Astrology Feed

Neptune into Pisces

The planet of mysticism, unseen realms, the dreamlife and art - Neptune - makes its ingress into Pisces today (to 2025). In her compelling little book Cosmic Karma, astrologer Marguerite Manning calls Neptune the mirror of our soul, and that "it's nothing more than a celestial shadow of our unconscious past, our creative imagination and our unconditional faith -- guilt and addiction included."

Pisces is the sign that's the return journey, and ways we seek experiences that lift us out of ordinary reality. Neptune inspires ecstatic heights and magical creations of the imagination. But its seductive glam can, at times, lead us into mirages that are just reflections of what's in our own psyche. In a time when there are extremes of fear and denial (living in la la land), we want to avoid getting lost in the fun house of delusional thinking. Manning writes, "Evidently, the very essence of this dark and inhabitable planet personifies the most basic of human conditions: when faced with intolerable circumstances, people tend to see what they want to see."

With Neptune in Pisces, the boundaries blur, and we are at times swimming together in a great sea of impressions and feeling waves. The gift of intuition is your tool for discerning what's yours to integrate, and what's just drifting by. I've lately felt submerged by moods and even physical churnings that have no easily identifiable root. With Pisces, it's about the soul and its many lives, both early experiences, but in lives that are just sensed or played out in dreams. I'm used to these times of feeling lost, when I know it's best to keep things simple, and look to movies, friends and books that remind me that life is good. Being in nature and asking for clear signs and for guidance helps, too.

I'll be talking with Marguerite next week about Neptune in Pisces, and focusing on this enigmatic planet all month. Which house is Neptune transiting for you? This is where you're most likely to catch sight of the soul, and the greater mysteries of life.

Neptune into Pisces originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 15:11:57.

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Merry Imbolc

It's Imbolc, a festival with Celtic roots, to lift spirits and celebrate the increasing daylight. Why not muse on what's growing within you, or what you'd like to beam your attention on? Light a candle, write poetry, invite healing energies, or divinate with the Tarot cards or runes. Today I'd like to breathe in healing light, to dispel fear and trust in what's unfolding.

• Artist and researcher Max Dashu of Suppressed Histories writes, Imbolc / Oímelc, otherwise called the Day of Brigid (Lá Fhéile Bríde), the day of Ewe's Milk (meaning of Oimelc) after the female sheep heavy with their young (i mbolg, in the belly). It is the Feast of Light, thus the catholicization of Candlemas. Irish carolers go from house to house and are received with hospitable food and drink."
• It's also the Feast of Bride, or Brigid's Day, a Celtic ancestral Goddess who later became St. Brigid. She's the bringer of the light, and Goddess of smithcraft and healing. And, from the Chalice Centre, "Since the discipline of poetry, filidhect, was interwoven with seership, Brigid was seen as the great inspiration behind divination and prophecy, the source of oracles."
• All About Imbolc from About Guide to Pagan/Wicca

Merry Imbolc originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 15:10:50.

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Virgo-Pisces, Claiming Ground & Surrendering

Something wild happened yesterday, as I was writing about the Mars-Venus opposition (exact February 1st at 6:41 pm est). A fast-moving forest fire started very close to where we live, and there was a firetruck on the property, and a small lookout plane flying overhead. The firemen told us to be on alert, in case we had to evacuate. Chaos ensued! But my Virgo man insisted it be organized chaos, and I did my best (Pisces rising), not to space out from overwhelm!

With just a little hindsight, I can see how we embodied Virgo-Pisces traits. He with practical intelligence, and me tuning in to the trees, the wildlife and smokey wind, and intuition about whether we were in immediate danger or not. Virgo-Pisces are both signs sensitive to the environment, and while seemingly so different, these intelligences can complement each other. We clashed though, because my main focus was saving the animals and what's of sentimental value. I even saved a couple of framed family pictures for our neighbor who wasn't home. But if I'm lost in a mood, I know he's checking on specifics -- that the vehicle is hooked properly to the horse trailer and so forth.

With its special focus on the Mars-Venus opposition, It's a gift to read Mark Borax' Cosmic Weather report for February, called, Holding On or Letting Go. He writes, "With Venus in Pisces, the mixed emotions of the feminine can dominate with psychic cross-currents that neither men nor women can deal with until they emerge out of the shadows into plain sight. And Mars in Virgo's need to claim ground, hammer on the specifics rather than go with the flow, can feel relentless and invasive to the Piscean need to surrender."

Virgo and Pisces are mutable signs, and their energies expressed through Mars-Venus calls for patience with others and ourselves when we're in the mixer of change. Instead of harsh self-critique or judgment of others, we can strive for empathy, forgiveness, compassion. Writes Mark, "The common ground beyond opposition is that we've all been thrown together as souls incarnating into one of the most troublesome and questionable periods of human life on Earth, when there are infinitely more questions than answers."

This morning, we walked down to see the fire breaks, these great swaths of destruction in the forest. The winds were with us last night, and today I feel grateful. And I'm more aware of my own nature in crisis, and my husband's. The Mars-Venus opposition really came home yesterday, and a lot of Mars' raw emotion and force was expressed. Mars Virgo in an urgent twist seems to say, "you're not being who I need you to be!" And yet, with Venus Pisces, there's a chance for spiritual understanding, especially in times when so much is out of our control. These two signs show us how to trust and go on faith, but also be alert to the shifting environment. There's been loss, and later, I'll go as witness and see if there are uprooted trees to save. Looking at the scorched landscape makes me sad, but also in awe of the elements. It's a reminder that life can change in an instant. And the dire mood of such a moment sharpens the focus, to know what to hold on to and what to let go.

Virgo-Pisces, Claiming Ground & Surrendering originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 12:04:31.

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February & the Twilight Eve of Spring

It's an early Spring clean, of the mind and spirit, when February is here. The name comes from februum Latin for purification. The Sun is in air sign Aquarius, and the air element is about knowing. The Wheel of the Year is turning toward the direction of the East, also associated with Air, the very first notions of Spring that are carried on the wind.

In her book Wisdom of the Elements, Margie McArthur writes about seasonal tides, with the Celtic start of Spring, or Imbolc (February 2nd), heralding the tide of sowing. She writes that the Celts counted their day the night before (at sunset or twilight), and they might've had the same way of looking at seasons. "Thus Imbolc, regarded as the beginning of Spring, would represent this "twilight" period of time..."

In this twilight eve of Spring, we catch seeds in the air, or cross-pollinate with others (collaborate). Air is matched with the planet Mercury, now in Aquarius, and the planet Uranus (big mind) in Spring's own sign Aries. There can be a real restlessness to break out of the usual mental groove, and seek the stimulation of the new. Being in the moment, and having an open mind, can lead you to breakthroughs -- new friendships, showing some of your instinctual ingenuity.

I had the chance to go to kirtan (chant) led by Bhagavan Das the other night. He's considered a 60s-era icon and I knew who he was, but had never heard his Nada Yoga or Yoga of Sound. He really has a presence and I loved the building of energy with dance and chanting, perfect for this month of shared energies. That kind of sustained singing really opens up the Throat chakra, also associated with air.

At one point Bhagavan Das said to be aware of your associations, since you become who you hang out with. He warned to steer clear of gossip, so insidious in our culture. That if you're not finding those seeking to elevate the mind, sometimes it's better to be alone. The twilight time, is just right for meeting up, but also for rejuvenating solitude -- many Aquarians are both highly social and happy loners. It can be a contemplative time, for clear sight and seeing as if from above. I like to watch for feathers and collect them, as symbols of the power of taking flight.

Air is breath, movement, a spontaneous idea, and the magic of conjuring something before it comes into form. Air totems are feathers, pinwheels, kites, ribbons in the breeze, a wind-whipped tree, and plants and flowers that cast their seeds in the wind. Do you have any associations with February or the air element? What do you notice about the air quality around this time?

• Related: Balance the Air Element in your life

February & the Twilight Eve of Spring originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 16:59:24.

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Neptune Aquarius & Murmuration

After not knowing what murmuration meant really, I encountered it twice yesterday. I think it's mesmerizing! It's the rhythmic dance of shapes that starlings create. I first saw it on philosopher-astrologer Ann Kreilkamp's post A Great Human Murmuration is Underway....

In her intro to an article by James Howard Kunstler, she writes of the need to avoid historical murmurations that have turned violent. The breakdown of public trust has opened us up to a wild winds moment, where spontaneous, sudden shifts can happen, both for good and ill. Ann writes, "Let us remain non-violent as we engage in a long-term, moment-by-moment revolution of values."

As a very natural phenomenon that looks supernatural, it's making me think of these last days of Neptune in Aquarius. What erratically shifting winds are causing movements to form, or inspiring that creative group there? And how does the vibratory quality of our thoughts affect those we move with?

Air sign Aquarius is about frequencies and the mysterious way we pick things (ideas, inspirations) up from the air. Or the phenomenon of a breakthrough happening in different places, at the same time. Sometimes it's called the 100th Monkey effect, from observations about how monkeys picked up on a behavior, without seeing it firsthand, and how it spreads around to isolated family groups.

This month of Aquarius is a time to see who you're in synch with, enjoy that electrifying sense of being in motion with them. Aquarius is friendships, colleagues, associations, guilds, social networks, troupes and activist posses. Are you part of inspiring murmurations? Or is it time to fly off and vibe with another flock?

I also saw Tree of Life (the movie) yesterday with some scenes of murmuration, along with stunning images of the cosmos and nature. And you can see video of murmuration in the UK here and specifically Bristol, and Denmark.

Neptune Aquarius & Murmuration originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 13:47:57.

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Photo of the Week: Water Dragon

Is your emotional-mental-physical ship seaworthy for 2012? The Dragon is in the element water, and soon we'll all be finding our sea legs with Neptune, as it enters its own sign Pisces (February 4th). Pisces and the 12th House are about learning to master the art of surrender to the big oceanic waves of the universal soul -- without getting lost at sea.

On Neptune in Pisces, Robert Wilkinson of Aquarius Papers writes, "Pisces is associated with both dreams and nightmares, compassion and betrayal, forgiveness and hypocrisy. Now a force "beyond our control" begins to work these upon humanity, each responding according to what waters they swim in. For some, prophetic dreams and visions, while for others, ancient ghosts of terrifying shapes residing in the subconsciousness of humanity, leftovers from human misconduct and misunderstanding across millennia."

Along with self-awareness and intense discernment, the next while invites us to make art of our nightmares or "ancient ghosts of terrifying shapes." On the first day of February, a name that itself means purification, beauty-lover Venus is opposite Mars Virgo (retrograde). Venus Pisces has the gentle, empathic touch to lure out this reticent Mars (in Virgo.) Through art, sharing songs, poetry, inspiring quotes, invoking awe, we can retrace the steps, and with actions, fill in gaps that lead to wholeness.

For all that's swampy and a big chaotic mess, some kind of self-expression is a catharsis. It's a great time to rediscover a daily practice that allows you to share your experience of the big everything, as "witness." Again from Wilkinson, "Pisces is the sign of the witness, the conscience, the collective imaging where we lose our separateness and come together in what is common to all beings. Pisces is the last sign, where karma works at the end of a long process. Pisces is the sign of bondage, but also rewards."

We can work with Mars (retro) in Virgo to be more diligent in our self-care, by eating the best foods available, and watching what waters we swim in. Virgo's scrutinizing eye shows us where we're being self-destructive and too loose with what we imbibe, or allow to enter our mindstream. When we are able to digest what we're experiencing, we grow confident, and even revel in our roles as witnesses to this astonishing age.

• See More Photos of the Week from Around About

Photo of the Week: Water Dragon originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 12:02:18.

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Michael Erlewine on Solar Impulses: Imprinting, Warmth, Largeness

As I write this, the magnetosphere is "unsettled" (here's some NOAA data), on the verge of major storming. It's the leading edge of the coronal mass impact of a fast-moving flare fired off Sunday night. And a searing and potentially igniting start to the Dragon Year, 2012!

I'm fascinated by this, because I feel solar storming more than any other astronomical or astrological influence. Sometimes it's heart flutters, insomnia, other times head tensions, or sensations in the ears. I also at times feel knocked out of my groove, which can be disorienting. But these are charged moments to receive, says astrologer Michael Erlewine, and to be altered by the experience.

In his recent message on Solar Impacts, Erlewine writes, "This kind of experience is not a call to activity and getting things done, but more like an imprinting, a taking things in, allowing this new information to enter and register deep within us. Later, we will (or can) read it back out as it affects us personally and make some kind of sense out of it. It is creative!"

A popular resource for following the Sun -- and place to see amazing aurora images from around the world-- is Spaceweather.com. And here's another one from Michael Erlewine: Solar Eruptions and the Self Breaking Apart & Remaking

Michael Erlewine on Solar Impulses: Imprinting, Warmth, Largeness originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 at 14:56:20.

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Suzanne White: Love in the Dragon Year & Horoscopes

The vermillion spectacle that's the Chinese New Year begins today (January 23rd), so Gong Hei Fat Choy! In Chinese culture, red is fire, the life force itself, happiness, and luck. And the Dragon Year (to February 9th, 2013) heralds a year of passion, epic love and luck for those who dare.

It's so lucky, that the birth rate rises as much as 20% in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore -- couples going for Dragon year bundles of joy. As well known author Suzanne White writes in Love in the Dragon Year, "Dragons are lucky, healthy and wise. If you're thinking of making a Dragon baby... get started now!" She also has mini love 'scopes for each of the 24 signs from Aries to Pig, in a year of lust AND, Suzanne tells us, passionate love.

And for the overview on what to expect, see the Year of the Dragon, 2012. Here you'll find the annual teaser horoscopes for each Zodiac sign (Chinese and Western), and a Chinese calendar to find yours.

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Suzanne White: Love in the Dragon Year & Horoscopes originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 12:49:35.

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