LITTLE CANDLE

"How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world".

-William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice. 

On tonight, the night of the Winter Solstice, It’s the darkest night of the year; for some reason the dark makes everything feel colder, more bleak: It feels like all your deamons, real and figuratively, has us all in a full nelson.

Perhaps this is why the ancients engaged in the wild celebrations of this night, full of feasting, bonfires, drinking dancing and merriment. For even though for the rest of the year the universe will be working hard at bringing us closer to the Spring and Summer, and the light and warmth it has to offer.  While we use the Solstice to call on the light, we need to be mindful of the rhythms of the world; this is not the time to try to start new projects, or plant new things in our life; the Spring is the time for that. However, from now until March 23 (the Spring Equinox) it is best to cull the light in us, and decide what we want to bring into our lives, to plant during the Spring, and harvest during the Autumn Equinox.

While green grass and warm breezes are not too far away, the winter seems devouring and desperate.

Perhaps for this very reason we string up lights around trees, windows and buildings; perhaps it is for this reason that Hanukah is about the miracle of oil lasting 7 days longer than it was supposed to, or of the shining North Star in Bethlehem hanging over the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

These have been dark times for us all; of course just the business of being Human means that we have to slog through pain, joy, fear, magic and wonder mixed with madness of the world. However, with the evil, uncertainty and terror we are all living with, now is the time of all time to drum up the inner light that lies within all of us, and use it to keep us warm while the winds rage and darkness surrounds us.

The Universe wants to helps us out here; tomorrow we have a beautiful Venus/Jupiter opposition; we will have a special verve and joyful energy. On Christmas day, Mars, the planet of ego and energy will enter independent, inventive Aquarius. This is lucky for a few reasons.

Uranus is in Aries; Mars is the ruler of Aries; Uranus happens to be the ruler of Aquarius. When planets “switch” the signs they rule, its called a mutual reception. For the next 2 months, this combo will give us insights and brainstorms from Uranus/Aquarius, and the energy and drive to make anything we want happen.

However, there will be a Sun/Uranus square that will make us itchy and edgy; if we use this energy correctly, we can escape the traps of old traditions that no longer work, and shake up unhealthy family dynamics.

So lets accentuate the positive. Let us create the light we need to make our way through the next few months. Let us do as the ancients did, and drink warm honey wine and eat full beautiful meals. Let’s take a bite of a pepper and imagine it’s warmth spreading through us.

 We need to allow the light within us burn bright in the darkness ahead of us.

BUTTERFLY

Today is a Lunar Eclipse in Gemini. We are coming to the end of the eclipse series between Sagittarius and Gemini, where the last eclipse in the series is happening in Sagittarius in May of 2013.

When there is an eclipse series between Gemini and Sagittarius, there is a lot of chatter. There is a lot of vocal flitting about, debating and questioning, seeking and restlessness. Gemini’s are skilled at conversation, while Sagittarius will ponder, seek and apply the meanings to every discourse that has happened.

Take a minute and think about the types of talks you have had over the past eighteen months. Think about your activities; have you traveled more than before? Have you gone back to school? Have you begun to write more than before? Hell, in the past eighteen months have you been playing more scrabble or doing more crossword puzzles?

Take a minute.

I’m going to guess that you have. Now we are beginning to sum up what we have been doing and talking about. Now we are beginning to find the meaning of it all, and sum it all up. Some of us have found rich experiences, and most importantly, some of us may have found our dormant voices. Now is when we all start talking about our experiences.

What have you learned? What have you learned about love? The love you give, the love you see, the love you seek and the love that is around you?

Love is the focus, given the fact that Venus was in Gemini from late May into early July due to a Venus Retrograde and made a transit over the Sun during it’s eclipse on June 4^th.  

Today's eclipse may bring up some unresolved issues from the previous eclipse. At the very least, this eclipse series of late had most of us very focused on love, soul mates and money due to its proximity to Venus, the planet of love and money.

Now Mercury is direct in Scorpio, as well as Saturn and Venus. It is sum up time for us all.

Sex, love, karma and emotional clarity is the order of the day. We have so many planets in death and rebirth oriented Scorpio. Most of us are ready, chomping at the bit to move on and experience the high’s and low’s, to just get through to the other side that may offer us all peace.

The drawing to a close of this Gemini/Sagittarius eclipse series that occurs today can help up do this. We can begin to embark on the next cycle as long as we take the time to talk about all the things we have learned. We need to not feel shy about talking about what we have discovered about ourselves, the world we live in, and the love we have that we carry with us.

It’s the truth that will set us free.

CANDY SHOP

Oh my, I’m clutching my Pearls.

Because now stern Saturn is getting all sexy like, with Venus sashaying into Scorpio, and being a part of the visit of Saturn and Mercury in Scorpio. We will want to talk dirty, spend money on getaways and toys of all kinds…

We will want to get down where it’s tangled and dark.

It’ll be a lot more fun then you think.

It won’t get weird. The planet of sex, war and I’m-in-charge Mars is in Capricorn. Mars is a co-ruler of Scorpio, and Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. However, because Saturn and Mars are switching out their “kids” to each other, there is a spirit of cooperation. It works, since wild and unruly Mars is in calm, cool Capricorn . Sometimes this planetary combo can warn of battle of wills and control issues, not to mention weird sex and money stuff coming to ahead.

This time we are safe, because the Hugh Heiffner of the Universe has entered the Ring.

May introduce you to Sagittarius, the wild man philosopher of the world, the adventurer, the guy who just wants everything to be cool; “the Dude” to which all good things abide. Sagittarius has endless resources, ideas and thirst for adventure. Lady’s and Gents, The Sun has now entered Sagittarius.

Sometimes when he shows up where there are so many planets in Scorpio, he can kind of egg Scorpio into madness. Not this time, though.

Sagittarius wants us all to explore the weird, the wild and the grand. Sagittarius wants us to learn, to widen our philosophies and just try new things, and to do it with a spirit of adventure.

What we have is this: This combo of Saturn, Mercury and most importantly Venus in sexy Scorpio, with the Sun in Sagittarius is that wild combo of Mya, Pink, Little Kim and Christina Aguilera strutting across the stage in a burlesque club, roaring to the cry;

Of course we can’t forget Missy Elliot acting like Mars in Capricorn, in charge of the scene and regulating us all in our dalliance.

Yes, these planets are sexy, in charge and dropping some knowledge on us mere mortals.

You Ready?

Mocha Choca Lata Yaya

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?

Fire and Water. What do these two elements have in common? 
These elements will purify you. Fire will burn you clean and Water will wash away the sins.
 The Solar Eclipse happening today brings this out, as well as heralds the end of an era and the beginning of a new age. Its the start of the Eclipse series between Scorpio and Taurus. Eclipse series are the dynamic tension between 2 opposite signs on the astrological wheel is played over the course of 18-24 months. 
The beginning of an eclipse series highlights the conversations that continuously go on between an astrological “couple”. Each eclipse that happens in a “couple” reacts like a call and response, a conversation or fight between the two signs, if you will. 
Like all good couples, these two signs play off of each other, and highlight each others strengths and weaknesses. Scorpios are deep and seeking, while Taurus’s live more on the surface. This series between Scorpio and Taurus could be considered a great relief by air signs and Libras after Saturn being in beautiful but passive aggressive Libra for roughly three years. 
Now that Saturn is in Scorpio, everyone can stop being so freaking nice. Or at least trying to be. Maybe now people can say what they really think and feel. Scorpio has no interest in being nice. Scorpio plays hard and for keeps.Oddly enough, so does Taurus. Taurus is not above nasty power plays. Now we can finally let the beast have its way. oh. but wait...
Neptune in watery Pisces has gone direct...soft music and the urge to play the martyr abound. 
Magic and mystery are the order of the day...fairy godmothers and magic dust are very real things. Mercury in Scorpio in an intense trine with Neptune makes us all poets and liars.

What ever you do, don’t let yourself get swept away by fantasy or flights of fancy.

Since Saturn has been invited in the new eclipse series; the stakes are higher, and brings a constricting energy. We can’t just say or do whatever we want. There will be consequences...

What is Saturn in the Cosmos? its the proverbial foot on the throat, making sure you say all your please and thank you’s, dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s. Saturn has a strange alliance with Pluto, who has a taste for retribution. 

Keep that in mind if you’re tempted to play a fiddle while Rome burns.

THE UNION OF THE SNAKE

Whats your dream? everybody got a dream! The big man on the streets in the iconic “pretty woman” hollars this refrain joyfully at the corner of Hollywood and Vine at the passerbys. 

Just as in that neck of the woods was shady, we face similar conditions. Death, sex and dreams were dealt with equal verve, just as it is now, and this is the energy this Eclipse brings us. 

are you ready? no? thats ok if you are not. 

And I will tell you why. We have a Solar Eclipse happening on Tuesday, November 13. There’s a lot of intensity ahead of us.

This could possibly be a mean moon. Its riding high and strong on the serpent head of this eclipse, full of intent and passion. Saturn is involved in this Eclipse, as is Mercury and the ever elusive Neptune.

However, this is also a Solar Eclipse that offers you the world if just give up your pain. If you have a dream or an intention, choose it now. Because if you do, I promise, you will see the outcome direct to your dream within the next 18 months.

We are on the brink of a new world order where Scorpio and Taurus have the starring role, where everything matters more than we can fathom.

For what matters more to Taurus’s and Scorpio’s then sex, power, love and money?

These will be matters that will drive us all endlessly.

Get used to it. These are times where magic will happen, as well as the possibility of miraculous healings.

Things will be wild and exciting, where old demons will show up as well as modern rumplestilizins, just aching to broker a deal.

stay tuned...

Devil in the Details

This New Moon in Virgo occurs on September 15, and  is far different then other new moons. It carries the hint of urgency, and you can really tell because it has no other contact to any other planet other than its ruling planet, Mercury. There are no distractions or anything to pull your attention from what is ahead.  

What that is happens to be the amount of work that needs to be done. Stuff of the everyday variety, cleaning, cooking and making sure we have our ducks all in a row. If you find yourself pulling out all your old crap from your closet and filing old paper work that you just always meant to get around to, then you are making the most of this energy.

Warning: if you find yourself dusting pens and scrubbing at something with a toothbrush, you may have gone a lil’ too far.

It’s easy to get caught up in the details here and not quite see the big picture.

Also Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo; Mercury is the planet that deals with siblings and cousins. This is a New Moon that truly shows us that we all are our brother’s keeper. It also hits the north node of the upcoming eclipse series in Scorpio and touching on Mercury; what this does is shows us what we should all ascend to.

This is a rather optimistic New Moon with lofty intentions with a great deal of grounding and focus. Perhaps it’s the idea that charity begins at home or that we need to take care of the nitty gritty of life and of family details. There is something about Virgo energies that can make people more philanthropic than usual.

This New Moon is also a prime time to begin new projects that demands focus and diligence, and of gleaning over what has occurred over the past year. Basically one of the requests that this Virgo New Moon asks is for you to pick over the good and the bad; to discard the bad feelings, appetites, modes of being and attitudes. After that, reap all the good you have done, and store it away for the coming cold. After all, Virgo is not only known as the Virgin in Astrology, but also the Wheat Barer/Bread Basket; separate the wheat from the chaff and nourish the goodness you have created and have in your life.

And for goodness sake….

Ditch the bad habits.

All I Wanna Do

Hey dude, are you alright?

I don’t care what anyone had to deal with during this past blue moon (8/31/12) but this moon was a gift. For some, it may not have felt like it, but it truly was. Way bigger than anything Santa or daddy war bucks could have left under a tree or in a stocking. However, some of us in the big ole’ world are just uncomfortable getting gifts of uncertain origins, no matter how lovely or undefined they may be.

Never you mind. It was amazing.

All of this lovely energy happened during the Labor Day weekend, and now the weekend has finished. The Sun and Mercury in Virgo lets us know, under no uncertain circumstances that summer is indeed over and now it’s time to go back to work. We got a brief preview of all the work we need to do, due to the Venus/Saturn conversation that happened on Monday. The tone of the conversation was something along the lines of this:

Venus: I’m going to go and dance, and drink margaritas and flirt with that really cute guy

Saturn: no. You already put on 5 pounds this summer, and that guy looks just like that slime ball you broke up with last year.

Venus: you never let me do anything fun!!!!

Saturn: because you have to get your priorities straight.

On September 6^th, Venus is making her way out of Cancer. Of course, Cancer is a perfectly nice sign and when Venus is in Cancer, it is usually a nice, soft time full of sweet shining moments of heartfelt intimacy. However, due to the fact that it was in rather hostile angles to Saturn in Libra, we didn’t get all the good warm feelings we normally would have.

I got some good news for you guys. Venus is making its way into Leo, the sign that is ruled by the Sun. What this means for us is that for 3 short weeks (that’s how long a normal Venus transit is through a sign is) the way we handle and experience love, beauty, recreational and money will take on the flashy sheen of Leo. We will be overly generous in all Venusians matters, and we will be able to be since mean ole’ Saturn isn’t in a position to fuss at Venus in Leo.  

Sure we have work to do. We have a lot of work to do. The Sun and Mercury in busy bee Virgo is buzzing at us all to get cracking at what we need to get done. However Venus in Leo will give us energy, power and verve that we may not have. We all may feel a little run down or overwhelmed. But Venus in Leo will help us do what matters most to us with passion, joy and the enthusiasm of a child.

Play and Work Hard. This is message from the cosmos.

 

 

 

 

Get Naked

We have a new moon in Leo, and due to its angle to Mars, all this new moon can ask is this:

What’s your fantasy? Don’t lie… Everyone has one.

This is the time when we all find out what they are.

Mars, the planet of raw sex and sheer adrenaline has been coupled with Saturn, the planet of restraint and boundaries in smooth, romantic Libra. Mars is feeling more than a little emasculated, and wants to get wild.

Venus and Mercury are coupled up all cozy like in Cancer, while Pluto in Capricorn is glaring across the astrological wheel at the lil’ love doves; I wouldn’t say that Pluto is a kill joy, but would rather warn that any joy Pluto brings has the kind of strings attached to it that nobody wants…

Then we have Uranus in Aries, completing this wild and willful t-square in the four cardinal signs; they are standing off…having the same conversation but with different intentions on all sides.

Short history lesson: The last time there was a configuration even close to this one was during the 1960’s, when the sexual revolution occurred.

This new moon in Leo behaves like the little strumpet in tight red pants at a drag race, who yanks the handkerchief down to signify the beginning of the race, with her blond hair flying in the wind…

And now it’s go time.

Mars had benefited in its time with Saturn in Libra, and is now suave and sinister; imagine our sexual behavior taking on a blend of sweet, sensitive, obsessive and lethal Edward Cullen (vampire) and sexually twisted Christopher Grey (Billionaire). This is the tone that has been set, with us staring at ties and teeth with a mix of desire and revulsion.

I know I often give warnings about wild behavior; however in this instance, I have to encourage everyone to go and do what feels right, for both parties, even though it may be outside the comfort zone. This is just one of those things that need to happen. Its about evolution.

 Uranus wants us to be as wild and creative as possible, with no reservations at expressing ourselves in any kind of way. Pluto will divide the lines, and in no uncertain terms, make sure we recognize who is the top and who is the bottom.

What about Venus and Mercury?

They want to talk.

They want to talk about the whys. They want to talk about the past, about what turns you on and why. They want to know every last little detail about what makes you tick. They want to understand you, and the ties and the teeth. They will blush and bat their sweet little eyelashes, but won’t let up until they get the info they request. While Cancer is often soft and sweet, she is also a Cardinal sign and relentless at getting what she wants.

There will be a great deal of pillow talk, and this will make us all feel either unburdened or uncomfortable. Or both. Maybe the energy will lend itself more towards open sexual conversations or sexual education.

As wild as it may be, this is what we all need.

The new moon in Leo is the spark, the fire and flash of heat that jumpstarts all of this energy that was dormant and waiting to come out.

Burn Baby Burn.

Bright Lights

How shiny are your memories? How tight do you hold onto the idea of “what if?” If you are sensible, your fingers will be flexible. If not, if you are stiff and grasping onto that golden ideal, this eclipse will indeed pull this fantasy of perfection in an alternate life from your cold dead fingers. Got it? Good.

We have a very intense full moon eclipse in Sagittarius on June 4^th. Lunar eclipses behave like super powered full moons, focused on shining a bright light on all that we hide, and bringing things to a close or resolution. Sometimes these things can come across us like a soft breeze, or hit us like a Mac truck. It all depends on how stubborn we are.

We are all lucky in this lunar eclipse. While Sagittarius is a fire sign, it lacks the feral, wild energy of Aries and the incandescent burn of Leo. No, Sagittarius doesn’t have a mean bone in its body.  After all, its ruling planet is Jupiter, the dude who wants everyone to just be cool. At its core, it wants to teach us through playful thought, and wants us to think outside the box.

The world is too large for Sagittarius to worry about a past that teaches us nothing, a past that merely drags us down. With this soft energy, this sweet burning fire, this eclipse wants to shine a soft light on the dark corners, to tell us with a joke and a nudge how much we messed up, but that we are all still ok and can learn from our mistakes, and that nothing is for naught.

Due to its strange aspects to Venus/Saturn and Mars/Moon, it will help heal any love triangles that exist. NOTE: this could be a triangle between a lover and work/family/addictions/commitment issues…

During this eclipse, we find that Saturn, the planet of hard lessons and restraints, is downright giddy in his sweet trine with lovely Venus. Saturn will only ask of us patience, and tenacity, instead of the usual blood, sweat and tears.

 If we can give him this, the rewards we will see heaped upon us by the end of the summer will be astounding. That’s just the way Saturn works.

This Lunar Eclipse is determined to wrap things up. It’s like an energetic kid, bouncing up and down, waiting for you to finish up your work so you can come outside and play. By play, Sagittarius wants us to think about reading, working and travel; anything that will expand our minds and our world. The work we are supposed to do is to let go of the nonsense, the ideas and things that just no longer serve us. The very things, if we are honest, never did us any good to begin with. If we can do this, and pull away from the past, we have freedom. Things may come to an end, but it will be the kind of end that brings peace and wisdom devoid of bitterness .After all, bitterness and regrets is just not a Sagittarius’s style.

Don’t be like Gizmo, our favorite Gremlin. This bright light can’t hurt you.

Moves Like Jagger

“When the hurly burly is done, when the battle’s lost and won…”

Perhaps last week’s solar eclipse that tangled with Pluto, Saturn and Mars has made me appreciate the finer points of the Scottish play. Where we have won some things, we have lost some as well. After the planetary scuffle of last week, we are left wondering who won. First off, that flighty Venus is currently retrograde, her loving rays moving farther and farther away from us. What this retrograde is doing is hauling up our messed up money and beauty issues and shoving them in our face. Not to mention that Venus Retrograde will also bring back old lovers. Not the good kind, mind you, but the ones that broke our hearts, stole our money and killed our cat. And then we had the very healing new moon eclipse that was super close to jovial Jupiter that showed us our own boo boos and taught us how to kiss our own owies. While that is all fine and good, I’m sure many of us were feeling weepy at some point or another.

That wild tug of war, that relentless wave of emotion and thought rushing over us… it has ebbed…

THANK GOODNESS, BECAUSE NOW I WANT TO GO TO A BARBEQUE. Even the universe recognizes that it is Memorial Day Weekend, and that it’s time to party.

Yes folks, even the universe has to take a time out, after whipping us human folk into a wild frenzy of human emotion and thought. The past solar eclipse in Gemini has made us ask ourselves how to best let our light shine, and let our freak out to play. If we have all been good and done what the universe wanted us to do, we get to play nice with everyone.  As always, the universe grants us a boon after a difficult time. What we do with it, is of course, up to us all. Mercury and the Sun in active Gemini are at a dynamite angle to Uranus.

Quick review: Mercury is the chatty, super fast thinking planet of communication and travel.

                           Uranus: the planet of wild flashes of creativity, intuition and insight. Uranus is the planet that encourages us to be rebellious, and to be ourselves when everyone else wants us to conform.

                          Sun: the epicenter of it all, and the big hand guiding us all in how we think and act.

This lovely planetary combination is inviting us all to be as kooky and as out there as possible, and to act on it as well. To talk to play, to dance and to be as creative as possible.

The moon is in posturing Leo this weekend (think of Mick Jagger strutting across the stage in his peacock mode. This should sum up what Leo moon attitude looks like) and it wants us to dance, sing and play. By all means, my little star light children put on sparkly dangly jewelry, smoke black foreign cigarettes and dance wildly. Enjoy your time. Most importantly, play nice with others.

Its prime time to play and frolic, and ignore the fact that there is someone, something,  tapping a long finger on his wrist watch, chanting  so very quietly to us frolicking children,  “Tic toc.. Tic toc”...

What Next, Batman?

Well, nothing really. This rest of this week is going to be very quiet…hear the tumbleweeds blowing across the cosmic desert? Ha, just kidding. It’s going to be slow, but not quiet in the least. The sounds you will be hearing are folks still quietly sobbing while licking their wounds after recuperating after the full moon in Scorpio. Oh, and of course people will be talking incessantly about their hopes and dreams…maybe even some of the good, dirty kinds. People will also be talking about money; not money that is owed or why-don’t-I-get-paid-more money talk, but about investments, family money, money to decorate or shop, or to buy property. More people will be purchasing lotto tickets, and other financials. People will be talking about music, books and their almighty important opinions also. So, you say, shrugging your shoulders. People talk all the time.

Yes my dear star watcher, this is true. However the planetary movements means that people are actually saying what they really think and feel, rather than blathering on to fill in that awkward silence that happens in intervals during the day.  Mercury, the chatterbox, traveling and energetic planet of communication has entered Taurus, and meets up with the bright warm sun in Taurus, and links hands with the happiest and most sincere planet, Jupiter. Jupiter, out of any other planet, heartily believes more is better and the most is best.

 All three heavenly bodies are working together in pragmatic, sensual Taurus. Taurus is an earth sign and focused on tangibles, such as real estate, food and of course really good textiles. Taurus wants to indulge in all things sensory, but is too pragmatic to get lost in it all. Taurus believes in being honest, and living in the reality of now. With Mercury, Jupiter and the Sun hanging out in Taurus, they all have picked up Taurus’s personality traits.

Now, what gives this cosmic trio it’s truly earnest edge? It would have to be because dreamy Neptune in spiritual, artistic Pisces is winking at a super sweet angle to this trio, encouraging them to be sensitive, compassionate and most important, vulnerable. Conversations will really matter this week. All of this earnest conversing is also a result of Saturn no longer screaming at Mercury from across the astrological wheel to just shut the bleep up. Saturn, being the big bad guy trying to tell everyone what to do, try his best to subdue Mercury. Saturn was often successful, since Saturn carries more clout than Mercury does. However, Saturn no longer has this hold on Mercury.

Oh? You say. That’s it for this week?

In response, I sigh. My dearies enjoy this quiet. Enjoy the after effects of surviving that full moon. This is because next week Venus goes retrograde and begins her efforts to complete old business from eight years ago. Does this make you slightly nervous? Did anything happen or go down eight years ago that still makes you pause? Even if you say no, we all know the answer really is yes. However, we shall get to that in time.

Dun-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu….

I love Scorpios. I love their attitude, their swagger, their blatant need to be real even when it stings. I especially love the unbridled power they have at their fingertips that they more often use for evil rather than good. I have a soft spot for Scorpio moons, since I happen to have one.

The full moon in Scorpio is going to be bad…she wants to be such a bad girl. She wants to drink, dance, wear fishnet stockings and key somebody’s car.  She wants to shoplift and wear heavy black eye liner.  Scorpio moons always want to do this, but she’s at her ultimate power in her being a full moon, as well as being opposite Jupiter in Taurus (which is like the friend that passes her the flask while she’s speeding down the highway in a stolen cherry red Chevy convertible) and being breathed on very heavily by the happy sweet and annoyingly healthy Venus trine Saturn.  So. Jupiter, which is the planet that beliefs more is always better is egging this Scorpio moon on, even though it’s not the best idea. Then Saturn is being all lovey dovey with Venus and wagging his finger at the unbridled urges this moon is bringing up in all of us. Ugg. So what’s a wild girl to do?

Its hard going, because under this moon there will be no waffling, no wavering.  Scorpio moon’s are all about survival, healing and breakthroughs due to its dual rulers Mars and Pluto. (*Mars is the planet of war and raw aggression and Pluto is the planet obsessed with power, death and rebirth and well…obsession)

It’s a survivor’s moon, where we all will be feeling the darker, edgier side of ourselves. The ruthlessness that we all try to keep at bay will show itself.

But there is much more to this moon. It’s also where the ugly comes out.  I don’t mind the blood suckers so much. After all, they know how to live, and will do their best to survive.  After all, we all know those people, the ones that will do their best to be ok no matter what comes their way.  It is these people that serve their purpose in the way that it toughens our skin from their endeavors, and helps us learn the difference between who can and will use our help to eventually be ok, and those who simply want to melt into whoever can help them merely live with minimal effort.  It’s this full moon where we need to figure out the survivors from the chattel.

While we struggle with the need to survive, to evolve and to indulge in our darker pursuits, we also have at our disposal a great opportunity to heal. A little known secret about Scorpio is that it is a sign that while often destructive, is also very much in the business of healing. Scorpio’s can make miracles occur. Very often this magnificent healing happens after trials and tribulations. This full moon in Scorpio is very important in that in its connection with this sappy Venus/Saturn trine, the potential to truly heal ourselves and even others is not to be believed. The universe seems to want us all well and healthy…but in this case we need to work very hard for it.

Is this full moon a Cosmic First Aid Kit? Probably…

One of my good friends always says that sign language should be taught as a mandatory second language. I would always agree with her in an off handed way. However this week I agree and would shout this need from the roof tops. Why? You might ask, why ever now? And I would tell you because maybe, just maybe this means that people would be able to communicate with each other via sign language and be required to really think before they communicate. This is a week where all emails should be saved as a draft first then painstakingly gone over with a fine tooth comb. Why, you ask. Jeez…you guys and the whys! Humph. Well it’s because Mercury is direct in Aries in a rather scary square with Pluto in Capricorn.

Quick refresher: Mercury= communication, writing and speaking. Mercury is quick and sometimes flighty.

Aries= first sign of the Zodiac and impulse based. Aries is considered the child of the Zodiac.

 Pluto=truth, ruthless behavior, death, rebirth and healing. Pluto can be seen as the dark villain of the cosmos.

Capricorn= public image, responsibility and pursuit of life’s lofty goals.  Capricorn is considered the stodgy old man of the Zodiac wheel, an authority figure if you will, which makes sense since Capricorn’s ruler is Saturn.

What this means is that we will have some stuff that we need to say, or just say in general that will be “off the belly” and very much forced out based on our need to get our point across. It’s very nearly a guarantee that we will say something we wish we hadn’t, or may start a conversation we wish we would have shelved for another time. However, many of us won’t think about what we say, and just shrug off the power of our words. Now, Pluto’s power in this position is kind of hampered, simply because Pluto is now retrograde. This means that it is as if Pluto is moving away from the earth and the beings that reside there. Therefore Pluto has less of a hold on us. But this doesn’t mean that Pluto can’t phone it in. He’s there, all weird and dark, and sends a sharp, slightly painful push to our communications. Even if we are careful and thoughtful about how we communicate (and we won’t be) we may still hurt feelings and speak out of turn. We want to make sure we speak with self empowerment and a desire for positive change when communicating with anyone; especially Authority figures (yes authority with a capital A)

Most importantly, we may, unintentionally, reveal our true ugly feelings about sensitive topics, and verbally pick up the preverbal rock and peer at the uglies underneath. It can be some nasty business.

However, Pluto rewards bravery in his own sick way. If careful and behaving from a place of honesty, this could be a prime time to engage in some talks that can be highly healing and very transformative.

Wear Galoshes to wade through the crap this week.

A Strange Version of Spring Break

Its spring break for us all for sure and very welcome after the long ‘winter’ we had to endure. Mercury and Mars being retrograde for a big chunk of time was a challenge beyond the usual ones that retrogrades throw up for us.

 Mars has been in Virgo since November and retrograde since January 23. How is this difficult? you may ask? Well, Virgo is kind of like that OCD kid in the back of the classroom recopying over its notes, organizing the binders and arranging books according to subject…until it breaks from the strain and goes wild, cutting class, drinking beer and smoking  in the bathroom. Mars is the hyper kid, eyes glued to the clock, itching to get out of class to run, play, dance… to just MOVE. Of course Mars is the planet of raw animal aggression, so the girls want to get into the backseat of the nearest car with Mars and the guys want to play shirts vs. skins on the basketball court with Mars.

Now what happens when Mars and Virgo get caught in detention together for an indefinite amount of time? They rub off on each other, with Virgo wanting to get busy being helpful and productive, and Mars aggressively trying to figure out how to get out of the box he’s in, and trying to do anything he can to speed up his time in this room. The retrograde period had them merge, and learn from each other, and to come together for a common purpose. Mars gives Virgo direction, energy and drive, while Virgo gives Mars precision and patience towards the newest goal that Mars has.  Mars retrograde in Virgo had us trying to figure out our goals and how to go after them, while just lacking the energy to do it.  Now Mars is Direct in Virgo and we have a plan, and the energy to make this into a labor of love. We are just waiting for the bell to ring, to let us know we can begin our break.

The bell will ring clear and true on April 21, when the new moon enters Taurus and joins Jupiter, the planet that just wants everyone to be AWESOME. For once, Pluto is in a good mood and not grumbling, and Saturn is rolling around in Libra, retrograding farther and farther away, and Venus is in flirty, fun Gemini for a nice long visit. Planetary restrictions are loosened, and are giving us full permission to just play. And play we shall. However, Mars in Virgo will give our play purpose. We may use this break to really clean up our lives. But instead of it being mere drudgery full or regrets or anger, we will treat it as a lark. A very special game…one that we will all win.