star stuff

The Virgo Moon

2011-11-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Moon Is My Mother…Part 2 continued

When an astrologer does a chart analysis, much is devoted to the Sun and the Moon both on their own and as a pair. The Sun signifies the visible part of the persona while the Moon represents the shadow side of that same persona. Sometimes this can be the reason why a person might read a description of their Sun Sign and feel that it is not quite on the money. Try reading the description of whatever sign your Moon is in and see if that fills out the picture a bit.

All of the bits and pieces of the psyche are linked in an intricate web to one another even if there are no obvious aspects between them. They all come together to form what we call the personality. If the Sun and the Moon are in very different types of energies this makes the way that they work together more complicated. For instance, someone with the Sun in Aries and the Moon in Virgo, has to consciously bring these very different forms of expression together somehow. Aries doesn’t understand caution and planning while Virgo can’t live without it. It takes personal commitment to inner work to find a coherent way to get this type of pair to work in harmony. And sometimes, harmony is not actually the mode. It might just be a matter of compromise. Aries must learn to exercise some patience while Virgo gets all of her ducks in a row. Virgo must learn to relinquish control so that Aries can fly free. Not easy but absolutely doable and wow, what a combo once the strategies are acquired. Obviously the rest of the natal planets will contribute to the overall plan of action.

In Virgo, the Moon has the most adaptability of all of the three earthy signs. That’s because Virgo is the Mutable Earth Sign, the modality that has the most movement built into it. This adaptability and movement adds itself to the already changeable energy of The Moon. By essential nature lunar energy is quicksilver.

At the highest level of function, this is the Moon of ‘practical magic’. I associate this energy to that of the Ritual Worker, the one who knows what to do, how to do it and when to do it. On an emotional level, this is the person who will make the warm cup of tea just in time to be there when the tears are flowing. She will make sure that your needs are met when you are under stress. A clean soft pillow, a bowl of soup, a warm blanket to stop the shivering. Emotions translate in physical ways and Virgo Moon instinctively zeroes in to these things and has practical ways to address them.

This is an energy that can get to the root of the matter through careful consideration. Analysis comes easily and once the analysis has been made, solutions are easy to formulate. It’s when we don’t understand something or feel confused by all of the contradictory data that solutions seem impossible. But every problem has a solution and every situation can be altered by a reasonable strategy. Virgo Moon knows this.

When under stress, this is the type of person who will throw herself into some kind of task to find safety. The joke is, ‘What is your favourite weekend pastime?—Cleaning my closet, of course!’ says Virgo. Creating order around her facilitates a return to sanity when under emotional pressure.

What you have to watch for, Virgo Moon, is not seeing the forest for the trees. Don’t get lost in the bits and pieces. Keep reminding yourself to look for the big picture. Be careful of setting that bar so high that no one, including yourself can ever reach it. Perfect is what is real and not what is imagined. The danger is that nothing will ever be good enough. That’s why, sometimes, this energy can devolve into the critical and sarcastic. It’s disappointment manifesting in the only way that it can.

The pathway into full actualization on an emotional level for this energy is forgiveness and compassion. (That’s reflected in the Pisces partner sign, always the counterpoint in any evolutionary process.) It’s challenging. To forgive emotionally is not easy, sometimes seemingly impossible. To exercise true compassion seems simple enough until you start to get lost in the bits and pieces of the situation. Virgo Moon must practice how to move beyond the doing and into the believing. To do is not enough and to have faith is not enough, what is necessary is to do from a place of faith. Easy to say, not so easy to do.

In past lives, the Virgo Moon person has acquired a vast amount of skill and know how in the area of the application of emotional energy. She has learned how to manage her emotions, how to control then and how to put them to good use. Probably, she has experienced some degree of hurt along the way. Boundaries were crossed, she may have been used badly and thus the retreat into the functional. In this life, she won’t easily let her true emotions show for fear of being hurt again. The challenge, of course, is to move into trust and faith, to believe in something beyond the literal physical reality, to really embrace a spiritual perspective. That doesn’t mean that she has to throw out her tool bag of functionality.

It’s a complicated energy. But at the root of it, this is a healer Moon, a nurturer Moon, a caring Moon, the Florence Nightingale of Moons. Once true forgiveness is fully integrated into the pattern of behaviour, this is an emotional energy that knows no limitations and has any number of useful practical strategies to use when under stress. The key is to mindfully move into a state of grace in all things and incorporate a keen a sense of both the physical and the spiritual into the emotional syntax.

2011-11-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Moon Is My Mother: Part 2
“the earth beneath your feet”

The Sun is the future. It shines in the sky and draws growth from the earth. Without that sun, nothing can live. Astrologically, this is a very apt analogy. In the natal chart, the Sun represents the destination that we pursue as works in progress. It is the thesis that we are exploring in any given life. We gain as much from exploring what not to do as we do by exploring what to do. As we gain more and more experiences we acquire a certain amount of skill in how to actually live through our solar energy as represented by the Sun in the natal chart. Life is evolution and change while a static state is what we call death.

The Moon is the past. It governs the tides and other cycles of this earth we inhabit. It soothes and nurtures us after a long hard day’s work. Just as the Sun beckons us to all that we could possibly become, so does the Moon secure us to all that we already know and understand. It is the safety net that we hold within ourselves, that which we instinctively cleave to when times get tough or incomprehensible. It is the life habits that we don’t have to think about but that just kick in when necessary. It is the things that bring us comfort under duress. We can hide in our Moons, tucked away from the glare of the noonday Sun.

If you like the idea on ongoing incarnations, then think of the Moon as the container of all that you have ever experienced. And the operative work is experience rather than understanding. Understanding comes only after some pretty intense work on the part of the psyche to integrate experiences into some sort of coherent form. This could be after one experience or it might be after several repetitions of the same kind of experience. Learning is never simple or straightforward. (More on this in upcoming blogs.)

I have a friend who, when asked about the general condition of people’s mental health, says, everyone is f@#*ed because we all have a Moon. She’s only half joking. What she means is that we are just as prone to develop bad habits as we are to develop good habits. It’s the bad ones that can really mess us up. Because the Moon is the seat of our emotional body, things don’t follow a straight line or a logical order. Once those emotions get involved, the sky can turn green and the grass can grow down rather than up. Perception, as they say, is everything and perception can absolutely play tricks on our poor little logical mind.

There is an intimate relationship between the Sun and the Moon, both literally, in the solar system, and astrologically, as they demonstrate how the psyche operates. Literally, the Moon has no light of its own but merely reflects light, the light of the burning Sun. And astrologically, the Moon holds (or reflects) all that the Sun has lived through. It ‘contains’ the sum of the parts and again, once you embrace the concept of ongoing incarnation, that sum can be quite massive. She really is our Mother and it’s where we came from in a very lyrical and poetic way.

In Part one of this Moon blog series, I talked about the Fire Moons with their impetuous and adventurous nature. Here we go with the Earth Moons.

By the way, there is an immutable order when it comes to energy. Wherever you begin, it never varies. Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Always. Its one of the basic things to understand when you are starting to learn astro-speak. Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Always and forever. And in that beautiful wheel that I call the mandala of the soul, aka, the natal horoscope, this sequence of elements repeats itself 3 times. (More about that in a future blog, as well.)

So Earth follows the Fire. Which is good. After all that activity, a rest period is always welcome. And that’s kind of how the Earth Moons feel in the persona. Calm, steady, grounded and solid. Not Moon-like at all if you think about it.

There’s a thing in traditional astrology that classifies the weight and, I guess, a good word would be power, of planets in signs. It’s called the ‘dignities’ if you want to google it for yourself. Interestingly, The Moon finds both her exaltation and her fall in two of the Earth signs of the Zodiac. I don’t particularly like those words since they carry a certain assessment by their attachment to the position but I understand where the traditionals were going when they came up with this system. They wanted to establish the way to describe the manner that the lunar energy as represented by the Moon in the chart, might act in any given zodiac sign. There is potential in all placements, of course. And my teacher, Jeffrey Wolf Green, used to repeat rather emphatically, that the reason anyone was born with whatever horoscope they had was because the soul that is behind the ego chose it for purpose. Nothing, absolutely nothing is haphazard. The essential nature of each individual’s experiential process is what contributes to the evolution (or not) or the soul. (Evolutionary Astrology absolutely encompasses an acceptance of the concept of ongoing incarnation.) So, no judgment for any given lunar energy. The words associated with the dignities, however, imply a ‘better than’ and a ‘lesser than’ state of being. So, I have long felt that we need to come up with a more inclusive kind of language when we talk about these positions within the wheel.

Never mind all that, however, and let’s just look at the earthy Moons.

Moon in Taurus people can often experience what the rest of us might call ‘luck’ when observed from the outside. This is truly the ultimate in ‘receiver’ energies. This placement is one of those ‘dignities’—the exaltation. What this really means is that the Moon finds total ground in Taurus. The normal changeable and erratic lunar energy is steadied and can be extremely focused and calm. Taurus is, after all, the ultimate earthy energy. It is all things organic and growing. It is the symbol of gestation, the creative force taking form. Do you know the Tarot? The Empress is a great depiction of all that Taurus can be. So when the skittish, moody Moon lands in Taurus, it suddenly becomes a force to be reckoned with.

In past lives, the Taurus Moon person diligently pursued the gifts of the spirit. He worked hard to manage his emotional energy. That’s why, in current life, he seems doubly blessed. But it isn’t by accident. The partner sign to Taurus is Scorpio so we know that this energy was somehow relevant to current life experience. Scorpio is, in part, the loss of what makes us secure, transformation, rebirth and all that sort of thing that can actually look pretty challenging at first glance. Taurus is the end result of the metamorphosis, the respite that comes after the storm.

If you have Taurus Moon, your challenge is to MOVE. Don’t just sit complacently in all that you have so far received. Be open to ongoing change and transformation. The contribution that you can make to the greater collective is much like the rudder on the ship. You have an almost palpable etheric energy that can be used to steady and steer through the waters of life. Your connection to the intrinsic cycles of life gives you the ability to trust and believe that ‘this, too, will pass’ when times get tough. Your intuitive sense of order and structure often can put you in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. You instinctively can ‘smell’ when to make that critical move. If you can harness the energy of powerful Scorpio, that shadow part of the Taurus/Scorpio partnership, to motivate yourself, you really can become an unstoppable force of nature.

When you feel threatened, Taurus Moon, you flee to nature; you surround yourself with tangible, physical comfort. It could be a long aromatic and warm bath in a candlelit room; a delicious and extravagant meal accompanied by wine and chocolate; a luxurious spa day where you feel pampered and stroked and don’t forget TOUCHED! All things organic draw you. And this is exactly what you can give to others; warmth, comfort, support, a sense of security. People might often say to you, You make me FEEL so safe and you don’t even know just exactly what it is that you have done! Just keep doing it!

I have a funny story that really illustrates the seeming serendipity of Moon in Taurus. A young man with this placement was moving house in L.A., a kind of a scary sort of city in many ways—and really, really big. He couldn’t find a truck to make the move and there he was on the last day that he had to do this. Without really thinking about it, he walked outside and made his way to one of the many freeways that criss-cross that city. He stood there at the side of the road for a bit watching the traffic speed by him. Then he saw a moving truck coming towards him. He flagged it down. What do you think happened next? You got it, he was soon moved into his new place. Chance? Luck? Maybe. But what really happened is that his natural wisdom kicked in, he intuitively made his way to the place where he would most likely find a moving van, he absolutely believed that he would find one and that whoever was driving it would help him. And that is exactly what happened. Taurus Moon—gotta love it.

2011-10-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

The Moon Is My Mother: Part One
Fire In The Sky

We all love the Sun. We adore it. We even worship it. It shines boldly in the brilliant daytime sky of our soul. And that’s as it should be. In astrology, the Sun is what holds it all together within the psyche. Everything finds its way back to this central energy of self. Everything is fed by the vibrancy of this part of the psyche or debilitated if it is not operating as it should…confidently, proactively, hopefully, positively. You get the drift, right?

But then the night comes and wraps itself around us. We drown in the darkness and we wonder where the light has gone. We look up into endless waves of indigo and black. And there she is. Floating across the nighttime sky of our soul…the Moon, Luna, She who Sees the Unseen, Mother to us all.

In astrology, the Moon, Goddess of the Silver Song, represents that part of the psyche where we need comfort, security and warmth. We can learn about our real Mamas by studying the Moon in our charts. We can understand our basic survival needs and what exactly makes us feel safe and secure. How we connect to our community of choice is another thing the Moon in the chart shows. Do we fit in or are we always on the sidelines trying to find the fit. Oh, lots and lots of aspects of the inner, personal, secret self are stored in that part of the psyche.

In Roman times, astrology was sort of commonplace—different than today in many ways. Their society was much more regimented and thus, the devices of that society operated somewhat differently than those of our society. That’s another topic, however, on which I’ll ponder at a later date. Here’s the thing, people were much more tuned into Moon Signs back then than we are today. The Emperors identified themselves by their Moon sign rather than their Sun Sign. Why, you wonder. Well, it’s a much more specific identification, that’s why. Your Sun Sign is established by being born in a roughly 30 day period of time. That’s a lot of days and you actually belong to a rather wide group of babies all born in that time period. But the Moon! She travels around the zodiac really, really fast. While the Sun lolls about for that month period, taking his time to get through a single sign (energy) of the zodiac, that frisky old Moon gets through ALL 12, yes, the whole zodiac, in the same time period.

What this means is that every 2 ½ days, the zodiac sign of the Moon changes. Every wondered why that cousin of yours who was born just a few days after you were, is so darn different than you? Same Sun Sign, yes that’s true but, hey! Totally different Moon sign. So there you are, bold and courageous, a risk taker and an explorer and there she is, timid and cautious, careful and just a little critical. You know you are both Aries but what you don’t know is that Your Leo Moon makes you even more fiery than your Sun Sign indicates you would be and her Virgo Moon totally puts on the brakes when her solar energy gets wild and crazy. The thing is, most of us actually operate from that place in the psyche that the Moon represents, the emotional, reactive self.

So…do you know your own Moon Sign? If you use astrology, you probably do or at the very least, you could find out, either from your astrologer or from some source material that you use to study astrology. Any student of astrology will find out where the Moon was when they were born first thing! Astrologers use something called an ephemeris which basically lists the position of all of the planets along with the Moon and some other things for every single day of the year. Practicing astrologers mostly have software that instantly finds where each planet was and comes up with a horoscope or chart for the person in question. So, today, it is pretty easy to just look up where any of the planets were when you were born and, if you are someone who plays around with the tool of astrology, you know that each planet represents a different aspect of the self. Actually, it is pretty specific and once you know how to ‘read’ the map, (the natal horoscope), the amount of insight that you can get is pretty overwhelming. I’ve sat in a room with strangers and discussed their natal chart only to see their eyes wider and wider, in some cases, more and more guarded, in other cases, as I unfold the chart and tell them things that only they know. That’s why this is sacred work. When someone gives you their birth data, it is something even more intimate than anything else two people can share. That’s why anyone who undertakes the discipline of astrology must approach it with integrity and reverence.

But the thing is this. Why learn about any of this stuff? Why find out what the Moon sign is, or an of the other planets for that matter? Simply answered, its to be able to move through your experiential journey with acute consciousness, with an understanding and an awareness so that you can get a maximum experience rather than a minimal muddles one. Is it about learning? Ugh! Let’s find some other language to classify this process. Let’s call is absorption. Let’s be like vessels that are being filled with each and every thing that occurs in our lives and once we are full to the brim, then we can move along on that spiral of becoming that ultimately takes us home to source—you know, that big guy in the sky, the goddess of goodness and grace, the stars of wisdom and knowing—whatever you want to call it. I call it home, the place that I came from somewhen, somehow, somewhere.

So, the Moon. Because she represents reactive energy within the self, it is really important to understand those mechanisms. You can’t always change negative or unproductive mechanisms overnight but you’ll never change them if you don’t become aware of them!

So, there are 12 zodiac signs, 4 elemental categories (Fire, Earth, Air and Water) and 3 modal categories, (Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable). Just knowing in which one of these your own Moon falls will reveal a huge amount of info about the way you seek security and interface with your community of choice. I’ll begin with the Fire Moons, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. In my next posting I’ll talk about the Earth Moons.

Aries Moon gives courage in the face of anything. How do you behave when under threat? You fight back, that’s how. Pretty independent emotionally, you like it fast and furious when it comes to those warm and fuzzy moments. This is leadership energy. And if it can be used to inspire others to step up to the plate and take their own swing at things, you’ve learned to use it rather well.

The past life skill set is about a true grit deep within the soul, the ability to survive even when totally on your own, a hunger for the open road and the next mountain waiting to be climbed. In this life, find ways to include others in what you feel and need. Open up and try to remember that you aren’t here on your own.

Leo Moon loves to be loved. This is an energy of joy. When you’re under threat, your Leo Luna turns the tables on whatever is causing the insecurity. You have the ability to create mirages that obscure unpleasant realities. And boy, do you ever love DRAMA. In fact, it’s your middle name. This is a truly expansive energy that, at the optimum operating mode absolutely sizzles up any situation. Oh, don’t we all love that Leo energy!

In past lives, you experienced the feeling of being central to any situation that you were in. You felt the love that others gave you and came to believe that it was rightfully yours. In this life, work on the ideas of sharing and giving to others since you have so much love deep inside of yourself.

Sagittarius Moon is the seeker. You probably don’t even recognize that sense of insecurity that others might because you are always in exploration mode. But, in fact, your answer to fear is to push yourself beyond your limits whatever they might be. Feeding your needs might look like thrill seeking to others but to you, its all about the unknown and finding a pathway into that vast undiscovered country of the heart. You will need a partner who understands the gypsy in your emotional make-up.

In past lives you experienced emotional freedom to the max. You know how to detach and live in full faith. This time around, focus on connection rather than singularity. Dialogue with those around you and share that natural emotional wisdom that comes so easily to you.

Keep watching for the next set of lovely Luna energies—the Earthy group, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.

2011-10-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while. Things in life always see to get in front of blogging. But the ideas are starting to knock at the door so here I am again. The following is actually an article that I wrote for the local alternative journal recently and I thought I should also put it up here on the blog page.

The Astrological Profile of ‘The Healer’

What is healing, really? Can anyone become a healer? What is it that defines someone as a healer? Can we identify the profile of a healer astrologically? These are all questions that come up when the topic of healing, whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, comes up. And this topic does come up in these turbulent and uncertain times when so many of us are struggling to find balance and wellness.

Healing is the process that brings back that which is broken or separated into a condition of wholeness and soundness. A good alternate word for healing is integration. When a physical wound begins to heal, it is reintegrated into the body. The cells of the body begin to regenerate and close the wound until all that might be visible is a scar where once there was a gash. Sometimes even a scar is no longer evident. This same process applies to emotional, mental and the more profound spiritual wounds. The bits and pieces of the emotional and mental bodies that may have been ‘wounded’ are nurtured and salved until they can be reintegrated into the self and contribute to the functioning ego. Spiritually, it is a process which restores balance to the psyche so that the individual can face his or her existence with confidence and hopefulness. A healed soul is a soul in balance on every level of its manifestation (existence). A wounded soul is one which is not able to experience a full and free expression of self on one or more of the levels of being.

In these turbulent and changing times healing has become a topic of great interest to those who are seeking this balance of being. Many have turned to alternate means to accomplish this integration of self though it must be stated that conventional medicine still offers some solutions in this area, particularly on the physical level. However, we know now that healing can be accomplished with or without the aid of conventional means. Our minds and ultimately, our souls, are a critical factor when we undertake healing. It is no wonder that so many seekers of spiritual understanding eventually find their way into the fields of alternate healing, like herbalism, homeopathy, acupuncture, osteopathy, reflexology, massage for the more physical types of ailments and shamanism and energy healing that includes both hands on and hands off methods for the mental, emotional and spiritual ones.

(For a good discussion of the various types of methods available google: Energy healing/types.)

Can anyone be a healer? The short answer to this question is, “Of course!” To suggest that only some can assume the role of the healer/facilitator is preposterous. However, on an astrological level we can hone in to a potential predisposition to being the healer type.

The Virgo Healer

There are four signs of the zodiac which co-relate directly to the ‘healer’ profile. I want to emphasize that this does not mean that the other eight signs cannot perform as healers and we will explore this at a later date. However, let’s start with these four since they are the classical ‘healer’ type, wired to be natural givers and healers.

Let’s begin with the Virgo Healer and the physical body. The body is always in need of some form of healing. We have accidents, get illnesses and as we age the body systems begin to break down. In Virgo we find properties that fit the profile of the physical healer. Imagine the ultimate nurse who patiently and diligently attends to the physical needs of the ailing patient. The built in manual dexterity (Virgo is aligned to Mercury which rules hand/eye coordination), the efficiency that is a hallmark of this zodiac energy, the attentiveness to the minutia of patient care; these are all qualities that Virgo has the potential to manifest.

On the highest of levels, Virgo embodies the essence of the ‘Ritual Worker’, the one who is able to bring order to what is disordered. Ritual is actually process that has been refined over countless enactments to become something more than the sum of its parts. Through ritual, a greater ideal is being served. In the case of Virgo and the process of ritual, the greater ideal is healing. In the context of physical healing, it is Virgo’s innate understanding of process that contributes to a smooth recuperation and recovery. Virgo can establish a daily ritual or habit of patient care and through this aid in the recovery of the body systems.

The Capricorn Healer

Beyond the body, we know that much unwellness can exist in the mind or the mental body. In this context we can turn to the superb efficiency of the
Capricorn Healer to heal the ailing spirit through the application of good management and gentle control.

An unwell mind is one that has lost its grip on reality and as a result has become unbalanced. This zodiac sign is aligned to the planet Saturn. This is the planet that is representative of the function within everyone that deals with the essential construction of perceived reality by the ego self. The Capricorn Healer guides the ailing patient to examine her reality structures and explore ways to bring balance and equity to that reality. Slowly but surely, order is restored under the firm tutelage of the Capricorn Healer. Capricorn understands exactly what reality is. It is the energy within everyone that is concerned with protocols for orderly and successful living. It is the executive function within the ego. A Capricorn Healer is able to soothe the ailing spirit by the sheer force of his/her presence. The Capricorn ability to align action to outcome can aid someone with an ailing mind to slowly find a sense of stability and security and begin to make headway into mental wellness. Mental turbulence is gradually replaced by a growing calmness that is based on solid systems of living, well understood by Capricorn.

Capricorn is not considered to be a nurturing or personal energy and this also fits nicely. To support someone who is mentally unwell, a certain degree of separation and distance must be maintained. Transference or entanglement with the patient is one of the main issues that can arise in mental healing. Archetypically, Capricorn is ‘The Counselor’, he who guides and manages. The process of mental healing is one of the more complicated paths to take as a healer and in Capricorn, we find the abilities that can lead to success on this level, strength, discipline, resolve, detachment from emotional transference and a keen sense of purpose.

The Cancer Healer

The emotional body is the third of the four body systems. Healing on this level is both complicated and arduous. Emotions are irrational. The causes of emotional dis-ease are never easy to untangle and in most cases, hard to define. People who are suffering from emotional un-wellness need long term nurturing and care. They need to feel loved. Fear is often a large part of emotional illness so the healer needs to create a sense of security on the most intimate of levels. The emotionally un-well individual must feel accepted and embraced by the healer. Cancer, aligned to the Moon, is well-suited to understanding the ebb and flow of the emotional body. Depression can be cyclic in nature and Cancer understands how cycles occur. The Moon, on a physical level, is connected to the tidal cycles of the world’s oceans. These tidal cycles are a very fitting representation of emotional tidal cycles that can ebb and flow according to some unseen but inexorable pattern.

Archetypically, Cancer is ‘The Great Mother’ and just as the image suggests, it is an energy that nurtures and embraces. The body part associated with Cancer is the breast. Can you see, in your mind’s eye, the picture of a gentle, caring mother holding a crying child in her arms close to her breasts which, of course, are layered over the heart. This is the energy that provides the emotionally wounded person with ultimate safety, warmth, love and unconditional acceptance, all facets that are critical if healing is to take place on this most delicate of levels.

Of course, emotional un-wellness is often partnered with mental un-wellness. In the wheel of the Zodiac, Cancer and Capricorn are partner signs, positioned exactly 180* away from each other. The one balances out the other and vice versa. A strong hand to guide the mentally unbalanced individual and an environment of safety and security to support any emotional ills is a nice working partnership.

The Pisces Healer

The last of the four types of bodies is the spiritual or etheric body. When the spirit ails, all levels of being are affected. Spiritual counseling must be founded on the highest of all of the love energies, that is, the agape level, love based on principle and not on personal concern. The Zodiac sign that fits the bill in this capacity is Pisces. Pisces is aligned to the planet, Neptune and secondarily to Jupiter. Neptune is representative of that part of the psyche that seeks the divine. Jupiter demonstrates the psyche’s search for truth, amongst other things. Through the energy of Pisces, illumination and higher understanding can be realized. A Spiritual Counselor serves spirit by providing his patient with guidance that is devoid of personal agenda. The love that comes from the Pisces Healer is pure, true and uplifting. If it is working well, it is beyond the ego even though it flows through it.

Archetypically, Pisces is the acolyte, the Boddhisattva. This is a Sanskrit term that essentially means ‘wisdom-being’ or ‘enlightened one’. At the highest level, the Pisces soul is one who is motivated by ultimate compassion. This is the quality that serves as the foundation for the spiritual healer, that desire to be of service to all, to give of oneself for the good of the greater whole. The obvious symbol that clearly identifies this is, of course, Jesus. According to the story, this wisdom-being offered himself up willingly to cover the sins (ills) of mankind.

Pisces is the partner sign of Virgo. While the spirit receives succor, the body is salved. And really, spiritual dis-ease ultimately results in physical symptom.

Everyone has these four energies within them, though some may have them more emphasized. Certainly, they can be cultivated even if they are not highlighted. Life is about choices and what we do with those choices.

Finally, healing is not limited to the signs discussed. Any of the 12 energies of the Zodiac can be used in the healing process. There is the mystery of Scorpio, the sheer joy of Leo, the comfort and dependability of Taurus, the grace and beauty of Libra to name just a few. All such attributes can be funneled into healing.

Within each of us resides ‘The Inner Healer’. It is incumbent on us all to locate and connect to her/him so that we can work towards a condition of balance and integration on all of the levels of being, whether as a service to others or just for ourselves.

A Time For All Things Under The Heaven

2010-09-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

The summer months sped by and I turned my attention to things of the earth. Living in Winnipeg, we always feel rather frantic to cram as much activity as we can into the time of the year when the weather is warm and the sun is shining.

But what a summer we have had! Along with the heat, we have had more rain that I can remember! In my yard at the north side of the city are 4 apples trees, real apples,not crabs and this year the apple fairy decided that they would produce apples galore! As the little round orbs started to swell, the branches of my trees began to bend. One morning I looked out and saw that one of the trees in my front yard was literally scraping the ground with her branches, like a dancer doing a deep bow at the end of her performance.

Oh, my goodness, I thought to myself. Being of Eastern European extraction, I started to fret about the quantity of apples and whether i could actually utilize them all appropriately. Waste not, want not, dontcha know!

I now have explored and experimented with every kind of apple related preserve and other application that I could find in my various cookbooks and on the net. I have apples jelly, apple pie in a jar, apple sauce with flavours of various kinds added to it, apple juice, baggies of dried apple slices and apple leather which, even though I am not a big lover of that kind of thing, is pretty tasty.

But there is only so much of the above that one can make and I started to feel desperate! Then my daughter who is a facebook junkie posted my situation on her site, putting out a call to one and all to come and get the apples. I had, of course been giving them out all along but what I discovered was that no one wanted more than a bag or two. That just wasn't going to cut it this year! We did haul about a dozen boxes off to Winnipeg Harvest but apparently we weren't the only ones doing that! But the call was heard and at the end of the season, James showed up and took away the last remains of the crop of 2010 to the horse farm where he and the kids he works with go to feed the horses. I think that those horses had a little feast this year!

And I have almost 200 jars of various types of canning with more to come since I still have beets and tomatoes to deal with. Last week I put half of the garden to bed. The day was warm and sunny and the smell of the fall was all around me. I don't know what I like better, the fresh tangyness of the spring or the sweet scent of the autumn. Summer can be too hot by half and winter, well, we all know what its like in Winnipeg in the winter!

So I didn't do a lot of writing over the last few months, none to post at any rate. You can still catch me in the Aquarian--I had articles in both of the last two issues and I'm working on something for the winter issue as well--but I haven't been doing a lot of other writing. I just posted a Leo blog to complete the cycle of the 12 zodiac signs so the archives have a few thoughts on different ways to look at each energy as it comes round in the year.

I will give some thought as to what I want to explore next blogwise so keep checking in from time to time if you are interested int he starry skies and how they mirror this muddle here on earth!

In the meantime, have a great fall, get ready for solstice and be blessed!

2010-09-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

For The Love Of Leo

It’s that time again! The Sun, that big beautiful ball of lovely light that warms and nourishes us, is transiting the zodiac sign of Leo. So, all you “Leo’s”, have a happy one!

Most astrologers co-relate this fiery fixed sign with love, birth, creativity, power, luck and romance! Sounds pretty attractive to me! Leo is aligned to the 5th house in the natural wheel of the zodiac thus endowing that segment of the horoscope with Leo-like attitudes. If, for instance, you are not born under the sign of Leo but have a lot of your planets in the 5th house, especially the personal ones like the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars; you may approach life in a Leonine way. Of course, the actual sign that any of these personals is in will modify the way you actually behave. For instance, you might be a “5th house Capricorn”. Capricorn is much more sedate, more reserved than Leo so you might be creative, but quietly so, romantic, but with some reserve, powerful, but in a dignified way.

Leo’s opposite sign is Aquarius and according to the law of polarity, duality is the underlying resonance of all manifestation. Applying this to the zodiac then, we can see that the energies that sit ‘across’ from each other in the zodiac wheel ideally work in harmony with each other and the ebb and flow of anything is regulated by polarity forces. While Leo brings focus to all that is primarily personal—the ‘me’ factor, Aquarius brings focus to all that is primarily collective—the ‘we’ factor. So, the intention of anyone with a focus in Leo is to find a way to pull in the energy of that opposite force. So, Leo, what can YOU do for the greater whole? What is the focus in your life that relates to community? What is the gift that you bring to society?

Leo loves the limelight and who is it that is able to give the limelight? The collective, of course! If Leo has no audience for the sheer magnificence of his manifestation, well, then, he might just lazily lie around doing nothing and basking in the noonday sun!

The shadow side of Leo is the tendency to rest on ones’ laurels and on a deeper level, a sense of entitlement. There is a reason why one of the archetypes linked to Leo is “The Royal” or “The Aristocrat”. Taken too far, this self-image can cause trouble in Leo’s life and relationships. The all powerful ME can eat up a lot of space in any room, leaving little for anyone else. Here is where the simple use of principled love can minimize the tendency to move into the shadow side of this energy. Love for the sake of love itself can help to refocus the Leo persona that has gotten caught up in ego concerns, become overly invested in the drama and as a result lost sight of what is actually real and true. Again, pulling in the Aquarian ideal, that sense of collective power rather than singular power, can be helpful to balance out any preoccupation with self. Not to say that the self should not be served! Naturally, it is through the self that we all get things done so let’s not be too quick in battering the ego senseless! The key is common sense at all times. By all means use your ego gifts but keep focused on what is really true, what is really real.

For the last while, Leo energy has been activated through opposition by Neptune. The God of Water has now moved into the last 5 degrees of Aquarius so Leo’s born after August 15 will be most affected by this nebulous and sometimes impenetrable energy. If this is you, you could experience confusion, ennui, spiritual illumination or triggering of spiritual response within yourself. Neptunian energy, best described, is…somewhat indescribable. The best strategy when the clouds and fog begin to gather around you is to go within and work on faith. Trust that your feet will find the way through and don’t over think as this will certainly tire you out. Neptune transits are ideal for dream work, journeying, guided visualizations and, on a more mundane level, R&R. What your psyche is trying to tell you is that it is time for a break. Take it. If you have the kind of energy that demands productivity, then apply yourself to something creative like stream of consciousness writing or brainstorming prospective projects. These fun kinds of activities lend themselves much more to this kind of Neptune time than detail oriented work. If you find that you are having difficulty keeping your mind focused, this may be a signal to you to just let go of focus for a bit. Neptune is like that! As the higher octave of Venus, this is gentle and responsive energy so attempting to push yourself into action may well be working contra to what your soul is asking of you.

Because both Mercury and Venus are often not far from the Sun, you may be one of those late degree Leo’s with either one or both of these planets there also. If this is so, then the Neptune transit will be heightened for you. And, if you were born on either the New or Full Moon, well then! You will really be feeling this transit, since the Moon represents, in part, the emotional body. New Moon Leo’s may be experiencing emotional confusion and discombobulation while Full Moon Leo’s may be experiencing an identity crisis. To deal with the emotional fall-out of this energetic transit, focus on moving within to the center of your heart—a great place for Leo. Work on building that love energy, fortifying the heart chakra. Visualizing a soft pink glow around the heart center can calm the confusion of the identity crisis and bring balance to the wobbly self.

All transits eventually pass the energy points in question so just be mindful of this fact of physics—time moves along. And as time moves along, just keep working proactively with the energy of dissolvement (Neptune) and trust that what is left after the water has receded, is what you wanted all along anyway. Alchemically, the drek is washed away repeatedly in order to get to the ‘gold’. For you Leo’s this may be a trifle more challenging than for some others since identity, ego, self, however you may want to express it, are important things for you. If you are aware of this, it will be easier for you to move through the ‘transit’. Evolutionary Astrology subscribes to the concept that all energetic movement starts within and that the soul has mapped out potential pathways for itself through the auspices of the many and varied choices that a given ego can make. So, if you are experiencing the various kinds of things described here, it is because your soul wanted it that way. It is your experience to be worked as and how you wish to. It is not happening to you but rather, YOU are making it happen. The real question is, what are you going to do about it?

Everyone has Leo somewhere in their psyche as represented by the birth mandala. And whenever the Sun transits any energy, that part of the psyche is illuminated—brought out into the light, so to speak. This next month or so, the Sun is transiting through Leo according to the tropical system of astrology. As I have often stated when discussing this subject of transits, each cosmic connection is necessarily personal. (Yes, yes, there is the whole issue of the collective consciousness but that is another topic!) So, in some ways, transit reports can only give the reader a general sense of what is going on since that reader has her own unique energetic construct that is interacting with the energy swirling around her. The way to get the ‘most’ out of following the stars is to have a familiarity with one’s own natal horoscope so that one can follow the star crossings with the mind’s eye.

So, picture your natal mandala (birth chart) and plop the transiting Sun into that area of your chart that is described by Leo. Wherever that is, it is this area of life that will be under the spotlight for the next month or so. Even if you have no formal training in astrology, you can begin to track external events and then go back to the diagram and see if anything makes sense. This is called the ‘observation and co-relation’ method of learning, experiential learning.

The horoscope can be divided into 4 quadrants, two below the central dividing line (ascendant/descendant) and two above. Even just noting which one of these 4 quadrants is being ‘lit up’ can be very revealing. Remember, wherever the Sun is transiting in your personal horoscope as it moves through the Zodiac sign of Leo is where your psyche reflects the properties of Leo. This is the area of life that you may approach in a Leo-like way.

So, if the Sun falls somewhere in the lower left hand side of the wheel, you may well be feeling somewhat preoccupied with your own personal concerns. Your sense of self-worth is something that has always been important to you so you may be thinking about what you really want to do with yourself, what holds true value for you, what you have on your mind and just exactly how to express it so that you are properly understood. If you have Leo in this area, you could well be an imaginative and creative thinker, get ‘big’ ideas. The Sun’s transit of this area could trigger ideas that you can explore or develop.

If in the second quadrant, your focus may be turned to family issues, love, romance and fun, or how to energize your own work life. Having Leo energy in this area of the psyche suggests an individual who has a flair for family life or is an artist or works in a creative field. This could be an individual who loves intensely, has a desire to express herself on a creative level and approaches her work with zest and panache. All of these sorts of concerns, then, would take center stage at this transit time.

When the Sun is transiting the 3rd quadrant, you may well feel less self-oriented and more concerned with others, their relationship to you, how to maximize your relationships and where you can take any given relationship may all be of concern to you. You may find yourself dealing with issues of power, control, even life and death or taxes. This could be a good time to sign up for a course that you have wanted to take for a while or just buy a book on an esoteric subject.

Finally, when the Sun lights up the 4th quadrant of the mandala, you are ready to rock! You may feel the need to be seen, noticed, remarked upon. You could find yourself getting more involved in social issues, community work, or even just partying. On a more spiritual level, you may find that you have the urge to more completely align your outer self with your inner set of values. At some point, when the Sun transits this sector, most everyone needs to take a breath or two. Track yourself. Monitor your body rhythms. Pay attention!

Leo is the energy of expression, joy, creativity in both physical and emotional ways and more subtly, the need for recognition; the need for affirmation, approval and ultimately, the urge to both draw love and express love. The absolutely first step into Leo is the plunge into SELF-LOVE. If we are not able to wholeheartedly love ME, it is, indeed, impossible to draw the kind of love from others that we need so that we can feed our soul.

Enjoy these next few weeks of light and joy. Find your little Leo self—each of us has this energy somewhere in all that clutter—and explore the sheer joy of being you!

Cancedr: The Great Embrace

2010-06-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

Cancer: The Great Embrace

Summer Solstice!

The time of the ‘great light’ here in the northern hemisphere is upon us. We have arrived at the ‘Full Moon’ point of the yearly cycle. At Winter Solstice, we were at the point of ‘least light’, with the days short and the nights long. This point can be co-related to the New Moon. If you go outside at New Moon and look into the sky, you will see stars but no trace of Luna. It appears that the sky is moonless! New Moon time is the seeding time, a time of gestation, womblike, mysterious and fertile. On the other hand, Full Moon is a time of revelation, fruition and manifestation. This is a natural cycle of becoming and does not alter in its flow. First comes seeding and birth, the beginning, followed by an unfolding until that point of full manifestation occurs so that all is revealed. The celestial sphere mirrors this cycle beautifully, as a reminder to us to pay attention to the natural cycles of being around us.

In the northern hemisphere, winter drives most of us inward, we slow down and even, for some, hibernate, metaphorically speaking. This meditative state can facilitate the birth of new projects, new mind sets, new protocols. After the gestation period, we start to implement until finally, we see the results of all of our dreaming and activity. So, if you follow the flow of energy mindfully, you can take a moment now, as we approach the Summer Solstice, and review for yourself, how you have worked with your own cycle of growth. Did you set any specific goals back in December? (New Year’s resolutions could serve for this purpose.) How have those goals or resolutions formed so far? Are there aspects of your own unfolding reality that need adjustment and refinement? If you are a journal keeper, you can look back at your December and January entries and note how you have evolved over the past few months, how initial ideas have changed, how your perspective of situations has shifted. Now is a good time to make some evaluations and necessary adjustments!

It is now, as the Sun enters Cancer that the cycle shifts into waning of light. The days will begin to shorten and slowly we will move into the dark. But, for now, for these glorious sun filled days we are bathed in the light and warmth of summer.

Cancer is one of the Water signs, flowing, emotional and sensitive. It is also a cardinal energy, keyed to movement, relatively swift in its reactions and attuned to growth. The element of Water is usually associated with the emotional body and Cancer does indeed correlate to the breast area of the physical body as well as the stomach. The breasts are the outer layer of the heart area, suggesting a connection here with love and nurturing. The stomach, of course, is critical to our well-being, since we need nourishment in order to live and Cancer is the nourisher.

The celestial object associated with Cancer is the Moon. Constantly shifting above us in the sky, the Moon is the least constant heavenly body except for, perhaps, the comets and meteors. At any given moment, we can look up and see a transforming Moon, first a little sliver, then a delicate crescent, then a whole half pie, then a humped back old woman and finally, the full fat globe that rivals the sun—sort of…☺ The Moon’s changeable nature lends insight into something important about Cancer. This is an energy that is constantly flowing from form to form. On an ego level, this could manifest as a certain moodiness, a restlessness that could appear as irritation. If you have an accentuated Cancer energy in your psyche, you must honour your very real need to follow your feeling nature and if you feel grumpy, it might be that you just need some down time to unwind and re-integrate. Experientially, Cancer types are absorbent, like a sponge and as a result, must take the time to sort through the wide array of emotions that they take in through their skin. Once this is understood, both by the Cancer types and their loved ones, life gets much easier to bear. The old scripture that tells us about there being a “season for everything under the sun” is particularly true about the Cancerian experiential process. Laughter is often followed by tears and sorrow leads to peace…and swiftly.

Cancer is found in the 4th house of the natural wheel of the Zodiac. This 4th house is all about the deep things of the personal, where we come from, where we are, in theory, most comfortable or, at the very least, where we better come to some sort of terms of agreement, our deepest emotions and our impulse to nest, to build home and family, to be ultimately who we truly are. It is the ego in search of its roots. No wonder that Cancer is attuned to caregiving and nurturing. One of the archetypes that comes to mind when talking about this energy is The Mother. Of course, just what kind of a mother springs forth from the Cancer soul is quite another matter. We can witness the controlling mother, the detached mother, the oppressive mother, the ineffective mother, the monster mother and so forth. The maternal demonstration is entirely dependant on other factors in the natal structure! However, with mindfulness and intention, the strongly cancer type can find her way into the arms of the ‘Model Mother’ who nurtures just enough to give support without eating her young one up!

The symbol for Cancer is The Crab. Here is the little creature who, basically, carries his house around with him. Think about this for a moment. What is a home, really? Is it a place or is it a feeling? For Cancer, it is the feeling of Home that is of paramount importance, thus the image of the little crab, trucking around all that is familiar and secure wherever he goes. And, as long as there is a sense of security, then the Cancer type can really step out and shine. It is only when she does not feel safe that she recedes into her ‘shell’ to hide away from the world.

The Partner sign to Cancer is Capricorn. Winter solstice occurs when the Sun moves into Capricorn, exactly 6 months after Summer Solstice. Where Cancer is soft and emotional, Capricorn is all business. Where Cancer can typify the feminine side of parental care, Capricorn is the disciplinarian, the task master. While we recede into the security of our own space in Cancer, we face the external world in Capricorn and carve out a place for ourselves in society under the auspices of that energy! Together, working in harmony, we see a complete picture of the self, both private and public, in here and out there. Cancer is, as I mentioned, a water sign. Capricorn is an earth sign. When you mix water and earth, you get mud which, with some expertise, can be made into bricks and bricks, after all, are what make up a building, a home, a structure to be safe in and for all the world to see. What a fitting metaphor for the energy of Cancer/Capricorn!

Next month, I will revisit the energy of Leo and the glorious Sun, the romance of the 5th house and all that sort of thing. In the meantime, relax, kick back and enjoy the summer warmth. It only comes around once a year!

2010-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Astrology and the Age of Reason

The birth mandala is a representation of the energetic potential of any given individual. By understanding it & studying it, we can get insight into our internal mechanisms of behaviour & into possible blockages to action & avenues of release. Not only that, but the possibilities of the outworking of any energetic patterns inherent in the mandala can be discerned, so much so that many astrologers are able to use the basic mandala as a predictive tool for their clients.

For centuries the study of this archetypal representation of the self & the soul force behind it, has focused on the specific patterns of relationship as demonstrated by the planetary energies of choice. We can look at the planetary points as areas of high focus either in the form of a blessing or in the form of a challenge, but we should not exclude the potential that is available to us in the rest of the mandala even though it may not be engaged with personal planets and asteroids, targeted by fixed stars or involved in aspect structures. As we move collectively into a potential energetic future (often referred to as the Aquarian Age), we should strive to open ourselves to a shift in how we view energy & our own unique inter-facing with that energy. Why should we be restricted to trines, squares, oppositions or any other so-called aspects? Just because we may appear to be a compilation of a certain zodiacal ‘family’, Fire, Earth Air or Water, why should we limit ourselves to this energy? Just because the obvious focus of a life may be on certain areas of enterprise, why should we feel that we cannot explore other areas of life as well? The concept of transits is familiar to anyone who works with astrological tools & it is time to expand that understanding to include the whole mandala of 360* of energetic potential.

With the advent of the Age of Reason, humans began to push the bar in terms of how they viewed existence. The scientific method did free us in many ways. Certainly, social hierarchy met its demise, though slowly & it can be argued that it is still in its death throes even now. Nevertheless, the scientific model did much to equalize the playing field. Opportunities for advancement were opened up & even the so-called lowest member of society was able to advance to a place in the sun. Magic was, in some cases, explained through careful experimentation & exploration using the newly understood formulae & newly derived ‘scientific methods’. However, the Age of Reason also brought in some negative repercussions. Reductionist thinking & rationalism really led to a shutting down of an important, dare I say, even essential aspect of human existence, the intuitive side of life. Rather than just explaining Magic, science actually contributed to the eradication of the possibility of Magic for the collective. Only that which could be measured was considered ‘real’.

If a possibility is excluded from the psyche, it cannot, in fact, manifest. Form follows thought. Interestingly, science has now brought the collective back to possibility with the new ideas that are coming from the clearly unscientific area of quantum physics! (Using their own definitions, of course.)

We live in a time of widening possibility; a time of a magical renewal of the fullest of human potential. We are beginning to see the universe as an organic whole that encompasses many different ways of being, a multi-leveled existence. If the universe itself is viewed as an organism, and integrally linked to all other lesser organisms, this single realization or thought can dramatically alter the way we, as sentient parts of that organic whole behave. This is certainly the force that is fueling the ecological movement, all humanitarian actions and socio-political movements that seek to create unity & coherent interaction between member states; even scientific breakthroughs that serve to improve the human condition for all members of the earth. We are beginning to think of ourselves & the universe in which we reside as one holistic reality which survives, thrives or expires in entirety.

Part of this growing awareness, this wider perception of reality, of life, of ourselves, relates directly to how we can use the tool of astrology. We want to begin to look at the mandala in a holistic way. Of course, when doing a chart interpretation, a good astrologer already does this to an extent. The sum is, often, greater than the parts that added up to it. A good astrologer has to make intuitive leaps & judgments. The great debate over astrology is as a result of the fact that “Magic” is involved in chart understanding & delineation; that same “Magic” that the Age of Reason so effectively shut down. It is only because we attempt to shove astrological detective work into the scientific model that the debate arises. This is not to say that astrologers should throw out their Mercury (reasoning) function & rely completely on a Uranian or Neptunian modality (intuition & inspiration) to do chart work. That would also be counterproductive to the spirit of holism. Now is the time to call a truce between the two opposing factions, the right side of the human brain and the left side of it. The intuitive process works best when well supported by a clear logical thinking process. An incisive mind can really soar to great heights when fueled by intuitive understanding. And really, the greatest of human achievements have always been made using both of these functions. (Einstein ‘dreamed’ his theory of relativity during an afternoon nap!)

So, for the modern astrologer, it is imperative to look at any energy system, as represented by the horoscope (birth mandala) in a whole way. This opens up multi-leveled doors of opportunity for the person in question. Once a possibility is explored, it has much more likelihood of taking form through the interaction of the ego with the energy available to it! Any horoscope encompasses all 360* of the Wheel of Life—the Zodiac and at any given moment in time, there is interaction of energy somewhere within this wheel, as representative of the psyche. Here is a very simple illustration. Maybe you were born when the Sun was in the Zodiac sign of Cancer, (its current location, by the way). That simply means that your birthday falls somewhere between June 21 and July 23. Cancer is linked to two other signs of the Zodiac by element and three other signs by modality. Suddenly, whole new possibilities are opened! A person with Sun in Cancer can also feel energetic activation through her connection to the 2 other energies linked to Cancer by element, Scorpio & Pisces, and the 3 other energies linked to Cancer by modality, Aries, Libra & Capricorn. Possibly, she may not have any actual planetary archetypes in any of these areas of the Zodiac but she will, nevertheless, still feel something since energy is like a wave, not something rigid and fixed. This example is merely one way that energy could be experienced. However, each and every one of the 360* of the horoscope is in relationship with the whole wheel of degrees, in every moment of consciousness. How could it be any other way? We are whole beings within ourselves and part of a whole system of being that holds us all. Everything connects with everything. The poet, John Donne, expressed this idea in the following words;
“No man is an island…”
How right he was and on a much more profound level than we may have understood when we first read those words!

How exciting this concept is! We are so much more than what we ever thought we were! We are not limited! We truly are infinite possibility! We may have shut the door on the magic of the metaphysical as The Age of Reason took hold, but, we have now found our way back to that door through the discoveries made about the nature of reality, existence and energy through the very tools of the Age of Reason that once shut that magical door.

To explore your own possibility and potential using the Astrological Method and especially with a focus on this new way to look at the birth mandala, contact me @ christinaraiw@gmail.com. Together we will step through those magical doors of perception and discover a whole new you!

Gemini: An Elegance of Mind

2010-05-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Gemini: An Elegance of Mind

As the Sun apparently moves through that part of the heavens that we can see with our physical eyes, students of astrology can locate the zodiac sign through which it is ‘transiting’ (seemingly moving). So, at various times of the year, we can say, “Oh, the Sun is moving through Aries, or Taurus or (as we now approach the end of May), Gemini…”

Of course, the Sun does not move around the Earth; rather, the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun, creating a Solar System which itself marks an orbital path, but this time on a much larger scale, around the galactic center. This galactic center is merely the heart of one of many such systems that comprise the universe. Yes, we live in a physical reality that seems, to us mere mortals, to be an infinite place of unending possibilities. It is up to us to perceive this potential and then to explore the possibilities and turn them into probabilities and realities as and how we are able to.

For our simple human purposes, we can happily spend a whole lifetime just focusing on the here and now of this Solar System and our place in it. Maybe one day, we will once again be able to call ourselves true citizens of the universe or even whatever lies beyond what we designate the universe to be but for now, the solar system feels big enough for search and exploration. The signs that make up what we call the Zodiac, are representative of what we see from our vantage point on Gaia. Over many centuries of observation, our foremothers came to designate the twelve signs that we can recognize by name. Myths grew out of the experiential process and attached themselves to individual ‘signs’ and these myths gave insight into the nature of the energy of a given zodiac sign. We are, after all, the sum of our stories. Observers co-related celestial events to events on earth, further fleshing out our understanding of the various signs and planets. Everyone has heard of the heightened emotions that can manifest at the time of the Full Moon. This is merely one example of how observation and co-relation works. We experience something specific and even measurable, we pause and take note of our environment and over time we observe a certain consistency between what we experience and the environment that exists at the time of that particular experience. Thus, using the example of the Full Moon, centuries of data supports the idea that when the Moon is at this point in its cycle, there appears to be an increase in the emotional charge in the minds and hearts of collective humanity here on Earth. As an Evolutionary Astrologer, I understand that this is the ‘mirroring’ effect described centuries ago in the expression, “as above, so below”. We are all a part of a unified field; a reality that is interconnected and interdependent. Nothing stands alone in this web of existence. As we turn our eyes to the sky, we are looking into a reflection of ourselves. Whatever we observe in the heavens above is merely a concrete representation of what is at work within our singular body systems. How simple! How complex!

And now, back to the light and lovely energy that we call Gemini! As I mentioned last month, the flow of energy follows an unchangeable pattern, moving from Fire, into Earth, and then on through Air. Gemini is the Air sign that comes after Taurus. The impulse that was born in Aries, and began to take form and consolidate in Taurus, now is ready to take flight and conceptualize in Gemini. This is the stage where that forming impulse begins to be intellectualized, verbalized, communicated and through the dialogue involved, adjusted. If we do not understand what we are creating, it will never come to a full fruition, no matter the scope of the energy or the shape of its form. We exist to interact for the most part, to share and to exchange with each other. For most humans, community is a centralizing force for the developing self. It is through networking that we expand ourselves, adapt ourselves and stretch beyond whatever limitations we may think that we have. Dialogue, at its most productive level, sheds light on otherwise foggy thinking. Who has not had the experience of suddenly having that ‘aha’ moment of understanding because of a comment that someone else makes? Through posing the question, through expressing doubt we find our way into knowledge and eventually, maybe, even faith. This is Gemini.

It is the mind that seeks understanding of whatever is taking form. It is through the intellectual process that we begin to formulate the parameters of our world. Gemini is that energy that reflects the thirsty mind.

This is a mutable energy indicating fluidity and malleability. It can bend itself into whatever shape is available to it and it is exactly through this process that it actually seeks its own form. The planet associated with Gemini is Mercury, designated in myth to be ‘the messenger’. Again, just this little piece of data increases our understanding of this energy. Messengers bring information. Information can greatly illuminate and enhance and even change perception. The more pieces of information that we get and integrate, the greater our fundamental understanding of whatever it is that we are exploring.
Gemini is the energy of investigation and it has a hunger for unending bits and pieces of data. No one conclusion satisfies the Gemini need to expand its perceptions. Sometimes designated as being curious, the real motivation for this curiosity is not merely growth but metamorphosis. As the Gemini persona explores, investigates, samples, tastes and discards, the very nature of its reality organically changes. Think of a butterfly that has a garden of delights to explore. There is a beauty and elegance in the intricacies of the butterfly’s flight from flower to flower. There is no partiality. Each flower is, in itself, beautiful, not lesser than or greater than any other flower. In Nature, the butterfly is one of the most delicate and adored of creatures. We never denigrate the butterfly’s need to flit from bloom to bloom. Rather, we revel in watching its progress as it samples the nectar of every blossom it can. So, if you have someone in your life with a focus of Gemini in their psyche, support their desire to embrace a multitude of experiences, honour their need to move into change and shift on every level. Keep in mind that they are acting from a deep inner need to move beyond all limitations and restrictions.

Astrologically, we understand that all energy is connected in some manner. One of the primary connections within the wheel of the zodiac is the polarity relationship defined by the 180* aspect. To understand any of the 12 energies, we must also integrate the nature of whatever energy stands across from it within the wheel. Gemini’s partner is Sagittarius. Just as Gemini has the need to search and explore in what may appear to be a random manner, when we dig into Sag, we see this very same impulse at work. But in Sag, there is a certainty as opposed to the ambivalence and skepticism of Gemini. And the balance between certainty and skepticism lies in a goodly amount of challenge and questioning.

“You can be certain of what you think you know, Sag,” says Gemini, “but I intend to keep on looking!”

So, the faith of Sag is balanced by the doubt of Gemini. It is doubt that propels the soul to seek the truth and to find the faith and so the circle is completed over and over again. And really, what is life without the adventure of the quest that we see woven into the fabric of both of these energies. Essentially, there is no destination, only a neverending journey of discovery which, on the one hand reinforces (Sag) and on the other, creates further questions (Gemini). Remember, without doubt, there can never be an experience of inner faith. It is the question that finds an answer. If we never question, we will never find.

Reactively, Gemini must mind its physical house. A very real consequence of not doing so could be nervous exhaustion. This is a highly charged energy and the electrical body can run fast and furious. People with a lot of this energy in their psyches, absolutely must drink lots of water, integrate regular exercise into their daily routine and preferably something that involves the feet and hands moving. Mostly, (and this is a general statement), Gemini is kinetic energy that constantly builds upon its own movement.

Another reactive manifestation of this energy could be a lack of focus resulting in unfinished projects and incomplete undertakings. Gemini has to develop protocols for itself that keep it engaged and interested. A simple technique to address this could be just keeping all projects short term. This is the sprinter, not the long distance runner! And really, who says that a 5 year project is somehow better than a 2 month project? For Gemini, it is the short term project that can keep it interested and fully engaged. Multi-tasking can also facilitate engagement. For a Gemini persona, it is absolutely appropriate to have several intricate and complex activities on the go at the same time. Thus, as soon as the boredom starts to nibble at the corners of the mind, off you go to another project! Because Gemini has such a nimble intellect, it can hold a multitude of concepts in its mind at the same time, jumping from one to another easily and happily. In fact, creativity is enhanced in this way. As an example, let’s say the Gemini soul is a writer. It would be appropriate to have several stories on the go, a variety of research projects on the side. While paying attention to one, ideas for the other can be left to percolate happily in another part of the mind. Suddenly, the outline comes through, full blown and ready to be written!

Everyone has this energy wired into their psyches somewhere. Even if you have no planets located in this energy, it will be found in one of the ‘houses’ of the horoscope. It will colour that part of your life and overlay it with a mental energy, a connective energy, possibly even a somewhat nervous energy. Intuitively, you can review your own reality and try to determine when the intellect likes to take over. Do you like to analyze your relationships? Is conversation critical to connection for you? Do you need to understand the why’s of your life situation? Is laughter essential to maintaining balance? What are your nerves like? Are you a prolific dreamer? These are just some of the questions that, if answered in the affirmative, could indicate that Gemini energy is wired into that part of your persona.

At the highest level, this is an energy of elegance, adroit and fluid, kinetic and carefree. If you have a focus of this energy in your psyche, embrace your butterfly self, dance through the garden of life sampling the beautiful blooms therein. You have come to this plane to grow your m perceptions, to open the doors of your reality into realms yet unexplored. Drink up and enjoy, thirsty soul!

Happy solar return to all the ‘Sun in Gemini’ souls! We are so glad you are here with us! You make us laugh, you keep us engaged, you challenge us with your endless questions and we love your wit!

2010-04-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Taurus: Organically Yours

Each of the individual 12 signs coincides, not with a particular month of the year, but rather, a particular time of the year. As we consider where each sign falls, we get some insight into the workings of the energy described. Even if you know nothing about astrology, just working with this little piece of information can give you much insight into the different energies of the zodiac. Traditionally, Aries is designated as being the ‘first’ sign of the zodiac. This makes sense from an organic viewpoint since Aries coincides with Spring when the Earth ‘wakes up’ after the slumber of winter. Aries is a Fire energy and again, this is evocative of warmth, activity, awakening. Astrologically, Fire co-relates to Spirit and everything is born at this level—the spiritual level of being.

After Fire comes Earth. How fitting! The inspiration that is born from the fire of spirit now finds form, flows into a vessel that can receive it, is grounded and concretized. The second sign of the zodiac, after Aries, is Taurus, a fixed earth energy. In Taurus we meet the organic process and get to know our selves as physical beings. Fittingly, Taurus falls across the months of April and May, when, in the northern hemisphere, the ignition process that began at Equinox is now coming into ‘bloom’. The trees are leafing, the grass is greening, robins return to find the worms which have moved up to the surface of the ground and we, the humans, can finally take our winter jackets off and feel the heat of the Sun on our skin. Ah, vitamin D…at last!

Taurus, then, is representative of the organic part of the spiral of life. Sexy, sensual and receptive, Taurus loves the simple process of just ‘being’. In Taurus we celebrate all things physical and revel in the literal 5 senses that flesh out our world. Taurus loves the vista of the landscape, taking delight in the organic environment. Aromatic surroundings are a must. Harmonious and pleasing melodies soothe the
Taurus soul. And no wonder since Taurus co-relates to the throat chakra. Slipping into luxurious fabrics, warm, watery rivers and lakes or just simply lying naked in the sun are all aspects of the Taurus need to feel good. Flavours that entice the tongue and burst onto the taste buds are what Taurus prefers. Never mind the spartan and austere. Bring on the abundance and glory of the organic. Revel in the joy of being physical and all that comes along with it.

Whenever I work with the Tarot, and I draw The Empress, I think of Taurus. I am reminded that I am physical and that I must pay attention to my organic self. I understand that to work with my creative energy, I need to find a place of balance in my physical self. I need my physical energy if I am to do the work of a creative being—whatever forms that creativity takes, whether artistic, crafty or even within the realm of what we sometimes regard as the mundane, ordinary daily routines that we all must do. When you prepare food with creative energy, it always tastes better than if you prepare it ‘in absentia’. This is the Taurus part of the psyche, the love that is the basis of all creative flow. If we fall in love with what we are doing, and desire to infuse it with feeling and the texture and depth of emotion, we are much more likely to produce something that will be well received by others. Taurus energy, then, is very much connected to that need that we all have to connect to something beautiful, something rich and lovely, something full and ripe and which gives pleasure, contentment and eases the spirit. How many of us have not relaxed to the sounds of a favourite piece of music, sipping some aromatic beverage, nibbling on some satisfying snack, wrapped in a comfy blankie in a soft chair or bed with the light of a glowing candle around us, after a challenging day of activity? Everyone, probably…

People who have a focus of Taurus energy in their psyches are the lovers of the zodiac. Often calm, quiet and comfortable, they can be the rocks that everyone turns to in times of trouble. Taurus intuitively understands that everything is cyclical. Taurus knows that the underlying principle that governs life is that there is a pattern to organic flow, that life is a spiral with no real ending.

This is probably the main thing to understand when exploring Taurus; that there is a place for the organic, the physical. In Taurus we face our physical selves, the container for that energy of spirit that finds its home therein.

At a core level, we confront ourselves in the expression of our values and the concretization of these values in the context of desires in Taurus. We seek that which we value and esteem. It is of great importance to be clear about the nature and structure of our values. How does our value system translate into the concrete? How do we organically process that which we hold at our core level? Does the construct of our life reflect our inner values? These are the issues that we are dealing with in Taurus.

Taurus occupies the second house of the natural wheel and the ruler of Taurus is Venus. If there is a focus of energy in the second house of a person’s natal horoscope, then the keyword, worth or value holds a prominent place in that psyche. Such a person will naturally be concerned with all levels of this thing called resource from the material all the way to the conceptual. For such a person, it is vital that she ‘concretize’ what is meaningful to her. This, of course, also applies to anyone with a lot of Taurus energy in their psyche.

The symbol for Taurus is The Bull signifying, unmovable strength or power, fertility and regeneration, that connection to the organic. Sometimes Taurus is dubbed as being stubborn but in reality, it is the energy of constancy that the Bull represents though, if the ego self does not consciously manage this powerful and forceful presence of mind, it can be mistaken for intransigence. But if you have ever seen a bull at full bore, bearing down on its target, you will see that this energy can move if needed. The key, for strongly Taurus types, is to channel their intrinsic forcefulness into just cause based on lofty values. This then is the appropriate use of power and might.

The planet, Venus, is the second planet of the solar system, Earth’s sister star. She has the most beautiful cyclical pattern which, when tracked over an 8 year span, creates a perfect pentagram or five pointed star in the circle of the zodiac. Ancient star-gazers decoded this beautiful pattern millennia ago and this was probably the root reason for the magical and mystical associations that this symbol has. I associate this pattern with the creative impulse since desire and the need to express in concrete terms something of our inner values is what triggers creativity on every level, whether the purely physical, procreativity, or something more ethereal like the birth of art, thinking and so forth.

A very easy ritual to include in your life is to commemorate your 8 year Venus Return cycle. Even if you do not know where your Venus is placed astrologically, you know that at every 8 year point in your life journey, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104 (I am being proactively optimistic here), you can do a reboot in relation to your value system, your desire patterns, and even your organic self. Make a vision board for what you want the next 8 years to look like. Where would you like to be at the end of those 8 years? What do you want to look like? What do you want your life to be structured around? Who do you want to love? Be specific. 8 years is just long enough without being too out of sight. Most of us can just about imagine 8 years forward, right? It is this kind of mindfulness that ultimately contributes to a satisfying and contented existence—two very strongly Taurus words!

Finally, just a word about Taurus’ partner sign. Sitting across from The Bull is the shape-shifting magical and mysterious Scorpion/Snake/Dove/Eagle/Phoenix—Scorpio. Together, these energies balance out to represent all that we hold and all that we release, all that is known and material and all that is hidden and non-material. It is the juxtaposition of the LIGHT and the DARK, the dance of birth and death. Together, they find completion in each other and create order out of chaos. We humans need to understand our world in terms of balance, harmony and duality.

Taurus, then, teaches us to accept, to receive, to luxuriate and to be content. Wherever it is found in YOUR psyche, is where you want to get real, get down. It is survival at its most primal level. It is strong, silent and sublime and honestly, we love Taurus. How can we not?

Next month, we will move into that crafty coyote, Gemini and explore the fantastical and fancy of this delightful energy.

The Aries Imperative

2010-03-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

It’s here! Spring, thaw, warm, sun! And along with the obvious shift in the weather here in the northern hemisphere, we move into the time of Aries.

First, let me just say that the Spring Equinox is one of the 4 major gateways or center points of the ‘wheel of the year’. This moment in time is marked by the equality of light and dark. From this point onward, the days will be getting longer until we get to Summer Solstice when, in some places on this globe, there is no night at all! Because of this, the zodiac sign of Aries is associated with birth, beginning and fresh starts—a new cycle or even, new year.

Aries is a cardinal fire sign, full of verve and buoyancy. It is part of the family that includes Leo and Sagittarius elementally and Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, modally. Fire is the element that is linked to spirit, creativity and inspiration while the cardinal modality is thrusting, forward moving, assertive and initiating. Some other key words (a great way to begin a study of astrology) that describe this perky little energy are enthusiastic, adventurous, enterprising, forceful, fast, abrupt, impulsive. It is the energy of action, not consideration. For those of you with prominent Aries in your psyches, it is important to keep moving, to always find things that engage your interest and to satisfy that deep need for exploration, innovation and individuality, that IMPULSE towards the unknown.

Aries is often associated with the idea of ‘rugged individualism’. This lends some insight into basic needs for the Aries type persona. This type needs to be challenged, needs to feel a sense of accomplishment and essentially needs to win, and all the while, doing it HER way! If there is a flavour of combativeness, it is more about the thrill of the battle, the rush of the face-off rather than anything personal. There is no viciousness in the Aries need to prevail, just the sheer joy of engagement and victory.

In the ‘natural wheel’ of the zodiac, Aries is associated with the 1st house of self, exploration and initiation. This helps us to understand that the seemingly self-centered Aries persona is only acting according to the impulse to explore and experience herself. And there it is; the key to truly understanding the Aries types in your life. Their world resonates to EXPERIENCE. They thrive on being ‘in the thick of it’. If they happen to shove you to the side in their haste to get to the action, it isn’t about you, it’s about them!

Sharp, quick and always to the point, this type can be incredibly agile mentally. If you decide to debate them, get your track shoes ready since they will be several points ahead and leave you in the dust if you don’t keep up with their mental acrobatics. Not always entirely logical, but always incredibly inventive!

The archetype of the frontier cowboy is a good image for the Aries spirit, ready, willing and able to rough it, if needed. Able to live the solitary life, if necessary and incredibly resourceful about getting basic needs met even under trying circumstances. The mountaineer tackling the near impossible climb is another image that references Aries energy. Courage, an intrepid attitude and nerve take her to the top of the mountain. Even at the summit, Aries is already imagining the next climb rather than savouring the moment.

Reactively, this energy can get into trouble since the desire to get going sometimes eclipses the need to plan. However, the fighting spirit of this little warrior is so prominent that winging it is never seen as a problem for these types.

The symbol associated with Aries is the Ram. Representing the ability to but his way through any impasse, we begin to understand the forcefulness that is associated with the energy. When exploring animal energies, we find that force is one of the main qualities of the Ram, along with curiosity, an adventurous spirit and a keen sense of balance. Imagine the ram with his beautiful curled horns picking his way through narrow passageways with grace and lightness. He is free to be just who he is, able to navigate even the most challenging of landscapes. This is Aries, the hero, ever seeking a new frontier!

Of course, Ares was the Greek god of war and many of the myths that come from this source also shed light on the impulse and impetuous nature of the Aries type. Let us remember that in ancient times WAR was regarded as an honourable business. Sometimes it is difficult to actually understand this since we are children of a different time and today war is only a business and more and more seen as not honourable. But, there was a time in history when this was not the case for the people who lived through that time. The astrological age that preceded the age of Pisces was the Age of Aries. During that 2000 year period which began some 2 millennia before the birth of Christ, societies were built around the process of expansion through conquest. Civilizations rose and fell by the sword. A King or Emperor retained his power through the use of FORCE (Aries quality) and COURAGE (Aries quality) as he marched forward gathering new lands and peoples into his realm. The stalwart and courageous ram energy bred warriors who were lusty in battle and not afraid to stand up boldly for their cause, loyal to a fault. Today, this translates into the crusader types who have no fear in the face of gross injustice, who will battle for a cause, often taking the lead boldly when others may shirk away from commitment. The zesty, strong and sure heart of the Aries type is well suited to the championing of right in the face of opposition!

There is an immediacy in everything that the Aries type does whether in terms of function and all the way into issues of the heart. There is a need for a clear and decisive demonstration of affections and an impatience if confronted by reticence or uncertainty by the other. If you have a strongly Aries type in your life, give them what they seek, emotionally and do it yesterday, please!

The partner sign to Aries is Libra and this, above all other things gives us the deepest insight into the Aries nature. According to the law of polarity, that which stands opposite us is the very thing that we must integrate into our awareness so that we may become whole. While Aries typifies the self, alone and sovereign, Libra teaches us about partnership, considered compromise and balance. Aries, then, must discover a way to be singular but connected to community, to stand alone but be willing to receive support, to celebrate the sound of their solo song while knowing full well that harmony can enhance any melody. The journey of Aries is the journey into interdependence without any forfeit of individuality.

The Planet associated with Aries is Mars and again, when we reference mythology, this time Roman, we find the stories of the mighty warrior. In the psyche, the Mars placement, that is, the sign of the zodiac and the house of the horoscope where that sign is found, co-relates to one’s passion, and the ability to act on the DESIRE that burns within. It is through the Mars principle of the persona that we take action. This is also the planet that was once associated with the zodiac sign of Scorpio and though there are dissimilarities between the two energies, there is also an underlying ‘recognition’ when the Aries type encounters the Scorpio type. In modern times, Pluto was designated to be the ‘ruler’ of Scorpio and here’s an interesting thing…In Evolutionary Astrology, Pluto is representative of the soul—something that is, by and large, inaccessible to most individuals, a deeply unconscious element within the functioning personality. Mars is associated with the mechanisms that we use to implement the ‘soul purpose’ in any given lifetime, and these are impulses that we can more consciously explore and understand. So, though dissimilar in many ways, there is a simpatico between Aries and Scorpio and with some adjustments, there can be a reasonable working relationship between them.

How fitting it is that the Spring, with all of its hope and rekindled joy is linked to Aries, an energy that is above all things, full of promise and filled with light. Remember, EVERYONE has this energy somewhere in their psyches. We, each one of us, contain within ourselves all of the energies of the ‘wheel of life’ as represented by the Zodiac. If you are born with the Sun in Aries, you know that this lively and courageous energy fuels your every action. However, you may have your intellectual body running on this fuel—Mercury, or your emotional body—the Moon, and for that matter any one of the planets that make up the ‘map’ of your unique character. For a more personal investigation into how Aries factors in your life, contact me for a personal astrological reading

2010-02-27T07:31:00.000-08:00

Perfect Pisces

Here we are at the gates of one of the most inscrutable energies of the Zodiac. Oh Pisces, will we ever understand you? Perhaps the answer to this question is that understanding need not be the destination in the journey into Pisces. Rather, the goal, when exploring this energy—(because, EVERYONE has it wired somewhere into their psyche)—is to simply FEEL it deep within your own self.

Pisces is one of the water signs but the emotional energy associated with it is the least personal of the three, the other two being Cancer and Pisces. Pisces emotion is best described as compassion devoid of attachment to the object of the compassion. It is universal love rather than individual love. It is the place of peace in the left hand of the divine, that most exalted of positions.

It is a mutable energy, one that is adaptable, malleable and shiftable. Like the ocean with waves moving in numerous directions, Pisces energy flows instinctively where it needs to flow. In the natural wheel of the zodiac, Pisces finds its home in the 12th house, a sector of the horoscope that co-relates to the unconscious mind, and to the formative period in human development since it is equivalent to the first 2 hours of life after actual birth. Much is absorbed at this most critical time by the newly manifested being and it is a time when the soul of the being is very close to the surface of the skin. The infant science of psychology has only just begun to scratch the surface of the intricacies of emotional and mental development but I think that most thinking individuals will agree that what happens to a person in their early years forms the foundation for all that follows. I would add that what happens in the first few hours after birth is critical to later development, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Pisces provides the self with a template for all of this. So understand that this is the part of the psyche that absorbs stimuli and processes these stimuli in an organic manner, assimilating information into the most interior areas of the self. Obviously, this process continues throughout the life journey and so we can co-relate Pisces to that part of the self that intuits, senses, ‘knows’ without the need to prove or substantiate like, for instance, Virgo, the partner sign to Pisces, needs to do.

The symbol for Pisces is the dual fishes but note that they are fashioned as if pointed in opposite directions. This is usually understood to represent the dual nature of human existence, the pull to spirit and the pull to flesh. But another way to understand the movement of the two little fish is to see them chasing each others tails, creating a circular motion of movement. A circle of being is thus suggested and more than anything else, Pisces is the place where we can connect to the eternal, the infinite. Pisces flows through life (water) in a continuous, unbroken way. What a beautiful affirmation of the constancy of being—always the same, though always different.

We are now at the end of 2 millennia of experience that was dubbed as the Age of Pisces. The human collective explored the principles of idealism, devotion, commitment, service, compassion, union, and a variety of spiritual disciplines over the past 2000 or so years. The highest manifestation of the human journey through Pisces is the principle of LOVE expressed through faith and works of godly devotion. Reactively, we have seen a distortion of this very same impulse sometimes at the very same time as those manifestations of pure optimal expression of this energy. Fanaticism, bizarre expressions of religious devotion like self-flagellation or self-deprivation in the name of the divine, holy wars and other suchlike behaviours are examples of Pisces energy in distortion. The human collective has now explored a multitude of ways to interact with the divine. Now, as we move into the newly blossoming energy of Aquarius (as a collective), we can integrate the Pisces experience into the exploration of the Aquarius experience. We have searched for the divine outside of ourselves and now we will turn our attention inward and locate the sacred within.

So, Pisces is spirit, the yearning to find the divine, the place of understanding that supersedes any mental process, the ‘aha’ experience that makes sense of the chaos and brings light into the darkness. Pisces is intuitive, gentle, yielding, forgiving. Anyone with
An emphasis of this energy in their psyche must learn to listen to their inner sense. And I will say here that not all Pisces types will ‘hear’ their inner voice in the same way. What is universal for these types is that there IS an inner sense of some kind and that often, these types will have early life experiences that result in a sense of alienation, aloneness and separation from others. They are often misunderstood and even shunned by those who cannot as easily connect with the ethereal world. It is essential that these sensitives find their own place of ‘ground’ or security within their own selves. They must create their own criteria of relevancy because often other will not ‘get it’. Nevermind, little Pisces, what you know is what others aspire to know. What you feel is that which is true so hang on and don’t let go.

Star Crossings

Two planets are associated with Pisces, Jupiter and, once it was observed in the sky, Neptune. Jupiter co-relates to the intuitive mind or what has sometimes been called the right brain, that part of the self that can dream, vision and create. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus, representing love universal, love divine. The Jupiter connection represents Pisces connection to the divine spark of creativity, its connection to spirit. The Neptune connection shows Pisces alignment to the collective mind; thus the reason why so many Pisces types have that famous ‘spidey sense’. Here’s a look at these two planets in current transit.

Jupiter takes about 12 years to move around the Sun and spends about 1 year in each sign of the zodiac. In the personal horoscope, Jupiter is considered to be bridge energy, that is, it links the more personal and external impulses with the deeper, less obvious impulses. In working terms, Jupiter can demonstrate our sense of meaning, our level of faith or belief and our need to understand. The more that we can develop this part of our psyches, the more will be ‘in the flow’ or ‘lucky’. Currently, Jupiter is at the front end of its journey through Pisces, its own home territory, so to speak. Collectively this is a great time to do creative work or follow intuitions as they form within. Jupiter is one of the planets that helps us to understand our life in cyclical terms and most of us will experience at least 5 or 6 ( and often up to 8 or even 9) Jupiter Returns. ( A planetary return is when that celestial object revisits the exact degree that it occupied at a given birth.) So, for all of you who have Jupiter in Pisces natally, you will be experiencing this ‘return’ over the next year or so. For those of you who have Jupiter located at 23 * of Pisces or higher, this is a significant return, providing you with ample opportunity to integrate the energy of the divine into your daily life. Embrace the experience of simple being over the next few months and see what spirit has to offer you.

Neptune takes much longer to transit the zodiac, having a cycle of about 165 years or, spending about 14 years or so in each sign. Currently, Neptune is at the tail end of Aquarius, soon to enter Pisces. On a collective level, there have been many ‘breakthroughs’ in terms of cosmic awareness over the past decade and more yet to come. In Aquarius, Neptune activates those unseen connections that hold us all together in the web of life. Will we actually experience a greater sense of holistic being once the great god of the sea starts moving through his own territory, Pisces? To do so, it is important that we all do the groundwork necessary within ourselves now, while He is transiting Aquarius. Find your home/community. Develop your connection to your ‘soul group’, whatever it is. Leave your judgments at the door and clothe yourself in love.

I could talk about confusion, fog, co-dependency, addiction, deceit and so forth when exploring Neptune but I prefer to default to the more positive expression of this nebulous energy. If we think negatively, we will live negatively. So, if you start feeling muddled, just let go and seek peace. If you don’t feel flow, take some time to check your own inner ‘truth meter’. Often, we lose that sense of connection because we are lying to ourselves. Especially the Neptune in Libra generation (now mostly entering their so-called ‘golden’ years), you guys just have to take those rose coloured glasses off and call a spade a spade. Okay? Lifestyles may radically alter, relationships may suddenly fall by the wayside and any number of elaborate shams may suddenly be revealed. The key is to have the courage to admit what the truth really is. Continuing the ‘illusion’ (Neptune) is not an option and will only result in more confusion, denial and even a downward spiral into addictive behaviour. After all, all addictions are merely mechanisms that are masking some inner sense of lack or even loss. Sometimes, you have to lose it all to gain it all.

We are at the brink of some very exciting/interesting times. Connecting to the Pisces part of ourselves will only enhance the experience of the incoming decade!

If you would like to connect more specifically with your own Pisces self, the best way is to have an astrological session. As always, I would be happy to facilitate your journey into self-exploration!

Next month…fasten your seatbelts! Aries is bursting in!

2010-01-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

The Age of Aquarius

SO much has been expressed about this incoming ‘age of Aquarius’. There is, most probably, no one in the western world who has not heard this expression. It is possible that even in the Far and Middle East, this expression is known and, possibly, somewhat understood. We all know what it means when we call someone an ICON—a representative of a particular time, a symbol of a collective idea, someone who is more than themselves, even other than themselves. Well, this expression has become iconic. It suggests limitless possibility, unimaginable freedom, absolute justice and the fullness of what the future might bring to us all. It is the hope that we all hold deep in our hearts. So many dreams are woven into this expression; so much anticipation, even longing. When we hear the expression, we look forward to something brighter and better, something that is more than all that we currently can imagine. It is a testament to the power of the astrological model that this little phrase has so permeated our consciousness, even to the point of being the title for a popular song, first released in the 1960’s.

The astrological ages follow a precise schedule and as we observe this apparent movement through the zodiac we can co-relate the flavour of any given era on earth to the zodiac sign that is associated with that time. The complete cycle through the 12 signs, when observed from this vantage point, takes about 26,000 years. Thus, each individual ‘age’ is about 2000 +/- years long. When we study history using this broader timeline, we can more easily see the major trends of any given epoch; the things that define a particular age. Futurists can gain great insight when studying history in this way and their predictions become more insightful, more precise. Looking back at history is always a good tool to use when attempting to look forward to the history that is yet to be made. Obviously, at the transition point between the ages, things become intense, muddled and chaotic. At this point in time, we are in the final few gasps of the Age of Pisces or, put more positively, the first few breaths of the Age of Aquarius. Either way, both of these energies are manifest around us, collectively.

One of the resonances of the Piscean age was DEVOTION. This passionate application of principle took many forms throughout the last 2000+/- years but we can surely see it very clearly in the KIND of philosophies, both secular and religious, that dominated. As a collective we believed that we should be followers of a ‘god’ or of his apparent representatives here on earth. We deferred to ‘his’ better judgment and gave ourselves over to any number and types of dogmas and creeds. We saw ourselves as disciples or devotees of whatever doctrine we followed, whether religious or secular. We sacrificed ourselves to our passion, our chosen way of life. Who has not heard the expression, “For God and Country!” This is surely indicative of this type of devotion to something other than ourselves. This kind of ‘devotion’, which can lead to the ultimate sacrifice, is aptly symbolized by the image of a man hanging on a cross. Who does not respond to this iconic symbol with some kind of emotion? It surely could be regarded as the symbol of the Age of Pisces, at least here in the west. Certainly, the symbol of the supplicant, whatever the religious protocol, is another of the images that can be associated with the Age of Pisces.

At the highest level of vibration, Pisces taught us to aspire to higher principle, to believe in the magical aspects of faith; that it could sustain us even in the face of unimaginable circumstances. We learned to serve others and to exercise compassion to all. Reactively, we gave our power away to something outside of ourselves. We learned to feel like victims or martyrs to something that was larger than we could ever be. The distortions of this energy led to holy wars, wholesale killing in the name of some lofty ideal, judgment, censure and genocide. The primary lesson that we (hopefully) learned was that the essence of ‘god/dess’ could not be found outside of our own perception of reality. Ultimately, we learned to turn inward and to locate the god and goddess in ourselves through the process of faith, that is through the DOING of good , rather than through some nebulous attachment to the idea of faith which, in and of itself, has no impact on our immediate community.

And so, here we are at the threshold of the Age of Aquarius. What are the next 2000 years going to look like? Well, that really depends on us. In Aquarius we discover the principle of lateralism or egaliterianism. We understand that hierarchies belong to another time. We begin to truly understand that there can be no mediator between the god principle and the human being, thus, laying to rest the religious disciplines of the past 2000 years. We, each one of us, are the gurus. We, individually, can find our own pathway into illumination.

It is essential that the current feudal-like societies, where a chosen few have privilege, while the greater majority slave to sustain an unnatural social system, become a thing of the past. The ‘top-down’ kind of system is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for the collective mind to swallow. Aquarius promises us a place within ‘the web’ of life’, with no one position being superior to another. This is the age of the ‘EVERYMAN’ where all can aspire to greatness. Individually we each can find a fullness of personal expression where our talents, whatever they might be, are expressed freely, easily and contribute to our community. And, really, if we could choose one concept to define the shaping of the next two millennia, let us choose COMMUNITY and let’s really begin to think in global, even universal terms. Let’s redefine the word, “border” so that it refers only to that edge that exists around the outside of a card or piece of paper. Let’s forget that it describes a world divided into parcels of land and groups of people who regard each other with distrust and fear. With the electric energy of Aquarius guiding us, we have the opportunity to redefine what ‘community’ means, to transform the way we live with one another into something that is healing, supportive and totally different from the fractured communities that exist today. We are, truly, a group of peoples who naturally like to ‘tribe’. Today, this tribal impulse has been severely distorted. Though we live in what looks like a multi-member community—cities, towns, villages, even, to a certain extent, countries, we can go for days, weeks and even years when we barely say a word to our nearest neighbour. This is unnatural and we see the results of this distortion everywhere around us; an aging population that feels a growing fear because there is no support system, youth who are left to grow without direction because the parents are caught in the treadmill of necessary materialism, entire societies that have lost their sense of purpose and expend all of their energy in defensive actions rather than in the creation of strong and vital communities which can sustain and nurture their members. As we move into this ‘new age’, we face the challenge of recreating the way we live together and of truly implementing the ideals of equality and justice so that a new society can emerge from the ruins of our current global reality. Hopefully, it will be a true global community and not the unbalanced one that exists today where the strong rape the weak and the powerful dominate through force and in the interests of their greed rather than in the interests of the collective.

Aquarius, then, is the energy of the future. It is the energy of innovation and change. It is the ‘aha’ moment, the aspiration to a greater and better vision. The Aquarian personality excels in the application of mental energy. There is an inherent ability to ‘see’ things from a variety of focal points, giving the personality adeptness in the area of problem solving. This energy is often linked to metaphysics because it describes someone who is able to think and reason inclusively rather than exclusively. Often, Aquarian types are ‘out of the box’ thinkers, able to make that impossible leap that propels the human mind into a completely new mode of thought and being. Some of the principles that are of paramount importance to Aquarian types are ones such as community, justice, fairness, equity. Innovative, often eccentric, sometimes solitary yet always able to network and make those necessary connections, Aquarian types are the hidden leaders amongst us. Social issues and group action are often linked to this energy so it is not unusual to find Aquarian type people behind the scenes in activist groups or for that matter, any kind of association or group. They have an intuitive understanding of the principle of collectivism, that there is strength in numbers and that unity leads to victory while discord ends in defeat.

Reactively, this energy can get stuck in its own brilliance and begin to believe that it has all the answers. I call this the “Egalitarian Dictator Syndrome”. The ‘dictator’ says, and with a smile that is oh so charming, “Please, do as you choose. Just make sure that is according to my instructions!” We hear the first part while missing the second part. Because Aquarius is so mentally agile, there is always another argument to support his position and the arguments are SO good! They make so much sense! And down that rabbit hole we go!

A strongly Aquarius persona must always, always, monitor their nervous system. Oftentimes, these folks can be very ‘sparky’, even giving off real electrical charges. They need regular rest, lots of water and the kind of exercise that facilitates grounding like Tai Chi or Yoga. It is easy to stay in one’s head and suddenly realize that the body has been left behind when there is so much mental and electrical energy being generated. Anything that can remind the Aquarian type that she inhabits a physical body is a good thing. With a lot of this energy present within the psyche it is fairly easy to disconnect from the emotional body so it is important that these ‘types’ access body work of all kinds along with strategies that open and balance the emotional part of the personality.

Astrologically, Aquarius is a fixed air sign, belonging to the family that includes Gemini and Libra by element and Taurus, Leo and Scorpio by modality. Fast moving, yet strong, light yet substantial. A key lesson for all Aquarian types is FOCUS and METHOD. There is little that an Aquarian type cannot accomplish once she learns to maintain focus on first thought and develop a practical method to support that first thought. The danger is that that first thought leads to another thought and another thought and ten other thoughts and so forth and that once the mind is engaged in the sheer delight of chasing the thoughts as they flit across its screen, any hopes of developing a method of application are dashed! So, Aquarius, hang on to that first thought and follow it through to its finish. Because the mind is so fertile, it is helpful to carry around a ‘jot it down’ journal to catch the ideas as they pass through. Remember, this is the ‘age of Aquarius’ so in a sense it is the Aquarian’s time. What comes through the filter that lies between us and spirit—the ascended energies—can certainly first land in the consciousness of the Aquarian type.

The symbol associated with Aquarius is the Water-Bearer and the Zodiac symbol is the double wave, representative of flowing water. Because of this, many wrongfully assume that Aquarius is a Water sign. Water, however, means life, movement, change, all aspects of this wonderful energy. Interestingly, water serves as the source for electrical power and the Aquarius glyph of the double wave does, indeed, also evoke a sense of electrical charge. This is such an important aspect of Aquarius; that it is plugged in to the very source of being. After all, without the spark that gets things going, there is no life! The Water-Bearer is one of the few human symbols found in the Zodiac, again demonstrating the potential of nobility contained herein. It is through conscious expression of the feeling body that we, as humans can aspire to a full expression of the god/dess energy within us all. Water is also a symbol of knowledge and as the Water-Bearer pours his water upon the earth, nourishing it, so does the Aquarian part of the collective bring us all a never ending source of information that we can use to expand our minds and grow into a place of wisdom. The search for knowledge and understanding facilitates the evolution of the human psyche. The more that we understand, the more we expand; the more we expand, the more we learn and so forth.

Each of us has this energy wired into our psyches somewhere. When it is activated, we are asking ourselves to look at things from a different point of view, to be open to invention and re-invention. Wherever we find this energy in ourselves, is where we have the potential to soar to the greatest of heights, to find a unique expression of being and share it with our community of choice. Aquarius is the potential of genius in every one of us.

Star Crossings

The planets associated with this Zodiac sign are Saturn, the traditional ruler, and since its formal discovery in the 1700’s, (it was first spotted in the late 1600’s but thought to be a star), the planet Uranus. Both of these planets are considered to be heavyweights in the planetary pantheon. Saturn correlates to that part of our psyche that deals with reality and its ongoing construction through the power of our will and perceptive abilities. Uranus correlates to the personal unconscious; that place within the self that holds everything and the urge to individualize. As you can imagine, these are serious things and worthy of our attention. Last month I discussed Saturn and his entry into Libra, where by the way, this energy finds as much comfort as is possible for it to find. Libra is the great swing (think scales of justice) into balance and Saturn, above all else, seeks to bring balance. As the Lord of Karma, he establishes balance impartially and sometimes brutally. To review, once Saturn is firmly into his transit of Libra by mid 2010, he will join Pluto and Uranus in what has been dubbed the Cardinal Concord, where all three of these heavyweights will be posited in Cardinal signs, Libra (Saturn), Aries, (Uranus) and Capricorn (Pluto). Though the configuration is one that suggests tension and confrontation, it also suggests movement, action, innovation and initiative. With Pluto in Capricorn acting as the foundation and grounding mechanism while Saturn in Libra acts as the balancer, Uranus in Aries can search for new strategies to tackle the complex problematic situations that define our times. To personalize this idea we can say that we, as a collective will draw on our strength and common sense (Pluto) and to an extent, all that we have so far learned (Capricorn), as we look for new and innovative ways to address issues (Uranus in Aries), while never forgetting our ethical selves in the pursuit of these solutions (Saturn in Libra). We want to transform the very structures and foundations of our society (Pluto in Capricorn) and this is NOT a bad thing. If we are to survive, we MUST change the way we operate. Yes, yes, there is always a reactive side to any energetic set-up but to focus on what can go wrong serves no purpose. Rather, we should all, as a unified consciousness focus on what can go right in this situation. Form follows thought, after all.

So then, let’s look at Uranus. This is a slow moving planet, taking about 8 years to move through a single sign of the Zodiac. Currently, he is in the last degrees of Pisces. Anyone who has planets, especially personal ones in these late degrees of Pisces could well feel the urge to shift, to change, to alter aspects of their lives. Or, if you are resisting change, you could well go through some major events that force you to shift gears. The key to experiencing this sort of ‘transit’ in the most positive of ways is to be willing to change things up. Hanging on to old ideas, habits and mental attitudes does not work. If it is the heart that is being activated, then you have to be ready to either, welcome new friends and lovers into your world or let old ones leave. Both of these things can be challenging to say the least! As stated previously, Uranus moves into Aries for the first time in 84 years in May of 2010. He will move back into Pisces after he turns retrograde (apparently moves backward) as of August of 2010. This apparent backward motion will take him all the way back to about 27* Pisces when he stations direct in December of 2010. Finally, he will move once again into Aries in March of 2011 and here he will stay until 2018 when he moves into Taurus.

So, all you Aries types, get ready for some action! And all of you Libra types will also feel the poking from this ornery fellow. Always remember to be ready to move, and change direction, especially with fiery fast moving Aries energy as the fuel for this upcoming transit. Pay attention to intuitive ideas, be open to ‘out of the box’ solutions to long-standing problems, and do not become overly attached to any habits or ideas. Keep focusing on the concept that life is change and that change is good! Uranus transits are opportunities to align more closely with deep seated desires, to become more of who you want to be. Because we tend to ‘settle’ into patterns of behaviour that are convenient or familiar, when the opportunity to change presents itself, we can react with either fear or refusal. But, if we flow with the change, we often find that what falls away is that which we no longer needed and even, in some cases, that which was holding us prisoner to outmoded patterns of living.

Uranus transits can often be felt as difficulties and the main reason for this is that, generally speaking, humans tend to want to maintain that which they know. Security is found in all that is definable and quantifiable. Uranus says, “come with me, I am not exactly sure where we will end up since I don’t actually have a map but I can promise you that we will end up somewhere.” This is not exactly the way most of us like to approach a journey! However, if we can let go, detach from ego expectation, we can suddenly find ourselves alive in the moment and living that moment in spectacular technicolour.

So, “BE HERE NOW”, “GO WITH THE FLOW”, and SEIZE THE MOMENT”! These expressions are all evocative of the energy of Uranus. To truly become all that we have the potential to be, we must be willing to leave behind anything and everything at the drop of a hat. Can we do It? Are we up to it? Is it possible? Go and stand in front of a mirror and ask yourself the question(s) and see what you say in response. And then, JUST DO IT!

Nest month the Sun moves through Pisces. The planets associated with this energy are Jupiter and Neptune.

If you have any questions, please send them to me and I will attempt to answer them in this blog. If you have any topics that you would like to read about, let me know and I will add them as well.

Happy Valentine’s day everyone! Spend February 14 giving everyone you meet hugs!

Capricorn

2009-12-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

THE CONUNDRUM THAT IS CAPRICORN

Alright people! It is here! Finally, the Winter Solstice has arrived and the dark days are receding. When the Sun begins his transit of Capricorn, the long night is yet again behind us and we can look forward to increasing light and eventually, for those of us in the northern climes, increasing warmth. There has never been a group of people throughout history who have not marked this wondrous ‘turning point’ with some kind of celebration or ritual. As far back as the ancients, this time of the year was spent in revelry. The Romans called it Saturnalia, and yes, for those of you who are astrologically attuned, the reference is to the god named Saturn and yes, that is the planet which is associated with Capricorn.

Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the Age of Pisces, a new religion was born in the Western World. As it grew and gathered strength, it eventually superseded the old so-called pagan polytheistic religions of the previous age, Aries. The Emperor Constantine integrated the festivities associated with Saturnalia into the new official religion of Christianity in the 300’s. This was a politically motivated move to create external harmony amongst his religiously divided peoples. The pagans could find comfort in their old festivals and traditions while the Christians could feel less alienated by celebrating along with the rest of the peoples but in honour of their new God, Jesus. So, today, those of us who have been raised as Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at this time, layering our festivities on the historical celebration of a variety of long ago pagan holidays from which many of the common Christian traditions have been purloined. Think Yule Logs, for one, a tradition that finds its source in the pagan festival of Yule. It is absolutely appropriate that some celebrate the birth of a Saviour at this time of the year. It is a time of hope and renewal, repentance and forgiveness. It is a time when we can let go of the ‘old’ energy of the culminating year and turn our faces to the increasing sun as it begins to get stronger until finally, it brings forth new life from the slumbering earth just as the baby Jesus holds within himself the hope for those who put faith in him, that they will receive the gift of everlasting life. The promise of the Winter Solstice is a promise of the everlasting nature of the cycles of life and becoming.

And this, then, is the time of Capricorn, a time when we remember that there is an order to all things, that there is a process that will not be denied. Capricorn teaches us to find that measure within ourselves through the evidence that we can see outside of ourselves, to go to the root and hold fast to it knowing that it is grounded in reality and truth, to put our faith in the inexorable cycles of life because we have been witness to them in the past. We have no reason to think that we should expect any other eventuality than the one that we have always experienced; that is that life does follow a pattern and that it always will.

As I mentioned last month, in many ways the ingress (entry) of the Sun into Capricorn is a beginning—like the New Moon. And, just as we can attune to new intentions, create new wishes and begin to construct new designs at the New Moon, so, too, at this time of the year, we can take a few moments to renew our intentional selves and attune to new pathways of becoming. This is most appropriately linked to Capricorn, an energy concerned with building, construction, growth. It is in the element of EARTH that process begins and Capricorn is an earth sign, part of the family that includes Taurus and Virgo. It’s modality is cardinal where it is joined by Aries, Cancer and Libra. In the Natural Zodiac Wheel, it rests firmly at the southernmost part of that wheel or, as the eye sees it, the top. In astrological terms, it is aligned to the Midheaven, the most elevated point in the chart. So, though this energy is often quiet, reserved, contained and cautious, it is also deliberate, determined, goal-oriented and resourceful. It understands how to measure worth and then how to utilize that worth for maximum return. No wonder that it is often linked to business, commerce and management of some kind.

But what about all that merry-making that goes on at Winter Solstice or Christmas? How does that co-relate to the energy of Capricorn? The answer is simple. Real celebration is that which is experienced as a result of accomplishment and Capricorn understands how to accomplish. So, when the work is finally done, this energy knows how to let loose and revel in its own success. Under that seemingly reserved and cautious exterior, is a sensuous, even hedonistic interior that is merely waiting for a reason to express itself. So, if you are a Capricorn type or have Capricorn types in your life, this is a good thing to understand—that they actually need an outlet on a regular basis, that without an outlet, they could well become so compressed that a distortion in the persona may even occur. Whenever something is not expressed openly and freely, it will find some other way to express itself. And this is the case with Capricorn. It is important to acknowledge it when there is a need to ‘let loose’. So, all you Capricorns, all work and no play makes ‘Jack’ a dull boy, right?

Capricorn is the Elder energy of the Zodiac. Contained within it is the wisdom of the collected lives lived by the soul in question. If someone has chosen to ‘work’ through this energy on an ego level, either being born under the sign or having a lot of the personal planets in this sign, an intrinsic part of their soul contract involves a culmination process. Depending on the structure of the individual psyche, we can see someone who is operating in full fruition of the qualities expressed by the chart or, conversely, someone who has contracted to ‘pay out’ the debt of past lives through the current life experience. Whatever the case in question, there is a deep knowledge contained within this energy, knowledge of application that leads to result, the knowledge of how to persevere under any circumstances, the knowledge of how to apply determination and true grit of spirit to get results. Reactively, if the current life is a life of ‘payout’, the ego can experience frustration and even despair as a result of unrealized potential or dealing with the feeling that every move is impeded somewhere and somehow. Acceptance is a great tool when facing frustration and even despair. Focusing on the cyclical nature of life is also helpful. In the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the Wheel of Fortune card demonstrates this truth; that life is constantly changing. In the popular song, “That’s Life’, the songwriter expresses this idea very nicely when he writes, “riding high in April, shot down in May…but I’ll be back on top, back on top in June…that’s life…” If you are one of those Capricorn types who is facing challenge in your life (and at this current moment in time that would not be overly surprising), find the Wheel of Fortune card and use it as a focusing device. Gaze at this card and examine the nature of the wheel. Note that it appears to be in constant motion. Move into the motion of the Wheel and feel it inside of yourself. Trust that whatever is difficult, challenging, even unbearable, will, indeed, pass. Try it. You might find some relief if you need to endure just a bit longer.

Capricorn is an energy that loves to construct, to build, to sustain and to order all that is in disorder. Its sense of wealth is founded on minimalism rather than accumulation. And yet, through skilful management of whatever resource it has, it can create substance seemingly out of nothing. It is like the soup pot that sustains the family for the whole week, simple yet nourishing, spare yet filling the belly. Ah, Capricorn, what would we do without you!

Competency is second nature to this energy and if there is something that needs mastering, there is a strong will to apply to the task. As an earthy energy, Capricorn concerns itself with what is real, what is, not with what might be. This is one of the great strengths of this energy; the ability to work in the present with what is available, a can do kind of spirit that avoids self-pity at any cost, sometimes even at the cost of its own self. So, for those of you who are in relationship with a Capricorn type, nurture them even when they appear not to need it!

The most ancient symbol associated with Capricorn is the Sea Goat, a mythic creature with the body of a fish and the head and shoulders of a goat. In modern times this symbol was conveniently represented as a plain goat. Even in this, we glean something about the energy. Overtly, the Capricorn psyche aligns itself with the obvious, the goat. Clever, persistent and sure-footed, the hardy mountain goat can navigate just about any terrain. However, underneath that visibly competent exterior swirl the complexities of a different kind of nature and one that starkly contrasts with the practical, down to earth one we usually ascribe to this energy. Yet again, we are reminded that there is much more to Capricorn than meets the eye, literally demonstrated in the fishy body hidden deep in the water. Another way of understanding this dual nature is that this is, above all else, an energy that is able to find solutions to problems. The original myths associated with the Sea Goat involve the magic of shape-shifting in order to elude capture and survive. Capricorn is resourceful, able to assume many different forms in the face of danger, challenge and threat. If one strategy does not work, Capricorn will devise an alternate one until solution is realized. What an energy! Willing to face anything, able to go the distance, dependable and trustworthy and indestructible! Or, at least that is what it would like us to think!

If this energy is not consciously worked, the Capricorn psyche can be cold, seemingly unsympathetic and harsh. There is a danger that one could become too hard-nosed, too matter of fact and suppress all the magic that is also a part of this crazy life we live. The need for results can sometimes lead to ruthlessness and even cruelty. The expression coined by Machiavelli that, “the end justifies the means’ lends insight into the darker side of Capricorn ambition. And, just as the Mountain goat can jump over obstacles and land sure-footed on almost any surface, so, too, can the driven, goal-oriented Capricorn psyche disregard the welfare of those around him and even ‘under’ his metaphorical feet as he leaps into his self-perceived destiny. There can be a disregard for tender emotion and even impatience with others’ less practical attitude to reality. Interestingly, it is by accessing the feeling nature of the opposite or partner sign, Cancer, that Capricorn can bring some balance into its sometime too black and white world view. This means making an effort to open the heart chakra, ‘hear’ the ringing of the bell that is the heart chakra sound and becoming attuned to the message that the bell brings when it rings. For those of you who have experienced the ‘Heart Bell, you know how full of emotion this sound is, how it opens the self wide to the love that is the universal spirit of compassion and forgiveness, both qualities to which Capricorn must mindfully aspire. Once Capricorn determines that it must become more compassionate, more emotional, it will pursue this just as it pursues anything else, with determination, perseverance, single-mindedness and devotion. No wonder this energy can do just about anything!

The energies of BEAR (as a totem) co-relate very nicely to Capricorn energy. Following is a description of this strong power animal.
BEAR
Stand with me in silence. Feel the rhythm of my heart deep within your heart, beating in harmony as the sun drops slowly into the arms of the sea. I bring you remembrance and I bring you foresight. Use them well as you walk into the west, into the setting sun.
I am the sleeper who dreams the dream. As I lay deep within the hidden caves, I spin the story of your life. Come and join me in the world of dream and magic. In the place of magic and miracles, I will show you the Earth and I will show you the Sky. I will take you to the Rainbow Bridge that runs between the two. Rest with me in the shade of the Great Tree and gather wisdom from the rustling leaves. Silent, let it be.
In the bright light of the steamy Sun and the cool light of the luminescent Moon, we will dance together in the Great Circle of Joy. I will teach you to listen to the Sun, to feel the power within and to listen to the Moon, to hear the whisper of truth and to ride these rays with nimble feet.
If you have a question, enter into my stillness and speak. Out of the silence I will answer and you will hear my voice. All that is asked in purity has a response born in mercy. My silence is your silence is my silence. Let it be so. And so will you know.
I am the healer and I bring you the skill of knowing the cure. Follow my lead and let your inner knowing guide you through the sickness that you seek to salve. I can tear away all that is rotten and soothe all that is broken. I know how to quiet the burning of the flesh and I know how to rouse the healer within you.
I am HE who fears nothing. I am raw courage, true and strong. I will stand by you as you defend those that call for your help. I will help you as you help others.
If you call me to your side, I will bring you my devoted support. I will teach you silence in the face of chaos and self-certainty in the face of doubt. I will open your heart to the love that is always present and show you how to drink deep from the cup of loving kindness. I will never leave you unless you tell me to go. Once we have bound each one to the other, I will stay at your side forever.
I am all that you wish to be and even more, that which you cannot even imagine. If you walk with me in courage and in trust, I will show you the pathway to your perfect self. Follow me. Follow me.
I am Bear and together we can dream the dream.

Star Crossings

The planet that is associated with Capricorn is Saturn. In mythology, Saturn (or Cronos) is one of the primary gods. Saturn’s story is a story of passion, power and pain. He overthrew his own father in his lust for power and then ate his own young so as to maintain his supremacy. Ultimately, he was overthrown by one of his own children, Jupiter, who then assumed the primary position amongst the pantheon of gods in Olympus. These mythological stories serve to illuminate something about the qualities of this planetary archetype. We begin to understand, when we meditate on them, that we, all of us, have built into our psyches the drive to dominate, to control our reality, to succeed according to whatever criteria we have set for ourselves. We have as deep a resonance of fear as we do of love and unless we consciously work through this resonance of fear, it can dominate our lives. In the Saturn function that is wired into the persona, we face the limits of our consciousness and we pay the price for every action we take (karma).

Saturn teaches us about the measure of time, that there is a cycle for everything. The physical planet has an orbital time of about 30 years so astrologers use the Saturn cycle to mark turning points in the life cycle. The first Saturn threshold comes at about 7 years of age. There is a whole body of work on this period of life, demonstrating how critical those first formative years are for the developing child. At 7 we begin to assume a more defined sense of self and it is the experience of the preceding 7 years that contribute to that sense of self. The next Saturn threshold is at about 14-15, the onset of adolescence, then 21, the entry into a preliminary kind of adulthood and then finally, 29-30 when, in most cases, we deal with the results of our choices, stepping fully into responsibility for not only ourselves but often for the family that we have begun to grow. If, at this point in the cycle, you have not put in the ‘time’ to create a firm, stable foundation, you will have no choice but to do so in whatever way is available to you. As an example, if you have not made an effort to develop some way to support yourself, you could experience any number of ‘hardships’ at this point in time. Nevertheless, the brutal reality is that you will have to deal with whatever it is that you have done. No skills? No job. No job? No money. No options? Well, off you go and work to find some. It may take time and require effort but the promise of Saturn is that if you put in the effort and take the time, you will begin to turn things around.

Saturn is all about the ultimate reality check. It is through the process of facing up to our actions, counting out or measuring the cost of all that we have done, that we learn and grow. If we heed the inner teacher, the Saturn function, we gather strength, we stabilize and we prosper. If we ignore the lessons of Saturn, we will not escape the consequences that ensue. In a sense, Saturn teaches us about the delicacy of true balance, about the process of finding that pivot point within the self. It is vital that we work hard to construct an inner structure that will enable us to maintain the reality that we are manifesting. Through Saturn, we truly learn who we are and slowly, with determination and perseverance we can hone ourselves to become diamond bright souls rather than coal dust that can be scattered with a mere gust of wind. So, though we use words like containment and limit when discussing Saturn, we understand that it is a containment of security and a limit that creates comfort.

In the mythic story, Saturn is ultimately overthrown by Jupiter. This part of the story informs us that Goodness will always triumph over Evil. Our job is to maintain Trust that this is, indeed, so. Paradoxically, by accessing the Saturn Function within the self, we can actually arrive full-blown at the Jupiter function, that is to live in full faith and within the arms of spirit.

The thing to focus on is that any part of the persona has a reactive side and that it is sometimes easier to give in or give up than to stand firm and hang in. That is why we often associate so-called ‘bad’ things with Saturn. In fact, the truth is that there is relief in any situation if we only keep going and maintain faith. By connecting with our own inner will, another aspect of the Saturn part of the psyche, we can master whatever it is that we are experiencing. Thus, the reference to the teacher archetype associated with Saturn. At times, we can feel as if we are being ‘tested’ by our life experiences but if we draw on previous lessons learned and maintain an attitude of determination, we can grow into true masters rather than mere victims.

Saturn moves slowly through the signs of the Zodiac, spending about 2 ½ years in each one. Currently Saturn is in the early degrees of Libra but will be stationing Retrograde in January at about 4* of Libra and moving right back into Virgo to reactivate those of us who have a late degree Saturn in Virgo. By July of 2010, Saturn will once again re-enter Libra and he will be finished with his activation of the Virgo part of the soul chart. Many of you 30 year olds are just now experiencing your first ‘Saturn Return’, a time of realization, accountability and ultimate reality. Those of you who are around 60 are going through your 2nd Saturn Return, a time of potential fruition, even deeper realization and a coming to terms with the reality that you have so far constructed. Hopefully, the experience in both cases is good!

Of course, everyone has each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac situated somewhere in their psyche, and wherever Virgo and Libra fall in your psyche is where you will be having ‘Saturn-like’ experiences. If the experiences are challenging, even threatening, you are being asked to reconsider what you are doing. How can you be more diligent, pay greater attention to the bottom line, take more responsibility for any actions that you have taken or are taking? Where in your life must you hold fast, stay steady, hang tough? On the other hand, you might be reaping the rewards for hard work already accomplished, feeling full and content, experiencing a sense of safety and security. This, too, is the Saturn effect. If you know your chart, you can locate where Virgo and Libra fall, and then explore just what is going on in that part of your life that could co-relate to some of the ideas I have discussed here. Following is a very brief description of what the 12 houses of the horoscope co-relate to.

House 1—body/self
House 2—resources/values
House 3—mental body/communication
House 4—home base/the personal
House 5—love/creativity & luck
House 6—daily routine/work/habits/health
House 7—interpersonal life
House 8—life/death/taxes & all things intimate
House 9—travel/education
House 10—you in the world out there/social personal
House 11—group associations/social causes
House 12—the inner life/unconscious drivers

As you can see, these 12 categories of experience pretty well cover what life is about, from the mundane concerns like resource and occupation (houses 2 & 6) to the more complex issues of meaning (house 9), relationships (houses 7& 8), and the inner life (houses 4 & 12). We move through our lives and like a surfer on his board, we navigate the waves, sometimes riding high and other times wiping out. Through the experiences we have, we acquire life skills, knowledge and even, for some fortunate few, wisdom, fruition of self. The key is that this is an ongoing experiential process. There is never a full stop and even transition from this physical life to whatever lies beyond merely takes us into yet another aspect of this spiral of becoming.

When considering Saturn, we face the bottom line of whatever sphere of life is being activated. As we stand face to face with the reality that we have created, we reap the results of our actions, positive or negative. If, in fact, we experience challenge or suffering, the assurance is that, if we pay attention to the ‘lesson’, we can then begin to shift our reality, brick by brick, so as to alleviate the extent of the suffering. The thing to keep in mind is that life is a wheel, always turning, never at a standstill even when it might appear to be so to our limited subjective minds.

On a collective level, Saturn is joining Pluto to create, astrologically speaking, a Cardinal Square; that is, Pluto is currently in the sign of Capricorn and Saturn is in Libra. These two energies are linked geometrically by a 90* separation within the 360* circle. The square aspect is considered to be a dynamic and sometimes challenging aspect. The dynamic part of this contact comes from the spark created through the intrinsic friction that this sharp alignment can generate. Pressure creates a reaction, sometimes compression, but ultimately this leads to a burst of activity. The Pluto part of this contact can be summed up in the words power & transformation. When this is conjoined to the Saturn aspect of reality, we begin to understand that the basic structure of what we see and experience is being transformed. Look at the current economic crisis. The very fundamentals of how the money markets work is being changed, harshly and in unforgiving terms because as a collective, we did not pay attention to detail, did not look to the bottom line, avoided facing the consequences for irresponsible spending and investing. In Libra, Saturn is seeking to bring in a balancing of accounts, attempting to find a compromise that will settle accounts and recreate some degree of relief from suffering. I feel that there is much to be hoped for with these two archetypes in these two energies. Both Libra and Capricorn promise safety and security if we only work with this energy and not against it. Libra is beautiful, full of goodness, fair, just and kind. Capricorn is strong, steadfast and secure, providing support at the highest level. It is up to us to find beauty in our lives, reduce consumption, develop altruism and social consciousness, work hard and save more. We are changing and our community of choice is changing because of the change in us. There is a saying that espouses the concept that ‘we should be the change that we wish to see’. This Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra Concord points us in the right direction for effecting change on the microcosmic (individual) and macrocosmic (collective) level. Let us all reduce, reuse and renew. Let us all seek inner contentment rather than external transitory stimulation. We are asking ourselves, both individually and collectively, to contain and sustain all aspects of our reality. No more throw-away culture, please. It takes a great effort of will to make such intrinsic changes to the status quo. We have to change the way we think, feel and ultimately act to see even a little bit of change. We must examine our desire body and teach it to want to sustain and contain rather than consume and destroy. It isn’t going to be easy but it can be done if we have the inner grit to do it. Do we? Will we?

Early in 2010, Uranus, the planet that represents sudden and sometimes radical shift, the unexpected and unpredictable will join Pluto and Saturn in the Cardinal Concord when it enters Aries. These three archetypal psychic forces will form a very dynamic energetic alignment called a T-Square, Saturn & Uranus standing opposite each other and Pluto at 4-square to each of them. Expect to see events that are surprising, sudden and radical in nature in the area of value, security, intrinsic structure; the systems that govern us all. We, as a group of people, are seeking solution and with the presence of Uranus into the mix, we are signaling that we will do whatever it takes to shake things up, get things moving, bring about the change that is vital if we, as a species, are to survive. We really do live in interesting times!

Next month, I will discuss both Saturn and Uranus when we explore the whacky and wonderful energy of Aquarius.

Happy Birthday to all the Capricorns out there. If you are feeling like a tune-up, contact me for your Annual Metaphysical. (Read more about what you get from the session @ www.christinarai.com.)

And, of course, please everyone, have a happy, safe and glorious holiday time. Connect with your true friends and loved ones, make new ones and raise a good old glass of ‘red’ (or white) to the gods and goddesses of laughter, love and joy. Whatever your preferred holiday greeting is at this wonderful and magical time, say it and believe.

The Qwirky Quest of Sagittarius

2009-11-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

The Qwirky Quest of Sagittarius

Here we are at the end of November, just a month away from Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the time of Sagittarius; intense, urgent, anticipatory. We have the sense that SOMETHING is about to appear. We feel every throb of life, every beat of our pulse, every circuit our blood makes. This is the pause before the leap, that moment of almost unbearable anticipation. In the northern hemisphere, and especially the farther north that you go, we live more in the dark than in the light, eagerly looking forward to the turning point in the yearly cycle when the light begins to increase. According to Shamanic Astrology the Winter Solstice co-relates to the New Moon phase—the beginning of all things--since this gateway marks the time of the yearly cycle when the Sun once again begins to gather strength; that is, the days begin to grow longer. Thus, this time period just before that singular point of birth and becoming can be aligned to the Dark Moon or Balsamic Moon phase. Everything is reduced to its most essential self during Dark Moon. The end merges with the beginning. The rich compost of experience is now poised to fuel and nudge the hard seed deep within the earth and to soften it in preparation for the call of the Spring Equinox, when it begins to send forth its roots and tender shoots and to find the sun once again. Sound exciting, confusing, intense, hopeful, sort of hard but ever optimistic? Well, there you have Sag, an energy that has many sides to it. It is fitting that Sag fills this most intense part of the yearly cycle with its questing, intense energy. We know that there is a brighter day just beyond the horizon and even though we sometimes feel as if we are flailing about in the dark, we remain hopeful that we will eventually find something that makes sense out of the chaos. Sagittarius is much like this, confusing, yet hopeful, intense, yet not constant, urgent but perhaps not keenly focused. And yet, at all times keenly interested in the underlying meaning of all things, looking always for the bigger picture where all the seemingly inane minutia of life begins to make some sense.

Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. It is part of the group that includes Aries and Leo and is also aligned to Gemini, its polarity sign, as well as Virgo and Pisces by mutability. Mutable energy is adaptable, constantly in movement with the capacity to support tremendous change. Fiery energy is action oriented, creative, passionate and aspiring. Sagittarius is the Free-spirited, Gypsy like Wanderer in contrast to the Warrior, Aries and the Royal, Leo, its fire brethren.

The symbol associated with Sag is the Centaur, a creature of myth who was part human and part animal. Contained within this symbol is yet another aspect of the Sagittarius nature. There is an aspiration to nobility and spirit as signified by the human head of the creature and a link to the animal nature of desire and impulse as shown by the horse’s body of the creature. In Sag there is an ongoing struggle to reconcile the so-called lower nature with the so-called higher nature. The Centaurs were both students, particularly of the healing arts, and carousers, given to wine, women and song. The term ‘party hardy’ covers their attitudes nicely. On a subtle level, however, we can begin to understand that in Sagittarius we can find the pathway to spirit through the physical experience as opposed to the usual understanding that the search for spirit necessarily means that the seeker must reject his physical self and the desire body connected to it.

On the ‘natural wheel’, Sagittarius is found in the 9th house, usually associated with the higher mind and the quest for spiritual understanding. How interesting then, that we may find a clue to the means for this quest in the symbol that represents this energy, the centaur. Here is the power packed message that many miss when considering Sagittarius. We must integrate the lower nature and the higher nature so that they work together in their ‘flight’ into spirit. This idea is nicely represented by the half man, half horse symbol of Sagittarius. To deny that we are human, contained in flesh, subject to the desires and needs associated with being material creatures is to profoundly miss the point of why we are here on this plane of existence. Sagittarius tells us to honour the so-called ‘lower’ self; that is to feel the body, sate the mind, salve the emotional self, while also honouring the aspiring part of ourselves to reach out for the god/dess within each of us, that is, spirit. We have all come to this plane to have the material/physical experience and through that experience to find Spirit. As long as we are here, we will never find Spirit by denying that we are fleshly.

A Sagittarius persona then, is a mixture of seemingly opposing drivers; the pursuit of pleasure is juxtaposed against a deep inner desire to understand the meaning of life. Joy is easily accessed in the hurley burley, topsy turvey race into life. Decisions can come quickly and sometimes impulsively and words can sometimes spill out of the mouth before the mental body can check them for suitability. This is all due to the incredible zest that underscores every moment for the ‘Sag’ type.

The horse part of the Centaur is a powerful representation of energy in motion. As a power animal, Horse brings a sense of freedom, will-power, speed, independence. There is a sense of stamina and endurance. He is the harbinger of adventure and the distant horizon that beckons to the traveler. There is an inherent wildness contained in this symbol, a connection to the primitive power of muscle and bone. Interestingly, Sagittarius is connected to the thighs and we all know how powerful the thighs of a horse can be. Energetically, the thighs represent our ability to carry ourselves forward, to propel ourselves through life’s landscape, no matter the terrain we encounter. Sagittarius mirrors this ability. There is a deep seated optimism found in the pure energy of Sag. Nothing is insurmountable and the cup is always half full! (See my description of HORSE energy later in this blog.)

The reactive side of this energy can be demonstrated by exaggeration, random impulse resulting in chaotic results, thoughtlessness and deceit. All of these things are rooted in the underlying exuberance of this energy. It is vital that anyone with a focus of Sag in their psyches maintain a watchful awareness of these aforementioned tendencies. The exaggeration is a result of sometimes mindless optimism. The random impulse may well be a result of the abundant energy inherent in a strongly Sag psyche which has yet to learn managing mechanisms so that their exuberance and impatience is directed mindfully and not haphazardly in a higgledy piggledy way. The thoughtlessness is just unchecked impulse and the result of having a kind of matter of fact attitude to being ‘honest’, without taking into account that truth is seldom absolute. The deceit is connected to a tendency to amplify and expand, the ‘storyteller syndrome’. As always, any of these negative manifestations are merely a distortion of the energy and, with some application, can be modified within the personality and used in a proactive fashion. We need persons who are optimistic and ready to tackle whatever comes their way, people who are enthusiastic, devoted to honesty and able to entertain us with their wit and mental agility. Who can imagine a party without someone present who can make others laugh, who can incite others to fun, for instance. These are the gifts that Sagittarius gives to the collective.

Sagittarius is, after all is said and done, an energy that seeks truth, the higher mind and meaning in the midst of the madness of seemingly random existence. It is only when we are willing to explore that which is unknown and not familiar that we can get a glimpse of the potential that we all have within ourselves. The Sagittarius part of the psyche is where we can connect to this exploratory, truth-seeking impulse!

Jupiter, the Ruler of Sag

Every sign has a planet associated with it and in the case of Sagittarius, that planet is Jupiter. There was a time when Astrologers looked for a ‘well-placed’ or ‘powerful’ Jupiter in a chart when doing delineation. They were looking for the ‘luck’ factor in someone’s life. Today, we understand that there is more to life than luck, the quality often associated with this planet. We also understand that the saying, “Too much of a good thing” can be painfully true. That is how the Jupiter part of the psyche can be—big, beautiful and rather overwhelming, taking up the whole darn room and leaving little place for anything else.

On a deeper level, Jupiter co-relates to right brain kind of thinking, creative, circular, holistic as opposed to Mercury which is more linear, detail oriented and logical. We now know that these two supposedly separate parts of the brain are not so separate after all and actually work together, sending messages from one side to the other. Still, it is interesting that visionary thinkers often focus on the ‘big picture’ leaving the nuts and bolts to others to work through. The Jupiter function within the self seeks vision and an underlying theme to whatever it is exploring. Once the idea is hatched, the left brain is enlisted to work out the kinks and make things run smoothly or just make sense. Creativity is the key!

In terms of cycles, Jupiter takes 12 years to transit the 12 signs of the zodiac, spending about 1 year in each of the 12. This is not exact and for instance, someone could have a 5th ‘Jupiter return’ at age 59, just short of their 60th birthday. This once in 12 year turn of the wheel is a time of opportunity, expansion, augmentation, sometimes exaggeration, joyfulness, adventure and often hectic activity in the area of life that the natal (or birth) Jupiter is keyed to. At this point in time, Jupiter is just completing his transit of Aquarius and will soon enter the sign of Pisces. Anyone with Jupiter in Aquarius has just had or will soon have their once in 12 year ‘Jupiter return’ when this planet finds itself back at the very same degree of the Zodiac that it occupied at birth. Then, next year and into 2011, anyone with Jupiter in Pisces will experience this cyclic event. The Jupiter return is a great time to tweak any long term goals. It is a great time to reconnect to inner faith and renew a sense of meaning within the context of the life. This is a time of optimism and opportunity in most cases though, naturally, for a specific reading of this transit, it is useful to go to an astrologer and get detailed feedback.

Of course, everyone will be having some sort of ‘Jupiterian’ experience and we can get of sense of this by locating what area of the birth chart will hold the energy of this Aquarian/Pisces transit. If you know where Aquarius and Pisces are in your own birth chart you can use the following list of key ideas to reflect on the opportunities that may present themselves over the course of the next few years.

In house
1 increase of activity
opportunities to explore new things
2 resource riches; going out & coming in
getting connected to what you truly love
3 feeling good about what you think & how you speak
the mental life expands
4 the inner life expands
a focus on the home
5 fun increases
luck may show up
romance and attraction
the creative center is opened
6 opportunity to refine the daily routine
lots to do
a potential to create ritual in the day to day life
7 friendships, partnerships, relationships abound
8 the inheritance of unexpected blessings
a brush with the real meaning of life
a potential for the ‘aha’ moment
9 adventure calls
opportunities to travel, explore & imagine
10 the reward for effort made
recognition; notoriety
11 the call to community feeling
opportunities for social action
potential to realize goals & dreams
12 mystical experience is potential
a reconnection to the divine

In all cases, the key to accessing the full potential of the Jupiter part of the self is to take the experience, whatever it might be, and look at it through the lens of meaning. This is where we are seeking for the greater vision of who we can potentially be. This is that part of us that aspires towards a greater nobility of spirit, a deeper meaning of being. Wherever the floodgates of experience and opportunity are opening in our life, we must consciously manage the flow so as to not get swept away by the force of the deluge. Opportunity can easily turn into excess. Jupiter is the ‘great benefic’ or in layman’s language, the bestower of blessing. It is, however, up to each of us individually to maximize on the gifts that Jupiter brings.

Here is a description of the energy of HORSE as a power animal.

HORSE

Come, run with me into the valleys and across the plains. I will carry you like the wind into the future of yourself.

I am the POWER of WILL, the ability to do what needs to be done. I am FREEDOM and INDEPENDANCE. I know myself best when I am chasing the wind as it sweeps across the face of the Earth.

I can go a great distance and then keep on going. What do you need to ENDURE? I will show you how to endure it.

Listen to the pounding of my hooves as they carry me along. It is the drumbeat of life that pounds beneath me. It is the rhythm of being that carries me forward.

I will stand beside you in your journey into adventure. I will be there when you need me to whisk you away from danger. I am power. I am speed. I am distance.

Whisper into my ear and I will hear you. Run your hands over my smooth, sleek body and I will obey. But do not try to hold me. Do not fence me in. Jump up and lay your body down upon me and together we will gallop into the horizon, wild and free.

I can hear you, friend. I can hear your thoughts so think only those things that heal you. Fill your mind with goodness and with love. Be kind. Be gentle and yet be firm and strong.

I will show you how to manage your reality, to maximize what you have and to find what you need. Listen to my call and follow, follow, follow.

What do you want to do? What is your most secret dream? Where does your potential lie? I can take you to the place where the answers to these questions are waiting for you to find them. Come with me on this adventure into becoming.

Watch how I run alone. Watch how I run with others. Watch and learn.

I am HORSE and I will be your friend.

2009-10-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

The Mystery of Scorpio

We are well into the waning cycle of the year now. The days are ever shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The energy body is vibrating at a slower rate no matter the level of consciousness. The natural inclination, both physically and emotionally is to cocoon. We think about building fires to keep us cozy, cooking warm medleys of harvest veggies to fill our bellies and generally stepping back into the darker parts of the cave. This is the time of Scorpio, that mysterious, intriguing energy that is both attractive and somewhat fearful, at least when it is not truly understood.

Scorpio is a fixed water sign, part of the elemental family that includes Cancer and Pisces and the modal family that includes Taurus, Leo and Aquarius. It has more symbols associated with it than any other of the zodiac signs. They are the scorpion, the snake, the dove, the eagle and lastly, the phoenix. Each symbol demonstrates one of the many facets of this complex, impenetrable energy.

The symbol of the Scorpion speaks for itself and is the one most commonly known as the Scorpio symbol. The stinger of the Scorpion is the key here. Often, these stings can be deadly and if not mortal, then resulting in severe illness. Behind the impenetrable mask that Scorpio can wear rests a profound self-protective ability. This, actually, is the true understanding of the scorpion’s stinger. Very rarely will this little creature sting just for the heck of it. It is only when he is in danger that he shifts gears and sticks out his back end. The Scorpio psyche also can be extremely long-suffering until that point of no return is reached and it feels that it has no choice but to protect itself!

The snake is representative of the regenerative ability of the Scorpio psyche to continually ‘shed its skin’. Whenever snakes have outgrown that outer lining, a process, ecdysis, occurs. This is something that is related to growth and when we apply it to the energy called Scorpio, we begin to get an insight into a bottom-line necessity of this complex energy; that is, that it is in a constant state of becoming, needing to leave behind, in some cases, even things that appeared to be critical to its very survival—like its skin! When snakes get ready to shed their skins, they experience a loss of vision and a period of inactivity, often retreating to the darkest and most moist place they can find. Scorpio psyche reflects this by becoming intensely introspective when going through shifts, often losing objectivity and perspective. On an ego level, this can look like anti-social behaviour, a touchiness that can result in sometimes violent encounters with others and an inability to find solutions easily. Thankfully, these periods are often short-lived and the ‘snake’ comes out on the other side with shiny eyes and a sleek new skin. Basically, all growth can be accompanied by pain. Scorpio psyche, however, really feels this pain!

The Dove is one of the more obscure symbols associated with Scorpio but herein rests a truly lovely aspect of the Scorpio psyche and one which is certainly worth pursuing for all you Scorpio types. It is representative of an almost infinite capacity for the demonstration of a peace based love, the love of the Christ, a love so large that it can heal, unite, incite to joy and generally uplift anyone who comes into contact with it. A developed Scorpio type can serve as the vehicle for this sort of inspiration to all who come into contact with him/her.

The Eagle as a Scorpio symbol is all about wisdom, vision, prescience, a certain aloofness and the connection to spirit. Just as the eagle can soar above the earth and see from a distance, Scorpio psyche can see far beyond the outside of any situation and get down to the nitty gritty, often having the capacity to ‘dive’ into the exact spot for which he is searching and find that nugget of truth that needs to be unearthed. Eagles are solitary creatures who nest in remote, inaccessible places. Scorpio, too, finds contentment in periods of aloneness and in a figurative sense is often inaccessible emotionally, hard to understand and hard to reach. However, the Scorpio type who embodies Eagle is farsighted and if the inner moral compass is highly developed can be a transformative element in any group to which he/she is aligned. The key, of course, is the ‘highly developed inner moral compass’.

Finally, the symbol of the Phoenix demonstrates regeneration, the huge capacity for both survival and rebirth that this energy can have in the face of adversity. Just as the Phoenix is reborn out of its own ash after having been consumed by a self-igniting fire, so, too, Scorpio uses its experience to reinvent itself continually. For some Scorpio types this can result in a sense of having lived many lives in one lifetime. Looking in on this process from the outside, it appears both frightening—the ignition and flame and consumption of the being—and extraordinarily beautiful—the emergence of the old/new bird out of the iridescent flames that have consumed its predecessor! And so, too, can Scorpio seem both frightening and beautiful to those on the outside. What is it that can move a being to such limits, we think, as we watch in awe this regenerative process.

When we consider the complexity of the 5 symbols, we begin to get an insight into the workings of this secretive and seductive energy. Often times, Scorpio itself does not totally understand what it is doing, though this would never be admitted. When dealing with this energy, either in yourself or especially in relationship, keep in mind the intense emotionality that lurks under that implacable surface. This is not the emotion of compassion or love. It is the emotion of passion which can easily turn into rage, a rage that can consume and destroy with its intensity and blind fury. Used proactively, however, it is the energy of incredible purpose, determination, focus, devotion. The love of a Scorpionic type is all consuming, passionate, riveting and tending to eclipse all others. The key, again, is to mindfully manage the sheer power of this dark organic energy.

Before the discovery of Pluto, Scorpio’s modern day ruler, the planet associated with this sign was Mars and now we begin to understand the intensity, the fire, the passion that is linked to this energy. I heard someone describe themselves once as the “ultimate fire energy”, Scorpio. This person did not know that Scorpio was in the water family of signs but I can understand what he meant. He was resonating with the ruler, Mars, who’s other associated sign is Aries, one of the three fire signs of the Zodiac. No wonder that there exists a strange yet powerful connection between Scorpio and Aries. They both understand the power of impulse, the strength of passion!

One of the things that Scorpio must be mindful of is the abuse of power. Power can only be abused if one holds it and Scorpio lives in the reality of power-brokering. Because this energy is so attracted to power, it can find itself suddenly in thrall to it, either internally or externally. One of the lessons that anyone with Scorpio energy is learning is how to apply personal power without harming either oneself or others.

Another lesson is relinquishment. Scorpio must learn to let go of anything that restricts its growth and this could range from material possessions to relationships to old and sometimes bitter feelings. If you have Scorpio energy and find yourself brooding over things that you cannot control, crying over ‘spilt milk’, or constantly reliving past situations, this is an indicator that you still have releasing work to do. To attain a maximum growth potential, Scorpio types would benefit from intense energy work, with full body contact. Since a lot of the trapped energy is karmically based, the deeper a healer can go, the better. This deep, intense type of body work is not recommended for all psyches but the Scorpio psyche is tough and resilient and can ‘go the distance’. Recall the image of the Phoenix as it cycles through its birth, death and rebirth.

For those who are shamanically inclined, Scorpio is The Shaman. As the Shaman, Scorpio feels no fear when facing the unknown. The lower worlds of primitive animal energies are familiar to Scorpio psyche. The upper worlds where spirits dwell hold no mystery to Scorpio. When we enter into the realm of Scorpio, we are stepping into magic. Yet another archetype linked to Scorpio is The Magician. It feels as if Scorpio ‘knows’ something while everyone else is in the dark. This, of course, is the essence of magic, the ability to perpetrate an illusion and sustain its apparent reality even in the face of denial.

Strongly Scorpionic types often have an almost palpable energy field around them that can both attract or repel depending again, on the consciousness behind the field. It is this energy that can make others’ skin either crawl or tingle depending on the chemistry involved.

All of these various characteristics demonstrate how vital it is that Scorpio learn to understand itself and then to apply its considerable magnetic power to appropriate use rather than ego driven manipulative use.

If you know that you are a Scorpio Sun (born between October 23-November 21 ish), you would benefit from an astrological reading. The layers of your soul energy are many and varied and this last decade has probably been confusing on any number of levels or spiritually energizing, especially for those of you born from 0* Scorpio (October 23) to 25* Scorpio ( November 17). Those born after this date are about to experience a time of potential spiritual awakening, or confusion, as the case may be.

So much more can be discussed in reference to this complex, magical and seductive energy. It is old, old energy, that pulsates deep within the collective heart, comes from a long ago place of being. Finding the right balance in this so-called ‘modern’ world is one of the challenges that anyone with pronounced Scorpio energy has to deal with day to live long day!

Pluto And Mars…The Soul And Its Desire

The natal chart or ‘soul mandala’, as I like to call it, is merely a diagram of energy flow, the energy flow of any particular being or soul. I ‘see’ this flow as something that is roughly circular in nature; that is, that any given point within the flow pattern can be a beginning or an ending point. A circle has no beginning or end so geometrically this shape is a beautiful representation of continuity, regeneration, reincarnation, infinite being, wholeness or totality—all those things that we, as humans so love to ponder and attempt to understand. Within that energetic flow pattern some points are attuned to one another and the relationship between them in mathematical or astrological terms is important to understand and perfect. Two such points are Mars and Pluto, the two so-called rulers of Scorpio.

Before 1930, with the discovery of Pluto (now demoted to the status of dwarf planet-yeah, right!), Scorpio’s ruling planet was Mars. Well, once a ruling planet, always a ruling planet! From an Evolutionary Astrology viewpoint, Mars and Pluto describe the Soul (Pluto) and the Desire Body (Mars). Think about what we have already discussed about the nature of Scorpio and thus, the designation of these two planets in this way begins to make a lot of sense.

Mars is a more external energy, impulsive and desiring outcome. Pluto is more subtle and works at a much deeper and often invisible level. In traditional astrology, Mars is recognized as being the lower octave of Pluto. In a way, the language does not correctly describe the nature of the energy. In fact, Mars is the faster of the two drivers and Pluto resonates on a very deep note, coming from the most internal part of the energy body—where the soul resides, in fact! Pluto is the deep drum and Mars is the rapid, high sounding bell chime. However we use language to describe these two bodies, both are closely linked to Scorpio so this month I will look at the current transits of both Mars and Pluto.

MARS

Mars travels around the Sun, the center of our Solar System, once in about 22 Earth months. Usually, it will stay in one Zodiac energy for about 2 months +/- but we are now at the beginning of an almost 8 month transit through Leo of this pesky little fellow. The reason for this is an astronomical phenomenon known as retrograde motion. From our vantage point here on the earth, Mars will appear to move backwards in the sky. Long ago astrologers, who were the first astronomers, took special note of this strange occurrence, tracking that distant point of light as it moved against flow, so to speak. Because of this phenomenon, then, Mars will remain in the Zodiac sign of Leo for a very long time, comparatively speaking.

Mars loves the energy of Leo as it falls into the Fire family of signs and is naturally aligned with Aries, Leo’s impulsive, younger brother. So, in fact, one could say that in Leo, Mars finds a certain family feeling, a naturalness of expression, a comfort level. Looking at the next 8 months, then, we can expect a certain expressiveness, passion, excitement, joy of being and playfulness to be present--in a general sense. The retrograde motion of Mars will begin about December 20 at 20* of Leo. He will remain retrograde until March 10 moving all the way back to 0* Leo. Not until May 19 will he pass the degree point where he originally turned retrograde. While moving forward in Leo, before the initial retrograde point, we could potentially sense a fast, forward flow of creative energy, joyfulness, romantic impulse and sheer childlike joie de vivre. Once Mars turns retrograde, we could potentially sense a slowing down of this excited, impulsive energy. As always, each individual will respond uniquely to this energetic flow, according to each individual energetic pattern.

If you have a lot of ‘fixed’ energy, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, your psyche will be energized and stimulated over this next 8 month period. You will have the opportunity to integrate creative inspirations, act on any number of impulses, explore romance, discover your inner child through sudden illuminative experiences or conversely, you may have to deal with blockages in these very same areas depending on how YOU respond to the manifest experience that is YOUR life. Mars ignites, triggers and stimulates so expect some degree of ACTION.

If you have significant Aries, Leo or Sagittarius energy, you should feel a sense of supportiveness in your life. Make some plans and buckle up, ready to ride the wave. Conversely, be mindful of following impulse. Make sure that you really do want to do whatever it is that seems like the good thing to do! Fire energy is notoriously action oriented and though this can be exciting and rewarding when things go well, it can also be depressing and disappointing when things backfire! However, at the most fundamental of levels, there is a potential for energy to flow into the being so look for that sense of energy and stimulation in yourself. Feel like doing something? That’s what I’m talking about! Feel like the King of the World? You got it!

The retrograde period of Mars (December –May) can be most proactively used to ignite the inner muse in whatever area of the psyche that is highlighted by the transit. You can also revisit established methods of implementation and explore if there are any adjustments that can be made in how you actually go about doing what you do.

Mars transits can co-relate to times in one’s life when a renewal of self is experienced either through the process of new things coming into one’s life or even old things leaving one’s life. Either way, it is a call to action, an impulse oriented energy that stirs things up. If you have felt stuck or even depressed, this next 8 month period could well re-energize you to get involved again.
Have a makeover,
clear out your attic or basement,
sign up for a self-improvement course,
redecorate your home (even if you just buy a candle or something!)
arrange for a romantic tryst with the one you love,
ask for a raise or quit!
clear the air with friends and relatives,
create a ‘dream board’ for the next year,
plan a trip to somewhere exotic or faraway,
volunteer,
join a group that speaks to your community self,
tackle any old issues that may still be nagging away at you.
Whatever the area of life involved, the key is to move forward. Even when the planet is moving backward, the key is action. Use the rather lengthy retrograde period to refine whatever action you feel is necessary to REJUICE your life. Remember, Mars is the WARRIOR, no matter what sign he occupies, but in LEO, he is the ROYAL WARRIOR!

( I was chatting with my friend, Kim, about this transit and she said she could hardly wait! I said I was checking all of my ‘brake’ mechanisms! Well, she is an early degree Leo, ready to rock! I have Mars in Capricorn ( steady, methodical, a bit boring…) and the expansive over the top energy of Leo sometimes makes me quake in my boots! And so it is that each individual psyche will respond to the transit of Mars through Leo according to its own structures. Either way, Kim and I will both be benefited as long as we attune ourselves to the flow of the energy and work in harmony with it.)

PLUTO

As the modern day ruler of Scorpio, Pluto provides us with much insight into the complex working of this watery fixed sign. Once the astrological community had ascribed the rulership of Scorpio to Pluto, the proverbial ‘lightbulb’ got turned on in regards to understanding why Scorpio was the way it was. As it is the planet that is linked to the soul force, we now ‘get it’ when we find ourselves mesmerized by those Scorpio types, losing ourselves in bottomless eyes that seem to follow our every move!

Pluto is now fully into his transit of Capricorn, a Cardinal Earth sign with both feet fixed firmly beneath him, though able to leap from boulder to boulder and scale whatever mountain face rises up before him. Much has been written about this ingress of the planet of transformation into the executive energy of the Zodiac but suffice it to say, whatever the status quo may have been, once we are through the next decade, that status quo will look very different! And thank the goddess for that! Do we want our infrastructure to shift? You bet! Do we want to see changes in the stupid economic systems that are currently holding us hostage? Absolutely! Do we want justice? Equity? Transparency? Fairness? Security? Damn right we do! Will it be simple or easy? Ugh, no. When a system has become as corrupted as our current system is, the change will never be simple or easy. However, it is absolutely necessary if we are to survive. So, buckle down, prioritize, simplify and refocus your vision. Do the RIGHT thing and align your life to RIGHT PRINCIPLE. This will make the changes that lie ahead that much easier to integrate.

Pluto takes a long time to travel around the Sun so this planet will stay in any one sign of the Zodiac for as long as 20 years +/- or as briefly as 12 years +/- as the orbit is actually elliptical. Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2024. So, for the next 15 years Solar Capricorns will have the ‘pleasure’ of a Pluto/Sun transit. At the highest level, this is a call to align to true life intention, to work with the deepest of soul urges, to discard anything that impedes the clear reflection of self through the solar force. Be who you are. Do what you love. Align to meaning and purpose in everything that you choose to do.

Solar Cancers are also in process under this transit. As the partner sign to Capricorn, the same sorts of illuminations may manifest in your life if you are born under the sign of Cancer but rather than coming from within, these insights may actually come from an outside source, a provocation or even confrontation, a challenge. Maximize the energy by listening carefully to all commentary whether flattering or challenging. You may discover something that could help you to attune to your soul purpose.

The transits of Pluto represent times of transformation and shift but often through an experiential process that strips away all deceit and illusion. And there’s the key. If you have been living in an illusionary reality, out of harmony with inner self, soul self, then this transit could be difficult. To be honest after having been dishonest for a long time is never easy. A very simple example of this might be someone who suddenly realizes that they are doing something for a living that is totally not in harmony with what they really want to be doing. The hoops that one has to jump through in order to harmonize with what one really wants to be doing could well seem impossible to jump through, especially since work brings in resource and resource is necessary in sustaining life in this current reality! If you have been working at a particular job for some time, it may seem impossible to imagine how you could change what you do on a daily basis and still sustain the standard of living to which you have become accustomed. Here’s the thing…it is YOUR choice how you actually respond to the Pluto ‘push’. Will you move with it and trust that you will survive or will you resist and push back, denying that there is anything to shift and change? The response of the ego personality will largely determine how easy or difficult the next decade could prove to be for those being ‘pushed’.

The promise of Pluto is ultimately…TRUTH. So, for those of us who are in a search for Truth, in whatever area of life or self, Pluto is the god that we follow. We want to go deeper. We want to understand more precisely. We desire to get to the bottom line. This is the gift that Pluto brings us. In some ways, I link the transit of Pluto to any of the personal planets to the FOOL in the Tarot. It is the ‘leap of faith,’ the step into the unknown, the absolute trust in the process, the belief that the only true reality is the reality of this very moment, not a breath before nor a breath after. As humans we have long struggled with this concept, clinging in vain to the past and working blindly for the future. Pluto teaches us that neither does the past exist nor does the future but only the present which is the only true peak experience.

So, open your spiritual eyes and see the gift that Pluto might be bringing to your life. You may undergo a total transformation of who you are,

Finally get rid of any stuff you no longer need in your life,

Experience a sea change in the way you think about things and how you communicate your thoughts,

Get rid of dependencies and establish yourself as your own best care-giver,

Meet your ‘soul-mate’ or at least someone who rocks your world,

Finally, finally, get fit!

Change the way you think about relationships and make them healthy, once and for all,

Have an intimate experience with life and death and learn something about regeneration and the continuity of soul,

Transform your faith,

Shift the way you think about other’s opinion of you,

Commit yourself to YOUR cause whatever that might be,

Come home to your own intimate relationship to god/dess…

Again, the key is mindfulness, awareness, reading the signals and above all, letting go and trusting in spirit to surround you with the beautiful goodness of the goddess who loves us all since she dwells deep within each one of us…

I should also note that the planet, Saturn, is about to move into another of the Cardinal signs, Libra. Mid 2010, Uranus will be moving into Aries, yet another of the Cardinal signs. This active, forward moving energetic configuration will prepare the collective consciousness significantly for innovation, reconstruction and equality. Then, in 2012, Neptune will finally move into Pisces where, hopefully, some of the changes can begin to permeate into the collective heart (soul) and truly shift this current reality. More about this when we get to the Zodiac signs of Capricorn and Pisces!

Enjoy the dark and steamy, organic and pungent month of November. Honour the goddess and her green god consort. Revel in the imminent ‘return of the Sun’…(yes, he really is coming back)…and relinquish to the dark where no secrets need to be kept!

Happy Halloween….

2009-09-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Lovely Libra

When the Sun finally moves into his transit of Libra, we have reached the midpoint of the astrological year if Aries is considered as the start point. This is the time of the Autumnal Equinox. Light is once again balanced with shadow and we are now in the waning part of the sun’s cycle, moving into winter’s silence from this point on.

Libra is an interesting energy. Associated with the planet, Venus, first impressions lend themselves to images of lightness, grace, love and peacefulness. Well, as the saying goes, looks can be deceiving! There is a lot more going on in the beauty that is Libra.

Libra is a cardinal air sign. There is implied action here and a mental clarity that is often hidden behind the smiling face of conciliation. Libra’s opposite sign is the fire sign of Aries, also a cardinal energy, and just as Aries seeks to establish its sovereignty and individualism, Libra is avid in its search for dialogue and partnership. However, do not be fooled into thinking that Libra will always concede to someone else’s desires. This is not at all the case. Libra’s ability is best understood when we understand the contradictory image of the iron fist in the velvet glove. Libra knows how to forward its cause while appearing to consider everyone else’s needs and desires. So, though the picture may appear to be one of dialogue and compromise, the back story is all about absolute devotion to the pre-determined resolution that Libra has arrived at all on its own!

Libra has the ability to review and assess in advance, plot out a strategy and then maneuver through the situation, all the while adjusting, finessing and shifting but never, never, never, getting off track. When Libra responds with non-commitment to a query or suggestion, it is merely because it is looking for the temperature of the situation before making the next move.

One of the great skills that this energy can have is the ability to create comfort. This is why Libra type people can be successful as negotiators. They have the mental clarity to keep on track, the emotional equilibrium to maintain balance and the simple sweetness to make everyone feel safe, not threatened, a necessary quality when it comes to finding common ground.

The symbol associated with Libra is the Scales, the only non-living representation of a Zodiac energy. Sometimes, the Goddess of Justice is included in the symbol, holding those scales and weighing out whatever matter is at hand but for the most part, when we think of Libra, we think of those balancing plates, swinging back and forth like a teeter totter. There is a clue in this symbol as to what is actually going on within the Libra psyche. Rather than being in a place of balance, the Libra soul is actually searching for that place of inner balance. Thus, we see Libra’s determination to appear calm, even, peaceful. That which we focus upon is usually the very thing that is in short supply within ourselves!

The shadow side of Libran energy is the tendency to manipulate and manage others. The reason for the manipulation is usually related back to Libra’s need to create congeniality in its environment. Because of the mental clarity that can be associated with this energy, the Libra psyche is a great assessor of situations, able to nail down just exactly what is necessary in order to find solutions and develop compatibility and union. Any manipulative behaviour, then, is derived from this insight and the sure belief that the end—peace and coherence-- must justify the means—seducing others into following Libra’s intention—emphasis on the seduction, by the way! One thing is certain, Libra makes it easy! This energy is so graceful, so accommodating that it is often not evident when coercion is being used. Libra makes us all want to do it! No aggression, no brow-beating, just simple sweetness and lots and lots of cupcakes to tempt us into it!

Libra can appear to be indecisive but again, we need to look a bit more closely at this. Usually, Libra knows exactly what IT wants but is reluctant to commit in case this commitment creates conflict. So, in fact, it is not indecisive so much as it is desirous of maintaining peace within the context of the relationship. Look a little closer and you’ll see that often as not, Libra will manage to find a way to do exactly what it has wanted to do all along and everyone else goes along willingly. Ever heard the term, Passive-Aggressive? Calm down, Libra, we all love you!

A great example of a famous (and, dare I say it, successful!) individual with a ton of Libra energy is Bill Clinton. After all that Mr. Clinton has been accused of, alleged to have done and known to have been involved in, we just can’t help but love him. He makes it hard not to. To this day, his partner is still married to him. How many of us could have gone through such a thorough and public humiliation and then chosen to stay the course? I will let you all think about that! He was also one of the greatest diplomats ever and to this day is called on for his negotiating skill. It was under Clinton’s management that peace talks between Egypt and Israel took place culminating in that famous concord announced on the White House lawn! Clinton’s indubitable Libra ability to bring together diverse and apparently discordant opponents as partners in process, was at work here.

Libra, then, is the energy of coordinated action, measured and appropriate application of the energy of peace and unity. Very fitting for a Venus ruled archetype!

Wherever you find Libra in your own birthchart, this time of the year will bring a focus on issues relating to partnership, inner balance, values and how to attune to them into your life. The Libra part of your psyche is concerned with finding the right words to create dialogue. How do you enter into relationship? What sorts of strategies do you use when trying to establish common ground? Where is your own inner balance point and what forces are at play within your own psyche in this regard?

For all of you Aries people, this is your half birthday, a good time to review how your own birthday year has gone so far. Accomplishments? Realized goals? Non realized goals? And what are you going to do about it? Take some time to sit and think about how you would like the next 6 months to look.

Star Crossings

Venus, Earth’s closest companion in the solar system is the ‘ruler’ of Libra. RULER simply means that this is the planet associated with this energy. Sun in Libra people, Libra rising people or even those with a dominant Libra signature can all be said to be ‘Venus ruled’, not a bad moniker to own!

Venus is the planet that represents our basic value system and how we demonstrate it both internally and internally. She is linked to desire in that it is what we LOVE that we DESIRE or…we desire what we love. Venus is magnetic and a strongly functioning energy in this part of our psyches can result in the ability to draw what one wants (desires, values). Conversely, Venus energy still in development can sometimes encounter a sense of frustration in terms of getting what it wants. Whenever we feel friction, this is an indicator that some refining work needs to be done so don’t cave in if things seem hard to attain. Rather, take a good look at yourself and try and figure out where you can be more focused when going after goals and setting intentions.

The transits of Venus are quick, much like those of Mercury. This planet has an orbital time that is less than the Earth’s so Venus runs through the zodiac signs just slightly ahead of the Sun. In a natal horoscope this can result in a person having the Sun in home loving Cancer but Venus in fun loving Gemini. Such a combination can create complexity within the psyche. Which driver does one serve, the nesting urge or the thrill seeking urge? HMMMMM… For any of you who have read your daily horoscope and felt a strong disconnect from the description of the energy, it could be that your Venus energy is more reflective of some of your actions than whatever the Sun Sign is. The human psyche is multi-layered!

Venus transits can bring up issues related to relationship and desire. Sometimes, a windfall could come your way or long lost friends and lovers may reappear. This is especially the case when Venus goes retrograde so keep track of this cycle and see what co-relates in your own life. During one Venus retrograde cycle, I reconnected with a long lost friend seemingly out of the blue and that relationship has survived to this day, much to my Venusian delight!

Here is a quick cheat list of Venus through the houses.

Through house:
1: What do I really desire?
2: Is this really all mine?
3: I love my friends!
4: I want to go home!
5: I feel sexy…anyone interested?
6: I want to do what I love.
7: Who can I call?
8: Is this really all yours?
9: The pleasure of distant places.
10: I get the respect and adoration I deserve.
11: Let’s have a party!
12: The sweetness of silence; I need a retreat.

When we gaze up into the night sky, we can often see Venus shining brightly in the inky sky. There is comfort and a sense of connection to be derived from this simple experience. No wonder that the ancients attributed such positive characteristics to this planet. She brings us comfort. She gives us hope and she makes us gasp in awe and wonder. Almost close enough to touch and yet just beyond our reach. Ah! The magical, mysterious Venus!

Monthly Affirmation

I align my inner desire
with the path of highest good,
creating peace and grace
everywhere I go
and with everyone I meet.

Poem

Goddess, smile down on me
And let me rest
In your loving arms
I am the dreamer
And this is the dream
You are my keeper
so keep me safe
in the love
of your
infinite heart…

The Virtue Of Virgo

2009-09-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Virtue of Virgo

Virgo. What an energy! One of the most complex of all of the zodiac signs, Virgo is mutable and earthy. Of all of the Earth signs, it is, in some ways, the least “stuck” on its own position. Though it can go the distance, there is a measure of flexibility here.
Virgo loves the process; loves creating a pattern that can be followed over and over. Order is synonymous with this practical and hardworking energy. This is the energy of analysis.
More importantly, however, is the relationship of Virgo to healing. When I meet someone with a load of Virgo energy, I listen very carefully to the words that they use when communicating. Invariably, I have found that in that particular and attentive soul, lies the need to serve, to heal, to nourish. Think about the time of year that the Sun transits this section of the zodiac. In the Northern hemisphere it is a time of fruition. The air is full of the scent of the full and ripened earth. The fields are ready to yield their harvest. And what is more healing than freshly harvested food and the ability to enjoy a warm and pleasant outdoors?
On the highest of levels, this is Goddess energy, pure and simple. Virgo understands ritual and, in order to connect to spirit, we need ritual and those who can work the ritual. Come on in, Virgo. We have all heard the cliché, “God is in the details”. Well, guess who gets the details right? Virgo!
The shadow side of Virgo is, for sure, the tendency to sink into criticism, to nit-pick, nag and chew away at something until everyone else runs out of the room screaming. Enough already, Virgo, they shriek. But, here’s the thing. Virgo has an innate sense of what works and if it is confronted with something less than this, it is a challenge to maintain detachment and allow mistakes to be made. Have you noticed how tight lipped some strongly Virgoan folks can be? That’s them clamping their mouths shut to prevent those words from slipping out! The real reason that anyone falls into criticism is because they strongly desire everything to be …PERFECT. This longing for perfection can then lead to discontent whether expressed externally or nurtured within the self. The solution is, as always, to focus on what does work even when there is lots not working. Life lesson? Acceptance, of course.

If you have Virgo prominent in your birth mandala, this could well be a crazy time for you. The planet, Uranus, has been transiting Virgo’s polarity sign, Pisces, since March, 2003. Uranus is the archetype of shift and change and usually associated with a degree of fracture. For Virgo, with its need for order, systems and regularity, this ‘rebel without a cause’ energy must feel overwhelming and discombobulating. Here are some of the ways that you may be feeling at this point in time & simple solutions you can try:

--Nothing seems to make sense & when it does settle down, something happens to skew you off course yet again
solution: detach from outcome & focus on developing trust

--Your emotions are like a roller coaster and you can’t find your ground
Solution: make a cup of herbal tea & take a salt bath
(A good combination of herbs to promote calm is: mint, lemon balm, catnip, sage & a bit of honey. Be mindful of catnip as it is a strong sedative in humans. One cup before sleep can do wonders for your system.)
Secondary solution: Pour this stress energy into a task like purging & cleaning.

--Your head is full of ideas but you can’t always make sense of them or you may feel like you have lost your mind
Solution: carry a tiny journal to jot down flashes as they occur
Focus on the immediate concern; resist obsessive compulsive thinking
--Nothing feels secure in your relationship life
Solution: love the one you’re with & don’t over think the future

--You keep running into obstacles and even having accidents
Solution: take time out to do breath work (10 minutes as needed).
Pause before running head on into whatever you think needs doing.

Uranus is a slow moving planet so he will be activating Virgo by opposition until March 2011. At all times, the key to integrating Uranian energy is to move into a place of detachment from outcome. Trust that once the earthquake is over, you will still be standing and you may even be aware of things that needed to be brought out into the light.

Star Crossings: What’s the deal, Mercury?

Every Zodiac sign has a planet (celestial object) associated to it. Last month we explored the Sun as it is the ‘planet’ associated with Leo. This month we will take a peek at what that pesky little fellow, Mercury, is up to as this is the planet associated with Virgo.

Mercury represents the mind within the persona. How we think, reason and communicate are all aspects of the mental body. No one part of the psyche or entity is more important than any other. We cannot forfeit our reasoning ability just so that we can experience love. On the other hand, we cannot turn our back on emotion just because our head cannot logic its way through the experience. We cannot deny out spiritual needs just so that our physical body is nourished. On the other hand, denying our physical body does not always lead to spiritual illumination. The integrated personality is one that honours all parts of the energy system and provides itself with what it needs on all levels of existence. No wonder that when we block or deny on one level, we can feel the effects on other levels. Things like depression, anxiety, denial, dislocation are all potential side effects when we do not acknowledge truth. In the personality matrix, the condition of our individual Mercury placement can reveal a lot about the way we get our ideas across, how we interconnect with others and our general thinking process.

The transits of Mercury are rapid and he is either catching up to the Sun during the orbital year or running ahead of him, but never by more than about 2 signs either way. However, since he moves so quickly, we may only mildly feel anything energetically unless we are strongly ‘mercurial’, that is Mercury ruled or with a highly accentuated Mercury energy.

One exception to this is when the little fellow decides to ‘go retrograde’. Obviously, he is not actually moving backwards literally but because of the relationship between the Earth and the other planets in the solar system, we have the experience of backward motion from our vantage point here on the earth.

So what’s the deal with Mercury Retrograde? Firstly, let’s understand that Mercury is a mini-activator within the energy field. When he transits points within the psyche, you can have something like the experience of a light-bulb being turned on. Or you might get a message, either literally or figuratively within yourself. A Mercury transit could signal a time to make a deal, form a partnership or do some data work. When this planet appears to be ‘moving backwards’, all of these sorts of things are either up for review or perhaps just take a pause. Example: you are in the midst of signing a contract, maybe for a home purchase. Suddenly you realize that Mercury will be turning retrograde. Do not panic. Just do your do diligence and carefully and meticulously review all aspects of the deal. You may find that the deal dies but it may be in your favour for it to do so. When you review, you may notice a major oversight and thus have the opportunity to correct it. It is true that everyone has a story about the mini disasters that they have experienced when Mercury was retrograde but I feel that mindfulness can allay much of the chaos. Remember, Mercury is connected to logic and order, reasoning ability, so doing a bit of prep work in advance by ensuring that everything is in order can be very helpful. So, rather than being victim to the slings and arrows of fortune, keep track of the retrograde periods of Mercury ( 3x/year) and make preparation. Ensure that your computer is backed up. Keep your desktop clean and tidy. File your important papers properly and always in the same way. Creating pattern and order within your daily life will go a long way when dealing with ‘backwardness’. So, when is Mercury’s next retrograde period? The last three weeks of September.

Mercury will be moving through the last few degrees of Virgo and then into Libra over the next month period. Once in Libra, he will turn retrograde for three weeks. At the time that I send out the Libra e-letter, he will still be retrograde, back in the sign of Virgo and ready to turn direct, get back into Libra and gallop away.

Wherever these energies are located in your own birth mandala, is where you could feel any of the things that I described above in your life. If you have Mercury either in Virgo or Libra, this is a time of mental renewal for you. You could take the time to reflect on some of your mental goals and make any adjustments to your actual thinking process. Maybe you have let things slip organizationally. Use this opportunity to make adjustments in this area.

One thing that I have noticed with the transits of Mercury is that I have often received some sort of news when he was transiting either my 1/7 house pair and even sometimes my 3/9 house pair. People have told me secrets, old friends have resurfaced, relatives have suddenly reappeared! But, for the most part, this is a pretty innocuous little fellow, more of a nuisance than a trauma. And, even if the news is not so great, the transit is quick and the discomfort, if any exists, passes rapidly. To track this transit more specifically, dig out your birth chart and locate where, in that chart, Virgo and Libra fall. Here is a quick cheat sheet list for strategies to enact for each house.

When Mercury transits through house
1: enact plans
2: analyze resources
3: intellectual curiousity is heightened; stay open
4: increased activity at home; enjoy (hopefully)
5: potential focus on fun; be ready to play
6: opportunity to pay attention to the details
7: perspective can be gained through dialogue
8: tackle those deep, intensive projects
9: plan ahead
10: step into the limelight and be heard
11: the brilliance of networking
12: a good time for a retreat

Next month, I will focus on Libra and the celestial object associated with this energy, Venus.

Affirmation for the Month

I use my ability in the service of others.

Poem

Devoted
And
Diligent
I am determined
To create
Peace
And prosperity
For the healing
Of the peoples
Of the earth

2009-09-16T09:17:00.001-07:00

Hi All!

At least monthly I will be posting here so keep checking in and join me in my musings....