markspringle.com

Hello Friends!

Here we are with the holiday season in full swing!  Next week is Thanksgiving, and the Christmas decorations have been on sale since Halloween!  As our grocery lists get longer and our time disappears, the tensions slowly builds, our fear and resentment start to colonize like bacteria, and before we know it BANG! we go postal at the dinner table with all of our friends and family there to witness the explosion, creating more self-abasing fodder for years to come.  The joy of the holiday season….

OR, we can accept our past as something that no longer exists except in our minds, accept the people in our lives for the flawed beings that they are, give thanks for the bounty in our lives, and give thanks for the very fact of life itself (we could have been returned to this earth as ants or coral, dust mites or mosquitoes!).  I recently had a great session with my friend Laya Seghi and she determined, using a Psych-K balancing technique, that I needed some help integrating the following statement:  I forgive myself and others for all of the wrongs done to me, and I accept full responsibility for my own life. This statement really captures the essence of the cosmic line up for me this week.  Pluto in Capricorn squared by Saturn in Libra is making doubly clear that we must take responsibility for our own lives and accept the beds we have made for ourselves.  This does not mean that we cannot change the linens!  As adults, it takes two to tango (or two to tangle, if you grew up in SC), and even though we love to blame our dancing partners, the reality is that we cannot be independent and free while also claiming to be manipulated and held back.  Either we claim responsibility for ourselves and own our experience, or we deliver our power over to others.  We cannot have it both ways.

Assuming we leave the victimized mentality behind and take responsibility for ourselves, we can look back and see how we also contribute to the continuation of negative patterns and the repetition of unfortunate experiences from our pasts.  Low self-esteem is certainly at the top of my list, along with the need to please others, and a misunderstanding of what a “good” relationship is.  However, I accept these qualities about myself, and I now understand that the people who played their part in these patterns of mine were lessons sent to me by the universe so that I could learn that these things were not good for me.  Now, I can look back and understand that the people and situations which caused me so much pain and drama in the past were my best teachers, because through the example of our shared experiences, I now know that when my self-esteem is low, I should engage in activities that make me feel good about myself, not worse.  Duh… but how many of us will debase ourselves further in this frame of mind?  When I disagree with another person, I now know that I have the right to my own feelings and the right to protect them even if the other person is angered by my actions.  I also know that in a good relationship, communication and allowing everyone the space to own their own feelings, whether we agree with them or not, is healthy.  I love reminding Paul, when we argue, that agreement is not required.  I love it even more when he tells me the same, because I have usually lost sight of that truth at that point, and I appreciate him bringing me back to reality.

Claiming responsibility allows healing, which is another major cosmic theme right now.  Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune are still involved in their year long conjunction, soon to end in January 2010.  With Saturn in Libra, the sign of relationship, our lessons will now include drills on relating well.  We heal our ability to relate well when we accept responsibility for ourselves and our feelings, and when we accept responsibility for expressing them appropriately.  If we allow others to do the same and practice patience (as their skills may not be as honed as ours), then our relationships will bloom and prosper, or end.  Should a relationship end, this should be viewed as progress, because it shows that at least one of the folks has learned that the relationship has served it purpose and that it is time to move on to the next lesson.  All things change, even - and especially- long term, healthy relationships!

Jupiter expands whatever it touches, and over the next two weeks, Jupiter will be aspected by Mercury, Venus, and Mars.  The angles of the relationships will determine the direction of the expansion.  The angles will involve a mixture of easy flow, tension, and conflict.  The trick to managing most of this energy will be to engage from a healing, self-referenced, and responsible  perspective.  If crazy Aunt Beth is demeaning and rude, then imagine how unhappy, bitter, and disappointed with life she must be.  If Dad spends more time watchingtv than interacting, then remember how poorly equipped, and subsequently isolated, he is not to have meaningful interaction with his loved ones.  Yes, it is difficult at times, but so is making a living and raising a child, but we do this, too.

Mars will build to a tri-octile aspect with Pluto over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Tri-octile aspects reveal tension and the need for the release of that tension.  Interesting, as this is exactly what family holidays reveal, too!  Take a deep breath, take responsibility for yourself and your experience, remember the shortcomings, difficulties, and disappointments of those around you, and allow the greater connectedness of the universe to show you the humor and pointlessness of maintaining your old patterns.  Humor is great way to acknowledge something without engaging in conflict, just make sure your humor is not sarcastic or passive-aggressive.  Be light, be funny, and accept that families are imperfect and flawed by definition.

I forgive myself and others for all of the wrongs done to me, and I accept full responsibility for my own life…and full responsibility for enjoying it!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I’ll meet you back here on December 4th!

with love

m

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

to my latest article on fear:

and wish you a Thanksgiving holiday that’s free from it!
Best wishes -
Rob Moore

Dear Friends,

Can you believe it!  Another holiday season is upon us!  With all of the serious things happening right now, maybe we aren’t ready for the jollity and festivities, but the time is here, so why not enjoy?  We wont get another chance to enjoy the holidays for another year…

The holidays are on a yearly cycle that starts roughly in November.  Every November, we have a New Moon in Scorpio.  Many people have a prejudice against the sign of Scorpio as being a sign full of mystery, dark secrets, and questionable motivations.  These are the shadows of Scorpio, the sides we see when we aren’t not working with the energy at its highest manifestation.  The joy, deep connection, love, sharing, and appreciation for the gifts in our lives, this is the high side of Scorpio.  At the holidays, we embody this energy by being thankful for what we have, for the people we love, and for those who love us.  We evaluate our relationships and the state of our lives in general.  We acknowledge the bounty, and as we move towards New Years, we make promises about how to correct the deficiencies.  Scorpio energy has other sides, as well.  Control, anger, wealth, power, obligations and more all part and parcel of the Scorpio archetype.  At the holidays, much of our attention is focused on family, and certainly these issues come up frequently in the familial setting.  Scorpio has depth and power, regardless of the manifestations - high or low - that we create.

On Monday, we have the Scorpio New Moon for 2009.  A New Moon is a time to set intentions and to direct the energy that is available to us during the lunation.  The modern ruler of Scorpio is Pluto, and for the first time in fourteen years, Pluto is in the sign of Capricorn.  The previous fourteen Scorpio New Moons occurred with Pluto in Sagittarius and we were often idealistic and full of ourselves, believing we could do anything when the Scorpio New Moon appeared.  Well, Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, and it is the nature of Jupiter to expand and to be optimistic.  Unfortunately,Jupiterian expansion, when uncontrolled, can lead to excess, and it the excesses that were created over the past fourteen years that Pluto has been correcting since he moved into Capricorn last November 26.  Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, and the influence of Saturn restricts.  Lucky for us, Saturn just moved into the sign of Libra on October 30th!  Libra is the sign of fairness, balance, and relationships, and it is in this sign that Saturn is exalted, meaning that he functions at his best.  Who wouldn’t function at his or her best surrounded by fair and balanced relationships?

Pluto and Saturn are currently in a cycle that began in November 1982 at 28 Libra.  Pluto brings immense focus and transformation to whatever it touches, Saturn brings lessons that need to be learned.  Since their current cycle began in Libra, the lesson of this 38 year cycle is to bring balance and harmony into the world.  For those of us old enough to remember that far back, we can certainly see whether or not we have been good students - whether or not we have cultivated balance or harmony.  Younger generations who may not remember that far back, or who may not even have been alive, are born with this cycle activenatally , and they are the personified agents of change and transformation that we are all experiencing.  A perfect example of this was the great participation of the younger generation in the most recent presidential election.  Without their participation, we would not be calling Barack Obama Mr. President.  Despite the fact that they may not see their personal development towards a balanced life, they are creating balance in the world every day.

The day before this New Moon, Saturn forms an exact square to Pluto, so this lunation will carry that weight.  A square is a challenge or a roadblock - a hurdle that must be overcome if we are to progress to the next level of our evolution.  Pluto in Capricorn is demanding responsibility and accountability.  Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn, is demanding fairness and equality.  Sounds great, but the problem is that the abuses of Pluto in Sagittarius were extreme and therefore the balancing of these abuses, although fair and equitable, will be experienced by many of us as harsh.  No once wants to believe that the huge number of people who are loosing their homes is “fair.”  However, on a cosmic level, those who purchased a home they could not afford, or those who were trying to get rich quick in a market noted for its volatility, are going to loose the assets they unwisely wagered.  Saturn and Capricorn demand accountability, boundaries, and structure.  In so far as these things were transgressed with Pluto in Sagittarius, they will be balanced by Pluto in Capricorn.  The next 2.5 years of Saturn in Libra will be the time we experience what will appear to be the harshest balancing, but really, its just the natural and necessary backward swing of the pendulum.

Neptune is also square to this New Moon.  This challenge or obstacle will be the need to face the reality of our situations, both personally and globally.  As the pendulum swings back and balances our transgressions by taking away the things we don’t have the sources to sustain, we may be inclined to bury our head like an ostrich, pretending we cant see the writing on the wall.  Neptune’s shadow side is unrealistic fantasy, addiction, and holding onto illusions.  Well, those who choose this manifestation will not enjoy the next few years.  For those who can manifest the higher vibrations of Neptune, we will see healing, inspiration, and spiritual evolution.  We will all experience the challenge, and we all have the responsibility to choose which experience we want to have.

The New Moon is also sextile to the North Node in Capricorn, and three out of four eclipses in 2010 will be on the Capricorn-Cancer axis, as well.  The sextile to the New Moon will make it easier to accept accountability for ourselves and our choices, and the eclipses will certainly bring ample opportunities for us to face our responsibilities in the coming year.

Finally, we should look to the traditional ruler of Scorpio for any remaining information about this New Moon.  Mars is that ruler, and he is in Leo, reminding us that we should be following our hearts, doing that about which we are passionate, that which we are qualified to lead and eager to express.  Whatever we are doing that we aren’t passionate about, that doesn’t bring out or own creativity and joy for life, is detracting from that joy and wont be sustainable as we move deeper into the Saturn/Pluto square.  Mars is square to Venus at the New Moon, challenging our sense of how hard to push and how much to relax.  When should we allow life to unfold without the need to direct or impose our personal will, and when should we be aggressive in the pursuit of our desires?  Obviously, this tension is at the root of the Scorpio archetype.  This tension also highlights our relationships, the yin and the yang, and the influence of Saturn in Libra.  At the end of the day, its all about relating in the spirit of fairness and equality, whether we are relating to others or relating to our finances, whether we are relating to our sense of self or to our sense of mortality.

This will be the lunation that starts the greatest time of change that many of us alive today will ever face.  The next 10 years will be the time that the promise of fairness and balance that Pluto and Saturn made in November 1982 begins to manifest in true form here on Earth, in our lives, and in our communities.  We will all be called upon to accept our limitations, but we will all receive that which we deserve.  As the song says: you better be good, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, ’cause the Pluto/Saturn square is here!

Happy Holidays and Felicidades!

with love and appreciation

your humble messenger

m

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

Just today at my friend Sandra Breiterman’s office, the beautiful Cancer naturopath from whom I receive my acupuncture, I was reminded of what difficult times many of us are facing.  Sandra mentioned to me that so many of her patients are in “trauma mode.”  I am not surprised: Saturn has moved into Libra, bringing an intense and focused preview of the problems we will have to tackle over the next 2.5 years.  Saturn has been in Virgo since September 2007, helping us to restock our toolboxes with coping skills, healthier lifestyles, and adaptive techniques so that we would be prepared to face the many changes that will be initiated when Saturn, Jupiter, and Uranus all move into cardinal signs and into heavy aspects with Pluto, who moved into the cardinal sign of Capricorn in November 2008.  Pluto moving into Capricorn will be a very corrective period of time during which the abuses of Pluto in Sagittarius will be balanced.  Pluto was in Sag from January 1995 through November 2008.  During this time, wealth and power, the two most obvious domains of Plutonian energy , enjoyed unprecedented expansion, which is the promise of Sagittarius.  Pluto is a planet of extremes, however, and the expansion was extreme as well, resulting in the eventual meltdown of the systems where the expansion took place, like housing market and the economy in the US.  The wealthy and powerful got too big for their britches, as we used to say in SC.  Even though the general public may feel that they are still too big, they are shrinking everyday now that Pluto has moved into Capricorn, demanding that responsibility and public acknowledgment occur.  Pluto in Capricorn will be a 16 year period in which these abuses are corrected, so be patient.  By the time Pluto moves in to Aquarius, we will live in a new world, with new rules, and this is the reason we needed to pay attention to the message of Saturn in Virgo.  We need to adapt to the changes that are coming our way if we are going to succeed in this new world.

Pluto is the modern ruler of the fixed sign of Scorpio, who is getting lots of attention this week.   The Sun entered Scorpio on October 23, Mercury entered Scorpio on October 28, and Venus enters Scorpio this week on November 8.  The traditional ruler of Scorpio is Mars, who is in the fixed sign of Leo, already in the shadow of his retrograde period.  The mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) are adaptive, the cardinal signs are initiative (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), and the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) maintain or control.  Control is on everyone’s mind right now… no surprise with three personal planets in Scorpio.  At the same time, Saturn has moved in to Libra, making it clear where we need balance.  Balance is hard.  All yoga practitioners know that a handstand is difficult.  For many yogis, tree pose is a challenge, and that’s not half as difficult as a handstand.  Balance IS difficult.  For good balance, we need control.  Control is a function of the fixed signs.  Of the 13 luminaries I normally use in my work (including the nodes), 7 are in fixed signs right now.  Saturn in Libra wants balance, the 7 planets in fixed signs are helping us to find control, or showing us where we are out of control - or too rigidly controlled, and hence, out of balance.  As with yoga, too much control, no flexibility.  Not enough control, no balance.  This period of intense Scorpio energy will show us where we are too loose, too rigid, or too out of control.

Everything in astrology functions on a polarity, or a see-saw, so to speak.  We all know that balancing a see-saw is not easy.  Well, getting our lives back into balance wont be easy either, because we will have to pay the price of our own personal excesses, just like big business and the government.  Teetering back and forth from one extreme to another is also something that we associate with Scorpio energy.  If we find ourselves slamming from one extreme to another, we are finding out where we need balance.  Hopefully, if we were good students of Saturn in Virgo, we have acquired some tools to help us adapt in such a way that our swings become less dramatic.  If we have been poor students, then the chances are that the swings will become MORE dramatic, because we did not receive the tools we needed to fix this imbalance.

Mercury is the planet that we look to for help understanding things.  Mercury rules the mind and the manner in which we process and communicate information.  Mercury in Scorpio can be obsessive, but it can also cut to the inner core of an issue when it is functioning well.  Mercury joined the Sun Thursday, November 6th and received a super charge of Scorpio energy, making him that much more perceptive - or obsessive - as the case may be.  Mercury will square Jupiter on Sunday, November 8th, which will illuminate some bad choices we may have made, or it will present us with the opportunity to receive some grand insight, assuming that we can give up trying to control the information rather than allowing it to speak for itself.  From here, Mercury will move to a trine to Uranus and a square to Chiron on Wed, November 10th, and a square to Neptune the following day.   This is a whole lot of information! This info may not immediately present itself as good, but that doesn’t make it bad.  The lower side of Scorpio wants to control, manipulate, obsess, and dominate, but the higher side of Scorpio wants to cut through all of the crap and have a real conversation about the real essence of things.  This requires being open, honest, unprotected, and therefore vulnerable.  Scorpio feels uncomfortable in this position (right down scared is more accurate!), but it is also the position in which Scorpio functions as the healer rather than the destroyer.  Either way, whatever Scorpio touches will never be the same, for better or worse.

The moon will conjunct Saturn at 1 degree Libra on Thursday, November 12th.  Saturn is moving towards an exact third quarter square to Pluto on November 15th, the day before the new Scorpio moon.  Scorpio energy can tear something down completely so that it can be rebuilt bigger and better.  Think bionics, think nuclear, think phoenix, think of Noah and the flood.  Think of whatever, but know that this coming week will be the week it all starts in earnest.   By the following week, a chain of events will begin to unfold that will require some very deep understanding of who we are and what it means to be alive, strong, and in control.  One thing is for sure: those most in control will be those who are most flexible and open to change.

I’ll be giving frequent daily advice and commentary on Facebook, so friend me and keep your eyes out for my updates!  I’m still trying to figure out Twitter, but you can find me there too!

with love…

m

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY