Lunar Eclipse in Aries and Its Transformation of Relationships

Fasten your seat belts, folks, we are headed for one bumpy ride with the upcoming lunar eclipse in 15 degrees of Aries on October 8th.  Relationships will definitely be feeling the heat from this eclipse and the prelude to this transformative eclipse actually begins on October 4, 2014. On that day, Mercury stations retrograde in 2 degrees of Scorpio. Prepare to hear from past loves, friends and acquaintances.

The Sun in Libra also squares Pluto in Capricorn on October 4th, which can lead to power struggles and run-ins with authority. Chiron in Pisces also squares Mars in Sagittarius on that day, which can have the effect of compassionate acts being met with rejection and fueling the flames of anger. It brings to mind the old saying that no good deed goes unpunished! However, our ace in the hole that day is that Mars in Sagittarius trines in Uranus in Aries, providing us with energy for new beginnings and liberation.

This eclipse activates the ongoing Uranus Pluto square. There really is no escape from Pluto's dogged quest for transformation or the unpredictability and volatility of Uranus because this full moon in Aries conjuncts Uranus in Aries. How will this play out?  Issues of personal power will emerge in relationships. We can anticipate power struggles, relationship breakups and relationship breakthroughs. The nodes of the moon are also getting into the act, especially with the Aries moon forming a wide conjunction to the south node of the moon. It is inevitable that issues from the past will come up for review.

I am trying to rely on the sage advice of fellow astrologers Stephanie Austin and Michael Lutin who literally look forward to the guidance of the north node in Libra during this transitional, transformative period. Stephanie Austin said:

"We are ready to take another step toward shifting from the love of power to the power of love."

And Michael Lutin's interpretation on having both Venus and the north node in Libra simultaneously is that we should use gentleness rather than confrontation as our best approach to dealing with relationships. Work that Libra energy!

As difficult as this eclipse may prove to be for so many of us, I don't think we should discount the power of the Grand Fire Trine involving Uranus in Aries, Mars in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Leo.  It has the ability to ignite inspiration and motivation.

The effects of this eclipse could very well be felt for up to six months. Events will occur that deliver great intensity but it is also important to remember that it may take awhile before all is completely revealed. Remember that if you have any planets between 11 and 16 degrees in the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, you will be impacted by this eclipse. Eclipses have a tendency to help us make important life changes by breaking down outworn patterns so that we can build new ones that serve our highest good.

This eclipse occurs at the end of my 6th house opposing my Libra ascendant, sextiling my Gemini moon in the 8th house and widely squaring my Cancer midheaven. I am literally right in the crossfire, but for the past 3 1/2 years my life has been dominated by the energies of Uranus and Pluto. As challenging as this has been, a part of me is still clinging to the belief that healing will come as a result of these disruptions. As an astrologer, I am also aware of the Metonic cycle of eclipses that repeat every 19 years. The last time we had a lunar eclipse in Aries was on October 8, 1995 in 14 degrees of Aries. When I cover eclipses in consultations for my clients, I frequently urge them to think back 19 years to see if a similar theme is playing out again. I can see the relevance in my own life with this eclipse. In October 1995 I was job hunting after having gone back to school to earn a paralegal certificate in June 1995. I did secure a new position by the end of 1995, which I began in January 1996 and resigned from in August 2013. Currently I am seeking to build my new business as an astrologer, Reiki healer and tarot reader. I am definitely breaking down old outworn patterns and trying to create multiple streams of income with mixed results so far. But eclipses are indeed game changers, so it will be interesting to see what new opportunities arise as I continue to put myself out there.

If you are feeling confused during these challenging times and curious as to how the October eclipses (yes, folks we have a solar eclipse coming up on October 23^rd in Scorpio), Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Chiron or the Black Moon Lilith are affecting you, please consider getting an astrological reading to obtain more insight and assistance in the healing process. 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

To celebrate the spirit of Mars in Sagittarius, I am offering a special on my tarot readings.  Recently some of my clients have been requesting shorter, one or two question tarot readings over my general astrological spread which covers all the issues pertaining to the 12 houses of the horoscope. They want answers to specific answers, so I am offering one or two question telephone readings for $15 and $25. You can check out the details at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/special-tarot-offer.html

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

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Planetary Moveable Feast

The planetary activity recently has been a literal moveable feast. Pluto stationed direct at 11 degrees of Capricorn at 8:36 p.m. on September 22nd after five months of retrograde motion. What does this mean for us? Well, for starters, Pluto represents upheaval, major endings and new beginnings. Deep transformation and empowerment are possible if we are prepared to let go. As astrologer Pam Younghans so eloquently stated, we need to be aware of negative emotions like fear, suspicion, shame and guilt because Pluto will undoubtedly bring these emotions into our consciousness.

Pluto stationing direct on September 22nd inspired me on that day to tweet:

"Pluto stationing direct today can be somewhat uncomfortable as we feel trapped between the past and the present."

Pluto has been conjuncting my north node in the third house for what seems like an eternity because I have been giving it a wide berth in terms of allowing an orb of up to six degrees. That just feels right to me in terms of the literal compulsion I am experiencing regarding my desire to communicate my astrological insights via this blog, Twitter and also in my efforts to land a monthly astrological column in a magazine.

We also had a New Moon in Libra on September 24th. It ushered in a new period for achieving balance in relationships and received a favorable aspect from Mars as well. On that day I tweeted:

"New moon in Libra today gets a nice relationship boost from moon's sextile to Mars in Sagittarius. Don't be afraid to go for it!"

The influence of that Libra new moon spilled into the next day when it sextiled the much heralded Jupiter in Leo/Uranus in Aries trine. It was a good day to engage in communication to spread that expansive energy, and we all know how social Libra is. This aspect has been building for some time, but it was exact on September 25th and I have no doubt its influence will be felt for at least a couple of weeks.

Personally, the Jupiter/Uranus trine is sextiling my moon in Gemini through mid-October, which should enhance my sense of humor and desire to derive more pleasure in life. Jupiter in Leo is also opposing my natal Mars in Aquarius, and this has a tendency to make me more anxious than usual and spin my wheels a bit too much in terms of my goals and projects that I would like to launch. Oh well, Jupiter is known for its over exuberance at times!

Of course, with transiting Jupiter opposing my natal Mars, my natural impatience is raging. I am deeply indebted to fellow astrologer Kristin Fontana's sage insights in her weekly Scorpio forecast. She reminded me that if we don't get the breakthrough promised by the Jupiter/Uranus trine in the next couple of weeks, we have two more chances in early March and June 2015 due to Jupiter's retrograde motion. Who said retrograde planets are all bad? Frankly, my experience has always been that some of us (myself at the top of this list) are too dense to derive the full benefit of an important transit on the first hit and require two more hits to fully absorb it. So retrogrades do serve a purpose!

On September 27^th, Mercury moves into deep, delving Scorpio before it retrogrades on October 4^th and slides back into Libra on October 11^th.  Mercury stations direct at 16 degrees of Libra, right on my ascendant, on October 25^th.  This should be an interesting month, to say the least!

The piece de resistance of this planetary moveable feast occurs on September 29th when Venus moves into the sign of Libra. Venus has been residing in Virgo since September 5th, and I am definitely happy about Venus moving into Libra, which it rules and is much more user-friendly. Venus is considered to be in its "fall" in the sign of Virgo and the most tactful way to interpret that is to say that it's at its weakest manifestation of the planet's energy. My natal Venus is in Scorpio, which is considered to be in detriment (as is Venus in Aries), which is not exactly an easy placement either. Many of us may have spent the better part of September criticizing and analyzing in relationships with Venus in Virgo.

Venus in Libra should bring us some relief by placing the emphasis on elevating the concept of ideals, inner and outer beauty, creativity and the arts. Socializing should be on the upswing and the trend should be shifting towards establishing harmony, kindness, shared pleasures and mutual respect in relationships. Who can find fault with that?

If you are feeling confused during these challenging times and curious as to how Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Chiron or the Black Moon Lilith are affecting you, please consider getting an astrological reading to obtain more insight and assistance in the healing process. 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

To celebrate the spirit of Mars in Sagittarius, I am offering a special on my tarot readings.  Recently some of my clients have been requesting shorter, one or two question tarot readings over my general astrological spread which covers all the issues pertaining to the 12 houses of the horoscope. They want answers to specific answers, so I am offering one or two question telephone readings for $15 and $25. You can check out the details at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/special-tarot-offer.html

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

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Under the Influence of Libra - Season of Seeking Balance

The Sun may not enter the sign of Libra until September 22nd at 10:29 p.m. on the east coast for the Autumnal Equinox (farewell summer), but I would wager that many people have been feeling the Libra energy all week. Mercury and the north node of the moon have been dancing together since mid-September and they formed an exact conjunction on September 17th in 19 degrees of Libra. The themes of this aspect include making peace while simultaneously seeking justice, needing to move beyond the victim role and releasing the desire for revenge, and healing old wounds by saying the right words.

Mercury's conjunction to the north node in Libra prompted me to tweet on September 16th:

"Mercury in Libra's conjunction to north node facilitates peaceful communication in relationships this week."

The bottom line with this Libran influence is that transformation is necessary. Uranus in Aries has been forming a yod (aka the "finger of God") aspect with Venus in Virgo and Ceres in Scorpio. A yod occurs when two planets sextile (60 degrees) each other and inconjunct (150 degrees) a third. Venus and Ceres are playing nicely while forming a challenging aspect to Uranus. I love how astrologer Dietrech Pessin describes inconjuncts: "life's messy, clean it up aspect." A change is required in our attitudes toward relationships and values (the Venus piece) and our sense of self-worth and self-protection (the Ceres piece).

If you are questioning if yods are really all that powerful, I can assure you that they are because I have one in my chart. It involves my moon in Gemini, Saturn in Scorpio, and north node in Capricorn. I am living proof that this aspect has pretty much dominated my life. That moon/Saturn inconjunct has always felt like a cross to bear but integrating it with that north node in Capricorn is definitely challenging. The north node represents our soul's destiny, after all.

The theme of healing in relationships comes into play with Chiron in Pisces opposing Venus in Virgo and trining Ceres in Scorpio. It inspired me to tweet on September 17th:

"Venus in Virgo opposing Chiron in Pisces today can bring old wounds to the surface for healing."

Don't be surprised if you find yourself experiencing a new perspective on relationships in the coming month.  Pluto stations direct at 11 degrees of Capricorn on September 22^nd, the same day the Sun enters Libra.

The pace of the Libra energy intensifies as we have a new moon in 1 degree of Libra on September 24th on the east coast. The core themes of this new moon are reflecting on balance, compromising and peace. Libra may be symbolized by the scales of balance, but it doesn't necessarily mean that Libra is always in a state of balance; the key to understanding Libra is acknowledging its search for balance.

We have every right to be optimistic about this new moon because the Jupiter in Leo trine to Uranus in Aries is exact at 15 degrees of their respective signs on the following day, September 25th. This aspect galvanizes our passion for attaining our dreams and fuels our ambitions. September 25th also marks Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. What an astrologically auspicious beginning for a new year!

The Libra new moon is in my 12th house so it is a perfect time for me to retreat and prepare for a new cycle. Since the Sun is residing in my 12th house until October 10th, I know that my physical energy is at its lowest but I am eagerly anticipating its entry into my first house and the accompanying rush of energy that it brings.

If you are feeling confused during these challenging times and curious as to how Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Chiron or the Black Moon Lilith are affecting you, please consider getting an astrological reading to obtain more insight and assistance in the healing process. 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

To celebrate the spirit of Mars moving into Sagittarius, I am offering a special on my tarot readings.  Recently some of my clients have been requesting shorter, one or two question tarot readings over my general astrological spread which covers all the issues pertaining to the 12 houses of the horoscope. They want answers to specific answers, so I am offering one or two question telephone readings for $15 and $25. You can check out the details at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/special-tarot-offer.html

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

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix

Mars Moves into Fiery Sagittarius

Mars moves out of the deep emotional waters of Scorpio and into the fire sign of Sagittarius on September 13th. Mars has not been in the sign of Sagittarius since October and November of 2012, in big part due to Mars' extended retrograde in the sign of Libra earlier this year.

Mars in Sagittarius brings spontaneity, encourages us to make changes and inspires courage and boldness. It seeks higher ground and desires to walk the path beyond our shadows and fears, which was definitely the territory of Mars in Scorpio. Mars in Sagittarius represents more of a fire mist that guides us on to the path of wisdom. There is a discernible difference in the energy between Mars in Scorpio and Mars in Sagittarius, as we shall soon see.

Michael Lutin's Daily Fix on September 10th and 11th alluded to this shift in energy when he wrote: "You move on. Leave the shadow in the shadows. You get up. You move on. Exit stage left." I was so inspired by this that I tweeted on September 10th:

"Digging what Michael Lutin has to say today about moving on and leaving the shadow behind."

Personally, I find it very fitting that Mars moves into Sagittarius, the sign of higher learning, during the month of September. September is when many head back to school to pursue their studies and learn new things.  I have always regarded September as the beginning of the new year, not January. The crisp fall air always invigorates and renews me. I did work in academia for 23 years, but I tend to attribute my regard for September as the beginning of the new year to being a Scorpio. I sense that Mars in Sagittarius will be a time of spiritual quest for many of us during its sojourn through that sign, which ends on October 26th. Mars will be in the sign of Sagittarius during these two pivotal October eclipses: the lunar eclipse in 15 degrees of Aries on October 8th and the solar eclipse in 0 degrees of Scorpio on October 23rd. Mars in Sagittarius will be trining that full moon, falling in my third house and sextiling my ascendant, so I have no doubt that it will be an interesting time for me, to say the least. Communication should be highlighted with Mars in Sagittarius will guide us in our pursuit of the truth.

Also on September 13th Mercury in Libra will activate the Uranus Pluto square by opposing Uranus in Aries and squaring Pluto in Capricorn. Let's hope that the best case scenario plays out with rational thinking and diplomacy prevailing. The next day, September 14th, sees Mercury slip into its shadow phase of the upcoming Mercury retrograde. Mercury is officially retrograde from October 4th through October 25th, starting at 2 degrees of Scorpio and ending at 17 degrees of Libra. But be forewarned that Mercury's shadow period does not officially end until November 10th, so be wary of making major purchases or signing papers until we are safely out of Mercury's shadow. Enough said. The upcoming Mercury retrograde will conjunct my Mercury, Neptune, Juno and ascendant, so it should be memorable, to say the least.

If you are feeling confused during these challenging times and curious as to how Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Chiron or the Black Moon Lilith are affecting you, please consider getting an astrological reading to obtain more insight and assistance in the healing process. Check out my services page on this site at:

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

To celebrate the spirit of  Mars moving into Sagittarius, I am offering a special on my tarot readings.  Recently some of my clients have been requesting shorter, one or two question tarot readings over my general astrological spread which covers all the issues pertaining to the 12 houses of the horoscope. They want answers to specific answers, so I am offering one or two question telephone readings for $15 and $25. You can check out the details at:

http://phoenixscorpio.blogspot.com/p/special-tarot-offer.html

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

https://twitter.com/danceofphoenix