Here comes the super duper Solar Eclipse that we've all been talking about. A Solar Eclipse is just one gigantic New Moon, on steroids. It's super-charged. So what does a super-charged New Moon on steroids signify?
August, 2017 Monthly Horoscope
Each month my horoscope below is featured in the Haida Gwaii Trader Magazine:
ARIES
In order to lighten up your load this month, dearest Aries, it requires some energy on your part. What can you do to complete some tasks that you have been avoiding or have been too busy to tackle? Spend some time clicking off your growing to do list so that you feel assured that there’s now room for new experiences to come in.
Key Words: Guide, Strive, Discover
TAURUS
Your unique ability to see the glass half full is coming in alignment this month, dearest Taurus. You are being allowed the opportunity to create new experiences and shine a light on them. You will still need to find yourself some quality alone time in order to feel the vision that is trying to move through you. But this is a time to do anything that truly brings peace and joy to you and others.
Key Words: Forge, Invent, Initiate
GEMINI
When you slow down your thought processes and allow yourself time to just be, instead of do, go and see, you may find that miraculously, things fall right into place. Dearest Gemini, even though this is not your true nature to stop everything, I’m asking you to practice it anyway. It’s amazing what can happen when you stop over-thinking a problem and allow it to just fix itself.
Key Words: Deliberate, Quiet, Ponder
CANCER
The awareness you are feeling, dearest Cancer, is in direct proportion to the internal work you’ve done on yourself. You have an opportunity now to challenge yourself to open-mindedness, no matter what issues are present. Stay curious and look for the synchronicities of abundance. Networking with like-minded people is the pathway to discover your compass forward.
Key Words: Receptive, Perceptive, Progressive
LEO
Of course August is the month that you shine, dearest Leo. And shine bright you do! Your crystal clear focus can guide you on amazing experiences as well as pinpoint what you value and what is your truth. Just remember that in order to stay happy this month, it’s important to share your time with friends and family so that your wins have deeper meaning.
Key Words: Accomplishment, Triumph, Gold
VIRGO
Contemplate what it means to you, dearest Virgo, to live your ultimate self. What attributes do you possess that allow you the space to be seen and heard? Now is the perfect time to consider all avenues that bring you the success that is rightfully yours.
Key Words: Percolate, Aspire, Envision
LIBRA
Whatever is showing up as fact now is directly linked to your intentions and purpose from the past. Dearest Libra, what goals do you have for yourself and what are your plans for fulfilling them? What is happening in the here and now, and is it working for you or not? Please know that there are always opportunities to change your mind. All you need is the desire and the awareness.
Key Words: Shift, Modify, Aim
SCORPIO
You are bursting at the seams when it relates to your core mission in life. If your career happens to be your mission, dearest Scorpio, then you are one of the lucky ones. You may be experiencing an increase in your productivity, an increase in your stellar reputation or an increase in your passionate purpose. If your mission is separate from your career, then speak out for whatever you hold near and dear to your heart.
Key Words: Vocation, Progress, Life Work
SAGITTARIUS
There’s lots of fiery energy circling around you this month, dearest Sagittarius. Travel plans, gathering opinions to determine the best course of action and becoming an expert in your field are all worth pursuing now. This is the month that has the capacity to wake you up to the new successes in your life. Go with the flow, knowing that you are rounding the corner to your calling in life.
Key Words: Navigation, Cruising, Wanderlust
CAPRICORN
This month, dearest Capricorn, is a time of deep reflection. It may be challenging to control the situation at hand. Better to just let it play out however it’s going to go. If you try to dominate any particular behavior, you may find that you make it harder than it needs to be. Trust that it will all work out in the wash.
Key Words: Relinquish, Potential, Illumination
AQUARIUS
You are in the middle of the dilemma of self versus others, dearest Aquarius. How do you stay true to yourself while socializing with others? How do you help out the less fortunate while still promoting your own freedom and individuality? These are the questions to answer for this month.
Key Words: Compromise, Adaptation, Share
PISCES
Do you want to know how to reserve time in your days to accomplish your dreams? This is the month, dearest Pisces, to put the pedal to the metal and finish up things on your list. Don’t have a list? Then make one, and start checking off your completions. This will free up your time and energy, in order to devote it to the dreams of your future.
Key Words: Imagination, Endeavor, Prevail
Leo Season
I feel like roaring, don't you?
It's Leo season and in the northern hemisphere we are peaking at summertime. It can be so hot that for part of the day, all we want to do is nap and regenerate.
This is the Lion way, napping at the heat of the day and hunting at nightfall.
Leo's have that feeling of gravitational pull. They are ruled by the Sun which has a huge force of gravity. They have charisma, magnetism and creative energy. And they do have a flair for the dramatic, the drama queen personality and their love of the performing arts.
Leo's need your approval when they are doing a job well done but they do not need false compliments. If you want to keep a Leo as your friend, show them your love and devotion when it's meaningful to you. Do not take them for granted or ignore their shining being. And realize that it can be challenging to see Leo's for who they are and how they are feeling. This is because it is impossible to look directly into the Sun that rules this sign, so we typically believe that Leo's are doing just fine when maybe they aren't.
Leo's are the dignified King or Queen archetype. Imagine if Queen Elizabeth of England were to enter your room right now. She wouldn't do it with pomp and circumstance, she would do it with nobility and grace. This is the heart of Leo.
Leo Sun signs have got a bad rap too. We ponder their excessive egotism, and the fact that they can believe that the entire world revolves around them. This is the shadow of Leo and of course, there are some Leo's like this.
When it really comes down to it, Leo's are just fun to be around. Delightful, engaging, talented and enthusiastic. Go to a dinner party and you might just find yourself drawn to someone with a fair bit of Leo in their chart. It's easy to get caught in all that gravity that Leo's exude.
Leo's love pleasure. But what sort of pleasure? Find out what house position the sign of Leo is in your birth chart to determine what's your pleasure!
Leo Season can teach us a lot about life. They are hard working, determined, creative, self confident and self reliant. All traits that assist the world to become a better place. In the company of a Leo, Life is meaningful and fun.
Leo's are also very focused on succeeding in life so don't get in between a Leo and their goals. Unless you want to get roared at.
Triple Fire Girl
In our family of three, all we have to say is "Triple Fire" and we all know what, or who, we are talking about; our daughter Chani.
The Sun, the Moon and the Ascendent, (or Rising Sign) are the three major ingredients in the recipe of the individual. Of course there are other ingredients to consider: the rest of the planets, the twelve signs, the twelve house positions, the north and south nodes of the Moon, all the aspects between the planets and points and a million other configurations.
But the Sun, Moon and Ascendent is a good place to start.
In Chani's case, her Sun is in Leo. A fire sign. Huge gravitational pull happens here. When she is ON, there is no stopping her.
In her highest good, she's delightful, creative, funny, engaging and her internal light is shining bright. It's almost blinding. You can practically see the charisma seeping out of her pores. This is who she needs to be to stay sane.
Leo's need to feel your applause and appreciation when they deserve it or they will act out in order to get it. But giving them applause when they believe they do not deserve it will leave them feeling empty. They know the difference between a job well done and a job that falls short. Do not give praise to a Leo unless you truly mean it.
A Leo Sun in it's shadow lives this sentence: It's all about me! Whether it is or not. No matter how much energy you devote to a Leo living in their shadow, they will always expect more.
Since Leo is ruled by the Sun, there are some factors to consider. The Sun is so bright that you can not look directly at it, or it will blind you. Because of this, most other people think that a Leo Sun sign person is always happy. They are coming across as engaging and connected, so what could possibly be wrong? There in lies the problem. Since you can not directly look at this Sun, we make assumptions that a Leo person is "just fine" when in fact, they might not be. We just can't see it clearly. So try not to assume.
Chani also has a Leo Ascendent. More fire. The Ascendent is how others see you. Many people have an Ascendent that is in a different sign from their sun sign.
You may be a Libra but your Ascendent is in Aries. Others would perceive you as assertive, action oriented and overly passionate. They may see you as a bit selfish, or always wanting your own way. But as a Libra, you have come here to be in relationship with others and learn how to compromise and trust. This becomes harder when you are viewed as an Aries warrior.
Chani can not hide behind her Ascendent like the rest of us, because her Sun sign and her Ascendent are both in Leo. What you see is what you get with her and what you see is who she actually is. This can be challenging for her as there is nowhere to hide or escape, to present a different persona then what she is. In some ways I really appreciate this about her as her parent. As long as our communication stays open, I know exactly where she stands.
Chani's Moon sign is in Sagittarius, the third fire sign that completes her triple fire. The Moon is our heart and soul, our feelings and mood and when we do our Moon well, we are happy.
Sagittarius is enthusiastic, adventurous, outspoken and dynamic. Their optimism is contagious and their honesty is legendary. They typically live ten lifetimes of experience in one lifetime on earth.
Fire Signs are spontaneous, inspired, passionate and excitable. They can be impulsive and intuitive. They act like fire; when lit, they usually take off. They burn hot and when you add fuel to the fire, watch out! They are hot blooded, and they strive for success no matter how insurmountable it is. They act on the spur of the moment and sometimes they forget about the possible consequences of this.
In Chani's case, she has lived with dyslexia her entire life and her learning style has never really meshed with the public school system or University setting. But this has never permanently stopped her from trying her best to succeed anyway.
In this case, thank you triple fire!
She recently graduated in Melbourne, Australia with a duel Master's Degree in Teaching K-12, Primary and Secondary Teaching.
Living in Australia for going on seven years now, away from her family is such a Sagittarius Moon adventurous thing to do.
Being a Secondary art teacher and a Primary school teacher is such a Leo Sun and Ascendent thing to do; it's very creative and she's performing in front of the classroom audience.
Completing a Master's Degree with dyslexia is such a triple fire thing to do; It is determined, energetic and strives to complete the most challenging task no matter what the cost.
I thank my lucky stars everyday that I got the job of raising a triple fire sign girl. She has required a lot of my time and energy in order to physically, mentally and emotionally support her dreams and aspirations, but I willingly signed up for this and I'm so grateful that I did.
July, 2017 Monthly Horoscope
Aries
Even though, dearest Aries, you might feel like a bit of a homebody this month, take care to thoroughly enjoy what you are doing. Work in the garden, paint the shed or develop a new recipe and cook it for your family and friends. Creativity is the key to your happiness this month.
Key Words: Imagination, Inspiration, Inventiveness
Taurus
What unique passions await you once you get quiet enough to hear them? Summer is typically a time of increased activity, but for you dearest Taurus, this month asks you to slow down just a bit and smell the roses. This allows you the opportunity to see the path ahead, clearly and distinctly.
Key Words: Internal, At Ease, Balance
Gemini
Although you are the royalty of multitasking, I’m going to ask you to do it with the deepest intentions this month, dearest Gemini. Think passionately about what you are trying to accomplish, and then go for it. Flailing about without knowing your purposeful path only wastes energy that could be focused and directed precisely to your intended target. Hit your bull’s eye!
Key Words: Aim, Spotlight, Unwind
Cancer
Your past is coming to highlight the balance between home and family and career pursuits. What is so important to you, dearest Cancer, that you cannot stop thinking about it? And what people can help you realize this dream? It’s important to allow your confidants to support you when you need it and not try to do 100% of it yourself.
Key Words: Initiative, Dynamic, Spunk
Leo
You might feel like you are going it alone, this month dearest Leo. But know that you have emotional support whenever you need it. It’s the month of endings followed by surprising beginnings. Don’t despair. You have a chance to create and expand on something that is bigger and brighter then you could even have imagined. Be okay not knowing what that is and just embrace where you are now. Stay thankful.
Key Words: Oneness, Individuality, Expansive
Virgo
Let the harvest begin. It’s time to realize, dearest Virgo, that what you are currently dealing with is the accumulation of the energy you have put into your past experiences and relationships. If everything feels easy and free, then replant those same seeds for a future harvest. If not, re-evaluate the direction to go, and you will reshape your life for the future. Key Words: Unfolding, Gather, Destination
Libra
Wow, talk about expansive and motivating energy this month, dearest Libra. For someone who can be indecisive, this is not the month for that. You are shining brightly out in the public eye and you have a lot of brilliant ideas and opinions. Take this power and use it for your good and the good of others. Your vitality may feel like it’s at an all time high. Enjoy it for what it is. Key Words: Intensity, Ambition, Pizzazz
Scorpio
If possible, dearest Scorpio, try and find the time and resources to step outside your box. Discover other cultural experiences; be it the new Vietnamese restaurant down the street or travel to a different country. It’s important now to not get caught up in believing everything you think. Instead, stay open-minded to the possibility that you can still learn something surprising that you were not expecting to see or feel.
Key Words: Realize, Understand, Visualize
Sagittarius
Sometimes, dearest Sagittarius, we are just now ready to see some issues that we have not had enough time to address or not been ready to look at. Now is that time for you. Although it is not always the easiest thing to do, it can be the greatest fulfilling experience as it frees you up for future beautiful times. Let yourself witness the healing within you that may occur this month, when you process a challenging issue. With your intention, replace it with a passionate purpose for your future.
Key Words: Clean House, Fierceness, Strength
Capricorn
There is no way around the fact that this month you need advice and guidance from others. One of your archetypes, dearest Capricorn, is the hermit. You typically need the down time to recover and process in your life. But not this month. To flourish and evolve, this month it takes a village. It’s not weakness to ask for help, it’s actually strength. To know that you don’t have to go it alone will allow you to complete your daily missions. And we know you like to do that. Key Words: Compromise, Consideration, Agree
Aquarius
Finding your “right” work is important now dearest Aquarius, whether you volunteer at a local shelter, have a high-powered job or mentor young people. As long as you feel that you are doing meaningful work, this is all that matters. It doesn’t have to be attached to your career but it can be. Just realize that if “right” work is something that you feel you are lacking, now is the perfect time to change it.
Key Words: Relevant, Worthwhile, Useful
Pisces
What feels right for you this month, dearest Pisces, is creating something from nothing. Maybe this looks like art, maybe it’s taking a new class, or maybe you’ve finally realized that your opinion matters and you are going to be who you are, without apologizing for it. Whatever direction this takes, just know that now is your time to embrace the life you came here to live.
Key Words: Humor, Ecstasy, Frolic
My Connection To This Place
My time is almost up here, for this Alaska salmon season, 2017.
Last week I drove "out the road" for a dinner picnic on a non-rainy day, since we have not had many of those. It is so gorgeous out there and it's where I always seem to find Moose. Last time I went there, I had 2 Moose jump right next to my car, then scramble and gallop back into the woods.
That night I was discussing with my friend why we keep coming back to this place, Cordova, Alaska, year after year and what it means to us.
My natal planet Venus, the planet of love and connection, beauty and what you value, is in the sign of Cancer, the sign of the home and family, sensitivity and compassionate caring. This Venus in Cancer sits in my 11th house, the house of your community, your aspirations and goals, your hopes and dreams and your tribe.
If you put these all together, with my Taurus Sun that loves nature, trees, the ocean, animals, flowers, rivers and mountains, to name but a few, in the 10th House of mission in life and career, you can see why I would be drawn to this place.
One of the unique aspects about coming here is the connection I feel with every other person that's here. It's because no matter what job we do, we all fall under the umbrella of "Fish."
Whether you work on a boat, in the marine store, at the bank or you are a handful of Copper River Net Menders such as myself, we are all connected together.
That's why I feel the love of this place so strongly; (Venus in Cancer in the 11th house)
I have lived in a small town and valley for well over 30+ years and Winthrop, Washington has connective-ness too. It's just different. It connects based on recreation and tourism, which has grown a lot over the years while still keeping its small town feel.
So I understand what benefits these connections provide.
But there is just something about this place that pulls on my heart strings a bit. Even though in the past 5 years that I've been back, this year was by far the most challenging.
A cold and blustery day
First off, coming here after 2 separate knee replacement surgeries last fall and winter has been difficult and humbling to say the least; but I made it work anyway. The scary part was the first 2 weeks of walking down the ramp at low tide. It's so much better now. And mending was never the issue, it was the walking.
Secondly, working in the wind and rain almost every single net job pressed my endurance level to the max but I still managed to appreciate my job out there and be happy doing it. Of the 5 seasons I've been back, this was by far the rainiest. I know the locals will tell you that this year it was just normal rainfall and the previous 4 seasons were unusually sunny. If I had an inside job, it would be a non-issue, but I don't.
And thirdly, the salmon season started off slow and continued so. We lost a longtime fisherman to the sea, a boat capsized and a local family lost a son on shore. Fishermen were allotted minimal time to fish and this season many gill-net boats left town to fish across Prince William Sound so it kinda feels a bit empty without the fleet nearby.
Dinner view
This job is like an addiction to me and I always want to do it whenever I get the chance. It's meditative, it keeps me in the present moment. It challenges me to make decisions on the spot and be responsible to the consequences of those decisions. It highlights something I'm good at, that I'm fast at. I get to work with my hands, it's like knitting, only dirtier.
It allows me to listen to the bald eagles chirping overhead, the seagulls calling and I can hang out with any podcast, book on tape, Steven Forrest talk, playlist for the season or just the activities on the dock. It's silent and it's social all rolled up into one. Many times I wish it wasn't seasonal because I would love to do it for more months than I do.
With all these challenges of this season, I still feel drawn to this place, even as I exit early in a couple short days. I'm grateful for a friend's open arms to let me stay with her and I have enjoyed getting to know my new roommate. Overall, even though the season was hard for all of us, we learned some valuable lessons that we can incorporate into our everyday lives forever.
Cordova, Alaska speaks to my Venus in Cancer in the 11th house. And I'm glad it does.
Cancer Season
I’ve got to say that I have never been fond of the name of this astrological sign, Cancer.
For it’s obvious negative connotations.
I think the folks with a Cancer Sun sign got ripped off a little bit. But so be it, I guess it’s what we’ve got to work with, so lets begin...
Cancer is a water sign with cardinal power.
In English, this means that they are initiators and movers and shakers but “go with the flow” kind of people. This description seems to collide together, don’t you think?
I mean, how can you be a domineering and energetically spirited person but be sensitive, easy going and a nurturer too?
As my mentor and teacher, Steven Forrest would say: 'Refrain your confusion as understanding.'
So let’s do that!
Cancer Sun sign people have come here to learn how to deal with their heightened sensitivity. Their archetype is the crab or the turtle. Someone whose meat is so sensitive and delicate that they need a hard shell around them in order to survive; to hide from predators, the environment and other creatures.
Cardinal power is about having vim and vigor, enthusiasm and ambition. A cardinal sign is not inclined to give up or back down. They are great at starting projects, single-mindedness and staying focused. They are clever, intelligent and sharp.
Cancer power is all about learning how to live here with a concentrated awareness level. How can they become compassionate, caring, sympathetic and warm-hearted while feeling exposed to the elements? It sounds like they could have some fear around doing that, doesn’t it?
A Cancer Sun does this by protecting their energy, such as being a homebody, or at the very least they make everywhere they go, feel like home. This way, they keep their feelings of security intact, while subsisting in the world. They are also viewed as the great mother.
They are loyal to a fault. They wear their emotions on their sleeves and every other place too.
They have great persuasive tendencies, it’s healing for them to live by the water and just like any good mother, whether they are male or female, they enjoy cooking and hosting in the company of their loving family and close friends.
When a Cancer feels persecuted or ganged up on, they will either retreat to their shell by becoming moody, pessimistic or insecure. And if this doesn’t work to get them out of their jam, they will physically, mentally and/or emotionally remove themselves from the injustice that they believe is pursuing them.
They can feel suspicious of new people who’ve entered their life until they have gotten to know them better.
A Cancer Sun feels as if they were put on the world to help others heal. They devote much of their time and energy toward giving, giving and some more giving, but they are not very good at receiving.
Even though they come across as a devoted and kind person, they are one of the hardest astrology signs to actually get to know at a deep level.
This is because they frequently retreat into their shell of security so as not to feel the cruelty of the world.
Their deeply intuitive nature and sentimental heart can be a plus or a minus depending on how well they are open and willing to process psychic sensitivity. And how easily they can release other people’s emotional stuff.
Sometimes they have a difficult time blending in with the world, their community or their country.
Cancer Sun children must learn coping skills as they grow up and defense mechanisms during their upbringing. Adults must handle them with the utmost love, care and understanding in order for the Cancer child to trust life enough to bloom.
Since Cancer Sun’s are quick to avoid any sort of conflict, they must try and practice compassionate debate; otherwise they will not be inclined to stay around long enough to have their point of view heard. Instead, they will withdraw again back into that pesky shell.
Cancer Sun signs remind me of the Momma Bear; majestic, dignified, stunning, regal, and beautiful beings.
Just do NOT step between Momma Bear and her cubs or you will get an ass whuppin.
The Emotional Moon
In Astrology, we view the Moon as one of the 10 planets we work with, even though it's technically not a planet.
We all have some understanding of what the Moon symbolizes; the tides of change, the timing of the menstral cycles, heightened and charged emotions during the full Moon and planting seeds during a new Moon.
But what else does the Moon symbolize?
Your Moon sign is your heart and soul, it's what we have to get right in order to be happy. If you have a Sagittarius Moon, you better get traveling and experiencing all that life has to offer. If your Moon sign is in Libra, you feel inclined to connect with others as well as surround yourself with art, music and beauty.
The Moon is not even remotely rational, it's emotional and it's charged.
And I discovered this today.
This morning the Moon was in fiery Aries, highlighting assertive/aggressive thoughts and actions, stress, trauma and passionate energy. And being courageous.
It was in the 8th house of transformation, death and rebirth. And deep psychological intensity.
It was in a difficult aspect to Pluto, the planet of wounds, power struggles and what you are just now ready to see, that you may have been suppressing for years.
At this particular time I was having a conversation with someone that I do not know well but I had every intention of helping them to see another way, a positive way for their future. As I write this, it kinda sounds like a Bob Marley song, doesn't it? haha.
I was having what I thought was a rational discussion based on the subject broached by them to me and my intention was to help them.
Almost out of the blue, their emotions escalated off the chart. It was like a fire ignited and the whole place was ablaze.
I watched this take off, amazed at the energy of the thing, as they got up, walked away saying, (well maybe yelling?) that they did not need to listen to me judging them and did not appreciate my perspective. Period.
I must say that after the initial shock of witnessing this, I did some soul searching to determine if I was way off base in my presentation style.
I guess I came on too strong for them at this moment in time.
What I know for sure is that my intention was to help someone get through a hard time that they have been struggling with for awhile. I did not bring up the subject, so I thought they were asking me for advice. But I see now that my contribution and perspective was not wanted, appreciated or needed and was actually viewed as aggressive and confrontative.
Oh well, we all make mistakes in judgment, thinking someone is saying or thinking something they are not. And even though you might be on the outside looking in, you cannot know someone else's truth. I learned that today.
The fiery, don't mess with me or I'll hurt you transiting Aries Moon today was not having any of my Virgo Moon analyzing perspective, no matter how much I tried to connect with them today. Maybe I was doing my Virgo Moon shadow; criticizing, even if it was unintentional, wagging my finger psychically that they were not being perfect enough and putting them on the defense before I knew it?
I learned a valuable lesson today. Don't try to help someone without permission to do so. Don't give advice unless you know for 100% certain that they asked you for it.
Just chill out and let everyone evolve in their own time frame, not in mine.
Drama and Trauma with a Capital DT
Although it might seem that I am talking about our current U.S. president DT, I'm actually not, for once.
Most of my friends know this story, but I thought I would write about it today, to show you what happened in my life when I had a powerful Pluto-Venus aspect in my astrology chart. Specifically an opposition and a tense square aspect.
A relationship was being tested in some deep way and it turned out to be with my only sibling.
On November 30, 2011, My brother Jack, who was going out for a sports fishing day on his favorite river, must have slipped on an icy rock and fell into the Skagit River, drowning. I was home alone that night when I received a message at 12:30 am, stating that he was missing. I instantly felt my body temperature plummet, and I literally ran down the hall to a hot shower as I felt myself going into shock.
I could not get in contact with my husband Dale, as he was in Canada skiing and back then we were without international cell service. Luckily our daughter Chani was on Skype in Australia and helped me get through the night.
Two days later, a helicopter search discovered him lying under 12 feet of water, sunglasses and croakies still attached, only missing one shoe.
That day, while I was forced to physically let go of him, I discovered his birth daughter on Facebook, who he had never personally met, and I had only heard of her through her first name, Marcie. I saw her writing to him and I just knew it was her so I friend requested her and the rest is history.
In a nanosecond, our lives were changed forever more, in a very supportive and meaningful way. As he was leaving this world, he left me a precious gift of family, like nothing I could have ever expected or imagined. Rebirth, death and transformation all rolled up into one.
A powerful Pluto message.
We can all complain about social media and specifically how much time is sucked out from Facebook and other sites but I will be forever grateful that I lived in a time where I could miraculously meet and discover a part of my blood family that I never expected to find, especially online. Sometimes the Universe is just un-frickin-believable.
On the day Jack drowned, my natal chart was being lit up by several challenging planetary aspects.
The most profound was my natal Venus in Cancer being exactly opposed by Pluto in Capricorn, which was squaring Uranus in Aries. I know this is a huge mouthful to digest and swallow, so let me try to put this in layman terms:
· An opposition means challenging times and in a circle, it’s approximately 180 degrees apart. The 2 planets opposing each other are struggling to get along.
· Venus in Cancer symbolizes relationships, friends, family and/or home life.
· Pluto in Capricorn symbolizes death, rebirth and transformation. It’s intense, powerful, penetrating energy. Hold onto your hats kind of intensity. It’s that winter feeling. There are rewarding outcomes if you have the tenacity to follow through to the (probable) bitter end.
· Any square brings tension, stress and energy to blow through the other side so you don’t have to feel this anymore.
· Uranus in Aries signifies something suddenly happening that you never see coming. And that something may be accidents, stress, drama and trauma. Think earthquakes and lightening bolts. Kaboom!
And to a slightly lessor degree, you can also see above:
*The Sun in exact aspect to the North and South node of the Moon, indicating something is happening relating to past-life karma and attempting to heal it.
*Moon in Aquarius conjunct Mars. (Sudden family accidents, stress or trauma)
*Moon in Aquarius opposes Jupiter and a little bit of Pluto too. (Sudden family issues appear huge and significant and are transformational.)
*Neptune in Aquarius opposes Pluto. Sudden spiritual awakening is produced after a transformational experience.
After writing this, I realize these are anything but "slightly lessor degrees." haha
All the aspects were percolating to the surface of my life and asking me to answer some significant questions:
Namely, what have I been stuffing down and sweeping under the rug in order to try to ignore? What is just now coming to the surface to be processed, ready or not?
Would you prefer breakthroughs or breakdowns, you pick!
Where do I feel wounded and what am I planning to do about it?
What needs clearing that is no longer working for me?
Since everything is shifting underfoot, how can I feel secure and confident in spite of my perception of a shaky foundation?
What I decided to do was to sit quietly and ask myself what turned out to be 6 pages of questions. Such as:
*What has stopped me from moving forward in life to achieve my desires and goals?
*What has affected my self-confidence and what should I do to fix it?
*What wounds were in place with my sibling and how do I heal this now that he’s gone?
*What troubles persist in my family and home life?
*What do I need to do to heal any issues in my marriage?
*What attention does my career need, in order to flourish?
What I came up with were 4 different answers:
1. Forgive myself, I’m only human.
2. Forgive someone else, they are only human.
3. Let it go, I should have done this a solid 10 years ago!
4. Talk to the person, to be able to heal my karma and move forward.
Those were the gist of the answers.
I did some ceremonies for numbers 1-3. I wrote down who to forgive and why and what I should let go of. Then I burned it in my fireplace to release it.
To heal number 4, I went to a handful of people and talked to them about the issues I could not deal with through numbers 1-3.
I swear after I did this, I felt lighter, more sensitive and was now emotionally mending.
I felt blown wide open and it took me around 4 months to feel regenerated and free.
I was now open for business, meaning that the cells in my body were readying themselves to embrace energies I chose and people that were in my direct line of intention to meet and hang out with.
I was using the planetary energies to shift myself into a higher consciousness instead of living passively in my life purpose.
Although it’s still VERY sad to me that my brother died, without this serious drama and trauma, I would not be the same person that I am today.
So for this, I’m very grateful.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
Blessings of light,
~Monica
Gemini Season
"Gemini's are sunshine mixed with a little hurricane."
This might be my favorite Gemini quote of all time, and it is, oh so true...
Gemini season, in the northern hemisphere, happens when spring is at the height of the season. Trees and plants are fully budding out. The sun is shining brightly but it's still green as you look all around you. You can just feel the intense vitality flowing freely on the earth and inside your cells.
So much attention and action is happening, that it is sometimes hard to keep up with it all.
That is the feeling you get when you spend any amount of time with a Gemini doing their highest calling. Just try to keep up with their intellect, their new ideas, their curiosity and their laughter. Fun, fun, fun is addicting and Gemini's typically do not have a depletion of fun. The way they look at life is anything but boring. Staying open-minded is the key to their sanity and they can always see both sides of any issue and shift their opinion between first and fifth gear.
I have many dear friends who are all in, on the Gemini front and one of their favorite lines is: "If I were the devil's advocate, I would say...", which I have to admit, I love about them. I value someone talking with me honestly and openly and any feedback they deliver, be it contrary to how I feel or not, is worthwhile for me to digest.
Gemini says, I THINK, and is always searching for experiences with mental stimulation. They typically age well as they possess the ability to have youthful exuberance, no matter how old they physically are. But as with any blossoming young person, they are easily bored.
So if you find yourself in relationship with a Gemini, be willing to experience a fast paced communication style. Know that Gemini's thrive on meeting new people, going to new places and having new experiences.
In astrology, we say that a person has particular traits. But honestly, we are not born, knowing how to do our Sun signs perfectly. We arrive here with a mission statement and for Gemini's, it looks something like this: In order to stay sane and to feel like my true self, I must learn how to be open, perceptive, communicative, inventive, creative and curious. Curiosity does not kill the cat when it relates to me. I must acknowledge that because I am inquisitive about many things, I must not get too distracted, must not be too restless and impatient and must not be too critical of others. I must stay on task.
When Gemini's do too much and don't take care to learn how to calm down, and are so busy that it feels out of control, their tendency is to breakdown in their nervous system. To stay in alignment and balance, Gemini's must stay vigilant about caring for their physical body as their tendency is over caring for their mind and ideas, as well as over-thinking and over-doing it.
Gemini's can help their immune systems and nervous systems by staying on top of their B vitamins. B vitamins benefit nervous system health and promote relaxation and rejuvenation within the cells.
Why might someone come into this world as a Gemini? Perhaps they have brought with them the tendency to make snap judgment opinions that they were not willing to change? Perhaps they need to learn not to believe everything they think? Perhaps it's time to appreciate diversity in all creatures, great and small?
Gemini's can heal the karma of the past, by gathering information, learn how to change their minds, and be willing to see each person's perception and be okay with that. To promote research for the sake of learning and to be mutable to the convictions of self and others.
"I'm a Gemini, so I change my mind every day." ~Natalie Portman