Double Grand Trines | optimism and abundance

dandelion by this year's girl

We have not one but two Grand Trines we can work with now.

Trines are 'brakes off' aspects that allow things to move forward more easily. Grand trines are like triple the power!

With an ongoing Grand Trine in earth signs and one building in fire signs (Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Saturn - sparks can fly with this one) - it looks like a very good couple days to take action and, just in time for the weekend, have some fun!

Mercury in Taurus (stability, nature) and Jupiter (expansion, abundance) in Virgo are in a nice flow with Pluto (power, transformation) in Capricorn (business, establishment).

This isn't about something new and innovative so much as about expanding and stabilizing what we already know - some things we thought were blocked and out of reach may not be.

Sometimes the gift of trines is to see opportunities (door with cracks and windows ajar) and act on them. Sometimes the things we act on now are symbolic and support bigger, later changes.

I am clearing my backyard of twigs and cutting the grass this afternoon - ensuring fertile ground for later plantings and clearing the dead stuff to support new growth. This is the kind of thing we can do with these energies (trines - brakes off) to 'clear the ground' in support of change and a more abundant future (for me and my yard!). It's use it or lose it with this stuff!  

We can use the physical in symbolic ways, but we need to take some kind of action.

(clearing inboxes and closets works the same way - anything standing in the way of us getting what we want, ie the email from the big new account, the new spring jacket that needs a space to call home - the wrong things symbolically blocking the right things - they need to go now)

If we have stressful stuff happening right now - let's use the next couple days to relax and get outside our problems (literally and figuratively - think about something else, do something for someone else, get outdoors).

Small changes in our daily routine can create big, and with these aspects incredibly long lasting, changes in our attitude, beliefs and health. And it's those changes in our thinking and doing, ie what we really think is possible for us - what we show we really value by spending our time on - that starts the ball rolling in the physical world and changes everything. 

We are approaching quite a bit of retrograde energy over the next few weeks. We will be retracing some steps or dealing with some road blocks, but it's good to remember the other planetary energies have moved on. We can never really walk the same path twice. And we will have quite a bit of help along the way to get us through. These trines are some good energy to help clear the ground in preparation.

When we hold onto things and don't want anything to complete, it's because we fear nothing will come along to replace the thing that is finishing. Life is forced to kick the thing out from under us to have us face the fear. But there is an easier way. We can release the fear first. We can know we will be OK. The upcoming retrogrades will apply pressure on us to finalize things that have been sitting half completed for a long time, big and small these things must end, to get ready for the new. We are all going to need the skills of flexibility and focused presence to navigate the next few years. What can we do now to develop those muscles?

Enjoy the weekend. Get outdoors! xo all

Mars Retrograde April 17th - June 29th | finding out what real courage is

Mars goes retrograde about every two years for about 10 weeks. He will be retrograde (moving backward from our perspective) from this Sunday until the end of June.

Mars entered his "shadow period" (the degrees he will 'retrace' beginning on Sunday) back in mid February and he won't be covering completely fresh ground until August.

What does this mean for us - well, first of all, in a way, this transit's lessons have already started. The stuff we will be dealing with (and reworking) over the next couple months is already in play (it can connect back to the spring equinox happenings, too).

Mars will begin his retrograde in Sagittarius and move back through Scorpio - so these are the houses in our natal (and progressed) charts we will be dealing with. Since this is the same slice of sky Saturn worked through (in a slower and more thorough fashion) from 2014/2015 - this could be about something we were dealing with then. It's one more chance to work with the themes related to these houses - to get it right, to take action on it, to put it to bed.

If this was the olden days, our ancestors would be sacrificing a goat right about now. They knew from experience Mars' movements (easy to track since he is that red spot in the night sky) often brought aggression, hostility and war.

Now (although Mars is still the planet of war), we look at him and his movements a bit less malefically. Mars is our will, our initiative, our energy. He is also our passion, our anger, our courage.

With Mars outside his 'normal flow' we can expect our energy to be lower. We can expect less to come of things we 'initiate' during this period. Romances started now could fizzle out when he moves direct next summer. Projects will face delays and disruptions. We will be rethinking and reworking our actions. Anger can come out in ways inappropriate to the situation and will backfire on us.

There are astrologers who believe whoever starts a fight (action against a rival, lawsuit, war, etc) or "fires the first shot" when Mars is retrograde will always lose. Keep this in mind.

Since Mars rules Aries - Aries Suns and risings are strongly affected (although for particularly assertive/aggressive Aries, this could bring a period of calm and peace). Since Mars is the ancient ruler of Scorpio - Scorpio Suns and risings are strongly affected, too - although Scorpion manipulation may work better for most people now (as opposed to overt action), it may not work so well for Scorpios.

I was born with Mars retrograde (and if you have a natal Mars retrograde or even Mars in the water ruled houses - 4th, 8th, 12th houses, Mars retrograde can be a good transit for you and almost the reverse of other people's experiences) and see this in my natal chart as one, of multiple, indicators that willful action often backfires for me. If I start the fight, I lose. Actively going after what I want either doesn't work or when I get what I want I realize it's not what I really want. I think this is how willful action will work for most people during this transit (April 17th - June 29th). We may also find, if we are more naturally passive, we will be forced to stand up for ourselves now.

One of the things Mars represents in our natal chart is the kind of emotions we got used to feeling when we were very, very young (pre-speech). This is partly because of our earliest environment and our parents or caregivers but also because of the energy we carried into that environment and the way those energies interacted.

Since Mars represents passion and desire - these emotions are the ones we grow to associate with those things (passion, desire, love) and those are the emotions, when triggered by other people and situations, that we move toward as we go through life.

(this is an unconscious process and yes, we can consciously decide that passion and desire will feel differently and move toward something else, but it is the energy we will naturally feel passion and desire for)

With Mars retrograde (especially in the deep waters of Scorpio) we will be relooking at what we are passionate about and what we really desire. It's also a chance to regroup and try a new way to "attack" (not overtly) the challenges in our life.

It's a time to re-examine and rework the way we express, experience and integrate Mars energy (masculine, assertive) in our life. It will also allow us a pause between - what happens and what we do about it, putting ourselves in the other person's shoes, etc - that can make all the difference!

We will talk about this as we move through the transit.

Pluto (in Capricorn) is also going retrograde and both these planets (Mars and Pluto) are the rulers of Scorpio - which is about getting to the real truth of the matter, the truth about power and seeing through the illusion of life on planet Earth.

And we are leading up to the Scorpio Full Moon on the 22nd - the truth is coming out people! xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of April 11th - approaching ....

behind the horizon by ankazhuravleva

We are approaching Mars and Pluto's upcoming retrogrades and this is the week they both station. Planets are particularly intense when they station (go motionless). Mars is the planet of action and anger, initiation and war. Pluto is the planet of transformation and karma, power, death and rebirth.

Imagine running our finger through a candle flame. If we do it quickly we feel a bit of warmth but nothing painful. If we do it slowly and especially if we stop over the flame - it will be hot and intense! Now imagine this is happening with our hottest and most intense planets!

A retrograde station can be frustrating. We are moving along and hit a roadblock or a rough patch of road. We have to slow down or stop what we doing. Maybe we need to change direction. If we keep moving, it is like driving with the brakes on.

Or, depending on the story we are working through right now - a retrograde station may help a stressful situation reach a resting place and give us some breathing room. We might feel a sense of release and relief - we can regroup now and figure out how to deal with the situation more effectively before our story moves forward later on.

On Monday, the Moon is in communicative Gemini. Lots of talks and news. Make those calls and send those emails before the Moon goes void around 3:00 EST. After that nothing will come of whatever we start, so let's get a jump on things.

On Tuesday, the Moon moves into nurturing Cancer. Our focus more naturally turns to home, family and what we need to feel 'secure'. The Moon's square indicates possible tension and frustrations here. We'll breathe through it.

(and speaking of breathing - warning shameless plug ahead - did you know I make aromatherapy lockets and I'm having an Earth Day sale?)

Venus trines (brakes off) Mars. Attraction meets action now. Whatever is going on with our Venus ruled - money, relationships and values - gets a green light or we take action that moves us forward.

On Wednesday we have the First Quarter Moon. Things started at the New Moon last week are presented with a challenge now. The Moon does its weekly clash with Uranus and Pluto - this means more power plays, rebellious actions, out of the blue news and disruptions with our plans and the status quo. The Cancer square from yesterday (home/family/security/mother challenge) gets more intense/exciting/shocking.

From Thursday until Sunday we have a Grand Trine in earth signs (Mercury in Taurus, Jupiter in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn). There is opportunity and good fortune. With 'earth' rewards are solid things we can hold and use. They also last. Rebuilding our economic lives and restoring health to our bodies and environment can be our rewards. With Mercury in Taurus, our words will be impactful and influential (and maybe our fortune) under this influence.

Earth signs means the rewards come though hard work and effort so the spaces we have been diligent and applied effort and focus will get solid support from this trine (brakes off).

The fly in the ointment (yes, always in there somewhere) is Friday's inconjunct between Mercury and Saturn. This is probably not a giant horsefly though or one of those nasty, biting things that can ruin a great beach day. This is just Saturn being Saturn and bringing his straight laced and righteous self to the mix in the form of rules, time restraints or a reminder of our obligations.

More about the upcoming retrogrades later in the week.

xo all

New Moon in Aries | freedom and power, if we don't shoot our eye out

I'm not yours anymore by Kubra Kactioglu

With Mars retrograde looming - we've got only a week of full power 'initiating energy' to work with - let's start now.

This New Moon is a real firecracker!

At 18 degrees Aries (what house holds this space in your natal chart?) the Sun and Moon met up yesterday for their annual Aries kick off. This year, there are lots of other players involved, too. The Sun and Moon conjunct Uranus, trine Saturn, square Pluto and are inconjunct to the North Node.

This is the first New Moon of the astrological year AND in the take no prisoners, get fired up, let's start something NEW sign of Aries.

Let's unpack this.

First check 16-20 degrees Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn (these are the cardinal kick-off signs that generate the new seasons) in your natal chart - if you have any planets in these spaces you will feel this energy strongest. What houses do these planets populate? What house holds Aries? These will be your fields of play.

Now let's look at the connections the New Moon is making. Remember at the time of the New Moon, the Sun and the Moon are at the same degree. Every connection the Moon is making the Sun is making, too - so everything is amplified.

The Moon is conjunct (within 2 degrees) the planet Uranus. We know Uranus is traveling through Aries (2011-2018) so at some point during the Sun's journey through Aries (March 20th -April 19th), the Sun will conjunct Uranus. And to have this happening at the New Moon, when the Sun and Moon are at the same degree, is a big deal.

When a planet conjuncts another planet it's like a guest comes in from out of town and takes over. Maybe they put their feet on the coffee table, toss their coat on our favorite chair and polish off that bottle of wine we'd been saving. Maybe they clean the kitchen and cook us dinner. Either way, they are hard to miss.

Uranus is the planet of genius and rebellion and 'anything can happen'. Uranus is charged with shifting us from point A to point B via the fastest possible route. Uranus gives the energy at this New Moon some unpredictable electricity. Something can come from out of nowhere - all the i's are not dotted and t's are not crossed now.

The Moon is trining (brakes off) Saturn. Saturn (backbone, time, rules) supports us here. He can provide focus and experience. So when whatever 'anything can happen' happens we have the strength we need, the experience we need, the time we need to make it work.

The Moon is square Pluto. Squares are tension. Squares require us to do something in a new way. Pluto is the planet of karma and transformation. Plutonian stuff is never casual. A square with Aries feels like our survival is threatened. Now, we are talking about the Moon here so our emotions will not be totally reasonable. But something could feel like we have no other choice - something happens, we need to respond.

Anything started now will be imbued with the energy of freedom (Uranus) and power (Pluto). There are certainly power struggles here, but also real power to create lasting change.

Normally at the New Moon, dark skies energy, we take baby steps in a new direction. With this one, I would suggest kicking it up a notch, and actually, if we are impacted by this, we probably won't be able to avoid the extra notch even if we wanted to!

Years ago I heard an astrologer (I don't remember who and google isn't helping) say that for Aries life is like, " Ready. FIRE! Aim".  

This is what we need to be cautious of here. So we will think before we act (and speak). We will expect the unexpected.

Aries is very self sufficient. This is the energy of "me". 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.

Aries doesn't have the staying power of some other signs; he doesn't need it. Aries isn't the cross country race. 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 badass), 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.

The New Moon is an excellent time for energetic support to make changes with things ruled by Aries : the head (headaches, acne, eyes, brain), the 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 certain) space - write your affirmations down by hand in script, speak them out loud - I write my affirmations on strips of paper and burn them, releasing the ashes into moving water - then release your attention from these things knowing that your intention is known.  

Know these things are already yours.

Have a nice weekend everyone! xo all