The Flow! Week of February 5 – 11, 2012

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

Synopsis for the week: Good Guys Rising

Sometimes spring arrives not with cannons, but with the aspiring leaves of a crocus breaking through crusty cold earth. Sometimes an icy heart is melted by a thoughtful word. Sometimes opportunity does not knock but eases in on balanced astrological breezes.

This is such a time.

Some of the news is good. With Uranus in Aries, people are learning how to fight oppression, and fight back against deceitful political ploys by organizations and institutions. Now that the Saturn – Jupiter opposition is over, our economy is beginning to move in the right direction.  Now that Neptune is out of Aquarius people are less inclined to believe unadulterated intellectual excrement.

But that doesn’t mean all of it is.

People are dying for freedom in Syria. North Korea juggles nuclear weapons while dancing on the sword of Damocles of world security. China and Russia are still united in their opposition of the West, and Iran would like nothing more than to lob a missile into the world’s oil supply. And no matter how many times we turn a deaf ear, the anguish of Africa is real.

Saturn is about to join Mars Retrograde, and the most effective weapon for dealing with and overthrowing tyranny is organized civil disobedience. Freedom fighters the world over should study the work of Gandhi for some useful insights and methods.

Thankfully, many of us are not personally involved in these struggles, but to quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “Hate and force cannot be in just a part of the world without having an effect on the rest of it.”

Speaking of Eleanor, another favorite quote of hers is, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people.”

She was one of the greats.

Closer to home, there are now two major astrological influences shaping events, Saturn joining Mars Retrograde this Tuesday, and the strengthening Jupiter-Pluto trine that will climax on March 12^th.

First Saturn.

Saturn, in all its glory

Saturn may be the most beautiful planet in the solar system, but can be one of the most difficult to deal with. When everything is going smoothly and you get stopped dead in your tracks, who’s often to blame? Saturn. When you have put all your hope in the ability of your nest eggs to grow, who stunts their growth? Saturn. When you get stopped by the cops for a speeding ticket, who’s to blame? Well, you, but somewhere Saturn was smiling.

Saturn is the planet of responsibilities, duties, and obligations. Saturn obstructs shortcuts and rewards discipline, hard work, and due diligence. Saturn is law, and Saturn is karma. Above all, Saturn is stricture and structure. But it is often by Saturn’s hand that we learn mastery. Saturn makes us sit and do scales on the piano, but master the scales and you master the music.

Saturn is going backwards, forcing us to face our own duties, responsibilities, structures, and karma. It is a time of coming to terms with the consequences of our actions. When Saturn is retrograde, we must sleep in the bed we have made for ourselves. And if you do so with dirty dogs, you’re likely to wake up with fleas.

Saturn retrograde times also usually present excellent opportunities for us to make amends for mistakes we have made. If handled correctly, Saturn retrograde can give us a second chance in areas that we have fumbled in the past. Watch carefully for any overtures from others indicating such opportunities. They may be a gift of epic proportions.

Saturn retrograde times are also often periods in which we reexamine the commitments we have made and the responsibilities we bear. In some cases, it may feel as if our load has become lighter, but don’t be too fooled by that. It is advantageous to look at this as an chance to look at the load from below, and decide what is worth continuing to carry and what is better to jettison. When Saturn turns direct in mid-June, you’ll be grateful for that lighter load.

While Saturn retrograde is apt to prod us to heave a sigh of relief, Jupiter trine Pluto has the force of a strong wind at our back moving us forward.

Pluto is power, transformation, and renewal. As god of the underworld, he ruled over wealth and the resources of the deeps and depths. We don’t call people today plutocrats for nothing. More plainly, not only is Pluto a general influence on our economy as a whole, but Pluto also rules over nuclear energy, oil and other petro-chemicals, and power plants.

Jupiter is the planet of growth and opportunity. He the Santa Claus of the zodiac. He’s the guy who when you’re down and out and have no hope, comes around and pays the bills. He helps you network to meet the right people at the right time, and turns tiny acorns into mighty oaks. In Roman times, Jupiter, largest planet of the solar system was called Optimus Maximus – Greatest and Best. You don’t get any better than that.

Jupiter is coming up trine Pluto in mid-March. The trine is a third of the zodiac, or 120 degrees, and represents balance and an easy flow of energy between the two planets involved. Jupiter trine Pluto times are generally good times, and times in which opportunity can be found without needing to turn over too many stones.

So far, the positive and beneficent sides of the Jupiter trine Pluto energy have been building productively. I am hopeful that it will continue to do so at least through the mid-March time period, and that Saturn retrograde will not impede this buildup. That being the case, make the most of this time. Jupiter-Pluto trines only occur every 3-4 years, and often represent periods in which great progress can be made. Definitely a time to take full advantage so that you can look back on it and smile with appreciative satisfaction!

Before we get to the Daily Details, take a peek at these truly breathtaking high-definition images of the Earth taken by NASA. I have selected the largest images of them I could find because if you open them up, you can truly see amazing detail. Enjoy!

To the Daily Details!

 

Courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

Sunday, February 5^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Cancer all day. Dawn breaks with us a bit befuddled and unsure of the manner we have handled things. Could we have done more? Should we have done less? Did we say what we really meant, and did we say the right things? Doubt flits about our heads like gnats, but there’s nothing really to fret about. Stop making trouble for yourself. These thoughts have less to do with our insecurities than reality. That is, unless you decide to make them real. As the day progresses, our mood shifts. By about 3pm we are feeling our oats, energized, powerful, lively and alive. We’re ready for anything but most ready for a good time. Any parties or social activities done this afternoon should go well, and generate some fond memories for years to come.

 

Monday, February 6^th

Sun octile Uranus at 2:04am

Mercury octile Uranus at 12:01pm

The Moon enters Leo at 5:24am and sets the tone for what could be a pleasant week. We’re in a playful mood and are more interested in fluff than weighty topics. Be careful of getting too distracted by gossip or the antics of the clown in the next cube or you could find yourself caught in an embarrassing situation—and not just with the boss. The Sun and Mercury are very close together in preparation for tomorrow’s conjunction, and both of them make challenging aspects to Uranus throughout the day. That means that computers, communication devices, and meetings are all likely to be disruptive, not act according to plan, and may present situations that make you choose conflicting personal or emotional priorities. You have a reputation to uphold. Making decisions consistent with that reputation will serve you best in the long-run, no matter how enticing the short-term benefits may be.

 

Tuesday, February 7^th

Sun conjunct Mercury at 1:02am

Saturn stationary Retrograde at 6:02am

Full Moon at 19° Leo at 1:53pm

Venus enters Aries at 10:00pm

Today is a very busy day astrologically. The Sun conjunct Mercury gives an extra edge to our minds, thoughts, and tongues. Not only are we able to speak more clearly, but we are also better able to communicate the full extent of our feelings as well. People know exactly where we stand and how we feel. This aspect can tend to also give our words an extra edge, so be careful how you wield your verbal sword today. The Sun conjunct Mercury also means that we’re at the midway point between retrograde Mercuries. We finished the last one December 14^th, and will enter a new one on March 12^th, the same fateful day as the Jupiter Pluto trine climax.

The Full Moon at 19° Leo continues the relatively good mood we have been in since last weekend. Many of us may feel as if we’ve braved a severe storm, and that the worst of it has passed. There are strong indications that this is indeed the case, and let’s hope that that is true. Last Thursday we crossed a “nexus” of planetary spiritual evolutionary energy, and I believe we came through on the good side of things. Stay tuned to future editions of The Flow! for more details!

I can’t pass the day without saying at least a few words about Venus entering Aries. While generally speaking Venus doesn’t quite feel completely at ease in the home sign of Mars, but it does make us more direct in our relationships, less tolerant of coverups, exaggerated mannerisms, or artificial airs. It’s a time when subtlety flies over our heads like an airplane, and when our needs turn toward open, honest, and forthright relationships. Venus in Aries also tends to bring out imbalances and inequalities in our relationships, so be extra careful that you give as much as you get, and get as much as you give, or the playground of Aries can turn into a battlefield.

 

Wednesday, February 8^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Virgo at 9:32am and it’s time to get back to work. We may have been neglecting our true duties while we’ve been out having fun, and the Moon in Virgo is making us face up to our responsibilities. Actually, with the Moon in Virgo, we start a day in which growth in economic matters is heavily favored. However, there is a caveat, and it is a big one: beware of overextending yourself. If there are situations in which you can advance your interests by using resources in your pocket and at your command, you will do well to use them. If, however, it means utilizing a line of credit, or buying on time, or using others’ resources, this is not the time to make your move. I know, I know, you are confident that you have what it takes and everything will work out fine. But that is unlikely to be the case unless you are one of the fire signs, Leo, Aries, or Sagittarius and one of these planets fall in your second house of finance and resources. You’re here, so take my advice, and don’t extend yourself too thin today!

 

Thursday, February 9^th

Venus conjunct Uranus at 6:28pm

The Moon remains in Virgo all day, and meets up with Mars later in the evening at 9:11pm. Take that as a warning. Most of the day is extremely favorable for any and all kinds of creative activities. If you have writing to do, a website to design, artwork to develop, or music to compose, you just might have a major breakthrough today. Otherwise, the earlier part of the day isn’t particularly bad, but business dealings and economic news is apt to be mixed-up and mixed. Good news may turn out to be not quite as good as people think, and bad news may actually make things turn out better than they think. Take your financial news with a grain of salt today.

The heavy hitting astrologically, though, occurs this evening. Our relationships can range from sparklingly effervescent to downright difficult to control or understand. Beware of hyper-emotionalism in any case. Everyone has their heart on their sleeve, and that special someone may just decide to wipe their nose on yours. Be equally wary of manipulations and power-plays, everyone’s inner Machiavelli comes out to play tonight, too. If at all possible, try not to care too much or make too much of tonight’s antics. The fault, this time, may truly be in the stars, not your dear one’s heart.

 

Friday, February 10^th

Mercury octile Pluto at 5:45am

Sun octile Moon at 11:30pm

The Moon enters Libra at 11:54am, and sets the stage for a very interesting day. The astrological energies today permeate the barriers and divisions of time, space, and consciousness on a variety of levels. Pay particularly close attention to synchronicities, oddities, or experiences of déjà vu. They just might be from spirits trying to knock some clues into your skull. Personal news may feel particularly weighted, as if each word or phrase has particularly important meaning. In fact, that’s a good keyword for the entirety of the day: meaning. The day is likely to have some truly meaningful events, and how you treat that meaning will have an effect on the course of that event. If for example, someone who you have been having difficulty with says something kind, it may be a golden opportunity for rapprochement. If someone makes personal overtures, it may be an indication that they are interested in a more intimate relationship. If you get good financial news, it may be a sign that you should use some of that money to invest in your own future. It is almost like going through the day like a pinball, and each time you make a meaningful connection to an occurrence in your life, your spirit lights up and you rack up good karma points.

 

Saturday, February 11^th

No major aspects

With the Moon in Libra all day we want to connect with others emotionally. If you have somewhere to go and/or someone to do it with, you’ll find that the bonds you have with others particularly rewarding today. However, relating to others isn’t going to be particularly easy today. We’re unsure of what we really or want or need from others, and we seem to trip over our own words communicating these needs. Non-verbal communication is likely to be the most effective, so it’s a day when it is truly best to reach out and touch someone — just so long as they don’t have a restraining order out on you. In the afternoon hours we are strongly tempted by the demons on the darker side of our minds. We have a strong desire to scratch a deep psychological itch that has caused us pain in the past. Be careful! Usually these itches cover deep psychological wounds that have healed enough to not be intrusive any longer, so scratch that itch at your own risk!

Many of us are likely to use this weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day. However, the astrological aspects are not particularly kind either Friday night or Saturday. Sunday is definitely the best of the time periods for romantic rendezvous, so if you can, plan accordingly!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Flow! Week of January 8 – 14, 2012

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

 

Synopsis for the week: Not Much Ado About

If you haven’t read last week’s blog, or if you just skimmed over it on your way to the Daily Details, please take a few minutes and check it out HERE. It basically encapsulates the primary energies of the moment, and provides considerable guidance for what we all need to be doing.

As far as all that’s concerned, not much has changed.

For example, have you all noticed that since Jupiter went direct, the economic picture looks promising?

There isn’t really all that much going on at the moment. We have a Full Moon Sunday night, and the emphasis for this Moon is on structure, especially those structures we use jointly with others.

The Moon falls in the Sabian sign symbol of “A Man with a square and a manuscript scroll before him.” He is the master architect and his job is to build the structures we use in our every day life.

Structures? You mean like roads and bridges, and houses and things?

Sort of, but not really, though it would be delightful if we could get some political action to help rebuild the infrastructure of this country. But I don’t have much hope in that regard, no matter what country you happen to reside in, no matter its politics.

More likely, the kind of structures this Full Moon is about are the structures around which we orient our lives. Career, loved ones, our families, and our social networks all weave intricate structures that bind us with obligations, duties, rewards, and benefits, and help provide us with the physical, mental, and spiritual sustenance we need to live.

And as the light of the Full Moon highlights those structures that mean most to us, we are called upon to recognize the degree to which they support us or support those around us. Neither is good or bad, right or wrong. We can be on the path of individual self-development, or we can be on a path to serve others. There is nothing to be gained by judging a path, unless the path you are on has become rocky, weedy, and difficult to traverse.

In which case, finding a new one should be at the top of your agenda.

Generally speaking, this Full Moon period, that lasts from Sunday the 8^th through Thursday the 19^th, is likely to shine on the structures in your life that are most in need of your attention. If you find yourself thinking that you just can’t take it anymore, chances are there is a structure in your life that needs to be rectified.

Finding what structure shouldn’t be difficult, it’s at the heart of whatever is bothering you. Finding how to rectify it is usually the challenge.

If you are a fire sign, Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius, then you need to think outside the box. You need to start doing things you might otherwise never think of doing on pain of death. Except that look, you’re already experiencing pain, so why not give something new a shot? Chances are, something in your daily routine, or the usual way you handle things is at fault. There is much less to lose here than you might think, except aggravation. Your mission: go out and conquer!

If you are an earth sign, Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn, you need to acknowledge your own personal power and stop fearing your own shadow. You have so much going for you that it is a shame for you to just waste it pining for better days. Yes, life has hit you in the stomach, and you’ve got quite a stomach ache, but not eating is not going to solve the problem. Just the opposite. You need to go out there and strut your stuff and show the world what you can do. Your mission: go out and have some fun!

If you are an air sign, Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius, you need to ask yourself whether you are basing your actions on facts or fantasies. Air signs can easily get lost in their own heads, and there is much that you think that you’ve convinced yourself is true that is due for a reality check. You folks can be the most objective in the zodiac, but when was the last time you held up your own beliefs to that famed objectivity? Your mission: reality check!

 If you are a water sign, Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces, you are in the midst of a significant healing period. Chances are, some aspect of this situation has caused you considerable consternation and concern lately. You need to let time heal your wounds. You need to let yourself receive some nurturing, sympathy, and support from others. Let them help you for a change. And then you need to move on with your life. Your mission: mourn and move on.

 There, now I’ve gone and offended most of my readers. But I’ve got to call it like I see it. The Full Moon often hits us emotionally, and the Full Moon of Cancer is likely to be the strongest of the year. If you do find yourself in emotional rough waters, I believe the above is your best path to calmer shores.

Otherwise, like I said, not much ado about anything. There’s a bit of movement with Mercury and Venus, but this is all just background set up for when Mars goes retrograde later this month.

Courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

On to the Daily Details!

Sunday, January 8^th

Mercury trines Jupiter at 10:05am

Mercury squares Uranus at 3:24pm

Full Moon at 19° Cancer/Capricorn at 11:30pm

We start the week with relatively high spirits, and the spirits are high in the sky with the Full Moon in Cancer/Capricorn. For the most part, the calm soothing lunar energies of the Cancer Moon feel like a nice hot bath after shivering out in the cold. It has been a period of ups and downs for many of us, and the steady sympathetic and serene emanations from the Moon provide ample relief.

For those of you inclined not to be reclined horizontally, the mid-morning hours are expeditious for attending to chores, getting things done, and winding up any unfinished tasks from earlier in the week. It’s also great for attending to business in the form of paying bills. In the afternoon, we are likely to encounter the unexpected, or at least situations in which reality does not conform to our plans. No bother. Times like these are perfect for exercising those resourcefulness muscles.

Monday, January 9^th

No major aspects

Unlike what you might expect, we’re chipper and (more or less) eager to begin the work week. We’re still getting back in full regalia after the holidays, and there’s plenty of energy around for getting back in the swing of things. Don’t be afraid of just digging in and tackling the most difficult jobs this morning, you’ll be glad you did!

Jupiter and Saturn are ostensibly still in opposition at opposite ends of the zodiac. Each month, as the Moon makes its journey around the zodiac, it twice hits the midpoint on each side. This evening is just one of those times. As evening descends, our optimism fades, worries increase, and we doubt we’re in as good a shape as we thought. Not to fret, these doubts will pass with the coming of the dawn. For some of us, there may be an obligation we let slip, or someone asks us to do something we’d rather not. For others of us, there may be something we sign or sign up for that may be too big for our britches, or take up too much time from our schedule. Be careful what you say “yes” to tonight!

Tuesday, January 10^th

No major aspects

The Moon entered Leo last night at 8:35pm, and Leo Moon days are usually fun days. Too bad this month they occur in the middle of the week, still make the most of them that you can. Leo Moons generally make us more outgoing, friendly, and generous, and we feel more self-secure, outgoing, and optimistic. Perhaps not as much fun as when the Moon is in Sagittarius, but not a bad runner up at all.

In the morning hours, family members may require additional attention. Regardless of the relationship, people are likely to flit in and out of your sphere this morning, and for those that do, don’t take everything at face value. There may be more here than meets the eye or passes the nasal sniff test. Be on the lookout for flying B.S., and do what you can to keep your nose clean.

It may not be advisable to take a long lunch break today, as affairs may require quick attention this afternoon. Make sure you have your priorities in order, and handle the items on your agenda in turn. The afternoon is no time for a siesta, if you need recharging, best to do so after you get home!

Wednesday, January 11^th

No major aspects

Today is a better day for receiving than giving, acting, or making a fuss. It is said good things come to those who wait, but it isn’t just a case of waiting, it’s a case of being out of step with the energies of the moment. Sometimes we must act and push and make things happen. Today is not such a time. Today is a time for letting things happen around you and taking it all in with your best demeanor, smile plastered on your face, om beams blaring from your forehead.

The real key to success today is marshaling your forces with allies, lining your ducks up in a row, and getting them on board with your view of the world. Together you may then go forth to pillage, conquest and victory when the time is propitious.  This task will be easier in the morning than evening hours. In the morning, people are enrollable and willing to listen, in the evening, people are more wrapped up in their own affairs and obtaining allies will be more akin to herding cats.

Thursday, January 12^th

Sun trine Mars at 8:46pm

The Moon enters Virgo at 1:44am, and while that may take us down rather truculently from Cloud 9, the day has all the makings of being quite pleasant. We are optimistic, self-confident, able to say what we think and feel without tripping over our own tongues, energized, capable, and basically in tune with what we need to be addressing.

If it all sounds too good to be true, maybe it is, but whatever is scheduled for the day should come off smoothly. Good luck!

Friday, January 13^th

Venus trine Saturn at 1:05am

Mercury conjunct Pluto at 5:01am

Venus conjunct Neptune at 7:19am

Venus enters Pisces at 9:47pm

Oh no, not another Friday the 13^th! Hopefully, yours will not be stressful.

There’s certainly no astrological reason for alarm, as all of the aspects today are really quite benign if not outright enjoyable. The Venus trine Saturn in the early morning hours is an excellent aspect for relationships of all kinds, as it adds stability, reliability, trustworthiness, and solidity to whatever relationship matters occur between the 12^th and 14^th. If you begin a relationship this weekend, it is likely to be a long-lasting one, and any commitments made are likely to be honored, whether the relationship is a few days or a few decades old.

Mercury conjunct Pluto makes us all mentally sharper and quicker, as well as more astute, perseverant and perceptive. The Venus conjunction with Neptune ads a nice veneer of idyllic fantasy to any idle thoughts, and serves a nice jumping off point for any creative, thoughtful, or artistic endeavors.

Finally, the entrance of Venus into Pisces is quite welcome. Venus adores being in Pisces as she leaves the cool Spartan climes of Aquarius for the warm soothing waters of Pisces. Venus in Pisces makes us all a bit more romantic, more sympathetic, and more receptive to others’ needs. On the other hand, it can also make us a bit more emotionally volatile, needy, and confused. Still, on balance, Venus in Pisces often smoothes out the rough edges of life and helps us find emotional balance. Venus will remain in Pisces until February 7^th.

Saturday, January 14^th

Venus sextiles Jupiter at 6:49pm

The Moon enters Libra at 5:28am and we enter a see-saw kind of day, if not entire weekend. As the weekend begins we’re still in the afterglow of the beneficial energies from Thursday and Friday. We feel as if we’re sailing free and clear. Except we hit some raging rapids as Saturday gets underway and we all want to run away to Tahiti. Tahiti is a bit far, and there may be some people here upset and come looking for you, and besides being the target of a posse isn’t exactly the best way to spend a Saturday.

If you do find yourself feeling as if you’d like to buy an airplane ticket and flee to find asylum on some remote island, the problem is less with your affairs than what you’re making them out to be. A little perspective can go a long way, and maybe the best thing for you to do is to think things over and put down the black paint brush. There are deep forces at work here, and chances are you are being pulled by them for a reason. While it may be a stretch to be able to grasp what those forces are, behind short-sighted about them doesn’t help. Try to take the long view and find beneficial possibilities within your situation. It may just be what you need to get you moving in a wonderful direction!

I did mention that it was a see-saw kind of day, and regardless of whether you feel like standing in line at the ticket counter or not, chances are your moods may swing from manic to depressive on short notice. Again, try to take it all in stride and not swing from too far an extreme. The best way to do so is to enjoy the most out of each moment.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

For those of you silly enough to be up this early, courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

The Flow! Week of January 1 – 8, 2012

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis: Happy New Year 2012!

 

Significant events of the week:

 

Saturday, January 7^th   

–  Mercury sextile Saturn at 12:13am

–  Mercury sextile Neptune at 7:16am

–  Mercury enters Capricorn at 10:34pm

 

Well, let’s at least hope it is a happy year! It is certainly bound to be eventful, whether the world ends or not.

Because my PC is still a mess, and because even Skywatchers deserve to celebrate the Holidays, this week’s edition will be a bit briefer than what I would prefer. However, the full Daily Details follows below.

I thank you all for your support through 2011 and hope you enjoy the site even more in 2012 than you have in the past.

Excelsior!

We start off 2012 with a grab-bag of anticipation, and when we look inside the bag there isn’t much except a few dust bunnies, dead flies, and crumbs. It feels like we’re all strung along with a wing (dead flies most likely) and a prayer.

Not a great way to start off a new year, but then again, when was the last time things were great?

The hope engine seems to have run out of steam, and the machine for change has ground to a halt with obstructionist grit and gravel. Yes, there is anger galore, restless minions, and new movements springing up, but it all seems rather nebulous, unwieldy, and surreal. And let’s not even talk about when bad things happening to good people!

So, what’s up? I suppose that’s where I come in, so let’s take it from the top.

Pluto (power, wealth, economy, transformation) is in the Sabian sign of “Birds Singing Harmoniously”, so there has been a shifting of the economic fundamentals, creating a firmer foundation for economic growth. Some of the banks and major players have had to make adjustments to their way of doing business, and that should begin greasing the economy as the 1^st quarter of the year comes to a close.

Neptune (spirituality, mysticism, religion, our inner worlds) has been flirting with the end of Aquarius, and true to my predictions the nuts and flakes have come out of the woodwork again spouting thoughts, opinions, and conspiracy theories suitable only for the intellectually challenged, denizens of the Twilight Zone, and Fox News. Fortunately, for us and not for them, Neptune segues out of Aquarius and enters Pisces on February 3^rd, not a moment too soon for anyone with a reasonable, rational brain. As Neptune gains footing in Pisces look for added emphasis on spirituality, personal development, and psychic/psychological pursuits. It should also bring about a questioning of religion (as opposed to science) and may help us reach out and confirm life elsewhere in the universe. Don’t hold your breath on it being intelligent.

Uranus (change, chaos, order) has been stirring it up in Aries for most of 2011. You can thank it for the Arab Spring (Summer, Fall, and Winter…?) and the Occupy movements. Uranus has only relatively recently gone direct again, so look for these movements to gain strength as 2012 gets underway, although as Uranus gets closer to Pluto in mid-Spring, look for some serious opposition to grow to try and stop them.

As for the Arab Democracy movement, look for the big question to be the extent the governments in these new countries are secular or religious. As for the US and much of the West, look for these movements to define the extent to which the government will exist to help people or make it easier for commercial enterprises to exploit them.

We are all but puppets of the Uranus-Pluto cycle that kicked off in the mid-late 60’s; a period of intense transformation and change. That cycle is coming up to its first crucial test this summer, and the importance of how it is handled for our future can not be underestimated. To give you a perspective, the cycle hit a minor crisis point (the first opening semi-square) from 1984-1986 during the height of the Reagan years, as he and his ideological bullies began dismantling the social safety net. If what astrologers know of squares vs. semi-squares holds true, the impact of the events of this summer are likely to dwarf anything the Reaganistas could have imagined.

Saturn (duty, responsibility, karma) is teetering at the edge of Libra/Scorpio and will turn Retrograde in early February. It will remain Retrograde until late June, at which time it will change direction and steam into Scorpio by early October. While Saturn is in retrograde, fulminations will be great, but little action will be taken. We will have a chance to realign our karma, particularly as it affects our relationships. But many of us have also undergone immense personal transformations during the last couple of years. You have changed. Make the most of that new self and use it to help reshape and reform your reality Putting what we have learned into practice will be our personal test of 2012.

Let’s briefly recap Saturn progress through the zodiac.

As Saturn traveled through the first half of Virgo from September 2007 to October 2008, we learned a lot about who we were, what we were about, and the nature of our true inner character. From October 2008 to July 2010 we got an upfront and extremely close education about life and our position in it. From December 2009 to August 2011, many of us went through a period of personal transformation. Some of us went through a process of intense personal change, some of us moved, changed jobs, or went through a personal crisis that has made you into a different person than you were before.

Then starting in September 2011, we began going about making changes in our lives to reflect the new people we have become. The process of transformation is not simple. It isn’t a one-time wham-bam affair with angels singing and harps playing, but a slow and steady process of ever-greater understandings and realizations about who you are, some of the decisions you have made, and how you go about conducting your life. That’s the key to success in 2012. Reforming your life to reflect the person you have become.

You have until October, so get busy! If you let this opportunity slip and you think you can skip by with letting things stay the same, you may be in deep doo doo when Saturn enters Scorpio next Fall. No refunds, no returns, no shit.

On the lighter side, Jupiter (opportunity, growth, luck) has just turned Direct in the very eenstiest edge of Taurus, offering hope that things will get better soon. Both Jupiter and Saturn were the furthest planets known to the ancients, and together referred to them as the Chronocrators, or “Rulers of Time.” The Jupiter-Saturn cycle is particularly relevant to the economy, and for the past year, Jupiter and Saturn have been in virtual opposition to one another. Not good. It is why we have been having a recoverless recovery.

As Jupiter gets is mojo back and starts moving forward (and away from aspecting Saturn) through January and early February expect to see mild or tepid economic improvement that becomes more visible and tangible by March.

After racing through Taurus, in mid-June Jupiter enters Gemini. Traditionally, Gemini is not a strong sign for Jupiter, although because the signs of Jupiter (Gemini) and Saturn (Libra) are both air signs, I think it will offer better economic conditions than most astrologers might think. The jury is still out and more research must be done on how this will play out, so stay tuned for more details!

Finally we get to Mars (energy, force, strength, aggression). Normally, I wouldn’t include Mars in a report like this, because for the most part Mars is a far more personal planet that doesn’t usually affect how the masses move. But this year Mars goes Retrograde, and that is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Mars turns Retrograde in Virgo on January 23^rd, and stays Retrograde until April 13^th. We are already deep within its shadow. So, if during this holiday season you’ve been wondering why you’ve had to do things twice or more, now you know the reason. Mars Retrograde means redo, redo, redo! Shampoo, rinse, repeat. Shampoo, rinse, repeat. Ad infinitum. Or is that nauseum?

The most obvious effect of Mars Retrograde is that everyone gets more anxious, nervous, and upset more easily than usual. Unexpected outbursts of apoplexy occur spontaneously over what might otherwise be considered trivial matters. Do not cut off people on the freeway. Do not make snide comments thinking you will not be heard. Do not pass Go or cross the street without looking both ways. We have better things to do than visit you in the hospital. Because with all the redos and repeats on our to-do lists, we’re much too busy!

Also, another effect of Mars Retrograde in Virgo is look for people to be pickier, snippier, and more perfectionist than usual. Imperfections will not be tolerated! Also watch your digestion, and don’t be surprised if a stomach bug makes the rounds. Speaking of digestion, Virgos love food fads, so we may also see every lemming on the planet rush to buy the latest super-fruit. Or nut, as the case may be. If a nut eats a nut does that make them a cannibal?

For your reference, here are some key dates for 2012:

Retrograde Cycles

Mercury        

Retrograde: March 12 in Aries

Direct: April 4 in Pisces

Retrograde: July 14 in Leo

Direct: August 8 in Leo

Retrograde: November 6 in Sagittarius

Direct: November 26 in Scorpio

Venus            

Retrograde: May 15 in Gemini

Direct: June 27 in Gemini

Mars               

Retrograde: January 23 in Virgo

Direct: April 13 in Virgo

Jupiter          

Retrograde: October 4 in Gemini

(sorry, Jupiter is permanently Retrograde until 2013!)

Saturn            

Retrograde: February 7 in Libra

Direct: June 25 in Libra

Uranus          

Retrograde: July 13 in Aries

Direct: December 13 in Aries

Neptune       

Retrograde: June 4 in Pisces

Direct: November 11 in Pisces

Pluto              

Retrograde: April 10 in Capricorn

Direct: September 18 in Capricorn

Eclipses

Annular Eclipse of the Sun: May 20-21

Partitial Eclipse of the Moon: June 4

Total Eclipse of the Sun: November 13-14

Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon: November 28

Venus

Transit of Venus: June 5-6

Meteor Showers

Lyrids April 21

Perseids August 12

Orionids October 21

Leonids November 16

Geminids December 13

And don’t forget, Chinese New Year – January 23^rd, Year of the Elder Water Dragon!

Courtesy of Sky & Telescope magazine

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, January 1^st

No major aspects

We start off the year with Moon in Aries, which is not a particularly bad place for the Moon to be on New Year’s Eve. It bathes us all in the glow of the optimism of a fresh start, a new beginning, and the will to make this year different. It is, therefore, a rather good year to make a resolution that will make a different in your life, this one has some strong astrological winds to help make it stick.

All in all, the 1^st day of the new year is rather lovely. Unlike other times when others can be more of a bore or a chore, people are in a very convivial mood and everyone gets along rather nicely. We’re all chilled with the afterglow of some nice champagne on ice. Our mellow words flow mellifluously from our lips, so be sure you mean what you say and vice versa. It’s a great day for reaching out and touching loved ones, whether you do so via text, chat, email, voice or visit!

Monday, January 2^nd

No major aspects

Monday morning looks to be more prone to suffering hangovers than Sunday. Perhaps the extra day off for many of us appeals as a license to kill some brain cells Sunday night. If so, do play responsibly, and remember healthy brain cells are friendly brain cells!

Anyhow, Monday morning is likely to be a bit on the depressing and difficult side. The holidays are over, and it’s back to work tomorrow. Perhaps that’s reason enough to play brain cell roulette.

The day improves as it progresses. If around noontime you’re not sure if you’re coming or going, just wait a bit and the fit will pass. The Moon enters Taurus at 2:16pm and we all slowly return to our senses and sensibilities. As the Moon traverses Jupiter mid-afternoon our emotional skies are sunny once more and we feel good and are optimistic about the potential for good things in 2012.

Tuesday, January 3^rd

No major aspecs

The Moon is in Taurus all day. Actually for going-back-to-work day, it’s a fairly nice and providential day. Our thinking and feeling is aligned, making it relatively easy for us to attend to the tasks at hand. We’re less pushy and more cooperative, and contented. The little stuff really seems little, just be sure that you don’t leave some important details unattended!

In the evening, things get a bit dicey romantically or with regard to relationships. Loved ones (or those we trust deeply) may do something unexpected, silly, or nonsensical. Try not be alarmed by this, but try to take in stride. While what they do may seem not to make any rhyme or sense to you, it is important to them as a statement of their own integrity to their intentions. So try to be forgiving, and understanding, and try not to make too much of a fuss if you experience an situation that fits this description. Also, try not to make it mean anything, since no matter how intimately you are involved in the situation, it isn’t really about you, but them.

Wednesday, January 4^th

No major aspects

Things calm down considerably on Thursday. Whatever stress you may have been under yesterday flows into the background. In the morning hours we’re considerably industrious, getting things done and accomplishing our work with aplomb. There are opportunities around for progressing our ambitions so make hay during the light of day.

All this week as nightfall approaches we’re likely to get a bit antsy and anxious for no particular reason. It’s all Mars’ fault, so if you give him something to do, something to focus on, he’s more likely to leave you be. Take up knitting, crocheting, texting, or using nettled birds to blast away some gloating pigs…idle hands may be the tools of the devil, but they are beacons for a mischievous Mars!

Thursday, January 5^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Gemini at 2:44am. Once we get through the very early morning hours when we are all apt to put on our petticoats and flutter about like Nervous Nellies, pouncing on our personal deficiencies, inadequacies, and peccadillos, we should be able to calm down and receive some insight and inspiration on how to perceive ourselves in a better light.

A situation or important news may arrive in the early morning hours. Handle it with care, if it arrives. There could be more to the situation than appears on the surface, but all should be well that ends well. As the day progresses we ought to both have the opportunity to show the stuff we are made of, and help improve the situation.

As you retroflect and ruminate about the affairs of the day in the evening hours, remember to pat yourself on the back if things turned out as well or better than expected.

Friday, January 6^th

No major aspects

Investment opportunities or other deep financial matters may come to the fore today. Be sure you have all your bases covered before venturing too far afield. Connections with others may make an offer, be sure you can trust them before accepting.

Today is likely to be the tensest of the week, for some of us Fridays have been notorious days anyway, and it is possible there is liable to be considerable tension in the air today. Don’t light any fuses you’re unsure about!

The first night of the first weekend of the new year gets off to a rocky start. People are apt to be obstreperous, anxious and moody. More willing for a fight than having fun. Being extra charming, thoughtful, and sympathetic may help you defuse the situation, but some resentment is likely to linger like sparks from those fuses. Take deep breaths, count to 10, and letting bygones is probably better than saying goodbye.

Saturday, January 7^th

Mercury sextile Saturn at 12:13am

Mercury sextile Neptune at 7:16am

Mercury enters Capricorn at 10:34pm

Mercury is a busy bugger today, but all in a good way. Mercury has been in Sagittarius since early November, heightening the jolly mood of the season and helping us all spend like tipsy sailors to help make this a jollier season than expected for the economy. All that levity comes to a close as Mercury enters Capricorn and we get the bills, though Mercury in Cap is generally quite resourceful enough to find a way to pay them. Mercury will be in Capricorn until the 27^th, during which time we all become a bit more resourceful, realistic, pragmatic, and practical. Mercury in Capricorn is an excellent time to start any business ventures, or to put any financial plans in action.

To a certain degree, the energies today are no nonsense, logical, sensible, and reasonable. But there is also the ability to see behind the scenes, perceive beyond appearances, and to scry the true meaning of events. Pay close attention to the day’s activities and you may better understand the forces, energies, and plans swirling around you.

The Moon enters Cancer at 1:05pm adding some much needed soothing, calming, and reassuring. Accept change with grace in mid-afternoon, and the rest of the day should sail swimmingly along. Our mental gears shift as Mercury heads into Capricorn and we leave the joys of the holiday seasons behind for an assessment of the tasks at hand for handling the tasks of the coming New Year.

Wishing you all a wonderful week and a Happy New Year!

 

The Flow! Week of October 2 – 9, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis: Where are we again?

Where are we? That is the question of the moment. If you feel like you’re in the middle of a jumbled muddle in a muddy puddle, you are not alone.

Bear with me a bit while I paint the general social-political landscape. The slow moving outer planets – Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus rarely affect us personally, however they form the basic foundation on which the more personal energies of Jupiter, Saturn, and Chiron operate. You can’t really tell what they players are going to do until you have defined the playing field. We will get to that soon.

Pluto, that madcap agitator of transformation is in the early degrees of the earthy sign of Capricorn, and he busy at work fomenting change in the high Capricornian institutions of government and big business. We feel this right in our pocketbooks and in the realignment of wealth and power that this brings.

Right now, Pluto is crawling through the very last vestiges of the part of Capricorn that deals with power and the demand for recognition. Pluto has been in this area of Capricorn off and on (mostly on) since January of 2008, and has been busy both restructuring our economy, bringing illicit deeds to the light of day, and transforming our idea of the role of government.

Pluto leaves this area of Capricorn on Friday and enters a part of the sign that is more harmonious and cooperative. Whether that will be evident in our politics remains to be seen, but it could also be indicative of some economic good news.

Neptune has been dilly-dallying at the end of Aquarius and beginning of Pisces for the past few months. Unfortunately for those of us who follow politics, it means the crazies are out in force again. Neptune, planet of mysticism, drugs, religion, and confusion does not sit well in intellectual, iconoclastic Aquarius. Neptune’s sojourn through Aquarius has given us buckets of nifty gadgetry, but has also tended to turn the public mood cold, uncaring, and disinterested in others’ troubles. In February, Neptune enters Pisces where he is much more at home, and this will do much to subdue public rancor promoting the politics of the insane and improve our collective compassion, caring, and comprehension that helping the needy helps us all in important ways.

Zany Uranus is revving up his engines in fiery Aries having entered the sign for the next seven years last March. Why do I call Uranus zany? Because Uranus acts like quantum matter — you never know what it is going to do next, or what the effects of its actions are going to be. It often reminds me of an absent-minded chemistry professor. You don’t know if he’s going to blow up the classroom, transmute lead into gold, or reveal the answer to important questions from one minute to the next. And Aries doesn’t help matters. The sign is generally impulsive and impatient, does not understand any part of any word of negation ever invented, and dances where demons fear to tread.

This makes for a highly volatile environment. Almost anything can happen. Conventional wisdom? Yesterday’s news. Take nothing for granted? Couldn’t happen in a million years? Tomorrow is millionth year plus one.

Chiron, the planetoid of the Wounded Healer, is very much seen as the bridge between the impersonal outer planets and the more intimate inner planets. He is now trotting through Pisces, a sign very strongly associated with hospitals and other methods of healing and dissolving our pains, wounds, and karma into the oceanic domain of the fishes.

Chiron was in Pisces encompassing most of the ‘60’s, from late March 1960 through late January 1969. The sexual revolution? A quest to finally heal the repressive mores and gender stereotypes of the post-Victorian era. The Great Society? A quest to heal the epidemic of poverty in this country. The Counter-Culture? A quest to heal the self in the midst of a consumerist culture. The Vietnam War protests? A quest to heal a nation, and ideas of incessant, senseless, and debilitating war.

Chiron only entered Pisces in early February, and it will take time to get its feet wet, so to speak. So how all this will play out remains to be seen, but already some trends are becoming evident. People are much more concerned with the spiritual well-being. This could lead, over the next eight or nine years into a spiritual reawakening. And try this one on for size: feelings matter more. How people feel about something is taken much more seriously than before.

Now we come to the personal planets, Jupiter and Saturn, who are driving much of our individual long-term actions.

Saturn has been in Libra since late July 2010 and will remain there until early October 2012, when about a year from now it will enter Scorpio. Saturn is the planet of our responsibilities, limitations, and individual karma. He’s the Karma Kop, holding the scales of justice and the guards of the gate of the ring-pass-not.  In Libra, he has been forcing us to work on our interpersonal relationships, emphasizing the importance and ramifications of cooperation, fairness, consensus, and personal boundaries.

It is no idyll utopia that Saturn pushes us toward, but to better understand the manner in which we interact with others, bringing into sharp focus what the benefits and costs of that manner are. Are we wishy-washy marshmallows that allow others to walk all over us? Then perhaps it has been time to learn how to set some boundaries and stand up for what we want out of life. Are we obstreperous, cantankerous, blowhards? Then Saturn just might come along and teach us how to get along. Either way, the emphasis is on relationships and the importance of maintaining good healthy ones.

And don’t forget — the most important relationship any of us have is the one with our own Self.

Furthermore, Saturn has an ulterior motive. While we’ve been busy arguing, compromising, and setting boundaries, Saturn is subtly transforming us into different, more socially skillful, better people who are both better able to relate to others and satisfy our own needs and lifestyle. It isn’t easy, and many of us have undergone some difficult if not traumatic experiences, but the struggle is worth it. And for those of us who have already been through the trauma, Saturn’s job for us is to put what we have learned into practice in our every-day lives.

Finally, Jupiter is currently in the earth sign of Taurus. Jupiter generally remains in a sign about a year, and true to form, it entered Taurus in early June 2011 and remains there until early June 2012 when it will enter the next sign of Gemini.

Jupiter, bringer of fortune, adventure, and opportunity in practical Taurus is a reminder that our best success this year comes from those actions and interests that are solid, reliable, and offer security. Taurus is often considered an agricultural sign, and that’s because Taurus’ actions are slow, steady, dependable, and reliable. Bonds, precious metals, and natural resources are better than volatile stocks and get-rich-quick schemes.

Also, like a field of grain, good roots secure and generate wealth. Those things with which you have deep connections and long-standing interests are those areas that will be most productive and successful.

Taurus also has a softer side, and with Jupiter here there is an emphasis on enjoying life in the present. Whether that takes the form of lavish meals, sensual luxury, and expense simply for the pleasure of it, or an extra chocolate cookie for desert, we all share an appreciation for the good things in life we have and a need to enjoy them.

So where are we?

It may seem trite to say that we live in difficult, volatile, and treacherous times, but there are long-term difficult, volatile, and treacherous astrological processes afoot. Our very ideas about what kind of country we are or what kind of people we want to be is changing, simultaneous with an unprecedented shift of wealth in the West not only to the top of the income scale, but more generally from West to East. Nations are displacing traditional tenets of sovereignty with interconnected economic associations, compacts and obligations.  The economic climate of Athens can send the price of IBM stock tumbling.

We are in the midst of a tense conflict between Pluto and Uranus that reaches a plateau next June that lasts until mid-March 2015. It’s likely to be a time of significant change and upheaval that will set the stage for us politically, culturally, and economically.

Personally, the focus is on our relationships and putting into practice what we have learned. Now is the time to address those things in our lives that are not working the way we want them to, and to use our newfound skills to help us achieve our goals and ambitions. Goals and ambitions that are best served by devoting our energies to those areas that have long-term potential, offer security, and provide the opportunity for growth.

I hope you found this useful. It is, unfortunately much longer than I intended or would like, but you have a whole week to read it!

On to the Daily Details!

Sunday, October 2^nd

Mars square Jupiter at 10:21pm

The Moon is in Sagittarius all day. If you enjoyed Saturday, the good times should continue through most of the day today. Emotions run high in the morning, so go easy on yourself if you happen to burn the toast or run late. Generally we feel good, and our mood is optimistic…and for good reason, it’s a day when we can pretty do whatever we want and have a decent astrological wind at our back. Even though this is a Sunday, there is a good possibility of good news, making progress toward long-term goals, or having something rather nice occur as the afternoon fades into evening. Buona fortuna!

Monday, October 3^rd

No major aspects

The Moon enters Capricorn at 1:16am, so overnight the good times stop rolling. Today has all the potential to be a rather creative day. If you are involved in the arts, design, or marketing fields, or in influencing public opinion, you ought to find inspiration and good ideas plentiful and useful. Even if you’re not in one of these fields, you may find a new way to solve an old problem, or put the right people together to make substantial progress. A little after noon tempers have a tendency to flare, so watch to be sure that you don’t get involved in anything you might regret later. Furthermore, in the evening our emotional selves and rational selves are not reading from the same playbook. If you find yourself beset with doubts, worries, and insecurities, take a bath, watch TV, or imbibe in a little comfort juice – it will do wonders to take your mind off things!

Tuesday, October 4^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Capricorn all day. Today may not be the happiest day of the week, but it may be quite productive. Our thinking is sharp, on point, and directly addresses the issues at hand. The astrological energies are conducive to business dealings, and if we are willing to trust our Selves we should be able to make good progress with the day’s activities. Heightened emotionalism may still be a bit of a problem, but hey – this is one time the fault truly is in the stars!

The most significant danger today is in damaging otherwise good relationships, particularly those of the romantic variety. If little annoying things have been building up, try to keep them in perspective – they are, truly, just little annoying things. Not worth causing a blowup or consequent breakdown over. Think of them as good karma chips and an opportunity to be more tolerant. Temptations are also likely to flutter by with their siren call. Be careful! Whatever you say or do is not likely to remain secret for long!

Wednesday, October 5^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Aquarius at 8:18am and we all go just a touch bonkers. In a good way! Freed from the restraints of demanding Capricorn, we feel the need to express our personal independence and freedom from limitation. We are just a bit more inventive, original, spontaneous, and imaginative and can put those talents to good use if we try. In fact, today is highly favorable for brainstorming, generating new ideas, and getting people to cooperate toward a common goal. In the late afternoon and evening, beware of making important purchases or taking on more obligations – either may be rather difficult to handle and have hidden strings attached.

Thursday, October 6^th

Mercury conjoins Saturn at 3:01pm

The Moon is in Aquarius all day. Overnight energies are rather stressful. If you find yourself up in the wee hours of the morning upset or concerned, you may be best advised to leave them to address later in the day. As the day gets underway, the astrological aspects greatly improve favoring all kinds of activity and problem solving. Like Monday, today has all the makings of turning out to be a substantially productive day, particularly if we put our minds to it. There is also a good possibility that opportunities could fall from the sky like rain, but only if we’re attentive enough to perceive them. There’s a good chance that many of us could wake up feeling slow and lethargic today – more inclined to call in sick than set the world on fire, but if you are willing to apply yourself, there could be substantial opportunities to achieve goals and ambitions. And if you call in sick, instead of being where they could do you the most good, you’ll be at the beach!

Friday, October 7^th

Venus trine Neptune at 4:29pm

Tonight at sundown begins Yom Kippur, the highest and most solemn of all Jewish holidays. A good yontif to all our Jewish friends and family!

The Moon enters Pisces at 6:13pm. Ah, what a day today could turn out to be! Like a fairy tale, or a trip through a hall of mirrors little is exactly as it seems. Not so much because there’s intentional deception, but because it is so easy to see things as we want them to be rather than as they are. There’s a misty, shimmering glow to our thoughts and opinions that is so alluring that we couldn’t possibly let reality tarnish them! Be careful, then, today of walking too far out on a limb. You must just come to find out there’s no tree in that rarefied air.

Later in the afternoon and evening Venus and Neptune make lovey-dovey, and so should you. If you are involved in a good-standing mutual relationship, you shouldn’t let tonight’s opportunity go to waste. Enjoy each other!  These energies are so favorable that even if your relationship is a bit on the rocks, you might be able to use it to help smooth over some rough edges. And if you are in the market for a relationship, tonight could be the start of something wonderful. Just keep in mind that no small part of the energies today are mystical and romantic, almost illusory, so that the stardust you see tonight could turn to coal dust rather quickly.

Saturday, October 8^th

Venus enters Scorpio at 10:50pm

The Moon remains in dreamy Pisces all day.  The energies today are fairly favorable for a wide range of activities. Attending to chores, making plans, being with friends and family or doing whatever you please. For those of you who followed my advice earlier in the week and avoided making large purchases, today is a good day for going shopping and doing so. It’s certainly possible today that parents or other relatives might make an intemperate remark that could cause some hard feelings – and serve as a good opportunity to clear the air and leave any misunderstandings and their attendant baggage behind. On the whole, however, today should be a good day for domestic harmony, good spirits and tranquility.

Venus enters Scorpio tonight and since this post is already so long and it is so late in the week, we’ll discuss next week!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Flow! Week of August 21 – 28, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis: No Picnic

Thursday, August 25^th, Mars (our energy, drive, and ambition) squares off against Saturn (brick wall), leaving lots of mangled moving objects in its wake. This is definitely not the week to go rushing about wildly, flitting about aimlessly, or running off half-cocked. If the cock o’ the block doesn’t get you, the cops will. I expect the buildup for this aspect to begin as the week begins, and to last through most of this week.

Mars is still in Cancer, so much of our energy is focused in how we feel and satisfying our inner needs. Mars in other signs may climb mountains, forge steel, and face combat fiercely; Mars in Cancer cuts out doilies and builds nests. With the dynamism of Mars turned inward, he becomes a great defender, but isn’t much for going out and conquering brave new worlds.

Saturn is in Libra, the sign of balance, harmony, justice and the law. With Saturn here, the songs of Libra are the stark rhythms of techno and icy cool syncopations of New Age music. And especially when Saturn inhabits the sign, what we mean is the letter not the spirit of the law. If you don’t say, “May I?” it’s back two spaces, do not pass go, and do not collect $200.

With Mars in Cancer and Saturn in Libra, we are intuitively aware of this dynamic, and few souls have the stomach for facing the music should they misstep. This tends to generate an attitude of biding one’s time, waiting for a more auspicious moment, and turning one’s quest to slay inner dragons.

One can make progress during this time if one is careful, prudent, and thoughtful. Make sure your work is thorough. Make sure you follow protocol and instructions to a tee. Secure your nest and the foundation it is built upon, and watch your back – Mars square Saturn tends to bring out the snakes in the grass.

And the ants.

For some reason, Mars square Saturn also tends to bring out those who annoy the crap out of you, as if see how many straws it takes break your back and cause you to do something you might regret.

That’s the main hazard of this time – doing something you’d regret in a saner time.

Certainly, no picnic.

The best use of this energy is to use it to overcome obstacles, face challenges head on, and to push push push like a bulldozer through the log-jams in your life. It may not be easy, it most likely won’t be fun, but it can be singularly productive if you have been feeling frustrated, thwarted, and obstructed by forces beyond your control. You have most of the week to devise a plan, think about it, and put it into action as this energy reaches a climax in the very early hours of Thursday. If you time it right, the Mars-Saturn square, Mercury Direct, and the New Moon on Sunday the 28th can be a one-two-three punch KO that leaves an old Self behind, and leaves the field fresh for the start of a new.

Help arrives on Friday when Mercury goes Direct, and like a white knight it helps to discharge a lot of the frazzled tension between Mars and Saturn. Mercury Direct will bring a greater understanding to the activities of the week, and help you put them in a better perspective. But, you really don’t want to have anything to put in a better perspective, do you?

Mind your peas and queues. (kathunk)

Venus enters Virgo until September 14^th, and not to add salt to any wounds (or more bad news to an already gloomy forecast) but Venus is not a very happy lady in Virgo. No, not at all.

You know how kids run around and spread their arms wide saying, “I love you this much?” And how adults, older, wiser, and smugger, walk around thinking that you can’t quantify love? Venus in Virgo can, down to the micrometer.

Venus here tends to be bring out our pickier, prissier, and pissier sides and rarely turns down an invitation to match wits in a debate. She is fastidious, obsessed with diet and nutrition, and loves to count the calories of her yogurt and rattle off every antioxidant in a blueberry.

On the other hand, she’s good to have around for chores. She’s not afraid of getting her hands dirty and will coax you to spruce up, clean up, and fix whatever is broken around the house. She may even lend you a helping hand if you ask nicely.

Venus is great here for handling money, and can help you get your finances in order if not improve them outright. She also adds a tad of psychological insight to our thinking, so if there’s a nagging problem that has been puzzling you, by the time she enters Libra in mid-September you may find it behind you. And speaking of problems, Venus in Virgo symbolically adds just a pinch of sugar to our medicine.

Venus in Virgo obviously, does have its benefits. She is more restrained and less uninhibited than she may be in Aries, Leo or Sagittarius. But she is handy to have around and more than willing to lend a hand. Just while she’s handing you the Lysol don’t ask how much she likes you unless you’re willing to hear an honest answer.

Lastly, on Tuesday the Sun enters Virgo. Happy Birthday Virgos!

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, August 21^st

Venus opposed Neptune at 6:41am

Venus enters Virgo at 3:11pm

Just before saying sayonara to Leo, Venus opposes Neptune and casts a misty, cloudy web over the weekend’s activities. We feel a bit sluggish, lazy, and unmotivated. We’re less inclined to be out and about, and even when we are it almost feels like we’re sleep-walking on a deserted island. Our energies are a bit withdrawn, brooding, and not much in the mood for high-energy interactions. This will change when the Moon enters Gemini at 5:53pm, but by that time, it’s a little late in the weekend for rambunctious activities. As the Moon settles into the sign of the Twins we become slightly more communicative, open-minded, and engaged in the world around us. But by that time, it will be time to get ready for the work week ahead!

Monday, August 22^nd

Sun opposed Neptune at 4:28pm

All of the Mondays in August are fairly well-aspected, giving a welcome boost to whatever activities we have planned for the week. Today is no exception, except that the same lingering moody, brooding, listlessness continues until this afternoon. Save the more energetic work for later in the week. When planets adversely (squares and oppositions) affect Neptune like this, we often feel as if we are walking around in a fog. This feeling is caused by a heightened level of inner, more spiritually oriented communication occurring between our inner selves and non-waking levels of consciousness. These times are beneficial for soul-searching, inner journeys, meditation, and problem solving. Even if there isn’t anything particularly gnawing on your mind, this energy can help with healing, put things in better perspective, gain a better understanding of life, and help you feel more whole. From Sunday until Wednesday morning, pay close attention to your dreams, idle thoughts, and synchronistic events as they can all be important messages from your intuitive side.

Tuesday, August 23rd

Sun enters Virgo at 4:21am

The Moon is in Gemini all day.

Tuesday and Friday are definitely the better business days of the week. Today is favored for messages, news, communications, and for working with others to get things done. We understand our roles and functions very clearly, making it easy to go about completing whatever tasks are at hand. The day’s energies are also excellent for discussing and making plans, working on schedules, paying leftover bills, and minding any lingering financial matters. If possible, take a friend to lunch, you may find it improves your mood so much you feel better all week. Whatever it is you do today, expressing yourself more completely should come more naturally. After the weekend’s focus on Neptune, we are likely better aligned physically, emotionally, and spiritually, which can often make it easier to accomplish our goals.

Wednesday, August 24^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Cancer overnight at 3:31am. Mid-morning and early afternoon we are apt to find ourselves scrambling to make sense of things and accommodating ourselves to changes of plans and other unexpected challenges. If you find yourself in this kind of a situation, it is best to try and handle matters on your own as others may be prove to be difficult, obstreperous and imperious. If you do need to get other people involved, try to be compliant and willing to accept responsibility for any errors on your or your people’s behalf. However, the rest of the day is fairly well aspected for relationship matters. Spending time with good friends, going out to meet new people, or spending time online searching for a new special someone may all be fruitful, enjoyable, and full of delectable surprises.

Thursday, August 25^th

Mars squares Saturn at 3:48am

Venus trines Pluto at 4:12pm

This is D-day of the week. Today is likely to be the climax of the week’s activities, and may require patience, prudence, and perseverance. Give yourself plenty of time to get wherever it is you need to be and be on the lookout for crazy-ass drivers. Newton’s laws of motion are said to apply to objects as large as cars, but today they seem to block, obstruct, speed up and come out of nowhere without any rhyme or reason. Be careful out there! People are also apt to be extremely sensitive, so be sure that what you say is what you mean and vice versa. They are also likely to take offense at otherwise innocuous turns of phrase, so if you feel any tension from others also make sure your choice of words is wise. The best use of today’s energies is if there is something in your path hampering your success today may just be the day that the dam breaks and you are able to move forward again. The late afternoon Venus Pluto trine adds a dash of fate or destiny to the day’s proceedings and more than a smidgeon of sexual heat and intensity. All in all a day in which many a karmic scale will be reset – may your load grow lighter!

Friday, August 26^th

Mercury turns Direct (forward) at 3:03pm

Happy Women’s Equality Day! (and may every day be Women’s Equality Day!)

The Moon enters Leo at 9:09am, and it may feel like you’ve been given a Get Out of Jail Free card. It is likely to have been a long slog of a week, and today’s energies feel considerably liberating. The Moon in Leo is always ready with party hats and confetti, so the energies are favorable for a bit of letting loose. Mercury going Direct will help sort things out and help them move forward again, which is a relief for one and all. Some of the actions taken earlier in the month may need to be revisited, but all in due course. Bottled up information and mixed-up news may finally get straightened out, and we begin to understand where we stand more clearly. Business dealings of all kinds are favored today, as are meetings and negotiations. However, if you need to sign papers or commit to any legal matter, it may be best to wait until the beginning of the week after the New Moon and Mercury has more time to build steam heading Direct in motion.

Saturday, August 27^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Leo all day. In the early hours of the waning Moon in Leo we are likely to feel a bit overly confident and self-indulgent and may find ourselves doing and saying things that are more bragging than bravery. Respect your Self, respect others, and don’t overdo it! Temptation weaves a wicked web and sings a siren’s tune. Heeding that call is likely to be more trouble than it’s worth, no matter how big a hangover you’re willing to endure in the morning. As the wee hours of the morning fade to memory, the rest of the day is very well favored for finishing up chores and tending to things you’ve been meaning to do but never felt you had the time to manage. A little planning in the morning will go far speeding you through the day. And if you’re lucky enough to be on vacation or just going about enjoying things, today should fit in nicely with whatever plans you have in mind.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

The Flow! Week of May 8 – 14, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis:  We Interrupt This Broadcast…

Osama Bin Laden is dead. With a combination of pluck, spunk, and just a touch of luck, we might be at the brink of the end of a very long period of national and global trauma.

On that calm and bright September day when Saturn opposed Pluto and it all began, now with Saturn in the closing square to Pluto, the perpetrator is brought to justice. There’s a note of cosmic justice in that, too.

The Middle East is in turmoil. The European community is being forced to pick up the economic pieces of a broken past. Canada has just elected the most conservative government in generations, if not its entire history. Africa smolders. The price of oil skyrockets because of unregulated speculation. And in America, government continues to enhance the transfer of wealth up the economic ladder.

And yet.

And yet for many of us there is a huge disconnect. Not only do we feel disconnected from these immensely important global events, but we feel disconnected from each other. No matter how much we plead, how much we entreat, or how much drama we create, it feels as if in the end, it is all for naught. Everyone has a story to tell, a narrative that no matter how loudly is being shouted, is, for the most part registering no more than the chattering of gnats.

Welcome to the Great Disconnect, in which we feel isolated, remote, and alone.  It has been a time of life, interrupted. We all have been so busy fighting our own individual person battles that no only do we not have the brainspace to fathom the political, social, and cultural changes whirling around us, but we have not had time for each other. And as we circle ever further down the drain of despair the clamor from each other is drowned out by the wails of our own.

But the currents are shifting. And if you are aware of how they are changing, you just might be able to swim to safer shores.

We have been through a period of tremendous personal transformation. From mid-February 2010 to mid-July many of us adjusted not only how we felt about our Selves but how we viewed the outside world, and made decisions to modify what we felt needed changing. From mid-July to mid-December 2010 many of us went through a period of intense introspection and self-discovery leading to endeavors to change our behavior, perspective, and/or how we relate to others. From mid-December to the present, we have been traveling in circles. We may be doing different things, or doing the same things in different ways, but there’s a sense of returning to center, returning to fix some things that were broken, and/or returning to start anew. “Wherever you go there you are,” indeed.

But those phases are coming to a close. We are entering a time of new connections, new life, rebuilding, reconstruction, and personal renewal. It will last until October of this year, when we will begin to get a new sense of purpose, a new sense of life direction, and be faced with making some extremely important decisions. This phase will last until February 2012, when we will have established a new balance and new playing field on which we live our lives. And then, in mid-August of 2012 we get the call to action and put into effect the changes we have been working on these two and a half years.

Much of this is far in the future, and I am deliberately painting with a broad brush to give you a sense of the direction we are heading. The important piece to remember is that this period of circular isolation is coming to an end. Over the next couple of weeks, many of the issues we have been concerned with are going to reach a climax toward the end of this month, between the 25^th and the 31^st, and by the 20^th of June most of the psychological drama we have been witnessing should sort itself out. In between, look for skirmishes and emotional flare-ups, particularly around the time of the Full Moon about a day on either side of the Full Moon on the 17^th.

As the summer arrives, some of the stressful situations that we have been struggling with may be less painful, and we may even see hard won tangible results and improvements for our efforts. Until then, expect a rather tough slog. But the goal will be worth it!

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, May 8^th

No major aspects

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Moon is in Cancer all day. When the Moon is in Cancer, think of Grandma in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies. A particularly relevant image for Mother’s Day! However, with the aspects lined up today, it is as if Grandma is fighting off the Big Bad Wolf with her rolling pin. Grandma will come out of this fine. But in the meantime, if you hear some naughty words come out of her mouth, or yours, don’t be surprised. It is a day ripe for over-sensitivities, hyper-emotionalism, strange communications and messages, and difficulties in having plans go as scheduled, especially in the evening. Not to mention that many of us would rather have just stayed in bed, a luxury that if you can afford will afford you well this day that may require considerable emotional fortitude, patience, and resilience. Perhaps the best advice today is to watch out for flying rolling pins!

Monday, May 9^th

Mercury conjunct Venus 8:44am

The Moon enters Leo at 2:35am, and not a moment too soon. A Leo Moon often brings a surge of energy, optimism, and joie de vivre. Thus the entrance of the Moon into Leo on a Monday morning may presage a more lively start to the week than usual. Often Leo Moons will also bring our own personal needs up-front and center, so beware of flying axes to grind today as well, since folks may feel this exuberant energy is a green light to push their own personal agenda.

Because Mercury is recently direct and hasn’t quite yet gotten up to speed, it remains conjunct with Venus until the 16^th. There are two effects of this aspect to be mindful of. The first is that it is a wonderful time for expressing how you feel, and of merging heart and mind. If ever you have a love letter to write, now would be the perfect time to do so. If there is someone that you have to tell how you feel or to tell off, this is a better time than most to have that discussion. The second effect is more subtle. And that is it also a perfect time for people to woo and swoon others into situations they would otherwise run from like an outbreak of plague. So beware. This can be a wonderful aspect. It can provide a wonderful opportunity to patch up broken relationships and make amends with those in your life with whom you have become frayed. But it is also a time when it is easy to fall victim to the schemes of others. Be careful. Pay attention. And think twice!

Tuesday, May 10^th

No major aspects

The Moon remains in Leo all day, and makes some fairly nice aspects to those Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter all hanging out at the end of Aries. It is a day in which there could be substantial opportunities for profit, but personal and economic. Most of the news in the afternoon should be welcome, indicating successful movement on situations you may have been working on for some time. We tend to be drawn in the afternoon and evening toward those pursuits with which we identify strongly. Whatever inclinations come to mind may be worth pursuing as they may indicate surfacing of subconscious messages of openings of new opportunities, or connections that are entertaining or provide you with enjoyment.

Wednesday, May 11^th

Mars enters Taurus at 12:03am

Venus conjunct Jupiter at 7:42am

Mercury conjunct Jupiter at 12:56pm

Mars enters Taurus and the focus of our actions and attentions shifts. We no longer feel the need to fight with others, but to build our way to success. However strong the affinity may be for Mars in Aries, the fact remains that it is a combative, confrontational, aggressive, and no-holds-barred time. Mars in Taurus is quite different. Mars in Taurus is purposeful, constructive, understanding, and persistent. If anything, in contrast to being in Aries, Mars in Taurus is often perceived as being slow and plodding. But it is purposeful – it acts for a reason, and the reason must serve a purpose. And it is constructive, in the sense that it tries to build on already exists rather than tearing things down and starting anew.

Mars in Taurus is also not necessary peaceful. Unlike Mars in Aries which has no problem fighting on principle or ideals, Mars in Taurus prefers to act in the real world. Mars in Aries makes threats. Mars in Taurus makes good on them. But Mars in Taurus is not violent, unless provoked, so the usual form of action is generally a warning shot. If the warning is not recognized, it may up the ante.

Mars in Taurus is usually very good for shopping, the markets, investing, banking, decorating, building, and construction. It is good for making a point and having it be understood by others. It is also good for building networks, particularly defensive alliances, and for protecting property.

The Moon enters Virgo at 6:59am and both Venus and Mercury catch up to Jupiter later in the day. It all makes for a wonderful day for investment planning and thinking about your economic future and what you can do to improve it. Also, relationships of all kinds are favored today, so if there is someone who has been catching your eye lately, today may be the time to make your move! Make hay while the sun shines, so to speak, because come early June our relations with other are likely become rather difficult!

Thursday, May 12^th

Mars sextile Neptune at 1:30am

Mars in good aspect toNeptunealways adds a dash of charisma to our affairs. With Mars in sensuous Taurus and Neptune in emotional Pisces, there’s likely to be a heightened sense of sexuality and sensuality in our intimate relationships. While this aspect is obviously good for romantic relationships, it is also good for helping to pull others to your point of view since others are likely to view you more favorably during this time. It is a particularly favorable time for acting on what you think is right or on behalf of the things you believe in. Small actions are likely to have larger than expected effects!

The Moon remains in Virgo all day. It’s a great day for intellectual work, endeavors that require physical dexterity, detail, and skill, and for any kind of project management. Anything that requires attention to detail is favored, and doing one’s due diligence just comes easier than usual. The Moon in Virgo also happens to be a bit more concerned with food and health, so if you are looking to eat more wholesome foods it is a great day to go food shopping!

Friday, May 13^th

No major aspects

Happy Friday the 13^th!

The week ends on a downer note as the day is likely to live up to its nasty reputation since the aspects are not very favorable at all unless you are into detonating or destroying things. And in fact, it might not be a bad idea at all to take pains to hold on to any personal gains made earlier in the week, as they may be questioned or come under threat today. The Moon goes into Libra at 8:56am, and isn’t much help as it mostly serves to increase doubts and uncertainties in our minds about the direction in which things are heading. .Unexpected problems may appear, and we feel as if the ground is moving under our feet. Lock things down in case of earthquakes of all sorts, and try to go with the flow as best as possible!

Saturday, May 14^th

No major aspects

The Moon remains in Libra all day and meets up with Saturn in the early morning hours. Today is likely to be a somewhat somber day in which we reflect on the events of the week. Try to avoid excesses, and to remain calm and level headed in the face of any issues you may be facing. It’s a good day for letting go of things you no longer need, and for gaining a better perspective on the future. There’s a sense that things will work out for the best, and any actions you take may bring you closer to achieving a sense of balance, harmony, and justice. Like yesterday, it’s best to go with the flow of events and not waste energy fighting things beyond your control. Early next week the stressful energies reach a climax, after which things should calm down a bit and return to normal.

Also, not to be missed is the animation below from Sky & Telescope magazine for the morning planets for the month of May.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

The Flow! Week of April 24 – 30, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis:  And Now for Something Completely Different…

The End.

Sort of.

No, not the end of the blog and not the end of the world, but it is the end of a very long and difficult cycle we have endured that we are now just beginning to emerge from.

Between mid-June of 2005 and now, we have had a sequence of stressful aspects that have torn us apart as a people, nation, and civilization. Much of the difficulties have come from Saturn, planet of difficulties. Saturn has long been known for having “issues” being able to get along with its fellow planets, and it’s not hard to imagine why. While most of the other planets frequently line up for parties and other festive social events, Saturn is often found standing on the sidelines, unfashionably dressed, pointing his finger and scolding the revelers for not eating their peas and falling out of queues.

First to come under Saturn’s baleful gaze in 1979 was the Wounded Healer, Chiron. Saturn put on its Jewish Mother mask and started chasing the centaur around the zodiac, demanding to know why Chiron wasn’t healed yet, insisting that there must be something wrong with him that he wasn’t, that it must be because of some inner guilt that he wasn’t, and that maybe he should call his mother more frequently.  During all of which, we as a society began focusing on our limitations instead of our abilities, assumed there was nothing we could do to solve our problems, and used guilt as a weapon to achieve our aims, both personal and political.

About five and half years ago in late-2005, as Saturn began tiring of haranguing poor Chiron, he caught up withNeptune. Now,Neptuneis about as close to a saint as we have in astrology, but that didn’t stop Saturn. No, not at all. In fact, Saturn’s lament toNeptuneis, “You should know better!” But in spite ofNeptune’s best efforts, things just continued to get worse and worse. Reality (Saturn) just kept slipping from our grasp (Neptune.) We couldn’t see the trees, forests, branches or even a leaf as we drowned in collective games of intellectual quicksand. Yes, the parrot was dead, but we kept convincing ourselves otherwise. This lasted until mid-2007.

We were treated to a brief interlude of leaders trying to entertain us with tape recorders up their noses (and other orifices) but to no avail, after all they were really just twits in suits giving free rein to priests dressed like old ladies terrorizing rest of us.

In very early 2008, Saturn took aim at the planetary bringer of chaos and change Uranus, and we began a tug of war between conservatism (Saturn) and progressivism (Uranus) that lasted until last summer.  When Jupiter, riding a bull and wearing a party hat, got caught in the Saturnian tour-de-force in late spring of 2010, the nascent recovery took a swan dive, and when Pluto joined the fracas, all hell broke loose and theMiddle Eastexploded.

Saturn right now is Retrograde, and will go direct in early June. At that time, we should have a clearer sense of how the situations inLibya,Syria, andYemenare going to stabilize, and with it the price of gas. It will be interesting if there are any sparks that fly from the recently announced Department of Justice inquiry into the trading of oil that ignite outrage at this time.

But there is the real scent of change in the air, beyond the imaginary pines, firs, and larches of lumberjack wannabes.

This week, the astrological energies change for the better. Not that it’s time to run out and buy a bunch of party hats and confetti, but things are looking up. This week, in fact, ends with a decidedly beneficial aspect, a conjunction of Mars and Jupiter that should give a boost to all of our projects and plans, provided we’re willing to play by their rules.

We’ve been through quite a bit. In fact, it’s fair to say we’ve been through a lot, and it has been such a very, very long time since this present cycle began that we’ve come to accept that the rotten way things are is the rotten way things have to be. Not so!

Negative Saturn cycles die hard, and this one is not going to be any exception. In fact, it’s unlikely that much significant change will occur until Saturn goes into Scorpio in October of 2012. But we should begin seeing more and more people deciding they need to take matters into their own hands, and that they have had enough of the nonsense being fed to us by our governments, media, and corporations.

But we mustn’t fool ourselves either. On the heels of this “great awakening” as it might be characterized by our hyperbole obsessed media, it is all a prelude to the big battle, the one that begins in 2013, with the square between Uranus and Pluto. When these two planets were conjunct in the mid-60’s they ushered in revolutions of all sorts. And like all squares, it is going to call into question everything that was accomplished in the 60’s. It is bound to be an interesting time!

Stay tuned for the details in the weeks to come!

On to the Daily Details!

Sunday, April 26^th

No major aspects

Happy Easter!

At 10:59am the Moon enters Aquarius, and we all breathe a sigh of relief. This recent Moon in Capricorn has been a bit difficult, causing us to jump to conclusions, be unwilling to give the other guy the benefit of the doubt, and feel as if we’re walking around beneath a black cloud of what we must do instead of what we want to do. With the Moon in Aquarius we really don’t give a rat’s ass, so just do what you want however it is you want to do it. No one is going to tell you different today!

Furthermore, in the afternoon, we have some fairly lively energy jumping about, so we’re in the mood for following will o’ the wisps wherever they may lead us, and actually more often than not this afternoon, they may lead us toward fulfilling some piece of our heart’s desire. Happy trails!  And finally, evening events are likely to go better than we anticipate. In spite of our reluctance to go out in the evening, if we do so, we may actually find ourselves actually having a good time.

Monday, April 27^th

No major aspects

Life is definitely improving for Aquarians, Leos, Sagittarians, and Geminis, and similarly life is a bit sweeter for all of us while the Moon is travelling through these signs. In the morning hours we have a perfectly placed trine between the Moon and Saturn giving us the emotional support we need to get our work done, fulfill our responsibilities well, and achieve success by being practical and orderly. The early afternoon is an opportune time for business dealings of all sorts, and for understanding situations better and/or learning some bit of news that solves a mystery. Sweet mystery of life at last I’ve found you, indeed! There may be more than one raised eyebrow today that makes us a bit wiser to the whirlwind of life surrounding us. Tonight it may be rather difficult to get to sleep with a vigorous sextile between the Moon and Mars. We find a hundred things we want to do before we go to bed, and more than one of us may fall asleep with the TV still on!

Tuesday, April 28^th

No major aspects

Our moods are definitely lifting this morning as the Moon and Jupiter make nice. We are optimistic, open-minded, and see possibility instead of limitations with regard to our various life situations. We feel as if no problem is too big to tackle, and at least in the morning hours it seems that all of our actions turn out well.

We should make hay while the Sun shines, because in the later part of the day, the energies become decidedly more complex. For one thing, we begin to doubt the sense of clarity and optimism we felt earlier. Those problems that seemed easily solved become a bit more complicated than we thought and we are more unsure of which direction we should take. Furthermore, in the evening the Moon glides into Pisces and we begin to feel the effects of the coming square between Venus and Pluto that hits in the early morning hours of Wednesday turning us into emotional trainwrecks. The best way to handle this energy is don’t be quick to rush to judgment, let things work out over time, and try (even if you really really have to work at it!) not to blame others before finding out all the details!
Wednesday, April 27^th

Venus squares Pluto at 12:20am

Sun trines Pluto at 5:58pm

In the early hours, we need to get a grip, and in the afternoon we find one that fits us rather well. The Venus-Pluto square makes us tense, uneasy, difficult to please, and unable to find a sense of inner balance. Our emotions are on hyperdrive, so the tiniest incident sends us into paroxysms of emotionalism, and it’s all about who is in control. If ever you were in jeopardy of being turned into a welcome matt, it’s Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. Set boundaries, don’t let others take advantage of you, and likewise give others plenty of breathing room before sticking pins in any voodoo dolls – you may not know the whole story!

In the afternoon, things definitely begin to come together. If you need to do some digging or Googling to find the answer to some difficult emotional issues, now is the time to do it. Be warned, though, you may find out more than you want to know!

Generally speaking, the afternoon should be fairly decent. If you are involved in any difficult situations in which you are involved in power struggles, now is the time to put some plans in place to get some justice and turn the tables. The afternoon is one heck of a powerful time, so by all means use it to your advantage! Just be sure to do so in a way that doesn’t eventually backfire on you!

Thursday, April 28^th

No major aspects

The Moon remains in Pisces all day and it is fairly calm and uneventful astrologically. We’re still on over-sensitive mode, so be wary of taking things more personally than they are intended. Any psychic impressions or intuitions you get during the day are likely to have at least a shred of truth to them, so you might want to dig a bit deeper to see what they’re about. Tomorrow the Moon enters Aries, and we become less secretive and more in need of direct action. As far as our relationships go, we need to wait until after the weekend and our affairs begin to clear up and the dust truly has a chance to settle. Up until next Sunday, we’re still dealing with repercussions from the past and it feels difficult to get beyond our past and begin to lay a new emotional foundation. With the lull in today’s energies, today may be a perfect opportunity to sketch out a future emotional life for yourself that is more healthy, satisfying, fulfilling and is a better fit with your life’s destiny.

Friday, April 29^th

No major aspects

The Moon enters Aries at 10:33am and we leave the emotional mysteries of Pisces behind. We’re in a bullish charge ahead mode, and we want action and we want it now! We’re in no mood for dilly-dallying about, and feel much more inclined to take a direct, unambiguous, and candid approach. The day also finds us building up to tomorrow’s climax of astrological energies, so it’s likely to be a grab-bag kind of day. One thing is fairly certain, however. It is an excellent time to put any kind of plans in motion. If you’ve been waiting for that special day to put an ad out there to begin a new chapter in your life, today should be the perfect day to do so. The only exception to this are any plans regarding relationships. It is definitely best to wait until Sunday after the Venus-Saturn opposition to kick off these kinds of plans. You don’t want to torpedo your own battleship!

 Saturday, April 30^th

Venus opposition Saturn at 5:16pm

Mars conjunct Jupiter at 9:26pm

The Moon is in Aries all day. With the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, today is a day during which actions of all sorts should go well. The course is clear, we know where we stand, we know what we have to do, and it seems taking the necessary steps are both easier than we thought and more productive than we imagined. However, the opposition between Venus and Saturn is still a drag on relationship related issues. Some of us may be feeling depressed, and others misunderstood. Our emotions are difficult to control, and we feel as if we are being asked (or forced) to pay prices for things we never asked for. We want and need to feel in control of our emotional destiny, but there is some inexplicable force holding us back. The best way to handle this may be to give up on the past as best you can. Sever the tentacles from previous negative experiences so that you can be free to pursue your future. No guilt, no blame, no games. Just be who you feel you need to be. I can’t promise the rest will be easy, but it will be a more fulfilling path to pursue.

Tomorrow is definitely another day!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

The Flow! Week of April 10 – 17, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis: The Power Polka

 This week starts off with a bang with a square between Mars and Pluto on Monday at 1:30pm and we will feel the repercussions until month’s end when this aspect’s energy finally dissipates. Mars, god of war, planet of energy, activity, physical power, and potency squares off with Pluto, god of the underworld, planet of transformation, change, nuclear power, and the depths. Mars is in Aries, his home, adding to his strength. Pluto is in Capricorn, where it can tap into the roots of the Earth down to its molten core, where Pluto is very much at home.

Pluto in Capricorn is all about social and institutional power. It is there to transform our society. At the moment, the region of Capricorn in which it has been placed has been concentrating power in our social institutions, government, religion, corporations, and culture. It is tenacious, ambitious, and craves control. 

Mars in Aries is all about personal power. It is there to give us the opportunity to achieve our desires, display our passions, and satisfy our individual needs. It is impulsive, impatient, and eager to fight.

Clearly, they both can be at cross-purposes, and the differences between Capricorn and Aries often typify the distinction between the Individual and the State. Frequently they are in open conflict, such as when the state tries to control the actions of the individual, or when the individual feels that the state is no longer serving his or her needs. But they can also work together as when the individual serves the state with military or elective service, or when the state imposes the will of an official for the benefit of many.

However, when two planets occupy the places in which the 90º square aspect is exact, which Mars and Pluto will do this Monday afternoon, there is frequently conflict, crisis, controversy, and contention. All of which we have seen in the lead-up to this aspect from Libya, Syria, and Yemen in Middle-East to Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan in the Midwest,  and from Washington, DC to Washington state.

Not to mention any conflicts, controversies and contentions that might be going on in our personal lives. It is, indeed a time in which power and its ramifications are swirling about us very much like a polka.

Perhaps it’s time to roll out the barrel and learn a few astrological footsteps.

Mars is in the Sabian Sign of “A Large Hat With Streamers Flying, Facing East.” Hats are often used to symbolize our identity. The “good guys” wear white ones, and the bad ones doff black. Bishops wear miters and policemen wear caps. Some can be formal, and some are wildly individualistic, but they all portend to be an expression of who we are and the roles we seek to claim in society. The East is the land of the rising sun, the dawn, and the future. As symbol, together they represent the embodiment of our destiny and the streamers the various challenges we will encounter as we face the winds of our fate.

Pluto is in the Sabian Sign of “Birds In the House Singing Happily.” Birds often represent spirit, the soul, and our aspirations. When they are singing happily in the home, everything seems in perfect harmony. Very much like atoms in a lattice buzz harmoniously to form the very crystals of matter. I sing the crystal electric! In any case, they are disparate individuals uniting to form common bonds for common purposes and expressing them in unison. Incidentally, Pluto’s placement here, as the planet of large financial systems and wealth, has been helping our economy regain its footing during these tumultuous times!

Taking all of this together, the path to safety through this battleground is to accept your destiny, accept your Self, and accept who you are. Claim that territory as yours, and do so with authority. No one else can tell you how you should be, nor should they. You have a right to self-determination, a right to express yourself as you deem best, and a right to satisfy your own needs.  It is a message that is going to be heard over and over again during the 7 years that Uranus occupies Aries, more so with the half-dozen planets that accompanying it now.

In fact, that’s the primary key to success during this time – authority. An authority that must be assumed, never requested, and never asked for. Authority never asks “May I?” Authority always acts with the assumption of a mandate, a mandate born of a belief in the acceptance of one’s destiny, and the ability of the Self to be the vessel to manifest it. Doubt does not live here, for doubt is anathema to authority.

The ultimate authority in your own life is your own destiny as you believe it to be. You may face challenges to it, but so long as you do not surrender it and remain true to it, you will always ultimately prevail. 

The polka of power swirls all around us. This is no time for milquetoast wallflowers. It is time for butter to melt in your mouth. It is time to get on that dance floor and show us your moves!

Retrograde report:

Please remember that Mercury will be continue to be retrograde until April 23rd!

Current retrograde planets:

Mercury until April 23rd

Saturn until June 12th

Pluto until September 16th

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, April 10^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in nurturing, caring, and sensitive Cancer all day, but you may want to make sure you stay out of harms way in the morning hours. The aspects this morning are particularly discordant and even the best of intentions are liable to set off a firestorm of anger, angst, and antagonism. The best way to keep the first half of the day’s energies from becoming difficult is to do no more than is required, give no more than is given, take no more than taken, offer no more than is prudent and expect little in return. The singular exception to this is if you happen to be in the passionate arms of someone you love. In that case, the morning’s energies could be explosively exculpatory and leave both you and your partner with a volcanic climax of intercourse that is at once completely draining and totally fulfilling.

The afternoon’s energies are similarly turbulent, but the focus is entirely different. While the morning is a minefield of emotional sensitivity, the afternoon is a battle royale between what you want to do and what you ought to do. Either has its detractions and benefits that will play out over the remainder of the week. Weigh the alternatives carefully and choose. If you don’t get to what you need to do by early in the afternoon, chances are you’ll fritter away the rest of the day.

The evening’s energies improve dramatically. Plan something soothing, sumptuous, or just plain fun for the start of the week!

Monday, April 11^th

Mars square Pluto at 1:39pm

Mercury conjunct Jupiter at 8:59pm

The morning’s energies are just apt to be fuzzy, frazzled, and frayed. If you read this before the day begins, be sure to put your keys, wallet, purse, or other important and necessary items out in the open where you can remember them so that you don’t have to go through that hassle in the morning. This is also no time to be rushing or speeding. The consequences won’t be worth the hoped for goodies.

As Mercury approaches Jupiter this evening, you may think of something you didn’t notice before that may help you fulfill your goals in one way or another, or a bit of news may rekindle hope for a cause or situation you thought was out of reach. Communications may revolve around finances, and you may find yourself a bit better off than you had feared.

The Moon enters Leo at 8:37pm, and the evening has us in a better mood in which the future appears just a bit brighter than it did just a few days ago.

Tuesday, April 12^th

No major aspects

Today’s energies are both helpful and supportive. The morning hours are particularly helpful for putting plans into action, initiating new enterprises, making a fresh new start, or taking a new approach to things. We’re just a bit more self-confident with today’s Leo waxing Moon, and with a nice aspect to the action planet Mars, we are able to make good progress toward achieving our ambitions so long as we are willing to put in the required work. The afternoon continues with the support of responsible Saturn. So long as we are being responsible, careful, and do our due diligence, our efforts should be rewarded handsomely.

Wednesday, April 13^th

No major aspects

One of the benefits of many of the planets huddled together in one sign, is that when aspects are good they very good, although when they are bad, they are dreadful. Today we are on the good side of things, at least until the Moon enters Virgo at 11:40pm

The morning is likely to be far more enjoyable than the evening, but even so, most of the day should flow smoothly. The morning is particularly favorable as we’re in good spirits and things tend to go our way. The early afternoon is an opportune time to think about a long-standing problem or situation, and perhaps a new understanding, clarification, or solution will present itself. The afternoon could be a bit helter-skelter as the energy patterns shift. If plans need to be rescheduled, wires get crossed, or delays happen, the fault, dear reader does lie in our stars, not our selves!

Thursday, April 14^th

No major aspects

The rest of the week more or less glides into the Full Moon this coming Sunday without any major aspects occurring. A full day of Virgo Moon means that schedules are important and that you may be better off following one than bumbling through the day without one. Expect people to be particularly detail oriented and little tolerant of excuses of mistakes, imprecision, or sloppiness. Say what you mean and mean what you say, nothing more and nothing less and you’ll end the day free of psychic or psychological wounds.

Friday, April 15^th

No major aspects

Happy tax day!

Or, not. 

Almost at the very stroke of midnight tonight at 11:59pm on the left coast, the Moon enters Libra. Until then, expect the day to be a fairly similar carbon copy of Thursday.

 
Don’t expect the IRS to be any more forgiving of mistakes, so make sure your returns are signed, sealed, and filed by midnight! Today there’s a bit more of a sense of nervous anxiety around, as if the very air is unsure of which direction to flow. Try to be as calm and patient as possible so that you don’t get drawn up in others’ drama. As the Moon winds down its time in Virgo, there may be a tendency toward depression, funk, or other form of unease. If you feel yourself turning a shade of blue, it may be best to try breathing and arrange for some time alone so that you can recharge your emotional batteries without the interference of others. Downplay the drama that may be surrounding you, and just quietly slip off to take a walk by yourself to clear your mind and settle your soul. We’re in for a fairly delightful weekend with the Moon in Libra, and you won’t want to spoil it with unnecessary hurt feelings.

Saturday, April 16^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Libra all day, and with the Full Moon approaching, we want to reach out to those in our social circles to feel connected, accepted, and secure. Chances are you will have put yourself out a lot over this past week, and are in need of some TLC, and R ‘n’ R. People in general are more likely to be sociable, self-expressive, outgoing, and more willing to share of themselves than usual. This could open up opportunities for getting to know some acquaintances better, making new friends, or starting a new relationship. People are likely to have a strong need to be validated today, so if you want to be a good Samaritan, get out your validating stamps and find a few foreheads to stick them. Seriously, though, if you are feeling up to it, giving comfort and emotional support to someone who needs it today may be an act of kindness that could be the source of future rewards on a variety of levels – all of them good!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

The Flow! Week of April 3 – 10, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology. 

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions. 

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis:  Survival Manual for a Brave New World

We have a lot going on astrologically this week, so hold on to your hat, britches, or whatever article of attire you use to be patient, because we’re in for a fairly tough week This edition is loaded with helpful advice, and we all may need all the help we can get. This week’s edition is the equivalent of a Survival Manual for a Brave New World.

There are three significant events this week that mark the start of a whole new chapter in our collective history. In order of importance, they are: on Monday, Neptune dips its toes in the waters of Pisces until early August; from last Friday (April 1^st) to May 10^th we have a super conjunction of at least five planets in fiery Aries; and on Sunday we have a fateful New Moon that also occurs in Aries.

Neptune is the largest outermost planet of our solar system. Astronomers, upset that a planet could have the same name as a cartoon character devised an entirely new category for Pluto, so technically, astronomically, Neptune is also the outermost planet period. At least for now.

Named for the Roman god of the sea, Neptune is the ninth planet from the Sun, fourth largest planet and the third largest by mass. You could almost fit 15 Earth’s into its volume, give or take a New Guinea. Appropriate for a planet symbolizing the sea, it appears a deep azure blue from the methane in its atmosphere, is surrounded by a system of faint gossamer fairy rings, and is tilted on its axis like the Earth and Mars to produce seasons.  Dark cyclonic storms rage across its atmosphere, most notably in the dark spot in its southern hemisphere.

Neptune takes 164.79 years to circle the Sun, and next to Venus has the most circular orbit so it evenly spaces its time, about 13 years and 9 months, in each of the signs. By contrast Pluto, with the most elliptical orbit, spends about 11 years in Scorpio and 30 years in Taurus.

Neptune’s 13 moons are named after the Nereids and other aquatic dignitaries in keeping with its oceanic nature.  Its major moon, named Triton, was discovered only 17 days after the planet, but didn’t acquire its name until the 1880’s and the name wasn’t commonly accepted until the 1930’s.  It revolves around Neptune backwards across the sky indicating that it was perhaps a wandering object captured by Neptune’s gravity.

Neptune was the first planet to be discovered by deductive reasoning, by Johann Galle on September 23, 1846.  Astronomers had noticed irregularities in Uranus’ orbit and based on Newton’s Laws, a French scientist, Urbain Le Verrier calculated where it should be, and within one degree of where it actually was.  At the same time British astronomers were also working on its discovery, and the tale of who got the credit is filled with claims of deception based on nationalistic rivalry between France and Britain.  Eventually, in 1999 correspondence was found in Chile that weakened the British claims.  Cue in a refrain of La Marseillaise.

As the largest known object at the fringe of the solar system, Neptune exerts considerable influence on its outer regions and the Kuiper Belt, and might account for its long-distance dance with Pluto. A provocative story, but a story for another time.

Neptune’s Greek namesake, Poseidon, was also known as the “earth shaker.”  With a history well documented in ancient Greek Linear B hieroglyphic tablets, when ticked off Neptune would strike the ground with his trusty trident and create earthquakes, tsunamis, and stormy seas.  To this day Neptune is honored by sailors with an initiation whenever they first cross the equator by sea of dressing in drag. Cue in the overture to H.M.S. Pinafore. 

Astrologically, Neptune governs the oceanic realms of the internal spirit and indicates the pathway to the divine.  It is subtle, sensitive, psychic, mystical, intuitive, and deceptive.  It is also transcendent, creative, and visionary, ruling drugs and altered mental states. And it rules the kind of deductive reasoning, from the general to the specific, by which it was discovered.  Similarly, it can serve as the conduit between individual experience and the collective nature of our most deeply cherished beliefs, ideals, and realms beyond our own, bringing what is otherwise beyond our comprehension into our personal awareness.

Neptune offers a way in which we can dissolve the limitations of the physical body and delve into the depths of being.  Like interconnected waterways, this network of interconnected consciousness merges to form our collective reality, whether that be the society or culture in which we live, the material environment, or domains of the spirit.  But wherever Neptune is found, like the water it governs, it slowly erodes and dissolves what it encounters until its essential nature is revealed. 

Which may be a bit disconcerting when so many of the other planets are in dynamic, combustible, and aggressive Aries. People are just not in any mood to play nice or understand any part of the word “no.”

Furthermore, Neptune has a tendency to subvert the better qualities of the signs it inhabits, bringing to the surface urges that are otherwise repressed. With Neptune in Scorpio from 1957 to 1970 we had the drug culture, the generation gap. and “tuning in and dropping out.” When Neptune was in Sagittarius from 1970 to 1984, we had the rise of the Moral Majority, the Christian right, an energy “crisis,” and the death of the Great Society. It was in Capricorn from 1984 to 1998, signaling the corporatization of America in which “greed is good,” laws were changed to transfer wealth to the top, and the liberal reforms and idealism of FDR, JFK and LBJ were attacked if not uprooted entirely.

And now we have the subversion of democracy by corporate interests and the legal equivalency of corporations with people, science under attack, egalitarian moral relativism, and a culture immersed in social networks in which people “friend” people they will never meet.

So, what is to be expected of Neptune in Pisces?

Pisces is a water sign and has a reputation of being calm, tranquil, and peaceful. But have you ever dated a Piscean?

So much for that reputation!

Pisces is the last sign, and as a result holds many vestiges of all the other signs within it. They are like a great summation sign in the sky, which is why they can often act in contradictory ways, symbolized by the two fish headed in opposite directions. And often, much of that conflict occurs because they are giving birth to the reformation of a past or tradition that is in need of reform. Sometimes they fail, but even in failing they create the seed of the new era to come.

Also, as the last sign they govern the boundary between worlds. The very next degree after the last degree of Pisces is the first degree of the zodiac. That accounts for their spiritual connections since they embody within themselves the very essences the permeable membranes that separate one world from another.

Therefore, I expect that first and foremost, Neptune in Pisces will popularize all forms of psychic and spiritual communion. It will force us to examine what is meant by spirituality and how we pursue personal fulfillment.

It is also likely to further polarize our politics with emotional demagoguery, popular unrest, and charlatanism. Neptune in Pisces usually provides the process through which an old outworn tradition finally dies. Sometimes that death is violent and difficult, since Neptune in Pisces tends to amplify our attachment to our beliefs right or wrong, but the end result is always worth it.

During the last occurrence of Neptune in Pisces we saw both the lead up to the US Civil War and the popularity of medical quackery. It also gave birth to the spiritualist movement, hypnotism, Mesmerism and the transcendentalism movement. In the cycle before that, Newton published the Principia Mathematica, the Glorious Revolution occurred, Britain became a constitutional monarchy, and we suffered the burning times of the Salem witch trials.

Neptune will be in Pisces for now only until August 4^th when it will slip back into Aquarius. It will return to Pisces on February 3, 2012 and remain there until 2015. We’ll be discussing much more about its sojourn in the sign of the fishes in the future editions of the Flow! so stay tuned for future details!

As for all those planets in Aries, we are likely to see an increase in assertiveness, aggressive behavior, disputes erupt into conflict, impatience, intolerance, and a nearly endless parade of power grabs. I would love to sit here and advise you to stay in bed, throw the covers over your head, and wait until May when the energy shifts to more temperate Taurus. But I can’t. In order to profit from the bountiful economic potential of Taurus, one must stake one’s territory and defend one’s claim under Aries.

It is going to be a tough slog, but is absolutely necessary. People, co-workers, even friends may try to muscle in on your turf and move your cheese. Move it? Hell, they’ll probably chomp it down with relish right in front of you. But this ain’t no picnic, this is war.

Yes, I may be painting too dire a picture, but better to be wary and on guard than tiptoe through the tulips into the jaws of a trap. Trust few and try to keep a step or two ahead of the opposition. It’s a little bit more than a month-long sprint, but when those steel jaws clamp shut, you will be no where near.

And trust me on this: the sign opposite to Aries is Libra. Saturn, Lord of Karma (our faithful trusty Karma Kop) is sitting right in the middle of Libra. As each of these planets don their marching boots and traipse through Aries, Saturn has them in his target sights and he will pick off more than a few scheming Machiavelli wannabes. Therefore, it’s recommended to be on your best behavior so that you don’t get caught in the shrapnel and become karmic kollateral.

Finally, before we get to the Daily Details, we have the New Moon in Aries on Sunday. It is in the Sabian Sign of an Indian Weaving a Blanket, indicating a fateful month ahead. Mythology is rife with allusions to weaving and fate, creation, and magick. We weave the warp and weft of our wants and needs and fashion our destiny to fulfill our desires. Weave passionately, and weave true. You don’t want to be caught wearing a threadbare fate with one more button than buttonholes.

Do you want it? Do you need it? Does it fulfill a part of your psychic gut that would otherwise cry out for sating? Then sate it. There is a reason why your soul desires it, though the reason may be opaque at the moment. The only admonition is for those who may be dancing to the tune of another, you may find yourself paying the piper with the sacrifice of your own happiness and the barrenness of denied fulfillment before long.

This is not the cheeriest of editions, but these are difficult and dangerous times, and I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you of what the planets portend.

This Sunday’s New Moon is the opening bell of this Brave New World, a world full of promise and potential for good or ill. The problem is that right now, so many planets are in Aries, and Aries is under great stress from both Saturn and Pluto in the antagonistic (to Aries) signs of Libra and Capricorn respectively. The stakes are high and it’s all about power. Will we be pawns of others’ interests or will we accept our destiny and fight back against those who wish to exploit and prey on us? The nature of this Brave New World hangs in the balance.

To the Daily Details!

Sunday, April 3^rd

New Moon (Moon conjunct Sun) at 7:32am

Mars conjunct Uranus at 1:52pm

Sun opposed Saturn at 4:58pm

The Moon is in Aries, and this is apt to be a disruptive day. Take it slow, don’t rush, and you will hopefully avoid the pitfalls of this day’s energies. New Moons always put people a bit on edge as our emotional selves are transformed as the Moon hides behind the light of the Sun. In the time before each New Moon we are pensive, uncertain, and hopeful for the future. Tomorrow, as the New Moon emerges from behind the Sun and the new crescent hangs above the western sky at dusk we feel renewed, rejuvenated, and emotionally refreshed.

Mars is energy, and Uranus is unpredictable, so the combination of the two can lead to lots of unforeseen events today. Be cautious, give yourself plenty of time to get things done, and try to avoid accidents or getting caught up in any of the emotional frenzies zipping by. Expressions of anger, upsetment, or disappointment are likely to be more extreme than what the circumstances generating them might warrant. People are looking for just about any excuse to let loose, so try to be reasonable amidst any torrent of emotional fervor that comes your way, and at least you won’t make a bad situation worse.

Finally, the opposition between the Sun and Saturn is an additional reminder to watch your p’s and q’s. Inappropriate actions, unnecessary provocations, and behind the scenes scheming are all likely to be get their comeuppance sooner rather than later. Saturn is keeping a watchful eye on us today, and if he finds something out of line he’s likely to hand us a karma ticket. Don’t give him any reason to hand one to you!

Monday, April 4^th

Neptune enters Pisces at 6:50am

The Moon enters Taurus at 4:46pm and not a moment too soon! Yesterday’s high-energy shenanigans are likely to leave us all needing a respite.  Until the Moon enters Taurus we’re likely to be impatient, irritable, and anxious so try and take the day’s activities with a grain of salt. Everyone is feeling a bit chafed under their skin, and few are functioning at their best so try to be sympathetic and understanding of others foibles today. In the evening, you might want to take a long languorous bath, make yourself a fine dinner, or watch a movie – anything to help soothe the spirit and any feathers that might have gotten ruffled over the weekend.

Tuesday, April 5^th

No major aspects

The earlier part of the day is likely to be more productive than the end, so if you have things to do, it’s best to front-load the day. Today our thoughts turn to more pleasurable activities like music, art, and beauty, and are one of the better days this week for working on your finances. Don’t be surprised if you run into annoying obstacles this evening or feel annoyed over nothing. Aries’ color is red, and without a whole lot of supporting aspects that’s exactly what our lunar bull is seeing. As has been the theme all week, try to keep your cool, give yourself plenty of time and space with which to do your work, and focus as much as possible on what is important and let the trivial go.

Wednesday, April 6^th

Sun conjunct Jupiter at 7:40am

This morning begins a break from the combative, combustible, disruptive energies of the first part of the week with a conjunction of the Sun (our Selves) with Jupiter (opportunity, growth, and fortune) starting a trend that makes the latter half of the week an improvement over the beginning. This aspect makes us feel more hopeful, optimistic and cheerful, but the downside of it can have us feeling a bit unmotivated to take advantage of its possibilities. If you can motivate yourself this morning, you just may find an easier path to a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow.

Thursday, April 7^th

No major aspects

The Moon moves into Gemini at 4:22am breaking the period of sluggishness of this latest Taurus Moon. While the morning hours may have us thinking we woke up on a different planet, or at least a different day of the week than Thursday, as the day progresses we feel far more energetic, engaged, and enthusiastic about the affairs we need to attend to. The early afternoon may see the arrival of a bit of some welcome unexpected news, especially if you’ve been good and have been taking a more active role in the pursuit of your goals. If you find yourself feeling scattered during this Gemini Moon period, the keyword is focus, focus, focus! Focus on what you feel is important and let the other stuff slide. You can pick it back up over the weekend when the Moon has more support in Cancer.

Friday, April 8^th

No major aspects

The Moon is in Gemini all day, and is fairly well aspected the whole time. For a Friday, it turns out to be rather productive, as we are able to know what needs to be done and take of it with dispatch. You may also find that some of the obstacles you encountered earlier in the week begin to fade into the background if not overcome completely. Hooray for the good guys! The evening has some excellent energies for socializing, sharing time with friends and loved ones, or just taking a long walk by yourself.

Saturday, April 9^th

Pluto goes Retrograde at 1:49am

Sun conjunct Mercury at 12:37pm

The Moon enters Cancer at 2:02pm and our intuition and emotional selves kick into high gear. We’re likely to be a bit more moody, sensitive and cranky than usual and apt to take it out on anyone who dares annoy us. The problem is that although the Moon, in general, is very much at home in Cancer, with all this Aries, Capricorn, and Libra energy around it feels very insecure and under the gun. The Moon in Cancer craves security, so your key to emotional harmony is to acknowledge those parts of your life that bring you comfort and security and allow yourself the benefit of the doubt in those areas that feel to be a bit more threatening. Things will improve, the struggle we are in right now will pass eventually.

Pluto is retrograde until September 16^th. Until then, some of the more difficult challenges we have been facing will begin to ease. During this time we find ourselves revisiting old attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions that have long outlived their usefulness. It is generally not an advantageous time to try and assert control over situations, but to examine why they are out of control, and work on what you can do to correct the situation.

The Sun conjunct Mercury marks the height of the Mercury Retrograde period. If you feel fuzzy or confused, or if communication or computers break down, the situation should turn around in a couple of weeks when Mercury goes direct on the 23^rd of April. Hang in there!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

 

 

 

The Flow! Week of February 27 – March 5, 2011

The Flow is a weekly blog published to better understand the flow of astrological, celestial, and magickal energies for the week, and how best to use them.   It is intended for those with little knowledge of astrology.

For newcomers, the idea is to consider celestial influences as part of a larger whole, or the Flow.  All too often, astrologers tend to write about astrological events as if each were an isolated specimen as if pulled out of the sky and analyzed by itself – and there is no dearth of astrological sites on the net that write that way.  Here, it is the movement and interactions that are important and form the basis of discussion.

If any of the material is unclear or unfamiliar to you, it is probably unfamiliar to others as well, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer your questions.

If you like what you see, please share it with friends!  If you would like to get email notifications for when The Flow! is updated, or have a private question please email me at skywatcher888@yahoo.com.  Thank you!

The Flow! is updated every Sunday.

Please note: all times are in the Pacific Timezone.

This week’s synopsis:  In like a lion

We all know the refrain about March, “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” This year, we enter March with lions roaring, worldwide.

 

Tunisia and Egypt are already old news.  There’s Libya, Yemen, and Bahrain on center stage, Jordan, Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia in the wings, and Wisconsin front and center.  Whereas in the past these conflicts have been contested in the cadences of religion, now they are being fought for secular ideological reasons: democracy, union busting, and the role of government.

 

On January 29^th Uranus, planet of revolution, revolt, the new age, and new world orders, entered Aries heliocentrically, or as seen from the Sun.  A revolution has begun, and long after the dusts from the Middle East to Madison have settled, Uranus will be working to change things behind the scenes.  And when Uranus enters Aries geocentrically, or as seen from the Earth, on March 11^th we will begin to see the tangible results of these changes, and have a better sense of their impact on us.

It is highly unlikely this March will go out like a lamb.

 

Much more on this in next week’s edition as we discuss the full ramifications of Uranus entering Aries!

 

As this week begins, almost all the planetary action is between a square (red line, see below) from Pluto and the Moon in Capricorn to Jupiter in Aries.  Jupiter and Pluto are all about power, raw deep seated power that can rock the planet.  It is also about leading the masses, and of social regeneration.  And with the Moon sitting on Pluto, we start the week with our emotions at full tilt, grappling with our deepest wants, needs, and fears and scrabbling for any opportunity that will help us grow, expand, and leave the wretched past behind.

 

In the distance we can faintly hear a rhythmic drumbeat of independence and freedom, but the source is yet too unclear and the message too incoherent to understand it’s meaning or our role to play.  But it is going to get louder and clearer.  As Neptune and Uranus shift signs this Spring, we should be witness to a new awakening that will reach a peak with the upcoming square of Uranus and Pluto.  Forget all the silly hype about 2012, the real deal is in 2014.  Not a cataclysm, but a social revolution, rebirth, and revival.  April 21, 2014.  Mark it on your calendars.  It’s bound to be a red letter day in the evolution of humanity!  We ought to have a Beltane to remember that year!

 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

 

Saturn is sitting in Libra all by its lonesome.  But that’s alright, Saturn doesn’t mind.  Our cosmic Karma cop rather enjoys the solitude, and he is quite at home in the sign of the scales — meting out justice for all who come before his watchful gaze.  Truth, honesty, responsibility, and integrity are his watchwords, and Saturn’s rings can become handcuffs for those who disregard them or rings of gold for those who heed.

 

We are also in the midst of a stellium (three or more planets in one sign/area of the zodiac) that straddles the signs of Aquarius and Pisces.  Neptune, Chiron, Mars, the Sun and Mercury are all in early Pisces, very late Aquarius.  Not only does this configuration give great impetus for masses of people joining for common cause, but is also serving to dispel the cobwebs of extreme ideologies and a return to a more compassionate, reasoned and balanced way of thinking.

 

In early April, we will have a massive stellium of the Sun and Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus in the sign of Aries.  This ought to be a time of starting new ventures, activating plans, and enacting long planned strategies.  More than one sleeping giant may awaken during this period!

 

Yet each of these planets (except slower moving Uranus) will eventually come under the crosshairs of Saturn’s watchful eye as they move to the midpoint of Aries and form an opposition to Saturn.  So as you put into motion your plans, keep Saturn’s watchwords in mind!  The first major instance of Saturn opposition energy will be with Jupiter on March 28^th, which should put an end to the roadblocks to an economic recovery.  The second will be come on April 18^th when Mars comes under fire from Saturn and we will need every ounce of energy, drive, and ambition to keep us moving in a forward direction.

 

And finally, on a lighter note, on Tuesday of this week Venus enters the sign of Aquarius.  Venus needs to wear extra layers of clothing in the cool mountains of Capricorn, restricting her movements and inhibiting her ability to display her affections to the fullest.  Venus in Aquarius has all the warmth and charm of a computer server room, but at least she is able to form emotional bonds with those who think the same as she does.  So, until March 26^th, when Venus moves into warm, kind, compassionate, caring, and sometimes chaotic Pisces the road to any man’s or woman’s heart is through the brain.  If ever there was a time for it, now is the perfect time to take a nerd to lunch.

 

Be sure to check out the sky charts for the Moon for the beginning and end of the week below from Sky and Telescope Magazine’s Week at a Glance.  At the beginning of  the week the Moon slides past Venus glittering like a jewel in the dawn sky, and at the end of the week, the waning crescent Moon sets beside Jupiter, jewel planet of the sky at dusk.

 

To the Daily Details!

 

Sunday, February 27^th

 

No major aspects

 

As mentioned before, we start the week with the Moon in Capricorn.  It is conjunct Pluto.  This is a rather tense Moon, so we start of the week with a modicum of tension in our souls.  It’s understandable for the Hollywood set, with the Oscars later this night, but for the rest of us, it is almost as if we are about to go on stage, and can feel the butterflies in our own stomachs.  The flutters come from inner stresses coming to the surface and being relieved.  Chances are at some time today you’ll be thinking of some event in the past the made you cringe inwardly – except that you’ll think about it differently than ever before, and miraculously its power over you and the host of difficulties will be expiated into the ether for good.  It is all part of the inner revolutions that are going within each of us in sympathy and harmony with the other changes going on worldwide.

 

And for those of you who don’t feel the need for Pepto today, it’s just a case of the Moon moving into a more favorable position to clean out your psychic souls at a later date.

 

Generally speaking, today should be a fine day.  Our spirits are good, our moods are stable, and we face the beginning of the week resolved to do our fair share of the work in the week ahead with shoulders squared, chins up, and tummies rumbling.

 

Monday, February 28^th

 

No major aspects

 

It’s work, work, work all day, but after the Moon enters Aquarius at 9:14pm we feel a little bit more relaxed about things.  Work, which has been darting through our minds like a hummingbird on steroids 24/7, takes a bit of a backseat to our thoughts tonight and we begin to truly relax and take it easy.  Yes, it’s only Monday but it feels more like the end than the beginning of the week.  It’s just that all the psychological work done over the weekend that makes it seem like you’ve already been at work for days!

 

Tonight is also a good opportunity to begin thinking of long term plans.  Much of our attention lately has been focused on the past.  There’s no better time than now to take stock of the present, place a marker for where you want to be in 6-8 months and strategize for how you want to get there.

 

Tuesday, March 1^st

 

Venus sextiles Uranus at 6:40am

 

Venus enters Aquarius at 6:39pm

 

Happy Birthday Justin Bieber!   Sorry, I promise, I just couldn’t resist!

 

With the Moon, Venus, and Neptune all in Aquarius today get out your beanies and let your inner nerd out of the closet.  Technical matters and issues become a little more interesting, our humanitarian quotient edges up a bit, and we are more tolerant and understanding of our differences.  While Venus is in Aquarius, we’re all apt to be more interested in science, inventions, and humanitarian endeavors.  On the other hand, expect people to act just a teensy bit stranger than usual, as if everyone feels compelled to play out an inner script they’ve been holding close to the chest that they now feel is ready for prime time.  Fortunately, Venus in Aquarius also tends to make us a bit more open-minded and tolerant of strangeness, so we’re more likely to go along for the ride.  Just don’t be surprised, and don’t say I didn’t warn you!  To get into the spirit of the energy, download “She Blinded Me with Science” and wear your iPod out!

 

Wednesday, March 2^nd

 

No major aspects

 

The Moon remains in Aquarius all day, and only makes a rather nice aspect to Saturn all day.  This should be a day in which we are able to accomplish what we set out to do, be able to research problems with aplomb, and deal with others honestly, fairly, and justly.  If you feel wronged in any way, today (particularly the morning) should be auspicious for making your case and trying to set things to rights.  Pay close attention to scientific or technology news today, there may be some announcement or development that could have far-reaching implications for our future.

 

Thursday, March 3^rd

 

Mars sextile Pluto at 6:52pm

 

The Moon enters Pisces at 8:46am and we become a bit more introspective, sensitive, and more aware of how we are being treated by others.  Yet overall, the Mars Pluto sextile is casting way too much energy for us to sit and daydream or mope for long.  We want to be out among others doing things, accomplishing things, and making things happen in our lives.  This is a day in which you can move mountains, at least if you can find the right tools to do so.  Particularly with Mars in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn, we may feel inclined to join with others in helping move some cause or project forward.   These two signs working together can increase cooperation, teamwork, and pragmatism.  Ideas for solutions may come from nowhere, but they will generally be practical and useful.  Gatherings and meetings of all kinds should be productive today, and it’s a great day for rolling up your sleeves and doing the dirty work!

 

Friday, March 4^th

 

New Moon at 12:45pm

 

All of the inner workings we’ve been busy with these past few weeks comes to a close and a new phase begins with the New Moon of Pisces.  With this New Moon we begin to get a glimpse of our roles in the future and in the next few weeks will develop a better understanding of what kinds of training and preparation we may need to fulfill them.  Invitations and prospects that arrive over the next two weeks are messages from the future and should be accepted as the opportunities they are.  Turn them down, and you may be closing the door to a bright future.

 

With all these planets in Pisces, it may be worthwhile to take note of it’s nature.  One of my favorite alliterative stanza from the Pisces song in the Zodiac album is, “Pisces plays the pipes of peace, painting people with promise; pouring the world out of a moonstone.”  As noble as that may sound, it is the crux of Pisces’ problem.  So very often, it sees what it wants to see, and disregards the rest (to quote another song).  Be wary during this intense Pisces period.  Painting people with promise hides who they truly are.  Don’t get mislead by projecting your own assumptions on others — when the theatre lights come on and the projector shuts down, you don’t want to be staring at sights for which you are unprepared.

 

Saturday, March 5^th

 

No major aspects

 

The week comes to a close (as does this column!) with the Moon entering Aries at 9:13pm.  At some point this evening, the pixie fairy dust of Pisces gives way to the aggressive assertive antics of Aries.   Tomorrow, the Moon moves beyond Jupiter, and we begin to loosen the astrological lock on energies between Pluto and Jupiter we have experienced for the last several months.  They have been important months, and they have been preparing us for the times ahead.  So, as this configuration breaks down, there is a strong need for release.  To get into gear for the Aries time of year, go for a drive, go ride a roller-coaster, wear out a Wii, or go watch a racing movie!   Whatever you do, have a great Saturday, we won’t have another configuration like this for some time to come!

 

Wishing you all a wonderful week!