Mercury into Taurus | the essentials

walking like giant cranes by hellolikegoodbye

Today, Mercury (communication, conversation, thoughts, ideas) moves into steady, grounded (and fixed) Taurus.

Communications and thinking turn to practical things. The pace slows. It's back to basics.  

Taurus gets results through self-sufficiency, by bringing ideas and concepts 'down to earth', by being sensible.

This is not the time to enact complicated plans unless we want to make ourselves (and everyone else) crazy re-doing or rejecting them later.

Better to drill down to the fundamentals now.

Mercury is covering ground he will walk twice more - by the time we return to this space in a few weeks we will know where we stand having figured out just what we must have - what is essential.

When Mercury stations retrograde (in Taurus and then back into Aries) beginning April 9th the pace will slow down even more. Patience will be needed. There is a lot of retrograde activity in April and planets changing signs - so much will be in flux, hard to pin down and "re"-evaluated it will be uber challenging to stay on a complicated course. Are there things that we can do now to remove some obstacles from our path? Things will require extra time. Keep this in mind.

Rushing through ideas, conversations and decisions won't work well now. Take the time to think things through and get it right - life will encourage/force this process, so fighting it is futile anyway. If a person or situation is pushing us to make a decision we are not ready to make, events will conspire to give us more time. If we can't decide - we should wait. If we are the one doing the pushing we will be frustrated during this transit. Mercury likes to move lightning fast, but Taurus likes to stop and smell the roses. The upcoming retrograde will amplify this.

Straightforward ideas and communications are favored.

The fly in the ointment with Mercury in Taurus is its fixed nature. One of the reasons for the information slowing down is that everyone becomes entrenched in their position and digs in. Compromise becomes a four letter word and there aren't alot of choices. The answer is either yes or no, there is no maybe with Taurus. Our resolve is strengthened though.

The good news is we will all have more certainty by the time he moves into Gemini on June 6th. Have a nice weekend - so tired of the dreary rain here! xo all

Jupiter Square Pluto | dealing with those pesky power imbalances ... again

balance by JeanFan

Today's square (tension) between Jupiter (in Libra) and Pluto (in Capricorn) is the second of three we will be dealing with this year. The first was in late November, the next is early August.

This is the only one of the three squares where Jupiter is retrograde. 

When Jupiter is retrograde (about one third of the time) we are "re"flecting on Jupiterian themes - with Jupiter in Libra during this year's retrograde the shadow side of Libran energy (denial) is expanding (Jupiter) in proportion to our need to deal with it - or I should say in proportion to how much we have not been dealing with it.

Whatever situation Jupiter has us revisiting could be a bit uncomfortable. If something is moving too fast or getting too big too fast we will feel the discomfort of the stretch of that now. 

Problems/weaknesses may come to light around what is out of balance or what is unjust. Situations where we are doing too much or too little need a re-evaluation. Expansion could be tempered (maybe temporarily). A careful assessment of what is growing is needed now.  Focus.

The shadow of peace loving Libra is denial so Jupiter is showing us that elephant in the livingroom (now through June) by feeding him peanuts. Lots of peanuts. He is, or soon will be, too big to tuck behind the living room sofa. Yes, even one of those five piece sectionals from Pottery Barn. Whatever the situation it will require ADJUSTMENT.

Question : WHERE'S THAT ELEPHANT? Hints below. Check sun and rising signs.

Aries - this imbalance is about equal partnerships
Taurus - this imbalance is about work or health
Gemini - this imbalance is about self expression
Cancer - this imbalance is about home and family
Leo - this imbalance is about self-expression
Virgo - this imbalance is about love or money
Libra - this imbalance is about you
Scorpio - this imbalance is about stuff that is hidden behind the scenes
Sagittarius - this imbalance is about groups, friendship, something public
Capricorn - this imbalance is about career, public image
Aquarius - this imbalance is about travel, higher ed, legal, relocation, publishing
Pisces - this imbalance is about shared resources, intimacy, loans, taxes, investments

Now - this is what the Jupiter retrograde is about (it is from an earlier post I wrote) and now today Jupiter is squaring powerful Pluto in powerful Capricorn.

There is a struggle here. Areas of black and white rigid thinking and beliefs are in for trouble. The more we stand for exactly this thing - the more the other person will stand firmly in exactly that. With Pluto, any extreme positions we take will scare people off or shut them down.

A more middle ground is needed. Something out of balance is being transformed.

Can we see how our controlling behavior is based in our fear of the future?

Libra and Capricorn are cardinal signs that launch new seasons - they require action. Maybe an old opportunity comes back around now for us to decide/move on again. We just can't take things too far or we'll shoot ourselves in the foot - maybe get what we want and then realize we don't really want it, maybe challenge the people/things/situations we are going to need later. 

The bottom line - Jupiter square Pluto is about the friction (square) needed to create BIG (Jupiter) transformation (Pluto). For some it only takes a little friction to get us moving, for others it takes a nuclear quantity. Life will supply what is needed here.

Remember everything in our life is a challenge to the degree we resist it. Everything. 

xo all

Mercury Trine Saturn | planning and concentration gets the gold star

old man by lash-upon-lash

Opportunities come through careful planning and preparation as Mercury (communications, conversations, ideas, thoughts) trines (opportunities) serious Saturn (time, stability, hard work) now.

Deliberate, thoughtful and sober words create the most impact. If we want to be taken seriously we need to take ourselves seriously. Conversations should be respectful. Do we know what we are talking about? If not, it's time to connect with someone who does. Lessons learned now stay with us. What are we learning?

Communications and conversations with authority figures go well now. 

This is great energy to work toward developing mastery of a subject. Saturn rules time, so this won't happen overnight. That's OK. We have more time than we think we do. We are in the energy of that fresh new Aries Moon encouraging us to start again; to take fresh action - especially if we have planets and points near 7 degrees of a cardinal sign, Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, in our natal chart.

This aspect (Mercury trine Saturn) offers us the perseverance and concentration that creates stability.

With Saturn in Sagittarius (an old wise man if ever there was one) we do (or most likely with Venus retrograde and ruling almost everything we "re-do") whatever it is we are working on with maybe not quite as much youthful exuberance and confidence that we are always right and will always win as we might normally associate with an Aries New Moon,

but more like the way an old person rises in the morning with achy joints and a grateful heart - another day and I'm still here! - unsure of the outcome or what is around the next corner but putting both feet on the cold linoleum floor and moving forward anyway.

This is great energy for paperwork that requires accuracy.

Four of ten planets change direction over the next four weeks - are we ready for this ...... xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of March 27th - fired up

locked heart 06 by hip-possible

Monday night's New Moon in Aries (7 degrees) is the PERFECT time to make a vision board for a fresh start as we kick off the new lunar year with our first New Moon!

Let's make it by incorporating images, words and phrases reflecting the things/feelings/situations we want to learn about, share with others and bring into our life this year. Get it done over the next couple days.

We are also starting (as of Saturday) a new 8 year (or 4 year) cycle in our natal house that holds 5 degrees Aries. What are we passionate about NOW? This will be about our money, values, love, beauty, self-esteem and/or women.

This is the fresh start energy that last week's Venus/Sun conjunction assured us was coming.  

Now, Venus is still retrograde for another three weeks so there is a past love, values, money or woman situation we are still working through or that needs to be reworked for us to get where we are going. So we'll work that as our plans start coming together. We might also be required to stand up (Aries) or maybe fight (Aries) for what we love and/or what we'd love to have now. Venus is a morning star (warrior) until January - get used to it!

The Moon is void Monday morning until 10:11am EST when it moves into fiery Aries. Mars (in Taurus) is making nice with Neptune (in Pisces) now. This is steady, grounded energy for taking action with Neptunian themes - spirituality, healing, imagination, addiction, escape, things put away.

On Tuesday, the Aries Moon steps into our ongoing t-square (the main aspect that's causing all the crazy stuff in the outer world) with Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto - we will either be charging ahead or feeling stifled that we can't. Mercury is now walking the degrees he will cover twice more over his upcoming retrograde. Notice the information coming at us now because we will be rehashing it for a while. Patience is needed.

On Wednesday, the Moon is void until noon EST then moves into the more gentle energy of Taurus - see if you feel it. Mercury and Saturn are working together well so talks (Mercury) with authority figures (Saturn) are favored. Our words are our bond now. Conversations and information could center around Sagittarian themes - foreign issues, travel, higher education, politics (please no!), religion, media, marketing and publishing. Saturn is moving slower now and preparing to go retrograde until autumn.

On Thursday, we have the second of the three 2017 Jupiter/Pluto squares. This is about something that started last November and will finalize in August (this is clobbering Trump's chart BTW). Jupiter wants to grow and change through expansion, Pluto wants to blow the damn thing up and start again from the ashes. This is about bringing power into balance. We'll talk about this more on Thursday.

On Friday, the Moon moves into Gemini and Mercury enters Taurus. Even though there will be lots of information and conversations coming at us - we will need to stop and smell the roses a bit. Stop thinking so much. Take a walk. Mercury is all about communication and the way we think and process information. Taurus is cautious and deliberate and all about security, material comfort, Mother Earth.

With Mercury hunkering down in Taurus for this extended stay - he stations retrograde in early April, we can expect our ideas, conversations and communications to be evaluated on more practical terms now. Stuff that doesn't have a clear track record, or stuff that is considered too risky, will be discarded.

New ideas might be back-burnered (at least for a while) for more tried and true methods.

People will be less flexible. Ideas will be more carefully assessed. Patience and proof will be required.

If we are looking for a commitment we can count on - this is very good energy. With Mercury in Taurus, our words, and the words of other people, will carry extra weight - promises will matter here. They will be harder to come by, but once made will be honored. Keep this in mind.

With Mercury in his shadow degrees (the space he will be retracing) some things may start to slow down or maybe closer to April 9th. This can be frustrating if something feels 'ready to go', but retrogrades (if used to reassess, redo and realign) have a way of paying off later on. Trust this.

Patience and the long game will be rewarded.

MONDAY'S NEW MOON IN ARIES

The New Moon is an excellent time for energetic support to make changes with things ruled by Aries - the head (headaches, acne, eyes, brain), our overall physical self, exploration, initiative, courage, leadership, strength, stubbornness, impulsiveness, temper tantrums, anger, stress from inaction - what do we need more of in our lives, what are we needing to release.

Now is the time to set intentions for this stuff.

AFFIRMATION TIPS: get into a calm, centered frame of mind - always make affirmations from a  positive (meaning both certain and happy) space - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud - this month I'll write my affirmations on strips of paper and burn them - then release your attention from these things knowing that your intention is known.  

Know these things are already yours. xo all

Venus Conjunct the Sun | shining a light on what/who we love

why i take pictures of couples by make-a-wish

Today, Venus reaches the midpoint of her 2017 forty day retrograde journey.

We should know what this has been about for us by now. If not, here it is right in front of us. The Sun's bright light this weekend provides a point of clarity. Is this what we really want? "Maybe" is not close enough to "YES" for Venus.

During Venus retrogrades our relationship with what we love and value is tested. The way we handle our money (and other resources including the planet Earth) is tested. The stuff we used to love sometimes gets revisited so we can decide if it still makes our heart sing or if it needs to go to make room for something else.

This could be about a person, but it could just as easily be about our work, our career, our art, our role, our self-esteem.

(with all of this happening in me, me, me Aries what we are doing must be valuing ourselves and putting ourselves first - it's oxygen mask time, people! - and that Leo North Node is coming in May when we move forward by working from our heart - it's crunch time to figure this crap out)

Venus wants us feeling that full-hearted affirmative by the Aries New Moon on Monday when she will be sitting conjunct the Sun and the Moon. What is it going to take to get us there?

For us, for now - today's Venus/Sun conjunction at 4 degrees Aries will bring clarity (Sun) around love (Venus). This could also bring something to light (Sun) or something into our heart (Sun) involving a Venus theme - love, money, values, women or the theme of our early Aries house.

Tomorrow, Mercury (news, information, communication) will conjunct Uranus (anything can happen, revolution, surprise) - notice this happens between the Sun/Venus conjunction today and the Aries fresh start New Moon on Monday. Watch for it - although if this impacts you personally you won't be able to miss it. Back tomorrow to talk about that. xo all


NOTE - This journey of Venus (our love, money, values, women) is called an inferior conjunction and means she is changing from an evening to a morning star. We will have to rise before dawn to see her in the sky now because the Sun will be encapsulating her. We are all very attractive to what we really want now. During the time (now) when Venus is a morning star she is a warrior Goddess. She descends into the underworld to reappear reborn.

Mercury Opposite Jupiter | Bold Words

Speak by Jean Fan

After yesterday's dust up with Pluto (still in play) fast moving Mercury (in Aries) moves into opposition with Jupiter (in Libra).

Stop ruminating on problems.

There is the potential for good news now (just check the facts), especially about whatever our retrograde Jupiter has us revisiting (see this post). This is a good time to talk about something we are passionate about. Embrace optimism with our speech.

There is the possibility of some over-the-top language that doesn't amount to much in the long run - this possibility is always on the table when Mercury aspects Jupiter. Exaggerated ideas - an ability to gloss over the details and take on more than we can handle. Watch for this and avoid pushy sales people now. The downside of Jupiter is greed and over-confidence - if we avoid that stuff there is good energy for success here.

Be careful not to exaggerate or count chickens that have not been hatched, both will be easy to do now, but if we use this energy for positive communications - mountains can be moved.

NOTE - this energy will tie into Mercury's ongoing story this week which continues on Sunday with a shock, surprise or an unexpected announcement, information, conversation or idea, as he meets up with Uranus. Also note Mercury also rules siblings, our local neighborhood, teaching, learning and transportation - stories could be unfolding with this themes, too. xo all

Mercury Square Pluto | if you can't say something nice .....

game over by lora-vysotskaya

Mercury (in Aries) squares Pluto (in Capricorn) - exact tonight. This is the first of Mercury's aspects over the next couple days.  

Words are powerful.

The right/wrong words can rip someone's world to pieces now (including the person doing the speaking). We need to think before we speak.

Words can sting like hornets, attack without warning, lack empathy and compassion and there won't be any way to take them back. That bridge will be burned to the ground.

Let's give others a break when their words hit their mark more harshly than they intended. Much of Pluto's work is unconscious. The stuff that is building underneath comes rushing out like a volcanic eruption. We might not be the intended target for the molten ash, but here we are covered with it anyway. If it feels like a confrontation is brewing - walk away early. Trust your instincts.

Secrets could spill out that can't be contained once unleashed.

This is not the best energy to deal with authority figures because the square will bring tension and make the conversation/communication into a confrontation or challenge. Sit tight.

When in conversation or emailing others we'll keep the letters TMI in the front area of our brains. If considering whether to say something or not - it's probably best not to.

This is not the time to cut corners or do anything underhanded. Mercury is hitting a lot of hot spots over the next few days and exposure is likely. Conversations/communications can expose deep truth and/or deep pain now.

The best use of this energy is its ability to create focus. It is excellent energy for extensive research and to look deeply into a matter we are interested in. 

Mercury rules conversations, communications, ideas, thoughts, siblings, our local neighborhood, early education, transportation. In Aries, we are dealing with initiative, aggression, anger. Pluto rules karma, transformation, death, rebirth, power, other people's resources, taxes. In Capricorn, we are dealing with government, business, authority, established systems. Any word salad could be applicable now. Our natal Aries and Capricorn houses are in the cross hairs.

Mercury's movements continue to hit home tomorrow with an opposition to Jupiter. Stay grounded and use grounded language. Back tomorrow. xo all

Sun into Aries | do something new!!

hello springo.2 by esendemirci

The Sun moves into Aries today kicking off a new chapter (and new year!) in our already active Aries houses. A few hours later the Moon reaches its last quarter square at zero degrees Capricorn and squares the Aries Sun.

Capricorn rules safety and security. Aries rules the new and untested. These things are not really at odds with each other, but it can feel like it sometimes (like right now!).

Old beliefs, comfort zones and ways of doing things that used to work are bucking up against the new things we need to do and believe to move forward.

We could feel restless now. We might feel like we just don't fit anymore. Maybe we don't. And trying to force ourselves to stay all cramped up and in place will just result in poor digestion and worn out body parts. This doesn't mean (that Capricorn square) that we have to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we can't let an overly cautious nature compromise our very real need to grow. We are alive - it's grow or perish!

(look at what is happening in the U.S. with our continued over focus on safety and security - we have had PTSD since 9/11 and we are a Cancer country and need to feel safe - the more actions we take to feel safe the less safe we feel because we are working within the too tight structure we have boxed ourselves into)

It is never too late to take on a fresh challenge and here comes the energy we need to do just that - this is what Aries is all about!

This is excellent energy for a new project to take us in a whole new direction.

The Moon's last quarter square is a crisis point - crisis meaning opportunity. Something requires adjustment. Something needs to give.

Let's take some action today we have never taken before. Anything. It can be something small or something large. It just has to be something new. 

Now, this is not the best time to start something new. Venus is still retrograde and this week's Mercury story will toss us some curve balls and WTH surprises plus Mercury is approaching his upcoming retrograde shadow.

It is, though, an excellent time to do something new. See the difference?

This action - whatever it is - will line us up with today's fresh start energy. We are sending a signal to our muses that we are ready for a new challenge. There is universal support right now for a reboot if we take the initiative with an action, any action.

Mars (Aries ruler) is in Taurus - this is grounded, steady energy. Mercury passed Venus this weekend. Our ideas and words may be getting ahead of what we need to attract the right stuff to make them work, but that is OK. Everything begins life as a thought. Then we speak the words out loud and the die is cast.

What do we want? What do we need? Venus is retrograde and has us working with whatever situation we need to work with to show us what we really value.

For today - drive a different route, answer the call from the 'unknown' caller (and yes, it will probably be that annoying telemarketer just like you knew it would be - it doesn't matter, just answer the call if you would normally avoid it), talk to that random guy in the post office, take yourself out for a drink after work, visit a different section of the library, make a dentist appointment, sign up for that class, enter that race, volunteer for something you feel passionate about, cook something new - it doesn't have to be a big thing, but make it memorable enough that when you think back on this day it will be the thing you will remember. Maybe just do a whole bunch of things in new, untested ways.

We have a New Moon in one week that will take this energy in the direction it needs to go - it will get the seed into the ground. Today, it's our job to prime the pumps of the Aries energy with the action of something NEW. Go for it!  xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of March 20th - the new astrological year begins plus abrupt or surprising information

ken, I think we are lost ... by toolbazar

This week we kick off a new astrological year as the Sun moves into the first sign, Aries, and an uber active Mercury (communication, conversation, ideas) brings us abrupt and surprising news and information.

Monday's spring equinox/Sun into Aries/ first day of spring is the first day of the astrological year.

Aries brings us fresh start energy and the passion to get things moving. We are all burning Aries fuel for the next month. We will be more self- sufficient and focused on ourselves. The baby of the zodiac, Aries can't always see the other person's side of things because if they did they wouldn't be able to take quick, decisive action and that quick decisive action is what they are here to manifest. Keep in mind, it can be harder for all of us to see past our own needs now.

Aries doesn't have the staying power of some other signs; she doesn't need it. Aries isn't the marathon. Aries is that first powerful kick off at the starting line.

Aries isn't about winning or losing (maybe don't tell that to an Aries sun sign) - Aries is about daring to start that race in the first place. Aries supports jumping in and taking action. He doesn't promise us that we will come out a winner or even come out alive (yes, he's ruled by Mars and he's bad-ass), but he does promise us we will have evolved from the experience.

And that's what we're here for. We didn't come for the outcome, the outcome has already been decided. We all win in the end. We came for the experience. Aries knows this.

We have a Void Moon on Monday morning EST, so maybe sleep in and be prepared to hit the ground running after lunch (that's my plan, but my internal alarm clock can't seem to be reset).

The Moon is in Capricorn so we will be focused on our goals and ambitions. There could be stress and pressure between the old and the new now. The Moon trines (brakes off) Mars so don't mess with Mama Bears - protectiveness around family, home and, even country, will surface. This is good and powerful energy to fight for women and family issues.

Mercury is super chatty this week meeting up with Pluto, then Jupiter and finally Uranus. Communications and information are volatile.

On Tuesday, news, information and conversations may be more unpredictable as Mercury heats up. We are focused on our goals and career/work issues.

On Wednesday, the Moon is void all day - don't start anything new, since nothing will come of it (the Moon is impotent when not aspecting another planet and anything launched into this void will be impotent, too). Expect some things to move sideways. Give yourself some extra time. Stick with practiced actions.

On Thursday, Mercury (in Aries) gets active first squaring Pluto (in Capricorn) leading to deep interactions and communication with others. This is excellent energy for research and diving deeply into some subject matter. We (and other people) could be expressing extreme positions. The more we are forcing others to agree with us or think a certain way the more push back we will receive. Take the high road if possible.

Provocative attitudes, suspicions and paranoia are possible. Some people will be itching for a fight this week.

The next day, Friday, Mercury opposes Jupiter (retrograde in Libra) then Mercury joins Uranus (in Aries) on Sunday with a wild burst of something illuminating. Conversations are rattling. News is surprising. Snap decisions are possible. Words can be out of control.

We'll talk more about Mercury as we move through the week. It's volatile for sure, but this could be good energy to promote something fresh and exciting if we can work with it. xo all

Sun Square Saturn | hard work

about hard work by doruoprisan

We probably felt this transit yesterday, too - it's brief, but potent. We have to get it done. We have to keep going. Yadda yadda.

If you are feeling especially wrung out or depressed (and this should ease a bit this weekend as the Moon lifts out of Scorpio into Sagittarius, although the weekend will probably fly by) think about where you might need stronger personal boundaries. Are you taking on other people's stuff?

Which is actually funny to write - since other people are only really reflecting ourselves back to us. So they are actually taking on our stuff! It is exhausting though to be outsourcing some energy onto someone else and then dealing with it as the third person.

We need patience now. 

The Sun will shine a light on road blocks and stop signs (Saturn).

The Sun will shine a light on whatever we have been avoiding. The stuff we are trying to forget about and cramming under the sofa is snowballing. The sooner we just buckle down and get it done the sooner our confidence (Sun) will return.

There are tests and challenges now. There can be difficulties with authority figures. 

Step into that responsibility. Get the work done. We still have that Virgo North Node - small, polished steps will get us where we need to be.

The best thing about having a foggy future is we are forced to stay focused on the present or we make ourselves insane. You don't want to be insane do you? Stay present. Time is stretchy (and yes, last week's clock change didn't help). This transit can provide us with a nice feeling of accomplishment if we just do what we have to do - we've got this thing.

xo all

a week or so into venus retrograde ....

afternoon sister by polish-girl

How is Venus retrograde in Aries working out for everyone? By now, a week or so into this 40 day and 40 night transit we are likely to see the writing on the wall.

It might still require a pair of those magnifying readers you can pick up at Walgreens for $9.99 or maybe it is splashed in two story high, full color graffiti like mine. Events are transpiring to get us to clarity about what we really value - relationships are tested, the way we handle our money (and other resources) is tested.

Old relationships or earlier times in existing relationships, actions and choices come back for another look or maybe in some cases to bite us in the ass. We might be more sentimental or just more pissed off. We could find ourselves attracting backward.

The theme of the house where early Aries sits in our natal chart will be Venus's field of play. And of course with Aries ruling everything from war to our first house version of ourselves, we could be retooling and re-looking at multiple Aries general themes.

The last Venus retrograde (summer 2015) had me obsessed with several Netflix series about life in the early 60's. This one is hitting closer to home. Recent battles have required me to stand up for my own happiness. Which is a pretty way of saying something that doesn't look very pretty in real life.

It also has me focused on how I used to look or maybe more accurately put if I look deeper, how I used to look to others.

(and yes, I am talking about more than physical appearance but I am talking about physical appearance, too - for example, after seeing my recent vacation pics with my hair gone almost totally gray, I am not sure this is such a good idea anymore, plus I need to lose 10 pounds)

Today, Venus squares asteroid Juno (partnership, relationship) at 10 degrees Capricorn. There is a clash/tension here between our personal freedom and our commitments to others.

We also have the Sun conjunct asteroids Pallas and Chiron - all in watery, dreamy, imaginative, illusive, deceptive (pick your poison) Pisces. Maybe something from late last week when Mercury touched these same asteroids comes to light now, concludes or evolves. Or maybe Sunday's Full Moon did that and now we are dealing with the aftermath. There is some turning point here.

Mars is trine the North Node today encouraging us to focus our efforts on what we feel most passionate about (that might mean working with a situation that is making us angry - anger is passion, too). As exhausted as most of us are now, there is still some fight left in all of us. 

There has to be.  

xo all

Mercury into Aries - them's fightin' words and fired up with new ideas

angry workplace by tarelkin

Mercury (communication, conversation, thoughts, ideas) moves into fiery Aries today.

Our words get to the point.

What comes to mind or out of our mouths first is what catches attention. Words get blunt and powerful and also more potentially hurtful and deadly. Everyone else's words will have more fire behind them, too. Conversations are more straightforward and passionate. More sensitive people can get hurt. Know this is an annual transit and necessary toward everyone's advancement. People will be speaking up and letting the chips fall.

The message becomes more important than the words now because the message is all the other person will hear/remember anyway. The truth will come out and it won't always be pretty.

Communications and conversations will speed up. Our thinking, and everyone else's, will be more independent. New ideas bloom like apples in autumn - pick one. Focus.

Words spoken with passion and authority produce the best results. But remember everyone will be thinking "what's in it for me?" - the goods must be delivered (Mercury in Aries will give the collective a greater tendency to start something full of passion, maybe anger, and then fizzle out). With Aries it is easy to get so fired up over something we haven't thought all the way through and then toss the baby out with the bathwater at the first sign of trouble (and use multiple metaphors in the same sentence, why the hell not!).

It will be very easy to get into a fight now. With Aries, the first sign, focused in on that first thought (wth, did he just insult me?) it will be harder to think twice. If we have to stand up for ourselves the energy to do so will be there for us. It will also be there to cut others off at the knees - keep this in mind.

This is great energy to turn our thoughts and ideas toward ourselves (Aries is about me, me, me after all). Over the next few weeks (through March 31st when Aries moves on) the energy will be there to revamp our language, words, name, profile and start fresh.

What house is Aries in your natal chart? This is the area of life our conversations and communications will focus in on. Mercury also rules siblings, local travel and transportation - all these things will get a shot of Aries fire, too.

xo all

Full Moon in Virgo Plus a Quick Look at Mars into Taurus

wracaj by kieubaska

Back from warm and sunny Florida and now preparing for a nor'easter snowstorm this week! Yikes!

What did I miss? 

OK, Mars moved into Taurus on Friday (until April 21st). Mars in Taurus slows us down and steadies our actions.

With Taurus this isn't so much about doing anything new - this is about building on and taking action with "what we already have". Things won't move quickly, but the things we take action on now will be longer-lasting. 

Success comes to the turtle and not the hare. Whatever we are doing, we need to be prepared to keep on doing it. It may take some time. We have Venus retrograde in Aries - Venus rules Taurus and Mars rules Aries, making these planets in what astrologers call - mutual reception - and making both more powerful. With Taurus this will be about our security and stability - stuff Venus already has us focused in on.

People will have a tendency to be more stubborn and unmovable now - we will all be digging in our heels and refusing to change course (hence the slow down). Remember the KISS acronym - keep it simple stupid (except change stupid to sista' - why the hell would we call ourselves stupid?!). That crazy, complicated thingamajig we were thinking about doing - nix it. That thing that looks just too basic to work - yeah do that thing. This is excellent energy to get out in nature and get our hands dirty, too - if you have the weather to garden - we apparently do not - get on with that!

Today we have a Full Moon in Virgo (22 degrees). Virgo is so precise and committed to perfection this is a good time to feel overwhelmed. 

This tension of what is real and what is ideal is the fundamental tension of the Virgo archetype. 

Traditionally Virgo is the sign of the servant and healer. Virgo is also the skilled crafts person - the archetype of being good at something, of taking the time to learn and do something well.

(when Martha says "it's a good thing" she is channeling her inner Virgo, which is probably her sun sign or her Venus, have to look her up)

So in Virgo we gain dignity and self respect from being good at something that is useful to other people.

If you were born with your sun in Virgo this is the basic way you process life, moon in Virgo; the basic way you experience your feelings about life and if your ascendant is in Virgo; the basic way you appear to others - the mask you wear.

(people who think Virgos are fussy or nitpicky are totally missing the point and also forgetting we all have Virgo in our charts)

The Virgo Full Moon reminds us we all have right work. This right work may not be something we will be paid to do. It's not about the money. 

This is about being good at something that is valuable to other people.

It's not about having other people recognize this 'wonderful' thing we are doing though - Virgo is the leg of our hero's journey that comes after Leo where we took center stage and got our applause. 

Virgo is the next space - the one where we release, at least a little bit, our need to be recognized.  Of course at the time of the Virgo Full Moon we don't want to be hiding our light under a bushel - to quote my grandma.

Full Moons bring culminations and 'things to light'. With the Pisces Sun sitting with (wounded healer) Chiron and both opposing the Moon - something hurts here.

I missed writing a post last week when I was away but the whole week was building toward tonight's Full Moon.

Saturn is squaring Mercury - there could be a "no" here or news that sounds like more hard work or some kind of stop sign. This Moon is all about living up to our responsibility. And doing our best. The light will shine clearly on what needs to be done or what isn't going to work out. With Virgo's perfectionism there is bound to be pressure (internal and external) - the key will be putting on our big girl pants and getting on with things. It won't be easy because it will feel like whatever we are doing isn't enough and that we are suddenly all thumbs and elbows. Something isn't quite working out the way we expected here. Mars in Taurus will help. Be a grown up. Know that when we know better we do better. So now we know better. Let's release the idea of perfection - kick it to the curb - it doesn't exist.

I'll do the weekly post in the a.m. Mercury is heading into Aries on Monday so lots of conversations, communications, errands and sibling stuff. xo all

Venus Retrograde in Aries | what really belongs to us plus a blog break

the black by kosmodisk

Venus stations retrograde today at 13 degrees Aries. She will travel back to 23 degrees Pisces before she turns around and heads back on April 14th.

(we also have Jupiter and Saturn retrograde now)

I've written before about how uber important the position of Venus is this year.

We have Saturn in Sagittarius and Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter so Saturn is answering to Jupiter. And we have Jupiter in Libra and Libra is ruled by Venus so Jupiter is answering to Venus. So we have Saturn and Jupiter both answering to Venus. The buck stops with her. She is QUEEN.

The learning and growth we experience this year both through expansion (Jupiter) and through constriction (Saturn) come through Venusian energy. AND even after Jupiter moves into Scorpio in October and begins answering to Mars - Mars will be in Libra and answering to Venus. She has 2017 pretty much under her spell.

She came to a complete stop a couple days ago (in Aries), but Mars is still in Aries pushing things along. Once Mars moves into Taurus at the end of next week - action will slow down quite a bit.

Since Venus rules love, money, women, beauty and our values - these areas will be impacted by her retrograde as well as the themes of our early Aries/ late Pisces natal house(s). Check you chart here.

Something within the theme of our Aries/Pisces houses - or involving the Venus themes of love, money, or values - could (to use Pisces terminology) "drift off course", "evaporate" or "fade away". 
 
Something/someone that looked like a sure thing or our next big thing may turn out to be anything but and something/someone we had written off as over might "drift back into our lives", "re-awaken" or "re-appear".

First she moves us through Aries - the sign of me, myself and I. It will be clear to us what needs to happen to make ourselves a priority

or maybe this feels more like - I must have this my way. Whatever we are dealing with we are going back over it. There will probably be delays. The delays are important.

This is not the time to start a brand new relationship or launch a new business. It's not the time to do anything permanent or long lasting connected to beauty - no new tattoos, nose rings or elective surgery. It's not a good time to invest money in something new or buy something new and expensive. Whatever you do don't run off and get married - unless you are marrying someone again whom you were married to before.

If we meet a new love (person, thing, idea, situation) now, take things VERY slowly and be prepared for stuff to reverse course later. If someone from our past shows back up it doesn't mean "this is meant to be" - it's possible it could work out, but more likely there is just some unfinished business - so we'll finish it.

At the same time Venus stations retrograde (today) we have the Sun, Mercury and Neptune all huddled together in the middle of Pisces. Maybe something we thought we knew for sure, turns out to be an illusion (external) or delusion (internal). Or maybe something we had written off as a fantasy turns out to be actually real.

If the events of 2016 and early 2017 haven't shown us that anything is possible but not everything is real, I can't imagine what would need to happen for us to believe this! It's like we are characters in a video game and a shaky handed grandpa has appropriated the controls from his steady handed grandson. I am honestly not so sure this is far from the truth. Up is down and down is up and we are on a wild ride!

On April 2nd Venus moves back into Pisces - the sign of the imagination; the ethereal realms. Here's where the energy of "my way" (cue the Sinatra soundtrack, or is it only people like me from New Jersey who have this on their desktop?) shifts into a focus on the bigger picture - the space where we all come together. It could be a time when we have to let go of what we want (for now, maybe not for always).

In Pisces, a retrograde Venus will ask us to further define and refine what we value by clouding the situation. And before we complain about the unfairness of that situation we are reminded by Venus that she actually rules fairness (so couldn't be unfair if she tried) and to consider how focused a driver we become when forced to confront that heavy morning fog.

Maybe we have to make a sacrifice, maybe our dreams are so close we can almost touch them, maybe we do. Venus is exalted in Pisces - we'll look at the other aspects as she gets closer for a better idea of how this might all play out.

On April 14th Venus will station direct at 23 degrees Pisces. When the fog lifts she will be conjunct Chiron and squaring Saturn while the Sun is conjunct Uranus and Mercury is retrograde. That should be one hell of a day. Call out sick right now - ha!

Venus is showing us what we really want - what we really value. The opportunity is here now for us to figure out if what we are attempting to do next is something that even belongs to us.

Relationships are tested. The way we handle our money (and other resources including the planet Earth) is tested.  

I was trying to get up one more post - next week's - before going on vacation, but it's just not meant to be!

I will be back in a week, March 12th - if you miss your astro fix Elsa Elsa is a great blog to read and Satori's weekly forecast is excellent.

xo all - going to Florida for a few days- have a great week everyone!

Jupiter Opposite Uranus | disruption

underwater by semansis

Today is the second of three exact Jupiter (Libra) and Uranus (Aries) oppositions. We had one back on December 26th at 20 degrees. This one is at 22 degrees. The next (final) one is in late September. If you know the polarity

(warning shameless plug here - have you seen my polarity lockets)

of your chart's Libra and Aries axis story - you could be better prepared for how this will all play out this year (what houses do the late degrees of Libra and Aries reside in your natal chart? Google what those houses are all about or ask me).

If you have planets or points in your natal chart in cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) from about 16-29 degrees you will feel this energy most strongly this year.

For this week, maybe something from December comes back around for another go. Maybe something culminates or moves to another level. Whatever it is now, it won't be brand new, since Jupiter is retrograde and re-traveling previously traveled degrees but it will be disruptive.

Some people will have itchy feet as the need for personal freedom increases. Probably the more caged a situation has us feeling, the greater the intensity of upset any changes will bring. Libra vs Aries is a kind of 'break-up' energy. Me vs the other person.

If someone's need for personal freedom is clashing with someone else's need for security - the need for freedom could be greater this year. If you are parenting a rebellious teen with planets(s) at these points you would be best to parent them by finding ways for them to express this energy - travel, new experiences, positive new groups and new education, so it doesn't express in more radical ways.

The need for personal freedom can't be stopped (in any healthy ways) and shouldn't be - it can sometimes be directed. Do something else.

It could be with Jupiter vs Uranus that our way of thinking or beliefs (Jupiter) will change (Uranus) and this will impact our circumstances. If we have been a lone wolf (Aries) there could be opportunities to partner (Libra).

Trust (Jupiter) that unexpected and disruptive (Uranus) changes will work out well for us. I usually find with Jupiter transits they either work out to be all about nothing (that planet of gases thing made manifest I think) or they are positive. 

The status quo will be challenging to maintain if this transit is affecting us ... or a partner. Keep this in mind. xo all

(see the weekly for more info about the energies at play this week)

Sun Conjunct Neptune | aligning ourselves with ourselves, feeling inspired

imagination by katrin-elizabeth

The Sun hooks up with Neptune today at 11 degrees Pisces.

Neptune has been in Pisces (the sign he rules) since 2012 (thru 2023). Once a year while Neptune is in Pisces, the Sun will catch up with him in a slightly different space of the Piscean skies.

If there is a way for us to let the day to day chores slide for a bit, this is excellent energy for dreaming and inspiration - for connection, compassion and healing; for aligning ourselves with ourselves.

It's our annual meeting of ego and spirit - our inner focus in strengthened. The more we fail to do this (touch base with ourselves, stop) the more confusion and chaos result.

Look around us - there is so much to feel good about. Our imaginations are wide open today. What do we really see?

A dream (Pisces) could become clear (Sun) now (we can also feel ourselves connecting with the dreams that never came true - they are ripe for release and ready to make way for something new). A light is thrown on imaginative, inspirational work. A light can also be thrown on the things we are hiding.

As we use our imagination and spirit and detach ourselves from this time and place, we can tune into all times and places. Our compassion and sensitivity is heightened - our awareness of the connection we have with each other and how one of us affects all of us becomes clear.

The Aries Moon makes multiple planetary contacts, so as we move through the day we could find ourselves more emotional than usual or more emotionally connected with unusual things, people or situations.

(the fly in the ointment is an increased ability to be susceptible to lies and delusion now - keep this in mind - this is not a good day to invest money, sign a contract or deal with facts and figures - use this energy for something else)

xo all