Author: Amelia Shea

“One must choose in all things a mean,  just and good.  Error and confusion lie in the extremes.” Pythagoras

The Sun is in the busy, curious, sociable sign of Gemini now and we are just past the Sun opposing the Full Moon in Sagittarius on Sunday.

Mercury entered the domestic sign of Cancer on June 1st and will leave the sign on August 9.

Mercury will be in Cancer for a longer period  this summer due to the Mercury retrograde period which extends from June 29 through July 23. The retrograde will  occur entirely in the sign of Cancer.

Mercury can be more sensitive and psychic in this sign – more sensitive to the moods and feelings of other people. In the old texts they referred to psychic people as ‘sensitives” because they can have porous energy fields and feelings  of others are often picked up on.

Mercury will be forming a challenging alignment with Neptune early  this week. It’s best to be extra clear in communications. If there’s any question about texts or emails etc, double  check them to make sure there hasn’t been some confusion. In general it can be a fuzzier time  for thinking – best to avoid impulsiveness.

Mars is moving away from his volatile and explosive square with Pluto this week. Midweek he will square Juno, the asteroid of commitment as Mercury squares Neptune. Under this influence there can be a tendency to be stubborn and argue Best, though  to refrain due to the potential for inaccuracy or confusion.

Thursday provides a welcome change to the end of the week as the Moon enters Aquarius and make a trine to innovative Uranus. This can break the spell of Neptune and lead us in a better direction – with fun and collaboration as Venus moves up to pleasure loving Jupiter.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Two guardian angels bringing protection.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

“Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.” Marsha Norman

“Once in a blue moon
There’s a thing called happiness
It happens when you’re in
A natural state of grace.” Van Morrison

At the beginning of the week the Sun, now in early Gemini will be forming a harmonious alignement with Neptune, the planet of dreams and the imagination. At the same time the Sun will be  squaring the Lunar Nodes in Virgo and Pisces.

In astrology the Nodes are considered an important crossroad. Neptune’s influence presents a good opportunity to expand the way you think of your life and your visions of who your are becoming. . With the North Node in Pisces and the South Node in Virgo, compassion and empathy for yourself is the road to take.

Mars, at 8 degrees of Taurus has been slowly moving away from his conjunction with Chiron and moving up to a square with Pluto. Chiron with Mars  can speak of wounded power or the need to assert yourself in ways you many not have done before. Mars square Pluto is a very different  blend of energies.It’s a good week to stay busy and to do things that require physical work. There’s plenty of energy for that. It is eay, however,  to get drawn into conflict when these two are together. Power struggles can be on the table.

The Sun will be forming a harmonious aspect to Pluto. This is a good time to move forward with any change or transformation you are trying to effect in your life.

Venus is moving up to a square with Saturn this week. Saturn brings restriction and under this influence there can be concerns about a lack of Venus -ruled things- like money and  love. This week as with last week, provides a good time to strengthen self esteem and to be in touch with your own value.

The second Full Moon this month – a Blue Moon -is on May 31st at 4:45 AM EDT.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”Deep within the depths of the earth, new elements are being formed. ”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

“Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch – changes
Turn and face the strange changes.” David Bowie

“I like it better here where I can sit quietly and  smell the flowers.” Ferdinand the Bull

It’s a variable week in terms of cosmic weather.

The beginning of the week is relatively calm in some respects, but it’s wise to keep in mind that Mercury and the Sun  are widely conjunct Uranus now and will be conjunct Uranus at the upcoming New Moon on Saturday.

The influence of Uranus comes early and the effects are certainly an influence now. There can be sudden and surprising events and revelations. This influence is known for innovative thinking and and invention.

Uranus governs the nervous system. It’s recent sign change into Gemini quickens the thinking. Gemini is one of the signs of duality and considering all sides of a situation. With the Sun, Mercury  and shortly the Moon in Taurus, it bodes well to do things that are grounding, nurturing and bring a sense of comfort and security into your life.

Fiery Mars, now  more powerful in his own sign of Aries, meets the Wounded Healer energy of Chiron in Aries  this week. The conjunction  is  exact at the New Moon Saturday.  It’s a  a good time to look at self assertion and how you use your will forces. Are there areas where you would benefit from asserting yourself more?

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A woman in middle life stands in rapt sudden realization of forgotten charms, in unexpected recovery of romance.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

 

“For a peaceful meditation, we need not go to the
mountains and streams,

“When thoughts are quieted down, fire itself is cool and refreshing.” Abbott Kwaisen

“Pluto burns away the conditioned voice of family and society that limits our vision of what is possible for us and for the world. We are all so hypnotized by this voice that we initially experience its absence as a void and a cause for grief.This requiem we sing, however, is the part of ourselves that needed to be released.” Caroline W. Casey

This is a week when Pluto, the Lord of transformation, is a powerful influence. Pluto will station retrograde and will start his five month journey backtracking through Aquarius.

Mercury will  be squaring Pluto this week and Mars will be squaring Jupiter.
It’s a good week to keep your balance as there is a tendency to overthink and overreact.

Pluto stationing retrograde is asking what needs to change – what do you need to release. There can be of a “facing the dragons” theme when Pluto’s influence is strong. Facing inner demons and fears for another level of transformation is a good use of this influence.

Also turning inward for reflection and reconsideration.

Pluto will station at five degrees of Aquarius  Wedenesday.

One of the Sabian symbols of this time is,”ancestors are called to guide a person.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

“Should  I greet you
as if
we had merely eaten
together one night
when white birches
dripped wet
and lightning etched
black trees on your walls?

…It is not love
I am asking..” Mary Macky

Uranus is often called “The Great Awakener” in astrology due to its association with sudden revelation. It rules astrology and often professional astrologers have an elevated Uranus in their charts. Uranus often governs lightning – it’s sudden and unpredictable nature. I had a friend who did an extensive  study about people who were hit by lightning and all of them had Uranus square the planet of action, Mars in their natal charts.

Uranus also governs technology that is ahead of its time – and ahead of the legal system and  their  ability  to regulate it. Unprecedented events can easily occur.

Uranus entered the sign of Gemini last week  on the 25th and will exit the sign for the final time May 22. 2033.  in the interim there are some transition periods with Taurus and Gemini and then Gemini and Cancer.

With Uranus in Gemini, the pace of life can quicken. It can also speed up thinking and communication. It’s wise to provide extra screen free downtime – for example, with a walk in the woods or to a garden or the seashore.

In general it is wise to slow down as Uranus has an erratic current and things can change suddenly. There can be increased restlessness.

As the week starts off, Venus in Gemini continues to conjunct Uranus. Surprising events can occur such as  love-at-first-sight romances – which Mary Mackey was writing about in her poem. It is a good time to consider new or innovative means of handling finances and aesthetics. There can often be a desire for more freedom and a desire to express individuality under this influence.

Also early in the week the Sun will square Juno and the Sun will sextile the North Node. Juno governs the commitments we make. There can be a desire to find like-minded friends going forward.

Venus is making a harmonious trine to Pluto – The Lord of the Underwold.
This can deepen relationships.

Jupiter will sexile Ceres later in the week – a good time for socializing and entertaining.

The Full Moon this month is Friday May 1 at 11 degrees of Scorpio.

Mercury will enter Taurus on May 3. This can slow down thinking and help with planning.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time,”A small girl bends over a sparkling pond trying to catch a fish.”

 

 

“A way down the river
A hundred miles or more,
Other little children
Shall bring my boat ashore.” Robert Louis Stephenson

In the early mornings I often go for a walk to a nearby waterfall. For the past couple of weeks, in the water, there has been a model sailboat that must have sailed away out of the reach of its young owner.

The sailboat had gone over the waterfall and was  caught in the current along the edge of the river. It would pull  forward and then suddenly be pulled back by a small  eddy – moving back and forth in one place.

Each day I would go back and finally the little sailboat started making very slow and incremental progress on its way down the river.

I stood looking at the water thinking that that this was a good symbol for this weeks Saturn/Mars conjunction which is in effect early this week. This aspect in astrology is sometimes referred to as driving with brakes on. There is a certain friction between this planetary pair. There can be more frustration and delays.

But with good planning. good organization and good time management, a lot can be accomplished. It is a planetary pair also symbolizing hard work. No nonsense work.

Mercury joins this pair early this week also. It’s best to be careful with speech as Saturn and Mars together can create anger, frustration and the desire to take control. It’s best though, to take control of work projects and tasks that need to be done in an organized way.

Later in the week Venus makes a sextile to Pallas Athene – the goddess of diplomacy, strategy and conflict resolution. Under this influence it’s wise to be diplomatic in your dealings with others if disputes have arisen. Agreement may be more easily reached through innovative ideas and approaches.

Uranus – the planet of innovation and awakening will enter Gemini on Saturday. Uranus  will be in the sign of Gemini until August of 2032.

Uranus in Gemini has a quicksilver quality to it. It can speed up thinking, strengthen intuition and  bring sudden flashes of knowing.

Uranus will be widely conjunct Venus through the end of this week. This is the alignment of love- at -first -sight relationships and can bring sudden shifts in relationships. Often with this alignment, there is a strong desire for freedom.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “A glass bottomed boat reveals undersea wonders.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

 

 

 

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that otherwise would never have occurred. Whatever you do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has great genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe

We are in an interesting planetary realm now and at the New Moon on Friday April 17. The Moon will conjunct the Sun at 27 degrees of  Aries. There is a very dynamic line up of planets in Aries also – Neptune, Mercury, Mars, Saturn and Chiron -all in this  action and desire – oriented sign.

Chiron is now conjunct the Sun. This is an important gate time in personal evolution. Chiron governs  the process of deeper healing that goes on throughout time and the Sun rules the personal identity – how we think of ourselves.

Aries represents a new beginning or the beginning of a new cycle. It provides a good time to review ways of thinking of yourself and who you are, and identify patterns which are no longer desired or appropriate so that you can assert yourself going forward more freely and authentically.

There is a lot of fiery energy at this New Moon. It’s a powerful time for intention setting and starting something you have wanted to start for awhile. There is passion and courage to harness at this time. The Major Arcana card in the Tarot deck associated with Aries is the Emperor- time to take charge!

Aspirations may need tempering or to follow the “rules of the road” as Mercury moves up to Saturn on the 20th. Patience and good planning will go a long way towards success.

It’s a good time in general  to keep equilibrium in mind as there can be a lot of restlessness.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is, “Through imagination a lost opportunity is regained.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

 

“When we dance with Mars, we enter the realm of fire, where qualities of boldness, courage and forthrightness are forged. In spring, Mars’fiery spirit quickens and emerges from the frozen earth.” Caroline Casey

“You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.” Irish proverb

When I was a teenager and learning to drive, I had a friend who had an old station wagon that had belonged to his grandmother. It mostly ran fine but had one problem which she had unsuccesfully  attempted to fix over the years she owned it.

When the car was at a stop  and you pushed on the accelerator, the car wouldn’t respond at all. And then suddenly, unpredictably, it would lurch forward.

This could present, as you might imagine, a problem in stop and go traffic. But my friend seemed to manage it as his grandmother had done before him.

We are moving into a time in April that may feel a bit like driving or riding in that car. This week Mars, the fiery planet of courage and action, will enter his own sign of Aries, joining the Sun, Saturn/Naptune conjunction and Chiron.  By April 15 Mercury and the Moon will have moved into this action oriented sign.

On the eighth, Mars will sextile ( a favorable alignment) Uranus. This is a very dynamic combination and there can be a desire to break free of limitations. Uranus at this time will be at the antaretic degree – 29 degrees – and this can give a sense of urgency. In the old texts it was correlated to the culmination of karmic events.

This stellium of planets energizes the house in your chart where Aries is on the cusp.This represents a sudden shift in energy from the planets that kind of  languishing in Pisces.

If you have been feeling stuck in some area of your life, this month would be a good time to harness Mars’s energy and courage and move forward. Patience and perseverance will be helpful partners.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is “A teacher gives new symbolic forms to traditional images.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

 

“there is a
moon sole
in the blue night.”  e.e.cummings

“We all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.” John Lennon

The Moon waxes full Wednesday April 1 at 10:12 PM EDT.The Moon will be at 12 degrees of Libra, the relationship sign. The Libra/Aries axis is about the interaction between personal autonomy and partnership.

The Moon is widely opposing Neptune at this time indicating a good time to keep strong boundaries as this duo can have an addictive side to it. Under this influence, things may not be as they seem – it’s wise to keep pragmatics in the picture when making any decisions.

The Moon will also be squaring Jupiter indicating that feelings may be exaggerated.

Venus, newly in Taurus will be squaring Pluto, indicating a time that deep feelings can arise, particularly about love lost, stability and security. If so it’s wise to remember that Pluto is associated with the phoenix and the idea of “rising from the ashes.” There is an opportunity for processing  difficult or painful things on a deeper level and coming to a new understanding.

The Moon card in Waite’s Tarot  deck shows a large full Moon lighting up the landscape. A crustacean is climbing out of the water headed towards a path which rambles off into the distance. Two wolves – one on either side of the path –   bark at the Moon.

The crustacean symbolizes the process of evolution – going from a sea creature to a land creature. But the wolves signal a warning .The idea behind it is that in the process of personal evolution, if there are circumstances  that seem unclear or confusing, the crustacean can always go back into the water and wait for a better time.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A flock of wild geese.”

Sabian symbols from Lynda Hill

“An adventure, Gandalf says, is a ‘there and back again’ affair. A quest is a calling – never one’s own desire – No guarantees.” Robert Westminster

We recently crossed the threshold to the Spring Equinox when the Sun at zero degrees entered the sign of  Aries. We are in the season of beginnings as Aries is the sign that starts the astrological year.

Zero, too is the number of the Fool card in the Tarot deck. This card, which depicts a free spirited vagabond or gypsy, is the only card in the Major Arcana (the higher cards in the deck) that evolved down into our current playing card deck.

In A.E. Waite’s deck, the Fool looks like he is happily on his journey, his possessions on this back and accompanied by a small barking dog. His is holding a white rose which symbolizes his pure intention and courage.

He looks upward, seeming not to see that he is about to step off a very high cliff. The dog, symbolizing the senses, barks in warning. But when the Fool walks off the cliff, he turns into the Magician and flies.

Early Aries season presents good time to clarity your  intention and strengthen your courage and trust for the journey ahead. It’s wise to be open to the future twists and turns and anticipate help from unexpected sources.

The week starts off with Mercury conjunct the North Node at 8 degrees of Pisces, Do be aware of any information that surfaces about your life path for the next few days.

The Sun is moving up to a conjunction with Saturn  and sextiling Pluto this week. This alignment bodes well for stepping into your personal power and  authority. Organize to make way for the new.

Venus will move up to a conjunction to Chiron this week at 25 degrees of Aries – a good time to consider where you are on your journey towards  inner wholeness.

One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A seer gazes intently into a crystal ball before her.”