Most Astrologers identify eight distinct phases of the Moon — we are in Phase 2 right now.

Today, Saturday, the Moon (Emotion) is dancing with Mercury (Communication) which makes it a good time to speak about what you feel. Are you able to express your feelings? It can seem difficult, but when you speak what is in your heart in a calm collected way it is for the best. Think of three steps: meditate quietly on what you are feeling so you can put the right words to it, pick a good place to talk with the person your feelings involve, and after you get it off your chest, be sure to listen intently for what you can learn from your friend/partner/spouse.

“Maybe it’s time to get creative about your spirituality? …to be healthy, Faith always requires an active and passionate awareness.”

Looking into Sunday, Venus (Love) is dancing well with Uranus and this can bring out a passion for a new idea that you present in a group (like a club) setting. Mercury and Neptune’s dance today make it possible for you to address your spiritual beliefs, and creative pursuits. Maybe it’s time to get creative about your spirituality? Sometimes the way you deal with your Faith can become a sort of habit on auto-pilot. But to be healthy, Faith always requires an active and passionate awareness. Is it time for a Spiritual retreat?

Looking forward into the week, the Sun and the Moon are working well together on Monday, and this gives the right balance to start it off right. You’re coming back from a vacation, you’ve seen your family and friends, and you’re ready to tackle the mid-summer projects at work. You’ll have some creativity left over from Sunday to help you get started. And the Moon this week is in “Waxing” (growing larger) mode, which is also a good time to focus on your ambitions. This is a time of “doing” and a time for action. Make good use of it.

We often think of the Moon’s influence on Earth as primarily the gravitational affect like it exerts on the Oceans, but the Moon also emits magnetic fields and pulses as shown above from the Lunar Prospector electron reflectometer experiment.

Friday is an interesting day, since Mercury (Communication) works with (Trines) both Neptune (Ideals), and Saturn (Practicality) today. You can think clearly about what must be done on your projects, and in your relationships. And, it’s a good day for a meeting to talk things over. Saturn’s influence can feel restrictive at time, so communicating about big picture goals and plans can be a welcome break.

“Sun in Taurus (the “lovers sign” — ruled by Venus) on Saturday, with a Scorpio Full Moon on Sunday makes for a very love prone weekend.”

The week has been interesting, with the Moon is squaring off with Neptune Thursday leaving a feeling of unease about possible deception. That’s OK. The world is a tricky place at times, and discernment is always a vital skill. How do you learn what to believe, and of what to remain skeptical? Trust your gut. Study in the school of hard knocks. Pray and ask for spiritual guidance. You are after the truth, in business, in relationships, and life. That’s how you find freedom. The weekend continues an undercurrent of possible mistakes and misperceptions even as it looks like a wonderful time for romance.

At play, as ever, is our Moon, ruler of emotions, ruler of Cancer, and associated forever with Water — the ruler of Tides, as well. It circles our planet about once every 28 days, spending 2.3 days in each of the signs of the Zodiac. How it is positioned — in struggle or cooperation — relative to the other planets tells a lot about the energy tides on our earth. The Moon is also said to guide and influence one’s unconscious rythyms, habits, moods and memories. And this weekend, we encounter a Full Moon.

Sun in Taurus (the “lovers sign” — ruled by Venus) on Saturday, with a Scorpio Full Moon on Sunday makes for a very love prone weekend. Full moons bring much potency to your emotional life, and there is much erotic passion in Scorpio — so get ready for a weekend designed for hot romance. Remember that the Moon, when Full, is a time of power, and that you will have energy to work on projects that you have been wanting to finish (if you take time out from the romantic fun). Be aware that powerful emotional tides can set up deception — on the part of others, and even self-deception. You can avoid this by thinking things through, and taking time out to meditate and get in touch with higher sources of truth. The trick is to balance out passion with logic and principles in your life… and enjoy the ride.

Cheers to you all as we complete this week & already launching this weekend with a gorgeous Friday evening Happy Hour, cocktails, dinner & ?? You name it it’s going to be hot…whether it’s communication or unification… Hello Houston, we have joined and connected a duo that will most certainly turn out to be more than a mere relationship or dating casualty!

And what comes next?

Well, that is up to you two of course!

But whatever you decide to do or however you both choose to behave in order to bring it altogether… count on this being one of the best Spring Seasons for Love you’ve yet to experience. . . that by August/September could lead into binding/committed love that takes you to the alter!

The Aries New Moon ignites with passion & desire, coupled with the Aries ‘Sun’ and Springtime fun… well, does it get any better than this? ; ) Call me & let’s talk about how this awesome new lovers‘Moon is affecting you!

Blessings, Daija xox

Mercury, captured from Mariner 7, shows a pock-marked surface, similar to our Moon.

On Monday, January 28th, Mercury went Retrograde in Libra. This is a most beautiful diplomatic placement for Retrograde because as most of you know, “Retro” means to Red-Do, or ReVisit — and for this particular Retrograde negotiations are quite favored next week. What this means for everyone is to be sure to ask for what you want, and be direct about it. You will be well respected for knowing exactly what you want, so get busy thinking about exactly what that is.

“…the eyes are known as the windows to the soul - the same soul that feels the pull of earth and of the heavens.”

Mercury Retrograde affects communications, so it’s good to remember that experts on the subject say that there are four messages given each time we communicate. What we mean to say. What we actually say. What the receiver hears us say. What the receiver (the other person in the communication) thinks it means. The last part can have a lot to do with our body language and the emotions and intonations that go along with spoken communication. And remember that Mercury in Retrograde disrupts communications, so pay special attention to the four messages, and how you can sort them out. How? Check to see if you’ve understood correctly by asking if what you think the communication means, is actually what the person speaking meant to say.

And on Wednesday, Jan. 30th, the Mars goes Direct adding its fiery passion to the mix of influences here on earth. You need to sharpen your focus on written and verbal communication in your career and personal life. What about subliminal communication? Every watch someone’s eyes carefully? They can tell you a lot. According to communication experts, blinking fast usually means a person is nervous — and peoples’ passions could be up this week. Eye contact regulates conversations, shows interest or involvement, and establishes a connection with others — in our culture. Dilated pupils indicate greater affection or attraction, while constricted pupils send a colder signal — usually a signal that your brain picks up subliminally. But you can tune in consciously and use what you see to help you understand what is being communicated. And of course, the eyes are known as the windows to the soul - the same soul that feels the pull of earth and of the heavens.

Mars coming back to “Direct” (it visually proceeds forward in its path through the skies), puts its fierce passions at work this week, and along with the Last Quarter Moon (Weds. Jan. 30th), this combination makes for a time to learn about what you truely care about. Give it some time — sleep on it. Then proceed with careful, clear communication — Mercury (Communication) in Retrograde now, means that you need to double-check the messages you are putting out. Get in touch with your feelings, get yourself together, and go forward like a skilled negotiator, to seek your opportunities.

The Moon interacts with different planets, and the affect is gauged in Astrology by the Angle and alignments between them.

Have you seen the old blue and white full Moon in the clear, crisp January nights? It went full yesterday (Tuesday), in Leo a sign that is focused on the self. Meanwhile, the Sun is now in Aquarius, which takes itself less seriously. You therefore have a lot of energy for self indulgence, balanced by an interesting Aquarian objectivity. Will your friendship progress toward romance? Part of you wants that, while another part sees the bigger picture and wonders where it might lead. On Wednesday, the Moon (emotion) “opposes” Mercury (Communication) which can put you in a bind for what to say about the dilemma you feel between what you want in the short term versus what you see for the long term. You can find a way to turn this into an opportunity, with the right dash of introspection.

“The Moon (emotion), facing off with Mars (passion) creates some emotional fire that can ignite a romance.”

On Thursday, 1/24, one of the things happening in the heavens is a conjunction of Venus (Love) with Pluto (transformation). When planets are in conjunction, their energies can act on each other in quite intense ways. And, the propostion of Astrology is that energy generated in the Cosmos has its impact on Earth. So… put Love, and Transformation together, and what do you get? A couple of possibilities: passions become stronger as the need to move forward compels intense feelings of love/friendship, and that a love/friendship relationship is headed into a new phase as it evolves. The key is to let Pluto’s metamorphing energy guide you rationally through all the new feelings.

This weekend, the good old Moon, now in a powerful but waning stage, has decided to “square” two planets — both Mars and Pluto. Squares (the relative position of two or more planets), can create some tension, and also some great opportunities. The Moon (emotion), facing off with Mars (passion) creates some emotional fire that can ignite a romance. And with the Moon and Pluto (renewal), squaring off, we can see that deep feelings again come into play with potential for a transformation. So between friends and lovers you’re likely to feel some things that move you — and your relationship — to the next level. Go with it… but don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Take what time you need to think it all through.

Mars as seen from the Hubble Telescope

Have you been feeling a bit “firey” at all lately? This could be the influence of the “Red Planet” — Mars. You can use your fire for good work, or course — it is the fuel that drives your ambition, and passion. Mars can also be at the root of impulsive action. Mars is going Retrograde this month (from Nov. 15th thru Jan. 30 — a time to exercise caution in your affairs), and it’s a good time to explore the influence of the “Red Planet.” Historically, Mars was the Roman’s God of War. Astrologically, Mars exerts its influence with energy, strength, in ambition, aggression, and impulsiveness. It is often associated with the element of Fire. You can watch for its presence in your horoscope, and gauge how it affects different personalities.

“Now is a good time to look at truths in your relationships and career — make a careful evaluation, then proceed with your choices and plans wisely.”

How do you balance ambition and passion with wise behavior that is good for your career and relationships? Ahhh… one of the key questions in life. Astrologically speaking, you don’t want that hot little planet — Mars — to fire you up so much that you can’t think straight. Thinking strategically, planning things out, and listening to spiritual counsel (from the “big guy” of course) is the answer to that question. But sometimes there are so many tugs and pulls on us that it seems almost impossible. It isn’t. Forget about “impossible” and take back your power.

Those of you that follow Mercury Retrograde, know that it has moved out of Retrograde this week , and that means that you can begin moving forward with confidence on important negotiations and communications. This is true, but remember that Mars is going Retrograde, mid month, so don’t be in too much haste. Caution is still in order. Now is a good time to look at truths in your relationships and career — make a careful evaluation, then proceed with your choices and plans wisely.

Emotional Tides of the Moon…

Earth as viewed from the Moon during the Apollo 8 mission.

The sun enters Scorpio this week, so you may feel a bit more passionate about things. And, the full Moon is coming on Oct. 25th, which will make it fortuitous for you to concentrate some of your energy on financial matters. How do you balance the passions of your life? Just as Astrologers look at the tug and pull of the planets, so each of us must look at the tug and pull of our responsibilities — financial and otherwise. A good plan will go a long way here.

“The moon is the ruler of Cancer, an emotional sign, and is said to influence to the feeling nature of human beings.”

What is your instinct telling you that you must learn? The first step is listening to the instinct itself. Ever hear “go with your gut”? Well, that is advice that will pay off in relationships, business, and family life. But you have to be curious, and tune into the subtle signals you get from instinct and intuition. What is your emotional intelligence telling you about work? About your career? These sorts of questions are one thing the influence of Mercury can help us with right now. And, astrology can provide a framework in which to discuss your hunches.

A Full Moon (check your sky tonight — Oct. 25th) is a good time to go with your emotional intelligence — gut instincts. You see, the moon controls the tides, and water always symbolizes the deep workings of the subconscious. The moon is the ruler of Cancer, an emotional sign, and is said to influence to the feeling nature of human beings. Some other traits ascribed to the Moon include sensitivity, softness, imagination — and “emotions” are included in just about every astrological review. Oh, and did you realize that “emotional intelligence” is now an area of scientific research, and “describes an ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self, of others, and of groups.”