Monthly Archives: February 2013

Weekly Forecast February 25: Full Moon in Virgo, Venus Enters Pisces

Mind of GodI woke up this morning laughing at a comical dream, courtesy retrograde Mercury. In the dream, the glyphs for Mercury and Mars were revolving around the Sun, which was shining over a field of golden wheat waving in a violent wind.

Now, skeptics would say this was just my psyche conjuring up an image, with my conscious mind fully aware that Mercury and Mars were about to conjoin at the Full Moon in Virgo. Maybe. But it’s not the first time I’ve had dreams with images symbolic of planetary movements. Planets often appear as characters in my dreams, and almost always when they’re in a major transit. I was, after all, born with Moon in Pisces, just a few hours before Neptune went retrograde. And right now, Pisces energy is raging across the sky like killer goldfish in Lake Tahoe (I’m not making this up).

Sure, I’m open to the possibility that there’s nothing magical about my nocturnal stage plays, but then I’d say it’s no great mystery that our psyches are in tune with planetary movements. In fact, that’s key to my belief about how astrology works.

“Belief” is a keyword for Pisces. I’ve often written about beliefs, about how they inform our world and also how hard it is to change them. Back in 2006, when I was writing for my blog The Pisces Chronicles, I took the opportunity of Mercury’s retrograde in Pisces to discuss how we’re shaped by our beliefs and, more importantly, how if we’re going to change the world, we need to start with our own belief system. I revisited that article a year later when Mercury went retrograde in Pisces again, and I figure it’s as good a time as any to give it a third go-round. There’s one big difference now, though, in that Saturn is in Scorpio, and as the planets move through Pisces, they each form a supportive trine with the planet of structure, in the sign of transformation. There’s no time like the present to examine our beliefs and assess whether they really are true.

Our political beliefs are among the biggest candidates for change. As many of you who followed The Pisces Chronicles know, I used to write a lot about politics and had quite a large following. I swore off political astrology after the 2008 election, in which so many people were sure that Barack Obama was the next savior of mankind. I was one of the few astrologers who weren’t falling all over themselves in adulation, and I made the mistake of predicting that Sarah Palin and John McCain had a chance of winning the election. Several readers believed I was endorsing the Republican ticket and felt within their rights to post flaming personal attacks. There are people in the world – bless their hearts – who thrive on stirring up angry debate, but I’m not one of them. I just do my thing, as sincerely and genuinely as I know how, and I figure if anyone doesn’t like it, that’s what the “delete” key is for.

Given that history, you can imagine my amusement upon receiving a huffy e-mail from a reader last week accusing me of being – gasp – a Democrat. Here’s the full text:

I love reading ur blog, but I don’t like that u put Romney in the same context as Osama Bin Laden. I realize he’s no genius, but I find ur reference offensive. It’s obvious from this comment & others in the past, what ur political leanings are.

I suppose that means I should post a correction putting Mitt in the same sentence with Einstein. Any objections?

Kidding aside, I’m fascinated that this reader had no problem with Romney in the same sentence with a convicted murderer, but not with a man whose villainy is accepted by millions as indisputable truth, even though he was never charged in connection with the 9/11 attacks, let alone convicted. I recall that as the news was breaking, the driver of the bus I was riding to work was on an angry tirade about how that bastard Yasser Arafat was going to pay for this. There was no question in her mind that it could have been anyone else. The Bush administration managed to convince millions of Americans that Saddam Hussein was to blame. Once Saddam was neatly disposed of, bin Laden’s alleged confessions conveniently surfaced in prerecorded videotapes. Bin Laden was assassinated – at least that’s what we’re supposed to believe – without benefit of a trial or conviction. One of the few things we do know for sure is that he came from a family of wealth and influence with close ties to the Saudi royal family and to the family of then-president George W. Bush. If conspiracy theories have flourished, it’s because so many facts are missing. Absent the truth, people will believe what they want. Politicians on both sides of the aisle know this, and they use it to their advantage.

I’m not sure that all this Pisces energy is going to help uncover any truth. But it could. It certainly could help focus attention on the human tendency to believe what we want to be the truth, rather than taking the time to examine facts with an open mind. Analyzing data is one of Virgo’s special talents, so Monday’s Full Moon could aid in separating the wheat from the chaff. Be prepared for tempers to flare, though. It’s not going to be an easy week, as you’ve probably recognized by now, given that we’re well into the period of influence of both the Full Moon and the Mercury-Mars conjunction.

Full Moon in Virgo

Click on image to enlarge

As you can see in the Full Moon chart, the Sun and Moon form a mutable T-square with Jupiter in Gemini. Mercury rules both Virgo and Gemini, so it’s quite possible that emerging facts could upset some hardened beliefs. This could be quite sudden, too, with Jupiter and Uranus in a tight sextile favoring explosive change. Now, Jupiter isn’t happy in Gemini, and a lot of random facts don’t add up to truth. But the empty side of the T-square falls in Sagittarius, which is the sign of Truth, with a capital “T.” At least to the extent that it can be known. Jupiter and Sagittarius are about the big picture. I found an interesting news article last week about the so-called “God particle” that nicely illustrates this concept. First off, we’re still not sure it’s been found. But if it has, and if physicists are right about it, it could tell us that we’re all doomed. We might well start calling it the OMG particle.

Ceres also is in Gemini and at the Full Moon is in a close square with retrograde Mercury. Astrologers are still collecting information to decide how we should treat transiting Ceres, but my intuitive reading of this aspect is that some of the facts coming to light this week could be embarrassing for factions trying to restrict women’s rights, degrade the environment, and harm the food supply. The New York Times Magazine’s cover article this week is an exposé on how the junk food industry abuses science to create addictive snacks (thanks to Peggy Petersen for the link).

Right after the Full Moon on Monday, Venus enters Pisces, the sign of her exaltation. She’ll conjoin Neptune on Thursday, which I hope will be a blissful antidote to Tuesday’s Mercury-Mars conjunction. The thing is, with both Mercury and Mars in Pisces, it’s possible that arguments will be indirect and passive-aggressive. It’s hard to talk through conflict when the other party won’t even tell you they’re upset. Then, it’s hard to talk though anything with Mercury retrograde. I was having a difficult time negotiating an important project last week, and my solution was to ask to defer further discussions until the end of March. Fortunately, I’ve got the luxury of time. You might not, and so if you’ve got a deal on the table, be as direct as you can and as clear as possible about what you want. Even then, I don’t recommend that you engage in discussions of any consequence on Tuesday or Wednesday. Thursday might be better, and Friday holds some promise, too, with the Sun sextile Pluto and trine Saturn. Even with Mercury retrograde, this triumvirate can cut to the chase and produce a win-win situation. Again, the most productive exchanges will be those in which all parties are willing to open their minds and at least set their beliefs aside temporarily.

For more strategies to cope with Mercury retrograde, check out the latest video by Armand Diaz.

I’ve been way too busy in the past week to spend much couch time with my favorite BBC production, but the urge to escape and pull the covers over my head is coming on strong. Still, don’t let that deter you from sending a nice e-mail. I just received a lovely response from a new client who was elated that someone finally was able to help her understand the complicated cardinal grand cross in her chart. Truly, that makes the occasional flame worth it, and it’s why I do what I do.

Off to catch the end of the Academy Awards – oops, I mean the “Oscars.”

Wishing much love and courage to all,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Weekly Forecast February 18: Sun Enters Pisces, Mercury Retrograde

PiscesThe Sun enters Pisces this week, bringing to four the number of planets in the sign of the Fishes – five, if you count Chiron.

Although I’m an Aquarius, Pisces and Neptune are so strong in my chart that often I get confused and think I’m a Pisces. I certainly know what it feels like to be one.

Being a Pisces can be really difficult. If you recall your symbolism, Pisces isn’t just a sweet pair of gold fish who’ve found their soul mate and live happily ever after. No, these fishes are tied to each other with a permanent knot – which would be fine, if they were both swimming in the same direction. But they aren’t, and they can’t. For Pisces, nothing is ever certain. Seeing the big picture and the totality of everything means that every argument has a counter-argument, and every choice has an alternative. The choice then is to be paralyzed with indecision or to leap into whichever option seems best at the moment, with nothing concrete to go on except faith that all will turn out well.

It’s no accident that people with strong Pisces energy in their charts often turn to escapism, whether through drugs, alcohol, religion, or some other means of avoiding reality. The flip side – we’re talking Pisces here, so there has to be one – is that Pisces is one of the most imaginative and visionary of all the signs. The list of famous Fishes includes Michelangelo, George Washington, Frederic Chopin, Albert Einstein, Ansel Adams, and Steve Jobs. Then, it also includes Mitt Romney, L. Ron Hubbard, Sirhan Sirhan, and Osama Bin Laden … we think. We’re not really sure.

In a way, the dilemma of Pisces is the most urgent problem confronting humanity. And why not? The Age of Pisces isn’t over yet, as much as we might wish it. We’re still grappling with all of the dualities represented in the symbolism of Pisces, and it’s not overly dramatic to say that failure to solve the puzzle of Pisces could result in the extinction of our species. Conversely, moving beyond the seemingly implacable divisions into a new sense of interconnectedness could be our salvation. If you haven’t read it already, check out this old article by Ray Grasse about the transition we’re making from Pisces to Aquarius.

In any case, we’re all going to feel the energy of Pisces in the next few weeks, and some of you may have an increase in inter-dimensional experiences. As I’ve noted in the past, these intrusions, for lack of a better word, can be moderately to severely disorienting. It doesn’t help that they aren’t clear. They don’t come with instruction manuals in seven languages to help you decipher the message. My usual advice to clients is to observe carefully what’s going on in your life when these visions, dreams, and memories appear, and look for patterns in how they mirror events and relationships in this lifetime. For me, at least, there’s some kind of repetition. Also stay alert for synchronicities.

The Sun enters Pisces on Monday and begins his approach to conjunction with Neptune on Thursday. This is the imaginative, creative side of Pisces, so use the beginning of the week for work that requires inspiration and intuition. Keep a journal with you and write down any unusual events, sudden thoughts that seem to come from “somewhere else,” psychic flashes, or images in dreams that either are particularly vivid or that elicit a strong emotional response. Sometimes I forget my dreams, but then an image I see in the course of my day reminds me, and it all comes back. Those are times when you want a notebook handy.

Also on Monday, Saturn turns retrograde, and he remains at a standstill until Wednesday and then will slowly begin to creep backwards (what it looks like from down here, anyway). For many of you, old structures have been breaking down for some time now, and new ones are forming already, especially since Jupiter’s return direct. Some of you indeed had very happy news to report last week. For others, the breakdown phase will last longer. Saturn and Pluto in mutual reception, along with the Uranus-Pluto square, represent an uncontrollable tide. Depending on where these three planets are transiting your chart, it may be better to go along with the current than to expend all your energy fighting it. As an astrologer, I’m not immune to this process, and I totally understand how scary it can be.

Dreams and visions pick up toward the end of the week, as Mercury stations to turn retrograde on Saturday. Unfortunately, there’s an “ick” factor, too, as Mercury and Mars approach conjunction at the Full Moon on February 25. I’ve advised some of my clients to take vacations, if possible, and get out of the line of fire. Tempers are going to flare, with a strong risk of arguments that either blow entirely out of proportion or end up with people not speaking to each other, possibly for days or weeks. It goes without saying that you need to think carefully before opening your mouth. There are some words that cause irreparable damage to relationships and, once spoken, can never be taken back.

I’ve also started noticing early manifestations of retrograde Mercury, as I’m sure many of you have, too. My cell phone died on Friday, and getting through to customer service at T-Mobile was a nightmare. Meanwhile, my laptop was infected with not one, not two, but five viruses. Fortunately, I got an alert from my security software yesterday and was able to clean them all up before they got out of control. If you haven’t run a complete scan on your computer, don’t waste another second. Do it now!

My way of staying out of trouble and avoiding reality will be to lie on the couch watching back-to-back episodes of the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice. If nothing else, it’s a delightful lesson in what happens when people completely misunderstand each other’s motives.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

P.S. I’m about to put StarGuide 2013 on sale, so this will be a good time to get your yearly transits at a discount.

Weekly Forecast February 11: Mercury and Mars Trine Saturn

© Illreality for Dreamstime.com

© Illreality for Dreamstime.com

We’re in a surreal, watery world this week, but don’t be deceived. Planetary aspects are excellent for major accomplishments and getting tangible results.

More importantly, this is the last week we have so much positive energy going for us, so make it count! If you can get all your ducks in a row now, it will be easier to navigate the stormy seas in the following weeks. Now is the time to finalize your trip plan, make upgrades to your boat, get all your supplies onboard, set sail, and get as far as you can. Since we’re mixing metaphors, make sure all your ducks are onboard, too.

We start out the week in something of a fog, with the Moon moving through Pisces and conjoining Mars, Chiron, and Mercury. She also makes aspects to Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn. But the ducks are lining up nonetheless, and you may find that events on Monday form a clear outline for the rest of your week. Quack, quack. Monday’s Venus-Saturn square isn’t cheerful, but it favors commitment to staying the course, no matter what.

Tuesday is busy, with Mercury in a sextile with Pluto and trine with Saturn. As I’ve mentioned before, Saturn and Pluto are in mutual reception, which correlates to accelerated breakdown in whatever is useless and outdated – in our lives, in society, and in global systems. I just started reading Al Gore’s new book, The Future, in which he discusses the massive global changes about to take place. Unfortunately, I don’t think he goes far enough, perhaps due to an ossified imagination and failure to see that his worldview reflects his privileged class more than he thinks it does. But, in fairness, he gets credit for understanding that we’re on the edge of a shift that promises to be unlike anything humanity has ever experienced. As an astrologer, I translate that to the Uranus-Pluto square, with Pluto and Saturn in mutual reception for the next two years.

Aspects with Saturn this week are especially powerful, as Saturn is stationed to go retrograde on February 18 (there’s got to be a “sitting duck” line somewhere in there, but I just can’t think of it). Saturn is the planet of structure, but in Scorpio it’s about breaking down structures that are decaying and weak and using the materials to rebuild forms that are stronger and more sustainable. What can you tear apart and rebuild to be stronger and more durable?

Also on Tuesday, Mars conjoins Chiron. Some of our deepest wounds aren’t physical but in our energy field, where they’re often much harder to identify and treat than injuries to the body. Not only are they invisible, but some people deny they exist at all. Mars is the surgeon, and he can cut straight to the source. Just be forewarned that it may feel like the dentist sticking a pick in your teeth to find the cavity. When you jump out of your chair and howl in pain, you know you found the problem. Resist the temptation to slug the dentist.

Thursday is Valentine’s Day, and while the Moon makes lovely aspects to the Sun and Venus, the Moon is in Aries, the “me-first” sign. Be prepared to lavish attention on anyone who gives you chocolate or flowers. If you don’t, they will feel unappreciated and resentful. But with Mars in Pisces, you probably won’t hear about it until Christmas, at least not directly.

Friday and Saturday are the power days, with Mars sextile Pluto and trine Saturn. Action is the order of the day, and it’s a highly transformative energy. Here is where you can make the most progress in changing what isn’t working in your life. The key is that there has to be common good in your plan. Whenever Pluto is involved in an aspect, selfish goals backfire, as do any plans that include manipulating others to do your bidding.

As I mentioned in last week’s forecast, one way that all this Pisces energy could manifest is a lifting of the “veil” between worlds that forms boundaries between dimensions of time and space. As a result, some of you may feel light-headed and disoriented, or you may have bizarre or disturbing dreams. Take extra care with alcohol and recreational drugs. You may find that you can’t tolerate as much as usual or that it affects you in unpredictable ways.

Time to get back to my ducks.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Uranus, Jupiter and the Inner Journey of Aquarius, Part II

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

The symbology of Aquarius as the water carrier belies the higher purpose of Aquarius to flow the dual waters of love and life for thirsty humanity, like a divine fountain or wellspring. Aquarius’s role within this one body of humanity is to provide this constant source of divine energy, through the fusion of heart and mind.

This is why conventionally in astrology, even though Leo rules the heart, it is Aquarius that rules the circulation and flow of blood. Esoterically, Aquarius governs the distribution of the vital waters of love and life throughout both the individual human body and the larger body of humanity!

In the first article in this series, we looked at Patanjali’s description of consciousness in terms of five “bodies” or dimensions of experience: physical, energy, mental, intuitive, bliss and, ultimately, universal mind. It seems that Uranus and Jupiter in Aquarius combine to create those conditions necessary for us to experience and transcend the intuitive and bliss dimensions on our journey to universal mind.

The heightened intuition of Uranus combined with the expansiveness of Jupiter serve to expand the fullness of experience towards universal mind by supporting the fusion of mind energy (intuition) and heart energy (bliss). Jupiter plays a major role in the fusion of head and heart, so that the dual “waters” in Aquarius may become one steady stream that we may call “heart-mind.”

Jupiter gives an inherent tendency to fusion which nothing can arrest. The achievement of ultimate synthesis is inevitable, and this Jupiter promotes. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The soul experience in Aquarius can be likened to a collective awakening, which we will have more experiential knowledge of as we reach the culmination of the Aquarian Age. As a result of the conditioning effects of Uranus and Jupiter, there is a flowering of human consciousness. We may think of it as a collective awakening, yet it is more akin to an awareness of our individual roles within the universal mind. Here there is a hint at the role of the Moon at hierarchical level in this mass awakening of humanity. The experience of universal mind is the higher group consciousness of Aquarius and is nothing like our current mental-intellectual experience. Rather, it is a level of higher mind that is born within from the fusion of higher mind (intuition) and heart-wisdom.

If an egg is broken by an outside force life ends.
If an egg is broken by an inside force, life begins.
~ Unknown

Your vital life-force energy comes from within. While it is natural for Aquarius to circulate (Aquarians are amazing networkers) it is more important that you pay attention to how you are flowing your energy. A fully integrated Aquarius will have accessed the heart-energy of their opposite sign Leo and be flowing vital heart-mind energy through an open heart. The Aquarian who is not yet fully attuned to their heart may just be circulating mental information at best and misinformation at worst. If you have Sun, Moon and especially Rising Sign in Aquarius, a major theme in your life is the circulation of life-force energy in the form of heart-wisdom. Be sure to access the inner dimensions of your own heart first to discover the inner fountain of life force energy and heart-wisdom, so you can then flow this energy with conscious intent for the benefit of humanity.


Ruth

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Uranus, Jupiter and the Inner Journey of Aquarius, Part I

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

Aquarius Season is upon us once again, bringing with it an opportunity to check in where we are up to in dedicating our personal energy to the body of humanity.

The sign of Aquarius is associated with individuality, uniqueness, science, technology, the future, humanitarianism, the New Age and group consciousness.

According to Esoteric Astrology, the last four signs of the zodiac – Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces – are signs of service. Following the soul’s journey through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the soul in Capricorn has followed and completed the path of light, leading to Christ consciousness, it is time for the soul in Aquarius to become the world server, flowing love and life for the benefit of thirsty humanity.

Four planets are important in creating the conditions necessary for the soul’s development and experience in Aquarius: Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and the Moon. Saturn was traditionally considered to be the planetary ruler of Aquarius, and to many people still will be. The conditions that we mentioned in last month’s article pertaining to Saturn and Capricorn also relate to Aquarius when humanity is largely personality centered and driven by fear and attachment. Once the soul has completed the stage of development in Capricorn and has accessed Christ consciousness, it no longer is limited by the constraints of Saturn and comes under the custodianship (planetary rulership) of Uranus.

On the reversed wheel. The Saturnian influence exhausts itself in Capricorn and the man is then set free from karma and needs no presentation of opportunity for he stands a free initiate, a true Master Mason* and can proceed with world service undeterred and held back by no thought of self or selfish desire. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

As humanity increasingly moves onto the fixed cross (see last month’s article for an overview of the evolution of consciousness in terms of the three crosses), where there is awareness of soul and personality, Uranus increasingly becomes the custodian of Aquarius at personality level. Jupiter is the custodian of Aquarius at soul level, while interestingly the Moon is the custodian at hierarchical level. Since we already explored Saturn in last month’s article on Capricorn – and the effect would be the same here in Aquarius until the individual consciousness has become receptive to the energies of Uranus – for our purposes in this article we will focus on the two major influences for this early phase of the Aquarian Age, Uranus and Jupiter.

Uranus causes the great transference in the human consciousness from intellectual perception to intuitive knowledge. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The subtle influence of Uranus begins in Aries at hierarchical level, continues working through Libra at soul level, and here in Aquarius, human consciousness has evolved to the degree that the subtle energies of Uranus can be received at personality level so the individual can perceive and fully utilize the intuitive faculty. Although even talking about “perceiving” and “utilizing” is misleading, because it sounds like there is something distinct and separate outside of ourselves to be perceived and utilized, which is not the case. By the time we have a conscious soul in Aquarius, we have gone beyond duality, and the experience of the intuitive faculty is that of embodiment. We realize it is who we are. We are aware of ourselves. This is also why Jupiter is the custodian at soul level in Aquarius, because we are experiencing our most expanded and expansive nature (without self).

The soul in Aquarius becomes the world server, and the highest soul purpose of Aquarius is the dedication of personal energy to the collective. Once again, even the term “collective” could be misleading, because our common understanding of collective is separate individuals forming a group. Yet, the highest soul experience in Aquarius is not one of separation, but of each individual being part of the whole body of humanity. Humanity is experienced as one, with each individual being an integral part, just like the cells within a human body that are individual yet indivisible from the whole. Since there is no experience of a separate self, there is no question of harming “others,” as to do so would be tantamount to chopping off one’s own fingers or toes! Others do not exist as such and all that is experienced is we, as one.

In Part II, we’ll look at the connection between Aquarius and the collective awakening of humanity.


Ruth

Footnote:
*I don’t believe this refers to modern Freemasonry, which the Tibetan describes as a “distortion,” but rather is a simple metaphor for one who is a Master in their respective field.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Weekly Forecast February 4: Mercury Enters Pisces, New Moon in Aquarius

May your happiness be without limit. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

May your happiness be without limit. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

The most significant astrological event this week is the New Moon in Aquarius, which also happens to be the Chinese New Year. But the flavor of the week is definitely fish.

Starting this week, we’re approaching a stellium of planets in Pisces that will culminate in an emotionally volatile New Moon in March. In the meantime, Mercury will turn retrograde in Pisces and conjoin Mars twice. My read on this is that we’re about to go through a collective release of accumulated anger, frustration, grief, and past-life trauma. Not that this hasn’t been happening in a big way already, but I think it’s about to get even bigger.

Over the past week, I’ve been following comments on a few news stories, and I’ve been struck by how stupid, mean, and argumentative people can be. And I don’t know if it’s just my imagination or if reading comprehension is at an all-time low. Don’t they teach that in school anymore? Or could it be that Jupiter stationed in Gemini is translating to a fixation on details without understanding the overall point of the article? Regardless, I see this as the collective venting of a high level of frustration and anger. The real source of public frustration – the corporate thieves who plundered the economy, drove up the unemployment rate, and got off scot-free, along with their political accomplices – are protected behind gated communities and armed guards. And they are no doubt pleased that, instead of plotting to storm the Bastille, the “little people” are either fighting among themselves or dousing their pain through addictive and escapist behaviors.

Ah, but the plotting thickens, in however small a way. It’s heartening to see people rallying in support of a waitress in St. Louis who was fired from Applebee’s last week for posting a customer’s rude note online. Many of the comments on news stories display an appalling lack of comprehension of the facts, but the response was visceral, and in this case, channeled in the right direction. Although there were some unbelievably rude and bigoted comments about the customer, the majority response was to call for a boycott of Applebee’s and its parent company, IHOP. For its part, Applebee’s showed its true colors by totally failing to grasp the extent of the public outrage. In its official “explanation,” you can almost hear the collapse of a decaying corporate structure.

This is all just a long way of saying that a revolution is indeed in the works – not that we haven’t known for years that it was coming, given the Uranus-Pluto square with reinforcement from Saturn in Scorpio. I always maintained that the rebellion would be a class war. With Mars in Pisces, the collective anger is going to make itself felt – all the more so when retrograde Mercury conjoins Mars later this month. It’s critical in the next six to eight weeks that you look for ways to channel any anger and frustration into appropriate action.

Now, there’s another way that all this Pisces energy could manifest, and that’s the thinning of the “veil” between worlds, sometimes called the “Veil of Isis.” More and more people are beginning to have memories, dreams, and visions of incarnations in other dimensions of time and space. This is very definitely the realm of Neptune, and confusion and disorientation are key attributes of the ninth planet. These memories can be distressing. Depending on what happened and how vividly you recall the event, the force of the emotional release could be explosive. This is especially true of karmic relationships. It’s my observation that merely knowing what happened in another lifetime usually isn’t enough to overcome a negative pattern or obsession with someone. The emotional charge has to be released, and then something changes internally that allows you to move on. Anyone who has gone through this process knows that it can be upsetting.

Mars conjoins Neptune on Monday, but we’re already feeling it. On Tuesday, Mercury enters Pisces, where he’ll turn retrograde on February 23. In all, Mercury will remain in Pisces for more than two months, when he normally breezes through a sign in three weeks. I mention this now, because Mercury enters pre-retrograde shadow on Friday, making it all the more important that you take action in the next two weeks to establish your course for the rest of the year. Even though we’ll be sailing through patchy fog, all of the planets are now direct and giving us a huge green light until February 18, when Saturn turns retrograde. This is the only period in 2013 with all ten planets direct – actually, all the asteroids, too – and we won’t have one in 2014 at all.

Of course, the biggest news this week is the New Moon in Aquarius on February 10, which is also the Chinese New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Water Snake (more water!). Since the rest of this week’s aspects are contained in the New Moon chart, I’ll discuss them in that context.

New Moon in Aquarius

Click on image to enlarge

This is a bowl chart with an odd sort of symmetry. The Sun and Moon are at the bottom at 21 degrees Aquarius, not in aspect with any other planets but in a square with the lunar nodes by exact degree. And, of course, all of the planets are direct, making this a remarkable New Moon chart filled with the promise of a head-spinning fast-forward.

Mercury and Mars are conjunct (the alignment is exact on Friday), providing a glimpse of what will come later this month, after Mercury turns retrograde and the two planets are conjunct for a second time. Communication is key here, because otherwise the combined energy of this pair is passive aggressive. That’s what the Applebee’s customer did, and it came back to bite her in the behind. Her beef was with management, and the whole incident could have been avoided had she communicated directly.

Mercury and Mars are both square Jupiter in Gemini at the New Moon, and Mars is still in conjunction with Neptune, so it will take some effort to communicate clearly and effectively, and failure to do so could have exaggerated consequences. Chiron is in on this alignment, too, so there is an increased risk that someone is going to end up with hurt feelings. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Jupiter and Uranus are sextile by exact degree and Mars and Mercury are approaching a trine with Saturn – all indicating positive ways to redirect anger and irritation. If you can summon up the courage to be candid and direct, you can shift the level of the discussion to higher ground and build new ties in your personal and professional relationships.

Venus sextiles Uranus on Wednesday and trines Jupiter on Thursday. These combined energies suggest unexpected opportunities and a stroke of brilliant luck, most likely in the areas of career and financial deals. Thursday is a great day for signing contracts. However, at the New Moon, Venus is in a close square with Saturn, suggesting cold water thrown on plans that looked so good only a few days earlier. At the very least, you may have some version of buyer’s remorse, that “What could I possibly have been thinking?” feeling. Well that’s what Mercury retrograde is for. You’ll have a couple of weeks to do some additional research, and if you want to change your mind, you’ll probably get an opportunity to do so.

The square from the Sun and Moon to the lunar nodes suggests that whatever takes place at this New Moon could have a feeling of fate or destiny about it, at least collectively. It may apply in individual cases, too, depending on where the Sun, Moon, and nodes currently are transiting your chart. It’s also intriguing to note that the Uranus-Pluto midpoint and the Venus-Mars midpoint are both 23 degrees Aquarius, with the Sun and Moon just two degrees away. This further suggests events that are fated and part of the overall evolution/revolution of Uranus and Pluto. Gender relations are part of this scenario as the struggle continues for women’s rights and an end to violence against women and girls.

Frankly, I’d like to see an end to violence against women, girls, boys, men, cats, and dogs. The collective release of accumulated anger, pain, and trauma – whether from this lifetime or other incarnations – will go a long way toward that end. Just be prepared for a really big mess.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat