WHEN I "THINK" OF HOME ... !!!

... and we indeed may be thinking a lot about that as Mercury began its transit through the domestic and sympathetic sign of Cancer today, May 31st, at 3:07 AM  EDT ... our thought and communicative processes now turn from an intellectual mode towards a more emotional mode of operation as the ruler of Cancer is the Moon which among other things rules the emotions ... Mercury in Cancer has a way of subconsciously picking up signals from everyone else .. the mind becomes as much a receiver as a transmitter under this energy ... here we have a highly intuitive mode of thinking and communicating ... this placement also usually bestows a very good memory along with strong poetic power ... Mercury in Cancer thinks with the heart and often interprets the meaning of others communications through how it "feels" ...

Mercury in Cancer does not always say everything it is feeling as it tries to avoid hurting itself and others as well with careless ill-spoken comments ... one is very protective of their thoughts ... it likes to nurture ideas and encourage growth before sharing ... one uses emotions as well as logic and often may end up letting sensitivities sway ones decisions ... subconscious fears, habits, or prejudices could inhibit ones objectivity or openness to the new ... there is usually an above-average psychic ability ... one learns through absorbing their experiences and making emotional connections ... interest here may include family, food, the home, the land, the past, the public or security !!!

The lesson of Mercury in Cancer is thinking through nurturing ... its the caring mind ... one has to be careful not to take everything so personally here ... it is important to remember to look at the facts in addition to the opinions of others ... it is also important to remember and be aware that each one of us is our own source of light and warmth ... most importantly it is necessary to make a collection of good memories that will give rise to clear and positive thinking ... the energy of Mercury in Cancer can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: mentally tenacious, good memory, reliable, sensitive mind, poetic, intuitive, agreeable, absorbs information, attuned to public opinion, profound, polite, softly-spoken, discreet, diplomatic, arouses sympathies, emotionally appealing, persuasive speaker

NEGATIVE: mentally habit-ridden, distracted, inflexible, overly impressionable, impractical, irrational, yes-person, too open, taking things too personally, depressive, self-conscious, unclear, incomprehensible, diffuse, prejudiced, untruthful

Mercury, soon to be joined by Venus followed by the Sun a few weeks later, remains in the sign of Cancer until - WAIT FOR IT ... WAIT FOR IT ... AUGUST 8TH - yes you read correctly !!! ... this is the sign in which Mercury will completely take its SECOND RETROGRADE journey in for 2103 beginning on June 26th - ok, insert loud collective groan here !!! ... Mercury will get no further than 23 degrees of Cancer during its initial transit ... it's likely to be a highly emotional summer !!!

With Mercury in Cancer, we should realize that the natural ability to influence others is worthy of only the highest motives ... tuning in to ones finer feelings and expressing them is ultimately more rewarding ... and finally, try to focus on what you are after, who you are with and why ... and then stick with it !!! ... and by all means - enjoy the mental trips down memory lane as they surely will "light the corners of your mind" !!!

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER !!!

The Sun began it's yearly gallop through the perceptive, versatile sign of Gemini yesterday, May 20th, at 5:10 PM EDT ... this is the final astrological sign of the Spring season ... this energy is all about acquiring 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 lesson of the Sun in Gemini is learning to live through being able to communicate ... he we have 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 SOLAR RETURN 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 Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in Gemini - a lot of energy encouraging us to explore and learn in many areas and on many levels of our life !!!

The Sun remains in the sign of Gemini until June 20th/21st depending on what time zone you live in ... 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 !!!

THE WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND !!!

Mercury begins its speedy transit through the curious and inquisitive sign of Gemini today, May 15th, at 4:41 PM 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 ... the windmills of your mind are definitely going to have the potential to be spinning in overdrive for the next 17 days !!!

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 lesson of Mercury in Gemini is all about learning to think 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, dexterous, clever, humorous, sharp, fluent, inventive, versatile, original, handy, interesting, agreeable, unbiased, logical

NEGATIVE: chatterbox, nosy, gossip, superficial knowledge, highly strung, unruly mind, un-perservering, 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 Venus and Jupiter already transiting through the sign of Gemini with the Sun very soon to join the party ... this is the last complete sign transit before the next Mercury retrograde begins on June 26th !!! ... for now, we obviously have a lot of information to absorb and process ... and as much as we will want to constantly 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 THEN BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH !!!

VARIETY IS INDEED THE SPICE OF LIFE !!!

Venus - the planet of love, affection, attraction, beauty, happiness, value and values, indulgence, superficiality, social and artistic expression, and harmony - began its transit through the charming and versatile sign of Gemini yesterday , 5/9, at 11:03 AM EDT ... being an air sign, Gemini encourages Venus to move about and here variety is indeed the spice of life which includes objects, foods, experiences, and PEOPLE !!! ... this Venus is both lighthearted and emotionally objective ... Venus in Gemini really likes intellectual stimulation as much as romance ... there is a tendency towards a lack of commitment as Gemini makes Venus way too lighthearted to remain in one place for too long and can cause it to be very flirty ... often there is literary talent along with a love of language as well as sociability ... it enjoys mental stimulation as well as learning ... there is a pronounced casual air in relating to people ... this Venus just loves good ideas ... affection is expressed playfully, youthfully, verbally and lightheartedly ... the handling of money and possessions is usually objective and logical ... this Venus wants good communications and intellectual give-and-take in love relationships ... flirting and engaging in superficial relationships could occur due to the desire for a lot of variety and new stimulation as well as a desire to keep things cool and steer clear of too much emotional intensity ... intelligence and quick wit is highly attractive here ... this Venus enjoys being amused and entertained, otherwise there will be the tendency to look over ones shoulder at whoever is passing by ... Venus in Gemini is frequently drawn towards younger partners ...

The lesson of Venus in Gemini is learning to love through communicating ... it can be a sparkling personality ... there is a strong desire here to prevent stagnation and maintain fluidity so if you fall in love under this energy blindly expecting security and predictability you could be in for great disappointment ... Venus in Gemini is a budding love rather than love in full bloom so it has to be allowed to develop ... loving through communicating means letting the one you love know it rather than sitting on your feelings ... this Venus likes to get around - it is said that sexual or family ties are your "heart", but it is the diversity of social relationships that are the "lungs" which breathe life into your very being ... being a sign of duality, Gemini will cause Venus to be more aware of what it wants than what it thinks it wants ... it is most likely that under this energy one will only attract what it truly desires ... the energy of Venus in Gemini can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: amusing and friendly, coolly affectionate, light-hearted, emotionally objective, socially at ease, emotionally buoyant, stimulating company, lively conversationalist, ear to the ground, good-humoured, expressive, agile and witty, socially adaptable, emotionally flexible, well-connected, charming, courteous, tactful, co-operative

NEGATIVE: overly flirtatious, flippant and flighty, makes light of others feelings, emotionally distant, social butterfly, superficial values, lack of commitment, meaningless banter, shallow gossip, empty gestures, verbose, restless and fickle, double standards, inconsistent partner, social opportunist, insincere, easy come - easy go

Gemini born individuals, this is your time to "glow" and become more "attractive" ... as always, you should seek out and ask for what you want - you just might get it !!! ... and you certainly deserve it this year after Venus took its wicked retrograde journey through your sign last year !!! ... in fact, some issues from last year during the Venus transit of Gemini last year - from April 3rd through August 7th - may now reappear to be addressed and resolved !!!

Venus remains in the sign of Gemini until  June 2nd ... and for the next 24 days, it is time we all should trust in our natural wit and appeal ... try listening to your heart rather than your own and other peoples voices ... others will appreciate you if you truly appreciate them ... expressing your feelings verbally will open new doors both socially and emotionally ... get out there and experience the reality of variety truly being the spice of life - you'll "LOVE" it !!!

SEEING IS BELIEVING !!!

Mercury, steadily and with a logical progression, began its transit through the sign of Taurus today, 5/1, at 11:37 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 lesson of Mercury in Taurus is learning to think through stabilization ... this is all about 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 joins the Sun, Venus and Mars already transiting through Taurus - quite a cosmic "buffet" of sensual delights !!! ... now back up to full speed - actually since April 6th - and moving quickly as it likes to do, Mercury remains in the sign of Taurus until May 15th ... this is the next to the last complete sign transit Mercury makes before it begins its second RETROGRADE journey for 2013 on June 26th in the sign of Cancer ... Taurus born individuals, are you beginning to feel the tempo picking up in your thinking and communicating ??? ... now is your chance - along with the rest of us - to get a lot accomplished and get our minds anchored to a firmer foundation of rational and practical thinking with this earth energy ... and that's no "BULL" !!!