Mercury In Libra Clashes With Pluto & Uranus

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Mercury in Libra sends us this cordial little reminder as it chafes against the Uranus-Pluto square all week!
Mercury in Libra sends us this cordial little reminder as it chafes against the Uranus-Pluto square all week!

Mercury in Libra has now moved in to frictional contact with Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries, effective through Saturday September 13th. This T-square can make for some unpleasant communication weirdness to say the least – under normal circumstances, Mercury in Libra is polite and poised in conversations. However, due it grating against the status-quo busting duo of Pluto & Uranus, Mercury is having a bit of difficulty maintaining its equilibrium and as such its normal verbal politesse may be on the fritz. Under these astrological conditions, it can be easy to swing from saccharine-sweet faux niceties over to shockingly abrasive words that violate decorum and restraint. People may be disinclined to say things that placate under this energy, or if they do and have been slapping a smile over their displeasure, this is a time when the façade can abruptly drop without warning. Be particularly conscious of when somebody is either under pressure or acquiescing just for the sake of getting along, because these are the folks most likely to blow a gasket under this energy.

The short version of how to handle this T-square involves:

a) Minding good conversational etiquette and making a conscious choice not to play pot-stirrer or devil’s advocate just for the hell of it.

b) Being conscious of those who share your mindset and those who do not. For the time being, gravitate TOWARD those with interests and opinions similar to your own and AWAY from those who see things very differently or who would bait you into negative or upsetting “discourse” – this is doubly so for interactions on the internet, so please beware of trolls!

c) If you’re on the fence about an issue, keep yourself out of the potential conflict that can arise from consulting varying groups with differing opinions on the matter in question, as you’re more likely to either vacillate or else possibly get drawn into a dispute. This influence can put us at odds with the ideas and opinions our peer groups/social networks vs. those of influential (possibly older) figures we respect, such as parents, a teacher, a mentor figure, etc. You can see how it might potentially present a problem if we were to ask both sides for input, and get totally conflicting answers back in reply.

d) There is also an “agent provocateur” facet of this energy, so watch who you associate with now and don’t violate your internal ethics/boundaries even if pressured. Definitely don’t adopt a mentality of going along with popular opinion just to please others as well, or to fit in with a particular (alpha) social clique, because you might not realize what you’re being drawn into. I wrote a snippet back in my April 2014 newsletter about how it’s important to be wary of the power of the group and how it’s being used with the Pluto-Uranus square in effect through 2015 – I find this an especially relevant point this week because Mercury in Libra is naturally apt to just bob its head “yes” and go along with something/someone due Libra’s agreeable nature.

 ***Addendum:  I should also mention specifically to try & be an alert, courteous driver while on the road.  Mercury in its Commuter God facet has dominion over the day-to-day forms of transport we use to get from Point “A” to Point “B” (such as cars, trains, buses, & subways).  When Uranus makes hard contact to this planet, accidents are possible – specifically the kind where we say “The other driver came from out of nowhere!” because it’s such a sudden, unanticipated energy.  If you spot anyone driving erratically and aggressively, keep your distance and give them a very wide berth.  The crazies may be out there!

All this said, this is a relatively short-duration influence and the energy will be on the upswing after it dissipates on Saturday, so it shouldn’t be too hard to avoid problem manifestations if we keep our eyes open and on the lookout. Remember that our words have power, and that “freedom (of speech) without (personal) responsibility is license, not liberty”.

09/09/2014

September’s Mercury/Venus Mutual Reception

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September's Mercury/Venus Mutual Reception: Mercury will be in Libra; Venus in Virgo.
September’s Mercury/Venus Mutual Reception: Mercury will be in Libra; Venus in Virgo.

Hey, peeps! Just a head’s up that we have another mutual reception coming into play between September 5th – 27th, when Mercury and Venus decide to play the role of exchange students by occupying one another’s home signs! Yes, Mercury & Venus will be mixing & mingling their energies and playing off each other for a period of about 3 weeks during September, so although this one is shorter in duration, its effects will still be palpable. Here are some highlighted themes you may notice in play this month as a result of this combination:

Discrimination in our choice of partners; health matters involving a significant other or biz partner; watching our sugar intake in our diets; talking about marriage; sibling relationships; diplomatic conversations; relations w/ co-workers/employees; discussion that involves fair give-and-take; kidney health; finding love on the job; tactful choice of words; love at the gym; criticism from a spouse/S.O.; looking at relationship routines; the girl next door; a balanced diet; relationships with neighbors; intestinal balance; analyzing how we earn/spend money & assessing financial health; a job we love; relationship health; lazy co-workers/employees; discriminating taste; making money with our hands or communication abilities; marriage-minded; relationship news; getting agreements in writing; a love of cleanliness & organization; helpful & pleasant; money in service trades; talking things out in relationships.

A caveat is due on that last one between the 8th-13th, however, when Mercury tangles with Pluto & Uranus. If a conversation is initiated at this time it may be a hard one and/or may not resolve agreeably with everyone in accord. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have those conversations if you absolutely have to; it just means go into these talks prepared to utilize a good deal of verbal finesse and/or prep yourself for the possibility that when all is said & done you still may not wind up seeing things eye-to-eye. And don’t take for granted the skill of maintaining poise & politeness even if something is said that throws you off balance – think of how to regain equilibrium if this should happen.

09/05/2014

Black Moon Lilith In Leo Asks:

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….”When was the last time you let your inner Black Magic Woman out to play?”

 

 

If it’s been a while, it might be time to give her some proper attention.  Black Moon Lilith is the quintessential “witchy woman”, and when her energy is active in our charts we may start seeing portents everywhere or make offerings unto the Spirit World.  We listen to our intuition; hear whispers on the wind.  We might enjoy the company of animal “familiars” and weave spells or brew “potions” by pale light of the Moon.  Under Black Moon Lilith’s energy, we’re also more likely to choose a path of (voluntary or involuntary) exile rather than one of submission – indeed, this vibe is fierce and anything but servile!  Lilith would much rather be an outcast than a lesser/subordinate – reference the fact that as Adam’s first wife she was cast out of Eden when she refused to take a subservient sexual position under him.  Speaking of sex, there’s a seductive, sexually empowered facet of BML’s energy as well, which we closely associate with the root chakra and the kundalini that lies coiled at the base of the spine.

"The Love Potion" by Evelyn De Morgan.
“The Love Potion” by Evelyn De Morgan.

So how can you conjure her up?  With Black Moon Lilith currently traversing Leo, you might summon her through the slinky, undulating movements of dance – think Shakira-esque bellydancing complete with gyrating hips as you playfully beckon a would-be lover onto the dance floor.  You could express her by getting into character and really playing up this “enchanting” vibe to the hilt through creating some potions or jewelry infused with magical intent during the night of the Full or New Moon.  You might also connect to this energy through finding some sort of inspirational or creative muse in strong, defiant, regal female figures.  For example, BML in Leo reminds me of the mythical Queen of Sheba – the beguiling pagan queen of old whose leadership savvy allowed her to remain sovereign unto herself (which was virtually unheard of during such a vastly patriarchal time), even when matching wits with the likes of King Solomon. You could also do something to honor the “outcast” facet of BML, say by adopting an unwanted feline companion as a familiar since Leo energy is all about the kitties (double bonus points if it’s a black cat). However you choose to express this energy, give your inner Black Magic Woman some free reign and let her play!

09/02/2014

 

Words (Not) To Live By With Jupiter In Leo:

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Photo by Rafieff via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Rafieff via Wikimedia Commons

“We were swollen in the head… and shrunken in the heart” -Metallica lead singer James Hetfield, Leo Sun w/ a Capricorn Moon, on a period when his band was, in his own words, “believing in [their] own hype”.

This is where rock star Leo energy has the capacity to go wrong, when (as the late, great Isabel Hickey would say) Leos “enthrone the ego” where the heart should be. Leo may be the regal king of the zodiac resplendent in all his warm, benevolent glory, but on the other hand he can also be the tyrannical despot when he becomes the center of his own universe and attempts to arrogantly force the world to revolve around his own ginormous ego. This is one of the potential hazards with Jupiter – The Great Expander – now residing in Leo, the Sultan of Swagger. The head must not be allowed to grow larger than the heart, and (false) pride coupled with a lack of genuine confidence is what generally causes this to happen. Fortunately for James, his Capricorn Moon is there to keep it real and keep it grounded – experience has taught him firsthand the importance of humility, so with any luck at all he’ll be able to maintain this level of wise self-awareness even as Jupiter creeps up to his Sun to launch him further into the stratosphere. Others – including those with a predominance of the Fire element in their chart – might want to keep an eye on this tendency during the next year, because when misapplied Jupiter in Leo does lend itself to braggadocio.

08/19/2014

Planetary Archetypes In Nature

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Photo by Jason Quinn: "Cedar Waxing August 14, 2014 Newfoundland, PA"
Photo by Jason Quinn: “Cedar Waxing August 14, 2014 Newfoundland, PA”

Just this morning I had a little visitor outside my window – much to my delight, a lovely Cedar Waxwing was sitting in my Rhododendron, gathering the bush’s flowers with its beak!  Yes, it was quite the sight to behold….I was wondering why on earth it would be picking flowers…?  Was this some weird nest-festooning thing it liked to do, like the bowerbirds of Australia?  Were there bees or other insects inside the flower gathering pollen/nectar, and the bird was using the blossom like a net in order to catch its prey?  What exactly was the deal with this?

Referencing my handy Audubon Society field guide on birds (yes, I *am* a nature nerd if you haven’t figured that out by this point in the story, LOL), I found out some cool facts about my little buddy:

Waxwings are apparently super-social creatures, usually hanging out in large flocks.  They have a habit of lining up in a tree or bush and passing berries to one another in a chain, so they seem to enjoy sharing and are “polite” enough to feed their friends before stuffing their own beaks with berry goodness.

Hmmmm..interesting behavior for a bird – loves companionship, seems to have a penchant for flowers, and likes to share?  I’d say this bird has some very Venusian energy going on!  It was pretty cool to see an animal’s energy resonate so strongly with a planet’s.  My shamanic healer friend, Deana, once told me that she and I both do similar work as we both deal with archetypes – mine are the heavenly kind (the planets), hers are the earthly manifestations (animals/totems).  Something clicked when she told me that – I’ve never looked at animals the same way since.  Now I pay attention whenever I have an interesting animal encounter and look at the “energy” (read: message) the critter in question carries, much in the same way I see the planets expressing their energies in everyday life and decode the memos they send out. It’s all symbolic & the signs are there – whether we read them through the planets or the animals, it’s all the same.  It’s all energy.

08/07/2014

Venus In Cancer Is Movin’ Out!

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With Venus in Cancer under big-time fire from Uranus & Pluto this week, I thought it’s as good a time as any to post about the astrology of moving house since Cancer is the consummate homebody & one of my newsletter subscribers recently wrote to me with a question about moving! So let’s talk about transits, shall we? The term “transits” is just another way of saying we’re going to take a look at the current motions of the planets and how these are impacting our individual birth chart, and a change of residence is usually triggered by some kind of transit to one of the “lunar” areas of our chart – i.e. to our Moon, 4th House, or IC (that’s also known as the Imum Coeli or Nadir, in more formal parlance 🙂 ). Typically, it is a transit from …Read More…

Astro-News Flash: Jupiter Has Entered Leo

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Stock image courtesy Kevin Pluck
Stock image courtesy Kevin Pluck

Globe-trekking, beneficent Jupiter has entered fiery Leo, where it will remain for an entire year!

So what can we expect out of this year-long transit? Well, for one it’s a very beneficial energy for creative types – this can be art, sculpture, writing…any medium used for self-expression at all, really – because it expands creative mojo. Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) in particular are really going to be juiced by this energy, but Sadge and Leo Suns will feel it in spades. Jupiter is also known as The Promotor – he blows us up and makes us larger-than-life so that our reach is expanded and we’re more visible to a wider (hopefully global) audience. As such, this astro-influence is bound to be a boon for artists & other creative types looking to get their creations “out there” and seen because this is such a conspicuous, high-profile energy.

While we’re on the topic of the pro-creativity vibe, I should also mention this can extend on a biological level as well since Leo is the sign of children. Want more kids or A kid? It’s possible you may get some astrological help in this department because child-related matters are indeed emphasized with Jupiter in Leo. Now by no means does this mean you *will* have a child, it just means that  …Read More…

Dreaming Of Lions…..

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I awoke from a dream this morning, hazily recalling that my sleeping hours had been spent in a house filled with loads and LOADS of lions!

Amusingly, the Sun enters Leo today…and when it does it will be greeted by the Lord of Abundance, Jupiter, who just entered Leo for a year-long stay. A plethora of lions indeed….!

Needless to say, the Leo vibe is getting super juiced up, and it only grows stronger as we approach the weekend. A Leo-infused New Moon takes place on Saturday right next to Jupiter – be on the lookout for lions crossing….

 

LionCrossing

 

07/22/2014

Wrapping Up Mars In Libra

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With Mars about to emerge from its pre-retrograde shadow zone, I thought this would be a good time to check in and do a little review of what we’ve been learning since Mars first entered this sign back in December of 2013.  Mars is wrapping up its nearly 8 month long trek through Libra and will dip into Scorpio’s waters on the 25th, so this is a great time to see what we’ve taken away from this time period so we’re prepared for the next leg of the journey!  During the last 8 months, have you:

  • Honed your social skills/manners, focusing on tact & diplomacy?
  • Learned who your comrades-in-arms are; those who will fight the good fight alongside you, even if you do wind up as sparring partners from time to time?
  • Re-balanced relationships; taken a stand when/where it was appropriate and acquiescing to foster cooperation and harmonious relations when it was needed?
  • Learned the way of the Peaceful Warrior – how to create mutual win scenarios and practice the balanced application of force to get what you want in life?
  • How to weigh both sides (pros and cons) of a course of action without allowing this process to hamstring you?
  • Become more considerate/aware of others’ desires?
  • Uncovered/discarded any “frenemies” in your orbit?
  • Learned to wrangle potentially hot social situations while maintaining grace under fire?
  • Practiced being polite but direct?
  • Examined/slowed down the impulse to partner, with the understanding that chemistry does not automatically equal compatibility?
  • Learned that actions speak for themselves in relationships?
  • Striven for reciprocity and become focused on cohesion, collaboration, and fair dealings?

Well, how did you do?  This is the Mars in Libra cumulative review, and taking stock of these important themes allows us to stay on top of Mars’ energy as it prepares to transition into a new sign.  If we’ve challenged ourselves in these ways and managed to rise to the occasion, we will be well-positioned for Mars-in-Scorpio season, which runs from July 25th – September 13th this year.  If, on the other hand, we failed to confront the above issues, the likelihood of resentment surfacing during Mars’ passage through Scorpio is quite high – things could get ugly.  This is a super-passionate, potent placement for The Red Planet – anger tends to seethe into resentment or bitterness when this energy is done in Lo-Fi, and we want to avoid the potential for this kind of toxic brew.  It’s not too late to correct any of the above Mars-in-Libra issues to help head this off at the pass, though – we still have another week to go!

07/17/2014

Venus In Gemini + Mars In Libra

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DoublemintTwinsDouble your pleasure, double your fun – that’s what you get when Venus in Gemini teams up in supportive aspect to another planet! In this case, we have Mars in Libra benefiting from Venus in Gemini’s gift of gab, so if you are looking to partner the next few days are a great time to get the dialog flowing and to be brave & make the first move in a relationship. If you do, you’ll get a +1 for initiative with Mars in Libra. Keep the conversation sweet & flirty, and also consider enlisting the aid of a good wingman/wingwoman because Venus in Gemini + Mars in Libra loves to tag-team when hunting for a mate. Others can help you get what you want with this astro-influence in play, and if you pair up w/ your BFF to form a dynamic duo, he/she may talk you up in a way that causes the object of your desire to look favorably upon you. There’s good astro-chemistry in the air right now, so get socializing and don’t be afraid to chat up a cutie (or two!) 😉

07/10/2014