Astro Doings April 2011

Hi Everyone

Happy Spring!  Hope you enjoyed the relative quiet of March, because April promises to be a busy month.  Here are the highlights.

Sign Changes:

Neptune: The planet of illusion, fog, redemption and compassion (how’s that for a combination!) enters her own sign (Pisces) tomorrow (April 4) at 9:36 a.m. EDT.  When a planet is in the sign that it rules, it can express itself more freely and easily than it can in a sign that it isn’t compatible with.  Neptune has just concluded (although she will back into it again) a long transit of Aquarius (an air sign). Neptune doesn’t like the air element very well.  She prefers water or earth.  Pisces, which is the last of the water signs, seeks to merge with all that is and is the sign of faith, service and the addict. If things can get more blurred and I believe they will, we may see an increased emphasis on water, which could include too much water/not enough water, water quality, etc.  (I believe that the tsunami associated with Japan’s earthquake can be attributed to Uranus’ departure from Pisces and entry into Aries.  More on that below).  Anyone with planets in early (0-5) degrees Pisces, Cancer or Scorpio, Virgo, Sagittarius or Gemini will be affected by this change of sign.  Neptune will stay in Pisces (moving very slowly) until August when she will back up (retrograde motion) into Aquarius for a bit. Neptune’s time in Pisces can also herald an increased interest in/commitment to all things spiritual.  It can also mean an increase in not seeing things clearly and in buying into the illusion of this plane.  A classic Neptunian event is the Academy Awards — Neptune rules the film industry. . . .  Need I say more? Continue reading

Astro Doings March 2011

Hi Everyone

Hope you all had a wonderful February.  There’s a bit more activity in March, astrologically speaking.

Aries: There are two planets (actually one planet and one luminary) that enter Aries this month.  Uranus enters Aries on March 11 at 7:52 p.m. and the Sun enters Aries (Vernal Equinox, Astrological New Year) on March 20 at 7:21 p.m.  Uranus will remain in Aries until 2018.  Uranus, the Awakener, Transformer, does away with old patters that no longer serve us.  This is a significant shift in energy because the sign Aries is all about “me.”  On a higher level Aries represents the quest for Self, so with Uranus in this sign we all have an opportunity to become aware of and transform old patterns that no longer serve us.  Those with planets in early degrees (1-5) Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn may be more sensitive to this entry.  Those with planets in late degrees Pisces, Virgo, Sagittarius and Gemini (28-30) may also be more sensitive to this change.   It will be intensified at the end of the month when the Sun and Uranus will be right next to each other (conjunct) in early degrees of Aries.  Things will speed up – watch the way folks drive – tempers may be closer to the surface and people will be very anxious for change.  Restlessness will abound – it’s spring after all, even though the weather may not have gotten the memo in some parts of the world. Continue reading

Astro Doings February 2011

Hi Everyone

Hope you had a good January.  February looks to be rather quiet, which is welcome, I’m sure.

No planet changes direction during the month.  Saturn will continue to move in retrograde motion through Libra — from 17 to 16 degrees — a real speed demon!  Anyone with planets at 13 to 20 degrees of Libra, Aries, Cancer, Capricorn, Aquarius and/or Gemini may be more sensitive to this transit than others.  (Also folks with planets in Pisces or Taurus.  For them this transit will require adjustment, depending on the planets involved.) Continue reading

Astro Doings January 2011

Happy New Year!  I wish each of you a peaceful, healthy and joyous New Year.  2011 promises to be a very active year astrologically — but we’ll take it one month at a time.

Eclipse

Eclipses come in pairs, and as you all remember (!) we had a lunar eclipse on December 21st — on the Solstice.  (I didn’t realize that it was the first time in 456 years that an eclipse occurred on the Solstice.)  So we ended 2010 with an eclipse and we’ll begin 2011 with one — a solar eclipse on Tuesday, January 4th at 4:30 a.m. at 13 degrees Capricorn. Solar eclipses always occur at a new moon, so both Sun and Moon will be at 13 Capricorn.  At this time our essence and our emotions will be using the mode of expression.  We may be more practical, feel we need to plan for the future and want to start new things, but not before we’ve considered every detail of the project. This is a partial eclipse of the Sun that will be visible in Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, easter Asia, northwestern China and India.  So we’ll miss seeing it, but those with planets from 10 – 16 degrees Capricorn, Libra, Aries, Cancer, Taurus or Virgo will be more affected by it. Each sign as a degree – or degrees — that are more sensitive than others.  For Capricorn (and Libra, Aries, and Cancer) 13 (and 26) degrees are particularly sensitive.  In addition, this eclipse will occur very near Pluto and will square Saturn in Libra.  A square is a relationship between planets that is strained and requires cooperation between them.  Think of how earth and air can relate to one another, and you’ll get an idea of the challenge of the relationship between these planets.  Anytime there is an eclipse it disrupts the flow of energy in the magnetic field around the Earth.  Interesting that this eclipse occurs with a new Congress, governors, etc. beginning their work.  It certainly makes the energy more intense. Continue reading