The Cardinal Grand Cross - Yes, Again!

Let me offer a little review of the concept of a grand cross since we are at the height of one right now. When four planets are 90 degrees apart in the sky, we have a Grand Cross. Basically, it is two oppositions and four squares. We are calling this a cardinal Grand Cross because the planets in question are in cardinal signs – they are the movers – the doers – the action signs. The planets in place now deal with very intimate changes – Aries – who we are; Libra – how we related to others; Cancer – our home and roots: and, Capricorn – work and duty

Right now - until April 24 the planets will be at their tightest – the Cross will be at it most distinct. A solar eclipse follows on April 29 in Taurus – the sign of stability and grounding.

I have railed before against astrologers who predicted the end of the world, our economy, and pretty much everything else during the Cross. No doubt, this is a challenging situation and but it does not have to be “doom.”  Change is always painful. I personally had a very painful emotional issue – come up just as the Cross activated – a family matter than came to a head. As painful as it was – it was also cathartic and finalized so many things for me that has allowed me to move upwards and onward.

We have seen the negative of the Cross – I firmly believe Malaysia 370 was the result of latent anger turned negative and destructive – someone with a hidden anger against some faction – and this is how they lashed out. There may be a big political shift in the ruling party in Malaysia coming out of this horror and I believe that is what the perpetrators wanted. Anger turned inward – the only change we can make is to lash out.

Since these planets are in cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, anyone with “personal planets’ natal planets in those signs, will be more likely to feel the pull of this grand cross more. For me, I have Libra rising.

Again, I urge everyone not to stick on the concept of the “bad possibilities.” Remember instead the kind of change that can boost us further to make major internal changes that reflect outward --- positive changes. What old patterns do you need to stop and what helpful patterns do you need to reinforce in your life? Use it - don’t complain about it and don’t fear it.

April Lunar Eclipse – One of Many

There will be four almost total eclipses of the Moon in 2014- 2015 and all will be visible from almost every place in the Northern Hemisphere. That is an amazing occurrence. The first will be on April 15, 2014, another on Oct. 8, 2014, the third on April 4, 2015, and finally on Sept. 28 2015.

In Astrology and eclipse is a wonderfully energetic time – it is a time to use that energy in the sky to start something new. Think of the movement of the eclipse - the Moon disappears and then returns anew. A Lunar Eclipse can only happen when the Moon is “full.” The Moon passes behind the Earth thus allowing the Earth to block the Sun’s rays. All three bodies, Earth, Sun, and Moon are in close alignment. It is a time to question alignments – and balance in your life.

The April 15, 2014 eclipse will be a part of this much talked about grand cross happening in the sky. It will be a cardinal eclipse, in the cardinal signs of Libra and Aries. Cardinal signs are energetic –they want to take action. The Aries Libra axis is known as the me to we axis. The question to be asked during this alignment is, am I in balance – am I giving enough to myself and to others – am I giving too much in either of these areas? 

This is a general graph of the eclipse over the Washington, D.C. area. Notice the cross made to the opposing Pluto – Jupiter. This is a time of tension between old and new spiritual beliefs. However, it is more important to look to the house the eclipse falls in your natal chart... Does the eclipse fall on a planet in your natal chart? This is the best way to use the energy of the eclipse.

Some people fear eclipses but I have to tell you I am so tired of fear driven Astrology. Yes, the grand cross will bring issues (Malaysia 370 for one.) Yes, eclipses are a time of shift and change – but we need change or we become stuck. Take the benefits of all of that cardinal energy to make real changes in your life.

Happy Full Aries Moon - And an Eclipse

Tonight at 7;38 PM Eastern - we will experience a lunar eclipse and a full Moon in Aries. This is a Hunter's Moon, a signal to the ancients that is time to store food for the winter. It is also called a Blood Moon. How appropriate that this year it is in Aries. Aries is the sign of action, movement and initiation so this a wonderful time to commit to follow your goals. No excuses.

With the Sun in Libra, this is also a time to balance your needs (Aries) with others (Libra.)Compromise, balance and effort - geez I wish this Moon had come about two weeks ago over Washington! On second thought - we need more than a full Moon to fix that bunch.

Feeling Confused? Feeling Intense?

It is no wonder! This is one of the most bizarre charts I have seen in a along time! Right now - we have three major stelliums (or 5 or more planets in one sign) going on. There is the Pisces Stellium I spoke about last week - bringing us Pisces energy for Neptune, Mercury, Chiron, Venus and the Sun. We also have a Gemini Stellium with Ceres, Lillith, Vesta and Jupiter there - that is a lot of "girl energy in the communication sign - Mercury." Finally, we have Pallas, Uranus, Moon and Mars all in Aries. So think of it as three players at the table, chatty, girly Gemini, angry and emotional Aries and dreamy Pisces. It is no wonder no one can get along right now! We have three very distinct and widely varied energies all sort of forming alliances. To add more fun to all of this - we have taciturn and retrograded Saturn, the task master, making aspects to all three!

 

Don't expect much in the way of break-throughs in Washington or elsewhere until these Stelliums start to break. Saturn is telling all of them to stick to their principles...Aries is demanding to have their way - as Aries does. Gemini is just saying - see I have all of the information and Pisces is looking to the sky to escape the whole mess.

 

Hang on - this will start to break up toward the end of the month!

Another Shift - Uranus Moved Into Aries

All of the major outer planets have shifted from one constellation to another since 2008 - and you were wondering why we all feel a little off balanced!

One of the most fascinating - and potentially dangerous shifts is for the rebellious planet of Uranus' move into Aries, the sign that is the archetype of raw, male energy.  Uranus hates stagnation - it loves to shake things up and throw out the old and the stale.

Using that Aries energy to shake off things about yourself that you don't like - to really make New Year's resolutions stick. If you feel like you are "jumping out of your skin" to change and do something - go with it. Look at your chart and see where Uranus is by natal placement and by transit and then get to work on those areas.

However, when you combine rebellion and unbridled male energy you can sometimes get dire results. Sadly, especially when it is squaring Pluto as Uranus is now, we might see more Aurora's - more Newtown's. People pushing others onto subway tracks - people acting out are all the shadow of this placement.

The Astrology of Lobsters - Part 2 - The Real Lobsters....

Courtesy of Arlene Weinstock

So I am up in Maine making my annual escape from the Virginia heat and I am trying to think of a blog entry. Maine is conducive to many things including deep introspection but for some reason my imagination is failing me.... what to write what to write? My mind wanders. I had a lobster Cobb salad last night - very yummy. Lobster - that is it - I will write the Astrology of Lobsters. Now that is silly, Joan, I hear my subconscious saying. How can you know the exact day and time that lobsters came into being on Earth? I can't of course but I when in doubt - heck, make things up. It works for the news media, why not me?

So with the help of Wikipedia I present to you the real Astrology of lobsters. "Lobsters...have blue blood due to the presence of haemocyanin, which contains copper." Blue blood? They must have Leo rising. After all, Leo is the king - the ruling lion of the Zodiac. Think about it - even though they often wind up on our dinner plates, they do demand a king's ransom before allowing us to eat them. There is nothing cheap and tawdry about them. How Leo of them. Besides, how do you think they got that big claw? It had to be from preening their shells!

Again thanks to Wiki I learned that, "Recent research suggests that lobsters may not slow down, weaken, or lose fertility with age. In fact, older lobsters are more fertile than younger lobsters. This longevity may be due to telomerase, an enzyme that repairs DNA sequences of the form "TTAGGG."
A ha - they must have Venus in Aries! Aries is the masculine, fire sign - if you want an aggressive lover find an Aries. Go Lobsters.

As for Moon sign - I have to go with Pisces. After all, for all of their airs, they do wind up on your platter more often than not, a martyr to Man's insatiable appetite. They might even jump into the traps to save another - cuter - species - now that would be a very Piscean move.

So the next time you are pouring butter over one of these crustacean friends, remember his Leo and give him due homage, remember his Aries and keep the antacid close by in case his fire burns in your stomach and don't forget to thank him for his sacrifice.

Gotta go - there is a new restaurant on Goose Rocks Beach that has oven roasted lobster on their menu. I can't miss that.

Uranus has moved into Aries.

We have recently seen yet another slower, outer planet shift into another sign. I have already talked about Neptune moving into Pisces and Pluto heading into Capricorn, now we have Uranus moving in Aries. Uranus takes about seven years to move through one sign. Contrast that to Mercury which makes it through all twelve in eighty-eight days!

courtesy of arlenew.com

Uranus is the sign of quick change - it is the rebel. I liken Uranus to the teenager of the Zodiac because it hates status quo and likes to shake things up as it explores new opportunities. Like a teenager who can turn a house on end in a minute by tossing clothes about as soon as they enter the door, leaving the refrigerator door opened and blaring loud music, Uranus brings upheaval whether you are ready or not.

Like youth, Uranus also has a humanitarian side. It isn't jaded yet like Saturn and Pluto and sees the beauty in every person. Uranus really cares about humanity and wants to help all humans.

So now we have the teenager meeting the baby - Uranus meeting the infant of the zodiac - the raw aggressive energy of Aries. If there was ever a time to change - to finish a project or start one or to analyze a relationship. Be spontaneous- take a trip on the spur of the moment, learn Russian.

Like all teenagers, Uranus is a techno-geek - so expect another explosion of gadgets and widgets in the next seven years.

However, remember that teens are prone to explosions and irrational anger. So watch for impulsive, erratic energy.

It is important to look at your chart and see what Uranus/Aquarius Aries/Mars activate - control the energy and you will make great headway in these areas.  (Countries can also have these planets in strategic areas of their charts so watch for eruptions around the world.)

"Easter" Musings

Recently I asked a group of people where the word Easter came from. Didn't that name always seem out of place? Not surprisingly, no one knew. Easter - it has no correlation to the day. Right? Well, if you dig back into the history of it all it clearly does. Easter is named for the Germanic and Celtic goddess Eostre. Depending on the tribe telling the story, she was either a young maiden who travelled the country side with her rabbit spreading eggs in your garden or a magical woman who transformed into a rabbit in Spring. Virgin, rabbit, eggs - yes, fertility and rebirth - they weren't subtle back then. (Actually, there were many variations on the theme but these were the general avenues of interpretation.)

To celebrate the day of Eostre one would bake breads with the cross of the rising sun which have become translated into hot cross buns and dye eggs. Who said human beings have original ideas?

Interestingly in Sweden they celebrate Easter by celebrating witches! The children dress as the up as the witch Blakulla, make drawings and then go door to door exchanging the drawings for candy. Sounds like a take on Halloween. Interestingly, in Italy, the witch Buffana comes to the children on Christmas Eve. Witches, girls, maidens, they all find their way into someones celebration.

Anyway, back to Astrology and Easter. However, the celebration it is important to remember it all starts with the stars. The Spring Equinox, when the Sun is at the mouth - zero degrees - of Aries, the first sign of the zodiac - the sign that starts the wheel of life again - is March 21. Easter takes place on the Sunday after the first full Moon following the Equinox. Who can guess whether I was taught that little tidbit during eight years of Catholic school? Easter linked to the Equinox - linked to the Moon! Shock.

Passover too starts a day or so after the first full Moon after the Spring Equinox.

This year the full Moon was April 17, so Passover started at sundown on April 18 and Easter is April 24. 

And they both have to thank Aries the first sign of the Zodiac for it. Speaking of Aries, it is still in full force. We currently have Mars, Uranus, Lilith, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in an Aries stellium (that is, more than five bodies in one sign.) That is a lot of raw, dynamic change energy circulating in the universe. Using it to harness change in your life, new ways of expressing yourself, a new search for love and new way to open new doors. Those people who aren't aware of themselves or their natal planets could be feeling very angry and restless because they embody the shadow of Aries. So that potential for anger, violence and just raw emotions is still very high.

In any case, dye your eggs, plant your gardens and tip your hat to Eostre this weekend!

Everyone please breathe!

courtesy or Arlenew.com

My friend Arlene - whose paintings and photos you see here has a tag line on all her emails which reads, "Take care and breathe."  I tease her about going Los Angeles on us but I think we should all listen to her right now.

First, we have the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Lilith and Uranus all in Aries right now, the sign of unbridled male energy. It is a great time to start new projects and chart new courses. However, it is a also a time where we can make impulsive and wrong headed decisions on the spur of the moment. Think of it as all of these planets experiencing road rage. So if these planets are falling in your 7th house you might suddenly decide to make changes to your business or marriage relationships. They might sound good at the moment but after thinking about it for a day or two you realize those changes are disastrous. 

Also on April 5 and 6 the Moon will be void of course. When a body moves from one sign to another  - when it is 27 degrees in one sign to 3 degrees in the next - it is considered void of course - a little off kilter. Because the Moon moves so quickly it is void of course a few days every month. This is a time when our emotions may be a little hinky.

If you couple void of course Moon with all of this male Aries energy flying around it could lead to some serious mistakes. So please everyone for the next week or so - breathe first act second!

A Pisces Stellium - Let's Take Advantage of it!

A Pisces Stellium is upon us - Did you feel like doing some more yoga this morning - maybe a bit more meditation? If you did then you have Pisces on one of your "personal planets" - Sun, Moon, Mars, Ascendant, Venus or Mercury.


Right now Chiron, Mars, Mercury, Sun, Uranus and Lilith are all in Pisces and for those of us in the D.C. are they are concentrated in the 11th house - the house of group social activities. Dare I be hopeful to think that Congress will use Pisces influence and its connection to the Cosmic Consciousness to work together and come up with legislation that will help all? Nah, more than likely Democrats will fall into the shadow of Pisces which is being a martyr and give in even more to the GOP.... oh well, I can hope.

This morning my Pisces Moon pulled me to actually do my morning yoga instead of thinking of about really seriously for a few minutes. I then lit a candle for my Pisces Mom who would have been 95 today and did some meditation.

Think of where Pisces is in your chart and reach for the high of Pisces - the brother/sister hood of Pisces - the unity with God side of Pisces. All of these planets are heading to Aries soon and all that unity will be replaced with unbridled ME energy.

Breathe now.

2011 continued - Aries all Around!



courtesy of arlenew.com

April is always a wild month astrologically. The archetypal energy is of Mars, the god of war. Mars and the sign it rules, Aries, is the epitome of male aggression. We need energy and spunk to make our mark in our world. However, keep in mind the shadow of this is testosterone overload - unbridled aggression and violence. The Revolutionary and Civil Wars started in April. Hitler was born in April just as the Sun was moving out of Aries. Columbine was in April. We invaded Iraq in 2003 under Aries. You get the picture.

It is no surprise, therefore, that we face the coming Stellium of asteroids and planets in Aries with some trepidation.

On April 4th when Neptune moves into spiritual Pisces (see last week's entry) we will also have the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Mars and even the black Moon Lilith all in Aries. Fortunately, most of these are "personal planets" - the inner guys who make the biggest impact on an individual's chart not the planet as a whole. If you have Aries personal planets or if yours make aspects to Aries - you will be able to start new activities just be sure you don't fly off the handle for little reasons.  Watch for spikes in personal violence during this time.  Just remember to stay in the light - the energy Aries brings - and not the shadow.

Uranus is Aries is a generational shift - it hangs around a sign for about 7 years. Jupiter stays about a year in each sign.  Uranus and Jupiter will be squaring Pluto in Capricorn - this will be a huge time when the big issues of fairness, justice and truth come to light. I would advise any President of Prime Minister or dictator to be very careful at this time. Any act of dishonesty, any act of underhandedness will see the light. Anyone who acts with extreme individualism will get a good smack in the face.

Uranus in Aries can blaze the trail for social reform and science. Expect to see big breakthroughs in these areas.

It is all about the harnessing of this energy. Those who use it for social good for social justice will blaze new trails in these areas. Those trails will not always be smooth sailing - there can be wars and battles needed to bring about these changes. Anyone who goes to shadow of Aries - who seeks to subjugate freedom and justice - will wreck havoc on the world around them.

Hopefully from this disruption will come the beauty of Neptune in Pisces (see last week) when the spiritual overtakes the illusion.  If we all do our part to try to stay out of the shadow that can happen. Yes, I know, I know --- but we can all try.

Oh Aries You Little Devil....

courtesy of Arlenew.com

Happy New Year all! And what a year it is going to be. We came through that Mars/Pluto conjunction with a huge Wikileaks "attack" and bombings in various places. I don't know how it manifested in your chart. For me it has been a lingering cough triggered in my throat. Pluto - Mars were passing through my 3rd house - the house of communications which vibrates to Mercury and controls the throat area.



So what is coming up? Aries will be on the march that is what is coming up! On January 20th Jupiter will move into Aries but will only stay for 5 months. That is about one half the time Jupiter spends in a sign and that is a big key - movement and speed. Jupiter in this fire sign of masculine energy indicates a time of new raw expression of and seeking of truth. In my chart Jupiter is conjunct Pluto - the instrument of transformation so I see a great time of personal growth and expansion.



This Aries influence will just increase as the year continues so by the new Moon on April 2, Mars, the Moon, the Sun, Mercury and the asteroids Lilith and Eros will join Jupiter in Aries. I am sorry but you will really have to be dead not to feel this influence on Aries warrior energy on the personal planets. More interestingly, over Washington, D.C. that Aries stellium will be in the 8th house of house of power, sexuality, and death - all of those fun issues. Can you just see the power struggles and testosterone eruptions that will take place on Capitol Hill?



Let's hope that is all that manifests. Remember the Civil War, Revolutionary War and Mexican/American Wars all started in April. It is as if the rope is stretched so tightly and then Aries cause the spark that burns the last thread.



On the positive side this is a time of new beginnings or new growth but that can cause painful breaks with the past. Remember the old saying, "out of pain comes growth." Riding this crescent of energy can be a fun ride if we are aware of what is happening and staying in the positive aspect of Aries - which is the courage to take the lead in life and not the negative warrior energy it can also embody.