Welcome to Sagittarius time!

Hello all,
We have slipped into that area of the zodiac known as Sagittarius. The Sun placed there at 2' joined the New Moon eclipse also at 2'; in astrological terms, this is known as a conjunction, an aspect that intensifies the energies.

Ruled by Jupiter, Sagittarius is the sign of the archer, able to see ahead to distant lands, distant goals. it is the sign associated with other cultures, long distance travel, people and things at a far-away distance. Jupiter is the planet we associate with expansion and abundance, optimism and growth. If you think of the planet Jupiter, it is huge compaired to earth!

So this eclipse reverberates 2' Sagittarius into the ethers, there might be a sense of optimism in the air. We have high hopes that the revolutionary momentum that has gained strength around the planet will, in fact, create the changes we week. Sagittarius holds the space for this to occur, while also waiting to see if others will hold themselves accountable.

The Sabian Symbol for 2' Sagittarius is 'a white-capped ocean.' This can be interpreted in many ways: one astrologer likened it to seeing the tip of the iceberg, with much going on underneath. I sense it to be the sea is churning, social change is afoot, we cannot yet see the results but must trust they are coming. This space in-between wanting and seeing is called 'faith.' Do what you know in your heart is right, do your part in your community, and let the rest go....trusting things are working out for good.

Just today, I was reading an astrological column that talked about Jupiter-ruled Sagittarians as not being depressed, but rather disappointed in human nature of late. As Sagittarius is optimistic and sees the best in others, it can bring out our collective sense of disappointment that we are not getting the results we seek. It is important to honor these very human emotions, while at the same time not sinking into them, if that makes sense?

The next eclipse will be 12/10/11 at 18' Gemini, a lunar eclipse and the last for this year. I believe each of these celestial events over the course of the year have helped to upgrade the energies on the planet. And, while not overly optimistic, I do have high hopes that humanity can change - will change - is changing, before our eyes.

Must be the Sagittarian in me....

Happy holidays to everyone! May the season find you deeply at peace, with a creative aliveness in daily life, and love in your hearts.

Mars into Virgo

Mars has moved into the sign of Virgo. This planet is associated with our drive, initiative, and will. The healed version of Mars is that it provides us with the needed energy to get things done, start things up, have that necessary conversation, make that move. If poorly aspected, the unhealed version of impatience, rushing, movement without thinking, rash action. We need a balanced relationship and expression of the energies of Mars in our lives.

Mars just came out of Leo, where fire-met-fire. This fire-planet basked in the warmth of Leo, already a fire-sign. Now, placed in the earthy sign of Virgo, we can achieve more balance and get down to the business of taking care of details.

I have practiced astrology for the last 22 years; at times, this was a full-time gig, at other times, it was a part-time labour of love. What I am noticing now is that my interpretation of the stars and the cycles that come with them is becoming more intuitive and more general. I can look at planetary cycles and see generalist themes that apply to many; I can also scale it down to apply for the individual. But more and more, my attention is drawn to the collective, as I realize we are all One, and groups of people are moving through similar things.

So for Mars in Virgo, I will say, this is an excellent cycle to get help from the planets in the nuts-and-bolts of the details in your life. For those who struggle with ADHD, this is an excellent cycle in which to receive support in gaining focus; for some reading this, I sense herbal support may be helpful, along with this stellar cycle. In addition, fitness and wellness are supported by this planetary alignment, as Virgo rules these things. I encourage you to take the very best care you can of your physical form, and to find whatever unique physical expression supports this. In my own neck of the world, I am trying new forms of Yoga and began to attend a small, locally-owned gym that feels very personal in nature. I have a former coworker who is a current facebook friend, and I love to see her daily posting of what she accomplished at the gym - it inspires! I love hearing what people do to take care of the form - and I welcome your stories!

Mars remains in Virgo for a very long period of time, as it travels through this sign, retrogrades "backwards", and then moves forward again, so look forward of 32 weeks of Mars in Virgo.

May you all experience good health, and a creative aliveness in your daily lives!
Jane

Seasonal change, the Equinox

Fall is upon us, along with a rush of planetary change. On Sept 23, the Sun will move into Libra, joining Venus and Saturn. On Sept 25, Mercury joins the group, and on Sept 27, the New Moon. There is a large building of energy in this social, cardinal sign. In addition to the ethers filling with Libran influence, we have aspects to the other cardinals, as Pluto moves forward in Capricorn and Uranus moves through Aries.

Pluto will spend a long time in Capricorn, helping to clean out the government and other 'systems.' What seems like chaos from the outside may actually be a balancing act taking place, bringing things into harmony. Pluto retrograded on April 9, moving in a backwards motion until Sept 16. Now moving forward, this will result in clearer energies for all, but especialy for Capricorn and Scorpio, Aries, Libra and Cancer. I have heard many stories of sudden positive change as well as the clearing out of old relationships, people, and habits as balance is suddenly found. What has been going on in your life since April 9? What have you seen needs clearing, completion, or a complete makeover? The planetary energies help with this now.

Libra is all about socialization, bringing peace, the drive to harmonize our relationships. Difficulties are more easily resolved under this influence as people feel their yearning to connect. Venus is right at home in Libra. Enjoy this cycle and the connections it brings. I encourage you to reach out to others around you, to call people, make human contact: this cycle supports human connection. We all need that.

The equinox is a powerful time for prayer and visualization. There is much help available for those who want to engage a cleansing system for the body, and this is supported by the seasonal change. Many blessings to you at this time of change.

Mercury and the gift of Communication

Hello Friends,

Mercury is perched on the precipice of another retrograde action; from August 2-26, Mercury will backtrack in the sign of Virgo and then Leo. People often ask me if the retrograde is 'bad'. I don't think any astrological cycle is good or bad, it depends on how you choose to use it. Knowing ahead of time that a certain cycle is in effect, we can make plans to be more in alignment with that cycle, instead of fighting against it. Mercury, while in retrograde - regardless of sign - teaches us that communication is such an important and powerful tool. It has the power to move energies one way or another. It reminds us that We Belong to Each Other - we need each other. Humans are social beings at heart.

So while mercury is retrograding, we can be reminded to double-check our communications with others, and with ourselves. Are we fully expressing? Did what we wanted to communicate to another really come through, or did they hear something differently than we intended? Are we too sped up, needing instead to slow down, pause, feel? Our society will definitely support our rushing through life. Is that really how you want to live?

The people that I have in my life are important to me. I want to take my time and really be there with them communicating fully, listening deeply. It is worth it! Mercury retrograde also asks us how we are communicating with ourselves - are we seeing deeply all of our motives, tendencies, gifts, and abilities? If you want a life based on Love, these things are all worth examining.

And on a mundane level, yes, mercury retrograde can mean more issues with fax machines, cell phones, emails, etc. But this is not the aspect of the cycle that I want to focus on, as there are deeper things to consider. When you communicate, really, what do you want to say? to have heard?

i wish you all the best as summer makes itself available to us through opportunites for rest, relaxation, spending time in nature. i will be spending time at Grass Lake Nature Sanctuary later this month, on spiritual retreat to regroup and refocus and reconnect. Perfect for the mercury cycle. Namaste!

Eclipse Activity for 2011

Hello all,
We have just passed through a quick series of three solar/lunar eclipses! June 1st saw a solar eclipse at 11' Gemini, June 15 a lunar eclipse at 24' Sagittarius, and July 1 a solar eclipse at 9' Cancer. It is my belief that eclipse activity serves to move things into, out of, and through our lives, to help with our growth. If we are in tune with these events, we can understand them for what they are - windows of opportunity. I do not believe that eclipses are 'good' or 'bad' per se, and feel that this type of thinking minimizes our ability to create what we want or need in our lives. Of course, life does bring unexpected challenges. But understanding eclipses as they approach, being mindful of them when they occur, and planning for prayer or ritual for clarity when whey approach, can be a good way to make use of these windows of opportunity.

At times, it seems that the best way to understand the energy of an eclipse is in hindsight: to reflect on what was going on in your life at that time, and what you were moving through. The eclipses can be seen as energies to help things move, whether we are ready or not!

There are gifted astrologers out there that can look at your chart and study how each eclipse can impact or help you. This is based on your unique birth chart and how the planets fall into the astrological houses. Another way that astrologers look at eclipse activity is to examine how they affect the world. The number of minutes that the eclipse lasts can be indicative of how many months into the future we can see certain changes. Some astrologers did this with the events of 9-11. There are other astrologers that are using eclipse patterns to study the global economy.

Whatever your preference or level of belief, eclipses present an astronomical reality that is beautify to behold. On these days, I often feel as if the normal laws of physics are suspended; it feels like magic is afoot, and I feel a kinship to my ancestors, who followed the eclipses for centuries, seeking when to plant certain crops, what kind of winter would be ahead, and more. How all of this works is a mystery to me! I invite you to feel the mystery as well.

If you are interested in a personal reading as to how the eclipse may impact you, feel free to contact me for a reading, or find your friendly neighborhood astrologer for assistance!

The next pair of eclipses will be November 24 at 3' Sagittarius (solar), and again December 10, 18' Gemini (lunar). The eclipses of the last 2-3 years have been in sensitive Cancer and grounded Capricorn; we shift our attention now to Sagittarus and communicative Gemini. So, we might feel certain endings or a completion as this last cycle in Cancer/Capricorn has been winding down. I am curious about your stories! Feel welcome to contact me at spirithappiness@yahoo.com or on facebook. Namaste!

Outer Planet Movement

Hello Everyone, and Happy Spring!

I am reflecting on the movement of the outer planets over the last little while. The movement of the outer planets is slower and longer than that of the planets closer to earth. Thus, the transits hang around us for a longer period of time, and have a more global impact.

In November 2008, Pluto moved into Capricorn. Pluto is the planet associated with cleaning up, deep cleansing, healing, and the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Moving through Capricorn, the realm associated with government, "systems", business, and so forth, we have seen a lot of corruption exposed. Our economy has needed to shift so that balance can be regained. Pluto always cleans house for a deeper reason, even though we cannot always see it that way. Pluto will continue to transit Capricorn until 2024.

In April, Neptune moved into Pisces, after a 14 year stay in Aquarius. Neptune is the ruler of Pisces and so is right at home in this sign. This relates to the psychic and intuitive realms, peeling away layers of consciousness, and the healing arts. In addition, Neptune/Pisces can be used to escape through drugs or alcohol or other media, so be careful and alert. Pay attention to your intuitions and dreams during this cycle. Hopefully this will assist humanity in deepening compassion for the earth and for other humans and creatures on the planet, for Pisces is capable of great empathy for others.

In March, Uranus moved into Aries. While transiting Pisces, we saw a revolution take place in the healing arts, where yoga became mainstream and Reiki is now practiced in health clinics and hospitals. We can talk about feng shui at the office and people nod and understand. These are topics that, back in the day, were reserved for quiet back rooms. New ground has been broken on this issue and more healing tools are available to us: the mainstream and the mystery meet. With Uranus moving into Aries, there is much supporting energy in the ethers for new projects: not old projects, redone - but new. What does your heart yearn to manifest in this life? Here is a window of opportunity that can support you! Put some foundation under those dreams!

So as we go forward now, what I sense from these outer planet transits is so much change in the air! We may not always see the changes right away, but they are occurring! Just as we cannot see the air that we need to breathe in any moment, we must trust the healing process that is alive in us all. Much love and God Bless you all.

Uranus moves from Pisces to Aries

Hello all,

We have major astrological movement this week, as Uranus, planet of global change and revolution, moves from touchy-feely Pisces into fiery Aries. Uranus will spend seven years in Aries, charging up the need to revolutionize, stand up for what is right, create new beginnings, and become pioneers in some way. Some may have a deep desire and passion to make their mark on the world. At times, it can be frustrating to 'wait' for things to line up. It is very human to want things in this world, no matter what spiritual path we may be on. I do not always know what the delays are, but something my own astrologer once said has helped me: it can't be 2 o'clock until it's two o'clock. Period. Things have to line up, and in the meantime, we do what we can, we stay creative, we connect with others, and we pursue our dream, trusting in the timing of the Universe.

Uranus in Pisces over the last seven years has helped to revolutionize or normalize many of the healing arts; back in the day, it was not considered mainstream to engage holistic medicine. These were things that were whispered in quiet back rooms. And now, yoga and massage are prevalent and widely used, holistic medicine is blending more and more with mainstream medicine, feng shui is a household phrase. God bless progress! Sometimes it is hard to see change afoot when it is slow or steady, but change we have!

So for the next seven years, we can expect more changes, but this time in the areas related to Aries. This sign rules our personal initiative and drive, our ambition, which may have fallen to the back burner during the last cycle. Just before a planet changes signs, we have a period of time that we call 'completion of the journey' or feeling at the end of your rope, in some cases. We are ripe for change but it hasn't quite happened yet.

Uranus and Jupiter shake hands during this cycle, allowing for unusual happy coincidences and chance meetings with key players to take place. Follow your intuition! And Mercury will briefly connect with these two planets as well. This can indicate catalytic conversations, but may also indicate a tendency to be sped up or speak without thinking things through. It's okay.

One thing is for sure about Aries: change will happen! It is an action oriented sign. So I encourage you to slow down and feel deeply into how you want changes in your life. Use the moon cycles - the full moon and new moon - as well as the seasonal equinox/solstice moments to feel deeply into how you wish to move. Remember to breathe! as life may at times feel more sped up in the next cycle.

As always, I welcome your stories and comments! love to you all!

Jane