The Big “Let Go.”

On February 4th Neptune leaves Aquarius and enters Pisces ---i.e. the watery planet enters the watery sign it rules. And it will stay there for 16 years.

If you’re feeling a little spacier, blame it on Neptune going into Pisces. If you want to spend too many hours a day at the computer or on Facebook or just hanging out or watching television or staring at the wall, blame Neptune in Pisces. On the other hand, if you find yourself (surprisingly) ready to let go of something – a person, a behavior, a serious issue – something in your life that was driving you nuts until now, thank Neptune in Pisces. If you’re finding new love in your life – or an old one is changing to something that’s still “love” but different – that’s a Neptune gift. And if you are more incensed at what’s wrong with the world and KNOW you need to work toward changing it right now -- you can give some of the credit to the higher consciousness that goes with Neptune in Pisces (the rest of the credit goes to Uranus in fiery Aries).

With a major shift like this you may be going through shifts yourself around (1) your important relationships (2) your career (3) your environment – and likely you had some hints that this was happening back last spring when Neptune began this move.

But doesn’t this sound too familiar? Haven’t our lives been changing drastically for a while now? ` Since we’ve had not one, not two but three major planet shifts in three years (Pluto moved into Capricorn in November 2008, Uranus into Aries March of 2011 and now Neptune into Pisces) the answer is yes, so don’t be surprised if you’re a little shell shocked and wondering whether there’s more to come. The good news is -- no more “major” planet changes until 2018! The other news is that until then – the combination of these three planets in three potent fire, earth and water signs can mean anything goes -- change (either way), unexpected eruptions, continued economic challenges – but that will be on a global level. And while life may stay complicated in the coming years, at least Neptune moving into Pisces may help to lower our anxiety level around it.

If you’re letting go of something you love – but you know has to go, will you get something back? Yes. With this transit it may be as simple as more peace in your life, or greater acceptance, or the energy to follow a new vision or opportunity in your life.

But...What should I DO?

But shouldn’t you “do” something? Not necessarily – or at least not right away. Because Neptune is moving into the sign it rules – and they’re both about water -- “letting go” here follows the go-with-the-flow model and the Taoist principal applies. Let go, do nothing (in an aware fashion), stay centered, allow yourself to be in transition, and eventually everything that needs to be done will become apparent. In Taoist theory, perfect action flows from perfect acceptance. ( And if it’s an action you’re meant to take...the energy will be fueled by Uranus in Aries.)

All of the above is about the magnified “water” traits of Neptune in Pisces on a personal level – traits like being spacey or avoidant, letting go of things more easily, or like Taoists, “removing” obstacles simply by allowing ourselves to float down the stream and around the rock…instead of into it.

The Real Revolution Is….

A second “trait” of Neptune is that it’s the “higher consciousness” version of Venus. Everyone knows that Venus is the planet of love. When we fall in love with Joe or Jane, it’s Venus working on a one-on-one “in love” basis. Neptune is about the higher plane of love -- the love of mankind, unconditional love of all – all those “loves” that we work toward on the spiritual path. As Neptune enters Pisces –you can also think of it as the planet of unconditional love entering the sign of unconditional love, instead of where we’ve been for the past 14 years – with Neptune working its way through Aquarius -- the sign of enlightenment by insight.

The last decade and a half has been mental and insight driven when it came to spiritual learning. The next decade and half will be about internalizing all those things you learned, bringing them to heart level, and -- well, to put it bluntly -- executing the idea of opening your heart without all the thought process.

You’ve been sitting at the feet of Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle, the Dalai Lama, and a whole list of other teachers for years now. What have you learned? Go ahead and keep taking courses if you like – but it’s also time to get out of the classroom and see how much you’ve internalized and how it works if you just live your life as opposed to studying it. Who do you love? How do you love? And how do bring your vision of love into the world? .

Everybody knows that learning to love everyone unconditionally (and that includes people you don’t like) isn’t something that happens easily or overnight -- it can take lifetimes (which would be one good reason to hope that reincarnation exists) and the people who can really put that into practice now are highly evolved beings – not the majority. Since we’re collectively an unevolved species, on a global level, most of humankind’s past transits of Neptune through Pisces have been spent do heartwork toward that point of universal love and acceptance – as a species and culture (a point which is most likely still far in the future.)

In each Neptune-Pisces transit we work at whatever level we are. Since this transit happens once every 150 years or so, we have a long stretch of learning other lessons before we return to this particular classroom. And since this is the last “classroom” (house) it’s the end of the cycle – it’s where every other lesson we’ve learned over the past 150 years is applied. So yes, in the end, it really is all about love.

We've Been Here Before?

To understand how this works, the last time Neptune passed through Pisces was 160 years ago -- from 1847 to 1861. And yes, we were working on unconditional love. In the United States we were living through a pretty tense time – arguing about the pros and cons of slavery that led up to the Civil War. At first glance, how can you say this was about unconditional love? But it was! A whole group working toward unconditional love now demanded that we treat slaves like humans – with rights no less! That was a huge step toward universal love and acceptance.

The whole thing might have been left at the “nice idea” point and floated along without anything happening, but Uranus in Aries was in the mix then -- as it is now. And that fire energy drove us forward to actually do something about those highest spiritual beliefs. So the “light” (anti-slavery) movement took on the “dark” side that opposed spiritual evolution. This was a rare war – although it was in part an economic war it also had strong roots in the fight for justice. And the light side eventually won.

This gives you some idea as to where we were collectively on the path. But did those “light” people have the ability to love all people unconditionally? Ex-slaves included? Maybe there were a few people then at the point of truly considering “colored people” equals and showering them with unconditional love – but it was certainly not the majority. But still – all of the work around abolishing slavery was about moving toward a greater ability of mankind to love itself.

160 years later – much of the world calls slavery barbaric and immoral, so we’ve come a long way on that issue in this cycle. But, really, how much closer are we to true unconditional love of each other? Take a look around and it’s obvious, we’re still in kindergarten. But look at what’s “suddenly” happening! As we move into Neptune in Pisces, this time around, instead of fighting slavery there’s a global movement called “Occupy Wall Street” trying to change the unequal distribution of resources. It’s about treating people fairly and giving everyone a chance to have enough resources to eat, work and have a decent life. And if that isn’t working toward universal love, what is?

So we are getting there. The point is not whether it happens in this lifetime or a thousand years – the point is to keep working on it -- on both a personal level and global one -- own your issues, work on them, try to understand the other, reduce conflict on a personal level, and if you’re so moved, join whatever local or global cause you feel will help change the world so we are better able to “love” in a global sense. (Note that on a global level conflicts like the Civil War that support our spiritual evolution may be inevitable for quite a long time – especially in the Aquarian Age.)

We Learned This A While Ago...

2000 years ago a well known avatar said: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” And he meant in every way. Give him the shirt off your back, he said, the food off your table, and don’t freak out when he disses you. Treat him/her the way you want to be treated. 2000 years later and how much progress have we made on this point? Not as much as we might like, but quite a bit. For one thing when somebody does something wrong we no longer draw and quarter them and put their heads on pikes to display them outside the town walls. And that is evolution.

Look at the big picture with astrology and it’s easy to see we’ve come a long way and still have a long way to go toward “enlightenment.” Most of us have the ability to love some people unconditionally to some degree, and some are even expert in their ability to practice unconditional love for just about everyone – including their enemies. All of us “working on it” affect the present and future in a “quantum” fashion. You affect two friends, who affect two more friends, or as many friends as you can (and you affect them most just by having unconditional love for them.) Think Dalai Lama. We really can make a difference by working on it…even if we can’t see it.

In a while (that could be in a couple of weeks, or in a decade or half a century) we’re sure to go through another period of chaos and war. But even through that, the ripple effect of those who work on expanding their ability to accept and love – past and present - remains and carries that energy forward. And the next time Neptune goes into Pisces – somewhere around 2180? Maybe our future selves will shake our heads at the “barbaric” behavior of “those people” (us) who thought it was okay to hoard money and resources (called “wealth” in 2012) just as we shake our heads at the thought that slavery was considered okay in 1847.

Astrology is great for gaining not just perspective but some patience about our spiritual evolution. Things. Take. Time. A long time. Centuries. Sometimes eons. Giving new meaning to the Sufi saying “You are not responsible for the fruits of your labor. You are only responsible for the labor.” So go ahead. For our future selves – personal and planetary – go out there and do your job. It’s as simple as love.

(Thanks to Kim Rome for her idea/thought/energy and slogan “The Real Revolution Will Be Love.”)

Uranus in Aries – The Body Shift.

Has your right arm or leg been bothering you these days? Pain in your right wrist or ankle? Back pain? Numbness or coldness? Think you have a pinched shoulder nerve? Did it come on suddenly and unexpectedly anywhere within the past 60 days? You can probably thank Uranus moving into Aries for any of this.

When Uranus moved into Aries on March 12th it was a big shift after seven years. On a lot of levels, including body level.

With this shift, our energy has been switching sides from watery female energy to powerful male energy -- and fire energy at that – so it can affect us pretty strongly.

The reason for that is about the left and right and back and front of our bodies and what they mean in the energy world.


Which side are you on?

In the west, the left side of our body represents female energy and the right side is male. (Also note that each side of the body is controlled by the opposite side of the brain so it’s left brain/right body – right brain/left body).

The front of our body is female, with softer flesh covering internal organs. It is supported by the back of our body with its bony harder spine which is considered male.

On to the astro part. Uranus rules the nervous system and energy that moves up our spine. And Uranus just came from spending seven years in the sign of Pisces – one of the most watery feminine signs (Pisces is the “fish” after all). Connect the feminine sign of Pisces with the feminine side of our body (left side/front) and you can see that our Uranus energy has been resonating on the female left side and front of our body for the past seven years.

A “Shock to the System”

Suddenly, that energy has switched sides and shifted into the very fiery male sign of Aries. And fire rises. Uranus is also known for hitting with a “jolt” – (it’s actually called the “shock to the system” planet when it transits your planets or enters a new sign.) So particularly now, in the beginning, it’s “flash fire” energy.

This sudden change means that Aries energy entered our systems on March 12th and rapidly began moving up our spines and nervous systems – while that energy was also trying to switch sides from left to right within our spines – female to male sides. And front to back --from organic to skeletal. (Note that a lot of people will have anticipated this – so don’t hold to an exact March 12th date. Anytime after mid January would apply. And if you have a lot of water in your chart, it could have even been earlier.)

It’s Spring! Yeah! Ouch?

The last part is, it’s spring. In addition to being thrilled that we can feel warmth and sun on our faces, spring is the time for new growth energy to rise. Outside of astrology, In traditional Chinese medicine, it’s even got a name – it’s the “wood” season -- when everything grows anew. This energy is associated with the liver/gallbladder, and any unresolved issues of frustration or anger, can make themselves felt in the physical realm particularly during this period. (You know how some people will complain of creaks and aches at the onset of spring? The Chinese would attribute that to wood energy coming up.)

The result of all this combined? Some of us are in serious energy overload from this new energy model. Our nervous systems are overfiring. Trying to let this new energy work through on a side where it hasn’t been this strong for a while (84 years to be exact.) Trying to shift and balance it. And that will happen over time. But it’s too much right now – and our nervous system circuits can overload, which causes muscle pain, or swelling a nerve to the point of pinching. Coldness or numbness as the energy tries to swing back and forth between poles and reach balance. It’s almost like our spines were changing from the negative (female) pole to the positive (male) pole and trying to retrain the nerves to accept that. Most likely this will happen on the right side and in our backs since those are our “male” sides.

How are your Texting/Computing/Driving habits?

Been having pain from old injuries that you haven’t felt in a while? That’s Uranus in Aries. And if you’re suddenly experiencing carpal tunnel after having escaped for years, despite your years in front of the computer, that’s Uranus in Aries. Where this energy overloads in your nervous system will determine the effect. Once again primarily on right side if it’s limbs. But in the case of back pain, throughout. (Moving over to the chakra system, there will also be “chakra pressure" and emotional and psychological issues related to where this energy expresses itself. Where your pain is will tell you what the underlying chakra block is.)

So now what? Will it end soon? And what do I do?

Eventually, this energy will begin to balance out after the initial “jolt” of energy moving into Uranus is over. How that effects you and whether that happens in the nearest, near or further future, or is a new “constitutional” issue for you, is up to your individual chart, constitution and physical and emotional issues.

Some people may just feel a twinge, For some it could last a couple of days, and for others it could some time to work itself through. It may mean learning new patterns of dealing with our bodies. Uranus in Aries will be around for seven years. This shift may be a heads up for many of us to take care of parts of bodies that we may taken for granted for a while. Wherever this has occurred for you, even if resolves, the recommendation is to pay attention.

If it’s ongoing, there are also a couple dates to watch for further shifts that may provide some relief.

Just coming up -- on April 4th Neptune will enter Pisces (the sign that Uranus just left). As the highest spiritual planet entering the highest spiritual sign , it will provide a watery umbrella over just about everything on the planet and lend some female water energy to balance out that male fire. Uranus in Aries is potent fire and Neptune is Pisces is powerful water. And since water extinguishes fire, but fire evaporates (boils) water, they may be an even match for each other. The winner? It will remain to be seen.

As “wood”/spring season stabilizes and moves toward summer, the normal growth energy that may be making this problem worse will decline.

On July 10th, Uranus will go retrograde – in other words, to the human eye it will appear to go backwards. This will relieve some of Aries “forward” pressure.

(Note that in between these two dates, coming up in May, a major planetary aspect occurs which may further affect global and personal outcomes. More on that later.)

Until then? The first recommend is a no-brainer. Drink plenty of water. Swim. Do water things. Water in the real-time realm is a female element to cool and balance that new fire. And if you’d like to soften the adaptation period? Take nutrients that nourish nerve conduction – extra B complex and omega-3. (Omega-3’s were recently show to improve nervous system functioning in clinical studies.). If you suspect you have “liver” energy rising– dandelion root tea is a classic spring liver tonic. Radishes and watercress in moderation help detox the liver and gallbladder. Acupuncture, massage, chiropractic are all protocols that help our muscles, skeletons and vertebrae mold to new pathways. And last but not least, have patience. The only given in the universe is change.

The Match That Lit the World.

After seven years in the very watery sign of Pisces, Uranus moves into the very fiery sign of Aries on March 12th – for the first time in 84 years. And we’ve been watching that fire rise for the past month.

(In most major planetary shifts, the population tends to be “psychic” – anticipating a shift. In September of 2008 the market crashed two months ahead of Pluto’s “crash” as that planet took a serious nose dive from the high flying sign of Sagittarius into the most grounding and sobering sign of Capricorn.)

Uranus in Aries: Rebellion, Freedom and the Willingness to Fight for it.

Uranus is the planet of rebels and the unexpected (among other things). Aries is the sign of independence and our own vision....and war. Put it all together and what do you get? Five middle eastern populations “unexpectedly” deciding that they want to be free. And a willingness to fight for it.

Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and Jordan were lit by one fiery match and that match was the beginning of Uranus’ shift into a sign that said “Take it! Take your freedom! Fight for it!” There are variations on this theme. A right wing Wisconsin governor wants to be liberated from what he considers the yoke of unions in the United States. (Though you may agree with the workers – theirs is not a liberating energy – it is one of maintaining a status quo.) Students in London increasingly want to throw off the oppression of what they feel are impossible costs to get themselves educated. If Uranus in Aries holds sway, expect to hear more voices singing “I Gotta Be Free!” -- saying “I’ve had enough…get off my back…I declare my independence!”

The Good News is….It’s Your Turn, Too.

On a personal level, lots of us have also recently been declaring our own freedom so that we can follow our visions. For seven years, and especially in the past six months, Pisces, has been trying to convince us to let go. “Let go of what doesn’t work from your past and make space for what the future holds.” It whispered in the beginning. By the end it was shouting.

By that end some of us started our new lives by choice and others by the harder road of no choices left. Whichever the case, we are now at those new beginnings…where our lives will take us next. We have seven years to work on a vision of who want to be in this incarnation. If you have a new dream now it will seem natural to start that work. (The other option is to join or follow someone whose new vision you share. Uranus in Aries will also be the rise of the “fiery” individual who leads the way.)

Keep Both Hands on The Wheel.

Try to drive within the speed limit. Visions can sometimes spring full born but their execution generally doesn’t. Aries is a sign of moving forward at a breakneck pace. Take care and ground yourself in your present before you hurtle toward the future – because Aries can also be a reckless sign urging us to move forward at all costs without regard to consequences or the wreckage we can leave behind. With Uranus in this “solo” sign it’s important to remember there are other humans around who can be affected by your decisions.

But Wait, That’s Not All…

Fortunately there’s another shift coming which may help us to slow down a bit as all of that fire energy pushes us forward. The shift from Uranus would be enough change for a while, but it’s happening on the heels of a second change – a shift that won’t happen for a month but that’s also “spilling” over into this period. This is a huge one – both literally and figuratively. On April 4th, for the first time in 156 years, the huge watery planet of Neptune will move into the water sign of Pisces, which it rules.

Neptune and Pisces have two faces in astrology. On the spiritual side, Neptune in Pisces is the combination of the highest spiritual planet living in the highest spiritual sign, This combination amplifies their power and can represent the potential of a profound deepening of our spiritual connections and communication with our “highest consciousness” for the next decade plus – regardless of whether we believe that highest consciousness is something inside or outside of ourselves.

But that’s just one side of Neptune in Pisces. As many of those on it know, a lot of the spiritual path is about shedding the ego, surrendering and letting go – that’s one of the reasons that Pisces has the effect of encouraging us to “let go” in whatever sign it’s in – since it is the “highest consciousness “ sign. But as most of us also know, the job of letting go often isn’t that easy, and most of us find it hard to let go of everything we should when we should.

What happens when we can’t let go and we can’t accept where we are? The proverbial rock and a hard place position? The internal argument that tortures us can also lead us to terrific psychological and spiritual growth if we’re willing to “do the work.” But if we’re not ready for that yet (raise your hand if you can always let go…), it can also move us into denial in our fight to not accept an uncomfortable reality.

Beam Me Away From Here, Scotty...

Secular astrologers often caution against the dangers of Neptune – calling it the planet of addiction, delusion and escape. Pisces, the fish, symbolizes the Highest Consciousness -- e.g. Christ’s symbol was a fish (in this case don’t think of Christ in his religious form, but as The Christ, one of many avatars.) But a fish is also just a fish. And think of how easy it is for an actual fish to just swim away and never stand still to confront its environment. Pisceans can sometimes be avoiders of conflict. (My only argument is that secular astrologers often ignore the spiritual element of Neptune altogether - focusing only on the escape and delusion options.)

So the flip side of spiritual Neptune in Pisces is the flip side of true spirituality – false spirituality. It’s the watery lure of delusion, fogginess and denial that takes us away from our problems and “fools” us into thinking we actually have let go of them. (As they say about alcohol “They don’t call ‘em spirits for nothin’.” That quote can cut both ways.)

To paraphrase Timothy Leary – for those who aren’t interested in a path of higher consciousness (and sometimes even for those who are interested ) – as Neptune plies it way through Pisces for the next 13 years (!) it may be tempting to spend more time tuning out, turning on and/or dropping out. The result can be anything from a little or lot more time in front of the computer and the television to membership in cults, unquestioning belief in the occult arts and, at its worst, any habitual addiction that helps us avoid confronting ourselves and the internal work that we need to do to fuel our self-growth.

Pick A Door, Any Door…Or It Will Pick You.

What a combination! One planet and sign that urge us forward on to a strong independent vision (Uranus in Aries) in combination with another planet and sign (Neptune in Pisces) that can either bring us closer to higher consciousness or keep us in denial and delusion.

And what an effect it can have! Don’t be surprised if you’re feeling “tri-polar” in the coming days. That is -- you want to spend one day in urgent pursuit of your dreams, the next day in deep meditation and the third day escaping from it all by watching soap operas and game shows. If you’re feeling all of these you’ll be perfectly in sync with the energy of this shift.

Once it’s integrated this energy can be very productive. Meditation on the intelligence of our visions and how we should execute them. Letting go of urgency and the things we shouldn’t push. Taking a pass on all work (spiritual or otherwise) and letting ourselves just exist -- watch a movie, eat popcorn and play a video game without guilt. (Just don’t make it a constant habit.) The trick will be balance.

As Always, Time Will Tell…

This shift lasts for the next two months and we may be bouncing from one pole to the other -- “I’m staying! I’m going! Go forward! Let go! Forget it, I’m getting drunk/stoned or (fill in with your own adjective.)!!” When people tell me they’re arguing so much they want to split up these days or have found themselves in a confused state -- I’ve been saying,”Wait. Wait until May and then see how you feel.” By then we’ll begin to see how this new pattern works with us individually. It will be a pattern that seeks a balance between water and fire. Just enough water to keep a fire from burning too hot. And just enough fire to make sure the water doesn’t rise over our heads and drown us in illusion.

Part II: Ophiuchus?

So how about Ophiuchus?

( Part I provides background info for this. To read it, click "January" in the right column and then click "What is your Sign?" )

The sign of Ophiuchus isn’t included in the branch of astrology that was most likely used to do your chart -- Tropical Astrology. Tropical Astrologers have known about Ophiuchus for a long time – and not used it. That’s because there are 12 months in the year and, as I said in Part I, the people who laid out the Tropical zodiac needed to match the constellations to the seasons and numbers of months. They needed twelve. And Ophiuchus, of which only a part is visible in the band that is included, didn’t make the final cut.

So unless we decide to add a month to the calendar, it’s unlikely that Ophiuchus will get into your traditional chart…but I’ll show you a way to keep it in your radar at the end of this piece.

(And by the way, those 12 constellations that are included don’t fit into neat 30 degree clips either. The boundaries are blurry, but the inventors needed to do that, too, to create an orderly system.)

Even those who practice “sidereal astrology” – which is based on the real-time position of the constellations (see Part I) could include Ophiuchus, but so far, they don’t do that very often either.

But, but, but…

That doesn’t mean the excitement about Ophiuchus isn’t a great development. And yes, you may be an Ophiuchan…


Finding Ophiuchus...maybe it's time.

Astrology connects the symbolic meaning of planets and other astro objects with the meaning of their mythical names. Astrology also maintains that when those astro objects “appear” -- when we discover and become aware of them – is relevant to us.

When a new planet was discovered in 1930 and given the name “Pluto,” astrologers concluded it was the planet that ruled our shadow side, our unconscious and death – because Pluto is the Lord of the “Underworld.” At the same time people became aware of Freud’s and Jung’s work in the developing realm of psychiatry, and that was the realm of – you guessed it, our shadow side and our unconscious.

Now nobody from the medical field was talking to anybody in astronomy. This would have just been considered “coincidence” or “synchronicity” depending on which you believe in.

Some astrologers would say that some external force was guiding the whole Pluto discovery process. Others (and I definitely fall into this brand), would maintain that we as a planet were ready to explore our unconscious motivations and decided it was time to “discover” and name Pluto and bring that info into our conscious awareness.

(And no, astrologers aren’t planning to demote Pluto from its planet status any time soon. Ironically, it would be like denying we have an unconscious, a very shadow side decision.)

The New Age of Reason?

So now here’s Ophiuchus. It was always there, but mainstream society is being made aware of it. It has been brought into our consciousness. Which means we could be ready to accept and express what it means to us. And what Ophiuchus means symbolically is pretty significant.

Ophiuchus is also called the constellation of Serpentarius – the serpent bearer. The Serpent is a powerful symbol in the collective unconsciousness – it represents awakening and enlightenment. It is the symbol for the force of Kundalini – the energy that works to unite man with the highest consciousness. The “Serpent Bearer” would bring us a new awareness.

By finally recognizing the Serpent constellation in the mainstream, it could be that we are really starting to believe that we could reach a higher stage of “conscious” evolution. That we could awaken. Maybe enough of us believe it now that we are approaching the tipping point. That might seem like a vague New Age “feel good” statement, but if you look at the world around you, it’s obvious we’re not there now and we are suffering from it. (If this is going to happen it would be great if it happened before we consumed the entire planet.)

A Giant Leap for Humankind

Are we ready to give up our egos in the name of a really higher cause? The planet? Our fellow man? Because that’s where this non-conforming “sign” would eventually lead us. The planetary Age of Aquarius, (forget “Hair” – think “Awakening”) began in the past 50 years and will last for 2000 years. It has already given birth to two “New Ages” of discoveries beyond the physical.

Maybe the possibility of Ophiuchus getting into a zodiac is the next step in waking up. And since the Serpent Bearer is “the one who brings awareness” there could be another interpretation. We may be ready for someone who really has that capability. Someone on the planet who carries that awareness and could lead us in the area of enlightenment.

In the most extreme interpretation it could be that awareness would be brought from the outside - outside the planet that is. That a civilization that exists elsewhere might bring us knowledge for our next steps. I feel a little flaky just saying that since I am not a big believer in extra-terrestial visitations, but it was Isaac Asimov who said “It’s impossible to think that we are not alone in the universe, and ridiculous to think that we are.”

An interesting point, Ophiuchus is the one sign that someone decided should have an actual human being it. It is the Egyptian doctor and healer Imhotep (others say Joseph – the Jewish healer who became the right hand man of Pharoah.). All the rest of the zodiac figures come from the realms of the Gods. Does this mean that on a symbolic level humans have decided they are ready to enter the true realm of the Gods?

Sidereal astrologers would be the ones who would more likely recognize Ophiuchus and incorporate it into readings. A few already do. But even if you resonate more strongly with traditional astrology (See Part I) and use those positions for everything else, you can tune into this new “sign.”

You would use the position of Ophiuchus where it actually is now, because it’s a constellation that is being brought into our consciousness now, and because it does not fit the ancient tradition – only the sidereal one (i.e. where the constellations actually are.) So feel free to keep it in your astrological radar. Just being aware that the “Serpent Bearer” exists can alter your thinking.

It’s possible this is just a beginning blip. “Oh, it’s there?” that will fade and go unrecognized for a while longer. But if this is the start of stronger rumblings, I think it will take a bit before astrologers can figure out what to do with this. And it may not really have an effect until a large planet transits through Ophiuchus – say Uranus, Neptune or Pluto -- and works on the collective consciousness. Since the earliest that would happen would be in about 50 or 60 years, in the meantime…

What Ophiuchus may mean to you…

If you were born with your sun, moon, or ascendant in this time frame, and Ophiuchus resonates with you, consider yourself a mixed-breed for now. If you have any planet that falls between approximately 7 and 25 degrees Sagittarius when you were born, you may want to consider becoming taking on Ophiuchus as your “sub-sign” in that area..

In spiritual astrology, Sagittarians (November 23rd to December 21st) are the “arrow of truth shot into the Heavens” – they both look for the truth (they are explorers) and spread it where they go. The “new” Ophiuchans (November 29th to December 17th) would be working to incorporate that higher truth into their beings in the quest to evolve to a higher consciousness. So they fit well together.

If you decide you are an Ophiuchian, you are the kind to take responsibility for your enlightenment in the name of a higher cause in a earnest fashion. You seek to clear out all the unnecessary emotional and mental baggage that prevents your higher awareness. And you will be contributing to new information in the collective unconscious, or in this case in the name of making the collective more conscious.

Kundalini is said to be within all of us, but once awakened its call to awareness is a serious one, Are you, are all of us, ready for that?

So what IS your sign...and Ophiuchus: Part I

The cat’s out of the bag. Or the stars are out of their constellation. We astrologers have been wrong for years….oh my stars! Except that we aren’t wrong.

When astronomer Parke Kunkle announced that the constellations have moved over the millennia and that astrology is wrong, he was talking about something that astrologers already know.

The fact is there’s a whole branch of astrology that already follows the shifting constellations -- it’s called Sidereal Astrology. But most astrologers practice something called Tropical Astrology. And most likely you’ve been talking to Tropical Astrologers like me when you get your chart done and try to figure out what’s going on.

So that’s where your sign comes from. And your sign is still your sign.

Huh?

The Earth is the center of the universe…at least in this case.

Tropical astrology is based on a combination of ancient constellation positions, earth seasons and actual current planet position. Somewhere around the first millennia B.C. when astrologers were first figuring this out, they looked up on March 21st and saw the sun rising in a constellation. Then they took the “traits” of spring – a fierce drive to grow, the coming back of light, productivity, etc. Then they looked back at the constellation and came up with a visual symbol for it that matched those traits – in this case the Ram, Aries – a dynamic creature who moves forward with determination.

Google “Aries the Ram” and look at pictures that come up. You could make a star outline of that group into just about anything you wanted. But they chose, or intuited, the Ram. Then they matched our personalities to both the animal and the season. An Aries personality had, and still has, the dynamic growth traits of spring because Tropical astrology has matched it with that season. And always will.

But why does it still work? And why are you an Aries?

But why are you still an Aries when the constellation of Pisces has been rising on March 21st for over a hundred years? The reason is that you are a part of the planet. When someone is born in spring they will match those spring traits in their lives. Once you accept the Gaian theory – that we are part of the planet, not just creatures on it, it makes sense to think that when we began will have an effect on who we are for the rest of our lives.

Because we determined the zodiac constellations names we could just as well rename Pisces as Aries now. Which is essentially what traditional astrologers have done by ignoring the shift. Someone born in the first month of spring will be dynamic. A Libran – who is born exactly mid-way between the beginning of springs (and the beginning and end of the zodiac cycle) will be a “balancer.” etc. etc. It’s not even rocket science if we can get away from the idea that we are totally independent of the planet that evolved us, birthed us and sustains us.

(Of course, there is much more to astrology than just the "earth view." There is the collective unconscious and then the spiritual, but we are, first and foremost, inhabitants of this planet.)

After that, we take the planets – and what they symbolize and apply the “Tropical” zodiac to them to interpret their movement and how that has an effect on us. That’s a whole other discussion. And one that I’m sure Parke Kunkle would love to jump on eventually.

So from all of this it’s obvious Tropical astrology is geo-centric. It was created by taking into account the earth’s environment and how we fit into it. Tropical astrology says earth has more of an effect on us than a distant star picture and that we interpret the planets by how they fit into that.

But if you don't feel your chart describes you...check this box.

But then there are people who will say, “I don’t fit my chart at all!” Those are the people who should consult a “sidereal astrologer” – a branch of astrology that takes into account the movement of the constellations (the precession of equinoxes) and where they are now in relation to us. These are perhaps true “star” people --- more connected in some way to those orbs than they are to the earth.

Yes, we already knew what Parke Kunkle was talking about and some even base their astrological practice on it. But the fact is, most people tend to be more connected to the earth and how it functions than the distant stars. They find earth-centered astrology more useful.

So relax, your sign is still your sign. Unless you never felt it was – and in that case you should be seeing a sidereal astrologer.

Tomorrow I'll post about Ophiuchus, what it means in astrology and what that "new" discovery means to us....It's exciting.

Get Ready, Get Set….Go!

It’s a New Year. And as far as the planets go, there’s going to be plenty of “new” to go around in 2011.

In the next 2 1/2 months Uranus and Jupiter will both move into Aries -- a fire sign that will give us new energy to take bold steps toward our visions and dreams. We may find ourselves forging new directions in our lives -- expected or surprising. Or we may build on plans and preparation we've been making for years. Either way, these planet shifts will give us the power to take action and move forward.

We've been preparing for this shift for the past year -- as both planets end their stay in a sign that lets us clear out old patterns and lifestyles that are not longer useful for us.

Jupiter will bring the first change when it enters Aries on January 22nd and “jump starts” us. We’ll need some background to understand how.

Jupiter – The Good Guy.

Most planets have good and bad potential, but astrologers call Jupiter the “good” planet -- one that blesses us with a positive attitude and a sense of spaciousness and abundance in whatever sign it’s in at the moment. For the past year, it’s been living in Pisces – the sign of “letting go” and of the “highest consciousness.” The result is that Jupiter has given us some space to help us let go of what doesn’t work in our lives so that we’re ready to move onto whatever is meant to take its place.

Uranus, the Original Mover and Shaker.

But Jupiter has been operating in the background of a planet that’s taken front stage in the same arena – Uranus. Jupiter takes a year to move through a sign. Uranus generally takes seven to nine. For the past seven years Uranus has been in Pisces, too, but it’s not nearly as gentle a planet as Jupiter. Uranus urges us to follow its instructions and since, among other things, it’s the planet of the collective consciousness, it’s been “urging” all of us in the Western Hemisphere for the past seven years to collectively let go of what doesn’t work for us anymore.

The message may have been easier in the beginning, as in “Don’t sweat it. Just let go.” And it seemed we could choose. But the message has gotten more urgent in the past year – as Uranus ends it Pisces run before it also enters Aries on March 12th.

The collective “push” from Uranus has been about letting go of situations and patterns that don’t work for us – in relationships with others, in work and careers, or in areas of personal behavior. Anything that doesn’t help us on the path to self-enlightenment, since Uranus is also the planet of awakening and enlightenment.

Uranus is a neutral planet that just “does its job.” Nothing more…or less. Something like: “Yes, you’re going to let go of that now. And if you don’t ….well, it will likely be worse than if you had. Now will you just cooperate?” We can't know how the past would have been if we had stayed where we were. Often we fantasize that it would have been perfect if we could just... That letting go reminder is also a reminder that the past was not working and we needed to change.

A lot of that most recent “letting go” may not have been easy for some of us and we might not have even been aware that we needed to let go of it until Uranus reached the end of its stay. Then suddenly it seemed we had no choice but to let it go. Someone may have taken the matter out of our hands and ended something for us (a relationship or a job), or we may have gotten to the point of saying “Okay, Uncle!…I’ll give it up!” [More on how to get this done in my blog entry: “Let go. Let go. Let go” located here -- http://stargaia.blogspot.com/2010/11/let-go-let-go-let-go.html.] .

Thank the Universe for Kind Planets...

So having Jupiter in Pisces has been something of a bonus. In its gentler, kinder role, Jupiter says “ It’s been tough, huh? Well, I’ll give you some space so it’s not as hard to let go as it might have been…” Particularly now, in the last few months of its stay in Pisces, Jupiter has been expanding that space. Since Uranus is so powerful in its drive, we might not have even noticed that gift from Jupiter, except in hindsight. But if now, at this true end, we have found letting go a little easier than it was earlier last year, credit Jupiter.

There is universe method to this madness: Without giving up what doesn’t work for us, we don’t have the psychic or actual space to pursue what does work for us – so that we can do what we’re meant to do as opposed to hanging on to old, comfortable habits that block our growth.

It’s the End! But Don’t Worry…

There’s a reason that Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac, is the sign of “letting go.” It’s because it comes before the first sign. Yes, really.

Aries, the first sign, is the sign of individual drive, fiery vision and productivity. It’s the sign that declares “I am!” --- with emphasis on the exclamation point. As the first sign and a fire sign, Aries is the initial fire energy of the universe as it comes into existence and is expressed in human form. It is beginnings. All of this Pisces “letting go” activity at the end of the zodiac cycle around what the universe sees as our unnecessary baggage, is in the service of getting us ready to begin that zodiac “growth” cycle once again.

With each cycle we hopefully learn from the past and then let go of what doesn’t work, after which we get the chance to try again. At each beginning we embody that Aries energy all over again by declaring “This is who I am now!” starting from scratch at whatever stage we have arrived, and using that energy to follow our revised personal vision.

This is a pretty dramatic change after seven years and we’ll have an introduction that jump starts that process. Jupiter will move into Aries a month and a half before Uranus makes the shift itself. What Jupiter will do is grace us with enthusiasm and optimism about the possibilities and visions that lie before us. That enthusiasm about what the future may hold for us will also help us to do the rest of the letting go that Uranus demands.

If You Can Dream It…

By now, after several “letting go” episodes in the recent past, you’re probably ready for some enthusiasm and optimism. So as you get ready for Jupiter to make its entry on January 22nd, go ahead and dream. “Yes! I want to do this and it is possible!” After all that letting go, you deserve it.

Once Jupiter actually makes its entry, start making plans. It’s time to follow whatever purpose you are next meant to fulfill in the greater scheme. By March 12th, when Uranus joins in and doubles the Aries energy, you’ll be on your way.

If you want to get really specific as to how Jupiter and Uranus will affect you, get your chart out. Where Jupiter will act in your case will be determined by which house it’s moving through. For instance, if Jupiter is moving through your third house – you may have dreams of writing a book or giving talks about some topic where you’re an expert. It will have to do with “communication,” which is what the third house is about. But whatever area that is, it will tie into Uranus’ move into Aries in March – the next part of the Aries duet.

Be aware that the only whiff of negativity to Jupiter is when we go over-the-top with the “anything is possible” idea. Jupiter can sometimes have a “manic” influence, which can lead to reckless behavior…and the inevitable following fall.

So Don’t Forget Everything You’ve Learned…

Take several deep breaths when you start to dream. And keep breathing to keep yourself in the present. Practice self-care and ground so that you don’t end up going too fast too far. Exercise. Meditate. Ask for help and guidance if your vision needs it. Count to ten. Several times. Practice all those things that Uranus in Pisces urged you to learn in the past seven years to help you let go. (Amazing how the universe leads us by the hand, isn’t it?) And then…enjoy!

Once Uranus does move into Aries, other factors come into play. And there will be a tempering influence on all this fire energy when after thirteen years Neptune moves into the water sign of Pisces on April 3rd. But more on all of that later…

A Total Eclipse of the Moon (...good title for a song.)

There's a total eclipse of the moon on Dec. 21st and you can see it in North America. It’s a three-way deal -- with the moon, earth and sun all playing parts. Since this happens where you can see it, in global and spiritual astrology it’s a strong marker between our emotional past and future.


When the sun, earth and moon line-up just right and the earth passes between the moon and sun, the moon’s reflective light is slowly “eclipsed” as the earth blocks sunlight from getting there. The moon is “erased” until it finally goes dark all together. With the light switch temporarily off we go into pause mode until the moon slowly appears again. [If you watch it this time, imagine what it must have been like for the ancients -- powerful magic – as a giant hand was wiping out the moon.]

Your Emotional Past and Future

In astrology the moon represents our emotional life, and that time of "moon dark" (anywhere from a few minutes to hours) draws a line between our emotional past and future. Eclipses are “re-boots” of our emotional systems, especially around any spiritual or psychic work you’ve been doing. Something in our emotional past is now over. We won’t feel the same way about it after this: We may view it differently, let it go, or deal with it from a new perspective.


An example: Been working on your self-confidence? Learning to speak your truth without being afraid of repercussions or looking for approval from everyone around you? If you’ve begun to feel more confident, i.e. If the work you're doing is working – tomorrow may be a boundary between the past and future you. You’ll begin to feel that your past approval-seeking self is now more on the side lines -- a self that existed in the past. Your self-confident self is now more who you are.


Have you been involved in a relationship or path where you couldn’t commit, couldn’t invest your emotions but knew that you wanted to? Tomorrow’s eclipse may bring you to the realization that you can commit more fully – to become more of who you emotionally want to be in the future.


While this shift may have been a long time brewing, there can also be defining arguments or relationship-changing discussions in these next few days. Ones that change the way one of your relationships works in the future. And since we are also midway through a six month astrological phase of letting go of a past that no longer serves us and creating a new future, [See the previous entry about “Let Go!” ] this eclipse is also about past relationships, paths, and projects that are no longer meant to be in our lives. Ones that we need to let go of permanently or that need to be transformed to remain.



Whatever the case, you’ll feel differently after tomorrow. You’ll look at that emotional past and start to wave at it as you stand on the shoreline and watch it disappear from view. If that person or path is meant to stay in your life, you’ll start to view it differently with a different emotional reaction than you've had in the past – you’ll begin to see how that person or project can stay in your life in a transformed way.

Here Comes the Sun…

After two weeks, a lunar eclipse is always followed by a solar eclipse somewhere on the planet as the moon now passes between the path of the sun and the earth (where it’s visible depends on exactly where the moon is at the time it crosses that path.) And since the sun represents our outer world (just as the moon represents our inner world), a solar eclipse is about bringing that emotional insight from the lunar eclipse out into the world. About transforming that “moon-light” into new “sun-light” where it’s visible and can affect our actions.


We’ll have two weeks to “process” our emotional realization and then it begins to make its way into our real lives in how we choose to act around it. [When a solar eclipse happens where we see it this change is extremely powerful. But this one will be visible in Europe, Western African and Asia – we’ll still feel the effects since we are all part of the planet, but the effect will be much more subtle than the lunar. It also means for some they may still not be able to turn their emotional realizations into action.]

Gaia Gets into the Act

The last part of this three part event is unusual. This eclipse of the moon will happen on December 21st, the first day of the winter solstice – the first time that’s happened in at least three centuries. Gaia’s own symbolism is an essential but generally ignored part of astrology, but in this case it’s an interesting part of the mix. The winter solstice represents the beginning of two things: The start of longer days – the process of emerging from darkness to light. Ironically (and maddeningly), these are also the days where it gets colder as Gaia begins to sleep – at least in the Northern hemisphere. The cold allows her to hibernate and charge her batteries before spring.


The parallel in us humans is we’re also meant to “lie fallow” – do some contemplating, prepare for the next growing season. Lay back, rest and recharge. While our technology and 24/7 artificial light often block our connecting to that fact, we still know it on a psychic level since we’re still a part of her – Gaia – and we are still meant to slow down our life, sleep, eat and drink enough to keep us warm. Otherwise we’re meant to withdraw.


Because of that synchronicity – the effects of this particular lunar eclipse will follow the winter’s lead and gestate and grow within us – and only become finally and fully clear in the spring when the season of growth and light wins out over the dark once again.