Happy Winter's Solstice

Just a heads up about this planetary alignments significance. Some are saying this is the auspicious date that is heralded, and not the 2012 date that most everybody subscribes to. Read more about it here.

I am not a mundane astrologer. That is an astrologer who specializes in interpreting planetary significators for events, circumstances, and general atmospheres on a global level. My focus in astrology tends to be more personal. My main interest is in relationship astrology - harmonizing differences, utilizing the strengths that are evident in a chart comparison.

If you wish to find out more about how the transiting planets affect us as a whole, Jeff Jawer and Rick Levine have a great web-site for that. www.stariq.com You can also sign up to receive notices of transits by planets to your natal horoscope. They provide that service for free.

If nothing else comes of this line-up, this is a cool snapshot of the galaxy and what the line-up will look like on December 23rd, 2007. The Sun, Jupiter and Mercury will be in Capricorn, just this side of it; with Pluto just a couple of degrees away in Sagittarius - opposite Mars, and then the Moon too for a few hours. Moon and Mars together may be a bit volatile, especially being opposite Pluto.

That is the God of War in cahoots with our emotional heartstrings, being challenged by that forceful opposition. As the holidays draw near, it is best we detach as much as we are able and not take things personal even when the scenes playing out seem to be directed at us, personally.

Tap into your inner strength. Visit my web-site and order any of the reports. I offer them freely. Self awareness is empowering. Power versus force always.

Peace.

Pluto - the undeniable force for change.

Transits of Pluto to a planet in your chart brings change in the area of your existence that the planet being aspected represents. These are the times to do some soul-searching and raising of your consciousness to allow for positive changes in your life.

Because of Pluto’s slow-moving speed, when signs in your chart are aspected by it’s transit, you can expect about two years of strong, kind of obsessive activity in that area of life.

For instance, if Pluto is making an aspect to your Venus, you can expect something powerful happening in your love life, or the art that you produce, or something else that represents what you are attracted to and what you attract.

If Pluto is in aspect to one of your luminaries, one may find their identity(Sun) going through an overhaul, or their psychological processes (Moon) experiencing some intensely emotional transformations.

It depends on what the aspect is how that event is experienced. The easier ones will bring welcome change, while the harder angles will seem to be coming from external sources, and therefore not recognized as the events your higher self is bringing about. Resistance to change is where pain and frustration comes in.

Pluto transits are sometimes forceful, or considered so, because of attachments to things that no longer serve us. It’s no use trying to hold on to a dilapidated building, or a bunch of clothes that don’t fit anymore. The same goes for relationships that do us more harm than good.

In Feng Shui, these outworn items and structures, or relationships, or ways of thinking - are said to be cluttering up your Chi. You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new, which Pluto will assuredly do. He is in charge of regeneration, ultimately improving upon what was there and which needed some updating anyway.

At this time, Pluto is traveling with Jupiter in Sagittarius’ s constellation. The Sun is in Sagittarius, and Mercury is in Sagittarius too. That is a lot of energy concentrated on our beliefs and abilities to expand on them. If you are open to some creative change, this will attract to you the people and places and resources you need to make them happen. We are magnetic creatures. Our thoughts are the magnets that pull in what we need.

In the beginning was the word. Or, so they say. I think it is more appropriate to say, “in the beginning was the thought.”

Neptunian Blurs

Neptune blurs lines of distinction.

Because it takes 165 years for Neptune to completely orbit the earth - if there is a planet in your chart, read: an area of life that the planet signifies - you can be sure of confusion and fuzzy thinking where the planet being aspected is concerned, for about two years.

Some of the Sun signs that are experiencing much of the affects of Neptune in the constellation of the Water Bearer, are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius - all of the fixed signs of the zodiac.

If you have a planet, including the Sun and Moon, in any of these signs, that area of your life will undergo some confusion or idealization as the boundaries dissolve.

Neptune exerts dreamy energy into our consciousness. Among other things, Neptune rules film - which uses images and words to tell a story. The story is what provokes the feelings which make the impression upon the mind. Neptune is a great illusionist, and Life is the great illusion.

The feelings that Neptune invokes in us are that we are all ONE, coming from and returning to the same Source of all life. It's all an organic whole.

If Neptune is conjuncting a point in your Being - Sun/Moon/Venus/Mars/etc. - the boundaries disappear and the supra-consciousness has access to the area of life signified by the planet. And vice versa.

If Neptune is squaring any of your personal planets, there will be conflict which will demand you get a grip on the illusion, which is truly futile - so defeatist thoughts will persist. One might experience depressions or mental and physical fatigue when Neptune makes the square angle to the Sun, Mars, Saturn, or Mercury. A square to Venus will challenge how you view a loved one. Fantasies are not accurate about reality at Neptunian square times.

Neptune oppositions will require a strong routine for keeping structure in place. You can expect the bottom to fall out of whatever you are trying to hold onto in the areas of life being transited by Neptune being opposite it. There is a balance to be struck in oppositions. It can be debilitating and a dissipation of energy to resist the demands of a Neptune's opposition - which seem to be about withdrawing energy from some situation or person(s). Sometimes the troubles stem from feelings of low self esteem and guilt.

Neptune trines and sextiles are more pleasant, and easier on us mentally and physically - as opportunities and flows just materialize to enable us to create heaven on Earth. The more beautiful images that the supra-conscious mind is impressing upon us are inspired and inspiring.

The transits of Neptune to points within us are of a highly evolutionary nature. Answering the call, meditating on what we have and what we'd like to create, will greatly ease any insecurity you may feel as Neptune dissolves boundaries. It can be unsettling, to say the least, if you do not have some grounding practice in place when Neptune comes a-transiting. A structured routine such as yoga or meditation, in one of it's forms (I personally like walking meditations as well as the sitting still kind) will allow you space to hear and envision Neptune's Grace.

Neptune = vision grand, hard work. The Test of the self, within the self. We are now all the Apocalypse of the Self. This Uncovering is a paradigm shift for the ego. What we give power to, has power over us. The Real Being is taking back the power we have given to Illusion.

Namaste', Neptune.

Nod to Anne Beversdorf

In 2006, for six months, I hosted an internet radio program appropriately called "Jupiter's Girl". The station is Out of Time Radio and was #4 and growing in listenership each week. It was an exciting venture that brought me in close range to some leaders and pioneers of expansive thinking.

One of those leaders is Anne Beversdorf. Anne was one of my favorite guests because she was so knowledgable and articulate on the subject of Astrology. We discussed on air, and long after we got off, Vedic Astrology and the use of what the jyotish call "remedies" to cure what ails; mentally, physically and spiritually. She said she'd one day write a book about it.

Then, she did it. She wrote the book. I bought it. It is titled "Weekday Guide to Life Enhancement". The subtitle tells it all about the book, using planetary remedies.

Anne's writing style is very clear and easy to understand. Each chapter begins with beautiful artwork and a poem dedicated to the God, or planet, that it's about.

I am a Western Astrologer, not that adept at Vedic at all, but I gained new appreciation for this branch of astrology after speaking with Anne. She hit the nail on the head about what's been happening with me for years and offered some Saturnine advice that has alleviated the strain.

I am happy that she is going a non-traditional route by publishing her book the way she did, and for how it is constructed. You have to order it from her. Follow the link above, to her web-site, and then contact her directly.

I light a red candle today, and offer my gratitude to Anne for researching these remedies and so cabably imparting what she's learned in her book.

Full Moon in Gemini today

Full moons are known to be times when crazies get crazier. That's because the two luminaries are on opposite ends of the poles, creating a polarity in the way you feel and the way you think.

The conscious and unconscious forces are in a collision, and the only way to avoid an implosion is to strike a balance between the two.

If you take the Sun in Sagittarius - then you get Jupiter too. Jupiter rules Sagittarius and therefore the light that is shining on you (or within you, really), is colored with his magnetic qualities of love and tolerance, of higher learning, of wisdom and courage. Jupiter is a benevolent Being and bestows grace upon all. It's his turn to work with the creative force of the sun. It is a powerful time for expanding awareness.

Then, take the Moon - the other luminary. It is about to enter Gemini and be opposite the Sun any minute now, Sat. 11/24/07, around 7:42 am CDT. The Moon will be in Gemini, which is ruled by Mercury, for 2.5 days. Gemini is swift on the uptake and has insatiable curiosity. A Mercurial Moon will have us changing our minds without a moment's notice. The Moon, as well as Mercury, affects the Mind as it affects our emotions. They feed each other.

As for the opposition of these two mutable masters - it should not be so bad as to provoke lunacy, but one should remain flexible and loose in their translation of reality today. Don't be afraid to broaden your horizons. It will feel good to release outworn thoughts and ideas that limit your scope.

Let Jupiter and Mercury within you find the balance between rational thoughts and metaphysical beliefs.

I’m not finished with Mercury

Mercury’s placement in the natal chart represents one’s reasoning ability, one’s mind and the way a person expresses their Self.

I’ve been ruminating about this for years. If classes were made up of a particular element, what might that look like? How can breaking down classes by element be beneficial? Is it too one-sided and hard to synthesize with other elements if one gets used to only taking in light from it‘s own kind?

If I have the questions, I am sure the answers are here too. It takes all of the elements to create. So we come together, all of us, sharing our knowledge and talents to create, hopefully, a unified whole.

We all seem to desire similar things; love, housing, food, water, sunshine, good health, a prosperous life on all levels, beauty and music, etc. Bring your Earthy, or Airy, or Fiery, or Watery thinking into the act of creating with all of the other elements. Together we have the opportunity to build Utopia.

I have Mercury in Pisces. It is watery, sensitive to subtle nuances in communication, going into cracks and crevices of a story or lesson. I am accused of being attention deficit disordered. I am not sure of that, but I can see where one might get the impression. When I am feeling confident about who I am, I respond to those accusations that I have A.D.O., Attention in Divine Order.

Having studied what astrology says about what Mercury in Pisces might mean, I am understanding of the way MY mind works. If I didn’t know that, I might be tempted to medicate it. I still am, come to think of it. It’s not that bad, though. I accomplish a lot in a day.

I also have to consider transits to Mercury. Right now, Uranus, the liberator and freedom-loving planet is conjunct my Mercury, the lens, filter and amplifier of my mind‘s projections. There are so many implications of this transit that penning them is more difficult than living them. My thinking is even more diversified and dissected.

Mercury in Pisces, trine Neptune in my natal chart, and conjunct my Pisces ascendant gives me empathic qualities. I feel people’s feelings. My intuition is good. I fear messing with that by taking a drug that claims to help me focus. I don’t want to mess with my mind. Reality is already slippery. I create lists and routines to give me structure. I focus when I need to and on what I want to.

I digress. Mercury on my Ascendant in the first house means to me that it is appropriate for me to tell my stories. I hope they inspire you to learn about your own horoscopic stories.

The bigger picture:
Have a teacher whose Mercury placement is in the same or a compatible element (earth w/water and fire w/air) teach students with like Minds in their classes.

The basic subjects, English/Math/Science/History, could be taught with separations by element,. All other classes would be comprised of a mixture of the elements; social studies, criminology, family services, health, technology, and any other classes that could wind up creating life-giving products or services.

Lofty, I know. My watery Mercury could use some Earthy sense, some Fiery inspiration and Airy reasoning to flesh out this idealistic vision.

I really don’t see any kind of educational reforms like this happening in Louisiana any time in the near future. Maybe somebody in California will read this and run with it. We will surely follow any progress you make.

Mercury in the signs -

The planet, Mercury, in our natal charts, shows how we take in information. I have always associated information with light. We are beings of light and add to our light with awareness - which comes in the form of information.

How we express our light, is through Mercury. Our personality’s input and output is from the same department - within and without. Mercury shows how we think. How you think becomes how you do.

There’s that Buddhist reflection by Lama Surya Das that goes…
The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character;
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings…

As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become.
(from the Dhammapada)

What sign and house your Mercury is in tells me what you are interested in, what you might think about, or want to talk about, or how you think.

I believe the knowledge of Mercury placements could greatly benefit teachers when structuring their classes thereby maximizing students’ input and output from the learning process.

Earth sign Mercurys are more tactile in their information gathering, using senses and sensibilities. They need hands on experiments and a good reason why they are doing something. Is it practical and functional? Put Taurus in acquisitions, Virgo in the analysis dept, and Capricorn is the builder. These Mercury expressions need information pertaining to their Earth mode of expression. Earth signs are manifesting masters.

Water sign Mercurys are harder to pin down in learning; Cancer/Scorpio/Pisces. They take in information through feelings, as well as absorbing information being emitted by words, and body language. It is empathic energy - desiring to understand what makes other's tick. Like water, the attention needs a container. Put a story of someone you know in that dry science lesson and the information flows in.

Then, there’s Air sign Mercury people; Gemini/Libra/Aquarius. They are logic-minded and interested in relationships between ideas. They are very expressive of their information as they network and work towards harmonizing and making sense; connecting people and ideas with their networking and socializing skills. They are information gatherers in the broadest sense of the word for humans. Air Mercury people are very good at bringing about cooperation between seemingly disparate parties.

And lastly, there’s the fire sign Mercury, Aries/Leo/Sagittarius, which are enthusiastic learners. The subjects that might provoke their interest will arouse their passions too. They are the most apt to take a risk in experimenting with ideas. Dramatic presentations will grab hold of their attention and teach them like no rote reading could do.

A motivated teacher could easily find out Mercury placements by having a chart for it’s course during the year(s) of her students' births.

Or, even better, identify a teacher's Mercury, and then put the students with the same Mercury placements, by elements fire/earth/air/water, in with them.

Going along with a person’s nature is a lot easier than giving the kid a label like A.D.D., and/or a pill in which to keep the child in their desk. Appreciation for how one thinks and what one thinks about may lessen the need to conform to one standard.

The education system has come a long way in offering something for everybody. I'm just saying that when it comes to designing some educational reforms, Astrology and what it has to say on the subject ought to take part at that discussion table.

I have Jupiter in Sadge. Aha!! That's why...

I have a book suggestion:
The following excerpt was culled from Stephen Arroyo's "Exploring Jupiter: The Astrological Key to Progress, Prosperity & Potential" (Drawing on the Source of Self-Confidence & Successful Risk-Taking to Achieve Your Personal Goals)

"The Jupiter Sign As A Mode of Learning

Educator David Hamblin, M.A. has published some extremely interesting and original findings in The Astrological Journal, published by the British Astrological Association in Summer, 1978 and Summer, 1981. He kept track of the Jupiter signs of students in various classes that he led, which was quite easy because they tended to bunch into one or two signs each year, since Jupiter stays in one sign for about one year. Each Jupiter sign group, he concluded, responded to a learning exercise in the manner of its Jupiter sign, and "seemed to behave in the classroom in the manner of their dominant Jupiter sign." He points out that these findings have important implications for teachers, enabling them to predict in advance the bahavior of particular groups, and thus, to design their teaching plans accordingly.

Although he had not finished evaluating all Jupiter's signs when he published his first two articles, the following quoted excerpts from his articles give a clear idea of what he discovered and enables astrologers further to determine with confidence specific characteristics of people with certain Jupiter placements.

The Jupiter-in-Gemini group responded to it very well, with very free and lively discussion and exploration of ideas; the Jupiter-in-Cancer group responded poorly because they preferred a more authoritarian style of teaching which would have given them more protection and less exposure; and the Jupiter-in-Leo group responded well, but in a much more flamboyant and "theatrical" style than the other two groups.

The Jupiter-in-Libra group coped only moderately well with the exercise. What was very noticeable, however, was that they were much less interested in the content of the exercise than in their own interpersonal relationships within the group. Their aim was to achieve group harmony for its own sake (rather than for the sake of improving their performances at the task, which did not greatly interest them).

The Jupiter-in-Scorpio group did better than predicted. Most of this class applied themselves to the task with a great deal of determination and enthusiasm. There were, however, two sub-groups which went through the task in an extremely somnolent state, displaying neither commitment nor hostility but only apathy. Thus the tendency of Scorpio to veer between extreme involvement and extreme apathy was confirmed.

The Jupiter-in-Sagittarius group did less well than predicted. They were an extremely effervescent and "bubbly" group, and their poblem with the exercise was that it did not sufficiently tie them down. They were always going off at irrelevant tangents or "goofing around", and the problem of absenteeism was greater than with any other group. However, their inter-group presentations were riotously funny, and were better than those of any other group except Jupiter-in-Leo.

I have had some experience with a mixture of Jupiter-in-Capricorn and in-Aquarius, but they seem, in fact, to show mainly Capricornian characteristics. They work hard, and their written work is mostly very good; also, they seem to enjoy discussion (perhaps because of the Aquarian element), but their attitude to work is extremely instrumental, showing an obsession with marks and grades, and they have caused more trouble to the lecturers with seemingly petty complaints about the "system" than any other group since Jupiter-in-Virgo.

Quotes from Jupiter in the Classroom."

[note from JG: I wonder what Mr. Hamblin would say about Pisces or Aries Jupiters. I would be interested to know. The above piece broadened my understanding of the learning process and seemed true to me. Previously, my theory of learning was to place students together and give them appropriate outlets for what they learn by their natal Mercury placement. The Mercury sign's element, Earth, Air, Fire or Water, would determne how one takes in and expresses information. I don't know how to apply that information, nor that I am the one to campaign for that reform. I have 4 sisters who are educators; they like their system the way it is.]