Lost in the Triangle
I realize I haven’t posted since the Eclipse Triangle began on April 25th, with a Lunar Eclipse! I meant to, I really did. But Eclipses have a way of sucking you in, like a vortex, or dare I say, something like the Bermuda Triangle?
I recently thought of the analogy, because I, in fact, recently visited Bermuda, with the intention of having a very significant birthday possibly vanish into thin air, or at the very least forgetting completely about it! It occurred to me then, while lying in that magical place, that my birthday was in the middle of these three eclipses, and that when eclipses come in three’s, they seem to act like a mysterious time when Big Decisions and Life Changes are made, only to emerge in a completely different place after one leaves “The Triangle”!
Indeed, many people have been in the process of moving, or considering whether to move, staring new jobs, or in general, ending one thing and beginning another. That’s the great thing about eclipses, almost always, if something ends during an eclipse it was meant to give way for something new to begin! It’s almost like if you want to plant something new, you may have to clear the field before something else can grow. I’m in a pastoral frame of mind for my analogies, coming back from island paradise!
Which isn’t to say that eclipses are easy! Many times they are not, especially the Lunar ones, as usually the Lunar ones do more “pruning” and the Solar ones do more “planting.” We had an intense Lunar Eclipse on April 25th between 5° Taurus/Scorpio, which might have “pruned” various things from your life, or gotten you thinking about a Big Change, esp since Mars was conjunct Sun, and Saturn conjunct the Moon during that eclipse. It was an eclipse where we were all thinking “long term” and trying to come to terms with what we wanted for the future. Then there was the Solar Eclipse in 19° Taurus on May 9th, which was friendlier, and got everyone thinking about New Good Things in store ahead, with the Pluto Trine Mars/Mercury/Moon/Sun.
Finally, we will have another Full Moon Lunar Eclipse this Saturday, May 25th at 12:24 am EDT, with Sun in 4° Gemini and Moon in Sagittarius. This will be the final eclipses in the Gemini/Sagittarius polarity for a while. It’s a nice one to end on as Venus and Mercury will Conjunct with Jupiter, planet of Good Fortune! Even if you lose something now, you’ll be winning in the end, because whatever will replace what’s gone will be so much better! It seems to me a good time to let go of things that aren’t working for you, and embrace what you want to move ahead with in life, as we move out of the Triangle of Eclipses!
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Wunderlist!
Today I put away all my turtlenecks. We are closer to May than the start of April, even though the weather is a bit slow to warm. Plus, it was on my To Do list. I’ve discovered the amazing “Wunderlist” app and website which has helped me be more productive and get things done.
I’m one of those people who desperately needs to write things down or else I will forget them. Especially as I have so many ideas floating around and usually put my ideas on a post-it note, which I then promptly lose! While I’ve found that most “To Do” apps just allow you to list things, the best part about this one is that it allows you to group things together into folders. So you can have a “To Do” folder, a “Shopping” folder, an “Organizing Apartment” folder, whatever you want folder!
Then you can check off completed items or even give yourself reminds about items and due dates. You can even share a list with someone else, if you’re collaborating on something! It’s completely easy and intuitive to use. Best of all, it’s completely free, is available for iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows. It syncs up between devices so you’ll always have everything you need in any location. Pretty much it’s got you covered everywhere, and as far as I can see, it may be the only “list” app you’ll ever need!
Part of my Spring initiative, since I returned from my yoga retreat, is to examine my habits and see how they’re working for me and how they’re not. Habits, as I mentioned in my last post, can be either good or bad, but the key is that once you have them, they’re kind of like our autopilot. We think so much is within our control, but really we’re creatures of habit. A program and app like Wunderlist, helps me keep a habit of looking in one central place for what I need to do next, allowing me not to have to look around for that damn post-it! I think it’s a change for the better!
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April is all about Change!
They say “April is the cruelest month” and I think now I know why. Technically TS Eliot said it was the cruelest month in his poem “The Waste Land” which starts out as follows:
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
It’s a rather long poem, so I’ll stop there. But I think we already get the picture, especially with the “Spring” we’re having this year. It’s cold, then it’s warm, then it’s very cold again. And we are distraught that Spring will never fully arrive, or not arrive soon enough!
In short there is too much of that dreaded word, Change! And yet we don’t know where the changes are going. Are things getting better or are they getting worse? One step forward, two steps back?
Well, in my theme lately of talking about Change, I thought I’d share with you all a great book that a friend shared with me when I went last month on a yoga retreat to Mexico. The book is “The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and business” by Charles Duhigg. I was eager to read it, given that I made the mistake of only bringing my book club book, which although a good read, was way too depressing for a trip to Mexico, and also didn’t speak to the reflective mood that I was in, trying to assess my life in one of the few times I feel like I have a true “time out” from daily responsibilities.
The book did not disappoint! And in fact, I would say that it is one of those “life-changing” books if you take the time to digest it and read it thoroughly with an open mind. In essence, it has a tremendously positive message that anyone can change, but it also outlines how one can stay the same. It posits that we’re all on our own little treadmill, that literally is a neural circuit in our brain, and that the only way to change our habits are to re-write them!
I’ll let you read the book to get the full picture on exactly HOW to re-write your neural circuits, as the book is so straight forward and clear about how we end up in habits and how to change them so that we can better our lives.
Which is ironic considering the fact that when I started my retreat, I wasn’t entirely sure what it was that I wanted to change in my life. I really love my life right now, although I have a tad too much going on (what New Yorker doesn’t though?). However somehow I came out of the retreat with a clearer picture of areas that I actually do want to change. I DO want to eat better and healthier (the foodie lifestyle does not slim the waistline), and start a daily morning yoga practice at home as I know that it’s too much to ask me to actually go to a morning yoga class and I can’t seem to fit in a workout any other time. So far, I’ve been making great headway into each change of habit.
So while the temperatures go from 40′s to 70′s back to 40′s again, take some time this April to think about your habits. Are they contributing to your daily well being? Is there just one habit that you would like to change? Our leader from the yoga retreat started off by asking us in essence the same question of us. Who knows, maybe if you’re stuck, after reading the book, or even just meditating on this question, a life changing answer will appear!
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Spring Equinox!
I’ve been a little “off the grid” lately during the past Mercury Retrograde. . . I took an almost two week vacation to Mexico, which included a one week yoga retreat, and then my boyfriend came down and we hung out on the beaches of Tulum together. It was amazing. And probably the first trip I’ve taken in a long time, where I came back rested and refreshed enough that I was glad to be back home. Ready for Spring!
Of course, it seems as though in many places of the US, Spring hasn’t exactly sprung yet, with freezing lows and highs barely into the 40s, but there is a sense of renewal in the air even if it’s crisp and cold. Given that astrologically, Pluto and Uranus are still squaring off relatively close to the Equinox and Solstices, these times are still times of “Big Change”! I’ll be blogging a bit more about some thoughts that percolated up through my mind on the retreat, about Change in general, and it’s important to know that if you’re feeling the Push for Change right now, you’re not alone!
What makes this Spring Equinox (which occurred March 20th, at 7:04 AM EDT) is that Mars, the planet of Assertiveness, gets into the Square, joining with the Sun and Uranus, squaring Pluto and the Moon, which is in it’s natural sign of Cancer. There’s a lot of explosive energy going on, so if it’s possible to meditate on how you’d like to use this energy instead of making rash decisions, it would be wise to do so!
Thankfully, Mercury, which just went out of Retrograde on March 17th, makes a lovely Trine to both Saturn the planet of Preparedness, and the Moon, planet of Feelings. You may be able to think and feel your way to plan what’s best for you now, and how to use the Fire Sign Trio of Sun, Mars, Uranus to your best purpose!
Utilize those remaining few weeks of weather that makes you want to stay indoors with a journal, thinking of things you’d like to change in the next three months of Spring! I’ll be giving you ideas on how to achieve your goals in the weeks to come!
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Mercury Retrograde: Take a Break!
Everyone I know has been super busy since the start of 2013. My theory is that since the Mayan calendar started a new cycle on December 21, 2012, we’re all moving forwards in new areas of our life, and consequentially don’t have as much time as we used to. I know for myself, as I have a great new boyfriend, extra time to loll around and not do anything, almost doesn’t exist anymore! I’m not complaining at all mind you! However, it is a change to not get as many things done as I used to. I’m sure somewhere scientists are working on a way to stretch and manipulate time to expand it to fit your needs, but in the meantime, astrology has provided a nice “time out” called “Mercury Retrograde”!
Many fear the Mercury Retrograde, because traditionally, if you start something new during the Mercury Retrograde, you’ll have to redo it, or it won’t turn out the way you hoped it would. This assumes that everyone is trying to start a zillion new projects every day and you never have, or want for that matter, any downtime. However nature provides for Seasons, different times of the year for different things. You wouldn’t try and plant a tree outdoors in the middle of Winter, just as it might not be a good time to buy a new electronic device during a Mercury Retrograde.
This is actually a good thing! Like this NYtimes article suggests, sometimes it’s important to take a break from moving forwards in order to refresh yourself and move forward with new momentum! Are you itching to actually DO something from now until March 17th, when Mercury turns direct at 4 pm EDT? The good news is that Mercury Retrograde favors RE-doing things! RE-organization, RE-laxation, all the RE’s! If you have a project you need to finish, go for it! If you want to reorganize and clean your apartment or home, even better! It’s possible to see things from a new perspective with Mercury Retrograde, and many times, all that we need to have a big “aha” moment, is to see something from a new perspective!
So enjoy this “break time” provided courtesy of Mercury Retrograde, between now (officially this morning at 4:40 am EST) and March 17th! Spring will be right around the corner once we’ve finished this retrograde cycle, so let’s enjoy the reflective period of Winter, before we move into a new Season!
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The Un-Goals of 2013!
2013 has arrived, and already I’m feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland, falling into the adventures of this year without having any kind of real time for reflection on what I’d like to accomplish. It’s been a bit of a dizzying pace for January, which should by all calculations be the slowest month of the year, filled with loads of time for contemplating what resolutions one should make and where one wants to go with ones life, punctuated by an occasional hot cocoa! Instead it is almost the middle of January and I am just wishing you a “Happy New Year!” I did not, this holiday season, manage to send out even one holiday card despite my best intentions to, I was so overwhelmed by the holidays.
Consequentially, since I was too stressed to even think about what I wanted my New Years Resolutions to be, I have deemed 2013 the year of “Relax & Rejuvenate!” 2012 was a year of great ups and downs. Astrologically it started off with some major turmoil, a Mars Retrograde in January, and then a Venus Retrograde in Spring, both of which took up more than half the year! Venus does not Retrograde again until December of 2013, so we have loads of time to move forwards! I’ve decided that as I relax into the year, I will discover new ways to rejuvenate and make the right changes in my life. Oftentimes people only make resolutions at the beginning of a year, but really that might not be the best time, and why limit oneself? And for those of us exhausted from the holidays that came too soon after too many national disasters and tragedies, we’re going to need more than one hot cocoa to determine what changes we really need to make in our lives.
As Alice celebrates “un-birthdays” I think we should all celebrate “un-goals” or at least the thought that maybe anytime of the year is great for setting a goal, and we shouldn’t feel rushed to make all our resolutions by the time January ends. I’m a Taurus, after all, and I hate to be rushed (and feel none of the other zodiac signed should be rushed either!).
So here’s a playlist for the start of 2013; may the start be a good one, but may the rest of the year contain fun, adventure, and good times (and maybe some goal setting if you really inspired)!
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Let it Snow!
It looks as though many will get a white Christmas this year! The world did not end on Friday (although my co-workers and I did nearly fall asleep at our desks, and I did wonder if this might be a “sign” of something cosmic!) and I’m glad yet another doomsday scenario is over and done with. I’m ready for some R & R, as I’m sure many of you are, and what better way to force oneself to take it easy for a bit by having a bit of old man Winter visit in the form of snow! May your days be merry and bright, and may snow and good cheer grace your holidays this year!
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The Next Cycle!
I have a confession: I’m just not into the holidays this year. I have no desire to send out holiday cards, because frankly I can’t even believe it’s the middle of December and 2012 is almost over! Aside from happily getting gifts for loved ones, I’m not really feeling that jolly yet. Although I put up my annual ornament tree in hopes of sparking some enthusiasm, it didn’t work. However, I’m hoping the holiday spirit will hit me with the upcoming Winter Solstice, and rumored “end of the world” according to the Mayans, by December 21st at 6:11 am EST.
No, I do not believe that this solstice, which happens to coincide with the end of a Mayan calendar that lasts some 5,000 years, will be the end of the world. Hopefully we’re entering a new cycle where people will be more aware and kind than they have in any age previously. I haven’t had any major thoughts this year on what I want my New Year’s Resolutions and goals for 2013 to be. I have a feeling I’ll be needing most of January to determine them.
While we cannot tell what the next Mayan Cycle will bring us, or whether or not the astrological chart of the upcoming Winter Solstice will influence the next 5,000 years, one interesting aspect to consider in this Years solstice, is the YOD, Finger of God, configuration with an Opposition between Venus and Jupiter, with Jupiter Inconjunct to both Saturn and Pluto, which are both Sextile to Venus. Long astrological gibberish short, Venus is what everything is pointing to for the next three months! Jupiter, the Santa Claus of the zodiac, is having a hard time reconciling Saturn Mr. Taskmaster aka Karma with Pluto Mr. Lord of the Underworld aka Big Change, but if you can think about what it is you value and love, Venus, in your life, you’ll get the picture you’re supposed and be on the right track!
So instead of holiday music (at least for the moment) I put together a playlist in honor of “The Next Cycle” that we’re entering at the start of the Solstice. We can look forwards to the days getting longer again in the Northern hemisphere, and a new beginning wherever we are!
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Help is On the Way!
Weeks after the hurricane and the power restored to my work building, the elevator lights still blink “Help in On the Way” on the ride up in the morning and down in the evenings. I’m not sure how many people noticed this, and I’ll admit, at first it was a little creepy. But I’ve decided to take it as a sign. I know that the events of the past couple of months, at least in the New York area, have been quite intense to say the least.
Hurricane Sandy created damage of immense proportions; it seems the T Square that inaugurated the Fall Equinox, and the subsequent Harvest Moon, involving Sun/Moon/Uranus/Pluto, has had its impact. We just finished a three week Retrograde of Mercury that had us revisiting things from around the time of the hurricane. We had a solar eclipse in Scorpio mid-month and now we’re finishing up the month with another Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, this Wednesday at 9:45 am EST. This Full Moon Eclipse has a strong Venus (Love)/Saturn (Time/Karma) and Mars (Action)/Pluto (Big Change) conjunctions that are Inconjunct (150 degrees) to the eclipsed moon at almost 7 degrees Gemini.
Inconjuncts are a very unstable aspect, and sometimes can manifest the unexpected, or something that needs to be resolved. I would say that this might produce some deep thinking about long term relationships/Creativity (Venus/Mars) and if there are changes needed (Pluto) to get where you want to go (Saturn). Venus/Saturn and Mars/Pluto have a harmonious aspect between them, so it looks as if the big changes in this area at least, may be easier than not and will ultimately be for the better (especially as the Moon is conjunct Jupiter in this eclipse). Not all effects from an eclipse happen immediately. Sometimes their effects can be felt a month later, so even though we are out of the Mercury Retrograde zone and heading into the jolly season of the holidays, there may be after effects of the eclipses on December 13/14 and 28/29th.
However, I do believe that “Help is On the Way!” Although it’s been a challenging Autumn full of change, perhaps more than we would like, we are less than a month away from the Winter Solstice, where another chart will influence the following three months as we move into the first portion of 2013. The Solstice chart is not nearly so intense as the Fall Equinox, and involves some lovely aspects between Venus (Love) /Mercury (Communication) and Uranus (Unexpected Change) /Moon (Feelings), as well as the Sun with both Saturn (Discipline) and Neptune (Spirituality). I don’t think that the Mayan calendar change on 12/21 will signify end of days as some speculate. However, it might be shown that “Help is On the Way!” A playlist with the same name, below, as we start the holiday season!
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Wordless Wednesday
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