September Shakes It Up

September arrived with a fiery conjunction between Mars and retrograde Venus in Leo, ushering in the promise of an exciting, volatile month.  The month of September will resemble the stock market as of late, with its ups and downs. September will feature Venus stationing direct on September 6th, a solar eclipse in Virgo on September 13th, Mercury stationing retrograde in Libra on the 17th, Saturn returning to Sagittarius for the next two years as well on the 17th, Pluto stationing direct in Capricorn on the 25th and a lunar eclipse in Aries on the 27th.  Is your head spinning yet?

The Sun in 12 degrees of Virgo will be trining Pluto in 13 degrees of Capricorn on September 5th, which will definitely qualify as one of the more positive aspects of the month.  It will provide more empowerment in terms of how we handle life’s realities.  This is an earth trine, so it favors embracing the practical side of life and becoming the best we can be.  I am actually looking forward to this aspect, as it both the Sun and Pluto will be sextiling my Saturn in Scorpio.  I’m not exactly crying about Saturn’s imminent departure from Scorpio, but perhaps this aspect will bring me some rewards for my efforts.  Saturn does bring good things if you work hard.  At least I am trying to buy into that party line…

On September 6th, Venus will station direct in 14 degrees of Leo.  This is a major astrological event of the month since Venus has been retrograde since July 25th and there is always a certain intensity involved when a planet stations.  Venus retrograde may have manifested as a reflection on our values, finances, intimate relationships and friendships.  Some of us may have pondered the undercurrents and patterns that we brought to our relationships.  Now that Venus is moving direct, we can feel empowered to change or release outworn modes of relating that aren’t working for us.  Some may even choose to renew their vows when Venus is direct. While Venus retrograde may not have been an optimal time to invest in major purchases, it was prime time to sell off old assets.  Ironically, some of the best deals acquired during Venus retrograde may have been through antique stores or thrift shops.

On Monday, September 7th, it is Labor Day in the United States.  This marks the unofficial end of summer, but the weather is still feeling very much like summer in New England.  The moon will be in Cancer on the 7th, and it forms some tense aspects that could make us rather testy and emotional.  It squares Mercury in Libra and opposes Pluto in Capricorn, so there could be some squabbles and power plays in relationships on the holiday.  But we get a nice save that day from Neptune in Pisces, when it trines the Cancer moon.  So all should end on a more peaceful, compassionate note, especially with the Cancer moon sextiling the Virgo Sun by evening.  There may be some fireworks during the day, but compassion and the desire to do right should prevail.

On September 8th, as we all head back to work and school, we are the recipients of yet another positive aspect.  Mars in 19 degrees of Leo trines Uranus in 19 degrees of Aries.  This aspect serves as an adrenaline boost of energy to accomplish our goals in new and exciting ways to implement major changes that we have been contemplating.  This is fire energy, folks, and Uranus in Aries loves to do things in iconoclastic style.  Uranus is forming an exact square to my Cancer midheaven, so this could be an interesting day for me, especially since I have Uranus and Jupiter in the 10th house.

Venus is still in Leo until October 8th due to the retrograde. If you are curious as to how this extended Venus retrograde in Leo period affected you, please consider getting an astrological reading with me.  A little insight is always a powerful tool.  Just ask for the Venus Retrograde Special, which will be $25 through the month of September 2015. Contact me directly at lindasim54@gmail.com.

I am also offering a Summer Solstice Special for only $25 at this link:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/summer-solstice-special.html

This special is literally being offered through the entire summer season and features a two question tarot telephone reading with a look at your astrological chart to see how the summer planetary action is affecting you.  This is a great little reading if you just have a couple of questions and are curious about your astrological chart, but are a little hesitant to committing to a full astrological reading.
 
If you are contemplating an astrological reading to obtain more insight during this shaky month of September, you can learn more about my menu of astrological services at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/services-offered.html

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Taurus Season - Time to Plant the Seeds

As of April 20^th, it officially became Taurus season, folks.  On that day, I tweeted:

“Sun enters Taurus today allowing us the opportunity to make the dreams of the Aries new moon a practical reality.”

What exactly is the theme of the Sun in Taurus?  When the Sun is in Taurus, there is a strong focus on determination and security needs.  Taurus is the fixed earth sign, so loyalty and longevity are important.  Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, so physical comforts, earthly pleasures and nurturing the self are paramount.  So it really is an opportune time to plant the seeds of the dreams we held so dear during the Aries new moon of April 18^th.

But we have a double bonus in that Mercury is in Taurus through April 30^th and Mars is in Taurus through May 13^th.  When Mercury is in Taurus, ideas can literally take root. And Mars in Taurus provides energy and focus.  On April 21^st, I tweeted:

“Mars in Taurus trining Pluto in Capricorn today gives us energy and focus to achieve our goals.  Major life changes are possible.”

On April 22^nd, I tweeted:

“Mercury in Taurus trining Pluto in Capricorn favors transformation through practical communication.  Happy Earth Day.”

Mercury and Mars also conjuncted each other in Taurus on April 22^nd, so it was truly a festive Earth Day!

Of course, the icing on the cake is that Pluto in Capricorn is being so supportive of Mercury and Mars in Taurus.  Pluto and Mars are definitely planetary heavies, the co-rulers of the sign Scorpio.  Pluto represents the soul planet and Mars is the planet of action and desire.  When these two planets make nice, the sky is the limit because we can be focused and direct our will towards our soul’s path.

Who knew that after all of the tumult from the recent Uranus Pluto squares that Pluto could actually be an ally these days with its trines to Mercury and Mars in Taurus?  I also loved what Michael Lutin had to say about Pluto in Capricorn.  Basically, he said that Pluto in 15 degrees of Capricorn is the point of no return.  We have no choice but to proceed now to see what happens at the end of September (September 24^th, to be exact) when Pluto stations direct.  The bottom line is that Pluto has you moving ahead and taking positive action.  I highly encourage you to check out his site:

www.michaellutin.com

The Sun in Taurus is giving us one particularly challenging aspect on April 26^th.  The Taurus Sun will be squaring Ceres, the asteroid associated with nurturing, in the sign of Aquarius.  Our self-esteem may take a hit, especially if the urge to follow our path seems slightly impractical.  This is playing out for me in a very interesting way—I am attending the Third Annual Celebration of Reiki Conference on the 26^th!  Nonetheless, I am looking forward to it and hope that I can learn a lot to further develop my healing skills.  Venus in Leo is inconjunct Chiron in Pisces that day, so I may need to make some adjustments in my approach to Reiki.   While I agree that this is definitely an unorthodox path, I know deep down that I am heeding the call of my soul.

I’m also preparing to move on April 29^th and hoping that the Virgo moon on that day trining Pluto in Capricorn assists me in staying focused and organized with this latest transformation in my life.

In May we will be facing a full moon in Scorpio and another Mercury retrograde, so I urge all of you to strike while the iron is hot and plant those seeds now!  Take full advantage of that Taurus energy while we still have it.

If you are confused during these challenging times and need some guidance in empowering you to move forward, please consider getting an astrological reading.  You can learn more about my menu of astrological services at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/services-offered.html

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Embrace the Season of Pisces and Welcome and Mars and Venus in Aries

The planets are changing signs this week and gearing up for the massive changes that will happen in March and April with the seventh and final Uranus P!uto square exact on March 17th and eclipses on March 20th and April 4th. The Sun entered Pisces on February 18th, literally a few minutes after this year's second New Moon in 29 degrees of Aquarius. A second new moon in Aquarius is rare, and gives us a second chance to pursue our dreams. On February 18^th I tweeted:

"#New #Moon in 29 degrees of Aquarius today, the 2nd this year. Make the most of pursuing your dreams and celebrate Sun entering #Pisces."

What are the themes pertaining to Pisces? Pisces rules surrendering to the process and trusting in the unfolding of life events, especially when we have no control over the outcome. This is very familiar territory for many of us these days and a perfect backdrop for the upcoming Uranus Pluto square, which demands that we trust in the process of whatever changes come our way by believing that it will ultimately serve our best interests. Am I under the influence of a Piscean Neptune ruled fog with this belief? Well, the flip side of Pisces is delusion, deception and escapism, but I do have more faith that this last Uranus Pluto square will be less traumatic than previous ones because both of these planets are direct. I am choosing to believe that whatever changes come will be easier to accept this time around.  Pisces season also enhances faith and creativity, so let those creative juices flow. And check back with me in a month to see if my faith was justified.

Mars entered the sign of Aries at 7:12 p.m. on February 19th. Mars is very comfortable in Aries, a sign it rules. It encourages us to embrace the new and take action. If you have been considering implementing a new fitness routine, Mars in Aries gives you a green light to go for it. But it also has a tendency to make us more impetuous, irritable and act out our frustrations. Mars in Aries will also be trining Saturn in Sagittarius on February 25th, and this is a favorable aspect that facilitates achieving our goals.

Venus enters Aries on February 20th at 3:00 p.m. Venus is not so comfortable in Aries; in fact it is in one of its signs of detriment, the other sign being Scorpio. Venus has just left Pisces, the sign of its exaltation, so it is a little uneasy in Aries. Venus will hook up with Mars in Aries by conjunction on February 21st, so be prepared for passions to explode and relationships to be fast-paced. Venus in Aries is a time of action and awakening new energy or revitalizing a current relationship. Aries is a cardinal sign, so Venus in Aries will be in its element in terms of initiating action in matters of love and self-expression. Just be careful not to stir up trouble!

So take full advantage of the creative, inspirational energy of the Sun in Pisces and the initiating, action-oriented vibe of both Mars and Venus in Aries. Personally, I love it when the Sun is in Pisces because it spends more than half its transit in my 5h house, so I enjoy the burst of creativity it gives me.  This could prove to be one of the most creative times of 2015 if we utilize the power of combined water and fire planets. Don't forget that Jupiter is also in the fire sign of Leo to boost that enthusiastic energy.

Even though Valentine’s Day has passed and Venus has entered Aries, I am still offering a 20% discount on my Healing Your Love Karma and Composite Couples reports.  You can learn more about this special offer at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/valentines-day-promotion_30.html

You can also read about my other astrological services at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/services-offered.html

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Mars, Uranus, Pluto - A Time of the Ego, the Soul and the Unexpected

This has been a banner week astrologically with all of the Mars, Pluto and Uranus aspects. Releasing attachments to what no longer serves our highest good was a predominant theme. Mars represents the ego, Pluto represents the soul and Uranus represents the unexpected. On November 10th Mars was conjunct Pluto in 12 degrees of Capricorn. This aspect can conjure up feelings of being manipulated by other people or situations as well as featuring those in positions of power aligning with aggressive individuals. On that day I tweeted:

"Expect power struggles galore today as Mars conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn and Cancer moon opposes them."

I suppose that the silver lining of this aspect is that it does provide the strength to accomplish one's mission. The conjunction in Capricorn, which rules Saturn, is nothing if not determined. And the other bonus that we had on November 10th was that Mercury in Scorpio officially emerged from its retrograde shadow position. Thank heaven for small favors! But that was a little too late for a friend of mine, whose TV died on November 8th. Never disregard the shadow position of Mercury and its power! 

On November 12th Mars in Capricorn squared Uranus in Aries. I love how astrologer Dietrech Pessin described this aspect as "angry stress!" This aspect is associated with sudden changes of direction and life-changing events, breakthroughs and breakdowns, troubles with mechanical equipment and erratic, argumentative energy. There is definitely a need to be free and challenge the system.  Coming on the heels of the Mars Pluto conjunction two days ago, we were still reeling from the accompanying power struggles and heightened emotions.

I had a very Uranian experience myself on November 12th. My computer crashed, refused to start and my Firefox browser also stopped working. Eventually all were restored to working order, but I realize that this computer is probably on its last legs and will need to be replaced within the next year. I just don't want to be forced to purchasing one during a Mercury retrograde!

On November 12th Saturn in Scorpio also conjuncted Venus in 25 degrees of Scorpio. This is not exactly a party aspect, and on November 12th I tweeted:

"Venus conjunct Saturn lends a somber responsible tone to love and finances today. Commitments will be reassessed."

Venus is all about affections, relationships, resources, self-worth and appreciation of beauty. So when Saturn joins Venus there is a reassessment of commitments and a deepening of trust is required to bring relationships closer or sever the connection.  Scorpio is all or nothing! This aspect was major for me because it conjuncted my natal Venus in the second house and occurred on my birthday to boot! I had a very personalized experience of this aspect when an electronic deposit to my bank account was delayed 24 hours! Is it any wonder that I am anxiously awaiting Saturn's departure from Scorpio on December 23rd?

We do have another bright spot on the horizon. Neptune stations direct at 4 degrees of Pisces on November 16th after being retrograde for 5 months. This can indicate a resurgence of idealism, compassion and imagination. Perhaps the fog will lift in those areas of our lives where we have experienced confusion.

If you are feeling confused during these challenging times and curious as to how you can facilitate the process of transformation and healing for yourself during the Season of Scorpio, please consider getting an astrological reading to obtain more insight and assistance. I have also added a one question astrology reading to my list of services for $40 that is an even more intuitive approach based on your natal and progressed charts with transits to both.

Check out my services page on this site at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/services-offered.html

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for my daily astrological insights at:

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Mars and Saturn Retrograde Mercury Direct

  

This is a very big week astrologically.  Mercury, which has been retrograde since February 6^th, is moving forward, stationing direct at 18 degrees of Aquarius at 9:00 a.m. on February 28^th.  While many of us are heaving collective sighs of relief at the end of this Mercury retrograde transit, we need to be mindful of the fact that Mercury will not officially be out of its retrograde shadow until March 21^st, when it hits 3 degrees of Pisces, which is where it stationed for this retrograde transit.  But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

But Mars is stationing retrograde at 27 degrees of Libra on March 1^st and Saturn follows suit at 23 degrees of Scorpio on March 2^nd. Mars in this extended stay in Libra will definitely put the focus on relationships.  Mars is retrograde until May 19^th, when it will resume direct motion at 9 degrees of Libra.  So we will get the full treatment of reviewing and realigning relationships.  A focus on pleasing others is definitely up for consideration.  I liked what Michael Lutin had to say about this Mars retrograde: that it would be like a time machine because the station of Mars would take us back to the feelings of 1983 and 1984.  What was going on then?  Plenty—Pluto was in the late degrees of Libra transforming relationships and the Mars station will be passing right over that.  Pluto has a tendency to transform the area of life governed by the sign it transits.  And Pluto in Libra was all about relationships.  Pluto in Capricorn is transforming business and government now.  He commented that it would also trigger feelings from that rare Venus transit back in June 2012 which helped usher in a shift in relationships.

This station of Mars is right on my Neptune, so it is definitely personal and pertinent to relationships.  I have Neptune conjunct my Libra ascendant, as well as my Juno, aka the marriage asteroid.  I am not one prone to substance abuse, but I suspect that my dreams and creativity will be heightened as a result of this transit.  And I have no doubt that this transit will have a huge impact on my relationships.

And then there is Saturn.    The themes of Saturn are patience, discipline and responsibility.  Saturn retrograde will probably cause many of us to feel that there are delays in progress towards personal goals.  Strong Saturn transits to personal planets between 16 and 24 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) will feel it the most.  Saturn’s initial station on March 2^ndwill conjunct my Venus.  In addition to relationships, this brings up financial issues for me.  I will need to be investing some money for business with the hope that my investment will pay off in terms of attracting new clients. And in June and July transiting Saturn will be conjuncting my Black Moon.  This transit will not be pretty because Saturn and the Black Moon are not exactly BFFs. It is known for encapsulating the struggle between the polarities of masculine and feminine.  I suspect that it will either propel me to take more action in the outside world or let go of my feminine tendency to rescue others.  Balance will need to be restored.  When Saturn goes retrograde on March 2^nd, it will be squaring Mercury in Aquarius for a couple of days, undoubtedly causing more glitches.  So if you need to set anything in motion, it is prudent to wait until at least March 4^th to proceed.  I know that the best advice for dealing with Saturn frustrations is to make adjustments, but for many of us, that is a bitter pill to swallow.

Basically, I am trying to believe that in spite of the fact that these two planets are appearing to move backwards with their retrograde motion, we are moving forward, even if it takes some major reviewing and reassessment to get us there. Hasn’t history shown us that you need to learn from the past in order to have any progress?

On the plus side, we do have a new moon in Pisces this weekend to look forward to.  The new moon will occur in 10 degrees of Pisces at 3:00 a.m. on March 1^st.  We can anticipate a reenergization of our inner journey.  This new moon will also trine Jupiter in 10 degrees of Cancer and I like Molly Hall’s interpretation of this aspect—go for the inspired path!  With a new moon in Pisces we may feel lost because everything is changing, but give yourself plenty of space to deal with it.  This is still Pisces season and we need to be mindful of its particular energy.  This new moon falls in my 5^th house, so I am eagerly anticipating a surge in creativity.  And to add some frosting to the cake, Jupiter in Cancer finally goes direct on March 6, 2014.  I can hardly wait!