The Eleventh House

I AM IN

2014-02-02T09:32:00.002-08:00

I AM IN

I am in when it comes to the Seahawks and I am in when it comes to this blog. I haven't disappeared, I am still here. I'm a Seahawks fan. Living and breathing the air here in the Pacific Northwest. Seeing and living the fun and exciting atmosphere when it comes to cheering for the Seahawks has been great. Even people who used to claim they were not into this Football "thing" are wearing blue and green, people of all ages, all views, everywhere - there is anticipation and feeling of belonging. The sports fan in me is officially stepping out of the closet. It brings a smile to my face that I see there is the 12th Man everywhere. The 12th Man made it even across the Atlantic. I smiled when I opened my phone a couple of days ago and there was a picture of my 87 years old grandma wearing a Seahawks hat.

Nowhere have I seen so much passion and excitement before the big game than in the wonderful Scorpio city - Seattle. It has been great to see and witness the fun and exciting atmosphere here. Even people who used to claim they were not into this Football "thing" are wearing blue and green, people of all ages, all views, everywhere - there is anticipation and feeling of belonging. It is a feeling of being a part of a community. The overall mood is so strong and so warm, it feels great to see some blue and green colors, since we got so accustomed to seeing only the gray. And when the economy and everything else sucks, a lot of people find joy in sports, it is what unites them.

I am so excited about today's game that I feel I can't really give anyone a specific prediction but then I wonder, what good would it do. Here are just some observations for tomorrow. If kick off does happen at 6:30 EST, then we would have a Leo Rising. That sets a tone for a show and a big-play energy. A couple of minutes later we could be dealing with a precise and directive Virgo and the game could become more technical. On Super Bowl Sunday, the Moon will be void-of-course in the last degree of Pisces. It just means that the players have to be careful, it may slippery out there, the weather may definitely play a significant role in the outcome. Mercury will be conjunct Nepture and Chiron. The Moon will be Bronco's Part of Fortune on Sunday. On the other hand, the Seahawks have their natal Sun in conjunction with Saturn, which gives one perseverance, hard work, persistence and that usually results in getting what you want after trials and many months of hard work. So if I have to cast my vote I say (without being partial) that this could be the time for the Seahawks to really shine. Hard work, training and also one of the strongest voices of The 12th Man say it all. So I say - Go Hawks.

The Sun is in Aquarius, the Moon, Mercury and Neptune are in Pisces. The Pisces energy could make things a bit more foggy, mental and yes, I am a little afraid that this could be a long game. Things can get "unclear" and foggy - and the team that will perform better is the one who deals better with ambiguity. I wonder which team will it be?

So go ahead, enjoy the game. It is time for me to make some blue and green jello :)

Stay tuned. There is more blogging to come. The 2013 has been a hectic year for me and there was hardly any time to sit down and do blogging. But I am back. I AM IN.

Live Your Life The Pisces Way - Live Now

2013-03-03T00:32:00.000-08:00

I am a Pisces - the last sign of the Zodiac – a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Who am I? On some days Pisces is like a proud Lion, on other days, like a chatty Gemini. On some days you might feel like the world class traveler – Sagittarius. All of the signs combined, Pisces closes the circle of the Zodiac. It encompasses all of the signs; it can act like a chameleon. My Pisces friends you can see I am poking fun at my own sign. To tell you the truth it took me some years to finally embrace the idea of Pisces. Many times I have asked myself the same question – who am I? Pisces is supposed to be free spirited, careless, gypsy like traveler of the world. Although I have long acknowledged my life’s direction on the path of Pisces, I have struggled a lot to embrace the idea of some kind of carefree, foggy, intangible sense of freedom. I am growing, or better yet, becoming Piscean and honestly, I love it. Growing pains? Yes!

No other sign (except maybe for Scorpio) gets so much bad press. The story goes like this. Pisces is having a pity party tonight; vodka and absinth are being served. Everyone will eventually pass out or drown themselves in their own sorrow. Pisces is vague, non-communicative, and escapist, martyr like sign. Even the thought of Pisces makes me tired. Emotionally, at least. Delusional, hiding from the reality freaks, suicidal, mentally weak individuals – that is Pisces. Compassionate but selfish friends - that is also yet another description of Pisces. These are hard to decipher kind of people and mostly the weeping willows of our society. They say that there are two kinds of Pisces swimming in the ocean. The low tide ones are what the world considers to be the scum of our society (please forgive me for saying this) and the high tide Pisces are the artists, the psychics, the healers and the saviors. Hmm - I am not an artist, neither a psychic nor a healer - a savior perhaps? How about the low tide fish? Where are you? Can’t decide?

Here is my take on it. There are many of us Pisces. There are the minnows, the whales, the sharks and the goldfish. Which of these fish are you? What good do we Pisceans bring to Earth? Taurus brings beauty and stability, Capricorn has work ethic and reliability, Cancer encompasses caring. Well, I think that Pisces can teach us about their ability to go with the flow. To let things evolve, to let things just happen. As a Taurus Rising, I had to learn to embrace it. Being a Pisces means that you are embracing the Piscean, you are becoming a Pisces. In my case, I have been embracing the constant change, the evolution on one’s life, the changing times and the changing life. Once I have realized that it is my life and ultimately I am the one who has to live it and love it I became aware of the true nature and the very own meaning of this sign.

Bon Jovi’s song It Is My Life sums it up.

Jon Bon Jovi (born John Francis Bongiovi on March 2, 1962) is an American musician, philanthropist and the lead singer of the rock band, Bon Jovi. With Libra Rising, Jon Bon Jovi’s dominant planet is Venus - the planet of charm and seduction. People with dominant Venus generally follow their heart and their passion. They love the world, they love life. Moon is another dominant planet in his chart and that gives the native emotional and imaginative nature. As far as the dominant signs, Jon Bon Jovi’s most important signs are Aquarius, Pisces and Libra. Aquarius is the futuristic voice, the humanitarian. This voice can be heard in each and every song by Bon Jovi. Ranging from simple observations on life to revolutionary undertones, the songs are for sure going to grab you and make you wonder – what is good, why is life the way it is, why we have suffering, inequality, sadness and all of that. The songs have become the hymns of my generation, expressing our frustration, dreaming our dreams, painting the mosaic of our life. Pisces is the artist, yes, but it is also the compassionate voice that wants to be definitely heard. Libra is the gentleness of Jon Bon Jovi’s presence. He is not only an outstanding artist but also a notable philanthropist. Artists usually come and go. Spice Girls were created seems like out of nowhere, then they went their own way, we forgot their songs. They reappeared again. Jon Bon Jovi’s Sun and Venus are both in the Fifth House. Bon Jovi’s light still shines on. Jon Bon Jovi radiates through his love of life, his quest for individuality and fairness, his altruistic mind.

Living your life the way you want is what will ultimately bring you happiness, a sense of freedom. You only have one chance, right? Go with the flow but also go your own way. Be flexible in the unpredictable sea of changes, be fearless and don’t shy away from troubles. The future might not be the brightest my friends, but if you live your life to its fullest, if you risk a little, have fun a little and not worry so much, you may enjoy your life more. What I learned from Pisces is really what the song It Is My Life is all about. Just trying to live day by day, live to the fullest and live your life.

“It's my life, it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
It's my life
My heart is like the open highway
Like Frankie said I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive

It's my life”

So my Pisces and non-Pisces friends - live your life. Regardless of what others say, regardless of Neptune in Pisces, or Pluto in Capricorn, Vatican in the middle of a huge crisis, sequester cuts in the U.S. , regardless of the fact that the economy is in shambles, that there is no security left for folks out there anymore. Live your life whether you have a fat savings account or nothing at all. You have one life to live. Live your life.

Happy Birthday Jon Bon Jovi! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to my Pisces friends!

Don’t forget the Margaritas.

Until next time!

My Sweet Valentine

2013-02-15T11:21:00.002-08:00

Yesterday, many people celebrated Valentine’s Day. No matter how you spent your day I am pretty sure that your e-mail, Facebook, Twitter or perhaps even your mailbox had some kind of Valentine’s Day message. Whether it is love towards others or cultivating self-love, the messages I have received ranged from serious to funny. One thing, however, I expected the least. When I read the news as I usually do as a part of my morning mantra, I surely did not expect to find in the headlines this truly sad, conflicting and confusing Valentine’s Day story gone wrong. In this story something went just wrong, really wrong.

Oscar Pistorius, a South African athlete, the “Blade Runner” has been charged with murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp who used to be the sweetheart of South Africa . She was, according to people who knew her a ‘beautiful, sweet soul.’ She was shot four times at the home of Oscar Pistorius, 9-mm pistol was found at the scene and a lot of questions are still unanswered. This is, indeed, a very confusing story. This happened in the early hours of February 14, the day we often say - My Sweet Valentine.

Ever since Neptune entered Pisces, we have been given stories that resemble a labyrinth, with many possible endings, information missing, not enough facts and stories that just seem distorted and unreal. What is real? The manhunt for Christopher Dorner, Navy Vet and ex-Cop was like that all the way to the end. The story of Christopher Dorner and his final ending perhaps opened the doors for us as we look into racism and the extreme use of force that is often employed in today’s police work. Then there is the resignation of Pope Benedict XVl. Did he really quit? What do we know and what don’t we know? Well, there are many stories like these. We simply don’t know. Things are not right or wrong anymore. When we hear something, we need to weigh all the possible outcomes and views. We need to see through Neptune’s smokescreen. This is the way Neptune in Pisces works. As I mentioned in my previous blog entry – Hush Little Baby – I am not a fan of Neptune in Pisces but if anything good comes of it – it may be the fact that we need to listen to our own instincts and learn to navigate our own ships in the see of information and the overload of messages.

So what really went wrong for Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp on the doomed day of February 14? I can’t make any conclusions so what I did instead was a chart analysis of the couple. I am working with very limited information so I know it may be not as accurate as I would want it to be.

Oscar Pistorius was born on November 22, 1986. He is a Scorpio. He has a large predominance of Water signs in his chart indicating the fact that he is prone to high and lows, ups and downs. There is very little Earth in his chart and that often symbolizes the need for being grounded and the need to “calm down.” The Fire is also pretty dominant in Oscar’s chart and that really tells us about the energy, self-confidence and courage. Someone with this kind of element placement is also enthusiastic and able to go forward and achieve their dreams and goals. Fire and water, however, often make quick decisions; can be hot headed and highly emotional. Were the emotions of Oscar Pistorius just too up and down that day? Were they distorted and confused?

The planet that is dominant in Oscar’s chart is Pluto. If I have his birth time right then Pluto sits right on his MC, in the Tenth House in Scorpio. People with Pluto in the Tenth House do achieve great things in their career. Their career becomes their life. It seems easy, but it comes with a scary price that they have to pay. Their career can often be filled with people that do not want them to succeed, with people that deceive them, that think less of them and that belittle them. Any other sign might be great, but for some reason Pluto in Scorpio in the Tenth House brings out battles, highs and lows, beginnings and ends. Scorpio Tenth House brings out the wounds from the past, deep emotions, past hurts and pains. A person with this placement will have to prove over and over that they are worth it. One of Scorpio’s Totems is the Phoenix, the Fire Bird that rises from his own ashes. You make your own conclusion. With Pluto being so dominant in Oscar’s chart, one can’t help to think that it is a chart of someone who will be having tough lessons in life over and over again, as Pluto works slowly and it will not leave us alone until the transformative work is done. The Tenth House is prominent, it represents career, public life and the fact that the dreams of success will be often realized at an early age. The Sixth House focuses on work and health. This house can often mean health battles, perfectionism, training and working.

Aquarius Rising people are often very flexible, they are adaptable to live in different conditions, different cultures, they have many friends and often become the sweethearts of people. They love the limelight which is interesting, because as a Water element person and a Scorpio, Oscar Pistorius is more of an emotional introvert but yet, he acts like a guy next door and presents himself as a very public persona. With his Moon in Leo there is a deep desire to be recognized and admired. There is a desire to be nurtured. But let’s not forget one thing – Scorpio Sun, and even more so, Scorpio and Pluto dominant people have one big flaw – jealousy. Oscar’s Sun, Mercury, MC, Pluto and Venus are all in Scorpio. For Venus in Scorpio, love is either all or nothing, love is possessive and love craves constant attention. The feelings of person with these planet placements can be excessive, intense and they may lead them to an extreme - the need to control their partner. If the love is quiet and transcendent all is fine but if the other person deviates from their controlling way of life, well, we all can probably picture the outcome.

Reeva’s chart shows absolutely no Water Elements. Reeva Steenkamp was born August 19, 1983. She was the Sun person, a person with fire, intellect and ethics. So what was she doing with a person so different from herself? People still say, the opposites attract, but at the end, they may have a very unfortunate ending. Not everyone wants a partner that is “a me too” type of a person, but when there are too many opposite energies, things are not going to run smoothly. I would say that according to Reeva’s chart, she was an independent, life loving, hard working person with extremely high work ethics and restless fire energy. My guess would be that perhaps she was often drag down by Oscar’s high and lows and not having any water element in her chart, she just did not feel comfortable in the sea of his watery emotions. Reeva’s Sun is square Jupiter. This aspect creates a person that is extremely charitable and helpful, generous with their resources and time. They can, however, overextend themselves leaving no money or time for themselves. She was law school graduate, successful model and an activist. Her Sun in Leo gave her a warm personality; her Capricorn Moon represented her hard work and patience, her Mercury in Virgo perfectionism. Reeva’s Venus is in Virgo as well and Venus in Virgo people can be helpful and always trying to perfect their partner. They may appear distant but it is only because they are trying to make sure that everything around them is good and perfect, so they can enjoy their partnership and there are no distractions.

The Synastry of the charts of Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp shows the conjunction of Sun and Moon. Carl Jung in his lifelong interest in astrology looked at over 500 married couples and found Sun Moon conjunctions. It is often referred as the Yin and Yang conjunction. The Moon person (Oscar Pistorius) is often there to help the creativity of the Sun person (Reeva Steenkamp), the Moon person is often living in the past and the Sun person is looking towards the future. Traditionally, the Moon represented the feminine and the Sun represented the masculine. The Moon man can often feel like he is being domesticated, the Sun woman is basking in the rays of the Sun and often, the public eye. There can be clashes more often than not; the Sun can’t feel Moon’s emotions and the Moon does not understand Sun’s plans and direction. The Sun and Moon are one of the most powerful personality indicators in one’s chart, in Synastry conjunction they do experience some power struggles. Learning to live with each other differences is the key.

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp had a short lived relationship. With too many variables and different planet energies in their chart, I can only point to some struggles and ups and downs. I believe that every relationship can work if we allow it to work; it does not mean it has to be a romantic one, but every relationship can be a like a spring board for learning more about life. If we absolutely can’t stand someone, it is better to acknowledge it and walk away. It is easier to say, however, as we often get pulled into karmic circle of relationships that don’t even make sense to us. As far as Oscar Pistorius and whether he is truly guilty or not, you can try to make your own conclusions. We may never find out. Isn’t it how Neptune in Pisces works after all? We can only be sure of one thing – more confusing and blurry stories are on their way. Stay the course, don’t get sidetracked. It is only your own opinion and gut feeling that counts after all.

Hush, Little Baby

2013-02-03T23:02:00.002-08:00

The Sun is in Aquarius – the sign of the Water Bearer. In German, this sign is called Der Wassermann and that means literally The Water Man. It is kind of like the milkman. You need milk; the milkman can deliver it directly to your door. You can have your water delivered to you too. So what is exactly my point? You pay for your water.

The planet Neptune entered the sign of Pisces on February 3, 2012 and will stay there until 2025. Neptune takes about 164 years to make a complete cycle, spending about thirteen years in each sign. Neptune is considered the modern day ruler of the planet Pisces so it will have truly come home after its long journey around the Zodiac. Dreamy Pisces is watery, intangible at times, delusional. You get lost in its world, you dream, you can experience feelings that are not yours, voices that come from nowhere. Neptune is the illusionist. Personally, I always had a hard time with Neptune. Deciphering lies, lying and deceiving was as far from my comprehension as you can get. What you see is what you get. That was me. The older I got, the more I understood Neptune. Still, at times I felt like I wanted to run away from this trickster but then I realized that it is exactly what the Neptune wanted me to do – the Lord of the Underworld wanted me to hide. And so here I was, ready to face Neptune’s illusions, trying to decipher the Neptunian codes I thought to myself - we can decide to swim in the school of fish or we can go our own way and discover the truth.

Here we are, it is the year 2013 and the U.S. the economy is supposedly getting better. Unemployment is down to 7.9 percent. The Dow is up and new jobs are being created. While we are happy smoking weed here in Washington and Colorado, wondering what the Kardashians are up to, wondering if Lance Armstrong is telling the truth or not, the Neptune is playing his favorite game. In the midst of all these good news about the economy we can’t still stomach the fact (or we simply don’t know) close to half of Americans live below or at the poverty level. American officials have deemed the current poverty line to be at around $22,000 for a family of four, but the new category just about doubles that figure to $45,000 and places those that fall between the numbers as low-income. The unemployment rates do not reflect the real unemployment as people not claiming unemployment and the underemployed are not accounted for. The jobs that are being created are extremely low-wage, the cost of living is rising, and the expenses are exceeding the comfort level of most. The new wave of foreclosures is to blame for the overly optimistic numbers in our real estate markets. Yet, we are made to believe that “things are improving”. This is our fantasy world. The economy is great and here in the U.S. we live in an illusion of a peace. There is no war, is there? We will be marking the tenth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Neptune and its illusions is nothing more and nothing less.

Neptune rules the sea. It rules the water. During Neptune in Pisces we will witness increased flooding; perhaps more storms like the Hurricane Sandy. Water will be everywhere but yet we will see the biggest water shortages ever. Mainland China, for example, will be struggling with water shortages by the time we reach the end of the Piscean cycle of Neptune. Other countries and places will follow. We are facing a real water crisis. Water is the liquid gold. Every time I turn on my kitchen faucet I think twice. I remember when my son was just only seven, a small Pisces boy; he would always try to shut the kitchen faucet because he was convinced I was wasting too much water. Every time I wash my dishes now I think of those moments and smile. I also wonder if his generation is the one that will face the fact that water will be more precious than gold. Neptune rules the oil too. We are in the middle of oil wars. We have damaged our environment because of oil. If there are other ways to generate energy, why is oil still dominating the world? The answer is clear to many.

During the time that Neptune is in Pisces we can dissolve the old order, we can heal, cleanse, purify. We can also sink into denial, illusion, despair, resentment, delusion. Those with strong Neptune, dominant Twelfth House or those with heavy influence of Pisces can be acutely sensitive and experience life through their feelings during this time. These people might feel overwhelmed, may feel the urge to escape, to shut down, to find their inner nirvana. There is a catch to that. While we all might feel more relaxed, more sensitive, more in tune with our feelings during the time that Neptune is in Pisces, there is something larger going on.

We are told to take a chill pill, to nurture and pamper ourselves more, to meditate, to globally change the world, to believe in The Secret, to believe in the law of attraction and to believe that we really have a choice. What is our ultimate choice? So while we are quietly being put to sleep, the corporations are fully alert, acquiring access to every possible water source they can get. Why? Well, they are not asleep. To overcome the coma of Neptune we must rise up. We should try to protect our water sources; the idea that water is “communal” and belongs to everyone is no longer. At times I feel that it is too late to put up a fight, too late to try to figure out who is the real boss. Once the corporate world takes our water, they will be able to decide who is and is no longer in the game. It is like the Hunger Games. When we wake up one day and see that our own well has a barb wire around it and a sign “Private Property – Keep Out!” - perhaps we will wake up from our Neptunian and Piscean dream.

Whether you like it or not, now is the time we can all rise up and defend our rights as we are all equal inhabitants of this planet. We all need water to survive. Let’s not be lulled to sleep by Neptune’s sweet lullaby. Der Wassermann makes me think of all of this. This is the time we can all help the Water Bearer carry his water jug. It is ours to use. Let the Neptune sing you a song – “Hush little baby, don’t say a word.” Let this be a wake up call and not a lullaby. Let me tell you, the rewards will be great.

In the Midst of Winter

2013-01-22T23:21:00.001-08:00

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”

Albert Camus

This quote by Albert Camus – a Scorpio – made me think of Capricorn. On January 11, 2013 we had five planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Pluto) in Capricorn, a beautiful Earth sign Stellium. It was the night of the New Moon. We have set our goals for the New Year and whether we keep up with these goals or not, fulfill these dreams or not, will be solely up to us. For those of you that are born under the Zodiac sign of Capricorn and for those who have a strong Earth element in your chart, January 11^th was a good vibration day. Although I am a Pisces, my Ascendant is in Taurus, I felt the comforting energy of the planets in Capricorn and felt the grounding of the Earth elements that once again proved to be so soothing.

Sun in Capricorn is quiet. Sun in Capricorn people do not crave praise, accolades and their spot in the limelight. Sun in Capricorn people are trustworthy, dependable, hard-working, patient and persistent. I sound like a Sunday Horoscope in a trashy magazine don’t I? Sun sign description is very general but in many cases, it does apply if we keep an open mind. One of the definite traits of Capricorn people is, that they are often the teachers of the Zodiac. Their ruling planet is Saturn, the misunderstood “devil” in Astrology. Yes, Saturn has been given many bad names and it has a bad rep. If we look at Saturn as the planet that symbolizes the teacher, the one that does not let us fool around, the one that pushes us to thrive for better and climb higher – then, I think, we found the true meaning of Saturn. Saturn is my worst and strictest math teacher. Because of that I have always understood math and loved it. Who is your Saturn?

Capricorn people get younger with age. As children they are serious and task oriented, as adults they are less rigid and as they get older, they play more. They love life. Often described as cold and calculating, task oriented and career hungry creatures, Capricorn people are serious, devoted and reliable but they are far from what the stereotypical old fashioned description of this sign is. Reading in between the lines and opening our heart towards many possibilities, we see that as in the quote from Albert Camus, there is a great warmth that radiates from these people; there is an invincible summer, great passion and love. No matter how the world pushes against them, the people with Sun Sign in Capricorn push right back. Capricorn symbol is the sea goat. It is a mythical mountain goat creature with dolphin like tail. Therefore, Capricorn connects the highest of the mountains and the deepest of the seas. It is an Earth sign that encompasses it all, our Mother Earth’s beauty from one spectrum to another. Capricorn reaches from the highs of the Earth to its lows.

The Full Moon in Capricorn represented out unfulfilled dreams. Putting these dreams in a more concrete form was what we felt compelled to do. Prioritizing our tasks and our dreams and plans is essential. If we felt certain peace during the time of Capricorn Full Moon it is probably because we are on the right track. If we felt out of balance it only means that we have a lot of catching up to do.

Mercury in Capricorn reflected how we communicate with others. Mercury was in Capricorn until January 18 and with Mercury in this sign there is a chance that we may feel old and tired when we talk to others, when we interact with people. Perhaps it is the others that make us feeling worn out. Some quiet time would be helpful to all of us so we can recharge and refresh. Even socializing has its boundaries. With Mercury in Capricorn it is time to make some serious commitments and plans whatever they might be. Capricorn will sure keep us on task.

Venus will stay in Capricorn until February 1. Capricorn is a masculine sign and the sign of authority, Venus is the Divine Feminine. Venus in Capricorn brings change to all women issues, to what women stand for and fight for. Capricorn Venus is no longer going to be just an observer. Women are taking the issues that affect them into their own hands. In the United States of America, the 113th Congress has 20 female senators, the most ever in U.S. history. And this is just the beginning. The merging of the masculine symbolized by the Capricorn and the feminine that is represented by Venus has begun. Feminine and masculine are just like yin and yang - two parts of one whole.

As I write this blog, it is January 11 and we have five planets in Capricorn – Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Pluto. The energy around is grounded and still. It is the beginning of a New Year, new hopes and a new start. More people are set to stick with their new year’s resolutions. Capricorn is the task maker of the Zodiac so get out your note pads, your planners or tablets and set out some goals to keep you on track this year. Welcome to the New Year, the new future as we don’t know it.

If you do lose sight somewhere along the way, if you begin to doubt yourself and feel like there is just too much of this “restricting” but calm energy and that it is pushing you down just remember the quote by Albert Camus. It is an old one and maybe it has been overused by many, including me, but it is true. I don’t know exactly why, but it has always reminded me of Capricorn.

On a final note, Mercury and Sun left Capricorn on January 18. Sun entered Aquarius. So here we have it – as we are thinking about our future and future plans we are still grounded by a solid and calm energy of Capricorn. What a perfect combination of dreaming and doing, future planning and being cautious and careful at the same time. We all can allow both of these energies to gently flow through us and show us the way.

Until next time.

Lonely Santa - What The Mayans Did Not See

2012-12-20T14:25:00.001-08:00

There will be no Christmas in Newtown. No Santa, no joy and yet, life goes on. It has been almost a week since the school massacre in a peaceful town of Newtown. It hit Americans and the rest of the world in the most vulnerable places. Nothing ever happens in this town, this town is totally safe – and as we like to say – a great place to raise a family. It did not happen in the slums of the city, the high crime area and no, the crime was not committed by a person of color, perhaps by a foreigner, a terrorist. Crazy white guy did the dirty work – another surprise to some, sad, but let’s face it, no matter how we sugarcoat things we love to stereotype. It hit us right before Christmas – the time of when being with our family is what we crave and the time of joy. That is our special time. Therefore I wonder; will there ever be Christmas in Newtown?

Astrologically, there have been many discussions on the web – from analyzing Adam Lanza’s birth chart to looking at the date and time of the shootings. I am not going to bore you with basically similar facts but I have depicted a couple of things I found interesting. Pluto conjunct Uranus in the chart of the event points to the fact that there can be anger unleashed against one’s mother. Mercury opposite Jupiter is another one that quickly jumped at me. During this time we can quickly fall into conclusions that have not been analyzed thoroughly, without knowing all the facts. It has been the case with this event – we have came to our conclusions way too fast and as the events and findings were unfolding, with each new addition, the whole picture of this horrific event has changed. There are many different aspects of the astrology of this horrific moment and they are worth exploring.

The shootings opened up another can of worms - maybe two or three. There is now a heated debate on gun control laws in America. I have studied here and I have lived here for some time now. As a European and someone who traveled and lived in other places of the world the whole idea about gun laws here has been a puzzle to me. In many European countries people can own guns too (unbeknownst to Americans), but the laws are stricter. My question is why there is such an obsession with guns and weapons? Why does one mother – in this case – Adam Lanza’s mother need to “protect” herself with AR-15, a semi-automatic assault weapon? There is an article I have read about the person who was performing autopsies on the people that were shot. The little bodies of the children were covered with multiple gun shots. Believe me, an assault weapon and these little bodies, you can see the picture. I am very familiar with the medical field, I grew up in in, I am very familiar with the work of the medics, firefighters, first responders – my husband works in the field. I am also a part of this kind of work – blaming my Uranus and Pluto in the sixth house. I feel that we have already forgotten, we did not experience anything through our free media – we are only told bits and pieces of the whole story, they want us to forget and move on – after all, isn’t it just another killing? Would being graphic, seeing and experiencing something similar help us to understand? Are we just hiding from the reality by casting false prayers, imagining these little children at the Heaven's gate being happy? Believe me, I have read some of the crazy ideas people have, of the children that are with their Heavenly Father now. Who the f... cares, right? They are not among us anymore. They have been murdered like many before them, this time however, it happened in a haven of safety.

America experiences way too many of these types of killings. Yes, you may argue, how about Norway? How about this and that? Will the gun control change anything? Well, in my opinion the gun lobby and the NRA is way too powerful. So who knows? Yes, who knows?

Not only it is our obsession with guns what we talk about, but the state of our mental health is in question. Was Adam Lanza taking antidepressants? Maybe? We are a nation of pill poppers. Are you sad? Take Zoloft. Is your child overactive? There is Ritalin or Concerta - easy as that. Do you read about the side effects? It says it can cause suicidal thoughts, right. Isn’t it just wonderful? Well, just as the NRA has a powerful lobby so does the pharmaceutical industry. So what do we do now? Will Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn push us to change this? Perhaps put an end to this? Will there be blood? There you have it, there is blood already, I am afraid.

With this being said, how do we take care of our mentally ill people? We don’t like to label them mentally ill, that is politically incorrect. It is what it is. I have no answers on how to solve this. I am just puzzled why we can splurge fighting expensive wars around the world and yet, our people here are without mental, psychological and social help. Another paradox. How about our obsession with video games? Death is not real, death is just made up, something that can be reversed by pushing a button – oh, did you know you have two more lives?

So here you go. You have a gun. Not just a revolver, but an assault weapon, a crazy guy on antidepressants, people who believe the end of the world is coming (another piece of info that the US media did not talk about) and voila – you have a deadly bomb that explodes and hits us all right in our hearts.

The end of the world - I am amazed how many people here take the end of the world literally. As an astrologer, I get asked this question a lot. I know that at some point, our planet will die. That is a fact. I also know that the Mayan used various different ways to measure their time. Most ancient civilizations have used cyclical time and not linear. We measure our time in a line. Astrology measures time in cycles. Life is a cycle. December 21, 2012 on our calendar marks the end of the 13^th baktun of the Mayan Long Count Calendar. That day the count will read 130000 and on December 22, the count will read 130001. Each baktun is 144,000 days long which is approximately 400 years. To the Mayans, the 13 baktuns represented a full cycle of creation. There are no apocalyptic prophecies, however. Mayans had also several units that were even larger than baktuns; they had the capacity to count millions of years into the future. So really, we will wake up on December 22, and life will go on. Some of us hope for a big leap in human consciousness, somehow we will get rid of evil, the good will prevail. We can only wish. Life will go on, we will move into the next baktun but the life has stopped for the 20 children in Newtown, and for the adults, the teachers, the role models life has stopped too. Life ends for many children every day, in the Middle East, America, Africa, Europe - you name it. That day is the day their world ends -the end day of their count. Some lives vanish way too quickly. My only observation is that they have been vanishing with a greater occurrence in the past few years, it is happening more often, more often than now we hear about the violence against the innocent beings. The abuse of children by the priests, their coaches, their parents, and the relatives is way too common now. We medicate our children, kill them with foods, manufacture toys that are toxic, we crush them, beat them and it is not pretty. It is not the kind of violence where your tribe kills mine; where our soldiers fight against yours. This is very sick kind of violence, the twisted kind. If only the Mayans knew… or did they? For those of you interested to watch in interesting documentary on the topic of time and the cycles of universe you can watch The Ancient Aliens – The Cygnus Mystery. If you want to watch it, the link is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhgNXbahNrA Good movie for December 21.

In the US, we are always looking for an enemy. We are it. We are looking for terrorists. We are the terrorists. We are fighting warfare on our children. We created them, we are destroying them. We see ourselves in a different light than the rest of the world sees us. The rest of the world is watching. Will we take a step in a different direction? Will we place our children first and then our guns somewhere next on the list, perhaps in the middle or the bottom of the list? Will we help the weak, will we feed the poor, and build a safety net for those who really need it since there is none? Will we stand up against violence? Or will it take more lives, more innocent children, and more people to die before we say – that’s enough?

There have been twenty Christmas trees placed in front of the school in Sandy Hook. They are decorated with Christmas ornaments and toys, there are gifts under the Christmas trees too. There are also gifts for the children in their parents’ closet that were ready for them when Santa comes. No one will open these gifts now; their children’s little hands will never touch them, these children will never hold their parents' hands. This may seem out of place or weirdly trivial but I wonder, as a parent, what will the parents do with these toys, these gifts? Keep them? Go back to the store and exchange them? Sorry, but this did not work out – that is what we say to the clerk at the store? What will we say? What will we do if anything?

America, wake up!

Sagittarius New Moon

2012-12-13T07:40:00.002-08:00

Today, on the lovely day of December 13 we have Sagittarius New Moon. Sagittarius is about hope and constant quest for truth! Let's take time to meditate and visualize our dreams and hopes, write them down and project our dreams out there.

It is interesting that this New Moon follows the auspicious day of December 12 of 2012 or simply

12-12-12. How did you experience it? Anything interesting has happened?

December has been pretty busy for all of us. With the end of the year we tend to get so busy. Have you lived your life as this year was the last? Have you had time to think what it is that you want your future to be? With the next interesting and probably the most talked about date, December 21, we can't help but to reflect on what was and what will be. Perhaps it all is nothing but a new awakening, change in human consciousness, change for the better One would hope.

So here we have it, the day of December 12, the New Moon and the end of the Mayan Calendar. What will astrologers talk about next? Stay tuned and stay sane.

Until next time,

Andrea

Huricane Sandy - Here She Comes

2012-10-28T23:04:00.001-07:00

There was a 7.7 quake off the British Columbia coast on Saturday night, close to Haida Gwaii also known as Queen Charlotte Islands. It is not a highly populated area but some felt the quake as far as Vancouver, Canada and Port Townsend, U.S.A. The only thing that indicated a presence some kind of a force were the chandeliers at my friend’s house – they started swaying for about five minutes, all in synch and yes, it wasn’t the wine! My girlfriends and I were drinking after all but this was a real earthquake. Luckily, Haida Gwaii is not a highly populated area and even though the Canadian papers talked about the fact that this was a very powerful earthquake, it did not make it in to many news headlines. The spotlight has been focused on Sandy, the super storm and rightfully so.

Have you experienced the calm before the storm feeling before? At times we feel that the calm before the storm is a cliché. When things seem to be in the most perfect order then some kind of invisible hand comes in and shakes them up and they fall like dominoes. Well, many of the events in our lives are to an extent affected by astrological cycles and they too, have their ebbs and flows. Let me share some of them as we look at Sandy, the super storm also named the Frankenstrom that smashed into East Coast of the USA in the late hours on Monday. With its total diameter of almost 3,200 km, Sandy is the largest storm in Atlantic storm history. The destruction it leaves behind is, at least for now, incomprehensible.

Since I have mentioned the Canadian earthquake I must say that we do tend to experience a higher probability of earthquakes and tectonic changes during Uranus square Pluto aspects. The earthquakes have been more frequent in the last few of years. Pluto is in Capricorn and Uranus is in Aries. Earth and fire, strength and volatility is an interesting mix. The ring of fire has definitely experienced more earthquakes and volcanic activities in the last couple of years. So if Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn is the combination for tectonic changes and earthquakes, what do we need to look at when it comes to Sandy? Well, Uranus square Pluto does not only mean earthquakes, it also symbolizes tension, darkness, and the underworld. What have we been hiding? Will all of that come to surface now as Uranus, the revolutionary in Aries will shake things up? Back to Sandy’s chart – Uranus square Pluto just intensifies the storm. It not only brings destruction and darkness, leaving millions without power, it also makes us think about things we wanted to look at but were perhaps afraid of. Is there a better way we can live in this world? Is this a natural cause or an environmental one? Has it been perhaps pre-engineered? It is up to everyone to make up their own mind and decide.

Let’s look at the timing of the storm. The main astrological event of this week is Taurus Full Moon which occurred on October 29th. Taurus is an earth sign, it rules the structures, the buildings, the land and it symbolizes the material goods and the stability. Storms that occur at the height of the Full Moon tend to be stronger than usual because of the extra high tides. Since Taurus symbolizes material resources this translates directly to the economic damage caused by Sandy because of flooding and heavy rains. This loss will be devastating and it is something that I feel is important to note, since Taurus rules the second house, the house of resources. Will the US have to put pretty much all of its resources to repair the damage caused by this super storm? Aren't we already crippled by fighting wars that have spanned for more than a decade now? The preparation for the storm has been costly and the cleanup will be difficult and perhaps even more costly. The Moon is void and will remain void until Wednesday. By then, the storm will subside, the Moon will be in Gemini, the life will as it always does, emerge from the darkness. People will have their work cut out for them. Gemini Moon will bring them together, the strangers will meet, hopefully helping each other and supporting each other as they work together to bring things back to normal. This will be a lengthy process.

In the storm’s chart Saturn is conjunct Sun in Scorpio. Neptune and Chiron are in Pisces and so is the Ascendant. If you run the chart for New York City and Atlantic City in New Jersey, the Ascendant is the same since these cities are on the same longitude. Ascendant often sets the tone of one's chart and its ruling planet becomes the ruling planet of the chart. My Ascendant is in Taurus so my ruling planet is Venus. Ascendant is all about timing. The Ascendant of Sandy, the super storm, is in Pisces and this sets a tone for a very watery chart with Neptune as its ruler. Neptune's glyph is the trident of Poseidon, God of the Seas. Before the discovery of Neptune, Jupiter was the ruler of Pisces. In ancient Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of the gods and the god of the sky and thunder. I like to combine both ancient and modern astrology and mythology, and in this case, the rising sign of this storm can be viewed through both perspectives – the perspective of the water and the sky. With that being said, the chart is set for the "perfect" storm.

With Saturn in Scorpio conjunct the Sun we will feel tension and bickering, fear and confusion for days after Sandy subsides, but this time, closer to now and next week, we will see it through the political perspective. Neptune is about illusions, and Sandy's Neptune is in the Twelfth House, house of deep psychological emotions, house of our inner self. We may never find a correlation between the timing of the storm and 2012 US Elections. There are a lot of conspiracy theories out there that talk about the perfect timing, the confusion, the smokescreen. The eyes of the public are on the weather. The election frenzy has turned into a 24 hour weather channel. Is it yet another illusion created by Neptune, the lord of deception?

As I mentioned earlier, the chart of hurricane Sandy is very watery. This watery chart brings heavy rains and flooding. Saturn in Scorpio opposing the full moon will just add to the devastation of the storm. While Sun, Neptune, Saturn, Chiron and the Ascendant are all in water signs what about the other planets? Mercury is in Sagittarius and it was square to Neptune a couple of hours before the full moon. Mercury is about communication, Sagittarius is often very expansive, reaching far and wide. Square aspect explains the disruption that was experienced not only during the preparation of the 2012 Election but also during the preparations for the storm. Mercury rules transportation, communication, trade and as we saw earlier, the region was paralyzed way before the storm was scheduled to hit the coast.

The chaos of the storm will translate to the political chaos which will continue into the next week and then, on November 6, the presidential election night, Mercury will go retrograde as it did during the Election night of 2000. The American public and the world may have to wait a while to find out the results of the presidential election. Mercury will be in Sagittarius, which can make the truth elusive; Neptune will be in Pisces which can make things uncertain. so if you think hurricane Sandy is wild, get ready for even wilder election night!

So here she comes, hurricane Sandy, taking away the old, creating chaos, confusion, shaking things up. Lastly, let’s look at one more interesting thing in Sandy’s chart, let’s look at her Chiron in Pisces, in the Twelfth House. Chiron in Pisces is trine Sun in Scorpio. This aspect represents a powerful emotional healing. The hurricane itself and the devastation Sandy brings is a tragedy but with the losses there comes a sense of something new, followed by a rebirth. Chiron in Pisces is self-healing, the master of all physicians, the wounded healer. Chiron embodies compassion and the selfless service to others. And here we are, perhaps we are waking up. In the midst of the darkness of the super storm, we have found light. A way for us to wake up, to pick ourselves up, to clean and to purge, to open ourselves to the new and to begin once again. The allegory of the wounded healer, urging us to purge, with its strength and power, it is pushing us against our limits. Let it do what needs to be done, let it cleanse, let it heal.

The bay, a view from my window

As I write this I am looking at the sea. I am on my day off and on those days it seems that the time goes by much slower. Looking out the window I see the water is calm, no rain, no wind, just the typical drizzle, there were eagles flying around earlier today. The water looks dark but there is some sunlight in the distance. It feels like the Pacific is so far away from the hurricane affected area of the East Coast. It also feels years apart in a way. Other times it feels so strangely close, like some kind of invisible connection one has with the rest of the world. Not to get too depressing, but I wonder about the calmness. I wonder about the healing that is cut out for us all regardless of where we live since it is the healing within, and through this healing we still can save our Mother Earth. Let it heal I think to myself, let it heal.

Till next time, perhaps on much lighter note my friends. To those in the affected areas, my thoughts are with you. Be safe! Blessings and love to you!

Mars - The Warrior Of Light

2012-10-23T21:53:00.002-07:00

At his highest vibration Mars is the Warrior of Light

“Mars in the 9th House confers a restless and adventurous nature, which may take a person away from the country of his birth for long periods. When Mars is in the 9th House, traveling is nearly always undertaken in connection with work, employment overseas, being the preferred alternative to simply traveling.”

The DK Foundation

Uh, it is me, my Mars in the Ninth. I have always travelled and explored the world, I was always and still am on the go. My travels were not a holiday trip. Not for pleasure. My travels were not a first class cruise ship trip to the Caribbean. My travels came out of a necessity and they still do. Travelling is still a crucial part of me, I did it and I do it for the need to see my loved ones, to study, to work, to visit people I want to see. Every time I left a place and the people I loved I felt like my heart was being torn apart. The result of this lifestyle – blame it on my Mars is that I feel at home everywhere. Wherever my small family is, there is my home. But it has a flip side to it too. I sometimes feel like I have no home at all. There, I said it.

So where is your Mars? We all have this warrior planet hiding somewhere in our birth chart and it is truly up to us how we use it and whether we make friends with this red planet, often thought as a malicious or war like planet. I truly believe that there is nothing, absolutely nothing in your birth chart that you can't work with, make peace with and live with. It is all part of a beautiful harmony and it is only up to us how we learn to harness Mars’s fiery energy. Just like the Moon’s energy represents our emotions, Mars is represents our assertiveness and strength.

Mars, its sign and a position in a chart affects not only our personal journey but it also affects our world and our collective journey. Let me give you a few examples from the most recent astrological happenings and how Mars can affect these different energies of our current affairs. These are just simple examples, meant for a brief illustration only. I am sure you will be able to think of more examples, perhaps your personal ones, or the collective ones affecting you directly, depending where in the world you may live.

On July 3, Mars entered Libra, the sign of peace, not war. Libra is the sign of diplomacy, weighing the good and bad, seeing both sides of the coin. Mars in Libra spirit helped to keep the Summer Olympics 2012 in a friendly but competitive spirit. It was all about diplomacy and fair play.

Mars entered Scorpio on August 23. For those of you who follow golf – maybe you have noticed a little hostility of the American audience toward the European golfing team. My American friends please don’t get offended by this, I did not mean to criticise you but I do follow golf and understand a fair amount about it. Both teams and all the players were great. They were competitive and friendly but it was the general public that definitely was expressing their Mars in Scorpio. Mars in Scorpio can be spiteful, blaming and ever surprising warrior. And the unexpected surprise was – the European team won the golf history was made once again – the Miracle of Medinah.

Mars entered Sagittarius on October 6, just in time for the 2012 Presidential Debate here in the U.S. Mars in Sagittarius is a show off at times, idealistic and not the down to earth type. Isn’t it just what we have been seeing and hearing? I don’t think I need to comment more on this. The U.S. presidential debates are still important, but haven’t they become just a talk with empty promises? At this time, Mars in Sagittarius is in power. It makes people over-promise, it makes people more idealistic, it makes them believe they can do more than they are able to do. You make your own conclusion.

Mars is the God of War and the ruling planet of Aries. We hear that everywhere. Mars can wear different hats at times. Mars can carry a spear, even a machine gun but he can also carry a shield. Mars can represent our inner warrior, the force that drives us to achieve something, to reach our goals, to serve as a self defence mechanism, our inner Karate Kid. Knowing your Mars sign can enable you to access your inner strength and to use it wisely when you need to. My Mars is in Capricorn. So in addition to my travelling shoes, my Mars wears a business suit and quite often a gym gear. Its force and ambition can drive me crazy at times. I have learned to keep it under control. I love to run, to exercise and I have also learned to hold back tears when I leave my family and friends behind as I continue on my journey.

So who are these twelve warriors?

Mars in Aries is the knight in shining armour. He fears no blood, no wounds, he is the strongest of them all. Mars in Aries has no fear, he loves to be challenged, he prides himself to be the survivor of many fights. He has scars, cuts and wounds. He still stays strong. Whenever I think of Mars in Aries I think of Elton John’s song “I Am Still Standing.” That is Mars in Aries. People with Mars in Aries are decisive, to the point, all they often can think about is winning and they don’t have much patience. Yet generous and giving, they want to be of use, but feelings set aside, if you want to be dealing with them don’t expect them to baby you.

Mars in Taurus is like a bull in a cage. He knows he has to get things done and he does them well. He tries to get things done even if they are impossible, even if they are unmanageable. He goes out every day, day after day and ploughs the fields of his farm. Mars is expansive and Taurus is patient. He wants to be on the go and at the same time he is often cautious to get going. People with Mars in Taurus are strong willed and when they set their mind on something it will be their way. Mars in Taurus people can pursue their goals tirelessly regardless of whether others around them agree with them or not.

Mars in Gemini is content with the amount energy Gemini provides, the action and the challenges. Gemini makes things happen and that is exactly what Mars wants. He likes the constant activity, the challenges of the day, their interactions with the world. At the end of the day, Mars in Gemini is tired and often wonders did he accomplish anything at all? At times, however, people with Mars in Gemini do feel like their fire energy is perhaps scattered and instead of being the flame thrower they need to use their warrior energy as a laser beam. That is their biggest challenge. Boredom is their enemy.

Mars in Cancer is kind and considerate but reserved. He manages his daily to do list well but craves more challenge. Mars in Cancer can be very defensive at times. Being around people with Mars in Cancer can make one feel like walking on eggshells. Where exactly is the limit, what can you say and what can’t you say to people with Mars in Cancer without them getting overly defensive? Mars in Cancer likes to be needed and likes to provide care to others. Interestingly enough Mars feels alright in this home and family oriented sign, it just takes a little bit of getting used to the idea of learning to care and feel for others.

Mars in Leo can say whatever he wants and he frankly doesn’t care what others think. Frank Sinatra has Mars in Leo and he was famous for doing things “My Way.” Mars in Leo is highly creative, artistic and a natural actor. He has an abundant energy and drive, sunny personality and is always very generous. Show off at times Mars in Leo’s biggest challenge is humility. At times these people can be pushy, arrogant and dominating but all in all they are rather special. Leo loves to be the centre of gravity. People with Mars in Leo love to be admired and praised. The down side is that they can be a bit pushy and dominating.

Picture someone who is a perfectionist, a planner and loves to be organized - that about sums up Mars in Virgo. Mars in Virgo is precise and he tolerates no nonsense. He is pretty much chronically unable to be pleased or satisfied with anything. What is great about these people is that they can, if they want to change their nit-picky energy to energy where they can be of service to others. Being motivated in this way these people can contribute greatly and help those who are in need and those who are less fortunate. To have their place in the universe and to be of service is a basic need for people with Mars in Virgo. Relaxing and letting go is their biggest challenge.

Mars in Libra really feels like in a foreign land. The sports champion, the knight and the warrior will not be able to make compromises that easily. Mars in Libra is charming and possesses great social skills. Diplomacy is his virtue but beneath his placid and “fair” nature there is a warrior within, ready to conquer and ready to fight just to be stopped and tamed by the Libran nature. A peaceful warrior is the best description for people born with Mars in Libra. And let me tell you, how refreshing it is to know strength can be measured in different ways than number of soldiers, warrior planes and bombs.

Scorpio is the detective of the Zodiac and therefore Mars in Scorpio has a passion for tracking down criminals, finding other people’s secrets, digging into their deepest of emotions. Mars in Scorpio makes a great opponent and is attracted to all taboos. He has a confident and an assertive behaviour. Mars is Scorpio people can be secretive. Mars in Scorpio people do often complain about unfairness and corruption but let me tell you they are not all saints. Whatever they are doing, they get extremely involved with it. As Roy Alexander once said “Some people call them obsessive, but they think of it as commitment.”

Mars is Sagittarius is a great explorer. He enjoys travelling, the challenges and adventures of the unknown and undiscovered worlds. There is one problem, though. Mars is an individualistic planet and Sagittarius is a highly social sign. So this fellow can get quite overwhelmed with his sign and can get into battles he did not want to fight. People with Mars in Sagittarius have strong opinions, they can be perfectionists too. They are always open to new ideas but also to new relationships which can pose a problem. They would rather do many different things and travel to many foreign lands than analyse their relationships with others.

Mars in Capricorn does like to wear a business suit. At times, he complains about the corporate culture and his life in a cubicle but there are plenty of other avenues to satisfy his hunger for winning and the quest for achievements. There is plenty of room for his energy and aggression in this world. He is great at setting goals and motivating his staff. He is a great boss but not the greatest employee, but at least he is as reliable as one can get. He can increase profits and influence people. People with Mars in Capricorn are generally energetic and ambitions. They set their long-term goals and pursue them untiringly. Every fall is their boost and therefore they can seem rather unsympathetic toward others.

Aquarius is all about welfare. Mars is all about self. Therefore Mars in Aquarius can be quite unsatisfied in his own skin. He feels the push to go out and help others but he also feels he can’t quite deliver what is expected. He gets too upset about social injustice, about the “real world.” He feels safe in his cubicle listening to pan-flute and thinking of a better world, a better place. And then the reality hits. Mars in Aquarius people are often very rational but they also possess a great deal of compassion, their problem is they don’t know how to express it. They are independent thinkers and they are open to new ideas and new ways.

Mars in Pisces is trapped on a deserted island. Robinson Crusoe in a warrior suit is not exactly how Mars pictured his adventures. There is plenty of room for meditation but Mars feels just lonely in the vast nothingness. Mars is energy and Pisces is spirituality. This is one of the toughest masks Mars can wear, the mask of Pisces. Mars in Pisces people can be weak or at least appear weak and vulnerable. They can show their strength in the creepiest of ways trying to stay to be macho or the tough guy. Mars in Pisces person tries to project and hide behind some kind of image, an idea. They are usually gentle and compassionate unless they feel threatened. Then, they can act with anger, deeply repressed anger so hey, better watch out. Pisces is not always the most peaceful of all signs!

Well, that is all. Where is your Mars? I have found mine and let me tell you, he is a piece of work!

Have a great day, night, wherever you may be my readers! I am back – after one busy and crazy summer. I have a couple of short articles on Leo, Virgo and Libra ready for you as soon as I can get them into this blog.

Until next time,

Andrea

Wenlock and Mandenville - Where Did You Come From?

2012-08-08T01:04:00.001-07:00

The 2012 London Summer Olympics are here. It is hard to believe that it has been four years since the last Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. The Sun is in Leo and Leo wants to shine! Leo’s energy is keeping the spirits high, optimistic and bright. The chart of the London Olympics is a challenging one but that is not to say that these events will be all gloom and doom. The chart has three Yods. A Yod is a rare astrological aspect that can involve any celestial body. It looks like a “Y” on any axis. Two of the planets are sextile and and both inconjunct a third planet sharing neither gender, element, nor mode. This placement of the planets can cause controversies, blurry outcomes, tense energies. One can find a lot of information and conspiracy theories that talk about the London Summer Olympics. The three Yods just point out that there will be many different interpretations on what to expect from these events. The Mercury was in retrograde during the opening ceremony and has now gone direct. There are many ways of looking at the Games – perhaps it is just an entertainment, perhaps it symbolizes our pride, presents us with collective messages and spiritual awakenings - all of the energies of the three Yods. What do the Olympics mean to you, do you cheer for an individual or a team? Do the Olympics remind us that we can be competitive without using a force, without endangering someone else? Some people believe the Olympics are here to reveal a message to us, and maybe that they point us towards our saviour, so we can become a part of the collective. Are the aliens watching us? Good-bye past and welcome future. Privacy is the thing of the past. Wenlock is watching you! :)

Take it or leave it attitude is sure going to apply during the entire event since it fits within the Games’ chart. Mercury retrograde has created already some confusions and blurry messages but hey, for an event this large – things have been running pretty smoothly. Mars, the planet of the competition is present at every sports event during the Olympics. It is now in a friendly and sociable Libra – the sign of diplomacy and peace. The sign of Libra serves its purpose during the Olympics since it emphasizes a healthy competition. Mars is also close to being conjunct to Saturn. Mars wants us to go, go, go and Saturn questions everything Mars is about to experience. Saturn, the teacher, controls the expansive Mars – thus, the Olympics are very well organized. Our economy and the world crisis will continue for months to come and is not likely to disappear; at least we can all immerse ourselves into the spirit of the Games and forget about the worries of the world – at least for now. Isn’t it nice to see this kind of healthy competition and celebrate the achievements of many who have prepared so diligently and tirelessly to take part in the Olympic Games in London. Wenlock might be watching them, Mercury retrograde may have played a trick or two on them but the Sun in Leo shines on. Mars in Libra gives them the kind of stamina that comes hand in hand with humility. Speaking of stars aligned just right!

Home Sweet Home

2012-07-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Sun entered Cancer on June 20, 2012. And I am a procrastinator. It is the 21^st of July now and we are officially in Leo. Time got away from me. Here are my excuses. I blame the universal time and our fast paced society and the fact that I have absolutely no planets in Virgo :) I think I should blame my own disorganized self. Perhaps I should learn to balance my family, my work, my friends, astrology and "me" time. I know I should but for the most part it always seems like my life is this big avalanche of all of these things combined and I am a snowboarder trying to escape it. I think this time I am going to call my Virgo friends to the rescue.

Really, isn’t it kind of ironic - Cancer is a sign that rules our home, our family, our downtime and yet, during these busy months we don’t get enough time to enjoy our home, our family and we don’t get the time we can just spend on our own doing absolutely nothing. We crave this time, we idealize it – at least here in the Northern Hemisphere where Summer is the time when children are off school, people are on holidays, they spend time camping, going to the beach, travelling. We want to read a book or two, we want to cook a nice meal and be outside, enjoy the summer days, relax, meditate and return to our primal purpose of our being. During the month of Cancer we all crave peace, safety, security, time with family and time spent at home. We retreat to our safety haven and then go back in time to relive our memories from the past. We long for the past. Are you all feeling this time crunch? Do you dream about the past? Was it better then? Was the time going by a lot slower? Are the summer days of your childhood and your youth the days you want to go back to? Things seemed to be simpler and and a lot more relaxed. I do miss the way things were, the slower paced life. Well that was then and now is now, we can't change things. Enough on that.

Happy belated birthday my Cancer friends. As an astrologer I do not like to say “belated” but I have done it once again – time has vanished and it is nowhere to be found. Cancer is a water sign, caring, sensitive and reflecting. Think of Pisces and the ocean comes to mind, think of Cancer and what you see is a beautiful reflecting lake in the mountains, crystal clear, peaceful and quaint. Mountains surround this lake and they provide safety and security - a true Feng Shui haven. Cancer is a cardinal sign - the beginning of the new season, it is ruled by the Moon and therefore strongly connected to our emotions and feelings. Cancer people are the nurturers and dreamers of the Zodiac. They will be there to weather the storms with you. They are sentimental and they often idealize the past. Their connection to their past is always there - may it be through the family of their origin, their roots, their memories, they do seem to go back and forth between now and then, floating flawlessly between the two time entities.

Here is my little intermezzo. It wraps all of the Cancerian characteristics into one specific trait – the longing for the past is very well depicted in the song Round Here by George Michael. George Michael was born on the 25^th of June, 1963. His Sun sign and his ascending sign are both in Cancer. There is a certain flair of nostalgia in all of his songs. His music as a solo artist and as a lead singer of the pop group Wham! will always evoke these nostalgic feelings of things long gone.

Here is his Round Here from 2004 album Patience.

George Michael - Round Here

"So come with me, let me show you where I've lived
I want to put my hands in this earth again
Music fell like rain to the streets
The Specials and The Jam, to The Beat
Even though I think I've seen everything there is to see of this world
I gotta be thankful that this crowded space
Is the place of my birth"

Happy dreaming, happy Saturday, Sunday or whatever time zone you might be in. I will give you a short astrological update in my next post. Until then, take care of yourself and try to create more time. For yourself, your family, your loved ones.

Cardinal Grand Cross

2012-06-27T07:58:00.001-07:00

Today’s Moon in Libra, Sun in Cancer, Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn complete a cardinal Grand Cross. A Grand Cross occurs when the four planets involved are separated from each other by square aspects, 90 degrees apart. In a Grand Cross there are four elements involved, each planet is in a different element (earth, fire, air and water).

During a cardinal Grand Cross we may feel to be pulled each and every direction. We want to accomplish so much but we often accomplish nothing at all. Stop beating yourself for not being productive and just enjoy the day. Even though this is a stressful configuration, today’s Libra Moon sets the mood for a quiet and romantic evening so just let it be.

Savage Garden’s Truly Madly Deeply just sums up the Libra Moon’s mood of the day. Not saying you have to escape the harsh reality of the Grand Cross, but a little daydreaming may help you get through the day.

Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply

Out Of The Dark, Into The Light

2012-06-23T00:22:00.000-07:00

There are many interesting articles you can find on what we are about to experience as Uranus and Pluto come to an exact square in a couple of days.

On June 24^th we are going to have the first of seven Uranus/Pluto squares. The second one will be on September 20^th of this year. Uranus/Pluto square is a challenging aspect reminding us of issues that need to be addressed regardless whether they are a part our social, political or personal world. This aspect is very powerful and will affect us collectively. Depending on your own Uranus/Pluto placement in your natal chart, the changes and transformations may be experienced on different levels. Is it perhaps our own renaissance? Will it transform our hearts and teach us to follow our dreams, be true and be kind? Well, the path to greatness can lead through much suffering. I know, it sounds a bit gloomy. What is this all about?

Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008 – the beginning of the great financial crisis. The last period of Pluto in Capricorn was from 1762 to 1777 – the time of the American Revolution. We are at a threshold of change. Our social, political and financial systems are collapsing and transforming.

Uranus goes into Aries every 84 years and with that, a whole new cycle begins and it always brings something unexpected and perhaps scary. The last time Uranus was in Aries was during the previous world financial collapse from 1927 to 1933. The change is upon us.

In other words, Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn aspect will bring a mixture of what we have experienced in the sixties (Uranus and Pluto were in conjunction) and the Great Depression (Uranus in Aries).

Understanding this Uranus/Pluto energy as a transformative and changing energy is helpful to understand and accept right now so we all are prepared to face these challenging times. Birth, death and rebirth are the themes of this cycle (2012-2015). Think of it as the death of the old systems. I used to work in the corporate world and saw the giant corporation dying long before it was near its end. There were people that were open to change, dramatic change so to speak, there were innovators, there were leaders, some people began to change the system, some of them simply jumped the ship. The times when Uranus squares Pluto are the times when you are better off to let go of the old systems. Don’t be afraid to walk your own way. It may seem strange but that is exactly the path to the liberation from the past. As a society, we have allowed the darkness rule the light, we have let the corporate powers control what we eat, what medications we take, what kind of air we breathe, our working conditions, where we live… Will the banks take our homes? Will we be able to survive? Will there be enough food? Will there be justice? Are we safe?

Pluto in Capricorn teaches us to be strong and persistent, Uranus in Aries teaches us to be warriors. These are wonderful qualities to have and they will enable us to move beyond the upcoming changes with strength and a desire for change.

As the Mayan Long Count comes to an end we are facing a new astrological cycle as foretold by the Mayan Elders. According to many indigenous prophecies this will be the world of change, peace and growth in human consciousness. I respect, although I don’t agree or support, that December 2012 will be the end of the world, with catastrophes, earthquakes, floods and pole shifts. Let this be an earthquake of our psychological world, a tsunami of the positive change and a pole shift in our thinking so our hearts can grow and our souls can blossom.

Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn – the planets of transformation, the computer geek and the old time teacher. Let them lead us on a new path. Endings can be hard. Beginnings are a breath of fresh air. Let them lead us and show us the way.

Out of the dark, into the light.

Austrian singer Falco said in his song Out of the dark, into the light – “Muß ich denn sterben, um zu leben?” - which translates to “Do I have to die, in order to live?”

Do we have to sacrifice our past in order to carry on and embrace the change?

A little music again – from the heart of Europe.

Have a great weekend.

The Divine Feminine And What Is This Weekend All About?

2012-06-08T20:20:00.003-07:00

This week is coming to an end. What a wonderful astrological week! Transit of Venus occurs every one hundred years and it comes in pairs, eight years apart. The first one was on the 4th of June, 2008. This week we have witnessed the transit of Venus on the 5th and 6th of June. Sun and Venus were conjunct and Venus was visible. The Divine Feminine was there for us to see. In my previous blog entry I wrote about The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. This was a perfect time for a celebration (Sagittarius New Moon and Gemini Sun). The timing couldn't have been more perfect - Venus was transiting the Sun, the Divine Feminine was here and Venus in her own beauty was the centre of attention. I believe (all conspiracy theories set aside), this transit celebrated the feminine. As much as there is still a lot of resistance to move into this new era of the sacred feminine, the wheels have been set in motion. Things are changing.

When I first saw this picture I thought of the Divine Feminine. I thought I would share it with you.

Pink Dawn
Regina Argentin

Fine and decorative artist323 702 0043

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What about our weekend? This weekend definitely marks the end of our "old" thinking and we will see a shift by Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday we will be packing our bags (physically, mentally or both) and tying lose ends. Jupiter will be moving into Gemini. It is still in Taurus and what that means is that perhaps we have been building a foundation of our thoughts and our material foundation and asking what do we really want from life? What is our soul longing for? Moon will be in Pisces this weekend and so we may become a little dreamy, maybe tired, maybe craving a few drinks - it is Pisces after all. Mercury and Neptune will be in trine and harmony. Mercury is in Cancer and therefore our communication will be very tender and kind, we will feel the urge to be softer, nicer, we will feel the urge to be at home and to create a secure and solid base no wonder how big the waves of the ocean might be. On Saturday Moon will be in conjunction with Neptune, also in Pisces. The conjunction will want us to start a new lifestyle, the kind that really suits our needs. Are you looking for a change in your career? Do you want to spend more time with your loved ones? Do you want to get your finances organized? Have more fun? Exercise more? Have time for friends? Ask yourself - "What does my soul want in this world?" Listen carefully, look for the answers and seek the answers.

With Jupiter in Gemini, things will pick up speed. Things will happen a lot quicker. As much as Jupiter in Taurus has taught us to learn to build a solid foundation, it has taught us to be patient, to slow down, Jupiter in Gemini will be another story. Are you ready to get on the fast train?

Have a wonderful weekend and be kind to yourself. Stay tuned for more astrological (and non- astrological) updates.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

2012-06-06T13:54:00.002-07:00

On Monday 4th June, musical stars from all of the world - rock, pop, classical music and theatre, performed in front of the Buckingham Palace to celebrate The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The concert was broadcast live on BBC in the UK and around the world. Astrologically, this celebration concert was probably the most colourful presentation of what Sun in Gemini and Full Moon in Sagittarius in a partial lunar eclipse mean. Gemini is about uniting people from all walks of life - nationalities, countries, professions and also bridging the generations through uniting decades of music and bringing the audience closer together. Sagittarius Moon wants us to have a good time and party. And when you combine the Gemini Sun and Sagittarius Moon you get a feeling of unity, optimism and fun. What an amazing celebration of the 60 years of The Queen's reign!

Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse And The Transit Of Venus

2012-06-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

We have just experienced the Solar Eclipse not long ago and now, on June 4th, the Full Moon Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse is upon us at 14 degrees of Sagittarius. The Sun, Mercury and Venus are all in Gemini. The Sun is conjunct Venus and Square Mars. Gemini is the sociable, go and get our there sign and Sagittarius is a philosophical sign. These two signs together symbolize shedding the old systems, moving on and starting something new. Societies around the world are reorganizing their belief systems, their political views, their economical structures. Individuals will feel the urge to reconcile the past, acknowledge it and move on into new social circles, meet new people and acquaintances. One of the ways to deal with the power of this Eclipse is to start living the life you always wanted to live. Seems impossible? Well, as my dear friend said - live your true reality, create your reality. I used to be skeptical but more and more I believe that it is, in essence, what we have to do in this world. This world is not changing, not for us. Sagittarius is a great dreamer. Gemini is more of a realist. What a perfect combination. Make your dreams real, or make your reality a dream?

In June Venus leaves the evening sky and enters the morning sky. This brightest planet will pass right over the face of the Sun on the 4th and the 5th of June. This transit is very rare and it will not happen again until the 11th of December, 2017. The Venus will appear as a small, dark dot moving in front of the Sun. If you live in the Western Hemisphere the transit will happen in the afternoon hours on the 5th of June, if you live in the Eastern Hemisphere, the transit will be seen at sunrise on the 6th of June.

You may also visit the following website for a more detailed information. I am pretty sure that they will have live webcams so you can see this transit no matter where you live.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/venus

What about an astrological meaning of this rare transit? The Sun represents our heart and the Venus is all about love and passion. Filling our heart with love will make each and every one of us stronger. We will be able weather the storms we are encountering now, we will be able to witness the breaking of the old systems (financial and social) and not to feel fear, just love. Love is all around us. This unique transit will intensify our relationships, the feeling of love, the passion.

Lionel Richie - All Night Long

2012-06-02T07:13:00.001-07:00

Here is another great Gemini performer - Lionel Richie. This song transports me into my childhood. It reminds me of the times my aunt would come to our house to watch me when my parents were at work (they both were busy professionals). My aunt was a teenager then so obviously there were no rules. I could do what I wanted to do and eat all the chocolate I wanted to eat. But what I remember the most is listening to the 80s music with her. I still think the early 80s music scene was great, even though I was only about 10 years old. So enjoy your weekend. I will try to relax as well, since I have worked for the last two weekends. Spending time with family and friends is the best thing you can do and it is "very Gemini." Have fun!

Johnny Depp And The Many Faces Of Gemini

2012-06-01T22:38:00.003-07:00

Johnny Depp – an American actor, producer and a musician, was born on June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky (USA). He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor.

He first appeared on television in the 1980s starring in series 21 Jump Street. In 1990 he portrayed a gentle young man who had scissors for hands in Edward Scissorhands. In 1994 he played the leading role in Ed Wood, a legendary unsuccessful movie director. Sleepy Hollow followed in 1999. One of my personal favourite movies is Chocolat where Johnny Depp plays alongside Juliette Binoche. She is a famous chocolatier and he is a careless and adventurous gypsy. One of the movies that made Johnny Depp very popular with a wide audience is the famous Pirates of the Caribbean series. The film started with the first release in 2003. Johnny Depp lives and breathes the life of an eccentric pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow. The movie was followed by three more sequels.

In 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released. It stars Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. If you are looking to see a romantic movie please don’t do what I did in 2007. Don’t go see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Although Depp’s portrayal of Sweeney Todd is phenomenal, if you only go out with your significant other once in a blue moon, this is not the movie for you. Alice in Wonderland is probably much more fun to watch, and you don’t need to get too philosophical with it. Johnny Depp plays the Hatter and Helena Bonham-Carter (his partner from Sweeney Todd) plays the Red Queen. Johnny Depp’s newest movie Dark Shadows is yet another complex personality analysis and this time he plays Barnabas Collins – an imprisoned vampire.

There are many more movies I did not mention, just like there are so many faces of Gemini. But no matter how troubled or how complicated the roles that Johnny Depp plays are, no matter how messed up the characters’ lives are, he always brings out the human side of each character he plays. Suddenly we feel with the character, we perhaps “are” the character. Like a mosaic of emotions and fragments of our life, we begin to put it all together. Johnny Depp plays each character with lightness and makes us believe that he is the character. He is still Johnny Depp on a physical level - the same attractive look is his trademark, but the character has changed – from happy Willy Wonka, careless gypsy Roux, to an extremely heavy psychological character of Sweeney Todd. He is Ed Wood, he is the Hatter and Barnabas Collins all in one.

Johnny Depp's artistic approach is phenomenal. I often compare Johnny Depp to Leonardo DiCaprio although I know these two wonderful actors are very unique and have a very different approach to acting. In one of my favourite movies What’s Eating Gilbert Grape these two great actors meet to give their audience what I think is one of their best performances ever, together and individually. Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is taking care of his mentally challenged brother Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Their mother is morbidly obese and depressed. She is unable to take care of the boys and so Gilbert takes over. The brothers care deeply for each other. And the rest is for you to watch if you want. The two actors are very similar in a way that they are both great in making their characters real. Johnny Depp does it through his “I can talk to anyone and I can become anyone” Gemini way of acting and Leonardo DiCaprio (a Scorpio) studies and analyses his characters to the closest detail, relives their lives and makes us believe his character is genuine as his did in his role as Arnie. I remember when I first saw that movie, I thought – where did they find the boy (Arnie)? Was he real? Was he an actor? Gemini people communicate and live, Scorpios analyze and relive their roles.

Johnny Depp is the perfect example of Gemini – a versatile communicator who can do several things at once. Gemini can talk to anyone – from the person on the street to the government official. Johnny Depp was a shining star in all of his movies, big or small. Big budget, small budget – he made every character count and every character extraordinary. His Capricorn Moon makes him dedicated to each and every role he plays. It makes him ambitious too. Although Johnny Depp is a Gemini, his chart is dominated by earth elements and that gives him a practical approach to his work.

Happy Birthday to all of you who are Gemini. You make the world fun and colourful. You make us want to get out and communicate with the world, you make us less afraid to go out there, make friends, learn, know and explore. Who are you today? And who will you become tomorrow?

A Little Chaos At The Eleventh House

2012-05-29T23:05:00.002-07:00

There has been a little chaos at The Eleventh House. Our family is not completely moved out of our old house yet. Paperwork, more formalities and all the other good things are holding us back. Most of the stuff that I was writing about in my earlier post is gone (stored or donated). Job well done for a pack rat like me. Furniture is gone, boxes are gone, just a few last things that we still need are here. It seems more peaceful without all that stuff although there is still some chaos and anticipation. Will it all go well with the sale, will we be able to move to that new rental home? At least this lengthy process made me realize that all the material possessions are just "things" and if I can survive with less I can survive! I may come across as a hoarder or a borderline one, but it could be worse. Wish I could be more Pisces like my Sun sign. More careless, more flexible. My Taurus rising is overshadowing all that is much needed during big changes like this. I am trying to rise above and try to live with as little as we have now - even my kitchen stuff is mostly packed and in storage. I am starting to enjoy the lightness of this transitional state. Do you feel like it is sometimes much easier to live during a transition? Is it the anticipation of the unknown that is comforting to you? Or is it bothersome? Is it the stability that scares you or is it the fact that you don't know where you end up from one day to the next?

A Few Words About Me

2012-05-25T21:00:00.003-07:00

First of all, I want to thank you all for reading my blog. Some of you have contacted me and gave me some nice feedback, some of you are here close, some of you are on the other side of the globe. What made me decide to start blogging? Well, many of my friends that are already experienced bloggers have talked me into it. I never thought of myself as the writing type. I much rather play the piano or sing, draw or paint. I was not born with the gift of gab. I wanted to write about astrology but in a way that would be enjoyable to most people. Astrology can be fun and it does not need to be in a language that is incomprehensible to most. So I hope you enjoy reading my blog.

How long have been practicing astrology? That would be close to 18 years now. I have been interested in astrology since I was quite young. It actually started with astronomy and my interest in the stars. I studied astrology in Europe and then later took classes in America as well where I also completed my university degree in Chemistry. So I am a scientist who loves astrology. My "day" jobs have always been lacking something. I have found it in astrology. I have been able to meet the most interesting people through astrology. I have been able to give them a tool to get to know themselves through understanding of their birth chart. My father was an avid fisherman. He always told me that it transformed him to another realm. Well, the same goes for me and astrology. I love what I do and I love to share it with people.

Do I do private consultations? Yes, you can check out my website bluestarastrology.com or e-mail me at bruckner.andrea@gmail.com. I do consultations in person, on the phone or via Skype. I work with people from all around the world and I also work odd hours in my regular job so I am well aware of the time zone changes.

Why do I write in English? Czech and Slovak are my native languages. German was my first language until I was six. I speak other languages as well but English is just more convenient I guess and most people speak it. So if there are occasional typos, all of you native speakers please forgive me :)

So that is my little story.

Be well!

Live Your Life Fully

2012-05-25T20:27:00.001-07:00

Life is short so live your life fully.

I don't really want to preach but a few things that have happened to my family and friends recently have prompted me to share this quote. So get out there and enjoy the weekend.

Andrea

Moon In Cancer And The Old Man

2012-05-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

Sun, Mercury and Venus are in Gemini. Our minds are going with the speed of light. Our dreams are vivid. But what is different is the Moon in Cancer. Do you feel like you just want to hide? To be with your family? To be the protector and to be protected?

I saw the old man at work today. The usual, the regular. My coworkers don't like to deal with him. He is strange. Only God knows who he is and where he came from. I only know his name and his address. Every time I had to deal with him in the past I was never too happy about it. He is dirty, he has all sorts of skin growths on his body, he has a large bulging bump on his throat. I often wonder whether he even goes to the doctor. But I am pretty sure he has no health insurance. He can't really talk, he only makes sounds. I think he has no tongue, really. When he wants to get his point across, he only makes some kind of noises, and then gets frustrated when people don't understand him.

Today, there he was. I cringed when I saw that old man again. I did not want to deal with him. I am sad to admit this as I never felt like this before. But I am honest and just a human. This time I had a strange feeling. I thought of him as a little boy, some mother's son, a baby that was born, first steps, first stories read, first bicycle ride, first day of school. This man is someone's son and that someone is most likely not alive anymore. Instead of business as usual - no smile and just a serious face, I smiled at him. We helped him, we served him. This time when I was walking away from him I thought of that little boy he once was. What can happen to us? Life shapes us and sometimes it gets pretty tough and we end up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Moon in Cancer can evoke feelings of compassion. Let it do just that. Cancer Moon cares, Cancer moon is compassionate, it wants to embrace the disadvantaged, it wants to take care of the unwanted. How do you experience the influence of the Moon in Cancer? Whatever it does, don't hide your feelings, share them and let them soar above just like the birds, the eagles, the leaves in the wind.

The Month Of Gemini

2012-05-24T07:56:00.002-07:00

So we began our month of Gemini on the 20th of May with a Solar Eclipse square Neptune. If there was any disillusionment, deception, confusion, if you felt disappointed in something or someone here you go. Pretty tough and intense placements of planets. Mercury was conjunct Jupiter on the 21st of May and that may have helped to open our mind to some hidden opportunities that would benefit us that we have not discovered yet. Sun square Neptune created some obscure dynamics, the inability to read our own intuitive mind, creating confusion and feeling of being lost. Today, Mercury entered Gemini and will square Neptune on the 25th. Mercury in Gemini will make it a bit difficult to understand conversations, being rational and practical. So if you are dealing with some business issues or issues at work, stay low, don't stress out - I know it is easier said than done but this too, shall pass. Sun will conjunct Mercury on the 27th so we might take things a little too personally. Mercury will also be sextile to Uranus and that will aid us to open our mind to great thoughts, new things and we will generate some brilliant new ideas. This is not a walk in a park, these are some intense energies we are dealing with. When times like this happen I think that I am no longer in a row boat on a quiet lake in Central Europe, fishing with my papa (my father) but that I am a surf girl on a wide open Pacific Ocean in cold waters of the northern coast of North America. Times have changed and so have the planets. Astrology evolves, there are the quiet times, there are the hectic times. This month will not be a quiet one. Happy surfing!

So Much Stuff And The Solar Eclipse In Gemini

2012-05-19T00:52:00.001-07:00

Stuff is an interesting word. Your stuff, my stuff or just stuff. Packed away in boxes, in the chest of drawers, hidden in the closet. I haven't been blogging much lately and that is for one reason - we finally sold our house. Our 85 years old charmer, on the bluff, overlooking the sea, the mountains and surrounded by the forest. Times were good, times were bad. The house demanded more than we could keep up with. But we did it, we made it a lovely home and now it is time to go somewhere else.

What we are leaving behind...

Things I will miss...fun days at the beach, sunny days (very few), friends of our little beach boy coming over (he is not so little anymore), the eagles, the whales, my hummingbirds, the windstorms...many things. Well if your dream has been living far away from the civilized world, in an romantic kind of a house (our friends always loved staying here), you may not think about other less pleasant things you might encounter such as - no matter how much you heat the house you are still cold, crazy windstorms, power outages (you need to learn how to use the back up generator). I won't miss living in a constant remodel (that puts your marriage through a test or better yet, a series of them), I won't miss the occasional pests, the mice, the spiders, the funky kitchen and the anticipation of what else can go wrong or brake and when. But you know we can't have it all. The good comes with the bad and vice versa. Leaving and moving is a journey. What have I discovered on this journey? That I am a hoarder! Perhaps something to do with my Taurus Rising and Venus being the ruler of my own birth chart. Maybe. I just can't let go of that stuff. Some stuff got donated, some stuff is stored at four different places including a town storage. Call me a pack rat. This is an awakening for me. The stuff has to go. I pledge not to get more stuff unless I give up some stuff. Stuff is everywhere. For the last days, I have been even having dreams about all this stuff. The more you have the more you become a slave of your stuff. Just like the Little Prince in my most beloved book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, you become the Little Prince that is responsible for his rose, her has to take care of it, water it, watch over it. I feel responsible for my stuff. The Wok I never used, the cup from my husband's uncle, the stuff I picked up at various garage sales because it has reminded me of something, the stuff that was given to me by family and friends. My stuff is not fancy, some is new stuff, fun stuff, broken stuff, some if it is old.

With moving this stuff, the change is coming upon my family. Would it be easier without all of this stuff? What is change? Well, one of my favorite quotations is this one:

"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies."

And things are changing. Our official last full day at the house is coincidentally May 20, the day of the anticipated Gemini Solar Eclipse. What are solar eclipses? They are powerful New Moons signaling major endings and beginnings. Gemini symbolizes duality. Mercury, the planet that rules Gemini, is conjunct Ceres, Sedna and Jupiter in Taurus. The Sun and Moon will conjoin the Pleiades at roughly 28 degrees of Taurus. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Mayans oriented their pyramids and temples toward the Pleiades. We are so close to unveil the new dimensions and our new purpose. We need to embrace the change no matter how uncomfortable it may seem (sleeping at your friend's house before moving in to your new place). Follow your inner voice, follow your heart. Feel and find the love. You have to leave your old comfort and zone and embrace the change. That is the message of our Solar Eclipse. Follow your light, follow your heart and follow your love. Immerse yourself in your own feelings. Discover things, discover you.

This eclipse will bring us change. How are you dealing with this change? New house, new job, new beginnings. What is your change? No matter if it is good or bad, just go with the flow. This Solar Eclipse in Gemini will for sure show you the road less travelled.

Happy travels!

Alphonse Mucha "Le Mois" - The Months

2012-05-11T23:33:00.002-07:00