markspringle.com

Dear Friends,

The Moon is now in the last quarter square phase.  This phase calls for taking responsibility for what was begun, consciously or not, at the Capricorn New Moon of January 15.  Mars is still retrograde in Leo, which is usually a time when it is best not be overly aggressive or assertive.  When Mars is retrograde, Venus becomes more pronounced, and Venus attracts.  Venus will have traveled through Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces by time Mars goes direct.  These are the final signs of the zodiac, and we have attracted the ending of something in our lives, whether we realize it or not.  When Mars goes direct, Venus will be in assertive, self-centered Aries, and it will be time to work on ourselves first, and then see what comes next.

Jupiter has moved into Pisces, bringing a desire to unify ourselves with something larger, but this desire could be misleading, as Jupiter is also sextile to Pluto in Capricorn, demanding that we take a deep, hard look at where we need to accept responsibility for making a change.  Pisces is where we hide, and if we cannot face the pressure to make the necessary changes, Jupiter in Pisces could fuel more refusal to do what needs to be done.  This will only make matters worse, so please step up and do what you know you need to do.

Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto are all moving toward a cardinal T-square in mid-summer, with Jupiter joining Uranus in Aries opposing Saturn, all squared by Pluto.  We are already feeling this energy, but everyday, we get closer to its complete manifestation.  This will cause many shake ups and surprises in the cardinal houses of your personal horoscope.  Out with the old and in with the new!  There are new things for us to do, whether we want to or not!  We need to move with the energy and be ready to accept what the future holds.  Now is a good time to remember the old saying that “time waits for no man.”  (If you don’t know where these points are in your chart, then now is a good time to find out! )*

This all background to what is happening this week.

On Sunday, Venus will join Neptune, starting a new cycle.  Neptune represents inspiration on the positive side, and illusion on the negative side.  We must have dreams to inspire us, but we must also be realistic: This is the message from the Saturn/Pluto square.   We would all be wise to measure our success by the progress we make, not by the presence of a “perfect” ending.  By the time this July is over, we will all have radically different ideas of what we need or want in order to be happy.  If we use our dreams to inspire us and we use our energy to move towards that goal with common sense, respect, and responsibility, then we will weather the upcoming challenges well.

Mercury will hit the last degree of Capricorn on Tues and Venus will be in the last degree of Aquarius on Thursday.  When a planet is in the last degree of a sign, it is time to end something.  Mercury is the messenger and Venus represents love, money, and relationships.  Capricorn is the sign concerned with tradition and responsibility and its ruler, Saturn, is in Libra.  Libra is ruled by Venus and Venus in Aquarius is ruled by Saturn.  We call this a mutual reception, which means that they are working especially well together.  Being responsible and working together for mutual benefit is always a good idea, and this is what we should have been doing over the past few months.  Saturn in Libra, especially since it went retrograde on Jan 13th, has been showing us where cooperation is needed.  Venus is Aquarius may well have been “divorcing” us from something that or someone who wasn’t good for us.  A certain level of detachment is a strong trait of Aquarius energy.  Perhaps the time for “working things out” is over with respect to the dilemmas that have been facing you for the past 2 or more years.  Saturn will move back into Virgo and oppose Uranus in Pisces on April 26th.  This will be the final showdown for these two planets in mutable signs.  Mutable signs like to fix things, but if the thing cannot be fixed, then Uranus will bring a surprise ending, change the playing field, and when they meet again in cardinal signs in July, a new way of relating will be necessary.  One thing is for sure, if we don’t release what we need to so that the situation can end, it will continue to provide a source of unhappiness and drama that will prevent us from accessing the happiness that is every one’s birthright.

Venus will move into Pisces, and this sign is co-ruled by Neptune and Jupiter.  As I have mentioned, Jupiter is already in Pisces and Neptune is still in Aquarius.  These are the balsamic signs, which means they are about endings.  These signs represent a time to wrap things up, to catch up on unfinished business, and to tie up loose ends.  Well, that is perfect!  The heavens are reinforcing their message.  We need to make room for the new things coming our way!  We need to get the old things finished so that we have energy for the new things!  Both Pisces and Neptune have an affiliation with dreams, and we know that Neptune is our inspiration.  Pay close attention to your dreams: journal and meditate about them.  They are images from your deep subconscious mind trying to lead you to happier pastures.  Mars is retrograde through March 8th in Leo, bringing up things from your heart that need attention.  Your dreams will be a good source of information.  If you have a bad dream, just remember that it is only a message, and try to find the upside of the dream, the positive aspect.  For instance, I had a dream the other night that something was chasing me.  I was terrified.  Once I woke up, though, I realized that whatever it was couldn’t catch me, so I had no need to be fearful.  Well, I do have some fear about a few things right now, so this realization gave me both comfort and the strength to persevere.  A simple change in perspective can make a huge difference.

Friday February 12th brings an adjustment period as retrograde Mars forms a quincunx with Pluto.  It is time to take responsibility for something before we can move forward and realize our dreams.  Pluto is square to Saturn in Libra that day, so expect the adjustment to involve money or other concrete resources, real estate, and - of course- relationships!  This is the final day of the balsamic moon just before the New Moon in Aquarius!  The New Moon is a time to set intentions and commit to creating something with the energy available.  I’ll be writing about the Aquarius New Moon next week, but you can come to the Standard on Miami Beach this Wednesday, February 10th and get the scoop early!  Hope to see you there!

Its on, people!  Don’t waste time hiding or being fearful… Accept responsibility, be practical, be kind, and be prepared for the unexpected.  Its coming your way soon!

With love,

m

*for a donation of $5 or more, I’ll snail mail you a printout of your chart so you will know where your planets and house cusps are.  Please email me at markspringle@gmail.com and put CHART OFFER in the subject line.  I’ll send you a paypal link and request your birth data and mailing address at that time.

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

I am always interested in the way cycles play out.  Astrology is the study of cycles: astrologers study the cycles of the planets and the cycles of human development.  There is a correlation between the two, without doubt.  We can understand the development of human cycles more easily with the aide of planetary cycles because the planetary cycles are mathematical, and therefore we can anticipate them.  Once we know what to look for, it becomes easy to see it.

A good example of this would be the Neptune, Chiron, and Jupiter triple conjunction in Aquarius over the past year.  Aquarius rules the Internet, as well as networking, and we have seen an unprecedented increase in the use of and reliance upon social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter over this past year.  Of course, Chiron can be the wound or the healing of a wound, so all that glitters is not gold.  For some, the reliance upon social networking sites may actually increase feelings of isolation and loneliness because the Internet is no substitute for real face to face interaction.  On the other hand, I am sure there are withdrawn people who have become more open and more connected from using these tools, as well.  Twice this past week from different sources, I have heard Sartre quoted as saying, “Freedom is what you do with what has been given to you.”  Yes, this is the basis for astrology, as I practice it. Astrology is a better tool when used descriptively, rather than predicatively.  We all have a certain astrological DNA with which we are born, but we can certainly overcome the “negative” aspects through our own use of our own gifts, and we all have them.  This is the message of the movie “Precious,” as well as the example that many high profile people present.  Obama, Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, and a host of others have had very difficult beginnings in life and made it to the top.  Of course, there are plenty of people who had superior DNA who have ended up at the bottom of the heap, too.  Our intentions, along with the choices we make, direct our happiness.

The year began with a Lunar Eclipse at 10 Cancer, describing the need to release the past.  The immediate past has been dominated by not only the triple conjunction in Aquarius, but the Saturn and Uranus opposition.  Saturn represents the structure we need to support our growth, and Uranus represents the need to innovate.  Of course, Pluto is in Capricorn, which is ruled by Saturn, and Pluto makes deeps changes that result in evolutionary progress.  This past year has been a time when the need for stability and structure has been competing with the need for upgrades to the system.  Well, we are near the end of this phase.  Beginning the New Year with the Lunar Eclipse in Cancer signaled that now is the appropriate time to release the past, both recent and distant.  How can we move forward and encourage growth when we are stuck in the past, clinging to what no longer exists.

On January 15, we will have a North Nodal Solar Eclipse at 25 Capricorn.  North Nodal eclipses look to the future and mark a time when we need to focus on what is in front of us.  For the two week period between these eclipses, both Mars and Mercury are retrograde.  Retrograde planets give us time to work out the math of our lives.  They give us a second chance to learn a lesson or to do some inner work so that we can move forward successfully in the outer world once the planets are direct.  The Lunar Eclipse asked for a release of the past, the retrograde planets give us time to “do the math” on that request, and then the Solar Eclipse comes to usher in the future, free from the drag of a past that doesn’t serve us any more.  It is so poetic to me, and so powerful.  By now, we all know what we need to do, the question is: Will we do it?  This is why I started the column with that quote from Sartre.  We are free to make powerful changes for ourselves, but will we?  This is the “rub” to which Shakespeare refers in “Hamlet.”  Lucky for us, Saturn will be retrograde.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, so we look to Saturn for a message about how to proceed bravely into this new world unfettered by the dross of the past.  On Wednesday, January 13, just 2 days before the Eclipse, Saturn will station retrograde.  Saturn is the schoolmaster, often stern, but when he is retrograde, he is more like a patient tutor.  He knows we will need more time to get secure with the new foundation we are supposed to be laying for ourselves.  Too much freedom all at once can be terrifying, so Saturn is allowing us time complete the releasing process while simultaneously integrating the new structure on a deeper level before requiring more hard work from us once Saturn re-enters Libra with a square to Uranus in Aries on July 26.

Also sitting with the Eclipse is Venus.  Venus rules beauty, balance, money, and relationships.  Venus is the receptive, open principle of love, whereas Mars is the assertive, selfish principle.  Mars is retrograde in Leo through March 10th, working on deeper interior levels to activate the heart and to make sure that what we release and what we create during this period is real and true for us.  If it is not, then we haven’t learned the lesson of Saturn in Virgo and the drama of the past two and one half years will have been wasted.  Since Mars is retrograde, he is taking a backseat to Venus, which allows the principles of love and beauty to direct the transformation into the future.  This is great news!  The only person we are fighting is our Self!  Once we can learn to honor our needs and desires free from the past and with an eye to a bright future, we can begin to experience the abundance of the universe.

While Saturn is retrograde, he will opposes Uranus in Pisces once more on April 26th to finish stocking up our tools boxes and to finish off whatever loose ends are still nagging us from the past.  By the time he approaches the cardinal opposition on July 26, we will be ready to begin with the new, second phase of the Saturn-Uranus cycle for the next 22 or so years, living happier, more fulfilled lives and teaching what we have learned along the way.

Solar Eclipses are New Moons with a longer shelf life.  This New Moon sets the tone for the entire year.  This is a year of new beginnings whose success will be based upon our ability to break out of the old patterns of the past which have kept us emotionally chained to situations which, in reality, ended long ago.   The times, they are a changin‘, and so must we.  No need to feel guilty about or weighed down by the past.  Release it all and allow the seed that is pulsing with life deep inside of you to put out roots and grow.  Life is for living.

with love

m

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Always fun and informative!   Mark and Lori lead a a discussion of the new moon energies and how to make the most of them!  For an extra $5, Mark and Lori will review your chart and explain the ways in which you can direct this energy in your life to help you to achieve your goals.  Please email birth day, time, and place to markspringle@gmail.com .    Cocktails available!

The ancient disciplines of Yoga and Astrology have been practiced together in the East for thousands of years. Both disciplines have as their goal a uniting of the individual self with the Universal Consciousness.

Join Mark for a relaxed presentation of the basics of astrology, including an explanation of the most common symbols used by astrologers, as well as an explication of the current cosmic energy flow.

I will be in DC for the entire week sharing my intimate knowledge of your talents, challenges, weaknesses, and strengths to help you have a better experience of your life.

The keys to unlocking relationship needs, family dynamics, insecurities, talents, and resources are all in the birthchart.

To schedule your time, please contact Mark directly. $150 per session with discounts for students, seniors, un/under– employed folks… Just ask! Readings make great gifts, too!

Contact me directly through Facebook, or markspringle@gmail.com, or 305.401.8863

Location and directions

Please come suport this great cause with me on Sunday April 26, 2009!

I’ve donated a free astrology reading for the auction, and I would love to meet you. If you see me, please say hello!

HELP Inc.’s 13th Annual “A New Day of HOPE” www.HopeIncLaw.com
Under the Big Top
Sunday, April 26, 2009

1pm - 5pm
Temple Beth Sholom
4144 Chase Avenue
Miami Beach, FL

About Help Inc.

Since 1994, HELP has provided direct legal assistance free of charge to South Florida’s largely immigrant and financially disadvantaged HIV-positive community. Through the combined efforts of the Law Director, volunteer attorneys and law students, HELP has assisted over 300 individuals and families in matters of public benefits, discrimination, immigration, wills/trusts, the rights of the incarcerated, and landlord-tenant disputes.

The Spring Equinox is the astrological New Year, signified by the Sun crossing the equator from South to North and its entry into the sign of Aries. Aries, one of the more creative signs of the zodiac, is very concerned with self-expression and new beginnings.  The Sun is like our psychic battery, charging our psyche via the sign he is currently occupying. Venus, the planet of partnerships and harmony, is also in the sign of Aries on this day, retrograding through the heavens and giving us all some time to re-invent ourselves and to develop the beauty within our Selves.

Each sign has a planetary ruler, and Mars is the planet we associate with Aries. In order to understand how the energy of Aries will be available to us, we look to the placement of its ruler in the zodiac. On the day of the Spring Equinox, Mars will be in the sign of Pisces, which is a sign concerned with the dissolution of boundaries, intuition, and visions. As the ruler of Aries, Mars will be guiding the Sun and Venus to focus on creative self-expression by removing boundaries that hold us back, by boosting our own ability to trust in our intuition, and by creating visions of what our new and improved Selves can look like if only we make the necessary first steps towards re-invention.

Please join Mark at Kennedy Park in the Grove on Saturday March 21st, 2009 at 9:30a for a very special Free Yoga Miami where he will guide a practice designed to help everyone harness the energy of re-invention through embracing creative self-expression, fearless intuition, and visions of our most happiest Selves!

To learn more about Mark, please visit him at www.markspringle.com

Saturn is the planet who gives us our homework from the Cosmos. If we dont do our homework, we dont move on to the next, higher level. For the past year, Saturn has been in Virgo, the sign most concerned with the details of life. Virgo rules schedules, habits, routines, and ritual. We are receiving lots of information on how our daily routines and habits are working for us.

Uranus, the planet of freedom and awakening, is opposing Saturn in Pisces, the sign concerned with visions and dreams. Uranus is currently assisting Saturn by waking us up to see where our habits are keeping us from realizing our dreams, or how we use our habits to escape the reality of our lives.

Join Mark as he leads us through an AstroYoga experience designed to make the opportunities of this exciting Saturn-Uranus challenge accessible to all.

Mark will be available for a limited number of mini-readings at a cost of $15 before the workshop. Preregistration and prepayment is required.

Saturday, 10.18.08 @ 3p RinaYoga Coral Gables, FL

Workshop $25 at door, $20 if prepaid. For directions and contact info, visit www.rinayoga.com