treatment ultimately serves to heal us or prevent further illness. Because Venus is essentially about love and money, in Scorpio, she stings to move us toward the deepest kind of love: self-love. So we evolve. Grow. In its essence Scorpio rules transformation of any kind, but especially the deepest kind: sex, joint./collective finances, death, rebirth. This month, think resurrection. If it means confronting and exorcising emotional (or by extension, financial) hurt to learn the lesson, so we can finally love ourselves completely, go for it. You will be a new and better you when all is said and done.
Standing back to observe the celestial interplay on a global level, it is hardly comforting to live through yet another US government shut down (BIG collective money). Congress is more interested in operating a government-by-crisis, maintaining walls (their positions and stances) than cooperating to benefit the public good. And the estimated $2 billion ticket for actually shutting down the government is only part of the sting. The rest of us, government employees from the military to park rangers, as well as ordinary citizens (read taxpayers), users, consumers and recipients of government services will feel a mighty sting of inconvenience.
On the opposite side of the coin there is Iran. From seemingly out of nowhere comes an effort by the Iranian government to suddenly go along and get along. Cooperate. Participate. Hardly imaginable even two weeks ago, the new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has reached out to the West, is willing to allow to nuclear weapons inspectors to examine Iranian facilities, all in order to stem the tide of Western economic sanctions and bring much-needed relief to its people. Dare I suggest the US Congress should take a cue from Iran and cry Uncle? Get over themselves and put the public welfare before individual egos.
On a personal level with Mercury in Scorpio, be mindful of what comes out of your mouth this month. Be careful how you respond to others. The messenger planet can have a laser-like tongue, good for shearing through any bullpucky you're mired in but deadly if words once out of the mouth cannot be taken back. Apologies might not get you anywhere this month. Or the next. So better to be tightlipped than fully regretful! Instead of impulsively lashing out, consider putting the Scorpio X-Ray vision to use: sit back from that irritating person or situation. Watch, observe, listen. Gather as much information as possible. Scorpio is at its best doing deep research. Dive deep and collect what you need. When the time is right, speak your mind. Launch carefully shaped words aimed precisely at your target. You get the hint.
Further enhancing the Scorpio X-Ray vision is Mercury's angle to Neptune giving our insights pristine clarity. This fosters our understanding of where we stand with others, loved ones, co-workers or complex situations. The pair will help us see our way through the catalytic effects of the Sun as it opposes radical Uranus, both challenging transformer Pluto. All bets are off as our will and identity are taunted unexpectedly the first week of October. This is part of a larger, much bigger picture coming into play: what we have known, taken for granted and assumed about life, its traditions, patterns, our relationships, even our purpose, is dodging curve balls one right after another.
The best (and truly only) plan is to be flexible and remember that the single constant in life is change. In a hurricane, which many of us feel as though we're living amidst, the trees that survive are those with branches that sway in the wind. So be like the Yew tree and bend before you break! If you push back now, resist bending, the consequences are less than desirable. The good news is that the New Moon on October 4th opens the way for a clean slate. What ideas and dreams do you want to plant now? Time spent carefully tending the healing work begun in September grows deeper, richer, more fulfilling. Rewarding, even.
On October 8th, Venus enters the sign of Sagittarius, helping us to see life philosophically, broadening our outlook, opening our eyes, relating to life as an adventure. Sagittarius rules spirituality and higher learning. Even as the Saturn-Mercury duo align beautifully with Jupiter, Venus now adds to this mixture, prompting us to step away from the hullabaloo and chaos of the last few weeks and ask thoughtfully, "What does it all mean?" How does our behavior impact our larger, human family? Further still, how does humanity affect all creatures on this planet?
At mid month, Jupiter challenges the Sun while messenger Mercury cycles past a critical, attention-getting degree. Practice deep breathing, check your tongue at the door and exercise far-reaching diplomacy skills you never knew you had. You may need every ounce of grace over the holiday weekend, especially if family events are planned. Remember: you'll never regret what you don't say.
All of this planetary activity is setting up for the lunar eclipse on the Full Moon, Friday, October 18th. Lunar eclipses mark endings in our lives.
Ponder: what is over and done with in your life so you may begin anew? Especially as it pertains to relationships? Where have you given all you could, fulfilled your purpose in another's life, tried your very best in a relationship? Whom do you need to (gracefully) allow to leave, say so long, farewell? Let them move on to someone or something else. It is time. Pluto and Uranus make an exact challenging angle the day before the lunar eclipse. This will feel like a labor pain pushing us hard to release the old in order to deliver the new. And relationship changes are usually the most painful because of the personal histories and emotions involved. Fortunately, like a midwife to ease our pain, an abundance of celestial help envelopes us during this transition despite the utter work and drudgery to let go, clean house of those habits and people whose time is up and must depart.
Only three days after the lunar eclipse, Mercury turns retrograde in Scorpio for three weeks. Repeated messages uncovering, unearthing emotional scars, mysterious deaths, psychological wounds, financial wrong-doings, and wrongs to be righted will surface. Buried "ghosts", aspects of our lives we thought to be dead come alive now, be they long lost friends, relatives or incidents from your past. There is no better time to heal old traumas than during the end of October and beginning of November. Long unsolved homicide cases will be re-opened now and find solutions; long-standing debts, money owed, will be paid. On the psychological side, what potential discoveries about your own past can you identify so you can heal, start fresh, change course when Mercury turns direct motion in November?
It often, usually, takes several steps back in order to keep moving positively forward. During the final days of October, with Mars in the healing sign of Virgo aligning helpfully with Pluto, we can focus on the required work and maintain healthy regimens. Healing and restoration of well-being is sure to follow.
A Special Note to all my readers and clients: Thank you for your continued interest and support in astrology! I have some very exciting news to share: along with continuing to see clients privately, I am so pleased to now offer astrology readings through the Tremont Tearoom in downtown Boston and Celestial Beginnings in South Natick, MA. I am thrilled to partner with each of these wonderful groups which offer myriad healing methods.
The Tremont Tearoom is the oldest psychic institution in New England; Celestial Beginnings is an alternative wellness center created by intuitive healer Annemarie Seidenberg. Please see www.tremont-tearoom.com or www.celestial-beginnings.com for more information.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Soul Matters
August afforded us opportunities to make leaps of faith and September follows up by encouraging our will to match our desires. This is no small thing. Take advantage of it!
The Sun is now in the sign of Virgo which rules health and work. The old adage proves true this month: if you do not have your health, you cannot work. If you do not work at what fulfills you, your health can suffer. Take care of yourself and focus or find work that you find inspiring and enriching; in short, do work that feeds your soul. That you feel passionate about. For those who are willing to work hard to realize dreams and desires, the cosmos says, what you plant now will ripen for harvest over time.
Spiritual and psychological work is particularly relevant this month given the celestial aspects. The Sun, our will, aligns beautifully with Pluto, driver of our desires while the moon's north node pairs with Saturn, ruler of dharma and karma, the latter for the entire month. Both are cycling through psychological Scorpio: the north node calls our name toward the evolutionary soul work to be done while Saturn makes sure we cannot ignore matters any longer. Time's a wastin' nudges Saturn. Soul work is not always easy. It is a time of truth and truth telling, especially with ourselves. Be willing to listen and take stock, evaluate and estimate worth. Ask, what am I worth? What is s/he, it, the situation worth to me? Investigative Scorpio helps us uncover answers.
Finding answers to our questions will heighten with Saturn's challenging angle to Mars during the first week of the month. These two focus our attention and keep miscellaneous distractions at bay. Or, show us how superficial distractions can be. Dig deep, these planets say. Discern what you really want, what will serve your deepest needs. For perennial givers, it is time to pay attention to YOU. For the more self-involved among us, they are asked to focus on others instead. For both types of folks, the question is: can you establish new habits and patterns of being? For a day, a week, a month, longer...?
A word also to watch expenses with the Saturn-Mars angle. Money can be tricky now, especially where shared resources are concerned. Mind your spending on non-essentials. Ask, do you really need this, before buying? Whether what you are spending is time, money or energy, make sure you get a good return on investment, as businessmen say. Fortunately a helpful angle between the Sun and Jupiter guide how and what we invest at the end of the first week. In good faith, we expand, grow.
Catalyzing our growth is the challenging angle that continues between Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. This troika began last month and continues to incite change in our families, as well as other established structures, traditions and customs. What we have been comfortable with for long periods of time now shifts. It requires more leaps of faith. Think of the leap of faith taken by Antoinette Tuff, the Georgia school secretary who calmly talked a prospective school shooter out of his plan to murder police, school children, teachers and staff. When asked how she succeeded in calming down the shooter enough to change his mind, Ms. Tuff attributed her strength and abililty to faith. She talked to the shooter about how she recently moved past her own life challenges to live a new, better day.
Thank goodness most of us won't be faced with such severe situations; although the shifts we encounter now might feel just as dramatic internally. Not since the 1960s have we experienced change on this level. Can you rise to meet the change? The New Moon on September 5th affords us a wonderful opportunity to set the stage, ask that our needs be met, that we greet change positively. Think of your deepest wishes, then say or pray for what you truly want to manifest in your life.
When the week of September 9th begins, messenger Mercury enters Libra challenging Pluto while Venus enters Scorpio Both ask us to act on our desires and get our message across to those needing to hear it. Venus persistently persuades with this effort during the rest of September as she joins Saturn and the moon's north node. A potentially big pay off from divorce settlements, lawsuits or inheritances may arise; or conversely, sizeable investments could occur via collective resources for projects, business or partnership.
Desire comes in many forms and with all the transformative Scorpio energy, sex naturally figures largely. Saturn and Venus ensure of heightening of sexual desire at a minimum, or justice if there was sexual misconduct on the other end of the spectrum. Scorpio involves mystery and intrigue so deep psychological soul matters continue to surface for resolution and healing. Dig and you shall find. Was there some kind of trauma or misconduct in your childhood or earlier adulthood waiting to be addressed and reconciled? Along with the healthful Virgo Sun, this month is optimal to be your own best undercover investigator to get to the bottom, heart and root of the matter.
Because just as this celestial line up in Scorpio won't let you get away with anything, neither will Scorpio's ruler Pluto as it turns direct motion on September 20th. If you pay attention to what just won't go away (that which refuses to be ignored), this can be a deeply healing time, as well as a very inspiring time, particularly on the humanitarian front. When we remember we are ONE, help, aid and problem solving for our collective global family is possible now as the Sun enters Libra on September 23rd. Libra is about balance and relationships. With the Sun's challenging angle to Pluto, as we seek balance for ourselves and our world, so do we catalyze change.
Take care of your SELF, your soul needs, and by extension arises a more considerate, orderly and civilized world. Not to mention that it also helps to be consciously kind to others...Especially when we remember that each of us struggles in our own way, although it may not seem so from the outside looking in at another. It is wise to bear in mind that we really do not know the obstacles another faces. With autumn upon us, Mars challenges Venus, focusing our quest for balance. Conflicts with the opposite sex, our own internal opposing forces, and demands on resources will surface, all of which push us to find meaningful balance in our relationships: to ourselves, our work and co-workers, our loved ones.
To request an astrological reading, please go to my website: www.hilaryharley.com under the readings tab to learn the kinds of readings that I offer. You do not need to be present for a reading.
The Sun is now in the sign of Virgo which rules health and work. The old adage proves true this month: if you do not have your health, you cannot work. If you do not work at what fulfills you, your health can suffer. Take care of yourself and focus or find work that you find inspiring and enriching; in short, do work that feeds your soul. That you feel passionate about. For those who are willing to work hard to realize dreams and desires, the cosmos says, what you plant now will ripen for harvest over time.
Spiritual and psychological work is particularly relevant this month given the celestial aspects. The Sun, our will, aligns beautifully with Pluto, driver of our desires while the moon's north node pairs with Saturn, ruler of dharma and karma, the latter for the entire month. Both are cycling through psychological Scorpio: the north node calls our name toward the evolutionary soul work to be done while Saturn makes sure we cannot ignore matters any longer. Time's a wastin' nudges Saturn. Soul work is not always easy. It is a time of truth and truth telling, especially with ourselves. Be willing to listen and take stock, evaluate and estimate worth. Ask, what am I worth? What is s/he, it, the situation worth to me? Investigative Scorpio helps us uncover answers.
Finding answers to our questions will heighten with Saturn's challenging angle to Mars during the first week of the month. These two focus our attention and keep miscellaneous distractions at bay. Or, show us how superficial distractions can be. Dig deep, these planets say. Discern what you really want, what will serve your deepest needs. For perennial givers, it is time to pay attention to YOU. For the more self-involved among us, they are asked to focus on others instead. For both types of folks, the question is: can you establish new habits and patterns of being? For a day, a week, a month, longer...?
A word also to watch expenses with the Saturn-Mars angle. Money can be tricky now, especially where shared resources are concerned. Mind your spending on non-essentials. Ask, do you really need this, before buying? Whether what you are spending is time, money or energy, make sure you get a good return on investment, as businessmen say. Fortunately a helpful angle between the Sun and Jupiter guide how and what we invest at the end of the first week. In good faith, we expand, grow.
Catalyzing our growth is the challenging angle that continues between Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. This troika began last month and continues to incite change in our families, as well as other established structures, traditions and customs. What we have been comfortable with for long periods of time now shifts. It requires more leaps of faith. Think of the leap of faith taken by Antoinette Tuff, the Georgia school secretary who calmly talked a prospective school shooter out of his plan to murder police, school children, teachers and staff. When asked how she succeeded in calming down the shooter enough to change his mind, Ms. Tuff attributed her strength and abililty to faith. She talked to the shooter about how she recently moved past her own life challenges to live a new, better day.
Thank goodness most of us won't be faced with such severe situations; although the shifts we encounter now might feel just as dramatic internally. Not since the 1960s have we experienced change on this level. Can you rise to meet the change? The New Moon on September 5th affords us a wonderful opportunity to set the stage, ask that our needs be met, that we greet change positively. Think of your deepest wishes, then say or pray for what you truly want to manifest in your life.
When the week of September 9th begins, messenger Mercury enters Libra challenging Pluto while Venus enters Scorpio Both ask us to act on our desires and get our message across to those needing to hear it. Venus persistently persuades with this effort during the rest of September as she joins Saturn and the moon's north node. A potentially big pay off from divorce settlements, lawsuits or inheritances may arise; or conversely, sizeable investments could occur via collective resources for projects, business or partnership.
Desire comes in many forms and with all the transformative Scorpio energy, sex naturally figures largely. Saturn and Venus ensure of heightening of sexual desire at a minimum, or justice if there was sexual misconduct on the other end of the spectrum. Scorpio involves mystery and intrigue so deep psychological soul matters continue to surface for resolution and healing. Dig and you shall find. Was there some kind of trauma or misconduct in your childhood or earlier adulthood waiting to be addressed and reconciled? Along with the healthful Virgo Sun, this month is optimal to be your own best undercover investigator to get to the bottom, heart and root of the matter.
Because just as this celestial line up in Scorpio won't let you get away with anything, neither will Scorpio's ruler Pluto as it turns direct motion on September 20th. If you pay attention to what just won't go away (that which refuses to be ignored), this can be a deeply healing time, as well as a very inspiring time, particularly on the humanitarian front. When we remember we are ONE, help, aid and problem solving for our collective global family is possible now as the Sun enters Libra on September 23rd. Libra is about balance and relationships. With the Sun's challenging angle to Pluto, as we seek balance for ourselves and our world, so do we catalyze change.
Take care of your SELF, your soul needs, and by extension arises a more considerate, orderly and civilized world. Not to mention that it also helps to be consciously kind to others...Especially when we remember that each of us struggles in our own way, although it may not seem so from the outside looking in at another. It is wise to bear in mind that we really do not know the obstacles another faces. With autumn upon us, Mars challenges Venus, focusing our quest for balance. Conflicts with the opposite sex, our own internal opposing forces, and demands on resources will surface, all of which push us to find meaningful balance in our relationships: to ourselves, our work and co-workers, our loved ones.
To request an astrological reading, please go to my website: www.hilaryharley.com under the readings tab to learn the kinds of readings that I offer. You do not need to be present for a reading.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Leap and the net will appear!
As August begins, we continue to be supported by the grand trine between Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Mars and the North Node of the Moon in water signs Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio. The effect of this gives an underlying, soothing safety net, cradling our efforts, like a parent helping a child to walk for the first time. This first week, Messenger Mercury joins fiery Mars and abundant Jupiter in nurturing Cancer to emphasize our focus on family, children and the elderly, food and home.
Venus in practical, planning Virgo flows beautifully along with transformer Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn to give sound support to what we seek to strengthen, build and grow, particularly in regard to Virgo's arena of service, health and work. You may find yourself drawn into helping others, volunteering or managing the health or care of another. Think human family, related or not...
Thank your lucky stars for this cosmic assistance provided now as changes are afoot. As Pluto and Uranus continue their challenging dance, Mars acts like a trigger to both these planets, igniting us into action. By the end of the first week in August, any family relationships, home or food concerns will have to be dealt with. If these have gone unnoticed or intentionally ignored, no longer can they remain so. Mars persists, demanding attention.
The Sun aligns with Uranus, bringing our Will to bear on what demands change even as relationship planets Venus and Mars allow us to go along and get along. Just the right people seem to surface to lend a hand. Good thing too, as the Sun challenges the lunar nodes which call us toward our evolutionary goals, destiny and fate. In short, they push us to grow. The Sun's angle to the nodes activates us out of our stubborness, our unwillingness to embrace change. But change we must. Remember: stagnate or grow. The choice is yours. Prodding us even further is Jupiter's opposition to Pluto. Planet of abundance, Jupiter rules faith while Pluto rules desire and transformation....as we desire, so do we transform. This combination incites us to have faith in ourselves and believe in our transformation.
Thus we are invited, encouraged, and prodded to make great leaps of faith this month. Leap into the future, your future, to create a new life for and through yourself. Leap for your own good, your own best interest . Leap and the cosmic net will appear. Jupiter in the Great Mother-ing energy of Cancer the Crab gently tells us everything will be OK as we take our first steps toward the new. Don't worry; the Universe has got us, our back, will catch and cradle us in its giant arms if we fall.
At mid-month we might find no other choice than fall into Her arms. Some of us may find our backs to the wall (or at the end of a rope or plank) where we may be forced to leap. Scary place to be; but for the more resistant, ending up between a rock and a hard place is all too common, the repository for those who hit the default button once too often, expecting relief or escape but refusing to heed cosmic cues.
Think Anthony Weiner. The former US Congressman expects the public to keep believing that he has changed, reformed his tawdry habits; wants us to trust him, enough to vote him into leading the most powerful city in the United States. Mr. Weiner might better learn to trust himself. Period. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. As Messenger Mercury challenges Saturn, ruler of dharma and karma, saying "I told you so, that you'd end up stuck if you didn't mend your ways," it is unlikely that Mr. Weiner will succeed in his New York City mayoral bid. At the time of this blog post, he is currently running a distant fourth in the polls. The public won't be fooled again.
Meanwhile, helping our growth efforts is Mercury's alignment with Uranus, smoothing changes to how we communicate. Paving our way as well are Saturn and Pluto's complementary angles. These plus Pluto's flowing angle to the lunar south node say: set me free, why don't you babe. Moving away from our comfort zone, we are invited to release old habits and patterns no longer of value. This planetary combination eases our growth, adoption of what will work. You may have fallen down more than once as you move toward change, but try, try again. Getting closer to your goal, the road can become steeper and more difficult. Eventually, though, you will reach your destination. In mid-August, success is nigh.
The catalyst may very well be Venus. The planet of love and money shifts into Libra, its ruler, on August 17, a far more comfortable place for her. Which is why when she forms an immensely challenging angle between Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto, a few could be catapulted into stardom. Some will be catapulted into bliss, love, or wealth, a la winning the lottery, getting the job you prayed for, or meeting the partner you've long dreamt about; conversely, some will be catapulted into movement; situations, especially relationships, may reach the breaking point and become totally intolerable. You may awaken to realize a long-time friend really isn't a friend and now choose other friends to spend time with. Abused women may finally walk out on their abusers, no longer willing to be a victim regardless of cost to personal freedom and/or having children in tow.
Whatever your situation, most of us will be catalyzed into action. Saying no is highly improbable with this cosmic combo. Acceptance will be our likely choice. And ultimately, saving grace. Because that is Venus. The emodiment of grace. So with Venus leading the charge, think Velvet Revolution. Often fiery Mars, messenger Mercury or the emotional Moon cause us to act. This month, however, imminent change may come wrapped in difficulty. Look for blessings in disguise. At first glance, we may not recognize, or might refuse, gifts intended for us, to pull us along our path, to go where our soul needs to grow. Like the rainbow after a storm, silver linings appear and we are the better for the experience. Realize invaluable lessons learned.
The true value of these teachings will become increasingly evident as messenger Mercury joins the Sun, our Will, during the final week of August. At that time, both form a beautiful angle to transformer Pluto, solidifying a firm foundation to build upon as we head home from the beach, mountains or other vacation venues. After Labor Day, rich, rewarding work awaits us with autumn's approach.
Venus in practical, planning Virgo flows beautifully along with transformer Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn to give sound support to what we seek to strengthen, build and grow, particularly in regard to Virgo's arena of service, health and work. You may find yourself drawn into helping others, volunteering or managing the health or care of another. Think human family, related or not...
Thank your lucky stars for this cosmic assistance provided now as changes are afoot. As Pluto and Uranus continue their challenging dance, Mars acts like a trigger to both these planets, igniting us into action. By the end of the first week in August, any family relationships, home or food concerns will have to be dealt with. If these have gone unnoticed or intentionally ignored, no longer can they remain so. Mars persists, demanding attention.
The Sun aligns with Uranus, bringing our Will to bear on what demands change even as relationship planets Venus and Mars allow us to go along and get along. Just the right people seem to surface to lend a hand. Good thing too, as the Sun challenges the lunar nodes which call us toward our evolutionary goals, destiny and fate. In short, they push us to grow. The Sun's angle to the nodes activates us out of our stubborness, our unwillingness to embrace change. But change we must. Remember: stagnate or grow. The choice is yours. Prodding us even further is Jupiter's opposition to Pluto. Planet of abundance, Jupiter rules faith while Pluto rules desire and transformation....as we desire, so do we transform. This combination incites us to have faith in ourselves and believe in our transformation.
Thus we are invited, encouraged, and prodded to make great leaps of faith this month. Leap into the future, your future, to create a new life for and through yourself. Leap for your own good, your own best interest . Leap and the cosmic net will appear. Jupiter in the Great Mother-ing energy of Cancer the Crab gently tells us everything will be OK as we take our first steps toward the new. Don't worry; the Universe has got us, our back, will catch and cradle us in its giant arms if we fall.
At mid-month we might find no other choice than fall into Her arms. Some of us may find our backs to the wall (or at the end of a rope or plank) where we may be forced to leap. Scary place to be; but for the more resistant, ending up between a rock and a hard place is all too common, the repository for those who hit the default button once too often, expecting relief or escape but refusing to heed cosmic cues.
Think Anthony Weiner. The former US Congressman expects the public to keep believing that he has changed, reformed his tawdry habits; wants us to trust him, enough to vote him into leading the most powerful city in the United States. Mr. Weiner might better learn to trust himself. Period. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. As Messenger Mercury challenges Saturn, ruler of dharma and karma, saying "I told you so, that you'd end up stuck if you didn't mend your ways," it is unlikely that Mr. Weiner will succeed in his New York City mayoral bid. At the time of this blog post, he is currently running a distant fourth in the polls. The public won't be fooled again.
Meanwhile, helping our growth efforts is Mercury's alignment with Uranus, smoothing changes to how we communicate. Paving our way as well are Saturn and Pluto's complementary angles. These plus Pluto's flowing angle to the lunar south node say: set me free, why don't you babe. Moving away from our comfort zone, we are invited to release old habits and patterns no longer of value. This planetary combination eases our growth, adoption of what will work. You may have fallen down more than once as you move toward change, but try, try again. Getting closer to your goal, the road can become steeper and more difficult. Eventually, though, you will reach your destination. In mid-August, success is nigh.
The catalyst may very well be Venus. The planet of love and money shifts into Libra, its ruler, on August 17, a far more comfortable place for her. Which is why when she forms an immensely challenging angle between Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto, a few could be catapulted into stardom. Some will be catapulted into bliss, love, or wealth, a la winning the lottery, getting the job you prayed for, or meeting the partner you've long dreamt about; conversely, some will be catapulted into movement; situations, especially relationships, may reach the breaking point and become totally intolerable. You may awaken to realize a long-time friend really isn't a friend and now choose other friends to spend time with. Abused women may finally walk out on their abusers, no longer willing to be a victim regardless of cost to personal freedom and/or having children in tow.
Whatever your situation, most of us will be catalyzed into action. Saying no is highly improbable with this cosmic combo. Acceptance will be our likely choice. And ultimately, saving grace. Because that is Venus. The emodiment of grace. So with Venus leading the charge, think Velvet Revolution. Often fiery Mars, messenger Mercury or the emotional Moon cause us to act. This month, however, imminent change may come wrapped in difficulty. Look for blessings in disguise. At first glance, we may not recognize, or might refuse, gifts intended for us, to pull us along our path, to go where our soul needs to grow. Like the rainbow after a storm, silver linings appear and we are the better for the experience. Realize invaluable lessons learned.
The true value of these teachings will become increasingly evident as messenger Mercury joins the Sun, our Will, during the final week of August. At that time, both form a beautiful angle to transformer Pluto, solidifying a firm foundation to build upon as we head home from the beach, mountains or other vacation venues. After Labor Day, rich, rewarding work awaits us with autumn's approach.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Cosmic Life Support
In the raggle-taggle race and noise of life, grace seems to be something of a lost art, an increasingly lesser-known virtue. Along with "elegance of movement, manner or design," one dictionary defines grace as "God's loving mercy towards mankind."
It is this latter vein of loving heavenly mercy, this form of grace, that we are given ample opportunity to renew our acquaintance during the month of July. The month begins with Messenger Mercury and Abundant Jupiter already cycling through the maternal, nurturing sign of Cancer to the strains of what could be The Crab's theme song: The Beatles, "Let It Be." When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, Let it be.
Mother and child energy, pure love, infuses our hours like oxygen for the weary and war-torn even as Mercury retrograde underscores that it is best to slow down, measure our words and pace. For the next three weeks, until July 20, messenger planet Mercury cycles backward in nurturing Cancer, inviting us to tune in to our inner worlds, remember, read, review, relax, restore.
Enter grace...if we allow ourselves to slow down and stop ceaselessly marching forward. Grace requires less doing and more being. It is an excellent time to take stock of our proverbial own back yards: to get these in order before we worry about anything else. Focus on the home front, family relationships especially those regarding Mom and children, revisit your attitude and interest in food and cooking, review estate, will and trust concerns, house projects or any real estate ventures. Most of all this period encourages us to take time off to be with family, either on vacation in a distant land or on your patio or porch.
For the entire next year, Jupiter's exalted generosity in Cancer could not agree more, supporting our efforts for less busyness in favor of simple living. Contemplate. Just be. Smell the flowers, float on a lake, photograph memories, dance. Enjoy. Reflect on what what you learn by living a slower life. Because reflection is what Cancer is all about. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which we see only because of our Sun's reflected light. As the nurturing force of the zodiac, Cancer moves us to take care of ourselves, our interests, of others. Healers all varieties are often Cancer Sun signs or have significant areas of their natal charts in Cancer.
Aligning with Jupiter during all of July is Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, forming what is akin to a cosmic life support system. All three planets are in water signs which by nature are emotional, passionate, creative and highly imaginative. Inspiration, hardwork, dreams, nurturing, teaching and learning beautifully collide to smooth the way for any project, business or relationship. In short, you will feel in the flow. Not a coincidence given the amount of planets in water signs! Bask and rely on this tremendous cushion easing our movements, cosmic life lines that will soften dramatic shifts, changes and transitions occurring during this otherwise challenging time.
Such life lines are very helpful in the first week of the month when the lunar nodes are at attention-getting degrees. The north node pulls us toward significant transformation and change while the south node pushes us to leave material thoughts and goods behind. Release what you no longer need...be it psychological baggage or too much stuff in the closet! Fortunately, the Sun's magical alignment with the lunar north node will focus our attention on broader and deeper concerns for our future emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
We may be even further prompted and prodded toward change as the Sun makes a challenging angle to transformer Pluto and radical Uranus in Aries, ruler of fire and explosives. Expect fiery surprises, particularly in the arenas of home, home-land, and family. The horrific and still unexplained loss of 19 fire fighters in Arizona is one example of how this energy can manifest. Watch for other kinds of explosions too: mind your mouth at family barbecues this week; avoid saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or just the wrong thing period. Also be careful of what you eat over the July 4th holiday... try not to overeat until you feel you will explode. With Uranus in fiery Aries, allow professionals to handle fireworks. The Sun in homey Cancer warns it is best not to set off any fireworks around your house. Turn off or extinguish any fire-related items: stoves, barbecues, lanterns, campfires, tikki torches, etc. Hopefully Mercury's retrograde phase will thwart any planned surprise attacks on the homeland since such attempts may not be fully effective or realized due to communication snafus. Jupiter's current Cancerian shield will provide extra blankets of protection over any mass gathering.
At the same time, casting a glow on our relationships and projects, radical Uranus makes a helpful angle to Venus, planet of love and money. Highly inventive and ingenious Uranian energy enables us to find new, different methods and paths we have not tried before to break through blocks and obstacles with loved ones or aspects of our lives. Conversely, new people and prospects will enter our lives; or, people and segments of our lives that we've continuously overlooked spark us to take a fresh look. Awakened, you might wonder why you've never noticed what or who has been right under your nose all along, just waiting for you to pay attention...
And July 10th, it will be hard for anyone not to notice what screams to be heard and seen when Venus reaches a critical degree of Leo, saying: look at me! This is a terrific time to change up, re-make old deep-seeded habits that no longer serve us, in our relationships or work. Mercury's pass back over the Sun in careful Cancer will ease any transitions especially pertaining to family, house, food or creative endeavors.
At mid-month, fiery Mars joins Jupiter in Cancer where they will travel together for the rest of the month. Mars ignites the watery alliance between Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, sharpening our focus and demanding the Cancerian domain of children, home, food and family be dealt with. Just as Mars' activating energy pushes us to get going, Pluto drives the point home. Like a closer in a baseball game, Pluto's opposition to Jupiter-Mars makes sure we peel back that proverbial rug, take a long hard look at what we swept under its cover, aka, what we just didn't want to deal with. No more. Overweight from eating too much? Does Mom need to be moved into a safe environment, ie, a retirement community that can care for her 24/7? Spots on your ceiling from a broken pipe or leaky roof? Take care of it now, say Mars-Pluto. Lob off those extra pounds; find a long-term care facility for Mom; repair the roof before winter sets in. Mercury's alliance with the lunar north node pulls our thoughts toward the direction we need to go to accomplish all of the above.
The final days of the month we can move ahead with plans formed in previous weeks. Mercury turns direct motion on Saturday, July 20. Over the next three days, Venus enters Virgo, easing health and work concerns while the Sun moves into Leo sparking creativity, fun, and risk-taking: leap in and try new ways to tackle what rises up to greet you. Go ahead and sign contracts and documents or make significant purchases. Venus, the very planet of grace makes a helpful angle to work-horse Saturn even as the latter challenges the Sun, reminding us that we are cosmically supported to move gracefully and with dignity while we dig deep to meet life head-on.
It is this latter vein of loving heavenly mercy, this form of grace, that we are given ample opportunity to renew our acquaintance during the month of July. The month begins with Messenger Mercury and Abundant Jupiter already cycling through the maternal, nurturing sign of Cancer to the strains of what could be The Crab's theme song: The Beatles, "Let It Be." When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, Let it be.
Mother and child energy, pure love, infuses our hours like oxygen for the weary and war-torn even as Mercury retrograde underscores that it is best to slow down, measure our words and pace. For the next three weeks, until July 20, messenger planet Mercury cycles backward in nurturing Cancer, inviting us to tune in to our inner worlds, remember, read, review, relax, restore.
Enter grace...if we allow ourselves to slow down and stop ceaselessly marching forward. Grace requires less doing and more being. It is an excellent time to take stock of our proverbial own back yards: to get these in order before we worry about anything else. Focus on the home front, family relationships especially those regarding Mom and children, revisit your attitude and interest in food and cooking, review estate, will and trust concerns, house projects or any real estate ventures. Most of all this period encourages us to take time off to be with family, either on vacation in a distant land or on your patio or porch.
For the entire next year, Jupiter's exalted generosity in Cancer could not agree more, supporting our efforts for less busyness in favor of simple living. Contemplate. Just be. Smell the flowers, float on a lake, photograph memories, dance. Enjoy. Reflect on what what you learn by living a slower life. Because reflection is what Cancer is all about. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which we see only because of our Sun's reflected light. As the nurturing force of the zodiac, Cancer moves us to take care of ourselves, our interests, of others. Healers all varieties are often Cancer Sun signs or have significant areas of their natal charts in Cancer.
Aligning with Jupiter during all of July is Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, forming what is akin to a cosmic life support system. All three planets are in water signs which by nature are emotional, passionate, creative and highly imaginative. Inspiration, hardwork, dreams, nurturing, teaching and learning beautifully collide to smooth the way for any project, business or relationship. In short, you will feel in the flow. Not a coincidence given the amount of planets in water signs! Bask and rely on this tremendous cushion easing our movements, cosmic life lines that will soften dramatic shifts, changes and transitions occurring during this otherwise challenging time.
Such life lines are very helpful in the first week of the month when the lunar nodes are at attention-getting degrees. The north node pulls us toward significant transformation and change while the south node pushes us to leave material thoughts and goods behind. Release what you no longer need...be it psychological baggage or too much stuff in the closet! Fortunately, the Sun's magical alignment with the lunar north node will focus our attention on broader and deeper concerns for our future emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
We may be even further prompted and prodded toward change as the Sun makes a challenging angle to transformer Pluto and radical Uranus in Aries, ruler of fire and explosives. Expect fiery surprises, particularly in the arenas of home, home-land, and family. The horrific and still unexplained loss of 19 fire fighters in Arizona is one example of how this energy can manifest. Watch for other kinds of explosions too: mind your mouth at family barbecues this week; avoid saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or just the wrong thing period. Also be careful of what you eat over the July 4th holiday... try not to overeat until you feel you will explode. With Uranus in fiery Aries, allow professionals to handle fireworks. The Sun in homey Cancer warns it is best not to set off any fireworks around your house. Turn off or extinguish any fire-related items: stoves, barbecues, lanterns, campfires, tikki torches, etc. Hopefully Mercury's retrograde phase will thwart any planned surprise attacks on the homeland since such attempts may not be fully effective or realized due to communication snafus. Jupiter's current Cancerian shield will provide extra blankets of protection over any mass gathering.
At the same time, casting a glow on our relationships and projects, radical Uranus makes a helpful angle to Venus, planet of love and money. Highly inventive and ingenious Uranian energy enables us to find new, different methods and paths we have not tried before to break through blocks and obstacles with loved ones or aspects of our lives. Conversely, new people and prospects will enter our lives; or, people and segments of our lives that we've continuously overlooked spark us to take a fresh look. Awakened, you might wonder why you've never noticed what or who has been right under your nose all along, just waiting for you to pay attention...
And July 10th, it will be hard for anyone not to notice what screams to be heard and seen when Venus reaches a critical degree of Leo, saying: look at me! This is a terrific time to change up, re-make old deep-seeded habits that no longer serve us, in our relationships or work. Mercury's pass back over the Sun in careful Cancer will ease any transitions especially pertaining to family, house, food or creative endeavors.
At mid-month, fiery Mars joins Jupiter in Cancer where they will travel together for the rest of the month. Mars ignites the watery alliance between Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, sharpening our focus and demanding the Cancerian domain of children, home, food and family be dealt with. Just as Mars' activating energy pushes us to get going, Pluto drives the point home. Like a closer in a baseball game, Pluto's opposition to Jupiter-Mars makes sure we peel back that proverbial rug, take a long hard look at what we swept under its cover, aka, what we just didn't want to deal with. No more. Overweight from eating too much? Does Mom need to be moved into a safe environment, ie, a retirement community that can care for her 24/7? Spots on your ceiling from a broken pipe or leaky roof? Take care of it now, say Mars-Pluto. Lob off those extra pounds; find a long-term care facility for Mom; repair the roof before winter sets in. Mercury's alliance with the lunar north node pulls our thoughts toward the direction we need to go to accomplish all of the above.
The final days of the month we can move ahead with plans formed in previous weeks. Mercury turns direct motion on Saturday, July 20. Over the next three days, Venus enters Virgo, easing health and work concerns while the Sun moves into Leo sparking creativity, fun, and risk-taking: leap in and try new ways to tackle what rises up to greet you. Go ahead and sign contracts and documents or make significant purchases. Venus, the very planet of grace makes a helpful angle to work-horse Saturn even as the latter challenges the Sun, reminding us that we are cosmically supported to move gracefully and with dignity while we dig deep to meet life head-on.
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