Mars Direct Downlow March 11, 2010

Mars moved in to Leo last October, went retrograde in Leo on December 20th and went direct today (still in Leo).

What’s it all mean? Projects, relationships, plans and well, “things”, that began last October have been in review stage for the last few months. Hopefully, you’ve done *plenty* of reviewing, as now that Mars is direct-life will pick up a little speed.

All at once, you might ask? For most of us, alas (well alas in my case), no.
Like a train, once Mars goes into forward motion, it takes a little while to pick up speed. Expect a slow and steady pace, but by mid-May, Mars will be at the exact place it went retrograde last December, so we’ll have a chance to move on to a new phase at that time.

What’s it mean that Mars is in Leo?
Leo is the sign of self-expression, creativity, generosity, heart-filled emotion, appreciation, fame, luxury AND selfishness, grandiosity, drama, narcissism, superficiality and bossiness. Like all the signs a mix of both the highs and the lows of humanity.

So….collectively, we’ve had a chance to RE-view, RE-assess, RE-think (getting the picture here?), etc. Our own relationship to Leonine qualities and characteristics, particularly as they play out in our charts.

For example-I have the sign of Leo in both my 10th and 11th house cusp, so I’ve been looking at how much appreciation I’ve been getting and how much I want from both the public at large and my community in general. I’ve re-assessed what I want out of my career, my future and my friends. Do I have answers? Some. Do I have questions? Yes, lots. My hope is that as Mars picks up speed in its direct motion, some of these questions will be answered.

You can look to what house/s and planets the sign of Leo falls in in your chart to explore your own questions and answers for this time.

Check out astro.com for a free chart copy-or contact me for a reading of how Mars direct plays out in your chart.

Storytelling with the Stars December 1, 2009

December 2009 is a busy month in the sky above (not to mention the earth below), as the planets change signs, move forwards and backwards and cluster together in all kinds of interesting arrangements. The kicker is a Full Moon eclipse in the sign of Cancer (the second of two full moons this month), taking place on New Year’s Eve. So what does  this high octave rearrangement of the cosmic forces mean for you and for those you love?

As Venus settles into Sagittarius tomorrow (December 1^st) and the Full Moon lights up the sign of Gemini (also December 1^st), this is as good a time as any to embrace the sacred art of storytelling.

As an astrologer, part of my job is to weave a story of power, possibility and hope for my clients using the threads of their natal charts as the basis for the important themes and cycles that will shape their lives. But ideally, I can go even further and encourage people to track the movement of the stars and planets on their own, in this way they can begin to weave their own stories about their charts and their lives.

So think of my “star story” for December as a template for you to work with, a way for you to begin to develop your astrological literacy and move forward in the direction of shaping your personal planetary narrative.

The starry landscape of December is a paradoxical story, one that tells of change and awakening, but also stops and starts. Uranus, which goes direct after a five month retrograde period, is like an arrow shooting outward into the Piscean realm of imagination, creativity and spirituality. We now are free to explore the realms of possibility, having received the steady hand and focused attention of Saturn in Virgo, as it opposed Uranus in Pisces over the last year. Jupiter, the ancient ruler of Pisces and the modern ruler of Sagittarius, the archer, is further accentuated now as Venus joins the Sun for a month long visit with this expansive and optimistic fire sign.

So at first glance it would seem that all systems are “go, go, go”, yet mid-to late December, brings us a bit of a “no, no, no” vibe, slowing down our flying arrow of change and asking us to reconsider, regroup and re-energize both our thoughts and our actions. As Mars in Leo goes retrograde from mid-December until March of 2010, we have to keep our hands on the reigns of our desires. This will be a time to really explore whether our hearts are driving our will or vice-versa. Mercury retrograde in late December adds to this internalized energy, encouraging a time of introspection. We’re asked to put the breaks on now and slow down a fast moving vehicle, curbing its speed and directing a force and power that may at least appear to be out of our immediate control (Saturn/Pluto square).

This landscape of planetary possibility during the Winter of 2009-10 is only the backdrop for a larger story, a collective cosmic tale that may shape and effect your own personal narrative, but which also has a power all on its own. As you track the movements of the stars and planets in relationship to your natal chart, use your imagination to integrate the archetypes and myths of the sky into the day to day events of your life. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, ask yourself, what is the story that you want to tell around the Solstice fire? What is the story that gives your life meaning? The story that warms you in the dark? This is the story that will help you keep your inner fire and light alive through this season of darkness and this is the story that is yours alone to tell.

STAR STATS FOR DECEMBER

December 1

Full Moon in Gemini

Uranus in Pisces (23 degrees) goes direct

Venus moves into Sagittarius

December 20

Mars in Leo goes retrograde (19 degrees)

December 26

Mercury in Capricorn goes retrograde (21 degrees)

December 31

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Cancer (10 degrees)

Venus in Scorpio Does Dessert (and a movie…….) November 11, 2009

Venus is moving through Scorpio for the next few weeks, making the rest of November a prime time to intensify all acts of love and pleasure in your life. Sex is probably the most obvious outlet for the lusty and sensual energy of Scorpio, and with Venus involved, food and art combine to make an excellent warm-up for a romantic evening alone with your sweetie (or just a romantic evening alone with yourself….). To fully experience the possibilities of this transit, try dessert and a movie “Venus in Scorpio style”, indulging your senses with both richness and depth. Read on for a sample recipe and a movie review that honors the Goddess of Love and Pleasure in her Dark Goddess guise….

Dessert:

Procure chocolate and hazelnut ice cream. Top with a generous amount of pomegranate seeds, (representing juiciness, mystery and the gifts of darkness). Sprinkle with chopped crystallized ginger (for a Scorpionic bite) and finish with shredded coconut (for endurance and strength).

Movie: (Warning: spoiler alert)

Venus, the planet of (among other things….) pleasure, leisure time and relaxation, will be forming a square to Neptune at the end of the month , so this is a good time to escape into the illusionary world of film. What better way to leave reality behind than by watching the Venus in Scorpio themed movie., starring Keri Russell. This picture is ripe with Scorpionic themes: illicit sex, violence, birth, death, inheritances, and the magical powers of pie.

Russell plays Jenna, a waitress whose pies inspire people to fall in love, remember their youth and live their dreams. Unwillingly pregnant by her abusive husband, she begins a secret affair with her doctor, wooing him with a “Marshmallow Mermaid pie”.

The sweetness of Venus threads throughout the movie, resplendent in the close-ups of rich chocolate being poured over bananas, the “on-the spot” poetry of an enamored suitor, and the easy camaraderie shared by Jenna and her waitress sisters. Like the goddess Persephone, Jenna returns home every night to the realm of the underworld, held hostage by her possessive and brutal husband. Naïve and helpless, she is a child-bride, trapped in a nightmare. As she bakes her way throughout the movie, creating pies with names like “”Bad Baby pie , “Falling in Love Pie” and “Naughty Pumpkin Pie”, her power slowly awakens, culminating in the arrival of her newborn daughter.

Like a vengeful Kali, moments after giving birth, Jenna finally gathers the courage to tell her husband to disappear, then she breaks up with her lover and rides off into the sunset with baby Lulu, creating the pie palace of her dreams along the way.

Adrienne Shelly, who wrote, directed and co-starred in “The Waitress”, was murdered on November, 1, 2006, months before the movie was actually released. On the day she was killed, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter formed a stelllium in Scorpio. The transiting Moon was in Pisces, triggering her natal Mars in Gemini, which was in turn squared in her birth chart by Uranus and Pluto. Shellie’s final movie is a moving testament to the rich sensuality, love of the feminine and witty dialogue that is generously reflected in her natal chart. With her Sun conjunct Jupiter in Cancer, Venus in Taurus trine Pluto and Mars in Gemini square Pluto and Uranus, Shellie was a perfect channel for this story of love and transformation. As we journey through the remainder of the Scorpio season, honoring the memory and the spirits of our beloved dead, Shellie’s movie reminds us of the sweetness of life. May she be remembered and so live on, her art remaining as a testament to a creative, passionate and heart-filled spirit.

Simple Pleasures October 7, 2009

A number of other excellent astrologers have been blogging lately about the upcoming planetary transitions which take place this month, as many of the inner planets move out of earth and water signs and into the more active realm of air and fire (Mercury and Venus into Libra and Mars into Leo). Mercury, the planet of communication,  is also poised to fly free of it’s retrograde “shadow” phase and away from a conjunction from serious Saturn, while Jupiter, the planet of expansion and opportunity, is readying to move direct on October 13^th after a four month retrograde period.

It’s looking like the curtains are ready to rise on a whole lot of action this Fall, as stuck places loosen up and wheels start to turn. Many of you may be waiting with baited breath now, wanting to get going already, put your hands on the reigns and ride free, finally, (without all those damn restraints), towards the future.

My Mars in Sagittarius and Moon in Aquarius are right there with you, ready to embark on whatever adventures await as the seasons of the skies change once more. But my Sun in Virgo and Venus in Cancer is experiencing a wistful sort of tug, remembering the sweetness of the slow and steady routines that make up the weave of life. Though I’m ready for change, eager for it even, the Moon in Taurus today has encouraged me to meditate on some of the more simple pleasures, the ones that already exist in this present moment.

So I wanted to invite  those of you who might appreciate it, to take some time before the pace of this cosmic game of musical chairs picks up,  to look around you. Observe all the things that are in your life right now that bring you  small moments of appreciation, those simple, but sweet times, that fill up the spaces  between the big events.

In my garden I’m noticing: the sweet smell of the last roses of summer, the tomato plant that never quite got going and only now is growing a small green fruit, the pink jasmine that hasn’t bloomed but that I hope will this Fall. I’m appreciating: my dog’s little dinner dance and my lover’s ability to always make me laugh, the Mayberry on acid vibe that permeates Fairfax and the golden haze that the light brings with it now.

I’m almost ready for that show of planetary fireworks ahead, but it may find me in the kitchen, indulging my very own Venus in Cancer as I finally try that recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Cake I’ve been waiting to make all summer. At least I’ll have something to serve at the party that is sure to accompany Venus as it transits into Libra and Mars as it roars into Leo (ready to party for a looong eight months, but that is a whole other blog….)

Lemonade Award May 28, 2009

Wow! So Jupiter is currently travelling through my 5th house of (among other things) winning prizes, awards and contests.

Now, I am not naturally a person who wins things, maybe it’s my rebellious Aquarius cusp ruling my 5th house, or maybe my luck comes in other ways, but for one reason or another, I’ve just never thought of myself as a “winner” of things. I’ve had many blessings in my life, but winning contests and prizes has never been one of them.

Aiming to change this, I’ve been entering contests like crazy , and also bought my first and second lottery ticket ever, about a week after Jupiter first slipped over that 5th house cusp about two months ago. (Thanks Reya for the recommendation!)

Lo and behold, I actually won $30 from my second lottery ticket. And, more exciting, I’ve won a prize I didn’t even try for-A “Lemonade Award” for my blog, the Lemonade Award is for sites that are seen to have great attitude or gratitude. So thanks to Julie Dembowski, at http://juliedemboski.wordpress.com, a powerhouse astrologer, who actually includes an analysis of the asteroids in her blogs, (which I love ), for nominating me as one of her choices.

So part of the deal with the Lemonade award (I was so happy that I didn’t win some kind of lemon award!), is that you “pay it forward”, and nominate 10 of your favorite blogs to win their own Lemonade Awards….

So without further ado-here are the 10 Blogs I Nominate for Lemonade Awards:

1. Big Sky Astrology-There are lots of things I love about April, besides being a fabo web designer, astrologer and just amazingly cool lady, she also is one hell of a writer. Her blog is one I read very regularly check out: http://www.bigskyastrology.com/

2. Jessica Shepherd is so wise, so wonderful and has inspired me more times than I can count, check out her astrology blog at: Moonkissd http://www.moonkissd.com

3. Deborah Oak Cooper writes with wit, humor and humanity about all kinds of crazy things read her at: Branches up Roots Down http://www.branchesup.blogspot.com

4. Matthew Currie is so weird, so wacky and so funny. Though you may not always understand what he’s writing about, you will laugh… http://matthewastrology.blogspot.com/

5. Mary Greer, oh I’ve been a fan of Mary’s for over 20 years, ever since I first took a class with her at a Women’s Herbal Symposium in Occidental, CA. Imagine my delight when I discovered her wonderful tarot blog, see it here: http://marygreer.wordpress.com/

6. Lara Owens, has a wonderful perspective on the stars and the healing art of astrology, I’v e loved her long time:) See her blog at: http://planetaryenergies.net/

7. Astrology Mundo, concise, interesting, current events type astrology at: http://astrologymundo.wordpress.com/

8.Planetary Apothecary, just discovered this blog, and love the way the author has integrated earthy healing tools with the starry sky, I aim to follow in her footsteps. http://planetaryapothecary.com/

9. John and Susan Townley, this duo compile interesting astro news and write a current events type blog that is always insightful: http://www.astrococktail.com/news.html

10.Reya, has one of the most interesting minds of anyone I know, and I love to follow her tracks whenever possible at her Gold Puppy (love the name), blog: http://thegoldpuppy.blogspot.com

It’s requested that each nominated site also do its own noms, include the logo shown on Julie’s site (I can’t figure out how to add it to mine…, and notifiy each nominee at their own site.

So thanks Julie and Lemonade Award initiators for helping my 5th house transiting Jupiter dreams come true and in such a cool Aquarian community oriented way, on the day of the first Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron conjunction which happens to be right on my natal Moon and square my 2nd house Neptune. You astrologers out there will know what that means!

New Moon in Gemini-May 24th at 5:11 am pdt May 25, 2009

It’s a bit of a tricky new moon today, which is “oh so perfect” for that trickiest of the tricky signs known as Gemini. This third sign of the zodiac is also known as:

Thief, messenger, writer, teacher, and pollinating butterfly of the stars. So with the New Moon starring in this airiest of the air signs, communication is ON OUR MINDS. And yet, Mercury, Gemini’s ruling planet is still retrograde.

So what ever is a smart human to do? We can navigate this sort of catch-22 situation if we strategically use all the Gemini resources we have at our disposal. New Moon says “green light, go, go, go, plant those seeds, start those projects” and Mercury retrograding says, “slow down, reconsider, think before you speak, write, sign on the dotted line…”. As Gemini is the planet of duality, aka “The Twins”, this New Moon demands that we stop and go, speak and listen, act and reflect simultaneously this month. Yes, plant those new seeds of communication, education, connection, pollination. But yes, also, rethink, review and reconsider how you “do Gemini” in the world. How do you communicate? Educate? Listen? Learn? Any changes that may be necessary now? Revisions in plans? Now is the time to act on the “re” principle, taking advantage of Mercury’s backwards motion to revise as necessary until about June 3 when Mercury is moving forward with a bit of steady motion (actual direct day is May 30, and Mercury is out of what’s known as it’s “shadow” period on June 15th, June 3rd is when it’s out of the slow going phase and picking up speed again).

Full Moon in Virgo March 11, 2009

Full Moon in Virgo You stand there, and I’ll stand over here, exactly opposite you. What do you see? Notice any differences? Similarities? What about me both irritates and intrigues you? What makes you want to change, stretch and grow? How are you feeling inspired to create or motivated to destroy? In astrological parlance, an opposition is an aspect that showcases the differences between two signs, highlighting the extremes of each sign involved.

Oppositions are known as “hard” aspects, because the energetic they create can be tense and stressful. Yet oppositions also have the potential to blend and integrate completely different energies in a new way that creates a more wholistic, complete expression than if each sign were on its own. An opposition is both a challenge and an opportunity. Are we willing to stretch and grow? To take a little Fool’s leap and do something different?

This Full Moon in Virgo offers us up a distinct menu of choices with an opposition involving the Sun, Uranus and Saturn. In one corner we have the Moon in Virgo, signifying our collective mood and the feeling tone in the air right now. With the Moon in Virgo, we are interested in the details of life, the mundane, the practical. Our bodies, our health, our dry cleaning and all the little errands that once completed, will make our lives run just a little bit more smoothly.

The Moon in Virgo lasts for another day or so, and happens to be right up next to the planet Saturn, which will remain in Virgo until the Fall of 2009. Saturn next to, (or conjunct), the Moon, makes us particularly alert to and aware of Saturn’s qualities at this time. Saturn is the planet who teaches us about: patience, commitment, persistence, stability, structure and tradition. But also, limitation, fear, constriction, anxiety and endings. We feel Saturn today, like a breath (or perhaps a big wind), swirling around us, we are attuned to Saturn’s presence more sharply. Look to Virgo planets, or the house cusp of Virgo in your chart to see where this lunation falls and gain more clues as to how it effects you in particular.

But the Moon and Saturn are just one part of the story. For the full picture we need to turn to the planets opposing the Moon and Saturn. So if we look to the other side, and the far, far reaches of space, we can reach out to those planets sitting directly opposite the Moon and Saturn, and there we find two rather interesting characters: the Sun and Uranus. There they are, sitting side by side….Can you see this funky duo? The Sun, who lights up our lives, feeds our soul, and gives us a sense of meaning and purpose? The Sun shines, radiant and alive, full of potential.

There close to the Sun, by about two zodiacal degrees, is the wackiest planetary body in the zodiac, that trickster, fool and radical change expert, Uranus. So there they are, these two powerhouse planets, moving in their own special way, vibrant and alive, and shimmering right now with a watery Piscean light. The sign of Pisces brings us closer to god, and god in the Pisces sense is whatever that means for us individually. This isn’t some kind of organized religion thing, there’s no intermediary, no morality, no right and wrong. We either feel it or we don’t with Pisces.

Pisces is pure faith, devotion and mystery. Now imagine what that means with Uranus dancing through this sign right now (and for the next year or so, as we near the end of Uranus’ cycle through Pisces). Pretty weird right? Maybe unexpected in a completely perfect way, as we sense a certain “rightness” in what is coming to us at this time in our lifes. We can’t explain, delineate or define it, really. Not to ourselves or anyone else. This is an experience that must be felt, intuited, gently grasped. This is not Virgo’s clarity, order and routine. This is different. So they stand, face to face, or back to back, opposite.

Earthy and real and practical, getting the work done, Virgo says, I’ve got a purpose, I know how to help, let me do my work. Pisces says, I inspire, I seed the work you will do in the world. I bring, the magic, mystery and life essence, the spark that feeds the flame of creativity and life purpose. Right now Virgo and Pisces are doing this opposition dance, offering us the chance to feel and witness the differences between them, to see ourselves stretch out between these polar opposites, and to imagine what it means to alchemically blend these energies in a new form, a new way. As we respond to the challenge, we have the potential to use both the span of our vision and the work of our hands to together create the future we imagine.

Venus’ Retreat in Aries March 1, 2009

Venus’ Retreat

Imagine Venus for a moment. Picture her as goddess, archetype, planet, or myth. See her peach gold hue, her rose kissed skin. Venus is sweet dusk haze, and pure morning light. Her voice speaks grace, and her words breath charm. Beauty, both inner and outer is her realm, and her magic: pure honey dust, sprinkled freely on lovers, artists and peacemakers alike. She dispenses her precarious sparkle of romance and pleasure with loving care and exquisite danger, uncaring of consequences, and blind to remorse. Yet Venus also thrives amongst peace and harmony, revels in the hush of the sated senses, and awakens wherever creativity lives.

In the astrological birth chart, Venus represents how we love, what we love, and often whom we love. She shows our style of receiving and giving pleasure, and she signifies what we find the deepest appreciation in or what we recognize as both beautiful and worthy of love. For this reason she also describes what we value, and at the most mundane level, what we purchase or own.

Her rulership of Taurus and Libra exemplifies her ability to express her essence in both the external, mundane and earthy world (Taurus) and her corresponding qualities in the internal, and more abstract domain (Libra).
In Taurus, she expresses her bounty in the pleasures of the flesh and the juiciness of the five senses. She is queen of pleasure, indulgence and comfort, wanting nothing more than to revel in the beauty of the earth.
In Libra, she rules as the consummate hostess, exuding charm and grace. Her realm is balance and equality, and here she creates justice, excelling in blending opposing forces into a harmonious web.

In the natal chart, the astrological sign Venus is in tells about how we love, our style of attraction and what brings us pleasure. Venus in air signs wants words and ideas shared and expressed to feel loved and appreciated. Venus in fire signs thrives on bravery, passion and action, Venus in water signs opens up to emotional and spiritual connection, and Venus in earth signs needs physical manifestations of affection to feel loved.

Currently Venus is poised to go retrograde (which means the planet looks like it’s moving backwards in the heavens), on March 6, 2009 (turning direct on April 17, 2009 with the “shadow” period continuing until May 21), in the sign of Aries and moving backwards into Pisces.

Venus retrograde allows the Venus principle a chance to rest, rejuvenate and revision the quality of her varying forms of expression. On a personal level, during the Venus retrograde, we have a chance to explore and deepen our relationship to Venusian themes and qualities. Retrograde periods slow down and often internalize the qualities of a planet that is (seemingly) going backwards.

A retrograde time can also be experienced as a stoppage or constriction of energy or experience associated with the planet. For this reason, traditional astrologers consider Venus retrograde periods to be a challenging time for romantic relationships in particular, but also relationships in general. Finances, socializing and culture are also said to suffer at this time. During the month and a half or so of the Venus retrograde it is usually recommended that people postpone starting new relationships, hold off on buying luxury items, or clothes in particular, cut back on socializing and refrain from overspending. It is also strongly recommended that weddings are not held during this time.

While all these tips may indeed prove to be useful, and it can be interesting to experiment with consciously ignoring the Venus retrograde advice and seeing how that new relationship (or car, dress, etc.), holds up when the period passes, there is also another way to approach this time frame that can provide more lasting and rewarding benefits.
Viewed from the evolutionary astrological perspective, the slow and internal pace of the retrograde can be seen as an opportunity for growth rather than an unavoidable and fated negative experience. By matching our own energy to the flow of the planet, we can work with rather than against planetary movement, benefiting from this seemingly backward motion rather than fearing it. Venus retrograde then becomes a time of retreat and reflection, when we allow the Venus principle in our chart the space and freedom to rejuvenate and rejuice.

Most retreats involve periods of contemplation, reflection and rest. A retreat is a time to renew and review our relationships with ourselves and reconnect with our source energy. Retreating can also be associated with stepping back and away from highly charged or stressful encounters, creating space and room to rethink our approach. Sometimes a retreat can even be seen as a defeat, when we feel that we need to step away from an unrewarding or difficult situation that may be draining and discouraging.
If we choose to work with the energy of nature, and particularly the stars, planets and sky, we can maximize our experience of this Venus retrograde and retreat gracefully rather than be forced into retreat by external events.
As we embark on our own personal Venus retreat, it may be helpful to frame our experience with some key questions: Which of our relationships or relationship patterns need to be revised and transformed now? How do we approach comfort, art and beauty in our lives? What is our own particular expression of Venus and what needs to be adjusted or shifted here?

It’s possible that we already express Venus in our lives by creating beautiful bouquets from our gardens, or we arrange and order our possessions in pleasing ways. Perhaps we make art, hostess dinner parties, or model fierce and passionate love in our relationships. Maybe we excel in peacemaking, charming difficult people or decorating, adorning and enjoying our bodies. Or we revel in relaxing and soaking in the deep pleasure of our five senses, making time to rejoice in the sacred and sensual mysteries of our physical body. It’s possible that we celebrate and honor Venus in our lives in some or all of these ways on a regular basis, or, it’s possible that we don’t.

If we have anything to do with the rhythms of our culture, living, working and surviving in mainstream society, the chances are good that we often neglect the rich and juicy flows that course through the veins of the Venusian mysteries. Residing as we do in an environment that worships the triple gods of technology, consumption, and speed, it may be hard to nurture and maintain the heart and soul of Venus’s core. Venus tends to behave badly around this triple deity, showing only her most crass and shallow guise, developing in a warped mutation that prevents the full expression of her most pure essence. Hence the proliferation of the Paris Hilton’s and Britney Spears who carry our Venus reflection, mirroring back a face that can be quite ugly behind the mask.

The Venus retrograde gives us all an opportunity to look at these issues in our personal relationships and at a collective level. As we examine more closely how we approach Venus in our lives, we can reassess what we want our relationship with Venus to look like in the future. We may decide during the Venus Retrograde to dedicate ourselves more fully to awakening this archetype in her pure form, seeding our individual efforts into a collective wellspring of juicy Venus goodness.

Some practical ways to honor Venus during the retrograde period:
*Create an altar to honor Venus, putting items here that represent Venus in your sign and Venus in your life.
*Make peace with an old lover, offering apology or any resolutions that may be needed
*Find one way to integrate your spirituality and your sexuality
*Adorn yourself in a loving way with something beautiful, noticing what it feels like to dress or look this way.
*Rearrange your home in a way that is pleasing to you.
*Brainstorm all of your favorite ways to socialize and plan a party or event for when Venus goes direct.
*Write a personal history of Venus in your life, reflecting back on your past and your own unique expression of Venus qualities.
*Review your relationship with your partner, using this time to make any needed changes if necessary.

Pisces Season: Dreaming the dream awake February 21, 2009

Sun in Pisces

February 18-March 20

This is the dreaming season, where we have the opportunity to let go of everything we’ve attached ourselves to for the last year, and dissolve,  drift and allow.

Pisces asks us to be willing to let spirit take the lead, and encourages us to put our ego and personality  in the back seat to rest and rejuvenate. This time is like the  finishing school of the gods, where we learn to release everything we think is  important  and necessary and focus instead on what we are offered in the moment.  With Pisces in the spotlight now,  we are more likely to be open to receiving the gifts that spirit brings, the ones that we didn’t expect, or even necessarily ask for.

Uranus currently transiting through Pisces and Neptune making such a nice mutual reception in Aquarius, makes this normally rather gentle Piscean energy is filled with even more shocks and suprises than we might have expected

“Wake up to the mystery!” The planets are whispering, or maybe even shouting. “Stay alert to the divine”. “Listen to your deepest voice and dream your most impossible dream”.

Can you hear them calling? If not, clear your schedule, cancel some appointments and set aside  time to daydream, muse without purpose, drift without agenda and create without hope of perfection.

Pisces speaks the language of the soul, the mysterious, beautiful words which may not be precise, but are always truthful.

Pluto in Capricorn and the new “Do it Yourself” Economy December 2, 2008

Pluto moved into Capricorn on Thanksgiving day, introducing a new flavor to our collective stew. Pluto is a planet that represents breakdown, death and endings, but also transformation, power and rebirth. As a planet associated with the mythical beast, the Phoenix, Pluto’s highest energies are capable of rising from the ashes of the past and introducing the magic and possibility of the future. In every ending, there is a beginning, and as Pluto transited through the last degrees of Sagittarius this last year or so, we saw many endings of institutions and structures that we have grown used to. But did we also notice the flickerings of beginnings arise in these losses?

The music industry has made a steady decline in the last several years, with sales of CD’s dropping and record labels folding left and right. The movie industry is another arena that seems to be dying a not so pretty death, as are publishing and financial institutions. Overall, corporations in general seem ready to be put on life support, as we head further into the growing economic collapse of the Capitalistic structure.
So where is the hope in this fire of destruction? The new life coming from the flames? If we look carefully, we can observe the tiniest flickerings of new birth amongst the wreckage that still has not fully settled. The DIY movement grew out of a punk rock philosophy that espoused doing it for yourself rather than relying on corporations or other large institutions to do it for you. Sew your own clothes, make your own food, publish your own zine, book or record. Why let someone else do for you what you could do better for yourself? Within this is a corresponding belief that quality attracts quality. If I make amazing honey from my beehives, and you create fabulous dresses, why not trade our products, knowing we’ve both gotten a better deal than if we patronized some big bargain mart for the same thing.

The DIY movement cuts out the middle man, and allows the creator of a product direct communication and accountability with those who desire and partake in what they create. As this cultural meme has grown amongst the collective mindset, we’ve witnessed new markets developing based on this premise. A perfect example of this is Radiohead’s release of their new album as a download only, buy it direct from the artist, pay what you want, offering. We’re also seeing the rise of self-published books, and in create your own tv aka You-Tube. All of these forms of entertainment that are free and produced by the masses. Even beyond this though there is a growing trend towards producing food in our own backyards (check out San Francisco’s Victory Garden program), and creating regionally based systems of health-care and transportation. Even solar power is a way to break away from centrally located power systems and companies and generate power from our own homes and the sun.

As the control of managers, systems and authorities who create structures breaks down, all more negative expressions of Capricorn, we can simultaneously see the more positive attributes of Capricorn arise: self-reliance, perseverance and accountability. All qualities that support a “do it yourself” mindset. So as we settle more firmly into this Pluto in Capricorn terrain, searching to find our way, and looking to navigate the changing landscape it can be helpful to ask ourselves where in our lives we can “do it for ourselves?”

Because Pluto is a collective planet, this question is not necessarily about self-reliance as individuals, but more about relying on ourselves within our own communities and circles of connection. Capricorn too is a community sign, and is responsible for building institututions and systems for the collective. As we undertake this Plutonion transformation in the Capricorn realm, it will be our work as individuals to figure out what our roles are in the collective story.
Those of us who are used to relying on or who benefit from large institutions, corporations and organizations may need to find ways to transition to a more do it yourself mindset. We may need to look at how we can remove the middle man from the service we provide, and look for ways to take it directly to those we want to serve. Because we are at the beginning of the cycle of Pluto in Capricorn, we can start doing this in small ways, experimenting with different forms of presenting what we offer to others. For example, if you are a doctor working for a large hospital, now might be a time to cut back on your hours at the hospital and consider offering your skills as part of a trade or barter system in your community. If you are a writer looking for a publishing contract, now might be a time to consider self-publishing. If you sell things for others, now could be a time to think of what you can sell for yourself.

Together we will be undertaking an enormous cultural shift, one that we have not encountered since Pluto last transited through Capricorn, around the time of the American Revolution. Hopefully we can learn from the lessons of past cycles and proactively create and participate in the change that is already happening, rather than let it happen to us.

And though the DIY mentality is a good one, I endorse it, like all things in moderation. DIY lasik surgery just might be taking things a little too far……