Saturn in Capricorn: A New Order

On December 19, 2017, Saturn the planet of structure, order & authority, moved from the sign of Sagittarius, to Capricorn, where it will remain until 2020.  Capricorn & the neighboring sign of Aquarius are both signs of Saturn’s rulership, so this is a significant shift for all of us and strongly influences the Astrological picture for the next 6 years.  To put it simply – Saturnine themes of reform, self control, discipline, and realism will be especially strong in our lives and in the world.  In the course of this transit we will be forced to confront seemingly insurmountable obstacles – and if we rally correctly, we may even find that we can make significant progress towards reform.  But it will require work, focus, deftness and wisdom – a conscious cultivation effort on both the personal and collective levels.

Because this transit is such a big one, I felt inspired to consult the I-Ching for specific insight that I could provide my readers as to what this transit represents for the collective process and what we are to learn through it.  The response from the I-Ching was quite fascinating, so I would like to start my analysis with this reading, followed by my usual break down of the Astrological elements surrounding the ingress.

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I-Ching Reading for Saturn in Capricorn 2017-2020

HEXAGRAM 53 transforming into HEXAGRAM 57

GRADUALNESS  ---------------------- GENTLENESS/SUBMISSIVENESS

Wind over Mountain    -----------------    Wind over Wind

Changing line is Line 2:

“When you find food and supplies – they are not only for you.”  //  “Enlightened instruction should be given to eliminate foolishness and confusion”

These hexagrams were fascinating to me as they both spoke of the wisdom in gradual processes, slow development, cooperating with others, and carried specific insight into creating lasting change with integrity.  My interpretation of this reading as a whole was about cultivating the higher virtues of Capricorn and Saturn energy, and utilizing these virtues to establish a new, more appropriate social order.

Hexagram 53 “GRADUALNESS” speaks about the full integration of the elements through gradual, natural development.  Taking life step by step without attempting to force progress or trying to ‘read ahead,’ true long-term harmony can be established.  This hexagram reminds us that we must accept that the creation and cultivation of anything real in life takes time.

Gradual progress leads us to higher levels of being.  Although it may feel slow, the result is authentic and ensures a true understanding.  The example in this hexagram is an apprentice working under an elder to gain expertise – to work diligently in this manner, listen, and really learn things thoroughly without skipping steps or attempting to rush ahead is better than trying to prop up one’s own reputation with no foundation beneath you.  In this sense, this hexagram is about understanding that true success is earned, and cannot be easily taken.

We must do the work of the soul, honor what is truly wise, and develop deep roots of trust within ourselves.  To always protect and value true wisdom is the way to lead life with great vision and great achievement.

Line 2 -- “When you find food and supplies – they are not only for you” -- Is about sharing knowledge & good fortune with others.  When we share with a good heart, everyone benefits.

Hexagram 57 “GENTLENESS/SUBMISSIVENESS” is about evolution through a gentle and non-forceful approach.   In order for humanity to transcend its darkness and its brutality, we must learn to employ yin methods – soft methods – to address conflict.  This includes being patient, cultivating a righteous heart, and having the wisdom to seek external support and assistance when needed (or be an excellent supporter/assistant to someone else whose vision you believe in).

The basic message of Hexagram 57 is that through collaborative efforts we can achieve great purposes – but in order to achieve harmonious collaboration we have to develop a degree of emotional and spiritual intelligence:  the ability to yield, listen and cooperate.  This also refers to the subtle listening such as being able to receive messages, guidance & support from the other realms.  Both types of listening & collaborative support require sensitivity and openness.

This hexagram also speaks about learning from the wisdom of the past.  It is important to look to history to learn our lessons and aspire for growth, rather than assuming the old adage that “history repeats itself” as fact.  The responsibility ultimately lies upon us both as individuals and as a collective to correct ourselves and disperse patterns of darkness.  When we cultivate gentleness, we can look beyond the demands of the personal ego and consider more clearly what is best for all.  This is what is needed most in the world right now.

Line 2 -- “Enlightened instruction should be given to eliminate foolishness and confusion” – is about being receptive to information provided by others in order to assess a situation clearly and make proper judgments.  This line also instructs us to be clear, firm and gentle in guiding others as well – when leading, lead in a way that fosters cooperation, not control.  When supporting, support with a positive spirit.

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Saturn in Capricorn In-Depth Astrological Analysis

In light of these times and the general energy of late, I found the messages of the I-Ching to be compelling, somewhat unexpected, and definitely instructive.  This reading so clearly reflected many themes of Capricorn: respecting the wisdom of the past, looking to history, taking responsibility, acting/responding to life’s challenges with maturity, slow evolution over instant gratification, etc.  I really saw these messages as a gift to help us understand how to hold our integrity, be a positive influence and grow well regardless of the difficulties we might face in our lives and in the world.

Of course, there is no doubt that the coming years will be riddled with Capricorn’s shadow aspects:  Arrogance, greed, materialism, need now attitudes, self-serving institutional structures, law for the sake of law, rigidity for the sake of being right, authoritarianism, maybe even attempts at totalitarianism – all the ugliness of the current social paradigm at its absolute worst is up with intense clarity.  Society as a whole is in a time of sobering realization, and there is profound need for real and lasting change.  The process will be long and unglamorous, humbling but ultimately evolving.

Under Saturn in Capricorn’s vibe – slow effort is required to have mastery.  And mastery itself is only partly related to the tangible work – the real work of mastery is about learning lessons.  To master one’s lessons is the only way to move towards deep, authentic fulfillment.  So, in short, our project collectively and individually, is to recognize, confront, and complete our lessons.  We are at the point of being unable to neglect this work any longer.  Bandage solutions cannot hold up under these energies.  This is a project that requires deep excavation and complete reformation.  The house that has been repainted, and built upon for decades without addressing the foundation issues must finally be torn down and rebuilt in a way that serves the needs of all who reside there.

So it could be postulated that the transit of Saturn through Capricorn will bring a lot of progress through the undoing of things.  The world has changed since Saturn’s last passage through this space 30 years ago -- the order as it is must adapt to these changes, must make room for reformation – or crumble completely under the weight of the patches and cheap fixes.  Ultimately the “patches” have become weighty clutter that impedes the usefulness and efficiency of our social systems, and even our personal lives.  Now is the time for letting go of what holds us back and getting super focused on what it is that we truly want to create.  Brick by brick, step by step – undoing and redoing.  Unbuilding and rebuilding.  Cleaning up, perfecting, restructuring with vision & precision.

There are several different themes to this transit that I have come to, and I would like to go into those to help unravel how this all takes place and to interpret – to whatever degree is really possible – what we might expect from the next few years.

First, I’d like to just talk about the Astrological Context of this Ingress – New Cycles of Reform:

The Saturn in Capricorn Ingress occurred during a particularly “busy” week astrologically speaking!

We had:

• The New Moon in Sagittarius on December 18

• Saturn moving into Capricorn on December 19

• The Winter Solstice on December 21

• Mercury Rx Stationing Direct on December 22

That is a pretty big line up of entry points all at once.  First, the New Moon occurred in late Sagittarius on the point of the “Galactic Center” which is one of the most psychic areas of the zodiac.  Saturn & friends had been hovering around this degree for the majority of December, bringing up very deep healing & purging processes for many people.  With this new moon there is a feeling of “wrap up” around the chaotic and wild transit of Saturn through Sagittarius.  What happened?  What does it mean?  What is it all for?  This lunation is the last one to align with Saturn in Sagittarius for another 30 years, so this next month will be one of concluding those lessons and clearing the decks for what is to come.  It is a moon very much about insight, letting go, and determining what is moving forward with us into the next phase.

After that incredibly profound, mystical new moon energy, Saturn made its transition, followed immediately by the Winter Solstice and Mercury’s station.  This has really brought in a totally different feeling all together.  The weightiness of Capricorn earth, paired with Mercury “stopping” has a feeling of everything suddenly grinding to a halt.

The winter solstice is the initiating cycle for the season and is considered by many the astrological new year.  This means that the energy of the solstice defines what to expect in the coming season/year.  The winter solstice coming with the sun precisely conjunct the newly arrived Saturn really adds extra oomph to the power of this transit for 2018 – and the themes of deep assessment and slow, hard, continuous effort will be felt very strongly throughout the whole year.

In addition to this, with Mercury stationing to go direct only AFTER all of these initiating transits means that Mercury was retrograde during the New Moon, Solstice & Saturn Ingress – extending its influence not just through this lunar cycle, but through the 2018 solar year AND the next 3 years of Saturn’s transit through Capricorn.  Now before you totally freak out about this – remember that Mercury retrograde helps us break things down in order to remake them better.  Mercury is in Sagittarius, so the feeling is that we are applying what we learned from the last 3 years of Saturn in Sag.  What truth did we realize about our lives and path going forward?  And how do we effect that truth in the real world – how do we actually live it out?  Where our beliefs hit the brick wall is where we will need to adjust and become more realistic.  Or more creative, in some cases.

To add yet another wrinkle to this picture – the Lunar Year coming up in 2018 will be an Earth year (the Earth Dog), doubling up this earthy energy coming out of two Fire years and a Fire Saturn.  Uranus will also be moving into Taurus in 2018, adding another sense of shift from very fast, chaotic, difficult to control energy – to more steady, slow, maybe even agonizing processes of structural readjustment.  Life will feel a bit more manageable and tangible, but it will also come with more heavy lifting, attention, and effort.  The earth energy and grounded feel of Saturn in his domicile after the fire years will really help us regroup, FOCUS, and develop discipline after several years of lightning fast, unpredictable, and wild change.

All of this sets the stage for the current and sustained flow of Saturn in Capricorn’s energy and vice versa – so although I am writing here primarily about the Saturn Cap energy, I felt the above factors were worth mentioning.  The overall feeling I have about this line up is that it has heavy implications of something “new” emerging from the old -- the old falling away like a heavy shell – and our new ambitions being put to the test as they develop.

Saturn in Capricorn Ingress Chart Factors Dealing with COLLECTIVE KARMA:

There are several fascinating alignments in this chart regarding our current collective evolutionary process.  First, at the time of the ingress, the Sun was precisely trine the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse degree – which automatically ties the Saturn in Capricorn transit to the processes initiated by the eclipse.  The solar eclipse in August was a major threshold and turning point – so what I see in this is that this transit is about developing and building upon what was initially seeded through the eclipse in August.  This is when the intangible elements start to become more defined and manifest… and throughout the next 3 years we will be working on mastering the lessons, new beginnings, and transitions that came up.

In addition to this the axis of fate, where the collective soul is currently working towards evolving & growing, is closely squared to Jupiter in Scorpio.  This combination is very intense – but yet it lends itself well to the “deep excavation” work that Capricorn process is all about this time around.  The Leo/Aquarius process as highlighted by the axis of fate is about how we balance heart-centered creativity and finding what truly makes us happy with the needs of society at large.  Conversely it is also about retuning group idealism and tribal thinking to greater awareness of individual diversity.  Add Jupiter in Scorpio into the mix – an energy inherently about digging into the dark spaces of the psyche – and you have a recipe for a lot of super deep social and personal karmic processing around mucky, dysfunctional psychological programming that leads us into all of the social traps – mob mentality, hunger for power, social distortions around identity issues, etc.

With the aforementioned Mercury retrograde square to Neptune and Venus nearby square to Chiron, people will be feeling especially receptive and sensitive to all of these issues.  This brings a sense of reckoning & deep inquiry, whereby we must begin to seek solutions beyond just the rational / materialistic approach.  This is a reform of the mind and patterns of belief that triggers confusion, soul searching, intense emotional reactions, vulnerability, and also healing.  I see this being particular potent around women’s issues with both Venus & the moon strongly aspected.

The Moon is of course closely conjunct Pluto in a separating aspect and approaching a square to Uranus – which means this is definitely going to be a time of major breakthroughs and collective/personal evolution that is very, very deeply felt.

The changes, adjustments and transformations that are experienced throughout this time are not just occurring in the external world – they are also occurring – and MUST be processed -- on a deep spiritual level.  The identity is being reshaped.  There is no way around it.  What’s worth remembering is that we are all contributing to this through our individual growth.  The individual is processing collective issues for the good of the collective – so as we all sort through these things within ourselves and share what we have discovered, this helps keep the collective moving forward.  That’s why INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT and finding the INDIVIDUAL PATH is also such an important emphasis of this time.  You don’t have to be everything to everyone – just be YOURSELF and that is enough.  Individuals being individuals in their most positive possible manifestation is the best thing for the evolution of all.

Saturn in Capricorn Major Alignments:

The final thing I want to cover very briefly is the major alignments of Saturn as it travels through Capricorn.  I will no doubt talk about these in much more detail in times to come, but for now I’d like to just touch on them.

First, Uranus moves into Taurus – this will bring the revolutionary energy of Uranus to confront issues of stability, security, financial institutions, value, physical foundations.

In 2024, the USA will be experiencing its Pluto return.  This is preceded by a Saturn-Pluto conjunction – this further emphasizes the sense that we will be facing some major epochal shifts in how the world’s systems operate.  Pluto has been in Capricorn for 10 years, exposing all of the flaws of these systems.  Saturn’s influence here serves only to intensify the break down of these systems.

In 2020, there will be a Saturn-Jupiter-Pluto alignment that is very significant.  Saturn-Jupiter conjunctions happen every 20 years and are regarded as watershed moments.  With Pluto also involved this is a super-powered alignment that will undoubtedly define the direction of things for a very long time to come.  2020, in short, is basically the year that we can expect all the things that have been building to “pop” in a big way.

After Saturn leaves Capricorn, it will then move into Aquarius, which is the other sign of its rulership.  This will be the time of revolutionizing, as Capricorn Saturn focuses most on looking to the past, reforming the old, etc… while Aquarius Saturn is focused on creating the future.  Saturn will be in Aquarius approximately through the end of the USA Pluto return -- so this round of Saturn through its home signs will be very significant for the future of the USA.

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The significance of this time has tremendously far reaching implications that I expect will be memorable individually and historically.  We are at the bottom of the mountain and a treacherous ascent awaits.  What we are to find, ultimately, is greater wisdom.  The wisdom to find space for multiple perspectives and aspire towards legitimate solutions.  The wisdom to treat others with gentleness and kindness – even when being firm.  The wisdom to look towards the needs of the collective, not just one’s own self centered desires.  All of this is essential maturation to be the best we can be in life.

To be nimble, yet firm.  Open, yet wise.  Flexible, yet steady.  This is harmonization with natural processes, the virtues of achieving perfection.

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New Moon in Scorpio: Transition & Direction

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The NEW MOON occurs on Saturday, November 18th, 2017, at 6:42 AM EST. 

This New Moon in Scorpio officially initiates the transit of Jupiter through Scorpio – we’re now full on in the flow of transformation.  The New Moon occurring at 26 degrees of Scorpio is also triggering August’s Solar eclipse degree by a square, which to me feels like a sense of tangible progress, clarity about next steps, and possibly even some answers.

Since August, we have all been faced with some kind of major shift.  The kinds of shifts that I see people facing are not pithy or even remotely subtle – they are HUGE and life bending.   Big announcements, shocking events, secrets revealed, relationships ending & evolving, careers changing, major decisions about past & present selves, long term plans shifting or coming into greater focus, and new creations of all kinds pulling us from one dimension of reality to a new & completely different space.  The long term implication of these changes is that we are moving in the direction of our highest heart -- for some of us that path might currently be clear and obvious, while others might find themselves mired in situations that for the time, feel extremely difficult.  Ultimately, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of hope and despair in this moment, the message that I feel is that we are all going through a process of shedding something in order to create or become something else that is happier, more pure, and more free.

One of the big themes that I see at this moment is that many are at a point of realizing that what we have chosen to take on is way bigger than we ever imagined – that the steps ahead to get to the ultimate goal of our desires are quite complex and involve a lot of work at many levels.  Some of us have really big and important dreams but there are intermediary processes that must be passed through before those dreams can even begin to take form.  These processes and steps might not feel anything like the end goal and can even seem contrary to it!  For others, the dream might be much closer to physical actualization, but there are emotional processes coming up instead.  The big question that we all face at this time is whether or not we are truly being ourselves and living the life that we want -- and how can we be more attentive to those things that serve our higher goals.  Rather than living the grind for the sake of the grind -- what is the direction of it all?  Where are we going?  Is it what we want -- or are we acting out of social expectation?

On the whole, we are all working with all of the ways we have allowed external influences to shape us, as well as how much is involved to move through and undo these influences to become more true to ourselves. What may have seemed simple at the outset turns out to be a journey into the darkness and muck of our being and lives as they have been.  Our blindspots, our habits, the little things we let slide by that actually irk us deep down.  We realize, suddenly, that we have trapped ourselves in the cage – and that the roots of this obstruction are profound beyond previous consciousness.

The Astrology of now is ALL about this deep, complete, and total change.  This process of change is not something we can avoid – but it does require commitment to the process (made easier if you can at least surrender and try to trust the process).  Under this New Moon, we will find it immensely fruitful to go deep into the change & evaluation that we are facing – to try to understand what it is, exactly (or even approximately) that we are shedding – and what it is, exactly (or even vaguely), that we are attempting to create from the space left behind.

There are a few major things coming up in the Astrology that are relevant to this New Moon's energy, so I will spell these out a little bit below...

First, and most majorly is the transit of Jupiter through Scorpio – As I mentioned already, this transit began back in October, but is being initiated by the New Moon in Scorpio, thus bringing the energy of what this transit is about for us into full consciousness.  Jupiter in Scorpio is about journeying into the depths of our being, heart & soul, and transforming gloriously.  The fact that this energy follows the eclipses (in a sign that is square to the transiting nodes) is showing us how DEEP the work really is to get to our heart’s true desires (Leo's soul aspiration).  For the next year, we will be wading through things that have felt unchangeable, intractable and impossible for many years, and making important choices about the direction of those things…  Transform?  Integrate?  Let go?

It is not light work – it is some serious heavy lifting!  But by the end of this transit, we will all feel we have lightened our load and are clearer in so many ways.  Parts of our lives that have been difficult will have evolved, things that we have been ashamed of will become more integrated and comfortable, and elements of our lives that are truly over will be surrendered.  The deep consideration of all of these different layers is necessary to really get the job done thoroughly – and that is truly what Scorpio transits are for at the end of the day…  COMPLETE and TOTAL transformation, with no loose ends.  Jupiter’s flow will make us more aware of the problems at first, but the benefit is that transformation can be very cathartic and revelatory.  Suddenly we see things we’ve never seen – and it hurts, but it benefits us when we recognize there is a road to change.

(You can read more about the transit of Jupiter in Scorpio in this article – click here!)

Second – The transit of the nodes & the Leo/Aquarius eclipses

The eclipses in August were incredibly profound for many, many reasons.  First, it was the initiating eclipse cycle for the transit of the Leo/Aquarius nodes which began back in May – and thus told us all an important story about what it is our heart really wants to create and what we must do to get there.   In addition to that, for those of us in the USA it went across US soil and was in strong aspect to the USA natal chart – which has profound implications for ALL USA citizens about the direction we are going in as a country, as individuals within the country, and as citizens of the world social order.

On the personal level, we are all realizing that we have individual projects to contribute to the whole of society in a productive and positive way.  Some of these projects involve the evolution or changing of society for the better – but society is inherently discordant at this time – and most of the socialization that we have individually experienced at the hands of society is equally discordant.  This in turn means that the social process is happening for all of us WITHIN at a profound level (to become who we are, and give what we’re meant to give without being held back by conditioning-based restraints) as well as WITHOUT on a profound level as we face the corruption and problems of the external world.

Since the eclipses there have been many huge events on US soil and in the consciousness of people that have created a collective shift in focus.  Overwhelming natural disasters, outbreaks of violence, and crazy news headlines are all component to what is an increasing understanding among individuals that we need to be more engaged, somehow.  The complacency of times past no longer seems feasible or reasonable – we all feel pressured to do our part, even if those parts are small and subtle, individual and specific.  When times of great pressure or disaster come to people, people have the opportunity to remember what is really important in life and shed the rest.  Even as the world seems to be getting more crazy, there is also a sense that the world is becoming more compassionate and more connected with the real.

Of course, that which is dispassionate, not real, and especially social structures which are long out dated are also showing up really obviously and strongly.  Some people look at this as a negative thing (Oh it is getting so much worse than before!)  But the feeling I have about it still swings on the side of optimism… that when the negative grows obvious it is an opportunity for that energy to begin to change and go in a new, more positive direction.

Just as within an individual, awareness of our own darkness can help us grow toward the light, this also works at a larger scale – albeit more chaotically.

The age old question is always – can darkness be truly extinguished from the world?  Won’t it all go back into hiding again in the end?  There are always new darknesses, perhaps, but there is also evolution.  And now is definitely a time when we have the opportunity and perhaps inevitability for that forward movement.

(Note – I’ve also written quite a bit about this transit & eclipses as well… see these articles if interested: 1, 2 & 3 )

Third – Saturn Leaves Sagittarius – enters Capricorn in December

Saturn is wrapping up its journey in Sagittarius once and for all!  It will enter Capricorn the day after the New Moon in December (December 19), and so this lunar cycle & next will also be wrapping up the stories of the past 3 years as we begin to draw some final conclusions about what we really believe & feel after all that has happened during this crazy time!  Jupiter is the traditional ruler of Sagittarius – so there is an overlap between Jupiter’s ingress into evolutionary Scorpio, and Saturn’s departure from idealistic, world traveling, philosophical Sagittarius.  For the past 3 years we’ve been doing a deep karmic process around our prejudices, ideologies, and philosophies.  What has been believed to be “true” by us personally (and at a larger scale level) has been put to practical test… and now it’s time to evaluate the results of those tests with honesty.

Take off the rose colored glasses!  Because Capricorn Saturn is going to be all about putting our plans and visions into action and tangible form.  What doesn’t work now will definitely not work then.  Saturn’s lessons in the area of TRUTH may have been harsh at times, but the ultimate goal of the process is for us to know the REAL truth – and become more free because of it.

Sagittarius’ ideal is for a more tolerant world, in touch with a sense of independence & individual spiritual actualization – according to one’s own personal belief system, truth, and journey.  In Sag, the specific ideology is not necessarily important, but the concept of benevolence and natural order/natural law (respect for other beings, respect for life, etc) are important and are central to its truth.   Saturn here is about standing strong in the truth that is aligned with something authentic, and releasing truth that is aligned with what is false.  These are truths that ultimately transcend argument and religious association – truths that one has come to know through tangible experience and have stood the test of time & evolution.

Finally, this lunation also marks the final break up of two big aspect patterns active throughout 2017: 1) The Grand Fire Trine between the North Node, Saturn & Uranus which has been active for the past 5 months creating a whirlwind of wild change in all of our lives.  With this shift, we might find ourselves able to slow down some and really focus on the richness of all that is happening.  2) The Saturn-Chiron square (the final -exact- aspect was on November 2) which was very much about the wounding & victimization of our internal authority.  This hyper-sensitive transit brought up issues of blocked healing and could have increased feelings of anxiety, or exacerbated health issues, particularly ones that are mysterious in nature.  With these two moving away from each other, we might start to feel some relief, as the picture of healing starts to become clearer to us after a time of trials.

The image I have for this time, astrologically speaking, is one of a whole person emerging from the sticky muck of life with great determination.  We've got considerable work ahead to be free of it, but the feeling and awareness that we can expand beyond it is definitely there.  With some effort we can shed that heaviness!  Be attentive to the change and brutally honest, understand the bigger picture, and engage both the will power and faith to undo the bindings.

No matter what is going on externally in your world, don’t dismiss the true vision of your heart.  This is your guide to happiness and freedom.

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Jupiter in Scorpio: The Well

It is sad to see

The well is deep

The water is shallow

The bucket is broken

If one cannot reach the well’s depth

Perhaps it is one’s own shallowness

That keeps one from tasting the sweet water;

Perhaps the water in the well is too shallow

One who is limited is unable to know

The limitations of the well.

Both situations can be seen,

But they cannot be solved by inflexibility.

They can only be remedied by further development.

- I-Ching Hexagram 48 "Jing/Well," Line 6 (as translated by Ni Hua Ching)

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Jupiter, planet of expansion, exploration and life meaning transitioned into Scorpio this past month.  This initiates a new 12 year cycle of Jupiter energies in the sign of Scorpio – a deeply personal and pivotal transit for all of us, as Scorpio governs that which is hidden, subconscious, psychologically raw & deeply emotional.  It represents life, death and transformations of all kinds – and Jupiter is powerfully placed here.  His subtle influence brings grace, as well as awareness to these deeper spaces of being and so this can also be a spiritually enriching influence.  I wish to explore that side of the transit in this article.

First, I do want to share the dates of this Jupiter in Scorpio cycle along with the previous 5 Jupiter cycles.  I find it helpful, when working with cyclical transits to consider the events & themes of the previous cycles, as this can really enrich our understanding of where we are now.

Transits of Jupiter in Scorpio Present & Past:

• October 10, 2017 - November 8, 2018.
• October 26, 2005 – November 23, 2006
• November 11, 1993 – December 9, 1994
• November 27, 1981 – December 25, 1982
• December 17, 1969 – September 11, 1971
• January 14, 1958 – October 5, 1959

When considering these dates, you may recall events that happened during those years.  How do those events relate to what has come up in your life recently?  What connects these cycles to each other, and to the present moment?  This can give you a big clue as to what the next year’s process is going to be about.

So -- as I mentioned, I want to explore the spiritual implications of this transit.  Over the course of these initial weeks, I have noticed a distinct shift in the collective focus towards more Scorpionic themes.  My ideas about the energy have slowly percolated and gathered, but nothing organized or specific was asking to be shared.  Until today, when I was sitting in meditation and to my mind came the verse from Hexagram 48 “The Well”: “It is sad to see / The well is deep / The water is shallow / The bucket is broken…” and the meaning of it all began to coalesce for me.  The transit of Jupiter in Scorpio is a journey into "The Well" -- the energies of our pure creative essence, the divine nectar -- and the stubborn, deep & difficult emotional issues that obstruct our access to this.

One of the larger thematic qualities of this time on earth is the integration of higher spiritual frequencies with the earthly plane.  This is basically a call from the pure soul of humanity to hold the frequency of light in our beings while rooting firmly upon the earth.  When it is discussed in this manner, it sounds like it should all be peaches and cream, sunshine and rainbows, unicorns and laughs – but ultimately it is not so simple.  Because in order for humans to hold the frequency of light, we must be willing to confront and overcome that which has been hidden in darkness.  In order to fully inhabit our earthly beings, we must begin to mend, clean and clear the damage and distortion of our energetic roots to the earth, to nature, to our primordial mother.

On a personal level, we are dealing with the integration of our heavenly essence (pure spirit) with our physical essence.  In order for the pure spirit to radiate in a pure and whole way in this world, we must confront & resolve those things which obstruct us in the physical world:  issues of core identity, self worth, survival, safety.  These issues are particularly dense for most of us, as they have many years of karmic dross attached to them – stuff that has been left totally unaddressed and in the dark through long lines of ancestry.  These are the patterns that are so deep in the subconscious that we don’t even know where they came from – but suddenly now the shoe no longer fits, and we find we need to make more room for ourselves, as we are meant to be rather than the self that is defined and conditioned, in even the most subtle ways, by our ancestry.

But the issues we face at this time are even more profound than that, as they arise from fundamental wounding incurred over millennia, as humans gradually lost touch with nature.  By forgetting our connection to the earth & nature’s way, the natural integration of yin (earthly/matter) & yang (creative/spiritual) has been disturbed, and these forces have, over time, fell into an increasingly stark duality.  The intercourse of yin & yang in the universe is what creates pure manifestation – and in this act they are continuously spiraling together & purifying each other.  However, when yin and yang become separated and divided, they start to express their lower forms – yang rigidity and intolerance, yin stagnation & weakness.   We end up with a world that has many shadows and much pain, born from the stubborn, grandiose & intolerant actions of people.

At this stage of our existence, when we are facing these deeper issues, we are dealing largely with negative yin frequencies that have become firmly rooted and stagnant.  This is like a well that is full of mud.  It takes a great deal of focus and intention to begin to really access, move and clear this energy.  In fact, it is only the pure yang energy that can move the stagnation and purify the yin energy back to its original state of receptivity and flow.  This is an alchemy that requires concerted effort to bring lightness into our life, as well as the sometimes difficult emotional processing of deep, unseen patterning within the being.

So how does this all relate to the Jupiter in Scorpio transit?

Jupiter is the expansive, light-bearing planet of truth – and for the next year or so, this planet of mystical journeys, wayfaring, and deeper meaning, is being lowered into the dank & mysterious Scorpio well.  The very nature of this transit is to shine a light in dark places, feel the pain, and come out on the other side with a whole new perspective.  If nothing else, this transit will alert us to the enormity of the project ahead of us if humanity is to aspire higher.

“The Well” of Scorpio is particularly connected to the aforementioned root issues of ancestry & earthly integration.  Here we are dealing with aspects of the self that are most mysterious and complex – personal power, sexuality, and transformation by way of birth & death.  Scorpio carries deep, expansive potential for soul-touching creative & spiritual truth – and equally profound potential for complete and total destruction.  It is an alchemical sign that generates its power through merging and mystical union.  It is where all of the remnants of things end up in the consciousness – the parts of our lives, of others, etc. that have gradually become ingrained in us, and have shaped us psychologically.  It might be difficult to reach the water at the bottom of the Scorpio well, and even more difficult still to attain its purity – because so much gets caught in this space – but if we persist the end result is always worth it.  For from the emotional process, we have a chance at total rebirth – empowered release from all that psychologically & mysteriously binds us.

In life, we are born from Scorpio merging, and live by the continuous evolutionary wear of human connection. Who am I – and who are they?  In Libra we might ask:  Is it equal?  Is it balanced?  In Scorpio, we acknowledge that all layers of a relationship are complex, interwoven, impossible to truly parse, and deeply karmic.  For reasons we do not understand, we subjugate ourselves to others.  For reasons we do not understand, we also exert power and influence over different others.  When we are conscious in either situation, we can ask ourselves WHY things are that way, perhaps come to some answers, and adjust our behavior – show self control, inner strength/empowerment, etc.  Of course when we are unconscious, Scorpio’s bad side comes out – abuse, power plays, vindictiveness, resentment, rage, addictive and obsessive behaviors/actions.  This is the sign that is connected with the underworld – the river of Hades – where we must wade through dark waters filled with all kinds of horrors, tempted by demons and constantly remain vigilant of the true goal, the true purpose – holding the light delicately as many things attempt to pull us under the water, to distract us from what we’re trying to do, and kill all hope.  It is where we are destroyed by our attachments, mental hang ups, and bad habits.  But it is also where we can locate, acknowledge and clear these things permanently.

When it comes to where we are as a society – I see us going through such a clearing on a very large scale.  The Pluto in Scorpio generation, the “millennials,” are all in their late 20s-30s now and so this cycle, to me, feels a bit like a coming of age for the millennial group project – which is to eradicate and transform oppressive power structures around those areas which are most directly damaged by patterns of separation and destructive human urges based in deep rage & domination.  Sexuality and sexual identity are really strong in particular with Scorpio energy, but this also extends to racial and other social issues that contain patterns of core wounding that are passed down through family lines on a psychological & spiritual level.

What’s important to know about this is that Jupiter serves to expand our awareness – so while many of these issues are obvious problems with society today & nothing new, what Jupiter in Scorpio can help us do is see more deeply into the matter – how can we start to get to the root of, and bring healing to, these issues to restore equilibrium?  Certainly it won’t all be solved at once, but there is a potential here to make great strides on a personal and societal level in exploring these issues.  When it comes to looking at this energy from a healing standpoint, the symbolism of The Well is especially pertinent.

In the I-Ching Hexagram 48, the well is representing one’s spiritual sustenance.  The symbolism of the well is one’s ability or inability to reach the well’s depths for pure fresh water, or pure spiritual nourishment.  One’s ability to do this is directly connected to one’s own depth and clarity of mind.  A mind of muddiness and conflict creates muddy water.  However, when we engage our spiritual resourcefulness – intuition can guide us to the place beyond our limitations, and thus, to water.  Where is the purest water?  What is preventing us from retrieving it (the bucket broken, the rope too short, the water too shallow)?  And then, that gives us a clue – a direction.  How do we go about resolving our brokenness, our shallowness?  What is the remedy to always falling short?

The deepest part of Scorpio is the pure “well” of our being.  The inner well – which may be cloudy, which may be shallow or weak.  Muddied by trauma, unresolved emotions, fear – things accumulated from others, from life, from family.  Purify these failings, these distractions, these shadows, these deep wounds from who knows when, and reclaim this well as a space of spiritual nourishment & creation for one’s own life and needs.  Create the inner strength necessary by returning health to this space.  And with that the spirit can rise to the occasion our collective aspiration -- the Leo North Node – which is the emergence of the spiritual heart and pure creative inspiration.

It is said in many spiritual cultivation traditions that one’s true work benefits 7 generations of ancestors.  When you consider the energetic aspect involved with deep healing work, this makes sense.  If you are unhinging deep ancestral patterns from yourself – wouldn’t it make sense that you are, in essence, breaking the chain of ancestry in general?  You are, after all, a part of that genetic and spiritual line.  So it is with this thought in mind that I have come to believe what many people often state – that the key to changing a faulty paradigm begins with one’s own process.  We all must uproot the sources of anger, rage, subjugation, abuse, and deep Scorpionic darkness within ourselves before we can expect such things to change anywhere else in the world.  For it is not until we have cleared our roots that we can assist others in doing the same.

This transit of Jupiter gives us that collective impulse to journey into our own underworld and cull incredible gifts from our mysterious essence and connection to the primordial.  All it takes is Jupiter's characteristic openness & faith, and a willingness to surrender to the process -- and we might find that no matter how trying the journey may be at times, there's greater freedom on the other side.

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On Fear of Eclipses -- Some thoughts...

Hello Friends!  I wrote this bit a few days ago on FEAR OF ECLIPSES, since I saw so many anxiety inducing articles passing through my Facebook news feed.  I thought I would pull it up and edit it for my Cosmic Weather blog to offer some of my thoughts on the matter…  This will be my first direct experience of a total solar eclipse – though I have enjoyed a total lunar eclipse, and several partial eclipses of both moon & sun at different times – so I cannot claim to be an expert on the effects of witnessing one.  But I do know that eclipses are powerful, mysterious, strange, and intense – and have worked with their energies religiously since I have been an astrologer.  Many people have different ideas about this, and so I am simply offering my own in addition/my own intuitive feeling at this time.  Please enjoy – and most importantly – listen to YOUR intuition and YOUR heart about the best way to honor the solar eclipse portal.

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Coming up in just a few days, the eclipse will be visiting my general neighborhood – just a short drive west millions of visitors are expected to flood the Path of Totality in my region.  Even though I have been aware of this coming for over a year, the media hype seems to have stirred up suddenly within the past week or so.

In addition to articles about what to expect, getting the right eclipse glasses, etc -- there is a lot of fear coming out about around the lore of solar eclipses from times of old to the present day.  As someone who has been looking at eclipse maps for years, anxiously and excitedly awaiting the day that I would be within range to witness a TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE – I have been sitting with why it is the solar eclipse elicits so much fear.  As an astrologer, I find eclipses and the working of the nodal points to be one of the most interesting subjects within the whole field of astrology. I am deeply attuned to my sense of fate and free will by nature, I have always trusted my connection with the divine grace. Eclipses, to me, are the most potent gateway energy there is -- if you observe the energy on eclipse days (whether they are visible at your location or not) you have the opportunity to make spiritual shifts.

After some contemplation, and some writings I've come across recently from other cosmonaut types, it suddenly clicked into place -- the lore about eclipses, the fear of eclipses.  Solar eclipses deal with the interplay of yin and yang as we know it, and this is something that is fundamentally jarring.  Even though eclipses are a part of the cosmic order, for a moment we are confronted with something that seems to defy that and it feels chaotic to us.

The sun represents the yang spirit (the divine spark), but the ego is also represented by the sun. The moon is the yin spirit (intuition), also associated with demons/fears/negativity. When yin covers yang, this is a moment when subconscious fears run wild and unbridled. This is a moment when the feminine energy of intuition is unobstructed by the masculine structure of ego. This is a moment when the veil drops and the doorways are wide open to things unseen.

It is sometimes said that the human ego was developed as a survival mechanism, and when it acts up, it believes it is protecting you.  The problem that exists now, of course, is that it's become like an organ we've evolved beyond. Extra teeth that we grow because our genes still harken back to our paleolithic ancestors whose diets were considerably more rough than our current one. In much the same way, a mechanism which once served us to deal with survival in a harsh primal context has now become an element of our being that sees EVERYTHING as a threat, EVERYTHING as a fight. And the world we live in capitalizes on this trait by constantly pushing fear and turmoil into our hearts.

As a result, we are constantly on the defense, constantly battling, and constantly anxious.  The negativity of our world can be so triggering that we get sucked into its vortex of problems and lose our own sovereignty, our own precious spark. What can we control? What can we direct? What can we change? Ourselves. Our minds. Our will.  But how easy it is to forget that simple truth!

The eclipse energy is building immensely, and as I feel that powerful yin energy expanding in my consciousness, I can begin to understand the feelings of the various traditions that honor an eclipse day with solitude and meditation.  This is, indeed, one way to deal with the intensity of the energies -- and perfectly legitimate when presented within the appropriate context/structure (rather than as a random set of blanket statements crying peril to the internet).  But for me, I feel it is not so black and white as to assume that it is as simple as staying indoors, saying X mantra, doing X ritual, burning your clothes, and throwing away your entire fridge full of food.

We are in a time where we must confront the so-called evils of lesser yin energy, in our personal consciousness and in our world.  This is an inside job that extends well beyond the boundaries of the eclipse itself.  Indoors, outdoors, meditating or having a barbeque, any place the eclipse is touching will not escape the eerie feeling, the internal disruption, the sense of going into the silence, the darkness.  No matter how one deals with the eclipse -- the causes and effects are already underway.  "What will be will be."  All we can do is do what makes us feel the most HAPPY, STABLE & POSITIVE that we can throughout the experience.  Changes and intentions are set through authentic FEELING, not rules or specific actions as dictated by someone else.  Likewise, for any actions to be effective/protective we need to feel connected to what we are doing, not simply acting out of anxiety because of something we read on the internet.

For me, there is a reason and a symbolic nature to all things.  The timing of this event happening in the USA could not be more fitting.  Certainly, it could easily be interpreted as a bad omen -- and portend difficulty for our country (but the astrology already basically implies this, so...)  Or you could see it from another, additional, or different perspective:  That such an event coming at such a time is an invitation to reconnect with the essence of intuition -- to eclipse our own egos -- and to recognize and resonate with the qualities of mystery.  To re-engage a populace, one that is stuck in ingrained, stubborn, and seemingly impossible navel gazing patterns, with something grander, something beyond -- something REAL, that reminds of us of our connection to all that is.

We are here to be witnesses, and also to use our spiritual will to aspire for something greater. This is a time to not fall for the hopelessness and the fearfulness -- but to take this portal to direct the whole of your mind and will to achieving peace and healing for the world.  It is a time when we could all use the healing power of awe, of taking in and directly experiencing COSMIC BEAUTY.  To fortify our strength and our light within to withstand darkness without.  For what is an eclipse but a time of inwardly directed light?

I talk to my students all the time about dealing with the True Yang (inner spirit) and the False Yang (conditioning) in their qigong practice. You only access the inner spirit, the truth of life, the truth of your own being, through the shedding of conditioning & rigidity. Receptivity & surrender (yin principles) are that which open us to the true spirit. Allow this to be a time where the part of us that is eclipsed is the part we must surrender to shine more brightly & more truly on the other side. As for the false yin -- the darkness, the demons -- why should we uphold one (ego) and fear the other (the shadow)? Why should we hold fear to keep ourselves in the shadows? What purpose does that really serve?

FACE fear, ENDURE fear – and TRANSMUTE fear.  Pass through darkness to know brightness.  Purify shadows by holding sacred fire and holy light.  In whatever way you are called to do that – do that.  But do it from a place of strength, a place of TRUST.  Not a place of fear, anxiety or chaos.  That is the lesser yin – that is getting stuck in limbo.  Trust that the sun shines again.  That life exists on the other side.  That darkness is only a gateway we pass through to engage more wholly with divine nature.  Burn away fear, become more bright.  Become the YOU you know you are.

Eclipses may be strange but they are also beautifully still.  Wherever you are, whatever you do – BE PRESENT, BE STILL -- witnessing, receiving – this is the fundamental shared agreement of all the traditions.  Be at peace within, and pray for the return of cleansing light that heals the brokenness of this world.

Sitting with the Eclipses -- further elaborations on the energy of August 2017 and its larger implications

Tomorrow, August 7, is the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius, the first of the pair of eclipses that are to occur this month.  As we prepare for the major Solar Eclipse that will touch the entire continental USA, the Lunar Eclipse precedes it carrying important messages, realizations and revelations.  Because the Solar Eclipse will be so profound, the energetic unfolding has been with us throughout this summer in anticipation for the transformational energy it brings.  I often view eclipses as energetic thresholds – but another way to say it, perhaps, is that an eclipse is like an energetic neutral zone or zero point.  From a Taoist cosmological perspective, transformation arises from stillness – and an eclipse of any kind carries with it a sort of interruption to the energetic flow, creating a still point, particularly in the case of a total eclipse like the one we will be experiencing on the 21st.   In this cycle leading up to the Lunar Eclipse tomorrow, many things have come into our awareness on a conscious level that are up for deep transformation.

I think it is worth noting that this lunar cycle began with a new moon at 0 Leo and the Solar Eclipse is a new moon at 28 Leo.  So that is two Leo new moons to kick off the transit of the North Node through Leo – for me, what this means is that we’re getting kind of a preemptive opportunity to consider and plant our intentions regarding Leo issues (fun, creativity, romance, sexuality, self expression, will power, etc) – and then, through the subtle energetic influence of the Lunar eclipse and the messages/changes received therein, we then get to consider and plant those intentions a second time with the necessary amendments.  The reason that this strikes me in this particular way is that the lessons of Leo seem very important for us to grasp right now – as our society, and as a result we as individuals, suffer greatly from Aquarian shadows.  Just to name a few -- we live in a culture that supports individuality and freedom, but can often lack a sense of warmth, community & support.  Many people have strong ideals and beliefs, but few are genuinely applicable to real world diversity.  Rationality and ideas are at odds with human and spiritual connection.  Technicalities become obstructive to truth.

In the Aquarian spirit of our culture we strive to be more inclusive by creating more distinctions, but in the process we unknowingly create more divisions because the distinctions are made in an almost surgical way.  They are not made with the heart, really.  They are made with the mind that wants to right the afflictions of the heart, created by the problems of our ideals.  The ideals, simply put, are just too rigid.  They are less like a framework and more like a rulebook, and this can actually be harmful to the social freedom that we desire to find.  On a personal level, we are being guided to really trust in the flow of our own hearts to find the solutions that vex us, no matter how big or small the problems may be.  Not to analyze, research, and over-think our ways to the answers, but to find them ourselves BY FEELING, by LIVING.

The Solar Eclipse on August 21st is of special significance for the USA because it is impacting us directly.  We will all experience the literal effects of the moon blocking out the sun for just a few minutes at the height of the day.  This event is so incredibly powerful it has been difficult for me to separate any astrological happenings for the summer from the coming of that eclipse.  For me, it feels, most simply, like a major karmic, and likely historic moment in USA history and for all of those who are alive and living here during this time.  The Lunar eclipse energy is just a part of this process: it serves to help us IDENTIFY the inhibiting factors – the reasons why we, ourselves, do not utilize our own personal will to the best of its potential.  What are the social, mental, and emotional factors that keep us trapped in our heads instead of shining freely in the world – giving back by giving our GIFTS which were uniquely bestowed upon us.  There are a million ways that we undermine our own freedom every single day due to subconscious ideals that don’t really serve us to truly be our best self.  Shifting just a few of these mental obstructions can be the difference between positively influencing life by way of greater happiness and authenticity or just merely existing within it.

The insights that have to come to me about the eclipse cycles have largely centered around the wise use of energy and really knowing and understanding one’s personal direction rather than allowing ourselves to succumb to peer/social/societal pressure of any kind.  It is important for us to be undistracted – even by the most valid & positive ideas – because each of us has a specific journey that we need to honor and fuel, and the information loaded world that we live in can easily deter us from those pursuits if we are not paying close attention and acting with intention.  Doing our individual piece is what will serve society best.  Personal will & personal effort to create something tangible trumps abstractions and ideals.  Actually live life nobly, in total honesty with regards to what is truly beneficial to yourself and those you touch.

Regarding the USA astrology in overarching cycles – The eclipses come at a very interesting time in our process as a society.  The solar eclipse is in close aspect to the USA natal moon – signifying transformation at the level of the national psyche.  In addition to this, the President happens to be someone who was born during an eclipse (so eclipses impact him extra strongly), and his natal Mars & Ascendant also align directly with the eclipse.  The August 21 eclipse also just happens to be a part of a series that has historically triggered significant events in American politics.  In so many ways, I believe we are being pressed to deal with the dichotomy of individual will and social structures and there is no question in my mind that the solar eclipse across the USA is going to trigger an important shift on the national level, starting with the people in power.

The next total solar eclipse in the USA is in 2024 – the two eclipses (2017/2024) are like bookends to the USA Pluto return, representing a 248 year cycle of maturation around issues of power & social order at the government level.  We have arrived at this place for a reason and whatever changes lie ahead are, in a way, unavoidable.  The direction of those changes should start to become clearer in the coming months after the major impact of the eclipse starts to manifest.  I personally feel that with the energy of LEO in charge, the will is in individuals to direct the change – we are the “king.”  We must awaken to that.  And I believe we will and can, as we may also simultaneously awaken to the shadows of culture and society that have not yet been revealed quite so clearly.

With that said, I feel compelled to leave these notes with this:  The King is not the person who rules all – rather it is the person who rules himself.  The King is the one who is sovereign.  Free unto himself, unbound unto himself.  This is the true aspiration of LEO for all people.

For more thoughts on this topic, check out my article covering the Astrology of the Summer of 2017 :)

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Astrology of the Summer of 2017 -- The Next Level ... Discussion on the Great American Eclipse, USA Pluto Return & July's Full Moon

Hello everyone!

It has been a little while since I’ve sat down and written a fully in depth post on the current Astrology.  It’s been a time of big structural change for me and so I’ve been taking longer than usual periods of quietness as I make these adjustments and begin developing my next steps.  This month I felt called out of my hibernation to talk a little bit about the astrology of this summer, so I hope that you find these words helpful…

Since the New Moon in Cancer on June 23rd I have noticed a shift in the energy, and it was about this past week when it suddenly occurred to me that this energy shift is a gateway opening to the eclipse cycle that we will be experiencing this August.  Why is it that a whole lunar cycle previous to the eclipses that I feel we are already approaching this gateway?  Of course, anyone who lives in the US, where the eclipse is visible, will be naturally more attuned to the energy, as eclipses are generally more powerful in the places where they are happening.  But it also feels like more than that.  With the dynamic of the Leo North Node/Aquarius South Node at the helm of the current spiritual process of humanity, this summer and the approaching eclipses are creating fast and significant shifts in the consciousness of people.  More specifically, what it seems like to me, is that there is an expansion of the level of consciousness that is available to us – if we choose to tune in to it.

The total solar eclipse will have a profound impact on the United States as a result of it happening here.  The United States itself is in a cycle of change and is teetering on the edge of major turmoil.  As the U.S. moves towards its Pluto Return (2022) the government organization of this nation will continue to be under stress, and most likely reach a breaking point in the coming years.  On a spiritual level the U.S. and its inhabitants are currently facing deep questions about what it takes to make a society functional and positive, and where the most deeply ingrained structures of our current society have become burdensome, unhealthy, outdated, or never really sound to begin with.  Pluto represents the complete dredging of all the darkness that exists within the societal consciousness, and the transit of Pluto to the USA Pluto involves a total and complete overhaul of these elements, and as we have seen in the years since 2008 (When Pluto entered Capricorn, the sign of the USA Pluto), it is not always a pretty picture.

Where we are as a country at this stage is energetically “stuck” – as all of the skeletons in the closet arise & multiply – what is needed, and what is beginning/to come, is a clearing of this old stagnation.  How does that show up?  It can be disruptive, chaotic, destructive and problematic – but it can also be creative, resourceful, inspired and freeing.  In my personal estimation, difficult and painful transitions are unavoidable and much falls within the realm of “things that must play themselves out” – but people still have the power to determine the direction of the changes through the power of consciousness and personal will.

This upcoming eclipse cycle is also the first cycle of eclipses to occur after the North Node (point of fate – focal point of our “spiritual work” at a given time) transitioned into Leo at the beginning of May -- which gives the eclipses an initiating and somewhat “unleashing” feel with regards to the workings of the Leo energy at this stage in humanity’s growth.  Since eclipses occur along the nodal axis, they always amplify the lessons associated with the nodes that are active at the time.  In this case, with the North Node in Leo – we have just left a time where the North Node was in Virgo and unbelievably debilitated by Neptune in Pisces which drew us into a sea of problems with no solution – and entered a time where the North Node is greatly supported by Uranus and Saturn both in fire signs for the entire summer of 2017.  It is a seismic shift in focus, and not just that, it is a shift in how well we are able to motivate, mobilize and materialize.

The biggest energetic shift that I have noticed since the North Node moved into Leo is a pull towards the manifestation of ideas that have been long germinating, and doing so in a manner that is considerably more direct and simple than previously conceived.  However, some rewiring is necessary, as we can tend to overcomplicate things and as a result interfere with our own progress.  The dynamic of the Leo North Node / Aquarius South Node has made me very aware of the subtle difference between acting from the head and acting from the being – that is, attempting to parse through life with logic to determine the correct way forward, rather than simply moving from feeling.  To put it most simply, what I feel is that it is time to take the energetic load off the mind – off the how’s and why’s of things – and just live from a place of trust that motivation arises without force, and problems can likewise be solved by working through the steps.  “One thing at a time.”

What the Leo North Node is all about is understanding that WE DON’T NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS in order to make progress.  What we need is to take action and show faith in our inner spirit’s guidance.  If we haven’t already established a relationship with our inner or higher guidance, the urging right now is to begin doing so.  If we do have a channel for this guidance – that channel, if engaged with, is growing even stronger.  The reason is because Leo, above all other things, is about the creative impulse – and to truly be at one with the creative, is to be at one with the divine spark – that little thing that inspires us uniquely, and that we have an organic ability to develop and express.  To engage with Leo energy is to BE OURSELVES completely and freely – which means that we need to be embodied and fully present as the beings that we are, without getting hung up on how we are supposed to fit in with everyone else.  Leo encourages us to define reality for ourselves and now allow ourselves to be trapped by social and cultural circumstances.

The technological (Aquarius South Node) world that we live in greatly challenges our ability to be whole and comfortable in our embodiment.  There are so many reasons for this – the obvious physical reason is that when we are sitting on computers and devices, we aren’t moving our bodies, or fully present in them.  But of almost greater precedence is that our information overload world so deeply saturates our mental reality that it leaves us with no room for our own creativity or natural thought processes unless we make efforts to mitigate these effects.  The combination of these factors, of course, can be quite obstructing to the spirit as well as our overall health and well-being.  I am seeing with greater clarity the location of the mind as the defining factor for action and the quality of action.  Am I all in my head, literally, or am I actually present with the physical world?  It may seem like a simple question, but in our go-go-go society, many of us hardly give ourselves the time and space to experience presence fully.

Right now the North Node in Leo is part of a Grand Fire Trine in the sky – this is a pattern of flowing and supportive energy that is especially bright around inspiration and the actualization of inspirations.  The other energies involved are Saturn in Sagittarius (karmic process around one’s journey, one’s philosophy and meaningful contribution) and Uranus in Aries (energy of change, awakening, and breaking new ground).  These energies are greatly supportive of our work with the nodal axis, but they also seem to offer choices along the way.  I believe if we take time to slow down and really observe the energy, the choices are easier to see.  The reason is that FIRE energy moves quickly, and if we get caught up in the energy of fire at this time without taking the time for pause and reflection, it is easy to let our emotions – particularly impatient, aggressive, or angry emotions – make our choices for us.  Situations can flare up quickly and intensely – and due to some of the other aspects involved with the current patterning, we are especially SENSITIVE and may tend to jump to conclusions, or just be reckless in our communications.

Likewise, fire is also an energy of purification, and so what triggers us at this time may be signaling situations that need to be expunged from our life (or at least heavily adjusted) in order for us to step in to our greatest happiness.   What I feel is most important is to recognize these choice-making situations as signals and really listen to what the heart is saying with regards to the best way forward for YOU.

A big part of the Leo/Aquarius process is the constant seesaw between awareness of what I want vs. awareness of what is “correct” according to social standards.  We can start to see where we’ve been trapping ourselves mentally by staying within the confines of a certain group, mentality, or mental subscription that we have made to ideas about reality, society, and other people.  We may find that we have been constantly catering to others – and not even physical people, but the IDEA of others.  What OTHERS want, think and believe…. And our inner assumption that somehow understanding the rules of these invisible “others” will free us from experiencing conflict and disharmony.  But Leo knows that this is a lie and is reminding us that we all have free will, and we can think and act for ourselves without having to play mental gymnastics around it.  We can legitimately “Just do it.”  No asking permission, no inner list of reasons why we’re not qualified/allowed/etc, no need to indulge the critical inner voice, you can actually just make it simple take action on your ideas.  The perfect medicine for this time period is to DO not think.

That might seem like really shaky advice to be giving in a world where the news and social media outlets are basically overloaded with human fallacy, always showing us the ways that people are unvirtuous and unwise – so I want to be clear that what I am suggesting is not blind action, but rather ACTION with INTENT.  Action driven from a space of inner clarity and presence of mind, rather than action driven by habit, association, fear, over analysis, rationalization, assumption of expectations, or any other kind of mental trickery that we are ALL guilty of!  Most of all, it is important to not get lost in mental paralysis – and to find the ways that we can begin putting our ideas to work, rather than just letting them live eternally and always in our own heads.

We sometimes forget that we can also LEARN by doing.  We can learn from being imperfect.  And our greatest growth occurs through the process of making mistakes.  By pushing the edges through action, we come to understand our own personal methodology – and also where we can enhance our skills through practice, further learning, etc.  What’s important right now is that what we cultivate in our lives comes from the heart – have faith in this, take tangible steps towards this, be open, and the rest will unfold naturally.

This, to me, is integral to the “new level of consciousness” that I mentioned at the beginning of the article.  It is a BIG surrender to trust.  What I feel when I really tap in to the energy is that underneath all of the chaos we see on the surface of things is an immense current of flowing “light” energy that we can all tap into.  It is like a river, a flowing and healing force that has the power to purify and distill.  The fact that Leo is a sign that is ruled by the sun, the source of light in our solar system, is interesting with regards to the upcoming total solar eclipse.  Our ego self is going to experience a sort of “black out” – and we are, in essence, getting calibrated/recalibrated for that experience.  It is a putting down of burdens, an opening of space – but not yet we are not fully aware of what is on the other side of that space, simply that it is time to clear out and make room.

What I feel is that we are being asked to surrender more and more deeply into a state of present being, as this is the only way we can experience the expansion necessary to hold the light bright enough to process the great changes coming in a positive, constructive and creative manner.  Basically, it is this energy of light that has the potential to heal the world.  Yes, it sounds lofty, but from a world awakening perspective, there is a distinct sensation of huge energy clearings happening in the midst of all of the turmoil and in return an ability to arrive at a greater sense of presence, and light.  Simply because there is more SPACE for light to exist.

We as individuals are responsible for choosing whether or not we engage with this light energy and do the work to become vessels for it.  In order to develop the space for the energy to flow, and begin moving the old energy of stagnation, we have to actually create the space in our lives to do this process.  Let go of the part of you that thinks holding on to stuff is of any benefit and begin to see those aspects as the very things that don’t allow you to be clear and at peace.  The more we open up space, the more things can move, the more space opens up, the more that we can BE even more deeply.  And the process can continue on and on.

OK, So how do we MAKE the space?  You might now be asking…

All of the suggestions and methods that you might typically see as ways to “find peace” would apply here – meditation, going out in nature, tai chi, yoga, etc…  But with the specific instruction of really taking the time to sink in to the space beyond your thoughts.  This is the space where you realize you are here, in reality, existing, a part of something, a part of nature, alive.  This is the space of the true intent, the true self, and the true will – the space where we can access the deeper currents of light and healing energy that are available to us.

It is so simple, but can be so profound.  To realize, especially that life does not have to come from a place of contraction but can be lived from a space of greater relaxation, deeper feeling, and responsiveness.

The other part of this process is letting the emotions flow…  Whether they make sense or not.  And doing so in wise manners – writing in a journal is one of the best ways.  But any way that suits you is just fine -- listening to/playing music, making art, exercising vigorously, crying, whatever!  Just feeling and being with that experience, and letting it go all at the same time.  You’ll find things come, are expressed, and then are able to leave because they have been expressed… and then it’s on to the next thing!

Working with the emotional flow can also help us with our creative flow at this time.  The type of creativity that we must access is not one that we find through having a specific method – it is a way of creating that doesn’t operate by the rules we put upon ourselves such as timelines, expectations, etc.  It is ORGANIC creation – saying what you feel when you feel it, and then going back to fine tune, structure, and organize it later.  It is respecting the wholeness of the original approach without having to rush to the finish line – appreciating the natural evolution of things in their own time.

In the Tao Te Ching there is a line, “Do nothing and all will be done.”  This line is speaking to a principle that in non-action we are in a state of receptivity and responsiveness, and that all things come in their own time.  Of course sometimes this line is mistaken for “Don’t do anything ever and it’ll all work out.”  But its meaning is actually far from that – when we learn to sink into the flow, we will find we arrive at natural impulses to take actions.  And when we take those actions, we will usually work for a time and then reach a point when we feel complete, or ready to take a break.  The principle of “do nothing and all will be done” also contains the idea of “work when it’s time to work, rest when it’s time to rest.”  Basically, don’t force the process.  This is a way of working effortless, and also a way of MAKING ROOM for RECEPTIVITY – of ideas, of inner guidance, and of blessings!

Sometimes we must allow ourselves to do nothing in order to uncover the treasure and find the answers we’re looking for.  It is from that space we can then take action that’s in full alignment with ourselves.  When we only concern ourselves with work, worry about work, and obsess about productivity, we can lose access to inspiration which is absolutely integral to success.  Even if today we are not where we want to be – even if today we have barely begun our journey, be where you are TODAY, take the steps that inspire you TODAY – and that ultimate vision is bound to become reality.  It’s not foolishness to believe that, it’s simply an alignment of the inner self with the outer action.  This brings a sense of peace and solidity to the process, even in times to doubt, and gradually helps us focus our lives so that we can give our attention to what is needed, undivided.

Feel and flow, allowing, settling, opening, receiving – this is the way we get closer to truth, clarity, and the ability to be of service to the world.

Specific Thoughts on the July 9, 2017 Full Moon in Capricorn

Since much of my writing this month is basically an overview of what the energies of the entire summer mean for us on a spiritual level, I do want to get a little bit into the nitty gritty of this weekend’s full moon (and I intend to write something about the New Moon as it gets closer).  Basically, as things come to me, I’ll probably keep writing articles about the eclipses – but for the sake of this article, the energies of the eclipses, the grand fire trine, and the Mars-Pluto opposition are so strong I felt I needed to elaborate on them from the grand view in order to relate them back down into the small view.

A lot has been written about this full moon’s energy.  Aligned with malefics Pluto & Mars, in opposition (the opposition was last weekend, and has been felt for the past two weeks), the energy of the full moon definitely doesn’t have a soft, friendly feel.  Eruptions of anger, rage, violence, arguments, etc. are all a big part of what this energy represents.  The reason I wrote about the USA Pluto return earlier in this article is because on the grand scale, I feel transits like this (along with the “Great American Eclipse” coming through) are also triggering to those greater cycles.  For me, I find it helpful to understand these layers when it comes to looking at specific, more individual concerns.  Especially because we are in a time period where many people are being directly confronted with the issues of these larger cycles in their everyday lives to a much greater degree than previously.

In any case, with that being said, the intensity of the energies will undoubtedly bring up challenges in the mundane world, as well as the potential to bring up interpersonal & internal dilemmas we will have to respond to.  When it comes to the interpersonal/internal, we may have been finding feelings of anger, irritation and impatience arising within us moreso than usual.  These feelings are likely to be triggered by some very deep seated and sensitive parts of ourselves that we have the opportunity to work with to transmute and release under these energies.

If there is anything I would suggest under this full moon is to not approach it with fear, and to receive the experiences of the past few weeks as opportunities for growth, shedding and transformation that allows you go to forward less burdened than before.  If you find yourself mired in interpersonal conflict, TAKE SPACE to diffuse anger.  Try to get to the true feelings underneath the anger – the vulnerabilities that anger is covering.

This energy can also be fruitful for experiences of merging and being more emotionally open and vulnerable, but since we are dealing with Capricorn and Cancer there are quite a few layers of defense to break through.  Lots of emotional processing can be accomplished by one’s self and then brought to a partner for a more calm discussion.  We can really be with our deep feelings right now if we allow it, despite the fact that they might not be easy feelings.  It is productive for us to feel and express our feelings.  LET GO!

With that, I hope you all have a good summer.  If this article resonates for you, please share it or consider sending a love offering to my blog at the button below to help me keep these sharings free and accessible to everyone :)

Peace and blessings to all :)

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Gemini New Moon in Brief

Hello everyone! There is a New Moon in Gemini tomorrow at 3:44pm EDT and here are my quick insights to help with your intention setting! 😊

The thought that occurred to me about this New Moon is that it is the perfect New Moon to set intentions for the transit of the North Node through Leo. It is the first New Moon after this ingress and since the nodes imply the alignment of earth, moon and sun, we are in the beginning stages of conceptualizing (Gemini) what the next 18 months of creativity, self expression, joy and inspiration is all about.

It's a great New Moon under which to recognize patterns that interfere with our ability to conjure the courage and will power to achieve our highest aspirations in life. In particular we may be able to recognize undermining patterns of behavior in our relationships, and our modes of action -- where we are operating too much from our heads and not enough from the simplicity of the heart.

What we bring forth under this energy should reflect that which we wish to create in our happiest and most ideal situation... aspiring to free ourselves of the burden of logic for just this once -- and call in more divine play, and openness to new developments and possibilities yet to be realized. Gemini is about ideas and creative thinking, so allow imagination to flow and curiosity to become a guide... it is not about what is... it's about what CAN BE...

There is a lot of synchronicity in favor of these new opportunities coming to us under this new moon, so definitely flow with it -- be flexible, light hearted and ready to embrace higher levels of joy in your life.

Full Moon in Scorpio / North Node Enters Leo: Unfolding The Cosmic Purpose

On May 9, 2017, the North Node entered the sign of Leo/the South Node entered Aquarius and on May 10, 2017, we welcome the full moon in Scorpio.

The Scorpio Full Moon is known as the Buddha Moon, as it legend that the Full Moon in Scorpio was the moon under which he was enlightened.  Scorpio is a sign associated with the mystery, and so this moon does carry with it a mystical energy – and Scorpio, the sign of transformation & rebirth – lends itself well to alchemical processes of all kinds.

In some years, the Scorpio moon can feel ominous and foreboding, like sinking into the depths of the abyss – but this year it feels quite transformative, opening, synchronistic and positive.  And this, I believe, has a lot to do with the fact that this full moon is also aligning with the transition of the North Node from service-oriented Virgo into creative & light-hearted Leo.

In looking at the charts for these two events, there is a feeling of peaceful surrender as well as powerful manifesting potential, inspiration, and focus that is currently being felt, and will continue to define the next 18 months for the duration of the North Node's transit in the sign of Leo.  The energies of this full moon are highlighting the process that we are about to undergo.  There is a sense of freedom from past emotional & spiritual dramas.  It seems as if these things are suddenly falling away naturally and effortlessly – allowing for the potential of the Leo North Node – the TRUE WILL – to begin to emerge like the lotus from the mud.  The fact that these two events are aligning bodes well for the transformative potential of this next 18 months.  In fact, it may just be that there is a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel.

The North Node in transit represents the direction we are headed collectively.  The South Node represents the shadow elements we must strive to overcome.  As the North Node crosses into Leo, it brings a pleasant buoyancy after what has been an arduous transit of the nodes through Virgo/Pisces.  Leo is all about living from the heart, self expression, play and creative will.  Immediately, I have found the energy to be focusing and very much assisting an intuitive push to shape life around fulfillment, happiness, and creativity.

The past few years working with the Virgo/Pisces nodes, we should have clarified a lot about what wasn't working for us and needed to be surrendered -- now the energy is propelling us into the next phase -- that is, to live more embodied in our true purpose and embrace the mission of our natal Sun.  The sun sign, the one we all pretty much know, is the one that represents what it is we have chosen to be and embody in this lifetime.  When we are fully inhabiting our sun sign, we express ourselves freely and utilize our natural creative resources in a fulfilling manner.

The sign of Leo teaches us that when we live from the heart in the truest sense, whatever that means specifically for us, we are able to shine in a pure way that inspires other people to live from their heart.  The highest vibration of Leo is one of heartfelt connection, joyfulness, and wholeness in self expression -- creative acceptance and perfection.  And that, pretty much, is what the transit of the North Node through Leo for the next 18 months, is all about.  What does it take to be ourselves truly and fully?

The greatest barrier to the process, of course, would be the other side of the nodal polarity, the South Node which represents tendencies that we are to leave behind, overcome, and transform throughout this time period in order to garner the positive results we are desiring.  In this case, the Leo North Node’s counterpart is the South Node in Aquarius.  A sign that’s all about rebellion, revolutionary ideas, and being in your head about stuff.  While Leo encourages sustained, creative action – Aquarius is about coming up with the way society should be from the long view, in an impartial manner.  But life is never completely devoid of partialities and the encouragement at this time, very much, is to evolve through the HEART first and foremost.

I suspect there will be some challenges with this, because the fact is we live in a very Aquarian world.  In particular, American Life is very Aquarian. We're all about individuality, freedom, and "justice for all." In this day and age, we still fight for the ideals of freedom and equality in our culture -- and this is often by pointing out that freedom and equality have never existed in this culture. It is truly a strange conundrum... a society that cares a lot about equality, but never practices it?  It’s the perfect picture of Aquarian ideals vs. Aquarian realities.

What strikes me about this also, is that astrologically we are at the very beginning stages of approaching what is referred to as the "Age of Aquarius." An Age is a 2,150 year period determined by the precession of the equinoxes -- e.g. the slow cycle of the earth's "true north" over time through the zodiac. The actual transition from Pisces to Aquarius is not for another couple hundred years, but we are close enough that the rumblings of change have already begun. In the past century we have become: more technological, more intellectual, more logical, more inclusive & tolerant of different humans, yet more detached from each other simultaneously. We are ruled by our ideas and ideals, and can even fall into identifying with ideas as who we are. All of these things are Aquarian in nature.

But despite the fact that many of these things have been overall positive towards the evolution of humanity… Aquarius definitely has a shadow side.  Think 2001: Space Odyssey when the computer takes over the ship.  Viewing everything in life as fundamentally mechanistic and becoming dependent on manmade systems to solve our human needs, no matter how useful and smart, has its own way of backfiring.

Of course, every social media post about the Top 10 Ways to Know if You're in a Relationship with a Sociopathic Monster Hater, is most likely well meaning. We are basically in a cultural rebellion against the messed up ways of a bygone age -- a time when people were even deeper in darkness and living under social conditions which encouraged division and war -- and at the same time we are still dealing with & recovering from those wounds in an immensely visceral way. While this is a necessary, important process to endure, at the end of the day -- all of the information, logic, pathologizing and debate over how humans should behave if they were good people who followed the rules of good peoplehood are not going to fundamentally address the true desire... which is CONNECTION.

We've lived in a world divided. We've wanted to create one where all kinds of people are appreciated and respected. And yet, most of the time we just end up arguing on the internet over verbiage and projecting our worldview with even greater persistence. We see an archetype and presume to understand the whole without any nuance -- even when the archetype that we see and project upon is the archetype of the person who doesn't see the archetypes. We value ideas so heavily that it clouds our perception of the authentic truth, which can only be found through the heart. The irony, of course, is that we've conditioned ourselves to trust logic over everything, so we can't even see that we've erred. By the standards of this time and place, adamantly clinging to your opinion is basically as good as being "right." And being "right"... or at least unrelenting in your perspective... is seen as a form of integrity or moral high ground.

The Piscean age which we are concluding now, is called the Dark Age, or the "Age of Confusion." This is because the Archetype of Pisces basically represents the dissolution of things, and in these millennia Piscean-type ideological struggles have defined the overall ethos of humanity. Humanity has, for as far back as we can remember, been an emotionally fickle and irrational beast with no moral compass whatsoever, except those ascribed to it by the prevailing current. The world was ruled unequally and brutally, with endless battles for dominance. So now as we approach the Aquarian age we are beginning the process of purging these ways of being in favor of the Aquarian desire for a more equal and just world. The logic-ing, the analysis, the desire to understand where we've went wrong is absolutely all important, necessary, and a natural part of the process. As we move further into the Aquarian age, the world will continue to move in a more and more democratic direction. From my perspective, it is the natural flow of things. But it is not a process without pitfalls.

In light of the Astrology of these times, the greatest strain on humanity today, as I see it, is our unsustainably active minds & egos. We're constantly thinking, nervous, analyzing... and rarely are we really living fully and completely in our own hearts. We are concerned with wanting to fit in with society, yet also strive stand out in our uniqueness, but never too much, because being too weird is also uncool – and as such we don’t always LIVE in the wholeness of who we really are and could be.  Curiously, as we've become more interested in human equality and more exposed to the myriad of cultures and ideas, we've also become more homogenized in our mentality.  In striving for unity, we resist it at the same time.  Everything is happening on this brain level of what to do, what to say, what not to do, what not to say, but we still struggle with the goal of the whole thing, which is true sharing, generosity of spirit, and wholeness of being for all people TOGETHER.  What is simple has become complex – and so in turn we must take what is complex and bring it back to what is most simple, most fundamental, and most honest.

The work of this time, for the next 18 months, is going to really strike us in the place of wanting to understand who we are and how to live our lives from our truest and highest form of will and self expression. It will remind us of the power of our influence when we are truly creative and take real action.  Leo’s inspiration will help GROUND the Aquarian thinky thoughts, if you allow yourself to feel it.  Leo is not about what that person over there is doing, it’s about what I can do.  What I can contribute.  What is within MY power and authority?  What can I create to better the life situation?  How can I shine… in a positive, PRODUCTIVE, manner.

With Saturn, Uranus, and the Nodes all in fire signs, it's about finally learning to walk the walk, not just talk or think about what's good. It's all about initiative, leadership, personal responsibility, and integrity -- the REAL kind of integrity -- which is flowing in accord with something more true, the flow of our inner being.

It's very interesting to me that the past year and a half we've been culturally purging the issues of Pisces and now we are going to be working through Aquarius. The shifting of the tides here certainly feels relevant to the big zoomed out picture of humanity's evolution of consciousness overall. This is a major time of karmic release for humanity and for our planet. On the surface it definitely doesn't always look pretty -- but I still have the feeling that, despite all appearances, it is actually evolving towards something more integrated.

With that, it is time to sign off for today.  I hope this was helpful & if it resonates please share with your friends.  Peace on your journey.

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The New Moon in Taurus 2017 ... Quick Guide :)

The New Moon occurs this morning, April 26th at 8:18AM EDT at 6 degrees Taurus.  The New Moon in Taurus is one of the most excellent moons for abundance, fertility, and growth as Taurus is the sign that pertains to the most lush part of the spring season.  Taurus is a sign associated with practical matters, money, luxury and sensual pleasure.  It is an excellent time to create a financial action plan for the year, to determine how you are going to direct your energy in terms of creating or maintaining stability in your life.

Taurus is an energy that also relates to what we value in life and in ourselves, and so if you tend to undervalue yourself, this is a good new moon under which you can sow seeds for better self worth.  Self worth in the Taurean sense is basically stability within one’s being and peace with who you are as you are.

This year the Taurus New Moon is occurring during a time where there are many energies shifting – either planets changing signs or changing directions (or both).  So in a sense I feel we are approaching this new moon with a sense that our deck has been shuffled – which is a really good place to be if your intention is to really set some new, grounded goals.  Taurus energy is very enduring, so if you are serious about the changes, then it is under this type of energy that things will tend to stick.  I think with all of the retrograde energy this April, we have really had a chance to evaluate our life from many different angles, and so in a way it gives us an excellent vantage point from which to assess what it is we truly envision and desire.

One of the major points of this particular new moon is that Taurus’ ruler, Venus, is exalted in the sign of Pisces after just coming out of retrograde –and- making a slow departure from two very sensitive points, Chiron & Saturn.  Because Saturn & Venus both stationed very close to each other, this aspect has been prolonged for the majority of the month, giving us a chance to really deal with grating and uncomfortable relationship issues.  Saturn & Chiron in combination are an energy that addresses extreme vulnerability vs. wanting to be invulnerable.  So basically Venus has been having us work through our standard response patterns in relationships – What is the real root of the wounds?  How do we unconsciously act out regarding them?  Where do we put up walls when we need to be open?  What relationship stories are we finished with?  What choices do we need to make with regards to our various relationships to have more overall positivity?  Are there relationships in your life that just don’t fulfill you as they once had?  Do you sometimes dwell too much on the negative?  Do you run when you should stay?  Stay when you should run?  Most of all – do you treat yourself fairly?

So in light of ALL of that intense processing, questioning, and experiencing that we’ve been having with Venus retrograde, this Taurus New Moon has us pretty much primed to set our new vision alight.

How can we cultivate more love in our lives?  What changes will bring us more steadiness, more peace?  What is our goal for financial security in 2017?  Make it real and tangible.

Taurus is also an extremely stubborn sign with a secret love for junk food, so I feel this is a good time (supported by the retrograde vibes as well) to really work on those difficult to break habits and addictions, and start to develop new ones.  We all know that those things are no good for us anyway… heh.

We’re about to move into a time that is all about (re)learning to live life truly and wholly from the heart – and in a way this New Moon is also all about that.  It’s the peace and satisfaction within that allows the heart to shine forth.  So whatever it is you do for the New Moon (I find intention writing one of the best ways to work with New Moon energy) – consider it all from that place of: What is it that I need to feel closer to peace?  Strengthen the foundation of peace first and foremost.

On that note, enjoy the beautiful, sensuous flow of the spring time energy... and have a wonderful New Moon day :D

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Retrograde City: Some Food For Thought on April's Astrology

I shared this a few weeks ago on Facebook with full intention of also posting it here, but it turns out my progressed moon in the 12th house is more powerful than previously imagined (to put it simply, life is just very fluid right now), so it took me a minute to actually post it.

I wanted to share these insights and timelines to help put April's Astrology into the bigger picture.  Today as I write this particular post Venus is now going direct after a long retrograde through Pisces & Aries -- so we now begin the process of wrapping up the Venus story which has been running since January 30th.  This is a NEW BEGINNING and a conclusion to cycle started 8 years ago, when Venus last went retrograde in Aries :)

But Venus is not the only planet to change directions this month.  Mercury also just recently went Retrograde in Taurus/Aries -- covering issues of self worth, value, being in the body, and also leadership & autonomy.  This Mercury/Venus Retrograde confluence is and has been an excellent time to make significant shifts in matters of love & money, and because Mercury happens to be in a stubborn sign like Taurus, it's a great time to work on some of those habits that just don't seem to die -- particularly if they pertain to Taurus' dark side... food, inertia, miserliness and laziness (And Aries:  Selfishness, egotism, impulsiveness, and anger).

Anyhow -- here is the timeline of all of the big retrograde cycles that are happening this month plus some of my notations about them.  Jupiter is also retrograde right now but I did not include it as my thoughts were primarily connected to the "stop and go" vibes of many planets changing directions at once.  However the Jupiter retrograde does have significance here because it is in one of Venus' signs:  Libra -- which is already creating an need to evaluate the role of relationships in our lives -- expanding our potential to make new and interesting connections, while also making us aware of dead and uninspired energy that needs to be released.  Jupiter will go direct in June and finish its transit in Libra by the fall.

OK, now continuing on...

TIMELINE OF CYCLES CONVERGING IN APRIL'S ASTROLOGY...

Venus Retrograde -- Aries/Pisces concludes (or moves towards conclusion)
JAN 30 -- Venux Rx Shadow
MAR 4 -- Stationing Retrograde
APR 15 -- Stationing Direct
MAY 18 -- Clears shadow

Saturn Retrograde -- Sagittarius begins
DEC 30 -- Saturn Rx Shadow
APR 5 -- Stationing Retrograde
AUG 25 -- Stationing Direct
DEC 1 2017 -- Clears shadow

Mercury Retrograde -- Taurus/Aries begins
MAR 27 -- Mercury Rx Shadow
APR 9 -- Stationing Retrograde
MAY 3 -- Stationing Direct
May 20 -- Clears Shadow

Pluto Retrograde -- Capricorn begins
DEC 29 -- Pluto Rx Shadow
APR 20 -- Stationing Retrograde
SEPT 28 -- Stationing direct
JAN 19, 2018 -- Clears shadow

QUICK NOTATIONS...

Venus & Saturn are square to each other when they both station which extends the length of the square substantially.  There is a feeling here of important and permanent shifts in relationship dynamics.  It will likely be spurred on by a conflict -- something is outgrown in favor of a more mature/responsible or serious undertaking.

The Sun travels through Pluto/Uranus/Jupiter T-Square so everything feels extra big.

Mercury & Venus cycles overlapping makes changes very immediate and pressing ... Saturn & Pluto stations add to tension as it irritates everyone's natal Saturn & Pluto stuff (power and control, whee!) ... but there is a lot of important stuff at the guts of it -- worth, value, boundaries, secrets revealed, deep purging, discovery, stubborn and volatile issues coming to the surface -- so try to see it for the lessons, solutions and resolutions, rather than getting roped in to the same old loops.

FURTHER WORDS...

Everything in life is an opportunity to return more truly and more deeply to wholeness and completeness within self.

Venus and Mercury retrograde overlapping is a very personal / interpersonal type of review process. What do we really desire? Who are our true friends? What do I value? Think? Feel? And want at this time of my life? If things have been revealed about your relationships of various kinds, how do you move forward towards a better, more actualized you, and better harmony within those relationships? What have been the blind spots, the failures, the expectations? If old news has reappeared how can you bring that old energy back to the wholeness that is you? How do we bring the errant elements of our being into harmony, truth and integrity with what we really feel inside?

Always returning. Always becoming more singular, more whole... Sometimes by letting go of the things that are binding us without us realizing they are.

Saturn and Pluto both going retrograde and thus amplified really brings issues of power and control into the mix as well. Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to fix and manage that we make the process harder for ourselves. But the key with both of these planets is ultimately inner strength and clarity -- not outward perfection. If you do not have clarity right now, inner strength also is a state of surrender and faith that the processes are still playing themselves out and have not yet reached completion.

The realizations have many levels... So being open to what comes, you can discover more and more layers. No matter how stressful or painful on initial impact, we find that we can learn something greater about ourselves.

I do not personally feel conflict is inherently negative when it shows up cosmically and in life. I see my life as about evolving and becoming myself more completely and better, not maintaining perfect mundane stability at all times... so for me it's all fodder for growth and I embrace that. True freedom and stability comes from within. It's real trying sometimes but when I rise above and really transmute something, I'm better for it always. That is the beauty of working with astrology. It's understanding that consciousness is always evolving. It never stops. Ever.

So let yourself grow. And don't be afraid of it when it knocks on your door. Know yourself better in life's reflection. Find peace there.

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Upcoming Workshop Opportunity!

Learn Astrology with Mela!

In this workshop we will be learning about the North Node, a.k.a. the point of Fate & Destiny in our Astrology chart!  Gain AMAZING insight into your Soul Purpose through knowledge of just this one point -- and THEN experience practical tools to assist you in aligning through Reiki Assisted meditation practices by special guest, Sienna Van Dunk of Demure Lyfe.
 

It's going to be awesome!!!