THE THRILL OF THE CHASE ???

The thrill of the chase ... I've got it !!! ... IT’S OVER - GOODBYE!!!!! ... and just like that, what we thought we so passionately desired has suddenly lost its initial appeal .... moving right along - NEXT !!! .... get the picture ??? .... well that is what some if not all of us will experience on some level in our lives as Venus burned its way into the passionate sign of Aries at 11:15 PM EDT yesterday, March 21st ... we can expect to become impassioned about someone or something or both ... we will pursue it with total dedication ... and if we finally get it, we could find ourselves ultimately asking the question - WHY????? ... of course some of us may also find ourselves outright overly horny as we are "burning with desire"!!! ... Venus in the fire sign of Aries will seek its interactions with others and pursue things passionately, romantically, excitedly and adventurously ... be aware this is Venus hooking up in a relationship with Mars which is the ruler of Aries, so there WILL be passionate fireworks somewhere !!!

Venus represents our social urge and our sense of values ... it rules the signs of Taurus and Libra and is the natural ruler of the 2nd house - a house of substance representing your emotional need for fulfillment and feelings, your values, your sense of self-worth, your inner talents and resources and your earning power .... its the house of material debt .... Venus is also the natural ruler of the 7th house - a house of face-to-face relationships where the keyword is cooperation which might be somewhat lacking while Venus moves through Aries as we tend to be a little slack with our social graces at times along the way .... it represents both social, business and personal relationships ... its a house of open enemies and you may well find them during this transit so best to think twice before speaking which makes this transit very challenging ... the 7th house also indicates what you most lack about yourself being opposite the 1st house, and you might find an increased desire to fill that void wherever it is perceived ... Venus is the anatomical ruler of the throat, chin, cheeks and sense of taste - there could be issues here with Aries ruler Mars possibly "boiling" up symptoms with its fiery attributes ...

Venus in Aries is demonstrative ... we love the thrill of the chase of the person or object of our desire ... it is very outgoing and enthusiastic to the point of ending up aggressive and overwhelming ... most of the time it will be your feelings and values that are center most on your mind instead of others .... it likes the novelty and newness of things and once that is over it can become very fickle and ready to move on ... it’s attracted to people who are independent, those with a lot of initiative, and certainly those who are creative with their originality ... here pursuit of passion is the name of the game but once the object of your attention has been captured, you, the hunter, may move on by viewing it as another trophy to put on your Venusian shelf of love and desire ....

If you know which house you have the sign of Aries in natally, then you can most likely figure out where and how this transit of Venus will play out in your own life in addition to society as well ... and if you were born with the Sun in Aries, at some point during this Venus transit, it will pass over your natal Sun giving you a day to just enjoy the world, your friends , your creative efforts, and simply being alive !!!

ONE CAVEAT - Venus is the natural ruler of the 2nd house and therefore money earned as well as money SPENT ... you should be careful about "burning" through your personal money while Venus is in Aries as the purse strings will be significantly loosened and expanded by this "heated" energy and you will want to increase your material holdings and also be drawn towards the purchase of big ticket or luxury items only to find yourself thinking at the end of this transit - "and I spent THAT MUCH MONEY because...????" ... and, as Venus naturally rules the 7th house of partnerships and relationships both personal and professional, you might also find yourself thinking that you may have accidentally "incinerated" some of these as well !!!

This transit of Venus through Aries could prove to be vastly different from the last time it was in Aries - February 8th through March 5th, 2012 - as it was up against a Mars, the ruling planet of Aries, retrograde and Mercury in its shadow point about to begin its first retrograde period for 2012 in Aries/Pisces ... Venus now joins the Sun, Mars and Uranus in the Aries cosmic orgy - HOT HOT HOT !!! It remains in the sign of Aries until April 15th - Tax Day ... now there's something to really get passionately "fired up" about  !!!! ... one more thing - romances begun under this transit, with all the other contributing factors considered, may not have longevity on their side !!!

Aries born, the love light is now shining on YOU - take advantage of the added possibility of getting what you ask for - under the circumstances of this particular transit though, maybe you'll get it, maybe not !!!! ... but when Venus finally leaves the sign of Aries, in addition to wondering if the means of the thrill of the chase justified the ends of what we did or did not get, we all could find ourselves summing up our experiences of Venus in Aries in one of two ways - as "Loves Labour Lost" or a "Total Eclipse of the Heart" !!!

OPEN A NEW WINDOW ... OPEN A NEW DOOR !!!

The Sun blazed its way into the sign of Aries today, March 20th, at 7:02 AM EDT ... being the first sign of the natural zodiac, you will find many astrologers who will joyfully say - HAPPY ASTROLOGICAL NEW YEAR !!! ... also known as the Vernal Equinox, equal days/equal nights, but more readily known as the beginning of Spring - something we are all bound to put a little more of in our step for now !!! ... with the Sun in Aries, one needs to shine in the following ways: through valor and bravery; shine assertively; shine by being first; seek recognition energetically and impetuously; and shine in ones total self-expression ... Since Aries is a fire sign, the Sun is very comfortable here and maybe works a little more efficiently ... we are certainly energized with a desire to start getting things done and begin new projects ... the astrological alarm clock has rung and we are awakened from the dream like state the Sun, not to mention all the other planets including a retrograde Mercury, transiting through Pisces may have put us in ...

Aries is a masculine/fire/cardinal (beginnings) sign ... it is active, energetic, excitable, impulsive, optimistic, and open to change and new experiences ... its symbol is the Ram - assertive, sexual and able to climb to great heights ... its glyph represents the horns and long nose of the Ram ... symbolically the glyph is two half Moons joined by a straight line, which indicates idealism tied to authority and leadership ... its key phrase is "I AM" and keyword is "ACTIVITY" ... anatomically Aries rules the head - Aries born people are often prone to headaches, and sometimes subject to minor injuries around the head and face, and they are also susceptible to harm from fire and sharp instruments as well as being prone to accidents involving high speed ... sometimes they have a tendency to get into violent and dangerous situations ... it is the sign opposite of Libra ...

Aries is ruled by the planet Mars - the ancient God of war, aggression and conflict ... it indicates courage, passion, and competition ... Mars deals with your animal nature, desire and sexual energies ... it shows assertiveness, force, power, construction, work, strife, and competition ... it also governs surgery and operations, weapons, war, accidents, inflammation, wounds and cuts, burns, scalds, violence, tools, iron, and steel ... the action of Mars is sudden, self-assertive, and sometimes very disruptive ... its energy can be used destructively and angrily, in a fighting manner, or with courage and strength ... if you've had a natal chart done, where you find Mars is usually where you expend the greatest energy ... my natal Mars is in the 4th house - the house of home among other things - and I work out of my home !!!

Aries is the natural ruler of the 1st house of the zodiac ... the 1st house keyword is "IDENTITY" and it is a house of life ... the cusp of the 1st house is known as the Ascendant or Rising sign - a very important point in the natal chart - often said to be the "mask" you wear to the outside world !!! ... it shows what the exact degree and sign was on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth - now you know why birth time is so important in Astrology ... the 1st house mirrors your personality, your natural disposition and tendencies, your individuality and the way you express yourself outwardly ... it shows how people see you - which may be totally different from your natal Sun sign - and the way you want others to see you ... the 1st house represents the way you "package" and "market" yourself ... it represents your physical body, your health and your early childhood years ... it usually characterizes your approach to life, your worldly outlook, your appearance and bearing, and the beginnings of all enterprises ...

The lesson of the Sun in Aries is all about living through DOING ... its the pioneer, the champion !!! ... this energy simply wants to get something started as the Will has free reign to express itself in this sign ... challenges that stir one to action are usually met with great enthusiasm ... patience is a lesson to be learned under this energy as the drive is so strong to move and move NOW!!! ... physical, emotional and mental extremes are all desired in Aries which usually make one all the better for experiencing them - but go too far and one can expect to be extremely lonely ... remember what springs from your body or mind is only as good as what dwells in your heart ... the energy of the Sun in Aries can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: assertive, go-getting, crusading, enthusiastic, direct, frank, one-pointed, straightforward, spontaneous, energetic, stimulating, courageous, good starter, warrior caste, leader type, confident, independent, strong-willed, single-minded, original being

NEGATIVE: overly aggressive, unreflective, fanatical, arrogant, blunt, tactless, blind to side-issues, simplistic, impatient, restless, irritating, foolhardy, bad finisher, argumentative, uncooperative, pompous, self-centered, headstrong, thoughtless, intolerant

HAPPY SOLAR RETURN all Aries born individuals - this is your time of year to begin a new astrological cycle as well and - SHINE !!! ... for everyone it is a time for fresh new beginnings on many levels of ones life ... and even better yet - IT'S TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING !!! ... the Sun now joins  Mars and Uranus in the Aries orgy with Venus to follow tomorrow - that's a lot of fiery energy being unleashed ... we are getting ready to have a Cosmic traffic jam in the sign of Aries now so be prepared for a lot of restless, irritating, possibly combative, yet creative as well, energy to fill your body !!! ... the Sun remains in the sign of Aries until April 19th ... and now that Spring has sprung - BOING - it's definitely time to OPEN A NEW WINDOW ... OPEN A NEW DOOR !!!

READY ... SET ... GO !!!!!!!!!

Mercury completed its first retrograde journey for 2013 yesterday, 3/17, and stationed back into direct motion at 4:03 PM EDT - do I hear a BIG SIGH OF RELIEF out there ??? ... hopefully the mental "fog" and confusion while Mercury was retrograde in Pisces will now begin to lift as it is time to ease back into the forward swing of things on all levels ... over the next few days to the next few weeks or even months, there may be some "a-ha" lights coming on in regard to decisions made during the retrograde period from 2/23 through yesterday 3/17 and possibly as far back as 2/8 when Mercury entered its shadow point - the point where it would come out of the retrograde journey yesterday which was at 5 degrees of Pisces ... or did issues and complications or questioning arise in regards to things done during the last retrograde period from 11/6 through 11/26 2012 ??? ... or maybe even as far back as the retrograde period from 7/14 - 8/7,8 2012 ???

The recurring question we may find ourselves asking is "WHY" ??????? ...What actions did you take or were taken against you that you may now be regretting or simply wondering why you chose to do or were the victim of that particular course of action, and why didn't you or the other person wait a little longer or are simply now trying to figure out why it happened ???? .... did you make any major purchases - homes, cars, electronics - that now don't seem like the best thought out course of action ??? ... there could be problems regarding any purchases made with anything where electrical energy and/or computers were involved .... relationships may have come to an end - some needed to and others may have jumped the gun and you are now wondering, or will be, why did I do that or end things at this point ... and how many of you got married - OOPSIE !!! ... all of these scenarios are possible as the energy of a Mercury retrograde is one where communications and mental energy is going "backwards" ...

As Mercury was retrograde entirely in the sign of Pisces, did anyone begin to rethink old habit patterns and how they emotionally respond to life’s challenges ??? ... As Pisces is ruled by Neptune the planet of illusion, delusion, the spiritual and enlightenment, did our minds become distracted either by constant confusion and misunderstandings, already a given in a Mercury retrograde, or strongly drawn to our intuitive abilities and the pursuit of the "ideal" ... as Pisces, whose planetary ruler is Neptune, naturally rules the 12th house, were there issues regarding dealing with your inner strengths and weaknesses; endings on some level of our lives; places of confinement - jails, hospitals or mental institutions; the desire to withdraw to places of solitude so we could quietly reflect on life and where you are heading; your frustrations; inner consciousness and the subconscious mind; charitable endeavors; was anyone  inspired having an aptitude for art, music, dancing or writing; or maybe perhaps had to deal with actions that could ultimately result on your own self-undoing ??? ... or could it even be that something came up with actions taken the last time Mercury was completely retrograde in Pisces from March 2nd - March 25th, 2006 ???

And lets not forget health issues in general as Mercury naturally rules the 6th house of Health ... but perhaps more so issues with the feet being the part of the anatomy Pisces rules ...

Now there may be a few instances where nothing really major happened but rather only minor annoyances ... those born roughly between February 22nd and March 10th may have been impacted in some special way as Retrograde Mercury passed backwards over their natal Sun placement ... Gemini and Virgo born your first period of review and reflection for 2013 has concluded - time to start busting a move once again which you like to do anyway don't you  ??? .... also, anyone making new beginnings and signing contracts during the retrograde period may find they do not not pan out in the end as the energy simply won't be supported or something important may have been overlooked ... new jobs begun or accepted during the retrograde period may not prove to be what they were supposed to be and/or completely fall apart down the road ...

Mercury turned direct yesterday at 19 degrees of Pisces and will complete its transit through the sign of Pisces on April 13th ... below is a reminder of what the energy of the transit of Mercury through Pisces may produce :

With Mercury in Pisces the thinking and communicating will be greatly influenced by and through our emotions as Pisces is a water sign, so the mind and tongue will tend to be sensitive and intuitive with a large dose of compassion thrown in ... one will often express their intelligence sympathetically ... if one feels safe they can be talkative and very sociable, but if not they will clam up rather fast ... this energy gives one a poetic expression or ones language may be lovely and engaging ... communication here is made idealistically, imaginatively or perhaps evasively ... frequently one can make communications with other people on a non-verbal level, and one may be psychically or spiritually tuned in ... one can uplift others through their thinking and/or communicating ... often there is a wonderfully creative imagination and beauty can be created with either the mind or with ones hands ... interests are usually geared toward areas that are inspirational such as art, nature or the spirit ... one could be inclined towards fantasy, evasion, avoidance or denial if what is perceived does not match ones inner ideals ... the phrase "what if ???" may frequently cloud the reasoning process with this energy ... overall, one can be quite flexible in their thinking, have a holistic approach, or even have a natural talent for synthesizing and seeing the whole of any situation ... sometimes the energy of Mercury in Pisces can produce the image of the absentminded professor ... one must also take extra care here as Pisces, which is ruled by Neptune the planet of illusion and escapism, can lure one to escape "mental" reality through drugs and alcohol !!!

The essence of Mercury in Pisces is thinking through accepting ... the poetic mind ... the dreamer of dreams ... the mind is very sensitive under this energy and it can absorb as much information as, if not more than, it learns ... sometimes thoughts and notions will appear to have come from "somewhere else" which will cause doubt in their truth and thus eventually lead to a form of mental exhaustion as a result of resisting cerebral sensitivity and reasoning ... even though this is more the mind of the poet rather than the technician, one is still able to "dream up" both scientific and artistic visions ... here the mind thinks in pictures and one can richly profit by drawing from ones dream life ... it is highly suggested to keep a dream journal - you may be surprised how creatively and divinely inspiring your dreams become!!! ... with Mercury in Pisces there is the ability to be in touch mentally with the Collective Unconscious and navigate the vast sea of all the thoughts and feelings that ever were or ever will be ... it is wise to accept and to understand the channel-like quality of ones mind here and to always give expression to what is coming through ... the energy of Mercury in Pisces can be expressed the following ways:

POSITIVE: imaginative, sensitive mind, visually aware, artistic, obliging, psychic, good instincts, receptive, humorous, versatile, good mimic, highly perceptive, philosophical, dreamer, good long-term memory, accepting, refined mind, contemplative, gentle, sympathetic

NEGATIVE: suspicious, evasive, easily freaked out, lazy, easily swayed, irrational, fearful, gullible, obscure, vague, uncommunicative, absent-minded, bad short-term memory, elusive, weak-minded, slow, wimpish, at a loss for words, seeing things

Mercury in Pisces encourages one to know that what one lacks in knowledge one makes up for in understanding - so take your time ... you have the power to choose what you take "on board" and its up to you to discover how to use it ... use your imagination in a creative fashion instead of becoming a victim of it !!!

Mercury remains in direct motion until June 26th - the beginning of its second retrograde journey for 2013 which will take place completely in the sign of Cancer !!! ... Mercury will return to full speed and exit the retrograde zone on April 6th when it returns to 19 degrees of Pisces which is where it began its retrograde journey this time ... but still for now it's time to get READY ... SET ... GO !!!

THE LEADER OF THE PACK ... ???

Mars, the planet symbolizing raw energy and the urge to get what you want and includes the drive - be it sexual drive, initiative or courage - began its transit through the fiery, dynamic sign of Aries today, March 12th, at 2:26 AM EDT ... Mars has come home to the sign it naturally rules and operates very efficiently here .. it has the greatest potential to be very constructive or extremely destructive when infused with the energy of Aries depending on how the energy is used ... Mars was last in Aries from April 2nd through May 11th 2011 - can you remember taking any action or initiative regarding something in your life or having to stand your ground for some reason during that period ??? ... Mars takes approximately 2 years to journey around the zodiac ...

Mars in Aries needs to be physically active and tends to be naturally assertive ... it is direct, forceful, and highly competitive ... self-expression is very important here as is the need to do your own thing ... should ones free self-expression be blocked there is the risk of repression - which could lead to some form of illness, projection - which can lead to confronting aggression in others, or displacement - which could lead to fighting with team members ... finding areas where one can be spontaneous is important ... there could be a flair for starting things - which sometimes are not finished after they lose their initial novelty!!!, or there could be mechanical skills ... this energy is very good for facing obstacles and at confrontation but there may be a need to control being too rash or impatient ... one best functions with a lot of freedom, variety, and a chance to be a pioneer ... with this energy comes great restlessness, being willful and a high degree of initiative, sexual drive and physical energy ... sometimes sexual matters may be handled very impulsively ... identity is usually tied to independence and spontaneity ... it has been said that anger and self-assertion are at their most honest here ... this Mars gets mad, gets it out and gets over it ...

The lesson to be learned with Mars in Aries is getting results through active doing ... there is usually a reliable but uncontainable supply of raw energy which must have an outlet and ultimately a direction ... here we have a no-nonsense approach to things ... sometimes it may become necessary to stop and ask oneself "What am I actually after?" ... there is definitely a lot of get-up-and-go as well as ones share of hard knocks ... courage and initiative are usually at the top of the priority list, but love and patience are frequently missing ... one can rather easily spark enthusiasm in others with this energy ... Mars in Aries is very much the "warrior" or "Amazon" ... the best expression of this Martian energy is that of the untiring champion of the underdog using both word and deeds to help promote your cause ... showing people what you can do rather than what they should do can set an inspiring and uplifting example ... the energy of Mars in Aries can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: self-assured, self-willed, independent, survivor, bold, energetic, fighter, fearless, direct, brisk, championing, outspoken, daring, dashing, exhilarating, spirited, leader-type, strong stamina, enthusiastic, self-starting

NEGATIVE: inner doubt, egocentric, uncooperative, selfish, aggressive, pushy, militant, violent, unsubtle, intolerant, quarrelsome, foolhardy, exhausting, ostentatious, bullying, insensitive, insatiable, self-defeating, anger ridden

With Mars in Aries, it benefits one to direct their energies into a worthwhile cause rather than bullying and badgering others ... knowing who and what you are dependent on not only emancipates but supports you ... Aries born individuals this is roughly a six week period for you to be infused with and extra boost of energy even though you probably have more than enough energy to get you through naturally ... use it constructively and not destructively ... we all will be infused with extra energy especially to make new starts ...  Mars now joins Uranus - what a dynamic duo !!! - in Aries with the Sun and Venus to follow next week, and Mercury joining the party mid April ... Mars remains in Aries until April 20th ...

BUT HOLD ON A MINUTE !!! ... even though we are bestowed with all this fiery Mars energy to move forward and start new beginnings, do not forget there is something peeing on this parade ... you guessed it ... Mercury is currently RETROGRADE until the 17th, so it will be affecting this energy on some level and it is probably a good idea not to go charging off on some new beginning until then ... in fact we may not actually feel the full impact of this Mars energy until after March 17th when Mercury stations back into direct motion ... and then ... LOOKOUT - it's any ones guess how the rush of the fiery energy which will continue to build as other planets move into Aries will play out in our personal lives and on a global level ... the next 3-4 weeks may prove extremely challenging ... it might be a good idea to look at your natal chart and see where the 30 degrees of Aries falls in order to get an idea where in your life this fiery energy may manifest itself ...

Nevertheless, it's time, as Mars begins its transit through Aries, to start making plans for new beginnings and actions by taking charge of and beginning to change something in your life that will result in positive personal growth and ultimately enable you, somewhere in your life, to step up and become "the leader of the pack" !!!