Mysteries in the Sky: What a multitude of wondrous shapes, colors, and infinite configurations the stars form in the heavens above. Look up, on a warm Summer night, and the awe of our realm will reveal itself.

Friday shows more tension than harmony… probably the residual energy from a busy week. Remember that you can always choose how you use this energy. Just like you should let a harsh email sit and “cool” for a while, how you respond to stress is a result of discernment and wise choices. Pray for discernment. There are a couple of positive signs too, as the week ends, with the Moon in trine with Uranus, bringing new ideas to the table, and conjunction with Mercury and Pisces, allowing you to tap some hidden reservoirs within as you enjoy communicating with colleagues and mates.

“Celebrate the freedom to be who you are.”

Saturday looks quiet with the Moon opposing the restrictions Saturn likes to bring. Do you feel boxed in by plans, commitments — agreements with loved ones? That’s actually an opportunity for you to examine why and when to make such agreements… you don’t have to say yes to everything. Decide what you want. Then proceed by crossing off things that you need to do to refresh your own Spirit. After that you will be in a good place to help others. Enjoy your holiday and the celebration of freedom.

On Sunday, emotions find a kind of healing harmony, as the Moon dances in synch with Neptune (Spirituality), and Jupiter (Expansion). This brings about a pleasant mid-summer day to spend with friends and loved ones. It is also a good time to simply “take a break” and get in touch with yourself via reading, meditation, hiking and other solitary enjoyments. Not the best day to begin new pursuits, but better to get in touch with old ways, core beliefs, and long-time friends. Find your common ground that holds it all together — and enjoy the Summertime for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Celebrate the freedom to be who you are.

Looking toward next week, we see a bit of stress getting back to work after an enjoyable holiday (4th of July in the US) over the weekend. It might feel like a tough week to get going with a lot of colleagues and friends on vacation. But that also offers an opportunity for you to relax a bit, regroup, and approach your work with a new outlook. Pluto’s energy of renewal is shining today, so look for some ways to get exercise, read a book or magazine you have not looked at in a while, and enjoy the mid-summer days for those who live above the equator.

A great healer, astrologer, and respected oracle, Chiron was said to be the last centaur and highly revered as a teacher and tutor.

Here comes Friday, roaring in with a symphony of celestial influences dancing above. The Moon works in harmony, today, with Chiron, Pisces, and Jupiter – an excellent combination to give you a sort of wild, end of week spirit as you finish out your work chores. Remember dancing to music you love? That sort of spiritual feeling is very healthy for body, mind, and soul. Jupiter also shows tension with Pluto, and this brings into question what is actually need for our growth and renewal? A day at the Mall, or simply a quiet walk in the country. And Mercury (Communication) shows some stress with Jupiter as well. Hmmmm. the expansive planet of Jupiter is playing quite a roll today, and Jupiter always calls for growth. Just make sure you temper your growth with the right balance based on strong core principles.

Venus is about love, and Chiron about health — the natural question is how healthy is your love life?

Earlier in the week, Venus was a bit on the outs with Chiron. Venus is about love, and Chiron about health — the natural question is how healthy is your love life? Just like a person does, your love relationships require feeding, care, and nurturing. And, often it is those things that get forgotten or taken for granted as time goes on. Don’t forget. I’m not just talking about “flowers”, though that’s become a cliche. Flowers just because, and to express your feeling — good. Flowers because someone is angry — ok, but why not do it during the good times too… as a celebration? And there are lots of other things to give, besides flowers. So, what can you do today to feed your relationship so it stays healthy?

On Saturday Mercury is working with Venus to inspire enjoyable conversations, and good social times. There’s also a feeling of transformation in the air as the Moon works with Pluto to bring the energy of change to the forefront. So good talk, combined with new ideas — not a bad day for negotiations… business or pleasure. Interestingly there is also a bit of resistance showing as the Moon shows some stress with Uranus. That’s always the case when something new comes up… you have to overcome initial resistance. People are like that — they tend to resist change at first. Yet it is change that is always needed for growth.

On Sunday, the Moon looks favorable upon Saturn, Mars, and Pluto — giving you the initiative to try some new, but practical things. Maybe you can organize your garage, or a closet. Boring? Still it feels good after you do those things. Maybe you’ll research a better banking deal at the local Credit Union. Talk it over with your mate, and you’ll be surprised what you can learn and achieve.

The Ant Nebula, a cloud of dust and gas whose technical name is Mz3, resembles an ant when observed using ground-based telescopes. The nebula lies within our galaxy between 3,000 and 6,000 light years from Earth. (pic by NASA’s Hubble Telescope)

It’s Friday, already, and Pisces energy is in the air. The Moon shows a bit of stress with Neptune, ruler of Pisces today, so you may feel stirrings in your Spirit. Mercury (Communication) is tugging on Uranus (The big planet of new ideas) so inspiration may come to you that you wish to talk about — talk about at work, and also with loved ones. These urges are better kept to yourself today. Watch what others do when they speak too soon, and you will be reminded of the old adage… better to remain silent and be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

“What can you do, today, to renew yourself Spiritually, Physically, and Mentally? Take a long walk with your loved one in the crisp air.”

Earlier this week, Astrologically, there were a number of interesting aspects for you. First, Venus (Love) is working well with Mars (Initiative). Do I have to spell that one out for you? Come on… Men are from Mars, and Women from Venus, so when there’s harmony — well, I think you get it. Next we see the Moon in harmony with Neptune (ruler of Pisces) as the Sun goes into “conjunction” with Pisces. Pisces is the great sign of the Believer, and the two fish link your Spiritual and Physical sides of your nature. So celebrate Spiritually today, too. Finally, we have some tension with Saturn (restrictions) in the air — when your Spirit soars, you don’t like to be held down. The trick is to balance such flights with the right measure of common sense.

On Saturday, the Sun (Personality) dances well with Pluto… the planet of transformation and renewal. What can you do, today, to renew yourself Spiritually, Physically, and Mentally? Take a long walk with your loved one in the crisp air. Go to a bookstore and purchase books on a subject you’ve been wanting to learn about. You get the idea. Meanwhile today, the Moon is playing nice with both Saturn (Practicality), and Uranus (New Ideas). Practical new ideas. Go out and get the exercise you need, find a new book or two, look into a seminar, and affordable get-away. It will do you good.

Sunday looks good for Romance as the Moon (Emotions) dances well with Venus (Romance). Woo Hoo. When it comes right down to it, what better way to celebrate life? The Moon also forms a conjunction (mixes energies) with Mercury and Jupiter today, which brings a feeling of growth and communication to the table. You feel like you can get many things done, and you feel like talking about your plans for prosperity this year. Prosperity this year? Yes… even in downtimes — with the right plan it can be done. It may seem counter-intutive, but saving and being practical can actually lead to the growth you envision. Remember that in gardening, pruning (triming back) promotes growth. What can you trim back, so you can grow?

A quintet of galaxies captured by NASA probes.

Here comes Friday… seem like a long week?  Oddly enough it has also swept by as a new US President was swept into office. There were so many emotions surrounding this election that it is a welcome move in the heavens for the Moon (Emotions) to embrace Pluto (Renewal).  Time to put all that angst aside and hang on to what you truely love.  The Moon is also dancing well with Mercury (Communication) as the week ends, so go ahead and talk about putting things together again, and forging ahead.

“…it’s a good time to pray for discernment. Cut to the core values and stick with them.”

On Wednesday, as Americans woke up to the result of the election, Venus (Romance) was working well with Neptune (Spirituality).  Hmmmm… the Romance of the Spirit — sounds like a book title, doesn’t it?  Well, when you think about it, all of Romance is Spiritual in nature.  A political campaign and the move forward, once it is over, is about ideals and much about that… is of the Spirit.  On the home front — what can you do to bring transformation into your own relationships?  Trust your instincts.

Saturday finds our emotions and egos (Moon and Sun in a Trine — a harmonious configuration) in balance, with the Moon also playing nice with Saturn — the planet of practicality.  Time for a basic, wholesome weekend event… like a potluck dinner, or maybe just a simple drive in the country.  There’s also a feeling of newness in the air, because driving into unfamiliar territory (literally, or otherwise) is another likely component of your day.  We’re under a Pisces Moon this weekend, and  many age old questions prevail today and throughout the weekend, and you find yourself asking these questions: So why am I here? What am I doing? Where am I going? And what’s this ‘physical life’ all about anyhow?  Today Faith replaces Logic… so ask that question too, where and on what do I place my faith, trust, and loyalty?

Sunday brings about a sense of initiative as influenced by Mars — the warrior planet.  What can you get done today?  Well the Moon (Emotions) is in opposition with Venus (Romance) today, so it might be best work on projects from other parts of your life… even simple household chores.  We’re also showing some stress around the elements of religion and illusion (two things that often go hand in hand, when you think about it) today so it’s a good time to pray for discernment.  Cut to the core values and stick with them.

16th century Arabic manuscript and Zodiac

As we head into the weekend, the heavens offer us some interesting influences — the Moon (Emotions) is at odds with Mars (Initiative), and this while the Sun (Personality) shows tension with the Moon. It’s easy to see that your feelings could be holding you back from doing what must be done. How can you prevent that? Get your “to do” list out and make sure to cross off at least the top three items after you prioritize them. No matter if you list is much longer. If you’ve prioritized correctly, the top three things you must do will prove very beneficial on completion. Of course we’re still in Pisces — a water sign, which means emotions will continue to be important, so don’t hold them back… embrace them. Once you feel… then you can deal.

“Careers, families, and relationships require concentration on the details.”

It’s been an interesting week. Last Tuesday, (3.25), the Moon (Emotion) was in harmonic position with four different planets: Venus (Love), Mercury (Communication), Jupiter (Growth), and Uranus (Enlightenment). Quite a package. Did you notice gut instincts giving you vital clues? Wednesday offered more celestial fun.

Also this week, the Sun (Personality) was in harmony with the Moon (Emotions), but Mars (Initiative) was in a tug of war with Neptune (Ideals), and this probably made you a little crazy. At those times it’s good to meditate, and do some quiet journal writing. If you’re career minded, write down some goals and make a plan, then put it aside for a while. It’s possible to be creative at this time, but big old Neptune can pull you off track now, so sit back and enjoy what harmony there is. There will be time for right action in the near future.

Today (Friday), the Sun (Personality) was in position with Neptune (Ideals) to bring your dreams, and the bigger picture to the fore font. You will have to decide if that’s productive for you. Taking a moment to look at your annual calendar and factor in ways to make progress on major goals is a good way to use this impetus. Losing focus on work activities would be one example of how you might get sidetracked. It would be good to indulge in dreaming during coffee breaks, and focus back down to earth as you get back to your desk. Careers, families, and relationships require concentration on the details.

Astrologers Studying an Eclipse, a 1571 painting by Antoine Caron, oil on panel

Happy Weekend and Good Friday. One aspect on Saturday, is that the Moon (emotions) is in position to challenge Jupiter (Growth), so you have an opportunity to look at any feelings that are holding you back from where you need to go. Emotional intelligence is one thing, but feelings are also known to block people — fear is a good example. That’s one service Astrology does for us — bringing to our attention things we can look at so we can get past them instead of leaving them rumbling at the subconscious level.

“God is hope, God is light, and God is truth. And the Truth will set you free.”

A lot in Astrology is about “archetypes.” For instance, the Sun (Personality) is in Pisces now, which is noted for the archetypes of the Mystic, the Dreamer, the Story Teller. Archetypes are models for a personality type, and what they say about motivation, has a lot to do with the actual behavior you observe. So, under Pisces energy, you can take some time to dream your dreams, and when you manifest them — weave a story about it. It’s ok if people see you as the Dreamer, as long as you can come back to earth long enough to bring those dreams into reality.

Jupiter and Saturn were in position this week to get us to face the truth. Most of us value the truth. Many of us block certain parts of it from ourselves for a time. You should welcome this opportunity to be set free. The work of blocking truth doesn’t really get us anywhere and requires a lot of energy that goes wasted. There’s no way around it — no shortcut. That’s the truth. God is hope, God is light, and God is truth. And the Truth will set you free.

It is interesting that the Moon (emotions) often plays a bigger role in aspects which affect our days than the Sun (personality), which most people focus on regarding their horoscopes. On Wednesday, the Moon was dancing with Mars (intiative) to bring a feeling that you can get things done today. Bring it. It was also in favorable position with Neptune (ideals) to heighten the sense that you can reach for your dreams. As with most opportunities, there is a flipside — caution that your enthusiasm doesn’t blind you so you shoot right by the truth. Bring it down to earth, and think logically about things before making important decisions.

What can we learn from rigidity? On Friday (3/21) the Sun (personality) forms a square with Pluto (Renewal) — a position that creates a sort of celestial tug-of-war. This can mean that your ego, or someone close to you, is holding you back from what you need to get done. You know, “digging in your heels?” Here’s a good meditation: what lasts longer and gets more done, the ocean (fluidity), or a rock cliff (rigidity). So, your challenge is to go with the flow, even if it means shutting down the ego a bit.

As the earth turns, so the moon revolves, and its affect cannot be underestimated.

As we journey through a new Moon (Emotion) in Pisces (Spiritual) weekend, it’s a good time to use imagination, meditation, and visualization to renew your Faith. This can be faith in your career, faith in your relationships, and yeah — the big Faith. Mars enters Cancer on Tuesday, which means that initiative has has to find its way through some emotional interference. You can do it. Take a deep breath, get centered, and thing logically about what you must do. Prioritize and get it done. There’ll be time to address your feelings after you cross off a few items — and you’ll feel better because you got things out of the way.

“…your independent streak may continue from the weekend (being by yourself), through your work-week (taking initiative to launch projects)…”

It’s a new Moon weekend and a good time to work with all of that new energy as Spring approaches. On Saturday, the Sun collaborates with Uranus to bring some light on new approaches to relationships and careers. It’s a good day to go to the book store and pick up a book about a new pursuit, business idea, or travel plan. Get a magazine you’ve never read before and see what possibilities that opens up for you. Remember to welcome uniqueness in yourself and those around you.

Venus (Love) remains in Aquarius (Freedom) through mid-week, so your independent streak may continue from the weekend (being by yourself), through your work-week (taking initiative to launch projects), though this influence is soon to play out. This is also a time when Mars (Initiative) is working its way through Cancer (Emotions), so as you enjoy a bit of freedom, you may find that the trip brings up some emotions you hadn’t felt in a while. That’s ok. Feeling is the first step toward dealing.

The Education of Achilles (ca. 1772) by James Barry (1741-1806), oil on canvas, depicting the education of Achilles by the centaur Chiron. Located at the Yale Center for British Art.

Welcome to March. Spring is on its way, and today Venus is working with Pluto to influence motives that might not necessarily be on the surface. Ever wonder what the intention is behind what someone says to you? It will be good to reflect on intention and motivation this weekend, and what you discern and learn can lead to a breakthrough in your relationships. Much of motivation is initiated by feelings — that’s why Advertising gurus insist that purchases are made on emotion, rather than logic.

“What a week. Heal, Deal, then Feel all over again. You have the sensitivity now to tune in to your higher self…”

We’re headed toward a new Moon (Emotion) in Pisces (Spiritual) this week (on Friday), so it’s a good time to use imagination, meditation, and visualization to renew your Faith. This can be faith in your career, faith in your relationships, and yeah — the big Faith. Mars enters Cancer on Tuesday, which means that initiative has has to find its way through some emotional interference. You can do it. Take a deep breath, get centered, and thing logically about what you must do. Prioritize and get it done. There’ll be time to address your feelings after you cross off a few items — and you’ll feel better because you got things out of the way.

How was your weekend? Venus was working with Chiron for a couple of days in the heavens to bring you needed healing energy. In Mythology, Chiron, a Centaur, was a great healer, astrologer, and respected oracle, the last remaining centaur was most revered as a teacher and tutor. You can meditate on that image and think about how teaching, healing, and the energy from above are all interconnected.

Looking toward Wednesday, we can see that Venus (Love) and Neptune are dancing together to once again bring emotions to play for new beginnings. What a week. Heal, Deal, then Feel all over again. You have the sensitivity now to tune in to your higher self, and get what you need from groups, gatherings, and the new ideas and brainstorms that are generated. In two days, the New Moon will help you launch those plans that come from this time with a new energy and a Springtime surge.

A Lunar Eclipse, like that which occurred on Feb. 20,
happens when the Moon and the Sun
are on opposite sides of the Earth. The
last Virgo-Pisces eclipse was 19 years ago.

Happy Friday!! The Moon (emotions) forms a square with Mars (initiative), so you may have a gut hunch — call it your emotional intelligence — today that leads you to take action. In business this can mean you have an intuition about a new product or service that could pay off. In your romantic life, trust your instincts about your relationship and act positively.

“Now reconsider that this your second chance now to begin again or add to what you began then, to make better what you started back then — 19 years ago.”

The Moon was in Leo (drama) a couple of days ago and that brings feelings of putting yourself “out front” to the fore. Did you feel like taking center stage today? The Sun (personality) is also working with Pluto (transformation) making for a certain powerful “performance” as you step forward. The trick is presenting yourself well, as others do the same — somewhat like two political competitors sharing the same stage. It can be done, but it takes a certain diplomacy.

What is it that you want? Whatever it is, you can have it, because your thoughts create your reality. Therefore, remember that what you believe — is! So you may as well, believe something good, happy & positive rather than something, bad, sad, & negative. True? Of course!! And suddenly… your life becomes exactly what you choose to believe! So, as we enter the season of Pisces, ask yourself, is your fantasy something you’d like to become your reality? You can make it so!

Last Wednesday, we had a Lunar Eclipse. Remember that Eclipses occur in 19 year cycles. The last Virgo – Pisces Eclipse was Feb. 20th, 1989. Whatever you were contemplating back then — stop for a moment and think about where you were and what you were doing, where you were going and why — what motivated you to go forward or stop whatever it was you were doing. Now reconsider that this your second chance now to begin again or add to what you began then, to make better what you started back then. This is your second opportunity for success — and you will reach your goal, simply remove the word Try! “Fear is the carpet in front of the temple door… Spirituality is the end of arguing with what is.” (Adyashanti)