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May Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:32:29 GMT

Mayday! Mayday! And now we have already quick-zipped one-third of the way thru the greatly anticipated year 2012, eyes wide and hair flying behind us. How are you doing now? I’m seeing a few moving forward step by mindful, gentle step, but far more are in some sort of spiritual crisis of self-identity, values, disillusionment, breakthrough and a lot of good old WTF??? The various carnival arenas where said crises are playing out continue to be regarding relationships, finances, health, work – spiritual, honing in on values, priorities, and self-worth and identity. More are stirring to question and remember who they are, and what they are here for. Do that, please.

May is another month with a few significant highlights in the astrological skies, beginning with Venus, which entered talkative and fickle Gemini in early April, after Mars finally turned direct after his back-stepping retrograde (Rx) in Virgo. Venus prepares to follow suit with her own retrograde two-stepping phase which will keep her in Gemini until August. But the lovely coy little planet has no intention whatsoever of being at all subtle about it. Venus starts the month of May waaaaaay out of bounds, much further north in the sky than she or any planet usually ever gets, screaming look at meeeee!!! Wheeee! And she is bright, and dazzling.

When a planet is out of bounds ("OOB") that means that it has moved farther north or south than the Sun ever does, so this is “up and down,” not the usual east-west of longitude that gives us the zodiacal degrees. (more terms to follow, and there will be a quiz!) (ok, maybe not). Planets that are out of bounds do not stay within ordinary, societally accepted parameters. A great phrase to describe out of bounds planets (with a nod to my trainer) is that they defy limitations. So, as Venus dazzles us from so very far north in the sky in early May, people are defying limitations concerning relationships, values, finances, self-esteem, art and creativity. Sometimes this is brilliant and innovative and breaking free of old, now obsolete patterns and behaviors, and sometimes it’s people violating boundaries with a reckless and willful sense of self-entitlement. Some may buy art or jewelry that is more extreme or budget-breakingly expensive than they would ordinarily allow. Others may do something to move way out of their comfort zone of personal expression or identity. I’ve also been seeing a few situations where someone is predatory and even parasitic of someone else’s energy. Don’t go there, please. That’s against the rules. Defy limitations, but respect boundaries. This out of bounds prelude of Venus to her retrograde phase beginning mid-May is further a prelude to a rare occultation of the Sun in early June – more info about that next month.

While Venus continues to bedazzle farther north in the sky, the full Scorpio Moon on May 5th is also dazzling, as this is a perigee “super moon,” per NASA, as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full Moons of 2012. Perigee means that the Moon is at her closest point to Earth. “Super Moon” is the term for when the perigee happens at the time of the full Moon. Cool, huh? That said, full Moons are always emotionally intense, and none more so that the full Moon in intense, passionate, deep Scorpio. And about that “cool,” the astrometeorologists, or astromets - those who do longterm weather prediction (very well, I might add) by using astrology are predicting a cooler, often wetter May than usual for much of the world. Let’s watch to see if they are right. Maybe it’s time to chill? Considering that the Sun has been more turbulent than usual, causing much disturbance, this watery chill factor may provide a good balancing effect.

I would say yes to that, as this full Moon is on the Aries point/universal axis, giving an added kick, and opposes the Sun in Taurus very tightly conjunct Black Moon Lilith – the Moon’s apogee, or point furthest from the Earth. This calls for shadow work, looking below the surface within and without, doing inner psychological “roots work.” Add asteroids Daedalus (‘the artful dodger’), Admete (compression, slow, specialization) and Tantalus (‘almost’ or ‘near miss’) and we are in for some tricky terrain. The Moon is conjunct the asteroid Requiem, which tells us ‘let it be.’ Know what is yours to deal with, and what is not.

This full Moon also has action-oriented Mars still in discerning, analytical Virgo tightly squaring the nodes of the Moon. There will be a lot of emotional reactiveness, some impatience and agitation, hopefully some discernment, clearing and boundary setting as well. Mercury, planet of communications and travel, is in impulsive Aries exactly opposing stern, disciplinarian Saturn Rx in Libra, wanting to push the limits. Be mindful that there may be people and situations around that are in hair-trigger reaction mode. Drive mindfully and carefully.

There is a quick burst of activity over several days as the Sun conjuncts abundant Jupiter, but also ‘dwarf planet’ Sedna, named for the Inuit undersea shaman goddess, in the farthest out, most remote and cold region of the solar system in Venus’ sign Taurus on May 13th, seeking expansion and risk taking, but with caution of possible consequences, please! The next day messenger Mercury makes a flowing trine to intense Pluto, great for research, and depth of understanding. Venus makes her stop to turn retrograde then on May 15th, just before Mars trines Pluto, for intense focus and manifestation. Be sure to be aligned with higher source here, not personal ego drives.

This aspect lineup shakes us up to be ready (hopefully) for the first eclipse of 2012, a solar new Moon eclipse at zero degrees of Gemini, conjunct the “seven sisters” constellation Pleiades. More specifically, conjunct the fixed star Alcyone in the Pleiades. The Pleiades are associated with wisdom and magic, also turbulence and floods, sorrow and tears. The closest aspect to the eclipse is a square to watery Neptune in its own watery sign of Pisces. Neptune is idealistic, spiritual, also prone to illusion, deception, addiction. I hope you are noticing a recurrent theme of water throughout the month here – lots of water! There may be rains and flooding, also a great deal of emotion, creativity, activation of the unconscious, sexual yearnings and energy, the unknown, and cleansing, clearing. Do you have old emotional hurts ripe to release through tears? Can you move through challenges with fluidity and flexible adaptation? (that would be a great response to the full Moon in fixed Scorpio!) Passions and creativity, also lifeforce energy arises. If you have placements in your chart in the last degrees of fixed signs or early degrees of mutable signs, be ready for ch-ch-ch-changes!

There is a feeling of renewal to all this, which is fitting as our dear Earth continues in her rapid evolutionary process. Breathe…. Ground, release, and breathe… be willing to go still deeper into the truth of Who We Are and Why we are here, on this awakening protostar of a planet during her tender but ferociously dynamic and joyous rebirth. Witness gently, but with clear presence, with courage and humility. Be real with yourself, with your loved ones, with those who challenge you. Move inward and forward with courage and humility, compassion and gratitude, with fearless Love. As always, heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all.

April Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:50:24 GMT

It’s April! No foolin’… we are already one-fourth of the way thru the ever-so-anticipated year 2012. So how is it going for you so far? Quite a wild ride, eh? And April kicks off with enough fast razzle-dazzle shifts and changes, fitting for the Sun in impulsive Aries. Speedy little Mercury in Pisces isn’t quite so speedy as it enters the month slowing to a brief stop to turn direct again on April 4th, but this time Mercury direct isn’t yet quite ready or equipped to give the all-clear sign to steam ahead with projects. The cosmos is throwing a handful of spaghetti at the wall – let’s see what is sticking.

Venus leaves her own comfortable sign of Taurus to enter talkative and curious Gemini on April 3rd, a bit of a social butterfly but ready to roll into an unfolding t-square by first squaring dreamy Neptune in Pisces on the 5th and then squaring demanding Mars in Virgo on the 7th. We may be tempted by our illusions and fantasies only to run up against passion but with criticism and discernment, which may not be altogether a bad thing. But it will call for balance and integration, and a helpful sense of humor. Take it lightly, if you can ... and be ready to settle in with the Gemini Venus energy for a while – instead of her usual month or so in a sign, while we are still deep into the very long sojourn of Mars thru Virgo, Venus will also retrograde (Rx) on May 15th and stay in Gemini for four months, until August 8th. There is something special happening with Venus entering Gemini, as she will make her once-every-8-year crossing by conjunction to the Pleiades, the constellation of the seven weeping sisters. There is something beautiful, yet poignant and possibly sad here.

Then in the middle of that muddle, we have our full Moon on April 6th at 17° Libra 23” with the Moon calling for diplomacy and negotiation in contrast to the ready, fire, aim! of the Sun in Aries. And they both bring reinforcements to this polarity as the Moon is conjunct the uranian transneptunian (TNP) Zeus, who is prone to explosiveness, and newly discovered ‘dwarf planet’ Haumea, suggesting we keep an eye toward the new paradigm of unity consciousness that we are evolving toward. The Sun is closely aligned with workaholic asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Eris of feelings of exclusion and learning you don’t need to color inside the lines others draw for you, as these planetary beings look back across at the Moon. This is a good call for altruism, which seeks that which is best for all, self included.

If it feels like we are still slogging, if we feel like we are still trying to tap dance in peanut butter, there are reasons. Of course. Small but always mighty (and don’t forget it!) Pluto is also grinding to a slow halt, stationing turning retrograde (Rx) on April 10th at 9° Capricorn 23” ready to slowly back into the first of seven *7*!! exact squares to disruptive Uranus this June. Uranus square Pluto is a revolution aspect – make it a revolution in consciousness and evolution, tho we will likely see more of the political upheaval and revolutions around the world.

Mars also joins Mercury and Pluto in the barn dance do-si-do changing of directions as the fiery red planet stations at 4° Virgo to turn direct on Friday, April 13th. Mars has been in Virgo since last November and Rx since January 24th. Finally, we should be able to move forward again with projects and ideas that have been stalled, blocked or delayed.

So what is the take-away from this casserole of planetary aspects and direction changes? I think that after the launching of energy with the spring equinox, we are being called to be mindful, not impulsive, to take a moment to consider how we choose to set our intention and direction for this next trajectory of our path. Are we being true to our highest ideals and aspirations? Are we also being discerning, paying attention to necessary details, and making choices that are good for us? Are we prepared and ready to go deep, deeper into Who We Are and Why we are here, on this beautiful jewel of a planet during her tender but explosive rebirth and evolutionary surge? Can we do our ‘roots work’ while still living our daily lives, and live our daily lives while keeping our soul’s eye open and in clear focus?

The Sun opposes Saturn on the 15th – are we stable and grounded in our foundation to hold against challenge and possible opposition? There may be separations, or a call for loyalty and duty. Mercury reenters Aries on the 16th, and the pace picks up. The Sun enters earthy Taurus on the 19th for some grounding and stability. The new Moon at 1° Taurus 35” starts the next month’s lunation cycle on the 21st. They ask us what we want, and if we are willing to go for it. The Sun and Moon seem eager to help as they make harmonious contacts in turn to other planetary beings, as first the Sun forms a harmonious sextile to Neptune at the same time that Mercury makes a brilliant, inspired conjunction to Uranus (but be careful to avoid accidents!). The Sun trines Mars on the 23rd, then aligns with nurturing Ceres on the 25th, and then the Sun forms a powerful transformative trine to Pluto on the 29th, moving us continually upward on the spiral of our evolution.

Keep on rockin’ in the free world! Dance, sing, pray, meditate, share joy with loved ones, be ferocious, be tender, Be. Move inward and forward with courage and humility, compassion and gratitude. Remember, and honor the Earth. Breathe … As always, heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all.

March Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:25:08 GMT

March roars in with urgency, chaos and intensity, and layers upon layers of change and challenge. It feels a bit like trying to skateboard in a tornado – good luck with that! Mercury enters fiery, impulsive Aries on March 2nd, increasing forward moving thoughts and actions, but also prone to edginess, irritability and impatience, more so because the next day the Sun in dreamy, spacey Pisces is jarred as it faces off against Mars, retrograde (Rx) in critical Virgo. Do your mindful best to stay calm and centered to avoid the potential here for arguments and agitation.

In the midst of this jumpy turbulence (and per astometeorology, there is the potential for high winds!) on the 4th, Venus in late Aries opposes authoritarian Saturn Rx in Venus’s sign ruling relationships of Libra, challenging us to find harmony in personal relationships and shared mutual responsibilities, not competition or conflict. So many relationships have been sorely tested these past two years, calling for renegotiation of agreements, becoming more conscious and accountable, evolving. As said before, some are recognizing that the soul agreement between partners is complete, and it’s time to honor and thank the other, release them and move forward. Sometimes this is achieved with trepidation, sometimes relief and glee, and sometimes just simple recognition and acceptance. We are in fast forward evolution and change now, and that is impacting us in so many areas of our lives. This is yet another testing time.

We get a bit of a break on the 5th when Mercury conjuncts Uranus – ok, more sparks and potential volatility and accidents, but also intuitive realizations that can help to find resolution to issues, and Venus gratefully snuggles into her own sign of Taurus, more grounded, indulgent, sensuous and affectionate. Venus makes a sweet, idealistic sextile to Neptune on the 6th, supportive for romance and the arts.

The full Moon in Virgo opposing the Sun in Pisces on the 8th calls for us to find a balance between practicality and idealism. The idealism part of the equation is amplified because of the Moon’s affinity with Neptune, which just entered its own mystical sign of Pisces last month, greatly amplifying our sensitivity and empathic capacities. The practical side of the equation is assisted by all the planets in earth signs, moving into an increasing grand trine – Venus and Jupiter in Taurus, Mars, and for the moment, Moon in Virgo, and Pluto in Capricorn, which should assist prosperity and the economy for the time. And Mercury is slowing…

On March 12th, Mercury stations to turn Rx in Aries, so be prepared for possible delays, communication and computer glitches, and again, irritability, though it is also a good time to refine goals and finish old projects. From the 13-15th the grand trine tightens with Mars, Venus and Pluto all at 9 degrees of Virgo, Taurus and Capricorn respectively. These are sexual and powerful planets, so it should be a juicy, creative time as well as prosperous for finances and investments and other opportunities, especially if you have planets near these degrees.

The Sun in Pisces makes an awkward 150 degree inconjunct aspect to Saturn over the 17th and 18th as Mercury backs into another conjunction to Uranus on the 18th, so there are possible conflicts with authority or feeling a bit of resistance to responsibility, but the well aspected Aquarius Moon should make for fun St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, for those so inclined.

This leads up to the spring equinox late evening on March 19th in Denver. Happy Spring! The Sun’s annual entrance into Aries is a time for new beginnings and renewal as the light increases, and for some traditions, yet another happy new year! The equinox chart is quite intense and complex, with the Sun in Aries on the universal Aries point conjunct Mercury and Uranus in Aries (and it will exactly conjunct them in the next couple days) with 90 degree dial hits to both Mars and Venus, and the Moon in Pisces conjunct Neptune and Chiron. So there is the spark and fire of brave new beginnings, with a lusty eye to juicy creative energies, combined with a deeper, dreamy, idealistic longing.

This is a good time to meditate, to go deeper, to remember who you are and what you are here for, and how to best follow your soul path now. With the subtle but strong Pisces, if you are so called, seek the transcendent, the invisible and divine, greater sensitivity. Seek the meaning of your life, honoring the need for courage and humility. Many are finding that new chakras are activating. Can you spend 5% more time meditating? Being in presence? A phrase from Steven Forrest comes to mind - ‘the sweet, crystalline cry’ within each of us is about to get a boost.

The new Moon in Aries follows quickly, on March 22nd with the Sun and Moon tightly conjunct and at the midpoint of Mercury and Uranus. It’s good you have already taken mindful, careful aim – if you have not, this is an explosive ‘ready, fire, aim!’. We are in new territory here, with new beginnings, new previously unknown possibilities. Then the next day, Mercury retrogrades back into Pisces, giving pause, sensitivity, a tendency to feel our thoughts rather than think them. Breathe… remember to exhale, and release.

On the 24th, the Sun conjuncts Uranus – breakthrough! And on the 29th, the Sun squares Pluto. The old ways are falling, and we are called to begin anew, deeper in spirit and authenticity.

Don’t seek the great ones – seek what they sought.

We are here, here and now, for a reason. Heal the wounded parts, and get on with your journey. I’ve been feeling called to let go of everything I think I know, especially about myself, and have been asking for the grace that any blockage or obstacle that causes me to feel separate from Source be cleared. Connect, listen and respond, be Present, and all will unfold in perfect order and grace. Love, compassion and gratitude continue to hold the key to evolution and transformation. Remember too to offer loving support and gratitude to dear Mother Earth in her accelerated evolution. Have a beautiful Spring. As always, heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all.

February Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:37:51 GMT

February starts with a coy, energy-charged opposition between Venus in idealized, romantic Pisces facing off against Mars Rx (retrograde) in pragmatic, analytical Virgo. This can spike sexual energy and attraction, but also bring to light any challenges or tension we have in our relationships, and call for a bit of healthy space and distance for perspective. Are the possible complications and tests of this juicy opposition foreshadowing the romantic ground of upcoming Valentine’s Day? Perhaps - but so much happens in the first week of the month that the astrological terrain is quite different by then.

The most significant event of the month is Neptune entering its own sign of Pisces on February 3rd. We did have a foreshadowing of Neptune in Pisces as it entered the sign for the first time in its current cycle last year on April 3, 2011 where it remained in the first degree of the sign until August 4th when it retrograded back into Aquarius for a final fling in that sign. Now Neptune will remain in Pisces until it reaches the Aries Point on March 30, 2025, when the Sun will also be in Aries. Stay tuned for that one!

On a societal and generational level, Neptune idealizes and glamorizes what it touches – and that ‘glamour’ is meant more in the illusory, seductive sense of the word. As each sign is in part a reaction toward balancing what was extreme about the preceding sign, what does this tell us? Aquarius is the sign of the visionary, the often detached futurist and high tech. Neptune in Aquarius has been the age of falling in love with and over our computers and other technology. While I don’t expect people to stop loving and fawning over their iPads and android phones, or for eHarmony or Christianmingling.com and all the other dating sites and relationship-oriented online fantasy games to close shop next week, we should start to see a shift.

Neptune in Pisces should bring about a focus on greater sensitivity and empathy, compassion, creativity, exploration, and an even greater thinning of the veils between the worlds. Those children born now will be so highly evolved and psychic, and sometimes challenged to fit in this mundane world – so they will change it. Sadly, there will also be those who will have a predilection to fall into the abyss of drug addiction and alcoholism, cults and other false spiritual paths – also Neptune’s domain. There will be more spirituality – both potentially increased fundamentalism in most faiths, more cults, but also more psychic and empathic development. Because few of us have the spiritual development and evolution to have sufficient clarity and groundedness, though more of us will as we move through this transit, there will also be also more swirling in our emotional bodies of desire, projection, astral psychism, for better or worse. On a mundane level, we will also see a greater focus on issues around the resources of water and oil, hopefully finding higher resolution as we move more into unity consciousness – but don’t expect the old power brokers to go down without a ferocious fight. There may be an exacerbation of problems with addictions, but also great breakthroughs in natural medicine and energy healing. As we move deeper into the transit, Neptune in Pisces will ignite the potential for compassionate good and incredible opportunities for spiritual evolution and growth, and the resulting expressions of unity consciousness and universal Love. Wow.

The full Moon on February 7th at 18° Leo is complex as the Sun in visionary Aquarius is very tightly conjunct fast-thinking, intuitive Mercury and the asteroid Orpheus, which relates to loss, death, and music, so it’s a good time to listen to music that moves you. Many will move across the threshold to the other side this year, and a tight square to Requiem calls for acceptance – ‘Let it be.’ Be mindful of potential miscommunications as well, this further amplified by Saturn stationing this day to turn Rx at 29° of Libra. Saturn in Libra these past two years has been testing our relationships and responsibilities in general. Many relationships are needing a rebalancing of energy and renegotiation of agreement to continue on, if they are meant to, and Saturn taking a last step back in the sign of relationships is giving a last call, or heads-up to take note and do what is needed at this time. For some, that may be realizing and accepting that the relationship has fulfilled its purpose and is complete, and it may be time to express gratitude, release and move on. It would be best to prepare or make what changes are needed in this Rx phase before Saturn turns direct at 22° Libra on June 25th. To add one more kicker to the day, late that evening Venus leaves sensuous Pisces to enter Aries, ready to take risks, wanting what she wants now and on her own terms. Venus in Aries is far less compromise-friendly that she was in Pisces, so some may struggle against the reality check of Saturn stationary Rx.

Venus joins Uranus for some sparks on the 9th, Mercury does some fancy footwork on the 13th, first with a stabilizing trine to Saturn immediately followed by entering much more spacious Pisces and conjoining Neptune for a time of dreaming and possible confusion or avoidance, not thinking – and then we finally get to Valentine’s Day, which starts with the Moon in the tension of her last quarter lunar square phase in intense and possessive Scorpio before entering much looser Sagittarius, and a stutter of challenging aspects throughout the day, squaring the Sun, Neptune and then Mercury, before finally finishing with a creative trine to Uranus late in the evening. So the day may have a choppy start before finally easing into something more pleasant later in the evening. Be loving and patient with your loved ones, and hang in there… and indeed, the next day Venus makes a challenging square to Pluto, possibly passionate but also obsessive, and with the potential for conflicts about values and finances. Be patient, listen, and remember there is more than one right way…

The Sun makes a fleeting trine to Saturn before entering Pisces on the 18th, and seeking idealism forming a conjunction to Neptune the following day. This leads up to the new Moon at 2° Pisces on February 21st. This new Moon finds the Sun and Moon conjunct and at the midpoint of Neptune and Chiron, squaring asteroid Juno. Here we are called to consider (which word means ‘according to the stars’!) where we sacrifice – please avoid victim/savior dynamics – where we can collaborate in compassion and understanding, accommodating yet maintaining proper boundaries, hopefully without confusion or excessive need to be a maverick and think the rules don’t apply to you. Juno in the mix calls for equity of energy exchange in relationships, with possible score-keeping if the balance is off. Juno also brings financial considerations into the picture. A lovely 60° sextile to Jupiter assists by bringing a sense of optimism and positive feeling and action to the Pisces planets. This day is also Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday, before Ash Wednesday and Tibetan New Year 2139 – Happy Losar! What a perfect pileup of aspects and events to remind us to be ready to surrender to the higher good, while remembering to celebrate. This is the theme for the month, especially where our relationships are concerned. Take time for yourself, too – this is a lot to process and integrate.

Have a beautiful month… continue the dance to higher spiritual awareness and evolution, now riding the wave of Neptune in Pisces. Be compassionate, patient, joyous, accepting, and peaceful and aware. We continue our collective rising into unity consciousness. As always, Love, compassion and gratitude hold the key to evolution and transformation. Remember too gratitude and loving support to the Earth as she changes and evolves. As always, heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all.

January Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:16:59 GMT

Happy New Year! We made it to 2012, or at least most of us did… after the rocking and rolling end of 2011, loosening and opening us up with eclipses and Mercury Rx, January rose up squaring off to a new shift and amplification of energy. It feels a little like hitting the flip onto the other side on a mobius strip, seemingly bringing both more chaos and clarity. 2012 is a pivotal year in many ways, if, indeed, the Earth is in a rebirthing ascension process, and, so are we, if we are willing and able.

There are layers and layers of feeling, sensing, experience, perspective… and different people are having different experiences. About that ‘squaring off’ – January begins with several dynamic squares, calling on us to pay attention! Take note! Show up! And back off a little in the ego department already. First, the Moon in excited, aggressive Aries makes an exact square to the Sun in pragmatic Capricorn – and the Sun is quite close to powerhouse Pluto for a little backup on that one. In Denver, we have a grand square as the Aries Moon is on the descendent and consequently also opposes a Libra ascendant, calling for a bit of balance, neutrality, negotiation, and peace. The Sun sits on the IC, the bottom personal point of the chart, thus tightly opposing the midheaven and uranian transneptunian (TNP) Kronos in Cancer, imploring us to remember sensitivity and responsiveness, and proper decorum in leadership, as well as maintaining balance between our personal and professional lives.

Next up is an edgy square from the planet of communication, Mercury, in truth-telling but not always with subtlety (ok, sometimes blunt and tactless) Sagittarius, seeking to see the big picture, exactly squaring Mars in detailed, picky Virgo. So watch for a tendency to be argumentative or irritable, as well as watching for challenges in aligning thought into action. Instead, seek clarity, discernment and understanding, and appreciation of different perspectives. Mars is further complicated by being very closely aligned with Psyche, asteroid of exceeding sensitivity; Apollo, of beginning anew and beginners mind; and Arachne, complexities, and networks, including the internet. There are many ‘right’ ways. Yes, there are some ‘wrong’ ways, but many right ways. Stay tuned for more on Mars in Virgo shortly.

Further, the longstanding square of Uranus in Aries squaring TNP Hades in Cancer continues, both at zero degrees, spot on the cardinal axis, so the breakdown and dissolution of old structures and limitations continues. Surrender and flow, and recognize these challenging aspects as a means to greater freedom and clarity, not as conflict and loss.

Soon enough after the initial shock of the energy changes, we shift into potentially smoother waters for a few days. On January 7th, Mercury hits the midpoint of the Saturn-Neptune trine, thus sextiling both planets for peaceful, inspired considered reasoning, finding ideas and solutions that can serve the common good. The following day, Mercury trines optimistic (and often excessive) Jupiter and squares innovative, impulsive Uranus. It’s possible to be tempted to take excessive risks, and potentially be more accident prone, so be careful when driving. The higher path here is to move forward with inspiration, intuition, confidence and optimism.

On January 9th, opposing the Sun in fatherly Capricorn, the full Moon is in her own sign in sensitive, emotional, motherly Cancer at 18 degrees 26 minutes. Both Cancer and Capricorn relate strongly to security needs as well as timing, so this full Moon may highlight emotional patterns of behavior, and concerns about security and support for ourselves and those close to us.

The following weekend brings another flurry of quite positive astrological activity, beginning with a confident, flowing trine between the Sun and Mars on the 12th. Friday the 13th begins with a stabilizing trine between Venus in Aquarius to Saturn well-placed in Libra, then an intense, insightful if potentially obsessive conjunction of Mercury to Pluto, soon followed by Venus making a beautiful, inspiring conjunction to idealistic Neptune in Aquarius before entering compassionate Pisces, a sign where Venus is very happily placed, to then form a lovely, comforting sextile to Jupiter the following day. Wow! That’s a perfect aspect to celebrate all the gains and insights of the previous couple days.

The next weekend is also active, as first the Sun squares Saturn with potential power struggles and a call for mutual responsibility and respect on the 19th, just before leaving disciplined, structured Capricorn to enter visionary Aquarius on the 20th. The same day is a good day for creativity and romance as Pisces Venus forms a passionate, creative sextile to intense Pluto. The following day the Sun forms an intuitive and visionary sextile to Uranus, bringing about potential breakthroughs in opportunity and awareness, and an empowering square to Jupiter in Taurus.

The new Moon at 2 degrees 42 minutes of Aquarius follows soon after midnight on the 23rd – and Happy Chinese New Year 4709! This is the year of the Black Water Dragon. The dragon years are considered the most auspicious because the dragon is the most powerful of the Chinese zodiac animals, and the only one which is magical. So the Mayans are not the only ones with an eye to this being a powerful year…

This Aquarius new Moon is amplified by the square to Jupiter and Mercury now trine to Mars. But now Mars is stationary, ready to turn retrograde (Rx) until April 14th, and remaining in Virgo until July 3rd. We must consider this. Aggressive, bold, egoic Mars pauses and takes a step back and inward in Virgo, the sign of discernment, service, and health. We are called to consider why we do what we do. Does what we do serve our higher path? Is it healthy for us? The first level in taking care of the environment is taking care of our own bodies. We need to be grounded in healthy embodiment to do what we are called to do in this time of such great transition, so be mindful of your diet, exercise, sleeping, all you know you should be doing to take good care of yourself physically. It’s time to be more discriminating in our choices, to strategize and plan a path of greater service and physical, mental and spiritual well-being, including in our passions and desires as well as our work and interpersonal relationships.

The last weekend of the month, Mercury, which is the ruler of Virgo, tumbles through a series of quick aspects to help us think and make needed adjustments to our path, first squaring Saturn on the 27th to take on obstacles and blockages – don’t worry, be happy! – before leaving pragmatic Capricorn to enter future-oriented Aquarius. The next day, the little speedster (said with all due respect!) makes a lightning fast thinking sextile to Uranus, followed by an embolding square to Jupiter.

Welcome to 2012! Move forward joyfully, courageously, respectfully and yet also fearlessly. Take your unique part forward into unity consciousness. Love, compassion and gratitude continue to open the way, as we emerge into magical wonder and transformation. As we begin this amazing year, may the greatest blessings be with our dear mother Earth. Be ready for change. As always, heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all.

December Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:46:41 GMT

December is a powerful, pivotal month. First, this last month of the year 2011 begins in the unsettling timespace between two eclipses. If you read the forecast for November, you will remember that there was a new Moon solar eclipse at 2 degrees of Sagittarius on Thanksgiving, and that Mercury turned retrograde (Rx) at 20 degrees of Sagittarius early that morning, just after midnight. Astonishingly, these degrees are very closely reversed with the upcoming lunar eclipse with the Moon at 18 Gemini (to 18 Sagittarius Sun) and Mercury turning direct on December 13 at 3 degrees of Sagittarius, close to the Thanksgiving lunar eclipse at 2 Sagittarius. Wow!

In the immortal (ok, mortal) words (ok, lyrics) of the great band Buffalo Springfield, “I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound, everybody look what's goin’ down…” Yes. Stop. Listen. Look around, pay attention. Take the opportunity to reassess where you are, where you are going, and what changes in action and in consciousness you must make to get caught up with the changes in and around you and be ready to launch or be launched into this next phase.

Because of this extraordinary double-whammy of the eclipses and Mercury stations so near the same degrees at the same time, the universe is especially giving those with planets from about 28 degrees Taurus or Scorpio to 7 degrees Gemini or Sagittarius and 13 to 23 degrees of Gemini or Sagittarius a major, potentially disruptive change of course. It’s time to wrap up 2011 – we are getting ready for 2012.

Entering into this unsettling energy between this pair of eclipses, the month begins with a punch, with Venus making her annual conjunction with intense Pluto in Capricorn. There is passion and intensity, but be mindful to avoid power plays, manipulation or jealousy. On the 1st and into the 2nd, the Sun in freedom-seeking Sagittarius also squares off with Mars in critical, exacting Virgo, so watch for possible arguments and conflicts of will. Use that energy to focus and get something productive done. Then when Mercury squares Mars on the 4th, watch for tensions, arguments, impatience, and possible accidents on the road. On the 5th, Venus makes a smooth trine to Mars in their current earth signs, which is sweet for romance and creativity.

So that’s the setup to the full Moon lunar eclipse on December 10th, which takes on added influence because it will be visible in North America. Mars makes an activating square to the eclipse, but the primary thing I’m noting in contemplating this eclipse chart for here in Denver is that the Sun is at 18 and the local ascendant at 22 degrees Sagittarius. These degrees fall in the constellation Ophiuchus, the serpent-shaman, bracketing the degree range of placements found in the charts of shamans. Shamans are students and teachers of the unknown, and have an interdimensional aspect to their awareness. In these days when the veils are very thin, those impacted may find increased intuitive interdimensional awareness, including deepening Essence recall of Who you really are, and why you are here now.

At the same time of the solar eclipse, disruptive, change-maker Uranus stations at zero degrees of Aries, turning direct in that sign precisely on the Aries/Universal axis. Ready, fire, aim! Uranus makes an exact square to uranian transneptunian Hades to help break down old structures that no longer serve us (despite how we may feel about it!), as Uranus is poised to charge forward to begin a series of *7* exact square hits to Pluto happening from 2012-2015. Revolution, anyone? Everyone?

Then, remember that Mercury turns direct on the 13th, so it’s time to start moving forward with your new, revised ideas. Venus makes a quick pirouette of changes starting with a sobering square to Saturn on the 18th (reality check! So, did your reality check bounce, or clear?) , then leaves pragmatic Capricorn to enter visionary Aquarius on the 20th, and that same day first squaring Jupiter (excess R-us!) and them making a magical, magnetic opportunity-making sextile (60 degrees) to Uranus. The same day, the Sun makes a sextile to idealistic Neptune. What do you aspire to, what do you dream? Explore how you would answer my favorite question - What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

This is a perfect preparation for the Winter Solstice when the Sun enters Capricorn on December 21st. The Solstice chart is a highly significant one because it is the universal chart for the upcoming year of 2012. Any time a planet is on the universal/cardinal/Aries axis, as the Sun is at solstices and equinoxes, it impacts the collective energies. Here the Sun makes an exact square to Uranus and opposition to Hades – everything is changing! Also on the Aries axis are Mercury (our mind and communication), Eris (chaos, finding one’s own way, beyond conditioning; civil disobedience), the vertex (fated meetings and connections) and a number of asteroids, including Industria (productivity, work), Sappho (friends, companionship), Pythia (misunderstandings), Eurydice (needing assistance), Varuna (how you see Truth), Urania (differences in the way people think; astrology (is it time for a chart udate??), Hephaistos (negotiation, mediation, metallurgy, lameness/legs), Atropos (endings) Daedalus (the artful dodger). It will be quite a year! We will have to work together with skill and wisdom.

The Winter Solstice is also the time of the darkening, the time for deepening, quietude, reflection, contemplating, integration, renewal. It’s a time to meditate on what you have accomplished, what is in process, what to redefine and update, what to leave behind, and what seeds of intention you want to plant for the upcoming year. And now, the days will start to get longer as we turn back to increasing the light.

The new Moon follows at 2 degrees of Capricorn on Christmas Eve, with the Moon jumping into the cardinal square conjunct the Sun and Pluto in Capricorn opposing TNPs Hades and Kronos in Cancer, squaring Uranus in Aries. There is much motivation and activation in all that, which is further assisted by an optimistic trine to expansive Jupiter in Taurus. We can do this thing!

Within hours, the next day on Christmas, giant Jupiter is the 3rd planet this month to station to move forward again. Onward! Upward! Don’t forget inward!

2011 and December end with the Moon in go-for-it-now Aries making a waxing square to the Sun in pragmatic Capricorn just past its conjunction with Pluto and moving toward squaring volatile and explosive but organized! TNP Zeus. The fireworks, both literal and figurative, should be exceptional! It’s a great way to start the new year with hope, optimism, and fearlessness, yet on a foundation of grounded pragmatism. But then what comes to mind now is that saying by the Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche… ‘The bad news is that you are free-floating thru space – without a parachute. The good news is that there is no ground.’ Yikes! Allow a shift in context and consciousness to open whole new possibilities.

Move forward with both courage and humility, but also be fearless and joyful in this dance in the evolution inward and forward into unity consciousness. The keys are Love, compassion and gratitude, with the wonder and transformational emergent magic of it all. As we complete this amazing year, heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all and we move forward to greet the new!

November Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:29:47 GMT

After the inward spiraling intensity of October, November rolls in with the intense Scorpio stellium with planets Sun, Mercury, and Venus, and major relationship asteroid Juno, and spiritual uranian transneptunian Poseidon still with us, but ready to release into greater expansion and exploration of possibilities very quickly. Whew! November brings a few reversals and turn-arounds, and dare I say it? More activation. Have you been doing your work in introspection, and realignment of your relationships, values, direction and purpose for this next phase in this dynamic collective transformation?

Let’s extract part of that for further consideration. November begins with mind-based Mercury tightly aligned with heart/value/relationship-based Venus at the end of Scorpio tightly square idealistic Neptune, which is slowing in late Aquarius ready to end its retrograde phase to turn forward to move into its own sign of Pisces after the start of the year. The Neptune square greatly ameliorates the intensity of these two planets who reside between our own Mother Earth and Father Sun. Are your mind and heart properly aligned with these two Cosmic Parents to be true to your own path and values, yet also in harmony and resonance with the Earth’s rapid evolution toward Unity Consciousness that Neptune calls for? The times they are a changin,’ indeed. Both inner planets move into expansive, freedom-seeking Sagittarius on November 2nd. Enough compression, now the question is how can we consider the big picture and expand into it in a way that serves our freedom in service to and harmony with the world, and communicate that effectively?

If my calendar is right, daylight savings time ends on the 6th – we get an extra hour, clockwise anyway – just before a slight ego-adjustment (ahem!) on the 7th when the personal drive and expression of Mars in creative, attention-seeking Leo faces off against Neptune, then stationary before turning direct. Are you tired from all the effort, or inspired to continue your upward evolutionary spiral, or maybe a bit of both?? The tides are turning; ride them consciously, and well!

On the 10th, the day of the full Moon in Taurus facing to receive the light and life of the Sun in Scorpio, Mars leaves prideful Leo to enter service and detail-oriented Virgo, ready to get to the nitty-gritty of getting the work planned and done. This is helpful, because there is a lot going on with this full Moon, as the Moon is conjunct very far outlying Sedna and uranian transneptunian Admetos, both of which are so slow, deep, transformational and intense that they make Saturn look perky. Sedna, named for an Inuit underseas shamanic goddess, demands unselfishness and a spiritual approach, without which can bring a victim-consciousness, which is never useful or helpful. Admetos is so slow a keyword is stagnation, though it has great intensity which is inwardly directed as compression – it is slow, but is what turns coal to diamonds. The Sun/Moon midpoints activated include expansive, idealistic Jupiter/Neptune, service-oriented Neptune/Vesta, spiritually focused and committed Admetos/Poseidon, deeply intense, purging Mars/Sedna, and transforming, purifying or putrifying Pluto/Hades, as well as activating Mercury, Venus, psychic/empathic Psyche, beginner’s mind Apollo, shadow-related Black Moon Lilith, and powerful, intense Vulcanus. It’s a good time to go even deeper, to purge any old patterns or charged emotional memories that could drag you down and limit your ability to surrender to spirit and move forward into the magical unknown. For many, this might involve delving into old family patterns to reveal and release them, for your own liberation, but also for your ancestors and children, plucking the ancestral ash string of continuity, so to speak.

Many are anticipating 11/11/11, with the rhythm of the master number 11 repeated. Really, it’s just an anomaly of the western calendar, which most of the world is not on (this is Chinese year of the Rabbit lunar year 4709, as one alternative) Yet the energy directed to the date can give it more importance, so a check to see what is happening of astrological significance, if anything, is worthwhile, and does strike some pay dirt. Mars now in Virgo begins a grand Earth trine in early degrees to Jupiter in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn, a very powerful trine for manifestation and success. This is further enhanced into a kite pattern with Mars closely opposing bridging, ‘wounded-healer’ Chiron at zero degree Pisces. What has or is breaking your smaller, ego heart open to the possibility of greater, compassionate heart? Here is another call to rise up above past, limiting victim-consciousness, to use past lessons and challenges to grow roots, to be better able to ascend to greater heights. It is for good reason that the tree is a symbol of individuation, as its branches can only grow up and out as far as its roots go down and in. Makes sense, yes? Yet many resist and fear doing ‘roots’ work, but it is not only immensely satisfying, it’s necessary. And the progression of aspects in November drives that home time and again. Get out of your comfort zone (it’s being pulled out from under you anyway, if you haven’t noticed!!) Go deep. And have fun with it!

We then get a week of relative ease and space for integration (you’re welcome!) before another lively four days the following week. First, the Sun exits intense Scorpio on the 22nd to join Mercury and Venus in Sagittarius, just in time for both of them to change their minds and direction about it, as Mercury starts its 3rd and final retrograde phase on the 23rd, which will have the little speedster in the sign into early 2012. Mercury Rx is a good time to finish up old projects, to reassess and revise thinking and doing, and not always as useful for communications and technology.

So Mercury essentially stops and turns on his winged heels the same day that the Sun trines Uranus for great intuitive insights and innovative breakthroughs and Mars trines Pluto for powerful transformation – just don’t force your will over others or otherwise abuse power, please!

All of this the day just before the new Moon solar eclipse at 2 degrees of Sagittarius, on Thanksgiving. There might be some lively conversations around the Thanksgiving dinner table… The Sun and Moon make a sparky trine to Uranus in Aries, and a challenging t-square Mars in Virgo opposing Chiron in Pisces. The solar eclipse also forms a ‘finger of God’ yod pattern, making a challenging 150 degree inconjunct to Jupiter in Taurus sextile uranian transneptunians Hades and Kronos in Cancer. How can we find freedom of expression and being in balance with security issues and be optimistic about it, and what’s up with those in leadership and authority? That is a lot of activation for an eclipse, and note that when they aspect your chart, the effects of eclipses can kick in early, weeks before the eclipse, and can be activated for months afterward, too. Venus enters practical, earthy Capricorn on the 26th, entering the sign with an electric and flirty square to Uranus followed by a beneficial, positive trine to Jupiter the following day.

So, November is a powerful month, with much to further speed us along our path in this time of astonishingly rapid Earth evolution. The times truly are extraordinary, and will only continue to intensify and speed toward the radical Earth transition and transformation that is happening, which, it is said, is unprecedented anywhere, anytime. It is an honor and a privilege to be here, which is why it’s standing-room-only on the planet, as much as it sometimes seems impossibly hard and an annoyance. It is helpful to remember and to connect to Mother Earth and Father Sun with love and gratitude for support – they are our spiritual parents, providing all life for us on this lovely planet – and they can help us through this time. As Drunvalo Melchizedek recently said, ‘Right now, the Earth is the most important grain of sand on the beach.’ Again, be fearless and move inward and forward into unity consciousness with love, compassion and gratitude. Continue to dance with the wonder and magic of it all, evolving, allowing and loving. What a ride! In lakesh – ‘I am you.’ Heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all!

October Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:28:50 GMT

Relationships. As tempting as it is to stop right there… October is a month where we need to show up for ourselves and for the other in our relationships, prepared to hold our center, but also to renegotiate balance of power within them – and sometimes that is calling for completion. Some are grasping at others to do or be what they need to do or be for themselves. What is real? What is a mirror of projection, or shadowdancing? Can you be conscious enough to recall your projections and expectations of the other, to be all that you are and nothing that you are not, and fully allow that for the other as well? Can you truly Listen, consider, and respond?

At the extreme end, some are finding that with the still increasing intensification of energies that has so many slammed into fast forward on their soul’s path, that their relationship, including some of many years duration, are coming to completion of soul agreement, and that it is time to begin the tender process of expressing gratitude, and gently releasing the other for both of you to move forward in your lives to What Is Next.

October gets a running start on relationships with all but the Moon still in Libra, from the new Moon on September 27th, with half of the traditional planets in the relationship sign of Libra: Sun, Moon, Mercury (all still in the ongoing cardinal grand cross with Pluto, Uranus, Hades and Kronos) and also Venus and Saturn. Then we can add the uranian transneptunians Zeus (explosive) and Apollon (multiples), the new ‘dwarf planet’ Haumea, and one of the primary asteroids, Juno, which relates to issues of equity exchange within relationships. Ah, there we have it… Is there appropriate balance in your relationships? Is your old agreement now obsolete and needing renegotiation and updating to fit current needs? Are you still moving together in a compatible way, or are you coming unzipped? I’m seeing many whose relationships reached their ‘use-by date’ some time ago finally coming to have to acknowledge that. Some are connecting in a profound way with new people, startled and feeling torn about what to do about a prior, possibly tired commitment. Stay or move on? Sometimes the answer is clear, often it is not at all clear. May that which is for the highest good for all come to pass.

Along with that massive stellium in Libra, October kicks off with a grand trine in fire calling for full freedom and independence with Mars in Leo, the Moon in Sagittarius, and Uranus retrograde (Rx) in Aries. Pow! How can you dance with that juxtaposed to the heavy emphasis on The Other?

On October 6th Mercury joins Saturn to get serious, and possibly worry, while the following day in contrast, Venus makes a lovely, idealistic trine to Neptune. Get serious, or float?? Just before midnight on October 8th, Venus is the first of three planets this month to leave Libra and enter intense, passionate, possessive Scorpio. Powers of attraction intensify. Avoid jealousies and manipulation, and instead, explore deeper intimacy and understanding. That is the setup to the full Moon in Aries on October 11th. While the Sun is locked down closely conjunct Saturn in Libra demanding accountability, Mercury at the end of Libra takes its turn in an idealistic and dreamy trine to Neptune (‘why can’t we all just be in absolute truth, where all is perfect??’). At the same time the Moon is tightly conjunct Eris, the goddess of chaos and discord, and shadowdancing Black Moon Lilith in feisty, me-first! Aries demand things on their own terms, and now. Do you see how the screws tighten on relationship issues? But we are not done yet.

Mercury then enters Scorpio on October 13, which is good for focus, meditaton and research, but can also be suspicious. This is the same day Venus makes an intense sextile to Pluto, and the Sun locks down in conjunction to Saturn. This is a time to know and state your values, your needs, and your boundaries - what you can accommodate and what you will not abide – but also listen to the needs and respect the boundaries of the other.

The Sun then enters Scorpio on October 23rd, just before the new Moon at 3 degrees of Scorpio on October 26th. The only planet remaining in Libra is Saturn, and now we have the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Juno, and the spiritual uranian transneptunian Poseidon in willful, passionate Scorpio. The Sun and Moon oppose Jupiter in Taurus, bringing some expansiveness but also possible indulgence and excess, while Mercury conjunct Venus in later degrees of the sign oppose far distant Sedna conjunct slow, penetrating Admetos in Taurus. The opportunity here is for incredible depth of insight and awareness from a deep feeling, knowing level. The risk is suspicion, possible abuse of power, being demanding, potential betrayal. No need to go there, ok? At the same time, Mars makes a potentially effective, practical sextile to responsible Saturn, but also makes a compulsive, passionate square to Venus. Those impacted by degree may feel very driven – hopefully not to attempt to control others, but by commitment to deeper values and awareness. Essentially, the energies through the month spiral in from an Other-based ‘who is this person, and what are we doing?’ exploration and reassessment down into a tighter, inner and inter-relational focus on core values. The more you can dance with the wonder and magic of it all, evolving, allowing and loving, and stay above attempts at fear-based control, the more beautifully the month, and your life, will unfold. There is purpose and direction to it all – trust the process, resist the urge to resist and control… the old ways fall away, and again we are called to align our energies in resonance with the emerging unity consciousness. We are the Other – we are not separate. Continue to deepen in fearlessness, love and joy, grounded in compassion and gratitude. Heartful, radiant warrior blessings to all!

September Astrology Highlights - "Dancing with the Stars"

Janis Page — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:27:30 GMT

"Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow…" Do you remember that song from the musical, ‘The Fantasticks’? While it’s laughable to think of almost anything being slow and oh, so mellow these days, after the last six months or so, while there will be times of ‘vibrancy,’ early September actually is more mellow and gives us a moment to catch our breath. Finally. Yes, there are those outer layers of experience that are strange, and many seem to be hitting a speed bump in their finances, relationships, life direction. But as the summer winds down and the days, still warm, start to get shorter as we move to the Fall Equinox, there is some grounding assurance with the Sun, Venus, and on the 9th, Mercury in earthy Virgo, as well as Jupiter and Pluto also in earth signs. Take advantage of the grounding energies to integrate the shifts and changes, and to recalibrate your energies after so much intensity. It is time to make the subtle (or not) shift from old patterning to ground in resonance to the New Earth being rebirthed…

The full Moon on September 12th has the Sun at 19 Virgo opposing the Moon in sensitive, compassionate (and sometimes idealistic or confused) Pisces, calling for awareness to health and service. This is supported by a grand earth trine with Mercury in Virgo trine Jupiter in Taurus trine Pluto in Capricorn. There is strategy, luck and power there! And this trine is echoed by a more subtle transformative grand trine in water, with wounded healer Chiron in Pisces trining uranian transneptunians Hades (disintegration, the ancient) and Kronos (leaders) in Cancer trine Poseidon (spirituality) in Scorpio, interlocking to make a Star of David. Take this fertile, rich cosmic opportunity to contemplate what you’ve accomplished and what seeds you want to plant to set your focus and intent for the next phase of your life. The Sun and Moon also closely square the nodes, giving a boost to align with your purpose, your karma and dharma. I’m also noting activation of two of our new ‘dwarf planets’ as Venus tightly conjuncts Makemake and Saturn tightly conjuncts Haumea, as well as asteroids Juno (issues of equity of energy exchange in partnerships), Atlantis (crisis, issues of confidentiality and ethics) and Terpsichore (dance!) I’m still just beginning to get some sense of newcomers Makemake and Haumea, both named for Polynesian gods. My sense is that they may relate to the new paradigm of unity consciousness. If so, this full Moon will help us to increase our awareness in moving in that direction.

Powerful, transformative Pluto is the only planet to change directions this month as it stations on the full Moon to slowly turn direct at 4 Capricorn 53 on Saturday, September 17th, continuing stationary till the 22nd, the eve of the Fall Equinox. During this slow turnaround, Venus enters her own sign of Libra on the 14th, opposes Uranus in Aries on the 17th, then squares Pluto on the 18th, the same day Mars leaves weak (for Mars), watery Cancer and enters exuberant Leo. This whole phrase of activation is a perfect opportunity to take what you have gleaned from your introspective phase the weak before and start on your action plan to make it real. Be all that you are and nothing that you are not. Defy limitations, but respect boundaries…

Equinoxes and solstices are significant passages or turning points, as the Sun enters the active cardinal signs. The Fall Equinox on September 23 has the Sun entering Libra, the only sign personified by an inanimate object, the Scales, and beginning the last half of the zodiac of the Other. Bring in your harvest as the longstanding cardinal square continues, the Libra Sun opposing Aries Uranus, both squaring Capricorn Pluto opposing Cancer Hades and Kronos. More activation, more clearing…

The new Moon follows a few days later on September 27th, when the Sun and Moon are at 4 Libra, conjunct Mercury, still in the same grand cross with Pluto, Uranus, Hades and Kronos. So it is still time for continued change and transformation, with equanimity and balance. Hopefully. Take time for ongoing integration and evolution as we step up to align our energies in resonance with the emerging unity consciousness. Continue to deepen in fearlessness and joy, grounded in gratitude and compassion. ‘In Lakesh’ or ‘I am You.’ Heartful, gentle warrior blessings to all!

August Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 03:51:47 GMT

The summer surges on, and the fireworks didn’t stop in July… August promises to be another ass-kicker of a month – er, excuse me! (glute-whacking? Tush-tackling? Umm…) Ok. August promises to be another month with many challenges and abundant opportunities for growth, awareness, and spiritual evolution. Better? Turn the other cheek, my dear ones? (I have been saying for some time now that I’m seeing many people with angel footprints on their butts…)

Ok, so let’s get to it. August kicks off on the 2nd with our 2nd Mercury Rx (retrograde) of three this year, turning Rx just into the first degree of its own discerning sign Virgo, back-stepping into prideful – and stubborn – Leo on August 8th, then turning direct late into 18 Leo on August 27th. But let’s back up that back up and take it from the top. So, Mercury has been in its ‘shadow’ since mid-July, and by the start of the month the little speedster isn’t at all speedy as it slows to its stop and turn around. I make an effort to minimize political commentary in these forecasts, but it’s screamingly obvious that this timing describes the screaming meltdown in Congress over raising the debt ceiling as the D-date when the US of A could go into default for the first time ever looms big on August 2nd – the day little ol’ Merc stops and turns. Retrograde Mercury isn’t a great time for communications, travel, signing contracts, or surgery, but it is great for finishing projects, rethinking and refining ideas, and introspection – so this could be helpful. Will the GOPhers have a sanity attack (or get too many calls from unhappy constituents) while they play this huge-stakes game of chicken with the entire world economy, or not? We can hope. And pray. And put our energy to good use.

It does not look like an easy, amiable resolution to issues in the political or personal world. The same day Mercury slams on the brakes (I’m glad it is in discerning Virgo), muscle-ego-‘my way’ Mars flies out of talking, busybody Gemini into emotional, poor-me sensitive, on-the-Aries-axis Cancer – a lovely sign, as are they all, but not a great energy fit for aggressive, active Mars. Mars entering Cancer catalyzes collective changes and also immediately joins the Uranian transneptunian Hades (putrify or purify), and makes an easy-flowing trine to idealistic, illusionary and often confusing and sometimes deceptive Neptune. Wow. But that’s just the start of this next phase of this gang-war rumble – the challenges combust and accelerate fast.

Neptune has been Rx since June, and backs out of its own watery, dreamy sign Pisces on August 4th after sticking a toe in those waters, back into visionary Aquarius until next year – and also offering a confusing opposition to Mercury that will be exact on the 8th when Mercury backs into Leo. Then immediately following (no rest for the wicked, or for the rest of us), Mars makes an antagonizing and igniting square to impulsive, explosive Uranus on the 9th, then a take-no-prisoners power and control opposition to intense Pluto on the 10th. Pow!

Is there any good news in all this? Of course there is. Herein lies golden opportunity to wake up, take all this immense energy, and focus to get to it, as long as your ‘it’ is from your higher Self and thus in alignment with universal law and principle. We are again reminded of the wisdom of the advice to follow a path with heart. With awareness, compassion, insight, patience, neutrality, fearlessness, and a little humor, we can see thru all the drama play to the clearing and transformation that is unfolding, gloriously - even if the process might be a little messy at times.

The Aquarius full Moon on August 13th piques willfulness, yet the Sun less than a degree from magnetizing Venus in regal Leo brings some grace, while also indicating more potential volatility and erratic changes, especially with those in power, as Mars now tightly conjuncts uranian transneptunian (TNP) Kronos, which relates to leaders, and activates Mars/Uranus, Pluto/Kronos, and Uranus/Kronos midpoints on the 90 degree dial, triple underlining all of the above. There will be those who get mad, then get even – and then get odd. The next kicker to watch for is August 16th when Mars hits the 9 degree Cancer eclipse point, activating the lunar eclipse of this past July 1st.

First Venus on August 21st, then the Sun on the 23rd enter much more reasonable and measured Virgo, which should help calm things. Just before Mercury ends its ‘do-over!’ Rx and stations to turn direct at 19 Leo on August 26th, Mars makes a testy square to authoritarian Saturn setting/testing limits to excess, while on the previous day Venus makes a passionate and lush trine loving excess to powerful Pluto.

Finally, the new Moon on August 28th at 5 degrees Virgo conjunct Venus all form a grand trine in grounding, practical earth signs to Pluto in pragmatic Capricorn and Jupiter in stabilizing Taurus – all’s well that ends well! After the wild ride that flourishes most of the month, much should be shaken out and cleared, and we should end the month on pretty good footing.

Take time to integrate the shifts and changes, continue to shake off the old patterns and limiting beliefs. Dance with it all, as we do well to recalibrate our energies in resonance with the bigger, deeper unity consciousness transformation that is in process and emerging. It bears repeating to invite you to continue to take time for introspection and meditation to gain increasing clarity and inspiration about Who you are and Why you are here, and to not get distracted by things that aren’t worth your highest focus and efforts. Take heart! It’s going to be a ferocious and glorious month - these are the times we came here for, so show up! Deepen in fearless radiance and joy, center in gratitude and compassion. Heartful, wild warrior blessings to all!

July Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 03:50:01 GMT

Can you believe 2011 is already halfway over? What a reminder of how time is accelerating and intensifying… And July starts out with a bang, and I’m not talking about fireworks for July 4th. The new Moon on July 1st brings the ‘extra credit’ third of what is usually a pair of eclipses, the previous eclipses falling on June 1st and 15th. As said in June’s forecast, eclipses are about shaking up and shedding whatever needs to change or go for the next phase of your evolution, as indicated by the sign and house the eclipse falls in, and whatever planets are activated in your chart. This solar eclipse at 9 degrees of what is usually pretty sweet Cancer is pretty ferocious because the Sun and Moon are conjunct uranian transneptunians (TNP) Kronos and Hades, and complete a demanding grand cardinal square, opposing powerful Pluto in Capricorn, and squaring volatile Uranus and shadowy Black Moon Lilith in Aries opposing disciplinarian Saturn conjunct explosive TNP Zeus in Libra. Watch for power plays, temper tantrums, blockages but also breakthroughs, the demand to do it right coupled by the urge to do it however the hell you feel like doing it. There is a lot of emotional trigger-reaction in this chart, further exacerbated by Mercury conjunct TNP Vulcanus in Cancer, thus the tendency to feel your thoughts more than think them, and forcefully so. There is more water with Neptune and Chiron in Pisces, adding a flavor of escapism and activation of old wounds and defense patterns.

Fireworks, indeed. So, we can expect more old attitudes, beliefs and karmic issues to be forced to resolution. It’s also feeling like these three eclipses, and this last one in particular, may signal a sharp turn and recalibration in the evolutionary processes – we’ll have to see how it plays out to get some understanding and feel for what the ‘new rules’ are. It is also likely that another wave of souls will complete their soul agreements and exit. And, the death rate will stay about the same as it’s always been, which is pretty close to one each. No one will leave before they are ready, and many of those who are ready may have an option to remain incarnate longer, to participate and enjoy the fireworks and further quickening evolutionary processes.

By the time the long holiday weekend ends, after the eclipse, Mercury enters prideful Leo, the Sun squares challenging Saturn, Venus enters sensitive Cancer then quickly forms an idealistic trine to Neptune, and Mercury makes an inspiring, intuitive trine to Uranus.

Are we feeling independent? We should at least be warming up to it, as Uranus slows to a standstill for a week from July 7th to the 14th, turning retrograde at 4 degrees Aries on the 9th. Expect some fits and starts, some chaos and erratic shifts, reversals, and changes.

Another oddity about early July is that nearly all the planets are in early degrees of signs. The effect of this is that when the Moon goes void of course (VOC), meaning it will make no more aspects before it exits a sign to enter the next sign, it will frequently be VOC for over a full day. Moon VOC can mean no interference to plans, or that ‘nothing will come of it’ – which is convenient in filing tax returns to avoid an audit. The effect is that there will sometimes be a feeling of a long hesitation or time/space before plans can move forward.

A ‘get serious, but try not to get depressed’ square from enjoyment-seeking Venus to stern taskmaster Saturn on July 13th precedes the full Moon on July 14th in Saturn’s sign of Capricorn, on the Aries axis at 22 ½ degrees, firing a wake-up shot to drop frivolous, resource-wasteful endeavors to take care of security needs, scoring one for the tortoise, and zero for the hare…

The Sun then enters its own sign of Leo on July 22, bringing a renewed focus on creativity, children, life force essence energy, and a bit of risk of egotism. The new Moon at 7 degrees of Leo then follows a week later on July 30th, conjunct Venus happy in the sign, and in the public visible 10th house for Denver. An indulgent square to Jupiter, content in earthy Taurus, which opposes spiritual TNP Poseidon makes this look like a pretty sweet if indulgent time, with more creativity and spark added by a close flowing trine from the Sun, Moon and Venus to Uranus, happily rebellious in Aries. Of course, Uranus is still in that cardinal grand square opposing Saturn and Zeus and squaring Pluto opposing Hades and Kronos, so continue to be mindful and maintain your integrity (always!) but the end of the month should be a lot more flowing and easy than the beginning with that eclipse.

Enjoy the warmth and the rain, get out in nature, pursue your creative endeavors, and enjoy the summer – rest and time for recharge and integration is so important. Also continue to take time for introspection and meditation to gain increasing clarity and inspiration about Who you are and Why you are here, and don’t get distracted by things that aren’t worth your highest focus and efforts. Ain’t no mountain high enough… Again, be willing to let go of that which falls away, and take heart. Deepen in ferocious radiance, joy, gratitude, compassion, patient acceptance. As always, many heartful and wild blessings to all…

June Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:53:46 GMT

Eeek! As in ‘eeklips!’… as June holds the first two of three usually paired eclipses. If that confuses you, that means you are paying attention and ready to shake your eyes loose and dance your way free of the next layer of the outgrown, or simply no longer appropriate for this next phase of quickening. Did you enjoy your break before this? Didn’t get one? Oh. Oh well, do remember that you have the right to negotiate with the powers that be, and ask for one. Hey, sometimes it works!

Ok, back to the eclipses, which are about shaking up shedding whatever needs to change or go for the next phase of your evolution, as indicated by the sign and house the eclipse falls in, and whatever planets are hit in your chart. Eclipses usually happen with a solar eclipse paired with a lunar eclipse when the Sun is in or very near the sign the Moon’s nodes are currently in – right now, the south node is in Gemini, and so the north node is in the opposing sign of Sagittarius, the thinking/big-picture wisdom polarity. This month, we have a lunar eclipse on June 1st followed by a solar eclipse on June 15th – followed by another lunar eclipse on July 1st, which we will talk about next month. Thus three, instead of the more common pair.

So June starts off hitting the ground running with this eclipse, with a little drag and confusion added to the mix just to keep it interesting while we continue to shift, shed the past and evolve. The lunar eclipse on June 1st at 11 Gemini has the Sun and Moon in a tight stabilizing trine to old man Saturn, happy in Libra, sitting tightly on the local Denver ascendant. The Moon in airy Gemini tends to think – and talk - her feelings rather than feel her feelings. The recent stellium in Aries has mostly moved into down to earth, practical Taurus now, with Mars, Venus, Mercury, ‘dwarf planet’ Sedna, and uranian transneputnian (TNP) Admetos in the sign, adding a sensuous, stubborn edge that calls the quicksilver new Gemini Moon to slow down and go deeper. Only Jupiter and Uranus, and, ok, dwarf planet Eris and Black Moon Lilith remain in Aries, and Jupiter only until June 4th, when the expansive giant enters Taurus to remain until July 2012.

We can be grateful for these slowing influences, because as we’ve discussed for quite a while now, the veils between dimensions are thinner, so the potential for deeper awareness and confirming synchronicity intensify. This is heightened as this eclipse activates Uranus and potently forceful uranian transneptunian (TNP) Vulcanus on the 90 degree dial, as well as asteroids Bacchus (addiction, emotional denial or dishonesty, and – trees) and Ophelia (self-defeating emotional overreaction). Be prepared for some potentially explosive reactions as more comes to light, and take a deeper view to take advantage of the opportunity for spiritual awakening and evolution.

All this is lubricated by zippy Mercury flying into his own sign of agile, thinking Gemini just about 24 hours later on June 2, while watery, idealistic and often confusing Neptune turns retrograde on June 3rd at zero degrees of his own sign, Pisces, starting a slow trek that will take him back into Aquarius in early August, where he will remain until reentering Pisces next year to stay for over a decade. Neptune moves so slowly that the elusive planet has been stationary all week, and continues to remain stationary for almost another week, holding an underlying hazy feeling. Then, as mentioned above, Jupiter leaves Aries after zipping thru that fiery sign in five months to enter Taurus on June 4th, shifting the focus from initiation of desire and new potentiality into more concrete manifestation. The following week Jupiter makes a 60 degree sextile of opportunity to Neptune on the 8th – take the opportunity to dream, to meditate, to envision your Soul purpose. Then on the 9th, Venus enters agile Gemini and makes an activating square to Neptune, reminding us that beauty, love, and compassion are to be part of that spiritual vision. Then in a cosmic changing of the guards, just as Neptune begins to slowly retrograde after being stationary for almost two weeks, Saturn stations to turn direct in Libra, adding a slowing and deepening stabilizing energy to these transits.

So that is the dynamic shifting setup to the lunar eclipse on June 15th at 24 degrees of Sagittarius. This long, slow eclipse is a powerful one because at over an hour and a half in duration, the effects will also be deeper and more long-lived. But also, it’s conjunct the galactic center, and as such will resonate on a broad, universal level. Lunar eclipses tend to resonate more on the personal, emotional level. This one resonates and ripples out in a few widening and deepening circles and levels, as evidenced by its 90 degree dial activation. The eclipse makes direct hits to Poseidon, TNP relating to spirituality, light, psychic imagery; to deep and spiritual Dark Moon Lilith; and to new Kuiper belt football-shaped dwarf planet Haumea, named after a Hawaiian goddess. I don’t know enough about this new planetary being yet to say much, except I’m thrilled we’ve finally moved beyond Greek and Roman gods and goddesses to finally become more cross-cultural, with more instinctual cultures with far greater harmony to nature.

This eclipse beckons us into new, uncharted potentiality with some real juice to it. Activated midpoints are also loaded with new beings and TNPs – Mars/Poseidon, Eris/Admetos, Vulcanus/Sedna, Juno/Hades, Cupido/Hades. There are also the very personal asteroids of Bacchus again (addiction, emotional dishonesty, trees), and Eros (sexual energy, cardio and hormones) At the same time, the local ascendant for this lunar eclipse is just a degree from that of the solar eclipse on June 1st, and still has stabilizing and sometimes limiting Saturn perched on it. If this eclipse is dominant and activated in your chart, be ready to drop what is indicated that no longer serves you and leap into unknown potentiality. Eclipses can ‘burn’ things out of our lives dramatically and fast. Sometimes what is burned out are obstacles and blockages. Do note that while sometimes the impact is drastically obvious on the day of the eclipse, they can manifest early, or for months afterward when there are other transits that trigger the eclipse degree.

There are more movements of the cosmic chess board the following days with Mercury entering emotional Cancer on the 16th, indicting an ability to feel rather than think thoughts, then squaring dynamic Uranus on the 18th, great for intuition and awareness, but also the risk of accidents, so be careful on the road. Then on the 19th, Mercury stands off in opposition to Pluto, with potential power struggles, secrets, mental obsessions, or, better, profound insights and deepened awareness. Then on June 20th, Mars enters quick thinking and acting Gemini, and tends to be happy and well placed in that sign, as the last significant repositioning to ready the skies for the summer solstice on June 21st. Whew!

Solstices are always important, as they are by definition direct solar activation of the Aries axis, and so impact the collective universal level as well as set the tone for the following three or six months. The summer solstice, or Cancer ingress is the time to get centered, to express gratitude (ok, it’s always time for that!) and to assess where you are, what commitments you want to make, how you wish to move forward.

This summer solstice is notable for the Sun being mere minutes from TNP Hades, so we can expect much that has been hidden to be disclosed, much to disintegrate and fall away, and a call to core level authenticity. On the collective level, more will come to light about leaders, who will be challenged if they are not in integrity, and more about the sick, the poor, and disenfranchised, the homeless. There will be errors made. We may see more focus on food safety and production, and more about the dangers of GMO crops. There will be power struggles, and those who can rise above them in skillful awareness. There is quite an intense cardinal grand square in this chart, with powerful Pluto in Capricorn opposing Mercury and TNP Kronos (leaders) in Cancer, squaring disruptive Uranus in Aries opposing Saturn and organized but potentially explosive TNP Zeus. Here is where we see the power struggles, and some tendency to worry, but also to build new pathways and innovative solutions. With bridge-making Chiron nearly on the Aries axis at the midpoint of Moon and Neptune, all in Pisces, there is great vision but also illusion possible. Watch your dreams, meditate, maintain clarity of intent and focus on your spiritual evolution, and while it could be quite a ride, it can be powerful and great, indeed. We continue to be flooded with light and illumination. Willingly let go of that which falls away, and take heart. Deepen in radiant joy, gratitude, compassion, patient acceptance. As always, many blessings to all…

Thoughts about Neptune in Pisces...

Janis Page — Sat, 07 May 2011 02:57:00 GMT

I’d be willing to recklessly toss out a few ideas about Neptune now in Pisces… Pisces is a pretty diffuse sign with a wide and diverse range of manifestations – some are musicians and artists, some are mystics, there are the alcoholics and addicts, and the cons, and those few who are among the most ruthless businessmen you will find. Accordingly, Neptune has a wide range of influence as well, offering those things that promise to take us beyond an ego-limited level of experience (arts, mysticism, drugs and alcohol), magnetism on all levels, illusion, delusion, that truth is relative, not concretized as Saturn would have us believe (and Neptune may hold the higher truth there…) Oil and the oceans, water. On the highest level, Neptune relates to universal compassion. Consider how Neptune glamorizes what it touches, its seductive quality… as a generational indicator, look at it thru the last several signs, remembering that each sign is in part a reaction to what was extreme about the sign that preceded it –

Neptune in Virgo – Ward and June Cleaver! Everything is neat and tidy, well-behaved, twin beds for the parents (on TV). There were mystical types, but deep under wraps. Otherwise, prudish and controlled.
Neptune in Libra – no more tidy prudishness! Flower children! Love, love, love! dissolving traditional monogamous marriage to group love-ins, or serial monogamy, preferably running in slo-mo thru fields of daisies seen thru a soft-focus lens, and wearing gauze breezing behind in the wind…. Oh yes, and lots of recreational drugs, dude.
Neptune in Scorpio – to hell with all this white light crap, where is the dark side to this shit?? This generation has a fascination with the unknown and unknowable, ranging from caution, to many tipping a toe in that ocean, to the full range of exploring the negative human unconscious. Now the glamour and style is looking dead, like zombies, goth, black tattered clothes, black hair and pale faces, with tattoos and body decoration with safety pins and other piercings. And oh so intense and dramatically gloomy. But deep!
Neptune in Sagittarius – ok enough with the dark implosion and gloom, we want freedom and expansion! Now you can learn to meditate in college, and take part in ‘sensitivity groups.’ We worship (and grossly overpay) our sports heroes, big religion becomes big business in big churches (which (‘Big churches’) actually is a Library of Congress approved subject heading!) and on TV with big hair (the bigger the hair, the closer to the lord!) Others in spiritual pursuit go beyond the traditional western to explore Eastern religions and other alternative spiritual paths.
Neptune in Capricorn - Big business becomes big business (yes, I meant that), starting the glam of MBAs and (creative) accountants. I remember being stunned when I got my first credit card thru the mail with a hologram on it within one week of Neptune entering Cap. Here too was the start of the collapse of the economy thru deregulation, tho the collapse wouldn’t be apparent to many till Pluto entered Cap… the cancerous growth of multinational corporations.
Neptune in Aquarius – past the Saturnian into the future! The age of the technodudes and babes. Now we have our relationships over (if not with) computers, texting, online dating services, social networking sites. Technology, like so much, changes faster than we can keep up. Now it’s more important to know how to access what you need to know than to expect to be able to know it all.

Consider that for quite a few years, we had the Uranus-Neptune mutual reception to lubricate some of the changes… development in alternative healing, EM energetics. An important dynamic was the beginning of what seems to be an exponentially increasing acceleration and compression of time, as if it’s accelerating around and up a cone to an increasingly tightened orbit. Some say we’re moving to ‘vertical time’ which makes no sense but somehow feels right. Look at the explosion of new galactic bodies of many kinds – new "dwarf planets," kuiper body objects, Oort cloud objects, TNOs, centaurs, fixed stars, black holes, quasars, etc. It’s an incredible time to be an astrologer, and it’s an incredible and challenging time to be on this planet. So, Neptune now in Pisces? Some of this will sound nuts, fittingly… So far it’s sort of been like trying to tune a harpsichord in a room with a bad garage rock band playing, up against the stellium in Aries opp Saturn, and squaring Pluto. One thing is that nothing is what it appears to be, so the need to pay attention to the energy of things, not their appearance or apparent movement. We are being called to let go of our old conditioning and habituation, and so many are having old issues resurface, including old family patterns – not to beat ourselves up about, or regress to, or deny or suppress, but to acknowledge – “ah, yes, I remember you… thank you for your part in getting me to where I am now – I release you, and I’m doing it differently now.” Many are feeling ungrounded, uncertain and disoriented, as everything is uncertain and in radical flux. (everything is all fluxed up). Reminds me of that great quote by Tibetan Buddhist Chogyam Trungpa… “The bad news is that you are free-floating thru space - without a parachute. The good news is that there is no ground.” Neptune in Pisces viscous thoughts: The veils are getting thin between dimensions, and many are becoming more extremely who and what they are, like caricatures. With the quickening, more ‘instant karma’ – what you focus on becomes more real and expands, so keep your focus on what you feel gratitude for and what you want to see increase, not on what’s missing or what you fear, as fear sucks the energy right out of you and cuts you off from the light. But with clarity and grounding, not magical thinking and denial! There’s a thin but important line there… More extreme - there are many who are holding that the Earth herself is going thru a rebirthing process – thus the crazy-ass weather (that which is not man-caused) all over as she discharges negativity, with Earth burps, farts, and contractions. And that we, as cells of this Earth-body, are going thru major energy recalibrations in resonance ourselves, with sleep disruption, visual shifts, lots of throat issues, digestive sensitivities and changes, and leg/feet issues as we ‘learn to ground in the new Earth instead of the old one – it’s time’ There certainly is the illusion, delusion, and deception that we know of Neptune and Pisces. In its highest expression, Neptune relates to unconditional universal love. What seems to me to be happening is that after the herd consciousness back when we only knew the inner planets, the discovery of the transpersonal planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto brought the industrial revolution and the seeds of individuality which have developed to the extreme in some people of dualistic, polarized thinking and consciousness to the point of dissociated, sociopathic self-entitlement. That’s rewarded in our culture (see Wall St.), but ultimately isn’t working for us… it’s sure not working for the planet. Now, with the discovery of these new ‘dwarf planets’ – finally crosscultural! and the other cosmic bodies, holding a larger container for consciousness, Neptune in Pisces is offering a lead that it’s time not to lose our individuality (or computers!) but to evolve to unity consciousness and the realization that we are all interconnected and interdependent – we are all cells on this Earth body (as the Earth may be a cell in a larger cosmic body), as mentioned above. (some of us are antioxidants, some others are cancer cells) Universal compassion is the key to unity consciousness here. It’s important to know that compassion never means being a doormat, and it does mean maintaining appropriate boundaries. Because it’s been and going to continue to be one hell of a ride… the ones I’m concerned about are those who are desperately trying to hold onto the status quo, which is really no longer an option. The tea-bagger movement was designed to concretize fear and anger, in reaction to what is needed and beginning to emerge. More will come to light – maybe soon ‘first contact’? In the meantime, watch for more erosion of false beliefs and values, an increase in sensitivity and psychic capacity, as well as more radical issues around water, oil. The Corporati are going to do all they can to maintain and increase control and damage (GMOs, big pharma, etc). It may play out in all directions at once. I’m taking note of the children… some are ‘sheeple’ like their parents, but many are coming in with a level of spiritual evolution far beyond the older generations – they are aware, wise, extremely psychic, motivated, gifted, intelligent. Those not given chemical lobotomies, of course. But the ‘younger elders’ are what give me hope. Anyway, there is an excess of Piscean Neptunian musings for you…

May Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:54:00 GMT

Happy May! We can welcome a new month, after the excessive stellium of six planets in fast, aggressive and competitive Mars-ruled Aries at last month’s new Moon on April 3rd. The Aries brigade was at least restrained a bit by a containing opposition from Saturn in Libra and Mercury retrograde until April 23rd, but that is still an overabundance of ‘ready, fire, aim!’ Aries. May finally reins in most of that galloping stampede – eventually.

Our usually sweet Taurus new Moon in the early hours of May 3rd is pushed by Uranus conjunct Black Moon Lilith (BML), Venus conjunct Mercury, new ‘dwarf planet’ Eris conjunct Jupiter and Mars – all still in Aries. Sheesh! That last trio feels like cowboy outlaw lawlessness, or more likely, ego run amok crying ‘Me! Mine! Bigger! More!’ And they are on the Aries axis. Current and recent political posturing and tantrums by members of Congress come to mind... Saturn and the organized but explosive uranian TNP Zeus still restrain the Aries collective by opposition from Libra. The Sun and Moon shoot for more collective universal awareness and focus with a contact on the 90 degree dial to the Moon’s nodes on the Galactic Center. This universal perspective is helpful, and needed – also on the new Moon dial is Chiron - the centaur’s higher expression assists to bridge from the personal to the transpersonal level, tho can also go all ‘mavericky’ on us, insisting on not being restrained by the rules.

When we consider Uranus, the Great Awakener and the master of breaking down old structures, we can welcome anything that helps us to not take things too personally. Consider that many of us already are feeling immense stress and an uncertain edginess due to the solar flares as well as the effects of the magnetic field moving farther away from the Earth’s physical pole… Uranus is hanging in a pretty volatile and touchy neighborhood on the dial for this new Moon. The powerful giant is with Black Moon Lilith – shadow issues; Psyche – extreme sensitivity and empathy; Ophelia – self-defeating emotional overreaction; Nostalgia – memories; Toro – muscle and bullying; Ornamenta – decoration, gifts given and received; Urania – differences in how people think, and astrology, which we hope will give us insight to be more conscious, and not fall into sudden emotional, defensive overreaction to someone pushing us around that triggers old memories and patterns. Or something like that, anyway.

A major challenge in these times of ever-increasing acceleration and intensification is to not get hijacked or seduced into the speed. We can slow ourselves down, even stand still in presence. Despite everything seeming to the contrary, we often can take our time and not be pushed. People who are not listening to their inner guidance to take a little time out for rest and integration are sometimes getting sick or getting into accidents that force them to take that time out. Please listen to the urge to take a break, will you? Don’t let the seeming urgency so exemplified by the Aries avalanche push you to a breaking point.

Uranus will be in Aries for a few years, Jupiter will be there until June. The rest of the faster moving planets exit the sign to enter steady Taurus in May – Mars on the 11th, then both Mercury and Venus on the 15th, before the full Moon in Scorpio on May 17th. The Moon is always intense during her monthly two and a half day passage through Scorpio, and especially so during the full Moon in Scorpio - please try to avoid having surgery that day, thank you.

After the wild surging of the Aries energy at the new Moon, the willful (and “won’t-ful”) digging-in energies of the full Moon provide an extreme contrast. The Taurus Sun opposing the Scorpio Moon is in a very tight conjunction to the uranian TNP Admetos. Admetos makes Saturn look perky. Admetos is so slow it looks like stagnation, but can have enormous energy of compression, which transforms. Admetos relates to blockages and delays, raw materials, also, to specialization, meditation, and in moving beyond space and time, is potentially interdimensional and shamanic. The extremely distant new ‘dwarf planet’ Sedna, named for the Inuit goddess, is very nearby, calling us to the depths of our psyches as well as the oceans. If you don’t heed the invitation to the depths, the asteroid Eos on that tight Sun-Admetos brings a possibility of misdirected energy, which can be fully loaded as cornered by the Scorpio Moon, and dial hits to Saturn (again) and Mars (again), and Mars conjunct Venus and Mercury is juicy, but possibly argumentative. Many will be stubborn and unmovable, and some may take out their frustrations on safer ‘targets’ than those causing the bottled up frustrations and delays. Instead, just chill, take some quiet time for reflection, and take advantage of the opportunity for insights, awareness and inner guidance.

The way continues to be cleared for new, deepened emergent spiritual consciousness, as we are flooded with light and illumination. Take advantage of the stillpoint within the acceleration, and stay within your own focus, intent and desire, hopefully with activation of your talents and creativity in your chosen path that also helps others. Be heart-centered, in joy, gratitude, compassion, acceptance, and radiant peace. Breathe…. and Be. Many blessings to all…

April Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:37:00 GMT

Happy spring! How lovely to have the hours of light now outnumber the hours of darkness, and warmer temperatures to allow more time outside in nature. It’s a good thing, and a good idea to do just that – take a break, go outside, to the mountains or at least a park, and spend some decompression time just breathing and taking in the nurturing energies of nature and the Sun. A little rest and recharge will help, because April continues the amplification of the energies that have been increasing in intensity for a while now. Big time.

March brought not only the spring equinox, but also the ingress, or entry of Uranus into Aries – on the day of the Japan earthquake, now upgraded to 9.1, the resultant tsunami, and the start of the continuing worsening disaster at the nuclear power plant in Japan. Wow! Aries is ‘ready, fire, aim!’ As I write, eleven days later, Japan continues to have earthquakes of at least 6.0 every day, and the supermoon full Moon on the 19^th isn’t calming things down.

March ends with Mercury beginning its first retrograde cycle for the year, calling for time to reassess, redefine our focus, finish what has been started, along with the frequent communication and technology snafus that Mercury Rx usually also brings. We’ve been in a time of major solar flares, which further activate and amplify all the stress and confusion and technology challenges.

April begins day 1 calling us all fools, as now Mars enters his own fiery sign of Aries to further heat things up, and to quickly conjunct Uranus two days later. That’s a lot like throwing gasoline on a fire… so now we have Mars, Jupiter and Uranus all in Aries – that only happens about every 500 years! Jupiter and Uranus together can be quite innovative and expansive, and indicate significant events in foreign relations, but then adding Mars to the mix increases the likelihood of aggression and violence, and possibly more religious conflicts. The last time these three planets were in Aries was 1595. There was war, some treaties, and the first performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet.’

The chart for the new Moon on April 3^rd is astonishing. The Sun, Moon, and Jupiter are conjunct in Aries, in tight opposition to Saturn Rx conjunct the uranian transneptunian Zeus, which relates to fire, explosions, the military, organizations, inflammation, and squaring the asteroid Siwa, which relates to Asia. There is Japan. On this same axis, on the 90 degree dial we also find Neptune (water, illusion, compassion), Transpluto (usually mute, but nearly always active when major crises happen), Hygeia (issues around health), and the asteroids Odysseus (travel), Industria (hard work), the asteroid Zeus-a (same as the TNP already involved), and Klotho (new beginnings). We also consider what midpoints are activated by an axis, and the list is longer than I want to type out. I will say it includes Mars/Vulcanus, Uranus/Vulcanus, each adding more explosive volatility, and Hades/Apollon, suggesting multiple incidents of breakdown, but also healing possibilities.

There’s more. This day of the new Moon is the day that Mars makes his exact conjunction to Uranus (that is 5, half the traditional planets in Aries, if you are counting) and also Black Moon Lilith, relating to shadow issues, all on the universal Aries/cardinal axis. The events this brings about will have global, collective impact. If this huge casserole of intense planetary beings isn’t mindboggling enough, transformative Pluto, the planet of power and the abuse of it, falls at the midpoint of the two Aries clusters. To add even more of a kick, Pluto is further intensified as the little powerhouse now digs in stationary, preparing to turn Rx on the 9^th, and will remain Rx till the middle of September.

We are already seeing the amplification of the striving for personal freedom (Mars, Jupiter and Uranus in Aries) crashing against the control of established political powers (Saturn in Libra in opposition and the square to Pluto). On the personal level, we must release old patterns and belief systems that are limiting our greater spiritual vision. You may remember reading that here before, and more than once… I know, it isn’t easy. But it’s easier than trying to resist, which is sort of like trying to beat back a tidal wave with a fly swatter.

Then the next day, after Jupiter entered Aries in January and then Uranus entered Aries in March, now on April 4^th, giant, watery Neptune enters its own sign of Pisces, to be there till January, 2026! With an orbit of about 160 years, Neptune was last in Pisces 1847-1861, when there was a spiritualism movement in America, driven by a desire to explore the unseen and unknown. Neptune relates to spirituality, religion, the astral realms, addictions, illusion, glamour (including of the Alice Bailey variety), oceans, oil. At its highest level, Neptune relates to universal compassion. While Neptune in technology-based Uranus brought the era of relationships over the internet and dating sites, well, I don’t know that that will stop, but it will change somehow. Beyond that, we may expect breakthroughs in spiritual healing, including thru music and imagery, a greater sense of compassion and increasing awareness of unity consciousness, but also possibly further increase in religious conflicts and fundamentalism, and issues around oil, as well as concern for the oceans and of water as a resource.

We’ve only gotten as far as April 4^th! On the 6^th, the Sun conjuncts Jupiter, bringing one of the more expansive and upbeat days we’ve had for a while. April 9^th, Pluto turns Rx, and while at a standstill Mars makes an exact square to it on the 11^th. This is a good day to be careful, as tempers and rage may possibly abound, and with Mercury also conjunct Jupiter that day, some will be quite positive and optimistic, but others may go way over the top, knowing no limits and respecting no boundaries.

The full Moon on April 17^th has the uranian transneptunian Apollon (multiples, commerce) tightly conjunct the Moon in social and diplomatic Libra squaring intense and focused Vulcanus. Across the dial is an interesting cluster of asteroids, including Sphinx (questions), Lilith (triangulations, rivalries, rejections), and Eros (sexual energy, hormones and cardio issues) Expect relationship issues to be up, and those on the edge to come to a head at this time. Another cluster on the dial has Aries Mars and Mercury opposing Saturn conjunct Zeus, which can be explosive as people want to blast beyond imposed constraints. Jupiter is at the midpoint of these two clusters, emboldening and encouraging many to extremes, some of which are needed and warranted, and others to be just reckless. Pluto continues to be a player, holding powerful midpoints to Saturn/Uranus (um, that’s a potential earthquake indicator, also revolution), Uranus/Zeus (explosive), Mars/Black Moon Lilith (taking things very personally, projecting, and not seeing or owning one’s own part in it). The dial also brings in Astraea, vision, witnessing, and incomplete resolution, lingering situations, and Orpehus, which relates to sorrow, loss, death, and music, especially music with longing and pathos.

April is an extremely intense month, with much coming to light for purification and transformation. There is ample opportunity for major spiritual growth and awareness. The way is being cleared (while sometime kicking and screaming in resistance) for the new emergent spiritual consciousness. Not all will choose to continue the journey. Those whose soul agreements are complete may choose to move on, and that’s ok. Zen Buddhist teacher Cheri Huber wisely advises to pay attention to everything; don’t believe anything; and don’t take anything personally. Take heart, be mindful, consider and fine-tune your priorities and intent, stay in joy, gratitude, compassion, acceptance, and creativity. There is much to celebrate!

Spring Equinox ‘Special edition’ – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:33:00 GMT

These are extraordinary times, and call for extraordinary measures – including writing a spring equinox ‘special edition’ update! First, a reminder that the planet of chaos and disruption, but also cosmic consciousness, Uranus entered fiery Aries last week on Friday the 11th – the day of the Japan earthquake, one of the worst five earthquakes in history, now upgraded to 9.1, the resultant tsunami, and the start of the continuing worsening disaster at the nuclear power plant in Japan. Wow! There is nothing subtle about that.

I’ve been studying the charts for a while now, reading what some of my astrologer colleagues are writing, and sit here Friday night before the full Moon tomorrow morning, and this window of time is extraordinary.

We are currently in a powerful seismic window until at least March 26, though I’d give it at least through the new Moon on April 3rd, where there is the possibility of more radical Earth shifts and extreme weather patterns. Consider the Pacific rim “ring of fire,” indeed! There have been a series of destructive earthquakes progressing around this Pacific rim recently, starting with the 8.8 quake in Chile on Feb. 27, 2010, and in the more immediate past, the 6.3 quake in Christchurch, New Zealand on Feb. 22, 2011, and now the Japanese 9.1 quake on March 11, 2011. I can’t help but notice those master numbers in those last two dates… and while there has been tragedy, people are showing up in compassion and camaraderie to help each other. If the circular progression continues, North America may be next for a bit of Earth dancing, as she clears, discharges and rebalances energy in her rebirthing process. Many are working to ease the energies, we’re ok.

We may see some activity by the time you read this… This full Moon in the morning is a “supermoon” when the Moon is at her perigee, or closest distance from the Earth. This is the strongest, closest supermoon that we’ve had in about 18-20 years, and the closest we will have until 2016. What I wrote in part at the start of the month:

The full Moon at just under 29 degrees of Virgo falls on Saturday, March 19, at 11:11 am. (more master numbers!) The full Moon is conjunct the asteroids Atlantis, bringing a potential sense of ‘impending doom,’ water disasters, and issues of confidentiality and ethics; Terpsichore, about dance, grace and flexibility, body language; and Nemesis, relating to scapegoating, Achilles heel, seeking to place blame. This complex mix of energies opposes the Sun at the end of Pisces, conjunct Black Moon Lilith, calling for working with the shadow – what do you not see within yourself, that you may repress and then project? The Sun and BML are also conjunct Uranus, so a lot is going to blow open. But even this isn’t all… the opposition makes an exact square to the nodes of the Moon, bringing in emotion (as if the full Moon isn’t enough for that) and impact on the collective level. The south node of the past and karma is conjunct the uranian transneptunian Hades, which squares the full Moon axis to the exact minute. Whew! We are called to break down old structures and belief systems that no longer serve us, and at times we may feel like the ground is eroding away right under our feet. Out in space there are black holes, quasars, and other space phenomena, including several ‘blazers,’ which emit electromagnetic impulses. There is one at 28 Gemini, where Hades is sitting, called the Blazer Machine (no, it isn’t a sewing device) The Moon was at this same degree conjunct the Blazer Machine during 9/11, the Asian tsunami, and the eruption of Krakatoa – hopefully we will not see an event of this destructive magnitude, but do note how powerful this full Moon is…

Then the next day, Sunday, March 20 is the spring equinox, when the Sun enters Aries and conjuncts Uranus at zero degrees, exactly on the universal/Aries axis. Clustered with them on the 90 degree dial are Black Moon Lilith (shadow), Hades (breakdown at the end of cycles, purification or putrification, essential authenticity) and at the square, the Moon’s nodes. For Denver, the ascendant is also on the Aries axis – for Washington, DC, the descendent is 1 degree Aries and the midheaven 1 Cancer, so all the angles are part of this major activation. There is another cardinal cluster here as well – the uranian transneptunian Zeus, Saturn, and the Moon running from 13 to 17 degrees of Libra opposing Jupiter at 12 Aries and Mercury at 18 Aries, opposing watery Neptune across the dial, to add the possibility of water crises, some confusion, but also compassion and awareness. Add powerful Pluto at the midpoint of the two cardinal clusters on the dial, and we can see great transformation, more revolution, including revolution in consciousness. These planetary pictures can manifest in many layers, on many levels. Take the high road to a rocket-boost evolution in consciousness! Though at best, it’s not likely to be very comfortable.

While many consider the winter solstice/Capricorn ingress chart the universal chart for the following year, some consider the spring equinox/Aries ingress to be the significator chart for the year. At the least, it will define the three months until the summer solstice. I would say that we could expect massive change in our country over the next three months, if not over this weekend! Things have been so intense for so long, at least we’ve been in training and know how to roll with it, right?

We don’t get a break then, either… the upcoming new Moon chart for April 3rd promises to be every bit as intense, volatile, magical and powerful, with a cardinal cluster of the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Zeus and Saturn, and another cardinal cluster of now Mars conjunct Uranus and Black Moon Lilith, still with Pluto at the midpoint. Wow! And as we had Uranus enter Aries early this month, the day after the April new Moon, giant watery Neptune will enter its own sign of Pisces. It feels as if the island we’ve been standing on is awakening, and we’re finding ourselves on the back of a giant whale starting to move… or somethin’ like that! Check back at the start of April for more on the Big Events next month.

In the meantime, be aware, take heart, consider and refine your priorities, stay in joy, gratitude, trust, acceptance, and creativity, and have a very blessed full Moon and spring equinox. Now the balance shifts, and for those of us in the northern hemisphere, the light surpasses the dark. That is happening on other important levels, as well… There is much to celebrate!

March Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:32:00 GMT

March brings several notable events… and dare I say yet again, Happy New Year? March 5th is Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist new year. Tashi Delek! Ok, for us in the Mountain time zone, the new Moon at 13 degrees of Pisces falls the day before, on March 4th. The Sun and Moon are joined in watery Pisces by Chiron, Mars, Mercury, Black Moon Lilith, and Uranus – that’s half of the ‘standard planets’ plus a few friends, and if that isn’t enough water for you, we also have a Cancer ascendant for this chart. People might be just a bit on the emotional side, shall we say? And some may be a bit ‘spacious’? Ok, spacey. And idealistic, and feeling their thoughts rather than thinking them. I get an image of a butterfly struggling mightily for its rebirth, emerging from the chrysalis, exhausted and wet, but just about ready to take flight… have you been thinking/feeling/meditating about how you want to emerge into your life for this next evolutionary phase? How to better come into alignment with Who you are, What you were created to be and do, and how to move forward, perhaps drawn forward by the teleology of your Essence’s calling? That would be a better utilization of the energies than just having an emotional meltdown into confusion, don’t you think? We have a major assist here with noble, expansive (and sometimes excessive) Jupiter in warrior Aries sitting proudly on the midheaven, bringing optimism and a bold stepping out into that calling. With Jupiter in a tight square to Pluto in Capricorn, do stay in highest integrity, as being distracted into the use and abuse of power will not be to your highest good… use the power of Pluto to transform and align with Spirit – and we’re back to our butterfly. Sweet!

The quicksilver messenger planet Mercury is the first to fly out of that Pisces stellium into into heroic Aries on March 9th, like a pony express rider bringing the message to pay attention, and get ready! For two days later, Uranus also moves into Aries on March 11th. This is a very big deal. We had a preview of this energy last summer, when Uranus was in Aries from May 27th to August 13th before retrograding back into Pisces – but not until after that extreme intense grand cardinal square in early August. Erratic, explosive cosmic consciousness Uranus in the fiery sign of new beginnings, of ‘ready, fire, aim!’ is already shaking things up, even before it makes its next square to ever-present Pluto. The Uranus-Pluto square is the signature for revolution! You’ve been following the astonishing movement of rolling revolution thru the Arabic countries in the Middle East, yes? Then, also, closer to home, in Wisconsin, where people are standing up and calling for their rights to stand against steamrolling corporate greed. Here and across the ocean, people are starting to stand up to abuse of power, and to break down the corrupt power structures. It won’t be easy, but it’s important. And since Uranus and Pluto make their exact square seven times (!), there will be multiple waves of change. On a deeper level, hopefully we will see a revolution in consciousness as more people wake up and become warriors of spirit and heart. That’s really the point.

Sunday, March 13th, Mercury squares Pluto, so there may be some conflicts of will, but also the opportunity to go deep into a more profound level of understanding – and daylight savings time begins. On a mundane level, watch for obsessive thoughts, secrets, erratic driving and behavior in general.

The following weekend is another intense one. The full Moon at just under 29 degrees of Virgo falls on Saturday, March 19, at 11:11 am (contrary to what my pocketbook astrologer calendar says). The full Moon is conjunct the asteroids Atlantis, bringing a potential sense of ‘impending doom,’ water disasters, and issues of confidentiality and ethics; Terpsichore, about dance, grace and flexibility, body language; and Nemesis, relating to scapegoating, Achilles heel, seeking to place blame. This complex mix of energies opposes the Sun at the end of Pisces, conjunct Black Moon Lilith, calling for working with the shadow – what do you not see within yourself, that you may repress and then project? (note the scapegoating and placing blame elsewhere from Nemesis) The Sun and BML are also conjunct Uranus, so a lot is going to blow open. But even this isn’t all… the opposition makes an exact square to the nodes of the Moon, bringing in emotion (as if the full Moon isn’t enough for that) and impact on the collective level. The south node of the past and karma is conjunct the uranian transneptunian Hades, which squares the full Moon axis to the exact minute. Whew! We are called to break down old structures and belief systems that no longer serve us, and at times we may feel like the ground is eroding away right under our feet. Out in space there are black holes, quasars, and other space phenomena, including several ‘blazers,’ which emit electromagnetic impulses. There is one at 28 Gemini, where Hades is sitting, called the Blazer Machine (no, it isn’t a sewing device) The Moon was at this same degree conjunct the Blazer Machine during 9/11, the Asian tsunami, and the eruption of Krakatoa – hopefully we will not see an event of this destructive magnitude, but do note how powerful this full Moon is…

Then the next day, March 20 is the spring equinox, when the Sun enters Aries and the balance tips to longer days than night, to then conjunct Uranus the following day. Things have been so fast and so intense for so long, and this month will just up the ante even further…

The following weekend we have some sweetness as magnetizing Venus joins dreamy, idealistic (and sometimes deceptive) Neptune on the 26th, then just after midnight enters Pisces, which is a wonderful sign for Venus. Here is a bit more gentleness and idealization. Don’t cross the line from hope and positive thinking into denial and magical thinking, but if you stay grounded enough, you may find spiritual insight, guidance, and inspiration. Then on March 30th, Mercury turns retrograde to begin its first three week term of three Rx phases this year, inviting us to rethink, adjust, realign to set our intent with renewed clarity and focus.

The end of March will likely find us in a different place than where we started from… remember to laugh, to take time to just be, to reflect, to align with and trust spirit…

February Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:30:00 GMT

Happy New Year! Again! After the very frigidly cold transition from January into February, the month starts with a sweet, idealistic trine from Venus to Neptune right before the new Moon in Aquarius, which is also the start of Chinese New Year. Because of time zone differences, the new Moon for us here in Denver is Wednesday, Feb 2 – Happy Ground Hog day, too! (I don’t know if that little critter will see his shadow this year…) In China, the new Moon is Thursday, Feb 3, so that is the beginning of the Year of the “Gold” metal Rabbit. Rabbit years (like rabbit feet?) are considered lucky, generally more peaceful and quiet, when you can catch your breath and finally calm your nerves, giving a bit of a break after the more intense, fast-moving and dramatic Year of the Tiger (2010 intense? Fast-moving? Dramatic? Um, yes.) Will the Year of the Rabbit really be more peaceful and quiet, with more focus on diplomacy (not force), personal development, and family? I’m not going to promise that, but we can hope! Then again, some sources say it may not be quite as lucky, because 2011 will usher in the Wood Rabbit in a Metal Year, and since the metal element tends to work against the wood element, we might expect at least some continued troubles and uncertainties to be carried over from the Tiger Year. But that’s starting to get into territory that’s beyond our scope here. It will be a shorter year for the Chinese zodiac, ending January 22, 2012, with the next new Aquarian Moon. And we’ll get yet another New Year celebration next month on March 5th, which is the Tibetan Buddhist Losar.

So what does the Aquarius new Moon chart look like? The Sun and Moon at just under 14 degrees of Aquarius are less than a half degree from Mars, in our local 6th house of health and service. Focus on efficiency in your work, and please be very mindful of your health. Aquarius is happier floating in the future than being consciously present in their bodies, and while this combination can be very focused and productive, there is also potential for agitation, being accident-prone, and possible inflammation. All this is further amplified by several asteroids within that same tight orb – Zeus (asteroid, not the uranian TNP) - organization, explosive, inflammation; Ophelia – self-defeating emotional overreaction; Poseidon (asteroid) – spiritual, understanding, imagery, light; A-Urania – differences in how people think, and that is the astrology asteroid – it’s a good time to get an astrology reading! These all make a free-flowing trine to Saturn – discipline, limitations, responsibility, conjunct the uranian TNP Zeus – same meaning as the asteroid mentioned. It’s notable that Venus is at 28 degrees of Sagittarius, almost exactly the degree of the Sun at the lunar eclipse on winter solstice in December, so there may be activation off all that eclipse seeded. On the 90 degree dial, this lunation activates Hades - disintegration, purification; Juno – equity of energy exchange in partnerships; Icarus – taking flight; Astraea – sight, witnessing, incomplete resolution; and the Midheaven – public self, reputation. So if this new Moon activates anything in your chart, there is great potential for accomplishment if you don’t lose it, get into long lingering conflicts with others, and get overly emotional. But you wouldn’t, would you?

Over the next three days, Mercury enters visionary Aquarius and Venus enters practical, hard-working Capricorn, then the Sun gets busy and motivated as it conjuncts Mars, Mercury makes an opportunity-making 60-degree sextile to expansive Jupiter, which is nicely balanced by the Sun trining stabilizing Saturn followed by Mars making the same trine to Saturn, and then Venus making a potentially overindulgent square to Jupiter. That’s all in the first week of the month!

Then there is generally smoother sailing until the 9th, when Venus conjuncts Pluto – passion, obsession, possible great success. Valentine’s Day has a sweet, sentimental Cancer Moon, and should be a pleasant enough day. The Sun makes its annual idealistic and potentially confusing conjunction to ethereal and sometimes deceptive Neptune on the 17th just before the full Leo Moon on Friday the 18th. This full Moon is at the last degree of the sign, 29 Leo, just as the December lunar eclipse was at 29 Gemini, hours before winter solstice. These lunations at the last degree urge us to finish up old business to be ready to move on. After a challenging ‘reality-check’ square from Venus to Saturn, the Sun enters Pisces early that evening. For this full Moon, the Sun is conjunct Mars and Neptune in Aquarius, and Chiron at zero Pisces, struggling to assert itself in its idealism, and willing to break a few rules along the way to seeking healing and breakthrough. Choose your ‘civil disobedience’ wisely, with the integrity to have respect for others’ right to be as well as your own. With a bit of redundancy, which astrology often is prone to, on the dial, again Zeus and Ophelia are activated, adding to the possibility that situations may be made more complex because of over-reaction to anger or to the demand to stay focused and accomplish something! So, you are forewarned not to go off the deep end and do something counterproductive and mildly self-destructive, which can happen in situations where someone has had to grit their teeth for too long… some of this activation may carry over to Sunday, when Mercury conjuncts Mars – agitation - then Neptune – confusion, potential deception, then Mars conjuncts Neptune, which can bring in some idealism, but also more possible confusion and exhaustion. Over the next couple days, both Mercury and Mars enter Pisces, which is Neptune’s sign, and tensions may dissipate and chill out a bit.

The last busy day for the month is Friday, Feb 25th, when Mercury conjuncts the Sun, then sextiles Pluto, Jupiter squares Pluto, then the Sun sextiles Pluto. There is a lot of powerful positive potential along with some power plays. (I did not mean that to be so alliterative!) But someone might win the lottery with that lineup.

Generally, February is actually more peaceful than most previous months, with some pretty sparky phases. Stay warm, be peaceful, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

January Astrology Highlights – “Dancing with the Stars”

Janis Page — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:28:00 GMT

Happy New Year! And oh lordy, what a year this is going to be… first, a brief 2010 nutshell summary “rantrospective” – 2010 was the year we were called to remember who we are, and why we are here… part of that has been dealing with and releasing old conditioning and habituation, including Old Issues and old family patterns. The year was one of ever-increasing intensity, and ended with a rollicking December with out-of-bounds planets to help us move beyond “expected behavioral and belief parameters” and with an extremely powerful total lunar eclipse hours before the winter Solstice. Did you see that incredibly beautiful, poignant Moon, red in her eclipse light? While riding these cosmic rockets, you took the opportunity to contemplate where you are in your life, and what seeds of intention you want to put in place from here on, right?

A quick glance at this new year thru my handy-dandy 2011 pocket astrologer calendar has me a little mind-blown, shall we say? For one thing, this year will have *4* solar eclipses instead of the usual standard-issue two, and as the Moon’s nodes move out of security-oriented Cancer-Capricorn into information and communication minded Gemini-Sagittarius, eclipse triggers will subsequently be more along those lines. Also, we might expect the retrograde phases of Mercury, as the ruling planet of Gemini, to take on a more dominant role in our evolution and awareness. In 2010, the Mercury Rx periods were all in practical earth signs, asking us to slow down and get grounded. This year, the three Mercury Rx phases are in fire signs, calling for us to bring creative enthusiasm, spiritual inspiration and passion into our endeavors.

Also, this year major activation planets Jupiter and Uranus move out of sensitive Pisces into action-packed, impulsive Aries. Jupiter enters Aries on January 22 then actually flashes through Aries in a mere five months and enters Taurus in June! The other major planetary change this year is giant watery Neptune leaving Aquarius to enter his own sign of Pisces in April, then retrogrades back into Aquarius for a final fling for the remainder of the year. The “mutual reception” between Uranus in Pisces, Neptune’s sign, and Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus’ sign, will come apart when Uranus enters Aries in March, after being with us and supporting our spiritual evolution for many years now.

What does all this mean? Simply put, 2011 is going to find the energies and changes moving even faster than 2010. Get centered and clear, and ready to fly! There is new freedom and fluidity in all this. I’m reminded of the saying by the Tibetan Buddhist, Chogyam Trungpa… “The bad news is that you are free-floating through space without a parachute. The good news is that there is no ground.”

The big event in January is the solar eclipse new Moon at 13 degrees of Capricorn in the early hours of January 4th. This is the paired eclipse with the lunar eclipse on Dec 21, so we start the year within the container of volatile eclipse energies. This solar eclipse is not visible here, nor is it on the local ascendant like the lunar eclipse was, but it sure has its power, as it squares disciplinarian Saturn conjunct explosive uranian transneptunian Zeus, calling for us to act responsibly and decisively with integrity, and in accordance with our work, or our calling. But also, the eclipse is very tightly conjunct the asteroid Eros, bringing in sexual energy, and on the 90 degree dial also activating Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius, Venus in Scorpio, and uranian transneptunian Admetos. I like to say that Admetos makes Saturn look perky… so adding in these energies, the eclipse calls us to deepen in our creative lifeforce and sexual energies, idealism and transition, and to go deeply within it all. Remember the integrity part! If you know your chart, see what house 13 Capricorn falls in to see what area of your life is predominantly impacted. But that’s not all that happens on that day… in addition to the solar eclipse, Jan 4th also holds an exact conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus at 27 Pisces, with the eclipse-activated Venus making an exact flowing 120 degree trine to the pair of planetary giants and a square to also activated Neptune-Chiron bringing magic, expansion, idealism insight – also possible excess and indulgence, and a possible feeling of being an exception to the rules. Oh, have fun. Just remember you will also be held responsible for consequences if you go toooo far over the line….

The full Moon is Jan 19th at 29 Cancer opposing the Sun at Capricorn, quite close to the solar eclipse last year on January 14th at 25 degrees, so there may be some residual activation of the energies of a year ago. At this last 29th degree, there is a sense of urgency, asking what must be finished? And it isn’t just the Sun and Moon at 29 degrees for the full Moon. Also at the last degree are Jupiter at 29 Pisces, with a trine to the Moon and sextile of opportunity to the Sun for friendly expansion, and uranian transneptunian Hades at 29 Gemini, squaring Jupiter, reminding us of accountability, and bringing in an energy of disintegration of the past as well as a call to authenticity. Substance, not packaging! On the dial, this full Moon also activates Pluto, further demanding we stay in integrity and aligned to spirit – that means stay flexible and aware, and don’t abuse power – and adding to that, the uranian transneptunian Kronos, relating to power and authority. We may see some changes at high levels…

So, 2010 was a year of increasing intensification, and 2011 continues with that energy and kicks it up (a lot) further. The universe smiles sweetly and demands that we evolve. Are you one of the many with angel footprints on your butt? If so, turn the other cheek, remember you can ask for help whenever you need it, jump in, and get to work! Blessings to all…