just because she's beautiful doesn't mean you aren't - part II - scarcity thinking

Part I is HERE.

We live in a world where everyone's "bright shiny new thing" that is happening to them is visible to us. We have always sort of lived in this world, our world is just a whole lot bigger now (or smaller depending on how you look at it), so there are a lot more bright, shiny new things to see.

When we were kids and the neighbors got a new car, everyone probably hopped in for a ride and then we walked home with parents wondering aloud if the Browns could really afford that. Or maybe, if we were lucky, we walked home with parents excited for their friends' good fortune.

I want to be the person excited for everyone else's good fortune.

(and yes, I know as soon as I write this, life will offer me the opportunity to learn how to do this through practice by providing some really great fortune to someone I know - I hope it is YOU - please buy a lottery ticket and ... remember your friend Cat from Jersey)

I don't want to be the person grumbling to myself about how someone could be on vacation again. But I am. The grumbler, I mean. I want need to stop.

And yes, I know that everything isn't as wonderful as it seems in Facebook land and other public places. I realize I cannot be comparing my inside to someone else's outside unless I am determined to come up short (my inside is probably a rather messy place after all).

But there is some kind of scarcity mindset at play here.

I truly know we either live in a world of lack or a world of abundance and we get to live in the world we believe we live in. Yup, it's as simple as that.

I know this. It doesn't always stop the grumbles though.

(although a slice of pizza might - giving up dairy is making me batshit crazy folks)

The topic of scarcity interests me because I never feel as if I have enough time.

I know this is just something I believe. I also know this is not an absolute truth. It is just something that I have made true for me. I am determined to un-make it.

I'm busy, You're busy. We're all busy. Some people though are still creating time for hobbies and vacations and to get their car registered online before it's too late and they have to waste half a day at the DMV and they find the time to pay their credit card before the $35 late fee kicks in and to get to a freakin' dentist.

Psychological research has shown that when we experience emotional deprivation in childhood, this feeling of not being important or lovable enough can persist into adulthood as a “deprivation mindset.”

(since I am a student of evolutionary astrology I am not so quick to blame our childhood, since I believe we pretty much magnetized ourselves into exactly the situation we not only needed to be in, but that we were already a match for)

We may never feel as if we have enough of the things we need.

And actually this post is starting to feel like the leaky cup stuff  I wrote about almost 2 years ago (see time really is flying!), and the timing of this makes perfect sense to me actually (more on that later).

This "not having enough of the things we need" can show up as money stuff (I know from my days in banking that almost no one ever thinks they have enough money, no matter how much they actually have) and relationship issues, but any perception of lack can have its roots here.

This scarcity way of looking at things; this thinking that someone else having something means there is less for us is an unconscious thing. 

(it's not like I think someone has actually taken my seat on that airplane to Mexico after all)

But it affects what we notice, how we weigh our choices, what we decide and how we behave.

It's a bit like negative thinking - negative thinkers can reach the finish line just like positive thinkers can (I don't actually believe in finish lines, but I think you know what I mean here).

Positive thinkers see the opportunities and are able to act on them, negative thinkers see the problems and are able to avoid them. Both ways of thinking can get us from A to B - one of them is just a hell of a lot more fun and is nicer for others to be around. I think my own life could be a hell of a lot more fun and less frantic with some mindset tweaks. Next post I will tell you what I am doing and you can see if anything resonates with you and might be helpful..

UP NEXT - just because she's beautiful .... part III - how to know there is enough for us

New Moon in Libra September 23 - 24, 2014 - bringing us into relationship

my Libra Polarity Locket - 20% off thru 10/23!

Remember to check my daily forecast on the Armchair Astrologer today!

We have a New Moon in Libra late Tuesday night (either very late Tuesday or Wednesday morning is the best time to set New Moon intentions). Libra is ruled by Venus; Goddess of Passion. She is the ethereal force of love, attraction, kindred spirits, beauty and our aesthetic sensitivity.

(the opposite of aesthetic is anesthetic - there's a reason all our senses spring to life in autumn!)

She brings things and us into relationship.

(it was during the Libra Sun that our ancestors, finished with Virgo's harvest, settled back into their homes and local communities - back into balance with each other)

She entices us out and away from our tedious work on a cloudy afternoon just before the skies open up. We take refuge in a book shop where we trip over a lazy man's wet umbrella, knocking exactly the book we need to finish our job off the shelf and into our lap. Or into a coffee shop where we will meet our Mr. Darcy - or this is the way I like to imagine things anyway.

(she may just hang around the Match.com company's headquarters these days)

Venus attracts. The stuff we are attracted to are vital clues to our job here on planet Earth.

Libra rules marriage, negotiations, teamwork, harmony, sociability and diplomacy. It is an excellent time to have the best energetic support for new beginnings in these areas.

MONTHLY AFFIRMATION TIPS:

Get grounded - we have moved from an earth sign into air so this is important - always make affirmations from a  positive place (positive meaning certain) - write your affirmations down by hand in cursive, we want the letters all connecting and flowing together, speak them out loud. 

I used to write my affirmations on strips of paper and put them into a bowl of rice so I can mix them around every now and then with my fingers if things got stagnant, now I burn them and release the ashes into running water - then - and this is the important part - release your attention from them knowing that your intention is known.  

Some affirmations I am working with today are:

1. I effectively negotiate my situation with ____ creating a win-win for both of us. 

2. I feel internally balanced and peaceful.

3. I easily attract, recognize and begin working with the right people for my highest happiness.

4. I am easily at ease in social situations.

5. I have total clarity and am able to take action to make my relationships more satisfying.

6. I easily make decisions.

7. The habit of wanting 'peace at any price' is easily lifted from me.

8. I easily take actions that successfully restore perfect health to my adrenal glands.

Jan Spiller recommends ten, so I will come up with two more! The New Moon gives us a full two weeks to make something happen, but it really culminates 6 months from now with the Libra full moon. This particular New Moon has no major aspects to any planets - so it is very peaceful and powerful. Stuff started now will be around for a while. The Part of Fortune on the Ascendent and Jupiter's position encourages us to move toward what we are attracted to! xo all

(if what you are attracted to is one of my Polarity Lockets use coupon code NEW MOON until Friday for a 20% discount)

just because she's beautiful doesn't mean you aren't - part I

When my daughter started high school she tried out for the school soccer team. She was going from a very small elementary school

(and the only school in the district that was K-8th and didn't funnel students to the same middle school)

into a very large high school. A lot of talented girls took the field on try out day. I could see my daughter was nervous. I was nervous, too - in that way mothers get when they know their children really, really want something that is outside their control.

I said - "I'm so glad there are so many good players here today."

she said - "Huh?" 

she thought - (my mother has lost her freaking mind - where do I get a new mother)

I said - "You're a good player, too. You'll fit in with these girls."

she said - "What if they're too good?" 
I heard - ("what if I'm not good enough?")

I said - "Just because they're good doesn't mean you aren't."

she said - "There's only so many spots mom." 

As she ran onto the field I could hear the other parents yelling after their girls, "GO THERESA!", "YOU CAN DO IT!","GO SALLY!"

I started thinking my advice was kind of lame. What had I been thinking?!

My daughter needed warrior energy now, not advice from Dr. Phil!

I channeled Athena and managed to screech out something like "GET 'EM!" at exactly the moment the other parents got silent.

(my daughter's memory is that it was something like "KILL 'EM")

Last night at dinner I found myself saying something similar (they're good and you are, too) to hubs about another business down the street and him replying something like, "there's only so much work though."

(I did manage to restrain myself from screaming "GET KILL 'EM" this time)

Hubs isn't on Facebook. If he was he could see this guy announcing his new location and his new equipment and his relaxing vacation to Bermuda with his gorgeous wife and 2.5 smiling, towheaded children. George would never sleep again.

It has me thinking about the tools we need to live in a world where everyone's bright, shiny new "great thing that has happened to them" is visible to us. Also everyone's pain.

So, I'm starting a business series about this next week. We'll see where it leads.

We have a Balsamic Moon now - get some rest today!

this time for sure, I think

OK, so I really am moving the daily astrology forecasts on to my other blog this time. Check today's post HERE - it's right under that scary picture of me my daughter took, that's been strategically lightened in photoshop to blow out all my wrinkles. She likes it, so it stays for now. After today if you forget to bookmark the new blog just hit the link on the top right of this one. xo all

keep moving by latte design

the enemy of my enemy is my friend

insects by the amazing gollybard

We need wasps.

You may or may not remember the family visit in July that had me running around like a maniac, quickly followed by lying on the ground in a sweaty puddle of overwhelm quickly followed by me running around like a maniac.

One of the things I did to get ready for their visit that was totally unnecessary and pretty much just designed to make myself crazy was - paint the shutters. My shutters have been - black, lilac, mint green and now lemon yellow. Taking them down is precarious business with a two story house especially since we know from previous paintings that wasps (paper wasps) have built elaborate condos and townhouses behind them.

Plus I had been attacked by yellow jackets a few day earlier and was am still suffering from PTSD.

(I am serious as a heart attack and if you do not believe me just buzz in my ear or have your phone set to vibrate go off in my presence and see what I do - I will totally embarrass myself plus I might break your phone or ... nose.)

The back of every shutter (12 total) housed 6-10 wasps. And they were quite pissed. Of course being a law-abiding landlord I had sent them all the legal notifications and was totally clear they could return home and would even have a spiffy new lemon yellow exterior for their trouble. They didn't care.

Paper moths are not usually dangerous - but if you mess with their nests, it's a whole other story. They even send out pheromones that other wasps can pick up for miles that signal "HELP, our house is on fire" and the other wasps will rush over to keep their neighbors from being evicted, probably so they don't have to move in with them.

It was not a good day - for us or the wasps. There were a few casualties, but most of us survived. To cut to the chase (and yes, my friends it was a chase) - we hung some pretend paper bag nests on the lower porch to try and discourage them from building new nests behind the freshly painted first floor shutters, but we thought they would return to the second floor shutters.

They didn't; maybe because rainy weather kept us shutter-less for over a week. I don't know where they went, but it is obvious now, they have moved on. We used to see them all the time around the yard, but we have been pretty wasp-less since mid-summer.

At first this seemed like a good thing. I didn't have to worry about them stinging Olive if she trampled one or dodging them while watering my hanging baskets - but we soon discovered a major drawback to our wasp-less state - MOSQUITOES - we are over-run! And caterpillars and spiders.

On the plus side my shutters look very bright and cheery, just don't stand outside admiring them for more than 30 seconds or you won't be.

There is a business lesson in this, too - the enemy (well, in business I guess we would say rival) - the rival of my rival in my friend. Also eco-systems are fragile (I hope Etsy is listening).  xo all

BIZ Astrology for Tuesday, September 16th - manifesting mud pies

A few things going on today - the Moon moves into mothering, nurturing Cancer late this morning - Gemini's chitchat will go away and we can have some nice emotional grounding. We will want to pull into our shell and go quiet. That's OK (return calls though- today is a great day to make contact with someone important!). The Moon forms a nice trine with Neptune tonight that can make even uncomfortable conversations go well - do the Cancer nurture thing and make the other person all comfy cozy and welcome first. 

Lots of fire with Jupiter in Leo and Mars in Sagittarius, lots of exhilarating energy now and we also have Saturn making us focus. We can see the truth now.

The Virgo Sun's earth coupled with the Cancer Moon's water (think about your own magical mud pies today) makes this a wonderful day for manifesting.

Mercury crosses the North Node of the Moon which can bring people from our past (and past lives if you resonate with that way of thinking) back into our lives - you may not recognize them, but you will recognize them, if you know what I mean.

There are destiny aspects here. We could meet the love of our life now (and yes, maybe that guy from ancient Persia who we cheated out of a camel and now he is back to steal our car). Romantic risks can pay off. We could also meet someone younger who inspires us. We could sign a contract. Our new tribe is starting to form (more about this next month) - the wires keeping us in our chicken coop are all in our head - we can fly right out of there. Lots of clean slates now.

OK back to this manifesting energy today - listen up!

FIRST - with Mercury (and Venus) hitting the North Nodes today we may get some clues about our life direction. Our North Node is the direction our growth lies in this lifetime (our south node is the space we push off from). The house our north node is in is very important. Check your natal chart! This we need to memorize (if I have done your chart email me and I can tell you the house or email me your birthdate, place and time!).

Let's say we have a north node in the first house (or in Aries) - the house of self. Well, in this lifetime we need to focus on developing our own unique identity. Our south node will be in the 7th house (polarity) of partnership (Libra) - this is where we kick off. But if we try to gain our identity from partnership we will feel like we have been thrown into the ocean with anchors on our legs.

If something opens up now (or someone enters our life) connected to that North Node house - consider that a big old GREEN light.

SECOND - In a Tarot deck Mercury is the Magician card - an archetype many makers are familiar with even if they have never heard of him.

The Magician is the alchemist - the great conjurer; the maker of something out of nothing - we channel this energy all the time. I have a post on Mercury HERE that would be good to read now. This is an excellent day for ritual, for lighting a candle and setting the intention for what is truly ours to find us. This is a day where our words will matter.

BIZ Astrology for Monday, September 15th - a logical approach now

Action Mars entered fiery Sagittarius on Saturday - this is a great transit for a fresh, energized new start. If you are normally a risk-taker you may have to dial it back a bit so you don't run off a cliff somewhere, but for the rest of us this energy will get us moving. Doors are opening.

With both today's sun (Virgo) and moon (Gemini) ruled by Mercury - a logical approach is supported now. Do your homework. Stuff comes to light today.

Decisive strategies are favored now. 

The stuff that came up for us in the last few days is in some way the stuff we will be dealing with next summer - how was your weekend anyway?

(the world news was all about Isis - maybe the media shouldn't nickname a group they do not want to be powerful after a powerful female Goddess at a time of rising female energy unless of course, somebody wants a powerful enemy for a never-ending war - Hilary in Iowa, Scotland's bid for independence - this one is in the shadow of Mercury retrograde so will no doubt be back if it fails.)

Mercury squares the North Node in Libra - many have cleared a lot of relationship and personal power gunk over the last few years - the Aries/Libra polarity (what house is Libra in your natal chart?). We are stepping into new waters now. Our story might look the same on the outside (although it probably doesn't), we might be doing something we have done before, but we are not the same people - we can do it differently this time.

Tomorrow Venus meets the Nodes (more on this tomorrow) and we could attract someone from our new tribe (especially someone younger than us or with newer ideas), hear some important news or get a significant contract - this could happen next week, too. We need to be clear on what we value now. What is it time for us to contribute? What have we learned? Where do we really want to go? Mars in Sagittarius (the archer) will get us to our target.

No going backwards to repair stuff right now - don't focus on what isn't working - see what is working and focus on that.

The positive spaces this new energy will focus - ARIES: education, legal matters, long distance travel, publishing, religion, encounters with the exotic TAURUS: loans, taxes, debts, inheritance, fertility, partner's money, sex, GEMINI: partnerships, marriage, intimacy, equality, CANCER: health, work, co-workers, routines, skills of value to others, LEO: children, creative projects, romance, the spotlight, play, VIRGO: home business, renovation, moving, leaving something behind, family, LIBRA: meetings, communications, siblings, open talks, clarity, speaking, teaching, writing, SCORPIO: money that is earned, security, what you value, management of resources SAGITTARIUS: personal identity, goals, your physical energy level, ambition, authority over your own life, CAPRICORN: secrets, stuff that isn't developed yet, stuff that is hidden or forgotten, meditation, spirituality, AQUARIUS: friendships, tribes, public life and image, concrete direction PISCES: career, what you are here to give, authority, destiny

BIZ Astrology for Friday, September 12th - establishing priorities and standing tall in our story

brene brown quote

Today, our practical Virgo Sun meets our practical Taurus Moon and makes a great day for establishing priorities and putting down roots - a solid, practical day. I like things simple, we just need to be sure we are not settling for easy today because it might come back to bite us later. Get stuff done. There is money to be made later from the work we do now.

This is a great day to venture into something creative. Celebrate any victories now - this will attract more and bigger reasons to celebrate. This is the space in our story where we stand tall and breathe a little; the place where the hero takes a hot bath and looks at how far he has come (and freaking amazes himself). Every story is hard. Every story is unique. Appreciate ourselves for the strength we have shown so far. We can do this.

The moon makes a square to Jupiter so it is important to stay positive. Mercury has been in this intense cardinal cross and this weekend Mercury opposes Uranus so something unpredictable and exciting could happen. This kind of pushes us to find a new way to handle something; see a new perspective. We can meet new people or a special person now.

When the Moon moves into Gemini this weekend, the winds will pick up. Youthful enthusiasm rules.

(now it is good to be prepared, but if we are the kind of person who has to prepare for every eventuality- well, things may not ever go terribly wrong for us, but they may not ever go terribly right either)

On Saturday night Mars (action) moves into optimistic, expansive Sagittarius thru October 26th and it's been almost a year since we have had Mars in fire. This is mostly a good great thing because this will make everyone a little more optimistic, a little more adventurous, a little more curious about the world.

This will be the push many people need to get moving, make a decision or do something else. Stuck stuff will get unstuck during this transit.

Now the downside (yes this is a planet of contrast, there is always a polarity and it's not always my adorable little locket - warning shameless plug ahead - check out some new necklaces here) is our impulse control might go bye-bye now. We can leap before we look (which sounds nice on a poster - leap and the net will appear, should say 'leap and the adventures will appear', I think). We can be overly trusting.

That smart executive on vacation who wandered into that cave at 3:45 and drowned when the tide came in 10 minutes later because the guide - a distracted and overworked 20 year old scuba instructor with a bad haircut; someone the executive would not have normally trusted his life to, of course - told the executive to leave the cave by 4:00 and hell, it was only 3:55; that trusting guy on an adventure, um, that trusting dead guy on an adventure (and this story is totally made up) was probably a Sagittarius.

Leaping is good during this transit, but there definitely needs to be some looking first - fortune favors the bold, but not the reckless now -

because Saturn is going to join this little Sagittarius party and he will see to it the stuff we put into motion now will stick.

(yes, first we get unstuck then we get stuck again - this is why we need to be following our passion and living from our heart, so if we fall on our asses at least we will have a craft room filled with yarn and pillow inserts to cushion our fall)

It will not be so easy to extricate ourselves from this stuff quickly - we could set something into play that reverberates until Saturn vacates the premises in 2016.

The house Sagittarius sits in our natal chart (print out your natal chart!) will be where this all plays out - this is where we can expand our awareness through the gathering of unfamiliar experience.

We need to be conscious of anything we are creating and signing up for now through the end of October because come December and for the next couple years we will have to live with this.

BIZ Astrology for Thursday, September 11th - ambitious activity

We have a grounded Sun/Saturn sextile today and an action Aries Moon that goes void. Not a great day to start something brand new, but an excellent day for ambitious activity - let's get some $hit done today (and tomorrow) folks!

We might get the feeling that it is now or never; that stuff has to happen NOW. This isn't really true, but we can use this AGITATION to make stuff happen. This is an excellent day to get our creative efforts out there. Concrete stuff is happening. Take a deep breath. Details are wrapping up. Decisions are being made.

This is passionate energy so the stuff that calls to our heart will be easy to NOTICE now. If we don't feel like doing it today, we probably never will ....

(yes, I am feeling the need to CAPITALIZE - don't hate me)

We might over focus now- so let's keep our eye on the big picture. We have Mars moving into Sagittarius in a couple days and that is going to be AMAZINGLY GOOD!

The fly in the ointment -

(why is there always a fly in the damn ointment - why can't we ever remember to put the cap on the damn ointment before the fly gets in there)

Mercury has an inconjunct aspect to Chiron for the next couple days - so even though we are trying to say the right thing we might say the wrong thing or maybe there will just not be a right thing to say - someone is not going to be happy with what we say or maybe we are the one getting upset.

This is the space between the rock and the hard place. We might feel forced to respond before we are ready to answer. There will be some kind of wrap up to this thing next Tuesday, but for now with Mercury in Libra it is best to communicate with collaboration, diplomacy, tact and hospitality.

On Sunday, Mercury will enter his shadow (he will be retrograde most of October) and start asking us "Are you sure? Is this what you really want? Is this where you really fit? Do you still fly with this flock?". Mercury is in Libra - so this will be about our partnerships and relationships. Saturn will make us commit to these partnerships and tribes during the eclipses in October.

Today is a great day to step things up and cement something solid - this will be in the area of our work, health, small pets, organization and routine.

And we have that Virgo Sun shining a light on all the ways we are not organized. Stuffing it in the closet just doesn't work now.

Tonight the Moon moves into Taurus - so it's a great night to ... well, I'll just leave it at that. This is a business blog after all (if you squint and stand at twenty paces). xo all

BIZ Astrology for Wednesday, September 10th - creative action

collage by spiresburn

We have an independent and dynamic Aries Moon pushing us forward today (with Aries we always have to take a second look and make sure we are not pushing into a wall - the Aries ram's gotta ram after all) and in a big old T-Square. Uranus is creating excitement. Opposing Mercury in Libra is creating indecision. Mercury squaring Pluto is asking us to embrace new ideas. 

Things could still look better than they actually are. Mistakes can happen. Attractive Venus opposing kindhearted Neptune today may draw sob stories - we want to be practicing high levels of compassion now, but not be foolish or self-sacrificing.

Since Venus rules the 2nd house of everything money can buy and everything money can't - hold onto our wallet and our values today (that smooth talking guy at the bar needs to go home alone, that broke-ass girlfriend can get a job, those boots you can't afford anyway will not fit right).

This is a good day for solid forward motion - an Aries moon makes us brave, a Virgo sun makes us detail oriented. If we are building our life on the solid ground of what we really want (this can be tricky, so take this part seriously), we cannot lose. We can always fail, but we cannot lose.

We have the grounded Virgo Sun sextiling Saturn in Scorpio (this won't happen again for decades) so our passions are really growing legs now. Creative people are thinking bigger and taking action. This is manifesting energy. That same Neptune / Venus opposition can create real beauty in the world now.

Some people may feel next month's eclipse this week with something important eclipsing out of our life. It's time (this doesn't make it any easier or hurt any less, I know). xo all

BIZ Astrology for Tuesday, September 9th - after the storm

after the storm print by elly mckay

That Pisces full Moon continues until tonight - emotions could be and have been intense. Today is like the fog after a big rainstorm.

Pisces is a water sign so anything that makes us cry now is something to look at. The full moon always shows us what we are holding onto. There is a gift in letting go. Know that any emotional endings now are perfectly timed.

The Hindu Goddess Kali is the Goddess of Autumn and rules endings and beginnings. She represents Mother Nature and is an archetype of Scorpio - she helps things that are ready to die. Call on her if we need strength - she is an ass-kicker and gets things done.

The Moon moves into Aries tonight and things get back on track. If your natal Moon is in Aries (moon's position when you were born) this is a perfect night for some fun play - a sporting event, a bike ride with your stopwatch, a poker game, any kind of competitive play that has no meaning.

If you know someone with an Aries Moon who never gets to play aggressively it is safe to assume he (or she) is very, very angry.

This is more true for men than women. By being born a woman the elements of water and earth are in our physical bodies although this is not always automatic and can require an action to activate it - something like raising a child, tending a garden or growing a business.

Venus in Virgo opposes Neptune today so our projects and relationships are fluid and malleable. We have to balance the fantasy and reality here. Let's not get sidetracked. Things might not be fully developed - we may have a feeling that something has to be done right now that isn't quite ripe. Sit on it until at least tomorrow.

Mercury in Libra forms a challenging position to Pluto that could make us obsess a bit, sending us into an insecure space when it comes time to say what we need to say. Pluto wants us to get to the bottom line. Mercury wants accuracy. Libra wants diplomacy. There's also some secrecy aspects to this placement. Uranus opposing Mercury could upset even the best intended plans.

There's a cosmic adrenal exhaustion warning now - we need to get enough sleep, we need to eat whole healthy foods, we need to move our bodies away from the computer or work bench - we can't stay motivated when we are struggling with burnout and depression. If we have to step back, we can always step back, no one is keeping score - we can be human-kind or the human-race now, I guess - it's up to us.

Full Moon in Pisces - Monday, September 8th - radical compassion with ourselves and others

chalk wall pattern

We have a full moon tonight at 9:38 EST. This is a sensitive, powerful full moon and our 3rd super Moon of the summer! This full moon conjuncts Chiron (wounded healer), trines Saturn and trines Juno.

We could have life changing moments today and tomorrow.

This isn't about setting intentions for what we want (like new moon energy affirmations). This is release energy. So we take that thing we want and release what is blocking us from having it. For example we want excellent health so we release our attention from junk food. We want a strong, focused mind so we release our attention from distractions. Then we have this wonderful Virgo Sun to take the actions that set up the systems to support us to do this. The release is the big huge first step that supports all the baby steps that follow.

It feels like a good time to step out of development issues. This is the time to release any energies that are wounding us. With Mercury squaring Pluto some deep fears can be released. Mercury is in Libra so other people are involved here.

These fears are the self-sabotaging stuff that keeps us stuck and makes us more comfortable playing small.

With Venus opposite Neptune this will highlight projects, money and relationships. There are excellent aspects for physical healing now (releasing the emotional component of an illness).

Pisces and Virgo are opposite signs, but really the opposite sides of the same coin. The balance of these two signs is where we bring God (life, the universe or whatever word you feel most comfortable using here) to earth through our actions of service.

Virgo/Pisces service is about the highest levels of service and compassion - it doesn't take on the burdens of others - compassion holds a higher vibration. It's not about removing the pain or suffering of another person which we literally can't do because the karma (ie energy attraction, cause and effect, our perfectly pre-planned, but not predestined life experiences) - that created it in the first place will just recreate it in another form.

Pisces is the last and final sign - the place where the buck stops - Pisces energy knows this.

Pisces compassion shows patience, lends an ear or a shoulder without the need for recognition - without the need for thanks - knowing the service is its own reward; the work is often invisible. 

It holds open doors and the spaces for others to be strong and courageous and confident. This is the power we hold now - we can see "who is doing without" and know what needs to be said or done. 

There are magical spaces for simple hospitality to create real change now. A stranger isn't really a stranger.

For more about the Full Moon the Mystic Mamas blog has a great post HERE
 
In my own life this healing is working through a long Saturn transit and since about 1 in 5 people have a difficult Saturn complex (although almost every human being born in patriarchy is subject to this feeling to some degree) on their natal chart, the healing energy now makes me think there is value in writing about it.

The smartest way to handle a Saturn transit (and my natal Saturn squaring my Sun makes me somewhat of an expert on this since my entire life is one long Saturn transit - imagine a stern father looking over your shoulder all the time!) is to know that often limitation has value.

A Saturn complex creates a feeling of things not being OK just as they are - this can give us high standards, drive and ambition, but also the feeling we have something to prove. In a natal chart these will simply be qualities of who we are - like having green eye and blond hair. Saturn's little inside joke is that we better enjoy what we are doing because there are no additional rewards for getting it right or being perfect.

The process is an end in itself and not a means to an end. Ultimately Saturn teaches us to love and value ourselves and not look for validation from outside sources. I think I will have to write a post about this.

For today - stay centered - let's choose our words carefully - they are powerful now and the less we speak today the stronger our words will be tonight when we need them. Get into water. Take a bath. Walk barefoot in that full moon tonight, even if you have cloudy skies, I can assure you the moon is still just as powerful. 

Set your intention to release what isn't working - be advised this is a very strong moon and this 'stuff that isn't working' will release. This may or may not feel good. If there are big things in our lives not working, a release intention at the full moon, can change everything. Let's be brave. Let's do what we came for.

BIZ Astrology for Friday, September 5th - changing where we are by loving what we do (not necessarily doing what we love)

We start the day with the Moon in steady, get the job done, Capricorn. Then she goes void just before lunch (EST) giving us a few hours to work through stuff already in motion. A void moon is a time to hold off on actions where we have high expectations - stuff tends to be unrealistic, stuff tends to be more fluid and hard to nail down.

There is a quincunx (150 degree aspect) this morning between Jupiter and Pluto. A quincunx requires us to make adjustments, which is maybe why the word sounds like a chiropractic term to me.

Maybe our chosen path (and yes, whatever path we are on was chosen by us, maybe consciously, maybe subconsciously or intuitively from the gazillions of little choices we have made over time) is not compatible with our best avenue for growth; maybe it doesn't best create the space for us to give what we are here to give.

The energies that are influencing us now allow us to feel the parts of ourselves that are out of alignment. People did not used to be made so uncomfortable by their lives. It used to be a person sitting in an unsatisfactory space, like a bad job or a bad relationship, was not caused the same amount of pain by that condition that we feel today.  

We have this agitation now - this major potential teasing us forward. 

The last time we had the current Pluto/Uranus square cycle (2012-2015) was during the great depression

(and the Gold Rush, which feels exactly like the internet to me - lots of money to be made, but not everyone will make money. How many people actually made money from mining gold vs selling mining equipment to people mining gold? I will have to research this. This feels like the internet to me, too - of course everyone had an ambitious adventure to tell their grandchildren).

When Pluto and Uranus were conjunct during the 1960's we set off a revolution. That revolution seeded much of what is happening now. The problem then was we were all still oriented toward pushing against what we didn't want which only empowers what we don't want!

Now by creating what we do want and pushing for that - real change can happen. This is not a linear journey though and we have Saturn in the mix making us work for it.

Work doesn't have to look like it used to though. When we work with our heart, work changes.

We've had Jupiter adjusting to Neptune (for the first time in our lives) since mid August and today we have Jupiter in Leo adjusting to Pluto. This creates some shifting sand with our creative work, children and relationships. There is money, authority figures and power involved. In the outer world this could show up as child abuse or child sex slavery in the news over the days and weeks ahead.

The immediate news for today is Venus enters Virgo - we have 25 days to get our asses organized! Venus is considered in 'her fall' in Virgo. She doesn't like it here. Venus wants the high heels that make her legs look long and beautiful, not the practical flats that Virgo knows won't make her feet hurt at the end of the day. It takes collaboration now. We can have form and function, but we need to work for it.

If we can not nitpick our way through the month and make ourselves and everyone else nuts, we can get a hell of a lot done now. Focus on organization and production this month.

This is the time when our ancestors brought in the harvest - we need to work now, too.

The Moon drops into Aquarius tonight and hangs out for much of the weekend. This will give us the chance to see things in new and unusual ways. Do something different this weekend! Make our body form new connections to what is familiar. This is a weekend to see where the magic can take us and where we are blocking that. This Aquarius Moon will make some hard squares this weekend - so don't get too critical. When Virgo is not critical, no one is more compassionate - let's use that energy now. Our new tribe is coming - hang on. xo all

BIZ Astrology for Thursday, September 4th - structure creates freedom

Our serious Capricorn Moon conjuncts Pluto and the Sun making a perfect trine - our calling is calling. This can sometimes feel like a scavenger hunt though and often we only get one clue at a time. We have to go through that one thing to get to the next thing and this stuff only makes sense in hindsight and even then only if we are paying attention.  

Pay attention.

Capricorn urges us to resist change and this tactic might produce a better short term outcome (maybe not the best day to quit our day job - of course, I can't see your personal chart!), but our long range plans still need to be about our passion.

Our calling is still calling. This is our programming. This urge isn't going away.

Today's skies are serious and maybe a little depressing - a Capricorn Moon can remind us of our limitations. She likes realistic goals. She's pragmatic. She is also strong and ambitious. This stuff can make us nuts without clear boundaries.

When I have some direction I want to take and I don't commit to a specific action I am never free of it.

The part of me that wants it - the part that doesn't want to "stay where I am" will be nagging me all the time. "Well, are you going to work on it now? How about now? What do you mean it's 10:00 and you are going to bed? You can't go to bed - you need to work on that thing we want!"  

But when I set up some boundaries for the leap - "I am going to work on this thing I want every Monday from 8 to noon" for example - then I am free and don't have to think about it the rest of the time.

Structure creates freedom.

We have Uranus (rebellion) in Aries (initiating action) from  May 2010 until March 2019. Uranus is like our operating system's back up plan. Since change can feel threatening and scary, especially the radical change needed when we have drifted off course, Uranus is set up to come in and get us going in a new direction when we need it. This seldom feels good unless we focus on feeling good - we need to focus on feeling good.

The I Ching Book of Changes speaks of the "arousing shock". Our tendency is to rely on strategies of our ego - we desire, we plot, we plan. This gets us through the day, but when we do this our spiritual development stops and the Universe must use shocking events to bring us back onto our path.

Sometimes when people suddenly appear to "lose it all" or life takes a total turn, often you can find in that person's chart a kind of integrated life - it's as if they decided OK when I am done with this (ie learned or experienced what I came into that experience to learn) move me right on to that.

Of course, the person living this thinks their life has just fallen apart.

Uranus in Aries (2010 to 2019) while Pluto (transformation) is in Capricorn (old solid structures) 2008 to 2023 - can make the entire world feel like it is falling apart. Because it is.

This is the collective "us" deciding we are done with this now move us on to that. What that looks like for the planet depends on our individual courage. We need to be living from our hearts now.

The tendency of human beings is to rely on the strategies of the ego:
to desire, plot and strive.
When we do this, our spiritual development stops,
and the Universe must use shocking events to move us back onto the Path. - See more at: http://www.astrologyoflight.com/currentastrology-info/articles/uranus-in-aries/#sthash.ji0kbfWb.dpuf

The tendency of human beings is to rely on the strategies of the ego:
to desire, plot and strive.
When we do this, our spiritual development stops,
and the Universe must use shocking events to move us back onto the Path.
~ I Ching-Book of Changes, #51 Chen: The Arousing (Shock) - See more at: http://www.astrologyoflight.com/currentastrology-info/articles/uranus-in-aries/#sthash.JgmRpI6U.dpuf

The tendency of human beings is to rely on the strategies of the ego:
to desire, plot and strive.
When we do this, our spiritual development stops,
and the Universe must use shocking events to move us back onto the Path.
~ I Ching-Book of Changes, #51 Chen: The Arousing (Shock) - See more at: http://www.astrologyoflight.com/currentastrology-info/articles/uranus-in-aries/#sthash.JgmRpI6U.dpuf

The Virgo Sun is about to make an opposition to Chiron highlighting our wounds and creating confusion. Mercury is in a hard aspect to Saturn which could create some additional mental pressures today. Possible arguments with authority figures. Let's give ourselves permission to not be so burdened by responsibility. Know we are doing the best we can. xo all

BIZ Astrology for Wednesday, September 3rd - stepping into our authority

There are excellent aspects today - other than a Moon square to Mercury that might make us over think/feel stuff - everything is full steam ahead!

The Virgo Sun aligns with Pluto - this is the kind of death/birth aspect we are ready for. If anything is ending today - let it end - it's probably 6 feet in the ground already, we just need to grab a shovel.

There are leadership opportunities now - good money aspects (more like inheritance, insurance, legal - there is a divine justice at work here) especially for earth signs - Capricorns, Taurus and Virgos. Money accumulates easier for charity projects, too, so if we have something in the works to be pitched today that supports the general public or other people, the timing is excellent.

School starts today here in New Jersey - what great aspects for new teachers! 

Anything we need to do that requires stepping into our authority is supported now.

Either we step into our responsibility and become the author of our own lives or we give our authority away - there is no in between place. Fear is a symptom of loss of authority - we can find the places in our life where we have not honored ourselves by the things we are afraid of.

And when we give our authority away, we should be afraid.

The Moon is in Sagittarius until this afternoon when it goes void for a bit then moves into business friendly and grounded Capricorn this evening. Tomorrow the Capricorn Moon will square Uranus and really ramp up our ambition (or maybe bring some surprising news from a boss or authority figure).

No more self-sacrifice. It is challenging to be a caregiver now - the energy isn't so supportive of this, it is up to us to make sure we have other creative outlets, are not over-taxed or unappreciated!

Watch what you are feeding - with a waxing moon it grows. 

BIZ Astrology for Tuesday, September 2nd - conversation matters

This morning the waxing Moon is in boisterous Sagittarius and we have a Grand Trine in fire (changing locations may be in the works for fire signs, Aries, Leo or Sag) - bold adventure is supported now. There is a little glitch this morning that we need to be careful with our words. The Moon's position to Pluto means our words will have staying power - choose them carefully.

Our Sun in Virgo is getting our details and ducks in order. The Moon's trine to Uranus and Aries today is about new opportunities so if something comes a knocking today - maybe this time open the damn door especially if this is an opportunity to learn something non-work related.

The Moon is coming off a square to the Sun and wants us to see bigger - the details of Virgo are important but they are also seductive - with just a little bit more time (and time turns into days and weeks and years) that thing we are working on will be perfect - the seduction of perfection keeps us stuck.

Perfection is fear-based. Ask yourself "what would I need to believe to let this go?" then start an affirmation process through that.

On Friday Venus (who attracts and elicits a response) joins the Sun in Virgo and starts attracting situations and people into our life (where is Virgo in your natal chart?) - you may have felt these energies beginning within the last two weeks.

Venus in Virgo carries her treasures wrapped in rubber bands. She will give us the gift of the stress between what we want and how it will feel if we don't get it. This can really show us what we want! Now, this may create one of those "we get what we want and don't want it anymore" situations, but it can also spur us in to the action that makes stuff happen.Venus doesn't have hobbies - she has passions after all. These passions are how we can make a unique contribution to the world (more about this later in the week).

Maybe the big news for makers and artists is Mercury moves into Libra today for most of the month. Relationship stuff will get clearer. We can find our flock now.

The negative stuff to look out for with our communication guru spending the month in the sign of relationships and balance is wishy washy decision making, or I should say non-making, passive aggressive verbal garbage and superficial chit chat.

BUT if we bring our "A" game to the ball field this month indecision can become diplomacy and an ability to accurately see the other person's point of view and allow it to merge with our own to form something totally new. And we will have the ability to manifest productive (we still have that Virgo Sun) collaboration and partnership through right language.

Tomorrow we have the Sun trining Pluto - change is coming folks! xo all

BIZ Astrology for Monday, September 1st - Happy Labor Day

aimee ferre print

The Moon (and our emotions) moves out of the depths of Scorpio and into Sagittarius today (after being void a couple hours around lunchtime EST).

This Scorpio period won't be repeated with these same aspects for a long time. It has been asking us to be sure about what we want to expand our heart into - to look deep. Some memories and emotions may have been triggered over the past weekend that need to be looked at this morning. "Looking at" doesn't mean "holding onto" - we can process this junk right out of our life now if we want to. Our Virgo Sun loves to clean closets after all!

Neptune has cleared the Sun so clearer thinking for decision making - depending on our own chart, some decisions may have to wait for Saturn next month.

We have a T-Square with Neptune and the Sun, Mercury finishing up in Virgo, so lots of stimulation, new ideas and opportunities. Lots of shifting energies in the week ahead. Have some fun this afternoon with that Sagittarius Moon  - think adventure with this one, but remember we are accountable for our actions now.

Mercury moves into Libra tomorrow where he will spend most of the month. This will trigger some excellent aspects for artists and entrepreneurs to communicate, speak, write, sell, sign on the dotted line, pitch proposals, field offers or embark on something with and through other people, especially relationships with women.

Makings and businesses geared to women will also get extra support. Be open to collaboration (see the right side of my blog for the free handouts from a class I taught last year) and maybe a little constructive criticism now (sometimes it is easier for others to see something we have overlooked) - if we are the one giving the criticism let's temper it with praise.

Plus we have Venus moving into Virgo on Friday giving us another great business aspect and more support in these areas - this is a good time for resolving co-worker issues and problems with any small animals in our lives.

Communications with romantic or business partners, agents, attorneys, specialists, clients, competition (rivals not enemies here) and other important relationships will go smoother now.

Mercury will be retrograde for most of next month (October) and we have that organized Virgo sun, so let's use this energy productively now.

Lots of aspects this week for the kids to have a great back to school week and lots of aspects for us to get work done. There are financial and intimacy opportunities all month. Long range business planning is favored now.

October is eclipse season and some of us will get a glimpse (as early as this week, but maybe around the 10th) of what will be 'eclipsed' out of our life next month. This isn't scary stuff - these kind of changes are well-supported. This is the stuff we signed up for.

xo all