Sun Conjunct Uranus | shock and awe

go slowly by mrs-pinkeyes

Since Uranus has been in Aries (2008) the Sun has caught up with him at some point during Aries season (late March-April) every year.

We'll have one more of these meet-ups next spring (and we'll have similar activities as the Sun squares and opposes Uranus later in the year) before Uranus moves on to Taurus.

For now this is about a light (Sun) being thrown on something unexpected (Uranus). This is a strong urge (Sun) to be free (Uranus). This is a flash (Sun) of genius (Uranus). This is shock (Uranus) and awe (Sun). In Aries, the push will be instinctive, fueled by passion or anger and self centered (either centered on self or selfish).

This aspect will often show us to what and to whom we are tethered.

This might be shown to us in a way that doesn't feel so good. But not necessarily. Uranus (the conductor of our fastest route from point A to point B) uses what works and sometimes the stick works better than the carrot. Sometimes we are not hungry enough to even notice the carrot

(although I'm betting most of us are hungry for a little more stability and security now).

Coming right after Vesta's (devotion, hearth) tension with Uranus earlier in the week this could be a continuation of that earlier dust-up or something new could require our attention.

We could meet this energy in the form of an actual person. We could meet someone new and unusual now or our new and unusual self or thingamajig could attract a person/situation that lets it shine or brings it attention.

It is always better to use this kind of energy rather than be used by this energy. So do something new now (and notice again I am saying DO and not START - notice the difference).

We are having a glow in the dark Easter egg hunt tonight (note we are NOT starting a glow in the dark Easter egg hunt business). Doing not starting.

It doesn't have to be some huge, ginormous thing unless this stuff is hitting our personal planets and points and if that is the case it will most certainly be some big, ginormous thing - much like the 'mother of all bombs' - gotta love the media's inability to reign in their language when faced with the choice between ratings/profits and consumer's sanity/drumbeat to war - just dropped by Trump and the United States - both charts triggered now.

I am going to look at the charts for Russia, Putin, North Korea and Kim Jong-un's this weekend. It is hard to glean enough data from Trump's about where all this is going since his chart is all over the place. Since Trump's one eighty on Syria, Eris's aspects (known as the Goddess of discord, although this energy which astrologers are just starting to figure out is feeling more like 'terrorist' to me - it is even a partial anagram - and terrorism takes root in that "not fitting in", "not being seen" energy of Eris - think Sissy Spacek in Carrie) since we are in Aries season and Eris is in Aries, Uranus aspects, again since we are in Aries season, and within all this unpredictable, off-course retrograde energy - things are uber stressful.

Today's Sagittarius Moon should help smooth out our emotions!

This is not a good time to go crazy and make a major change. The retrograde energy doesn't support it AND remember Uranus only cares about getting us from A to B via the fastest route, it doesn't care if we land on our ass or if the route (like my GPS when I get near a certain body of water and it urges me forward although there is no bridge) drowns us in the ocean. We will most assuredly wash up at point B, but we might not wash up still breathing. 

In other words - this transit is the impulse to quit our job, for example, but it doesn't provide any help once we've quit - the transit will be gone and so will our paycheck.

Unnecessary risks could put us in dangerous situations. We could damage (Uranus) our physical body (Sun). Uranus rules accidents and with my stellium in Aquarius (ruled by Uranus) I was one of the most accident prone children on the planet - my father said "put a piece of paper on the convention hall floor and she'll trip on it". I fell going down the stairs. I fell going up the stairs. I fell when I was sitting down - really, what the hell was that?! :) We could damage (Uranus) our reputation (Sun) - the way other people see us. Of course, even this could be a good thing if someone is relying on us too much and we let them down. Things are never totally bad or totally good. It's probably not a good time to confront authority though.

It is a good day to do something new. This energy is perfect for breaking free from old ideas and ways of doing things that are holding us back. It sounds hokey - but just be yourself. 

This is the time to do what is right for you. We don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater to do this - get the baby out of the dirty water first. The baby may be keeping us up all night, but isn't a baby worth a few sleepless nights?! They are awfully damn cute.

Almost half the planets are retrograde - this is an internal journey - that's where the change starts now.

We have Venus stationing direct tomorrow in a VERY tight space, so I'll be back with another post. What has the last 40 days and 40 nights brought us? For most this has been about love and/or money lessons. What do we really value now?

xo all and Happy Good Friday!!

p.s. I just noticed Venus is trining the Moon today - kindness, civility and balance are the ways through today's energy! Back tomorrow.

disruption and discord ...

something more than a marvel by muszka

There is so much going on right now, some of which I wrote about HERE.

Instead of there being a fly in the ointment right now, there are a whole lot of flies, with maybe some ointment over there (Jupiter) the flies have not noticed yet. We could be the lucky fellow with our hands in that ointment or we could be the guy with the hand full of flies.

(Last night I got back in my car after a walk at the local reservoir. I felt something on my leg - I thought air from my car vent - and reached my hand onto my shin. I felt ... something HUGE ... well something VERY BIG ... well something BIGLY - let's just say bigger than a bumble bee and smaller than a tarantula. The size of something that doesn't probably should not exist in nature. I slung it off my leg, but then I couldn't find it. So, it's still in the car! Probably waiting to pounce. I thought about sending Olive in this morning to scope things out, but with Jupiter amplifying everything right now, the thing is probably larger than she is by this morning ... I may need a new car)

First we have a huge Full Moon this morning aspecting, well, just about everything.

We also have Eris - Goddess of discord, I always picture Angelina Jolie in Maleficent, sitting with the Sun (in warrior Aries) and opposing the Full Moon (in peaceful Libra). Eris is the part of us that is not accepted. She didn't get a seat at the table and she is pissed. We all carry Eris somewhere in our chart and since she has been in Aries (the sign of war) longer than any of us have been alive - she is pissed off for everyone (and I am channeling back to my 7th grade self holding a wobbly, near empty lunch tray and scanning the middle school cafeteria for safe shelter).

We also have Uranus (rebellion, shock, genius) squaring Vesta (devotion, home and hearth). This could be some kind of shocking or surprising situation that takes our focus off whatever it is we are focused on (devoted to). This feels like even more instability.

Remember we have four planets retrograde. Pushing ahead isn't going to work. Trying to swim upstream (do you look like a salmon? I don't think so ... well, maybe a little around the eyes) isn't going to work. People always give the advice to 'trust our gut' - but, this isn't really one of those times. Besides most of us are carrying winter bellies puffy from pastry. We need to do about 5000 sit ups before we can trust that thing to lead us anywhere that doesn't involve a stop for a glazed donut.

This is not the time to go off half-cocked (I wish the government employed an astrologer) because we can't count on negotiations to smooth things out later. Negotiations can't be counted on now - because with Mercury backing up in stubborn Taurus everyone will be digging in their heels. The next few days are very dicey with another shoe set to drop. Since we all know the shoe that dropped last week, this week's might not be pleasant (unless you're the guy with his hand in that clean ointment and I sincerely hope you are). All the planets are sitting very still in very precarious places and the one celestial body we count on to keep everything moving - the Moon - is about to move into Scorpio. The stage is set for someone to make a very bad move. We don't want to be that guy. Or the guy who reacts too hastily to that guy.

Think "re" now. If what you are doing doesn't start with the letters "re", maybe do something else. #kidding #notkidding

Am working on a big picture post for this week. xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of April 10th - reaping what we've sown

choose your life by Benesseritt

This is a very big week. We start the week with both Mercury and Saturn newly retrograde. This would be stressful enough.

Then we have a BIG Full Moon late Monday/early Tuesday that conjuncts Jupiter, opposes Uranus and squares Pluto, our T-Square gets activated by the Sun - it doesn't get any bigger than this!

Whatever is revealed now will certainly have far reaching consequences.

A Full Moon is always the time of Sun vs. Moon; something comes to light, something concludes. Full Moons bring the results of things previously put into motion. This Moon is in Libra so rules balance and civility and cooperation and peace and those pesky things called other people.

With the Sun in Aries and the Moon in Libra- we are dealing with the polarity of war vs peace, aggression vs. civility, "me me me" vs compromise.

With Jupiter (expansion, good luck) so close to the Moon there is the possibility of good things, maybe even very good things. If fortune favors us at this time we'll be sure to put something away for a less auspicious time (winter is coming - please take this seriously). Buy a lottery ticket.

Some ships are coming in and some are going out.

Of course Jupiter is retrograde so maybe there is still one more obstacle between us and that thing that we want so very much and that is what becomes clear to us now.

The problem with Jupiter these days is he is opposing Uranus (in Aries) and squaring Pluto (in Capricorn). So the blessings Jupiter delivers are all about reaping what we have sown. And with Pluto what we have sown may be the things our culture has sown or our ancestors or us in our previous lives - pick your comfort zone here - it is not so simple as what we ourselves have done in the last six months. But that plays a part, too.

There is the possibility of loss at this time. I know! I want the sure thing, too! I'm sorry!

There are pitfalls. Maybe big pitfalls. The Moon's opposition to 'anything can happen and probably will' Uranus means results can be unexpected, maybe even unprecedented and certainly emotional.  

This is not the time to take big risks. Don't act impulsively.

The possible loss here comes not so much from whatever is happening as it does from our reaction to whatever is happening. It could be almost impossible to keep a cool head, but keep a cool head. It also comes from the reason we react the way we do or the reason for the actions we have previously taken - what are our motives? Are they selfish or for a greater good? The square with Pluto guarantees much of whatever is happening will be outside our control and have a fated quality.

EXAMPLE of the Full Moon for Virgo, Virgo Rising - this Full Moon is in your second house of love, money, self esteem and values. There is an opportunity now for more of these things. Don't get greedy though. Take what you have earned (and you have earned it). Demanding too much can backfire.

Later in the week the Moon is inconjunct Mars (action, war, violence) and Ceres (mothering, security) in Taurus (money, values, grounding, real estate). Inconjuncts require adjustments and compromise. Digging in our heels isn't going to work. Flexibility and cooperation is the key.

EXAMPLE of the Moon/Mars for Taurus, Taurus Rising - this inconjunct impacts your sixth house of health and work - something gotta give here. You could be over-committing to others and undervaluing your physical self. Taurus rules food. Your health is especially impacted by what (and how) you are eating - rushing home with fast food after a busy day is not going to cut it for you. Slow down. Cook real food that has touched the earth. Chew slowly :)

On Saturday, Venus will station direct in Pisces squaring Saturn. This is a turning point. What we want vs what we deserve. How far apart are these two things? Well, we are going to find out! Post to follow later in the week.

EXAMPLE for Scorpio, Scorpio Rising - Venus is in your fifth house of creativity, self-expression, children, romance and games. Are you ready to put something out there, play a bigger game or do something just for the fun of it? What do you love? Is it worth the gamble?

I'll do some posts as we move through the week and we'll unpack the big picture stuff at play in our lives and within the world at large - we might have to talk a little politics.

Don't miss walking in this beautiful Full Moon late, late Monday night! It's a doozy.

xo all

Mercury Stations Retrograde | what do we really need

"In my small way, I preserved and cataloged, and dipped into the vast ocean of learning that awaited, knowing all the time that the life of one man was insufficient for even the smallest part of the wonders that lay within. It is cruel that we are granted the desire to know, but denied the time to do so properly. We all die frustrated; it is the greatest lesson we have to learn."
 - Iain Pears
An Instance of the Fingerpost

black pearl by lionique

Mercury stations retrograde tonight at 4 degrees Taurus.

(until Venus stations direct on April 15th, we have four retrograde planets - that's alot of energy moving backward folks!)

The usual Mercury retrograde disclaimers will apply for the next few weeks It's time to think "re".

Rethink, redo, re-examine, research, repeat, reunion, reminisce, revise, remove (clutter - stuff that gets in the way of our life moving efficiently), revisit, relax.

This is not the best time to plow full steam ahead with new things. It's not the best time to sign a contract because things will come to light later that require revision or our thinking (Mercury) can change after Mercury moves direct (May 3rd)!

It's a good time to READ THE FINE PRINT. Use clear language - we need to be doubly sure people are understanding what we are saying and that we are understanding other people, because wires get crossed now. Double check the email before hitting 'send'. Mercury, the fleet footed messenger, rules things that are fast moving from our computers to our cars. BACK UP FILES.

Take extra care driving. Slow down. We need to give ourselves extra time to get where we are going. There will be delays - bring a book. This is not a good time to make a major decision and even small decisions will go wonky. THINK THINGS THROUGH. Be clear about the consequences.  

Rushing, while Mercury is moving backward, can trip us up.

The space of the sky (also your natal Taurus and Aries houses - sound familiar? yes, because these are the same issues Venus has us re-working) Mercury is backing over rules our resources - what we really value, what we really need to survive.  

Maybe something from the past needs a second look. Maybe something that looked like a "sure-thing" may not be so sure. Go back over it. Yes, again. The more certain we are that something has to work out exactly so, the more likely we are to miss the alternatives that would be so much better. Delays are likely. Plans will change.

Until next weekend when Venus moves direct it would be best not to focus on future situations, 'what ifs' and dreams - let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Let's take care of what needs taking care of in the present and the stuff from the past that has "re"appeared. With everything moving backward - that's more than enough.

Life goes on obviously, but we need to take extra care to keep things on course and sometimes with even the best care mishaps will occur. Keep this in mind. xo all