The Astrology Blog – 16 March 2015
I’ve been contacted by Soul and Spirit magazine who are now compiling their Annual Awards 2015 and here are some of the categories:
• Most inspiring spiritual blog
• Best retreat/healing centre
• Best-loved astrologer
• Best-loved psychic
• Most inspiring life coach
• Favourite mind, body, spirit author
• Best spiritual book of the year
• Best spiritual course/workshop provider
• Best mind, body, spirit experience
If you’d like to nominate The Greek Island Summer School for “best retreat” – or me for the blog or astrologer or author category! – here’s the link:
http://www.soulandspiritmagazine.com/awards/
There’s a short form to fill in which you have to submit by 17 April 2015. You will then be entered into a prize draw to win various goodies. The magazine then draws up a list of finalists and from 15 May 2015 you’ll be able to vote for your winners. I’ll post the link for that when I have it.
Be Your Own Astrologer – Workshop Saturday 11 April
10.00 am to 5.00pm
£85.00
Rosslyn Hill Chapel
3 Pilgrim’s Place, London NW3 1NG
Hampstead tube
There are 2 of 20 places now left for this workshop
This workshop is based on the material covered in my new book and is suitable for beginners/refreshers to intermediate –
• Learn more about your personality and deepest nature
• Learn how astrology reflects not only your true self but your life experience in the past, present and immediate future
• Learn about retrodiction – how to locate past events in your horoscope – and how to apply the same tools to the art of prediction and understanding your life cycles
When you book please have ready your personal data – your date and place of birth, and your time of birth as accurately as possible. I will be drawing up everyone’s personal horoscope in advance of the event for all participating students. My colleague astrologer Sally Kirkman will be with us for the day to assist with the work on everyone’s charts.
Private Consultations
I have ONE remaining slot for private consultations on Tuesday 7 April. Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more or book an appointment.
More London Workshops – Astrology or Tarot
I am planning several more workshops to run through
out the summer and I already have a list on the go for those who would like to attend the next one or who want to be kept informed of future events.
If you’d like to be added to this list just reply to this newsletter – with PLEASE ADD ME TO THE MAILING LIST FOR THE LONDON WORKSHOPS.
The Greek Island Summer School
If you’re thinking of coming over to Greece to join one of the courses running this summer here’s a new link for flights to Preveza, our local airport. Transfer time to Nidri on the island of Lefkada is just 45 minutes drive. I can arrange transfers and accommodation for you – just let me know what you need, anything from family run rooms to five star hotels!
http://book.thomascookairlines.com/cheap-flights/to-Preveza-Greece/
What’s happening this week?
All times stated are in GMT
Let me start by saying that in the last few weeks I’ve omitted to mention a mutual reception at work. This phenomenon last occurred in December when we had the Sun in Sagittarius, Jupiter’s masculine sign. Now we have Sun in Pisces, Jupiter’s feminine sign, and Jupiter himself still travelling through Leo – the Sun’s sign. In other words, Jupiter and the Sun currently occupy each other’s signs. Even though they are not in harmonious aspect to each other they can behave as if they are. This particular mutual reception won’t happen again until Jupiter returns to Leo in 12 years time.
How can we use a mutual reception? Symbolically this translates into putting yourself into another place literally (geographically) or emotionally (empathically). This is especially powerful as the mutual reception involves the Sun (life force, essence of soul and self, rules the heart in the physical body) and Jupiter (the Greater Benefic – he is good for us) who rules not only compassion and humanity, but also the world of travel and learning. Anything that broadens your horizons in any sense, or anything that frees you, is Jupiter’s role.
Maybe there is someone you care about going through a struggle and something you can do will help? Do it. Putting yourself in their shoes and imagining what you would need in that situation will give you the answers. Maybe there is someone in a different country you long to see, and one of you will have to travel? Or maybe you’ll both have to lift yourselves out of your physical location and meet in the middle? If you’re thinking about this then don’t hesitate – book those tickets! Jupiter is the bringer of joy and you could make someone’s heart lift – and your own.
As ever the “as above, so below” principle reminds us to look for that all important context. Astrological events are not causal – they don’t make us do things. Rather they represent a massive celestial mirror – look into this and you’ll see your life being reflected back to you. In addition to my trip coming up the mutual reception is a perfect showing for an idea I’m working on which is to join a house sitting agency in London for future visits. My good friends that I usually stay with will be moving this summer so I’m working on other options. Being “received” by a house owner (nearly all pet owners too, so a home from home for me!) for an arrangement of “mutual” benefit fits the Sun/Jupiter symbolism to the letter. If you know of anyone who needs a house sitter this coming summer, do let me know!
These themes are underlined even more powerfully by the fact that Jupiter is now slow moving, reversing through 13 degrees of Leo but getting ready to switch back from retrograde motion to direct motion at 12 degrees of Leo on 8 April – during the week I’ll be in London which is perfect for my flagship workshop at Rosslyn Hill Chapel and also for reconnecting with those I hope to see. If you have planets or angles at or close to 12 degrees of Leo this event will be of great significance in your own life. Here’s the usual link for checking the signs and degrees of your natal planets –
http://www.alwaysastrology.com/birth-chart-calculator.html
Jupiter’s turnaround happens once every 13 months and is always a powerful time. If you feel that luck or circumstances have been against you, a turning point is approaching. Jovial Jupiter, planet of optimism and looking forwards, thrives on faith and hope – so if these have been in short supply, now you can start to reclaim them. A lot of people had a very tough time last week under the Mars/Uranus/Pluto triple act as my inbox on that day testifies, and we’re not quite out of the woods as yet. But Jupiter is the opportunity maker and liberty lover so, trust me, his turning point is not the light of the oncoming train …
I’ll be talking about Jupiter on the move again in the next few weeks (bring it on!) but for now, as this week gets underway, you may feel as if everything is being designed to stress you out! Hold onto your hat as this week is a real merry go round.
The Mercury – Saturn square that I mentioned last week has been the dominant aspect over the weekend and is exact this morning –
Monday Mercury square Saturn (09.42)
You may remember that I said last week that I was postponing my book (Mercury) launch party from yesterday to next Sunday as no astrologer in their right mind would plan any big event under a square to Saturn! I speculated that the weather might be dismal (it wasn’t) or that key people might not be able to attend – which turned out to be bang on. My brother in law Mike was called away and we couldn’t possibly have had the party without him, so I definitely made the right call there!
Otherwise, this Mercury – Saturn square translated into English comes out as “I can’t”, bad news or bad “don’t talk to me” moods, events that remind us of what is in the way, or of the things that we can do nothing about. This is further compounded by the fact that Saturn has just turned retrograde – last Saturday the 14th – making us feel as if we’re moving away from the answers rather than towards them. An issue that was complex may seem impossible – for now. A change of focus may be needed, or will arise naturally, as Mercury’s next aspect is the conjunction with Neptune in Pisces –
Wednesday Mercury conjunct Neptune (08.50)
This is so completely different from the resistance indicated by the tough square aspect and to a stationary retrograde Saturn. Basic astrological symbolism says, especially by difficult aspect, that:
• Saturn denies
• Uranus explodes
• Neptune dissolves
• Pluto destroys
Mercury and Neptune meeting up in the water sign of Pisces – where Mercury is in detriment but Neptune is dignified – feels very much like the melting away of barriers or total acceptance of the kind that comes when you stop banging your head against a brick wall. Whatever your own scenario may be the kind of answers to expect will include – I’ve tried my best, with the best will in the world this situation/issue can’t go on, the outcome I’ve been ignoring is inevitable, resistance is futile etc. And this doesn’t have to apply just to sad or unpleasant problems – Neptune in Pisces has a romantic/spiritual/creative streak a mile wide. He symbolizes fusion, that state in which we become one with what/whom we desire. So for some this will be connected to the life/person/project of your dreams.
The last aspect of the week is also formed by Mercury –
Sunday Mercury sextile Pluto (20.26)
The sextile is a harmonious aspect, and the combination of these two planets speaks of closure, such as acceptance or final decisions. This fits the bigger picture theme as in the middle of this Mercury activity is the major event that I’ve been flagging up for the last couple of weeks, which is the final square between Uranus and Pluto.
To recap the info that I’ve posted for the last couple of weeks, these two giants have been in square to each other for several years, ie three signs apart, as Uranus travels through Aries and Pluto travels through Capricorn. Usually the outer planets align 3 times, sometimes 5, but this square has happened 6 times already and culminates now with number 7.
They’ve been travelling backward and forwards from 8 degrees to 15 degrees of their respective signs – again, here are the dates:
• 24 June 2012 at 8 degrees
• 19 September 2012 at 7 degrees
• 20 May 2013 at 11 degrees
• 1 November 2013 at 9 degrees
• 21 April 2014 at 13 degrees
• 15 December 2014 at 12 degrees
• 17 March 2015 at 15 degrees
Going back to the basic principle of Uranus explodes and Pluto destroys you’ve only got to look at news stories to see this symbolism at work at a global and collective level. Cyclones, political extremism, bombs, helicopter and bus crashes depressingly dominate the headlines.
At a personal rather than collective level, as I posted last week:
If you have planets or angles at between 8 and 15 degrees of the cardinal signs (the Aries – Libra polarity, or the Cancer – Capricorn polarity) then you have already gone through a long period of great turbulence, and you will recognize how this out of the blue, death/rebirth symbolism is playing out in your own life. At least now you are heading for resolution, one way or the other.
Interestingly this last clash of the giants is followed just three days later by an eclipse –
Friday Total Solar Eclipse at 29 degrees of Pisces (09.37)
This is a New Moon and is also what has come to be called a supermoon – when the Moon is at the closest point to Earth in her orbit. If you want to understand more about the astronomy of this event then go to Bruce McClure’s brilliant website called EarthSky:
http://earthsky.org/tonight/supermoon-to-stage-total-eclipse-of-the-sun-on-march-20
Briefly, the astronomy works like this:
• A Solar Eclipse – occurs when the Sun is obscured by the shadow of the Moon at the time of a New Moon.
• A Lunar Eclipse – occurs when the Moon is obscured by the shadow of the earth at the time of a Full Moon.
Eclipses hunt in pairs so we’ll have the lunar eclipse in two weeks time, 4 April, just before Jupiter turns direct.
For our purposes we want to consider what this event signifies astrologically. To start with eclipses are often considered as “power points” in a developing situation. When they fall in exact aspect to the natal planets and angles they light a fuse that can’t be extinguished and things get resolved. They can be very tricky though. Look for the symbolism of being overshadowed by another, a light going out and coming back on again to reveal a new landscape, or power battles in triangular matters (the Sun, Moon and Earth), such as affairs or battles for promotion. Certainly in my own work I’ve found that eclipses do tend to sort out winners and losers.
Most importantly this Solar Eclipse happens at the very end of a sign at 29 degrees of Pisces – which underlines yet again the theme of endings/new beginnings. Furthermore 29 degrees of Pisces is also the position of a Fixed Star called Scheat. There’s an extensive list of Fixed Stars which is a whole branch of astrology in itself – for more info:
http://critters.50megs.com/planet/fixedstars2.htm
Fixed stars are so named in order to differentiate them from the planets – the wanderers. Some are better known than others. Scheat is one of these and is considered to be malefic in nature. Traditional astrology lists it as denoting extreme misfortune, including imprisonment, murder, suicide or drowning.
All very dramatic. What can we take from this? Treat water with the greatest of respect – from swimming pools to the sea – and take every precaution if you’re unlucky enough to be caught in extreme weather of the cyclone type. Also note that Pisces is linked to pharmaceuticals. If you take recreational drugs I would advise abstinence until this eclipse has passed, and I would also be extra vigilant re what is prescribed, for yourself or those you care for. Alcohol is in there too – try not to drown your sorrows but if you do, make sure you’re in the company of those who will look after you. Emotionally matters are supercharged, so look out for those at risk – eg someone severely depressed or vulnerable in any sense.
Also regular readers may remember that we have had a sequence of very powerful New Moons that stretch back into last year. In recent months we’ve had –
22 December New Moon at 00.06 Capricorn
20 January New Moon at 00.09 Aquarius
18 February New Moon at 30.00 Aquarius
These are what are called “critical” degrees – not critical as in alarming but as in important and potent – which refers to any astrological event falling at 0 degrees or 29/30 degrees – so at the very beginning or at the very ending of a sign. If you have natal planets at 0 or 29/30 degrees of any sign then this sequence is especially important for you and will reflect a chain of events that may well now reach a finale now that we also have a Solar Eclipse.
Also throw into the mix that immediately after the Eclipse is the Spring Equinox –
Friday Sun ingress Aries (22.46)
This is the astrological New Year! Retrieve those resolutions that fell by the wayside, make new ones – or both. Spring is about to start springing in a big way, and for some of us, new cycles will start w
ith head spinning changes or a sense of literally starting from scratch.
Finally, in the midst of all this hoo-ha, Venus quietly changes sign early in the week –
Tuesday Venus ingress Taurus (10.16)
This is good news as Venus exits Aries, one of her signs of detriment (the other being Scorpio), and enters Taurus, one of her signs of dignity (the other being the better known one of Libra). Venus will be the dominant player next week so I’ll be talking more about this next time, but for now just hold the message that Venusian issues are on the up – love, money and all the sweet things of life.
Let me leave you with this, not because it has anything to do with astrology but because I just loved it. If you haven’t seen this video of an eagle flying from the top of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, with a camera strapped to its back, to land perfectly on his owner’s outstretched hand then this is a must – but only if you don’t suffer from vertigo!
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31888024
Talk about a different viewpoint!
Wishing you strength and resilience in this testing week ahead of us, and trust in knowing that things are moving on, in their own time and at their designated time… I sometimes think that the real value of astrology is to keep us sane!
With love from Greece
Joanna