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Ask the Tarot: Second Time Around

Second Time Around

A client wants to know about a relationship that ended a few years back. It started, faltered and then fizzled out over the course of a year, without ever fully developing into the serious, committed relationship that my client was interested in.

Since January, their relationship has been “back on” again, after several different transitions (from periods of not speaking at all to attempts to maintain the connection as a friendship only, with a few ‘casual’ hookups in between).

Now though things seem to be moving forward again. And my client — Melissa — is curious about how this plays out in their cards and charts.

Venus in Taurus — May 28, 2014 – June 23, 2014

Venus enters Taurus May 29, 2014 at 1:45 am UT (May 28, 2014 at 9:45 pm EDT).  Venus is exalted in Taurus, meaning that it is in its own ruling sign, that it’s comfortable in that sign, and that it is likely to express its highest most powerful vibration there.

If you were lucky enough to have been born with this placement, you probably have a natural appreciation for the beauty and the arts, for love and romance, and for anything that stimulates the 5 senses: a breath-taking sunset for example, a soft ocean breeze, a haunting melody, fine wine, gourmet foods, exotic spices, fragrant flowers, etc. The list goes on and on.

While they do appreciate luxury, Venus in Taurus people prefer comfort over extravagance and natural over synthetic.

They’re earthy, practical and sensuous. They long for stability and consistency and will shy away from drama in relationships.They’re better at balancing head and heart than most signs, most often leaning toward sensible choices that don’t involve risk.

Ask the Astrologers: Is it Really Over?

Is it Really Over?

A client, we shall call Jane, asks on her 2 year strong relationship which ended suddenly in April.

She suspects Mars retrograde is the culprit and I agree this may have played a part but there were some other astrological players at the same time which continue to weave their way through both her and his charts.

With the overall energy of Mars retrograde and the other transits which were also going on during this time you can get an idea of how looking at both birth charts gives an invaluable understanding of what else may be hidden under the surface, how long it will last for and what you can do to lessen the impact upon yourself. Let’s look at what was happening in April and what is coming up in the new few months.

Relationship Building by Willows Brilliance

Relationship Building

by Willows Brilliance, guest blogger 

Building a relationship during times of stress (or the hubbub of the holiday season) sometimes seems like the last thing we want to do.

With everything else seeming more important, it’s easy to fall into familiar traps where we see the other person as our aggravating, progress-blocking, obstacle who is doing whatever they’re doing to hurt us… on purpose.

Often this is not true at all, in reality it’s just a distraction from intimacy manufactured from conclusions we’re jumping to, or the desire to protect ourselves without really knowing the full story.

However, there are times when the other person really is trying to get under our skin or deliver a few well placed emotional punches.

Venus in Aries — May 2, 2014 – May 28, 2014

http://www.ladygaga.com/artrave-the-artpop-ball

Venus enters Aries May 2, 2014 at 9:21pm UT.  Venus is said to be in detriment in Aries, as it is the sign that opposes Venus’ natural ruler, Libra. Traditional or Classical astrology places a lot more emphasis on planetary detriments as they are seen as significant in Classical practices. There are some disadvantages to having a planet in detriment, usually due to societal norms and expectations rather than any deficit in the archetype itself.

There are a lot of wonderfully unique attributes associated with this placement and if you happened to have been born with Venus in Aries, you’re probably known as someone who is exceptionally passionate and ardent when it comes to matters of the heart.

You probably fall in (and out) of love quickly. You consider yourself a bit of a maverick where love and relationships are concerned. You wear your heart on your sleeve, express your feelings openly, and are not afraid of a little competition.

Venus in Pisces — April 5, 2014 – May 2, 2014

Kurt Cobain - Venus in Pisces

Venus enters Pisces on April 5th, 2014. Venus is exalted in Pisces, meaning that it is an honored or revered placement. As Neptune, the modern ruler of Pisces, is the higher octave of Venus, this placement is said to be in essential dignity.

If you happened to have been born with this Venus, you’re probably very sensitive, loving, compassionate and empathetic. You’re conscious of (and affected by) the suffering of others.

You like to see yourself as part of a greater gestalt and not any better than (or any worse than) anyone else. You want to believe that people are inherently good, and for this reason you can be seen as gullible or naive.

Venus in Pisces people tend to be romantic and idealistic. They’re dreamers and visionaries who see the word through rose colored glasses. They’re poets and prophets and philosophers. 

Venus in Aquarius — Mar 5, 2014 – Apr 5, 2014

Rashida Jones

Venus enters Aquarius on March 5th at 8:02pm UT (4:02pm EST). Aquarius is the natural ruler of astrology’s 11 house — the area associated with friendships, group involvements and humanity in general.

If you were born with Venus in Aquarius, you probably consider yourself a bit of a rebel when it comes to love. You enjoy your independence and like to maintain a large circle of friends from all walks of life. You’re drawn to intelligent, independent and open-minded partners who test the boundaries of conventional mores.

You may be a bit eccentric, especially regarding matters of the heart. You see yourself as impervious to social expectations and may even like to shock others with your relationship choices.

Aquarius is co-ruled by Saturn (traditional ruler) and Uranus (modern ruler). As such, there are some Venus in Aquarius individuals who are more “Saturnine” — conservative and traditional. A lot depends on the aspects Venus makes and the relative strengths of both Saturn and Uranus in the natal chart.

For the most part though, Venus in Aquarius people are more Uranian in nature. They tend to live in their heads rather than in their bodies (or their hearts) and can seem emotionally disconnected.

Dealing with Discomfort and Disappointment

disappointment

by Willows Brilliance, guest blogger 

For most of us, when we are asked what we want in life we have some general answers that reflect our desire for happiness, “I want a good relationship” or “I want a fabulous job” and yet when it comes down to it, we are often unwilling to suffer the pain that comes from uncertainty, from risking our vulnerability with a partner or a new job, from the hard work required to create the realities that we claim to want.

Our modern culture is immersed in INSTANT gratification and touts our happiness as a spiritual goal. As a consequence we have zillions of products, self help books and activities designed to alleviate suffering, get exactly what we want and fix discomfort. 

Valentines Day Email Reading Special

Valentine's

Happy Valentine’s Day!

This month we’ve joined forces with Fiona Beck, tarot reader, relationship counselor and author of Relationships: What you Need to Know, to offer a special low-cost Valentines Day email reading promo.

We’re offering two packages — one for singles and one for couples — for $50 each. The first package — for singles — includes an astrology assessment and a tarot assessment.

The astrology assessment — via Ask the Astrologers — includes your natal chart, a computerized natal astrology report (approximately 8-10 pages, around 3000 words) and a page or so of personal insights (300-500 words) into specific areas of your natal chart that outline your strengths and weaknesses as well anything that stands out or that you should be made aware of.

This portion will be different for each person, but will likely include insights your natal “love planets” (Venus and Mars), your needs (the Moon) and your relationship house and rulers.

The tarot assessment — via Fiona Beck — includes a six-card reading that looks into your past, your current situation, where you’re heading now, what you can do improve your life, obstacles that stand in your way and the potential outcome. You can also ask a question if you want to, but it’s not required, you may just want to be open to what comes up.

Ask the Astrologers: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

What can astrology tell us about the prospects for happiness with different relationship partners? By looking at the connections between natal charts and composite  charts, can we determine who we’re better suited for in a long-term capacity?

That’s the question we’re looking at today. A client (we’ll call her Elizabeth) wrote in asking about her connections to two different men.

The first one is her husband (whom we’ll call John). She’s been married to him for more than 10 years although for the most part she’s been unhappy. The other is a friend (whom we’ll call Mark) who she’s developed strong feelings for over the course of  the last few years, although she’s never acted on them.

Ask the Astrologers: Why Do I Keep Running?

running away from love

A client — whom we’ll call Julie — wrote in asking about a man (whom we’ll call Patrick) that she’s been involved with for several months. The relationship has been seriously compromised by her pattern of running away — or pushing him away — and then agonizing over having done so until they get back together.

By her own admission, she’s never felt this way about anyone. Yet every time things start to settle into a comfortable rhythm, and seemingly every time there’s even the smallest hint of a problem, off she goes again.

He’s done a bit of pulling away himself. He doesn’t “run” per se. Instead he disconnects emotionally from time to time. But because the two of them can’t seem to get into sync, she wrote asking for an astrological perspective into this dynamic.

Because her email contained so many personal details I decided not to include it here. But this her main concern.

Ask the Tarot: Is it Time to Move on?

Ask the Tarot: is it time to move on?

My client came to me with a question that I hear all too often. A relationship that’s hit a road block and seems impossible to repair, despite both people still professing love for one another.

In this case though, it’s far more complicated.  Not only are they married, but they have a small child — less than 2 years old.

I want to preface this article with my views on this type of question, as as I explained to her: while I can tell her exactly what I see, in the end I wouldn’t trust such an important decision on the tarot alone and neither should she. I advised her to seek counseling and think long and hard about this before coming to any concrete decision.