Year: 2016

Friday’s New Moon in Taurus

“To the dull mind nature is leaden.To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday’s New Moon occurs at 16 degrees of Taurus at 3:29 PM EDT. This provides a good time  for appreciating the gifts of nature by , for example , having a well crafted meal or taking a hike to a place you love and feel connected to, or looking up and appreciating the beauty of the night sky.

It is a good time to set or reaffirm goals which move your life in a more expansive direction. Do be aware of opportunities you might not normally consider. With all the powerful earthy energy  significant changes can be made over time – just start to build a solid path forward. The sign of Taurus is associated with the cycles of nature – from the seed point to the harvest – and is aware of the value of slow and steady growth.

One of the Sabian symbols associated with this New Moon is, “A new continent rising out of the ocean.”

Sabian Symbol quote from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom.

On the Saturn/Neptune Square

This Saturn/Neptune square is an influence throughout this year – here is what astrologer and writer Lynn Bell wrote about it

“As certain cherished parts of our lives slip through our fingers, it can seem that Neptune and Saturn take us away from where we want to be. And yet it is our outworn dreams and wishes we are leaving behind.

Saturn Neptune aspects test our vision, take us to the graveyard of dreams, and yet it also call up new ones. Human beings generate dreams to keep them moving forward.

The houses transited by the current Saturn-Neptune square show us where new visions are incubated and old ones lose power and slowly drift away. We may be asked to let go of something so that the world can light up again. Saturn-Neptune cycles call up a vivid inner life, long before it appears in our awareness. Paradoxically it is often at the moment of a loss that there is an opening for our dreams to swim to the surface.”

An Expansive Week Ahead

“Imagination is real because every perception of the world around us is absolutely colored by the narrative or image-filled lens through which we perceive. We are all poets and artists as we live our daily lives, whether we recognize this role or whether or not we believe it. ” Thomas Moore

There is an old expression that intuition is a memory of the future. There is much help, support and guidance for expansion – a good week for discovery, for learning and for teaching. If you feel that your vision of the future has been limited in some ways this is the week to expand it through imagination, creativity and intuition. The many planets which are retrograde now indicate a time of inner journeying.

The planets forming a grand trine in earth signs provide and excellent influence to envision how to ground your higher dreams and aspirations in a concrete way to your everyday life.

There is also an planetary influence which indicates a time when illusions can be revealed or  shattered – helping with evolution forward.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,” A woman sprinkling long rows of flowers.”

 

Sabian symbols quoted from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom

 

 

Mercury Stations Retrograde

“Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself… All thoughts begin in wonder.” Plato

Mercury stations retrograde Thursday April 28 at 23 degrees of Taurus and the retrograde period will last through May 23. All retrograde periods are a good time to rethink, reflect, re- envision.

Do take extra care with communications and the tools of communication – emails, texts etc. as it is easier for things to go awry in this area of life – creating snafus and misunderstandings as a result. It’s best to clarify in person or on the phone if confusion arises. Avoid assumptions.

This roughly three week period provides good timing to reflect on the Taurean areas of your life: what you think about your resources, what you value in general on a deep level, how you create pleasure in your life and what brings a sense of abundance. We are living in times of great change both personally and globally and a reflective period on these matters helps create a clear and more appropriate path forward.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “A white dove flying straight and fearlessly over troubled waters.”

Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom.

 

Full Moon in Scorpio April 2016

“Transformation comes from looking deeply within, to a state that exists before fear and isolation arise, the state in which we are inviolably whole just as we are.” Sharon Salzberg

The Moon waxes full Friday 4/22 EDT in the wee hours at 2 degrees of Scorpio. This Full Moon is on the Scorpio/Taurus axis meaning that it provides a good time to get in touch with your soul’s deeper yearnings and to use your imagination to envision ways to move your life in that direction. Given the underworld nature of Scorpio and Pluto this requires an inner journey into facing fears and limitations that often lie dormant and unexamined and hold a powerful sway as a result. It bodes well to illuminate the darkness and dissolve fears to create a new path forward. There is much help from unseen worlds at this time for this process.

They say people fight their destiny harder than anything else and this Full Moon is at the midpoint of Saturn and the North Node – both karmic indicators. There is a calling to move beyond your comfort zone and grow in a more authentic direction.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A youth holding a lighted candle in a devotional ritual gains a sense of the great other world.”

The Sun Enters Taurus

The Sun enters the earth sign of Taurus Tuesday 4/19 at 11:30 EDT.

The Chandra symbol for 1 degree of Taurus is “A red garnet ring. The garnets glow.” This is interpreted as “A passion for bearing ripe fruits. Feeling transported by an ongoing realization that you are in your own element, doing what you need to do and subtly fired by an inner purpose that clarifies everything. The glow of your central intent warms you through. One cannot grasp complex matters in this sphere. But you know what you need to know, and you’re on the beam so palpably that nothing much matters except being there. ” Elias Lonsdale

Mars and Pluto

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” Martin Buber

With Mars and Pluto slowing down and preparing to station retrograde it is a time of liminality – a time in between. It is best to let ideas and intuitions emerge. What is calling to you on a soul level? Avoid the tendency to overwork. Provide extra down time in nature to keep frustration at bay and to tune into the life of the natural world.

 

Notes on the Week Ahead

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized. ” Sun Tzu

The trickster is about! The influence of futuristic Uranus has been very strong and will continue into later this week. Uranus is the planet that upends the status quo- often through surprising events and occurrences. Love at first sight is a good example of this influence when aligned with Venus the planet of love. The planets of the Lovers – Venus and Mar- are aligned favorably this week making it a good time for attraction and romance.

There is a strong Aries influence now – meaning it is a good time to start things. If there are changes you have been wanting to make in any part of your life, be inventive and innovative in your thinking about how to approach them.

With the planet of desire slowing down to a station soon it is also good to start the process of getting in touch with what you desire for your life on a very deep level . There is time to consider this as the Mars retrograde period runs from April 17  through the end of June.

One of the Sabian symbols for this week is,”The gate opens to the garden of all fulfilled desires.”

 

Mars Turns Retrograde

“Instead of time or space or past or future, the Hopi metaphysics has: the Manifest,The Manifesting, the Unmanifested.” George Johnson

Mars the planet of action and desire is in Sagittarius now – the sign of far horizons and expansive ideas.  If you have encountered any frustrations and delays it is not surprising as Mars is slowing down to station retrograde on April 17 EDT and will be joining Saturn – the planet of form and structure also retrograde in Sagittarius.

The retrograde period of Mars will continue through the 30th of June. Retrograde periods are a good time for reflection. A good use of this time frame is to review your aspirations and to consider  pragmatic, step by step plans for getting where you want to go. Look to where the strengths and weaknesses lie and take your time. Anticipate delays in order to avoid excess frustration.

There is an expression in astrology that Saturn – old man time – says “no” before he says “yes.” This retrograde period is best used for thinking about what obstacles are likely occur and how you will meet them as part of your planning.

One of the Sabian symbols associated with the Mars station is,” A mother leads her small child step by step up the stairs.”

Sabian symbol quote by Lynda Hill.

 

New Moon in Aries Conjunct Uranus

“New ways of thinking about familiar things can release new energies and make all manner of things possible.” Charles Handy

Thursday’s  The New Moon conjuncts Uranus in Aries  at 7:24 am EDT.  Uranus is the planet of the future and of surprising events an sudden breakthroughs. Events that occur now are pointing the way to the future and are best understood in the future as well. Meaning will follow events. It is best to let things unfold and let direction come to you.

The New Moon is square Pluto and if uncomfortable moments occur  it is a time to release oppressive patterns of the past – particularly oppressive thought patterns – and to take a new innovative approach to the way you think.

One of the Sabian symbols for Mercury at this time is, “A pot of gold at the end of a rainbow .” Do be in touch with your higher aspirations at this time and anticipate breakthroughs – particularly in your thinking. Another symbol associated with Mercury at this time is, “An electrical storm illuminates the heavens and the forest” speaking of  the potential for flashes of brilliance and insight which release pent up energies and clear the air.

Reach Amelia at 603 654 1043 or amelia.shea@comcast.net. Sabian symbol references from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom