Sunday 22 September 2013

M.R. = Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde season will be soon upon us! I can almost hear "oh no, here we go again" from a few, as they recall events and challenges from previous M.R. periods, and feel the flutter of anxiety from others as they prepare to complete as many projects as possible before Mercury stations and begins it's seemingly backward three week dance; And it will be through Scorpio this time, so things could get quite stuck, dense and deep.

I  imagine a number of people are wondering, "what is a Mercury Retrograde?" Three times a year, every year, for three weeks at a time, the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards from our vantage point on Earth. When the planets appear to move normally we say they are direct, sometimes they appear not to move, and we say they have stationed, and sometimes they appear to be moving backwards and this is when we say they are retrograde. As we move from one side of our orbit of the Sun to the other, the planets appear to be moving faster than they actually are, and in a sense the retrograde period, when the planets appear to be losing ground, is a correction; both of the planet's orbit position by degree and of our perception and experience in terms of the themes/objects that the particular planet, and sign it is retrograding through, rules or represents.

Mercury is the planet of communication. Mercury rules the transmission and reception of information and therefore rules talking, teaching, writing, listening, learning, reading and observing, and so it follows that it also rules phones, mobile phones, car navigation systems, satellites, emails, mail/letters, meetings, the internet and even computers. According to Astrologer Steven Forrest, Planets, when direct, express in an extroverted manner, but retrograde energy flows in the opposite direction, and much of it's expression is directed inwards, deeper into the mind, away from the world, and into the unconscious.

The next Mercury Retrograde period begins on October 20th at 10:30am GMT/UT when Mercury stations then goes retrograde on October 22nd, exactly 48 hours later. Mercury will be retrograde until the 9th November when it stations at 9pm GMT/UT then goes direct exactly 48 hours later on 11th November. Mercury will then be in it's shadow period and not fully "extroverted" until 9:30am GMT/UT on November 27th. From this moment things that have felt like they were on hold or uncertain since October will move forward or become much clearer.

Some Mercury Retrograde periods are pretty much uneventful, but sometimes it feels like everything goes wrong. I have personally experienced, and know of many others who have experienced, a combination of the following during a Mercury Retrograde: phone cables damaged, internet breakdown, lost, frozen, damaged or broken mobile phones, computers and car navigation systems, important meeting day and time mix-ups, major communication misunderstandings, missing emails and mail, electrical problems, and so on. These things can be very very inconvenient at the time and even seem like a disaster but upon reflection there is always something deeper to be understood. For example a friend's phone broke during Mercury Retrograde and they were greatly inconvenienced but later they told me they had been wanting a new phone. I had been wanting a new laptop when my old one broke during the last M.R.

Perhaps our creative/manifesting powers are just stronger during a Mercury Retrograde. We don't really feel like meeting a particular person at the appointed time, or feel ready to finalize a particular matter, or perhaps we just want to retreat for a while but are too responsible to say so. Then along comes Mercury Retrograde and everything goes haywire: the internet won't work, our phone breaks, that meeting is delayed, an important contract goes missing in cyber space and the matter is out of our hands for a while. Yes this can cause a great deal of frustration and inconvenience, even anger, but that is only because we are trying to stay in control and go against the flow. In my experience M.R. teaches us to go with the flow and take responsibility for our thoughts and creations.

I have found that Mercury Retrograde is most easily navigated when we are truly honest with ourselves and are able to simply accept what is. Last Mercury Retrograde I managed to mostly put this into practice. Last M.R. was a challenging one. My laptop and my mobile phone froze, my internet went down, I kept mixing up appointment days and times and every second thing I said came out wrong or was misunderstood in some way. The fact of the matter was that I had wanted a new laptop for ages and I had wanted to have some time to myself to journal and simply be. Mercury Retrograde gave me exactly what I had been wishing for. Once I realized this I was able to get out of the drama, have a laugh at the perfection of it all and go with the flow, mostly. I did have some moments of frustration, but my phone came back to life after a day, I purchased a new laptop, the internet was fixed with one phone call, and I caught up with my meetings and misunderstandings were sorted out once Mercury went direct.

The next Mercury Retrograde is through the sign of Scorpio. Scorpio is fixed water and Mercury rules mutable air and earth. They aren't a particularly comfortable combination but where there is a challenge there is greater potential for growth. While this M.R. period may feel really stuck, intense, uncomfortable and out of control at times for some of us, the potential for personal transformation and deep penetrating insight into the workings and power of our unconscious mind and emotions is huge. Mercury Retrograde is like a vehicle for travelling through old territory in new, insightful and deeper ways because we are able to think and communicate in new ways, or rather, we are challenged to communicate and think, or mentally operate, in new ways. With Mercury retrograding through Scorpio (along with Saturn in Scorpio) it's going to be super deep and we may just be confronted by our deepest darkest fears, but once we resurface we will be transformed, and we may just find new confidence and comfort communicating about important subjects/issues we had previously avoided, maybe even pretended didn't exist.

Go with the flow as much as possible and try not to scurry away from what is revealed to you during this Mercury Retrograde. You probably won't be travelling light through this period, but come end of November you will feel lighter and possibly be a great deal wiser!!!



Sunday 15 September 2013

Astrology and Fertility

The Natal Astrology Chart, and the many Astrological techniques, provide the Astrologer with a seemingly endless amount of information about the individual. A great deal of information can be gleaned about an individual's fertility and challenges to fertility, as well as possible ways to further enhance fertility, to overcome many challenges to fertility on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels, to understand the timing of challenges, and to choose the most auspicious times and avoid inauspicious times for conception.

The Moon is the most important planet, in terms of fertility, in both men and women. The Moon rules the entire reproductive process, but reproduction is such a huge and essential function of every species, that all the planets have some involvement and influence.

I am going to go into more detail about the Moon, her phases and conception later, but first I would like to present a brief overview of Astrology and fertility. An Astrologer is able to see by looking at the individual's chart any fertility challenges, if indeed there are any, whether they be operating on the physical, emotional, mental or spiritual level, and if the challenges are ongoing or transient in nature.

Different organs and functions of the body are associated with different planets and Astrological signs and houses. For example, Sex is ruled by Pluto and Scorpio; The penis is ruled by the 8th house of transformation as well as Pluto, Mars and Scorpio; The Menstrual cycle is ruled by the 5th house of creativity and children and the 8th house, as well as the Moon; Seminal fluid is ruled by the Moon; Sperm is ruled by Scorpio, Venus, Jupiter and Mars; Lust and sex appeal are ruled by Venus and Mars; The ovaries are ruled by Venus, Libra, Scorpio and Pluto; Creativity and vitality is ruled by the Sun; And the sex hormones are ruled by Mars and Venus. As a rule of thumb any physical and hormonal differences between males and females are ruled by Mars and Venus and the symbols used in Astrology to depict theses planets are the same symbols used for male and female in a wider sense, including by scientists.

Astrology can be key to conception timing. For example, Astrology can be used to pick the best time to implant eggs in IVF, by avoiding particularly difficult aspects to the Moon. When the Sun and any major planets are in opposition, something an Astrologer can easily check, there is an increase in sunspot activity, magnetic storms, shifts in magnetic fields and cosmic radiation. Dr Eugen Jonas, who also discovered the Lunar Peak (which I will discuss later) found these can have subtle and sometimes not so subtle deleterious affects on germs cells as well as newly fertilized eggs. As a mother of a child with a birth defect and now in my 40s this is something I would investigate if I decided to conceive another child.

Sometimes there are transient challenges to fertility and a particular client always comes to mind when I am trying to illustrate this phenomenon. When this particular client came to see me she and her husband had been trying for their second child for over 2 years. They had both been fully checked over for physical fertility issues and nothing was found to be wrong. She wondered if there was an emotional issue. When I looked at her chart I immediately noticed that the asteroid Chiron was transiting through her 5th house of creativity and children. This means that Chiron was not in her 5th house when she was born, but was temporarily passing through and had been for over 2 years. Chiron in the 5th house is linked to fertility challenges and while this can sometimes be overcome in a birth chart, I felt it was unlikely that pregnancy would be possible until Chiron had moved into the 6th house. The problem was that she was past her mid-30s and Chiron would be in her 5th house for nearly another 5 years. I was very vague about the time line because I was an inexperienced Astrologer at the time and didn't want to upset her, plus I didn't want to plant any firm ideas in her mind that pregnancy would not be possible for the next 5 years; You just never know, very unexpected things can happen. As it turned out one month after Chiron left her 5th house she fell pregnant naturally, and after a smooth pregnancy gave birth to a healthy child at nearly age 42. She and her husband had tried everything in the interim but in this case, it all came down to timing.

The words for menstruation are derived from classical roots meaning month and Moon. Many cultures have made a connection through history between the Moon, women and fertility. The length of the average menstrual cycle is 29.5 days which is the same length as a lunar month.

In Medical astrology the Moon rules the breasts, stomach, uterus and digestion as well as bodily fluids, including amniotic fluid, vaginal mucus and semen. The Moon, like the uterus, constantly changes shape. According to Sagan, author of "Planetary Forces, Alchemy and Healing," the uterus's functions are a perfect embodiment of the symbolism of the Moon and that of Cancer, the sign it rules. The uterus provides a "nidus" or nest for reproduction where the foetus can grow and be nurtured in a warm, fluid-filled protected environment.

"Steiner's vision was that in the past, all women had their menstrual cycle perfectly synchronized with the lunar cycle... and the fact that this is no longer the case indicates an emancipation from cosmic cycles." (Sagan)

A commonly held view is that women are most fertile at full Moon and so should ovulate at this time, and menstruate at the new Moon, but clinical observation and research indicates that lunar cycle synchronization is not so simple, though it has been observed that women are often fertile and conceive at full Moon, even when this does not coincide with mid-cycle ovulation.

In the 1950s, Dr Eugen Jonas, a Czech Psychiatrist,

"identified and assessed a biorhythmic cycle as having an effect on fertility...he concluded that a woman is fertile during the same phase of the Moon that was present when she was born, regardless of whether she was at mid-cycle ovulation." (Naish)

However unlikely this may seem, this finding has been extensively tested by many practitioners and researchers and according to Australian based natural fertility specialist Francesca Naish,

"several researchers have established that this bio-rhythm is like a blueprint for the hormonal cycle, and that the more relaxed, and generally reproductively healthy a woman is, the more likely she is to experience her mid-cycle ovulation at the same phase of the moon that was present at her birth."

Further to this it appears that when a woman is mid-cycle during her birth lunar phase, she is more likely to conceive. The synchronization of the lunar and hormonal cycle has been observed to occur more commonly in woman who are aware of their bodies, such as those who are checking their mucus symptoms, or those who are trying to conceive because they are taking care to be more reproductively healthy. You can read more about mucus symptoms in relation to fertility and natural contraception in Naish's books, "The Natural Way To Better Babies" and "Natural Fertility."

If the menstrual cycle is longer or shorter than a lunar cycle, it may not synchronize with this lunar blueprint and the lunar peak may not coincide with ovulation. Dr Jonas found that in these situations, women were still able to conceive at the lunar peak.

How is this possible? In a study published in the journal "Fertility and Sterility," Pierson and his colleagues found that of the 63 women they studied, only 50 had "normal" menstrual cycles. Thirteen of the 63 women ovulated multiple times, in various different ways, and of the other 50 women, 40% experienced up to three waves of the follicles instead of the expected one. Any one of these follicle waves could have resulted in the production of an egg. The women's hormonal levels did not match this activity and so it follows that measuring hormones in the blood is not enough to predict what is happening in a woman's reproductive system.

Out of mid-cycle ovulations are called spontaneous ovulations and other studies have confirmed that ovulation can also occur out of cycle as a response to sexual stimulation. The woman's lunar peak cycle is usually the priority, but if conception attempts according to the women's cycle have been unsuccessful, experimenting with sexually stimulated spontaneous ovulation might prove successful. The optimum time for this would be during the man's lunar peak, when sperm count is at it's highest.

The lunar peak is found by calculating the angle between the Moon and the Sun at the time of birth, then the monthly return for that angle is calculated by an Astrologer or an Astrological/Astronomical computer program. This will produce 12 or 13 times in a calendar year, one every 29.5 days. The woman is fertile at these times whether or not these dates coincide with her mid-cycle ovulation. Women have also conceived at full Moon even when this did not coincide with their lunar peak or their mid-cycle ovulation.

According to Naish, to increase conception success it is preferable for the ovulation and lunar peak to be synchronized. The following is a list of some ways that have been found to predispose women to ovulating at this lunar peak: becoming generally and reproductively healthy through improving diet and exercising adequately, but not too much, reducing stress, avoiding international air travel and shift work (which are known to disrupt cycles) and being aware of lunar phases. Medical Astrology recommends, by Astrological Moon and Sun sign, adding particular foods and activities to help create harmony and balance, which may assist the synchronization of these cycles.

To conclude, Astrology is a useful tool for understanding an individual's fertility and fertility challenges, for increasing fertility and the chances of conception and is able to provide very practical help in the form of fertile times that fall outside of the mid-cycle ovulation period.


Friday 21 June 2013

Sun into Cancer: Happy June Solstice

Happy June Solstice!

I have been hanging out for the end of June all year. I had June pegged as the promised month because it felt like things were on pause, or we are in a cocoon of sorts waiting for energies to align and fall into place so that we could finally begin to move forward mid-year. It certainly feels like this is about to happen, but it might be another month, perhaps marked by the beginning of the Mayan Calendar's New Year at the end of July, before it really happens. The last year has been really mentally stimulating, and for many, very emotionally overwhelming. While the veils have been thinning between the worlds things haven't exactly been feeling any clearer, at least not for me. The thinning, while making us more sensitive and open, has flooded us with all sorts of seemingly new information on previously unexplored levels, but with Jupiter transiting through Gemini the last year, the mental buzz and expansion has had us exploring the answers with our minds dominating. The mind is a great tool but should it rule? I think not. On the 26th June Jupiter leaves Gemini (it's least comfortable sign placement) and moves into Cancer where it is able to express it's highest vibration! YES, bring it on!!!

After several days of feeling a surge of optimism and expansion with the Sun and Jupiter's once a year meeting, things have started leveling out again. It felt like things were changing for the better but now it feels to me like I tasted many positive and expanded possibilities and now the obstacles to this are becoming clearer. Dare I say it, there is some clarity pouring in as the world of feelings and forward moving Cancer energy starts to take over from the busy world of buzzing Gemini mental energy.

There is a delicious surge of loving and feeling communication pouring in at the moment. Mercury and Venus are meeting in the later degrees of Cancer and it feels to me like any open and loving heartfelt communication will be supported right now, whether this is internal communication or communication with others.

Also approaching in a few days is a trine between the Sun and Neptune which the highly sensitive amongst us may already be experiencing to some degree. This promises to feel dreamy and romantic, maybe even as though our dreams are coming true. With Neptune in the picture however we are wearing rose-coloured glasses and feelings around events and people at this time are likely to be an illusion on some level. On the upside it is an opportunity to take the feelings, dreams and wishes revealing themselves at this time and use them to create these feelings and experiences for real in the coming months and years. We are only limited by our own imagination, or lack there of.

Yesterday evening while listening to music I felt and saw many things begin to expand, spiral up and lift-off! Today my feeling is that this will stem from our true feelings. As long as we are being honest with ourselves, and others, we will be fully supported, but any denial and resistance will have us plummeting into "stuff." This stuff is the unreleased or disowned past and may not even be of our personal creation. Cancer rules the past, family and clan and our inner world. With Saturn touring Scorpio for the next few years it's all about getting deep, feeling and releasing. The focus for the next year will be on the past, family, home and inner world. Time to discern between old emotions and the flow of feelings. Feelings can be intense, deep and painful, but they flow and are lighter than the experience of feeling old stuck emotions as they make themselves known. Understanding the difference will be key to navigating these energies.

The coming year is likely to intensify feelings about home and family and churn up any emotions from the past. How this will feel will depend on how comfortable we are with our feelings, how much inner work we have done or are prepared to do, and how aware and honest we are with ourselves. The Sun always brings out the lighter and sunnier side of any sign so I am seeing this as a month to really enjoy my inner world, family, feelings and home as all things Cancer are expanded by Jupiter for the next year.

May your path be true and flowing now.
Love,
Virginia



Saturday 8 June 2013

Jupiter

When I think about Jupiter words and ideas such as big, expansion, possibilities, excess, meaning, luck, higher truth, righteousness, enthusiasm, quests, stories and opportunities flood through my mind.

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and rotates around the Sun once in every 11 years and 315 days, which means Jupiter changes zodiac signs once a year. Jupiter is changing sign from Gemini to Cancer on June 26th at 02:47 UT/GMT.

In a nutshell Jupiter in Cancer in the collective will bring the focus home; both our physical home and the realm of our inner most world of feelings. We will seek growth and improvement of ourselves through development around family values, security, empathy, instinctive nurturing and emotional support.

According to Robert Hand, "at the most fundamental level Jupiter signifies the individual reaching out to include more and more of the universe and it's experience within himself or herself."

Although Jupiter has it's more challenging side it is considered the most "benefic" planet, and the planet of luck, opportunity and expansion. If we want to look to the area of our lives where we are experiencing the most luck and expansion we look to the house Jupiter is transiting through. In terms of sun sign astrology, when a planet changes sign it also changes house.

The area in our life where Jupiter will be bringing expansion, luck and opportunities for development over the next year are as follows:

Aries
The fourth house of home, personal life, family, the past and our innermost self.

Taurus
The third house of learning, communication, siblings, immediate environment and short journeys.

Gemini
The second house of values, inner resources, self-worth and material security.

Cancer
The first house of self-identity, physical vitality and form, and beginnings.

Leo
The twelfth house of the collective, retreat from the world, karmic lessons and institutions.

Virgo
The eleventh house of friendships, groups, causes, communities and ideals.

Libra
The tenth house of career, social position, public image, parents and authority.

Scorpio
The ninth house of travel, higher learning and life philosophy/religion/spirituality.

Sagittarius
The eighth house of personal transformation and healing, joint resources and what is hidden.

Capricorn
The seventh house of relationships of all kinds, including marriage and partnerships.

Aquarius
The sixth house of health, daily work and rituals, co-workers, service and pets.

Pisces
The fifth house of creative expression, romantic love, children, self-esteem, validation.

* If you know your ascendant/rising sign you use this instead to see which house Jupiter is transiting through in your natal chart.

Thursday 6 June 2013

Sun in Gemini 2013 part 2

At the beginning of the time of the Sun in Gemini I wasn't able to see past the moment I was in, and as a result was not able to write much, but today I find things have definitely become clearer.

The following is from personal observation more than feeling the times and current planetary placements but after conversations with a number of people I know that many are experiencing similar themes. In any case it's all one, above and below, within and without.

The biggest thing I have noticed is that my equilibrium point seems to have shrunk and some days or for periods of most days, I have no idea where it is and begin to question its existence. Events, thoughts, emotions that used to be as though water off a ducks back easily throw me, sometimes in very intense ways. I remember once having been in balance but I forget how to find it again and so I have to apply a whole process that I thought I had already mastered and so no longer needed to be aware of, but not so. I have had to apply what I know in bigger and more creative ways, but with it has come greater awareness of energy and how we interact and affect each other on a myriad of levels.

I have found that some days go from feeling awesome to very challenging within a few minutes, then back again to feeling great, often with no apparent reason, though a number have been related to solar flares and so on.

I have noticed that the intense energy of these times is difficult to channel productively. Where once I would have been charged up, motivated to do things, sleeping less and exploring expanded states I have felt unmotivated, less inspired and sometimes inexplicably physically tired tough my mind at times has been very very busy. Often times I have been caught up in stories and drama that were either old or made very little sense, as though belonging to somebody else, but of course sometimes the dramas have been my own. Little things have been blown out of all proportion because I kept forgetting how much has been in play with the long and just completed first eclipse season of 2013, intense solar activity expected to peak, Neptune transiting Pisces, Saturn transiting Scorpio and the Uranus Pluto square. Plus I have personally been experiencing some intense transits to my natal chart.

No matter how challenging now may feel it certainly isn't dull. There is so much happening around the world, so many things on the verge of happening, it can be felt in our minds, in our bodies, in our emotions, the way energy shifts throughout our body and energy centers, sometimes really intensely, uncomfortably and inexplicably.

I have felt very challenged by third eye and solar plexus energy for quite some time. I have had bouts of dizziness and nausea that have forced me to lie down for extended periods. Sometimes during these periods my being has travelled to far away places, or expanded dramatically, or I've explored great depths and felt a great deepening of my being and sometimes I have felt as though I have contracted completely or I am being squeezed through the eye of a needle. I have had a number of healing dreams and visions, some with major revelations that have brought pieces together in ways I hadn't expected. Sometimes I've resisted and these experiences have been tormenting but other times they have brought the delight and excitement that only the new and promising can.

Who knows where the next week will take us. There certainly feels to be something big on the horizon. I am not sure if the focus will be external or internal, perhaps it will be both in obvious ways or subtle change will creep in so that many don't realise what is happening until it is here. While these shifts and changes may feel intense and challenging at times they serve the highest purpose and allowing and accepting will be the easiest path to take, possibly a very enjoyable one.

Love
Virginia

Saturday 25 May 2013

Sun into Gemini: 20th May 2013 at 9:10pm GMT/UT

I am writing this blog post after the Lunar Eclipse on 25th May. Everything feels more peaceful and lighter than it has in a long while. There is still the feeling that something big is on the horizon but it doesn't feel like life and death as it did only days ago. It feels like we have jumped through a hoop with great success and rewards are on their way, we have only to be open to receiving.

For a while it felt like everything was the wrong way around, as though those who had worked hard for ages were bogged down by the weight of old responsibilities and unable to reap what they had sewed, and those who had arrived later were reaping the rewards instead. Things started shifting about 20 hours ago. I am writing this at 7pm GMT/UT and now it feels as though the burden of old responsibilities has lifted and rewards for hard work are flooding in. For me it's an inner grin, the restoration of my natural light and happy state of being, and all that is created from there.

We are still living in intense, stimulating and often shocking times but this period of the Sun in Gemini carries us on mercury's wings. We are able to better navigate the energetic spectrum of now. We are more able to process in mercurial speed the volumes of information that we are receiving from seemingly everywhere. It feels like our nervous system, mind and body are no longer bogged down by dense energies.While we may still be feeling tired it is not the utter exhaustion of recent weeks, even months. Perhaps the energies we are processing have lightened but I feel it is more that we have upgraded our systems and are better able to deal with all that is happening now.

In Taurus we are deep and sometimes silent within our bodies, but in Gemini we are lighter and more in our minds. This is perfect for now. Many of us who haven't felt like venturing far from home, have avoided social situations or have avoided knowing too much about what has been happening in the world are able to come out into the world now. All of a sudden we are able to handle more stimulation and information.

Personally the difference between now and a week ago is like night and day. I can't exactly put my finger on what is different but my knowing tells me that the tiny adjustments that I have been making daily, with little obvious reward in the moment, have accumulated, pushed me through the eye of a needle and into an expanded now. The relief I feel is immeasurable but I am not in that excited elated state I may once have found myself in under such circumstances, instead I keep catching myself grinning, happy to feel the long missed connection with that something wonderful that I can only describe as being from beyond my wildest dreams. I'm in the expanded but still unfolding here and now after having been through a most unexpected gauntlet of emotional, physical and mental extremes reminiscent of my past. Yay!!!

Once I was able to get a greater sense of the coming month's energy but now I find there is only now. This Sun in Gemini blog post may well have to be written in pieces and pulled together in the fullness of time, or in no time as the case may be...how perfectly Gemini...

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Sun into Taurus 2013, 19th/20th April-21st May.

What an intense few weeks. We had the Sun and Mars (ruler of Aries) along with Mercury and Uranus moving through Aries together. Aries is cardinal fire so action oriented and spontaneous, sometimes aggressive, explosive and passionate. This last week has seen some shocking events, explosions, big earthquakes, intense solar activity, and a few firsts. Personally I experienced this Mars/Aries energy on a very physical level and last week was a very painful experience. I was exhausted and had inflammation in what felt like every muscle in my body, my limbs felt like they were being pulled from their joints and at one point it felt like my head would explode while my nerves felt like they were on fire. In medical astrology Mars/Aries rules inflammation, the muscles, the brain and head, the adrenals and energy, and Uranus rules nerve impulses. I am happy the Sun has moved into Taurus and all that fiery Aries/Mars energy has settled down. At least it has for me.

Now we have the Sun and Venus (ruler of Taurus) moving through Taurus together. Now feels more peaceful and calm than recent weeks and it is easier to stay present and grounded but there is still plenty of buzzing idea energy flying around and ripples and waves of change will continue to affect us, sometimes dramatically. There is a a forward movement energy wave that began yesterday, Monday April 22nd, for me. Remember it is there from now on, lifting, expanding and propelling us into the new when we choose to feel now as being perfect and wonderful.

In Taurus we nurture the seeds we have planted and wait. The time of Taurus is perfect for getting in touch with our body, enjoying the natural world and taking things as they come. Sunday was a perfect Taurus day for me. I slept in, I moved slowly because there was no need to rush and I went for a long leisurely walk through the forest with a friend who showed me what herbs, weeds, flowers and even moss can be eaten nearby where I live.

Now more than ever, the more simply we live, the more time we spend in nature, the less we look outside of ourselves for answers, the more content we will feel.

In a couple of days we will have the first of three eclipses:
1) lunar eclipse April 25th, 7:57:06 pm GMT/UT at 5 degrees 45 Scorpio
2) solar eclipse May 10th 12:28:22 am GMT/UT at 19 degrees 31 Taurus
3) lunar eclipse May 25th, 4:24:55 am GMT/UT at 4 degree 8 Sagittarius

The eclipse season brings intense energy and change and this one is no exception. Usually there is a build up of tension over the eclipse season (which begins a couple of weeks before the first eclipse and ends a couple of weeks after) and usually peaks on the eclipses but interestingly, according to eclipse expert Bernadette Brady, "this series is about the release of tension. A situation which has been lingering will suddenly clear. In the clearing of the problem there is also a sense of grief or loss which is not so much personal as belonging to a group or collective." Sounds like a mixed blessings kind of situation but we will have to wait and see what unfolds over the next month as it is anybody's guess and the energy may lead to many different situations shifting and clearing.

On 8th May the Moon moves into Taurus which means that all of the personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars) will be in Taurus for 28 hours or so until Venus moves into Gemini. I am feeling all kinds of flutters around this but at this stage it is about possibilities. The moon is exalted in Taurus and Venus is very much at home here so I am choosing to see this day as an infusion of Taurus brand Venusian love energy. Venus has come to represent unity. Expect to feel in need, and in pursuit of, unity and pleasurable physical and earthly experiences, whatever that may be for you. May this period bring greater awareness so that we all increase our expressions of love towards our beautiful and very physical planet and all who dwell in and on her!!! Perfect timing for making a new moon wish for love and unity at the new moon solar eclipse on May 10th at 12:28am GMT/UT.

Now is what you make it. Be grateful for what is and as flexible and adaptable as possible for what will unfold. Love.

Friday 12 April 2013

Astro-energy update - 14th April 2013

Powerful energy continues to bombard us and recent themes continue this week. We may act more spontaneously, passionately, and erratically than usual. We may feel powerful and together one day, and lost or wanting to escape our lives the next. Our old ways of understanding everything are falling short more often than not and we are being forced to "fly by the seat of our pants" as the new and usually unfamiliar is being woven into our reality and experience in powerful ways. Some of us are becoming more and more comfortable with feeling out of control as never before in this erratic overlap between the new and the old, but many of us are frightened, confused, angry, or in denial, but it just keeps coming! Adaptability is our greatest advantage, that and the belief in "no limits" creativity.

You may find yourself flipping from one idea to another and finding an idea great one day, terrible the next and perfect again the day after! There are so many ideas and possibilities flying around. Some may seem far fetched, even impossible but there they are flashing away in our minds again and again, tempting us, until we say maybe, why not, even yes! We may feel like we have no idea what is going on. We are in idea overload but the more we just allow it to happen, without trying to understand, the easier our navigation through now will be. Sometimes it may feel as though we are fighting for our lives, or our sanity, power, place or purpose. It may not make sense but it can feel like every moment is make or break!!!

The seeds of our possibilities are being planted. This has been the case for at least a year and will continue for a while longer. Unbeknownst to us these possibilities have been harvested from deep within our beings for just this time and now they are being presented to our aware selves as ideas and possibilities. We are being given opportunities to try these on and if they feel right we can plant them with thoughts like yes, why not, but what will grow and harvest in coming months depends on how open, how trusting, how playful, how adaptable, and how nurturing and loving we are to every part of our being.

Everything is unfolding perfectly and even if we can't see it, believing so will change everything. Others have said this before me: If you do not believe, you cannot see. It is all about what we believe, and just as what we believe can change in an instant, so too can what we see and experience.

We are in truly amazing and miraculous times, but to truly experience this, we must first believe that it is so.










Tuesday 9 April 2013

10th April, 2013: Wishing you a perfect New Moon and all that you wish for

Instead of writing these Sun Signs in the usual way I have decided to write a New Moon wish for each sign. The New Moon is a potent time to sew the seeds of your wishes. Whatever you wish for, may it be in alignment with your truth, and may you experience it unfolding in perfect time.

Aries
May you be true to your self, yet patient, direct, yet fair.

Taurus
May you dwell in your truth, and may peace and gentleness be experienced within and without.

Gemini
May your word be of truth and your mind of peaceful knowing.

Cancer
May you feel comfortable, fulfilled and true wherever you are, whatever you are doing.

Leo
May you sparkle and create in the power of your truth.

Virgo
May you discern in truth what serves you and others.

Libra
May you achieve balance between honouring your truth and maintaining harmonious relations with others.

Scorpio
May you live deeply your truth and purpose.

Sagittarius
May you find truth in your meaning and meaning in your truth.

Capricorn
May your truth reveal your mountain and your mountain reveal your truth.

Aquarius
May truth be your greatest inspiration.

Pisces
May you dream your truth and be true to your dreams.


Tuesday 2 April 2013

April 3rd, 2013

Aries
Focus is the challenge now, not whether you can, but what to focus on. You have many choices. Learning the art of quiet contemplation would help but you will need to slow down first.

Taurus
It is as though your head is in your heart right now, and perhaps you are not as still as usual. If you pay attention to how your body reacts to your every thought your heart will tell you precisely what is right for you.

Gemini
Don't think too much, you'll miss your truth speaking through your feelings. It is more than likely that such advice will fall on deaf ears but if you do dare dip your toe into the world of feelings you will be amazed by what you discover there.

Cancer
It is likely the world is feeling really overwhelming right now and you may be coming across a bit prickly. Any time spent alone will be time well spent and any knots in your stomach will be able to work their way out.

Leo
Look after that heart! The line between your mental body and your physical body is thinner than ever. Practice the art of allowing all perceived criticism to roll away like water off a duck's back. Your body will thank you for it.

Virgo
Now is a good time to ground some of those ideas, even the ones you have scrutinized and put aside as near impossible. Discerning what will work and what won't will become effortless the moment you apply your critical gift to the idea rather than to yourself, thus allowing your intuition to flow freely from gut to mind.

Libra
Relationships are more challenging than usual. This has likely been keeping your mind uncomfortably busy which may have led to you feeling physically out of balance. Find a beautiful place to spend some time alone and recharge.

Scorpio
There is a great deal of clearing out and restructuring going on under the surface and perhaps you are detoxing or turning out your house for a Spring or Autumn clean as well. Whatever it is, your physical being will benefit as a result. Go with it.

Sagittarius
Is it possible that you have slowed down for a moment? Now is the perfect time to do a little less in the physical and take the time to do some inner work. You'll be overflowing with great new ideas and an abundance of energy afterwards if you do!

Capricorn
Surfing the waves of emotional intensity is usually not your strong point but you are likely to be getting plenty of practice at the moment! Remember, it's all good!

Aquarius
Although you don't do feelings as comfortably or as obviously as some of the other signs you certainly have them. Channeling your emotional energy into altruistic pursuits will make a big positive impact right now so if you are feeling a call to serve in some way, get busy!

Pisces
In many ways you are in your element as Neptunian energy floods the collective. Perhaps you could serve by helping others less familiar with these energies navigate through the fog and so help raise the collective consciousness?














Monday 1 April 2013

Beginning of the Solar New Year: Sun in Aries Beginning 22nd March, 2013.

This is a little late because I only decided to write these monthly astro energy reports again yesterday! 

Happy Solar New Year! Happy Equinox!

When I look at the chart for the moment the Sun moves into Aries in 2013 it feels like a dartboard with the centre being the heart centre! There is a sense of darts or arrows finding their target with ease. This is wonderful if fired from a place of love, truth and true feeling, but if fired from a place of fear, anger or deception the shock waves created when the target is hit will feel very uncomfortable and may have unfortunate consequences until a conscious shift is made! 

Everything is speeding up and we are rapidly gaining momentum. If you are heading off in uncomfortable or unfavorable directions best to pull up as quickly as possible. Conditions are such that it is unlikely you will change directions without a very conscious effort because there are so many thoughts and emotions flying around that easily stick to any part of you that is in alignment with them.

The good news is that if you change directions and commit to following your truth and core heart knowing, no matter how crazy it may seem, you will be well supported, sometimes in miraculous seeming ways! Choose a direction against the grain of your truth and you'll still get what you want, possibly in lightening fast speed, but it will feel very wrong. The truly wonderful thing now is that the learning curve, though hard, will be fast, and many directions and possibilities can be explored quickly. Any movement towards truth, knowing and true purpose will receive near instant confirmation! This confirmation will always be in feeling, but it will also come in other wonderful ways!

It feels as though we have been given super fine tuning dials but most of us have underdeveloped motor skills at this stage so we are constantly having to compensate for our accidental over turning. We are learning to refine our reactions to everything as waves of new awareness ripple through us, often unexpectedly! Years of inner work with little to moderate results, or so it seemed, is paying off. Don't miss it by judging yourself or those around you. Best to simply acknowledge and love, whatever is being shown to you! 

This all makes for a very intense time when falling out of alignment can happen quickly and easily, but getting back into alignment can also happen quickly and easily. Now is full of possibilities and leaps in consciousness. I'm really looking forward to seeing and experiencing what love grows from the seeds of our truth.

Tuesday 26 March 2013

1st April 2013 - Astronergy™ Healing One-Liners




Aries
Wow! Look out! You are on fire and making an impact and by mid-April your mouth will have caught up with the rest of you.

Taurus
You are still treading emotionally deep waters but your feet will find more solid ground by mid-April.

Gemini
It’s time to come up for air and face what you have been avoiding and yes, this will more than likely include experiencing those pesky things called emotions.

Cancer
It’s all out there now! Nothing to do but wait and see what comes back to you.

Leo
Nothing wrong with roaring and now is the perfect time to express the true you as creatively as possible. Holding back will only hurt you!

Virgo
High time you threw off the shackles of your own creation. If you don’t it will be like trying to squeeze yourself into an ever shrinking space.

Libra
Love, love, love, just the way you love it, but in order to receive it you will have to dig deep and be more open than ever before.

Scorpio
You may still be feeling a bit restricted but if you can find some middle ground a new way forward will open up.

Sagittarius
Shoot those arrows now, but dare to do it with heart and feeling. Luck is where your true feelings are.

Capricorn
What happens when you have dug as far as you can and are running low on resources? Ask somebody for assistance. No man or woman is an island, not even you! You need a break, or better yet, a holiday.

Aquarius
You might have to look somewhere new for bright ideas. Your usual source may seem a bit foggy right now!

Pisces
You have a lot going on. The good news is that feeling your way has never been more “in” and as productive as it is right now! You know what to do!