Category Archives: About astrology

Ask Real Astrologers: What’s In Store for Taurus Sun?

This week’s question comes from Jezi in Princeton, N.J.:

Taurus is my Sun sign, and I have Venus in Gemini, so I’m trying to understand what both Venus and Mercury entering Taurus this week means for me and I confess to getting a bit confused trying to sort it out!

This is a great question, Jezi, as it allows me to explain a bit about Sun sign astrology and why it can be useful in some applications but limited in others.

When you say you’re a Taurus, that means the Sun was moving through the sign of Taurus when you were born. This occurs roughly from April 20 to May 20, but the exact dates can change from one year to the next. For those who are born near the date change, or “cusp,” it’s important to get an accurate birth chart, which you can do online (more info below) or with a professional astrologer.

The horoscopes you read in the newspaper and online are written with Sun signs in mind. This technique of forecasting is called Sun sign astrology. There are a few astrologers who do it well, and more and more astrologers are adding the caveat that you also should read for your Rising sign, or Ascendant. In many ways, the Ascendant provides more information about you than your Sun sign, and it’s critically important in forecasting, as it determines the layout of your chart. To know your Rising sign, you have to have an accurate birth time. You also need to know the place of birth.

The birth time you gave me, Jezi, makes you a Rising Cancer. You may find that you get a more accurate horoscope online if you read for Cancer. At the end of this post, I’ll give you some URLs for my favorite Sun sign forecasts.

Back to your original question, when Venus and Mercury enter Taurus, you won’t necessarily notice any effects until they actually align with your Sun. In the case of Venus, you may experience a day or two of good feelings, affection, and creativity, and you may feel like having a party or celebrating with friends. Flowers and beautiful objects will appeal to you even more than usual. Mercury on your Sun generally brings lots of communications.

Because Venus and Mercury move quickly relative to the Earth, these effects will be fleeting. However, when we look at where Venus and Mercury are moving through your chart, we can predict some longer-term trends. This is especially important right now, since Mercury is about to go retrograde in Taurus. Where you have Taurus in your chart tells us what area of your life is likely to be disrupted by Mercury’s retrograde effects.

In your case, Jezi, that’s the eleventh house, which rules friends, involvement with groups, humanitarian causes, and your hopes and wishes for the future. I’ve had some terrible misunderstandings with friends during periods when Mercury was retrograde in my eleventh house. Once or twice, the arguments were severe enough to end the friendship. You also may have an urge to examine your aspirations for the future and revise where necessary.

Venus transits to the eleventh house typically are very pleasant times when your friends assume more importance in your life. Getting together is tons of fun right now, especially if it involves good food and other indulgences, which Taurus is known for.

I hope that doesn’t confuse you more, Jezi! But there is really no way to simplify it. Astrology is a complex art and science, and attempts to make it simpler can strip it of its accuracy and power.

For a free copy of your birth chart, I highly recommend Astrodienst, the Swiss astrology site. Once you get more proficient in astrology, there are all kinds of ways you can manipulate charts for personal information. Still, be advised that this is never a substitute for a reading with a professional astrologer.

Sun sign astrology on the Web:
Soulgarden.tv. Daily horoscopes delivered in fabulous high-tech format by Christopher Witecki, an inspired and inspiring astrologer in Los Angeles.
AstrologyZone. Detailed monthly horoscopes by Susan Miller, one of the best-loved astrologers on the Web. She can be frighteningly accurate, provided that you read the best sign for you.

Pat

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact me, or I won’t get your question. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” You can also use the drop-down menu above under “About Us” to get to the question form. THANKS!

Film Review: Clash of the Titans

Perseus Releases Andromeda by Joachim Wtewael, 1611

Release the Kraken! Perseus Releases Andromeda, by Dutch painter and engraver Joachim Wtewael, 1611.

The trailers for the latest box office hit Clash of the Titans leave no doubt that this is a monster FX movie, so I went with no expectations that there would be any real Greek mythology in it. But I wanted to find out just how bad it would be.

In fact, it didn’t deviate from “the book” any worse than films based on popular novels. There’s enough real mythology in it that it might create a renaissance in classical studies, especially among young people. And, in fairness, the film wasn’t intended as a true rendition of Greek mythology but as a remake of the 1981 classic by the same name.

The plot is loosely based on the myth of Perseus, the son of Zeus (Roman Jupiter) by a mortal woman. Technically, that makes him a demigod, of which there are many in mythology thanks to the philandering of the Olympian gods.

According to mythology, Perseus’s mother was a princess of the Danaans, who inhabited much of southern Greece at the end of the Bronze Age and were among the last goddess-oriented cultures in ancient civilization. Her father, in response to a prophecy that the child would grow up and kill him, has him thrown into the sea in a box. He survives and becomes king and founder of Mycenae after rescuing Andromeda, an Ethiopian princess, from being sacrificed to the sea monster Cetus. It’s a classic hero’s journey, requiring superhuman feats such as slaying the Medusa, whose head he gives as a sacrifice to Athena. The goddess of wisdom shows up often in Greek mythology as a guide to heroes.

In Clash of the Titans, Perseus gets sucked into a three-way battle between Zeus (Liam Neeson in natty sparkling armor), Hades (Roman Pluto, played by Ralph Fiennes), and the inhabitants of Argos, who decide they no longer wish to be subject to the whims of the gods and declare war against Olympus. Perseus is played by British actor Sam Worthington, whose buzz cut and olive-drab shirt make him look more like he belongs in a television commercial for the United States Marines. Then, he just played one in another FX blockbuster.

His helper is not Athena but Io (Gemma Arterton), a sexy guardian spirit who ends up as his love interest, but there’s no real love story. There is only passing mention of the Titans, a race of elder gods who were overthrown by their children, Zeus and the Olympians.

How it all ties into astrology is hinted at in the opening lines of the film as a narrator tells us that this story is far older than man and written in the stars. True enough. Perseus, Andromeda, and Pegasus are among the 88 named constellations, along with Cetus. However, in Titans, the monster isn’t Cetus but the dreaded Kraken (didn’t we just see him in Pirates of the Caribbean?), allowing Neeson to utter the best and silliest line of the film, “Release the Kraken!” “Release Cetus” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

It also was fun to see giant scorpions rising out of the blood of Calibos, sent from the underworld by Hades to kill Perseus. It’s so perfectly Plutonian!

As for the special effects, they’re not extraordinary by today’s standards, but some of them are stunning — the Pegasus is truly wondrous. The line between imagination and reality is getting thinner and thinner, and that is some kind of powerful magic. It has been my hope since the beginning of digitized filmmaking that someone would create a film filled not with terrifying monsters to fuel our fear but with higher beings and beautiful places to fuel our sense of what’s possible.

Most of all, I was intrigued by the theme of a new order overthrowing the old order. That is the way of the cosmos, and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this film has been released just as we’re experiencing a major shift in cosmic energies. In effect, we all have the opportunity to be heroes by aligning with the forces of life, love, and freedom.

Pat

Clash of the Titans, opens April 2, 2010
Production: Warner Bros., in association with Legendary Pictures
Cast: Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Alexa Davalos, Jason Flemyng, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson
Director: Louis Leterrier
Screenwriters: Travis Beacham, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, based on the 1981 script by Beverley Cross
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Kevin De La Noy
Rated PG-13, 106 minutes

Name That Sign! Astrology Photo Game

Photo by Tauseef Mustafa for Agence France-Presse

A member of the Jammu and Kashmir Police takes part in an event commemorating Indian Independence Day. Photo by Tauseef Mustafa for Agence France-Presse.

If you didn’t play the game last week, there’s no time like the present to start! Here’s how it goes:

Each week, I’ll post a photo, and you get to comment on what planet and sign or what aspect you think it best represents. There’s no wrong answer; this is all about learning astrology through visual cues.

If you’ve got a photo you think would be good for this column, please drop me a line! (Include photo credit and copyright information.)

Thanks to everyone who participated last week. It was a fun change of pace!

Pat

Saturday Extra! International Astrology Day

Today is spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of the astrological year, when the Sun enters the sign of Aries.

Not only is Aries the first sign of the zodiac, but the first of the four cardinal signs. Think of the force of shoots pushing through the heavy earth toward the sun or of a bear coming out of hibernation, and you understand the nature of Aries. You’ll also begin to understand the forces that are at work on the planet and the breadth of the changes in store for us all.

We’ve been experiencing a slow build-up of cardinal energy over the past two years, ever since Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008. Then Saturn entered Libra last year, and Jupiter and Uranus will enter Aries in late spring, creating a cardinal T-square. Now, with the Sun, Mercury, and Venus all in Aries, we’re in for a brief taste of how the cardinal forces will play out. Keep your antennae up for critical information.

I’m advising my clients to stay mobile and flexible, as anything could happen, and our lives could change on a dime. Where you have cardinal energy in your chart is where you are most likely to experience new developments.

I’ll have more in my weekly forecast on Monday, so stay tuned …

Happy Astrology Day!

Pat

Name That Sign! Astrology Photo Game

Cinderella, by Joana Vasconcelos. Photo by Nacho Doce for REUTERS.

This sculpture was created by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos out of stainless steel pans and concrete covers. The work is part of her exhibition currently running at Belem Cultural Centre in Lisbon. Photo by Nacho Doce for REUTERS.

If you’re a regular reader of RealAstrologers, you know that I like to scour the news headlines and online art galleries for photos that symbolize a particular astrological aspect. So, we thought, why not let you participate and make it game?

Each week, I’ll post a photo, and you get to comment on what planet and sign or what aspect you think it best represents. There will be no right or wrong answer. I expect that some of you will be very creative, and the differences in thinking will be part of the fun!

Here are a couple of examples from past posts to give you an idea of how it goes:

For Venus in Aquarius, I chose a photo that combined the theme of beauty with innovation and technology. When Mars was in Pisces, I selected an image expressing the aggressive side of Mars in an ocean environment, with the added feature of an optical illusion, illusions being a specialty of Neptune, ruler of Pisces.

So, are you ready? Leave a comment telling us what planet and sign combination or planetary aspect you think this photo represents, and why.

Pat

P.S. If any of you come across photos you think would be appropriate for this column, drop me a line! Remember, if it’s not your own work, you need to send the photo credit and copyright information.

Saturday Extra! Year of the Tiger

Lanterns are the traditional decorations for the Chinese New Year. Also called the Spring Festival, the celebration goes on for two weeks and is marked by special foods, much as we celebrate the winter holidays. Photo by Alexander F. Yuan for The Associated Press.

With all the activity in the sky lately, I totally forgot about the Chinese New Year, which always begins at the New Moon in Aquarius.

As you probably know, this is the Year of the Tiger. In Chinese astrology, there are twelve signs, all animals. Each lunar year has an animal associated with it, along with one of five traditional Chinese elements. This year, the element is Metal.

What you may not know is that each of the Chinese animal signs has a counterpart in Western astrology. The Tiger is associated with Aquarius, and it’s no coincidence that traits associated with the Tiger mirror many of the characteristics of the Water Bearer. I’m not an expert in Chinese astrology. For the most part, I rely on Theodora Lau’s classic Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes. Here is what she says about the Metal Tiger:

He approaches his problems in a direct or even a radical way and is never in doubt about what he wants to accomplish. The problem is that he wants too much too soon. He tends to be overoptimistic about expected results.

When Metal is combined with his native lunar sign, it could produce a Tiger who is sudden, unorthodox and drastic in his actions. He is a person who is faithful only to himself and his desires, and doesn’t mind stepping on a few toes along the way. Easily stirred by both good and bad influences, this Tiger will tend to act independently, as he hates having to get permission for anything or having his freedom curtailed in any way.

The last time we had a year of the Metal Tiger was 1950. Among the events that year were the Korean War, construction of the hydrogen bomb, and the beginning of Sen. Joe McCarthy’s anti-communist witch hunts.

Tiger years traditionally are associated with social upheaval and sweeping change, events that Western astrologers associate with Uranus, the modern planetary ruler of Aquarius. Although Chinese astrologers don’t cast ingress charts as we do in the West, it’s interesting to note that the Year of the Tiger began with the New Moon conjunct Neptune and Chiron. I fervently hope that the sweeping changes we experience this year have to do with healing and connecting with others to help bring about much-needed changes on the planet. Of course, this may not be easy or comfortable.

Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Congratulations and be prosperous!)
Pat

Cha Cha Change and Uranus Transits

Since April of last year, Uranus in Pisces has been trine my Ascendant on and off. I’m beginning to believe that for some of us there is no such thing as an “easy” transit of Uranus, especially those who have a preponderance of planets and chart angles in the fixed signs.

Often, Uranus transits to the Ascendant coincide with weight loss, and this transit has been no exception – I have lost over twenty pounds. This has been due to being unable to eat desserts of any kind, including pure chocolate, due to a severely stressed digestive system. The thing is, when I stay away from the trigger foods and do my best to minimize the stress in my life, I feel great. Pretty straightforward cause and effect – do this and feel like crap, don’t do it and feel good.

Transits to my Ascendant not only affect my Ascendant but also my Mars and Mercury, because those planets conjoin it from the twelfth house side. A natal inconjunct from Uranus to those three points gives a certain unpredictability to how a particular transit will manifest – and probably why Uranus transits are unusually stressful for me.

Because I gave away all my smaller pants, I am going to have to get new ones. Since I do not enjoy shopping (must be one of the few women on the planet who don’t) this is not something I look forward to. Our budget is very tight right now, so it may be time to head to Good Will to see what I can find.

One of the reasons I’m just now beginning to realize how profound the changes are is because Neptune has been squaring my Ascendant during this same time period. Right now it is past exact, and the fog has lifted for awhile (I have one more to go in late October-November of this year). This is just another confirmation of Neptune’s ability to obfuscate and confuse any and all issues by transit or natal aspect.

Uranus transits often are good reminders of what we need to do to take care of ourselves, and this one has been no exception. Sometimes we need to clear out old habits and sources of stress in order to replace them with healthier options. Usually, on some level, we already are aware of what needs to be done. I did. It’s eat healthy and stay awwaaaay from the goodies from here on out!

Just goes to show even an old dog can learn a new trick.

posted by Diane . . .

Saturday Extra! Chasing Nibiru

Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal showing stars, planets, and signs of the zodiac. Note the Pleiades in the upper right corner.

Rossa’s question last week about the possibility of a brown dwarf in our solar system raised the subject of Nibiru, which, depending on whom you talk to, is the still-to-be-discovered Planet X, a planet on a doomsday collision course with Earth, or home to extraterrestrials.

In an attempt to discover how these stories started, I did a little digging and found some interesting facts about Nibiru, which is mentioned in ancient Sumerian astronomical texts. And therein lies the rub. The texts are confusing, and, of course, that leaves the door wide open to interpretation, some of them quite fanciful.

What fascinated me most was the description of Nibiru as a crossing point or gateway. This suggests that Nibiru was not an actual body, but a location in space or perhaps some kind of a time marker. Even when Sumerian astronomers refer to Nibiru as “Marduk’s star,” they simply may be noting the location of one of the five known planets (Marduk was a god in the Sumerian mythology and probably linked with one of the planets and perhaps a constellation, just as we associate Jupiter and Sagittarius).

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that the Sumerians often wrote in poetic language filled with symbolism, not necessarily to be taken literally. Further, Sumerian language scholars tend not to be well-versed in astrology and don’t understand what they’re reading. They can translate the words, but the resulting text makes no sense.

I would love to see a detailed study of these texts performed by someone skilled both in astrology and ancient Sumerian languages. If there is no one on the planet with that skill set, then a collaboration would be the next-best solution. But that is highly unlikely, as academics are among the first people to dismiss astrology as superstitious pseudoscience.

Think of the knowledge we’re missing because of this prejudice.

Pat

Saturday Extra: Saturn Square Pluto and Relationship Pitfalls

This topic just won’t leave me alone. New thoughts keep creeping up from the depths of my twelfth-house Mercury in Scorpio and asking to be shared, perhaps because controlling behaviors (Pluto) can devastate our one-on-one relationships (Libra).

The second exact square between Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn takes place January 31, another reason this subject in on my mind. Pluto in Capricorn has a strong need to be seen as the top dog in any given situation, while Saturn in Libra keeps reminding him of the importance of fairness and equity. The potential for conflict between these ideas is quite apparent. If we insist on being in control, it is darn hard to practice fairness and equity, isn’t it?

The beauty of the square between planets is how sharply the qualities of the signs involved are brought into focus. Supporting the potential for clarity with the current Saturn-Pluto square in Libra and Capricorn is the fact Saturn, Capricorn’s ruler, is exalted in Libra. Most of us who have worked with modifying behaviors know how important it is to be patient and forgiving of ourselves, because it is a process, often taking many years of vigilance – how Saturn is that! Pluto offers us the strength to go deep, deep into the dark corners of our beings and turn on the lights. From personal experience, I know how what appeared to be a huge monster in the dark can be reduced to something manageable in the light. Truly.

Often the tricky part is not learning to see controlling behaviors in others, but acknowledging it in ourselves. It’s time to look in the mirror, into our own eyes and say, “Yes, I did and do behave like that.” That is the first step. For those of us with Pluto dominating our charts, the next step is often the need to dig around in our emotional basements and figure out why we are driven to control our interactions with others. This is an ongoing, often frustrating but ultimately freeing experience. One of the best sources for help in this area can be found at Donna Cunningham’s blog, Sky Writer. She has many resources listed on her sidebar worth exploring.

Between now and August 21, when Saturn and Pluto meet for their third and final square, we will have plenty of reminders and opportunities to learn more about this topic. In other words, it is not going away any time soon. Fun, huh?! :::grin:::

posted by Diane . . .

Image: I couldn’t resist the obvious metaphor of the return of the light on a winter’s dawn and the new beginnings possible after lighting up the dark places within each of us.

Saturday Extra! Some Thoughts on Right Use of Astrology

Image: Timed exposure of the north face of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini for Agence France-Presse.

With Mars retrograde in my seventh house and Mercury still not out of post-retrograde shadow, I’m constantly reminded of the “right use” of astrology.

For many people, astrology is a method of predicting what will happen to them. For sure, an astrologer can detect patterns and predict some events or, at least, a range of possibilities. But this is a limited use of a powerful tool that can do so much more.

If you’re a regular visitor here, you know that I’m a big proponent of using astrology to identify the energy currents flowing through our material world at any given time. It’s akin to predicting the weather. When we know that a high-risk period is on the way, we can choose to adjust our behavior accordingly.

For example, although it’s rarely a good idea to blurt out uncensored thoughts and react to situations without thinking first, such behavior can have far-reaching consequences during retrograde periods and some planetary transits. Having a difficult discussion while Mercury is retrograde can permanently damage a relationship.

It takes restraint, and it takes work. The planets can’t do that part for us. They are indicators, that’s all. And yes, when Mars is in my seventh house, opposite my Sun, there is going to be a real temptation to get in a heated argument, but approached with the right frame of mind, this type of discussion can be highly productive.

In a consultation this week, I was looking at the synastry of two people and noticed an aspect indicating a severe barrier to communications that, without attention, could cause the relationship to collapse. I explained that it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that this aspect was a deal-breaker and would lead to arguments, but that both people had a choice of maintaining awareness and working on good communications, or of ignoring the problem until it was too late.

Ultimately, this approach to astrology is empowering. It gives you the power to be proactive, and it helps you prepare for situations in which you may have to react quickly.

Even for me, the astrologer, it’s always good to have this reminder from time to time, and so I pass it on to you in the hopes that it will help you find more happiness and fulfillment.

Much love and many blessings,
Pat