THE FINE LINE BETWEEN STIMULATION AND OUTRIGHT AGGRAVATION !!!

MARS - the planet representing the urge to get what you want, drive, sexual drive, initiative, courage, raw energy, as well as selfishness, abuse and violence - began its transit through the sign of Cancer today, June 24th, at 9:33 AM EDT ... Mars being a fiery planet does not fare too well in a water sign like Cancer as water tends to rain on its parade of aggression and initiative which in some cases can be a very good thing and in others not ... Mars in Cancer is said to be in the sign of its "Fall" - that is it's in the sign opposite of Capricorn, where it is Exalted and tends to function even more efficiently than in the sign it naturally rules which is Aries ... so this Mars often has trouble expressing its true nature ... it's "fire" gets watered down and that can either produce irritating steam or sensual steamy energy ... it is like staying in someones home where you do not feel comfortable !!! ... Mars was last in Cancer from July 13th through August 27th, 2013 - anything come to mind from that period ??? 

Mars in Cancer can be highly emotional and is pulled between expressing its feelings and holding them in ... there is a great need for emotional security ... one may assert themselves here indirectly, shyly, sensitively or carefully, but this Mars is definitely prone to emotional outbursts ... identity is closely tied to home, family, and feelings ... energy levels seem to rise and fall with ones moods ... if your heart is involved in something, then this energy can truly accomplish anything it sets its mind out to do ... anger is more often expressed through crying rather than screaming and yelling ... one has to be careful with this energy not to give too much to others just to avoid confrontation ...

Mars in Cancer is teaching us to learn to get what we  want through nurturing ... its fighting or taking flight ... the sex drive is usually very strong here but that can be good or bad depending on how the energy is expressed ... one of the challenges with this energy is to find out what is really making you angry and deal with it ... figure out who or what it is that you genuinely care about also ... ultimately we must learn where the fine line falls between stimulation and outright aggravation !!!

We now leave behind our minds being set on fire for a thirst of knowledge as well as the desire to move about and the drive becomes turned inward to address our emotions and what we feel we must nurture ... Since Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and the Moon naturally rules the 4th house, we may encounter problems with the stomach - there could be a lot of you out there that become the victim of  acid indigestion, heartburn, and frequent upset stomach issues ... also the home, family, the mother or a maternal figure, women in general and the public in general are areas where one could find issues arising there if you react to quick without thinking things through ... and of course whichever house or houses the complete degrees of Cancer fall in your natal chart is certainly where you will find this increased "burning" drive to occur ...

This Martian energy likes close involvements, a secure sex life, and an active home life ... it dislikes mild mannered emotions, distress within the family setting, inner doubts and domestic "fires" ... the energy of Mars in Cancer can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: sensuous, provocative, passionate, sexually subtle, tenacious, protective, bold, hardworking, complex, adaptable, sensitive, healing, intuitive, original, occultist

NEGATIVE: irritable, evasive, too intense, sexually unsure, possessive, defensive, compulsive, neurotic, moody, quarrelsome, confusing, fatalistic, weird, spooky/spooked

Mars now joins the Sun already in Cancer and that is a lot of "fired" up emotional energy to be dealing with !!! ... Mars remains in Cancer until August 8th and while it is transiting through the sign of Leo, Venus will be retrograde in Leo as well for 30 days of that transit ... more on that later !!!

CANCER BORN, you will no doubt be "fired up" about something or someone during the next six weeks ... as always be careful not to incinerate, or in this case should I say perhaps be careful not to flood with your heightened emotional state, the object of your increased drive and desire !!!

We all will be experiencing this energy on some level of our lives ... we will be urged to keep the "home fires" brightly lit, but we must be careful not to go overboard and end up  "burning down the house" which might result in "crying yourself a river" !!!

THE "LIGHTHOUSE OF WELCOME" !!!

The Sun began its transit through the emotional, nurturing sign of Cancer yesterday, June 21st, at 12:38 PM EDT heralding the arrival of Summer in the Northern hemisphere ... also known as the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year - the days begin getting shorter each day until the Winter Solstice - which began today in the Southern hemisphere - in December ... the pace of life now takes on a somewhat slower tempo than the hectic pace it had while the Sun was racing through Gemini, so Cancer energy is certainly a welcome relief to a point !!! ... the solar energy may now function somewhat more effectively now that it is no longer in a sign, Gemini, where 22 days of this 32 day transit  Mercury, which rules Gemini, was retrograde wreaking havoc  ... we now begin to process life through a more emotional rather than an intellectual filter ... with the Sun in Cancer one needs to shine through nurturing warmth, through protection, through attracting others through sympathy/dependency, and through family, ancestry or roots ...

Cancer is the sign whose key phrase is its need to give and receive emotional warmth and security, to feel and to give devotion ... Cancer born individuals are warm and understanding but they can be very touchy at times ... wound them or befriend them and they will never forget ... they love to keep in touch and usually have a remarkable memory ... this is probably the most sensitive sign of the Zodiac but it is also often the least likely to let you know what they are feeling deep inside ...

Cancer is a feminine/water/cardinal(beginnings) sign ... its symbol is the Crab - possessing an impenetrable exterior which covers soft flesh below ... the glyph of Cancer is the claws of the Crab which are also representative of the human breasts ... symbolically, the glyph shows two circles of the Sun that are connected to two crescent Moons ... these two Moons represent the Cancer desire to store memories and possessions, and the circles tied to the Moons represent the force which is expressed through the emotions and the imagination ... Cancer rules the breasts and the stomach which explains why Cancer born usually love to eat and often fight the battle of the bulge - unless modified by other energy in the natal chart !!! .. they are also subject to digestive ailments resulting from tension and emotional stress ... anatomically, Cancer also rules digestion, the left eye of the male and the right eye of the female ...

Cancer is ruled by the Moon - maybe you can now understand why Cancer born individuals seem to go through so many mood changes so quickly - after all, the Moon does change signs about every 2 to 2 and a half days ... it takes roughly 28 days to complete a spin around the entire zodiac ... the Moon represents the female principle - mother, wife and women in general ... it also represents the public in general, along with instincts, moods, the tides, phases, receptivity, fluctuation, habit patterns, reflex actions, personal interests, desires, needs, magnetism, growth, fertility, the need to touch, impressionability, consciousness, liquids, commodities, nursing, tradespeople ...

Cancer is the natural ruler of the 4th house of the horoscope ... the 4th house shows property - houses and real estate - and all that is secluded ... it is the house of endings, the closing years of life, the ending of all matters, fame after death and place of burial ... it represents the parent who has greater influence on you as a child, your subjective self, and the foundation on which you build your own unique character ... as a child one may perceive this house as relating to both parents but as one learns through growth and understanding, the 4th house will ultimately reflect the nurturing parent ...

While the Sun transits Cancer, the Universe encourages each one of us to learn to live through nurturing oneself as well as others ... it's holding on with Love - the instinct for survival ... Cancer has  also been often referred to as the "Lighthouse of Welcome" ... the ultimate lesson here is that ones family is the Human Race itself ... emotional awareness is more acute here so use it constructively ... determine and perform your responsibilities generously ... learn to trust in the Universe and understand that all things must pass, and realize each day is a new day a new beginning ... the energy of the Sun in Cancer may be expressed the following ways:

POSITIVE: emotional, feeling, receptive, sensitive, psychic, gentle, tender, vulnerable, sympathetic, nurturing, providing, caring, protective, maternal, feeding, domestic, patriotic, shy, retiring, collecting, tenacious, oriented toward the past, retentive, emotionally encouraging, thrifty

NEGATIVE: insecure, moody, defensive, devious, over-emotional, non-trusting, hypersensitive, touchy, brooding, smothering, clinging, consuming, over-protective, dependent, fearful, timid, clannish, withdrawn, grasping, stuck in the past, afraid to let go, anti-social, argumentative, apathetic


HAPPY SOLAR RETURN CANCER BORN - this is your time of the year to SHINE !!! ... fortunately for you, the Sun will have made its ingress into the next sign just a few days before the next Venus retrograde begins !!! ... the Sun is the only planet in Cancer at the moment, but Mars will be joining the party in a few days - what a lot of emotions this will certainly have the potential to stir up !!!

The Sun remains in Cancer until July 22nd ... for the next 31 days be prepared for your feelings and emotions to be heightened and challenged - especially when Mars enters this sign transit on June 24th ...  be prepared to become more in touch with them whether it be through a fleeting glimpse or a deeply profound experience with something or someone near and dear to you ... and, as the Crab always carries its home - its shell - on its back wherever it goes, we all might as well click our heels 3 times and repeat what Cancer energy, as well as Dorothy Gale, so lovingly makes us aware of - THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME !!!

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK IN THE "WATER" !!!

SATURN – the 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 – returned to the motivated, determined, intense sign of Scorpio Sunday, June 14th, at 8:38 PM EDT … and just when you thought it was safe to go back into the "water" !!! ... Saturn has returned to Scorpio to finish up some last minute business, so to speak, in order to finally complete its full transit through Scorpio ... Saturn originally entered Scorpio back on October 5th, 2012 ... it left Scorpio and began its initial transit through Sagittarius back on December 23rd, 2014 ... so think back about what was going on during that period, even though it might not have been very pleasant or easy to deal with ... the good news is that it will remain in Scorpio for approximately 3 months this time and then move on to begin its full transit through Sagittarius ... the challenging news is that we are bound to come face to face with whatever issues Saturn was making us deal with if we did not resolve them properly and left them hanging ... not necessarily everything thing, but certainly the ones that were making a big impact in our lives and most likely holding us back from personal and spiritual growth ... another challenge with this return of Saturn is that it is beginning to slow down as it nears the completion of its retrograde journey for 2015 which occurs on August 1st/2nd ... to that end, it will only involve two degrees of Scorpio going back no further than 28 degrees 17 minutes Scorpio ... that means it will be at or within one degree of what is referred to as the "critical" degree, 29 degrees, a point where action must be taken and resolutions must take place ... and if you don't, well, do you really want those issue or issues hanging over your head causing potential problems until Saturn returns to Scorpio in November of 2041 for you to deal with again ??? ... even though most anything during Saturn's transit through Scorpio is fair game to have to be addressed again during this period, one should pay particular attention to what was going on in their life between December 12th and December 23rd of 2014 when Saturn was making its first pass over these degrees ... pay attention to any natal planets you have at 28 or 29 degrees Scorpio in addition to any other natal planets at those degrees regardless of sign and the aspect Saturn is making as it now comes back to make sure we did our job and learned the lesson, or it has one more important lesson to teach us ... and most importantly pay attention to which house or houses these two degrees occupy as that is in what area of our life this final pass will potentially bring the greatest challenge !!! 

The following is a description of what the energy of Saturn in Scorpio can produce - for those who may have already forgotten, or for those who just need a heads up as to what could potentially occur during this period :

This Saturn energy is extremely purposeful and indeed its lessons have the potential to lead to great transformation and change … Saturn and Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio, actually get along very well together … and since Pluto is currently in Capricorn, which is ruled by Saturn, and with Saturn once again in the sign ruled by Pluto, they are considered to be in mutual reception … in mutual reception they are visiting each others homes and this can make a very positive position for both to be in … each one strengthens the power of the other and work in cooperation with each other … So has this made this transit more challenging or more rewarding ... or both ???

Saturn is very powerful in the secretive and passionate sign of Scorpio … it enables one to understand human motivation ultimately enabling one to control others which can be either a very good thing or a very challenging thing … the dominant strength this energy gives is often masked by a pleasant and congenial exterior … however Saturn here places obstacles in our paths frequently in the form of emotional difficulties and sometimes even scandal … achieving power under this energy can lead to downfall due to rumors and gossip … this is an excellent position for executive ability and unwavering commitment to a particular goal … there is very little patience here with laziness and unwillingness to work … 

Saturn in Scorpio truly tests our desire nature … it most certainly brings to light that which is hidden even if we didn't want it to be revealed … there could be challenges, limitations and obstacles in regards to the masses, crime, phobias, obsessions, slow growth, birth and death, coercion, generation, regeneration, and degeneration, things which have been developed secretly and undercover, plumbing, dictatorships, unpopular causes – all areas ruled by Pluto …

Other challenges, restrictions and testing could include joint financial ventures; the support one receives from other people which includes financial, moral, spiritual and physical; legacies; trusts; wills; taxes; insurance matters; intimacy and sexual matters; spiritual and physical regeneration; psychological rebirth; death – not necessarily ones own; occult matters; sleep; deep level research; investigation and hidden assets including the assets of partners and alimony; and surgery - all matters represented by the 8th house which is the house Scorpio naturally rules … health wise, there could be issues with arthritis and gall stones … there also exists the possibility that skin conditions could develop and erupt from not letting deep personal issues be known and dealt with …

The main lesson Saturn in Scorpio presented is testing us through our desire nature … do we use or abuse it … we will be taught how to effectively express any kind of personal power be it sexual, financial, political, etc. … the challenge is to overcome the tendency to agonize about which course of action we should take in order to avoid our energies being misdirected … this can be either a very rewarding transit for Saturn because it and the sign of Scorpio like to have a sense of control, or it can turn into a disastrous misuse of power that ends up hurting or destroying things and other people through ruthless scheming ... the greatest achievements will be made when we are able to acknowledge and identify our personal convictions and positively act upon them …

Saturn in Scorpio likes highly organized power, an intense commitment, knowing secrets, explicit intimacy and strong characters … it does NOT like to lose control and not knowing … positive transformation will result when we are able to gain honest awareness of our failings as well as others and correct the situation … the energy of Saturn in Scorpio can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: having a purpose, persistence, being disciplined, sexually self-assured, sexually aware, iron-willed, serious, capable, resourceful, insightful

NEGATIVE: ruthlessly ambitious, an opportunist, obstinate, overly rigid, sexually controlling and/or controlled, jealous, twisted, slave-driver, impatient with the weaknesses of others, constipated, skeptical, self-burdening

And 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 are not always a bad thing that should be dreaded … while its actions can be demanding, 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 !!!

"LOST IN WONDERLAND" ???

Neptune - the planet of the spiritual, universal, ethereal, mysterious, mystical, enlightenment, psychic, delusional, imagination, escape, surrender, sacrifice, artistic inspiration, musical ability, glamour, fantasy, romantic love, dissolving, uplifting, confusing, consoling, undermining, drugs and alcohol - begins its retrograde journey for 2015 yesterday, June 12th, at 5:09 AM EDT at 9 DEGREES 49 MINUTES PISCES ...

One of the main purposes of Neptune retrograde is to not just have blind faith ... be it personal spiritual quests or the "collective" quest of society, Neptune retrograde energy means a reexamination of hopes and beliefs ... we may all need to individually question and test all aspects of faith - in fact many may experience some kind of crisis of faith during this period ... we begin to question and develop objectivity in regards to the intangibles of life such as truth, fear, hope and inspiration ... when Neptune is retrograde it is closest to the Earth making its function even more intensified ... artists, musicians, poets and those who are leading a highly spiritual life may especially feel the energy of a Neptune retrograde and be truly inspired ... during a Neptune retrograde if we aren't pursuing a spiritual quest we may become confused, disillusioned or full of illusions ... there is a chance that some may fall into drugs, alcohol or other escapist behaviors ... ideally, this is a time to question the ideas society accepts about faith, fears, truth and understanding ... inspiration and potential for spiritual growth can be greatly enhanced ...

Neptune retrograde periods are a time for everyone to tune into the collective unconscious and realize how our own fears, illusion, confusion or spiritual journey are connected to what is happening with humanity ... this is a time for each one of us to determine whether or not our own individual energies are being used positively to develop faith and spirituality, or if we are simply pursuing a path of illusion, escapism and disappointment ... Neptune retrogrades about 5 - 6 months every year ...

Neptune is currently transiting through the sign of Pisces - the sign it naturally rules ... In Pisces, Neptune’s qualities of spirituality and creative genius are enhanced ... Neptune here does NOT value materialism ... there will be more of a tendency to explore and develop our inner selves yielding the possibility of attaining the capability of harmony between the physical and spiritual world ... this energy makes us potentially more psychic, generous, understanding, responsive to the environment, more mystical and compassionate ... but it  also has the potential to lead us in the other direction making us more gullible, passive, self-destructive and likely becoming a victim to all kinds of addictions especially with this energy turned inwards during its retrograde period ... If we use this retrograde energy positively, we have the potential to become more compassionate, self-sacrificing, intuitive, artistic and creative … used negatively we will end up melancholy, an escapist, a procrastinator, vague, and likely to become a victim of many forms of addiction including drugs and alcohol …

Pisces born, since Neptune is your planetary ruler, this is your yearly time to review and rethink what has been going on in your life since the last Neptune retrograde ended on November 15th/16th, 2014 ... For everyone, if you have had a natal chart done and know in which house or houses 9 DEGREES 49 MINUTES back down to 7 DEGREES 1 MINUTE Pisces  falls, then you might get an idea in what area of your life the main thrust of this Neptune retrograde energy will be affecting ... have you been seeking the "ideal" and been looking at things realistically, or have you been looking at life through the proverbial "rose colored glasses" letting illusion mislead you and not effectively dealing with reality ???

Neptune remains retrograde until November 18th ... it is definitely a good time, if you don't already, to start paying careful attention to your dreams as the Universe will undoubtedly be bringing us vital information while we sleep – keep a dream journal close by and USE IT !!! ... you might be amazed at what information the Universe sends to you in your unconscious state ... your dreams are sure to be enhanced with symbolism and information from the Universe resulting in profitable and/or illuminating and enlightening ideas ... after all, it's been said "a dream is a wish your heart makes" !!!

So now the question is what will you do -  open your heart and mind to divine spiritual and creative energy, or allow yourself to fall into the depths of addiction, deception and escapism and simply become "lost in wonderland" ???

BUST A MOVE !!!

MERCURY  completed its second retrograde journey for 2015 yesterday, June 11th, and stationed  back into direct motion at 6:33 PM EDT - do I hear a BIG SIGH OF RELIEF out there ??? ... there were many people who commented on what a particularly disruptive and annoying Mercury retrograde this one turned out to be ... hopefully, the disorientation, confusion, and outright irritation along with the sudden and unexpected issues that may have been produced by this Mercury retrograde in Gemini will now begin to clear and subside 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 5/18  through yesterday, 6/11, and possibly as far back as 5/4 when Mercury entered its shadow point - the point where it would come out of the retrograde journey yesterday which was at 4 DEGREES 34 MINUTES GEMINI  ... did issues and complications or questioning arise in regards to things done during the last retrograde period from January 21st through February 11th ??? ... or maybe even as far back as the retrograde period from October 4th through October 25th ???

Mercury retrograde periods, even though annoying and extremely frustrating 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 13 DEGREES 9 MINUTES back down to 4 DEGREES 34 MINUTES GEMINI 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 !!!

Mercury retrograding in the sign of Gemini should have yielded an emphasis for us to rethink how we respond to life and how we relate - intellectually more so than emotionally ... and as Gemini is an air sign and rules the 3rd house which includes all forms of communication, you can bet these got crossed and frequently especially as previously stated this is what normally gets affected in a Mercury retrograde regardless of the sign it is in ... with the keyword of the 3rd house being "AWARENESS", were there not times when we seem to have been "lost in a fog" and not processing clearly ... along with communications, there could have been issues regarding your local environment, brothers and sisters, all means of transportation especially in relation to short trips, and the adaptability of ones mind to learn and understand new ideas ... in regards to health, though issues can flare up most anywhere as Mercury naturally rules the 6th house which concerns health and nutrition, issues could have especially flared up regarding the hands, arms, shoulders and lungs ... 

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

Mercury is very much at home here and functions well because this is an air sign, and it is considered to be in dignity as this is 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 awhile ... this Mercury likes to talk ... and talk ... and talk ... and talk - this energy has the potential to give many of us a brutal case of "diarrhea of the mouth" !!!

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 too fast ... 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 !!!

Mercury in Gemini teaches us to learn 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, non persevering, 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 ...

Gemini and Virgo born, yet another period of review and reflection for you has come to an end ... how have you been enlightened and how was your life affected by having Mercury retrograding in your birth sign ?????? ... your ruling planet now resumes forward motion and much to your delight so will you - even though you were probably trying to do it during the actual retrograde ... right, of course right !!!

Mercury remains in Gemini until July 8th ... even though Mercury has resumed forward motion it will not be back up to full speed until June 27th when it exits the retrograde zone - the point where it began the actual retrograde period - as it returns to 13 DEGREES 9 MINUTES GEMINI ...

Now that Mercury is back in forward motion, the Sun and Mars are certainly more energetic in their transits as they will function more efficiently while currently transiting through Gemini with its ruling planet no longer affecting their respective transits with disrupting retrograde energy ... and Gemini born are surely now doing their happy dance - although a lot of us are doing one as well !!!

Mercury remains in direct motion until September 17th when it will begin its third and final retrograde journey for 2015 which will be completely in the sign of Libra - and coming on the heels of the completion of Venus being retrograde in Leo ... watch out partnerships and relationships - more choppy waters lie ahead !!! ... for now though, it's time for everyone to -

BUST A MOVE !!!

VENUS "ROARS" !!!

VENUS began its "roaring" transit through the dramatic and romantic sign of Leo today, June 5th, at 11:33 AM EDT ... THIS VENUS CARES - IT REALLY CARES, and will make darn sure you know it !!! .. this energy loves big entrances and high drama ... ultimately, it just outright loves good  old-fashioned romance ... it enjoys the limelight, attention, admiration and applause ... it gives a natural magnetism and sex appeal ... others often find the expression of this energy down right exciting ... affection is expressed dramatically and wholeheartedly ... it can make one magnanimous, loyal, playful and magnetic in love ... the handling of money and possessions is usually generous, extravagant, and speculative ... there is a desire for zest, enthusiasm and an adrenaline rush in ones love relationships ... ones pride and urge for recognition affects ones capacity for closeness ... clothes and appearance are also very important with this energy ...

Venus in Leo teaches us about how we love through what we create ... love "shines" ... it is important to give some form of creative expression to your feelings and passion in relationships ... and even though one is very  enthusiastic, there ironically may exist a deep-seated "doubt" of ones own ability to be loved which others cannot detect outwardly from you ... here artistic sense is very strong ... life is frequently viewed as an ongoing creative experience ... at some point, one must ultimately go looking for their inner beauty ... one thing you can be compared with is your self-respect ... what each of us has to give is priceless ... channel the larger than life energy here into larger than life pursuits or pastimes ... love and allow yourself to be loved in return ... this energy likes admiration, mutual respect, lavish parties, showing off ones partner,and old fashioned classic courtship ... it dislikes even the slightest rejection, behavior that is insulting, being "shown up" by others, and a lack luster love ... the energy of Venus in Leo can be expressed in the following ways:

POSITIVE: romantic, ardent, passionate, loyal, artistic, dramatic, entertaining, fun-loving, radiant, outgoing, warm, openly affectionate, charming, attractive, benevolent, gives a lot, social pride, personal pride, fun to be with

NEGATIVE: unrealistic, sexually obsessed, consuming, too loyal, prima donna, overbearing, demanding, inappropriate, self-centered, showy, brassy, flirtatious, seducing, flaunting, expects too much, snobbish, vain,  competitive, game-playing

Venus now joins Jupiter already transiting through the sign of Leo - a really nice combination if you're looking for the potential to be "lucky" in love !!! ... that is a lot of creative, dramatic, passionate and outgoing energy driving us - at least until August 11th when Jupiter completes its transit of Leo and enters Virgo ... we have a chance to discover and face what is truly in our hearts and how to genuinely and creatively express that in our partnerships and relationships, or perhaps change something in order to make the partnerships/relationships beneficial and provide more positive personal and spiritual growth in our lives !!!

Leo born, in addition to being bestowed with the extra chance of opportunity, growth, expansion and potentially outright luck coming your way compliments of Jupiter transiting your birth sign, the social and romantic spotlight is also now shining brightly on you - enjoy the smoldering flames of passion and love - just don't incinerate yourself or anyone else with it !!!

Venus remains in Leo until ... WAIT FOR IT ... OCTOBER 8TH !!! ... this is the last full sign transit before it begins its next retrograde journey for 2015 on July 25th ... Venus will actually enter the sign of Virgo on July 18th, but get no further than 0 DEGREES 46 MINUTES VIRGO at which point it will station retrograde and then return to the sign of Leo on July 31st ... so what is normally a one month transit for Venus, due to the retrograde, will keep Venus in the sign of Leo for 114 days !!! ...   Madonna, a Leo born individual herself, probably best summed up this energy in her famous song - "Burning Up for Your Love" ... and that is exactly what we all could potentially be doing for someone or find someone doing for us over the next FOUR MONTHS !!!