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!

 

 

  

Swimming in the Deep Piscean Ocean

It is officially Pisces season.  The Sun entered the sign of Pisces on February 18^th at 12:59 p.m.   The Sun is joining Neptune and Chiron in Pisces, so be prepared for some highly emotional times.  Themes of compassion, kindness to express deeper feelings, forgiveness, surrender and childlike faith abound.  The Sun will be exactly conjunct Neptune on February 23rd, and Michael Lutin aptly described this aspect as emotion running the show and drowning in the wave of feeling.  Clearly, the only way to navigate this watery journey is to honor your feelings and release pain and regret.  The Sun connecting to Chiron and Neptune make it a time to feel, dispel and resolve all wounds.  Let the healing begin!  Pisces is ruled by Neptune and one of the highest vibrations of Neptune is redemption.  I personally feel that I have undergone my own period of redemption in recent months.  Several people have mentioned to me how much lighter I seem and how far I have come in overcoming what I interpreted as overwhelming obstacles in my life.  Perhaps my delusion, another feature of Neptune, caused me to lose hope when surrender was actually the saving grace that I needed.

I always love it when the Sun is in Pisces.  In spite of the fact that it falls during the dead of winter, it revitalizes me, sparks my creativity and makes me feel hopeful that spring is on its way.  That is no mean feat when you live in New England, especially during this winter when a new storm appears at least once a week. Of course, I believe that I have a natal right to that feeling because Pisces is transiting my 5^th house of creativity until March 9^th.  The Sun in Pisces is also trining my Scorpio and Cancer planets, making nice, so it is definitely a feel good time for me.

I also think that the Sun in Pisces tends to mitigate some of the harsher astrological aspects of the week.  Retrograde Mercury in Aquarius squared Saturn in Scorpio on February 19^th and manifested in negative thinking, misunderstandings and hard mental challenges.  Saturn was conjunct my Venus in Scorpio, and I heard some potentially discouraging financial news.  However, I do realize that the nature of this transit is to see and possibly hear things in their worst possible light and tone, so I am trying not to get too depressed by it.  But Mercury retrograde has been amping up the frustration level with its usual fare—missed phone calls, emails , and problems with my cell phone and computer. 

Transiting Mars in Libra is also conjuncting my Neptune in the first house as I contemplate how to implement a part-time Reiki practice.  My instincts tell me that this is the best way to utilize this energy by providing compassionate, healing service to others.  It simply doesn’t pay to try anything else new under the auspices of this transit.

Adding to this watery mix of emotions was the moon’s entrance into Scorpio on February 19^th at 10:24 p.m.  It enters the more light-hearted sign of Sagittarius on February 22^nd at 5:12 a.m.  But the intensity of this Scorpio moon prompted me to tweet the following on February 20^th: “Moon in deep watery Scorpio today trining sun, Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter.  Very emotional yet spiritual. Time to plumb the depths.”  Forgive me for not attempting to embed my tweet on this site during Mercury retrograde, but you can feel free to follow me on Twitter @danceofphoenix. I was amazed at the reaction to this tweet; obviously I was not the only one feeling this way!

The moon in Scorpio squares Mercury in Aquarius on February 21^st, which can manifest in an oversensitivity to criticism.  The moon in Scorpio also conjuncts Saturn on Friday afternoon which compounds the tendency to be negative.  But it is also kissing Venus with a sextile, so it may be time for some forgiveness.  Then the moon is moving into Sagittarius on Saturday will fuel creativity for the weekend.

Full Snow Moon in Leo on Valentine's Day

How terribly ironic that as I began writing this post, a snowstorm was raging in full force with the moon in Leo!  I always associate the sign of Leo with the sun, warmth, optimism, and the heat of summer yet here we are in the midst of a long, cold snowy winter that is becoming downright depressing for many of us.  Leave it to a Leo moon to dramatize the contrast.  And that moon is full at 26 degrees of Leo at 6:53 p.m. tonight.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

I have no doubt that this will be a memorable Valentine’s Day astrologically speaking.  This whole week has been building up to an emphasis on relationships.  On February 11^th the Sun in 22 degrees of Aquarius squared Saturn in 22 degrees of Scorpio.  This aspect certainly delivered a reality check and forced us to confront some rather inconvenient truths.   The recent Venus Pluto conjunction in Capricorn has caused a major shift in relationships by forcing us to get real and serious.  There is a take no prisoners’ quality to this aspect; it is all or nothing.  It was high time to let go of grudges and get to the bottom of things in order to heal and rebuild on a more solid foundation.  If fear of commitment was one of those issues, it had to be addressed.  Venus and Pluto in Capricorn want deep, committed love, no bones about it.  We also have Mars in an extended stay in Libra, the sign of relationships, triggering issues of control versus surrender and compromise in relationships.  Mars in Libra wants to achieve a balance between dominance and submission because it is the key to ensuring a lasting bond.

This full moon amplifies the potential for emotional outbursts, but the wisest course of action is step back when things get too hot and don’t react.  I know that sounds easier said than done, but we do need to be mindful of balancing the heart (Leo) with the head (Aquarius).  The full moon also features in a t-square with Saturn in Scorpio testing the limits of relationships and urging us to be mindful of our decisions. Saturn’s role in this full moon is to help us create a balance between male and female energy. Molly Hall succinctly pointed out that we need to trust in the process of death and rebirth during this full moon.  A full moon in Leo also supports the need to love ourselves by paying attention to that inner child, awaken to our heart’s desires, and act on our truth so that we can more fully love others.

I confess that this full moon is impacting me pretty intensely.  The full moon forms an exact conjunction with my natal Pluto in the 11^th house.  I have endured emotional extremes and constant confrontations of my fears.  I am sure that power struggles will loom on the horizon as well before this full moon is over.  I am conscious of the 11^th house implication because I am contemplating becoming an independent contractor with a healing center by practicing Reiki.  There is definitely a part of me that wants to belong to a group that is doing work that resonates with my soul.  But this involves renting space and interestingly enough, this full moon also squares my natal Venus in Scorpio in the 2^nd house.  Is it any wonder that I am unsure of how to proceed with financial matters?  I am hesitant to sign anything with Mercury still retrograde!  My instincts are telling me not to commit to anything until late March when Mercury is finally out of its retrograde shadow.  And this full moon is also sextiling my natal Neptune in Libra, which reinforces my intuitive insights and creative abilities.  I need to trust those instincts and find the best fit for an alliance that will best serve all parties, including my potential new clients.

This is the absolute last chance to take advantage of my special Valentine’ Day promotion.    I am offering a 20% discount on my Composite Couples, Healing Your Love Karma and Black Moon Lilith Shadow reports. You will need to contact me directly by email at lindasim54@gmail.com or call me at 617-304-2205 to receive this special discount.

Please go to this link to learn more about  this special offer:

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

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Mercury in Pisces Retrograde

Venus went direct last week, but now it is Mercury‘s turn to be retrograde.  DO NOT PANIC.   Mercury entered the sign of Pisces on January 31^st and stationed retrograde in 3 degrees of Pisces on February 6^th.  But it won’t stay in Pisces for the entire Mercury retrograde transit; it will slip back into the sign of Aquarius on February 12, 2014, station direct at 18 degrees of Aquarius on February 28^th, move back into Pisces on March 17, 2014 and emerge from its shadow at 3 degrees of Pisces on March 21, 2014.  If you feel like Mercury has been retrograde for awhile, you may have been feeling the effects since Mercury entered its shadow period on January 23^rd at 18 degrees of Aquarius.

Mercury in Pisces is considered to be in the sign of its fall because mental energy doesn’t work well here.  Thoughts can be intuitive and reflective, but they can also be incorrect and depressing.  Mercury in Pisces will also be trining the north node in Scorpio and for Scorpios like me, this will facilitate the process of the heart opening and healing. This theme was reinforced by Jupiter in Cancer trining Chiron in Pisces. Mercury in Pisces is also forming a conjunction with Neptune in Pisces from February 5-8, 2014. This is an extremely psychic and sensitive transit which can be accompanied by vivid dreams, fantasies and a general desire to escape the real world.  I can certainly relate to this because Mercury is conjunct Neptune in my natal chart in the 1^st house.  It is an out of sign conjunction, with Neptune in Libra conjunct my ascendant and Mercury in Scorpio. This aspect contributes to my intuitive ability and my extreme sensitivity.

During this Mercury retrograde transit, Mercury’s entry into the sign of Aquarius on February 12^th will bring more logical thinking.  It will be an excellent time to review and reflect on past issues.  And when Mercury re-enters Pisces on March 17, 2014, we can navigate between the two worlds of the rational and intuitive that reside in our soul.

Mercury retrograde’s benefit can be to make us more aware of behavior patterns by being more mindful of them when they arise.  And trust me, Mercury retrograde has a way of bringing people, situations and patterns back for review.  This is a fabulous opportunity to drag out that journal.  I came across a really inspiring site on how to make the most of this Mercury retrograde by retracing steps and balancing karma at:

http://empoweringastrology.com/self-development-and-ritual-for-february-2014

How is Mercury in Pisces impacting me?  Well, like many people, I was shocked and saddened to hear about the death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman on February 2, 2014.  Addiction is a very personal issue for me; I lost a brother to alcoholism and many people that I have known over the years have struggled with addiction.

I heard the news on Twitter and followed many astrologers who wrote about what was going on in his chart on the day of his death.  Many said that his time of birth was unknown, but I found a time of 2:39 a.m.to accompany his July 23, 1967 birthdate in Fairport, NY on Astro-Databank.  This gave him a Cancer sun in 29 degrees, a Gemini ascendant in 17 degrees and a moon in 20 degrees of Aquarius.  The Gemini ascendant made perfect sense to me because he was so versatile and really had the ability to connect with the characters he portrayed.   I read that on the day of his death, transiting Pluto in Capricorn opposed his natal Mercury in 12 degrees of Cancer.  Transiting Pluto also squared his natal Saturn in Aries and this must have contributed to intense strain and the feeling that the foundations of his life were collapsing.  Transiting Saturn was also conjunct his natal Neptune in Scorpio in the fourth house, which represents beginnings and endings in life.  Additionally, transiting Mercury in Pisces was transiting his 10^th house, making his death a very public event and also trined his south node in Scorpio. This transit of Mercury to the south node put the focus on insecurities and allowed old mental habits and patterns of communication to continue even when they were negative in character. There was a tendency to become mentally stagnant and bound by the inertia of mental preconceptions.  Transiting Uranus in Aries was conjuncting his natal Saturn, making his death such a shock.

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s chart indicated a great deal of sensitive water placements in addition to his sun: his south node was in 2 degrees of Scorpio conjunct his Mars in 1 degree of Scorpio, his Neptune was in 21 degrees of Scorpio and his Chiron was in 29 degrees of Pisces.  That wide trine between Neptune and Chiron may have predisposed him to a tendency for craving substances, but it also allowed him to live in a fantasy world and contributed to his acting talent.  The exact trine between his sun and Chiron probably manifested as a wounded sense of self. 

Last summer I began working with the Black Moon and I couldn’t resist looking at Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Black Moon to see where his shadow and deepest fear lie.  The Black Moon reveals our personal shadow side, the primary fear that blocks and undermines us in life, and the fundamental way we judge ourselves and others.  It really represents our own personal saboteur.  He had the Black Moon in the sign of Aries, and that shadow’s theme is success.  His greatest fear was unworthiness and he may have had a tendency to unfairly compare himself to others.  I read that Philip Seymour Hoffman had a tendency to wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety over his work in films, feeling that his performances were inadequate.  That is the shadow side of Black Moon in Aries.

I also looked at his progressed chart on the day of his death.  His progressed moon was in Scorpio in the 4^th house conjunct his south node and Mars in Scorpio.  This transit triggered intense emotion and brought him into contact with the darker side of life and the ultimate change in residence. Transiting Chiron in Pisces was also opposing his progressed sun in 14 degrees of Virgo which signifies contact with the soul.

Let’s hope that the message of Mercury’s transit through Pisces at the time of his death encourages others struggling with addiction to get the help they need.

On a lighter note, Valentine’s Day and a Full Moon in dramatic, romantic Leo is approaching and I would like to remind you of my special Valentine’ Day promotion for the first two weeks in February.   I am offering a 20% discount on my Composite Couples, Healing Your Love Karma and Black Moon Lilith Shadow reports. You will need to contact me directly by email at lindasim54@gmail.com or call me at 617-304-2205 to receive this special discount.

Please go to this link to learn more about this special offer:

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