EVERYBODY'S TALKING AT ME - SHUT UP !!!

Mercury began its speedy transit through the curious and inquisitive sign of Gemini today, May 24th, at 7:12 AM EDT .... let the Mental Olympics begin !!! ... Mercury is very much at home here and functions well because this is an air sign and this is also one of the two signs Mercury naturally rules - the other sign being Virgo ...

Mercury in Gemini gives a mind and tongue that can be very restless but very good at absorbing and learning information easily and then sharing it ... one can be quite articulate but sometimes have the tendency to talk or even gossip too much ... there is a skill for verbal expression and the ability to communicate quickly and cleverly ... often the ideas and manner of speech come off a bit superficial due to the urge to communicate perceived information immediately or because one is covering too much ground ... this energy is all about learning and communicating ... there is a high degree of curiosity about everything coupled with an eagerness to learn as much as possible - the world is ones school of life and therein exists a sumptuous, endless and delicious banquet of knowledge !!! ... the mind is likely to be logical, rational, and able to offer information on most any topic ... friendly interchanges are frequent along with the tendency to ask a lot of questions ... there is a high degree of nervous energy which can flow into speech, gestures, writing or manual dexterity in some fashion ... there is also the possibility of physical dexterity and flexibility ...

Those born with Mercury in Gemini, as well as the rest of us that are subject to its transiting influence, can be very hard to pin down ... one often holds down more than one job or may work on a number of projects at one time ... quick, versatile and interested in the world at large, one tends to live mostly on a mental plane ... one MUST have facts and information - there is a basic need to KNOW ... this energy frequently makes one good at languages and math, gives one a love of reading, studying , traveling, and talking with new people about what you have learned or are thinking about ... there is also the potential for a lack of being able to stick-to-it as well as a lack of order in ones life ... usually this energy can produce one who knows a little bit about everything but not a lot about anything !!!

The essence of Mercury in Gemini is thinking through communicating ... the mind is fed and nurtured through making contact with as many people and as many subjects as possible ... the intellect is wired up and ready to go ... it must constantly be stimulated otherwise nervous irritability or restlessness can occur ... the mind is efficient due to its ability to be quick and acquisitive, but the quality of the mind is only as good as what is being fed into it through social, business and educational pursuits - input becomes just as important as output !!! ... there is the capability of thinking on two or more levels at one time ... but one must guard against not having a definite direction to move in or else there can be the result of great mental confusion ... the energy of Mercury in Gemini can be expressed the following ways:

POSITIVE: articulate, curious, well-informed, widely read, quick-witted, lively mind, fast learner, dextrous, clever, humorous, sharp, fluent, inventive, versatile, original, handy, interesting, agreeable, unbiased, logical

NEGATIVE: chatterbox, nosy, gossip, superficial knowledge, highly strung, unruly mind, unperservering, fidgety, crafty, mischievous, flippant, makeshift, imitative, simplistic, trite, scatters energies, unfocused, misses the point

Mercury transiting through Gemini is an excellent time to open your mind to countless new ideas and information ... allow your mind to be like a sponge absorbing as much as it can realistically process ... Mercury now joins the Sun and Venus, currently RETROGRADE, in the sign of Gemini ... and just how will the retrograde energy of Venus affect what comes out of our mouths especially in our personal relationships ??? ... will this be like a mini Mercury retrograde with Venus pulling its energy backwards ??? ... best remember that "loose lips sink ships" !!! Mercury remains in the sign of Gemini until June 7th ... only one and a half more signs to go before the next Mercury retrograde begins on July 14th !!! ... for now, we obviously have a lot of information to absorb and process ... and as much as we will want to share and express our opinions we may find ourselves or someone else saying to us - SHUT UP !!! ...


Ultimately one of the greatest lessons of Mercury in Gemini becomes the ability to respect the value of your own mind : watch what goes into it and what comes out of it !!!

MOVING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT !!!

"Gotta move ... gotta get out ... gotta leave this place ... gotta find some place ... some other place ... some brand new place ... some new place, with new lights and new faces ... " ... and with that thought in mind, the Sun began it's yearly gallop through the sign of Gemini today, May 20th, at 11:16 AM EDT ... the final astrological sign of the Spring season ... this energy is all about aquiring knowledge, communicating in many ways, and constantly being on the MOVE ... sooooo ... get ready ... get set ... GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!

In Gemini, the Sun encourages us to shine fluently - one may gain or seek recognition for their verbal skills and their ability to be highly creative through perceptiveness and the ability to compare, contrast, and find connections between ideas ... there is a need to shine by being versatile - here is a natural drive towards a wide ranging curiosity which could also get you into trouble or end up causing you to be too scattered ... a wide variety of talents, social contacts and hobbies will assist one in their self-expression ... there is also a need to shine for ones agility and flexibility - one could achieve recognition through their dexterity, adaptability or enhanced eye-hand coordination ... and there is a need to seek recognition for ones mental brilliance - one wants to feel proud of their intelligence, rationality and logic ... there is a tendency here to be ego-vulberable regarding ones mental and communication skills ... pride and shame issues are tied to the mind in this sign ... and ultimately one needs to express themselves verbally and to achieve positive recognition for their intellect ...

Gemini is a masculine/air/mutable(flexible) sign ... its symbol is the Twins - associated with duality, humanism, versatility and communication ... the picture is that of two figures standing side by side with a line over the top and the bottom - also known as the glyph for the Roman numeral 2 ... symbolically, these two upright lines bounded on the top and the bottom represent wisdom, learning, and the power of the mind to synthesize information ... Gemini's key phrase is "I THINK" and its keyword is "VERSATILITY" ... Anatomically it rules the hands, arms, shoulders and lungs thus making this energy prone to strains and accidents with the arms and hands as well as being prone to bronchitis and respiratory ailments ... Gemini is the sign opposite to Sagittarius in the zodiac ...

As you are certainly aware of by now, Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini in addition to the sign of Virgo ... Mercury - the ancient messenger of the Gods ... in astrology it rules travel and communication with its main emphasis being quick cleverness and a nervous temperament ... but it also bestows somewhat of a fickle nature that tends to arouse unexpected anger in others sometimes the depth of which Gemini energy misjudges ... its keyword is "REASONING ABILITY" ... it therefore rules reason, mental and cerebral capacity, ability to communicate, intellect, awareness, dexterity, rationalization, transmission, words, opinion, and sensory perceptions ... its action is quick, uncertain, and volatile ... it deals with travel - especially short trips, brothers and sisters, children, clerking, speaking, writing, bookkeeping, secretaries, neighborhood activities, letters and mailings, means of transportation, trade, and techniques ... in your natal chart the place where you find Mercury shows how and where you communicate the best ... anatomically, Mercury rules the nervous system, brain, sight, hands and arms ...

Gemini is the natural ruler of the 3rd house of the horoscope ... this is the house of side-by-side relationships whose keyword is "AWARENESS" ... the 3rd house shows the local environment you live in, your brothers and sisters, and all forms of communication - speaking, writing, and singing ... it indicates all means of transportation including short trips ... it shows the adaptability of ones mind to learning and to new ideas, the ability to relate to ones environment, and ones taken-for-granted skills ... this house shows the conscious and objective portion of ones mind as well as ones primary schooling ...

The essence of the Sun in Gemini is living through communicating ... the contact maker ... one who is forever young ... Gemini is famous for its dualistic and sometimes contrary nature ... word and mind play is an endless source of amusement here ... versatility rules - everything is equally interesting to Gemini therefore making it most likely one of the least prejudiced of the 12 signs of the Zodiac ... Gemini has an extremely lively imagination making it also one of the most artistically creative Signs as well ... ironically one can lack the imagination to see that in using ones imagination it draws one into a closer intimacy with life itself, but getting deeply involved is the Twins weakest ability ... ultimately one must realize that the answer to the eternal Gemini questioning lies within the imagination and not the brain!!! ... the energy of the Sun in Gemini can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: amusing, perceptive, witty, eloquent, swift, ingenious, quick on the uptake, mobile, versatile, flexible, adaptable, imaginative, non-dogmatic, sees both sides, light touch, objective, clever mind, informative, resourceful

NEGATIVE: cheap, glib, sarcastic, chatterbox, fly, devious, shifty, evasive, dabbler, two-faced, fickle, "chases rainbows", non-commital, indecisive, superficial, aloof, unable to see the whole picture, bluffer, involved in excessive gossip

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEMINI BORN - part of your reason for being here is certainly to educate us,  keep us on our toes and help us understand that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER !!! ... ... the Sun now joins Venus in Gemini with Mercury to follow in four days ... But let's not forget, Venus is currently in its RETROGRADE journey for the year ... so how will this energy affect both the Sun and Mercury as their transits through Gemini will have the Venus retrograde influencing it the entire time ??? ...  yes, this blog is a little longer than some, but after all, information IS what Gemini craves!!! ... the Sun remains in the sign of Gemini until June 20th ... remember to respect your own dreams and avoid cutting corners in your pursuit of them ... more importantly, pay attention to the "value" of what you say ... Gemini is truly a very youthful oriented energy, so for the next few weeks just enjoy "being a kid again" and think about being forever young ... and with all this energy driving us to pursue so much information from so many places, we may end up feeling as though we are indeed moving at the speed of light !!!

ROLLERCOASTER ... SAY WHAT ??? ... OF LOVE !!!

Venus, the planet which rules social urge, sense of values, love and affection, began its RETROGRADE journey for 2012 today, 5/15, at 10:33 AM EDT ... during a transiting Venus retrograde, old lovers or friends may resurface - some hoping to reconnect while others are only in and out for "pass and review" so to speak ... relationship issues, both personal and professional/ public and private, come to the forefront thus causing all types of contracts and partnerships to be reconsidered especially if they have become difficult or challenging ... this is also a time when our personal values get reconsidered - both material and spiritual - to see if they still make sense or need adjusting somewhere ... the main purpose of a Venus retrograde is to reconsider relationship and acquisition needs as these change over time for all of us ... it becomes very important during this time to get in touch with ones present values, wants and needs, and to become clear about exactly what you want to attract ...

As Venus, anatomically speaking, rules the throat, chin, cheeks and sense of taste, these areas of the body could encounter some kind of potential problem ... Venus spends the least amount of time in retrograde motion out of all of the planets ... within its 584-day cycle, Venus stations retrograde roughly every 18 months for a period of about 6 weeks ... it was last retrograde was from October 8th through November 18th, 2010 - what were you doing during that period that may have had to do with anything mentioned in this blog specific to a Venus retrograde that now has come up for review and rethinking or simply falls apart ???

Taurus and Libra born individuals, this is your planetary ruler so you have begun your period of personal "hibernation" so to speak to review and rethink what has transpired in your life since November 18th, 2010 ... but in addition to you, we all will be subjected to a period of reflection in our personal actions in regards to our social urges, sense of values, love and affection, and monetary affairs ...

Some things to remember during a Venus retrograde ... it is NOT a good time to purchase "luxury " items if you can wait because when Venus stations back into direct motion you might well find yourself thinking "Why did I spend that MUCH on something I really didn't need" or you may simply feel you did not get the anticipated value for what you spent your hard earned money to purchase ... often in a Venus retrograde money can become low and scarce and we can end up having to spend money we hadn't counted on spending, but in some cases one may end up getting money "coming back" to them from one source or another!!! ... and it also is not usually a good time to begin a new job if you can wait because you may never get the money you expected out of the job, and the job might well not pan out down the road for some reason ... that being said, unfortunately as a Venus retrograde can indicate the "tightening of the purse strings", salaries could be cut back or the job may be terminated for one reason or another ...

Weddings are most certainly a NO-NO as this is the planet which rules romance, love and affection - do you really want the energy going backwards on the day you say "I Do"??? ... if you were to run an event chart for the day of the wedding you would take the day of the actual wedding and count forward to the end of the retrograde period, then that total number of days would be the actual number of YEARS it would be before the energy turned back into direct motion by progression in the event chart ... most likely there would constantly be issues regarding either love, emotions and/or money and that can make things very shaky!!! ... I'm not saying don't get married, just realize you may be adding an unnecessary challenge to the already challenging task it can be to navigate through the waters of a personal relationship ... to this end, I would also state the hopefully obvious - a Venus retrograde is definitely NOT the time to begin a new romantic relationship !!! ... Gotta love that Cosmic sense of humor subjecting us to a Venus retrograde during the time of year when so many people like to go marching down that infamous aisle !!!

Speaking of relationships, you may find arguments and disagreements rearing their ugly heads and if you sever the ties in a Venus retrograde, when it turns direct you will probably be asking yourself why you cut that person out of your life ... on the other hand, relationships and partnerships that have been constantly challenging and overly stressful will most likely dissolve during a Venus retrograde period and it is usually best to let them go and move forward ... but this can also be a good time in certain cases where there is a chance to allow some healing to occur in a partnership or relationships that somehow managed to fall off track ... keep in mind that in a Venus retrograde people become a little less sociable and frequently forget their manners so it might be a good idea to "drop back and punt" and hold off passing judgment while the energy is moving backwards ...

This Venus retrograde will occur entirely in the sign of Gemini - from 24 degrees back down to 7 degrees ... therefore this retrograde period may prove especially significant/challenging for all Gemini born and particularly those born with their natal Sun placement between 7 and 24 degrees of Gemini as Venus will back over your natal Sun ... also Sagittarian born may be more sensitive to this energy as retrograde Venus will be traveling in OPPOSITION to your Sun sign ... and needless to say if you were born with Venus in Gemini, it will probably be a time where you learn something significant about the way you love and what you truly value ... for those having a birthday between today, May 15th, and June 27th, you will get this Venus retrograde energy in your birthday chart for the whole year ahead ... and what does this mean ????

Below is what astrologer Mary Fortier Shea has to say about having Venus retrograde in your birthday chart for the whole year:

"Venus retrograde indicates a time of comparison and contrast. Your increased ability to distinguish and value inner qualities separate from external situations signals an opportunity to compare and contrast the importance of each. Relationships, finances, and priorities should all be reassessed on the basis of the inner qualities they exhibit in comparison to the external pleasure or stress that they generate. Your focus on internal values will tend to overshadow your need for external manifestation; consequently, you will make adjustments in your pursuit of materialistic and external goals.

Relationships are always more important for the love you give and receive than the external trappings; however, this issue will become more evident during this year. You may be in love with a special person who treats you wonderfully, but refuses to consider marriage. If you were attracted to this person because of his or her inner qualities, it is important to appreciate your feelings for one another, and not get hung up on the legalization process. During this year you will tend to assess relationships you see or experience for the inner and outer qualities which they possess or lax. You can always find others who have the external trappings you desire without genuine caring. (Example: a verbally abusive marriage.)

External, artificial indicators of affection are meaningless. It is the inner and sometimes less apparent qualities that are important. Your attention to this issue will make the incongruity more obvious to you. Part of this discernment process can involve frustration with personal involvements which do not conform to your external expectations of what a relationship or partner should be. Love does not necessarily occur in neat little storybook packages, and frustration results from close attention to external storybook details which cannot truly satisfy internal needs. Outer limitations stress the importance of inner beauty. Because third parties may not easily see the qualities that you appreciate in your loved one, they may criticize your choice. Their criticism will encourage you to further define the inner beauty that attracts you. Those relationships which possess no redeeming inner qualities will seem void and unfulfilling. They can be discarded regardless of the external advantages they supply.

Values must be more closely attuned to the individual's aesthetic appreciation and therefore may be less consistent with societal preferences and standards. One can see unique beauty in what might appear ordinary to others. Your taste in material objects might depend on the emotional qualities associated with those objects. Price or status is unimportant.

Venus retrograde symbolizes an emphasis on the quality of life over the desire for financial gain. The money you earn should not be as important as the quality of your working environment and your satisfaction while on the job. Focusing on your inner need for contentment and fulfillment allows you to let go of a large salary, and search for an enjoyable employment position even though it may involve a pay cut. If you continue to work at a stressful job because of the pay, you may be very unhappy. Materialism will not bring you true happiness this year or any year. If you must remain in a stressful job, develop a strong belief in yourself and your abilities. Set goals that are rewarding and doable. Do not focus on your inability to perform at your best when conditions are at their worst. Some work environments are dysfunctional. Financially, this is generally a time to be conservative with funds. You cannot make good decisions about the quality of your life if you are more concerned with your monetary situation.

Social contacts and involvement in social activities are not emphasized while Venus is retrograde in the solar return. You need more time to focus inward and may withdraw from some or all social functions because you welcome the time alone. You might no longer enjoy these functions, or you might realize that certain social relationships are too difficult and unrewarding to maintain. For those individuals who require counseling, this can be a time of isolation. Withdrawal is common with Venus retrograde, but generally any time alone can be put to good use. You could want to be alone with one special person."

A few other things worth considering .... Gemini is ruled by Mercury as we all know by now, so the question becomes will this Venus retrograde also present itself like a mini Mercury retrograde as Venus is dragging the Mercurial energy backward with it ... and how many of you may find out that something you start back during the Mercury retrograde, from March 12th through April 4th, begins to hit a snag and suddenly you question whether the relationship or financial endeavor you negab then was the best course of action ??? ... also with Venus retrograde in the sign of Gemini, one of the biggest culprits signaling trouble will be problems with COMMUNICATIONS especially with Mercury being thrown into the mix by association !!! ... healthwise there could be issues with the areas ruled by Gemini that being the lungs, hands and arms, where we have to spend money to address the issues we had not counted on ... and as Gemini naturally rules the 3rd house there could well be issues with siblings, communications which I already mentioned, and all forms of transportation - perhaps some will have to spend money on their cars they didn't anticipate or travel plans cost more than expected or we feel we didn't get the value for what we paid ... and finally let's not forget that Saturn is currently retrograde in the sign of Libra adding additional stress to money and relationship issues ... enough already Universe !!! ... but keep in mind, there is somewhat of an up side if you can call it that - sometimes I find that people born with Venus retrograde, like all those coming in during this period, actually find the retrograde period not as challenging !!!

Venus remains retrograde until June 27th ... and with all this being said, try your best to keep your temper in check and mind your manners as they may be trying to take a little vacation from you ... in the end perhaps one of the main results of this Venus retrograde is best summed up by the infamous words of the Bard - that would be Shakespeare for those of you in the dark - himself ... "The course of true love never did run smooth" !!!

THE TRUE "VALUE" OF OUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS !!!

Mercury, steadily and with a logical progression, began its transit through the sign of Taurus today, 5/9, at 1:15 AM EDT ... our mode of thinking and communicating has now shifted from the rapid fire energy of Aries - FINALLY - into the slower and more methodical energy of Taurus ... the keyword for this energy is "factual" ... here the mind and tongue work deliberately and steadily with the tendency to sometimes get stuck in mental ruts ... this energy can be highly practical and grounded ... business skills or any activity that incorporates the use of common sense usually accompanies this energy ... often there can be learning through tactile contact or actual physical manipulation of the world ... perceptions can often be limited due to a desire to learn slowly and carefully ... there is a desire to bring ideas down to earth, and there are usually interests in money, sensuality and physical comfort ...

This Mercury loves to read - anything !!! ... time is taken in order to arrive at all decisions ... this Mercury also loves to "sleep on it" and needs solid, tangible, physical proof in order to really believe in anything ... the thought pattern is developed in terms of worth thus making "value" the ultimate selling point ... there is usually an excellent memory bestowed by this mercurial energy and it makes one a good observer but ironically one is apt to listen inattentively as their mind is almost always already made up and will rarely be changed !!! ... even though there is a love of reading, it is ultimately realized that experience teaches one the most valuable lessons in life ...

The essence of Mercury in Taurus is thinking through stabilizing ... the concrete mind ... SEEING IS BELIEVING!!! ... the mind here likes to chew things over and over in order to acquire a true depth of knowledge ... there is more of a taste for the traditional rather than the abstract and the avant- garde, and one finds it is steady working habits that produce thorough and solid results ... ultimately there is a gift given here to see how any plan will work out in physical terms ... the energy of Mercury in Taurus can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: sound mind, thorough, patient, cautious, shrewd, resourceful, sensible, realistic, good concentration, mentally sure, deliberating, practical thinker, sense of form, steady mind, enduring, mentally laid-back, docile, undemanding

NEGATIVE: slow minded, plodding, tardy, guarded, mean-minded, money-grubbing, boneheaded, one-track-minded, overburdened, limited thinker, stubborn mind, lazy-minded, dumb, misses the point, couch potato

Mercury now joins the Sun and Jupiter already transiting through Taurus ... now back up to full speed and moving quickly as it likes to do, Mercury remains in the sign of Taurus until May 24th ... but one must keep in mind that Venus is about to begin its Retrograde journey for 2012 on May 15th and it will be completely in the sign of Gemini ... and what rules Gemini ??? ... you got it - MERCURY !!! ... the dynamic between the two should prove to be interesting no doubt !!! ... Taurus born individuals, are you beginning to feel, even though normally slower, the tempo picking up in your thinking and communicating ??? ... now is your chance - along with everyone else - to get a lot accomplished and anchored to a firmer foundation with this earth energy ... and that's no "BULL" !!!