Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of May 9th - do you feel lucky?

in my arms by kosmodisk

This week we have that Grand Earth Trine continuing to foster growth and prosperity!

We have Venus (love, attraction, money, our values, women) walking the path the Sun walked last week, so all those spaces get re-stoked. Lots of opportunities to get it right this time!

On Monday, Jupiter moves direct (our Virgo house and Virgo people get shaken awake now - in a good way). We have 4 months to make Jupiter in Virgo count for us! Do you hear me Virgos?

With Jupiter we learn through expansion. We outgrow things. The themes we are working with get bigger.  We assimilate larger points of view. In Virgo, we will all be more focused on our health, our work, our schedules, our craft, our animals - we will all become more industrious - within the micro we find the macro.

Spaces in the Virgo areas of our own chart - by progression (what our chart looks like right now) and natally (what our chart looked like when we drew our first breath) - as well as the universal theme of the things Virgo rules - work, health, service, training, pets - get bigger and take up more of our time.

We've had Jupiter in Virgo since late last summer but he has been retrograde half this time!

Now, and particularly when more planets have also moved direct by late next month, we will start to feel what his transit in Virgo can do for us. If any of these areas has been particularly troublesome - yes, sometimes problems expand with Jupiter so we can see them clearly and work to resolve them - there is lots of good energy this week to move those things in a new and improved direction.

Jupiter is the largest planet (it could hold over 1300 Earths!) and is the space in our natal chart that holds our natural blessings. It is the space that can 'turn things around for us' when we don't know what to do next or where to go. There are always options for us here.

On Monday we are also halfway through this season's Mercury retrograde (in Taurus) so whatever this is/has been about for us - the cards are pretty much on the table.

When Mercury conjuncts the Sun (Monday), dots will be connected for us.

So, we kick off the week with Jupiter - in Virgo - moving direct after five long months (!) and we've got the Sun (in Taurus) trining (brakes off) the North Node (our future) - also in Virgo - while conjunct Mercury - whew - whatever information, communication or facts we are dealing with are connected to our next moves and future path.

If something comes up for us now (especially something from the past or someone from the past or someone that reminds us of someone or a situation from the past or something that's been stagnant) - it would likely be good to check into it and expand on it!

We also have Mercury and Venus trining (brakes off) Pluto (in Capricorn) giving us even greater potential for transformation and evolution with whatever we are dealing with - particularly around communications, women, love, money and business.

Now remember we continue with lots of retrograde energy (four planets!) - revising, revisiting, reversing, reassessing - you know the drill - and lots of Taurus - careful, deliberate words and actions are best now.

The only stressy situation this week is on Wednesday when an active Venus makes an inconjunct to a retrograde Saturn (in Sagittarius) - this could be us overreaching a bit. We'll have to deal with whatever "brings us back to reality". In Taurus nothing is going to happen overnight anyway. Uranus could also usher in some last minute changes and out of the blue something or others that could go either way.

With Venus strongly involved with the positive aspects this week our greatest blessings and opportunities will come from following our heart!

A few void moons during work hours to keep in mind (great for production, not so great for launches) - Monday until lunchtime EST, Wednesday all day and Friday afternoon (maybe start the weekend after lunch!).

You can still do your New Moon intentions - before the first quarter moon on Tuesday - so get to that NOW if you haven't done them yet! xo all

Here's a link about watching Mercury conjunct the Sun on Monday.

New Moon in Taurus | SET THOSE INTENTIONS!

make a wish by catherinehh

Yes, I know I'm shouting at you, but I really want your attention this month!

Friday's New Moon in Taurus is part of a Grand Earth Trine and there are multiple (as many as nine) Grand Trines now and grand things are ... well, grand!

Imagine a regular New Moon is the Sears organ at Grandma's house where your Aunt Betty annually pounds out a rather rowdy rendition of Jingle Bells - a good time is had by all, but she's not playing Carnegie Hall on that baby anytime soon. This New Moon is the Steinway grand piano where Alicia Keys or maybe Billy Joel (or maybe Aunt Betty if she works this energy right) makes the real magic happen.  

Yes, it's that good.

Grand Earth Trines are excellent for manifesting physical stuff. Stuff we can hold and touch and eat and wear and carry in our pocket.

A trine aspect is an energy of "brakes off". The movement and momentum is unrestricted. If we launch something in the right direction nothing is standing in our way. Things fall into place with this stuff. And if things are not falling into place, pushing for what we want/need doesn't really work. Patience will likely be required here. Earth energy isn't fast. But it is fertile and stable and dependable. This New Moon is the beginning of something we can build on with a good amount of simplicity and ease.

The intentions we set at this New Moon, in particular about our security, self esteem, fertility and physical resources have an excellent opportunity to take root and grow. 

(Jupiter the planet of expansion is part of the trine as well as Pluto - transformation and rebirth - now everybody involved here is retrograde BUT Jupiter "our good luck" is moving direct next week, so something could kick off kind of quickly with this even if it takes a long time to completely unroll itself)

Now remember we have FIVE planets retrograde and we have zero planets in air signs (mental), so this will probably not be about having a brand new idea or launching something that is brand new. Most likely this will be a new chapter to an existing situation or an old situation that has come back around. This is probably some door that is right in front of us but we just can't see it.

Remember last year when we talked about May and June as being the time we actually 'build' our dream - well here we go. Now we have a lot of retrograde energy, pretty much all of it, so the past is part of the future here. Every new thing is built on all the things that came before it.

So, let's give this one our best shot.

1. Talk as little as possible on Friday (or whenever you do your intentions, I would work with this within the next three days - we want to hook into the growth part of the moon's cycle). Keep idle chit chat to an absolute minimum. This will make our words more powerful when we do use them. No complaining. It drains the energy. No superfluous language. Read my post HERE about babble. This is good advice for all the time, but if you are normally a chatter, toning it down right now will be especially effective for you.

2. Meditate before setting our intentions. Even a few moments of silence stilling our mind makes it easier for us to be clear on what we want and to "hook into" the simplest path to line up with it. We want to approach this monthly ritual consciously and respectfully, so that we recognize the power of the moment and choose our words and actions wisely.

3. Eat whole foods and stay away from flour and sugar prior to setting the intentions. I had a teacher who saw people as "foggy" after poor eating. She was always right about it and she claimed it made our thinking and manifesting foggy. She said the things we are seeking that are also seeking us (and what we are seeking is always seeking us) cannot easily find us when we are foggy! I believe her.

4. Use positive language. Now, I don't mean positive as in "pink and flowery" and the opposite of negative. I mean positive as in certain. When we write our intentions now we want them to carry the energy of certainty. Just like when we plant a seed in the ground we know it will grow. We know the seeds we are planting with our words will grow, too.

5. Gather a number of flat, white rocks. 

(if you feel more comfortable doing our usual monthly papers by all means do that!)

6. Write one intention, in script, on each rock. Say the words out loud.

7. Bury the rocks in the ground. I would bury them about the depth you would bury a seed. Deep enough they cannot easily be kicked loose, but not so deep they cannot feel the sunlight and the rain.

8. Release. Now we release our attention from these things. Know they are already ours.

Don't struggle too much over what to write or how many intentions to set with no air signs and Mercury retrograde, our minds won't really help us now. We'll just plant our feet firmly on the ground and feel what we want here. Feel what it would feel like to have real security, to have the resources we need, to have perfect health and to have the self-esteem to know that we truly deserve to have these things. We'll imbue whatever words we use with those intentions.

I have found it's good to be somewhat specific but not so specific that we are totally wedded to only one way of getting to where we need to go.

This New Moon in Taurus is an excellent time to return to a grounding practice, make affirmations and set intentions about: money, contentment, patience, self-worth, releasing stubbornness, all health issues and especially those regarding our neck, throat and voice in the world.

This Grand Earth Trine feels like an unusually strong opportunity to get something right the second, third or maybe the 33rd time! With all this retrograde energy whatever happens will certainly need to be "re"vised later and that's OK. It might even be through what is left after all this retrograde energy passes that we can see what is the real value at the center of it all and build from that.

xo all

(the weekend energy is quite stressy, so maybe try to get to this Friday night! here's a link to Jan Spiller's New Moon Wishes)

If we have planets or points in your natal or progressed chart in earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) or fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) from 14 -20 degrees you'll feel this New Moon the most strongly.

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of May 2nd - things are falling into place

distant flickering by super shrimp

YAY - it's May! This week we have a wonderful New Moon in Taurus on Friday (more on this later in the week).

At the time of the New Moon, the Sun and the Moon are sharing the same space. This means that every aspect the Moon is making (and they are very positive!), the Sun is making the same aspects, too - so there is a double whammy of potential now.

The Moon, along with Pluto (retrograde in Capricorn) and Jupiter (retrograde in Virgo) is forming a Grand Earth Trine. This actually kicks off with the Sun on Tuesday!

In general this trine is about healing our relationship with work and prosperity. It will also aid our lives via the houses the signs impacted occupy in our natal
and progressed charts.

There are luck and opportunities here. Trines mean "brakes-off" - things are intended to fall naturally into place with this (we will likely need patience here). We don't want to force stuff to happen. This trine has a supportive connection with Neptune (strong in Pisces) so there will be elements of the mystical, magical or miraculous (pick your comfort zone).

We won't need, or want, to bang our head against the wall with this one. But this is 'earth' we are talking about, so we shouldn't be afraid to get our hands dirty. And with fixed Taurus playing such a major role we need to be careful we aren't stubbornly holding our position - we need to go with the flow - there are "re"wards ahead for getting this right.

Now we still have half the planets retrograde (first time in 10 years) including Mercury, ruler of our North Node "where we are heading", so this is not about launching something brand new. There is a strong element of looking backward with this energy. It's through this process that the right insight, opportunity, person, etc will start to move things in a more prosperous direction for us.

We don't want to be sitting around waiting for something to happen to us - life doesn't really work this way. We keep moving forward with small, precise steps, we do the best jobs we can, we work in service to other people, we prioritize our health (think Virgo energy!) AND we are especially active reworking and reconsidering whatever isn't working for us (in any area of our life - changes in one area of our lives affect all the others - health and work are especially connected and potent now).

Jupiter in Virgo (good luck, expansion, service, precision, work) and Pluto in Capricorn (transformation, security, structure, business, reproduction, rebirth, power) had a very positive aspect last fall and then last month and they hook up for a final time next month.

With both planets in earth signs this is about physical changes to our lives.

Because Venus and Mercury are going to activate these same spaces throughout May we will have access to this energy all month. We also have Mercury (retrograde) trining (brakes off) the North Node (in Virgo) of "where we are going" next Sunday. It really looks like any delays, detours, Groundhog Day style repeats, re-works and re-connections are going to work out in our favor.

Patience is required here. Go slowly.

There is, of course, a fly in the ointment (I'm starting to think the flies are a necessary component) - hard nosed Saturn (also retrograde in Sagittarius) will be square to Jupiter - this will create tension and force us into a new action - and Saturn will be inconjunct the Moon and Sun - so some kind of creative blending of stuff that is at odds with each other will be required to make this all work together.

Never fear though, even mighty Saturn is not strong enough to circumvent the positivity of this Grand Trine!

I'll be back later to update this with the week's Moons and more on how to work with this energy and how it will impact different houses.

xo all

Mercury Retrogrades in Taurus | time to shut the heck up

quiet by nikolineir

Mercury stations retrograde today at 23 degrees Taurus (where is 23 degrees Taurus in your natal and progressed charts?). If you have any planets at 23 degrees of the fixed signs - Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius - you will feel this retrograde more intensely (this includes both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders - I am sure both are re-vamping things now).

Mercury is thoughtful in Taurus anyway and now that he will be retracing his prior steps, he might be downright unresponsive and dogmatic. Words will really matter now. What we say will not just be accepted at face value - statements will be questioned. Talks will need to be walked. When in doubt - we'll re-look at the situation before communicating, maybe we'll just shut up. Decisions will be up for review. Written material will be, and should be, scrutinized now. We can't believe everything we hear or read.

Questions and problems will resolve more slowly. We may not have the answers until Mercury goes direct on May 22nd or maybe not until he is covering new ground entirely on May 28th. Being prepared for a long process will make things move smoother.

Something from the past can come back around for another look. Things that come out of the blue now may not look so good (or bad) when Mercury moves direct.

With our North Node in Virgo and Mercury the ruler of Virgo, plus the four other retrograde planets right now, we will all be a bit more tired of the stuff we are already tired of and re-thinking, re-working and re-evaluating our future plans/path forward.

The best use of this energy as always is the "re's" - "re"laxing, "re"viewing, "re"searching, "re"organizing, "re"generating, "re"connecting, "re"creating, "re"viewing, etc. 

 xo all

Venus into Taurus | making the most of what we already have

walking through dandelions by frank beer

Mercury stations retrograde today. We are now working with five retrograde planets, something we haven't had in ten years. Almost everyone's energy level will be lower. Our sense of timing, ability to focus and keen sense of whatever it is we would normally pride ourselves about having a keen sense of can be thrown off.

I thought I would use this time to "re"vamp my websites. Every morning I open the back-end, make a couple changes, feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the task ahead, look out the window and go for a walk ....

Tomorrow Taurus moves into Venus. Venus loves (and rules) Taurus. After her weeks in Aries trying to be a lover and a fighter, she is quite content to settle into herself again. Taurus suns and rising signs get more attractive (both physically attractive and more able to attract).

For everyone, this transit, particularly when coupled with all this retrograde mud, can help us really appreciate what is right in front of us.

Taurus is a fixed sign, so things happen slowly. It can take some time for a person who is used to (remember we are hardwired to crave what is familiar) seeing beauty in a lush green lawn to appreciate the magnificence of a dandelion.

(did you know the word dandelion comes from the Latin "lion's tooth" - dandelions are some of the honey bees earliest food, are reproductive superstars - an energy sorely needed now and have centuries of usages in food, drink and medicine)

Taurus is a fertile earth sign. She is the earth in a sense. Taurus rules our 2nd house of love, money and values. Where is Taurus in your natal chart? This space is about to receive its annual visit from Venus (beauty, love, self-esteem, values, women). How can we make her feel more welcome?

Taurus is the sign of comfort, but not the comfort of five star hotels and maid service. She values simplicity - fancy or complicated embellishments just get in the way of true comfort. It gets easier to see (and feel) that now. With Venus here until May 24th what we want and what we need are fused into the same thing. 

The power and real beauty of Venus in Taurus is a deep seeded belief that everything we need is available to us. Either we have it, or we can attract it, if we believe we are worth it. 

Friday is also the last quarter moon of the monthly cycle. This is the final piece of this year's Aries New Moon cycle, so whatever those New Moon intentions set into play this is when we play our final hand. We follow up on anything that it makes sense to follow up on, we let the other cards fall.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of April 24th - an INTENSE look back

bold dreams by multicurious

We have Mercury stationing retrograde in Taurus on Thursday - we will really start to feel this on Tuesday (back up your computers NOW).

This will make five planets retrograde until Jupiter finally moves direct in early May - yes this is BIG!

Mercury rules communication and the movement of information. When he is moving backward (from our perspective) these things get scrambled. More on Mercury here.

Communication includes not only verbal conversations, but the way we think, speak, learn, write, use language and the tools we use for these things: letters, maps, appointments, schedules, classes, books. It also rules telecommunication - publishing, email, sales, public relations and advertising and the tools we use here: computers, cellphones, mail deliveries, shipping, transportation, roadway. Mercury also rules our earliest learning environment which translates over to - our siblings, our neighbors and our local neighborhood. All these things can be a bit like scrambled eggs now. Double check everything.

Retrogrades are an excellent time for the "re's" - revise, re-do, relearn, restore, reinvent, retreat - you get the idea.

When all these planets go direct this summer we are all going to fly forward at 100 miles per hour!

I remember when most people had never heard of Mercury Retrograde and now it seems like poor Mercury (planet of communication and MAGIC) is being shamed/blamed for everything that goes wrong!

This is probably because 1. the internet has exposed many more people to astrological teachings 2. most people are moving so fast any sort of slowdown feels like a problem  3. it's a convenient excuse when stuff falls to shit (pardon my french), especially stuff that would normally be considered our fault :)

It's best to imagine Mercury leaning conspiratorially toward us, "OK, we've gone as far as we can go at this point in time - we need to backtrack a bit to recheck a few things, gain a little more experience and allow the stuff we've lined up with to catch up with us".

Remember unlike what is reported in the book The Secret we don't just decide and the universe responds. We align ourselves with the energy of the thing we want/need/think about/believe in/spend time on/spend energy on/talk about, etc in the invisible realms and then it shows up in the appropriate form for us.

We don't have to create our reality based on instinct like an animal - doing the exact same thing every year. We are gifted with imagination and free will choice. We are always in partnership with life and co-creating our reality.

Our subconscious wants to repeat the past - just like an animal does (remember we are not craving what feels good, we are craving what feels familiar - see this post on the work of Candace Pert). So we will get the same thing we've always gotten when we do the things we've always done.

I have a friend who has had 4 jobs in 5 years. She is always in a state of indecision - should she go or should she stay? She tells me she is tired of having to decide - all she wants is a permanent job.

But her thoughts, words and actions keep recreating the same situation. How does this happen?

First she worries/complains about her current job alot - whatever that job happens to be at the time. The hours are too long. The pay is too low. The field is not where she really wants to be.

She is continually sending out little currents of energy for something else to come along. And because she is an excellent manifester (and we all are) - it does.

Then because she is a pro-active kind of person she puts the ball into play on the physical realm. She hears about a new position, she makes a call. She makes a call, she goes on an interview. She goes on an interview, she gets a job. Then she must decide again - should she stay or should she go? Then she decides and within a few weeks starts the cycle all over again. She thinks life is sending her all these choices and she is tired of having to choose. She complains about the cycle not even realizing she is the one creating the cycle!

Retrogrades allow us to break cycles. We have to backtrack. We get re-routed. Retrogrades offer the opportunity to slow down and re-work a few things. Decisions will not be made quickly now. Deals fall through. Stuff and people from the past come back for connection (and often closure). Things will not always run smoothly. And that's OK because when things run too smoothly we all go on auto-pilot and auto-pilot is just not cutting it anymore for any of us.

Taurus establishes our sense of values, worth and security. With Mercury retrograde in Taurus these are the things we will be dealing with. What do we need to re-do before we move forward?  

Taurus is an earth sign so physical things can be lost/broken- keep track of your money, your cellphone, your credit cards now.

Someone recently asked me what he should rework while all these planets are retrograde - just rework whatever isn't working!

This is a very productive week. On Monday, the Moon is in Sagittarius we will be seeking a little adventure and really wanting to believe in something. On Tuesday, the Moon goes void at lunchtime so get stuff done early. Just before the Moon goes void she makes a positive aspect to Venus, so the void Moon will be a good time to work on (not launch!) something involving love, money, women or beauty (Venus themes). Wednesday and Thursday the Moon is in Capricorn - we will want to get down to business now. On Friday, the Aquarius Moon is great energy for the genius/rebel/criminal to come out and play.

Venus will move into Taurus on Friday giving Taurus themes (and our own natal and progressed Taurus houses) an even greater emphasis.

More on this later in the week! xo all

Full Moon in Scorpio | honest and uncomfortable

the moon by laura makabresku

We have a Full Moon every month when the Sun and the Moon oppose each other. It offers us two different (and opposite) energies to work with; the energy of the sign the Moon is in and the energy of the sign the Sun is in. With our Sun now in Taurus, we know the Full Moon will be in Taurus's polarity (opposite) sign of Scorpio.

Scorpio, in the northern hemisphere, rules late autumn. The wind is blowing the leaves from the trees, the landscape is becoming barren, death is expected - there is a sense of being cut off, a sense we are on our own. Scorpio energy has no fear of the dark.

Taurus, in the northern hemisphere, rules late spring. The world is fertile. Taurus energy seeks the light. Both signs are fixed and want what they want.

(one energy isn't "good" and the other "bad" - neither could exist without the other - they are really two sides of the same coin)

Sooo, we have this polarity

(and yes, I hope you have this Polarity, too- warning shameless plug ahead - have you seen my lockets?)

Scorpio is beckoning to us, "come over to the dark side" and not because there are cookies

(although there might be and I hope for both our sakes they are Girl Scout Thin Mints)

but because there is treasure hidden deep in the Scorpion realms if we are brave enough to seek it, and yes, the treasure might be guarded by Zombies or Saviors or Negan wielding his barb wire covered bat Lucille (and if you do not watch the Walking Dead and have no idea what I am talking about - well, imagine the treasure guarded by that giant 3 headed dog at Hogwarts).

Scorpio energy embraces complication and obstacles.

Taurus is equally adamant that we should, "stay where we are - it's comfortable and working out just fine".

Of course there could be a life that is better than "fine" if we are willing to take those steps in the dark to find it. But maybe not.

(there are no guarantees with any of this stuff folks - that's life on planet Earth)

Taurus energy embraces peace and comfort.

With Scorpio we have the shadow of control and jealousy and the taking on of too much that can fuel greed. With Taurus; stubborn resistance to change and resistance to anything that is complicated - an attachment to the familiar that is also greed.

There are no right or wrong answers here.

This Full Moon is an excellent time for release and this one could be a time to think about and maybe meditate on 'greed' and what we are willing to do (and not do) to get (or keep) what we want.

Maybe something will come to light for us with this polarity - what do we need to be comfortable? Comfort might include wealth but wealth can also mean discomfort if it demands too much of our attention and energy in exchange.

The Sun in Taurus craves simplicity - see what obstacles the Scorpio Full Moon reveals in our life that are blocking our comfort or what potentials it throws a light on for something more complicated - the next steps are up to us!

Full Moons are also the culmination of cycles.

In this case, tonight's Moon brings to 'fullness' or completion something started at the New Moon two weeks ago and something began last November at the Scorpio New Moon.

The Full Moon works like a spotlight to illuminate some space in our life. Sometimes something happens - most likely an ending. Sometimes the light shows us something that was hidden or something we didn't want to look at or didn't want others to see. Sometimes the Full Moon brings to light an imbalance between the two parts of our life the Sun and Moon are impacting.

Tonight's Full Moon at 2 degrees Scorpio will be intense. Known as the 'pink moon' it will be 30,000 miles farther from the Earth than the closest Full Moon this year (the Taurus Full Moon in November). It will be pretty much unaspected by other planets and not watered down by other energies. If you have natal or progressed planets from 0 to 4 degrees in the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) you will most especially feel this one.

Remember this year's major themes. We've got Saturn in Sagittarius making us walk our talk now. If we truly believe that love is all there is and the way we move past fear and conflict then we must take actions and create real world things that support these beliefs, even when those actions are uncomfortable or 'foreign' to us. We've got Jupiter wedged into Virgo so we expand through small, measured steps, attention to detail and service to others. We have Pisces very strong in Neptune creating shifting sands, illusion, mystical opportunities for spiritual growth and myriad opportunities for earthly escape. We have Uranus in Aries (war, chaos, sudden change, opportunity, anger, rebellion). We have Pluto in Capricorn dismantling our crumbling authority. We have a Mutable T-Square throughout this summer (mostly impacting Geminis, Virgos, Sagittarius and Pisces) setting some very beneficial things into motion by way of a creative challenge - finding clarity about what we’re supposed to do, keeping the momentum in our own hands rather than giving it away or wasting it and taking on a newer or deeper sense of purpose. We have Mars, Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter retrograde about to be joined by Mercury.

Life is anything but simple these days - so enjoy any chance this month of Taurus, to enjoy comfort and simplicity!

As always get out and walk in the Full Moon - the energy is intense and always helps to shift any stagnant spaces we are carrying!

xo all

Sun into Taurus | smell the roses

taurus locket by polarity and oksana grivina

After the past month in firey Aries, the Sun's ingress into grounded Taurus this afternoon will surely bring the noise level down a couple notches.

We begin to burn Taurean fuel and get to feel a bit like a natal Taurus for the next few weeks.

Taurus is the first earth sign. A fixed sign - she values simplicity over complexity, calm over chaos, stability over flexibility, silence over noise.

Taurus is all about the fertile Earth (it is not a coincidence Earth Day is this Friday) - she is everything grounded. The polarity of Scorpian sexuality - she is sensuality - the touch that feels like love.

Ruled by Venus she coaxes us back into our bodies at the end of a long day with a hot, soothing bath. She urges our hands to pick up those tomato plants at the market and get them into the dirt. She is the quiet voice that whispers I love you when we stroke the baby's ear with our lips.

Taurus rules our 2nd house of everything money can buy and everything money can't - love, money, our values and self-esteem.

Taurus can bring stability (although sometimes a lack of ambition or fire) to the space she resides in our natal chart.

(I have Taurus in my 7th house (equal partnerships) and hubs is not only a very earthy, stable, hands in the dirt kind of guy - the relationship grew in a very Taurean way - slow to start and then intimate and long-lasting.)

People will want to be comfortable (whatever that means to them) and might resist new and unfamiliar situations now. Keep this in mind.

It will be easy for all of us to wander outdoors and forget the pot of water boiling on the stove, the email that needed to be answered or the work waiting for us on the bench.

We'll stop and smell the roses now and we'll use Taurean strength and determination to be consistent and get things done (maybe just fewer and different things!). xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of April 18th - finish it up

your space by beauty spot crafts

Yesterday, Mars stationed retrograde at 8 degrees Sagittarius (what house, ie space in your life, is your natal and progressed Sagittarius?).

We will be revising, revisiting, revamping and reversing. Mars last retrograded in March 2014, so has been full steam ahead for a long time.

If you were a car at the Indy 500, it would be time for your pitstop and we know it doesn't end well for cars that skip their pitstops - I think they're even mandatory.

Mars, ruler of Aries and Scorpio (ancient ruler), our initiative, enthusiasm and anger and in the fire sign of Sagittarius and sitting on top of the fixed star Antares (the anti-Aries, who functions quite a bit like Aries) will make everything even more intense.

First - think safety. Wear a seatbelt and safety goggles. Don't play with matches. Don't pick fights. Think schoolyard etiquette now. Play nice. Sit on impulses that feel the least bit physically 'reckless' now.

Remember Mars is covering the same space Saturn traveled starting back in October 2014. So anything that comes up for us now that is something we have left undone, dangling, out in left field or messy - we will have to complete. The stuff from the last two years we are dragging behind us that is holding us back has to go so we can move on unencumbered. When Mars meets up with Saturn in August this chapter will be closed and a fresh chapter will kick off. We'll be ready for it. See my post on Mars retrograde here.

On Monday, Pluto stations retrograde. This brings seismic stuff out in the world - yes, including earthquakes and revelations about powerful people and structures that feel like earthquakes. In our personal lives this is about our own power and our relationship to power. Astrologer Tom Jacobs has an excellent post here.

Today's Virgo Moon will be void all day, so a good day for practiced action and organization - a great day 'to be of service' - not a good time to start anything new, since with Void Moons it is said that 'nothing will come of' the situation. If your taxes have not been filed yet- get on top of that or file for an extension. 'Nothing will come of it' sounds perfect for the tax man. With Pluto going retrograde we may reconnect with an authority type or power play situation now.

Venus (in Aries) and ruler of our love, money and values will be uber busy this week. On Monday she trines (brakes off) Saturn - this gives support and stability from older people or from older ways of doing things. Commitments are made more solid. On Tuesday, Venus squares (tension, frustration, a new way of doing something is forced) a retrograde Pluto (in Capricorn) highlighting old power and control issues. On Friday, Venus conjuncts Uranus (in Aries) creating unpredictability and surprises. This is very close to the Scorpio Full Moon at the end of the week - priorities will shift and could bring a more focused commitment to something more authentic or shutting down of something that needs to go.

On Tuesday, the Sun will move into Taurus - we'll talk about that tomorrow and we'll talk about our fate-filled Scorpio Full Moon at the end of the week. xo all and enjoy your Monday!

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

Mercury into Taurus | don't get stuck in the weeds

mi escondite by alberto poloianez

Mercury moves into earthy Taurus today. He will be direct until the end of the month when he stations retrograde, retraces his earlier steps moving backward (from our perspective) and then stations and begins to move direct (May 22nd) over the same area. Mercury will be in Taurus until June 13th.

Mercury is all about communication and the way we think and process information. Taurus is cautious and deliberate and all about security and material comfort. 

With Mercury hunkering down in Taurus for this extended stay, 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 will be back-burnered 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.

Delays will start to hit mid-month - when Mercury enters his shadow (the space he will be retracing). This can be frustrating if something feels 'ready to go' and gets slowed down, but retrogrades (if used to reassess, redo and realign) have a way of paying off later on.

Patience and the long game will be rewarded.

HOW TO USE THIS INFORMATION with your business.

If we are presenting something new to someone now it can be a good idea to use familiar language and comparisons. Know their minds (and decisions) will be seeking safety and security. People will more naturally want to go with what has worked before so figure out a way to factor that in. Solid numbers and examples will move things forward. Slow and steady might actually win the race this time.

xo all

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | Week of April 4th - change of perspective, powerful new beginnings

a change of perspective by kuschelirmel

We begin the week with a balsamic Pisces Moon - a time for wrap ups and endings. Neptune is in Pisces making Pisces Moons especially good times for creativity, artistic expression, a time to work with whatever or whoever has been 'put on the back burner' or hidden out of sight.

(here is an old post of mine about Balsamic Moons on Jess's blog)

Pisces Moons are healing Moons so even though it's Monday - it's a good time for rest, recovery and releasing addictions.

Neptune says, "going to work is escaping from going to the beach, so why not just go to the beach!". Allow yourself some time to 'stare out the window' today.

This Moon has a tricky angle to Mars - we will have to work with our intuition (Neptune) and channel the Aries Sun (warrior energy) if someone tries to take over and push us around. We don't want to allow ourselves to be pressured into something now.  

Tuesday is a busy day and we will feel a real push - as we build toward this week's New Moon - to get something started (Moon is void all day so not the best time to launch something new, practiced routine work is best) with both Mercury and Venus changing signs. See my post about Venus HERE.

Venus in Aries will make it easier to know what we want (and don't want) and where we stand with other people. People will love this and hate that, there will be no middle ground. It will also make us more impatient with relationship and money problems and may bring them bubbling to the surface. 

Mercury in Taurus, after our time mentally dealing with Aries hotheaded impulsive nature will allow us more time to think things through and use common sense.

Our minds will be more grounded here and our thoughts will turn toward the Taurus realm - the things we value, money and getting outside in nature! It is spring isn't it?! It's hard to tell here. Due to Mercury's upcoming retrograde he will he hanging out in Taurus until mid-June - this is a very long time for Mercury to spend in one sign since he moves so quickly - what space houses Taurus in your natal chart? - lots of communications, re-do's (there is a retrograde coming!) and focus there.

We are working through a mutable t-square (where is Gemini in your chart, look first for the answer there with any problems that are popping up now and I am just realizing if your birthday falls from March through August this transit will impact your next 12 months so we will talk about it in more detail later) and a re-connection with the Uranus/Pluto square we worked through the past couple years - this stuff will definitely be playing out on the collective (world) stage as well as in our own lives. 

Tuesday is also a trigger date for last month's eclipse so if nothing happened for us in March (karmic turning point) we could see something this week or something that was set up then, hits, ends or is brought out into the open now.

We saw last week's astrology - secrets revealed, unexpected news, fallout  - play out in major ways around the world. A secret bank account scandal involving thousands including Russia's Putin (is he actually the richest man in the world?), a bribery scandal involving major banks that fuels terrorism, global unrest and poverty, proof that fracking causes earthquakes, Trump saying out loud (women who have abortions, ie don't do what they are told, should be punished) what has been bubbling underneath for years, Clinton losing her cool with a voter's question and bringing a whole heap of new questions down on herself.

In my world, I got an unexpected call from a family member I was visiting recently that one of the kids was sent home from school with head lice. This was the kid who had decided her Aunt Cathy was "cool" enough to hang out with this trip - no doubt my thorough knowledge of Minecraft and suitcase stuffed with craft supplies and Entenmann's coffee cake played a key role in my sudden popularity. We even watched TV with our heads on the same pillow ..... (!). You can imagine my week took an expected turn after that.

Anyhoo, on Thursday we have a New Moon in Aries - Uranus is with this Moon so think BIG CHANGE with this one - there is also a trine to a retrograde Saturn that might realign what we thought was a done deal and will at least have us relooking at previously made obligations, priorities and commitments - it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings and guess what ... she ain't singin' ....

I'll post about the New Moon in a couple days! Lots of volatility this week, lots of fire, we'll need to keep a cool head and hopefully the forces in the larger world will keep theirs, too ....

xo all

(Void Moons all day Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday!)

Venus into Aries | what are we willing to fight for

pillow fight by sliwka

On Tuesday, Venus (love, money, values, women, beauty) begins her annual journey through the sign of Aries. Aries suns (and ascendants) become more attractive.

The house where Aries resides in everyone's natal and progressed charts becomes more attractive, too (ie more receptive to a makeover and more able to attract what we want and need).

In impulsive, courageous and action oriented Aries, Venus wants what she wants, she wants it now and she is willing to fight for it.

We can take this too far of course, but with Mercury (conversations, communications, intellect) moving into Venus ruled Taurus on the same day that Venus enters Aries and with both planets in these spaces for most of the month - our heads, hearts and actions working together - we are more likely to be grounded, focused, enthusiastic and able to produce tangible results (patience will be required though).

Most of the time Venus gets what she needs/wants through her powers to attract.

In Aries, she (and we) will need to be a little more active to get things going. Our powers to attract will be greatly enhanced when wedded to an ability to initiate and act assertively now.

On the flip side, our Aries house - the space where we are naturally more inclined to create situations that force a need for us to stand up for ourselves - will enjoy a greater sense of ease, magnetism and peace with lovely Venus taking up residence.

Competition and jealousy can be issues now. Know this. We'll work from the highest space we can hold.

The fly in the ointment (yes, another fly, will somebody please shut the door!)  - Aries is ruled by Mars and Mars will go retrograde on the 17th of April. So things will not be as "full steam ahead" with Venus in Aries as other years - expect slowdowns and delays.

Expect people and situations from the past to show up for things to be reworked through our actions. Expect a renewed spark for something we were previously passionate about. Expect to find ourselves fighting about something from the past (love, money, values) and this is actually a time (over the next few weeks) when rehashing this old stuff could actually put it to bed once and for all.

Whatever happens this week we should certainly feel a push to do something.

xo all

(if you haven't seen this - Amy Cuddy's excellent Ted talk on how 'power posing - standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident - can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success. Excellent info for Aries season!)

Astrology Forecast for Creatives | a peek at April

april rain by mirella santana

Let's take a quick look ahead at April, since so much will be happening (and not happening) - forewarned will be forearmed now.

We have a New Moon next week in Aries (with aspects to Uranus, Pluto, Saturn and the North Node). This feels like a very big, new and maybe unexpected commitment. Or I should probably write COMMITMENT. This one could have staying power for better or worse (we will need to be flexible, patient and ready to pivot as needed - where is Aries in your chart?) so caution is needed.

The energy around this New Moon will bring some major outer world events, too (April 6th-11th).

There is the opportunity for great wins and terrible losses here.

(and if that sounds dramatic, well we are living through dramatic times ... and I have been serial watching Happy Valley while I work and feeling strong and stable and much like that other Catherine this morning; the tough police sergeant - another great show with wonderful, complicated female characters - love it)

The Aries New Moon is an excellent time to create a vision board as we kick off the astrological year!

Last year's New Moon had no aspects to any other planets and this year the Moon has many intense aspects, so yes, this new year will be complicated (in the outer world and in our own lives) - as if we had any doubt about that! Remember we are all in this together - truly we are. See my post about vision boards from last year here.

The best time to begin something new will be between the New Moon and the April 22nd Full Moon, although I would get it launched before Mars goes retrograde on the 17th.

And that's the word of the month for April - retrograde. We begin the month with Saturn and Jupiter retrograde. As we move through April - Mars, Pluto and then Mercury will go retrograde, too. This is a whole lot of sky moving backward (from our perspective). There will be roadblocks, challenges and standstills (but aren't there always?!).

After all the changes and revisions (by late summer, early autumn) we will know where we are headed and how we need to proceed.

The best way through some of this will be to 1. focus on what is not retrograde (we'll talk this through as we move through it) 2. release our expectations about exactly how things need to look 3. embrace the chance to work through some old stuff (look to your Sagittarius and Scorpio houses for most of this) 4. create empty space (think closets, inboxes, calendars) 5. give ourselves a break and prioritize our health 6. as always this year, keep track of the details, focus on what is right in front of us, enjoy the process.

The last time Mars retrograded close to the piece of sky he is currently traveling was in 1988. We'll talk about this as we get closer.

There will also be some people who will feel the effects of March's eclipses in April. We'll hit on all this again as it approaches.

"when the student is ready, the teacher appears"  ... buddhist proverb

I love this proverb, but used to imagine this teacher would always have a human form - like a certain someone would pop into my life just when I needed them to and I would hear just the thing I needed to hear at exactly the right time and this has actually happened to me a few times (and all of us, I am sure).

(and I have to admit that I love to play the "teacher" at times and offer unsolicited advice the other person will quickly dispense with by saying, "well, that's easy for you to say", to which I always counter, "exactly, that's why I'm saying it", which always makes them rethink whatever I have just said and gives me a guru-like seriousness, kind of like Forrest when he came to the end of his run)

What usually happens though when we are "ready" is this "teacher" appears in the form of a lesson or obstacle or something that doesn't look anything like the solemn faced Mr. Miyagi we were expecting.

So, when we are ready (ie desperately need) to learn patience, for example - life sends us opportunities to learn patience by practicing patience - in other words - delays, traffic situations, time spent waiting - this year's month of April - you get the picture.

We'll know what we need to work on by what we are working on.

People keep asking me when things will get back to normal. There really is no 'getting back to normal' although almost certainly our bodies and brains will adjust to this new speed of life (or at least the next generation's will!).

The world is changing very fast. But the problems we are encountering are not anything new. The karma (beliefs) is just unraveling faster than we could have ever imagined.

Everything we need to move past (as individuals and collectively) is coming up for us to move past - everything we have ever swept under the rug (individually and collectively), all the pain we didn't allow ourselves to feel, all the words we didn't allow ourselves to say or hear (individually and collectively), all the ways we self-sabotage and hold ourselves back (individually and collectively).

Just imagine what our world will look like without all this old stuff clogging up the works!

Today, we are in the final third quarter moon phase of the astrological year - this is the best time of the year to finish things. 

The Sun is in Aries. We will be brave. We will take action. We will take charge of our lives. We really have got this thing.

xo all

(Aquarius Moon this weekend so a great time for an adventure - do something NEW)

Mercury Conjunct Uranus | flashes of genius, unexpected news

"Here's a terrific exercise that has to do with both geography and point of view: draw a map of where you live, your turf. You know where your house is, where the gas station is, where the mall is, and - if you're virtuous - where the church is. If you're the adventurous type, you know where the vacant lot is where you once set that fire. But soon - past the freeway, or by the railroad tracks - your knowledge stops. Drawing where you are in the world is marvelously helpful in showing you where you are in the world." -  Carolyn See

the way i see it by mellow spring

Mercury (intellect, communication) meets up with Uranus (eccentric, genius, rebel, out of the blue, out of the box) in firey Aries today. It will be harder to concentrate, but easier to be open-minded.

There could be unexpected words delivered like a slap to the face. With Aries, reaction time is rapid so there will be conversations/thoughts interrupted and conclusions jumped to. Nail biters, hair twisters and leg shakers will wear themselves out now. Computers and electronics could get wonky. Patience will be hard to come by.

This could also be the unexpected moment of genius - the flash of insight that offers us a breakthrough. Learning something new now might come in handy in a few months. Think - new and unusual. Think - outside the box. Think - safety first when driving or operating heavy (and not so heavy) machinery ..... xo all

Mercury Square Pluto | fallout

drown under by alle design

Mercury (in Aries) squares Pluto (in Capricorn). Mercury in Aries gives an edge to our words. Aries is the first sign; the sign of initiation. Aries energy, needing to go where no man has gone before, is, well, kind of, pushy. It's also passionate. And uncompromising. And often angry.

With Mercury (communication, intellect) in Aries we might speak before we think. Yes, our words can be braver and more groundbreaking, but also more thoughtless.

With today's square there is tension and frustration. Squaring Pluto there could be challenges to power dynamics and authority. Maybe jealousy. After last week's Full Moon eclipse relationship shake-ups some spaces could already be sensitive.

We don't have to be silent, but let's think before we speak. If we are courageous enough (Aries is the space in our chart where we need to stand up for ourselves after all) to launch any verbal truth bombs, we best be prepared for the fallout. xo all

Mercury Trine Saturn | devil in the details

"All good things are one thing. Sunsets, schools of philosophy, cathedrals, operas, mountains, horses, poems - all these are mainly disguises. One thing is always walking among us in fancy-dress, in the grey cloak of a church or the green cloak of a meadow."
 - G. K. Chesterton

details in the fabric by apples revenge

Mercury is trine (brakes off) Saturn making this a good day to put our mental faculties to use. This energy allows for excellent concentration and attention to details and we can get a lot of accurate, and otherwise tedious, work done now. Our thinking will be clear and realistic (although we might have a lot of details coming at us).

On the flip side, accurate work will be expected of us and small errors can derail big projects, so we'll double check things now.

We can be taken seriously and gain the respect of other people. With Mercury in Aries for the next couple weeks, we will need to be sure our words are not too aggressive - we can use Saturn to temper this now.

Tomorrow, Mercury will square Pluto; agreements and interactions with authority or established protocols may not go as smoothly. Today is more of a 'green light' day for important conversations and commitments.

If you have need of this energy (good energy to do our taxes!) use it. xo all