Sun enters Virgo

Sun in Virgo

August 22nd to September 22nd

Virgo, a mutable (flexible) earth (stable) sign, ruled by Mercury and symbolized by the Virgin is the zodiac sign associated with work. Everyday work, not the ambitious 10th house aspect of your life’s purpose. Virgo oversees the 6th house of the natal chart, associated with all those mundane chores that fill up a large portion of our day. All kind of work falls within Virgo's domain – it’s what we must do each day to make life work. It is Virgo who maps out the sensible path, bringing that Leo passion from last month down-to-earth all in a responsible, level-headed action plan.

We are looking at energy that is practical, analytical, dependable and adaptable. And the perfectionist aspect can be both a blessing and a curse depending on the circumstances.  In addition we need to be careful not to become overly critical, worrisome, nit-picky and fault-finding. Virgo has a reputation for being coolly analytical and critical, but done with a loving heart criticism is constructive and allows growth to occur.

Sun enters Gemini

Sun enters Gemini - May 21^st to June 21^st

Normally, when the Sun enters Gemini, the energy shifts to light and airy.  But the Sun amplifies what it touches, so the already chaotic energy in place with Mercury Retrograde in Gemini as well, will make it hard to take advantage of the positive side.  While this is the time to stretch yourself socially and intellectually, be cautious as to not put too much on your plate.  And the downside here is Gemini's energy can cause a lack of focus and a tendency toward superficiality.  Gemini is also restless, preferring to do 20 fantastic things at once instead of focusing on just one. All of this unfocused energy can make Gemini seem scattered and fail to finish what they start. Make a plan and stick to it. Adding Mars in Gemini to the mix can leave you exhausted and more than a little bit frustrated at yourself so take care not to fall into this trap. Also, with Mars in Gemini, you'll have a strengthened ability to communicate. But watch out. When you're angry you'll also have an indomitable capacity to use your words as a weapon.

Sun enters Pisces

 From February 18th until March 20th the Sun will be in Pisces. In Pisces we find one of the deepest and most emotional of signs. From the constellation we get the Fishes, one pointing up into the heavens and the divine and the other down to the mundane planes of human life. The Fishes play an integral part in almost every religion, from pagan times and forward to Christianity. Therefore, it is the sign that rules religious and spiritual themes. It is the sign that rules our “souls” or “spirit”. The sea as the primary source, signifies the boundless essence of soulful creativity and the elemental life force from which everything emerges and eventually returns. Fishes, as intrinsic parts of this fertile yet deeply mysterious realm, were regarded as sacred representations of the soul and the spiritual connection that animates society. By the time the Sun reaches the constellation of Pisces, the days are already starting to get longer and as the temperature starts to rise, so does hope and optimism. Underground, the frozen earth begins to thaw and the dormant planet life begins to stir. As a mutable sign, it’s a time of change and of the changes of season, this is the one that is most pronounced. As the last sign in the zodiac, it embodies the essence of all the signs that went before it, as it must assimilate the energy of the whole year, in order to begin the New Year. To venture into the Piscean realm is to lose track of which way is up, down, forward or back. It is to abandon our cherished root assumptions and shatter the fragile omnipotence of reality. To those of us who cling to the world of form, it can be a disorienting, confusing experience. Its ruler, Neptune bids us surrender our entire grounding and sense of what is real. One has no control over the Neptune experience because there is nothing to control. However, the Neptune experience is a chance to go back to the godhead, back to our spiritual source. It is a time to reorient our alignment with the Universe, to stretch beyond our physical existence and embrace our meta-physical nature. Pisces is significant, because it brings us to the wellspring of our being. It brings us back to the source; to the root of all that we are and all that we can be. Pisces renders us empty that we may be galvanized once more by the thrust of Life. Closure is rarely easy, however, the unresolved issues of the past have a way of coming back to haunt us. Only by participating in this closure process can we mindfully and openly distill that which is real and transferable into the next cycle, from that which is not. That distillation is the essence of the Piscean role in the cyclical drama. Pisces impels us to dissolve the attachments that bind us to the apparitions in our lives and surrender to Spirit which forms the raw material that will seed the next cycle. In this sense, Pisces may be the most important part of the zodiacal progression. Archetypally, Pisces ends one cycle and brings us to the brink of a new one that starts again in Aries. In order to embrace something new, we must empty ourselves of all that forms a barrier between us and that “something new.” This means letting go of the old way of doing and perceiving things. It means sacrificing our security and attachment to what has become familiar and comfortable, so that we may prepare the way for new growth. And we must surrender to this process or risk carrying over attachments from the old cycle that will contaminate the new one. If we resist the closure process of Pisces, we may not retain the rewards we have harvested.

Sun Enters Gemini

Now that the seedling is secure it begins to branch out and interconnect with a complex root system. The Gemini principle is driven by the compelling need to connect objects with one another to form ever greater links. Their job is to experience a diversity of sensations, thoughts and encounters so that they can create systems or theories of knowledge that are then disseminated to others.

Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac and is ruled by Mercury. When a planet or house cusp is in the sign of Gemini, the planet or house will describe how or where you communicate the most. It also represents the conscious mind and the thinking process. In general, a person born under the sign of Gemini will tend to need constant change and variety in their lives; as well as the need to communicate on all levels. They are the happiest when they have more than one interest to pursue. Sometimes this can lead to inconsistency and irresponsibility because they fail to complete what they start. In spite of this trait, they have excellent memory, quick minds and can be very logical and rational people.

We have set off on a cosmic journey starting with Aries and Taurus. The Aries cycle brought a great burst of life force and initiative, like a seed being shed from the husk of previous journeys. This seed contained an explosion of potential and possibilities in our lives. In the Taurus cycle, we planted this seed and stabilized its growth to ensure it has the fuel and endurance to survive the long process ahead. Taurus provided an opportunity to explore our attitudes about resources. Now we reach the Gemini phase of our journey. In Gemini, we're challenged to increase our awareness and connect this new potential to our immediate environment. Hence, Gemini and the 3rd House are associated with neighbors and siblings, local travel and the vehicles that get us there. They're also connected to the conceptual neighborhood. We are also part of our own neighborhood. Psychologically, Gemini is the beginning of objective self-awareness. This is not to say that Aries or Taurus people are not self-aware; rather, Gemini energy brings the most basic forms of awareness into focus for everyone. Developing objective self-awareness is a long-term process that grows and evolves. In terms of external projects and activities, Gemini is the stage in which we start to become aware of what we're trying to do and what will be involved.  How do we become aware? When we want to look at ourselves physically, we need a mirror. A mirror provides us with a means to observe ourselves objectively, as separate objects. Similarly, to perceive our personality objectively, we need a mirror of some sort in the form of communication, relationships and the community. This mirroring effect introduces the idea of duality. In Gemini, we have our first awareness of the multiplicity of Self. For all of us, archetypal Gemini brings us to an awareness of the many facets of ourselves. The Air Signs form an evolutionary process of observing ourselves through the mirror of other people. In Gemini, we begin with information exchange. Through communication, we increase our awareness of the world around.

This is the quest of the Gemini, to gather together as much information about their world as possible. It is their medium for knowing themselves and their navigation tool through life, gathering and sharing information.

Sun Enters Sagittarius

 

Sagittarius, with its fiery nature and mutable quality, is the part of us that is the Seeker, after ideas, information and experience. It's more than simple curiosity however; it involves a purpose that transcends mere information gathering as in Gemini.  With expansive Jupiter as its ruler, this is about discovering the higher Truth in the facts.  In Scorpio, we faced the Dark Night of the Soul in which we questioned and probed into everything we are. In Sagittarius, we now aspire to the heights of human potential, which would not be possible until we've faced the darkness. When confronting our worst nightmares in Scorpio, Sagittarius leads us into a quest for new meaning, new allegiance and a renewal of spirit. In Sagittarius, we envision the best of what is possible. We begin to reassess our potential and find a new direction.

There are pitfalls and traps in every sign and Sagittarius is no exception. As soon as we start to speak about a higher truth we must ask ourselves if we hold these beliefs because they serve our ego or because there is inherent truth in them. When we have found answers that work for us, it is very easy to believe that those answers must work for everyone. But Sagittarius teaches us about the vast diversity of human expression, needs, vision and values. As our world shrinks and we increasingly connect with each other, we are challenged to meet through mutual respect, appreciation and tolerance, rather than prejudice, judgment and dogmatism. Judgment and assessment are close cousins that are both part of the Sagittarian territory. When we judge others, we hold a moral conclusion about them and assume our perception is an accurate view of their essential nature. Although judgment has its place in our world, it is often used to condemn that which is more a representative of our own Shadow fears and biases. Assessment, on the other hand, is a more neutral medium by which we appraise value, usefulness or validity based on certain criteria. Although this is similar to judgment, it doesn’t necessarily involve a moral perspective. It is more objective and detached. Assessment is essential for our survival in the world. If we did not form assessments of our surroundings we could not make decisions or learn. The Sagittarian qualities of judgment and assessment are two edges of a sword that can ruthlessly cut through the bonds of reason and truth, or it can cut through to reason.

Sagittarius, the archer, is forever shooting arrows far upward and outward, reaching beyond its grasp to touch the edges of the universe and beyond. Sagittarius teaches us that no matter what we think we know, there's something more to learn. If we think we've found the answers, we must ask ourselves if we're asking the right questions. Every truth leads to a new inquiry; every conclusion to a new implication and therefore to a new question. Sagittarius moves toward endless expansion and, as such, represents life's self-perpetuating growth.