May 10 2014

Relationship Building by Willows Brilliance

Author: Willow • Discussion: No Comments

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.

May 02 2014

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

Author: Melodie • Discussion: No Comments

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.

Apr 05 2014

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

Author: Melodie • Discussion: No Comments

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.

Apr 01 2014

April 2014 Solar and Lunar Eclipses

Author: Chrisalis • Discussion: No Comments

April is a big month and if you’re not careful will not be forgotten without a headache!

Not least of all because of the squares and oppositions between Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto but also because of the two eclipses which are also coming into this mix and possibly complicating matters.

So if forewarned is forearmed here are the dates you need to watch out for and a few hints on how you might like to navigate your way through this period.

The first eclipse occurs on April 15 at 3:42 am (Eastern time). This will be a Total Lunar Eclipse and occurs at 26 degrees Libra and may force you to look at the “me” and “us” in a relationship.

In other words where you stand and where the other person stands.

Mar 04 2014

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

Author: Melodie • Discussion: No Comments

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.

Feb 16 2014

An Intuitive 5-Card Tarot Reading with Two Axes

Author: Charles Johnson • Discussion: 5 Comments

(nothing to do with choppers or tomahawks)

by Charles Johnson, guest blogger

Feeling a bit cheesed-off the other day after a Djembe drumming practice at which my drum teacher had failed to define for me just how my sense of timing/ tempo / accent did not come up to hers, after a few hours not exactly fuming but quite deeply bothered (because drumming has become pretty central to my life and my sense of well-being), I got out my favourite Tarot of the Origins deck in order to make sense of / get to the heart of the “problem.”

I hit upon a five-card spread: three cards laid out in a vertical line, representing (from bottom to top) what’s going on from the teacher’s point of view — its origin (card 1: the Four of Jewels); the heart of the situation (card 2 and the central card in the layout: The Mother); and its implication / outcome (card 3: the Five of Jewels).

Feb 08 2014

Dealing with Discomfort and Disappointment

Author: Willow • Discussion: 1 Comment

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.

Feb 03 2014

Mercury Retrograde — February, 2014

Author: Melodie • Discussion: 5 Comments

Here we are gearing up for another Mercury Retrograde: and buckle your seat-belts; this one looks like it’s going to be a doozy — with Mercury not only debilitated by sign (it’s in its detriment in Pisces) but also within one degree of conjuncting Neptune — which is already associated with confusion, uncertainty, ambiguity and distraction.

If you’d like to read more about Mercury retrograde — including information on the mythology and astronomy associated with the retrograde phenomenon, this article is a good place to start: Mercury Retrograde: Here we go Again!

But for particular cycle, let’s look at where Mercury crosses each of its shadow points (also outlined in the article mentioned above), where it turns retrograde, and then where it turns back around and starts moving forward (in direct motion) again.We’ll also look at the Sabian Symbols for each of these points.

Jan 28 2014

Breaking the “Self-Inflicted Prison”

Author: kasandra • Discussion: No Comments

by Kasandra, guest blogger

So many of my clients visit me when they feel their life is at a crossroads, either having to make a difficult decision about a relationship/marriage, work etc, losing a loved one, losing a job, relocating, issues with low self esteem, wanting to know when love will come, kids and family issues, etc.

It made me think of does fear of the new, of the unknown is causing a “freeze” (staying in self-inflicted prison) which prevents a person to move on.

I therefore decided to write about how to accept change in order to give you, my dear friend, tools to do the transit as easily, positively and as productively as possible.

Dec 19 2013

Venus Retrograde — Turning Love Around

Author: Melodie • Discussion: 4 Comments

Venus — the planet associated with love, romance, beauty, money, material possessions and personal values — will be retrograde from December 21st until January 31, 2014 (or February 1, 2014 in some parts of the world).

From an astrological perspective, retrogrades motivate us to review, revisit, refine and resolve challenges that are holding us back from progressing in the area related to the planet involved.

They may relate to unfinished business from past lives, or they may refer to repeating patterns in our present lifetimes. Either way, the presumption when that planet is Venus is that the challenges faced are love and relationship challenges. This includes the entire spectrum of “relationships”: romantic, familial, social, etc.

Dec 06 2013

Mars in Libra — December 7, 2013-July 26, 2014

Author: Melodie • Discussion: No Comments

Mars moves into Libra on December 7, 2014 at 20:41 UT (3:41pm EST). Mars is in detriment in Libra, as the polarity point of the sign it naturally rules, Aries.

What this means is that it’s not comfortable in Libra, as the diplomatic, peace-loving Libran archetype is strained when filtered through the Martian natural aggressive, dynamic energy.

With that said, there are many Mars in Libra natives who handle this energy beautifully: they epitomize grace and charm, like Nicole Kidman, Bill Clinton, Anderson Cooper and Prince William; they know how to make people laugh, Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Sarah Silverman, Fran Drescher, Seth Rogen, Jason Alexander and Will Ferrell; and they know how to use their unique talents, skills and voices to appeal to the masses, like J.K. Rowling, Elvis Presley, Arianna Huffington and Bill Gates.

If Mars represents what we’re compelled to “do” — what we are willing to fight for — Mars in Libra people strive for harmony, balance, fairness and most of all peace (think Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama).

Dec 04 2013

Mercury in Sagittarius — Dec 4, 2013

Author: Melodie • Discussion: No Comments

Mercury, the planet that relates to thoughts, ideas, words and communications in general is now moving into Sagittarius. This is an upbeat, optimistic and expansive placement for any planet — but when it comes to Mercury, the expression of those qualities are most evident through the sharing of thoughts and ideas.

Mercury in Sagittarius people tend to be honest, direct and outspoken. They’re not known for tact or diplomacy: they generally say whatever’s on their mind without regard for the consequences.

They’re broad-minded and expressive: they have big (sometimes grandiose) ideas that they want to share with others. They tend to be interested in philosophy, spirituality (or religion), politics, social sciences, culture and foreign affairs.

They’re always looking to broaden their horizons — often through travel or the pursuit of a higher education. They’re life-long students and are usually voracious readers. They want to know about and learn about everything.