The Astrology Blog – w/b 26 May 2014
All times stated are in BST.
First of all cast your mind back to the middle of the month. On the 15th Mercury, Venus and Uranus all reached 14 degrees of their journeys through their respective signs – Mercury travelling through his own sign of Gemini, Venus and Uranus travelling through the fire sign of Aries. Within the space of two hours these three planets all made aspects to each other. Did you receive significant news/information? Did you meet somebody new, as a friend, business contact or potential partner? Did you have a brainwave? Did something unexpected point you in a new direction?
This week’s activity starts by harking back to this time as there is a repetition of the Mercury – Venus sextile (harmonious). Astronomically this is happening because, although Venus is travelling at her usual speed, Mercury is starting to slow down in readiness for turning retrograde at the end of next week (you have been warned…more on that in a minute), so the aspect that would normally happen only once is being repeated.
So, Mercury sextile Venus is exact at 14.59 on Wednesday. In the run up to this then look out for a rerun of anything/anyone who made their presence felt a couple of weeks ago. You can also return to something that you wish you’d handled differently or you can pick up a conversation/discussion/idea in order to rework the details and reach agreements. Look out for a theme of second time lucky, such as an opportunity that you thought had slipped the net.
Note that this time this helpful aspect is happening at 29 degrees – ie Mercury at 29 degrees of Gemini is making the sextile to Aries at 29 Aries – and both planets will move on into their next signs on Thursday. This underlines the idea of a cycle coming to a close and a new one opening. Also note that this aspect happens just a matter of hours before the New Moon in Gemini (19.41 on Wednesday) which makes the picture even livelier.
New Moons mark new cycles. The Moon is linked to fertility so think of the waxing and waning Moon as the belly of the pregnant woman – the seed being sown, the swelling of new life, the birth and then the womb deflating back to its normal size. With the New Moon in Gemini, Mercury’s sign and the symbol of The Twins, this symbolism lends itself to the birth of new ideas, themes of duality and choices. Obviously there are some things in life that have to be shouldered and endured but, a great deal of the time, we do in fact have many options open to us.
So if you hear yourself saying, “I have to” in relation to something that you’d ideally love to change, now is the time to stop and think about where the “have to” bit really comes from. Is it conditioning? Do you fear what others might think/say if you were to do what you really want to do? Is it fear of financial insecurity, such as leaving a job you hate? How can you become a fully creative and alive individual if you spend most of your waking hours doing something that is not you, or which constantly weighs heavy on your mind/body/spirit? Ponder the idea that if you rid yourself of the hated job (or anything else) you are then freeing up the space for newness.
I read a lot of things that make an impact on me but one of the biggest in the last couple of years was a very short piece written by a hospice nurse. It was called the top five deathbed wishes, and writing about choices now has brought it to mind. Am posting it at the end of this blog for you to read for yourself and you will see what I mean.
This seems especially apposite as the New Moon also falls in an exact square (inharmonious) to Neptune, whose sadder face is grief, disillusionment or confusion/deception. The Sun square Neptune is exact at 00.45 on Thursday. You may need to work through some difficult feelings, or help someone else work through theirs, or the worry of making the right choice could create a great deal of anxiety. Again, look closely at what really matters and don’t get stressed out with “what ifs.”
As I mentioned earlier Thursday also brings two ingresses – planets changing sign:
Venus moves from Aries into Taurus at 02.47
Mercury moves from Gemini into Cancer at 10.13
However, Mercury will revisit Gemini from the middle of next month. His retrograde period (which happens three times a year for three weeks at a time) starts 7 June so for now just focus on making the changes you want to make and getting on with the work you want to do. This can in fact be a very productive week as once the Sun leaves behind Neptune’s sea mists he then makes a trine (harmonious) to Mars who, you may remember, switched from retrograde back to direct motion just last week. This aspect will be exact on Saturday at 09.02 and the seeds sown on the New Moon may well start to bear fruit pretty much immediately. And, as always with Mars, remember that actions speak louder than words so less talking, more doing!
5 Top Deathbed Wishes – written by a hospice nurse…
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Wishing you a life affirming week!
There are links above to the website for more info about the astrology and tarot courses on the Greek Island Summer School or visit the new Facebook page – I’d love a LIKE and thanks to those who’ve already done so:
https://www.facebook.com/tarotastrologycourses
Apart from doing a tarot or astrology course, Lefkada is an idyllic place for a holiday. If you want somewhere special to stay check out the beautiful Palm Villas in Sivota, about twenty minutes drive out of Nidri. They’re now on Facebook and you can contact me direct for special rates:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Palm-Villas/1418300018426376
And if you want to read more during the week, make comments or share your own stories why not join my Facebook Group – The World of Astrology. Here’s the link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/131108987086161/