Speaking of consultations, I wanted to let you know that I'm pleased to be able to offer a holiday special til the end of the year!

** Initial consultations are now 15% off ($85) Take advantage of this special and gift a second reading to yourself or a friend for only $35! **

If you've never had an astrological consultation with me before, this is the time to try it out. I'm feeling so grateful for the amazing opportunities with which I was gifted this year, I'm truly excited to be able to make myself more available to you and your loved ones. Consultations shed light on your current circumstances and make appropriate choices clearer to you, as well as help you learn more about yourself and what's coming up in the year ahead. I'm also available for counseling sessions and feng shui consultations, to which these discounts can also apply.

Please see the "scheduling" page under the "consultation" tab above in order to schedule. See the "payment" page to pay by PayPal or credit card, and for my new mailing address if you are paying by check or money order.

Thanks and may you be blessed with love and joy this holiday season and the whole year ahead! 2012 is coming up fast..

While under the influence of Pisces we can feel a bit scattered, unfocused, or foggy, this energy allows us the freedom to fantasize and explore possible scenarios of rebirth without restriction, and also gives us the chance to release what is no longer relevant to the journey. Like moving through actual fog, we might not be able to see where the road leads at the moment, but we need only place one foot in front of the other to get where we're going. A useful strategy can be to employ Shaman's sight, which is the meditative practice of letting your vision blur or fuzz out in order to take in the Gestalt of the environment. Another level of information is available just beyond the veil of form.

It is normal to feel extra sensitive, moody, escapist, or ungrounded at this time. Let yourself drift and daydream; guidance may come in a subtle flash of inspiration – especially as Uranus sits at the very last degree of Pisces, preparing to enter Aries on March 11th. Practicing compassion for ourselves and others allows us room to acknowledge all parts of the self, even the dark and uncomfortable ones which we usually repress. There is an opportunity to be with the wholeness of your being in a gentle way should you direct your attention within and take a look. Dreamwork and meditation are highly recommended as these practices help us access our normally hidden self-states. If we are not attached to outcomes at this point it can be a highly inspiring and creative time – setting the emotional stage for the huge leaps forward we will be asked to take in the next couple of months. 

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you truly love." ~ Rumi

Ten years ago I was heavily attached to incorporating astrology into my clinical psychology BA and repeatedly warned against doing so. I hand-wrote an eleven-page natal chart interpretation for my neuropsych professor in an attempt to convince him I wasn't crazy and I ended up publicly ridiculed. I have gotten lower grades than I deserved on papers because of it and was plainly told by my advisor that I was 'headed down the wrong path'. However I felt I had no choice but to keep trying to show people how amazing astrology was. My strong Uranus didn't care if I was perceived as loony because clearly THEY were the loons for refusing the chance to experience astrology's ingenious beauty… how effectively it can be used to assess temperament and clarify the treatment plan, to promote healthy introspection and help process trauma. I tolerated the intolerance and did what I had to do to graduate from that program but there was no way I could justify leaving psychological astrology behind in my studies.

Later I was blessed to find (or, choose) the transpersonal psychology graduate program at JFK University, which thrust me into a thriving gifted community including the likes of Greg Bogart, Stephanie Austin, Rick Tarnas, Glenn Perry, and many others who are happily and successfully integrating astrology with psychology. I believe that aside from what we must do to get the diplomas we are ultimately responsible to ourselves for our own education – including not only what and how much we choose to study but also where we happen to skip over things or take a "safe" route due to pressure from others. We always have a choice as to what and whom we align with.

So in case it may help anyone who reads this – I was told not to, I did it anyway, and I survived, and I may actually be a better astrologer for it. If only because it helped propel me into deeper study so I could prove them wrong (oh Uranus..) Having elected to work with both strong Uranus and Saturn in this lifetime, I do value inspired renovation of the established structures. I usually seem to end up blending in with institutions while influencing change just by (innocently?) insisting upon living my truth. I learned that as long as I honestly accept me and what I'm for, the people I attract and deal with usually end up falling in step with that, and those who don't end up being inconsequential.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss

There will be a number of opportunities for us to make quantum leaps this year and this is one of them. As this month begins with the New Moon conjunct Mars at 6:31 pm PST this evening we are witnessing some highly charged events happening around the world. There is mass awakening going on all over, and it may feel a little uncomfortable. This is a moon that is meant to get us moving over the next month. After the serious focus on life structures and reassessment of goals last month in Capricorn, Aquarius is a time of liberation, revelation, and progressive change for the good of the whole. It is the time to break free from limiting and conservative approaches that haven't worked and open to innovative solutions to the challenges that inevitably come with building an empire. The presence of Mars with this New Moon could add some frustration and pressure if we aren't somehow exercising our freedom to separate from the old ways. 

Today Mercury sextiles Uranus and Venus squares it, making us even more jumpy, adding to the excitement and supporting this foray into the new. Stories of freedom, eccentricity, new technology, and yes, wacky weather may be flooding the news. We will continue to see some surprises as the month unfolds. Around these few days Venus is on the Galactic Center and beaming some extra potent quantum energy at our hearts. I'm hearing some reports of heart issues, openings and palpitations, and shortness of breath. It may help to do some intentional deep breathing or get a little exercise to move the energy if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed (especially if you've been snow-bound with a touch of cabin fever!) Later this week, Venus will move into Saturn's sign Capricorn to exchange notes with Saturn in Venus's sign Libra – balanced reality-based relationships will be an important goal in the next few weeks.

Within the bigger picture, Jupiter has moved back into Aries as of January 22 but Uranus still lags behind at the end of Pisces – this may have us feeling like we are split between worlds in an inspired liminal space. We may have a ton of ideas we are impatient about implementing but there are still some things to clear up and release before Uranus will help facilitate a boost of real change in Aries on March 11, which interestingly is right around the time that Carl Calleman has stated as the beginning of the last section of the Mayan Calendar, the Universal Underworld and the Dawn of the Unity Wave. Full light speed ahead! For now we are asked to do more releasing and trusting of paths we are on that we cannot yet see. 

The good news: we are at the midpoint between the Solstice and the coming Equinox, Imbolc or Candlemas, representing the return of the light and spring on it's way for the Northern Hemisphere! Do you feel time going faster and faster? Be ready for everything to continue to accelerate over the next few years. Practice enjoying periods of stillness in the moment and appreciation for this great shift we are all experiencing together.

There are some big astrological events in 2011, ones that support major shifts. Most of 2010 was spent preparing for these events – in the form of losses, endings, physical releasements (illness) and emotional confusion. A lot of residual "stuff" was forced up and out and we were faced with aspects of ourselves that are not so pleasant and/or we thought we had dealt with already. If this happened to you, rest assured that you weren't moving backwards, only clearing the decks for the light to flood in and take over. If this didn't happen to you, perhaps you don't have that much old outworn ego-story material to clear, or you've released as much as you are currently ready to. Others are already aware of it but largely ignoring it and pushing it down (good luck with that… sick much lately?)

The point is that it will be challenging to move forward if you are repeating old beliefs to yourself that don't serve you anymore. Stories that support the existence of what Winnicott would call "the false self" – this is the identity you created to help you move through the world and get your needs met when you were young. Example: a client had developed a pattern of always deferring to others in her life because this is how she survived her childhood with an alcoholic father who wanted all of the attention in the family. It is now time for that woman to reclaim her power and let go of that (now unconscious) 

pattern of behavior, because deferring to others does not serve her anymore and is actually diminishing her quality of life. These patterns become ingrained in us and we often don't even realize they are hurting us or holding us back; we think "it's just the way life is". This is the type of psychic material that is due to go. It is time for us all to get painfully real with ourselves. But it will only be painful if we resist letting go and trying out new ways of being and living. A blessing that will assist in this process is the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus on the same day of this eclipse, which also makes a nice trine with Venus. Take a chance, and sudden luck and expansion may befall you! But more importantly, Jupiter/Uranus can be a spontaneous shifting (Uranus) of beliefs and faith (Jupiter) – this can help facilitate the releasing of the old and outworn mentioned above. Venus also squares Neptune which pokes at the mirages and further supports awareness around idealized situations. 

We're entering a crossroads year. You have a choice now, maybe many choices. It's time to decide what you want your life to look like and act on it, after the purging and readjustments we've been going through during the past two years. This eclipse invites us to intentionally choose a different reality, as Saturn, the ruler of or outlet for Capricorn, is squaring or challenging this new moon it rules. We are being asked to take realistic measured steps toward our futures. Remember that eclipses have longer term effects, and we usually see results in 3 month increments (3, 6, 9, and 12 months from when they happen) – the most dramatic likely happening at 6 months. It's a great time to set goals for yourself and take some practical steps toward them with those time frames in mind.

May your authentic self meet much joy, wealth, and light this year! As I say at the end of all my rituals and focused intents, "And so it is."

The planetary combination most responsible for this right now is Mars, Pluto, Mercury, and the North Node all meeting up at the beginning of Capricorn. Saturn, the ruler of or "outlet" for Capricorn, is in Libra, a sign in which it functions well, supporting and expediting this potentially volatile and impactful combination. We are in the process of a breakdown and renovation of old outworn structures that no longer serve us. New truths are emerging that we may not fully understand or have a context for yet, similar to what we experienced in brief this past summer. It is a time of release and purging of the old, while we're being invited to open our collective awareness in new ways. Even if you have your head in the sand in your personal life it's hard to ignore the hidden truths beginning to emerge in the outer world, one of the most prominent examples being the spotlight on Wikileaks. This pronounced battle between truth and secrecy in the public arena is evidence of the established systems being challenged and tested for functionality and validity. Saturn likes to clear things up, make them real, obvious, and unmistakable. Reality comes out.
In addition we have a Total Lunar Eclipse happening right before the Winter Solstice (Dec 21 at 12:14 am PST). It will be visible for all of North America – look for the moon to be a rich russet color at that time. Full Moons are about culmination and something big is culminating with this one. We are at the end of the calendar year and this eclipse happens on what astrologers call an "anaretic degree", which is the 29th and last degree of each sign. These are the most ripe expressions of the signs, and there can be a certain "extinction explosion" intensity when planets cross these degrees. With Moon in Gemini and the Sun in Sagittarius, we are confronted with the balance between facts and their broader meanings, and releasing imbalances like overrationalization and extremism. 

Historically people had a great collective fear of eclipses when we didn't know what they actually were; people thought the gods were angry and/or the world was ending. There is still some mystery around what exactly eclipses do astrologically, but it is something similar to a doorway between worlds. They are like portals – we have a chance to get to places that may not have been heretofore accessible, at least not easily. Think of them as opportunities to warp or jump ahead to other potential timelines in your life. They are wild cards, and groundbreaking change is possible if you're ready. To be ready, start to let go of what's no longer working and hold a general idea of what you want to bring into your life. Be honest with yourself about what needs to be cleared out to make that happen. One of my teachers, Stephanie Azaria, says to deal with eclipses "apply your consciousness in the general direction of what you want, and allow yourself to be moved to where you truly want to be." So even if you're not sure what that is, focus on how you want to feel.

Also significant on the day of the Winter Solstice eclipse, Venus (finally!) emerges from her retrograde shadow (the degrees of the zodiac she has been trekking through and dealing with since early September) The love and money lessons and challenges we've dealt with since then will start to come to some real resolution, if they haven't already. Venus spent this entire retrograde cycle in a section of the zodiac called the "via combusta" – traditionally a rather tough place for any planet – and we have been sorely tested on self-worth and relationships this fall. Did you pass?

A number of people have reported they are so ready for change but are wondering where it is or how it's going to happen. But with Mercury retrograde until December 30th, right now is more about sorting and releasing. Continue to have patience with the process. Stay unattached to the outcomes and ruminate on what you'd like to see happen for you in the coming year. January will see new influences coming in that require a lot of space, flexibility, and openness. Clear out as much old energy as you can now to make room for them, but don't forget to make room for fun and joy as well. Enjoy the holidays!

Midway through Venus' retrograde period she backtracks over the Sun, and this affects the second part of her journey before she turns direct (Nov 18th). When Venus starts to rise in the morning before the Sun, it's like the Sun is pushing her up, supporting her from underneath. She becomes Venus as "morning star", which means she can start to be seen in the morning before the sun rises. This is traditionally a feisty warrior version of the feminine; where she begins to act on the power she has reclaimed in the underworld. A number of astrologers say now is a time to move forward – I'd like to add "with caution" at this time (and not just because i am Cancerian ). Mars has just moved into Sagittarius and we may feel like enthusiastically leaping head first into new territory, without looking.
Mars into any fire sign is going to activate a part of our vitality that seeks expression. In Sagittarius he takes on the role of the adventurous crusader, fighting for truth and freedom. Right now with Venus still retrograde, it would be wise to proceed with care in terms of relations and finances. When Mars enters Sagittarius after saturation in deep Scorpio waters he is all about freedom and exploration. There's a degree of flexibility that is welcome but we are still dealing with the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Scorpio. Keep a sense of adventure about you, in your own endeavors. Relationships and finance issues are still being worked through – this is shifting at the moment, but do not expect instant change. From what I hear a lot of us have been attempting to run through romantic and fiscal molasses, and right now it would be beneficial to give these situations some time and only push on them where there's give. After their romance in the dark wood last month, Venus and Mars are almost a full sign away from each other now (Scorpio-Sagittarius) and are involved in different pursuits. This can feel like quite a test. Mars is enthusiastically pushing forward into new territory and Venus is backtracking to clean up the ….. and she still needs space to comb through the muck to really understand which self-states she has neglected or let slip out of balance with others (which is a focus for the duration of her retrograde cycle). Stop staring after Mars and let go for now. Venus will be primed for her own adventures and will be a little more relational coming up, especially when she turns direct on the same day as Jupiter next month! (Nov 18th)

Also the asteroid Juno (representing partnership bonds and commitment) moved into Virgo on October 3rd for an extended 10 month(!) stay; a dry and austere place for Juno to be. This is a very long time for Juno to be in a sign, because it will turn retrograde at the last degree of Virgo and have to go through the whole sign again. Room must be made for self-improvement and a creative relationship to our inner selves. This will help all of us balance our relationship issues (as Saturn in Libra has been pressing us to do) and is essential for our wholeness as individuals. Attending to this will allow us to approach our relations from a more personally solid and authentic place when Juno moves into Libra next year. Take some time to explore what really feeds you and what you need to do to feel complete and whole within you. Here's your chance to cultivate yourself into the person that your ideal mate would want as a mirror. How can you better show up for YOURSELF first?

The Sun-Saturn conjunction today is helping with this. A Sun-Saturn theme is self-realization and growth as a result of cutbacks. It can make us feel heavy or blocked but it brings about a clearing. In Libra we are bringing our awareness to what's out of balance with ourselves and our relationships. The Sun-Saturn conjunction is also square the lunar nodes, points of karmic/soul connection. It's a good time to make some space to work on the soul contracts you have with others, if it hasn't already been made for you. Mercury is finally out of his recent retrograde shadow and will be moving into Libra and over the Sun and Saturn during the next couple weeks. This will bring up more of the cardinal cross tension that was going on all summer and help us make better sense of it in our heads.Also the last of the four Mars-Venus conjunctions is upon us – completing an 18-month dance between aspects of our feminine and masculine selves. Relationships, creative projects, and personal integration processes that have been on the table since June of 2009 are culminating into something or being taken to a new level. Creation is becoming not so much about direct cause and effect anymore as it is a result of internal balance and focused intent, from the heart. This is something we can learn with Sun-Saturn in Libra, too. 

Venus is about to turn retrograde in Scorpio on Oct 8. She will descend into the underworld in search of parts of herself she has left behind. She does this every retrograde period but this time while in Scorpio she will want to go extra deep. She must plumb the depths of her own tortured heart in order to achieve a new level of understanding of what it means to merge. Mars has helped her blaze the trail in the dark wood this far. As he is the traditional ruler of Scorpio, he is her guide for the moment. He will see her to a certain point this weekend, then she must turn back and he will go on ahead. Learn what survival skills you can from Mars now, and relish in the passion we're enjoying from their romantic adventure in the dark forest for the next week.

If you'd like to know more about how this upcoming Venus retrograde cycle will affect you personally, I'm currently offering a 20% discount on 30-minute readings! Please email me for details. 

From what I heard a number of us were energetically clobbered. With the Sun square Pluto and soon to conjunct Saturn after this face-off with the Moon, we are being confronted with.. something. Maybe many things. And we know it. This next week will be a process in understanding why and working it out. Sun conjunct Saturn asks us to take responsibility, and Sun square Pluto will not let us ignore things for long. When we are asked to deal with hard aspects like the square it helps to observe the friction first then release it. In that order. The planets can then go their own ways. It's much easier to let go and move out of conflict when it's first fully acknowledged. This is true with any psychological trigger or emotional snag we attempt to untangle.

The good news is that all this gristle propels us forward by asking us to choose new ways of dealing with it. We are making room for the new while sorting through the rubble of the old, and it's a PROCESS. Don't expect yourself to be anywhere other than where you are RIGHT NOW. There are just some parts of us that are ready and some that are not. This is interpreted by our brains as conflicting information and not ok. But it's a transitional space and we could all benefit from having a bit of compassion for it. After the intense energetic downloads we experienced this summer our psyches now have a foot in each world, and this full moon really emphasized it. With Jupiter and Uranus retrograding back into Pisces we are being reminded to care for our souls and emotions all fall, as well as helping each other catch up – even though you have more than enough of your own shit to transmute. Because you are me and I am you and there are outer planets involved in this birth, which make things happen on the level of the collective. Also, as we move further into the Aquarian age the individual and the collective are merging to some degree. (more about that soon..)

Since we've already experienced Jupiter and Uranus in Aries this summer and they are now back into Pisces, it may feel like we are sinking deep back into our old ways/stories against our wills. I know, you couldn't be more effing done right now with everything that is no longer vibrationally resonant with you. But Pisces and Aries are the very end and beginning of the zodiac so that should give you an idea of how big this transition is. Saturn and Pluto also touched into two of the cardinal signs and dipped back into their respective mutable signs during the past couple years. Think of this as a blessing. We are being given glimpses of the new and now we have an idea (somewhat) about what kind of situations we're moving toward. If it didn't happen this way we might be less able to successfully integrate and sustain it in the long term. I like to think of all planetary retrograde periods as gifts – another chance to 'get it' on levels we weren't ready or able to during the first pass.

Current useful strategies include just watching what's happening and staying flexible, grounded, and laughing when we can. And LOVE, always.

(Please feel free to write to me with clarification questions about anything i'm talking about here. I also invite you to ask questions that could inspire blog topics.)

For right now, today, the Sun is still at 28 degrees of Virgo – this is significant because it has been opposing Jupiter and Uranus at 28 degrees of Pisces. I've been getting reports from friends and clients of high weirdness, frustration, confusion, and physical symptoms (overall bodyaches headaches/sinus/ear stuff, myself included). With 3 planets at late degree mutable signs this brings up still more unfinished material for completion and/or release (just when you thought you were done..)

Our consciousness is opening (Sun) to a huge influx of divine light inspiration (Jupiter/Uranus) but we have to make room in our psyches to be able to take it in. Again, the best strategy is to LET GO of expectations and beliefs you never thought you could. Really. It's ok. You will live. Try some new ones on for size. Maybe ones you never thought you would. You don't have to keep them. But playing with this will allow the planets some room to initiate the newness that wants to come in to your life at the equinox.

This is a major turning point. You are being reborn (again? yes). Release everything that does not serve your new life. You will know what that is. If you don't yet, sit and be still in the silence for a bit, and listen. What is your heart saying?

It also may be a good time to do a focused intent ritual. This full moon squares the eclipse point of June 26, 2010 – think about what was going on for you 3 months ago, now, and what you'd like to see happen in 3-6 months. And ASK for it. There are new rules. One of them is staying as open as possible, and another is taking control of your life and actualizing who YOU know you REALLY are. Another one is showing up by remembering to source yourself from within, and by summoning the courage to reclaim the power you have always had.