TESTING OUR FAITH, BELIEFS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE "BIG PICTURE" !!!

Saturn – planet symbolizing the lessons we have to learn in life; what we fear; force of circumstances through which we are driven to find the discipline, effort and sense of order to overcome limitations and obstacles; the taskmaster and teacher – emerged from the watery depths of Scorpio, where it has been transiting since October 5th, 2012, and began its initial transit through the philosophical, broad-minded, religious, fiery sign of Sagittarius back on December 23rd, at 11:33 AM EST … Saturn's energy now shifts its focus from deeply personal issues - sex, personal power, joint finances, psychological issues, deep emotional issues and spiritual matters ... now  its mission is to test our faith, higher beliefs, philosophical views, our personal understanding of life and what our relationship to it is in relation to how and where we individually fit into the greater scheme of the expansive universal picture ... in other words a major shift from validating our deep emotions to validating and in many cases adjusting our mental processes - a daunting task no doubt !!! ... wherever Saturn goes, it brings a heaviness with it that slows us down and in many cases restricts and limits us in order for us to hopefully take an honest, hard look at whatever area of life is represented by the sign it is in ... if we are strong and patient enough to deal with the pressure, Saturn will ultimately reward us with a much stronger foundation even though we often must be willing to release and give up something or even someone in order to bring about greater personal and spiritual growth !!! ... Saturn was last in Sagittarius from 11/17/85 through 11/12/88 ... if you were born during that period, you are now entering the year of your first Saturn return which usually occurs between the ages of 29 - 30 ... that means Saturn has now made one complete transit around your natal chart since birth having taught you valuable life lessons in each area of life represented by the house it was transiting through ... have you gained wisdom and helpful insight from the "cosmic teacher" ???

Many would say that Saturn is not favorably placed transiting through Sagittarius ... Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter so it can be said that now Saturn and Jupiter are in a "working relationship" ... here we have restrictive yet highly organized Saturn working with free-spirited, expansive Jupiter ... yet this combination can actually yield extremely positive results ... as Saturn elevates our concentration it compliments the urge to study to increase our intellectual and philosophical beliefs and views of life ... this transit encourages honesty and being straightforward as well as bestowing the ability to speak up ... here we have the potential to manifest inspirational energies and raise higher thought forms on a global scale ... Saturn in Sagittarius will empower us to take a serious approach to religion, philosophy and higher education ... it may encourage us to be more honorable and adhere to a more strict moral code ... this energy is independent and capable allowing us to search for truth and justice ... it can yield intellectual discipline and bestow great powers of concentration ... those born with this natal energy, in addition to those who harness the energy of this powerful transit, can become excellent teachers, religious or spiritual leaders, or even political leaders - but we should not forget that "sometimes it is the enthusiasm of the messenger that is more important than the details of the message" ... physical exercise to promote circulation is very important ...

One of the greatest challenges of Saturn in Sagittarius is to guard against the tendency to set high hopes and then be fearful that they will be decimated or not going to come off the way we had planned ... but if there is one thing that Saturn repeatedly tries to teach us is NOT to give into fear but keep moving forward one step at a time and not rush ... this is why Saturn is known as the teacher and the taskmaster ... and as such while it is transiting the sign of Sagittarius restrictions, lessons and tasks to improve may present themselves in the following areas : wealth, leisure time, big business, the higher mind, optimism, growth, morality, prosperity, indulgence, higher education, philosophic reasoning, aspirations, vision, idealism, sports, luck, long-distance travel, hunting and fondness for animals - all of these areas ruled by Jupiter ... also there could be issues to deal with involving the super conscious, law, religion, science, psychology, profound mental study, your dreams and your visions, foreigners and foreign cultures, commerce, imports, exports, the church as a spiritual factor, the clergy, in-laws, grandchildren, intuition, ethics, public opinions, and the lessons we learn just by living - all of these being areas governed by Sagittarius the natural ruler of the 9th house of the horoscope ... as far as health is concerned, there could be issues during this transit in regards to the liver, hips and thighs which are the areas of the body ruled by Sagittarius ...

Saturn in Sagittarius through its testing what we seek hopefully allows us to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground as our minds are seeking a higher meaning ... realize that the most valuable knowledge comes from within so contemplate and even meditate ... realize that in your personal journey you must take both the high and the low road in life ... this Saturn likes searching for the truth, furthering ones education, adventures that serve a particular purpose, a good reputation, physical as well as metaphysical exercise ... it does not having what we hope to discover blocked in any way, being aimless and simply wondering about, being dishonored, and simply being static failing to move forward ... the energy of Saturn in Sagittarius can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: honorable, high moral fiber, prudent, superior but not in an obnoxious way, philosophical, able to reflect intellectually on life's meaning, devoted, fearless, earnest, trustworthy, a good teacher, well informed, highly focused attention, strict yet simple way of living, skillful and clever

NEGATIVE: high-minded, self-righteous, superior in a snobbish manner, offensive or irritating in a pointed manner, intellectual pride, hypocritical, easily hurt, lacking tact, insincere, fearing disapproval, brow beating, smug

Sagittarius born, the Universe has placed you on a huge learning curve in the "school of life" for the next two and a half years giving you the opportunity to achieve positive personal and spiritual growth even though at times it might not be easy … my fellow Capricorns, our planetary ruler has moved into a new sign and is now ready to teach us another set of lessons that will do the same for us if we release fear and allow change to take place … but we all will experience restriction, challenge, necessary change that hopefully produces beneficial growth somewhere in our lives through this transit … if you’ve had a natal chart done, you will probably get a good idea where Saturn transiting through Sagittarius is going to “school” you especially in regards to the area or areas of life governed by which house or houses of your natal chart are affected by Saturn's transit !!!

Scorpio born, no doubt you are breathing a sigh of relief at what has truly been a challenging period of over two years - and for many, not just Scorpio born, it is not over just yet !!! ... due to retrograde motion, Saturn will return to Scorpio for some last minute business from June 14th - September 17th ... it will only be going from 29 degrees back to 28 degrees Scorpio in its retrograde journey ... many of us may be reviewing what was occurring in our lives from December 6th through December 23rd when Saturn was transiting through these last two degrees of Scorpio ... in addition there are many of us dealing with two energies of Saturn in our lives ... those born from December 23rd back to January 1st of 2014 are still being influenced by Saturn in Scorpio until your birthday occurs this year ... HOWEVER, the exception will be those with birthdays this year from June 14th through September 17th who, as a result of their solar return, will have this dual Saturn energy for one more year until their birthday in 2016 ... the universe is obviously still trying to bring something to our attention from deep within - how many will release the fear and deal with it once and for all and move on ???

Saturn is currently the only planet transiting through the sign of Sagittarius … Saturn remains in Sagittarius until December 20th, 2017 ... 

Once again,I feel it necessary, as a Capricorn born who will be ruled lifelong by Saturn, to explain, especially from personal experience, that the transits of Saturn aren’t always a bad thing that should be dreaded … while its actions can be difficult and challenging, Saturn’s main objective is to help us grow and become a better person by taking a deep, serious and honest look at where we are and where we should be going by making sure our foundations in life are strong and solid !!!

HAPPILY EVER AFTER - FAIRY TALE ENDINGS !!!

Venus began its transit through the sympathetic, emotional sign of Pisces yesterday, 1/27, at 10:00 AM EST ... Venus was last in Pisces from April 5th - May 2nd, 2014 and the entire time Mars was retrograde in Libra which, of course, is ruled by Venus ... anything come to mind from that period ??? ... this Venus is all about dreams and wishes, fairy tale endings, love at first sight, and happily ever after ... Venus is exalted in Pisces - a planet that is exalted in a sign expresses its energy more harmoniously and visibly, especially since Pisces ruler Neptune is the higher vibrational octave of Venus ...

Venus in Pisces enjoys being compassionate, tenderhearted and helpful ... often one relates to others by taking the role of either the rescuer or a person looking for help ... affection is usually expressed idealistically, romantically, sympathetically, or sometimes evasively ... there is a deep desire for magic and romance in love ... one of the obstacles here can be a lack of clarity about what you want or a failure to be objective in regards to others which can ultimately set you up for disappointment, disillusionment, or possibly deception ... it is very easy under this energy to idealize love and loved ones, and one must guard against putting people and love on the proverbial "pedestal" as when reality sinks in the results can be devastating ... sometimes a lack of discrimination can lead to highly frustrating attachments ... in this energy, one often wants a beautiful dream in their love relationships, yearns for a true soul mate, or can be psychically attuned to ones partner ... since Pisces is a water sign, Venus traveling here is especially subject to the emotions being a large part of the drive - even more so than usual!!!

Venus in Pisces can give great sensitivity to hurt that makes one feel as though they are being picked on ... one must guard against clinging to illusory loves just because they are far more beautiful than real life ... and this could ultimately prevent one from finding true closeness with another ... the bottom line here is that this Venus wants to experience the perfect, unselfish love ... tastes are frequently very refined here ... music is usually a natural means of self-expression as well as art ...

Venus in Pisces teaches us to love through accepting - the love of all ... in fact, LOVE IS ALL ... this  energy sees the Eternal Life principle flowing through every manifestation and therefore uniting the soul with all of life ... it is said that this placement of Venus most likely has more innate ability for inspired artistic creativity than any other ... also at heart one knows and feels that love is everything ... everything is regarded as being alive and sacred ...

Venus in Pisces can yield a complex love nature ... this is due to having a highly evolved sense of love as unconditional and of beauty as a healing property, but on the other hand the fears and doubts that can accompany this energy can make one inclined to see love as something one "needs" and beauty as something to "get" or to "own" ... the truth here is that each one of us is a thing of love and beauty, but if one begins to doubt this, then one can open them self up to being used and abused ... and in the end, it comes down to the fact that you can only love the world and those in it as much as you love yourself as a part of the world !!! ... the energy of Venus in Pisces can express itself in the following ways :

POSITIVE: compassionate, sympathetic, appreciates unity of all life, congenial, evocative, sensitive lover, easygoing, artistically inspired, natural healer, self-sacrificing, selfless, highly affectionate, altruistic, very generous, loves unconditionally, gentle, philanthropic, peaceful

NEGATIVE: martyr, too sentimental, too passive, seducing, idealizes lover, romantically deluding, hypersensitive, self-pitying, weak-willed, wanton, no self-value, undiscerning, fears rejection, indulging, evasive, overly impressionable

Venus remains in Pisces until February 20th ... Venus now joins Mars and Neptune in this dreamy swim through the emotional "waters" of Pisces ... BUT - beginning a new relationship during this transit of Venus, even though it may seem "perfect" and just what you have been searching for, is advised against until after February 11th as Mercury is currently in its first retrograde journey for 2015 ... and given that Pisces planetary ruler Neptune often causes us to seek the ideal, sometimes too much so, while at the same time blurring boundaries and making things subject to lack of clarity, in the end what we value, who and what we love, and how we earn and spend our money could change greatly or become the victim of very challenging, confused and irrational decisions  ...

Pisces born individuals, this is the time when Venus shines its beautiful "love light" upon you ... it is usually a good time to ask for what you want, even given the conflicting planetary energy with Mercury retrograde, as    you're still likely to be pretty much irresistible !!! ... for everyone, it's time to keep "carefully" searching for the perfect "ahhhh" and seeking  love with all the trimmings ... and it may be waiting - all for YOU !!!

TURNING INWARD - A UNIVERSAL TIMEOUT !!!

Whether we like it or not - most will say NOT !!! - Mercury began its first RETROGRADE journey for 2015 today, January 21st, at 10:54 AM EST ... if you've been following my blogs, then you know pretty much what to expect during a Mercury Retrograde … as always - EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED - especially as this first retrograde period occurs entirely in the sign of Aquarius which is ruled by Uranus the planet of the sudden and unexpected !!! ... the last time Mercury was retrograde the entire period in Aquarius was 2008 from January 28th - February 18th going from 23 degrees 53 minutes back down to 8 degrees 19 minutes ... anything come to mind from that period especially in relation as to what area of life was involved in whichever house or houses of your natal chart the retrograde occurred ???

It is very important to understand that Mercury retrogrades are NOT ALWAYS the harbingers of doom and gloom ... even though it is true they can cause disruption and misunderstandings, we have to realize these are simply Universal "time outs" which give us the opportunity to drop back to rethink and review our actions especially as the energy relates to the current sign that the planet is transiting through ... bottom line - though we often joke about it, retrogrades shouldn't always be feared and dreaded but perhaps approached cautiously ... the Universe is giving us a chance to right our wrongs and redirect ourselves to achieve more beneficial personal and spiritual growth !!! ...

Some of you may have noticed the beginning of this backwards energy when Mercury entered its shadow point - the point where it will come out of the retrograde on February 11th - back on January 5th at 1 degree 18 minutes Aquarius ... 

It practically goes without saying that 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 ... it is NOT a good time to make major purchases - especially Cars, a big NO NO - and that goes double for USED CARS, as well as computers or anything that involves electronics especially as this retrograde is in Aquarius ... purchasing homes can end up producing unforeseen 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 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 any way 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 ...

To RE-peat, 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" !!! ... this first Mercury retrograde journey for 2015 takes place from 17 degrees 5 minutes Aquarius back down to 1 degree 18 minutes Aquarius ... 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 ... if you've had a natal chart done and know in which house or houses these degrees fall, then you will probably get an idea of where the Universe is asking you to step back and take a closer look at what you are doing in that area of your life ...

Mercury retrograde in the sign of Aquarius yields an emphasis to ones friendships, ideas, and goals in life as those are issues addressed in the 11th house of the natural horoscope which is ruled by Uranus the planet ruling Aquarius ... to that end, there may also be issues with groups to which one belongs, non-emotional relationships, the love one receives, money obtained  from ones profession or business, step children, adopted children and foster children, circumstances in life over which you have little control, and ones humanitarian interests ... the mind can also become filled with many creative, cutting edge ideas as one tries to determine how to incorporate them into ones life ...

In regards to overall health, remember Mercury is the natural planetary ruler of the 6th house which rules health, so there could be more chances to have health issues in general during a Mercury retrograde ... in Aquarius there could particular issues in the area of the ankles and the nervous system ...  a Mercury retrograde is usually not a good time to have surgery as the healing process could be slowed down or there could be the chance of having to go back at a later date and take care of something that wasn't done correctly - especially in regards to cosmetic surgery !!! ... now this applies to elective surgery ... as for emergency surgery, we have no control over that and trying to put that off might produce catastrophic results !!!

Below I have re posted 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 (February 11th).

Reverse - You will be amazed at how many times you change your mind or reverse your thinking during this time. Watch out for that race car 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 you know what, I wouldn't start a new romance during this period either - wait until after February 11th !!!

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.

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 ???

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 January 21st and February 11th will have this Mercury retrograde energy in their solar return - birthday chart - for the whole year ahead ... the exceptions here being those born on January 21st and February 11th may or may not get this energy depending on what time you solar return occurs - some may be lucky enough to escape it for this year !!! ... below is a repeat explanation of what it means to have Mercury Retrograde for the whole year in your birthday chart summed up by Mary Fortier Shea in her book titled "Planets in Solar Return":

"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 forwarding to the past and clearing out the "clutter", you can propel yourself further ahead in life than you originally may have thought !!! " 

Gemini and Virgo born, as Mercury is your planetary ruler, once again it is time for you to "try" to slow down and review and reexamine what is going on in your life especially since the last Mercury retrograde ended back on October 25th !!!

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 October 4th through October 25th, 2014 ...  actions taken during previous retrograde periods could come back to haunt us as well - for 2014 that would be June 7th through July 1st, and February 6th  through February 28th ... 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 potentially wreaks its cosmic havoc for the next 22 days ... as previously stated, Mercury remains retrograde until February 11th ... 

SO ... slow down, try not to act too impulsively, and go with the universal flow ... don't try to swim up stream in a raging current of cosmic chaos 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 sense of humor, being one of your greatest allies, should be kept very close by and called upon frequently as the Mercury Retrograde merrily wreaks havoc and/or bestows enlightenment ... so in the end my fellow beings of light, as this first Mercury Retrograde period of 2015 is now upon us, the question is will we become the constant victim of Cosmic Chaos, become the recipient of great Cosmic Clarity ... or BOTH ???

LIVING THROUGH LIBERATING !!!

The Sun began its "electric" transit through the bold, progressive sign of Aquarius today, 1/20, at 4:44 AM EST ... in this sign one may "shine" in various ways ... shining uniquely and inventively - ones avenues for recognition and attention are likely to be unique to oneself, and self-expression is tied to a need for freedom to experiment ... shining by seeking recognition rebelliously or independently - one may fight against standard methods for "success" or "fame" thus seeking recognition as a rebel ... shining in a futuristic manner - one is likely to be ego-involved with progress achieving recognition through forward-looking activities or ideas that include working with new technology or anything that is perceived as being on the cutting edge of change ... shining by being rational - one may achieve recognition for their objectivity, logic and intellectual detachment where creativity could possibly be directed towards innovative approaches to humanitarian causes and social welfare carefully analyzing options without any emotional bias ... whether you are born under this natal energy or simply incorporating it into your own natal energy by transit, you will certainly have the potential to be seen as one of the "different ones" ...

Aquarius is a masculine, fixed air sign ... its glyph is the waves of electricity or to some waves of water ... anatomically it rules the shins, ankles and the circulatory system ... its key phrase is "I KNOW" and its keyword is "IMAGINATION" !!!

Aquarius is ruled by the planet Uranus - the first modern planet being discovered in 1781 ... it was named after the ancient Greek sky God - the first ruler of the Universe ... its pictorial symbol is that of the Water-bearer - dispensing a gift that flows freely and equally to all representing the creation and the giving of life ... Uranus is the planet which rules the nervous system, inventions, originality, science, electricity, magic, the occult, light, psychology, x-rays, airplanes and insight into the laws of nature, and more importantly ASTROLOGY !!!  ... it is futuristic, humanitarian, intellectual, eccentric, bohemian, egotistical and Utopian ... it governs creative will, sudden change, revolution and dictators, individualism, ingenuity, rebellions and autonomy ... its action is sudden, unexpected and often violent ... it is a breaker of tradition ... recent studies have shown that Uranus is also associated with natural disasters ...

Aquarius is the sign on the 11th house of the natural  horoscope ... it is a house of group relationships whose keyword is social consciousness ... it reflects your capacity for friendship, your attitude toward your friends and acquaintances and all non-emotional relationships ... it indicates what you most desire in life, your goals, the love you receive as well as money obtained from your profession or business ... the 11th house also shows step, foster, and adopted children, and also circumstances over which you have little to no control ... it represents your humanitarian interests, the way you see others, large and small organizations, and the clubs you belong to, which may somehow relate to your career ...

The Sun sign describes the center of ones being - the Will ... it shows what dwells in or lies close to your heart and what gives your life a sense of creative purpose ... it is symbolic of ones Spirit ... so whether natally born with or experiencing this energy through a transit, the lesson of the Sun in Aquarius is learning how to live successfully and productively through liberating ... the goal here, being energy of the Water-bearer and Water symbolizing the emotions, is to experience and express ones feelings without getting "wet" - to avoid being emotionally biased, overly attached or becoming upset ...

The Sun is considered to be in detriment in Aquarius - being opposite the sign it naturally rules in the zodiac which in this case is Leo ... as a result the Will can lose itself in the vast "sky" of ones urge to be free ... more than any other sign, Aquarius holds the key to what it truly means to be a human being ... but most important of all is the seeking of freedom for oneself through developing a greater sense of what life on Earth is all about ... and ironically, one being under this energy is all about discovering the love of humanity while not being so keen on one-to-one relationships ... the energy of the Sun in Aquarius can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: impartial, cool, broad-minded, fair judge, friendly, gregarious, humanitarian, democratic, reformist, idealistic, inventive, original, unaffected, convincing, intuitive, outwardly calm, clownish, free-thinking, free-loving, open-ended

NEGATIVE: avoids intimacy, aloof, non-committal, emotionally inept, impersonal, anti-social, lacks sympathy, hypocritical, reactionary, impractical, cranky, elitist, mocking, imposes ideas, cutting, secretly anxious, sarcastic, catty, flighty, pointless

The Sun now joins Mercury - about to begin its first retrograde journey for 2015 tomorrow at 10:54 AM - and Venus  in the cutting edge, freedom loving often rebellious dance through Aquarius ... Mercury will be retrograde for 22 of this 30 day solar transit, and as Mercury will be retrograde the entire time in Aquarius, things will have the potential to be more disruptive and go even more off course rather suddenly and unexpectedly !!!

Aquarius born individuals, this is the beginning of your new solar year - a fresh start - HAPPY SOLAR RETURN !!! ... Leo born you are beginning a new 30 day lesson of life as your ruling planet, the Sun, transits through Aquarius ... but we all should be learning on some level of our lives as well !!!

The Sun remains in Aquarius until February 18th ... and the question now becomes - just how much of a "wild thing" marching to the beat of a different drum during this often unpredictable transit will we allow ourselves to become ??? ... NOW is the time to be a rebel with a specific cause in our own unique and individually creative style fueled by something electric in the air  !!!

THE "SPIRITUAL WARRIOR" !!!

Mars, the planet of action, aggression and initiative began its transit through the emotional, compassionate sign of Pisces today, January 12th, at 5:21 AM EST ... Mars was last in Pisces from February 1st, 2013 - March 12th, 2013 ... Mars, being a planet with a "fiery" reputation, loses some of its force moving through a water sign such as Pisces ... nevertheless, it has drive and ambition but on different levels ... in Pisces, Mars is naturally sensitive, compassionate, and vulnerable ... it may express its energy through the arts which most likely would include some form of beauty in action such as dancing or playing a musical instrument ... alternately, it can be drawn towards healing or helping activities, fighting for causes, or, being drawn to the darker side, escaping reality especially through drugs and alcohol ... here one is trying to balance self-assertion and self-sacrifice and/or action and intuition .. one may assert oneself with kindness, idealism, or empathy, but there also comes the risk of inflating ones own will as ones supreme value ... however, having faith in a Higher Power and a sense of the oneness of life, the will and initiative would be softened by compassion ... physical energy and sexual drive could be influenced by ones dreams, moods and emotions ... one might feel vulnerable or unclear about who they are thus making them susceptible to the feelings and emotions of those they are around ... intuition, inspiration, a spiritual urge, or a need to save, rescue or heal are likely to be highly motivating factors ... it is often said in Astrology that Mars in Pisces can be the marking of the "spiritual warrior" ... and with Neptune currently transiting through Pisces, the sign it naturally rules, the potential is greatly increased !!! 

In addition, the gifts of imagination, sensitivity, and intuition are often manifested in the creative fields, thus this can also be the marking in a natal chart for actors or those in the entertainment industry ... Mars in this sign seeks involvement whether it be with a partner, an idea or a passion ... it frequently shoulders others' responsibilities without complaint ... Mars in Pisces can be self-sacrificing or it can greatly inspire others in some way ... the down side to this very subtle energy would be the danger of becoming unfocused and restless and being instilled with a great drive for an escape from reality which unfortunately can produce an abusive use of drugs and alcohol ...

Mars in Pisces teaches us that we get through accepting ... it's the soft touch ... what is desired is gotten through subtle or indirect means ... having strong emotional undercurrents influencing ones actions, there is a need to discover what they are and whether or not they are justified to avoid being tugged this way and that way ... there is an uncanny ability with this energy to drift and immerse oneself into the feelings of others ... and unless one can tune into this subtle energy and try to refine ones coarser and more material desires, it is likely that in the end one will be seduced by their own seductiveness ... personal moods are infectious but one can also be easily "infected" themselves ... a lot here depends on one being aware of exactly what they want and not giving in to vagueness ... what is so energizing about Mars in Pisces is something that one possesses is more emotional than physical, of the Soul rather than of the body !!! ... the expressive energy of Mars in Pisces can be presented in the following ways:

POSITIVE: fascinating, charismatic, subtle, diffuse, charitable, congenial, self-sacrificing, tender, inspiring, imaginative, generous, psychic, stealthy, sensuous, healing, intuitive, compassionate, diplomatic, humorous, fluid

NEGATIVE: neurotic, volatile, evasive, unfocused, seductable, malleable, self-deluding, weak/lazy, gushing,  fanciful, indiscriminate, temperamental, treacherous, confusing, invasive, resentful, frustrating, absurd, inconsistent, scandalous, impotent/frigid

Pisces born individuals, this is your period of roughly six weeks of receiving that extra boost of energy to accomplish whatever you set your mind on to get done ... for everyone it is a good time to identify that part of ourselves to which others are drawn and to which we, too, must follow ... in other words - SURRENDER  !!!

Mars once again joins Neptune in the sign of Pisces - increasing the potential that a lot of us may be drawn towards the pursuit of a highly focused spiritual "vision quest" - or will some fall to the depths of deception and addiction ??? ... Mars remains in the Pisces until February 19th ... for all you "spiritual warriors", new or well seasoned, spread your knowledge, healing and compassion as far as your imagination and intuition leads you  !!!

TRUTH AWAKENS LIKE A FLASH OF LIGHTNING !!!

Mercury begins its transit through the intellectual, highly inventive sign of Aquarius today, 1/4, at 8:08 PM EST ... the mind and tongue tend to be unconventional sometimes to the extreme of shocking other people ... communication is made intelligently, objectively, openly, and independently... language used can be very individualistic and sometimes rebellious ... one thinks for them self and usually resists other people's answers ... learning is best done through questioning authority and seeking out unique experiences ... the mind is experimental, innovative, and future oriented ... one wants to explore all possibilities while keeping options open ... there is the tendency to jump from idea to idea resulting perhaps from an intuitive flash or brainstorming ... one must be careful not to become a victim of fragmented or erratic thinking ... there are usually excellent verbal skills here ... one can be quite objective allowing them to talk with just about anyone ... connections are best made on an individual basis ... interests usually include anything new age - oh say like astrology, numerology and tarot - and anything unusual, different, technological or progressive ... this energy frequently gives one the mind of a computer and the soul of a rebel !!!

Mercury in Aquarius usually indicates a fine and clever mind that is accurate, inventive and inquisitive ... people born under this energy - like yours truly!!! - often take a great interest in other people and have excellent judgement of human nature ... there is a love of analyzing character and motivation, and the finely tuned powers of observation that accompany this energy allow one to predict accurately how someone will react in a given situation ... Mercury here makes one a rather notorious people-watcher, and gives one a broad and emotionally detached outlook ... Aquarius is known as the sign of the truth-seeker and that characterizes the way this mind works ... sometimes one may seem eccentric as the ideas are so advanced ... and one may also enjoy saying things simply to shock other people - absolutely priceless, right ???

Mercury in Aquarius gives the mind the need for a lot of stimulation and activity ... interests are pursued thoroughly because of the capability of pursuing a train of thought for very long periods ... one is also capable of great inventive originality ... there is a desire to understand how the Universe is linked together ... one must be careful here of the powerful tendency toward abstraction causing one to become too detached and end up living in a mental environment that may be a long way from the reality of others around you ... also one may find that the thoughts speed so fast that one forgets to finish sentences - thinking others will understand where your thoughts were going - or one finishes other people's sentences for them in order to get on to the next topic ... a benefit of this energy is becoming aware that the individual mind is ultimately NOT separated from the Universal mind !!!

Mercury in Aquarius teaches us to learn to think through liberating ... one perceives things mentally in a manner that seems to others as highly unlikely or even odd ... there is a definite streak of stubbornness running through the mind which is a result of having a sense of the "Truth" and understanding how things really  are ... one has to be careful of the inherent blind spot which is detached objectivity to the point of missing the emotional factors in a given situation ... one of the main challenges of this energy is to learn to communicate ones vision and help others see life from a point beyond their personal hopes and fears ... the energy of Mercury in Aquarius can be expressed in the following ways :

POSITIVE: original thinker, inventive, unorthodox, comprehensive, scientific, objective, concise, well-informed, unshockable, open-minded, truth-loving, perceptive, progressive thinker, Utopian, reformist, socially aware, intuitive, cosmically aware, telepathic and inspiring mind

NEGATIVE: way-out thinker, cranky, irrelevant, disjointed, clinical, lacks warmth, abrupt, unfeeling, indifferent, fixed opinions, contrary, emotionally blind, out of "time", unrealistic, reactionary, anti-social, scatterbrained, spaced out, overactive mind

Mercury now joins Venus and Mars in the personal planet "rebellion party", but it does not completely finish its transit through Aquarius until - WAIT FOR IT  - March 12th due to its upcoming first retrograde journey for 2015 which begins on January 21st !!! ... Mercury will enter its shadow point tomorrow, January 5th when it reaches 1 degree 18 minutes of Aquarius which is the point where it will end its retrograde journey on February 11th ... for now, enjoy thinking with an open mind and remember that the truth often awakens like a flash of lightning - are you  ready to be struck by it ???

PERSONAL FREEDOM - THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE !!!

Venus exited the fabulous sign of Capricorn - sadness - and  began her often "shocking" and rebellious transit through the progressive, free-loving sign of Aquarius today, 1/3, at 9:48 AM EST ... this highly unpredictable Venus truly marches to the beat of a different drum!!! ... it indeed likes being unusual or going against the norm in some form or fashion ... relations can be casual, erratic or with openness and tolerance ... affection is expressed experimentally, freely, and unconventionally ... pleasure is derived from being unique and sometimes downright kinky !!! ... the handling of money and possessions can be progressive, intellectual, unpredictable, changeable, or even rebellious ... freedom and friendship is a requirement in love relationships ... trying to tie this Venus down is a big NO-NO - well except when you are, oh wait ... that's a whole other story !!! ... this energy is often viewed as cool and aloof and one can come across as impersonal and detached ... people of a race, creed, or gender that shock others may sometimes become ones object of affection ... Venus in Aquarius is a detached yet magnetic love, and even highly unconventional varying greatly from the norm !!!

Venus in Aquarius gives a kind and loving nature ... it makes one helpful, charitable, but NOT an emotional person ... PERSONAL FREEDOM IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE !!! ... in any relationship there must be the ability to explore varied interests and hobbies, meet new people, and enjoy a wide range of friends ... jealousy is not tolerated and overly emotional scenes will usually cause one to walk away ... this energy is more likely to have platonic friendships because sexual involvements are more emotionally binding than is desired here ... immense popularity and an attraction of many lovers is possible but not of the long lasting variety - romantic attractions are usually sudden and unexpected and can end just as suddenly and unexpectedly as they began!!! ... personal magnetism is directed toward larger concerns than mere romance ... if one wants to remain close to someone under this energy, they must allow their romantic or friendship interest freedom in their relationships with others ...

Venus in Aquarius teaches us how to learn to love through liberation - LOVE MUST BE SET FREE !!! ... there is an open minded and experimental approach to relating and to artistic expression ... it is often difficult for others to see where you are coming from emotionally as ones style can be disconcerting, shocking or just  outright odd!!! ... the ironic twist here is that this energy wants to allow a partner the freedom and space to do as they please, but by giving too much freedom it might actually begin to seem as though the partner doesn't care about you ... the secret though is to learn how to reveal, in a heartfelt way of course, your opinions and questions regarding the freedom of love for the person or persons to whom you feel the closest ... Venus  in Aquarius can be socially inventive and creatively innovative ... love and friendship absolutely MUST coexist here!!! ... and while there is certainly the idea that with all this unpredictability and need for freedom that lasting love just might be impossible under this energy, one must remember that Aquarius is a FIXED sign !!! ... the energy one might encounter with Venus in Aquarius may include:

POSITIVE: free-loving, idealistic, easygoing, liberal, original lover, non-possessive, unique, mild, cultured, experimental, progressive, eclectic, sparkling, popular, friendly, tongue-in-cheek, convincing, refined, quietly persevering, humane

NEGATIVE: lacks feelings, naive, indiscriminate, erratic, odd lover, unfeeling, peculiar, touchy, insincere, kinky, superficial, promiscuous, impersonal, flattering, sarcastic, stubborn, manipulative, uncompromising, reactionary

Venus remains in Aquarius until January 27th ... Aquarius born individuals, the Universe is energizing you with luck and opportunity while shining the light of love on you for the next few weeks so keep your eyes and ears and heart open and ask for what you want as you might just get it !!!

Venus joins Mars already in Aquarius with Mercury to join the "revolution" tomorrow ... remember that Aquarius is ruled by the planet Uranus the planet of the sudden and unexpected, so enjoy this unusual and open minded energy after wading through the rather "vanilla" flavored energy of Venus in Capricorn - which there is certainly nothing wrong at all with, right my fellow Cappies ??? ... and should someone approach you and say "WHOSE YA DADDY ???" just realize they are being infused with this delightfully twisted energy so go for it and play along - you might enjoy it ???

And by all means just so you're aware, Aquarius, among other things, rules Astrology, so you just might realize there is a "certain" ASTROLOGER out there that you discover you've developed quite a fondness for !!!