News

by Joan Kiley

The new year has arrived, but some of us don't feel particularly different, renewed or transformed. If you're in that boat, I'd like to point out that we’re still in transition. The nightmares of 2010 are still facing us, and despite some strong and earthy Capricorn energy - with the Sun, Mars, and Pluto hanging out in that solid sign - it’s still a bit difficult to feel grounded. This is due to several configurations in the global horoscope for January.

1. Jupiter and Uranus are still conjunct in dreamy Pisces (Neptune ruled), and they’re now moving direct.
2. Venus is squaring Neptune, the god of the sea, putting tension, plus strong desire, on our capacity to feel connected to our loved ones as well as humanity as a whole.
3. Venus is ruler of Libra, which was on the Ascendent here on the West Coast when the New Year arrived, and is also the sign Saturn is in. We know there is love and concern, but it seems to keep slipping out of reach, in terms of our being able to actually embody it.

2010 is almost over leaving most of us marked quite deeply by its tempestuous passage. Astrologically speaking, it was no surprise as it seems that whoever is behind the organization of planetary positions ensured that the blend of intensity would hurl everything into the mix including the kitchen sink and in high doses. Some of us managed to harness the strong forces at play in order to crack open patterns and access completely new ground while others were essentially ravaged by the elements; the majority of us ended up somewhere in the middle, having fluctuated  between breakthroughs and breakdowns.

Looking back, 2010 was a year that propelled people forward whether by choice or by circumstance…the urge to “take the plunge” was compelling…some made the leap consciously, while others felt pushed into it. And yet, with this strong calling for change, many felt they were simultaneously held back and not able to go forward all the way; the future was calling, but the past—often unyielding and asking for its dues—left many in the twilight zone, sometimes trapped in frustration.

by Dena DeCastro

If you have a clear sky, you should be able to view the December 2010 Lunar Eclipse in its entirety, beginning at about 10 PM PST on the 20th, with its peak at 12:13 AM on the 21st. We begin a new cycle with this eclipse on the polarity of Gemini/Sagittarius. The last six out of seven eclipses have resided in the Cancer/Capricorn polarity, but this month’s Lunar Eclipse takes us into a new pair of signs. Lunar Eclipses occur on the Full Moon, and for this eclipse, the Sun is in the last degree of Sagittarius, while the Moon is in the last degree of Gemini. This Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse also occurs on the Winter Solstice, as the Sun is just about to enter 0 degrees Capricorn. The eclipse energy can be building for several days before the Full Moon.

by Joan Kiley

December always seems to me to be a potent month—the end of the calendar year, the month with the maximum amount of darkness, the Winter Solstice, and of course various other holidays with a lot of significance to many of us. If you think most Decembers are supposed to be busy, December 2010 will not disappoint.

We begin the month with the planet Mercury stationing. This means it has slowed down and is getting ready to go retrograde, which it will do on December 10th at 4:00 AM PST and then go direct again at 11:21 PM PST on December 29th. Any project you are planning to work on in December, you would do best to begin before the 10th. Projects actually started during the retrograde period can often times need major retooling, or a complete do over when Mercury goes direct. To make this particular retrograde period more interesting in regards to information and communication (Mercury’s forte), we take note that Mercury stations and goes retrograde conjoined with Pluto.

Pluto is the planet of power and intensity, the “brutal truth,” radical change, earthshaking events (both literally and figuratively), things formerly hidden being brought to light, and transformation, among other things. What has been happening in these very first days of December to bring hidden things to light? Information has been revealed that could certainly shake up the earth, politically speaking. We can hope the “truths” delivered by WikiLeaks ultimately bring about positive change. Given the timing with the Mercury retrograde period, we will no doubt still be talking about them 6 weeks from now when the direct Mercury reaches the degree it was in when the retrograde period began.

by Eric Meyers

Just in time for Fall, let's take an in-depth look at the 7th sign of the zodiac: Libra.

In my book Elements & Evolution: The Spiritual Landscape of Astrology, I show how each part of the archetypal system has an evolutionary relationship to all of its parts. At the beginning each sign has its own evolutionary purpose. Then, in the great Evolutionary Cycle, every sign builds on the strengths of its predecessor while providing a foundation for its successor. So the evolutionary storyline follows a sequential order in which each sign directly relates to the one before, and the one that follows. The remaining signs provide another “face” to the sign in question. Here’s how it works with the Libra archetype.

The evolutionary task of Libra is to develop the “I—Thou” connection, to be in relationship. In the Evolutionary Cycle, developing competence (Virgo/Stage 6) prepares us to enter equal relationships, which are necessary for us to hold our power (Scorpio/Stage 8) with others, and ultimately, in the world.

We can understand more about Libra by considering the signs in aspect to it.

The opposition between Libra and Aries deals with the issue of behavior, of how we conduct ourselves in response to others. This points us to the idea that the evolutionary purpose here is for an individual (Aries) to learn through the process of socialization (Libra). The Other provides a mirror for self-reflection.

by Tony Howard

Venus just went retrograde October 8, but you may have been feeling those graceful energies slow down in your life all of last week. As Venus comes to a halt, signaling a redirect of those energies inward, you may notice this period is marked by a re-working of your values about relating, love, beauty, and diplomacy. This is in service of reminding you about something forgotten, possibly something suppressed, that will need to be extracted from your own dark places, and transformed into conscious action by the time Venus returns to forward motion. Venus is in the sign of deep, internal Scorpio. This suggests that what we need to look at now may not be comfortable, it could be profound and even hidden, and it could frighten us. However this is no time to shy away from such material.

If you do a search online for Venus retrograde, you'll find articles that suggest not starting up new relationships, or launching new products during this cycle. And that might be good advice right now. But I predict that if a new opportunity does come along in the near future (Venus will remain in this cycle for 6 weeks), it's going to be especially difficult to say no. That's because Mars, the planet of action and um, hot sex, is in the sign of Scorpio, the sign of um, steamy sex. If you're in a relationship, you may not be communicating well, but the acts in the bedroom might start to have a rather Olympic quality :) Mars is no fan of romance. Picture raw sexual energy without the sweet connection. I predict that the small talk and foreplay is tossed out the window during this time as instinct overrules reason. If you're not in a relationship, someone especially hot could come along. And she or he will likely not sweep you off your feet, but throw you into the bedroom, grunting and panting all the way. What I'm saying is that because this experience taps into our primal instincts, it may be hard to resist.

by Erin Sullivan

Seen it before? See it again. . . and hear.

Some revelation is at hand! They come in by the minute now, at this pace . . . and today, September 18, 2010, Jupiter and Uranus are exactly conjunct at 28º 42' Pisces retrograde . . . and about to be opposed by the Sun on the 20th . . .

The annual Sun opposing any Rx planet from Mars outward, ... is the "Flashpoint" when there is an illumination of what the Retrograde message "is" . . . in this situation, we have the planet of global and tribal affinities AND disparities, conjunct the planet of innovation and hyper- as well as a more detached form of collectivism.

Passions are out of control, more than ever . . . and it would seem that "tribalism in the twenty first century" is a complex and dire state of affairs as well as a long-term potential for compassion.

Increasing numbers of people who CAN, will begin to speak out and people who never thought they would join hands, hearts and minds . . .

by Dena DeCastro

Uranus dips back into Pisces on August 13th, after a start into Aries which began on May 27th. I wrote an article in my May Newsletter about the meaning of Uranus into Aries in your individual chart. Its last months in Pisces are from now until March of 2011, when it then re-enters Aries for the duration of its transit through that sign. Uranus passes through one sign in about 6-8 years. Wherever it is transiting, it points us toward what strategies we need in order to reinvent ourselves as a species, and to break away from the past. Uranus is also the “Great Awakener.” As Jessica Murray puts it in her writings on the current Uranus/Pluto square: “Uranus’ job is to jolt humanity into alertness, jettisoning stale material like a wet dog shaking its fur.” During the final months of a planet’s transit through a sign, it seems to be tying up any unfinished business in that realm, and the themes of that sign/planet combination are intensified.

Frederick Woodruff

A week after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion I scanned the above emblem of the swimming King, added the black blotches of ‘oil’ and printed the picture on paper to prop on my desk and contemplate. The illustration is from the legendary Atalanta fugiens series, by the 16th century alchemist Michael Maier, and like most alchemical imagery, the scene seems lifted from a dream or nightmare. A forlorn king, removed from his throne, floundering and bellowing for help. How does his story end?

by Dena DeCastro

There has been a TON of discussion about the “Cardinal Event” of 2010…aka, the Cardinal Climax or the Cardinal T-Square. You can find great discussion threads about this on FB at TMA’s page, and investigate any number of astrological blogs on the topic. It is a big event, but I think it’s important not to scare ourselves about it. I remember when I had Ed Welsh on my podcast to talk about the Uranus/Saturn Opposition at its outset, and he said something I thought was so wise: “Let’s not scare ourselves with this transit.” That transit is nearly over, and we have survived, although it has indeed been a tumultuous time for the country, the economy, and the planet. More to come? It’s pretty likely, but we don’t need astrology to tell us that. Just look around you. As Shon Clark said in his recent interview, 2012 is already here…just look around.