Mars/Pluto Rx - Transforming our Souls

Mars begins its retrograde period on April 17th in Sagittarius, backtracks into Scorpio on May 27th and remains there until it turns direct on June 29th. Following the retrograde cycle, Mars will exit Scorpio and enter Sagittarius on August 2nd. It is particularly noteworthy that Pluto begins its retrograde period on April 18th, less than 24 hours after Mars.

When Mars begins retrograde in Sagittarius, intuition sends a stronger signal and prompts a tough questioning and soul-searching period. Mars retrograde in Sagittarius serves to curtail that which has run rampant or wild or has grown out of proportion. What looked like opportunity can prove to be out of reach, a liability, lost, or non-existent.  What had seemed so clear, so justified, can become indistinct, confused and irrelevant. At the same time, this necessitates the intake of more diversified information and experience. It can prompt or force consciousness to open up to more varied ideas, concepts and opinions. We are now in the position to re-assess our current projects, our approach to getting what we want, and our desire nature. There can be passive-aggressive behavior during this cycle. We may be instigating problems or arguments rather than dealing with issues directly. When Mars enters into Scorpio at the end of May, you will find this to intensify our soul-searching introspection. Here, the soul is consciously and deliberately choosing to confront, examine and question itself. Instincts are now in a state of deeper questioning. Mars retrograde in Scorpio seeks to merge self and soul more consciously and completely.

Adding to our desire to get to the heart of us, Pluto turns retrograde from the 18th to September 26th, and we feel pressured to eliminate and release the old, outdated and obsolete in our lives. We are urged to let go of attitudes, thinking or communication patterns and rigid emotions and undertake an internal form of house cleaning. It is a good time to research into our own Souls in order to determine exactly what we do or do not need. Pluto's backward shift makes us reflective and forces us to look inward. Like its namesake, the planet Pluto rules over the shadow side of everything and everyone. When Pluto goes retrograde, it forces us to focus on our own personal shadow sides, specifically, the unpleasant parts of our personalities that we may not really like. Two big themes that Pluto likes to highlight are power and desire. With Pluto retrograde, we'll have to get honest with ourselves about how much we're motivated by a need for recognition, money and authority. This is a period of personal reckoning and once we see the traits in ourselves that we dislike, we can work to improve them. Pluto retrograde sheds light on the darker corners of our experiences. In this way we can grow, which highlights Pluto's key role in our lives - transformation.

April 2016 - Life on Pause

Just when we get ourselves back in “go” mode after winter’s lethargy, April comes along and hits the pause button.  To be fair, the month starts out energetic enough. If you’ve got new projects you want to launch, kick them off before April 5^th. After that point things begin to slow down – way down.  But with a little planning, we can get through it.

There’s a New Moon in Aries on April 7^th and normally this is an energetic Moon inspiring you to move forward. But the Moon has difficult aspects with Uranus and Pluto and it’s more likely you’ll find yourself motivated by fear and anxiety. If that’s the case, take a deep breath, and remind yourself it’s just a moment in time. The mood brightens a little the following week and you’ll have a second chance to launch what you couldn’t the first few days of the month.

Then we hit the brakes.  We already have Saturn in retrograde motion pushing us to re-evaluate what we hold dear and then our action planet Mars, begins his 74-day retrograde on April 17^th . During his reversal we may feel more restrained and unwilling to take risks. The very next day, transformative Pluto begins his retrograde transit.  Now typically, Pluto spends 6 months out of the year Retrograde and so its impact is expected, but the combo with Mars is trying under the best of circumstances.

Not to be left out of the party, Mercury turns retrograde on April 28^th in Taurus. In addition to the classic communication snafus (get those files backed up) Mercury retrograde in Taurus brings stubborn blockages connected with new ideas, powers of concentration and putting ideas into a practical format. Access to the most direct route to your goals is likely to be blocked by breakdowns in communication and unwillingness to compromise.

The Sun moves into Taurus on April 19^th and brings much-needed patience for dealing with slow-moving situations. But it also means that for a few weeks, no planets have any va-va-voom, what astrologers call essential dignity, so motivation is at a low.

And finally, the Full Moon in Scorpio on April 22^nd isn’t the easiest of Moons either. The polarity of the Sun and Moon are in fixed signs, so what we're dealing with is deeply rooted, stubborn, possibly stuck in one way of doing things.

But before you throw in the towel - take heart! With a little awareness, however, there are things you can do to turn things to your advantage.

Consider April the perfect month to:

•  Practice mindfulness. Be in the moment. Things may not go according to plan, but focus on what you can do. Slow down and do one thing at a time.
•  Use the pleasure principle to motivate yourself. Once you’ve managed to get something checked off your list, be nice to yourself and indulge in a little reward.
•  Finds was to incorporate meditation into your day. With the planets giving you the opportunity you might as well take advantage of the time for reflection.  Plus meditation is a great way to relieve stress.

The Astrology of Easter

Happy Easter!

Have you ever wondered why Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th  The date for Easter celebration is computed by the church with the help of astrology. It is dependent on the cycle of the moon thus making it a movable celebration. The Vernal or Spring Equinox plays a significant role in Easter as it is the original spring festival that celebrated the return of the sun and the renewal of the earth. In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicaea set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the equinox. In practice, that means that Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon that falls on or after March 21st. So Easter can occur as early as March 22nd and as late as April 25th, depending on when the full moon falls.  This year Easter is today, March 27th.

Here are some Easter fun facts:

• The exchange of eggs for Easter dates back to a springtime custom older than Easter itself in which eggs were given as a symbol of rebirth in many cultures.
• After Halloween, Easter is the biggest candy consuming holiday.
• The first Easter basket was given the appearance of a bird's nest.
• Per the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest Easter egg made to date, was just over 25-ft high and was made of chocolate and marshmallow. It weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame.
• Eggs, lilies, crosses, bunnies and lambs are the most popular symbols of Easter.
• In the old days pretzels were associated with Easter because the twists of the pretzel were thought to resemble arms crossing in prayer.
• Solving murder mysteries is very popular in Norway during Easter.
• Americans consume over 16 million jellybeans on Easter, enough to circle the globe three times over

Saturn Rx in Sagittarius - Freedom with Responsiblity

 

Saturn Retrograde in Sagittarius

March 25 to August 16, 2016

Saturn Retrograde is one long test of our endurance. Saturn is the Lord of Karma. Retrograde motion is a time when karma is sorted out. Therefore, Saturn retrograde is a double dose of karma and will relate to how responsible you have been in the past.

Sagittarius wants FREEDOM to do what it wants, how it wants and when it wants. Saturn demands RESTRAINT and calls for maturity, structure and boundaries. I predict that this transit will place us in some grueling circumstances where we must discern very carefully what we deem right and wrong. Saturn shines a magnifying glass to examine our perceived altruism, willingness to learn and potential to expand, to become something greater than the Self. Saturn teaches that change is necessary to move forward. We must completely surrender, you will feel cleansed and joyously empty, ready to rebuild. But don’t fool yourself into believing you’ll get let off the hook without doing any work.

Adding to this already difficult time is that Saturn has been in a square with Neptune since November of 2015 and will remain there throughout this transit. You can no longer scapegoat and blame others for your problems in life. Everyone is dealing with the results of the past several years of hard pressure and deep trauma. The previous Uranus/Pluto squares have taken its toll on us. We have been brought low and must figure out how we will live from here. We are faced with cleansing and controlling ourselves and our lives and not blaming anyone else for anything. That message is clear. If we choose to be deluded (Neptune in Pisces) and blame others rather than do the hard work and practice (Saturn) what we preach (Sagittarius) we will only hurt ourselves. Our hypocrisy will, in the end, only damage us.

Saturn is challenging us to...

Learn that there is freedom and liberation in abiding by certain rules and in some level of self-denial. Freedom is not     about escaping responsibility, it is about what we can enjoy after tending to our responsibilities.

Seek practical applications of our personal philosophies by firming up our belief systems while avoiding rigid thinking.

Making clear choices and decisions for weeding out what isn’t working for us and for letting go of lost causes.

Eliminate excessive or overdone expectations through a healthy dose of realism. Remember you can still practice  positive mindset and yet be realistic and spiritually uplifted.

Libra Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse

A Full Moon occurs when the Moon is opposite the Sun.  This particular Full Moon in pacifying Libra versus the willful Aries Sun on March 23rd, opens fresh perspectives on relationships. We may have an inclination to compromise, yet this event is a Lunar Eclipse that signals the need to release unnecessary patterns of accommodation. Recognizing our range of choices from independence to co-dependence will provide more options on where we stand with others. If conflicts arise, looking at them more objectively will reduce tendencies to blame yourself and others, leading to more harmonious solutions. During the peak of this eclipse, the signs of Libra (what we want) and Aries (what I want) will be staring each other down. A compromise of some nature, revolving around an ending, is in the works. Many of us are going to have to find a way to balance out the needs of others, in addition to our own, through this process. The Aries in us will want to satisfy our needs: “What am I getting out of this?” Then the Libra side of things will be saying: “Hey what about the other people around?” Something is going to have to give and not everyone will get to walk away with exactly what they want. So if you’re looking for answers this is a time to really keep your awareness up. New revelations as well as thoughts about serious matters could come into focus. With so many planets in Pisces, forgiveness holds the key to healing during this transit. Find out what’s really going on with your emotions and look for a spiritual source to satisfy your needs rather than looking to another person to fulfill them. The following is how this Libra Full Moon Eclipse will affect each sign: Aries: Your 7th House of Relationships comes into play at the peak of this eclipse. There is a focus on relationships and it’s not just about lovers. Close friends, business partners—even competitors—could be themes of your letting go process. There could also be agreements that are finally finalized or an alliance could end in some way.

Taurus: Your 6th House of Work is in focus now and this puts your working environment, co-workers, pets, health and daily routines into prime focus. This eclipse brings something to a head or closes something out. It marks a finishing point of something in one of these areas for you. If you’ve been thinking of letting a bad habit go or perhaps focusing on your health, this is a great time to do so.

Gemini: Your 5th House of Creativity comes into focus with this eclipse. This could be the wrap up point of an important personal project or speculative venture. A situation with a child could finally come to a point where a resolution is achieved. It’s also possible that you make a decision about what to do about a romantic relationship.

Cancer: Your 4th House of Family, home, real estate and things of domestic nature are highlighted. An ending or completion regarding one of these themes could be prominent now. The energy could also allow you to see things in this area of your life in an entirely different way.

Leo: Your 3rd House of Communication is the focal point of this eclipse and that puts a real focus on your ability to connect with others. Siblings, relatives, study, travel, technology and communications in general become quite highlighted for you. You might want to watch your car—particularly if you’ve been having some problems with it. Maybe it’s time to let it go. Education or some sort of learning endeavor could also come to the table or come to a completion point.

Virgo: Your 2nd House of Material Possessions is highlighted with this eclipse and this could bring things regarding a financial matter to a head or a completion of some sort. You might be ready to start or implement some changes in how you handle your finances. There’s financial completion going on and you’re moving towards a place of getting your debts in better order. Things that you value or possess, which are not just things of monetary value, could also be re-looked at and possibly let go or seen in a new light.

Libra: This particular eclipse is happening in your sign and placing it in your 1st House of Self  makes this time a very powerful one for you.   A focus into your identity, who you are as a person and the stamp you want to make on the world around you could really be highlighted for you at this time. You may stand up for yourself and decide to close an important chapter of your life as a result.

Scorpio: Your 12th House of the Subconscious comes into focus with this eclipse and this is the realm where things are hidden or undercover. You might feel the effects of this intense energy on an inner plane and it could be a time for revelations about the past to come into light. It’s also possible that you begin to understand yourself on a deeper level and really discover your inner motivations. Be careful not to beat yourself up though, sometimes diving too deep can put you in a rut and you shouldn’t do that. Hang around your upbeat friends at this time, you’ll need them to lighten the mood.

Sagittarius: Your 11th House of Friends and Groups you belong to comes into view here. This is also the realm of earnings from your work or career. Perhaps you decide to take on some added responsibilities with a group you belong to or with a friendship. A big project could end or a long-term goal could come to be fully realized. On a large scale, your 11th house has to do with your hopes and dreams and this eclipse could close out the process of something big you’ve been working towards.

Capricorn: Your 10th House of Career and the Public comes into view with this eclipse energy.  The energy released here may actually energize your career, reputation or how you look to others. Your parents or your role as a parent could also be highlighted here. On a deep level, your entire destiny and life mission could come into play and that is definitely something to consider. It’s also possible that you close out a job or take on a new boss or authority figure. Whatever the case, a new development at work is in the making.

Aquarius: Your 9th House of Wisdom comes into full view with this eclipse. The impact of this area of your chart being highlighted puts an emphasis on a trip, something of a foreign nature, a religious pursuit or your belief system, a learning endeavor or educational pursuit, something involving a legal situation or maybe even your in-laws.

Pisces: Your 8th House of Shared Resources come into focus with this eclipse. Maybe you’ve been receiving help from someone and you decide you no longer need it. This is also the realm of investments and you might decide to re-look at your financial holdings and make a new plan of some sort. Additionally this area of your chart that relates to divorce and endings of people you know. There could be a passing of someone in your circle  Sexual intimacy is also connected to this area and it’s possible that this Lunar Eclipse pushes you to take a relationship to a deeper and more intimate level.