CURTAIN UP ... LIGHT THE LIGHTS !!!

What is it that we're living for - APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE !!! ... the Sun began its transit through the dramatic, romantic sign of Leo on today, July 22nd, at 6:01 AM EDT ... and a lot of what this energy is all about is being acknowledged, appreciated and applauded !!! ... the Sun in Leo encourages one  to shine through creative endeavors, seek recognition through risk-taking or exciting activities, shine through ones generosity, and certainly shine through ones own charisma ... this is the ultimate in fire energy - it is very happy,optimistic energy ... and isn't the Sun pretty much at its peak in Summer during July/August ??? ... it's easy to see why these native born individuals are so warm and cheerful - unless of course they are modified by some other "darker" energy in their natal chart !!! ... it craves attention, and Leo energy usually loves giving and receiving hugs ... if you've had your natal chart done, then you may gain awareness on what "stage" of your life this energy may play out over the next 32 days ...

Leo is a masculine/fire/fixed sign which makes it enthusiastic, powerful, expansive and creative, generous and extravagant, dogmatic and very fixed in its opinions ... Leo is ruled by the Sun so the Sun is extremely happy to be traveling through this sign !!! ... the Sun is the center of our solar system and therefore the most powerful planetary influence which bestows vitality and authority ... its symbol is the Lion - regal, brave, dominating,possessing nobility and pride, and sometimes insensitive to pain ... the glyph for Leo represents two valves of the heart ... it is also the Greek symbol for the first letter of Leo ... symbolically, it is two incomplete circles of the Sun joined by a crescent Moon (its tail) which symbolizes that power is derived from both the intellect and the emotions ... its key phrase is "I Will" and its keyword is "Magnetism" ... the Sun is the main expression of the individual ... it shows the qualities of leadership and success ... it represents the masculine principle, the father, husband, and men in general ... it rules health, vital principles, authority and bosses, rank, title, high office, progress, dignity, energy, sense of identity and capacity for experience ... wherever the Sun is located in your natal chart is where you find the life and heart of your horoscope - it is where you truly want to shine !!!

Leo anatomically rules the heart, back, spine, the right eye of the male and the left eye of the female ... emotional strain and physical overexertion can cause back and spinal ailments in Leo born people ... sometimes Leo born people can be overbearing and challenging to the point of unknowingly provoking others into impulsive violence !!! ... Leo is the sign directly opposite of Aquarius in the natural zodiac ...

Leo naturally rules the 5th house of the horoscope ... it is a house of life whose keyword is "Creativity" ... the 5th house represents children, artistic expression, love affairs, romance, pleasure, amusements, holidays, vacations, games, speculation, hobbies and what distracts you from your main employment ... it also represents your emotional attitude, the love you give, your enterprise, sports, originality and creative outlets, shows dramatic, literary or artistic ability, shows publications, politics, the fine arts, social affairs, pregnancy and the education of children ... also represented here are any groups to which you may belong that relate to having fun ...

The essence of the Sun in Leo is living through the process of creating ... it is one who is truly a child of the Sun ... it wants to shine and be the center of attention ... even if you are shy or lacking in confidence, you will want to be noticed in some way ... respect is vitally important not only for yourself but from others as well ... respect is dependent on self-respect ... a radiant glow is often physically noticeable ... Leo can create an "air of certainty" which makes many things possible ... but for all the apparent confidence streaming forth from ones heart, it can belie the fact that one is highly dependent on being appreciated !!! ... here one must pay special attention to critics and admirers alike to avoid being blinded by ones own light and thus destroying whatever it is that one originally tried to create and maintain - a relationship, ones home, health, profession or even ones own children ... just like the Sun, Leo energy cannot see the shadow it casts ... ultimately Leo must realize that its power and influence shine through it and not from it ... and when that power is wounded or challenged, it is very much like the Sun disappearing behind a cloud - the world becomes a colder and darker place ... the energy of the Sun in Leo can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: noble, confident, generous, gracious, encouraging, commanding, ambitious, enterprising, proud, cultivated, dramatic sense, impressive, self-expressive, wealth of ideas, fun to be with, warm, affectionate, loyal, romantic

NEGATIVE: pretentious, self-righteous, flamboyant, domineering, demanding, intolerant, overestimating, vain, snobby/stuck-up, melodramatic, show-off, self-centered, overbearing, overblown, scorching, affected, fierce, impossible, unrealistic

The Sun now joins Mercury, currently RETROGRADE, in the sign of Leo ... The Sun remains in Leo until August 22nd ... and for all of those brilliantly creative ideas we come up with and romantic endeavors we decide to engage in, it would be best to wait and take action after August 8th !!! ... those of you born between today and August 8th will be getting the Universal birthday "gift" of Mercury Retrograde in your solar return for the year ahead !!! ... HAPPY SOLAR RETURN all Leo born !!!! ... Leo born individuals this is your time of year to SHINE !!! ... for all of us, we should remember that most of those who love us do so for our inner glow more than our outer show ... the Sun never tries to shine AND set conditions - it just shines ... recognize, appreciate, respect and pardon both yourself and others ... take time to get in touch with your inner child and try to enjoy the simple pleasures of life !!! ... and, since this larger than  life energy compels each one of us to take center stage in some area of our life, let's all take a collective bow and - cue APPLAUSE !!!

AS IF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE ... AGAIN !!!

Whether we like it or not - NOT !!!! - Mercury began its second RETROGRADE journey for 2012 yesterday, July 14th, at 10:16 PM EDT ... if you've been following my blogs, then you know pretty much what to expect during a Mercury Retrograde ... as always - EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!!! ... this Mercury retrograde will occur entirely in the sign of Leo - from 12 degrees back down to 1 degree ... remember, things somehow just don't seem to go right or as we planned and we often find ourselves re-doing things especially after Mercury stations back into direct motion ...

Obviously communications are going to be challenged both to and from others - partnerships and relationships often hit the skids during these periods - some ended prematurely others needing to be brought to a conclusion ... it is NOT a good time to make major purchases - especially Cars, a big NO NO - that goes double for USED CARS, computers or anything that involves electronics ... also purchasing homes can end up producing unforseen problems and even the contracts can have unexpected difficulties along the way or at closing especially if the closing takes place during the retrograde period .... it is also not a good idea to enter into contracts or start new jobs as they will most likely not pan out and end up being dead ends ... and weddings, well I know it takes a long time to plan a wedding and some of them will just have to go on as planned, but if you can avoid a wedding in a Mercury Retrograde - DO IT !!! .... obviously one cannot put their life on hold, but if there is anyway to hold off on these things until Mercury turns direct, it would prove beneficial in the long run ... I have frequently found, though, that in some charts I've done, people born under a Mercury retrograde sometimes seem to thrive during these periods because they innately understand the backward energy and how to work with it ...

Mercury retrogrades are simply a time for reviewing and revision ... as the saying goes, "it might be a good idea to drop back and punt" !!! ... during a retrograde journey it can be said that we are in a mental "down time" and often things will not register on a conscious level with us ... it is said that the use of Mercury retrograde cycles are to reconnect the individual with the Universal rhythm ... Mercury retrograding in Virgo could certainly give rise to issues in regards to daily work and service, health and nutrition issues, possibly family issues and, anatomically, issues in regards to the intestinal area ... and that is just for the beginning of this retrograde period ...

Retrograding in Leo, there could be issues in regards to romance, creative pursuits, pleasurable activities, emotional attitudes, the love we give to others, social affairs, the education of children, and any dramatic. literary or artistic endeavors as these are areas ruled by the 5th house of the natural zodiac which Leo naturally rules ... anatomically there could be issues with the heart, back or spine, the right eye of the male and the left eye of the female ... and it should be quite ovious with all of the above mentioned possibilities, this is NOT the time to make vast sweeping changes ... rather one should keep an eye open for possibilities that could prove more satisfying once the energy has returned back to direct motion ...

If you've had a natal chart done and know the area and house or houses where 12 degrees of Leo back down to 1 degree of Leo lies, you may find additional insight as to what area of your life may be more affected by this retrograde and also whether it will indeed involve one or two houses during the retrograde period ...

Below I have reposted the "Mercury Retrograde Survival Manual" written by my teacher Lyn Hammond Gray ... hopefully it will help out :

"Here is your Survival manual: Mercury retro always creates a repeating action. The Re-Words are common. Some re-words that you will notice during this time are:

Repeat – The action you are making during the RX period you will probably repeat again during the period or later.

Repair – The need for repair will arise. If possible, put if off until Mercury turns direct (August 7/8th).

Reverse - You will be amazed at how many times you change your mind or reverse your thinking during this time. Watch out for that racecar driver that is driving in reverse down the emergency lane on the freeway. Yikes!....

Recall - Your mind will wonder back. You will think of people from the past or you will encounter someone from the past. If old lovers show up, don't bet that it will stick. Believe me... it is just for a "review." (And if it does last, I want to be the first to know about it. E-mail me and let me know). And you know what, I wouldn't start a new romance during this period either - wait until after August 7/8th !!!

Review - If you are reading instructions, you may find it necessary to review repeatedly because they simply don't make sense. Sometimes the publisher has actually left out a step. It happens!

Regroup - In corporations, it is a common experience during the Rx to hear the boss say, 'Alright, we are going to rework this thing and get it right.' Later when the period is over, they go back to the old way doing things. It is a laugh a minute. Stand back and watch the comedy.

Reboot and Revise - The computer world is a definite place to watch the comedy. It is common for one to suddenly, without fore thought, decide to revise their system during the Rx. Oh! Mercy! That revised system may never function in the normal way. Oh, please! Do wait until the period is over. However, it is fine to do your shopping for the new components during the Rx. When you do go to purchase your parts after August 7/8th, you may find better deals and buys.

Return - Now here is a good one. You'll find that this period is a popular time for family or class reunions. Should you stay are home? Absolutely not! You go because this is a review that you don't want to miss. But funny thing is that in spite of the fact that you tell these people 'lets stay in touch' it will become lip service and you won't live up to your suggestion.

Rebirth – Often one will go back into the past and bring up old creative projects to work with during this time frame. Sometimes it sticks and sometimes it doesn't. Only you will be able to activate the discipline to keep it going once the retrograde period is over.

Recover - You can bet that you will dig into your files, boxes or storage to recover something that you need…you can also bet it won't be an easy find. It is likely that you will be looking for a legal document· While it is possible that you may not find what you are looking for, you may find something that you would like to put back in to use. Fun!

Re-examine – Well, just about everything !!!

Reduction – Over the years, I have been amazed at how many times a company or person decides to eliminate a job or to leave a job during the retrograde. It is my experience that a job changed during this period is 95% of the time regretted. Can you wait until the period is over, dear heart?

And so it is. Three times a year we live this cosmic "going to teach you patience routine". All and all when this retrograde period is over you may "Realize" this simple truth: The flow of the universe is very, very interesting and it is going to have its way with us.

Good luck and may the Universe bestow upon each one of you a special wisdom and unique insight into your journey through this life at this point!!! "

Back to me now ....Those born between July 14th and August 7th/8th will most likely have Mercury retrograde in their birthday chart for the whole year ahead ... below is a repeat explanation of what it means to have Mercury Retrograde for the whole year in your birthday chart:

The significance of having Mercury retrograde in your yearly birthday chart or, as we refer to it in Astrology, a Solar Return -

A Solar Return is the time every year that the Sun returns to the same degrees and minutes it was at when you were born - all the more reason to know your birth time now isn't it, hmmmmm????? ... a new chart is run for you at the time your solar return occurs in that given year and it is run for wherever you are at the precise time of your solar return ... this produces a new horoscope chart which shows what energy you may or may not run into for the year ahead - that is from the current birthday until next years birthday ... its energy can be felt from one to three months out before the actual solar return occurs .... often people will relocate for the return time in order to get a particular energy in their solar return chart ...

"Mercury is usually retrograde in a solar return chart every six years ... during this time it's best to be introspective ... you should be learning and thinking on your own rather than depending on others ... the mind is like an overstuffed drawer seriously in need of re-filing and reorganization ... in other words the time has come to "process" ... the mental processes are not very receptive to new information at this time ... it's time to go back and re-examine and review things in your life which may have been started but not carried through to fruition or maybe interrupted and suddenly abandoned for some reason ... by focusing inward you might be able to see that your own opinions, thoughts and decisions work best for you rather than those made by others ... at the same time be very receptive to the feedback others are giving you especially if you have missed the mark in regard to some endeavor ... another side effect of this energy is secretiveness where you decide to withhold information or sometimes outright lie ... and why ??? .. because you have secrets that need to be kept or else were you to express your opinions and thoughts outwardly it could cause tension in your relationships ... have plenty of ice cream around to soothe the tongue you are most likely going to have to bite frequently this year !!! ... this is a great year to keep a journal and put your thoughts down on paper and also to write original material ... sometimes you can see things differently when thoughts and ideas are written down which is a very helpful way to get organized ... this is a year where you will probably realize old opinions and beliefs are now outdated thus encouraging you to reassess your thinking, reformulate previously developed ideas, and shed new light on something on some level of your life that needs to be addressed ... "

It doesn't really have to be a bad year ... done wisely, fast fowarding to the past and clearing out the "clutter", you can propel yourself further ahead in life than you originally may have thought !!!



For all of us, this becomes a time to review and rethink what is going on in our lives and especially what may have been started or done during the last Mercury Retrograde, that being March 12th  through April 4th this year, or even actions we undertook since the last Mercury Retrograde period of November 23rd/24th through December 13th of last year ... we must look and see what is now running into problems, falling apart, or what simply will not work out and needs to be let go of and ended so we can move forward when the retrograde period is over ... one more item of interest - those born between July 23rd and August 5th may be impacted is some special way as Retrograde Mercury will pass backwards over their natal Sun placement ...

Gemini and Virgo born, this is once again time for review and reflection in your lives since Mercury is your ruling planet !!!

This is the last in the sequence of personal planetary - Mercury, Venus and Mars - shadow points, retrogrades and retrograde zones we have been subjected too since the end of November 2011 ... obviously the Universe has been trying to get our attention and make us do some deep soul searching ... how many took advantage of this and how many of you did not ??? ... we have one more Mercury retrograde to go for this year come the beginning of November ...

Whatever the case, it is for sure that there will undoubtedly be lights going ON in our heads regarding these actions as well as other lights going OUT as this Mercury Retrograde energy wreaks its cosmic havoc for the next 25 days ... Mercury remains retrograde until August 7th/8th depending on which time zone you live in ... so slow down and try not to act too impulsively or the day may come in the near future when you live to regret what you did ... be aware tempers will flare and patience may become scarce, but that personal of a sense of humor should be called upon frequently as the Mercury Retrograde merrily wreaks havoc ... it will certainly be one of our best allies !!! ... and in the end, as this second Mercury Retrograde period of 2012 is upon us, even though it's been since back at the beginning of April that we finished dealing with this backward energy - now it seems as if we never said goodbye !!!

FREEDOM ... REBELLION ... INDEPENDENCE ... ACID INDIGESTION ???

Uranus - the planet known as the great awakener, the rebel, the planet of intuition and the sixth sense and sudden and unexpected change as well as revolutions and breakthroughs, radicals and radical ideas and behavior, the ruler of astrologers and inventors, and the planet closely associated with electricity, technology and electronics - began its retrograde journey for the year today, July 13th, at 5:49 AM EDT - do I hear a loud collective groan of UH-OHHHHH ??? !!!! ... where you find Uranus in your individual natal chart is usually where you tend to do the unusual and break from the norm ... this planet which takes 84 years to make a complete journey through the 12 signs of the Zodiac most certainly marches to the beat of a different drum !!!! ... and if you know an Aquarian born individual, you probably understand this very well !!!

Uranus is the planet of the unconscious, and even during a retrograde journey that is where its energy will be most highly concentrated ... however, during a retrograde period the energy will tend to be even more pronounced ... people born with Uranus retrograde natally - and there are a lot of us out there since Uranus retrogrades for about 5 months out of each year - are frequently found in the forefront when it comes to change and actions that are oriented towards the future and on the cutting edge ... in an individuals chart, whether natally or by transit, the desire to reform or rebel is perhaps even stronger during a retrograde period than when Uranus is direct ... if you've had a natal chart run then you might get an idea as to on what "stage" of your life where this retrograde will most likely play out depending on the house it falls into at its current degree of transit which is currently through the sign of Aries ...

During a transiting Uranus retrograde, it's time for each one of us to ask ourselves what changes do we see happening in the world and ask ourselves how we are contributing to or working against them ... it is very important during this retrograde period to look at the connections between ones own personal changes and those that are occurring around the world ... how are they connected and do we need to find a better way to do that ??? ... are we helping mankind move forward through positive growth or are we being counterproductive through our rebellion to assert our individuality, independence and freedom and causing more problems than we solve ???

Aquarian born individuals, this is your yearly period to review and reflect on what is going on in your life and see how you might make some changes ... you may especially be paying attention to what has transpired in your lives since Uranus finished its last retrograde journey and resumed forward motion back on December 9th/10th  2011... and along with Aquarian born individuals, we ALL will most likely have something illuminated from our unconscious side that we need to deal with and make a change in ...

Uranus is currently transiting through the sign of Aries - where the essence of this energy is awakening through doing - it has gotten no further than 8 degrees of Aries - it began its complete transit through Aries on March 11th, 2011 ... It has been literally slowing down and vibrating at 8 degrees of Aries since the end of the first week of June creating a lot of tension and irritation on many levels no doubt !!! ... the Universe has simply been making not only Aries born - who may especially feel the impact of this retrograde - but everyone aware there WILL BE change which NEEDS to be and MUST be addressed while Uranus transits Aries !!! ... it takes Uranus roughly 7 years to completely transit through each sign of the zodiac - it will not complete its full transit through Aries technically until March 2019 ... there could be a lot of us who experienced tension during this past week and in some cases where there was a sudden and unexpected change made out of the blue ... or even a confrontational situation arose we were not expecting ... and over the next few days, until the retrograde energy settles in, there could be instances of rebellion, disruption , explosion and confrontation .... If you've had a natal chart done and know where 8 degrees of Aries back down to 4 degrees of Aries is located, then yo might get an idea of where this retrograde period will most likely influence you ... Uranus remains retrograde until December 13th ... so now we all have this burning (Aries) drive turned inward to be different, to be independent, to have our own freedom and to do things suddenly and unexpectedly ... YIKES !!! ... how will it play out in our lives and on a global scale ???

Therefore, in honor of the new season of Big Brother which began yesterday, July 12th, it is appropriate to acknowledge the shows sage advice - EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED !!!

MAKE LOVE ... NOT WAR !!!

Mars began its passionate transit through the artistic, sociable sign of Libra today, July 3rd, at 8:32 AM EDT ... Libra is ruled by Venus the planet of love and relationships !!! ... Mars in Libra is strategic, charming, generous, amiable, cooperative, persuasive, enjoys entertaining, sociable and very interested in new ideas ... self-reliance is sometimes lacking here and one must learn to stand on their own ... here we have energy that is naturally people oriented and often learns through relating with others ... it can be highly competitive ... it is energy which makes one work on balancing opposites and therefore indecision can arise if you go overboard with the need to weigh and balance everything ... identity is tied in with interactions to others ... physical and sexual drive are strongly influenced by ones partner ... Mars in Libra can also propel one into a conflict of argument with someone else - and at times people are forced to agree with you just to end the discussion and shut you up !!! ... it can be sweet and smile a lot, but ultimately kill you with kindness ...

Mars is said to be in "detriment" in the sign of Libra as this is the sign directly opposite the one it rules which is Aries ... Mars is therefore like a guest in someone elses "house" and must conform to their rules !!! ... Mars sometimes has trouble operating in the sign of Libra because of its need for direct action is limited by the need for approval and cooperation of others ... Mars here is the initiator of social activities and wants to be noticed and appreciated ... sometimes personal desires and ambitions can be confused with others ... aggressive and energetic partners are sought here ... this energy can produce great anger when principles of justice are violated even if the person is not the actual victim ...

The essence of Mars in Libra is ultimately getting through relating ... its the social mover and shaker ... the drive to balance impulses ... a major challenge here is to get what you want but do so by fitting in with social values and emotional requirements ... one must learn to adjust needs and values to their desires ... desires here tend to spring from a feeling of wanting everyone to be in harmony and pull together ... ultimately the energy of Mars in Libra is the ability to be aware of and have the courage to express and live by your own moral convictions ... Mars in Libra is the transformer ... it likes togetherness, doing things in style, the social whirl, knowing ones own desires, and equal partnerships ... it dislikes injustice, being overly blunt, indecisiveness, being dominant or being dominated ... the energy of Mars in Libra can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: attentive lover, enthusiastic, skillful lover, gentle, fair, easygoing, diplomatic, co-operative, persuasive, binding, discreet, perceptive, idealistic, intuitive, principled, measured, polite, considerate, agreeable, sedate

NEGATIVE: fawning, idolizing, impersonal, tentative, bland, indecisive, insincere, misleading, devious, awkward, judgmental, unreal, unfeeling, self-limiting, inhibited, vulgar, selfish, impulsive

Libra born individuals, this is the time when your energy is given that extra big boost ... but true to the cosmic sense of humor, Saturn is also currently transiting through the sign of Libra and will do so through Mars entire transit of Libra ... there could be a lot of stop/go frustration - and that includes all of us as well ... and one should also be aware that for a large part of this transit Mercury is in its shadow point, actually retrograde or still in its retrograde zone at the end ... and with Mercury retro in Leo which rules romance ... well ... anything is possible !!! ... nevertheless, we may find this period very productive but we will also have to guard against going with such great force that we accidentally "incinerate" others with our heightened enthusiasm and drive ... it is also possible that others may interpret your actions as pushy and confrontational even though your intentions are just the opposite !!!

Mars was last in Libra from the end of July 2010 through mid September of 2010 ... so think back to that time and also see if any issues are coming back up in reference to that period - especially since during that Mars in Libra transit period Venus was in a retrograde period which included the sign of Libra !!!

Mars remains in the sign of Libra until August 23rd - MAKE LOVE NOT WAR !!!