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

Enlightenment: Super New Moon and Venus In Capricorn Direct

This has been a banner week astrologically.  On Thursday, January 30^th, we had a new moon in 11 degrees of Aquarius.  This was no ordinary new moon—it has been hyped as a “Super New Moon” because it is the second new moon in the month of January and is also referred to as a Black Moon. Super new moons occur when the moon is closer to earth in its orbit than usual.  The first new moon of the year occurred on January 1^st in 11 degrees of Capricorn.  We won’t see two super new moons again until 2018. And we won’t have a new moon at all in the month of February.

I have to confess that this new moon gave me quite a jolt, conjuncting my Mars in Aquarius in the 4^th house.  On the 29^th of January, the sun in Aquarius was also sextiling Uranus, encouraging us to do something different. That played out for me when I woke up from a dream in which my apartment was being cleared out.  Obviously I am preparing for a new cycle.  Nothing like having a new moon on your Mars to energize you! This new moon had the potential to bring light into our lives after a heavy sojourn through the month of January.  Enlightenment is in sight and yes, there can indeed be light at the end of the tunnel.  Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius, is helping us to think outside of the box.  Uranus sextiled that new moon, facilitating the process of letting go and trying something new.  I actually spent more time on Twitter these past few days connecting with other astrologers and enjoying it immensely.  I’ve learned quite a lot. Who knew that such a shy, reserved, techno-phobe could have a positive experience with social media?   I have resisted social media for years, fearing it would rob me of my privacy, yet somehow I finally took the plunge.

This new moon in Aquarius also squared the nodes of the moon by manifesting situations that test our emotional and physical reactions regarding our need for emotional freedom and space.  I loved what astrologer Molly Hall said about this new moon in Aquarius—let go of the negative influences on your mind!  It is time to connect with like minds and free up space and energy.

Venus has been retrograde in Capricorn since December 21, 2013.  It began in 28 degrees and completes its retrograde cycle at 13 degrees of Capricorn when it resumes direct motion on January 31, 2014.  What were the themes of this Venus retrograde transit?  Venus in Capricorn emphasized a more mature approach to relationships by taking them more seriously.  It also afforded us the opportunity to delete negative beliefs and low self-esteem.  Venus retrograde in Capricorn conjuncted my natal Chiron in the 4^th house, so this was a very personal, poignant transit for me.  But with Venus moving forward on January 31^st, we can reclaim our self-confidence, authority and integrity.  We will have more power, but we need to be careful what we say to others. 

On January 31^st, Venus will also be conjuncting Pluto in Capricorn opposing Jupiter in Cancer.  The best way to handle this transit is to guard against being too greedy (Jupiter does like to expand), don’t grab too hard and practice some form of detachment.  The Jupiter Pluto opposition is the second hit of this transit.  The first one occurred on August 7, 2013 and the third will happen on April 20, 2014.  Jupiter is optimistic and Pluto is a brutal realist.  The themes of this transit are tearing down old structures represented by Pluto in Capricorn and awareness of feeling vulnerable in the midst of major change, represented by Jupiter in Cancer.  The August transit introduced doubt, the current one confirms the facts and the April transit will make the truth irrefutable. I was preparing to leave my job back in August to launch a new career as an astrologer, so this resonates for me.  Pam Younghans in her NorthPoint Astrology Journal stated that the Pluto-Jupiter opposition represents a struggle and “the impasse we can feel when we must choose between extremes.  And yet, the solution to oppositions is said to be finding a place of balance in the middle, that incorporates the best of both alternatives and finds a third way forward.”   Sage advice!  Check her out at:

http://www.northpointastrology.com/1502.html

Mercury swims into the sign of Pisces on January 31^st and trines the north node in Scorpio.  This helps to reinforce the intentions of the new moon by facilitating our process for turning inwards for guidance.    But don’t get too comfortable with Mercury in Pisces quite yet, because it turns retrograde on February 6^th and moves back into Aquarius on February 12^th.

While I confess that I don’t know much about Chinese astrology, I am psyched that the Chinese New Year begins on January 31^st and it is the Year of the Wood Horse. I was born during the last year of the Wood Horse, so I am feeling more optimistic.  Perhaps it is no accident that it also coincides with my Jupiter Return.

I would like to share my optimism with you by extending a special offer for the first two weeks in February to celebrate Venus going direct with a Valentine’s 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

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Aquarian Space

The Sun entered the sign of Aquarius on January 19^th at 10:51 p.m. and I sensed a definite change in the cosmic energy field.  The sign of Aquarius is renowned for being inventive, original, progressive, rebellious, aloof, independent and stubborn.  It is, after all, the fixed air sign.  New ideas and information are being circulated with the Sun in Aquarius. Social conscience, humanitarianism, and eccentricity are also associated with Aquarius.  Aquarians are known for their genius, uncanny ability to detach and their need for a lot of space.  This is a very different vibe from all of that intense Capricorn energy of the past few weeks.

But the Sun is not comfortable in the sign of Aquarius.  It is actually in detriment because it is dignified in the sign of Leo, which it rules.   When a planet is in a sign of detriment it has difficulty operating positively.  I have Venus in Scorpio, which is in detriment, so I know all too well how that one feels.  On the bright side, having a planet in detriment is slightly better than having it in fall.  A planet in fall is considered to be debilitated.  The Sun is considered to be in fall in Libra because it is exalted in Aries, its opposite sign.  Let’s face it, the Sun in Leo exudes the life force and the ego of the self plays prominently.  The Sun in Aquarius actually subjugates the ego and puts more of a focus on detachment.  Feelings of isolation can occur and difficulties relating in interpersonal relationships abound.   Perhaps that is why Aquarians tend to shine in group endeavors.

Winter is in full force when the sun is in Aquarius.  Who can argue that the cold and inclement weather don’t contribute to feelings of isolation?  Let’s face it, the holidays are over and the bills are coming due.  It’s time to face our fears, surrender and deal with our challenges.

This is not to be construed as negative energy.  On Tuesday, January 21^st, the sun in 0 degrees of Aquarius was trining the moon in 0 degrees of Libra.  This was a delightful, high energy day replete with contacts from friends and very pleasant energy.  I even managed to enjoy a visit to a new dentist.  It always helps to hear that you are a new patient with no major problems!

On January 23^rd, the moon entered the sign of Scorpio and that ramped up the intensity emotionally.  But it trined Neptune in Pisces, which lent a spiritual note and boosted intuition.    On January 24^th, Mercury in Aquarius trines Mars in Libra, which will support us to take risks and communicate.  But on January 25^th, Mercury in Aquarius will be squaring off with Saturn in Scorpio, so we can expect the universe to be testing us.

The fly in the ointment with this Aquarius energy is Mercury.  Although it technically doesn’t resume retrograde motion  until February 6^th in 3 degrees of Pisces, it did enter the shadow of Mercury retrograde on January 23^rd at 18 degrees of Aquarius.  I learned about the shadow of Mercury retrograde last year and made a few life-changing decisions based on that.  Trust me, there is merit to the shadow theory.  I am eternally grateful to astrologer Jessica Adams for reminding me of that this week.  Check her out at:

http://www.jessicaadams.com/

In keeping with the tone of the Aquarius energy, I took a big leap of faith this week and conquered one of my biggest fears—social media.  I knew that Mercury retrograde was fast approaching, so on January 22^nd, I opened a Twitter account for Dance of the Phoenix.  I certainly didn’t want my social media debut to occur during Mercury retrograde, or even the shadow.  You can follow me at

http://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Mercury will resume direct motion in 18 degrees of Aquarius on February 28^th but then it will enter its post-shadow period.  Mercury will emerge from it post-shadow period on March 20^th in 2 degrees of Pisces.  So if you hear astrologers predicting that there will be delays and changes until mid-March, blame it on the Mercury retrograde shadow.

Transiting retrograde Jupiter in 12 degrees of Cancer will be opposing the Venus (also retrograde until January 31^st) Pluto conjunction in Capricorn on January 26^th.  This aspect will definitely put the focus on relationships.  Growth and expansion may come as a result of a power struggle.  This should be an interesting weekend!