Full Moon Eclipse in Libra - Bloom

Full Moon Eclipse Libra  March 23, 2016

Helios:  THANK GOD ITS ARIES SEASON! There is no ingress I look forward to more than this one! Especially after the clusterfuck that was this last Pisces season, and all its pileup. Unfortunately most of the planets are still in Pisces, giving me an ulcer, but are we going to let that stop us from squeezing out every bit of Aries that we can? Hell no!

And good lord, we are going to need everything we can get...

Artemis:  

"Who dwells at the core of my being? I am calm itself and he is the storm." - Hafiz

This is the final eclipse in a long series of Libra/Aries eclipses. We wont see an eclipse in this sign combination for another 7 years. This, in itself, feels very significant. 7 is the number of Venus, the goddess of fortune and love, and also the ruler of Libra. This may be an especially significant time for those born under the scales.

Libra, the centerpiece of the zodiac, always reminding us that perfection is non-existent and life is in constant adjustment for balance. Like a see-saw, she teeters between hot and cold / dark and light / love and fear / war and peace. Where Aries is exploratory and impulsive action, she is stillness and assessment. As an idealistic air sign, Libra will toil endlessly for a justice that can never be fully attained; bringing to mind Sisyphus.  Perhaps this is Libra's punishment from the gods for being so fucking indecisive. The scale will always tip one way or the other, regardless of how balanced we may perceive it in the moment. The great work is never over.

"Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun." - Alan Watts

Helios:

The Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars- Despite what I just wrote, I am going into this completely uninspired. I've tried to fake and force the awesome for hours now, and just kept running into a brick wall. Hopefully if I just keep rambling and writing I'll stumble into some sort of genius insight- if not, there's always tequila. Anyways, that is very much the feel of this: Think back to this time 2010-11, and how on fire you were, ready to take on whatever came your way, heaven help anyone who got in it. Where did that go? Where did you fail? Where did you lose? More importantly, when did you give up on yourself? Find that moment between then and now, and learn from it. Learn your lessons, forgive yourself, and MOVE THE FUCK ON. Its well past time to get back into that mode. That moment is holding you back, trapping you in its maelstrom, and if you don't escape it you will NOT survive the storm that is coming. And it will make landfall very soon, you NEED to be ready. You need to get back to your original mission, whatever that may be. There is a reason you decided to go down the path you explored, but there is a course-correct coming. Make the choice to change now or watch it be made for you. This energy is completely aligned with the greater year energy of the Fire Monkey, so now is the time to get aligned. If it doesn't bring you toward achieving your goals, get rid of it!

Artemis:

THE MOON: For the moon, I pulled The Hangman and Sowillo, which is the exact same combination I pulled for the last eclipse. This is auspicious. We have reached the other side, reflecting the last new moon in Pisces like a mirror. We have crossed some sort of strange, dimensional rift, with illumination resting firmly betwixt. Like Libra, the hangman is the centerpiece. He sits smack dab in the middle of the major arcana of the Tarot, suspended between two worlds. This book end situation is a new sort of experience for Libra. All endings breed beginnings, and Libra is consistently stuck in the middle of the story. Both the ideas of starting and ending seem foreign and dizzying. This whole transition from new moon to full moon has been like sitting on a fence; something Libras are very good at. It is finally time to step off and go see the greener grass on the other side. Unfortunately, while Libra has been sitting around contemplating, her Aries neighbor has erected hedge statues and planted gardens and a built one of those stupid fountains. Spring is here, and the scales have finally tipped. Sowillo, the sun, has arrived. The funny thing about the sun, like illumination, is that you can never look directly at it but you see it's presence all around you.  The hangman has lost his ego. He is in a position where you could throw a rotten tomato on him, kick his head, or give him a hug. Who knows. He has taken the leap of faith. It's time to give everyone the big fuck you and bloom how you choose. You get to be whatever kind of fucking flower you want to be. You inherit yourself.

THE SUN: For the sun, I pulled 5 of Swords and Kenaz. 5 of Swords represents self interest, which makes perfect sense for a sun in Aries. You're going to have to defend what you believe in. People are going to disagree with you. They are going to fight you and kick you when you are down. Don't fucking let them. Seriously, punch them where it hurts most and move the fuck on. We have to let things go and become light and fly now. The rune Kenaz, also known as the "torch," tells us that you will "surpass the master." This is where we make a choice, punks (sorry, Libra). What is the story you are going to choose to tell? Are you going to keep telling the same old fucking story, or are you going to take what you want? Are you the master of your own fate, or will you allow the illusion to suck you back in? There is also a warning here. This card tells us it is not in our benefit to be wholly selfish. It's like Libra is scolding Aries. She tells him to do what is right and to do it with the fullness of his unique intensity. I'm sure Helios and I can both agree that there is nothing more glorious to behold than an Aries with a righteous goal at his back. Kenaz represents controlled transformation. It governs apprenticeship, study, and the search for enlightenment. What drives you? What is your end goal? Look beyond everything. What is the sun of your life?

MERCURY: For Mercury, I pulled The Devil and Algiz. This is a fascinating combination. They call Algiz the rune of connections. What kind of connections? In particular, the kind between us and the gods. Algiz represents the higher self and courage. It is used as a protection rune and is charged with giving us courage in the face of fear. People are going to say what they need to say. That'll be nice, wont it? There is this idea of "personal gravity" which I found interesting when studying this rune. Movement is key, so find your rhythm. Mercury is the planet of communication, so Algiz in this position tells me that the full moon will be a glorious time for getting in your creative zone and just letting work come out. We also have the Devil archetype to deal with here. This card warns us that people (including you) may have an easy time influencing us with their words right now. Listen carefully to the way people speak to you, from the friends in your micro, to the politicians in your macro. What does everyone really want? It's an easy time to figure this out due to Mercury's connection to Algiz, the god whisperer, and The Devil, the impulsive egoist.

Helios:

Venus and Neptune- Okay, so these two annoy me. These are my least successful/integrated energies. Luckily, they work together exceedingly well, and with Neptune still in Pisces (don't remind me) it lends itself to a lot of customization and experimentation. Let me tell y'all about a little trick I learned from acting and my Pick-up Artist days- it's called Mind-shifting. What you do is you visualize your success (whatever form that might take) and marry that to an intense memory of achievement. Connect yourself as much to that memory you can, using your senses. Overwrite your insecurity and doubts with the emotion in your memory and use it to convince yourself that you already have succeeded, and really BELIEVE it. Once you swing that, all that's left is the execution, just actually doing it!

Artemis:

VENUS:  For Venus, I pulled The Star and Hagalaz.  Again, a fascinating combination.  The Star (card #17) is hope, the light, healing and escape after the collapse of the motherfucking tower (card #16).  The Star is Aquarius, who is ruled by the circulatory system.  It is the idea of connection at a mass level - the spider who weaves the threads between the stars.  This is a great combination.  It tells us that we are finally shedding the bullshit, letting the hail storm knock away all that isn't fastened securely to the truth.  Really, guys, this is good.  Venus represents what we truly value.  It's time for that to be clear for us.  Venus is giving us our speck of hope, and really there is nothing more perceptible in the sky than the wandering star Venus.

NEPTUNE:  For Neptune, I pulled The Lovers and the blank rune (fate rune).  Neptune rules over our temptations (thus the planet of alcoholism, YAY).  She is all the things we cannot see that are creeping around in the other world, influencing us in some wyrd way.  The blank rune sure shows that here, standing in for the idea of "fate" itself.  There are going to be a lot of magical moments, strange things coming into fruition that we may be blindsided by.  You see, Neptune represents that which is barely on our peripheral.  She also represents the higher form of love.  The lovers in position here tells me that higher connections are coming into manifestation in our lives.

Helios:

Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Uranus, Pluto- Okay, so this is becoming less and less Super Saiyan energy and more the 12 labors of Heracles. In which case, we're at the 3rd labor (yay us!), seeing as how we already overcame the Nemean Lion (brute strength) and the Hydra (overcoming multiple issues at the same time, balance). This labor would be that of perseverance, and humility. In the third labor, Heracles is tasked with catching the Ceryneian Hind, a stag that could run as fast as lightning. Heracles came across it by chance, then chased it over a year without catching it. After he kept running and chasing it, he ran into Artemis, who told him to leave it be, as the stag was hers, and go back to the asshole king who tasked him with the labors to say that he had caught it, and it would all work out. As he is walking up the steps to the palace, Artemis brings the stag to him, making him promise to return the stag to her. The king is ecstatic, but he wants to keep it for himself. Heracles realizes that he cant allow this to happen, he agrees, under one condition- The king had to come out to get the stag himself. When he does, Heracles released the Hind, and it escaped, and Heracles told him coyly that he had just been too slow.

Artemis:

JUPITER: For Jupiter, I pulled Justice and Inguz. So we have the rune of growth in the planet of growth. Hmmm. So what the hell are we growing? If Jupiter is the planet of joy and abundance, it looks like we are growing what we want through righteous action; aka Justice. Inguz rules subtle action, and Jupiter is being ruled by the Queen of Detail - Virgo. There is something waiting for you, a reward to reap, if you focus on the details. Once you find it, there will be an explosion of abundance available to you. Get your flashlights out, guys. This is a good time for workings involving money. Unfortunately, if you have been sowing bad karma along your path, get ready to eat shit.

SATURN: For Saturn, I pulled the The Hermit and Jera. So the Hermit is associated by the zodiac sign Virgo, and Jera represents the harvest, and Saturn has a big scythe he uses to reap.  This is a dire warning for us. Saturn goes into retrograde on March 26, 3 days after the Full Moon Eclipse in Libra on the 23rd. When Saturn decides to cycle back through the field, he brings double karma along with him. I'm sorry to terrify you. Remember... the pendulum has begun to swing.

URANUS: For Uranus, I pulled the King of Cups and Gebo. The King of Cups is a highly creative individual with great emotional depth. He sits in the storm of Uranus, calm and composed, his emotions reigned in. This King is aware of the flashes of insight coming from Uranus - the powerful jolts in our day that rattle our very foundation. The important thing is that the King of Cups sees them and becomes aware of them. He then responds in a composed manner. The King of Cups is emotional understanding, and he has a healthy balance between his intellect and his emotions. Gebo is the divine balance. There is great ability for you to make inspired partnerships with the people around you. This is encouraged. Follow the flashes of lightening, and do so generously. Share your fire. There is a lot of reciprocation in this combination. The King of Cups is very giving and generous, and Gebo literally translates to the gift.  Get ready for lots of gifts of insight as well.

PLUTO:  For Pluto, I pulled the 7 of Pentacles and Berkano.  What is with this card?  It keeps fuckin' showing up, left and right, and it's beginning to make me very curious.  The 7 of Pentacles is all about that moment when we decide to change.  Something has finally been completed, and now it is time to choose our direction.  Pluto is the planet of regeneration, and our lives are very much being pumped with new life blood as we speak.  Thanks for the juice, Pluto, because we are really going to need it for all these fucking retrogrades about to beat us down.  Berkano shows up for us, under the planet of legacy coupled with the 7 of Pents.  This probably means it is an excellent time for money manifestation.  You can truly have what you want, you just need to have the guts to change yourself in order to get it.  Don't just sit there.  Either harvest what you have in front of you and make something of that, or take what you need and begin your new life.  Decisions, decisions.  You're going to be forced to change, so it's time to choose a route or smash face first into the median (sorry again, Libra).

Planet - Rune -- Tarot
-----------------------
Moon - Sowillo -- Hangman
Sun - Kenaz -- 5 of Swords
Mercury - Algiz -- The Devil
Venus - Hagalaz -- The Star
Mars - Eihwaz -- Ace of Pentacles
Jupiter - Inguz -- Justice
Saturn - Jera -- The Hermit
Uranus - Gebo -- King of Cups
Neptune - blank rune -- The Lovers
Pluto - Berkano -- 7 of Pentacles

Eros in Aquarius- Love in the Multiverse

Helios:“Do you think the universe fights for souls to be together? Some things are too strange and strong to be coincidences.” - Emery Allen

I've been advised by the survivors of my Legal Team Thunderdome 2011 that I should avoid further "Libel" and "Defamation of Character" when I talk about Eros, lest I end up with more "Lawsuits", so this one will be short and... well, maybe not quite sweet, but I will endeavor to try and lie on my ex's behalf. Hey, one man's slander is another man's artistic license!

Anyhow, hes moving from Capricorn into Aqua. Now, if you're anything like me, you have noticed a distinct dearth of romantic prospects as of late. You've probably also noticed how much you have gotten done without the distractions! But alas- all work and no play makes Jack troll hookup apps every half hour with no avail, thus taking his self confidence down several pegs and slowly giving him a psychological complex that bleeds over into other facets in his life (like his work), causing him to end up living in a van down by the river, subsisting on a steady diet of government cheese. Don't be like Jack.

You see, its Spring. Mostly. This has a certain affect on us poor humans. We cant help it. When we're kids, we want to escape the monotony and get back out into the world, exploring and playing in the sun- As adults, this becomes far more about playing behind closed doors since our lives are already empty, monotonous and devoid of all meaning. It's the little distractions that take the edge off and make life tolerable. We chase it, and it is fun! Its a nice way to keep our minds off of the gaping maw of our own mortality, looming over our heads.

The challenge of this transit is that you have been so focused on what you are building, you have developed tunnel vision and can see nothing else beyond your obligations. You have sacrificed all other concerns to make your dreams a reality. You have retreated within yourself, and you have hidden away, just you and your work. Now it is time to take a short break, look away from your screens, and get back out into the world! For some of us that means going to chase down trade in terrible bars with awful performers and have too much to drink. For others it is making an effort to connect with a partner who is feeling neglected and put upon. Whatever. Just get yourself out of your office and get into the bedroom.

Artemis:"You are my angel
Come from way above
To bring me love
Her eyes
She's on the dark side
Neutralize
Every man in sight
Love you, love you, love you
Love you, love you, love you
Love you, love you, love you" - Massive Attack

Websters: Eros (n.)

Eros, Greek mythological character. Eros was the son of Aphrodite. As the Greek god of love he excited erotic love in gods and mortals with his arrows and torches.

Erotic (adj.)

Popularity: Top 10% of words
: relating to sex : causing sexual feelings
: of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire <erotic art>
: strongly marked or affected by sexual desire

Gosh, haven't we all felt the shadow of this transit the past couple of days? Jesus fuck. This, along with this past weekend's sensual moon in Taurus, our current sexy Venus in Pisces, the mighty presence of passionate Mars in Saggo, and the pounding of hooves from fire hot Aries in the distance (helloooo spring) are making things electric.

*takes deep breath* Anyway...

Aquarians tend to be severely misunderstood. They call the water-bearer heartless, alien, off-beat, and contrary. They say she is a stubborn ice queen, prepared to dissect each of your layers until she can arrive at some self deluded state of "knowing." What they don't understand about Aquarius is that she feels TOO much. She feels everything and everyone all the time, and must place a wall up or she will swallow everything up like the sea. She is the veins, the rivers, the tributaries pumping from the passionate, lion heart of Leo. Her eroticism is all encompassing. Her love is the force of the entire planet.

You know, there is something oddly sexy about all of these misconceptions. Who doesn't like the hot loner coasting through town on their way to distant lands? Aquarius is a visitor from somewhere far beyond here, and their brand of love making is strange and exciting. We can see it in their mannerisms, their likes and dislikes, their eccentric way of communication. They are not from here, and we are intrigued. And our earthly ways are intriguing to them as well. They really just want to know how everything feels, how everything tastes, and are all for the experimentation between pleasure and pain.

"What if I do this..."

King of experimentation, Aqua is the scientist with laser eyes who inspects your every frac(tal)tional movement for all of your soft spots. The water-bearers are represented by the Angel (or perfect human), perched high above in the clouds, observing us mere mortals as we go about our business of flesh. The eroticism of distance. For Aqua, the mind is flesh and eroticism starts there. When the angels saw the flesh based humans (in all their indulgent Taurean flavors), they could not help but fall down to earth. Not even angels can resist Eros.

People like to say the sun is in detriment when it is in Aquarius. Why would they say such a thing? Probably because Aquarius has a hard time merging their identity in with the rest of society. They are forever the one who marches to the beat of their own drum, and their sexuality is no different. They really don't give a fuck what is appropriate or conventional in love making. They will do whatever strikes their fancy, and they will never stop surprising their partner. Aquarius is known as the sign of kink for good reason. They say strong aspects with Uranus/Eros, Uranus/Venus, Uranus/Mars in one's chart places this flavor of Aquarian experimentation in one's personality; lightening flashes of insight and curiosity.

So here we go, punks. Get ready for things to get weird.

For Eros ingress Aquarius, I pulled The Moon crossed by The Queen of Wands and the runes Inguz and Sowillo. DAMN. Just DAMN. The runes line up perfectly with each card. Inguz is the rune people refer to as "the seed." He is deep rooted potentiality. Orgasm waiting to happen. Aquarius is here, bringing us the waters to get drunk on some strange love. The moon says the stuff in the back of our head, the stuff we fantasize and dream about, wants to come out and play. The moon is shy, blushing as she hears the whispers of her mind. Inguz says that this build up can only last so long before the release. He also tells us that distance is needed to build this potential energy. Aquarius, the sign of distance (AKA voyeuristic haha), knows this process all too well. She will prod and tease you in all the places where she knows you can't touch her (like work, school, your parent's house) until you have no choice but to take her in the back of the car, at noon, on the side of the road somewhere. And that's just the way she likes it.

The moon being crossed by the Queen of Wands tells us that the only thing holding any of this back is our inability to accept the strange paradoxes in life and just flow with it. Let yourself get turned on by the tension between the paradox (mmm tension). We need to embrace the rune Sowillo (the sun) and the optimism of this Queen of Fire. She is a sexy woman who takes what she wants, uses her magick without discretion, and doesn't apologize for her self expression. Our mind wants to escape, to let loose and let the Aquarian interests out to play. The built up potentiality is killing us, and this weekend's sensual Moon in Taurus sure didn't help.

Mars and Venus are about to square, the sexual tension will only get worse. This cross is telling us to let it out to play before some fire damage is done. The Queen of Wands is water in fire, and she is pure unadulterated feminine sexuality. She is the fire that will also drown you. Quite the paradox indeed. She is represented by the black cat, and those of you who know Egyptian mythology will recognize the connection to the cat goddess of sexuality, Bastet. Queen of Wands has a very cat like sexuality. She will gracefully seduce you and dance around you until your passions explode into wild, creative fires (all this with a smirk on her face). Wands are a witch's way of projecting her magic into the world. The wands also represent sexuality and creativity. Channel those deep, watery, moon feelings into a playful sexuality. Don't take things too seriously. Aquarius gives us room to breathe. Her universal love allows for her lovers to be expressive in their own individual mode without judgement. Let your imagination run wild.  It seems this card and rune combination is telling us a lot of illumination, happiness, and new pathways will open up from our ability to express what we keep in.

This combination of cards and runes warns us not to repress, no matter the strange situations we might get ourselves in (no matter our fantasies). There are many ways to express sexuality. Don't knock it til you try it. Try it and knock it good.... Whatever gets you hot.

CARDS: The Moon CROSSED BY The Queen of Wands
Runes: Inguz and Sowillo

Full Moon in Leo- Alarums and Excursions

Drama for your nerves, baby!! That has been the theme of this Full Moon, and it sure as hell made an entrance! Celebrities dropping like flies, political and economic drama, fights and flashpoints popping up all over the place- It’s enough to make anyone want to call it quits and schlump in the corner until it’s over! You’re not just anyone though. You have made it through worse than this, and you have greater challenges ahead. This is mundane by comparison and well within your ability to handle!

Morrigan: I title this reading "The Fox vs the Wolf:  Full moon in drama, 2016."  

SUN  Queen of Disks

MOON  Prince of Wands

MERCURY  6 of Disks

VENUS  Judgement (the Aeon)

MARS  Knight of Wands

JUPITER  Ace of Wands

SATURN  2 of Cups

URANUS  Ace of Cups

NEPTUNE  The Chariot

PLUTO  Queen of Cups

They call the full moon in January the "Wolf Moon", which is just perfect because we are definitely being circled by viscous, ego-maniac wolves right now. Get your spears out. We're going to need to keep these crazies at a distance using super sly, prince of wands Fox magic.

Let’s get to it, shall we?
The Sun, Moon and Venus- YAAAASS finally some of that good LEO energy, henny! After that (not quite as bad as you think it was) Saggo/Cap season, we are in AQUA, baby! Now we are fixing to turn the party! Before we can do that however, we need to contend with Venus, in Cap. The little issues and slights that were building in the last New Moon have come to a head in full force, and you can clearly see what needs to go in your life, plain as day. There is no compromise here, not anymore; you HAVE to overcome this before you can progress. The change can be made slowly, but you cannot allow your momentum to falter. Even if you only make small steps every day, these steps must be made. Some days you will do better than others. Accept this. Celebrate your victories and do not allow your defeats to stop you. You can wallow later; right now there is work to be done.

Morrigan: Oh boy, oh boy, my favorite time of year! What a friggin relief. We NEED the chilly, detached Aquarius sun to get us through all of this bombastic drama and emotional water works.  Here comes the weird, estranged loner. He is going to channel all of this energy and focus it around community and social change. This is a perfect time for activists to raise inspiration and emotional support for their cause. For the Aquarius sun I got the Queen of Disks. This will be our stabilizing force. She is water/earth energy, so she is earth mother. Gaia herself. We need to remember how to care for ourselves (and those we love), and the only way we can do this is by detaching from all of the lunacy around us. Pay attention to what matters. The Queen of Disks, and Aquarius, both remind us how important our independence is. In order to participate in the collective, you must be able to stand on your own two feet first. You need to learn the healthy dance between caring for yourself and caring for your community (back to that Mercury 6 of disks energy). This queen reminds us to be caring and compassionate (which Aquarius truly is), but to also tend to our own kingdom and possessions (be they physical things, ideas, or feelings). Leo moons are supposed to be fun.They are generally festive and jovial, but this one is like showing up to a party and running into your ex and their gaggle of loud, drunk friends. What I pulled for the moon is Prince of Wands. That's some showy shit. When I look at this card in this position, I am getting the mental image of a lot of people running around displaying their "talents" openly and demanding respect and attention for it.  Yeah.  It's going to be fucking annoying. You're going to see a lot of soap boxes, but remember what I told you about boxes on the Capricorn new moon- BURN THEM TO THE GROUND. There IS a real message that is trying to come through, but you're going to have to wade through a lot of "false prophets" first. *But once you see it, you will know it.* The people who are channeling the inspiration you will need to guide your evolution - who are speaking the information that is going to help you breathe some real life into this emotional hell of a time - are going to glow like fire. This card can be associated with the fox spirit. There is a playful trickery going on, but if you are worthy - if strategy is your game - you are going to navigate your way through this storm and into some truly inspirational stuff. Leo is the eternal flame of the heart. The light at the end of the tunnel. The defibrillator. And we really need some of this shit because that last Capricorn new moon sucked the life out of us. We are worn out, bleeding from the gut on the battle field, taking our last breath when finally *AAAHHHH* a hot as hell medic comes running our way flipping their hair like fucking Baywatch. In this card, the Prince is being pulled by a lion, Leo himself it seems. This lion is going to carry us out of here, and he is going FAST so catch him while you can and keep your eyes open at all times for his presence. This is a time for light bulb moments. This is the time for connecting the dots and finally seeing the whole picture - everything come full circle. So, put on your diamond encrusted stilettos (the obvious weapon choice for this full moon) and fight your way through the dramatic, viscous shit while looking fabulous. Realize that everyone is playing their "role" on crack right now. Like full on cartoon depictions of their personalities, so this is also the perfect time to learn the ways of the cunning fox (the Prince of Wands is Fire/Air energy, so think witty, quick, poetic, on the go inspiration). I have officially warned you about the drama, you most definitely see/feel it, so use it to learn a valuable lesson about human social interactions. This is the sharpening of your weapons, this is where you learn cunning so you can do battle with the emotional siege from the Uranus-Pluto square. We got Judgement for Venus. I don't particularly like the sound of that, but we really did need some sort of restraint. She will be in Capricorn at the time of the full moon and will probably try as hard as possible to get the party out the door before bed time. She is reminding us of our values. She is telling us to keep Karma in mind and not to slip into some sort of drunken coma from our Leo influenced escapades. She is the designated driver, the responsible friend who is going to hold our hair as we throw up (all the while complaining loudly about how we should have stayed home in the first place). She's probably going to be a horrible, bleating wing man, so forget about her amping up Leo's romantic qualities. She's here to remind us of everything we have going on - remember your values - remember your goals - remember where the fuck we are going because we can't go all Party Monster and end up making a mistake we can't go back on. Remember, Venus is victory, so she is really looking out for our win in the end. Take her lesson to heart. Venus is giving us some reigns on the situation so use them for everyone's sake (especially your own).
Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto- Okay, yes; at first glance this is some scary Astro. It is certainly cold, calculating Astro that suffers no fools! It’s also exactly what you need right now. It’s time to make big moves and tough calls, and nothing says mega-transformative like this Astro.  Whatever you are trying to beat, can be overcome RIGHT NOW, if you are willing to make it happen. It will be easier than ever, but you must put in the work. Sure you will have distractions, and shit that tries to trip you up, but stay focused and you will be able to beat anything. All it takes is the effort. Prioritize your goals and ignore all else.

Morrigan: PLEASE GODS MAKE IT END, PLEASE MAKE IT END. Mercury is 6 of Disks in this reading, which is associated with moon in Taurus energy. 6 of disks is all about knowing how much to give, knowing what to give, and knowing how to give it (yum hehehe). There are a lot of people vocally demanding a piece of you right now, left and right, with viscous words in tow. They think they DESERVE something of yours, and you're stuck in a crap situation because you gave too much. You just fed the stray animals and they are coming back, night after night, demanding food when you don't even have enough scraps to put on your own table. There has been a wave of exploitation and depression that has hit the collective unconscious (I hope you all rode that Capricorn wave well and ended up getting some good foot holds), but at least we're actually talking about it now. You need to know when enough is enough, and you have to put that remaining energy of yours into the relationships that are truly symbiotic. The God Mercury [Astrogeek starts twitching uncontrollably] carried the caduceus which heals the sick and brings the dead to life. The caduceus can also kill the living if Mercury pleases, so, in other words, we're at this fucker's mercy. As much as it has sucked, the lessons of this retrograde were probably needed. There was something that we really had to hear that we heard; some truth exposed that will allow us to better trade our ideas with others. We learned some sort of strange, emotional economic system. This entire explosive display of ego really humbled us, and now we are ready to go back to truly sharing. Saturn is square Neptune, which is challenging us with self defeatist energy. For Saturn I got the 2 of cups, or Cancer in Venus energy. You're going to need a lot of love right now. Structure some time with people you care about in your life, because things are heavy and emotional as hell at the moment. Build love into your life as a routine, and by that I mean actually set time aside to be with people who give you warmth.  You're going to need all the self love and friend love that you can get. Surround yourself with Cancer type people who will hide under the covers with you and make you hot cocoa. Honestly, it will make a world of difference. Hang out with your tribe (remember, the people you are in symbiotic relationships with). They are your life blood and emotional support you will need. You will get through this. The self doubt is crippling, but everything you need is right at your fingertips.  Love yourself. Build that love. Build yourself up with love. Make love the bones - the structure - that holds you up. Hearts all around, love is the law. Ace of cups for Uranus in Aries while it squares the hell out of Mercury. Ugh I'm so sorry- This is just adding to the emotional, verbal outbursts people are having. Crazy emotional cups overflowing in the planet of crazy. But this could also be a positive time for inspiration. With all of these overwhelming emotions + Aries energy, we could really start communicating things that really need to be communicated. Don't sacrifice the self. Stop letting everyone steal your thunder. You are the thunder! This is a time of emotional transformation. It's better to drink from the cup and get drunk on the inspiration around us than drown in it. So start swimming. The wolves are going to nip at your tender heart strings, but use the sun in Aquarius to chilly detach, and then pounce like the cunning fox. You desire change, especially emotional change, so act on it. The potential for transformation is there. For Pluto I pulled the Queen of Cups (water/water energy), and she is squaring Uranus in Ace of Cups. There is GREAT emotional transformation happening, and there is a lot of fire stoking it. Essentially, we are boiling. This Queen of Cups is reminding me that all of this squaring off between Uranus and Pluto is making us far more emotionally evolved. We are going to become the rock in the stream, not bothered by it's passage over us. We are learning all of our emotional lessons, and even though all of this fire and water is making us crazy, a lot of light will be shed on what has been held and repressed inside of us. We are getting rid of our emotional weaknesses. We may be in the dark underworld of emotions at this moment in time, but, as Carl Jung stated, the tree that grows to heaven must have it's roots deep in hell. Cry. Let it out. Tell people how you really feel. It will transform you for the better.  
Mars and Neptune- Weird energy here. In one way, it works to insulate you from the outer bullshit that threatens to drag you down- In another way it drowns your enthusiasm and puts you into a sort of dream state, where your cognitive dissonance allows you to be completely unbothered by everything on an emotional level. The way to use this is to fully embrace the Flazedah nature and sleepwalk through the hell around you, but not to stop moving. It’s like sleepwalking on Ambien, and it’s the pro strat here.

Morrigan: Mars is playing off of Knight (King) of Wands energy. Holy shit. With Mars trine Neptune, we are in a time of illusions. No one is who they seem, and sexual energy has run rampant (and sexier than ever). It's magic time, and we are getting a great re-charge of spiritual inspiration.  There is a clear warning here. With the "glamouring" coming from the Leo moon coupled with the "glamouring" radiating off of Mars and Neptune, we have to really be able to separate the fakers from the real deal. Stay cunning. Remember your advice this moon is to "be the fox among wolves." Mars square the Moon will clash Prince with Knight, so I can guarantee there will be some intense drama.  People are guaranteed to get explosive, and fast, and you have to be wily to get your way out of it. The moon is how we protect ourselves, and knowing how to perform the appropriate role at the right time is going to be what saves you this moon. Don't forget to learn your lines or to follow the fox spirit. The Mars trine Neptune is giving us a lot of courage right now (probably delusional courage, but whatever), so USE IT. Also, I see sexy times. A lot of sexy times. Hell yes, the Chariot! The chariot is all about conquest and overcoming oppression. We need to get the reigns on this Neptune and ride it like a charioteer. Pisces in Neptune may bring a lot of illusion into the world, but it also brings a lot of spirituality and insight. There is magic everywhere, truly, and we have to battle our way through this drama and hold on to the little bubble of hope we have found. You may be getting some intense messages through your dreams right now, so pay attention. You might just get the code/plans/instructions you are looking for. The Chariot is represented by Cancer, and the charioteer must be able to flow around the battle like a raging river in order to gain their victory. Pisces being in Neptune gives us this much needed slippery quality (again, a need to be slippery like the fox).  
      
Jupiter- Saving the best for last! Even though Jupiter is retrograde, this is SUPER amazing Astro. He is conjunct the North Node and making all sort of fun aspects to the minor planets. So, this is where these super bold plans for your future are coming from. Roll with them, write them down, fully realize them as much as possible before you act on them. This is not the time for action, but you are too full of ideas and plots to not explore them. Just refrain from jumping off too quickly- Plot before you jump, but you most certainly are going to make a flying leap, and soon! The goal right now, with this Astro, is to know where you are going first.

Morrigan: Don't sleep on Jupiter. He has been telling me he is up to more than we think he is, even if he is in restrained Virgo. The Virgo just means he's planning. The Virgo means he has been plotting something obsessively (philosophically as well, so lots of logical diagrams), and has finally had a eureka moment. He's ace of wands in this reading, so we have a lot of empowerment of the self (which plays well with the Leo energy). Don't forget who you are, and don't forget your highest ideals. They really are the fire that is lighting your way - your literal torch. This is a good time to formulate a creative way for self expression, and with Virrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgo being a Mercurial sign, you have all of the potential in the world to communicate your ideals in a very inspirational, creative way right now.  Jesus, can I say inspirational enough in this reading [Astrogeek: Probably not as many times as you made a fox pun!]? Anyway, hold on to hope. It's there, I promise. You're about to find a way to express your highest ideals into your daily life, it's just at it's budding process (aces are beginnings) so don't snuff out the flame on accident. Believe in it and stoke it. This is the time to meld the big picture with the details - which brings on the eureka moment. So, in summation, my advice is this:  "Be the Fox" is your mantra. They may be surrounding us, but we're smarter, hotter, and master illusionists.

New Moon in Capricorn- The Trouble With Dreams

Ninja by Ivan Otero, CCL

Astrogeek: OKAY SO! This is one of my famous shotgun posts, as this shit snuck up on me somehow, and now you get me writing my balls off, half-drunk at 2:41 in the morning- Full disclosure. *sips bourbon*Great start to 2016, Astrogeek, classy as shit like always…

This sure as shit doesn’t feel like a new moon, no siree… This is halfway between a full moon and an eclipse. This is a test. You have to prove your mettle on this one y’all. So, again I ask you: WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT? You have the power to make anything come to fruition that you want, but only that which you put work into. Your effort and willpower will define this stage. Sure, you may DESIRE certain things like a new relationship or a bigger bank balance, or peace on earth; but you cannot get the first one if you're going out every night and trolling hookup apps, and that is doubtful for the second, but its entirely possible that you have invested in a company like Lockheed Martin, and therefore are a war profiteer, and probably have a decent bank balance! See how my clumsy metaphor barely makes any sense? That’s the Astro talking, I think. Either that or I need to stop doing bodyshots off of strippers….

And we all know THAT’S not going to happen!!

Anyways, wherever you focus your efforts, you will see growth and change, BUT anything that you are not willing to actively work toward, you might as well ignore. Because there is no cavalry coming- It’s just you, standing alone against the horde. Your strikes will count, but you have to swing your swords for that to matter! You have to show up to the battle, you have to be in the trenches! Most of 2016 will follow these rules- You’ve been skating by far too long, now you actually need to nut up and put your money where your mouth is!

Morrigan Dervishi: Oh boy oh boy, this year is already starting out... fun.  It's 2016, folks.  Let's break this down:
New Moon in Capricorn Tarot Spread

Sun - 9 of Cups
Moon - 4 of Cups
Mercury - 8 of Swords
Venus - 9 of Pentacles
Mars - Ace of Pentacles
Jupiter -  Queen of Swords
Saturn - 8 of Cups
Uranus - 8 of Wands
Neptune - 8 of Pentacles
Pluto - The Emperor

The 20th card of the tarot is called JUDGEMENT and the 16th card in the Tarot is THE TOWER. That sets the tone for this year.  Our world structures are about to EXPLODE and the Capricorn new moon is making us completely jittery about it.  What?  Structures?  Exploding?  Nightmare words for Capricorn, and Capi's nightmares are surely on our mind.  We have Mercury, the Sun, the Moon, and Pluto are all in the sign of the devil goat.  We want to build.  We want to make something out of all of this, but it looks like we are getting a lot of interference from Uranus, Mars, and Neptune right now.  Uranus is 8 of Wands in my reading, meaning he wants us to know he is back in full swing and plowing through everything.  Do not forget where he is coming from.  Who's pointing the Uranus laser beam gun right at all of our Capricorn dreams right now?  Aries.  Blood god energy.  But he's got a formidable opponent. 

The Sun, Moon, Chiron, Uranus, Pluto- UGHHHH NO. More self-reflection, more old pain drawn up, and more bullshit flashpoints and losses that are completely beyond your control, but eventually seek to move you to a new era/arena of life. Beware of zombie romances. Old news. NEXT!!!!

Morrigan Says: For this beautiful vortex of a new moon in the sea goat, I pulled the card 4 of cups.  The 4 of cups is all about moping around, and that's exactly what this new moon energy is dragging us to do.  Woe is me!  I don't have any of my shit together right now!  Shit is exploding around me and I don't know what to do!  Yeah, it's screwed up, but this card also reminds us that everything isn't futile.  Stop crying over spilled milk and look into your heart.  You're disillusioned by everything around you because it's all going to burn soon.  It's cardboard houses, so light your flame already.  Deep down, at your core, you have always known what it's really about, so stop giving your energy to the powers that be and rise to your own power.The sun in this reading is in the 9 of cups, which is also called the wish card.  It looks like Capricorn is really what we want right now, so we need to stop fighting it.  Don't let the delusions get in the way.  Remember, ground that Neptune.  Pluto is represented by the Emperor in this reading (which is associated with the sign Aries itself), wielding his transformational power over everything right now.  Pluto is larger than life AND IN CHARGE!  He is powering us up.  Telling us where to go.  There is a lot of power right now in taping into his energy, and he is rallying everything around him.  You might not THINK you have the power (Mercury IS in retrograde after all), but you've definitely got the power.  You're in charge.  Stop building what they want you to build and start building for YOURSELF. Capricorn is challenging us to start climbing the mountain, baby, but we have a lot of shit just holding us down.  We can't even get over the foothills because we are in such a panic.  What a troubling feeling.  I know, I know, just end it already, jeez.  4 of Cups is traditionally associated with moon in cancer energy, so it looks like we're being a little sensitive right now.  Get up.  Get out.  Let's go.  This is your queue not to get buried in all the bad energy going around.  Stop thinking that some white knight is going to come and rescue, because they are not.  Uranus will shoot them out of the sky before that friggin happens.  Power up that goat devil energy we have in our weapons kit right now, and slice through this shit!

Mercury Retrograde, Pallas Athene- Second verse, same as the first…. NEXT!!!

Morrigan Says: Poor little Mercury doesn't seem to be doing so well.  I pulled 8 of swords for him, which is literally interference.  Traditionally, this card is depicted as a woman standing in a circle of swords wearing a blindfold.  She thinks she is surrounded, but there is an open path in front of her if she either A. removes her own blindfold or B. makes the leap of faith and just moves forward already.  Makes a lot of sense for Mercury retro, doesn't it?  We're scattered and we have no idea that the opening is literally in front of us.  Mercury is literally sitting on whatever the answer to our question is right now, and it seems to all have to do with Capricorn. 

Venus, Saturn, Black Moon Lilith- Oh for fucks sake…  All of your old tricks will suddenly reappear and then promptly kidnap you, expecting a lifelong commitment right off the bat. DO NOT ACCEPT, they’re the same old crazy bitch that they have always been. Also- save yourself, the damsel in distress trope looks bad on all of us. NEXT!!!

Morrigan Says: Venus is in 9 of Pentacles, meaning more grounding.  We need to nourish our relationships before they rot and kill our anxieties and kill our blindfolded Mercury right now.  Stop taking things out on those around you.  Nourish them.  9 of Pentacles is Venus in Virgo energy, so we need to really pay service to our relationships right now.  Help build for them.  Saturn is 8 of cups, meaning we need to leave behind all the things that aren't benefiting us and those we love right now.  This card can also mean some profound realizations our coming our way.  He is reminding us that yes, we quite literally are walking away from the delusion right now and striding into the things that truly matter.

Mars, Neptune, Juno and Vesta- Finally, something that I can use; Unfortunately, I covered this in the intro. You will need to make decisions, right here and now as to how you want your future to take shape. You will need to make sacrifices. It will hurt, and nothing is a sure bet. Make your choice NOW, and stick to your guns. You CAN DO THIS. *takes drink break*

Morrigan Says: The TOWER (card 16) is ruled by Mars, who seems to be playing an important role this year.  I pulled Ace of Pentacles for him, meaning he is the root of all of our trouble right now.  There is no way we are getting around him, and we have to deal with his is "my way or the highway" attitude.  He's in Scorpio right now, his ancient ruler, so he's essentially a blood soaked barbarian coming out of a battle terrifying poor Mercury. For Neptune I got the 8 of Pentacles.  Prudence.  We need to ground right now and take daddy Capricorn's lessons seriously.  He is using Pluto to blast away these Neptunian delusions, and I think, by golly, it might just work out for us.  The cards are urging us to really earth our ideas right now.  They are saying root into something that's real so you can come down from the clouds, come down from all of the anxious energy around us, and start building your kingdom.  8 of Pentacles is all about grounding and working and building your dream from the literal earth.  Get serious.  So, let's bring all of those daydreams we have been stuck in to the light and take advantage of our super charged Capricorn abilities right now.

Jupiter, All the remaining minor planets including ERIS and some such nonsense- Look, Jupiter is retrograde in his most hated sign, Virrrrrrrrrrrgo. This doesn’t bode well for anything. Shit sucks, not just for you. We all have dreams and goals. Do what you can, when you can; and when you can’t, bide your time. Plot. Coil up to strike. You will get your chance but you may have to take a leap when the ground is falling out from under you and the only place you can jump is on fire. These things happen. Jump anyway.

Morrigan Says: Jupiter is Queen of Swords.  Slice through, baby, luck is on our side.  This is like pulling the sword of time out of the stone.  We've got the power!  Our abilities are inflated, and we can get to the heart of the matter.  She is the dragon woman, ready to use her emotions and her intellect as combined weapons.  Like a motherfucking vortex.  Jupiter's storm is going to pummel anything that comes in our way.  Go, little goats, go!  If this world is going to burn down around us, we are surely going to build a new empire on the rubble.  One that is true and from the heart.  The planet of philosophy and higher thinking is urging us to find truth and justice and use it as a weapon.  The Queen of Swords is associated with Libra.  This is our charge. So go, go go!  We can do this.  We've got devil goat energy and we are really sitting on the throne.  Let's just take these blindfolds off and fight some real battles instead of battles with ourselves and those who love us.

Venus/Mars Conjunction- Soldier of Love

 

Oh Hellraisers, can you smell that? No, not THAT, its spring! Yes, its in the air, things are heating up and life is returning! Of course, L'Amour is also in the air, and smells just as pungent. Its time for Venus and Mars to meet again!

Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of my favorite transits. Hands down, it rocks. Even for someone as anti-Venus as I am, I cant help but absolutely love this one. Even more so, now that its happening for my Venus Return!

Anyway, so what happens when you get a Mars-Venus conjunction? Well, lets look at the planets: Venus, goddess of love and beauty; And Mars, god of grit, War, and sweat? Anytime you get these two together, passions run HIGH. And in Aries? Holy hellfire, its like trying to put out a grease fire with gasoline!

So how do you work with this without getting burned to a crisp? Well you need to channel it instead of letting it run rampant through you, immolating you with its awesome. No, you need to tap into that truly amazing Aries energy, and let it inspire you. Be bold, try new things- Take up Motocross/ Dynamite Surfing /Skydiving! Go home with a stranger you meet at a bar! Take a random uplanned trip! Seriously, be shameless and just enjoy being alive for a while. If it feels like you're breaking some unwritten rule, you're doing it right. Of course, dont actually break any written rules, or promises/trust, dont cheat on your SO, and for the love of god dont come back with a disease if you do.

Playing back into the theme of Ceres, your mind is still focused on that new promising adventure that recently appeared on your horizon, the one that you really want to protect and allow room for growth. Keep at it, let it be your focus, but have fun with it! This life is way too short to be taken seriously.

Get dangerous, Hellraisers
-The Astrogeek

Saturn Sextile Scorpio (and Trine Chiron)- Scar Tissue

Show of hands- Who feels like this right now? All of you (Including your humble Astrologer)? Good, you're not lying to yourself. Awesome, you're ahead of the game. So, here's the rules for the next round:

Saturn and Pluto are resuming their fuqery- Enjoy that. If that wasn't enough, Chiron is also coming to the party too. Fun times, aye? So since we haven't really had a chance to sit down and talk about it, man to audience, I think its high time we made this happen.

Lets start from the outside in- Pluto: The black, dread lord of Hell. The bastard is in Capricorn (Saturn's Sign) and has been raking you over the coals since about 2008. This produces one of two extreme effects- Either you break under his torture, or you get stronger and use his power as your own. More often then not however, one leads to the other with our Dark Lord. Still, we're stuck in his particular hell till about 2024, so not much we can do about the situation, except for to manage as best as possible, be relentlessly upwardly mobile at all times, and make sure to grab a piece of the pie for you and yours- screw anyone else.

Saturn of course, is currently in Scorpio (Pluto's Sign)- So the two create a mutual reception, strenthening and supporting each others goals, giving each other a strong ally. Saturn is of course, the Lord of Time and is a relentless teacher of his lessons- But very generous to those that he favors and the ones who choose to work with him instead of fighting. In Scorpio, he is the torturer that forces you to rake others over the coals, speeding up the Pluto process. However if you only agree to do it, and abandon your own inhibitions toward it, then the rewards are palpable- You become a King of Hell, in and of a sort.

Chiron is the wild card- Not part of the mutual reception, and in Pisces with Neptune (but far enough away not to exacerbate matters), Chiron is someone we haven't spent nearly enough time talking about. However, I could devote every post from now til the end of the site and I still couldnt cover Chiron enough. Chiron is the Master, the Wounded Healer who is both animal and man, and uses his wisdom (and pain) to train up Heroes. He takes regular, broken down and tired people and transforms them into brilliant, shining amazing specimens of what we could all be, at our best. He takes us in and shares what he knows, for our own benefit, so that we can go out and share it with others to make the world better, however we can.

Now how to read these three together? I assure you, it would be much easier if we didnt have a huge, fuck-off stellium in Pisces muddying up the already very cloudy waters- The Sun, Mercury Retro, Venus, Mars,  and Neptune (the sign Ruler), all cozied up together (well, give or take a few degrees). But we do, so there you have it. Anyway, this gives all three of the players listed above a major power boost, so they are given even more importance. At least if you listen to them, that is.

Anyway, how it goes is something like this- Pluto cuts you off at the knees, breaks and tortures you, bringing back all of your old pain and baggage that you refuse to deal with. Then Saturn swoops in, scoops you up and says "Look, you know what would help you and make you feel a lot better? Making someone ELSE feel what you've been put through. Here, let me show you how its done." From there, you learn, and get more proficient, but emotionally you're frozen and even more broken then before. At your worst, enter Chiron. He grips you tight, and lifts you out of Perdition- taking you back to his cave, a safe place, and he helps you heal.

Once you confront your demons, and learn to laugh at them, then you do the process in reverse- You go back to the gates of hell, kick them in, and help others to get free when and where you can. You learn the hard lessons, like how not everyone can be, or even wants to be, saved; And even when you save them, they never thank you (Saturn)- but you save a couple. You make a difference. Not as much as you may want, but never discount a small action- they usually have the greatest effects. You pass on what you know, and what you learned. You learn a couple things yourself! You see it all again, through their eyes, and it gives you a fresh perspective. You come away changed, and better for it- Rooted in a strong sense of Self and embracing your own power, you become magnificent (Pluto).

As to what happens after that, well thats entirely up to you. Besides, id hate to ruin the surprise!

-The Astrogeek 

Full Moon in Leo- March Of The Divas

Ooooooh, shes been a bitch tonight! And by bitch I mean this Moon! Its in LEO, Hellraisers!

Holy Helios, this is going to be fun. This is also the perfect moment to really clear out all the guano that is still in the air from 2012, and claim your stake in 2013, announcing your presence and making a grand entrance. 

Its not all sunshine and glamour though- this lunation is in a major square to Saturn and has very strong contacts with Jupiter, Chiron and Uranus as well. Of course ill go into devastatingly painful amounts of detail below, but the theme is this- You're going to have to get out on stage, looking more fabulous than you ever have before, even though you're nowhere near ready and want to just hide backstage and give up performing forever. If that wasn't enough, you're going to have to make it look effortless.

Up for it?

The Sun and Moon- Right, so I already mentioned the square to Saturn, pulling at both of these two and demanding that they grow the hell up, putting a damper on the otherwise spirited mood. Okay, maybe "spirited" is pushing it, ill admit, but it is most certainly energetic as all hell. But the sword hanging over your head is meant to spur you forward and inspire you to do better, not to threaten you. Jupiter is not much help here however, at stationary Direct, not actually moving things forward or backward, but still causing a ruckus by his mere presence. Avoid anything that even remotely reeks of drama or could potentially become dramatic, unless of course you are in some kind of dramatic production, in which case expect chaos which gets handled and produces an amazing show. Uranus is not to be ignored, being both supercharged and the big ruler here, so he steals the show. Luckily, when you play by his rules he invigorates and recharges whatever he touches, cranking up your neurons and setting you aflame with all kind of new, crazy ideas. Because this is Insanity Astro, Pluto is also in the mix, so you can bet that there will be an edge in the air, kind of like snatching yourself back from the very brink, and spitting in life's face, daring it to do its worst while you grab your junk suggestively. This is actually exactly what its going to feel like, indicated by Chiron- either that or you will be attacked exactly where you are so very weak and you will be forced into surrender. Pallas Athene indicates that this is not exactly a moment where you just let it ride- You need a battle plan. If your 2013 Resolutions include fitness goals, now is the time to hit the Iron harder than ever, not time to give up on it and bitch out. Vesta confirms this, saying that if you have faith and stay dedicated, then you will be amazed at what you can achieve come Gemini Season (Hint- That's going to be a major time this year. Mark it down). A connection to Klotho tells you that the time is ripe for writing yourself a new chapter in your story. If there's something you want to do, then go out and freaking DO IT. If finances are an issue, make it a priority and save up for it. Just take steps to make it a reality. A trine to Hera confirms this, demanding that you make yourself a priority this year. It is time to grow into your own majesty, so start acting like Queen Bitch/ The Bastard King. An opposition to Askalaphus warns you to watch what you say, however. My advice would be to avoid saying anything and just put on a show for 'em!

Mercury- Now in Aquarius, the trickster is stronger than ever. Enjoy the boost now, because he's about to go Retrograde... In Pisces, of all signs. Which should be a cakewalk. But more on that when we have to deal with it. Today's focus starts out with a strong sextile to Saturn, so your mind is on serious matters, most likely regarding your place in the world and how to advance that place significantly this year. Well 2013 will be an almost unparalleled time to make those advancements possible. Plan now, put it into action after the Retrograde. A conjunction to Eros tells you to listen to where your attention goes; What you are passionate about might evolve into something more quite easily. A trine to Vesta and square to Deucalion confirm this, adding that you will need to stay dedicated to achieve what you want, and it will be an uphill battle. Another square, to Ceto, tells you that if you are made aware of an opportunity, you need to pounce on that shit immediately.

Venus- Venus may not be in the main drama this time, but holy hellfire does she have one hell of a side plot. Making her rounds in the outer rim, and securing alliances with the likes of Sedna, Eris, Varuna, Huya, Salacia, Haumea and Rhadamanthus, getting all of her ducks in a row for the rest of the year. With a connection to the Nodes, I am very interested in seeing how things turn out after this! While not the tamest skies for romance, the forecasts are certainly not dull where Our Girl is concerned! Of course, she is in Capricorn, so ignore her at your own peril. Of course, if you play by her rules, she gives you the best of the best.... Its not all sunshine and puppies, however. A square to Bienor indicates that what you want comes with a struggle to get it. You're going to have to fight dirty, and you'll have to decide whether its worth it or not. A sextile to Niobe warns against a tendency to overplay your scene and boast about your amazingness. Remember, there are no small parts. A square to Lachesis has you hard pressed to eliminate anything or start to remove negative influences from your life, but that time will come soon enough. A square to Atlantis confirms this, and suggests that you shouldn't push yourself just yet, but don't hesitate if something comes up either.

Mars- Almost out of Aquarius, Our Boy is lighting up the chart almost as well as Venus is, albeit in much different ways. All the Outer Planet connections are in effect for him, but the one I want to focus on is a square to Huya, which is exactly (and I mean down to the arcminute) conjunct to the North Node, but closely opposite to Sedna. That kind of configuration tends to highlight that you are feeling a lack of abundance and that it is your duty to yourself to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Whatever shape that may be, dont take anything off the table. Unconvential means may be the most effective for once. Another square, to Asbolus, confirms this and adds that you take this very seriously. This Lunation sets the stage for the rest of 2013, and with so much of it being water-heavy (and in the sign of the water-bearer no less!) security is tantamount. Do not put this off, you've done that for long enough now. A quincunx to Varuna highlights the need to make adjustments and to do it behind the scenes. This will not be easy. A sextile to Okyrhoe and Quaoar help here, indicating that you do have support, and you do have what it takes to create a new way forward for yourself. An opposition to Hekate confirms this, but indicates that you have some choices to make about which way to go (you're going to have to be a bit more specific than just "forward"). Hekate always stands with you at the crossraods to make the decision, but you will have to make it yourself, and walk the path that you choose. A square to Atropos confirms that, and challenges you to end what needs to be ended, with no drama. Accept what you had and allow it to go. A sextile to Hidalgo gives you the strength to stand up for what is important to you, and stands in the trenches with you as you fight for it. A conjunction to Icarus shows how you seek to be free of any and all limits placed upon you, provoking anger when you feel you are stifled. I would advise caution, however, as evidenced in the story of Icarus- Dont fly too high. This is confirmed by a sextile to Apollo and Phaethon, bringing both characters into play. In this case it seems that you should be able to ride the thermals instead of burning your wings. Settle for what you can handle, and try not to ride in any strange chariots if you can help it.

Jupiter- As we've said, the blowhard is Stationary Direct, set to start moving again shortly after the Full Moon, so take your deep breaths now. Prepare for it to hit, and in full force. If you're not ready when he comes, you will get taken down. Stay light and unecumbered by the bullshit. Helping you there (and forewarning the insanity that is about to go down) is a sextile to Uranus, basically ramping up Jupiter's crazy up to 11 and ripping the knob off. A square to Teharonhiawako is taxing your ability to rectify your place in the world as a functional contributor to society and as a creative individual in charge of their own life. Walk the middle ground (hint- It has to do with latent Self-Worth issues!). A sextile to Circe shows that you can make some magic happen if you stay dedicated and have a little faith in yourself. A trine to Hera confirms this, but demands that all of your choices be made to further your own ends and be on your terms. A trine to Nemesis may be an issue here; do not ride in like an avenging angel to try to win the day- rather sit back and let your minions do the work for you.

Saturn- Alright well the Grim Reaper turns retrograde next month, easing up on us a bit, and allowing us some breathing room. Til then, however, you do not skip Saturn, or whatever it is that hes trying to teach you (look at the house hes mucking through). Sextile to Pluto, old news, just keep doing whatever it is that you're doing. You know, soul-searing, demon-slaying, revolutionary reinvention. take no shit. A trine to Heracles helps here- You make it look easy. A conjunction to Persephone confirms this, saying that if you want the buried treasure then you have to dig real deep. A quincunx to Vesta doesnt make this any easier, as it challenges the very faith you have to keep going. Remember- The monsters under the bed always lie. This is also confirmed by a sextile to Eurydike and a conjunction to Siwa. A trine to Amor and a sextile to Aphrodite tell you that even though a romantic interest may start out light, there is a strong potential that it is more potent than you know.

Uranus- A conjunction to Pallas Athene is also old news, those two have been dancing around each other for months. Still, theyre quite potent together... Channel Hilary Clinton and crush your enemies while making them look dumb in the process. A quincunx to Orcus and a sextile to Altjira tell you... jeez, give me something new here!! Okay lets see, new... new.. Yeah I got nothing. Damn synodic cycles!

Neptune- Well, having FINALLY seperated from Chiron, we can actually start to treat them seperately, and deal with them head on. Well, Chiron anyway. Neptune can never be fought head on, you have to sidle up to him in the dead of night, looking fabulous in your assassins cloak (never mind that no one wears cloaks anymore, its all about the STYLE of the thing) while you ever so slightly slip something in his drink that will get him in 3 hours. Luckily, there are no real new influences here either, so moving on....

Pluto- So Chiron moves away from Neptune and ever closer to Pluto, demanding that you face those nasty secrets you thought were dead and buried in your psyche. Do it the first time around and it is LOADS easier, trust me. A conjunction to Echeclus indicates that there are issues coming stemming from the past, and that have carried into the future. A quincunx to Vesta challenges you to maintain your commitment to your duty and rediscover your purpose even though you face down some serious opposition and the fear can be crippling. This is lessened somewhat with a conjunction to Orpheus, letting you fake it til its real. A conjunction to Aphrodite and a sextile to Amor tells you that your desires are strong and if left unchecked will end up being more trouble for you than they are worth. A square to Magdalena balances this out, and gives a nice Madonna/Whore vibe to the proceedings. A trine to Achilles and a sextile to Heracles round us out, and raising us by our testicles to fight another round!

In closing, my friends; Always ask where she got the milk.

In Invicti
-The AstroGeek

If this hasn't satiated your craving for good Astro, go check out the Fantastical Starzina Starfish-Browne and her Time of the Month Horoscope for Aquarius season!

And after that, go check out great friend of the site Grymnal over at The Blurring Lines. His stuff is pretty awesome, and will definitely get you thinking!