Weekly Weather March 22, 2010

Not much Air in the heavens this week, so the collective (all the people) is not going to “Thinking” very well. There still is quite a bit of Water flying around, so “Emotions” will be oozing, leaking and flowing. And, with the Aries Ingress and beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, there is a now bunch of Fire in the heavens, creating “Passion” and “Vision” which means “Burning, Fights and Flare ups around Passion and Vision”. Fortunately there is a decent amount of Earth which will help bring matters down to earth and help Ground things. However, it won’t be easy!

Your job as a conscious human being living amidst the chaos in the sky and on earth is to provide a thoughtful, still space for the emotions and passions to have a quiet moment while sitting on a grounding solid rock. Folks need to take time to think and figure out how to proceed. If you find your self saying “Think about this before you go off and do it!” to someone, you know you are dealing with someone caught up in the fiery passion of free flowing emotions. Tie them to the rock if need be until they calm down enough to ground themselves and think clearly about their strategy.

Because passions and emotions are running so high, people can AND WILL be operating out of their wounded and fear based places rather than their conscious, rational places. All part of the story but not an easy chapter this week. When the universe lights a fire under your butt and gets you boiling or steaming mad (see the water and fire metaphors?), you’ll take action. Look at steam engines on locomotives and how well they moved tons of cargo! The same principle applies here. The hot water is designed to get you to move and to energize you.

The trick is to know WHERE to take all that effort and energy that the head of steam has been building. Essentially there are TWO main options or configurations in the heavens right now describing what we are experiencing down here on earth. One is an open path and the second is a blocked path.

Of course, you WANT the blocked path to open. You WANT what is down the blocked path (or what you THINK is down the blocked path ~ but remember the thinking energy is in low supply right now!) We’ll talk about that blocked path in a moment.

Take the open path before you. Essentially, the open path will be a circular path that will bring you right back to where you are now when the blocked path opens up in June, July or August. In the meantime, you have a head of steam and are amazingly passionate about what you can‘t have! Direct that passionate can’t have energy towards creating what you CAN have, control, fix, make or do! It is a LOT of energy. So make sure to Use It Up. Get it out of your body. The passionate creative energy is flowing through you. It will help you do some of your most inspired and absolute best work. The open path will be in your Leo ruled house(s). Your Leo houses are where you are supposed to shine ANY WAY. So go shine there. Give that area of your life your best energy from the head of steam passion inside you. Use the Mars in Leo energy going forward between now and June 7^th to get cracking and crackling on what you can burn through and create.

The BLOCKED path is another matter. There IS a path before you that is blocked and not at all clear how it will turn out. You might not be 100% sure what you want to do about it. You don’t know quite where you are going yet. You don’t know what is going to happen. You have absolutely no control over it. So that means it isn’t an option for you right now, as much as you might long for it or want it to be in your life.

You have to WAIT on that blocked path. You have to wait until June, July or maybe even late August. Perhaps another person is involved who needs to clean up their act, cease their addictions, make a decision or figure out what THEY are doing. Or perhaps the blockage comes from the need to make a decision of how, what, when or who to proceed forward. The decision hasn’t been made yet. Or maybe there are other things that have to take place before the blocked path can open up and proceed.

Regardless, it is a BLOCKED path. You are blocked from proceeding down the blocked yet desired path. So what to do? You are essentially waiting for the cosmic crossroads to form in the heavens and start to split up before you can go forward. The crossroads is a t-square and sometimes a grand cross between tough planets that change our lives when they form configurations like the one forming in the sky.

Like a cosmic traffic jam, you have to wait, go slow or be delayed in this area of life.

You also have to feed, pay attention or tend ALL branches of the cosmic crossroads so you KNOW when movement starts to take place and you can go forward.

Back when I was in sales in my corporate life, I sold large, expensive computerized machines that were considered both revolutionary and rather controversial at the time. We take them for granted now ~ voice processing ~ the ability to leave a voice mail for someone at their place of work, home or on their cell phone. Back then, in 1988-89, Voice Mail machines were just starting to be deployed across corporate America. I had a huge deal pending for $130,000 with a major real estate company, an avid competitor selling the exact same thing for $65,000 (Don’t EVEN get me started on badly designed corporate distribution channels!) and a nervous Nelly buyer who wanted to buy but needed approval at very high levels for the idea, the expense as well as lots of hand holding to get there.

In a very charming and (hopefully) not too obnoxious way, I was all over him. Weekly check in calls, letters (email didn’t exist) with ideas for how he could deploy voice processing across their various buildings in New York, effective use of his telecom switches, ideas and offers for his rentals ~ the corporate clients in his buildings, fancy sales literature, notifications of his competitors signing up and whatever else I could think of to stay in front of him. All the time, I KNEW I had a competitor at half the price selling the exact same machine so I had to make him want ME and MY distribution channel rather than the machine sold by a cheaper distributor. I made my last “formal” presentation to him in January and had to essentially wait ~ and worry ~ unable to “DO” a darned thing ~ until the energy cleared at the end of May and he made a decision. I closed the deal.

We are in a similar type of energetic situation ~ I looked! It felt the same and IS the same! You want to feed all the various branches of the t-square ~ Libra, Capricorn and Aries so you can take it home ~ Cancer~ in the summer when the blocked path opens up and the planets start to separate. Nothing obnoxious. No stalking. Just a little rock thrown across the wall blocking you. A note left. A song sung. A check in call. A regular time when you sit and think about them intensely for 10 minutes so they feel it and think about you ~ make it the same time every day!

Saturn in Libra and soon to be back in Virgo will repeat the situation from last fall. Your job is about doing the work of showing Saturn that the blocked path IS of value to you and IS wanted in your life. Who are you going to show? Who is Saturn? Who is playing the role of NO? Well the decision maker is Saturn. I called every week or checked in with him. Sometimes I wasn’t feeling up for it (rejection is hard) so I called when I knew he would be at lunch or busy. It was a check in call. I left a message with his secretary. Sometimes, when I called, he had questions for ME that I could answer or people he wanted me to send things to. He got used to the regularity of my check in. I demonstrated that the blocked partnership was worth working for. Essentially the blocked path is something you WANT to partner with and move forward with. Either them or the idea of them. So CONNECT (Libra) with them. So WORK (Virgo) with them in regular, predictable, reliable, Saturnine (SATURN) way.

Next, take action and talk about it ~ Aries is ALL about taking action and saying “I AM”. While the Sun is in Aries, shout “I AM” whatever. So say “I AM in love with her!”. “I AM waiting for him to bottom out so he gets treatment for his addictions.” “I AM so in the mood to fire him!” “I AM going to get pregnant!”. “I AM going to make babies with you!” “I AM producing this movie!” Declarative first person statements about what YOU want. You can’t control the other person. You can tell them what YOU want out of the situation. You can tell other people. Tell the other people, if they tell you to move on and get over it, that you will move on after August 21^st. But until August 21^st, I want you in there pitching your side of the offer! Lots of I AM statements. The decision can take place any time between now and August 21. Don’t lose the deal because you are not in there taking action and making I AM statements.

Third ~ there IS a triangle because Pluto is involved. You need to get your butt in there and keep pitching YOUR side of the deal and your vision of what you want. You might face minor skirmishes, you might lose a couple of battles, but don’t lose the WAR because you gave up and didn’t show up! Yes, two against one makes you feel bad or afraid. Yes, it is playing on every neurotic anxiety in your body. But do you want to lose because you didn’t try? At least get in there and pitch your vision of the dream! Ask them to make a clear choice knowing ALL the parts. Be the shining OBVIOUS choice! Don’t trash the competitor (even if you want to). Make YOURSELF the obvious and best choice. Make it a no brainer of a choice FOR YOU because of all the OTHER stuff you are doing on the other legs of the t-square.

T-squares, or cosmic crossroads, get a bad name because they DO make us make a choice. Some times we lose when we get to a crossroads. We get fired. We aren’t chosen. We lose the war as well as the battle. There are obvious times in our lives when we make decisions that move us into new chapters of our lives. You will be living with the decisions made under this t-square, the decisions made in June, July and August, until 2024. The decisions made this summer form the seed of Pluto’s journey through Capricorn. That is a LONG TIME! The time when we are MAKING the decisions is between NOW until June, July and August. So crawl all over the blocked choices ~ in a nice way. So pitch your best pitch. So keep making the case about why they should choose you and your option as the obvious companion for the road ahead.

And take the REST of the energy and go work in the LEO section of your chart. After you send your note, throw the rock over the wall, or sing a song in their voicemail or meditate on the blocked section of your life, take the REST of your energy to go out and get the other stuff you know you want to create in your life. Get the known known things moving. That stuff that is NOT blocked! It is waiting for you to come pay attention to it!

Forward into water and fire!

Monday Moon in Gemini is full of chatty information and conversation today with a lovely closing aspect of a trine to Neptune (supporting the health care bill). Moon is reasonably happy today. Mars trines Saturn in a closing sextile. Think back to July 10, 2008 to see the starting of the cycle closing, completing and wrapping up now. Mars joins with Saturn to start a new cycle on July 31 of this year. Think about what happened in your life on October 12, 2009, and February 15, 2010 when Mars sextiled Saturn for parts 1 and 2 of the story wrapping up now. Work the energy one more time, tweaking it to your liking or towards what you want. A new cycle around the structures in your life and how to you take action around them begins in a few months. This is the wrap up! Sun joins with the North Node by declination so watch for who you meet with today as they can be very important to your future. Great day for meeting with your authority figures and asking for what you want. While Mercury joins to Neptune, you won’t get a clear answer back. However, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Put it out there. The authority can’t commit yet but will be willing to explore the options with you. Jupiter is interested in forming partnerships that make money and profit for himself and others.

Tuesday has a moon in Cancer which sets off the t-square formed in the sky as it squares Saturn, Sun and then opposes Pluto. Watch what goes on in your emotional life today as it will be a reflection of what will be going on in June, July and August. Think precursor, foreshadowing, not a mandatory experience. The t-square in the summer will shoot its energy out into the Cancer section of the chart. The moon flowing through that house today gives you a premonition ~ which you can always work with positively ~ of what you’ll need to handle in the summer. Mercury has a stressful aspect to Neptune ~ watch out that your mouth is not too sharp today. Words fall out like razor blades and cut slivers into other people’s hearts. Be cautious. We have two ears and one mouth so we are SUPPOSED to listen twice as much as we talk. Listen today to see what you hear.

Wednesday even though yesterday might have been difficult emotionally, the closing aspects for today and Tuesday are excellent so push forward and get things launched. Today the wife energy fights with the mother principle. Your mother-in-law or a similar creative/ maternal/ wife/ partnership relationship can get on your absolute LAST nerve. No public fights. Every one is coming from their place of fear ~ fear of loss versus fear of death or endings. Look for the place where you can connect and find common ground. It is there. You both have a love connection to what you are afraid of losing. Focus on the love connection. Today has a large number of stressful aspects around emotionally fraught communications. Again, remember the fire and ice ~ try to ground the energy. Think before you speak. Sun is joined with Mercury so EVERYONE thinks THEIR idea is the CORRECT one and that the other guy or gal is wrong, wrong, wrong. You know that is not how it actually works. Calm heads prevail. Mercury joins with the North Node so pay attention to the news that you receive that is smart, interesting or tied to your career or the direction you want to move. Mercury is moving fast and zipping through the skies ~ hurry to hear what he has to say. Gossip, while a bit shocking, is quite true. Make sure to listen to it.

Thursday, Moon in Leo has difficult closing aspects for things begun today and Friday so they will end with a separation that is painful. That said, it is a busy day as Moon rolls through the fire energy making aspect to all the fire and air planets. Venus is supportive of Vesta and helping her figure out what she wants to do around home and hearth. Mercury is stressing out or interrupting Jupiter’s happy mood. He’s a bit sheepish and perhaps a bit apologetic about the fight or argument that took place around March 7-8 when he joined with Jupiter as Mars stationed. OR Mercury’s RE-annoyed about what happened then. Remember lots of fire and water. Mercury is in FIRE now, so he’s up for opening up the discussion again with some peppery comments. You don’t have to go there. Venus is all about seeing the patterns appearing YET AGAIN as she notices what Pallas pointed out to her is correct. Scorpio energy doesn’t miss much. While the motivations may not be what the Scorpio thinks (they can be a bit paranoid) the underlying and substantive BEHAVIOR is what they can always be relied on to accurately nail. Listen to your wise Scorpio planets today. Watch for the pattern to appear, yet again. Sun squares Pluto so power dynamics are erupting around the room. Open up the triangle to prevent two against one! There is a Hammer of Thor in the sky with Sun and Pluto square to each other and sesquiquadrate to Vesta. You will feel on some level that you can’t go home again! And you can’t. Also watch for people banging their fist on the desk and threatening to take their ball and go home. Cranky!

Friday Moon in Leo is proud and stern. Expect crazy ideas today but they are actually GOOD ideas. Mercury connects with the Node of destiny so note who you meet or the ideas that arrive. Important connections are in the heavens. Quirky women or feminine energies appeal with Venus’ union to Uranus so go with the unique energy appearing before you. Mercury joins with Neptune to get a creative handle on things and stir up the ideas and creative juices. Chaos can reign but it is a good kind of chaos. Remember Uranus is one step away from Chaos in his creation mythology. And he didn’t have a father either so appreciate that Uranus and virtually all Aquarians see the world in a slightly different manner. No dad as the supreme authority means you naturally challenge anyone attempting to have authority over you.

Saturn’s day finds Moon in Virgo and in a supportive aspect to Pluto offering the opportunity for revisions or new ideas. Sun in Aries is particularly stressed out today. Part of it is that the week went so fast without accomplishing all you needed to do. The other reason is Sun forms a Hammer of Thor with Vesta and Pallas. Once Sun sees the pattern for what it is AND understands, using the knowledge gleaned and gossip heard on Thursday, the light know what to DO with the information. Shine that little light of yours all over the situation. You get it now. Good for you! Juno shows you HOW to partner with them now that you understand what is actually going on. Forward you go!

Sunday finds Mercury full of all sorts of information as he aspects Love, creativity, chaos, Home, hearth and strategy. A new week begins. Mercury in fast moving, fast thinking Aries is putting the pieces together and getting the big picture. Again the closing aspects for things begun on Saturday and Sunday involve a separation or departure but you will depart with full knowledge of what you need to do. Mercury is like quicksilver and in the sign of piercing metal or swords, the energy is sharp, straight and true. You might not LIKE what you hear but do believe it as it is probably quite true. And now that you’ve heard it, doesn’t it make LOTS of things make more sense? So what is YOUR path? And where do YOU want to go? Go to work on that! That you CAN do something about.

Mundane: Fiery volcano eruption in the land of ice (frozen water!) , Iceland had an eruption of one of the active volcanoes under her land. She’s placed on a patch of land between two Teutonic plates which are separating ~ Europe and the Americas ~ the split opens a bit wider. Google the video to see the imagery of the fire and water energy in the sky reflected here on earth. The volcano erupted 75 miles east of Reykjavik

First settled by Vikings in the 9th century, Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice because of its volcanoes and glaciers. During the Middle Ages, Icelanders called the Hekla volcano, the country's most active, the "Gateway to Hell," believing that souls were dragged below.

Interestingly, Iceland is the country which experienced a major financial collapse when Pluto entered Capricorn. Many British investors, attracted by the high interest rates offered by Icelandic banks, lost money in the collapse. On the 6th March 2010, Icelanders voted against a plan to repay UK and Netherlands the £3.5 billion lost by British customers when online bank Icesave crashed. Note the Mars station going direct.

Now as the Sun comes to create a t-square with Pluto and Saturn, there is a volcano eruption. I think we may have a NUMBER of significant volcanic eruptions and earth quake when Jupiter and Uranus fill out the t-square during June, July and August. This was a “cute” eruption. However, the fear is a second volcano, will erupt. more damaging eruption at the nearby Karla volcano, which lies under the thick Myrdalsjokull icecap and threatens massive flooding and explosive blasts if it erupts.

My friend, Ivar, an excellent economist and astrologer in Iceland wrote:

Hello to all of you and thanks. I am fine here in Iceland.

This Eyjafjallajokull is a cute little tourist eruption at present and I felt the burning smell to my home, but this is going as I had anticipated, so it is likely soon as a trigger to the adjacent Katla (Myrdalsjokull) volcano glacier. That one goes off every 100 years in a Mt. Helens- style blast with huge floods, spewing ash up into the stratosphere with a ring around the earth and cooling down the north (not to our liking). Also killing the fish and stopping air traffic, if it goes off.

I have been studying this lately but unfortunately did not show my results, only told friends! Anyway, the last eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in December 1821 is interesting (attached):

· Neptune-Uranus conjunction in 2-3°Capricorn (Pluto is now close and back in August!)

· Jupiter-Saturn conjunction at 20°Aries (figures!). Pluto progressed is there too.

This new Eyjafjallajokull eruption on Saturday night March 20^th 2010 happened as soon as the Sun entered 0° Aries.

It can die by itself and then trigger the big Katla eruption. I think that on June 6^th 2010, that explosive power could reach its maximum. It is likely to continue well after that, e.g. as Pluto retrogrades over the previous Capricorn position.

On the same page an Icelandic yearbook of 1821 as with the eruption, we have the other major event: Revolt and uproar in Greece! You see that there are no coincidences. Greece and Iceland are feeling the economic pain of the crash to its fullest.

I will probably show you more soon, must sleep!

All the best,

Ivar Palsson

From the internet: The Center for Reproductive Rights has chimed in expressing its disappointment with the deal reached between President Obama and anti-abortion Democrats. Nancy Northup, president of the organization, issued this statement:

The president’s decision to issue an executive order designed to assuage Representative Stupak and his cohorts is a betrayal of millions of women across this country and of his campaign promises. The order lends credibility to an already impossibly flawed policy that punishes and discriminates against poor women by denying them the full range of reproductive health services and their constitutional right. Current policy known as the Hyde Amendment was denounced by President Obama himself as a presidential candidate.

“Current law withholds funding for abortion under Medicaid and other federal programs even though the service is one of the most common procedures for American women. For millions of women, these federal programs are their sole means of getting health services, including reproductive healthcare. Abortion is the only medically necessary health service excluded from this coverage. Failure to provide insurance coverage for a medical procedure that only women need is discrimination.

“It is unacceptable that a pro-choice President has put his imprimatur on a highly restrictive and unjust anti-choice measure. Early on in this debate a good faith compromise supported by pro-choice groups was tossed out to appease Representative Stupak and his cohorts. It is tragic that, under a pro-choice administration and a Democratic majority in Congress, harmful anti-choice policy will be the price American women will pay for health care reform.”

To my mind, if a man could carry children in HIS uterus, we would have free and open access to abortion as the law of the land. If you are the person carrying the child inside of your body for nine to ten months, you are the person who gets to make the decision.

I think it is instructive that many health insurance plans did not cover birth control devices/ methods for women while I was in my reproductive years. They were viewed as an option that women should pay for themselves out of pocket. Once Viagra was invented, and IMMEDIATELY covered by health plans, birth control was finally added to the health coverage too. Such hypocrisy makes me crazy.

Copyright (@) 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather March 15, 2010

As you can see, I was a bit swamped by all the activity going on in my world and just floated away on the energy! Lots of water planets trining all my water planets ~ and off I was carried away by the stream! Apologies for the late column posting!

There is LOTS and lots and LOTS of cosmic activity in the heavens in the week ahead so we’ll be bustling and hopping around down here on earth.

As we begin the week, there are five planets in Pisces water: Jupiter, Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Uranus. The asteroid Athena is in Scorpio and the South Node resides in Cancer. All those water planets are talking to each other in a giant cosmic swirl of energy ~ kind of like a drain in the bottom of the pool.

THAT is A LOT of WATER flying around in the heavens. The ancient astrologers would say there is “too much water” causing us as well as the world to be soggy, damp, swamped and flooded. People are saying they are overwhelmed, flooded, swept away, awash. Emotions are flowing freely with all the water as people cope with all the emotions and feelings swirling around them. Not much ground to be had. We are adrift in a watery sea.

Mercury, the cosmic messenger, is super busy, moving fast and making numerous aspects this week. Mercury is in limitless water at the beginning of the week and at a loss for words or finds communicating with out an up swell of profound emotions to be rather difficult. He’s teary! Look for the tears in people’s eyes. On Wednesday, Mercury changes signs, leaving the oceanic emotional, watery depths of Pisces for the fired up, sassy, passionate and often cutting speech or words of Aries. Mercury’s many aspects promise you will hear all sorts of interesting things ~ good, bad and indifferent things ~ as he whooshes along in the sky this week.

Mercury will ask you to make decisions about continuing or ending relationships. He’s all about getting you clear about where you want to go next. He will advise you to make no more delays ~ it is time to start to move and decide on things. He might ask you to make unpopular decisions as he opposes Saturn and squares Pluto during the week. Mercury also trines Mars in Leo so go with your gut. That will be the good decision to make. Your instincts are correct on this one.

On Saturday, the Sun enters Aries ~ officially starting spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Southern Hemisphere. As the Sun crosses the equator, heading north, it makes the north’s days longer and the south‘s days shorter. Sun’s entry into cardinal fire further reduces the water flowing all around us. Finally we start to dry out a bit and wring out the excess water from our being.

Sun will follow Mercury into conversations with Saturn and Pluto. So, after GETTING information, you’ll want to SEE or DO something about that information starting Saturday and continuing into next week. Sun trines Mars to take effective action. Both Mercury’s information and Sun’s decisions will be some how related to what went on last week, in particular last Tuesday and Wednesday. That was when Venus in Aries rolled over the same position that Mercury and the Sun step into this week. She got the desires out on the table. Now Mercury and the Sun get to act on them. All three of them are getting you ready for what happens this summer, starting June 6 to 8 and going through early August, while we are living under the cardinal cross in the sky. June to August are when Jupiter and Uranus reach the same points as Venus, Mercury and Sun are at now. So make sure to pay attention to what happens THIS WEEK and LAST WEEK as the Universe is giving you a sneak preview about what you can expect this summer.

We find ourselves starting to move forward as Mars is moving direct. Our path is clear. Our direction is not so clear (just yet.) Our direction will be clear soon enough. Start walking down the path. The energy of the week, plus the clean up efforts in the months ahead from mid-April through May and June into late July, will make our direction clear. Start walking down your path. The parts that are clear are ready and waiting for you. Where, exactly, you are going, isn’t QUITE clear yet, but you are on your way!

Can’t you feel it? It is there like the pulse of your heart or the knowledge of sap rising in the trees or the bare bushes starting to turn red as the juice of sun and new life awakens them to a new growth season. We’ve been in a fairly dark winter but now we are moving forward again. All to the good.

Know your path. Don’t worry about your Direction. Start to move forward on your path. And clear out those bad old behaviors that keep getting in your way! Stop them already. Give yourself (and the other guy or gal) a break. Modify and be grateful for the many blessings in your life.

If you make a decision to consciously live your chart (and that includes living and working with the hard parts of your chart too), you will have everything your heart and soul desired. Yes, that is the way it works! Don’t you love astrology?

Monday is a watery, flowing kind of day. We have five planets in Pisces all connected within a few degrees of each other. Moon in Pisces is especially intuitive and connected. The New Moon today takes place right next to Mercury and Uranus so expect unexpected emotional communications or connections to take place. There is a desire for culmination, emotional relations, union and unity. On the other hand, the Sabian Image for the Sun and Moon is “A NEW MOON REVEALS THAT IT’S TIME FOR PEOPLE TO GO AHEAD WITH THEIR DIFFERENT PROJECTS while the Sabian Image for Uranus and Mercury is A HARVEST MOON ILLUMINATES THE SKY.

Think about it for a minute ~ Uranus the great divider and revolutionary is joined to Mercury the great communicator and guide to the heart’s desires. The two of them are sitting right on top of the Sun and Moon. Sun and Moon represent your purpose for existing as well as your emotional needs that need to be met for you to be happy. How powerful a new beginning we have today. Work with the energy of the New Moon as it starts to separate from the lunation and rolls over Uranus and Mercury. Mercury joins Uranus to make you learn something especially important today ~ perhaps even a bit shocking but still part of what you need to know.

Tuesday’s Moon in Aries has lovely closing aspects so if you didn’t get a chance to have a new Moon ritual last night, do one today or tomorrow on the rising Aries energy. Mercury is particularly active today as he talks to Neptune. Note your dreams upon awakening. Uranus points out that you may not be able to work with this particular partner. One of you is going to have to change. And it probably won’t be the other guy who changes! Uranus wants to break free while Juno in fixed earth says I am who I am. Deal with me! Know that while the inherent nature of partners is “supposed” to be to support each other, sometimes you get partners that drive you crazy. The crazy making partners are there to help you learn how to own your own side of the story. Words that wound can fly today! Be conscious. Be clear. Suck it up. Apologize if you were wrong. And maybe apologize even if you weren’t wrong but were just driven over the edge because they made you so crazed you wanted to jump. I am not suggesting you roll over and play dead. Bad behavior is bad behavior. Focus instead on the bigger picture here. Move towards the goal. Once Venus figures out HOW to partner, by incorporating a carrot with a stick or by simply visualizing how you’d like the partnering energy to work between you, it will shift. Focus and breathe.

Wednesday finds the Aries Moon supporting Mercury’s journey into Aries. Mercury has words today! He’s no longer swamped and overwhelmed. He’s got his mouth and his mojo back. No more rolling in the endless waves of emotional oceans. Remember that sharpness of tongue comes with Mercury in Aries. Your words (or their words) can cut like a razor blade. Sun joins Uranus while you are sleeping so expect illumination in or from your dreams. Make sure to note the “AH-HA” moment today. It should be profound. It will shift how you see things. Again we have a number of Mercury aspects today as he talks to bunches of people as he leaves Pisces to enter Aries. A wise person once said “ I know I am pushing your buttons. HOWEVER, THEY ARE YOUR BUTTONS!” If someone pushes your buttons today, put some cotton balls over them. Or pad them. Or decorate them. Or wear a down vest zipped up so they can’t push them. You are in charge of how you respond to your buttons being pushed! Expect a brilliant idea of how to proceed as Mercury works with Mars and the Node ~ you don’t HAVE to do it the same old way do you? You can change. Come on, you KNOW you can change. Maybe hire an electrician to unhook your buttons? Once they are not hard wired any more, you’ll find it much easier to deal. Focus on where you are going. The path is clear. The direction is not so clear.

Thursday Mercury has even MORE aspects. Again, aren’t you amazed at all you have learned the past few days? Moon is void from 7:23 am to Noon:29 EDT so take the morning to follow up on pleasurable or routine things. Mercury is quite happy today as he opposes Saturn ~ he gets to see his pattern and understand it via the face off or opposition from the other. Is there common ground you can agree on? Venus is content to expand and play tonight. Expect brilliant ideas to flow in. Mercury is joined to Venus and Jupiter by declination so buy the communication equivalent of a lottery ticket ~ ask for what you want tonight. You will get a yes or at least heard clearly and they will try to make it happen.

Friday finds Moon in Taurus dealing with feeling good but wanting to be more laid back. Ceres enters Capricorn to become more focused on good parenting and to enhance the areas that need to be nurtured in a solid, reliable and dependable manner. Rearrange furniture or order the new sofa. It will be exactly what you want once you are done moving stuff around. Again, this is a lovely day to ask for your desire. You may not get it but ask so they can start to work on it.

Saturn’s day is a bit stressed but quite active. Mercury squares Pluto while you sleep so your dreams will include power dynamics and struggles over who gets what. Sun enters Aries and starts the spring season. Sun also fights with the maternal principle so for the most part, people are not feeling emotionally supported by those who they WANT to support them. A mother I knew used to say to her kids, “I didn’t give birth to you to put you adrift on an ice floe.” You or the people in your life might feel a bit adrift on an ice floe. No problem! The ice will melt soon. Or the zipper on their /your jacket will reflect the sun so the rescue planes can appear. Some times life can feel hard. Today is such day. However, this too shall pass so focus on what or where you are headed. You know the path. You don’t know the direction yet. Work On the part you know. No stressing about the part you don’t know. Enjoy the process. Count your blessings.

Sun Moon in Gemini makes for a chatty, social kind of day. The closing aspects are timed to support connections and creation. There is a lot of get stuff moving energy in the day so tackle the projects you’ve been avoiding or postponing. You’ll be surprised how fast it actually goes or takes. Mercury has a cup of tea and the rest of the energy is about helping the Sun stand for what it believes in. Sun has a hard aspect to Saturn after it decides what action to take so no regrets. Listen to you description of who you are. Is that STILL who you are? Venus square to the Node suggests that love has a choice. She can go up or down. Choose up for Venus. Choose toward the light.

Reader Mail:

Bill of VA wrote: I am not a financial person but...Money market funds may not be redeemable in a crisis based on an SEC decision: Suspending Money Market Redemptions Is Now Legal; SEC Approves New Money Market Regulation In 4-1 Vote. Meltdown Zero Hedge discussed a month ago the disastrous prospects of what would happen if the new proposal contemplated by the SEC, which would allow the suspension of redemptions from Money Market Funds, were to pass. Well, in a nearly unanimous vote, Money Market Funds now have the ability to suspend redemptions, courtesy of the SEC's just passed 4-1 vote. This explains the negative rate on bills: at this point, should there be another meltdown, money market investors will not, repeat not, be able to withdraw their money purely on the whim of Mary Shapiro (June 19, 1955, Long Island, NY), the head of the SEC. As the SEC noted following the vote: "We understand that suspending redemptions may impose hardships on investors who rely on their ability to redeem shares." Too bad investors' hardships considerations ended up being completely irrelevant.

Anne answers: Thanks Bill. I wasn’t aware of that the SEC voted to Suspend Money Market Redemptions. It makes sense. There could be a run on the money market funds in the event of a financial meltdown. The funds would have to sell stocks to redeem the shares, causing a death spiral of sorts. Of course, passing that law NOW makes me think, they are aware of how close we are to ANOTHER financial meltdown. We astrologers KNOW there is going to be another meltdown (August 2 and June 6-8). Back when ENRON collapsed, people were unable to sell or cash out their 401K holdings and were wiped out financially as they watched. I guess mattresses are a good idea after all!

When Venus entered the square to Pluto and the opposition to Saturn last week, the news was “GET BACK into the financial markets and start trading again!” My comment to the radio station was “Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me!” The FIRST financial collapse happened when Pluto entered Capricorn. Pluto was all by himself ~ a lonesome fellow, alone, who wreaked all kinds of havoc on the financial markets. This summer Pluto has a HUGE fight with Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus. Three against one ~ not great odds! When the planetary gods fight, it gets hot down here on earth too.

Preserve your principle. While the money seems to “disappear” overnight, it actually goes into someone’s hands. Keep your money in your own hands.

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather March 8, 2010

“Anger is a secondary emotion.” the very wise 15 year old Veronica said to her mother Maureen. “What?” replied her mother. “Anger is a secondary emotion.” Veronica repeated.

Mars stations this week so anger will be front and center. As will envy, action, war, aggression, drive, sex, power, energy, rage and acting out ~ all various forms of Mars energy. Temper tantrums. Because Mars is stopped in the sky, unfortunately, we will probably notice all the harder and more primal versions of Mars energy dancing around the room. Mars can’t move so he is frustrated. Anger is a secondary emotion of Mars‘ drive to DO SOME THING! See if you can find the primary emotion of Mars or some other planet (hint: look at planets in aspect to your Mars) at work under the secondary emotion of Anger. That is the emotional front to focus on and channel.

Underneath, behind, or inside anger, there was a primary feeling that appeared right before the anger. We always feel something right before anger. Drop down into your angry feelings and identify the triggering feeling beneath the anger. If you sit in your anger, you don’t actually know WHAT to DO to make it go away. You are angry. If you can identify the triggering emotion for your anger, you can strategize a solution or actions to take.

Anger can be an intense emotion because it means we feel strongly about something! Anger can teach us about what we value, need, lack, desire, believe as well as point out our insecurities. Anger tells us which emotional needs are important to us.

Of course, when we are angry, we downshift into a lower evolutionary level ~ back towards those early cave man or cave woman years. Primal. Primitive. Angry. Anger allows us to survive too!

Ask what you are afraid of. Figure out what feelings preceded your anger. Look to see if there is something you are trying to control or that is out of control. Consider what choices you have. See if there are other feelings inside of you muddling up the source.

Reframe the anger ~ make it be “Energized!” Say to yourself “I feel energized by my anger to put my skills to the most productive use. I am going to use my anger productively and not let it to go to waste.”

Anger is from Old Norse angr meaning “trouble, sorrow.” and ultimately from an Indo-European base meaning “tight, painful,”. It is the ancestor of English anxious, anguish, hangnail, and angina. Mars in the sign of the heart, Leo, stopped, means lots of heart attacks ~ literally, spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Call the doctor at the first sign of pain!

In addition to Mars stopping in the sky on Wednesday, Venus is in Aries. As my old astrology teacher used to say Venus in Aries is “Hunt them, hump them, dump them.” She wants what she wants when she wants it. She LIKES to hunt. Unfortunately, her hunting is circumscribed this week, as the ruler of Aries, Mars, is stopped in the heavens. Venus also is EXCEPTIONALLY frustrated as first she opposes Saturn on Tuesday and she squares Pluto on Thursday ~ straddling the Mars station on Wednesday.

Suffice to say this is NOT a good week to have a pleasant or friendly conversation with someone about matters ruled by either Venus or Mars ~ love, money, partnership, sex, actions toward commitment or those type of energies come to mind. The energy is rather harsh and uncompromising. It is a GREAT week to break up with someone! It is a GREAT week to clear the air and get all the dirty laundry out into the world for all to see ~ especially dirty laundry about misused money, love or actions. People will reverse their positions this week too.

You may find yourself feeling rather ANGRY or negative versions of Mars. Dig to the deeper emotion below it. Venus entering into the harsh dialogue between Saturn and Pluto makes a realization about her limits in the areas they rule. No she probably can’t have what she wants when she wants it ~ there are rules that she has to follow. No she doesn’t have the power or ability to bend the situation to meet her desires ~ the triangle has two on one side while she is on the other. Two against one means she can lose.

Watch for two against one situations ~ that is the negative form of the power triad taking place this week. Attempt to open up the triangle if it feels safe to you. It may not feel safe to open up the triangle, in which case, notice that there is a triangle energy operating in the story and wait a bit until Mars gets some speed and Venus separates from her Saturn and Pluto aspect. Dig into the anger you feel to find the primary emotion. It is in there. Triangles are difficult for most of us. This is a difficult triangle week.

There also are a BUNCH of planets in WATER ~ Pisces to be specific. The planets are Mercury, Jupiter, Sun and Uranus which represent our actions of communication, relationships, ego purpose and creativity. Pisces planets get overwhelmed fairly easily. They want to run away and hide. Actually, they swim off like little fish to seek safety from the storms. So we will find our ability to communicate, connect, express what our needs are for ourselves are as well as our creative ideas a bit on the soggy or wet side as well as skittish like a school of scared fish. Tears will flow from our eyes very easily.

Feelings or quiet statements like “I feel flooded.” come out of our mouths. We will hear words like flooded, swamped, adrift, afloat, drowning, wet, soaked, inundated, drenched, underwater, or in over my head. All part of that energy system in the sky asking us to get clear on what is important to us. Lots of water planets. There is a life raft around if you look for it. You are not alone in the sea all by yourself. Wait till you ride to the top of a wave and look for the lift raft.

If we combine all the water with the fire energy of Venus and Mars, we get hot water. We’ll hear “I am so steamed”. Words like boiling over, head of steam, hot water, cooking, simmering, bubbling, percolating, pressed, pressurized (think pressure cooker ~ water and heat!), torrid, roasting, and blistering will come out of our mouths. Or other people‘s mouths. Encourage them to look for the primary emotion under those words too!

We are back to mid-October 2009 with the Mars station. We will bring up the week or so before December 20, 2009 when Mars created a situation that we’ve had to work with for the last few months. Now Mars stops to go forward and we get clear on what exactly was REALLY going on. All to the good. Once we are clear on it, we know what we want to do.

This week is NOT when you are necessarily going to get clear. This is the week when the information ARRIVES, stirring up all those emotions from back last October and December. After all the water has a chance to simmer down, you get to process the anger or what ever gets stirred up this week. Just go with the flow. Mars stopped in the sky is a powerful paused energy. All sorts of things POP out of people’s mouths and hearts when Mars pauses.

Mars is in Leo until June 7. You’ll process and work through the energy of Mars in Leo between now and then. No need to push the ocean of energy this week or attempt to overcome that stopped Mars energy. Notice, gather information, pause, watch the anger or whatever the Mars energy brings up ~ look below the surface to see what it is the PRIMARY emotion. THAT PRIMARY EMOTION is what you are supposed to work with between now and June. Get clear on what it is this week so you can work with it over the next couple of months as Mars retraces his steps in Leo.

Monday is the Moon’s day. Mars is stopped in the sky. The Moon in fire Sagittarius in the morning and earth Capricorn in the afternoon have good closing aspects for getting work accomplished. Venus has positive aspects today with reorganizing and connecting the dots. Pay attention to the emotions swirling around today. Venus also has hard aspects to Saturn, making you see a situation VERY clearly that perhaps you had not seen before. Emotional clarity is at hand as the Moon sets off the week’s t-square of Venus opposite Saturn and square Pluto with her fast movement through it in the afternoon and early evening. The Moon in Capricorn is ever practical. While you may SEE what you are frustrated by, it is not the time to take action on it. Most of the time, we don’t actually pay attention to things going on around us. Today you will. Notice. Take notes. Plan on taking action next week, after the new moon. The energy of release is happening now ~ not the energy of creation. Release to freedom.

Tuesday is Mars’ day so expect the anger to really rise. Venus is in the midst of flowing through and forming a t-square with Saturn and Pluto. In early June, 6 to 8, the situation before you today will be resolved when Jupiter and Uranus blow it up and cause a new kind of creation. Notice it. Venus opposite Saturn says your night dreams are going to be of frustration and blockage so make sure to notice what they are. Mars is stopped in the sky, building up the tension of blocked energy. Part of this frustration is from old childhood patterns and beliefs. Another part is because you actually NURTURE it or are REWARDED by it. You might have very good reasons for nurturing it - or you certainly did have good reasons in the past. However, NOW the nurturing or rewarding is getting on your last nerve.

One of my favorite stories is about the 3 year old at the diner. He was there with his mother and father. He was whining. His mother took care of his every whine. Whiners always get on my nerves so I noticed him and his mother because they annoyed me ~ whine -react, whine -react. Dad sat silently eating. Mom got up to go to the bathroom. The kid whined at his father to pour the ketchup. Dad says “That whining shit doesn‘t work with me! It only works with your mother.” The little boy paused. He asked his father, in a very grown up manner, without a trace of whine in his voice, for the ketchup. The dad complied, taking the cap off the bottle and passing the ketchup. They ate in silence. Mom returns. And, of course, the kid starts to whine again. She starts to react again.

Notice what you are whining about. Notice who is whining at you. Stopped Mars can be whiny ~ frustration about how to get what you want. Mars is blocked now. Mars will open up soon enough. Does the whining thing still work for you? Do you still reward whining? Did whining USE to work? Keep whining as a skill but consider developing other skills too! That 3 year old got it. You can get it too! Mars stopped and Venus frustrated says time to develop new skills to get what you want!

Wednesday is Mercury’s day so the communications principle is dancing around the room. Mars stops today. Mars stops every 18 months or so. We as a people don’t deal with his stopped energy very well. We get quite frustrated and pertutized by the pause. Today is maximum frustration. Tomorrow it all starts to be relieved and we feel like we are moving forward again. Remember Anger is a secondary emotion ~ dig for what the stopped Mars is bringing up for you. Mercury has an aspect of brilliance with Pluto ~ so the heavens will reveal some very important information to you. Pay attention to what comes out of the mouths of others in their frustration. Remember YOU know about astrology. They just are having a bad day and talking too much! Pay attention to what others say and do today as they are revealing, revealing, revealing who they are. Saturn wants you to understand the security in the old behaviors. Whining worked for the kid. His mother couldn’t take it and gave him whatever he wanted when he whined. It was fairly obvious that his father was of my school ~ whining didn‘t work with dad. The kid was smart enough to modify his behavior to get what he wanted from his father. Now the habits, in YOUR case, are much more ingrained (20 years, 33 years, 45 years, 55 years, 70 years) and embedded in your being than the 3 year old boy’s habits were. However ALL habits can be changed. Mars rules our HABITUAL ways of taking actions. We all take actions in ways that work for us or were rewarded in our past. Now we are being asked by the universe to learn NEW actions because the old actions are completely blocked.

Thursday is Jupiter’s day and finds Venus squaring Pluto. So what do you suppose would happen if there was a video recording the 3 year old son’s and dad’s interchange? And then you showed the video to the mom. Do you think the whining would stop? Do you think mom and son would change their behavior dynamic? Or ~ most important question ~ does the dynamic SERVE the mother and son? Often our more difficult dynamics SERVE the relationship some how. Because the dynamics give US something as well as give the other guy something. The kid whined and got what he wanted. The mother gave him what he wanted because he whined. Deeper than that ~ whined. Why didn’t ASK work, like it did with dad? Because WHINED was reinforced as a behavior more than ASKED. Mom reacted faster to whined than asked. The kid used whine because it worked! Dad doesn’t like whine, so ask works with dad. Be as creative as the kid. Try a new technique to get the ketchup. Even if it makes you a bit nervous. It will work. Moon in Aquarius has lovely closing aspects for things begun today.

Friday, Venus rules the roost. She’s clear of the t-square with Saturn and Pluto. The energy shift will be palpable today. Mercury connected you to some whopping amazing dreams last night. Make sure to note them upon awakening. Sun joins with the Node today so pay attention to who you meet or connect with. They will be important to your future. Get those business cards and contact information! Otherwise it is a day with few aspects but MARS IS MOVING FORWARD so you can too!

Saturn’s day has a long void moon in the morning and Moon enters Pisces in the after noon with decent closing aspects so the weekend offers you an opportunity to get a lot accomplished. Moon is going to set off all the Pisces planets so dancing is a good idea. Swimming. Singing. Movement. Playing in the great outdoors and doing a spring thing! YEAH! Mars is direct! Think back on the week you just had and review it from the perspective of the soul’s journey. Pisces is always about our interconnections on a soul level to experiences that broaden our horizons or make us think more about what we are attempting to accomplish. Like the oceans connect us all on earth in a swirl of energy, planets moving through Pisces are at the end of their journey and ready for the new dream to emerge in a soon to arrive Spring in our chart and the world‘s chart.

We are finishing up an 84 year cycle with Uranus in the late degrees of Pisces, asking us to start a new chapter of creativity, chaos, change and creation in June. We are finishing up a 12 year cycle with Jupiter in Pisces asking us to start a new cycle of relationships, community, spirituality, beliefs and connections in June. That is part of why I’ve been encouraging you to come up with your new mythology. All this change is coming! And a brand new cycle of creation will begin on June 6-8. Today you get to see the patterns that contributed to your OLD cycle clearly. If you understand your PATTERNS you can change them to fit your new dreams. You can also modify your PATTERNS to work with your life.

My friend Marianne’s Mom, now in her 90s, was a 50’s wife. She often entertained her husband’s clients at galas and parties. She had a favorite pattern for her formal dresses ~ scoop neck, tight bodice, a-line sheath, with wide tank straps ~ sleeveless. She had the dress made in various fabrics with jackets, wraps or stoles to match. In all the party photos of Marianne‘s parents, there Mom was in the same dress, different fabric and adjusted style of jacket/ wrap/ stole. There are patterns in your life that WORK for you. There are patterns in your life that DID work for you but now need to be replaced, refreshed or discarded. There are new patterns you can add. Today you get to start to figure out which patterns you want to keep and which ones need to be replaced and what new ones you would like to add. Review the patterns.

Sun’s day the pattern seeing planet, Pallas, stations to go retrograde. Over the next few months, until June 24, as Pallas goes backwards in Scorpio, helping you review your patterns with an eye toward what works and should be kept versus what needs to be sent to the recycle bin. Patterns exist because they are easy guides to create something. You are in the process of creating a new mythology for yourself. Some of the patterns are good and keep working for you. Use them over and over again, like Marianne’s mom did. Other patterns? Well, it IS time to drop them. Make a note of what those patterns are that you want to replace or get rid of. Today Mercury joins with the Sun in Pisces so you see very clearly how to support your Sun as it soon starts a new one year journey. You understand your soul’s point of view. Listen to it. And aren’t you feeling happy now that Mars is going direct!?

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather March 1, 2010

It will be a wicked wild week for all kinds of misunderstandings, eruptions of anger and dramas. Your job is to pick your way carefully through the emotions and not get caught up in them. Remember MOST of the world doesn’t know that Mars is stationing in Leo aspecting both Saturn and Venus and forming a Finger of God with Mercury. The level of repressed anger and envy running around the ethers will be rather high. If anger or envy comes flying your way, duck, move aside and let it zip by. If you get a direct hit of anger or envy from someone, pluck it out of your body, drop it on the ground and dust yourself and your clothing off. Understand a lot of what is going on right now is tied to projection as well as simple misinterpretation. They are angry and want to lash out. You just happened to be standing nearby. They project their anger onto you. The lash descends. It is not fun but that is what is going on in the heavens.

If we want to take the vision of the energy HIGHER and understand what the Universe is asking us to do via the sky pictures, you are being asked to revision your life and get a new, more functional mythology for YOURSELF! The Universe wants some change in your interfaces with others and world view. We humans don’t like to change. We often wait to change under pain of loss. We want the OTHER guy to change, while WE get to stay the same! It doesn’t work that way.

Often when someone sits across from me at my counseling table, they will talk to me about wanting their partner or situation to change and be more this or that. Depending on where they are in their own self awareness, I will smile or I will poke back at them. Unfortunately, the other guy or the situation isn‘t going to change. They like themselves just the way they are, thank you very much. They will change when they are good and ready to change and not a moment sooner. Would YOU change because someone wants you to change? DO you change because someone asks you to change? Most of us don’t or won’t. We are who we are.

On occasion, when the situation or potential loss is big enough or bold enough or scary enough, a person will change. But that is the exception more than the rule. We are who we are.

One of the nice things about astrology is it shows you the natal potential of who or how the person, including yourself, is PROBABLY going to act. It gives you time frames for when things are going down or coming to a head. It is not that we CAN’T change. We can and we do change all the time. But we ARE creatures of habits with embedded routines that do tend to reassert themselves like weeds in a garden that is not tended. Vigilance and active consciousness are the keys to keeping that garden of yours growing the way you want it to grow. Otherwise, your garden will go to weed. Or better said, Nature takes her course and puts your garden back into a natural state, which includes things we call weeds.

Over the last months, your natural gardener, Mars, has been on vacation or out of commission. The frustration that erupts this week is realizing that your garden has gone to seed YET AGAIN and started sprouting weeds YET AGAIN. Do you still want to tend this garden of yours in the way you‘ve been used to tending it?

When the old myths and beliefs are dying, the world gets crabby and cranky. Crusades happen. Wars take place. People quit. And people fight with each other. The higher version of working with the changes is sitting quietly and noting the frustration and anger. Trace the frustration and anger to its source. Notice what Mars is all steamed up about. That is what he is trying to change and feeling frustrated or thwarted by. There actually is nothing wrong. They are doing what they have always done, in support of the mythology established between you two. There actually is nothing WRONG with your garden that a session or two with a competent gardener can‘t fix. (Hint: You are the gardener!)

As Mars draws to stop before his station next week on the 10^th, he’s back reviewing the stories, problems and situations from mid-October 2009. If you (or they) didn’t get what you wanted, over the next few weeks you will have an opportunity to re-address the inequities in the story from them to get what you want. You will have a chance to pull the weeds that grew in your garden and get it looking the way you want it to look.

You will also have an opportunity to do a few other things besides continuing to tend your garden the way you always have. Lets think about them. First: they aren‘t going to change, that job is yours. You are in charge of YOUR changes. They get to be in charge of their changes. That is how life works. And YES, it is tough some times to watch or live with people making bad choices for themselves but that is the way it is. Make good choices for yourself.

Second, you don‘t have to hang out in your garden pulling weeds in frustration any more. You have options: You can let it go to seed. You can pave it over. You can put in a swimming pool. You can hire a gardener to pull the weeds for you. You can sell the property and move into a condo overlooking a botanical garden tended by others. You can talk to a professional gardener and get some new ideas about how to work with the garden you have a bit better. It is no use planting shade loving plants when you have 12 hours of southern exposure sun or vice versa. Learn to work with the climate, growing zone and type of soil you have ~ find plants that like those conditions. Or perhaps, you can build a raised garden bed, filled with the perfect soil for what you want to grow with rabbit fence to keep the bunnies out. It is all about YOUR mythology and what YOU want to grow in your garden of life.

So no yelling at people. And don’t let anyone yell at you. Tell them to stop. Tell them to tend to their own garden and you will tend to yours.

Our week features Venus entering Aries where she will be opposed to Saturn and square to Pluto ~ not fun for the Goddess of Love. Mercury is diving into the water of Pisces from 20,000 detached air feet to become MUCH more emotional as he enters Pisces. He also joins with Jupiter giving him expansive ideas that are incredibly hard to put into words at this moment. In a bit you‘ll have words for the ideas that come in this week. .

Moon’s day Monday find the Moon in Virgo and Libra with a big void moon between 12:30 pm and 7:31 pm EST. This afternoon is a great time for mundane, routine, get it finished kind of tasks. Mercury enters Pisces and loses his detachment, becoming much more emotional. He also forms a Finger of God with Mars and Saturn, perfecting his Mars energy today. You will be offered a choice today or tomorrow about how you want to proceed with your life. Have your dream list ready to go. Be clear what you are looking to have happen in your world. Mercury all about carrying the message. Watch for anger or envy today as Mars is feeling a flush of energy from Mercury‘s fluid but doesn’t have words to express it as the energy is moving back wards. You may be asked to redo something that you thought was settled today. Take advantage of the opportunity.

Mars’ day, Tuesday, finds Uranus arguing with the maternal principle. You are not your parents. You are an evolutionary being all by yourself. Your children are not you or your desires. There is a bunch of energy today that wants us to grow up and get over it. Let it go and move on. Take the higher road and release. Saturn has a brilliant aspect with Neptune so do make sure to follow up on the idea that involves your work or your deepest dreamed desire. Work on your new mythology today. Tell the story of you to someone you’ve never met. When you get to the part where you usually insert some sad part of your life, skip over it and move on. Adjust or change your story to allow for the universe to offer you guidance. Listen to what the other person says. Sit in silence and listen for what wants to partner with you in a productive manner. This is also a wicked day for projection. Mercury perfects his Finger of God with Saturn today. Live in the moment. Watch for angry outbursts today about how you don‘t do anything for them or the partnership. Remember you know astrology, they don‘t. They are projecting their anger on to you. Drift away. Ignore it. Move on.

Mercury’s day, Wednesday has a LONG void moon from 3:44 pm to 9:11 pm EST so schedule kick back and have a cup of tea time for then. In the morning you should be able to get a great deal accomplished in relationships or partnerships. You can meet difficult important people today ~ people that make you work for what you want (which isn’t a bad thing just a bit of a pain). OR you could receive an offer or paperwork that doesn’t exactly match what you discussed and agreed upon. Make sure to double check all fine print before signing off or agreeing. Venus joins Uranus offering freedom from. Go for it! Freedom to be who and what you dream.

Thursday is Jupiter’s day with a Scorpio passionate moon and great closing aspects. Today is quite busy and full of conflict or stresses. Remember you are focusing on YOUR garden, not theirs. Keep what YOU want in the shadows at the edge of your mind so you can pull the list out. It is an adjustment day. You have to adjust your image of what you want to incorporate other people’s version of reality. You can certainly keep your own but they have THEIR vision too. Investigate how to do it. Your dreams from last night could guide you so try to remember them upon awakening. Lots of dreams talking to us these days. Give yourself permission to laugh out loud this evening.

Friday is Venus ruled with Moon in Scorpio and simply LOVELY closing aspects. Again things end well that are begun today with a trine from passionate Scorpio moon to last degree Venus in her exaltation in Pisces. Mercury will take you on ACTION dreams tonight. Watch who you vanquish or conquer. Who is preventing your garden from growing? What do you have to do to clear the story of the villain? Venus might hear wounding words from a loved one based on what went on earlier in the week. Have her back up a bit and focus on what SHE wants from life. Does it need to be readjusted. Anger and tempers can flare today as Mars in Hot, Hot, Hot!

Saturn’s day is fairly quiet and peaceful emotionally even as you want to go out and DO things with the active Sagittarius Moon with excellent closing aspects. Things begun under this moon end well. Vesta wants you to make connections to people or situations that remind you of home. You may dream of people or situations from your early home life. Mercury is inspired to try new approaches to gardening. Pisces is the time when we DREAM of what we are going to plant for the next growing season. Day and Night dreams are inspired today. Neptune sextiles Ceres so get an early start to create good forward motion.

Sun’s day Venus enters Aries and gets mighty fierce. She’s a hunting Venus in Aries as well as a bit impatient. She does get to connect to stationing Mars in a very kind and connected way. Sun has an aspect of brilliance to Pluto so the idea is excellent and make sure to follow up on it ~ particularly if it involves triangles or three components. Mercury joins Jupiter and has his dreams expand and explode into the abundance of creation. While they may be wordless dreams, the energetic flow of the ideas is what you are looking for. Moon in Sagittarius has lovely closing aspects to Neptune. What IS your new mythology?

Reader Mail:

Katie wrote: I have a wild question regarding Tuesday and Wednesday last week, when you pointed out specific periods of time for probable communication mishaps/ misunderstandings/etc. I am curious as to in the online world, whether this applies to when the sender writes the message, or when the receiver later receives the message. Should a sender first think, "Hm, this person might receive this message during the 'bad' time, so I should put off writing it"? or would the astrology only apply to when a receiver reads the message - and therefore, whatever is in the message, the reaction depends on what time it was read?

Hope this makes sense! I am curious because a relative read something I'd written much earlier in the day during the 'bad' time of Wednesday and went off the rails at me! yikes!

Anne answers: I think I will say YES to all your questions, Katie. The energy can go either way. You can be the one who sends it or receives it depending on your chart. You can actually have both happen ~ you can get annoyed and annoy the other. The energy is just hanging around waiting for an opportunity to be misunderstood. So four Yeses for you!

Stephanie wrote: I once was told by another astrologer something about couples who are 7 years or so apart not being suitable long-term relationship material particularly if the Saturn Saturn aspects is a square.....What do you think about that theory?

Anne answers: Saturn is ALWAYS present when you have a long-term relationship. It is hanging out, aspecting the other planets. At seven years of the relationship, Saturn will square the start of the relationship’s Saturn as well as set off a resonance between their individual Saturn/ Saturn square. So it means they will have to work harder at it (Saturn) during that period. Same with all intervals of Saturn, 14 ½, 22, 29 ~ work harder or it goes down.

A good friend of mine has that situation with her husband. There was first stress during the first year at 7 months when the arc was set off (See my pinball article on this website for more info on this). Seven years out, he left due to a combined family and drug issue. They reconciled. Seven years later, he left for combined family and career reasons. They did not reconcile. Her therapist at the time said “Well, he’s good for 6 years and bad for one. That is not a bad track record. Can you live with that?” My friend decided no. Their relationship had children. They are terrific friends and co-parents. Seven years later, he remarried with the new wife integrated into the family. I figure she will remarry at the next seven year mark once the kids are raised and out of the house.

Seven years is a darn good run. Just work hard at the crossroads and do your Saturn!

Marie wrote: What can we do to keep our hard earned money safe? Move it from stocks to GIC or turn it into cash ready to invest when the smoke clears? Is there really anything we can do to keep our money and not lose everything we worked so hard for?

Anne answers: No worries, Marie. Take your money off the table before they crash the market. The money doesn’t GO any where ~ some one takes it. It doesn’t disappear. The goal is to preserve your principle. Any instrument that can LOSE the principle should be avoided or minimized. Money markets, cash, mattresses, gold, land, things that are solid are fine. See below for what was discussed at the conference I attended last week in Boston. Once the market drops, you will still have your money and are able to buy back in.

Mundane:

I attended an astrology conference last week where Arch “Crash” Crawford said the market tops this week on March 3, and starts to decline now. Crawford’s newsletter is well respected on Wall Street, top listed by Barrons, and combines astrology with research. He’s never seen the level of difficulty in the upcoming aspects in the stock market’s history. His nickname is from the traders at Merrill Lynch where he worked for many years. He earned the moniker “Crash” by accurately predicting crashes. He anticipates the truly dramatic drop will take place on August 2, 2010 based on the events from June/ July 2010. Start moving your money into secure placements ~ cash, gold, land, money markets. Your job, unless you are a speculator, is to preserve your principle by removing your pile of stocks from the table before the coming crash.

Wicked week for all kinds of misunderstandings and dramas, violent or verbal. Expect eruptions ~ including from volcanoes. Mars is stationing in Leo aspecting both Saturn and Venus. The repressed anger is going to be building and building. Venus is entering Aries where she will be opposed to Saturn and square to Pluto so negotiations will collapse. Mercury is diving into the water of Pisces from 20,000 detached air feet to become MUCH more emotional. Mercury is also forming a Finger of God so partnerships will be blowing up all over the place.

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Full Moon February 28, 2010

9:59 Pisces Sun and Virgo Moon

11:38 am EST

8:38 am EST

The Full Moon takes place across the Pisces -Virgo axis. Jupiter is joined to the Sun in Pisces opposite the Moon in Virgo. The expansive energy of Jupiter in the sign of the Sea will make us all emotional, expansive, connected and related to others around us. The Moon in Virgo offers discrimination skills to that emoting connectedness as well as a desire to be of service to others and take care of them. The idea behind the Pisces/Virgo axis is developing work and solid actual skills to transcend the collective and meet the needs of others.

Pisces/Virgo is my favorite axis as a good Virgo energy makes the world function in a fabulous manner while the Pisces energy allows you to see the soul’s higher needs and soul’s purpose. Both signs help us evolve to the next higher place we are headed ~ out into the collective to partner with the world or back into ourselves for a deeper and more profound experience as we give birth to ourselves once again. Both signs take place as we leave the mutable energy and the death of the previous life and prepare to go forward to the next chapter. New seasons begin after both Virgo and Pisces ~ we are at such a crossroads in our life and the heavens.

“All pain is the pain of birth” according to Nietzsche. This Full Moon has some pain in it as we come to difficult realizations about ourselves or others. Mars Retrograde is drawing to a slow stop pointing out to our Sun and our ego where we connect in difficult ways with our own best interest. Kind of like knowing you are full yet not quite ready to stop eating ~ you push past the point of satiety into pain. The pain of recognition. The pain that you aren’t the only one in the story. The deeper understanding of what you project onto the other guy or perhaps finally seeing what they project onto you. The pain of not being fully seen. So often in life, we filter out the parts of the story that support our soul’s growth and focus on the criticism from the other that dampens our soul’s path.

This is one of those moons where you need to watch what you say to yourself and watch what others say to you. Neptune and Chiron are immersed with Mercury right now. Any wounding words that come your way, notice them and reframe them. Any healing words that come your way, grab them and hold onto them. Words are where we get ourselves into problems with others and our own soul.

Take time to sit quietly in either rain, snow, bath or the shower and reflect on the harsh words you’ve heard through out your life. Understand the universe wants to bath them right out of your being. Venus joined with Uranus in late Pisces says it is all about love and change. As Mercury starts to separate from his union with Neptune and Chiron, I want you focusing on the new mythology you are developing and operating under.

I am attending an astrology conference. One of the lectures, Eric Francis, spoke about all the new discoveries operating in the heavens and how to integrate their meaning into our charts. He faced resistance from those who say the old traditional way is better. Yes, there are conservatives in astrology too! Eric posed the question “Would you rather have a physician from the 1400s operate on your body or would you prefer one trained in the more modern techniques?” Asked that way, it is kind of a no brainer to answer.

Pose Eric’s question to yourself. “Do you want to operate under the old belief systems and mythology that has guided you thus far in your life?” Or are you willing to upgrade your mythology, techniques and beliefs to try out and incorporate some new cool stuff that you‘ve learned about yourself in your many years of life?

It is a dual world. You can look at things knowing it is not so black and white. Shades of grey abound. There are all sorts of levels of ambiguity. You can love and hate someone at the same time as well as wanting to be with them and desiring your independence at the same time. It takes imagining your new mythology for your life and starting to talk about it with the people closest to you. Get them talking about the changing mythology in their life too. We are all approaching a Cosmic Crossroads in June. We need to have our visions and plans ready to go!

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian image for the Moon is TWO HEADS LOOKING OUT AND BEYOND THE SHADOWS

Commentary: ‘Two Heads Looking Out and Beyond the Shadows’ is a Symbol of duality of thought and observation. This Symbol shows people looking at each other from a ‘Shadowy’, hidden perspective, as though they are checking each other out. The “Two Heads” can illustrate groups of people having different perspectives, or occupying different camps, ‘Looking Out’ and trying to understand, or investigate, what the “other” is doing.

Oracle: At the moment you may need to be able to see things from more than one side. While what’s happening may not be entirely visible or obvious, it is necessary to look beyond the ‘Shadows’ and into the light. If you feel stuck in a situation because the details of what’s really happening are unclear, try making some type of plan. Mapping out what alternatives there are and the outcomes of possible scenarios will be beneficial. The right plan of action can lead to light being shed and things being revealed. As there are ‘Two Heads’ two people observing the same thing can come to very different conclusions. There may be arguments, bickering and stalemates as they find it hard to agree with each other. Their observations can be quite different, but this can lead to interesting and useful solutions. The ‘Two Heads’ duality can exist in just one person’s thoughts, and seeing both sides of a situation can result in difficulty in making up one’s mind. The loss of the ability to make firm decisions and distinctions and the loss of faith can open the door to fear. Regardless of potential confusion, it is beneficial in some respect to look at every possible aspect of the situation you are in. This can provide more of an understanding of just how another person may feel or react.

Keywords: Duality of observation or thought. Being able to see both sides of a situation. Fear being the opposite of faith. People peering and peeking. Secret service and government agencies. Gunfights of the old west. Trench warfare. The media, the press, paparazzi, spies, private detectives. Conspiracy theories. Crossed eyes.

The Caution: Confused by duality of thought. Failing to see the integration and cohesion of more than one perspective. Schizophrenia. Fear freezing up positive attitudes. Debates. Stalemates. Making assumptions without the relevant information. Quarrelling.

Lynda Hills interpretation of the Sabian image for the Sun and Jupiter is AN AVIATOR IN THE CLOUDS

Commentary: ‘An Aviator in the Clouds’ is an image of a pilot in his plane flying at such an altitude that he is amongst the ‘Clouds’. Flying high can lead to feelings of being cut off and separate from reality and the real world. It must be exhilarating to be up so high and observing this wonderful other realm. It is only a matter of time before the ‘Aviator’ must come down out of the ‘Clouds’ as the constraints of his more earth-bound existence eventually kick in.

Oracle: There may be a need to transcend what’s going on and to rise above difficulties. You may find that you have to rely on your intellectual or emotional skills to take you above and beyond your current situation. Just be aware that you may not be seeing the complete picture very clearly at the moment. Alternatively, you may be actively evading the real truth. If you take special notice, you will be able to see through illusions, to see through surface appearances to observe things that others may miss. Where are you sailing in the sky? Is it too high up to be able to really “see” anything? Do you feel the need to disconnect with what’s going on and to simply observe instead of becoming involved? What will happen if you keep flying without watching how much fuel you have at your disposal, and you run out? Whatever the situation, put your energy into enjoying the journey. Watch, observe and learn.

Keywords: Elevated views. Always seeing the best in people and things. Peace and tranquility. The longing for transcendence. Not seeing limitations. Being in a refined “head space”. Mastery. Flight, planes, pilots. Avoidance of time constraints. Pollyanna attitudes. Free flights of fantasy and escapism. The need for accurate navigation. Being in charge of the controls. Seeking higher truths. Maps. Compasses. Global satellite positioning.

The Caution: Sailing through difficulties or missing what’s really going on. Escapist use of alcohol and drugs, etc. Lack of grounded energy or reality. Being unearthed. Escaping responsibilities. Isolating oneself. Completely missing the point. Feeling high and mighty and above everyone else, particularly with intellectual skills. Wrong turns. Missing the signs.

Weekly Weather February 22, 2010

How is that new mythology of yours coming along? We’ll continue to develop our new myths because Chiron joined with Neptune and now starts to leave the mist of dreamy Neptune to step solidly into the world. Chiron’s orbit between Saturn and Uranus helps to take those fears, anxieties, and dark spaces we all have and transforms them into freedom, enlightenment and service to the collective.

Why our charts are designed that way, I am not sure. Why would our childhood problems and deepest fears actually become our work in this lifetime? Saturn rules both our fears and our work. Perhaps because as we progress, we grow in competency and skills in our Saturn area. Perhaps because we grow competent and skilled where our Saturn lives as we often over compensate and spend inordinate amounts of worry as well as psychic, emotional or intellectual angst over Saturn’s placement by sign and house. Perhaps because we do have many opportunities to figure it all out as Saturn rolls through house after house. And finally, perhaps because we weren’t paying attention when we were asking for our current life’s incarnation and the set of lessons to be learned. While giggling with our future pals on the clouds, we didn’t fully comprehend what exactly we asked for so we got our Saturn as our karma.

So Saturn is one of the big myths of your life. He probably has a whole bunch of phrases like “I am not so confident there” “That is not something I am very good at” or similar. Well for sure, for sure, the time has come for you to change THAT old Saturn mythology of yours. Uranus is bumping up on him, lighting up his fears, and asking you to move toward enlightenment and away from the fear.

Now, there isn’t anything wrong with your OLD myths. Those myths have served you well and long. In fact, quite a few of them are still in rather fine shape and continue to work very well for you. But I know there are a few myths in that psyche of yours that need updating or revising! Let’s explore a myth of a person from history.

When I say “Attila the Hun” what do you think of or recall from your early history lessons?

I went to see an opera, “Attila”, at the Metropolitan Opera with my dear friend Marianne. We worked together when a very difficult and nasty man was in charge of Pepsi’s Information Technology. He was down sizing the place, demoting, eliminating and firing all sorts of great people, with out regard to their past contributions, current work load or future potential. Just clearing out the place like a strip mining operation clear cuts the hill.

In one department meeting, he recommended we read the “Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun.” Whenever your management suggests you read a book, you KNOW that is what is going to happen to your office SOON! I bought the book and read it. Attila’s Leadership secrets were pretty brutal secrets, as was befitting Attila’s reputation. Definitely NOT a feel good management style. My boss’s boss saw my copy and borrowed the book, never to return it! So here, many years later, as transiting Jupiter crossed my Moon, the ruler of my work place, I am watching an opera about Attila the Hun with one of my coworkers from Pepsi.

Ah the myths swirling around Attila! According to the internet we know Attila the Hum was called the Scourge of God by the Romans who wrote a great deal about him, his habits, appearance and manners. The Opera portrayed Attila’s troops as worshipping Odin, the God of War while the Romans worshiped Christ. Attila was king and general of the Hun empire from A.D. 433 to 453, assuming control on his Saturn return. Attila inherited his hordes who were disorganized and weakened by internal strife. Attila's first order of affairs was to unite his subjects for the purpose of creating one of the most formidable and feared armies Asia had ever seen ~ see the Leadership Secrets!

In 441 Attila's Huns attacked the Eastern Roman Empire. The success of this invasion emboldened Attila to continue his westward expansion. Passing unhindered through Austria and Germany, Attila plundered and devastated all in his path. In 451, having suffered a setback, Attila turned his attention to Italy. After having laid waste to Aquileia and other cities in 452, the Scourge of God met up with Pope Leo I who dissuaded him from sacking Rome. Odin worshippers versus Christ worshippers ~ a mythic collision! It was very similar to the cultural and mythological changes we are having now.

Attila's death in 453 wasn't quite what one would have expected from such a fierce barbarian warrior. Here is where the MYTHOLOGY of Attila gets interesting! Attila died not on the battlefield, but on the night of his marriage! There are a few theories of HOW he died. On that night Attila, who, despite common misconceptions, was not a heavy drinker, drank heavily in celebration of his new bride. In his wedding chambers at the end of the event, Attila passed out flat on his back. It was then and there that Attila had a massive nosebleed which caused him to choke on his own blood. Another theory was that he had an esophageal hemorrhage and drowned in his blood. A third theory was foul play via poison delivered by his enemies who he was dining with. And a fourth theory was his war booty and conquered bride stabbed him dead in revenge for killing her father and country, like Judith of the Old Testament. The bride stabbing him was the option the opera chose complete with soaring lyrics about how the Christian God conquered the Barbarian God, Odin and the Scourge of God dies too.

So Attila one of the most feared people in the world is dead at 47. And his mythology ~ what of his mythology? Did his God, Odin abandon him? Was Christ more powerful than Odin? Was Attila done in by a bloody nose? Was there a health problem with his body? Or did someone kill him? Did his new wife stab him? We CAN say for sure is his VENUS was definitely afflicted as he died on his wedding night! But what of his myth? And now that you know how Attila died (funny how they never talked about THAT part of his story), do you think differently about him than you did just a few minutes ago.

Some times our lives change in such a way that our myths become a relic of our past. That is happening now. And, when our old myths die, nature abhors a vacuum so she steps into give us brand NEW myths that support our new reality. Our new reality is coming into being and will form before our very eyes over the next few months.

This week Mercury joins with Neptune and Chiron to start each of us talking about the shape of our new mythology. You are going to be asked to verbalize what your vision for the your new and developing myth is. What is your vision for your life? You may not be 100% sure of all the parts. No worries that is completely where you are supposed to be. But there ARE SOME parts you are getting clearer and clearer about. Verbalize THOSE parts. Don’t worry about the rest. Saturn still has to go back into Virgo for a few months to help you get clear on the unclear parts.

Mars is starting to slow way down, dragging his feet very slowly. He’s getting ready for his station when he turns to go direct on March 10. He is out of bounds so people’s behavior and anger can be out of bounds or beyond the rational kind of actions that we would expect of them. Again, Mars in Leo bring us into contact with the darker sides of Leo’s anger or shadow part. He’s annoyed when he is not being respected for all he has done. It can appear as envy. Be clear on what you are trying to do. Mars is also in the mood to fight with partner about NOT maintaining the status quo. Partner is going to want x, Mars wants y. Fights can happen particularly on Thursday and Friday. Separate the energy into parts. Don’t globalize. It doesn’t have to be their way or your way or someone has to hit the high way. Think BIG picture. Get 20,000 feet up. Look at it from a different angle. Find the parts you can agree on. Yes they ARE in there! You have to look for them but there ARE place you agree with them.

Juno enters Taurus on Tuesday and can make partnership energy a bit clutchy, ownership based and grabby. Juno is possessive by nature. When Juno finds herself in VERY possessive Taurus, she can get way out of control with the emotions, particularly about proposed changes or adjustments to her stable, reliable, owned, MINE and solid world. What this translates to is Juno hearing partners’ words as attacks against HER security or attacks against the partnership. So you say “I can’t wait to graduate so I can move out of here!” Partner, roommate, mom or whoever you live with HEARS “I can’t wait to graduate so I can LEAVE YOU.” Of course that is NOT what you said. You simply expressed a wish for your self and your own place in the world. What they HEARD was an attack against their security and the relationship they have with you. And, if they REALLY like you, they may not say a word to you but go off being really hurt by the words you muttered about your own dream and your vision for your future.

The solution is to ask them what they heard you say. Ask them where they took what you said and the assumptions they made about what happens to THEM. What was the mythology that they looked at your words with? The mythology they had of a happy ending where we all live carefree in Buffalo is crushed if you decide to move to Los Angeles to pursue your dream of a new job. But you might hate LA. You might hate the new job. You might miss Buffalo and want to come back. They might come to visit you in LA and fall in love with LA and move there. Or both of you might decide to pursue other loves. Or both of you might decide to move to a third place that you both choose and pursue your dream of happy ending.

When you FIRST express your dream or vision of the new future or myth be aware that listening ears may interpret YOUR dream as a SLAM against THEIR dream. And it might be. And it might not be. We don’t actually KNOW yet. Give your dream a bit of room to grow to see what it can become. It is YOUR dream. So let it stretch and flap its wings as it wakes up and emerges from your insides. Don’t hamper your dream or clip its wings before it even has the chance to take flight. Dreams are fragile when they are first born or discussed. Support your new dream or mythology by only telling people who encourage you to go for your dream. Tell the lets-help-figure-how-you-can -get-there people. Avoid long conversations with the well-what-will happen-to-me-if-you-follow-your-dream people.

We are going to be entering a period of time with lots and lots of long void moons. Void moons are when the Moon kicks back and has a leisurely time floating on her back in the cosmos. Moon’s time off is supposed to be our time off too ~ so try to dream or do routine things that allow your mind to float along in creative visualization and day dream brain.

Monday or Moon Day ~ finds Gemini moon full of ideas and chatter. In general, it is optimistic and upbeat energy ~ a fairly productive day. The closing aspects are nice so that our dreams can and will be supported today.

Tuesday Mars’s day offers Moon in Gemini a few ways to try things. There is a long void moon between 12:29 pm EST and 6:29 pm. Mercury can find his comments are not well received so even if they SAY they want honest feedback, deliver it carefully and watch how they react. Too much honesty (and Mercury in Aquarius is in a very cold, clear honesty sign) can be problematic. Juno enters Taurus today and gets a bit possessive of her things, creations, partners, children and stuff. Exercise caution around criticizing owned things. Venus is NOT happy with Juno being so possessive. Remember, they may think you are killing their child with your comments. Sun wants to evolve and expand. Let him. Encourage evolution and problem solving. Focus on the improvement parts, the positive, the places you agree. The parts that you don’t agree on, put aside for the time being. Communications are emphasized today.

Wednesday or Mercury’s day finds the Moon in sensitive Cancer. Mercury is square to Pallas so today is the day when you say something that the other person completely hears it through their strategy, framework, mythology or dream. Caution. Caution. This is the set up for the problems in the back part of the week. Your dream deserves to live so don’t make it die before it has a chance to soar. Give it a bit of room to spread out and expand. Watch the time between 12:06 pm and 12:29 pm EST for the misunderstanding to bloom right before your eyes. Sun’s aspect of brilliance to Ceres will encourage you to see the bigger picture if you calm yourself down and look at it. Venus’ aspect of brilliance to Pluto pushes you to understand the world is full of ambiguity. You can love someone in Buffalo but still want to move to LA to pursue your dream. We don’t know if they are mutually exclusive dreams yet. Give all of the dream a bit of room. Say to your self “I wonder how I can have my new dream AND have my old dream. Hmmmm” Ask others for ideas. Triangles can bring solutions to the problem. Evolve.

Thursday or Jupiter’s day the closing aspect of Cancer moon makes projects begun Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday or Thursday morning really fly. Again we have a long void moon in the afternoon between 12:48 pm and 8:08 pm EST. Partnership fights can take place today as Juno has been cooking a bit since hearing whatever she heard. Make sure to clarify it and take it down a few levels with partner. What did you hear me say? What did you think I meant? What did you assume it meant for YOU? Remember the adage “Assume makes an Ass out of U and Me.” Double, triple and extra check to make sure that words are heard clearly. Once you clarify, things get much better. Moon joins with Mars making for GREAT make up sex.

Friday or Venus’ day finds the Moon in Leo pushing emotional energy across the sky. Mercury stirs the pot of the emotional nurturing you might want or need. It is a great day for phrases like ‘After all I’ve done for you…’ or ‘You might take other people into consideration before…’ Basic good guilt throwing phrases. Inquire about what exactly was being counted. Ask how much you owe for it. And as Ceres and Uranus separate from their square, they already kind of made the decision to move on or change the nurturing formula. Yes, it can hurt today. Realizing you might not be that important to them or that they weren’t that important to you or that you WERE important to each other but aren’t in the same place that you once were. Or the importance is still there but something came along that was MORE important. Encourage the other person’s dream. Encourage them to be the best they can be. Know that if they aren’t going to be with you, then your life has a different dream in store for you. We are ALL at major turning points in our lives. YOU TOO even if they are leaving you! Send them off with love ringing in their ears and heart. Leo Moon wants to separate with love or pride today. No envy. No hurt. Just send them love.

Saturn’s day finds Moon in Leo in the morning with a nice long void moon from 3:15 pm to 7:52 pm EST. Mercury links up with Neptune and Chiron, has an aspect of brilliance with Saturn and pushes off or away from home and hearth Vesta. Today give voice to the dream you have for your soul. Try to imagine what it will look like. Venus is getting great support for what she wants to do provided she does the work. Green lights all the way to Chicago for Venus! Saturn knows how to help you get to your dream. Listen for his wise counsel. Authorities or people in positions of power will step forward to help you today. Again, pay attention to the form and new mythology that seems to be shifting before your eyes. Make sure to hug and support the creative force that appears before your eyes and heart. It is your new myth.

Sunday Virgo moon is hard working and busy. Sun joins with Jupiter to create joy, abundance and a jolly good time. The full Moon takes place at 9 Virgo. Think back to the situation from September 2008 to see the situation ripening before you right now. Read the full moon report on this site for more information. Moon in Virgo pushes a bit on all the Virgo planets asking them to focus and move forward to take their rightful place. Remember Pisces is the time of the dream before the new season of Spring. Pursue your dreams! They are really all you have! Your dreams and your word. Go for it.

Mundane: The man who flew his plane into the IRS office in Austin, Texas is being called a patriot in some circles as well as being noted as the first shot in the upcoming revolution suggested by the upcoming cardinal cross and the Pluto return of our country. The mythology continues to evolve.

Russian media is actively predicting the collapse of the US as well as the dollar in June to mid-July 2010. Preserve your principle. Mythology changing before our eyes.

When the money gets taken off the table via a stock market collapse, it actually doesn’t disappear, it goes into various people’s pockets. Keep your money in your pocket. Put your assets in secure places.

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather February 15, 2010

We have a Monumental Week ahead as Chiron joins with Neptune to start a new 84 year cycle in our lives and the world. These two major energies merge for the first time since September 3, 1945. They don’t merge again until September 20, 2094. They are meeting on February 17, 2010 at 25 minutes after midnight EST at 26:14 in the sign of Aquarius. We can expect a life altering event or two this week that will forever shift how we view the world. When it happens, we may not realize HOW life altering it is. However, hindsight will definitely show us the deeper and truer meaning of the energy even if we don’t realize the magnitude exactly this week. Do pay attention to the news as our interconnected world will definitely record it.

Chiron and Neptune last met up on September 3, 1945 when the Japanese surrendered after the United States dropped atomic bombs on two of their cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Neptune and Chiron were in the sign of peace loving Libra at 5:4. We thought it would be the last war ever fought. Instead, later that month, the United States entered South Korea (where we still have our military deployed today) and Vietnam declared its independence, leading to a protracted military involvement and thousands of lives lost. And, in hindsight, we came to understand what kind of bombs we had actually dropped on those two cities, what the bombs were capable of, the impact of the concept of nuclear weapons, as well as understanding we now had the ability to completely destroy the world and every one in it.

The merger before that was November 1879 and March 1880, at 10 Taurus ~ loving money, beauty, comfort and possessions as the first cash register was installed in a bar to keep track of what was going on with the money, the first town was electrified by Edison, marking the end of the candle making business! Pennsylvania became the first state to abolish slavery.

November 11, 1799 the merger was at 14 Scorpio and Napoleon became the dictator of France on November 9^th eventually leading to much death, destruction and power as he attempted to conquer and control the world. The Rosetta stone was discovered during the Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign allowing hieroglyphics to be translated for the first time. The smallpox vaccination was introduced. The income tax was introduced in the United Kingdom to pay for the Napoleonic wars. The USA Congress passed a standardized system of weights and measures. The first regulation of insurance companies was written and the Bank of Manhattan Company opened in NYC, the forerunner to Chase Manhattan Bank.

In August 1742, Feb 1743 and April 1743, the merger was at 9 Cancer, home, hearth, mom and apple pie, as well as the Sun Sign of the United States so Thomas Jefferson was born. Jefferson would grow up to be the inspired and visionary writer of the Declaration of Independence saying all people have the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness and we are SO over a King‘s rule. The first religious journals in America were published. The soaring, beloved and glorious music of Handel’s Messiah was performed for the first time. The first town hall meeting in America took place at Boston's Faneuil Hall. Ben Franklin invented the Franklin Stove ~ freeing women from tending the fireplace’s open hearth and allowing them to cook on a heat regulated stove top.

In December 1658 the merger was at 4 Capricorn so tradition, the old structures and existing authority prevailed over the vision and ideas of change. Oliver Cromwell died at Whitehall on 3 September 1658 — the anniversary of his great military victories at Dunbar and Worcester. A violent storm wracked England during the night of his death, said by his enemies to be the Devil carrying away his soul. Oliver Cromwell’s dream died within a year of when he died. His vision of the Protectorate ended. The ending was followed, in due course, by the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in England.

In 1602, the Neptune/Chiron merger was at 29 Leo fitting for the summer, Sun and beach lovers among us as Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard were discovered. The Leo energy allows us to each be kings of what we seek to learn when the Bodleian Library at Oxford University was opened to the public, establishing the concept of knowledge open to and shared by all members of the community.

As you can see the union of Neptune and Chiron leads to both good and bad results ~ visionary indeed but at the same time potentially not so great. So watch carefully what happens this week as the future will be unfolding a major new chapter with each of us a witness.

At the exact same time as you are paying attention to what is going on in the world to see what takes place, YOU are having a new 84 year cycle start to unfold in YOUR very own chart in the late degrees of your Aquarius house. I encourage you to DREAM BIG! See a need or wound out there in the world and take steps to change it for the better for the collective! And I don’t care if you are 75 and feeling old or 4 and about to start kindergarten next year, DO some thing productive with the energy!

You are right here on planet earth as these two major planetary energies meet in the heavens to start a new cycle. That means You, yes you and your soul! You incarnated to USE this energy in your life time. Nothing like consciously harnessing that Neptune Chiron energy to create the next great whatever your dream is…. In 2094 when an astrologer in the future publishes what went on in 2010, the last time Neptune and Chiron met, YOUR name might be in the article!

And the rest of the week’s energy is fun. Of course, Mars is still retrograde, so your dream might not be in a forward moving direction ~ it might be more what you DON’T want, rather than what you want. No worries ~ just define the vision to head toward out of the negative vision.

And, I would like to make a correction to what I’ve been writing over the past month or so about the men being weird when Mars is retrograde. Women can be weird too. I have a few clients who are women and who are the dominant person in the relationship or who have a number of masculine energy planets. Think the Mars person as opposed to the Venus person in the relationship. In these cases, the woman is actually backing up, reversing direction and being weird. It seems to happen to the person with more “masculine” air and fire planets instead of the “feminine” earth and water planets. Perhaps it is because Mars is in the sign of Leo, answering to the Sun’s driving force for what we want. Mars will be starting to slow down as he gets ready to reverse direction and head forward again. And then we will all go back to normal ~ what ever THAT is.

Venus joins with Jupiter in Pisces and works productively with Pluto, Mercury and Mars to express her desires in a forthright and loving manner. She’s not going to be nearly so waspish and sharp as she’s been the last few weeks when everything was subjected to a long, cold, airy and detached look. She’s back being cuddly, snuggly and warm.

Vesta enters Leo so creativity gets a burst of energy and a bit of drama, particularly around house, office or home matters. Where ever you make a nest, you will be in the mood to cozy it up or fluff it up a bit. Stimulate the clean and clear energy. It is a great week for space clearing when you can get the stale energy out of your house‘s nooks and crannies.

Sun enters Pisces on Thursday. He also forms a fast moving Finger of God with Mars and Saturn over the weekend where you will be asked or offered another choice on the crossroad of your life. Choose wisely.

Moon’s day ~ Monday Moon in Pisces is busy and quite creative with a nice closing aspect. Venus offers you a hot, sexy dream or some type of passion as she worked her energy with Pluto’s last night. Mars is busy working the room and trying to get commitment from the authorities so that means YOU can get commitment from the authorities if you work your sextile right! Go ask for it. If you are off on holiday, make a list of all that you’ve done for your authorities lately so that you are ready to pull it out of your bag or pocket at a moment’s notice. Vesta enters Leo, going retrograde. She’s in the mood to festive up the place and get it looking fine. Give her some support. Change the light bulbs. Freshen up the plant dirt. Add some sparkle or passion to the space you inhabit. Even light a candle or three it will help move the energy along. Consider doing some space clearing with smoky sage, salt water and a bell ~ walk around the perimeter of the rooms in your house or office, hugging the walls. Ring the bell until it sounds clear ~ up and down the wall and particularly in cluttered corners, sprinkle the salt water along the floor and wave the smoky sage or use a lit candle if you don‘t like the smell of sage. Intend for your space to be a place of love, kindness, joy and abundance. Intend for all who visit there to bring loving kindness with them. Ask for all who bring bad energy to be barred or prevented from entering the door. And if the bad energy person comes in one more time ~ (They DO seem to KNOW you’ve space cleaned them right out of your space),~ space clear your space again. You’ll be amazed at how much fresher your house’s energy feels as well as how much better you sleep.

Mars’ day ~ Tuesday wakes us up with turbulent dreams from the night before. If you remember them, write them down or draw them. Lots of connections going on in that busy mind of yours. Try to continue the dreams now that you are awake. It is a day for dreams as it offers us a LONNGGG void Moon, running from early morning to 7:30 pm. We are supposed to dream on long void Moons ~ active imagination while you are awake counts too! Moon enters Aries and later in the evening Venus joins to Jupiter. Both of Venus and Jupiter are in their favorite signs and SO HAPPY to be together. Have you thought more about what your new myth will be? Take time tonight when Venus and Jupiter join at 9:14 pm EST to have a chat with the benefics! Tell Venus and Jupiter what you would like to bring into your life. Talk to Jupiter about your new myth and dreams. Tell Venus your desires. Think of it is a continuation of the New Moon energy from last week's Saturn’s day. You have a great idea that will take you very far if you give it permission to become your passion and your driving mythology. It is also Mardi Gras so spend those last joyous moments before Lent appreciating all you have in your life and your blessing.

Mercury’s day ~ Wednesday Neptune joins with Chiron for the first time since September 1945 and won’t be back in this aspect condition until September of 2094. Let’s make this new 84 year cycle a great one for every one we know and love! Encourage everyone you know to envision their next 84 years of life and love! What is your dream that serves humanity? How can you live your best life to create your unique contribution to the world? Give it your all. Give it your best. One of my clients, who admittedly has a lot of Virgo in her chart, says she always tries to do her absolute best at everything she does. She has a co-worker who says he does the “status quo”. He’s talented as an artist but he’s not spending those skills at the corporate design job where he spends his days. She’s talented as an artist and dedicates her time to both her corporate role in creating designs as well as her private art. He complained to her that since she’d arrived, his job got harder as “status quo” wasn’t good enough any more. Essentially, if he didn’t pick up his game a bit, he’d fail. What is your status quo? What is your excellent? What is your failure? Why aren’t you living in excellent? Once you have YOUR definitions of failure, status quo and success in your mind, look at your life and see how it measures up. As Kris Kristofferson says, “What is even more difficult than failure is when you are perceived as a “success” and you are failing.” Suze Orman says “When you can make the average GREAT, your dreams become a reality.” What does it take to make YOUR day? What is your idea of average? How do you make your average GREAT? What is your myth about success, status quo and failure? Why? Know the myths that guide you. Understand their power! Build new myths that support where you want to go with your life. Start to tell the myths to yourself ~ “Once, when I was young, I believed that …… Now, that I am older and wiser, I believe that SOME of that is still true but I also know my NEW myth for myself is …. Today is Ash Wednesday when we are reminded we will turn back into dust one day ~ And the universe even reminds you that unto dust you shall return by saying the 84 year cycle that starts today will likely not end until after you are gone from this lovely blue and green planet.

Jupiter’s day ~ Thursday’s Moon in Aries is all hot to get things accomplished but remember Mars is still going retrograde so while you might get it done, you very well may have to redo it. No problem with that just know that the final final FINAL will not be until Mars goes direct and clears his shadow. That said, you can make great progress with Mars and Moon in Aries today as the closing aspects are lovely and support your dream. Sun opposite Vesta says cut the stuff loose that you no longer love, love, love. Sun in the last degrees of Aquarius has a critical eye ~ like your fashion forward friend who tells you how BAD you look in that outfit. Time for GOODWILL for the bad old habits, routines, self sabotage and undoing of yourself. Haven’t you been getting SO CLEAR on how you undo yourself over the past couple of weeks? So stop already. You only have to change and take a teeny tiny step out of your current rut into the next place. Venus is SO happy to be connecting with Mars even if he’s telling her that they might have to redo things or try yet again. He whispers in her ear “Just you wait till March 10, honey baby darling Venus. I will be SO there for you!” And he will be. My sister is a coach and makes her basketball players run backwards in wind sprints. It looks so dangerous to my eyes. However, they HAVE to run backwards at times, comfortably, safely and confidently, to guard the ball and follow their opponents down the court. You are going to feel like you are running backwards today ~know that it is to build your skill and confidence. Sun enters Pisces and the changing part of the winter has arrived in the northern hemisphere. Forward we go into mutability and being flexible again.

Venus’ day ~ Friday finds Taurus Moon in a bit of an over promise, over indulge energy but still quite happy. Venus is still feeling juicy and over done from her recent union with Jupiter. Ain’t Love Grand? Moon has a number of aspects today that are encouraging even if the reality that comes out of them is not quite what you want or anticipate. Moon has a closing aspect of a square to Neptune offering over doing, over going, over flowing or over something. But Taurus moon IS exalted so that is not a BAD over thing ~ just not quite as terrific as you thought going in. Still it is very worth it to try for your dream and at least put it out there.

Saturn’s day ~Saturday find Taurus Moon productive. Sun is inconjunct to Mars in a Scorpio style aspect so mentally adjust rather than taking action. Adjust your mind. Figure out what they are doing and why they are doing it! Sun is in the process of forming a Finger of God configuration with Saturn and Mars over the next few days ~ so life direction information comes into your path and asks you to choose. Choose the path that focuses closely on your dreams. Give yourself extra sleep time and dedicate yourself to healing time and practices today. Vesta has a Sparkly fire trine to Juno so let passion guide your choices and decisions. Passion rules. Taurus’ closing aspect is a square to Neptune so you are slightly delusional but hey that will encourage you to take a risk that just might pay off down the road. Dream big and shoot for the sky ~ no worries if it doesn’t happen the way you envision ~ at least you tried. Delusions are only illusions that didn't work out the way you wanted. But they ARE fun!

Sun’s day ~ Sunday finds the Moon void in the morning until 1:47 pm EST. Gemini Moon in the afternoon and evening has lovely and powerful closing aspects so launch projects involving communications and training. Mercury has an aspect of brilliant partnership so take those ideas in your hand and heart and put them to work. They will be great! Mars has a brilliant aspect to Jupiter so expect to learn things today that influence your path and direction. Sun has an adjusting aspect to Saturn so health or physical concerns can be prominent at day’s end. Sun is in a Finger of God configuration with Saturn and Mars ~ life direction information comes into your path. Choose the path that focuses closely on your dreams. Give yourself extra sleep time and dedicate yourself to healing time and practices today. The evening is quite busy and bustling with activity.

Mundane: China and Greece both have very active charts these days. Watching the Stock Market swoon on Friday based on China’s noises, I can only imagine what will happen in June and July when the Cosmic Crossroads takes place. Additionally, we have Neptune joining with Chiron this week so the actions around the world should be paid attention to. Protect your principle so you don’t lose it when the market collapses in June and July.

As the proposed Chiron/Neptune union has been dancing around all year, it so speaks to me of the ongoing drama over health care reform conversations taking place in the USA. Their union will take place smack dab on the USA Moon at 27 Aquarius ~ ruling the people, the collective’s body, as well as all the Cancer planets in our country’s chart. Aquarius is always focused on what is good for the collective as opposed to the individual. I am afraid health care reform might die this week with the conjunction ~ kind of like eliminating the monarchy died when Cromwell died. The time frames even match!

That would leave our health care squarely in the hands of corporations who profit off of our illnesses, deny coverage and make $30 profit on every $100 collected in premiums. It feels simply criminal to profit off of another’s misfortune and illness ~ not to mention being very bad karma. The insurance companies killed the reforms when the Clinton Administration tried to reform health care. This time, the Obama Administration attempted to work with the insurance companies and true health care reform will die yet again. The combination of health care reform dying with the Supreme Court gutting campaign finance limitations for corporate spending last month says to me the Pluto in Capricorn journey will be a long and bumpy one.

And the revolution against it will start in June -July after the markets collapse again. Protect your principle. Remember, when the money “disappears”, it goes into SOME ONE’S pocket! Try to keep YOUR money in YOUR pocket via conservative investments, large cash positions and waiting until that first big hit takes place in between June 6-8.

Reader Mail: My college friend Julie had a life threatening illness and almost died several times last year. I was cleaning up my emails and realized I hadn’t read the last entry in her Caring Bridge journal. It seemed appropriate to quote Julie in this significant week where we are each asked to focus on our dreams and visions for the future.

Julie wrote: As this memorable year 2009 ends, we thought it was fitting that I write the final Caring Bridge entry of the year. You often hear that “things happen for a reason” or that “ every cloud has a silver lining”. Both of those philosophies accurately summarize my impressions of the experience that led to our journal in Caring Bridge. As I review the entries from the very beginning up to now I am overwhelmed with the blessings I have received and that have greatly contributed to my recovery and my outlook today.

A near death experience provides a rare opportunity to look at life from a totally different perspective as well as a need to focus on one day at a time. It meant rebuilding my strength little by little and gaining a deep appreciation for how far I had come, as well as where I wanted to be. I learned not to expect to resume my normal capabilities as quickly as I had lost them and that a positive attitude is really the key to a successful recovery.

The “silver lining” for me has definitely been the realization of how precious life really is, how much we take for granted and how important it is to take time to appreciate.... I also realize how powerful, rewarding and nourishing, the thoughts, prayers, and caring actions of family, friends, colleagues and all of those who have touched my life are and how much we need to cherish all that we have been given.

So as we all look forward to the promises of 2010, please know how much your caring has helped me and mine to find our reason to truly celebrate this new year and how grateful we are for all of you. Happy New Year and Thank you!

Julie

copyright (c) 2010 A.C. Ortelee

New Moon

February 13, 2010

9:51 pm EST

6:51 pm PST

25:18 Aquarius Sun and Moon

The New Moon is going to be a multi-day affair ~ quite unusual frankly! The actual New Moon takes place on February 13 at 25 Aquarius. However, the New Moon occurs a couple of days before a very rare conjunction of Chiron and Neptune at 26 Aquarius. A large stellium cluster of planets are lined up in Cosmic Can-Can Dance from late Aquarius through early Pisces. Moon, Sun, Chiron, Neptune, Venus and Jupiter. Kick-kick- kick- kick-kick-kick ~TA DA! Additionally, the New Moon energy of Sun and Moon aspects a bunch of other planets ~ Saturn, Uranus, Vesta, Athena, Juno and the South Nodes of past life karma / gifts to carry towards your future evolution. It is a big old energy force field running four days from Saturday, February 13 to Wednesday, February 17.

First we have the New Moon at 25 Aquarius on Saturday, February 13. Then we have the benefics dancing together, Venus joining with Jupiter ~ both beyond happy, delirious even and very content in their most favorite place of 6 Pisces ~ on Tuesday, February 16 ~ they represent a new beginning for our desires, emotional connections and relationships ~ especially for those things to and with our own soul and those most close to us. Then on Wednesday, February 17, we have a once every 56, 65, 81 or 84 year conjunction of Chiron with Neptune at 26 Aquarius.

Chiron has an erratic cycle as he orbits around the Sun. He is a little planetoid fellow and affected by both Saturn’s and Uranus’ gravitational pulls. Chiron spends varying amounts of time in each sign of the zodiac depending on who is around him, dragging him off his focus of getting around the Sun. Neptune dawdles along dreamily, taking 164 years to mosey around the Sun. So the two of them meet up at odd intervals. The last time they met was September of 1945, 65 years ago, the next time they meet is in 84 years in September of 2094. Since 1600, they’ve met at 56, 84, 56, 81, 65, 65 and now 84 year intervals.

A survey back through times of other, earlier Chiron/ Neptune unions finds the energy is about transforming the collectives myths or visions of what is possible for them selves or society as wounds are opened and offered an opportunity for healing (or not). In some instances, deep and severe wounding takes place. In other instances, profound healing and evolution takes place. In other instances, we see the inventions or visions from the union of these two outer solar system entities take humanity forward to the next evolutionary step or place.

Our current mythologies are based on the collective wisdom of our forefathers and foremothers. When something comes along to upend the current collective vision with a new and often startling vision or idea, we, as members of humanity go “AHHhhhhhh!” as we gaze in wonder at it. We realize we have now changed! And we‘ve been changed forever! Permanently ~ Chiron ~ the wound that will never completely heal. This is such a week with the New Moon energy.

A quick scan of the events taking place under earlier Chiron Neptune unions over the past 400 years finds the Japanese surrendered in WW2 after the United States dropped atomic bombs on two of their cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Our collective wisdom came to understand what kind of bombs were actually dropped on those two cities, what the bombs were capable of, the impact of the concept of nuclear weapons, as well as understanding we now had the ability to completely destroy the world and every one in it. A major collective re-visioning and a new understanding took place in the face of our ability to kill every human being on earth. See what I mean about shifting the collective vision and mythology?

Earlier events taking place on other Chiron/Neptune conjunctions were the first cash register was installed in a bar; the first town was electrified by Edison; Pennsylvania became the first state to abolish slavery; Napoleon became the dictator of France; the Rosetta stone was discovered allowing ancient hieroglyphics to be translated; the smallpox vaccination was introduced; the income tax was introduced in the United Kingdom; the USA Congress passed a standardized system of weights and measures; the first regulation of insurance companies was written; the Bank of Manhattan Company opened in NYC, the forerunner to Chase Manhattan Bank; Thomas Jefferson was born ~. Jefferson would grow up to be the inspired and visionary writer of the Declaration of Independence saying all people have the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness; the first religious journals in America were published; the soaring, beloved and glorious music of Handel’s Messiah was performed for the first time; the first town hall meeting in America took place at Boston's Faneuil Hall; Ben Franklin invented the Franklin Stove ~ freeing women from tending the fireplace’s open hearth and allowing them to cook on a heat regulated stove top; Oliver Cromwell died before his dream was complete so his vision of the Protectorate ended and the Stuart monarchy was restored in England; Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard were discovered and the Bodleian Library at Oxford University was opened to the public.

The array of planets involved in the New Moon lay in the fifth house of the chart cast for Washington, D.C. suggesting we need to listen to what we love and follow that desire. Aquarius is the sign of love given ~ the witness or audience to the exuberance of the Leo performance. Aquarius is about love in a detached, balanced, humanitarian manner. The love given in the phrase “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me.” It is the house of the Golden Rule ~ do unto others as you would like them to do to you.

The New Moon finding itself in Aquarius but placed in Leo’s houses speaks to a very strong energy of love ~ received and given. Universal brother and sisterhood. The community or tribe you call your own as well as you hopes for humanity.

When we live our heart’s desire, our chart’s desire, we are following our soul’s request for our life’s path in this incarnation. If we are attuned to what our chart loves and which supports our soul’s development, we find ourselves attuned to the love that fuels all creation.

In the chart cast for Washington, the Ascendant squares the Nodes of Destiny with the South Node on the Midheaven and the North Node pointing us to the base of the chart and asking us to focus on what makes us feel secure, nurtured and loved. When we pay attention to THAT, the choices before us are made clear.

There are two Fingers of God, or Yods, in the New Moon chart forming a double Yod Key. Venus as apex forms one Yod with Mars and Saturn in sextile to each other. Mars as apex forms the second Yod with Venus and Pluto as the sextiling planets. If you draw lines to connect the planets like dots, you’ll see a Key Hole form in the middle of the chart. The Key Hole unlocks the chart’s destiny. The Key Hole points to the charts path and purpose. The planets involved in the Key Hole are the forces we are being asked to harness and tame like Hercules wrestled with the Lion. The Key hole also links into the middle union, Venus and Jupiter in Pisces, of the four day New Moon extravaganza.

As humans and inhabitants of planet earth, we are at a profound turning point. The Yod Key Hole says to each of us ~ Saturn in Libra ~ how can you partner and work with to build and create sextile (work with) Mars in Leo a life that is full of passion, creativity and desire that serves your Sun’s purpose for being on earth? Well, you look to Venus in Pisces to guide you and lead you towards your destiny by living in the moment and making authentic choices to partner with what causes your Sun to shine ~ you follow your hearts desire toward what you love, you see the soul behind the desire and understand, in a compassionate, loving and generous manner what that desire is for.

Next you add in the other Yod ~ Pluto in Capricorn ~ how can you transform the earth, the reality, the structures before you that seem empower your reality to sextile (work with) Venus in Pisces ~ the love and passion of true desire and creation where you get completely lost in your feelings and emotions in a good way? Well you look to Mars in Leo to guide you as he points out that if your heart, soul and being are not in passionate loving, beholding and desiring what you are doing, your Solar energy is not being served.

So what to do with all this amazing energy flying around in service of you and your soul’s purpose? Spend time with your heart. Listen to what it loves. Give yourself space to do the things you love. Cut back on doing the things you don’t love (or hire some one to do them for you) so you have more room in your life. My friend Cathy calls it “Creating Spaciousness” Create spaciousness in your life so you have room to expand and grow into the new space. Give air to your dreams. Offer them large, open and expansive places to grow. Repot them in a new pot with fresh dirt and fertilizer. Allow them to become voluminous! Make room for your dreams in your life so they can become broad in scope.

A new 84 year cycle starts with this New Moon! The projects and dreams you begin now will probably out live you! How cool is THAT? In light of the profound energy flying around, I’ve included THREE separate Sabian Images. One is for the union at the Sun and Moon’s degree. The second is for the union at Venus and Jupiter’s degree. The third is for the union of Chiron and Neptune’s degree.

Lynda Hill’s Interpretation of the Sabian Image for the New Moon in Aquarius for Sun and Moon is GARAGE MAN TESTING A CAR’S BATTERY WITH A HYDROMETER

Commentary: ‘A Garage Man Testing a Car’s Battery With a Hydrometer’ is an image of a mechanic ‘Testing’ the running efficiency of a ‘Car’. He’s checking to see if any mechanical problems or repairs are needed. Most specifically, he’s checking the water in the ‘Car’s Battery’ in order to ensure that things will run well. A ‘Hydrometer’ is capable of measuring many things; alcohol, salt, sugar; anything that may be held or suspended in water.

Oracle: This Symbol reflects the need for a mechanical approach to the issue at hand or the calling in of a “mechanically minded” person. There is a need to take a more objective or inventive view that is relative to modern society. Performing necessary checks and balances to ensure the smooth running of our lives is part of the everyday maintenance of society, our appliances and ourselves. The ‘Garage Man’ could be ‘Testing the Battery’ because there is a problem he needs to analyze or he could be performing routine preventative maintenance. Certainly it is better to keep an eye on things before they go wrong. Figuring out any malfunctions so that life can proceed in a smoother, more efficient manner will help keep everything running smoothly. Perhaps there’s a need for someone of authority, someone removed from your situation, to give some assistance, repairs or feedback. An interesting aspect of the ‘Car’s Battery’ is that the water (the emotional element) when combined with the positive and negative elements of the battery is a self-empowering system. In this situation, it is the level of water or the emotional dependability of the situation that is being measured because that is what is important. Ideally, water that is used in a ‘Car’s Battery’ should be pure. You may need to use some type of gauge on the health of your emotional reactions. This Symbol can reflect the need to keep an eye on the mechanics of the body and to be careful of dehydration or not drinking enough water.

Keywords: Testing the earthly vehicle for its roadworthiness. Situations that have “boiled-over”, bringing all to a stop. Breakdowns and the need for repair. Checking water levels. Anticipating future problems. The need for good batteries. Cars being serviced. Oil, petrol and grease. Check ups and tune-ups. Bringing forward movement to a halt.

The Caution: Causing distress by constantly analyzing people or situations. Bad breath or dry skin. Not taking time for repairs or tune-ups. Running on empty.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian Image for the Venus Jupiter union in early Pisces is ILLUMINATED BY A SHAFT OF LIGHT, A LARGE CROSS LIES ON ROCKS SURROUNDED BY SEA AND MIST

Commentary: ‘Illuminated By a Shaft of Light, a Large Cross Lies on Rocks Surrounded By Sea and Mist’ is an image that inspires feelings of chaos and misplaced loyalties. It can feel as though something has been unjustly sacrificed and things have come to nothing. Christ was forsaken on ‘A Large Cross’. The ‘Cross’ can indicate a crucifix and can show the shouldering of faith and hope or trouble and misfortune. The ‘Shaft of Light’ indicates that spiritual and creative help is at hand.

Oracle: There could be a feeling that life has not been “good” enough. Thoughts of helplessness can come from feeling as though one’s life is finished and that all is lost. Perhaps one’s aim was too high and things have came crashing down. Feeling forsaken or used in relationships can lead the awful feeling of the loss of belonging or identity. It may indeed seem that much has been lost, but do we really have to continue to suffer so much? Seeing the positive or the spiritual messages that come in dark moments can shed new understandings that transcend even the most difficult times. With faith and a positive outcome in mind, you may experience a true awakening, or a reconnection with your spiritual ideals and hope for the future. A sign may come soon to show that you are on the right track to recovery of life and love. Letting go of outworn relationships, allegiances or beliefs will assist you to move on with a stronger sense of self. However, are there still some worthwhile and wonderful things that can be salvaged or things to be grateful for? Concentrate on ‘The Shaft of Light’ as this can lead you to see that ‘Light’ is indeed all around you.

Keywords: Renewed dedication after loss. Looking for signs of hope and recovery. Coming to terms with loss or failure. Rocks, mist, howling winds on coasts. Crosses of faith. Important and substantial sacrifices. Being devastated by events. Being in the “spotlight” in difficult times. Finding the way through the dark. The need for sacrifice. Alternative religions. Stepping outside religious boundaries.

The Caution: Lost faith. Hopes dashed. Giving up. Being shattered by the constraints of life. Depression. Feeling like one is being sacrificed, sometimes for nothing. Unable to see through the fog. Scorn, persecution and attack because of religious or social reasons. Hopelessness. Things grim, dark and foreboding.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian Image for the Neptune and Chiron union one degree past the New Moon is AN ANCIENT POTTERY BOWL FILLED WITH FRESH VIOLETS

Commentary: The image of ‘An Ancient Pottery Bowl Filled With Fresh Violets’ is a reminder of the delicacy and beauty of nature. It can picture flowers in earthenware bowls, mortar and pestles for the preparation of herbs, and things such as flower essences and homoeopathy. There is a feeling here of purity of motive and content. The simpler, more natural responses to problems and society can often bring a sense of refreshment and realignment with what is beautiful. Honest expressions of simplicity and respect for beauty and purity can bring joy. These can be simple gifts given with a sense of giving from the heart.

Oracle: In the situation facing you, there may be a need to remember to employ love, peace, beauty and simplicity. This could be in relationship to you, with yourself, to others or to the environment. Complications and difficulties are much more easily solved if a fresh and simple approach is taken, rather than more complicated, intellectual or highly charged emotional responses. Place a ‘Bowl’ filled with fresh flowers somewhere where it can remind you of the good things in life. Even a simple display of flowers picked from around your neighborhood can bring joy and settle feelings back to a more even keel and can remind you of the true beauty of life in a very simple way. Also, picture yourself as the open vessel, the ‘Bowl’, and allow yourself to receive the blessings of the ‘Fresh Violets’. Soon, things will get better and those things that you need will come to you. It can be a question of asking yourself “what do I need, really?” Simplifying one’s life on some level will lead to more charm and beauty.

Keywords: Returning to ancient sources. Flower and herbal remedies. Beauty. Setting standards for society. Slowing down the tempo to get to the purity of something. Watering the garden. The mortar and pestle. Homoeopathy and pharmacopoeia. Stains and dyes. Flowers. African violets. Dainty, small and lacy things. Antiques and curios. Beautiful reminders of yesterday. Valentine’s Day flowers, roses. Things that remind you of your grandmother.

The Caution: Lack of subtlety. Insensitivity. Being dried up and withered from lack of water or emotion. Stagnant water. Being shy and unresponsive. “Shrinking violets”. Neglecting the small things.

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather February 8, 2010

Our mission this week is two fold: 1) continue to get conscious of the baggage we are carrying that no longer serves us and 2) start to develop our new mythology, beliefs, or the creative driving force that will take the place of our old baggage when/as we decide to release it. Our goal is to release our baggage this spring when Saturn and Uranus offer us two more opportunities with their next oppositions. Once we drop our old baggage or give it to good will or stop doing what we keep doing, remember Nature abhors a vacuum. We want to have a new vision of who, what, when, where or why we are going on the path we are walking on. We need a mission statement for our next phase. We need a revised and updated mythology that will serve us for the next part of our life.

In your life time, you have had major crossroads. At the time you reached the crossroad, you were aware of a choice being presented to you. You could go one of several ways. It might have seemed like the crossroads would last forever. Of course, it didn’t. As you went further down the path you chose, the other options faded away into the history of your life. However, it wasn’t until you LOOKED BACK at your life, through the lens of time, that you realized what a major turning point or crossroads you were at back then. Some times you maybe even want to go back to that earlier time when life seemed more simple or the world was abundant and full of choices. But as Bob Dylan said, “You can always come back, but you can’t come back all the way.”

Often when my clients are experiencing a major life crisis, they go back to when or where they “used to be happy”. Or the universe will connect them with people from an earlier time in their life in a seemingly “chance” encounter. It seems to help if they retrace their steps in a way to emotionally connect with a clearer, happier or more related time.

The Cosmos and earth is coming to a major turning point or crossroads this summer with the Cardinal T-square with four of the destiny planets. There will literally be a Giant Cosmic Crossroads formed in the heavens! I encourage you to Google and read about the Cardinal T-Square on the internet, focusing on the POSITIVE versions of things you find. There IS a lot of negative stuff out there! The whole point with the Cosmic Crossroads is to be as conscious as you can be as you enter and go through it. You might not be able to stave off economic collapses of countries but you can protect your principle even if it means keeping your money in your mattress. And, you can envision what you would do under various circumstances. Plan A. Plan B. Plan C. Have those plans ready. If you have taken the time to get ready, you’ll be conscious. And having a clear set of plans or consciousness is the key to fighting off fear or anxiety. That and deep breathing!

Toward the goal of developing your consciousness, it might feel like the universe is “picking on” you right now. No thing could be further from the truth. The universe, in its own not-so- subtle-way, is asking you to examine where you are and more importantly to think about where you want to go when the Cosmic Crossroads arrives. Take a survey of your life. Examine the people who are in it. Look at where you are. Think about where you thought you would be at this point or time in your life. Get back in touch with people from your past and have lunch with them to reminisce, learn or explore where you‘ve come from, what you’ve been through and how you got to where you are now. Stay in touch with, contact or start to establish connections with the people you want to include in your future. Build connections with them over the next few months so when the Cosmic Crossroads arrives you know which path they plan on taking and have their cell phone numbers in your cell phone.

The next part is a bit more difficult but you need to start working on it now. The world’s and the collectives’ mythology is in the process of changing. The collectives’ mythology is coming to a Cosmic Crossroads too. The Age of Pisces is drawing to a close as the Age of Aquarius is starting to accelerate and beginning to form before us. Pluto in Capricorn will take down and renovate/ destroy the “traditional structures” such as governments and corporations. The United States will face her Pluto return in a few years. And if you thought SATURN returns were difficult just wait till your country has its 248 year Pluto return!?

You need to figure out YOUR mythology in the face of the changes in your life and amid all the changes taking place around you. Some of the stuff you can’t do much about ~ such as universal health care or your firm‘s decision to eliminate your job ~ but you can take charge of your own patch of land, psychic, spiritual, health and mental real estate. You can come up with a new mythology that will support you as you ride through the turbulent changes ahead of us.

First, think about what is your definition of “success”? Is it actually YOUR definition? Is it your church’s? Or is it your parents‘ definition? Which parent? Is your definition tied to your culture’s or country’s definition such as a house with two kids, two cars and a dog? Is your definition tied to the part of you that makes your heart sing?

What is failure to you? Again ask yourself the same questions. Think about what is your definition of “failure”? Is it actually YOUR definition? Is it your church’s? Or is it your parents‘ definition? Which parent? Is your definition tied to your culture’s or country’s definition? Is your definition tied to the part of you that makes your feel you “SHOULD” or “MUST” or “HAVE TO” do this or that even if every cell in your body is screaming NO!?

Once you have YOUR definitions of failure and success in your mind, look at your life and see how it measures up. As Kris Kristofferson says, “What is even more difficult than failure is when you are perceived as a “success” and you are failing.”

Every culture and every single person in a culture has a myth system that guides them. Our myths are incredibly primal, often unconscious and deeply personal. Using our myths is how we navigate through the world. Myths are the framework through which we view the events in our lives and label them either good or bad. When I say myth, don’t think Greek, Norse or Roman gods or about King Arthur’s round table. Think about the myths in YOUR life in the Common Era year 2010, the Chinese year of the Tiger 4708, 4707, or 4647 and the Jewish Calendar year of 5770. See how three different cultural groups all call the same year by a different number based on their mythology?

Your myths include all the role(s) and framework(s) that you have established as guidelines for your life. They include the person you are supposed to be; the things you are supposed to do; the roles you play in your family; the kinds of friends you have; what your spouse or partner does or doesn’t do; what your kids do or don’t do; the type of work you do; the amount of money you earn; the place where you live; the amount of money you have in the bank; the amount of debt you owe; and the kind of retirement you are planning on. Essentially what ever the “benchmarks” you use to measure your life are the myths you have about what your life is to be.

Wars are often waged over conflicting myths ~ my God is better than your God! My beliefs are better than your beliefs! And just to prove my beliefs and my God is better, I am going to invoke him to help me destroy you! Actions driven like that are based in the deep and primal, very often unconscious, fears that if our myth is challenged our entire reality structure will collapse. Better to die that have that happen! People get MIGHTY angry when their primal beliefs, myths or ideas are challenged by another.

Well, as you may have noticed, a number of the myths our culture is based on are collapsing before our eyes. And there are many more collapses are to come as Pluto rolls through Capricorn and the Cosmic Crossroads forms in the sky. You will weather the coming changes and the evolution of the myths in the culture if you examine your inner myths NOW to get clear on them. If YOU collapse your outdated myths, it is MUCH easier on your psyche.

Myths often operate as our internal guidance system ~ a GPS of the heart. So what are your myths? What is your operating system? No computer, PC, MAC, LINUX or I phone? Figure out your myths or internal operating system so you are able to work with it effectively when and as the old myth systems start to collapse.

Now don’t be scared! Back in 1995 when Pluto entered Sagittarius ~ the sign of publishing and communications, few of us had a cell phone, email, or access to the internet. Phone books existed. Newspapers were vibrant. The music industry existed. No such things existed ~ I-phone, Kindles, Google, I-tunes, You-Tube, Face Book, Twitter, My Space or events “going viral” so a middle aged woman from Scotland with a cat named Pebbles who had never been kissed was watched by millions of people sing about her lost dream and then watched it come true. Look at all the changes in a few years in the areas of publishing and communication! The entire world is interconnected by a web that links us all instantly and informs us of events as they happen ~ see the Age of Aquarius interconnectedness arriving.

We are at the brink of a major evolutionary leap as humans. It is going to take place starting this summer as four planets line up in a Cosmic Crossroads. Our myths are changing. Our vision of what is possible for ourselves is changing. Your myth for yourself is how you define yourself to yourself and to others. What do you tell others when you talk about yourself? Do you say “I am a screw up. I am the worst! I am a failure!”? Do you say “I make great butter scones which I serve with delicious teas!” Or “I can teach you how to make the most BEAUTIFUL shoes in the world to help you dance toward your dream!” What do you tell yourself at night when you go to sleep and snuggle into your pillow? What do your dreams tell you about yourself? Each of those things are part and parcel of your myth about yourself.

Suze Orman says “When you can make the average GREAT, your dreams become a reality.” What does it take to make YOUR day? What is your idea of average? How do you make your average GREAT? What is your myth about success and failure? Why? Know the myths that guide you. Understand their power! Build new myths that support where you want to go with your life. Start to tell the myths to yourself ~ “Once, when I was young, I believed that …… Now, that I am older and wiser, I believe that SOME of that is still true but I also know my myth for myself includes ….”

It is also a great time to sit with your natal astrology chart and a beginner astrology book or the internet. Your chart HOLDS the myths that you incarnated into. It holds your positive and negative dreams for yourself. Look up all your planets by sign, placement and aspects. Read them. Re-read them. Mars in Leo retrograde is a great time to take yourself back to the beginning and to look at your chart in a new or revised way. Have your Sun see your chart with new eyes. Have your friends who know and love you tell you 7 things they have noticed about a difficult aspect in your chart. Come up with 7 new ways for your mythic t-square to work for you using an astrological thesaurus! Schedule a short reading and tell the astrologer that you want to learn what your chart says about your myths. Every chart touches on fixed stars, constellations and asteroids that have myths involved with them that resonate in your being as they touch the planets and angles in your chart.

Our week ahead is pretty fast moving and filled with action! We have a number of Mercury aspects promising illumination, ideas and insights. We have two fast moving Fingers of God between apex ~ Mars, Pluto and Jupiter/Venus as well as apex ~ Venus/ Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. The Fingers of God will bring us changes in our lives and direction shifts. Venus changes signs and enters Pisces where she is exalted, thrilled and oh-so happy. Mercury changes signs and enters Aquarius where he is brilliant, erudite and oh so SMART! And Chiron moves closer and closer to Neptune as the Sun and Venus join with both of them asking us to revision our myths and dreams for ourselves. Chiron and Neptune meet up next week for the conjunction they have been dancing around all year. Powerful imaginations. Great time to push your dreams! Fabulous time to talk with and about your dreams!

Moon’s Day, Monday Venus joins with Neptune so expect really interesting dreams and visions while you sleep. It is a great day to push the myth energy forward. Moon in Sagittarius has lovely closing aspects of a sextile to Venus in late Aquarius suggesting you gain from a woman or a beloved. Express appreciation. It also is a wonderful day to launch things out into world for your future and the vision of what you want to happen. Light a bunch of tiny candles to inspire your vision with the small flames of light symbolized by Sagittarius many changes of fire. Hang Christmas lights around your meditation area, your office or windows? Why only use them at Christmas? Let the many small lights make you happy now. Sun says to the power struggle and earth quake in your chart ~ hold on, light is coming soon! Mercury joins with Uranus by declination offering an unusual illumination or break through. Pallas asks you to understand how the darker myths of negative energy or negative voices from your childhood, your own mind or those who are envious of your light have influenced your choices and perhaps made you duck a bit. No more ducking!!! Stand proud in your own light and resolve to find a new ending or phrase to say to yourself when the going gets tough.

Mars’ Day, Tuesday finds the Moon in Capricorn reminding you about the earthquake in your life or the changing structures that you can do nothing, absolutely nothing, about. Some situations are like that. You can’t do a thing. You can however, change how you carry the energy with you. Symbolically release and cut the energetic ties by waving your hand across your abdomen, heart or head ~ where ever you feel attached. Ask that the negative ties be severed and the love ties remain. Or ask that all ties be severed so you are free to move on. Sever the ties with blessings and no hard feelings so you don’t carry them forward with you. Separate your myth from their myth and give yourself a happy ending~ “And then our brave hero/heroine (that would be you!) rode off into the sunset with a farewell, offered blessings and received a profound release from the karmic ties that no longer served a purpose in this life time!” Venus has a gift of brilliance from Saturn ~ understand they were here to teach you what you needed to learn. Now that you’ve learned the lesson, you don’t need to study with them any more! You can change your relationship to them to another type of relationship. Or ask them to move out of your life. The good part about the energy today is the outcome is positive and full of change with the closing energy of the Moon’s union with Uranus.

Mercury’s day, Wednesday Mercury enters Aquarius bringing his energy out of the solid, reliable, directness of cardinal earth into the high flying, 20,000 foot overlook of detached, observational fixed air. You see it now. You get it. Keep working on refining and redefining your myth for your future. Understand how that OLD myth of yours served to create where you are now. Examine it and decide if you want to keep it (or parts of it) as you move forward. Capricorn Moon has an excellent energy for sending things out into the world. Wrap them up and finish them off. Get them out the door. Mars starts to move into exactness of the Finger of God with his adjusting aspect to Jupiter. Health issues can surface. Your next chapter and your destiny speaks to you over the balance of the week. Expect life direction altering changes as the Finger points out where changes are needed or the direction to head next.

Jupiter’s Day, Thursday has a very, very, long void moon from 7:39 am to 6:24 pm EST. It is a clean the closet, clear out the email, empty the filled boxes, file, wrap, clear, clean and shuttle off the stuff that is routine and mindless. Great day to work on things or accomplish mundane things but don’t send the stuff out the door until after the Moon goes into Aquarius at 6:24. Mercury has troubles around the home in the middle of the night so sleeping can be disturbed or your dream state and mind are very, very active, blocking solid sleep. Write your dreams down upon awakening ~ they will be prophetic. Venus enters Pisces which she loves. The Finger of God with Mars is still active and pointing you in new or revised directions. Mercury understands a pattern he had not previously been able to understand with a giant AH-HA moment. Expect a very big mental break through in your understanding about WHY someone does something. I have a client whose 3 year old son bites when he doesn’t get the toy he wants from fellow playmates. He is a charming and smart little Libra guy with a possessive Moon in Taurus opposite his desire filled Jupiter in Scorpio ~ biting works for him! It solves a problem. And biting solves his problem VERY WELL I might add! All he has to do after that FIRST solid bite of a playmate is to clomp his teeth together quietly to get the other kid to hand over the desired toy. It only takes one or two bites to train a person! My step sister Debbie, a Libra Taurus mix is a pincher! After she pinches you a couple of times on the tender under arm or thigh or middle back, you give her WHATEVER she wants, especially when she make a pinching motion with her fingers and starts to walk towards you… Watch to learn what pattern YOU come to understand about someone in your life. It works for them. That is why they do it. Or understand one of your behaviors in a new and different manner today. It works for you. That is why you do it. Change your myth and you won’t have to do it any more. Or adjust your vision of why they do it so you have your own ah-ha moment. Then it won’t bother you nearly as much. Consciousness is illuminating!

Venus’ Day, Friday finds the Finger of God perfecting as Mars forms an in conjunct with Pluto. This can be a hard day in the morning as Mars fighting with Pluto is always difficult. You have to adjust. Or not adjust if you feel stubborn but the universe WANTS you to adjust. The Finger of God is tapping on your head and heart! At least psychologically TRY to adjust! Focus on the bigger picture. The little stuff that seems so important is NOT what you need to be paying attention to. Focus on the bigger picture! Sun connects you with a Very Important Person so notice who you meet or run into today. Make sure to take their cards, follow up if needed and pay attention to all connections. It might not be a clear signal to go ahead but do understand that THOSE folks are paying attention. Remember we are at a Cosmic Crossroads. You are reevaluating your myth and the myths of those around you. Understand what is in it for them if they bite you or pinch you. Understand WHY they are biting or pinching you. They are working in their myth. What is YOUR myth? Conduct yourself in an upstanding manner that will have the casual observers nodding approvingly to themselves. No need to go to drama ~ at least not in public. Mercury has a very strong working aspect to Saturn ~ focus on the important stuff not the trivial stuff.

Saturn’s Day Read the New Moon report on the site for more information on how to work with the energy of today. It is a powerful New Moon taking place on Neptune and Chiron. You awaken with a start and perhaps a dramatic dream. Again make sure to note it and mull on it. It is part of your new mythology evolving. What happens if you let go of your OLD mythology? What if it doesn’t work for you any more? Ah but wait that myth sure has worked for you for many, many years! My step sister is almost 56years old! Still pinching at her age? Well it DOES work. But is there something perhaps a bit more effective? Probably not. She’ll keep pinching as she gets what she wants. In her mythology, Debbie’s a powerful pincher who breaks down defenses and gets her way with a pinch and a twist. It is how she defended herself against her older Aries brother. I know I forgot to mention the twist ~ she twists as she comes off the pinch which leave a GREAT purple bruise! In my case, as the pinchee, raised in a no-hit family, I squeal and run away when pinched. I COULD change my myth. I could kick her in the leg, really hard, if she pinches me! If I kick her, she might stop pinching me! As long as ONE side changes the myth, the myth shifts. Today the myth wants to shift. Give it permission to change. Lots of hustle bustle energy about doing things and getting out into the world. The closing aspect for the Aquarius Moon is a conjunction to Neptune. Envision a new myth or dream ending for yourself. Listen to the changes in the myth. Give it permission to evolve.

Sun’s day, the second Finger of God with Venus and Jupiter in Pisces as the Apex forms today. The fuel of the Mars retrograde in Leo sextile to the Saturn retrograde in Libra launches a new vision of the myth and points you toward your future and your new mythology. The fuel of Mars and Saturn ask Venus in her exaltation what is the loving thing to do? Sun joins with Chiron ~ do I really want to change my mythology to include kicking? Isn’t that wounding? Isn’t that regressive? Can I change my myth to get a different outcome and NOT add kicking to it? Or is there yet another vision or myth I can form as the Sun joins with Neptune? I can talk to Debbie about how unattractive pinching is in a 56 year old adult female and suggest she get into therapy for her aggressive tendencies. Hmmm. Probably not what a powerful pincher who breaks down defenses and gets her way with a pinch and a twist would listen to. Hmmm. I could take her out for a beer and ask her to talk about why she pinches women when it all started as a defense mechanism for her older brother. Well I still have a few more months to work on my mythology changes. But here I am, off to a good start! How about you? What mythology do YOU want to change in your life? What myth do you want to release? What new myths do you want to add. Mix and match. No right or wrong here. It is all in deciding what you want as your core values and your life path. It is your myth after all. If your myth doesn’t serve you any more, you can wrap it up and put in on the shelf with the other relics from your childhood and earlier life. Focus on the vision of where you want to go.

Mundane:

Next week on the 17th , Chiron and Neptune join to start a new 84 year cycle. Get your new myth started before then! If the health care bill isn’t passed, we may not see it for a long, long time.

The last time Chiron and Neptune met was September 3, 1945 when Japan surrendered in WW2, the USA set up camp in South Korea and Vietnam declared its independence. Before that Chiron met Neptune in March 1880 when the first town was electrified and Pennsylvania was the first state to abolish slavery and Nov 1879 when the first cash register was invented and installed to prevent the bartenders from running off with all the bars' profits. Call your Congressperson and two Senators and urge them to pass the health care bill! A historic moment in time is before us!

And while you are at it complain to your representatives about the recent Supreme Court ruling that gives corporations the right to spend as much money as they want to influence elections. I don't know if you can afford to buy a commercial on tv but I can't. The corporations are NOT people. They shouldn't have a say in our elections by being able to spend unlimited amounts of cash.

Thankfully there were no big earthquakes with the closing square of Saturn to Pluto. A 6.6 quake off the coast of Japan, major mudslides in California and the collapse of the railway entrance to the fabled Inca site of Machu Picchu, in Peru, closing it for months, due to floods of the Urubamba river. Over four thousand people, both foreign visitors and Peruvians, were evacuated by helicopter from Agua Calientes at the end of last week.

Greece is rumored to be about to declare bankruptcy, threatening the stability of the Euro currency as well as thrusting the European Union into its first significant test. Several charts exist for Greece, all of which contain major planets in early cardinal signs. Those early cardinal planets are receiving the difficult action of Saturn and Pluto’s closing square until next fall. The Greek revolution against the Turks chart of March 25, 1821 has Sun, Mercury, Jupiter in 4 Aries square to Neptune and Uranus in 3 Capricorn. The current republican parliamentary regime originated in the collapse of the military dictatorship on July 24, 1974 at 4 am in Athens, Greece. The 1974 chart has Venus at 3 Cancer square to Pluto and Moon in 4 Libra. With either chart for Greece, we can expect action and transformation as the Saturn Pluto square continues to revise and transform that country’s reality. Themyths they are a changing!

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather February 1, 2010

I know, last week WAS pretty stinky energetically. We had mini-earthquakes in our charts as Saturn and Pluto joined in a closing square while Venus and the Sun fought with Mars. Plus the Full Moon in Leo brought up issues from August 2008’s eclipse on the New Moon in Leo and last April’s opening quarter moon so you very likely ran into a situation or person from your past to remind you about where you are now. The universe wanted us to psychologically process the events in our lives and “grow” from them with the energy flying around the heavens right now. As my friend Molly said, “I think I’ve done it and figured this OUT already! Why do I have to do it AGAIN?”

So how did you do? Maybe you didn’t “grow” but did you figure out some important stuff about what you don’t like or want in your life? Did you decide what you don’t want to “do” any more? Remember, part of the energy of last week was NEGATIVE ~ meaning through the NOT WANTING to do some thing you get clear on what you DO WANT to do in your future.

I think we had to “do it again” so we are CRYSTAL CLEAR about our future. Nothing like getting dragged into the muck and mire of difficult emotions to remind you how much you didn’t like it the last 40 or so times it happened! And it does serve to get you crystal clear on why you don’t much want to keep doing it over and over and over again. Of course, Mars IS retrograde so Mars LIKES for you to do it over and over and over again while he is going backwards ~ kind of a giant Cosmic Ground Hog day. Except Bill Murray is not around to kill the Ground Hog! That said, Saturn and Pluto and the Leo Moon joined to Mars in Leo made you SO OVER it!

And we have a segue ~ Happy Ground Hog Day! Joyous Candlemas! Bright Imbolc! We are officially half way through Winter in the Northern Hemisphere while our friends in the Southern Hemisphere are halfway through their Summer. February 2^nd is when we reach the cross quarter day of Candlemas and find the Sun at 15 Aquarius ~ straddling the world axis. We are half way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the North.

The holiday of Candles is a festival of the hearth and home, a celebration of the lengthening days and the early signs of spring. Celebrations involve hearth fires, special foods, divination, watching for omens, a great deal of candles and perhaps an outdoor bonfire if the weather permits. In the Jewish tradition Candlemas was when Mary was freed from her 40 days of confinement mandated by the Torah after giving birth to a boy and when Christ was presented at the temple after her ritual bath to cleanse her from giving birth.

Imbolc is the day Cailleach the hag, gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she intends to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people are generally relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over. In the United States, we watch to see if the Ground Hog sees his shadow to know if winter will continue for another 6 weeks or be over soon when he has no shadow.

Light lots of Candles to celebrate the cross over and cross quarter energy in your life. Welcome the new energy and life that wants to emerge. Light candles to help you see your own shadow so you don’t go back into the hole discouraged or back to your old ways of doing things that no longer work for you. Remember the brighter the light, the darker the shadow! Light those candles! Dispel the darkness for the time being. Gaze into the candles fire to see your future dancing in the flames!

Our week ahead is a nice neutral week offering the opportunity to get a lot done. You will also meet some one or think of something REALLY important Tuesday and Wednesday as the Mercury joins with the North Node by declination and conjunction. The mind WANTS to change its position this week ~ give your mind and yourself permission to explore other options that are open to you and your mind. Listen to other advisors. Try what they suggest. It may not be exactly what you want but the old way isn’t what you want either. So try it out. The beginning of any consciousness comes from considering other ideas.

Back when I danced in Ballroom Competitions, my dressmaker Emilio suggested he make me a black outfit. I replied “But I don’t look good in black! It makes me look washed out!” Emmy was never one to take no for an answer, especially when he was inspired. Well, he made me a completely stunning black dress, with a floating hankerchief skirt and a bolero jacket. The top of the dress was tightly fitted, WAY low cut and showed off my significant cleavage to great advantage. The addition of a subtle ruby choker necklace and drip earrings completed the look and tied into the rhinestone trim on the bolero jacket. Emmy said, “Anne, IF the neckline is low enough, no one will notice you look washed out by black! People pay $10,000 for a set like you have. Besides, exposing flesh can never be wrong!” I wore the black dress. I danced in it. And, I DID place FIRST in the Tango! The dress? The dancing? A combo of both? As Jimmie my dance teacher said “Your top was terrific ~ firm, solid and strong while your feet were neat and perfect!” By top he meant my shoulders ~ I think?!

Venus will be in a Hammer of Thor or Fist of God with Saturn and Pluto so she’s wanting you to transform and try something brand new and exciting. Bang away at those old structures, make them collapse, shift and change. Do the Tango!

So listen to advice you wouldn’t normally take. Try it out. See what happens. Venus is in the mood to say nope but if the nope comes out of habit, routine or the way you’ve always done it, say yes instead. TRY IT! Say yes. Especially towards the end of the week! Adjust your ways! Change your structures. Try something new! Mercury is whispering in your ear to try something new and to ask for what you want.

Moon’s Day finds the Moon in Virgo and sensitive even as she has a busy day ahead of her. Mercury is also very active making the Moon touchy feely and overly sensitive. Mercury is squabbling with Jupiter and Vesta so it makes it time to reorganize and redo things around the home or office. The old way isn’t working any more. Time for a change. Mercury is very precise when he is in Capricorn. He’s talking clearly about what he wants. Jupiter is opposite Vesta today pushing for a vision of reorganizing ~ Jupiter brings expansion, especially when he is in Pisces. Vesta brings organization especially when she is in Virgo. Bed Bath and Beyond will be busy, busy! Expand your vision. Expand your concept of how it can be done. Organize your stuff and life toward the new chapter you want to add or expand. Organize procedures, processes and support things to move you toward your vision for your own future. Take that idea that you normally wouldn’t do and try it. You might come in first in the Tango!

Mars’ Day ~ Tuesday finds Moon in Libra and today VENUS is busy. She’s arguing with Saturn about how to go about doing things and what works for her and doesn’t work for her. She’s arguing with Pluto about whether she wants to transform or not (She’s voting for NOT!). However, Venus is also the handle of a Hammer of Thor or Fist of God formed by her aspect to Saturn and Pluto in square to each other. At least try the new idea on! You might look simply FABULOUS in black! Mercury dives into the North Node by declination so pay particular attention to what you hear or see or who you meet today. Get business cards and contact information. Take numbers. Give numbers. Be bold. Ask for what you want. You may decide you look fabulous in black after all or perhaps your cleavage IS what did it. At any rate, if someone asks you to Tango today, go for it! Say yes! And TANGO! Sun joins with Mercury by declination so that Tango will take you places! Things begun today turn out to move you towards your dream but you may be a bit more grandiose than the reality will actually turn out.

Mercury’s Day ~Wednesday finds Venus still in charge of the Moon and still reverberating from her dance with Saturn and Pluto. Mercury joins the North Node of Destiny and moves you forward. Follow up with who ever you met yesterday. Forward. Pay attention to whoever contacts you today too. They are here to take you to your future too. It can also be some kind of message that finds its way to you. You find papers or connect with a clue that leads you places in the future. It’s a great day to get papers out the door and off into the world. Things begun today turn out to move you towards your dream but you may be a bit more grandiose than the reality will actually turn out.

Jupiter’s Day ~ Thursday finds Venus a little stressed. She hates being so irritated with Saturn and Pluto but she doesn’t want what they want. At that same time, what she wants isn’t here. What’s a gal to do? Plan for her future and live in the moment. Know that the current energy will change. Talk about her dreams. Read about her dreams. Gather information about what you/she want to do. Research things. Moon is void in the morning east coast time and enters Scorpio for a passion extravaganza right before noon. Moon later in the day is strong and powerful as it talks to Jupiter and Pluto. While last week was pushing on you to evolve, today is when it actually happens. Give yourself over to the dream of what you want. That connection is in your heart because it is SUPPOSED to happen. Jupiter supports Venus in her desire for more and he’ll chat up Saturn and Pluto over the next few days to help her get what she wants.

Venus’ Day ~ Friday finds Jupiter and Saturn arguing. They have to make an adjustment of a physical nature. This can be a health adjustment day as they are in a Virgo type inconjunct. Dreams can be disturbing and very active. Chase dreams where you don’t get what you want. Stress energies of needing to do something but not being able to get it done. You’ll be blocked or offered a choice to partner with something that you might or might not want. Choose toward your dream. Don’t choose the non-dream even if it looks good. Or choose the non-dream with the idea that you are outta there when Mars goes direct in early March. Mercury is paying attention. He’s talking to Neptune so there is the distinct possibility that what you are being offered is a lie and not going to last. It is the expedient choice, not what either side wants. If you are hungry, take it with the idea that you don’t have to eat it every day. If you can wait, wait for a better offer.

Saturn’s Day we are still working with a Scorpio Moon with icky closing aspects. Moon is void in the afternoon so cautiously continue forward if you absolutely must but it is better to avoid if you can. Once the Moon goes into Sagittarius at 7 pm EST, we all calm down and the world is much nicer. Again a rocking night of dreams but this time the messages are what you are supposed to figure out. Notice who you hear from or what they say. Mercury is in a connecting aspect with Uranus offering an exciting challenge, idea or change. Jupiter works with Pluto so they can help Venus get what she wants and what you want. Make sure to tell people what you want tonight and tomorrow. Magic is a foot. Venus wants to work with Uranus in a creative and fun manner. Mercury warmed Uranus up so he’s particularly interested in Venus’ story and desires. Mercury is coming from a place of feeling a bit wounded or unwanted but that too is okay. He is the messenger of the Gods. Some times he delivers messages that make him uncomfortable. Such is life. Today is such a day. If the news is bad, it will actually be okay down the road a bit. Remember Mars is still retrograde.

Sun’s Day finds Moon in glorious Sagittarius and happy to boot. Again with the dreams or the unusual communications that mean things on multiple layers. Pay attention to the embedded messages as well as the overt message. Therapists do this all the time. They notice what you say when you arrive. Then they watch how it unfolds. Then they see how the arrival telegraphs the underlying story and they make the connects. They listen for the embedded message in the story. So someone talks to you about not being able to commit, THEY are not feeling able to commit. Embedded messages are actually very cool once you start looking for them and decoding them. Mercury is bustling today with all sorts of messages and communications. Sun starts to form his Hammer of Thor with Saturn and Pluto which runs over the next few days as the universe helps you get clear on what YOU want for your ego and soul’s path and development. You might have to leave behind some of your old rules, your family’s rules, or your mom’s rules too. It is okay. You have your own rules that you want to follow. Give yourself permission to at least consider it! Venus understands her soul’s wound on a new level. If it isn’t kind don’t say it. The wound doesn’t need you pouring salt into it.

Mundane: China is mad at us again.

Last November, when we had part 1 of Saturn square Pluto, China spoke harshly to Barack Obama about our debt problem. As the largest creditor and major country holding our national debt, China took the approach of Mom or Dad having a talking to the young, irresponsible one, us in the USA, who ran up the credit card bill and can‘t afford to pay it. Now, on the SECOND square, China is mad at us for our Military’s decision to sell arms and military equipment to Taiwan. Not good!

As the cardinal cross approaches this June, you might consider making sure your assets are in conservative cash, gold, land, or other safe positions. Preserve your principle. We can anticipate a second financial collapse that is deeper and longer than the one averted in the fall of 2008. The financial markets swooned a bit on the second square of Pluto and Saturn this last week. When we add Uranus and Jupiter into that the early part of June in cardinal, fire and explosive Aries, watch out world! Additionally, Neptune is going to start to separate from Chiron in February allowing us to see how deeply wounded the American People are financially. As Jupiter continues to pull away from the Gang of Three, the optimistic “bubble” of their energy will pop like the dot coms did in 2000. Get your principle in safe things.

Reader Mail

Irene wrote: I'm an avid reader of yours who appreciates and has learned a great deal from your site - thank you. I was surprised today by the vehemence with which you 'went after' a reader (I think her name was Zenaida) --particularly after writing at length about not criticizing the porkchops, etc.

We've had a disagreement or two via email in the past, and to be honest, your response to Zenaida was somewhat of a revelation to me, in that the aggression in it (do you think it's possible it might even have contained a tinge of nastiness?) far 'outweighed' her critique of your column. It does make me curious about how you handle criticism more generally, and it made me hope that it's something you're open to exploring. You offer so much to so many people, and your response to Zenaida, which struck me as somewhat petty and at times downright mean, was -- well --unbecoming. I wish I could write to her directly to say that it's obvious her concern for the Haitian people is genuine.

And thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Anne answers: Ah the evolving psychological wisdom of the closing Saturn Pluto square! Instead of arguing with Irene, I decided to simply post Irene’s email so she could let Zenaida know her feelings.

Zenaida, if I offended you with my response, I certainly did not intend to. If I did offend you, please accept my most sincere apology. Tonal quality is not available in blog posts. My response apparently sounded much nicer in my head than it read to Irene who thought I was aggressive, nasty, petty, down right mean, unbecoming and vehement in my response. Whew! I CAN DO BETTER! We Virgo gals always look to improve!

As the purpose of my column is to 1) teach astrology, 2) help people figure out how to use the energy flying around in the heavens and 3) generate astrology readings for my practice, I certainly did not intend to “go after” a reader. That would be rather counter productive on my part.

And to another reader ears, my response seemed fine. Go figure.

Cathy wrote: Dear Anne,

Today I was finishing reading your Ephemeris one day late, and I noticed the Reader Email .

Since I did not agree with her point of view, I asked myself why I have never written.

Many of the emails I have seen are questions for you or objections to what you have said.

I do not recall a bona fide complimentary one, so I would like to offer mine.

I read your column every week, as do many I know.

I read it, I answer the questions you pose, in writing or in my thoughts, I often buy or reference the books you suggest, or other experts you quote.

I use it to improve my knowledge of the vast and ancient subject of astrology, to improve my life, to enlighten my thinking, to answer questions puzzling me.

I do this because your Ephemeris is the product of a vastly learned and experienced woman and astrologer.

I do this because reading you is like listening to a Sunday sermon.

A minister preaches to enlighten his/her congregation about the meanings of God’s Word, theology, and the Christian life.

In doing so, he or she may tell stories, reference books, quote politics, but the sermon always ends with an exhortation to take the ancient and spiritual truths and make yourself and your world better.

You do the same thing, using astrology as your ‘source’.

You did not invent astrology, you studied it, are credentialed in it, practice it, and teach it.

You are a certified expert, period.

I occasionally read the writings of other astrologers.

Some are pithy, some are trendy, some are bon mots for those who want a five minute astro fix.

You are not in the same business as they are.

Your columns are meant to teach, enlighten, guide, help, heal.

But, they do much more!

They are entertaining, erudite, fun and provocative.

You use your own experiences, those of others, literature, music, poetry, scripture, and stories to ‘Teach” the astrological points you are making.

You are not blogging Anne Ortelee’s personal POV.

You are not the Atlantic Monthly, People magazine, or an OP Ed commentator.

You are an astrologer, who answers to no Board of Directiors or Deacons, Editorial Board or subscription readership.

You offer your service free of charge, and an extremely generous service it is.

Like most Senior Professionals, you are in it as a Calling, and for the Love of the Game.

Of course, no one writes with an entirely transparent point of view.

You are obviously not a Sarah Palin Republican.

You don’t approve of the larceny on Wall Street.

But those opinions are a very small part of your weekly work, and they never stray from your teaching points about what the Astrological Lessons of the week are there to teach us.

The writer today complained you were less than concerned with world events by featuring Conan/ Leno and not Haiti in your last weeks column.

I couldn’t agree less.

You used, as always, the Conan/Leno battle as an allegory for your teaching points.

You put Haiti in an entirely different level, which, of course, it is.

In your answer to your reader you explained your personal bias over the voyeurism of the News Media in regard to Haiti.

You have every right to talk about what you wish.

As I said, it is YOUR COLUMN, you are NOT People Magazine or CNN and your objective is not the same.

I thank your for your wisdom and your generosity in sharing it with the world.

Anne answers: Ah shucks. Thanks Cathy! I must say I am blushing! And there, I did it, I posted a bona fide complimentary letter! Saturn Pluto square evolving again! I hadn’t noticed I only posted the critical emails. We Virgo gals do focus on the criticism! Forward to another Ground Hog Day!

Copyright © 2010 A.C. Ortelee

Full Moon January 30, 2010 1:18 am EST

Full Moon January 29, 2010 10:18 pm PST

10:15 Leo Moon and Aquarius Sun.

The Full Moon ripens the Eclipse New Moon from the summer of 2008 using a see-saw pattern and a strong Mars placement with the Moon in Leo. See-saw charts are what they sound like, up one minute, down the next. See-saws bring a back and forth, up and down type of energy that encourages us to push off with our feet to ride up and then to hang on tight while the downward energy of the balancing part of the see-saw ride takes place.

Think back to what was going on in your life in August 2008. Do you see how much has changed in the Leo area of your life? Do you see the see-saw energy operating in your life now asking how you feel about the choices you made? The choices from 2008 are coming to fruition now, ripening before you like juicy fruit on the tree of your life. And maybe, if you don’t like so much what you have ripening in your life, you can find someone to trade with or take a different approach under the light of the Full Moon. Of course, if you DO like it, forward full steam ahead as the Full Moon encourages you to achieve perhaps a bit more balance in your life with the up and down energy of the see-saw.

Back in the summer of 2008, the encouragement from the universe was to do what you loved, to follow that beloved Leo energy, the stellium of Leo stars in the sky, towards spending time on the things you loved to do. Did you? Have you spent your life on the things you love to do? Have you invested your energy and life wisely? Or have you frittered your days, weeks and energy away doing things that no longer bring you joy?

It has been a bit of a see-saw in the world lately with the energy of the cosmos wanting us to change and grow into the people our charts promise we can be or become when we follow our dreams. Our charts hold the map and describes the path our soul said it wanted to experience while on earth this time around.

The Sun and Venus are opposite the Moon and Mars, creating an opportunity for us to see clearly our emotional desires and how they drive us using the detached manner of Venus and Sun in Aquarius. Sun and Venus in Aquarius ask us to look at the story of our heart’s dream and nurturing requirements to see if it STILL serves us. Sun and Venus in Aquarius bring the energy of the 11^th house of our dreams, hopes and wishes to bear in this lunation. Our vision will be independent, inventive, tolerant, progressive, logical, humane, and unorthodox. We‘ll find we have progressive ideas and our thinking might veer a bit into being unconventional, unusual or eccentric. All part of the energy of the Full Moon that wants us to be taken a bit by surprise and help reform the world.

Venus is triggering the August 5 eclipse from LAST summer, 2009, making the thoughts of what you wanted then seen a bit clearer under the light of the Full Moon this month. And the eclipse fromt then is ‘triggered’ by Venus and the lights on this Moon ~ events from August can be back up and running in your life. Know that you know better NOW what you want than you knew back then. Again, we live and grow.

Compromise is part of living. As Mars is retrograde, the compromises we are asked to make are not going to “stick” or “stay”. So make a compromise, but reserve the right to reevaluate the compromises made in March when Mars goes direct or in early June when Mars leaves Leo.

Mars and Pluto are in a bi-quintile aspect talking and coming up with a great or brilliant way to accomplish what you said your goals or dreams were. Follow that dream or bright idea, even if it seems a bit out of reach or wild and crazy. It is a wild and crazy kind of moon.

The Full Moon takes place a day before Saturn and Pluto square each other for the second closing square in Libra and Capricorn. The first closing square was November 15, 2009 and the week or so before that. The third closing square will be on August 21, 2010. Saturn in Libra wants us to partner with our dreams. Pluto in Capricorn will move earth, literally as in earthquakes, as well as move the structures and foundations in our own lives to get us to take the actions we need to take. Saturn and Pluto are difficult planets to snuggle up with ~ kind of a tough love energy of “suck it up and do it“! So suck it up and do it under the Full Moon’s energy! Take responsibility for your actions. The closing square between Saturn and Pluto is a psychological square, asking us to THINK about what we are doing and decide if that is what we REALLY want to do OR do we want to pursue a different course OR is there some third, fourth or fifth option available to us?

The Moon is perigee to Earth, meaning it is the closest it comes to us. The Moon appears exceptionally large when it is this close to earth. Perigee moons make for exceptionally high tides as well as gravitational pulls of the surface plates floating on the earth. Remember our earth has a “skin” of sorts over the molten lava inside her sphere‘s core. The skin of earth, or tectonic plates, will be exceptionally active this week and next. Full Moons that are perigee often are more emotional than other Moons as the Moon makes the tides of water and feelings in OUR bodies more high and pulls on our skin making us want to jump out of our skin or bodies and be free.

This Full Moon also finds Mars retrograde in Leo next to it so the energy wants to tug us away or back to some emotional safe place. Leo Moon’s are dramatic, idealistic, proud, ambitious, magnetic and creative. Mars joined to the Moon, retrograde, can bring some of the negative Leo qualities such as childish, overbearing, boastful, pretentious, autocratic, and proud into the mix. Be aware that Mercury’s upcoming union with the North Node can make the ideas that you have

There is a desire to profoundly SHIFT the energy and to know and to understand it on a different level that is taking place inside each of us. It is a very powerful lunation with a fast moving Moon that will make jumps of connections and leaps of intuition seem normal. Finally, Venus and Saturn are in mutual reception so they can swap places ~ Saturn can join with the Sun adding a degree of somberness to the light and a blocking energy to the Moon and Mars’ desire to go all out. You may not be able to go for what you want right this second but at least KNOW what you want.

As this is such a big Moon, with so much activity zipping around, it seemed appropriate to give you a couple of extra Sabian Images besides the Sun and Moon so I’ve included Venus and Mars too. Venus and Mars are fighting in the heavens right now ~ so what we want and what we are getting are at odds with each other. Normally Venus and Mars are good buddies but not right now. Mars is going backwards and doesn’t have his usual laissez-fair life is a banquet attitude. He’s crabby, cranky, envious and jealous as he compares himself to others and finds himself wanting. Or what perhaps better said, he compares what he has to what he thinks the other guy has.

Venus, normally quite related and affectionate, is very detached and cool in Airy Aquarius combust the Sun. Now she is seduced by good ideas and excellent conversations, and her normal turn-ons or interests are not what intrigue her now. She wants good ideas and conversations that stimulate, not a love partner that is crabby, cranky, envious and jealous.

So best to leave Venus and Mars to go to their separate rooms and focus on their own images of what is active under the lunation. They will get together again, but right now, let them be separate. It will make for easier relations.

And if you are having problems with a love partner, spouse, beloved or good friend, go to your own room and do your own thing. No arguing or saying you aren’t doing this for me or that for me. Mars is NOT in the Mood. Venus is NOT in the Mood.

Go do what YOU love and let the rest of the world be.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian image for the Aquarius Sun is DURING A SILENT HOUR, A MAN RECEIVES A NEW INSPIRATION WHICH MAY CHANGE HIS LIFE

Commentary: ‘During a Silent Hour, a Man Receives a New Inspiration’ shows someone taking some time out to contemplate, to meditate, or just to be by themselves. He ‘Receives a New Inspiration’: he receives a thought, an idea or an ‘Inspiration’ that is the answer to a dilemma or provides clues of how to proceed with something. This ‘New Inspiration May Change His Life’, an aspect of his life may be ‘Changed’- he’s had some deep understanding and it is likely to turn his life around.

Oracle: This Symbol shows the benefits of “getting away from it all” in order to reassess your life and goals. This ‘Silent Hour’ could be a short minute, a few hours, or a period of days, etc. What the Symbol shows is that a ‘New Inspiration’ will be received. Until now, you may have found that despite racking your brains there’s been no rational guidance available. It’s important to realize that there is often a lot of internal as well as external noise that needs to be quieted. The rational mind can be noisy and tends to interfere with the flow of the imagination or intuition. You need to slow down and open up to the messages of your inner ‘Inspiration’. By reducing the external noise, clutter and distraction, it becomes possible for the mind to focus on what is essential, rather than what may just be convenient. This Symbol shows that there is an answer coming, and it will probably change many things, or at least change what most needs to be changed. This can also imply the need for a shift of some kind, and this may have been forgotten, or neglected, because of preoccupations with social matters, or being too busy. Listen for clues: It may not be external voices that bring this ‘New Inspiration’ but the voices within. If there is difficulty blocking out the hustle and bustle of everyday life, meditation or delving into your dreams or fantasies may lead to the solution.

Keywords: Welling creative power. Inspiration = breathing in the spirit. Being driven to come to terms with one’s reality. Visionary people and events. Being reborn. Spiritual awakenings. Meditation and reflective thought. Inner intuitive awareness rising up into conscious awareness. Spending time alone, thinking. Contemplation. Reversals.

The Caution: Exclusion of others. Obsession with one’s self or objectives. Being a hermit. Hearing voices. Feeling trapped. Shooting off in all directions. Dropping things too quickly without resolution. Cutting off from life. Constantly changing directions. Regretting the past. Not moving on.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian Image for Venus is

TWO LOVEBIRDS SITTING ON A FENCE AND SINGING HAPPILY

Commentary: ‘Two Lovebirds Sitting on a Fence and Singing Happily’ is an image that brings to mind togetherness, friendship, happiness, love, and the rejoicing of relationship. The ‘Lovebirds’ may be singing happily, but as they are ‘Sitting on a Fence’ this could be masking a reality; perhaps they are not exactly happy; perhaps they are not so together. If, indeed, the ‘Two’ are ‘Singing Happily’, then this is cause for joy and celebration about issues relating to love, partnership, being together and the sharing of lives.

Oracle: ‘Singing’ and making statements about love out loud can bring happiness to those nearby and lift the spirits of all involved. However, this Symbol can also point to dividing lines between people, like having a ‘Fence’ of some kind between them. Although there may be superficial feelings of contentment and pleasure, this can be based on someone having a non-committed, tenuous or shaky position. To go one way or another with conviction in a relationship can invite the risk of separation, but commitment eventually needs to be chosen or rejected. How long can people sit on the ‘Fence’? The ‘Fence’ can represent actual physical divisions between people, where they can see each other, but can’t actually connect or be with each other. Is that what’s happening? Is there one ‘Lovebird’ singing happily and the other one wanting to escape? Divisions of hearts and minds can lead to sorrow. See if you can look to love and happiness, even if it takes time for people to really relax into a relationship, especially if they’ve learnt to distrust each other or relationships in general. Is there a pledging of commitment to each other? This Symbol can also indicate problems with fertility and falling pregnant. If people are always ‘On the Fence’ how can they commit to the lives of their offspring-whether the “offspring” is their young, their creative ideas, or their future.

Keywords: Faith in love. Waiting for signs. Friendship and companionship. Issues of “that’s them and this is us”. Fences, borders and barriers. Showing love for all to see. Commitment to relationship. Mating for life. The need for honest communications. Singing.

The Caution: Sitting on the fence. Complaining about relationships. Waiting to see what the other will do. Being stuck when one would rather fly off and be free. Having a fixed position. Not wanting to comply with the other. Neighborhood disputes. Noises from next door. Boasting of happiness.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian image for the Leo Moon is CHILDREN ON A SWING IN THE SAFETY OF A HUGE OAK TREE

Commentary: ‘Children on a Swing in the Safety of a Huge Oak Tree’ brings to mind images of ‘Children’ playing, having fun together and being protected by the big branches of the ‘Huge Oak Tree’. ‘Oak Trees’ infer enormous strength. The ‘Oak’s’ strength, the hardness and durability of the timber, and their long life give the Oak a special significance. In England, the Oak has been referred to as the “Monarch of the Forest”. Cowthorpe Oak in Yorkshire can hold 70 people in its hollow. It is said to be over 1,600 years old. The Ellerslie Oak, near Paisley, is reported to have sheltered Sir William Wallace and 300 of his men. Honour Oak, Whitchurch, Tavistock was the place where money was left in exchange for food during the cholera epidemic of 1832.

Oracle: It is easier to enjoy carefree, childlike play when one’s ‘Safety’ and care is assured. Protective environments are the places where playgrounds should be created. In this Symbol it is the very structure of the things around you or even your particular location that provides the ‘Safety’ that’s needed. By the very nature of things, safe surroundings can take care of everyone. Institutions like the Social Security system are similar to the ‘Oak Tree’. Religions and social organizations can also provide this protected environment for people. In general, it is security and protection that needs to be afforded to us for us to follow our true path. Look for the stability and strength in your situation, and expand your wishes and dreams into that protected environment. This Symbol can indicate being relieved from responsibility. This is a good time to relax into playing with others. Feel ‘Safe’ in the knowledge that everything will remain secure. Keep in touch with the innocence and openness of youthful play.

Keywords: Creativity in safe surroundings. Feeling of being protected and privileged. Social security and other forms of governmental protection. Agencies that bring food, education and basic needs to children in difficult circumstances. Children, trees, grass, swings, parks. Amusement parks. Childhood memories. Climbing trees. Spontaneous activity. Humanitarian agencies.

The Caution: Expecting others to take all the responsibility while one just plays. Children not being looked after. Disadvantaged people. Desertion by government and big business.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian image for Leo Mars is EARLY MORNING DEW SALUTES THE SUNLIGHT

Commentary: ‘Early Morning Dew Salutes the Sunlight’ gives the feeling of freshness in the air as the sun comes up in the ‘Morning’. The warmth of the Sun is yet to create the vibrancy of the new day, but the promise is there. This is a time of limbo, when the stillness and the darkness of night are washed away as the day progresses into light and activity. However, this Symbol can signify a time known as the “Dark Night of the Soul”. St. John of the Cross used this term to describe the experience of mystics who feel depressed and isolated, from the world and even from God. This was often prior to the attainment of mystical transcendence – when the ‘Sunlight’ breaks through and a healing takes place. This is a time of freshness where the “air” (the newly awakened mind) is crisp and the “ground” (the refreshed and renewed body) readies itself for a new round of activity. The birds are stirring and there is a buzzing in the air, as all creatures start moving about.

Oracle: There are times in our life when we wonder if we can persevere to the end of some ordeal. After a cold and difficult time, you may now be close to the end of your troubles and sensing that the resolution to your problems is imminent. The reward of relief may prove to be transitory, so enjoy it before you move on with the activity of the new day. You may still have some of the same issues to face, but now there is probably more insight into what changes and shifts in attitude can be made. Awakening energies are signaling new beginnings. Taking your shoes off and walking on the grass in the early morning is said to be very good for the soul.

Keywords: Refreshment after periods of “the long night of the soul”. Dawn meditations bringing new starts and new inspiration. Dew. Water dripping from trees. The dawning of a new day and the relief that it can bring. Changing of the guard. Natural progression. Inheritances. Exhalted feelings of release.

The Caution: Not letting go of difficult situations. Persisting with problems that may have been solved. Feeling that the worst is going to happen, even though things are lightening up. Being afraid of the night. Staying up all night, being upset or unable to sleep. Gloominess. Staying in bed well into the day.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian Symbols appears with her permission. Check her work out at http://www.sabiansymbols.typepad.com or http://www.sabiansymbols.com

Weekly Weather January 25, 2010

Kind of stressful and ambivalent week ahead of us ~ news we don’t much want to hear, things we don’t want to face, and situations we are not in the mood to deal with. That said, your job is to get clear on what you DO want by running into, working with and dealing with what you DON’T want. It is amazing how clarifying what you don’t want can actually be!

So you’ll be clarified like butter is after it melts!

Butter becomes clear by gently heating it and removing the impurities. You will be heated this week by Mars in warm fire Leo talking to Sun, Venus, Mercury, Pluto and Uranus. You get clear on what you want with Mars warming those planets up ~ either by aggravating or heating them up. The planets will help you get clear by asking you to explain what you want in greater and clearer detail to Mars.

Remember Mars is STILL RETROGRADE so he’ll bring you and your Sun stuff you don’t much want but …. But Mars gave it to you! Mars got it for you! But you don’t want it! But it isn’t what you asked for! But it has flaws! But it ain’t your dream! But. But. But. It is a But week.

Try And instead of But to get Mars to go back out and get you what you want.

Right now Mars is NOT in the mood ~ kind of like when your mother cooked dinner after a hard day in her world and you walked in the kitchen, asked what was for dinner and said “BUT I don’t WANT pork chops! BUT I hate pork chops! Why do we have to have PORK CHOPS!!!” Your mother glares over the top of her eyeglasses at you. She rattles the spatula in the frying pan, flips the pork chop.

Mom has had it. (Mars has had it too.) Mom says, reasonably pleasantly considering that she brought you into this world and would like to take you out of her world right about now, “Look, this is NOT a restaurant! We are having pork chops!” (Mars says “Jeeze You are SO FUSSY!!! I got it for you! Take it! Here!” )

If you were smart, you’d stop wailing about the pork chops or whatever Mars brought you right about then. However, YOU’VE had a bad day too so you continue with “BUT I HATE PORK CHOPS!!!! You probably cooked peas with the PORK CHOPS too! BUT I HATE PEAS almost more than I hate PORK CHOPS!” You wail about what Mars brought you too!

It kind of devolves from there.

You get the idea.

And, it doesn’t have to devolve!

You have a couple of choices besides continuing on and on about the pork chops and peas or whatever Mars brought you. You know that into each life some pork chops must come.

Try And instead of But.

Honey instead of Vinegar.

Peanut butter and jelly is a decent substitute dinner when the disliked pork chops are on the menu.

Mercury is very, very active ~ moving forward talking to just about everyone in the sky in crabby and cranky ways. He’s in an oppositional mood this week as he moves through Capricorn. There are a type of aspects called declinations. Mercury is talking to quite a few planets by contraparallel ~ pushing back or not liking what they say. Or they are not liking what Mercury is saying to them. Mercury is still in his shadow so he’s also wrapping up the story from December.

If you hear things you don’t like this week, think about them. Mars is still retrograde so working to change what they said is probably not in your best interest. That said, knowing what they are thinking IS useful. Similar to arguing with your mother about hating pork chops a few minutes before dinner is going to be served, is not productive, arguing this week is not productive. Take the information received and move forward with it. Know what YOU want. Or know what you DON’T want. Either way, THAT process is clarifying. Arguing about Pork chops is not a good use of your time or energy. Plus you are going to irritate who ever you argue with. Why waste time like that?

Finally Saturn and Pluto square each other for the second time this week. These two boys don’t much like each other. Back to the analogy of a Boy Named Sue from a few months ago when they met up for the first time. Pluto is Saturn’s child and never got over being eaten by his father in the same way a Boy Named Sue never got over his father naming him Sue and leaving town.

Now Saturn is retrograde so the authorities are in retreat and fleeing from the power of an angry or power grabbing Pluto. Aside from being a lovely planetary setup for another major earthquake at the end of the week, we need to understand that power kicks back and takes over in the face of too much cooperation or nicey-nicey lets all be getting along. See the mundane section for more on this reversal energy in our society.

In YOUR life, Saturn’s closing square to Pluto wants you to look at and psychologically process the dynamic of how you work with power (or don’t) as well as how you are an authority (or aren’t) in your own life. Time to grow up. Be responsible. Own your power and understand how your actions caused the current results in your life. Claim your results. Take charge. Figure out how the current situation in your life came to be. You will be working with it until August 21 so you might as well snuggle up with it this week and get to know it as best you can.

Monday Moon in Gemini offers us choices that are hard as Mercury in Capricorn argues with Mars in Leo. Clarify the butter! As words heat up, make sure to clarify that you are actually hearing what you are hearing. It might not be what they actually meant to say. Double and triple check. We have to adjust, adjust, adjust. Venus has a bad hair day as a sudden reversal makes her completely crazed. Life is a bit chaotic and not organized to her liking. Venus needs to take a more freed up approach to the situation which she is NOT up for. But that actually will be a good thing if you can get her to try it and do it. She’s needing a bit of change. Like new shampoo makes your hair shiny and bright, time to try a new approach with the goddess of love.

Tuesday. Mercury isn’t hearing happy talk from Venus even as he suggests to Uranus a solution that they all will like. One summer in my summer share house, there was a very neurotic woman who had a ½ share. Mid-summer, she came to the house and spent the entire weekend up in her room, crying. Her two friends would hurry up the stairs and hurry down the stairs, looking worried, whispering between themselves. They delivered food to her room. When I inquired, after the second day of closed doors and in-room food delivery, what exactly the problem was, I was told it was a bad haircut. A beautiful beach weekend at a lovely share house right on the Great South Bay where a beach hat would completely cover whatever damage had been done to her hair by the errant cutter was completely lost in tears and sorrow. And her two friends suffered too as they had to listen to the sorrows of a bad haircut and deliver food to their inconsolable friend. Take a different strategic approach. Hair grows out. Eventually.

Wednesday Venus now SHOUTS at Mars. When she finally appeared, packed and ready to leave the summer house to catch the ferry on Sunday with her hair covered by a cap, one of the guys in the house commented that her hair did not look that bad to him. She shouted at him. She threw the pile of New York Times sections at him. She burst into tears. Of course, if she hadn’t spent the entire weekend in her room crying about her hair, he never would have NOTICED she’d had it cut. Be careful about provoking the situation from yesterday today with errant comments. People tend to overreact and shout a bit. Lots of emotions flying around. Avoid arguments over pork chops too. People are creatures of patterns and habits. What is the “tell” that told you NOT to go there? You KNEW you were pushing the line…. Be careful. Watch who you meet today. They can be quite important in your life in the months ahead. Make sure to get their contact information.

Thursday or Jupiter’s day finds the jolly giant a bit frustrated by his silly argument with Mercury yesterday as the tension starts to build of Saturn’s square to Pluto. Vesta offers a great idea about how to change the patterns and get what she wants. Mars has an aspect of brilliance to Pluto so while the idea is great it might not be the best time to work on it. Pluto is trine to Vesta and encouraging her to move forward to her next challenge and vision of how her home and hearth can change. It is a good day for renovations and shifts in how things are going to be done. Sun fights with Uranus about stupid stuff, suggesting you watch out to not have a fight for the sake of fighting ~ such as complaining about the Pork chops right before they are served. Not a good idea. Moon in Cancer is quite productive provided it moves the energy from arguing about Pork Chops to quirky creative solutions.

Friday or Venus’ Day finds Mercury having ANOTHER argument with Uranus. He’s just not letting up on complaining about the pork chops and peas! Or the bad haircut! Sun opposes Mars so he might just throw his plate or the New York Times sections across the room! Remember there is an underlying tension building of the upcoming Saturn Pluto square that is part of the extreme frustration energy felt today. Mars is sick and tired of NOT getting what he wants! Sun is sick and tired of Mars complaining all the time. Not a fun day.

Saturn’s day brings a full moon in Leo. Read the full moon report on this site for more information on how to work with the energy. Mercury argues about Pork chops today as well as all sorts of things that irritate him. Total waste of time. But when you are in the mood to argue….. Well you know what happens. Redirect that energy toward the idea of what you want. Disappointment breeds the desire to change things. So get busy thinking about how you would change things if you could. You’ll be able to change them in March when Mars goes direct. Things begun today dissolve in dreams.

Sun’s day is flat out difficult, depressing, powerful and illuminating at the same time. The Saturn Pluto square perfects and asks us to psychologically evolve and grow up. We need to understand why the situations in our life exist. We have to pay the piper or face the consequences. We have to be responsible. Tis time for us to stand for our own truths, values, dreams and desires. Mercury is arguing with Neptune so we can feel MIGHTY emotional and teary with this energy ~ elevated or depressed but not “normal”. Moon in Virgo gives a do-be quality to the day where we can be rather hard on ourselves with aspects that imply we will be separating from what we start today with a profound element of change. Mercury asks us to work with the patterns in our lives to understand at a deeper level what is happening ~ do you see how you attracted the situation you are in to help you move through your life? Venus works with the feminine creative nurturing energy ~ it can be a great day for getting pregnant if you are trying to make a baby! Love creates today ~ so love the changes, challenges and shifts in your life. Desire them into being. Mars has a stressful aspect with Uranus so be careful of accidents and crashes. People are very preoccupied and not paying adequate attention. Double check and triple check before pulling out on the highway or parking lot. Lots of accidents.

Mundane:

Mars retrograde brought a number of reversals or departures last week besides Conan O‘Brien: Massachusetts voted Republican for Kennedy‘s Democratic seat putting the Health Care bill and Obama’s agenda in jeopardy, Air America went bankrupt, and the Supremes said it was a-okay for corporations and special interest groups to spend mass quantities of money right before an election, effectively gutting the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill. Mars is retrograde so we can expect these situations to reverse or start to revise when he goes direct on March 10. I would be much more depressed if Mars was direct!

Gotta love Mars retrograde in LEO, the sign of cats big and small.

From the Internet: Cairo: Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000-year-old temple that may have been dedicated to the ancient Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet, the Supreme Council of Antiquities said Tuesday.

The ruins of the Ptolemaic-era temple were discovered by Egyptian archaeologists in the heart of the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C.

The city was the seat of the Greek-speaking Ptolemaic Dynasty, which ruled over Egypt for 300 years until the suicide of Queen Cleopatra. The statement said the temple was thought to belong to Queen Berenice, wife of King Ptolemy III who ruled Egypt in the 3rd century B.C. Mohammed Abdel-Maqsood, the Egyptian archaeologist who led the excavation team, said the discovery may be the first trace of the long-sought location of Alexandria's royal quarter.

The large number of statues depicting Bastet found in the ruins, he said, suggested that this may be the first Ptolemaic-era temple dedicated to the cat goddess to be discovered in Alexandria. This would indicate that the worship of the ancient Egyptian cat-goddess continued during the later, Greek-influenced, Ptolemaic period, he said.

Modern Alexandria was built squarely on top of the ruins of the classical-era city and many of its great temples, palaces and libraries remain undiscovered. The temple was found in the Kom el-Dekkah neighborhood near the city's main train station and home to a Roman-era amphitheater and well preserved mosaics.

Reader Mail:

Zenaida wrote: I have been a follower of your column for a long time and today it is the first time that you disappoint me. I can't believe that you dedicate so much space to talk about the Leno-O'Brien issue witch is so shallow and unimportant and only a few passing words to Haiti in the moment that humans beings are going thru so much suffering; missing the opportunity to expand on the incredible spiritual lesson we can all learn from this. With all due respect, I would like to hear from you on this subject.

Anne answers: Sorry to have disappointed you, Zenaida. I have a Pisces Moon which makes writing about the extreme suffering in Haiti very difficult for me. And, I don’t happen to believe our voyeuristically witnessing suffering expands our spiritual lessons nor does it let us learn things other than suffering and horrible things occur to people. Death via earthquakes and the resulting suffering are unpleasant, difficult and painful to watch. To my mind, the coverage is an extreme example of rubberneck syndrome where we slow down on the thruway to look at a crash and have our emotional reaction safely in our own car. I know myself when I hook into a suffering story it often reflects something I am trying to learn about myself and understand. It reflects a deeper level of my chart’s work. As you were disappointed with me and wrote, I would guess the Haiti story ties into your chart on a deeper level. You are working on clearing something or getting conscious of something.

Don’t so quickly dismiss the Leno-O’Brien story as shallow and unimportant. It is the other side of what people are dealing with in the world and a bit easier to wrap that Pisces Moon of mine around. Mars is retrograde. We are facing choices in our lives in which we want to be aware of where the envy is driving us to make a bad choice or a choice that is out of ego rather than clear consciousness.

People are either having EARTHQUAKES in their chart ~ and suffering enormously ~ like the folks in Haiti. Emotional, Psychological, Spiritual or Physical earthquakes ~ as Saturn stations and moves to square Pluto at the end of the month as the eclipse brought things to light.

Or people are experiencing ENVY and having to make CHOICES that need to be made from a clean space rather than an emotional space (like Conan didn‘t.)

Or perhaps a combination of both ~ Earthquake and Envy. Conan probably would describe what happened to him as an earthquake in his career. And certainly the 200 employees and their families that uprooted their lives, changed the children‘s schools, sold their homes and moved to California to work for him had an earthquake as they lost their jobs in a difficult economy.

Remember Zenaida, the outer stories we watch in the collective are reflections of the planetary energy we can all tap into. The people with EARTHQUAKES taking place in their chart right now are simply trying to survive the quake and find in their lives the equivalent of water and food. They are sitting in dark rooms with their blinds closed deciding whether to live or die. Their arms and lives are frozen right now as they are trapped in difficult places through the earthquake that took place in their life of an extreme loss of an emotional, spiritual, physical or psychological nature JUST LIKE the people we are watching in Haiti. My bet is the earthquake people are NOT reading my column right now.

The folks who are reading my column are watching Haiti on TV and writing a check or three as they navigate the difficult Mars retrograde energy which the Leno-O’Brien story is the illustrative example. To them, I can make a difference. Be careful. Be conscious. Don’t react out of ego. Take a long term view as the Uranus-Saturn aspect is not over yet!

Hope that helps!

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

Weekly Weather January 18, 2010

Well last week was certainly rather wild and wooly! Earthquakes! Fights! Excitement! Secrets revealed! Drama! Explosions! So what broke free in YOUR life and shifted dramatically? Could you feel the energy moving?

All that energy was the eclipse on the North Node of Destiny, Mercury going direct on Pluto and square to Saturn as Saturn stationed to go retrograde and Jupiter entered Pisces.

Now we enter a period of retreat as a part of us moves forward. Mars is still going backwards in Leo until March 10 and now Saturn has joined him in reverse mode. Saturn is going to go back into late Virgo, where he was at the beginning of October of 2009. We are going to gather up the pieces of the story from back then to finish them up this spring. Once we get all that restructured we zoom ahead into the Cardinal Cross in June and July.

The Cardinal Cross will be part two of the economic collapse prior to the needed restructuring promised by Pluto in Capricorn. It will be similar to when Pluto entered Scorpio and we had the huge AIDS bloom where it felt like everyone was dying or when Pluto entered Sagittarius and it seemed every Catholic parish had a pedophile priest who molested children.

Now we will have the sense that every bank and corporate structure is unstable or cracking. Or perhaps our government will crack or appear unstable. Capricorn rules corporations, banks, governments and big business. Your job between now and the end of May is to evaluate your financial holdings and take the needed steps to PRESERVE your capital. Put your capital in safe, non-risky investments that you can point to such as real estate, cash or gold. Find a place where you can let your principle hang out and be safe/preserved. Do NOT go venturing back into the stock market unless you completely know what you are doing. When the economic collapse happens, it will be quite quick and take a big drop very, very fast.

Our week ahead is reasonably quiet after last week. Sun and Venus enter Aquarius and leave grumpy, cold, earth bound Capricorn behind for the vision, objective view and flight of Aquarius. Sun and Venus also talk to Saturn in a lovely conversation about their respective values. It is a week for you to focus on YOUR values. What DO you value? What is the dream you want to partner with? Get a bit clearer on the processes and procedures you need to take to move toward it as you finish up reorganizing while Mercury journeys through his Capricorn shadow until early February.

Monday is a holiday in the USA when we celebrate the life of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. A minister and profound speaker, his speech “I have a dream” applies to us in our changing circumstances. Think about the changes taking place in your life. What is your vision for them. What is your dream? Read Reverend King’s words and apply them to your life: I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together." This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

Venus enters Aquarius ~ raise your vision and sights higher ~ to the mountain. To the concept of freedom in your life. Venus is particularly active today and asks us to describe our heart and soul’s desire. Moon in Pisces has lovely closing aspects making today and tomorrow lovely days to focus on your hopes and get things out the door that support those dreams of yours. Venus enters Aquarius ~ raise your vision and sights higher ~ to the mountain. To the concept of freedom in your life. Venus is particularly active today and asks us to describe our heart and soul’s desire. Moon in Pisces has lovely closing aspects making today and tomorrow lovely days to focus on your hopes and get things out the door that support those dreams of yours.

Tuesday Moon in Pisces has no aspects but still is basking in the productive energy of yesterday. Mars is in the mood to fight with the strategy that seemed so, SO perfect the other day. It can be an envy day as Mercury focuses on his union with Saturn and can find himself wanting or needing a bit of support and doesn’t receive it. So Mercury gets mad or jealous or envious ~ remember he IS the god who stole his big brother Apollo’s cows (covetousness is a deadly sin!), then lied about it and tried to cover it up. It is a great day to clear things up around the house or office as the shift of energy of the Sun from Earth to Air supports the energetic exchange. Or perhaps it is time to clear your space energetically and invoke into your life what your fondest hopes and dreams are.

Wednesday Mercury has a brilliant idea that he needs to take immediate action on, even if it involves going back on a previously negotiated deal. As long as it isn’t signed, it isn’t final. You can always change your mind. And today you might just want to change your mind. Chiron has a healing fifth harmonic this evening around 7 pm east coast time. Make sure to answer the phone or check your email as you may be pleasantly surprised about. Moon in Aries in the afternoon is impatient and ready to rock and roll.

Thursday Moon in Aries is incredibly productive as it takes action in support of its dream. Mars will be talking about how much he’s done to support the process and how hard he’s worked. And he HAS worked hard ~ VERY hard! But no one much cares. It is time for him and you to move along to the next project or process. The closing aspects speak to the Moon’s deepest and most profound dreams ~ let her have her head and support. Mars is supportive of the feminine energy ~ women say yes today so make sure to ask them for what you want. Women want to partner with others, create, and relate. There can be a competitive energy today too~ not envy but it may feel a bit like it. Think of it as a recognition and repetition of the desire for deep merging. Nothing like thinking you are losing something to get you focused on the fact that you actually DO want it and don‘t want to lose it. Ambivalent energy is NOT in the room.

Friday Venus trines Saturn so she is serious and focused on what she wants. Moon is in Aries in the morning until 2:47 pm EST when she goes void until 11:39 pm EST. Again, it is a kick butt and get stuff out the door. Women are a bit less cooperative than yesterday but if you explain WHY you want them to do things, they will adjust and give you a “yes”. Again a great day to get things out the door before the void moon. The afternoon is terrific for focused dreaming.

Saturn’s day finds Taurus moon quite busy as he talks to just about every planet in the sky. She has difficult closing aspects so watch what you wish for or ask for on this one ~ you may just get it. And NOT want it once you get it!

Sunday Sun trines Saturn offering productive energy bright and early in the morning. Sun also wants to clear out the home space so this is a very productive day for tackling that closet or cleaning/organizing project that you’ve been postponing for a time now. Dreams are troubled last night and if you hit the couch for a bit today. Taurus Moon is a natural couch potato and would like nothing better than to settle in for a day and relate. The end of the day can have anger and road rage come out of nowhere. Be careful driving as the energy is volatile. Also be QUIET and keep your not so kind comments to yourself. The words spoken today dig deep and strong into the soul of the person who hears them. Be CAREFUL as the words have an element of reverberation or resonance that goes far deeper into the listener’s being than you realize when you are saying the words. Double check that they heard what you said by asking them to repeat it. You’d be surprised HOW much and often people DON’T actually hear what you say.

Mundane Astrology::

Haiti : According to Nicholas Campion’s Book of World Horoscopes: “After being colonized by Spain, Haiti was ceded to France in 1697. Pressure for independence first came from escaped slaves. On 14 August 1791, a slave rebellion began that was to lead to independence for the whole state. Full de jure independence was gained on January 1, 1804 when the Act of Independence was signed at Gonaives.” A quick examination of the chart finds Saturn at 3 Libra 27, the degree of last week‘s transiting Saturn station, Mars at 3 Capricorn 33 receiving the impact of transiting Pluto, transiting Mars retrograde at 15 Leo in the country’s South Node of Loss and transiting Neptune/Chiron square to 25 Scorpio 06 Neptune. The progressions and solar arcs further illuminate the difficult energy from the transiting planets to the natal chart.

NBC’s Late Night Wars ~ Looks like a WHOLE lot of Envy going on! Jay Leno (April 28, 1950, 2:03 am, New Rochelle, NY) and Conan O’Brien (April 18, 1963) continue to be in the news with Conan refusing to move back ½ hour and keep the Tonight Show.

I was kind of stunned by the level of glee, ENVY and malice exhibited by various talk show hosts all of whom are clearly opinionated about the matter. Whether it was David Letterman imitating Jay Leno’s voice and his “SVU of Jay Leno” clip or Craig Ferguson talking about what goes on at the Late Night Talk Show Hosts Dormitory at night or Conan O’Brien telling America’s children “You can grow up to be anything you want unless Jay Leno wants that job.”

Conan O’Brian CLEARLY doesn’t have an astrologer on his staff! The darn Aries is giving up and LEAVING before the transits are over! Bone head move on his part! His proud (and envious) Mars in Leo is telling his exalted Aries Sun to walk out. However, Conan’s Mars in Leo BEATS Jay’s Virgo Mars retrograde EVERY DAY IF he stays in the game! Plus Conan is leaving under Mars retrograde AND Mercury retrograde AND Saturn stationing retrograde. No, no, NO! Don’t go! Stay and fight with that exalted Sun of yours!

Conan signed his contract in 2004 ~ 6 years ago. According to his own statement, he’s been fantasizing about what he’d do with the Tonight Show for the last 6 years as he waited in the wings. However, Conan actually took over the show as Saturn was starting to square the Saturn in the chart when he signed the contract. And he’s lasted about 6 months ~ see my Pinball Approach to Astrology on this site! When we get to the 7^th year, like NOW, the universe gives you a test and says “Are you ACTUALLY up for your dream?” We astrologers call it the crisis of having to take action square! Transiting Saturn’s opening square to Conan’s contract signing Saturn says IF you really want the show Conan,, you are going to have to fight for it. Yet, Conan is giving up without a fight!.

And we wonder why America is going down the tubes! What kind of example is Conan for the Children of America walking away without landing a punch or two? What is he showing the precious demographic of 19 to 49 year olds?

Conan is taking the money and leaving ~ which is a fine alternative if that is what he really wants. However, IF as he says, he HAS fantasized his ENTIRE life about being the Tonight Show Host, you’d think Conan would fight a bit harder for his dream to come true or for it to last longer than a brief few months! His entire chart is saying “Fight! Fight! Don’t give up! Fight!” And, yet he is walking out. Ego is a hard thing to control. Ego combined with Envy even worse. Envy can make you do self sabotaging things.

If Conan were my client, I would tell him to sit tight and smile widely. Take the ½ hour time shift for the time being. Let NBC save face and fix the Leno mess they’ve made. Conan should KEEP HIS JOB ~ the HOSTING JOB OF THE TONIGHT SHOW ~ which he TECHNICALLY HAS and NEVER LOST! At least TRY the change until the transits clear up in late June/ early July when we know what is actually going on!

We still have two more Saturn / Uranus oppositions ~ end of April and end of July for the Young Vital Turk to take over from the Older Tired Guy. Mars going direct in Leo will cross over that critical degree of 15 around May 7 to 9^th. Another potentially hot date is March 10, when the currently retrograde Leo Mars stations and starts to move forward again. We also have a Saturn Pluto square at the end of January and mid-August.

Jay Leno’s chart has some major and rather nasty health aspects coming up as well as life altering progressions. Conan leaves now burning and bombing all the bridges he built during his career at NBC as he rides off into the sunset with his millions.

Jay retires/leaves between end of January 2010 and the end of September 2010 when transiting Saturn in Libra dives into his south node in the 8^th house of endings as it sets off his progressed fallen Mars in Libra on the edge of the South Node. Jay is a TAURUS so Libra and Venus changes are VERY important for him. Jay also has a number of progressions changing signs for the next 30 years, including his Venus in Taurus and Ascendant in Taurus both heading into Gemini.

Who is the next NBC comedian up at bat for the Tonight Show Host slot!? In House? An NBC sitcom star? Some one from Saturday Night Live? Some one from Kansas or Nebraska who appeals to middle America? Outside talent brought it? It sure ain’t going to be Conan coming back!

American Idol: Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller are starting to take the gloves off. Again the green eyed monster of ENVY seems to be rolling around in that story. Gotta love the Mars in Leo retrograde.

Copyright © 2010 A. C. Ortelee

New Moon Eclipse

January 15, 2010 2:11 am EST

Jaunary 14, 2010 11:11 pm PST

25:01 Capricorn Sun and Moon

It is a vibrant and life altering eclipse taking place on the Capricorn New Moon on January 15, 2010. It will take awhile for us to process all the changes that take place under this eclipse but we can anticipate major adjustments in our life.

According to Bernadette Brady’s book, The Eagle and the Lark, a Textbook of Predictive Astrology, this eclipse time invokes “Opportunities to accept greater responsibilities can come suddenly into the person’s life. These new commitments will most likely come as a result of another individual being unable to carry on. Although the events which herald these opportunities may be difficult, the outcomes in terms of harmony or self-esteem are good.” The companion eclipse from the summer which is wrapping up now was “This family of eclipses is concerned with the needs to make sudden reforms. Old ideas or methods will fail and new systems are required to deal with the events brought by the eclipse. As a consequence, the person will need to think of new ways of handling the issues. Any blocks could be violently or tragically removed.”

If you think back to January 1991, the lunation from then has a similar story in the same place in your chart, 25 of the Cardinal signs. The energy echoes across time and space to encourage you to look at the next chapter in the cycle.

The Sun, Moon and Venus are all clustered next to the North Node of destiny indicating whatever changes come into your life, they are actually for your greater good AND you can profit from them or come to love them. Mercury stations a few hours AFTER the eclipse, square to Saturn and just past Pluto, so the news might be difficult or hurtful but again, for your greater good.

There is a sense that you have to take ACTION on an eclipse. They create a sense of urgency. You feel that there isn’t enough time and that you have to do something right this minute. If it is a life altering situation, take action. If however, you can WAIT until next week when the swirl of emotions settle down and you can see clearly, it is best to wait and take action with a clearer head.

We still have Mars in Leo going retrograde so ENVY is up and about and dancing in the aisles singing loudly and out of tune. Envy is part of the eclipse story ~ your own envy or some one else’s envy directed at you. Notice it. Name it. Act the way you want to if Envy is coming at you ~ don’t duck or let it sap your life force. Try to NOT be driven by Envy if you are feeling the green eyed monster lurking in your being, whispering in your ear. Envy does NOT give good advice! My mother used to caution not cutting one’s nose off to spite one’s face ~ which I never particularly understood as a phrase until reading an article on a starlet in this week’s People magazine who had enormous amounts of plastic surgery at the ripe old age of 23 and plans to have even more. Hers was definitely an instance of literally cutting her nose off and spiting her face because she was looking sideways at the competition rather than focusing on her own gifts and talents. Focus on what YOU want, not what the other guy or gal wants.

The Moon is moving slowly so the lessons from this eclipse will be deep and strong in your being. The chart cast for Washington, D.C. has a Finger of God with the Midheaven as the Apex and the Node, Sun, Moon and Venus sextile to Uranus. It advises us to take an unorthodox approach to the situation rather that reacting emotionally or not strategically. Chiron, Neptune and Jupiter are all blocking the exit point of the Finger of God, so they add fuel to the fire for the Leo Midheaven to be VERY sure it is doing what it truly WANTS to do and not acting out of Envy whispering in its ear from a 12^th house position. Mars is in the 12^th house of the Midheaven ~ you can receive BAD counsel from behind the scenes that undermines you. Focus on what YOU want not what the other person wants.

Envy can also be broken into the actual sound which has a name like “buzz” has a sound and the word for it is a name which mean word and the sound are the same thing. This was pointed out to me by someone in a phone conversation and whose name I can’t remember right now ~ I want this NEPTUNE transit to be OVER in my chart! I want my mind back!

At any rate ~envy is N V. Think N V for New Vision(s). Reframe the word envy. Or just name it and don’t duck from it when you feeling it coming at you. Or point it out when you feel it coming at you. Or own the fact that you FEEL envy and hang on to it to understand YOU want something the OTHER guy has. Nothing wrong with feeling envy ~ the problem comes when we act on it. It spills out all over and is kind of ugly acting ~ as my mother used to say ~ the green eyed monster is here!

Because Sun and Moon are with Venus on the nodes we can expect major news in the area of personal relationships ~ divorces and marriages. Sun and Moon are opposite the point of Divorce on the South Node. They are also joined to the Node of Destiny, pulling you forward on your path to the next big chapter of your life.

The eclipse is also sandwiched between Saturn stationing to go retrograde until July and Jupiter leaving Aquarius for the next 11 years. That also adds a juicy element to the story. We are going back to reverse the decisions we made in September and October of 2009 while Saturn journeys back into late Virgo over the next few months. We are also beginning our next 12 years of energy in our Pisces house as Jupiter enters Pisces and literally FLIES through him through June. Jupiter and Saturn are going to be opposite each other. Jupiter is also going to dance with Uranus in Pisces in the months ahead. The energy of the eclipse is the shot that marks that next chapter beginning, the 12 years of Jupiter moving forward, as Saturn wraps up the last bits of Virgo for the next 28 years.

As the eclipse is in Saturn’s sign, it is particularly important that you take responsibility for the decisions you make under this eclipse. You are NOT being forced to do anything. You are being asked what it is that you truly deeply want. Once you know what you truly, deeply want, you must act in accordance with that to move forward to your true path. No tricks. Just hold on to your dream and don’t let it go. No bowing to envy. No walking away. Stay and fight for what you want. Mars is still retrograde so the final outcome is NOT clear yet! Mercury’s retrograde is the confusing energy here!

So the other important take away for the eclipse is to know we DON’T KNOW HOW THE STORY IS GOING TO TURN OUT YET! Don’t give up. Don’t close the book and assume it is over. Don’t get up and leave the game because it looks like your team is losing. It is baseball ~ it doesn’t run via the clock. You can be in the bottom of the 9^th with the bases loaded and two outs and down a couple runs and STILL WIN ~ see the Mets in the World Series in 1986 Game 6 and their come from behind win over Boston. To quote from the Major League Baseball site: “Clemens pitched well, but so did Ojeda, and after nine innings the game was deadlocked, 3-3. Boston's Dave Henderson led off the 10th with a home run, and a few minutes later Wade Boggs scored on Marty Barrett's single to give the Sox a 5-3 lead.

The Curse of the Bambino, it seemed, was about to be lifted, especially when Calvin Schiraldi retired the first two Met hitters in the bottom of the 10th. But then came three straight singles, and it was 5-4. Sox manager John McNamara summoned Bob Stanley from the bullpen, and Stanley promptly threw a wild pitch that tied the game. Then, on a full count, Mookie Wilson grounded a ball right to first baseman Bill Buckner. And in a scene that will never be forgotten by Fenway faithful, the ball scooted straight through Buckner's legs while Ray Knight scored the winning run.”

So enjoy the excitement of the eclipse. Pay attention to what is coming to light under it. Know that you are going to be working with this energy until the closing eclipse energy this summer.

Lynda Hill’s interpretation of the Sabian image for the New Moon is A NATURE SPIRIT DANCING IN THE MIST OF A WATERFALL

Commentary: ‘A Nature Spirit’ is seen ‘Dancing in the Mist of a Waterfall’. The ‘Nature Spirit’ is a carefree and beautiful image of effervescence and fun. Nymphs are ‘Nature Spirits’ that live in water; they are divine manifestations of nature: of woods, groves, springs, streams, rivers, etc. The ‘Nature Spirits’ dance in the ‘Mist’ because they know to avoid the areas of heavy pressure in the ‘Waterfall’. Even though strength and power of emotional flow is in the middle of the ‘Waterfall’, it is not possible to survive under such a torrent for very long. It is not always good to assault oneself with the full brunt of pressure from life.

Oracle: This Symbol can represent feelings of emotional lightness and almost mischievous intentions. The deeper parts of feelings are sometimes ignored, or rejected, as the ‘Spirit’ flits over the surface of any troubles. ‘Nature Spirits’ should be carefree and able to express themselves as they want. Go with your feelings and don’t worry too much about social restrictions. Finding a comfortable and safe place in a situation or place may be necessary. ‘Dancing’ and going with your gut feelings can lift your spirits to new heights. Be aware, however, that some people may not take your actions seriously. If you feel like ‘Dancing’, there’s no need to worry that people might see you. Indeed, it may be a really good idea for people to see your light side, the one that can throw caution to the wind. Whilst this is, essentially, a beautiful Symbol of a “lightness of being”, there may be an element of feeling cut off from one’s body, or reality. Whatever, your worries or burdens can lift, leaving you feeling lighter and happier. Dance in ‘The Mist’, in the gentle mysteries that arise even in the midst of life’s struggles. That is the true way of the ‘Nature Spirit’; they’re not concerned with the inane problems of life!

Keywords: Effervescent spirits or escapism. Dancing in a carefree manner. Water and fun. Peter Pan characters. Mountains, mists, fog. Reveling in nature. Picking up subtle energies. Being healed because of the heightened atmosphere (altitude). Celebrations of the natural world. Waterfalls. Water spraying and dripping. Finding one’s habitat. Chinese water-torture. Water nymphs, fairies and nature spirits, devas, and angels.

The Caution: Irresponsibility, avoidance of real situations. Not taking anything seriously. Avoiding social restrictions. Flitting off. Being held down and repressed when one is longing for light relief. Feeling abused by pressure. Being subjugated by cold, icy elements, thoughts or emotions. Tricks or perceptions of the light. Fear of dark places.

Weekly Weather January 11, 2009

Its going to be a challenging week on earth. Above our heads, we have quite a bit of cosmic activity and changes that promise that here below on earth we will be rocking and rolling. As above, so below, as without, so within! Get ready for action!