Everyone Breath!–

As my dear friend, artist extraordinaire, Arlene Weinstock, would say – breathe!  The Moon is in quixotic Aquarius right now. Aquarius is full of highly charged, changeable energy.  Right now, the Moon is conjuncting Neptune. Moon in Neptune regardless of the sign placement always gives me a little bit of start because high level of unreality that surrounds Neptune.

I always describe the effects of Neptune by asking people to think of a great whale in the ocean. In the water – the whale glides with grace and beauty through the water. Take it out and it clomps around – flaps and dies on land. Neptune wants to be in the ocean of the spirit. On Earth, it devolves into a web of illusion and escapism – it wants to go back to spirit.  

So when the Moon, our emotional barometer, is in hinky Aquarius and is next to confusing Neptune – well, you can see it is a pattern for blow ups, upsets, emotions being brought up that are deep in subconscious. So, therefore, everyone – breath!

Get Sensitive Go Within – Pisces New Moon – March

Our next New Moon* will be at 10 degrees Pisces on March 1. Actually it will be a Pisces-palooza because the Sun, Moon, Neptune, Chiron and Juno will all be conjunct one another in Pisces!  This is a highly sensitive time – if you are someone prone to feeling life’s agitations at their fullest – this conjunction with the wound issue, Chiron, being present can make for a cranky few days.

However, the New Moon is a wonderful time for setting intentions – making new starts. It is at the beginning of the phase – a restart. This new Moon is a good time to set the intention to dig deep inside yourself and find a new way to express your dreams. In fact, pay attention to your dreams. With my Pisces Moon I have been having an amazing number of truly “telling dreams” this week. Ones that don’t leave you – that have a message.

What are your reveries? Have you paid attention to them – worked them or have they stayed in your dream state? Are you “living the dream” or too consumed with the mundane? This is the time to think deeply about them and then act.

Where will the New Moon take place in your chart? If you are familiar with the symbol of Pisces -

look for it in your chart…best if you have a planet in Pisces. If there are no planets then look to the outside “cusp” wheel – find the house that has Pisces on it. Then see the degree marker for that cusp – so if it is a two degrees – then count clockwise eight degrees and you will be at ten degrees Pisces. ON THE OTHER HAND, just email me at Joansastrology@gmail.com. If I have your chart on file, I can tell you immediately where this New Moon will influence you most. If not, you will need to give me your time, place, and date of birth.

In any case, use this time to do more than wish upon a Moon it is time to make your wishes manifest into reality.

*The New Moon is the first phase of the Moon – when it is closest to the Sun as seen from our perspective. It is the opposite of the Full Moon when the Sun and Moon are opposing one another. 

The Moons of February - Get Ready for Pisces Energy

YES! There was a full Moon on Valentine's Day and it was in Leo. I didn't post that information and heard from a few people about that. Sorry! So for your planning  - there will be a new Moon on February 28th and it will be in Pisces. For those who do new Moon manifestations - this is a very spiritual Moon.  Not only will the Moon be in Pisces, but it will be conjunct with Neptune, the planet the rules Pisces. There is no better time to let the imagination and your spiritual awareness soar.

Jupiter, which in the days before Neptune made its appearance to us, was given ruler ship of Pisces, will be making a harmonious aspect to both bodies. Jupiter's energy is one of expansion and reaching beyond our borders. Moon dreams, Neptune spirituality and Jupiter growth --- it all sounds like a wonderful combination!

Yes, Jupiter will still be in retrograde for another month. So you will have to do a little more work to tap into that energy. Half the fun is in getting there isn't it?

Neptune is all Around Us

I chose the title carefully because, by nature, the energy of Neptune is so amorphous that it does float all around us like a lovely cloud. Little is solid about Neptunian energy.

Neptune moved into the constellation of Pisces a few years ago and will be there until 2025. Neptune rules Pisces so we have a double-dose of Neptune energy cascading down around us. Lately we have started to see the positive and shadow aspects of Neptunian energy in the news.

First, the bad – let’s get it out of the way. Amazingly talented actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died of a heroin overdose. Now I know a talented, sensitive artist being an addict is sadly not an uncommon story. However, almost immediately after learning of his death, we started to hear stories of heroin addiction being on the rise. Neptune is the planet of illusion and escapism and leads to the desire to remove ourselves from reality. An increase of hallucinatory drugs is a side effect felt during a strong Neptune period.

Attached to this is the increase in escapist games – more people will prefer to build computer worlds of illusion than deal with the cold hard nitty gritty details of life.  I expect that by the end of this decade we will see computer gaming reach levels we can’t even imagine now.

On the positive side, Neptune brings us in touch with our compassion. I laugh every time I hear that the laws banning gay marriage are falling even in states that are very conservative. A decade ago gay marriage was used as a ballot box wedge issue that rallied the right wing to come out and vote and now it is like oh ok another state removes a roadblock to people loving each other. Ho hum. That is Neptune at work! Neptune always calls us to be compassionate and caring toward all people. I love it.

We have are just beginning to really feel the impact of Neptune in Pisces. Let’s hope she helps us keep our compassion high as well as our feet on the ground!

   

Dream Away This Weekend

Prepare to dream! This Saturday and Sunday, February 1 and 2, will be a good time for pleasant or productive daydreaming. The Moon will be wandering through Pisces and making positive aspects to Pisces' ruler, the planet Neptune. Pisces is very good at sparking our imagination and making us think about "what if." 

Pisces is also excellent at escapism. Taken to an extreme this feature of Pisces can be dangerous and can manifest in alcoholism, gambling, and even suicide. However, there is nothing wrong with spending a cold weekend afternoon with a trashy novel - or a hopefully great Super Bowl. 

If you are more spiritually inclined, this would be a good weekend to meditate and get your spiritual dreams in order - it is Candlemas, after all.

Whatever you do- take a minute to appreciate the energy of a Pisces Moon and work on making your dreams come true. 

Diana Nyad - a Lion in the Water

I HAD to do this chart today! Diana Nyad, who at 64 years old has successfully reached the Florida shore on her fifth attempt to swim from Cuba to Key West. I have been trying to find her birth time but that doesn't seem to be public information however, we do know that she was born on August 22, 1949 in New York City and while her rising sign, which is contingent on knowing the time of birth, is unknown there is a lot to be gleaned from her chart. The thing that is cracking me up totally right now is that she was born with a South Node conjuncting the planet Neptune, God of the Sea! While there is absolutely no astrological correlation between past lives linked to Neptune and swimming ability it does make me smile. All you need to know about this gutsy woman can be found in the stellium of Sun, Pluto, and Juno all in the fixed fire sign of Leo with her Leo Moon hanging on close-by. Signs fall into three categories, the fixed signs that are the stubborn folks, the mutables who are the go along and get along people and the cardinal signs - the leaders. She has her Sun, her Juno (the goddess of loyalty), her Moon and Pluto all clustered together Leo - which as I said is not only fixed but fire! Nothing was going to stop that determination especially with Pluto the planet of transformation and change kept her glued to that goal with determination. What do I mean by fire? Well, again the signs fall into categories, the water signs are emotional, spiritual and deep, the earth signs are sturdy and stable, air are mercurial and intelligent and fire people are seeking prominence - they have to make an impact. Diana is all fixed fire! If that wasn't enough fuel for her, check out her Saturn, Pallas conjunction. Saturn is the task master, the planet of "doing things right and following the rules." When it is combined with Pallas Athena, the androgynous warrior goddess a person has a "pit-bull mentality." Her North Node, where her soul is intending to go in this lifetime, is in Aries, the uber-determined, cardinal and yes, fire, signs. It is ruled by Mars which in her case is in Cancer - another cardinal sign. No matter her chosen career she would have exceled and exceeded. So congratulations Diana - you certainly used your planetary "gifts" to the maximum today!!

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!

Get Your Ooky Spookey Hats On: A Pisces Stellium

March is Pisces month!!! More than usual, we have a Pisces-Palluza this month. Mercury is part of a Pisces stellium that includes Neptune, Venus, Chiron, the Sun, and Mars! (A stellium is five or more planets in a house or sign or both!) This is a great time to get in touch with your subconscious; to take a ride on the Astral Railroad. This is a great time for healing that taps into the deeper recesses of the mind, to do dream therapy to take that spiritual "risk."  Healing that uses water is also something to consider now - any type of water rejuvenation vibrates well to Pisces. 

Just don't get lost in the escapism that Pisces can bring - the procrastination or the feelings of be put upon and "martyred" by someone or something. 

Use this time for the benefits the Pisces can bring which is an amazing awareness of the spiritual realm that is all around us. 

"Road to Eternity" Courtesy of Arlenew.com

 

Thanksgiving Chart

So many people say Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday yet we squish it more and more between the two more commercial events - Halloween and Christmas. Make your Thanksgiving special by really enjoying it and not using it as a just a jumping off point for the fat man in the red suit.

This year the Sun will move into Sagittarius on Thanksgiving Day - so we will be moving from the inward energy of Scorpio to the expansive energy of Sagittarius - a good thing for a day of family and friend celebration.

Now here is the little secret that is so exciting. Neptune has just moved into the sign that it rules, Pisces. This is the start of a very spiritual time and the more attuned you are to the spirit side of life the more you will feel it. Pisces vibrates to the 12th house - the house that is literally our connection to the universe. This I think more than anything else caused the outpouring of people to the voting booths during this past election. It was a matter of we are tired of the remaining evangelical shadow from when Pluto was in Sagittarius - we are now more open to the idea of we are all the children of God.

Of course there is a shadow to everything and Pisces in Neptune can lead to more escapism  - more of the birth of "other realities. However, think of the beautiful part of Pisces and Neptune and be grateful on Thanksgiving for any connection you may have to the universe.

OH and Mercury will be in retrograde so be prepared to stuff a roll in the mouth of that annoying relative who won't shut up -- and keep thinking of Neptune!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Neptune in Pisces: All Peace and Love?

Neptune moved into its ruling sign, Pisces, on February 3 and frankly I have been a bit shocked over what I have been reading in the "Astro-circles" about this movement. There is an awful lot of this is the harbinger of the new wonderful world we will all transit to in 2012 and there is nothing more wonderful than Neptune being in Pisces. Right, let's all wait for the fairies and angels to arrive. It seems that many people are caught up in one of the biggest shadows of Pisces – that is illusion and delusion.

Don’t get me wrong Neptune in Pisces is a mild placement. It is a wonderful time for spiritual awakening and for connecting to the cosmic unconsciousness. However, let us step back into time to the last time Neptune was there. It was 1846 – 1861. Spiritualism did bloom and it was the time of Transcendentalism. Still there were many spiritual charlatans around who promised people they could see the spirits of their dead loved ones in the new found technology of photography. There were also many people running “peaceful communes” who were living well off the people who gave them all of their money in a fit of brotherhood. Lest we not forget what happened when Neptune was still in Pisces – April 12, 1861 – the attack on Fort Sumter and the start of the Civil War!

I am afraid that too many astrologers are buying into the 2012 hype and in Pisces delusion! Use these years of Pisces in Neptune to develop your spirituality and use it act on social injustice and unfair imbalance: these are wonderful aspects of the sign.  Pisces knows no bounds and caste systems are distasteful to her – so be all for furthering brotherhood. Just remember that it is also a time where people can get so caught in their own reality – or rather unreality – that they can’t see anything but their own side – leading to huge battles. It is a time where escapism can be rampant – where addictions and “dropping out” are the order of the day.

 Like all things, Neptune in Pisces is both positive and negative. Keep your head about you and you can reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls!

Feeling especially spiritual today?

I just had to share today's chart with you! There is a huge conjunction or stellium of planets in the 12th house - the house that connects us with God, the Universere -  Right now, Pallas Athena, Neptune, Chiron, Venus, the Moon, Vesta and Uranus are all transiting the 12th house.  So if you feel like chucking your work and contemplate a flower go with it - there is no better time!

New Horizons for the New Year

As we start 2012, we will see some big changes in the large, slower moving planets that make large impacts on society. Jupiter is moving into Taurus, a change from loosey goosey Gemini, into the stable Bull. I hope it will bring some stability to the stock market and get people thinking about prosperity again.

Uranus heading in Aries will see an explosion for technology. I know - what have we been seeing? However, Uranus is all about electricity and sparks and the future is Aries is the epitome of masculine charging energy.  This also a time when we question authority figures - the Occupy Movement started just as Uranus reach Aries.

Finally and perhaps more interestingly, in early 2012 Neptune will move into Pisces, the sign it rules. While I highly doubt the world will end in 2012- please! --- this is a time for an intense spiritual awakening.  We haven't seen Neptune in Pisces since 1848 and it is so funny that several books about that year have been published lately. That was a time when the "Communist Manifesto" was published - a false Utopian hope for a new way of governing - very Piscean. It was also the beginning of waves of spiritualism and Utopian communities of the Alcotts and Thoreaus.

Those who are spiritually attuned will have a wonderful time exploring new planes.

However, the shadow of Neptune is total illusion - 1848 was the start of the Gold Rush - where masses thought they would make it big in the West.  With Neptune you also have drug use and escapism of all kinds. I think with that Uranus in Aries there will be wild new ways to disengage and "drop out" of society.

So hang onto your hats kids - 2012 is bringing in a lot of changes. Keep your feet on the ground but your head in the spiritual realm and your hands on the Ipod 1000!

Happy New Year

Chiron Neptune and Pisces



courtesy of Arlenew.com

 I talked about Neptune entering Pisces a few weeks ago and the general karmic implications of having Neptune in its ruling sign. Pisces and Neptune, remember vibrate to the 12th house - the house that is our connection to the universal unconsciousness. Many astrologers say Pisces is the universal unconsciousness!


Now we have an extra added attraction to this because Chiron, the asteroid which pinpoints where we carry our deepest wound - a wound that is so painful we don't want to touch - is now in Pisces. Of course, we much transmute the pain of Chiron if we are to heal; the trick is to have the courage to do that.

The last time Chiron was in Pisces was from 1962 - 1968. Remember those fun years?

Keep in mind - and this is very important - we also had some wild transits of Uranus and Pluto at that time which is not in the cards now. Don't expect a return to the go- go '60's.

However, for the next nine years Chiron will be in Pisces and for a large chunk of this year Chiron will be conjunct Neptune in Pisces. Whatever house this conjunction transits and whatever planet it agitates in your chart you will feel a deep karmic pull. Let me explain this with a story of what happened to me. Right now, over the Washington, D. C, area and much of the East Coast, this conjunction is in the 7th house - the house of intimate relationships such as marriage and business contracts. The 7th house is an "angular house". These include the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses - these are very powerful, very active houses. My natal Chiron is also in an angular house - the 4th. I am feeling this conjunction.

To make a very long story short, I found out that a large bank had totally screwed up a major account to the point where they actually had no clue how to undo their error. I went through 2 weeks of "bank hell" and finally, with the help of my ace financial advisor, got them to move on fixing the problem. Oh, did I say their screw up threatened my business accreditation and I had only one month to fix it?

Throughout this time, the bank never apologized and even had to nerve to hold up the process of fixing their mistake because they found one small error I made. Six years of major errors they made - one little paperwork error on my part and they tried to turn it around and lay all the blame on me.

It was at that point that a nerve was struck or more correctly it was my 4th house Chironic wound - of not feeling heard, of being validated and having root source - of being a grounded, accepted person. They were trying to put me in the place of little kid and it angered me. Instead of retreating into the wound - and becoming the chastised little kid - I found a way around them and basically told them what they could do with my account. I took the money out and found a new way to do what I needed to do.

So be aware of painful karmic issues that are going to pop up in contractual relationships. Look at where Chiron is in your birth chart and see how this is going to resonate with you. This is the time to clear up a lot of wound issues that are karmic in nature IF you are aware of what is happening. Don’t fall into Pisces martyrdom – don’t accept what is happening – analyze how this is making you feel and use this to transmute your Chironic wound issue.

2011 -2012 preview



courtesey of arlenew.com

 I saw some signs in downtown DC a few months ago telling me to repent because the world was ending in May 2011. Apparently the Lord is returning and he is still pissed. Then, of course, the New Agers are telling me we have all the way until December 2012. If I thought either were correct I would daily eating my way through a bathtub of chocolate chip ice cream.

While I can’t see the end of the world coming, I do see some hum dinger of planetary changes coming in the next few years.

Neptune will be moving into Pisces on April 4, 2011 and will remain there until 2026. Pisces is ruled by Neptune so this will be a time when Neptune will be felt particularly if it makes a strong aspect to Neptune, Pisces or their aspects in your personal chart.

Remember Pisces is a sign of duality. Look at the two fish, one swimming upstream toward the God-source and the other stuck in the illusion of life.

The last time Neptune was in Pisces (1848 – 1860), we saw the growth and flourishing of the Transcendalist Movement. These were people like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott who believed in spirituality, and humanitarianism. Utopian societies sprang up and around the country and spiritualism was in favor. Impressionism, the style of painting characterized by flowing and visible brush strokes became popular. Sigmund Freud, the father of dream therapy was born. Charles Darwin published the “Origin of the Species” and Marx the “Communist Manifesto.”

All of these are very Piscean qualities – a rejection of the traditional religious dogmas for a spiritual outlook, a belief that we all must find our own path to God, a dreamy quality and a rejection of the individual for the good of all.

Pisces is also the sign of the martyr and throughout Europe tens of thousands of died in Peasant Revolutions that raged from France to Sicily and Hungary to Poland. Desperate people banded together to try to change entrenched political systems that favored only the nobility.



The shadow of Pisces is illusion, disillusionment, giving into addictions and ennui. Pisces is that great ocean of cosmic consciousness but it has a hard time deal with the nastiness of Earthly reality. Be aware of people following false gurus. Sadly, we might see more people martyring themselves in hope of furthering a bigger cause. We will see more pathetic and dangerous violent outbursts. Those people who are upset and disillusioned will have a hard time getting on course.

We are seeing signs of this with the self-immolations in Tunisia and the job riots in Spain. If you have the ability both financial and innate to grow spiritually it is a wonderful time. However, anyone stuck in desperation – even those who aren’t forced into those situations by governmental of money issues; people who keep themselves stuck – will be that swirling pool of illusion for a long time.