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"We are born at a given moment, in a given place, and like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more." - Carl Gustav Jung

Monday, November 21, 2011

Expect Your Horizons to Expand!

   Here we are again, at that last week in the Lunar cycle where we get to work with the energy of the recent Last Quarter Moon, which occurred last Friday. It was a battle of the Will (Leo Moon) squaring off with emotional attachments(Scorpio Sun) - feeling strong and unstoppable, yet confronted with the passionate motivations of others and having to deal with it all! Don't you just love two fixed signs each trying to have it their way?! If you're ready to let go of expectations and attachments, you can rejoice in knowing that the Sagittarius New Moon arrives tomorrow!

   The Sun's vitality gets to express itself in the outgoing, Mutable Fire sign of Sagittarius, ninth sign of the Zodiac, beginning tomorrow at 11:08 a.m. The archer takes center-stage mid-way through our quest to shed light on the trials and tribulations experienced during Scorpio's conflicts. Sagittarius is represented by the Centaur, half man and half beast, whose purpose it is to rise above man's animal nature to a higher level of understanding and insight in our quest for meaning.

   Bows and arrows aside, the spiritual warrior still needs to keep his or her eye on the goal in order to reach their destination. The adaptable nature of Sag doesn't mean they shoot an arrow into the sky not knowing or caring where it lands, it means allowing for new pathways to unfold in the search and then bringing back and sharing the information once it's been found. The Solar Eclipse New Moon on Friday brings the lunar energy together with this Sagittarius Sun for a new direction and a new start. Before we can talk about that, there's a little matter of Mercury going retrograde on Thanksgiving day to be discussed...

    The Messenger of the Gods - Mercury, has slowed way down, getting ready to change direction on Thursday, Nov. 24th and travel in retrograde motion until Dec.13th. This takes place between 20 degrees and 4 degrees of Sagittarius; if you have any planets in these degrees of the mutable signs, (4 to 21) you will experience this cycle a bit more personally than the general populace might. I think I just heard some of you exhale and curse Mercury... no fair... he's just doing his job relaying information from the heavens to us mere mortals on the earth! Mercury gets more done with logic and reason, which requires a break now and then to assess matters.

   Mercury's job is to move quickly through the ethers/air to facilitate the communication or movement of something from one place to another. When retrograde, things like letters, responses, applications, phone calls, etc. can be delayed and moving parts on cars, computers or other machinery can break down. Why, you may ask, is this so? It is necessary to slow things down for review so that our minds don't overload, so that we may do research, or finish old projects before beginning new ones. Be careful during Mercury retrograde cycles (three per year... for practice...) to avoid important signings, new purchases and starting new ventures, so that logical perspectives don't fly out the window and come back to haunt you later!

   Now that you know the general guidelines for the upcoming weeks - making a plan, looking at the bigger picture while not agreeing to anything new and researching your options, let me tell you about the New Moon Solar Eclipse taking place in the wee hours early on Friday. A New Moon happens when the Moon joins the Sun at it's present location in the zodiac, combining instinctual behavior with the vitality of the life-giving Sun. Inner and outer come together in Sagittarius to begin the pursuit of a new path to our goals. Long-range plans, particularly involving study and travel are the seeds to plant now. Sagittarius is a freedom-loving sign that usually takes a philosophical viewpoint of the glass being half-full. Filled with aspirations of reaching great heights, these natives can sweep others up with their enthusiasm. Cautious optimism based on some solid research ought to be the keynote when the Sun begins its' trek through this adaptable sign of the zodiac.

    We look to three degrees of Sagittarius for the significance of the Sabian Symbol, which is "Two Men Playing Chess". This symbolism speaks to the need for strategy and patience, as well as adaptability and the skillfulness of planning for your opponent's moves.  Getting over-confident can end the game with your opponent winning, but careful thought and consideration can find you the winner!

   The New Moon this month is also a partial Solar Eclipse taking place at 2 degrees and 27 minutes of Sagittarius. Eclipse energy can highlight your birth chart if close to an angle or personal planet; some eclipses seem to affect us more than others and that is probably due to what it interacts with and where it takes place in your natal chart. A Solar eclipse has an effect on events and situations around us, while a Lunar eclipse has more to do with our personal growth.

   Remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground!


  

  
 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Out of the Fog and Into the Moonlight

   I was born on my Neptune line so it's safe to say I am used to operating in the fog... not that I accomplish all I set out to do, but I get through it. Why am I telling you this? Because today, that giant blue marble spinning on the edge of our solar system stopped in its tracks to turn from retrograde to direct motion once more. We can have our eyes opened to what is all around us now that Neptune is moving forward again. What did you learn from your recent visions, dreams or musings that can help you find your way now?

  I hope you jotted down any information you may have gleaned, because some of the most potent insight may be very elusive. We are dealing with the nebulousness of Neptune after all, and Neptune deals with the subconscious realms of spirit, not earthly or mundane matters. You can set your intention to receive information from the ethers or your own subconscious before you go to sleep tonight and tomorrow night. A meditation is in order as well, either alone or with like-minded people, to focus on what both your subconscious mind and the Full Moon can bring to light.

  Taurus highlights values, self-worth, money and what we treasure, as well as the earth and her gifts. Remember the New Moon was in Scorpio two weeks ago, and that was about the give and take of our values, our money and who or what we're willing to partner with. Today's Full Moon will show you just what it is you need or won't let go of that defines what you value about yourself, what you learned in the past couple of weeks from those you have engaged with and what your personal exchange rate is. In other words, you're learning what exactly it is that you're willing to exchange, negotiate, trade or give up for what you want. A few words of caution here, be prudent and don't throw caution to the wind. It is timely to hang on to your self-worth as well as your wallet!
 
   The Sabian Symbol for nineteen degrees of Taurus is A New Continent Rising Out of the Ocean. Now there's a Taurean image - earth arising, something solid and stable and something new to be discovered. The spontaneity of a fresh start suddenly appearing on the horizon brings up images of opportunities. If you are ready for a productive new beginning, then you have probably let go of anything holding you back from the promise of a fresh horizon! The rewards of persevering  come with allowing things to evolve over time... an island doesn't just pop up ready to be inhabited in one day. Working toward your desired outcome and putting in the effort and time is what's important now.

  Another planetary change is that the action Mars is leaving Leo and moving into the zodiac sign of Virgo later tonight. Having the energy and drive to take care of your health and nutrition, do detailed paperwork or clean up your environment is what will serve you best well into January of next year. Watch out for the Mars' tendency to jump, explode or aggressively pursue details that may make others around you crazy. You can actually accomplish a lot by focusing your efforts and taking care to put things where they belong, whether in the pantry, the filing cabinet or in your mind. When you feel the urge to nit-pick, don't - go for a walk instead!

  With Venus, (love and money...) and Mercury, (communication) so close together in Sagittarius, it's a great time to pursue the higher goals in life, including education or travel to a foreign country to learn about other customs, laws, etc. and you don't actually have to leave home to do it. Don't forget that enjoyment comes from taking the time to share your adventures, philosophy and/or inspirations with those around you. Slide shows, study groups or social gatherings can bring glimpses of the future to brighten the colder and darker weeks ahead.

  Remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground~