Normally,
the Sun’s transit through Taurus is a time of profound embodiment, rooting and
settling. However, there is no place for the word, normal, in Spring
2014. There are times and places that exist as thresholds between this reality
as we understand it, and something else. We are in such a time-threshold now,
in which we can allow the known to become mysterious, and simultaneously
welcome the mysterious into our conscious understanding.
Then
it’s time to hang on tight for what can only be a wild, wild ride.
I’m
writing in the wake of last night’s full lunar eclipse in Libra (4/15
just after midnight on the West Coast), which came on the tails of Mercury
& the Moon activating the current grand cardinal cross throughout 4/14. In
human terms, that was a LOT of tension to withstand. A friendly astrological
tip for you, dear reader, is this:
Quick Tip on 4/16:
The Moon in Scorpio activates a brief grand water trine with Venus in Pisces & Jupiter in Cancer on
the morning of Wednesday, 4/16. This configuration offers a healing release of
that eclipse and grand cross tension. Trines tend to feel so pleasant that we
often don’t act on them, but you will benefit from doing any of the following:
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Sleep in & pay attention to your dreams (drink mugwort & vervain tea to
help both soften & remember those dreams).
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Improvise in any media - music, visual art, dance, writing, etc.
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Go see a healer of your choice (referrals here) - LMP, acupuncturist,
therapist, etc.
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Engage in a gentle consciousness practice, such as pranayama, qigong, or
meditation.
Solar month of Taurus, 2014: 4/19 - 5/20
Taurus
wants peace, quiet, and the ability to enjoy whatever comes in through the
physical senses, including the joy of right work. But there is little peace to
be found in this solar month unless you go out & steal it, &
that is exactly what I recommend you do, friends. GET AWAY some time this month
- get out in nature, get into a sensory deprivation tank, get into
your creative zone, get outta Dodge - unless you want to be eaten alive by the
wild energies that will be only to happy to drag you hither and thither. Make
time for you.
Change: One of Taurus’ least favorite things
On
4/20, Jupiter in Cancer activates a pretty exact T-square configuration with
Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn, just before the next exact pass of
Uranus squaring Pluto on 4/21. This configuration of Uranus & Pluto has
been active since 2012, & will continue to instigate profound change in us
as individuals, as communities, as a species, & as residents of this
changing planet through 2015. Both of these planets want change, but they are
functioning on different levels and time frames - Pluto’s slow but effective
overhaul of the core structures of things, including the rooting out of dead
wood does not blend easily with Uranus’ revolution my way now. Jupiter’s
presence in this configuration reminds us to advocate for our needs, and to
learn how to both give from and receive deeply into the heart. He offers a
welcome reminder that even as we make these radical shifts & calculated
transformations, we also need time for snuggles, meals, & things soft, safe
& cozy.
What do
you believe you need? What do you actually need? How do you bridge that gap?
What/where/who
is HOME to you?
What’s
the progress of your massive overhaul (look back to 2012 for a sense of this)?
Have
you revolted in some way since 2012?
If not, are you conforming
to the point of squelching your truth?
If so, has the dust settled
enough that you can see what to make of the rubble?
The
next day, on 4/22, retrograding Mars in Libra squares Jupiter, & then
opposes Uranus & squares Pluto on 4/23. This is the thick of the spring’s
grand cardinal cross. Although Mars adds further tension to this configuration,
he also offers much balance - because he is in Libra, the sign of the scales;
because he evens the score of two retrograding planets (Pluto stationed
retrograde on 4/14 & is still relatively motionless), & two direct
planets; & because there is a stabilizing, albeit uncomfortable, element to
a grand cross. The four opposing energies actually hold us up if we let go of our
attachments to specific outcomes.
How do
your relationships affect the changes you are making/experiencing?
How are
your relationships affected by the changes you are making/experiencing?
Which
relationships are family relationships? What does family mean to you?
What is
center for you?
How can
you stay connected to that center in the midst of all of these tugs at your
energy & attention?
Annular Solar Eclipse in Taurus: 4/28 at 11:14 PM PDT
This is
the last eclipse in Taurus for about 9 years, so it mingles both the energy of
completion and the new moon & solar eclipse energies of beginnings. It’s a
partial eclipse, so it won’t be as dramatic as the lunar eclipse of 4/15, but
the energy of that massive eclipse is still with us, coloring this transit.
With earthy Taurus’ ruler, Venus, in ethereal Pisces, a mingling of realities
is now available. Past, present & future are one. Dream & reality
coincide. The impossible becomes real, & reality no longer makes sense.
Tonight would be another good night for some mugwort and vervain tea, in order
to gain insight through dreams.
What do
you value, both in material reality & in more mystical & philosophical
spheres?
How can
you better embody your values in your day-to-day life & in your goals?
What do
you enjoy? Do you experience enough &/or too much of what you enjoy?
How
have your values shifted over the past year and a half to two years?
And then there’s the merry month of May:
May is
a relatively calmer month than April... kind of... sort of... a little
bit... Eclipses can be felt for - depending on which astrologer you follow - a
few weeks or months before & after the actual event, so we’ll still be
riding the wake of those wild April waves. Things won’t exactly be smooth, but
they will be a bit less rough.
Mutual Reception of Venus & Mars, Venus goes wild:
Venus
enters Mars-ruled Aries on 5/2, which adds a nifty twist to Mars retrograding
in Venus-ruled Libra. The potency of that mutual reception is further deepened
by the sun’s transit through Venus-ruled Taurus, in the wake of two eclipses in
Venus-ruled signs, during the lunar nodes’ transit through Mars & Libra.
But wait, there’s more: Venus opposes Mars & the moon on 5/11 while the
moon activates the grand cardinal cross all over again that day, and then Venus
activates the Uranus/Pluto square on 5/14’s full Scorpio moon & on 5/15.
And, finally, Mars stations direct in Libra on 5/19. This is the stuff of
astrology nerd phantasy. The mingling of these two energies is so thick at this
time (again that mingling of realities) that the potential for change &
growth in these areas of experience is astounding.
How is
your balance of compromise and self-advocacy?
Do you compromise
effectively when necessary, or too often, or too reluctantly?
Do you effectively stand
your ground when necessary, or too often, or too reluctantly?
Are you
a compassionate & mindful warrior for peace?
Mars stations direct: 5/19
Mars -
our will, our drive, our decisiveness & our actualizing force - has been
wandering backwards in cautious, thoughtful, noncommittal Libra since March
1st. It’s not the easiest of energies to mingle, but that’s how growth happens.
During a planet’s retrograde cycle, it transits three times through a
particular portion of the zodiac. In the first pass, issues arise (late
December through 3/1) through our dealings with others & the the world at
large. In the second - backwards - pass (3/1 through 5/19), those issues get
revisited, but in a way that causes our perception of these events,
relationships & issues to shift. In the third and final pass (5/19 through
mid/late July) we resolve those issues through decisions we make & actions
we take, based on the retrograde-induced shifts in our understanding.
How
have your aims shifted since March 1st?
... since late December?
Are
your aims driven by your values & ideals or by basic needs?
Can you incorporate both of
the above realms into your drive?
How has
your awareness of others deepened?
How has
your awareness of yourself in the context of relationships deepened?
Have
you learned the value of restraint (this is also a great question for artists
to apply to their art)?
Coming Soon:
Next
month’s posting will cover the next installment of Mercury’s unduly infamous
retrograde cycle and a healing grand water trine, brought to you by the
social planets, Jupiter & Saturn, & the philosopher planetoid, Chiron.
Upcoming Bay Area Events:
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Second Fridays of the month, drop in for an energetic realignment during the saging hour, 12 PM til 12:50 PM, or schedule a private
CoAlithesis session at Homestead Apothecary’s low-cost clinic.
<>Long tone choir gatherings are second Mondays of the month at 6:30 PM. Take part
in a mingling of music & consciousness. It’s free, & all are welcome.
For more personalized insight, you may schedule a private astrological consult, healing session, or healing intensive in person, over the phone, or via Skype. Feel free to like,
forward this page on & repost it as you see fit. Until next time, wishing
you insight & heartsight.
Thanks for reading,
