Mercury

Astro Doings December 2016

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Hard to believe that we’re now in the last month of 2016. December continues the pattern we’ve seen of mostly cardinal (initiating but not finishing, male, restless) and mutable (also restless, multi-talented, flighty) energy. There is very little fixed or sustaining energy around, so things may continue to feel unsettled and/or restless, depending on how this impacts your chart.

Mercury goes retrograde on December 19th at 5:55 a.m. He’ll be at 150 Capricorn, right next to Pluto, the planet that rules the underground, power, secrets and deep-seated transformation. Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign that concerns structures and systems – both personal and collective. This can be a time of close examination of how we think and what old thought patterns need to be removed. At the end of December and into early January, just in time for the New Year, the Sun will be right next to Pluto. Mercury goes direct on January 8th.

Uranus, the planet of the higher mind, goes direct on December 29th at 4:29 a.m. He’ll be at 200 Aries, a cardinal, fire sign and square (growth opportunity) Mercury and Pluto in Capricorn. Earth is a great way to put fire out and too much fire renders earth unusable. However, when these two elements work together, they can accomplish anything – bringing inspiration (fire) onto the earth plane in practical (earth) applications. Jupiter, the planet of expansion and being “bigger than life,” is in Libra, which opposes Uranus and square Pluto/Mercury. He invites us to broaden our attitudes (Mercury) toward others (Libra) and bring our quest for ourselves (Aries) into balance with others, Pluto here means that we have the opportunity to transform our relationship to ourselves (Aries) and each other (Libra), recognizing in truth that we are all one.

December’s Full Moon occurs on December 13th at 7:05. She’ll be at 220 Gemini.

The Winter Solstice, when the Sun enters Capricorn, occurs on December 21st at 5:45 a.m. And from there, we celebrate the return of the Light – on all levels!

I hope you have a most joyous holiday season and abundant blessings in the New Year.

Peace,

Margaret

 

Astro Doings May 2016

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Happy May Day! As I looked at the astrological calendar for May, I was struck by the fact that most planets are in either fire or earth signs. Looking at this from a strictly practical perspective, fire and earth don’t get along very well. Earth is a good way to put fire out and fire can render earth dry and infertile. However, another way to look at this is practical (earth) inspiration (fire). It is the ability to take our dreams (fire) and realize them in a practical and useful (earth) way. Earth helps us look at the details (Virgo) and plan (Capricorn) how we will implement our insights into spiritual truth (Sagittarius) and into ourselves (Aries). We have a lot of Taurus energy this month, which slows us down enough to look before we leap.

Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius (and Pisces), ends its long retrograde sojourn on May 9 at 8:16 a.m. He’ll be at 130 degrees Virgo, the sign of harvest and integration. He is on the other side of the zodiac from Neptune in Pisces, and can provide boundaries and balance for our quest to merge with something greater than ourselves (Pisces). It can bring practicality (Virgo) to our dreams (Neptune).

Mercury also stations direct this month – on May 22nd to be exact at 9:20 a.m. He’ll remain in methodical Taurus for the rest of the month. Speed demon Mercury doesn’t particularly like being in slow-moving, deliberate Taurus. However, we can focus on “thinking things through” and on recognizing that thoughts are truly things. Along with Mercury, the New Moon occurs in Taurus on May 6th at 3:29 p.m.

The Sun moves into Gemini on May 20 at10:37 a.m. Gemini looks at both sides of any (and all) continuums and loves to explore the realm of ideas – for a few minutes, anyway, until he moves on to something else. The Full Moon is the next day, providing some balance to Gemini’s flitting energy, by focusing us more on higher truths (Sagittarius).

And don’t forget to watch Mercury pass over the face of the Sun on May 9th starting a little before 7 a.m. EDT (if I’ve done the time conversion correctly). Weather permitting, we should be able to see it in eastern North America. (The last time this happened was in 2006). If you decide to watch it other than online, be sure to protect your eyes from the Sun’s rays. I’m sure there will be more information about this astronomical event as we get closer.

Have a wonderful month!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings January 2015

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Happy New Year! I hope 2015 brings abundant peace, joy and blessings of all kinds to us all.

January begins with a powerful Full Moon on the 4th at 11:53 p.m. The Moon will be at 140 Cancer, opposed the Sun in Capricorn and squaring Uranus in Aries. The Sun is also conjunct (right next to) Pluto. This Full Moon accentuates the Uranus/Pluto square (aka growth opportunity) that I’ve written about previously. Anytime you have slow-moving outer planets, in this case Uranus and Pluto, in relationship to personal inner planets, the Sun (our essence) and the Moon (our feeling nature, our emotions), it increases the opportunity for deep-seated, evolutionary change. In this case, the opportunities are both personal and collective. This Full Moon urges us to examine how we’ve been using power (Capricorn, Pluto) to nurture (Cancer) ourselves and others. It is a time to shed light (Sun, Moon) on our personal and collective shadow (Pluto). Continue reading →

Astro Doings April 2014

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

The theme of deep-seated change gets an extra boost of intensity in April with two eclipses and Pluto changing directions.  Let’s take them in the order they will occur.

Pluto: stations retrograde on April 14th at 7:44 p.m., just hours before a total lunar eclipse (see below).  When a planet changes direction its energy intensifies because it is basically standing still on the degree of the sign where it is – in this case 130Capricorn.  Thirteen degrees happens to be what we call a “critical degree” for cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn).  It’s a point that is very sensitive for that particular sign. Those with planets in mid degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, and of course Capricorn may feel this change of direction more strongly.  The other earth signs (Taurus and Virgo) will experience this more easily.  Retrograde motion means that we tend to experience the energy of the planet – in this case transformation, power and power struggles, unearthing that which is hidden, compulsions – more inwardly.  It’s a very powerful time to totally leave behind that which no longer serves and/or gets in our way. Continue reading →