About.com Astrology

Sun in Sagittarius

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:04:16 +0000

In the darkest time of the year, the Sun is in the sparking sign of Sagittarius. It's a month of looking for the light within, as the solar light wanes through to Winter Solstice (Dec. 21st). When that warms us up from within, we re-discover our own natural optimism. It's a time for finding faith in the darkness....

Sun in Sagittarius brings:

The rhythm of being in-motion that gets you moving!
A social curiosity that makes it easier to mingle at the holidays.
The impulse to learn, travel, experience....a time to dream of future plans.
Startling, bold communication that wakes you up!
The restless desire to experience life, firsthand.
The awareness of "signs" like serendipity, that show you you're where you're meant to be.

The Sun in Sagittarius gives us a solar dose of real optimism. Not from being in denial, but from knowing that despite how bad things look, things always evolve. You never know who you're going to meet, or how an experience will change you. It's knowing that there's some kind of divine hand, guiding you forward on the path.

Ultra.F/Getty Images

Sun in Sagittarius originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 10:04:16.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Neptune and the Immune System

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:08:41 +0000

Since it appears that something wicked this way comes that could affect our health, it's wise to boost the immune system as much as possible. Some countries, like Serbia are turning to garlic as a tried and true "folk remedy," and Moldova is giving out extra cloves to their soldiers. In his article on Star IQ called Your Health and Neptune, herbalist and astrologer Jonathan Keyes has other natural remedies to try.

Neptune in medical astrology is linked to the immune system, which is the lymph glands and vessels that help us fight off disease. And there's a guide in that, says Jonathan, that faith (Neptune) and healing go together. Besides immune boosting herbs like echinachea, astralgus and reishi mushroom, Keyes recommends things like:

meditation and prayer
taking a break from the mundane...and escape to the sublime (watch the clouds?)
essential oils or just comforting kitchen aromas
rediscover the wonder found in nature

Keyes says that Neptunian types, being more sensitive to toxins in the environment, need to take special care. You're strongly influenced by Neptune, he says, if you've got planets in Pisces, many planets in the Twelfth House, Neptune on one of the angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th or 10th), or if Neptune is part of a planetary aspect in your chart.

For sensitive Neptunian types, writes Keyes, "When our immune system is strong, we feel healthy and vibrant and can live in the world without being overwhelmed and overpowered. When our immune system is low, we feel run down and wilted like an old flower." In the second part of Your Health and Neptune, he has excellent nutritional and lifestyle suggestions, like drinking lots of the purest water available. Having a Berkey Water Filter has made me want to drink more water, because it doesn't taste all chemical-ly.

Many of Keyes suggestions are back-to-basics. They're a reminder that if our bodies get nutrients (in real food) and sleep, that our immune system can do the rest. And that as Keyes says, "faith can move mountains" when we're trying to stay healthy.

Allistair Berg/Getty Images

Neptune and the Immune System originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 11:08:41.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Flashmob: Mass Joy

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:49:00 +0000

There was a joyful flashmob in Cork, Ireland last weekend to the happy Aquarian tune of "Mr. Blue Sky." The idea of the flashmob is very Aquarian to me. It's coordinated via texting and emails, and involves a spontaneous-feeling outburst in a public place. Sometimes, it's for a cause, but mostly, it's to dance en masse for the sheer fun and randomness of it.

"Hey you with the pretty face....welcome to the human race," sings the Electric Light Orchestra. The Cork flashmob chose this 70s techno-style song, from a band that first peaked when Jupiter was in Aquarius in 1974. The flashmob transforms the usual anonymity of the crowd into smiling, excited people doing something unusual together. You could see Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius here, in a joyful shared act that dissolves the usual social barriers. And that's a good thing!

Click here to watch the flashmob in Cork, which was a benefit for the arts.

Michael Jackson flashmob, Berlin/Getty Images

Flashmob: Mass Joy originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 13:49:00.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Venus square Mars: Outbursts

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:26:14 +0000

What holds you back from Doing What You Love? Mars in Leo through the year is stirring passions, including buried ones. It's inciting us to be big and step into the spotlight. Today Mars in Leo is in a tense square to Venus in Scorpio.

This square can lead to outbursts of frustration that come from a burning desire to live our creative dreams. Venus in Scorpio keeps us close to the roots of the psyche. So when it's triggered with the square, there's raw emotion released that can free us up.

This cosmic weather may lead to:

Looking at how debts keep you from following your heart.
The purging of toxic patterns in relationships that make you feel a loss of self-respect.
Releasing yourself from the bondage of adult stress, to get back to a healthy playful attitude.
Purging negativity so you can shine in your unique way.

Today's tensions may lead to edgy encounters, where people feel rage at being disrespected. If it's in a relationship, that anger can be a red flag that you're not living up to your own standards. The anger can be a motivator that propels you out of your personal swamps, and gets you moving. Seen in that way, the Venus square Mars aspect today can be an antidote to apathy. It may open old wounds that have yet to be transformed into your personal masterpiece.

Stockbyte/Getty Images

Venus square Mars: Outbursts originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 10:26:14.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Staying Hopeful

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:15:09 +0000

These first days emerging from the New Moon can be a vulnerable time. During those first steps out of the big empty of the Void, anything can happen. After the Scorpio New Moon, so much is being dislodged, dragged into the open. It's happening to each of us personally, and to society too. You may sense the inner transformation that's underway, but have a lot of fear about where it's taking you (and us). It's a time to have faith and keep encouraging yourself.

With Saturn square Pluto, we're having our faces rubbed in the roots of what's making us sick. It has to do with the state of our food body, the environment, down to the essentials (air, water, soil). And it concerns external powers that threaten or attempt to control, like security tyranny and anything marked "mandatory." From now until uprising Uranus arrives in 2010, we may feel a tightening of the grip on society that's disturbing to freedom-loving people.

This square also escalates the pressure in our "hard" relationships. It brings out the compulsions we have with those toughest teachers in our lives. This kind of Pluto aspect can be searing, and hopeless, like there's no way out. It also brings up the fear of what has to be done, since it it's often nothing short of personal or societal revolution. It's not easy to take the long view, and see all this change as necessary when it's so painful. But Pluto, as the "debt collector" is bringing lessons about the limits of Earth, and the need to live harmoniously and sustainably. It's finding true power in the ability to evolve by dying to who we've been, and emerging as a new creation.

When faced with change and letting go on this scale, we often seek refuge in the familiar. But the Moon is in naturally optimistic Sagittarius all day. If you get lost in the negativity loop, try to occupy your mind with inspiring thoughts. A Sadge Moon friend often says, "How curious....," and we might say, "How curious to be alive at such a time in history." It's a good day to pull back the lens and be filled with wonder about living through this epic turning point. Faith-ful Sagittarius fills us with the sense that we're where we're meant to be. It gives us the courage to see the bright spots on the horizon, so we can keep moving forward.

Jim Arbogast/Getty Images

Staying Hopeful originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 10:15:09.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Mercury in Sagittarius

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:26:24 +0000

The messenger Mercury is in Sagittarius now through December 6th, and that makes for alert, seeking minds. Mercury in this mutable fire sign leads to active synthesis, where answers come spontaneously, in a fusion that just makes sense. Everyday exchanges can seem more dynamic, like they're creating forward momentum.

It leads to conversations that...

feel like traveling
open doors of the mind
awaken optimism about the future
cover a lot of ground
connect dots of the bigger picture

Mercury in Sagittarius sharpens our ability to take seemingly disparate facts, and discern the truth. As we enter the collective unveiling of what's been hidden, this Mercury helps us put a positive spin on what's revealed. Like that the truth will set us free!

Getty Images

Mercury in Sagittarius originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 10:26:24.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Leonid Light Show Tonight!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:06:47 +0000

The annual Leonid meteor shower will be very visible this year, since it coincides with the dark Moon. And anytime from dark to dawn is a good time to watch. Much of Asia will get the most shooting stars per hour, but North America should also get a spectacular show. Check NASA's handy Leonid Fluxtimator to figure when it peaks in your location.

The Leonid shower appears to come out of a radiant point in the constellation Leo, and thus the name. Mars is in Leo now, and so, writes Bill Cooke of NASA, "A remarkable feature of this year's shower is that Leonids will appear to be shooting almost directly out of the planet Mars."

Some Tips for Watching the Show:

Get away from street and house lights for better viewing.
Watch in a reclined position (to avoid neck strain), or laying on a blanket on the ground.
Relax your eyes and keep a loose gaze on the entire sky.
Enjoy some warm beverages and be sure to bundle up.

Getty Images

Leonid Light Show Tonight! originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 11:06:47.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Deep in the Dark

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:42:22 +0000

Today's New Moon in Scorpio gives you eyes to see in the dark. It sharpens your intuitive radar, so you can penetrate to the heart of any issue. It's a powerful day for turning inward and listening through:

divination: Tarot, runes, dreamwork
journaling
shamanic journeying
deep healing session with a practitioner
settling your mind to receive visions

Look on your birth chart, to find the house where Scorpio is on the cusp, to see what life areas are being regenerated. This kind of change is deep and thorough, since it goes to the psychic roots. It may just start now with a powerful brew of images and feelings. In the dark of the New Moon, it's often not something to be figured out, but a mystery to be revealed in its own time.

Photodisc/Getty Images

Deep in the Dark originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 08:42:22.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

2012 and Synchronicity

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:17:46 +0000

It's a standout day astrologically, with Saturn squaring Pluto. This bears down on us to stay on the one-way path to societal restructuring. It accelerates the huge re-balancing already underway around us. And just when we're knocked off kilter, there's a Sun square Neptune to fog up our glasses. It makes us vulnerable to taking illusions as real, especially ones that play on our primal fears of survival. But when duplicity (and conflicts of interest) are the norm in our leaders and talking heads, how do we know what's real and what's false?

For the past few months, I've been hearing the phrase, "ye shall know them by their fruits." And then I had the synchronicity of reading this in one of James Gilliland's emails. He writes, "There are some very twisted and devious plans afoot where those you believe are your friends, protectors and servants of humanity etc. will be revealed as opposites. By their fruits they will be made known. It is time to walk the talk, stand tall for what is truth and in alignment with living in harmony with humanity and the Earth and what separates, divides creates disharmony and harm to humanity and the earth. Look with brutal honesty at your words, your actions, the fruits that they bare. Go within and ask what you need to do and where you need to be."

With Saturn squaring Pluto, the screws tighten on the choices we make as uniters or dividers. And it's likely to expose those whose words don't match their deeds. That's a good thing, right? I'm ready to see us emerge out of the dark clouds of institutionalized lying.

Besides knowing them by their fruits, we can also look to synchronicity. In this cool video on2012, Daniel Pinchbeck -- the 2012 guy that John Cusack mentioned -- says it's happening more because the psychic and the physical are becoming more permeable. I remember reading that the Mayans lived with synchronicity 24-7, which gave them a very different perception of time. Are you noticing more synchronicity, like "synch-winks" that tell you something is going on? It's fascinating to think we're changing, and that moments of synchronicity are mysterious but real signs that we're actively engaged in the creation of our world.

Photographer's Choice/Getty Images

2012 and Synchronicity originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 10:17:46.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Saturn Square Pluto: Integrity is Power

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:14:13 +0000

This is a most expectant time, heading into the dramatic Saturn square Pluto and dark Moon. The pressure is sure to intensify, pressing us to live our lives with more authenticity and honesty. It's a demand that we raise our standards, and set our sights on what we know we're capable of. And to dig deep for our ancient encoded memory of what being in balance with the Earth really means.

There may be secrets forced out of the shadows that dare us to reclaim our authority over our own lives. It's about not being able to be silent any longer, and being provoked to act on your moral conscience. It may mean confronting those that abuse power and have destructive plans. Or being brutally honest with yourself about your own motives.

It's finding the inner strength to overcome what seem like impossible uphill challenges. And remembering that each of us --under natural law -- has the authority to bring our world into balance. Saturn is square Pluto (the 15th) exact at 10:20 am EST.

Earth Goddess/Getty Images

Saturn Square Pluto: Integrity is Power originally appeared on About.com Astrology on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 20:14:13.

Permalink | Comment | Email this