Venus

Astro Doings May 2018

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

We tend to pay more attention when planets change direction in their celestial dance – direct or retrograde, especially when Mercury is involved! This May all the planets continue in the same direction they were in at the end of April. So, in that sense, it’s a pretty quiet month. What we sometimes don’t pay attention to is when planets change dance partners, aka signs. And in May three of them do just that, not including the Sun who changes partners every month or the Moon or Mercury who change them all the time, because they move so quickly through the heavens.

On May 15th Uranus, planet of rebellion, flashes of intuition, inspiration and light, and of the Higher Mind moves into Taurus at 11:23 am EDT. This is a fairly big deal, since he will be in Taurus until July 2025 when he enters Gemini. Of all the signs in the zodiac, Uranus finds Taurus one of the most challenging. Think about driving behind someone going 15 mph on the highway and you’ll get a sense of this. Uranus rules lightning bolts, flashes of insight, destruction of outmoded form. Taurus is the most stubborn sign of the zodiac, rules form, moves glacially (by Uranus’s perspective), and stops all the time to smell the flowers, eat chocolate and just sit. To Taurus, Uranus feels like the proverbial bee that keeps stinging him in the backside to get him to change or that car behind you that keeps flashing its headlights to get you to move over or go faster. So, since we can’t get Taurus to move over, how can we use this energy to our advantage? First, we can realize that Taurus is an earth sign, so all these brilliant flashes of inspiration will need to have a practical application. In addition, unlike Aries which starts but doesn’t finish, Taurus is a fixed sign, which means it holds the energy until the idea/concept/inspiration is brought into form. (It can also mean stubborn, stuck, and unwilling to change.)  There haven’t been many planets in fixed signs recently, which I believe has contributed to the rather frenetic energy across the globe. Those of us with planets in early degrees of Taurus, Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius may feel this entry of Uranus into Taurus more profoundly. And remember, Taurus has his good buds, Saturn and Pluto, in earthy Capricorn to help him deal with this rambunctious Uranus and to keep his flashes of insight on the practical side.

If that isn’t enough fixed energy, Mars enters Aquarius on May 16. This isn’t as challenging a relationship as Uranus in Taurus, but Aquarius, an air sign, can be quite pig-headed and unwilling to change its mind once it makes a decision about something. It also introduces the air element – the element of ideas — into the celestial mix. We haven’t had a lot of air energy recently, so not a lot of new ideas. Mars here can make us more impatient with those who don’t see our point of view or agree with us. Don’t forget, Uranus rules Aquarius, and Uranus just left the sign that Mars rules, Aries, so there is an interesting connection there. Aquarius is the sign of the visionary, primarily concerned with making things better for the group (world), and Mars (god of war) will provide energy and impetus to make change. However, Aquarius can be quite impatient with the status quo and frequently intolerant of those who don’t see the need for change as s/he does. This could mean new ways of using our Mars energy (the warrior) to make change for the benefit of all (Aquarius). Those with planets in fixed signs are going to get a double whammy the second full week of May.

And last, but certainly not least, Venus enters Cancer on May 19 at 9:11 am EDT. Cancer is a water sign, the Moon’s favorite sign. What’s interesting about this is that Venus creates a big triangle (trine) in water with Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces that lasts until mid-June. When planets are in the same element they can communicate with each other easily and understand each other better. Neptune is the higher octave of Venus, both dealing with love and compassion. Venus’s idea of love is more personal – I love you because you love me. Neptune, like the sea, is more vast and universal – I love you because it is in the nature of love to love. Jupiter in Scorpio could provide depth of insight. The water element can make us very emotional and our psychic sense more acute. It also can increase empathy and deep understanding of one another. Emotions could be running very high in the US, which is a Cancer sun-sign country, as is our good neighbor to the north, Canada.

Oh, yeah, the Sun moves into Gemini on May 20 at 10:15 pm EDT. The sign of the twins, Gemini is interested in everything for about five minutes and then wants to move on to something else. An air sign, Gemini is most comfortable in the realm of ideas and is frequently referred to as “the jack of all trades, master of none.”

The New Moon occurs on May 15 at 7:48 am at 240 Taurus and the Full Moon occurs on May 29th at 10:19 am at 80 Sagittarius.

Enjoy the planets dancing!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

 

 

Astro Doings February 2018

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

February promises to be a little quieter than January, sort of a lull between January and March. Once again, we have a month where all the planets are in direct motion, no retrogrades.

The highlight of February is a partial solar eclipse on the 15th at 4:05 pm ET. The eclipse will last about 4 hours and the Sun and Moon will be at 270 Aquarius. Those with planets or other placements in their charts in Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio or Taurus may be more sensitive to this eclipse. The closer these placements are to 270 the stronger the impact may be. Solar eclipses are all about new beginnings, but the placement of this eclipse (near the South lunar node or Dragon’s Tail) is often experienced as working through an old pattern to make way for a new one. (For more information on eclipses, I would recommend Celeste Teal’s excellent book, Eclipses.)

In the beginning of the month there will be three planets in Aquarius (an air sign): Sun, Mercury and Venus.  By the 19th, there will be no planets in air, the element of ideas, thought, and mental activity of all kinds. After the Sun enters Pisces on the 18th, there will be four planets in this water sign: Sun, Mercury, Venus and Neptune. And for a little more water, Jupiter continues his transit through Scorpio. Water is the element of emotion and psychic information, among other things. This could be a time where emotions, rather than ideas, prevail. Two planets, Saturn and Pluto, provide some boundaries, as they are in the earth sign, Capricorn. And there is one lone planet in fire – Uranus in Aries.

A word about Neptune and Venus in Pisces. Neptune, as I’ve stated previously, is in the sign she rules, which makes her expression of fog, illusion, deception, compassion and redemption (quite a list, eh?) flow more easily. All planets have the sign they “rule” and another sign that they really like to be in because the energy of the planet is compatible with this sign as well, and often makes the higher expression of the planetary energies easier. This is called the sign of the planet’s exaltation. Venus is exalted in Pisces, because it helps Venus to move from an “I love you because you love me” expression to “I love you because it is in the nature of love to love.” Any placements in your chart in Pisces (or the other water signs, Cancer and Scorpio) will find this transition easier in the area of the chart where this energy is found.

There is no Full Moon in February. March begins with one.

Have a wonderful February and enjoy the dance of the planets.

Peace and abundant blessings.

Margaret

Astro Doings April 2017

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Feel like changing direction? Going inward for greater in-sight? Great! So do the planets this month. A total of four – yes four – of them change direction in April; three go retrograde and one goes direct.

A word about when a planet changes direction – no matter which way it occurs. It basically stops in some cases for a day or two; in others (like the slow moving outer planets) it can stay at the same degree for weeks or months. If you happen to have a planet or other sensitive point(s) on your chart within 5 degrees on either side of the degree the planet is at when it changes, this planet will be activated. It’s rather like a tuning fork, so the planet starts to vibrate and do all manner of things to get your attention. And if it’s in a challenging relationship with other planet(s), you could have a lot of energy coming at you all at once.

As you’ve heard me say before, retrograde motion is when the planet appears (key word) to be moving from west to east across the sky. We know it isn’t really, but from the earth’s perspective it looks that way. Practically, it means that we experience the energy of the planet more inwardly and/or the focus of the energy of the planet, colored by the sign it’s in, is inward. So it’s a great time for reflection, retrospection and internal change, especially if it’s one of the outer planets. It may feel like nothing’s moving and you’re stuck.

When a planet goes direct, it may feel like it’s gotten out of reverse, which it has in some respects. You may be able to express the energy of the planet more freely and more outwardly. And you may feel less stuck around the energies the planet represents.

So who’s doing what? In order. . .

Saturn: The planet of delay, fear, lack, lessons and yet the great teacher of the zodiac goes retrograde on April 6th at 1:06 a.m. He’ll be at 280 Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign. Attention those with planets in Gemini, Virgo or Pisces the other mutable signs – or Leo and Aries the other fire signs. The latter will be an easy flow of energy (trine); the former – more challenging, growth opportunities! Our inner critic may be hyperactive during this time, depending on how it impacts your chart.

Mercury: Everyone’s favorite! He goes retrograde on April 9th at 7:15 p.m.  He’ll be at 50 Taurus and he’ll slide back into Aries on April 20 at 1:37 p.m. He goes direct again on May 3rd. Good time for retreats, re-thinking, re-focusing, and re-pairing. Be sure to double check your taxes if you file after April 9th. There’s no problem doing that – just go over them carefully. Attention to the fixed signs (Leo, Aquarius and Scorpio) for growth opportunities in how you think and the other earth signs (Virgo and Capricorn) for an easy flow of practical, down-to-earth (literally) thinking and planning.

Venus: She is the one going direct. She changes on April 15th at 6:17 a.m.  She’ll be at 270 Pisces, a sign she really likes to be in. Again attention for adjustments required for the other mutable signs (Virgo, Gemini and Sagittarius) and easy, flowing (it’s water after all) to Cancer and Scorpio. (See March Astro Doings for more information about Venus.)

Pluto: The planet of deep-seated, slow moving, transformation goes retrograde on April 20th at 8:46 a.m. She’ll be at 190 Capricorn – she’s been there all month and will be there all of May as well. Cardinal signs this time are up for adjustments leading to internal growth (Aries, Libra and Cancer), plus the other earth signs to help ground the growing (Taurus, Virgo). On a personal level, this retrograde can be wonderful time to become aware of deep thought patterns and attitudes that have been long buried. This can be a time to bring them to light and heal them. Globally, I think we’ll continue to see a weakening in structures or systems that no longer serve us.

Phew! The Full Moon occurs on April 11 at 2:08 a.m. She’ll be at 210 Libra. The New Moon occurs on April 26th at 8:16 a.m. She’ll be at 60 Taurus. And finally the Sun enters Taurus on April 19th at 5:37 p.m. The Taurean energy may slow us down some – take time to smell the flowers! Also a more practical bent to our thinking perhaps! Or we may have a raging bull! Time will tell.

Have a great April!

Peace and abundant blessings

Margaret

 

Astro Doings March 2017

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

March promises to be quieter than either February or April, so enjoy the lull!

The only “event” is Venus, planet of love, harmony, and peace, goes retrograde on March 4th at 4:08 a.m. She’ll be at 130 Aries. Aries is ruled by Mars, and Venus is not particularly happy in his sign, as you can imagine. She can soften some of Aries war-like energies, but she has trouble expressing her true nature in this sign. Couple that with “going backwards” (retrograde motion) and peace, harmony and understanding may be hard to find. Another way this retrograde can be used is to turn Venusian energy inward to develop more compassion for ourselves and an inner sense of peace. The Dalai Lama has said: “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” Frequently easier said than done. And I hope that you’ve seen Venus in the night sky recently. She has been truly breathtaking.

The astrological new year, the first day of spring, and the Vernal Equinox all occur on Monday, March 20th at 6:29 a.m. when the Sun enters Aries. At that point we will have four planets in this sign (Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Uranus). Aries can be impulsive, adventuresome, reckless, and straightforward (read blunt). It’s a fire sign so add enthusiastic, inspired and volatile to the list of attributes. The challenge is that Aries doesn’t like to finish what s/he starts, so we may have a lot of “ideas” but not much completion.

The Full Moon occurs on March 12th at 220 Virgo and the New Moon occurs on the 27th at 70 Aries.

Have a wonderful month! Happy Spring and Happy New Year!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings February 2017

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Hope you enjoyed the relative quiet of January. In February we will have the first of four eclipses in 2017 and Jupiter goes retrograde. Let’s look at them in the order that they happen.

Jupiter, the planet of expansion, optimism, faith, and seeming good luck, starts his four-month retrograde motion on February 6th at 1:52 a.m. He’ll be at 230 Libra, the sign of relationship, balance and fairness, and he’s on the other side of the zodiac from Uranus, who is in Aries, the sign of spring, new beginnings and self (or Self depending on how you use the energies). This may be a time to look inwardly (retrograde) to balance (Libra) our thinking about relationship (Libra) and how we can express ourselves in that context (Aries). Libra is also about fairness and peace at any price. How do we assert and take care of ourselves (Aries) in balance with the needs of others (Libra)? These are questions that we can look at within ourselves during this retrograde period.

The first eclipse of 2017 is a lunar one, on February 10th at 7:33 p.m. The Moon will be at 220 Leo. Attention all those of you with planets in fixed signs (Leo, Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio), who may have been feeling neglected over these past months with so little fixed energy. We’ve arrived! Fixed energy is feminine by nature, and sustains that which is initiated by cardinal signs. Fixed signs can also be very stubborn and get stuck in ruts (in their own thinking and/or feeling). Leo, fixed fire, is focused on the expression of the individual and Aquarius, fixed air, is focused on the group. In some ways, they are similar to the Aries/Libra axis, fire and air in opposition. This eclipse offers the potential to end our feelings of unworthiness (Leo) and instead use Leo’s creative energy for the benefit of humanity at large (Aquarius).

A solar eclipse ends the month (February 26th) at 9:56 a.m. The Sun will be at 80 Pisces. This is the last of the series of eclipses in mutable signs. Mutable energy, as I’ve written elsewhere, is changeable, multi-talented and unsettled. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, which is currently in her own sign. Pisces is a sign of divine homesickness, perceptive, psychic, dreamy and not always realistic. A solar eclipse represents a significant new beginning. It can be used to do a better job of translating our dreams into reality; it can also remind us that this is not all there is, especially for those with planets in Pisces, Virgo, Gemini and/or Sagittarius.

Hope you have a great February!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings October 2016

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

October looks quieter than September in that there are no eclipses and no planets changing direction. However, again this month, planets are either in cardinal signs (Aries, Libra, Cancer or Capricorn) – energy that initiates, but has trouble finishing. Or they’re in the mutable signs (Gemini, Sagittarius. Virgo or Pisces). Mutable energy is very changeable, multi-talented but not necessarily committed to one direction. So, if you have a lot of fixed energy (Taurus, Scorpio, Leo or Aquarius) in your chart, this could feel rather unsettled or frenetic to you.

The Sun will enter Scorpio on the 22nd, which may help a little.

The Full Moon, on October 16 at 230 Aries, will be squared by Mars and Pluto, both in Capricorn, and Jupiter in Libra. Venus and Saturn in Sagittarius will trine it (since Sag is another fire sign). So there will be a lot of around this Super Moon. Tides, emotions and other things influenced by the Moon could be intense, including where Aries is in your chart. What may be more interesting here is that Mars (energy, warrior, male, the military) is next to Pluto (transformation, underground, power) in Capricorn (systems, status quo). And Venus (how we love and take in love) and Saturn (restriction, lack, delay, fear, authority figures) are also next to each other in Sagittarius, a fire sign, whose quest is for Truth, but can also express itself as “us versus them.”

Have a great October!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings September 2015

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

Hope you all enjoyed your summer. It’s hard to believe that the Autumnal Equinox is upon us (the 23rd at 4:21 a.m.). Things really start to hop the second week in September. Fasten your seat belts.

Direction Changes

Three planets change direction in September, which means that they basically stand still for several days, at the same degree of the zodiac. How this impacts your chart depends on whether or not they “touch” another planet or significant point (like the Ascendant) in your chart. If you’re not sure, you know who to call!

Venus ends her retrograde motion on the 6th at 4:29 a.m. She’ll be at 140 Leo and will tap planets from 4 – 240 of the other fixed signs (Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus) or the other fire signs (Sagittarius and Aries). She is trine (easy flow) Uranus at the moment. Venus is the planet of love, values, charm and beauty.

Mercury starts his last retrograde of 2015 on the 17th at 2:10 p.m. He’ll be at 150 Libra. Attention those with planets from 5 – 250 in Aries, Cancer or Capricorn, or the other air signs, Aquarius and Gemini. Since everyone wants to know when this favorite retrograde will end, he goes direct on October 9th. Remember, this is a great time to re-think, re-group, re-treat and re-pair.

Pluto ends his five month retrograde on the 25th at 2:55 a.m. He’ll be at 120 Capricorn. Pluto is not known for his speed, but then neither is deep-seated transformation and investigation into everything we’d like to keep hidden from others and ourselves. In retrograde motion Pluto tends to operate more internally, so the changes that have been percolating during this period will now tend to surface, especially for those with planets from 7 to 170 Cancer, Aries, and Libra (cardinal signs) or Taurus and Virgo (earth signs).

And if that’s not enough . . .

Eclipses

The last pair of eclipses of 2015 occur this month, book-ending the Equinox.

Solar: We start with a solar eclipse on the 13th at 200 Virgo. It occurs at 2:41 a.m. and will last a little over 4 hours. Think of an eclipse as an energy vortex that remains open for one month for every hour it lasts. I prefer to use very tight orbs for eclipses, so attention those with planets from 17 to 230 of the mutable signs (Pisces, Gemini, Sagittarius and Virgo). Solar eclipses have a lot to do with beginning new patterns.

Lunar: This lunar eclipse occurs on the 27th at 10:50 p.m. with the Moon at 40 Aries. This is a total eclipse of the moon, lasting about 5 hours, and will be visible in the US – so positive thoughts for a clear night! I should also add that this is another Super Moon, where the Moon is closest to the Earth. Lunar eclipses are about ending old patterns and about service. Attention those with planets from 1-70 Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn.

If you would like more information about how these celestial doings impact you personally, please contact me.

Happy Fall!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings July 2014

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone

July gets off to a great start with Mercury ending its retrograde on the 1st at 8:50 a.m.  He’ll be at 240 Gemini.  As I said in my June Astro Doings, one of the reasons this retrograde was so powerful was that Mercury is in his own sign.  Planets can express their energy much more easily when they’re in a sign with similar energy.  (We call that the sign the planet “rules.”)  So we’re all likely to feel a rush of clarity and things will move forward more smoothly.  Good news, eh?

Mercury is not the only planet changing directions in July.  The week of July 20 will be a busy one with both Saturn and Uranus changing directions. These two planets represent opposing modes of operation. Saturn is the planet of restriction, lack, delay, old age, ego, and fear.  He brings us lessons to help us grow. He also represents structure, the status quo, corporations, etc.  Uranus is the destroyer of form, promoter of abrupt change (not always wisely), and inspiration from the higher mind, “ah-ha” moments and lightening bolts.  To continue their contrariness, Saturn is ending his retrograde motion that started in March and Uranus is beginning his retrograde motion that will continue until December 21 (the Winter Solstice).  Saturn goes direct on July 20 at 4:36 p.m. at 160 Scorpio and Uranus goes retrograde on July 21st at 10:53 p.m. at 160 Aries.  With both Saturn and Mercury going direct this month, I believe that energies that have felt “bottled up” during their retrogrades will begin to be released and those “internal” issues that we were all working on during the Saturn, especially, retrograde will be resolved. 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 →