Astrology Update for August
Dear Friends,
The crackling and explosive energy of July is behind us. Dare we allow our hearts to open to our dreams for a better future?
There’s a good dose of motivational energy around this month focused in the fire signs. Promote, lead, and follow through. At the same time, don’t be afraid to take calculated risks at work during early August – the time is ripe for them to pay off.
Mercury is stationing retrograde mid-month in its home, Virgo, where it’s most comfortable. There’ll be plenty of time to get to those tasks you placed on the back burner for the last few months. Whether you’re reorganizing your computer files or clearing out your clutter, tackle the work with imagination. Why not listen to your favorite opera or jazz band while you work? Experience the non-linear flow of time which visits us when we are concentrated yet relaxed.
In this way, we’ll make space for the finer things in life, courtesy of Venus in voluptuous Cancer. Be sure to pace yourself with social activities as there is a hint of caution against over-indulgence of one kind or another.
While eclipses can act as emotional bottlenecks – and we have two this August – these special new and full moons are only potent on a personal level if they contact a point in your unique chart. Keep calm, and carry on lovin’.
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
August 7: Full Moon, partial lunar eclipse, at 15 degrees of Aquarius.
August 13 – September 5: Mercury retrogrades in Virgo – reorder your cupboards and/or computer files, or reupholster the furniture. You’ll accomplish plenty!
August 21: New Moon – but don’t use this one to initiate something new. It’s a total solar eclipse at 28 degrees of Leo. Perhaps you’d like to think back to what you were doing in August 1998, the last time there was an eclipse at this degree. How have you changed since then? What’s the next step on your path?
Hot Spotlight on July!
Dear Friends
As the energies begin to build here for the summer, the challenge is to institute a change in your daily routine. With the New Moon just past in Cancer and the Full Moon approaching in Capricorn (July 9), we are asked to find the balance between nurturing our home selves and our work selves.
No-one said it would be easy! Ancient astrologers understood the special relationship between the Moon (ruler of Cancer) and Saturn (ruler of Capricorn). While the Moon (moist, receptive, emotional) and Saturn (dry, authoritative, indifferent) appear to have nothing in common, nevertheless, they are both the markers of Time in the zodiac. How do you balance time in your life?
This July, you might find yourself making extra time in the morning for quiet reflection – without your cell phone for company. Or you may feel compelled to stand outside in the evenings and look at the starry skies – pondering on your place in the cosmos. Emboldened, you may make a crucial decision to change your attitude toward the irritations that seem to plague your life right now. One small change can start a revolution.
There’s a tremendous amount of energy around this month just waiting for somewhere to go. Try to use it well by taking stock of your current situation and then planning your time wisely.
July 9: Full Moon at 17 degrees of Capricorn. The Moon is conjunct Pluto and in opposition to the applying Sun-Mars conjunction in Cancer. Potentially explosive or ground-breaking physical and emotional feats – you decide. Avoid political debate or family arguments and take a hike!
Mid-July: Uranus, planet of break-through and radical change squares off with war-veteran Mars – avoid conflict, practice random acts of loving kindness, and find constructive ways to let off steam
July 23: Sun moves into Leo and joins Mars there with a potent New Moon – time to shine and lead by active example
July 26: Mercury moves into Virgo – prepare to clean out those closets!
May the Sun shine upon you, always,
Catherine
Astrology Update for June 2017
Dear Friends
June looks to bring some cosmic relief! For those of us who feel like we’ve been going over the same ground since November last year (especially those born in early October, or who have personal planets around 13 degrees of the cardinal signs), things will at last move forward and we’ll be in a position to receive the rewards and abundance we’ve all been hoping for.
You’ve been toying with the idea of having a party to celebrate life – June 9 and 10 are the perfect days! Mercury, planet of communication, will be smiling on this weekend and your guests will be in their chattiest outfits. Venus, planet of social harmony and beauty, will be at ease and the earthy joys of good food & wine will flow. Bountiful Jupiter will at last be moving forward into his final stretch through the sign of Libra and optimism will be back in fashion. And with the full moon in Sagittarius (June 9), we might find ourselves philosophizing the night away…
At this full moon we are also asked to pause and give thanks for all the learning and inspiration that we’ve received from our spiritual teachers, past and present.
June 21 marks the summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere. This is the traditional time of honoring the Sun, our Source of light and life. It is harvest time, a time of fertility and heat, when the Sun appears to stand still in the sky and the day seems to last forever. A great day for a wedding!
The chart drawn for the Sun’s Ingress into the sign of Cancer is often used by astrologers to see ahead for the next few months. In the above chart, note the alignment of Venus in her rulership with the Moon exalted in Taurus, and the Sun’s contact with dignified Mercury in Gemini, all of which create a favorable climate. However Neptune on the Ascendant in New York State suggests that nothing is as it seems, so don’t believe everything you read in the news. Jupiter’s square with Mars in Cancer reminds us to look for solutions to obstacles using a “glass-half-full” mindset.
Happy Solstice! Happy Summer!
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
Solar Once-over: Astrology Update for May
With the pace of life quickening exponentially, let’s check in this month with your Sun sign!
CARDINAL SIGNS
Aries, you’re feeling the push for ever-increasing independence and risk-taking at work. Yet home and family slow you down which may act as a blessing in disguise. Keep moving forward but ground each step in thorough research before taking action. Cancer, this is the month to reach out to friends and talk about your relationship. There are challenges here which won’t go away unless you address them. You’ll be amazed at the support you receive. Libra, you’re frustrated by power struggles at home. Try a fresh approach. The trick this month is to keep moving forward with hard work because it’ll pay off very soon. Capricorn, you have from now until the end of August to make the changes sorely needed in your life. Go for it! This heavy cycle will pass soon.
FIXED SIGNS
Taurus, Happy Birthday! You’ve had so many creative ideas brewing since January and they’re all starting to manifest now. Your most fruitful time will be in June but keep sowing these seeds and envisioning how you want your work to grow this year. Leo, your energy is taken up with your work this month – and, hopefully, some travel is on the cards too! With all the strategizing that’s been going on, you need more than ever to make time to relax. Scorpio, it might feel as if your partner is on a different wavelength to you right now. They are! So turn your attention to adjusting the areas of your life which could do with a little makeover. You won’t be disappointed in the outcome, especially if you focus on improving communications. Aquarius, finances feel a little blurry right now. Spend time this month clarifying monies going in and out. Your reward? A clearer budget and time in the second half of May to focus on creative pursuits. Yes!
MUTABLE SIGNS
Gemini, your energy is returning this month as you pursue your goals with greater focus after May 7. If something is bothering you at work it’s not the time to act. Rather, stay in touch with what matters most to you as you plan your mid-year break. Virgo, finances look good as do work opportunities – be open to what comes your way. Things will begin to move forward for you in the later part of the month. Sagittarius, you’ve been feeling overstretched and under-appreciated for a while now. The end is in site because you’ve already learnt the lesson. So allow this month flow – everything is set in place – all you need to do is show up. Pisces, it seems as if transformative events are happening in your close friendships. There are new opportunities to connect both for work and for pleasure this month as long as you can overcome your reluctance to put yourself out there.
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
May 10: Full Moon at 20 degrees of Scorpio
May 3: Mercury stations direct at 24 degrees of Aries
May 17: Mercury moves into Taurus
May 21: Sun moves into Gemini
May 25: New Moon at 4 degrees of Gemini
Astrology Update for April: Transforming Ideas into Actions
Dear Friends,
There’s so much to look forward to!
The Aries New Moon on Monday night (10:57pm, March 27, New York time) will set the tone for the month of April. Make time to write down your intentions and plans for the month. Wake up early on Tuesday morning with everything in place. How will you begin?
Allow new impressions of yourself to filter in as the week goes by – can you embrace the courage of your convictions and act on them? New thoughts and bold actions so often require a leap of faith. Ask yourself honestly when last you stretched beyond your comfort zone. Then translate the answer into an action plan and follow it through.
Planetary influences this month support focusing on your own needs, on seminal ideas, and on creative projects. And it won’t hurt to spend some time alone nurturing these.
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
March 27: New Moon at 7 Aries
April 6: Saturn stations retrograde at 27 degrees Sagittarius
April 9: Mercury stations retrograde at 4 Taurus
April 11: Full Moon at 21 Libra
April 15: Venus stations direct at 26 Pisces
April 20: Pluto stations retrograde at 19 Capricorn
Astrology Update for March: Through the Looking Glass
Dear Friends,
March seems the very best month to let your mad hatter out to play. There is a contrary blend of planetary energies which favors an upside down perspective and the ability to laugh at your own quirks.
This is not the month for a beauty make-over, for finally decorating the kids’ room, or for introducing those two people who you just know will get along. Neither is it the month for finally jumping out of an airplane to conquer your fears. Rather, take this water-fire blend of soulfully explosive energies and allow yourself to jump through your own looking glass – only you know where it is.
The secret this March is not to be too attached to the results of your labors. Take yourself less seriously. And think twice before you text it; some things are better left unsaid.
There is an indication that everything will work out fine in the end. ‘All’s well that ends well’, as the Bard reminds us.
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
March 4: Venus stations retrograde at 13 Aries
March 11 – April 20: Venus and Mars will dance in each other’s signs
March 12: Full Moon at 22 Virgo; Daylight Saving Time begins at 02h00 on the East Coast. Spring ahead!
March 20: Spring Equinox (Northern hemisphere): Sun moves into 0 Aries
March 27: New Moon at 7 Aries
April 15: Venus stations direct at 26 Pisces
Astrology Update for February: Activating Mars
Dear Friends,
How are you faring?
February 2017 is an auspicious time to initiate action in the areas of your chart ruled by Mars. Shrug off fear as you stride forward with courage to accomplish your goals. Work with Mars while he travels through Aries, one of the signs he rules and is most comfortable in.
Mars is the natural significator of our energy levels. Some early associations linked to this planet are malevolent strife, courage, and the sheer joy of battle. Those of you with a strong Mars will understand the need for continuous striving and ongoing challenges in order to feel alive. Those of you with a challenged Mars might fear strife and be unable to express negativity, causing it to fester.
Mars rules Aries (by day) and Scorpio (by night). Mars is exalted in the sign of Capricorn, in detriment in Libra and Taurus, and in fall in Cancer. Here we see Mars with the Ram (Aries) and the Scorpion (Scorpio) from a 14th century manuscript (Abu Maʿshar’s treatise on Astrology, British library)
We associate Mars with the root chakra and grounding, and a Mars under pressure in a chart often shows where we lacked grounding in the early home. A lack of roots, sometimes manifesting as a literal lack of a secure home or a childhood characterized by many moves, often leads to a lack of energy in life as an adult. Unconscious fears leave their trace and the adult finds him or herself suffering physical illnesses or security concerns (such as those surrounding a lack of money).
You immediately recognize those who have a healthy Mars: they live without fear, seem to radiate energy, and are always on a mission, excited by what life has to offer.
This month is the perfect time to energize your Mars through setting and fulfilling personal goals. As Mars will be dancing with his consort, Venus, for most of the month, we can focus on aligning our actions with our hearts. But be cautious with what your heart desires, as Venus is not happy in the sign that Mars rules.
Týr is the Norse god of heroic glory and the law, who gave his right hand in battling the wolf Fenir. Týr represents courage and self-sacrifice and is associated with Mars in the interpretatio germanica. Tuesday (“Týr’s Day”) is named after him.
At the end of February there will be a very strong energetic push forward as Mars meets up with Uranus, Jupiter and Pluto (see last month’s post). Avoid rebellion and rivalry while using these planetary forces to accomplish great things. You can do it – and you will!
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
Full Moon, lunar eclipse: February 11 at 22 Leo;
New Moon, solar eclipse: February 26 at 8 Pisces
There is a lot written on the Internet at this time about the eclipse season that is now upon us. Please note that all eclipses are only truly note-worthy if you have a planet or angle in your natal chart that is directly contacted by an eclipse.
Astrology Update for January 2017
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season!
January looks off to a good start: a slow first week to get us into the groove of 2017, with the pace gradually quickening as Mercury moves direct and exits its post-shadow phase by the end of the month.
We have lots of exciting Jupiter-Uranus activity this year, which will impact all of us. The Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) will be especially reactive. For those of you with birthdays around the 8th to 14th of April, July, October and January, things are really happening in your life! The positive side of Jupiter-Uranus is quick and unexpected ideas and (often travel) plans, while the challenge is to avoid exaggeration and over-reactive responses. And with Pluto in the mix, all of us, but in particular those with planets or angles in the 16 to 20 degree Cardinal sign range, will experience the need to let go in order to grow.
The Mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces might be feeling the regulatory effects of Saturn at this time (especially those of you born in the latter half of your sign), as well as the idealistic dreams of Neptune (in particular those born around the turn of the month). How much you have all accomplished in 2016! Remember this as you focus on what you want for 2017. And use January to set these dreams in place. There will be lots of support from friends old and new – don’t hesitate to reach out to them!
The Fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, keep doing whatever you’re doing as it seems to be working out for you. Taurus, move forward with your plans this month and work hard until March, when a break will be in order. Leo, there’s a lot of opportunities out there for you this month but you need to grab them with your own two hands. Scorpio and Aquarius, bide your time until February.
For all of us, whatever our birth date and time, the key is on staying grounded and using the energies of early 2017 in a practical and non-extravagant way. Think twice before you spend; planning now will reap rewards later in the year.
On a different note, I’d like to encourage all of you, my readers, to make some kind of commitment this year to setting aside time to read and think deeply. We are living in the Instagram and Facebook age, where most Internet users can hardly sustain their attention to ingest an email longer than a few lines. As Richard Tarnas in ‘Cosmos and Psyche’ so aptly describes the gestalt of our times:
“Whether in politics, business, or the media, the lowest common denominator of the culture increasingly governs discourse and prescribes the values of the whole.”
Create an intellectual, innovative or spiritual reading list which you actively pursue this year.
With love and light for a positive 2017!!
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
Astrology Update for December 2016
Dear Friends,
December is a special month astrologically and many of the holiday festivals we celebrate at this time of year are deeply rooted in our ancestors’ worship of the Sun’s light.
Wednesday, December 21, heralds our winter solstice, when we mark the end of the longest night and give thanks for the Sun’s return. Our southern hemisphere cousins celebrate their summer solstice on this day, marking the end of their longest day. For all of us, north and south, the Sun will be at zero degrees of the sign of Capricorn on this day. Make time for quiet morning reflection, watching the Sun rise over mountain, ocean or skyline.
Note the powerful cardinal energy at the solstice with Pluto-Mercury (serious thought) squared by Jupiter (gains) and Uranus (sudden change).
But before this turning point of our solar year, we have three weeks of exuberant Sagittarian energy to enjoy! Have fun celebrating the season. Make an effort to listen to other’s opinions and to tolerate different points of view.
The Full Moon on December 14 falls on a Wednesday – even so, it’s a perfect day for an office party or friends’ get-together as the talk will surely flow! On Monday, December 19, Mars moves into Pisces, the same day that Mercury stations retrograde. All that this means is that you might be less productive after this date so try to do your holiday shopping early this year. You might also try to keep your schedule pretty clear after December 20 and use this time for genuine relaxation.
The Moon is void most of the day on December 25. Throw structure to the winds! Relax (there’s that word again) and let go!
Thursday, December 29, heralds in the New Moon at 7 degrees of Capricorn so set your intentions before the New Year begins.
Wishing you all peace over the holidays. And thank you for your wonderful support this year.
May the Sun shine upon you,
Catherine
