markspringle.com

Dear Friends,

Uranus is still occupying the weeping degree of 29 Pisces, with Jupiter following close behind at 25 degrees.  We may still have more tears shed, especially since the Moon will join these two planets on Sunday.  In mundane (political) astrology, the Moon represents the “people.”  Uranus rules the energy of awakening and revolt.  Jupiter expands whatever it touches.  The fact that this is the first time that the Moon has passed over Uranus at his degree makes me curious as to how “the people” will choose to express this energy.  All eyes should be on Arizona, Wall Street, and the Monday morning commute, as well as airline travel (Uranus rules the sky, Jupiter rules long distance travel).

Complicating matters, Mothers Day could be an especially volatile day with people on edge as family issues take center stage.  The eclipse patterns of the past few years have been slowly moving us away from the bad habits of our past, and we may still be uncomfortable when faced with our pasts in the form our of parents and siblings.  We are being called to take responsibility for ourselves here and now, so make an effort to keep family visits and long distance calls firmly rooted in the present.  It’s time to move forward.

Mercury remains retrograde, but he will be making his turn to direct motion on Wed May 12^th at 2 degrees Taurus.  The Moon will also be in the early degrees of Taurus on this day.  Hopefully, this will bring a mood of stability and calm to our divided nation, but it may also lend an air of obstinacy and further polarize the left and the right, the rich and the poor, the fearful and the excited.  No matter, Uranus moving in to Aries at the end of the month will erase any complacency.  In the meantime, it would be well to understand the message of Mercury’s station.  Mercury is trine to Pluto at this station, reminding us again (for the 3rd time this cycle) that we need to transform the way we think and communicate.

Taurus rules resources, including natural resources, and Pluto is the lord of the underworld.  Mercury is trine to Neptune (the ruler of the oceans) and Chiron, the wound, is in Pisces, the sign of the ocean depths.  Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or should I say a petroleum geologist, to see that we have created quite a wound in the Gulf as we mine the ocean depths for resources.  (Also, I’d like to take point out that this disaster is not a “natural” disaster as I have heard in the media.  Honestly, how could anyone believe that this is a natural disaster?  It is a man-made disaster that could have been prevented if the oil companies drilling off of the US coast were held to the same standards that they are held to in Brazil and Norway.. read more about this topic here.)

Taurus also rules farming, so we should take a good hard look at the way we produce food in this country.  I have noticed that during this entire retrograde period, people have been talking quite a bit about food, the movie Food Inc, and other farming or nutrition related matters.  This is a good thing.  Saturn is still in Virgo, asking us to look at our health, and good nutrition is certainly a cornerstone of good health.

I wonder if the general public and corporate America, no to mention the US government, will recognize that this is a serious wake up call in our history?  How many more huge ecological disasters must we create for ourselves, how many millions of creatures must be killed with generations of surviving creatures genetically mutated, and how many more people displaced, their livelihoods destroyed, before we finally get the point that instead of doing things the same old way that it is time to come up with some new, renewable, and less damaging ways to provide for our needs?  Wind, wave, and solar energy all exist in infinite supply, and the technology exists to harness it.  We may lack the infrastructure, but this is the best reason why we must build it!  Before cars and AC were invented, we lacked pipelines, too!  As soon as corporate America finds a way to make money off of wind and solar, you can bet they will be shoving “renewable” energy down our throats!  Luckily, we have Pluto in Capricorn, the sign that rules corporations and big business.  Pluto purges, destroys, and rebuilds the things that are no longer working.  This process will take 15 more years, but already in the first 2, we can see some behemoths swaying, if not falling: Lehman Bros, Goldman Sachs, Washington Mutual, Prudential, Toyota.   I cry for thee not.

Mercury rules the signs of Virgo and Gemini.  Saturn has been retrograde in Virgo opposing Uranus, reminding us that integrating better health and habits, that learning how to adjust and accommodate, and upgrading the status quo are the most beneficial ways of creating a brighter future.  Venus is in Gemini, moving into the focal point of a t-square with the Saturn-Uranus opposition.  Venus in Gemini is fickle, changing her mind often and talking too much.  Mercury’s relationship to Pluto won’t let all of that trash talk go unpunished, so be careful what you yourself are saying.  Gordon Brown would do well to read my blog.

The Taurus New Moon rounds out our week on Thursday May 13^th.  The New Moon occurs at 23 degrees and 9 minutes of Taurus, which is the Capricorn decanate of Taurus.  Well, Mercury just retrograded in the sign of Taurus, so we should be up to date on our Taurus issues!  Money, resources, talents, and real estate are all good places to focus our attentions.  We should use the new perspective that we have gained with Mercury retrograde to help us set our intentions for this lunation.  The Sun and Moon are sextile to Neptune and Chiron, and with the oil spill in the Gulf still active and fresh, we can certainly see that we are misusing and wasting more than we are stewarding and renewing.  Can we see any similarities between this tragedy and some more personal issues concerning our stewardship of our own resources?  Now is the time for a long, hard, and honest look.  The Sun and Moon are also trine to Pluto, once again reminding us of the need for deep transformation with respect to these Taurine issues.   What is wasted or taken for granted must be valued appropriately.  What we use must be used more consciously.  What is overlooked must be revisited.  We must look deeper, beyond the obvious, and we must accept that something must die in order for something else, better, to be born…this is the lesson of the Phoenix.

Saturn is the co-ruler of this New Moon since he rules Capricorn.  Pluto is occupying Saturn’s sign, demanding accountability and responsibility.  Saturn himself is in Virgo, opposing Uranus at the weeping degree, while both planets are square to Venus in Gemini, the planet that rules the economy, which is in turn ruled by Big Business, ruled by Saturn.  For me, this intertwining of business, resources, money, and responsibility with Uranus about to move from the weeping degree to the first degree of Aries means that the proverbial manure is about to hit the fan.  We have already seen a refusal by the Goldman Sachs brass to accept responsibility for their actions.  BP hasnt had an impressive response to the oil leak in the gulf.  Many others on Wall Street took taxpayer funded bailouts and then gave themselves big bonuses before paying the tax payers back.  This is not responsible.  Pluto will not let these abuses go unredressed.  The problem, however, is that when Wall Street pays, we all pay.  Of course, each and every one of us has some culpability in this situation, so let’s embrace our inner Capricorn and accept our responsibility.

Find a steady rock to cling to, make sure it is on high ground, well placed, and store some provisions in a safe place.  If you can, store some extra for those you love.  Someone will need, for sure.

with love,

m

SAVE THESE DATES:

May 12 Zodiac Lounge: Taurus New Moon                 Miami Beach, FL

May 18 I’m at The Bodhi Tree in LA!
URANUS 2010: Tune IN and Turn ON                  West Hollywood, CA

I’ll be available for one-on-one sessions in all of the cities I visit this year, and of course, I am always available via phone or Skype anytime from my home in Miami.

You may not know this, but all of success depends on your word of mouth.  I do not advertise, except through this site and through my Facebook postings and tweets.

Please share this column with your friends and family who have an interest in astrology, who need a new way of looking at the world, or who simply may be in the areas I visit.

Many Thanks for your continued support.

Dear Friends,

Go ahead and cry. Let it all out. Release whatever it is that you’ve been holding on to. Uranus is occupying 29 degrees Pisces now thru May 27 th, a degree Michael Lutin calls the weeping degree. A good cry is like cleaning out our closets. It purges the emotions that are clogging our storage and preventing organization. Pisces is the sign in which we hide, fantasize, and escape. With Uranus in the final, expiative degree, our ability to hide and escape in our usual manner is gone. We are forced to face reality, whether we like or not. What we are facing now is like a cosmic intervention. Look at what we have done to ourselves.

Uranus is also still deeply engaged in opposition with Saturn. For over 2.5 years now, this has been the most dynamic and pervasive transit. The status quo (Saturn) is being challenged (opposition) by Uranus to wake up and recognize the need for change, the need to upgrade the systems of our lives. This is true on the most basic personal and emotional levels, as well as on political and global levels. What we are used to, what we have done in the past, and what we are comfortable with are no longer adequate to meet the demands of growth and evolution. People are protesting more and more, demanding that the government, the corporate banking systems, the car makers, the oil drillers, etc all listen to what we, the people, have to say. We, the people, are polarizing more and more in this dialogue. This is no surprise: with Saturn and Uranus opposing each other, those in favor of the status quo are lining up against those who favor change. Two things are clear, both upgrades and compromises are necessary in order to move forward. What is not clear is the timing. When will everyone come to this understanding and be willing to work together? My guess is that it will take a disaster of global proportions, or perhaps several, to create this level of awareness in the majority of people. I would love to think differently, but too many of us still believe we are separate from the rest, immune to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Uranus will dispel that notion as he moves through Aries, squaring Pluto many times in the process.

With Mercury still retrograde in Taurus and less than a week into its newest cycle with the Sun, we are at a place where we need to discriminate between what we do out of habit, and what we need to do in order to survive. Also, we need to make plans for our future growth. There is no question that our habits and comfort zone are making it difficult for us to move forward. Uranus is working with Mercury retrograde to help point this out to us. Mercury will remain retrograde through May 10^th. Use this time to reflect on your habits and what they do for you, or what they prevent you from doing. Embrace the spirit of Uranus and upgrade wherever you can now, release all you can. Use the energy of Saturn in practical and adaptive Virgo to make a plan for upgrading the rest sooner rather than later. Taurus represents our connection to food, and to resources, as well as to money and real estate. Also, Taurus calls our attention to the sensory pleasures of life. Are our senses receiving enough stimulation? Are we spending too much time indoors or plugged in? Are we in touch with our sensory needs? These are all areas of our lives where some healthy introspection will be proactive and useful this week.

By the end of May, Uranus will move into Aries. When a slow outer planet changes signs, we feel it immediately. Aries is the seed energy of the zodiac. It is initiating, spontaneous, and somewhat self-involved. Aries is the energy that moves us forward, in spite of ourselves. Imagine that Uranus is like a flight attendant, helping you to evacuate a failing plane. You want to take your bags, your cell phone, your carry on and a snack. The flight attendant is saying NO, not that! No, not that, either! Hurry, there is NO time! We must go, NOW! We need to be lean and mean to survive the changes that are happening as we speak, and the changes that are coming this summer! Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto all have several appointments with each other in the upcoming months. Each of these planets carries a large and inescapable weight with them, a demand for restructuring, awakening, and purging, respectively. We are at the beginning of this process, not the end.

Mars is still in his Leo shadow, but moving forward and ready to cover new ground by mid-May. Mars has been in Leo since October, much longer than his average 6 weeks per sign. This extra long period of time has given us time to connect without hearts – our passions, which are ruled by Leo. Considering the many changes of the past few years, along with the many more to come, it makes sense that we need to be clear about what is important to us, what we are passionate about, and what we love. If we are wasting time on things that do not awaken these feelings in us, we may feel lost when we are flung out of the airplane without our bags, perhaps without a parachute.

I like the image of a freefall for what is happening at the moment. It is full of promise if we choose to look at it this way. The playing field is being equalized. We are all required to sacrifice our comfort level, to dig deep into our inner most recesses and uncover the seed nature of our Selves. We are being awakened by Uranus, purified by Pluto, and restructured by Saturn to be the most we can be, to be the happiest we can be, to be the people we ARE.

For many of us, this is nerve wrecking, challenging, and down right terrifying. The key is to do what is being asked, to stop resisting the inevitable, and to embrace the unique embodiment of Spirit that is you. As we have all heard before, “God didn’t make no mistakes.”

with love

m

SAVE THESE DATES:

May 12 Zodiac Lounge: Taurus New Moon                      Miami Beach, FL

May 18 I’m at The Bodhi Tree in LA!
URANUS 2010: Tune IN and Turn ON                         West Hollywood, CA

I’ll be available for one-on-one sessions in all of the cities I visit this year, and of course, I am always available via phone or Skype anytime from my home in Miami.

You may not know this, but all of success depends on your word of mouth.  I do not advertise, except through this site and through my Facebook postings and tweets.

Please share this column with your friends and family who have an interest in astrology, who need a new way of looking at the world, or who simply may be in the areas I visit.

Many Thanks for your continued support.

Dear Friends,

Mercury went retrograde April 18^th @ 12:06a EST.  Whenever Mercury goes retrograde, it is a second chance to re-do, re-visit, re-think, and/or re-organize something that we have already done.  Mercury rules thinking, the mind, and communication, as well as all modes of technology which assist these activities.  Mercury Retrograde does not usually support new projects, but if you are doing something for the second time, then Mercury Retrograde is the perfect time to make your second, better effort.

The sign in which Mercury retrogrades is important, for it tells us what areas of life we should re-visiting.  It also directs our attention to the area of our lives ruled by that sign in our charts.  For this Mercury retrograde, the sign we need to understand is Taurus.  Taurus is the fixed earth sign of the zodiac, ruler of the 2^nd house.  Taurus is associated with resources.  What resources do you have? What resources do you take for granted?  Sometimes, we take our best resources for granted because they are second nature to us.  With Mercury retrograde in Taurus, this is a great time to spend some time thinking about our resources, how we use or abuse them, and how we can make better use of what we have.  Taurus also rules farming, which is a metaphor for how to use your talents in order to create sustenance.   If we are unsure of our resources, gardening may be an appropriate activity to help us meditate on the subject.  It will also help us to remember that resources must be cultivated in order for them to be productive for us.  Taurus also rules money, an important resource in our society.  During this Mercury retrograde, it would be a very good idea to get a handle on our finances.  Tax season is over, and perhaps now is the right time to review our budgets and make the necessary adjustments with respect to our refund or payment.

Taurus is ruled by Venus, so we definitely want to look at Venus and see what is going with her so that we can fully understand the message of Mercury in her sign.  When Mercury turned retrograde, Venus was in her own sign of Taurus, as well.  We call this a dignified position, because Venus is powerful in the sign she rules.  This also reiterates the importance of understanding how we are using our resources.  Venus is in a good and supportive position to Jupiter at the retrograde as well.  Jupiter is also dignified in Pisces, and Jupiter magnifies whatever it touches.  Some of us may getting some really good news with respect to our resources, others may be getting news that is not so good.  Either way, Jupiter in Pisces is reminding us that material resources don’t create spiritual wealth.  In fact, many spiritual masters ask their students to renounce their material wealth so that they can concentrate on cultivating spiritual wealth. Good news or bad, increasing resources or decreasing, it would be wise to make sure your spiritual resources are renewed and supportive.  Even poor men can be rich in love and Spirit.

Whatever house is ruled by Taurus in your chart will be that area of your life where these concepts are manifesting.  For example, Taurus rules my fifth house, and with the support of my friends and network in DC, I was able to give lectures and readings this past week which allowed me to express myself creatively in a way that I have been chasing for years.  Now that I have done it once, I can use this experience as grist to fuel the mill and support my desire to create more space for me to deliver my public talks.  If you have a group that you would like for me to address, please let me know.  I’m adding “Public Speaker” to my business card.

As this is happening, Saturn and Uranus are lining up for their final opposition on the Virgo-Pisces axis at 29 degrees on Monday, April 26.  The 29^th degree of any sign is a big deal, but Uranus at the last degree of Pisces is the biggest!  Michael Lutin taught me that 29 Pisces is the Weeping Degree.  Sounds heavy.  It is.  For the past 2.5 years, the Saturn-Uranus opposition has been asking us to release the status quo where it has made our lives stale and unfulfilling.  Uranus is the planet of awakening, revolution, and insight.  This energy is infusing our daily routines and habits with new, fresh, and innovative ideas in an effort to bring us more fully into our own lives.   Many of us have been embracing this change, letting things go that needed to go, and this week, we will finally feel like that separation is complete, or completing.  (Uranus will move forward into Aries late May and retrograde back in to 29 Pisces in the fall, showing where we may not have released as much as we thought.)  Nonetheless, this week is a big separation.  If we have been resisting this change, fighting the need to let go, then this week will be an especially difficult and volatile one, as the release will happen regardless of our attempts to stop it.  A therapist of mine, Rachel Levy, once told me that the pain was in the resistance.  Well, if you are resisting this release, then you know what she means.

We are all being called to a higher level of consciousness whether we like it or not.  The Age of Pisces is giving way to the Age of Aquarius.  We are moving from a dualistic society where the martyr-victim mentality is being replaced by the “We are One” mentality as evidenced in the huge popularity of the movie “Avatar.”  We are all connected, our actions affect the planet,  we are our brothers’ keepers, as well as keepers of the earth.  We cannot  afford to take for granted the things that sustain us, and this includes our resources.  Perhaps we need to release something that keeps us firmly rooted in the illusion that we are not connected, that we are independent from and that we have no responsibility to our fellow humans.  Pluto in Capricorn through 2025 will revolutionize our sense of responsibility and help us to understand our relation to the earth and our responsibilities to it and the family of Man.

Two days after this exact opposition of Saturn and Uranus, we will have a Full Moon in Scorpio.  Scorpio rules joint or shared resources and with the Sun still in Taurus, the focus will be on all of our resources, individual and shared.  A Full Moon shines light on the shadow, and we will get feedback on how in control or out of it we have been with regards to all of resources.  The news may not be good, but its only information.  What we do with the information is what is important.   (This Full Moon also heralds the Wesak Festival.  Please follow this link to a great explanation by Robert Wilkinson of the importance of this celebration.)

This is also the day that Mercury joins the Sun to start a new cycle.  The Sun and Mercury conjunct in Taurus opposing the Moon in Scorpio tells us that we need to evaluate our security with regards to all of the resources in our lives.  If we are not secure, then we can use the energy of the Sun (effort, work, focus) and Mercury (thinking, processing, and communicating) to develop a better a relationship (Venus rules relationships, as well) with our resources.  This cycle will be full in June at 6 Cancer when we will see the full effect of this cycle.  Cancer rules emotional security, so if we don’t like the feedback we are receiving, then we have 8 weeks or so to work on creating something we can feel good about.  Also, even if we are receiving feedback we like, this does not guarantee that we will feel good at the full phase in late June, because if we are only focused on material resources, we may see in June how our lack of cultivation (a Taurus word) of more spiritual resources has left us feeling vulnerable.

2010 will be  a year of change unlike any we have seen in a long time.  I hope that each and every person is really re-evaluating , re-leasing, and re-forming a plan to get them to where they want or need to be.  Of course, I know not every one is, and I have compassion for these folks, because even though the universe will give them more chances to work within the energy of the cosmos, they will have a price to pay this week, this month, and this year, as they cling to a loss which is not only inevitable, but the seed of their own progress.

We are still under the power of the most recent New Moon in Aries, so please consider how you would finish this phrase: I AM ___________.  If you are not satisfied with your answer, then now if the time to work on the creating an answer you can be happy with - an answer that expresses the totality of who you are, not just some hat that you wear for a few hours a day.  The next new Moon will be in Taurus, bringing us the seed energy to cultivate the resources that have been the focus of the Mercury retrograde this time around.

With love and hope that you will prosper and find find happiness.

mark

Dear Friends,

Sorry about last week!  The stationing retrograde of Pluto in Capricorn weighed me down like concrete in my veins.  For this Scorpio with Capricorn rising, I literally felt like I couldn’t move, my mind was inert, and my motivation was non-existent.  Luckily, I was expecting something along those lines, but I thought that by focusing (Pluto) and working hard (Capricorn),  I could plow through it.  I did manage to get some good work done with client readings, but the weekly update suffered.  How was this past week for all of you?  If it was rough, or slow, or unproductive, give yourself a break - you weren’t the only one!  If you were productive, gained valuable insight, or finally released something from which you have needed freedom, then YEE-HAW!  I am sure the pain of that experience will ease up as soon as you stop focusing in it.  Remember, panhandlers found gold in the mud.

Last week, we also saw Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn, slip right back into Virgo the day after the Pluto station.  Yes, the Saturn-Uranus opposition is back, full on, and we all better be up for some change, because it is coming, whether we like it or not.  For almost 2.5 years, Uranus, the planet of higher mind, has been challenging Saturn, the planet of the status quo, to allow for some movement and growth to occur.  The status quo always gets stale and outdated at some point, and Uranus is the energy which brings new ideas and new ways of doing things into the dialogue.  Of course, the old guards fight vigorously to hold onto their perceived power, while the challengers insist on equality and the right to be heard.  We see this playing out in so many ways in the politics and popular culture of not only of the US, but the world at large.  Pay attention and you will see that underneath all of the headlines and EXTRA! reports is the tension between the old and the new.  With both Pluto and Saturn retrograde at the final Virgo-Pisces opposition on April 26th, we will all be forced to admit to ourselves that the time has come to make some changes, like them or not.

For the upcoming week, the big news is the Aries New Moon on Wednesday, April 14th.  Aries is the beginning of the zodiac.  It is the seed from which all things grow.  Aries represents the will to power, the instinct to survive, and the need for growth and expansion.  This mirrors the necessity inherent in the Saturn-Uranus opposition for growth and change to take place.  This Aries New Moon is the threshold of the next big chapter of our lives.  Uranus will enter Aries on May 28th, bringing a demand for growth and self-expression.  Some of us are so attached to the past and the people we used to be, for better or worse, that we cannot allow this growth to occur.  If we aren’t ready to expand, then the demand could cause us to break, to fall apart under the pressure.  This New Moon, following the Pluto station so quickly, is the perfect time to channel your inner Scorpio natures ( we all have them) and begin the process of shedding your external shell for the new and shiny one underneath.  The demand is not to be someone we are not, but to allow the person we have always been to express him or herself with more authenticity.

The ruler of Aries is Mars and he is in Leo, the sign that rules the heart.  This reminds us that we should be expressing our deepest truth, that about which we are passionate.  If we are not expressing the truth of who we are, we cannot have true experiences or true relationships.  Everything in our lives will have been built upon a lie that has no depth, no passion, and no love.  When things get difficult, as they always do in life, how can we survive, how can we get back on our feet if there is no passion, no love?  Mars is also quincunx to Pluto, a difficult aspect that Loretta Standley refers to as a “bend” or “break” aspect.  I love this description because it supports my own belief that we must all learn how to be authentic and express what is real and meaningful for us without fear of reproach or abandonment.  I have had my own problems with these fears, but let me tell you clearly that the more I express my passion for what I believe in, the more I allow myself to be who I truly am, the more loved and accepted I feel.  Of course, I have lost some good friends and some family along the way, but these people never loved me for who I was because they never knew that person.  And believe me, loosing a bad relationship only makes room for a better one!  This is the lesson of Pluto: we must loose something in order to gain something better.

Mars is also tri-octile to Jupiter in Pisces, presenting us with an aspect that requires us, as Dr. Standley puts it, to “chill out!”  Jupiter in Pisces asks us to melt with the universe, to be one with everyone and everything.  How can we if we are being called to express our unique passions?  Well, if we all doing the same thing, then we all have the same desire: to be loved and to love without fear of reproach.  If I have a right to express my passion, then you have that right as well.  If you and I have that right, then everyone else does too.  If we stopped worrying about fitting in and just allowed our heart energy to shine, the we could all benefit from the collective freedom of expression by sharing what we have in surplus and enjoying the generosity of others.  This wont sit well with control freaks or power hungry people who aren’t happy unless they can move us around like puppets.  It will also scare those lemmings among us who aren’t willing to do the hard work necessary to break the bondage of fear.  Both of these types of people will be relics in the Age of Aquarius.  Collective equality and collective acceptance, appreciation, and love are all hallmarks of the Age of Aquarius which is being born as we speak.  All of the pain and suffering in this world that we live in right now in is the birth pain of a new consciousness being born on Earth, and we all a part of it: whether we like it or believe in it, or not.

It strikes me as I look at the chart of the New Moon that there are 5 pairs of planets (if we count the North Node and Pluto both in Capricorn as a pair) around the chart.  This is rare for the planets to be paired up so tightly.  It is a beautiful reminder that as humans, we are meant to relate to one another.  Aristotle called us “social animals.”  We are not meant to live in solitary confinement or bubbles of anonymous consumption.  Our capacity to love and to be loved points to the fact that we need others in order to be whole, balanced, and happy.  This is why Saturn is exalted in Libra, because it brings us into balance with others.  Saturn was in Libra from Oct 2009 through early April 2010.  This gave us a sneak peak of where we need to work on getting along better with others.  In mid-July, Saturn will enter Libra and immediately enter back into the final opposition to Uranus on the Aries-Libra axis, which is the axis of relationship to both ourselves and to others.  This New Moon is the time to set our intentions on being honest with ourselves, so that we can be honest with others about who we are and what we need.  This will smooth the way for the volatile energies of this summer to bring us warmth instead of fire, to bring controlled energy instead of destruction, and to help build a future rather than to destroy a past.

Pluto is the higher octave of Mars, and Pluto retrograde in Capricorn is requiring all of us to be responsible (Capricorn) to ourselves (retrograde) and to those we love (Mars in Leo through the quincunx), as well as the world in general (Jupiter in Pisces through the trioctile).  This is a big order, but the message is clear.  We are ultimately responsible for the quality of our experiences.  Our choices affect everyone else.  What we put out comes back to us.  As above, so below.  All things change.

Be free and honest, ask for what you need, and love yourself and those around you.  Enjoy the blessings of this world and give back so that others can enjoy you.

with love

m

SAVE THESE DATES:

April 14 Zodiac Lounge: Aries New Moon                                Miami Beach, FL

April 18 Mercury Retrograde 2010                                            Washington, DC

April 22 Saturn vs Uranus: Will the Drama Ever End?                 Washington, DC

May 12 Zodiac Lounge: Taurus New Moon                                Miami Beach, FL

May 18 I’m at The Bodhi Tree in LA!
URANUS 2010: Tune IN and Turn ON                         West Hollywood, CA

I’ll be available for one-on-one sessions in all of the cities I visit this year, and of course, I am always available via phone or Skype anytime from my home in Miami.

You may not know this, but all of success depends on your word of mouth.  I do not advertise, except through this site and through my Facebook postings and tweets.

Please share this column with your friends and family who have an interest in astrology, who need a new way of looking at the world, or who simply may be in the areas I visit.

Many Thanks for your continued support.

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

I am soaring high over the Caribbean Sea between my home in Miami and the beautiful Virgin Islands to the home of my friends whose son is getting married this weekend as I write this column for you. It can be so healing and so rejuvenating to get away from the routine of our lives, even if only for a weekend. Well, the good news is that a break from routine is about to become permanent! Saturn and Uranus have been opposing each other for 2 years. April 26 and July 26 will see the final confrontations of these two planets. By the time they move on, Uranus will be engaged in a long dance with Pluto, and by the time we arrive in 2015, our lives will be so different, our routines so revolutionized, that we will hardly recognize our old selves or our previous lives.

The highlight of our coming week astrologically is the Libra Full Moon on Monday, March 29. At a Full Moon, the light of the Sun in one sign illuminates the darkness of the Moon in the opposite sign. Understanding the higher vibrations of the two signs in questions will help us to understand the feedback we are receiving. The Sun will be in Aries, the sign we associate with courage, creativity, and initiation. The Moon is in the opposing sign of Libra, the sign we associate with balance and harmony, beauty and relationship. Mars rules Aries and Venus rules Libra. Together, these two planets represent the universal principles of giving and receiving.

This Full Moon will illuminate the imbalance between the active and passive principles in our lives. We need to be creative and to initiate the exchange of energy in our lives based upon a new paradigm of mutual benefit and satisfaction. Too many of us are involved in one-sided (and therefore short-sighted) relationships with the world around us: either we are always giving without receiving, or we are receiving without ever giving. We must simultaneously give where we have been stingy, and receive where we have been too fearful. By opening our hands to give, they are also open to receive.

Venus, the ruler of Libra is conjunct Mercury and both planets are in the sign of Aries. Mercury represents communication on all levels. These two planets in Aries will enable us to give voice to our needs, but we must also be careful to hear what is being said by others. This is the perfect Libra conundrum. Even as we feel the need to express something, there is the simultaneous need to allow others to express themselves. It is not easy both to express ourselves and to hear the expression of others at the same time. We have been conditioned to believe that we can only achieve our desires at the expense of someone else’s loss. We see this playing out clearly in the health care debate – which is really no longer a debate but a fight… another Aries word. Aries and Venus both embody the creative principle, so perhaps we need to find new and creative ways of communicating about this issue, and others, where we do not agree or share common ground.

I would like to acknowledge Stephanie Austin for her mention of Marshall Rosenberg’s groundbreaking book Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life in her discussion of the Full Moon in the Feb/March issue of the Mountain Astrologer magazine. Now more than ever, we need to learn and use this easy and transformative technique. (Interestingly enough, this technique was derived from Rosenberg’s work with the Civil Rights movement of the 60s, the last time Saturn and Uranus were opposing each other.) Public discourse is making it clear that as a society we are polarized. This is no surprise, because Libra represents the integration of two extremes which can only happen with compromise, acceptance, and mutual benefit. Well, this Full Moon will show us how far from this ideal we are, and where we need to work in order to find the middle ground.

Please take the time to visit Rosenberg’s site www.cnvc.org and learn how to communicate nonviolently and integrate this practice in your daily interactions with others. Making changes like this can make us feel awkward or vulnerable, but after a brief learning curve, we will see how well this method of communicating can bring about harmony, balance, and beauty in our lives, and the lives of the people we see every day.

With love

m

SAVE THESE DATES:

April 14 Zodiac Lounge: Aries New Moon                                Miami Beach, FL

April 18 Mercury Retrograde 2010                                            Washington, DC

April 22 Saturn vs Uranus: Will the Drama Ever End?                 Washington, DC

May 12 Zodiac Lounge: Taurus New Moon                                Miami Beach, FL

May 18 I’m at The Bodhi Tree in LA!
URANUS 2010: Tune IN and Turn ON                         West Hollywood, CA

I’ll be available for one-on-one sessions in all of the cities I visit this year, and of course, I am always available via phone or Skype anytime from my home in Miami.

You may not know this, but all of success depends on your word of mouth.  I do not advertise, except through this site and through my Facebook postings and tweets.

Please share this column with your friends and family who have an interest in astrology, who need a new way of looking at the world, or who simply may be in the areas I visit.

Many Thanks for your continued support.

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

I am always writing about cycles.  Astrology is the study of cycles and the awareness that as we move through our own cycles of life, there are corresponding cycles occurring in the heavens.  The fact that there are observable and predictable cycles in the heavens which we use to understand the less visible and more subtle cycles of our lives gives our lives meaning within the larger context of the universe.  If we are not somehow connected to the larger universe, why does a synchronicity exist between our own development and the movement of the cosmos?

The beginning of any cycle is a stage, or phase, we call “new.”  I write about each New Moon because this is a unique time when we can set our intentions to coincide with the energy being seeded at that time.  New phases are the appropriate time to plant the seeds we would like to see grow: this is why many farmers’ almanacs suggest planting crops on the first new moon of the Spring.  The first day of Spring is also the solar New Year.  This day, also known as the Vernal Equinox, happens when the Sun moves into 0 degrees Aries, which is the beginning of the zodiac.  This will happen on Saturday March 20th.  The relationship of the planets to each other describes the energy that will grow and manifest for the entire year.  Aries is the sign of action and of creation.  Without the act of planting, we cannot expect our crops to grow.  This is why setting intentions on the new moon, the Vernal Equinox, and other new phases is so important.  If we don’t have a direction or intention, then we will never reach our destination or accomplish our goals.

At the Vernal Equinox, the sun is located at 0 Aries.  This is one of the most significant degrees of the zodiac.  It is the beginning and the end, just as every seed has within it the promise of the entire lifetime of the tree.  Interestingly, this provides a great contrast to the sign of Pisces, which is the ending, but then again every ending presupposes a new beginning.  It is important to understand how these concepts work, because they carry the energy from one stage to another, the same way a wire carries electricity.  If the the wire is compromised in the first inch or the last, there will be a disruption in the way that the electricity is carried throughout the entire system.

I often say there is no good or bad.  These are concepts we impose on otherwise neutral events, the movement of energy from one place to another.  A lion captures and kills a graceful antelope on the Saharan plane.  Is this god or bad?  Depends on whether you are the lion or the antelope, I guess.  What if we accept that this is how nature works: nothing is good or bar, it simply is.  Is the life of the antelope more valuable than that of the lion?  The core of most religious teachings, regardless of the particular creed, is that life is sacred and interconnected.  Yes, life also competes.  This is Nature, Life, or God’s plan.  These are three ways to say the same thing.

People always ask me: is that good or bad?  Well, it is whatever we make of it.

The Vernal Equinox describes the energy for the upcoming year.  Since the Sun’s entrance into the sign of Aries is what marks this event, we must look to Mars, the ruler of Aries, to see what his message is.  Mars is the planet of creation, of instinct, of drive, and he is Leo, trining a Sun, Mercury, and Uranus conjunction.  This indicates that if we are doing what we truly love to do and expressing our deepest individuality with honesty and candor, then we will be safe and this year will bring renewed energy and vigor to our lives.  However, Leo energy can also be arrogant and attention seeking, so if we are simply making noise to get attention or failing to heed the advice of our peers, we may find that are an the wrong side of Aries and that everything will become a battle.  Aries is the warrior or the protector, depending on whether we are the Greek or the Roman, the antelope or the lion.   Mars is also sextile Saturn in Libra, indicating that understanding our relationships and knowing the difference between an ally and an enemy will be important.  Perhaps the lesson is to create an ally of everyone.  Mars is also in aspect to Jupiter dignified in Pisces, bringing a spiritual demand to this relationship.  We are our brothers’ keepers.  Clearly, there is some tension between following our hearts desire, and honoring our responsibility to our fellow man.  How do we reconcile this tension.  This is the test of the upcoming year.

The Moon symbolizes the people, and at the Vernal Equinox, he is in Taurus, which focuses our attention on money, things of value both tangible and intangible, real estate, talent, and all other resources which we own.  Well, money is certainly a big concern for everyone right now.  Currencies are volatile right now, and have been for a while.  I see on the news and in the paper that the US economy is rebounding.  Well, I am no economist, but the Moon is square to Neptune at the Equinox, and I know that this means there is much deception, or at a minimum, misconception, about the state of the economy as we enter this new Solar Year.   Also, Uranus is sextiling the Moon, which means that sudden reversals and unexpected changes in the status of the economy and our personal finances can be expected.  Mars was retrograde in Leo from December 20 through March 10th, giving us time to protect what we have.  Mars will be in its shadow until May 18th (I’ll be lecturing in LA that day).  After he passes through his shadow, we will all be reaping what we have sown since October 17 when Mars entered Leo.  Venus rules Taurus, and for the Equinox, Venus is in a fire sign, carrying the weight of a Pluto square.  Pluto destroys to in order to rebuild and fire burns.  Expect lots of money to burn up and disappear this year… hopefully, not much of it will be yours.  On the bright side, this will be a great time to finally realize that money does not create happiness.

The Taurus New Moon will be May 14th and Venus in Gemini, the ruler of Taurus, will be square to Saturn and a Jupiter/Uranus conjunction.  The New Moon will also be aspected to Neptune and Mars.  For me, this indicates that this will be a time of reckoning and fortunes will be lost.  A wise person would be protecting his valuables right now.  I bring this up because every person I ever talk to wants to know about money and finances.  Well, just so you know, I have taken every penny I have in IRAs, money markets, annuities, and other retirements accounts (not much really!) and put them in no growth, no risk, no gain accounts and I have no plans to move them back into the “market” anytime soon.  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!  Of course, I am a Capricorn rising, so this strategy appeals to my earthy need for practicality. What if I miss the next big thing, you say?  Well, I missed the last one, too, and I am still doing well.

There is plenty of positive energy for us to work with this year, as a matter of fact, it is all positive because everything that happens is what is necessary to move us into the Age of Aquarius: a new era of human evolution founded on understanding, acceptance, and tolerance, rather than the victim/martyr syndrome of the Age of Pisces.  It will require new ways of thinking (Mercury square Pluto), innovation (Saturn oppose Uranus), a new sense of personal and societal responsibility (Saturn square Pluto), and a more spiritual understanding of what a community is and how we fit in (Jupiter sextile North Node).  The old world must give way to the new, but the status quo wont go down without a fight.  Well, the fight begins now.

Gandhi has been credited with saying that we must all be the change we want to see in the world, however, most of us sit around and say, “You first!”.  I am betting that those of us who take Gandi’s words to heart (Mars in Leo trine Mercury in Aries) will be the people who enjoy the upcoming roller-coaster ride the most and who create the foundation of the Age of Aquarius.

with love and wishes for the benefit of all,

m

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY

Dear Friends,

Every ending is a new beginning, and every beginning marks an end.  This is the mystery and the beauty of the sign Pisces.  Where does one phase of life end and another begin?  We have heard the saying that when one door closes, a window opens, but do these happen suddenly and simultaneously or gradually with baby steps and time delays?  Even if there is an answer, how would we know?  We know that flowers open and close, but how many of us ever see the motion happen?  These are all very Piscean concepts.  The symbol of Pisces is two fish tied together, one swimming upstream (towards the heavens) and one swimming downstream, towards the Earth.  This is the tension we feel in the sign of Pisces, the need to be a part of the world and a need to see God.  How does one reconcile these needs?

Wherever we are in this life, we have built a structure or a system for dealing with both the world and with the concept of God.  This structure probably works on some levels, but like all constructions, it can wear down, fail, erode.  When we experience a breakdown in our homes, we repair the damage to the best our ability.  Sometimes, when the breakdown is severe, we remodel.  Saturn represents structure in our lives.  Saturn has been in Virgo since September 2007, opposing Uranus in Pisces.  Uranus represents an upgrade or remodel energy in our lives, but as in all big renovations, there is lot of damage, dust, and drama before the beautiful new kitchen appears.  Saturn wants stability and control, so when these two planets oppose each other, roughly every 42 years, there is usually a great deal of drama before the upgrade is complete.  The last time these planets opposed was in mid-late 1960s.  Talk about drama!  We are in the final phase of the current Saturn-Uranus opposition.

The past 2 years have been full of upheaval as the old and the new struggle for a place in our lives.  The systems that weren‘t working have collapsed: the economy, the banks, the housing markets, even political systems all over the world are being reshaped, either voluntarily or by force.  As with all social change, those who have been in power for so long are fighting to keep control, even as the revolution happens all around them.  Despite all of the restructuring of the financial systems in the US, those fat cats on Wall Street are still stuffing their greedy faces with the cash of the working middle class.  The poor haven’t stood a chance in years.  Many of our politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, are fighting partisan turf battles and worrying more about their re-election bids than figuring out how to provide food and basic health care to the millions of uninsured and underfed Americans they represent.  How can this be?  Well, the system could certainly use a makeover.

Luckily, its coming, right around the corner, but none of us are exempt from helping it along.  No chain is stronger than its weakest link.  We must all upgrade the systems in our lives that don’t work, we must all be willing to sacrifice a little so that we can all benefit a lot.  This isn‘t about a capitalist economy:  Its about helping our parents and siblings, our friends, and our neighbors be happier, healthier, and more in tune with what is important in life.  We need to have faith in our own abilities and in our own talents.  We need to find God in our own backyards and to make this world divine.  If we believe that the divine is something that only exists somewhere else, how could we be content here and now?  We need to understand that we are all on the same team.  We all win or we all lose.

The final opposition of Saturn and Uranus on the Virgo-Pisces axis will happen on April 26 at 29 degrees.  The New Moon in Pisces at 25′10″ Virgo is the beginning of this end, which in turn will create yet another beginning with the same two planets opposing for the last time this cycle at 0 Aries-Libra.  By now, we know what needs to be ungraded in our lives, the question is, can we surrender to the mess that will have to happen before the renovation is complete.  We might as well, because at this point, there is no going back.  The traditional ruler of Pisces is Jupiter, who is occupying the sign of Pisces at the time of the New Moon.  This is a call to have faith in faith itself.  Staying optimistic, philosophical, receptive and tolerant will certainly help us to bear the burden of the dust and the mess until the cleanup crew arrives.  The modern ruler of Pisces is Neptune, who is conjunct Chiron, bringing in a healing and mentoring energy in the sign of Aquarius, the sign we associate with the common good and humanitarian pursuits.  Setting an example for someone else, mentoring someone less fortunate, or asking someone to mentor us in our time of need will lead us to a better understanding of our own talents, as well create a more integrated and cohesive society.

The New Moon is also conjunct both Mercury and Uranus.  Mercury represents the mind and the way we communicate. It also represents youth.  Uranus is the upgrade.  Surrendering to the change that is necessary, giving and receiving love, support, and encouragement, and adopting new perspectives will be the tools that will help us to position ourselves for a brighter future.  We should all take special care to listen to those younger people in our lives.  They may have some fresh ideas or perspectives that will help us to see where the status quo is outdated and stagnant.  Whenever Mercury and Uranus are together, we have the chance to experience true genius.  Unfortunately, when faced with genius, as a race we often chosen to react with fear and intolerance, silencing the voice that could awaken a new age.  Socrates, Galileo, Joan of Arc, and Jesus himself were all vilified for their bold and challenging beliefs.

Just 5 days before the New Moon, Mars will have gone direct at 0 Leo.  For the previous 8 weeks, Mars was retrograde in the sign of Leo, the sign that rules the heart and upper back.  We associate Leo with the concepts of principal and conviction, and also with creativity, self-expression, and pride.  Mars usually moves through a sign in 8 weeks, but he is in Leo for 8 months this cycle, until the June 6th!  Mars represents our instincts and our desires.  With Mars in Leo for such an unusually long period, we have been asked to re-evaluate what is important to us, where we need to be clear about our motivations, and how we wish to express ourselves in the future.  The retrograde period was a cosmic time out, giving us plenty of time to see what we have created for ourselves, as well as plenty of time to figure out what we would like to do with our futures.  With this Mew Moon and Mars direct, we will now have the chance to create the vision we have been nurturing in our hearts.  We will have the strength to have faith and vision, principles and conviction.  We will need them, because the wrecking ball is coming.  All of the drama and strife over these past two years has only been the evidence that we need a change, not the change itself.  The real change, the real upgrades and renovations, will begin when Uranus moves into the sign of Aries in late May, squaring Pluto for the first of many times over the next 5 or more years.  Do we have the patience and vision, conviction and faith, to allow the change to happen.  Well, we will see.  Now is the time to get serious about finding out.

with love,

m

MOORE TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WEEK’S ASTROLOGY