FLYING SPARKS OF ROMANCE OR EMOTIONAL "DAGGERS" OF VENGEANCE ???

THE THRILL OF THE CHASE ... I'VE GOT IT ... IT’S OVER - GOODBYE!!!!! ... and just like that, what we thought we so passionately and romantically desired has suddenly lost its initial appeal .... moving right along - NEXT !!! .... get the picture ??? .... well that is what many of us will experience on some level in our lives as Venus "burned" its way into and began its transit through the the passionate sign of Aries yesterday, February 20th at 3:06 PM EST ... Venus is considered to be in detriment in Aries as it is in a sign opposite the one it naturally rules in this case Libra ... in detriment a planet is not really operating at full power ... it's like visiting where you must conform to rules and regulations thus hindering your natural expression ...

We can expect to become impassioned about someone or something or both ... we will pursue it with total dedication and determination ... 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 ...

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 ... one of the biggest misjudgements made under this energy is mistaking sex for actual love over and over ... the lesson of Venus in Aries is all about learning to love through doing - it's frequently referred to as energy that can easily produce love at first sight !!! ... this Venus likes a partner who is independent, the actual "chase", the social whirl, spontaneous and unexpected affection, and romance that is very bold ... it dislikes people who are too clingy and those who tend to be socially inactive ... the energy of  Venus in Aries can be expressed in the following ways :

POSITIVE: erotic, winning style, passionate, playful, demonstrative, outgoing, straightforward, popular, sparkling personality, generous, appealing, having a childlike charm, a romantic idealist, persuasive, warm-hearted, quick to move

NEGATIVE: overly flirtatious, lustful, irresponsible, blunt, inconsiderate, coarse, not subtle, wanton, a teaser, naive in love, easily hurt, clueless, too pushy, self-centered, impatient in love

If you know which house or houses the sign of Aries occupies in your natal chart, then you will most likely figure out where and how this transit of Venus may play out in your own life in addition to your relationship 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 may find yourself wanting 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 ...??? " ... also, 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 !!!

Aries born, the love light is now shining on YOU - take advantage of the added possibility of getting what you ask for !!! ...

Venus has now joined Mars and Uranus - what a hot mess of a trio of planets !!! - already transiting through Aries ... Mars just began its transit through Aries on the 19th, and as such, Venus and Mars will "hook up", or as an astrologer would say be conjunct, at 12:05 AM on the 22nd therefore making it today or tomorrow depending on the time zone in which you live ... Will the sparks of romance or the emotional "daggers" of vengeance be flying as a result ???

HEADS UP - there are only four more complete sign transits after Aries before Venus takes its next retrograde journey beginning on July 25th at 0 degrees 46 minutes Virgo and retrogrades back to 14 degrees 23 minutes when it ends on September 6th ...

Venus remains in Aries until March 17th ... and when Venus leaves the sign of Aries, in addition to wondering if the means of the thrill of the chase truly justified the ends of what we did or did not get, we could find ourselves summing up our experiences of Venus in Aries in one of three ways - "My Love is On FIRE", "Loves Labours Lost" or a "Total Eclipse of the Heart" !!!

ANGER AND SELF-ASSERTION AT THEIR MOST HONEST !!!

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 yesterday, February 19th, at 7:12 PM EST ... 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 March 12th  through April 20th 2013 - can you remember taking any action or initiative regarding something in your life, being very aggressive either in a good way or a challenging way to others, 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 ...

Mars in Aries teaches us that we get the most effective 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 an extra boost of energy even though you probably have more than enough energy to get you through naturally - you could become a force to be reckoned with !!! ... 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 and potentially hazardous duo !!! - already in Aries with Venus having just entered right before this was posted ... Mars will most likely play an important role in what is going to be a very tumultuous and potentially explosive month of March ahead with Saturn beginning its retrograde journey for 2015 on March 14th, followed by the 7th and final square between Uranus and Pluto occurring on March 17th with both planets moving in direct motion for the first time during their "square dance",  and a solar eclipse on the 20th ... it is said that March comes in like a lion, but it may be roaring loudly all month instead of going out like a lamb !!!

Mars remains in Aries until March 31st ... as Mars begins its transit through Aries, it's time 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 and spiritual growth ... hopefully this will ultimately enable you, somewhere in your life, to step up and become "the leader of the pack" !!!

LIFE IS A MYSTERY !!!

The Sun began its transit through the dreamy, mystical sign of Pisces yesterday, February 18th at 6:50 PM EST ... the energy now shifts from the rebellious, unpredictable marching to the beat of a different drummer to swimming in emotionally, compassionate yet sometimes very confusing and deceptive waters ... in Pisces one may strive to shine by creating beauty, through ones compassion, through psychic openness, or seek recognition through spiritual or mystical paths ... those born under the sign of Pisces have come in with a soul lesson of needing to learn peace ...

Pisces is a feminine, water, mutable (flexibility/changeability) sign ... its symbol is two fish tied together - swimming in opposite directions which signify hidden depths, shifting emotional currents, conflicting desires and extremes of temperament ... its glyph is considered a picture of the human feet ... in symbolic terms the glyph is two crescent moons connected by a straight line representing emotion and higher consciousness tied to and limited by the material world ... its key phrase is "I BELIEVE" and its keyword is UNDERSTANDING ... it is the sign opposite of Virgo ... anatomically it rules the pineal glands - in association with its ruling planet - and the feet ...

The ruling planet of Pisces is Neptune - Ancient God of the seas, second of the modern planets to be discovered (1846), and is the planet of illusion, glamour, mystery, and deception ... Neptune represents the spiritual or escapist urge, and its keyword is INTUITION ... it rules maritime matters, liquids, music, movies, stage and television, dreams, delusion, spirituality, ideals, mystique, hunches, creative functions, and things we take  deeply for granted in life without questioning ... it also governs fog, petroleum, mystery, anesthetics, flattery, intangibles, fragrances, second sight, love of poetry, color and dancing ... in addition under its rule comes drugs and drug addiction, alcoholism, hypochondria, sleepwalking, trances, hypnosis, immateriality and abnormality ... its action is often subtle and gradual ... it is the higher vibrational octave of Venus and considered to be the second of the transcendental planets ... where you find Neptune in your natal chart is where you seek the "ideal", but also where you might tend to deceive yourself and/or others ...

Pisces is the natural sign and ruler of the 12th house of the horoscope ... the keyword for the 12th house is SUBCONSCIOUS and it is a house of endings - after all it is the final sign of the zodiac!!! ... the 12th house represents your inner strengths and weaknesses ... it depicts behind the scenes activity - including clandestine affairs - restorative solitude, places of quiet reflection, sorrows, handicaps, secrets, seclusion and frustration ...it can also indicate places of confinement such as jails, hospitals or mental institutions, as well as secret (hidden) enemies, restraint, inhibitions, exile, hidden dangers and self-undoing ...it shows the things we hide from others, and research, background, subjective sustainment, inner consciousness and the subconscious mind ... here we also find charity, sympathy and public welfare ... it is frequently referred to as the closet or dustbin of ones horoscope since it is in this house where we tend to sweep away or hide problems which are often too painful to face or difficulties that we refuse to acknowledge ... sometimes it can be a very creative area of the natal horoscope and can reflect ones aptitude for art, music, dancing, writing or acting ...

Sun in Pisces teaches us to learn to live through accepting ... life is a mystery and each one of us IS the mystery !!! ... under this energy one is innately aware and appreciative of all walks of life ... here one recognizes that the Soul of anything or of anyone is synonymous with sensitivity, which is synonymous with suffering, which is something one is undeniably aware of - joy and sorrow are one ... the energy of the Sun in Pisces can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: compassionate, self-sacrificing, suffers artistically, unassuming, self-effacing, gentle, still but stirring, wise, accepting, adaptable, confided in, sensitive, fascinating, mysterious, imaginative, multi-talented, selfless, devoted, easygoing

NEGATIVE: self-pitying, the human doormat, suffers needlessly, indecisive, self-limiting, wimpish, inwardly storm-tossed, inner doubts, oblivious, vague, not forthcoming, escapist, deceptive, self-mystifying, impressionable, pointless, slaving, lazy

HAPPY SOLAR RETURN ALL PISCES BORN - your new astrological year has begun !!! ... The Sun now joins Venus, Mars - both shortly to complete their respective transits - and Neptune transiting in the sign of Pisces ... the Sun remains in Pisces until March 20th ...

One can INSPIRE others in many ways while influenced by the energy of Pisces - just don't forget to take some credit for it but then forget that you did ... give yourself to yourself before anyone else and become illuminated and enlightened ... now is the time to explore our spirituality ...

Dream, mystify, create, inspire, enlighten, be compassionate and believe in those fairy tale endings ... BUT - be cautious ere you might fall into the watery depths of addiction, depression and deception !!!

ALL SYSTEMS GO !!!

MERCURY  completed its first retrograde journey for 2015 today, February 11th, and stationed  back into direct motion at 9:57 AM EST - do I hear a BIG SIGH OF RELIEF out there ??? ... just don't sigh too long or too loudly and I will explain why shortly !!! ... hopefully, the disorientation and confusion, along with the sudden and unexpected issues that may have been produced by this Mercury retrograde in Aquarius, will now begin to clear as it becomes time to move forward into the swing of things on all levels ... over the next few days to the next few weeks or even months, there will undoubtedly be some "a-ha" lights coming on in regard to decisions made or actions taken during the retrograde period from 1/21  through today, 1/11, and possibly as far back as 1/05 when Mercury entered its shadow point - the point where it would come out of the retrograde journey today which was at 1 degree 18 minutes Aquarius ... did issues and complications or questioning arise in regards to things done during the last retrograde period from October 4th through October 25th ??? ... or maybe even as far back as the retrograde period from June 7th through July 1st ???

Mercury retrograde periods, even though annoying at times, are actually a very beneficial thing, especially for those who were strong and brave enough to dig deep down, as we need to validate, or in some cases invalidate, actions and situations gone awry and deal with them in order to finally release them to produce a calmer, positive and productive state of mind thus allowing us to move forward to bring about greater personal and spiritual growth !!! ... if you've had a natal chart done, you should look to see in what house or houses 17 degrees 5 minutes back down to 1 degree 18 minutes of Aquarius falls - what kinds of issues did you have to deal with in the areas of life governed by those houses ??? ... how many of you went with the flow and how many of you tried to swim upstream in the raging current of Cosmic confusion ???

Of course the recurring question we may find ourselves asking now that Mercury is back in direct motion 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 why you were the victim of a 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 ???? ... 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 ...  how many of you had relationship issues resurface that you thought surely had been resolved ???  ... how many of you got married - OOPSIE !!! ... 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 especially with anything where electrical energy and/or computers were involved ... all of these scenarios are possible as the energy of a Mercury retrograde is one where communications and mental energy is going "backwards" ... so now that the mental facilities are no longer going backwards - at least for most of us !!! - it's time to finally RELEASE these emotional holds and allow ourselves to move forward with our lives !!!

While Mercury was retrograde in the sign of Aquarius, the emphasis was drawn towards 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, were there any  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 ... did your mind become filled with creative, cutting edge ideas as you tried to determine how to incorporate them into your life ... did computers and electronics truly become victims of mayhem ??? 

In regards to overall health, as Mercury is the natural planetary ruler of the 6th house which rules health, were there incidences of elevated  health issues in general during this Mercury retrograde ??? ... in Aquarius the area of the ankles and the nervous system could have been vulnerable as well ...  

Mercury now moves forward to complete its journey through Aquarius ... and just a quick reminder of what this energy is all about follows: 

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 !!! ...

The lesson of Mercury in Aquarius is learning 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 ...

Gemini and Virgo born, yet another period of review and reflection for you has come to an end ... how have you been enlightened ??? ... your ruling planet now resumes forward motion and much to your delight so will you !!! ... and Aquarius born, how was your life affected by having Mercury retrograding in your birth sign ???

Mercury remains in Aquarius until March 12th ... Mercury will be back up to full speed on March 3rd when it exits the retrograde zone - the point where it began the actual retrograde period - as it returns to 17 degrees 5 minutes Aquarius ... Mercury remains in direct motion until May 18th when it will begin its second retrograde journey for 2015 which will be completely in the sign of Gemini ... for now though, it's time for everyone -

ALL SYSTEMS GO !!!