Astrology by Bex

Astrology and Exercise

2009-10-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

As most bloggers do I like to keep an eye on the people who arrive at Bex’s blog through their Google searches. I have yet to see anyone arrive at my blog through any amusing and/or incongruous searches – but that is only a matter of time and to be honest I am gleefully awaiting that particular day.

However, one thing caught my eye; someone had searched for “Sagittarius and exercise”. Now, I am no expert on medical astrology, but I do know that exercise is vital in maintaining sound physical, mental and spiritual health for natives of all the zodiacs signs.

Sure I could write a post on how Aries people should do something competitive; Aquarians should take up some sort of wacky extreme sport while Cancers and Pisceans adopt a more gentle exercise regime involving water or swimming. I’m not going to do that, because to be honest that has been done so many times before that it is a bit boring really; and despite my passion for all things astrological I am unable to endorse such sweeping generalisations. If I went down that route before long I would probably be tempted to start offering beauty tips and articles titled “10 ways to please your man” I think you catch my drift no!

The truth is that people just need to get off their posteriors and go outside for a walk, run, play some tennis or whatever takes their fancy. Strange as it may seem for an astrology blogger I don’t think one can prescribe a mode of exercise using astrology – although if anyone wants to debate this matter with me please feel free to do so.

I am a Piscean and I hate swimming, the very idea of flailing about in chlorinated water makes me shudder, I wouldn’t seriously entertain the idea of a dance class or any other supposedly Piscean fitness based activities. If anyone suggested to me I should take up these fitness activities because of astrology I would surely mock them!

If a form of exercise doesn’t involve pushing myself to my limit and getting very hot, sweaty, out of breath and preferably being outdoors I am not interested thanks. When it comes to exercise the way forward is to do what you really want to do, that way you are more likely to stick with it. Getting plenty of exercise is of prime importance, it is the difference between being a wolf and becoming some lame kind of lapdog. Obviously the wolf is much cooler.

So today’s lesson is don’t make all your decisions based on astrology – think for yourselves dammit! Also, feel free to let me know how you keep fit and whether you feel it reflects you Sun sign.

Martian Adventures

2009-10-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Imagine the God of War and the planetary archetype that governs our drive to succeed conquer and dominate as well as our sexuality in perhaps one of the most girly of all astrological signs.

Well, why don’t we just completely emasculate the poor chap, slap some lippy on him, stick a pair of tights on him, call him Shirley and have done with it! While we’re at it we might as well bitch slap him, force him to wear a pini, and tell him to “get in the kitchen and cook us some goddam pie!”

Call Him Shirley?

When we are faced with obstacles, challenges and the pursuit of our desires Mars the god of war comes in to his own. And let me tell you, he has not been at ease while in the sign of Cancer. Perhaps the endless weeks of soft furnishings were too much to bear. Perhaps being forced to spend day after cooking and considering others (Mars rolls eyes) alongside other essentially feminine and un-Martian activities have been a complete travesty in the eyes of favourite warrior god.

Prepare to be Revitalised

If you have been feeling a little drained and jaded and in need of a little pep there is good news around the corner, we should soon be receiving renewed energy. The good news is that this doesn’t involve any harmful stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine or crystal meth, but this bolt of energy will be of celestial origin as Mars charges onwards in to the sign of the Lion.

Being one of the masculine signs Leo the fixed fire sign is ruled by the Sun and he is well equipped to be a gracious host for an eight month long Martian visit. This is most fortuitous news indeed, especially for all those with a planets and points in Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. Those who are heavy on the air signs will notice they have more get up and go than they have done in a while – since Mars was in Gemini to be precise. The date for the start of his Leo adventures is October the 16th and as Leo is a fixed sign the Martian energy will be enduring, relentless and fiery, what more could you possibly ask for?

Don't be Selfish

My only caveat here is that Leo and Mars both have a reputation for being a teeny bit on the self centred side, so while this influence is favourable for self satisfaction – and the importance of this can never be overemphasised, we must take care not to trample on people en-route to the fulfilment of our ambitions!

Feeling Fruity

As far as the “man/lady stuff” goes those with an emphasis on air and fire in their chart should be feeling more potent, libido should increase, and you may feel a good deal fruitier than you have been in a while - good times ahead I think!

What about You?

I have my ascendant in the sign of the king and that's Leo and not Elvis - just to make that clear. I am anticipating a good time ahead to work on my own heart felt ambitions over the next few months. How are you anticipating this Mars Leo transit to affect you?

Are You Looking After Your Moon?

2009-09-26T03:31:00.000-07:00

How are you feeling at the moment? Are your emotional needs being met? The Moon in astrology is the ruler of the crab Cancer and represents the maternal archetype and so, in order to understand how we must best nurture ourselves we turn our attention to the Moon.

Having been increasingly cranky, restless, irritable and fighting the urge to quit my job and run away to join the circus I realised just in the nick of time that I had been neglecting my poor Sagittarian Moon. My poor Moon had spent the last month or so locked up in a cage with no fun, he had been sadly neglected, and I had not been taking him out for his regular exercise!

I often think of a person’s Moon representing their animal nature, some may call it the Id, whatever way you want to look at it the messy fact remains that the emotional side of our nature is ever present and not always rational. To think that we can ignore it, repress it or simply beat and/or starve it in to submission is mere folly.

I like to look upon my Sagittarius Moon as a playful mostly benign beast who demands constant attention, play, exercise and the occasional live kill in order to keep him happy. He is also a 5th house Moon, so, as Leo is associated with the 5th house, again, he demands attention and an outlet for his creativity and really does believe that the world revolves around him. Why am I referring to my Sagittarian 5th house Moon as a male entity and in the third person – simply because these astrological shenanigans are symbolic archetypes and this seems to fit.

In order to feel ok with life I need to look after my Moon, Sagittarius loves exercise and the outdoors, so getting out for regular runs around the forest trails where I live is a top priority. He is a sociable Moon, so he needs to get out and see old friends and meet new people. He is also a restless Moon, so gets bored very easily so he needs me to shake things up for him once in a while.

When his needs are not being met he gets short tempered, fidgety and however hard I try to lock him in the naughty closet in the back of my subconscious mind he will find a way out and start causing trouble of some sort!

So, the lesson here is to honour your Moon sign and indulge them with what makes them feel good, because, guess what – this also what feels good to you! How do you look after your Moon?

Saturn Vs Uranus - Alchemical Synthesis

2009-09-16T03:44:00.001-07:00

The Saturn Uranus opposition is continuing today. Have felt an almost electrical current pass through your body? Due to transiting Uranus forming a conjunction with my Sun in Pisces. I was prepared for the worst, I am pleasantly surprised and I want you all to take advantage of this time to creatively reflect on what areas of your life need changing, be open to all the novel and more left field ideas that fill your mind.

At the same time, realise the value of structure and be prepared to commit yourself to putting your money where your mouth is and turning your genius ideas in to reality, this is what both Saturn and Uranus want for you. I cannot stress how exciting this is and what a great window of astrological opportunity we have at our disposal for the next day or so. I would just like to add that I make no apologies for writing more about this current astrological event.

Saturn Is Not So Bad

Saturn Rules authority figures, discipline, limitations, responsibility, restrictions and this can all seem just too dull, stifling and depressing for words. There is also an association between Saturn and our teeth and bones. If we did not have a skeletal structure we would be nothing more that jelly like lumps with no backbone or hint of character which is a rather disturbing notion.

It is often true that nothing of value in life comes easily and the structure that Saturn provides should be looked on as a form of security; it is comforting and reassuring. Obviously we never want to be told no. We don’t want to work long and hard before we realise our dreams, but that's merely a reflection of our dumbed down, materialistic “got to have it now” Western culture. The good news is that we are free to change our perception at any time and view our lives afresh.

Watch Out For Uranus!

Uranus is a planet that can grant us brilliant flashes of intuition when we are properly attuned to its energy. It stands for individuality, progress and Uranus is also known by some as “the awakener”, it is an unpredictable influence to say the least.

But this is all good no? Well actually it isn’t; when it comes to excitement, be careful what you wish for, because you might actually get it - not all excitement is good excitement! So be warned, not all surprises are nice. If we unable to ground ourselves, take responsibility for ourselves and we have no structure in our lives the influence of Uranus is just as likely to be upsetting, disturbing, very wrong and very weird.

Synthesis

You can have all the sudden insights, flashes of genius and inspiration you like, but unless you are willing to put in the man hours to turn these ideas in to something tangible and physical they remain just that. Abstract concepts floating about in the ether serving no purpose whatsoever. Which a shame really.

Some of our most fruitful and creative ideas are borne out of the sort of inner tension that the Saturn Uranus opposition brings. If we have been good boys and girls and done our homework like diligent students, Saturn will let us out to play. Mean while Uranus is forcing us to think outside the box and is able to fill our little craniums with ideas for re-thinking the old ways of doing things; not simply just for the sake of it, but to give us more tools for building the life that we want for ourselves. We then can synthesize these two energies in to something more harmonious, creative and truly productive. This should be considered a somewhat alchemical process for growth in a spiritual as well as psychological sense.

As Above So Below

So, now that we are armed with the knowledge to proceed with the realisation of our Uranian ideas integrated with self discipline we can build them in to something tangible for ourselves. So let’s have a peek at the news. I think I may have identified a Saturnian vs Uranian theme.

Swine Flu Shock Tactics Mask a Crippled Economy?

When it comes to swine flu I suspect that this is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt by the pharmaceutical industry to sell plenty of anti viral drugs and vaccines to bump up their profits during a recession. We could view Big Pharma as representing a Saturnian archetype, and authority figure. We are told of the dangers of this flu by the so called experts, but common sense tells me that this just another flu virus and besides, regular seasonal flu can kill. We are being shocked in to accepting this in order to line the pockets of rich corporate fat cats who will stop at nothing to acquire yet more sickening amounts of money.

Perhaps even more interesting is the notion that this could all be a nice little media circus style distraction to divert our attention from a crippled world economy which could well be an expression of the very worst aspects of the Saturnian archetype. This system is intrinsically unfair and restricts and enslaves many around the globe in to a life of hardship. From the Uranian perspective it the United Nations are further promoting the World Bank and there have even been calls for a single currency.

One thing’s for sure, these are interesting times and the current economic model is simply not based on a solid foundation and is in need of radical change, which as we know is an expression of the Uranian archetype. People need to be freed and liberated in an economic sense, and I’m sure when Pluto (who is residing in Capricorn) joins in the fun it will be time to strip away outmoded capitalist ways – we can but hope! As I mentioned in my last post, we saw the first news of the financial appeared last autumn during the first exact Saturn Uranus opposition so I am certain that the story is far from over. You input on these matters is greatly appreciated!

Tales from Uranus II - watch out Pisces & Virgo!

2009-09-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

As if the Mercury retrograde isn’t fun and games enough, the trickster is hell bent on causing yet more of his Mercurial shenanigans as he passes through Virgo getting caught in the cross fire of the current Saturn in Virgo versus Uranus in Pisces showdown. As some of you already know the Sun is also enjoying his annual sojourn in the sign of the Virgin at this very moment. So, this is interesting astro babble indeed for those with planets and points in Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius!

But of course, you need dates, you need times; so let’s break this down in to a nice little timeline in a dates for your diary type semi-orderly fashion!

Uranus Saturn Opposition

Set to occur on the 15th September, these two heavy weights are caught up in a face off and if you can imagine this in the context of immovable masculine, authoritarian traditionalist meets innovative, eccentric liberator then you will have a basic grasp of this dichotomy! This really is a tug of war; do we continue with what we are doing? Is it flogging the proverbial deceased horse or will it eventually yield the results that we are intending? However, maybe a good old two finger salute to the tried and tested way of doing things is the order of the day.

Seeing as I am a Pisces born 11th March this is a little too close to home for me and I am already feeling the tension, on the verge of some sort of eruption I would not care to give advice to anyone at present. Suffice to say that I shall be happy if I make it to Sept 23rd with my sanity intact!

Mercury in to Virgo & Mercury Pluto Square

Sept 17th is the day when Mercury slips back in to Virgo possibly bringing some troubling hitches of a pedantic detail orientated nature. It is also the day when the Pluto Mercury square occurs, this could force unresolved issues to the surface so be warned! This is a revisit of the same aspect made while Mercury was in direct motion, I see this a fortuitous time to re-evaluate and to finally get to the bottom of an uncomfortable matter. If you are not sure of what that is now, don’t worry, I am certain it will become clear enough!

Mercury Conjunct Saturn Opposite Uranus

Mercury will be in the midst of the Uranus and Saturn opposition on the 22nd and 23rd September, needless to say, those with planets and points in Pisces and Virgo and the other mutable signs should fasten their cosmic seatbelts.

On one hand this may be a rather sobering influence and one would hope that it would point to a reality check. Not always the most pleasant of things, but useful none the less. However, as intellectual thought processes are steadied with the Saturnine structure, limitations and rationality there is a pull from Uranus. No, I’m not trying to be funny! Uranus is the absolutely busting to blow the restrictions away and do something truly original and amazing. However, please don’t take that as carte blanche to do anything rash as Uranus is just as likely to want to do something that is just plain bizarre and reckless which will do you no favours at all.

When two planetary heavy weights are battling it out in such a way, and I say battling as their energies are so different, we all feel it. This is a theme that began in autumn 2008 and which will continue in to 2010. In fact this is the third of 5 oppostions, the first of which marked the financial collapse last autumn, so make of that what you will.

As I said, the next couple of weeks are especially trying for the mutable folks, including me. If I make it to the end of September without the aid of Prozac or some sort of chemical lobotomy then things will be ticking along nicely. Perhaps now is the time to adopt the three tried and tested can’t fail methods I mentioned in a previous Mercury related post:

The duck and cover method
Wear a tin foil hat
Run away and join the circus

If any people with planets and points affected by these events would like to share their experiences I am always excited to hear from people!

Astrology and the Art of Romance

2009-09-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Many folk seem to want to know about matters of astrology pertaining to romance, love and the exchange of bodily fluids; this is only natural of course, seeing as we are all in possession of bestial urges as well as a higher mind. It is totally fair to assume that a large proportion of you at any one time might be obsessed with getting your object d'amour in to some situation where:

- They cannot struggle too much

- Their cries for help cannot be heard

- They cannot run away

I like to peruse astrology sites and see what they have to say about astrological love matches. Most of these should be taken with more than a pinch of salt. These are based on the compatibility of two peoples Sun Signs and such a one dimensional interpretation simply doesn't give you any idea of the potential forces at play within a relationship.

If you know your time and date of birth you can look up your rising sign, Moon sign, Venus sign and Mars sign. You might then notice a pattern emerge. You might be a Taurus, but if you have the Moon in Leo and Venus in Gemini then Aquarians, Sagittarians or those of an Aries persuasion may rock your world and for good reason. Yet, if you were to read and believe some of the Sun Sign compatibility interpretations, a Sagittarian, Leo or Aries may be the devil in disguise for a sensual, stead fast Taurean.

A word of advice; collecting birth times and the like from people who catch your fancy is tantamount to stalking and if that’s your thing I can recommend an excellent site for that sort of malarkey and it’s called Facebook.

If you would like to learn more about your Venus, Moon and Mars sign then Cafe Astrology has some charts to look this up as well as lots of other useful information.

Caught Out by Trickster Mercury!

2009-09-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

It is no fun for the Sagittarian Moon native to find themselves stuck in any rut-like situation and I am no exception, perhaps my glib jibes about the Mercury retrograde came back to haunt me and caught me by surprise yesterday! A sudden realisation hit me that when Mercury stationed it was conjunct my natal Pluto and is now re-tracing its step through Libra and back in to Virgo forcing m to re-examine the last few weeks. Much in the way one is forced to tweeze a bit of gravel from a nasy cut my old friend Pluto is forcing me to get real about promises I made to myself a couple of months ago, along with the coming Saturn, Mercury, Sun conjunction I am in for some good wholesome purging fun!

Always being one for the tried and tested kill or cure method I feel the influences will be more than favourable for cutting the crap and seeing a situation for what it is.

No wonder then that a re-occurrence of troublesome feelings and circumstances should crop up again. Now that is a Mercury Retrograde in action I am once again finding myself in a rather joyless work situation of late has made me feel increasingly restless, irritable and confined - hence my comment in a previous post about running away to join the circus. The circus is my favourite fantasy when the unbearable grind of mundane petty chores becomes too much to bear. Do they not understand that my Sagittarius moon does not do petty detail! The very act of dotting the crossing the i’s and dotting the t’s makes me that bored that I can’t even bring myself to write that sentence properly through utter disdain. There, I had to muddle it up to make it more interesting. In fact, I am currently waiting for something amazing to happen and I am so frustrated I feel as though I am about to burst! I am always nosey about other people’s charts and what might be going on for them that I seldom bother to look at my own.

This weekend will be different as I have been set a challenge by an Aries gentleman to calculate my current transits using the B.I.D.E technique of astrology, sounds exciting eh? If that tickles you fancy why not mosey on over to the Astrological Repair Manual blog and check it out for yourself!

Whenever I feel on the verge of following the circus dream I call my father, a Libran who can give advice that is so detached and objective that sometimes I get really wound up! He is perhaps the only person able to talk sense in to me in my irrational moments.

Signs that are of the air element are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius and these are said to be the most sociable, urbane, logical signs; able to be cool, analytical and detached. Of course, my father does his fair share of ranting and can be rather blunt at times, but as you would expect he is a sociable soul and is a keen blogger. You can see some excellent examples of my dads swearing and political commentary; it is most amusing. Simply visit Hundreds and Thousands on the Trifle of Life

Air sign people do have an excellent penchant for logic and a handle on their emotions, a trait which I am rather envious of. Having a large amount of fire and good amount of water in my natal chart makes for a somewhat highly strung volatile nature and a nervous disposition, I tend to feel my way through life and the concept of detaching from my emotions is completely alien to me. All nearest and dearest are air signs, I have two Libran parents, a Gemini partner and I am blessed with a beautiful Aquarius son!

Sometimes when you read descriptions of air signs with their aloofness and lack of emotional substance they sound rather like Mr Spock. This of course is a complete nonsense, my Aquarius son is a complete softy and is ever so sensitive. His theatrical and flamboyant Leo Moon is apparent as soon as you meet him, his Natal Sun, Uranus and Mercury conjunction means that he is a true individual. How many 10 year olds tell you that they want to join the mafia and change their name to Vinnie Fontaine. How many 10 year olds join their school council at their new school with the intention of bringing down the system from within? In fact, he got on the school council at his old school for that exact same reason, once he realised he had no power to change the status quo he became disillusioned and left the school council in disgust! Such is the way of politics.

It is times like this when I feel secretly proud that my son has such a strong sense of himself and his individuality, he will always march to the beat of his own drum. It is flashes of pure outlandish genius and a stubborn refusal to bow to convention that captures the essence of Aquarius for me, not emotional detachment or cool logic.

I will be returning to my home town next week to reconnect with some old friends this weekend, it will be good to catch up with some old pals and of course my two lovely Libran parents. I can't wait!

Mutable Appreciation

2009-09-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't been enjoying the sunny Venus in Leo transit, I would like to once again reiterate that you should take advantage of the increased creativity and make the most of this favourable period for all artistic endeavours.

I was thrilled to find that I had not one - but two people comment on my Mercury and Law of attraction post which is about the Mercury "gatorade" and this is most synchronistic as one person was a Gemini and the other a Virgo. I am a Pisces and all I need now is for a wandering Sagittarian to comment and we will then be able to form some sort of cyber mutable appreciation society! Could things get any more Mercurial, all happening online in the bloggersphere too, if you have any doubts as to the validity of astrology, this must surely be evidence that it expresses a higher truth!

What made my day was the Gemini leaving their twitter id, and on a post about the planet Mercury too, does it get any better than that? Well, when I saw the comment from the Virgo gentleman about his tinfoil hat duck covering circus antics I thought it was Christmas, Easter and my birthday rolled in to one big glorious day!

Mutable signs are generally the curious, dexterous, flexible, flighty social signs. If there is an obstacle they simply change course, where a cardinal sign would seek to win the battle, or the fixed sign would spend the next 6 months climbing over it a mutable sign veers off on another course to pastures new. Pretty soon the obstacle that caused the radical departure is forgotten and there are new tangents ahead! It's good to be flexible and open to new possibilities. When you think about mutable signs think movement, change, flux, bending and flowing.

So far the Mercury retrograde is going well for me, as the planet of logic and reasoning moves backwards I feel rather oblivious to this. As a Piscean with my natal Mercury in Pisces I live in a constant woolly minded state of confusion, most days I leave the house without an essential item and I can't even remember what happened last Tuesday, I just go with the flow and trust that the universe is unfolding the way it should and I feel no concern about the possible miss-haps of a Mercury retrograde. My life is a never ending ebb and flow of losing things, being late for things, forgetting things, being late, things turning up, things being remembered, such is the way of the creative mind.

So, perhaps we could start collecting comments from the other signs of the zodiac on the current Mercury retrograde, has anyone else considered the tinfoil hat option or is it just our Virgo friend so far?

Mercury Retrograde and The Law of Attraction

2009-09-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

In case you are wondering why this post comes with a picture of me and a cow it is because I was attempting to communicate and bond with this creature. Mercury is also a planet that rules all forms of communication as well as the mind, logic, short journeys, transportation, reasoning and education.

From tomorrow Mercury will appear to be retracing it’s steps, going backwards in its orbit if you are to observe it from Earth and this phenomena is called a retrograde period (all planets have them).

Perhaps the only thing to do during a Mercury retrograde is to go with the flow and not be too anal about it. Mercury retrograde always seem to create a bit of a buzz online and I can’t help thinking that there may be a degree of self fulfilling prophesy at play here. As the law of attraction states – what we think about most we attract.

Recently I have been reflecting upon the potential dangers of astrology, especially when people blindly follow traditional and accepted notions with no discernment or critical thinking, this kind of blind acceptance leads to fatalistic attitudes and superstition. Such superstitious thinking is extremely harmful to ourselves and others, next time you find yourself entertaining supersticious fancies I would suggest that you think back to the middle ages when nice old ladies that talked to their pet cats were burned at the stake for being witches – I’m sure you get the picture!

However, just in case you remain convinced that some sort of disaster may befall you during Mercury’s current retrograde period I have devised the following: strategies.

The duck and cover method
Wear a tin foil hat
Run away and join the circus

Let’s now take the time to look at how effective each of these strategies may be:

Duck and cover: This has proved to be ineffective in the event of a nuclear bomb exploding and I would not recommend this strategy for dealing with this month’s Mercury Retrograde cycle as it begins on September 7th and ends September 29th. This is far too long to hide underneath something!
Wear a tin foil hat: While making the tin foil hat may be a creatively rewarding pastime and will appeal to the more paranoid among you it could backfire on you. I shall explain; if you hope to protect your brain from any cosmic rays consider the following; antennae are also made of metal and you may end up attracting more cosmic rays thus amplifying the effects of the Mercury Retrograde.
Run away and join the circus: This is my personal favourite, however, as Mercury rules short journeys and travel is one of the things that is often affected during a Mercury Retrograde I'm afraid that you may never even reach the circus.

So, what we need to do is not panic, the trickster Mercury rules two mutable signs, Virgo and Gemini, both known for their dexterity and flexibility, and I think herein is where the solution lies. If we try not to be too rigid in our plans, expect the unexpected and we are prepared to go with the flow we can better deal with any setbacks that we encounter during this period.

Sure, computers misbehave, letters get lost and delays are possible and we might get to work late, but none of these are catastrophic happenings and remember, a Mercury Retrograde is great for going over the fine details of previous projects, you may come across a gem of information you missed first time round.

Venus in Leo

2009-09-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

An ex once said to me “it’s all about you isn’t it.” “I’m sorry, was that feeble attempt at sarcasm meant to be some form of insult, because actually I couldn’t agree more!” I thought!

Maybe you think that the writer of this blog is a rather self centred individual, well, what else would you expect from someone with Leo rising (not to mention Venus in Aries) and since when was a sense of self importance a bad thing anyway? Perhaps if we weren’t told from an early age not to blow our own trumpets, to put others first there wouldn’t be so many insecure, down trodden people.

The honest truth is that I have been feeling sorry for myself the last couple of weeks, what with extra work, being poorly and then the revelation hit me. I have Venus in Leo transiting my first house. And as soon as I have got the boring chores out of the way I shall enjoy being in this groove right up until the 17th of September. I strongly suggest that you do the same!

You see, as well as being somewhat pompous, arrogant and a bit of a show off, Leo is also ruled by the Sun and radiates a special sort of warmth. Leo is a fixed fire sign, and a friendship with a Leo is as warm and unrelenting as the hot Sun on a beautiful Summer’s day. Leo’s have creativity and depth that ensures they could never be accused of being superficial. In fact in those with a strong Leo influence emotions are as strong as the midday sun and despite the pomp and ceremony Leo’s are surprisingly vulnerable and they just need to be loved and appreciated.

In addition to the pussy cat there is the flip side to Leo and they make a formidable enemy, well, only an idiot would poke a lion with a big stick. Word of warning, you could well witness the darkest of their darker side if you should encroach in any way upon their home and family. The Lion is a regal creature and their home is their kingdom and they are fiercely loyal and protective.

Venus in Leo is a great time to reflect on your self-worth, give yourself some tlc and it is also a great time to reconnect with your creativity and think about how best to express yourself. Venus in Leo doesn’t want us to be shy, she wants us all to shine, even the wallflowers among us!

She would like to cordially invite us to thoroughly enjoy ourselves and engage in playful and fun filled activities, do things that make us happy and to fully appreciate that we are the centre of our own universes. Get creative and think about what you would most like to manifest in your life, realise the power and beauty of your own creativity!

As Venus is also gracing my first house I feel that I should express my individuality at this time, a tricky aspect with Uranus may put naughty notions in to my mind of streaking through my local Tesco’s but thankfully I have free will, so I am not about to get arrested for indecent exposure any time soon!

During this transit I shall revel in the self love and fully appreciate the more Leonine qualities of my nature and affirm that it is indeed all about me. After all, if I am happy, healthy and well, so are my loved ones – and that my friends, is a truly Leonine sentiment!

A Big Funky Jungian Awakening

2009-09-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Being the fickle creature that I am I have been absent from blogging as I have been on holiday and other such things and I have now returned to my somewhat neglected blog to address an issue that has been on my mind of late.

What does the Neptune, Chiron, Jupiter alignment mean to me and what does it mean to you?
I have been mulling this over between onerous tasks which include building a website, proof reading reviews general web nerdy-ness; while also having a rather nasy water infection much to my dismay. One thing is for sure, those with planets and points in the latter degrees of the fixed signs Tarus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius will feel the alignments personally.

Where Chiron is concerned you can be pretty certain that the healing of old wounds is going to be brought to ones attention. Is it any wonder that I have been forced to readdress the way in which I live my life and the physical problems I have encountered this year point at a deeper underlying spiritual malaise.

But enough about me! With Chiron being the wounded healer, Neptune being a planet of illusion, spirituality and effusiveness and Jupiter being a lovely expansive planet of good will I feel that some sort of spiritual awakening or transition is on the cards – or in the stars. In Aquarius a sign of universal brotherhood and fraternity this could be interpreted as taking place on the level of our collective subconscious in some sort of big, funky Jungian cosmic gathering.

This subject demands more scrutiny, but I must ease myself slowly back in to my blogging so as not to upset my finely tuned and delicate Piscean sensibilities.

Progressions and Mercurial Mayhem

2009-08-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Following the Virgo-phile post of yesterday got me thinking more about progressed charts and while engaged in less interesting tasks I have, of late been reflecting on my new progressed Ascendant. I almost heard the gears change when this happened, although at the time I never considered the changing of my progressed Ascendant from Leo to Virgo to be the culprit.

As you get older you have what is known as a progressed chart. Your natal chart is a snapshot of the universe on the day of your birth and as your chart changes and the planets and points shift positions which makes perfect sense if you think about it. So, I started off with Leo rising and now I have Virgo rising instead and this would make the ruler of my progressed chart Mercury. However, Mercury has now progressed in to Taurus which I hope will dispel some of the Piscean branching logic that seems to land me in trouble with more linear thinking types. Unfortunately this will probably not be the case and I also have some hard aspects to my progressed Mercury including an interesting Mercury Uranus opposition. But enough of hard aspects to Uranus this is all about Hermes!

I became sensitive to Mercury changing sign in such a way that I had never experienced in the past and I couldn't help think how odd this was, there was also a sudden sharp increase in my desire for Mercurial pastimes and activities, again this was odd.

Curiously I noticed that in addition to an increased sensitivity to Mercury transits and I seem to be feeling more reserved and very health conscious. So, the burning question that I now need to know from as many people as possible is have they noticed a change in themselves? Have they noticed a change in others? If we take these changes and look at the corresponding charts we may well find some interesting things. I was suddenly able to account for strange things that had been afoot and changes within myself including a sudden new found affinity with the movements of Mercury. It was all in the progressed chart and it all made perfect sense.

If you would like to find out your progressed Ascendant you can go to Astrodienst.com and simply select the progressed chart from the dropdown menu in their extended chart selection section.

In Praise of Virgo

2009-08-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it's the focus on health that I have been through so far this year and tehy fact that recently my progressed ascendant moved in to the sign of Virgo that makes me want to sing the praises of this understatedly beautiful gem of a sign. Or perhaps it's the fact that a good Virgoan friend of mine is coming to visit next Monday. Maybe it is this comment left by an online friend of mine on my blog during my period of illness.

"Hi Bex,

I have Venus in Virgo, I always used to have bad comments about that, such as being uptight etc

Your words described me perfectly!! Yes, I am a nutter with a crazy sense of humour, which most people don't get!"

This just about sums Virgo up, this lady knows that I have been rather poorly recently (thankfully I am now fixed) and took the time to show she cared by leaving a comment on my blog. Despite a reputation for being highly critical and nit-picking Virgo is a deeply caring sign, to get a better handle on this it is worth considering the fact that it's opposite polarity is Pisces.

Whereas Pisces hates to hurt your feelings and could be accused of being a woolley-minded people-pleasing liberal at times (I am willing to testify to that with my Pisces Sun!), Virgo is guilty of no such crime and will be happy to tell you when you are heading off in to dodgy territory as this is a wonderfully practical earth sign. Virgo along side Pisces is a sign of service and they are great at doing little things to cheer you up and to let you know that they care when you're down in the dumps.

There is nothing superficial about Virgo, this sign is also a sign of abundance, lest we forget the time of year at which this sign falls; the harvest, the virgin is fertile and full of the fruits of the Earth. The sign is resplendent with sincerity, compassion and a perfectionism that in its highest expression is an overwhelming desire for the highest good. They won't just tell you what they think you want to hear, they have far too much integrity for that sort of malarky and anyhow, my mate Niki (one of my favourite Virgo's) would consider such triteness to be a complete nonsense and a waste of time as she is always busy working hard and doing far more important and real things than that.

It is also worth remembering when thinking about Virgo that there is a light hearted and Mercurial aspect (Mercury being the ruling planet of course) that adds a sharp and keen intellect. My Grandfather was a Virgo Sun and a very successful electrical/mechanical draughtsman, he devoured all sorts of puzzles and had a brilliant, ever so quirky sense of humour and most of all, I remember him as being a man who had a genuinely lovely, kind and placid nature despite coming from a very poor area in the Black-Country and having a very hard start in life.

Before I go, I will mention another Virgo who is very special to me; Niki, once again, she blends a good humoured, kind nature and quick Mercurial Virgo wit. This lady has a Scorpio Ascendant and a powerful Pluto, so she can be quite formidable and will not suffer fools gladly. However, she has the customary good nature and easy going down to earth quality that is the hall mark of this sign. Yes I did say easy going, and yes I did say Virgo? Well, yes, I actually find that these folk are easy to get along with, but maybe that's because I have a Pisces Sun and I love my opposite sign.

Venus in the signs Libra to Pisces

2009-07-21T12:28:00.001-07:00

After yesterdays musings I think it is only proper to follow up with Venus in the signs; Libra through to Pisces.

I have been in a funny old mood today, actually there has been nothing funny about it! I would actually say I have been in a downright scary mood and searching as I have been for an astrological explanation for this I may just have to put it down to good old fashioned women's things! If you missed Venus in the signs; Aries to Virgo you may want to check it out, my PMS wasn't as bad yesterday and it was written with considerably less venom and vitriol!

Libra is a funny old sign, I say this because despite having a reputation for being incredibly charming, urbane and refined both my mother and father are Librans and I will share a couple of brief Libran anecdotes about them with you.

My mother affects a rather posh accent despite being from Herefordshire, and she does get very upset at my blue and un-lady like language (to quote an ex boyfriend I have "a mouth like a builders arse."), however, I was watching one of the Lord of the Rings films with her when she piped up and said "whenever I see The Eye of Sauran it reminds me of a giant fiery vag", excuse me while I wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes. I still find this absolutely hysterical when I think of my mother, a white haired old lady who bakes muffins and cakes uttering such filth! What makes this even funnier is the fact that it is true.

Then there is my father who is one of the most tactless and impatient people that I know, once he was in his local supermarket and was in a rush, he actually told someone to get the f**k out of his way! This obviously is the shadow side and lest we forget that Libra is a cardinal sign who are go getters whatever many books on astrology would have you believe, they do have quite a nasty temper I have found, and this is not just my parents.

Venus in Libra is at home in this sign as she rules Libra in addition to Taurus. What I will say about this placement is that Venus loves beautiful things, cannot stand mess and will not tolerate unfairness. For all the potential fussiness (and I would say this trait can be worse here than Venus in Virgo) and being a little bit prissy and Venusian Libran is a charming, fun loving kind of person who has an inherent sense of justice. However, despite being born to a couple of Libran parents their objectivity can be baffling and frustrating at times.

Mysterious and sexy Venus in Scorpio, probably traditionally the most sizzling Venus placement, well let me tell you that these people are mere mortals like the rest of us and are not imbued with some sort of magical sex appeal although they would love us all to believe that. Granted these people can be very sexual creatures and I have had my fingers burnt more than once by a Scorpio man and after that I have vowed to stay away from them in matters of the heart! These people are passionate and possessive; the physical side will be great until you tire of the petty vindictiveness and predictability. However, if you want intensity look no further.

Sagittarius is a funny Venus sign, these people are great to go out and get drunk with, but don't leave them alone with your partner! These people could well have no morals, and what is more they don't care, as long as they're having fun they don't care, they may pretend that they feel bad for being so irresponsible and inconsiderate, but that's just lip service - if it helps grease the wheels. If that sounds mean I feel I am completely justified as I have my Moon in Sagittarius, I have a Sagittarian brother so I am all too painfully aware of the less savoury side of this sign. What I will say is that it is all part of the merry charm that is the Sagittarius experience, take them as you find them and enjoy having a bawdy laugh.

Venus in Capricorn is another funny one. Again, I find that traditional interpretations appear to have been written by someone from another planet. I know many people with Venus in Capricorn that are hard partying hedonists that could drink most people under the table. They are very cuddly warm people once you get past the icy and unapproachable veneer so don't be fooled. However, you will have to prove your worthiness, also I can say from an observers view point that these people are not always the most faithful companions, so if you have a feeling that they are eyeing up the nearest hottie and you don't think you can trust them you are probably correct! Dump them immediately.

Venus in Aquaruis, again, much as these people would like you to believe that they are futuristic eccentrics who are ahead of their time do not be fooled. There is a fine line between genius and madness and they are probably not interesting enough to fall in to either. They are stubborn and oddly enough have something of a Leonine diva-like quality about them. I don't know where Aquarius got their reputation for unpredictability from because the Aquarians I know are predictable and don't take kindly to change just like the other fixed signs Taurus, Leo and Scorpio. Now I have finished giving Aquarius a hard time I'd like to add that they are very loyal, interesting and independent folk who do have a good head on their shoulders and are generally up for the crack.

Last of all is Venus in Pisces. Now whoever said that Pisces was a rather meek sign has got the wrong end of the stick, I am a Pisces and boy can I go off with a crack, in fact, I am quite scary when I am in the wrong sort of mood (which I have been for most of today). However, Pisces is very martyrish and emotional; I thank my lucky stars that I have Venus in Aries to counteract some of these qualities! If you think your Venusian Piscean will be at your beck and call think again. This sign is the master of illusion and Piscean people are major flirts and they are devious too, some folk say that Gemini's are bad; however the fish is slippery and impossible to pin down.

Now that I have finished my hormone crazed cussing of Venus placements from Libra through to Pisces I will love you and leave you as I have to go and lift some weights. I am utilising a mars Jupiter conjunction in my natal chart to fuel a fitness plan so I can realise my true Leo Ascendant brilliance and soon I will be able to bask in the mirror in the glow of my own lovely buffness! I jest of course - I just like to keep active.

Venus in the signs Aries to Virgo

2009-07-20T12:07:00.001-07:00

I'm afraid I have done myself a wrong-un and after a brief period of recovery this has prompted a brief guide to Venus in the signs. Where Venus (which is known as a personal planet) falls in the natives birth chart can be most revealing.

If you are wondering what kind of tenuous link this has with me doing myself a wrong-un I shall explain. I have been blighted with a serious illness since December last year that has affected my right kidney, and I have a had surgery and still have a stent in. This stent is about a foot long and runs from my kidney to my bladder and impedes movement and causes extreme discomfort in the event of heavy exercise.

I was going out running again last week, and I have to sheepishly admit that a large part of that had to do with the fact that my significant other has been going out cycling and is looking pretty buff. My Venus in Aries saw this as a challenge and started to get all competitive about this (and I have to admit that my Leo Ascendant got a little envious of his buffness and decided that it simply won't do to be looking flabby and out of shape compared to my man!). Ultra feminine, girly Venus is said to be in detriment in Aries which is the sign ruled by the warrior god Mars. Rather than doing the good girly thing of painting her nails and congratulating her man on his commitment to fitness Venus in Aries decided that anything a bloke can do, she can do better, regardless of the fact she is stuck with a foot long foreign body in her water works!

As a result of this I ended up going for a much longer run than normal on Friday, it was pouring with rain, and it turned out to be a bit of an adventure, running up muddy hills, being chased by dogs, getting lost - all good wholesome fun!

Unfortunately when I returned home I was a tad worse for wear! I was recounting the tale to my brother (a Sagittarian) who asked me if I had done a "rosy wee", the answer being yes. So I spent from Friday to Sunday munching painkillers and feeling pretty terrible.

On the good side, I called the hospital after I got back on Friday to rather angrily inform them of my "rosy wee" as I was pretty cross, especially at the fact that my boyfriend was going to getting fitter and buffer than me until I had the stent removed. This actually got the desired result; I got a call today to say that I can get that cursed piece of plastic removed next Tuesday. Venus in Aries - both a blessing and a curse.

So there you have it, a little story that illustrates the Venus in Aries experience. If you are in a relationship with someone (especially a lady) who has this placement and are silly enough to chuck the "it's not all about you" card at her; prepare to be met with a blank stare (what the hell are they talking about?) before she shrugs her shoulders and returns to the important task at hand. That's if you’re lucky, you could just as well be in for a fiery tirade of profanities, and take note of the fact that she will soon get bored of this sort of nonsense because Venus in Aries doesn't play games! Venus in Aries is passionate and becomes quickly inflamed with desire, unfortunately Venus in Aries gets bored just as quickly.

This brings me on to Venus in Taurus. Venus is at home in this sign, who she rules, Taurus loves all the deliciously Venusian goodies that Venus rules, food, wine, music, art and of course romance. Venus in Taurus is sensual and there is a solidity and physicality about these people, however, this fixed sign won't give up or let go and can prove to be rather possessive. If you are the solid earthy type yourself, or someone deep and emotional who is looking for a rock, Venus in Taurus is going to be good for you. Although these people can be rather materialistic, there is nothing superficial about them, they simply enjoy the good things in life.

If I believed everything that was written about Venus in Gemini or Gemini in general I would have got rid of my boyfriend for fear that he is a philandering, bisexual, schizoid! However, what I would say is this mutable sign does get bored pretty easily and has a fabulous sense of humour. If you are looking for emotional intensity go and find someone with a lot of Scorpio, Cancer or Taurus in their chart, these folk are too rational for that sort of thing and have to many other projects on the go to waste their time with all of that. Anyone with a lot of Gemini in their chart reminds me of a 5 year old child who is all excited and has drunk too much cola.

This brings me on to Venus in Cancer, these can be intensely emotional people who can be extremely caring, generous and could well be your dream lover. These sensitive souls can be deep and sexual, however, I will say that more detached types could end up feeling smothered by the strength of their emotions and these people should come with a warning so people know not to scorn them. Scorpio's have a bad reputation for the sting in their tail, however I would not like to play games with a Venus in Cancer person, in my experience this sign has the potential to be even more spine chillingly vengeful than a Scorp.

Venus in Leo; I actually feel bad about stating the obvious; that these people are lovely, fluffy, generous, steadfast people as long as you can put up with the ego, drama and conceit - yes they can be a bit of a diva. If I sound like I don't like Leo's that is not true, I had a great time with a Leo lad when I was younger and my oldest friend is a Leo who I love to bits. As long as you realise that it is really all about them and are fine with that, or you have enough Aries in your chart to not notice this because it is actually all about you, or enough Sagittarius or air signs in your chart to genuinely not care, you may feel a little overshadowed.

This brings me to my last instalment, Venus in Virgo. I often find that I read interpretations of the Sun or other planets in Virgo and if they were true I would keep away from these people because they are not very flattering. In fact I think Virgo's are an absolute hoot, these are a mutable sign, so expect a Venus in Virgo to be a bit of a nutter, there is an inherent restlessness to this sign that makes me chuckle inwardly. The best thing about this is that it is understated and executed with a beautifully dry wit, if you ever thought this sign was prudish think again, Venus in Virgo is full of surprises.

Anyhow, those are some random musings on Venus in Aries through to Virgo.

Planets in Gemini - Yay!

2009-07-13T09:53:00.001-07:00

Venus is now in Gemini and Mars moved in to the sign of the twins on the 11th which I feel will be a great boost for people with their Natal Venus and Mars in fire or air signs.

After Mars has been plodding through Taurus in a slow and steady fashion it is a bit of a relief that he is finally more at home in the restless excitable Gemini. Taurus is, as you may or not know, ruled by Venus, the planet representing the feminine principal, I wonder if this may have had an emasculating effect on the God of War (Mars), who is now probably glad to be getting his freak on and moving freely once again.

You can see how this Mars transit may affect you by having a look at your natal chart (birth chart) and good free charts can be obtained from Astrodienst and the Venus Group and you will be able to see what house Mars is in at this present time. I will take the liberty of giving you all a quick breakdown of how Mars may shake up different areas of your life depending on what house he is now moving through. Bear in mind that Mars is a positive, masculine Yang energy and he will assert himself in such a manner.

In the first house this is the house of yourself, associated with the sign of Aries. The Martian energy will manifest in all areas that revolve around you! This is all very much in keeping with the red planet who is extremely happy as he rules this house and of course the sign of Aries - happy days!
In the second the focus will be on material possessions values and all things Taurean, you could find that you have a particularly strong drive to succeed or maybe spend money. The Martian energy will permeate your desire to acquire material security, possessions, but it could also manifest as rashness in this area, so keep that in check.
The third rules communication and is probably my favouite house (I have Pluto here in my natal chart), short journeys and siblings as it is the house we associate with Gemini the twins. This will no doubt give your mental faculties a real boost and you could find yourself busy flitting here and there on various errands and little jollies.
The fourth is the house of home and roots and this is linked to the sign of Cancer. When Mars has been transiting my fourth house I have found that I have been busier than usual at home, receiving guests (with Mars in Gemini at the moment this could be the most likely outcome) and more house proud than usual putting more energy in to organising my surroundings.
This is one of my favourite houses as it is the house of all the nice things such as creativity, kids, parties, romance, it is the house of all things Leonine, need I say more. What I will say is lucky you; you're in for a good time, and quite possibly a bit of a sexy time too!
When Mars is transiting the sixth house, all matters of a Virgoan nature are given the Martian treatment; the sixth house is concerned with day to day activities, health and diet, work and oddly enough pets. If you have been letting yourself go somewhat this is a great time to start exercising, improve your diet and be more organised and efficient, you will have the Martian energy working for you in these areas.
This house is the house of relationships and is associated with the air sign Libra, as Mars rules sex it could mean that things get a little steamy, and that is obviously great for most of us. It will bring the intense focus of Mars to close relationships and partnerships, but this can also signify tension and conflict as you might expect with the planet in question being Mars.
Moving on to House number eight and all things of a Scorpionic nature; this is the house of sex, transformation, death and joint finances. Mars is having a good time here, as he rules Scorpio, so he is feeling pretty comfortable. You may also find the Martian energies compel you to investigate hidden or occult matters in true Scorpio style, others people's money may also be brought to your attention. You could see the end of an old cycle in your life and the beginning of a new one.
And that brings us to house nine, another personal favourite, and things of a Sagittarian nature such as travelling, studying, adventure, meeting new and interesting people, religion and philosophy. The Martian energy may give you itchy feet and thoughts may turn to those of adventure, if you have been stuck in a rut and jaded of late take advantage of this period in time to broaden your horizons.
The tenth house is associated with Capricorn and rules your career, ambition and drive to succeed, Mars is exalted in this house, make the most of these energies to help you achieve your worldly goals, you know you deserve this and Mars will lend his energy in all matters of business and self promotion. You may find abrasive situations with people in authority, but that's only because you know you deserve better than to be bossed around by that joker!
Yet another one of my favourite houses, the eleventh is a house with an Aquarian nature and any sort of group efforts or co-operation is likely to become energised with the Martian get up and go. This will be great if you have networking to do and this is also the house that is traditionally associated with gifts from the king, so this is all good as far as I'm concerned. Embrace the feeling of humanitarianism and just go with it.
This mysterious house is the house of the unconscious, private and hidden things and it is also a house that is associated with all things Piscean. Traditionally this is also the house of secret enemies, and with Mars transiting this could get quite interesting, however, last time I had Mars transiting my Twelfth house there was no cloak and daggers type tomfoolery going on. I found instead that the Martian energy was channeled in to an examination of matters that I usually force to the back of my mind where they fester and end up causing seemingly unrelated problems. The confrontational Martian energy helped me examine this and start dealing with things in a different way.

Anyhow, Even more interesting is the Uranus and Saturn opposition that is going on right now, although that deserves another post all of its own which no doubt will arrive shortly. Another forthcoming noteworthy event will be the Mars and Uranus square lasting from the 11th to the 26th August - things could get a little interesting, more tales from Uranus.

Moon in Sagittarius

2009-07-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

I am very sore and tired today after going for my first run in about 3 months. I have had health problems and now I am thankfully on the road to recovery and my Sagittarian Moon has grown extremely restless and bored of a sedentary lifestyle.

Think about one of the worst punishments you can imagine, that's how I feel when I am cooped up indoors, and unable to move freely and stretch my legs! In addition to a rather changeable Piscean Sun I am blessed with a Saggie Moon that nags me to get out, move about and enjoy being physical.

Being lucky enough to move to somewhere as beautiful as the Forest of Dean; looking forward (another Sagittarian trait) to going running in the forest has been one of the main things that has got me through dark times while I have been ill, and today I got out and ran through the trees in the rain and thought about how great it was to be blessed with a healthy, functioning body. I have always liked to run outside, I consider this a form of meditation and a way of raising my energy and chi if you like. It is also a way of putting energy back in to the Earth and showing my appreciation and thanks for the many gifts of Mother Nature.

What better for a Sagittarian passtime than the freedom of running through a beautiful wild place feeling the power of nature and my own physical being?

While I do have to admit that I get a certain shallow satisfaction from looking buff and bearing a passing resemblance to Lara Croft or Xena the Warrior Princess (well, I do have Leo on the Ascendant!), I also enjoy feeling fit and powerful.

I began training a couple of weeks ago for when I am fully recovered, so I can start kickboxing again, today was my first run, and I am tired, sore and hungry, I am having some good food, a long relaxing bath and a couple of glasses of red wine.

Super mutable Pisces Sun with Gemini Moon!

2009-07-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

Natal charts can look daunting to the astrological novice, but in my experience a good rule of thumb is to start with some basic points when interpreting a natal chart. This is a good solid foundation before analysing the aspects or other more intricate factors.

What is the Sun sign?

What sign is the Ascendant in?

What is the Moon sign?

What is the predominant element and mode for the chart?

What houses do the Sun and Moon reside in?

What are the Venus and Mars signs?

This is a chart of a pal of mine, a fellow Piscean who has his Ascendant in the sign of Cancer, for the purposes of this post I shall call him Apekteina - I'm sorry, but I'm not going to explain the odd choice of pseudonym as I like to retain an air of mystery.

As a Piscean I am all to aware of the highly sensitive, changeable and evasive qualities of this sign, the Sun sign represents the essence and energy of a person. However, this is filtered through the Cancer Ascendant which shows us many things including how a person first approaches a situation, how others may first perceive him or her and from a soul centred perspective, the nature of our purpose in this current incarnation.

Cancer is another water sign along with Pisces, but being a cardinal sign it has a much more direct, confrontational energy. I am always surprised at the cuddly Cancer stereotype that abounds, as the Cancerians I have met are more than nurturing, deep, sensitive folk, they are also very feisty and not the sort of people you would want to mess with!

So, already we can see a strong water influence in this chart. But what about the Moon sign? Here we have a Gemini Moon, I personally find that I relate very strongly to my Moon sign which is Sagittarius. In the case of Apekteina this mutable Gemini Moon will add a restlessness and duality to the already restless and dual nature of mutable Pisces.

Boredom will be a real killer for this person! To nurture themselves they need to keep intellectually stimulated, have plenty of interesting things to read and interesting places to visit. Furthermore, with a sociable Gemini Moon they need to be able to relay all the information they have gathered through reading, fact finding and generally gadding about to a variety of interesting folk who can push their intellectual buttons.

So, this Moon sign adds a keen intellect, breeziness and sociable nature that goes hand in hand with any air sign, though as the Moon signifies our emotional nature, the objective and inquisitive Gemini Moon may be at odds with the emotional depths of the Piscean Sun from time to time.

As the Sun resides in the ninth house which is associated with Sagittarius there is a distinctive need for exploration and travel whether in material terms or simply travel of the mind, an expansive philosophical bent is added to the Piscean Sun. Interestingly, the Moon resides in the twelfth house which is associated with Pisces adding further Piscean qualities to the character and emotional nature, this placement can also represent suppression of the emotions.

There is a distinctly mutable influence at play here, giving a flexibility and inherent curiosity to the native, mutable signs are like the reeds in the wind and unlike the large solid old oak trees they bend in the storm and do not break. Mutable folk are adaptable and highly resilient and are bound to change course in life when it suits them without the upset that other folks may experience from sudden upheavals.

And now to the Venus and Mars signs, we find the first of these inner planets in the eccentric unconventional sign of Aquarius, When a Piscean has their Venus in Aquarius they will be far more independent in relationships, they will need plenty of space. Apekteina may find himself attracted to unconventional Aquarian type women or that he may need an element of mental attraction to actually want a relationship with the fairer sex.

With Mars in Sagittarius I would suggest a bit of a temper, sorry Saggies, but this is just my experience, I have a Sagittarian friends and they can go off with a crack, but in all honesty I prefer this to the brooding and enduring nature of a Scorpio who once scorned is unable to let go of their bitter vengefulness as their little pincers won't let them!

Apekteina may find that patience is not his strong point and may find that he is quite blunt in his dealings with people, although he is generally optimistic, passionate and a good laugh. Sexually speaking he probably has little in the way of airs and graces and just likes a good romp as often as possible and possibly al fresco. He may also find that he gets bored of partners quite quickly and gets turned off when people mention marriage or children!

So, we can see that this is the chart of an extremely inquisitive, mentally astute and changeable individual who may be sensitive, kind and caring, but doesn't want to get too involved with the messy business of emotional entanglements. I would also say that this is the chart of someone who is a good laugh to boot. While you might not appreciate being on the wrong end of his explosive temper, thankfully it is short lived as his mind is so active.

Saturn Says Eat Your Greens!

2009-07-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Saturn is a much maligned and overlooked planet in astrology, I often wonder if this is to do with the fact that Saturnian values just aren't particularly trendy.

I often think of Saturn as the fatherly figure who stands over you making sure that you have finished eating your greens before you're allowed to have pudding. This can seem quite intimidating and can really rile a person for obvious reasons. However, as long as you are honouring your part of the deal and munching through that cabbage and broccoli you will get your pudding- you don't want to eat your veg, but you know you have to and that it contains vitamins and minerals, also, you know deep down that it's character building.

Now this is where it gets interesting; will you get the tiramisu, the strawberry cheesecake or the rather uninspiring low fat chocolate mousse? Well, that all depends on what you deserve, Saturn is a karmic planet, you can't hide from karma because sooner or later we all have to reap what we so for good or for ill.

This is why people don't like Saturn, because in Western culture so many of our actions are completely divorced from the consequences, to take true responsibility for our actions is tantamount to a slap in the face. However, Saturn teaches us that nothing of lasting worth is achieved without a solid foundation which means hard graft and integrity, what's more, if you take the time to befriend him he will help you reap the fruits of your labour.

Who better to feel the effects of this teacher than those with their natal Saturn in their first house? The first house is ruled by Aries and Mars and corresponds to the self, so when Saturn takes up residence here we have some challenges and limitations to do with our sense of self and self worth. Saturn highlights karmic challenges to be overcome for our soul development in this lifetime, the house and sign where he resides show us the nature of the challenge or challenges.

The key to overcoming these obstacles is that Saturn often represents limitation and in order to move on we have to accept these limitations and work within them. In the first house, the native often begins life with assertiveness issues and a lack of self worth, often feeling victimised and bullied by others. The challenge is to accept the personal power that is already within and to develop self confidence.

It is interesting to note that Saturn rules Capricorn, a sign that is often said to age in reverse, and the same can be said of natives with a first house Saturn or Saturn conjunct their Ascendant. While they are children they can seem like little old men and women before their time, later in life, if they have remained true to the challenges of Saturn they are rewarded with an envious youthfulness and they are released from the karmic weight that rested so heavily on their shoulders.

Astrology Basics, an Introduction

2009-07-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

The weather over the last few days has been so fabulous that I have been unable to sit in front of my computer. As someone who has a lot of fire in my chart it is imperative ( and that text has been bolded for added theatrical impact) that I get out, have some adventures and get plenty of sunshine! However, a dire consequence of this is that my blog has been sadly neglected. So, I have decided to whip myself with bunches of stinging nettles while wearing an itchy jumper and I am writing another blog post to alleviate the gnawing guilt! ( What can I say, you tend to be a little hard on yourself when you have Saturn conjunct your Ascendant!)

This post shall be dealing with a question that was recently posed to me by a friend on a forum that I frequent.

"please could you explain the basic mechanics of astrology aka the info you require to create a reading" (if that is the right way of putting it), the tools you use to create a framework (sorry if that sounds a bit corporate nobcheese-speak) and how do you astrologer gals and guys maintain impartiality aka if you were having tea with Russell Grant would the mechanics of astrology see each of you writing similar conclusions about the same person?"

Well, here goes. To do an in depth chart you need an exact time and the place of birth.

One of the main benefits of having the exact birth time is that you or the astrologer will be able to find out the Ascendant or rising sign for the chart which is important as this is the lens through which the rest of the chart is filtered. It symbolises how you relate to the world and how the world relates to you and in Esoteric Astrology it represents the highest development that can be achieved by your soul in this incarnation.

An accurate birth time will help you calculate other factors in the chart; for example as the Moon changes sign every 2 to 2.5 days it could help you decide if your moon sign is easy going, romantic and sociable Libra or dynamic, intense, charismatic Scorpio! If you were born on a day when the Moon changed sign and you don't know the time of your birth you may have to use a certain amount of guess work.

However, even without an exact time of birth it is still possible to find out your Moon sign and you can also find your Venus sign and Mars sign. Information like this can provide you with valuable insights into your emotional responses and how you relate to others. And yes, this can be used in the context of relations with the opposite gender which is something a lot of people want to know more about.

Some great free charts can be obtained from the Venus Group and Astrodienst and tables of Moon, Venus and Mars signs can be found at Cafe Astrology, this site also has some great articles for curious bods who wish to learn more about the fascinating art of astrology.

Pictured on the right is the birth chart and I will be writing a series of posts shortly to talk beginners through how this works.

But back to the task at hand; there are questions to be answered. The chart is based on where the planets were in relation to you at the exact moment you exited your mother and made your entrance in to the world.

As this is very real and very concrete information, the whereabouts of the planets will not change; the information the astrologer uses is the same whether they are dining with Mystic Meg or your Auntie Dorris.

This is why I like Astrology, because things mean what they mean, a good Astrologer will have studied Astrology for years and they will give you a reading based on the data that you have presented.

If that sounds easy do not be decieved, Astrology is an occult science, if you want to know how deep the rabbit hole goes you will have to do some research and read up on the subject, you could also follow my blog!

Tales from Uranus

2009-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

If you have stumbled upon my new astrology blog I would like to say hello and welcome. The title of my first post may have caught your attention, possibly in the wrong way, but in the true Uranian spirit I secretly hoped that the puerile play on words may contain some sort of shock value if only for my own sordid amusement.

But enough small talk. In case you have been disconnected from the internet, without an ephemeris or simply new to astrology one of the big events of this present time is the Uranus retrograde in Pisces beginning July 1st and lasting 'till Dec 1st. As a Piscean I have been enjoying the Uranian tomfoolery for some years and must admit that these have been some of the best, most unsettling, disturbing and transformative years of my life with Uranus conjuncting my natal Sun on and off, and this is set to happen one last time before Uranus moves on to occupy the sign of Aries.

Although I have read that Uranus is even more unpredictable, explosive and upsetting during a retrograde, I personally have not noticed this. Maybe it is due to having a retrograde natal Uranus (sounds quite unappealing doesn't it), I feel that the retrograde is less of a shock, as Uranus operates this way for me pretty much all the time (actually I love it). Being in my natal fourth house, it is no surprise that I have just moved house for the 8th time in 10 years and I am already thinking about the kind of place where I would like to live next, no matter how hard I try to stop myself!

If Uranus upsets things and stirs things up, during a retrograde I always look forward to this, and look on it as a chance to spice things up and see what long awaited changes are being foisted upon me this time round. Last year during the retrograde period I started to visualise a move to a rural area and change of location and this year I have other plans. I can't wait for Uranus to conjunct my natal Sun. Actually my son is an Aquarius who has Uranus conjunct his Sun and Mercury in Aquarius in his natal chart, so I have a full appreciation of just how much Uranus encourages us to go our own way, be true to ourselves and do things a little differently. I have certainly identified with the Uranian energy since the planet has been in Pisces. I have actually learned to become much more self centred which is great for me!

If Uranus was a person he would be the really cool mate who appears suddenly to stay for a while, inspiring you with tales and photographs of far off lands, his cool friends and new things to do that you have never heard of before. By the time he leaves you have decided that it's time for a change, you are going to save up for that 3 month ticket to Vietnam, dump your boyfriend, start your own business as a dominatrix when you get back because life’s too short to carry on marching to the beat of someone else’s drum and it's time for you to go your own way and that actually, you don't care what anyone thinks about the new liberated you! But don’t just take my word for it – what does Uranus mean to you?

When the big guy (Uranus) finally moves in to Aries I wonder what kind of shake up the rams will be experiencing. The Uranian archetype stands for brotherhood and also social conscience (among many things) so perhaps certain less evolved Aries folks may get a rude awakening and realise the world doesn't actually revolve around them after all. Not that I have anything against the Ram, however, but we can hope.