Supermoons, Eclipses, and Yes, Another Retrograde!
As many of you know, we had a Supermoon on Saturday evening, at 11:34 pm with the Sun in Taurus and the Moon in Scorpio! Those Supermoons are intense, but luckily the chart for this past one had many “flowing” aspects, including a nice Mars Trine Pluto and Venus Trine Saturn. And with the Sun and Jupiter in a loose conjunction, even if things got of a little crazy, hopefully it was good crazy and not bad crazy!
However, that being said, the next two weeks take us into another realm entirely! One to which I’m personally not sure I’m looking forwards! I did mention that the first 6 months of 2012 would be action packed, and we’ve survived the Retrograde within a Retrograde of Mercury and Mars, however, now we have the Double Eclipse within the Venus Retrograde! Oh Joy, I tell you! But seriously, you may asking yourself “What IS my Joy?” during the upcoming approximate 40 days of Venus moving backwards in the sky.
The fun all begins on May 15th, and lasts through June 27th. A shorter period than the almost 3 months of Mars going Retrograde, but with, first, a Solar Eclipse at 0 degrees 21 seconds Gemini on May 20th, and then a Lunar eclipse on June 4th at 14 degrees Gemini/Sagittarius, I’m sure there will be plenty of BIG CHANGE in the days to come! And BONUS POINTS (as if it weren’t enough!) we’re getting the last direct Venus transit across the face of the Sun on June 5th/6th for the next 100 some years!!! Yes, that’s right folks, a Double Eclipse, Venus Retrograde AND Venus Transiting Across the Face of the Sun!
Venus will go Retrograde in the sign of Gemini, the Twins, from 24 degrees back down to 7 degrees. Just as the Mars Retrograde was intense for me because it activated a natal T-Square, forming a Grand Cross in my natal chart, this Venus Retrograde will most likely be intense for me because it is starting it’s Retrograde on degree of my Ascendant in 24 degrees Gemini (the Asc is the Mask that you show the world) and moving backwards until it conjuncts my natal Venus, which also happens to be at 7 degrees Gemini. Oh, and did I mention that as my natal Sun is in late Taurus, the Solar Eclipse will conjunct it, and that as my Moon is at 12 degrees Sagittarius, the Lunar Eclipse will conjunct that????
Frankly, I feel as if, any minute now, I could fall down a Rabbit Hole, and my world would be turned completely upside down. That’s a lot of activity in my 12th house, the mystical house of meditation and spirituality. And it’s true, I am going on a big trip, to the desert and some very spiritual places, which I’m sure will give me food for thought. I’m just wondering, how much food for thought will it give me?
Here’s hoping the “Double Eclipses in the Venus Retrograde” ahead, ask us the right questions and at the end, give us the right answers! (and yeah, I’ve been too busy with my head spinning with all the implications of these aspects to put together a mixtape yet. But don’t worry, they’ll be a special eclipse mixtape coming!)
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Blue Spring Skies Mixtape!
Spring is really here, rain, sun, and all! We got an early start weather-wise in the NE, but I think many felt held back by Mars Retrograde status, which finally went Direct on April 13th! I’m a tad late on my New Moon Mixtape, partially because it seems so much has been going on since that Friday the 13th! I’m sometimes amazed by how slow life can seem during a retrograde, and then things really do seem to speed up when the planet moves direct.
I for one, am glad Blue Spring Skies are here! We have an optimistic New Moon (April 21, 3:17 am EDT), with a loose Grand Trine with Mars Direct, Trine Pluto, Trine Sun/Moon. I would say the next two weeks are a good time to start a new venture. One might have rose colored glasses on as Mars is in opposition to Neptune, but that could be the “new look” this Summer, so just make sure to keep your feet on the ground while looking up to the sky!
“Blue Spring Skies” mixtape below, or listen on spotify.
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Feeling Good: Mars going Direct Soon!
Yes, it’s true! Mercury went Direct on April 4th and soon, at 11:01 pm EDT on April 13th, Mars will go Direct! I have not looked forwards to a Friday the 13th in such a long time!
It’s been a long haul hasn’t it? After a grueling week I spent an absolutely lazy day today, sleeping in til noon, taking a neighborhood jaunt to the local Salvation Army and finding a few vintage lamps to spruce up my apartment! Then watched some Tommy & Tuppence while rearranging things for the new finds.
Spring is surely here and soon we’ll be Retrograde Free! Yesterday we had our final Full Moon while Mars is still Retrograde, at 3:19 pm EDT in Aries/Libra. A bit of a tense Full Moon, what with the Grand Cross of Mars opposing Neptune all Square the Venus opposing North Node! Speaks of potential deceptions in relationships, or a kind of transcendent state or appreciation of the arts. If there has been a deception, it may come to light once Mars goes direct. Retrogrades often uncover things, sometimes literally (at some point I’m going to write an entry about how most all the bodies of the Long Island Serial killer were found during Mercury Retrogrades) but just as often enough one can find out just after a Retrograde, during that post retrograde shadow, that things were not as they seemed during. It could have to do with anything–a job, a relationship, etc. That’s why it’s always best not to make bold decisions during Retrogrades–because often when things go direct, we’ll see a whole new side of things!
Of course the exception to all of this is when something from the past comes back to you! Or when you’re shopping vintage, as I was today! Then it’s in the spirit of the retrograde to explore the past that has returned and see if it’s something important to keep around.
I predict that soon as we transition to the next New Moon, we’ll leave the bad in the past and we’ll all be “Feeling Good” so here’s a playlist to listen to as things look up! (listen here on spotify)
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Mercury goes Direct and Moshi Moshi goes POP!
Thinking this evening about the past Mercury Retrograde, which will conclude Wednesday April 4th at 6:11 am EDT with Mercury going Direct, I almost thought “Well that wasn’t bad at all!” But then I remembered everything that had happened in the past three weeks and realized, in fact, it was awful, but thankfully my coping skills had managed to block out a good deal of it!
However this past Mercury Retrograde has treated you, in honor if its change of direction, I thought I’d share a new discovery in the communications department: the Moshi Moshi POP phone for your smart phone! Now, you all might be like me and almost never use your cell phone to actually make a phone call (I know that’s so 90′s and early 00′s right?) but I realized when I heard about this device that I don’t like gabbing away on my smart phone because I do worry that the effects of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the device are yet unknown. Why tempt fate says the placid Taurus? I’ll just text instead!
But sometimes you do want to use those rollover minutes that are piling up! And it turns out that the Moshi Moshi Pop phone adapter reduces radiation by 95-99%! I’m sold (although I may not order the device until Mars also goes direct)! The fact that the colors and style of the handset scream of my teeny-bop years in the 80′s is an added bonus! Remember, we had to spend all that time on the phone back then, because well, there was no internet! Now with Mercury Direct, back to the future let’s go!
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April is here!
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Springing Forwards While Moving Backwards!
You know that old saying. Two steps forwards, one step back. Or in this case, it may feel like two steps forwards, ten steps back, what with Mars, Saturn, and now Mercury all Retrograde! I can’t tell if it’s the balmy weather here on the East Coast or if it’s Mars and Mercury in reverse that’s making me feel like I can barely focus on anything! My productivity has for sure decreased lately, and I feel almost as if I’m in some sort of liminal space, neither here nor there.
We are about ready to have three important astrological phenomena this week! First the Equinox springs us forwards on the Tuesday morning the 20th at 1:15 AM EDT starting the astrological new year, then a day later Retrograding Mercury joins the Sun at 3:15 pm EDT which will hopefully provide fresh insight into this Mercury (and Mars) Retrograde cycle, and finally we have our Aries New Moon on Thursday at 10:35 am EDT.
Even though there is a preponderance of Mars/Aries energy, because both Mercury is Retrograding and conjuncting the Sun (and Moon) in Aries, and Mars ruler of Aries is Retrograde in Virgo (ruler of Mercury), the energy the universe is giving us is one of profound reflection and not running off to go hang gliding or bungee jumping! Plan accordingly and get those pens ready for a nice journaling session! Think about your life, where you are, and where you’d like to be. If you’re lucky, some profound transformation might happen in this Mars/Mercury Retrograde liminal of a space, and when both go direct, you’ll find a new Spring inside yourself, in addition to outside!
Equinox New Moon mix tape below, or here on spotify:
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The Buddha Walks Into a Bar
I came across this gem of a book “The Buddha Walks Into a Bar” by Lodro Rinzler, right around the start of this Mars Retrograde. I’ve been reading it throughout the challenging times that have cropped up over the past couple of months. Even though we’re heading into Grand Trine time with Mars, Jupiter/Venus, and Pluto, let’s not forget Mercury began it’s journey Retrograde today also. And in the sign of Aries, the sign that Mars rules no less! It’s almost like we’re having some sort of Quadruple Retrograde effect given that Mars is Retrograde in Virgo, and Mercury Rules Virgo, and Mercury is Retrograde in Aries, and Mars rules Aries.
All of this says it’s a good time to take a “time out” and try to reflect on life so far. In my last post I said I didn’t think much of this “historic” Grand Trine that astrologers are making out as a kind of lottery effect. It’s not that I don’t think it’s an aspect that has benefits (I am a Taurus after all, and this is Venus conjunct Jupiter which usually is very, very positive). It’s just I don’t want people thinking it’s a panacea for hard work, the kind of hard work of Reflection that Retrogrades usually entail!
If anything I think the “benefits” of this Grand Trine will be in the Reflection and Insight arena, not in some sort of “action” or worldly “outcome” that will head our way (unless it’s associated with something from the past that’s now coming back into one’s life, as Retrogrades will often bring back the past). Even better than the lottery, I would say would be being able to transcend or liberate oneself from a particularly thorny “karma” that has been bothering one for a long, long time. Sometimes the best thing that can happen to us is to re-envision a problem that has been troublesome into it being our teacher, thereby we can ultimately release it because we’ve fully learned the lesson we’ve needed to learn.
I especially like that in “The Buddha Walks Into a Bar” there’s a chapter entitled “Making the Ordinary Magical.” I think that’s a nice meditation focus this week during this Grand Trine-how is it that I can make my ordinary life, magical? If one can get even a glimmer of the answer to this question this week, then perhaps one does not even need the heavens to align to bring greater ease and transformation for good into our lives, as we can and do create it for ourselves!
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Fish Moon and Grand Trine Grand Shmine!
The Full Moon clocked in at 4:39 am EST this morning, supposedly when the Earth was being bombarded by solar flare storms! It turned out the solar flares weren’t the hard part today. The lunar storms that occurred last night and today (Mars Conjunct Moon Opposing Sun), well, those were something I’d not care to repeat soon. Sometimes Full Moons can involve loss, such as when they are accompanied by an eclipse, and in this case, I’d also add when Mars is Retrograde and conjuncting the Full Moon. This Retrograde in particular because Mars is in Virgo the entire time, seems to be all about clearing out what isn’t working for you in your life. And if that involves people, then so be it. Accept it, move on and know that Spring will come once you’ve left the past behind.
Yes, Mars Retrograde continues its backwards march! And come Monday, Mercury will join the fray! While many astrologers are crowing over the joys of the Grand Trine between Pluto in Capricorn, Jupiter/Venus in Taurus, and Mars in Virgo, that is supposed to be coming into full focus this weekend and next week, I am not sure it’s the panacea that many promise. Because, did I mention that Mars is Retrograde and Mercury will soon be as well? While anything coming back from the past might be great news, starting something new right now is really not the best of ideas. I don’t care how many planets form a Grand Trine in the sky! I cannot tell you how many things that I’ve had to do twice this Mars Retrograde because the first time it just didn’t work. That’s one of the stranger effects with retrogrades, that somehow there’s this dual aspect, and in order for anything to work you have to do things multiple times for them to actually work. So I would be suspicious of things that happen the first time around during this period as it’s possible that whatever it is will more likely than not disappear when Mars finally goes direct in April.
I personally think the best possible use of this aspect is more in the visualizing arena than “doing” anything, although I know some astrologers will disagree. By all means do a vision board, or get in touch with someone from the past with whom you’ve been meaning to reconnect, but I wouldn’t start building Rome right now. Wait until late April for the real groundbreaking of anything. . .
While we wait and make our vision boards, here’s a little music for our “Fish Full Moon” today! Listen here if you’re on Spotify.
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Re-evaluating the Nest!
I’ve been talking non-stop about how Retrogrades are great for re-organizing and that includes re-decorating! Last year was a big re-decorating and re-arranging the furniture year; most of it was accomplished during the Mercury retrogrades. Above are the fruits of last year, which are a complete improvement over the year before to be sure! But I don’t like to rest on my laurels, so have been thinking about what I’d like to do next with my space.
This time of year, is also traditionally when Feng Shui experts advise that one reorganize one’s space for the favorable and not-so favorable directions. Although I take them with a grain of salt, I’ve seen enough to think that maybe there’s something to this whole Feng Shui good direction thing, and figure what’s a better excuse for cleaning out clutter and re-thinking the best use of one’s space!
Already over the last couple of weeks, I’ve reorganized my desk area, many of the lamps, and simply gotten rid of much clutter. One can always do more though, so I’m looking for inspiration! Any ideas out there?
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Dreams, Retrogrades, and the Pisces New Moon!
So I think this is the latest a “New Moon Mix tape” has ever come out–almost a week after the official New Moon in Pisces, which was last Monday, Feb 21st at 5:34 pm EST. Pisces isn’t exactly the sign to come running out of the gates at the start of the race, so I figured I had some leeway. And well, is it just me or has this Mars Retrograde been perfectly ghastly and shocking!?! Perfectly normal people have turned insanely angry over seemingly nothing, and it seems as though almost everything is the opposite of what it should be. Of course, this week Mars Retrograde has opposed Mercury, while Venus has been Inconjunct (150 degrees-fancy way of saying “off balance”) with Mars. Things have been volatile, and some relationships, estranged. Calgon take me away!
What’s a Mars Retrograde good for then? Lord knows that it’s warm enough here in NYC to feel as though spring is here, so luckily, I’ve been getting a bit of a jump start on the spring cleaning, which is perfectly suited for a retrograde of this type. Especially given that Mars is in Mr. Picky Virgo, which is great for the discrimination it takes to weed away at either the that pile or paperwork or your overflowing wardrobe! Letting go of things from the past, or instead re-connecting with things or people from the past, is a big theme of retrogrades. I find them to be especially good times to let go of possessions that are no longer working for you, as you might even have the urge to start from a clean slate and get rid of things without even knowing what it is that you’ll be getting in the future. There’s a saying that nature abhors a void, so that if you want something new, you have to let go of something that you already have.
Given that we have until April 13th until Mars goes direct, and given that Mercury will be joining Mars in the backwards motion in the sky on March 13th through April 4th I would advise everyone to take a firm seat on their meditation cushion and try and watch the dramatic events that might be unbelievably unfolding before your eyes with a grain of salt! What goes up, must come down. There are rules of physics here people! Remember that karma will eventually catch up to everyone, so it might be best to keep a low profile and not get angry if someone happens to scream two inches in front of your face. Don’t get caught up in the dramatics! View life as a dream–because maybe if you’re looking from the other side, that’s how it seems.
So I bring you a “Dream” mixtape for our New Moon in Pisces! You can listen below or if you’re on Spotify, here.
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