Musings

November 2011

The New Moon Solar Eclipse

The New Moon Solar Eclipse occurs on November 24th at 10:10 p.m. PST and Nov 25th 1:01 a.m. EST.

New Moon phases are active cycles where the light grows in the sky each night.  A Solar Eclipse occurs during a New Moon when the Moon blocks the Sun from the Earth, we usually have about two total eclipses and several partial eclipses each year.

If we are to understand astrologically what eclipses are we simply have to understand light. The energy of both the Sun and Moon provide light.  The Sun’s light is direct and its energy is more about what we experience outwardly and actively or during day light, the Moon’s  is indirect and about the unconscious or light within us, the night.

Eclipses provide a window of energy that intensifies and charges the energy already flowing through each of us and its affect can last up to six months. 

This Solar Eclipse, although only partial, will allow what has been activated to find a way to come to light in our daily lives. It may not be as spectacular as it sounds, we must remember that energy transcends from the energetic realms to the earthly realm subtly. In our earthly world we have to experience these changes slowly and subtly. I equate it to your hair growing, you don’t really notice it but it does grow and over time it can grow quite a bit.

I always recommend taking time to meditate sometime during the day of the eclipse.  Becoming quiet and still allows us to be more aware of the energy and the subtle shift going on.  Perhaps you’ll experience where this is happening for you personally.

The exact degree of the Solar Eclipse is 2° of Sagittarius. Check to see where this takes place in your natal chart and you’ll have a better idea of how this energy is going to affect you.

Sagittarius is the truth seeker and also the keeper of the shamanic traditions. This is such a wonderful time to be part of some of the most significant shifts happening for humanity. With the Mayan Calendar reminding us that we are experiencing a paradigm shift in the present moment, this Solar Eclipse is very much a part of that shift. It is bringing forward Shamanic Wisdom we have not yet experienced in the present moment. It will awaken some very powerful thoughts and feelings in everyone. It will allow us to open our energy and raise our vibration to a higher level. That new level holds many treasures for us. It may seem that the world is in one of the most chaotic times that most of us can remember. It is simply the old energy breaking apart because a higher vibration is emerging.

Many astrologers like Philip Sedgwick (www.philipsedgwick.com) and Cayelin Castell (www.cayelincastell.com), have a lot to offer about Galactic Center, a gateway of our Milky Way.  This Solar Eclipse takes place very close to Galactic Center, possibly inviting in a powerful spiritual wave that is going to have a very permanent effect.

Plan to meditate, intend and commit to what is most important in your life. Healing will excel on so many energetic levels including the physical. Our world will be swept up in an Indigo wave that will surely offer a new consciousness.

October 2011

Types of Astrology

How many types of astrology are there? According to some websites, like Wikipedia, there are over 80 types of astrology in use today. I would have guessed more like 200, but I’m including the many ways we use astrology in many of the types of astrology. In traditional astrology alone we use elective astrology, which looks  at different charts to see which one would be the best date, time and place to elect to do something like start a business or get married. There’s horary astrology which uses the date, time and place of a question to find answers like, “When will I get married?”, There are so many different ways to do a chart; you can use a Whole Sign house system or a Placidus, there’s Porphyry, Regiomontanus, Equal, Solar and the list goes on and on.

There are different ways to see astrology.  Geocentric, which is from the earth’s perspective, is one; Heliocentric, with the Sun at the center is another. Once you get into astrology, you have to explore the many forms of astrology that exist so you can find the one that best suits you. I like to use the Western traditional form of Placidus houses where each house is calculated according to the birth information, but I practice Evolutionary and Western Karmic Astrology. Yet one of my closest friends, Cayelin Castell, a wonderful Shamanic Astrologer (check her out at www.cayelincastell.com) uses the Whole house system, where each house begins at 0 degrees of the sign on each house. I love how her interpretation always works so well, but just in a different way than my Placidus house system. Both seem to provide a valid perspective and give a different way of looking at the chart.

Consider how so many different cultures have their own form of astrology; Vedic is one of the oldest forms of astrology dating back to 5th century India in the Hindu tradition, it’s also called Jyotish from the Sanskrit word Jyotis which means light, heavenly body. Then there’s Kabalistic Astrology, which is my most recent favorite. I started to study the Kabbalah this year and discovered another beautiful ancient tradition in astrology. What I love is that this tradition, that is thousands of years old, fits so perfectly with how I experience the energy of the twelve signs, it works as well today as it did a thousand years ago. The list does go on and on: Mayan, Chinese, Korean, Shamanic, and Celtic. I suppose each culture understood the stars were placed in the sky so that no matter we are on the planet, the Universe could speak to us and guide us. That is what all these different forms and styles have in common. We use them to help us see something about life that we need some guidance with, we seek to understand beyond our consciousness a bigger picture about our self and others.

September 2011

The Harvest Moon

The Full Moon in September is called the Harvest Moon. This because from an astronomical perspective we’re close to the Autumnal Equinox and the position of the Earth and Sun being almost equal makes the Moon appear much larger and brighter than normal and the full moon will last for several days. In ancient times this gave farmers a few extra days to harvest crops later into the night. Also the Harvest Moon is a Pisces Moon since the Full Moon is always opposite the Sun sign of Virgo in September. A Pisces Moon is one of the most watery, beautiful, mystical Moons.

This year the Harvest Moon takes place on September 10, 11, and 12 when the Moon becomes full at 2:27 am PST and 5:27 am EST on the 12th.

People who plant by astrology also consider the Full Moon the best moon to harvest plants rich in moisture like grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes, because research shows that people and plants tend to hold the most moisture closest to the full moon.  This may also be why research has shown people tend to hemorrhage when bleeding during a full moon.

Most astrological planting is done by the moon; the best time to plant is during the New Moon phase.  When the light grows it encourages growth in everything in the outside world.  Planting vegetables during a Cancer moon is suggested as Cancer is the sign of nourishment and is considered one of the most fertile moons because it’s a water moon. A Taurus Moon is an earth moon but is wonderful for flowers because of its relationship with Venus and also beautiful smells .  A Scorpio Moon, another water moon, is good for crops that grow underground like potatoes and carrots. I almost always plant some Sunflower seeds on a Leo moon, not usually known as a good planting moon, but I feel it is the Moon Sign for a Sunflower since Leo is ruled by the Sun. This year I had one of my Sunflowers grow to ten feet!

The two days leading up to the Full Moon, September 10th and 11th are also very good planting days as the Moon will be in the water sign of Pisces and as the Moon comes into Fullness the earth is at its most moist. Once we reach September 12th the Moon has reached fullness and planting is not recommended.

If you’d like to follow the Moon for suggestions check out my Monthly Moon Phases every two weeks.   I keep you up to date on what each Daily Moon Sign is good for and sometimes what it’s not so good for!

August 2011

What Kind of Chart Do You Need?

It often confuses people as to how Astrologers answer questions like, “When will I marry?” or “What caused that earthquake?” These two questions would require very different charts. “When will I marry?” would be done as a horary chart.  The word horary comes from the Latin for “of the hour” meaning a chart that is done when the moment the question is asked. For many decades it was popular in Europe for Astrologers to stand on street corners with chalk boards and do horary charts for people as the came up to them and asked a question.  It could be, “Will I win money?” or “Where is my lost dog?”  Yes, horary astrology can also determine location and direction.  I once took a workshop with Gilbert Navaro, one of the best horary Astrologers in the country.  Many years back there had been a school bus of children abducted and held for ransom. He heard it on the news and immediately did a chart for that moment. He determined the exact location the bus was hidden in.  It had been driven into a mountain cave area; he called police and helped them find the bus!

With a question like, “What caused that earthquake?” we look at the event chart itself.  Using the date, place and time of the earthquake we determine the position of the planets at that time. With the recent earthquake in Japan, I did the event chart and compared it to the chart of Japan and saw that Neptune and Uranus both were very active in the way they affected the chart of Japan. These two planets passed over significant positions in the chart as well as a few other factors. Uranus is the planet of earthquakes but Neptune is the planet of tsunamis!

There’s another kind of chart astrologers use when asked a question like, “When should I marry?” or “What is a good date to start my business?” This is called an electional chart and it allows us to review the best possible planetary configuration for the subject matter. With dates for marriage I always check the couple’s chart to make sure the marriage date will support their nature. With business I like to know what the business is about. If it’s a beauty salon I would want to have a heavy influence of Libra, which rules beauty and Leo, which rules creativity and glamour. If it were a restaurant I would look at a Cancer influences as Cancer rules food and nurturing others.

There are many kinds of charts we can do in Western Astrology.  The three I’ve mentioned are the most commonly used ideas.  Astrology can be very complicated but once you learn to work with the basics: Signs, Planets and Houses, all these charts and ideas come together easily. My favorite pastime is teaching astrology to people who have little to no background in the subject and watch the light bulb come on!

I’ve been asked by several of you out there if I ever plan to do an online school or course. The answer is “YES!” I do plan to start something online in the New Year. Right now I have a fabulous ongoing group here in Tucson that is very close to my heart, I’ve seen how I can bring it out to the world by utilizing an online idea, so it’s coming, I promise!

In the meantime check out Donna Cunningham’s Sky Writer  at moonmave@spiritone.com; you can sign up for emails sent directly and all her articles are very easy to understand even if you are a beginner. You can even put in subject matter in the search like Sun in Twelfth House and see if there’s an article written about it. 

July 2011

Pets and Astrology

Pet owners love their pets and often want to understand them better. Just like people, pets have natal birth charts. If you’re lucky enough to know your pet’s birthday you would be able to know what they like and dislike; how they get along with each other and their human family.

Knowing their Sun sign can provide a great deal of information to understand your pet.

If they are a Fire Sun sign then they are going to need more attention than most other pets. Fire needs fuel and tending to, they would also need to have the balance of other elements around them to help them calm down, like Earth. Fire signs can be very active and fragile, too much of anything can make them run out of energy suddenly, so keep a balance with Fire signs pets. Fire also makes them a bit more “hot” which means they may be more dominant, they would do well with Air sign pets and people but may find water to be challenging to them. These would most likely be your “fussy” pet.

Earth Sun sign pets will be slower and less active, they will have a tendency to get overweight and need to be encouraged to be active. They may be more possessive of their toys and certain areas of the home or property.  Earth sign pets would get along with others and may act more human than most. They would have a hard time with you not sharing your most comfortable places. For instance an Earth sign dog or cat would expect to sleep on a bed, after all isn’t that where everyone sleeps? Why would they be excluded? And no matter how often you said, “Off!” to them, Earth signs are tenacious.

Air Sun sign pets show an aptitude of intelligence, they might even try to speak your language. They will be curious and need to be watched so they don’t get themselves into trouble because of it. Air needs to move and flow, so these pets will be more restless and want to play.  Providing toys and other pets to play with is important, Air sign pets are social and need to be entertained, their intelligence keeps them interested in anything and anyone new. Air sign pets can present a depression if they get bored so change out toys once in a while and bring them to places where they can socialize and meet new people.

Water Sun sign pets are very intuitive and sensitive. They might be very choosey over whom they like, and if they avoid someone or another pet trust their decision and do not push them, water signs can have very powerful emotional reactions. They may have an ability to read your thoughts or the pictures your thoughts provide, you can simply send them a picture of what you want to tell them or ask them and they will respond. This is important to remember if you’re thinking negatively about someone or another pet! They can be very fussy eaters because they have to feel like eating and because they are more emotional than other signs, they may develop digestive issues.

Here is a list of Sun signs*, their elements and their approximate dates.

Aries-Fire-March 21st to April 20th....................Libra-Air-Sept 21st to Oct 20th
Taurus-Earth-April 21st to May 20th.............Scorpio-Water-Oct 21st to Nov 20th
Gemini-Air-May 21st to June 20th..............Sagittarius-Fire-Nov 21st to Dec 20th
Cancer-Water-June 21st to July 20th...........Capricorn-Earth-Dec 21st to Jan 20th
Leo-Fire-July 21st to Aug 20th......................Aquarius-Air-Jan 21st to Feb 20th
Virgo-Earth-Aug 21st to Sept 20th.................Pisces-Water-Feb 21st to Mar 20th

*check individual Sun signs on Signs of the Zodiac on the home page for more detailed information on your Pets sign!

June 2011

Summer Solstice

On June 21st at 10:17 a.m. PST and 1:17 p.m. EST the Sun will enter into the sign of Cancer. This is Summer Solstice. The word Solstice is from Latin; Sol meaning Sun and Sistere meaning to stand still. It refers to a point where the amount of light begins to change. The Summer Solstice in the Northern hemisphere is the day we have the most light and then it begins to lessen each day. Winter Solstice is the day we have the least light but the light then begins to return.  In the Southern Hemisphere it’s exactly the opposite; they will be experiencing Winter Solstice on June 21st.

The Solstices are two points on the Cardinal Cross, the other two are the Equinoxes; Vernal in the Spring when the Sun enters Aries and Autumnal in September when the Sun enters Libra. These four points are the season markers for the Natural Zodiac that begins with Aries.

Almost every culture has a celebration and tradition about one of the Cardinal points; Easter in the Spring, Midsummer with the Summer Solstice, Christmas with Winter Solstice, Sukkoth in the Autumn.

I think the most important aspect to consider as a metaphor with Summer Solstice is light. Light is the common denominator with all the Cardinal Cross points because whether a Solstice or Equinox, it’s the light that is evaluated for noting the day of each point. Light is about wisdom, enlightenment. Summer Solstice takes place as the Sun enters Cancer, the sign that rules our subconscious. Summer Solstice offers us a moment where the access to our subconscious is open and available, the light illuminates the path.

Perhaps it’s just the idea that once in a while we stop and take time to reflect and reconsider where and why we’re heading in a direction in life. Four times a year the Universe suggests we follow nature’s lead and take a moment to celebrate what’s important, appreciate what is good and nurtures us without any effort on our part, the Sun. Without it the planet and all of us would perish, because of its constant energy life continues on planet Earth. The ancients regarded the Sun as a God, maybe they knew something we’ve forgotten.  The three upcoming Eclipses arrange around Summer Solstice, change is in the air and opportunities to live better and more consciously are certainly in the plan.

Summer Solstice is the perfect day to stop and consider what in your life is keeping you from your good. Have you been asking for change and wondering why it hasn’t taken place? Why you want to change negative behavior but something seems to impede its transformation? Consider your subconscious is now ready to reveal its secret, the light is shining on the answer and the shadows disappear. What felt like an enormous undertaking, now in the light of truth, is a very small part of you ready to transform. A lie you once told yourself is ready to become a truth.  You do have something to celebrate!

Happy Summer Solstice!

May 2011

Many Happy Returns

Did you know the phrase “Many Happy Returns” as a birthday compliment comes from astrology? Someone once said to me they thought it was a reference to returning birthday gifts! It’s a reference to your annual solar return when the Sun returns to the exact degrees it was at during your birth.  Some years it can fall right on your birthday and other years it can be the day before or the day after that it arrives at the exact degrees of your Sun.

Astrologers can do something called a Solar return chart. It’s a chart calculated for the moment of the solar return and looks at where all the other planets are at that moment, including what the Ascendant is on that day and time as well. It shows the opportunities that lie ahead for the year. Astrologers can also do return charts on just about all the inner planets like Mercury, Venus and Mars as well as the Moon.

We experience other types of returns as well.   These are specific cycles of planets and occur on a time line that references when that planet returns to the exact day and degree it was on the day you were born. The most popular one to look at is our Saturn return. It takes Saturn close to thirty years to return to the original place in the birth chart. It has significance because Saturn is the karmic teacher and timekeeper of the Soul. It gives us important karmic lessons the Soul wants us to learn and makes sure we’re on time with learning them. I like to think of Saturn as the project manager for the Soul! Most of us experience two Saturn returns; the first one around age 29 and our second Saturn return around age 59. The first return usually brings about a significant event that sets in motion our lessons for the next thirty years. At the second return Saturn is checking to see that we’ve acquired a greater consciousness from those lessons. If we have, then Saturn quietly graduates us from our karma and allows us to move into new experiences; if it sees we have not been good students and have failed at some of those lessons, it brings those lessons to our attention more powerfully and makes sure we pay attention.

Recently I had my annual reading with my friend and favorite astrologer Cayelin Castell (http://cayelincastell.com) who practices Shamanic Astrology. It’s a beautiful esoteric astrology that uses one of the most ancient forms of astrology. She pointed out that I am in the middle of my Venus return cycle. Venus returns to its original place in your birth chart every eight years; this is different than a Venus return chart that can be calculated each year, just like a Solar return. This return is about a cycle of Venus when it returns on the exact day of your birth, this occurs every eight years and heralds a time of being able to connect more deeply with your true desires and manifest them.  Venus is all about desire. 

We have returns with all our planets depending on their orbit; for instance Jupiter returns every twelve years to its original place in your chart.

Returns are fascinating because you can often pinpoint certain events in your life. Venus return years are 8, 16, 24 and so on, Jupiter is 12, 24, 36. Notice at age 24 you get both the Venus and Jupiter return in the same year. Can you think of something that may have occurred when you were 24?  And if you aren’t 24 yet you can look forward to a time that will bring significant opportunities your way!

Watching the planets as they dance their way around your chart is a great way to see opportunities and get ready for them. Astrology is about making choices not about predictions. Somewhere along the way people began to expect Astrologers to predict their future. We have free will; we get to choose what path we want to take to arrive at different objectives set forth by our Soul, that’s our destiny.

Many Happy returns!

April 2011

Every Sign Has Its Quirks!

Over the years I’ve come to notice little things about the twelve signs; little quirky characteristics that each sign seems to uniquely bear. I thought it would be interesting to list them.

ARIES - They always have a weapon. My husband never leaves the house without his pen; it’s like his little sword. They might carry some sharp object and not realize it’s their weapon, but they always have one. Hats, Aries seem to love hats and sunglasses that are often not on their face but sitting on their head; they need their ram horns! Gym clothes are never far for most, or at least their running shoes. They tend to run the gamut of shaved heads to really thick hair. On their cell phone: speed dial of course!

TAURUS - They like to have a talisman of worth on them. An object of worth is usually something sentimental. A marble they found on the beach or a locket with a picture. Somewhere on their being will be a talisman of worth to them. They love anything that smells good and they usually smell really good.  They especially like moisturizer because it also makes their skin soft.   Cologne, air fresheners, and fabric spray will be plentiful in their homes as well as plants. On their cell phone:  charms and little cute phone tags and voice activation (they’re a bit too lazy to dial).

GEMINI - Keys, they love to jiggle them and remind themselves they can get up and go at a minute’s notice. Of course the era of the cell phone is right up their proverbial alley; they can now talk all the time!  They smile the most of the twelve signs as if they are hearing a joke coming on and they probably are. Gemini’s seem to wear clothes that are more youthful and they tend to have an unusual gait to their step, a little dance they do. On their cell phone: them, all the time, talking, sometimes to two people - back and forth, they invented the conference call.

CANCER - They will almost always have a shell. Whether it is a jacket or vest, sometimes a sweater, they love to have the upper body covered with an extra layer of clothing. As with most water signs, they have hair they don’t know what to do with and it’s almost always a bit wiry - fish, crabs and scorpions do not have hair! They also tend to carry food: mints, candy, gum, usually to give out to others! I’m not going to talk about their cars; it would take up an entire page. On their cell phone: pictures and videos of their pets, kids, plants, yes they love their plants too.

LEO - Hair, Leo’s seem to have cornered the market on hair and most have a mane. Many seem to have the Sun on their face too; the area around the bridge of their nose and cheeks seems to be lighter. They love to show off their kingdom and all Leo’s have a kingdom: grandchildren, spouses, friends, pets. They lie in wait for the unsuspecting to say, “So how is your granddaughter” and then they pounce!  Out come the photos.  And they love to wear photos; you know those people who have tee-shirts with the family reunion photo on it?  They’re probably a Leo! Don’t get me started on their vanity plates. On their cell phone: besides the pictures mentioned, a really annoying ringtone.

VIRGO - They invented hand cleaning gel and tissues. They carry vitamins, herbal tea bags, lip balm, emery boards.  They are very prepared to not be sick or have to eat something they feel is unhealthy. Do not look in their medicine cabinet. Some even have little kits for sewing or those kits for repairing glasses on them; they will not be able to tolerate anything being broken. They like muted colors and natural fabrics, most tend to have neat, clean hair: no dye, fancy cuts or hair products. On their cell phone: mind challenging games, list of information like password codes, dates of appointments, their printer ink number, it could go on and on.

LIBRA - Watch how they walk, they all seem to have the grace of a ballet dancer and when they sit they seem to pose. I’ve noticed most have long thin legs no matter the shape of the rest of their body. Libra’s do not get overweight unless something else in the chart causes a weight challenge.  They all seem to have beautiful hair that naturally falls into place and they have naturally manicured nails as well. They often have makeup, a brush or comb, something to clean their teeth mid-day on them. On their cell phone: a virtual Zen garden to relax them and a beautiful ring tone.

SCORPIO - Oh! Those eyes! Scorpio’s have the most amazing eyes. They seem to look right through you and they do! They like to have something to cool them: blue colored clothes, sun glasses, diamonds (we call them “ice”.) They often carry a book or magazine to have privacy when out in public. Scorpio’s like to sit in private corners and everyone will notice and want to talk to them.  On their cell phone: they most likely have a phone they can read multiple books on, no ring tone, just vibrate. You probably will not see them on their phone in public often; they prefer to be private about their calls and wish the rest of would too!

SAGITTARIUS - If a Sag works in an office they’re the one with a bow tie instead of a tie.  They love anything that gets them outside, so if they work indoors then they will bring sneakers to put on to go for a walk during lunch or a poncho if it rains. They often have some sort of gear on hand; a back pack so they can go anywhere at a moment’s notice.  They always seem to have a journal to write some poetry or philosophical thoughts for the day.  On their cell phone: a GPS and camera to take pictures of sunsets, buildings, someone’s shoes.

CAPRICORN - Many wear glasses when they’re young and get Lasik surgery or contacts later in life.  Their clothes tend to be business colors: blue, brown and grey. They often carry all their financial stuff: money, credit cards, checkbook, not because they love money but because they feel  being powerful is important and finances give us power, all usually in a planner that they are lost without. They are often reading a newspaper somewhere in the day. They love to be up on the news and politics. On their cell phone: business contacts, their office, a calculator with a special tip function, a CNN app.

AQUARIUS - They all seem to have static in their hair! Some even have hair that is so electric it goes all kinds of ways.  Most love any new technology. I think they invented laptops. Many love tee-shirts that help a group: save the whales, save Bob’s diner, or “How Am I Supposed to Think Outside of the Box if They Won’t Let Me Out of It!” Their clothes can be eclectic and rarely formal; we’ll leave it at that. On their cell phones: every app available, lots of music, videos and something to record with, and somehow, they can access their computer files.

PISCES - All water signs seem to have hair that doesn’t go the way others do, but the Mermaids and Mermen seem to have waves or unusual colors to their hair like water flowing through it. They love footwear and love anything shiny on them as well as their clothes; it reminds them of iridescent scales and shells. Some will have more shoes than clothes. I’ve know Pisces that told me, “I always wear black so I don’t have to deal with what matches.” Many wear glasses or contacts. On their cell phones: lots of photos, a camera for sure and ring tones of favorite songs.

March 2011

The Vernal Equinox March 20th 4:21 p.m. PST and 7:21 p.m. EST

Every March 20th to the 21st, when the Sun enters 0° Aries and passes directly over the Earth’s equator, the Vernal Equinox marks the beginning of spring. This occurs again in September when the Sun enters 0° Libra, we call that the Autumnal Equinox.  These are two of the four Cardinal points of the seasons on the Earth. The other two are Winter Solstice, December 20th to the 21st, when the Sun enters Capricorn and Summer Solstice and June 20th to the 21st, when the Sun enters Cancer.  All are measurements of light. The Equinoxes are the two times of the year when the Earth experiences balanced or equal light and darkness. The Winter Solstice is the day the Earth reaches the most hours of darkness and on the Summer Solstice, it has the most light.
We use these dates to mark the seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. In Astrology, constellations and zodiac signs are not the same. Most would agree that Zodiac signs are named after astronomical constellations and refer to seasons on the Earth.  The Zodiac belt is a measured area along the ecliptic which is a projection or visual line of the Earth’s orbit. The four seasonal points of the Cardinal Cross; the two Equinoxes and the two Solstices, are the measured points on the ecliptic or ecliptic plane and celestial plane. The two equinoxes are actually points where the Zodiac belt and Celestial Equator cross paths.

Many ancient civilizations held celebrations during these periods. And most of these civilizations also used some form of astrology as well.

 

February 2011

The Year of the Rabbit, Chinese New Year 2011

February 3, 2011 begins the year of the Metal Rabbit, year 4708 in the Chinese calendar. This always occurs on the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice. The rabbit is said to represent longevity and has associations with the Moon. In China, when you gaze at the moon you see a Moon Hare standing near a rock under the Cassia tree holding the Elixir of Immortality in  his hands.

Many of us in the West have started to celebrate Chinese New Year. I did some research as to what are the meanings behind some of the traditional beliefs to ring in the New Year. Here are some ideas that go along with the symbolism and beliefs of the Chinese New Year.

A day or so before the New Year, make a clean sweep of your home, this symbolizes letting go of the past, getting rid of last year’s troubles or dirt. However, do not sweep or clean on New Year’s Day; it is thought to sweep away your good fortune and prosperity for the New Year.

Also, do not wash your hair on New Years’ Day because it will also wash away the good fortune for the New Year!

Put out some oranges or tangerines on New Years’ day for everyone to eat as it symbolizes good health and vitality.

Have fresh flowers, possibly red, with pleasant scents out on New Years’ Day as they represent prosperity.

Wear red for luck and gold for happiness and prosperity on New Years’ Day.

Plan a celebration dinner for New Years Day.   Make sure to eat something sweet and rich so that you have a sweet, rich New Year.

January 2011

New Year’s Day - Resolution or Affirmation?

In astrology we consider Aries as the beginning of the Zodiac. In many earth based cultures that followed nature, the Vernal Equinox, the day the Sun enters Aries, was considered the beginning of the year.  Spring was when the grass began to come back, the flowers reemerged from the ground and everyone felt a renewed sense of energy after a long cold winter.  Of course there are many other calendars used by different cultures and religions, but almost everyone acknowledges January 1st as the beginning of the New Year.

January 1st as New Year’s Day was established by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, and most of us do use the Julian calendar of 365 days to a year. The month of January was named after Janus, the god of gates, doors and beginnings. So, for most of the western civilization, the old is behind us, and we get a chance to begin again.

When you consider past New Year’s resolutions, have any of them come to manifestation?  I think we need to consider the nature of the beast. It seems as soon as we say, “This year I will...” something inside us rebels and says, “NO! I won’t and you can’t make me!” Maybe it’s because what we think we have to try to resolve about ourselves is what we consider wrong or broken about ourselves, or what we need to fix about our life. If we continue to consider something about ourselves as broken, our subconscious will work hard to keep it broken.

Instead of a New Year’s resolution, try a New Year’s affirmation. For 2011 write an affirmation about the year that describes what you want to accomplish.  Affirmations are a way to reprogram the subconscious; if you tell it you already have it the subconscious believes it to be true.

Instead of starting your New Year’s affirmation for 2011 on January 1st, this year consider January 4th, the day of the New Moon in Capricorn to be your starting point. You can use January 1st as the day to begin to write your affirmation. Check out Moon Phases for the details about this New Moon and what it’s offering us.
Many blessings for the coming year!

December 2010

The longest night of the year, Winter Solstice occurs on December 21, 2010 at 6:38 p.m. EST, 4:38 p.m. PST.  It occurs because the Earth’s axial tilt is the farthest away from the Sun every year around the 21st or 22nd of December.  Imagine yourself leaning away from something as far as you could without falling over. While Winter Solstice occurs in December every year, that is only in the Northern Hemisphere.   In the Southern Hemisphere it takes place around June 21st, when the Northern hemisphere is experiencing the Summer Solstice.

Many ancient traditions held rituals and ceremonies on Winter Solstice. I suppose if you had endured a long cold winter, you would have something to celebrate since the light begins to slowly return at this point.  Winter Solstice is the reason for Christmas! Two thousand years ago Pagan Romans celebrated the Winter Solstice; when Julius Caesar instituted a new calendar the Solstice festival fell on December 25, even today we use the Julian calendar.  Around 300 AD the Romans had legalized Christianity and began a campaign to convert Pagans to Christianity; this also included the Druids in Western and Eastern Europe. The Romans began to create a Christian holy day to oppose the Pagan or Druid (they are different) holy day, if you didn’t show up at their “Mass” on that day, they knew you must be at Pagan ceremony and you would be punished.

Winter Solstice is actually part of the Cardinal Cross, the four points of significant seasonal changes on the earth, all measuring light. Winter Solstice takes place at 0 degrees Capricorn, next is the Vernal Equinox at 0 degrees Aries, Summer Solstice at 0 degrees Cancer and finally the Autumnal Equinox at 0 degrees Libra.  Both Solstices mark the increase or decrease in the amount of light we have on a daily basis; the Equinoxes are the two opposite points of the year when we have equal amounts of light and darkness on the earth.

Whatever your belief or practice, enjoy the day the Sun begins to return the light to the Northern Hemisphere, and to all of you in the Southern Hemisphere, we’ll be happy to return it in June!

November 2010

November is election month and I thought I would bring to light something important in the chart of the United States of America.  We are in our 8th Saturn return.  The Saturn return is when Saturn, the planet of karmic lessons and the keeper of time for the soul, returns to the place in a chart that it was at the moment of birth, which occurs approximately every 29 years. 

The chart of the United States of America has Saturn in Libra.  In a person’s chart Saturn will usually return twice; once around age 29 and the second return around age 58.  Saturn checks on our progress in life.  It asks, “Have you learned your lessons?”  It then decides your fate based on that question.  In the chart of a country or business Saturn returns can happen over and over and provide us with a two and half year cycle to change direction and move our consciousness based on what we have learned as a country in the past 29 years.  It also sets in motion the new lessons we will be learning for the next 29 years.

This Saturn return for the United States began on October 29, 2009, the 80th anniversary of the stock market crash that created the great depression.  Wouldn’t you agree that we came pretty close to another depression in 2009?  Keep your thoughts positive, support what you believe in and  know that Divine Order is always at work!

October 2010

October is Libra’s month and Libra is about relationships and love.  I’ve always felt Valentine’s Day should be October 14th, not February 14th!  Aquarius is about friendship.

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is about relationships, “How do I know if this person is a good match for me?”  Well your first clue is that you’re interested in them.  When astrologers compare the charts of two people to see what are the strongest points and what are the challenges to be overcome there are two methods most commonly used:  Synastry, chart comparison of the two individual charts, and a Composite chart.  A composite chart creates one chart out of the two individual charts.  It’s a bit complicated.

I like using Synastry and finding the connections.  The first place I look is the individual Moon signs.  After all, love relationships are all about how we feel about each other and how we feel is expressed through our Moon sign.  If the Moon signs are compatible there’s a good foundation for the relationship.  Next, I look at the Descendant (it’s opposite the Ascendant) to see what they are each looking for in a relationship, the sign of the Descendant denotes the others in your life.

The next place to look is the woman’s Venus and the man’s Mars if you are heterosexual.  Homosexual couples, if it’s two women, I look at their Venuses, two men, I look at their Mars.  Why?  Because these are the planets that distinguish our sexual nature, how we express sexual desire.  Women express it through Venus and Men express through Mars.

How about Sun signs?  The Sun is our fuel, it is what we are developing into, it’s the evolving self.  Two Sun signs that are compatible by element are great together.  If the element is not as compatible the couple can use it to their advantage by having it keep their individuality strong.  Let the winds of heaven dance between them.

I often see Sun sign polarity in relationships:  Libra’s with Aries, Leo’s with Aquarius’s.  This creates a wonderful magnetic effect that helps them grow as individuals because the other sign holds the key to their evolvement.  Aries needs to learn patience, Libra needs to understand motivation.  Of course my one exception is Scorpio; I strongly feel that Scorpio’s should try to find other Scorpio’s for the best compatibility because of their ultra sensitive nature and their need for an intuitive partner.

But there is actually more to the puzzle than meets the eye!  Too much compatibility can make for a rather boring relationship that can lose much of its steam quickly if there isn’t some friction to keep the fire going.  Please don’t fall for the, “Fire can only get along with Air” platitude, add the right amount of water to fire and you get steam!  Too much water added to Earth and you’re flooded.

I love looking for the karmic connection in relationships.  Is this a past life relationship that has returned to complete some idea?  Maybe you were forbidden to be together so in this life you get have it all.  Now I don’t mean to make it sound so simple; past life situations are unique to the individuals and can be quite complicated.

I’ve found in many divorces that the past life connections were often about having to stay in the relationship without choice, the divorce is the karmic conclusion.  This time you get to choose to leave!  Now isn’t that successful? There are no failed marriages.  Some marriages are meant to last the lifetime, while others might be designed to last only as long as needed to accomplish something.

In business, friendship, and parent and child relationships, chart comparison is similar except you look at the way they relate appropriate for those relationships. 

Also keep in mind that marriage is no different than a business contract, it’s a signed document that is legally binding.  Love is a whole different story.  I have told couples, “You have a great relationship, don’t mess it up by getting married now!”  Marriage charts change the relationship.  If you really feel strongly about getting married have an astrologer check for a date that supports what you want the relationship to change into.  If you really want children and that picket fence, pick a strong Cancer or Leo energy in the chart.  If you want someone to go off to an adventure with, maybe travel, look for Sagittarius in the Moon or Ascendant of the chart.  There are very creative ways to use astrology but we have to keep in mind it’s a guide, ultimately it is our intentions that predict the outcome!  

September 2010

Have you ever heard someone say “I’m an Aries/Taurus, I was born on a cusp?” You cannot be two signs, you will be an Aries or a Taurus based on your date, time, and place of birth.

As I mentioned last month, the Sun can change from one sign to another within a five day period.  These are not the dates you see in the newspaper,  which are usually given as the 20th or 21st as the day a sign begins.  It’s very misleading I know, and so are the horoscopes that most of those newspapers offer!

Here’s why: most of the horoscopes in newspapers and magazines use a chart that puts the Sun at the Ascendant or first house, generalizing that most of us are the same Ascendant sign as our Sun sign.  It would be impossible to write horoscopes for all twelve possibilities for all twelve Sun signs.  That would be 144 Horoscopes for every edition!  Oh, and to actually list the date the Sun entered a sign, month after month, year after year?  You do the math!

You might actually have the Sun in the 10th house or 4th house depending on the time you’re born.  So when the horoscope says something like, “with Venus entering into your 5th house of creativity this month you’ll find yourself bursting with creative energy”, you may not even have Venus moving through the 5th house.

If you want to have a better idea of what horoscope actually applies to you, read the horoscope for the Sign of your Ascendant; you can easily attain this information by getting your chart done online from a reputable site like www.alabe.com.  If you’re a Libra Ascendant you would read the horoscope for Libra as well as your actual Sun sign.  See which one is more accurate.  I’m betting on the Ascendant!

A little bit of Astrological History of Horoscopes:

The first newspaper horoscope was written for the birth of Princess Margaret, sister to Queen Elizabeth, on August 24th 1930.  It appeared in the British Sunday Express and quickly raised the sales of the paper. Royal astrologer R.H. Naylor, who wrote the column, was then asked to write a series.  I have heard several variations on this story; however, this one is quite verifiable.

Planets Moving Forward and Back????

This month Mercury will move from retrograde motion to direct motion on the 12th.  Planets do not actually move backwards!  It has to do with the position of the Earth on its orbit, which is somewhat oval.  To make it simple consider it an optical illusion that from our perspective on Earth, Mercury appears to be moving backward.